Motorcycle Nation Podcast » Motorcycle Rides and Touring

Tribe Claims No Association With Hoka Hey Challenge

Steve — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 13:08:45 +0000

While researching the mess that surrounds the Hoka Hey Challenge I found this document on the internet. Is it real? I can’t say for sure but there are claims that this press release is what brought about the removal of the discussion board on the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Facebook page. We will be back soon with episode 20 of the podcast that will continue to update you on the latest developments.

Episode 19 – Is It a Good Day to Die?

Steve — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 23:20:24 +0000

This episode brings you the rumors and reports of controversy surrounding the Hoka Hey Challenge, an 8,000+ test of endurance on two wheels that started in Key West, FL on June 20th and ended July 4th in Homer, AK. Hoka Hey is said to be a Lakota term meaning “It’s a good day to die” and is said to be the battle cry of the legendary Crazy Horse. Jump on in and listen to the rumors and tell me what you think.

Links:
SideStand Up
Hoka Hey Challenge
The Motoworld
MotoCaribe Motorcycle Tours
Hoka Hey Challenge Facebook Page – Go to the discussions area and read up!

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Hoka Hey A Hoax?

Steve — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 23:05:25 +0000

In episode 18 I mentioned the Hoka Hey Challenge, an endurance ride from Key West, FL to Homer, AK that must be completed on an American V-Twin (read HD). The ride is said to cover over 7,000 miles and the first rider in has the chance at the grand prize of $500,000. All sounds good doesn’t it? Well, I am writing this to let all of you know that this may be a hoax.

I was in the chat room the other night for the live taping of the latest episode of Sidestand Up from our friend Tom Lowdermilk. I happened to bring this event up and the long distance riders in the chat immediately began to let me know that this is something to stay away from. I have not done deep research but want to let you know what I was told and you can use the information how you want. I do not claim this as being either a hoax or not a hoax, I am merely passing along third party information that I was told.

In the chat room I was told that an award winning long distance rider had checked into this ride and that the bank account did not exist. There are also questions involving the ability of the organizers to pull out of the event at any time, for many reasons, without having to provide refunds to riders. In a separate conversation outside of the chat I was also told that it was thought that many sponsors had dropped out of the challenge. A quick trip to the website shows only one sponsor, Black Hills Harley Davidson. So, these are legitimate questions to ask should you desire to ride in this event. I sincerely hope that none of this is true and that the event goes off without a hitch and one lucky, and bada$$ rider, takes home the big prize.

Check out the Hoka Hey Challenge site for yourself and contact the organizers to get more detailed info if you feel the need.

Episode 18 – Trouble in Paradise

Steve — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 01:42:29 +0000

This episode covers the recent rumors, or Trouble in Paradise?, of the Motor Company. There have been recent rumors of Harley Davidson being sold and we give a little info here. Most interesting is the spin the Todd B. Wilson, cohost of the Motorcycle Radio Network, takes. See his blog post here. Not all the trouble in the industry lies in Milwaukee though. We talk about the final sale of American Ironhorse and the sale of Ridley Motorcycles. Find out what will happen with them.

We also bring a little MotoGP news and provide you a link on how to get your chance to ride with the big boys in World Superbikes and World Supersport at Utah’s Miller Motorsports Park in Utah. There are wildcard spots to be filled if you feel like you have what it takes to get off the porch and compete. You can find out the requirements and fill out an application by clicking right here. In addition, we give information on an upcoming endurance ride, The HokaHey Challenge, that you can join. It is a run from Key West, FL to Homer, AK and covers some 7,000 miles.

Our final story comes from the UK and involves alcohol and riding. You gotta listen to this one.

As promised the interesting video on how sound checks are done on motorcycles courtesy of YouTube.

There may be trouble in Milwaukee Paradise but there is still plenty of true paradise in the Dominican Republic. Call my friends at MotoCaribe Motorcycle Tours and book your trip to fun in the sun the two wheel way. 800-877-MOTOFUN ext. 100

We have exciing interviews coming up with the creators of some unique products aimed at the motorcycling community and based on riders. Make sure you come back soon and check us out. Subscribe to the podcast at iTunes or the Zune store or just listen right here on the website. Show recommendations are always welcome at Steve@mcnationpodcast.com

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Episode 15 – MotoCaribe Motorcycle Tours w/ Ed Denzler

Steve — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 07:36:16 +0000

Ever had the urge to take a motorcycle tour? I have been wanting to for quite some time and the first one that I will take is one offered by MotoCaribe Motorcycle Tours. Read the blog, sign up for email, updates, watch tour video and more at the MotoCaribe Motorcycle Tour blog. This tour is in the Dominican Republic and is one of the most affordable tours that I have found. The DR offers it all from mountains, to tropical rain forest, to arid desert regions, to the finest aqua blue water beach views around. Take a two wheel tour and explore a land widely untouched by the urbanization of the Western world. You can follow the link above or reach Ed to book a tour at 877-MOTOFUN ext. 100. This episode we talk with Ed Denzler, owner and lead rider of MotorCaribe.

We move into a mention of the FX show Sons of Anarchy. This is by far my fave show and one of the very few that I watch. It draws you in to the created world and makes you feel a part. There are two SOA podcasts that I have recently stumbled upon that I enjoy listening to. Check out Watchers of Anarchy and SAMCRO: A Podcast for the Fans of Sons of Anarchy. Give them a listen. After all, it is a long time until Season 3 starts. If you have been watching the show, listen in on the past episodes and you will discover show info that you missed.

Condolences to the Hurt family on the passing of Harry Hurt, the author of the famous Hurt Report that shaped motorcycle safety programs all over the nation and world. Harry passed away November 29th of a heart attack.

In the opening show dialogue I mentioned that we would cover recalls tonight. The MotoCaribe interview was going too well to shut it down and we went long. We will cover recalls in episode 16 coming out soon.

I have email addresses available for anyone interested. If you would like to have a You@mcnationpodcast.com email shoot me an email at steve@mcnationpodcast.com Include the name you want and I will set it up and contact you when complete.

Visit my friend Cliff Ravenscraft, The Podcast Answer Man for all your podcast equipment needs or for podcast consulting. Check out the bigger community Cliff has at GSPN.tv

Check out SideStand Up and find the links to the TalkShoe show that they do. If you are there on Tuesday nights from 7-9 pm you can participate in chat while the show is being recorded. It is available via iTunes and rss as well.

Music used on this episode are from musicalley.com Our opener was Ride by Adrenaline Factor and our closer was by Little Fish Big Pond called Velvet Sky.

Happy Holidays from The Motorcycle Nation Podcast!

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Episode 14 – Farewell Biker Radio Magazine

Steve — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:45:23 +0000

Episode 14 covers on the continuing struggles of the motorcycle industry and focuses on Harley Davidson as they seem to be the worst off. We also cover the cancellation of the Love Ride and KTM pulling out of MotoGP 250cc class racing due to the economy. We give some new bike releases to look for and also provide news about recalls on Ducati, Triumph, and BMW motorcycles.
We also talk about the upcoming Motorcycle Cannonball, a run for pre 1916 motorcycles that starts in San Francisco and ends in New York. The run is Sept. 10-22, 2010. Link is posted below.
Paul Teutel Sr. a singer? Check out Paul and the OCC band on their new CD OCC Rocks. You can sample the music over at Amazon.com
And, sadly, the end of Biker Radio Magazine has come. This was the best motorcycle podcast that ever hit iTunes or the internet. Ken Venus recently recorded and released episode 100 and the show has come to an end. To listen to past episodes follow the link at the end of the show notes.

SHOW LINKS
multistrada.ducati.com
motorcyclecannonball.com
bikerradiomagazine.com

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Episode 12 – News, Recalls, and Insurance Rumors

Steve — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 21:09:15 +0000

Riding with Gov. Mitch Daniels.
Motor Company moving manufacturing to Indiana?
Competition Accessories leaving Ohio for SC.
Billy Lane is sentenced.
MotoGP in Indy this weekend
Other news and recalls.

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Riding with the Gov!

Steve — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:55:34 +0000

Indiana motorcyclists are proud to have a Governor that not only rides a motorcycle, but is willing to get out and ride with the citizens of Indiana. Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels leads a few rides a year that travel the state making stops in small towns all over. The most recent ride, August 14th, was on a beautiful day and surprised many of the first time riders with the route snaking us through some Southern Indiana backroads that had enough curves you would have thought you were on the Tail of the Dragon at times. The best part was that this ride was escorted start to finish by the Indiana State Police Motorcycle Unit. Thank you Gents!

Indiana State Police Electra Glides provided escort.

Whoever ordered the weather up for this ride did well but could have turned the temperature dial back about 10 degrees. I am not sure how many miles were covered as I left after the second stop so I could get back to Indy in time to see the Colts preseason game. The two stops that I did make were Milan and Madison. Milan is famous for their 1954 winning of the state high school basketball championship. The small town team beat the largest high school powerhouses that year and was the team behind the movie Hoosiers. The second stop that I made was in Madison, a really neat town on the Ohio River that looks across into Kentucky. This town also has a famous side as it is the host of the Madison Regatta, a hydroplane racing event held annually on the river.

Ohio River at Madison, IN

Riding with the Governor is free and we had over 400 waivers signed for the ride. If you are in the Hoosier state I encourage you to come out next time and ride with us. No matter what your political party of choice is, it is encouraging to have a rider in charge. The motorcycle rides that the Governor puts on are about motorcycle awareness and when a reporter questioned him on Friday about helmets he made a great statement. He told them that he chooses to always wear a helmet but that education, not mandatory helmet laws is what will save lives. Way to go Governor!

Staging at the State Capitol building.

Music and Motorcycles

Steve — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:48:57 +0000

Wow, time has gotten away from me. The end of month drill at work is always hectic but is more so this month. Add in teaching weeknight motorcycle safety classes and my days begin about 5:30 and sleep comes at about 11:30. So, I have had little time to write.

What has been happening besides that? Well, late spring brought a request from LiveNation, the outfit that handles tickets for Verizon Wireless Music Center (among many others) to plan rides to a series of concerts over the summer. ABATE plans a route and gets riders together for the all day ride. The ride takes the form of an observation ride where the participants are provided a list of questions that involve things to look for along the route. At the final stop, the riders with the most correct questions wins a prize pack that includes a meet and greet session backstage with that evenings lineup.

Through my involvement with ABATE, I have been on both of the rides that have happened this year. I got to see a great show that included Cross Canadian Ragweed, Trace Adkins, and Toby Keith. Trace and Toby were going to ride with us but it seems that Tony George offered up a few laps around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and it is said that they took him up on the offer. More recently, I led the ride that ended with the Lynyrd Skynyrd / Kid Rock show. The funny thing about that is that it poured all day and there were a whopping 2 bikes on the ride. Mine and the Ultra Classic that you saw in an earlier post about the Michigan trip. The beauty of it all is that by the time we hit the amphitheater the weather was perfect for an outdoor concert.

Anyway, both of these genres of music worked for motorcyclists. Country, southern rock, and hard rock play right into the lifestyle of two wheel enthusiasts. The other big one of course would be the blues. How can a biker deny some good blues? I am not sure that rap would go over as well! But, we have one more concert this year and hopefully I will get to play a part and attend this one as well. Ang and I have had a great time on the first two and if we make the next one we will get to see ZZ Top and Aerosmith. That would be a great way to end the summer. These perks are just one more way that motorcycling has paid me back.

How has motorcycling paid you back? Weigh in with your comments and until next time, Ride Safe.

Miracle Ride for Riley Hospital 2009

Steve — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:10:10 +0000

2009 brought us the sixteenth annual Miracle Ride for Riley Hospital. This is a two day event held towards the end of May or early June and is one of the largest fundraisers for the hospital and, I believe, the largest motorcycle ride in the State of Indiana in both number of participants and money raised. A walk through the sea of chrome would give away the fact that people ride in from many states to participate in this event.

Saturday begins the Miracle Ride with six Poker runs that leave various dealers across the state. The final stop for each poker run is a location somewhere in Indianapolis. If the riders from the farthest Poker Run origin point were to go straight to Indy without hitting the stops to pick up their cards it could take them 2-1/2 to 3 hours. So, some of these people put in some serious hours on the way to the capitol. The Poker Runs are a large part of the fundraiser and this year was no exception. The preliminary figure that were announced Sunday morning during staging for the organized ride was $220,000 just for the Poker Runs. For the eleventh year, Harley Davidson of Bloomington won the award for the most money raised on the run. They set a new record in ‘09 with $75,000 raised. Congratulations Owners Jeff and Carol Stevens and General Manager Jim Markham.

Sunday brings all the Poker Run participants along with those who just want to do the Sunday police escorted ride to the registration point which changed this year to Lucas Oil Stadium. During registration and staging there are some festivities going on such as Bob and Tom from the nationally syndicated radio program, The Bob & Tom Show, usually get up and get people laughing. The Indianapolis Colts offensive line usually gets up on stage too to tell people why they enjoy leading this ride. By the way, they left their bikes at home this year and Victory motorcycles brought out some of their models and let the guys ride those. And we also get a show from the Indianapolis Metro Police Motorcycle Drill Team.

Most people come to this ride for one reason. To help the kids. The ride kicks off and leaves the registration point and always makes its way over to Riley Hospital where some of the children line the sidewalk and watch all the bikes go by. From past experience it is very moving and tough to go through with dry eyes. From there, it continues through the streets of near downtown Indy to the world famous 16th Street, the same street that holds the Yard of Bricks. For those who wore a helmet there is a lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway track. Some people come for this. It is fun and you don’t realize how much banking there really is on that track. After leaving the track they reach the end of the ride where there is entertainment, food, raffles, silent auctions, and four or five motorcycle giveaways. Yes, four or five.

Early figures for 2009 indicate that the ride raised around $375,000 for the kids. If you ever thought about traveling and hitting a charity ride, come on over to the Hoosier State and join us on the Miracle Ride. Tell them the Motorcycle Nation Podcast sent you. You won’t be sorry.

Ride safe and ride with a purpose.