Motorcycle Nation Podcast

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Episode 10 starts out with information on recalls and then we dive straight in to the interview with Micah. Our main focus was to bring awareness to the ride on May 30th that Micah and friends are putting on called The Ride for Alexandra’s Heart. Follow the link for more info. This podcast is pretty straightforward and we end the episode with the song Story Teller by Indiana natives The Eclipse Band.

For out of state donations or for more information concerning The Ride for Alexandra’s Heart, you can make contact in either of the following ways.

Via Mail
Lucas County Choppers
PO Box 1213
Holland, OH 43528

Via Phone
419-491-7032

Recall Information

Ducati
800-231-6696
or find your dealer via the web at http://ducatiusa.com

Honda
866-784-1870

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This episode starts off with a quick summary of my road trip to Cedar Springs, MI and then moves along to the loss of two very committed motorcyclists. One local, Mark Garback, a motorcycle safety instructor with ABATE of Indiana and the other Mike “Boz” Kerr, Vice President of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation.

Next up is an interview with Paul Holdsworth that you have to listen to. You will be floored by Paul’s experiences over his many years of motorcycling and he speaks of his role with IronWorks Magazine. Many thanks to Paul as he was patient with my screwed up schedule and waited many weeks to record this podcast. Thanks again Paul. You can find subscription info to IronWorks Magazine by following the link and you can enjoy the musings of Snakebit Sam at IWBlogger.

We close out the show with another Eclipse song, Green Fishing Line. Follow the link to their website and get your own CD if you have been enjoying the music we have been playing on the podcast.

Special thanks to my friend Dennis Tyger for taking the road trip with me. Better friends are hard to find. As always, we appreciate you, the listeners of the Motorcycle Nation Podcast, for taking the time out of your life to support and listen. Safe travels.

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I finally, after a multi year lapse, got to take a joy ride. Sure, Ang has jumped on the back and we hit a local restaurant to have dinner with friends, but every other ride I have taken was tied in with either teaching or work. The past two days were a true joy for me as I was able to stare down the white lines and drop mile after mile for pleasure. My only regret is that Angie and Kim did not ride with us.

Originally there were four of us going to go. By time to leave there were two, me and Kim’s husband Dennis. We set our departure point at a gas station in SE Indy. When I rolled up to the gas pump Dennis was by the building talking to someone. I pulled my helmet off and he called me over. He was talking to a young man that was traveling to DC to visit his brother. Not an ordinary young man, but a priest. Dennis had asked him to bless our trip and he did so right in the gas station parking lot. Pretty awesome! After gassing up we hit the road and started putting home behind. Our first stop wound up being in South Bend, IN, home of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. We pulled into a gas station only to find that every pump was out of mid grade and premium fuel. So we pumped a gallon in each bike and went searching for better fuel. We found it at the next exit and topped off the bikes before heading to Pizza Hut for a quick lunch. Well, it would have been quick but they kept filling the buffet with a different kind of pizza each time that Dennis had to have. Needless to say he was sick by the time we left.

We had excellent weather the entire trip and we arrived in Grand Rapids dry and happy. After a couple of wrong turns and a phone call we arrived at our destination to meet up with Jason, another motorcyclist that I have come to know via the net. Jason had been posting about his problems getting his motorcycle in good riding condition and, since he had helped me with some computer related issues in the past, I decided to go up and see what help I could provide. That was pretty much the purpose of the trip other than to ride. So, we arrived at the house and was able to fix the bike in about 20 minutes which allowed us to have an evening free. That meant more riding which allowed Jason to lead us around on his bike. We headed back towards Grand Rapids and met up with his wife, Kate, at a school where she was teaching Zumba. Zumba is a Latin / International dance and exercise class. Dennis looked pretty funny on the side trying out the moves!

From there Dennis, Jason, and I went to find some food and a place for us to stay that evening. The rules were no fast food and something different than we could have at home. Jason nailed it with his choice of Brann’s Steakhouse & Grille. Nice local place with some really good food. Steaks and stuffed shrimp were consumed and the prices were extremely reasonable. Check it out if you find yourself in the area. The best part was that we walked through the parking lot to the next one and found our lodging for the night. Dennis is a smooth talker and a deal maker and he got us $20 off the room by asking for the manager’s special. Sweet. We agreed to meet Jason and his wife Kate for breakfast the next morning and he left for home. A quick ride to the Meijer department store across the street for swimming trunks for Dennis and we were back at the hotel. I headed straight for the sack while he went to swim and try out the hot tub. Probably should have done that as well just to loosen the legs up after the ride.

Breakfast found us at Anna’s House Restaurant with Jason and Kate. This place has more variations on omelets than I have ever seen anywhere. Food and service were both great and there was good conversation with Jason and Kate. We all had a great time and soon it was time to head for Indy. The weather was not looking as promising for the trip so we wanted to get on the road. Goodbyes were said and we went down the street and paid a visit to the Honda dealer so Dennis could find a warmer pair of gloves. We did not have any luck so we jumped on the highway and headed back east in search of 196 and 31 South. On the way up we passed Grand Rapids Harley Davidson and we talked about stopping on the way home. I saw the sign up ahead and slowed and pointed and held my hand up asking, “Wanna stop?” A quick shrug of the shoulders and a nod took us onto the exit and into the dealership. What was going to be a quick t-shirt stop turned into a marathon purchase of a 2009 Black Pearl Electra Glide Ultra Classic. No not me, but I wish it was. Dennis’ trusty sidekick, the 1999 Road King was being traded in on the new bike.
This picture shows a glimpse of the Road King behind the new one.

Now, I rode up there on my ‘99 Softail Custom. He had the comfort advantage on the Road King already and now he was going to take it ten steps further and really ride in comfort. That is ok though, I am happy for him. Due to the five hour purchase we were way behind schedule and had allowed some severe storms to cross our route south of where we were. It did not take long out of Grand Rapids to start in and for the next two hours we rode in the rain and wind. Don’t forget, we had to run 50 to 55 mph for the first 50 miles and vary speeds from 55-70 for the rest of the trip. The maiden voyage for the new Ultra was a soggy one but she came through with flying colors.

So, my first joy ride in some time involved 706 miles of some crazy drivers, some torn up roads in Michigan, and bad weather. I would not trade even one mile back for anything. I had a great time with great friends and that is what this is all about. Everybody ride safe!

I have always had the desire to travel on two wheels. My dreams have taken me to the Cherohala Skyway along with Deal’s Gap and all up and down the Blue Ridge Parkway. In further REM states I have hammered across the Seven Mile Bridge and enjoyed the sunset, beaches, and nightlife of Key West. Many daydreams have found me out West running through Utah, Wyoming, and Montana. And I have heard that Oregon is perhaps one of the most beautiful states to ride in. Sign me up for all of them.

Some people are fortunate enough to be able to spend a major portion of their year on the road. Their tales have given me inspiration to take that next step and look into many more road trips than I have had the opportunity to take to this point. So far, my longest road trip to date has been to Milwaukee to visit the Harley Davidson plant. I have been to Daytona Bike Week a few times but our bikes were trailered down and back for that one so that is not a road trip.

I have drawn the inspiration to make a long trip from family and internet friends. In the relative area, I have a cousin and his wife that make an annual trip with 2 to 3 other couples. Ask them where they are going and you will get only the direction. West. South. Who knows. Their ride consists of each couple having the directional choice of the day. They rise early and get on the road and stop around 5 or 6 PM each evening. After finding lodging and getting a meal, they bed down and start over the next morning.The couple who has rights for the day leads off in whatever direction they have chosen. No planned stops and no agenda. That sounds like a plan to me. A trip a couple of years ago led them through sixteen states in nineteen days.

Then, we have some friends of the podcast that also have the opportunity to travel. Carla King, a motojournalist based in California, has taken a trip that she circumnavigated the border of the United States on a Russian made Ural motorcycle. This trip is chronicled in her book “American Borders” which is available from her web site. I am currently reading this book and will be doing a podcast with Carla in the near future.

Perhaps the freest spirit that I have stumbled upon in my motorcycle travel research has got to be Ara Gureghian. Click on his name, after you finish reading this of course, to be whisked away into a dreamland of free. Ara, who travels with his trusted companion Spirit in his sidecar, lives a fantasy day in and day out. Ara has an amazing past but the last few years are what draws me to his site. You will be met with amazing photography and well written posts about their current location and pictures. You can even follow the travels with a device called SPOT which is a satellite locator that will show you the most recent visited location and current location on a Google Map. There are various items available in his store along with the opportunity to purchase copies of his pictures. Trust me, you will see the beauty of our great country in a new light by looking at his photography.

If you want to read and see what freedom is all about, go ahead, click the link. You won’t be sorry!

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We are led into this episode by the Eclipse Band, an Indiana biker band that plays some good old Southern Rock. We give some quick info on a tire recall and a recall on some Buell motorcycles.

After that it is straight in to Part 2 of our discussion with Paul where we discuss charity rides and the dilution of the available dollar due to the amount of rides out there now. After that we wrap up that conversation with a discussion on rider responsibility. That is the responsibility to our fellow motorcyclists by not doing stupid things to make us all look bad.

The show finishes up with the full version of our lead in song from the Eclipse Band. As always, thanks for listening. Look me up on Twitter at the username @harleymac1 and come check out a free for all motorcycle chat with my cohost Jeff Kirby from Fred Motor Company over on Talkshoe Sunday April 12th at 8 PM EST.

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Episode 7 brings us a tire recall from Metzeler and four motorcycle recalls from Kawasaki. Then we dive into Part 1 of the duocast with Paul Nielsen from Motoworld Media. You will find his blog, podcast, and a variety of photos at the site. After the discussion with Paul I share some good old motorcycling music from Indiana’s own Eclipse Band. Get a drink, have a seat, and kick back and listen to two motorcyclist from very different backgrounds discuss motorcycling.

Phone numbers for recalls
Kawasaki 866-802-9381
Metzeler 877-202-4993

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Earlier today we returned from the International Motorcycle Show in Chicago. Me, my wife Angie, and our friends Dennis and Kim Tyger, all riders, made the trip an overnighter. We left Indy early Saturday morning and made it to the show at about noon. The question in my mind leading up to the show was what effect the economy would have on the show attendance and the sales. I noticed people buying the many items that were available but I did not see a major portion of the people with anything. In our walk through the show, I saw no more than 5 helmet boxes in attendee’s hands and a scattering of T-shirts and sunglasses. I do not know what big ticket items were sold such as motorcycles, ATV’s, and scooters. I am assuming that most of the sales were for accessories or riding gear. As for the attendance, during our 3 to 4 hours there it was not easy to move through the aisles as it was packed! Whether able to spend money or not, people definitely wanted to get out and look.

I am not sure exactly what I was expecting to find at the show but I must say that I was a little disappointed. Maybe my expectations were too high but I left there feeling that something was missing. We have the Indiana Motorcycle Expo in Indianapolis every year at the Indiana State Fairgrounds and although it does not have a corporate, manufacturer type presence and is smaller than the IMS, it is just as enjoyable to attend. Maybe I was expecting the hype of another new unveiling like IMS New York got to experience with the Honda Fury. Maybe they actually did have some new, major product announcement at Chicago and we were just not there for it. I am not sure, but I still left feeling like they left something out. I am not saying don’t go but definitely go with a more open expectation than I did.

Due to the large attendance at the show, I was unable to get interviews with the vendors. I was looking for some unique items and I found some but that was also a magnet for the crowd therefore keeping the representatives in the booth very busy. I did make contacts and trade business cards and I have some phone interviews to do for you in the next couple of weeks. Stay tuned for that.

I do have to say that overall, the most enjoyable part of the weekend was driving to Twin Lakes, WI and having dinner with my sister, brother-in-law, and one of my nieces. We went to a place called Popeye’s in nearby Lake Geneva. Popeye’s sits across the street from the water and is one of those restaurants that truly has something for every taste. It was truly hard to decide on a meal with all of the choices. They had everything from burgers to the finest fresh lobster with rotisserie chicken and ribs in the middle (the chicken and ribs were awesome) The menu also boasted about the local favorite, bluegill. Shoot, they even had the Mardi Gras menu and I found it very hard to choose between the chicken and ribs and the jambalaya. There was also plenty of choice in the drink department and I settled on Spotted Cow on draft. A quite tasty beer with a slightly sweet aftertaste I do have to say. As you have probably figured out, we are not talking about the local chicken joint named Popeye’s. We all agreed that this will be a summer destination for a bike road trip in ‘09.

Stay tuned for a podcast in the very near future and don’t forget the upcoming move. If you have any questions please contact me at steve@mcnationpodcast.com

Ride Safe
Bullitt

I received the latest issue of Motorcycle Consumer News (MCN) in the mail yesterday and it got me wondering, what magazine does the nation feel is the best? There are so many choices out there and at one time I was subscribing to three of them. In the mid 90’s I subscribed to Easyriders. I liked reading Easyriders and enjoyed the pictures. They mixed in some humor and normally featured a hopped up bike or restoration of an older one. The main drawback with Easyriders is that they mainly cover American built motorcycles. You might occasionally find a Brit bike such as a BSA or Triumph from days gone by, but they made it in the mag based on their role in the early chopper craze.

More recently, I subscribed to three mags at one time. It was 2005 and I had subscriptions to Rider Magazine, Cycle World, and MCN. Each one had many attributes that I liked and were beneficial to me in their own right. Cycle World is a good all around magazine that I enjoyed but found that I skipped many of the articles. Rider magazine held my interest more, probably due to the fact that I anticipated one main article every month. Larry Grodsky, a motorcycle safety advocate, wrote an article covering safety and technique every month. I found myself flipping through the magazine when it came every month and heading straight for Larry’s page. Larry had a motorcycle school called Stayin’ Safe and I was intrigued by his outlook and respected his opinion. I learned many things from Larry’s perspective that I still use today as I teach motorcycle safety classes for ABATE of Indiana. Unfortunately, Grodsky was killed April 8th, 2006 when he hit a deer in South Texas returning home, the long way, from a motorcycle safety conference in California.

In ‘07 I decided to go back to school and found little time to do outside reading. Paying the money to keep the mags was unnecessary so I pared it down to just one. Motorcycle Consumer News. I have to say that I believe this magazine to be THE best on the market. Don’t agree? Good. The purpose of this article is for all of us to share our favorites so that we open up new avenues to fellow riders. I want to know of other mags. I won’t stop reading MCN but adding another quality read to the mix is worth my time. What is your fave? Put it in the comments and share with your fellow riders. What I am looking for is a good touring magazine. One that gives good rides to follow. One that has articles on how to pack for different rides. Anyone know of one? Please share. That is what this blog / podcast is all about. Sharing information. But, let me get back to MCN.

The biggest factor in my choice of this magazine as the best of the best is simply the fact that they do not accept advertising money from any of the manufacturers or the accessory producers. The funding for this magazine comes from subscriptions. By not relying on cash inflows from the industry, MCN does not have to feel any obligation to overlook negative aspects when doing a motorcycle or gear review. When not liking an aspect of a product being reviewed or not feeling that quality was the number one priority, other magazines have to give thought to whether they should omit the problem, sugarcoat it, or report it. They must give thought to what weight truthful reporting will have on future advertising contracts. MCN does not have to worry. They provide fair and unbiased reviews each and every time they twist the throttle on a bike or try out that new piece of gear. They are also very fair across the board whether they are testing American or Metric machines. I have read magazines that focus on one side of the fence or the other that choose to spend their time bashing the other side. Most American focused mags won’t even review a foreign motorcycle.

MCN reviews them all. Cruiser, Tourer, Sport, Adventure, take your pick. You can find something for everyone in this magazine. Beyond the reviews you will find some of the most professional moto-journalists in the industry. The team is led by Dave Searle and includes such names as LT Snyder, Fred Rau, and David Hough. You will find other awesome content between the covers of this awesome mag. To cover some of my favorites, I will start out with Medical Motorcycling. The article covers the physical attributes of riding and is a reminder of the things that we need to do to be physically at our best every time we lift the stand up on our motorcycles. Contact Patch, by Fred Rau, is one article that you never know what you will get when you open to the back inside cover. The one thing that you can count on though is a professionally written article from a well respected journalist that has hundreds of thousands of miles on two wheels and leads many tours. I can’t forget about Proficient Motorcycling by Ken Condon. This article provides tips and techniques of riding and addresses strategies to keep riders safe and alive. This article was formerly written by David Hough who has authored books of the same name and the book is considered to be the bible of safe riding. Check these guys out on Google or whatever search engine you choose.

There is so much other content between the covers of this magazine every month but I would have to keep you up all night. So, now it is your turn. Share what you think is the most useful motorcycle magazines on the market with the rest of us. Leave your favorite mag in the comments section. Don’t forget, I am searching for the best touring magazine out there. Anybody got one?

Ride Safe

Bullitt

In the past few weeks two rides have taken place that have so much meaning. Although one is a national level ride and the other is a local ride I feel that they hold great importance. The first ride is the Run for the Wall, which I assume most of us have at least heard of, and the second is the Miracle Ride.

The Run for the Wall web site provides us with the following:

“Mission Statement: To promote healing among ALL veterans and their families and friends, to call for an accounting of all Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action (POW/MIA), to honor the memory of those Killed in Action (KIA) from all wars, and to support our military personnel all over the world.”

This ride actually starts on the West Coast in Ranch Cucamonga, CA. Over an approximately 11 day period, the ride runs two routes that cross the United States and end up in Washington, DC for the Memorial Day weekend. The ride has preplanned stops and actually picks up additional riders at these stops as well as people joining in anywhere along the way. There are many festivities to hold your interest at the end of the ride but the most important event, of course, is the opportunity to attend the Memorial ceremony at the Wall. If you have never had the opportunity to experience the Wall I urge you to make your way to Washington and do so. Don’t forget to check out all the war memorials while you are there. There is something different about the Wall though. To see all the names of those that gave the ultimate sacrifice that allows us to remain free is a special feeling.

If I recall correctly, I believe that I have seen estimated numbers of 250,000+ participants. What an awesome sight that must be. I have had the desire to attend this ride for many years but have not found the time to do so. It is one of my wish rides that I hope to do before my time is up. I encourage any patriotic motorcyclist to add this to your list of rides.

The Miracle Ride for Riley Hospital is a ride that began fourteen years ago. The proceeds of the ride are donated to the James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children. Riley uses the funds to pay for care for children whose parents can not. Motorcyclists have raised over 2 million dollars for the hospital over the past fourteen years. This is by far the biggest ride in the state of Indiana both in donated dollars and in number of participants.

On Saturday of Miracle Ride weekends, the motorcycles leave from various sites around the state and converge on Indianapolis. This year the poker runs raised over $250,000 alone. On Sunday, the day of the big ride, additional riders show up and pay their donation to ride as well. 7500+ motorcycles participate. In 2007, over $325,000 was raised in total. The Sunday ride is a fun day. The ride is normally led by Bob & Tom, of the nationally syndicated Bob & Tom Show hosted at WFBQ in Indy, Forrest Lucas of Lucas Oil, and members of the Indianapolis Colts.

The ride leaves the staging area and takes a route through the streets of Indianapolis ending across the street from the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway. An awesome bonus to this ride is that you get to take a lap on the track where so much history has been made. It is quite an experience to cruise around the track and see what the drivers actually see. That track is not as flat as it looks on TV. As cool as that sounds, there is something even better about this ride. At the beginning of the ride, shortly after leaving the staging lot, all the motorcycles pass in front of the hospital. Hospital staff and parents are sitting on the sidewalk with signs waving at the riders as we go by. It is truly hard to hold back tears knowing that those children, and hundreds of others, are in that hospital fighting diseases that could potentially kill them. The feeling you get knowing that you are helping these children and parents, even in such a small way, is indescribable.

This ride gets riders from many states. Fourteen states were represented this year. If you live in a state that is close to Indiana I encourage you to come ride with us for an awesome cause. Motorcyclists have huge hearts when it comes to children. What are the motorcyclists of your state or country doing to help? Leave your comments.

Ride Safe
Steve & the MC Nation

As I rode to work this morning enjoying the cool, crisp air it occurred to me just how fortunate I am to be able to ride a motorcycle. There are many people out there who would love to experience the ride but can not for many reasons. I have been blessed with the finances to be able to enjoy this great sport. I also have coordination to manipulate the clutch and throttle on take off and during the shift process. I am able to use the clutch and both brakes simultaneously as I downshift during a stop, which is a feat similar to playing the drums. Four limbs moving at once. Both hands and both feet working in harmony to slow and get the motorcycle to stop smoothly. I also have been blessed with the physical strength to be able to bring the motorcycle off the sidestand and upright.

These things we take for granted every day. I could not imagine loving something so much and not being able to participate. The motorcycle industry has made great strides in attempting to make motorcycling accessible to anyone. I applaud them for the three wheelers they produce so that people who have lost lower limbs, or those who just do not have the leg strength to hold up a 600 lb. motorcycle, can enjoy riding. I thank the manufacturers that provide automatic motorcycles or “paddle” shifting motorcycles so that those with prosthetic arms can enjoy a ride. In the early 1980’s, one of my classmates, who had lost his left arm just below the elbow, rode a Hondamatic around. I appreciate the innovation from all the manufacturers of items that bring those with disabilities closer to the sport.

I have never experienced anything in life that equals the feeling of freedom or that provides me calmness of life like motorcycling does. I am grateful to all those that make the dream come true for all of us.

Ride Safe

Steve and the MC Nation