More Features on Motorcycle Views

More features have been added to the Motorcycle Views Web site.

• Motorcycle Makes and Models - Click on a motorcycle make and get a page containing links to all motorcycle articles and features on the site for that make. Also included is a page containing all 2007 models each with a link to the make's official Web site giving all details for that model.
• Clubs and Associations - Gives links to motorcycle clubs, riding clubs, law enforcement clubs, rights organizations, and motorcycle associations.
• Classified Ads - Are you looking to buy or sell a motorcycle? Check out these online motorcycle classified ad sites.

I published my first Motorcycle Views Newsletter on Sunday night. It contains up-to-date information on site changes. It also gives links to forum discussions. If you're not yet a subscriber, please sign-up for the Newsletter now. When you sign-up, you'll see a link to view previous newsletters.

Motorcyclists Have Fun With Haiku Poetry

I have just released a new feature, Motorcycle Haiku Poems. These 3-line poems offer a simple way for riders to express their feelings about riding their motorcycles. Here's an example:

summer calls to me
come ride your motorcycle
live without your cage

Haiku is a three-line unrhymed verse with the first line containing 5 syllables, the second line containing 7 syllables and the last line containing 5 syllables. Sometimes the verse has a seasonal theme.

I have 39 original poems by motorcyclists in the collection. Take a look and maybe you'll be inspired to submit one yourself.

Peter Fonda Does Ghost Rider Without a Motorcycle

Peter Fonda, iconic star of Easy Rider, has done over 70 films. He appears in the current Ghost Rider film playing the devil. Peter continues to ride motorcycles as he shortly turns 67.

A piece by Susan Carpenter, Los Angeles Times, and reported in delawareonline.com discusses Fonda's career and his need for speed. He once went 189 mph on an MV Agusta F4-1000 sportbike. Here's an excerpt:

"I've had this puppy up to 189," Fonda said, not so much boasting as marveling at his own stupidity during a rest stop at Coldwater Canyon Park. "I never want to do that again. One road rut, and I would have been toast."

Read Carpenter's story for all the details.

Also, read my movie review of Ghost Rider as reported here in the Motorcycle Views Blog.

KTM Issues Recall on 950 Series Motorcycles for Brake Problem

KTM has issued a recall of certain 2004-2006 950 Adventure, SuperEnduro, and SuperMoto motorcycles.

On certain 950 Series motorcycles, the rear brake may feel spongy or soft when applying the brake. This could lead to improper rear braking.

2,684 units are affected.

Check out my new Motorcycle Recalls feature for more details.

New Blue Knights President from my Hometown

Got a Google Alert today from the Daily Pantagraph newspaper in Bloomington, IL about a local retired policeman, Mike Ripsch, who was just elected president of the Blue Knights International Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club, Inc. I don't know Mike but Bloomington/Normal, IL is my hometown and I used to work for the Pantagraph when I was in college.

From the Blue Knights Web site:

"The BLUE KNIGHTS® is a non-profit fraternal organization consisting of active and retired law enforcement men & women who enjoy riding motorcycles."

Turns out Mike is the first president from Illinois.

Here's a link to the story.

I hadn't even thought about taking up motorcycling when I left Normal to head east to complete my education and settle in New Jersey. I go back there usually once a year for one thing or another. I've even ridden back the 900 miles on my motorcycle.

Well, I'm happy to see that a local has this new job. The Blue Knights is a respected organization everywhere that motorcyclists go.

Good luck Mike.

Polar Bear Pictures - Bahr's Landing

Both Jane and I had a busy day today. We started out at 7:40 a.m. by riding the trikes four miles up the road to the GWRRA Chapter NJ-F (F- Troop) monthly meeting. We are now the treasurers for the chapter which makes for a busy time during the meeting. Almost don't have time to eat, trying to keep up with continuous requests for reimbursements and taking in moneys from various chapter activities.

From there, we rode 30 miles over to Bahr's Landing in Highlands, NJ for a Polar Bear Grand Tour stop where I took pictures for the group's Web site. This Polar Bear stop is one of my favorites since it's nestled among the water, a bridge, and the Twin Lighthouses (see picture).

We are expecting to see snow late today and tonight. I just wanted to get through the motorcycle activities and get the trikes home in the garage before we saw the white stuff floating down.

I'm sending out the first edition of my Motorcycle Views Newsletter tonight. If you're not on the list please subscribe to keep current with what's happening on the Motorcycle Views site, Motorcycle Views Blog, and Motorcycle Views Forum. Here's a newsletter sign-up.

Ghost Rider - Movie Review

The number one movie this week was Ghost Rider starring Nicolas Cage and Eva Mendes. Ghost Rider is based on the Marvel Comics series. I hadn't heard much about this flick except through watching the trailer and TV interviews with the stars. I was definitely going to see it.

I took my wife along and although she loves motorcycles, she hates action/adventure/science fiction/fantasy. She's also the type who wants to know the ending before she sees the movie. I was worried about what her reaction would be.

Not to worry. She liked it.

Here's my review of Ghost Rider.

Motorcycle Pictures of the Week

Here are my Pictures of the Week as displayed on the Motorcycle Views Web site. These are taken from the Moto Pic Gallery. See Alicia with her Ducati S2R and Ed on his Honda Shadow ACE. Both riders are members of my new Motorcycle Views Forum.

If you'd like to see your bike as Pic of the Week, submit a picture of you and your bike along with a description of the bike.

How To Start and Move a Motorcycle

I have just completed an article that gives step-by-step procedures to move a motorcycle.

This article gives a 10-step procedure to move a motorcycle without the need to start it.

The article also gives a 10-step procedure to move a motorcycle by pressing the start button, putting it in gear, and moving it under its own power.

These are procedures for people unfamiliar with the operation of motorcycles. Examples might be people who have to move a motorcycle that's stored in a garage and new riders who have just bought a bike and have little experience in its operation.

Of course, the movement of a motorcycle is best left to its experienced owner but sometimes the owner is not available such as while stationed overseas in a military operation.

These two procedures, illustrated with pictures, help to present the basics of motorcycle operation as well.

Steps given here are done at your own risk. There is always the chance that the motorcycle will fall over or you will not be able to control it.

So check out "How To Start and Move a Motorcycle."

Yamaha Recalls XV1700 Motorcycles for Stalling Problem

Yamaha has issued a recall of certain 2002-2007 XV1700 Road Star Warrior motorcycles.

The lead wires for the pick-up coil can break while the engine is running, causing the engine to stall and be impossible to restart.

18,000 units are affected.

Check out my new Motorcycle Recalls feature for more details.

Going For a Smoking Ride

There are only a couple of thing in life that are truly satisfying, one is going for a nice leisurely ride on the motorcycle on a hot day and the other is enjoying a good smoke.

One of the problems when you combine the two is that the smoking is not as enjoyable while riding down the highway as the hot embers are being force fed back to your lips by the wind, the cigarette burns at five times normal, and you can't get the darn thing lit at speed. The only solution is to stop the bike and light up.

Not good enough, if I have a lot of miles to go a smoke at highway speed would be a time saver and satisfy my nicotine habit.

Smoking and riding are not at all naturally compatible but of course problems can be overcome with a little imagination.

First you have to get the darn thing lit, no easy feat while travelling. The Bic lighter is a good reliable igniter in a no wind situation but completely useless in wind. This is where the Zippo lighter comes in, advertised as a good reliable product even a hurricane could not blow the flame out. Well a hurricane can blow a Zippo out and to my amazement I could only get a smoke lit if I slowed down to a slower speed . Something which slows your progress immensely and irritates the heck out of your riding partners as they think you are constantly having bike problems. One asset that the Zippo possessed is that when you stopped for gas you could top up the Zippo with premium fuel that changed the taste of the cigarettes to that of raw gasoline. Another drawback to the Zippo is after lighting you held it and the smoke in front of your face ready to draw the fire to the cigarette, the wind would push the flame past the end of the cigarette right to your mouth which would result in nasty burns to you lips. I soon learned to light the cigarette by turning my head to the side and letting the wind blow the flame across the tip of the cigarette and not into my face.

But the ultimate solution to this problem is to install an auto style electrical cigarette lighter to the bike. Sure you can buy a water proof one from the biker accessory manufactures but that what be too easy and expensive. Down to the local value-mart and you can pick up the unit, some connectors, fuses and even a relay if you are so inclined. Takes a few minutes to install and you are on your way to trouble free cigarette lighting as well as having an outlet for other accessories as well. Big problem solved, with the added benefits of being able to bring along an AC/DC TV, tire inflater, cell phone and various other DC powered goodies.

It goes with out saying that smoking and riding cannot be accomplished while wearing a full face helmet, other than drilling a small round hole, in the general area of the mouth, slightly larger than the stogie you wish to puff on. And of course the cigarette would have to be extra long and you could only smoke about half before it began to scorch the front of your helmet. Open face helmet is the answer.

Now this is all still impossible if your motorcycle does not have a windscreen or a fairing with a windshield to stop or deflect the wind from your cigarette. This is where I can certainly extol the virtues of Honda's wind tunnel tested fairings and windshields. Through their exhaustive research and testing they have manufactured a product that produces a virtual dead air space behind their windscreen that is extremely smoker friendly.

While going down the road if a craving for a smoke hits, I grab a smoke from my pack, reach over push in the cigarette lighter, wait 15 seconds, bring the glowing lighter to the cigarette and puff to my hearts content. But wait, after enjoying the smoke all I have left is the burning butt and I have no where to dispose of the unwanted stub.

The last few years have been rather dry around here and if I were to callously toss the the still burning butt onto the roadside and maybe into the dry grass of the ditch and it should start a fire, I would not only be a litterer but an arsonist as well.

I need an ashtray! At first I used to ground the butts out on my floorboards but that put me in a precarious riding position and I am not a stunt rider by any means. I had to sacrifice my cup holder by putting all my butts into an empty Coke can but have since then upgraded from an unsightly pop can to a state-of-the-art ashtray complete with closing lid. Problem solved.

Maybe I should have just quit smoking

Motorcycle Views Forum - New Feature

After I left the old site, there was a certain amount of confusion among the members of the motorcycle forums that I hosted at the time. All the moderators had been shutout and no one was in charge. Of course, some members liked not having anyone in charge. Fortunately, no trolls have arrived and no heavy SPAM has occurred so the old forums are still relatively sane.

It must be mentioned that the old site and forums have been unguided for two months now. Also, the site is still being advertised to find a new Guide. It could be many months before a new Guide is found, trained, and allowed to build the site from scratch. That's right, the old site will disappear and a new site will be constructed from scratch. The forums may be allowed to stay the same, or some forums may be deleted, or the forums may start from scratch. No one really knows.

However, many hundreds of the forum regulars departed and attached themselves to two existing forums and one newly created forum. The latter forum is now being run by a former "corner host" and the vast majority of the regulars have set up housekeeping with that forum.

In the beginning, I was happy to see that the regulars were attached to a forum that would stay around. Many were worried that the plug might be pulled on the old forum and everyone in the community would lose touch with each other. The new forum solved that for the most part.

I was also not ready to be responsible for another forum when I was trying to establish the new Motorcycle Views Web site. I first created this Motorcycle Views Blog. Then I established the Motorcycle Views Web site. Next came a Motorcycle Views Newsletter. I'm currently getting subscribers for the newsletter from a sign-up form on the site. After I had established a huge number of articles and features for the Motorcycle Views Web site, I started thinking about creating a forum.

The Motorcycle Views Forum is now attached to the Motorcycle Views Web site. It can be reached from any page of the site. Having the forum allows me to stay in touch with a very large community of riders, both experts and beginners. I can now run Polls in the forum and link to them in the newsletter. I can also provide links in the newsletter to important forum discussions as I used to do in my former newsletters. I can also put links to forum discussions in my articles to enable people to discuss important points in the articles.

The net effect is that I finally have back the major pieces of the old site and that's a good feeling.

I hope you will visit the Motorcycle Views Web site and the Motorcycle Views Forum and also subscribe to the Motorcycle Views Newsletter. Together, we will all continue to learn more about motorcycling and develop a great motorcycle community. It all depends on you.

Walt

How Do Motorcycles Work?

I developed a feature on the old site called "How Do Motorcycles Work?" I did most of it five years ago but kept expanding it. It's a complex of about 60 files so I have been putting off converting it for the new Motorcycle Views site -- until now.

I spent the better part of two days redesigning the feature to present the material differently. The result is a new feature, "How Do Motorcycle Parts Work?" This is an expandable feature with plenty of room for growth.

Polar Bear Motorcycle Run to Hooters

On Sunday, I made one long run via car to attend a GWRRA Chapter NJ-H meeting near North Plainfield, NJ. I used to live up there when I first got married so it was nice to see the area again with all its changes. After the meeting we headed farther north to Wayne, NJ so I could take pictures at the Hooters destination for the Polar Bear Grand Tour.

It was a cold day and the turnout wasn't that great, maybe 100 bikes spread over a couple of hours. I still got a good set of pictures including the requisite pose of our Chairman, Bob, with two Hooters girls. Bob does enjoy that.

We have seven more runs before the end of the season.

Meanwhile, I continue to work on the new Motorcycle Views site. That's the subject of my next blog entry.

Riders Choice Awards

Here is your chance to check out some great blogs and motorcycle sites. Take a look at the choices for awards and take the opportunity to vote for the ones you like best. And no I am not in any of the categories.

Motorcycle Bloggers International is an association of active bloggers in the motorcycling world. Its members ride and write around the globe.

Each year we conduct the MBI Riders Choice awards program. We invite riders around the world to participate by nominating and voting for the awards. New motorcycles or related products, services, events and actions by an individual or organization are eligible for awards in one of several categories. Now YOU can make your voice heard by casting your vote. Log on and vote! http://www.mbiweb.org/

Motorcycle Trikes - A Gallery

I've have just released a new Motorcycle Trikes Gallery. The initial release includes the best of my Trikes Gallery from the old site. I know there are a lot of trike owners out there since both my wife and I have been riding trikes for seven years and have watched the steady increase in trike ownership. So, if you have a trike, submit a picture and description of it and become part of the Motorcycle Trikes Gallery.

Don't forget to read my trike articles too. They give you a flavor for what it's like to own a trike and also let you in on my experiences in buying a trike and learning to ride it properly.

Motorcycle Choppers Picture Gallery

I have just completed a new Motorcycle Choppers Gallery similar to one I had on the old site. Of course, its growth depends on you. If you own a chopper, send me a picture and description and I'll place it in the gallery. I also have an article, Choppers, that gives the history of the chopper.

I recently reviewed the newest book by the OCC guys, Orange County Choppers: The Tale of the Teutuls. It traces their rise from obscurity to the top of the custom chopper heap. Whether you like these guys or not, their book is interesting reading and may change a few opinions.

Motorcycle Recalls - New Feature

I have just released a Motorcycle Recalls feature on the Motorcycle Views site. This feature lists motorcycle recalls obtained from the NHTSA database of recalls for 2006-2007 motorcycle models. It will contain all future motorcycle recalls as they appear in that database. Since recalls sometimes stretch back over past years, I will be including those years as well.

Daytona Bike Week

Daytona Bike Week is coming up March 2 - 11, 2007 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Check out my article, Daytona, for details.

Here in the frigid Northeast, I hear plenty of people talking about going to Daytona. Some are riding down with friends. Riding usually means riding in a car and towing a trailer with the bike on it. After all, the 1500 miles down with uncertain weather conditions has left many a rider stranded in a snow storm or Nor'easter. After that happens to you once, you tend to be a little more cautious the next time you go.

Maybe you want to skip Daytona and concentrate on planning to go to some smaller rallies this year. Be sure to read my article, Motorcycle Rallies, where I discuss rallies and give you information about the Top 20 rallies that I like. Of course, your views may be different.

I just got my registration information for the Americade Motorcycle Rally. That one is my favorite and I've gone every year since 1994.

It can get expensive going to lots of rallies. You just have to pick and choose what appeals to you most. Motorcycle rallies are a lot of fun. If you've never attended a rally, you owe it to yourself to go. You just might find a rally or two that you'll want to go to every year, just like I go to Americade, regardless of the weather.

Pics of the Week and Polar Bear Pics

Here are my Pictures of the Week as displayed on the Motorcycle Views Web site. These are taken from the Moto Pic Gallery.

If you'd like to see your bike as Pic of the Week, submit a picture of you and your bike along with a description of the bike. Note that this week we only have a Woman of the Week. That means that there are no new men's pictures in the gallery. Please submit a picture of you and your bike.

I was out on a Polar Bear Grand Tour run today and I took pictures. I got carried away this time. You be the judge.

Motorcycle User Reviews - New Feature

I have just introduced a new feature to the Motorcycle Views site, Motorcycle User Reviews. Help other riders determine what their next ride will be by submitting a User Review of your own motorcycle.

I started off this new feature with some previously submitted User Reviews from the old site that have never been processed and probably never will be processed. Four of these User Reviews come with pictures. Yes, you can submit a picture to go along with your User Review.

So, take a look at what we have to launch the feature and then get busy and send in your own review by filling out our User Review submission form.

Please bear in mind that these User Reviews are for information only and also meant to provide a bit of entertainment. These reviews express the opinions of those riders who have taken the time to compose a review. Some reviews are detailed and useful. Some provide extremely negative opinions. Some are thoughtful while others are cursory. All have been edited. You should never assume that your experience with the same bike will be similar.

Long Lost Rides Gone Forever

During the nasty bonds of winter riders in the great white north can only relive past rides or dream of the rides to come when the weather finally turns and the ice recedes off of the highways.

After a twelve year hiatus I returned to biking with a used Silverwing , not exactly a vintage machine and not exactly an up-to-date precision instrument, but a stable mode of transportation that allows me to feel the freedom biking provides.

With this thought in mind I am thinking back to the rides I had before and are now lost to other lucky riders.

The one that got away, or the one that I casually discarded, that I miss the most and yearn for almost on a daily basis is a 1980 Goldwing Interstate that I had purchased used eons ago with low mileage and mint condition.

The bike as I bought it was a standard issue Goldwing with no options other than an AM/FM radio. But during the short time that I had the bike a riding ritual was to stop at any and all Honda dealers and look over their selections of available do-dads and chrome add-ons and acquire them for the Wing. Even as I crossed the continent in a motor home with family we had to stop and check out the motorcycle dealers. Most of the bling bought for the wing was purchased in Alberta, my home province, but other items like the backrest was purchased in Elkhart, Indiana while cruising through with the motorhome and chrome purchased from Bert's, The Motorcycle Mall in Azusa California by mail order. The trailer was added along the way and proved to be an asset when it came to touring, but sadly I never put the miles on the wing that the bike or I deserved.

In total I added over 50 items of chrome and options to the wing and spent nearly $2,000. in the process, spending wisely and buying items on sale as they became available. I know this because I kept records of the purchases and itemized them as I added them to the glitzier and shinier wing. I still have the list, the catalogues and the fliers from the retailers and most of the receipts from the purchases, what I don't have is the bike itself.

In a fit of rider fatigue and a lack of friends to go riding with as I thought my riding days were over, I offered the bike up for sale through Andre's Motorcycle Accessory Centre in Calgary, Alberta. The bike when I bought it had 2,500 kilometers, and when I sold it I had only added another 27,500 kilometers. Andre sold the bike in due course, I collected my money, and as near as I can remember the bike went to a rider in Okotoks Alberta.

I can only reflect on my stupidity for selling the bike and sometimes while riding in the Calgary area I strain my eyes searching and scanning the bikes that zip by if per chance it is my long lost ride. I know that if I should come upon the bike it will be older and more seasoned as I remember the wing to have been, but I would embrace the chance to see that glorious machine again.

Motorcycles Hit the Screen for 2007

Every year I hope for some decent movies or TV shows about motorcycles. Last year I liked The World's Fastest Indian about the life of Burt Munro. That one starred Sir Anthony Hopkins. I also liked the TV show, American Chopper, about the adventures of Paul Sr., Paul Jr. and Mikey Teutul of Orange County Choppers. I've watched almost every show in the series and observed their success as they built their world-wide fan base. I realize that American Chopper doesn't appeal to a lot of bikers, but I enjoy it and apparently so do millions of other people. Here's a review I did of their latest book, Orange County Choppers: The Tale of the Teutuls.

What about this year?

There are two major motorcycle-related motion pictures being released soon. There is also one Reality TV series that should be released as well.

The first movie is Ghost Rider starring Nicholas Cage and Eva Mendes. It's based on a Marvel Comics character and set to be released on February 16, 2007. Here's the Ghost Rider Web site that also gives a trailer.

The second movie is Wild Hogs starring Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence, William H. Macy, and John Travolta. It also stars Jill Hennesy and Marisa Tomei. The four main characters are now making the talk show circuit. I saw them all on Oprah just yesterday. This is a story of four guys in a mid-life crisis who decide to take a road trip on motorcycles. Along the way, they encounter a few real bikers and that's good for a few laughs too. This movie will be in the theaters March 2, 2007. Here's the IMDB Website that will lead you to a trailer.

Finally, there appears to be a Reality TV series about a biker build-off of metric bikes. 22 builders have been chosen to create their own custom metric bikes and a winner will be chosen. This series has been looking for a network and now seems tied to ESPN2 for a release in the second quarter of 2007. Their information says that the first show will appear on ESPN2 at 11 a.m. EST on March 31, 2007. Now since the beginning of daylight saving time is starting early this year on March 11, please check your local schedules to get the correct start time. Here's a link to the Metric TV site with as much information as is available. The link to the trailer is at the very bottom of the page.

Do you know of any other new movies or TV shows with a motorcycle theme? Please leave a comment, below.

Polar Bear Sunday Meets Super Bowl Sunday

Almost everyone is thinking about Super Bowl Sunday which is today. The game is scheduled to start in about one hour and 20 minutes. I don't have much planned for the big game. Jane has some snacks in the freezer and the usual assortment of dips and chips. I'm just about thawed out from taking my Polar Bear Sunday ride. That's my excitement for the day.

It was about 15 degrees out this morning and the weather people were saying that the wind chill would be near zero. Of course that's at walking speed. I was scheduled to ride my 2000 Honda Gold Wing Motor Trike 65 miles to Rockaway, New Jersey at 65 mph speeds. God only knows what the wind chill figures out to be under those conditions but I was about to find out.

I have an electric vest, electric gloves, and electric socks to keep me warm on severe winter rides. I haven't worn the electric socks for maybe 10 years and I was thinking seriously about wearing them for the ride this morning, that is until I tried to get my boots on.

I wanted to wear two pairs of socks with the electric ones on the outside. Unfortunately, I couldn't get my boots on. So, I settled for a pair of ski socks followed by a pair of regular socks -- that left room for my foot to fit in the boot. However, I know that my feet are always the coldest on a trip of this kind so I was a bit worried.

My attire for the trip was: tee shirt, turtleneck, long silk leggings, jeans, ski-type overalls and bib, jacket lining, electric vest, outer Kilimanjaro jacket, double socks, leather boots, glove silks, electric gloves, balaclava, and full-face helmet. Oh, and I wear foam earplugs to reduce riding and wind noise.

I started out at 9:30 a.m. and rode a mile to the gas station that was on the way. People do look at you like you're crazy when they are all snug in their cages and you're exposed to the elements on a motorcycle. I'm used to it since I've been riding every winter for the last 15 years. I wasn't sure what route I was going to take. I had programmed my GPS with the address of the destination just so I'd have the companionship of that GPS voice telling me "Off Route!" every time I'd make a turn she didn't like. Also, I am wont to get lost at times and she has saved my hide more than once.

After I had ridden nearly 10 miles, I began to realize that I was still very cold at high speeds, especially my feet. If I kept going to the Parkway and Interstate, most of the trip would be at 70 mph. I decided to slow things down and take a more direct route that would hit the state highways and back roads and quite a few traffic lights. That meant I would be slowing down and stopping at times and warming up. That's what I did. Unfortunately, the GPS voice was really talking incessantly now as I continued to reject her suggestions for turns.

The trip went well except for the coldness in my feet. When I got to the destination, I took a few quick pictures and then hurried inside to sign-in and warm up. I spent maybe 20 minutes trying to get my feet to realize that it was now warm. They weren't cooperating but I had to get back on the road to make the 65 mile trip back. I went outside and took more pictures and finally got all my protective gear on, started up the trike, and pressed the GPS "Home" button.

When I got home, I turned on the gas fireplace, made myself a hot chocolate, and settled down to warm up my feet while I watched Super Bowl preliminaries and sipped my drink. When I felt almost normal, I processed the pictures I took today and updated the Polar Bear Grand Tour site. Here are the pictures. I hope you all appreciate the sacrifices I make to bring these pictures to you. Now the Super Bowl Sunday game is only 25 minutes away. I've almost forgotten my Polar Bear Sunday ... until next week when I have to travel 70 miles to the next run. Maybe it'll be spring by then.

Postcards From the Edge-Going to the Sun Highway

One of the finest motorcycle rides in my neck of the woods is The Going To The Sun Highway in Glacier National Park in Montana.
Recently at a swap meet I was thumbing through some post cards and found this one which seems to be from the 50's or 60's showing the road in all its glory.
I have been through this pass before on my motorcycle and intend to do it again this year, last time I was not interested in taking photos, just cruising through and enjoying the ride.
Next time through I intend to stop and smell the roses, as they say, and take more pictures to record what a marvel this road through Logan Pass is.
If you are interested in taking this ride through a National Park you can enter the pass from the east using US 89 or from the south using US 2, and you will be treated to some of the nicest mountain scenery to be found anywhere. Last time through there was a lot of car and camper traffic but it did not dampen the majesty of the ride as only a fool would try to rip through there on a crotch rocket.

Pics of the Week

Here are my Pictures of the Week as displayed on the Motorcycle Views Web site. These are taken from the Moto Pic Gallery.

If you'd like to see your bike as Pic of the Week, submit a picture of you and your bike along with a description of the bike.

GoDaddy OCC Bike, Moto Terms, Pics, Forum Talk

I was watching American Chopper last night and found out they were building a chopper for GoDaddy.com. That was interesting since I have my Motorcycle Views Web site on GoDaddy.com and have been quite happy with their service so far. I was amused to see the CEO of GoDaddy.com, Bob Parsons, as he invited the OCC guys to his Customer Service area. Seems Bob likes to award his group with bonuses by letting each person spin a wheel with dollar amounts around the outside and then giving them the amount the wheel stops on. Fortunately, Mikey was standing next to the wheel and made sure each person's wheel landed on $500 and Senior had a pile of cash that he kept doling out to the winners. Everyone seemed happy and apparently Bob Parsons runs a pretty happy shop. I know I had a few problems when I started up my site and I called GoDaddy. I expected minimal help but instead got a very nice young lady who walked me through a 30 minute process and answered all my questions.

I continue to build the Motorcycle Views site. I had all my motorcycle terms and definitions in five files but wanted to separate out each term into its own file so I could link to definitions directly when I'm writing articles. So, I spent the better part of three days creating over 200 files and the result was worth the effort. I also created my top 20 terms based on stats I got from the old site. Here are my Top 20 Motorcycle Terms. Some of these terms are Crotch Rocket, Naked Bike, and Ride Bell.

I'm actively looking for submissions to grow my Moto Pic Gallery. I need pictures of you and your motorcycle. This was a popular feature on the old site.

I'm also looking for pictures of your tattoos for my Moto Tat Gallery. Send them in today.

While you're on the Motorcycle Views site, please take a moment to subscribe to my Newsletter.

Finally, I'm going to be providing links to current discussions going on in the "Still Cruisin' The Curves Motorcycle Forum." Most of the regulars from the old place are now posting there. Here's an excerpt from a discussion by PHIPSD entitled, "What do you look for in a bike?":
"When you go shopping for a bike what features or design elements do you look for? For me the most important by far is comfort and the ergos. In my 50s pain doesn't go away like it used to. Next would be good lighting. The eyes, especially with my night vision, don't work as well either. Third is brakes. Modern traffic and inattentive drivers make this more of an issue every year. Nothing more needs to be said. What would be your list of must haves on that new ride?"
Read the complete discussion