January 2015 Backroads

52
Motorcycle TourMagazine Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure January 2015 Volume 21 No. 1 The Best of 2014

description

Recapping the very best of 2014: Great All American Diner Run, Mysterious America, We're Outta Here, Big City Getaway and Shira's Ice Cream Run. Plus our great monthly columns, product spotlights and reviews and travel stories.

Transcript of January 2015 Backroads

Page 1: January 2015 Backroads

Moto

rcycle TourM

agazine

Motorcycles

Travel amp Ad

venture

January 2015 Volume 21 No 1

TheBestof

2014

Motorcycles Travel amp Adventure

Publishers Brian Rathjen bull Shira Kamil

Contributors Mark Byers Bill Heald

Matt Lewis Tony Lisanti

John Newman

Dr Seymour OrsquoLife

Editorial Office BACKROADS POB 317

Branchville NJ 07826

phone 9739484176

fax 9739480823

email editorbackroadsusacom

online wwwbackroadsusacom

Advertising 973-948-4176

BACKROADS (ISSN 1087-2088) is published monthly by BACK-

ROADStrade Inc 2015 All rights reserved BACKROADStrade may not

be reproduced in any manner without specific written consent from

the publisher BACKROADStrade welcomes and encourages submis-

sions (text and photos) and suggestions Include phone number with

submissions BACKROADStrade will only return material with enclosed

sufficient postage The written articles and opinions printed in BACK-

ROADStrade are not necessarily those of the publisher and should not

be considered an endorsement The Rip amp Ridesreg published are rid-

den on the sole responsibilty of the rider BACKROADStrade is not re-

sponsible for the conditions of the public roadways traversed Please

respect the environment read your ownerrsquos manual and wear proper

protective gear and helmet Ride within your limits not over them

MONTHLY COLUMNSFREE WHEELINrsquo 3

WHATCHATHINKINrsquo 4

POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE5

ON THE MARK 6

THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD 7

BACKLASH9

INDUSTRY INFOBITES 10

GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN 13

BIG CITY GETAWAY 15

MYSTERIOUS AMERICA17

WErsquoRE OUTTA HERE 19

SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN 26

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE40

UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR 44

FEATURESBEST OF BACKROADS 2014 22

DAY AT THE MUSEUM 27

EDELWEISS FESCHTL 201429

PAY THE FERRYMAN 33

AIMEXPO 2014 42

PRODUCT REVIEWSZOWA OPTICS VISOR GOGGLES21

2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 39

GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA39

AEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS 41

Only 6 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway in the heart of southwestern Virginia

Specializing in European motorcycles and premium riding gear and accessories

Our service staff has over one hundred combined years experience

OUR PASSION IS MOTORCYCLES - LET US SHARE IT WITH YOU

1003 Electric Rd bull Salem VA 24153

855-444-BMW6 (2696) bull wwwfrontlineeurosportscom

FRONTLINE EUROSPORTS

W H A T rsquo S I N S I D E

22

29

33

The Goldilocks PrinciPle

Remember Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Of course you do ndash but did you know the fairy

tale has a principle named after it

The Goldilocks Principle states that something

must fall within certain margins as opposed to

reaching extremes When the effects of the principle are

observed it is known as the Goldilocks Effect

What does this have to do with motorcycles

Good question

Here you are reading this magazine our annual Best of

Backroads issue which is a good thing but - who are we really

Backroads I mean

Backroads is now into our 20th year and still going strong

The last two decades have been awesome in so many ways

and like many things the years have changed us and we hope

mostly for the better

From our first black amp white newsprint issue to the slicker four-

color issue you have in your hands ndash we have been constantly

evolving but never lost sight of who and what we are

But who are we and what is this magazine really

about

Over the past few years we have had a number of peo-

ple and businesses tell us who we are

Did we need to be told

I guess we needed to know or seemed a bit confused

A big city-based American cruiser dealership com-

plained to us that we were not American cruiser enough

and that we were just about dual-sport riding knobby

tires and European adventure machines

ldquoAll they have are big German dirt bikes on their cov-

ersrdquo came the cry

Another supplier of touring gear and adventure riding

apparel felt we were not adventure-based enough and

that we did a bit too much cruiser and standard cover-

age

Some dealers felt we werenrsquot worth their time - as we

wouldnrsquot do monthly features on them

Although we provide Backroads free to any motor-

cycle shop or dealership that would like to carry us re-

gardless if they spend an advertising budget with us or

not over the years we have been shut out of more than

a few - simply because they didnrsquot wish to advertise and

didnrsquot like that other shops did

We are too much one-way for some and too much the

other way for others

It is almost hard to win

But wersquore still here doing what we do

Recently there have been two films released about

motorcycles and the people who ride them - Why We

Ride and On Any Sunday - The Next Chapter

We thought both films were excellent but immedi-

ately heard from some road riders that there was too

much racing not enough touring Too much dirt and not

enough street Dirt lovers on the other hand thought

there were too many cruiser rallies and destination seg-

ments and never enough motorcycle competitions

The truth is that the world of motorcycles is diverse

and there are so many things you can do with a motor-

cycle

We understand the differences in riders and machines

but we think that every rider and every machine can do

a little traveling time

This is who we are

Backroads - Motorcycles Travel amp Adventure

This is what Backroads is all about Always has been

and always will

Why do we have so many BMW GS machines on the covers and in travel

articles inside

We decided a long time back that we would stick with real riding shots

taken along our journeys Most of the motorcycles that you see on the covers

are what we own and what we ride day-to-day When we have the opportunity

to ride other bikes for testing or on a trip we do so happily Wersquore not a na-

tional publication ndash we never said we were You see unlike the major glossy

magazines you find on the newsstand that are almost all California-based

many times we have to head out to California just to get our hands on differ-

ent rides

When we have an article from other sources than in-house and there is a

great cover shot we feature it

Wersquore about going places seeing things and experiencing the

best of motorcycling And for us that is travel amp adventure

I have often said that so many riders buy a motorcycle and

then wonder ldquoWhere should we gordquo

It is easy to go to the same places same restaurants same bars

on the same roads But there is something magical about striking

out in the morning and returning home in the late afternoon with a

few hundred new miles ridden and something new and exciting or just plain

odd to talk about

Thatrsquos where we come in

Welcome to our annual Best of Backroads issue ndash we think it is just right

F R E E W H E E L I N rsquoBRIAN RATHJeN

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 3

AnTiciPATion

For such a long time now every time you

go Googling or Facebooking there is some

new rage in video hoping to lsquogo viralrsquo They

range in subject from the ever-present cute

animal adorable child or wacky antic to the

more disturbing stunt gone horribly wrong

animal attack or flash mob or protest While

I try my best to stay away from clicking on

these moments of lsquoentertainmentrsquo Brian

will lovingly interrupt my day to share them

with me From across the office I am able

to selectively watch the parts that inter-

est me and turn away from those that

bother me

Not only does it baffle me to see some

of the awful and feckless use of onersquos

time but the utter insanity that anyone

would choose to video some of these sit-

uations rather than help right them Of

course the most recent submission to these selfish bits of celluloid or more

accurately CloudSpace is the footage from the lsquoprotestsrsquo of late Not only

are these people destroying peoplersquos businesses and in some cases maiming

human beings they are seeing it through a 3-inch screen as if it were hap-

pening in another dimension without a thought of lending a hand to stop the

madness

What Irsquod love to see lsquogo viralrsquo are

the selfless acts that take place on a

constant basis the brave man who

entered the burning building to carry

out a stranger the people who band

together to lift the crashed vehicle

off the trapped driver the scenes of

veterans homecomings

One viral video that I did watch

which brought a tear to my eye was

entitled lsquoLetrsquos Ride Motorcyclesrsquo

Itrsquos been making the rounds for

quite some time and may have even

been mentioned before in these pages It is the story of several Taiwanese

men friends for life who have gotten to the age when inactivity and loss of

dreams may take away any will to go on Instead they get fed up with playing

cards all day catering to their individual illnesses and missing out on life and

decide to take one last ride on their ancient motorcycles They do it for their

youth for the missing friends who cannot join them and probably just for

the joy of riding again If you havenrsquot seen it you can

find it here

wwwyoutubecomwatchv=xZ15mbuE_pw

There is so much emphasis on social media these

days itrsquos hard to say when the folks taking part in this

phenom actually get out on their motorcycles The ad-

dition of video and special mounts for electronic devices

for the motorcycle have made it so easy to capture the

daily ride the amazing new twisty road discovered the

cross-country trek or off-road adventure and share it al-

most instantaneously with not only your immediate

friends but the rest of the world Irsquom not immune ndash no

doubt those of you who check the Backroads Facebook

or Instagram pages have seen posting from our road

trips ice cream runs and Backroads Rallies In todayrsquos

publishing world the push towards digital media is

overwhelming I wish I had a nickel for everyone who

has said lsquoprint is deadrsquo Irsquod be able to buy that new

Kawasaki H2R

Being able to get instant news see the newest motor-

cycle releases before they even hit the dealers and get

weather at the touch of a button (well that one IS pretty

great) has made anticipation a thing of the past I know

Irsquove heard from many of our readers who say the day

they open the mailbox and see the latest issue of Back-

roads there is always a great one (thank you) I have to

admit although I donrsquot consider myself a luddite I do

miss reading about a new book coming out and then ac-

tually going to a book store to purchase it rather than

one-clicking on Amazon and having it the next day I

miss anticipation

Right now with the winter settling in I am starting

to pull out the maps and travel books to plan the amaz-

ing rides wersquoll be taking this year Irsquoll double check the

pages that Irsquove dog-earred before to see that the lodg-

ings eateries and such are still in business Irsquoll read the

latest travel magazines for inspiration and talk to fellow

riders for suggestions Most of all Irsquoll anticipate pulling

out my motorcycle from its winter seclusion throwing

my leg over the saddle and setting off on a brand new

adventure

W H A T C H A T H I N K I N rsquoSHIRA KAMIL

Page 4 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

We are building our 2015 Upcoming Events Calendar

Please send your event information as early as possible

for maximum exposure See our website for form and

email to editorbackroadsusacom

A TArdis in TArrAnT counTy

Time in case you havenrsquot noticed is a very big

deal As a concept it can give you a headache and

as a unit we measure it insures a uniform chronol-

ogy of events (and helps insure group rides and lunch start at some kind of

agreed upon moment) Therefore I think itrsquos safe to say it is pretty indispen-

sable But man it does take its toll on you as it passes It can also really make

you dig deep into your psyche when you exam-

ine that odd thing called the past It manages to

do this all while telling where you are in the

present and make you plan for the future But

itrsquos the past and its powerful ponderables that

can disrupt our concept of reality the most so

allow me to share a recent time-related journey

to illustrate the wild ride life often takes us on

This is an adventure that goes down roads that

are fresh yet have in fact been travelled before

The occasion was my niecersquos wedding in Ft Worth

Texas shortly after Thanksgiving This trip was one of those

non-bike car-based adventures for neither the Triumph or

the Honda would fit in the handsome twin-engined Em-

braerrsquos overhead bins and time was very short The wedding

party decided to have the ceremony in Cowtown as the bride

and groom met at Texas Christian University and it just so hap-

pens yours truly spent his formative years in this same city long ago when

liquid cooling on motorcycles was quite exotic and some phones not only

had cords but rotary dials as well Most of the places Irsquove lived have changed

much over the years so I found it rather incredible that Ft Worth seemed

like much of the city was frozen in time Either that or I had somehow re-

turned to a past life where superficial things had changed yet the basics were

exactly in the same state I left them when I departed the territory This time-

shift really got rolling as I was driving back to my old neighborhood and I

noticed the weather for having left a New England winter I found myself

surrounded by a Texas one This seasonal variation in the South usually

means an extension of summer with more overcast and fewer AC water

puddles at intersections (and the odd temporary blast of cold air) Shortly

after arriving in the West Side of Ft Worth I saw a chap riding an lsquo80s Honda

Nighthawk S that looked identical to the one my college roommate had and

still one of the best-sounding Inline Fours Irsquove ever ridden Many of the roads

that I knew so well were still around and relatively well-preserved but it was

sad to realize a few had grown unfriendlier to motorcycles A serpentine

stretch I used to blast down with abandon now

is maimed by speed bumps and not only are

these big enough to cause Chassis Upset (CU)

they were damn hard to see even in broad

daylight My co-driver was often spurred to

sing out a warning to prevent our heads from

hitting the headliner

Unlike so many towns and cities I used to

live in when I returned to Ft Worth a surpris-

ing number of businesses were still around in

their original locations This means one way or the other

they has survived for decades which I thought was as-

tounding given the turnover in other places Irsquove lived

The memories seeing these places stirred up was amaz-

ing and I went in to true Time Machine mode as I got

flashbacks from roads I hadnrsquot been on in 30 years and

started remembering in great detail the machines I was

riding at the time A set of railroad tracks in a lonely section of road out by

Benbrook used to make the rear tire of my V45 Magna dance and I could

damn near feel the sensation even though this time I was driving a 2015 Prius

The old Weatherford Traffic circle (which was and is an enormous round

(Continued on page 12)

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

BILL HeALD

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 5

new Girl in Town

I never meant it to happen ndash but it did She stood out amidst the others

smaller and dressed differently a waif a trifle goth with prominent attractive

tattoos looking fresh but a little worldly She was definitely out of place

among the tiffany-clad society girls like Courtney Love at a PTA meeting

and she was therefore interesting She sulked like shersquod rather be anyplace

but sitting under the awning of a bike shop So I did what any pudgy gray-

haired over-fifty guy would do I went over In a short time a price was

mentioned and she came home with me And that is how I ended up with a

Stardust Pearl White 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 650

I love middleweights and my naked SV650 is a

stone blast especially at VIR I had so much fun

there in June that Irsquove been looking for a fully-

faired sportbike ever since Enter the Ninja

When I first saw the bike and sat on it the look

and feel were so cuddly that I thought it was an

excellent starter and commuter Though the body-

work says ldquosportrdquo the high tubular handlebar and

realistically ergonomic pegs say ldquostreetrdquo Seeing

it at the shop a female friend walked up sat down

on it and said ldquoItrsquos cute it needs a lsquoHello Kittyrsquo

stickerrdquo But hello THIS kitty is a cheetah

Thanks to my friends at Mortonrsquos BMW I left their Oktoberfest for a long

sunny Saturday afternoon test ride through historic Virginia country roads

and came back enchanted The riding position is more aggressive than a

standard but the high rubber-mounted bars keep the chiropractor (and vi-

brations) away The fuel injection is spot-on producing flat torque at any

RPM The brakes are very good although more exploration of their potential

is required in a less public environment The transmission is clarified butter

Even the OEM-spec Dunlop Roadsmart tires are just that ndash smart and confi-

dence-inspiring Both the clutch and brake levers are adjustable a nice touch

on a price-point bike The display is a combination of digital speed and ana-

log tach which is good but Irsquod rather have a gear position display than the

silly ldquoECOrdquo indicator that comes on at low RPMs ndash itrsquos my mission to keep

that thing off

Aesthetically the bike is a winner I normally look up comparison articles

and reliability numbers especially on a used bike but I bought this bike on

looks and ride alone and did my research post-hoc Turns out the seat of

my pants and my eye were right on the money the magazines and blogs gush

about it It has just the right amount of plastic to be faired without looking

Fischer Price and the asymmetric horizontal shock and underslung pipe

complete the sporty visage One change to aesthetics will be an RampG Racing

ldquotail tidyrdquo to get rid of all the crap governments make them hang off the back

The suspension adjustments amount to rear preload only and itrsquos too firm

on a bumpy road but considering what I paid for this bike used I can get

Klaus at EPM to sell me a ldquoStreet Boxrdquo com-

plete suspension upgrade for both the forks

and rear shock that will improve not only the

ride but the control (which already isnrsquot bad)

If I really feel the need an aftermarket ex-

haust system will shave 20 lb off the weight

and add a couple HP and my total investment

in suspension and tuning is only $1500 A

set of Dunlop Q3rsquos will be installed after I

wear out the Roadsmarts and this bike will be

on the trailer next to the SV when I head to

VIR next June

The great thing is in the meantime the

Kawasaki tail pack and SW Motech tank bag will let me fling this beauty

down my secret back roads to work and arrive with my cookies unbroken

Plus like my SV I donrsquot ever see outgrowing it The lady who made the

ldquoHello Kittyrdquo comment is already lobbying to ride it and I will honor that

request unlike the inline-four ZX-6R Ninja the vertical-twin Ninja 650 is

flexible comfortable and user-friendly enough that I have no doubt she can

handle it I also have no doubt that itrsquoll do 120 MPH down the front straight

at VIR and handle well enough to make me laugh after just a bit of suspension

work And her name ldquoKunoichirdquo of course or ldquoKunordquo for short

O N T H E M A R KMARK BYeRS

Page 6 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

CROSS COUNTRY BMW911 Middlesex Avenue Metuchen NJ

Serving Central and North NJ

Staten Island NY and Philadelphia PA

732-635-0094 bull wwwCCBMWcom

While BMW has spent 90 years producing some of the

best motorcycles in the world wersquove spent 15 years

providing you with the latest and best in BMW products

like the all-new S 1000 XR and F 800 R

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

CROSS COUNTRY DUCATIFactory Authorized Sales and Service

911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ 08840

7326350094 bull wwwcrosscountrycyclenet

Shop our large selection for the latest in

Ducati Performance parts apparel and accessories

More than a new bike itrsquos a whole new world

choPsTicks And BAr-risers

The first time I saw a Touratech Bar Riser for the BMW

R1200GS I thought ldquoWhat a great idea A cool way to put

chopsticks down while your eating Asian food and donrsquot

want to lay them down Awesome Finallyrdquo

So there I was enjoying my Chicken Pad Thai when one

of my co-workers approached me and said ldquoHey man

yoursquore not using that thing rightrdquo

ldquoWhat do you do with itrdquo I asked

ldquoIrsquom pretty sure itrsquos for hanging really heavy artrdquo he said

ldquoIt holds better than one of those hanging kits You could

probably hang a sculpture on the wall if you wantedrdquo

ldquoNo not artrdquo interjected another co-worker ldquoThink

about it We work at a place that makes accessories for mo-

torcycles Why would we make something that holds art or

chopsticks Chopsticks Come on guys itrsquos obvious what

that thingrsquos forrdquo

ldquoWhatrdquo We said

ldquoWell itrsquos for hanging your gear You can bolt it

to the wall and itrsquoll hold a hanger with all of your

riding gear on it If you bolt one on top of the other

itrsquoll hold your helmet toordquo he replied and held the

thing up to the wall

That sounded right It had to be something to do

with motorcycles Chopstickshellip Well that was just

silly but hey Irsquom just the marketing guy I donrsquot

know as much about the intricacies of motorcycle

parts as our customer service people

As I was walking to my car there were a few guys

outside the office and they were tying down a V-

Strom 1000 They had the straps just about tight-

ened and I noticed that they were fastening the straps to

cleats in the bed of the truck The cleats looked a little

flimsy and I suggested they switch them out with the bar

risers in my hand (I didnrsquot know they were bar risers at

the time) I truly thought Irsquod figured out the mystery of

those brushed aluminum pieces of German Technology

Tie down loops Yes

The guys in the truck laughed at me (Irsquom used to that

being the novice rider at the office)

ldquoDonrsquot you know what these arerdquo one of them asked

and I handed them over

ldquoI guess notrdquo I said

ldquoYou bolt them to the front of your footpegsrdquo he said

ldquoIt gives you more surface and stability and they make it

easy to scrape mud off your bootsrdquo

He showed me on the V-Strom in the truck what he was

talking about I didnrsquot see any bolt holes

ldquoI donrsquot think sordquo I said ldquoWe already have our lsquoWorksrsquo

footpegs Theyrsquore really widerdquo

ldquoI think I know what Irsquom talking aboutrdquo the

Suzuki riding stranger said ldquoIrsquove owned bikes my

whole life Irsquove seen those things used Theyrsquore

called footpeg enhancersrdquo

I didnrsquot feel like having a debate It was starting

to rain so I put my precision-crafted motorcycle es-

sentials in my briefcase and went home It was Fri-

day I had dinner plans and I had a lot to do over the

weekend When I got home I left the bar risers sit-

ting on my kitchen table

Saturday came and I was doing a bunch of yard

work and cleaning out the barbecue Summer was

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 7

THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD Words by Matt Lewis bull Photos by Morgan Goldbloom

ebbing but it was still pleasantly warm in Seattle and I was warm so I headed

in for something to drink I could hear my wife and son playing in the living

room as I opened the cabinet to grab a glass Something physically felt dif-

ferent I my hand

I closed the cabinet and there it was The handle of my kitchen cabinet had

been replaced with 15mm of rock-solid engineering genius My wife had

used the bar risers (I still didnrsquot know they were bar risers) to replace my

kitchen fixtures All of them

They looked awesome and I didnrsquot have the heart to tell her to take them

down so when I went back to work on the following Monday I had to buy

them A lot more experimentation went into finally discovering the actual

use of the bar risers I suppose I could have asked someone else at work but

I wanted to figure it out myself

Here is what I know you can do but shouldnrsquot do with Touratech Bar Ris-

ers for the Water-Cooled R1200GS and GSA

bull Put them in the microwave

bull Bolt them together and wear as a ring

bull Make wind chimes (they donrsquot have good pitch)

bull Wear as earrings (my wife couldnrsquot get the bolt through

the hole in ear)

bull Use as a baby teething device (donrsquot ask)

bull Throw at an attacker (long story but trust me They wonrsquot

slow him down)

bull Open a bottle of beer

So what have I learned Well obviously the Touratech

Bar Risers for the Water-Cooled R1200GS and GSA come

in three sizes (15mm 25mm and 40mm) They are de-

signed to create optimum comfort with minimal labor and

raising the bar height results in a more upright position

which can relieve neck and back strain

Riders around the world swear by bar-risers and they

can make your bike a better fit easily and economically

hellipand you can bolt them to your bathroom wall to

hold your toothbrushes

Matt Lewis is Marketing Manager at Touratech-USA

CycoActive Inc You can see all their products and

some they donrsquot even know they have at

wwwtouratech-usacom

Cycle Motion is your provider of motorcycles ATVs scooters

snowmobiles and utility vehicles by Kawasaki Suzuki Polaris

Yamaha and Can-Am With a large parts department qualified

service technicians and a full shop full of parts and accessories

were here to meet all your power sport needs

For every rider - on or off road whether they like doing it

in the dirt carving the twisties or cruising the backroads

we have their weapon of choice

1269 DOLSONTOWN RD

MIDDLETOWN NY 10940

845-343-2552 bull WWWCYCLEMOTIONINCCOM

Page 8 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Backroads

Just wanted you to know that Joe Fencz from

Charliersquos Pool Room past away October

15th John the brother and cook called me to

tell me when the funeral services were I didnrsquot

have any idea Joe was even sick He had pancre-

atic cancer and has been battling it for a year

The Pool Room has been closed for about a

year now because the grill has to be updated to

new codes and was shut down A lot of people

have been helping them out to get them up and

running again I attended the service a few weeks

agohellipwhen Joe was alive I did not know much about him other than we

was a very nice kind outgoing person At his funeral many people told stores

about him and you got to know him after it was too late The funeral parlor

was packed

I talked with brother John to encourage him to open the store again I of-

fered him financial assistance as well as business advice There were a lot of

other people there that wanted John to open the store againhellipwe will see He

did not seem to want to do it

I snapped this picture I saw at the wake It looks like a 1930rsquos-40rsquos motor-

cycle with a homemade side car I know the father was a frontline soldier in

WW II he may have bought it surplus

Thought I would share this with riders who have been there and hopefully

will go again

Gary Rena

Gary thanks for passing that along to us Charliersquos Pool Room was the

most interesting and oddest hot dog stop in the Garden State and will be

missed

Miracles as they are I got to reading the No-

vember Backroads issue before the end of No-

vember which is pretty good for me May have

had something to do with not picking up my

mail until the end of the month

So I am feeling accomplished None-the-less

- having left town the first week in October I fi-

nally got to reading Backroads

Brian your editorial piece on BMW-style

events and this weird thing about camping had

me in stitches Camping Really whatrsquos with

that Ride all day long and stop at a motel where

you can walk to a restaurant for dinner after a nice shower That works for

me and is the only way I fly The best of all worlds thatrsquos what I say

The article on Americade and Shirarsquos editorial about the passenger seat

also had me in stitches Thanks to both of you for making me look forward

to the next issue each and every time

Until we meet again we will always admire your endless summer

lifestyle Carry on - I say

Your two-wheeled friends

Graham and Gail

This Town is the Pitshellip

As to the above column please tell Brian to call a spade a spade The rider

was following to close andor not paying attention when he rear-ended the

truck If the truck hit the girls girlrsquos fault However the bike hitting the

truck was the riderrsquos own fault

Happy holidays to you both

Greg Bagen

Greg I agree I was being semi-polite You were able to read between the

lines You should be a lawyer or something

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 9

BACKLASH Letters to the Editor

BERgEN COUNTY HARLEY-DAVIDSON DUAL PHOTO PROjECT

This is Larry No he doesnrsquot have a twin

The first picture was shot of him in his every-

day clothes A few days later he stopped by on

his bike Learn more about Larry and other

bikers soon If you ride and are interested in

being shot (with a camera) stop by Bergen

County Harley-Davidson in Rochelle Park

NJ Monday Tuesday Thursday and Friday

from 12Noon - 1pm or Wednesday night 5-

6pm It takes 5 minutes and you just might be

part of the project 2 portraits are shot one of

you in your riding gear the other of you in

your work or everyday clothes

Spread the word

Bergen County Harley-Davidson 124 Essex St Rochelle Park NJ bull 201-

843-6930 bull wwwbergenharleycom

HARLEY DEALERSHIP DROPS 10K FROM SKY

While shoppers may have been rushing for merchandise on Black Friday

a couple of thousand people were grabbing for cash at least for a brief mo-

ment

Black Diamond Harley-Davidson of Marion Illinois has hosted turkey

drops in the past but Black Fridayrsquos cash drop was the first for the dealer-

shiprsquos innovative marketing company co-owner Shad Zimbro said

ldquoItrsquos just something different Everybody can use a little extra cashrdquo he

said of the companyrsquos Green Friday as hopefuls took position along the

perimeter of a large field where cash totaling $10000 would be dropped from

a helicopter

Illinois Lottery donated some of the money for the event Black Diamond

announced it would match up to $100 for those who spent their winnings at

the store

Participants had to be 18 and had to sign a waiver that they would not hold

Black Diamond responsible for injuries It appeared

most were unscathed during the dash for cash

though muddied from the wet field either falling on

their own or pushed

VALERIE THOMPSON RACINg SIgNS WITH

NPMOTOWEAR PRODUCTS FOR 2015

Scottsdale motorcycle racer 7-time land speed

record holder and team owner Valerie Thompson

recently signed NPmotowear Products as a new

sponsor for the 2015 racing season NPmoto prod-

ucts was founded in 2005 by Nick Plenzick to pro-

vide motorcyclists and racers with a variety of

apparel and accessories that provide maximum com-

fort and convenience to riders worldwide

ldquoWe have sold many fine products from a variety of excellent manufactures

over the years When

we began production of

our own products I de-

cided I wanted them

tested in extreme con-

ditions In addition to

our long distance rid-

ers Irsquom a big believer

that racing improves

the breedrdquo said NPmo-

towear ownerfounder

Nick Plenzick ldquoWhen I

was thinking of some-

one who could push the

limits Valerie Thomp-

Page 10 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

FW SPEER YAMAHA7 Main Ave bull Passaic NJ bull 973-778-6256 bull wwwSpeerYamahacom

Tri-State Metro Arearsquos Oldest Yamaha Dealer + Last of the Mom and Pop Shops

THE MALLTERNATIVE

INDUSTRY INFOBITES News from the Inside

son was at the top of my list Valerie recently tested our base layer at the

Texas Mile with a 2177 mph run with great resultsrdquo added Plenzick

ldquoIrsquove been wearing and testing NPmotowear apparel while riding and

working around the shop I canrsquot tell you how impressed I am They offer

products that enhance riding comfort in both cold and hot weather while of-

fering a real sense of stylerdquo said Thompson

ldquoWe couldnrsquot be more pleased to have someone of Valeriersquos experience

and racing accomplishments to promote NPmotowear layer clothing and ac-

cessories After all we have to keep lsquoAmericarsquos Queen of Speedrsquo comfortable

underneath her race suit at over 210 mph and we have proven we can ac-

complish that goalrdquo said Plenzick

In addition to seven land speed records Thompson is an official member

of the BUB Speed Trials 201 MPH Club Mojave Magnum 200 MPH Club

Texas Mile 200 MPH Club ECTA 200 MPH Club and a lifetime member of

the prestigious Bonneville 200 MPH Club

HONDA MARKS UNPRECEDENTED MILESTONEgLOBAL PRODUCTION OF 300 MILLION MOTORCYCLES

Achieving a milestone more than 65 years in the making Honda Motor

Co Ltd announced production of its 300-millionth motorcycle The mile-

stone bike is a Honda Gold Wing produced at the companyrsquos Kumamoto Fac-

tory in Japan Honda will celebrate

the 40th anniversary of the iconic

Gold Wing in 2015

Honda began mass production of

motorcycles in Japan in 1949 when

it built the Honda 98cc Dream Type-

D Today Honda produces motorcy-

cles ATVrsquos and side-by-sides at 32

plants in 22 countries including two

plants in North America

ldquoThis incredible milestone is the

result of the millions of customers

who have placed their trust in Honda

and we would like to thank all of our customers associates dealers and com-

munity partners in North America for helping make it possiblerdquo said Bob

Gurga Vice President and Manager of Motorcycle Division for American

Honda ldquoNow we are focused on

the future and the ways that we can

harness the challenging spirit of

Honda associates to create new joy

for Honda customersrdquo

In 1958 Honda introduced the

Honda 50 known globally as the

Super Cub which would go on to

revolutionize the industry This

iconic bike paved the way for

Hondarsquos expansion into the US in

1959 and Canada in 1969 The

Super Cub which has sold nearly

90 million units globally since its

inception was the focus of a mid-

1960s advertising campaign lsquoYou

Meet the Nicest People on a

Hondarsquo that played a major role in

the transformation and growth of

the US motorcycle market

ZERO RAMPS UP PRODUCTION

Zero Motorcycles the global leader in the electric motor-

cycle industry announced that it has entered full production

of its 2015 model line The new motorcycles are being man-

ufactured at its expanded Scotts Valley California facility

by an increased number of technicians using state-of-the-art

tools The first shipments of motorcycles are now in transit

with all North American dealerships receiving the new mod-

els by the end of January European delivery is scheduled for

February 2015

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 11

Following record sales in 2014 the company has made substantial invest-

ments in technology and people placing additional resources to expand its

ldquoCrafted in Californiardquo vision ldquoWersquove taken everything learned from build-

ing thousands of electric motorcycles and applied it to new manufacturing

processes To meet the increased demand from customers wersquove added new

jobs here at our California factoryrdquo said Kai Hypko VP of Operations for

Zero Motorcycles ldquoHighly advanced tools improved systems and more

skilled workers will allow us to continue to increase our production capacity

and ensure premium qualityrdquo

The 2015 motorcycles rolling out of the California factory feature numer-

ous advancements from their predecessors Showa suspension improves com-

fort and control Zerorsquos class-leading rangemdashnow up to 185 milesmdashis

extended on most models And Zero becomes the first production electric

motorcycle to feature anti-lock brakes (ABS)

ldquoOur 2015 lineup continues to lead the industry in overall range perform-

ance and technologyrdquo said Abe Askenazi Chief Technology Officer at Zero

Motorcycles ldquoFor 2015 we focused our efforts on refining virtually every

element of the vehiclemdashfrom the tires upmdashto give riders the most pure

seamless experience availablerdquo

Initial production will be dedicated to motorcycles that will be used for

test rides via Zero Motorcycles dealers Interested riders can schedule a demo

online at wwwzeromotorcyclescomdemo-rides

Page 12 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

PosTcArds from The hedGe (Continued from page 5)

about that still confounds even locals) took me back to when I had borrowed

my friendrsquos Hawk 650 and while in this circular traffic maze the engine

started to cut out Now itrsquos unsettling enough when such things happen in

traffic and yoursquore on your own machine but when yoursquove borrowed a friendrsquos

pride and joy and it starts getting funky it adds to the already present drama

immeasurably The V-Twin never actually quit though and what happened

was a little snafu peculiar to this particular model of motorcycle It seems

that when the incoming air around the tank is juuuuuust right a poorly routed

hose does something to the air supply to the carburetors and it skips like its

running out of gas When I told my friend about it he

confirmed it had happened to him and through the use

of this brand new thing called the Internet he found a

very simple solution and fixed it I hadnrsquot thought about

this incident since it happened back in the last Century

and the Weatherford Traffic circle bought it all back with

surprising clarity

Of course there were some businesses and landmarks

(often one in the same) that had vanished but the odd

thing was the general feel of the place was exactly as it

had seemed and as a result I found myself for lack of

a better expression having a Twilight Zone moment

This was a town that I not only grew up in but a place

where I experienced so many formative moments that

ultimately steered my path in life A simple trip like this

managed to take much that was locked away and shake

it loose as if I really did borrow Dr Whorsquos time-tran-

siting Tardis And as has been the case in my entire

adult life a motorcycle managed to be a part of it even

though this time I was wasnrsquot riding one Oh and my

niecersquos wedding It was superb I now have a fine new

nephew too with a family that originally hails from

China and they are delightful people All in all the trip

was quite a Trip

ldquoIF YOUWANT

TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

ROLLINrsquo FAST CYCLE SPORTS

104 Main Street Lebanon NJ908-236-9000 bull wwwRollinFastcom

ROLLINrsquo FAST INDIAN MOTORCYCLE OF LEBANON104 Main Street Lebanon NJ908-236-9000 bull wwwRollinFastcom

Come see the full line

of Indian Motorcycles

Large selection of parts

apparel and accessories

Great Gift Ideas for

your Holiday Shopping

Plan now for your winter

service needsMon-Fri 9a-6p

Thurs lsquotil 9a-7p bull Sat 9a-5pSunday Gone Riding

Rollinrsquo Fast Cycle Sports Presents

GReAT ALL AMeRICAN DINeR RUN tasty places to take your bike

Ardyrsquos counTry kiTchen

279 mAin sT worcesTer ny 121197 bull 607-397-4070

Many times suggestions for a Great All American Diner Run

are sent to us and when we can we search them out on your

expert recommendations

Other times we come across hidden jewels a bit more

serendipitously

Thatrsquos how we came across this monthrsquos stop on GAADR ndash

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen in the small upstate New York town

of Worcester

There were four of us heading to our last Summer Squeeze

Rally in Vermont and we were making a few days riding ad-

venture of it by heading to the Adirondacks for the first evening

on the road

Come lunch time all our bellies were rumbling and lucky for

me right before I became a raging and petulant starving child I

spotted a small brightly painted diner to my right on an upcoming

corner

We had found Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

With its ice cream shop front we hoped they served more than

just dessert and entering the small dining room we were instantly

hit with the heady aromas of good eats

Thank you Road Gods

The place has been owned and operated by the Sanna clan since

2005 and the family atmosphere is evidentwith the smattering of

toys and one or two young ones running around their moms our

waitresses legs

Non-crying non-exasperating and happy little ones annoy me

not ndash so we took a small table and looked to see what the Sanna

family had to offer this day

First off you canrsquot get a sandwich here

at Ardyrsquos ndash but you can get a sammich

We all know that it is a scientific fact

that a sammich is far more fun and much

more delicious and filling both from a

nutritionistrsquos point of view and the addi-

tional smile factor thrown in

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen has a goodly

number of different sammiches for your

eating pleasure ndash but wersquoll get to them in

a minute

If itrsquos early when you get there they

serve a Bagel Breakfast with eggs

sausage and cheese on a real fresh bagel

Soup amp Sammich can always be had

ndash with daily specials to be found Of

course they have burgers just about any

way yoursquod like lsquoem and the homemade

chili was tangy and delicious as was the

soup of the day

Heading over to their ldquoSignature Sam-

michesrdquo you will find just about any-

thing you might be craving Or maybe

a perusal of the menu will get the belly

rolling For a smallish diner along a

rural road in upstate New York you will

have plenty from which to choose

How about a BLT or a Cuban with

roast pork ham Swiss cheese and pick-

les Their Pork amp Slaw with cheddar

cheese looked tasty as did the BBQ

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 13

TWO WHEELS OR FOURTHERErsquoS ALWAYS ROOM FOR

Texas Smoke Barbecue400 Route 15 South bull Jefferson NJ

862-209-4078 bull wwwTexasSmokeBBQcom

texas smoke BBQIndoor and outdoor dining

Warm up with some

Chowdown Chili

Smokinrsquo Platters

and so much more

Biker and Barbecue Enthusiasts

Enjoy our Chalkboard Specials

Long Island Kawasaki67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIKawasakicom bull 516-935-6969Combining the low silhouette of

a Vulcan cruiser with Kawasaki

sportbike-derived power and

handling as well as a custom fit

concept designed to comfort-

ably fit a wide range of riders

Rollinrsquo Fast Cycle Sports Presents

GReAT ALL AMeRICAN DINeR RUN tasty places to take your bike

Chicken Hero also topped with their local cheddar cheese

For you Vegans (he said with a smirk) you will find a Veggie Panini (now

hush and eat your greens) If you are really hungry try Ardyrsquos Big Roast Beef

ndash a heaping of oven roasted beef topped with Swiss cheese and served on a

Kaiser roll and topped with Ardyrsquos famed horseradish sauce

Thatrsquoll fill you up

When we arrived it was an unusually cool day for the Leatherstocking Re-

gion and a hot sammich seemed more on order Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

serves up hot pork and hot roast beef sammiches but I went with their hot

meatloaf ndash brought out on a toasted Kaiser roll with homemade mashed po-

tatoes and some super tasty gravy ndash enough to float a boat

Just about everything here at Ardyrsquos is a homemade creation Real potatoes

fresh vegetables and freshly roasted meats are always used Not much

processed or pre-packaged quasi food will be found here

My Hot Meatloaf Sammich served with Ardyrsquos super potatoes and

drowned in their excellent brown gravy was one of the best I have ever had

on the road And it was not just a thinly sliced bit of meatloaf but an honest-

to-goodness slab orsquomeatloaf

I wouldnrsquot even serve myself that big a piece at home

Okay maybe I would

The rest of our crew all had the Tomato amp Basil Soup (delicious) and

grilled cheese sammiches which was a special of the day

If you can squeeze it in after all this great chow Ardyrsquos is an ice cream par-

lor as well and they offer enough flavors that even resident ice cream maven

Shira was tempted

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen is the perfect example of a small and family run

restaurant that really serves up the goods All their offering are real and tasty

and just like your mom would cook ndash ifrsquon your mom was a trained chef

When in the region it is well worth searching Ardyrsquos out and with that in

mind wersquoll give you a short ride from the Kingston area to this monthrsquos stop

on the Great All American Diner Run

Find them on FaceBook at Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

Page 14 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

RIP amp RIDEreg bull ARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN279 MAIN ST WORCESTER NY 121197 bull 607-397-4070

START INTERSECTIONS OF RTES 20928 KINGSTON NYRTE 28 WESTRIGHT AT RTE 375LEFT AT RTE 212RIGHT AT RTE 28LEFT AT RTE 214LEFT AT RTE 23ARIGHT AT SCRIBNER HOLLOW RDLEFT AT RTE 23CRIGHT AT CR 40STRAIGHT AT CR 296

LEFT AT RTE 23BEAR RIGHT AT CR 7LEFT AT CR 990VRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT SHREW HOLLOW ROADLEFT AT CR 29RIGHT AT CR 10LEFT AT MEADE ROADLEFT AT CHARLOTTEVILLE ROADRIGHT AT CR 39RIGHT AT RTE 7 MAIN STARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN ON LEFT

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

moTe AquArium And mArine lABorATory

600 ken ThomPson Pkwy sArAsoTA fl 34236

941-388-4441 bull wwwmoTeorG

Each March and October the Daytona faithful head

south to the beginning and end of the season rallies

on the Sunshine statersquos eastern coast

But we have always found Daytona and vicinities

to get a bit too crowded loud andhellipumm ndash boring

Well for us

The SUYT thing kinda got old when the girls could

be your daughter-in-law

We prefer checking out the scene and then doing a

little Floridian travel exploring some of the sights

and scenes that draw so may south each year

On Floridarsquos Gulf Coast you will find the city of

Sarasota

This city has a thriving cultural scene and boasts a

number of interesting places to visit explore and gen-

erally spend some time

A few years back we told you of the Circus Mu-

seum this time we dropped in on the Mote Aquarium

and Marine Laboratory

The Aquarium has its beginnings back in 1955

when it was founded by Dr Eugenie Clark in

Placida Florida Back then it was known as Cape

Haze Marine Laboratory until its 1967 renaming in

honor of a major benefactor William R Mote and the

contributions he and his family made to helping the

aquarium grow mdash both in size and reputation Since

1960 Mote has been based in Sarasota Florida and

since 1978 it has been lo-

cated on City Island and

that is where we got to

spend a number of hours

The Mote Aquarium

consists of three buildings

the aquarium an interac-

tive theatre and a separate

building that houses their

sea turtles dolphin (singu-

lar but wersquoll get into that)

and manatee collection all

of whom have been res-

cued or rehabbed at Mote

All the exhibits are laid

out with informative plac-

ards and each tank brings

different environments and

different fish and marine wildlife all with a story

to tell

Moray eels tanks full of floating jelly fish of

all types exotic fish we had never dreamed of and

some we simply had never seen in person were

there

In addition to the first building exhibits you can

learn about the giant squid and then move to the

shark area and ray along the way you will find a

few tanks where you can reach in and get to touch

a few of the locals

Mote also had a nice display on the Megalodon

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 15

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

ndash the prehistoric shark that was well over 50 feet long

with teeth as large as your fist

A quick walk across the parking lot brought us to the

building holding their other large exhibits

A few different sea turtles were swimming about as

well as Hugh and Buffett ndash two large and impressive

manatees

A large outdoor pool held lsquoMoonshinersquo Motersquos res-

ident dolphin who was rescued after it beached and

was found drying out and sunburned

He seems happy enough but personally we think he

needs a friend We were told that Mote is next on the

list for such a companion

While we visited Mote had a special attraction called

lsquoSurvivorsrsquo which featured some of the oddest marine and fresh water ani-

mals and the very unique way they survive in the wild ndash from deadly poison

to killer punches to simply looking like a rock and hoping for the best ndash it

was a fascinating display as was the entire aquarium

If you get hungry you can drop by their Deep Sea Diner where you can

enjoy dining al-fresco or inside the casual retro rsquo50s-style diner complete

with an old-fashioned soda fountain The lively cafeacute offers a fun affordable

family-style menu including chili and chowder burgers and dogs veggie

burgers and fresh salads chicken fingers and fries And donrsquot forget dessert

hand-dipped ice cream shakes amp sundaes

We thought wersquod spend a quick hour there but ended up happily spending

the afternoon

Mote might not be the biggest but it surely made up for its size with quality

and interesting and informative displays

Page 16 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 906-9292

Find Us on Facebook bull SportHondanet

hondacom UTILITY ATVs ARE RECOMMENDED FOR RIDERS 16 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER TRX90X IS RECOMMENDED ONLY FOR RIDERS12 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER RIDERS UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE MUST BE SUPERVISED BY AN ADULT ATVs CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO OPER-ATE ALL ATV RIDERS SHOULD TAKE A TRAINING COURSE (FREE FOR NEW BUYERS ASK YOUR DEALER OR CALL ASI AT 800-887-2887) ANDREAD THEIR OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND APPROPRIATE CLOTHING AVOID EXCESSIVESPEEDS AND BE CAREFUL ON DIFFICULT TERRAIN FOR YOUR SAFETY BE RESPONSIBLE NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGSOR ALCOHOL ON PAVED SURFACES ON PUBLIC ROADS WITH PASSENGERS OR AT EXCESSIVE SPEEDS NO STUNT RIDING RESPECT THEENVIRONMENT WHEN RIDING TRXreg and Rancherreg are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1114)

Whether itrsquos hard work

or time to play

Sport Honda has the

ATV to fit your lifestyle

Be prepared - Come in

Today for your

Winter utility needs

Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 491-2900

Find Us on Facebook bull CrossCountryPowersportscom

Cross Country Powersportsis now taking deposits for theNinja H2Rtrade and H2tradeExperience unforgettable supercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2trade motorcycle theworldrsquos only supercharged productionhypersport streetbike

The BridGewATer TriAnGle

is This The sTrAnGesT sPoT in The norTheAsT

Located just 30 miles south of Boston this 200-mile square area has the

Massachusetts towns of Abington Freetown and Rehoboth at its angles The

town of Bridgewater is located nearly dead center within the triangle and the

area also encompasses six other Massachusetts towns Raynham Taunton

Brockton Mansfield Norton and Easton including the Hockomock Swamp

It is known as the Bridgewater Triangle

It seems if it is paranormal weird or mysterious it has happened in the Tri-

angle of the years

Let us start with one of the

first odd things found in the

region

It was in this area that the

first officially documented

petroglyph in the United

States was found - Dighton

Rock This 40 ton boulder

was discovered by original

settlers and has always

caused questions and wonder

of who made these mysteri-

ous markings and why

In fact in 1690 Rev Cotton Mather described the rock in his book The

Wonderful Works of God Commemorated

ldquoAmong the other Curiosities of New-England one is that of a mighty

Rock on a perpendicular side whereof by a River which at High Tide covers

part of it there are very deeply Engraved no man alive knows How or When

about half a score Lines near Ten Foot Long and a foot and half broad filled

with strange Characters which would

suggest as odd Thoughts about them that

were here before us as there are odd

Shapes in that Elaborate Monumentrdquo

The boulder was moved in 1980 to the

museum in a nearby park Dighton Rock State Park in order to protect and

preserve this part of Americarsquos strange history

Strangely marked boulders were not the beginning of the mystery of the

Bridgewater Triangle

Years back a group of archeologists discovered a native burial mound on

Grassy Island in the swamp These graves were dated to 6000 BC

Strange lights have been

reported on this island and

across the triangle and one

of the first documented

UFO sighting came from

here when on May 10

1760 villagers in two

towns 50 miles away stared

in wonder at a ldquoSphere of

Firerdquo that slowly made its

way across the sky

The next day both townsrsquo newspapers reported the phenomena in their edi-

tions According to historical records the UFO emitted light bright enough

to cast a shadow in bright sunlight The sound made by the object ldquooddly

enough was heard sooner at the middle of the course it took than at the be-

ginningrdquo

You canrsquot really have such an eclectic gathering of odd in a place like this

in Mysterious America without a few good Yeti sightings

Over the years all sorts of ldquoSwamp Monstersrdquo have been sighted and in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 17

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

April 1970 it was reported that a ldquoBigfootrdquo

picked up a rear of a police car in which sat

two surprised police officers

Police dogs have been used time and again but

Bigfoot is an elusive fellow

I have always believed the Jersey Devil is a

Pterosaurs of some kind and here around the

Bridgewater Triangle huge black prehistoric-look-

ing birds with a wingspan of between eight and

twelve feet have been reported time and again in-

cluding a report by Norton Police Sergeant Thomas

Downy

Indian Curses abound as well and along Route

44 in Rehoboth lies the boulder known as Anawan

Rock It is said that it was here that the Wampanoag

chief Anawan surrendered to the colonists thus

ending King Philiprsquos War According to local be-

liefs the angry spirits of the warriors captured that

day continue to haunt the spot

Extremely large snakes and alligators have been

found in the swamp along with other creatures that are totally out of place

In the late 1800rsquos bones of a giant were unearthed

Every which way you look or travel in the area you will find something

strange In fact I have a quick list of odd things found in the

Bridgewater Triangle for you

Next time yoursquore looking to spend a few days exploring Mys-

terious America take a ride around the Bridgewater Triangle You

just might end up sending me an email telling me you spotted ahellip

OrsquoLife Out

Ten odd ThinGs found in The BridGewATer TriAnGle

1 The longest epitaph in the United States is located in a Rehoboth

cemetery A full 405 words

2 Three PT Barnum circus ldquofreaksrdquo hailed from here including

Middlebororsquos Tom Thumb and East Bridgewaterrsquos ldquoThe Human

Skeletonrdquo

3 The first boundary line in the United States is located in Abing-

ton at the Bridgewater Trianglersquos furthest most delineated northern

map point

4 A historic 40-foot tall Hood milk bottle in Raynham (now a

restaurant) is the (triplet) sister to famous the ldquoMilk Bottlerdquo at the

Boston Childrenrsquos museum

5 In 1906 bones of ldquoa giantrdquo were discovered in Middleboro

6 Alligators seals emu peacocks cow moose bears Africal

Sevral panthers and mountain lions have all been found in the

Bridgewater Triangle

7 There are both handprints and footprints imbedded into several

Bridgewater Triangle boulders handprints in Middleboro foot-

prints in Norton

8 Dighton Rock is the first documented petroglyph in the United

States

9 The chocolate chip cookie was invented in the happiest of ac-

cidents in the northern apex of the Bridgewater Triangle

10 The Bridgewater Triangle is host to the worldrsquos only shovel

museum located in Easton

Page 18 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

290 Route 100 West Dover VT800-745-3615 bull wwwgrayghostinncom

Motorcyclist-Friendly Destination LodgingLocated on Scenic Route 100 in Southern VermontHot breakfast cooked to order BYOB bar firepit hot tub game room and WiFi

Free Maps and Suggested Rides Group Special Packages5 restaurantsbars within walking distance bull On-site Group Dinners available

MemberWhen you canrsquot ride because of snow ride the snow

Guided Back-Country Snowmobile Toursin the Green Mountain National Forest

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

mounTAineer hoTel

31 eAsT second Avenue williAmson wv

304-235-2222 bull wwwmounTAineerhoTelcom

Laying right on the Tug Fork River across from the

Blue Grass state of Kentucky one will find the tiny town

of Williamson West Virginia Williamson has a long

history mostly revolving around the coal industry

Here you will find a rather large rail yard now part

of the Norfolk Southern built to service the many mines

found in and around this part of West Virginia and Ken-

tucky

In 1974 a United States Army Corps of Engineer

planner described the region as having the most severe

flooding problem in America

In 1977 after many days of steady hard rain the Tug

Fork and adjoining streams began

a constant and quick rise As had

happened in the past the town ex-

perienced incredible flooding

Today a floodwall protects

Williamson from future wet havoc

A huge part of this regionrsquos local

lore and history is the famed home

of the feud between the Hatfields

and McCoys probably the most

famous family fight in US history

The first event in the decades-

long feud was the 1865 murder of

Randolphrsquos brother Asa Harmon

McCoy by the Logan Wildcats a local militia group

that counted Devil Anse and other Hatfields among its

members Many peoplemdasheven members of his own

familymdashregarded Asa Harmon who had served in the

Union Army during the American Civil War as a trai-

tor While some have surmised that his murder set the

stage for the feud most historians now see this inci-

dent as a standalone event

Relations between the two families continued to

sour over the next decade before flaring again over a

seemingly small matter a dispute over a single hog

In 1878 Randolph McCoy accused Floyd Hatfield a

cousin of Devil Anse of stealing one of his pigs a

valuable commodity in the poor region Floyd Hat-

fieldsrsquos trial took place in McCoy territory but was

presided over by a cousin of Devil Anse It hinged on

the testimony of star witness Bill Staton a McCoy rel-

ative married to a Hatfield Staton testified in Floyd

Hatfieldrsquos favor and the McCoys were infuriated when

Floyd was cleared of the charges against him Two

years later Staton was violently killed in a fracas with

Sam and Paris McCoy nephews of Randolph Sam stood trial for the

murder but was acquitted for self-defense reasons

Things went south from there and an American legacy was born

In and around the town you will find much on this feud

In the center of town you will find The Coal House now the home

of the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce

Weighing in at 65 tons with 2 ft thick walls itrsquos the only coal house

made entirely of coal Built in 1933 it was designed by architect HT

Hicks from an idea by O W Evans It was constructed from blocks

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 19

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

of local seam coal donated by coal companies in the region

Right next door to The Coal House you will find the historic

Mountaineer Hotel The large classic-revival 5-story yellow-

glazed brick building dominates the center of town and offers

a look and reason to step back into the past

Built in 1925 the Mountaineer hotel has had its share of fa-

mous guests with JFK Paul Newman Jerry Lee Lewis Henry

Ford and others- including the great Soupy Sales - staying here

overnight

In fact all the rooms are named after famous and infamous

guests that have walked through its doors

Later in the evening we walked all five flights to see just

who did stay there

The main entrance leads to a large lobby and the front desk

with pigeonhole boxes for room keys and a teller window

French doors lead to the ballroom The hotel has 116 rooms

for guests a formal ballroom a lobby restaurant and sports bar

(which were not open this day) and the lower level has a num-

ber of games ndash including Fooz ball pool

and a large regulation-sized shuffle board

game that kept us occupied for about an

hour

Sometimes we find places from this era

a bit run down but the Mountaineer hotel

is a gem

Just one look at the grand lobby and you

will know this is true and with rooms less

than $75 for the night quite the deal too

We took Paul Newmanrsquos room and it

couldnrsquot have been nicer

Unpacking and strolling around town

which was quiet on a Monday night was a

pleasant distraction after a dayrsquos worth of

hard miles through the mountains of West

Virginia and Kentucky

When traveling around the United States

you can almost always find a chain hotel at

any exit or bigger town but why would you

want to when wonderful old beauties like

the Mountaineer Hotel in Williamson West

Virginia are around

Page 20 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Tony Lisanti

Eye protection for off road use consists of

the tried and true goggle The goggle

wraps around the helmet and seals to

your face in the helmet opening

Traditional goggles

consist of a urethane

based flexible frame

with various types of

foam material that

seal directly against

the forehead and cheeks

and nose keeping out wind and

dirt Being the helmet has a limited opening

goggles have had to fit inside this space limiting the field of vision

This type of goggle has been the norm for last half century with

all kinds of innovations in frame lens and foam materials

Enter ZOWA Optics Visor Goggles ZOWA Optics was founded

in 2013 Their goal is to offer unique goggles to off-road dirt bike

ATV and snowmobile riders The Vermont based company has

come up with a goggle that eliminates many of the drawbacks of

a traditional off road goggle The Visor Goggles are designed so

the upper half seals against the helmet rather than the forehead

The lower half of the goggle rests against the face By developing

the goggle in this way the field of view is dramatically increased and the

issue of having foam in contact with the skin on the forehead is eliminated

I had the opportunity to try out the Visor Goggles at a local practice track

recently The first thing I noticed was the size of the Visor Goggles They are

about twice the size of a traditional goggle They install on a helmet the same

way as traditional goggles except instead of resting against the forehead they

seal against the helmet under the visor Most noticeable was the lack

of ldquonose pinchrdquo and the vastly improved vision The Visor Goggle

drastically reduces the claustrophobic feel of traditional goggles as

there is more distance between the inside of the goggle and your face

The feel is more like an adventure helmet

After riding with them for an hour or two on an MX track I found

the improved field of vision to be a welcome change Riding with the

Visor Goggles allowed better vision up down and sideways I did no-

tice a bit more air coming in from the flow through design and from

underneath the seal against my check bones at speed During warm

weather this would be welcome in cold weather not so much Ad-

justing the strap tension has an affect on goggle to face contact Skin

contact with the typical sweatmudgrungefunk mix that gets en-

crusted on the foam is minimized since

the foam is resting against the helmet

rather than the forehead

They cleaned up well and showed no

signs of scratching on the lenses stain-

ing of the frames or discoloration de-

spite a liberal dosage of mud and water

The ZOWA Visor Goggle features in-

clude being rated for OTG (Over The

Glasses) by virtue of the greater clear-

ance between goggle and face a Hel-

met conformed design improved field

of view Lexan lens with anti-fog coating comfort foam and flow through

ventilation The strap features a silicon strip to help it stay put on the helmet

Accessory lenses and tear-off lenses are available All goggles come with a

micro fiber storage bag as well The off road goggles retail for $5800 and

are available in black red of cyan frame colors wwwzowaopticscom

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

BUILT BEYOND BELIEFINTRODUCING THE KAWASAKI

Come to Motorcycle Mall to reserve your Ninja H2trade

by December 19 and experience unforgettablesupercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2 motorcycle the worldrsquos onlysupercharged production hypersport streetbike

H2

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pantsgloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Mo-torcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environmentFor furher information regarding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 Specifi-cations subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspired R1 everFrom the advanced lsquorider activersquo electronicspackage to the powerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Supersport bike andfactory MotoGP has never been more blurred

COMPLETELY NEW

FROM THE TRACK UP

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 21

PRODUCT REVIEWZOWA OPTICS VISOR GOGGLES

Great All American Diner RunAs always wersquoll start with our most popular column the Great All American Diner Run Wait is it really We just might have a new fan fa-vorite but wersquoll save that till later First letrsquos take a look at the top three for GAADR 2014hellip

SECOND RUNNER UP bull RIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST2378 ROUTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770 bull 845-557-0097 bull RIVERUNNERSROOSTCOM

Route 97 along the scenic Delaware River has long been a favorite of motorcyclists for years and

over the years the road has seen a number of restaurants open their doors along its picturesque miles

The latest is the River Runnerrsquos Roost

Opened by Rich and Mary Codichini back in 2013 this place quickly became a favorite of ours

and many others They bill themselves as a barbeque steakhouse with a touch of Cajun and Italian

We call it phenomenal with one of the best barbeques in the region and gumbo to go to war over

If you havenrsquot tried the ldquoRoostrdquo then make plans for riding their way in the spring

FIRST RUNNER UP bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784 bull 603- 298-5515 bull 4ACESDINERCOM

Located just up the hill from the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River in the town of

Lebanon the Four Aces is the real deal A true Great All-American Diner Their

menu is huge interesting and delicious The ambience is pure Americana and the

roads leading to and from the Four Aces straddling Vermont and New Hampshire

are hard to top They have pro smokers going outside right along their picnic tables

but we found a seat at the counter worked just fine for us

Our only problem with Four Aces is that they are almost exactly 301 miles from

where we type this They should consider northern New Jersey

The Four Aces is a must see do and eat while in the Dartmouth region and just

missed out on our top honor for this yearrsquos vote

And so without further adohellip

1ST PLACE GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN 2014 bull FIVE ISLANDS LOBSTER COMPANY1447 5 ISLANDS RD GEORGETOWN ME 04548 bull 207-371-2990 bull FIVEISLANDSLOBSTERCOM

Location location location Besides have a superb down to Earth feel a great staff scrumptious food

and a wonderful coastal Maine flavor ndash The Five Islands Lobster Company has a serious location

Did we mention where it is

Located on a working fishing wharf it is surrounded by the ldquocoldest and deepest waters on the coastrdquo

There be some serious lobstarsquo lurking here abouts and it is best when they find their final way to

Five Islands You can have these big bugs anyway you like but we took a bullet for all of you and

went and ordered The Big Boy Stuffed with twice the amount of lobster meat than your average

lobster roll it was our pleasure to tackle this monster as best we could

Wait ndash just thinking of it all on this cold November day has us in a statehellip

They do serve a good number of other seafood favorites as well as more land-based standards but

who wants that when you can have the quintessential Maine treat on a wooden bench and table

alongside one of the prettiest bays in New England

This is why the Five Islands Lobster Company slid into the 1 spot in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

Big City GetawayBig City Getaway has always been about a great destination So many of

us roll the bikes out of the garage and then say ldquoWhere tordquo That is where this monthly favoritecomes in and here are our best of Big City Getaway 2015

2ND RUNNER UP bull MUSTANG FACTORYTOUR4 SPRINGFIELD STREET SUITE 1 THREE RIVERS MA 01080 bull 800-243-1392 bull MUSTANGSEATSCOM

They are one of the largest motorcycle seat manufacturers on the planet and they would be happy to show you around

We did a tour this last summer and found just how much talent vision and workmanship goes into creating some of

the most distinctive and comfortable motorcycle seats you can find

Page 22 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Best of Backroads 2014Once again this planet we ride has completed another lap around our sun and it is time for us to look back on the season and the veryBest of BackroadsIf we said 2013 was ldquointerestingrdquo we would be hard pressed to describe this past year of 2014For sure last year brought us thousands of great miles and lots of smiles interesting destinations and a few great Backroads Ralliesbut some darkness and loss along the journey for our Backroads family as wellStill looking back we had some phenomenal places we found stories we told and friends with which we have ridden The Italian poet Cesare Pavese said ldquoWe do not remember days we remember momentsrdquoThis year ndash 2014 ndash we had our share of moments Letrsquos look back at some in the Best of Backroads 2014

The tour is open to riding groups and takes a little over an hour and a half We recommend that you make an

appointment and guarantee you will have an informative and fun day with our friends at Mustang seats

1ST RUNNER UP bull COASTAL BOTANICAL GARDENS32 BOTANICAL GARDENS DR BOOTHBAY ME 04537 bull 207-633-4333 bull MAINEGARDENSORG

This project took nearly 17 years planning planting and building before its opening in June of 2007 and today

the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens comprises 270 acres of tidal shore land thousands of flowers plants

and botanical oddities Interspersed amongst the natural beauty you will find dozens of sculptures that

only add to an already stunning venue Rarely has a visitor spent some time at the Coastal Botanical

Gardens and not wanted to return as soon as possible

It is simple to see why this easily took our First Runner Up spot

1ST PLACE BIG CITY GETAWAY 2014 FIVE STAR GENERAL STORES bull NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY

This article from our October issue embodied a little bit of everything we might look for in a Big

City Getaway It had local history interesting stops (5 of them) food ice cream and it was all

woven together with some of the neatest roads in northern New Jersey ndash a riding jewel for those

who have never been so lucky Running along to five different and historic General Stores this day

trip just kept getting better Know that we just scratched the surface and that these General Stores from

the past can be found all around the nation But for this time around it was this adventure that was

called 1 for Big City Getaway 2014

(Note as of this printing the Stillwater General Store has closed but is still worth the ride-by for the

roads and historic value)

Wersquore Outta HereThe great thing that we riders have over the more boring people out there is that our tripsand adventures happen the moment we roll out of our driveways and onto the roadOvernight trips are like mini-vacations for the soul and are most likely the reason they sayyou never see a motorcycle outside a psychiatrist office unless it belongs to the shrinkWersquore Outta Here is all about that ndash places to go and enjoy whether it be a group coupleor on your ownLetrsquos see what we think were our top three for 2014

2ND RUNNER UP bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 E MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854 bull 814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGEPACOM

Shira found this hide-away full of coffee awesomeness when we were to attend the ALTRider adventure

ride early this summer in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania The lodge is part of the coffee house and

although the room we had was a tad small it was well thought out and just added to the coolness of the

entire place We had the Penns Creek Room with its lsquoloft-stylersquo bed and rock wall shower Each morning

the aroma from the coffee shop downstairs was like a Sirenrsquos call and had us highly motivated to carefully

spring out of bed (well it was a loft and there was a drop) There were also great muffins and cakes to go along with the coffee

Millheim is well located with a great combination of fantastic riding both paved and not and has a few eateries within strolling distance (compared to walking

or marching distance) We liked everything about the Triple Creek Lodge ndash the smell the flavor and the quirkiness

1ST RUNNER UP bull INDIAN ROCK INN2206 RIVER RD UPPER BLACK EDDY PA 18972 bull 610-982-9600 bull INDIANROCKINNCOM

GPS Download wwwsendspacecomprodlen7u7kAlong the PA-side of the Delaware River just north of Jerseyrsquos Milford in a place where the river

crooks dramatically and heads north for a bit you will find a great local treasure - the Indian Rock

Inn Tucked underneath what are called the Pennsylvania Palisades and along both river and old

canal the Indian Rock is the complete package

After a day of fun riding to and around the region you can park the bikes grab your room and

shower and make your way to the very friendly bar The Barking Dog Grab a cocktail and me-

ander to the very comfortable large porch take a seat and watch the world go by After the sun

sets a delicious gourmet meal is just steps away Perhaps a night cap and then upstairs to end a

prefect day With all that it is easy to see how the Indian Rock grabbed first runner up in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

1ST PLACEWErsquoRE OUTTA HERE 2014 bull QUODDY HEAD STATION823 SOUTH LUBEC RD LUBEC ME 04652 bull 877-535-4714 bull QUODDYVACATIONCOM

Most times we are all for suggesting you sleep in a bit longer at any of our Wersquore Outta Here destinations but here at Quoddy Head

Station we urge - no insist ndash that you get up before the dawn so you can be the first in the United States to see the sun rise over the At-

lantic from the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse - just a 2 minute ride to the east

Here in the most north and east point of the United States life does not get much better

The rooms and views cannot be beat and the surrounding area with its little coves Reversing Falls State Park Rooseveltrsquos Campobello

cottage (actually in Canada) and the very coastal Maine town of Lebec with its large number of seafood restaurants nautical shops and

vistas are hard to beat anywhere else in the world When we travelled in the area

we rode under a giant orange full moon that rose over the bay at low tide

It was eerie and stunning all at the same time

One of those moments we talked about earlier Quoddy Head Station has to be one

of the most interesting and geographically perfect places we have traveled to in

many years and easily made its way to the 1st place spot for Wersquore Outta Here 2014

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 23

Mysterious AmericaAlways one of the perennial favorites for our readers is the odd wacky and off-beat destinations that our own Dr Seymour OrsquoLife brings

to us each month This year was no different and the choices to be made for the TopThree were very tight for the good doctor but undaunted our hero carried on and cameup with the short list So letrsquos get to it

2ND RUNNER UP bull ISLE OFWIGHT COUNTY MUSEUM103 MAIN ST SMITHFIELD VA 23430 bull 757-356-1223 bull HISTORICISLEOFWIGHTCOM

You remember this place ndash home of the Worldrsquos Oldest Ham It belonged to PD Gwaltney Jr

It had its beginnings in 1902 when a cured ham was accidentally hung from rafters in one Gwaltneyrsquos

houses until it was discovered by workers By 1924 the pet ham was kept in an iron safe which was

opened daily for guests to view Advertised as the worldrsquos oldest Smithfield ham Gwaltney fashioned

a brass collar for the ham and took it to shows and expos to exhibit the preservative powers of his

smoking method The ham was featured in Ripleyrsquos ldquoBelieve It Or Notrdquo in 1929 1932 and 2003 and

more importantly in Backroads in May of 2014 For sure the museum holds so much more but Sey-

mour could never get past the ham Neither could we

1ST RUNNER UP bull THE CULPER SPY RINGThis was the first multi-month piece by the minions of mystery and we spent three

full months searching for the real story on George Washingtonrsquos Culper Spy Ring

From its beginning with the hanging of Nathan Hale in what is now mid-town Man-

hattan to the desolation of being held on a prison ship in an East River Bay in Brook-

lyn - where we had the largest battle of our Revolutionary War Then on to the Culper

Spies themselves and the web they wove from Setauket Long Island across the

Sound to Connecticut and into New York and Philadelphia These men and woman

(nobody really knows who this lady was) changed the course of history It was then

onto treachery traitors and sex ndashwith the story of Benedict Arnold his wife Peggy

Shippen and her lover Major John Andrersquo and our own West Point Escape capture

and the gallows all played a part in this true story of our local American history

Mysterious Americarsquos history has never been so much fun

1ST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2014 bull THE TRANS-ALLEGHENY LUNATIC ASYLUM71 ASYLUM DR WESTON WV 26452 bull 304-269-5070 bull TRANS-ALLEGHENYLUNATICASYLUMCOM

When we first rode up to this massive 27-acre facility Shira who had no idea where or why we were there shook her head and simply asked why

The asylum stands like a monstrous stone beast dominating the ground It is the second largest hand-hewn bluestone building on the planet with only Russiarsquos

Kremlin surpassing it But it is the feel and aura that surround and linger around this building

that will tell you the real story of the place

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum also known as the We-

ston State Hospital was a Kirkbride psychiatric hospital that

operated from 1864 until 1994 Like many Kirkbridge hospi-

tals it started out with a noble idea but soon became overrun

with patients lack of proper care and some of the saddest and

scariest tales were heard here on the tour The place is massive and to walk the halls would literally take miles

The place is reportedly full of ghosts and very bad things from the other side One look at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

and you will have a hard time denying that claim Shira will never go back and it was one of the few times that she was seriously

ldquocreeped outrdquo Her words ndash not ours

With that being said you surely must agree that a visit to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum easily ranks as our 1st place for

our Mysterious America 2014

MomentsIt was April 10 of this past year when the phone here at Backroads rang Answering it I could hear the voice of a friend Dave on the farend ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo I asked ldquohow are yourdquoDaversquos voice trembled and broke ldquoJeff Bahr was killed today on his bikerdquoIn that moment everything stopped It remained stopped for a long time Sometimes it still doesA month or so later well after Jeffrsquos service and cremation Shira and I found ourselves at the spot where this happened We talked tothe young man who was tending his barbecue pit which he was stoking for the dayrsquos lunch He was there when the driver pulled out ofhis general storersquos parking lot without even a glance He sadly but kindly told us of that momentJeff had simply been riding down a wide country road when an 86-year old man pulled out in front of him Although rubber on the roadshowed Jeff tried to avoid the car it was too little too late and he was killed on impactI have no idea what happened to the old man after this event But regardless he has to live with his inattentiveness and actions for therest of his life So do many of usWe do not remember days we remember momentsThat day was made up of a moment we will never forgetThe weekend I wrote this Jeff if hersquod survived would have been 57 He would have had dozens more stories made us laugh a dozenmore times would have made this magazine a dozen times betterJeff I hope you know that so many of us miss you so muchTo you all enjoy and savor all your moments Life is made up of them and eventually one of those moments will hurt

Page 24 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Shirarsquos Ice Cream RunLast year we introduce a semi-monthly some of the time if she felt like it column ndashShirarsquos Ice Cream Run It seems to everybody but the red head that this column hasbecome a huge hit and we have had more comments and suggestions for the IceCream Runs than anything else within memory So think sweet creamy and cold andletrsquos see what Shira thought were on the top three stops of 2014rsquos Ice Cream Runs

2ND RUNNER UP bull HOLSTENrsquoS CONFECTIONARY1603 BROAD ST BLOOMFIELD NJ 07003 bull 973-338-7091 bull WWWHOLSTENSCOM

Immortalized on celluloid in the Sopranosrsquo final episode Holstenrsquos Confectionary has so much more

to offer than their souvenir t-shirts from said show A true old-time ice cream parlor Holstenrsquos home-

made ice cream and confections will win the hearts of any true lover of sweets Taking a seat at the

counter should bring back memories of visits to Woolworthrsquos and once the delicious dairyness is

placed in front of you complete with homemade whipped cream you will think you are in a

dream Holstenrsquos has the whole package ndash premium product comfortable setting and take-home

delights With its 2nd Runner Up status truly one of my favorites of this yearrsquos ice cream stops

1ST RUNNER UP bull CAYUGA LAKE CREAMERY8421 NY 89 INTERLAKEN NY 14847 bull 607-532-9492 bull WWWCAYUGALAKECREAMERYCOM

Nestled in the idyllic Finger Lakes the Cayuga Lake Creamery offers up some of the most in-

ventive flavors Irsquove seen including wine ice cream and sorbet (best of both worlds Irsquod say)

Sitting on their outdoor deck savoring your Maple Bacon or Lavender cone on a warm summer

day ndash what could be better than that

While the Finger Lakes may not offer the most challenging of rides the scenery is beautiful and

the gorges are well gorgeous I canrsquot think of a much better day than meandering around the

Fingers with a late afternoon stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery Their 14 butterfat mixture and only the best of locally sourced

ingredients produce some of the finest creamiest ice creams around Do yourself a favor and spin your wheels to this part of

NY state for a weekend of indulgence as their terrific flavors will keep you coming back day after day

1ST PLACE SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN bull HALLrsquoS HOMEMADE ICE CREAM861 RACCOONVALLEY RD MILLERSTOWN PA 17062

717-589-3290 bull WWWHALLSICECREAMCOM

I found this gem in the middle of the Alleghenies while Brian was off riding in the forest with the

ALTRider group Having grabbed the 1st Place spot in this yearrsquos Ice Cream Run you know Hallrsquos

Homemade Ice Cream and Dairy has to be something pretty special

While their flavor offerings may not be as exotic as Cayuga Lake the quality is heavenly Their

signature flavor and one I had not tasted before is their honey ice cream coming in a variety of

mixtures such as chocolate butter pecan and my personal favorite cinnamon Hallrsquos has a couple

of outdoor tables where you can take in the full dairy effect while licking your cone If that is too

overwhelming they have a very nice indoor seating area complete with air conditioning

The riding in this part of Pennsylvania is quite exciting with elevation changes sweepers and

twisties and for those desiring an off-road adventure plenty of woodlands to test your knobbies

What do all three of these winners have in common other than fantastic ice cream They are all

open all year long so if you happen to be out and about in Bloomfield NJ Interlaken NY or Miller-

stown PA make sure you plan a stop at one of the top three spots on Shirarsquos 2014 Ice Cream Run

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 25

Rip amp Ridereg bull RIVER RUNNERS ROOST2378 RTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770

845-557-0097 bull WWWRIVERRUNNERSROOSTCOMSEASONAL HOURS - CALL BEFORE HEADING OUT

CR 560 IN SUSSEX COUNTY NJCROSS DINGMANS BRIDGE bull $1 TOLLSTRAIGHT ON RTE 739RIGHT AT MILFORD RDLEFT AT RAYMONDSKILL RDCROSS OVER I-84HARD LEFT ON US 6QUICK RIGHT ONTOTWIN LAKES RDRIGHT AT RTE 434CROSS RIVER TO NEWYORKRIGHT AT RTE 97 SOUTHRIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST DOWN ROAD ON LEFT HAND SIDE

Rip amp Ridereg bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784603- 298-5515 bull WWW4ACESDINERCOM

GPS DOWNLOAD WWWSENDSPACECOMPRODLXXTWXB90-MILE ONEWAY ROUTE FROM THEWEST DOVER VERMONT REGION

BIG BEARS LODGE GRAY GHOST AND KITZHOF INN

RTE 100 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT RTE 35RIGHT AT RTE 121LEFT AT RTE 5CROSS INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE ndash ARCH BRIDGELEFT AT RTE 12 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 120LEFT AT RTE 4 WEST LEBANONFOUR ACES DOWN ON THE LEFT

TAylorrsquos ice creAm PArlor

18 e mAin sT chesTer nJ bull 908-879-5363

What to do on the first sub-freezing day in November Go for ice cream

of course I was hanging out with the good doctor OrsquoLife and best friend

Brian when OrsquoLife told us of this place that grows telephone poles Having

my doubts about most of what OrsquoLife tells me I asked him to prove it So

off we went to the quaint little town of Chester New Jersey

After a pleasant lunch at the Publick House complete with real wood

burning fireplace we trekked down the road a piece found said telephone

pole farm (for another column of course) and started our return to Back-

roads Central Lo and behold right before the turn onto Route 206 there

sat Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor in the nicest old building on the block We

got our spot and headed in to find well no one but Justin in a very toasty

old fashioned ice cream parlor I do think that he was surprised to see us

or anyone on such a cold day

Taylorrsquos has apparently been an ice cream institution in

Chester for the last 50 years or so founded by Mr Earle G

Taylor Sr who just passed this August Taylorrsquos was the vic-

tim of fire some time in 2013 and was closed for a good 8

months before reopening in the same spot with applause

from their long-time fans and customers Their ice cream is

all home made and always has been On a hot summer day

you will no doubt be lined up out the door and down the

block to get this tasty treat but Irsquom certain you will find it

worth the wait I think their pricing is quite reasonable for

the size scoop they dip and if you are like me and want a sam-

pling of several flavors they offer Kiddie Scoops at $195

each ndash a flight of ice cream sounds like the perfect end-of-

ride relaxation

We perused the two very full ice cream boards and poured

over the cabinets before making our decisions With close to

50 listed flavors what was a girl to do without minions to help her taste test We finally settled on chocolate hazelnut toasted coconut salted caramel and

vanilla fudge brownie I pretty much always opt for a cup as I savor my ice cream and it would run down my arm before I was even close to finishing but I was

almost tempted by their pretzel cone What is so great about Taylorrsquos cones is the plastic drip cup in which they reside both sanitary and mess-preventing

Page 26 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

TOWN amp COUNTRYC Y C L E C E N T E R

115 Route 23N bull Hamburg NJ bull 973-875-2111wwwtownandcountrycyclecentercom

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIYamahacom bull 516-935-6969

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE

SPORT TOURERIntroducing the most performancepower versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle From commutingand exploring backroads to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaharsquos un-mistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

While enjoying our treats we savored

the deacutecor of this very pleasant parlor Sev-

eral tables to enjoy your ice cream clip-

pings of newspaper articles school

paraphernalia and something that has no

place in an ice cream parlor an old-fash-

ioned fortune telling scale This couldnrsquot

possibly still be functioning could it Ac-

cording to Justin yes it was How could we

resist In went our pennies and up popped

our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked

the weight numbers) Brianrsquos read lsquoYou are

not overbearing but generally have things

your wayrsquo Wow I couldnrsquot wait to see if

mine was as accurate ldquoYou look to the fu-

ture rather than the pastrsquo So true

Back to the ice cream ndash it

was heavenly We all agreed

that the salted caramel was the

overall winner having the per-

fect balance of salt and

caramel with the best creamy

texture The toasted coconut

was very flavorful with lots of

coconut bits the chocolate

hazelnut was very dark and

creamy and mixed with the coconut made the perfect almond-free almond

joy The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole but cer-

tainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store

I believe Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round but if yoursquore head-

ing over during the winter months give them a call to make sure Enjoy the

winter and remember itrsquos never too cold to eat ice cream

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215-712-7433 bull wwwBMWMotorcyclescom

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

THE NEW R 1200 RA POWERFUL STATEMENT

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The S 1000 RR has been completely revisedThe results in its origins a genuine Double RRon the road a new supersports machine thatwill once again set the benchmark in its class

UNSTOPPABLE SPORT

WHAT lsquoRrsquo YOU WAITING FORCome to Montgomeryville Cycle Center to see the full line of 2015 BMW Motorcycles products and apparel

We have everything yoursquoll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever

Motorcyclepedia the northeastrsquos

premier motorcycle museum will

be holding its Speaker Series again

this winter with various riders and

orators covering topics ranging

from world touring to tips on avoiding tickets and an in depth look at GPS

technology and todayrsquos motorcycling

Backroadsrsquo own Brian amp Shira will start the series off with a talk on Jan-

uary 17 on lsquoThe Big Fiversquo motorcycle destinations around the planet along

with planning and touring around the United States and the world

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who

will help clear the fog about Garmin GPSrsquos and how their BaseCamp program

works along with how to create and export your own personal routes

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on ldquoEverything you need to know

on Motorcycles and the Lawrdquo - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper po-

lice procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists

Seth Simpson of Motorcycle training Solutions will be giving a seminar

on Rider Training

Motorcyclistmoto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about

Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys

Look for a Womenrsquos Riding Panel with some well-known female motor-

cyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing todayrsquos women

riders This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and

beginning women riders

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months

and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to

enlighten

Wersquoll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page

as soon as they are etched in stone

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh New York in the

riding heart of the Hudson Valley

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 27

A DAY AT THE MUSEUMlsquoSPEAKER SERIESrsquo RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Frankrsquos MotorcycleSales amp Service

120 Center RoadEssex VT 05451

802-878-3930wwwFranksMotorcycleSalescomBMWhtm

Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY845-357-1190

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Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

SUSSEX MOTORSPORTS446 Route 23 bull Sussex NJ bull Located across from the AampP Shopping Plaza

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JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

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The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

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Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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memBer

memBer

Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

JDS CYCLE PARTSeST 1988

247 W Westfield Ave Rosell Park NJ908-245-2445

bull Parts amp Accessories

bull Award-winning Service

bull Performance Work

bull Dyno Tuning

bull SampS Pro Tuning Center

bull Power CommanderTuning Center

American bull Metric bull Sport

Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 2: January 2015 Backroads

Motorcycles Travel amp Adventure

Publishers Brian Rathjen bull Shira Kamil

Contributors Mark Byers Bill Heald

Matt Lewis Tony Lisanti

John Newman

Dr Seymour OrsquoLife

Editorial Office BACKROADS POB 317

Branchville NJ 07826

phone 9739484176

fax 9739480823

email editorbackroadsusacom

online wwwbackroadsusacom

Advertising 973-948-4176

BACKROADS (ISSN 1087-2088) is published monthly by BACK-

ROADStrade Inc 2015 All rights reserved BACKROADStrade may not

be reproduced in any manner without specific written consent from

the publisher BACKROADStrade welcomes and encourages submis-

sions (text and photos) and suggestions Include phone number with

submissions BACKROADStrade will only return material with enclosed

sufficient postage The written articles and opinions printed in BACK-

ROADStrade are not necessarily those of the publisher and should not

be considered an endorsement The Rip amp Ridesreg published are rid-

den on the sole responsibilty of the rider BACKROADStrade is not re-

sponsible for the conditions of the public roadways traversed Please

respect the environment read your ownerrsquos manual and wear proper

protective gear and helmet Ride within your limits not over them

MONTHLY COLUMNSFREE WHEELINrsquo 3

WHATCHATHINKINrsquo 4

POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE5

ON THE MARK 6

THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD 7

BACKLASH9

INDUSTRY INFOBITES 10

GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN 13

BIG CITY GETAWAY 15

MYSTERIOUS AMERICA17

WErsquoRE OUTTA HERE 19

SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN 26

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE40

UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR 44

FEATURESBEST OF BACKROADS 2014 22

DAY AT THE MUSEUM 27

EDELWEISS FESCHTL 201429

PAY THE FERRYMAN 33

AIMEXPO 2014 42

PRODUCT REVIEWSZOWA OPTICS VISOR GOGGLES21

2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 39

GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA39

AEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS 41

Only 6 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway in the heart of southwestern Virginia

Specializing in European motorcycles and premium riding gear and accessories

Our service staff has over one hundred combined years experience

OUR PASSION IS MOTORCYCLES - LET US SHARE IT WITH YOU

1003 Electric Rd bull Salem VA 24153

855-444-BMW6 (2696) bull wwwfrontlineeurosportscom

FRONTLINE EUROSPORTS

W H A T rsquo S I N S I D E

22

29

33

The Goldilocks PrinciPle

Remember Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Of course you do ndash but did you know the fairy

tale has a principle named after it

The Goldilocks Principle states that something

must fall within certain margins as opposed to

reaching extremes When the effects of the principle are

observed it is known as the Goldilocks Effect

What does this have to do with motorcycles

Good question

Here you are reading this magazine our annual Best of

Backroads issue which is a good thing but - who are we really

Backroads I mean

Backroads is now into our 20th year and still going strong

The last two decades have been awesome in so many ways

and like many things the years have changed us and we hope

mostly for the better

From our first black amp white newsprint issue to the slicker four-

color issue you have in your hands ndash we have been constantly

evolving but never lost sight of who and what we are

But who are we and what is this magazine really

about

Over the past few years we have had a number of peo-

ple and businesses tell us who we are

Did we need to be told

I guess we needed to know or seemed a bit confused

A big city-based American cruiser dealership com-

plained to us that we were not American cruiser enough

and that we were just about dual-sport riding knobby

tires and European adventure machines

ldquoAll they have are big German dirt bikes on their cov-

ersrdquo came the cry

Another supplier of touring gear and adventure riding

apparel felt we were not adventure-based enough and

that we did a bit too much cruiser and standard cover-

age

Some dealers felt we werenrsquot worth their time - as we

wouldnrsquot do monthly features on them

Although we provide Backroads free to any motor-

cycle shop or dealership that would like to carry us re-

gardless if they spend an advertising budget with us or

not over the years we have been shut out of more than

a few - simply because they didnrsquot wish to advertise and

didnrsquot like that other shops did

We are too much one-way for some and too much the

other way for others

It is almost hard to win

But wersquore still here doing what we do

Recently there have been two films released about

motorcycles and the people who ride them - Why We

Ride and On Any Sunday - The Next Chapter

We thought both films were excellent but immedi-

ately heard from some road riders that there was too

much racing not enough touring Too much dirt and not

enough street Dirt lovers on the other hand thought

there were too many cruiser rallies and destination seg-

ments and never enough motorcycle competitions

The truth is that the world of motorcycles is diverse

and there are so many things you can do with a motor-

cycle

We understand the differences in riders and machines

but we think that every rider and every machine can do

a little traveling time

This is who we are

Backroads - Motorcycles Travel amp Adventure

This is what Backroads is all about Always has been

and always will

Why do we have so many BMW GS machines on the covers and in travel

articles inside

We decided a long time back that we would stick with real riding shots

taken along our journeys Most of the motorcycles that you see on the covers

are what we own and what we ride day-to-day When we have the opportunity

to ride other bikes for testing or on a trip we do so happily Wersquore not a na-

tional publication ndash we never said we were You see unlike the major glossy

magazines you find on the newsstand that are almost all California-based

many times we have to head out to California just to get our hands on differ-

ent rides

When we have an article from other sources than in-house and there is a

great cover shot we feature it

Wersquore about going places seeing things and experiencing the

best of motorcycling And for us that is travel amp adventure

I have often said that so many riders buy a motorcycle and

then wonder ldquoWhere should we gordquo

It is easy to go to the same places same restaurants same bars

on the same roads But there is something magical about striking

out in the morning and returning home in the late afternoon with a

few hundred new miles ridden and something new and exciting or just plain

odd to talk about

Thatrsquos where we come in

Welcome to our annual Best of Backroads issue ndash we think it is just right

F R E E W H E E L I N rsquoBRIAN RATHJeN

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 3

AnTiciPATion

For such a long time now every time you

go Googling or Facebooking there is some

new rage in video hoping to lsquogo viralrsquo They

range in subject from the ever-present cute

animal adorable child or wacky antic to the

more disturbing stunt gone horribly wrong

animal attack or flash mob or protest While

I try my best to stay away from clicking on

these moments of lsquoentertainmentrsquo Brian

will lovingly interrupt my day to share them

with me From across the office I am able

to selectively watch the parts that inter-

est me and turn away from those that

bother me

Not only does it baffle me to see some

of the awful and feckless use of onersquos

time but the utter insanity that anyone

would choose to video some of these sit-

uations rather than help right them Of

course the most recent submission to these selfish bits of celluloid or more

accurately CloudSpace is the footage from the lsquoprotestsrsquo of late Not only

are these people destroying peoplersquos businesses and in some cases maiming

human beings they are seeing it through a 3-inch screen as if it were hap-

pening in another dimension without a thought of lending a hand to stop the

madness

What Irsquod love to see lsquogo viralrsquo are

the selfless acts that take place on a

constant basis the brave man who

entered the burning building to carry

out a stranger the people who band

together to lift the crashed vehicle

off the trapped driver the scenes of

veterans homecomings

One viral video that I did watch

which brought a tear to my eye was

entitled lsquoLetrsquos Ride Motorcyclesrsquo

Itrsquos been making the rounds for

quite some time and may have even

been mentioned before in these pages It is the story of several Taiwanese

men friends for life who have gotten to the age when inactivity and loss of

dreams may take away any will to go on Instead they get fed up with playing

cards all day catering to their individual illnesses and missing out on life and

decide to take one last ride on their ancient motorcycles They do it for their

youth for the missing friends who cannot join them and probably just for

the joy of riding again If you havenrsquot seen it you can

find it here

wwwyoutubecomwatchv=xZ15mbuE_pw

There is so much emphasis on social media these

days itrsquos hard to say when the folks taking part in this

phenom actually get out on their motorcycles The ad-

dition of video and special mounts for electronic devices

for the motorcycle have made it so easy to capture the

daily ride the amazing new twisty road discovered the

cross-country trek or off-road adventure and share it al-

most instantaneously with not only your immediate

friends but the rest of the world Irsquom not immune ndash no

doubt those of you who check the Backroads Facebook

or Instagram pages have seen posting from our road

trips ice cream runs and Backroads Rallies In todayrsquos

publishing world the push towards digital media is

overwhelming I wish I had a nickel for everyone who

has said lsquoprint is deadrsquo Irsquod be able to buy that new

Kawasaki H2R

Being able to get instant news see the newest motor-

cycle releases before they even hit the dealers and get

weather at the touch of a button (well that one IS pretty

great) has made anticipation a thing of the past I know

Irsquove heard from many of our readers who say the day

they open the mailbox and see the latest issue of Back-

roads there is always a great one (thank you) I have to

admit although I donrsquot consider myself a luddite I do

miss reading about a new book coming out and then ac-

tually going to a book store to purchase it rather than

one-clicking on Amazon and having it the next day I

miss anticipation

Right now with the winter settling in I am starting

to pull out the maps and travel books to plan the amaz-

ing rides wersquoll be taking this year Irsquoll double check the

pages that Irsquove dog-earred before to see that the lodg-

ings eateries and such are still in business Irsquoll read the

latest travel magazines for inspiration and talk to fellow

riders for suggestions Most of all Irsquoll anticipate pulling

out my motorcycle from its winter seclusion throwing

my leg over the saddle and setting off on a brand new

adventure

W H A T C H A T H I N K I N rsquoSHIRA KAMIL

Page 4 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

We are building our 2015 Upcoming Events Calendar

Please send your event information as early as possible

for maximum exposure See our website for form and

email to editorbackroadsusacom

A TArdis in TArrAnT counTy

Time in case you havenrsquot noticed is a very big

deal As a concept it can give you a headache and

as a unit we measure it insures a uniform chronol-

ogy of events (and helps insure group rides and lunch start at some kind of

agreed upon moment) Therefore I think itrsquos safe to say it is pretty indispen-

sable But man it does take its toll on you as it passes It can also really make

you dig deep into your psyche when you exam-

ine that odd thing called the past It manages to

do this all while telling where you are in the

present and make you plan for the future But

itrsquos the past and its powerful ponderables that

can disrupt our concept of reality the most so

allow me to share a recent time-related journey

to illustrate the wild ride life often takes us on

This is an adventure that goes down roads that

are fresh yet have in fact been travelled before

The occasion was my niecersquos wedding in Ft Worth

Texas shortly after Thanksgiving This trip was one of those

non-bike car-based adventures for neither the Triumph or

the Honda would fit in the handsome twin-engined Em-

braerrsquos overhead bins and time was very short The wedding

party decided to have the ceremony in Cowtown as the bride

and groom met at Texas Christian University and it just so hap-

pens yours truly spent his formative years in this same city long ago when

liquid cooling on motorcycles was quite exotic and some phones not only

had cords but rotary dials as well Most of the places Irsquove lived have changed

much over the years so I found it rather incredible that Ft Worth seemed

like much of the city was frozen in time Either that or I had somehow re-

turned to a past life where superficial things had changed yet the basics were

exactly in the same state I left them when I departed the territory This time-

shift really got rolling as I was driving back to my old neighborhood and I

noticed the weather for having left a New England winter I found myself

surrounded by a Texas one This seasonal variation in the South usually

means an extension of summer with more overcast and fewer AC water

puddles at intersections (and the odd temporary blast of cold air) Shortly

after arriving in the West Side of Ft Worth I saw a chap riding an lsquo80s Honda

Nighthawk S that looked identical to the one my college roommate had and

still one of the best-sounding Inline Fours Irsquove ever ridden Many of the roads

that I knew so well were still around and relatively well-preserved but it was

sad to realize a few had grown unfriendlier to motorcycles A serpentine

stretch I used to blast down with abandon now

is maimed by speed bumps and not only are

these big enough to cause Chassis Upset (CU)

they were damn hard to see even in broad

daylight My co-driver was often spurred to

sing out a warning to prevent our heads from

hitting the headliner

Unlike so many towns and cities I used to

live in when I returned to Ft Worth a surpris-

ing number of businesses were still around in

their original locations This means one way or the other

they has survived for decades which I thought was as-

tounding given the turnover in other places Irsquove lived

The memories seeing these places stirred up was amaz-

ing and I went in to true Time Machine mode as I got

flashbacks from roads I hadnrsquot been on in 30 years and

started remembering in great detail the machines I was

riding at the time A set of railroad tracks in a lonely section of road out by

Benbrook used to make the rear tire of my V45 Magna dance and I could

damn near feel the sensation even though this time I was driving a 2015 Prius

The old Weatherford Traffic circle (which was and is an enormous round

(Continued on page 12)

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

BILL HeALD

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 5

new Girl in Town

I never meant it to happen ndash but it did She stood out amidst the others

smaller and dressed differently a waif a trifle goth with prominent attractive

tattoos looking fresh but a little worldly She was definitely out of place

among the tiffany-clad society girls like Courtney Love at a PTA meeting

and she was therefore interesting She sulked like shersquod rather be anyplace

but sitting under the awning of a bike shop So I did what any pudgy gray-

haired over-fifty guy would do I went over In a short time a price was

mentioned and she came home with me And that is how I ended up with a

Stardust Pearl White 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 650

I love middleweights and my naked SV650 is a

stone blast especially at VIR I had so much fun

there in June that Irsquove been looking for a fully-

faired sportbike ever since Enter the Ninja

When I first saw the bike and sat on it the look

and feel were so cuddly that I thought it was an

excellent starter and commuter Though the body-

work says ldquosportrdquo the high tubular handlebar and

realistically ergonomic pegs say ldquostreetrdquo Seeing

it at the shop a female friend walked up sat down

on it and said ldquoItrsquos cute it needs a lsquoHello Kittyrsquo

stickerrdquo But hello THIS kitty is a cheetah

Thanks to my friends at Mortonrsquos BMW I left their Oktoberfest for a long

sunny Saturday afternoon test ride through historic Virginia country roads

and came back enchanted The riding position is more aggressive than a

standard but the high rubber-mounted bars keep the chiropractor (and vi-

brations) away The fuel injection is spot-on producing flat torque at any

RPM The brakes are very good although more exploration of their potential

is required in a less public environment The transmission is clarified butter

Even the OEM-spec Dunlop Roadsmart tires are just that ndash smart and confi-

dence-inspiring Both the clutch and brake levers are adjustable a nice touch

on a price-point bike The display is a combination of digital speed and ana-

log tach which is good but Irsquod rather have a gear position display than the

silly ldquoECOrdquo indicator that comes on at low RPMs ndash itrsquos my mission to keep

that thing off

Aesthetically the bike is a winner I normally look up comparison articles

and reliability numbers especially on a used bike but I bought this bike on

looks and ride alone and did my research post-hoc Turns out the seat of

my pants and my eye were right on the money the magazines and blogs gush

about it It has just the right amount of plastic to be faired without looking

Fischer Price and the asymmetric horizontal shock and underslung pipe

complete the sporty visage One change to aesthetics will be an RampG Racing

ldquotail tidyrdquo to get rid of all the crap governments make them hang off the back

The suspension adjustments amount to rear preload only and itrsquos too firm

on a bumpy road but considering what I paid for this bike used I can get

Klaus at EPM to sell me a ldquoStreet Boxrdquo com-

plete suspension upgrade for both the forks

and rear shock that will improve not only the

ride but the control (which already isnrsquot bad)

If I really feel the need an aftermarket ex-

haust system will shave 20 lb off the weight

and add a couple HP and my total investment

in suspension and tuning is only $1500 A

set of Dunlop Q3rsquos will be installed after I

wear out the Roadsmarts and this bike will be

on the trailer next to the SV when I head to

VIR next June

The great thing is in the meantime the

Kawasaki tail pack and SW Motech tank bag will let me fling this beauty

down my secret back roads to work and arrive with my cookies unbroken

Plus like my SV I donrsquot ever see outgrowing it The lady who made the

ldquoHello Kittyrdquo comment is already lobbying to ride it and I will honor that

request unlike the inline-four ZX-6R Ninja the vertical-twin Ninja 650 is

flexible comfortable and user-friendly enough that I have no doubt she can

handle it I also have no doubt that itrsquoll do 120 MPH down the front straight

at VIR and handle well enough to make me laugh after just a bit of suspension

work And her name ldquoKunoichirdquo of course or ldquoKunordquo for short

O N T H E M A R KMARK BYeRS

Page 6 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

CROSS COUNTRY BMW911 Middlesex Avenue Metuchen NJ

Serving Central and North NJ

Staten Island NY and Philadelphia PA

732-635-0094 bull wwwCCBMWcom

While BMW has spent 90 years producing some of the

best motorcycles in the world wersquove spent 15 years

providing you with the latest and best in BMW products

like the all-new S 1000 XR and F 800 R

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

CROSS COUNTRY DUCATIFactory Authorized Sales and Service

911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ 08840

7326350094 bull wwwcrosscountrycyclenet

Shop our large selection for the latest in

Ducati Performance parts apparel and accessories

More than a new bike itrsquos a whole new world

choPsTicks And BAr-risers

The first time I saw a Touratech Bar Riser for the BMW

R1200GS I thought ldquoWhat a great idea A cool way to put

chopsticks down while your eating Asian food and donrsquot

want to lay them down Awesome Finallyrdquo

So there I was enjoying my Chicken Pad Thai when one

of my co-workers approached me and said ldquoHey man

yoursquore not using that thing rightrdquo

ldquoWhat do you do with itrdquo I asked

ldquoIrsquom pretty sure itrsquos for hanging really heavy artrdquo he said

ldquoIt holds better than one of those hanging kits You could

probably hang a sculpture on the wall if you wantedrdquo

ldquoNo not artrdquo interjected another co-worker ldquoThink

about it We work at a place that makes accessories for mo-

torcycles Why would we make something that holds art or

chopsticks Chopsticks Come on guys itrsquos obvious what

that thingrsquos forrdquo

ldquoWhatrdquo We said

ldquoWell itrsquos for hanging your gear You can bolt it

to the wall and itrsquoll hold a hanger with all of your

riding gear on it If you bolt one on top of the other

itrsquoll hold your helmet toordquo he replied and held the

thing up to the wall

That sounded right It had to be something to do

with motorcycles Chopstickshellip Well that was just

silly but hey Irsquom just the marketing guy I donrsquot

know as much about the intricacies of motorcycle

parts as our customer service people

As I was walking to my car there were a few guys

outside the office and they were tying down a V-

Strom 1000 They had the straps just about tight-

ened and I noticed that they were fastening the straps to

cleats in the bed of the truck The cleats looked a little

flimsy and I suggested they switch them out with the bar

risers in my hand (I didnrsquot know they were bar risers at

the time) I truly thought Irsquod figured out the mystery of

those brushed aluminum pieces of German Technology

Tie down loops Yes

The guys in the truck laughed at me (Irsquom used to that

being the novice rider at the office)

ldquoDonrsquot you know what these arerdquo one of them asked

and I handed them over

ldquoI guess notrdquo I said

ldquoYou bolt them to the front of your footpegsrdquo he said

ldquoIt gives you more surface and stability and they make it

easy to scrape mud off your bootsrdquo

He showed me on the V-Strom in the truck what he was

talking about I didnrsquot see any bolt holes

ldquoI donrsquot think sordquo I said ldquoWe already have our lsquoWorksrsquo

footpegs Theyrsquore really widerdquo

ldquoI think I know what Irsquom talking aboutrdquo the

Suzuki riding stranger said ldquoIrsquove owned bikes my

whole life Irsquove seen those things used Theyrsquore

called footpeg enhancersrdquo

I didnrsquot feel like having a debate It was starting

to rain so I put my precision-crafted motorcycle es-

sentials in my briefcase and went home It was Fri-

day I had dinner plans and I had a lot to do over the

weekend When I got home I left the bar risers sit-

ting on my kitchen table

Saturday came and I was doing a bunch of yard

work and cleaning out the barbecue Summer was

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 7

THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD Words by Matt Lewis bull Photos by Morgan Goldbloom

ebbing but it was still pleasantly warm in Seattle and I was warm so I headed

in for something to drink I could hear my wife and son playing in the living

room as I opened the cabinet to grab a glass Something physically felt dif-

ferent I my hand

I closed the cabinet and there it was The handle of my kitchen cabinet had

been replaced with 15mm of rock-solid engineering genius My wife had

used the bar risers (I still didnrsquot know they were bar risers) to replace my

kitchen fixtures All of them

They looked awesome and I didnrsquot have the heart to tell her to take them

down so when I went back to work on the following Monday I had to buy

them A lot more experimentation went into finally discovering the actual

use of the bar risers I suppose I could have asked someone else at work but

I wanted to figure it out myself

Here is what I know you can do but shouldnrsquot do with Touratech Bar Ris-

ers for the Water-Cooled R1200GS and GSA

bull Put them in the microwave

bull Bolt them together and wear as a ring

bull Make wind chimes (they donrsquot have good pitch)

bull Wear as earrings (my wife couldnrsquot get the bolt through

the hole in ear)

bull Use as a baby teething device (donrsquot ask)

bull Throw at an attacker (long story but trust me They wonrsquot

slow him down)

bull Open a bottle of beer

So what have I learned Well obviously the Touratech

Bar Risers for the Water-Cooled R1200GS and GSA come

in three sizes (15mm 25mm and 40mm) They are de-

signed to create optimum comfort with minimal labor and

raising the bar height results in a more upright position

which can relieve neck and back strain

Riders around the world swear by bar-risers and they

can make your bike a better fit easily and economically

hellipand you can bolt them to your bathroom wall to

hold your toothbrushes

Matt Lewis is Marketing Manager at Touratech-USA

CycoActive Inc You can see all their products and

some they donrsquot even know they have at

wwwtouratech-usacom

Cycle Motion is your provider of motorcycles ATVs scooters

snowmobiles and utility vehicles by Kawasaki Suzuki Polaris

Yamaha and Can-Am With a large parts department qualified

service technicians and a full shop full of parts and accessories

were here to meet all your power sport needs

For every rider - on or off road whether they like doing it

in the dirt carving the twisties or cruising the backroads

we have their weapon of choice

1269 DOLSONTOWN RD

MIDDLETOWN NY 10940

845-343-2552 bull WWWCYCLEMOTIONINCCOM

Page 8 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Backroads

Just wanted you to know that Joe Fencz from

Charliersquos Pool Room past away October

15th John the brother and cook called me to

tell me when the funeral services were I didnrsquot

have any idea Joe was even sick He had pancre-

atic cancer and has been battling it for a year

The Pool Room has been closed for about a

year now because the grill has to be updated to

new codes and was shut down A lot of people

have been helping them out to get them up and

running again I attended the service a few weeks

agohellipwhen Joe was alive I did not know much about him other than we

was a very nice kind outgoing person At his funeral many people told stores

about him and you got to know him after it was too late The funeral parlor

was packed

I talked with brother John to encourage him to open the store again I of-

fered him financial assistance as well as business advice There were a lot of

other people there that wanted John to open the store againhellipwe will see He

did not seem to want to do it

I snapped this picture I saw at the wake It looks like a 1930rsquos-40rsquos motor-

cycle with a homemade side car I know the father was a frontline soldier in

WW II he may have bought it surplus

Thought I would share this with riders who have been there and hopefully

will go again

Gary Rena

Gary thanks for passing that along to us Charliersquos Pool Room was the

most interesting and oddest hot dog stop in the Garden State and will be

missed

Miracles as they are I got to reading the No-

vember Backroads issue before the end of No-

vember which is pretty good for me May have

had something to do with not picking up my

mail until the end of the month

So I am feeling accomplished None-the-less

- having left town the first week in October I fi-

nally got to reading Backroads

Brian your editorial piece on BMW-style

events and this weird thing about camping had

me in stitches Camping Really whatrsquos with

that Ride all day long and stop at a motel where

you can walk to a restaurant for dinner after a nice shower That works for

me and is the only way I fly The best of all worlds thatrsquos what I say

The article on Americade and Shirarsquos editorial about the passenger seat

also had me in stitches Thanks to both of you for making me look forward

to the next issue each and every time

Until we meet again we will always admire your endless summer

lifestyle Carry on - I say

Your two-wheeled friends

Graham and Gail

This Town is the Pitshellip

As to the above column please tell Brian to call a spade a spade The rider

was following to close andor not paying attention when he rear-ended the

truck If the truck hit the girls girlrsquos fault However the bike hitting the

truck was the riderrsquos own fault

Happy holidays to you both

Greg Bagen

Greg I agree I was being semi-polite You were able to read between the

lines You should be a lawyer or something

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 9

BACKLASH Letters to the Editor

BERgEN COUNTY HARLEY-DAVIDSON DUAL PHOTO PROjECT

This is Larry No he doesnrsquot have a twin

The first picture was shot of him in his every-

day clothes A few days later he stopped by on

his bike Learn more about Larry and other

bikers soon If you ride and are interested in

being shot (with a camera) stop by Bergen

County Harley-Davidson in Rochelle Park

NJ Monday Tuesday Thursday and Friday

from 12Noon - 1pm or Wednesday night 5-

6pm It takes 5 minutes and you just might be

part of the project 2 portraits are shot one of

you in your riding gear the other of you in

your work or everyday clothes

Spread the word

Bergen County Harley-Davidson 124 Essex St Rochelle Park NJ bull 201-

843-6930 bull wwwbergenharleycom

HARLEY DEALERSHIP DROPS 10K FROM SKY

While shoppers may have been rushing for merchandise on Black Friday

a couple of thousand people were grabbing for cash at least for a brief mo-

ment

Black Diamond Harley-Davidson of Marion Illinois has hosted turkey

drops in the past but Black Fridayrsquos cash drop was the first for the dealer-

shiprsquos innovative marketing company co-owner Shad Zimbro said

ldquoItrsquos just something different Everybody can use a little extra cashrdquo he

said of the companyrsquos Green Friday as hopefuls took position along the

perimeter of a large field where cash totaling $10000 would be dropped from

a helicopter

Illinois Lottery donated some of the money for the event Black Diamond

announced it would match up to $100 for those who spent their winnings at

the store

Participants had to be 18 and had to sign a waiver that they would not hold

Black Diamond responsible for injuries It appeared

most were unscathed during the dash for cash

though muddied from the wet field either falling on

their own or pushed

VALERIE THOMPSON RACINg SIgNS WITH

NPMOTOWEAR PRODUCTS FOR 2015

Scottsdale motorcycle racer 7-time land speed

record holder and team owner Valerie Thompson

recently signed NPmotowear Products as a new

sponsor for the 2015 racing season NPmoto prod-

ucts was founded in 2005 by Nick Plenzick to pro-

vide motorcyclists and racers with a variety of

apparel and accessories that provide maximum com-

fort and convenience to riders worldwide

ldquoWe have sold many fine products from a variety of excellent manufactures

over the years When

we began production of

our own products I de-

cided I wanted them

tested in extreme con-

ditions In addition to

our long distance rid-

ers Irsquom a big believer

that racing improves

the breedrdquo said NPmo-

towear ownerfounder

Nick Plenzick ldquoWhen I

was thinking of some-

one who could push the

limits Valerie Thomp-

Page 10 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

FW SPEER YAMAHA7 Main Ave bull Passaic NJ bull 973-778-6256 bull wwwSpeerYamahacom

Tri-State Metro Arearsquos Oldest Yamaha Dealer + Last of the Mom and Pop Shops

THE MALLTERNATIVE

INDUSTRY INFOBITES News from the Inside

son was at the top of my list Valerie recently tested our base layer at the

Texas Mile with a 2177 mph run with great resultsrdquo added Plenzick

ldquoIrsquove been wearing and testing NPmotowear apparel while riding and

working around the shop I canrsquot tell you how impressed I am They offer

products that enhance riding comfort in both cold and hot weather while of-

fering a real sense of stylerdquo said Thompson

ldquoWe couldnrsquot be more pleased to have someone of Valeriersquos experience

and racing accomplishments to promote NPmotowear layer clothing and ac-

cessories After all we have to keep lsquoAmericarsquos Queen of Speedrsquo comfortable

underneath her race suit at over 210 mph and we have proven we can ac-

complish that goalrdquo said Plenzick

In addition to seven land speed records Thompson is an official member

of the BUB Speed Trials 201 MPH Club Mojave Magnum 200 MPH Club

Texas Mile 200 MPH Club ECTA 200 MPH Club and a lifetime member of

the prestigious Bonneville 200 MPH Club

HONDA MARKS UNPRECEDENTED MILESTONEgLOBAL PRODUCTION OF 300 MILLION MOTORCYCLES

Achieving a milestone more than 65 years in the making Honda Motor

Co Ltd announced production of its 300-millionth motorcycle The mile-

stone bike is a Honda Gold Wing produced at the companyrsquos Kumamoto Fac-

tory in Japan Honda will celebrate

the 40th anniversary of the iconic

Gold Wing in 2015

Honda began mass production of

motorcycles in Japan in 1949 when

it built the Honda 98cc Dream Type-

D Today Honda produces motorcy-

cles ATVrsquos and side-by-sides at 32

plants in 22 countries including two

plants in North America

ldquoThis incredible milestone is the

result of the millions of customers

who have placed their trust in Honda

and we would like to thank all of our customers associates dealers and com-

munity partners in North America for helping make it possiblerdquo said Bob

Gurga Vice President and Manager of Motorcycle Division for American

Honda ldquoNow we are focused on

the future and the ways that we can

harness the challenging spirit of

Honda associates to create new joy

for Honda customersrdquo

In 1958 Honda introduced the

Honda 50 known globally as the

Super Cub which would go on to

revolutionize the industry This

iconic bike paved the way for

Hondarsquos expansion into the US in

1959 and Canada in 1969 The

Super Cub which has sold nearly

90 million units globally since its

inception was the focus of a mid-

1960s advertising campaign lsquoYou

Meet the Nicest People on a

Hondarsquo that played a major role in

the transformation and growth of

the US motorcycle market

ZERO RAMPS UP PRODUCTION

Zero Motorcycles the global leader in the electric motor-

cycle industry announced that it has entered full production

of its 2015 model line The new motorcycles are being man-

ufactured at its expanded Scotts Valley California facility

by an increased number of technicians using state-of-the-art

tools The first shipments of motorcycles are now in transit

with all North American dealerships receiving the new mod-

els by the end of January European delivery is scheduled for

February 2015

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 11

Following record sales in 2014 the company has made substantial invest-

ments in technology and people placing additional resources to expand its

ldquoCrafted in Californiardquo vision ldquoWersquove taken everything learned from build-

ing thousands of electric motorcycles and applied it to new manufacturing

processes To meet the increased demand from customers wersquove added new

jobs here at our California factoryrdquo said Kai Hypko VP of Operations for

Zero Motorcycles ldquoHighly advanced tools improved systems and more

skilled workers will allow us to continue to increase our production capacity

and ensure premium qualityrdquo

The 2015 motorcycles rolling out of the California factory feature numer-

ous advancements from their predecessors Showa suspension improves com-

fort and control Zerorsquos class-leading rangemdashnow up to 185 milesmdashis

extended on most models And Zero becomes the first production electric

motorcycle to feature anti-lock brakes (ABS)

ldquoOur 2015 lineup continues to lead the industry in overall range perform-

ance and technologyrdquo said Abe Askenazi Chief Technology Officer at Zero

Motorcycles ldquoFor 2015 we focused our efforts on refining virtually every

element of the vehiclemdashfrom the tires upmdashto give riders the most pure

seamless experience availablerdquo

Initial production will be dedicated to motorcycles that will be used for

test rides via Zero Motorcycles dealers Interested riders can schedule a demo

online at wwwzeromotorcyclescomdemo-rides

Page 12 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

PosTcArds from The hedGe (Continued from page 5)

about that still confounds even locals) took me back to when I had borrowed

my friendrsquos Hawk 650 and while in this circular traffic maze the engine

started to cut out Now itrsquos unsettling enough when such things happen in

traffic and yoursquore on your own machine but when yoursquove borrowed a friendrsquos

pride and joy and it starts getting funky it adds to the already present drama

immeasurably The V-Twin never actually quit though and what happened

was a little snafu peculiar to this particular model of motorcycle It seems

that when the incoming air around the tank is juuuuuust right a poorly routed

hose does something to the air supply to the carburetors and it skips like its

running out of gas When I told my friend about it he

confirmed it had happened to him and through the use

of this brand new thing called the Internet he found a

very simple solution and fixed it I hadnrsquot thought about

this incident since it happened back in the last Century

and the Weatherford Traffic circle bought it all back with

surprising clarity

Of course there were some businesses and landmarks

(often one in the same) that had vanished but the odd

thing was the general feel of the place was exactly as it

had seemed and as a result I found myself for lack of

a better expression having a Twilight Zone moment

This was a town that I not only grew up in but a place

where I experienced so many formative moments that

ultimately steered my path in life A simple trip like this

managed to take much that was locked away and shake

it loose as if I really did borrow Dr Whorsquos time-tran-

siting Tardis And as has been the case in my entire

adult life a motorcycle managed to be a part of it even

though this time I was wasnrsquot riding one Oh and my

niecersquos wedding It was superb I now have a fine new

nephew too with a family that originally hails from

China and they are delightful people All in all the trip

was quite a Trip

ldquoIF YOUWANT

TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

ROLLINrsquo FAST CYCLE SPORTS

104 Main Street Lebanon NJ908-236-9000 bull wwwRollinFastcom

ROLLINrsquo FAST INDIAN MOTORCYCLE OF LEBANON104 Main Street Lebanon NJ908-236-9000 bull wwwRollinFastcom

Come see the full line

of Indian Motorcycles

Large selection of parts

apparel and accessories

Great Gift Ideas for

your Holiday Shopping

Plan now for your winter

service needsMon-Fri 9a-6p

Thurs lsquotil 9a-7p bull Sat 9a-5pSunday Gone Riding

Rollinrsquo Fast Cycle Sports Presents

GReAT ALL AMeRICAN DINeR RUN tasty places to take your bike

Ardyrsquos counTry kiTchen

279 mAin sT worcesTer ny 121197 bull 607-397-4070

Many times suggestions for a Great All American Diner Run

are sent to us and when we can we search them out on your

expert recommendations

Other times we come across hidden jewels a bit more

serendipitously

Thatrsquos how we came across this monthrsquos stop on GAADR ndash

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen in the small upstate New York town

of Worcester

There were four of us heading to our last Summer Squeeze

Rally in Vermont and we were making a few days riding ad-

venture of it by heading to the Adirondacks for the first evening

on the road

Come lunch time all our bellies were rumbling and lucky for

me right before I became a raging and petulant starving child I

spotted a small brightly painted diner to my right on an upcoming

corner

We had found Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

With its ice cream shop front we hoped they served more than

just dessert and entering the small dining room we were instantly

hit with the heady aromas of good eats

Thank you Road Gods

The place has been owned and operated by the Sanna clan since

2005 and the family atmosphere is evidentwith the smattering of

toys and one or two young ones running around their moms our

waitresses legs

Non-crying non-exasperating and happy little ones annoy me

not ndash so we took a small table and looked to see what the Sanna

family had to offer this day

First off you canrsquot get a sandwich here

at Ardyrsquos ndash but you can get a sammich

We all know that it is a scientific fact

that a sammich is far more fun and much

more delicious and filling both from a

nutritionistrsquos point of view and the addi-

tional smile factor thrown in

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen has a goodly

number of different sammiches for your

eating pleasure ndash but wersquoll get to them in

a minute

If itrsquos early when you get there they

serve a Bagel Breakfast with eggs

sausage and cheese on a real fresh bagel

Soup amp Sammich can always be had

ndash with daily specials to be found Of

course they have burgers just about any

way yoursquod like lsquoem and the homemade

chili was tangy and delicious as was the

soup of the day

Heading over to their ldquoSignature Sam-

michesrdquo you will find just about any-

thing you might be craving Or maybe

a perusal of the menu will get the belly

rolling For a smallish diner along a

rural road in upstate New York you will

have plenty from which to choose

How about a BLT or a Cuban with

roast pork ham Swiss cheese and pick-

les Their Pork amp Slaw with cheddar

cheese looked tasty as did the BBQ

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 13

TWO WHEELS OR FOURTHERErsquoS ALWAYS ROOM FOR

Texas Smoke Barbecue400 Route 15 South bull Jefferson NJ

862-209-4078 bull wwwTexasSmokeBBQcom

texas smoke BBQIndoor and outdoor dining

Warm up with some

Chowdown Chili

Smokinrsquo Platters

and so much more

Biker and Barbecue Enthusiasts

Enjoy our Chalkboard Specials

Long Island Kawasaki67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIKawasakicom bull 516-935-6969Combining the low silhouette of

a Vulcan cruiser with Kawasaki

sportbike-derived power and

handling as well as a custom fit

concept designed to comfort-

ably fit a wide range of riders

Rollinrsquo Fast Cycle Sports Presents

GReAT ALL AMeRICAN DINeR RUN tasty places to take your bike

Chicken Hero also topped with their local cheddar cheese

For you Vegans (he said with a smirk) you will find a Veggie Panini (now

hush and eat your greens) If you are really hungry try Ardyrsquos Big Roast Beef

ndash a heaping of oven roasted beef topped with Swiss cheese and served on a

Kaiser roll and topped with Ardyrsquos famed horseradish sauce

Thatrsquoll fill you up

When we arrived it was an unusually cool day for the Leatherstocking Re-

gion and a hot sammich seemed more on order Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

serves up hot pork and hot roast beef sammiches but I went with their hot

meatloaf ndash brought out on a toasted Kaiser roll with homemade mashed po-

tatoes and some super tasty gravy ndash enough to float a boat

Just about everything here at Ardyrsquos is a homemade creation Real potatoes

fresh vegetables and freshly roasted meats are always used Not much

processed or pre-packaged quasi food will be found here

My Hot Meatloaf Sammich served with Ardyrsquos super potatoes and

drowned in their excellent brown gravy was one of the best I have ever had

on the road And it was not just a thinly sliced bit of meatloaf but an honest-

to-goodness slab orsquomeatloaf

I wouldnrsquot even serve myself that big a piece at home

Okay maybe I would

The rest of our crew all had the Tomato amp Basil Soup (delicious) and

grilled cheese sammiches which was a special of the day

If you can squeeze it in after all this great chow Ardyrsquos is an ice cream par-

lor as well and they offer enough flavors that even resident ice cream maven

Shira was tempted

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen is the perfect example of a small and family run

restaurant that really serves up the goods All their offering are real and tasty

and just like your mom would cook ndash ifrsquon your mom was a trained chef

When in the region it is well worth searching Ardyrsquos out and with that in

mind wersquoll give you a short ride from the Kingston area to this monthrsquos stop

on the Great All American Diner Run

Find them on FaceBook at Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

Page 14 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

RIP amp RIDEreg bull ARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN279 MAIN ST WORCESTER NY 121197 bull 607-397-4070

START INTERSECTIONS OF RTES 20928 KINGSTON NYRTE 28 WESTRIGHT AT RTE 375LEFT AT RTE 212RIGHT AT RTE 28LEFT AT RTE 214LEFT AT RTE 23ARIGHT AT SCRIBNER HOLLOW RDLEFT AT RTE 23CRIGHT AT CR 40STRAIGHT AT CR 296

LEFT AT RTE 23BEAR RIGHT AT CR 7LEFT AT CR 990VRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT SHREW HOLLOW ROADLEFT AT CR 29RIGHT AT CR 10LEFT AT MEADE ROADLEFT AT CHARLOTTEVILLE ROADRIGHT AT CR 39RIGHT AT RTE 7 MAIN STARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN ON LEFT

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

moTe AquArium And mArine lABorATory

600 ken ThomPson Pkwy sArAsoTA fl 34236

941-388-4441 bull wwwmoTeorG

Each March and October the Daytona faithful head

south to the beginning and end of the season rallies

on the Sunshine statersquos eastern coast

But we have always found Daytona and vicinities

to get a bit too crowded loud andhellipumm ndash boring

Well for us

The SUYT thing kinda got old when the girls could

be your daughter-in-law

We prefer checking out the scene and then doing a

little Floridian travel exploring some of the sights

and scenes that draw so may south each year

On Floridarsquos Gulf Coast you will find the city of

Sarasota

This city has a thriving cultural scene and boasts a

number of interesting places to visit explore and gen-

erally spend some time

A few years back we told you of the Circus Mu-

seum this time we dropped in on the Mote Aquarium

and Marine Laboratory

The Aquarium has its beginnings back in 1955

when it was founded by Dr Eugenie Clark in

Placida Florida Back then it was known as Cape

Haze Marine Laboratory until its 1967 renaming in

honor of a major benefactor William R Mote and the

contributions he and his family made to helping the

aquarium grow mdash both in size and reputation Since

1960 Mote has been based in Sarasota Florida and

since 1978 it has been lo-

cated on City Island and

that is where we got to

spend a number of hours

The Mote Aquarium

consists of three buildings

the aquarium an interac-

tive theatre and a separate

building that houses their

sea turtles dolphin (singu-

lar but wersquoll get into that)

and manatee collection all

of whom have been res-

cued or rehabbed at Mote

All the exhibits are laid

out with informative plac-

ards and each tank brings

different environments and

different fish and marine wildlife all with a story

to tell

Moray eels tanks full of floating jelly fish of

all types exotic fish we had never dreamed of and

some we simply had never seen in person were

there

In addition to the first building exhibits you can

learn about the giant squid and then move to the

shark area and ray along the way you will find a

few tanks where you can reach in and get to touch

a few of the locals

Mote also had a nice display on the Megalodon

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 15

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

ndash the prehistoric shark that was well over 50 feet long

with teeth as large as your fist

A quick walk across the parking lot brought us to the

building holding their other large exhibits

A few different sea turtles were swimming about as

well as Hugh and Buffett ndash two large and impressive

manatees

A large outdoor pool held lsquoMoonshinersquo Motersquos res-

ident dolphin who was rescued after it beached and

was found drying out and sunburned

He seems happy enough but personally we think he

needs a friend We were told that Mote is next on the

list for such a companion

While we visited Mote had a special attraction called

lsquoSurvivorsrsquo which featured some of the oddest marine and fresh water ani-

mals and the very unique way they survive in the wild ndash from deadly poison

to killer punches to simply looking like a rock and hoping for the best ndash it

was a fascinating display as was the entire aquarium

If you get hungry you can drop by their Deep Sea Diner where you can

enjoy dining al-fresco or inside the casual retro rsquo50s-style diner complete

with an old-fashioned soda fountain The lively cafeacute offers a fun affordable

family-style menu including chili and chowder burgers and dogs veggie

burgers and fresh salads chicken fingers and fries And donrsquot forget dessert

hand-dipped ice cream shakes amp sundaes

We thought wersquod spend a quick hour there but ended up happily spending

the afternoon

Mote might not be the biggest but it surely made up for its size with quality

and interesting and informative displays

Page 16 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 906-9292

Find Us on Facebook bull SportHondanet

hondacom UTILITY ATVs ARE RECOMMENDED FOR RIDERS 16 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER TRX90X IS RECOMMENDED ONLY FOR RIDERS12 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER RIDERS UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE MUST BE SUPERVISED BY AN ADULT ATVs CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO OPER-ATE ALL ATV RIDERS SHOULD TAKE A TRAINING COURSE (FREE FOR NEW BUYERS ASK YOUR DEALER OR CALL ASI AT 800-887-2887) ANDREAD THEIR OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND APPROPRIATE CLOTHING AVOID EXCESSIVESPEEDS AND BE CAREFUL ON DIFFICULT TERRAIN FOR YOUR SAFETY BE RESPONSIBLE NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGSOR ALCOHOL ON PAVED SURFACES ON PUBLIC ROADS WITH PASSENGERS OR AT EXCESSIVE SPEEDS NO STUNT RIDING RESPECT THEENVIRONMENT WHEN RIDING TRXreg and Rancherreg are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1114)

Whether itrsquos hard work

or time to play

Sport Honda has the

ATV to fit your lifestyle

Be prepared - Come in

Today for your

Winter utility needs

Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 491-2900

Find Us on Facebook bull CrossCountryPowersportscom

Cross Country Powersportsis now taking deposits for theNinja H2Rtrade and H2tradeExperience unforgettable supercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2trade motorcycle theworldrsquos only supercharged productionhypersport streetbike

The BridGewATer TriAnGle

is This The sTrAnGesT sPoT in The norTheAsT

Located just 30 miles south of Boston this 200-mile square area has the

Massachusetts towns of Abington Freetown and Rehoboth at its angles The

town of Bridgewater is located nearly dead center within the triangle and the

area also encompasses six other Massachusetts towns Raynham Taunton

Brockton Mansfield Norton and Easton including the Hockomock Swamp

It is known as the Bridgewater Triangle

It seems if it is paranormal weird or mysterious it has happened in the Tri-

angle of the years

Let us start with one of the

first odd things found in the

region

It was in this area that the

first officially documented

petroglyph in the United

States was found - Dighton

Rock This 40 ton boulder

was discovered by original

settlers and has always

caused questions and wonder

of who made these mysteri-

ous markings and why

In fact in 1690 Rev Cotton Mather described the rock in his book The

Wonderful Works of God Commemorated

ldquoAmong the other Curiosities of New-England one is that of a mighty

Rock on a perpendicular side whereof by a River which at High Tide covers

part of it there are very deeply Engraved no man alive knows How or When

about half a score Lines near Ten Foot Long and a foot and half broad filled

with strange Characters which would

suggest as odd Thoughts about them that

were here before us as there are odd

Shapes in that Elaborate Monumentrdquo

The boulder was moved in 1980 to the

museum in a nearby park Dighton Rock State Park in order to protect and

preserve this part of Americarsquos strange history

Strangely marked boulders were not the beginning of the mystery of the

Bridgewater Triangle

Years back a group of archeologists discovered a native burial mound on

Grassy Island in the swamp These graves were dated to 6000 BC

Strange lights have been

reported on this island and

across the triangle and one

of the first documented

UFO sighting came from

here when on May 10

1760 villagers in two

towns 50 miles away stared

in wonder at a ldquoSphere of

Firerdquo that slowly made its

way across the sky

The next day both townsrsquo newspapers reported the phenomena in their edi-

tions According to historical records the UFO emitted light bright enough

to cast a shadow in bright sunlight The sound made by the object ldquooddly

enough was heard sooner at the middle of the course it took than at the be-

ginningrdquo

You canrsquot really have such an eclectic gathering of odd in a place like this

in Mysterious America without a few good Yeti sightings

Over the years all sorts of ldquoSwamp Monstersrdquo have been sighted and in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 17

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

April 1970 it was reported that a ldquoBigfootrdquo

picked up a rear of a police car in which sat

two surprised police officers

Police dogs have been used time and again but

Bigfoot is an elusive fellow

I have always believed the Jersey Devil is a

Pterosaurs of some kind and here around the

Bridgewater Triangle huge black prehistoric-look-

ing birds with a wingspan of between eight and

twelve feet have been reported time and again in-

cluding a report by Norton Police Sergeant Thomas

Downy

Indian Curses abound as well and along Route

44 in Rehoboth lies the boulder known as Anawan

Rock It is said that it was here that the Wampanoag

chief Anawan surrendered to the colonists thus

ending King Philiprsquos War According to local be-

liefs the angry spirits of the warriors captured that

day continue to haunt the spot

Extremely large snakes and alligators have been

found in the swamp along with other creatures that are totally out of place

In the late 1800rsquos bones of a giant were unearthed

Every which way you look or travel in the area you will find something

strange In fact I have a quick list of odd things found in the

Bridgewater Triangle for you

Next time yoursquore looking to spend a few days exploring Mys-

terious America take a ride around the Bridgewater Triangle You

just might end up sending me an email telling me you spotted ahellip

OrsquoLife Out

Ten odd ThinGs found in The BridGewATer TriAnGle

1 The longest epitaph in the United States is located in a Rehoboth

cemetery A full 405 words

2 Three PT Barnum circus ldquofreaksrdquo hailed from here including

Middlebororsquos Tom Thumb and East Bridgewaterrsquos ldquoThe Human

Skeletonrdquo

3 The first boundary line in the United States is located in Abing-

ton at the Bridgewater Trianglersquos furthest most delineated northern

map point

4 A historic 40-foot tall Hood milk bottle in Raynham (now a

restaurant) is the (triplet) sister to famous the ldquoMilk Bottlerdquo at the

Boston Childrenrsquos museum

5 In 1906 bones of ldquoa giantrdquo were discovered in Middleboro

6 Alligators seals emu peacocks cow moose bears Africal

Sevral panthers and mountain lions have all been found in the

Bridgewater Triangle

7 There are both handprints and footprints imbedded into several

Bridgewater Triangle boulders handprints in Middleboro foot-

prints in Norton

8 Dighton Rock is the first documented petroglyph in the United

States

9 The chocolate chip cookie was invented in the happiest of ac-

cidents in the northern apex of the Bridgewater Triangle

10 The Bridgewater Triangle is host to the worldrsquos only shovel

museum located in Easton

Page 18 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

290 Route 100 West Dover VT800-745-3615 bull wwwgrayghostinncom

Motorcyclist-Friendly Destination LodgingLocated on Scenic Route 100 in Southern VermontHot breakfast cooked to order BYOB bar firepit hot tub game room and WiFi

Free Maps and Suggested Rides Group Special Packages5 restaurantsbars within walking distance bull On-site Group Dinners available

MemberWhen you canrsquot ride because of snow ride the snow

Guided Back-Country Snowmobile Toursin the Green Mountain National Forest

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

mounTAineer hoTel

31 eAsT second Avenue williAmson wv

304-235-2222 bull wwwmounTAineerhoTelcom

Laying right on the Tug Fork River across from the

Blue Grass state of Kentucky one will find the tiny town

of Williamson West Virginia Williamson has a long

history mostly revolving around the coal industry

Here you will find a rather large rail yard now part

of the Norfolk Southern built to service the many mines

found in and around this part of West Virginia and Ken-

tucky

In 1974 a United States Army Corps of Engineer

planner described the region as having the most severe

flooding problem in America

In 1977 after many days of steady hard rain the Tug

Fork and adjoining streams began

a constant and quick rise As had

happened in the past the town ex-

perienced incredible flooding

Today a floodwall protects

Williamson from future wet havoc

A huge part of this regionrsquos local

lore and history is the famed home

of the feud between the Hatfields

and McCoys probably the most

famous family fight in US history

The first event in the decades-

long feud was the 1865 murder of

Randolphrsquos brother Asa Harmon

McCoy by the Logan Wildcats a local militia group

that counted Devil Anse and other Hatfields among its

members Many peoplemdasheven members of his own

familymdashregarded Asa Harmon who had served in the

Union Army during the American Civil War as a trai-

tor While some have surmised that his murder set the

stage for the feud most historians now see this inci-

dent as a standalone event

Relations between the two families continued to

sour over the next decade before flaring again over a

seemingly small matter a dispute over a single hog

In 1878 Randolph McCoy accused Floyd Hatfield a

cousin of Devil Anse of stealing one of his pigs a

valuable commodity in the poor region Floyd Hat-

fieldsrsquos trial took place in McCoy territory but was

presided over by a cousin of Devil Anse It hinged on

the testimony of star witness Bill Staton a McCoy rel-

ative married to a Hatfield Staton testified in Floyd

Hatfieldrsquos favor and the McCoys were infuriated when

Floyd was cleared of the charges against him Two

years later Staton was violently killed in a fracas with

Sam and Paris McCoy nephews of Randolph Sam stood trial for the

murder but was acquitted for self-defense reasons

Things went south from there and an American legacy was born

In and around the town you will find much on this feud

In the center of town you will find The Coal House now the home

of the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce

Weighing in at 65 tons with 2 ft thick walls itrsquos the only coal house

made entirely of coal Built in 1933 it was designed by architect HT

Hicks from an idea by O W Evans It was constructed from blocks

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 19

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

of local seam coal donated by coal companies in the region

Right next door to The Coal House you will find the historic

Mountaineer Hotel The large classic-revival 5-story yellow-

glazed brick building dominates the center of town and offers

a look and reason to step back into the past

Built in 1925 the Mountaineer hotel has had its share of fa-

mous guests with JFK Paul Newman Jerry Lee Lewis Henry

Ford and others- including the great Soupy Sales - staying here

overnight

In fact all the rooms are named after famous and infamous

guests that have walked through its doors

Later in the evening we walked all five flights to see just

who did stay there

The main entrance leads to a large lobby and the front desk

with pigeonhole boxes for room keys and a teller window

French doors lead to the ballroom The hotel has 116 rooms

for guests a formal ballroom a lobby restaurant and sports bar

(which were not open this day) and the lower level has a num-

ber of games ndash including Fooz ball pool

and a large regulation-sized shuffle board

game that kept us occupied for about an

hour

Sometimes we find places from this era

a bit run down but the Mountaineer hotel

is a gem

Just one look at the grand lobby and you

will know this is true and with rooms less

than $75 for the night quite the deal too

We took Paul Newmanrsquos room and it

couldnrsquot have been nicer

Unpacking and strolling around town

which was quiet on a Monday night was a

pleasant distraction after a dayrsquos worth of

hard miles through the mountains of West

Virginia and Kentucky

When traveling around the United States

you can almost always find a chain hotel at

any exit or bigger town but why would you

want to when wonderful old beauties like

the Mountaineer Hotel in Williamson West

Virginia are around

Page 20 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Tony Lisanti

Eye protection for off road use consists of

the tried and true goggle The goggle

wraps around the helmet and seals to

your face in the helmet opening

Traditional goggles

consist of a urethane

based flexible frame

with various types of

foam material that

seal directly against

the forehead and cheeks

and nose keeping out wind and

dirt Being the helmet has a limited opening

goggles have had to fit inside this space limiting the field of vision

This type of goggle has been the norm for last half century with

all kinds of innovations in frame lens and foam materials

Enter ZOWA Optics Visor Goggles ZOWA Optics was founded

in 2013 Their goal is to offer unique goggles to off-road dirt bike

ATV and snowmobile riders The Vermont based company has

come up with a goggle that eliminates many of the drawbacks of

a traditional off road goggle The Visor Goggles are designed so

the upper half seals against the helmet rather than the forehead

The lower half of the goggle rests against the face By developing

the goggle in this way the field of view is dramatically increased and the

issue of having foam in contact with the skin on the forehead is eliminated

I had the opportunity to try out the Visor Goggles at a local practice track

recently The first thing I noticed was the size of the Visor Goggles They are

about twice the size of a traditional goggle They install on a helmet the same

way as traditional goggles except instead of resting against the forehead they

seal against the helmet under the visor Most noticeable was the lack

of ldquonose pinchrdquo and the vastly improved vision The Visor Goggle

drastically reduces the claustrophobic feel of traditional goggles as

there is more distance between the inside of the goggle and your face

The feel is more like an adventure helmet

After riding with them for an hour or two on an MX track I found

the improved field of vision to be a welcome change Riding with the

Visor Goggles allowed better vision up down and sideways I did no-

tice a bit more air coming in from the flow through design and from

underneath the seal against my check bones at speed During warm

weather this would be welcome in cold weather not so much Ad-

justing the strap tension has an affect on goggle to face contact Skin

contact with the typical sweatmudgrungefunk mix that gets en-

crusted on the foam is minimized since

the foam is resting against the helmet

rather than the forehead

They cleaned up well and showed no

signs of scratching on the lenses stain-

ing of the frames or discoloration de-

spite a liberal dosage of mud and water

The ZOWA Visor Goggle features in-

clude being rated for OTG (Over The

Glasses) by virtue of the greater clear-

ance between goggle and face a Hel-

met conformed design improved field

of view Lexan lens with anti-fog coating comfort foam and flow through

ventilation The strap features a silicon strip to help it stay put on the helmet

Accessory lenses and tear-off lenses are available All goggles come with a

micro fiber storage bag as well The off road goggles retail for $5800 and

are available in black red of cyan frame colors wwwzowaopticscom

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

BUILT BEYOND BELIEFINTRODUCING THE KAWASAKI

Come to Motorcycle Mall to reserve your Ninja H2trade

by December 19 and experience unforgettablesupercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2 motorcycle the worldrsquos onlysupercharged production hypersport streetbike

H2

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pantsgloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Mo-torcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environmentFor furher information regarding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 Specifi-cations subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspired R1 everFrom the advanced lsquorider activersquo electronicspackage to the powerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Supersport bike andfactory MotoGP has never been more blurred

COMPLETELY NEW

FROM THE TRACK UP

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 21

PRODUCT REVIEWZOWA OPTICS VISOR GOGGLES

Great All American Diner RunAs always wersquoll start with our most popular column the Great All American Diner Run Wait is it really We just might have a new fan fa-vorite but wersquoll save that till later First letrsquos take a look at the top three for GAADR 2014hellip

SECOND RUNNER UP bull RIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST2378 ROUTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770 bull 845-557-0097 bull RIVERUNNERSROOSTCOM

Route 97 along the scenic Delaware River has long been a favorite of motorcyclists for years and

over the years the road has seen a number of restaurants open their doors along its picturesque miles

The latest is the River Runnerrsquos Roost

Opened by Rich and Mary Codichini back in 2013 this place quickly became a favorite of ours

and many others They bill themselves as a barbeque steakhouse with a touch of Cajun and Italian

We call it phenomenal with one of the best barbeques in the region and gumbo to go to war over

If you havenrsquot tried the ldquoRoostrdquo then make plans for riding their way in the spring

FIRST RUNNER UP bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784 bull 603- 298-5515 bull 4ACESDINERCOM

Located just up the hill from the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River in the town of

Lebanon the Four Aces is the real deal A true Great All-American Diner Their

menu is huge interesting and delicious The ambience is pure Americana and the

roads leading to and from the Four Aces straddling Vermont and New Hampshire

are hard to top They have pro smokers going outside right along their picnic tables

but we found a seat at the counter worked just fine for us

Our only problem with Four Aces is that they are almost exactly 301 miles from

where we type this They should consider northern New Jersey

The Four Aces is a must see do and eat while in the Dartmouth region and just

missed out on our top honor for this yearrsquos vote

And so without further adohellip

1ST PLACE GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN 2014 bull FIVE ISLANDS LOBSTER COMPANY1447 5 ISLANDS RD GEORGETOWN ME 04548 bull 207-371-2990 bull FIVEISLANDSLOBSTERCOM

Location location location Besides have a superb down to Earth feel a great staff scrumptious food

and a wonderful coastal Maine flavor ndash The Five Islands Lobster Company has a serious location

Did we mention where it is

Located on a working fishing wharf it is surrounded by the ldquocoldest and deepest waters on the coastrdquo

There be some serious lobstarsquo lurking here abouts and it is best when they find their final way to

Five Islands You can have these big bugs anyway you like but we took a bullet for all of you and

went and ordered The Big Boy Stuffed with twice the amount of lobster meat than your average

lobster roll it was our pleasure to tackle this monster as best we could

Wait ndash just thinking of it all on this cold November day has us in a statehellip

They do serve a good number of other seafood favorites as well as more land-based standards but

who wants that when you can have the quintessential Maine treat on a wooden bench and table

alongside one of the prettiest bays in New England

This is why the Five Islands Lobster Company slid into the 1 spot in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

Big City GetawayBig City Getaway has always been about a great destination So many of

us roll the bikes out of the garage and then say ldquoWhere tordquo That is where this monthly favoritecomes in and here are our best of Big City Getaway 2015

2ND RUNNER UP bull MUSTANG FACTORYTOUR4 SPRINGFIELD STREET SUITE 1 THREE RIVERS MA 01080 bull 800-243-1392 bull MUSTANGSEATSCOM

They are one of the largest motorcycle seat manufacturers on the planet and they would be happy to show you around

We did a tour this last summer and found just how much talent vision and workmanship goes into creating some of

the most distinctive and comfortable motorcycle seats you can find

Page 22 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Best of Backroads 2014Once again this planet we ride has completed another lap around our sun and it is time for us to look back on the season and the veryBest of BackroadsIf we said 2013 was ldquointerestingrdquo we would be hard pressed to describe this past year of 2014For sure last year brought us thousands of great miles and lots of smiles interesting destinations and a few great Backroads Ralliesbut some darkness and loss along the journey for our Backroads family as wellStill looking back we had some phenomenal places we found stories we told and friends with which we have ridden The Italian poet Cesare Pavese said ldquoWe do not remember days we remember momentsrdquoThis year ndash 2014 ndash we had our share of moments Letrsquos look back at some in the Best of Backroads 2014

The tour is open to riding groups and takes a little over an hour and a half We recommend that you make an

appointment and guarantee you will have an informative and fun day with our friends at Mustang seats

1ST RUNNER UP bull COASTAL BOTANICAL GARDENS32 BOTANICAL GARDENS DR BOOTHBAY ME 04537 bull 207-633-4333 bull MAINEGARDENSORG

This project took nearly 17 years planning planting and building before its opening in June of 2007 and today

the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens comprises 270 acres of tidal shore land thousands of flowers plants

and botanical oddities Interspersed amongst the natural beauty you will find dozens of sculptures that

only add to an already stunning venue Rarely has a visitor spent some time at the Coastal Botanical

Gardens and not wanted to return as soon as possible

It is simple to see why this easily took our First Runner Up spot

1ST PLACE BIG CITY GETAWAY 2014 FIVE STAR GENERAL STORES bull NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY

This article from our October issue embodied a little bit of everything we might look for in a Big

City Getaway It had local history interesting stops (5 of them) food ice cream and it was all

woven together with some of the neatest roads in northern New Jersey ndash a riding jewel for those

who have never been so lucky Running along to five different and historic General Stores this day

trip just kept getting better Know that we just scratched the surface and that these General Stores from

the past can be found all around the nation But for this time around it was this adventure that was

called 1 for Big City Getaway 2014

(Note as of this printing the Stillwater General Store has closed but is still worth the ride-by for the

roads and historic value)

Wersquore Outta HereThe great thing that we riders have over the more boring people out there is that our tripsand adventures happen the moment we roll out of our driveways and onto the roadOvernight trips are like mini-vacations for the soul and are most likely the reason they sayyou never see a motorcycle outside a psychiatrist office unless it belongs to the shrinkWersquore Outta Here is all about that ndash places to go and enjoy whether it be a group coupleor on your ownLetrsquos see what we think were our top three for 2014

2ND RUNNER UP bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 E MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854 bull 814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGEPACOM

Shira found this hide-away full of coffee awesomeness when we were to attend the ALTRider adventure

ride early this summer in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania The lodge is part of the coffee house and

although the room we had was a tad small it was well thought out and just added to the coolness of the

entire place We had the Penns Creek Room with its lsquoloft-stylersquo bed and rock wall shower Each morning

the aroma from the coffee shop downstairs was like a Sirenrsquos call and had us highly motivated to carefully

spring out of bed (well it was a loft and there was a drop) There were also great muffins and cakes to go along with the coffee

Millheim is well located with a great combination of fantastic riding both paved and not and has a few eateries within strolling distance (compared to walking

or marching distance) We liked everything about the Triple Creek Lodge ndash the smell the flavor and the quirkiness

1ST RUNNER UP bull INDIAN ROCK INN2206 RIVER RD UPPER BLACK EDDY PA 18972 bull 610-982-9600 bull INDIANROCKINNCOM

GPS Download wwwsendspacecomprodlen7u7kAlong the PA-side of the Delaware River just north of Jerseyrsquos Milford in a place where the river

crooks dramatically and heads north for a bit you will find a great local treasure - the Indian Rock

Inn Tucked underneath what are called the Pennsylvania Palisades and along both river and old

canal the Indian Rock is the complete package

After a day of fun riding to and around the region you can park the bikes grab your room and

shower and make your way to the very friendly bar The Barking Dog Grab a cocktail and me-

ander to the very comfortable large porch take a seat and watch the world go by After the sun

sets a delicious gourmet meal is just steps away Perhaps a night cap and then upstairs to end a

prefect day With all that it is easy to see how the Indian Rock grabbed first runner up in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

1ST PLACEWErsquoRE OUTTA HERE 2014 bull QUODDY HEAD STATION823 SOUTH LUBEC RD LUBEC ME 04652 bull 877-535-4714 bull QUODDYVACATIONCOM

Most times we are all for suggesting you sleep in a bit longer at any of our Wersquore Outta Here destinations but here at Quoddy Head

Station we urge - no insist ndash that you get up before the dawn so you can be the first in the United States to see the sun rise over the At-

lantic from the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse - just a 2 minute ride to the east

Here in the most north and east point of the United States life does not get much better

The rooms and views cannot be beat and the surrounding area with its little coves Reversing Falls State Park Rooseveltrsquos Campobello

cottage (actually in Canada) and the very coastal Maine town of Lebec with its large number of seafood restaurants nautical shops and

vistas are hard to beat anywhere else in the world When we travelled in the area

we rode under a giant orange full moon that rose over the bay at low tide

It was eerie and stunning all at the same time

One of those moments we talked about earlier Quoddy Head Station has to be one

of the most interesting and geographically perfect places we have traveled to in

many years and easily made its way to the 1st place spot for Wersquore Outta Here 2014

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 23

Mysterious AmericaAlways one of the perennial favorites for our readers is the odd wacky and off-beat destinations that our own Dr Seymour OrsquoLife brings

to us each month This year was no different and the choices to be made for the TopThree were very tight for the good doctor but undaunted our hero carried on and cameup with the short list So letrsquos get to it

2ND RUNNER UP bull ISLE OFWIGHT COUNTY MUSEUM103 MAIN ST SMITHFIELD VA 23430 bull 757-356-1223 bull HISTORICISLEOFWIGHTCOM

You remember this place ndash home of the Worldrsquos Oldest Ham It belonged to PD Gwaltney Jr

It had its beginnings in 1902 when a cured ham was accidentally hung from rafters in one Gwaltneyrsquos

houses until it was discovered by workers By 1924 the pet ham was kept in an iron safe which was

opened daily for guests to view Advertised as the worldrsquos oldest Smithfield ham Gwaltney fashioned

a brass collar for the ham and took it to shows and expos to exhibit the preservative powers of his

smoking method The ham was featured in Ripleyrsquos ldquoBelieve It Or Notrdquo in 1929 1932 and 2003 and

more importantly in Backroads in May of 2014 For sure the museum holds so much more but Sey-

mour could never get past the ham Neither could we

1ST RUNNER UP bull THE CULPER SPY RINGThis was the first multi-month piece by the minions of mystery and we spent three

full months searching for the real story on George Washingtonrsquos Culper Spy Ring

From its beginning with the hanging of Nathan Hale in what is now mid-town Man-

hattan to the desolation of being held on a prison ship in an East River Bay in Brook-

lyn - where we had the largest battle of our Revolutionary War Then on to the Culper

Spies themselves and the web they wove from Setauket Long Island across the

Sound to Connecticut and into New York and Philadelphia These men and woman

(nobody really knows who this lady was) changed the course of history It was then

onto treachery traitors and sex ndashwith the story of Benedict Arnold his wife Peggy

Shippen and her lover Major John Andrersquo and our own West Point Escape capture

and the gallows all played a part in this true story of our local American history

Mysterious Americarsquos history has never been so much fun

1ST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2014 bull THE TRANS-ALLEGHENY LUNATIC ASYLUM71 ASYLUM DR WESTON WV 26452 bull 304-269-5070 bull TRANS-ALLEGHENYLUNATICASYLUMCOM

When we first rode up to this massive 27-acre facility Shira who had no idea where or why we were there shook her head and simply asked why

The asylum stands like a monstrous stone beast dominating the ground It is the second largest hand-hewn bluestone building on the planet with only Russiarsquos

Kremlin surpassing it But it is the feel and aura that surround and linger around this building

that will tell you the real story of the place

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum also known as the We-

ston State Hospital was a Kirkbride psychiatric hospital that

operated from 1864 until 1994 Like many Kirkbridge hospi-

tals it started out with a noble idea but soon became overrun

with patients lack of proper care and some of the saddest and

scariest tales were heard here on the tour The place is massive and to walk the halls would literally take miles

The place is reportedly full of ghosts and very bad things from the other side One look at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

and you will have a hard time denying that claim Shira will never go back and it was one of the few times that she was seriously

ldquocreeped outrdquo Her words ndash not ours

With that being said you surely must agree that a visit to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum easily ranks as our 1st place for

our Mysterious America 2014

MomentsIt was April 10 of this past year when the phone here at Backroads rang Answering it I could hear the voice of a friend Dave on the farend ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo I asked ldquohow are yourdquoDaversquos voice trembled and broke ldquoJeff Bahr was killed today on his bikerdquoIn that moment everything stopped It remained stopped for a long time Sometimes it still doesA month or so later well after Jeffrsquos service and cremation Shira and I found ourselves at the spot where this happened We talked tothe young man who was tending his barbecue pit which he was stoking for the dayrsquos lunch He was there when the driver pulled out ofhis general storersquos parking lot without even a glance He sadly but kindly told us of that momentJeff had simply been riding down a wide country road when an 86-year old man pulled out in front of him Although rubber on the roadshowed Jeff tried to avoid the car it was too little too late and he was killed on impactI have no idea what happened to the old man after this event But regardless he has to live with his inattentiveness and actions for therest of his life So do many of usWe do not remember days we remember momentsThat day was made up of a moment we will never forgetThe weekend I wrote this Jeff if hersquod survived would have been 57 He would have had dozens more stories made us laugh a dozenmore times would have made this magazine a dozen times betterJeff I hope you know that so many of us miss you so muchTo you all enjoy and savor all your moments Life is made up of them and eventually one of those moments will hurt

Page 24 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Shirarsquos Ice Cream RunLast year we introduce a semi-monthly some of the time if she felt like it column ndashShirarsquos Ice Cream Run It seems to everybody but the red head that this column hasbecome a huge hit and we have had more comments and suggestions for the IceCream Runs than anything else within memory So think sweet creamy and cold andletrsquos see what Shira thought were on the top three stops of 2014rsquos Ice Cream Runs

2ND RUNNER UP bull HOLSTENrsquoS CONFECTIONARY1603 BROAD ST BLOOMFIELD NJ 07003 bull 973-338-7091 bull WWWHOLSTENSCOM

Immortalized on celluloid in the Sopranosrsquo final episode Holstenrsquos Confectionary has so much more

to offer than their souvenir t-shirts from said show A true old-time ice cream parlor Holstenrsquos home-

made ice cream and confections will win the hearts of any true lover of sweets Taking a seat at the

counter should bring back memories of visits to Woolworthrsquos and once the delicious dairyness is

placed in front of you complete with homemade whipped cream you will think you are in a

dream Holstenrsquos has the whole package ndash premium product comfortable setting and take-home

delights With its 2nd Runner Up status truly one of my favorites of this yearrsquos ice cream stops

1ST RUNNER UP bull CAYUGA LAKE CREAMERY8421 NY 89 INTERLAKEN NY 14847 bull 607-532-9492 bull WWWCAYUGALAKECREAMERYCOM

Nestled in the idyllic Finger Lakes the Cayuga Lake Creamery offers up some of the most in-

ventive flavors Irsquove seen including wine ice cream and sorbet (best of both worlds Irsquod say)

Sitting on their outdoor deck savoring your Maple Bacon or Lavender cone on a warm summer

day ndash what could be better than that

While the Finger Lakes may not offer the most challenging of rides the scenery is beautiful and

the gorges are well gorgeous I canrsquot think of a much better day than meandering around the

Fingers with a late afternoon stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery Their 14 butterfat mixture and only the best of locally sourced

ingredients produce some of the finest creamiest ice creams around Do yourself a favor and spin your wheels to this part of

NY state for a weekend of indulgence as their terrific flavors will keep you coming back day after day

1ST PLACE SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN bull HALLrsquoS HOMEMADE ICE CREAM861 RACCOONVALLEY RD MILLERSTOWN PA 17062

717-589-3290 bull WWWHALLSICECREAMCOM

I found this gem in the middle of the Alleghenies while Brian was off riding in the forest with the

ALTRider group Having grabbed the 1st Place spot in this yearrsquos Ice Cream Run you know Hallrsquos

Homemade Ice Cream and Dairy has to be something pretty special

While their flavor offerings may not be as exotic as Cayuga Lake the quality is heavenly Their

signature flavor and one I had not tasted before is their honey ice cream coming in a variety of

mixtures such as chocolate butter pecan and my personal favorite cinnamon Hallrsquos has a couple

of outdoor tables where you can take in the full dairy effect while licking your cone If that is too

overwhelming they have a very nice indoor seating area complete with air conditioning

The riding in this part of Pennsylvania is quite exciting with elevation changes sweepers and

twisties and for those desiring an off-road adventure plenty of woodlands to test your knobbies

What do all three of these winners have in common other than fantastic ice cream They are all

open all year long so if you happen to be out and about in Bloomfield NJ Interlaken NY or Miller-

stown PA make sure you plan a stop at one of the top three spots on Shirarsquos 2014 Ice Cream Run

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 25

Rip amp Ridereg bull RIVER RUNNERS ROOST2378 RTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770

845-557-0097 bull WWWRIVERRUNNERSROOSTCOMSEASONAL HOURS - CALL BEFORE HEADING OUT

CR 560 IN SUSSEX COUNTY NJCROSS DINGMANS BRIDGE bull $1 TOLLSTRAIGHT ON RTE 739RIGHT AT MILFORD RDLEFT AT RAYMONDSKILL RDCROSS OVER I-84HARD LEFT ON US 6QUICK RIGHT ONTOTWIN LAKES RDRIGHT AT RTE 434CROSS RIVER TO NEWYORKRIGHT AT RTE 97 SOUTHRIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST DOWN ROAD ON LEFT HAND SIDE

Rip amp Ridereg bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784603- 298-5515 bull WWW4ACESDINERCOM

GPS DOWNLOAD WWWSENDSPACECOMPRODLXXTWXB90-MILE ONEWAY ROUTE FROM THEWEST DOVER VERMONT REGION

BIG BEARS LODGE GRAY GHOST AND KITZHOF INN

RTE 100 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT RTE 35RIGHT AT RTE 121LEFT AT RTE 5CROSS INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE ndash ARCH BRIDGELEFT AT RTE 12 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 120LEFT AT RTE 4 WEST LEBANONFOUR ACES DOWN ON THE LEFT

TAylorrsquos ice creAm PArlor

18 e mAin sT chesTer nJ bull 908-879-5363

What to do on the first sub-freezing day in November Go for ice cream

of course I was hanging out with the good doctor OrsquoLife and best friend

Brian when OrsquoLife told us of this place that grows telephone poles Having

my doubts about most of what OrsquoLife tells me I asked him to prove it So

off we went to the quaint little town of Chester New Jersey

After a pleasant lunch at the Publick House complete with real wood

burning fireplace we trekked down the road a piece found said telephone

pole farm (for another column of course) and started our return to Back-

roads Central Lo and behold right before the turn onto Route 206 there

sat Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor in the nicest old building on the block We

got our spot and headed in to find well no one but Justin in a very toasty

old fashioned ice cream parlor I do think that he was surprised to see us

or anyone on such a cold day

Taylorrsquos has apparently been an ice cream institution in

Chester for the last 50 years or so founded by Mr Earle G

Taylor Sr who just passed this August Taylorrsquos was the vic-

tim of fire some time in 2013 and was closed for a good 8

months before reopening in the same spot with applause

from their long-time fans and customers Their ice cream is

all home made and always has been On a hot summer day

you will no doubt be lined up out the door and down the

block to get this tasty treat but Irsquom certain you will find it

worth the wait I think their pricing is quite reasonable for

the size scoop they dip and if you are like me and want a sam-

pling of several flavors they offer Kiddie Scoops at $195

each ndash a flight of ice cream sounds like the perfect end-of-

ride relaxation

We perused the two very full ice cream boards and poured

over the cabinets before making our decisions With close to

50 listed flavors what was a girl to do without minions to help her taste test We finally settled on chocolate hazelnut toasted coconut salted caramel and

vanilla fudge brownie I pretty much always opt for a cup as I savor my ice cream and it would run down my arm before I was even close to finishing but I was

almost tempted by their pretzel cone What is so great about Taylorrsquos cones is the plastic drip cup in which they reside both sanitary and mess-preventing

Page 26 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

TOWN amp COUNTRYC Y C L E C E N T E R

115 Route 23N bull Hamburg NJ bull 973-875-2111wwwtownandcountrycyclecentercom

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIYamahacom bull 516-935-6969

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE

SPORT TOURERIntroducing the most performancepower versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle From commutingand exploring backroads to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaharsquos un-mistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

While enjoying our treats we savored

the deacutecor of this very pleasant parlor Sev-

eral tables to enjoy your ice cream clip-

pings of newspaper articles school

paraphernalia and something that has no

place in an ice cream parlor an old-fash-

ioned fortune telling scale This couldnrsquot

possibly still be functioning could it Ac-

cording to Justin yes it was How could we

resist In went our pennies and up popped

our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked

the weight numbers) Brianrsquos read lsquoYou are

not overbearing but generally have things

your wayrsquo Wow I couldnrsquot wait to see if

mine was as accurate ldquoYou look to the fu-

ture rather than the pastrsquo So true

Back to the ice cream ndash it

was heavenly We all agreed

that the salted caramel was the

overall winner having the per-

fect balance of salt and

caramel with the best creamy

texture The toasted coconut

was very flavorful with lots of

coconut bits the chocolate

hazelnut was very dark and

creamy and mixed with the coconut made the perfect almond-free almond

joy The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole but cer-

tainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store

I believe Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round but if yoursquore head-

ing over during the winter months give them a call to make sure Enjoy the

winter and remember itrsquos never too cold to eat ice cream

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield PA

215-712-7433 bull wwwBMWMotorcyclescom

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

THE NEW R 1200 RA POWERFUL STATEMENT

Our newest boxer roadster has one missiondominate the streets in style The R 1200 Ris designed to blend comfort precisehandling and pure riding excitementhellipin one head-turning machine

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW R 1200 RSTHRILLING COMFORT

The new R 1200 RS is perfectly balancedcombining optimal wind and weather protectionwith powerful performance and controlPutting you in an unparalleled position toexplore the road - and your own limits

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW S 1000 RRWELCOME TO THENEW PLANET POWER

The S 1000 RR has been completely revisedThe results in its origins a genuine Double RRon the road a new supersports machine thatwill once again set the benchmark in its class

UNSTOPPABLE SPORT

WHAT lsquoRrsquo YOU WAITING FORCome to Montgomeryville Cycle Center to see the full line of 2015 BMW Motorcycles products and apparel

We have everything yoursquoll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever

Motorcyclepedia the northeastrsquos

premier motorcycle museum will

be holding its Speaker Series again

this winter with various riders and

orators covering topics ranging

from world touring to tips on avoiding tickets and an in depth look at GPS

technology and todayrsquos motorcycling

Backroadsrsquo own Brian amp Shira will start the series off with a talk on Jan-

uary 17 on lsquoThe Big Fiversquo motorcycle destinations around the planet along

with planning and touring around the United States and the world

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who

will help clear the fog about Garmin GPSrsquos and how their BaseCamp program

works along with how to create and export your own personal routes

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on ldquoEverything you need to know

on Motorcycles and the Lawrdquo - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper po-

lice procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists

Seth Simpson of Motorcycle training Solutions will be giving a seminar

on Rider Training

Motorcyclistmoto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about

Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys

Look for a Womenrsquos Riding Panel with some well-known female motor-

cyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing todayrsquos women

riders This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and

beginning women riders

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months

and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to

enlighten

Wersquoll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page

as soon as they are etched in stone

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh New York in the

riding heart of the Hudson Valley

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 27

A DAY AT THE MUSEUMlsquoSPEAKER SERIESrsquo RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Frankrsquos MotorcycleSales amp Service

120 Center RoadEssex VT 05451

802-878-3930wwwFranksMotorcycleSalescomBMWhtm

Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY845-357-1190

wwwLocomotionPowersportscom

LOCOMOTION POWER-

SPORTS138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY

845-357-1190

Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

SUSSEX MOTORSPORTS446 Route 23 bull Sussex NJ bull Located across from the AampP Shopping Plaza

973-875-3640 bull wwwsussexmotorsportsnjcombull Family OwnedOperated in Northwest NJ bull Near the NYPA border

bull Wide selection of onoff road apparel jackets helmets gloves and boots

bull Qualified Service Technicians with over 30 years combined experienceto perform all your Yamaha authorized service

Wheel Sport Center Inc399 HUGUeNOT ST bull NeW ROCHeLLe NY

9146367235 bull WheelSportCenternet

JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

2015 Kawasaki Concoursreg14 ABSThe ultimate backroad SuperSport Tourer

The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 491-2900

wwwCrossCountryPowersportscom

Visit us at the NY Boat ShowJan 21-25 bull Javits Center

NJ Boat Sales amp ExpoFeb 20-23

NJ Conv amp Expo Ctr Edisonfor Exclusive Show Specials

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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cycle insurance Agency increcreational vehicle specialists

Agents who ride and understandyour motorcycle insurance needs

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serving new Jersey new york and Pennsylvania bull ATv bull Jet ski bull snowmobile

memBer

memBer

Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

JDS CYCLE PARTSeST 1988

247 W Westfield Ave Rosell Park NJ908-245-2445

bull Parts amp Accessories

bull Award-winning Service

bull Performance Work

bull Dyno Tuning

bull SampS Pro Tuning Center

bull Power CommanderTuning Center

American bull Metric bull Sport

Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

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Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

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Number One Riding

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Located on Picturesque Route 9W

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845-446-0912

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Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

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Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

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Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

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Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

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Page 3: January 2015 Backroads

The Goldilocks PrinciPle

Remember Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Of course you do ndash but did you know the fairy

tale has a principle named after it

The Goldilocks Principle states that something

must fall within certain margins as opposed to

reaching extremes When the effects of the principle are

observed it is known as the Goldilocks Effect

What does this have to do with motorcycles

Good question

Here you are reading this magazine our annual Best of

Backroads issue which is a good thing but - who are we really

Backroads I mean

Backroads is now into our 20th year and still going strong

The last two decades have been awesome in so many ways

and like many things the years have changed us and we hope

mostly for the better

From our first black amp white newsprint issue to the slicker four-

color issue you have in your hands ndash we have been constantly

evolving but never lost sight of who and what we are

But who are we and what is this magazine really

about

Over the past few years we have had a number of peo-

ple and businesses tell us who we are

Did we need to be told

I guess we needed to know or seemed a bit confused

A big city-based American cruiser dealership com-

plained to us that we were not American cruiser enough

and that we were just about dual-sport riding knobby

tires and European adventure machines

ldquoAll they have are big German dirt bikes on their cov-

ersrdquo came the cry

Another supplier of touring gear and adventure riding

apparel felt we were not adventure-based enough and

that we did a bit too much cruiser and standard cover-

age

Some dealers felt we werenrsquot worth their time - as we

wouldnrsquot do monthly features on them

Although we provide Backroads free to any motor-

cycle shop or dealership that would like to carry us re-

gardless if they spend an advertising budget with us or

not over the years we have been shut out of more than

a few - simply because they didnrsquot wish to advertise and

didnrsquot like that other shops did

We are too much one-way for some and too much the

other way for others

It is almost hard to win

But wersquore still here doing what we do

Recently there have been two films released about

motorcycles and the people who ride them - Why We

Ride and On Any Sunday - The Next Chapter

We thought both films were excellent but immedi-

ately heard from some road riders that there was too

much racing not enough touring Too much dirt and not

enough street Dirt lovers on the other hand thought

there were too many cruiser rallies and destination seg-

ments and never enough motorcycle competitions

The truth is that the world of motorcycles is diverse

and there are so many things you can do with a motor-

cycle

We understand the differences in riders and machines

but we think that every rider and every machine can do

a little traveling time

This is who we are

Backroads - Motorcycles Travel amp Adventure

This is what Backroads is all about Always has been

and always will

Why do we have so many BMW GS machines on the covers and in travel

articles inside

We decided a long time back that we would stick with real riding shots

taken along our journeys Most of the motorcycles that you see on the covers

are what we own and what we ride day-to-day When we have the opportunity

to ride other bikes for testing or on a trip we do so happily Wersquore not a na-

tional publication ndash we never said we were You see unlike the major glossy

magazines you find on the newsstand that are almost all California-based

many times we have to head out to California just to get our hands on differ-

ent rides

When we have an article from other sources than in-house and there is a

great cover shot we feature it

Wersquore about going places seeing things and experiencing the

best of motorcycling And for us that is travel amp adventure

I have often said that so many riders buy a motorcycle and

then wonder ldquoWhere should we gordquo

It is easy to go to the same places same restaurants same bars

on the same roads But there is something magical about striking

out in the morning and returning home in the late afternoon with a

few hundred new miles ridden and something new and exciting or just plain

odd to talk about

Thatrsquos where we come in

Welcome to our annual Best of Backroads issue ndash we think it is just right

F R E E W H E E L I N rsquoBRIAN RATHJeN

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 3

AnTiciPATion

For such a long time now every time you

go Googling or Facebooking there is some

new rage in video hoping to lsquogo viralrsquo They

range in subject from the ever-present cute

animal adorable child or wacky antic to the

more disturbing stunt gone horribly wrong

animal attack or flash mob or protest While

I try my best to stay away from clicking on

these moments of lsquoentertainmentrsquo Brian

will lovingly interrupt my day to share them

with me From across the office I am able

to selectively watch the parts that inter-

est me and turn away from those that

bother me

Not only does it baffle me to see some

of the awful and feckless use of onersquos

time but the utter insanity that anyone

would choose to video some of these sit-

uations rather than help right them Of

course the most recent submission to these selfish bits of celluloid or more

accurately CloudSpace is the footage from the lsquoprotestsrsquo of late Not only

are these people destroying peoplersquos businesses and in some cases maiming

human beings they are seeing it through a 3-inch screen as if it were hap-

pening in another dimension without a thought of lending a hand to stop the

madness

What Irsquod love to see lsquogo viralrsquo are

the selfless acts that take place on a

constant basis the brave man who

entered the burning building to carry

out a stranger the people who band

together to lift the crashed vehicle

off the trapped driver the scenes of

veterans homecomings

One viral video that I did watch

which brought a tear to my eye was

entitled lsquoLetrsquos Ride Motorcyclesrsquo

Itrsquos been making the rounds for

quite some time and may have even

been mentioned before in these pages It is the story of several Taiwanese

men friends for life who have gotten to the age when inactivity and loss of

dreams may take away any will to go on Instead they get fed up with playing

cards all day catering to their individual illnesses and missing out on life and

decide to take one last ride on their ancient motorcycles They do it for their

youth for the missing friends who cannot join them and probably just for

the joy of riding again If you havenrsquot seen it you can

find it here

wwwyoutubecomwatchv=xZ15mbuE_pw

There is so much emphasis on social media these

days itrsquos hard to say when the folks taking part in this

phenom actually get out on their motorcycles The ad-

dition of video and special mounts for electronic devices

for the motorcycle have made it so easy to capture the

daily ride the amazing new twisty road discovered the

cross-country trek or off-road adventure and share it al-

most instantaneously with not only your immediate

friends but the rest of the world Irsquom not immune ndash no

doubt those of you who check the Backroads Facebook

or Instagram pages have seen posting from our road

trips ice cream runs and Backroads Rallies In todayrsquos

publishing world the push towards digital media is

overwhelming I wish I had a nickel for everyone who

has said lsquoprint is deadrsquo Irsquod be able to buy that new

Kawasaki H2R

Being able to get instant news see the newest motor-

cycle releases before they even hit the dealers and get

weather at the touch of a button (well that one IS pretty

great) has made anticipation a thing of the past I know

Irsquove heard from many of our readers who say the day

they open the mailbox and see the latest issue of Back-

roads there is always a great one (thank you) I have to

admit although I donrsquot consider myself a luddite I do

miss reading about a new book coming out and then ac-

tually going to a book store to purchase it rather than

one-clicking on Amazon and having it the next day I

miss anticipation

Right now with the winter settling in I am starting

to pull out the maps and travel books to plan the amaz-

ing rides wersquoll be taking this year Irsquoll double check the

pages that Irsquove dog-earred before to see that the lodg-

ings eateries and such are still in business Irsquoll read the

latest travel magazines for inspiration and talk to fellow

riders for suggestions Most of all Irsquoll anticipate pulling

out my motorcycle from its winter seclusion throwing

my leg over the saddle and setting off on a brand new

adventure

W H A T C H A T H I N K I N rsquoSHIRA KAMIL

Page 4 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

We are building our 2015 Upcoming Events Calendar

Please send your event information as early as possible

for maximum exposure See our website for form and

email to editorbackroadsusacom

A TArdis in TArrAnT counTy

Time in case you havenrsquot noticed is a very big

deal As a concept it can give you a headache and

as a unit we measure it insures a uniform chronol-

ogy of events (and helps insure group rides and lunch start at some kind of

agreed upon moment) Therefore I think itrsquos safe to say it is pretty indispen-

sable But man it does take its toll on you as it passes It can also really make

you dig deep into your psyche when you exam-

ine that odd thing called the past It manages to

do this all while telling where you are in the

present and make you plan for the future But

itrsquos the past and its powerful ponderables that

can disrupt our concept of reality the most so

allow me to share a recent time-related journey

to illustrate the wild ride life often takes us on

This is an adventure that goes down roads that

are fresh yet have in fact been travelled before

The occasion was my niecersquos wedding in Ft Worth

Texas shortly after Thanksgiving This trip was one of those

non-bike car-based adventures for neither the Triumph or

the Honda would fit in the handsome twin-engined Em-

braerrsquos overhead bins and time was very short The wedding

party decided to have the ceremony in Cowtown as the bride

and groom met at Texas Christian University and it just so hap-

pens yours truly spent his formative years in this same city long ago when

liquid cooling on motorcycles was quite exotic and some phones not only

had cords but rotary dials as well Most of the places Irsquove lived have changed

much over the years so I found it rather incredible that Ft Worth seemed

like much of the city was frozen in time Either that or I had somehow re-

turned to a past life where superficial things had changed yet the basics were

exactly in the same state I left them when I departed the territory This time-

shift really got rolling as I was driving back to my old neighborhood and I

noticed the weather for having left a New England winter I found myself

surrounded by a Texas one This seasonal variation in the South usually

means an extension of summer with more overcast and fewer AC water

puddles at intersections (and the odd temporary blast of cold air) Shortly

after arriving in the West Side of Ft Worth I saw a chap riding an lsquo80s Honda

Nighthawk S that looked identical to the one my college roommate had and

still one of the best-sounding Inline Fours Irsquove ever ridden Many of the roads

that I knew so well were still around and relatively well-preserved but it was

sad to realize a few had grown unfriendlier to motorcycles A serpentine

stretch I used to blast down with abandon now

is maimed by speed bumps and not only are

these big enough to cause Chassis Upset (CU)

they were damn hard to see even in broad

daylight My co-driver was often spurred to

sing out a warning to prevent our heads from

hitting the headliner

Unlike so many towns and cities I used to

live in when I returned to Ft Worth a surpris-

ing number of businesses were still around in

their original locations This means one way or the other

they has survived for decades which I thought was as-

tounding given the turnover in other places Irsquove lived

The memories seeing these places stirred up was amaz-

ing and I went in to true Time Machine mode as I got

flashbacks from roads I hadnrsquot been on in 30 years and

started remembering in great detail the machines I was

riding at the time A set of railroad tracks in a lonely section of road out by

Benbrook used to make the rear tire of my V45 Magna dance and I could

damn near feel the sensation even though this time I was driving a 2015 Prius

The old Weatherford Traffic circle (which was and is an enormous round

(Continued on page 12)

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

BILL HeALD

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 5

new Girl in Town

I never meant it to happen ndash but it did She stood out amidst the others

smaller and dressed differently a waif a trifle goth with prominent attractive

tattoos looking fresh but a little worldly She was definitely out of place

among the tiffany-clad society girls like Courtney Love at a PTA meeting

and she was therefore interesting She sulked like shersquod rather be anyplace

but sitting under the awning of a bike shop So I did what any pudgy gray-

haired over-fifty guy would do I went over In a short time a price was

mentioned and she came home with me And that is how I ended up with a

Stardust Pearl White 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 650

I love middleweights and my naked SV650 is a

stone blast especially at VIR I had so much fun

there in June that Irsquove been looking for a fully-

faired sportbike ever since Enter the Ninja

When I first saw the bike and sat on it the look

and feel were so cuddly that I thought it was an

excellent starter and commuter Though the body-

work says ldquosportrdquo the high tubular handlebar and

realistically ergonomic pegs say ldquostreetrdquo Seeing

it at the shop a female friend walked up sat down

on it and said ldquoItrsquos cute it needs a lsquoHello Kittyrsquo

stickerrdquo But hello THIS kitty is a cheetah

Thanks to my friends at Mortonrsquos BMW I left their Oktoberfest for a long

sunny Saturday afternoon test ride through historic Virginia country roads

and came back enchanted The riding position is more aggressive than a

standard but the high rubber-mounted bars keep the chiropractor (and vi-

brations) away The fuel injection is spot-on producing flat torque at any

RPM The brakes are very good although more exploration of their potential

is required in a less public environment The transmission is clarified butter

Even the OEM-spec Dunlop Roadsmart tires are just that ndash smart and confi-

dence-inspiring Both the clutch and brake levers are adjustable a nice touch

on a price-point bike The display is a combination of digital speed and ana-

log tach which is good but Irsquod rather have a gear position display than the

silly ldquoECOrdquo indicator that comes on at low RPMs ndash itrsquos my mission to keep

that thing off

Aesthetically the bike is a winner I normally look up comparison articles

and reliability numbers especially on a used bike but I bought this bike on

looks and ride alone and did my research post-hoc Turns out the seat of

my pants and my eye were right on the money the magazines and blogs gush

about it It has just the right amount of plastic to be faired without looking

Fischer Price and the asymmetric horizontal shock and underslung pipe

complete the sporty visage One change to aesthetics will be an RampG Racing

ldquotail tidyrdquo to get rid of all the crap governments make them hang off the back

The suspension adjustments amount to rear preload only and itrsquos too firm

on a bumpy road but considering what I paid for this bike used I can get

Klaus at EPM to sell me a ldquoStreet Boxrdquo com-

plete suspension upgrade for both the forks

and rear shock that will improve not only the

ride but the control (which already isnrsquot bad)

If I really feel the need an aftermarket ex-

haust system will shave 20 lb off the weight

and add a couple HP and my total investment

in suspension and tuning is only $1500 A

set of Dunlop Q3rsquos will be installed after I

wear out the Roadsmarts and this bike will be

on the trailer next to the SV when I head to

VIR next June

The great thing is in the meantime the

Kawasaki tail pack and SW Motech tank bag will let me fling this beauty

down my secret back roads to work and arrive with my cookies unbroken

Plus like my SV I donrsquot ever see outgrowing it The lady who made the

ldquoHello Kittyrdquo comment is already lobbying to ride it and I will honor that

request unlike the inline-four ZX-6R Ninja the vertical-twin Ninja 650 is

flexible comfortable and user-friendly enough that I have no doubt she can

handle it I also have no doubt that itrsquoll do 120 MPH down the front straight

at VIR and handle well enough to make me laugh after just a bit of suspension

work And her name ldquoKunoichirdquo of course or ldquoKunordquo for short

O N T H E M A R KMARK BYeRS

Page 6 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

CROSS COUNTRY BMW911 Middlesex Avenue Metuchen NJ

Serving Central and North NJ

Staten Island NY and Philadelphia PA

732-635-0094 bull wwwCCBMWcom

While BMW has spent 90 years producing some of the

best motorcycles in the world wersquove spent 15 years

providing you with the latest and best in BMW products

like the all-new S 1000 XR and F 800 R

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

CROSS COUNTRY DUCATIFactory Authorized Sales and Service

911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ 08840

7326350094 bull wwwcrosscountrycyclenet

Shop our large selection for the latest in

Ducati Performance parts apparel and accessories

More than a new bike itrsquos a whole new world

choPsTicks And BAr-risers

The first time I saw a Touratech Bar Riser for the BMW

R1200GS I thought ldquoWhat a great idea A cool way to put

chopsticks down while your eating Asian food and donrsquot

want to lay them down Awesome Finallyrdquo

So there I was enjoying my Chicken Pad Thai when one

of my co-workers approached me and said ldquoHey man

yoursquore not using that thing rightrdquo

ldquoWhat do you do with itrdquo I asked

ldquoIrsquom pretty sure itrsquos for hanging really heavy artrdquo he said

ldquoIt holds better than one of those hanging kits You could

probably hang a sculpture on the wall if you wantedrdquo

ldquoNo not artrdquo interjected another co-worker ldquoThink

about it We work at a place that makes accessories for mo-

torcycles Why would we make something that holds art or

chopsticks Chopsticks Come on guys itrsquos obvious what

that thingrsquos forrdquo

ldquoWhatrdquo We said

ldquoWell itrsquos for hanging your gear You can bolt it

to the wall and itrsquoll hold a hanger with all of your

riding gear on it If you bolt one on top of the other

itrsquoll hold your helmet toordquo he replied and held the

thing up to the wall

That sounded right It had to be something to do

with motorcycles Chopstickshellip Well that was just

silly but hey Irsquom just the marketing guy I donrsquot

know as much about the intricacies of motorcycle

parts as our customer service people

As I was walking to my car there were a few guys

outside the office and they were tying down a V-

Strom 1000 They had the straps just about tight-

ened and I noticed that they were fastening the straps to

cleats in the bed of the truck The cleats looked a little

flimsy and I suggested they switch them out with the bar

risers in my hand (I didnrsquot know they were bar risers at

the time) I truly thought Irsquod figured out the mystery of

those brushed aluminum pieces of German Technology

Tie down loops Yes

The guys in the truck laughed at me (Irsquom used to that

being the novice rider at the office)

ldquoDonrsquot you know what these arerdquo one of them asked

and I handed them over

ldquoI guess notrdquo I said

ldquoYou bolt them to the front of your footpegsrdquo he said

ldquoIt gives you more surface and stability and they make it

easy to scrape mud off your bootsrdquo

He showed me on the V-Strom in the truck what he was

talking about I didnrsquot see any bolt holes

ldquoI donrsquot think sordquo I said ldquoWe already have our lsquoWorksrsquo

footpegs Theyrsquore really widerdquo

ldquoI think I know what Irsquom talking aboutrdquo the

Suzuki riding stranger said ldquoIrsquove owned bikes my

whole life Irsquove seen those things used Theyrsquore

called footpeg enhancersrdquo

I didnrsquot feel like having a debate It was starting

to rain so I put my precision-crafted motorcycle es-

sentials in my briefcase and went home It was Fri-

day I had dinner plans and I had a lot to do over the

weekend When I got home I left the bar risers sit-

ting on my kitchen table

Saturday came and I was doing a bunch of yard

work and cleaning out the barbecue Summer was

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 7

THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD Words by Matt Lewis bull Photos by Morgan Goldbloom

ebbing but it was still pleasantly warm in Seattle and I was warm so I headed

in for something to drink I could hear my wife and son playing in the living

room as I opened the cabinet to grab a glass Something physically felt dif-

ferent I my hand

I closed the cabinet and there it was The handle of my kitchen cabinet had

been replaced with 15mm of rock-solid engineering genius My wife had

used the bar risers (I still didnrsquot know they were bar risers) to replace my

kitchen fixtures All of them

They looked awesome and I didnrsquot have the heart to tell her to take them

down so when I went back to work on the following Monday I had to buy

them A lot more experimentation went into finally discovering the actual

use of the bar risers I suppose I could have asked someone else at work but

I wanted to figure it out myself

Here is what I know you can do but shouldnrsquot do with Touratech Bar Ris-

ers for the Water-Cooled R1200GS and GSA

bull Put them in the microwave

bull Bolt them together and wear as a ring

bull Make wind chimes (they donrsquot have good pitch)

bull Wear as earrings (my wife couldnrsquot get the bolt through

the hole in ear)

bull Use as a baby teething device (donrsquot ask)

bull Throw at an attacker (long story but trust me They wonrsquot

slow him down)

bull Open a bottle of beer

So what have I learned Well obviously the Touratech

Bar Risers for the Water-Cooled R1200GS and GSA come

in three sizes (15mm 25mm and 40mm) They are de-

signed to create optimum comfort with minimal labor and

raising the bar height results in a more upright position

which can relieve neck and back strain

Riders around the world swear by bar-risers and they

can make your bike a better fit easily and economically

hellipand you can bolt them to your bathroom wall to

hold your toothbrushes

Matt Lewis is Marketing Manager at Touratech-USA

CycoActive Inc You can see all their products and

some they donrsquot even know they have at

wwwtouratech-usacom

Cycle Motion is your provider of motorcycles ATVs scooters

snowmobiles and utility vehicles by Kawasaki Suzuki Polaris

Yamaha and Can-Am With a large parts department qualified

service technicians and a full shop full of parts and accessories

were here to meet all your power sport needs

For every rider - on or off road whether they like doing it

in the dirt carving the twisties or cruising the backroads

we have their weapon of choice

1269 DOLSONTOWN RD

MIDDLETOWN NY 10940

845-343-2552 bull WWWCYCLEMOTIONINCCOM

Page 8 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Backroads

Just wanted you to know that Joe Fencz from

Charliersquos Pool Room past away October

15th John the brother and cook called me to

tell me when the funeral services were I didnrsquot

have any idea Joe was even sick He had pancre-

atic cancer and has been battling it for a year

The Pool Room has been closed for about a

year now because the grill has to be updated to

new codes and was shut down A lot of people

have been helping them out to get them up and

running again I attended the service a few weeks

agohellipwhen Joe was alive I did not know much about him other than we

was a very nice kind outgoing person At his funeral many people told stores

about him and you got to know him after it was too late The funeral parlor

was packed

I talked with brother John to encourage him to open the store again I of-

fered him financial assistance as well as business advice There were a lot of

other people there that wanted John to open the store againhellipwe will see He

did not seem to want to do it

I snapped this picture I saw at the wake It looks like a 1930rsquos-40rsquos motor-

cycle with a homemade side car I know the father was a frontline soldier in

WW II he may have bought it surplus

Thought I would share this with riders who have been there and hopefully

will go again

Gary Rena

Gary thanks for passing that along to us Charliersquos Pool Room was the

most interesting and oddest hot dog stop in the Garden State and will be

missed

Miracles as they are I got to reading the No-

vember Backroads issue before the end of No-

vember which is pretty good for me May have

had something to do with not picking up my

mail until the end of the month

So I am feeling accomplished None-the-less

- having left town the first week in October I fi-

nally got to reading Backroads

Brian your editorial piece on BMW-style

events and this weird thing about camping had

me in stitches Camping Really whatrsquos with

that Ride all day long and stop at a motel where

you can walk to a restaurant for dinner after a nice shower That works for

me and is the only way I fly The best of all worlds thatrsquos what I say

The article on Americade and Shirarsquos editorial about the passenger seat

also had me in stitches Thanks to both of you for making me look forward

to the next issue each and every time

Until we meet again we will always admire your endless summer

lifestyle Carry on - I say

Your two-wheeled friends

Graham and Gail

This Town is the Pitshellip

As to the above column please tell Brian to call a spade a spade The rider

was following to close andor not paying attention when he rear-ended the

truck If the truck hit the girls girlrsquos fault However the bike hitting the

truck was the riderrsquos own fault

Happy holidays to you both

Greg Bagen

Greg I agree I was being semi-polite You were able to read between the

lines You should be a lawyer or something

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 9

BACKLASH Letters to the Editor

BERgEN COUNTY HARLEY-DAVIDSON DUAL PHOTO PROjECT

This is Larry No he doesnrsquot have a twin

The first picture was shot of him in his every-

day clothes A few days later he stopped by on

his bike Learn more about Larry and other

bikers soon If you ride and are interested in

being shot (with a camera) stop by Bergen

County Harley-Davidson in Rochelle Park

NJ Monday Tuesday Thursday and Friday

from 12Noon - 1pm or Wednesday night 5-

6pm It takes 5 minutes and you just might be

part of the project 2 portraits are shot one of

you in your riding gear the other of you in

your work or everyday clothes

Spread the word

Bergen County Harley-Davidson 124 Essex St Rochelle Park NJ bull 201-

843-6930 bull wwwbergenharleycom

HARLEY DEALERSHIP DROPS 10K FROM SKY

While shoppers may have been rushing for merchandise on Black Friday

a couple of thousand people were grabbing for cash at least for a brief mo-

ment

Black Diamond Harley-Davidson of Marion Illinois has hosted turkey

drops in the past but Black Fridayrsquos cash drop was the first for the dealer-

shiprsquos innovative marketing company co-owner Shad Zimbro said

ldquoItrsquos just something different Everybody can use a little extra cashrdquo he

said of the companyrsquos Green Friday as hopefuls took position along the

perimeter of a large field where cash totaling $10000 would be dropped from

a helicopter

Illinois Lottery donated some of the money for the event Black Diamond

announced it would match up to $100 for those who spent their winnings at

the store

Participants had to be 18 and had to sign a waiver that they would not hold

Black Diamond responsible for injuries It appeared

most were unscathed during the dash for cash

though muddied from the wet field either falling on

their own or pushed

VALERIE THOMPSON RACINg SIgNS WITH

NPMOTOWEAR PRODUCTS FOR 2015

Scottsdale motorcycle racer 7-time land speed

record holder and team owner Valerie Thompson

recently signed NPmotowear Products as a new

sponsor for the 2015 racing season NPmoto prod-

ucts was founded in 2005 by Nick Plenzick to pro-

vide motorcyclists and racers with a variety of

apparel and accessories that provide maximum com-

fort and convenience to riders worldwide

ldquoWe have sold many fine products from a variety of excellent manufactures

over the years When

we began production of

our own products I de-

cided I wanted them

tested in extreme con-

ditions In addition to

our long distance rid-

ers Irsquom a big believer

that racing improves

the breedrdquo said NPmo-

towear ownerfounder

Nick Plenzick ldquoWhen I

was thinking of some-

one who could push the

limits Valerie Thomp-

Page 10 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

FW SPEER YAMAHA7 Main Ave bull Passaic NJ bull 973-778-6256 bull wwwSpeerYamahacom

Tri-State Metro Arearsquos Oldest Yamaha Dealer + Last of the Mom and Pop Shops

THE MALLTERNATIVE

INDUSTRY INFOBITES News from the Inside

son was at the top of my list Valerie recently tested our base layer at the

Texas Mile with a 2177 mph run with great resultsrdquo added Plenzick

ldquoIrsquove been wearing and testing NPmotowear apparel while riding and

working around the shop I canrsquot tell you how impressed I am They offer

products that enhance riding comfort in both cold and hot weather while of-

fering a real sense of stylerdquo said Thompson

ldquoWe couldnrsquot be more pleased to have someone of Valeriersquos experience

and racing accomplishments to promote NPmotowear layer clothing and ac-

cessories After all we have to keep lsquoAmericarsquos Queen of Speedrsquo comfortable

underneath her race suit at over 210 mph and we have proven we can ac-

complish that goalrdquo said Plenzick

In addition to seven land speed records Thompson is an official member

of the BUB Speed Trials 201 MPH Club Mojave Magnum 200 MPH Club

Texas Mile 200 MPH Club ECTA 200 MPH Club and a lifetime member of

the prestigious Bonneville 200 MPH Club

HONDA MARKS UNPRECEDENTED MILESTONEgLOBAL PRODUCTION OF 300 MILLION MOTORCYCLES

Achieving a milestone more than 65 years in the making Honda Motor

Co Ltd announced production of its 300-millionth motorcycle The mile-

stone bike is a Honda Gold Wing produced at the companyrsquos Kumamoto Fac-

tory in Japan Honda will celebrate

the 40th anniversary of the iconic

Gold Wing in 2015

Honda began mass production of

motorcycles in Japan in 1949 when

it built the Honda 98cc Dream Type-

D Today Honda produces motorcy-

cles ATVrsquos and side-by-sides at 32

plants in 22 countries including two

plants in North America

ldquoThis incredible milestone is the

result of the millions of customers

who have placed their trust in Honda

and we would like to thank all of our customers associates dealers and com-

munity partners in North America for helping make it possiblerdquo said Bob

Gurga Vice President and Manager of Motorcycle Division for American

Honda ldquoNow we are focused on

the future and the ways that we can

harness the challenging spirit of

Honda associates to create new joy

for Honda customersrdquo

In 1958 Honda introduced the

Honda 50 known globally as the

Super Cub which would go on to

revolutionize the industry This

iconic bike paved the way for

Hondarsquos expansion into the US in

1959 and Canada in 1969 The

Super Cub which has sold nearly

90 million units globally since its

inception was the focus of a mid-

1960s advertising campaign lsquoYou

Meet the Nicest People on a

Hondarsquo that played a major role in

the transformation and growth of

the US motorcycle market

ZERO RAMPS UP PRODUCTION

Zero Motorcycles the global leader in the electric motor-

cycle industry announced that it has entered full production

of its 2015 model line The new motorcycles are being man-

ufactured at its expanded Scotts Valley California facility

by an increased number of technicians using state-of-the-art

tools The first shipments of motorcycles are now in transit

with all North American dealerships receiving the new mod-

els by the end of January European delivery is scheduled for

February 2015

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 11

Following record sales in 2014 the company has made substantial invest-

ments in technology and people placing additional resources to expand its

ldquoCrafted in Californiardquo vision ldquoWersquove taken everything learned from build-

ing thousands of electric motorcycles and applied it to new manufacturing

processes To meet the increased demand from customers wersquove added new

jobs here at our California factoryrdquo said Kai Hypko VP of Operations for

Zero Motorcycles ldquoHighly advanced tools improved systems and more

skilled workers will allow us to continue to increase our production capacity

and ensure premium qualityrdquo

The 2015 motorcycles rolling out of the California factory feature numer-

ous advancements from their predecessors Showa suspension improves com-

fort and control Zerorsquos class-leading rangemdashnow up to 185 milesmdashis

extended on most models And Zero becomes the first production electric

motorcycle to feature anti-lock brakes (ABS)

ldquoOur 2015 lineup continues to lead the industry in overall range perform-

ance and technologyrdquo said Abe Askenazi Chief Technology Officer at Zero

Motorcycles ldquoFor 2015 we focused our efforts on refining virtually every

element of the vehiclemdashfrom the tires upmdashto give riders the most pure

seamless experience availablerdquo

Initial production will be dedicated to motorcycles that will be used for

test rides via Zero Motorcycles dealers Interested riders can schedule a demo

online at wwwzeromotorcyclescomdemo-rides

Page 12 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

PosTcArds from The hedGe (Continued from page 5)

about that still confounds even locals) took me back to when I had borrowed

my friendrsquos Hawk 650 and while in this circular traffic maze the engine

started to cut out Now itrsquos unsettling enough when such things happen in

traffic and yoursquore on your own machine but when yoursquove borrowed a friendrsquos

pride and joy and it starts getting funky it adds to the already present drama

immeasurably The V-Twin never actually quit though and what happened

was a little snafu peculiar to this particular model of motorcycle It seems

that when the incoming air around the tank is juuuuuust right a poorly routed

hose does something to the air supply to the carburetors and it skips like its

running out of gas When I told my friend about it he

confirmed it had happened to him and through the use

of this brand new thing called the Internet he found a

very simple solution and fixed it I hadnrsquot thought about

this incident since it happened back in the last Century

and the Weatherford Traffic circle bought it all back with

surprising clarity

Of course there were some businesses and landmarks

(often one in the same) that had vanished but the odd

thing was the general feel of the place was exactly as it

had seemed and as a result I found myself for lack of

a better expression having a Twilight Zone moment

This was a town that I not only grew up in but a place

where I experienced so many formative moments that

ultimately steered my path in life A simple trip like this

managed to take much that was locked away and shake

it loose as if I really did borrow Dr Whorsquos time-tran-

siting Tardis And as has been the case in my entire

adult life a motorcycle managed to be a part of it even

though this time I was wasnrsquot riding one Oh and my

niecersquos wedding It was superb I now have a fine new

nephew too with a family that originally hails from

China and they are delightful people All in all the trip

was quite a Trip

ldquoIF YOUWANT

TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

ROLLINrsquo FAST CYCLE SPORTS

104 Main Street Lebanon NJ908-236-9000 bull wwwRollinFastcom

ROLLINrsquo FAST INDIAN MOTORCYCLE OF LEBANON104 Main Street Lebanon NJ908-236-9000 bull wwwRollinFastcom

Come see the full line

of Indian Motorcycles

Large selection of parts

apparel and accessories

Great Gift Ideas for

your Holiday Shopping

Plan now for your winter

service needsMon-Fri 9a-6p

Thurs lsquotil 9a-7p bull Sat 9a-5pSunday Gone Riding

Rollinrsquo Fast Cycle Sports Presents

GReAT ALL AMeRICAN DINeR RUN tasty places to take your bike

Ardyrsquos counTry kiTchen

279 mAin sT worcesTer ny 121197 bull 607-397-4070

Many times suggestions for a Great All American Diner Run

are sent to us and when we can we search them out on your

expert recommendations

Other times we come across hidden jewels a bit more

serendipitously

Thatrsquos how we came across this monthrsquos stop on GAADR ndash

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen in the small upstate New York town

of Worcester

There were four of us heading to our last Summer Squeeze

Rally in Vermont and we were making a few days riding ad-

venture of it by heading to the Adirondacks for the first evening

on the road

Come lunch time all our bellies were rumbling and lucky for

me right before I became a raging and petulant starving child I

spotted a small brightly painted diner to my right on an upcoming

corner

We had found Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

With its ice cream shop front we hoped they served more than

just dessert and entering the small dining room we were instantly

hit with the heady aromas of good eats

Thank you Road Gods

The place has been owned and operated by the Sanna clan since

2005 and the family atmosphere is evidentwith the smattering of

toys and one or two young ones running around their moms our

waitresses legs

Non-crying non-exasperating and happy little ones annoy me

not ndash so we took a small table and looked to see what the Sanna

family had to offer this day

First off you canrsquot get a sandwich here

at Ardyrsquos ndash but you can get a sammich

We all know that it is a scientific fact

that a sammich is far more fun and much

more delicious and filling both from a

nutritionistrsquos point of view and the addi-

tional smile factor thrown in

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen has a goodly

number of different sammiches for your

eating pleasure ndash but wersquoll get to them in

a minute

If itrsquos early when you get there they

serve a Bagel Breakfast with eggs

sausage and cheese on a real fresh bagel

Soup amp Sammich can always be had

ndash with daily specials to be found Of

course they have burgers just about any

way yoursquod like lsquoem and the homemade

chili was tangy and delicious as was the

soup of the day

Heading over to their ldquoSignature Sam-

michesrdquo you will find just about any-

thing you might be craving Or maybe

a perusal of the menu will get the belly

rolling For a smallish diner along a

rural road in upstate New York you will

have plenty from which to choose

How about a BLT or a Cuban with

roast pork ham Swiss cheese and pick-

les Their Pork amp Slaw with cheddar

cheese looked tasty as did the BBQ

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 13

TWO WHEELS OR FOURTHERErsquoS ALWAYS ROOM FOR

Texas Smoke Barbecue400 Route 15 South bull Jefferson NJ

862-209-4078 bull wwwTexasSmokeBBQcom

texas smoke BBQIndoor and outdoor dining

Warm up with some

Chowdown Chili

Smokinrsquo Platters

and so much more

Biker and Barbecue Enthusiasts

Enjoy our Chalkboard Specials

Long Island Kawasaki67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIKawasakicom bull 516-935-6969Combining the low silhouette of

a Vulcan cruiser with Kawasaki

sportbike-derived power and

handling as well as a custom fit

concept designed to comfort-

ably fit a wide range of riders

Rollinrsquo Fast Cycle Sports Presents

GReAT ALL AMeRICAN DINeR RUN tasty places to take your bike

Chicken Hero also topped with their local cheddar cheese

For you Vegans (he said with a smirk) you will find a Veggie Panini (now

hush and eat your greens) If you are really hungry try Ardyrsquos Big Roast Beef

ndash a heaping of oven roasted beef topped with Swiss cheese and served on a

Kaiser roll and topped with Ardyrsquos famed horseradish sauce

Thatrsquoll fill you up

When we arrived it was an unusually cool day for the Leatherstocking Re-

gion and a hot sammich seemed more on order Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

serves up hot pork and hot roast beef sammiches but I went with their hot

meatloaf ndash brought out on a toasted Kaiser roll with homemade mashed po-

tatoes and some super tasty gravy ndash enough to float a boat

Just about everything here at Ardyrsquos is a homemade creation Real potatoes

fresh vegetables and freshly roasted meats are always used Not much

processed or pre-packaged quasi food will be found here

My Hot Meatloaf Sammich served with Ardyrsquos super potatoes and

drowned in their excellent brown gravy was one of the best I have ever had

on the road And it was not just a thinly sliced bit of meatloaf but an honest-

to-goodness slab orsquomeatloaf

I wouldnrsquot even serve myself that big a piece at home

Okay maybe I would

The rest of our crew all had the Tomato amp Basil Soup (delicious) and

grilled cheese sammiches which was a special of the day

If you can squeeze it in after all this great chow Ardyrsquos is an ice cream par-

lor as well and they offer enough flavors that even resident ice cream maven

Shira was tempted

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen is the perfect example of a small and family run

restaurant that really serves up the goods All their offering are real and tasty

and just like your mom would cook ndash ifrsquon your mom was a trained chef

When in the region it is well worth searching Ardyrsquos out and with that in

mind wersquoll give you a short ride from the Kingston area to this monthrsquos stop

on the Great All American Diner Run

Find them on FaceBook at Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

Page 14 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

RIP amp RIDEreg bull ARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN279 MAIN ST WORCESTER NY 121197 bull 607-397-4070

START INTERSECTIONS OF RTES 20928 KINGSTON NYRTE 28 WESTRIGHT AT RTE 375LEFT AT RTE 212RIGHT AT RTE 28LEFT AT RTE 214LEFT AT RTE 23ARIGHT AT SCRIBNER HOLLOW RDLEFT AT RTE 23CRIGHT AT CR 40STRAIGHT AT CR 296

LEFT AT RTE 23BEAR RIGHT AT CR 7LEFT AT CR 990VRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT SHREW HOLLOW ROADLEFT AT CR 29RIGHT AT CR 10LEFT AT MEADE ROADLEFT AT CHARLOTTEVILLE ROADRIGHT AT CR 39RIGHT AT RTE 7 MAIN STARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN ON LEFT

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

moTe AquArium And mArine lABorATory

600 ken ThomPson Pkwy sArAsoTA fl 34236

941-388-4441 bull wwwmoTeorG

Each March and October the Daytona faithful head

south to the beginning and end of the season rallies

on the Sunshine statersquos eastern coast

But we have always found Daytona and vicinities

to get a bit too crowded loud andhellipumm ndash boring

Well for us

The SUYT thing kinda got old when the girls could

be your daughter-in-law

We prefer checking out the scene and then doing a

little Floridian travel exploring some of the sights

and scenes that draw so may south each year

On Floridarsquos Gulf Coast you will find the city of

Sarasota

This city has a thriving cultural scene and boasts a

number of interesting places to visit explore and gen-

erally spend some time

A few years back we told you of the Circus Mu-

seum this time we dropped in on the Mote Aquarium

and Marine Laboratory

The Aquarium has its beginnings back in 1955

when it was founded by Dr Eugenie Clark in

Placida Florida Back then it was known as Cape

Haze Marine Laboratory until its 1967 renaming in

honor of a major benefactor William R Mote and the

contributions he and his family made to helping the

aquarium grow mdash both in size and reputation Since

1960 Mote has been based in Sarasota Florida and

since 1978 it has been lo-

cated on City Island and

that is where we got to

spend a number of hours

The Mote Aquarium

consists of three buildings

the aquarium an interac-

tive theatre and a separate

building that houses their

sea turtles dolphin (singu-

lar but wersquoll get into that)

and manatee collection all

of whom have been res-

cued or rehabbed at Mote

All the exhibits are laid

out with informative plac-

ards and each tank brings

different environments and

different fish and marine wildlife all with a story

to tell

Moray eels tanks full of floating jelly fish of

all types exotic fish we had never dreamed of and

some we simply had never seen in person were

there

In addition to the first building exhibits you can

learn about the giant squid and then move to the

shark area and ray along the way you will find a

few tanks where you can reach in and get to touch

a few of the locals

Mote also had a nice display on the Megalodon

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 15

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

ndash the prehistoric shark that was well over 50 feet long

with teeth as large as your fist

A quick walk across the parking lot brought us to the

building holding their other large exhibits

A few different sea turtles were swimming about as

well as Hugh and Buffett ndash two large and impressive

manatees

A large outdoor pool held lsquoMoonshinersquo Motersquos res-

ident dolphin who was rescued after it beached and

was found drying out and sunburned

He seems happy enough but personally we think he

needs a friend We were told that Mote is next on the

list for such a companion

While we visited Mote had a special attraction called

lsquoSurvivorsrsquo which featured some of the oddest marine and fresh water ani-

mals and the very unique way they survive in the wild ndash from deadly poison

to killer punches to simply looking like a rock and hoping for the best ndash it

was a fascinating display as was the entire aquarium

If you get hungry you can drop by their Deep Sea Diner where you can

enjoy dining al-fresco or inside the casual retro rsquo50s-style diner complete

with an old-fashioned soda fountain The lively cafeacute offers a fun affordable

family-style menu including chili and chowder burgers and dogs veggie

burgers and fresh salads chicken fingers and fries And donrsquot forget dessert

hand-dipped ice cream shakes amp sundaes

We thought wersquod spend a quick hour there but ended up happily spending

the afternoon

Mote might not be the biggest but it surely made up for its size with quality

and interesting and informative displays

Page 16 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 906-9292

Find Us on Facebook bull SportHondanet

hondacom UTILITY ATVs ARE RECOMMENDED FOR RIDERS 16 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER TRX90X IS RECOMMENDED ONLY FOR RIDERS12 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER RIDERS UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE MUST BE SUPERVISED BY AN ADULT ATVs CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO OPER-ATE ALL ATV RIDERS SHOULD TAKE A TRAINING COURSE (FREE FOR NEW BUYERS ASK YOUR DEALER OR CALL ASI AT 800-887-2887) ANDREAD THEIR OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND APPROPRIATE CLOTHING AVOID EXCESSIVESPEEDS AND BE CAREFUL ON DIFFICULT TERRAIN FOR YOUR SAFETY BE RESPONSIBLE NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGSOR ALCOHOL ON PAVED SURFACES ON PUBLIC ROADS WITH PASSENGERS OR AT EXCESSIVE SPEEDS NO STUNT RIDING RESPECT THEENVIRONMENT WHEN RIDING TRXreg and Rancherreg are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1114)

Whether itrsquos hard work

or time to play

Sport Honda has the

ATV to fit your lifestyle

Be prepared - Come in

Today for your

Winter utility needs

Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 491-2900

Find Us on Facebook bull CrossCountryPowersportscom

Cross Country Powersportsis now taking deposits for theNinja H2Rtrade and H2tradeExperience unforgettable supercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2trade motorcycle theworldrsquos only supercharged productionhypersport streetbike

The BridGewATer TriAnGle

is This The sTrAnGesT sPoT in The norTheAsT

Located just 30 miles south of Boston this 200-mile square area has the

Massachusetts towns of Abington Freetown and Rehoboth at its angles The

town of Bridgewater is located nearly dead center within the triangle and the

area also encompasses six other Massachusetts towns Raynham Taunton

Brockton Mansfield Norton and Easton including the Hockomock Swamp

It is known as the Bridgewater Triangle

It seems if it is paranormal weird or mysterious it has happened in the Tri-

angle of the years

Let us start with one of the

first odd things found in the

region

It was in this area that the

first officially documented

petroglyph in the United

States was found - Dighton

Rock This 40 ton boulder

was discovered by original

settlers and has always

caused questions and wonder

of who made these mysteri-

ous markings and why

In fact in 1690 Rev Cotton Mather described the rock in his book The

Wonderful Works of God Commemorated

ldquoAmong the other Curiosities of New-England one is that of a mighty

Rock on a perpendicular side whereof by a River which at High Tide covers

part of it there are very deeply Engraved no man alive knows How or When

about half a score Lines near Ten Foot Long and a foot and half broad filled

with strange Characters which would

suggest as odd Thoughts about them that

were here before us as there are odd

Shapes in that Elaborate Monumentrdquo

The boulder was moved in 1980 to the

museum in a nearby park Dighton Rock State Park in order to protect and

preserve this part of Americarsquos strange history

Strangely marked boulders were not the beginning of the mystery of the

Bridgewater Triangle

Years back a group of archeologists discovered a native burial mound on

Grassy Island in the swamp These graves were dated to 6000 BC

Strange lights have been

reported on this island and

across the triangle and one

of the first documented

UFO sighting came from

here when on May 10

1760 villagers in two

towns 50 miles away stared

in wonder at a ldquoSphere of

Firerdquo that slowly made its

way across the sky

The next day both townsrsquo newspapers reported the phenomena in their edi-

tions According to historical records the UFO emitted light bright enough

to cast a shadow in bright sunlight The sound made by the object ldquooddly

enough was heard sooner at the middle of the course it took than at the be-

ginningrdquo

You canrsquot really have such an eclectic gathering of odd in a place like this

in Mysterious America without a few good Yeti sightings

Over the years all sorts of ldquoSwamp Monstersrdquo have been sighted and in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 17

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

April 1970 it was reported that a ldquoBigfootrdquo

picked up a rear of a police car in which sat

two surprised police officers

Police dogs have been used time and again but

Bigfoot is an elusive fellow

I have always believed the Jersey Devil is a

Pterosaurs of some kind and here around the

Bridgewater Triangle huge black prehistoric-look-

ing birds with a wingspan of between eight and

twelve feet have been reported time and again in-

cluding a report by Norton Police Sergeant Thomas

Downy

Indian Curses abound as well and along Route

44 in Rehoboth lies the boulder known as Anawan

Rock It is said that it was here that the Wampanoag

chief Anawan surrendered to the colonists thus

ending King Philiprsquos War According to local be-

liefs the angry spirits of the warriors captured that

day continue to haunt the spot

Extremely large snakes and alligators have been

found in the swamp along with other creatures that are totally out of place

In the late 1800rsquos bones of a giant were unearthed

Every which way you look or travel in the area you will find something

strange In fact I have a quick list of odd things found in the

Bridgewater Triangle for you

Next time yoursquore looking to spend a few days exploring Mys-

terious America take a ride around the Bridgewater Triangle You

just might end up sending me an email telling me you spotted ahellip

OrsquoLife Out

Ten odd ThinGs found in The BridGewATer TriAnGle

1 The longest epitaph in the United States is located in a Rehoboth

cemetery A full 405 words

2 Three PT Barnum circus ldquofreaksrdquo hailed from here including

Middlebororsquos Tom Thumb and East Bridgewaterrsquos ldquoThe Human

Skeletonrdquo

3 The first boundary line in the United States is located in Abing-

ton at the Bridgewater Trianglersquos furthest most delineated northern

map point

4 A historic 40-foot tall Hood milk bottle in Raynham (now a

restaurant) is the (triplet) sister to famous the ldquoMilk Bottlerdquo at the

Boston Childrenrsquos museum

5 In 1906 bones of ldquoa giantrdquo were discovered in Middleboro

6 Alligators seals emu peacocks cow moose bears Africal

Sevral panthers and mountain lions have all been found in the

Bridgewater Triangle

7 There are both handprints and footprints imbedded into several

Bridgewater Triangle boulders handprints in Middleboro foot-

prints in Norton

8 Dighton Rock is the first documented petroglyph in the United

States

9 The chocolate chip cookie was invented in the happiest of ac-

cidents in the northern apex of the Bridgewater Triangle

10 The Bridgewater Triangle is host to the worldrsquos only shovel

museum located in Easton

Page 18 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

290 Route 100 West Dover VT800-745-3615 bull wwwgrayghostinncom

Motorcyclist-Friendly Destination LodgingLocated on Scenic Route 100 in Southern VermontHot breakfast cooked to order BYOB bar firepit hot tub game room and WiFi

Free Maps and Suggested Rides Group Special Packages5 restaurantsbars within walking distance bull On-site Group Dinners available

MemberWhen you canrsquot ride because of snow ride the snow

Guided Back-Country Snowmobile Toursin the Green Mountain National Forest

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

mounTAineer hoTel

31 eAsT second Avenue williAmson wv

304-235-2222 bull wwwmounTAineerhoTelcom

Laying right on the Tug Fork River across from the

Blue Grass state of Kentucky one will find the tiny town

of Williamson West Virginia Williamson has a long

history mostly revolving around the coal industry

Here you will find a rather large rail yard now part

of the Norfolk Southern built to service the many mines

found in and around this part of West Virginia and Ken-

tucky

In 1974 a United States Army Corps of Engineer

planner described the region as having the most severe

flooding problem in America

In 1977 after many days of steady hard rain the Tug

Fork and adjoining streams began

a constant and quick rise As had

happened in the past the town ex-

perienced incredible flooding

Today a floodwall protects

Williamson from future wet havoc

A huge part of this regionrsquos local

lore and history is the famed home

of the feud between the Hatfields

and McCoys probably the most

famous family fight in US history

The first event in the decades-

long feud was the 1865 murder of

Randolphrsquos brother Asa Harmon

McCoy by the Logan Wildcats a local militia group

that counted Devil Anse and other Hatfields among its

members Many peoplemdasheven members of his own

familymdashregarded Asa Harmon who had served in the

Union Army during the American Civil War as a trai-

tor While some have surmised that his murder set the

stage for the feud most historians now see this inci-

dent as a standalone event

Relations between the two families continued to

sour over the next decade before flaring again over a

seemingly small matter a dispute over a single hog

In 1878 Randolph McCoy accused Floyd Hatfield a

cousin of Devil Anse of stealing one of his pigs a

valuable commodity in the poor region Floyd Hat-

fieldsrsquos trial took place in McCoy territory but was

presided over by a cousin of Devil Anse It hinged on

the testimony of star witness Bill Staton a McCoy rel-

ative married to a Hatfield Staton testified in Floyd

Hatfieldrsquos favor and the McCoys were infuriated when

Floyd was cleared of the charges against him Two

years later Staton was violently killed in a fracas with

Sam and Paris McCoy nephews of Randolph Sam stood trial for the

murder but was acquitted for self-defense reasons

Things went south from there and an American legacy was born

In and around the town you will find much on this feud

In the center of town you will find The Coal House now the home

of the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce

Weighing in at 65 tons with 2 ft thick walls itrsquos the only coal house

made entirely of coal Built in 1933 it was designed by architect HT

Hicks from an idea by O W Evans It was constructed from blocks

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 19

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

of local seam coal donated by coal companies in the region

Right next door to The Coal House you will find the historic

Mountaineer Hotel The large classic-revival 5-story yellow-

glazed brick building dominates the center of town and offers

a look and reason to step back into the past

Built in 1925 the Mountaineer hotel has had its share of fa-

mous guests with JFK Paul Newman Jerry Lee Lewis Henry

Ford and others- including the great Soupy Sales - staying here

overnight

In fact all the rooms are named after famous and infamous

guests that have walked through its doors

Later in the evening we walked all five flights to see just

who did stay there

The main entrance leads to a large lobby and the front desk

with pigeonhole boxes for room keys and a teller window

French doors lead to the ballroom The hotel has 116 rooms

for guests a formal ballroom a lobby restaurant and sports bar

(which were not open this day) and the lower level has a num-

ber of games ndash including Fooz ball pool

and a large regulation-sized shuffle board

game that kept us occupied for about an

hour

Sometimes we find places from this era

a bit run down but the Mountaineer hotel

is a gem

Just one look at the grand lobby and you

will know this is true and with rooms less

than $75 for the night quite the deal too

We took Paul Newmanrsquos room and it

couldnrsquot have been nicer

Unpacking and strolling around town

which was quiet on a Monday night was a

pleasant distraction after a dayrsquos worth of

hard miles through the mountains of West

Virginia and Kentucky

When traveling around the United States

you can almost always find a chain hotel at

any exit or bigger town but why would you

want to when wonderful old beauties like

the Mountaineer Hotel in Williamson West

Virginia are around

Page 20 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Tony Lisanti

Eye protection for off road use consists of

the tried and true goggle The goggle

wraps around the helmet and seals to

your face in the helmet opening

Traditional goggles

consist of a urethane

based flexible frame

with various types of

foam material that

seal directly against

the forehead and cheeks

and nose keeping out wind and

dirt Being the helmet has a limited opening

goggles have had to fit inside this space limiting the field of vision

This type of goggle has been the norm for last half century with

all kinds of innovations in frame lens and foam materials

Enter ZOWA Optics Visor Goggles ZOWA Optics was founded

in 2013 Their goal is to offer unique goggles to off-road dirt bike

ATV and snowmobile riders The Vermont based company has

come up with a goggle that eliminates many of the drawbacks of

a traditional off road goggle The Visor Goggles are designed so

the upper half seals against the helmet rather than the forehead

The lower half of the goggle rests against the face By developing

the goggle in this way the field of view is dramatically increased and the

issue of having foam in contact with the skin on the forehead is eliminated

I had the opportunity to try out the Visor Goggles at a local practice track

recently The first thing I noticed was the size of the Visor Goggles They are

about twice the size of a traditional goggle They install on a helmet the same

way as traditional goggles except instead of resting against the forehead they

seal against the helmet under the visor Most noticeable was the lack

of ldquonose pinchrdquo and the vastly improved vision The Visor Goggle

drastically reduces the claustrophobic feel of traditional goggles as

there is more distance between the inside of the goggle and your face

The feel is more like an adventure helmet

After riding with them for an hour or two on an MX track I found

the improved field of vision to be a welcome change Riding with the

Visor Goggles allowed better vision up down and sideways I did no-

tice a bit more air coming in from the flow through design and from

underneath the seal against my check bones at speed During warm

weather this would be welcome in cold weather not so much Ad-

justing the strap tension has an affect on goggle to face contact Skin

contact with the typical sweatmudgrungefunk mix that gets en-

crusted on the foam is minimized since

the foam is resting against the helmet

rather than the forehead

They cleaned up well and showed no

signs of scratching on the lenses stain-

ing of the frames or discoloration de-

spite a liberal dosage of mud and water

The ZOWA Visor Goggle features in-

clude being rated for OTG (Over The

Glasses) by virtue of the greater clear-

ance between goggle and face a Hel-

met conformed design improved field

of view Lexan lens with anti-fog coating comfort foam and flow through

ventilation The strap features a silicon strip to help it stay put on the helmet

Accessory lenses and tear-off lenses are available All goggles come with a

micro fiber storage bag as well The off road goggles retail for $5800 and

are available in black red of cyan frame colors wwwzowaopticscom

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

BUILT BEYOND BELIEFINTRODUCING THE KAWASAKI

Come to Motorcycle Mall to reserve your Ninja H2trade

by December 19 and experience unforgettablesupercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2 motorcycle the worldrsquos onlysupercharged production hypersport streetbike

H2

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pantsgloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Mo-torcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environmentFor furher information regarding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 Specifi-cations subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspired R1 everFrom the advanced lsquorider activersquo electronicspackage to the powerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Supersport bike andfactory MotoGP has never been more blurred

COMPLETELY NEW

FROM THE TRACK UP

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 21

PRODUCT REVIEWZOWA OPTICS VISOR GOGGLES

Great All American Diner RunAs always wersquoll start with our most popular column the Great All American Diner Run Wait is it really We just might have a new fan fa-vorite but wersquoll save that till later First letrsquos take a look at the top three for GAADR 2014hellip

SECOND RUNNER UP bull RIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST2378 ROUTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770 bull 845-557-0097 bull RIVERUNNERSROOSTCOM

Route 97 along the scenic Delaware River has long been a favorite of motorcyclists for years and

over the years the road has seen a number of restaurants open their doors along its picturesque miles

The latest is the River Runnerrsquos Roost

Opened by Rich and Mary Codichini back in 2013 this place quickly became a favorite of ours

and many others They bill themselves as a barbeque steakhouse with a touch of Cajun and Italian

We call it phenomenal with one of the best barbeques in the region and gumbo to go to war over

If you havenrsquot tried the ldquoRoostrdquo then make plans for riding their way in the spring

FIRST RUNNER UP bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784 bull 603- 298-5515 bull 4ACESDINERCOM

Located just up the hill from the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River in the town of

Lebanon the Four Aces is the real deal A true Great All-American Diner Their

menu is huge interesting and delicious The ambience is pure Americana and the

roads leading to and from the Four Aces straddling Vermont and New Hampshire

are hard to top They have pro smokers going outside right along their picnic tables

but we found a seat at the counter worked just fine for us

Our only problem with Four Aces is that they are almost exactly 301 miles from

where we type this They should consider northern New Jersey

The Four Aces is a must see do and eat while in the Dartmouth region and just

missed out on our top honor for this yearrsquos vote

And so without further adohellip

1ST PLACE GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN 2014 bull FIVE ISLANDS LOBSTER COMPANY1447 5 ISLANDS RD GEORGETOWN ME 04548 bull 207-371-2990 bull FIVEISLANDSLOBSTERCOM

Location location location Besides have a superb down to Earth feel a great staff scrumptious food

and a wonderful coastal Maine flavor ndash The Five Islands Lobster Company has a serious location

Did we mention where it is

Located on a working fishing wharf it is surrounded by the ldquocoldest and deepest waters on the coastrdquo

There be some serious lobstarsquo lurking here abouts and it is best when they find their final way to

Five Islands You can have these big bugs anyway you like but we took a bullet for all of you and

went and ordered The Big Boy Stuffed with twice the amount of lobster meat than your average

lobster roll it was our pleasure to tackle this monster as best we could

Wait ndash just thinking of it all on this cold November day has us in a statehellip

They do serve a good number of other seafood favorites as well as more land-based standards but

who wants that when you can have the quintessential Maine treat on a wooden bench and table

alongside one of the prettiest bays in New England

This is why the Five Islands Lobster Company slid into the 1 spot in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

Big City GetawayBig City Getaway has always been about a great destination So many of

us roll the bikes out of the garage and then say ldquoWhere tordquo That is where this monthly favoritecomes in and here are our best of Big City Getaway 2015

2ND RUNNER UP bull MUSTANG FACTORYTOUR4 SPRINGFIELD STREET SUITE 1 THREE RIVERS MA 01080 bull 800-243-1392 bull MUSTANGSEATSCOM

They are one of the largest motorcycle seat manufacturers on the planet and they would be happy to show you around

We did a tour this last summer and found just how much talent vision and workmanship goes into creating some of

the most distinctive and comfortable motorcycle seats you can find

Page 22 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Best of Backroads 2014Once again this planet we ride has completed another lap around our sun and it is time for us to look back on the season and the veryBest of BackroadsIf we said 2013 was ldquointerestingrdquo we would be hard pressed to describe this past year of 2014For sure last year brought us thousands of great miles and lots of smiles interesting destinations and a few great Backroads Ralliesbut some darkness and loss along the journey for our Backroads family as wellStill looking back we had some phenomenal places we found stories we told and friends with which we have ridden The Italian poet Cesare Pavese said ldquoWe do not remember days we remember momentsrdquoThis year ndash 2014 ndash we had our share of moments Letrsquos look back at some in the Best of Backroads 2014

The tour is open to riding groups and takes a little over an hour and a half We recommend that you make an

appointment and guarantee you will have an informative and fun day with our friends at Mustang seats

1ST RUNNER UP bull COASTAL BOTANICAL GARDENS32 BOTANICAL GARDENS DR BOOTHBAY ME 04537 bull 207-633-4333 bull MAINEGARDENSORG

This project took nearly 17 years planning planting and building before its opening in June of 2007 and today

the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens comprises 270 acres of tidal shore land thousands of flowers plants

and botanical oddities Interspersed amongst the natural beauty you will find dozens of sculptures that

only add to an already stunning venue Rarely has a visitor spent some time at the Coastal Botanical

Gardens and not wanted to return as soon as possible

It is simple to see why this easily took our First Runner Up spot

1ST PLACE BIG CITY GETAWAY 2014 FIVE STAR GENERAL STORES bull NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY

This article from our October issue embodied a little bit of everything we might look for in a Big

City Getaway It had local history interesting stops (5 of them) food ice cream and it was all

woven together with some of the neatest roads in northern New Jersey ndash a riding jewel for those

who have never been so lucky Running along to five different and historic General Stores this day

trip just kept getting better Know that we just scratched the surface and that these General Stores from

the past can be found all around the nation But for this time around it was this adventure that was

called 1 for Big City Getaway 2014

(Note as of this printing the Stillwater General Store has closed but is still worth the ride-by for the

roads and historic value)

Wersquore Outta HereThe great thing that we riders have over the more boring people out there is that our tripsand adventures happen the moment we roll out of our driveways and onto the roadOvernight trips are like mini-vacations for the soul and are most likely the reason they sayyou never see a motorcycle outside a psychiatrist office unless it belongs to the shrinkWersquore Outta Here is all about that ndash places to go and enjoy whether it be a group coupleor on your ownLetrsquos see what we think were our top three for 2014

2ND RUNNER UP bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 E MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854 bull 814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGEPACOM

Shira found this hide-away full of coffee awesomeness when we were to attend the ALTRider adventure

ride early this summer in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania The lodge is part of the coffee house and

although the room we had was a tad small it was well thought out and just added to the coolness of the

entire place We had the Penns Creek Room with its lsquoloft-stylersquo bed and rock wall shower Each morning

the aroma from the coffee shop downstairs was like a Sirenrsquos call and had us highly motivated to carefully

spring out of bed (well it was a loft and there was a drop) There were also great muffins and cakes to go along with the coffee

Millheim is well located with a great combination of fantastic riding both paved and not and has a few eateries within strolling distance (compared to walking

or marching distance) We liked everything about the Triple Creek Lodge ndash the smell the flavor and the quirkiness

1ST RUNNER UP bull INDIAN ROCK INN2206 RIVER RD UPPER BLACK EDDY PA 18972 bull 610-982-9600 bull INDIANROCKINNCOM

GPS Download wwwsendspacecomprodlen7u7kAlong the PA-side of the Delaware River just north of Jerseyrsquos Milford in a place where the river

crooks dramatically and heads north for a bit you will find a great local treasure - the Indian Rock

Inn Tucked underneath what are called the Pennsylvania Palisades and along both river and old

canal the Indian Rock is the complete package

After a day of fun riding to and around the region you can park the bikes grab your room and

shower and make your way to the very friendly bar The Barking Dog Grab a cocktail and me-

ander to the very comfortable large porch take a seat and watch the world go by After the sun

sets a delicious gourmet meal is just steps away Perhaps a night cap and then upstairs to end a

prefect day With all that it is easy to see how the Indian Rock grabbed first runner up in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

1ST PLACEWErsquoRE OUTTA HERE 2014 bull QUODDY HEAD STATION823 SOUTH LUBEC RD LUBEC ME 04652 bull 877-535-4714 bull QUODDYVACATIONCOM

Most times we are all for suggesting you sleep in a bit longer at any of our Wersquore Outta Here destinations but here at Quoddy Head

Station we urge - no insist ndash that you get up before the dawn so you can be the first in the United States to see the sun rise over the At-

lantic from the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse - just a 2 minute ride to the east

Here in the most north and east point of the United States life does not get much better

The rooms and views cannot be beat and the surrounding area with its little coves Reversing Falls State Park Rooseveltrsquos Campobello

cottage (actually in Canada) and the very coastal Maine town of Lebec with its large number of seafood restaurants nautical shops and

vistas are hard to beat anywhere else in the world When we travelled in the area

we rode under a giant orange full moon that rose over the bay at low tide

It was eerie and stunning all at the same time

One of those moments we talked about earlier Quoddy Head Station has to be one

of the most interesting and geographically perfect places we have traveled to in

many years and easily made its way to the 1st place spot for Wersquore Outta Here 2014

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 23

Mysterious AmericaAlways one of the perennial favorites for our readers is the odd wacky and off-beat destinations that our own Dr Seymour OrsquoLife brings

to us each month This year was no different and the choices to be made for the TopThree were very tight for the good doctor but undaunted our hero carried on and cameup with the short list So letrsquos get to it

2ND RUNNER UP bull ISLE OFWIGHT COUNTY MUSEUM103 MAIN ST SMITHFIELD VA 23430 bull 757-356-1223 bull HISTORICISLEOFWIGHTCOM

You remember this place ndash home of the Worldrsquos Oldest Ham It belonged to PD Gwaltney Jr

It had its beginnings in 1902 when a cured ham was accidentally hung from rafters in one Gwaltneyrsquos

houses until it was discovered by workers By 1924 the pet ham was kept in an iron safe which was

opened daily for guests to view Advertised as the worldrsquos oldest Smithfield ham Gwaltney fashioned

a brass collar for the ham and took it to shows and expos to exhibit the preservative powers of his

smoking method The ham was featured in Ripleyrsquos ldquoBelieve It Or Notrdquo in 1929 1932 and 2003 and

more importantly in Backroads in May of 2014 For sure the museum holds so much more but Sey-

mour could never get past the ham Neither could we

1ST RUNNER UP bull THE CULPER SPY RINGThis was the first multi-month piece by the minions of mystery and we spent three

full months searching for the real story on George Washingtonrsquos Culper Spy Ring

From its beginning with the hanging of Nathan Hale in what is now mid-town Man-

hattan to the desolation of being held on a prison ship in an East River Bay in Brook-

lyn - where we had the largest battle of our Revolutionary War Then on to the Culper

Spies themselves and the web they wove from Setauket Long Island across the

Sound to Connecticut and into New York and Philadelphia These men and woman

(nobody really knows who this lady was) changed the course of history It was then

onto treachery traitors and sex ndashwith the story of Benedict Arnold his wife Peggy

Shippen and her lover Major John Andrersquo and our own West Point Escape capture

and the gallows all played a part in this true story of our local American history

Mysterious Americarsquos history has never been so much fun

1ST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2014 bull THE TRANS-ALLEGHENY LUNATIC ASYLUM71 ASYLUM DR WESTON WV 26452 bull 304-269-5070 bull TRANS-ALLEGHENYLUNATICASYLUMCOM

When we first rode up to this massive 27-acre facility Shira who had no idea where or why we were there shook her head and simply asked why

The asylum stands like a monstrous stone beast dominating the ground It is the second largest hand-hewn bluestone building on the planet with only Russiarsquos

Kremlin surpassing it But it is the feel and aura that surround and linger around this building

that will tell you the real story of the place

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum also known as the We-

ston State Hospital was a Kirkbride psychiatric hospital that

operated from 1864 until 1994 Like many Kirkbridge hospi-

tals it started out with a noble idea but soon became overrun

with patients lack of proper care and some of the saddest and

scariest tales were heard here on the tour The place is massive and to walk the halls would literally take miles

The place is reportedly full of ghosts and very bad things from the other side One look at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

and you will have a hard time denying that claim Shira will never go back and it was one of the few times that she was seriously

ldquocreeped outrdquo Her words ndash not ours

With that being said you surely must agree that a visit to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum easily ranks as our 1st place for

our Mysterious America 2014

MomentsIt was April 10 of this past year when the phone here at Backroads rang Answering it I could hear the voice of a friend Dave on the farend ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo I asked ldquohow are yourdquoDaversquos voice trembled and broke ldquoJeff Bahr was killed today on his bikerdquoIn that moment everything stopped It remained stopped for a long time Sometimes it still doesA month or so later well after Jeffrsquos service and cremation Shira and I found ourselves at the spot where this happened We talked tothe young man who was tending his barbecue pit which he was stoking for the dayrsquos lunch He was there when the driver pulled out ofhis general storersquos parking lot without even a glance He sadly but kindly told us of that momentJeff had simply been riding down a wide country road when an 86-year old man pulled out in front of him Although rubber on the roadshowed Jeff tried to avoid the car it was too little too late and he was killed on impactI have no idea what happened to the old man after this event But regardless he has to live with his inattentiveness and actions for therest of his life So do many of usWe do not remember days we remember momentsThat day was made up of a moment we will never forgetThe weekend I wrote this Jeff if hersquod survived would have been 57 He would have had dozens more stories made us laugh a dozenmore times would have made this magazine a dozen times betterJeff I hope you know that so many of us miss you so muchTo you all enjoy and savor all your moments Life is made up of them and eventually one of those moments will hurt

Page 24 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Shirarsquos Ice Cream RunLast year we introduce a semi-monthly some of the time if she felt like it column ndashShirarsquos Ice Cream Run It seems to everybody but the red head that this column hasbecome a huge hit and we have had more comments and suggestions for the IceCream Runs than anything else within memory So think sweet creamy and cold andletrsquos see what Shira thought were on the top three stops of 2014rsquos Ice Cream Runs

2ND RUNNER UP bull HOLSTENrsquoS CONFECTIONARY1603 BROAD ST BLOOMFIELD NJ 07003 bull 973-338-7091 bull WWWHOLSTENSCOM

Immortalized on celluloid in the Sopranosrsquo final episode Holstenrsquos Confectionary has so much more

to offer than their souvenir t-shirts from said show A true old-time ice cream parlor Holstenrsquos home-

made ice cream and confections will win the hearts of any true lover of sweets Taking a seat at the

counter should bring back memories of visits to Woolworthrsquos and once the delicious dairyness is

placed in front of you complete with homemade whipped cream you will think you are in a

dream Holstenrsquos has the whole package ndash premium product comfortable setting and take-home

delights With its 2nd Runner Up status truly one of my favorites of this yearrsquos ice cream stops

1ST RUNNER UP bull CAYUGA LAKE CREAMERY8421 NY 89 INTERLAKEN NY 14847 bull 607-532-9492 bull WWWCAYUGALAKECREAMERYCOM

Nestled in the idyllic Finger Lakes the Cayuga Lake Creamery offers up some of the most in-

ventive flavors Irsquove seen including wine ice cream and sorbet (best of both worlds Irsquod say)

Sitting on their outdoor deck savoring your Maple Bacon or Lavender cone on a warm summer

day ndash what could be better than that

While the Finger Lakes may not offer the most challenging of rides the scenery is beautiful and

the gorges are well gorgeous I canrsquot think of a much better day than meandering around the

Fingers with a late afternoon stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery Their 14 butterfat mixture and only the best of locally sourced

ingredients produce some of the finest creamiest ice creams around Do yourself a favor and spin your wheels to this part of

NY state for a weekend of indulgence as their terrific flavors will keep you coming back day after day

1ST PLACE SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN bull HALLrsquoS HOMEMADE ICE CREAM861 RACCOONVALLEY RD MILLERSTOWN PA 17062

717-589-3290 bull WWWHALLSICECREAMCOM

I found this gem in the middle of the Alleghenies while Brian was off riding in the forest with the

ALTRider group Having grabbed the 1st Place spot in this yearrsquos Ice Cream Run you know Hallrsquos

Homemade Ice Cream and Dairy has to be something pretty special

While their flavor offerings may not be as exotic as Cayuga Lake the quality is heavenly Their

signature flavor and one I had not tasted before is their honey ice cream coming in a variety of

mixtures such as chocolate butter pecan and my personal favorite cinnamon Hallrsquos has a couple

of outdoor tables where you can take in the full dairy effect while licking your cone If that is too

overwhelming they have a very nice indoor seating area complete with air conditioning

The riding in this part of Pennsylvania is quite exciting with elevation changes sweepers and

twisties and for those desiring an off-road adventure plenty of woodlands to test your knobbies

What do all three of these winners have in common other than fantastic ice cream They are all

open all year long so if you happen to be out and about in Bloomfield NJ Interlaken NY or Miller-

stown PA make sure you plan a stop at one of the top three spots on Shirarsquos 2014 Ice Cream Run

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 25

Rip amp Ridereg bull RIVER RUNNERS ROOST2378 RTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770

845-557-0097 bull WWWRIVERRUNNERSROOSTCOMSEASONAL HOURS - CALL BEFORE HEADING OUT

CR 560 IN SUSSEX COUNTY NJCROSS DINGMANS BRIDGE bull $1 TOLLSTRAIGHT ON RTE 739RIGHT AT MILFORD RDLEFT AT RAYMONDSKILL RDCROSS OVER I-84HARD LEFT ON US 6QUICK RIGHT ONTOTWIN LAKES RDRIGHT AT RTE 434CROSS RIVER TO NEWYORKRIGHT AT RTE 97 SOUTHRIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST DOWN ROAD ON LEFT HAND SIDE

Rip amp Ridereg bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784603- 298-5515 bull WWW4ACESDINERCOM

GPS DOWNLOAD WWWSENDSPACECOMPRODLXXTWXB90-MILE ONEWAY ROUTE FROM THEWEST DOVER VERMONT REGION

BIG BEARS LODGE GRAY GHOST AND KITZHOF INN

RTE 100 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT RTE 35RIGHT AT RTE 121LEFT AT RTE 5CROSS INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE ndash ARCH BRIDGELEFT AT RTE 12 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 120LEFT AT RTE 4 WEST LEBANONFOUR ACES DOWN ON THE LEFT

TAylorrsquos ice creAm PArlor

18 e mAin sT chesTer nJ bull 908-879-5363

What to do on the first sub-freezing day in November Go for ice cream

of course I was hanging out with the good doctor OrsquoLife and best friend

Brian when OrsquoLife told us of this place that grows telephone poles Having

my doubts about most of what OrsquoLife tells me I asked him to prove it So

off we went to the quaint little town of Chester New Jersey

After a pleasant lunch at the Publick House complete with real wood

burning fireplace we trekked down the road a piece found said telephone

pole farm (for another column of course) and started our return to Back-

roads Central Lo and behold right before the turn onto Route 206 there

sat Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor in the nicest old building on the block We

got our spot and headed in to find well no one but Justin in a very toasty

old fashioned ice cream parlor I do think that he was surprised to see us

or anyone on such a cold day

Taylorrsquos has apparently been an ice cream institution in

Chester for the last 50 years or so founded by Mr Earle G

Taylor Sr who just passed this August Taylorrsquos was the vic-

tim of fire some time in 2013 and was closed for a good 8

months before reopening in the same spot with applause

from their long-time fans and customers Their ice cream is

all home made and always has been On a hot summer day

you will no doubt be lined up out the door and down the

block to get this tasty treat but Irsquom certain you will find it

worth the wait I think their pricing is quite reasonable for

the size scoop they dip and if you are like me and want a sam-

pling of several flavors they offer Kiddie Scoops at $195

each ndash a flight of ice cream sounds like the perfect end-of-

ride relaxation

We perused the two very full ice cream boards and poured

over the cabinets before making our decisions With close to

50 listed flavors what was a girl to do without minions to help her taste test We finally settled on chocolate hazelnut toasted coconut salted caramel and

vanilla fudge brownie I pretty much always opt for a cup as I savor my ice cream and it would run down my arm before I was even close to finishing but I was

almost tempted by their pretzel cone What is so great about Taylorrsquos cones is the plastic drip cup in which they reside both sanitary and mess-preventing

Page 26 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

TOWN amp COUNTRYC Y C L E C E N T E R

115 Route 23N bull Hamburg NJ bull 973-875-2111wwwtownandcountrycyclecentercom

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIYamahacom bull 516-935-6969

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE

SPORT TOURERIntroducing the most performancepower versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle From commutingand exploring backroads to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaharsquos un-mistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

While enjoying our treats we savored

the deacutecor of this very pleasant parlor Sev-

eral tables to enjoy your ice cream clip-

pings of newspaper articles school

paraphernalia and something that has no

place in an ice cream parlor an old-fash-

ioned fortune telling scale This couldnrsquot

possibly still be functioning could it Ac-

cording to Justin yes it was How could we

resist In went our pennies and up popped

our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked

the weight numbers) Brianrsquos read lsquoYou are

not overbearing but generally have things

your wayrsquo Wow I couldnrsquot wait to see if

mine was as accurate ldquoYou look to the fu-

ture rather than the pastrsquo So true

Back to the ice cream ndash it

was heavenly We all agreed

that the salted caramel was the

overall winner having the per-

fect balance of salt and

caramel with the best creamy

texture The toasted coconut

was very flavorful with lots of

coconut bits the chocolate

hazelnut was very dark and

creamy and mixed with the coconut made the perfect almond-free almond

joy The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole but cer-

tainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store

I believe Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round but if yoursquore head-

ing over during the winter months give them a call to make sure Enjoy the

winter and remember itrsquos never too cold to eat ice cream

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield PA

215-712-7433 bull wwwBMWMotorcyclescom

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

THE NEW R 1200 RA POWERFUL STATEMENT

Our newest boxer roadster has one missiondominate the streets in style The R 1200 Ris designed to blend comfort precisehandling and pure riding excitementhellipin one head-turning machine

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW R 1200 RSTHRILLING COMFORT

The new R 1200 RS is perfectly balancedcombining optimal wind and weather protectionwith powerful performance and controlPutting you in an unparalleled position toexplore the road - and your own limits

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW S 1000 RRWELCOME TO THENEW PLANET POWER

The S 1000 RR has been completely revisedThe results in its origins a genuine Double RRon the road a new supersports machine thatwill once again set the benchmark in its class

UNSTOPPABLE SPORT

WHAT lsquoRrsquo YOU WAITING FORCome to Montgomeryville Cycle Center to see the full line of 2015 BMW Motorcycles products and apparel

We have everything yoursquoll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever

Motorcyclepedia the northeastrsquos

premier motorcycle museum will

be holding its Speaker Series again

this winter with various riders and

orators covering topics ranging

from world touring to tips on avoiding tickets and an in depth look at GPS

technology and todayrsquos motorcycling

Backroadsrsquo own Brian amp Shira will start the series off with a talk on Jan-

uary 17 on lsquoThe Big Fiversquo motorcycle destinations around the planet along

with planning and touring around the United States and the world

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who

will help clear the fog about Garmin GPSrsquos and how their BaseCamp program

works along with how to create and export your own personal routes

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on ldquoEverything you need to know

on Motorcycles and the Lawrdquo - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper po-

lice procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists

Seth Simpson of Motorcycle training Solutions will be giving a seminar

on Rider Training

Motorcyclistmoto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about

Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys

Look for a Womenrsquos Riding Panel with some well-known female motor-

cyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing todayrsquos women

riders This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and

beginning women riders

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months

and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to

enlighten

Wersquoll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page

as soon as they are etched in stone

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh New York in the

riding heart of the Hudson Valley

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 27

A DAY AT THE MUSEUMlsquoSPEAKER SERIESrsquo RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Frankrsquos MotorcycleSales amp Service

120 Center RoadEssex VT 05451

802-878-3930wwwFranksMotorcycleSalescomBMWhtm

Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY845-357-1190

wwwLocomotionPowersportscom

LOCOMOTION POWER-

SPORTS138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY

845-357-1190

Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

SUSSEX MOTORSPORTS446 Route 23 bull Sussex NJ bull Located across from the AampP Shopping Plaza

973-875-3640 bull wwwsussexmotorsportsnjcombull Family OwnedOperated in Northwest NJ bull Near the NYPA border

bull Wide selection of onoff road apparel jackets helmets gloves and boots

bull Qualified Service Technicians with over 30 years combined experienceto perform all your Yamaha authorized service

Wheel Sport Center Inc399 HUGUeNOT ST bull NeW ROCHeLLe NY

9146367235 bull WheelSportCenternet

JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

2015 Kawasaki Concoursreg14 ABSThe ultimate backroad SuperSport Tourer

The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 491-2900

wwwCrossCountryPowersportscom

Visit us at the NY Boat ShowJan 21-25 bull Javits Center

NJ Boat Sales amp ExpoFeb 20-23

NJ Conv amp Expo Ctr Edisonfor Exclusive Show Specials

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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memBer

memBer

Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

JDS CYCLE PARTSeST 1988

247 W Westfield Ave Rosell Park NJ908-245-2445

bull Parts amp Accessories

bull Award-winning Service

bull Performance Work

bull Dyno Tuning

bull SampS Pro Tuning Center

bull Power CommanderTuning Center

American bull Metric bull Sport

Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

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All In One Tool

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Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

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Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

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Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

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2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

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2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 4: January 2015 Backroads

AnTiciPATion

For such a long time now every time you

go Googling or Facebooking there is some

new rage in video hoping to lsquogo viralrsquo They

range in subject from the ever-present cute

animal adorable child or wacky antic to the

more disturbing stunt gone horribly wrong

animal attack or flash mob or protest While

I try my best to stay away from clicking on

these moments of lsquoentertainmentrsquo Brian

will lovingly interrupt my day to share them

with me From across the office I am able

to selectively watch the parts that inter-

est me and turn away from those that

bother me

Not only does it baffle me to see some

of the awful and feckless use of onersquos

time but the utter insanity that anyone

would choose to video some of these sit-

uations rather than help right them Of

course the most recent submission to these selfish bits of celluloid or more

accurately CloudSpace is the footage from the lsquoprotestsrsquo of late Not only

are these people destroying peoplersquos businesses and in some cases maiming

human beings they are seeing it through a 3-inch screen as if it were hap-

pening in another dimension without a thought of lending a hand to stop the

madness

What Irsquod love to see lsquogo viralrsquo are

the selfless acts that take place on a

constant basis the brave man who

entered the burning building to carry

out a stranger the people who band

together to lift the crashed vehicle

off the trapped driver the scenes of

veterans homecomings

One viral video that I did watch

which brought a tear to my eye was

entitled lsquoLetrsquos Ride Motorcyclesrsquo

Itrsquos been making the rounds for

quite some time and may have even

been mentioned before in these pages It is the story of several Taiwanese

men friends for life who have gotten to the age when inactivity and loss of

dreams may take away any will to go on Instead they get fed up with playing

cards all day catering to their individual illnesses and missing out on life and

decide to take one last ride on their ancient motorcycles They do it for their

youth for the missing friends who cannot join them and probably just for

the joy of riding again If you havenrsquot seen it you can

find it here

wwwyoutubecomwatchv=xZ15mbuE_pw

There is so much emphasis on social media these

days itrsquos hard to say when the folks taking part in this

phenom actually get out on their motorcycles The ad-

dition of video and special mounts for electronic devices

for the motorcycle have made it so easy to capture the

daily ride the amazing new twisty road discovered the

cross-country trek or off-road adventure and share it al-

most instantaneously with not only your immediate

friends but the rest of the world Irsquom not immune ndash no

doubt those of you who check the Backroads Facebook

or Instagram pages have seen posting from our road

trips ice cream runs and Backroads Rallies In todayrsquos

publishing world the push towards digital media is

overwhelming I wish I had a nickel for everyone who

has said lsquoprint is deadrsquo Irsquod be able to buy that new

Kawasaki H2R

Being able to get instant news see the newest motor-

cycle releases before they even hit the dealers and get

weather at the touch of a button (well that one IS pretty

great) has made anticipation a thing of the past I know

Irsquove heard from many of our readers who say the day

they open the mailbox and see the latest issue of Back-

roads there is always a great one (thank you) I have to

admit although I donrsquot consider myself a luddite I do

miss reading about a new book coming out and then ac-

tually going to a book store to purchase it rather than

one-clicking on Amazon and having it the next day I

miss anticipation

Right now with the winter settling in I am starting

to pull out the maps and travel books to plan the amaz-

ing rides wersquoll be taking this year Irsquoll double check the

pages that Irsquove dog-earred before to see that the lodg-

ings eateries and such are still in business Irsquoll read the

latest travel magazines for inspiration and talk to fellow

riders for suggestions Most of all Irsquoll anticipate pulling

out my motorcycle from its winter seclusion throwing

my leg over the saddle and setting off on a brand new

adventure

W H A T C H A T H I N K I N rsquoSHIRA KAMIL

Page 4 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

We are building our 2015 Upcoming Events Calendar

Please send your event information as early as possible

for maximum exposure See our website for form and

email to editorbackroadsusacom

A TArdis in TArrAnT counTy

Time in case you havenrsquot noticed is a very big

deal As a concept it can give you a headache and

as a unit we measure it insures a uniform chronol-

ogy of events (and helps insure group rides and lunch start at some kind of

agreed upon moment) Therefore I think itrsquos safe to say it is pretty indispen-

sable But man it does take its toll on you as it passes It can also really make

you dig deep into your psyche when you exam-

ine that odd thing called the past It manages to

do this all while telling where you are in the

present and make you plan for the future But

itrsquos the past and its powerful ponderables that

can disrupt our concept of reality the most so

allow me to share a recent time-related journey

to illustrate the wild ride life often takes us on

This is an adventure that goes down roads that

are fresh yet have in fact been travelled before

The occasion was my niecersquos wedding in Ft Worth

Texas shortly after Thanksgiving This trip was one of those

non-bike car-based adventures for neither the Triumph or

the Honda would fit in the handsome twin-engined Em-

braerrsquos overhead bins and time was very short The wedding

party decided to have the ceremony in Cowtown as the bride

and groom met at Texas Christian University and it just so hap-

pens yours truly spent his formative years in this same city long ago when

liquid cooling on motorcycles was quite exotic and some phones not only

had cords but rotary dials as well Most of the places Irsquove lived have changed

much over the years so I found it rather incredible that Ft Worth seemed

like much of the city was frozen in time Either that or I had somehow re-

turned to a past life where superficial things had changed yet the basics were

exactly in the same state I left them when I departed the territory This time-

shift really got rolling as I was driving back to my old neighborhood and I

noticed the weather for having left a New England winter I found myself

surrounded by a Texas one This seasonal variation in the South usually

means an extension of summer with more overcast and fewer AC water

puddles at intersections (and the odd temporary blast of cold air) Shortly

after arriving in the West Side of Ft Worth I saw a chap riding an lsquo80s Honda

Nighthawk S that looked identical to the one my college roommate had and

still one of the best-sounding Inline Fours Irsquove ever ridden Many of the roads

that I knew so well were still around and relatively well-preserved but it was

sad to realize a few had grown unfriendlier to motorcycles A serpentine

stretch I used to blast down with abandon now

is maimed by speed bumps and not only are

these big enough to cause Chassis Upset (CU)

they were damn hard to see even in broad

daylight My co-driver was often spurred to

sing out a warning to prevent our heads from

hitting the headliner

Unlike so many towns and cities I used to

live in when I returned to Ft Worth a surpris-

ing number of businesses were still around in

their original locations This means one way or the other

they has survived for decades which I thought was as-

tounding given the turnover in other places Irsquove lived

The memories seeing these places stirred up was amaz-

ing and I went in to true Time Machine mode as I got

flashbacks from roads I hadnrsquot been on in 30 years and

started remembering in great detail the machines I was

riding at the time A set of railroad tracks in a lonely section of road out by

Benbrook used to make the rear tire of my V45 Magna dance and I could

damn near feel the sensation even though this time I was driving a 2015 Prius

The old Weatherford Traffic circle (which was and is an enormous round

(Continued on page 12)

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

BILL HeALD

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 5

new Girl in Town

I never meant it to happen ndash but it did She stood out amidst the others

smaller and dressed differently a waif a trifle goth with prominent attractive

tattoos looking fresh but a little worldly She was definitely out of place

among the tiffany-clad society girls like Courtney Love at a PTA meeting

and she was therefore interesting She sulked like shersquod rather be anyplace

but sitting under the awning of a bike shop So I did what any pudgy gray-

haired over-fifty guy would do I went over In a short time a price was

mentioned and she came home with me And that is how I ended up with a

Stardust Pearl White 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 650

I love middleweights and my naked SV650 is a

stone blast especially at VIR I had so much fun

there in June that Irsquove been looking for a fully-

faired sportbike ever since Enter the Ninja

When I first saw the bike and sat on it the look

and feel were so cuddly that I thought it was an

excellent starter and commuter Though the body-

work says ldquosportrdquo the high tubular handlebar and

realistically ergonomic pegs say ldquostreetrdquo Seeing

it at the shop a female friend walked up sat down

on it and said ldquoItrsquos cute it needs a lsquoHello Kittyrsquo

stickerrdquo But hello THIS kitty is a cheetah

Thanks to my friends at Mortonrsquos BMW I left their Oktoberfest for a long

sunny Saturday afternoon test ride through historic Virginia country roads

and came back enchanted The riding position is more aggressive than a

standard but the high rubber-mounted bars keep the chiropractor (and vi-

brations) away The fuel injection is spot-on producing flat torque at any

RPM The brakes are very good although more exploration of their potential

is required in a less public environment The transmission is clarified butter

Even the OEM-spec Dunlop Roadsmart tires are just that ndash smart and confi-

dence-inspiring Both the clutch and brake levers are adjustable a nice touch

on a price-point bike The display is a combination of digital speed and ana-

log tach which is good but Irsquod rather have a gear position display than the

silly ldquoECOrdquo indicator that comes on at low RPMs ndash itrsquos my mission to keep

that thing off

Aesthetically the bike is a winner I normally look up comparison articles

and reliability numbers especially on a used bike but I bought this bike on

looks and ride alone and did my research post-hoc Turns out the seat of

my pants and my eye were right on the money the magazines and blogs gush

about it It has just the right amount of plastic to be faired without looking

Fischer Price and the asymmetric horizontal shock and underslung pipe

complete the sporty visage One change to aesthetics will be an RampG Racing

ldquotail tidyrdquo to get rid of all the crap governments make them hang off the back

The suspension adjustments amount to rear preload only and itrsquos too firm

on a bumpy road but considering what I paid for this bike used I can get

Klaus at EPM to sell me a ldquoStreet Boxrdquo com-

plete suspension upgrade for both the forks

and rear shock that will improve not only the

ride but the control (which already isnrsquot bad)

If I really feel the need an aftermarket ex-

haust system will shave 20 lb off the weight

and add a couple HP and my total investment

in suspension and tuning is only $1500 A

set of Dunlop Q3rsquos will be installed after I

wear out the Roadsmarts and this bike will be

on the trailer next to the SV when I head to

VIR next June

The great thing is in the meantime the

Kawasaki tail pack and SW Motech tank bag will let me fling this beauty

down my secret back roads to work and arrive with my cookies unbroken

Plus like my SV I donrsquot ever see outgrowing it The lady who made the

ldquoHello Kittyrdquo comment is already lobbying to ride it and I will honor that

request unlike the inline-four ZX-6R Ninja the vertical-twin Ninja 650 is

flexible comfortable and user-friendly enough that I have no doubt she can

handle it I also have no doubt that itrsquoll do 120 MPH down the front straight

at VIR and handle well enough to make me laugh after just a bit of suspension

work And her name ldquoKunoichirdquo of course or ldquoKunordquo for short

O N T H E M A R KMARK BYeRS

Page 6 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

CROSS COUNTRY BMW911 Middlesex Avenue Metuchen NJ

Serving Central and North NJ

Staten Island NY and Philadelphia PA

732-635-0094 bull wwwCCBMWcom

While BMW has spent 90 years producing some of the

best motorcycles in the world wersquove spent 15 years

providing you with the latest and best in BMW products

like the all-new S 1000 XR and F 800 R

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

CROSS COUNTRY DUCATIFactory Authorized Sales and Service

911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ 08840

7326350094 bull wwwcrosscountrycyclenet

Shop our large selection for the latest in

Ducati Performance parts apparel and accessories

More than a new bike itrsquos a whole new world

choPsTicks And BAr-risers

The first time I saw a Touratech Bar Riser for the BMW

R1200GS I thought ldquoWhat a great idea A cool way to put

chopsticks down while your eating Asian food and donrsquot

want to lay them down Awesome Finallyrdquo

So there I was enjoying my Chicken Pad Thai when one

of my co-workers approached me and said ldquoHey man

yoursquore not using that thing rightrdquo

ldquoWhat do you do with itrdquo I asked

ldquoIrsquom pretty sure itrsquos for hanging really heavy artrdquo he said

ldquoIt holds better than one of those hanging kits You could

probably hang a sculpture on the wall if you wantedrdquo

ldquoNo not artrdquo interjected another co-worker ldquoThink

about it We work at a place that makes accessories for mo-

torcycles Why would we make something that holds art or

chopsticks Chopsticks Come on guys itrsquos obvious what

that thingrsquos forrdquo

ldquoWhatrdquo We said

ldquoWell itrsquos for hanging your gear You can bolt it

to the wall and itrsquoll hold a hanger with all of your

riding gear on it If you bolt one on top of the other

itrsquoll hold your helmet toordquo he replied and held the

thing up to the wall

That sounded right It had to be something to do

with motorcycles Chopstickshellip Well that was just

silly but hey Irsquom just the marketing guy I donrsquot

know as much about the intricacies of motorcycle

parts as our customer service people

As I was walking to my car there were a few guys

outside the office and they were tying down a V-

Strom 1000 They had the straps just about tight-

ened and I noticed that they were fastening the straps to

cleats in the bed of the truck The cleats looked a little

flimsy and I suggested they switch them out with the bar

risers in my hand (I didnrsquot know they were bar risers at

the time) I truly thought Irsquod figured out the mystery of

those brushed aluminum pieces of German Technology

Tie down loops Yes

The guys in the truck laughed at me (Irsquom used to that

being the novice rider at the office)

ldquoDonrsquot you know what these arerdquo one of them asked

and I handed them over

ldquoI guess notrdquo I said

ldquoYou bolt them to the front of your footpegsrdquo he said

ldquoIt gives you more surface and stability and they make it

easy to scrape mud off your bootsrdquo

He showed me on the V-Strom in the truck what he was

talking about I didnrsquot see any bolt holes

ldquoI donrsquot think sordquo I said ldquoWe already have our lsquoWorksrsquo

footpegs Theyrsquore really widerdquo

ldquoI think I know what Irsquom talking aboutrdquo the

Suzuki riding stranger said ldquoIrsquove owned bikes my

whole life Irsquove seen those things used Theyrsquore

called footpeg enhancersrdquo

I didnrsquot feel like having a debate It was starting

to rain so I put my precision-crafted motorcycle es-

sentials in my briefcase and went home It was Fri-

day I had dinner plans and I had a lot to do over the

weekend When I got home I left the bar risers sit-

ting on my kitchen table

Saturday came and I was doing a bunch of yard

work and cleaning out the barbecue Summer was

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 7

THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD Words by Matt Lewis bull Photos by Morgan Goldbloom

ebbing but it was still pleasantly warm in Seattle and I was warm so I headed

in for something to drink I could hear my wife and son playing in the living

room as I opened the cabinet to grab a glass Something physically felt dif-

ferent I my hand

I closed the cabinet and there it was The handle of my kitchen cabinet had

been replaced with 15mm of rock-solid engineering genius My wife had

used the bar risers (I still didnrsquot know they were bar risers) to replace my

kitchen fixtures All of them

They looked awesome and I didnrsquot have the heart to tell her to take them

down so when I went back to work on the following Monday I had to buy

them A lot more experimentation went into finally discovering the actual

use of the bar risers I suppose I could have asked someone else at work but

I wanted to figure it out myself

Here is what I know you can do but shouldnrsquot do with Touratech Bar Ris-

ers for the Water-Cooled R1200GS and GSA

bull Put them in the microwave

bull Bolt them together and wear as a ring

bull Make wind chimes (they donrsquot have good pitch)

bull Wear as earrings (my wife couldnrsquot get the bolt through

the hole in ear)

bull Use as a baby teething device (donrsquot ask)

bull Throw at an attacker (long story but trust me They wonrsquot

slow him down)

bull Open a bottle of beer

So what have I learned Well obviously the Touratech

Bar Risers for the Water-Cooled R1200GS and GSA come

in three sizes (15mm 25mm and 40mm) They are de-

signed to create optimum comfort with minimal labor and

raising the bar height results in a more upright position

which can relieve neck and back strain

Riders around the world swear by bar-risers and they

can make your bike a better fit easily and economically

hellipand you can bolt them to your bathroom wall to

hold your toothbrushes

Matt Lewis is Marketing Manager at Touratech-USA

CycoActive Inc You can see all their products and

some they donrsquot even know they have at

wwwtouratech-usacom

Cycle Motion is your provider of motorcycles ATVs scooters

snowmobiles and utility vehicles by Kawasaki Suzuki Polaris

Yamaha and Can-Am With a large parts department qualified

service technicians and a full shop full of parts and accessories

were here to meet all your power sport needs

For every rider - on or off road whether they like doing it

in the dirt carving the twisties or cruising the backroads

we have their weapon of choice

1269 DOLSONTOWN RD

MIDDLETOWN NY 10940

845-343-2552 bull WWWCYCLEMOTIONINCCOM

Page 8 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Backroads

Just wanted you to know that Joe Fencz from

Charliersquos Pool Room past away October

15th John the brother and cook called me to

tell me when the funeral services were I didnrsquot

have any idea Joe was even sick He had pancre-

atic cancer and has been battling it for a year

The Pool Room has been closed for about a

year now because the grill has to be updated to

new codes and was shut down A lot of people

have been helping them out to get them up and

running again I attended the service a few weeks

agohellipwhen Joe was alive I did not know much about him other than we

was a very nice kind outgoing person At his funeral many people told stores

about him and you got to know him after it was too late The funeral parlor

was packed

I talked with brother John to encourage him to open the store again I of-

fered him financial assistance as well as business advice There were a lot of

other people there that wanted John to open the store againhellipwe will see He

did not seem to want to do it

I snapped this picture I saw at the wake It looks like a 1930rsquos-40rsquos motor-

cycle with a homemade side car I know the father was a frontline soldier in

WW II he may have bought it surplus

Thought I would share this with riders who have been there and hopefully

will go again

Gary Rena

Gary thanks for passing that along to us Charliersquos Pool Room was the

most interesting and oddest hot dog stop in the Garden State and will be

missed

Miracles as they are I got to reading the No-

vember Backroads issue before the end of No-

vember which is pretty good for me May have

had something to do with not picking up my

mail until the end of the month

So I am feeling accomplished None-the-less

- having left town the first week in October I fi-

nally got to reading Backroads

Brian your editorial piece on BMW-style

events and this weird thing about camping had

me in stitches Camping Really whatrsquos with

that Ride all day long and stop at a motel where

you can walk to a restaurant for dinner after a nice shower That works for

me and is the only way I fly The best of all worlds thatrsquos what I say

The article on Americade and Shirarsquos editorial about the passenger seat

also had me in stitches Thanks to both of you for making me look forward

to the next issue each and every time

Until we meet again we will always admire your endless summer

lifestyle Carry on - I say

Your two-wheeled friends

Graham and Gail

This Town is the Pitshellip

As to the above column please tell Brian to call a spade a spade The rider

was following to close andor not paying attention when he rear-ended the

truck If the truck hit the girls girlrsquos fault However the bike hitting the

truck was the riderrsquos own fault

Happy holidays to you both

Greg Bagen

Greg I agree I was being semi-polite You were able to read between the

lines You should be a lawyer or something

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 9

BACKLASH Letters to the Editor

BERgEN COUNTY HARLEY-DAVIDSON DUAL PHOTO PROjECT

This is Larry No he doesnrsquot have a twin

The first picture was shot of him in his every-

day clothes A few days later he stopped by on

his bike Learn more about Larry and other

bikers soon If you ride and are interested in

being shot (with a camera) stop by Bergen

County Harley-Davidson in Rochelle Park

NJ Monday Tuesday Thursday and Friday

from 12Noon - 1pm or Wednesday night 5-

6pm It takes 5 minutes and you just might be

part of the project 2 portraits are shot one of

you in your riding gear the other of you in

your work or everyday clothes

Spread the word

Bergen County Harley-Davidson 124 Essex St Rochelle Park NJ bull 201-

843-6930 bull wwwbergenharleycom

HARLEY DEALERSHIP DROPS 10K FROM SKY

While shoppers may have been rushing for merchandise on Black Friday

a couple of thousand people were grabbing for cash at least for a brief mo-

ment

Black Diamond Harley-Davidson of Marion Illinois has hosted turkey

drops in the past but Black Fridayrsquos cash drop was the first for the dealer-

shiprsquos innovative marketing company co-owner Shad Zimbro said

ldquoItrsquos just something different Everybody can use a little extra cashrdquo he

said of the companyrsquos Green Friday as hopefuls took position along the

perimeter of a large field where cash totaling $10000 would be dropped from

a helicopter

Illinois Lottery donated some of the money for the event Black Diamond

announced it would match up to $100 for those who spent their winnings at

the store

Participants had to be 18 and had to sign a waiver that they would not hold

Black Diamond responsible for injuries It appeared

most were unscathed during the dash for cash

though muddied from the wet field either falling on

their own or pushed

VALERIE THOMPSON RACINg SIgNS WITH

NPMOTOWEAR PRODUCTS FOR 2015

Scottsdale motorcycle racer 7-time land speed

record holder and team owner Valerie Thompson

recently signed NPmotowear Products as a new

sponsor for the 2015 racing season NPmoto prod-

ucts was founded in 2005 by Nick Plenzick to pro-

vide motorcyclists and racers with a variety of

apparel and accessories that provide maximum com-

fort and convenience to riders worldwide

ldquoWe have sold many fine products from a variety of excellent manufactures

over the years When

we began production of

our own products I de-

cided I wanted them

tested in extreme con-

ditions In addition to

our long distance rid-

ers Irsquom a big believer

that racing improves

the breedrdquo said NPmo-

towear ownerfounder

Nick Plenzick ldquoWhen I

was thinking of some-

one who could push the

limits Valerie Thomp-

Page 10 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

FW SPEER YAMAHA7 Main Ave bull Passaic NJ bull 973-778-6256 bull wwwSpeerYamahacom

Tri-State Metro Arearsquos Oldest Yamaha Dealer + Last of the Mom and Pop Shops

THE MALLTERNATIVE

INDUSTRY INFOBITES News from the Inside

son was at the top of my list Valerie recently tested our base layer at the

Texas Mile with a 2177 mph run with great resultsrdquo added Plenzick

ldquoIrsquove been wearing and testing NPmotowear apparel while riding and

working around the shop I canrsquot tell you how impressed I am They offer

products that enhance riding comfort in both cold and hot weather while of-

fering a real sense of stylerdquo said Thompson

ldquoWe couldnrsquot be more pleased to have someone of Valeriersquos experience

and racing accomplishments to promote NPmotowear layer clothing and ac-

cessories After all we have to keep lsquoAmericarsquos Queen of Speedrsquo comfortable

underneath her race suit at over 210 mph and we have proven we can ac-

complish that goalrdquo said Plenzick

In addition to seven land speed records Thompson is an official member

of the BUB Speed Trials 201 MPH Club Mojave Magnum 200 MPH Club

Texas Mile 200 MPH Club ECTA 200 MPH Club and a lifetime member of

the prestigious Bonneville 200 MPH Club

HONDA MARKS UNPRECEDENTED MILESTONEgLOBAL PRODUCTION OF 300 MILLION MOTORCYCLES

Achieving a milestone more than 65 years in the making Honda Motor

Co Ltd announced production of its 300-millionth motorcycle The mile-

stone bike is a Honda Gold Wing produced at the companyrsquos Kumamoto Fac-

tory in Japan Honda will celebrate

the 40th anniversary of the iconic

Gold Wing in 2015

Honda began mass production of

motorcycles in Japan in 1949 when

it built the Honda 98cc Dream Type-

D Today Honda produces motorcy-

cles ATVrsquos and side-by-sides at 32

plants in 22 countries including two

plants in North America

ldquoThis incredible milestone is the

result of the millions of customers

who have placed their trust in Honda

and we would like to thank all of our customers associates dealers and com-

munity partners in North America for helping make it possiblerdquo said Bob

Gurga Vice President and Manager of Motorcycle Division for American

Honda ldquoNow we are focused on

the future and the ways that we can

harness the challenging spirit of

Honda associates to create new joy

for Honda customersrdquo

In 1958 Honda introduced the

Honda 50 known globally as the

Super Cub which would go on to

revolutionize the industry This

iconic bike paved the way for

Hondarsquos expansion into the US in

1959 and Canada in 1969 The

Super Cub which has sold nearly

90 million units globally since its

inception was the focus of a mid-

1960s advertising campaign lsquoYou

Meet the Nicest People on a

Hondarsquo that played a major role in

the transformation and growth of

the US motorcycle market

ZERO RAMPS UP PRODUCTION

Zero Motorcycles the global leader in the electric motor-

cycle industry announced that it has entered full production

of its 2015 model line The new motorcycles are being man-

ufactured at its expanded Scotts Valley California facility

by an increased number of technicians using state-of-the-art

tools The first shipments of motorcycles are now in transit

with all North American dealerships receiving the new mod-

els by the end of January European delivery is scheduled for

February 2015

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 11

Following record sales in 2014 the company has made substantial invest-

ments in technology and people placing additional resources to expand its

ldquoCrafted in Californiardquo vision ldquoWersquove taken everything learned from build-

ing thousands of electric motorcycles and applied it to new manufacturing

processes To meet the increased demand from customers wersquove added new

jobs here at our California factoryrdquo said Kai Hypko VP of Operations for

Zero Motorcycles ldquoHighly advanced tools improved systems and more

skilled workers will allow us to continue to increase our production capacity

and ensure premium qualityrdquo

The 2015 motorcycles rolling out of the California factory feature numer-

ous advancements from their predecessors Showa suspension improves com-

fort and control Zerorsquos class-leading rangemdashnow up to 185 milesmdashis

extended on most models And Zero becomes the first production electric

motorcycle to feature anti-lock brakes (ABS)

ldquoOur 2015 lineup continues to lead the industry in overall range perform-

ance and technologyrdquo said Abe Askenazi Chief Technology Officer at Zero

Motorcycles ldquoFor 2015 we focused our efforts on refining virtually every

element of the vehiclemdashfrom the tires upmdashto give riders the most pure

seamless experience availablerdquo

Initial production will be dedicated to motorcycles that will be used for

test rides via Zero Motorcycles dealers Interested riders can schedule a demo

online at wwwzeromotorcyclescomdemo-rides

Page 12 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

PosTcArds from The hedGe (Continued from page 5)

about that still confounds even locals) took me back to when I had borrowed

my friendrsquos Hawk 650 and while in this circular traffic maze the engine

started to cut out Now itrsquos unsettling enough when such things happen in

traffic and yoursquore on your own machine but when yoursquove borrowed a friendrsquos

pride and joy and it starts getting funky it adds to the already present drama

immeasurably The V-Twin never actually quit though and what happened

was a little snafu peculiar to this particular model of motorcycle It seems

that when the incoming air around the tank is juuuuuust right a poorly routed

hose does something to the air supply to the carburetors and it skips like its

running out of gas When I told my friend about it he

confirmed it had happened to him and through the use

of this brand new thing called the Internet he found a

very simple solution and fixed it I hadnrsquot thought about

this incident since it happened back in the last Century

and the Weatherford Traffic circle bought it all back with

surprising clarity

Of course there were some businesses and landmarks

(often one in the same) that had vanished but the odd

thing was the general feel of the place was exactly as it

had seemed and as a result I found myself for lack of

a better expression having a Twilight Zone moment

This was a town that I not only grew up in but a place

where I experienced so many formative moments that

ultimately steered my path in life A simple trip like this

managed to take much that was locked away and shake

it loose as if I really did borrow Dr Whorsquos time-tran-

siting Tardis And as has been the case in my entire

adult life a motorcycle managed to be a part of it even

though this time I was wasnrsquot riding one Oh and my

niecersquos wedding It was superb I now have a fine new

nephew too with a family that originally hails from

China and they are delightful people All in all the trip

was quite a Trip

ldquoIF YOUWANT

TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

ROLLINrsquo FAST CYCLE SPORTS

104 Main Street Lebanon NJ908-236-9000 bull wwwRollinFastcom

ROLLINrsquo FAST INDIAN MOTORCYCLE OF LEBANON104 Main Street Lebanon NJ908-236-9000 bull wwwRollinFastcom

Come see the full line

of Indian Motorcycles

Large selection of parts

apparel and accessories

Great Gift Ideas for

your Holiday Shopping

Plan now for your winter

service needsMon-Fri 9a-6p

Thurs lsquotil 9a-7p bull Sat 9a-5pSunday Gone Riding

Rollinrsquo Fast Cycle Sports Presents

GReAT ALL AMeRICAN DINeR RUN tasty places to take your bike

Ardyrsquos counTry kiTchen

279 mAin sT worcesTer ny 121197 bull 607-397-4070

Many times suggestions for a Great All American Diner Run

are sent to us and when we can we search them out on your

expert recommendations

Other times we come across hidden jewels a bit more

serendipitously

Thatrsquos how we came across this monthrsquos stop on GAADR ndash

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen in the small upstate New York town

of Worcester

There were four of us heading to our last Summer Squeeze

Rally in Vermont and we were making a few days riding ad-

venture of it by heading to the Adirondacks for the first evening

on the road

Come lunch time all our bellies were rumbling and lucky for

me right before I became a raging and petulant starving child I

spotted a small brightly painted diner to my right on an upcoming

corner

We had found Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

With its ice cream shop front we hoped they served more than

just dessert and entering the small dining room we were instantly

hit with the heady aromas of good eats

Thank you Road Gods

The place has been owned and operated by the Sanna clan since

2005 and the family atmosphere is evidentwith the smattering of

toys and one or two young ones running around their moms our

waitresses legs

Non-crying non-exasperating and happy little ones annoy me

not ndash so we took a small table and looked to see what the Sanna

family had to offer this day

First off you canrsquot get a sandwich here

at Ardyrsquos ndash but you can get a sammich

We all know that it is a scientific fact

that a sammich is far more fun and much

more delicious and filling both from a

nutritionistrsquos point of view and the addi-

tional smile factor thrown in

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen has a goodly

number of different sammiches for your

eating pleasure ndash but wersquoll get to them in

a minute

If itrsquos early when you get there they

serve a Bagel Breakfast with eggs

sausage and cheese on a real fresh bagel

Soup amp Sammich can always be had

ndash with daily specials to be found Of

course they have burgers just about any

way yoursquod like lsquoem and the homemade

chili was tangy and delicious as was the

soup of the day

Heading over to their ldquoSignature Sam-

michesrdquo you will find just about any-

thing you might be craving Or maybe

a perusal of the menu will get the belly

rolling For a smallish diner along a

rural road in upstate New York you will

have plenty from which to choose

How about a BLT or a Cuban with

roast pork ham Swiss cheese and pick-

les Their Pork amp Slaw with cheddar

cheese looked tasty as did the BBQ

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 13

TWO WHEELS OR FOURTHERErsquoS ALWAYS ROOM FOR

Texas Smoke Barbecue400 Route 15 South bull Jefferson NJ

862-209-4078 bull wwwTexasSmokeBBQcom

texas smoke BBQIndoor and outdoor dining

Warm up with some

Chowdown Chili

Smokinrsquo Platters

and so much more

Biker and Barbecue Enthusiasts

Enjoy our Chalkboard Specials

Long Island Kawasaki67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIKawasakicom bull 516-935-6969Combining the low silhouette of

a Vulcan cruiser with Kawasaki

sportbike-derived power and

handling as well as a custom fit

concept designed to comfort-

ably fit a wide range of riders

Rollinrsquo Fast Cycle Sports Presents

GReAT ALL AMeRICAN DINeR RUN tasty places to take your bike

Chicken Hero also topped with their local cheddar cheese

For you Vegans (he said with a smirk) you will find a Veggie Panini (now

hush and eat your greens) If you are really hungry try Ardyrsquos Big Roast Beef

ndash a heaping of oven roasted beef topped with Swiss cheese and served on a

Kaiser roll and topped with Ardyrsquos famed horseradish sauce

Thatrsquoll fill you up

When we arrived it was an unusually cool day for the Leatherstocking Re-

gion and a hot sammich seemed more on order Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

serves up hot pork and hot roast beef sammiches but I went with their hot

meatloaf ndash brought out on a toasted Kaiser roll with homemade mashed po-

tatoes and some super tasty gravy ndash enough to float a boat

Just about everything here at Ardyrsquos is a homemade creation Real potatoes

fresh vegetables and freshly roasted meats are always used Not much

processed or pre-packaged quasi food will be found here

My Hot Meatloaf Sammich served with Ardyrsquos super potatoes and

drowned in their excellent brown gravy was one of the best I have ever had

on the road And it was not just a thinly sliced bit of meatloaf but an honest-

to-goodness slab orsquomeatloaf

I wouldnrsquot even serve myself that big a piece at home

Okay maybe I would

The rest of our crew all had the Tomato amp Basil Soup (delicious) and

grilled cheese sammiches which was a special of the day

If you can squeeze it in after all this great chow Ardyrsquos is an ice cream par-

lor as well and they offer enough flavors that even resident ice cream maven

Shira was tempted

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen is the perfect example of a small and family run

restaurant that really serves up the goods All their offering are real and tasty

and just like your mom would cook ndash ifrsquon your mom was a trained chef

When in the region it is well worth searching Ardyrsquos out and with that in

mind wersquoll give you a short ride from the Kingston area to this monthrsquos stop

on the Great All American Diner Run

Find them on FaceBook at Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

Page 14 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

RIP amp RIDEreg bull ARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN279 MAIN ST WORCESTER NY 121197 bull 607-397-4070

START INTERSECTIONS OF RTES 20928 KINGSTON NYRTE 28 WESTRIGHT AT RTE 375LEFT AT RTE 212RIGHT AT RTE 28LEFT AT RTE 214LEFT AT RTE 23ARIGHT AT SCRIBNER HOLLOW RDLEFT AT RTE 23CRIGHT AT CR 40STRAIGHT AT CR 296

LEFT AT RTE 23BEAR RIGHT AT CR 7LEFT AT CR 990VRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT SHREW HOLLOW ROADLEFT AT CR 29RIGHT AT CR 10LEFT AT MEADE ROADLEFT AT CHARLOTTEVILLE ROADRIGHT AT CR 39RIGHT AT RTE 7 MAIN STARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN ON LEFT

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

moTe AquArium And mArine lABorATory

600 ken ThomPson Pkwy sArAsoTA fl 34236

941-388-4441 bull wwwmoTeorG

Each March and October the Daytona faithful head

south to the beginning and end of the season rallies

on the Sunshine statersquos eastern coast

But we have always found Daytona and vicinities

to get a bit too crowded loud andhellipumm ndash boring

Well for us

The SUYT thing kinda got old when the girls could

be your daughter-in-law

We prefer checking out the scene and then doing a

little Floridian travel exploring some of the sights

and scenes that draw so may south each year

On Floridarsquos Gulf Coast you will find the city of

Sarasota

This city has a thriving cultural scene and boasts a

number of interesting places to visit explore and gen-

erally spend some time

A few years back we told you of the Circus Mu-

seum this time we dropped in on the Mote Aquarium

and Marine Laboratory

The Aquarium has its beginnings back in 1955

when it was founded by Dr Eugenie Clark in

Placida Florida Back then it was known as Cape

Haze Marine Laboratory until its 1967 renaming in

honor of a major benefactor William R Mote and the

contributions he and his family made to helping the

aquarium grow mdash both in size and reputation Since

1960 Mote has been based in Sarasota Florida and

since 1978 it has been lo-

cated on City Island and

that is where we got to

spend a number of hours

The Mote Aquarium

consists of three buildings

the aquarium an interac-

tive theatre and a separate

building that houses their

sea turtles dolphin (singu-

lar but wersquoll get into that)

and manatee collection all

of whom have been res-

cued or rehabbed at Mote

All the exhibits are laid

out with informative plac-

ards and each tank brings

different environments and

different fish and marine wildlife all with a story

to tell

Moray eels tanks full of floating jelly fish of

all types exotic fish we had never dreamed of and

some we simply had never seen in person were

there

In addition to the first building exhibits you can

learn about the giant squid and then move to the

shark area and ray along the way you will find a

few tanks where you can reach in and get to touch

a few of the locals

Mote also had a nice display on the Megalodon

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 15

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

ndash the prehistoric shark that was well over 50 feet long

with teeth as large as your fist

A quick walk across the parking lot brought us to the

building holding their other large exhibits

A few different sea turtles were swimming about as

well as Hugh and Buffett ndash two large and impressive

manatees

A large outdoor pool held lsquoMoonshinersquo Motersquos res-

ident dolphin who was rescued after it beached and

was found drying out and sunburned

He seems happy enough but personally we think he

needs a friend We were told that Mote is next on the

list for such a companion

While we visited Mote had a special attraction called

lsquoSurvivorsrsquo which featured some of the oddest marine and fresh water ani-

mals and the very unique way they survive in the wild ndash from deadly poison

to killer punches to simply looking like a rock and hoping for the best ndash it

was a fascinating display as was the entire aquarium

If you get hungry you can drop by their Deep Sea Diner where you can

enjoy dining al-fresco or inside the casual retro rsquo50s-style diner complete

with an old-fashioned soda fountain The lively cafeacute offers a fun affordable

family-style menu including chili and chowder burgers and dogs veggie

burgers and fresh salads chicken fingers and fries And donrsquot forget dessert

hand-dipped ice cream shakes amp sundaes

We thought wersquod spend a quick hour there but ended up happily spending

the afternoon

Mote might not be the biggest but it surely made up for its size with quality

and interesting and informative displays

Page 16 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 906-9292

Find Us on Facebook bull SportHondanet

hondacom UTILITY ATVs ARE RECOMMENDED FOR RIDERS 16 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER TRX90X IS RECOMMENDED ONLY FOR RIDERS12 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER RIDERS UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE MUST BE SUPERVISED BY AN ADULT ATVs CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO OPER-ATE ALL ATV RIDERS SHOULD TAKE A TRAINING COURSE (FREE FOR NEW BUYERS ASK YOUR DEALER OR CALL ASI AT 800-887-2887) ANDREAD THEIR OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND APPROPRIATE CLOTHING AVOID EXCESSIVESPEEDS AND BE CAREFUL ON DIFFICULT TERRAIN FOR YOUR SAFETY BE RESPONSIBLE NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGSOR ALCOHOL ON PAVED SURFACES ON PUBLIC ROADS WITH PASSENGERS OR AT EXCESSIVE SPEEDS NO STUNT RIDING RESPECT THEENVIRONMENT WHEN RIDING TRXreg and Rancherreg are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1114)

Whether itrsquos hard work

or time to play

Sport Honda has the

ATV to fit your lifestyle

Be prepared - Come in

Today for your

Winter utility needs

Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 491-2900

Find Us on Facebook bull CrossCountryPowersportscom

Cross Country Powersportsis now taking deposits for theNinja H2Rtrade and H2tradeExperience unforgettable supercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2trade motorcycle theworldrsquos only supercharged productionhypersport streetbike

The BridGewATer TriAnGle

is This The sTrAnGesT sPoT in The norTheAsT

Located just 30 miles south of Boston this 200-mile square area has the

Massachusetts towns of Abington Freetown and Rehoboth at its angles The

town of Bridgewater is located nearly dead center within the triangle and the

area also encompasses six other Massachusetts towns Raynham Taunton

Brockton Mansfield Norton and Easton including the Hockomock Swamp

It is known as the Bridgewater Triangle

It seems if it is paranormal weird or mysterious it has happened in the Tri-

angle of the years

Let us start with one of the

first odd things found in the

region

It was in this area that the

first officially documented

petroglyph in the United

States was found - Dighton

Rock This 40 ton boulder

was discovered by original

settlers and has always

caused questions and wonder

of who made these mysteri-

ous markings and why

In fact in 1690 Rev Cotton Mather described the rock in his book The

Wonderful Works of God Commemorated

ldquoAmong the other Curiosities of New-England one is that of a mighty

Rock on a perpendicular side whereof by a River which at High Tide covers

part of it there are very deeply Engraved no man alive knows How or When

about half a score Lines near Ten Foot Long and a foot and half broad filled

with strange Characters which would

suggest as odd Thoughts about them that

were here before us as there are odd

Shapes in that Elaborate Monumentrdquo

The boulder was moved in 1980 to the

museum in a nearby park Dighton Rock State Park in order to protect and

preserve this part of Americarsquos strange history

Strangely marked boulders were not the beginning of the mystery of the

Bridgewater Triangle

Years back a group of archeologists discovered a native burial mound on

Grassy Island in the swamp These graves were dated to 6000 BC

Strange lights have been

reported on this island and

across the triangle and one

of the first documented

UFO sighting came from

here when on May 10

1760 villagers in two

towns 50 miles away stared

in wonder at a ldquoSphere of

Firerdquo that slowly made its

way across the sky

The next day both townsrsquo newspapers reported the phenomena in their edi-

tions According to historical records the UFO emitted light bright enough

to cast a shadow in bright sunlight The sound made by the object ldquooddly

enough was heard sooner at the middle of the course it took than at the be-

ginningrdquo

You canrsquot really have such an eclectic gathering of odd in a place like this

in Mysterious America without a few good Yeti sightings

Over the years all sorts of ldquoSwamp Monstersrdquo have been sighted and in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 17

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

April 1970 it was reported that a ldquoBigfootrdquo

picked up a rear of a police car in which sat

two surprised police officers

Police dogs have been used time and again but

Bigfoot is an elusive fellow

I have always believed the Jersey Devil is a

Pterosaurs of some kind and here around the

Bridgewater Triangle huge black prehistoric-look-

ing birds with a wingspan of between eight and

twelve feet have been reported time and again in-

cluding a report by Norton Police Sergeant Thomas

Downy

Indian Curses abound as well and along Route

44 in Rehoboth lies the boulder known as Anawan

Rock It is said that it was here that the Wampanoag

chief Anawan surrendered to the colonists thus

ending King Philiprsquos War According to local be-

liefs the angry spirits of the warriors captured that

day continue to haunt the spot

Extremely large snakes and alligators have been

found in the swamp along with other creatures that are totally out of place

In the late 1800rsquos bones of a giant were unearthed

Every which way you look or travel in the area you will find something

strange In fact I have a quick list of odd things found in the

Bridgewater Triangle for you

Next time yoursquore looking to spend a few days exploring Mys-

terious America take a ride around the Bridgewater Triangle You

just might end up sending me an email telling me you spotted ahellip

OrsquoLife Out

Ten odd ThinGs found in The BridGewATer TriAnGle

1 The longest epitaph in the United States is located in a Rehoboth

cemetery A full 405 words

2 Three PT Barnum circus ldquofreaksrdquo hailed from here including

Middlebororsquos Tom Thumb and East Bridgewaterrsquos ldquoThe Human

Skeletonrdquo

3 The first boundary line in the United States is located in Abing-

ton at the Bridgewater Trianglersquos furthest most delineated northern

map point

4 A historic 40-foot tall Hood milk bottle in Raynham (now a

restaurant) is the (triplet) sister to famous the ldquoMilk Bottlerdquo at the

Boston Childrenrsquos museum

5 In 1906 bones of ldquoa giantrdquo were discovered in Middleboro

6 Alligators seals emu peacocks cow moose bears Africal

Sevral panthers and mountain lions have all been found in the

Bridgewater Triangle

7 There are both handprints and footprints imbedded into several

Bridgewater Triangle boulders handprints in Middleboro foot-

prints in Norton

8 Dighton Rock is the first documented petroglyph in the United

States

9 The chocolate chip cookie was invented in the happiest of ac-

cidents in the northern apex of the Bridgewater Triangle

10 The Bridgewater Triangle is host to the worldrsquos only shovel

museum located in Easton

Page 18 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

290 Route 100 West Dover VT800-745-3615 bull wwwgrayghostinncom

Motorcyclist-Friendly Destination LodgingLocated on Scenic Route 100 in Southern VermontHot breakfast cooked to order BYOB bar firepit hot tub game room and WiFi

Free Maps and Suggested Rides Group Special Packages5 restaurantsbars within walking distance bull On-site Group Dinners available

MemberWhen you canrsquot ride because of snow ride the snow

Guided Back-Country Snowmobile Toursin the Green Mountain National Forest

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

mounTAineer hoTel

31 eAsT second Avenue williAmson wv

304-235-2222 bull wwwmounTAineerhoTelcom

Laying right on the Tug Fork River across from the

Blue Grass state of Kentucky one will find the tiny town

of Williamson West Virginia Williamson has a long

history mostly revolving around the coal industry

Here you will find a rather large rail yard now part

of the Norfolk Southern built to service the many mines

found in and around this part of West Virginia and Ken-

tucky

In 1974 a United States Army Corps of Engineer

planner described the region as having the most severe

flooding problem in America

In 1977 after many days of steady hard rain the Tug

Fork and adjoining streams began

a constant and quick rise As had

happened in the past the town ex-

perienced incredible flooding

Today a floodwall protects

Williamson from future wet havoc

A huge part of this regionrsquos local

lore and history is the famed home

of the feud between the Hatfields

and McCoys probably the most

famous family fight in US history

The first event in the decades-

long feud was the 1865 murder of

Randolphrsquos brother Asa Harmon

McCoy by the Logan Wildcats a local militia group

that counted Devil Anse and other Hatfields among its

members Many peoplemdasheven members of his own

familymdashregarded Asa Harmon who had served in the

Union Army during the American Civil War as a trai-

tor While some have surmised that his murder set the

stage for the feud most historians now see this inci-

dent as a standalone event

Relations between the two families continued to

sour over the next decade before flaring again over a

seemingly small matter a dispute over a single hog

In 1878 Randolph McCoy accused Floyd Hatfield a

cousin of Devil Anse of stealing one of his pigs a

valuable commodity in the poor region Floyd Hat-

fieldsrsquos trial took place in McCoy territory but was

presided over by a cousin of Devil Anse It hinged on

the testimony of star witness Bill Staton a McCoy rel-

ative married to a Hatfield Staton testified in Floyd

Hatfieldrsquos favor and the McCoys were infuriated when

Floyd was cleared of the charges against him Two

years later Staton was violently killed in a fracas with

Sam and Paris McCoy nephews of Randolph Sam stood trial for the

murder but was acquitted for self-defense reasons

Things went south from there and an American legacy was born

In and around the town you will find much on this feud

In the center of town you will find The Coal House now the home

of the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce

Weighing in at 65 tons with 2 ft thick walls itrsquos the only coal house

made entirely of coal Built in 1933 it was designed by architect HT

Hicks from an idea by O W Evans It was constructed from blocks

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 19

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

of local seam coal donated by coal companies in the region

Right next door to The Coal House you will find the historic

Mountaineer Hotel The large classic-revival 5-story yellow-

glazed brick building dominates the center of town and offers

a look and reason to step back into the past

Built in 1925 the Mountaineer hotel has had its share of fa-

mous guests with JFK Paul Newman Jerry Lee Lewis Henry

Ford and others- including the great Soupy Sales - staying here

overnight

In fact all the rooms are named after famous and infamous

guests that have walked through its doors

Later in the evening we walked all five flights to see just

who did stay there

The main entrance leads to a large lobby and the front desk

with pigeonhole boxes for room keys and a teller window

French doors lead to the ballroom The hotel has 116 rooms

for guests a formal ballroom a lobby restaurant and sports bar

(which were not open this day) and the lower level has a num-

ber of games ndash including Fooz ball pool

and a large regulation-sized shuffle board

game that kept us occupied for about an

hour

Sometimes we find places from this era

a bit run down but the Mountaineer hotel

is a gem

Just one look at the grand lobby and you

will know this is true and with rooms less

than $75 for the night quite the deal too

We took Paul Newmanrsquos room and it

couldnrsquot have been nicer

Unpacking and strolling around town

which was quiet on a Monday night was a

pleasant distraction after a dayrsquos worth of

hard miles through the mountains of West

Virginia and Kentucky

When traveling around the United States

you can almost always find a chain hotel at

any exit or bigger town but why would you

want to when wonderful old beauties like

the Mountaineer Hotel in Williamson West

Virginia are around

Page 20 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Tony Lisanti

Eye protection for off road use consists of

the tried and true goggle The goggle

wraps around the helmet and seals to

your face in the helmet opening

Traditional goggles

consist of a urethane

based flexible frame

with various types of

foam material that

seal directly against

the forehead and cheeks

and nose keeping out wind and

dirt Being the helmet has a limited opening

goggles have had to fit inside this space limiting the field of vision

This type of goggle has been the norm for last half century with

all kinds of innovations in frame lens and foam materials

Enter ZOWA Optics Visor Goggles ZOWA Optics was founded

in 2013 Their goal is to offer unique goggles to off-road dirt bike

ATV and snowmobile riders The Vermont based company has

come up with a goggle that eliminates many of the drawbacks of

a traditional off road goggle The Visor Goggles are designed so

the upper half seals against the helmet rather than the forehead

The lower half of the goggle rests against the face By developing

the goggle in this way the field of view is dramatically increased and the

issue of having foam in contact with the skin on the forehead is eliminated

I had the opportunity to try out the Visor Goggles at a local practice track

recently The first thing I noticed was the size of the Visor Goggles They are

about twice the size of a traditional goggle They install on a helmet the same

way as traditional goggles except instead of resting against the forehead they

seal against the helmet under the visor Most noticeable was the lack

of ldquonose pinchrdquo and the vastly improved vision The Visor Goggle

drastically reduces the claustrophobic feel of traditional goggles as

there is more distance between the inside of the goggle and your face

The feel is more like an adventure helmet

After riding with them for an hour or two on an MX track I found

the improved field of vision to be a welcome change Riding with the

Visor Goggles allowed better vision up down and sideways I did no-

tice a bit more air coming in from the flow through design and from

underneath the seal against my check bones at speed During warm

weather this would be welcome in cold weather not so much Ad-

justing the strap tension has an affect on goggle to face contact Skin

contact with the typical sweatmudgrungefunk mix that gets en-

crusted on the foam is minimized since

the foam is resting against the helmet

rather than the forehead

They cleaned up well and showed no

signs of scratching on the lenses stain-

ing of the frames or discoloration de-

spite a liberal dosage of mud and water

The ZOWA Visor Goggle features in-

clude being rated for OTG (Over The

Glasses) by virtue of the greater clear-

ance between goggle and face a Hel-

met conformed design improved field

of view Lexan lens with anti-fog coating comfort foam and flow through

ventilation The strap features a silicon strip to help it stay put on the helmet

Accessory lenses and tear-off lenses are available All goggles come with a

micro fiber storage bag as well The off road goggles retail for $5800 and

are available in black red of cyan frame colors wwwzowaopticscom

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

BUILT BEYOND BELIEFINTRODUCING THE KAWASAKI

Come to Motorcycle Mall to reserve your Ninja H2trade

by December 19 and experience unforgettablesupercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2 motorcycle the worldrsquos onlysupercharged production hypersport streetbike

H2

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pantsgloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Mo-torcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environmentFor furher information regarding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 Specifi-cations subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspired R1 everFrom the advanced lsquorider activersquo electronicspackage to the powerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Supersport bike andfactory MotoGP has never been more blurred

COMPLETELY NEW

FROM THE TRACK UP

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 21

PRODUCT REVIEWZOWA OPTICS VISOR GOGGLES

Great All American Diner RunAs always wersquoll start with our most popular column the Great All American Diner Run Wait is it really We just might have a new fan fa-vorite but wersquoll save that till later First letrsquos take a look at the top three for GAADR 2014hellip

SECOND RUNNER UP bull RIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST2378 ROUTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770 bull 845-557-0097 bull RIVERUNNERSROOSTCOM

Route 97 along the scenic Delaware River has long been a favorite of motorcyclists for years and

over the years the road has seen a number of restaurants open their doors along its picturesque miles

The latest is the River Runnerrsquos Roost

Opened by Rich and Mary Codichini back in 2013 this place quickly became a favorite of ours

and many others They bill themselves as a barbeque steakhouse with a touch of Cajun and Italian

We call it phenomenal with one of the best barbeques in the region and gumbo to go to war over

If you havenrsquot tried the ldquoRoostrdquo then make plans for riding their way in the spring

FIRST RUNNER UP bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784 bull 603- 298-5515 bull 4ACESDINERCOM

Located just up the hill from the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River in the town of

Lebanon the Four Aces is the real deal A true Great All-American Diner Their

menu is huge interesting and delicious The ambience is pure Americana and the

roads leading to and from the Four Aces straddling Vermont and New Hampshire

are hard to top They have pro smokers going outside right along their picnic tables

but we found a seat at the counter worked just fine for us

Our only problem with Four Aces is that they are almost exactly 301 miles from

where we type this They should consider northern New Jersey

The Four Aces is a must see do and eat while in the Dartmouth region and just

missed out on our top honor for this yearrsquos vote

And so without further adohellip

1ST PLACE GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN 2014 bull FIVE ISLANDS LOBSTER COMPANY1447 5 ISLANDS RD GEORGETOWN ME 04548 bull 207-371-2990 bull FIVEISLANDSLOBSTERCOM

Location location location Besides have a superb down to Earth feel a great staff scrumptious food

and a wonderful coastal Maine flavor ndash The Five Islands Lobster Company has a serious location

Did we mention where it is

Located on a working fishing wharf it is surrounded by the ldquocoldest and deepest waters on the coastrdquo

There be some serious lobstarsquo lurking here abouts and it is best when they find their final way to

Five Islands You can have these big bugs anyway you like but we took a bullet for all of you and

went and ordered The Big Boy Stuffed with twice the amount of lobster meat than your average

lobster roll it was our pleasure to tackle this monster as best we could

Wait ndash just thinking of it all on this cold November day has us in a statehellip

They do serve a good number of other seafood favorites as well as more land-based standards but

who wants that when you can have the quintessential Maine treat on a wooden bench and table

alongside one of the prettiest bays in New England

This is why the Five Islands Lobster Company slid into the 1 spot in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

Big City GetawayBig City Getaway has always been about a great destination So many of

us roll the bikes out of the garage and then say ldquoWhere tordquo That is where this monthly favoritecomes in and here are our best of Big City Getaway 2015

2ND RUNNER UP bull MUSTANG FACTORYTOUR4 SPRINGFIELD STREET SUITE 1 THREE RIVERS MA 01080 bull 800-243-1392 bull MUSTANGSEATSCOM

They are one of the largest motorcycle seat manufacturers on the planet and they would be happy to show you around

We did a tour this last summer and found just how much talent vision and workmanship goes into creating some of

the most distinctive and comfortable motorcycle seats you can find

Page 22 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Best of Backroads 2014Once again this planet we ride has completed another lap around our sun and it is time for us to look back on the season and the veryBest of BackroadsIf we said 2013 was ldquointerestingrdquo we would be hard pressed to describe this past year of 2014For sure last year brought us thousands of great miles and lots of smiles interesting destinations and a few great Backroads Ralliesbut some darkness and loss along the journey for our Backroads family as wellStill looking back we had some phenomenal places we found stories we told and friends with which we have ridden The Italian poet Cesare Pavese said ldquoWe do not remember days we remember momentsrdquoThis year ndash 2014 ndash we had our share of moments Letrsquos look back at some in the Best of Backroads 2014

The tour is open to riding groups and takes a little over an hour and a half We recommend that you make an

appointment and guarantee you will have an informative and fun day with our friends at Mustang seats

1ST RUNNER UP bull COASTAL BOTANICAL GARDENS32 BOTANICAL GARDENS DR BOOTHBAY ME 04537 bull 207-633-4333 bull MAINEGARDENSORG

This project took nearly 17 years planning planting and building before its opening in June of 2007 and today

the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens comprises 270 acres of tidal shore land thousands of flowers plants

and botanical oddities Interspersed amongst the natural beauty you will find dozens of sculptures that

only add to an already stunning venue Rarely has a visitor spent some time at the Coastal Botanical

Gardens and not wanted to return as soon as possible

It is simple to see why this easily took our First Runner Up spot

1ST PLACE BIG CITY GETAWAY 2014 FIVE STAR GENERAL STORES bull NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY

This article from our October issue embodied a little bit of everything we might look for in a Big

City Getaway It had local history interesting stops (5 of them) food ice cream and it was all

woven together with some of the neatest roads in northern New Jersey ndash a riding jewel for those

who have never been so lucky Running along to five different and historic General Stores this day

trip just kept getting better Know that we just scratched the surface and that these General Stores from

the past can be found all around the nation But for this time around it was this adventure that was

called 1 for Big City Getaway 2014

(Note as of this printing the Stillwater General Store has closed but is still worth the ride-by for the

roads and historic value)

Wersquore Outta HereThe great thing that we riders have over the more boring people out there is that our tripsand adventures happen the moment we roll out of our driveways and onto the roadOvernight trips are like mini-vacations for the soul and are most likely the reason they sayyou never see a motorcycle outside a psychiatrist office unless it belongs to the shrinkWersquore Outta Here is all about that ndash places to go and enjoy whether it be a group coupleor on your ownLetrsquos see what we think were our top three for 2014

2ND RUNNER UP bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 E MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854 bull 814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGEPACOM

Shira found this hide-away full of coffee awesomeness when we were to attend the ALTRider adventure

ride early this summer in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania The lodge is part of the coffee house and

although the room we had was a tad small it was well thought out and just added to the coolness of the

entire place We had the Penns Creek Room with its lsquoloft-stylersquo bed and rock wall shower Each morning

the aroma from the coffee shop downstairs was like a Sirenrsquos call and had us highly motivated to carefully

spring out of bed (well it was a loft and there was a drop) There were also great muffins and cakes to go along with the coffee

Millheim is well located with a great combination of fantastic riding both paved and not and has a few eateries within strolling distance (compared to walking

or marching distance) We liked everything about the Triple Creek Lodge ndash the smell the flavor and the quirkiness

1ST RUNNER UP bull INDIAN ROCK INN2206 RIVER RD UPPER BLACK EDDY PA 18972 bull 610-982-9600 bull INDIANROCKINNCOM

GPS Download wwwsendspacecomprodlen7u7kAlong the PA-side of the Delaware River just north of Jerseyrsquos Milford in a place where the river

crooks dramatically and heads north for a bit you will find a great local treasure - the Indian Rock

Inn Tucked underneath what are called the Pennsylvania Palisades and along both river and old

canal the Indian Rock is the complete package

After a day of fun riding to and around the region you can park the bikes grab your room and

shower and make your way to the very friendly bar The Barking Dog Grab a cocktail and me-

ander to the very comfortable large porch take a seat and watch the world go by After the sun

sets a delicious gourmet meal is just steps away Perhaps a night cap and then upstairs to end a

prefect day With all that it is easy to see how the Indian Rock grabbed first runner up in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

1ST PLACEWErsquoRE OUTTA HERE 2014 bull QUODDY HEAD STATION823 SOUTH LUBEC RD LUBEC ME 04652 bull 877-535-4714 bull QUODDYVACATIONCOM

Most times we are all for suggesting you sleep in a bit longer at any of our Wersquore Outta Here destinations but here at Quoddy Head

Station we urge - no insist ndash that you get up before the dawn so you can be the first in the United States to see the sun rise over the At-

lantic from the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse - just a 2 minute ride to the east

Here in the most north and east point of the United States life does not get much better

The rooms and views cannot be beat and the surrounding area with its little coves Reversing Falls State Park Rooseveltrsquos Campobello

cottage (actually in Canada) and the very coastal Maine town of Lebec with its large number of seafood restaurants nautical shops and

vistas are hard to beat anywhere else in the world When we travelled in the area

we rode under a giant orange full moon that rose over the bay at low tide

It was eerie and stunning all at the same time

One of those moments we talked about earlier Quoddy Head Station has to be one

of the most interesting and geographically perfect places we have traveled to in

many years and easily made its way to the 1st place spot for Wersquore Outta Here 2014

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 23

Mysterious AmericaAlways one of the perennial favorites for our readers is the odd wacky and off-beat destinations that our own Dr Seymour OrsquoLife brings

to us each month This year was no different and the choices to be made for the TopThree were very tight for the good doctor but undaunted our hero carried on and cameup with the short list So letrsquos get to it

2ND RUNNER UP bull ISLE OFWIGHT COUNTY MUSEUM103 MAIN ST SMITHFIELD VA 23430 bull 757-356-1223 bull HISTORICISLEOFWIGHTCOM

You remember this place ndash home of the Worldrsquos Oldest Ham It belonged to PD Gwaltney Jr

It had its beginnings in 1902 when a cured ham was accidentally hung from rafters in one Gwaltneyrsquos

houses until it was discovered by workers By 1924 the pet ham was kept in an iron safe which was

opened daily for guests to view Advertised as the worldrsquos oldest Smithfield ham Gwaltney fashioned

a brass collar for the ham and took it to shows and expos to exhibit the preservative powers of his

smoking method The ham was featured in Ripleyrsquos ldquoBelieve It Or Notrdquo in 1929 1932 and 2003 and

more importantly in Backroads in May of 2014 For sure the museum holds so much more but Sey-

mour could never get past the ham Neither could we

1ST RUNNER UP bull THE CULPER SPY RINGThis was the first multi-month piece by the minions of mystery and we spent three

full months searching for the real story on George Washingtonrsquos Culper Spy Ring

From its beginning with the hanging of Nathan Hale in what is now mid-town Man-

hattan to the desolation of being held on a prison ship in an East River Bay in Brook-

lyn - where we had the largest battle of our Revolutionary War Then on to the Culper

Spies themselves and the web they wove from Setauket Long Island across the

Sound to Connecticut and into New York and Philadelphia These men and woman

(nobody really knows who this lady was) changed the course of history It was then

onto treachery traitors and sex ndashwith the story of Benedict Arnold his wife Peggy

Shippen and her lover Major John Andrersquo and our own West Point Escape capture

and the gallows all played a part in this true story of our local American history

Mysterious Americarsquos history has never been so much fun

1ST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2014 bull THE TRANS-ALLEGHENY LUNATIC ASYLUM71 ASYLUM DR WESTON WV 26452 bull 304-269-5070 bull TRANS-ALLEGHENYLUNATICASYLUMCOM

When we first rode up to this massive 27-acre facility Shira who had no idea where or why we were there shook her head and simply asked why

The asylum stands like a monstrous stone beast dominating the ground It is the second largest hand-hewn bluestone building on the planet with only Russiarsquos

Kremlin surpassing it But it is the feel and aura that surround and linger around this building

that will tell you the real story of the place

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum also known as the We-

ston State Hospital was a Kirkbride psychiatric hospital that

operated from 1864 until 1994 Like many Kirkbridge hospi-

tals it started out with a noble idea but soon became overrun

with patients lack of proper care and some of the saddest and

scariest tales were heard here on the tour The place is massive and to walk the halls would literally take miles

The place is reportedly full of ghosts and very bad things from the other side One look at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

and you will have a hard time denying that claim Shira will never go back and it was one of the few times that she was seriously

ldquocreeped outrdquo Her words ndash not ours

With that being said you surely must agree that a visit to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum easily ranks as our 1st place for

our Mysterious America 2014

MomentsIt was April 10 of this past year when the phone here at Backroads rang Answering it I could hear the voice of a friend Dave on the farend ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo I asked ldquohow are yourdquoDaversquos voice trembled and broke ldquoJeff Bahr was killed today on his bikerdquoIn that moment everything stopped It remained stopped for a long time Sometimes it still doesA month or so later well after Jeffrsquos service and cremation Shira and I found ourselves at the spot where this happened We talked tothe young man who was tending his barbecue pit which he was stoking for the dayrsquos lunch He was there when the driver pulled out ofhis general storersquos parking lot without even a glance He sadly but kindly told us of that momentJeff had simply been riding down a wide country road when an 86-year old man pulled out in front of him Although rubber on the roadshowed Jeff tried to avoid the car it was too little too late and he was killed on impactI have no idea what happened to the old man after this event But regardless he has to live with his inattentiveness and actions for therest of his life So do many of usWe do not remember days we remember momentsThat day was made up of a moment we will never forgetThe weekend I wrote this Jeff if hersquod survived would have been 57 He would have had dozens more stories made us laugh a dozenmore times would have made this magazine a dozen times betterJeff I hope you know that so many of us miss you so muchTo you all enjoy and savor all your moments Life is made up of them and eventually one of those moments will hurt

Page 24 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Shirarsquos Ice Cream RunLast year we introduce a semi-monthly some of the time if she felt like it column ndashShirarsquos Ice Cream Run It seems to everybody but the red head that this column hasbecome a huge hit and we have had more comments and suggestions for the IceCream Runs than anything else within memory So think sweet creamy and cold andletrsquos see what Shira thought were on the top three stops of 2014rsquos Ice Cream Runs

2ND RUNNER UP bull HOLSTENrsquoS CONFECTIONARY1603 BROAD ST BLOOMFIELD NJ 07003 bull 973-338-7091 bull WWWHOLSTENSCOM

Immortalized on celluloid in the Sopranosrsquo final episode Holstenrsquos Confectionary has so much more

to offer than their souvenir t-shirts from said show A true old-time ice cream parlor Holstenrsquos home-

made ice cream and confections will win the hearts of any true lover of sweets Taking a seat at the

counter should bring back memories of visits to Woolworthrsquos and once the delicious dairyness is

placed in front of you complete with homemade whipped cream you will think you are in a

dream Holstenrsquos has the whole package ndash premium product comfortable setting and take-home

delights With its 2nd Runner Up status truly one of my favorites of this yearrsquos ice cream stops

1ST RUNNER UP bull CAYUGA LAKE CREAMERY8421 NY 89 INTERLAKEN NY 14847 bull 607-532-9492 bull WWWCAYUGALAKECREAMERYCOM

Nestled in the idyllic Finger Lakes the Cayuga Lake Creamery offers up some of the most in-

ventive flavors Irsquove seen including wine ice cream and sorbet (best of both worlds Irsquod say)

Sitting on their outdoor deck savoring your Maple Bacon or Lavender cone on a warm summer

day ndash what could be better than that

While the Finger Lakes may not offer the most challenging of rides the scenery is beautiful and

the gorges are well gorgeous I canrsquot think of a much better day than meandering around the

Fingers with a late afternoon stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery Their 14 butterfat mixture and only the best of locally sourced

ingredients produce some of the finest creamiest ice creams around Do yourself a favor and spin your wheels to this part of

NY state for a weekend of indulgence as their terrific flavors will keep you coming back day after day

1ST PLACE SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN bull HALLrsquoS HOMEMADE ICE CREAM861 RACCOONVALLEY RD MILLERSTOWN PA 17062

717-589-3290 bull WWWHALLSICECREAMCOM

I found this gem in the middle of the Alleghenies while Brian was off riding in the forest with the

ALTRider group Having grabbed the 1st Place spot in this yearrsquos Ice Cream Run you know Hallrsquos

Homemade Ice Cream and Dairy has to be something pretty special

While their flavor offerings may not be as exotic as Cayuga Lake the quality is heavenly Their

signature flavor and one I had not tasted before is their honey ice cream coming in a variety of

mixtures such as chocolate butter pecan and my personal favorite cinnamon Hallrsquos has a couple

of outdoor tables where you can take in the full dairy effect while licking your cone If that is too

overwhelming they have a very nice indoor seating area complete with air conditioning

The riding in this part of Pennsylvania is quite exciting with elevation changes sweepers and

twisties and for those desiring an off-road adventure plenty of woodlands to test your knobbies

What do all three of these winners have in common other than fantastic ice cream They are all

open all year long so if you happen to be out and about in Bloomfield NJ Interlaken NY or Miller-

stown PA make sure you plan a stop at one of the top three spots on Shirarsquos 2014 Ice Cream Run

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 25

Rip amp Ridereg bull RIVER RUNNERS ROOST2378 RTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770

845-557-0097 bull WWWRIVERRUNNERSROOSTCOMSEASONAL HOURS - CALL BEFORE HEADING OUT

CR 560 IN SUSSEX COUNTY NJCROSS DINGMANS BRIDGE bull $1 TOLLSTRAIGHT ON RTE 739RIGHT AT MILFORD RDLEFT AT RAYMONDSKILL RDCROSS OVER I-84HARD LEFT ON US 6QUICK RIGHT ONTOTWIN LAKES RDRIGHT AT RTE 434CROSS RIVER TO NEWYORKRIGHT AT RTE 97 SOUTHRIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST DOWN ROAD ON LEFT HAND SIDE

Rip amp Ridereg bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784603- 298-5515 bull WWW4ACESDINERCOM

GPS DOWNLOAD WWWSENDSPACECOMPRODLXXTWXB90-MILE ONEWAY ROUTE FROM THEWEST DOVER VERMONT REGION

BIG BEARS LODGE GRAY GHOST AND KITZHOF INN

RTE 100 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT RTE 35RIGHT AT RTE 121LEFT AT RTE 5CROSS INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE ndash ARCH BRIDGELEFT AT RTE 12 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 120LEFT AT RTE 4 WEST LEBANONFOUR ACES DOWN ON THE LEFT

TAylorrsquos ice creAm PArlor

18 e mAin sT chesTer nJ bull 908-879-5363

What to do on the first sub-freezing day in November Go for ice cream

of course I was hanging out with the good doctor OrsquoLife and best friend

Brian when OrsquoLife told us of this place that grows telephone poles Having

my doubts about most of what OrsquoLife tells me I asked him to prove it So

off we went to the quaint little town of Chester New Jersey

After a pleasant lunch at the Publick House complete with real wood

burning fireplace we trekked down the road a piece found said telephone

pole farm (for another column of course) and started our return to Back-

roads Central Lo and behold right before the turn onto Route 206 there

sat Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor in the nicest old building on the block We

got our spot and headed in to find well no one but Justin in a very toasty

old fashioned ice cream parlor I do think that he was surprised to see us

or anyone on such a cold day

Taylorrsquos has apparently been an ice cream institution in

Chester for the last 50 years or so founded by Mr Earle G

Taylor Sr who just passed this August Taylorrsquos was the vic-

tim of fire some time in 2013 and was closed for a good 8

months before reopening in the same spot with applause

from their long-time fans and customers Their ice cream is

all home made and always has been On a hot summer day

you will no doubt be lined up out the door and down the

block to get this tasty treat but Irsquom certain you will find it

worth the wait I think their pricing is quite reasonable for

the size scoop they dip and if you are like me and want a sam-

pling of several flavors they offer Kiddie Scoops at $195

each ndash a flight of ice cream sounds like the perfect end-of-

ride relaxation

We perused the two very full ice cream boards and poured

over the cabinets before making our decisions With close to

50 listed flavors what was a girl to do without minions to help her taste test We finally settled on chocolate hazelnut toasted coconut salted caramel and

vanilla fudge brownie I pretty much always opt for a cup as I savor my ice cream and it would run down my arm before I was even close to finishing but I was

almost tempted by their pretzel cone What is so great about Taylorrsquos cones is the plastic drip cup in which they reside both sanitary and mess-preventing

Page 26 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

TOWN amp COUNTRYC Y C L E C E N T E R

115 Route 23N bull Hamburg NJ bull 973-875-2111wwwtownandcountrycyclecentercom

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIYamahacom bull 516-935-6969

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE

SPORT TOURERIntroducing the most performancepower versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle From commutingand exploring backroads to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaharsquos un-mistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

While enjoying our treats we savored

the deacutecor of this very pleasant parlor Sev-

eral tables to enjoy your ice cream clip-

pings of newspaper articles school

paraphernalia and something that has no

place in an ice cream parlor an old-fash-

ioned fortune telling scale This couldnrsquot

possibly still be functioning could it Ac-

cording to Justin yes it was How could we

resist In went our pennies and up popped

our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked

the weight numbers) Brianrsquos read lsquoYou are

not overbearing but generally have things

your wayrsquo Wow I couldnrsquot wait to see if

mine was as accurate ldquoYou look to the fu-

ture rather than the pastrsquo So true

Back to the ice cream ndash it

was heavenly We all agreed

that the salted caramel was the

overall winner having the per-

fect balance of salt and

caramel with the best creamy

texture The toasted coconut

was very flavorful with lots of

coconut bits the chocolate

hazelnut was very dark and

creamy and mixed with the coconut made the perfect almond-free almond

joy The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole but cer-

tainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store

I believe Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round but if yoursquore head-

ing over during the winter months give them a call to make sure Enjoy the

winter and remember itrsquos never too cold to eat ice cream

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield PA

215-712-7433 bull wwwBMWMotorcyclescom

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

THE NEW R 1200 RA POWERFUL STATEMENT

Our newest boxer roadster has one missiondominate the streets in style The R 1200 Ris designed to blend comfort precisehandling and pure riding excitementhellipin one head-turning machine

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW R 1200 RSTHRILLING COMFORT

The new R 1200 RS is perfectly balancedcombining optimal wind and weather protectionwith powerful performance and controlPutting you in an unparalleled position toexplore the road - and your own limits

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW S 1000 RRWELCOME TO THENEW PLANET POWER

The S 1000 RR has been completely revisedThe results in its origins a genuine Double RRon the road a new supersports machine thatwill once again set the benchmark in its class

UNSTOPPABLE SPORT

WHAT lsquoRrsquo YOU WAITING FORCome to Montgomeryville Cycle Center to see the full line of 2015 BMW Motorcycles products and apparel

We have everything yoursquoll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever

Motorcyclepedia the northeastrsquos

premier motorcycle museum will

be holding its Speaker Series again

this winter with various riders and

orators covering topics ranging

from world touring to tips on avoiding tickets and an in depth look at GPS

technology and todayrsquos motorcycling

Backroadsrsquo own Brian amp Shira will start the series off with a talk on Jan-

uary 17 on lsquoThe Big Fiversquo motorcycle destinations around the planet along

with planning and touring around the United States and the world

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who

will help clear the fog about Garmin GPSrsquos and how their BaseCamp program

works along with how to create and export your own personal routes

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on ldquoEverything you need to know

on Motorcycles and the Lawrdquo - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper po-

lice procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists

Seth Simpson of Motorcycle training Solutions will be giving a seminar

on Rider Training

Motorcyclistmoto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about

Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys

Look for a Womenrsquos Riding Panel with some well-known female motor-

cyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing todayrsquos women

riders This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and

beginning women riders

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months

and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to

enlighten

Wersquoll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page

as soon as they are etched in stone

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh New York in the

riding heart of the Hudson Valley

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 27

A DAY AT THE MUSEUMlsquoSPEAKER SERIESrsquo RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

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Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

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Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

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JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

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The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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memBer

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Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

JDS CYCLE PARTSeST 1988

247 W Westfield Ave Rosell Park NJ908-245-2445

bull Parts amp Accessories

bull Award-winning Service

bull Performance Work

bull Dyno Tuning

bull SampS Pro Tuning Center

bull Power CommanderTuning Center

American bull Metric bull Sport

Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 5: January 2015 Backroads

A TArdis in TArrAnT counTy

Time in case you havenrsquot noticed is a very big

deal As a concept it can give you a headache and

as a unit we measure it insures a uniform chronol-

ogy of events (and helps insure group rides and lunch start at some kind of

agreed upon moment) Therefore I think itrsquos safe to say it is pretty indispen-

sable But man it does take its toll on you as it passes It can also really make

you dig deep into your psyche when you exam-

ine that odd thing called the past It manages to

do this all while telling where you are in the

present and make you plan for the future But

itrsquos the past and its powerful ponderables that

can disrupt our concept of reality the most so

allow me to share a recent time-related journey

to illustrate the wild ride life often takes us on

This is an adventure that goes down roads that

are fresh yet have in fact been travelled before

The occasion was my niecersquos wedding in Ft Worth

Texas shortly after Thanksgiving This trip was one of those

non-bike car-based adventures for neither the Triumph or

the Honda would fit in the handsome twin-engined Em-

braerrsquos overhead bins and time was very short The wedding

party decided to have the ceremony in Cowtown as the bride

and groom met at Texas Christian University and it just so hap-

pens yours truly spent his formative years in this same city long ago when

liquid cooling on motorcycles was quite exotic and some phones not only

had cords but rotary dials as well Most of the places Irsquove lived have changed

much over the years so I found it rather incredible that Ft Worth seemed

like much of the city was frozen in time Either that or I had somehow re-

turned to a past life where superficial things had changed yet the basics were

exactly in the same state I left them when I departed the territory This time-

shift really got rolling as I was driving back to my old neighborhood and I

noticed the weather for having left a New England winter I found myself

surrounded by a Texas one This seasonal variation in the South usually

means an extension of summer with more overcast and fewer AC water

puddles at intersections (and the odd temporary blast of cold air) Shortly

after arriving in the West Side of Ft Worth I saw a chap riding an lsquo80s Honda

Nighthawk S that looked identical to the one my college roommate had and

still one of the best-sounding Inline Fours Irsquove ever ridden Many of the roads

that I knew so well were still around and relatively well-preserved but it was

sad to realize a few had grown unfriendlier to motorcycles A serpentine

stretch I used to blast down with abandon now

is maimed by speed bumps and not only are

these big enough to cause Chassis Upset (CU)

they were damn hard to see even in broad

daylight My co-driver was often spurred to

sing out a warning to prevent our heads from

hitting the headliner

Unlike so many towns and cities I used to

live in when I returned to Ft Worth a surpris-

ing number of businesses were still around in

their original locations This means one way or the other

they has survived for decades which I thought was as-

tounding given the turnover in other places Irsquove lived

The memories seeing these places stirred up was amaz-

ing and I went in to true Time Machine mode as I got

flashbacks from roads I hadnrsquot been on in 30 years and

started remembering in great detail the machines I was

riding at the time A set of railroad tracks in a lonely section of road out by

Benbrook used to make the rear tire of my V45 Magna dance and I could

damn near feel the sensation even though this time I was driving a 2015 Prius

The old Weatherford Traffic circle (which was and is an enormous round

(Continued on page 12)

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

BILL HeALD

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 5

new Girl in Town

I never meant it to happen ndash but it did She stood out amidst the others

smaller and dressed differently a waif a trifle goth with prominent attractive

tattoos looking fresh but a little worldly She was definitely out of place

among the tiffany-clad society girls like Courtney Love at a PTA meeting

and she was therefore interesting She sulked like shersquod rather be anyplace

but sitting under the awning of a bike shop So I did what any pudgy gray-

haired over-fifty guy would do I went over In a short time a price was

mentioned and she came home with me And that is how I ended up with a

Stardust Pearl White 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 650

I love middleweights and my naked SV650 is a

stone blast especially at VIR I had so much fun

there in June that Irsquove been looking for a fully-

faired sportbike ever since Enter the Ninja

When I first saw the bike and sat on it the look

and feel were so cuddly that I thought it was an

excellent starter and commuter Though the body-

work says ldquosportrdquo the high tubular handlebar and

realistically ergonomic pegs say ldquostreetrdquo Seeing

it at the shop a female friend walked up sat down

on it and said ldquoItrsquos cute it needs a lsquoHello Kittyrsquo

stickerrdquo But hello THIS kitty is a cheetah

Thanks to my friends at Mortonrsquos BMW I left their Oktoberfest for a long

sunny Saturday afternoon test ride through historic Virginia country roads

and came back enchanted The riding position is more aggressive than a

standard but the high rubber-mounted bars keep the chiropractor (and vi-

brations) away The fuel injection is spot-on producing flat torque at any

RPM The brakes are very good although more exploration of their potential

is required in a less public environment The transmission is clarified butter

Even the OEM-spec Dunlop Roadsmart tires are just that ndash smart and confi-

dence-inspiring Both the clutch and brake levers are adjustable a nice touch

on a price-point bike The display is a combination of digital speed and ana-

log tach which is good but Irsquod rather have a gear position display than the

silly ldquoECOrdquo indicator that comes on at low RPMs ndash itrsquos my mission to keep

that thing off

Aesthetically the bike is a winner I normally look up comparison articles

and reliability numbers especially on a used bike but I bought this bike on

looks and ride alone and did my research post-hoc Turns out the seat of

my pants and my eye were right on the money the magazines and blogs gush

about it It has just the right amount of plastic to be faired without looking

Fischer Price and the asymmetric horizontal shock and underslung pipe

complete the sporty visage One change to aesthetics will be an RampG Racing

ldquotail tidyrdquo to get rid of all the crap governments make them hang off the back

The suspension adjustments amount to rear preload only and itrsquos too firm

on a bumpy road but considering what I paid for this bike used I can get

Klaus at EPM to sell me a ldquoStreet Boxrdquo com-

plete suspension upgrade for both the forks

and rear shock that will improve not only the

ride but the control (which already isnrsquot bad)

If I really feel the need an aftermarket ex-

haust system will shave 20 lb off the weight

and add a couple HP and my total investment

in suspension and tuning is only $1500 A

set of Dunlop Q3rsquos will be installed after I

wear out the Roadsmarts and this bike will be

on the trailer next to the SV when I head to

VIR next June

The great thing is in the meantime the

Kawasaki tail pack and SW Motech tank bag will let me fling this beauty

down my secret back roads to work and arrive with my cookies unbroken

Plus like my SV I donrsquot ever see outgrowing it The lady who made the

ldquoHello Kittyrdquo comment is already lobbying to ride it and I will honor that

request unlike the inline-four ZX-6R Ninja the vertical-twin Ninja 650 is

flexible comfortable and user-friendly enough that I have no doubt she can

handle it I also have no doubt that itrsquoll do 120 MPH down the front straight

at VIR and handle well enough to make me laugh after just a bit of suspension

work And her name ldquoKunoichirdquo of course or ldquoKunordquo for short

O N T H E M A R KMARK BYeRS

Page 6 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

CROSS COUNTRY BMW911 Middlesex Avenue Metuchen NJ

Serving Central and North NJ

Staten Island NY and Philadelphia PA

732-635-0094 bull wwwCCBMWcom

While BMW has spent 90 years producing some of the

best motorcycles in the world wersquove spent 15 years

providing you with the latest and best in BMW products

like the all-new S 1000 XR and F 800 R

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

CROSS COUNTRY DUCATIFactory Authorized Sales and Service

911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ 08840

7326350094 bull wwwcrosscountrycyclenet

Shop our large selection for the latest in

Ducati Performance parts apparel and accessories

More than a new bike itrsquos a whole new world

choPsTicks And BAr-risers

The first time I saw a Touratech Bar Riser for the BMW

R1200GS I thought ldquoWhat a great idea A cool way to put

chopsticks down while your eating Asian food and donrsquot

want to lay them down Awesome Finallyrdquo

So there I was enjoying my Chicken Pad Thai when one

of my co-workers approached me and said ldquoHey man

yoursquore not using that thing rightrdquo

ldquoWhat do you do with itrdquo I asked

ldquoIrsquom pretty sure itrsquos for hanging really heavy artrdquo he said

ldquoIt holds better than one of those hanging kits You could

probably hang a sculpture on the wall if you wantedrdquo

ldquoNo not artrdquo interjected another co-worker ldquoThink

about it We work at a place that makes accessories for mo-

torcycles Why would we make something that holds art or

chopsticks Chopsticks Come on guys itrsquos obvious what

that thingrsquos forrdquo

ldquoWhatrdquo We said

ldquoWell itrsquos for hanging your gear You can bolt it

to the wall and itrsquoll hold a hanger with all of your

riding gear on it If you bolt one on top of the other

itrsquoll hold your helmet toordquo he replied and held the

thing up to the wall

That sounded right It had to be something to do

with motorcycles Chopstickshellip Well that was just

silly but hey Irsquom just the marketing guy I donrsquot

know as much about the intricacies of motorcycle

parts as our customer service people

As I was walking to my car there were a few guys

outside the office and they were tying down a V-

Strom 1000 They had the straps just about tight-

ened and I noticed that they were fastening the straps to

cleats in the bed of the truck The cleats looked a little

flimsy and I suggested they switch them out with the bar

risers in my hand (I didnrsquot know they were bar risers at

the time) I truly thought Irsquod figured out the mystery of

those brushed aluminum pieces of German Technology

Tie down loops Yes

The guys in the truck laughed at me (Irsquom used to that

being the novice rider at the office)

ldquoDonrsquot you know what these arerdquo one of them asked

and I handed them over

ldquoI guess notrdquo I said

ldquoYou bolt them to the front of your footpegsrdquo he said

ldquoIt gives you more surface and stability and they make it

easy to scrape mud off your bootsrdquo

He showed me on the V-Strom in the truck what he was

talking about I didnrsquot see any bolt holes

ldquoI donrsquot think sordquo I said ldquoWe already have our lsquoWorksrsquo

footpegs Theyrsquore really widerdquo

ldquoI think I know what Irsquom talking aboutrdquo the

Suzuki riding stranger said ldquoIrsquove owned bikes my

whole life Irsquove seen those things used Theyrsquore

called footpeg enhancersrdquo

I didnrsquot feel like having a debate It was starting

to rain so I put my precision-crafted motorcycle es-

sentials in my briefcase and went home It was Fri-

day I had dinner plans and I had a lot to do over the

weekend When I got home I left the bar risers sit-

ting on my kitchen table

Saturday came and I was doing a bunch of yard

work and cleaning out the barbecue Summer was

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 7

THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD Words by Matt Lewis bull Photos by Morgan Goldbloom

ebbing but it was still pleasantly warm in Seattle and I was warm so I headed

in for something to drink I could hear my wife and son playing in the living

room as I opened the cabinet to grab a glass Something physically felt dif-

ferent I my hand

I closed the cabinet and there it was The handle of my kitchen cabinet had

been replaced with 15mm of rock-solid engineering genius My wife had

used the bar risers (I still didnrsquot know they were bar risers) to replace my

kitchen fixtures All of them

They looked awesome and I didnrsquot have the heart to tell her to take them

down so when I went back to work on the following Monday I had to buy

them A lot more experimentation went into finally discovering the actual

use of the bar risers I suppose I could have asked someone else at work but

I wanted to figure it out myself

Here is what I know you can do but shouldnrsquot do with Touratech Bar Ris-

ers for the Water-Cooled R1200GS and GSA

bull Put them in the microwave

bull Bolt them together and wear as a ring

bull Make wind chimes (they donrsquot have good pitch)

bull Wear as earrings (my wife couldnrsquot get the bolt through

the hole in ear)

bull Use as a baby teething device (donrsquot ask)

bull Throw at an attacker (long story but trust me They wonrsquot

slow him down)

bull Open a bottle of beer

So what have I learned Well obviously the Touratech

Bar Risers for the Water-Cooled R1200GS and GSA come

in three sizes (15mm 25mm and 40mm) They are de-

signed to create optimum comfort with minimal labor and

raising the bar height results in a more upright position

which can relieve neck and back strain

Riders around the world swear by bar-risers and they

can make your bike a better fit easily and economically

hellipand you can bolt them to your bathroom wall to

hold your toothbrushes

Matt Lewis is Marketing Manager at Touratech-USA

CycoActive Inc You can see all their products and

some they donrsquot even know they have at

wwwtouratech-usacom

Cycle Motion is your provider of motorcycles ATVs scooters

snowmobiles and utility vehicles by Kawasaki Suzuki Polaris

Yamaha and Can-Am With a large parts department qualified

service technicians and a full shop full of parts and accessories

were here to meet all your power sport needs

For every rider - on or off road whether they like doing it

in the dirt carving the twisties or cruising the backroads

we have their weapon of choice

1269 DOLSONTOWN RD

MIDDLETOWN NY 10940

845-343-2552 bull WWWCYCLEMOTIONINCCOM

Page 8 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Backroads

Just wanted you to know that Joe Fencz from

Charliersquos Pool Room past away October

15th John the brother and cook called me to

tell me when the funeral services were I didnrsquot

have any idea Joe was even sick He had pancre-

atic cancer and has been battling it for a year

The Pool Room has been closed for about a

year now because the grill has to be updated to

new codes and was shut down A lot of people

have been helping them out to get them up and

running again I attended the service a few weeks

agohellipwhen Joe was alive I did not know much about him other than we

was a very nice kind outgoing person At his funeral many people told stores

about him and you got to know him after it was too late The funeral parlor

was packed

I talked with brother John to encourage him to open the store again I of-

fered him financial assistance as well as business advice There were a lot of

other people there that wanted John to open the store againhellipwe will see He

did not seem to want to do it

I snapped this picture I saw at the wake It looks like a 1930rsquos-40rsquos motor-

cycle with a homemade side car I know the father was a frontline soldier in

WW II he may have bought it surplus

Thought I would share this with riders who have been there and hopefully

will go again

Gary Rena

Gary thanks for passing that along to us Charliersquos Pool Room was the

most interesting and oddest hot dog stop in the Garden State and will be

missed

Miracles as they are I got to reading the No-

vember Backroads issue before the end of No-

vember which is pretty good for me May have

had something to do with not picking up my

mail until the end of the month

So I am feeling accomplished None-the-less

- having left town the first week in October I fi-

nally got to reading Backroads

Brian your editorial piece on BMW-style

events and this weird thing about camping had

me in stitches Camping Really whatrsquos with

that Ride all day long and stop at a motel where

you can walk to a restaurant for dinner after a nice shower That works for

me and is the only way I fly The best of all worlds thatrsquos what I say

The article on Americade and Shirarsquos editorial about the passenger seat

also had me in stitches Thanks to both of you for making me look forward

to the next issue each and every time

Until we meet again we will always admire your endless summer

lifestyle Carry on - I say

Your two-wheeled friends

Graham and Gail

This Town is the Pitshellip

As to the above column please tell Brian to call a spade a spade The rider

was following to close andor not paying attention when he rear-ended the

truck If the truck hit the girls girlrsquos fault However the bike hitting the

truck was the riderrsquos own fault

Happy holidays to you both

Greg Bagen

Greg I agree I was being semi-polite You were able to read between the

lines You should be a lawyer or something

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 9

BACKLASH Letters to the Editor

BERgEN COUNTY HARLEY-DAVIDSON DUAL PHOTO PROjECT

This is Larry No he doesnrsquot have a twin

The first picture was shot of him in his every-

day clothes A few days later he stopped by on

his bike Learn more about Larry and other

bikers soon If you ride and are interested in

being shot (with a camera) stop by Bergen

County Harley-Davidson in Rochelle Park

NJ Monday Tuesday Thursday and Friday

from 12Noon - 1pm or Wednesday night 5-

6pm It takes 5 minutes and you just might be

part of the project 2 portraits are shot one of

you in your riding gear the other of you in

your work or everyday clothes

Spread the word

Bergen County Harley-Davidson 124 Essex St Rochelle Park NJ bull 201-

843-6930 bull wwwbergenharleycom

HARLEY DEALERSHIP DROPS 10K FROM SKY

While shoppers may have been rushing for merchandise on Black Friday

a couple of thousand people were grabbing for cash at least for a brief mo-

ment

Black Diamond Harley-Davidson of Marion Illinois has hosted turkey

drops in the past but Black Fridayrsquos cash drop was the first for the dealer-

shiprsquos innovative marketing company co-owner Shad Zimbro said

ldquoItrsquos just something different Everybody can use a little extra cashrdquo he

said of the companyrsquos Green Friday as hopefuls took position along the

perimeter of a large field where cash totaling $10000 would be dropped from

a helicopter

Illinois Lottery donated some of the money for the event Black Diamond

announced it would match up to $100 for those who spent their winnings at

the store

Participants had to be 18 and had to sign a waiver that they would not hold

Black Diamond responsible for injuries It appeared

most were unscathed during the dash for cash

though muddied from the wet field either falling on

their own or pushed

VALERIE THOMPSON RACINg SIgNS WITH

NPMOTOWEAR PRODUCTS FOR 2015

Scottsdale motorcycle racer 7-time land speed

record holder and team owner Valerie Thompson

recently signed NPmotowear Products as a new

sponsor for the 2015 racing season NPmoto prod-

ucts was founded in 2005 by Nick Plenzick to pro-

vide motorcyclists and racers with a variety of

apparel and accessories that provide maximum com-

fort and convenience to riders worldwide

ldquoWe have sold many fine products from a variety of excellent manufactures

over the years When

we began production of

our own products I de-

cided I wanted them

tested in extreme con-

ditions In addition to

our long distance rid-

ers Irsquom a big believer

that racing improves

the breedrdquo said NPmo-

towear ownerfounder

Nick Plenzick ldquoWhen I

was thinking of some-

one who could push the

limits Valerie Thomp-

Page 10 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

FW SPEER YAMAHA7 Main Ave bull Passaic NJ bull 973-778-6256 bull wwwSpeerYamahacom

Tri-State Metro Arearsquos Oldest Yamaha Dealer + Last of the Mom and Pop Shops

THE MALLTERNATIVE

INDUSTRY INFOBITES News from the Inside

son was at the top of my list Valerie recently tested our base layer at the

Texas Mile with a 2177 mph run with great resultsrdquo added Plenzick

ldquoIrsquove been wearing and testing NPmotowear apparel while riding and

working around the shop I canrsquot tell you how impressed I am They offer

products that enhance riding comfort in both cold and hot weather while of-

fering a real sense of stylerdquo said Thompson

ldquoWe couldnrsquot be more pleased to have someone of Valeriersquos experience

and racing accomplishments to promote NPmotowear layer clothing and ac-

cessories After all we have to keep lsquoAmericarsquos Queen of Speedrsquo comfortable

underneath her race suit at over 210 mph and we have proven we can ac-

complish that goalrdquo said Plenzick

In addition to seven land speed records Thompson is an official member

of the BUB Speed Trials 201 MPH Club Mojave Magnum 200 MPH Club

Texas Mile 200 MPH Club ECTA 200 MPH Club and a lifetime member of

the prestigious Bonneville 200 MPH Club

HONDA MARKS UNPRECEDENTED MILESTONEgLOBAL PRODUCTION OF 300 MILLION MOTORCYCLES

Achieving a milestone more than 65 years in the making Honda Motor

Co Ltd announced production of its 300-millionth motorcycle The mile-

stone bike is a Honda Gold Wing produced at the companyrsquos Kumamoto Fac-

tory in Japan Honda will celebrate

the 40th anniversary of the iconic

Gold Wing in 2015

Honda began mass production of

motorcycles in Japan in 1949 when

it built the Honda 98cc Dream Type-

D Today Honda produces motorcy-

cles ATVrsquos and side-by-sides at 32

plants in 22 countries including two

plants in North America

ldquoThis incredible milestone is the

result of the millions of customers

who have placed their trust in Honda

and we would like to thank all of our customers associates dealers and com-

munity partners in North America for helping make it possiblerdquo said Bob

Gurga Vice President and Manager of Motorcycle Division for American

Honda ldquoNow we are focused on

the future and the ways that we can

harness the challenging spirit of

Honda associates to create new joy

for Honda customersrdquo

In 1958 Honda introduced the

Honda 50 known globally as the

Super Cub which would go on to

revolutionize the industry This

iconic bike paved the way for

Hondarsquos expansion into the US in

1959 and Canada in 1969 The

Super Cub which has sold nearly

90 million units globally since its

inception was the focus of a mid-

1960s advertising campaign lsquoYou

Meet the Nicest People on a

Hondarsquo that played a major role in

the transformation and growth of

the US motorcycle market

ZERO RAMPS UP PRODUCTION

Zero Motorcycles the global leader in the electric motor-

cycle industry announced that it has entered full production

of its 2015 model line The new motorcycles are being man-

ufactured at its expanded Scotts Valley California facility

by an increased number of technicians using state-of-the-art

tools The first shipments of motorcycles are now in transit

with all North American dealerships receiving the new mod-

els by the end of January European delivery is scheduled for

February 2015

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 11

Following record sales in 2014 the company has made substantial invest-

ments in technology and people placing additional resources to expand its

ldquoCrafted in Californiardquo vision ldquoWersquove taken everything learned from build-

ing thousands of electric motorcycles and applied it to new manufacturing

processes To meet the increased demand from customers wersquove added new

jobs here at our California factoryrdquo said Kai Hypko VP of Operations for

Zero Motorcycles ldquoHighly advanced tools improved systems and more

skilled workers will allow us to continue to increase our production capacity

and ensure premium qualityrdquo

The 2015 motorcycles rolling out of the California factory feature numer-

ous advancements from their predecessors Showa suspension improves com-

fort and control Zerorsquos class-leading rangemdashnow up to 185 milesmdashis

extended on most models And Zero becomes the first production electric

motorcycle to feature anti-lock brakes (ABS)

ldquoOur 2015 lineup continues to lead the industry in overall range perform-

ance and technologyrdquo said Abe Askenazi Chief Technology Officer at Zero

Motorcycles ldquoFor 2015 we focused our efforts on refining virtually every

element of the vehiclemdashfrom the tires upmdashto give riders the most pure

seamless experience availablerdquo

Initial production will be dedicated to motorcycles that will be used for

test rides via Zero Motorcycles dealers Interested riders can schedule a demo

online at wwwzeromotorcyclescomdemo-rides

Page 12 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

PosTcArds from The hedGe (Continued from page 5)

about that still confounds even locals) took me back to when I had borrowed

my friendrsquos Hawk 650 and while in this circular traffic maze the engine

started to cut out Now itrsquos unsettling enough when such things happen in

traffic and yoursquore on your own machine but when yoursquove borrowed a friendrsquos

pride and joy and it starts getting funky it adds to the already present drama

immeasurably The V-Twin never actually quit though and what happened

was a little snafu peculiar to this particular model of motorcycle It seems

that when the incoming air around the tank is juuuuuust right a poorly routed

hose does something to the air supply to the carburetors and it skips like its

running out of gas When I told my friend about it he

confirmed it had happened to him and through the use

of this brand new thing called the Internet he found a

very simple solution and fixed it I hadnrsquot thought about

this incident since it happened back in the last Century

and the Weatherford Traffic circle bought it all back with

surprising clarity

Of course there were some businesses and landmarks

(often one in the same) that had vanished but the odd

thing was the general feel of the place was exactly as it

had seemed and as a result I found myself for lack of

a better expression having a Twilight Zone moment

This was a town that I not only grew up in but a place

where I experienced so many formative moments that

ultimately steered my path in life A simple trip like this

managed to take much that was locked away and shake

it loose as if I really did borrow Dr Whorsquos time-tran-

siting Tardis And as has been the case in my entire

adult life a motorcycle managed to be a part of it even

though this time I was wasnrsquot riding one Oh and my

niecersquos wedding It was superb I now have a fine new

nephew too with a family that originally hails from

China and they are delightful people All in all the trip

was quite a Trip

ldquoIF YOUWANT

TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

ROLLINrsquo FAST CYCLE SPORTS

104 Main Street Lebanon NJ908-236-9000 bull wwwRollinFastcom

ROLLINrsquo FAST INDIAN MOTORCYCLE OF LEBANON104 Main Street Lebanon NJ908-236-9000 bull wwwRollinFastcom

Come see the full line

of Indian Motorcycles

Large selection of parts

apparel and accessories

Great Gift Ideas for

your Holiday Shopping

Plan now for your winter

service needsMon-Fri 9a-6p

Thurs lsquotil 9a-7p bull Sat 9a-5pSunday Gone Riding

Rollinrsquo Fast Cycle Sports Presents

GReAT ALL AMeRICAN DINeR RUN tasty places to take your bike

Ardyrsquos counTry kiTchen

279 mAin sT worcesTer ny 121197 bull 607-397-4070

Many times suggestions for a Great All American Diner Run

are sent to us and when we can we search them out on your

expert recommendations

Other times we come across hidden jewels a bit more

serendipitously

Thatrsquos how we came across this monthrsquos stop on GAADR ndash

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen in the small upstate New York town

of Worcester

There were four of us heading to our last Summer Squeeze

Rally in Vermont and we were making a few days riding ad-

venture of it by heading to the Adirondacks for the first evening

on the road

Come lunch time all our bellies were rumbling and lucky for

me right before I became a raging and petulant starving child I

spotted a small brightly painted diner to my right on an upcoming

corner

We had found Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

With its ice cream shop front we hoped they served more than

just dessert and entering the small dining room we were instantly

hit with the heady aromas of good eats

Thank you Road Gods

The place has been owned and operated by the Sanna clan since

2005 and the family atmosphere is evidentwith the smattering of

toys and one or two young ones running around their moms our

waitresses legs

Non-crying non-exasperating and happy little ones annoy me

not ndash so we took a small table and looked to see what the Sanna

family had to offer this day

First off you canrsquot get a sandwich here

at Ardyrsquos ndash but you can get a sammich

We all know that it is a scientific fact

that a sammich is far more fun and much

more delicious and filling both from a

nutritionistrsquos point of view and the addi-

tional smile factor thrown in

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen has a goodly

number of different sammiches for your

eating pleasure ndash but wersquoll get to them in

a minute

If itrsquos early when you get there they

serve a Bagel Breakfast with eggs

sausage and cheese on a real fresh bagel

Soup amp Sammich can always be had

ndash with daily specials to be found Of

course they have burgers just about any

way yoursquod like lsquoem and the homemade

chili was tangy and delicious as was the

soup of the day

Heading over to their ldquoSignature Sam-

michesrdquo you will find just about any-

thing you might be craving Or maybe

a perusal of the menu will get the belly

rolling For a smallish diner along a

rural road in upstate New York you will

have plenty from which to choose

How about a BLT or a Cuban with

roast pork ham Swiss cheese and pick-

les Their Pork amp Slaw with cheddar

cheese looked tasty as did the BBQ

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 13

TWO WHEELS OR FOURTHERErsquoS ALWAYS ROOM FOR

Texas Smoke Barbecue400 Route 15 South bull Jefferson NJ

862-209-4078 bull wwwTexasSmokeBBQcom

texas smoke BBQIndoor and outdoor dining

Warm up with some

Chowdown Chili

Smokinrsquo Platters

and so much more

Biker and Barbecue Enthusiasts

Enjoy our Chalkboard Specials

Long Island Kawasaki67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIKawasakicom bull 516-935-6969Combining the low silhouette of

a Vulcan cruiser with Kawasaki

sportbike-derived power and

handling as well as a custom fit

concept designed to comfort-

ably fit a wide range of riders

Rollinrsquo Fast Cycle Sports Presents

GReAT ALL AMeRICAN DINeR RUN tasty places to take your bike

Chicken Hero also topped with their local cheddar cheese

For you Vegans (he said with a smirk) you will find a Veggie Panini (now

hush and eat your greens) If you are really hungry try Ardyrsquos Big Roast Beef

ndash a heaping of oven roasted beef topped with Swiss cheese and served on a

Kaiser roll and topped with Ardyrsquos famed horseradish sauce

Thatrsquoll fill you up

When we arrived it was an unusually cool day for the Leatherstocking Re-

gion and a hot sammich seemed more on order Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

serves up hot pork and hot roast beef sammiches but I went with their hot

meatloaf ndash brought out on a toasted Kaiser roll with homemade mashed po-

tatoes and some super tasty gravy ndash enough to float a boat

Just about everything here at Ardyrsquos is a homemade creation Real potatoes

fresh vegetables and freshly roasted meats are always used Not much

processed or pre-packaged quasi food will be found here

My Hot Meatloaf Sammich served with Ardyrsquos super potatoes and

drowned in their excellent brown gravy was one of the best I have ever had

on the road And it was not just a thinly sliced bit of meatloaf but an honest-

to-goodness slab orsquomeatloaf

I wouldnrsquot even serve myself that big a piece at home

Okay maybe I would

The rest of our crew all had the Tomato amp Basil Soup (delicious) and

grilled cheese sammiches which was a special of the day

If you can squeeze it in after all this great chow Ardyrsquos is an ice cream par-

lor as well and they offer enough flavors that even resident ice cream maven

Shira was tempted

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen is the perfect example of a small and family run

restaurant that really serves up the goods All their offering are real and tasty

and just like your mom would cook ndash ifrsquon your mom was a trained chef

When in the region it is well worth searching Ardyrsquos out and with that in

mind wersquoll give you a short ride from the Kingston area to this monthrsquos stop

on the Great All American Diner Run

Find them on FaceBook at Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

Page 14 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

RIP amp RIDEreg bull ARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN279 MAIN ST WORCESTER NY 121197 bull 607-397-4070

START INTERSECTIONS OF RTES 20928 KINGSTON NYRTE 28 WESTRIGHT AT RTE 375LEFT AT RTE 212RIGHT AT RTE 28LEFT AT RTE 214LEFT AT RTE 23ARIGHT AT SCRIBNER HOLLOW RDLEFT AT RTE 23CRIGHT AT CR 40STRAIGHT AT CR 296

LEFT AT RTE 23BEAR RIGHT AT CR 7LEFT AT CR 990VRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT SHREW HOLLOW ROADLEFT AT CR 29RIGHT AT CR 10LEFT AT MEADE ROADLEFT AT CHARLOTTEVILLE ROADRIGHT AT CR 39RIGHT AT RTE 7 MAIN STARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN ON LEFT

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

moTe AquArium And mArine lABorATory

600 ken ThomPson Pkwy sArAsoTA fl 34236

941-388-4441 bull wwwmoTeorG

Each March and October the Daytona faithful head

south to the beginning and end of the season rallies

on the Sunshine statersquos eastern coast

But we have always found Daytona and vicinities

to get a bit too crowded loud andhellipumm ndash boring

Well for us

The SUYT thing kinda got old when the girls could

be your daughter-in-law

We prefer checking out the scene and then doing a

little Floridian travel exploring some of the sights

and scenes that draw so may south each year

On Floridarsquos Gulf Coast you will find the city of

Sarasota

This city has a thriving cultural scene and boasts a

number of interesting places to visit explore and gen-

erally spend some time

A few years back we told you of the Circus Mu-

seum this time we dropped in on the Mote Aquarium

and Marine Laboratory

The Aquarium has its beginnings back in 1955

when it was founded by Dr Eugenie Clark in

Placida Florida Back then it was known as Cape

Haze Marine Laboratory until its 1967 renaming in

honor of a major benefactor William R Mote and the

contributions he and his family made to helping the

aquarium grow mdash both in size and reputation Since

1960 Mote has been based in Sarasota Florida and

since 1978 it has been lo-

cated on City Island and

that is where we got to

spend a number of hours

The Mote Aquarium

consists of three buildings

the aquarium an interac-

tive theatre and a separate

building that houses their

sea turtles dolphin (singu-

lar but wersquoll get into that)

and manatee collection all

of whom have been res-

cued or rehabbed at Mote

All the exhibits are laid

out with informative plac-

ards and each tank brings

different environments and

different fish and marine wildlife all with a story

to tell

Moray eels tanks full of floating jelly fish of

all types exotic fish we had never dreamed of and

some we simply had never seen in person were

there

In addition to the first building exhibits you can

learn about the giant squid and then move to the

shark area and ray along the way you will find a

few tanks where you can reach in and get to touch

a few of the locals

Mote also had a nice display on the Megalodon

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 15

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

ndash the prehistoric shark that was well over 50 feet long

with teeth as large as your fist

A quick walk across the parking lot brought us to the

building holding their other large exhibits

A few different sea turtles were swimming about as

well as Hugh and Buffett ndash two large and impressive

manatees

A large outdoor pool held lsquoMoonshinersquo Motersquos res-

ident dolphin who was rescued after it beached and

was found drying out and sunburned

He seems happy enough but personally we think he

needs a friend We were told that Mote is next on the

list for such a companion

While we visited Mote had a special attraction called

lsquoSurvivorsrsquo which featured some of the oddest marine and fresh water ani-

mals and the very unique way they survive in the wild ndash from deadly poison

to killer punches to simply looking like a rock and hoping for the best ndash it

was a fascinating display as was the entire aquarium

If you get hungry you can drop by their Deep Sea Diner where you can

enjoy dining al-fresco or inside the casual retro rsquo50s-style diner complete

with an old-fashioned soda fountain The lively cafeacute offers a fun affordable

family-style menu including chili and chowder burgers and dogs veggie

burgers and fresh salads chicken fingers and fries And donrsquot forget dessert

hand-dipped ice cream shakes amp sundaes

We thought wersquod spend a quick hour there but ended up happily spending

the afternoon

Mote might not be the biggest but it surely made up for its size with quality

and interesting and informative displays

Page 16 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 906-9292

Find Us on Facebook bull SportHondanet

hondacom UTILITY ATVs ARE RECOMMENDED FOR RIDERS 16 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER TRX90X IS RECOMMENDED ONLY FOR RIDERS12 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER RIDERS UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE MUST BE SUPERVISED BY AN ADULT ATVs CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO OPER-ATE ALL ATV RIDERS SHOULD TAKE A TRAINING COURSE (FREE FOR NEW BUYERS ASK YOUR DEALER OR CALL ASI AT 800-887-2887) ANDREAD THEIR OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND APPROPRIATE CLOTHING AVOID EXCESSIVESPEEDS AND BE CAREFUL ON DIFFICULT TERRAIN FOR YOUR SAFETY BE RESPONSIBLE NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGSOR ALCOHOL ON PAVED SURFACES ON PUBLIC ROADS WITH PASSENGERS OR AT EXCESSIVE SPEEDS NO STUNT RIDING RESPECT THEENVIRONMENT WHEN RIDING TRXreg and Rancherreg are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1114)

Whether itrsquos hard work

or time to play

Sport Honda has the

ATV to fit your lifestyle

Be prepared - Come in

Today for your

Winter utility needs

Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 491-2900

Find Us on Facebook bull CrossCountryPowersportscom

Cross Country Powersportsis now taking deposits for theNinja H2Rtrade and H2tradeExperience unforgettable supercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2trade motorcycle theworldrsquos only supercharged productionhypersport streetbike

The BridGewATer TriAnGle

is This The sTrAnGesT sPoT in The norTheAsT

Located just 30 miles south of Boston this 200-mile square area has the

Massachusetts towns of Abington Freetown and Rehoboth at its angles The

town of Bridgewater is located nearly dead center within the triangle and the

area also encompasses six other Massachusetts towns Raynham Taunton

Brockton Mansfield Norton and Easton including the Hockomock Swamp

It is known as the Bridgewater Triangle

It seems if it is paranormal weird or mysterious it has happened in the Tri-

angle of the years

Let us start with one of the

first odd things found in the

region

It was in this area that the

first officially documented

petroglyph in the United

States was found - Dighton

Rock This 40 ton boulder

was discovered by original

settlers and has always

caused questions and wonder

of who made these mysteri-

ous markings and why

In fact in 1690 Rev Cotton Mather described the rock in his book The

Wonderful Works of God Commemorated

ldquoAmong the other Curiosities of New-England one is that of a mighty

Rock on a perpendicular side whereof by a River which at High Tide covers

part of it there are very deeply Engraved no man alive knows How or When

about half a score Lines near Ten Foot Long and a foot and half broad filled

with strange Characters which would

suggest as odd Thoughts about them that

were here before us as there are odd

Shapes in that Elaborate Monumentrdquo

The boulder was moved in 1980 to the

museum in a nearby park Dighton Rock State Park in order to protect and

preserve this part of Americarsquos strange history

Strangely marked boulders were not the beginning of the mystery of the

Bridgewater Triangle

Years back a group of archeologists discovered a native burial mound on

Grassy Island in the swamp These graves were dated to 6000 BC

Strange lights have been

reported on this island and

across the triangle and one

of the first documented

UFO sighting came from

here when on May 10

1760 villagers in two

towns 50 miles away stared

in wonder at a ldquoSphere of

Firerdquo that slowly made its

way across the sky

The next day both townsrsquo newspapers reported the phenomena in their edi-

tions According to historical records the UFO emitted light bright enough

to cast a shadow in bright sunlight The sound made by the object ldquooddly

enough was heard sooner at the middle of the course it took than at the be-

ginningrdquo

You canrsquot really have such an eclectic gathering of odd in a place like this

in Mysterious America without a few good Yeti sightings

Over the years all sorts of ldquoSwamp Monstersrdquo have been sighted and in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 17

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

April 1970 it was reported that a ldquoBigfootrdquo

picked up a rear of a police car in which sat

two surprised police officers

Police dogs have been used time and again but

Bigfoot is an elusive fellow

I have always believed the Jersey Devil is a

Pterosaurs of some kind and here around the

Bridgewater Triangle huge black prehistoric-look-

ing birds with a wingspan of between eight and

twelve feet have been reported time and again in-

cluding a report by Norton Police Sergeant Thomas

Downy

Indian Curses abound as well and along Route

44 in Rehoboth lies the boulder known as Anawan

Rock It is said that it was here that the Wampanoag

chief Anawan surrendered to the colonists thus

ending King Philiprsquos War According to local be-

liefs the angry spirits of the warriors captured that

day continue to haunt the spot

Extremely large snakes and alligators have been

found in the swamp along with other creatures that are totally out of place

In the late 1800rsquos bones of a giant were unearthed

Every which way you look or travel in the area you will find something

strange In fact I have a quick list of odd things found in the

Bridgewater Triangle for you

Next time yoursquore looking to spend a few days exploring Mys-

terious America take a ride around the Bridgewater Triangle You

just might end up sending me an email telling me you spotted ahellip

OrsquoLife Out

Ten odd ThinGs found in The BridGewATer TriAnGle

1 The longest epitaph in the United States is located in a Rehoboth

cemetery A full 405 words

2 Three PT Barnum circus ldquofreaksrdquo hailed from here including

Middlebororsquos Tom Thumb and East Bridgewaterrsquos ldquoThe Human

Skeletonrdquo

3 The first boundary line in the United States is located in Abing-

ton at the Bridgewater Trianglersquos furthest most delineated northern

map point

4 A historic 40-foot tall Hood milk bottle in Raynham (now a

restaurant) is the (triplet) sister to famous the ldquoMilk Bottlerdquo at the

Boston Childrenrsquos museum

5 In 1906 bones of ldquoa giantrdquo were discovered in Middleboro

6 Alligators seals emu peacocks cow moose bears Africal

Sevral panthers and mountain lions have all been found in the

Bridgewater Triangle

7 There are both handprints and footprints imbedded into several

Bridgewater Triangle boulders handprints in Middleboro foot-

prints in Norton

8 Dighton Rock is the first documented petroglyph in the United

States

9 The chocolate chip cookie was invented in the happiest of ac-

cidents in the northern apex of the Bridgewater Triangle

10 The Bridgewater Triangle is host to the worldrsquos only shovel

museum located in Easton

Page 18 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

290 Route 100 West Dover VT800-745-3615 bull wwwgrayghostinncom

Motorcyclist-Friendly Destination LodgingLocated on Scenic Route 100 in Southern VermontHot breakfast cooked to order BYOB bar firepit hot tub game room and WiFi

Free Maps and Suggested Rides Group Special Packages5 restaurantsbars within walking distance bull On-site Group Dinners available

MemberWhen you canrsquot ride because of snow ride the snow

Guided Back-Country Snowmobile Toursin the Green Mountain National Forest

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

mounTAineer hoTel

31 eAsT second Avenue williAmson wv

304-235-2222 bull wwwmounTAineerhoTelcom

Laying right on the Tug Fork River across from the

Blue Grass state of Kentucky one will find the tiny town

of Williamson West Virginia Williamson has a long

history mostly revolving around the coal industry

Here you will find a rather large rail yard now part

of the Norfolk Southern built to service the many mines

found in and around this part of West Virginia and Ken-

tucky

In 1974 a United States Army Corps of Engineer

planner described the region as having the most severe

flooding problem in America

In 1977 after many days of steady hard rain the Tug

Fork and adjoining streams began

a constant and quick rise As had

happened in the past the town ex-

perienced incredible flooding

Today a floodwall protects

Williamson from future wet havoc

A huge part of this regionrsquos local

lore and history is the famed home

of the feud between the Hatfields

and McCoys probably the most

famous family fight in US history

The first event in the decades-

long feud was the 1865 murder of

Randolphrsquos brother Asa Harmon

McCoy by the Logan Wildcats a local militia group

that counted Devil Anse and other Hatfields among its

members Many peoplemdasheven members of his own

familymdashregarded Asa Harmon who had served in the

Union Army during the American Civil War as a trai-

tor While some have surmised that his murder set the

stage for the feud most historians now see this inci-

dent as a standalone event

Relations between the two families continued to

sour over the next decade before flaring again over a

seemingly small matter a dispute over a single hog

In 1878 Randolph McCoy accused Floyd Hatfield a

cousin of Devil Anse of stealing one of his pigs a

valuable commodity in the poor region Floyd Hat-

fieldsrsquos trial took place in McCoy territory but was

presided over by a cousin of Devil Anse It hinged on

the testimony of star witness Bill Staton a McCoy rel-

ative married to a Hatfield Staton testified in Floyd

Hatfieldrsquos favor and the McCoys were infuriated when

Floyd was cleared of the charges against him Two

years later Staton was violently killed in a fracas with

Sam and Paris McCoy nephews of Randolph Sam stood trial for the

murder but was acquitted for self-defense reasons

Things went south from there and an American legacy was born

In and around the town you will find much on this feud

In the center of town you will find The Coal House now the home

of the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce

Weighing in at 65 tons with 2 ft thick walls itrsquos the only coal house

made entirely of coal Built in 1933 it was designed by architect HT

Hicks from an idea by O W Evans It was constructed from blocks

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 19

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

of local seam coal donated by coal companies in the region

Right next door to The Coal House you will find the historic

Mountaineer Hotel The large classic-revival 5-story yellow-

glazed brick building dominates the center of town and offers

a look and reason to step back into the past

Built in 1925 the Mountaineer hotel has had its share of fa-

mous guests with JFK Paul Newman Jerry Lee Lewis Henry

Ford and others- including the great Soupy Sales - staying here

overnight

In fact all the rooms are named after famous and infamous

guests that have walked through its doors

Later in the evening we walked all five flights to see just

who did stay there

The main entrance leads to a large lobby and the front desk

with pigeonhole boxes for room keys and a teller window

French doors lead to the ballroom The hotel has 116 rooms

for guests a formal ballroom a lobby restaurant and sports bar

(which were not open this day) and the lower level has a num-

ber of games ndash including Fooz ball pool

and a large regulation-sized shuffle board

game that kept us occupied for about an

hour

Sometimes we find places from this era

a bit run down but the Mountaineer hotel

is a gem

Just one look at the grand lobby and you

will know this is true and with rooms less

than $75 for the night quite the deal too

We took Paul Newmanrsquos room and it

couldnrsquot have been nicer

Unpacking and strolling around town

which was quiet on a Monday night was a

pleasant distraction after a dayrsquos worth of

hard miles through the mountains of West

Virginia and Kentucky

When traveling around the United States

you can almost always find a chain hotel at

any exit or bigger town but why would you

want to when wonderful old beauties like

the Mountaineer Hotel in Williamson West

Virginia are around

Page 20 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Tony Lisanti

Eye protection for off road use consists of

the tried and true goggle The goggle

wraps around the helmet and seals to

your face in the helmet opening

Traditional goggles

consist of a urethane

based flexible frame

with various types of

foam material that

seal directly against

the forehead and cheeks

and nose keeping out wind and

dirt Being the helmet has a limited opening

goggles have had to fit inside this space limiting the field of vision

This type of goggle has been the norm for last half century with

all kinds of innovations in frame lens and foam materials

Enter ZOWA Optics Visor Goggles ZOWA Optics was founded

in 2013 Their goal is to offer unique goggles to off-road dirt bike

ATV and snowmobile riders The Vermont based company has

come up with a goggle that eliminates many of the drawbacks of

a traditional off road goggle The Visor Goggles are designed so

the upper half seals against the helmet rather than the forehead

The lower half of the goggle rests against the face By developing

the goggle in this way the field of view is dramatically increased and the

issue of having foam in contact with the skin on the forehead is eliminated

I had the opportunity to try out the Visor Goggles at a local practice track

recently The first thing I noticed was the size of the Visor Goggles They are

about twice the size of a traditional goggle They install on a helmet the same

way as traditional goggles except instead of resting against the forehead they

seal against the helmet under the visor Most noticeable was the lack

of ldquonose pinchrdquo and the vastly improved vision The Visor Goggle

drastically reduces the claustrophobic feel of traditional goggles as

there is more distance between the inside of the goggle and your face

The feel is more like an adventure helmet

After riding with them for an hour or two on an MX track I found

the improved field of vision to be a welcome change Riding with the

Visor Goggles allowed better vision up down and sideways I did no-

tice a bit more air coming in from the flow through design and from

underneath the seal against my check bones at speed During warm

weather this would be welcome in cold weather not so much Ad-

justing the strap tension has an affect on goggle to face contact Skin

contact with the typical sweatmudgrungefunk mix that gets en-

crusted on the foam is minimized since

the foam is resting against the helmet

rather than the forehead

They cleaned up well and showed no

signs of scratching on the lenses stain-

ing of the frames or discoloration de-

spite a liberal dosage of mud and water

The ZOWA Visor Goggle features in-

clude being rated for OTG (Over The

Glasses) by virtue of the greater clear-

ance between goggle and face a Hel-

met conformed design improved field

of view Lexan lens with anti-fog coating comfort foam and flow through

ventilation The strap features a silicon strip to help it stay put on the helmet

Accessory lenses and tear-off lenses are available All goggles come with a

micro fiber storage bag as well The off road goggles retail for $5800 and

are available in black red of cyan frame colors wwwzowaopticscom

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

BUILT BEYOND BELIEFINTRODUCING THE KAWASAKI

Come to Motorcycle Mall to reserve your Ninja H2trade

by December 19 and experience unforgettablesupercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2 motorcycle the worldrsquos onlysupercharged production hypersport streetbike

H2

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pantsgloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Mo-torcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environmentFor furher information regarding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 Specifi-cations subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspired R1 everFrom the advanced lsquorider activersquo electronicspackage to the powerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Supersport bike andfactory MotoGP has never been more blurred

COMPLETELY NEW

FROM THE TRACK UP

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 21

PRODUCT REVIEWZOWA OPTICS VISOR GOGGLES

Great All American Diner RunAs always wersquoll start with our most popular column the Great All American Diner Run Wait is it really We just might have a new fan fa-vorite but wersquoll save that till later First letrsquos take a look at the top three for GAADR 2014hellip

SECOND RUNNER UP bull RIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST2378 ROUTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770 bull 845-557-0097 bull RIVERUNNERSROOSTCOM

Route 97 along the scenic Delaware River has long been a favorite of motorcyclists for years and

over the years the road has seen a number of restaurants open their doors along its picturesque miles

The latest is the River Runnerrsquos Roost

Opened by Rich and Mary Codichini back in 2013 this place quickly became a favorite of ours

and many others They bill themselves as a barbeque steakhouse with a touch of Cajun and Italian

We call it phenomenal with one of the best barbeques in the region and gumbo to go to war over

If you havenrsquot tried the ldquoRoostrdquo then make plans for riding their way in the spring

FIRST RUNNER UP bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784 bull 603- 298-5515 bull 4ACESDINERCOM

Located just up the hill from the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River in the town of

Lebanon the Four Aces is the real deal A true Great All-American Diner Their

menu is huge interesting and delicious The ambience is pure Americana and the

roads leading to and from the Four Aces straddling Vermont and New Hampshire

are hard to top They have pro smokers going outside right along their picnic tables

but we found a seat at the counter worked just fine for us

Our only problem with Four Aces is that they are almost exactly 301 miles from

where we type this They should consider northern New Jersey

The Four Aces is a must see do and eat while in the Dartmouth region and just

missed out on our top honor for this yearrsquos vote

And so without further adohellip

1ST PLACE GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN 2014 bull FIVE ISLANDS LOBSTER COMPANY1447 5 ISLANDS RD GEORGETOWN ME 04548 bull 207-371-2990 bull FIVEISLANDSLOBSTERCOM

Location location location Besides have a superb down to Earth feel a great staff scrumptious food

and a wonderful coastal Maine flavor ndash The Five Islands Lobster Company has a serious location

Did we mention where it is

Located on a working fishing wharf it is surrounded by the ldquocoldest and deepest waters on the coastrdquo

There be some serious lobstarsquo lurking here abouts and it is best when they find their final way to

Five Islands You can have these big bugs anyway you like but we took a bullet for all of you and

went and ordered The Big Boy Stuffed with twice the amount of lobster meat than your average

lobster roll it was our pleasure to tackle this monster as best we could

Wait ndash just thinking of it all on this cold November day has us in a statehellip

They do serve a good number of other seafood favorites as well as more land-based standards but

who wants that when you can have the quintessential Maine treat on a wooden bench and table

alongside one of the prettiest bays in New England

This is why the Five Islands Lobster Company slid into the 1 spot in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

Big City GetawayBig City Getaway has always been about a great destination So many of

us roll the bikes out of the garage and then say ldquoWhere tordquo That is where this monthly favoritecomes in and here are our best of Big City Getaway 2015

2ND RUNNER UP bull MUSTANG FACTORYTOUR4 SPRINGFIELD STREET SUITE 1 THREE RIVERS MA 01080 bull 800-243-1392 bull MUSTANGSEATSCOM

They are one of the largest motorcycle seat manufacturers on the planet and they would be happy to show you around

We did a tour this last summer and found just how much talent vision and workmanship goes into creating some of

the most distinctive and comfortable motorcycle seats you can find

Page 22 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Best of Backroads 2014Once again this planet we ride has completed another lap around our sun and it is time for us to look back on the season and the veryBest of BackroadsIf we said 2013 was ldquointerestingrdquo we would be hard pressed to describe this past year of 2014For sure last year brought us thousands of great miles and lots of smiles interesting destinations and a few great Backroads Ralliesbut some darkness and loss along the journey for our Backroads family as wellStill looking back we had some phenomenal places we found stories we told and friends with which we have ridden The Italian poet Cesare Pavese said ldquoWe do not remember days we remember momentsrdquoThis year ndash 2014 ndash we had our share of moments Letrsquos look back at some in the Best of Backroads 2014

The tour is open to riding groups and takes a little over an hour and a half We recommend that you make an

appointment and guarantee you will have an informative and fun day with our friends at Mustang seats

1ST RUNNER UP bull COASTAL BOTANICAL GARDENS32 BOTANICAL GARDENS DR BOOTHBAY ME 04537 bull 207-633-4333 bull MAINEGARDENSORG

This project took nearly 17 years planning planting and building before its opening in June of 2007 and today

the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens comprises 270 acres of tidal shore land thousands of flowers plants

and botanical oddities Interspersed amongst the natural beauty you will find dozens of sculptures that

only add to an already stunning venue Rarely has a visitor spent some time at the Coastal Botanical

Gardens and not wanted to return as soon as possible

It is simple to see why this easily took our First Runner Up spot

1ST PLACE BIG CITY GETAWAY 2014 FIVE STAR GENERAL STORES bull NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY

This article from our October issue embodied a little bit of everything we might look for in a Big

City Getaway It had local history interesting stops (5 of them) food ice cream and it was all

woven together with some of the neatest roads in northern New Jersey ndash a riding jewel for those

who have never been so lucky Running along to five different and historic General Stores this day

trip just kept getting better Know that we just scratched the surface and that these General Stores from

the past can be found all around the nation But for this time around it was this adventure that was

called 1 for Big City Getaway 2014

(Note as of this printing the Stillwater General Store has closed but is still worth the ride-by for the

roads and historic value)

Wersquore Outta HereThe great thing that we riders have over the more boring people out there is that our tripsand adventures happen the moment we roll out of our driveways and onto the roadOvernight trips are like mini-vacations for the soul and are most likely the reason they sayyou never see a motorcycle outside a psychiatrist office unless it belongs to the shrinkWersquore Outta Here is all about that ndash places to go and enjoy whether it be a group coupleor on your ownLetrsquos see what we think were our top three for 2014

2ND RUNNER UP bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 E MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854 bull 814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGEPACOM

Shira found this hide-away full of coffee awesomeness when we were to attend the ALTRider adventure

ride early this summer in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania The lodge is part of the coffee house and

although the room we had was a tad small it was well thought out and just added to the coolness of the

entire place We had the Penns Creek Room with its lsquoloft-stylersquo bed and rock wall shower Each morning

the aroma from the coffee shop downstairs was like a Sirenrsquos call and had us highly motivated to carefully

spring out of bed (well it was a loft and there was a drop) There were also great muffins and cakes to go along with the coffee

Millheim is well located with a great combination of fantastic riding both paved and not and has a few eateries within strolling distance (compared to walking

or marching distance) We liked everything about the Triple Creek Lodge ndash the smell the flavor and the quirkiness

1ST RUNNER UP bull INDIAN ROCK INN2206 RIVER RD UPPER BLACK EDDY PA 18972 bull 610-982-9600 bull INDIANROCKINNCOM

GPS Download wwwsendspacecomprodlen7u7kAlong the PA-side of the Delaware River just north of Jerseyrsquos Milford in a place where the river

crooks dramatically and heads north for a bit you will find a great local treasure - the Indian Rock

Inn Tucked underneath what are called the Pennsylvania Palisades and along both river and old

canal the Indian Rock is the complete package

After a day of fun riding to and around the region you can park the bikes grab your room and

shower and make your way to the very friendly bar The Barking Dog Grab a cocktail and me-

ander to the very comfortable large porch take a seat and watch the world go by After the sun

sets a delicious gourmet meal is just steps away Perhaps a night cap and then upstairs to end a

prefect day With all that it is easy to see how the Indian Rock grabbed first runner up in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

1ST PLACEWErsquoRE OUTTA HERE 2014 bull QUODDY HEAD STATION823 SOUTH LUBEC RD LUBEC ME 04652 bull 877-535-4714 bull QUODDYVACATIONCOM

Most times we are all for suggesting you sleep in a bit longer at any of our Wersquore Outta Here destinations but here at Quoddy Head

Station we urge - no insist ndash that you get up before the dawn so you can be the first in the United States to see the sun rise over the At-

lantic from the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse - just a 2 minute ride to the east

Here in the most north and east point of the United States life does not get much better

The rooms and views cannot be beat and the surrounding area with its little coves Reversing Falls State Park Rooseveltrsquos Campobello

cottage (actually in Canada) and the very coastal Maine town of Lebec with its large number of seafood restaurants nautical shops and

vistas are hard to beat anywhere else in the world When we travelled in the area

we rode under a giant orange full moon that rose over the bay at low tide

It was eerie and stunning all at the same time

One of those moments we talked about earlier Quoddy Head Station has to be one

of the most interesting and geographically perfect places we have traveled to in

many years and easily made its way to the 1st place spot for Wersquore Outta Here 2014

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 23

Mysterious AmericaAlways one of the perennial favorites for our readers is the odd wacky and off-beat destinations that our own Dr Seymour OrsquoLife brings

to us each month This year was no different and the choices to be made for the TopThree were very tight for the good doctor but undaunted our hero carried on and cameup with the short list So letrsquos get to it

2ND RUNNER UP bull ISLE OFWIGHT COUNTY MUSEUM103 MAIN ST SMITHFIELD VA 23430 bull 757-356-1223 bull HISTORICISLEOFWIGHTCOM

You remember this place ndash home of the Worldrsquos Oldest Ham It belonged to PD Gwaltney Jr

It had its beginnings in 1902 when a cured ham was accidentally hung from rafters in one Gwaltneyrsquos

houses until it was discovered by workers By 1924 the pet ham was kept in an iron safe which was

opened daily for guests to view Advertised as the worldrsquos oldest Smithfield ham Gwaltney fashioned

a brass collar for the ham and took it to shows and expos to exhibit the preservative powers of his

smoking method The ham was featured in Ripleyrsquos ldquoBelieve It Or Notrdquo in 1929 1932 and 2003 and

more importantly in Backroads in May of 2014 For sure the museum holds so much more but Sey-

mour could never get past the ham Neither could we

1ST RUNNER UP bull THE CULPER SPY RINGThis was the first multi-month piece by the minions of mystery and we spent three

full months searching for the real story on George Washingtonrsquos Culper Spy Ring

From its beginning with the hanging of Nathan Hale in what is now mid-town Man-

hattan to the desolation of being held on a prison ship in an East River Bay in Brook-

lyn - where we had the largest battle of our Revolutionary War Then on to the Culper

Spies themselves and the web they wove from Setauket Long Island across the

Sound to Connecticut and into New York and Philadelphia These men and woman

(nobody really knows who this lady was) changed the course of history It was then

onto treachery traitors and sex ndashwith the story of Benedict Arnold his wife Peggy

Shippen and her lover Major John Andrersquo and our own West Point Escape capture

and the gallows all played a part in this true story of our local American history

Mysterious Americarsquos history has never been so much fun

1ST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2014 bull THE TRANS-ALLEGHENY LUNATIC ASYLUM71 ASYLUM DR WESTON WV 26452 bull 304-269-5070 bull TRANS-ALLEGHENYLUNATICASYLUMCOM

When we first rode up to this massive 27-acre facility Shira who had no idea where or why we were there shook her head and simply asked why

The asylum stands like a monstrous stone beast dominating the ground It is the second largest hand-hewn bluestone building on the planet with only Russiarsquos

Kremlin surpassing it But it is the feel and aura that surround and linger around this building

that will tell you the real story of the place

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum also known as the We-

ston State Hospital was a Kirkbride psychiatric hospital that

operated from 1864 until 1994 Like many Kirkbridge hospi-

tals it started out with a noble idea but soon became overrun

with patients lack of proper care and some of the saddest and

scariest tales were heard here on the tour The place is massive and to walk the halls would literally take miles

The place is reportedly full of ghosts and very bad things from the other side One look at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

and you will have a hard time denying that claim Shira will never go back and it was one of the few times that she was seriously

ldquocreeped outrdquo Her words ndash not ours

With that being said you surely must agree that a visit to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum easily ranks as our 1st place for

our Mysterious America 2014

MomentsIt was April 10 of this past year when the phone here at Backroads rang Answering it I could hear the voice of a friend Dave on the farend ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo I asked ldquohow are yourdquoDaversquos voice trembled and broke ldquoJeff Bahr was killed today on his bikerdquoIn that moment everything stopped It remained stopped for a long time Sometimes it still doesA month or so later well after Jeffrsquos service and cremation Shira and I found ourselves at the spot where this happened We talked tothe young man who was tending his barbecue pit which he was stoking for the dayrsquos lunch He was there when the driver pulled out ofhis general storersquos parking lot without even a glance He sadly but kindly told us of that momentJeff had simply been riding down a wide country road when an 86-year old man pulled out in front of him Although rubber on the roadshowed Jeff tried to avoid the car it was too little too late and he was killed on impactI have no idea what happened to the old man after this event But regardless he has to live with his inattentiveness and actions for therest of his life So do many of usWe do not remember days we remember momentsThat day was made up of a moment we will never forgetThe weekend I wrote this Jeff if hersquod survived would have been 57 He would have had dozens more stories made us laugh a dozenmore times would have made this magazine a dozen times betterJeff I hope you know that so many of us miss you so muchTo you all enjoy and savor all your moments Life is made up of them and eventually one of those moments will hurt

Page 24 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Shirarsquos Ice Cream RunLast year we introduce a semi-monthly some of the time if she felt like it column ndashShirarsquos Ice Cream Run It seems to everybody but the red head that this column hasbecome a huge hit and we have had more comments and suggestions for the IceCream Runs than anything else within memory So think sweet creamy and cold andletrsquos see what Shira thought were on the top three stops of 2014rsquos Ice Cream Runs

2ND RUNNER UP bull HOLSTENrsquoS CONFECTIONARY1603 BROAD ST BLOOMFIELD NJ 07003 bull 973-338-7091 bull WWWHOLSTENSCOM

Immortalized on celluloid in the Sopranosrsquo final episode Holstenrsquos Confectionary has so much more

to offer than their souvenir t-shirts from said show A true old-time ice cream parlor Holstenrsquos home-

made ice cream and confections will win the hearts of any true lover of sweets Taking a seat at the

counter should bring back memories of visits to Woolworthrsquos and once the delicious dairyness is

placed in front of you complete with homemade whipped cream you will think you are in a

dream Holstenrsquos has the whole package ndash premium product comfortable setting and take-home

delights With its 2nd Runner Up status truly one of my favorites of this yearrsquos ice cream stops

1ST RUNNER UP bull CAYUGA LAKE CREAMERY8421 NY 89 INTERLAKEN NY 14847 bull 607-532-9492 bull WWWCAYUGALAKECREAMERYCOM

Nestled in the idyllic Finger Lakes the Cayuga Lake Creamery offers up some of the most in-

ventive flavors Irsquove seen including wine ice cream and sorbet (best of both worlds Irsquod say)

Sitting on their outdoor deck savoring your Maple Bacon or Lavender cone on a warm summer

day ndash what could be better than that

While the Finger Lakes may not offer the most challenging of rides the scenery is beautiful and

the gorges are well gorgeous I canrsquot think of a much better day than meandering around the

Fingers with a late afternoon stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery Their 14 butterfat mixture and only the best of locally sourced

ingredients produce some of the finest creamiest ice creams around Do yourself a favor and spin your wheels to this part of

NY state for a weekend of indulgence as their terrific flavors will keep you coming back day after day

1ST PLACE SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN bull HALLrsquoS HOMEMADE ICE CREAM861 RACCOONVALLEY RD MILLERSTOWN PA 17062

717-589-3290 bull WWWHALLSICECREAMCOM

I found this gem in the middle of the Alleghenies while Brian was off riding in the forest with the

ALTRider group Having grabbed the 1st Place spot in this yearrsquos Ice Cream Run you know Hallrsquos

Homemade Ice Cream and Dairy has to be something pretty special

While their flavor offerings may not be as exotic as Cayuga Lake the quality is heavenly Their

signature flavor and one I had not tasted before is their honey ice cream coming in a variety of

mixtures such as chocolate butter pecan and my personal favorite cinnamon Hallrsquos has a couple

of outdoor tables where you can take in the full dairy effect while licking your cone If that is too

overwhelming they have a very nice indoor seating area complete with air conditioning

The riding in this part of Pennsylvania is quite exciting with elevation changes sweepers and

twisties and for those desiring an off-road adventure plenty of woodlands to test your knobbies

What do all three of these winners have in common other than fantastic ice cream They are all

open all year long so if you happen to be out and about in Bloomfield NJ Interlaken NY or Miller-

stown PA make sure you plan a stop at one of the top three spots on Shirarsquos 2014 Ice Cream Run

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 25

Rip amp Ridereg bull RIVER RUNNERS ROOST2378 RTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770

845-557-0097 bull WWWRIVERRUNNERSROOSTCOMSEASONAL HOURS - CALL BEFORE HEADING OUT

CR 560 IN SUSSEX COUNTY NJCROSS DINGMANS BRIDGE bull $1 TOLLSTRAIGHT ON RTE 739RIGHT AT MILFORD RDLEFT AT RAYMONDSKILL RDCROSS OVER I-84HARD LEFT ON US 6QUICK RIGHT ONTOTWIN LAKES RDRIGHT AT RTE 434CROSS RIVER TO NEWYORKRIGHT AT RTE 97 SOUTHRIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST DOWN ROAD ON LEFT HAND SIDE

Rip amp Ridereg bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784603- 298-5515 bull WWW4ACESDINERCOM

GPS DOWNLOAD WWWSENDSPACECOMPRODLXXTWXB90-MILE ONEWAY ROUTE FROM THEWEST DOVER VERMONT REGION

BIG BEARS LODGE GRAY GHOST AND KITZHOF INN

RTE 100 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT RTE 35RIGHT AT RTE 121LEFT AT RTE 5CROSS INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE ndash ARCH BRIDGELEFT AT RTE 12 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 120LEFT AT RTE 4 WEST LEBANONFOUR ACES DOWN ON THE LEFT

TAylorrsquos ice creAm PArlor

18 e mAin sT chesTer nJ bull 908-879-5363

What to do on the first sub-freezing day in November Go for ice cream

of course I was hanging out with the good doctor OrsquoLife and best friend

Brian when OrsquoLife told us of this place that grows telephone poles Having

my doubts about most of what OrsquoLife tells me I asked him to prove it So

off we went to the quaint little town of Chester New Jersey

After a pleasant lunch at the Publick House complete with real wood

burning fireplace we trekked down the road a piece found said telephone

pole farm (for another column of course) and started our return to Back-

roads Central Lo and behold right before the turn onto Route 206 there

sat Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor in the nicest old building on the block We

got our spot and headed in to find well no one but Justin in a very toasty

old fashioned ice cream parlor I do think that he was surprised to see us

or anyone on such a cold day

Taylorrsquos has apparently been an ice cream institution in

Chester for the last 50 years or so founded by Mr Earle G

Taylor Sr who just passed this August Taylorrsquos was the vic-

tim of fire some time in 2013 and was closed for a good 8

months before reopening in the same spot with applause

from their long-time fans and customers Their ice cream is

all home made and always has been On a hot summer day

you will no doubt be lined up out the door and down the

block to get this tasty treat but Irsquom certain you will find it

worth the wait I think their pricing is quite reasonable for

the size scoop they dip and if you are like me and want a sam-

pling of several flavors they offer Kiddie Scoops at $195

each ndash a flight of ice cream sounds like the perfect end-of-

ride relaxation

We perused the two very full ice cream boards and poured

over the cabinets before making our decisions With close to

50 listed flavors what was a girl to do without minions to help her taste test We finally settled on chocolate hazelnut toasted coconut salted caramel and

vanilla fudge brownie I pretty much always opt for a cup as I savor my ice cream and it would run down my arm before I was even close to finishing but I was

almost tempted by their pretzel cone What is so great about Taylorrsquos cones is the plastic drip cup in which they reside both sanitary and mess-preventing

Page 26 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

TOWN amp COUNTRYC Y C L E C E N T E R

115 Route 23N bull Hamburg NJ bull 973-875-2111wwwtownandcountrycyclecentercom

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIYamahacom bull 516-935-6969

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE

SPORT TOURERIntroducing the most performancepower versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle From commutingand exploring backroads to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaharsquos un-mistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

While enjoying our treats we savored

the deacutecor of this very pleasant parlor Sev-

eral tables to enjoy your ice cream clip-

pings of newspaper articles school

paraphernalia and something that has no

place in an ice cream parlor an old-fash-

ioned fortune telling scale This couldnrsquot

possibly still be functioning could it Ac-

cording to Justin yes it was How could we

resist In went our pennies and up popped

our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked

the weight numbers) Brianrsquos read lsquoYou are

not overbearing but generally have things

your wayrsquo Wow I couldnrsquot wait to see if

mine was as accurate ldquoYou look to the fu-

ture rather than the pastrsquo So true

Back to the ice cream ndash it

was heavenly We all agreed

that the salted caramel was the

overall winner having the per-

fect balance of salt and

caramel with the best creamy

texture The toasted coconut

was very flavorful with lots of

coconut bits the chocolate

hazelnut was very dark and

creamy and mixed with the coconut made the perfect almond-free almond

joy The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole but cer-

tainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store

I believe Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round but if yoursquore head-

ing over during the winter months give them a call to make sure Enjoy the

winter and remember itrsquos never too cold to eat ice cream

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield PA

215-712-7433 bull wwwBMWMotorcyclescom

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

THE NEW R 1200 RA POWERFUL STATEMENT

Our newest boxer roadster has one missiondominate the streets in style The R 1200 Ris designed to blend comfort precisehandling and pure riding excitementhellipin one head-turning machine

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW R 1200 RSTHRILLING COMFORT

The new R 1200 RS is perfectly balancedcombining optimal wind and weather protectionwith powerful performance and controlPutting you in an unparalleled position toexplore the road - and your own limits

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW S 1000 RRWELCOME TO THENEW PLANET POWER

The S 1000 RR has been completely revisedThe results in its origins a genuine Double RRon the road a new supersports machine thatwill once again set the benchmark in its class

UNSTOPPABLE SPORT

WHAT lsquoRrsquo YOU WAITING FORCome to Montgomeryville Cycle Center to see the full line of 2015 BMW Motorcycles products and apparel

We have everything yoursquoll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever

Motorcyclepedia the northeastrsquos

premier motorcycle museum will

be holding its Speaker Series again

this winter with various riders and

orators covering topics ranging

from world touring to tips on avoiding tickets and an in depth look at GPS

technology and todayrsquos motorcycling

Backroadsrsquo own Brian amp Shira will start the series off with a talk on Jan-

uary 17 on lsquoThe Big Fiversquo motorcycle destinations around the planet along

with planning and touring around the United States and the world

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who

will help clear the fog about Garmin GPSrsquos and how their BaseCamp program

works along with how to create and export your own personal routes

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on ldquoEverything you need to know

on Motorcycles and the Lawrdquo - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper po-

lice procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists

Seth Simpson of Motorcycle training Solutions will be giving a seminar

on Rider Training

Motorcyclistmoto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about

Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys

Look for a Womenrsquos Riding Panel with some well-known female motor-

cyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing todayrsquos women

riders This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and

beginning women riders

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months

and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to

enlighten

Wersquoll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page

as soon as they are etched in stone

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh New York in the

riding heart of the Hudson Valley

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 27

A DAY AT THE MUSEUMlsquoSPEAKER SERIESrsquo RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Frankrsquos MotorcycleSales amp Service

120 Center RoadEssex VT 05451

802-878-3930wwwFranksMotorcycleSalescomBMWhtm

Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY845-357-1190

wwwLocomotionPowersportscom

LOCOMOTION POWER-

SPORTS138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY

845-357-1190

Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

SUSSEX MOTORSPORTS446 Route 23 bull Sussex NJ bull Located across from the AampP Shopping Plaza

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JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

2015 Kawasaki Concoursreg14 ABSThe ultimate backroad SuperSport Tourer

The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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Visit us at the NY Boat ShowJan 21-25 bull Javits Center

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Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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cycle insurance Agency increcreational vehicle specialists

Agents who ride and understandyour motorcycle insurance needs

Ask about our Tour cycle Program ndash the ultimate in coverage

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memBer

memBer

Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

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Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

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help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 6: January 2015 Backroads

new Girl in Town

I never meant it to happen ndash but it did She stood out amidst the others

smaller and dressed differently a waif a trifle goth with prominent attractive

tattoos looking fresh but a little worldly She was definitely out of place

among the tiffany-clad society girls like Courtney Love at a PTA meeting

and she was therefore interesting She sulked like shersquod rather be anyplace

but sitting under the awning of a bike shop So I did what any pudgy gray-

haired over-fifty guy would do I went over In a short time a price was

mentioned and she came home with me And that is how I ended up with a

Stardust Pearl White 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 650

I love middleweights and my naked SV650 is a

stone blast especially at VIR I had so much fun

there in June that Irsquove been looking for a fully-

faired sportbike ever since Enter the Ninja

When I first saw the bike and sat on it the look

and feel were so cuddly that I thought it was an

excellent starter and commuter Though the body-

work says ldquosportrdquo the high tubular handlebar and

realistically ergonomic pegs say ldquostreetrdquo Seeing

it at the shop a female friend walked up sat down

on it and said ldquoItrsquos cute it needs a lsquoHello Kittyrsquo

stickerrdquo But hello THIS kitty is a cheetah

Thanks to my friends at Mortonrsquos BMW I left their Oktoberfest for a long

sunny Saturday afternoon test ride through historic Virginia country roads

and came back enchanted The riding position is more aggressive than a

standard but the high rubber-mounted bars keep the chiropractor (and vi-

brations) away The fuel injection is spot-on producing flat torque at any

RPM The brakes are very good although more exploration of their potential

is required in a less public environment The transmission is clarified butter

Even the OEM-spec Dunlop Roadsmart tires are just that ndash smart and confi-

dence-inspiring Both the clutch and brake levers are adjustable a nice touch

on a price-point bike The display is a combination of digital speed and ana-

log tach which is good but Irsquod rather have a gear position display than the

silly ldquoECOrdquo indicator that comes on at low RPMs ndash itrsquos my mission to keep

that thing off

Aesthetically the bike is a winner I normally look up comparison articles

and reliability numbers especially on a used bike but I bought this bike on

looks and ride alone and did my research post-hoc Turns out the seat of

my pants and my eye were right on the money the magazines and blogs gush

about it It has just the right amount of plastic to be faired without looking

Fischer Price and the asymmetric horizontal shock and underslung pipe

complete the sporty visage One change to aesthetics will be an RampG Racing

ldquotail tidyrdquo to get rid of all the crap governments make them hang off the back

The suspension adjustments amount to rear preload only and itrsquos too firm

on a bumpy road but considering what I paid for this bike used I can get

Klaus at EPM to sell me a ldquoStreet Boxrdquo com-

plete suspension upgrade for both the forks

and rear shock that will improve not only the

ride but the control (which already isnrsquot bad)

If I really feel the need an aftermarket ex-

haust system will shave 20 lb off the weight

and add a couple HP and my total investment

in suspension and tuning is only $1500 A

set of Dunlop Q3rsquos will be installed after I

wear out the Roadsmarts and this bike will be

on the trailer next to the SV when I head to

VIR next June

The great thing is in the meantime the

Kawasaki tail pack and SW Motech tank bag will let me fling this beauty

down my secret back roads to work and arrive with my cookies unbroken

Plus like my SV I donrsquot ever see outgrowing it The lady who made the

ldquoHello Kittyrdquo comment is already lobbying to ride it and I will honor that

request unlike the inline-four ZX-6R Ninja the vertical-twin Ninja 650 is

flexible comfortable and user-friendly enough that I have no doubt she can

handle it I also have no doubt that itrsquoll do 120 MPH down the front straight

at VIR and handle well enough to make me laugh after just a bit of suspension

work And her name ldquoKunoichirdquo of course or ldquoKunordquo for short

O N T H E M A R KMARK BYeRS

Page 6 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

CROSS COUNTRY BMW911 Middlesex Avenue Metuchen NJ

Serving Central and North NJ

Staten Island NY and Philadelphia PA

732-635-0094 bull wwwCCBMWcom

While BMW has spent 90 years producing some of the

best motorcycles in the world wersquove spent 15 years

providing you with the latest and best in BMW products

like the all-new S 1000 XR and F 800 R

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

CROSS COUNTRY DUCATIFactory Authorized Sales and Service

911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ 08840

7326350094 bull wwwcrosscountrycyclenet

Shop our large selection for the latest in

Ducati Performance parts apparel and accessories

More than a new bike itrsquos a whole new world

choPsTicks And BAr-risers

The first time I saw a Touratech Bar Riser for the BMW

R1200GS I thought ldquoWhat a great idea A cool way to put

chopsticks down while your eating Asian food and donrsquot

want to lay them down Awesome Finallyrdquo

So there I was enjoying my Chicken Pad Thai when one

of my co-workers approached me and said ldquoHey man

yoursquore not using that thing rightrdquo

ldquoWhat do you do with itrdquo I asked

ldquoIrsquom pretty sure itrsquos for hanging really heavy artrdquo he said

ldquoIt holds better than one of those hanging kits You could

probably hang a sculpture on the wall if you wantedrdquo

ldquoNo not artrdquo interjected another co-worker ldquoThink

about it We work at a place that makes accessories for mo-

torcycles Why would we make something that holds art or

chopsticks Chopsticks Come on guys itrsquos obvious what

that thingrsquos forrdquo

ldquoWhatrdquo We said

ldquoWell itrsquos for hanging your gear You can bolt it

to the wall and itrsquoll hold a hanger with all of your

riding gear on it If you bolt one on top of the other

itrsquoll hold your helmet toordquo he replied and held the

thing up to the wall

That sounded right It had to be something to do

with motorcycles Chopstickshellip Well that was just

silly but hey Irsquom just the marketing guy I donrsquot

know as much about the intricacies of motorcycle

parts as our customer service people

As I was walking to my car there were a few guys

outside the office and they were tying down a V-

Strom 1000 They had the straps just about tight-

ened and I noticed that they were fastening the straps to

cleats in the bed of the truck The cleats looked a little

flimsy and I suggested they switch them out with the bar

risers in my hand (I didnrsquot know they were bar risers at

the time) I truly thought Irsquod figured out the mystery of

those brushed aluminum pieces of German Technology

Tie down loops Yes

The guys in the truck laughed at me (Irsquom used to that

being the novice rider at the office)

ldquoDonrsquot you know what these arerdquo one of them asked

and I handed them over

ldquoI guess notrdquo I said

ldquoYou bolt them to the front of your footpegsrdquo he said

ldquoIt gives you more surface and stability and they make it

easy to scrape mud off your bootsrdquo

He showed me on the V-Strom in the truck what he was

talking about I didnrsquot see any bolt holes

ldquoI donrsquot think sordquo I said ldquoWe already have our lsquoWorksrsquo

footpegs Theyrsquore really widerdquo

ldquoI think I know what Irsquom talking aboutrdquo the

Suzuki riding stranger said ldquoIrsquove owned bikes my

whole life Irsquove seen those things used Theyrsquore

called footpeg enhancersrdquo

I didnrsquot feel like having a debate It was starting

to rain so I put my precision-crafted motorcycle es-

sentials in my briefcase and went home It was Fri-

day I had dinner plans and I had a lot to do over the

weekend When I got home I left the bar risers sit-

ting on my kitchen table

Saturday came and I was doing a bunch of yard

work and cleaning out the barbecue Summer was

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 7

THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD Words by Matt Lewis bull Photos by Morgan Goldbloom

ebbing but it was still pleasantly warm in Seattle and I was warm so I headed

in for something to drink I could hear my wife and son playing in the living

room as I opened the cabinet to grab a glass Something physically felt dif-

ferent I my hand

I closed the cabinet and there it was The handle of my kitchen cabinet had

been replaced with 15mm of rock-solid engineering genius My wife had

used the bar risers (I still didnrsquot know they were bar risers) to replace my

kitchen fixtures All of them

They looked awesome and I didnrsquot have the heart to tell her to take them

down so when I went back to work on the following Monday I had to buy

them A lot more experimentation went into finally discovering the actual

use of the bar risers I suppose I could have asked someone else at work but

I wanted to figure it out myself

Here is what I know you can do but shouldnrsquot do with Touratech Bar Ris-

ers for the Water-Cooled R1200GS and GSA

bull Put them in the microwave

bull Bolt them together and wear as a ring

bull Make wind chimes (they donrsquot have good pitch)

bull Wear as earrings (my wife couldnrsquot get the bolt through

the hole in ear)

bull Use as a baby teething device (donrsquot ask)

bull Throw at an attacker (long story but trust me They wonrsquot

slow him down)

bull Open a bottle of beer

So what have I learned Well obviously the Touratech

Bar Risers for the Water-Cooled R1200GS and GSA come

in three sizes (15mm 25mm and 40mm) They are de-

signed to create optimum comfort with minimal labor and

raising the bar height results in a more upright position

which can relieve neck and back strain

Riders around the world swear by bar-risers and they

can make your bike a better fit easily and economically

hellipand you can bolt them to your bathroom wall to

hold your toothbrushes

Matt Lewis is Marketing Manager at Touratech-USA

CycoActive Inc You can see all their products and

some they donrsquot even know they have at

wwwtouratech-usacom

Cycle Motion is your provider of motorcycles ATVs scooters

snowmobiles and utility vehicles by Kawasaki Suzuki Polaris

Yamaha and Can-Am With a large parts department qualified

service technicians and a full shop full of parts and accessories

were here to meet all your power sport needs

For every rider - on or off road whether they like doing it

in the dirt carving the twisties or cruising the backroads

we have their weapon of choice

1269 DOLSONTOWN RD

MIDDLETOWN NY 10940

845-343-2552 bull WWWCYCLEMOTIONINCCOM

Page 8 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Backroads

Just wanted you to know that Joe Fencz from

Charliersquos Pool Room past away October

15th John the brother and cook called me to

tell me when the funeral services were I didnrsquot

have any idea Joe was even sick He had pancre-

atic cancer and has been battling it for a year

The Pool Room has been closed for about a

year now because the grill has to be updated to

new codes and was shut down A lot of people

have been helping them out to get them up and

running again I attended the service a few weeks

agohellipwhen Joe was alive I did not know much about him other than we

was a very nice kind outgoing person At his funeral many people told stores

about him and you got to know him after it was too late The funeral parlor

was packed

I talked with brother John to encourage him to open the store again I of-

fered him financial assistance as well as business advice There were a lot of

other people there that wanted John to open the store againhellipwe will see He

did not seem to want to do it

I snapped this picture I saw at the wake It looks like a 1930rsquos-40rsquos motor-

cycle with a homemade side car I know the father was a frontline soldier in

WW II he may have bought it surplus

Thought I would share this with riders who have been there and hopefully

will go again

Gary Rena

Gary thanks for passing that along to us Charliersquos Pool Room was the

most interesting and oddest hot dog stop in the Garden State and will be

missed

Miracles as they are I got to reading the No-

vember Backroads issue before the end of No-

vember which is pretty good for me May have

had something to do with not picking up my

mail until the end of the month

So I am feeling accomplished None-the-less

- having left town the first week in October I fi-

nally got to reading Backroads

Brian your editorial piece on BMW-style

events and this weird thing about camping had

me in stitches Camping Really whatrsquos with

that Ride all day long and stop at a motel where

you can walk to a restaurant for dinner after a nice shower That works for

me and is the only way I fly The best of all worlds thatrsquos what I say

The article on Americade and Shirarsquos editorial about the passenger seat

also had me in stitches Thanks to both of you for making me look forward

to the next issue each and every time

Until we meet again we will always admire your endless summer

lifestyle Carry on - I say

Your two-wheeled friends

Graham and Gail

This Town is the Pitshellip

As to the above column please tell Brian to call a spade a spade The rider

was following to close andor not paying attention when he rear-ended the

truck If the truck hit the girls girlrsquos fault However the bike hitting the

truck was the riderrsquos own fault

Happy holidays to you both

Greg Bagen

Greg I agree I was being semi-polite You were able to read between the

lines You should be a lawyer or something

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 9

BACKLASH Letters to the Editor

BERgEN COUNTY HARLEY-DAVIDSON DUAL PHOTO PROjECT

This is Larry No he doesnrsquot have a twin

The first picture was shot of him in his every-

day clothes A few days later he stopped by on

his bike Learn more about Larry and other

bikers soon If you ride and are interested in

being shot (with a camera) stop by Bergen

County Harley-Davidson in Rochelle Park

NJ Monday Tuesday Thursday and Friday

from 12Noon - 1pm or Wednesday night 5-

6pm It takes 5 minutes and you just might be

part of the project 2 portraits are shot one of

you in your riding gear the other of you in

your work or everyday clothes

Spread the word

Bergen County Harley-Davidson 124 Essex St Rochelle Park NJ bull 201-

843-6930 bull wwwbergenharleycom

HARLEY DEALERSHIP DROPS 10K FROM SKY

While shoppers may have been rushing for merchandise on Black Friday

a couple of thousand people were grabbing for cash at least for a brief mo-

ment

Black Diamond Harley-Davidson of Marion Illinois has hosted turkey

drops in the past but Black Fridayrsquos cash drop was the first for the dealer-

shiprsquos innovative marketing company co-owner Shad Zimbro said

ldquoItrsquos just something different Everybody can use a little extra cashrdquo he

said of the companyrsquos Green Friday as hopefuls took position along the

perimeter of a large field where cash totaling $10000 would be dropped from

a helicopter

Illinois Lottery donated some of the money for the event Black Diamond

announced it would match up to $100 for those who spent their winnings at

the store

Participants had to be 18 and had to sign a waiver that they would not hold

Black Diamond responsible for injuries It appeared

most were unscathed during the dash for cash

though muddied from the wet field either falling on

their own or pushed

VALERIE THOMPSON RACINg SIgNS WITH

NPMOTOWEAR PRODUCTS FOR 2015

Scottsdale motorcycle racer 7-time land speed

record holder and team owner Valerie Thompson

recently signed NPmotowear Products as a new

sponsor for the 2015 racing season NPmoto prod-

ucts was founded in 2005 by Nick Plenzick to pro-

vide motorcyclists and racers with a variety of

apparel and accessories that provide maximum com-

fort and convenience to riders worldwide

ldquoWe have sold many fine products from a variety of excellent manufactures

over the years When

we began production of

our own products I de-

cided I wanted them

tested in extreme con-

ditions In addition to

our long distance rid-

ers Irsquom a big believer

that racing improves

the breedrdquo said NPmo-

towear ownerfounder

Nick Plenzick ldquoWhen I

was thinking of some-

one who could push the

limits Valerie Thomp-

Page 10 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

FW SPEER YAMAHA7 Main Ave bull Passaic NJ bull 973-778-6256 bull wwwSpeerYamahacom

Tri-State Metro Arearsquos Oldest Yamaha Dealer + Last of the Mom and Pop Shops

THE MALLTERNATIVE

INDUSTRY INFOBITES News from the Inside

son was at the top of my list Valerie recently tested our base layer at the

Texas Mile with a 2177 mph run with great resultsrdquo added Plenzick

ldquoIrsquove been wearing and testing NPmotowear apparel while riding and

working around the shop I canrsquot tell you how impressed I am They offer

products that enhance riding comfort in both cold and hot weather while of-

fering a real sense of stylerdquo said Thompson

ldquoWe couldnrsquot be more pleased to have someone of Valeriersquos experience

and racing accomplishments to promote NPmotowear layer clothing and ac-

cessories After all we have to keep lsquoAmericarsquos Queen of Speedrsquo comfortable

underneath her race suit at over 210 mph and we have proven we can ac-

complish that goalrdquo said Plenzick

In addition to seven land speed records Thompson is an official member

of the BUB Speed Trials 201 MPH Club Mojave Magnum 200 MPH Club

Texas Mile 200 MPH Club ECTA 200 MPH Club and a lifetime member of

the prestigious Bonneville 200 MPH Club

HONDA MARKS UNPRECEDENTED MILESTONEgLOBAL PRODUCTION OF 300 MILLION MOTORCYCLES

Achieving a milestone more than 65 years in the making Honda Motor

Co Ltd announced production of its 300-millionth motorcycle The mile-

stone bike is a Honda Gold Wing produced at the companyrsquos Kumamoto Fac-

tory in Japan Honda will celebrate

the 40th anniversary of the iconic

Gold Wing in 2015

Honda began mass production of

motorcycles in Japan in 1949 when

it built the Honda 98cc Dream Type-

D Today Honda produces motorcy-

cles ATVrsquos and side-by-sides at 32

plants in 22 countries including two

plants in North America

ldquoThis incredible milestone is the

result of the millions of customers

who have placed their trust in Honda

and we would like to thank all of our customers associates dealers and com-

munity partners in North America for helping make it possiblerdquo said Bob

Gurga Vice President and Manager of Motorcycle Division for American

Honda ldquoNow we are focused on

the future and the ways that we can

harness the challenging spirit of

Honda associates to create new joy

for Honda customersrdquo

In 1958 Honda introduced the

Honda 50 known globally as the

Super Cub which would go on to

revolutionize the industry This

iconic bike paved the way for

Hondarsquos expansion into the US in

1959 and Canada in 1969 The

Super Cub which has sold nearly

90 million units globally since its

inception was the focus of a mid-

1960s advertising campaign lsquoYou

Meet the Nicest People on a

Hondarsquo that played a major role in

the transformation and growth of

the US motorcycle market

ZERO RAMPS UP PRODUCTION

Zero Motorcycles the global leader in the electric motor-

cycle industry announced that it has entered full production

of its 2015 model line The new motorcycles are being man-

ufactured at its expanded Scotts Valley California facility

by an increased number of technicians using state-of-the-art

tools The first shipments of motorcycles are now in transit

with all North American dealerships receiving the new mod-

els by the end of January European delivery is scheduled for

February 2015

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 11

Following record sales in 2014 the company has made substantial invest-

ments in technology and people placing additional resources to expand its

ldquoCrafted in Californiardquo vision ldquoWersquove taken everything learned from build-

ing thousands of electric motorcycles and applied it to new manufacturing

processes To meet the increased demand from customers wersquove added new

jobs here at our California factoryrdquo said Kai Hypko VP of Operations for

Zero Motorcycles ldquoHighly advanced tools improved systems and more

skilled workers will allow us to continue to increase our production capacity

and ensure premium qualityrdquo

The 2015 motorcycles rolling out of the California factory feature numer-

ous advancements from their predecessors Showa suspension improves com-

fort and control Zerorsquos class-leading rangemdashnow up to 185 milesmdashis

extended on most models And Zero becomes the first production electric

motorcycle to feature anti-lock brakes (ABS)

ldquoOur 2015 lineup continues to lead the industry in overall range perform-

ance and technologyrdquo said Abe Askenazi Chief Technology Officer at Zero

Motorcycles ldquoFor 2015 we focused our efforts on refining virtually every

element of the vehiclemdashfrom the tires upmdashto give riders the most pure

seamless experience availablerdquo

Initial production will be dedicated to motorcycles that will be used for

test rides via Zero Motorcycles dealers Interested riders can schedule a demo

online at wwwzeromotorcyclescomdemo-rides

Page 12 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

PosTcArds from The hedGe (Continued from page 5)

about that still confounds even locals) took me back to when I had borrowed

my friendrsquos Hawk 650 and while in this circular traffic maze the engine

started to cut out Now itrsquos unsettling enough when such things happen in

traffic and yoursquore on your own machine but when yoursquove borrowed a friendrsquos

pride and joy and it starts getting funky it adds to the already present drama

immeasurably The V-Twin never actually quit though and what happened

was a little snafu peculiar to this particular model of motorcycle It seems

that when the incoming air around the tank is juuuuuust right a poorly routed

hose does something to the air supply to the carburetors and it skips like its

running out of gas When I told my friend about it he

confirmed it had happened to him and through the use

of this brand new thing called the Internet he found a

very simple solution and fixed it I hadnrsquot thought about

this incident since it happened back in the last Century

and the Weatherford Traffic circle bought it all back with

surprising clarity

Of course there were some businesses and landmarks

(often one in the same) that had vanished but the odd

thing was the general feel of the place was exactly as it

had seemed and as a result I found myself for lack of

a better expression having a Twilight Zone moment

This was a town that I not only grew up in but a place

where I experienced so many formative moments that

ultimately steered my path in life A simple trip like this

managed to take much that was locked away and shake

it loose as if I really did borrow Dr Whorsquos time-tran-

siting Tardis And as has been the case in my entire

adult life a motorcycle managed to be a part of it even

though this time I was wasnrsquot riding one Oh and my

niecersquos wedding It was superb I now have a fine new

nephew too with a family that originally hails from

China and they are delightful people All in all the trip

was quite a Trip

ldquoIF YOUWANT

TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

ROLLINrsquo FAST CYCLE SPORTS

104 Main Street Lebanon NJ908-236-9000 bull wwwRollinFastcom

ROLLINrsquo FAST INDIAN MOTORCYCLE OF LEBANON104 Main Street Lebanon NJ908-236-9000 bull wwwRollinFastcom

Come see the full line

of Indian Motorcycles

Large selection of parts

apparel and accessories

Great Gift Ideas for

your Holiday Shopping

Plan now for your winter

service needsMon-Fri 9a-6p

Thurs lsquotil 9a-7p bull Sat 9a-5pSunday Gone Riding

Rollinrsquo Fast Cycle Sports Presents

GReAT ALL AMeRICAN DINeR RUN tasty places to take your bike

Ardyrsquos counTry kiTchen

279 mAin sT worcesTer ny 121197 bull 607-397-4070

Many times suggestions for a Great All American Diner Run

are sent to us and when we can we search them out on your

expert recommendations

Other times we come across hidden jewels a bit more

serendipitously

Thatrsquos how we came across this monthrsquos stop on GAADR ndash

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen in the small upstate New York town

of Worcester

There were four of us heading to our last Summer Squeeze

Rally in Vermont and we were making a few days riding ad-

venture of it by heading to the Adirondacks for the first evening

on the road

Come lunch time all our bellies were rumbling and lucky for

me right before I became a raging and petulant starving child I

spotted a small brightly painted diner to my right on an upcoming

corner

We had found Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

With its ice cream shop front we hoped they served more than

just dessert and entering the small dining room we were instantly

hit with the heady aromas of good eats

Thank you Road Gods

The place has been owned and operated by the Sanna clan since

2005 and the family atmosphere is evidentwith the smattering of

toys and one or two young ones running around their moms our

waitresses legs

Non-crying non-exasperating and happy little ones annoy me

not ndash so we took a small table and looked to see what the Sanna

family had to offer this day

First off you canrsquot get a sandwich here

at Ardyrsquos ndash but you can get a sammich

We all know that it is a scientific fact

that a sammich is far more fun and much

more delicious and filling both from a

nutritionistrsquos point of view and the addi-

tional smile factor thrown in

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen has a goodly

number of different sammiches for your

eating pleasure ndash but wersquoll get to them in

a minute

If itrsquos early when you get there they

serve a Bagel Breakfast with eggs

sausage and cheese on a real fresh bagel

Soup amp Sammich can always be had

ndash with daily specials to be found Of

course they have burgers just about any

way yoursquod like lsquoem and the homemade

chili was tangy and delicious as was the

soup of the day

Heading over to their ldquoSignature Sam-

michesrdquo you will find just about any-

thing you might be craving Or maybe

a perusal of the menu will get the belly

rolling For a smallish diner along a

rural road in upstate New York you will

have plenty from which to choose

How about a BLT or a Cuban with

roast pork ham Swiss cheese and pick-

les Their Pork amp Slaw with cheddar

cheese looked tasty as did the BBQ

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 13

TWO WHEELS OR FOURTHERErsquoS ALWAYS ROOM FOR

Texas Smoke Barbecue400 Route 15 South bull Jefferson NJ

862-209-4078 bull wwwTexasSmokeBBQcom

texas smoke BBQIndoor and outdoor dining

Warm up with some

Chowdown Chili

Smokinrsquo Platters

and so much more

Biker and Barbecue Enthusiasts

Enjoy our Chalkboard Specials

Long Island Kawasaki67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIKawasakicom bull 516-935-6969Combining the low silhouette of

a Vulcan cruiser with Kawasaki

sportbike-derived power and

handling as well as a custom fit

concept designed to comfort-

ably fit a wide range of riders

Rollinrsquo Fast Cycle Sports Presents

GReAT ALL AMeRICAN DINeR RUN tasty places to take your bike

Chicken Hero also topped with their local cheddar cheese

For you Vegans (he said with a smirk) you will find a Veggie Panini (now

hush and eat your greens) If you are really hungry try Ardyrsquos Big Roast Beef

ndash a heaping of oven roasted beef topped with Swiss cheese and served on a

Kaiser roll and topped with Ardyrsquos famed horseradish sauce

Thatrsquoll fill you up

When we arrived it was an unusually cool day for the Leatherstocking Re-

gion and a hot sammich seemed more on order Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

serves up hot pork and hot roast beef sammiches but I went with their hot

meatloaf ndash brought out on a toasted Kaiser roll with homemade mashed po-

tatoes and some super tasty gravy ndash enough to float a boat

Just about everything here at Ardyrsquos is a homemade creation Real potatoes

fresh vegetables and freshly roasted meats are always used Not much

processed or pre-packaged quasi food will be found here

My Hot Meatloaf Sammich served with Ardyrsquos super potatoes and

drowned in their excellent brown gravy was one of the best I have ever had

on the road And it was not just a thinly sliced bit of meatloaf but an honest-

to-goodness slab orsquomeatloaf

I wouldnrsquot even serve myself that big a piece at home

Okay maybe I would

The rest of our crew all had the Tomato amp Basil Soup (delicious) and

grilled cheese sammiches which was a special of the day

If you can squeeze it in after all this great chow Ardyrsquos is an ice cream par-

lor as well and they offer enough flavors that even resident ice cream maven

Shira was tempted

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen is the perfect example of a small and family run

restaurant that really serves up the goods All their offering are real and tasty

and just like your mom would cook ndash ifrsquon your mom was a trained chef

When in the region it is well worth searching Ardyrsquos out and with that in

mind wersquoll give you a short ride from the Kingston area to this monthrsquos stop

on the Great All American Diner Run

Find them on FaceBook at Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

Page 14 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

RIP amp RIDEreg bull ARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN279 MAIN ST WORCESTER NY 121197 bull 607-397-4070

START INTERSECTIONS OF RTES 20928 KINGSTON NYRTE 28 WESTRIGHT AT RTE 375LEFT AT RTE 212RIGHT AT RTE 28LEFT AT RTE 214LEFT AT RTE 23ARIGHT AT SCRIBNER HOLLOW RDLEFT AT RTE 23CRIGHT AT CR 40STRAIGHT AT CR 296

LEFT AT RTE 23BEAR RIGHT AT CR 7LEFT AT CR 990VRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT SHREW HOLLOW ROADLEFT AT CR 29RIGHT AT CR 10LEFT AT MEADE ROADLEFT AT CHARLOTTEVILLE ROADRIGHT AT CR 39RIGHT AT RTE 7 MAIN STARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN ON LEFT

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

moTe AquArium And mArine lABorATory

600 ken ThomPson Pkwy sArAsoTA fl 34236

941-388-4441 bull wwwmoTeorG

Each March and October the Daytona faithful head

south to the beginning and end of the season rallies

on the Sunshine statersquos eastern coast

But we have always found Daytona and vicinities

to get a bit too crowded loud andhellipumm ndash boring

Well for us

The SUYT thing kinda got old when the girls could

be your daughter-in-law

We prefer checking out the scene and then doing a

little Floridian travel exploring some of the sights

and scenes that draw so may south each year

On Floridarsquos Gulf Coast you will find the city of

Sarasota

This city has a thriving cultural scene and boasts a

number of interesting places to visit explore and gen-

erally spend some time

A few years back we told you of the Circus Mu-

seum this time we dropped in on the Mote Aquarium

and Marine Laboratory

The Aquarium has its beginnings back in 1955

when it was founded by Dr Eugenie Clark in

Placida Florida Back then it was known as Cape

Haze Marine Laboratory until its 1967 renaming in

honor of a major benefactor William R Mote and the

contributions he and his family made to helping the

aquarium grow mdash both in size and reputation Since

1960 Mote has been based in Sarasota Florida and

since 1978 it has been lo-

cated on City Island and

that is where we got to

spend a number of hours

The Mote Aquarium

consists of three buildings

the aquarium an interac-

tive theatre and a separate

building that houses their

sea turtles dolphin (singu-

lar but wersquoll get into that)

and manatee collection all

of whom have been res-

cued or rehabbed at Mote

All the exhibits are laid

out with informative plac-

ards and each tank brings

different environments and

different fish and marine wildlife all with a story

to tell

Moray eels tanks full of floating jelly fish of

all types exotic fish we had never dreamed of and

some we simply had never seen in person were

there

In addition to the first building exhibits you can

learn about the giant squid and then move to the

shark area and ray along the way you will find a

few tanks where you can reach in and get to touch

a few of the locals

Mote also had a nice display on the Megalodon

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 15

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

ndash the prehistoric shark that was well over 50 feet long

with teeth as large as your fist

A quick walk across the parking lot brought us to the

building holding their other large exhibits

A few different sea turtles were swimming about as

well as Hugh and Buffett ndash two large and impressive

manatees

A large outdoor pool held lsquoMoonshinersquo Motersquos res-

ident dolphin who was rescued after it beached and

was found drying out and sunburned

He seems happy enough but personally we think he

needs a friend We were told that Mote is next on the

list for such a companion

While we visited Mote had a special attraction called

lsquoSurvivorsrsquo which featured some of the oddest marine and fresh water ani-

mals and the very unique way they survive in the wild ndash from deadly poison

to killer punches to simply looking like a rock and hoping for the best ndash it

was a fascinating display as was the entire aquarium

If you get hungry you can drop by their Deep Sea Diner where you can

enjoy dining al-fresco or inside the casual retro rsquo50s-style diner complete

with an old-fashioned soda fountain The lively cafeacute offers a fun affordable

family-style menu including chili and chowder burgers and dogs veggie

burgers and fresh salads chicken fingers and fries And donrsquot forget dessert

hand-dipped ice cream shakes amp sundaes

We thought wersquod spend a quick hour there but ended up happily spending

the afternoon

Mote might not be the biggest but it surely made up for its size with quality

and interesting and informative displays

Page 16 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 906-9292

Find Us on Facebook bull SportHondanet

hondacom UTILITY ATVs ARE RECOMMENDED FOR RIDERS 16 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER TRX90X IS RECOMMENDED ONLY FOR RIDERS12 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER RIDERS UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE MUST BE SUPERVISED BY AN ADULT ATVs CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO OPER-ATE ALL ATV RIDERS SHOULD TAKE A TRAINING COURSE (FREE FOR NEW BUYERS ASK YOUR DEALER OR CALL ASI AT 800-887-2887) ANDREAD THEIR OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND APPROPRIATE CLOTHING AVOID EXCESSIVESPEEDS AND BE CAREFUL ON DIFFICULT TERRAIN FOR YOUR SAFETY BE RESPONSIBLE NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGSOR ALCOHOL ON PAVED SURFACES ON PUBLIC ROADS WITH PASSENGERS OR AT EXCESSIVE SPEEDS NO STUNT RIDING RESPECT THEENVIRONMENT WHEN RIDING TRXreg and Rancherreg are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1114)

Whether itrsquos hard work

or time to play

Sport Honda has the

ATV to fit your lifestyle

Be prepared - Come in

Today for your

Winter utility needs

Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 491-2900

Find Us on Facebook bull CrossCountryPowersportscom

Cross Country Powersportsis now taking deposits for theNinja H2Rtrade and H2tradeExperience unforgettable supercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2trade motorcycle theworldrsquos only supercharged productionhypersport streetbike

The BridGewATer TriAnGle

is This The sTrAnGesT sPoT in The norTheAsT

Located just 30 miles south of Boston this 200-mile square area has the

Massachusetts towns of Abington Freetown and Rehoboth at its angles The

town of Bridgewater is located nearly dead center within the triangle and the

area also encompasses six other Massachusetts towns Raynham Taunton

Brockton Mansfield Norton and Easton including the Hockomock Swamp

It is known as the Bridgewater Triangle

It seems if it is paranormal weird or mysterious it has happened in the Tri-

angle of the years

Let us start with one of the

first odd things found in the

region

It was in this area that the

first officially documented

petroglyph in the United

States was found - Dighton

Rock This 40 ton boulder

was discovered by original

settlers and has always

caused questions and wonder

of who made these mysteri-

ous markings and why

In fact in 1690 Rev Cotton Mather described the rock in his book The

Wonderful Works of God Commemorated

ldquoAmong the other Curiosities of New-England one is that of a mighty

Rock on a perpendicular side whereof by a River which at High Tide covers

part of it there are very deeply Engraved no man alive knows How or When

about half a score Lines near Ten Foot Long and a foot and half broad filled

with strange Characters which would

suggest as odd Thoughts about them that

were here before us as there are odd

Shapes in that Elaborate Monumentrdquo

The boulder was moved in 1980 to the

museum in a nearby park Dighton Rock State Park in order to protect and

preserve this part of Americarsquos strange history

Strangely marked boulders were not the beginning of the mystery of the

Bridgewater Triangle

Years back a group of archeologists discovered a native burial mound on

Grassy Island in the swamp These graves were dated to 6000 BC

Strange lights have been

reported on this island and

across the triangle and one

of the first documented

UFO sighting came from

here when on May 10

1760 villagers in two

towns 50 miles away stared

in wonder at a ldquoSphere of

Firerdquo that slowly made its

way across the sky

The next day both townsrsquo newspapers reported the phenomena in their edi-

tions According to historical records the UFO emitted light bright enough

to cast a shadow in bright sunlight The sound made by the object ldquooddly

enough was heard sooner at the middle of the course it took than at the be-

ginningrdquo

You canrsquot really have such an eclectic gathering of odd in a place like this

in Mysterious America without a few good Yeti sightings

Over the years all sorts of ldquoSwamp Monstersrdquo have been sighted and in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 17

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

April 1970 it was reported that a ldquoBigfootrdquo

picked up a rear of a police car in which sat

two surprised police officers

Police dogs have been used time and again but

Bigfoot is an elusive fellow

I have always believed the Jersey Devil is a

Pterosaurs of some kind and here around the

Bridgewater Triangle huge black prehistoric-look-

ing birds with a wingspan of between eight and

twelve feet have been reported time and again in-

cluding a report by Norton Police Sergeant Thomas

Downy

Indian Curses abound as well and along Route

44 in Rehoboth lies the boulder known as Anawan

Rock It is said that it was here that the Wampanoag

chief Anawan surrendered to the colonists thus

ending King Philiprsquos War According to local be-

liefs the angry spirits of the warriors captured that

day continue to haunt the spot

Extremely large snakes and alligators have been

found in the swamp along with other creatures that are totally out of place

In the late 1800rsquos bones of a giant were unearthed

Every which way you look or travel in the area you will find something

strange In fact I have a quick list of odd things found in the

Bridgewater Triangle for you

Next time yoursquore looking to spend a few days exploring Mys-

terious America take a ride around the Bridgewater Triangle You

just might end up sending me an email telling me you spotted ahellip

OrsquoLife Out

Ten odd ThinGs found in The BridGewATer TriAnGle

1 The longest epitaph in the United States is located in a Rehoboth

cemetery A full 405 words

2 Three PT Barnum circus ldquofreaksrdquo hailed from here including

Middlebororsquos Tom Thumb and East Bridgewaterrsquos ldquoThe Human

Skeletonrdquo

3 The first boundary line in the United States is located in Abing-

ton at the Bridgewater Trianglersquos furthest most delineated northern

map point

4 A historic 40-foot tall Hood milk bottle in Raynham (now a

restaurant) is the (triplet) sister to famous the ldquoMilk Bottlerdquo at the

Boston Childrenrsquos museum

5 In 1906 bones of ldquoa giantrdquo were discovered in Middleboro

6 Alligators seals emu peacocks cow moose bears Africal

Sevral panthers and mountain lions have all been found in the

Bridgewater Triangle

7 There are both handprints and footprints imbedded into several

Bridgewater Triangle boulders handprints in Middleboro foot-

prints in Norton

8 Dighton Rock is the first documented petroglyph in the United

States

9 The chocolate chip cookie was invented in the happiest of ac-

cidents in the northern apex of the Bridgewater Triangle

10 The Bridgewater Triangle is host to the worldrsquos only shovel

museum located in Easton

Page 18 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

290 Route 100 West Dover VT800-745-3615 bull wwwgrayghostinncom

Motorcyclist-Friendly Destination LodgingLocated on Scenic Route 100 in Southern VermontHot breakfast cooked to order BYOB bar firepit hot tub game room and WiFi

Free Maps and Suggested Rides Group Special Packages5 restaurantsbars within walking distance bull On-site Group Dinners available

MemberWhen you canrsquot ride because of snow ride the snow

Guided Back-Country Snowmobile Toursin the Green Mountain National Forest

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

mounTAineer hoTel

31 eAsT second Avenue williAmson wv

304-235-2222 bull wwwmounTAineerhoTelcom

Laying right on the Tug Fork River across from the

Blue Grass state of Kentucky one will find the tiny town

of Williamson West Virginia Williamson has a long

history mostly revolving around the coal industry

Here you will find a rather large rail yard now part

of the Norfolk Southern built to service the many mines

found in and around this part of West Virginia and Ken-

tucky

In 1974 a United States Army Corps of Engineer

planner described the region as having the most severe

flooding problem in America

In 1977 after many days of steady hard rain the Tug

Fork and adjoining streams began

a constant and quick rise As had

happened in the past the town ex-

perienced incredible flooding

Today a floodwall protects

Williamson from future wet havoc

A huge part of this regionrsquos local

lore and history is the famed home

of the feud between the Hatfields

and McCoys probably the most

famous family fight in US history

The first event in the decades-

long feud was the 1865 murder of

Randolphrsquos brother Asa Harmon

McCoy by the Logan Wildcats a local militia group

that counted Devil Anse and other Hatfields among its

members Many peoplemdasheven members of his own

familymdashregarded Asa Harmon who had served in the

Union Army during the American Civil War as a trai-

tor While some have surmised that his murder set the

stage for the feud most historians now see this inci-

dent as a standalone event

Relations between the two families continued to

sour over the next decade before flaring again over a

seemingly small matter a dispute over a single hog

In 1878 Randolph McCoy accused Floyd Hatfield a

cousin of Devil Anse of stealing one of his pigs a

valuable commodity in the poor region Floyd Hat-

fieldsrsquos trial took place in McCoy territory but was

presided over by a cousin of Devil Anse It hinged on

the testimony of star witness Bill Staton a McCoy rel-

ative married to a Hatfield Staton testified in Floyd

Hatfieldrsquos favor and the McCoys were infuriated when

Floyd was cleared of the charges against him Two

years later Staton was violently killed in a fracas with

Sam and Paris McCoy nephews of Randolph Sam stood trial for the

murder but was acquitted for self-defense reasons

Things went south from there and an American legacy was born

In and around the town you will find much on this feud

In the center of town you will find The Coal House now the home

of the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce

Weighing in at 65 tons with 2 ft thick walls itrsquos the only coal house

made entirely of coal Built in 1933 it was designed by architect HT

Hicks from an idea by O W Evans It was constructed from blocks

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 19

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

of local seam coal donated by coal companies in the region

Right next door to The Coal House you will find the historic

Mountaineer Hotel The large classic-revival 5-story yellow-

glazed brick building dominates the center of town and offers

a look and reason to step back into the past

Built in 1925 the Mountaineer hotel has had its share of fa-

mous guests with JFK Paul Newman Jerry Lee Lewis Henry

Ford and others- including the great Soupy Sales - staying here

overnight

In fact all the rooms are named after famous and infamous

guests that have walked through its doors

Later in the evening we walked all five flights to see just

who did stay there

The main entrance leads to a large lobby and the front desk

with pigeonhole boxes for room keys and a teller window

French doors lead to the ballroom The hotel has 116 rooms

for guests a formal ballroom a lobby restaurant and sports bar

(which were not open this day) and the lower level has a num-

ber of games ndash including Fooz ball pool

and a large regulation-sized shuffle board

game that kept us occupied for about an

hour

Sometimes we find places from this era

a bit run down but the Mountaineer hotel

is a gem

Just one look at the grand lobby and you

will know this is true and with rooms less

than $75 for the night quite the deal too

We took Paul Newmanrsquos room and it

couldnrsquot have been nicer

Unpacking and strolling around town

which was quiet on a Monday night was a

pleasant distraction after a dayrsquos worth of

hard miles through the mountains of West

Virginia and Kentucky

When traveling around the United States

you can almost always find a chain hotel at

any exit or bigger town but why would you

want to when wonderful old beauties like

the Mountaineer Hotel in Williamson West

Virginia are around

Page 20 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Tony Lisanti

Eye protection for off road use consists of

the tried and true goggle The goggle

wraps around the helmet and seals to

your face in the helmet opening

Traditional goggles

consist of a urethane

based flexible frame

with various types of

foam material that

seal directly against

the forehead and cheeks

and nose keeping out wind and

dirt Being the helmet has a limited opening

goggles have had to fit inside this space limiting the field of vision

This type of goggle has been the norm for last half century with

all kinds of innovations in frame lens and foam materials

Enter ZOWA Optics Visor Goggles ZOWA Optics was founded

in 2013 Their goal is to offer unique goggles to off-road dirt bike

ATV and snowmobile riders The Vermont based company has

come up with a goggle that eliminates many of the drawbacks of

a traditional off road goggle The Visor Goggles are designed so

the upper half seals against the helmet rather than the forehead

The lower half of the goggle rests against the face By developing

the goggle in this way the field of view is dramatically increased and the

issue of having foam in contact with the skin on the forehead is eliminated

I had the opportunity to try out the Visor Goggles at a local practice track

recently The first thing I noticed was the size of the Visor Goggles They are

about twice the size of a traditional goggle They install on a helmet the same

way as traditional goggles except instead of resting against the forehead they

seal against the helmet under the visor Most noticeable was the lack

of ldquonose pinchrdquo and the vastly improved vision The Visor Goggle

drastically reduces the claustrophobic feel of traditional goggles as

there is more distance between the inside of the goggle and your face

The feel is more like an adventure helmet

After riding with them for an hour or two on an MX track I found

the improved field of vision to be a welcome change Riding with the

Visor Goggles allowed better vision up down and sideways I did no-

tice a bit more air coming in from the flow through design and from

underneath the seal against my check bones at speed During warm

weather this would be welcome in cold weather not so much Ad-

justing the strap tension has an affect on goggle to face contact Skin

contact with the typical sweatmudgrungefunk mix that gets en-

crusted on the foam is minimized since

the foam is resting against the helmet

rather than the forehead

They cleaned up well and showed no

signs of scratching on the lenses stain-

ing of the frames or discoloration de-

spite a liberal dosage of mud and water

The ZOWA Visor Goggle features in-

clude being rated for OTG (Over The

Glasses) by virtue of the greater clear-

ance between goggle and face a Hel-

met conformed design improved field

of view Lexan lens with anti-fog coating comfort foam and flow through

ventilation The strap features a silicon strip to help it stay put on the helmet

Accessory lenses and tear-off lenses are available All goggles come with a

micro fiber storage bag as well The off road goggles retail for $5800 and

are available in black red of cyan frame colors wwwzowaopticscom

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

BUILT BEYOND BELIEFINTRODUCING THE KAWASAKI

Come to Motorcycle Mall to reserve your Ninja H2trade

by December 19 and experience unforgettablesupercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2 motorcycle the worldrsquos onlysupercharged production hypersport streetbike

H2

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pantsgloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Mo-torcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environmentFor furher information regarding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 Specifi-cations subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspired R1 everFrom the advanced lsquorider activersquo electronicspackage to the powerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Supersport bike andfactory MotoGP has never been more blurred

COMPLETELY NEW

FROM THE TRACK UP

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 21

PRODUCT REVIEWZOWA OPTICS VISOR GOGGLES

Great All American Diner RunAs always wersquoll start with our most popular column the Great All American Diner Run Wait is it really We just might have a new fan fa-vorite but wersquoll save that till later First letrsquos take a look at the top three for GAADR 2014hellip

SECOND RUNNER UP bull RIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST2378 ROUTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770 bull 845-557-0097 bull RIVERUNNERSROOSTCOM

Route 97 along the scenic Delaware River has long been a favorite of motorcyclists for years and

over the years the road has seen a number of restaurants open their doors along its picturesque miles

The latest is the River Runnerrsquos Roost

Opened by Rich and Mary Codichini back in 2013 this place quickly became a favorite of ours

and many others They bill themselves as a barbeque steakhouse with a touch of Cajun and Italian

We call it phenomenal with one of the best barbeques in the region and gumbo to go to war over

If you havenrsquot tried the ldquoRoostrdquo then make plans for riding their way in the spring

FIRST RUNNER UP bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784 bull 603- 298-5515 bull 4ACESDINERCOM

Located just up the hill from the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River in the town of

Lebanon the Four Aces is the real deal A true Great All-American Diner Their

menu is huge interesting and delicious The ambience is pure Americana and the

roads leading to and from the Four Aces straddling Vermont and New Hampshire

are hard to top They have pro smokers going outside right along their picnic tables

but we found a seat at the counter worked just fine for us

Our only problem with Four Aces is that they are almost exactly 301 miles from

where we type this They should consider northern New Jersey

The Four Aces is a must see do and eat while in the Dartmouth region and just

missed out on our top honor for this yearrsquos vote

And so without further adohellip

1ST PLACE GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN 2014 bull FIVE ISLANDS LOBSTER COMPANY1447 5 ISLANDS RD GEORGETOWN ME 04548 bull 207-371-2990 bull FIVEISLANDSLOBSTERCOM

Location location location Besides have a superb down to Earth feel a great staff scrumptious food

and a wonderful coastal Maine flavor ndash The Five Islands Lobster Company has a serious location

Did we mention where it is

Located on a working fishing wharf it is surrounded by the ldquocoldest and deepest waters on the coastrdquo

There be some serious lobstarsquo lurking here abouts and it is best when they find their final way to

Five Islands You can have these big bugs anyway you like but we took a bullet for all of you and

went and ordered The Big Boy Stuffed with twice the amount of lobster meat than your average

lobster roll it was our pleasure to tackle this monster as best we could

Wait ndash just thinking of it all on this cold November day has us in a statehellip

They do serve a good number of other seafood favorites as well as more land-based standards but

who wants that when you can have the quintessential Maine treat on a wooden bench and table

alongside one of the prettiest bays in New England

This is why the Five Islands Lobster Company slid into the 1 spot in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

Big City GetawayBig City Getaway has always been about a great destination So many of

us roll the bikes out of the garage and then say ldquoWhere tordquo That is where this monthly favoritecomes in and here are our best of Big City Getaway 2015

2ND RUNNER UP bull MUSTANG FACTORYTOUR4 SPRINGFIELD STREET SUITE 1 THREE RIVERS MA 01080 bull 800-243-1392 bull MUSTANGSEATSCOM

They are one of the largest motorcycle seat manufacturers on the planet and they would be happy to show you around

We did a tour this last summer and found just how much talent vision and workmanship goes into creating some of

the most distinctive and comfortable motorcycle seats you can find

Page 22 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Best of Backroads 2014Once again this planet we ride has completed another lap around our sun and it is time for us to look back on the season and the veryBest of BackroadsIf we said 2013 was ldquointerestingrdquo we would be hard pressed to describe this past year of 2014For sure last year brought us thousands of great miles and lots of smiles interesting destinations and a few great Backroads Ralliesbut some darkness and loss along the journey for our Backroads family as wellStill looking back we had some phenomenal places we found stories we told and friends with which we have ridden The Italian poet Cesare Pavese said ldquoWe do not remember days we remember momentsrdquoThis year ndash 2014 ndash we had our share of moments Letrsquos look back at some in the Best of Backroads 2014

The tour is open to riding groups and takes a little over an hour and a half We recommend that you make an

appointment and guarantee you will have an informative and fun day with our friends at Mustang seats

1ST RUNNER UP bull COASTAL BOTANICAL GARDENS32 BOTANICAL GARDENS DR BOOTHBAY ME 04537 bull 207-633-4333 bull MAINEGARDENSORG

This project took nearly 17 years planning planting and building before its opening in June of 2007 and today

the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens comprises 270 acres of tidal shore land thousands of flowers plants

and botanical oddities Interspersed amongst the natural beauty you will find dozens of sculptures that

only add to an already stunning venue Rarely has a visitor spent some time at the Coastal Botanical

Gardens and not wanted to return as soon as possible

It is simple to see why this easily took our First Runner Up spot

1ST PLACE BIG CITY GETAWAY 2014 FIVE STAR GENERAL STORES bull NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY

This article from our October issue embodied a little bit of everything we might look for in a Big

City Getaway It had local history interesting stops (5 of them) food ice cream and it was all

woven together with some of the neatest roads in northern New Jersey ndash a riding jewel for those

who have never been so lucky Running along to five different and historic General Stores this day

trip just kept getting better Know that we just scratched the surface and that these General Stores from

the past can be found all around the nation But for this time around it was this adventure that was

called 1 for Big City Getaway 2014

(Note as of this printing the Stillwater General Store has closed but is still worth the ride-by for the

roads and historic value)

Wersquore Outta HereThe great thing that we riders have over the more boring people out there is that our tripsand adventures happen the moment we roll out of our driveways and onto the roadOvernight trips are like mini-vacations for the soul and are most likely the reason they sayyou never see a motorcycle outside a psychiatrist office unless it belongs to the shrinkWersquore Outta Here is all about that ndash places to go and enjoy whether it be a group coupleor on your ownLetrsquos see what we think were our top three for 2014

2ND RUNNER UP bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 E MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854 bull 814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGEPACOM

Shira found this hide-away full of coffee awesomeness when we were to attend the ALTRider adventure

ride early this summer in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania The lodge is part of the coffee house and

although the room we had was a tad small it was well thought out and just added to the coolness of the

entire place We had the Penns Creek Room with its lsquoloft-stylersquo bed and rock wall shower Each morning

the aroma from the coffee shop downstairs was like a Sirenrsquos call and had us highly motivated to carefully

spring out of bed (well it was a loft and there was a drop) There were also great muffins and cakes to go along with the coffee

Millheim is well located with a great combination of fantastic riding both paved and not and has a few eateries within strolling distance (compared to walking

or marching distance) We liked everything about the Triple Creek Lodge ndash the smell the flavor and the quirkiness

1ST RUNNER UP bull INDIAN ROCK INN2206 RIVER RD UPPER BLACK EDDY PA 18972 bull 610-982-9600 bull INDIANROCKINNCOM

GPS Download wwwsendspacecomprodlen7u7kAlong the PA-side of the Delaware River just north of Jerseyrsquos Milford in a place where the river

crooks dramatically and heads north for a bit you will find a great local treasure - the Indian Rock

Inn Tucked underneath what are called the Pennsylvania Palisades and along both river and old

canal the Indian Rock is the complete package

After a day of fun riding to and around the region you can park the bikes grab your room and

shower and make your way to the very friendly bar The Barking Dog Grab a cocktail and me-

ander to the very comfortable large porch take a seat and watch the world go by After the sun

sets a delicious gourmet meal is just steps away Perhaps a night cap and then upstairs to end a

prefect day With all that it is easy to see how the Indian Rock grabbed first runner up in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

1ST PLACEWErsquoRE OUTTA HERE 2014 bull QUODDY HEAD STATION823 SOUTH LUBEC RD LUBEC ME 04652 bull 877-535-4714 bull QUODDYVACATIONCOM

Most times we are all for suggesting you sleep in a bit longer at any of our Wersquore Outta Here destinations but here at Quoddy Head

Station we urge - no insist ndash that you get up before the dawn so you can be the first in the United States to see the sun rise over the At-

lantic from the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse - just a 2 minute ride to the east

Here in the most north and east point of the United States life does not get much better

The rooms and views cannot be beat and the surrounding area with its little coves Reversing Falls State Park Rooseveltrsquos Campobello

cottage (actually in Canada) and the very coastal Maine town of Lebec with its large number of seafood restaurants nautical shops and

vistas are hard to beat anywhere else in the world When we travelled in the area

we rode under a giant orange full moon that rose over the bay at low tide

It was eerie and stunning all at the same time

One of those moments we talked about earlier Quoddy Head Station has to be one

of the most interesting and geographically perfect places we have traveled to in

many years and easily made its way to the 1st place spot for Wersquore Outta Here 2014

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 23

Mysterious AmericaAlways one of the perennial favorites for our readers is the odd wacky and off-beat destinations that our own Dr Seymour OrsquoLife brings

to us each month This year was no different and the choices to be made for the TopThree were very tight for the good doctor but undaunted our hero carried on and cameup with the short list So letrsquos get to it

2ND RUNNER UP bull ISLE OFWIGHT COUNTY MUSEUM103 MAIN ST SMITHFIELD VA 23430 bull 757-356-1223 bull HISTORICISLEOFWIGHTCOM

You remember this place ndash home of the Worldrsquos Oldest Ham It belonged to PD Gwaltney Jr

It had its beginnings in 1902 when a cured ham was accidentally hung from rafters in one Gwaltneyrsquos

houses until it was discovered by workers By 1924 the pet ham was kept in an iron safe which was

opened daily for guests to view Advertised as the worldrsquos oldest Smithfield ham Gwaltney fashioned

a brass collar for the ham and took it to shows and expos to exhibit the preservative powers of his

smoking method The ham was featured in Ripleyrsquos ldquoBelieve It Or Notrdquo in 1929 1932 and 2003 and

more importantly in Backroads in May of 2014 For sure the museum holds so much more but Sey-

mour could never get past the ham Neither could we

1ST RUNNER UP bull THE CULPER SPY RINGThis was the first multi-month piece by the minions of mystery and we spent three

full months searching for the real story on George Washingtonrsquos Culper Spy Ring

From its beginning with the hanging of Nathan Hale in what is now mid-town Man-

hattan to the desolation of being held on a prison ship in an East River Bay in Brook-

lyn - where we had the largest battle of our Revolutionary War Then on to the Culper

Spies themselves and the web they wove from Setauket Long Island across the

Sound to Connecticut and into New York and Philadelphia These men and woman

(nobody really knows who this lady was) changed the course of history It was then

onto treachery traitors and sex ndashwith the story of Benedict Arnold his wife Peggy

Shippen and her lover Major John Andrersquo and our own West Point Escape capture

and the gallows all played a part in this true story of our local American history

Mysterious Americarsquos history has never been so much fun

1ST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2014 bull THE TRANS-ALLEGHENY LUNATIC ASYLUM71 ASYLUM DR WESTON WV 26452 bull 304-269-5070 bull TRANS-ALLEGHENYLUNATICASYLUMCOM

When we first rode up to this massive 27-acre facility Shira who had no idea where or why we were there shook her head and simply asked why

The asylum stands like a monstrous stone beast dominating the ground It is the second largest hand-hewn bluestone building on the planet with only Russiarsquos

Kremlin surpassing it But it is the feel and aura that surround and linger around this building

that will tell you the real story of the place

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum also known as the We-

ston State Hospital was a Kirkbride psychiatric hospital that

operated from 1864 until 1994 Like many Kirkbridge hospi-

tals it started out with a noble idea but soon became overrun

with patients lack of proper care and some of the saddest and

scariest tales were heard here on the tour The place is massive and to walk the halls would literally take miles

The place is reportedly full of ghosts and very bad things from the other side One look at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

and you will have a hard time denying that claim Shira will never go back and it was one of the few times that she was seriously

ldquocreeped outrdquo Her words ndash not ours

With that being said you surely must agree that a visit to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum easily ranks as our 1st place for

our Mysterious America 2014

MomentsIt was April 10 of this past year when the phone here at Backroads rang Answering it I could hear the voice of a friend Dave on the farend ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo I asked ldquohow are yourdquoDaversquos voice trembled and broke ldquoJeff Bahr was killed today on his bikerdquoIn that moment everything stopped It remained stopped for a long time Sometimes it still doesA month or so later well after Jeffrsquos service and cremation Shira and I found ourselves at the spot where this happened We talked tothe young man who was tending his barbecue pit which he was stoking for the dayrsquos lunch He was there when the driver pulled out ofhis general storersquos parking lot without even a glance He sadly but kindly told us of that momentJeff had simply been riding down a wide country road when an 86-year old man pulled out in front of him Although rubber on the roadshowed Jeff tried to avoid the car it was too little too late and he was killed on impactI have no idea what happened to the old man after this event But regardless he has to live with his inattentiveness and actions for therest of his life So do many of usWe do not remember days we remember momentsThat day was made up of a moment we will never forgetThe weekend I wrote this Jeff if hersquod survived would have been 57 He would have had dozens more stories made us laugh a dozenmore times would have made this magazine a dozen times betterJeff I hope you know that so many of us miss you so muchTo you all enjoy and savor all your moments Life is made up of them and eventually one of those moments will hurt

Page 24 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Shirarsquos Ice Cream RunLast year we introduce a semi-monthly some of the time if she felt like it column ndashShirarsquos Ice Cream Run It seems to everybody but the red head that this column hasbecome a huge hit and we have had more comments and suggestions for the IceCream Runs than anything else within memory So think sweet creamy and cold andletrsquos see what Shira thought were on the top three stops of 2014rsquos Ice Cream Runs

2ND RUNNER UP bull HOLSTENrsquoS CONFECTIONARY1603 BROAD ST BLOOMFIELD NJ 07003 bull 973-338-7091 bull WWWHOLSTENSCOM

Immortalized on celluloid in the Sopranosrsquo final episode Holstenrsquos Confectionary has so much more

to offer than their souvenir t-shirts from said show A true old-time ice cream parlor Holstenrsquos home-

made ice cream and confections will win the hearts of any true lover of sweets Taking a seat at the

counter should bring back memories of visits to Woolworthrsquos and once the delicious dairyness is

placed in front of you complete with homemade whipped cream you will think you are in a

dream Holstenrsquos has the whole package ndash premium product comfortable setting and take-home

delights With its 2nd Runner Up status truly one of my favorites of this yearrsquos ice cream stops

1ST RUNNER UP bull CAYUGA LAKE CREAMERY8421 NY 89 INTERLAKEN NY 14847 bull 607-532-9492 bull WWWCAYUGALAKECREAMERYCOM

Nestled in the idyllic Finger Lakes the Cayuga Lake Creamery offers up some of the most in-

ventive flavors Irsquove seen including wine ice cream and sorbet (best of both worlds Irsquod say)

Sitting on their outdoor deck savoring your Maple Bacon or Lavender cone on a warm summer

day ndash what could be better than that

While the Finger Lakes may not offer the most challenging of rides the scenery is beautiful and

the gorges are well gorgeous I canrsquot think of a much better day than meandering around the

Fingers with a late afternoon stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery Their 14 butterfat mixture and only the best of locally sourced

ingredients produce some of the finest creamiest ice creams around Do yourself a favor and spin your wheels to this part of

NY state for a weekend of indulgence as their terrific flavors will keep you coming back day after day

1ST PLACE SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN bull HALLrsquoS HOMEMADE ICE CREAM861 RACCOONVALLEY RD MILLERSTOWN PA 17062

717-589-3290 bull WWWHALLSICECREAMCOM

I found this gem in the middle of the Alleghenies while Brian was off riding in the forest with the

ALTRider group Having grabbed the 1st Place spot in this yearrsquos Ice Cream Run you know Hallrsquos

Homemade Ice Cream and Dairy has to be something pretty special

While their flavor offerings may not be as exotic as Cayuga Lake the quality is heavenly Their

signature flavor and one I had not tasted before is their honey ice cream coming in a variety of

mixtures such as chocolate butter pecan and my personal favorite cinnamon Hallrsquos has a couple

of outdoor tables where you can take in the full dairy effect while licking your cone If that is too

overwhelming they have a very nice indoor seating area complete with air conditioning

The riding in this part of Pennsylvania is quite exciting with elevation changes sweepers and

twisties and for those desiring an off-road adventure plenty of woodlands to test your knobbies

What do all three of these winners have in common other than fantastic ice cream They are all

open all year long so if you happen to be out and about in Bloomfield NJ Interlaken NY or Miller-

stown PA make sure you plan a stop at one of the top three spots on Shirarsquos 2014 Ice Cream Run

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 25

Rip amp Ridereg bull RIVER RUNNERS ROOST2378 RTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770

845-557-0097 bull WWWRIVERRUNNERSROOSTCOMSEASONAL HOURS - CALL BEFORE HEADING OUT

CR 560 IN SUSSEX COUNTY NJCROSS DINGMANS BRIDGE bull $1 TOLLSTRAIGHT ON RTE 739RIGHT AT MILFORD RDLEFT AT RAYMONDSKILL RDCROSS OVER I-84HARD LEFT ON US 6QUICK RIGHT ONTOTWIN LAKES RDRIGHT AT RTE 434CROSS RIVER TO NEWYORKRIGHT AT RTE 97 SOUTHRIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST DOWN ROAD ON LEFT HAND SIDE

Rip amp Ridereg bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784603- 298-5515 bull WWW4ACESDINERCOM

GPS DOWNLOAD WWWSENDSPACECOMPRODLXXTWXB90-MILE ONEWAY ROUTE FROM THEWEST DOVER VERMONT REGION

BIG BEARS LODGE GRAY GHOST AND KITZHOF INN

RTE 100 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT RTE 35RIGHT AT RTE 121LEFT AT RTE 5CROSS INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE ndash ARCH BRIDGELEFT AT RTE 12 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 120LEFT AT RTE 4 WEST LEBANONFOUR ACES DOWN ON THE LEFT

TAylorrsquos ice creAm PArlor

18 e mAin sT chesTer nJ bull 908-879-5363

What to do on the first sub-freezing day in November Go for ice cream

of course I was hanging out with the good doctor OrsquoLife and best friend

Brian when OrsquoLife told us of this place that grows telephone poles Having

my doubts about most of what OrsquoLife tells me I asked him to prove it So

off we went to the quaint little town of Chester New Jersey

After a pleasant lunch at the Publick House complete with real wood

burning fireplace we trekked down the road a piece found said telephone

pole farm (for another column of course) and started our return to Back-

roads Central Lo and behold right before the turn onto Route 206 there

sat Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor in the nicest old building on the block We

got our spot and headed in to find well no one but Justin in a very toasty

old fashioned ice cream parlor I do think that he was surprised to see us

or anyone on such a cold day

Taylorrsquos has apparently been an ice cream institution in

Chester for the last 50 years or so founded by Mr Earle G

Taylor Sr who just passed this August Taylorrsquos was the vic-

tim of fire some time in 2013 and was closed for a good 8

months before reopening in the same spot with applause

from their long-time fans and customers Their ice cream is

all home made and always has been On a hot summer day

you will no doubt be lined up out the door and down the

block to get this tasty treat but Irsquom certain you will find it

worth the wait I think their pricing is quite reasonable for

the size scoop they dip and if you are like me and want a sam-

pling of several flavors they offer Kiddie Scoops at $195

each ndash a flight of ice cream sounds like the perfect end-of-

ride relaxation

We perused the two very full ice cream boards and poured

over the cabinets before making our decisions With close to

50 listed flavors what was a girl to do without minions to help her taste test We finally settled on chocolate hazelnut toasted coconut salted caramel and

vanilla fudge brownie I pretty much always opt for a cup as I savor my ice cream and it would run down my arm before I was even close to finishing but I was

almost tempted by their pretzel cone What is so great about Taylorrsquos cones is the plastic drip cup in which they reside both sanitary and mess-preventing

Page 26 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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115 Route 23N bull Hamburg NJ bull 973-875-2111wwwtownandcountrycyclecentercom

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIYamahacom bull 516-935-6969

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE

SPORT TOURERIntroducing the most performancepower versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle From commutingand exploring backroads to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaharsquos un-mistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

While enjoying our treats we savored

the deacutecor of this very pleasant parlor Sev-

eral tables to enjoy your ice cream clip-

pings of newspaper articles school

paraphernalia and something that has no

place in an ice cream parlor an old-fash-

ioned fortune telling scale This couldnrsquot

possibly still be functioning could it Ac-

cording to Justin yes it was How could we

resist In went our pennies and up popped

our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked

the weight numbers) Brianrsquos read lsquoYou are

not overbearing but generally have things

your wayrsquo Wow I couldnrsquot wait to see if

mine was as accurate ldquoYou look to the fu-

ture rather than the pastrsquo So true

Back to the ice cream ndash it

was heavenly We all agreed

that the salted caramel was the

overall winner having the per-

fect balance of salt and

caramel with the best creamy

texture The toasted coconut

was very flavorful with lots of

coconut bits the chocolate

hazelnut was very dark and

creamy and mixed with the coconut made the perfect almond-free almond

joy The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole but cer-

tainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store

I believe Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round but if yoursquore head-

ing over during the winter months give them a call to make sure Enjoy the

winter and remember itrsquos never too cold to eat ice cream

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield PA

215-712-7433 bull wwwBMWMotorcyclescom

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

THE NEW R 1200 RA POWERFUL STATEMENT

Our newest boxer roadster has one missiondominate the streets in style The R 1200 Ris designed to blend comfort precisehandling and pure riding excitementhellipin one head-turning machine

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW R 1200 RSTHRILLING COMFORT

The new R 1200 RS is perfectly balancedcombining optimal wind and weather protectionwith powerful performance and controlPutting you in an unparalleled position toexplore the road - and your own limits

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW S 1000 RRWELCOME TO THENEW PLANET POWER

The S 1000 RR has been completely revisedThe results in its origins a genuine Double RRon the road a new supersports machine thatwill once again set the benchmark in its class

UNSTOPPABLE SPORT

WHAT lsquoRrsquo YOU WAITING FORCome to Montgomeryville Cycle Center to see the full line of 2015 BMW Motorcycles products and apparel

We have everything yoursquoll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever

Motorcyclepedia the northeastrsquos

premier motorcycle museum will

be holding its Speaker Series again

this winter with various riders and

orators covering topics ranging

from world touring to tips on avoiding tickets and an in depth look at GPS

technology and todayrsquos motorcycling

Backroadsrsquo own Brian amp Shira will start the series off with a talk on Jan-

uary 17 on lsquoThe Big Fiversquo motorcycle destinations around the planet along

with planning and touring around the United States and the world

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who

will help clear the fog about Garmin GPSrsquos and how their BaseCamp program

works along with how to create and export your own personal routes

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on ldquoEverything you need to know

on Motorcycles and the Lawrdquo - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper po-

lice procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists

Seth Simpson of Motorcycle training Solutions will be giving a seminar

on Rider Training

Motorcyclistmoto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about

Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys

Look for a Womenrsquos Riding Panel with some well-known female motor-

cyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing todayrsquos women

riders This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and

beginning women riders

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months

and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to

enlighten

Wersquoll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page

as soon as they are etched in stone

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh New York in the

riding heart of the Hudson Valley

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 27

A DAY AT THE MUSEUMlsquoSPEAKER SERIESrsquo RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Frankrsquos MotorcycleSales amp Service

120 Center RoadEssex VT 05451

802-878-3930wwwFranksMotorcycleSalescomBMWhtm

Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY845-357-1190

wwwLocomotionPowersportscom

LOCOMOTION POWER-

SPORTS138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY

845-357-1190

Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

SUSSEX MOTORSPORTS446 Route 23 bull Sussex NJ bull Located across from the AampP Shopping Plaza

973-875-3640 bull wwwsussexmotorsportsnjcombull Family OwnedOperated in Northwest NJ bull Near the NYPA border

bull Wide selection of onoff road apparel jackets helmets gloves and boots

bull Qualified Service Technicians with over 30 years combined experienceto perform all your Yamaha authorized service

Wheel Sport Center Inc399 HUGUeNOT ST bull NeW ROCHeLLe NY

9146367235 bull WheelSportCenternet

JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

2015 Kawasaki Concoursreg14 ABSThe ultimate backroad SuperSport Tourer

The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

JDS CYCLE PARTSeST 1988

247 W Westfield Ave Rosell Park NJ908-245-2445

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Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

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HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 7: January 2015 Backroads

choPsTicks And BAr-risers

The first time I saw a Touratech Bar Riser for the BMW

R1200GS I thought ldquoWhat a great idea A cool way to put

chopsticks down while your eating Asian food and donrsquot

want to lay them down Awesome Finallyrdquo

So there I was enjoying my Chicken Pad Thai when one

of my co-workers approached me and said ldquoHey man

yoursquore not using that thing rightrdquo

ldquoWhat do you do with itrdquo I asked

ldquoIrsquom pretty sure itrsquos for hanging really heavy artrdquo he said

ldquoIt holds better than one of those hanging kits You could

probably hang a sculpture on the wall if you wantedrdquo

ldquoNo not artrdquo interjected another co-worker ldquoThink

about it We work at a place that makes accessories for mo-

torcycles Why would we make something that holds art or

chopsticks Chopsticks Come on guys itrsquos obvious what

that thingrsquos forrdquo

ldquoWhatrdquo We said

ldquoWell itrsquos for hanging your gear You can bolt it

to the wall and itrsquoll hold a hanger with all of your

riding gear on it If you bolt one on top of the other

itrsquoll hold your helmet toordquo he replied and held the

thing up to the wall

That sounded right It had to be something to do

with motorcycles Chopstickshellip Well that was just

silly but hey Irsquom just the marketing guy I donrsquot

know as much about the intricacies of motorcycle

parts as our customer service people

As I was walking to my car there were a few guys

outside the office and they were tying down a V-

Strom 1000 They had the straps just about tight-

ened and I noticed that they were fastening the straps to

cleats in the bed of the truck The cleats looked a little

flimsy and I suggested they switch them out with the bar

risers in my hand (I didnrsquot know they were bar risers at

the time) I truly thought Irsquod figured out the mystery of

those brushed aluminum pieces of German Technology

Tie down loops Yes

The guys in the truck laughed at me (Irsquom used to that

being the novice rider at the office)

ldquoDonrsquot you know what these arerdquo one of them asked

and I handed them over

ldquoI guess notrdquo I said

ldquoYou bolt them to the front of your footpegsrdquo he said

ldquoIt gives you more surface and stability and they make it

easy to scrape mud off your bootsrdquo

He showed me on the V-Strom in the truck what he was

talking about I didnrsquot see any bolt holes

ldquoI donrsquot think sordquo I said ldquoWe already have our lsquoWorksrsquo

footpegs Theyrsquore really widerdquo

ldquoI think I know what Irsquom talking aboutrdquo the

Suzuki riding stranger said ldquoIrsquove owned bikes my

whole life Irsquove seen those things used Theyrsquore

called footpeg enhancersrdquo

I didnrsquot feel like having a debate It was starting

to rain so I put my precision-crafted motorcycle es-

sentials in my briefcase and went home It was Fri-

day I had dinner plans and I had a lot to do over the

weekend When I got home I left the bar risers sit-

ting on my kitchen table

Saturday came and I was doing a bunch of yard

work and cleaning out the barbecue Summer was

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 7

THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD Words by Matt Lewis bull Photos by Morgan Goldbloom

ebbing but it was still pleasantly warm in Seattle and I was warm so I headed

in for something to drink I could hear my wife and son playing in the living

room as I opened the cabinet to grab a glass Something physically felt dif-

ferent I my hand

I closed the cabinet and there it was The handle of my kitchen cabinet had

been replaced with 15mm of rock-solid engineering genius My wife had

used the bar risers (I still didnrsquot know they were bar risers) to replace my

kitchen fixtures All of them

They looked awesome and I didnrsquot have the heart to tell her to take them

down so when I went back to work on the following Monday I had to buy

them A lot more experimentation went into finally discovering the actual

use of the bar risers I suppose I could have asked someone else at work but

I wanted to figure it out myself

Here is what I know you can do but shouldnrsquot do with Touratech Bar Ris-

ers for the Water-Cooled R1200GS and GSA

bull Put them in the microwave

bull Bolt them together and wear as a ring

bull Make wind chimes (they donrsquot have good pitch)

bull Wear as earrings (my wife couldnrsquot get the bolt through

the hole in ear)

bull Use as a baby teething device (donrsquot ask)

bull Throw at an attacker (long story but trust me They wonrsquot

slow him down)

bull Open a bottle of beer

So what have I learned Well obviously the Touratech

Bar Risers for the Water-Cooled R1200GS and GSA come

in three sizes (15mm 25mm and 40mm) They are de-

signed to create optimum comfort with minimal labor and

raising the bar height results in a more upright position

which can relieve neck and back strain

Riders around the world swear by bar-risers and they

can make your bike a better fit easily and economically

hellipand you can bolt them to your bathroom wall to

hold your toothbrushes

Matt Lewis is Marketing Manager at Touratech-USA

CycoActive Inc You can see all their products and

some they donrsquot even know they have at

wwwtouratech-usacom

Cycle Motion is your provider of motorcycles ATVs scooters

snowmobiles and utility vehicles by Kawasaki Suzuki Polaris

Yamaha and Can-Am With a large parts department qualified

service technicians and a full shop full of parts and accessories

were here to meet all your power sport needs

For every rider - on or off road whether they like doing it

in the dirt carving the twisties or cruising the backroads

we have their weapon of choice

1269 DOLSONTOWN RD

MIDDLETOWN NY 10940

845-343-2552 bull WWWCYCLEMOTIONINCCOM

Page 8 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Backroads

Just wanted you to know that Joe Fencz from

Charliersquos Pool Room past away October

15th John the brother and cook called me to

tell me when the funeral services were I didnrsquot

have any idea Joe was even sick He had pancre-

atic cancer and has been battling it for a year

The Pool Room has been closed for about a

year now because the grill has to be updated to

new codes and was shut down A lot of people

have been helping them out to get them up and

running again I attended the service a few weeks

agohellipwhen Joe was alive I did not know much about him other than we

was a very nice kind outgoing person At his funeral many people told stores

about him and you got to know him after it was too late The funeral parlor

was packed

I talked with brother John to encourage him to open the store again I of-

fered him financial assistance as well as business advice There were a lot of

other people there that wanted John to open the store againhellipwe will see He

did not seem to want to do it

I snapped this picture I saw at the wake It looks like a 1930rsquos-40rsquos motor-

cycle with a homemade side car I know the father was a frontline soldier in

WW II he may have bought it surplus

Thought I would share this with riders who have been there and hopefully

will go again

Gary Rena

Gary thanks for passing that along to us Charliersquos Pool Room was the

most interesting and oddest hot dog stop in the Garden State and will be

missed

Miracles as they are I got to reading the No-

vember Backroads issue before the end of No-

vember which is pretty good for me May have

had something to do with not picking up my

mail until the end of the month

So I am feeling accomplished None-the-less

- having left town the first week in October I fi-

nally got to reading Backroads

Brian your editorial piece on BMW-style

events and this weird thing about camping had

me in stitches Camping Really whatrsquos with

that Ride all day long and stop at a motel where

you can walk to a restaurant for dinner after a nice shower That works for

me and is the only way I fly The best of all worlds thatrsquos what I say

The article on Americade and Shirarsquos editorial about the passenger seat

also had me in stitches Thanks to both of you for making me look forward

to the next issue each and every time

Until we meet again we will always admire your endless summer

lifestyle Carry on - I say

Your two-wheeled friends

Graham and Gail

This Town is the Pitshellip

As to the above column please tell Brian to call a spade a spade The rider

was following to close andor not paying attention when he rear-ended the

truck If the truck hit the girls girlrsquos fault However the bike hitting the

truck was the riderrsquos own fault

Happy holidays to you both

Greg Bagen

Greg I agree I was being semi-polite You were able to read between the

lines You should be a lawyer or something

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 9

BACKLASH Letters to the Editor

BERgEN COUNTY HARLEY-DAVIDSON DUAL PHOTO PROjECT

This is Larry No he doesnrsquot have a twin

The first picture was shot of him in his every-

day clothes A few days later he stopped by on

his bike Learn more about Larry and other

bikers soon If you ride and are interested in

being shot (with a camera) stop by Bergen

County Harley-Davidson in Rochelle Park

NJ Monday Tuesday Thursday and Friday

from 12Noon - 1pm or Wednesday night 5-

6pm It takes 5 minutes and you just might be

part of the project 2 portraits are shot one of

you in your riding gear the other of you in

your work or everyday clothes

Spread the word

Bergen County Harley-Davidson 124 Essex St Rochelle Park NJ bull 201-

843-6930 bull wwwbergenharleycom

HARLEY DEALERSHIP DROPS 10K FROM SKY

While shoppers may have been rushing for merchandise on Black Friday

a couple of thousand people were grabbing for cash at least for a brief mo-

ment

Black Diamond Harley-Davidson of Marion Illinois has hosted turkey

drops in the past but Black Fridayrsquos cash drop was the first for the dealer-

shiprsquos innovative marketing company co-owner Shad Zimbro said

ldquoItrsquos just something different Everybody can use a little extra cashrdquo he

said of the companyrsquos Green Friday as hopefuls took position along the

perimeter of a large field where cash totaling $10000 would be dropped from

a helicopter

Illinois Lottery donated some of the money for the event Black Diamond

announced it would match up to $100 for those who spent their winnings at

the store

Participants had to be 18 and had to sign a waiver that they would not hold

Black Diamond responsible for injuries It appeared

most were unscathed during the dash for cash

though muddied from the wet field either falling on

their own or pushed

VALERIE THOMPSON RACINg SIgNS WITH

NPMOTOWEAR PRODUCTS FOR 2015

Scottsdale motorcycle racer 7-time land speed

record holder and team owner Valerie Thompson

recently signed NPmotowear Products as a new

sponsor for the 2015 racing season NPmoto prod-

ucts was founded in 2005 by Nick Plenzick to pro-

vide motorcyclists and racers with a variety of

apparel and accessories that provide maximum com-

fort and convenience to riders worldwide

ldquoWe have sold many fine products from a variety of excellent manufactures

over the years When

we began production of

our own products I de-

cided I wanted them

tested in extreme con-

ditions In addition to

our long distance rid-

ers Irsquom a big believer

that racing improves

the breedrdquo said NPmo-

towear ownerfounder

Nick Plenzick ldquoWhen I

was thinking of some-

one who could push the

limits Valerie Thomp-

Page 10 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

FW SPEER YAMAHA7 Main Ave bull Passaic NJ bull 973-778-6256 bull wwwSpeerYamahacom

Tri-State Metro Arearsquos Oldest Yamaha Dealer + Last of the Mom and Pop Shops

THE MALLTERNATIVE

INDUSTRY INFOBITES News from the Inside

son was at the top of my list Valerie recently tested our base layer at the

Texas Mile with a 2177 mph run with great resultsrdquo added Plenzick

ldquoIrsquove been wearing and testing NPmotowear apparel while riding and

working around the shop I canrsquot tell you how impressed I am They offer

products that enhance riding comfort in both cold and hot weather while of-

fering a real sense of stylerdquo said Thompson

ldquoWe couldnrsquot be more pleased to have someone of Valeriersquos experience

and racing accomplishments to promote NPmotowear layer clothing and ac-

cessories After all we have to keep lsquoAmericarsquos Queen of Speedrsquo comfortable

underneath her race suit at over 210 mph and we have proven we can ac-

complish that goalrdquo said Plenzick

In addition to seven land speed records Thompson is an official member

of the BUB Speed Trials 201 MPH Club Mojave Magnum 200 MPH Club

Texas Mile 200 MPH Club ECTA 200 MPH Club and a lifetime member of

the prestigious Bonneville 200 MPH Club

HONDA MARKS UNPRECEDENTED MILESTONEgLOBAL PRODUCTION OF 300 MILLION MOTORCYCLES

Achieving a milestone more than 65 years in the making Honda Motor

Co Ltd announced production of its 300-millionth motorcycle The mile-

stone bike is a Honda Gold Wing produced at the companyrsquos Kumamoto Fac-

tory in Japan Honda will celebrate

the 40th anniversary of the iconic

Gold Wing in 2015

Honda began mass production of

motorcycles in Japan in 1949 when

it built the Honda 98cc Dream Type-

D Today Honda produces motorcy-

cles ATVrsquos and side-by-sides at 32

plants in 22 countries including two

plants in North America

ldquoThis incredible milestone is the

result of the millions of customers

who have placed their trust in Honda

and we would like to thank all of our customers associates dealers and com-

munity partners in North America for helping make it possiblerdquo said Bob

Gurga Vice President and Manager of Motorcycle Division for American

Honda ldquoNow we are focused on

the future and the ways that we can

harness the challenging spirit of

Honda associates to create new joy

for Honda customersrdquo

In 1958 Honda introduced the

Honda 50 known globally as the

Super Cub which would go on to

revolutionize the industry This

iconic bike paved the way for

Hondarsquos expansion into the US in

1959 and Canada in 1969 The

Super Cub which has sold nearly

90 million units globally since its

inception was the focus of a mid-

1960s advertising campaign lsquoYou

Meet the Nicest People on a

Hondarsquo that played a major role in

the transformation and growth of

the US motorcycle market

ZERO RAMPS UP PRODUCTION

Zero Motorcycles the global leader in the electric motor-

cycle industry announced that it has entered full production

of its 2015 model line The new motorcycles are being man-

ufactured at its expanded Scotts Valley California facility

by an increased number of technicians using state-of-the-art

tools The first shipments of motorcycles are now in transit

with all North American dealerships receiving the new mod-

els by the end of January European delivery is scheduled for

February 2015

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 11

Following record sales in 2014 the company has made substantial invest-

ments in technology and people placing additional resources to expand its

ldquoCrafted in Californiardquo vision ldquoWersquove taken everything learned from build-

ing thousands of electric motorcycles and applied it to new manufacturing

processes To meet the increased demand from customers wersquove added new

jobs here at our California factoryrdquo said Kai Hypko VP of Operations for

Zero Motorcycles ldquoHighly advanced tools improved systems and more

skilled workers will allow us to continue to increase our production capacity

and ensure premium qualityrdquo

The 2015 motorcycles rolling out of the California factory feature numer-

ous advancements from their predecessors Showa suspension improves com-

fort and control Zerorsquos class-leading rangemdashnow up to 185 milesmdashis

extended on most models And Zero becomes the first production electric

motorcycle to feature anti-lock brakes (ABS)

ldquoOur 2015 lineup continues to lead the industry in overall range perform-

ance and technologyrdquo said Abe Askenazi Chief Technology Officer at Zero

Motorcycles ldquoFor 2015 we focused our efforts on refining virtually every

element of the vehiclemdashfrom the tires upmdashto give riders the most pure

seamless experience availablerdquo

Initial production will be dedicated to motorcycles that will be used for

test rides via Zero Motorcycles dealers Interested riders can schedule a demo

online at wwwzeromotorcyclescomdemo-rides

Page 12 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

PosTcArds from The hedGe (Continued from page 5)

about that still confounds even locals) took me back to when I had borrowed

my friendrsquos Hawk 650 and while in this circular traffic maze the engine

started to cut out Now itrsquos unsettling enough when such things happen in

traffic and yoursquore on your own machine but when yoursquove borrowed a friendrsquos

pride and joy and it starts getting funky it adds to the already present drama

immeasurably The V-Twin never actually quit though and what happened

was a little snafu peculiar to this particular model of motorcycle It seems

that when the incoming air around the tank is juuuuuust right a poorly routed

hose does something to the air supply to the carburetors and it skips like its

running out of gas When I told my friend about it he

confirmed it had happened to him and through the use

of this brand new thing called the Internet he found a

very simple solution and fixed it I hadnrsquot thought about

this incident since it happened back in the last Century

and the Weatherford Traffic circle bought it all back with

surprising clarity

Of course there were some businesses and landmarks

(often one in the same) that had vanished but the odd

thing was the general feel of the place was exactly as it

had seemed and as a result I found myself for lack of

a better expression having a Twilight Zone moment

This was a town that I not only grew up in but a place

where I experienced so many formative moments that

ultimately steered my path in life A simple trip like this

managed to take much that was locked away and shake

it loose as if I really did borrow Dr Whorsquos time-tran-

siting Tardis And as has been the case in my entire

adult life a motorcycle managed to be a part of it even

though this time I was wasnrsquot riding one Oh and my

niecersquos wedding It was superb I now have a fine new

nephew too with a family that originally hails from

China and they are delightful people All in all the trip

was quite a Trip

ldquoIF YOUWANT

TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

ROLLINrsquo FAST CYCLE SPORTS

104 Main Street Lebanon NJ908-236-9000 bull wwwRollinFastcom

ROLLINrsquo FAST INDIAN MOTORCYCLE OF LEBANON104 Main Street Lebanon NJ908-236-9000 bull wwwRollinFastcom

Come see the full line

of Indian Motorcycles

Large selection of parts

apparel and accessories

Great Gift Ideas for

your Holiday Shopping

Plan now for your winter

service needsMon-Fri 9a-6p

Thurs lsquotil 9a-7p bull Sat 9a-5pSunday Gone Riding

Rollinrsquo Fast Cycle Sports Presents

GReAT ALL AMeRICAN DINeR RUN tasty places to take your bike

Ardyrsquos counTry kiTchen

279 mAin sT worcesTer ny 121197 bull 607-397-4070

Many times suggestions for a Great All American Diner Run

are sent to us and when we can we search them out on your

expert recommendations

Other times we come across hidden jewels a bit more

serendipitously

Thatrsquos how we came across this monthrsquos stop on GAADR ndash

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen in the small upstate New York town

of Worcester

There were four of us heading to our last Summer Squeeze

Rally in Vermont and we were making a few days riding ad-

venture of it by heading to the Adirondacks for the first evening

on the road

Come lunch time all our bellies were rumbling and lucky for

me right before I became a raging and petulant starving child I

spotted a small brightly painted diner to my right on an upcoming

corner

We had found Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

With its ice cream shop front we hoped they served more than

just dessert and entering the small dining room we were instantly

hit with the heady aromas of good eats

Thank you Road Gods

The place has been owned and operated by the Sanna clan since

2005 and the family atmosphere is evidentwith the smattering of

toys and one or two young ones running around their moms our

waitresses legs

Non-crying non-exasperating and happy little ones annoy me

not ndash so we took a small table and looked to see what the Sanna

family had to offer this day

First off you canrsquot get a sandwich here

at Ardyrsquos ndash but you can get a sammich

We all know that it is a scientific fact

that a sammich is far more fun and much

more delicious and filling both from a

nutritionistrsquos point of view and the addi-

tional smile factor thrown in

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen has a goodly

number of different sammiches for your

eating pleasure ndash but wersquoll get to them in

a minute

If itrsquos early when you get there they

serve a Bagel Breakfast with eggs

sausage and cheese on a real fresh bagel

Soup amp Sammich can always be had

ndash with daily specials to be found Of

course they have burgers just about any

way yoursquod like lsquoem and the homemade

chili was tangy and delicious as was the

soup of the day

Heading over to their ldquoSignature Sam-

michesrdquo you will find just about any-

thing you might be craving Or maybe

a perusal of the menu will get the belly

rolling For a smallish diner along a

rural road in upstate New York you will

have plenty from which to choose

How about a BLT or a Cuban with

roast pork ham Swiss cheese and pick-

les Their Pork amp Slaw with cheddar

cheese looked tasty as did the BBQ

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 13

TWO WHEELS OR FOURTHERErsquoS ALWAYS ROOM FOR

Texas Smoke Barbecue400 Route 15 South bull Jefferson NJ

862-209-4078 bull wwwTexasSmokeBBQcom

texas smoke BBQIndoor and outdoor dining

Warm up with some

Chowdown Chili

Smokinrsquo Platters

and so much more

Biker and Barbecue Enthusiasts

Enjoy our Chalkboard Specials

Long Island Kawasaki67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIKawasakicom bull 516-935-6969Combining the low silhouette of

a Vulcan cruiser with Kawasaki

sportbike-derived power and

handling as well as a custom fit

concept designed to comfort-

ably fit a wide range of riders

Rollinrsquo Fast Cycle Sports Presents

GReAT ALL AMeRICAN DINeR RUN tasty places to take your bike

Chicken Hero also topped with their local cheddar cheese

For you Vegans (he said with a smirk) you will find a Veggie Panini (now

hush and eat your greens) If you are really hungry try Ardyrsquos Big Roast Beef

ndash a heaping of oven roasted beef topped with Swiss cheese and served on a

Kaiser roll and topped with Ardyrsquos famed horseradish sauce

Thatrsquoll fill you up

When we arrived it was an unusually cool day for the Leatherstocking Re-

gion and a hot sammich seemed more on order Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

serves up hot pork and hot roast beef sammiches but I went with their hot

meatloaf ndash brought out on a toasted Kaiser roll with homemade mashed po-

tatoes and some super tasty gravy ndash enough to float a boat

Just about everything here at Ardyrsquos is a homemade creation Real potatoes

fresh vegetables and freshly roasted meats are always used Not much

processed or pre-packaged quasi food will be found here

My Hot Meatloaf Sammich served with Ardyrsquos super potatoes and

drowned in their excellent brown gravy was one of the best I have ever had

on the road And it was not just a thinly sliced bit of meatloaf but an honest-

to-goodness slab orsquomeatloaf

I wouldnrsquot even serve myself that big a piece at home

Okay maybe I would

The rest of our crew all had the Tomato amp Basil Soup (delicious) and

grilled cheese sammiches which was a special of the day

If you can squeeze it in after all this great chow Ardyrsquos is an ice cream par-

lor as well and they offer enough flavors that even resident ice cream maven

Shira was tempted

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen is the perfect example of a small and family run

restaurant that really serves up the goods All their offering are real and tasty

and just like your mom would cook ndash ifrsquon your mom was a trained chef

When in the region it is well worth searching Ardyrsquos out and with that in

mind wersquoll give you a short ride from the Kingston area to this monthrsquos stop

on the Great All American Diner Run

Find them on FaceBook at Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

Page 14 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

RIP amp RIDEreg bull ARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN279 MAIN ST WORCESTER NY 121197 bull 607-397-4070

START INTERSECTIONS OF RTES 20928 KINGSTON NYRTE 28 WESTRIGHT AT RTE 375LEFT AT RTE 212RIGHT AT RTE 28LEFT AT RTE 214LEFT AT RTE 23ARIGHT AT SCRIBNER HOLLOW RDLEFT AT RTE 23CRIGHT AT CR 40STRAIGHT AT CR 296

LEFT AT RTE 23BEAR RIGHT AT CR 7LEFT AT CR 990VRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT SHREW HOLLOW ROADLEFT AT CR 29RIGHT AT CR 10LEFT AT MEADE ROADLEFT AT CHARLOTTEVILLE ROADRIGHT AT CR 39RIGHT AT RTE 7 MAIN STARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN ON LEFT

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

moTe AquArium And mArine lABorATory

600 ken ThomPson Pkwy sArAsoTA fl 34236

941-388-4441 bull wwwmoTeorG

Each March and October the Daytona faithful head

south to the beginning and end of the season rallies

on the Sunshine statersquos eastern coast

But we have always found Daytona and vicinities

to get a bit too crowded loud andhellipumm ndash boring

Well for us

The SUYT thing kinda got old when the girls could

be your daughter-in-law

We prefer checking out the scene and then doing a

little Floridian travel exploring some of the sights

and scenes that draw so may south each year

On Floridarsquos Gulf Coast you will find the city of

Sarasota

This city has a thriving cultural scene and boasts a

number of interesting places to visit explore and gen-

erally spend some time

A few years back we told you of the Circus Mu-

seum this time we dropped in on the Mote Aquarium

and Marine Laboratory

The Aquarium has its beginnings back in 1955

when it was founded by Dr Eugenie Clark in

Placida Florida Back then it was known as Cape

Haze Marine Laboratory until its 1967 renaming in

honor of a major benefactor William R Mote and the

contributions he and his family made to helping the

aquarium grow mdash both in size and reputation Since

1960 Mote has been based in Sarasota Florida and

since 1978 it has been lo-

cated on City Island and

that is where we got to

spend a number of hours

The Mote Aquarium

consists of three buildings

the aquarium an interac-

tive theatre and a separate

building that houses their

sea turtles dolphin (singu-

lar but wersquoll get into that)

and manatee collection all

of whom have been res-

cued or rehabbed at Mote

All the exhibits are laid

out with informative plac-

ards and each tank brings

different environments and

different fish and marine wildlife all with a story

to tell

Moray eels tanks full of floating jelly fish of

all types exotic fish we had never dreamed of and

some we simply had never seen in person were

there

In addition to the first building exhibits you can

learn about the giant squid and then move to the

shark area and ray along the way you will find a

few tanks where you can reach in and get to touch

a few of the locals

Mote also had a nice display on the Megalodon

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 15

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

ndash the prehistoric shark that was well over 50 feet long

with teeth as large as your fist

A quick walk across the parking lot brought us to the

building holding their other large exhibits

A few different sea turtles were swimming about as

well as Hugh and Buffett ndash two large and impressive

manatees

A large outdoor pool held lsquoMoonshinersquo Motersquos res-

ident dolphin who was rescued after it beached and

was found drying out and sunburned

He seems happy enough but personally we think he

needs a friend We were told that Mote is next on the

list for such a companion

While we visited Mote had a special attraction called

lsquoSurvivorsrsquo which featured some of the oddest marine and fresh water ani-

mals and the very unique way they survive in the wild ndash from deadly poison

to killer punches to simply looking like a rock and hoping for the best ndash it

was a fascinating display as was the entire aquarium

If you get hungry you can drop by their Deep Sea Diner where you can

enjoy dining al-fresco or inside the casual retro rsquo50s-style diner complete

with an old-fashioned soda fountain The lively cafeacute offers a fun affordable

family-style menu including chili and chowder burgers and dogs veggie

burgers and fresh salads chicken fingers and fries And donrsquot forget dessert

hand-dipped ice cream shakes amp sundaes

We thought wersquod spend a quick hour there but ended up happily spending

the afternoon

Mote might not be the biggest but it surely made up for its size with quality

and interesting and informative displays

Page 16 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 906-9292

Find Us on Facebook bull SportHondanet

hondacom UTILITY ATVs ARE RECOMMENDED FOR RIDERS 16 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER TRX90X IS RECOMMENDED ONLY FOR RIDERS12 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER RIDERS UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE MUST BE SUPERVISED BY AN ADULT ATVs CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO OPER-ATE ALL ATV RIDERS SHOULD TAKE A TRAINING COURSE (FREE FOR NEW BUYERS ASK YOUR DEALER OR CALL ASI AT 800-887-2887) ANDREAD THEIR OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND APPROPRIATE CLOTHING AVOID EXCESSIVESPEEDS AND BE CAREFUL ON DIFFICULT TERRAIN FOR YOUR SAFETY BE RESPONSIBLE NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGSOR ALCOHOL ON PAVED SURFACES ON PUBLIC ROADS WITH PASSENGERS OR AT EXCESSIVE SPEEDS NO STUNT RIDING RESPECT THEENVIRONMENT WHEN RIDING TRXreg and Rancherreg are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1114)

Whether itrsquos hard work

or time to play

Sport Honda has the

ATV to fit your lifestyle

Be prepared - Come in

Today for your

Winter utility needs

Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 491-2900

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Cross Country Powersportsis now taking deposits for theNinja H2Rtrade and H2tradeExperience unforgettable supercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2trade motorcycle theworldrsquos only supercharged productionhypersport streetbike

The BridGewATer TriAnGle

is This The sTrAnGesT sPoT in The norTheAsT

Located just 30 miles south of Boston this 200-mile square area has the

Massachusetts towns of Abington Freetown and Rehoboth at its angles The

town of Bridgewater is located nearly dead center within the triangle and the

area also encompasses six other Massachusetts towns Raynham Taunton

Brockton Mansfield Norton and Easton including the Hockomock Swamp

It is known as the Bridgewater Triangle

It seems if it is paranormal weird or mysterious it has happened in the Tri-

angle of the years

Let us start with one of the

first odd things found in the

region

It was in this area that the

first officially documented

petroglyph in the United

States was found - Dighton

Rock This 40 ton boulder

was discovered by original

settlers and has always

caused questions and wonder

of who made these mysteri-

ous markings and why

In fact in 1690 Rev Cotton Mather described the rock in his book The

Wonderful Works of God Commemorated

ldquoAmong the other Curiosities of New-England one is that of a mighty

Rock on a perpendicular side whereof by a River which at High Tide covers

part of it there are very deeply Engraved no man alive knows How or When

about half a score Lines near Ten Foot Long and a foot and half broad filled

with strange Characters which would

suggest as odd Thoughts about them that

were here before us as there are odd

Shapes in that Elaborate Monumentrdquo

The boulder was moved in 1980 to the

museum in a nearby park Dighton Rock State Park in order to protect and

preserve this part of Americarsquos strange history

Strangely marked boulders were not the beginning of the mystery of the

Bridgewater Triangle

Years back a group of archeologists discovered a native burial mound on

Grassy Island in the swamp These graves were dated to 6000 BC

Strange lights have been

reported on this island and

across the triangle and one

of the first documented

UFO sighting came from

here when on May 10

1760 villagers in two

towns 50 miles away stared

in wonder at a ldquoSphere of

Firerdquo that slowly made its

way across the sky

The next day both townsrsquo newspapers reported the phenomena in their edi-

tions According to historical records the UFO emitted light bright enough

to cast a shadow in bright sunlight The sound made by the object ldquooddly

enough was heard sooner at the middle of the course it took than at the be-

ginningrdquo

You canrsquot really have such an eclectic gathering of odd in a place like this

in Mysterious America without a few good Yeti sightings

Over the years all sorts of ldquoSwamp Monstersrdquo have been sighted and in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 17

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

April 1970 it was reported that a ldquoBigfootrdquo

picked up a rear of a police car in which sat

two surprised police officers

Police dogs have been used time and again but

Bigfoot is an elusive fellow

I have always believed the Jersey Devil is a

Pterosaurs of some kind and here around the

Bridgewater Triangle huge black prehistoric-look-

ing birds with a wingspan of between eight and

twelve feet have been reported time and again in-

cluding a report by Norton Police Sergeant Thomas

Downy

Indian Curses abound as well and along Route

44 in Rehoboth lies the boulder known as Anawan

Rock It is said that it was here that the Wampanoag

chief Anawan surrendered to the colonists thus

ending King Philiprsquos War According to local be-

liefs the angry spirits of the warriors captured that

day continue to haunt the spot

Extremely large snakes and alligators have been

found in the swamp along with other creatures that are totally out of place

In the late 1800rsquos bones of a giant were unearthed

Every which way you look or travel in the area you will find something

strange In fact I have a quick list of odd things found in the

Bridgewater Triangle for you

Next time yoursquore looking to spend a few days exploring Mys-

terious America take a ride around the Bridgewater Triangle You

just might end up sending me an email telling me you spotted ahellip

OrsquoLife Out

Ten odd ThinGs found in The BridGewATer TriAnGle

1 The longest epitaph in the United States is located in a Rehoboth

cemetery A full 405 words

2 Three PT Barnum circus ldquofreaksrdquo hailed from here including

Middlebororsquos Tom Thumb and East Bridgewaterrsquos ldquoThe Human

Skeletonrdquo

3 The first boundary line in the United States is located in Abing-

ton at the Bridgewater Trianglersquos furthest most delineated northern

map point

4 A historic 40-foot tall Hood milk bottle in Raynham (now a

restaurant) is the (triplet) sister to famous the ldquoMilk Bottlerdquo at the

Boston Childrenrsquos museum

5 In 1906 bones of ldquoa giantrdquo were discovered in Middleboro

6 Alligators seals emu peacocks cow moose bears Africal

Sevral panthers and mountain lions have all been found in the

Bridgewater Triangle

7 There are both handprints and footprints imbedded into several

Bridgewater Triangle boulders handprints in Middleboro foot-

prints in Norton

8 Dighton Rock is the first documented petroglyph in the United

States

9 The chocolate chip cookie was invented in the happiest of ac-

cidents in the northern apex of the Bridgewater Triangle

10 The Bridgewater Triangle is host to the worldrsquos only shovel

museum located in Easton

Page 18 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

290 Route 100 West Dover VT800-745-3615 bull wwwgrayghostinncom

Motorcyclist-Friendly Destination LodgingLocated on Scenic Route 100 in Southern VermontHot breakfast cooked to order BYOB bar firepit hot tub game room and WiFi

Free Maps and Suggested Rides Group Special Packages5 restaurantsbars within walking distance bull On-site Group Dinners available

MemberWhen you canrsquot ride because of snow ride the snow

Guided Back-Country Snowmobile Toursin the Green Mountain National Forest

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

mounTAineer hoTel

31 eAsT second Avenue williAmson wv

304-235-2222 bull wwwmounTAineerhoTelcom

Laying right on the Tug Fork River across from the

Blue Grass state of Kentucky one will find the tiny town

of Williamson West Virginia Williamson has a long

history mostly revolving around the coal industry

Here you will find a rather large rail yard now part

of the Norfolk Southern built to service the many mines

found in and around this part of West Virginia and Ken-

tucky

In 1974 a United States Army Corps of Engineer

planner described the region as having the most severe

flooding problem in America

In 1977 after many days of steady hard rain the Tug

Fork and adjoining streams began

a constant and quick rise As had

happened in the past the town ex-

perienced incredible flooding

Today a floodwall protects

Williamson from future wet havoc

A huge part of this regionrsquos local

lore and history is the famed home

of the feud between the Hatfields

and McCoys probably the most

famous family fight in US history

The first event in the decades-

long feud was the 1865 murder of

Randolphrsquos brother Asa Harmon

McCoy by the Logan Wildcats a local militia group

that counted Devil Anse and other Hatfields among its

members Many peoplemdasheven members of his own

familymdashregarded Asa Harmon who had served in the

Union Army during the American Civil War as a trai-

tor While some have surmised that his murder set the

stage for the feud most historians now see this inci-

dent as a standalone event

Relations between the two families continued to

sour over the next decade before flaring again over a

seemingly small matter a dispute over a single hog

In 1878 Randolph McCoy accused Floyd Hatfield a

cousin of Devil Anse of stealing one of his pigs a

valuable commodity in the poor region Floyd Hat-

fieldsrsquos trial took place in McCoy territory but was

presided over by a cousin of Devil Anse It hinged on

the testimony of star witness Bill Staton a McCoy rel-

ative married to a Hatfield Staton testified in Floyd

Hatfieldrsquos favor and the McCoys were infuriated when

Floyd was cleared of the charges against him Two

years later Staton was violently killed in a fracas with

Sam and Paris McCoy nephews of Randolph Sam stood trial for the

murder but was acquitted for self-defense reasons

Things went south from there and an American legacy was born

In and around the town you will find much on this feud

In the center of town you will find The Coal House now the home

of the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce

Weighing in at 65 tons with 2 ft thick walls itrsquos the only coal house

made entirely of coal Built in 1933 it was designed by architect HT

Hicks from an idea by O W Evans It was constructed from blocks

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 19

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

of local seam coal donated by coal companies in the region

Right next door to The Coal House you will find the historic

Mountaineer Hotel The large classic-revival 5-story yellow-

glazed brick building dominates the center of town and offers

a look and reason to step back into the past

Built in 1925 the Mountaineer hotel has had its share of fa-

mous guests with JFK Paul Newman Jerry Lee Lewis Henry

Ford and others- including the great Soupy Sales - staying here

overnight

In fact all the rooms are named after famous and infamous

guests that have walked through its doors

Later in the evening we walked all five flights to see just

who did stay there

The main entrance leads to a large lobby and the front desk

with pigeonhole boxes for room keys and a teller window

French doors lead to the ballroom The hotel has 116 rooms

for guests a formal ballroom a lobby restaurant and sports bar

(which were not open this day) and the lower level has a num-

ber of games ndash including Fooz ball pool

and a large regulation-sized shuffle board

game that kept us occupied for about an

hour

Sometimes we find places from this era

a bit run down but the Mountaineer hotel

is a gem

Just one look at the grand lobby and you

will know this is true and with rooms less

than $75 for the night quite the deal too

We took Paul Newmanrsquos room and it

couldnrsquot have been nicer

Unpacking and strolling around town

which was quiet on a Monday night was a

pleasant distraction after a dayrsquos worth of

hard miles through the mountains of West

Virginia and Kentucky

When traveling around the United States

you can almost always find a chain hotel at

any exit or bigger town but why would you

want to when wonderful old beauties like

the Mountaineer Hotel in Williamson West

Virginia are around

Page 20 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Tony Lisanti

Eye protection for off road use consists of

the tried and true goggle The goggle

wraps around the helmet and seals to

your face in the helmet opening

Traditional goggles

consist of a urethane

based flexible frame

with various types of

foam material that

seal directly against

the forehead and cheeks

and nose keeping out wind and

dirt Being the helmet has a limited opening

goggles have had to fit inside this space limiting the field of vision

This type of goggle has been the norm for last half century with

all kinds of innovations in frame lens and foam materials

Enter ZOWA Optics Visor Goggles ZOWA Optics was founded

in 2013 Their goal is to offer unique goggles to off-road dirt bike

ATV and snowmobile riders The Vermont based company has

come up with a goggle that eliminates many of the drawbacks of

a traditional off road goggle The Visor Goggles are designed so

the upper half seals against the helmet rather than the forehead

The lower half of the goggle rests against the face By developing

the goggle in this way the field of view is dramatically increased and the

issue of having foam in contact with the skin on the forehead is eliminated

I had the opportunity to try out the Visor Goggles at a local practice track

recently The first thing I noticed was the size of the Visor Goggles They are

about twice the size of a traditional goggle They install on a helmet the same

way as traditional goggles except instead of resting against the forehead they

seal against the helmet under the visor Most noticeable was the lack

of ldquonose pinchrdquo and the vastly improved vision The Visor Goggle

drastically reduces the claustrophobic feel of traditional goggles as

there is more distance between the inside of the goggle and your face

The feel is more like an adventure helmet

After riding with them for an hour or two on an MX track I found

the improved field of vision to be a welcome change Riding with the

Visor Goggles allowed better vision up down and sideways I did no-

tice a bit more air coming in from the flow through design and from

underneath the seal against my check bones at speed During warm

weather this would be welcome in cold weather not so much Ad-

justing the strap tension has an affect on goggle to face contact Skin

contact with the typical sweatmudgrungefunk mix that gets en-

crusted on the foam is minimized since

the foam is resting against the helmet

rather than the forehead

They cleaned up well and showed no

signs of scratching on the lenses stain-

ing of the frames or discoloration de-

spite a liberal dosage of mud and water

The ZOWA Visor Goggle features in-

clude being rated for OTG (Over The

Glasses) by virtue of the greater clear-

ance between goggle and face a Hel-

met conformed design improved field

of view Lexan lens with anti-fog coating comfort foam and flow through

ventilation The strap features a silicon strip to help it stay put on the helmet

Accessory lenses and tear-off lenses are available All goggles come with a

micro fiber storage bag as well The off road goggles retail for $5800 and

are available in black red of cyan frame colors wwwzowaopticscom

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

BUILT BEYOND BELIEFINTRODUCING THE KAWASAKI

Come to Motorcycle Mall to reserve your Ninja H2trade

by December 19 and experience unforgettablesupercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2 motorcycle the worldrsquos onlysupercharged production hypersport streetbike

H2

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pantsgloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Mo-torcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environmentFor furher information regarding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 Specifi-cations subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspired R1 everFrom the advanced lsquorider activersquo electronicspackage to the powerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Supersport bike andfactory MotoGP has never been more blurred

COMPLETELY NEW

FROM THE TRACK UP

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 21

PRODUCT REVIEWZOWA OPTICS VISOR GOGGLES

Great All American Diner RunAs always wersquoll start with our most popular column the Great All American Diner Run Wait is it really We just might have a new fan fa-vorite but wersquoll save that till later First letrsquos take a look at the top three for GAADR 2014hellip

SECOND RUNNER UP bull RIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST2378 ROUTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770 bull 845-557-0097 bull RIVERUNNERSROOSTCOM

Route 97 along the scenic Delaware River has long been a favorite of motorcyclists for years and

over the years the road has seen a number of restaurants open their doors along its picturesque miles

The latest is the River Runnerrsquos Roost

Opened by Rich and Mary Codichini back in 2013 this place quickly became a favorite of ours

and many others They bill themselves as a barbeque steakhouse with a touch of Cajun and Italian

We call it phenomenal with one of the best barbeques in the region and gumbo to go to war over

If you havenrsquot tried the ldquoRoostrdquo then make plans for riding their way in the spring

FIRST RUNNER UP bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784 bull 603- 298-5515 bull 4ACESDINERCOM

Located just up the hill from the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River in the town of

Lebanon the Four Aces is the real deal A true Great All-American Diner Their

menu is huge interesting and delicious The ambience is pure Americana and the

roads leading to and from the Four Aces straddling Vermont and New Hampshire

are hard to top They have pro smokers going outside right along their picnic tables

but we found a seat at the counter worked just fine for us

Our only problem with Four Aces is that they are almost exactly 301 miles from

where we type this They should consider northern New Jersey

The Four Aces is a must see do and eat while in the Dartmouth region and just

missed out on our top honor for this yearrsquos vote

And so without further adohellip

1ST PLACE GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN 2014 bull FIVE ISLANDS LOBSTER COMPANY1447 5 ISLANDS RD GEORGETOWN ME 04548 bull 207-371-2990 bull FIVEISLANDSLOBSTERCOM

Location location location Besides have a superb down to Earth feel a great staff scrumptious food

and a wonderful coastal Maine flavor ndash The Five Islands Lobster Company has a serious location

Did we mention where it is

Located on a working fishing wharf it is surrounded by the ldquocoldest and deepest waters on the coastrdquo

There be some serious lobstarsquo lurking here abouts and it is best when they find their final way to

Five Islands You can have these big bugs anyway you like but we took a bullet for all of you and

went and ordered The Big Boy Stuffed with twice the amount of lobster meat than your average

lobster roll it was our pleasure to tackle this monster as best we could

Wait ndash just thinking of it all on this cold November day has us in a statehellip

They do serve a good number of other seafood favorites as well as more land-based standards but

who wants that when you can have the quintessential Maine treat on a wooden bench and table

alongside one of the prettiest bays in New England

This is why the Five Islands Lobster Company slid into the 1 spot in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

Big City GetawayBig City Getaway has always been about a great destination So many of

us roll the bikes out of the garage and then say ldquoWhere tordquo That is where this monthly favoritecomes in and here are our best of Big City Getaway 2015

2ND RUNNER UP bull MUSTANG FACTORYTOUR4 SPRINGFIELD STREET SUITE 1 THREE RIVERS MA 01080 bull 800-243-1392 bull MUSTANGSEATSCOM

They are one of the largest motorcycle seat manufacturers on the planet and they would be happy to show you around

We did a tour this last summer and found just how much talent vision and workmanship goes into creating some of

the most distinctive and comfortable motorcycle seats you can find

Page 22 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Best of Backroads 2014Once again this planet we ride has completed another lap around our sun and it is time for us to look back on the season and the veryBest of BackroadsIf we said 2013 was ldquointerestingrdquo we would be hard pressed to describe this past year of 2014For sure last year brought us thousands of great miles and lots of smiles interesting destinations and a few great Backroads Ralliesbut some darkness and loss along the journey for our Backroads family as wellStill looking back we had some phenomenal places we found stories we told and friends with which we have ridden The Italian poet Cesare Pavese said ldquoWe do not remember days we remember momentsrdquoThis year ndash 2014 ndash we had our share of moments Letrsquos look back at some in the Best of Backroads 2014

The tour is open to riding groups and takes a little over an hour and a half We recommend that you make an

appointment and guarantee you will have an informative and fun day with our friends at Mustang seats

1ST RUNNER UP bull COASTAL BOTANICAL GARDENS32 BOTANICAL GARDENS DR BOOTHBAY ME 04537 bull 207-633-4333 bull MAINEGARDENSORG

This project took nearly 17 years planning planting and building before its opening in June of 2007 and today

the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens comprises 270 acres of tidal shore land thousands of flowers plants

and botanical oddities Interspersed amongst the natural beauty you will find dozens of sculptures that

only add to an already stunning venue Rarely has a visitor spent some time at the Coastal Botanical

Gardens and not wanted to return as soon as possible

It is simple to see why this easily took our First Runner Up spot

1ST PLACE BIG CITY GETAWAY 2014 FIVE STAR GENERAL STORES bull NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY

This article from our October issue embodied a little bit of everything we might look for in a Big

City Getaway It had local history interesting stops (5 of them) food ice cream and it was all

woven together with some of the neatest roads in northern New Jersey ndash a riding jewel for those

who have never been so lucky Running along to five different and historic General Stores this day

trip just kept getting better Know that we just scratched the surface and that these General Stores from

the past can be found all around the nation But for this time around it was this adventure that was

called 1 for Big City Getaway 2014

(Note as of this printing the Stillwater General Store has closed but is still worth the ride-by for the

roads and historic value)

Wersquore Outta HereThe great thing that we riders have over the more boring people out there is that our tripsand adventures happen the moment we roll out of our driveways and onto the roadOvernight trips are like mini-vacations for the soul and are most likely the reason they sayyou never see a motorcycle outside a psychiatrist office unless it belongs to the shrinkWersquore Outta Here is all about that ndash places to go and enjoy whether it be a group coupleor on your ownLetrsquos see what we think were our top three for 2014

2ND RUNNER UP bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 E MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854 bull 814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGEPACOM

Shira found this hide-away full of coffee awesomeness when we were to attend the ALTRider adventure

ride early this summer in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania The lodge is part of the coffee house and

although the room we had was a tad small it was well thought out and just added to the coolness of the

entire place We had the Penns Creek Room with its lsquoloft-stylersquo bed and rock wall shower Each morning

the aroma from the coffee shop downstairs was like a Sirenrsquos call and had us highly motivated to carefully

spring out of bed (well it was a loft and there was a drop) There were also great muffins and cakes to go along with the coffee

Millheim is well located with a great combination of fantastic riding both paved and not and has a few eateries within strolling distance (compared to walking

or marching distance) We liked everything about the Triple Creek Lodge ndash the smell the flavor and the quirkiness

1ST RUNNER UP bull INDIAN ROCK INN2206 RIVER RD UPPER BLACK EDDY PA 18972 bull 610-982-9600 bull INDIANROCKINNCOM

GPS Download wwwsendspacecomprodlen7u7kAlong the PA-side of the Delaware River just north of Jerseyrsquos Milford in a place where the river

crooks dramatically and heads north for a bit you will find a great local treasure - the Indian Rock

Inn Tucked underneath what are called the Pennsylvania Palisades and along both river and old

canal the Indian Rock is the complete package

After a day of fun riding to and around the region you can park the bikes grab your room and

shower and make your way to the very friendly bar The Barking Dog Grab a cocktail and me-

ander to the very comfortable large porch take a seat and watch the world go by After the sun

sets a delicious gourmet meal is just steps away Perhaps a night cap and then upstairs to end a

prefect day With all that it is easy to see how the Indian Rock grabbed first runner up in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

1ST PLACEWErsquoRE OUTTA HERE 2014 bull QUODDY HEAD STATION823 SOUTH LUBEC RD LUBEC ME 04652 bull 877-535-4714 bull QUODDYVACATIONCOM

Most times we are all for suggesting you sleep in a bit longer at any of our Wersquore Outta Here destinations but here at Quoddy Head

Station we urge - no insist ndash that you get up before the dawn so you can be the first in the United States to see the sun rise over the At-

lantic from the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse - just a 2 minute ride to the east

Here in the most north and east point of the United States life does not get much better

The rooms and views cannot be beat and the surrounding area with its little coves Reversing Falls State Park Rooseveltrsquos Campobello

cottage (actually in Canada) and the very coastal Maine town of Lebec with its large number of seafood restaurants nautical shops and

vistas are hard to beat anywhere else in the world When we travelled in the area

we rode under a giant orange full moon that rose over the bay at low tide

It was eerie and stunning all at the same time

One of those moments we talked about earlier Quoddy Head Station has to be one

of the most interesting and geographically perfect places we have traveled to in

many years and easily made its way to the 1st place spot for Wersquore Outta Here 2014

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 23

Mysterious AmericaAlways one of the perennial favorites for our readers is the odd wacky and off-beat destinations that our own Dr Seymour OrsquoLife brings

to us each month This year was no different and the choices to be made for the TopThree were very tight for the good doctor but undaunted our hero carried on and cameup with the short list So letrsquos get to it

2ND RUNNER UP bull ISLE OFWIGHT COUNTY MUSEUM103 MAIN ST SMITHFIELD VA 23430 bull 757-356-1223 bull HISTORICISLEOFWIGHTCOM

You remember this place ndash home of the Worldrsquos Oldest Ham It belonged to PD Gwaltney Jr

It had its beginnings in 1902 when a cured ham was accidentally hung from rafters in one Gwaltneyrsquos

houses until it was discovered by workers By 1924 the pet ham was kept in an iron safe which was

opened daily for guests to view Advertised as the worldrsquos oldest Smithfield ham Gwaltney fashioned

a brass collar for the ham and took it to shows and expos to exhibit the preservative powers of his

smoking method The ham was featured in Ripleyrsquos ldquoBelieve It Or Notrdquo in 1929 1932 and 2003 and

more importantly in Backroads in May of 2014 For sure the museum holds so much more but Sey-

mour could never get past the ham Neither could we

1ST RUNNER UP bull THE CULPER SPY RINGThis was the first multi-month piece by the minions of mystery and we spent three

full months searching for the real story on George Washingtonrsquos Culper Spy Ring

From its beginning with the hanging of Nathan Hale in what is now mid-town Man-

hattan to the desolation of being held on a prison ship in an East River Bay in Brook-

lyn - where we had the largest battle of our Revolutionary War Then on to the Culper

Spies themselves and the web they wove from Setauket Long Island across the

Sound to Connecticut and into New York and Philadelphia These men and woman

(nobody really knows who this lady was) changed the course of history It was then

onto treachery traitors and sex ndashwith the story of Benedict Arnold his wife Peggy

Shippen and her lover Major John Andrersquo and our own West Point Escape capture

and the gallows all played a part in this true story of our local American history

Mysterious Americarsquos history has never been so much fun

1ST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2014 bull THE TRANS-ALLEGHENY LUNATIC ASYLUM71 ASYLUM DR WESTON WV 26452 bull 304-269-5070 bull TRANS-ALLEGHENYLUNATICASYLUMCOM

When we first rode up to this massive 27-acre facility Shira who had no idea where or why we were there shook her head and simply asked why

The asylum stands like a monstrous stone beast dominating the ground It is the second largest hand-hewn bluestone building on the planet with only Russiarsquos

Kremlin surpassing it But it is the feel and aura that surround and linger around this building

that will tell you the real story of the place

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum also known as the We-

ston State Hospital was a Kirkbride psychiatric hospital that

operated from 1864 until 1994 Like many Kirkbridge hospi-

tals it started out with a noble idea but soon became overrun

with patients lack of proper care and some of the saddest and

scariest tales were heard here on the tour The place is massive and to walk the halls would literally take miles

The place is reportedly full of ghosts and very bad things from the other side One look at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

and you will have a hard time denying that claim Shira will never go back and it was one of the few times that she was seriously

ldquocreeped outrdquo Her words ndash not ours

With that being said you surely must agree that a visit to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum easily ranks as our 1st place for

our Mysterious America 2014

MomentsIt was April 10 of this past year when the phone here at Backroads rang Answering it I could hear the voice of a friend Dave on the farend ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo I asked ldquohow are yourdquoDaversquos voice trembled and broke ldquoJeff Bahr was killed today on his bikerdquoIn that moment everything stopped It remained stopped for a long time Sometimes it still doesA month or so later well after Jeffrsquos service and cremation Shira and I found ourselves at the spot where this happened We talked tothe young man who was tending his barbecue pit which he was stoking for the dayrsquos lunch He was there when the driver pulled out ofhis general storersquos parking lot without even a glance He sadly but kindly told us of that momentJeff had simply been riding down a wide country road when an 86-year old man pulled out in front of him Although rubber on the roadshowed Jeff tried to avoid the car it was too little too late and he was killed on impactI have no idea what happened to the old man after this event But regardless he has to live with his inattentiveness and actions for therest of his life So do many of usWe do not remember days we remember momentsThat day was made up of a moment we will never forgetThe weekend I wrote this Jeff if hersquod survived would have been 57 He would have had dozens more stories made us laugh a dozenmore times would have made this magazine a dozen times betterJeff I hope you know that so many of us miss you so muchTo you all enjoy and savor all your moments Life is made up of them and eventually one of those moments will hurt

Page 24 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Shirarsquos Ice Cream RunLast year we introduce a semi-monthly some of the time if she felt like it column ndashShirarsquos Ice Cream Run It seems to everybody but the red head that this column hasbecome a huge hit and we have had more comments and suggestions for the IceCream Runs than anything else within memory So think sweet creamy and cold andletrsquos see what Shira thought were on the top three stops of 2014rsquos Ice Cream Runs

2ND RUNNER UP bull HOLSTENrsquoS CONFECTIONARY1603 BROAD ST BLOOMFIELD NJ 07003 bull 973-338-7091 bull WWWHOLSTENSCOM

Immortalized on celluloid in the Sopranosrsquo final episode Holstenrsquos Confectionary has so much more

to offer than their souvenir t-shirts from said show A true old-time ice cream parlor Holstenrsquos home-

made ice cream and confections will win the hearts of any true lover of sweets Taking a seat at the

counter should bring back memories of visits to Woolworthrsquos and once the delicious dairyness is

placed in front of you complete with homemade whipped cream you will think you are in a

dream Holstenrsquos has the whole package ndash premium product comfortable setting and take-home

delights With its 2nd Runner Up status truly one of my favorites of this yearrsquos ice cream stops

1ST RUNNER UP bull CAYUGA LAKE CREAMERY8421 NY 89 INTERLAKEN NY 14847 bull 607-532-9492 bull WWWCAYUGALAKECREAMERYCOM

Nestled in the idyllic Finger Lakes the Cayuga Lake Creamery offers up some of the most in-

ventive flavors Irsquove seen including wine ice cream and sorbet (best of both worlds Irsquod say)

Sitting on their outdoor deck savoring your Maple Bacon or Lavender cone on a warm summer

day ndash what could be better than that

While the Finger Lakes may not offer the most challenging of rides the scenery is beautiful and

the gorges are well gorgeous I canrsquot think of a much better day than meandering around the

Fingers with a late afternoon stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery Their 14 butterfat mixture and only the best of locally sourced

ingredients produce some of the finest creamiest ice creams around Do yourself a favor and spin your wheels to this part of

NY state for a weekend of indulgence as their terrific flavors will keep you coming back day after day

1ST PLACE SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN bull HALLrsquoS HOMEMADE ICE CREAM861 RACCOONVALLEY RD MILLERSTOWN PA 17062

717-589-3290 bull WWWHALLSICECREAMCOM

I found this gem in the middle of the Alleghenies while Brian was off riding in the forest with the

ALTRider group Having grabbed the 1st Place spot in this yearrsquos Ice Cream Run you know Hallrsquos

Homemade Ice Cream and Dairy has to be something pretty special

While their flavor offerings may not be as exotic as Cayuga Lake the quality is heavenly Their

signature flavor and one I had not tasted before is their honey ice cream coming in a variety of

mixtures such as chocolate butter pecan and my personal favorite cinnamon Hallrsquos has a couple

of outdoor tables where you can take in the full dairy effect while licking your cone If that is too

overwhelming they have a very nice indoor seating area complete with air conditioning

The riding in this part of Pennsylvania is quite exciting with elevation changes sweepers and

twisties and for those desiring an off-road adventure plenty of woodlands to test your knobbies

What do all three of these winners have in common other than fantastic ice cream They are all

open all year long so if you happen to be out and about in Bloomfield NJ Interlaken NY or Miller-

stown PA make sure you plan a stop at one of the top three spots on Shirarsquos 2014 Ice Cream Run

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 25

Rip amp Ridereg bull RIVER RUNNERS ROOST2378 RTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770

845-557-0097 bull WWWRIVERRUNNERSROOSTCOMSEASONAL HOURS - CALL BEFORE HEADING OUT

CR 560 IN SUSSEX COUNTY NJCROSS DINGMANS BRIDGE bull $1 TOLLSTRAIGHT ON RTE 739RIGHT AT MILFORD RDLEFT AT RAYMONDSKILL RDCROSS OVER I-84HARD LEFT ON US 6QUICK RIGHT ONTOTWIN LAKES RDRIGHT AT RTE 434CROSS RIVER TO NEWYORKRIGHT AT RTE 97 SOUTHRIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST DOWN ROAD ON LEFT HAND SIDE

Rip amp Ridereg bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784603- 298-5515 bull WWW4ACESDINERCOM

GPS DOWNLOAD WWWSENDSPACECOMPRODLXXTWXB90-MILE ONEWAY ROUTE FROM THEWEST DOVER VERMONT REGION

BIG BEARS LODGE GRAY GHOST AND KITZHOF INN

RTE 100 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT RTE 35RIGHT AT RTE 121LEFT AT RTE 5CROSS INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE ndash ARCH BRIDGELEFT AT RTE 12 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 120LEFT AT RTE 4 WEST LEBANONFOUR ACES DOWN ON THE LEFT

TAylorrsquos ice creAm PArlor

18 e mAin sT chesTer nJ bull 908-879-5363

What to do on the first sub-freezing day in November Go for ice cream

of course I was hanging out with the good doctor OrsquoLife and best friend

Brian when OrsquoLife told us of this place that grows telephone poles Having

my doubts about most of what OrsquoLife tells me I asked him to prove it So

off we went to the quaint little town of Chester New Jersey

After a pleasant lunch at the Publick House complete with real wood

burning fireplace we trekked down the road a piece found said telephone

pole farm (for another column of course) and started our return to Back-

roads Central Lo and behold right before the turn onto Route 206 there

sat Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor in the nicest old building on the block We

got our spot and headed in to find well no one but Justin in a very toasty

old fashioned ice cream parlor I do think that he was surprised to see us

or anyone on such a cold day

Taylorrsquos has apparently been an ice cream institution in

Chester for the last 50 years or so founded by Mr Earle G

Taylor Sr who just passed this August Taylorrsquos was the vic-

tim of fire some time in 2013 and was closed for a good 8

months before reopening in the same spot with applause

from their long-time fans and customers Their ice cream is

all home made and always has been On a hot summer day

you will no doubt be lined up out the door and down the

block to get this tasty treat but Irsquom certain you will find it

worth the wait I think their pricing is quite reasonable for

the size scoop they dip and if you are like me and want a sam-

pling of several flavors they offer Kiddie Scoops at $195

each ndash a flight of ice cream sounds like the perfect end-of-

ride relaxation

We perused the two very full ice cream boards and poured

over the cabinets before making our decisions With close to

50 listed flavors what was a girl to do without minions to help her taste test We finally settled on chocolate hazelnut toasted coconut salted caramel and

vanilla fudge brownie I pretty much always opt for a cup as I savor my ice cream and it would run down my arm before I was even close to finishing but I was

almost tempted by their pretzel cone What is so great about Taylorrsquos cones is the plastic drip cup in which they reside both sanitary and mess-preventing

Page 26 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

TOWN amp COUNTRYC Y C L E C E N T E R

115 Route 23N bull Hamburg NJ bull 973-875-2111wwwtownandcountrycyclecentercom

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIYamahacom bull 516-935-6969

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE

SPORT TOURERIntroducing the most performancepower versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle From commutingand exploring backroads to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaharsquos un-mistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

While enjoying our treats we savored

the deacutecor of this very pleasant parlor Sev-

eral tables to enjoy your ice cream clip-

pings of newspaper articles school

paraphernalia and something that has no

place in an ice cream parlor an old-fash-

ioned fortune telling scale This couldnrsquot

possibly still be functioning could it Ac-

cording to Justin yes it was How could we

resist In went our pennies and up popped

our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked

the weight numbers) Brianrsquos read lsquoYou are

not overbearing but generally have things

your wayrsquo Wow I couldnrsquot wait to see if

mine was as accurate ldquoYou look to the fu-

ture rather than the pastrsquo So true

Back to the ice cream ndash it

was heavenly We all agreed

that the salted caramel was the

overall winner having the per-

fect balance of salt and

caramel with the best creamy

texture The toasted coconut

was very flavorful with lots of

coconut bits the chocolate

hazelnut was very dark and

creamy and mixed with the coconut made the perfect almond-free almond

joy The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole but cer-

tainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store

I believe Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round but if yoursquore head-

ing over during the winter months give them a call to make sure Enjoy the

winter and remember itrsquos never too cold to eat ice cream

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield PA

215-712-7433 bull wwwBMWMotorcyclescom

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

THE NEW R 1200 RA POWERFUL STATEMENT

Our newest boxer roadster has one missiondominate the streets in style The R 1200 Ris designed to blend comfort precisehandling and pure riding excitementhellipin one head-turning machine

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW R 1200 RSTHRILLING COMFORT

The new R 1200 RS is perfectly balancedcombining optimal wind and weather protectionwith powerful performance and controlPutting you in an unparalleled position toexplore the road - and your own limits

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW S 1000 RRWELCOME TO THENEW PLANET POWER

The S 1000 RR has been completely revisedThe results in its origins a genuine Double RRon the road a new supersports machine thatwill once again set the benchmark in its class

UNSTOPPABLE SPORT

WHAT lsquoRrsquo YOU WAITING FORCome to Montgomeryville Cycle Center to see the full line of 2015 BMW Motorcycles products and apparel

We have everything yoursquoll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever

Motorcyclepedia the northeastrsquos

premier motorcycle museum will

be holding its Speaker Series again

this winter with various riders and

orators covering topics ranging

from world touring to tips on avoiding tickets and an in depth look at GPS

technology and todayrsquos motorcycling

Backroadsrsquo own Brian amp Shira will start the series off with a talk on Jan-

uary 17 on lsquoThe Big Fiversquo motorcycle destinations around the planet along

with planning and touring around the United States and the world

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who

will help clear the fog about Garmin GPSrsquos and how their BaseCamp program

works along with how to create and export your own personal routes

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on ldquoEverything you need to know

on Motorcycles and the Lawrdquo - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper po-

lice procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists

Seth Simpson of Motorcycle training Solutions will be giving a seminar

on Rider Training

Motorcyclistmoto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about

Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys

Look for a Womenrsquos Riding Panel with some well-known female motor-

cyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing todayrsquos women

riders This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and

beginning women riders

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months

and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to

enlighten

Wersquoll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page

as soon as they are etched in stone

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh New York in the

riding heart of the Hudson Valley

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 27

A DAY AT THE MUSEUMlsquoSPEAKER SERIESrsquo RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Frankrsquos MotorcycleSales amp Service

120 Center RoadEssex VT 05451

802-878-3930wwwFranksMotorcycleSalescomBMWhtm

Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY845-357-1190

wwwLocomotionPowersportscom

LOCOMOTION POWER-

SPORTS138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY

845-357-1190

Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

SUSSEX MOTORSPORTS446 Route 23 bull Sussex NJ bull Located across from the AampP Shopping Plaza

973-875-3640 bull wwwsussexmotorsportsnjcombull Family OwnedOperated in Northwest NJ bull Near the NYPA border

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JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

2015 Kawasaki Concoursreg14 ABSThe ultimate backroad SuperSport Tourer

The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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Visit us at the NY Boat ShowJan 21-25 bull Javits Center

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Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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cycle insurance Agency increcreational vehicle specialists

Agents who ride and understandyour motorcycle insurance needs

Ask about our Tour cycle Program ndash the ultimate in coverage

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memBer

memBer

Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

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Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

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Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 8: January 2015 Backroads

ebbing but it was still pleasantly warm in Seattle and I was warm so I headed

in for something to drink I could hear my wife and son playing in the living

room as I opened the cabinet to grab a glass Something physically felt dif-

ferent I my hand

I closed the cabinet and there it was The handle of my kitchen cabinet had

been replaced with 15mm of rock-solid engineering genius My wife had

used the bar risers (I still didnrsquot know they were bar risers) to replace my

kitchen fixtures All of them

They looked awesome and I didnrsquot have the heart to tell her to take them

down so when I went back to work on the following Monday I had to buy

them A lot more experimentation went into finally discovering the actual

use of the bar risers I suppose I could have asked someone else at work but

I wanted to figure it out myself

Here is what I know you can do but shouldnrsquot do with Touratech Bar Ris-

ers for the Water-Cooled R1200GS and GSA

bull Put them in the microwave

bull Bolt them together and wear as a ring

bull Make wind chimes (they donrsquot have good pitch)

bull Wear as earrings (my wife couldnrsquot get the bolt through

the hole in ear)

bull Use as a baby teething device (donrsquot ask)

bull Throw at an attacker (long story but trust me They wonrsquot

slow him down)

bull Open a bottle of beer

So what have I learned Well obviously the Touratech

Bar Risers for the Water-Cooled R1200GS and GSA come

in three sizes (15mm 25mm and 40mm) They are de-

signed to create optimum comfort with minimal labor and

raising the bar height results in a more upright position

which can relieve neck and back strain

Riders around the world swear by bar-risers and they

can make your bike a better fit easily and economically

hellipand you can bolt them to your bathroom wall to

hold your toothbrushes

Matt Lewis is Marketing Manager at Touratech-USA

CycoActive Inc You can see all their products and

some they donrsquot even know they have at

wwwtouratech-usacom

Cycle Motion is your provider of motorcycles ATVs scooters

snowmobiles and utility vehicles by Kawasaki Suzuki Polaris

Yamaha and Can-Am With a large parts department qualified

service technicians and a full shop full of parts and accessories

were here to meet all your power sport needs

For every rider - on or off road whether they like doing it

in the dirt carving the twisties or cruising the backroads

we have their weapon of choice

1269 DOLSONTOWN RD

MIDDLETOWN NY 10940

845-343-2552 bull WWWCYCLEMOTIONINCCOM

Page 8 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Backroads

Just wanted you to know that Joe Fencz from

Charliersquos Pool Room past away October

15th John the brother and cook called me to

tell me when the funeral services were I didnrsquot

have any idea Joe was even sick He had pancre-

atic cancer and has been battling it for a year

The Pool Room has been closed for about a

year now because the grill has to be updated to

new codes and was shut down A lot of people

have been helping them out to get them up and

running again I attended the service a few weeks

agohellipwhen Joe was alive I did not know much about him other than we

was a very nice kind outgoing person At his funeral many people told stores

about him and you got to know him after it was too late The funeral parlor

was packed

I talked with brother John to encourage him to open the store again I of-

fered him financial assistance as well as business advice There were a lot of

other people there that wanted John to open the store againhellipwe will see He

did not seem to want to do it

I snapped this picture I saw at the wake It looks like a 1930rsquos-40rsquos motor-

cycle with a homemade side car I know the father was a frontline soldier in

WW II he may have bought it surplus

Thought I would share this with riders who have been there and hopefully

will go again

Gary Rena

Gary thanks for passing that along to us Charliersquos Pool Room was the

most interesting and oddest hot dog stop in the Garden State and will be

missed

Miracles as they are I got to reading the No-

vember Backroads issue before the end of No-

vember which is pretty good for me May have

had something to do with not picking up my

mail until the end of the month

So I am feeling accomplished None-the-less

- having left town the first week in October I fi-

nally got to reading Backroads

Brian your editorial piece on BMW-style

events and this weird thing about camping had

me in stitches Camping Really whatrsquos with

that Ride all day long and stop at a motel where

you can walk to a restaurant for dinner after a nice shower That works for

me and is the only way I fly The best of all worlds thatrsquos what I say

The article on Americade and Shirarsquos editorial about the passenger seat

also had me in stitches Thanks to both of you for making me look forward

to the next issue each and every time

Until we meet again we will always admire your endless summer

lifestyle Carry on - I say

Your two-wheeled friends

Graham and Gail

This Town is the Pitshellip

As to the above column please tell Brian to call a spade a spade The rider

was following to close andor not paying attention when he rear-ended the

truck If the truck hit the girls girlrsquos fault However the bike hitting the

truck was the riderrsquos own fault

Happy holidays to you both

Greg Bagen

Greg I agree I was being semi-polite You were able to read between the

lines You should be a lawyer or something

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 9

BACKLASH Letters to the Editor

BERgEN COUNTY HARLEY-DAVIDSON DUAL PHOTO PROjECT

This is Larry No he doesnrsquot have a twin

The first picture was shot of him in his every-

day clothes A few days later he stopped by on

his bike Learn more about Larry and other

bikers soon If you ride and are interested in

being shot (with a camera) stop by Bergen

County Harley-Davidson in Rochelle Park

NJ Monday Tuesday Thursday and Friday

from 12Noon - 1pm or Wednesday night 5-

6pm It takes 5 minutes and you just might be

part of the project 2 portraits are shot one of

you in your riding gear the other of you in

your work or everyday clothes

Spread the word

Bergen County Harley-Davidson 124 Essex St Rochelle Park NJ bull 201-

843-6930 bull wwwbergenharleycom

HARLEY DEALERSHIP DROPS 10K FROM SKY

While shoppers may have been rushing for merchandise on Black Friday

a couple of thousand people were grabbing for cash at least for a brief mo-

ment

Black Diamond Harley-Davidson of Marion Illinois has hosted turkey

drops in the past but Black Fridayrsquos cash drop was the first for the dealer-

shiprsquos innovative marketing company co-owner Shad Zimbro said

ldquoItrsquos just something different Everybody can use a little extra cashrdquo he

said of the companyrsquos Green Friday as hopefuls took position along the

perimeter of a large field where cash totaling $10000 would be dropped from

a helicopter

Illinois Lottery donated some of the money for the event Black Diamond

announced it would match up to $100 for those who spent their winnings at

the store

Participants had to be 18 and had to sign a waiver that they would not hold

Black Diamond responsible for injuries It appeared

most were unscathed during the dash for cash

though muddied from the wet field either falling on

their own or pushed

VALERIE THOMPSON RACINg SIgNS WITH

NPMOTOWEAR PRODUCTS FOR 2015

Scottsdale motorcycle racer 7-time land speed

record holder and team owner Valerie Thompson

recently signed NPmotowear Products as a new

sponsor for the 2015 racing season NPmoto prod-

ucts was founded in 2005 by Nick Plenzick to pro-

vide motorcyclists and racers with a variety of

apparel and accessories that provide maximum com-

fort and convenience to riders worldwide

ldquoWe have sold many fine products from a variety of excellent manufactures

over the years When

we began production of

our own products I de-

cided I wanted them

tested in extreme con-

ditions In addition to

our long distance rid-

ers Irsquom a big believer

that racing improves

the breedrdquo said NPmo-

towear ownerfounder

Nick Plenzick ldquoWhen I

was thinking of some-

one who could push the

limits Valerie Thomp-

Page 10 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

FW SPEER YAMAHA7 Main Ave bull Passaic NJ bull 973-778-6256 bull wwwSpeerYamahacom

Tri-State Metro Arearsquos Oldest Yamaha Dealer + Last of the Mom and Pop Shops

THE MALLTERNATIVE

INDUSTRY INFOBITES News from the Inside

son was at the top of my list Valerie recently tested our base layer at the

Texas Mile with a 2177 mph run with great resultsrdquo added Plenzick

ldquoIrsquove been wearing and testing NPmotowear apparel while riding and

working around the shop I canrsquot tell you how impressed I am They offer

products that enhance riding comfort in both cold and hot weather while of-

fering a real sense of stylerdquo said Thompson

ldquoWe couldnrsquot be more pleased to have someone of Valeriersquos experience

and racing accomplishments to promote NPmotowear layer clothing and ac-

cessories After all we have to keep lsquoAmericarsquos Queen of Speedrsquo comfortable

underneath her race suit at over 210 mph and we have proven we can ac-

complish that goalrdquo said Plenzick

In addition to seven land speed records Thompson is an official member

of the BUB Speed Trials 201 MPH Club Mojave Magnum 200 MPH Club

Texas Mile 200 MPH Club ECTA 200 MPH Club and a lifetime member of

the prestigious Bonneville 200 MPH Club

HONDA MARKS UNPRECEDENTED MILESTONEgLOBAL PRODUCTION OF 300 MILLION MOTORCYCLES

Achieving a milestone more than 65 years in the making Honda Motor

Co Ltd announced production of its 300-millionth motorcycle The mile-

stone bike is a Honda Gold Wing produced at the companyrsquos Kumamoto Fac-

tory in Japan Honda will celebrate

the 40th anniversary of the iconic

Gold Wing in 2015

Honda began mass production of

motorcycles in Japan in 1949 when

it built the Honda 98cc Dream Type-

D Today Honda produces motorcy-

cles ATVrsquos and side-by-sides at 32

plants in 22 countries including two

plants in North America

ldquoThis incredible milestone is the

result of the millions of customers

who have placed their trust in Honda

and we would like to thank all of our customers associates dealers and com-

munity partners in North America for helping make it possiblerdquo said Bob

Gurga Vice President and Manager of Motorcycle Division for American

Honda ldquoNow we are focused on

the future and the ways that we can

harness the challenging spirit of

Honda associates to create new joy

for Honda customersrdquo

In 1958 Honda introduced the

Honda 50 known globally as the

Super Cub which would go on to

revolutionize the industry This

iconic bike paved the way for

Hondarsquos expansion into the US in

1959 and Canada in 1969 The

Super Cub which has sold nearly

90 million units globally since its

inception was the focus of a mid-

1960s advertising campaign lsquoYou

Meet the Nicest People on a

Hondarsquo that played a major role in

the transformation and growth of

the US motorcycle market

ZERO RAMPS UP PRODUCTION

Zero Motorcycles the global leader in the electric motor-

cycle industry announced that it has entered full production

of its 2015 model line The new motorcycles are being man-

ufactured at its expanded Scotts Valley California facility

by an increased number of technicians using state-of-the-art

tools The first shipments of motorcycles are now in transit

with all North American dealerships receiving the new mod-

els by the end of January European delivery is scheduled for

February 2015

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 11

Following record sales in 2014 the company has made substantial invest-

ments in technology and people placing additional resources to expand its

ldquoCrafted in Californiardquo vision ldquoWersquove taken everything learned from build-

ing thousands of electric motorcycles and applied it to new manufacturing

processes To meet the increased demand from customers wersquove added new

jobs here at our California factoryrdquo said Kai Hypko VP of Operations for

Zero Motorcycles ldquoHighly advanced tools improved systems and more

skilled workers will allow us to continue to increase our production capacity

and ensure premium qualityrdquo

The 2015 motorcycles rolling out of the California factory feature numer-

ous advancements from their predecessors Showa suspension improves com-

fort and control Zerorsquos class-leading rangemdashnow up to 185 milesmdashis

extended on most models And Zero becomes the first production electric

motorcycle to feature anti-lock brakes (ABS)

ldquoOur 2015 lineup continues to lead the industry in overall range perform-

ance and technologyrdquo said Abe Askenazi Chief Technology Officer at Zero

Motorcycles ldquoFor 2015 we focused our efforts on refining virtually every

element of the vehiclemdashfrom the tires upmdashto give riders the most pure

seamless experience availablerdquo

Initial production will be dedicated to motorcycles that will be used for

test rides via Zero Motorcycles dealers Interested riders can schedule a demo

online at wwwzeromotorcyclescomdemo-rides

Page 12 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

PosTcArds from The hedGe (Continued from page 5)

about that still confounds even locals) took me back to when I had borrowed

my friendrsquos Hawk 650 and while in this circular traffic maze the engine

started to cut out Now itrsquos unsettling enough when such things happen in

traffic and yoursquore on your own machine but when yoursquove borrowed a friendrsquos

pride and joy and it starts getting funky it adds to the already present drama

immeasurably The V-Twin never actually quit though and what happened

was a little snafu peculiar to this particular model of motorcycle It seems

that when the incoming air around the tank is juuuuuust right a poorly routed

hose does something to the air supply to the carburetors and it skips like its

running out of gas When I told my friend about it he

confirmed it had happened to him and through the use

of this brand new thing called the Internet he found a

very simple solution and fixed it I hadnrsquot thought about

this incident since it happened back in the last Century

and the Weatherford Traffic circle bought it all back with

surprising clarity

Of course there were some businesses and landmarks

(often one in the same) that had vanished but the odd

thing was the general feel of the place was exactly as it

had seemed and as a result I found myself for lack of

a better expression having a Twilight Zone moment

This was a town that I not only grew up in but a place

where I experienced so many formative moments that

ultimately steered my path in life A simple trip like this

managed to take much that was locked away and shake

it loose as if I really did borrow Dr Whorsquos time-tran-

siting Tardis And as has been the case in my entire

adult life a motorcycle managed to be a part of it even

though this time I was wasnrsquot riding one Oh and my

niecersquos wedding It was superb I now have a fine new

nephew too with a family that originally hails from

China and they are delightful people All in all the trip

was quite a Trip

ldquoIF YOUWANT

TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

ROLLINrsquo FAST CYCLE SPORTS

104 Main Street Lebanon NJ908-236-9000 bull wwwRollinFastcom

ROLLINrsquo FAST INDIAN MOTORCYCLE OF LEBANON104 Main Street Lebanon NJ908-236-9000 bull wwwRollinFastcom

Come see the full line

of Indian Motorcycles

Large selection of parts

apparel and accessories

Great Gift Ideas for

your Holiday Shopping

Plan now for your winter

service needsMon-Fri 9a-6p

Thurs lsquotil 9a-7p bull Sat 9a-5pSunday Gone Riding

Rollinrsquo Fast Cycle Sports Presents

GReAT ALL AMeRICAN DINeR RUN tasty places to take your bike

Ardyrsquos counTry kiTchen

279 mAin sT worcesTer ny 121197 bull 607-397-4070

Many times suggestions for a Great All American Diner Run

are sent to us and when we can we search them out on your

expert recommendations

Other times we come across hidden jewels a bit more

serendipitously

Thatrsquos how we came across this monthrsquos stop on GAADR ndash

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen in the small upstate New York town

of Worcester

There were four of us heading to our last Summer Squeeze

Rally in Vermont and we were making a few days riding ad-

venture of it by heading to the Adirondacks for the first evening

on the road

Come lunch time all our bellies were rumbling and lucky for

me right before I became a raging and petulant starving child I

spotted a small brightly painted diner to my right on an upcoming

corner

We had found Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

With its ice cream shop front we hoped they served more than

just dessert and entering the small dining room we were instantly

hit with the heady aromas of good eats

Thank you Road Gods

The place has been owned and operated by the Sanna clan since

2005 and the family atmosphere is evidentwith the smattering of

toys and one or two young ones running around their moms our

waitresses legs

Non-crying non-exasperating and happy little ones annoy me

not ndash so we took a small table and looked to see what the Sanna

family had to offer this day

First off you canrsquot get a sandwich here

at Ardyrsquos ndash but you can get a sammich

We all know that it is a scientific fact

that a sammich is far more fun and much

more delicious and filling both from a

nutritionistrsquos point of view and the addi-

tional smile factor thrown in

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen has a goodly

number of different sammiches for your

eating pleasure ndash but wersquoll get to them in

a minute

If itrsquos early when you get there they

serve a Bagel Breakfast with eggs

sausage and cheese on a real fresh bagel

Soup amp Sammich can always be had

ndash with daily specials to be found Of

course they have burgers just about any

way yoursquod like lsquoem and the homemade

chili was tangy and delicious as was the

soup of the day

Heading over to their ldquoSignature Sam-

michesrdquo you will find just about any-

thing you might be craving Or maybe

a perusal of the menu will get the belly

rolling For a smallish diner along a

rural road in upstate New York you will

have plenty from which to choose

How about a BLT or a Cuban with

roast pork ham Swiss cheese and pick-

les Their Pork amp Slaw with cheddar

cheese looked tasty as did the BBQ

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 13

TWO WHEELS OR FOURTHERErsquoS ALWAYS ROOM FOR

Texas Smoke Barbecue400 Route 15 South bull Jefferson NJ

862-209-4078 bull wwwTexasSmokeBBQcom

texas smoke BBQIndoor and outdoor dining

Warm up with some

Chowdown Chili

Smokinrsquo Platters

and so much more

Biker and Barbecue Enthusiasts

Enjoy our Chalkboard Specials

Long Island Kawasaki67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIKawasakicom bull 516-935-6969Combining the low silhouette of

a Vulcan cruiser with Kawasaki

sportbike-derived power and

handling as well as a custom fit

concept designed to comfort-

ably fit a wide range of riders

Rollinrsquo Fast Cycle Sports Presents

GReAT ALL AMeRICAN DINeR RUN tasty places to take your bike

Chicken Hero also topped with their local cheddar cheese

For you Vegans (he said with a smirk) you will find a Veggie Panini (now

hush and eat your greens) If you are really hungry try Ardyrsquos Big Roast Beef

ndash a heaping of oven roasted beef topped with Swiss cheese and served on a

Kaiser roll and topped with Ardyrsquos famed horseradish sauce

Thatrsquoll fill you up

When we arrived it was an unusually cool day for the Leatherstocking Re-

gion and a hot sammich seemed more on order Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

serves up hot pork and hot roast beef sammiches but I went with their hot

meatloaf ndash brought out on a toasted Kaiser roll with homemade mashed po-

tatoes and some super tasty gravy ndash enough to float a boat

Just about everything here at Ardyrsquos is a homemade creation Real potatoes

fresh vegetables and freshly roasted meats are always used Not much

processed or pre-packaged quasi food will be found here

My Hot Meatloaf Sammich served with Ardyrsquos super potatoes and

drowned in their excellent brown gravy was one of the best I have ever had

on the road And it was not just a thinly sliced bit of meatloaf but an honest-

to-goodness slab orsquomeatloaf

I wouldnrsquot even serve myself that big a piece at home

Okay maybe I would

The rest of our crew all had the Tomato amp Basil Soup (delicious) and

grilled cheese sammiches which was a special of the day

If you can squeeze it in after all this great chow Ardyrsquos is an ice cream par-

lor as well and they offer enough flavors that even resident ice cream maven

Shira was tempted

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen is the perfect example of a small and family run

restaurant that really serves up the goods All their offering are real and tasty

and just like your mom would cook ndash ifrsquon your mom was a trained chef

When in the region it is well worth searching Ardyrsquos out and with that in

mind wersquoll give you a short ride from the Kingston area to this monthrsquos stop

on the Great All American Diner Run

Find them on FaceBook at Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

Page 14 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

RIP amp RIDEreg bull ARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN279 MAIN ST WORCESTER NY 121197 bull 607-397-4070

START INTERSECTIONS OF RTES 20928 KINGSTON NYRTE 28 WESTRIGHT AT RTE 375LEFT AT RTE 212RIGHT AT RTE 28LEFT AT RTE 214LEFT AT RTE 23ARIGHT AT SCRIBNER HOLLOW RDLEFT AT RTE 23CRIGHT AT CR 40STRAIGHT AT CR 296

LEFT AT RTE 23BEAR RIGHT AT CR 7LEFT AT CR 990VRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT SHREW HOLLOW ROADLEFT AT CR 29RIGHT AT CR 10LEFT AT MEADE ROADLEFT AT CHARLOTTEVILLE ROADRIGHT AT CR 39RIGHT AT RTE 7 MAIN STARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN ON LEFT

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

moTe AquArium And mArine lABorATory

600 ken ThomPson Pkwy sArAsoTA fl 34236

941-388-4441 bull wwwmoTeorG

Each March and October the Daytona faithful head

south to the beginning and end of the season rallies

on the Sunshine statersquos eastern coast

But we have always found Daytona and vicinities

to get a bit too crowded loud andhellipumm ndash boring

Well for us

The SUYT thing kinda got old when the girls could

be your daughter-in-law

We prefer checking out the scene and then doing a

little Floridian travel exploring some of the sights

and scenes that draw so may south each year

On Floridarsquos Gulf Coast you will find the city of

Sarasota

This city has a thriving cultural scene and boasts a

number of interesting places to visit explore and gen-

erally spend some time

A few years back we told you of the Circus Mu-

seum this time we dropped in on the Mote Aquarium

and Marine Laboratory

The Aquarium has its beginnings back in 1955

when it was founded by Dr Eugenie Clark in

Placida Florida Back then it was known as Cape

Haze Marine Laboratory until its 1967 renaming in

honor of a major benefactor William R Mote and the

contributions he and his family made to helping the

aquarium grow mdash both in size and reputation Since

1960 Mote has been based in Sarasota Florida and

since 1978 it has been lo-

cated on City Island and

that is where we got to

spend a number of hours

The Mote Aquarium

consists of three buildings

the aquarium an interac-

tive theatre and a separate

building that houses their

sea turtles dolphin (singu-

lar but wersquoll get into that)

and manatee collection all

of whom have been res-

cued or rehabbed at Mote

All the exhibits are laid

out with informative plac-

ards and each tank brings

different environments and

different fish and marine wildlife all with a story

to tell

Moray eels tanks full of floating jelly fish of

all types exotic fish we had never dreamed of and

some we simply had never seen in person were

there

In addition to the first building exhibits you can

learn about the giant squid and then move to the

shark area and ray along the way you will find a

few tanks where you can reach in and get to touch

a few of the locals

Mote also had a nice display on the Megalodon

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 15

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

ndash the prehistoric shark that was well over 50 feet long

with teeth as large as your fist

A quick walk across the parking lot brought us to the

building holding their other large exhibits

A few different sea turtles were swimming about as

well as Hugh and Buffett ndash two large and impressive

manatees

A large outdoor pool held lsquoMoonshinersquo Motersquos res-

ident dolphin who was rescued after it beached and

was found drying out and sunburned

He seems happy enough but personally we think he

needs a friend We were told that Mote is next on the

list for such a companion

While we visited Mote had a special attraction called

lsquoSurvivorsrsquo which featured some of the oddest marine and fresh water ani-

mals and the very unique way they survive in the wild ndash from deadly poison

to killer punches to simply looking like a rock and hoping for the best ndash it

was a fascinating display as was the entire aquarium

If you get hungry you can drop by their Deep Sea Diner where you can

enjoy dining al-fresco or inside the casual retro rsquo50s-style diner complete

with an old-fashioned soda fountain The lively cafeacute offers a fun affordable

family-style menu including chili and chowder burgers and dogs veggie

burgers and fresh salads chicken fingers and fries And donrsquot forget dessert

hand-dipped ice cream shakes amp sundaes

We thought wersquod spend a quick hour there but ended up happily spending

the afternoon

Mote might not be the biggest but it surely made up for its size with quality

and interesting and informative displays

Page 16 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 906-9292

Find Us on Facebook bull SportHondanet

hondacom UTILITY ATVs ARE RECOMMENDED FOR RIDERS 16 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER TRX90X IS RECOMMENDED ONLY FOR RIDERS12 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER RIDERS UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE MUST BE SUPERVISED BY AN ADULT ATVs CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO OPER-ATE ALL ATV RIDERS SHOULD TAKE A TRAINING COURSE (FREE FOR NEW BUYERS ASK YOUR DEALER OR CALL ASI AT 800-887-2887) ANDREAD THEIR OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND APPROPRIATE CLOTHING AVOID EXCESSIVESPEEDS AND BE CAREFUL ON DIFFICULT TERRAIN FOR YOUR SAFETY BE RESPONSIBLE NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGSOR ALCOHOL ON PAVED SURFACES ON PUBLIC ROADS WITH PASSENGERS OR AT EXCESSIVE SPEEDS NO STUNT RIDING RESPECT THEENVIRONMENT WHEN RIDING TRXreg and Rancherreg are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1114)

Whether itrsquos hard work

or time to play

Sport Honda has the

ATV to fit your lifestyle

Be prepared - Come in

Today for your

Winter utility needs

Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 491-2900

Find Us on Facebook bull CrossCountryPowersportscom

Cross Country Powersportsis now taking deposits for theNinja H2Rtrade and H2tradeExperience unforgettable supercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2trade motorcycle theworldrsquos only supercharged productionhypersport streetbike

The BridGewATer TriAnGle

is This The sTrAnGesT sPoT in The norTheAsT

Located just 30 miles south of Boston this 200-mile square area has the

Massachusetts towns of Abington Freetown and Rehoboth at its angles The

town of Bridgewater is located nearly dead center within the triangle and the

area also encompasses six other Massachusetts towns Raynham Taunton

Brockton Mansfield Norton and Easton including the Hockomock Swamp

It is known as the Bridgewater Triangle

It seems if it is paranormal weird or mysterious it has happened in the Tri-

angle of the years

Let us start with one of the

first odd things found in the

region

It was in this area that the

first officially documented

petroglyph in the United

States was found - Dighton

Rock This 40 ton boulder

was discovered by original

settlers and has always

caused questions and wonder

of who made these mysteri-

ous markings and why

In fact in 1690 Rev Cotton Mather described the rock in his book The

Wonderful Works of God Commemorated

ldquoAmong the other Curiosities of New-England one is that of a mighty

Rock on a perpendicular side whereof by a River which at High Tide covers

part of it there are very deeply Engraved no man alive knows How or When

about half a score Lines near Ten Foot Long and a foot and half broad filled

with strange Characters which would

suggest as odd Thoughts about them that

were here before us as there are odd

Shapes in that Elaborate Monumentrdquo

The boulder was moved in 1980 to the

museum in a nearby park Dighton Rock State Park in order to protect and

preserve this part of Americarsquos strange history

Strangely marked boulders were not the beginning of the mystery of the

Bridgewater Triangle

Years back a group of archeologists discovered a native burial mound on

Grassy Island in the swamp These graves were dated to 6000 BC

Strange lights have been

reported on this island and

across the triangle and one

of the first documented

UFO sighting came from

here when on May 10

1760 villagers in two

towns 50 miles away stared

in wonder at a ldquoSphere of

Firerdquo that slowly made its

way across the sky

The next day both townsrsquo newspapers reported the phenomena in their edi-

tions According to historical records the UFO emitted light bright enough

to cast a shadow in bright sunlight The sound made by the object ldquooddly

enough was heard sooner at the middle of the course it took than at the be-

ginningrdquo

You canrsquot really have such an eclectic gathering of odd in a place like this

in Mysterious America without a few good Yeti sightings

Over the years all sorts of ldquoSwamp Monstersrdquo have been sighted and in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 17

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

April 1970 it was reported that a ldquoBigfootrdquo

picked up a rear of a police car in which sat

two surprised police officers

Police dogs have been used time and again but

Bigfoot is an elusive fellow

I have always believed the Jersey Devil is a

Pterosaurs of some kind and here around the

Bridgewater Triangle huge black prehistoric-look-

ing birds with a wingspan of between eight and

twelve feet have been reported time and again in-

cluding a report by Norton Police Sergeant Thomas

Downy

Indian Curses abound as well and along Route

44 in Rehoboth lies the boulder known as Anawan

Rock It is said that it was here that the Wampanoag

chief Anawan surrendered to the colonists thus

ending King Philiprsquos War According to local be-

liefs the angry spirits of the warriors captured that

day continue to haunt the spot

Extremely large snakes and alligators have been

found in the swamp along with other creatures that are totally out of place

In the late 1800rsquos bones of a giant were unearthed

Every which way you look or travel in the area you will find something

strange In fact I have a quick list of odd things found in the

Bridgewater Triangle for you

Next time yoursquore looking to spend a few days exploring Mys-

terious America take a ride around the Bridgewater Triangle You

just might end up sending me an email telling me you spotted ahellip

OrsquoLife Out

Ten odd ThinGs found in The BridGewATer TriAnGle

1 The longest epitaph in the United States is located in a Rehoboth

cemetery A full 405 words

2 Three PT Barnum circus ldquofreaksrdquo hailed from here including

Middlebororsquos Tom Thumb and East Bridgewaterrsquos ldquoThe Human

Skeletonrdquo

3 The first boundary line in the United States is located in Abing-

ton at the Bridgewater Trianglersquos furthest most delineated northern

map point

4 A historic 40-foot tall Hood milk bottle in Raynham (now a

restaurant) is the (triplet) sister to famous the ldquoMilk Bottlerdquo at the

Boston Childrenrsquos museum

5 In 1906 bones of ldquoa giantrdquo were discovered in Middleboro

6 Alligators seals emu peacocks cow moose bears Africal

Sevral panthers and mountain lions have all been found in the

Bridgewater Triangle

7 There are both handprints and footprints imbedded into several

Bridgewater Triangle boulders handprints in Middleboro foot-

prints in Norton

8 Dighton Rock is the first documented petroglyph in the United

States

9 The chocolate chip cookie was invented in the happiest of ac-

cidents in the northern apex of the Bridgewater Triangle

10 The Bridgewater Triangle is host to the worldrsquos only shovel

museum located in Easton

Page 18 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

290 Route 100 West Dover VT800-745-3615 bull wwwgrayghostinncom

Motorcyclist-Friendly Destination LodgingLocated on Scenic Route 100 in Southern VermontHot breakfast cooked to order BYOB bar firepit hot tub game room and WiFi

Free Maps and Suggested Rides Group Special Packages5 restaurantsbars within walking distance bull On-site Group Dinners available

MemberWhen you canrsquot ride because of snow ride the snow

Guided Back-Country Snowmobile Toursin the Green Mountain National Forest

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

mounTAineer hoTel

31 eAsT second Avenue williAmson wv

304-235-2222 bull wwwmounTAineerhoTelcom

Laying right on the Tug Fork River across from the

Blue Grass state of Kentucky one will find the tiny town

of Williamson West Virginia Williamson has a long

history mostly revolving around the coal industry

Here you will find a rather large rail yard now part

of the Norfolk Southern built to service the many mines

found in and around this part of West Virginia and Ken-

tucky

In 1974 a United States Army Corps of Engineer

planner described the region as having the most severe

flooding problem in America

In 1977 after many days of steady hard rain the Tug

Fork and adjoining streams began

a constant and quick rise As had

happened in the past the town ex-

perienced incredible flooding

Today a floodwall protects

Williamson from future wet havoc

A huge part of this regionrsquos local

lore and history is the famed home

of the feud between the Hatfields

and McCoys probably the most

famous family fight in US history

The first event in the decades-

long feud was the 1865 murder of

Randolphrsquos brother Asa Harmon

McCoy by the Logan Wildcats a local militia group

that counted Devil Anse and other Hatfields among its

members Many peoplemdasheven members of his own

familymdashregarded Asa Harmon who had served in the

Union Army during the American Civil War as a trai-

tor While some have surmised that his murder set the

stage for the feud most historians now see this inci-

dent as a standalone event

Relations between the two families continued to

sour over the next decade before flaring again over a

seemingly small matter a dispute over a single hog

In 1878 Randolph McCoy accused Floyd Hatfield a

cousin of Devil Anse of stealing one of his pigs a

valuable commodity in the poor region Floyd Hat-

fieldsrsquos trial took place in McCoy territory but was

presided over by a cousin of Devil Anse It hinged on

the testimony of star witness Bill Staton a McCoy rel-

ative married to a Hatfield Staton testified in Floyd

Hatfieldrsquos favor and the McCoys were infuriated when

Floyd was cleared of the charges against him Two

years later Staton was violently killed in a fracas with

Sam and Paris McCoy nephews of Randolph Sam stood trial for the

murder but was acquitted for self-defense reasons

Things went south from there and an American legacy was born

In and around the town you will find much on this feud

In the center of town you will find The Coal House now the home

of the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce

Weighing in at 65 tons with 2 ft thick walls itrsquos the only coal house

made entirely of coal Built in 1933 it was designed by architect HT

Hicks from an idea by O W Evans It was constructed from blocks

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 19

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

of local seam coal donated by coal companies in the region

Right next door to The Coal House you will find the historic

Mountaineer Hotel The large classic-revival 5-story yellow-

glazed brick building dominates the center of town and offers

a look and reason to step back into the past

Built in 1925 the Mountaineer hotel has had its share of fa-

mous guests with JFK Paul Newman Jerry Lee Lewis Henry

Ford and others- including the great Soupy Sales - staying here

overnight

In fact all the rooms are named after famous and infamous

guests that have walked through its doors

Later in the evening we walked all five flights to see just

who did stay there

The main entrance leads to a large lobby and the front desk

with pigeonhole boxes for room keys and a teller window

French doors lead to the ballroom The hotel has 116 rooms

for guests a formal ballroom a lobby restaurant and sports bar

(which were not open this day) and the lower level has a num-

ber of games ndash including Fooz ball pool

and a large regulation-sized shuffle board

game that kept us occupied for about an

hour

Sometimes we find places from this era

a bit run down but the Mountaineer hotel

is a gem

Just one look at the grand lobby and you

will know this is true and with rooms less

than $75 for the night quite the deal too

We took Paul Newmanrsquos room and it

couldnrsquot have been nicer

Unpacking and strolling around town

which was quiet on a Monday night was a

pleasant distraction after a dayrsquos worth of

hard miles through the mountains of West

Virginia and Kentucky

When traveling around the United States

you can almost always find a chain hotel at

any exit or bigger town but why would you

want to when wonderful old beauties like

the Mountaineer Hotel in Williamson West

Virginia are around

Page 20 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Tony Lisanti

Eye protection for off road use consists of

the tried and true goggle The goggle

wraps around the helmet and seals to

your face in the helmet opening

Traditional goggles

consist of a urethane

based flexible frame

with various types of

foam material that

seal directly against

the forehead and cheeks

and nose keeping out wind and

dirt Being the helmet has a limited opening

goggles have had to fit inside this space limiting the field of vision

This type of goggle has been the norm for last half century with

all kinds of innovations in frame lens and foam materials

Enter ZOWA Optics Visor Goggles ZOWA Optics was founded

in 2013 Their goal is to offer unique goggles to off-road dirt bike

ATV and snowmobile riders The Vermont based company has

come up with a goggle that eliminates many of the drawbacks of

a traditional off road goggle The Visor Goggles are designed so

the upper half seals against the helmet rather than the forehead

The lower half of the goggle rests against the face By developing

the goggle in this way the field of view is dramatically increased and the

issue of having foam in contact with the skin on the forehead is eliminated

I had the opportunity to try out the Visor Goggles at a local practice track

recently The first thing I noticed was the size of the Visor Goggles They are

about twice the size of a traditional goggle They install on a helmet the same

way as traditional goggles except instead of resting against the forehead they

seal against the helmet under the visor Most noticeable was the lack

of ldquonose pinchrdquo and the vastly improved vision The Visor Goggle

drastically reduces the claustrophobic feel of traditional goggles as

there is more distance between the inside of the goggle and your face

The feel is more like an adventure helmet

After riding with them for an hour or two on an MX track I found

the improved field of vision to be a welcome change Riding with the

Visor Goggles allowed better vision up down and sideways I did no-

tice a bit more air coming in from the flow through design and from

underneath the seal against my check bones at speed During warm

weather this would be welcome in cold weather not so much Ad-

justing the strap tension has an affect on goggle to face contact Skin

contact with the typical sweatmudgrungefunk mix that gets en-

crusted on the foam is minimized since

the foam is resting against the helmet

rather than the forehead

They cleaned up well and showed no

signs of scratching on the lenses stain-

ing of the frames or discoloration de-

spite a liberal dosage of mud and water

The ZOWA Visor Goggle features in-

clude being rated for OTG (Over The

Glasses) by virtue of the greater clear-

ance between goggle and face a Hel-

met conformed design improved field

of view Lexan lens with anti-fog coating comfort foam and flow through

ventilation The strap features a silicon strip to help it stay put on the helmet

Accessory lenses and tear-off lenses are available All goggles come with a

micro fiber storage bag as well The off road goggles retail for $5800 and

are available in black red of cyan frame colors wwwzowaopticscom

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

BUILT BEYOND BELIEFINTRODUCING THE KAWASAKI

Come to Motorcycle Mall to reserve your Ninja H2trade

by December 19 and experience unforgettablesupercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2 motorcycle the worldrsquos onlysupercharged production hypersport streetbike

H2

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pantsgloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Mo-torcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environmentFor furher information regarding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 Specifi-cations subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspired R1 everFrom the advanced lsquorider activersquo electronicspackage to the powerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Supersport bike andfactory MotoGP has never been more blurred

COMPLETELY NEW

FROM THE TRACK UP

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 21

PRODUCT REVIEWZOWA OPTICS VISOR GOGGLES

Great All American Diner RunAs always wersquoll start with our most popular column the Great All American Diner Run Wait is it really We just might have a new fan fa-vorite but wersquoll save that till later First letrsquos take a look at the top three for GAADR 2014hellip

SECOND RUNNER UP bull RIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST2378 ROUTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770 bull 845-557-0097 bull RIVERUNNERSROOSTCOM

Route 97 along the scenic Delaware River has long been a favorite of motorcyclists for years and

over the years the road has seen a number of restaurants open their doors along its picturesque miles

The latest is the River Runnerrsquos Roost

Opened by Rich and Mary Codichini back in 2013 this place quickly became a favorite of ours

and many others They bill themselves as a barbeque steakhouse with a touch of Cajun and Italian

We call it phenomenal with one of the best barbeques in the region and gumbo to go to war over

If you havenrsquot tried the ldquoRoostrdquo then make plans for riding their way in the spring

FIRST RUNNER UP bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784 bull 603- 298-5515 bull 4ACESDINERCOM

Located just up the hill from the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River in the town of

Lebanon the Four Aces is the real deal A true Great All-American Diner Their

menu is huge interesting and delicious The ambience is pure Americana and the

roads leading to and from the Four Aces straddling Vermont and New Hampshire

are hard to top They have pro smokers going outside right along their picnic tables

but we found a seat at the counter worked just fine for us

Our only problem with Four Aces is that they are almost exactly 301 miles from

where we type this They should consider northern New Jersey

The Four Aces is a must see do and eat while in the Dartmouth region and just

missed out on our top honor for this yearrsquos vote

And so without further adohellip

1ST PLACE GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN 2014 bull FIVE ISLANDS LOBSTER COMPANY1447 5 ISLANDS RD GEORGETOWN ME 04548 bull 207-371-2990 bull FIVEISLANDSLOBSTERCOM

Location location location Besides have a superb down to Earth feel a great staff scrumptious food

and a wonderful coastal Maine flavor ndash The Five Islands Lobster Company has a serious location

Did we mention where it is

Located on a working fishing wharf it is surrounded by the ldquocoldest and deepest waters on the coastrdquo

There be some serious lobstarsquo lurking here abouts and it is best when they find their final way to

Five Islands You can have these big bugs anyway you like but we took a bullet for all of you and

went and ordered The Big Boy Stuffed with twice the amount of lobster meat than your average

lobster roll it was our pleasure to tackle this monster as best we could

Wait ndash just thinking of it all on this cold November day has us in a statehellip

They do serve a good number of other seafood favorites as well as more land-based standards but

who wants that when you can have the quintessential Maine treat on a wooden bench and table

alongside one of the prettiest bays in New England

This is why the Five Islands Lobster Company slid into the 1 spot in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

Big City GetawayBig City Getaway has always been about a great destination So many of

us roll the bikes out of the garage and then say ldquoWhere tordquo That is where this monthly favoritecomes in and here are our best of Big City Getaway 2015

2ND RUNNER UP bull MUSTANG FACTORYTOUR4 SPRINGFIELD STREET SUITE 1 THREE RIVERS MA 01080 bull 800-243-1392 bull MUSTANGSEATSCOM

They are one of the largest motorcycle seat manufacturers on the planet and they would be happy to show you around

We did a tour this last summer and found just how much talent vision and workmanship goes into creating some of

the most distinctive and comfortable motorcycle seats you can find

Page 22 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Best of Backroads 2014Once again this planet we ride has completed another lap around our sun and it is time for us to look back on the season and the veryBest of BackroadsIf we said 2013 was ldquointerestingrdquo we would be hard pressed to describe this past year of 2014For sure last year brought us thousands of great miles and lots of smiles interesting destinations and a few great Backroads Ralliesbut some darkness and loss along the journey for our Backroads family as wellStill looking back we had some phenomenal places we found stories we told and friends with which we have ridden The Italian poet Cesare Pavese said ldquoWe do not remember days we remember momentsrdquoThis year ndash 2014 ndash we had our share of moments Letrsquos look back at some in the Best of Backroads 2014

The tour is open to riding groups and takes a little over an hour and a half We recommend that you make an

appointment and guarantee you will have an informative and fun day with our friends at Mustang seats

1ST RUNNER UP bull COASTAL BOTANICAL GARDENS32 BOTANICAL GARDENS DR BOOTHBAY ME 04537 bull 207-633-4333 bull MAINEGARDENSORG

This project took nearly 17 years planning planting and building before its opening in June of 2007 and today

the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens comprises 270 acres of tidal shore land thousands of flowers plants

and botanical oddities Interspersed amongst the natural beauty you will find dozens of sculptures that

only add to an already stunning venue Rarely has a visitor spent some time at the Coastal Botanical

Gardens and not wanted to return as soon as possible

It is simple to see why this easily took our First Runner Up spot

1ST PLACE BIG CITY GETAWAY 2014 FIVE STAR GENERAL STORES bull NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY

This article from our October issue embodied a little bit of everything we might look for in a Big

City Getaway It had local history interesting stops (5 of them) food ice cream and it was all

woven together with some of the neatest roads in northern New Jersey ndash a riding jewel for those

who have never been so lucky Running along to five different and historic General Stores this day

trip just kept getting better Know that we just scratched the surface and that these General Stores from

the past can be found all around the nation But for this time around it was this adventure that was

called 1 for Big City Getaway 2014

(Note as of this printing the Stillwater General Store has closed but is still worth the ride-by for the

roads and historic value)

Wersquore Outta HereThe great thing that we riders have over the more boring people out there is that our tripsand adventures happen the moment we roll out of our driveways and onto the roadOvernight trips are like mini-vacations for the soul and are most likely the reason they sayyou never see a motorcycle outside a psychiatrist office unless it belongs to the shrinkWersquore Outta Here is all about that ndash places to go and enjoy whether it be a group coupleor on your ownLetrsquos see what we think were our top three for 2014

2ND RUNNER UP bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 E MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854 bull 814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGEPACOM

Shira found this hide-away full of coffee awesomeness when we were to attend the ALTRider adventure

ride early this summer in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania The lodge is part of the coffee house and

although the room we had was a tad small it was well thought out and just added to the coolness of the

entire place We had the Penns Creek Room with its lsquoloft-stylersquo bed and rock wall shower Each morning

the aroma from the coffee shop downstairs was like a Sirenrsquos call and had us highly motivated to carefully

spring out of bed (well it was a loft and there was a drop) There were also great muffins and cakes to go along with the coffee

Millheim is well located with a great combination of fantastic riding both paved and not and has a few eateries within strolling distance (compared to walking

or marching distance) We liked everything about the Triple Creek Lodge ndash the smell the flavor and the quirkiness

1ST RUNNER UP bull INDIAN ROCK INN2206 RIVER RD UPPER BLACK EDDY PA 18972 bull 610-982-9600 bull INDIANROCKINNCOM

GPS Download wwwsendspacecomprodlen7u7kAlong the PA-side of the Delaware River just north of Jerseyrsquos Milford in a place where the river

crooks dramatically and heads north for a bit you will find a great local treasure - the Indian Rock

Inn Tucked underneath what are called the Pennsylvania Palisades and along both river and old

canal the Indian Rock is the complete package

After a day of fun riding to and around the region you can park the bikes grab your room and

shower and make your way to the very friendly bar The Barking Dog Grab a cocktail and me-

ander to the very comfortable large porch take a seat and watch the world go by After the sun

sets a delicious gourmet meal is just steps away Perhaps a night cap and then upstairs to end a

prefect day With all that it is easy to see how the Indian Rock grabbed first runner up in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

1ST PLACEWErsquoRE OUTTA HERE 2014 bull QUODDY HEAD STATION823 SOUTH LUBEC RD LUBEC ME 04652 bull 877-535-4714 bull QUODDYVACATIONCOM

Most times we are all for suggesting you sleep in a bit longer at any of our Wersquore Outta Here destinations but here at Quoddy Head

Station we urge - no insist ndash that you get up before the dawn so you can be the first in the United States to see the sun rise over the At-

lantic from the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse - just a 2 minute ride to the east

Here in the most north and east point of the United States life does not get much better

The rooms and views cannot be beat and the surrounding area with its little coves Reversing Falls State Park Rooseveltrsquos Campobello

cottage (actually in Canada) and the very coastal Maine town of Lebec with its large number of seafood restaurants nautical shops and

vistas are hard to beat anywhere else in the world When we travelled in the area

we rode under a giant orange full moon that rose over the bay at low tide

It was eerie and stunning all at the same time

One of those moments we talked about earlier Quoddy Head Station has to be one

of the most interesting and geographically perfect places we have traveled to in

many years and easily made its way to the 1st place spot for Wersquore Outta Here 2014

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 23

Mysterious AmericaAlways one of the perennial favorites for our readers is the odd wacky and off-beat destinations that our own Dr Seymour OrsquoLife brings

to us each month This year was no different and the choices to be made for the TopThree were very tight for the good doctor but undaunted our hero carried on and cameup with the short list So letrsquos get to it

2ND RUNNER UP bull ISLE OFWIGHT COUNTY MUSEUM103 MAIN ST SMITHFIELD VA 23430 bull 757-356-1223 bull HISTORICISLEOFWIGHTCOM

You remember this place ndash home of the Worldrsquos Oldest Ham It belonged to PD Gwaltney Jr

It had its beginnings in 1902 when a cured ham was accidentally hung from rafters in one Gwaltneyrsquos

houses until it was discovered by workers By 1924 the pet ham was kept in an iron safe which was

opened daily for guests to view Advertised as the worldrsquos oldest Smithfield ham Gwaltney fashioned

a brass collar for the ham and took it to shows and expos to exhibit the preservative powers of his

smoking method The ham was featured in Ripleyrsquos ldquoBelieve It Or Notrdquo in 1929 1932 and 2003 and

more importantly in Backroads in May of 2014 For sure the museum holds so much more but Sey-

mour could never get past the ham Neither could we

1ST RUNNER UP bull THE CULPER SPY RINGThis was the first multi-month piece by the minions of mystery and we spent three

full months searching for the real story on George Washingtonrsquos Culper Spy Ring

From its beginning with the hanging of Nathan Hale in what is now mid-town Man-

hattan to the desolation of being held on a prison ship in an East River Bay in Brook-

lyn - where we had the largest battle of our Revolutionary War Then on to the Culper

Spies themselves and the web they wove from Setauket Long Island across the

Sound to Connecticut and into New York and Philadelphia These men and woman

(nobody really knows who this lady was) changed the course of history It was then

onto treachery traitors and sex ndashwith the story of Benedict Arnold his wife Peggy

Shippen and her lover Major John Andrersquo and our own West Point Escape capture

and the gallows all played a part in this true story of our local American history

Mysterious Americarsquos history has never been so much fun

1ST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2014 bull THE TRANS-ALLEGHENY LUNATIC ASYLUM71 ASYLUM DR WESTON WV 26452 bull 304-269-5070 bull TRANS-ALLEGHENYLUNATICASYLUMCOM

When we first rode up to this massive 27-acre facility Shira who had no idea where or why we were there shook her head and simply asked why

The asylum stands like a monstrous stone beast dominating the ground It is the second largest hand-hewn bluestone building on the planet with only Russiarsquos

Kremlin surpassing it But it is the feel and aura that surround and linger around this building

that will tell you the real story of the place

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum also known as the We-

ston State Hospital was a Kirkbride psychiatric hospital that

operated from 1864 until 1994 Like many Kirkbridge hospi-

tals it started out with a noble idea but soon became overrun

with patients lack of proper care and some of the saddest and

scariest tales were heard here on the tour The place is massive and to walk the halls would literally take miles

The place is reportedly full of ghosts and very bad things from the other side One look at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

and you will have a hard time denying that claim Shira will never go back and it was one of the few times that she was seriously

ldquocreeped outrdquo Her words ndash not ours

With that being said you surely must agree that a visit to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum easily ranks as our 1st place for

our Mysterious America 2014

MomentsIt was April 10 of this past year when the phone here at Backroads rang Answering it I could hear the voice of a friend Dave on the farend ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo I asked ldquohow are yourdquoDaversquos voice trembled and broke ldquoJeff Bahr was killed today on his bikerdquoIn that moment everything stopped It remained stopped for a long time Sometimes it still doesA month or so later well after Jeffrsquos service and cremation Shira and I found ourselves at the spot where this happened We talked tothe young man who was tending his barbecue pit which he was stoking for the dayrsquos lunch He was there when the driver pulled out ofhis general storersquos parking lot without even a glance He sadly but kindly told us of that momentJeff had simply been riding down a wide country road when an 86-year old man pulled out in front of him Although rubber on the roadshowed Jeff tried to avoid the car it was too little too late and he was killed on impactI have no idea what happened to the old man after this event But regardless he has to live with his inattentiveness and actions for therest of his life So do many of usWe do not remember days we remember momentsThat day was made up of a moment we will never forgetThe weekend I wrote this Jeff if hersquod survived would have been 57 He would have had dozens more stories made us laugh a dozenmore times would have made this magazine a dozen times betterJeff I hope you know that so many of us miss you so muchTo you all enjoy and savor all your moments Life is made up of them and eventually one of those moments will hurt

Page 24 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Shirarsquos Ice Cream RunLast year we introduce a semi-monthly some of the time if she felt like it column ndashShirarsquos Ice Cream Run It seems to everybody but the red head that this column hasbecome a huge hit and we have had more comments and suggestions for the IceCream Runs than anything else within memory So think sweet creamy and cold andletrsquos see what Shira thought were on the top three stops of 2014rsquos Ice Cream Runs

2ND RUNNER UP bull HOLSTENrsquoS CONFECTIONARY1603 BROAD ST BLOOMFIELD NJ 07003 bull 973-338-7091 bull WWWHOLSTENSCOM

Immortalized on celluloid in the Sopranosrsquo final episode Holstenrsquos Confectionary has so much more

to offer than their souvenir t-shirts from said show A true old-time ice cream parlor Holstenrsquos home-

made ice cream and confections will win the hearts of any true lover of sweets Taking a seat at the

counter should bring back memories of visits to Woolworthrsquos and once the delicious dairyness is

placed in front of you complete with homemade whipped cream you will think you are in a

dream Holstenrsquos has the whole package ndash premium product comfortable setting and take-home

delights With its 2nd Runner Up status truly one of my favorites of this yearrsquos ice cream stops

1ST RUNNER UP bull CAYUGA LAKE CREAMERY8421 NY 89 INTERLAKEN NY 14847 bull 607-532-9492 bull WWWCAYUGALAKECREAMERYCOM

Nestled in the idyllic Finger Lakes the Cayuga Lake Creamery offers up some of the most in-

ventive flavors Irsquove seen including wine ice cream and sorbet (best of both worlds Irsquod say)

Sitting on their outdoor deck savoring your Maple Bacon or Lavender cone on a warm summer

day ndash what could be better than that

While the Finger Lakes may not offer the most challenging of rides the scenery is beautiful and

the gorges are well gorgeous I canrsquot think of a much better day than meandering around the

Fingers with a late afternoon stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery Their 14 butterfat mixture and only the best of locally sourced

ingredients produce some of the finest creamiest ice creams around Do yourself a favor and spin your wheels to this part of

NY state for a weekend of indulgence as their terrific flavors will keep you coming back day after day

1ST PLACE SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN bull HALLrsquoS HOMEMADE ICE CREAM861 RACCOONVALLEY RD MILLERSTOWN PA 17062

717-589-3290 bull WWWHALLSICECREAMCOM

I found this gem in the middle of the Alleghenies while Brian was off riding in the forest with the

ALTRider group Having grabbed the 1st Place spot in this yearrsquos Ice Cream Run you know Hallrsquos

Homemade Ice Cream and Dairy has to be something pretty special

While their flavor offerings may not be as exotic as Cayuga Lake the quality is heavenly Their

signature flavor and one I had not tasted before is their honey ice cream coming in a variety of

mixtures such as chocolate butter pecan and my personal favorite cinnamon Hallrsquos has a couple

of outdoor tables where you can take in the full dairy effect while licking your cone If that is too

overwhelming they have a very nice indoor seating area complete with air conditioning

The riding in this part of Pennsylvania is quite exciting with elevation changes sweepers and

twisties and for those desiring an off-road adventure plenty of woodlands to test your knobbies

What do all three of these winners have in common other than fantastic ice cream They are all

open all year long so if you happen to be out and about in Bloomfield NJ Interlaken NY or Miller-

stown PA make sure you plan a stop at one of the top three spots on Shirarsquos 2014 Ice Cream Run

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 25

Rip amp Ridereg bull RIVER RUNNERS ROOST2378 RTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770

845-557-0097 bull WWWRIVERRUNNERSROOSTCOMSEASONAL HOURS - CALL BEFORE HEADING OUT

CR 560 IN SUSSEX COUNTY NJCROSS DINGMANS BRIDGE bull $1 TOLLSTRAIGHT ON RTE 739RIGHT AT MILFORD RDLEFT AT RAYMONDSKILL RDCROSS OVER I-84HARD LEFT ON US 6QUICK RIGHT ONTOTWIN LAKES RDRIGHT AT RTE 434CROSS RIVER TO NEWYORKRIGHT AT RTE 97 SOUTHRIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST DOWN ROAD ON LEFT HAND SIDE

Rip amp Ridereg bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784603- 298-5515 bull WWW4ACESDINERCOM

GPS DOWNLOAD WWWSENDSPACECOMPRODLXXTWXB90-MILE ONEWAY ROUTE FROM THEWEST DOVER VERMONT REGION

BIG BEARS LODGE GRAY GHOST AND KITZHOF INN

RTE 100 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT RTE 35RIGHT AT RTE 121LEFT AT RTE 5CROSS INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE ndash ARCH BRIDGELEFT AT RTE 12 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 120LEFT AT RTE 4 WEST LEBANONFOUR ACES DOWN ON THE LEFT

TAylorrsquos ice creAm PArlor

18 e mAin sT chesTer nJ bull 908-879-5363

What to do on the first sub-freezing day in November Go for ice cream

of course I was hanging out with the good doctor OrsquoLife and best friend

Brian when OrsquoLife told us of this place that grows telephone poles Having

my doubts about most of what OrsquoLife tells me I asked him to prove it So

off we went to the quaint little town of Chester New Jersey

After a pleasant lunch at the Publick House complete with real wood

burning fireplace we trekked down the road a piece found said telephone

pole farm (for another column of course) and started our return to Back-

roads Central Lo and behold right before the turn onto Route 206 there

sat Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor in the nicest old building on the block We

got our spot and headed in to find well no one but Justin in a very toasty

old fashioned ice cream parlor I do think that he was surprised to see us

or anyone on such a cold day

Taylorrsquos has apparently been an ice cream institution in

Chester for the last 50 years or so founded by Mr Earle G

Taylor Sr who just passed this August Taylorrsquos was the vic-

tim of fire some time in 2013 and was closed for a good 8

months before reopening in the same spot with applause

from their long-time fans and customers Their ice cream is

all home made and always has been On a hot summer day

you will no doubt be lined up out the door and down the

block to get this tasty treat but Irsquom certain you will find it

worth the wait I think their pricing is quite reasonable for

the size scoop they dip and if you are like me and want a sam-

pling of several flavors they offer Kiddie Scoops at $195

each ndash a flight of ice cream sounds like the perfect end-of-

ride relaxation

We perused the two very full ice cream boards and poured

over the cabinets before making our decisions With close to

50 listed flavors what was a girl to do without minions to help her taste test We finally settled on chocolate hazelnut toasted coconut salted caramel and

vanilla fudge brownie I pretty much always opt for a cup as I savor my ice cream and it would run down my arm before I was even close to finishing but I was

almost tempted by their pretzel cone What is so great about Taylorrsquos cones is the plastic drip cup in which they reside both sanitary and mess-preventing

Page 26 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

TOWN amp COUNTRYC Y C L E C E N T E R

115 Route 23N bull Hamburg NJ bull 973-875-2111wwwtownandcountrycyclecentercom

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIYamahacom bull 516-935-6969

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE

SPORT TOURERIntroducing the most performancepower versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle From commutingand exploring backroads to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaharsquos un-mistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

While enjoying our treats we savored

the deacutecor of this very pleasant parlor Sev-

eral tables to enjoy your ice cream clip-

pings of newspaper articles school

paraphernalia and something that has no

place in an ice cream parlor an old-fash-

ioned fortune telling scale This couldnrsquot

possibly still be functioning could it Ac-

cording to Justin yes it was How could we

resist In went our pennies and up popped

our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked

the weight numbers) Brianrsquos read lsquoYou are

not overbearing but generally have things

your wayrsquo Wow I couldnrsquot wait to see if

mine was as accurate ldquoYou look to the fu-

ture rather than the pastrsquo So true

Back to the ice cream ndash it

was heavenly We all agreed

that the salted caramel was the

overall winner having the per-

fect balance of salt and

caramel with the best creamy

texture The toasted coconut

was very flavorful with lots of

coconut bits the chocolate

hazelnut was very dark and

creamy and mixed with the coconut made the perfect almond-free almond

joy The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole but cer-

tainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store

I believe Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round but if yoursquore head-

ing over during the winter months give them a call to make sure Enjoy the

winter and remember itrsquos never too cold to eat ice cream

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield PA

215-712-7433 bull wwwBMWMotorcyclescom

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

THE NEW R 1200 RA POWERFUL STATEMENT

Our newest boxer roadster has one missiondominate the streets in style The R 1200 Ris designed to blend comfort precisehandling and pure riding excitementhellipin one head-turning machine

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW R 1200 RSTHRILLING COMFORT

The new R 1200 RS is perfectly balancedcombining optimal wind and weather protectionwith powerful performance and controlPutting you in an unparalleled position toexplore the road - and your own limits

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW S 1000 RRWELCOME TO THENEW PLANET POWER

The S 1000 RR has been completely revisedThe results in its origins a genuine Double RRon the road a new supersports machine thatwill once again set the benchmark in its class

UNSTOPPABLE SPORT

WHAT lsquoRrsquo YOU WAITING FORCome to Montgomeryville Cycle Center to see the full line of 2015 BMW Motorcycles products and apparel

We have everything yoursquoll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever

Motorcyclepedia the northeastrsquos

premier motorcycle museum will

be holding its Speaker Series again

this winter with various riders and

orators covering topics ranging

from world touring to tips on avoiding tickets and an in depth look at GPS

technology and todayrsquos motorcycling

Backroadsrsquo own Brian amp Shira will start the series off with a talk on Jan-

uary 17 on lsquoThe Big Fiversquo motorcycle destinations around the planet along

with planning and touring around the United States and the world

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who

will help clear the fog about Garmin GPSrsquos and how their BaseCamp program

works along with how to create and export your own personal routes

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on ldquoEverything you need to know

on Motorcycles and the Lawrdquo - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper po-

lice procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists

Seth Simpson of Motorcycle training Solutions will be giving a seminar

on Rider Training

Motorcyclistmoto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about

Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys

Look for a Womenrsquos Riding Panel with some well-known female motor-

cyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing todayrsquos women

riders This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and

beginning women riders

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months

and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to

enlighten

Wersquoll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page

as soon as they are etched in stone

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh New York in the

riding heart of the Hudson Valley

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 27

A DAY AT THE MUSEUMlsquoSPEAKER SERIESrsquo RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

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Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

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Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

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444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

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JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

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The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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memBer

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Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

JDS CYCLE PARTSeST 1988

247 W Westfield Ave Rosell Park NJ908-245-2445

bull Parts amp Accessories

bull Award-winning Service

bull Performance Work

bull Dyno Tuning

bull SampS Pro Tuning Center

bull Power CommanderTuning Center

American bull Metric bull Sport

Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 9: January 2015 Backroads

Backroads

Just wanted you to know that Joe Fencz from

Charliersquos Pool Room past away October

15th John the brother and cook called me to

tell me when the funeral services were I didnrsquot

have any idea Joe was even sick He had pancre-

atic cancer and has been battling it for a year

The Pool Room has been closed for about a

year now because the grill has to be updated to

new codes and was shut down A lot of people

have been helping them out to get them up and

running again I attended the service a few weeks

agohellipwhen Joe was alive I did not know much about him other than we

was a very nice kind outgoing person At his funeral many people told stores

about him and you got to know him after it was too late The funeral parlor

was packed

I talked with brother John to encourage him to open the store again I of-

fered him financial assistance as well as business advice There were a lot of

other people there that wanted John to open the store againhellipwe will see He

did not seem to want to do it

I snapped this picture I saw at the wake It looks like a 1930rsquos-40rsquos motor-

cycle with a homemade side car I know the father was a frontline soldier in

WW II he may have bought it surplus

Thought I would share this with riders who have been there and hopefully

will go again

Gary Rena

Gary thanks for passing that along to us Charliersquos Pool Room was the

most interesting and oddest hot dog stop in the Garden State and will be

missed

Miracles as they are I got to reading the No-

vember Backroads issue before the end of No-

vember which is pretty good for me May have

had something to do with not picking up my

mail until the end of the month

So I am feeling accomplished None-the-less

- having left town the first week in October I fi-

nally got to reading Backroads

Brian your editorial piece on BMW-style

events and this weird thing about camping had

me in stitches Camping Really whatrsquos with

that Ride all day long and stop at a motel where

you can walk to a restaurant for dinner after a nice shower That works for

me and is the only way I fly The best of all worlds thatrsquos what I say

The article on Americade and Shirarsquos editorial about the passenger seat

also had me in stitches Thanks to both of you for making me look forward

to the next issue each and every time

Until we meet again we will always admire your endless summer

lifestyle Carry on - I say

Your two-wheeled friends

Graham and Gail

This Town is the Pitshellip

As to the above column please tell Brian to call a spade a spade The rider

was following to close andor not paying attention when he rear-ended the

truck If the truck hit the girls girlrsquos fault However the bike hitting the

truck was the riderrsquos own fault

Happy holidays to you both

Greg Bagen

Greg I agree I was being semi-polite You were able to read between the

lines You should be a lawyer or something

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 9

BACKLASH Letters to the Editor

BERgEN COUNTY HARLEY-DAVIDSON DUAL PHOTO PROjECT

This is Larry No he doesnrsquot have a twin

The first picture was shot of him in his every-

day clothes A few days later he stopped by on

his bike Learn more about Larry and other

bikers soon If you ride and are interested in

being shot (with a camera) stop by Bergen

County Harley-Davidson in Rochelle Park

NJ Monday Tuesday Thursday and Friday

from 12Noon - 1pm or Wednesday night 5-

6pm It takes 5 minutes and you just might be

part of the project 2 portraits are shot one of

you in your riding gear the other of you in

your work or everyday clothes

Spread the word

Bergen County Harley-Davidson 124 Essex St Rochelle Park NJ bull 201-

843-6930 bull wwwbergenharleycom

HARLEY DEALERSHIP DROPS 10K FROM SKY

While shoppers may have been rushing for merchandise on Black Friday

a couple of thousand people were grabbing for cash at least for a brief mo-

ment

Black Diamond Harley-Davidson of Marion Illinois has hosted turkey

drops in the past but Black Fridayrsquos cash drop was the first for the dealer-

shiprsquos innovative marketing company co-owner Shad Zimbro said

ldquoItrsquos just something different Everybody can use a little extra cashrdquo he

said of the companyrsquos Green Friday as hopefuls took position along the

perimeter of a large field where cash totaling $10000 would be dropped from

a helicopter

Illinois Lottery donated some of the money for the event Black Diamond

announced it would match up to $100 for those who spent their winnings at

the store

Participants had to be 18 and had to sign a waiver that they would not hold

Black Diamond responsible for injuries It appeared

most were unscathed during the dash for cash

though muddied from the wet field either falling on

their own or pushed

VALERIE THOMPSON RACINg SIgNS WITH

NPMOTOWEAR PRODUCTS FOR 2015

Scottsdale motorcycle racer 7-time land speed

record holder and team owner Valerie Thompson

recently signed NPmotowear Products as a new

sponsor for the 2015 racing season NPmoto prod-

ucts was founded in 2005 by Nick Plenzick to pro-

vide motorcyclists and racers with a variety of

apparel and accessories that provide maximum com-

fort and convenience to riders worldwide

ldquoWe have sold many fine products from a variety of excellent manufactures

over the years When

we began production of

our own products I de-

cided I wanted them

tested in extreme con-

ditions In addition to

our long distance rid-

ers Irsquom a big believer

that racing improves

the breedrdquo said NPmo-

towear ownerfounder

Nick Plenzick ldquoWhen I

was thinking of some-

one who could push the

limits Valerie Thomp-

Page 10 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

FW SPEER YAMAHA7 Main Ave bull Passaic NJ bull 973-778-6256 bull wwwSpeerYamahacom

Tri-State Metro Arearsquos Oldest Yamaha Dealer + Last of the Mom and Pop Shops

THE MALLTERNATIVE

INDUSTRY INFOBITES News from the Inside

son was at the top of my list Valerie recently tested our base layer at the

Texas Mile with a 2177 mph run with great resultsrdquo added Plenzick

ldquoIrsquove been wearing and testing NPmotowear apparel while riding and

working around the shop I canrsquot tell you how impressed I am They offer

products that enhance riding comfort in both cold and hot weather while of-

fering a real sense of stylerdquo said Thompson

ldquoWe couldnrsquot be more pleased to have someone of Valeriersquos experience

and racing accomplishments to promote NPmotowear layer clothing and ac-

cessories After all we have to keep lsquoAmericarsquos Queen of Speedrsquo comfortable

underneath her race suit at over 210 mph and we have proven we can ac-

complish that goalrdquo said Plenzick

In addition to seven land speed records Thompson is an official member

of the BUB Speed Trials 201 MPH Club Mojave Magnum 200 MPH Club

Texas Mile 200 MPH Club ECTA 200 MPH Club and a lifetime member of

the prestigious Bonneville 200 MPH Club

HONDA MARKS UNPRECEDENTED MILESTONEgLOBAL PRODUCTION OF 300 MILLION MOTORCYCLES

Achieving a milestone more than 65 years in the making Honda Motor

Co Ltd announced production of its 300-millionth motorcycle The mile-

stone bike is a Honda Gold Wing produced at the companyrsquos Kumamoto Fac-

tory in Japan Honda will celebrate

the 40th anniversary of the iconic

Gold Wing in 2015

Honda began mass production of

motorcycles in Japan in 1949 when

it built the Honda 98cc Dream Type-

D Today Honda produces motorcy-

cles ATVrsquos and side-by-sides at 32

plants in 22 countries including two

plants in North America

ldquoThis incredible milestone is the

result of the millions of customers

who have placed their trust in Honda

and we would like to thank all of our customers associates dealers and com-

munity partners in North America for helping make it possiblerdquo said Bob

Gurga Vice President and Manager of Motorcycle Division for American

Honda ldquoNow we are focused on

the future and the ways that we can

harness the challenging spirit of

Honda associates to create new joy

for Honda customersrdquo

In 1958 Honda introduced the

Honda 50 known globally as the

Super Cub which would go on to

revolutionize the industry This

iconic bike paved the way for

Hondarsquos expansion into the US in

1959 and Canada in 1969 The

Super Cub which has sold nearly

90 million units globally since its

inception was the focus of a mid-

1960s advertising campaign lsquoYou

Meet the Nicest People on a

Hondarsquo that played a major role in

the transformation and growth of

the US motorcycle market

ZERO RAMPS UP PRODUCTION

Zero Motorcycles the global leader in the electric motor-

cycle industry announced that it has entered full production

of its 2015 model line The new motorcycles are being man-

ufactured at its expanded Scotts Valley California facility

by an increased number of technicians using state-of-the-art

tools The first shipments of motorcycles are now in transit

with all North American dealerships receiving the new mod-

els by the end of January European delivery is scheduled for

February 2015

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 11

Following record sales in 2014 the company has made substantial invest-

ments in technology and people placing additional resources to expand its

ldquoCrafted in Californiardquo vision ldquoWersquove taken everything learned from build-

ing thousands of electric motorcycles and applied it to new manufacturing

processes To meet the increased demand from customers wersquove added new

jobs here at our California factoryrdquo said Kai Hypko VP of Operations for

Zero Motorcycles ldquoHighly advanced tools improved systems and more

skilled workers will allow us to continue to increase our production capacity

and ensure premium qualityrdquo

The 2015 motorcycles rolling out of the California factory feature numer-

ous advancements from their predecessors Showa suspension improves com-

fort and control Zerorsquos class-leading rangemdashnow up to 185 milesmdashis

extended on most models And Zero becomes the first production electric

motorcycle to feature anti-lock brakes (ABS)

ldquoOur 2015 lineup continues to lead the industry in overall range perform-

ance and technologyrdquo said Abe Askenazi Chief Technology Officer at Zero

Motorcycles ldquoFor 2015 we focused our efforts on refining virtually every

element of the vehiclemdashfrom the tires upmdashto give riders the most pure

seamless experience availablerdquo

Initial production will be dedicated to motorcycles that will be used for

test rides via Zero Motorcycles dealers Interested riders can schedule a demo

online at wwwzeromotorcyclescomdemo-rides

Page 12 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

PosTcArds from The hedGe (Continued from page 5)

about that still confounds even locals) took me back to when I had borrowed

my friendrsquos Hawk 650 and while in this circular traffic maze the engine

started to cut out Now itrsquos unsettling enough when such things happen in

traffic and yoursquore on your own machine but when yoursquove borrowed a friendrsquos

pride and joy and it starts getting funky it adds to the already present drama

immeasurably The V-Twin never actually quit though and what happened

was a little snafu peculiar to this particular model of motorcycle It seems

that when the incoming air around the tank is juuuuuust right a poorly routed

hose does something to the air supply to the carburetors and it skips like its

running out of gas When I told my friend about it he

confirmed it had happened to him and through the use

of this brand new thing called the Internet he found a

very simple solution and fixed it I hadnrsquot thought about

this incident since it happened back in the last Century

and the Weatherford Traffic circle bought it all back with

surprising clarity

Of course there were some businesses and landmarks

(often one in the same) that had vanished but the odd

thing was the general feel of the place was exactly as it

had seemed and as a result I found myself for lack of

a better expression having a Twilight Zone moment

This was a town that I not only grew up in but a place

where I experienced so many formative moments that

ultimately steered my path in life A simple trip like this

managed to take much that was locked away and shake

it loose as if I really did borrow Dr Whorsquos time-tran-

siting Tardis And as has been the case in my entire

adult life a motorcycle managed to be a part of it even

though this time I was wasnrsquot riding one Oh and my

niecersquos wedding It was superb I now have a fine new

nephew too with a family that originally hails from

China and they are delightful people All in all the trip

was quite a Trip

ldquoIF YOUWANT

TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

ROLLINrsquo FAST CYCLE SPORTS

104 Main Street Lebanon NJ908-236-9000 bull wwwRollinFastcom

ROLLINrsquo FAST INDIAN MOTORCYCLE OF LEBANON104 Main Street Lebanon NJ908-236-9000 bull wwwRollinFastcom

Come see the full line

of Indian Motorcycles

Large selection of parts

apparel and accessories

Great Gift Ideas for

your Holiday Shopping

Plan now for your winter

service needsMon-Fri 9a-6p

Thurs lsquotil 9a-7p bull Sat 9a-5pSunday Gone Riding

Rollinrsquo Fast Cycle Sports Presents

GReAT ALL AMeRICAN DINeR RUN tasty places to take your bike

Ardyrsquos counTry kiTchen

279 mAin sT worcesTer ny 121197 bull 607-397-4070

Many times suggestions for a Great All American Diner Run

are sent to us and when we can we search them out on your

expert recommendations

Other times we come across hidden jewels a bit more

serendipitously

Thatrsquos how we came across this monthrsquos stop on GAADR ndash

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen in the small upstate New York town

of Worcester

There were four of us heading to our last Summer Squeeze

Rally in Vermont and we were making a few days riding ad-

venture of it by heading to the Adirondacks for the first evening

on the road

Come lunch time all our bellies were rumbling and lucky for

me right before I became a raging and petulant starving child I

spotted a small brightly painted diner to my right on an upcoming

corner

We had found Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

With its ice cream shop front we hoped they served more than

just dessert and entering the small dining room we were instantly

hit with the heady aromas of good eats

Thank you Road Gods

The place has been owned and operated by the Sanna clan since

2005 and the family atmosphere is evidentwith the smattering of

toys and one or two young ones running around their moms our

waitresses legs

Non-crying non-exasperating and happy little ones annoy me

not ndash so we took a small table and looked to see what the Sanna

family had to offer this day

First off you canrsquot get a sandwich here

at Ardyrsquos ndash but you can get a sammich

We all know that it is a scientific fact

that a sammich is far more fun and much

more delicious and filling both from a

nutritionistrsquos point of view and the addi-

tional smile factor thrown in

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen has a goodly

number of different sammiches for your

eating pleasure ndash but wersquoll get to them in

a minute

If itrsquos early when you get there they

serve a Bagel Breakfast with eggs

sausage and cheese on a real fresh bagel

Soup amp Sammich can always be had

ndash with daily specials to be found Of

course they have burgers just about any

way yoursquod like lsquoem and the homemade

chili was tangy and delicious as was the

soup of the day

Heading over to their ldquoSignature Sam-

michesrdquo you will find just about any-

thing you might be craving Or maybe

a perusal of the menu will get the belly

rolling For a smallish diner along a

rural road in upstate New York you will

have plenty from which to choose

How about a BLT or a Cuban with

roast pork ham Swiss cheese and pick-

les Their Pork amp Slaw with cheddar

cheese looked tasty as did the BBQ

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 13

TWO WHEELS OR FOURTHERErsquoS ALWAYS ROOM FOR

Texas Smoke Barbecue400 Route 15 South bull Jefferson NJ

862-209-4078 bull wwwTexasSmokeBBQcom

texas smoke BBQIndoor and outdoor dining

Warm up with some

Chowdown Chili

Smokinrsquo Platters

and so much more

Biker and Barbecue Enthusiasts

Enjoy our Chalkboard Specials

Long Island Kawasaki67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIKawasakicom bull 516-935-6969Combining the low silhouette of

a Vulcan cruiser with Kawasaki

sportbike-derived power and

handling as well as a custom fit

concept designed to comfort-

ably fit a wide range of riders

Rollinrsquo Fast Cycle Sports Presents

GReAT ALL AMeRICAN DINeR RUN tasty places to take your bike

Chicken Hero also topped with their local cheddar cheese

For you Vegans (he said with a smirk) you will find a Veggie Panini (now

hush and eat your greens) If you are really hungry try Ardyrsquos Big Roast Beef

ndash a heaping of oven roasted beef topped with Swiss cheese and served on a

Kaiser roll and topped with Ardyrsquos famed horseradish sauce

Thatrsquoll fill you up

When we arrived it was an unusually cool day for the Leatherstocking Re-

gion and a hot sammich seemed more on order Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

serves up hot pork and hot roast beef sammiches but I went with their hot

meatloaf ndash brought out on a toasted Kaiser roll with homemade mashed po-

tatoes and some super tasty gravy ndash enough to float a boat

Just about everything here at Ardyrsquos is a homemade creation Real potatoes

fresh vegetables and freshly roasted meats are always used Not much

processed or pre-packaged quasi food will be found here

My Hot Meatloaf Sammich served with Ardyrsquos super potatoes and

drowned in their excellent brown gravy was one of the best I have ever had

on the road And it was not just a thinly sliced bit of meatloaf but an honest-

to-goodness slab orsquomeatloaf

I wouldnrsquot even serve myself that big a piece at home

Okay maybe I would

The rest of our crew all had the Tomato amp Basil Soup (delicious) and

grilled cheese sammiches which was a special of the day

If you can squeeze it in after all this great chow Ardyrsquos is an ice cream par-

lor as well and they offer enough flavors that even resident ice cream maven

Shira was tempted

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen is the perfect example of a small and family run

restaurant that really serves up the goods All their offering are real and tasty

and just like your mom would cook ndash ifrsquon your mom was a trained chef

When in the region it is well worth searching Ardyrsquos out and with that in

mind wersquoll give you a short ride from the Kingston area to this monthrsquos stop

on the Great All American Diner Run

Find them on FaceBook at Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

Page 14 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

RIP amp RIDEreg bull ARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN279 MAIN ST WORCESTER NY 121197 bull 607-397-4070

START INTERSECTIONS OF RTES 20928 KINGSTON NYRTE 28 WESTRIGHT AT RTE 375LEFT AT RTE 212RIGHT AT RTE 28LEFT AT RTE 214LEFT AT RTE 23ARIGHT AT SCRIBNER HOLLOW RDLEFT AT RTE 23CRIGHT AT CR 40STRAIGHT AT CR 296

LEFT AT RTE 23BEAR RIGHT AT CR 7LEFT AT CR 990VRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT SHREW HOLLOW ROADLEFT AT CR 29RIGHT AT CR 10LEFT AT MEADE ROADLEFT AT CHARLOTTEVILLE ROADRIGHT AT CR 39RIGHT AT RTE 7 MAIN STARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN ON LEFT

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

moTe AquArium And mArine lABorATory

600 ken ThomPson Pkwy sArAsoTA fl 34236

941-388-4441 bull wwwmoTeorG

Each March and October the Daytona faithful head

south to the beginning and end of the season rallies

on the Sunshine statersquos eastern coast

But we have always found Daytona and vicinities

to get a bit too crowded loud andhellipumm ndash boring

Well for us

The SUYT thing kinda got old when the girls could

be your daughter-in-law

We prefer checking out the scene and then doing a

little Floridian travel exploring some of the sights

and scenes that draw so may south each year

On Floridarsquos Gulf Coast you will find the city of

Sarasota

This city has a thriving cultural scene and boasts a

number of interesting places to visit explore and gen-

erally spend some time

A few years back we told you of the Circus Mu-

seum this time we dropped in on the Mote Aquarium

and Marine Laboratory

The Aquarium has its beginnings back in 1955

when it was founded by Dr Eugenie Clark in

Placida Florida Back then it was known as Cape

Haze Marine Laboratory until its 1967 renaming in

honor of a major benefactor William R Mote and the

contributions he and his family made to helping the

aquarium grow mdash both in size and reputation Since

1960 Mote has been based in Sarasota Florida and

since 1978 it has been lo-

cated on City Island and

that is where we got to

spend a number of hours

The Mote Aquarium

consists of three buildings

the aquarium an interac-

tive theatre and a separate

building that houses their

sea turtles dolphin (singu-

lar but wersquoll get into that)

and manatee collection all

of whom have been res-

cued or rehabbed at Mote

All the exhibits are laid

out with informative plac-

ards and each tank brings

different environments and

different fish and marine wildlife all with a story

to tell

Moray eels tanks full of floating jelly fish of

all types exotic fish we had never dreamed of and

some we simply had never seen in person were

there

In addition to the first building exhibits you can

learn about the giant squid and then move to the

shark area and ray along the way you will find a

few tanks where you can reach in and get to touch

a few of the locals

Mote also had a nice display on the Megalodon

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 15

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

ndash the prehistoric shark that was well over 50 feet long

with teeth as large as your fist

A quick walk across the parking lot brought us to the

building holding their other large exhibits

A few different sea turtles were swimming about as

well as Hugh and Buffett ndash two large and impressive

manatees

A large outdoor pool held lsquoMoonshinersquo Motersquos res-

ident dolphin who was rescued after it beached and

was found drying out and sunburned

He seems happy enough but personally we think he

needs a friend We were told that Mote is next on the

list for such a companion

While we visited Mote had a special attraction called

lsquoSurvivorsrsquo which featured some of the oddest marine and fresh water ani-

mals and the very unique way they survive in the wild ndash from deadly poison

to killer punches to simply looking like a rock and hoping for the best ndash it

was a fascinating display as was the entire aquarium

If you get hungry you can drop by their Deep Sea Diner where you can

enjoy dining al-fresco or inside the casual retro rsquo50s-style diner complete

with an old-fashioned soda fountain The lively cafeacute offers a fun affordable

family-style menu including chili and chowder burgers and dogs veggie

burgers and fresh salads chicken fingers and fries And donrsquot forget dessert

hand-dipped ice cream shakes amp sundaes

We thought wersquod spend a quick hour there but ended up happily spending

the afternoon

Mote might not be the biggest but it surely made up for its size with quality

and interesting and informative displays

Page 16 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 906-9292

Find Us on Facebook bull SportHondanet

hondacom UTILITY ATVs ARE RECOMMENDED FOR RIDERS 16 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER TRX90X IS RECOMMENDED ONLY FOR RIDERS12 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER RIDERS UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE MUST BE SUPERVISED BY AN ADULT ATVs CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO OPER-ATE ALL ATV RIDERS SHOULD TAKE A TRAINING COURSE (FREE FOR NEW BUYERS ASK YOUR DEALER OR CALL ASI AT 800-887-2887) ANDREAD THEIR OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND APPROPRIATE CLOTHING AVOID EXCESSIVESPEEDS AND BE CAREFUL ON DIFFICULT TERRAIN FOR YOUR SAFETY BE RESPONSIBLE NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGSOR ALCOHOL ON PAVED SURFACES ON PUBLIC ROADS WITH PASSENGERS OR AT EXCESSIVE SPEEDS NO STUNT RIDING RESPECT THEENVIRONMENT WHEN RIDING TRXreg and Rancherreg are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1114)

Whether itrsquos hard work

or time to play

Sport Honda has the

ATV to fit your lifestyle

Be prepared - Come in

Today for your

Winter utility needs

Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 491-2900

Find Us on Facebook bull CrossCountryPowersportscom

Cross Country Powersportsis now taking deposits for theNinja H2Rtrade and H2tradeExperience unforgettable supercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2trade motorcycle theworldrsquos only supercharged productionhypersport streetbike

The BridGewATer TriAnGle

is This The sTrAnGesT sPoT in The norTheAsT

Located just 30 miles south of Boston this 200-mile square area has the

Massachusetts towns of Abington Freetown and Rehoboth at its angles The

town of Bridgewater is located nearly dead center within the triangle and the

area also encompasses six other Massachusetts towns Raynham Taunton

Brockton Mansfield Norton and Easton including the Hockomock Swamp

It is known as the Bridgewater Triangle

It seems if it is paranormal weird or mysterious it has happened in the Tri-

angle of the years

Let us start with one of the

first odd things found in the

region

It was in this area that the

first officially documented

petroglyph in the United

States was found - Dighton

Rock This 40 ton boulder

was discovered by original

settlers and has always

caused questions and wonder

of who made these mysteri-

ous markings and why

In fact in 1690 Rev Cotton Mather described the rock in his book The

Wonderful Works of God Commemorated

ldquoAmong the other Curiosities of New-England one is that of a mighty

Rock on a perpendicular side whereof by a River which at High Tide covers

part of it there are very deeply Engraved no man alive knows How or When

about half a score Lines near Ten Foot Long and a foot and half broad filled

with strange Characters which would

suggest as odd Thoughts about them that

were here before us as there are odd

Shapes in that Elaborate Monumentrdquo

The boulder was moved in 1980 to the

museum in a nearby park Dighton Rock State Park in order to protect and

preserve this part of Americarsquos strange history

Strangely marked boulders were not the beginning of the mystery of the

Bridgewater Triangle

Years back a group of archeologists discovered a native burial mound on

Grassy Island in the swamp These graves were dated to 6000 BC

Strange lights have been

reported on this island and

across the triangle and one

of the first documented

UFO sighting came from

here when on May 10

1760 villagers in two

towns 50 miles away stared

in wonder at a ldquoSphere of

Firerdquo that slowly made its

way across the sky

The next day both townsrsquo newspapers reported the phenomena in their edi-

tions According to historical records the UFO emitted light bright enough

to cast a shadow in bright sunlight The sound made by the object ldquooddly

enough was heard sooner at the middle of the course it took than at the be-

ginningrdquo

You canrsquot really have such an eclectic gathering of odd in a place like this

in Mysterious America without a few good Yeti sightings

Over the years all sorts of ldquoSwamp Monstersrdquo have been sighted and in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 17

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

April 1970 it was reported that a ldquoBigfootrdquo

picked up a rear of a police car in which sat

two surprised police officers

Police dogs have been used time and again but

Bigfoot is an elusive fellow

I have always believed the Jersey Devil is a

Pterosaurs of some kind and here around the

Bridgewater Triangle huge black prehistoric-look-

ing birds with a wingspan of between eight and

twelve feet have been reported time and again in-

cluding a report by Norton Police Sergeant Thomas

Downy

Indian Curses abound as well and along Route

44 in Rehoboth lies the boulder known as Anawan

Rock It is said that it was here that the Wampanoag

chief Anawan surrendered to the colonists thus

ending King Philiprsquos War According to local be-

liefs the angry spirits of the warriors captured that

day continue to haunt the spot

Extremely large snakes and alligators have been

found in the swamp along with other creatures that are totally out of place

In the late 1800rsquos bones of a giant were unearthed

Every which way you look or travel in the area you will find something

strange In fact I have a quick list of odd things found in the

Bridgewater Triangle for you

Next time yoursquore looking to spend a few days exploring Mys-

terious America take a ride around the Bridgewater Triangle You

just might end up sending me an email telling me you spotted ahellip

OrsquoLife Out

Ten odd ThinGs found in The BridGewATer TriAnGle

1 The longest epitaph in the United States is located in a Rehoboth

cemetery A full 405 words

2 Three PT Barnum circus ldquofreaksrdquo hailed from here including

Middlebororsquos Tom Thumb and East Bridgewaterrsquos ldquoThe Human

Skeletonrdquo

3 The first boundary line in the United States is located in Abing-

ton at the Bridgewater Trianglersquos furthest most delineated northern

map point

4 A historic 40-foot tall Hood milk bottle in Raynham (now a

restaurant) is the (triplet) sister to famous the ldquoMilk Bottlerdquo at the

Boston Childrenrsquos museum

5 In 1906 bones of ldquoa giantrdquo were discovered in Middleboro

6 Alligators seals emu peacocks cow moose bears Africal

Sevral panthers and mountain lions have all been found in the

Bridgewater Triangle

7 There are both handprints and footprints imbedded into several

Bridgewater Triangle boulders handprints in Middleboro foot-

prints in Norton

8 Dighton Rock is the first documented petroglyph in the United

States

9 The chocolate chip cookie was invented in the happiest of ac-

cidents in the northern apex of the Bridgewater Triangle

10 The Bridgewater Triangle is host to the worldrsquos only shovel

museum located in Easton

Page 18 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

290 Route 100 West Dover VT800-745-3615 bull wwwgrayghostinncom

Motorcyclist-Friendly Destination LodgingLocated on Scenic Route 100 in Southern VermontHot breakfast cooked to order BYOB bar firepit hot tub game room and WiFi

Free Maps and Suggested Rides Group Special Packages5 restaurantsbars within walking distance bull On-site Group Dinners available

MemberWhen you canrsquot ride because of snow ride the snow

Guided Back-Country Snowmobile Toursin the Green Mountain National Forest

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

mounTAineer hoTel

31 eAsT second Avenue williAmson wv

304-235-2222 bull wwwmounTAineerhoTelcom

Laying right on the Tug Fork River across from the

Blue Grass state of Kentucky one will find the tiny town

of Williamson West Virginia Williamson has a long

history mostly revolving around the coal industry

Here you will find a rather large rail yard now part

of the Norfolk Southern built to service the many mines

found in and around this part of West Virginia and Ken-

tucky

In 1974 a United States Army Corps of Engineer

planner described the region as having the most severe

flooding problem in America

In 1977 after many days of steady hard rain the Tug

Fork and adjoining streams began

a constant and quick rise As had

happened in the past the town ex-

perienced incredible flooding

Today a floodwall protects

Williamson from future wet havoc

A huge part of this regionrsquos local

lore and history is the famed home

of the feud between the Hatfields

and McCoys probably the most

famous family fight in US history

The first event in the decades-

long feud was the 1865 murder of

Randolphrsquos brother Asa Harmon

McCoy by the Logan Wildcats a local militia group

that counted Devil Anse and other Hatfields among its

members Many peoplemdasheven members of his own

familymdashregarded Asa Harmon who had served in the

Union Army during the American Civil War as a trai-

tor While some have surmised that his murder set the

stage for the feud most historians now see this inci-

dent as a standalone event

Relations between the two families continued to

sour over the next decade before flaring again over a

seemingly small matter a dispute over a single hog

In 1878 Randolph McCoy accused Floyd Hatfield a

cousin of Devil Anse of stealing one of his pigs a

valuable commodity in the poor region Floyd Hat-

fieldsrsquos trial took place in McCoy territory but was

presided over by a cousin of Devil Anse It hinged on

the testimony of star witness Bill Staton a McCoy rel-

ative married to a Hatfield Staton testified in Floyd

Hatfieldrsquos favor and the McCoys were infuriated when

Floyd was cleared of the charges against him Two

years later Staton was violently killed in a fracas with

Sam and Paris McCoy nephews of Randolph Sam stood trial for the

murder but was acquitted for self-defense reasons

Things went south from there and an American legacy was born

In and around the town you will find much on this feud

In the center of town you will find The Coal House now the home

of the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce

Weighing in at 65 tons with 2 ft thick walls itrsquos the only coal house

made entirely of coal Built in 1933 it was designed by architect HT

Hicks from an idea by O W Evans It was constructed from blocks

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 19

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

of local seam coal donated by coal companies in the region

Right next door to The Coal House you will find the historic

Mountaineer Hotel The large classic-revival 5-story yellow-

glazed brick building dominates the center of town and offers

a look and reason to step back into the past

Built in 1925 the Mountaineer hotel has had its share of fa-

mous guests with JFK Paul Newman Jerry Lee Lewis Henry

Ford and others- including the great Soupy Sales - staying here

overnight

In fact all the rooms are named after famous and infamous

guests that have walked through its doors

Later in the evening we walked all five flights to see just

who did stay there

The main entrance leads to a large lobby and the front desk

with pigeonhole boxes for room keys and a teller window

French doors lead to the ballroom The hotel has 116 rooms

for guests a formal ballroom a lobby restaurant and sports bar

(which were not open this day) and the lower level has a num-

ber of games ndash including Fooz ball pool

and a large regulation-sized shuffle board

game that kept us occupied for about an

hour

Sometimes we find places from this era

a bit run down but the Mountaineer hotel

is a gem

Just one look at the grand lobby and you

will know this is true and with rooms less

than $75 for the night quite the deal too

We took Paul Newmanrsquos room and it

couldnrsquot have been nicer

Unpacking and strolling around town

which was quiet on a Monday night was a

pleasant distraction after a dayrsquos worth of

hard miles through the mountains of West

Virginia and Kentucky

When traveling around the United States

you can almost always find a chain hotel at

any exit or bigger town but why would you

want to when wonderful old beauties like

the Mountaineer Hotel in Williamson West

Virginia are around

Page 20 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Tony Lisanti

Eye protection for off road use consists of

the tried and true goggle The goggle

wraps around the helmet and seals to

your face in the helmet opening

Traditional goggles

consist of a urethane

based flexible frame

with various types of

foam material that

seal directly against

the forehead and cheeks

and nose keeping out wind and

dirt Being the helmet has a limited opening

goggles have had to fit inside this space limiting the field of vision

This type of goggle has been the norm for last half century with

all kinds of innovations in frame lens and foam materials

Enter ZOWA Optics Visor Goggles ZOWA Optics was founded

in 2013 Their goal is to offer unique goggles to off-road dirt bike

ATV and snowmobile riders The Vermont based company has

come up with a goggle that eliminates many of the drawbacks of

a traditional off road goggle The Visor Goggles are designed so

the upper half seals against the helmet rather than the forehead

The lower half of the goggle rests against the face By developing

the goggle in this way the field of view is dramatically increased and the

issue of having foam in contact with the skin on the forehead is eliminated

I had the opportunity to try out the Visor Goggles at a local practice track

recently The first thing I noticed was the size of the Visor Goggles They are

about twice the size of a traditional goggle They install on a helmet the same

way as traditional goggles except instead of resting against the forehead they

seal against the helmet under the visor Most noticeable was the lack

of ldquonose pinchrdquo and the vastly improved vision The Visor Goggle

drastically reduces the claustrophobic feel of traditional goggles as

there is more distance between the inside of the goggle and your face

The feel is more like an adventure helmet

After riding with them for an hour or two on an MX track I found

the improved field of vision to be a welcome change Riding with the

Visor Goggles allowed better vision up down and sideways I did no-

tice a bit more air coming in from the flow through design and from

underneath the seal against my check bones at speed During warm

weather this would be welcome in cold weather not so much Ad-

justing the strap tension has an affect on goggle to face contact Skin

contact with the typical sweatmudgrungefunk mix that gets en-

crusted on the foam is minimized since

the foam is resting against the helmet

rather than the forehead

They cleaned up well and showed no

signs of scratching on the lenses stain-

ing of the frames or discoloration de-

spite a liberal dosage of mud and water

The ZOWA Visor Goggle features in-

clude being rated for OTG (Over The

Glasses) by virtue of the greater clear-

ance between goggle and face a Hel-

met conformed design improved field

of view Lexan lens with anti-fog coating comfort foam and flow through

ventilation The strap features a silicon strip to help it stay put on the helmet

Accessory lenses and tear-off lenses are available All goggles come with a

micro fiber storage bag as well The off road goggles retail for $5800 and

are available in black red of cyan frame colors wwwzowaopticscom

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

BUILT BEYOND BELIEFINTRODUCING THE KAWASAKI

Come to Motorcycle Mall to reserve your Ninja H2trade

by December 19 and experience unforgettablesupercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2 motorcycle the worldrsquos onlysupercharged production hypersport streetbike

H2

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pantsgloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Mo-torcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environmentFor furher information regarding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 Specifi-cations subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspired R1 everFrom the advanced lsquorider activersquo electronicspackage to the powerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Supersport bike andfactory MotoGP has never been more blurred

COMPLETELY NEW

FROM THE TRACK UP

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 21

PRODUCT REVIEWZOWA OPTICS VISOR GOGGLES

Great All American Diner RunAs always wersquoll start with our most popular column the Great All American Diner Run Wait is it really We just might have a new fan fa-vorite but wersquoll save that till later First letrsquos take a look at the top three for GAADR 2014hellip

SECOND RUNNER UP bull RIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST2378 ROUTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770 bull 845-557-0097 bull RIVERUNNERSROOSTCOM

Route 97 along the scenic Delaware River has long been a favorite of motorcyclists for years and

over the years the road has seen a number of restaurants open their doors along its picturesque miles

The latest is the River Runnerrsquos Roost

Opened by Rich and Mary Codichini back in 2013 this place quickly became a favorite of ours

and many others They bill themselves as a barbeque steakhouse with a touch of Cajun and Italian

We call it phenomenal with one of the best barbeques in the region and gumbo to go to war over

If you havenrsquot tried the ldquoRoostrdquo then make plans for riding their way in the spring

FIRST RUNNER UP bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784 bull 603- 298-5515 bull 4ACESDINERCOM

Located just up the hill from the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River in the town of

Lebanon the Four Aces is the real deal A true Great All-American Diner Their

menu is huge interesting and delicious The ambience is pure Americana and the

roads leading to and from the Four Aces straddling Vermont and New Hampshire

are hard to top They have pro smokers going outside right along their picnic tables

but we found a seat at the counter worked just fine for us

Our only problem with Four Aces is that they are almost exactly 301 miles from

where we type this They should consider northern New Jersey

The Four Aces is a must see do and eat while in the Dartmouth region and just

missed out on our top honor for this yearrsquos vote

And so without further adohellip

1ST PLACE GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN 2014 bull FIVE ISLANDS LOBSTER COMPANY1447 5 ISLANDS RD GEORGETOWN ME 04548 bull 207-371-2990 bull FIVEISLANDSLOBSTERCOM

Location location location Besides have a superb down to Earth feel a great staff scrumptious food

and a wonderful coastal Maine flavor ndash The Five Islands Lobster Company has a serious location

Did we mention where it is

Located on a working fishing wharf it is surrounded by the ldquocoldest and deepest waters on the coastrdquo

There be some serious lobstarsquo lurking here abouts and it is best when they find their final way to

Five Islands You can have these big bugs anyway you like but we took a bullet for all of you and

went and ordered The Big Boy Stuffed with twice the amount of lobster meat than your average

lobster roll it was our pleasure to tackle this monster as best we could

Wait ndash just thinking of it all on this cold November day has us in a statehellip

They do serve a good number of other seafood favorites as well as more land-based standards but

who wants that when you can have the quintessential Maine treat on a wooden bench and table

alongside one of the prettiest bays in New England

This is why the Five Islands Lobster Company slid into the 1 spot in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

Big City GetawayBig City Getaway has always been about a great destination So many of

us roll the bikes out of the garage and then say ldquoWhere tordquo That is where this monthly favoritecomes in and here are our best of Big City Getaway 2015

2ND RUNNER UP bull MUSTANG FACTORYTOUR4 SPRINGFIELD STREET SUITE 1 THREE RIVERS MA 01080 bull 800-243-1392 bull MUSTANGSEATSCOM

They are one of the largest motorcycle seat manufacturers on the planet and they would be happy to show you around

We did a tour this last summer and found just how much talent vision and workmanship goes into creating some of

the most distinctive and comfortable motorcycle seats you can find

Page 22 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Best of Backroads 2014Once again this planet we ride has completed another lap around our sun and it is time for us to look back on the season and the veryBest of BackroadsIf we said 2013 was ldquointerestingrdquo we would be hard pressed to describe this past year of 2014For sure last year brought us thousands of great miles and lots of smiles interesting destinations and a few great Backroads Ralliesbut some darkness and loss along the journey for our Backroads family as wellStill looking back we had some phenomenal places we found stories we told and friends with which we have ridden The Italian poet Cesare Pavese said ldquoWe do not remember days we remember momentsrdquoThis year ndash 2014 ndash we had our share of moments Letrsquos look back at some in the Best of Backroads 2014

The tour is open to riding groups and takes a little over an hour and a half We recommend that you make an

appointment and guarantee you will have an informative and fun day with our friends at Mustang seats

1ST RUNNER UP bull COASTAL BOTANICAL GARDENS32 BOTANICAL GARDENS DR BOOTHBAY ME 04537 bull 207-633-4333 bull MAINEGARDENSORG

This project took nearly 17 years planning planting and building before its opening in June of 2007 and today

the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens comprises 270 acres of tidal shore land thousands of flowers plants

and botanical oddities Interspersed amongst the natural beauty you will find dozens of sculptures that

only add to an already stunning venue Rarely has a visitor spent some time at the Coastal Botanical

Gardens and not wanted to return as soon as possible

It is simple to see why this easily took our First Runner Up spot

1ST PLACE BIG CITY GETAWAY 2014 FIVE STAR GENERAL STORES bull NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY

This article from our October issue embodied a little bit of everything we might look for in a Big

City Getaway It had local history interesting stops (5 of them) food ice cream and it was all

woven together with some of the neatest roads in northern New Jersey ndash a riding jewel for those

who have never been so lucky Running along to five different and historic General Stores this day

trip just kept getting better Know that we just scratched the surface and that these General Stores from

the past can be found all around the nation But for this time around it was this adventure that was

called 1 for Big City Getaway 2014

(Note as of this printing the Stillwater General Store has closed but is still worth the ride-by for the

roads and historic value)

Wersquore Outta HereThe great thing that we riders have over the more boring people out there is that our tripsand adventures happen the moment we roll out of our driveways and onto the roadOvernight trips are like mini-vacations for the soul and are most likely the reason they sayyou never see a motorcycle outside a psychiatrist office unless it belongs to the shrinkWersquore Outta Here is all about that ndash places to go and enjoy whether it be a group coupleor on your ownLetrsquos see what we think were our top three for 2014

2ND RUNNER UP bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 E MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854 bull 814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGEPACOM

Shira found this hide-away full of coffee awesomeness when we were to attend the ALTRider adventure

ride early this summer in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania The lodge is part of the coffee house and

although the room we had was a tad small it was well thought out and just added to the coolness of the

entire place We had the Penns Creek Room with its lsquoloft-stylersquo bed and rock wall shower Each morning

the aroma from the coffee shop downstairs was like a Sirenrsquos call and had us highly motivated to carefully

spring out of bed (well it was a loft and there was a drop) There were also great muffins and cakes to go along with the coffee

Millheim is well located with a great combination of fantastic riding both paved and not and has a few eateries within strolling distance (compared to walking

or marching distance) We liked everything about the Triple Creek Lodge ndash the smell the flavor and the quirkiness

1ST RUNNER UP bull INDIAN ROCK INN2206 RIVER RD UPPER BLACK EDDY PA 18972 bull 610-982-9600 bull INDIANROCKINNCOM

GPS Download wwwsendspacecomprodlen7u7kAlong the PA-side of the Delaware River just north of Jerseyrsquos Milford in a place where the river

crooks dramatically and heads north for a bit you will find a great local treasure - the Indian Rock

Inn Tucked underneath what are called the Pennsylvania Palisades and along both river and old

canal the Indian Rock is the complete package

After a day of fun riding to and around the region you can park the bikes grab your room and

shower and make your way to the very friendly bar The Barking Dog Grab a cocktail and me-

ander to the very comfortable large porch take a seat and watch the world go by After the sun

sets a delicious gourmet meal is just steps away Perhaps a night cap and then upstairs to end a

prefect day With all that it is easy to see how the Indian Rock grabbed first runner up in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

1ST PLACEWErsquoRE OUTTA HERE 2014 bull QUODDY HEAD STATION823 SOUTH LUBEC RD LUBEC ME 04652 bull 877-535-4714 bull QUODDYVACATIONCOM

Most times we are all for suggesting you sleep in a bit longer at any of our Wersquore Outta Here destinations but here at Quoddy Head

Station we urge - no insist ndash that you get up before the dawn so you can be the first in the United States to see the sun rise over the At-

lantic from the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse - just a 2 minute ride to the east

Here in the most north and east point of the United States life does not get much better

The rooms and views cannot be beat and the surrounding area with its little coves Reversing Falls State Park Rooseveltrsquos Campobello

cottage (actually in Canada) and the very coastal Maine town of Lebec with its large number of seafood restaurants nautical shops and

vistas are hard to beat anywhere else in the world When we travelled in the area

we rode under a giant orange full moon that rose over the bay at low tide

It was eerie and stunning all at the same time

One of those moments we talked about earlier Quoddy Head Station has to be one

of the most interesting and geographically perfect places we have traveled to in

many years and easily made its way to the 1st place spot for Wersquore Outta Here 2014

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 23

Mysterious AmericaAlways one of the perennial favorites for our readers is the odd wacky and off-beat destinations that our own Dr Seymour OrsquoLife brings

to us each month This year was no different and the choices to be made for the TopThree were very tight for the good doctor but undaunted our hero carried on and cameup with the short list So letrsquos get to it

2ND RUNNER UP bull ISLE OFWIGHT COUNTY MUSEUM103 MAIN ST SMITHFIELD VA 23430 bull 757-356-1223 bull HISTORICISLEOFWIGHTCOM

You remember this place ndash home of the Worldrsquos Oldest Ham It belonged to PD Gwaltney Jr

It had its beginnings in 1902 when a cured ham was accidentally hung from rafters in one Gwaltneyrsquos

houses until it was discovered by workers By 1924 the pet ham was kept in an iron safe which was

opened daily for guests to view Advertised as the worldrsquos oldest Smithfield ham Gwaltney fashioned

a brass collar for the ham and took it to shows and expos to exhibit the preservative powers of his

smoking method The ham was featured in Ripleyrsquos ldquoBelieve It Or Notrdquo in 1929 1932 and 2003 and

more importantly in Backroads in May of 2014 For sure the museum holds so much more but Sey-

mour could never get past the ham Neither could we

1ST RUNNER UP bull THE CULPER SPY RINGThis was the first multi-month piece by the minions of mystery and we spent three

full months searching for the real story on George Washingtonrsquos Culper Spy Ring

From its beginning with the hanging of Nathan Hale in what is now mid-town Man-

hattan to the desolation of being held on a prison ship in an East River Bay in Brook-

lyn - where we had the largest battle of our Revolutionary War Then on to the Culper

Spies themselves and the web they wove from Setauket Long Island across the

Sound to Connecticut and into New York and Philadelphia These men and woman

(nobody really knows who this lady was) changed the course of history It was then

onto treachery traitors and sex ndashwith the story of Benedict Arnold his wife Peggy

Shippen and her lover Major John Andrersquo and our own West Point Escape capture

and the gallows all played a part in this true story of our local American history

Mysterious Americarsquos history has never been so much fun

1ST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2014 bull THE TRANS-ALLEGHENY LUNATIC ASYLUM71 ASYLUM DR WESTON WV 26452 bull 304-269-5070 bull TRANS-ALLEGHENYLUNATICASYLUMCOM

When we first rode up to this massive 27-acre facility Shira who had no idea where or why we were there shook her head and simply asked why

The asylum stands like a monstrous stone beast dominating the ground It is the second largest hand-hewn bluestone building on the planet with only Russiarsquos

Kremlin surpassing it But it is the feel and aura that surround and linger around this building

that will tell you the real story of the place

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum also known as the We-

ston State Hospital was a Kirkbride psychiatric hospital that

operated from 1864 until 1994 Like many Kirkbridge hospi-

tals it started out with a noble idea but soon became overrun

with patients lack of proper care and some of the saddest and

scariest tales were heard here on the tour The place is massive and to walk the halls would literally take miles

The place is reportedly full of ghosts and very bad things from the other side One look at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

and you will have a hard time denying that claim Shira will never go back and it was one of the few times that she was seriously

ldquocreeped outrdquo Her words ndash not ours

With that being said you surely must agree that a visit to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum easily ranks as our 1st place for

our Mysterious America 2014

MomentsIt was April 10 of this past year when the phone here at Backroads rang Answering it I could hear the voice of a friend Dave on the farend ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo I asked ldquohow are yourdquoDaversquos voice trembled and broke ldquoJeff Bahr was killed today on his bikerdquoIn that moment everything stopped It remained stopped for a long time Sometimes it still doesA month or so later well after Jeffrsquos service and cremation Shira and I found ourselves at the spot where this happened We talked tothe young man who was tending his barbecue pit which he was stoking for the dayrsquos lunch He was there when the driver pulled out ofhis general storersquos parking lot without even a glance He sadly but kindly told us of that momentJeff had simply been riding down a wide country road when an 86-year old man pulled out in front of him Although rubber on the roadshowed Jeff tried to avoid the car it was too little too late and he was killed on impactI have no idea what happened to the old man after this event But regardless he has to live with his inattentiveness and actions for therest of his life So do many of usWe do not remember days we remember momentsThat day was made up of a moment we will never forgetThe weekend I wrote this Jeff if hersquod survived would have been 57 He would have had dozens more stories made us laugh a dozenmore times would have made this magazine a dozen times betterJeff I hope you know that so many of us miss you so muchTo you all enjoy and savor all your moments Life is made up of them and eventually one of those moments will hurt

Page 24 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Shirarsquos Ice Cream RunLast year we introduce a semi-monthly some of the time if she felt like it column ndashShirarsquos Ice Cream Run It seems to everybody but the red head that this column hasbecome a huge hit and we have had more comments and suggestions for the IceCream Runs than anything else within memory So think sweet creamy and cold andletrsquos see what Shira thought were on the top three stops of 2014rsquos Ice Cream Runs

2ND RUNNER UP bull HOLSTENrsquoS CONFECTIONARY1603 BROAD ST BLOOMFIELD NJ 07003 bull 973-338-7091 bull WWWHOLSTENSCOM

Immortalized on celluloid in the Sopranosrsquo final episode Holstenrsquos Confectionary has so much more

to offer than their souvenir t-shirts from said show A true old-time ice cream parlor Holstenrsquos home-

made ice cream and confections will win the hearts of any true lover of sweets Taking a seat at the

counter should bring back memories of visits to Woolworthrsquos and once the delicious dairyness is

placed in front of you complete with homemade whipped cream you will think you are in a

dream Holstenrsquos has the whole package ndash premium product comfortable setting and take-home

delights With its 2nd Runner Up status truly one of my favorites of this yearrsquos ice cream stops

1ST RUNNER UP bull CAYUGA LAKE CREAMERY8421 NY 89 INTERLAKEN NY 14847 bull 607-532-9492 bull WWWCAYUGALAKECREAMERYCOM

Nestled in the idyllic Finger Lakes the Cayuga Lake Creamery offers up some of the most in-

ventive flavors Irsquove seen including wine ice cream and sorbet (best of both worlds Irsquod say)

Sitting on their outdoor deck savoring your Maple Bacon or Lavender cone on a warm summer

day ndash what could be better than that

While the Finger Lakes may not offer the most challenging of rides the scenery is beautiful and

the gorges are well gorgeous I canrsquot think of a much better day than meandering around the

Fingers with a late afternoon stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery Their 14 butterfat mixture and only the best of locally sourced

ingredients produce some of the finest creamiest ice creams around Do yourself a favor and spin your wheels to this part of

NY state for a weekend of indulgence as their terrific flavors will keep you coming back day after day

1ST PLACE SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN bull HALLrsquoS HOMEMADE ICE CREAM861 RACCOONVALLEY RD MILLERSTOWN PA 17062

717-589-3290 bull WWWHALLSICECREAMCOM

I found this gem in the middle of the Alleghenies while Brian was off riding in the forest with the

ALTRider group Having grabbed the 1st Place spot in this yearrsquos Ice Cream Run you know Hallrsquos

Homemade Ice Cream and Dairy has to be something pretty special

While their flavor offerings may not be as exotic as Cayuga Lake the quality is heavenly Their

signature flavor and one I had not tasted before is their honey ice cream coming in a variety of

mixtures such as chocolate butter pecan and my personal favorite cinnamon Hallrsquos has a couple

of outdoor tables where you can take in the full dairy effect while licking your cone If that is too

overwhelming they have a very nice indoor seating area complete with air conditioning

The riding in this part of Pennsylvania is quite exciting with elevation changes sweepers and

twisties and for those desiring an off-road adventure plenty of woodlands to test your knobbies

What do all three of these winners have in common other than fantastic ice cream They are all

open all year long so if you happen to be out and about in Bloomfield NJ Interlaken NY or Miller-

stown PA make sure you plan a stop at one of the top three spots on Shirarsquos 2014 Ice Cream Run

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 25

Rip amp Ridereg bull RIVER RUNNERS ROOST2378 RTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770

845-557-0097 bull WWWRIVERRUNNERSROOSTCOMSEASONAL HOURS - CALL BEFORE HEADING OUT

CR 560 IN SUSSEX COUNTY NJCROSS DINGMANS BRIDGE bull $1 TOLLSTRAIGHT ON RTE 739RIGHT AT MILFORD RDLEFT AT RAYMONDSKILL RDCROSS OVER I-84HARD LEFT ON US 6QUICK RIGHT ONTOTWIN LAKES RDRIGHT AT RTE 434CROSS RIVER TO NEWYORKRIGHT AT RTE 97 SOUTHRIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST DOWN ROAD ON LEFT HAND SIDE

Rip amp Ridereg bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784603- 298-5515 bull WWW4ACESDINERCOM

GPS DOWNLOAD WWWSENDSPACECOMPRODLXXTWXB90-MILE ONEWAY ROUTE FROM THEWEST DOVER VERMONT REGION

BIG BEARS LODGE GRAY GHOST AND KITZHOF INN

RTE 100 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT RTE 35RIGHT AT RTE 121LEFT AT RTE 5CROSS INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE ndash ARCH BRIDGELEFT AT RTE 12 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 120LEFT AT RTE 4 WEST LEBANONFOUR ACES DOWN ON THE LEFT

TAylorrsquos ice creAm PArlor

18 e mAin sT chesTer nJ bull 908-879-5363

What to do on the first sub-freezing day in November Go for ice cream

of course I was hanging out with the good doctor OrsquoLife and best friend

Brian when OrsquoLife told us of this place that grows telephone poles Having

my doubts about most of what OrsquoLife tells me I asked him to prove it So

off we went to the quaint little town of Chester New Jersey

After a pleasant lunch at the Publick House complete with real wood

burning fireplace we trekked down the road a piece found said telephone

pole farm (for another column of course) and started our return to Back-

roads Central Lo and behold right before the turn onto Route 206 there

sat Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor in the nicest old building on the block We

got our spot and headed in to find well no one but Justin in a very toasty

old fashioned ice cream parlor I do think that he was surprised to see us

or anyone on such a cold day

Taylorrsquos has apparently been an ice cream institution in

Chester for the last 50 years or so founded by Mr Earle G

Taylor Sr who just passed this August Taylorrsquos was the vic-

tim of fire some time in 2013 and was closed for a good 8

months before reopening in the same spot with applause

from their long-time fans and customers Their ice cream is

all home made and always has been On a hot summer day

you will no doubt be lined up out the door and down the

block to get this tasty treat but Irsquom certain you will find it

worth the wait I think their pricing is quite reasonable for

the size scoop they dip and if you are like me and want a sam-

pling of several flavors they offer Kiddie Scoops at $195

each ndash a flight of ice cream sounds like the perfect end-of-

ride relaxation

We perused the two very full ice cream boards and poured

over the cabinets before making our decisions With close to

50 listed flavors what was a girl to do without minions to help her taste test We finally settled on chocolate hazelnut toasted coconut salted caramel and

vanilla fudge brownie I pretty much always opt for a cup as I savor my ice cream and it would run down my arm before I was even close to finishing but I was

almost tempted by their pretzel cone What is so great about Taylorrsquos cones is the plastic drip cup in which they reside both sanitary and mess-preventing

Page 26 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIYamahacom bull 516-935-6969

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE

SPORT TOURERIntroducing the most performancepower versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle From commutingand exploring backroads to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaharsquos un-mistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

While enjoying our treats we savored

the deacutecor of this very pleasant parlor Sev-

eral tables to enjoy your ice cream clip-

pings of newspaper articles school

paraphernalia and something that has no

place in an ice cream parlor an old-fash-

ioned fortune telling scale This couldnrsquot

possibly still be functioning could it Ac-

cording to Justin yes it was How could we

resist In went our pennies and up popped

our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked

the weight numbers) Brianrsquos read lsquoYou are

not overbearing but generally have things

your wayrsquo Wow I couldnrsquot wait to see if

mine was as accurate ldquoYou look to the fu-

ture rather than the pastrsquo So true

Back to the ice cream ndash it

was heavenly We all agreed

that the salted caramel was the

overall winner having the per-

fect balance of salt and

caramel with the best creamy

texture The toasted coconut

was very flavorful with lots of

coconut bits the chocolate

hazelnut was very dark and

creamy and mixed with the coconut made the perfect almond-free almond

joy The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole but cer-

tainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store

I believe Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round but if yoursquore head-

ing over during the winter months give them a call to make sure Enjoy the

winter and remember itrsquos never too cold to eat ice cream

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield PA

215-712-7433 bull wwwBMWMotorcyclescom

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

THE NEW R 1200 RA POWERFUL STATEMENT

Our newest boxer roadster has one missiondominate the streets in style The R 1200 Ris designed to blend comfort precisehandling and pure riding excitementhellipin one head-turning machine

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW R 1200 RSTHRILLING COMFORT

The new R 1200 RS is perfectly balancedcombining optimal wind and weather protectionwith powerful performance and controlPutting you in an unparalleled position toexplore the road - and your own limits

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW S 1000 RRWELCOME TO THENEW PLANET POWER

The S 1000 RR has been completely revisedThe results in its origins a genuine Double RRon the road a new supersports machine thatwill once again set the benchmark in its class

UNSTOPPABLE SPORT

WHAT lsquoRrsquo YOU WAITING FORCome to Montgomeryville Cycle Center to see the full line of 2015 BMW Motorcycles products and apparel

We have everything yoursquoll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever

Motorcyclepedia the northeastrsquos

premier motorcycle museum will

be holding its Speaker Series again

this winter with various riders and

orators covering topics ranging

from world touring to tips on avoiding tickets and an in depth look at GPS

technology and todayrsquos motorcycling

Backroadsrsquo own Brian amp Shira will start the series off with a talk on Jan-

uary 17 on lsquoThe Big Fiversquo motorcycle destinations around the planet along

with planning and touring around the United States and the world

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who

will help clear the fog about Garmin GPSrsquos and how their BaseCamp program

works along with how to create and export your own personal routes

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on ldquoEverything you need to know

on Motorcycles and the Lawrdquo - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper po-

lice procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists

Seth Simpson of Motorcycle training Solutions will be giving a seminar

on Rider Training

Motorcyclistmoto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about

Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys

Look for a Womenrsquos Riding Panel with some well-known female motor-

cyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing todayrsquos women

riders This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and

beginning women riders

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months

and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to

enlighten

Wersquoll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page

as soon as they are etched in stone

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh New York in the

riding heart of the Hudson Valley

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 27

A DAY AT THE MUSEUMlsquoSPEAKER SERIESrsquo RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Frankrsquos MotorcycleSales amp Service

120 Center RoadEssex VT 05451

802-878-3930wwwFranksMotorcycleSalescomBMWhtm

Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY845-357-1190

wwwLocomotionPowersportscom

LOCOMOTION POWER-

SPORTS138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY

845-357-1190

Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

SUSSEX MOTORSPORTS446 Route 23 bull Sussex NJ bull Located across from the AampP Shopping Plaza

973-875-3640 bull wwwsussexmotorsportsnjcombull Family OwnedOperated in Northwest NJ bull Near the NYPA border

bull Wide selection of onoff road apparel jackets helmets gloves and boots

bull Qualified Service Technicians with over 30 years combined experienceto perform all your Yamaha authorized service

Wheel Sport Center Inc399 HUGUeNOT ST bull NeW ROCHeLLe NY

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JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

2015 Kawasaki Concoursreg14 ABSThe ultimate backroad SuperSport Tourer

The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 491-2900

wwwCrossCountryPowersportscom

Visit us at the NY Boat ShowJan 21-25 bull Javits Center

NJ Boat Sales amp ExpoFeb 20-23

NJ Conv amp Expo Ctr Edisonfor Exclusive Show Specials

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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serving new Jersey new york and Pennsylvania bull ATv bull Jet ski bull snowmobile

memBer

memBer

Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

JDS CYCLE PARTSeST 1988

247 W Westfield Ave Rosell Park NJ908-245-2445

bull Parts amp Accessories

bull Award-winning Service

bull Performance Work

bull Dyno Tuning

bull SampS Pro Tuning Center

bull Power CommanderTuning Center

American bull Metric bull Sport

Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 10: January 2015 Backroads

BERgEN COUNTY HARLEY-DAVIDSON DUAL PHOTO PROjECT

This is Larry No he doesnrsquot have a twin

The first picture was shot of him in his every-

day clothes A few days later he stopped by on

his bike Learn more about Larry and other

bikers soon If you ride and are interested in

being shot (with a camera) stop by Bergen

County Harley-Davidson in Rochelle Park

NJ Monday Tuesday Thursday and Friday

from 12Noon - 1pm or Wednesday night 5-

6pm It takes 5 minutes and you just might be

part of the project 2 portraits are shot one of

you in your riding gear the other of you in

your work or everyday clothes

Spread the word

Bergen County Harley-Davidson 124 Essex St Rochelle Park NJ bull 201-

843-6930 bull wwwbergenharleycom

HARLEY DEALERSHIP DROPS 10K FROM SKY

While shoppers may have been rushing for merchandise on Black Friday

a couple of thousand people were grabbing for cash at least for a brief mo-

ment

Black Diamond Harley-Davidson of Marion Illinois has hosted turkey

drops in the past but Black Fridayrsquos cash drop was the first for the dealer-

shiprsquos innovative marketing company co-owner Shad Zimbro said

ldquoItrsquos just something different Everybody can use a little extra cashrdquo he

said of the companyrsquos Green Friday as hopefuls took position along the

perimeter of a large field where cash totaling $10000 would be dropped from

a helicopter

Illinois Lottery donated some of the money for the event Black Diamond

announced it would match up to $100 for those who spent their winnings at

the store

Participants had to be 18 and had to sign a waiver that they would not hold

Black Diamond responsible for injuries It appeared

most were unscathed during the dash for cash

though muddied from the wet field either falling on

their own or pushed

VALERIE THOMPSON RACINg SIgNS WITH

NPMOTOWEAR PRODUCTS FOR 2015

Scottsdale motorcycle racer 7-time land speed

record holder and team owner Valerie Thompson

recently signed NPmotowear Products as a new

sponsor for the 2015 racing season NPmoto prod-

ucts was founded in 2005 by Nick Plenzick to pro-

vide motorcyclists and racers with a variety of

apparel and accessories that provide maximum com-

fort and convenience to riders worldwide

ldquoWe have sold many fine products from a variety of excellent manufactures

over the years When

we began production of

our own products I de-

cided I wanted them

tested in extreme con-

ditions In addition to

our long distance rid-

ers Irsquom a big believer

that racing improves

the breedrdquo said NPmo-

towear ownerfounder

Nick Plenzick ldquoWhen I

was thinking of some-

one who could push the

limits Valerie Thomp-

Page 10 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

FW SPEER YAMAHA7 Main Ave bull Passaic NJ bull 973-778-6256 bull wwwSpeerYamahacom

Tri-State Metro Arearsquos Oldest Yamaha Dealer + Last of the Mom and Pop Shops

THE MALLTERNATIVE

INDUSTRY INFOBITES News from the Inside

son was at the top of my list Valerie recently tested our base layer at the

Texas Mile with a 2177 mph run with great resultsrdquo added Plenzick

ldquoIrsquove been wearing and testing NPmotowear apparel while riding and

working around the shop I canrsquot tell you how impressed I am They offer

products that enhance riding comfort in both cold and hot weather while of-

fering a real sense of stylerdquo said Thompson

ldquoWe couldnrsquot be more pleased to have someone of Valeriersquos experience

and racing accomplishments to promote NPmotowear layer clothing and ac-

cessories After all we have to keep lsquoAmericarsquos Queen of Speedrsquo comfortable

underneath her race suit at over 210 mph and we have proven we can ac-

complish that goalrdquo said Plenzick

In addition to seven land speed records Thompson is an official member

of the BUB Speed Trials 201 MPH Club Mojave Magnum 200 MPH Club

Texas Mile 200 MPH Club ECTA 200 MPH Club and a lifetime member of

the prestigious Bonneville 200 MPH Club

HONDA MARKS UNPRECEDENTED MILESTONEgLOBAL PRODUCTION OF 300 MILLION MOTORCYCLES

Achieving a milestone more than 65 years in the making Honda Motor

Co Ltd announced production of its 300-millionth motorcycle The mile-

stone bike is a Honda Gold Wing produced at the companyrsquos Kumamoto Fac-

tory in Japan Honda will celebrate

the 40th anniversary of the iconic

Gold Wing in 2015

Honda began mass production of

motorcycles in Japan in 1949 when

it built the Honda 98cc Dream Type-

D Today Honda produces motorcy-

cles ATVrsquos and side-by-sides at 32

plants in 22 countries including two

plants in North America

ldquoThis incredible milestone is the

result of the millions of customers

who have placed their trust in Honda

and we would like to thank all of our customers associates dealers and com-

munity partners in North America for helping make it possiblerdquo said Bob

Gurga Vice President and Manager of Motorcycle Division for American

Honda ldquoNow we are focused on

the future and the ways that we can

harness the challenging spirit of

Honda associates to create new joy

for Honda customersrdquo

In 1958 Honda introduced the

Honda 50 known globally as the

Super Cub which would go on to

revolutionize the industry This

iconic bike paved the way for

Hondarsquos expansion into the US in

1959 and Canada in 1969 The

Super Cub which has sold nearly

90 million units globally since its

inception was the focus of a mid-

1960s advertising campaign lsquoYou

Meet the Nicest People on a

Hondarsquo that played a major role in

the transformation and growth of

the US motorcycle market

ZERO RAMPS UP PRODUCTION

Zero Motorcycles the global leader in the electric motor-

cycle industry announced that it has entered full production

of its 2015 model line The new motorcycles are being man-

ufactured at its expanded Scotts Valley California facility

by an increased number of technicians using state-of-the-art

tools The first shipments of motorcycles are now in transit

with all North American dealerships receiving the new mod-

els by the end of January European delivery is scheduled for

February 2015

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 11

Following record sales in 2014 the company has made substantial invest-

ments in technology and people placing additional resources to expand its

ldquoCrafted in Californiardquo vision ldquoWersquove taken everything learned from build-

ing thousands of electric motorcycles and applied it to new manufacturing

processes To meet the increased demand from customers wersquove added new

jobs here at our California factoryrdquo said Kai Hypko VP of Operations for

Zero Motorcycles ldquoHighly advanced tools improved systems and more

skilled workers will allow us to continue to increase our production capacity

and ensure premium qualityrdquo

The 2015 motorcycles rolling out of the California factory feature numer-

ous advancements from their predecessors Showa suspension improves com-

fort and control Zerorsquos class-leading rangemdashnow up to 185 milesmdashis

extended on most models And Zero becomes the first production electric

motorcycle to feature anti-lock brakes (ABS)

ldquoOur 2015 lineup continues to lead the industry in overall range perform-

ance and technologyrdquo said Abe Askenazi Chief Technology Officer at Zero

Motorcycles ldquoFor 2015 we focused our efforts on refining virtually every

element of the vehiclemdashfrom the tires upmdashto give riders the most pure

seamless experience availablerdquo

Initial production will be dedicated to motorcycles that will be used for

test rides via Zero Motorcycles dealers Interested riders can schedule a demo

online at wwwzeromotorcyclescomdemo-rides

Page 12 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

PosTcArds from The hedGe (Continued from page 5)

about that still confounds even locals) took me back to when I had borrowed

my friendrsquos Hawk 650 and while in this circular traffic maze the engine

started to cut out Now itrsquos unsettling enough when such things happen in

traffic and yoursquore on your own machine but when yoursquove borrowed a friendrsquos

pride and joy and it starts getting funky it adds to the already present drama

immeasurably The V-Twin never actually quit though and what happened

was a little snafu peculiar to this particular model of motorcycle It seems

that when the incoming air around the tank is juuuuuust right a poorly routed

hose does something to the air supply to the carburetors and it skips like its

running out of gas When I told my friend about it he

confirmed it had happened to him and through the use

of this brand new thing called the Internet he found a

very simple solution and fixed it I hadnrsquot thought about

this incident since it happened back in the last Century

and the Weatherford Traffic circle bought it all back with

surprising clarity

Of course there were some businesses and landmarks

(often one in the same) that had vanished but the odd

thing was the general feel of the place was exactly as it

had seemed and as a result I found myself for lack of

a better expression having a Twilight Zone moment

This was a town that I not only grew up in but a place

where I experienced so many formative moments that

ultimately steered my path in life A simple trip like this

managed to take much that was locked away and shake

it loose as if I really did borrow Dr Whorsquos time-tran-

siting Tardis And as has been the case in my entire

adult life a motorcycle managed to be a part of it even

though this time I was wasnrsquot riding one Oh and my

niecersquos wedding It was superb I now have a fine new

nephew too with a family that originally hails from

China and they are delightful people All in all the trip

was quite a Trip

ldquoIF YOUWANT

TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

ROLLINrsquo FAST CYCLE SPORTS

104 Main Street Lebanon NJ908-236-9000 bull wwwRollinFastcom

ROLLINrsquo FAST INDIAN MOTORCYCLE OF LEBANON104 Main Street Lebanon NJ908-236-9000 bull wwwRollinFastcom

Come see the full line

of Indian Motorcycles

Large selection of parts

apparel and accessories

Great Gift Ideas for

your Holiday Shopping

Plan now for your winter

service needsMon-Fri 9a-6p

Thurs lsquotil 9a-7p bull Sat 9a-5pSunday Gone Riding

Rollinrsquo Fast Cycle Sports Presents

GReAT ALL AMeRICAN DINeR RUN tasty places to take your bike

Ardyrsquos counTry kiTchen

279 mAin sT worcesTer ny 121197 bull 607-397-4070

Many times suggestions for a Great All American Diner Run

are sent to us and when we can we search them out on your

expert recommendations

Other times we come across hidden jewels a bit more

serendipitously

Thatrsquos how we came across this monthrsquos stop on GAADR ndash

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen in the small upstate New York town

of Worcester

There were four of us heading to our last Summer Squeeze

Rally in Vermont and we were making a few days riding ad-

venture of it by heading to the Adirondacks for the first evening

on the road

Come lunch time all our bellies were rumbling and lucky for

me right before I became a raging and petulant starving child I

spotted a small brightly painted diner to my right on an upcoming

corner

We had found Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

With its ice cream shop front we hoped they served more than

just dessert and entering the small dining room we were instantly

hit with the heady aromas of good eats

Thank you Road Gods

The place has been owned and operated by the Sanna clan since

2005 and the family atmosphere is evidentwith the smattering of

toys and one or two young ones running around their moms our

waitresses legs

Non-crying non-exasperating and happy little ones annoy me

not ndash so we took a small table and looked to see what the Sanna

family had to offer this day

First off you canrsquot get a sandwich here

at Ardyrsquos ndash but you can get a sammich

We all know that it is a scientific fact

that a sammich is far more fun and much

more delicious and filling both from a

nutritionistrsquos point of view and the addi-

tional smile factor thrown in

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen has a goodly

number of different sammiches for your

eating pleasure ndash but wersquoll get to them in

a minute

If itrsquos early when you get there they

serve a Bagel Breakfast with eggs

sausage and cheese on a real fresh bagel

Soup amp Sammich can always be had

ndash with daily specials to be found Of

course they have burgers just about any

way yoursquod like lsquoem and the homemade

chili was tangy and delicious as was the

soup of the day

Heading over to their ldquoSignature Sam-

michesrdquo you will find just about any-

thing you might be craving Or maybe

a perusal of the menu will get the belly

rolling For a smallish diner along a

rural road in upstate New York you will

have plenty from which to choose

How about a BLT or a Cuban with

roast pork ham Swiss cheese and pick-

les Their Pork amp Slaw with cheddar

cheese looked tasty as did the BBQ

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 13

TWO WHEELS OR FOURTHERErsquoS ALWAYS ROOM FOR

Texas Smoke Barbecue400 Route 15 South bull Jefferson NJ

862-209-4078 bull wwwTexasSmokeBBQcom

texas smoke BBQIndoor and outdoor dining

Warm up with some

Chowdown Chili

Smokinrsquo Platters

and so much more

Biker and Barbecue Enthusiasts

Enjoy our Chalkboard Specials

Long Island Kawasaki67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIKawasakicom bull 516-935-6969Combining the low silhouette of

a Vulcan cruiser with Kawasaki

sportbike-derived power and

handling as well as a custom fit

concept designed to comfort-

ably fit a wide range of riders

Rollinrsquo Fast Cycle Sports Presents

GReAT ALL AMeRICAN DINeR RUN tasty places to take your bike

Chicken Hero also topped with their local cheddar cheese

For you Vegans (he said with a smirk) you will find a Veggie Panini (now

hush and eat your greens) If you are really hungry try Ardyrsquos Big Roast Beef

ndash a heaping of oven roasted beef topped with Swiss cheese and served on a

Kaiser roll and topped with Ardyrsquos famed horseradish sauce

Thatrsquoll fill you up

When we arrived it was an unusually cool day for the Leatherstocking Re-

gion and a hot sammich seemed more on order Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

serves up hot pork and hot roast beef sammiches but I went with their hot

meatloaf ndash brought out on a toasted Kaiser roll with homemade mashed po-

tatoes and some super tasty gravy ndash enough to float a boat

Just about everything here at Ardyrsquos is a homemade creation Real potatoes

fresh vegetables and freshly roasted meats are always used Not much

processed or pre-packaged quasi food will be found here

My Hot Meatloaf Sammich served with Ardyrsquos super potatoes and

drowned in their excellent brown gravy was one of the best I have ever had

on the road And it was not just a thinly sliced bit of meatloaf but an honest-

to-goodness slab orsquomeatloaf

I wouldnrsquot even serve myself that big a piece at home

Okay maybe I would

The rest of our crew all had the Tomato amp Basil Soup (delicious) and

grilled cheese sammiches which was a special of the day

If you can squeeze it in after all this great chow Ardyrsquos is an ice cream par-

lor as well and they offer enough flavors that even resident ice cream maven

Shira was tempted

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen is the perfect example of a small and family run

restaurant that really serves up the goods All their offering are real and tasty

and just like your mom would cook ndash ifrsquon your mom was a trained chef

When in the region it is well worth searching Ardyrsquos out and with that in

mind wersquoll give you a short ride from the Kingston area to this monthrsquos stop

on the Great All American Diner Run

Find them on FaceBook at Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

Page 14 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

RIP amp RIDEreg bull ARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN279 MAIN ST WORCESTER NY 121197 bull 607-397-4070

START INTERSECTIONS OF RTES 20928 KINGSTON NYRTE 28 WESTRIGHT AT RTE 375LEFT AT RTE 212RIGHT AT RTE 28LEFT AT RTE 214LEFT AT RTE 23ARIGHT AT SCRIBNER HOLLOW RDLEFT AT RTE 23CRIGHT AT CR 40STRAIGHT AT CR 296

LEFT AT RTE 23BEAR RIGHT AT CR 7LEFT AT CR 990VRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT SHREW HOLLOW ROADLEFT AT CR 29RIGHT AT CR 10LEFT AT MEADE ROADLEFT AT CHARLOTTEVILLE ROADRIGHT AT CR 39RIGHT AT RTE 7 MAIN STARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN ON LEFT

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

moTe AquArium And mArine lABorATory

600 ken ThomPson Pkwy sArAsoTA fl 34236

941-388-4441 bull wwwmoTeorG

Each March and October the Daytona faithful head

south to the beginning and end of the season rallies

on the Sunshine statersquos eastern coast

But we have always found Daytona and vicinities

to get a bit too crowded loud andhellipumm ndash boring

Well for us

The SUYT thing kinda got old when the girls could

be your daughter-in-law

We prefer checking out the scene and then doing a

little Floridian travel exploring some of the sights

and scenes that draw so may south each year

On Floridarsquos Gulf Coast you will find the city of

Sarasota

This city has a thriving cultural scene and boasts a

number of interesting places to visit explore and gen-

erally spend some time

A few years back we told you of the Circus Mu-

seum this time we dropped in on the Mote Aquarium

and Marine Laboratory

The Aquarium has its beginnings back in 1955

when it was founded by Dr Eugenie Clark in

Placida Florida Back then it was known as Cape

Haze Marine Laboratory until its 1967 renaming in

honor of a major benefactor William R Mote and the

contributions he and his family made to helping the

aquarium grow mdash both in size and reputation Since

1960 Mote has been based in Sarasota Florida and

since 1978 it has been lo-

cated on City Island and

that is where we got to

spend a number of hours

The Mote Aquarium

consists of three buildings

the aquarium an interac-

tive theatre and a separate

building that houses their

sea turtles dolphin (singu-

lar but wersquoll get into that)

and manatee collection all

of whom have been res-

cued or rehabbed at Mote

All the exhibits are laid

out with informative plac-

ards and each tank brings

different environments and

different fish and marine wildlife all with a story

to tell

Moray eels tanks full of floating jelly fish of

all types exotic fish we had never dreamed of and

some we simply had never seen in person were

there

In addition to the first building exhibits you can

learn about the giant squid and then move to the

shark area and ray along the way you will find a

few tanks where you can reach in and get to touch

a few of the locals

Mote also had a nice display on the Megalodon

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 15

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

ndash the prehistoric shark that was well over 50 feet long

with teeth as large as your fist

A quick walk across the parking lot brought us to the

building holding their other large exhibits

A few different sea turtles were swimming about as

well as Hugh and Buffett ndash two large and impressive

manatees

A large outdoor pool held lsquoMoonshinersquo Motersquos res-

ident dolphin who was rescued after it beached and

was found drying out and sunburned

He seems happy enough but personally we think he

needs a friend We were told that Mote is next on the

list for such a companion

While we visited Mote had a special attraction called

lsquoSurvivorsrsquo which featured some of the oddest marine and fresh water ani-

mals and the very unique way they survive in the wild ndash from deadly poison

to killer punches to simply looking like a rock and hoping for the best ndash it

was a fascinating display as was the entire aquarium

If you get hungry you can drop by their Deep Sea Diner where you can

enjoy dining al-fresco or inside the casual retro rsquo50s-style diner complete

with an old-fashioned soda fountain The lively cafeacute offers a fun affordable

family-style menu including chili and chowder burgers and dogs veggie

burgers and fresh salads chicken fingers and fries And donrsquot forget dessert

hand-dipped ice cream shakes amp sundaes

We thought wersquod spend a quick hour there but ended up happily spending

the afternoon

Mote might not be the biggest but it surely made up for its size with quality

and interesting and informative displays

Page 16 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 906-9292

Find Us on Facebook bull SportHondanet

hondacom UTILITY ATVs ARE RECOMMENDED FOR RIDERS 16 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER TRX90X IS RECOMMENDED ONLY FOR RIDERS12 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER RIDERS UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE MUST BE SUPERVISED BY AN ADULT ATVs CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO OPER-ATE ALL ATV RIDERS SHOULD TAKE A TRAINING COURSE (FREE FOR NEW BUYERS ASK YOUR DEALER OR CALL ASI AT 800-887-2887) ANDREAD THEIR OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND APPROPRIATE CLOTHING AVOID EXCESSIVESPEEDS AND BE CAREFUL ON DIFFICULT TERRAIN FOR YOUR SAFETY BE RESPONSIBLE NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGSOR ALCOHOL ON PAVED SURFACES ON PUBLIC ROADS WITH PASSENGERS OR AT EXCESSIVE SPEEDS NO STUNT RIDING RESPECT THEENVIRONMENT WHEN RIDING TRXreg and Rancherreg are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1114)

Whether itrsquos hard work

or time to play

Sport Honda has the

ATV to fit your lifestyle

Be prepared - Come in

Today for your

Winter utility needs

Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 491-2900

Find Us on Facebook bull CrossCountryPowersportscom

Cross Country Powersportsis now taking deposits for theNinja H2Rtrade and H2tradeExperience unforgettable supercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2trade motorcycle theworldrsquos only supercharged productionhypersport streetbike

The BridGewATer TriAnGle

is This The sTrAnGesT sPoT in The norTheAsT

Located just 30 miles south of Boston this 200-mile square area has the

Massachusetts towns of Abington Freetown and Rehoboth at its angles The

town of Bridgewater is located nearly dead center within the triangle and the

area also encompasses six other Massachusetts towns Raynham Taunton

Brockton Mansfield Norton and Easton including the Hockomock Swamp

It is known as the Bridgewater Triangle

It seems if it is paranormal weird or mysterious it has happened in the Tri-

angle of the years

Let us start with one of the

first odd things found in the

region

It was in this area that the

first officially documented

petroglyph in the United

States was found - Dighton

Rock This 40 ton boulder

was discovered by original

settlers and has always

caused questions and wonder

of who made these mysteri-

ous markings and why

In fact in 1690 Rev Cotton Mather described the rock in his book The

Wonderful Works of God Commemorated

ldquoAmong the other Curiosities of New-England one is that of a mighty

Rock on a perpendicular side whereof by a River which at High Tide covers

part of it there are very deeply Engraved no man alive knows How or When

about half a score Lines near Ten Foot Long and a foot and half broad filled

with strange Characters which would

suggest as odd Thoughts about them that

were here before us as there are odd

Shapes in that Elaborate Monumentrdquo

The boulder was moved in 1980 to the

museum in a nearby park Dighton Rock State Park in order to protect and

preserve this part of Americarsquos strange history

Strangely marked boulders were not the beginning of the mystery of the

Bridgewater Triangle

Years back a group of archeologists discovered a native burial mound on

Grassy Island in the swamp These graves were dated to 6000 BC

Strange lights have been

reported on this island and

across the triangle and one

of the first documented

UFO sighting came from

here when on May 10

1760 villagers in two

towns 50 miles away stared

in wonder at a ldquoSphere of

Firerdquo that slowly made its

way across the sky

The next day both townsrsquo newspapers reported the phenomena in their edi-

tions According to historical records the UFO emitted light bright enough

to cast a shadow in bright sunlight The sound made by the object ldquooddly

enough was heard sooner at the middle of the course it took than at the be-

ginningrdquo

You canrsquot really have such an eclectic gathering of odd in a place like this

in Mysterious America without a few good Yeti sightings

Over the years all sorts of ldquoSwamp Monstersrdquo have been sighted and in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 17

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

April 1970 it was reported that a ldquoBigfootrdquo

picked up a rear of a police car in which sat

two surprised police officers

Police dogs have been used time and again but

Bigfoot is an elusive fellow

I have always believed the Jersey Devil is a

Pterosaurs of some kind and here around the

Bridgewater Triangle huge black prehistoric-look-

ing birds with a wingspan of between eight and

twelve feet have been reported time and again in-

cluding a report by Norton Police Sergeant Thomas

Downy

Indian Curses abound as well and along Route

44 in Rehoboth lies the boulder known as Anawan

Rock It is said that it was here that the Wampanoag

chief Anawan surrendered to the colonists thus

ending King Philiprsquos War According to local be-

liefs the angry spirits of the warriors captured that

day continue to haunt the spot

Extremely large snakes and alligators have been

found in the swamp along with other creatures that are totally out of place

In the late 1800rsquos bones of a giant were unearthed

Every which way you look or travel in the area you will find something

strange In fact I have a quick list of odd things found in the

Bridgewater Triangle for you

Next time yoursquore looking to spend a few days exploring Mys-

terious America take a ride around the Bridgewater Triangle You

just might end up sending me an email telling me you spotted ahellip

OrsquoLife Out

Ten odd ThinGs found in The BridGewATer TriAnGle

1 The longest epitaph in the United States is located in a Rehoboth

cemetery A full 405 words

2 Three PT Barnum circus ldquofreaksrdquo hailed from here including

Middlebororsquos Tom Thumb and East Bridgewaterrsquos ldquoThe Human

Skeletonrdquo

3 The first boundary line in the United States is located in Abing-

ton at the Bridgewater Trianglersquos furthest most delineated northern

map point

4 A historic 40-foot tall Hood milk bottle in Raynham (now a

restaurant) is the (triplet) sister to famous the ldquoMilk Bottlerdquo at the

Boston Childrenrsquos museum

5 In 1906 bones of ldquoa giantrdquo were discovered in Middleboro

6 Alligators seals emu peacocks cow moose bears Africal

Sevral panthers and mountain lions have all been found in the

Bridgewater Triangle

7 There are both handprints and footprints imbedded into several

Bridgewater Triangle boulders handprints in Middleboro foot-

prints in Norton

8 Dighton Rock is the first documented petroglyph in the United

States

9 The chocolate chip cookie was invented in the happiest of ac-

cidents in the northern apex of the Bridgewater Triangle

10 The Bridgewater Triangle is host to the worldrsquos only shovel

museum located in Easton

Page 18 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

290 Route 100 West Dover VT800-745-3615 bull wwwgrayghostinncom

Motorcyclist-Friendly Destination LodgingLocated on Scenic Route 100 in Southern VermontHot breakfast cooked to order BYOB bar firepit hot tub game room and WiFi

Free Maps and Suggested Rides Group Special Packages5 restaurantsbars within walking distance bull On-site Group Dinners available

MemberWhen you canrsquot ride because of snow ride the snow

Guided Back-Country Snowmobile Toursin the Green Mountain National Forest

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

mounTAineer hoTel

31 eAsT second Avenue williAmson wv

304-235-2222 bull wwwmounTAineerhoTelcom

Laying right on the Tug Fork River across from the

Blue Grass state of Kentucky one will find the tiny town

of Williamson West Virginia Williamson has a long

history mostly revolving around the coal industry

Here you will find a rather large rail yard now part

of the Norfolk Southern built to service the many mines

found in and around this part of West Virginia and Ken-

tucky

In 1974 a United States Army Corps of Engineer

planner described the region as having the most severe

flooding problem in America

In 1977 after many days of steady hard rain the Tug

Fork and adjoining streams began

a constant and quick rise As had

happened in the past the town ex-

perienced incredible flooding

Today a floodwall protects

Williamson from future wet havoc

A huge part of this regionrsquos local

lore and history is the famed home

of the feud between the Hatfields

and McCoys probably the most

famous family fight in US history

The first event in the decades-

long feud was the 1865 murder of

Randolphrsquos brother Asa Harmon

McCoy by the Logan Wildcats a local militia group

that counted Devil Anse and other Hatfields among its

members Many peoplemdasheven members of his own

familymdashregarded Asa Harmon who had served in the

Union Army during the American Civil War as a trai-

tor While some have surmised that his murder set the

stage for the feud most historians now see this inci-

dent as a standalone event

Relations between the two families continued to

sour over the next decade before flaring again over a

seemingly small matter a dispute over a single hog

In 1878 Randolph McCoy accused Floyd Hatfield a

cousin of Devil Anse of stealing one of his pigs a

valuable commodity in the poor region Floyd Hat-

fieldsrsquos trial took place in McCoy territory but was

presided over by a cousin of Devil Anse It hinged on

the testimony of star witness Bill Staton a McCoy rel-

ative married to a Hatfield Staton testified in Floyd

Hatfieldrsquos favor and the McCoys were infuriated when

Floyd was cleared of the charges against him Two

years later Staton was violently killed in a fracas with

Sam and Paris McCoy nephews of Randolph Sam stood trial for the

murder but was acquitted for self-defense reasons

Things went south from there and an American legacy was born

In and around the town you will find much on this feud

In the center of town you will find The Coal House now the home

of the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce

Weighing in at 65 tons with 2 ft thick walls itrsquos the only coal house

made entirely of coal Built in 1933 it was designed by architect HT

Hicks from an idea by O W Evans It was constructed from blocks

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 19

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

of local seam coal donated by coal companies in the region

Right next door to The Coal House you will find the historic

Mountaineer Hotel The large classic-revival 5-story yellow-

glazed brick building dominates the center of town and offers

a look and reason to step back into the past

Built in 1925 the Mountaineer hotel has had its share of fa-

mous guests with JFK Paul Newman Jerry Lee Lewis Henry

Ford and others- including the great Soupy Sales - staying here

overnight

In fact all the rooms are named after famous and infamous

guests that have walked through its doors

Later in the evening we walked all five flights to see just

who did stay there

The main entrance leads to a large lobby and the front desk

with pigeonhole boxes for room keys and a teller window

French doors lead to the ballroom The hotel has 116 rooms

for guests a formal ballroom a lobby restaurant and sports bar

(which were not open this day) and the lower level has a num-

ber of games ndash including Fooz ball pool

and a large regulation-sized shuffle board

game that kept us occupied for about an

hour

Sometimes we find places from this era

a bit run down but the Mountaineer hotel

is a gem

Just one look at the grand lobby and you

will know this is true and with rooms less

than $75 for the night quite the deal too

We took Paul Newmanrsquos room and it

couldnrsquot have been nicer

Unpacking and strolling around town

which was quiet on a Monday night was a

pleasant distraction after a dayrsquos worth of

hard miles through the mountains of West

Virginia and Kentucky

When traveling around the United States

you can almost always find a chain hotel at

any exit or bigger town but why would you

want to when wonderful old beauties like

the Mountaineer Hotel in Williamson West

Virginia are around

Page 20 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Tony Lisanti

Eye protection for off road use consists of

the tried and true goggle The goggle

wraps around the helmet and seals to

your face in the helmet opening

Traditional goggles

consist of a urethane

based flexible frame

with various types of

foam material that

seal directly against

the forehead and cheeks

and nose keeping out wind and

dirt Being the helmet has a limited opening

goggles have had to fit inside this space limiting the field of vision

This type of goggle has been the norm for last half century with

all kinds of innovations in frame lens and foam materials

Enter ZOWA Optics Visor Goggles ZOWA Optics was founded

in 2013 Their goal is to offer unique goggles to off-road dirt bike

ATV and snowmobile riders The Vermont based company has

come up with a goggle that eliminates many of the drawbacks of

a traditional off road goggle The Visor Goggles are designed so

the upper half seals against the helmet rather than the forehead

The lower half of the goggle rests against the face By developing

the goggle in this way the field of view is dramatically increased and the

issue of having foam in contact with the skin on the forehead is eliminated

I had the opportunity to try out the Visor Goggles at a local practice track

recently The first thing I noticed was the size of the Visor Goggles They are

about twice the size of a traditional goggle They install on a helmet the same

way as traditional goggles except instead of resting against the forehead they

seal against the helmet under the visor Most noticeable was the lack

of ldquonose pinchrdquo and the vastly improved vision The Visor Goggle

drastically reduces the claustrophobic feel of traditional goggles as

there is more distance between the inside of the goggle and your face

The feel is more like an adventure helmet

After riding with them for an hour or two on an MX track I found

the improved field of vision to be a welcome change Riding with the

Visor Goggles allowed better vision up down and sideways I did no-

tice a bit more air coming in from the flow through design and from

underneath the seal against my check bones at speed During warm

weather this would be welcome in cold weather not so much Ad-

justing the strap tension has an affect on goggle to face contact Skin

contact with the typical sweatmudgrungefunk mix that gets en-

crusted on the foam is minimized since

the foam is resting against the helmet

rather than the forehead

They cleaned up well and showed no

signs of scratching on the lenses stain-

ing of the frames or discoloration de-

spite a liberal dosage of mud and water

The ZOWA Visor Goggle features in-

clude being rated for OTG (Over The

Glasses) by virtue of the greater clear-

ance between goggle and face a Hel-

met conformed design improved field

of view Lexan lens with anti-fog coating comfort foam and flow through

ventilation The strap features a silicon strip to help it stay put on the helmet

Accessory lenses and tear-off lenses are available All goggles come with a

micro fiber storage bag as well The off road goggles retail for $5800 and

are available in black red of cyan frame colors wwwzowaopticscom

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

BUILT BEYOND BELIEFINTRODUCING THE KAWASAKI

Come to Motorcycle Mall to reserve your Ninja H2trade

by December 19 and experience unforgettablesupercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2 motorcycle the worldrsquos onlysupercharged production hypersport streetbike

H2

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pantsgloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Mo-torcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environmentFor furher information regarding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 Specifi-cations subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspired R1 everFrom the advanced lsquorider activersquo electronicspackage to the powerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Supersport bike andfactory MotoGP has never been more blurred

COMPLETELY NEW

FROM THE TRACK UP

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 21

PRODUCT REVIEWZOWA OPTICS VISOR GOGGLES

Great All American Diner RunAs always wersquoll start with our most popular column the Great All American Diner Run Wait is it really We just might have a new fan fa-vorite but wersquoll save that till later First letrsquos take a look at the top three for GAADR 2014hellip

SECOND RUNNER UP bull RIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST2378 ROUTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770 bull 845-557-0097 bull RIVERUNNERSROOSTCOM

Route 97 along the scenic Delaware River has long been a favorite of motorcyclists for years and

over the years the road has seen a number of restaurants open their doors along its picturesque miles

The latest is the River Runnerrsquos Roost

Opened by Rich and Mary Codichini back in 2013 this place quickly became a favorite of ours

and many others They bill themselves as a barbeque steakhouse with a touch of Cajun and Italian

We call it phenomenal with one of the best barbeques in the region and gumbo to go to war over

If you havenrsquot tried the ldquoRoostrdquo then make plans for riding their way in the spring

FIRST RUNNER UP bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784 bull 603- 298-5515 bull 4ACESDINERCOM

Located just up the hill from the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River in the town of

Lebanon the Four Aces is the real deal A true Great All-American Diner Their

menu is huge interesting and delicious The ambience is pure Americana and the

roads leading to and from the Four Aces straddling Vermont and New Hampshire

are hard to top They have pro smokers going outside right along their picnic tables

but we found a seat at the counter worked just fine for us

Our only problem with Four Aces is that they are almost exactly 301 miles from

where we type this They should consider northern New Jersey

The Four Aces is a must see do and eat while in the Dartmouth region and just

missed out on our top honor for this yearrsquos vote

And so without further adohellip

1ST PLACE GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN 2014 bull FIVE ISLANDS LOBSTER COMPANY1447 5 ISLANDS RD GEORGETOWN ME 04548 bull 207-371-2990 bull FIVEISLANDSLOBSTERCOM

Location location location Besides have a superb down to Earth feel a great staff scrumptious food

and a wonderful coastal Maine flavor ndash The Five Islands Lobster Company has a serious location

Did we mention where it is

Located on a working fishing wharf it is surrounded by the ldquocoldest and deepest waters on the coastrdquo

There be some serious lobstarsquo lurking here abouts and it is best when they find their final way to

Five Islands You can have these big bugs anyway you like but we took a bullet for all of you and

went and ordered The Big Boy Stuffed with twice the amount of lobster meat than your average

lobster roll it was our pleasure to tackle this monster as best we could

Wait ndash just thinking of it all on this cold November day has us in a statehellip

They do serve a good number of other seafood favorites as well as more land-based standards but

who wants that when you can have the quintessential Maine treat on a wooden bench and table

alongside one of the prettiest bays in New England

This is why the Five Islands Lobster Company slid into the 1 spot in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

Big City GetawayBig City Getaway has always been about a great destination So many of

us roll the bikes out of the garage and then say ldquoWhere tordquo That is where this monthly favoritecomes in and here are our best of Big City Getaway 2015

2ND RUNNER UP bull MUSTANG FACTORYTOUR4 SPRINGFIELD STREET SUITE 1 THREE RIVERS MA 01080 bull 800-243-1392 bull MUSTANGSEATSCOM

They are one of the largest motorcycle seat manufacturers on the planet and they would be happy to show you around

We did a tour this last summer and found just how much talent vision and workmanship goes into creating some of

the most distinctive and comfortable motorcycle seats you can find

Page 22 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Best of Backroads 2014Once again this planet we ride has completed another lap around our sun and it is time for us to look back on the season and the veryBest of BackroadsIf we said 2013 was ldquointerestingrdquo we would be hard pressed to describe this past year of 2014For sure last year brought us thousands of great miles and lots of smiles interesting destinations and a few great Backroads Ralliesbut some darkness and loss along the journey for our Backroads family as wellStill looking back we had some phenomenal places we found stories we told and friends with which we have ridden The Italian poet Cesare Pavese said ldquoWe do not remember days we remember momentsrdquoThis year ndash 2014 ndash we had our share of moments Letrsquos look back at some in the Best of Backroads 2014

The tour is open to riding groups and takes a little over an hour and a half We recommend that you make an

appointment and guarantee you will have an informative and fun day with our friends at Mustang seats

1ST RUNNER UP bull COASTAL BOTANICAL GARDENS32 BOTANICAL GARDENS DR BOOTHBAY ME 04537 bull 207-633-4333 bull MAINEGARDENSORG

This project took nearly 17 years planning planting and building before its opening in June of 2007 and today

the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens comprises 270 acres of tidal shore land thousands of flowers plants

and botanical oddities Interspersed amongst the natural beauty you will find dozens of sculptures that

only add to an already stunning venue Rarely has a visitor spent some time at the Coastal Botanical

Gardens and not wanted to return as soon as possible

It is simple to see why this easily took our First Runner Up spot

1ST PLACE BIG CITY GETAWAY 2014 FIVE STAR GENERAL STORES bull NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY

This article from our October issue embodied a little bit of everything we might look for in a Big

City Getaway It had local history interesting stops (5 of them) food ice cream and it was all

woven together with some of the neatest roads in northern New Jersey ndash a riding jewel for those

who have never been so lucky Running along to five different and historic General Stores this day

trip just kept getting better Know that we just scratched the surface and that these General Stores from

the past can be found all around the nation But for this time around it was this adventure that was

called 1 for Big City Getaway 2014

(Note as of this printing the Stillwater General Store has closed but is still worth the ride-by for the

roads and historic value)

Wersquore Outta HereThe great thing that we riders have over the more boring people out there is that our tripsand adventures happen the moment we roll out of our driveways and onto the roadOvernight trips are like mini-vacations for the soul and are most likely the reason they sayyou never see a motorcycle outside a psychiatrist office unless it belongs to the shrinkWersquore Outta Here is all about that ndash places to go and enjoy whether it be a group coupleor on your ownLetrsquos see what we think were our top three for 2014

2ND RUNNER UP bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 E MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854 bull 814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGEPACOM

Shira found this hide-away full of coffee awesomeness when we were to attend the ALTRider adventure

ride early this summer in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania The lodge is part of the coffee house and

although the room we had was a tad small it was well thought out and just added to the coolness of the

entire place We had the Penns Creek Room with its lsquoloft-stylersquo bed and rock wall shower Each morning

the aroma from the coffee shop downstairs was like a Sirenrsquos call and had us highly motivated to carefully

spring out of bed (well it was a loft and there was a drop) There were also great muffins and cakes to go along with the coffee

Millheim is well located with a great combination of fantastic riding both paved and not and has a few eateries within strolling distance (compared to walking

or marching distance) We liked everything about the Triple Creek Lodge ndash the smell the flavor and the quirkiness

1ST RUNNER UP bull INDIAN ROCK INN2206 RIVER RD UPPER BLACK EDDY PA 18972 bull 610-982-9600 bull INDIANROCKINNCOM

GPS Download wwwsendspacecomprodlen7u7kAlong the PA-side of the Delaware River just north of Jerseyrsquos Milford in a place where the river

crooks dramatically and heads north for a bit you will find a great local treasure - the Indian Rock

Inn Tucked underneath what are called the Pennsylvania Palisades and along both river and old

canal the Indian Rock is the complete package

After a day of fun riding to and around the region you can park the bikes grab your room and

shower and make your way to the very friendly bar The Barking Dog Grab a cocktail and me-

ander to the very comfortable large porch take a seat and watch the world go by After the sun

sets a delicious gourmet meal is just steps away Perhaps a night cap and then upstairs to end a

prefect day With all that it is easy to see how the Indian Rock grabbed first runner up in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

1ST PLACEWErsquoRE OUTTA HERE 2014 bull QUODDY HEAD STATION823 SOUTH LUBEC RD LUBEC ME 04652 bull 877-535-4714 bull QUODDYVACATIONCOM

Most times we are all for suggesting you sleep in a bit longer at any of our Wersquore Outta Here destinations but here at Quoddy Head

Station we urge - no insist ndash that you get up before the dawn so you can be the first in the United States to see the sun rise over the At-

lantic from the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse - just a 2 minute ride to the east

Here in the most north and east point of the United States life does not get much better

The rooms and views cannot be beat and the surrounding area with its little coves Reversing Falls State Park Rooseveltrsquos Campobello

cottage (actually in Canada) and the very coastal Maine town of Lebec with its large number of seafood restaurants nautical shops and

vistas are hard to beat anywhere else in the world When we travelled in the area

we rode under a giant orange full moon that rose over the bay at low tide

It was eerie and stunning all at the same time

One of those moments we talked about earlier Quoddy Head Station has to be one

of the most interesting and geographically perfect places we have traveled to in

many years and easily made its way to the 1st place spot for Wersquore Outta Here 2014

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 23

Mysterious AmericaAlways one of the perennial favorites for our readers is the odd wacky and off-beat destinations that our own Dr Seymour OrsquoLife brings

to us each month This year was no different and the choices to be made for the TopThree were very tight for the good doctor but undaunted our hero carried on and cameup with the short list So letrsquos get to it

2ND RUNNER UP bull ISLE OFWIGHT COUNTY MUSEUM103 MAIN ST SMITHFIELD VA 23430 bull 757-356-1223 bull HISTORICISLEOFWIGHTCOM

You remember this place ndash home of the Worldrsquos Oldest Ham It belonged to PD Gwaltney Jr

It had its beginnings in 1902 when a cured ham was accidentally hung from rafters in one Gwaltneyrsquos

houses until it was discovered by workers By 1924 the pet ham was kept in an iron safe which was

opened daily for guests to view Advertised as the worldrsquos oldest Smithfield ham Gwaltney fashioned

a brass collar for the ham and took it to shows and expos to exhibit the preservative powers of his

smoking method The ham was featured in Ripleyrsquos ldquoBelieve It Or Notrdquo in 1929 1932 and 2003 and

more importantly in Backroads in May of 2014 For sure the museum holds so much more but Sey-

mour could never get past the ham Neither could we

1ST RUNNER UP bull THE CULPER SPY RINGThis was the first multi-month piece by the minions of mystery and we spent three

full months searching for the real story on George Washingtonrsquos Culper Spy Ring

From its beginning with the hanging of Nathan Hale in what is now mid-town Man-

hattan to the desolation of being held on a prison ship in an East River Bay in Brook-

lyn - where we had the largest battle of our Revolutionary War Then on to the Culper

Spies themselves and the web they wove from Setauket Long Island across the

Sound to Connecticut and into New York and Philadelphia These men and woman

(nobody really knows who this lady was) changed the course of history It was then

onto treachery traitors and sex ndashwith the story of Benedict Arnold his wife Peggy

Shippen and her lover Major John Andrersquo and our own West Point Escape capture

and the gallows all played a part in this true story of our local American history

Mysterious Americarsquos history has never been so much fun

1ST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2014 bull THE TRANS-ALLEGHENY LUNATIC ASYLUM71 ASYLUM DR WESTON WV 26452 bull 304-269-5070 bull TRANS-ALLEGHENYLUNATICASYLUMCOM

When we first rode up to this massive 27-acre facility Shira who had no idea where or why we were there shook her head and simply asked why

The asylum stands like a monstrous stone beast dominating the ground It is the second largest hand-hewn bluestone building on the planet with only Russiarsquos

Kremlin surpassing it But it is the feel and aura that surround and linger around this building

that will tell you the real story of the place

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum also known as the We-

ston State Hospital was a Kirkbride psychiatric hospital that

operated from 1864 until 1994 Like many Kirkbridge hospi-

tals it started out with a noble idea but soon became overrun

with patients lack of proper care and some of the saddest and

scariest tales were heard here on the tour The place is massive and to walk the halls would literally take miles

The place is reportedly full of ghosts and very bad things from the other side One look at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

and you will have a hard time denying that claim Shira will never go back and it was one of the few times that she was seriously

ldquocreeped outrdquo Her words ndash not ours

With that being said you surely must agree that a visit to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum easily ranks as our 1st place for

our Mysterious America 2014

MomentsIt was April 10 of this past year when the phone here at Backroads rang Answering it I could hear the voice of a friend Dave on the farend ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo I asked ldquohow are yourdquoDaversquos voice trembled and broke ldquoJeff Bahr was killed today on his bikerdquoIn that moment everything stopped It remained stopped for a long time Sometimes it still doesA month or so later well after Jeffrsquos service and cremation Shira and I found ourselves at the spot where this happened We talked tothe young man who was tending his barbecue pit which he was stoking for the dayrsquos lunch He was there when the driver pulled out ofhis general storersquos parking lot without even a glance He sadly but kindly told us of that momentJeff had simply been riding down a wide country road when an 86-year old man pulled out in front of him Although rubber on the roadshowed Jeff tried to avoid the car it was too little too late and he was killed on impactI have no idea what happened to the old man after this event But regardless he has to live with his inattentiveness and actions for therest of his life So do many of usWe do not remember days we remember momentsThat day was made up of a moment we will never forgetThe weekend I wrote this Jeff if hersquod survived would have been 57 He would have had dozens more stories made us laugh a dozenmore times would have made this magazine a dozen times betterJeff I hope you know that so many of us miss you so muchTo you all enjoy and savor all your moments Life is made up of them and eventually one of those moments will hurt

Page 24 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Shirarsquos Ice Cream RunLast year we introduce a semi-monthly some of the time if she felt like it column ndashShirarsquos Ice Cream Run It seems to everybody but the red head that this column hasbecome a huge hit and we have had more comments and suggestions for the IceCream Runs than anything else within memory So think sweet creamy and cold andletrsquos see what Shira thought were on the top three stops of 2014rsquos Ice Cream Runs

2ND RUNNER UP bull HOLSTENrsquoS CONFECTIONARY1603 BROAD ST BLOOMFIELD NJ 07003 bull 973-338-7091 bull WWWHOLSTENSCOM

Immortalized on celluloid in the Sopranosrsquo final episode Holstenrsquos Confectionary has so much more

to offer than their souvenir t-shirts from said show A true old-time ice cream parlor Holstenrsquos home-

made ice cream and confections will win the hearts of any true lover of sweets Taking a seat at the

counter should bring back memories of visits to Woolworthrsquos and once the delicious dairyness is

placed in front of you complete with homemade whipped cream you will think you are in a

dream Holstenrsquos has the whole package ndash premium product comfortable setting and take-home

delights With its 2nd Runner Up status truly one of my favorites of this yearrsquos ice cream stops

1ST RUNNER UP bull CAYUGA LAKE CREAMERY8421 NY 89 INTERLAKEN NY 14847 bull 607-532-9492 bull WWWCAYUGALAKECREAMERYCOM

Nestled in the idyllic Finger Lakes the Cayuga Lake Creamery offers up some of the most in-

ventive flavors Irsquove seen including wine ice cream and sorbet (best of both worlds Irsquod say)

Sitting on their outdoor deck savoring your Maple Bacon or Lavender cone on a warm summer

day ndash what could be better than that

While the Finger Lakes may not offer the most challenging of rides the scenery is beautiful and

the gorges are well gorgeous I canrsquot think of a much better day than meandering around the

Fingers with a late afternoon stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery Their 14 butterfat mixture and only the best of locally sourced

ingredients produce some of the finest creamiest ice creams around Do yourself a favor and spin your wheels to this part of

NY state for a weekend of indulgence as their terrific flavors will keep you coming back day after day

1ST PLACE SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN bull HALLrsquoS HOMEMADE ICE CREAM861 RACCOONVALLEY RD MILLERSTOWN PA 17062

717-589-3290 bull WWWHALLSICECREAMCOM

I found this gem in the middle of the Alleghenies while Brian was off riding in the forest with the

ALTRider group Having grabbed the 1st Place spot in this yearrsquos Ice Cream Run you know Hallrsquos

Homemade Ice Cream and Dairy has to be something pretty special

While their flavor offerings may not be as exotic as Cayuga Lake the quality is heavenly Their

signature flavor and one I had not tasted before is their honey ice cream coming in a variety of

mixtures such as chocolate butter pecan and my personal favorite cinnamon Hallrsquos has a couple

of outdoor tables where you can take in the full dairy effect while licking your cone If that is too

overwhelming they have a very nice indoor seating area complete with air conditioning

The riding in this part of Pennsylvania is quite exciting with elevation changes sweepers and

twisties and for those desiring an off-road adventure plenty of woodlands to test your knobbies

What do all three of these winners have in common other than fantastic ice cream They are all

open all year long so if you happen to be out and about in Bloomfield NJ Interlaken NY or Miller-

stown PA make sure you plan a stop at one of the top three spots on Shirarsquos 2014 Ice Cream Run

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 25

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845-557-0097 bull WWWRIVERRUNNERSROOSTCOMSEASONAL HOURS - CALL BEFORE HEADING OUT

CR 560 IN SUSSEX COUNTY NJCROSS DINGMANS BRIDGE bull $1 TOLLSTRAIGHT ON RTE 739RIGHT AT MILFORD RDLEFT AT RAYMONDSKILL RDCROSS OVER I-84HARD LEFT ON US 6QUICK RIGHT ONTOTWIN LAKES RDRIGHT AT RTE 434CROSS RIVER TO NEWYORKRIGHT AT RTE 97 SOUTHRIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST DOWN ROAD ON LEFT HAND SIDE

Rip amp Ridereg bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784603- 298-5515 bull WWW4ACESDINERCOM

GPS DOWNLOAD WWWSENDSPACECOMPRODLXXTWXB90-MILE ONEWAY ROUTE FROM THEWEST DOVER VERMONT REGION

BIG BEARS LODGE GRAY GHOST AND KITZHOF INN

RTE 100 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT RTE 35RIGHT AT RTE 121LEFT AT RTE 5CROSS INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE ndash ARCH BRIDGELEFT AT RTE 12 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 120LEFT AT RTE 4 WEST LEBANONFOUR ACES DOWN ON THE LEFT

TAylorrsquos ice creAm PArlor

18 e mAin sT chesTer nJ bull 908-879-5363

What to do on the first sub-freezing day in November Go for ice cream

of course I was hanging out with the good doctor OrsquoLife and best friend

Brian when OrsquoLife told us of this place that grows telephone poles Having

my doubts about most of what OrsquoLife tells me I asked him to prove it So

off we went to the quaint little town of Chester New Jersey

After a pleasant lunch at the Publick House complete with real wood

burning fireplace we trekked down the road a piece found said telephone

pole farm (for another column of course) and started our return to Back-

roads Central Lo and behold right before the turn onto Route 206 there

sat Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor in the nicest old building on the block We

got our spot and headed in to find well no one but Justin in a very toasty

old fashioned ice cream parlor I do think that he was surprised to see us

or anyone on such a cold day

Taylorrsquos has apparently been an ice cream institution in

Chester for the last 50 years or so founded by Mr Earle G

Taylor Sr who just passed this August Taylorrsquos was the vic-

tim of fire some time in 2013 and was closed for a good 8

months before reopening in the same spot with applause

from their long-time fans and customers Their ice cream is

all home made and always has been On a hot summer day

you will no doubt be lined up out the door and down the

block to get this tasty treat but Irsquom certain you will find it

worth the wait I think their pricing is quite reasonable for

the size scoop they dip and if you are like me and want a sam-

pling of several flavors they offer Kiddie Scoops at $195

each ndash a flight of ice cream sounds like the perfect end-of-

ride relaxation

We perused the two very full ice cream boards and poured

over the cabinets before making our decisions With close to

50 listed flavors what was a girl to do without minions to help her taste test We finally settled on chocolate hazelnut toasted coconut salted caramel and

vanilla fudge brownie I pretty much always opt for a cup as I savor my ice cream and it would run down my arm before I was even close to finishing but I was

almost tempted by their pretzel cone What is so great about Taylorrsquos cones is the plastic drip cup in which they reside both sanitary and mess-preventing

Page 26 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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115 Route 23N bull Hamburg NJ bull 973-875-2111wwwtownandcountrycyclecentercom

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIYamahacom bull 516-935-6969

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE

SPORT TOURERIntroducing the most performancepower versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle From commutingand exploring backroads to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaharsquos un-mistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

While enjoying our treats we savored

the deacutecor of this very pleasant parlor Sev-

eral tables to enjoy your ice cream clip-

pings of newspaper articles school

paraphernalia and something that has no

place in an ice cream parlor an old-fash-

ioned fortune telling scale This couldnrsquot

possibly still be functioning could it Ac-

cording to Justin yes it was How could we

resist In went our pennies and up popped

our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked

the weight numbers) Brianrsquos read lsquoYou are

not overbearing but generally have things

your wayrsquo Wow I couldnrsquot wait to see if

mine was as accurate ldquoYou look to the fu-

ture rather than the pastrsquo So true

Back to the ice cream ndash it

was heavenly We all agreed

that the salted caramel was the

overall winner having the per-

fect balance of salt and

caramel with the best creamy

texture The toasted coconut

was very flavorful with lots of

coconut bits the chocolate

hazelnut was very dark and

creamy and mixed with the coconut made the perfect almond-free almond

joy The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole but cer-

tainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store

I believe Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round but if yoursquore head-

ing over during the winter months give them a call to make sure Enjoy the

winter and remember itrsquos never too cold to eat ice cream

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield PA

215-712-7433 bull wwwBMWMotorcyclescom

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

THE NEW R 1200 RA POWERFUL STATEMENT

Our newest boxer roadster has one missiondominate the streets in style The R 1200 Ris designed to blend comfort precisehandling and pure riding excitementhellipin one head-turning machine

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW R 1200 RSTHRILLING COMFORT

The new R 1200 RS is perfectly balancedcombining optimal wind and weather protectionwith powerful performance and controlPutting you in an unparalleled position toexplore the road - and your own limits

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW S 1000 RRWELCOME TO THENEW PLANET POWER

The S 1000 RR has been completely revisedThe results in its origins a genuine Double RRon the road a new supersports machine thatwill once again set the benchmark in its class

UNSTOPPABLE SPORT

WHAT lsquoRrsquo YOU WAITING FORCome to Montgomeryville Cycle Center to see the full line of 2015 BMW Motorcycles products and apparel

We have everything yoursquoll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever

Motorcyclepedia the northeastrsquos

premier motorcycle museum will

be holding its Speaker Series again

this winter with various riders and

orators covering topics ranging

from world touring to tips on avoiding tickets and an in depth look at GPS

technology and todayrsquos motorcycling

Backroadsrsquo own Brian amp Shira will start the series off with a talk on Jan-

uary 17 on lsquoThe Big Fiversquo motorcycle destinations around the planet along

with planning and touring around the United States and the world

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who

will help clear the fog about Garmin GPSrsquos and how their BaseCamp program

works along with how to create and export your own personal routes

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on ldquoEverything you need to know

on Motorcycles and the Lawrdquo - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper po-

lice procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists

Seth Simpson of Motorcycle training Solutions will be giving a seminar

on Rider Training

Motorcyclistmoto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about

Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys

Look for a Womenrsquos Riding Panel with some well-known female motor-

cyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing todayrsquos women

riders This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and

beginning women riders

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months

and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to

enlighten

Wersquoll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page

as soon as they are etched in stone

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh New York in the

riding heart of the Hudson Valley

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 27

A DAY AT THE MUSEUMlsquoSPEAKER SERIESrsquo RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Frankrsquos MotorcycleSales amp Service

120 Center RoadEssex VT 05451

802-878-3930wwwFranksMotorcycleSalescomBMWhtm

Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY845-357-1190

wwwLocomotionPowersportscom

LOCOMOTION POWER-

SPORTS138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY

845-357-1190

Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

SUSSEX MOTORSPORTS446 Route 23 bull Sussex NJ bull Located across from the AampP Shopping Plaza

973-875-3640 bull wwwsussexmotorsportsnjcombull Family OwnedOperated in Northwest NJ bull Near the NYPA border

bull Wide selection of onoff road apparel jackets helmets gloves and boots

bull Qualified Service Technicians with over 30 years combined experienceto perform all your Yamaha authorized service

Wheel Sport Center Inc399 HUGUeNOT ST bull NeW ROCHeLLe NY

9146367235 bull WheelSportCenternet

JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

2015 Kawasaki Concoursreg14 ABSThe ultimate backroad SuperSport Tourer

The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

RISINg WOLF gARAgE NYC

eXCLUSIVe MOTORCYCLe PARKING FACILITY

Monthly Parking

Long amp Short Term

24 Hour Access

Video Surveillance

Service Area

Personal Storage

Air Compressor

Battery Charging

We p ro v i d e a f r i e n d l y c l e a n a n d s e c u re

e n v i ro n m e n t f o r t h e m o t o rc y c l e e n t h u s i a s t

By Appointment Only

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

JDS CYCLE PARTSeST 1988

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Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 11: January 2015 Backroads

son was at the top of my list Valerie recently tested our base layer at the

Texas Mile with a 2177 mph run with great resultsrdquo added Plenzick

ldquoIrsquove been wearing and testing NPmotowear apparel while riding and

working around the shop I canrsquot tell you how impressed I am They offer

products that enhance riding comfort in both cold and hot weather while of-

fering a real sense of stylerdquo said Thompson

ldquoWe couldnrsquot be more pleased to have someone of Valeriersquos experience

and racing accomplishments to promote NPmotowear layer clothing and ac-

cessories After all we have to keep lsquoAmericarsquos Queen of Speedrsquo comfortable

underneath her race suit at over 210 mph and we have proven we can ac-

complish that goalrdquo said Plenzick

In addition to seven land speed records Thompson is an official member

of the BUB Speed Trials 201 MPH Club Mojave Magnum 200 MPH Club

Texas Mile 200 MPH Club ECTA 200 MPH Club and a lifetime member of

the prestigious Bonneville 200 MPH Club

HONDA MARKS UNPRECEDENTED MILESTONEgLOBAL PRODUCTION OF 300 MILLION MOTORCYCLES

Achieving a milestone more than 65 years in the making Honda Motor

Co Ltd announced production of its 300-millionth motorcycle The mile-

stone bike is a Honda Gold Wing produced at the companyrsquos Kumamoto Fac-

tory in Japan Honda will celebrate

the 40th anniversary of the iconic

Gold Wing in 2015

Honda began mass production of

motorcycles in Japan in 1949 when

it built the Honda 98cc Dream Type-

D Today Honda produces motorcy-

cles ATVrsquos and side-by-sides at 32

plants in 22 countries including two

plants in North America

ldquoThis incredible milestone is the

result of the millions of customers

who have placed their trust in Honda

and we would like to thank all of our customers associates dealers and com-

munity partners in North America for helping make it possiblerdquo said Bob

Gurga Vice President and Manager of Motorcycle Division for American

Honda ldquoNow we are focused on

the future and the ways that we can

harness the challenging spirit of

Honda associates to create new joy

for Honda customersrdquo

In 1958 Honda introduced the

Honda 50 known globally as the

Super Cub which would go on to

revolutionize the industry This

iconic bike paved the way for

Hondarsquos expansion into the US in

1959 and Canada in 1969 The

Super Cub which has sold nearly

90 million units globally since its

inception was the focus of a mid-

1960s advertising campaign lsquoYou

Meet the Nicest People on a

Hondarsquo that played a major role in

the transformation and growth of

the US motorcycle market

ZERO RAMPS UP PRODUCTION

Zero Motorcycles the global leader in the electric motor-

cycle industry announced that it has entered full production

of its 2015 model line The new motorcycles are being man-

ufactured at its expanded Scotts Valley California facility

by an increased number of technicians using state-of-the-art

tools The first shipments of motorcycles are now in transit

with all North American dealerships receiving the new mod-

els by the end of January European delivery is scheduled for

February 2015

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 11

Following record sales in 2014 the company has made substantial invest-

ments in technology and people placing additional resources to expand its

ldquoCrafted in Californiardquo vision ldquoWersquove taken everything learned from build-

ing thousands of electric motorcycles and applied it to new manufacturing

processes To meet the increased demand from customers wersquove added new

jobs here at our California factoryrdquo said Kai Hypko VP of Operations for

Zero Motorcycles ldquoHighly advanced tools improved systems and more

skilled workers will allow us to continue to increase our production capacity

and ensure premium qualityrdquo

The 2015 motorcycles rolling out of the California factory feature numer-

ous advancements from their predecessors Showa suspension improves com-

fort and control Zerorsquos class-leading rangemdashnow up to 185 milesmdashis

extended on most models And Zero becomes the first production electric

motorcycle to feature anti-lock brakes (ABS)

ldquoOur 2015 lineup continues to lead the industry in overall range perform-

ance and technologyrdquo said Abe Askenazi Chief Technology Officer at Zero

Motorcycles ldquoFor 2015 we focused our efforts on refining virtually every

element of the vehiclemdashfrom the tires upmdashto give riders the most pure

seamless experience availablerdquo

Initial production will be dedicated to motorcycles that will be used for

test rides via Zero Motorcycles dealers Interested riders can schedule a demo

online at wwwzeromotorcyclescomdemo-rides

Page 12 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

PosTcArds from The hedGe (Continued from page 5)

about that still confounds even locals) took me back to when I had borrowed

my friendrsquos Hawk 650 and while in this circular traffic maze the engine

started to cut out Now itrsquos unsettling enough when such things happen in

traffic and yoursquore on your own machine but when yoursquove borrowed a friendrsquos

pride and joy and it starts getting funky it adds to the already present drama

immeasurably The V-Twin never actually quit though and what happened

was a little snafu peculiar to this particular model of motorcycle It seems

that when the incoming air around the tank is juuuuuust right a poorly routed

hose does something to the air supply to the carburetors and it skips like its

running out of gas When I told my friend about it he

confirmed it had happened to him and through the use

of this brand new thing called the Internet he found a

very simple solution and fixed it I hadnrsquot thought about

this incident since it happened back in the last Century

and the Weatherford Traffic circle bought it all back with

surprising clarity

Of course there were some businesses and landmarks

(often one in the same) that had vanished but the odd

thing was the general feel of the place was exactly as it

had seemed and as a result I found myself for lack of

a better expression having a Twilight Zone moment

This was a town that I not only grew up in but a place

where I experienced so many formative moments that

ultimately steered my path in life A simple trip like this

managed to take much that was locked away and shake

it loose as if I really did borrow Dr Whorsquos time-tran-

siting Tardis And as has been the case in my entire

adult life a motorcycle managed to be a part of it even

though this time I was wasnrsquot riding one Oh and my

niecersquos wedding It was superb I now have a fine new

nephew too with a family that originally hails from

China and they are delightful people All in all the trip

was quite a Trip

ldquoIF YOUWANT

TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

ROLLINrsquo FAST CYCLE SPORTS

104 Main Street Lebanon NJ908-236-9000 bull wwwRollinFastcom

ROLLINrsquo FAST INDIAN MOTORCYCLE OF LEBANON104 Main Street Lebanon NJ908-236-9000 bull wwwRollinFastcom

Come see the full line

of Indian Motorcycles

Large selection of parts

apparel and accessories

Great Gift Ideas for

your Holiday Shopping

Plan now for your winter

service needsMon-Fri 9a-6p

Thurs lsquotil 9a-7p bull Sat 9a-5pSunday Gone Riding

Rollinrsquo Fast Cycle Sports Presents

GReAT ALL AMeRICAN DINeR RUN tasty places to take your bike

Ardyrsquos counTry kiTchen

279 mAin sT worcesTer ny 121197 bull 607-397-4070

Many times suggestions for a Great All American Diner Run

are sent to us and when we can we search them out on your

expert recommendations

Other times we come across hidden jewels a bit more

serendipitously

Thatrsquos how we came across this monthrsquos stop on GAADR ndash

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen in the small upstate New York town

of Worcester

There were four of us heading to our last Summer Squeeze

Rally in Vermont and we were making a few days riding ad-

venture of it by heading to the Adirondacks for the first evening

on the road

Come lunch time all our bellies were rumbling and lucky for

me right before I became a raging and petulant starving child I

spotted a small brightly painted diner to my right on an upcoming

corner

We had found Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

With its ice cream shop front we hoped they served more than

just dessert and entering the small dining room we were instantly

hit with the heady aromas of good eats

Thank you Road Gods

The place has been owned and operated by the Sanna clan since

2005 and the family atmosphere is evidentwith the smattering of

toys and one or two young ones running around their moms our

waitresses legs

Non-crying non-exasperating and happy little ones annoy me

not ndash so we took a small table and looked to see what the Sanna

family had to offer this day

First off you canrsquot get a sandwich here

at Ardyrsquos ndash but you can get a sammich

We all know that it is a scientific fact

that a sammich is far more fun and much

more delicious and filling both from a

nutritionistrsquos point of view and the addi-

tional smile factor thrown in

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen has a goodly

number of different sammiches for your

eating pleasure ndash but wersquoll get to them in

a minute

If itrsquos early when you get there they

serve a Bagel Breakfast with eggs

sausage and cheese on a real fresh bagel

Soup amp Sammich can always be had

ndash with daily specials to be found Of

course they have burgers just about any

way yoursquod like lsquoem and the homemade

chili was tangy and delicious as was the

soup of the day

Heading over to their ldquoSignature Sam-

michesrdquo you will find just about any-

thing you might be craving Or maybe

a perusal of the menu will get the belly

rolling For a smallish diner along a

rural road in upstate New York you will

have plenty from which to choose

How about a BLT or a Cuban with

roast pork ham Swiss cheese and pick-

les Their Pork amp Slaw with cheddar

cheese looked tasty as did the BBQ

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 13

TWO WHEELS OR FOURTHERErsquoS ALWAYS ROOM FOR

Texas Smoke Barbecue400 Route 15 South bull Jefferson NJ

862-209-4078 bull wwwTexasSmokeBBQcom

texas smoke BBQIndoor and outdoor dining

Warm up with some

Chowdown Chili

Smokinrsquo Platters

and so much more

Biker and Barbecue Enthusiasts

Enjoy our Chalkboard Specials

Long Island Kawasaki67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIKawasakicom bull 516-935-6969Combining the low silhouette of

a Vulcan cruiser with Kawasaki

sportbike-derived power and

handling as well as a custom fit

concept designed to comfort-

ably fit a wide range of riders

Rollinrsquo Fast Cycle Sports Presents

GReAT ALL AMeRICAN DINeR RUN tasty places to take your bike

Chicken Hero also topped with their local cheddar cheese

For you Vegans (he said with a smirk) you will find a Veggie Panini (now

hush and eat your greens) If you are really hungry try Ardyrsquos Big Roast Beef

ndash a heaping of oven roasted beef topped with Swiss cheese and served on a

Kaiser roll and topped with Ardyrsquos famed horseradish sauce

Thatrsquoll fill you up

When we arrived it was an unusually cool day for the Leatherstocking Re-

gion and a hot sammich seemed more on order Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

serves up hot pork and hot roast beef sammiches but I went with their hot

meatloaf ndash brought out on a toasted Kaiser roll with homemade mashed po-

tatoes and some super tasty gravy ndash enough to float a boat

Just about everything here at Ardyrsquos is a homemade creation Real potatoes

fresh vegetables and freshly roasted meats are always used Not much

processed or pre-packaged quasi food will be found here

My Hot Meatloaf Sammich served with Ardyrsquos super potatoes and

drowned in their excellent brown gravy was one of the best I have ever had

on the road And it was not just a thinly sliced bit of meatloaf but an honest-

to-goodness slab orsquomeatloaf

I wouldnrsquot even serve myself that big a piece at home

Okay maybe I would

The rest of our crew all had the Tomato amp Basil Soup (delicious) and

grilled cheese sammiches which was a special of the day

If you can squeeze it in after all this great chow Ardyrsquos is an ice cream par-

lor as well and they offer enough flavors that even resident ice cream maven

Shira was tempted

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen is the perfect example of a small and family run

restaurant that really serves up the goods All their offering are real and tasty

and just like your mom would cook ndash ifrsquon your mom was a trained chef

When in the region it is well worth searching Ardyrsquos out and with that in

mind wersquoll give you a short ride from the Kingston area to this monthrsquos stop

on the Great All American Diner Run

Find them on FaceBook at Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

Page 14 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

RIP amp RIDEreg bull ARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN279 MAIN ST WORCESTER NY 121197 bull 607-397-4070

START INTERSECTIONS OF RTES 20928 KINGSTON NYRTE 28 WESTRIGHT AT RTE 375LEFT AT RTE 212RIGHT AT RTE 28LEFT AT RTE 214LEFT AT RTE 23ARIGHT AT SCRIBNER HOLLOW RDLEFT AT RTE 23CRIGHT AT CR 40STRAIGHT AT CR 296

LEFT AT RTE 23BEAR RIGHT AT CR 7LEFT AT CR 990VRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT SHREW HOLLOW ROADLEFT AT CR 29RIGHT AT CR 10LEFT AT MEADE ROADLEFT AT CHARLOTTEVILLE ROADRIGHT AT CR 39RIGHT AT RTE 7 MAIN STARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN ON LEFT

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

moTe AquArium And mArine lABorATory

600 ken ThomPson Pkwy sArAsoTA fl 34236

941-388-4441 bull wwwmoTeorG

Each March and October the Daytona faithful head

south to the beginning and end of the season rallies

on the Sunshine statersquos eastern coast

But we have always found Daytona and vicinities

to get a bit too crowded loud andhellipumm ndash boring

Well for us

The SUYT thing kinda got old when the girls could

be your daughter-in-law

We prefer checking out the scene and then doing a

little Floridian travel exploring some of the sights

and scenes that draw so may south each year

On Floridarsquos Gulf Coast you will find the city of

Sarasota

This city has a thriving cultural scene and boasts a

number of interesting places to visit explore and gen-

erally spend some time

A few years back we told you of the Circus Mu-

seum this time we dropped in on the Mote Aquarium

and Marine Laboratory

The Aquarium has its beginnings back in 1955

when it was founded by Dr Eugenie Clark in

Placida Florida Back then it was known as Cape

Haze Marine Laboratory until its 1967 renaming in

honor of a major benefactor William R Mote and the

contributions he and his family made to helping the

aquarium grow mdash both in size and reputation Since

1960 Mote has been based in Sarasota Florida and

since 1978 it has been lo-

cated on City Island and

that is where we got to

spend a number of hours

The Mote Aquarium

consists of three buildings

the aquarium an interac-

tive theatre and a separate

building that houses their

sea turtles dolphin (singu-

lar but wersquoll get into that)

and manatee collection all

of whom have been res-

cued or rehabbed at Mote

All the exhibits are laid

out with informative plac-

ards and each tank brings

different environments and

different fish and marine wildlife all with a story

to tell

Moray eels tanks full of floating jelly fish of

all types exotic fish we had never dreamed of and

some we simply had never seen in person were

there

In addition to the first building exhibits you can

learn about the giant squid and then move to the

shark area and ray along the way you will find a

few tanks where you can reach in and get to touch

a few of the locals

Mote also had a nice display on the Megalodon

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 15

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

ndash the prehistoric shark that was well over 50 feet long

with teeth as large as your fist

A quick walk across the parking lot brought us to the

building holding their other large exhibits

A few different sea turtles were swimming about as

well as Hugh and Buffett ndash two large and impressive

manatees

A large outdoor pool held lsquoMoonshinersquo Motersquos res-

ident dolphin who was rescued after it beached and

was found drying out and sunburned

He seems happy enough but personally we think he

needs a friend We were told that Mote is next on the

list for such a companion

While we visited Mote had a special attraction called

lsquoSurvivorsrsquo which featured some of the oddest marine and fresh water ani-

mals and the very unique way they survive in the wild ndash from deadly poison

to killer punches to simply looking like a rock and hoping for the best ndash it

was a fascinating display as was the entire aquarium

If you get hungry you can drop by their Deep Sea Diner where you can

enjoy dining al-fresco or inside the casual retro rsquo50s-style diner complete

with an old-fashioned soda fountain The lively cafeacute offers a fun affordable

family-style menu including chili and chowder burgers and dogs veggie

burgers and fresh salads chicken fingers and fries And donrsquot forget dessert

hand-dipped ice cream shakes amp sundaes

We thought wersquod spend a quick hour there but ended up happily spending

the afternoon

Mote might not be the biggest but it surely made up for its size with quality

and interesting and informative displays

Page 16 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 906-9292

Find Us on Facebook bull SportHondanet

hondacom UTILITY ATVs ARE RECOMMENDED FOR RIDERS 16 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER TRX90X IS RECOMMENDED ONLY FOR RIDERS12 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER RIDERS UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE MUST BE SUPERVISED BY AN ADULT ATVs CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO OPER-ATE ALL ATV RIDERS SHOULD TAKE A TRAINING COURSE (FREE FOR NEW BUYERS ASK YOUR DEALER OR CALL ASI AT 800-887-2887) ANDREAD THEIR OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND APPROPRIATE CLOTHING AVOID EXCESSIVESPEEDS AND BE CAREFUL ON DIFFICULT TERRAIN FOR YOUR SAFETY BE RESPONSIBLE NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGSOR ALCOHOL ON PAVED SURFACES ON PUBLIC ROADS WITH PASSENGERS OR AT EXCESSIVE SPEEDS NO STUNT RIDING RESPECT THEENVIRONMENT WHEN RIDING TRXreg and Rancherreg are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1114)

Whether itrsquos hard work

or time to play

Sport Honda has the

ATV to fit your lifestyle

Be prepared - Come in

Today for your

Winter utility needs

Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 491-2900

Find Us on Facebook bull CrossCountryPowersportscom

Cross Country Powersportsis now taking deposits for theNinja H2Rtrade and H2tradeExperience unforgettable supercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2trade motorcycle theworldrsquos only supercharged productionhypersport streetbike

The BridGewATer TriAnGle

is This The sTrAnGesT sPoT in The norTheAsT

Located just 30 miles south of Boston this 200-mile square area has the

Massachusetts towns of Abington Freetown and Rehoboth at its angles The

town of Bridgewater is located nearly dead center within the triangle and the

area also encompasses six other Massachusetts towns Raynham Taunton

Brockton Mansfield Norton and Easton including the Hockomock Swamp

It is known as the Bridgewater Triangle

It seems if it is paranormal weird or mysterious it has happened in the Tri-

angle of the years

Let us start with one of the

first odd things found in the

region

It was in this area that the

first officially documented

petroglyph in the United

States was found - Dighton

Rock This 40 ton boulder

was discovered by original

settlers and has always

caused questions and wonder

of who made these mysteri-

ous markings and why

In fact in 1690 Rev Cotton Mather described the rock in his book The

Wonderful Works of God Commemorated

ldquoAmong the other Curiosities of New-England one is that of a mighty

Rock on a perpendicular side whereof by a River which at High Tide covers

part of it there are very deeply Engraved no man alive knows How or When

about half a score Lines near Ten Foot Long and a foot and half broad filled

with strange Characters which would

suggest as odd Thoughts about them that

were here before us as there are odd

Shapes in that Elaborate Monumentrdquo

The boulder was moved in 1980 to the

museum in a nearby park Dighton Rock State Park in order to protect and

preserve this part of Americarsquos strange history

Strangely marked boulders were not the beginning of the mystery of the

Bridgewater Triangle

Years back a group of archeologists discovered a native burial mound on

Grassy Island in the swamp These graves were dated to 6000 BC

Strange lights have been

reported on this island and

across the triangle and one

of the first documented

UFO sighting came from

here when on May 10

1760 villagers in two

towns 50 miles away stared

in wonder at a ldquoSphere of

Firerdquo that slowly made its

way across the sky

The next day both townsrsquo newspapers reported the phenomena in their edi-

tions According to historical records the UFO emitted light bright enough

to cast a shadow in bright sunlight The sound made by the object ldquooddly

enough was heard sooner at the middle of the course it took than at the be-

ginningrdquo

You canrsquot really have such an eclectic gathering of odd in a place like this

in Mysterious America without a few good Yeti sightings

Over the years all sorts of ldquoSwamp Monstersrdquo have been sighted and in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 17

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

April 1970 it was reported that a ldquoBigfootrdquo

picked up a rear of a police car in which sat

two surprised police officers

Police dogs have been used time and again but

Bigfoot is an elusive fellow

I have always believed the Jersey Devil is a

Pterosaurs of some kind and here around the

Bridgewater Triangle huge black prehistoric-look-

ing birds with a wingspan of between eight and

twelve feet have been reported time and again in-

cluding a report by Norton Police Sergeant Thomas

Downy

Indian Curses abound as well and along Route

44 in Rehoboth lies the boulder known as Anawan

Rock It is said that it was here that the Wampanoag

chief Anawan surrendered to the colonists thus

ending King Philiprsquos War According to local be-

liefs the angry spirits of the warriors captured that

day continue to haunt the spot

Extremely large snakes and alligators have been

found in the swamp along with other creatures that are totally out of place

In the late 1800rsquos bones of a giant were unearthed

Every which way you look or travel in the area you will find something

strange In fact I have a quick list of odd things found in the

Bridgewater Triangle for you

Next time yoursquore looking to spend a few days exploring Mys-

terious America take a ride around the Bridgewater Triangle You

just might end up sending me an email telling me you spotted ahellip

OrsquoLife Out

Ten odd ThinGs found in The BridGewATer TriAnGle

1 The longest epitaph in the United States is located in a Rehoboth

cemetery A full 405 words

2 Three PT Barnum circus ldquofreaksrdquo hailed from here including

Middlebororsquos Tom Thumb and East Bridgewaterrsquos ldquoThe Human

Skeletonrdquo

3 The first boundary line in the United States is located in Abing-

ton at the Bridgewater Trianglersquos furthest most delineated northern

map point

4 A historic 40-foot tall Hood milk bottle in Raynham (now a

restaurant) is the (triplet) sister to famous the ldquoMilk Bottlerdquo at the

Boston Childrenrsquos museum

5 In 1906 bones of ldquoa giantrdquo were discovered in Middleboro

6 Alligators seals emu peacocks cow moose bears Africal

Sevral panthers and mountain lions have all been found in the

Bridgewater Triangle

7 There are both handprints and footprints imbedded into several

Bridgewater Triangle boulders handprints in Middleboro foot-

prints in Norton

8 Dighton Rock is the first documented petroglyph in the United

States

9 The chocolate chip cookie was invented in the happiest of ac-

cidents in the northern apex of the Bridgewater Triangle

10 The Bridgewater Triangle is host to the worldrsquos only shovel

museum located in Easton

Page 18 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

290 Route 100 West Dover VT800-745-3615 bull wwwgrayghostinncom

Motorcyclist-Friendly Destination LodgingLocated on Scenic Route 100 in Southern VermontHot breakfast cooked to order BYOB bar firepit hot tub game room and WiFi

Free Maps and Suggested Rides Group Special Packages5 restaurantsbars within walking distance bull On-site Group Dinners available

MemberWhen you canrsquot ride because of snow ride the snow

Guided Back-Country Snowmobile Toursin the Green Mountain National Forest

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

mounTAineer hoTel

31 eAsT second Avenue williAmson wv

304-235-2222 bull wwwmounTAineerhoTelcom

Laying right on the Tug Fork River across from the

Blue Grass state of Kentucky one will find the tiny town

of Williamson West Virginia Williamson has a long

history mostly revolving around the coal industry

Here you will find a rather large rail yard now part

of the Norfolk Southern built to service the many mines

found in and around this part of West Virginia and Ken-

tucky

In 1974 a United States Army Corps of Engineer

planner described the region as having the most severe

flooding problem in America

In 1977 after many days of steady hard rain the Tug

Fork and adjoining streams began

a constant and quick rise As had

happened in the past the town ex-

perienced incredible flooding

Today a floodwall protects

Williamson from future wet havoc

A huge part of this regionrsquos local

lore and history is the famed home

of the feud between the Hatfields

and McCoys probably the most

famous family fight in US history

The first event in the decades-

long feud was the 1865 murder of

Randolphrsquos brother Asa Harmon

McCoy by the Logan Wildcats a local militia group

that counted Devil Anse and other Hatfields among its

members Many peoplemdasheven members of his own

familymdashregarded Asa Harmon who had served in the

Union Army during the American Civil War as a trai-

tor While some have surmised that his murder set the

stage for the feud most historians now see this inci-

dent as a standalone event

Relations between the two families continued to

sour over the next decade before flaring again over a

seemingly small matter a dispute over a single hog

In 1878 Randolph McCoy accused Floyd Hatfield a

cousin of Devil Anse of stealing one of his pigs a

valuable commodity in the poor region Floyd Hat-

fieldsrsquos trial took place in McCoy territory but was

presided over by a cousin of Devil Anse It hinged on

the testimony of star witness Bill Staton a McCoy rel-

ative married to a Hatfield Staton testified in Floyd

Hatfieldrsquos favor and the McCoys were infuriated when

Floyd was cleared of the charges against him Two

years later Staton was violently killed in a fracas with

Sam and Paris McCoy nephews of Randolph Sam stood trial for the

murder but was acquitted for self-defense reasons

Things went south from there and an American legacy was born

In and around the town you will find much on this feud

In the center of town you will find The Coal House now the home

of the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce

Weighing in at 65 tons with 2 ft thick walls itrsquos the only coal house

made entirely of coal Built in 1933 it was designed by architect HT

Hicks from an idea by O W Evans It was constructed from blocks

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 19

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

of local seam coal donated by coal companies in the region

Right next door to The Coal House you will find the historic

Mountaineer Hotel The large classic-revival 5-story yellow-

glazed brick building dominates the center of town and offers

a look and reason to step back into the past

Built in 1925 the Mountaineer hotel has had its share of fa-

mous guests with JFK Paul Newman Jerry Lee Lewis Henry

Ford and others- including the great Soupy Sales - staying here

overnight

In fact all the rooms are named after famous and infamous

guests that have walked through its doors

Later in the evening we walked all five flights to see just

who did stay there

The main entrance leads to a large lobby and the front desk

with pigeonhole boxes for room keys and a teller window

French doors lead to the ballroom The hotel has 116 rooms

for guests a formal ballroom a lobby restaurant and sports bar

(which were not open this day) and the lower level has a num-

ber of games ndash including Fooz ball pool

and a large regulation-sized shuffle board

game that kept us occupied for about an

hour

Sometimes we find places from this era

a bit run down but the Mountaineer hotel

is a gem

Just one look at the grand lobby and you

will know this is true and with rooms less

than $75 for the night quite the deal too

We took Paul Newmanrsquos room and it

couldnrsquot have been nicer

Unpacking and strolling around town

which was quiet on a Monday night was a

pleasant distraction after a dayrsquos worth of

hard miles through the mountains of West

Virginia and Kentucky

When traveling around the United States

you can almost always find a chain hotel at

any exit or bigger town but why would you

want to when wonderful old beauties like

the Mountaineer Hotel in Williamson West

Virginia are around

Page 20 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Tony Lisanti

Eye protection for off road use consists of

the tried and true goggle The goggle

wraps around the helmet and seals to

your face in the helmet opening

Traditional goggles

consist of a urethane

based flexible frame

with various types of

foam material that

seal directly against

the forehead and cheeks

and nose keeping out wind and

dirt Being the helmet has a limited opening

goggles have had to fit inside this space limiting the field of vision

This type of goggle has been the norm for last half century with

all kinds of innovations in frame lens and foam materials

Enter ZOWA Optics Visor Goggles ZOWA Optics was founded

in 2013 Their goal is to offer unique goggles to off-road dirt bike

ATV and snowmobile riders The Vermont based company has

come up with a goggle that eliminates many of the drawbacks of

a traditional off road goggle The Visor Goggles are designed so

the upper half seals against the helmet rather than the forehead

The lower half of the goggle rests against the face By developing

the goggle in this way the field of view is dramatically increased and the

issue of having foam in contact with the skin on the forehead is eliminated

I had the opportunity to try out the Visor Goggles at a local practice track

recently The first thing I noticed was the size of the Visor Goggles They are

about twice the size of a traditional goggle They install on a helmet the same

way as traditional goggles except instead of resting against the forehead they

seal against the helmet under the visor Most noticeable was the lack

of ldquonose pinchrdquo and the vastly improved vision The Visor Goggle

drastically reduces the claustrophobic feel of traditional goggles as

there is more distance between the inside of the goggle and your face

The feel is more like an adventure helmet

After riding with them for an hour or two on an MX track I found

the improved field of vision to be a welcome change Riding with the

Visor Goggles allowed better vision up down and sideways I did no-

tice a bit more air coming in from the flow through design and from

underneath the seal against my check bones at speed During warm

weather this would be welcome in cold weather not so much Ad-

justing the strap tension has an affect on goggle to face contact Skin

contact with the typical sweatmudgrungefunk mix that gets en-

crusted on the foam is minimized since

the foam is resting against the helmet

rather than the forehead

They cleaned up well and showed no

signs of scratching on the lenses stain-

ing of the frames or discoloration de-

spite a liberal dosage of mud and water

The ZOWA Visor Goggle features in-

clude being rated for OTG (Over The

Glasses) by virtue of the greater clear-

ance between goggle and face a Hel-

met conformed design improved field

of view Lexan lens with anti-fog coating comfort foam and flow through

ventilation The strap features a silicon strip to help it stay put on the helmet

Accessory lenses and tear-off lenses are available All goggles come with a

micro fiber storage bag as well The off road goggles retail for $5800 and

are available in black red of cyan frame colors wwwzowaopticscom

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

BUILT BEYOND BELIEFINTRODUCING THE KAWASAKI

Come to Motorcycle Mall to reserve your Ninja H2trade

by December 19 and experience unforgettablesupercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2 motorcycle the worldrsquos onlysupercharged production hypersport streetbike

H2

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pantsgloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Mo-torcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environmentFor furher information regarding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 Specifi-cations subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspired R1 everFrom the advanced lsquorider activersquo electronicspackage to the powerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Supersport bike andfactory MotoGP has never been more blurred

COMPLETELY NEW

FROM THE TRACK UP

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 21

PRODUCT REVIEWZOWA OPTICS VISOR GOGGLES

Great All American Diner RunAs always wersquoll start with our most popular column the Great All American Diner Run Wait is it really We just might have a new fan fa-vorite but wersquoll save that till later First letrsquos take a look at the top three for GAADR 2014hellip

SECOND RUNNER UP bull RIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST2378 ROUTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770 bull 845-557-0097 bull RIVERUNNERSROOSTCOM

Route 97 along the scenic Delaware River has long been a favorite of motorcyclists for years and

over the years the road has seen a number of restaurants open their doors along its picturesque miles

The latest is the River Runnerrsquos Roost

Opened by Rich and Mary Codichini back in 2013 this place quickly became a favorite of ours

and many others They bill themselves as a barbeque steakhouse with a touch of Cajun and Italian

We call it phenomenal with one of the best barbeques in the region and gumbo to go to war over

If you havenrsquot tried the ldquoRoostrdquo then make plans for riding their way in the spring

FIRST RUNNER UP bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784 bull 603- 298-5515 bull 4ACESDINERCOM

Located just up the hill from the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River in the town of

Lebanon the Four Aces is the real deal A true Great All-American Diner Their

menu is huge interesting and delicious The ambience is pure Americana and the

roads leading to and from the Four Aces straddling Vermont and New Hampshire

are hard to top They have pro smokers going outside right along their picnic tables

but we found a seat at the counter worked just fine for us

Our only problem with Four Aces is that they are almost exactly 301 miles from

where we type this They should consider northern New Jersey

The Four Aces is a must see do and eat while in the Dartmouth region and just

missed out on our top honor for this yearrsquos vote

And so without further adohellip

1ST PLACE GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN 2014 bull FIVE ISLANDS LOBSTER COMPANY1447 5 ISLANDS RD GEORGETOWN ME 04548 bull 207-371-2990 bull FIVEISLANDSLOBSTERCOM

Location location location Besides have a superb down to Earth feel a great staff scrumptious food

and a wonderful coastal Maine flavor ndash The Five Islands Lobster Company has a serious location

Did we mention where it is

Located on a working fishing wharf it is surrounded by the ldquocoldest and deepest waters on the coastrdquo

There be some serious lobstarsquo lurking here abouts and it is best when they find their final way to

Five Islands You can have these big bugs anyway you like but we took a bullet for all of you and

went and ordered The Big Boy Stuffed with twice the amount of lobster meat than your average

lobster roll it was our pleasure to tackle this monster as best we could

Wait ndash just thinking of it all on this cold November day has us in a statehellip

They do serve a good number of other seafood favorites as well as more land-based standards but

who wants that when you can have the quintessential Maine treat on a wooden bench and table

alongside one of the prettiest bays in New England

This is why the Five Islands Lobster Company slid into the 1 spot in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

Big City GetawayBig City Getaway has always been about a great destination So many of

us roll the bikes out of the garage and then say ldquoWhere tordquo That is where this monthly favoritecomes in and here are our best of Big City Getaway 2015

2ND RUNNER UP bull MUSTANG FACTORYTOUR4 SPRINGFIELD STREET SUITE 1 THREE RIVERS MA 01080 bull 800-243-1392 bull MUSTANGSEATSCOM

They are one of the largest motorcycle seat manufacturers on the planet and they would be happy to show you around

We did a tour this last summer and found just how much talent vision and workmanship goes into creating some of

the most distinctive and comfortable motorcycle seats you can find

Page 22 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Best of Backroads 2014Once again this planet we ride has completed another lap around our sun and it is time for us to look back on the season and the veryBest of BackroadsIf we said 2013 was ldquointerestingrdquo we would be hard pressed to describe this past year of 2014For sure last year brought us thousands of great miles and lots of smiles interesting destinations and a few great Backroads Ralliesbut some darkness and loss along the journey for our Backroads family as wellStill looking back we had some phenomenal places we found stories we told and friends with which we have ridden The Italian poet Cesare Pavese said ldquoWe do not remember days we remember momentsrdquoThis year ndash 2014 ndash we had our share of moments Letrsquos look back at some in the Best of Backroads 2014

The tour is open to riding groups and takes a little over an hour and a half We recommend that you make an

appointment and guarantee you will have an informative and fun day with our friends at Mustang seats

1ST RUNNER UP bull COASTAL BOTANICAL GARDENS32 BOTANICAL GARDENS DR BOOTHBAY ME 04537 bull 207-633-4333 bull MAINEGARDENSORG

This project took nearly 17 years planning planting and building before its opening in June of 2007 and today

the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens comprises 270 acres of tidal shore land thousands of flowers plants

and botanical oddities Interspersed amongst the natural beauty you will find dozens of sculptures that

only add to an already stunning venue Rarely has a visitor spent some time at the Coastal Botanical

Gardens and not wanted to return as soon as possible

It is simple to see why this easily took our First Runner Up spot

1ST PLACE BIG CITY GETAWAY 2014 FIVE STAR GENERAL STORES bull NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY

This article from our October issue embodied a little bit of everything we might look for in a Big

City Getaway It had local history interesting stops (5 of them) food ice cream and it was all

woven together with some of the neatest roads in northern New Jersey ndash a riding jewel for those

who have never been so lucky Running along to five different and historic General Stores this day

trip just kept getting better Know that we just scratched the surface and that these General Stores from

the past can be found all around the nation But for this time around it was this adventure that was

called 1 for Big City Getaway 2014

(Note as of this printing the Stillwater General Store has closed but is still worth the ride-by for the

roads and historic value)

Wersquore Outta HereThe great thing that we riders have over the more boring people out there is that our tripsand adventures happen the moment we roll out of our driveways and onto the roadOvernight trips are like mini-vacations for the soul and are most likely the reason they sayyou never see a motorcycle outside a psychiatrist office unless it belongs to the shrinkWersquore Outta Here is all about that ndash places to go and enjoy whether it be a group coupleor on your ownLetrsquos see what we think were our top three for 2014

2ND RUNNER UP bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 E MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854 bull 814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGEPACOM

Shira found this hide-away full of coffee awesomeness when we were to attend the ALTRider adventure

ride early this summer in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania The lodge is part of the coffee house and

although the room we had was a tad small it was well thought out and just added to the coolness of the

entire place We had the Penns Creek Room with its lsquoloft-stylersquo bed and rock wall shower Each morning

the aroma from the coffee shop downstairs was like a Sirenrsquos call and had us highly motivated to carefully

spring out of bed (well it was a loft and there was a drop) There were also great muffins and cakes to go along with the coffee

Millheim is well located with a great combination of fantastic riding both paved and not and has a few eateries within strolling distance (compared to walking

or marching distance) We liked everything about the Triple Creek Lodge ndash the smell the flavor and the quirkiness

1ST RUNNER UP bull INDIAN ROCK INN2206 RIVER RD UPPER BLACK EDDY PA 18972 bull 610-982-9600 bull INDIANROCKINNCOM

GPS Download wwwsendspacecomprodlen7u7kAlong the PA-side of the Delaware River just north of Jerseyrsquos Milford in a place where the river

crooks dramatically and heads north for a bit you will find a great local treasure - the Indian Rock

Inn Tucked underneath what are called the Pennsylvania Palisades and along both river and old

canal the Indian Rock is the complete package

After a day of fun riding to and around the region you can park the bikes grab your room and

shower and make your way to the very friendly bar The Barking Dog Grab a cocktail and me-

ander to the very comfortable large porch take a seat and watch the world go by After the sun

sets a delicious gourmet meal is just steps away Perhaps a night cap and then upstairs to end a

prefect day With all that it is easy to see how the Indian Rock grabbed first runner up in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

1ST PLACEWErsquoRE OUTTA HERE 2014 bull QUODDY HEAD STATION823 SOUTH LUBEC RD LUBEC ME 04652 bull 877-535-4714 bull QUODDYVACATIONCOM

Most times we are all for suggesting you sleep in a bit longer at any of our Wersquore Outta Here destinations but here at Quoddy Head

Station we urge - no insist ndash that you get up before the dawn so you can be the first in the United States to see the sun rise over the At-

lantic from the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse - just a 2 minute ride to the east

Here in the most north and east point of the United States life does not get much better

The rooms and views cannot be beat and the surrounding area with its little coves Reversing Falls State Park Rooseveltrsquos Campobello

cottage (actually in Canada) and the very coastal Maine town of Lebec with its large number of seafood restaurants nautical shops and

vistas are hard to beat anywhere else in the world When we travelled in the area

we rode under a giant orange full moon that rose over the bay at low tide

It was eerie and stunning all at the same time

One of those moments we talked about earlier Quoddy Head Station has to be one

of the most interesting and geographically perfect places we have traveled to in

many years and easily made its way to the 1st place spot for Wersquore Outta Here 2014

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 23

Mysterious AmericaAlways one of the perennial favorites for our readers is the odd wacky and off-beat destinations that our own Dr Seymour OrsquoLife brings

to us each month This year was no different and the choices to be made for the TopThree were very tight for the good doctor but undaunted our hero carried on and cameup with the short list So letrsquos get to it

2ND RUNNER UP bull ISLE OFWIGHT COUNTY MUSEUM103 MAIN ST SMITHFIELD VA 23430 bull 757-356-1223 bull HISTORICISLEOFWIGHTCOM

You remember this place ndash home of the Worldrsquos Oldest Ham It belonged to PD Gwaltney Jr

It had its beginnings in 1902 when a cured ham was accidentally hung from rafters in one Gwaltneyrsquos

houses until it was discovered by workers By 1924 the pet ham was kept in an iron safe which was

opened daily for guests to view Advertised as the worldrsquos oldest Smithfield ham Gwaltney fashioned

a brass collar for the ham and took it to shows and expos to exhibit the preservative powers of his

smoking method The ham was featured in Ripleyrsquos ldquoBelieve It Or Notrdquo in 1929 1932 and 2003 and

more importantly in Backroads in May of 2014 For sure the museum holds so much more but Sey-

mour could never get past the ham Neither could we

1ST RUNNER UP bull THE CULPER SPY RINGThis was the first multi-month piece by the minions of mystery and we spent three

full months searching for the real story on George Washingtonrsquos Culper Spy Ring

From its beginning with the hanging of Nathan Hale in what is now mid-town Man-

hattan to the desolation of being held on a prison ship in an East River Bay in Brook-

lyn - where we had the largest battle of our Revolutionary War Then on to the Culper

Spies themselves and the web they wove from Setauket Long Island across the

Sound to Connecticut and into New York and Philadelphia These men and woman

(nobody really knows who this lady was) changed the course of history It was then

onto treachery traitors and sex ndashwith the story of Benedict Arnold his wife Peggy

Shippen and her lover Major John Andrersquo and our own West Point Escape capture

and the gallows all played a part in this true story of our local American history

Mysterious Americarsquos history has never been so much fun

1ST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2014 bull THE TRANS-ALLEGHENY LUNATIC ASYLUM71 ASYLUM DR WESTON WV 26452 bull 304-269-5070 bull TRANS-ALLEGHENYLUNATICASYLUMCOM

When we first rode up to this massive 27-acre facility Shira who had no idea where or why we were there shook her head and simply asked why

The asylum stands like a monstrous stone beast dominating the ground It is the second largest hand-hewn bluestone building on the planet with only Russiarsquos

Kremlin surpassing it But it is the feel and aura that surround and linger around this building

that will tell you the real story of the place

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum also known as the We-

ston State Hospital was a Kirkbride psychiatric hospital that

operated from 1864 until 1994 Like many Kirkbridge hospi-

tals it started out with a noble idea but soon became overrun

with patients lack of proper care and some of the saddest and

scariest tales were heard here on the tour The place is massive and to walk the halls would literally take miles

The place is reportedly full of ghosts and very bad things from the other side One look at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

and you will have a hard time denying that claim Shira will never go back and it was one of the few times that she was seriously

ldquocreeped outrdquo Her words ndash not ours

With that being said you surely must agree that a visit to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum easily ranks as our 1st place for

our Mysterious America 2014

MomentsIt was April 10 of this past year when the phone here at Backroads rang Answering it I could hear the voice of a friend Dave on the farend ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo I asked ldquohow are yourdquoDaversquos voice trembled and broke ldquoJeff Bahr was killed today on his bikerdquoIn that moment everything stopped It remained stopped for a long time Sometimes it still doesA month or so later well after Jeffrsquos service and cremation Shira and I found ourselves at the spot where this happened We talked tothe young man who was tending his barbecue pit which he was stoking for the dayrsquos lunch He was there when the driver pulled out ofhis general storersquos parking lot without even a glance He sadly but kindly told us of that momentJeff had simply been riding down a wide country road when an 86-year old man pulled out in front of him Although rubber on the roadshowed Jeff tried to avoid the car it was too little too late and he was killed on impactI have no idea what happened to the old man after this event But regardless he has to live with his inattentiveness and actions for therest of his life So do many of usWe do not remember days we remember momentsThat day was made up of a moment we will never forgetThe weekend I wrote this Jeff if hersquod survived would have been 57 He would have had dozens more stories made us laugh a dozenmore times would have made this magazine a dozen times betterJeff I hope you know that so many of us miss you so muchTo you all enjoy and savor all your moments Life is made up of them and eventually one of those moments will hurt

Page 24 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Shirarsquos Ice Cream RunLast year we introduce a semi-monthly some of the time if she felt like it column ndashShirarsquos Ice Cream Run It seems to everybody but the red head that this column hasbecome a huge hit and we have had more comments and suggestions for the IceCream Runs than anything else within memory So think sweet creamy and cold andletrsquos see what Shira thought were on the top three stops of 2014rsquos Ice Cream Runs

2ND RUNNER UP bull HOLSTENrsquoS CONFECTIONARY1603 BROAD ST BLOOMFIELD NJ 07003 bull 973-338-7091 bull WWWHOLSTENSCOM

Immortalized on celluloid in the Sopranosrsquo final episode Holstenrsquos Confectionary has so much more

to offer than their souvenir t-shirts from said show A true old-time ice cream parlor Holstenrsquos home-

made ice cream and confections will win the hearts of any true lover of sweets Taking a seat at the

counter should bring back memories of visits to Woolworthrsquos and once the delicious dairyness is

placed in front of you complete with homemade whipped cream you will think you are in a

dream Holstenrsquos has the whole package ndash premium product comfortable setting and take-home

delights With its 2nd Runner Up status truly one of my favorites of this yearrsquos ice cream stops

1ST RUNNER UP bull CAYUGA LAKE CREAMERY8421 NY 89 INTERLAKEN NY 14847 bull 607-532-9492 bull WWWCAYUGALAKECREAMERYCOM

Nestled in the idyllic Finger Lakes the Cayuga Lake Creamery offers up some of the most in-

ventive flavors Irsquove seen including wine ice cream and sorbet (best of both worlds Irsquod say)

Sitting on their outdoor deck savoring your Maple Bacon or Lavender cone on a warm summer

day ndash what could be better than that

While the Finger Lakes may not offer the most challenging of rides the scenery is beautiful and

the gorges are well gorgeous I canrsquot think of a much better day than meandering around the

Fingers with a late afternoon stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery Their 14 butterfat mixture and only the best of locally sourced

ingredients produce some of the finest creamiest ice creams around Do yourself a favor and spin your wheels to this part of

NY state for a weekend of indulgence as their terrific flavors will keep you coming back day after day

1ST PLACE SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN bull HALLrsquoS HOMEMADE ICE CREAM861 RACCOONVALLEY RD MILLERSTOWN PA 17062

717-589-3290 bull WWWHALLSICECREAMCOM

I found this gem in the middle of the Alleghenies while Brian was off riding in the forest with the

ALTRider group Having grabbed the 1st Place spot in this yearrsquos Ice Cream Run you know Hallrsquos

Homemade Ice Cream and Dairy has to be something pretty special

While their flavor offerings may not be as exotic as Cayuga Lake the quality is heavenly Their

signature flavor and one I had not tasted before is their honey ice cream coming in a variety of

mixtures such as chocolate butter pecan and my personal favorite cinnamon Hallrsquos has a couple

of outdoor tables where you can take in the full dairy effect while licking your cone If that is too

overwhelming they have a very nice indoor seating area complete with air conditioning

The riding in this part of Pennsylvania is quite exciting with elevation changes sweepers and

twisties and for those desiring an off-road adventure plenty of woodlands to test your knobbies

What do all three of these winners have in common other than fantastic ice cream They are all

open all year long so if you happen to be out and about in Bloomfield NJ Interlaken NY or Miller-

stown PA make sure you plan a stop at one of the top three spots on Shirarsquos 2014 Ice Cream Run

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 25

Rip amp Ridereg bull RIVER RUNNERS ROOST2378 RTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770

845-557-0097 bull WWWRIVERRUNNERSROOSTCOMSEASONAL HOURS - CALL BEFORE HEADING OUT

CR 560 IN SUSSEX COUNTY NJCROSS DINGMANS BRIDGE bull $1 TOLLSTRAIGHT ON RTE 739RIGHT AT MILFORD RDLEFT AT RAYMONDSKILL RDCROSS OVER I-84HARD LEFT ON US 6QUICK RIGHT ONTOTWIN LAKES RDRIGHT AT RTE 434CROSS RIVER TO NEWYORKRIGHT AT RTE 97 SOUTHRIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST DOWN ROAD ON LEFT HAND SIDE

Rip amp Ridereg bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784603- 298-5515 bull WWW4ACESDINERCOM

GPS DOWNLOAD WWWSENDSPACECOMPRODLXXTWXB90-MILE ONEWAY ROUTE FROM THEWEST DOVER VERMONT REGION

BIG BEARS LODGE GRAY GHOST AND KITZHOF INN

RTE 100 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT RTE 35RIGHT AT RTE 121LEFT AT RTE 5CROSS INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE ndash ARCH BRIDGELEFT AT RTE 12 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 120LEFT AT RTE 4 WEST LEBANONFOUR ACES DOWN ON THE LEFT

TAylorrsquos ice creAm PArlor

18 e mAin sT chesTer nJ bull 908-879-5363

What to do on the first sub-freezing day in November Go for ice cream

of course I was hanging out with the good doctor OrsquoLife and best friend

Brian when OrsquoLife told us of this place that grows telephone poles Having

my doubts about most of what OrsquoLife tells me I asked him to prove it So

off we went to the quaint little town of Chester New Jersey

After a pleasant lunch at the Publick House complete with real wood

burning fireplace we trekked down the road a piece found said telephone

pole farm (for another column of course) and started our return to Back-

roads Central Lo and behold right before the turn onto Route 206 there

sat Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor in the nicest old building on the block We

got our spot and headed in to find well no one but Justin in a very toasty

old fashioned ice cream parlor I do think that he was surprised to see us

or anyone on such a cold day

Taylorrsquos has apparently been an ice cream institution in

Chester for the last 50 years or so founded by Mr Earle G

Taylor Sr who just passed this August Taylorrsquos was the vic-

tim of fire some time in 2013 and was closed for a good 8

months before reopening in the same spot with applause

from their long-time fans and customers Their ice cream is

all home made and always has been On a hot summer day

you will no doubt be lined up out the door and down the

block to get this tasty treat but Irsquom certain you will find it

worth the wait I think their pricing is quite reasonable for

the size scoop they dip and if you are like me and want a sam-

pling of several flavors they offer Kiddie Scoops at $195

each ndash a flight of ice cream sounds like the perfect end-of-

ride relaxation

We perused the two very full ice cream boards and poured

over the cabinets before making our decisions With close to

50 listed flavors what was a girl to do without minions to help her taste test We finally settled on chocolate hazelnut toasted coconut salted caramel and

vanilla fudge brownie I pretty much always opt for a cup as I savor my ice cream and it would run down my arm before I was even close to finishing but I was

almost tempted by their pretzel cone What is so great about Taylorrsquos cones is the plastic drip cup in which they reside both sanitary and mess-preventing

Page 26 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

TOWN amp COUNTRYC Y C L E C E N T E R

115 Route 23N bull Hamburg NJ bull 973-875-2111wwwtownandcountrycyclecentercom

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIYamahacom bull 516-935-6969

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE

SPORT TOURERIntroducing the most performancepower versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle From commutingand exploring backroads to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaharsquos un-mistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

While enjoying our treats we savored

the deacutecor of this very pleasant parlor Sev-

eral tables to enjoy your ice cream clip-

pings of newspaper articles school

paraphernalia and something that has no

place in an ice cream parlor an old-fash-

ioned fortune telling scale This couldnrsquot

possibly still be functioning could it Ac-

cording to Justin yes it was How could we

resist In went our pennies and up popped

our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked

the weight numbers) Brianrsquos read lsquoYou are

not overbearing but generally have things

your wayrsquo Wow I couldnrsquot wait to see if

mine was as accurate ldquoYou look to the fu-

ture rather than the pastrsquo So true

Back to the ice cream ndash it

was heavenly We all agreed

that the salted caramel was the

overall winner having the per-

fect balance of salt and

caramel with the best creamy

texture The toasted coconut

was very flavorful with lots of

coconut bits the chocolate

hazelnut was very dark and

creamy and mixed with the coconut made the perfect almond-free almond

joy The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole but cer-

tainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store

I believe Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round but if yoursquore head-

ing over during the winter months give them a call to make sure Enjoy the

winter and remember itrsquos never too cold to eat ice cream

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield PA

215-712-7433 bull wwwBMWMotorcyclescom

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

THE NEW R 1200 RA POWERFUL STATEMENT

Our newest boxer roadster has one missiondominate the streets in style The R 1200 Ris designed to blend comfort precisehandling and pure riding excitementhellipin one head-turning machine

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW R 1200 RSTHRILLING COMFORT

The new R 1200 RS is perfectly balancedcombining optimal wind and weather protectionwith powerful performance and controlPutting you in an unparalleled position toexplore the road - and your own limits

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW S 1000 RRWELCOME TO THENEW PLANET POWER

The S 1000 RR has been completely revisedThe results in its origins a genuine Double RRon the road a new supersports machine thatwill once again set the benchmark in its class

UNSTOPPABLE SPORT

WHAT lsquoRrsquo YOU WAITING FORCome to Montgomeryville Cycle Center to see the full line of 2015 BMW Motorcycles products and apparel

We have everything yoursquoll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever

Motorcyclepedia the northeastrsquos

premier motorcycle museum will

be holding its Speaker Series again

this winter with various riders and

orators covering topics ranging

from world touring to tips on avoiding tickets and an in depth look at GPS

technology and todayrsquos motorcycling

Backroadsrsquo own Brian amp Shira will start the series off with a talk on Jan-

uary 17 on lsquoThe Big Fiversquo motorcycle destinations around the planet along

with planning and touring around the United States and the world

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who

will help clear the fog about Garmin GPSrsquos and how their BaseCamp program

works along with how to create and export your own personal routes

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on ldquoEverything you need to know

on Motorcycles and the Lawrdquo - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper po-

lice procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists

Seth Simpson of Motorcycle training Solutions will be giving a seminar

on Rider Training

Motorcyclistmoto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about

Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys

Look for a Womenrsquos Riding Panel with some well-known female motor-

cyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing todayrsquos women

riders This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and

beginning women riders

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months

and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to

enlighten

Wersquoll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page

as soon as they are etched in stone

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh New York in the

riding heart of the Hudson Valley

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 27

A DAY AT THE MUSEUMlsquoSPEAKER SERIESrsquo RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Frankrsquos MotorcycleSales amp Service

120 Center RoadEssex VT 05451

802-878-3930wwwFranksMotorcycleSalescomBMWhtm

Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY845-357-1190

wwwLocomotionPowersportscom

LOCOMOTION POWER-

SPORTS138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY

845-357-1190

Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

SUSSEX MOTORSPORTS446 Route 23 bull Sussex NJ bull Located across from the AampP Shopping Plaza

973-875-3640 bull wwwsussexmotorsportsnjcombull Family OwnedOperated in Northwest NJ bull Near the NYPA border

bull Wide selection of onoff road apparel jackets helmets gloves and boots

bull Qualified Service Technicians with over 30 years combined experienceto perform all your Yamaha authorized service

Wheel Sport Center Inc399 HUGUeNOT ST bull NeW ROCHeLLe NY

9146367235 bull WheelSportCenternet

JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

2015 Kawasaki Concoursreg14 ABSThe ultimate backroad SuperSport Tourer

The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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Pass of the Cattle

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Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

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Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 12: January 2015 Backroads

Following record sales in 2014 the company has made substantial invest-

ments in technology and people placing additional resources to expand its

ldquoCrafted in Californiardquo vision ldquoWersquove taken everything learned from build-

ing thousands of electric motorcycles and applied it to new manufacturing

processes To meet the increased demand from customers wersquove added new

jobs here at our California factoryrdquo said Kai Hypko VP of Operations for

Zero Motorcycles ldquoHighly advanced tools improved systems and more

skilled workers will allow us to continue to increase our production capacity

and ensure premium qualityrdquo

The 2015 motorcycles rolling out of the California factory feature numer-

ous advancements from their predecessors Showa suspension improves com-

fort and control Zerorsquos class-leading rangemdashnow up to 185 milesmdashis

extended on most models And Zero becomes the first production electric

motorcycle to feature anti-lock brakes (ABS)

ldquoOur 2015 lineup continues to lead the industry in overall range perform-

ance and technologyrdquo said Abe Askenazi Chief Technology Officer at Zero

Motorcycles ldquoFor 2015 we focused our efforts on refining virtually every

element of the vehiclemdashfrom the tires upmdashto give riders the most pure

seamless experience availablerdquo

Initial production will be dedicated to motorcycles that will be used for

test rides via Zero Motorcycles dealers Interested riders can schedule a demo

online at wwwzeromotorcyclescomdemo-rides

Page 12 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

PosTcArds from The hedGe (Continued from page 5)

about that still confounds even locals) took me back to when I had borrowed

my friendrsquos Hawk 650 and while in this circular traffic maze the engine

started to cut out Now itrsquos unsettling enough when such things happen in

traffic and yoursquore on your own machine but when yoursquove borrowed a friendrsquos

pride and joy and it starts getting funky it adds to the already present drama

immeasurably The V-Twin never actually quit though and what happened

was a little snafu peculiar to this particular model of motorcycle It seems

that when the incoming air around the tank is juuuuuust right a poorly routed

hose does something to the air supply to the carburetors and it skips like its

running out of gas When I told my friend about it he

confirmed it had happened to him and through the use

of this brand new thing called the Internet he found a

very simple solution and fixed it I hadnrsquot thought about

this incident since it happened back in the last Century

and the Weatherford Traffic circle bought it all back with

surprising clarity

Of course there were some businesses and landmarks

(often one in the same) that had vanished but the odd

thing was the general feel of the place was exactly as it

had seemed and as a result I found myself for lack of

a better expression having a Twilight Zone moment

This was a town that I not only grew up in but a place

where I experienced so many formative moments that

ultimately steered my path in life A simple trip like this

managed to take much that was locked away and shake

it loose as if I really did borrow Dr Whorsquos time-tran-

siting Tardis And as has been the case in my entire

adult life a motorcycle managed to be a part of it even

though this time I was wasnrsquot riding one Oh and my

niecersquos wedding It was superb I now have a fine new

nephew too with a family that originally hails from

China and they are delightful people All in all the trip

was quite a Trip

ldquoIF YOUWANT

TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

ROLLINrsquo FAST CYCLE SPORTS

104 Main Street Lebanon NJ908-236-9000 bull wwwRollinFastcom

ROLLINrsquo FAST INDIAN MOTORCYCLE OF LEBANON104 Main Street Lebanon NJ908-236-9000 bull wwwRollinFastcom

Come see the full line

of Indian Motorcycles

Large selection of parts

apparel and accessories

Great Gift Ideas for

your Holiday Shopping

Plan now for your winter

service needsMon-Fri 9a-6p

Thurs lsquotil 9a-7p bull Sat 9a-5pSunday Gone Riding

Rollinrsquo Fast Cycle Sports Presents

GReAT ALL AMeRICAN DINeR RUN tasty places to take your bike

Ardyrsquos counTry kiTchen

279 mAin sT worcesTer ny 121197 bull 607-397-4070

Many times suggestions for a Great All American Diner Run

are sent to us and when we can we search them out on your

expert recommendations

Other times we come across hidden jewels a bit more

serendipitously

Thatrsquos how we came across this monthrsquos stop on GAADR ndash

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen in the small upstate New York town

of Worcester

There were four of us heading to our last Summer Squeeze

Rally in Vermont and we were making a few days riding ad-

venture of it by heading to the Adirondacks for the first evening

on the road

Come lunch time all our bellies were rumbling and lucky for

me right before I became a raging and petulant starving child I

spotted a small brightly painted diner to my right on an upcoming

corner

We had found Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

With its ice cream shop front we hoped they served more than

just dessert and entering the small dining room we were instantly

hit with the heady aromas of good eats

Thank you Road Gods

The place has been owned and operated by the Sanna clan since

2005 and the family atmosphere is evidentwith the smattering of

toys and one or two young ones running around their moms our

waitresses legs

Non-crying non-exasperating and happy little ones annoy me

not ndash so we took a small table and looked to see what the Sanna

family had to offer this day

First off you canrsquot get a sandwich here

at Ardyrsquos ndash but you can get a sammich

We all know that it is a scientific fact

that a sammich is far more fun and much

more delicious and filling both from a

nutritionistrsquos point of view and the addi-

tional smile factor thrown in

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen has a goodly

number of different sammiches for your

eating pleasure ndash but wersquoll get to them in

a minute

If itrsquos early when you get there they

serve a Bagel Breakfast with eggs

sausage and cheese on a real fresh bagel

Soup amp Sammich can always be had

ndash with daily specials to be found Of

course they have burgers just about any

way yoursquod like lsquoem and the homemade

chili was tangy and delicious as was the

soup of the day

Heading over to their ldquoSignature Sam-

michesrdquo you will find just about any-

thing you might be craving Or maybe

a perusal of the menu will get the belly

rolling For a smallish diner along a

rural road in upstate New York you will

have plenty from which to choose

How about a BLT or a Cuban with

roast pork ham Swiss cheese and pick-

les Their Pork amp Slaw with cheddar

cheese looked tasty as did the BBQ

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 13

TWO WHEELS OR FOURTHERErsquoS ALWAYS ROOM FOR

Texas Smoke Barbecue400 Route 15 South bull Jefferson NJ

862-209-4078 bull wwwTexasSmokeBBQcom

texas smoke BBQIndoor and outdoor dining

Warm up with some

Chowdown Chili

Smokinrsquo Platters

and so much more

Biker and Barbecue Enthusiasts

Enjoy our Chalkboard Specials

Long Island Kawasaki67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIKawasakicom bull 516-935-6969Combining the low silhouette of

a Vulcan cruiser with Kawasaki

sportbike-derived power and

handling as well as a custom fit

concept designed to comfort-

ably fit a wide range of riders

Rollinrsquo Fast Cycle Sports Presents

GReAT ALL AMeRICAN DINeR RUN tasty places to take your bike

Chicken Hero also topped with their local cheddar cheese

For you Vegans (he said with a smirk) you will find a Veggie Panini (now

hush and eat your greens) If you are really hungry try Ardyrsquos Big Roast Beef

ndash a heaping of oven roasted beef topped with Swiss cheese and served on a

Kaiser roll and topped with Ardyrsquos famed horseradish sauce

Thatrsquoll fill you up

When we arrived it was an unusually cool day for the Leatherstocking Re-

gion and a hot sammich seemed more on order Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

serves up hot pork and hot roast beef sammiches but I went with their hot

meatloaf ndash brought out on a toasted Kaiser roll with homemade mashed po-

tatoes and some super tasty gravy ndash enough to float a boat

Just about everything here at Ardyrsquos is a homemade creation Real potatoes

fresh vegetables and freshly roasted meats are always used Not much

processed or pre-packaged quasi food will be found here

My Hot Meatloaf Sammich served with Ardyrsquos super potatoes and

drowned in their excellent brown gravy was one of the best I have ever had

on the road And it was not just a thinly sliced bit of meatloaf but an honest-

to-goodness slab orsquomeatloaf

I wouldnrsquot even serve myself that big a piece at home

Okay maybe I would

The rest of our crew all had the Tomato amp Basil Soup (delicious) and

grilled cheese sammiches which was a special of the day

If you can squeeze it in after all this great chow Ardyrsquos is an ice cream par-

lor as well and they offer enough flavors that even resident ice cream maven

Shira was tempted

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen is the perfect example of a small and family run

restaurant that really serves up the goods All their offering are real and tasty

and just like your mom would cook ndash ifrsquon your mom was a trained chef

When in the region it is well worth searching Ardyrsquos out and with that in

mind wersquoll give you a short ride from the Kingston area to this monthrsquos stop

on the Great All American Diner Run

Find them on FaceBook at Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

Page 14 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

RIP amp RIDEreg bull ARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN279 MAIN ST WORCESTER NY 121197 bull 607-397-4070

START INTERSECTIONS OF RTES 20928 KINGSTON NYRTE 28 WESTRIGHT AT RTE 375LEFT AT RTE 212RIGHT AT RTE 28LEFT AT RTE 214LEFT AT RTE 23ARIGHT AT SCRIBNER HOLLOW RDLEFT AT RTE 23CRIGHT AT CR 40STRAIGHT AT CR 296

LEFT AT RTE 23BEAR RIGHT AT CR 7LEFT AT CR 990VRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT SHREW HOLLOW ROADLEFT AT CR 29RIGHT AT CR 10LEFT AT MEADE ROADLEFT AT CHARLOTTEVILLE ROADRIGHT AT CR 39RIGHT AT RTE 7 MAIN STARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN ON LEFT

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

moTe AquArium And mArine lABorATory

600 ken ThomPson Pkwy sArAsoTA fl 34236

941-388-4441 bull wwwmoTeorG

Each March and October the Daytona faithful head

south to the beginning and end of the season rallies

on the Sunshine statersquos eastern coast

But we have always found Daytona and vicinities

to get a bit too crowded loud andhellipumm ndash boring

Well for us

The SUYT thing kinda got old when the girls could

be your daughter-in-law

We prefer checking out the scene and then doing a

little Floridian travel exploring some of the sights

and scenes that draw so may south each year

On Floridarsquos Gulf Coast you will find the city of

Sarasota

This city has a thriving cultural scene and boasts a

number of interesting places to visit explore and gen-

erally spend some time

A few years back we told you of the Circus Mu-

seum this time we dropped in on the Mote Aquarium

and Marine Laboratory

The Aquarium has its beginnings back in 1955

when it was founded by Dr Eugenie Clark in

Placida Florida Back then it was known as Cape

Haze Marine Laboratory until its 1967 renaming in

honor of a major benefactor William R Mote and the

contributions he and his family made to helping the

aquarium grow mdash both in size and reputation Since

1960 Mote has been based in Sarasota Florida and

since 1978 it has been lo-

cated on City Island and

that is where we got to

spend a number of hours

The Mote Aquarium

consists of three buildings

the aquarium an interac-

tive theatre and a separate

building that houses their

sea turtles dolphin (singu-

lar but wersquoll get into that)

and manatee collection all

of whom have been res-

cued or rehabbed at Mote

All the exhibits are laid

out with informative plac-

ards and each tank brings

different environments and

different fish and marine wildlife all with a story

to tell

Moray eels tanks full of floating jelly fish of

all types exotic fish we had never dreamed of and

some we simply had never seen in person were

there

In addition to the first building exhibits you can

learn about the giant squid and then move to the

shark area and ray along the way you will find a

few tanks where you can reach in and get to touch

a few of the locals

Mote also had a nice display on the Megalodon

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 15

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

ndash the prehistoric shark that was well over 50 feet long

with teeth as large as your fist

A quick walk across the parking lot brought us to the

building holding their other large exhibits

A few different sea turtles were swimming about as

well as Hugh and Buffett ndash two large and impressive

manatees

A large outdoor pool held lsquoMoonshinersquo Motersquos res-

ident dolphin who was rescued after it beached and

was found drying out and sunburned

He seems happy enough but personally we think he

needs a friend We were told that Mote is next on the

list for such a companion

While we visited Mote had a special attraction called

lsquoSurvivorsrsquo which featured some of the oddest marine and fresh water ani-

mals and the very unique way they survive in the wild ndash from deadly poison

to killer punches to simply looking like a rock and hoping for the best ndash it

was a fascinating display as was the entire aquarium

If you get hungry you can drop by their Deep Sea Diner where you can

enjoy dining al-fresco or inside the casual retro rsquo50s-style diner complete

with an old-fashioned soda fountain The lively cafeacute offers a fun affordable

family-style menu including chili and chowder burgers and dogs veggie

burgers and fresh salads chicken fingers and fries And donrsquot forget dessert

hand-dipped ice cream shakes amp sundaes

We thought wersquod spend a quick hour there but ended up happily spending

the afternoon

Mote might not be the biggest but it surely made up for its size with quality

and interesting and informative displays

Page 16 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 906-9292

Find Us on Facebook bull SportHondanet

hondacom UTILITY ATVs ARE RECOMMENDED FOR RIDERS 16 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER TRX90X IS RECOMMENDED ONLY FOR RIDERS12 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER RIDERS UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE MUST BE SUPERVISED BY AN ADULT ATVs CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO OPER-ATE ALL ATV RIDERS SHOULD TAKE A TRAINING COURSE (FREE FOR NEW BUYERS ASK YOUR DEALER OR CALL ASI AT 800-887-2887) ANDREAD THEIR OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND APPROPRIATE CLOTHING AVOID EXCESSIVESPEEDS AND BE CAREFUL ON DIFFICULT TERRAIN FOR YOUR SAFETY BE RESPONSIBLE NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGSOR ALCOHOL ON PAVED SURFACES ON PUBLIC ROADS WITH PASSENGERS OR AT EXCESSIVE SPEEDS NO STUNT RIDING RESPECT THEENVIRONMENT WHEN RIDING TRXreg and Rancherreg are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1114)

Whether itrsquos hard work

or time to play

Sport Honda has the

ATV to fit your lifestyle

Be prepared - Come in

Today for your

Winter utility needs

Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 491-2900

Find Us on Facebook bull CrossCountryPowersportscom

Cross Country Powersportsis now taking deposits for theNinja H2Rtrade and H2tradeExperience unforgettable supercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2trade motorcycle theworldrsquos only supercharged productionhypersport streetbike

The BridGewATer TriAnGle

is This The sTrAnGesT sPoT in The norTheAsT

Located just 30 miles south of Boston this 200-mile square area has the

Massachusetts towns of Abington Freetown and Rehoboth at its angles The

town of Bridgewater is located nearly dead center within the triangle and the

area also encompasses six other Massachusetts towns Raynham Taunton

Brockton Mansfield Norton and Easton including the Hockomock Swamp

It is known as the Bridgewater Triangle

It seems if it is paranormal weird or mysterious it has happened in the Tri-

angle of the years

Let us start with one of the

first odd things found in the

region

It was in this area that the

first officially documented

petroglyph in the United

States was found - Dighton

Rock This 40 ton boulder

was discovered by original

settlers and has always

caused questions and wonder

of who made these mysteri-

ous markings and why

In fact in 1690 Rev Cotton Mather described the rock in his book The

Wonderful Works of God Commemorated

ldquoAmong the other Curiosities of New-England one is that of a mighty

Rock on a perpendicular side whereof by a River which at High Tide covers

part of it there are very deeply Engraved no man alive knows How or When

about half a score Lines near Ten Foot Long and a foot and half broad filled

with strange Characters which would

suggest as odd Thoughts about them that

were here before us as there are odd

Shapes in that Elaborate Monumentrdquo

The boulder was moved in 1980 to the

museum in a nearby park Dighton Rock State Park in order to protect and

preserve this part of Americarsquos strange history

Strangely marked boulders were not the beginning of the mystery of the

Bridgewater Triangle

Years back a group of archeologists discovered a native burial mound on

Grassy Island in the swamp These graves were dated to 6000 BC

Strange lights have been

reported on this island and

across the triangle and one

of the first documented

UFO sighting came from

here when on May 10

1760 villagers in two

towns 50 miles away stared

in wonder at a ldquoSphere of

Firerdquo that slowly made its

way across the sky

The next day both townsrsquo newspapers reported the phenomena in their edi-

tions According to historical records the UFO emitted light bright enough

to cast a shadow in bright sunlight The sound made by the object ldquooddly

enough was heard sooner at the middle of the course it took than at the be-

ginningrdquo

You canrsquot really have such an eclectic gathering of odd in a place like this

in Mysterious America without a few good Yeti sightings

Over the years all sorts of ldquoSwamp Monstersrdquo have been sighted and in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 17

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

April 1970 it was reported that a ldquoBigfootrdquo

picked up a rear of a police car in which sat

two surprised police officers

Police dogs have been used time and again but

Bigfoot is an elusive fellow

I have always believed the Jersey Devil is a

Pterosaurs of some kind and here around the

Bridgewater Triangle huge black prehistoric-look-

ing birds with a wingspan of between eight and

twelve feet have been reported time and again in-

cluding a report by Norton Police Sergeant Thomas

Downy

Indian Curses abound as well and along Route

44 in Rehoboth lies the boulder known as Anawan

Rock It is said that it was here that the Wampanoag

chief Anawan surrendered to the colonists thus

ending King Philiprsquos War According to local be-

liefs the angry spirits of the warriors captured that

day continue to haunt the spot

Extremely large snakes and alligators have been

found in the swamp along with other creatures that are totally out of place

In the late 1800rsquos bones of a giant were unearthed

Every which way you look or travel in the area you will find something

strange In fact I have a quick list of odd things found in the

Bridgewater Triangle for you

Next time yoursquore looking to spend a few days exploring Mys-

terious America take a ride around the Bridgewater Triangle You

just might end up sending me an email telling me you spotted ahellip

OrsquoLife Out

Ten odd ThinGs found in The BridGewATer TriAnGle

1 The longest epitaph in the United States is located in a Rehoboth

cemetery A full 405 words

2 Three PT Barnum circus ldquofreaksrdquo hailed from here including

Middlebororsquos Tom Thumb and East Bridgewaterrsquos ldquoThe Human

Skeletonrdquo

3 The first boundary line in the United States is located in Abing-

ton at the Bridgewater Trianglersquos furthest most delineated northern

map point

4 A historic 40-foot tall Hood milk bottle in Raynham (now a

restaurant) is the (triplet) sister to famous the ldquoMilk Bottlerdquo at the

Boston Childrenrsquos museum

5 In 1906 bones of ldquoa giantrdquo were discovered in Middleboro

6 Alligators seals emu peacocks cow moose bears Africal

Sevral panthers and mountain lions have all been found in the

Bridgewater Triangle

7 There are both handprints and footprints imbedded into several

Bridgewater Triangle boulders handprints in Middleboro foot-

prints in Norton

8 Dighton Rock is the first documented petroglyph in the United

States

9 The chocolate chip cookie was invented in the happiest of ac-

cidents in the northern apex of the Bridgewater Triangle

10 The Bridgewater Triangle is host to the worldrsquos only shovel

museum located in Easton

Page 18 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

290 Route 100 West Dover VT800-745-3615 bull wwwgrayghostinncom

Motorcyclist-Friendly Destination LodgingLocated on Scenic Route 100 in Southern VermontHot breakfast cooked to order BYOB bar firepit hot tub game room and WiFi

Free Maps and Suggested Rides Group Special Packages5 restaurantsbars within walking distance bull On-site Group Dinners available

MemberWhen you canrsquot ride because of snow ride the snow

Guided Back-Country Snowmobile Toursin the Green Mountain National Forest

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

mounTAineer hoTel

31 eAsT second Avenue williAmson wv

304-235-2222 bull wwwmounTAineerhoTelcom

Laying right on the Tug Fork River across from the

Blue Grass state of Kentucky one will find the tiny town

of Williamson West Virginia Williamson has a long

history mostly revolving around the coal industry

Here you will find a rather large rail yard now part

of the Norfolk Southern built to service the many mines

found in and around this part of West Virginia and Ken-

tucky

In 1974 a United States Army Corps of Engineer

planner described the region as having the most severe

flooding problem in America

In 1977 after many days of steady hard rain the Tug

Fork and adjoining streams began

a constant and quick rise As had

happened in the past the town ex-

perienced incredible flooding

Today a floodwall protects

Williamson from future wet havoc

A huge part of this regionrsquos local

lore and history is the famed home

of the feud between the Hatfields

and McCoys probably the most

famous family fight in US history

The first event in the decades-

long feud was the 1865 murder of

Randolphrsquos brother Asa Harmon

McCoy by the Logan Wildcats a local militia group

that counted Devil Anse and other Hatfields among its

members Many peoplemdasheven members of his own

familymdashregarded Asa Harmon who had served in the

Union Army during the American Civil War as a trai-

tor While some have surmised that his murder set the

stage for the feud most historians now see this inci-

dent as a standalone event

Relations between the two families continued to

sour over the next decade before flaring again over a

seemingly small matter a dispute over a single hog

In 1878 Randolph McCoy accused Floyd Hatfield a

cousin of Devil Anse of stealing one of his pigs a

valuable commodity in the poor region Floyd Hat-

fieldsrsquos trial took place in McCoy territory but was

presided over by a cousin of Devil Anse It hinged on

the testimony of star witness Bill Staton a McCoy rel-

ative married to a Hatfield Staton testified in Floyd

Hatfieldrsquos favor and the McCoys were infuriated when

Floyd was cleared of the charges against him Two

years later Staton was violently killed in a fracas with

Sam and Paris McCoy nephews of Randolph Sam stood trial for the

murder but was acquitted for self-defense reasons

Things went south from there and an American legacy was born

In and around the town you will find much on this feud

In the center of town you will find The Coal House now the home

of the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce

Weighing in at 65 tons with 2 ft thick walls itrsquos the only coal house

made entirely of coal Built in 1933 it was designed by architect HT

Hicks from an idea by O W Evans It was constructed from blocks

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 19

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

of local seam coal donated by coal companies in the region

Right next door to The Coal House you will find the historic

Mountaineer Hotel The large classic-revival 5-story yellow-

glazed brick building dominates the center of town and offers

a look and reason to step back into the past

Built in 1925 the Mountaineer hotel has had its share of fa-

mous guests with JFK Paul Newman Jerry Lee Lewis Henry

Ford and others- including the great Soupy Sales - staying here

overnight

In fact all the rooms are named after famous and infamous

guests that have walked through its doors

Later in the evening we walked all five flights to see just

who did stay there

The main entrance leads to a large lobby and the front desk

with pigeonhole boxes for room keys and a teller window

French doors lead to the ballroom The hotel has 116 rooms

for guests a formal ballroom a lobby restaurant and sports bar

(which were not open this day) and the lower level has a num-

ber of games ndash including Fooz ball pool

and a large regulation-sized shuffle board

game that kept us occupied for about an

hour

Sometimes we find places from this era

a bit run down but the Mountaineer hotel

is a gem

Just one look at the grand lobby and you

will know this is true and with rooms less

than $75 for the night quite the deal too

We took Paul Newmanrsquos room and it

couldnrsquot have been nicer

Unpacking and strolling around town

which was quiet on a Monday night was a

pleasant distraction after a dayrsquos worth of

hard miles through the mountains of West

Virginia and Kentucky

When traveling around the United States

you can almost always find a chain hotel at

any exit or bigger town but why would you

want to when wonderful old beauties like

the Mountaineer Hotel in Williamson West

Virginia are around

Page 20 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Tony Lisanti

Eye protection for off road use consists of

the tried and true goggle The goggle

wraps around the helmet and seals to

your face in the helmet opening

Traditional goggles

consist of a urethane

based flexible frame

with various types of

foam material that

seal directly against

the forehead and cheeks

and nose keeping out wind and

dirt Being the helmet has a limited opening

goggles have had to fit inside this space limiting the field of vision

This type of goggle has been the norm for last half century with

all kinds of innovations in frame lens and foam materials

Enter ZOWA Optics Visor Goggles ZOWA Optics was founded

in 2013 Their goal is to offer unique goggles to off-road dirt bike

ATV and snowmobile riders The Vermont based company has

come up with a goggle that eliminates many of the drawbacks of

a traditional off road goggle The Visor Goggles are designed so

the upper half seals against the helmet rather than the forehead

The lower half of the goggle rests against the face By developing

the goggle in this way the field of view is dramatically increased and the

issue of having foam in contact with the skin on the forehead is eliminated

I had the opportunity to try out the Visor Goggles at a local practice track

recently The first thing I noticed was the size of the Visor Goggles They are

about twice the size of a traditional goggle They install on a helmet the same

way as traditional goggles except instead of resting against the forehead they

seal against the helmet under the visor Most noticeable was the lack

of ldquonose pinchrdquo and the vastly improved vision The Visor Goggle

drastically reduces the claustrophobic feel of traditional goggles as

there is more distance between the inside of the goggle and your face

The feel is more like an adventure helmet

After riding with them for an hour or two on an MX track I found

the improved field of vision to be a welcome change Riding with the

Visor Goggles allowed better vision up down and sideways I did no-

tice a bit more air coming in from the flow through design and from

underneath the seal against my check bones at speed During warm

weather this would be welcome in cold weather not so much Ad-

justing the strap tension has an affect on goggle to face contact Skin

contact with the typical sweatmudgrungefunk mix that gets en-

crusted on the foam is minimized since

the foam is resting against the helmet

rather than the forehead

They cleaned up well and showed no

signs of scratching on the lenses stain-

ing of the frames or discoloration de-

spite a liberal dosage of mud and water

The ZOWA Visor Goggle features in-

clude being rated for OTG (Over The

Glasses) by virtue of the greater clear-

ance between goggle and face a Hel-

met conformed design improved field

of view Lexan lens with anti-fog coating comfort foam and flow through

ventilation The strap features a silicon strip to help it stay put on the helmet

Accessory lenses and tear-off lenses are available All goggles come with a

micro fiber storage bag as well The off road goggles retail for $5800 and

are available in black red of cyan frame colors wwwzowaopticscom

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

BUILT BEYOND BELIEFINTRODUCING THE KAWASAKI

Come to Motorcycle Mall to reserve your Ninja H2trade

by December 19 and experience unforgettablesupercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2 motorcycle the worldrsquos onlysupercharged production hypersport streetbike

H2

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pantsgloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Mo-torcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environmentFor furher information regarding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 Specifi-cations subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspired R1 everFrom the advanced lsquorider activersquo electronicspackage to the powerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Supersport bike andfactory MotoGP has never been more blurred

COMPLETELY NEW

FROM THE TRACK UP

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 21

PRODUCT REVIEWZOWA OPTICS VISOR GOGGLES

Great All American Diner RunAs always wersquoll start with our most popular column the Great All American Diner Run Wait is it really We just might have a new fan fa-vorite but wersquoll save that till later First letrsquos take a look at the top three for GAADR 2014hellip

SECOND RUNNER UP bull RIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST2378 ROUTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770 bull 845-557-0097 bull RIVERUNNERSROOSTCOM

Route 97 along the scenic Delaware River has long been a favorite of motorcyclists for years and

over the years the road has seen a number of restaurants open their doors along its picturesque miles

The latest is the River Runnerrsquos Roost

Opened by Rich and Mary Codichini back in 2013 this place quickly became a favorite of ours

and many others They bill themselves as a barbeque steakhouse with a touch of Cajun and Italian

We call it phenomenal with one of the best barbeques in the region and gumbo to go to war over

If you havenrsquot tried the ldquoRoostrdquo then make plans for riding their way in the spring

FIRST RUNNER UP bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784 bull 603- 298-5515 bull 4ACESDINERCOM

Located just up the hill from the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River in the town of

Lebanon the Four Aces is the real deal A true Great All-American Diner Their

menu is huge interesting and delicious The ambience is pure Americana and the

roads leading to and from the Four Aces straddling Vermont and New Hampshire

are hard to top They have pro smokers going outside right along their picnic tables

but we found a seat at the counter worked just fine for us

Our only problem with Four Aces is that they are almost exactly 301 miles from

where we type this They should consider northern New Jersey

The Four Aces is a must see do and eat while in the Dartmouth region and just

missed out on our top honor for this yearrsquos vote

And so without further adohellip

1ST PLACE GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN 2014 bull FIVE ISLANDS LOBSTER COMPANY1447 5 ISLANDS RD GEORGETOWN ME 04548 bull 207-371-2990 bull FIVEISLANDSLOBSTERCOM

Location location location Besides have a superb down to Earth feel a great staff scrumptious food

and a wonderful coastal Maine flavor ndash The Five Islands Lobster Company has a serious location

Did we mention where it is

Located on a working fishing wharf it is surrounded by the ldquocoldest and deepest waters on the coastrdquo

There be some serious lobstarsquo lurking here abouts and it is best when they find their final way to

Five Islands You can have these big bugs anyway you like but we took a bullet for all of you and

went and ordered The Big Boy Stuffed with twice the amount of lobster meat than your average

lobster roll it was our pleasure to tackle this monster as best we could

Wait ndash just thinking of it all on this cold November day has us in a statehellip

They do serve a good number of other seafood favorites as well as more land-based standards but

who wants that when you can have the quintessential Maine treat on a wooden bench and table

alongside one of the prettiest bays in New England

This is why the Five Islands Lobster Company slid into the 1 spot in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

Big City GetawayBig City Getaway has always been about a great destination So many of

us roll the bikes out of the garage and then say ldquoWhere tordquo That is where this monthly favoritecomes in and here are our best of Big City Getaway 2015

2ND RUNNER UP bull MUSTANG FACTORYTOUR4 SPRINGFIELD STREET SUITE 1 THREE RIVERS MA 01080 bull 800-243-1392 bull MUSTANGSEATSCOM

They are one of the largest motorcycle seat manufacturers on the planet and they would be happy to show you around

We did a tour this last summer and found just how much talent vision and workmanship goes into creating some of

the most distinctive and comfortable motorcycle seats you can find

Page 22 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Best of Backroads 2014Once again this planet we ride has completed another lap around our sun and it is time for us to look back on the season and the veryBest of BackroadsIf we said 2013 was ldquointerestingrdquo we would be hard pressed to describe this past year of 2014For sure last year brought us thousands of great miles and lots of smiles interesting destinations and a few great Backroads Ralliesbut some darkness and loss along the journey for our Backroads family as wellStill looking back we had some phenomenal places we found stories we told and friends with which we have ridden The Italian poet Cesare Pavese said ldquoWe do not remember days we remember momentsrdquoThis year ndash 2014 ndash we had our share of moments Letrsquos look back at some in the Best of Backroads 2014

The tour is open to riding groups and takes a little over an hour and a half We recommend that you make an

appointment and guarantee you will have an informative and fun day with our friends at Mustang seats

1ST RUNNER UP bull COASTAL BOTANICAL GARDENS32 BOTANICAL GARDENS DR BOOTHBAY ME 04537 bull 207-633-4333 bull MAINEGARDENSORG

This project took nearly 17 years planning planting and building before its opening in June of 2007 and today

the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens comprises 270 acres of tidal shore land thousands of flowers plants

and botanical oddities Interspersed amongst the natural beauty you will find dozens of sculptures that

only add to an already stunning venue Rarely has a visitor spent some time at the Coastal Botanical

Gardens and not wanted to return as soon as possible

It is simple to see why this easily took our First Runner Up spot

1ST PLACE BIG CITY GETAWAY 2014 FIVE STAR GENERAL STORES bull NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY

This article from our October issue embodied a little bit of everything we might look for in a Big

City Getaway It had local history interesting stops (5 of them) food ice cream and it was all

woven together with some of the neatest roads in northern New Jersey ndash a riding jewel for those

who have never been so lucky Running along to five different and historic General Stores this day

trip just kept getting better Know that we just scratched the surface and that these General Stores from

the past can be found all around the nation But for this time around it was this adventure that was

called 1 for Big City Getaway 2014

(Note as of this printing the Stillwater General Store has closed but is still worth the ride-by for the

roads and historic value)

Wersquore Outta HereThe great thing that we riders have over the more boring people out there is that our tripsand adventures happen the moment we roll out of our driveways and onto the roadOvernight trips are like mini-vacations for the soul and are most likely the reason they sayyou never see a motorcycle outside a psychiatrist office unless it belongs to the shrinkWersquore Outta Here is all about that ndash places to go and enjoy whether it be a group coupleor on your ownLetrsquos see what we think were our top three for 2014

2ND RUNNER UP bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 E MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854 bull 814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGEPACOM

Shira found this hide-away full of coffee awesomeness when we were to attend the ALTRider adventure

ride early this summer in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania The lodge is part of the coffee house and

although the room we had was a tad small it was well thought out and just added to the coolness of the

entire place We had the Penns Creek Room with its lsquoloft-stylersquo bed and rock wall shower Each morning

the aroma from the coffee shop downstairs was like a Sirenrsquos call and had us highly motivated to carefully

spring out of bed (well it was a loft and there was a drop) There were also great muffins and cakes to go along with the coffee

Millheim is well located with a great combination of fantastic riding both paved and not and has a few eateries within strolling distance (compared to walking

or marching distance) We liked everything about the Triple Creek Lodge ndash the smell the flavor and the quirkiness

1ST RUNNER UP bull INDIAN ROCK INN2206 RIVER RD UPPER BLACK EDDY PA 18972 bull 610-982-9600 bull INDIANROCKINNCOM

GPS Download wwwsendspacecomprodlen7u7kAlong the PA-side of the Delaware River just north of Jerseyrsquos Milford in a place where the river

crooks dramatically and heads north for a bit you will find a great local treasure - the Indian Rock

Inn Tucked underneath what are called the Pennsylvania Palisades and along both river and old

canal the Indian Rock is the complete package

After a day of fun riding to and around the region you can park the bikes grab your room and

shower and make your way to the very friendly bar The Barking Dog Grab a cocktail and me-

ander to the very comfortable large porch take a seat and watch the world go by After the sun

sets a delicious gourmet meal is just steps away Perhaps a night cap and then upstairs to end a

prefect day With all that it is easy to see how the Indian Rock grabbed first runner up in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

1ST PLACEWErsquoRE OUTTA HERE 2014 bull QUODDY HEAD STATION823 SOUTH LUBEC RD LUBEC ME 04652 bull 877-535-4714 bull QUODDYVACATIONCOM

Most times we are all for suggesting you sleep in a bit longer at any of our Wersquore Outta Here destinations but here at Quoddy Head

Station we urge - no insist ndash that you get up before the dawn so you can be the first in the United States to see the sun rise over the At-

lantic from the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse - just a 2 minute ride to the east

Here in the most north and east point of the United States life does not get much better

The rooms and views cannot be beat and the surrounding area with its little coves Reversing Falls State Park Rooseveltrsquos Campobello

cottage (actually in Canada) and the very coastal Maine town of Lebec with its large number of seafood restaurants nautical shops and

vistas are hard to beat anywhere else in the world When we travelled in the area

we rode under a giant orange full moon that rose over the bay at low tide

It was eerie and stunning all at the same time

One of those moments we talked about earlier Quoddy Head Station has to be one

of the most interesting and geographically perfect places we have traveled to in

many years and easily made its way to the 1st place spot for Wersquore Outta Here 2014

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 23

Mysterious AmericaAlways one of the perennial favorites for our readers is the odd wacky and off-beat destinations that our own Dr Seymour OrsquoLife brings

to us each month This year was no different and the choices to be made for the TopThree were very tight for the good doctor but undaunted our hero carried on and cameup with the short list So letrsquos get to it

2ND RUNNER UP bull ISLE OFWIGHT COUNTY MUSEUM103 MAIN ST SMITHFIELD VA 23430 bull 757-356-1223 bull HISTORICISLEOFWIGHTCOM

You remember this place ndash home of the Worldrsquos Oldest Ham It belonged to PD Gwaltney Jr

It had its beginnings in 1902 when a cured ham was accidentally hung from rafters in one Gwaltneyrsquos

houses until it was discovered by workers By 1924 the pet ham was kept in an iron safe which was

opened daily for guests to view Advertised as the worldrsquos oldest Smithfield ham Gwaltney fashioned

a brass collar for the ham and took it to shows and expos to exhibit the preservative powers of his

smoking method The ham was featured in Ripleyrsquos ldquoBelieve It Or Notrdquo in 1929 1932 and 2003 and

more importantly in Backroads in May of 2014 For sure the museum holds so much more but Sey-

mour could never get past the ham Neither could we

1ST RUNNER UP bull THE CULPER SPY RINGThis was the first multi-month piece by the minions of mystery and we spent three

full months searching for the real story on George Washingtonrsquos Culper Spy Ring

From its beginning with the hanging of Nathan Hale in what is now mid-town Man-

hattan to the desolation of being held on a prison ship in an East River Bay in Brook-

lyn - where we had the largest battle of our Revolutionary War Then on to the Culper

Spies themselves and the web they wove from Setauket Long Island across the

Sound to Connecticut and into New York and Philadelphia These men and woman

(nobody really knows who this lady was) changed the course of history It was then

onto treachery traitors and sex ndashwith the story of Benedict Arnold his wife Peggy

Shippen and her lover Major John Andrersquo and our own West Point Escape capture

and the gallows all played a part in this true story of our local American history

Mysterious Americarsquos history has never been so much fun

1ST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2014 bull THE TRANS-ALLEGHENY LUNATIC ASYLUM71 ASYLUM DR WESTON WV 26452 bull 304-269-5070 bull TRANS-ALLEGHENYLUNATICASYLUMCOM

When we first rode up to this massive 27-acre facility Shira who had no idea where or why we were there shook her head and simply asked why

The asylum stands like a monstrous stone beast dominating the ground It is the second largest hand-hewn bluestone building on the planet with only Russiarsquos

Kremlin surpassing it But it is the feel and aura that surround and linger around this building

that will tell you the real story of the place

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum also known as the We-

ston State Hospital was a Kirkbride psychiatric hospital that

operated from 1864 until 1994 Like many Kirkbridge hospi-

tals it started out with a noble idea but soon became overrun

with patients lack of proper care and some of the saddest and

scariest tales were heard here on the tour The place is massive and to walk the halls would literally take miles

The place is reportedly full of ghosts and very bad things from the other side One look at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

and you will have a hard time denying that claim Shira will never go back and it was one of the few times that she was seriously

ldquocreeped outrdquo Her words ndash not ours

With that being said you surely must agree that a visit to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum easily ranks as our 1st place for

our Mysterious America 2014

MomentsIt was April 10 of this past year when the phone here at Backroads rang Answering it I could hear the voice of a friend Dave on the farend ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo I asked ldquohow are yourdquoDaversquos voice trembled and broke ldquoJeff Bahr was killed today on his bikerdquoIn that moment everything stopped It remained stopped for a long time Sometimes it still doesA month or so later well after Jeffrsquos service and cremation Shira and I found ourselves at the spot where this happened We talked tothe young man who was tending his barbecue pit which he was stoking for the dayrsquos lunch He was there when the driver pulled out ofhis general storersquos parking lot without even a glance He sadly but kindly told us of that momentJeff had simply been riding down a wide country road when an 86-year old man pulled out in front of him Although rubber on the roadshowed Jeff tried to avoid the car it was too little too late and he was killed on impactI have no idea what happened to the old man after this event But regardless he has to live with his inattentiveness and actions for therest of his life So do many of usWe do not remember days we remember momentsThat day was made up of a moment we will never forgetThe weekend I wrote this Jeff if hersquod survived would have been 57 He would have had dozens more stories made us laugh a dozenmore times would have made this magazine a dozen times betterJeff I hope you know that so many of us miss you so muchTo you all enjoy and savor all your moments Life is made up of them and eventually one of those moments will hurt

Page 24 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Shirarsquos Ice Cream RunLast year we introduce a semi-monthly some of the time if she felt like it column ndashShirarsquos Ice Cream Run It seems to everybody but the red head that this column hasbecome a huge hit and we have had more comments and suggestions for the IceCream Runs than anything else within memory So think sweet creamy and cold andletrsquos see what Shira thought were on the top three stops of 2014rsquos Ice Cream Runs

2ND RUNNER UP bull HOLSTENrsquoS CONFECTIONARY1603 BROAD ST BLOOMFIELD NJ 07003 bull 973-338-7091 bull WWWHOLSTENSCOM

Immortalized on celluloid in the Sopranosrsquo final episode Holstenrsquos Confectionary has so much more

to offer than their souvenir t-shirts from said show A true old-time ice cream parlor Holstenrsquos home-

made ice cream and confections will win the hearts of any true lover of sweets Taking a seat at the

counter should bring back memories of visits to Woolworthrsquos and once the delicious dairyness is

placed in front of you complete with homemade whipped cream you will think you are in a

dream Holstenrsquos has the whole package ndash premium product comfortable setting and take-home

delights With its 2nd Runner Up status truly one of my favorites of this yearrsquos ice cream stops

1ST RUNNER UP bull CAYUGA LAKE CREAMERY8421 NY 89 INTERLAKEN NY 14847 bull 607-532-9492 bull WWWCAYUGALAKECREAMERYCOM

Nestled in the idyllic Finger Lakes the Cayuga Lake Creamery offers up some of the most in-

ventive flavors Irsquove seen including wine ice cream and sorbet (best of both worlds Irsquod say)

Sitting on their outdoor deck savoring your Maple Bacon or Lavender cone on a warm summer

day ndash what could be better than that

While the Finger Lakes may not offer the most challenging of rides the scenery is beautiful and

the gorges are well gorgeous I canrsquot think of a much better day than meandering around the

Fingers with a late afternoon stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery Their 14 butterfat mixture and only the best of locally sourced

ingredients produce some of the finest creamiest ice creams around Do yourself a favor and spin your wheels to this part of

NY state for a weekend of indulgence as their terrific flavors will keep you coming back day after day

1ST PLACE SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN bull HALLrsquoS HOMEMADE ICE CREAM861 RACCOONVALLEY RD MILLERSTOWN PA 17062

717-589-3290 bull WWWHALLSICECREAMCOM

I found this gem in the middle of the Alleghenies while Brian was off riding in the forest with the

ALTRider group Having grabbed the 1st Place spot in this yearrsquos Ice Cream Run you know Hallrsquos

Homemade Ice Cream and Dairy has to be something pretty special

While their flavor offerings may not be as exotic as Cayuga Lake the quality is heavenly Their

signature flavor and one I had not tasted before is their honey ice cream coming in a variety of

mixtures such as chocolate butter pecan and my personal favorite cinnamon Hallrsquos has a couple

of outdoor tables where you can take in the full dairy effect while licking your cone If that is too

overwhelming they have a very nice indoor seating area complete with air conditioning

The riding in this part of Pennsylvania is quite exciting with elevation changes sweepers and

twisties and for those desiring an off-road adventure plenty of woodlands to test your knobbies

What do all three of these winners have in common other than fantastic ice cream They are all

open all year long so if you happen to be out and about in Bloomfield NJ Interlaken NY or Miller-

stown PA make sure you plan a stop at one of the top three spots on Shirarsquos 2014 Ice Cream Run

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 25

Rip amp Ridereg bull RIVER RUNNERS ROOST2378 RTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770

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CR 560 IN SUSSEX COUNTY NJCROSS DINGMANS BRIDGE bull $1 TOLLSTRAIGHT ON RTE 739RIGHT AT MILFORD RDLEFT AT RAYMONDSKILL RDCROSS OVER I-84HARD LEFT ON US 6QUICK RIGHT ONTOTWIN LAKES RDRIGHT AT RTE 434CROSS RIVER TO NEWYORKRIGHT AT RTE 97 SOUTHRIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST DOWN ROAD ON LEFT HAND SIDE

Rip amp Ridereg bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784603- 298-5515 bull WWW4ACESDINERCOM

GPS DOWNLOAD WWWSENDSPACECOMPRODLXXTWXB90-MILE ONEWAY ROUTE FROM THEWEST DOVER VERMONT REGION

BIG BEARS LODGE GRAY GHOST AND KITZHOF INN

RTE 100 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT RTE 35RIGHT AT RTE 121LEFT AT RTE 5CROSS INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE ndash ARCH BRIDGELEFT AT RTE 12 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 120LEFT AT RTE 4 WEST LEBANONFOUR ACES DOWN ON THE LEFT

TAylorrsquos ice creAm PArlor

18 e mAin sT chesTer nJ bull 908-879-5363

What to do on the first sub-freezing day in November Go for ice cream

of course I was hanging out with the good doctor OrsquoLife and best friend

Brian when OrsquoLife told us of this place that grows telephone poles Having

my doubts about most of what OrsquoLife tells me I asked him to prove it So

off we went to the quaint little town of Chester New Jersey

After a pleasant lunch at the Publick House complete with real wood

burning fireplace we trekked down the road a piece found said telephone

pole farm (for another column of course) and started our return to Back-

roads Central Lo and behold right before the turn onto Route 206 there

sat Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor in the nicest old building on the block We

got our spot and headed in to find well no one but Justin in a very toasty

old fashioned ice cream parlor I do think that he was surprised to see us

or anyone on such a cold day

Taylorrsquos has apparently been an ice cream institution in

Chester for the last 50 years or so founded by Mr Earle G

Taylor Sr who just passed this August Taylorrsquos was the vic-

tim of fire some time in 2013 and was closed for a good 8

months before reopening in the same spot with applause

from their long-time fans and customers Their ice cream is

all home made and always has been On a hot summer day

you will no doubt be lined up out the door and down the

block to get this tasty treat but Irsquom certain you will find it

worth the wait I think their pricing is quite reasonable for

the size scoop they dip and if you are like me and want a sam-

pling of several flavors they offer Kiddie Scoops at $195

each ndash a flight of ice cream sounds like the perfect end-of-

ride relaxation

We perused the two very full ice cream boards and poured

over the cabinets before making our decisions With close to

50 listed flavors what was a girl to do without minions to help her taste test We finally settled on chocolate hazelnut toasted coconut salted caramel and

vanilla fudge brownie I pretty much always opt for a cup as I savor my ice cream and it would run down my arm before I was even close to finishing but I was

almost tempted by their pretzel cone What is so great about Taylorrsquos cones is the plastic drip cup in which they reside both sanitary and mess-preventing

Page 26 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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115 Route 23N bull Hamburg NJ bull 973-875-2111wwwtownandcountrycyclecentercom

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIYamahacom bull 516-935-6969

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE

SPORT TOURERIntroducing the most performancepower versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle From commutingand exploring backroads to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaharsquos un-mistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

While enjoying our treats we savored

the deacutecor of this very pleasant parlor Sev-

eral tables to enjoy your ice cream clip-

pings of newspaper articles school

paraphernalia and something that has no

place in an ice cream parlor an old-fash-

ioned fortune telling scale This couldnrsquot

possibly still be functioning could it Ac-

cording to Justin yes it was How could we

resist In went our pennies and up popped

our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked

the weight numbers) Brianrsquos read lsquoYou are

not overbearing but generally have things

your wayrsquo Wow I couldnrsquot wait to see if

mine was as accurate ldquoYou look to the fu-

ture rather than the pastrsquo So true

Back to the ice cream ndash it

was heavenly We all agreed

that the salted caramel was the

overall winner having the per-

fect balance of salt and

caramel with the best creamy

texture The toasted coconut

was very flavorful with lots of

coconut bits the chocolate

hazelnut was very dark and

creamy and mixed with the coconut made the perfect almond-free almond

joy The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole but cer-

tainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store

I believe Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round but if yoursquore head-

ing over during the winter months give them a call to make sure Enjoy the

winter and remember itrsquos never too cold to eat ice cream

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield PA

215-712-7433 bull wwwBMWMotorcyclescom

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

THE NEW R 1200 RA POWERFUL STATEMENT

Our newest boxer roadster has one missiondominate the streets in style The R 1200 Ris designed to blend comfort precisehandling and pure riding excitementhellipin one head-turning machine

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW R 1200 RSTHRILLING COMFORT

The new R 1200 RS is perfectly balancedcombining optimal wind and weather protectionwith powerful performance and controlPutting you in an unparalleled position toexplore the road - and your own limits

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW S 1000 RRWELCOME TO THENEW PLANET POWER

The S 1000 RR has been completely revisedThe results in its origins a genuine Double RRon the road a new supersports machine thatwill once again set the benchmark in its class

UNSTOPPABLE SPORT

WHAT lsquoRrsquo YOU WAITING FORCome to Montgomeryville Cycle Center to see the full line of 2015 BMW Motorcycles products and apparel

We have everything yoursquoll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever

Motorcyclepedia the northeastrsquos

premier motorcycle museum will

be holding its Speaker Series again

this winter with various riders and

orators covering topics ranging

from world touring to tips on avoiding tickets and an in depth look at GPS

technology and todayrsquos motorcycling

Backroadsrsquo own Brian amp Shira will start the series off with a talk on Jan-

uary 17 on lsquoThe Big Fiversquo motorcycle destinations around the planet along

with planning and touring around the United States and the world

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who

will help clear the fog about Garmin GPSrsquos and how their BaseCamp program

works along with how to create and export your own personal routes

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on ldquoEverything you need to know

on Motorcycles and the Lawrdquo - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper po-

lice procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists

Seth Simpson of Motorcycle training Solutions will be giving a seminar

on Rider Training

Motorcyclistmoto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about

Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys

Look for a Womenrsquos Riding Panel with some well-known female motor-

cyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing todayrsquos women

riders This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and

beginning women riders

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months

and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to

enlighten

Wersquoll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page

as soon as they are etched in stone

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh New York in the

riding heart of the Hudson Valley

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 27

A DAY AT THE MUSEUMlsquoSPEAKER SERIESrsquo RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Frankrsquos MotorcycleSales amp Service

120 Center RoadEssex VT 05451

802-878-3930wwwFranksMotorcycleSalescomBMWhtm

Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY845-357-1190

wwwLocomotionPowersportscom

LOCOMOTION POWER-

SPORTS138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY

845-357-1190

Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

SUSSEX MOTORSPORTS446 Route 23 bull Sussex NJ bull Located across from the AampP Shopping Plaza

973-875-3640 bull wwwsussexmotorsportsnjcombull Family OwnedOperated in Northwest NJ bull Near the NYPA border

bull Wide selection of onoff road apparel jackets helmets gloves and boots

bull Qualified Service Technicians with over 30 years combined experienceto perform all your Yamaha authorized service

Wheel Sport Center Inc399 HUGUeNOT ST bull NeW ROCHeLLe NY

9146367235 bull WheelSportCenternet

JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

2015 Kawasaki Concoursreg14 ABSThe ultimate backroad SuperSport Tourer

The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

JDS CYCLE PARTSeST 1988

247 W Westfield Ave Rosell Park NJ908-245-2445

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Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

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845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

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able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

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BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

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If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

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BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

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HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 13: January 2015 Backroads

Ardyrsquos counTry kiTchen

279 mAin sT worcesTer ny 121197 bull 607-397-4070

Many times suggestions for a Great All American Diner Run

are sent to us and when we can we search them out on your

expert recommendations

Other times we come across hidden jewels a bit more

serendipitously

Thatrsquos how we came across this monthrsquos stop on GAADR ndash

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen in the small upstate New York town

of Worcester

There were four of us heading to our last Summer Squeeze

Rally in Vermont and we were making a few days riding ad-

venture of it by heading to the Adirondacks for the first evening

on the road

Come lunch time all our bellies were rumbling and lucky for

me right before I became a raging and petulant starving child I

spotted a small brightly painted diner to my right on an upcoming

corner

We had found Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

With its ice cream shop front we hoped they served more than

just dessert and entering the small dining room we were instantly

hit with the heady aromas of good eats

Thank you Road Gods

The place has been owned and operated by the Sanna clan since

2005 and the family atmosphere is evidentwith the smattering of

toys and one or two young ones running around their moms our

waitresses legs

Non-crying non-exasperating and happy little ones annoy me

not ndash so we took a small table and looked to see what the Sanna

family had to offer this day

First off you canrsquot get a sandwich here

at Ardyrsquos ndash but you can get a sammich

We all know that it is a scientific fact

that a sammich is far more fun and much

more delicious and filling both from a

nutritionistrsquos point of view and the addi-

tional smile factor thrown in

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen has a goodly

number of different sammiches for your

eating pleasure ndash but wersquoll get to them in

a minute

If itrsquos early when you get there they

serve a Bagel Breakfast with eggs

sausage and cheese on a real fresh bagel

Soup amp Sammich can always be had

ndash with daily specials to be found Of

course they have burgers just about any

way yoursquod like lsquoem and the homemade

chili was tangy and delicious as was the

soup of the day

Heading over to their ldquoSignature Sam-

michesrdquo you will find just about any-

thing you might be craving Or maybe

a perusal of the menu will get the belly

rolling For a smallish diner along a

rural road in upstate New York you will

have plenty from which to choose

How about a BLT or a Cuban with

roast pork ham Swiss cheese and pick-

les Their Pork amp Slaw with cheddar

cheese looked tasty as did the BBQ

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 13

TWO WHEELS OR FOURTHERErsquoS ALWAYS ROOM FOR

Texas Smoke Barbecue400 Route 15 South bull Jefferson NJ

862-209-4078 bull wwwTexasSmokeBBQcom

texas smoke BBQIndoor and outdoor dining

Warm up with some

Chowdown Chili

Smokinrsquo Platters

and so much more

Biker and Barbecue Enthusiasts

Enjoy our Chalkboard Specials

Long Island Kawasaki67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIKawasakicom bull 516-935-6969Combining the low silhouette of

a Vulcan cruiser with Kawasaki

sportbike-derived power and

handling as well as a custom fit

concept designed to comfort-

ably fit a wide range of riders

Rollinrsquo Fast Cycle Sports Presents

GReAT ALL AMeRICAN DINeR RUN tasty places to take your bike

Chicken Hero also topped with their local cheddar cheese

For you Vegans (he said with a smirk) you will find a Veggie Panini (now

hush and eat your greens) If you are really hungry try Ardyrsquos Big Roast Beef

ndash a heaping of oven roasted beef topped with Swiss cheese and served on a

Kaiser roll and topped with Ardyrsquos famed horseradish sauce

Thatrsquoll fill you up

When we arrived it was an unusually cool day for the Leatherstocking Re-

gion and a hot sammich seemed more on order Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

serves up hot pork and hot roast beef sammiches but I went with their hot

meatloaf ndash brought out on a toasted Kaiser roll with homemade mashed po-

tatoes and some super tasty gravy ndash enough to float a boat

Just about everything here at Ardyrsquos is a homemade creation Real potatoes

fresh vegetables and freshly roasted meats are always used Not much

processed or pre-packaged quasi food will be found here

My Hot Meatloaf Sammich served with Ardyrsquos super potatoes and

drowned in their excellent brown gravy was one of the best I have ever had

on the road And it was not just a thinly sliced bit of meatloaf but an honest-

to-goodness slab orsquomeatloaf

I wouldnrsquot even serve myself that big a piece at home

Okay maybe I would

The rest of our crew all had the Tomato amp Basil Soup (delicious) and

grilled cheese sammiches which was a special of the day

If you can squeeze it in after all this great chow Ardyrsquos is an ice cream par-

lor as well and they offer enough flavors that even resident ice cream maven

Shira was tempted

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen is the perfect example of a small and family run

restaurant that really serves up the goods All their offering are real and tasty

and just like your mom would cook ndash ifrsquon your mom was a trained chef

When in the region it is well worth searching Ardyrsquos out and with that in

mind wersquoll give you a short ride from the Kingston area to this monthrsquos stop

on the Great All American Diner Run

Find them on FaceBook at Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

Page 14 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

RIP amp RIDEreg bull ARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN279 MAIN ST WORCESTER NY 121197 bull 607-397-4070

START INTERSECTIONS OF RTES 20928 KINGSTON NYRTE 28 WESTRIGHT AT RTE 375LEFT AT RTE 212RIGHT AT RTE 28LEFT AT RTE 214LEFT AT RTE 23ARIGHT AT SCRIBNER HOLLOW RDLEFT AT RTE 23CRIGHT AT CR 40STRAIGHT AT CR 296

LEFT AT RTE 23BEAR RIGHT AT CR 7LEFT AT CR 990VRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT SHREW HOLLOW ROADLEFT AT CR 29RIGHT AT CR 10LEFT AT MEADE ROADLEFT AT CHARLOTTEVILLE ROADRIGHT AT CR 39RIGHT AT RTE 7 MAIN STARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN ON LEFT

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

moTe AquArium And mArine lABorATory

600 ken ThomPson Pkwy sArAsoTA fl 34236

941-388-4441 bull wwwmoTeorG

Each March and October the Daytona faithful head

south to the beginning and end of the season rallies

on the Sunshine statersquos eastern coast

But we have always found Daytona and vicinities

to get a bit too crowded loud andhellipumm ndash boring

Well for us

The SUYT thing kinda got old when the girls could

be your daughter-in-law

We prefer checking out the scene and then doing a

little Floridian travel exploring some of the sights

and scenes that draw so may south each year

On Floridarsquos Gulf Coast you will find the city of

Sarasota

This city has a thriving cultural scene and boasts a

number of interesting places to visit explore and gen-

erally spend some time

A few years back we told you of the Circus Mu-

seum this time we dropped in on the Mote Aquarium

and Marine Laboratory

The Aquarium has its beginnings back in 1955

when it was founded by Dr Eugenie Clark in

Placida Florida Back then it was known as Cape

Haze Marine Laboratory until its 1967 renaming in

honor of a major benefactor William R Mote and the

contributions he and his family made to helping the

aquarium grow mdash both in size and reputation Since

1960 Mote has been based in Sarasota Florida and

since 1978 it has been lo-

cated on City Island and

that is where we got to

spend a number of hours

The Mote Aquarium

consists of three buildings

the aquarium an interac-

tive theatre and a separate

building that houses their

sea turtles dolphin (singu-

lar but wersquoll get into that)

and manatee collection all

of whom have been res-

cued or rehabbed at Mote

All the exhibits are laid

out with informative plac-

ards and each tank brings

different environments and

different fish and marine wildlife all with a story

to tell

Moray eels tanks full of floating jelly fish of

all types exotic fish we had never dreamed of and

some we simply had never seen in person were

there

In addition to the first building exhibits you can

learn about the giant squid and then move to the

shark area and ray along the way you will find a

few tanks where you can reach in and get to touch

a few of the locals

Mote also had a nice display on the Megalodon

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 15

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

ndash the prehistoric shark that was well over 50 feet long

with teeth as large as your fist

A quick walk across the parking lot brought us to the

building holding their other large exhibits

A few different sea turtles were swimming about as

well as Hugh and Buffett ndash two large and impressive

manatees

A large outdoor pool held lsquoMoonshinersquo Motersquos res-

ident dolphin who was rescued after it beached and

was found drying out and sunburned

He seems happy enough but personally we think he

needs a friend We were told that Mote is next on the

list for such a companion

While we visited Mote had a special attraction called

lsquoSurvivorsrsquo which featured some of the oddest marine and fresh water ani-

mals and the very unique way they survive in the wild ndash from deadly poison

to killer punches to simply looking like a rock and hoping for the best ndash it

was a fascinating display as was the entire aquarium

If you get hungry you can drop by their Deep Sea Diner where you can

enjoy dining al-fresco or inside the casual retro rsquo50s-style diner complete

with an old-fashioned soda fountain The lively cafeacute offers a fun affordable

family-style menu including chili and chowder burgers and dogs veggie

burgers and fresh salads chicken fingers and fries And donrsquot forget dessert

hand-dipped ice cream shakes amp sundaes

We thought wersquod spend a quick hour there but ended up happily spending

the afternoon

Mote might not be the biggest but it surely made up for its size with quality

and interesting and informative displays

Page 16 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 906-9292

Find Us on Facebook bull SportHondanet

hondacom UTILITY ATVs ARE RECOMMENDED FOR RIDERS 16 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER TRX90X IS RECOMMENDED ONLY FOR RIDERS12 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER RIDERS UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE MUST BE SUPERVISED BY AN ADULT ATVs CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO OPER-ATE ALL ATV RIDERS SHOULD TAKE A TRAINING COURSE (FREE FOR NEW BUYERS ASK YOUR DEALER OR CALL ASI AT 800-887-2887) ANDREAD THEIR OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND APPROPRIATE CLOTHING AVOID EXCESSIVESPEEDS AND BE CAREFUL ON DIFFICULT TERRAIN FOR YOUR SAFETY BE RESPONSIBLE NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGSOR ALCOHOL ON PAVED SURFACES ON PUBLIC ROADS WITH PASSENGERS OR AT EXCESSIVE SPEEDS NO STUNT RIDING RESPECT THEENVIRONMENT WHEN RIDING TRXreg and Rancherreg are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1114)

Whether itrsquos hard work

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Sport Honda has the

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Be prepared - Come in

Today for your

Winter utility needs

Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 491-2900

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Cross Country Powersportsis now taking deposits for theNinja H2Rtrade and H2tradeExperience unforgettable supercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2trade motorcycle theworldrsquos only supercharged productionhypersport streetbike

The BridGewATer TriAnGle

is This The sTrAnGesT sPoT in The norTheAsT

Located just 30 miles south of Boston this 200-mile square area has the

Massachusetts towns of Abington Freetown and Rehoboth at its angles The

town of Bridgewater is located nearly dead center within the triangle and the

area also encompasses six other Massachusetts towns Raynham Taunton

Brockton Mansfield Norton and Easton including the Hockomock Swamp

It is known as the Bridgewater Triangle

It seems if it is paranormal weird or mysterious it has happened in the Tri-

angle of the years

Let us start with one of the

first odd things found in the

region

It was in this area that the

first officially documented

petroglyph in the United

States was found - Dighton

Rock This 40 ton boulder

was discovered by original

settlers and has always

caused questions and wonder

of who made these mysteri-

ous markings and why

In fact in 1690 Rev Cotton Mather described the rock in his book The

Wonderful Works of God Commemorated

ldquoAmong the other Curiosities of New-England one is that of a mighty

Rock on a perpendicular side whereof by a River which at High Tide covers

part of it there are very deeply Engraved no man alive knows How or When

about half a score Lines near Ten Foot Long and a foot and half broad filled

with strange Characters which would

suggest as odd Thoughts about them that

were here before us as there are odd

Shapes in that Elaborate Monumentrdquo

The boulder was moved in 1980 to the

museum in a nearby park Dighton Rock State Park in order to protect and

preserve this part of Americarsquos strange history

Strangely marked boulders were not the beginning of the mystery of the

Bridgewater Triangle

Years back a group of archeologists discovered a native burial mound on

Grassy Island in the swamp These graves were dated to 6000 BC

Strange lights have been

reported on this island and

across the triangle and one

of the first documented

UFO sighting came from

here when on May 10

1760 villagers in two

towns 50 miles away stared

in wonder at a ldquoSphere of

Firerdquo that slowly made its

way across the sky

The next day both townsrsquo newspapers reported the phenomena in their edi-

tions According to historical records the UFO emitted light bright enough

to cast a shadow in bright sunlight The sound made by the object ldquooddly

enough was heard sooner at the middle of the course it took than at the be-

ginningrdquo

You canrsquot really have such an eclectic gathering of odd in a place like this

in Mysterious America without a few good Yeti sightings

Over the years all sorts of ldquoSwamp Monstersrdquo have been sighted and in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 17

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

April 1970 it was reported that a ldquoBigfootrdquo

picked up a rear of a police car in which sat

two surprised police officers

Police dogs have been used time and again but

Bigfoot is an elusive fellow

I have always believed the Jersey Devil is a

Pterosaurs of some kind and here around the

Bridgewater Triangle huge black prehistoric-look-

ing birds with a wingspan of between eight and

twelve feet have been reported time and again in-

cluding a report by Norton Police Sergeant Thomas

Downy

Indian Curses abound as well and along Route

44 in Rehoboth lies the boulder known as Anawan

Rock It is said that it was here that the Wampanoag

chief Anawan surrendered to the colonists thus

ending King Philiprsquos War According to local be-

liefs the angry spirits of the warriors captured that

day continue to haunt the spot

Extremely large snakes and alligators have been

found in the swamp along with other creatures that are totally out of place

In the late 1800rsquos bones of a giant were unearthed

Every which way you look or travel in the area you will find something

strange In fact I have a quick list of odd things found in the

Bridgewater Triangle for you

Next time yoursquore looking to spend a few days exploring Mys-

terious America take a ride around the Bridgewater Triangle You

just might end up sending me an email telling me you spotted ahellip

OrsquoLife Out

Ten odd ThinGs found in The BridGewATer TriAnGle

1 The longest epitaph in the United States is located in a Rehoboth

cemetery A full 405 words

2 Three PT Barnum circus ldquofreaksrdquo hailed from here including

Middlebororsquos Tom Thumb and East Bridgewaterrsquos ldquoThe Human

Skeletonrdquo

3 The first boundary line in the United States is located in Abing-

ton at the Bridgewater Trianglersquos furthest most delineated northern

map point

4 A historic 40-foot tall Hood milk bottle in Raynham (now a

restaurant) is the (triplet) sister to famous the ldquoMilk Bottlerdquo at the

Boston Childrenrsquos museum

5 In 1906 bones of ldquoa giantrdquo were discovered in Middleboro

6 Alligators seals emu peacocks cow moose bears Africal

Sevral panthers and mountain lions have all been found in the

Bridgewater Triangle

7 There are both handprints and footprints imbedded into several

Bridgewater Triangle boulders handprints in Middleboro foot-

prints in Norton

8 Dighton Rock is the first documented petroglyph in the United

States

9 The chocolate chip cookie was invented in the happiest of ac-

cidents in the northern apex of the Bridgewater Triangle

10 The Bridgewater Triangle is host to the worldrsquos only shovel

museum located in Easton

Page 18 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

290 Route 100 West Dover VT800-745-3615 bull wwwgrayghostinncom

Motorcyclist-Friendly Destination LodgingLocated on Scenic Route 100 in Southern VermontHot breakfast cooked to order BYOB bar firepit hot tub game room and WiFi

Free Maps and Suggested Rides Group Special Packages5 restaurantsbars within walking distance bull On-site Group Dinners available

MemberWhen you canrsquot ride because of snow ride the snow

Guided Back-Country Snowmobile Toursin the Green Mountain National Forest

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

mounTAineer hoTel

31 eAsT second Avenue williAmson wv

304-235-2222 bull wwwmounTAineerhoTelcom

Laying right on the Tug Fork River across from the

Blue Grass state of Kentucky one will find the tiny town

of Williamson West Virginia Williamson has a long

history mostly revolving around the coal industry

Here you will find a rather large rail yard now part

of the Norfolk Southern built to service the many mines

found in and around this part of West Virginia and Ken-

tucky

In 1974 a United States Army Corps of Engineer

planner described the region as having the most severe

flooding problem in America

In 1977 after many days of steady hard rain the Tug

Fork and adjoining streams began

a constant and quick rise As had

happened in the past the town ex-

perienced incredible flooding

Today a floodwall protects

Williamson from future wet havoc

A huge part of this regionrsquos local

lore and history is the famed home

of the feud between the Hatfields

and McCoys probably the most

famous family fight in US history

The first event in the decades-

long feud was the 1865 murder of

Randolphrsquos brother Asa Harmon

McCoy by the Logan Wildcats a local militia group

that counted Devil Anse and other Hatfields among its

members Many peoplemdasheven members of his own

familymdashregarded Asa Harmon who had served in the

Union Army during the American Civil War as a trai-

tor While some have surmised that his murder set the

stage for the feud most historians now see this inci-

dent as a standalone event

Relations between the two families continued to

sour over the next decade before flaring again over a

seemingly small matter a dispute over a single hog

In 1878 Randolph McCoy accused Floyd Hatfield a

cousin of Devil Anse of stealing one of his pigs a

valuable commodity in the poor region Floyd Hat-

fieldsrsquos trial took place in McCoy territory but was

presided over by a cousin of Devil Anse It hinged on

the testimony of star witness Bill Staton a McCoy rel-

ative married to a Hatfield Staton testified in Floyd

Hatfieldrsquos favor and the McCoys were infuriated when

Floyd was cleared of the charges against him Two

years later Staton was violently killed in a fracas with

Sam and Paris McCoy nephews of Randolph Sam stood trial for the

murder but was acquitted for self-defense reasons

Things went south from there and an American legacy was born

In and around the town you will find much on this feud

In the center of town you will find The Coal House now the home

of the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce

Weighing in at 65 tons with 2 ft thick walls itrsquos the only coal house

made entirely of coal Built in 1933 it was designed by architect HT

Hicks from an idea by O W Evans It was constructed from blocks

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 19

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

of local seam coal donated by coal companies in the region

Right next door to The Coal House you will find the historic

Mountaineer Hotel The large classic-revival 5-story yellow-

glazed brick building dominates the center of town and offers

a look and reason to step back into the past

Built in 1925 the Mountaineer hotel has had its share of fa-

mous guests with JFK Paul Newman Jerry Lee Lewis Henry

Ford and others- including the great Soupy Sales - staying here

overnight

In fact all the rooms are named after famous and infamous

guests that have walked through its doors

Later in the evening we walked all five flights to see just

who did stay there

The main entrance leads to a large lobby and the front desk

with pigeonhole boxes for room keys and a teller window

French doors lead to the ballroom The hotel has 116 rooms

for guests a formal ballroom a lobby restaurant and sports bar

(which were not open this day) and the lower level has a num-

ber of games ndash including Fooz ball pool

and a large regulation-sized shuffle board

game that kept us occupied for about an

hour

Sometimes we find places from this era

a bit run down but the Mountaineer hotel

is a gem

Just one look at the grand lobby and you

will know this is true and with rooms less

than $75 for the night quite the deal too

We took Paul Newmanrsquos room and it

couldnrsquot have been nicer

Unpacking and strolling around town

which was quiet on a Monday night was a

pleasant distraction after a dayrsquos worth of

hard miles through the mountains of West

Virginia and Kentucky

When traveling around the United States

you can almost always find a chain hotel at

any exit or bigger town but why would you

want to when wonderful old beauties like

the Mountaineer Hotel in Williamson West

Virginia are around

Page 20 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Tony Lisanti

Eye protection for off road use consists of

the tried and true goggle The goggle

wraps around the helmet and seals to

your face in the helmet opening

Traditional goggles

consist of a urethane

based flexible frame

with various types of

foam material that

seal directly against

the forehead and cheeks

and nose keeping out wind and

dirt Being the helmet has a limited opening

goggles have had to fit inside this space limiting the field of vision

This type of goggle has been the norm for last half century with

all kinds of innovations in frame lens and foam materials

Enter ZOWA Optics Visor Goggles ZOWA Optics was founded

in 2013 Their goal is to offer unique goggles to off-road dirt bike

ATV and snowmobile riders The Vermont based company has

come up with a goggle that eliminates many of the drawbacks of

a traditional off road goggle The Visor Goggles are designed so

the upper half seals against the helmet rather than the forehead

The lower half of the goggle rests against the face By developing

the goggle in this way the field of view is dramatically increased and the

issue of having foam in contact with the skin on the forehead is eliminated

I had the opportunity to try out the Visor Goggles at a local practice track

recently The first thing I noticed was the size of the Visor Goggles They are

about twice the size of a traditional goggle They install on a helmet the same

way as traditional goggles except instead of resting against the forehead they

seal against the helmet under the visor Most noticeable was the lack

of ldquonose pinchrdquo and the vastly improved vision The Visor Goggle

drastically reduces the claustrophobic feel of traditional goggles as

there is more distance between the inside of the goggle and your face

The feel is more like an adventure helmet

After riding with them for an hour or two on an MX track I found

the improved field of vision to be a welcome change Riding with the

Visor Goggles allowed better vision up down and sideways I did no-

tice a bit more air coming in from the flow through design and from

underneath the seal against my check bones at speed During warm

weather this would be welcome in cold weather not so much Ad-

justing the strap tension has an affect on goggle to face contact Skin

contact with the typical sweatmudgrungefunk mix that gets en-

crusted on the foam is minimized since

the foam is resting against the helmet

rather than the forehead

They cleaned up well and showed no

signs of scratching on the lenses stain-

ing of the frames or discoloration de-

spite a liberal dosage of mud and water

The ZOWA Visor Goggle features in-

clude being rated for OTG (Over The

Glasses) by virtue of the greater clear-

ance between goggle and face a Hel-

met conformed design improved field

of view Lexan lens with anti-fog coating comfort foam and flow through

ventilation The strap features a silicon strip to help it stay put on the helmet

Accessory lenses and tear-off lenses are available All goggles come with a

micro fiber storage bag as well The off road goggles retail for $5800 and

are available in black red of cyan frame colors wwwzowaopticscom

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

BUILT BEYOND BELIEFINTRODUCING THE KAWASAKI

Come to Motorcycle Mall to reserve your Ninja H2trade

by December 19 and experience unforgettablesupercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2 motorcycle the worldrsquos onlysupercharged production hypersport streetbike

H2

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pantsgloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Mo-torcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environmentFor furher information regarding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 Specifi-cations subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspired R1 everFrom the advanced lsquorider activersquo electronicspackage to the powerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Supersport bike andfactory MotoGP has never been more blurred

COMPLETELY NEW

FROM THE TRACK UP

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 21

PRODUCT REVIEWZOWA OPTICS VISOR GOGGLES

Great All American Diner RunAs always wersquoll start with our most popular column the Great All American Diner Run Wait is it really We just might have a new fan fa-vorite but wersquoll save that till later First letrsquos take a look at the top three for GAADR 2014hellip

SECOND RUNNER UP bull RIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST2378 ROUTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770 bull 845-557-0097 bull RIVERUNNERSROOSTCOM

Route 97 along the scenic Delaware River has long been a favorite of motorcyclists for years and

over the years the road has seen a number of restaurants open their doors along its picturesque miles

The latest is the River Runnerrsquos Roost

Opened by Rich and Mary Codichini back in 2013 this place quickly became a favorite of ours

and many others They bill themselves as a barbeque steakhouse with a touch of Cajun and Italian

We call it phenomenal with one of the best barbeques in the region and gumbo to go to war over

If you havenrsquot tried the ldquoRoostrdquo then make plans for riding their way in the spring

FIRST RUNNER UP bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784 bull 603- 298-5515 bull 4ACESDINERCOM

Located just up the hill from the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River in the town of

Lebanon the Four Aces is the real deal A true Great All-American Diner Their

menu is huge interesting and delicious The ambience is pure Americana and the

roads leading to and from the Four Aces straddling Vermont and New Hampshire

are hard to top They have pro smokers going outside right along their picnic tables

but we found a seat at the counter worked just fine for us

Our only problem with Four Aces is that they are almost exactly 301 miles from

where we type this They should consider northern New Jersey

The Four Aces is a must see do and eat while in the Dartmouth region and just

missed out on our top honor for this yearrsquos vote

And so without further adohellip

1ST PLACE GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN 2014 bull FIVE ISLANDS LOBSTER COMPANY1447 5 ISLANDS RD GEORGETOWN ME 04548 bull 207-371-2990 bull FIVEISLANDSLOBSTERCOM

Location location location Besides have a superb down to Earth feel a great staff scrumptious food

and a wonderful coastal Maine flavor ndash The Five Islands Lobster Company has a serious location

Did we mention where it is

Located on a working fishing wharf it is surrounded by the ldquocoldest and deepest waters on the coastrdquo

There be some serious lobstarsquo lurking here abouts and it is best when they find their final way to

Five Islands You can have these big bugs anyway you like but we took a bullet for all of you and

went and ordered The Big Boy Stuffed with twice the amount of lobster meat than your average

lobster roll it was our pleasure to tackle this monster as best we could

Wait ndash just thinking of it all on this cold November day has us in a statehellip

They do serve a good number of other seafood favorites as well as more land-based standards but

who wants that when you can have the quintessential Maine treat on a wooden bench and table

alongside one of the prettiest bays in New England

This is why the Five Islands Lobster Company slid into the 1 spot in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

Big City GetawayBig City Getaway has always been about a great destination So many of

us roll the bikes out of the garage and then say ldquoWhere tordquo That is where this monthly favoritecomes in and here are our best of Big City Getaway 2015

2ND RUNNER UP bull MUSTANG FACTORYTOUR4 SPRINGFIELD STREET SUITE 1 THREE RIVERS MA 01080 bull 800-243-1392 bull MUSTANGSEATSCOM

They are one of the largest motorcycle seat manufacturers on the planet and they would be happy to show you around

We did a tour this last summer and found just how much talent vision and workmanship goes into creating some of

the most distinctive and comfortable motorcycle seats you can find

Page 22 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Best of Backroads 2014Once again this planet we ride has completed another lap around our sun and it is time for us to look back on the season and the veryBest of BackroadsIf we said 2013 was ldquointerestingrdquo we would be hard pressed to describe this past year of 2014For sure last year brought us thousands of great miles and lots of smiles interesting destinations and a few great Backroads Ralliesbut some darkness and loss along the journey for our Backroads family as wellStill looking back we had some phenomenal places we found stories we told and friends with which we have ridden The Italian poet Cesare Pavese said ldquoWe do not remember days we remember momentsrdquoThis year ndash 2014 ndash we had our share of moments Letrsquos look back at some in the Best of Backroads 2014

The tour is open to riding groups and takes a little over an hour and a half We recommend that you make an

appointment and guarantee you will have an informative and fun day with our friends at Mustang seats

1ST RUNNER UP bull COASTAL BOTANICAL GARDENS32 BOTANICAL GARDENS DR BOOTHBAY ME 04537 bull 207-633-4333 bull MAINEGARDENSORG

This project took nearly 17 years planning planting and building before its opening in June of 2007 and today

the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens comprises 270 acres of tidal shore land thousands of flowers plants

and botanical oddities Interspersed amongst the natural beauty you will find dozens of sculptures that

only add to an already stunning venue Rarely has a visitor spent some time at the Coastal Botanical

Gardens and not wanted to return as soon as possible

It is simple to see why this easily took our First Runner Up spot

1ST PLACE BIG CITY GETAWAY 2014 FIVE STAR GENERAL STORES bull NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY

This article from our October issue embodied a little bit of everything we might look for in a Big

City Getaway It had local history interesting stops (5 of them) food ice cream and it was all

woven together with some of the neatest roads in northern New Jersey ndash a riding jewel for those

who have never been so lucky Running along to five different and historic General Stores this day

trip just kept getting better Know that we just scratched the surface and that these General Stores from

the past can be found all around the nation But for this time around it was this adventure that was

called 1 for Big City Getaway 2014

(Note as of this printing the Stillwater General Store has closed but is still worth the ride-by for the

roads and historic value)

Wersquore Outta HereThe great thing that we riders have over the more boring people out there is that our tripsand adventures happen the moment we roll out of our driveways and onto the roadOvernight trips are like mini-vacations for the soul and are most likely the reason they sayyou never see a motorcycle outside a psychiatrist office unless it belongs to the shrinkWersquore Outta Here is all about that ndash places to go and enjoy whether it be a group coupleor on your ownLetrsquos see what we think were our top three for 2014

2ND RUNNER UP bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 E MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854 bull 814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGEPACOM

Shira found this hide-away full of coffee awesomeness when we were to attend the ALTRider adventure

ride early this summer in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania The lodge is part of the coffee house and

although the room we had was a tad small it was well thought out and just added to the coolness of the

entire place We had the Penns Creek Room with its lsquoloft-stylersquo bed and rock wall shower Each morning

the aroma from the coffee shop downstairs was like a Sirenrsquos call and had us highly motivated to carefully

spring out of bed (well it was a loft and there was a drop) There were also great muffins and cakes to go along with the coffee

Millheim is well located with a great combination of fantastic riding both paved and not and has a few eateries within strolling distance (compared to walking

or marching distance) We liked everything about the Triple Creek Lodge ndash the smell the flavor and the quirkiness

1ST RUNNER UP bull INDIAN ROCK INN2206 RIVER RD UPPER BLACK EDDY PA 18972 bull 610-982-9600 bull INDIANROCKINNCOM

GPS Download wwwsendspacecomprodlen7u7kAlong the PA-side of the Delaware River just north of Jerseyrsquos Milford in a place where the river

crooks dramatically and heads north for a bit you will find a great local treasure - the Indian Rock

Inn Tucked underneath what are called the Pennsylvania Palisades and along both river and old

canal the Indian Rock is the complete package

After a day of fun riding to and around the region you can park the bikes grab your room and

shower and make your way to the very friendly bar The Barking Dog Grab a cocktail and me-

ander to the very comfortable large porch take a seat and watch the world go by After the sun

sets a delicious gourmet meal is just steps away Perhaps a night cap and then upstairs to end a

prefect day With all that it is easy to see how the Indian Rock grabbed first runner up in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

1ST PLACEWErsquoRE OUTTA HERE 2014 bull QUODDY HEAD STATION823 SOUTH LUBEC RD LUBEC ME 04652 bull 877-535-4714 bull QUODDYVACATIONCOM

Most times we are all for suggesting you sleep in a bit longer at any of our Wersquore Outta Here destinations but here at Quoddy Head

Station we urge - no insist ndash that you get up before the dawn so you can be the first in the United States to see the sun rise over the At-

lantic from the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse - just a 2 minute ride to the east

Here in the most north and east point of the United States life does not get much better

The rooms and views cannot be beat and the surrounding area with its little coves Reversing Falls State Park Rooseveltrsquos Campobello

cottage (actually in Canada) and the very coastal Maine town of Lebec with its large number of seafood restaurants nautical shops and

vistas are hard to beat anywhere else in the world When we travelled in the area

we rode under a giant orange full moon that rose over the bay at low tide

It was eerie and stunning all at the same time

One of those moments we talked about earlier Quoddy Head Station has to be one

of the most interesting and geographically perfect places we have traveled to in

many years and easily made its way to the 1st place spot for Wersquore Outta Here 2014

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 23

Mysterious AmericaAlways one of the perennial favorites for our readers is the odd wacky and off-beat destinations that our own Dr Seymour OrsquoLife brings

to us each month This year was no different and the choices to be made for the TopThree were very tight for the good doctor but undaunted our hero carried on and cameup with the short list So letrsquos get to it

2ND RUNNER UP bull ISLE OFWIGHT COUNTY MUSEUM103 MAIN ST SMITHFIELD VA 23430 bull 757-356-1223 bull HISTORICISLEOFWIGHTCOM

You remember this place ndash home of the Worldrsquos Oldest Ham It belonged to PD Gwaltney Jr

It had its beginnings in 1902 when a cured ham was accidentally hung from rafters in one Gwaltneyrsquos

houses until it was discovered by workers By 1924 the pet ham was kept in an iron safe which was

opened daily for guests to view Advertised as the worldrsquos oldest Smithfield ham Gwaltney fashioned

a brass collar for the ham and took it to shows and expos to exhibit the preservative powers of his

smoking method The ham was featured in Ripleyrsquos ldquoBelieve It Or Notrdquo in 1929 1932 and 2003 and

more importantly in Backroads in May of 2014 For sure the museum holds so much more but Sey-

mour could never get past the ham Neither could we

1ST RUNNER UP bull THE CULPER SPY RINGThis was the first multi-month piece by the minions of mystery and we spent three

full months searching for the real story on George Washingtonrsquos Culper Spy Ring

From its beginning with the hanging of Nathan Hale in what is now mid-town Man-

hattan to the desolation of being held on a prison ship in an East River Bay in Brook-

lyn - where we had the largest battle of our Revolutionary War Then on to the Culper

Spies themselves and the web they wove from Setauket Long Island across the

Sound to Connecticut and into New York and Philadelphia These men and woman

(nobody really knows who this lady was) changed the course of history It was then

onto treachery traitors and sex ndashwith the story of Benedict Arnold his wife Peggy

Shippen and her lover Major John Andrersquo and our own West Point Escape capture

and the gallows all played a part in this true story of our local American history

Mysterious Americarsquos history has never been so much fun

1ST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2014 bull THE TRANS-ALLEGHENY LUNATIC ASYLUM71 ASYLUM DR WESTON WV 26452 bull 304-269-5070 bull TRANS-ALLEGHENYLUNATICASYLUMCOM

When we first rode up to this massive 27-acre facility Shira who had no idea where or why we were there shook her head and simply asked why

The asylum stands like a monstrous stone beast dominating the ground It is the second largest hand-hewn bluestone building on the planet with only Russiarsquos

Kremlin surpassing it But it is the feel and aura that surround and linger around this building

that will tell you the real story of the place

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum also known as the We-

ston State Hospital was a Kirkbride psychiatric hospital that

operated from 1864 until 1994 Like many Kirkbridge hospi-

tals it started out with a noble idea but soon became overrun

with patients lack of proper care and some of the saddest and

scariest tales were heard here on the tour The place is massive and to walk the halls would literally take miles

The place is reportedly full of ghosts and very bad things from the other side One look at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

and you will have a hard time denying that claim Shira will never go back and it was one of the few times that she was seriously

ldquocreeped outrdquo Her words ndash not ours

With that being said you surely must agree that a visit to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum easily ranks as our 1st place for

our Mysterious America 2014

MomentsIt was April 10 of this past year when the phone here at Backroads rang Answering it I could hear the voice of a friend Dave on the farend ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo I asked ldquohow are yourdquoDaversquos voice trembled and broke ldquoJeff Bahr was killed today on his bikerdquoIn that moment everything stopped It remained stopped for a long time Sometimes it still doesA month or so later well after Jeffrsquos service and cremation Shira and I found ourselves at the spot where this happened We talked tothe young man who was tending his barbecue pit which he was stoking for the dayrsquos lunch He was there when the driver pulled out ofhis general storersquos parking lot without even a glance He sadly but kindly told us of that momentJeff had simply been riding down a wide country road when an 86-year old man pulled out in front of him Although rubber on the roadshowed Jeff tried to avoid the car it was too little too late and he was killed on impactI have no idea what happened to the old man after this event But regardless he has to live with his inattentiveness and actions for therest of his life So do many of usWe do not remember days we remember momentsThat day was made up of a moment we will never forgetThe weekend I wrote this Jeff if hersquod survived would have been 57 He would have had dozens more stories made us laugh a dozenmore times would have made this magazine a dozen times betterJeff I hope you know that so many of us miss you so muchTo you all enjoy and savor all your moments Life is made up of them and eventually one of those moments will hurt

Page 24 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Shirarsquos Ice Cream RunLast year we introduce a semi-monthly some of the time if she felt like it column ndashShirarsquos Ice Cream Run It seems to everybody but the red head that this column hasbecome a huge hit and we have had more comments and suggestions for the IceCream Runs than anything else within memory So think sweet creamy and cold andletrsquos see what Shira thought were on the top three stops of 2014rsquos Ice Cream Runs

2ND RUNNER UP bull HOLSTENrsquoS CONFECTIONARY1603 BROAD ST BLOOMFIELD NJ 07003 bull 973-338-7091 bull WWWHOLSTENSCOM

Immortalized on celluloid in the Sopranosrsquo final episode Holstenrsquos Confectionary has so much more

to offer than their souvenir t-shirts from said show A true old-time ice cream parlor Holstenrsquos home-

made ice cream and confections will win the hearts of any true lover of sweets Taking a seat at the

counter should bring back memories of visits to Woolworthrsquos and once the delicious dairyness is

placed in front of you complete with homemade whipped cream you will think you are in a

dream Holstenrsquos has the whole package ndash premium product comfortable setting and take-home

delights With its 2nd Runner Up status truly one of my favorites of this yearrsquos ice cream stops

1ST RUNNER UP bull CAYUGA LAKE CREAMERY8421 NY 89 INTERLAKEN NY 14847 bull 607-532-9492 bull WWWCAYUGALAKECREAMERYCOM

Nestled in the idyllic Finger Lakes the Cayuga Lake Creamery offers up some of the most in-

ventive flavors Irsquove seen including wine ice cream and sorbet (best of both worlds Irsquod say)

Sitting on their outdoor deck savoring your Maple Bacon or Lavender cone on a warm summer

day ndash what could be better than that

While the Finger Lakes may not offer the most challenging of rides the scenery is beautiful and

the gorges are well gorgeous I canrsquot think of a much better day than meandering around the

Fingers with a late afternoon stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery Their 14 butterfat mixture and only the best of locally sourced

ingredients produce some of the finest creamiest ice creams around Do yourself a favor and spin your wheels to this part of

NY state for a weekend of indulgence as their terrific flavors will keep you coming back day after day

1ST PLACE SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN bull HALLrsquoS HOMEMADE ICE CREAM861 RACCOONVALLEY RD MILLERSTOWN PA 17062

717-589-3290 bull WWWHALLSICECREAMCOM

I found this gem in the middle of the Alleghenies while Brian was off riding in the forest with the

ALTRider group Having grabbed the 1st Place spot in this yearrsquos Ice Cream Run you know Hallrsquos

Homemade Ice Cream and Dairy has to be something pretty special

While their flavor offerings may not be as exotic as Cayuga Lake the quality is heavenly Their

signature flavor and one I had not tasted before is their honey ice cream coming in a variety of

mixtures such as chocolate butter pecan and my personal favorite cinnamon Hallrsquos has a couple

of outdoor tables where you can take in the full dairy effect while licking your cone If that is too

overwhelming they have a very nice indoor seating area complete with air conditioning

The riding in this part of Pennsylvania is quite exciting with elevation changes sweepers and

twisties and for those desiring an off-road adventure plenty of woodlands to test your knobbies

What do all three of these winners have in common other than fantastic ice cream They are all

open all year long so if you happen to be out and about in Bloomfield NJ Interlaken NY or Miller-

stown PA make sure you plan a stop at one of the top three spots on Shirarsquos 2014 Ice Cream Run

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 25

Rip amp Ridereg bull RIVER RUNNERS ROOST2378 RTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770

845-557-0097 bull WWWRIVERRUNNERSROOSTCOMSEASONAL HOURS - CALL BEFORE HEADING OUT

CR 560 IN SUSSEX COUNTY NJCROSS DINGMANS BRIDGE bull $1 TOLLSTRAIGHT ON RTE 739RIGHT AT MILFORD RDLEFT AT RAYMONDSKILL RDCROSS OVER I-84HARD LEFT ON US 6QUICK RIGHT ONTOTWIN LAKES RDRIGHT AT RTE 434CROSS RIVER TO NEWYORKRIGHT AT RTE 97 SOUTHRIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST DOWN ROAD ON LEFT HAND SIDE

Rip amp Ridereg bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784603- 298-5515 bull WWW4ACESDINERCOM

GPS DOWNLOAD WWWSENDSPACECOMPRODLXXTWXB90-MILE ONEWAY ROUTE FROM THEWEST DOVER VERMONT REGION

BIG BEARS LODGE GRAY GHOST AND KITZHOF INN

RTE 100 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT RTE 35RIGHT AT RTE 121LEFT AT RTE 5CROSS INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE ndash ARCH BRIDGELEFT AT RTE 12 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 120LEFT AT RTE 4 WEST LEBANONFOUR ACES DOWN ON THE LEFT

TAylorrsquos ice creAm PArlor

18 e mAin sT chesTer nJ bull 908-879-5363

What to do on the first sub-freezing day in November Go for ice cream

of course I was hanging out with the good doctor OrsquoLife and best friend

Brian when OrsquoLife told us of this place that grows telephone poles Having

my doubts about most of what OrsquoLife tells me I asked him to prove it So

off we went to the quaint little town of Chester New Jersey

After a pleasant lunch at the Publick House complete with real wood

burning fireplace we trekked down the road a piece found said telephone

pole farm (for another column of course) and started our return to Back-

roads Central Lo and behold right before the turn onto Route 206 there

sat Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor in the nicest old building on the block We

got our spot and headed in to find well no one but Justin in a very toasty

old fashioned ice cream parlor I do think that he was surprised to see us

or anyone on such a cold day

Taylorrsquos has apparently been an ice cream institution in

Chester for the last 50 years or so founded by Mr Earle G

Taylor Sr who just passed this August Taylorrsquos was the vic-

tim of fire some time in 2013 and was closed for a good 8

months before reopening in the same spot with applause

from their long-time fans and customers Their ice cream is

all home made and always has been On a hot summer day

you will no doubt be lined up out the door and down the

block to get this tasty treat but Irsquom certain you will find it

worth the wait I think their pricing is quite reasonable for

the size scoop they dip and if you are like me and want a sam-

pling of several flavors they offer Kiddie Scoops at $195

each ndash a flight of ice cream sounds like the perfect end-of-

ride relaxation

We perused the two very full ice cream boards and poured

over the cabinets before making our decisions With close to

50 listed flavors what was a girl to do without minions to help her taste test We finally settled on chocolate hazelnut toasted coconut salted caramel and

vanilla fudge brownie I pretty much always opt for a cup as I savor my ice cream and it would run down my arm before I was even close to finishing but I was

almost tempted by their pretzel cone What is so great about Taylorrsquos cones is the plastic drip cup in which they reside both sanitary and mess-preventing

Page 26 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

TOWN amp COUNTRYC Y C L E C E N T E R

115 Route 23N bull Hamburg NJ bull 973-875-2111wwwtownandcountrycyclecentercom

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIYamahacom bull 516-935-6969

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE

SPORT TOURERIntroducing the most performancepower versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle From commutingand exploring backroads to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaharsquos un-mistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

While enjoying our treats we savored

the deacutecor of this very pleasant parlor Sev-

eral tables to enjoy your ice cream clip-

pings of newspaper articles school

paraphernalia and something that has no

place in an ice cream parlor an old-fash-

ioned fortune telling scale This couldnrsquot

possibly still be functioning could it Ac-

cording to Justin yes it was How could we

resist In went our pennies and up popped

our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked

the weight numbers) Brianrsquos read lsquoYou are

not overbearing but generally have things

your wayrsquo Wow I couldnrsquot wait to see if

mine was as accurate ldquoYou look to the fu-

ture rather than the pastrsquo So true

Back to the ice cream ndash it

was heavenly We all agreed

that the salted caramel was the

overall winner having the per-

fect balance of salt and

caramel with the best creamy

texture The toasted coconut

was very flavorful with lots of

coconut bits the chocolate

hazelnut was very dark and

creamy and mixed with the coconut made the perfect almond-free almond

joy The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole but cer-

tainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store

I believe Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round but if yoursquore head-

ing over during the winter months give them a call to make sure Enjoy the

winter and remember itrsquos never too cold to eat ice cream

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield PA

215-712-7433 bull wwwBMWMotorcyclescom

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

THE NEW R 1200 RA POWERFUL STATEMENT

Our newest boxer roadster has one missiondominate the streets in style The R 1200 Ris designed to blend comfort precisehandling and pure riding excitementhellipin one head-turning machine

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW R 1200 RSTHRILLING COMFORT

The new R 1200 RS is perfectly balancedcombining optimal wind and weather protectionwith powerful performance and controlPutting you in an unparalleled position toexplore the road - and your own limits

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW S 1000 RRWELCOME TO THENEW PLANET POWER

The S 1000 RR has been completely revisedThe results in its origins a genuine Double RRon the road a new supersports machine thatwill once again set the benchmark in its class

UNSTOPPABLE SPORT

WHAT lsquoRrsquo YOU WAITING FORCome to Montgomeryville Cycle Center to see the full line of 2015 BMW Motorcycles products and apparel

We have everything yoursquoll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever

Motorcyclepedia the northeastrsquos

premier motorcycle museum will

be holding its Speaker Series again

this winter with various riders and

orators covering topics ranging

from world touring to tips on avoiding tickets and an in depth look at GPS

technology and todayrsquos motorcycling

Backroadsrsquo own Brian amp Shira will start the series off with a talk on Jan-

uary 17 on lsquoThe Big Fiversquo motorcycle destinations around the planet along

with planning and touring around the United States and the world

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who

will help clear the fog about Garmin GPSrsquos and how their BaseCamp program

works along with how to create and export your own personal routes

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on ldquoEverything you need to know

on Motorcycles and the Lawrdquo - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper po-

lice procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists

Seth Simpson of Motorcycle training Solutions will be giving a seminar

on Rider Training

Motorcyclistmoto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about

Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys

Look for a Womenrsquos Riding Panel with some well-known female motor-

cyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing todayrsquos women

riders This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and

beginning women riders

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months

and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to

enlighten

Wersquoll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page

as soon as they are etched in stone

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh New York in the

riding heart of the Hudson Valley

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 27

A DAY AT THE MUSEUMlsquoSPEAKER SERIESrsquo RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Frankrsquos MotorcycleSales amp Service

120 Center RoadEssex VT 05451

802-878-3930wwwFranksMotorcycleSalescomBMWhtm

Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY845-357-1190

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LOCOMOTION POWER-

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Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

SUSSEX MOTORSPORTS446 Route 23 bull Sussex NJ bull Located across from the AampP Shopping Plaza

973-875-3640 bull wwwsussexmotorsportsnjcombull Family OwnedOperated in Northwest NJ bull Near the NYPA border

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JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

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The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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wwwCrossCountryPowersportscom

Visit us at the NY Boat ShowJan 21-25 bull Javits Center

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444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

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Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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memBer

memBer

Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

JDS CYCLE PARTSeST 1988

247 W Westfield Ave Rosell Park NJ908-245-2445

bull Parts amp Accessories

bull Award-winning Service

bull Performance Work

bull Dyno Tuning

bull SampS Pro Tuning Center

bull Power CommanderTuning Center

American bull Metric bull Sport

Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 14: January 2015 Backroads

Chicken Hero also topped with their local cheddar cheese

For you Vegans (he said with a smirk) you will find a Veggie Panini (now

hush and eat your greens) If you are really hungry try Ardyrsquos Big Roast Beef

ndash a heaping of oven roasted beef topped with Swiss cheese and served on a

Kaiser roll and topped with Ardyrsquos famed horseradish sauce

Thatrsquoll fill you up

When we arrived it was an unusually cool day for the Leatherstocking Re-

gion and a hot sammich seemed more on order Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

serves up hot pork and hot roast beef sammiches but I went with their hot

meatloaf ndash brought out on a toasted Kaiser roll with homemade mashed po-

tatoes and some super tasty gravy ndash enough to float a boat

Just about everything here at Ardyrsquos is a homemade creation Real potatoes

fresh vegetables and freshly roasted meats are always used Not much

processed or pre-packaged quasi food will be found here

My Hot Meatloaf Sammich served with Ardyrsquos super potatoes and

drowned in their excellent brown gravy was one of the best I have ever had

on the road And it was not just a thinly sliced bit of meatloaf but an honest-

to-goodness slab orsquomeatloaf

I wouldnrsquot even serve myself that big a piece at home

Okay maybe I would

The rest of our crew all had the Tomato amp Basil Soup (delicious) and

grilled cheese sammiches which was a special of the day

If you can squeeze it in after all this great chow Ardyrsquos is an ice cream par-

lor as well and they offer enough flavors that even resident ice cream maven

Shira was tempted

Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen is the perfect example of a small and family run

restaurant that really serves up the goods All their offering are real and tasty

and just like your mom would cook ndash ifrsquon your mom was a trained chef

When in the region it is well worth searching Ardyrsquos out and with that in

mind wersquoll give you a short ride from the Kingston area to this monthrsquos stop

on the Great All American Diner Run

Find them on FaceBook at Ardyrsquos Country Kitchen

Page 14 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

RIP amp RIDEreg bull ARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN279 MAIN ST WORCESTER NY 121197 bull 607-397-4070

START INTERSECTIONS OF RTES 20928 KINGSTON NYRTE 28 WESTRIGHT AT RTE 375LEFT AT RTE 212RIGHT AT RTE 28LEFT AT RTE 214LEFT AT RTE 23ARIGHT AT SCRIBNER HOLLOW RDLEFT AT RTE 23CRIGHT AT CR 40STRAIGHT AT CR 296

LEFT AT RTE 23BEAR RIGHT AT CR 7LEFT AT CR 990VRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT SHREW HOLLOW ROADLEFT AT CR 29RIGHT AT CR 10LEFT AT MEADE ROADLEFT AT CHARLOTTEVILLE ROADRIGHT AT CR 39RIGHT AT RTE 7 MAIN STARDYrsquoS COUNTRY KITCHEN ON LEFT

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

moTe AquArium And mArine lABorATory

600 ken ThomPson Pkwy sArAsoTA fl 34236

941-388-4441 bull wwwmoTeorG

Each March and October the Daytona faithful head

south to the beginning and end of the season rallies

on the Sunshine statersquos eastern coast

But we have always found Daytona and vicinities

to get a bit too crowded loud andhellipumm ndash boring

Well for us

The SUYT thing kinda got old when the girls could

be your daughter-in-law

We prefer checking out the scene and then doing a

little Floridian travel exploring some of the sights

and scenes that draw so may south each year

On Floridarsquos Gulf Coast you will find the city of

Sarasota

This city has a thriving cultural scene and boasts a

number of interesting places to visit explore and gen-

erally spend some time

A few years back we told you of the Circus Mu-

seum this time we dropped in on the Mote Aquarium

and Marine Laboratory

The Aquarium has its beginnings back in 1955

when it was founded by Dr Eugenie Clark in

Placida Florida Back then it was known as Cape

Haze Marine Laboratory until its 1967 renaming in

honor of a major benefactor William R Mote and the

contributions he and his family made to helping the

aquarium grow mdash both in size and reputation Since

1960 Mote has been based in Sarasota Florida and

since 1978 it has been lo-

cated on City Island and

that is where we got to

spend a number of hours

The Mote Aquarium

consists of three buildings

the aquarium an interac-

tive theatre and a separate

building that houses their

sea turtles dolphin (singu-

lar but wersquoll get into that)

and manatee collection all

of whom have been res-

cued or rehabbed at Mote

All the exhibits are laid

out with informative plac-

ards and each tank brings

different environments and

different fish and marine wildlife all with a story

to tell

Moray eels tanks full of floating jelly fish of

all types exotic fish we had never dreamed of and

some we simply had never seen in person were

there

In addition to the first building exhibits you can

learn about the giant squid and then move to the

shark area and ray along the way you will find a

few tanks where you can reach in and get to touch

a few of the locals

Mote also had a nice display on the Megalodon

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 15

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

ndash the prehistoric shark that was well over 50 feet long

with teeth as large as your fist

A quick walk across the parking lot brought us to the

building holding their other large exhibits

A few different sea turtles were swimming about as

well as Hugh and Buffett ndash two large and impressive

manatees

A large outdoor pool held lsquoMoonshinersquo Motersquos res-

ident dolphin who was rescued after it beached and

was found drying out and sunburned

He seems happy enough but personally we think he

needs a friend We were told that Mote is next on the

list for such a companion

While we visited Mote had a special attraction called

lsquoSurvivorsrsquo which featured some of the oddest marine and fresh water ani-

mals and the very unique way they survive in the wild ndash from deadly poison

to killer punches to simply looking like a rock and hoping for the best ndash it

was a fascinating display as was the entire aquarium

If you get hungry you can drop by their Deep Sea Diner where you can

enjoy dining al-fresco or inside the casual retro rsquo50s-style diner complete

with an old-fashioned soda fountain The lively cafeacute offers a fun affordable

family-style menu including chili and chowder burgers and dogs veggie

burgers and fresh salads chicken fingers and fries And donrsquot forget dessert

hand-dipped ice cream shakes amp sundaes

We thought wersquod spend a quick hour there but ended up happily spending

the afternoon

Mote might not be the biggest but it surely made up for its size with quality

and interesting and informative displays

Page 16 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 906-9292

Find Us on Facebook bull SportHondanet

hondacom UTILITY ATVs ARE RECOMMENDED FOR RIDERS 16 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER TRX90X IS RECOMMENDED ONLY FOR RIDERS12 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER RIDERS UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE MUST BE SUPERVISED BY AN ADULT ATVs CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO OPER-ATE ALL ATV RIDERS SHOULD TAKE A TRAINING COURSE (FREE FOR NEW BUYERS ASK YOUR DEALER OR CALL ASI AT 800-887-2887) ANDREAD THEIR OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND APPROPRIATE CLOTHING AVOID EXCESSIVESPEEDS AND BE CAREFUL ON DIFFICULT TERRAIN FOR YOUR SAFETY BE RESPONSIBLE NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGSOR ALCOHOL ON PAVED SURFACES ON PUBLIC ROADS WITH PASSENGERS OR AT EXCESSIVE SPEEDS NO STUNT RIDING RESPECT THEENVIRONMENT WHEN RIDING TRXreg and Rancherreg are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1114)

Whether itrsquos hard work

or time to play

Sport Honda has the

ATV to fit your lifestyle

Be prepared - Come in

Today for your

Winter utility needs

Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 491-2900

Find Us on Facebook bull CrossCountryPowersportscom

Cross Country Powersportsis now taking deposits for theNinja H2Rtrade and H2tradeExperience unforgettable supercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2trade motorcycle theworldrsquos only supercharged productionhypersport streetbike

The BridGewATer TriAnGle

is This The sTrAnGesT sPoT in The norTheAsT

Located just 30 miles south of Boston this 200-mile square area has the

Massachusetts towns of Abington Freetown and Rehoboth at its angles The

town of Bridgewater is located nearly dead center within the triangle and the

area also encompasses six other Massachusetts towns Raynham Taunton

Brockton Mansfield Norton and Easton including the Hockomock Swamp

It is known as the Bridgewater Triangle

It seems if it is paranormal weird or mysterious it has happened in the Tri-

angle of the years

Let us start with one of the

first odd things found in the

region

It was in this area that the

first officially documented

petroglyph in the United

States was found - Dighton

Rock This 40 ton boulder

was discovered by original

settlers and has always

caused questions and wonder

of who made these mysteri-

ous markings and why

In fact in 1690 Rev Cotton Mather described the rock in his book The

Wonderful Works of God Commemorated

ldquoAmong the other Curiosities of New-England one is that of a mighty

Rock on a perpendicular side whereof by a River which at High Tide covers

part of it there are very deeply Engraved no man alive knows How or When

about half a score Lines near Ten Foot Long and a foot and half broad filled

with strange Characters which would

suggest as odd Thoughts about them that

were here before us as there are odd

Shapes in that Elaborate Monumentrdquo

The boulder was moved in 1980 to the

museum in a nearby park Dighton Rock State Park in order to protect and

preserve this part of Americarsquos strange history

Strangely marked boulders were not the beginning of the mystery of the

Bridgewater Triangle

Years back a group of archeologists discovered a native burial mound on

Grassy Island in the swamp These graves were dated to 6000 BC

Strange lights have been

reported on this island and

across the triangle and one

of the first documented

UFO sighting came from

here when on May 10

1760 villagers in two

towns 50 miles away stared

in wonder at a ldquoSphere of

Firerdquo that slowly made its

way across the sky

The next day both townsrsquo newspapers reported the phenomena in their edi-

tions According to historical records the UFO emitted light bright enough

to cast a shadow in bright sunlight The sound made by the object ldquooddly

enough was heard sooner at the middle of the course it took than at the be-

ginningrdquo

You canrsquot really have such an eclectic gathering of odd in a place like this

in Mysterious America without a few good Yeti sightings

Over the years all sorts of ldquoSwamp Monstersrdquo have been sighted and in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 17

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

April 1970 it was reported that a ldquoBigfootrdquo

picked up a rear of a police car in which sat

two surprised police officers

Police dogs have been used time and again but

Bigfoot is an elusive fellow

I have always believed the Jersey Devil is a

Pterosaurs of some kind and here around the

Bridgewater Triangle huge black prehistoric-look-

ing birds with a wingspan of between eight and

twelve feet have been reported time and again in-

cluding a report by Norton Police Sergeant Thomas

Downy

Indian Curses abound as well and along Route

44 in Rehoboth lies the boulder known as Anawan

Rock It is said that it was here that the Wampanoag

chief Anawan surrendered to the colonists thus

ending King Philiprsquos War According to local be-

liefs the angry spirits of the warriors captured that

day continue to haunt the spot

Extremely large snakes and alligators have been

found in the swamp along with other creatures that are totally out of place

In the late 1800rsquos bones of a giant were unearthed

Every which way you look or travel in the area you will find something

strange In fact I have a quick list of odd things found in the

Bridgewater Triangle for you

Next time yoursquore looking to spend a few days exploring Mys-

terious America take a ride around the Bridgewater Triangle You

just might end up sending me an email telling me you spotted ahellip

OrsquoLife Out

Ten odd ThinGs found in The BridGewATer TriAnGle

1 The longest epitaph in the United States is located in a Rehoboth

cemetery A full 405 words

2 Three PT Barnum circus ldquofreaksrdquo hailed from here including

Middlebororsquos Tom Thumb and East Bridgewaterrsquos ldquoThe Human

Skeletonrdquo

3 The first boundary line in the United States is located in Abing-

ton at the Bridgewater Trianglersquos furthest most delineated northern

map point

4 A historic 40-foot tall Hood milk bottle in Raynham (now a

restaurant) is the (triplet) sister to famous the ldquoMilk Bottlerdquo at the

Boston Childrenrsquos museum

5 In 1906 bones of ldquoa giantrdquo were discovered in Middleboro

6 Alligators seals emu peacocks cow moose bears Africal

Sevral panthers and mountain lions have all been found in the

Bridgewater Triangle

7 There are both handprints and footprints imbedded into several

Bridgewater Triangle boulders handprints in Middleboro foot-

prints in Norton

8 Dighton Rock is the first documented petroglyph in the United

States

9 The chocolate chip cookie was invented in the happiest of ac-

cidents in the northern apex of the Bridgewater Triangle

10 The Bridgewater Triangle is host to the worldrsquos only shovel

museum located in Easton

Page 18 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

290 Route 100 West Dover VT800-745-3615 bull wwwgrayghostinncom

Motorcyclist-Friendly Destination LodgingLocated on Scenic Route 100 in Southern VermontHot breakfast cooked to order BYOB bar firepit hot tub game room and WiFi

Free Maps and Suggested Rides Group Special Packages5 restaurantsbars within walking distance bull On-site Group Dinners available

MemberWhen you canrsquot ride because of snow ride the snow

Guided Back-Country Snowmobile Toursin the Green Mountain National Forest

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

mounTAineer hoTel

31 eAsT second Avenue williAmson wv

304-235-2222 bull wwwmounTAineerhoTelcom

Laying right on the Tug Fork River across from the

Blue Grass state of Kentucky one will find the tiny town

of Williamson West Virginia Williamson has a long

history mostly revolving around the coal industry

Here you will find a rather large rail yard now part

of the Norfolk Southern built to service the many mines

found in and around this part of West Virginia and Ken-

tucky

In 1974 a United States Army Corps of Engineer

planner described the region as having the most severe

flooding problem in America

In 1977 after many days of steady hard rain the Tug

Fork and adjoining streams began

a constant and quick rise As had

happened in the past the town ex-

perienced incredible flooding

Today a floodwall protects

Williamson from future wet havoc

A huge part of this regionrsquos local

lore and history is the famed home

of the feud between the Hatfields

and McCoys probably the most

famous family fight in US history

The first event in the decades-

long feud was the 1865 murder of

Randolphrsquos brother Asa Harmon

McCoy by the Logan Wildcats a local militia group

that counted Devil Anse and other Hatfields among its

members Many peoplemdasheven members of his own

familymdashregarded Asa Harmon who had served in the

Union Army during the American Civil War as a trai-

tor While some have surmised that his murder set the

stage for the feud most historians now see this inci-

dent as a standalone event

Relations between the two families continued to

sour over the next decade before flaring again over a

seemingly small matter a dispute over a single hog

In 1878 Randolph McCoy accused Floyd Hatfield a

cousin of Devil Anse of stealing one of his pigs a

valuable commodity in the poor region Floyd Hat-

fieldsrsquos trial took place in McCoy territory but was

presided over by a cousin of Devil Anse It hinged on

the testimony of star witness Bill Staton a McCoy rel-

ative married to a Hatfield Staton testified in Floyd

Hatfieldrsquos favor and the McCoys were infuriated when

Floyd was cleared of the charges against him Two

years later Staton was violently killed in a fracas with

Sam and Paris McCoy nephews of Randolph Sam stood trial for the

murder but was acquitted for self-defense reasons

Things went south from there and an American legacy was born

In and around the town you will find much on this feud

In the center of town you will find The Coal House now the home

of the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce

Weighing in at 65 tons with 2 ft thick walls itrsquos the only coal house

made entirely of coal Built in 1933 it was designed by architect HT

Hicks from an idea by O W Evans It was constructed from blocks

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 19

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

of local seam coal donated by coal companies in the region

Right next door to The Coal House you will find the historic

Mountaineer Hotel The large classic-revival 5-story yellow-

glazed brick building dominates the center of town and offers

a look and reason to step back into the past

Built in 1925 the Mountaineer hotel has had its share of fa-

mous guests with JFK Paul Newman Jerry Lee Lewis Henry

Ford and others- including the great Soupy Sales - staying here

overnight

In fact all the rooms are named after famous and infamous

guests that have walked through its doors

Later in the evening we walked all five flights to see just

who did stay there

The main entrance leads to a large lobby and the front desk

with pigeonhole boxes for room keys and a teller window

French doors lead to the ballroom The hotel has 116 rooms

for guests a formal ballroom a lobby restaurant and sports bar

(which were not open this day) and the lower level has a num-

ber of games ndash including Fooz ball pool

and a large regulation-sized shuffle board

game that kept us occupied for about an

hour

Sometimes we find places from this era

a bit run down but the Mountaineer hotel

is a gem

Just one look at the grand lobby and you

will know this is true and with rooms less

than $75 for the night quite the deal too

We took Paul Newmanrsquos room and it

couldnrsquot have been nicer

Unpacking and strolling around town

which was quiet on a Monday night was a

pleasant distraction after a dayrsquos worth of

hard miles through the mountains of West

Virginia and Kentucky

When traveling around the United States

you can almost always find a chain hotel at

any exit or bigger town but why would you

want to when wonderful old beauties like

the Mountaineer Hotel in Williamson West

Virginia are around

Page 20 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Tony Lisanti

Eye protection for off road use consists of

the tried and true goggle The goggle

wraps around the helmet and seals to

your face in the helmet opening

Traditional goggles

consist of a urethane

based flexible frame

with various types of

foam material that

seal directly against

the forehead and cheeks

and nose keeping out wind and

dirt Being the helmet has a limited opening

goggles have had to fit inside this space limiting the field of vision

This type of goggle has been the norm for last half century with

all kinds of innovations in frame lens and foam materials

Enter ZOWA Optics Visor Goggles ZOWA Optics was founded

in 2013 Their goal is to offer unique goggles to off-road dirt bike

ATV and snowmobile riders The Vermont based company has

come up with a goggle that eliminates many of the drawbacks of

a traditional off road goggle The Visor Goggles are designed so

the upper half seals against the helmet rather than the forehead

The lower half of the goggle rests against the face By developing

the goggle in this way the field of view is dramatically increased and the

issue of having foam in contact with the skin on the forehead is eliminated

I had the opportunity to try out the Visor Goggles at a local practice track

recently The first thing I noticed was the size of the Visor Goggles They are

about twice the size of a traditional goggle They install on a helmet the same

way as traditional goggles except instead of resting against the forehead they

seal against the helmet under the visor Most noticeable was the lack

of ldquonose pinchrdquo and the vastly improved vision The Visor Goggle

drastically reduces the claustrophobic feel of traditional goggles as

there is more distance between the inside of the goggle and your face

The feel is more like an adventure helmet

After riding with them for an hour or two on an MX track I found

the improved field of vision to be a welcome change Riding with the

Visor Goggles allowed better vision up down and sideways I did no-

tice a bit more air coming in from the flow through design and from

underneath the seal against my check bones at speed During warm

weather this would be welcome in cold weather not so much Ad-

justing the strap tension has an affect on goggle to face contact Skin

contact with the typical sweatmudgrungefunk mix that gets en-

crusted on the foam is minimized since

the foam is resting against the helmet

rather than the forehead

They cleaned up well and showed no

signs of scratching on the lenses stain-

ing of the frames or discoloration de-

spite a liberal dosage of mud and water

The ZOWA Visor Goggle features in-

clude being rated for OTG (Over The

Glasses) by virtue of the greater clear-

ance between goggle and face a Hel-

met conformed design improved field

of view Lexan lens with anti-fog coating comfort foam and flow through

ventilation The strap features a silicon strip to help it stay put on the helmet

Accessory lenses and tear-off lenses are available All goggles come with a

micro fiber storage bag as well The off road goggles retail for $5800 and

are available in black red of cyan frame colors wwwzowaopticscom

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

BUILT BEYOND BELIEFINTRODUCING THE KAWASAKI

Come to Motorcycle Mall to reserve your Ninja H2trade

by December 19 and experience unforgettablesupercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2 motorcycle the worldrsquos onlysupercharged production hypersport streetbike

H2

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pantsgloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Mo-torcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environmentFor furher information regarding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 Specifi-cations subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspired R1 everFrom the advanced lsquorider activersquo electronicspackage to the powerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Supersport bike andfactory MotoGP has never been more blurred

COMPLETELY NEW

FROM THE TRACK UP

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 21

PRODUCT REVIEWZOWA OPTICS VISOR GOGGLES

Great All American Diner RunAs always wersquoll start with our most popular column the Great All American Diner Run Wait is it really We just might have a new fan fa-vorite but wersquoll save that till later First letrsquos take a look at the top three for GAADR 2014hellip

SECOND RUNNER UP bull RIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST2378 ROUTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770 bull 845-557-0097 bull RIVERUNNERSROOSTCOM

Route 97 along the scenic Delaware River has long been a favorite of motorcyclists for years and

over the years the road has seen a number of restaurants open their doors along its picturesque miles

The latest is the River Runnerrsquos Roost

Opened by Rich and Mary Codichini back in 2013 this place quickly became a favorite of ours

and many others They bill themselves as a barbeque steakhouse with a touch of Cajun and Italian

We call it phenomenal with one of the best barbeques in the region and gumbo to go to war over

If you havenrsquot tried the ldquoRoostrdquo then make plans for riding their way in the spring

FIRST RUNNER UP bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784 bull 603- 298-5515 bull 4ACESDINERCOM

Located just up the hill from the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River in the town of

Lebanon the Four Aces is the real deal A true Great All-American Diner Their

menu is huge interesting and delicious The ambience is pure Americana and the

roads leading to and from the Four Aces straddling Vermont and New Hampshire

are hard to top They have pro smokers going outside right along their picnic tables

but we found a seat at the counter worked just fine for us

Our only problem with Four Aces is that they are almost exactly 301 miles from

where we type this They should consider northern New Jersey

The Four Aces is a must see do and eat while in the Dartmouth region and just

missed out on our top honor for this yearrsquos vote

And so without further adohellip

1ST PLACE GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN 2014 bull FIVE ISLANDS LOBSTER COMPANY1447 5 ISLANDS RD GEORGETOWN ME 04548 bull 207-371-2990 bull FIVEISLANDSLOBSTERCOM

Location location location Besides have a superb down to Earth feel a great staff scrumptious food

and a wonderful coastal Maine flavor ndash The Five Islands Lobster Company has a serious location

Did we mention where it is

Located on a working fishing wharf it is surrounded by the ldquocoldest and deepest waters on the coastrdquo

There be some serious lobstarsquo lurking here abouts and it is best when they find their final way to

Five Islands You can have these big bugs anyway you like but we took a bullet for all of you and

went and ordered The Big Boy Stuffed with twice the amount of lobster meat than your average

lobster roll it was our pleasure to tackle this monster as best we could

Wait ndash just thinking of it all on this cold November day has us in a statehellip

They do serve a good number of other seafood favorites as well as more land-based standards but

who wants that when you can have the quintessential Maine treat on a wooden bench and table

alongside one of the prettiest bays in New England

This is why the Five Islands Lobster Company slid into the 1 spot in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

Big City GetawayBig City Getaway has always been about a great destination So many of

us roll the bikes out of the garage and then say ldquoWhere tordquo That is where this monthly favoritecomes in and here are our best of Big City Getaway 2015

2ND RUNNER UP bull MUSTANG FACTORYTOUR4 SPRINGFIELD STREET SUITE 1 THREE RIVERS MA 01080 bull 800-243-1392 bull MUSTANGSEATSCOM

They are one of the largest motorcycle seat manufacturers on the planet and they would be happy to show you around

We did a tour this last summer and found just how much talent vision and workmanship goes into creating some of

the most distinctive and comfortable motorcycle seats you can find

Page 22 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Best of Backroads 2014Once again this planet we ride has completed another lap around our sun and it is time for us to look back on the season and the veryBest of BackroadsIf we said 2013 was ldquointerestingrdquo we would be hard pressed to describe this past year of 2014For sure last year brought us thousands of great miles and lots of smiles interesting destinations and a few great Backroads Ralliesbut some darkness and loss along the journey for our Backroads family as wellStill looking back we had some phenomenal places we found stories we told and friends with which we have ridden The Italian poet Cesare Pavese said ldquoWe do not remember days we remember momentsrdquoThis year ndash 2014 ndash we had our share of moments Letrsquos look back at some in the Best of Backroads 2014

The tour is open to riding groups and takes a little over an hour and a half We recommend that you make an

appointment and guarantee you will have an informative and fun day with our friends at Mustang seats

1ST RUNNER UP bull COASTAL BOTANICAL GARDENS32 BOTANICAL GARDENS DR BOOTHBAY ME 04537 bull 207-633-4333 bull MAINEGARDENSORG

This project took nearly 17 years planning planting and building before its opening in June of 2007 and today

the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens comprises 270 acres of tidal shore land thousands of flowers plants

and botanical oddities Interspersed amongst the natural beauty you will find dozens of sculptures that

only add to an already stunning venue Rarely has a visitor spent some time at the Coastal Botanical

Gardens and not wanted to return as soon as possible

It is simple to see why this easily took our First Runner Up spot

1ST PLACE BIG CITY GETAWAY 2014 FIVE STAR GENERAL STORES bull NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY

This article from our October issue embodied a little bit of everything we might look for in a Big

City Getaway It had local history interesting stops (5 of them) food ice cream and it was all

woven together with some of the neatest roads in northern New Jersey ndash a riding jewel for those

who have never been so lucky Running along to five different and historic General Stores this day

trip just kept getting better Know that we just scratched the surface and that these General Stores from

the past can be found all around the nation But for this time around it was this adventure that was

called 1 for Big City Getaway 2014

(Note as of this printing the Stillwater General Store has closed but is still worth the ride-by for the

roads and historic value)

Wersquore Outta HereThe great thing that we riders have over the more boring people out there is that our tripsand adventures happen the moment we roll out of our driveways and onto the roadOvernight trips are like mini-vacations for the soul and are most likely the reason they sayyou never see a motorcycle outside a psychiatrist office unless it belongs to the shrinkWersquore Outta Here is all about that ndash places to go and enjoy whether it be a group coupleor on your ownLetrsquos see what we think were our top three for 2014

2ND RUNNER UP bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 E MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854 bull 814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGEPACOM

Shira found this hide-away full of coffee awesomeness when we were to attend the ALTRider adventure

ride early this summer in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania The lodge is part of the coffee house and

although the room we had was a tad small it was well thought out and just added to the coolness of the

entire place We had the Penns Creek Room with its lsquoloft-stylersquo bed and rock wall shower Each morning

the aroma from the coffee shop downstairs was like a Sirenrsquos call and had us highly motivated to carefully

spring out of bed (well it was a loft and there was a drop) There were also great muffins and cakes to go along with the coffee

Millheim is well located with a great combination of fantastic riding both paved and not and has a few eateries within strolling distance (compared to walking

or marching distance) We liked everything about the Triple Creek Lodge ndash the smell the flavor and the quirkiness

1ST RUNNER UP bull INDIAN ROCK INN2206 RIVER RD UPPER BLACK EDDY PA 18972 bull 610-982-9600 bull INDIANROCKINNCOM

GPS Download wwwsendspacecomprodlen7u7kAlong the PA-side of the Delaware River just north of Jerseyrsquos Milford in a place where the river

crooks dramatically and heads north for a bit you will find a great local treasure - the Indian Rock

Inn Tucked underneath what are called the Pennsylvania Palisades and along both river and old

canal the Indian Rock is the complete package

After a day of fun riding to and around the region you can park the bikes grab your room and

shower and make your way to the very friendly bar The Barking Dog Grab a cocktail and me-

ander to the very comfortable large porch take a seat and watch the world go by After the sun

sets a delicious gourmet meal is just steps away Perhaps a night cap and then upstairs to end a

prefect day With all that it is easy to see how the Indian Rock grabbed first runner up in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

1ST PLACEWErsquoRE OUTTA HERE 2014 bull QUODDY HEAD STATION823 SOUTH LUBEC RD LUBEC ME 04652 bull 877-535-4714 bull QUODDYVACATIONCOM

Most times we are all for suggesting you sleep in a bit longer at any of our Wersquore Outta Here destinations but here at Quoddy Head

Station we urge - no insist ndash that you get up before the dawn so you can be the first in the United States to see the sun rise over the At-

lantic from the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse - just a 2 minute ride to the east

Here in the most north and east point of the United States life does not get much better

The rooms and views cannot be beat and the surrounding area with its little coves Reversing Falls State Park Rooseveltrsquos Campobello

cottage (actually in Canada) and the very coastal Maine town of Lebec with its large number of seafood restaurants nautical shops and

vistas are hard to beat anywhere else in the world When we travelled in the area

we rode under a giant orange full moon that rose over the bay at low tide

It was eerie and stunning all at the same time

One of those moments we talked about earlier Quoddy Head Station has to be one

of the most interesting and geographically perfect places we have traveled to in

many years and easily made its way to the 1st place spot for Wersquore Outta Here 2014

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 23

Mysterious AmericaAlways one of the perennial favorites for our readers is the odd wacky and off-beat destinations that our own Dr Seymour OrsquoLife brings

to us each month This year was no different and the choices to be made for the TopThree were very tight for the good doctor but undaunted our hero carried on and cameup with the short list So letrsquos get to it

2ND RUNNER UP bull ISLE OFWIGHT COUNTY MUSEUM103 MAIN ST SMITHFIELD VA 23430 bull 757-356-1223 bull HISTORICISLEOFWIGHTCOM

You remember this place ndash home of the Worldrsquos Oldest Ham It belonged to PD Gwaltney Jr

It had its beginnings in 1902 when a cured ham was accidentally hung from rafters in one Gwaltneyrsquos

houses until it was discovered by workers By 1924 the pet ham was kept in an iron safe which was

opened daily for guests to view Advertised as the worldrsquos oldest Smithfield ham Gwaltney fashioned

a brass collar for the ham and took it to shows and expos to exhibit the preservative powers of his

smoking method The ham was featured in Ripleyrsquos ldquoBelieve It Or Notrdquo in 1929 1932 and 2003 and

more importantly in Backroads in May of 2014 For sure the museum holds so much more but Sey-

mour could never get past the ham Neither could we

1ST RUNNER UP bull THE CULPER SPY RINGThis was the first multi-month piece by the minions of mystery and we spent three

full months searching for the real story on George Washingtonrsquos Culper Spy Ring

From its beginning with the hanging of Nathan Hale in what is now mid-town Man-

hattan to the desolation of being held on a prison ship in an East River Bay in Brook-

lyn - where we had the largest battle of our Revolutionary War Then on to the Culper

Spies themselves and the web they wove from Setauket Long Island across the

Sound to Connecticut and into New York and Philadelphia These men and woman

(nobody really knows who this lady was) changed the course of history It was then

onto treachery traitors and sex ndashwith the story of Benedict Arnold his wife Peggy

Shippen and her lover Major John Andrersquo and our own West Point Escape capture

and the gallows all played a part in this true story of our local American history

Mysterious Americarsquos history has never been so much fun

1ST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2014 bull THE TRANS-ALLEGHENY LUNATIC ASYLUM71 ASYLUM DR WESTON WV 26452 bull 304-269-5070 bull TRANS-ALLEGHENYLUNATICASYLUMCOM

When we first rode up to this massive 27-acre facility Shira who had no idea where or why we were there shook her head and simply asked why

The asylum stands like a monstrous stone beast dominating the ground It is the second largest hand-hewn bluestone building on the planet with only Russiarsquos

Kremlin surpassing it But it is the feel and aura that surround and linger around this building

that will tell you the real story of the place

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum also known as the We-

ston State Hospital was a Kirkbride psychiatric hospital that

operated from 1864 until 1994 Like many Kirkbridge hospi-

tals it started out with a noble idea but soon became overrun

with patients lack of proper care and some of the saddest and

scariest tales were heard here on the tour The place is massive and to walk the halls would literally take miles

The place is reportedly full of ghosts and very bad things from the other side One look at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

and you will have a hard time denying that claim Shira will never go back and it was one of the few times that she was seriously

ldquocreeped outrdquo Her words ndash not ours

With that being said you surely must agree that a visit to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum easily ranks as our 1st place for

our Mysterious America 2014

MomentsIt was April 10 of this past year when the phone here at Backroads rang Answering it I could hear the voice of a friend Dave on the farend ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo I asked ldquohow are yourdquoDaversquos voice trembled and broke ldquoJeff Bahr was killed today on his bikerdquoIn that moment everything stopped It remained stopped for a long time Sometimes it still doesA month or so later well after Jeffrsquos service and cremation Shira and I found ourselves at the spot where this happened We talked tothe young man who was tending his barbecue pit which he was stoking for the dayrsquos lunch He was there when the driver pulled out ofhis general storersquos parking lot without even a glance He sadly but kindly told us of that momentJeff had simply been riding down a wide country road when an 86-year old man pulled out in front of him Although rubber on the roadshowed Jeff tried to avoid the car it was too little too late and he was killed on impactI have no idea what happened to the old man after this event But regardless he has to live with his inattentiveness and actions for therest of his life So do many of usWe do not remember days we remember momentsThat day was made up of a moment we will never forgetThe weekend I wrote this Jeff if hersquod survived would have been 57 He would have had dozens more stories made us laugh a dozenmore times would have made this magazine a dozen times betterJeff I hope you know that so many of us miss you so muchTo you all enjoy and savor all your moments Life is made up of them and eventually one of those moments will hurt

Page 24 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Shirarsquos Ice Cream RunLast year we introduce a semi-monthly some of the time if she felt like it column ndashShirarsquos Ice Cream Run It seems to everybody but the red head that this column hasbecome a huge hit and we have had more comments and suggestions for the IceCream Runs than anything else within memory So think sweet creamy and cold andletrsquos see what Shira thought were on the top three stops of 2014rsquos Ice Cream Runs

2ND RUNNER UP bull HOLSTENrsquoS CONFECTIONARY1603 BROAD ST BLOOMFIELD NJ 07003 bull 973-338-7091 bull WWWHOLSTENSCOM

Immortalized on celluloid in the Sopranosrsquo final episode Holstenrsquos Confectionary has so much more

to offer than their souvenir t-shirts from said show A true old-time ice cream parlor Holstenrsquos home-

made ice cream and confections will win the hearts of any true lover of sweets Taking a seat at the

counter should bring back memories of visits to Woolworthrsquos and once the delicious dairyness is

placed in front of you complete with homemade whipped cream you will think you are in a

dream Holstenrsquos has the whole package ndash premium product comfortable setting and take-home

delights With its 2nd Runner Up status truly one of my favorites of this yearrsquos ice cream stops

1ST RUNNER UP bull CAYUGA LAKE CREAMERY8421 NY 89 INTERLAKEN NY 14847 bull 607-532-9492 bull WWWCAYUGALAKECREAMERYCOM

Nestled in the idyllic Finger Lakes the Cayuga Lake Creamery offers up some of the most in-

ventive flavors Irsquove seen including wine ice cream and sorbet (best of both worlds Irsquod say)

Sitting on their outdoor deck savoring your Maple Bacon or Lavender cone on a warm summer

day ndash what could be better than that

While the Finger Lakes may not offer the most challenging of rides the scenery is beautiful and

the gorges are well gorgeous I canrsquot think of a much better day than meandering around the

Fingers with a late afternoon stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery Their 14 butterfat mixture and only the best of locally sourced

ingredients produce some of the finest creamiest ice creams around Do yourself a favor and spin your wheels to this part of

NY state for a weekend of indulgence as their terrific flavors will keep you coming back day after day

1ST PLACE SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN bull HALLrsquoS HOMEMADE ICE CREAM861 RACCOONVALLEY RD MILLERSTOWN PA 17062

717-589-3290 bull WWWHALLSICECREAMCOM

I found this gem in the middle of the Alleghenies while Brian was off riding in the forest with the

ALTRider group Having grabbed the 1st Place spot in this yearrsquos Ice Cream Run you know Hallrsquos

Homemade Ice Cream and Dairy has to be something pretty special

While their flavor offerings may not be as exotic as Cayuga Lake the quality is heavenly Their

signature flavor and one I had not tasted before is their honey ice cream coming in a variety of

mixtures such as chocolate butter pecan and my personal favorite cinnamon Hallrsquos has a couple

of outdoor tables where you can take in the full dairy effect while licking your cone If that is too

overwhelming they have a very nice indoor seating area complete with air conditioning

The riding in this part of Pennsylvania is quite exciting with elevation changes sweepers and

twisties and for those desiring an off-road adventure plenty of woodlands to test your knobbies

What do all three of these winners have in common other than fantastic ice cream They are all

open all year long so if you happen to be out and about in Bloomfield NJ Interlaken NY or Miller-

stown PA make sure you plan a stop at one of the top three spots on Shirarsquos 2014 Ice Cream Run

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 25

Rip amp Ridereg bull RIVER RUNNERS ROOST2378 RTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770

845-557-0097 bull WWWRIVERRUNNERSROOSTCOMSEASONAL HOURS - CALL BEFORE HEADING OUT

CR 560 IN SUSSEX COUNTY NJCROSS DINGMANS BRIDGE bull $1 TOLLSTRAIGHT ON RTE 739RIGHT AT MILFORD RDLEFT AT RAYMONDSKILL RDCROSS OVER I-84HARD LEFT ON US 6QUICK RIGHT ONTOTWIN LAKES RDRIGHT AT RTE 434CROSS RIVER TO NEWYORKRIGHT AT RTE 97 SOUTHRIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST DOWN ROAD ON LEFT HAND SIDE

Rip amp Ridereg bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784603- 298-5515 bull WWW4ACESDINERCOM

GPS DOWNLOAD WWWSENDSPACECOMPRODLXXTWXB90-MILE ONEWAY ROUTE FROM THEWEST DOVER VERMONT REGION

BIG BEARS LODGE GRAY GHOST AND KITZHOF INN

RTE 100 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT RTE 35RIGHT AT RTE 121LEFT AT RTE 5CROSS INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE ndash ARCH BRIDGELEFT AT RTE 12 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 120LEFT AT RTE 4 WEST LEBANONFOUR ACES DOWN ON THE LEFT

TAylorrsquos ice creAm PArlor

18 e mAin sT chesTer nJ bull 908-879-5363

What to do on the first sub-freezing day in November Go for ice cream

of course I was hanging out with the good doctor OrsquoLife and best friend

Brian when OrsquoLife told us of this place that grows telephone poles Having

my doubts about most of what OrsquoLife tells me I asked him to prove it So

off we went to the quaint little town of Chester New Jersey

After a pleasant lunch at the Publick House complete with real wood

burning fireplace we trekked down the road a piece found said telephone

pole farm (for another column of course) and started our return to Back-

roads Central Lo and behold right before the turn onto Route 206 there

sat Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor in the nicest old building on the block We

got our spot and headed in to find well no one but Justin in a very toasty

old fashioned ice cream parlor I do think that he was surprised to see us

or anyone on such a cold day

Taylorrsquos has apparently been an ice cream institution in

Chester for the last 50 years or so founded by Mr Earle G

Taylor Sr who just passed this August Taylorrsquos was the vic-

tim of fire some time in 2013 and was closed for a good 8

months before reopening in the same spot with applause

from their long-time fans and customers Their ice cream is

all home made and always has been On a hot summer day

you will no doubt be lined up out the door and down the

block to get this tasty treat but Irsquom certain you will find it

worth the wait I think their pricing is quite reasonable for

the size scoop they dip and if you are like me and want a sam-

pling of several flavors they offer Kiddie Scoops at $195

each ndash a flight of ice cream sounds like the perfect end-of-

ride relaxation

We perused the two very full ice cream boards and poured

over the cabinets before making our decisions With close to

50 listed flavors what was a girl to do without minions to help her taste test We finally settled on chocolate hazelnut toasted coconut salted caramel and

vanilla fudge brownie I pretty much always opt for a cup as I savor my ice cream and it would run down my arm before I was even close to finishing but I was

almost tempted by their pretzel cone What is so great about Taylorrsquos cones is the plastic drip cup in which they reside both sanitary and mess-preventing

Page 26 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

TOWN amp COUNTRYC Y C L E C E N T E R

115 Route 23N bull Hamburg NJ bull 973-875-2111wwwtownandcountrycyclecentercom

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIYamahacom bull 516-935-6969

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE

SPORT TOURERIntroducing the most performancepower versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle From commutingand exploring backroads to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaharsquos un-mistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

While enjoying our treats we savored

the deacutecor of this very pleasant parlor Sev-

eral tables to enjoy your ice cream clip-

pings of newspaper articles school

paraphernalia and something that has no

place in an ice cream parlor an old-fash-

ioned fortune telling scale This couldnrsquot

possibly still be functioning could it Ac-

cording to Justin yes it was How could we

resist In went our pennies and up popped

our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked

the weight numbers) Brianrsquos read lsquoYou are

not overbearing but generally have things

your wayrsquo Wow I couldnrsquot wait to see if

mine was as accurate ldquoYou look to the fu-

ture rather than the pastrsquo So true

Back to the ice cream ndash it

was heavenly We all agreed

that the salted caramel was the

overall winner having the per-

fect balance of salt and

caramel with the best creamy

texture The toasted coconut

was very flavorful with lots of

coconut bits the chocolate

hazelnut was very dark and

creamy and mixed with the coconut made the perfect almond-free almond

joy The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole but cer-

tainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store

I believe Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round but if yoursquore head-

ing over during the winter months give them a call to make sure Enjoy the

winter and remember itrsquos never too cold to eat ice cream

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield PA

215-712-7433 bull wwwBMWMotorcyclescom

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

THE NEW R 1200 RA POWERFUL STATEMENT

Our newest boxer roadster has one missiondominate the streets in style The R 1200 Ris designed to blend comfort precisehandling and pure riding excitementhellipin one head-turning machine

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW R 1200 RSTHRILLING COMFORT

The new R 1200 RS is perfectly balancedcombining optimal wind and weather protectionwith powerful performance and controlPutting you in an unparalleled position toexplore the road - and your own limits

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW S 1000 RRWELCOME TO THENEW PLANET POWER

The S 1000 RR has been completely revisedThe results in its origins a genuine Double RRon the road a new supersports machine thatwill once again set the benchmark in its class

UNSTOPPABLE SPORT

WHAT lsquoRrsquo YOU WAITING FORCome to Montgomeryville Cycle Center to see the full line of 2015 BMW Motorcycles products and apparel

We have everything yoursquoll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever

Motorcyclepedia the northeastrsquos

premier motorcycle museum will

be holding its Speaker Series again

this winter with various riders and

orators covering topics ranging

from world touring to tips on avoiding tickets and an in depth look at GPS

technology and todayrsquos motorcycling

Backroadsrsquo own Brian amp Shira will start the series off with a talk on Jan-

uary 17 on lsquoThe Big Fiversquo motorcycle destinations around the planet along

with planning and touring around the United States and the world

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who

will help clear the fog about Garmin GPSrsquos and how their BaseCamp program

works along with how to create and export your own personal routes

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on ldquoEverything you need to know

on Motorcycles and the Lawrdquo - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper po-

lice procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists

Seth Simpson of Motorcycle training Solutions will be giving a seminar

on Rider Training

Motorcyclistmoto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about

Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys

Look for a Womenrsquos Riding Panel with some well-known female motor-

cyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing todayrsquos women

riders This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and

beginning women riders

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months

and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to

enlighten

Wersquoll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page

as soon as they are etched in stone

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh New York in the

riding heart of the Hudson Valley

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 27

A DAY AT THE MUSEUMlsquoSPEAKER SERIESrsquo RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Frankrsquos MotorcycleSales amp Service

120 Center RoadEssex VT 05451

802-878-3930wwwFranksMotorcycleSalescomBMWhtm

Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

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LOCOMOTION POWER-

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Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

SUSSEX MOTORSPORTS446 Route 23 bull Sussex NJ bull Located across from the AampP Shopping Plaza

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JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

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The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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memBer

memBer

Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

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Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 15: January 2015 Backroads

moTe AquArium And mArine lABorATory

600 ken ThomPson Pkwy sArAsoTA fl 34236

941-388-4441 bull wwwmoTeorG

Each March and October the Daytona faithful head

south to the beginning and end of the season rallies

on the Sunshine statersquos eastern coast

But we have always found Daytona and vicinities

to get a bit too crowded loud andhellipumm ndash boring

Well for us

The SUYT thing kinda got old when the girls could

be your daughter-in-law

We prefer checking out the scene and then doing a

little Floridian travel exploring some of the sights

and scenes that draw so may south each year

On Floridarsquos Gulf Coast you will find the city of

Sarasota

This city has a thriving cultural scene and boasts a

number of interesting places to visit explore and gen-

erally spend some time

A few years back we told you of the Circus Mu-

seum this time we dropped in on the Mote Aquarium

and Marine Laboratory

The Aquarium has its beginnings back in 1955

when it was founded by Dr Eugenie Clark in

Placida Florida Back then it was known as Cape

Haze Marine Laboratory until its 1967 renaming in

honor of a major benefactor William R Mote and the

contributions he and his family made to helping the

aquarium grow mdash both in size and reputation Since

1960 Mote has been based in Sarasota Florida and

since 1978 it has been lo-

cated on City Island and

that is where we got to

spend a number of hours

The Mote Aquarium

consists of three buildings

the aquarium an interac-

tive theatre and a separate

building that houses their

sea turtles dolphin (singu-

lar but wersquoll get into that)

and manatee collection all

of whom have been res-

cued or rehabbed at Mote

All the exhibits are laid

out with informative plac-

ards and each tank brings

different environments and

different fish and marine wildlife all with a story

to tell

Moray eels tanks full of floating jelly fish of

all types exotic fish we had never dreamed of and

some we simply had never seen in person were

there

In addition to the first building exhibits you can

learn about the giant squid and then move to the

shark area and ray along the way you will find a

few tanks where you can reach in and get to touch

a few of the locals

Mote also had a nice display on the Megalodon

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 15

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GeTAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

ndash the prehistoric shark that was well over 50 feet long

with teeth as large as your fist

A quick walk across the parking lot brought us to the

building holding their other large exhibits

A few different sea turtles were swimming about as

well as Hugh and Buffett ndash two large and impressive

manatees

A large outdoor pool held lsquoMoonshinersquo Motersquos res-

ident dolphin who was rescued after it beached and

was found drying out and sunburned

He seems happy enough but personally we think he

needs a friend We were told that Mote is next on the

list for such a companion

While we visited Mote had a special attraction called

lsquoSurvivorsrsquo which featured some of the oddest marine and fresh water ani-

mals and the very unique way they survive in the wild ndash from deadly poison

to killer punches to simply looking like a rock and hoping for the best ndash it

was a fascinating display as was the entire aquarium

If you get hungry you can drop by their Deep Sea Diner where you can

enjoy dining al-fresco or inside the casual retro rsquo50s-style diner complete

with an old-fashioned soda fountain The lively cafeacute offers a fun affordable

family-style menu including chili and chowder burgers and dogs veggie

burgers and fresh salads chicken fingers and fries And donrsquot forget dessert

hand-dipped ice cream shakes amp sundaes

We thought wersquod spend a quick hour there but ended up happily spending

the afternoon

Mote might not be the biggest but it surely made up for its size with quality

and interesting and informative displays

Page 16 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 906-9292

Find Us on Facebook bull SportHondanet

hondacom UTILITY ATVs ARE RECOMMENDED FOR RIDERS 16 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER TRX90X IS RECOMMENDED ONLY FOR RIDERS12 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER RIDERS UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE MUST BE SUPERVISED BY AN ADULT ATVs CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO OPER-ATE ALL ATV RIDERS SHOULD TAKE A TRAINING COURSE (FREE FOR NEW BUYERS ASK YOUR DEALER OR CALL ASI AT 800-887-2887) ANDREAD THEIR OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND APPROPRIATE CLOTHING AVOID EXCESSIVESPEEDS AND BE CAREFUL ON DIFFICULT TERRAIN FOR YOUR SAFETY BE RESPONSIBLE NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGSOR ALCOHOL ON PAVED SURFACES ON PUBLIC ROADS WITH PASSENGERS OR AT EXCESSIVE SPEEDS NO STUNT RIDING RESPECT THEENVIRONMENT WHEN RIDING TRXreg and Rancherreg are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1114)

Whether itrsquos hard work

or time to play

Sport Honda has the

ATV to fit your lifestyle

Be prepared - Come in

Today for your

Winter utility needs

Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 491-2900

Find Us on Facebook bull CrossCountryPowersportscom

Cross Country Powersportsis now taking deposits for theNinja H2Rtrade and H2tradeExperience unforgettable supercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2trade motorcycle theworldrsquos only supercharged productionhypersport streetbike

The BridGewATer TriAnGle

is This The sTrAnGesT sPoT in The norTheAsT

Located just 30 miles south of Boston this 200-mile square area has the

Massachusetts towns of Abington Freetown and Rehoboth at its angles The

town of Bridgewater is located nearly dead center within the triangle and the

area also encompasses six other Massachusetts towns Raynham Taunton

Brockton Mansfield Norton and Easton including the Hockomock Swamp

It is known as the Bridgewater Triangle

It seems if it is paranormal weird or mysterious it has happened in the Tri-

angle of the years

Let us start with one of the

first odd things found in the

region

It was in this area that the

first officially documented

petroglyph in the United

States was found - Dighton

Rock This 40 ton boulder

was discovered by original

settlers and has always

caused questions and wonder

of who made these mysteri-

ous markings and why

In fact in 1690 Rev Cotton Mather described the rock in his book The

Wonderful Works of God Commemorated

ldquoAmong the other Curiosities of New-England one is that of a mighty

Rock on a perpendicular side whereof by a River which at High Tide covers

part of it there are very deeply Engraved no man alive knows How or When

about half a score Lines near Ten Foot Long and a foot and half broad filled

with strange Characters which would

suggest as odd Thoughts about them that

were here before us as there are odd

Shapes in that Elaborate Monumentrdquo

The boulder was moved in 1980 to the

museum in a nearby park Dighton Rock State Park in order to protect and

preserve this part of Americarsquos strange history

Strangely marked boulders were not the beginning of the mystery of the

Bridgewater Triangle

Years back a group of archeologists discovered a native burial mound on

Grassy Island in the swamp These graves were dated to 6000 BC

Strange lights have been

reported on this island and

across the triangle and one

of the first documented

UFO sighting came from

here when on May 10

1760 villagers in two

towns 50 miles away stared

in wonder at a ldquoSphere of

Firerdquo that slowly made its

way across the sky

The next day both townsrsquo newspapers reported the phenomena in their edi-

tions According to historical records the UFO emitted light bright enough

to cast a shadow in bright sunlight The sound made by the object ldquooddly

enough was heard sooner at the middle of the course it took than at the be-

ginningrdquo

You canrsquot really have such an eclectic gathering of odd in a place like this

in Mysterious America without a few good Yeti sightings

Over the years all sorts of ldquoSwamp Monstersrdquo have been sighted and in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 17

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

April 1970 it was reported that a ldquoBigfootrdquo

picked up a rear of a police car in which sat

two surprised police officers

Police dogs have been used time and again but

Bigfoot is an elusive fellow

I have always believed the Jersey Devil is a

Pterosaurs of some kind and here around the

Bridgewater Triangle huge black prehistoric-look-

ing birds with a wingspan of between eight and

twelve feet have been reported time and again in-

cluding a report by Norton Police Sergeant Thomas

Downy

Indian Curses abound as well and along Route

44 in Rehoboth lies the boulder known as Anawan

Rock It is said that it was here that the Wampanoag

chief Anawan surrendered to the colonists thus

ending King Philiprsquos War According to local be-

liefs the angry spirits of the warriors captured that

day continue to haunt the spot

Extremely large snakes and alligators have been

found in the swamp along with other creatures that are totally out of place

In the late 1800rsquos bones of a giant were unearthed

Every which way you look or travel in the area you will find something

strange In fact I have a quick list of odd things found in the

Bridgewater Triangle for you

Next time yoursquore looking to spend a few days exploring Mys-

terious America take a ride around the Bridgewater Triangle You

just might end up sending me an email telling me you spotted ahellip

OrsquoLife Out

Ten odd ThinGs found in The BridGewATer TriAnGle

1 The longest epitaph in the United States is located in a Rehoboth

cemetery A full 405 words

2 Three PT Barnum circus ldquofreaksrdquo hailed from here including

Middlebororsquos Tom Thumb and East Bridgewaterrsquos ldquoThe Human

Skeletonrdquo

3 The first boundary line in the United States is located in Abing-

ton at the Bridgewater Trianglersquos furthest most delineated northern

map point

4 A historic 40-foot tall Hood milk bottle in Raynham (now a

restaurant) is the (triplet) sister to famous the ldquoMilk Bottlerdquo at the

Boston Childrenrsquos museum

5 In 1906 bones of ldquoa giantrdquo were discovered in Middleboro

6 Alligators seals emu peacocks cow moose bears Africal

Sevral panthers and mountain lions have all been found in the

Bridgewater Triangle

7 There are both handprints and footprints imbedded into several

Bridgewater Triangle boulders handprints in Middleboro foot-

prints in Norton

8 Dighton Rock is the first documented petroglyph in the United

States

9 The chocolate chip cookie was invented in the happiest of ac-

cidents in the northern apex of the Bridgewater Triangle

10 The Bridgewater Triangle is host to the worldrsquos only shovel

museum located in Easton

Page 18 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

290 Route 100 West Dover VT800-745-3615 bull wwwgrayghostinncom

Motorcyclist-Friendly Destination LodgingLocated on Scenic Route 100 in Southern VermontHot breakfast cooked to order BYOB bar firepit hot tub game room and WiFi

Free Maps and Suggested Rides Group Special Packages5 restaurantsbars within walking distance bull On-site Group Dinners available

MemberWhen you canrsquot ride because of snow ride the snow

Guided Back-Country Snowmobile Toursin the Green Mountain National Forest

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

mounTAineer hoTel

31 eAsT second Avenue williAmson wv

304-235-2222 bull wwwmounTAineerhoTelcom

Laying right on the Tug Fork River across from the

Blue Grass state of Kentucky one will find the tiny town

of Williamson West Virginia Williamson has a long

history mostly revolving around the coal industry

Here you will find a rather large rail yard now part

of the Norfolk Southern built to service the many mines

found in and around this part of West Virginia and Ken-

tucky

In 1974 a United States Army Corps of Engineer

planner described the region as having the most severe

flooding problem in America

In 1977 after many days of steady hard rain the Tug

Fork and adjoining streams began

a constant and quick rise As had

happened in the past the town ex-

perienced incredible flooding

Today a floodwall protects

Williamson from future wet havoc

A huge part of this regionrsquos local

lore and history is the famed home

of the feud between the Hatfields

and McCoys probably the most

famous family fight in US history

The first event in the decades-

long feud was the 1865 murder of

Randolphrsquos brother Asa Harmon

McCoy by the Logan Wildcats a local militia group

that counted Devil Anse and other Hatfields among its

members Many peoplemdasheven members of his own

familymdashregarded Asa Harmon who had served in the

Union Army during the American Civil War as a trai-

tor While some have surmised that his murder set the

stage for the feud most historians now see this inci-

dent as a standalone event

Relations between the two families continued to

sour over the next decade before flaring again over a

seemingly small matter a dispute over a single hog

In 1878 Randolph McCoy accused Floyd Hatfield a

cousin of Devil Anse of stealing one of his pigs a

valuable commodity in the poor region Floyd Hat-

fieldsrsquos trial took place in McCoy territory but was

presided over by a cousin of Devil Anse It hinged on

the testimony of star witness Bill Staton a McCoy rel-

ative married to a Hatfield Staton testified in Floyd

Hatfieldrsquos favor and the McCoys were infuriated when

Floyd was cleared of the charges against him Two

years later Staton was violently killed in a fracas with

Sam and Paris McCoy nephews of Randolph Sam stood trial for the

murder but was acquitted for self-defense reasons

Things went south from there and an American legacy was born

In and around the town you will find much on this feud

In the center of town you will find The Coal House now the home

of the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce

Weighing in at 65 tons with 2 ft thick walls itrsquos the only coal house

made entirely of coal Built in 1933 it was designed by architect HT

Hicks from an idea by O W Evans It was constructed from blocks

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 19

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

of local seam coal donated by coal companies in the region

Right next door to The Coal House you will find the historic

Mountaineer Hotel The large classic-revival 5-story yellow-

glazed brick building dominates the center of town and offers

a look and reason to step back into the past

Built in 1925 the Mountaineer hotel has had its share of fa-

mous guests with JFK Paul Newman Jerry Lee Lewis Henry

Ford and others- including the great Soupy Sales - staying here

overnight

In fact all the rooms are named after famous and infamous

guests that have walked through its doors

Later in the evening we walked all five flights to see just

who did stay there

The main entrance leads to a large lobby and the front desk

with pigeonhole boxes for room keys and a teller window

French doors lead to the ballroom The hotel has 116 rooms

for guests a formal ballroom a lobby restaurant and sports bar

(which were not open this day) and the lower level has a num-

ber of games ndash including Fooz ball pool

and a large regulation-sized shuffle board

game that kept us occupied for about an

hour

Sometimes we find places from this era

a bit run down but the Mountaineer hotel

is a gem

Just one look at the grand lobby and you

will know this is true and with rooms less

than $75 for the night quite the deal too

We took Paul Newmanrsquos room and it

couldnrsquot have been nicer

Unpacking and strolling around town

which was quiet on a Monday night was a

pleasant distraction after a dayrsquos worth of

hard miles through the mountains of West

Virginia and Kentucky

When traveling around the United States

you can almost always find a chain hotel at

any exit or bigger town but why would you

want to when wonderful old beauties like

the Mountaineer Hotel in Williamson West

Virginia are around

Page 20 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Tony Lisanti

Eye protection for off road use consists of

the tried and true goggle The goggle

wraps around the helmet and seals to

your face in the helmet opening

Traditional goggles

consist of a urethane

based flexible frame

with various types of

foam material that

seal directly against

the forehead and cheeks

and nose keeping out wind and

dirt Being the helmet has a limited opening

goggles have had to fit inside this space limiting the field of vision

This type of goggle has been the norm for last half century with

all kinds of innovations in frame lens and foam materials

Enter ZOWA Optics Visor Goggles ZOWA Optics was founded

in 2013 Their goal is to offer unique goggles to off-road dirt bike

ATV and snowmobile riders The Vermont based company has

come up with a goggle that eliminates many of the drawbacks of

a traditional off road goggle The Visor Goggles are designed so

the upper half seals against the helmet rather than the forehead

The lower half of the goggle rests against the face By developing

the goggle in this way the field of view is dramatically increased and the

issue of having foam in contact with the skin on the forehead is eliminated

I had the opportunity to try out the Visor Goggles at a local practice track

recently The first thing I noticed was the size of the Visor Goggles They are

about twice the size of a traditional goggle They install on a helmet the same

way as traditional goggles except instead of resting against the forehead they

seal against the helmet under the visor Most noticeable was the lack

of ldquonose pinchrdquo and the vastly improved vision The Visor Goggle

drastically reduces the claustrophobic feel of traditional goggles as

there is more distance between the inside of the goggle and your face

The feel is more like an adventure helmet

After riding with them for an hour or two on an MX track I found

the improved field of vision to be a welcome change Riding with the

Visor Goggles allowed better vision up down and sideways I did no-

tice a bit more air coming in from the flow through design and from

underneath the seal against my check bones at speed During warm

weather this would be welcome in cold weather not so much Ad-

justing the strap tension has an affect on goggle to face contact Skin

contact with the typical sweatmudgrungefunk mix that gets en-

crusted on the foam is minimized since

the foam is resting against the helmet

rather than the forehead

They cleaned up well and showed no

signs of scratching on the lenses stain-

ing of the frames or discoloration de-

spite a liberal dosage of mud and water

The ZOWA Visor Goggle features in-

clude being rated for OTG (Over The

Glasses) by virtue of the greater clear-

ance between goggle and face a Hel-

met conformed design improved field

of view Lexan lens with anti-fog coating comfort foam and flow through

ventilation The strap features a silicon strip to help it stay put on the helmet

Accessory lenses and tear-off lenses are available All goggles come with a

micro fiber storage bag as well The off road goggles retail for $5800 and

are available in black red of cyan frame colors wwwzowaopticscom

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

BUILT BEYOND BELIEFINTRODUCING THE KAWASAKI

Come to Motorcycle Mall to reserve your Ninja H2trade

by December 19 and experience unforgettablesupercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2 motorcycle the worldrsquos onlysupercharged production hypersport streetbike

H2

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pantsgloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Mo-torcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environmentFor furher information regarding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 Specifi-cations subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspired R1 everFrom the advanced lsquorider activersquo electronicspackage to the powerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Supersport bike andfactory MotoGP has never been more blurred

COMPLETELY NEW

FROM THE TRACK UP

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 21

PRODUCT REVIEWZOWA OPTICS VISOR GOGGLES

Great All American Diner RunAs always wersquoll start with our most popular column the Great All American Diner Run Wait is it really We just might have a new fan fa-vorite but wersquoll save that till later First letrsquos take a look at the top three for GAADR 2014hellip

SECOND RUNNER UP bull RIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST2378 ROUTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770 bull 845-557-0097 bull RIVERUNNERSROOSTCOM

Route 97 along the scenic Delaware River has long been a favorite of motorcyclists for years and

over the years the road has seen a number of restaurants open their doors along its picturesque miles

The latest is the River Runnerrsquos Roost

Opened by Rich and Mary Codichini back in 2013 this place quickly became a favorite of ours

and many others They bill themselves as a barbeque steakhouse with a touch of Cajun and Italian

We call it phenomenal with one of the best barbeques in the region and gumbo to go to war over

If you havenrsquot tried the ldquoRoostrdquo then make plans for riding their way in the spring

FIRST RUNNER UP bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784 bull 603- 298-5515 bull 4ACESDINERCOM

Located just up the hill from the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River in the town of

Lebanon the Four Aces is the real deal A true Great All-American Diner Their

menu is huge interesting and delicious The ambience is pure Americana and the

roads leading to and from the Four Aces straddling Vermont and New Hampshire

are hard to top They have pro smokers going outside right along their picnic tables

but we found a seat at the counter worked just fine for us

Our only problem with Four Aces is that they are almost exactly 301 miles from

where we type this They should consider northern New Jersey

The Four Aces is a must see do and eat while in the Dartmouth region and just

missed out on our top honor for this yearrsquos vote

And so without further adohellip

1ST PLACE GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN 2014 bull FIVE ISLANDS LOBSTER COMPANY1447 5 ISLANDS RD GEORGETOWN ME 04548 bull 207-371-2990 bull FIVEISLANDSLOBSTERCOM

Location location location Besides have a superb down to Earth feel a great staff scrumptious food

and a wonderful coastal Maine flavor ndash The Five Islands Lobster Company has a serious location

Did we mention where it is

Located on a working fishing wharf it is surrounded by the ldquocoldest and deepest waters on the coastrdquo

There be some serious lobstarsquo lurking here abouts and it is best when they find their final way to

Five Islands You can have these big bugs anyway you like but we took a bullet for all of you and

went and ordered The Big Boy Stuffed with twice the amount of lobster meat than your average

lobster roll it was our pleasure to tackle this monster as best we could

Wait ndash just thinking of it all on this cold November day has us in a statehellip

They do serve a good number of other seafood favorites as well as more land-based standards but

who wants that when you can have the quintessential Maine treat on a wooden bench and table

alongside one of the prettiest bays in New England

This is why the Five Islands Lobster Company slid into the 1 spot in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

Big City GetawayBig City Getaway has always been about a great destination So many of

us roll the bikes out of the garage and then say ldquoWhere tordquo That is where this monthly favoritecomes in and here are our best of Big City Getaway 2015

2ND RUNNER UP bull MUSTANG FACTORYTOUR4 SPRINGFIELD STREET SUITE 1 THREE RIVERS MA 01080 bull 800-243-1392 bull MUSTANGSEATSCOM

They are one of the largest motorcycle seat manufacturers on the planet and they would be happy to show you around

We did a tour this last summer and found just how much talent vision and workmanship goes into creating some of

the most distinctive and comfortable motorcycle seats you can find

Page 22 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Best of Backroads 2014Once again this planet we ride has completed another lap around our sun and it is time for us to look back on the season and the veryBest of BackroadsIf we said 2013 was ldquointerestingrdquo we would be hard pressed to describe this past year of 2014For sure last year brought us thousands of great miles and lots of smiles interesting destinations and a few great Backroads Ralliesbut some darkness and loss along the journey for our Backroads family as wellStill looking back we had some phenomenal places we found stories we told and friends with which we have ridden The Italian poet Cesare Pavese said ldquoWe do not remember days we remember momentsrdquoThis year ndash 2014 ndash we had our share of moments Letrsquos look back at some in the Best of Backroads 2014

The tour is open to riding groups and takes a little over an hour and a half We recommend that you make an

appointment and guarantee you will have an informative and fun day with our friends at Mustang seats

1ST RUNNER UP bull COASTAL BOTANICAL GARDENS32 BOTANICAL GARDENS DR BOOTHBAY ME 04537 bull 207-633-4333 bull MAINEGARDENSORG

This project took nearly 17 years planning planting and building before its opening in June of 2007 and today

the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens comprises 270 acres of tidal shore land thousands of flowers plants

and botanical oddities Interspersed amongst the natural beauty you will find dozens of sculptures that

only add to an already stunning venue Rarely has a visitor spent some time at the Coastal Botanical

Gardens and not wanted to return as soon as possible

It is simple to see why this easily took our First Runner Up spot

1ST PLACE BIG CITY GETAWAY 2014 FIVE STAR GENERAL STORES bull NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY

This article from our October issue embodied a little bit of everything we might look for in a Big

City Getaway It had local history interesting stops (5 of them) food ice cream and it was all

woven together with some of the neatest roads in northern New Jersey ndash a riding jewel for those

who have never been so lucky Running along to five different and historic General Stores this day

trip just kept getting better Know that we just scratched the surface and that these General Stores from

the past can be found all around the nation But for this time around it was this adventure that was

called 1 for Big City Getaway 2014

(Note as of this printing the Stillwater General Store has closed but is still worth the ride-by for the

roads and historic value)

Wersquore Outta HereThe great thing that we riders have over the more boring people out there is that our tripsand adventures happen the moment we roll out of our driveways and onto the roadOvernight trips are like mini-vacations for the soul and are most likely the reason they sayyou never see a motorcycle outside a psychiatrist office unless it belongs to the shrinkWersquore Outta Here is all about that ndash places to go and enjoy whether it be a group coupleor on your ownLetrsquos see what we think were our top three for 2014

2ND RUNNER UP bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 E MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854 bull 814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGEPACOM

Shira found this hide-away full of coffee awesomeness when we were to attend the ALTRider adventure

ride early this summer in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania The lodge is part of the coffee house and

although the room we had was a tad small it was well thought out and just added to the coolness of the

entire place We had the Penns Creek Room with its lsquoloft-stylersquo bed and rock wall shower Each morning

the aroma from the coffee shop downstairs was like a Sirenrsquos call and had us highly motivated to carefully

spring out of bed (well it was a loft and there was a drop) There were also great muffins and cakes to go along with the coffee

Millheim is well located with a great combination of fantastic riding both paved and not and has a few eateries within strolling distance (compared to walking

or marching distance) We liked everything about the Triple Creek Lodge ndash the smell the flavor and the quirkiness

1ST RUNNER UP bull INDIAN ROCK INN2206 RIVER RD UPPER BLACK EDDY PA 18972 bull 610-982-9600 bull INDIANROCKINNCOM

GPS Download wwwsendspacecomprodlen7u7kAlong the PA-side of the Delaware River just north of Jerseyrsquos Milford in a place where the river

crooks dramatically and heads north for a bit you will find a great local treasure - the Indian Rock

Inn Tucked underneath what are called the Pennsylvania Palisades and along both river and old

canal the Indian Rock is the complete package

After a day of fun riding to and around the region you can park the bikes grab your room and

shower and make your way to the very friendly bar The Barking Dog Grab a cocktail and me-

ander to the very comfortable large porch take a seat and watch the world go by After the sun

sets a delicious gourmet meal is just steps away Perhaps a night cap and then upstairs to end a

prefect day With all that it is easy to see how the Indian Rock grabbed first runner up in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

1ST PLACEWErsquoRE OUTTA HERE 2014 bull QUODDY HEAD STATION823 SOUTH LUBEC RD LUBEC ME 04652 bull 877-535-4714 bull QUODDYVACATIONCOM

Most times we are all for suggesting you sleep in a bit longer at any of our Wersquore Outta Here destinations but here at Quoddy Head

Station we urge - no insist ndash that you get up before the dawn so you can be the first in the United States to see the sun rise over the At-

lantic from the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse - just a 2 minute ride to the east

Here in the most north and east point of the United States life does not get much better

The rooms and views cannot be beat and the surrounding area with its little coves Reversing Falls State Park Rooseveltrsquos Campobello

cottage (actually in Canada) and the very coastal Maine town of Lebec with its large number of seafood restaurants nautical shops and

vistas are hard to beat anywhere else in the world When we travelled in the area

we rode under a giant orange full moon that rose over the bay at low tide

It was eerie and stunning all at the same time

One of those moments we talked about earlier Quoddy Head Station has to be one

of the most interesting and geographically perfect places we have traveled to in

many years and easily made its way to the 1st place spot for Wersquore Outta Here 2014

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 23

Mysterious AmericaAlways one of the perennial favorites for our readers is the odd wacky and off-beat destinations that our own Dr Seymour OrsquoLife brings

to us each month This year was no different and the choices to be made for the TopThree were very tight for the good doctor but undaunted our hero carried on and cameup with the short list So letrsquos get to it

2ND RUNNER UP bull ISLE OFWIGHT COUNTY MUSEUM103 MAIN ST SMITHFIELD VA 23430 bull 757-356-1223 bull HISTORICISLEOFWIGHTCOM

You remember this place ndash home of the Worldrsquos Oldest Ham It belonged to PD Gwaltney Jr

It had its beginnings in 1902 when a cured ham was accidentally hung from rafters in one Gwaltneyrsquos

houses until it was discovered by workers By 1924 the pet ham was kept in an iron safe which was

opened daily for guests to view Advertised as the worldrsquos oldest Smithfield ham Gwaltney fashioned

a brass collar for the ham and took it to shows and expos to exhibit the preservative powers of his

smoking method The ham was featured in Ripleyrsquos ldquoBelieve It Or Notrdquo in 1929 1932 and 2003 and

more importantly in Backroads in May of 2014 For sure the museum holds so much more but Sey-

mour could never get past the ham Neither could we

1ST RUNNER UP bull THE CULPER SPY RINGThis was the first multi-month piece by the minions of mystery and we spent three

full months searching for the real story on George Washingtonrsquos Culper Spy Ring

From its beginning with the hanging of Nathan Hale in what is now mid-town Man-

hattan to the desolation of being held on a prison ship in an East River Bay in Brook-

lyn - where we had the largest battle of our Revolutionary War Then on to the Culper

Spies themselves and the web they wove from Setauket Long Island across the

Sound to Connecticut and into New York and Philadelphia These men and woman

(nobody really knows who this lady was) changed the course of history It was then

onto treachery traitors and sex ndashwith the story of Benedict Arnold his wife Peggy

Shippen and her lover Major John Andrersquo and our own West Point Escape capture

and the gallows all played a part in this true story of our local American history

Mysterious Americarsquos history has never been so much fun

1ST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2014 bull THE TRANS-ALLEGHENY LUNATIC ASYLUM71 ASYLUM DR WESTON WV 26452 bull 304-269-5070 bull TRANS-ALLEGHENYLUNATICASYLUMCOM

When we first rode up to this massive 27-acre facility Shira who had no idea where or why we were there shook her head and simply asked why

The asylum stands like a monstrous stone beast dominating the ground It is the second largest hand-hewn bluestone building on the planet with only Russiarsquos

Kremlin surpassing it But it is the feel and aura that surround and linger around this building

that will tell you the real story of the place

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum also known as the We-

ston State Hospital was a Kirkbride psychiatric hospital that

operated from 1864 until 1994 Like many Kirkbridge hospi-

tals it started out with a noble idea but soon became overrun

with patients lack of proper care and some of the saddest and

scariest tales were heard here on the tour The place is massive and to walk the halls would literally take miles

The place is reportedly full of ghosts and very bad things from the other side One look at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

and you will have a hard time denying that claim Shira will never go back and it was one of the few times that she was seriously

ldquocreeped outrdquo Her words ndash not ours

With that being said you surely must agree that a visit to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum easily ranks as our 1st place for

our Mysterious America 2014

MomentsIt was April 10 of this past year when the phone here at Backroads rang Answering it I could hear the voice of a friend Dave on the farend ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo I asked ldquohow are yourdquoDaversquos voice trembled and broke ldquoJeff Bahr was killed today on his bikerdquoIn that moment everything stopped It remained stopped for a long time Sometimes it still doesA month or so later well after Jeffrsquos service and cremation Shira and I found ourselves at the spot where this happened We talked tothe young man who was tending his barbecue pit which he was stoking for the dayrsquos lunch He was there when the driver pulled out ofhis general storersquos parking lot without even a glance He sadly but kindly told us of that momentJeff had simply been riding down a wide country road when an 86-year old man pulled out in front of him Although rubber on the roadshowed Jeff tried to avoid the car it was too little too late and he was killed on impactI have no idea what happened to the old man after this event But regardless he has to live with his inattentiveness and actions for therest of his life So do many of usWe do not remember days we remember momentsThat day was made up of a moment we will never forgetThe weekend I wrote this Jeff if hersquod survived would have been 57 He would have had dozens more stories made us laugh a dozenmore times would have made this magazine a dozen times betterJeff I hope you know that so many of us miss you so muchTo you all enjoy and savor all your moments Life is made up of them and eventually one of those moments will hurt

Page 24 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Shirarsquos Ice Cream RunLast year we introduce a semi-monthly some of the time if she felt like it column ndashShirarsquos Ice Cream Run It seems to everybody but the red head that this column hasbecome a huge hit and we have had more comments and suggestions for the IceCream Runs than anything else within memory So think sweet creamy and cold andletrsquos see what Shira thought were on the top three stops of 2014rsquos Ice Cream Runs

2ND RUNNER UP bull HOLSTENrsquoS CONFECTIONARY1603 BROAD ST BLOOMFIELD NJ 07003 bull 973-338-7091 bull WWWHOLSTENSCOM

Immortalized on celluloid in the Sopranosrsquo final episode Holstenrsquos Confectionary has so much more

to offer than their souvenir t-shirts from said show A true old-time ice cream parlor Holstenrsquos home-

made ice cream and confections will win the hearts of any true lover of sweets Taking a seat at the

counter should bring back memories of visits to Woolworthrsquos and once the delicious dairyness is

placed in front of you complete with homemade whipped cream you will think you are in a

dream Holstenrsquos has the whole package ndash premium product comfortable setting and take-home

delights With its 2nd Runner Up status truly one of my favorites of this yearrsquos ice cream stops

1ST RUNNER UP bull CAYUGA LAKE CREAMERY8421 NY 89 INTERLAKEN NY 14847 bull 607-532-9492 bull WWWCAYUGALAKECREAMERYCOM

Nestled in the idyllic Finger Lakes the Cayuga Lake Creamery offers up some of the most in-

ventive flavors Irsquove seen including wine ice cream and sorbet (best of both worlds Irsquod say)

Sitting on their outdoor deck savoring your Maple Bacon or Lavender cone on a warm summer

day ndash what could be better than that

While the Finger Lakes may not offer the most challenging of rides the scenery is beautiful and

the gorges are well gorgeous I canrsquot think of a much better day than meandering around the

Fingers with a late afternoon stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery Their 14 butterfat mixture and only the best of locally sourced

ingredients produce some of the finest creamiest ice creams around Do yourself a favor and spin your wheels to this part of

NY state for a weekend of indulgence as their terrific flavors will keep you coming back day after day

1ST PLACE SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN bull HALLrsquoS HOMEMADE ICE CREAM861 RACCOONVALLEY RD MILLERSTOWN PA 17062

717-589-3290 bull WWWHALLSICECREAMCOM

I found this gem in the middle of the Alleghenies while Brian was off riding in the forest with the

ALTRider group Having grabbed the 1st Place spot in this yearrsquos Ice Cream Run you know Hallrsquos

Homemade Ice Cream and Dairy has to be something pretty special

While their flavor offerings may not be as exotic as Cayuga Lake the quality is heavenly Their

signature flavor and one I had not tasted before is their honey ice cream coming in a variety of

mixtures such as chocolate butter pecan and my personal favorite cinnamon Hallrsquos has a couple

of outdoor tables where you can take in the full dairy effect while licking your cone If that is too

overwhelming they have a very nice indoor seating area complete with air conditioning

The riding in this part of Pennsylvania is quite exciting with elevation changes sweepers and

twisties and for those desiring an off-road adventure plenty of woodlands to test your knobbies

What do all three of these winners have in common other than fantastic ice cream They are all

open all year long so if you happen to be out and about in Bloomfield NJ Interlaken NY or Miller-

stown PA make sure you plan a stop at one of the top three spots on Shirarsquos 2014 Ice Cream Run

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 25

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845-557-0097 bull WWWRIVERRUNNERSROOSTCOMSEASONAL HOURS - CALL BEFORE HEADING OUT

CR 560 IN SUSSEX COUNTY NJCROSS DINGMANS BRIDGE bull $1 TOLLSTRAIGHT ON RTE 739RIGHT AT MILFORD RDLEFT AT RAYMONDSKILL RDCROSS OVER I-84HARD LEFT ON US 6QUICK RIGHT ONTOTWIN LAKES RDRIGHT AT RTE 434CROSS RIVER TO NEWYORKRIGHT AT RTE 97 SOUTHRIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST DOWN ROAD ON LEFT HAND SIDE

Rip amp Ridereg bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784603- 298-5515 bull WWW4ACESDINERCOM

GPS DOWNLOAD WWWSENDSPACECOMPRODLXXTWXB90-MILE ONEWAY ROUTE FROM THEWEST DOVER VERMONT REGION

BIG BEARS LODGE GRAY GHOST AND KITZHOF INN

RTE 100 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT RTE 35RIGHT AT RTE 121LEFT AT RTE 5CROSS INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE ndash ARCH BRIDGELEFT AT RTE 12 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 120LEFT AT RTE 4 WEST LEBANONFOUR ACES DOWN ON THE LEFT

TAylorrsquos ice creAm PArlor

18 e mAin sT chesTer nJ bull 908-879-5363

What to do on the first sub-freezing day in November Go for ice cream

of course I was hanging out with the good doctor OrsquoLife and best friend

Brian when OrsquoLife told us of this place that grows telephone poles Having

my doubts about most of what OrsquoLife tells me I asked him to prove it So

off we went to the quaint little town of Chester New Jersey

After a pleasant lunch at the Publick House complete with real wood

burning fireplace we trekked down the road a piece found said telephone

pole farm (for another column of course) and started our return to Back-

roads Central Lo and behold right before the turn onto Route 206 there

sat Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor in the nicest old building on the block We

got our spot and headed in to find well no one but Justin in a very toasty

old fashioned ice cream parlor I do think that he was surprised to see us

or anyone on such a cold day

Taylorrsquos has apparently been an ice cream institution in

Chester for the last 50 years or so founded by Mr Earle G

Taylor Sr who just passed this August Taylorrsquos was the vic-

tim of fire some time in 2013 and was closed for a good 8

months before reopening in the same spot with applause

from their long-time fans and customers Their ice cream is

all home made and always has been On a hot summer day

you will no doubt be lined up out the door and down the

block to get this tasty treat but Irsquom certain you will find it

worth the wait I think their pricing is quite reasonable for

the size scoop they dip and if you are like me and want a sam-

pling of several flavors they offer Kiddie Scoops at $195

each ndash a flight of ice cream sounds like the perfect end-of-

ride relaxation

We perused the two very full ice cream boards and poured

over the cabinets before making our decisions With close to

50 listed flavors what was a girl to do without minions to help her taste test We finally settled on chocolate hazelnut toasted coconut salted caramel and

vanilla fudge brownie I pretty much always opt for a cup as I savor my ice cream and it would run down my arm before I was even close to finishing but I was

almost tempted by their pretzel cone What is so great about Taylorrsquos cones is the plastic drip cup in which they reside both sanitary and mess-preventing

Page 26 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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115 Route 23N bull Hamburg NJ bull 973-875-2111wwwtownandcountrycyclecentercom

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIYamahacom bull 516-935-6969

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE

SPORT TOURERIntroducing the most performancepower versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle From commutingand exploring backroads to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaharsquos un-mistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

While enjoying our treats we savored

the deacutecor of this very pleasant parlor Sev-

eral tables to enjoy your ice cream clip-

pings of newspaper articles school

paraphernalia and something that has no

place in an ice cream parlor an old-fash-

ioned fortune telling scale This couldnrsquot

possibly still be functioning could it Ac-

cording to Justin yes it was How could we

resist In went our pennies and up popped

our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked

the weight numbers) Brianrsquos read lsquoYou are

not overbearing but generally have things

your wayrsquo Wow I couldnrsquot wait to see if

mine was as accurate ldquoYou look to the fu-

ture rather than the pastrsquo So true

Back to the ice cream ndash it

was heavenly We all agreed

that the salted caramel was the

overall winner having the per-

fect balance of salt and

caramel with the best creamy

texture The toasted coconut

was very flavorful with lots of

coconut bits the chocolate

hazelnut was very dark and

creamy and mixed with the coconut made the perfect almond-free almond

joy The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole but cer-

tainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store

I believe Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round but if yoursquore head-

ing over during the winter months give them a call to make sure Enjoy the

winter and remember itrsquos never too cold to eat ice cream

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield PA

215-712-7433 bull wwwBMWMotorcyclescom

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

THE NEW R 1200 RA POWERFUL STATEMENT

Our newest boxer roadster has one missiondominate the streets in style The R 1200 Ris designed to blend comfort precisehandling and pure riding excitementhellipin one head-turning machine

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW R 1200 RSTHRILLING COMFORT

The new R 1200 RS is perfectly balancedcombining optimal wind and weather protectionwith powerful performance and controlPutting you in an unparalleled position toexplore the road - and your own limits

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW S 1000 RRWELCOME TO THENEW PLANET POWER

The S 1000 RR has been completely revisedThe results in its origins a genuine Double RRon the road a new supersports machine thatwill once again set the benchmark in its class

UNSTOPPABLE SPORT

WHAT lsquoRrsquo YOU WAITING FORCome to Montgomeryville Cycle Center to see the full line of 2015 BMW Motorcycles products and apparel

We have everything yoursquoll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever

Motorcyclepedia the northeastrsquos

premier motorcycle museum will

be holding its Speaker Series again

this winter with various riders and

orators covering topics ranging

from world touring to tips on avoiding tickets and an in depth look at GPS

technology and todayrsquos motorcycling

Backroadsrsquo own Brian amp Shira will start the series off with a talk on Jan-

uary 17 on lsquoThe Big Fiversquo motorcycle destinations around the planet along

with planning and touring around the United States and the world

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who

will help clear the fog about Garmin GPSrsquos and how their BaseCamp program

works along with how to create and export your own personal routes

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on ldquoEverything you need to know

on Motorcycles and the Lawrdquo - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper po-

lice procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists

Seth Simpson of Motorcycle training Solutions will be giving a seminar

on Rider Training

Motorcyclistmoto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about

Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys

Look for a Womenrsquos Riding Panel with some well-known female motor-

cyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing todayrsquos women

riders This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and

beginning women riders

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months

and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to

enlighten

Wersquoll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page

as soon as they are etched in stone

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh New York in the

riding heart of the Hudson Valley

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 27

A DAY AT THE MUSEUMlsquoSPEAKER SERIESrsquo RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Frankrsquos MotorcycleSales amp Service

120 Center RoadEssex VT 05451

802-878-3930wwwFranksMotorcycleSalescomBMWhtm

Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY845-357-1190

wwwLocomotionPowersportscom

LOCOMOTION POWER-

SPORTS138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY

845-357-1190

Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

SUSSEX MOTORSPORTS446 Route 23 bull Sussex NJ bull Located across from the AampP Shopping Plaza

973-875-3640 bull wwwsussexmotorsportsnjcombull Family OwnedOperated in Northwest NJ bull Near the NYPA border

bull Wide selection of onoff road apparel jackets helmets gloves and boots

bull Qualified Service Technicians with over 30 years combined experienceto perform all your Yamaha authorized service

Wheel Sport Center Inc399 HUGUeNOT ST bull NeW ROCHeLLe NY

9146367235 bull WheelSportCenternet

JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

2015 Kawasaki Concoursreg14 ABSThe ultimate backroad SuperSport Tourer

The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

JDS CYCLE PARTSeST 1988

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Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

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YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 16: January 2015 Backroads

ndash the prehistoric shark that was well over 50 feet long

with teeth as large as your fist

A quick walk across the parking lot brought us to the

building holding their other large exhibits

A few different sea turtles were swimming about as

well as Hugh and Buffett ndash two large and impressive

manatees

A large outdoor pool held lsquoMoonshinersquo Motersquos res-

ident dolphin who was rescued after it beached and

was found drying out and sunburned

He seems happy enough but personally we think he

needs a friend We were told that Mote is next on the

list for such a companion

While we visited Mote had a special attraction called

lsquoSurvivorsrsquo which featured some of the oddest marine and fresh water ani-

mals and the very unique way they survive in the wild ndash from deadly poison

to killer punches to simply looking like a rock and hoping for the best ndash it

was a fascinating display as was the entire aquarium

If you get hungry you can drop by their Deep Sea Diner where you can

enjoy dining al-fresco or inside the casual retro rsquo50s-style diner complete

with an old-fashioned soda fountain The lively cafeacute offers a fun affordable

family-style menu including chili and chowder burgers and dogs veggie

burgers and fresh salads chicken fingers and fries And donrsquot forget dessert

hand-dipped ice cream shakes amp sundaes

We thought wersquod spend a quick hour there but ended up happily spending

the afternoon

Mote might not be the biggest but it surely made up for its size with quality

and interesting and informative displays

Page 16 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 906-9292

Find Us on Facebook bull SportHondanet

hondacom UTILITY ATVs ARE RECOMMENDED FOR RIDERS 16 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER TRX90X IS RECOMMENDED ONLY FOR RIDERS12 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER RIDERS UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE MUST BE SUPERVISED BY AN ADULT ATVs CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO OPER-ATE ALL ATV RIDERS SHOULD TAKE A TRAINING COURSE (FREE FOR NEW BUYERS ASK YOUR DEALER OR CALL ASI AT 800-887-2887) ANDREAD THEIR OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND APPROPRIATE CLOTHING AVOID EXCESSIVESPEEDS AND BE CAREFUL ON DIFFICULT TERRAIN FOR YOUR SAFETY BE RESPONSIBLE NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGSOR ALCOHOL ON PAVED SURFACES ON PUBLIC ROADS WITH PASSENGERS OR AT EXCESSIVE SPEEDS NO STUNT RIDING RESPECT THEENVIRONMENT WHEN RIDING TRXreg and Rancherreg are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1114)

Whether itrsquos hard work

or time to play

Sport Honda has the

ATV to fit your lifestyle

Be prepared - Come in

Today for your

Winter utility needs

Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 491-2900

Find Us on Facebook bull CrossCountryPowersportscom

Cross Country Powersportsis now taking deposits for theNinja H2Rtrade and H2tradeExperience unforgettable supercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2trade motorcycle theworldrsquos only supercharged productionhypersport streetbike

The BridGewATer TriAnGle

is This The sTrAnGesT sPoT in The norTheAsT

Located just 30 miles south of Boston this 200-mile square area has the

Massachusetts towns of Abington Freetown and Rehoboth at its angles The

town of Bridgewater is located nearly dead center within the triangle and the

area also encompasses six other Massachusetts towns Raynham Taunton

Brockton Mansfield Norton and Easton including the Hockomock Swamp

It is known as the Bridgewater Triangle

It seems if it is paranormal weird or mysterious it has happened in the Tri-

angle of the years

Let us start with one of the

first odd things found in the

region

It was in this area that the

first officially documented

petroglyph in the United

States was found - Dighton

Rock This 40 ton boulder

was discovered by original

settlers and has always

caused questions and wonder

of who made these mysteri-

ous markings and why

In fact in 1690 Rev Cotton Mather described the rock in his book The

Wonderful Works of God Commemorated

ldquoAmong the other Curiosities of New-England one is that of a mighty

Rock on a perpendicular side whereof by a River which at High Tide covers

part of it there are very deeply Engraved no man alive knows How or When

about half a score Lines near Ten Foot Long and a foot and half broad filled

with strange Characters which would

suggest as odd Thoughts about them that

were here before us as there are odd

Shapes in that Elaborate Monumentrdquo

The boulder was moved in 1980 to the

museum in a nearby park Dighton Rock State Park in order to protect and

preserve this part of Americarsquos strange history

Strangely marked boulders were not the beginning of the mystery of the

Bridgewater Triangle

Years back a group of archeologists discovered a native burial mound on

Grassy Island in the swamp These graves were dated to 6000 BC

Strange lights have been

reported on this island and

across the triangle and one

of the first documented

UFO sighting came from

here when on May 10

1760 villagers in two

towns 50 miles away stared

in wonder at a ldquoSphere of

Firerdquo that slowly made its

way across the sky

The next day both townsrsquo newspapers reported the phenomena in their edi-

tions According to historical records the UFO emitted light bright enough

to cast a shadow in bright sunlight The sound made by the object ldquooddly

enough was heard sooner at the middle of the course it took than at the be-

ginningrdquo

You canrsquot really have such an eclectic gathering of odd in a place like this

in Mysterious America without a few good Yeti sightings

Over the years all sorts of ldquoSwamp Monstersrdquo have been sighted and in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 17

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

April 1970 it was reported that a ldquoBigfootrdquo

picked up a rear of a police car in which sat

two surprised police officers

Police dogs have been used time and again but

Bigfoot is an elusive fellow

I have always believed the Jersey Devil is a

Pterosaurs of some kind and here around the

Bridgewater Triangle huge black prehistoric-look-

ing birds with a wingspan of between eight and

twelve feet have been reported time and again in-

cluding a report by Norton Police Sergeant Thomas

Downy

Indian Curses abound as well and along Route

44 in Rehoboth lies the boulder known as Anawan

Rock It is said that it was here that the Wampanoag

chief Anawan surrendered to the colonists thus

ending King Philiprsquos War According to local be-

liefs the angry spirits of the warriors captured that

day continue to haunt the spot

Extremely large snakes and alligators have been

found in the swamp along with other creatures that are totally out of place

In the late 1800rsquos bones of a giant were unearthed

Every which way you look or travel in the area you will find something

strange In fact I have a quick list of odd things found in the

Bridgewater Triangle for you

Next time yoursquore looking to spend a few days exploring Mys-

terious America take a ride around the Bridgewater Triangle You

just might end up sending me an email telling me you spotted ahellip

OrsquoLife Out

Ten odd ThinGs found in The BridGewATer TriAnGle

1 The longest epitaph in the United States is located in a Rehoboth

cemetery A full 405 words

2 Three PT Barnum circus ldquofreaksrdquo hailed from here including

Middlebororsquos Tom Thumb and East Bridgewaterrsquos ldquoThe Human

Skeletonrdquo

3 The first boundary line in the United States is located in Abing-

ton at the Bridgewater Trianglersquos furthest most delineated northern

map point

4 A historic 40-foot tall Hood milk bottle in Raynham (now a

restaurant) is the (triplet) sister to famous the ldquoMilk Bottlerdquo at the

Boston Childrenrsquos museum

5 In 1906 bones of ldquoa giantrdquo were discovered in Middleboro

6 Alligators seals emu peacocks cow moose bears Africal

Sevral panthers and mountain lions have all been found in the

Bridgewater Triangle

7 There are both handprints and footprints imbedded into several

Bridgewater Triangle boulders handprints in Middleboro foot-

prints in Norton

8 Dighton Rock is the first documented petroglyph in the United

States

9 The chocolate chip cookie was invented in the happiest of ac-

cidents in the northern apex of the Bridgewater Triangle

10 The Bridgewater Triangle is host to the worldrsquos only shovel

museum located in Easton

Page 18 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

290 Route 100 West Dover VT800-745-3615 bull wwwgrayghostinncom

Motorcyclist-Friendly Destination LodgingLocated on Scenic Route 100 in Southern VermontHot breakfast cooked to order BYOB bar firepit hot tub game room and WiFi

Free Maps and Suggested Rides Group Special Packages5 restaurantsbars within walking distance bull On-site Group Dinners available

MemberWhen you canrsquot ride because of snow ride the snow

Guided Back-Country Snowmobile Toursin the Green Mountain National Forest

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

mounTAineer hoTel

31 eAsT second Avenue williAmson wv

304-235-2222 bull wwwmounTAineerhoTelcom

Laying right on the Tug Fork River across from the

Blue Grass state of Kentucky one will find the tiny town

of Williamson West Virginia Williamson has a long

history mostly revolving around the coal industry

Here you will find a rather large rail yard now part

of the Norfolk Southern built to service the many mines

found in and around this part of West Virginia and Ken-

tucky

In 1974 a United States Army Corps of Engineer

planner described the region as having the most severe

flooding problem in America

In 1977 after many days of steady hard rain the Tug

Fork and adjoining streams began

a constant and quick rise As had

happened in the past the town ex-

perienced incredible flooding

Today a floodwall protects

Williamson from future wet havoc

A huge part of this regionrsquos local

lore and history is the famed home

of the feud between the Hatfields

and McCoys probably the most

famous family fight in US history

The first event in the decades-

long feud was the 1865 murder of

Randolphrsquos brother Asa Harmon

McCoy by the Logan Wildcats a local militia group

that counted Devil Anse and other Hatfields among its

members Many peoplemdasheven members of his own

familymdashregarded Asa Harmon who had served in the

Union Army during the American Civil War as a trai-

tor While some have surmised that his murder set the

stage for the feud most historians now see this inci-

dent as a standalone event

Relations between the two families continued to

sour over the next decade before flaring again over a

seemingly small matter a dispute over a single hog

In 1878 Randolph McCoy accused Floyd Hatfield a

cousin of Devil Anse of stealing one of his pigs a

valuable commodity in the poor region Floyd Hat-

fieldsrsquos trial took place in McCoy territory but was

presided over by a cousin of Devil Anse It hinged on

the testimony of star witness Bill Staton a McCoy rel-

ative married to a Hatfield Staton testified in Floyd

Hatfieldrsquos favor and the McCoys were infuriated when

Floyd was cleared of the charges against him Two

years later Staton was violently killed in a fracas with

Sam and Paris McCoy nephews of Randolph Sam stood trial for the

murder but was acquitted for self-defense reasons

Things went south from there and an American legacy was born

In and around the town you will find much on this feud

In the center of town you will find The Coal House now the home

of the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce

Weighing in at 65 tons with 2 ft thick walls itrsquos the only coal house

made entirely of coal Built in 1933 it was designed by architect HT

Hicks from an idea by O W Evans It was constructed from blocks

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 19

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

of local seam coal donated by coal companies in the region

Right next door to The Coal House you will find the historic

Mountaineer Hotel The large classic-revival 5-story yellow-

glazed brick building dominates the center of town and offers

a look and reason to step back into the past

Built in 1925 the Mountaineer hotel has had its share of fa-

mous guests with JFK Paul Newman Jerry Lee Lewis Henry

Ford and others- including the great Soupy Sales - staying here

overnight

In fact all the rooms are named after famous and infamous

guests that have walked through its doors

Later in the evening we walked all five flights to see just

who did stay there

The main entrance leads to a large lobby and the front desk

with pigeonhole boxes for room keys and a teller window

French doors lead to the ballroom The hotel has 116 rooms

for guests a formal ballroom a lobby restaurant and sports bar

(which were not open this day) and the lower level has a num-

ber of games ndash including Fooz ball pool

and a large regulation-sized shuffle board

game that kept us occupied for about an

hour

Sometimes we find places from this era

a bit run down but the Mountaineer hotel

is a gem

Just one look at the grand lobby and you

will know this is true and with rooms less

than $75 for the night quite the deal too

We took Paul Newmanrsquos room and it

couldnrsquot have been nicer

Unpacking and strolling around town

which was quiet on a Monday night was a

pleasant distraction after a dayrsquos worth of

hard miles through the mountains of West

Virginia and Kentucky

When traveling around the United States

you can almost always find a chain hotel at

any exit or bigger town but why would you

want to when wonderful old beauties like

the Mountaineer Hotel in Williamson West

Virginia are around

Page 20 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Tony Lisanti

Eye protection for off road use consists of

the tried and true goggle The goggle

wraps around the helmet and seals to

your face in the helmet opening

Traditional goggles

consist of a urethane

based flexible frame

with various types of

foam material that

seal directly against

the forehead and cheeks

and nose keeping out wind and

dirt Being the helmet has a limited opening

goggles have had to fit inside this space limiting the field of vision

This type of goggle has been the norm for last half century with

all kinds of innovations in frame lens and foam materials

Enter ZOWA Optics Visor Goggles ZOWA Optics was founded

in 2013 Their goal is to offer unique goggles to off-road dirt bike

ATV and snowmobile riders The Vermont based company has

come up with a goggle that eliminates many of the drawbacks of

a traditional off road goggle The Visor Goggles are designed so

the upper half seals against the helmet rather than the forehead

The lower half of the goggle rests against the face By developing

the goggle in this way the field of view is dramatically increased and the

issue of having foam in contact with the skin on the forehead is eliminated

I had the opportunity to try out the Visor Goggles at a local practice track

recently The first thing I noticed was the size of the Visor Goggles They are

about twice the size of a traditional goggle They install on a helmet the same

way as traditional goggles except instead of resting against the forehead they

seal against the helmet under the visor Most noticeable was the lack

of ldquonose pinchrdquo and the vastly improved vision The Visor Goggle

drastically reduces the claustrophobic feel of traditional goggles as

there is more distance between the inside of the goggle and your face

The feel is more like an adventure helmet

After riding with them for an hour or two on an MX track I found

the improved field of vision to be a welcome change Riding with the

Visor Goggles allowed better vision up down and sideways I did no-

tice a bit more air coming in from the flow through design and from

underneath the seal against my check bones at speed During warm

weather this would be welcome in cold weather not so much Ad-

justing the strap tension has an affect on goggle to face contact Skin

contact with the typical sweatmudgrungefunk mix that gets en-

crusted on the foam is minimized since

the foam is resting against the helmet

rather than the forehead

They cleaned up well and showed no

signs of scratching on the lenses stain-

ing of the frames or discoloration de-

spite a liberal dosage of mud and water

The ZOWA Visor Goggle features in-

clude being rated for OTG (Over The

Glasses) by virtue of the greater clear-

ance between goggle and face a Hel-

met conformed design improved field

of view Lexan lens with anti-fog coating comfort foam and flow through

ventilation The strap features a silicon strip to help it stay put on the helmet

Accessory lenses and tear-off lenses are available All goggles come with a

micro fiber storage bag as well The off road goggles retail for $5800 and

are available in black red of cyan frame colors wwwzowaopticscom

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

BUILT BEYOND BELIEFINTRODUCING THE KAWASAKI

Come to Motorcycle Mall to reserve your Ninja H2trade

by December 19 and experience unforgettablesupercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2 motorcycle the worldrsquos onlysupercharged production hypersport streetbike

H2

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pantsgloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Mo-torcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environmentFor furher information regarding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 Specifi-cations subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspired R1 everFrom the advanced lsquorider activersquo electronicspackage to the powerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Supersport bike andfactory MotoGP has never been more blurred

COMPLETELY NEW

FROM THE TRACK UP

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 21

PRODUCT REVIEWZOWA OPTICS VISOR GOGGLES

Great All American Diner RunAs always wersquoll start with our most popular column the Great All American Diner Run Wait is it really We just might have a new fan fa-vorite but wersquoll save that till later First letrsquos take a look at the top three for GAADR 2014hellip

SECOND RUNNER UP bull RIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST2378 ROUTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770 bull 845-557-0097 bull RIVERUNNERSROOSTCOM

Route 97 along the scenic Delaware River has long been a favorite of motorcyclists for years and

over the years the road has seen a number of restaurants open their doors along its picturesque miles

The latest is the River Runnerrsquos Roost

Opened by Rich and Mary Codichini back in 2013 this place quickly became a favorite of ours

and many others They bill themselves as a barbeque steakhouse with a touch of Cajun and Italian

We call it phenomenal with one of the best barbeques in the region and gumbo to go to war over

If you havenrsquot tried the ldquoRoostrdquo then make plans for riding their way in the spring

FIRST RUNNER UP bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784 bull 603- 298-5515 bull 4ACESDINERCOM

Located just up the hill from the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River in the town of

Lebanon the Four Aces is the real deal A true Great All-American Diner Their

menu is huge interesting and delicious The ambience is pure Americana and the

roads leading to and from the Four Aces straddling Vermont and New Hampshire

are hard to top They have pro smokers going outside right along their picnic tables

but we found a seat at the counter worked just fine for us

Our only problem with Four Aces is that they are almost exactly 301 miles from

where we type this They should consider northern New Jersey

The Four Aces is a must see do and eat while in the Dartmouth region and just

missed out on our top honor for this yearrsquos vote

And so without further adohellip

1ST PLACE GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN 2014 bull FIVE ISLANDS LOBSTER COMPANY1447 5 ISLANDS RD GEORGETOWN ME 04548 bull 207-371-2990 bull FIVEISLANDSLOBSTERCOM

Location location location Besides have a superb down to Earth feel a great staff scrumptious food

and a wonderful coastal Maine flavor ndash The Five Islands Lobster Company has a serious location

Did we mention where it is

Located on a working fishing wharf it is surrounded by the ldquocoldest and deepest waters on the coastrdquo

There be some serious lobstarsquo lurking here abouts and it is best when they find their final way to

Five Islands You can have these big bugs anyway you like but we took a bullet for all of you and

went and ordered The Big Boy Stuffed with twice the amount of lobster meat than your average

lobster roll it was our pleasure to tackle this monster as best we could

Wait ndash just thinking of it all on this cold November day has us in a statehellip

They do serve a good number of other seafood favorites as well as more land-based standards but

who wants that when you can have the quintessential Maine treat on a wooden bench and table

alongside one of the prettiest bays in New England

This is why the Five Islands Lobster Company slid into the 1 spot in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

Big City GetawayBig City Getaway has always been about a great destination So many of

us roll the bikes out of the garage and then say ldquoWhere tordquo That is where this monthly favoritecomes in and here are our best of Big City Getaway 2015

2ND RUNNER UP bull MUSTANG FACTORYTOUR4 SPRINGFIELD STREET SUITE 1 THREE RIVERS MA 01080 bull 800-243-1392 bull MUSTANGSEATSCOM

They are one of the largest motorcycle seat manufacturers on the planet and they would be happy to show you around

We did a tour this last summer and found just how much talent vision and workmanship goes into creating some of

the most distinctive and comfortable motorcycle seats you can find

Page 22 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Best of Backroads 2014Once again this planet we ride has completed another lap around our sun and it is time for us to look back on the season and the veryBest of BackroadsIf we said 2013 was ldquointerestingrdquo we would be hard pressed to describe this past year of 2014For sure last year brought us thousands of great miles and lots of smiles interesting destinations and a few great Backroads Ralliesbut some darkness and loss along the journey for our Backroads family as wellStill looking back we had some phenomenal places we found stories we told and friends with which we have ridden The Italian poet Cesare Pavese said ldquoWe do not remember days we remember momentsrdquoThis year ndash 2014 ndash we had our share of moments Letrsquos look back at some in the Best of Backroads 2014

The tour is open to riding groups and takes a little over an hour and a half We recommend that you make an

appointment and guarantee you will have an informative and fun day with our friends at Mustang seats

1ST RUNNER UP bull COASTAL BOTANICAL GARDENS32 BOTANICAL GARDENS DR BOOTHBAY ME 04537 bull 207-633-4333 bull MAINEGARDENSORG

This project took nearly 17 years planning planting and building before its opening in June of 2007 and today

the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens comprises 270 acres of tidal shore land thousands of flowers plants

and botanical oddities Interspersed amongst the natural beauty you will find dozens of sculptures that

only add to an already stunning venue Rarely has a visitor spent some time at the Coastal Botanical

Gardens and not wanted to return as soon as possible

It is simple to see why this easily took our First Runner Up spot

1ST PLACE BIG CITY GETAWAY 2014 FIVE STAR GENERAL STORES bull NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY

This article from our October issue embodied a little bit of everything we might look for in a Big

City Getaway It had local history interesting stops (5 of them) food ice cream and it was all

woven together with some of the neatest roads in northern New Jersey ndash a riding jewel for those

who have never been so lucky Running along to five different and historic General Stores this day

trip just kept getting better Know that we just scratched the surface and that these General Stores from

the past can be found all around the nation But for this time around it was this adventure that was

called 1 for Big City Getaway 2014

(Note as of this printing the Stillwater General Store has closed but is still worth the ride-by for the

roads and historic value)

Wersquore Outta HereThe great thing that we riders have over the more boring people out there is that our tripsand adventures happen the moment we roll out of our driveways and onto the roadOvernight trips are like mini-vacations for the soul and are most likely the reason they sayyou never see a motorcycle outside a psychiatrist office unless it belongs to the shrinkWersquore Outta Here is all about that ndash places to go and enjoy whether it be a group coupleor on your ownLetrsquos see what we think were our top three for 2014

2ND RUNNER UP bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 E MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854 bull 814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGEPACOM

Shira found this hide-away full of coffee awesomeness when we were to attend the ALTRider adventure

ride early this summer in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania The lodge is part of the coffee house and

although the room we had was a tad small it was well thought out and just added to the coolness of the

entire place We had the Penns Creek Room with its lsquoloft-stylersquo bed and rock wall shower Each morning

the aroma from the coffee shop downstairs was like a Sirenrsquos call and had us highly motivated to carefully

spring out of bed (well it was a loft and there was a drop) There were also great muffins and cakes to go along with the coffee

Millheim is well located with a great combination of fantastic riding both paved and not and has a few eateries within strolling distance (compared to walking

or marching distance) We liked everything about the Triple Creek Lodge ndash the smell the flavor and the quirkiness

1ST RUNNER UP bull INDIAN ROCK INN2206 RIVER RD UPPER BLACK EDDY PA 18972 bull 610-982-9600 bull INDIANROCKINNCOM

GPS Download wwwsendspacecomprodlen7u7kAlong the PA-side of the Delaware River just north of Jerseyrsquos Milford in a place where the river

crooks dramatically and heads north for a bit you will find a great local treasure - the Indian Rock

Inn Tucked underneath what are called the Pennsylvania Palisades and along both river and old

canal the Indian Rock is the complete package

After a day of fun riding to and around the region you can park the bikes grab your room and

shower and make your way to the very friendly bar The Barking Dog Grab a cocktail and me-

ander to the very comfortable large porch take a seat and watch the world go by After the sun

sets a delicious gourmet meal is just steps away Perhaps a night cap and then upstairs to end a

prefect day With all that it is easy to see how the Indian Rock grabbed first runner up in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

1ST PLACEWErsquoRE OUTTA HERE 2014 bull QUODDY HEAD STATION823 SOUTH LUBEC RD LUBEC ME 04652 bull 877-535-4714 bull QUODDYVACATIONCOM

Most times we are all for suggesting you sleep in a bit longer at any of our Wersquore Outta Here destinations but here at Quoddy Head

Station we urge - no insist ndash that you get up before the dawn so you can be the first in the United States to see the sun rise over the At-

lantic from the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse - just a 2 minute ride to the east

Here in the most north and east point of the United States life does not get much better

The rooms and views cannot be beat and the surrounding area with its little coves Reversing Falls State Park Rooseveltrsquos Campobello

cottage (actually in Canada) and the very coastal Maine town of Lebec with its large number of seafood restaurants nautical shops and

vistas are hard to beat anywhere else in the world When we travelled in the area

we rode under a giant orange full moon that rose over the bay at low tide

It was eerie and stunning all at the same time

One of those moments we talked about earlier Quoddy Head Station has to be one

of the most interesting and geographically perfect places we have traveled to in

many years and easily made its way to the 1st place spot for Wersquore Outta Here 2014

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 23

Mysterious AmericaAlways one of the perennial favorites for our readers is the odd wacky and off-beat destinations that our own Dr Seymour OrsquoLife brings

to us each month This year was no different and the choices to be made for the TopThree were very tight for the good doctor but undaunted our hero carried on and cameup with the short list So letrsquos get to it

2ND RUNNER UP bull ISLE OFWIGHT COUNTY MUSEUM103 MAIN ST SMITHFIELD VA 23430 bull 757-356-1223 bull HISTORICISLEOFWIGHTCOM

You remember this place ndash home of the Worldrsquos Oldest Ham It belonged to PD Gwaltney Jr

It had its beginnings in 1902 when a cured ham was accidentally hung from rafters in one Gwaltneyrsquos

houses until it was discovered by workers By 1924 the pet ham was kept in an iron safe which was

opened daily for guests to view Advertised as the worldrsquos oldest Smithfield ham Gwaltney fashioned

a brass collar for the ham and took it to shows and expos to exhibit the preservative powers of his

smoking method The ham was featured in Ripleyrsquos ldquoBelieve It Or Notrdquo in 1929 1932 and 2003 and

more importantly in Backroads in May of 2014 For sure the museum holds so much more but Sey-

mour could never get past the ham Neither could we

1ST RUNNER UP bull THE CULPER SPY RINGThis was the first multi-month piece by the minions of mystery and we spent three

full months searching for the real story on George Washingtonrsquos Culper Spy Ring

From its beginning with the hanging of Nathan Hale in what is now mid-town Man-

hattan to the desolation of being held on a prison ship in an East River Bay in Brook-

lyn - where we had the largest battle of our Revolutionary War Then on to the Culper

Spies themselves and the web they wove from Setauket Long Island across the

Sound to Connecticut and into New York and Philadelphia These men and woman

(nobody really knows who this lady was) changed the course of history It was then

onto treachery traitors and sex ndashwith the story of Benedict Arnold his wife Peggy

Shippen and her lover Major John Andrersquo and our own West Point Escape capture

and the gallows all played a part in this true story of our local American history

Mysterious Americarsquos history has never been so much fun

1ST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2014 bull THE TRANS-ALLEGHENY LUNATIC ASYLUM71 ASYLUM DR WESTON WV 26452 bull 304-269-5070 bull TRANS-ALLEGHENYLUNATICASYLUMCOM

When we first rode up to this massive 27-acre facility Shira who had no idea where or why we were there shook her head and simply asked why

The asylum stands like a monstrous stone beast dominating the ground It is the second largest hand-hewn bluestone building on the planet with only Russiarsquos

Kremlin surpassing it But it is the feel and aura that surround and linger around this building

that will tell you the real story of the place

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum also known as the We-

ston State Hospital was a Kirkbride psychiatric hospital that

operated from 1864 until 1994 Like many Kirkbridge hospi-

tals it started out with a noble idea but soon became overrun

with patients lack of proper care and some of the saddest and

scariest tales were heard here on the tour The place is massive and to walk the halls would literally take miles

The place is reportedly full of ghosts and very bad things from the other side One look at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

and you will have a hard time denying that claim Shira will never go back and it was one of the few times that she was seriously

ldquocreeped outrdquo Her words ndash not ours

With that being said you surely must agree that a visit to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum easily ranks as our 1st place for

our Mysterious America 2014

MomentsIt was April 10 of this past year when the phone here at Backroads rang Answering it I could hear the voice of a friend Dave on the farend ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo I asked ldquohow are yourdquoDaversquos voice trembled and broke ldquoJeff Bahr was killed today on his bikerdquoIn that moment everything stopped It remained stopped for a long time Sometimes it still doesA month or so later well after Jeffrsquos service and cremation Shira and I found ourselves at the spot where this happened We talked tothe young man who was tending his barbecue pit which he was stoking for the dayrsquos lunch He was there when the driver pulled out ofhis general storersquos parking lot without even a glance He sadly but kindly told us of that momentJeff had simply been riding down a wide country road when an 86-year old man pulled out in front of him Although rubber on the roadshowed Jeff tried to avoid the car it was too little too late and he was killed on impactI have no idea what happened to the old man after this event But regardless he has to live with his inattentiveness and actions for therest of his life So do many of usWe do not remember days we remember momentsThat day was made up of a moment we will never forgetThe weekend I wrote this Jeff if hersquod survived would have been 57 He would have had dozens more stories made us laugh a dozenmore times would have made this magazine a dozen times betterJeff I hope you know that so many of us miss you so muchTo you all enjoy and savor all your moments Life is made up of them and eventually one of those moments will hurt

Page 24 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Shirarsquos Ice Cream RunLast year we introduce a semi-monthly some of the time if she felt like it column ndashShirarsquos Ice Cream Run It seems to everybody but the red head that this column hasbecome a huge hit and we have had more comments and suggestions for the IceCream Runs than anything else within memory So think sweet creamy and cold andletrsquos see what Shira thought were on the top three stops of 2014rsquos Ice Cream Runs

2ND RUNNER UP bull HOLSTENrsquoS CONFECTIONARY1603 BROAD ST BLOOMFIELD NJ 07003 bull 973-338-7091 bull WWWHOLSTENSCOM

Immortalized on celluloid in the Sopranosrsquo final episode Holstenrsquos Confectionary has so much more

to offer than their souvenir t-shirts from said show A true old-time ice cream parlor Holstenrsquos home-

made ice cream and confections will win the hearts of any true lover of sweets Taking a seat at the

counter should bring back memories of visits to Woolworthrsquos and once the delicious dairyness is

placed in front of you complete with homemade whipped cream you will think you are in a

dream Holstenrsquos has the whole package ndash premium product comfortable setting and take-home

delights With its 2nd Runner Up status truly one of my favorites of this yearrsquos ice cream stops

1ST RUNNER UP bull CAYUGA LAKE CREAMERY8421 NY 89 INTERLAKEN NY 14847 bull 607-532-9492 bull WWWCAYUGALAKECREAMERYCOM

Nestled in the idyllic Finger Lakes the Cayuga Lake Creamery offers up some of the most in-

ventive flavors Irsquove seen including wine ice cream and sorbet (best of both worlds Irsquod say)

Sitting on their outdoor deck savoring your Maple Bacon or Lavender cone on a warm summer

day ndash what could be better than that

While the Finger Lakes may not offer the most challenging of rides the scenery is beautiful and

the gorges are well gorgeous I canrsquot think of a much better day than meandering around the

Fingers with a late afternoon stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery Their 14 butterfat mixture and only the best of locally sourced

ingredients produce some of the finest creamiest ice creams around Do yourself a favor and spin your wheels to this part of

NY state for a weekend of indulgence as their terrific flavors will keep you coming back day after day

1ST PLACE SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN bull HALLrsquoS HOMEMADE ICE CREAM861 RACCOONVALLEY RD MILLERSTOWN PA 17062

717-589-3290 bull WWWHALLSICECREAMCOM

I found this gem in the middle of the Alleghenies while Brian was off riding in the forest with the

ALTRider group Having grabbed the 1st Place spot in this yearrsquos Ice Cream Run you know Hallrsquos

Homemade Ice Cream and Dairy has to be something pretty special

While their flavor offerings may not be as exotic as Cayuga Lake the quality is heavenly Their

signature flavor and one I had not tasted before is their honey ice cream coming in a variety of

mixtures such as chocolate butter pecan and my personal favorite cinnamon Hallrsquos has a couple

of outdoor tables where you can take in the full dairy effect while licking your cone If that is too

overwhelming they have a very nice indoor seating area complete with air conditioning

The riding in this part of Pennsylvania is quite exciting with elevation changes sweepers and

twisties and for those desiring an off-road adventure plenty of woodlands to test your knobbies

What do all three of these winners have in common other than fantastic ice cream They are all

open all year long so if you happen to be out and about in Bloomfield NJ Interlaken NY or Miller-

stown PA make sure you plan a stop at one of the top three spots on Shirarsquos 2014 Ice Cream Run

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 25

Rip amp Ridereg bull RIVER RUNNERS ROOST2378 RTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770

845-557-0097 bull WWWRIVERRUNNERSROOSTCOMSEASONAL HOURS - CALL BEFORE HEADING OUT

CR 560 IN SUSSEX COUNTY NJCROSS DINGMANS BRIDGE bull $1 TOLLSTRAIGHT ON RTE 739RIGHT AT MILFORD RDLEFT AT RAYMONDSKILL RDCROSS OVER I-84HARD LEFT ON US 6QUICK RIGHT ONTOTWIN LAKES RDRIGHT AT RTE 434CROSS RIVER TO NEWYORKRIGHT AT RTE 97 SOUTHRIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST DOWN ROAD ON LEFT HAND SIDE

Rip amp Ridereg bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784603- 298-5515 bull WWW4ACESDINERCOM

GPS DOWNLOAD WWWSENDSPACECOMPRODLXXTWXB90-MILE ONEWAY ROUTE FROM THEWEST DOVER VERMONT REGION

BIG BEARS LODGE GRAY GHOST AND KITZHOF INN

RTE 100 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT RTE 35RIGHT AT RTE 121LEFT AT RTE 5CROSS INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE ndash ARCH BRIDGELEFT AT RTE 12 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 120LEFT AT RTE 4 WEST LEBANONFOUR ACES DOWN ON THE LEFT

TAylorrsquos ice creAm PArlor

18 e mAin sT chesTer nJ bull 908-879-5363

What to do on the first sub-freezing day in November Go for ice cream

of course I was hanging out with the good doctor OrsquoLife and best friend

Brian when OrsquoLife told us of this place that grows telephone poles Having

my doubts about most of what OrsquoLife tells me I asked him to prove it So

off we went to the quaint little town of Chester New Jersey

After a pleasant lunch at the Publick House complete with real wood

burning fireplace we trekked down the road a piece found said telephone

pole farm (for another column of course) and started our return to Back-

roads Central Lo and behold right before the turn onto Route 206 there

sat Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor in the nicest old building on the block We

got our spot and headed in to find well no one but Justin in a very toasty

old fashioned ice cream parlor I do think that he was surprised to see us

or anyone on such a cold day

Taylorrsquos has apparently been an ice cream institution in

Chester for the last 50 years or so founded by Mr Earle G

Taylor Sr who just passed this August Taylorrsquos was the vic-

tim of fire some time in 2013 and was closed for a good 8

months before reopening in the same spot with applause

from their long-time fans and customers Their ice cream is

all home made and always has been On a hot summer day

you will no doubt be lined up out the door and down the

block to get this tasty treat but Irsquom certain you will find it

worth the wait I think their pricing is quite reasonable for

the size scoop they dip and if you are like me and want a sam-

pling of several flavors they offer Kiddie Scoops at $195

each ndash a flight of ice cream sounds like the perfect end-of-

ride relaxation

We perused the two very full ice cream boards and poured

over the cabinets before making our decisions With close to

50 listed flavors what was a girl to do without minions to help her taste test We finally settled on chocolate hazelnut toasted coconut salted caramel and

vanilla fudge brownie I pretty much always opt for a cup as I savor my ice cream and it would run down my arm before I was even close to finishing but I was

almost tempted by their pretzel cone What is so great about Taylorrsquos cones is the plastic drip cup in which they reside both sanitary and mess-preventing

Page 26 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

TOWN amp COUNTRYC Y C L E C E N T E R

115 Route 23N bull Hamburg NJ bull 973-875-2111wwwtownandcountrycyclecentercom

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIYamahacom bull 516-935-6969

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE

SPORT TOURERIntroducing the most performancepower versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle From commutingand exploring backroads to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaharsquos un-mistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

While enjoying our treats we savored

the deacutecor of this very pleasant parlor Sev-

eral tables to enjoy your ice cream clip-

pings of newspaper articles school

paraphernalia and something that has no

place in an ice cream parlor an old-fash-

ioned fortune telling scale This couldnrsquot

possibly still be functioning could it Ac-

cording to Justin yes it was How could we

resist In went our pennies and up popped

our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked

the weight numbers) Brianrsquos read lsquoYou are

not overbearing but generally have things

your wayrsquo Wow I couldnrsquot wait to see if

mine was as accurate ldquoYou look to the fu-

ture rather than the pastrsquo So true

Back to the ice cream ndash it

was heavenly We all agreed

that the salted caramel was the

overall winner having the per-

fect balance of salt and

caramel with the best creamy

texture The toasted coconut

was very flavorful with lots of

coconut bits the chocolate

hazelnut was very dark and

creamy and mixed with the coconut made the perfect almond-free almond

joy The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole but cer-

tainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store

I believe Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round but if yoursquore head-

ing over during the winter months give them a call to make sure Enjoy the

winter and remember itrsquos never too cold to eat ice cream

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield PA

215-712-7433 bull wwwBMWMotorcyclescom

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

THE NEW R 1200 RA POWERFUL STATEMENT

Our newest boxer roadster has one missiondominate the streets in style The R 1200 Ris designed to blend comfort precisehandling and pure riding excitementhellipin one head-turning machine

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW R 1200 RSTHRILLING COMFORT

The new R 1200 RS is perfectly balancedcombining optimal wind and weather protectionwith powerful performance and controlPutting you in an unparalleled position toexplore the road - and your own limits

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW S 1000 RRWELCOME TO THENEW PLANET POWER

The S 1000 RR has been completely revisedThe results in its origins a genuine Double RRon the road a new supersports machine thatwill once again set the benchmark in its class

UNSTOPPABLE SPORT

WHAT lsquoRrsquo YOU WAITING FORCome to Montgomeryville Cycle Center to see the full line of 2015 BMW Motorcycles products and apparel

We have everything yoursquoll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever

Motorcyclepedia the northeastrsquos

premier motorcycle museum will

be holding its Speaker Series again

this winter with various riders and

orators covering topics ranging

from world touring to tips on avoiding tickets and an in depth look at GPS

technology and todayrsquos motorcycling

Backroadsrsquo own Brian amp Shira will start the series off with a talk on Jan-

uary 17 on lsquoThe Big Fiversquo motorcycle destinations around the planet along

with planning and touring around the United States and the world

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who

will help clear the fog about Garmin GPSrsquos and how their BaseCamp program

works along with how to create and export your own personal routes

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on ldquoEverything you need to know

on Motorcycles and the Lawrdquo - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper po-

lice procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists

Seth Simpson of Motorcycle training Solutions will be giving a seminar

on Rider Training

Motorcyclistmoto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about

Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys

Look for a Womenrsquos Riding Panel with some well-known female motor-

cyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing todayrsquos women

riders This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and

beginning women riders

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months

and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to

enlighten

Wersquoll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page

as soon as they are etched in stone

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh New York in the

riding heart of the Hudson Valley

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 27

A DAY AT THE MUSEUMlsquoSPEAKER SERIESrsquo RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Frankrsquos MotorcycleSales amp Service

120 Center RoadEssex VT 05451

802-878-3930wwwFranksMotorcycleSalescomBMWhtm

Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

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Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

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JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

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The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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memBer

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Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

JDS CYCLE PARTSeST 1988

247 W Westfield Ave Rosell Park NJ908-245-2445

bull Parts amp Accessories

bull Award-winning Service

bull Performance Work

bull Dyno Tuning

bull SampS Pro Tuning Center

bull Power CommanderTuning Center

American bull Metric bull Sport

Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 17: January 2015 Backroads

The BridGewATer TriAnGle

is This The sTrAnGesT sPoT in The norTheAsT

Located just 30 miles south of Boston this 200-mile square area has the

Massachusetts towns of Abington Freetown and Rehoboth at its angles The

town of Bridgewater is located nearly dead center within the triangle and the

area also encompasses six other Massachusetts towns Raynham Taunton

Brockton Mansfield Norton and Easton including the Hockomock Swamp

It is known as the Bridgewater Triangle

It seems if it is paranormal weird or mysterious it has happened in the Tri-

angle of the years

Let us start with one of the

first odd things found in the

region

It was in this area that the

first officially documented

petroglyph in the United

States was found - Dighton

Rock This 40 ton boulder

was discovered by original

settlers and has always

caused questions and wonder

of who made these mysteri-

ous markings and why

In fact in 1690 Rev Cotton Mather described the rock in his book The

Wonderful Works of God Commemorated

ldquoAmong the other Curiosities of New-England one is that of a mighty

Rock on a perpendicular side whereof by a River which at High Tide covers

part of it there are very deeply Engraved no man alive knows How or When

about half a score Lines near Ten Foot Long and a foot and half broad filled

with strange Characters which would

suggest as odd Thoughts about them that

were here before us as there are odd

Shapes in that Elaborate Monumentrdquo

The boulder was moved in 1980 to the

museum in a nearby park Dighton Rock State Park in order to protect and

preserve this part of Americarsquos strange history

Strangely marked boulders were not the beginning of the mystery of the

Bridgewater Triangle

Years back a group of archeologists discovered a native burial mound on

Grassy Island in the swamp These graves were dated to 6000 BC

Strange lights have been

reported on this island and

across the triangle and one

of the first documented

UFO sighting came from

here when on May 10

1760 villagers in two

towns 50 miles away stared

in wonder at a ldquoSphere of

Firerdquo that slowly made its

way across the sky

The next day both townsrsquo newspapers reported the phenomena in their edi-

tions According to historical records the UFO emitted light bright enough

to cast a shadow in bright sunlight The sound made by the object ldquooddly

enough was heard sooner at the middle of the course it took than at the be-

ginningrdquo

You canrsquot really have such an eclectic gathering of odd in a place like this

in Mysterious America without a few good Yeti sightings

Over the years all sorts of ldquoSwamp Monstersrdquo have been sighted and in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 17

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTeRIOUS AMeRICA

April 1970 it was reported that a ldquoBigfootrdquo

picked up a rear of a police car in which sat

two surprised police officers

Police dogs have been used time and again but

Bigfoot is an elusive fellow

I have always believed the Jersey Devil is a

Pterosaurs of some kind and here around the

Bridgewater Triangle huge black prehistoric-look-

ing birds with a wingspan of between eight and

twelve feet have been reported time and again in-

cluding a report by Norton Police Sergeant Thomas

Downy

Indian Curses abound as well and along Route

44 in Rehoboth lies the boulder known as Anawan

Rock It is said that it was here that the Wampanoag

chief Anawan surrendered to the colonists thus

ending King Philiprsquos War According to local be-

liefs the angry spirits of the warriors captured that

day continue to haunt the spot

Extremely large snakes and alligators have been

found in the swamp along with other creatures that are totally out of place

In the late 1800rsquos bones of a giant were unearthed

Every which way you look or travel in the area you will find something

strange In fact I have a quick list of odd things found in the

Bridgewater Triangle for you

Next time yoursquore looking to spend a few days exploring Mys-

terious America take a ride around the Bridgewater Triangle You

just might end up sending me an email telling me you spotted ahellip

OrsquoLife Out

Ten odd ThinGs found in The BridGewATer TriAnGle

1 The longest epitaph in the United States is located in a Rehoboth

cemetery A full 405 words

2 Three PT Barnum circus ldquofreaksrdquo hailed from here including

Middlebororsquos Tom Thumb and East Bridgewaterrsquos ldquoThe Human

Skeletonrdquo

3 The first boundary line in the United States is located in Abing-

ton at the Bridgewater Trianglersquos furthest most delineated northern

map point

4 A historic 40-foot tall Hood milk bottle in Raynham (now a

restaurant) is the (triplet) sister to famous the ldquoMilk Bottlerdquo at the

Boston Childrenrsquos museum

5 In 1906 bones of ldquoa giantrdquo were discovered in Middleboro

6 Alligators seals emu peacocks cow moose bears Africal

Sevral panthers and mountain lions have all been found in the

Bridgewater Triangle

7 There are both handprints and footprints imbedded into several

Bridgewater Triangle boulders handprints in Middleboro foot-

prints in Norton

8 Dighton Rock is the first documented petroglyph in the United

States

9 The chocolate chip cookie was invented in the happiest of ac-

cidents in the northern apex of the Bridgewater Triangle

10 The Bridgewater Triangle is host to the worldrsquos only shovel

museum located in Easton

Page 18 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

290 Route 100 West Dover VT800-745-3615 bull wwwgrayghostinncom

Motorcyclist-Friendly Destination LodgingLocated on Scenic Route 100 in Southern VermontHot breakfast cooked to order BYOB bar firepit hot tub game room and WiFi

Free Maps and Suggested Rides Group Special Packages5 restaurantsbars within walking distance bull On-site Group Dinners available

MemberWhen you canrsquot ride because of snow ride the snow

Guided Back-Country Snowmobile Toursin the Green Mountain National Forest

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

mounTAineer hoTel

31 eAsT second Avenue williAmson wv

304-235-2222 bull wwwmounTAineerhoTelcom

Laying right on the Tug Fork River across from the

Blue Grass state of Kentucky one will find the tiny town

of Williamson West Virginia Williamson has a long

history mostly revolving around the coal industry

Here you will find a rather large rail yard now part

of the Norfolk Southern built to service the many mines

found in and around this part of West Virginia and Ken-

tucky

In 1974 a United States Army Corps of Engineer

planner described the region as having the most severe

flooding problem in America

In 1977 after many days of steady hard rain the Tug

Fork and adjoining streams began

a constant and quick rise As had

happened in the past the town ex-

perienced incredible flooding

Today a floodwall protects

Williamson from future wet havoc

A huge part of this regionrsquos local

lore and history is the famed home

of the feud between the Hatfields

and McCoys probably the most

famous family fight in US history

The first event in the decades-

long feud was the 1865 murder of

Randolphrsquos brother Asa Harmon

McCoy by the Logan Wildcats a local militia group

that counted Devil Anse and other Hatfields among its

members Many peoplemdasheven members of his own

familymdashregarded Asa Harmon who had served in the

Union Army during the American Civil War as a trai-

tor While some have surmised that his murder set the

stage for the feud most historians now see this inci-

dent as a standalone event

Relations between the two families continued to

sour over the next decade before flaring again over a

seemingly small matter a dispute over a single hog

In 1878 Randolph McCoy accused Floyd Hatfield a

cousin of Devil Anse of stealing one of his pigs a

valuable commodity in the poor region Floyd Hat-

fieldsrsquos trial took place in McCoy territory but was

presided over by a cousin of Devil Anse It hinged on

the testimony of star witness Bill Staton a McCoy rel-

ative married to a Hatfield Staton testified in Floyd

Hatfieldrsquos favor and the McCoys were infuriated when

Floyd was cleared of the charges against him Two

years later Staton was violently killed in a fracas with

Sam and Paris McCoy nephews of Randolph Sam stood trial for the

murder but was acquitted for self-defense reasons

Things went south from there and an American legacy was born

In and around the town you will find much on this feud

In the center of town you will find The Coal House now the home

of the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce

Weighing in at 65 tons with 2 ft thick walls itrsquos the only coal house

made entirely of coal Built in 1933 it was designed by architect HT

Hicks from an idea by O W Evans It was constructed from blocks

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 19

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

of local seam coal donated by coal companies in the region

Right next door to The Coal House you will find the historic

Mountaineer Hotel The large classic-revival 5-story yellow-

glazed brick building dominates the center of town and offers

a look and reason to step back into the past

Built in 1925 the Mountaineer hotel has had its share of fa-

mous guests with JFK Paul Newman Jerry Lee Lewis Henry

Ford and others- including the great Soupy Sales - staying here

overnight

In fact all the rooms are named after famous and infamous

guests that have walked through its doors

Later in the evening we walked all five flights to see just

who did stay there

The main entrance leads to a large lobby and the front desk

with pigeonhole boxes for room keys and a teller window

French doors lead to the ballroom The hotel has 116 rooms

for guests a formal ballroom a lobby restaurant and sports bar

(which were not open this day) and the lower level has a num-

ber of games ndash including Fooz ball pool

and a large regulation-sized shuffle board

game that kept us occupied for about an

hour

Sometimes we find places from this era

a bit run down but the Mountaineer hotel

is a gem

Just one look at the grand lobby and you

will know this is true and with rooms less

than $75 for the night quite the deal too

We took Paul Newmanrsquos room and it

couldnrsquot have been nicer

Unpacking and strolling around town

which was quiet on a Monday night was a

pleasant distraction after a dayrsquos worth of

hard miles through the mountains of West

Virginia and Kentucky

When traveling around the United States

you can almost always find a chain hotel at

any exit or bigger town but why would you

want to when wonderful old beauties like

the Mountaineer Hotel in Williamson West

Virginia are around

Page 20 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Tony Lisanti

Eye protection for off road use consists of

the tried and true goggle The goggle

wraps around the helmet and seals to

your face in the helmet opening

Traditional goggles

consist of a urethane

based flexible frame

with various types of

foam material that

seal directly against

the forehead and cheeks

and nose keeping out wind and

dirt Being the helmet has a limited opening

goggles have had to fit inside this space limiting the field of vision

This type of goggle has been the norm for last half century with

all kinds of innovations in frame lens and foam materials

Enter ZOWA Optics Visor Goggles ZOWA Optics was founded

in 2013 Their goal is to offer unique goggles to off-road dirt bike

ATV and snowmobile riders The Vermont based company has

come up with a goggle that eliminates many of the drawbacks of

a traditional off road goggle The Visor Goggles are designed so

the upper half seals against the helmet rather than the forehead

The lower half of the goggle rests against the face By developing

the goggle in this way the field of view is dramatically increased and the

issue of having foam in contact with the skin on the forehead is eliminated

I had the opportunity to try out the Visor Goggles at a local practice track

recently The first thing I noticed was the size of the Visor Goggles They are

about twice the size of a traditional goggle They install on a helmet the same

way as traditional goggles except instead of resting against the forehead they

seal against the helmet under the visor Most noticeable was the lack

of ldquonose pinchrdquo and the vastly improved vision The Visor Goggle

drastically reduces the claustrophobic feel of traditional goggles as

there is more distance between the inside of the goggle and your face

The feel is more like an adventure helmet

After riding with them for an hour or two on an MX track I found

the improved field of vision to be a welcome change Riding with the

Visor Goggles allowed better vision up down and sideways I did no-

tice a bit more air coming in from the flow through design and from

underneath the seal against my check bones at speed During warm

weather this would be welcome in cold weather not so much Ad-

justing the strap tension has an affect on goggle to face contact Skin

contact with the typical sweatmudgrungefunk mix that gets en-

crusted on the foam is minimized since

the foam is resting against the helmet

rather than the forehead

They cleaned up well and showed no

signs of scratching on the lenses stain-

ing of the frames or discoloration de-

spite a liberal dosage of mud and water

The ZOWA Visor Goggle features in-

clude being rated for OTG (Over The

Glasses) by virtue of the greater clear-

ance between goggle and face a Hel-

met conformed design improved field

of view Lexan lens with anti-fog coating comfort foam and flow through

ventilation The strap features a silicon strip to help it stay put on the helmet

Accessory lenses and tear-off lenses are available All goggles come with a

micro fiber storage bag as well The off road goggles retail for $5800 and

are available in black red of cyan frame colors wwwzowaopticscom

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

BUILT BEYOND BELIEFINTRODUCING THE KAWASAKI

Come to Motorcycle Mall to reserve your Ninja H2trade

by December 19 and experience unforgettablesupercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2 motorcycle the worldrsquos onlysupercharged production hypersport streetbike

H2

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pantsgloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Mo-torcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environmentFor furher information regarding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 Specifi-cations subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspired R1 everFrom the advanced lsquorider activersquo electronicspackage to the powerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Supersport bike andfactory MotoGP has never been more blurred

COMPLETELY NEW

FROM THE TRACK UP

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 21

PRODUCT REVIEWZOWA OPTICS VISOR GOGGLES

Great All American Diner RunAs always wersquoll start with our most popular column the Great All American Diner Run Wait is it really We just might have a new fan fa-vorite but wersquoll save that till later First letrsquos take a look at the top three for GAADR 2014hellip

SECOND RUNNER UP bull RIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST2378 ROUTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770 bull 845-557-0097 bull RIVERUNNERSROOSTCOM

Route 97 along the scenic Delaware River has long been a favorite of motorcyclists for years and

over the years the road has seen a number of restaurants open their doors along its picturesque miles

The latest is the River Runnerrsquos Roost

Opened by Rich and Mary Codichini back in 2013 this place quickly became a favorite of ours

and many others They bill themselves as a barbeque steakhouse with a touch of Cajun and Italian

We call it phenomenal with one of the best barbeques in the region and gumbo to go to war over

If you havenrsquot tried the ldquoRoostrdquo then make plans for riding their way in the spring

FIRST RUNNER UP bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784 bull 603- 298-5515 bull 4ACESDINERCOM

Located just up the hill from the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River in the town of

Lebanon the Four Aces is the real deal A true Great All-American Diner Their

menu is huge interesting and delicious The ambience is pure Americana and the

roads leading to and from the Four Aces straddling Vermont and New Hampshire

are hard to top They have pro smokers going outside right along their picnic tables

but we found a seat at the counter worked just fine for us

Our only problem with Four Aces is that they are almost exactly 301 miles from

where we type this They should consider northern New Jersey

The Four Aces is a must see do and eat while in the Dartmouth region and just

missed out on our top honor for this yearrsquos vote

And so without further adohellip

1ST PLACE GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN 2014 bull FIVE ISLANDS LOBSTER COMPANY1447 5 ISLANDS RD GEORGETOWN ME 04548 bull 207-371-2990 bull FIVEISLANDSLOBSTERCOM

Location location location Besides have a superb down to Earth feel a great staff scrumptious food

and a wonderful coastal Maine flavor ndash The Five Islands Lobster Company has a serious location

Did we mention where it is

Located on a working fishing wharf it is surrounded by the ldquocoldest and deepest waters on the coastrdquo

There be some serious lobstarsquo lurking here abouts and it is best when they find their final way to

Five Islands You can have these big bugs anyway you like but we took a bullet for all of you and

went and ordered The Big Boy Stuffed with twice the amount of lobster meat than your average

lobster roll it was our pleasure to tackle this monster as best we could

Wait ndash just thinking of it all on this cold November day has us in a statehellip

They do serve a good number of other seafood favorites as well as more land-based standards but

who wants that when you can have the quintessential Maine treat on a wooden bench and table

alongside one of the prettiest bays in New England

This is why the Five Islands Lobster Company slid into the 1 spot in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

Big City GetawayBig City Getaway has always been about a great destination So many of

us roll the bikes out of the garage and then say ldquoWhere tordquo That is where this monthly favoritecomes in and here are our best of Big City Getaway 2015

2ND RUNNER UP bull MUSTANG FACTORYTOUR4 SPRINGFIELD STREET SUITE 1 THREE RIVERS MA 01080 bull 800-243-1392 bull MUSTANGSEATSCOM

They are one of the largest motorcycle seat manufacturers on the planet and they would be happy to show you around

We did a tour this last summer and found just how much talent vision and workmanship goes into creating some of

the most distinctive and comfortable motorcycle seats you can find

Page 22 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Best of Backroads 2014Once again this planet we ride has completed another lap around our sun and it is time for us to look back on the season and the veryBest of BackroadsIf we said 2013 was ldquointerestingrdquo we would be hard pressed to describe this past year of 2014For sure last year brought us thousands of great miles and lots of smiles interesting destinations and a few great Backroads Ralliesbut some darkness and loss along the journey for our Backroads family as wellStill looking back we had some phenomenal places we found stories we told and friends with which we have ridden The Italian poet Cesare Pavese said ldquoWe do not remember days we remember momentsrdquoThis year ndash 2014 ndash we had our share of moments Letrsquos look back at some in the Best of Backroads 2014

The tour is open to riding groups and takes a little over an hour and a half We recommend that you make an

appointment and guarantee you will have an informative and fun day with our friends at Mustang seats

1ST RUNNER UP bull COASTAL BOTANICAL GARDENS32 BOTANICAL GARDENS DR BOOTHBAY ME 04537 bull 207-633-4333 bull MAINEGARDENSORG

This project took nearly 17 years planning planting and building before its opening in June of 2007 and today

the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens comprises 270 acres of tidal shore land thousands of flowers plants

and botanical oddities Interspersed amongst the natural beauty you will find dozens of sculptures that

only add to an already stunning venue Rarely has a visitor spent some time at the Coastal Botanical

Gardens and not wanted to return as soon as possible

It is simple to see why this easily took our First Runner Up spot

1ST PLACE BIG CITY GETAWAY 2014 FIVE STAR GENERAL STORES bull NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY

This article from our October issue embodied a little bit of everything we might look for in a Big

City Getaway It had local history interesting stops (5 of them) food ice cream and it was all

woven together with some of the neatest roads in northern New Jersey ndash a riding jewel for those

who have never been so lucky Running along to five different and historic General Stores this day

trip just kept getting better Know that we just scratched the surface and that these General Stores from

the past can be found all around the nation But for this time around it was this adventure that was

called 1 for Big City Getaway 2014

(Note as of this printing the Stillwater General Store has closed but is still worth the ride-by for the

roads and historic value)

Wersquore Outta HereThe great thing that we riders have over the more boring people out there is that our tripsand adventures happen the moment we roll out of our driveways and onto the roadOvernight trips are like mini-vacations for the soul and are most likely the reason they sayyou never see a motorcycle outside a psychiatrist office unless it belongs to the shrinkWersquore Outta Here is all about that ndash places to go and enjoy whether it be a group coupleor on your ownLetrsquos see what we think were our top three for 2014

2ND RUNNER UP bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 E MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854 bull 814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGEPACOM

Shira found this hide-away full of coffee awesomeness when we were to attend the ALTRider adventure

ride early this summer in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania The lodge is part of the coffee house and

although the room we had was a tad small it was well thought out and just added to the coolness of the

entire place We had the Penns Creek Room with its lsquoloft-stylersquo bed and rock wall shower Each morning

the aroma from the coffee shop downstairs was like a Sirenrsquos call and had us highly motivated to carefully

spring out of bed (well it was a loft and there was a drop) There were also great muffins and cakes to go along with the coffee

Millheim is well located with a great combination of fantastic riding both paved and not and has a few eateries within strolling distance (compared to walking

or marching distance) We liked everything about the Triple Creek Lodge ndash the smell the flavor and the quirkiness

1ST RUNNER UP bull INDIAN ROCK INN2206 RIVER RD UPPER BLACK EDDY PA 18972 bull 610-982-9600 bull INDIANROCKINNCOM

GPS Download wwwsendspacecomprodlen7u7kAlong the PA-side of the Delaware River just north of Jerseyrsquos Milford in a place where the river

crooks dramatically and heads north for a bit you will find a great local treasure - the Indian Rock

Inn Tucked underneath what are called the Pennsylvania Palisades and along both river and old

canal the Indian Rock is the complete package

After a day of fun riding to and around the region you can park the bikes grab your room and

shower and make your way to the very friendly bar The Barking Dog Grab a cocktail and me-

ander to the very comfortable large porch take a seat and watch the world go by After the sun

sets a delicious gourmet meal is just steps away Perhaps a night cap and then upstairs to end a

prefect day With all that it is easy to see how the Indian Rock grabbed first runner up in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

1ST PLACEWErsquoRE OUTTA HERE 2014 bull QUODDY HEAD STATION823 SOUTH LUBEC RD LUBEC ME 04652 bull 877-535-4714 bull QUODDYVACATIONCOM

Most times we are all for suggesting you sleep in a bit longer at any of our Wersquore Outta Here destinations but here at Quoddy Head

Station we urge - no insist ndash that you get up before the dawn so you can be the first in the United States to see the sun rise over the At-

lantic from the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse - just a 2 minute ride to the east

Here in the most north and east point of the United States life does not get much better

The rooms and views cannot be beat and the surrounding area with its little coves Reversing Falls State Park Rooseveltrsquos Campobello

cottage (actually in Canada) and the very coastal Maine town of Lebec with its large number of seafood restaurants nautical shops and

vistas are hard to beat anywhere else in the world When we travelled in the area

we rode under a giant orange full moon that rose over the bay at low tide

It was eerie and stunning all at the same time

One of those moments we talked about earlier Quoddy Head Station has to be one

of the most interesting and geographically perfect places we have traveled to in

many years and easily made its way to the 1st place spot for Wersquore Outta Here 2014

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 23

Mysterious AmericaAlways one of the perennial favorites for our readers is the odd wacky and off-beat destinations that our own Dr Seymour OrsquoLife brings

to us each month This year was no different and the choices to be made for the TopThree were very tight for the good doctor but undaunted our hero carried on and cameup with the short list So letrsquos get to it

2ND RUNNER UP bull ISLE OFWIGHT COUNTY MUSEUM103 MAIN ST SMITHFIELD VA 23430 bull 757-356-1223 bull HISTORICISLEOFWIGHTCOM

You remember this place ndash home of the Worldrsquos Oldest Ham It belonged to PD Gwaltney Jr

It had its beginnings in 1902 when a cured ham was accidentally hung from rafters in one Gwaltneyrsquos

houses until it was discovered by workers By 1924 the pet ham was kept in an iron safe which was

opened daily for guests to view Advertised as the worldrsquos oldest Smithfield ham Gwaltney fashioned

a brass collar for the ham and took it to shows and expos to exhibit the preservative powers of his

smoking method The ham was featured in Ripleyrsquos ldquoBelieve It Or Notrdquo in 1929 1932 and 2003 and

more importantly in Backroads in May of 2014 For sure the museum holds so much more but Sey-

mour could never get past the ham Neither could we

1ST RUNNER UP bull THE CULPER SPY RINGThis was the first multi-month piece by the minions of mystery and we spent three

full months searching for the real story on George Washingtonrsquos Culper Spy Ring

From its beginning with the hanging of Nathan Hale in what is now mid-town Man-

hattan to the desolation of being held on a prison ship in an East River Bay in Brook-

lyn - where we had the largest battle of our Revolutionary War Then on to the Culper

Spies themselves and the web they wove from Setauket Long Island across the

Sound to Connecticut and into New York and Philadelphia These men and woman

(nobody really knows who this lady was) changed the course of history It was then

onto treachery traitors and sex ndashwith the story of Benedict Arnold his wife Peggy

Shippen and her lover Major John Andrersquo and our own West Point Escape capture

and the gallows all played a part in this true story of our local American history

Mysterious Americarsquos history has never been so much fun

1ST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2014 bull THE TRANS-ALLEGHENY LUNATIC ASYLUM71 ASYLUM DR WESTON WV 26452 bull 304-269-5070 bull TRANS-ALLEGHENYLUNATICASYLUMCOM

When we first rode up to this massive 27-acre facility Shira who had no idea where or why we were there shook her head and simply asked why

The asylum stands like a monstrous stone beast dominating the ground It is the second largest hand-hewn bluestone building on the planet with only Russiarsquos

Kremlin surpassing it But it is the feel and aura that surround and linger around this building

that will tell you the real story of the place

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum also known as the We-

ston State Hospital was a Kirkbride psychiatric hospital that

operated from 1864 until 1994 Like many Kirkbridge hospi-

tals it started out with a noble idea but soon became overrun

with patients lack of proper care and some of the saddest and

scariest tales were heard here on the tour The place is massive and to walk the halls would literally take miles

The place is reportedly full of ghosts and very bad things from the other side One look at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

and you will have a hard time denying that claim Shira will never go back and it was one of the few times that she was seriously

ldquocreeped outrdquo Her words ndash not ours

With that being said you surely must agree that a visit to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum easily ranks as our 1st place for

our Mysterious America 2014

MomentsIt was April 10 of this past year when the phone here at Backroads rang Answering it I could hear the voice of a friend Dave on the farend ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo I asked ldquohow are yourdquoDaversquos voice trembled and broke ldquoJeff Bahr was killed today on his bikerdquoIn that moment everything stopped It remained stopped for a long time Sometimes it still doesA month or so later well after Jeffrsquos service and cremation Shira and I found ourselves at the spot where this happened We talked tothe young man who was tending his barbecue pit which he was stoking for the dayrsquos lunch He was there when the driver pulled out ofhis general storersquos parking lot without even a glance He sadly but kindly told us of that momentJeff had simply been riding down a wide country road when an 86-year old man pulled out in front of him Although rubber on the roadshowed Jeff tried to avoid the car it was too little too late and he was killed on impactI have no idea what happened to the old man after this event But regardless he has to live with his inattentiveness and actions for therest of his life So do many of usWe do not remember days we remember momentsThat day was made up of a moment we will never forgetThe weekend I wrote this Jeff if hersquod survived would have been 57 He would have had dozens more stories made us laugh a dozenmore times would have made this magazine a dozen times betterJeff I hope you know that so many of us miss you so muchTo you all enjoy and savor all your moments Life is made up of them and eventually one of those moments will hurt

Page 24 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Shirarsquos Ice Cream RunLast year we introduce a semi-monthly some of the time if she felt like it column ndashShirarsquos Ice Cream Run It seems to everybody but the red head that this column hasbecome a huge hit and we have had more comments and suggestions for the IceCream Runs than anything else within memory So think sweet creamy and cold andletrsquos see what Shira thought were on the top three stops of 2014rsquos Ice Cream Runs

2ND RUNNER UP bull HOLSTENrsquoS CONFECTIONARY1603 BROAD ST BLOOMFIELD NJ 07003 bull 973-338-7091 bull WWWHOLSTENSCOM

Immortalized on celluloid in the Sopranosrsquo final episode Holstenrsquos Confectionary has so much more

to offer than their souvenir t-shirts from said show A true old-time ice cream parlor Holstenrsquos home-

made ice cream and confections will win the hearts of any true lover of sweets Taking a seat at the

counter should bring back memories of visits to Woolworthrsquos and once the delicious dairyness is

placed in front of you complete with homemade whipped cream you will think you are in a

dream Holstenrsquos has the whole package ndash premium product comfortable setting and take-home

delights With its 2nd Runner Up status truly one of my favorites of this yearrsquos ice cream stops

1ST RUNNER UP bull CAYUGA LAKE CREAMERY8421 NY 89 INTERLAKEN NY 14847 bull 607-532-9492 bull WWWCAYUGALAKECREAMERYCOM

Nestled in the idyllic Finger Lakes the Cayuga Lake Creamery offers up some of the most in-

ventive flavors Irsquove seen including wine ice cream and sorbet (best of both worlds Irsquod say)

Sitting on their outdoor deck savoring your Maple Bacon or Lavender cone on a warm summer

day ndash what could be better than that

While the Finger Lakes may not offer the most challenging of rides the scenery is beautiful and

the gorges are well gorgeous I canrsquot think of a much better day than meandering around the

Fingers with a late afternoon stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery Their 14 butterfat mixture and only the best of locally sourced

ingredients produce some of the finest creamiest ice creams around Do yourself a favor and spin your wheels to this part of

NY state for a weekend of indulgence as their terrific flavors will keep you coming back day after day

1ST PLACE SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN bull HALLrsquoS HOMEMADE ICE CREAM861 RACCOONVALLEY RD MILLERSTOWN PA 17062

717-589-3290 bull WWWHALLSICECREAMCOM

I found this gem in the middle of the Alleghenies while Brian was off riding in the forest with the

ALTRider group Having grabbed the 1st Place spot in this yearrsquos Ice Cream Run you know Hallrsquos

Homemade Ice Cream and Dairy has to be something pretty special

While their flavor offerings may not be as exotic as Cayuga Lake the quality is heavenly Their

signature flavor and one I had not tasted before is their honey ice cream coming in a variety of

mixtures such as chocolate butter pecan and my personal favorite cinnamon Hallrsquos has a couple

of outdoor tables where you can take in the full dairy effect while licking your cone If that is too

overwhelming they have a very nice indoor seating area complete with air conditioning

The riding in this part of Pennsylvania is quite exciting with elevation changes sweepers and

twisties and for those desiring an off-road adventure plenty of woodlands to test your knobbies

What do all three of these winners have in common other than fantastic ice cream They are all

open all year long so if you happen to be out and about in Bloomfield NJ Interlaken NY or Miller-

stown PA make sure you plan a stop at one of the top three spots on Shirarsquos 2014 Ice Cream Run

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 25

Rip amp Ridereg bull RIVER RUNNERS ROOST2378 RTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770

845-557-0097 bull WWWRIVERRUNNERSROOSTCOMSEASONAL HOURS - CALL BEFORE HEADING OUT

CR 560 IN SUSSEX COUNTY NJCROSS DINGMANS BRIDGE bull $1 TOLLSTRAIGHT ON RTE 739RIGHT AT MILFORD RDLEFT AT RAYMONDSKILL RDCROSS OVER I-84HARD LEFT ON US 6QUICK RIGHT ONTOTWIN LAKES RDRIGHT AT RTE 434CROSS RIVER TO NEWYORKRIGHT AT RTE 97 SOUTHRIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST DOWN ROAD ON LEFT HAND SIDE

Rip amp Ridereg bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784603- 298-5515 bull WWW4ACESDINERCOM

GPS DOWNLOAD WWWSENDSPACECOMPRODLXXTWXB90-MILE ONEWAY ROUTE FROM THEWEST DOVER VERMONT REGION

BIG BEARS LODGE GRAY GHOST AND KITZHOF INN

RTE 100 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT RTE 35RIGHT AT RTE 121LEFT AT RTE 5CROSS INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE ndash ARCH BRIDGELEFT AT RTE 12 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 120LEFT AT RTE 4 WEST LEBANONFOUR ACES DOWN ON THE LEFT

TAylorrsquos ice creAm PArlor

18 e mAin sT chesTer nJ bull 908-879-5363

What to do on the first sub-freezing day in November Go for ice cream

of course I was hanging out with the good doctor OrsquoLife and best friend

Brian when OrsquoLife told us of this place that grows telephone poles Having

my doubts about most of what OrsquoLife tells me I asked him to prove it So

off we went to the quaint little town of Chester New Jersey

After a pleasant lunch at the Publick House complete with real wood

burning fireplace we trekked down the road a piece found said telephone

pole farm (for another column of course) and started our return to Back-

roads Central Lo and behold right before the turn onto Route 206 there

sat Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor in the nicest old building on the block We

got our spot and headed in to find well no one but Justin in a very toasty

old fashioned ice cream parlor I do think that he was surprised to see us

or anyone on such a cold day

Taylorrsquos has apparently been an ice cream institution in

Chester for the last 50 years or so founded by Mr Earle G

Taylor Sr who just passed this August Taylorrsquos was the vic-

tim of fire some time in 2013 and was closed for a good 8

months before reopening in the same spot with applause

from their long-time fans and customers Their ice cream is

all home made and always has been On a hot summer day

you will no doubt be lined up out the door and down the

block to get this tasty treat but Irsquom certain you will find it

worth the wait I think their pricing is quite reasonable for

the size scoop they dip and if you are like me and want a sam-

pling of several flavors they offer Kiddie Scoops at $195

each ndash a flight of ice cream sounds like the perfect end-of-

ride relaxation

We perused the two very full ice cream boards and poured

over the cabinets before making our decisions With close to

50 listed flavors what was a girl to do without minions to help her taste test We finally settled on chocolate hazelnut toasted coconut salted caramel and

vanilla fudge brownie I pretty much always opt for a cup as I savor my ice cream and it would run down my arm before I was even close to finishing but I was

almost tempted by their pretzel cone What is so great about Taylorrsquos cones is the plastic drip cup in which they reside both sanitary and mess-preventing

Page 26 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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115 Route 23N bull Hamburg NJ bull 973-875-2111wwwtownandcountrycyclecentercom

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIYamahacom bull 516-935-6969

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE

SPORT TOURERIntroducing the most performancepower versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle From commutingand exploring backroads to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaharsquos un-mistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

While enjoying our treats we savored

the deacutecor of this very pleasant parlor Sev-

eral tables to enjoy your ice cream clip-

pings of newspaper articles school

paraphernalia and something that has no

place in an ice cream parlor an old-fash-

ioned fortune telling scale This couldnrsquot

possibly still be functioning could it Ac-

cording to Justin yes it was How could we

resist In went our pennies and up popped

our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked

the weight numbers) Brianrsquos read lsquoYou are

not overbearing but generally have things

your wayrsquo Wow I couldnrsquot wait to see if

mine was as accurate ldquoYou look to the fu-

ture rather than the pastrsquo So true

Back to the ice cream ndash it

was heavenly We all agreed

that the salted caramel was the

overall winner having the per-

fect balance of salt and

caramel with the best creamy

texture The toasted coconut

was very flavorful with lots of

coconut bits the chocolate

hazelnut was very dark and

creamy and mixed with the coconut made the perfect almond-free almond

joy The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole but cer-

tainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store

I believe Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round but if yoursquore head-

ing over during the winter months give them a call to make sure Enjoy the

winter and remember itrsquos never too cold to eat ice cream

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield PA

215-712-7433 bull wwwBMWMotorcyclescom

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

THE NEW R 1200 RA POWERFUL STATEMENT

Our newest boxer roadster has one missiondominate the streets in style The R 1200 Ris designed to blend comfort precisehandling and pure riding excitementhellipin one head-turning machine

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW R 1200 RSTHRILLING COMFORT

The new R 1200 RS is perfectly balancedcombining optimal wind and weather protectionwith powerful performance and controlPutting you in an unparalleled position toexplore the road - and your own limits

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW S 1000 RRWELCOME TO THENEW PLANET POWER

The S 1000 RR has been completely revisedThe results in its origins a genuine Double RRon the road a new supersports machine thatwill once again set the benchmark in its class

UNSTOPPABLE SPORT

WHAT lsquoRrsquo YOU WAITING FORCome to Montgomeryville Cycle Center to see the full line of 2015 BMW Motorcycles products and apparel

We have everything yoursquoll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever

Motorcyclepedia the northeastrsquos

premier motorcycle museum will

be holding its Speaker Series again

this winter with various riders and

orators covering topics ranging

from world touring to tips on avoiding tickets and an in depth look at GPS

technology and todayrsquos motorcycling

Backroadsrsquo own Brian amp Shira will start the series off with a talk on Jan-

uary 17 on lsquoThe Big Fiversquo motorcycle destinations around the planet along

with planning and touring around the United States and the world

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who

will help clear the fog about Garmin GPSrsquos and how their BaseCamp program

works along with how to create and export your own personal routes

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on ldquoEverything you need to know

on Motorcycles and the Lawrdquo - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper po-

lice procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists

Seth Simpson of Motorcycle training Solutions will be giving a seminar

on Rider Training

Motorcyclistmoto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about

Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys

Look for a Womenrsquos Riding Panel with some well-known female motor-

cyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing todayrsquos women

riders This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and

beginning women riders

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months

and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to

enlighten

Wersquoll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page

as soon as they are etched in stone

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh New York in the

riding heart of the Hudson Valley

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 27

A DAY AT THE MUSEUMlsquoSPEAKER SERIESrsquo RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Frankrsquos MotorcycleSales amp Service

120 Center RoadEssex VT 05451

802-878-3930wwwFranksMotorcycleSalescomBMWhtm

Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY845-357-1190

wwwLocomotionPowersportscom

LOCOMOTION POWER-

SPORTS138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY

845-357-1190

Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

SUSSEX MOTORSPORTS446 Route 23 bull Sussex NJ bull Located across from the AampP Shopping Plaza

973-875-3640 bull wwwsussexmotorsportsnjcombull Family OwnedOperated in Northwest NJ bull Near the NYPA border

bull Wide selection of onoff road apparel jackets helmets gloves and boots

bull Qualified Service Technicians with over 30 years combined experienceto perform all your Yamaha authorized service

Wheel Sport Center Inc399 HUGUeNOT ST bull NeW ROCHeLLe NY

9146367235 bull WheelSportCenternet

JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

2015 Kawasaki Concoursreg14 ABSThe ultimate backroad SuperSport Tourer

The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 491-2900

wwwCrossCountryPowersportscom

Visit us at the NY Boat ShowJan 21-25 bull Javits Center

NJ Boat Sales amp ExpoFeb 20-23

NJ Conv amp Expo Ctr Edisonfor Exclusive Show Specials

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

NOW TAKING DEPOSITSon Scramblers

cycle insurance Agency increcreational vehicle specialists

Agents who ride and understandyour motorcycle insurance needs

Ask about our Tour cycle Program ndash the ultimate in coverage

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448 lincoln Ave bull hawthorne nJ 07506 bull 973-427-2246

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serving new Jersey new york and Pennsylvania bull ATv bull Jet ski bull snowmobile

memBer

memBer

Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

JDS CYCLE PARTSeST 1988

247 W Westfield Ave Rosell Park NJ908-245-2445

bull Parts amp Accessories

bull Award-winning Service

bull Performance Work

bull Dyno Tuning

bull SampS Pro Tuning Center

bull Power CommanderTuning Center

American bull Metric bull Sport

Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 18: January 2015 Backroads

April 1970 it was reported that a ldquoBigfootrdquo

picked up a rear of a police car in which sat

two surprised police officers

Police dogs have been used time and again but

Bigfoot is an elusive fellow

I have always believed the Jersey Devil is a

Pterosaurs of some kind and here around the

Bridgewater Triangle huge black prehistoric-look-

ing birds with a wingspan of between eight and

twelve feet have been reported time and again in-

cluding a report by Norton Police Sergeant Thomas

Downy

Indian Curses abound as well and along Route

44 in Rehoboth lies the boulder known as Anawan

Rock It is said that it was here that the Wampanoag

chief Anawan surrendered to the colonists thus

ending King Philiprsquos War According to local be-

liefs the angry spirits of the warriors captured that

day continue to haunt the spot

Extremely large snakes and alligators have been

found in the swamp along with other creatures that are totally out of place

In the late 1800rsquos bones of a giant were unearthed

Every which way you look or travel in the area you will find something

strange In fact I have a quick list of odd things found in the

Bridgewater Triangle for you

Next time yoursquore looking to spend a few days exploring Mys-

terious America take a ride around the Bridgewater Triangle You

just might end up sending me an email telling me you spotted ahellip

OrsquoLife Out

Ten odd ThinGs found in The BridGewATer TriAnGle

1 The longest epitaph in the United States is located in a Rehoboth

cemetery A full 405 words

2 Three PT Barnum circus ldquofreaksrdquo hailed from here including

Middlebororsquos Tom Thumb and East Bridgewaterrsquos ldquoThe Human

Skeletonrdquo

3 The first boundary line in the United States is located in Abing-

ton at the Bridgewater Trianglersquos furthest most delineated northern

map point

4 A historic 40-foot tall Hood milk bottle in Raynham (now a

restaurant) is the (triplet) sister to famous the ldquoMilk Bottlerdquo at the

Boston Childrenrsquos museum

5 In 1906 bones of ldquoa giantrdquo were discovered in Middleboro

6 Alligators seals emu peacocks cow moose bears Africal

Sevral panthers and mountain lions have all been found in the

Bridgewater Triangle

7 There are both handprints and footprints imbedded into several

Bridgewater Triangle boulders handprints in Middleboro foot-

prints in Norton

8 Dighton Rock is the first documented petroglyph in the United

States

9 The chocolate chip cookie was invented in the happiest of ac-

cidents in the northern apex of the Bridgewater Triangle

10 The Bridgewater Triangle is host to the worldrsquos only shovel

museum located in Easton

Page 18 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

290 Route 100 West Dover VT800-745-3615 bull wwwgrayghostinncom

Motorcyclist-Friendly Destination LodgingLocated on Scenic Route 100 in Southern VermontHot breakfast cooked to order BYOB bar firepit hot tub game room and WiFi

Free Maps and Suggested Rides Group Special Packages5 restaurantsbars within walking distance bull On-site Group Dinners available

MemberWhen you canrsquot ride because of snow ride the snow

Guided Back-Country Snowmobile Toursin the Green Mountain National Forest

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

mounTAineer hoTel

31 eAsT second Avenue williAmson wv

304-235-2222 bull wwwmounTAineerhoTelcom

Laying right on the Tug Fork River across from the

Blue Grass state of Kentucky one will find the tiny town

of Williamson West Virginia Williamson has a long

history mostly revolving around the coal industry

Here you will find a rather large rail yard now part

of the Norfolk Southern built to service the many mines

found in and around this part of West Virginia and Ken-

tucky

In 1974 a United States Army Corps of Engineer

planner described the region as having the most severe

flooding problem in America

In 1977 after many days of steady hard rain the Tug

Fork and adjoining streams began

a constant and quick rise As had

happened in the past the town ex-

perienced incredible flooding

Today a floodwall protects

Williamson from future wet havoc

A huge part of this regionrsquos local

lore and history is the famed home

of the feud between the Hatfields

and McCoys probably the most

famous family fight in US history

The first event in the decades-

long feud was the 1865 murder of

Randolphrsquos brother Asa Harmon

McCoy by the Logan Wildcats a local militia group

that counted Devil Anse and other Hatfields among its

members Many peoplemdasheven members of his own

familymdashregarded Asa Harmon who had served in the

Union Army during the American Civil War as a trai-

tor While some have surmised that his murder set the

stage for the feud most historians now see this inci-

dent as a standalone event

Relations between the two families continued to

sour over the next decade before flaring again over a

seemingly small matter a dispute over a single hog

In 1878 Randolph McCoy accused Floyd Hatfield a

cousin of Devil Anse of stealing one of his pigs a

valuable commodity in the poor region Floyd Hat-

fieldsrsquos trial took place in McCoy territory but was

presided over by a cousin of Devil Anse It hinged on

the testimony of star witness Bill Staton a McCoy rel-

ative married to a Hatfield Staton testified in Floyd

Hatfieldrsquos favor and the McCoys were infuriated when

Floyd was cleared of the charges against him Two

years later Staton was violently killed in a fracas with

Sam and Paris McCoy nephews of Randolph Sam stood trial for the

murder but was acquitted for self-defense reasons

Things went south from there and an American legacy was born

In and around the town you will find much on this feud

In the center of town you will find The Coal House now the home

of the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce

Weighing in at 65 tons with 2 ft thick walls itrsquos the only coal house

made entirely of coal Built in 1933 it was designed by architect HT

Hicks from an idea by O W Evans It was constructed from blocks

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 19

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

of local seam coal donated by coal companies in the region

Right next door to The Coal House you will find the historic

Mountaineer Hotel The large classic-revival 5-story yellow-

glazed brick building dominates the center of town and offers

a look and reason to step back into the past

Built in 1925 the Mountaineer hotel has had its share of fa-

mous guests with JFK Paul Newman Jerry Lee Lewis Henry

Ford and others- including the great Soupy Sales - staying here

overnight

In fact all the rooms are named after famous and infamous

guests that have walked through its doors

Later in the evening we walked all five flights to see just

who did stay there

The main entrance leads to a large lobby and the front desk

with pigeonhole boxes for room keys and a teller window

French doors lead to the ballroom The hotel has 116 rooms

for guests a formal ballroom a lobby restaurant and sports bar

(which were not open this day) and the lower level has a num-

ber of games ndash including Fooz ball pool

and a large regulation-sized shuffle board

game that kept us occupied for about an

hour

Sometimes we find places from this era

a bit run down but the Mountaineer hotel

is a gem

Just one look at the grand lobby and you

will know this is true and with rooms less

than $75 for the night quite the deal too

We took Paul Newmanrsquos room and it

couldnrsquot have been nicer

Unpacking and strolling around town

which was quiet on a Monday night was a

pleasant distraction after a dayrsquos worth of

hard miles through the mountains of West

Virginia and Kentucky

When traveling around the United States

you can almost always find a chain hotel at

any exit or bigger town but why would you

want to when wonderful old beauties like

the Mountaineer Hotel in Williamson West

Virginia are around

Page 20 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Tony Lisanti

Eye protection for off road use consists of

the tried and true goggle The goggle

wraps around the helmet and seals to

your face in the helmet opening

Traditional goggles

consist of a urethane

based flexible frame

with various types of

foam material that

seal directly against

the forehead and cheeks

and nose keeping out wind and

dirt Being the helmet has a limited opening

goggles have had to fit inside this space limiting the field of vision

This type of goggle has been the norm for last half century with

all kinds of innovations in frame lens and foam materials

Enter ZOWA Optics Visor Goggles ZOWA Optics was founded

in 2013 Their goal is to offer unique goggles to off-road dirt bike

ATV and snowmobile riders The Vermont based company has

come up with a goggle that eliminates many of the drawbacks of

a traditional off road goggle The Visor Goggles are designed so

the upper half seals against the helmet rather than the forehead

The lower half of the goggle rests against the face By developing

the goggle in this way the field of view is dramatically increased and the

issue of having foam in contact with the skin on the forehead is eliminated

I had the opportunity to try out the Visor Goggles at a local practice track

recently The first thing I noticed was the size of the Visor Goggles They are

about twice the size of a traditional goggle They install on a helmet the same

way as traditional goggles except instead of resting against the forehead they

seal against the helmet under the visor Most noticeable was the lack

of ldquonose pinchrdquo and the vastly improved vision The Visor Goggle

drastically reduces the claustrophobic feel of traditional goggles as

there is more distance between the inside of the goggle and your face

The feel is more like an adventure helmet

After riding with them for an hour or two on an MX track I found

the improved field of vision to be a welcome change Riding with the

Visor Goggles allowed better vision up down and sideways I did no-

tice a bit more air coming in from the flow through design and from

underneath the seal against my check bones at speed During warm

weather this would be welcome in cold weather not so much Ad-

justing the strap tension has an affect on goggle to face contact Skin

contact with the typical sweatmudgrungefunk mix that gets en-

crusted on the foam is minimized since

the foam is resting against the helmet

rather than the forehead

They cleaned up well and showed no

signs of scratching on the lenses stain-

ing of the frames or discoloration de-

spite a liberal dosage of mud and water

The ZOWA Visor Goggle features in-

clude being rated for OTG (Over The

Glasses) by virtue of the greater clear-

ance between goggle and face a Hel-

met conformed design improved field

of view Lexan lens with anti-fog coating comfort foam and flow through

ventilation The strap features a silicon strip to help it stay put on the helmet

Accessory lenses and tear-off lenses are available All goggles come with a

micro fiber storage bag as well The off road goggles retail for $5800 and

are available in black red of cyan frame colors wwwzowaopticscom

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

BUILT BEYOND BELIEFINTRODUCING THE KAWASAKI

Come to Motorcycle Mall to reserve your Ninja H2trade

by December 19 and experience unforgettablesupercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2 motorcycle the worldrsquos onlysupercharged production hypersport streetbike

H2

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pantsgloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Mo-torcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environmentFor furher information regarding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 Specifi-cations subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspired R1 everFrom the advanced lsquorider activersquo electronicspackage to the powerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Supersport bike andfactory MotoGP has never been more blurred

COMPLETELY NEW

FROM THE TRACK UP

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 21

PRODUCT REVIEWZOWA OPTICS VISOR GOGGLES

Great All American Diner RunAs always wersquoll start with our most popular column the Great All American Diner Run Wait is it really We just might have a new fan fa-vorite but wersquoll save that till later First letrsquos take a look at the top three for GAADR 2014hellip

SECOND RUNNER UP bull RIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST2378 ROUTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770 bull 845-557-0097 bull RIVERUNNERSROOSTCOM

Route 97 along the scenic Delaware River has long been a favorite of motorcyclists for years and

over the years the road has seen a number of restaurants open their doors along its picturesque miles

The latest is the River Runnerrsquos Roost

Opened by Rich and Mary Codichini back in 2013 this place quickly became a favorite of ours

and many others They bill themselves as a barbeque steakhouse with a touch of Cajun and Italian

We call it phenomenal with one of the best barbeques in the region and gumbo to go to war over

If you havenrsquot tried the ldquoRoostrdquo then make plans for riding their way in the spring

FIRST RUNNER UP bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784 bull 603- 298-5515 bull 4ACESDINERCOM

Located just up the hill from the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River in the town of

Lebanon the Four Aces is the real deal A true Great All-American Diner Their

menu is huge interesting and delicious The ambience is pure Americana and the

roads leading to and from the Four Aces straddling Vermont and New Hampshire

are hard to top They have pro smokers going outside right along their picnic tables

but we found a seat at the counter worked just fine for us

Our only problem with Four Aces is that they are almost exactly 301 miles from

where we type this They should consider northern New Jersey

The Four Aces is a must see do and eat while in the Dartmouth region and just

missed out on our top honor for this yearrsquos vote

And so without further adohellip

1ST PLACE GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN 2014 bull FIVE ISLANDS LOBSTER COMPANY1447 5 ISLANDS RD GEORGETOWN ME 04548 bull 207-371-2990 bull FIVEISLANDSLOBSTERCOM

Location location location Besides have a superb down to Earth feel a great staff scrumptious food

and a wonderful coastal Maine flavor ndash The Five Islands Lobster Company has a serious location

Did we mention where it is

Located on a working fishing wharf it is surrounded by the ldquocoldest and deepest waters on the coastrdquo

There be some serious lobstarsquo lurking here abouts and it is best when they find their final way to

Five Islands You can have these big bugs anyway you like but we took a bullet for all of you and

went and ordered The Big Boy Stuffed with twice the amount of lobster meat than your average

lobster roll it was our pleasure to tackle this monster as best we could

Wait ndash just thinking of it all on this cold November day has us in a statehellip

They do serve a good number of other seafood favorites as well as more land-based standards but

who wants that when you can have the quintessential Maine treat on a wooden bench and table

alongside one of the prettiest bays in New England

This is why the Five Islands Lobster Company slid into the 1 spot in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

Big City GetawayBig City Getaway has always been about a great destination So many of

us roll the bikes out of the garage and then say ldquoWhere tordquo That is where this monthly favoritecomes in and here are our best of Big City Getaway 2015

2ND RUNNER UP bull MUSTANG FACTORYTOUR4 SPRINGFIELD STREET SUITE 1 THREE RIVERS MA 01080 bull 800-243-1392 bull MUSTANGSEATSCOM

They are one of the largest motorcycle seat manufacturers on the planet and they would be happy to show you around

We did a tour this last summer and found just how much talent vision and workmanship goes into creating some of

the most distinctive and comfortable motorcycle seats you can find

Page 22 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Best of Backroads 2014Once again this planet we ride has completed another lap around our sun and it is time for us to look back on the season and the veryBest of BackroadsIf we said 2013 was ldquointerestingrdquo we would be hard pressed to describe this past year of 2014For sure last year brought us thousands of great miles and lots of smiles interesting destinations and a few great Backroads Ralliesbut some darkness and loss along the journey for our Backroads family as wellStill looking back we had some phenomenal places we found stories we told and friends with which we have ridden The Italian poet Cesare Pavese said ldquoWe do not remember days we remember momentsrdquoThis year ndash 2014 ndash we had our share of moments Letrsquos look back at some in the Best of Backroads 2014

The tour is open to riding groups and takes a little over an hour and a half We recommend that you make an

appointment and guarantee you will have an informative and fun day with our friends at Mustang seats

1ST RUNNER UP bull COASTAL BOTANICAL GARDENS32 BOTANICAL GARDENS DR BOOTHBAY ME 04537 bull 207-633-4333 bull MAINEGARDENSORG

This project took nearly 17 years planning planting and building before its opening in June of 2007 and today

the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens comprises 270 acres of tidal shore land thousands of flowers plants

and botanical oddities Interspersed amongst the natural beauty you will find dozens of sculptures that

only add to an already stunning venue Rarely has a visitor spent some time at the Coastal Botanical

Gardens and not wanted to return as soon as possible

It is simple to see why this easily took our First Runner Up spot

1ST PLACE BIG CITY GETAWAY 2014 FIVE STAR GENERAL STORES bull NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY

This article from our October issue embodied a little bit of everything we might look for in a Big

City Getaway It had local history interesting stops (5 of them) food ice cream and it was all

woven together with some of the neatest roads in northern New Jersey ndash a riding jewel for those

who have never been so lucky Running along to five different and historic General Stores this day

trip just kept getting better Know that we just scratched the surface and that these General Stores from

the past can be found all around the nation But for this time around it was this adventure that was

called 1 for Big City Getaway 2014

(Note as of this printing the Stillwater General Store has closed but is still worth the ride-by for the

roads and historic value)

Wersquore Outta HereThe great thing that we riders have over the more boring people out there is that our tripsand adventures happen the moment we roll out of our driveways and onto the roadOvernight trips are like mini-vacations for the soul and are most likely the reason they sayyou never see a motorcycle outside a psychiatrist office unless it belongs to the shrinkWersquore Outta Here is all about that ndash places to go and enjoy whether it be a group coupleor on your ownLetrsquos see what we think were our top three for 2014

2ND RUNNER UP bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 E MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854 bull 814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGEPACOM

Shira found this hide-away full of coffee awesomeness when we were to attend the ALTRider adventure

ride early this summer in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania The lodge is part of the coffee house and

although the room we had was a tad small it was well thought out and just added to the coolness of the

entire place We had the Penns Creek Room with its lsquoloft-stylersquo bed and rock wall shower Each morning

the aroma from the coffee shop downstairs was like a Sirenrsquos call and had us highly motivated to carefully

spring out of bed (well it was a loft and there was a drop) There were also great muffins and cakes to go along with the coffee

Millheim is well located with a great combination of fantastic riding both paved and not and has a few eateries within strolling distance (compared to walking

or marching distance) We liked everything about the Triple Creek Lodge ndash the smell the flavor and the quirkiness

1ST RUNNER UP bull INDIAN ROCK INN2206 RIVER RD UPPER BLACK EDDY PA 18972 bull 610-982-9600 bull INDIANROCKINNCOM

GPS Download wwwsendspacecomprodlen7u7kAlong the PA-side of the Delaware River just north of Jerseyrsquos Milford in a place where the river

crooks dramatically and heads north for a bit you will find a great local treasure - the Indian Rock

Inn Tucked underneath what are called the Pennsylvania Palisades and along both river and old

canal the Indian Rock is the complete package

After a day of fun riding to and around the region you can park the bikes grab your room and

shower and make your way to the very friendly bar The Barking Dog Grab a cocktail and me-

ander to the very comfortable large porch take a seat and watch the world go by After the sun

sets a delicious gourmet meal is just steps away Perhaps a night cap and then upstairs to end a

prefect day With all that it is easy to see how the Indian Rock grabbed first runner up in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

1ST PLACEWErsquoRE OUTTA HERE 2014 bull QUODDY HEAD STATION823 SOUTH LUBEC RD LUBEC ME 04652 bull 877-535-4714 bull QUODDYVACATIONCOM

Most times we are all for suggesting you sleep in a bit longer at any of our Wersquore Outta Here destinations but here at Quoddy Head

Station we urge - no insist ndash that you get up before the dawn so you can be the first in the United States to see the sun rise over the At-

lantic from the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse - just a 2 minute ride to the east

Here in the most north and east point of the United States life does not get much better

The rooms and views cannot be beat and the surrounding area with its little coves Reversing Falls State Park Rooseveltrsquos Campobello

cottage (actually in Canada) and the very coastal Maine town of Lebec with its large number of seafood restaurants nautical shops and

vistas are hard to beat anywhere else in the world When we travelled in the area

we rode under a giant orange full moon that rose over the bay at low tide

It was eerie and stunning all at the same time

One of those moments we talked about earlier Quoddy Head Station has to be one

of the most interesting and geographically perfect places we have traveled to in

many years and easily made its way to the 1st place spot for Wersquore Outta Here 2014

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 23

Mysterious AmericaAlways one of the perennial favorites for our readers is the odd wacky and off-beat destinations that our own Dr Seymour OrsquoLife brings

to us each month This year was no different and the choices to be made for the TopThree were very tight for the good doctor but undaunted our hero carried on and cameup with the short list So letrsquos get to it

2ND RUNNER UP bull ISLE OFWIGHT COUNTY MUSEUM103 MAIN ST SMITHFIELD VA 23430 bull 757-356-1223 bull HISTORICISLEOFWIGHTCOM

You remember this place ndash home of the Worldrsquos Oldest Ham It belonged to PD Gwaltney Jr

It had its beginnings in 1902 when a cured ham was accidentally hung from rafters in one Gwaltneyrsquos

houses until it was discovered by workers By 1924 the pet ham was kept in an iron safe which was

opened daily for guests to view Advertised as the worldrsquos oldest Smithfield ham Gwaltney fashioned

a brass collar for the ham and took it to shows and expos to exhibit the preservative powers of his

smoking method The ham was featured in Ripleyrsquos ldquoBelieve It Or Notrdquo in 1929 1932 and 2003 and

more importantly in Backroads in May of 2014 For sure the museum holds so much more but Sey-

mour could never get past the ham Neither could we

1ST RUNNER UP bull THE CULPER SPY RINGThis was the first multi-month piece by the minions of mystery and we spent three

full months searching for the real story on George Washingtonrsquos Culper Spy Ring

From its beginning with the hanging of Nathan Hale in what is now mid-town Man-

hattan to the desolation of being held on a prison ship in an East River Bay in Brook-

lyn - where we had the largest battle of our Revolutionary War Then on to the Culper

Spies themselves and the web they wove from Setauket Long Island across the

Sound to Connecticut and into New York and Philadelphia These men and woman

(nobody really knows who this lady was) changed the course of history It was then

onto treachery traitors and sex ndashwith the story of Benedict Arnold his wife Peggy

Shippen and her lover Major John Andrersquo and our own West Point Escape capture

and the gallows all played a part in this true story of our local American history

Mysterious Americarsquos history has never been so much fun

1ST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2014 bull THE TRANS-ALLEGHENY LUNATIC ASYLUM71 ASYLUM DR WESTON WV 26452 bull 304-269-5070 bull TRANS-ALLEGHENYLUNATICASYLUMCOM

When we first rode up to this massive 27-acre facility Shira who had no idea where or why we were there shook her head and simply asked why

The asylum stands like a monstrous stone beast dominating the ground It is the second largest hand-hewn bluestone building on the planet with only Russiarsquos

Kremlin surpassing it But it is the feel and aura that surround and linger around this building

that will tell you the real story of the place

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum also known as the We-

ston State Hospital was a Kirkbride psychiatric hospital that

operated from 1864 until 1994 Like many Kirkbridge hospi-

tals it started out with a noble idea but soon became overrun

with patients lack of proper care and some of the saddest and

scariest tales were heard here on the tour The place is massive and to walk the halls would literally take miles

The place is reportedly full of ghosts and very bad things from the other side One look at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

and you will have a hard time denying that claim Shira will never go back and it was one of the few times that she was seriously

ldquocreeped outrdquo Her words ndash not ours

With that being said you surely must agree that a visit to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum easily ranks as our 1st place for

our Mysterious America 2014

MomentsIt was April 10 of this past year when the phone here at Backroads rang Answering it I could hear the voice of a friend Dave on the farend ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo I asked ldquohow are yourdquoDaversquos voice trembled and broke ldquoJeff Bahr was killed today on his bikerdquoIn that moment everything stopped It remained stopped for a long time Sometimes it still doesA month or so later well after Jeffrsquos service and cremation Shira and I found ourselves at the spot where this happened We talked tothe young man who was tending his barbecue pit which he was stoking for the dayrsquos lunch He was there when the driver pulled out ofhis general storersquos parking lot without even a glance He sadly but kindly told us of that momentJeff had simply been riding down a wide country road when an 86-year old man pulled out in front of him Although rubber on the roadshowed Jeff tried to avoid the car it was too little too late and he was killed on impactI have no idea what happened to the old man after this event But regardless he has to live with his inattentiveness and actions for therest of his life So do many of usWe do not remember days we remember momentsThat day was made up of a moment we will never forgetThe weekend I wrote this Jeff if hersquod survived would have been 57 He would have had dozens more stories made us laugh a dozenmore times would have made this magazine a dozen times betterJeff I hope you know that so many of us miss you so muchTo you all enjoy and savor all your moments Life is made up of them and eventually one of those moments will hurt

Page 24 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Shirarsquos Ice Cream RunLast year we introduce a semi-monthly some of the time if she felt like it column ndashShirarsquos Ice Cream Run It seems to everybody but the red head that this column hasbecome a huge hit and we have had more comments and suggestions for the IceCream Runs than anything else within memory So think sweet creamy and cold andletrsquos see what Shira thought were on the top three stops of 2014rsquos Ice Cream Runs

2ND RUNNER UP bull HOLSTENrsquoS CONFECTIONARY1603 BROAD ST BLOOMFIELD NJ 07003 bull 973-338-7091 bull WWWHOLSTENSCOM

Immortalized on celluloid in the Sopranosrsquo final episode Holstenrsquos Confectionary has so much more

to offer than their souvenir t-shirts from said show A true old-time ice cream parlor Holstenrsquos home-

made ice cream and confections will win the hearts of any true lover of sweets Taking a seat at the

counter should bring back memories of visits to Woolworthrsquos and once the delicious dairyness is

placed in front of you complete with homemade whipped cream you will think you are in a

dream Holstenrsquos has the whole package ndash premium product comfortable setting and take-home

delights With its 2nd Runner Up status truly one of my favorites of this yearrsquos ice cream stops

1ST RUNNER UP bull CAYUGA LAKE CREAMERY8421 NY 89 INTERLAKEN NY 14847 bull 607-532-9492 bull WWWCAYUGALAKECREAMERYCOM

Nestled in the idyllic Finger Lakes the Cayuga Lake Creamery offers up some of the most in-

ventive flavors Irsquove seen including wine ice cream and sorbet (best of both worlds Irsquod say)

Sitting on their outdoor deck savoring your Maple Bacon or Lavender cone on a warm summer

day ndash what could be better than that

While the Finger Lakes may not offer the most challenging of rides the scenery is beautiful and

the gorges are well gorgeous I canrsquot think of a much better day than meandering around the

Fingers with a late afternoon stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery Their 14 butterfat mixture and only the best of locally sourced

ingredients produce some of the finest creamiest ice creams around Do yourself a favor and spin your wheels to this part of

NY state for a weekend of indulgence as their terrific flavors will keep you coming back day after day

1ST PLACE SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN bull HALLrsquoS HOMEMADE ICE CREAM861 RACCOONVALLEY RD MILLERSTOWN PA 17062

717-589-3290 bull WWWHALLSICECREAMCOM

I found this gem in the middle of the Alleghenies while Brian was off riding in the forest with the

ALTRider group Having grabbed the 1st Place spot in this yearrsquos Ice Cream Run you know Hallrsquos

Homemade Ice Cream and Dairy has to be something pretty special

While their flavor offerings may not be as exotic as Cayuga Lake the quality is heavenly Their

signature flavor and one I had not tasted before is their honey ice cream coming in a variety of

mixtures such as chocolate butter pecan and my personal favorite cinnamon Hallrsquos has a couple

of outdoor tables where you can take in the full dairy effect while licking your cone If that is too

overwhelming they have a very nice indoor seating area complete with air conditioning

The riding in this part of Pennsylvania is quite exciting with elevation changes sweepers and

twisties and for those desiring an off-road adventure plenty of woodlands to test your knobbies

What do all three of these winners have in common other than fantastic ice cream They are all

open all year long so if you happen to be out and about in Bloomfield NJ Interlaken NY or Miller-

stown PA make sure you plan a stop at one of the top three spots on Shirarsquos 2014 Ice Cream Run

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 25

Rip amp Ridereg bull RIVER RUNNERS ROOST2378 RTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770

845-557-0097 bull WWWRIVERRUNNERSROOSTCOMSEASONAL HOURS - CALL BEFORE HEADING OUT

CR 560 IN SUSSEX COUNTY NJCROSS DINGMANS BRIDGE bull $1 TOLLSTRAIGHT ON RTE 739RIGHT AT MILFORD RDLEFT AT RAYMONDSKILL RDCROSS OVER I-84HARD LEFT ON US 6QUICK RIGHT ONTOTWIN LAKES RDRIGHT AT RTE 434CROSS RIVER TO NEWYORKRIGHT AT RTE 97 SOUTHRIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST DOWN ROAD ON LEFT HAND SIDE

Rip amp Ridereg bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784603- 298-5515 bull WWW4ACESDINERCOM

GPS DOWNLOAD WWWSENDSPACECOMPRODLXXTWXB90-MILE ONEWAY ROUTE FROM THEWEST DOVER VERMONT REGION

BIG BEARS LODGE GRAY GHOST AND KITZHOF INN

RTE 100 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT RTE 35RIGHT AT RTE 121LEFT AT RTE 5CROSS INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE ndash ARCH BRIDGELEFT AT RTE 12 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 120LEFT AT RTE 4 WEST LEBANONFOUR ACES DOWN ON THE LEFT

TAylorrsquos ice creAm PArlor

18 e mAin sT chesTer nJ bull 908-879-5363

What to do on the first sub-freezing day in November Go for ice cream

of course I was hanging out with the good doctor OrsquoLife and best friend

Brian when OrsquoLife told us of this place that grows telephone poles Having

my doubts about most of what OrsquoLife tells me I asked him to prove it So

off we went to the quaint little town of Chester New Jersey

After a pleasant lunch at the Publick House complete with real wood

burning fireplace we trekked down the road a piece found said telephone

pole farm (for another column of course) and started our return to Back-

roads Central Lo and behold right before the turn onto Route 206 there

sat Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor in the nicest old building on the block We

got our spot and headed in to find well no one but Justin in a very toasty

old fashioned ice cream parlor I do think that he was surprised to see us

or anyone on such a cold day

Taylorrsquos has apparently been an ice cream institution in

Chester for the last 50 years or so founded by Mr Earle G

Taylor Sr who just passed this August Taylorrsquos was the vic-

tim of fire some time in 2013 and was closed for a good 8

months before reopening in the same spot with applause

from their long-time fans and customers Their ice cream is

all home made and always has been On a hot summer day

you will no doubt be lined up out the door and down the

block to get this tasty treat but Irsquom certain you will find it

worth the wait I think their pricing is quite reasonable for

the size scoop they dip and if you are like me and want a sam-

pling of several flavors they offer Kiddie Scoops at $195

each ndash a flight of ice cream sounds like the perfect end-of-

ride relaxation

We perused the two very full ice cream boards and poured

over the cabinets before making our decisions With close to

50 listed flavors what was a girl to do without minions to help her taste test We finally settled on chocolate hazelnut toasted coconut salted caramel and

vanilla fudge brownie I pretty much always opt for a cup as I savor my ice cream and it would run down my arm before I was even close to finishing but I was

almost tempted by their pretzel cone What is so great about Taylorrsquos cones is the plastic drip cup in which they reside both sanitary and mess-preventing

Page 26 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

TOWN amp COUNTRYC Y C L E C E N T E R

115 Route 23N bull Hamburg NJ bull 973-875-2111wwwtownandcountrycyclecentercom

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIYamahacom bull 516-935-6969

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE

SPORT TOURERIntroducing the most performancepower versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle From commutingand exploring backroads to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaharsquos un-mistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

While enjoying our treats we savored

the deacutecor of this very pleasant parlor Sev-

eral tables to enjoy your ice cream clip-

pings of newspaper articles school

paraphernalia and something that has no

place in an ice cream parlor an old-fash-

ioned fortune telling scale This couldnrsquot

possibly still be functioning could it Ac-

cording to Justin yes it was How could we

resist In went our pennies and up popped

our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked

the weight numbers) Brianrsquos read lsquoYou are

not overbearing but generally have things

your wayrsquo Wow I couldnrsquot wait to see if

mine was as accurate ldquoYou look to the fu-

ture rather than the pastrsquo So true

Back to the ice cream ndash it

was heavenly We all agreed

that the salted caramel was the

overall winner having the per-

fect balance of salt and

caramel with the best creamy

texture The toasted coconut

was very flavorful with lots of

coconut bits the chocolate

hazelnut was very dark and

creamy and mixed with the coconut made the perfect almond-free almond

joy The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole but cer-

tainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store

I believe Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round but if yoursquore head-

ing over during the winter months give them a call to make sure Enjoy the

winter and remember itrsquos never too cold to eat ice cream

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield PA

215-712-7433 bull wwwBMWMotorcyclescom

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

THE NEW R 1200 RA POWERFUL STATEMENT

Our newest boxer roadster has one missiondominate the streets in style The R 1200 Ris designed to blend comfort precisehandling and pure riding excitementhellipin one head-turning machine

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW R 1200 RSTHRILLING COMFORT

The new R 1200 RS is perfectly balancedcombining optimal wind and weather protectionwith powerful performance and controlPutting you in an unparalleled position toexplore the road - and your own limits

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW S 1000 RRWELCOME TO THENEW PLANET POWER

The S 1000 RR has been completely revisedThe results in its origins a genuine Double RRon the road a new supersports machine thatwill once again set the benchmark in its class

UNSTOPPABLE SPORT

WHAT lsquoRrsquo YOU WAITING FORCome to Montgomeryville Cycle Center to see the full line of 2015 BMW Motorcycles products and apparel

We have everything yoursquoll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever

Motorcyclepedia the northeastrsquos

premier motorcycle museum will

be holding its Speaker Series again

this winter with various riders and

orators covering topics ranging

from world touring to tips on avoiding tickets and an in depth look at GPS

technology and todayrsquos motorcycling

Backroadsrsquo own Brian amp Shira will start the series off with a talk on Jan-

uary 17 on lsquoThe Big Fiversquo motorcycle destinations around the planet along

with planning and touring around the United States and the world

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who

will help clear the fog about Garmin GPSrsquos and how their BaseCamp program

works along with how to create and export your own personal routes

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on ldquoEverything you need to know

on Motorcycles and the Lawrdquo - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper po-

lice procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists

Seth Simpson of Motorcycle training Solutions will be giving a seminar

on Rider Training

Motorcyclistmoto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about

Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys

Look for a Womenrsquos Riding Panel with some well-known female motor-

cyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing todayrsquos women

riders This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and

beginning women riders

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months

and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to

enlighten

Wersquoll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page

as soon as they are etched in stone

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh New York in the

riding heart of the Hudson Valley

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 27

A DAY AT THE MUSEUMlsquoSPEAKER SERIESrsquo RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Frankrsquos MotorcycleSales amp Service

120 Center RoadEssex VT 05451

802-878-3930wwwFranksMotorcycleSalescomBMWhtm

Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY845-357-1190

wwwLocomotionPowersportscom

LOCOMOTION POWER-

SPORTS138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY

845-357-1190

Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

SUSSEX MOTORSPORTS446 Route 23 bull Sussex NJ bull Located across from the AampP Shopping Plaza

973-875-3640 bull wwwsussexmotorsportsnjcombull Family OwnedOperated in Northwest NJ bull Near the NYPA border

bull Wide selection of onoff road apparel jackets helmets gloves and boots

bull Qualified Service Technicians with over 30 years combined experienceto perform all your Yamaha authorized service

Wheel Sport Center Inc399 HUGUeNOT ST bull NeW ROCHeLLe NY

9146367235 bull WheelSportCenternet

JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

2015 Kawasaki Concoursreg14 ABSThe ultimate backroad SuperSport Tourer

The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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memBer

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Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

JDS CYCLE PARTSeST 1988

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Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 19: January 2015 Backroads

mounTAineer hoTel

31 eAsT second Avenue williAmson wv

304-235-2222 bull wwwmounTAineerhoTelcom

Laying right on the Tug Fork River across from the

Blue Grass state of Kentucky one will find the tiny town

of Williamson West Virginia Williamson has a long

history mostly revolving around the coal industry

Here you will find a rather large rail yard now part

of the Norfolk Southern built to service the many mines

found in and around this part of West Virginia and Ken-

tucky

In 1974 a United States Army Corps of Engineer

planner described the region as having the most severe

flooding problem in America

In 1977 after many days of steady hard rain the Tug

Fork and adjoining streams began

a constant and quick rise As had

happened in the past the town ex-

perienced incredible flooding

Today a floodwall protects

Williamson from future wet havoc

A huge part of this regionrsquos local

lore and history is the famed home

of the feud between the Hatfields

and McCoys probably the most

famous family fight in US history

The first event in the decades-

long feud was the 1865 murder of

Randolphrsquos brother Asa Harmon

McCoy by the Logan Wildcats a local militia group

that counted Devil Anse and other Hatfields among its

members Many peoplemdasheven members of his own

familymdashregarded Asa Harmon who had served in the

Union Army during the American Civil War as a trai-

tor While some have surmised that his murder set the

stage for the feud most historians now see this inci-

dent as a standalone event

Relations between the two families continued to

sour over the next decade before flaring again over a

seemingly small matter a dispute over a single hog

In 1878 Randolph McCoy accused Floyd Hatfield a

cousin of Devil Anse of stealing one of his pigs a

valuable commodity in the poor region Floyd Hat-

fieldsrsquos trial took place in McCoy territory but was

presided over by a cousin of Devil Anse It hinged on

the testimony of star witness Bill Staton a McCoy rel-

ative married to a Hatfield Staton testified in Floyd

Hatfieldrsquos favor and the McCoys were infuriated when

Floyd was cleared of the charges against him Two

years later Staton was violently killed in a fracas with

Sam and Paris McCoy nephews of Randolph Sam stood trial for the

murder but was acquitted for self-defense reasons

Things went south from there and an American legacy was born

In and around the town you will find much on this feud

In the center of town you will find The Coal House now the home

of the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce

Weighing in at 65 tons with 2 ft thick walls itrsquos the only coal house

made entirely of coal Built in 1933 it was designed by architect HT

Hicks from an idea by O W Evans It was constructed from blocks

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 19

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WersquoRe OUTTA HeRe a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

of local seam coal donated by coal companies in the region

Right next door to The Coal House you will find the historic

Mountaineer Hotel The large classic-revival 5-story yellow-

glazed brick building dominates the center of town and offers

a look and reason to step back into the past

Built in 1925 the Mountaineer hotel has had its share of fa-

mous guests with JFK Paul Newman Jerry Lee Lewis Henry

Ford and others- including the great Soupy Sales - staying here

overnight

In fact all the rooms are named after famous and infamous

guests that have walked through its doors

Later in the evening we walked all five flights to see just

who did stay there

The main entrance leads to a large lobby and the front desk

with pigeonhole boxes for room keys and a teller window

French doors lead to the ballroom The hotel has 116 rooms

for guests a formal ballroom a lobby restaurant and sports bar

(which were not open this day) and the lower level has a num-

ber of games ndash including Fooz ball pool

and a large regulation-sized shuffle board

game that kept us occupied for about an

hour

Sometimes we find places from this era

a bit run down but the Mountaineer hotel

is a gem

Just one look at the grand lobby and you

will know this is true and with rooms less

than $75 for the night quite the deal too

We took Paul Newmanrsquos room and it

couldnrsquot have been nicer

Unpacking and strolling around town

which was quiet on a Monday night was a

pleasant distraction after a dayrsquos worth of

hard miles through the mountains of West

Virginia and Kentucky

When traveling around the United States

you can almost always find a chain hotel at

any exit or bigger town but why would you

want to when wonderful old beauties like

the Mountaineer Hotel in Williamson West

Virginia are around

Page 20 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Tony Lisanti

Eye protection for off road use consists of

the tried and true goggle The goggle

wraps around the helmet and seals to

your face in the helmet opening

Traditional goggles

consist of a urethane

based flexible frame

with various types of

foam material that

seal directly against

the forehead and cheeks

and nose keeping out wind and

dirt Being the helmet has a limited opening

goggles have had to fit inside this space limiting the field of vision

This type of goggle has been the norm for last half century with

all kinds of innovations in frame lens and foam materials

Enter ZOWA Optics Visor Goggles ZOWA Optics was founded

in 2013 Their goal is to offer unique goggles to off-road dirt bike

ATV and snowmobile riders The Vermont based company has

come up with a goggle that eliminates many of the drawbacks of

a traditional off road goggle The Visor Goggles are designed so

the upper half seals against the helmet rather than the forehead

The lower half of the goggle rests against the face By developing

the goggle in this way the field of view is dramatically increased and the

issue of having foam in contact with the skin on the forehead is eliminated

I had the opportunity to try out the Visor Goggles at a local practice track

recently The first thing I noticed was the size of the Visor Goggles They are

about twice the size of a traditional goggle They install on a helmet the same

way as traditional goggles except instead of resting against the forehead they

seal against the helmet under the visor Most noticeable was the lack

of ldquonose pinchrdquo and the vastly improved vision The Visor Goggle

drastically reduces the claustrophobic feel of traditional goggles as

there is more distance between the inside of the goggle and your face

The feel is more like an adventure helmet

After riding with them for an hour or two on an MX track I found

the improved field of vision to be a welcome change Riding with the

Visor Goggles allowed better vision up down and sideways I did no-

tice a bit more air coming in from the flow through design and from

underneath the seal against my check bones at speed During warm

weather this would be welcome in cold weather not so much Ad-

justing the strap tension has an affect on goggle to face contact Skin

contact with the typical sweatmudgrungefunk mix that gets en-

crusted on the foam is minimized since

the foam is resting against the helmet

rather than the forehead

They cleaned up well and showed no

signs of scratching on the lenses stain-

ing of the frames or discoloration de-

spite a liberal dosage of mud and water

The ZOWA Visor Goggle features in-

clude being rated for OTG (Over The

Glasses) by virtue of the greater clear-

ance between goggle and face a Hel-

met conformed design improved field

of view Lexan lens with anti-fog coating comfort foam and flow through

ventilation The strap features a silicon strip to help it stay put on the helmet

Accessory lenses and tear-off lenses are available All goggles come with a

micro fiber storage bag as well The off road goggles retail for $5800 and

are available in black red of cyan frame colors wwwzowaopticscom

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

BUILT BEYOND BELIEFINTRODUCING THE KAWASAKI

Come to Motorcycle Mall to reserve your Ninja H2trade

by December 19 and experience unforgettablesupercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2 motorcycle the worldrsquos onlysupercharged production hypersport streetbike

H2

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pantsgloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Mo-torcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environmentFor furher information regarding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 Specifi-cations subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspired R1 everFrom the advanced lsquorider activersquo electronicspackage to the powerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Supersport bike andfactory MotoGP has never been more blurred

COMPLETELY NEW

FROM THE TRACK UP

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 21

PRODUCT REVIEWZOWA OPTICS VISOR GOGGLES

Great All American Diner RunAs always wersquoll start with our most popular column the Great All American Diner Run Wait is it really We just might have a new fan fa-vorite but wersquoll save that till later First letrsquos take a look at the top three for GAADR 2014hellip

SECOND RUNNER UP bull RIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST2378 ROUTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770 bull 845-557-0097 bull RIVERUNNERSROOSTCOM

Route 97 along the scenic Delaware River has long been a favorite of motorcyclists for years and

over the years the road has seen a number of restaurants open their doors along its picturesque miles

The latest is the River Runnerrsquos Roost

Opened by Rich and Mary Codichini back in 2013 this place quickly became a favorite of ours

and many others They bill themselves as a barbeque steakhouse with a touch of Cajun and Italian

We call it phenomenal with one of the best barbeques in the region and gumbo to go to war over

If you havenrsquot tried the ldquoRoostrdquo then make plans for riding their way in the spring

FIRST RUNNER UP bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784 bull 603- 298-5515 bull 4ACESDINERCOM

Located just up the hill from the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River in the town of

Lebanon the Four Aces is the real deal A true Great All-American Diner Their

menu is huge interesting and delicious The ambience is pure Americana and the

roads leading to and from the Four Aces straddling Vermont and New Hampshire

are hard to top They have pro smokers going outside right along their picnic tables

but we found a seat at the counter worked just fine for us

Our only problem with Four Aces is that they are almost exactly 301 miles from

where we type this They should consider northern New Jersey

The Four Aces is a must see do and eat while in the Dartmouth region and just

missed out on our top honor for this yearrsquos vote

And so without further adohellip

1ST PLACE GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN 2014 bull FIVE ISLANDS LOBSTER COMPANY1447 5 ISLANDS RD GEORGETOWN ME 04548 bull 207-371-2990 bull FIVEISLANDSLOBSTERCOM

Location location location Besides have a superb down to Earth feel a great staff scrumptious food

and a wonderful coastal Maine flavor ndash The Five Islands Lobster Company has a serious location

Did we mention where it is

Located on a working fishing wharf it is surrounded by the ldquocoldest and deepest waters on the coastrdquo

There be some serious lobstarsquo lurking here abouts and it is best when they find their final way to

Five Islands You can have these big bugs anyway you like but we took a bullet for all of you and

went and ordered The Big Boy Stuffed with twice the amount of lobster meat than your average

lobster roll it was our pleasure to tackle this monster as best we could

Wait ndash just thinking of it all on this cold November day has us in a statehellip

They do serve a good number of other seafood favorites as well as more land-based standards but

who wants that when you can have the quintessential Maine treat on a wooden bench and table

alongside one of the prettiest bays in New England

This is why the Five Islands Lobster Company slid into the 1 spot in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

Big City GetawayBig City Getaway has always been about a great destination So many of

us roll the bikes out of the garage and then say ldquoWhere tordquo That is where this monthly favoritecomes in and here are our best of Big City Getaway 2015

2ND RUNNER UP bull MUSTANG FACTORYTOUR4 SPRINGFIELD STREET SUITE 1 THREE RIVERS MA 01080 bull 800-243-1392 bull MUSTANGSEATSCOM

They are one of the largest motorcycle seat manufacturers on the planet and they would be happy to show you around

We did a tour this last summer and found just how much talent vision and workmanship goes into creating some of

the most distinctive and comfortable motorcycle seats you can find

Page 22 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Best of Backroads 2014Once again this planet we ride has completed another lap around our sun and it is time for us to look back on the season and the veryBest of BackroadsIf we said 2013 was ldquointerestingrdquo we would be hard pressed to describe this past year of 2014For sure last year brought us thousands of great miles and lots of smiles interesting destinations and a few great Backroads Ralliesbut some darkness and loss along the journey for our Backroads family as wellStill looking back we had some phenomenal places we found stories we told and friends with which we have ridden The Italian poet Cesare Pavese said ldquoWe do not remember days we remember momentsrdquoThis year ndash 2014 ndash we had our share of moments Letrsquos look back at some in the Best of Backroads 2014

The tour is open to riding groups and takes a little over an hour and a half We recommend that you make an

appointment and guarantee you will have an informative and fun day with our friends at Mustang seats

1ST RUNNER UP bull COASTAL BOTANICAL GARDENS32 BOTANICAL GARDENS DR BOOTHBAY ME 04537 bull 207-633-4333 bull MAINEGARDENSORG

This project took nearly 17 years planning planting and building before its opening in June of 2007 and today

the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens comprises 270 acres of tidal shore land thousands of flowers plants

and botanical oddities Interspersed amongst the natural beauty you will find dozens of sculptures that

only add to an already stunning venue Rarely has a visitor spent some time at the Coastal Botanical

Gardens and not wanted to return as soon as possible

It is simple to see why this easily took our First Runner Up spot

1ST PLACE BIG CITY GETAWAY 2014 FIVE STAR GENERAL STORES bull NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY

This article from our October issue embodied a little bit of everything we might look for in a Big

City Getaway It had local history interesting stops (5 of them) food ice cream and it was all

woven together with some of the neatest roads in northern New Jersey ndash a riding jewel for those

who have never been so lucky Running along to five different and historic General Stores this day

trip just kept getting better Know that we just scratched the surface and that these General Stores from

the past can be found all around the nation But for this time around it was this adventure that was

called 1 for Big City Getaway 2014

(Note as of this printing the Stillwater General Store has closed but is still worth the ride-by for the

roads and historic value)

Wersquore Outta HereThe great thing that we riders have over the more boring people out there is that our tripsand adventures happen the moment we roll out of our driveways and onto the roadOvernight trips are like mini-vacations for the soul and are most likely the reason they sayyou never see a motorcycle outside a psychiatrist office unless it belongs to the shrinkWersquore Outta Here is all about that ndash places to go and enjoy whether it be a group coupleor on your ownLetrsquos see what we think were our top three for 2014

2ND RUNNER UP bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 E MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854 bull 814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGEPACOM

Shira found this hide-away full of coffee awesomeness when we were to attend the ALTRider adventure

ride early this summer in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania The lodge is part of the coffee house and

although the room we had was a tad small it was well thought out and just added to the coolness of the

entire place We had the Penns Creek Room with its lsquoloft-stylersquo bed and rock wall shower Each morning

the aroma from the coffee shop downstairs was like a Sirenrsquos call and had us highly motivated to carefully

spring out of bed (well it was a loft and there was a drop) There were also great muffins and cakes to go along with the coffee

Millheim is well located with a great combination of fantastic riding both paved and not and has a few eateries within strolling distance (compared to walking

or marching distance) We liked everything about the Triple Creek Lodge ndash the smell the flavor and the quirkiness

1ST RUNNER UP bull INDIAN ROCK INN2206 RIVER RD UPPER BLACK EDDY PA 18972 bull 610-982-9600 bull INDIANROCKINNCOM

GPS Download wwwsendspacecomprodlen7u7kAlong the PA-side of the Delaware River just north of Jerseyrsquos Milford in a place where the river

crooks dramatically and heads north for a bit you will find a great local treasure - the Indian Rock

Inn Tucked underneath what are called the Pennsylvania Palisades and along both river and old

canal the Indian Rock is the complete package

After a day of fun riding to and around the region you can park the bikes grab your room and

shower and make your way to the very friendly bar The Barking Dog Grab a cocktail and me-

ander to the very comfortable large porch take a seat and watch the world go by After the sun

sets a delicious gourmet meal is just steps away Perhaps a night cap and then upstairs to end a

prefect day With all that it is easy to see how the Indian Rock grabbed first runner up in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

1ST PLACEWErsquoRE OUTTA HERE 2014 bull QUODDY HEAD STATION823 SOUTH LUBEC RD LUBEC ME 04652 bull 877-535-4714 bull QUODDYVACATIONCOM

Most times we are all for suggesting you sleep in a bit longer at any of our Wersquore Outta Here destinations but here at Quoddy Head

Station we urge - no insist ndash that you get up before the dawn so you can be the first in the United States to see the sun rise over the At-

lantic from the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse - just a 2 minute ride to the east

Here in the most north and east point of the United States life does not get much better

The rooms and views cannot be beat and the surrounding area with its little coves Reversing Falls State Park Rooseveltrsquos Campobello

cottage (actually in Canada) and the very coastal Maine town of Lebec with its large number of seafood restaurants nautical shops and

vistas are hard to beat anywhere else in the world When we travelled in the area

we rode under a giant orange full moon that rose over the bay at low tide

It was eerie and stunning all at the same time

One of those moments we talked about earlier Quoddy Head Station has to be one

of the most interesting and geographically perfect places we have traveled to in

many years and easily made its way to the 1st place spot for Wersquore Outta Here 2014

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 23

Mysterious AmericaAlways one of the perennial favorites for our readers is the odd wacky and off-beat destinations that our own Dr Seymour OrsquoLife brings

to us each month This year was no different and the choices to be made for the TopThree were very tight for the good doctor but undaunted our hero carried on and cameup with the short list So letrsquos get to it

2ND RUNNER UP bull ISLE OFWIGHT COUNTY MUSEUM103 MAIN ST SMITHFIELD VA 23430 bull 757-356-1223 bull HISTORICISLEOFWIGHTCOM

You remember this place ndash home of the Worldrsquos Oldest Ham It belonged to PD Gwaltney Jr

It had its beginnings in 1902 when a cured ham was accidentally hung from rafters in one Gwaltneyrsquos

houses until it was discovered by workers By 1924 the pet ham was kept in an iron safe which was

opened daily for guests to view Advertised as the worldrsquos oldest Smithfield ham Gwaltney fashioned

a brass collar for the ham and took it to shows and expos to exhibit the preservative powers of his

smoking method The ham was featured in Ripleyrsquos ldquoBelieve It Or Notrdquo in 1929 1932 and 2003 and

more importantly in Backroads in May of 2014 For sure the museum holds so much more but Sey-

mour could never get past the ham Neither could we

1ST RUNNER UP bull THE CULPER SPY RINGThis was the first multi-month piece by the minions of mystery and we spent three

full months searching for the real story on George Washingtonrsquos Culper Spy Ring

From its beginning with the hanging of Nathan Hale in what is now mid-town Man-

hattan to the desolation of being held on a prison ship in an East River Bay in Brook-

lyn - where we had the largest battle of our Revolutionary War Then on to the Culper

Spies themselves and the web they wove from Setauket Long Island across the

Sound to Connecticut and into New York and Philadelphia These men and woman

(nobody really knows who this lady was) changed the course of history It was then

onto treachery traitors and sex ndashwith the story of Benedict Arnold his wife Peggy

Shippen and her lover Major John Andrersquo and our own West Point Escape capture

and the gallows all played a part in this true story of our local American history

Mysterious Americarsquos history has never been so much fun

1ST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2014 bull THE TRANS-ALLEGHENY LUNATIC ASYLUM71 ASYLUM DR WESTON WV 26452 bull 304-269-5070 bull TRANS-ALLEGHENYLUNATICASYLUMCOM

When we first rode up to this massive 27-acre facility Shira who had no idea where or why we were there shook her head and simply asked why

The asylum stands like a monstrous stone beast dominating the ground It is the second largest hand-hewn bluestone building on the planet with only Russiarsquos

Kremlin surpassing it But it is the feel and aura that surround and linger around this building

that will tell you the real story of the place

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum also known as the We-

ston State Hospital was a Kirkbride psychiatric hospital that

operated from 1864 until 1994 Like many Kirkbridge hospi-

tals it started out with a noble idea but soon became overrun

with patients lack of proper care and some of the saddest and

scariest tales were heard here on the tour The place is massive and to walk the halls would literally take miles

The place is reportedly full of ghosts and very bad things from the other side One look at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

and you will have a hard time denying that claim Shira will never go back and it was one of the few times that she was seriously

ldquocreeped outrdquo Her words ndash not ours

With that being said you surely must agree that a visit to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum easily ranks as our 1st place for

our Mysterious America 2014

MomentsIt was April 10 of this past year when the phone here at Backroads rang Answering it I could hear the voice of a friend Dave on the farend ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo I asked ldquohow are yourdquoDaversquos voice trembled and broke ldquoJeff Bahr was killed today on his bikerdquoIn that moment everything stopped It remained stopped for a long time Sometimes it still doesA month or so later well after Jeffrsquos service and cremation Shira and I found ourselves at the spot where this happened We talked tothe young man who was tending his barbecue pit which he was stoking for the dayrsquos lunch He was there when the driver pulled out ofhis general storersquos parking lot without even a glance He sadly but kindly told us of that momentJeff had simply been riding down a wide country road when an 86-year old man pulled out in front of him Although rubber on the roadshowed Jeff tried to avoid the car it was too little too late and he was killed on impactI have no idea what happened to the old man after this event But regardless he has to live with his inattentiveness and actions for therest of his life So do many of usWe do not remember days we remember momentsThat day was made up of a moment we will never forgetThe weekend I wrote this Jeff if hersquod survived would have been 57 He would have had dozens more stories made us laugh a dozenmore times would have made this magazine a dozen times betterJeff I hope you know that so many of us miss you so muchTo you all enjoy and savor all your moments Life is made up of them and eventually one of those moments will hurt

Page 24 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Shirarsquos Ice Cream RunLast year we introduce a semi-monthly some of the time if she felt like it column ndashShirarsquos Ice Cream Run It seems to everybody but the red head that this column hasbecome a huge hit and we have had more comments and suggestions for the IceCream Runs than anything else within memory So think sweet creamy and cold andletrsquos see what Shira thought were on the top three stops of 2014rsquos Ice Cream Runs

2ND RUNNER UP bull HOLSTENrsquoS CONFECTIONARY1603 BROAD ST BLOOMFIELD NJ 07003 bull 973-338-7091 bull WWWHOLSTENSCOM

Immortalized on celluloid in the Sopranosrsquo final episode Holstenrsquos Confectionary has so much more

to offer than their souvenir t-shirts from said show A true old-time ice cream parlor Holstenrsquos home-

made ice cream and confections will win the hearts of any true lover of sweets Taking a seat at the

counter should bring back memories of visits to Woolworthrsquos and once the delicious dairyness is

placed in front of you complete with homemade whipped cream you will think you are in a

dream Holstenrsquos has the whole package ndash premium product comfortable setting and take-home

delights With its 2nd Runner Up status truly one of my favorites of this yearrsquos ice cream stops

1ST RUNNER UP bull CAYUGA LAKE CREAMERY8421 NY 89 INTERLAKEN NY 14847 bull 607-532-9492 bull WWWCAYUGALAKECREAMERYCOM

Nestled in the idyllic Finger Lakes the Cayuga Lake Creamery offers up some of the most in-

ventive flavors Irsquove seen including wine ice cream and sorbet (best of both worlds Irsquod say)

Sitting on their outdoor deck savoring your Maple Bacon or Lavender cone on a warm summer

day ndash what could be better than that

While the Finger Lakes may not offer the most challenging of rides the scenery is beautiful and

the gorges are well gorgeous I canrsquot think of a much better day than meandering around the

Fingers with a late afternoon stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery Their 14 butterfat mixture and only the best of locally sourced

ingredients produce some of the finest creamiest ice creams around Do yourself a favor and spin your wheels to this part of

NY state for a weekend of indulgence as their terrific flavors will keep you coming back day after day

1ST PLACE SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN bull HALLrsquoS HOMEMADE ICE CREAM861 RACCOONVALLEY RD MILLERSTOWN PA 17062

717-589-3290 bull WWWHALLSICECREAMCOM

I found this gem in the middle of the Alleghenies while Brian was off riding in the forest with the

ALTRider group Having grabbed the 1st Place spot in this yearrsquos Ice Cream Run you know Hallrsquos

Homemade Ice Cream and Dairy has to be something pretty special

While their flavor offerings may not be as exotic as Cayuga Lake the quality is heavenly Their

signature flavor and one I had not tasted before is their honey ice cream coming in a variety of

mixtures such as chocolate butter pecan and my personal favorite cinnamon Hallrsquos has a couple

of outdoor tables where you can take in the full dairy effect while licking your cone If that is too

overwhelming they have a very nice indoor seating area complete with air conditioning

The riding in this part of Pennsylvania is quite exciting with elevation changes sweepers and

twisties and for those desiring an off-road adventure plenty of woodlands to test your knobbies

What do all three of these winners have in common other than fantastic ice cream They are all

open all year long so if you happen to be out and about in Bloomfield NJ Interlaken NY or Miller-

stown PA make sure you plan a stop at one of the top three spots on Shirarsquos 2014 Ice Cream Run

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 25

Rip amp Ridereg bull RIVER RUNNERS ROOST2378 RTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770

845-557-0097 bull WWWRIVERRUNNERSROOSTCOMSEASONAL HOURS - CALL BEFORE HEADING OUT

CR 560 IN SUSSEX COUNTY NJCROSS DINGMANS BRIDGE bull $1 TOLLSTRAIGHT ON RTE 739RIGHT AT MILFORD RDLEFT AT RAYMONDSKILL RDCROSS OVER I-84HARD LEFT ON US 6QUICK RIGHT ONTOTWIN LAKES RDRIGHT AT RTE 434CROSS RIVER TO NEWYORKRIGHT AT RTE 97 SOUTHRIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST DOWN ROAD ON LEFT HAND SIDE

Rip amp Ridereg bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784603- 298-5515 bull WWW4ACESDINERCOM

GPS DOWNLOAD WWWSENDSPACECOMPRODLXXTWXB90-MILE ONEWAY ROUTE FROM THEWEST DOVER VERMONT REGION

BIG BEARS LODGE GRAY GHOST AND KITZHOF INN

RTE 100 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT RTE 35RIGHT AT RTE 121LEFT AT RTE 5CROSS INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE ndash ARCH BRIDGELEFT AT RTE 12 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 120LEFT AT RTE 4 WEST LEBANONFOUR ACES DOWN ON THE LEFT

TAylorrsquos ice creAm PArlor

18 e mAin sT chesTer nJ bull 908-879-5363

What to do on the first sub-freezing day in November Go for ice cream

of course I was hanging out with the good doctor OrsquoLife and best friend

Brian when OrsquoLife told us of this place that grows telephone poles Having

my doubts about most of what OrsquoLife tells me I asked him to prove it So

off we went to the quaint little town of Chester New Jersey

After a pleasant lunch at the Publick House complete with real wood

burning fireplace we trekked down the road a piece found said telephone

pole farm (for another column of course) and started our return to Back-

roads Central Lo and behold right before the turn onto Route 206 there

sat Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor in the nicest old building on the block We

got our spot and headed in to find well no one but Justin in a very toasty

old fashioned ice cream parlor I do think that he was surprised to see us

or anyone on such a cold day

Taylorrsquos has apparently been an ice cream institution in

Chester for the last 50 years or so founded by Mr Earle G

Taylor Sr who just passed this August Taylorrsquos was the vic-

tim of fire some time in 2013 and was closed for a good 8

months before reopening in the same spot with applause

from their long-time fans and customers Their ice cream is

all home made and always has been On a hot summer day

you will no doubt be lined up out the door and down the

block to get this tasty treat but Irsquom certain you will find it

worth the wait I think their pricing is quite reasonable for

the size scoop they dip and if you are like me and want a sam-

pling of several flavors they offer Kiddie Scoops at $195

each ndash a flight of ice cream sounds like the perfect end-of-

ride relaxation

We perused the two very full ice cream boards and poured

over the cabinets before making our decisions With close to

50 listed flavors what was a girl to do without minions to help her taste test We finally settled on chocolate hazelnut toasted coconut salted caramel and

vanilla fudge brownie I pretty much always opt for a cup as I savor my ice cream and it would run down my arm before I was even close to finishing but I was

almost tempted by their pretzel cone What is so great about Taylorrsquos cones is the plastic drip cup in which they reside both sanitary and mess-preventing

Page 26 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

TOWN amp COUNTRYC Y C L E C E N T E R

115 Route 23N bull Hamburg NJ bull 973-875-2111wwwtownandcountrycyclecentercom

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIYamahacom bull 516-935-6969

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE

SPORT TOURERIntroducing the most performancepower versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle From commutingand exploring backroads to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaharsquos un-mistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

While enjoying our treats we savored

the deacutecor of this very pleasant parlor Sev-

eral tables to enjoy your ice cream clip-

pings of newspaper articles school

paraphernalia and something that has no

place in an ice cream parlor an old-fash-

ioned fortune telling scale This couldnrsquot

possibly still be functioning could it Ac-

cording to Justin yes it was How could we

resist In went our pennies and up popped

our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked

the weight numbers) Brianrsquos read lsquoYou are

not overbearing but generally have things

your wayrsquo Wow I couldnrsquot wait to see if

mine was as accurate ldquoYou look to the fu-

ture rather than the pastrsquo So true

Back to the ice cream ndash it

was heavenly We all agreed

that the salted caramel was the

overall winner having the per-

fect balance of salt and

caramel with the best creamy

texture The toasted coconut

was very flavorful with lots of

coconut bits the chocolate

hazelnut was very dark and

creamy and mixed with the coconut made the perfect almond-free almond

joy The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole but cer-

tainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store

I believe Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round but if yoursquore head-

ing over during the winter months give them a call to make sure Enjoy the

winter and remember itrsquos never too cold to eat ice cream

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield PA

215-712-7433 bull wwwBMWMotorcyclescom

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

THE NEW R 1200 RA POWERFUL STATEMENT

Our newest boxer roadster has one missiondominate the streets in style The R 1200 Ris designed to blend comfort precisehandling and pure riding excitementhellipin one head-turning machine

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW R 1200 RSTHRILLING COMFORT

The new R 1200 RS is perfectly balancedcombining optimal wind and weather protectionwith powerful performance and controlPutting you in an unparalleled position toexplore the road - and your own limits

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW S 1000 RRWELCOME TO THENEW PLANET POWER

The S 1000 RR has been completely revisedThe results in its origins a genuine Double RRon the road a new supersports machine thatwill once again set the benchmark in its class

UNSTOPPABLE SPORT

WHAT lsquoRrsquo YOU WAITING FORCome to Montgomeryville Cycle Center to see the full line of 2015 BMW Motorcycles products and apparel

We have everything yoursquoll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever

Motorcyclepedia the northeastrsquos

premier motorcycle museum will

be holding its Speaker Series again

this winter with various riders and

orators covering topics ranging

from world touring to tips on avoiding tickets and an in depth look at GPS

technology and todayrsquos motorcycling

Backroadsrsquo own Brian amp Shira will start the series off with a talk on Jan-

uary 17 on lsquoThe Big Fiversquo motorcycle destinations around the planet along

with planning and touring around the United States and the world

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who

will help clear the fog about Garmin GPSrsquos and how their BaseCamp program

works along with how to create and export your own personal routes

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on ldquoEverything you need to know

on Motorcycles and the Lawrdquo - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper po-

lice procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists

Seth Simpson of Motorcycle training Solutions will be giving a seminar

on Rider Training

Motorcyclistmoto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about

Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys

Look for a Womenrsquos Riding Panel with some well-known female motor-

cyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing todayrsquos women

riders This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and

beginning women riders

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months

and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to

enlighten

Wersquoll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page

as soon as they are etched in stone

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh New York in the

riding heart of the Hudson Valley

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 27

A DAY AT THE MUSEUMlsquoSPEAKER SERIESrsquo RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Frankrsquos MotorcycleSales amp Service

120 Center RoadEssex VT 05451

802-878-3930wwwFranksMotorcycleSalescomBMWhtm

Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY845-357-1190

wwwLocomotionPowersportscom

LOCOMOTION POWER-

SPORTS138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY

845-357-1190

Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

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JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

2015 Kawasaki Concoursreg14 ABSThe ultimate backroad SuperSport Tourer

The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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cycle insurance Agency increcreational vehicle specialists

Agents who ride and understandyour motorcycle insurance needs

Ask about our Tour cycle Program ndash the ultimate in coverage

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memBer

memBer

Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

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Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 20: January 2015 Backroads

of local seam coal donated by coal companies in the region

Right next door to The Coal House you will find the historic

Mountaineer Hotel The large classic-revival 5-story yellow-

glazed brick building dominates the center of town and offers

a look and reason to step back into the past

Built in 1925 the Mountaineer hotel has had its share of fa-

mous guests with JFK Paul Newman Jerry Lee Lewis Henry

Ford and others- including the great Soupy Sales - staying here

overnight

In fact all the rooms are named after famous and infamous

guests that have walked through its doors

Later in the evening we walked all five flights to see just

who did stay there

The main entrance leads to a large lobby and the front desk

with pigeonhole boxes for room keys and a teller window

French doors lead to the ballroom The hotel has 116 rooms

for guests a formal ballroom a lobby restaurant and sports bar

(which were not open this day) and the lower level has a num-

ber of games ndash including Fooz ball pool

and a large regulation-sized shuffle board

game that kept us occupied for about an

hour

Sometimes we find places from this era

a bit run down but the Mountaineer hotel

is a gem

Just one look at the grand lobby and you

will know this is true and with rooms less

than $75 for the night quite the deal too

We took Paul Newmanrsquos room and it

couldnrsquot have been nicer

Unpacking and strolling around town

which was quiet on a Monday night was a

pleasant distraction after a dayrsquos worth of

hard miles through the mountains of West

Virginia and Kentucky

When traveling around the United States

you can almost always find a chain hotel at

any exit or bigger town but why would you

want to when wonderful old beauties like

the Mountaineer Hotel in Williamson West

Virginia are around

Page 20 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Tony Lisanti

Eye protection for off road use consists of

the tried and true goggle The goggle

wraps around the helmet and seals to

your face in the helmet opening

Traditional goggles

consist of a urethane

based flexible frame

with various types of

foam material that

seal directly against

the forehead and cheeks

and nose keeping out wind and

dirt Being the helmet has a limited opening

goggles have had to fit inside this space limiting the field of vision

This type of goggle has been the norm for last half century with

all kinds of innovations in frame lens and foam materials

Enter ZOWA Optics Visor Goggles ZOWA Optics was founded

in 2013 Their goal is to offer unique goggles to off-road dirt bike

ATV and snowmobile riders The Vermont based company has

come up with a goggle that eliminates many of the drawbacks of

a traditional off road goggle The Visor Goggles are designed so

the upper half seals against the helmet rather than the forehead

The lower half of the goggle rests against the face By developing

the goggle in this way the field of view is dramatically increased and the

issue of having foam in contact with the skin on the forehead is eliminated

I had the opportunity to try out the Visor Goggles at a local practice track

recently The first thing I noticed was the size of the Visor Goggles They are

about twice the size of a traditional goggle They install on a helmet the same

way as traditional goggles except instead of resting against the forehead they

seal against the helmet under the visor Most noticeable was the lack

of ldquonose pinchrdquo and the vastly improved vision The Visor Goggle

drastically reduces the claustrophobic feel of traditional goggles as

there is more distance between the inside of the goggle and your face

The feel is more like an adventure helmet

After riding with them for an hour or two on an MX track I found

the improved field of vision to be a welcome change Riding with the

Visor Goggles allowed better vision up down and sideways I did no-

tice a bit more air coming in from the flow through design and from

underneath the seal against my check bones at speed During warm

weather this would be welcome in cold weather not so much Ad-

justing the strap tension has an affect on goggle to face contact Skin

contact with the typical sweatmudgrungefunk mix that gets en-

crusted on the foam is minimized since

the foam is resting against the helmet

rather than the forehead

They cleaned up well and showed no

signs of scratching on the lenses stain-

ing of the frames or discoloration de-

spite a liberal dosage of mud and water

The ZOWA Visor Goggle features in-

clude being rated for OTG (Over The

Glasses) by virtue of the greater clear-

ance between goggle and face a Hel-

met conformed design improved field

of view Lexan lens with anti-fog coating comfort foam and flow through

ventilation The strap features a silicon strip to help it stay put on the helmet

Accessory lenses and tear-off lenses are available All goggles come with a

micro fiber storage bag as well The off road goggles retail for $5800 and

are available in black red of cyan frame colors wwwzowaopticscom

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

BUILT BEYOND BELIEFINTRODUCING THE KAWASAKI

Come to Motorcycle Mall to reserve your Ninja H2trade

by December 19 and experience unforgettablesupercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2 motorcycle the worldrsquos onlysupercharged production hypersport streetbike

H2

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pantsgloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Mo-torcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environmentFor furher information regarding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 Specifi-cations subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspired R1 everFrom the advanced lsquorider activersquo electronicspackage to the powerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Supersport bike andfactory MotoGP has never been more blurred

COMPLETELY NEW

FROM THE TRACK UP

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 21

PRODUCT REVIEWZOWA OPTICS VISOR GOGGLES

Great All American Diner RunAs always wersquoll start with our most popular column the Great All American Diner Run Wait is it really We just might have a new fan fa-vorite but wersquoll save that till later First letrsquos take a look at the top three for GAADR 2014hellip

SECOND RUNNER UP bull RIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST2378 ROUTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770 bull 845-557-0097 bull RIVERUNNERSROOSTCOM

Route 97 along the scenic Delaware River has long been a favorite of motorcyclists for years and

over the years the road has seen a number of restaurants open their doors along its picturesque miles

The latest is the River Runnerrsquos Roost

Opened by Rich and Mary Codichini back in 2013 this place quickly became a favorite of ours

and many others They bill themselves as a barbeque steakhouse with a touch of Cajun and Italian

We call it phenomenal with one of the best barbeques in the region and gumbo to go to war over

If you havenrsquot tried the ldquoRoostrdquo then make plans for riding their way in the spring

FIRST RUNNER UP bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784 bull 603- 298-5515 bull 4ACESDINERCOM

Located just up the hill from the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River in the town of

Lebanon the Four Aces is the real deal A true Great All-American Diner Their

menu is huge interesting and delicious The ambience is pure Americana and the

roads leading to and from the Four Aces straddling Vermont and New Hampshire

are hard to top They have pro smokers going outside right along their picnic tables

but we found a seat at the counter worked just fine for us

Our only problem with Four Aces is that they are almost exactly 301 miles from

where we type this They should consider northern New Jersey

The Four Aces is a must see do and eat while in the Dartmouth region and just

missed out on our top honor for this yearrsquos vote

And so without further adohellip

1ST PLACE GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN 2014 bull FIVE ISLANDS LOBSTER COMPANY1447 5 ISLANDS RD GEORGETOWN ME 04548 bull 207-371-2990 bull FIVEISLANDSLOBSTERCOM

Location location location Besides have a superb down to Earth feel a great staff scrumptious food

and a wonderful coastal Maine flavor ndash The Five Islands Lobster Company has a serious location

Did we mention where it is

Located on a working fishing wharf it is surrounded by the ldquocoldest and deepest waters on the coastrdquo

There be some serious lobstarsquo lurking here abouts and it is best when they find their final way to

Five Islands You can have these big bugs anyway you like but we took a bullet for all of you and

went and ordered The Big Boy Stuffed with twice the amount of lobster meat than your average

lobster roll it was our pleasure to tackle this monster as best we could

Wait ndash just thinking of it all on this cold November day has us in a statehellip

They do serve a good number of other seafood favorites as well as more land-based standards but

who wants that when you can have the quintessential Maine treat on a wooden bench and table

alongside one of the prettiest bays in New England

This is why the Five Islands Lobster Company slid into the 1 spot in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

Big City GetawayBig City Getaway has always been about a great destination So many of

us roll the bikes out of the garage and then say ldquoWhere tordquo That is where this monthly favoritecomes in and here are our best of Big City Getaway 2015

2ND RUNNER UP bull MUSTANG FACTORYTOUR4 SPRINGFIELD STREET SUITE 1 THREE RIVERS MA 01080 bull 800-243-1392 bull MUSTANGSEATSCOM

They are one of the largest motorcycle seat manufacturers on the planet and they would be happy to show you around

We did a tour this last summer and found just how much talent vision and workmanship goes into creating some of

the most distinctive and comfortable motorcycle seats you can find

Page 22 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Best of Backroads 2014Once again this planet we ride has completed another lap around our sun and it is time for us to look back on the season and the veryBest of BackroadsIf we said 2013 was ldquointerestingrdquo we would be hard pressed to describe this past year of 2014For sure last year brought us thousands of great miles and lots of smiles interesting destinations and a few great Backroads Ralliesbut some darkness and loss along the journey for our Backroads family as wellStill looking back we had some phenomenal places we found stories we told and friends with which we have ridden The Italian poet Cesare Pavese said ldquoWe do not remember days we remember momentsrdquoThis year ndash 2014 ndash we had our share of moments Letrsquos look back at some in the Best of Backroads 2014

The tour is open to riding groups and takes a little over an hour and a half We recommend that you make an

appointment and guarantee you will have an informative and fun day with our friends at Mustang seats

1ST RUNNER UP bull COASTAL BOTANICAL GARDENS32 BOTANICAL GARDENS DR BOOTHBAY ME 04537 bull 207-633-4333 bull MAINEGARDENSORG

This project took nearly 17 years planning planting and building before its opening in June of 2007 and today

the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens comprises 270 acres of tidal shore land thousands of flowers plants

and botanical oddities Interspersed amongst the natural beauty you will find dozens of sculptures that

only add to an already stunning venue Rarely has a visitor spent some time at the Coastal Botanical

Gardens and not wanted to return as soon as possible

It is simple to see why this easily took our First Runner Up spot

1ST PLACE BIG CITY GETAWAY 2014 FIVE STAR GENERAL STORES bull NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY

This article from our October issue embodied a little bit of everything we might look for in a Big

City Getaway It had local history interesting stops (5 of them) food ice cream and it was all

woven together with some of the neatest roads in northern New Jersey ndash a riding jewel for those

who have never been so lucky Running along to five different and historic General Stores this day

trip just kept getting better Know that we just scratched the surface and that these General Stores from

the past can be found all around the nation But for this time around it was this adventure that was

called 1 for Big City Getaway 2014

(Note as of this printing the Stillwater General Store has closed but is still worth the ride-by for the

roads and historic value)

Wersquore Outta HereThe great thing that we riders have over the more boring people out there is that our tripsand adventures happen the moment we roll out of our driveways and onto the roadOvernight trips are like mini-vacations for the soul and are most likely the reason they sayyou never see a motorcycle outside a psychiatrist office unless it belongs to the shrinkWersquore Outta Here is all about that ndash places to go and enjoy whether it be a group coupleor on your ownLetrsquos see what we think were our top three for 2014

2ND RUNNER UP bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 E MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854 bull 814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGEPACOM

Shira found this hide-away full of coffee awesomeness when we were to attend the ALTRider adventure

ride early this summer in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania The lodge is part of the coffee house and

although the room we had was a tad small it was well thought out and just added to the coolness of the

entire place We had the Penns Creek Room with its lsquoloft-stylersquo bed and rock wall shower Each morning

the aroma from the coffee shop downstairs was like a Sirenrsquos call and had us highly motivated to carefully

spring out of bed (well it was a loft and there was a drop) There were also great muffins and cakes to go along with the coffee

Millheim is well located with a great combination of fantastic riding both paved and not and has a few eateries within strolling distance (compared to walking

or marching distance) We liked everything about the Triple Creek Lodge ndash the smell the flavor and the quirkiness

1ST RUNNER UP bull INDIAN ROCK INN2206 RIVER RD UPPER BLACK EDDY PA 18972 bull 610-982-9600 bull INDIANROCKINNCOM

GPS Download wwwsendspacecomprodlen7u7kAlong the PA-side of the Delaware River just north of Jerseyrsquos Milford in a place where the river

crooks dramatically and heads north for a bit you will find a great local treasure - the Indian Rock

Inn Tucked underneath what are called the Pennsylvania Palisades and along both river and old

canal the Indian Rock is the complete package

After a day of fun riding to and around the region you can park the bikes grab your room and

shower and make your way to the very friendly bar The Barking Dog Grab a cocktail and me-

ander to the very comfortable large porch take a seat and watch the world go by After the sun

sets a delicious gourmet meal is just steps away Perhaps a night cap and then upstairs to end a

prefect day With all that it is easy to see how the Indian Rock grabbed first runner up in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

1ST PLACEWErsquoRE OUTTA HERE 2014 bull QUODDY HEAD STATION823 SOUTH LUBEC RD LUBEC ME 04652 bull 877-535-4714 bull QUODDYVACATIONCOM

Most times we are all for suggesting you sleep in a bit longer at any of our Wersquore Outta Here destinations but here at Quoddy Head

Station we urge - no insist ndash that you get up before the dawn so you can be the first in the United States to see the sun rise over the At-

lantic from the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse - just a 2 minute ride to the east

Here in the most north and east point of the United States life does not get much better

The rooms and views cannot be beat and the surrounding area with its little coves Reversing Falls State Park Rooseveltrsquos Campobello

cottage (actually in Canada) and the very coastal Maine town of Lebec with its large number of seafood restaurants nautical shops and

vistas are hard to beat anywhere else in the world When we travelled in the area

we rode under a giant orange full moon that rose over the bay at low tide

It was eerie and stunning all at the same time

One of those moments we talked about earlier Quoddy Head Station has to be one

of the most interesting and geographically perfect places we have traveled to in

many years and easily made its way to the 1st place spot for Wersquore Outta Here 2014

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 23

Mysterious AmericaAlways one of the perennial favorites for our readers is the odd wacky and off-beat destinations that our own Dr Seymour OrsquoLife brings

to us each month This year was no different and the choices to be made for the TopThree were very tight for the good doctor but undaunted our hero carried on and cameup with the short list So letrsquos get to it

2ND RUNNER UP bull ISLE OFWIGHT COUNTY MUSEUM103 MAIN ST SMITHFIELD VA 23430 bull 757-356-1223 bull HISTORICISLEOFWIGHTCOM

You remember this place ndash home of the Worldrsquos Oldest Ham It belonged to PD Gwaltney Jr

It had its beginnings in 1902 when a cured ham was accidentally hung from rafters in one Gwaltneyrsquos

houses until it was discovered by workers By 1924 the pet ham was kept in an iron safe which was

opened daily for guests to view Advertised as the worldrsquos oldest Smithfield ham Gwaltney fashioned

a brass collar for the ham and took it to shows and expos to exhibit the preservative powers of his

smoking method The ham was featured in Ripleyrsquos ldquoBelieve It Or Notrdquo in 1929 1932 and 2003 and

more importantly in Backroads in May of 2014 For sure the museum holds so much more but Sey-

mour could never get past the ham Neither could we

1ST RUNNER UP bull THE CULPER SPY RINGThis was the first multi-month piece by the minions of mystery and we spent three

full months searching for the real story on George Washingtonrsquos Culper Spy Ring

From its beginning with the hanging of Nathan Hale in what is now mid-town Man-

hattan to the desolation of being held on a prison ship in an East River Bay in Brook-

lyn - where we had the largest battle of our Revolutionary War Then on to the Culper

Spies themselves and the web they wove from Setauket Long Island across the

Sound to Connecticut and into New York and Philadelphia These men and woman

(nobody really knows who this lady was) changed the course of history It was then

onto treachery traitors and sex ndashwith the story of Benedict Arnold his wife Peggy

Shippen and her lover Major John Andrersquo and our own West Point Escape capture

and the gallows all played a part in this true story of our local American history

Mysterious Americarsquos history has never been so much fun

1ST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2014 bull THE TRANS-ALLEGHENY LUNATIC ASYLUM71 ASYLUM DR WESTON WV 26452 bull 304-269-5070 bull TRANS-ALLEGHENYLUNATICASYLUMCOM

When we first rode up to this massive 27-acre facility Shira who had no idea where or why we were there shook her head and simply asked why

The asylum stands like a monstrous stone beast dominating the ground It is the second largest hand-hewn bluestone building on the planet with only Russiarsquos

Kremlin surpassing it But it is the feel and aura that surround and linger around this building

that will tell you the real story of the place

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum also known as the We-

ston State Hospital was a Kirkbride psychiatric hospital that

operated from 1864 until 1994 Like many Kirkbridge hospi-

tals it started out with a noble idea but soon became overrun

with patients lack of proper care and some of the saddest and

scariest tales were heard here on the tour The place is massive and to walk the halls would literally take miles

The place is reportedly full of ghosts and very bad things from the other side One look at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

and you will have a hard time denying that claim Shira will never go back and it was one of the few times that she was seriously

ldquocreeped outrdquo Her words ndash not ours

With that being said you surely must agree that a visit to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum easily ranks as our 1st place for

our Mysterious America 2014

MomentsIt was April 10 of this past year when the phone here at Backroads rang Answering it I could hear the voice of a friend Dave on the farend ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo I asked ldquohow are yourdquoDaversquos voice trembled and broke ldquoJeff Bahr was killed today on his bikerdquoIn that moment everything stopped It remained stopped for a long time Sometimes it still doesA month or so later well after Jeffrsquos service and cremation Shira and I found ourselves at the spot where this happened We talked tothe young man who was tending his barbecue pit which he was stoking for the dayrsquos lunch He was there when the driver pulled out ofhis general storersquos parking lot without even a glance He sadly but kindly told us of that momentJeff had simply been riding down a wide country road when an 86-year old man pulled out in front of him Although rubber on the roadshowed Jeff tried to avoid the car it was too little too late and he was killed on impactI have no idea what happened to the old man after this event But regardless he has to live with his inattentiveness and actions for therest of his life So do many of usWe do not remember days we remember momentsThat day was made up of a moment we will never forgetThe weekend I wrote this Jeff if hersquod survived would have been 57 He would have had dozens more stories made us laugh a dozenmore times would have made this magazine a dozen times betterJeff I hope you know that so many of us miss you so muchTo you all enjoy and savor all your moments Life is made up of them and eventually one of those moments will hurt

Page 24 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Shirarsquos Ice Cream RunLast year we introduce a semi-monthly some of the time if she felt like it column ndashShirarsquos Ice Cream Run It seems to everybody but the red head that this column hasbecome a huge hit and we have had more comments and suggestions for the IceCream Runs than anything else within memory So think sweet creamy and cold andletrsquos see what Shira thought were on the top three stops of 2014rsquos Ice Cream Runs

2ND RUNNER UP bull HOLSTENrsquoS CONFECTIONARY1603 BROAD ST BLOOMFIELD NJ 07003 bull 973-338-7091 bull WWWHOLSTENSCOM

Immortalized on celluloid in the Sopranosrsquo final episode Holstenrsquos Confectionary has so much more

to offer than their souvenir t-shirts from said show A true old-time ice cream parlor Holstenrsquos home-

made ice cream and confections will win the hearts of any true lover of sweets Taking a seat at the

counter should bring back memories of visits to Woolworthrsquos and once the delicious dairyness is

placed in front of you complete with homemade whipped cream you will think you are in a

dream Holstenrsquos has the whole package ndash premium product comfortable setting and take-home

delights With its 2nd Runner Up status truly one of my favorites of this yearrsquos ice cream stops

1ST RUNNER UP bull CAYUGA LAKE CREAMERY8421 NY 89 INTERLAKEN NY 14847 bull 607-532-9492 bull WWWCAYUGALAKECREAMERYCOM

Nestled in the idyllic Finger Lakes the Cayuga Lake Creamery offers up some of the most in-

ventive flavors Irsquove seen including wine ice cream and sorbet (best of both worlds Irsquod say)

Sitting on their outdoor deck savoring your Maple Bacon or Lavender cone on a warm summer

day ndash what could be better than that

While the Finger Lakes may not offer the most challenging of rides the scenery is beautiful and

the gorges are well gorgeous I canrsquot think of a much better day than meandering around the

Fingers with a late afternoon stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery Their 14 butterfat mixture and only the best of locally sourced

ingredients produce some of the finest creamiest ice creams around Do yourself a favor and spin your wheels to this part of

NY state for a weekend of indulgence as their terrific flavors will keep you coming back day after day

1ST PLACE SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN bull HALLrsquoS HOMEMADE ICE CREAM861 RACCOONVALLEY RD MILLERSTOWN PA 17062

717-589-3290 bull WWWHALLSICECREAMCOM

I found this gem in the middle of the Alleghenies while Brian was off riding in the forest with the

ALTRider group Having grabbed the 1st Place spot in this yearrsquos Ice Cream Run you know Hallrsquos

Homemade Ice Cream and Dairy has to be something pretty special

While their flavor offerings may not be as exotic as Cayuga Lake the quality is heavenly Their

signature flavor and one I had not tasted before is their honey ice cream coming in a variety of

mixtures such as chocolate butter pecan and my personal favorite cinnamon Hallrsquos has a couple

of outdoor tables where you can take in the full dairy effect while licking your cone If that is too

overwhelming they have a very nice indoor seating area complete with air conditioning

The riding in this part of Pennsylvania is quite exciting with elevation changes sweepers and

twisties and for those desiring an off-road adventure plenty of woodlands to test your knobbies

What do all three of these winners have in common other than fantastic ice cream They are all

open all year long so if you happen to be out and about in Bloomfield NJ Interlaken NY or Miller-

stown PA make sure you plan a stop at one of the top three spots on Shirarsquos 2014 Ice Cream Run

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 25

Rip amp Ridereg bull RIVER RUNNERS ROOST2378 RTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770

845-557-0097 bull WWWRIVERRUNNERSROOSTCOMSEASONAL HOURS - CALL BEFORE HEADING OUT

CR 560 IN SUSSEX COUNTY NJCROSS DINGMANS BRIDGE bull $1 TOLLSTRAIGHT ON RTE 739RIGHT AT MILFORD RDLEFT AT RAYMONDSKILL RDCROSS OVER I-84HARD LEFT ON US 6QUICK RIGHT ONTOTWIN LAKES RDRIGHT AT RTE 434CROSS RIVER TO NEWYORKRIGHT AT RTE 97 SOUTHRIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST DOWN ROAD ON LEFT HAND SIDE

Rip amp Ridereg bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784603- 298-5515 bull WWW4ACESDINERCOM

GPS DOWNLOAD WWWSENDSPACECOMPRODLXXTWXB90-MILE ONEWAY ROUTE FROM THEWEST DOVER VERMONT REGION

BIG BEARS LODGE GRAY GHOST AND KITZHOF INN

RTE 100 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT RTE 35RIGHT AT RTE 121LEFT AT RTE 5CROSS INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE ndash ARCH BRIDGELEFT AT RTE 12 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 120LEFT AT RTE 4 WEST LEBANONFOUR ACES DOWN ON THE LEFT

TAylorrsquos ice creAm PArlor

18 e mAin sT chesTer nJ bull 908-879-5363

What to do on the first sub-freezing day in November Go for ice cream

of course I was hanging out with the good doctor OrsquoLife and best friend

Brian when OrsquoLife told us of this place that grows telephone poles Having

my doubts about most of what OrsquoLife tells me I asked him to prove it So

off we went to the quaint little town of Chester New Jersey

After a pleasant lunch at the Publick House complete with real wood

burning fireplace we trekked down the road a piece found said telephone

pole farm (for another column of course) and started our return to Back-

roads Central Lo and behold right before the turn onto Route 206 there

sat Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor in the nicest old building on the block We

got our spot and headed in to find well no one but Justin in a very toasty

old fashioned ice cream parlor I do think that he was surprised to see us

or anyone on such a cold day

Taylorrsquos has apparently been an ice cream institution in

Chester for the last 50 years or so founded by Mr Earle G

Taylor Sr who just passed this August Taylorrsquos was the vic-

tim of fire some time in 2013 and was closed for a good 8

months before reopening in the same spot with applause

from their long-time fans and customers Their ice cream is

all home made and always has been On a hot summer day

you will no doubt be lined up out the door and down the

block to get this tasty treat but Irsquom certain you will find it

worth the wait I think their pricing is quite reasonable for

the size scoop they dip and if you are like me and want a sam-

pling of several flavors they offer Kiddie Scoops at $195

each ndash a flight of ice cream sounds like the perfect end-of-

ride relaxation

We perused the two very full ice cream boards and poured

over the cabinets before making our decisions With close to

50 listed flavors what was a girl to do without minions to help her taste test We finally settled on chocolate hazelnut toasted coconut salted caramel and

vanilla fudge brownie I pretty much always opt for a cup as I savor my ice cream and it would run down my arm before I was even close to finishing but I was

almost tempted by their pretzel cone What is so great about Taylorrsquos cones is the plastic drip cup in which they reside both sanitary and mess-preventing

Page 26 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

TOWN amp COUNTRYC Y C L E C E N T E R

115 Route 23N bull Hamburg NJ bull 973-875-2111wwwtownandcountrycyclecentercom

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIYamahacom bull 516-935-6969

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE

SPORT TOURERIntroducing the most performancepower versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle From commutingand exploring backroads to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaharsquos un-mistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

While enjoying our treats we savored

the deacutecor of this very pleasant parlor Sev-

eral tables to enjoy your ice cream clip-

pings of newspaper articles school

paraphernalia and something that has no

place in an ice cream parlor an old-fash-

ioned fortune telling scale This couldnrsquot

possibly still be functioning could it Ac-

cording to Justin yes it was How could we

resist In went our pennies and up popped

our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked

the weight numbers) Brianrsquos read lsquoYou are

not overbearing but generally have things

your wayrsquo Wow I couldnrsquot wait to see if

mine was as accurate ldquoYou look to the fu-

ture rather than the pastrsquo So true

Back to the ice cream ndash it

was heavenly We all agreed

that the salted caramel was the

overall winner having the per-

fect balance of salt and

caramel with the best creamy

texture The toasted coconut

was very flavorful with lots of

coconut bits the chocolate

hazelnut was very dark and

creamy and mixed with the coconut made the perfect almond-free almond

joy The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole but cer-

tainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store

I believe Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round but if yoursquore head-

ing over during the winter months give them a call to make sure Enjoy the

winter and remember itrsquos never too cold to eat ice cream

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield PA

215-712-7433 bull wwwBMWMotorcyclescom

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

THE NEW R 1200 RA POWERFUL STATEMENT

Our newest boxer roadster has one missiondominate the streets in style The R 1200 Ris designed to blend comfort precisehandling and pure riding excitementhellipin one head-turning machine

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW R 1200 RSTHRILLING COMFORT

The new R 1200 RS is perfectly balancedcombining optimal wind and weather protectionwith powerful performance and controlPutting you in an unparalleled position toexplore the road - and your own limits

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW S 1000 RRWELCOME TO THENEW PLANET POWER

The S 1000 RR has been completely revisedThe results in its origins a genuine Double RRon the road a new supersports machine thatwill once again set the benchmark in its class

UNSTOPPABLE SPORT

WHAT lsquoRrsquo YOU WAITING FORCome to Montgomeryville Cycle Center to see the full line of 2015 BMW Motorcycles products and apparel

We have everything yoursquoll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever

Motorcyclepedia the northeastrsquos

premier motorcycle museum will

be holding its Speaker Series again

this winter with various riders and

orators covering topics ranging

from world touring to tips on avoiding tickets and an in depth look at GPS

technology and todayrsquos motorcycling

Backroadsrsquo own Brian amp Shira will start the series off with a talk on Jan-

uary 17 on lsquoThe Big Fiversquo motorcycle destinations around the planet along

with planning and touring around the United States and the world

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who

will help clear the fog about Garmin GPSrsquos and how their BaseCamp program

works along with how to create and export your own personal routes

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on ldquoEverything you need to know

on Motorcycles and the Lawrdquo - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper po-

lice procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists

Seth Simpson of Motorcycle training Solutions will be giving a seminar

on Rider Training

Motorcyclistmoto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about

Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys

Look for a Womenrsquos Riding Panel with some well-known female motor-

cyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing todayrsquos women

riders This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and

beginning women riders

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months

and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to

enlighten

Wersquoll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page

as soon as they are etched in stone

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh New York in the

riding heart of the Hudson Valley

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 27

A DAY AT THE MUSEUMlsquoSPEAKER SERIESrsquo RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Frankrsquos MotorcycleSales amp Service

120 Center RoadEssex VT 05451

802-878-3930wwwFranksMotorcycleSalescomBMWhtm

Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY845-357-1190

wwwLocomotionPowersportscom

LOCOMOTION POWER-

SPORTS138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY

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Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

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JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

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KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

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The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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memBer

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Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

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Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 21: January 2015 Backroads

Tony Lisanti

Eye protection for off road use consists of

the tried and true goggle The goggle

wraps around the helmet and seals to

your face in the helmet opening

Traditional goggles

consist of a urethane

based flexible frame

with various types of

foam material that

seal directly against

the forehead and cheeks

and nose keeping out wind and

dirt Being the helmet has a limited opening

goggles have had to fit inside this space limiting the field of vision

This type of goggle has been the norm for last half century with

all kinds of innovations in frame lens and foam materials

Enter ZOWA Optics Visor Goggles ZOWA Optics was founded

in 2013 Their goal is to offer unique goggles to off-road dirt bike

ATV and snowmobile riders The Vermont based company has

come up with a goggle that eliminates many of the drawbacks of

a traditional off road goggle The Visor Goggles are designed so

the upper half seals against the helmet rather than the forehead

The lower half of the goggle rests against the face By developing

the goggle in this way the field of view is dramatically increased and the

issue of having foam in contact with the skin on the forehead is eliminated

I had the opportunity to try out the Visor Goggles at a local practice track

recently The first thing I noticed was the size of the Visor Goggles They are

about twice the size of a traditional goggle They install on a helmet the same

way as traditional goggles except instead of resting against the forehead they

seal against the helmet under the visor Most noticeable was the lack

of ldquonose pinchrdquo and the vastly improved vision The Visor Goggle

drastically reduces the claustrophobic feel of traditional goggles as

there is more distance between the inside of the goggle and your face

The feel is more like an adventure helmet

After riding with them for an hour or two on an MX track I found

the improved field of vision to be a welcome change Riding with the

Visor Goggles allowed better vision up down and sideways I did no-

tice a bit more air coming in from the flow through design and from

underneath the seal against my check bones at speed During warm

weather this would be welcome in cold weather not so much Ad-

justing the strap tension has an affect on goggle to face contact Skin

contact with the typical sweatmudgrungefunk mix that gets en-

crusted on the foam is minimized since

the foam is resting against the helmet

rather than the forehead

They cleaned up well and showed no

signs of scratching on the lenses stain-

ing of the frames or discoloration de-

spite a liberal dosage of mud and water

The ZOWA Visor Goggle features in-

clude being rated for OTG (Over The

Glasses) by virtue of the greater clear-

ance between goggle and face a Hel-

met conformed design improved field

of view Lexan lens with anti-fog coating comfort foam and flow through

ventilation The strap features a silicon strip to help it stay put on the helmet

Accessory lenses and tear-off lenses are available All goggles come with a

micro fiber storage bag as well The off road goggles retail for $5800 and

are available in black red of cyan frame colors wwwzowaopticscom

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

655 Washington Avenue

Belleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

BUILT BEYOND BELIEFINTRODUCING THE KAWASAKI

Come to Motorcycle Mall to reserve your Ninja H2trade

by December 19 and experience unforgettablesupercharged street performance with the 2015Kawasaki Ninja H2 motorcycle the worldrsquos onlysupercharged production hypersport streetbike

H2

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pantsgloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Mo-torcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environmentFor furher information regarding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 Specifi-cations subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspired R1 everFrom the advanced lsquorider activersquo electronicspackage to the powerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Supersport bike andfactory MotoGP has never been more blurred

COMPLETELY NEW

FROM THE TRACK UP

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 21

PRODUCT REVIEWZOWA OPTICS VISOR GOGGLES

Great All American Diner RunAs always wersquoll start with our most popular column the Great All American Diner Run Wait is it really We just might have a new fan fa-vorite but wersquoll save that till later First letrsquos take a look at the top three for GAADR 2014hellip

SECOND RUNNER UP bull RIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST2378 ROUTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770 bull 845-557-0097 bull RIVERUNNERSROOSTCOM

Route 97 along the scenic Delaware River has long been a favorite of motorcyclists for years and

over the years the road has seen a number of restaurants open their doors along its picturesque miles

The latest is the River Runnerrsquos Roost

Opened by Rich and Mary Codichini back in 2013 this place quickly became a favorite of ours

and many others They bill themselves as a barbeque steakhouse with a touch of Cajun and Italian

We call it phenomenal with one of the best barbeques in the region and gumbo to go to war over

If you havenrsquot tried the ldquoRoostrdquo then make plans for riding their way in the spring

FIRST RUNNER UP bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784 bull 603- 298-5515 bull 4ACESDINERCOM

Located just up the hill from the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River in the town of

Lebanon the Four Aces is the real deal A true Great All-American Diner Their

menu is huge interesting and delicious The ambience is pure Americana and the

roads leading to and from the Four Aces straddling Vermont and New Hampshire

are hard to top They have pro smokers going outside right along their picnic tables

but we found a seat at the counter worked just fine for us

Our only problem with Four Aces is that they are almost exactly 301 miles from

where we type this They should consider northern New Jersey

The Four Aces is a must see do and eat while in the Dartmouth region and just

missed out on our top honor for this yearrsquos vote

And so without further adohellip

1ST PLACE GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN 2014 bull FIVE ISLANDS LOBSTER COMPANY1447 5 ISLANDS RD GEORGETOWN ME 04548 bull 207-371-2990 bull FIVEISLANDSLOBSTERCOM

Location location location Besides have a superb down to Earth feel a great staff scrumptious food

and a wonderful coastal Maine flavor ndash The Five Islands Lobster Company has a serious location

Did we mention where it is

Located on a working fishing wharf it is surrounded by the ldquocoldest and deepest waters on the coastrdquo

There be some serious lobstarsquo lurking here abouts and it is best when they find their final way to

Five Islands You can have these big bugs anyway you like but we took a bullet for all of you and

went and ordered The Big Boy Stuffed with twice the amount of lobster meat than your average

lobster roll it was our pleasure to tackle this monster as best we could

Wait ndash just thinking of it all on this cold November day has us in a statehellip

They do serve a good number of other seafood favorites as well as more land-based standards but

who wants that when you can have the quintessential Maine treat on a wooden bench and table

alongside one of the prettiest bays in New England

This is why the Five Islands Lobster Company slid into the 1 spot in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

Big City GetawayBig City Getaway has always been about a great destination So many of

us roll the bikes out of the garage and then say ldquoWhere tordquo That is where this monthly favoritecomes in and here are our best of Big City Getaway 2015

2ND RUNNER UP bull MUSTANG FACTORYTOUR4 SPRINGFIELD STREET SUITE 1 THREE RIVERS MA 01080 bull 800-243-1392 bull MUSTANGSEATSCOM

They are one of the largest motorcycle seat manufacturers on the planet and they would be happy to show you around

We did a tour this last summer and found just how much talent vision and workmanship goes into creating some of

the most distinctive and comfortable motorcycle seats you can find

Page 22 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Best of Backroads 2014Once again this planet we ride has completed another lap around our sun and it is time for us to look back on the season and the veryBest of BackroadsIf we said 2013 was ldquointerestingrdquo we would be hard pressed to describe this past year of 2014For sure last year brought us thousands of great miles and lots of smiles interesting destinations and a few great Backroads Ralliesbut some darkness and loss along the journey for our Backroads family as wellStill looking back we had some phenomenal places we found stories we told and friends with which we have ridden The Italian poet Cesare Pavese said ldquoWe do not remember days we remember momentsrdquoThis year ndash 2014 ndash we had our share of moments Letrsquos look back at some in the Best of Backroads 2014

The tour is open to riding groups and takes a little over an hour and a half We recommend that you make an

appointment and guarantee you will have an informative and fun day with our friends at Mustang seats

1ST RUNNER UP bull COASTAL BOTANICAL GARDENS32 BOTANICAL GARDENS DR BOOTHBAY ME 04537 bull 207-633-4333 bull MAINEGARDENSORG

This project took nearly 17 years planning planting and building before its opening in June of 2007 and today

the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens comprises 270 acres of tidal shore land thousands of flowers plants

and botanical oddities Interspersed amongst the natural beauty you will find dozens of sculptures that

only add to an already stunning venue Rarely has a visitor spent some time at the Coastal Botanical

Gardens and not wanted to return as soon as possible

It is simple to see why this easily took our First Runner Up spot

1ST PLACE BIG CITY GETAWAY 2014 FIVE STAR GENERAL STORES bull NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY

This article from our October issue embodied a little bit of everything we might look for in a Big

City Getaway It had local history interesting stops (5 of them) food ice cream and it was all

woven together with some of the neatest roads in northern New Jersey ndash a riding jewel for those

who have never been so lucky Running along to five different and historic General Stores this day

trip just kept getting better Know that we just scratched the surface and that these General Stores from

the past can be found all around the nation But for this time around it was this adventure that was

called 1 for Big City Getaway 2014

(Note as of this printing the Stillwater General Store has closed but is still worth the ride-by for the

roads and historic value)

Wersquore Outta HereThe great thing that we riders have over the more boring people out there is that our tripsand adventures happen the moment we roll out of our driveways and onto the roadOvernight trips are like mini-vacations for the soul and are most likely the reason they sayyou never see a motorcycle outside a psychiatrist office unless it belongs to the shrinkWersquore Outta Here is all about that ndash places to go and enjoy whether it be a group coupleor on your ownLetrsquos see what we think were our top three for 2014

2ND RUNNER UP bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 E MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854 bull 814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGEPACOM

Shira found this hide-away full of coffee awesomeness when we were to attend the ALTRider adventure

ride early this summer in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania The lodge is part of the coffee house and

although the room we had was a tad small it was well thought out and just added to the coolness of the

entire place We had the Penns Creek Room with its lsquoloft-stylersquo bed and rock wall shower Each morning

the aroma from the coffee shop downstairs was like a Sirenrsquos call and had us highly motivated to carefully

spring out of bed (well it was a loft and there was a drop) There were also great muffins and cakes to go along with the coffee

Millheim is well located with a great combination of fantastic riding both paved and not and has a few eateries within strolling distance (compared to walking

or marching distance) We liked everything about the Triple Creek Lodge ndash the smell the flavor and the quirkiness

1ST RUNNER UP bull INDIAN ROCK INN2206 RIVER RD UPPER BLACK EDDY PA 18972 bull 610-982-9600 bull INDIANROCKINNCOM

GPS Download wwwsendspacecomprodlen7u7kAlong the PA-side of the Delaware River just north of Jerseyrsquos Milford in a place where the river

crooks dramatically and heads north for a bit you will find a great local treasure - the Indian Rock

Inn Tucked underneath what are called the Pennsylvania Palisades and along both river and old

canal the Indian Rock is the complete package

After a day of fun riding to and around the region you can park the bikes grab your room and

shower and make your way to the very friendly bar The Barking Dog Grab a cocktail and me-

ander to the very comfortable large porch take a seat and watch the world go by After the sun

sets a delicious gourmet meal is just steps away Perhaps a night cap and then upstairs to end a

prefect day With all that it is easy to see how the Indian Rock grabbed first runner up in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

1ST PLACEWErsquoRE OUTTA HERE 2014 bull QUODDY HEAD STATION823 SOUTH LUBEC RD LUBEC ME 04652 bull 877-535-4714 bull QUODDYVACATIONCOM

Most times we are all for suggesting you sleep in a bit longer at any of our Wersquore Outta Here destinations but here at Quoddy Head

Station we urge - no insist ndash that you get up before the dawn so you can be the first in the United States to see the sun rise over the At-

lantic from the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse - just a 2 minute ride to the east

Here in the most north and east point of the United States life does not get much better

The rooms and views cannot be beat and the surrounding area with its little coves Reversing Falls State Park Rooseveltrsquos Campobello

cottage (actually in Canada) and the very coastal Maine town of Lebec with its large number of seafood restaurants nautical shops and

vistas are hard to beat anywhere else in the world When we travelled in the area

we rode under a giant orange full moon that rose over the bay at low tide

It was eerie and stunning all at the same time

One of those moments we talked about earlier Quoddy Head Station has to be one

of the most interesting and geographically perfect places we have traveled to in

many years and easily made its way to the 1st place spot for Wersquore Outta Here 2014

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 23

Mysterious AmericaAlways one of the perennial favorites for our readers is the odd wacky and off-beat destinations that our own Dr Seymour OrsquoLife brings

to us each month This year was no different and the choices to be made for the TopThree were very tight for the good doctor but undaunted our hero carried on and cameup with the short list So letrsquos get to it

2ND RUNNER UP bull ISLE OFWIGHT COUNTY MUSEUM103 MAIN ST SMITHFIELD VA 23430 bull 757-356-1223 bull HISTORICISLEOFWIGHTCOM

You remember this place ndash home of the Worldrsquos Oldest Ham It belonged to PD Gwaltney Jr

It had its beginnings in 1902 when a cured ham was accidentally hung from rafters in one Gwaltneyrsquos

houses until it was discovered by workers By 1924 the pet ham was kept in an iron safe which was

opened daily for guests to view Advertised as the worldrsquos oldest Smithfield ham Gwaltney fashioned

a brass collar for the ham and took it to shows and expos to exhibit the preservative powers of his

smoking method The ham was featured in Ripleyrsquos ldquoBelieve It Or Notrdquo in 1929 1932 and 2003 and

more importantly in Backroads in May of 2014 For sure the museum holds so much more but Sey-

mour could never get past the ham Neither could we

1ST RUNNER UP bull THE CULPER SPY RINGThis was the first multi-month piece by the minions of mystery and we spent three

full months searching for the real story on George Washingtonrsquos Culper Spy Ring

From its beginning with the hanging of Nathan Hale in what is now mid-town Man-

hattan to the desolation of being held on a prison ship in an East River Bay in Brook-

lyn - where we had the largest battle of our Revolutionary War Then on to the Culper

Spies themselves and the web they wove from Setauket Long Island across the

Sound to Connecticut and into New York and Philadelphia These men and woman

(nobody really knows who this lady was) changed the course of history It was then

onto treachery traitors and sex ndashwith the story of Benedict Arnold his wife Peggy

Shippen and her lover Major John Andrersquo and our own West Point Escape capture

and the gallows all played a part in this true story of our local American history

Mysterious Americarsquos history has never been so much fun

1ST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2014 bull THE TRANS-ALLEGHENY LUNATIC ASYLUM71 ASYLUM DR WESTON WV 26452 bull 304-269-5070 bull TRANS-ALLEGHENYLUNATICASYLUMCOM

When we first rode up to this massive 27-acre facility Shira who had no idea where or why we were there shook her head and simply asked why

The asylum stands like a monstrous stone beast dominating the ground It is the second largest hand-hewn bluestone building on the planet with only Russiarsquos

Kremlin surpassing it But it is the feel and aura that surround and linger around this building

that will tell you the real story of the place

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum also known as the We-

ston State Hospital was a Kirkbride psychiatric hospital that

operated from 1864 until 1994 Like many Kirkbridge hospi-

tals it started out with a noble idea but soon became overrun

with patients lack of proper care and some of the saddest and

scariest tales were heard here on the tour The place is massive and to walk the halls would literally take miles

The place is reportedly full of ghosts and very bad things from the other side One look at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

and you will have a hard time denying that claim Shira will never go back and it was one of the few times that she was seriously

ldquocreeped outrdquo Her words ndash not ours

With that being said you surely must agree that a visit to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum easily ranks as our 1st place for

our Mysterious America 2014

MomentsIt was April 10 of this past year when the phone here at Backroads rang Answering it I could hear the voice of a friend Dave on the farend ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo I asked ldquohow are yourdquoDaversquos voice trembled and broke ldquoJeff Bahr was killed today on his bikerdquoIn that moment everything stopped It remained stopped for a long time Sometimes it still doesA month or so later well after Jeffrsquos service and cremation Shira and I found ourselves at the spot where this happened We talked tothe young man who was tending his barbecue pit which he was stoking for the dayrsquos lunch He was there when the driver pulled out ofhis general storersquos parking lot without even a glance He sadly but kindly told us of that momentJeff had simply been riding down a wide country road when an 86-year old man pulled out in front of him Although rubber on the roadshowed Jeff tried to avoid the car it was too little too late and he was killed on impactI have no idea what happened to the old man after this event But regardless he has to live with his inattentiveness and actions for therest of his life So do many of usWe do not remember days we remember momentsThat day was made up of a moment we will never forgetThe weekend I wrote this Jeff if hersquod survived would have been 57 He would have had dozens more stories made us laugh a dozenmore times would have made this magazine a dozen times betterJeff I hope you know that so many of us miss you so muchTo you all enjoy and savor all your moments Life is made up of them and eventually one of those moments will hurt

Page 24 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Shirarsquos Ice Cream RunLast year we introduce a semi-monthly some of the time if she felt like it column ndashShirarsquos Ice Cream Run It seems to everybody but the red head that this column hasbecome a huge hit and we have had more comments and suggestions for the IceCream Runs than anything else within memory So think sweet creamy and cold andletrsquos see what Shira thought were on the top three stops of 2014rsquos Ice Cream Runs

2ND RUNNER UP bull HOLSTENrsquoS CONFECTIONARY1603 BROAD ST BLOOMFIELD NJ 07003 bull 973-338-7091 bull WWWHOLSTENSCOM

Immortalized on celluloid in the Sopranosrsquo final episode Holstenrsquos Confectionary has so much more

to offer than their souvenir t-shirts from said show A true old-time ice cream parlor Holstenrsquos home-

made ice cream and confections will win the hearts of any true lover of sweets Taking a seat at the

counter should bring back memories of visits to Woolworthrsquos and once the delicious dairyness is

placed in front of you complete with homemade whipped cream you will think you are in a

dream Holstenrsquos has the whole package ndash premium product comfortable setting and take-home

delights With its 2nd Runner Up status truly one of my favorites of this yearrsquos ice cream stops

1ST RUNNER UP bull CAYUGA LAKE CREAMERY8421 NY 89 INTERLAKEN NY 14847 bull 607-532-9492 bull WWWCAYUGALAKECREAMERYCOM

Nestled in the idyllic Finger Lakes the Cayuga Lake Creamery offers up some of the most in-

ventive flavors Irsquove seen including wine ice cream and sorbet (best of both worlds Irsquod say)

Sitting on their outdoor deck savoring your Maple Bacon or Lavender cone on a warm summer

day ndash what could be better than that

While the Finger Lakes may not offer the most challenging of rides the scenery is beautiful and

the gorges are well gorgeous I canrsquot think of a much better day than meandering around the

Fingers with a late afternoon stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery Their 14 butterfat mixture and only the best of locally sourced

ingredients produce some of the finest creamiest ice creams around Do yourself a favor and spin your wheels to this part of

NY state for a weekend of indulgence as their terrific flavors will keep you coming back day after day

1ST PLACE SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN bull HALLrsquoS HOMEMADE ICE CREAM861 RACCOONVALLEY RD MILLERSTOWN PA 17062

717-589-3290 bull WWWHALLSICECREAMCOM

I found this gem in the middle of the Alleghenies while Brian was off riding in the forest with the

ALTRider group Having grabbed the 1st Place spot in this yearrsquos Ice Cream Run you know Hallrsquos

Homemade Ice Cream and Dairy has to be something pretty special

While their flavor offerings may not be as exotic as Cayuga Lake the quality is heavenly Their

signature flavor and one I had not tasted before is their honey ice cream coming in a variety of

mixtures such as chocolate butter pecan and my personal favorite cinnamon Hallrsquos has a couple

of outdoor tables where you can take in the full dairy effect while licking your cone If that is too

overwhelming they have a very nice indoor seating area complete with air conditioning

The riding in this part of Pennsylvania is quite exciting with elevation changes sweepers and

twisties and for those desiring an off-road adventure plenty of woodlands to test your knobbies

What do all three of these winners have in common other than fantastic ice cream They are all

open all year long so if you happen to be out and about in Bloomfield NJ Interlaken NY or Miller-

stown PA make sure you plan a stop at one of the top three spots on Shirarsquos 2014 Ice Cream Run

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 25

Rip amp Ridereg bull RIVER RUNNERS ROOST2378 RTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770

845-557-0097 bull WWWRIVERRUNNERSROOSTCOMSEASONAL HOURS - CALL BEFORE HEADING OUT

CR 560 IN SUSSEX COUNTY NJCROSS DINGMANS BRIDGE bull $1 TOLLSTRAIGHT ON RTE 739RIGHT AT MILFORD RDLEFT AT RAYMONDSKILL RDCROSS OVER I-84HARD LEFT ON US 6QUICK RIGHT ONTOTWIN LAKES RDRIGHT AT RTE 434CROSS RIVER TO NEWYORKRIGHT AT RTE 97 SOUTHRIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST DOWN ROAD ON LEFT HAND SIDE

Rip amp Ridereg bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784603- 298-5515 bull WWW4ACESDINERCOM

GPS DOWNLOAD WWWSENDSPACECOMPRODLXXTWXB90-MILE ONEWAY ROUTE FROM THEWEST DOVER VERMONT REGION

BIG BEARS LODGE GRAY GHOST AND KITZHOF INN

RTE 100 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT RTE 35RIGHT AT RTE 121LEFT AT RTE 5CROSS INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE ndash ARCH BRIDGELEFT AT RTE 12 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 120LEFT AT RTE 4 WEST LEBANONFOUR ACES DOWN ON THE LEFT

TAylorrsquos ice creAm PArlor

18 e mAin sT chesTer nJ bull 908-879-5363

What to do on the first sub-freezing day in November Go for ice cream

of course I was hanging out with the good doctor OrsquoLife and best friend

Brian when OrsquoLife told us of this place that grows telephone poles Having

my doubts about most of what OrsquoLife tells me I asked him to prove it So

off we went to the quaint little town of Chester New Jersey

After a pleasant lunch at the Publick House complete with real wood

burning fireplace we trekked down the road a piece found said telephone

pole farm (for another column of course) and started our return to Back-

roads Central Lo and behold right before the turn onto Route 206 there

sat Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor in the nicest old building on the block We

got our spot and headed in to find well no one but Justin in a very toasty

old fashioned ice cream parlor I do think that he was surprised to see us

or anyone on such a cold day

Taylorrsquos has apparently been an ice cream institution in

Chester for the last 50 years or so founded by Mr Earle G

Taylor Sr who just passed this August Taylorrsquos was the vic-

tim of fire some time in 2013 and was closed for a good 8

months before reopening in the same spot with applause

from their long-time fans and customers Their ice cream is

all home made and always has been On a hot summer day

you will no doubt be lined up out the door and down the

block to get this tasty treat but Irsquom certain you will find it

worth the wait I think their pricing is quite reasonable for

the size scoop they dip and if you are like me and want a sam-

pling of several flavors they offer Kiddie Scoops at $195

each ndash a flight of ice cream sounds like the perfect end-of-

ride relaxation

We perused the two very full ice cream boards and poured

over the cabinets before making our decisions With close to

50 listed flavors what was a girl to do without minions to help her taste test We finally settled on chocolate hazelnut toasted coconut salted caramel and

vanilla fudge brownie I pretty much always opt for a cup as I savor my ice cream and it would run down my arm before I was even close to finishing but I was

almost tempted by their pretzel cone What is so great about Taylorrsquos cones is the plastic drip cup in which they reside both sanitary and mess-preventing

Page 26 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

TOWN amp COUNTRYC Y C L E C E N T E R

115 Route 23N bull Hamburg NJ bull 973-875-2111wwwtownandcountrycyclecentercom

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIYamahacom bull 516-935-6969

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE

SPORT TOURERIntroducing the most performancepower versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle From commutingand exploring backroads to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaharsquos un-mistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

While enjoying our treats we savored

the deacutecor of this very pleasant parlor Sev-

eral tables to enjoy your ice cream clip-

pings of newspaper articles school

paraphernalia and something that has no

place in an ice cream parlor an old-fash-

ioned fortune telling scale This couldnrsquot

possibly still be functioning could it Ac-

cording to Justin yes it was How could we

resist In went our pennies and up popped

our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked

the weight numbers) Brianrsquos read lsquoYou are

not overbearing but generally have things

your wayrsquo Wow I couldnrsquot wait to see if

mine was as accurate ldquoYou look to the fu-

ture rather than the pastrsquo So true

Back to the ice cream ndash it

was heavenly We all agreed

that the salted caramel was the

overall winner having the per-

fect balance of salt and

caramel with the best creamy

texture The toasted coconut

was very flavorful with lots of

coconut bits the chocolate

hazelnut was very dark and

creamy and mixed with the coconut made the perfect almond-free almond

joy The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole but cer-

tainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store

I believe Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round but if yoursquore head-

ing over during the winter months give them a call to make sure Enjoy the

winter and remember itrsquos never too cold to eat ice cream

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield PA

215-712-7433 bull wwwBMWMotorcyclescom

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

THE NEW R 1200 RA POWERFUL STATEMENT

Our newest boxer roadster has one missiondominate the streets in style The R 1200 Ris designed to blend comfort precisehandling and pure riding excitementhellipin one head-turning machine

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW R 1200 RSTHRILLING COMFORT

The new R 1200 RS is perfectly balancedcombining optimal wind and weather protectionwith powerful performance and controlPutting you in an unparalleled position toexplore the road - and your own limits

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW S 1000 RRWELCOME TO THENEW PLANET POWER

The S 1000 RR has been completely revisedThe results in its origins a genuine Double RRon the road a new supersports machine thatwill once again set the benchmark in its class

UNSTOPPABLE SPORT

WHAT lsquoRrsquo YOU WAITING FORCome to Montgomeryville Cycle Center to see the full line of 2015 BMW Motorcycles products and apparel

We have everything yoursquoll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever

Motorcyclepedia the northeastrsquos

premier motorcycle museum will

be holding its Speaker Series again

this winter with various riders and

orators covering topics ranging

from world touring to tips on avoiding tickets and an in depth look at GPS

technology and todayrsquos motorcycling

Backroadsrsquo own Brian amp Shira will start the series off with a talk on Jan-

uary 17 on lsquoThe Big Fiversquo motorcycle destinations around the planet along

with planning and touring around the United States and the world

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who

will help clear the fog about Garmin GPSrsquos and how their BaseCamp program

works along with how to create and export your own personal routes

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on ldquoEverything you need to know

on Motorcycles and the Lawrdquo - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper po-

lice procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists

Seth Simpson of Motorcycle training Solutions will be giving a seminar

on Rider Training

Motorcyclistmoto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about

Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys

Look for a Womenrsquos Riding Panel with some well-known female motor-

cyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing todayrsquos women

riders This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and

beginning women riders

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months

and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to

enlighten

Wersquoll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page

as soon as they are etched in stone

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh New York in the

riding heart of the Hudson Valley

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 27

A DAY AT THE MUSEUMlsquoSPEAKER SERIESrsquo RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Frankrsquos MotorcycleSales amp Service

120 Center RoadEssex VT 05451

802-878-3930wwwFranksMotorcycleSalescomBMWhtm

Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

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Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

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JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

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KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

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The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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memBer

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Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

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Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 22: January 2015 Backroads

Great All American Diner RunAs always wersquoll start with our most popular column the Great All American Diner Run Wait is it really We just might have a new fan fa-vorite but wersquoll save that till later First letrsquos take a look at the top three for GAADR 2014hellip

SECOND RUNNER UP bull RIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST2378 ROUTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770 bull 845-557-0097 bull RIVERUNNERSROOSTCOM

Route 97 along the scenic Delaware River has long been a favorite of motorcyclists for years and

over the years the road has seen a number of restaurants open their doors along its picturesque miles

The latest is the River Runnerrsquos Roost

Opened by Rich and Mary Codichini back in 2013 this place quickly became a favorite of ours

and many others They bill themselves as a barbeque steakhouse with a touch of Cajun and Italian

We call it phenomenal with one of the best barbeques in the region and gumbo to go to war over

If you havenrsquot tried the ldquoRoostrdquo then make plans for riding their way in the spring

FIRST RUNNER UP bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784 bull 603- 298-5515 bull 4ACESDINERCOM

Located just up the hill from the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River in the town of

Lebanon the Four Aces is the real deal A true Great All-American Diner Their

menu is huge interesting and delicious The ambience is pure Americana and the

roads leading to and from the Four Aces straddling Vermont and New Hampshire

are hard to top They have pro smokers going outside right along their picnic tables

but we found a seat at the counter worked just fine for us

Our only problem with Four Aces is that they are almost exactly 301 miles from

where we type this They should consider northern New Jersey

The Four Aces is a must see do and eat while in the Dartmouth region and just

missed out on our top honor for this yearrsquos vote

And so without further adohellip

1ST PLACE GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN 2014 bull FIVE ISLANDS LOBSTER COMPANY1447 5 ISLANDS RD GEORGETOWN ME 04548 bull 207-371-2990 bull FIVEISLANDSLOBSTERCOM

Location location location Besides have a superb down to Earth feel a great staff scrumptious food

and a wonderful coastal Maine flavor ndash The Five Islands Lobster Company has a serious location

Did we mention where it is

Located on a working fishing wharf it is surrounded by the ldquocoldest and deepest waters on the coastrdquo

There be some serious lobstarsquo lurking here abouts and it is best when they find their final way to

Five Islands You can have these big bugs anyway you like but we took a bullet for all of you and

went and ordered The Big Boy Stuffed with twice the amount of lobster meat than your average

lobster roll it was our pleasure to tackle this monster as best we could

Wait ndash just thinking of it all on this cold November day has us in a statehellip

They do serve a good number of other seafood favorites as well as more land-based standards but

who wants that when you can have the quintessential Maine treat on a wooden bench and table

alongside one of the prettiest bays in New England

This is why the Five Islands Lobster Company slid into the 1 spot in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

Big City GetawayBig City Getaway has always been about a great destination So many of

us roll the bikes out of the garage and then say ldquoWhere tordquo That is where this monthly favoritecomes in and here are our best of Big City Getaway 2015

2ND RUNNER UP bull MUSTANG FACTORYTOUR4 SPRINGFIELD STREET SUITE 1 THREE RIVERS MA 01080 bull 800-243-1392 bull MUSTANGSEATSCOM

They are one of the largest motorcycle seat manufacturers on the planet and they would be happy to show you around

We did a tour this last summer and found just how much talent vision and workmanship goes into creating some of

the most distinctive and comfortable motorcycle seats you can find

Page 22 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Best of Backroads 2014Once again this planet we ride has completed another lap around our sun and it is time for us to look back on the season and the veryBest of BackroadsIf we said 2013 was ldquointerestingrdquo we would be hard pressed to describe this past year of 2014For sure last year brought us thousands of great miles and lots of smiles interesting destinations and a few great Backroads Ralliesbut some darkness and loss along the journey for our Backroads family as wellStill looking back we had some phenomenal places we found stories we told and friends with which we have ridden The Italian poet Cesare Pavese said ldquoWe do not remember days we remember momentsrdquoThis year ndash 2014 ndash we had our share of moments Letrsquos look back at some in the Best of Backroads 2014

The tour is open to riding groups and takes a little over an hour and a half We recommend that you make an

appointment and guarantee you will have an informative and fun day with our friends at Mustang seats

1ST RUNNER UP bull COASTAL BOTANICAL GARDENS32 BOTANICAL GARDENS DR BOOTHBAY ME 04537 bull 207-633-4333 bull MAINEGARDENSORG

This project took nearly 17 years planning planting and building before its opening in June of 2007 and today

the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens comprises 270 acres of tidal shore land thousands of flowers plants

and botanical oddities Interspersed amongst the natural beauty you will find dozens of sculptures that

only add to an already stunning venue Rarely has a visitor spent some time at the Coastal Botanical

Gardens and not wanted to return as soon as possible

It is simple to see why this easily took our First Runner Up spot

1ST PLACE BIG CITY GETAWAY 2014 FIVE STAR GENERAL STORES bull NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY

This article from our October issue embodied a little bit of everything we might look for in a Big

City Getaway It had local history interesting stops (5 of them) food ice cream and it was all

woven together with some of the neatest roads in northern New Jersey ndash a riding jewel for those

who have never been so lucky Running along to five different and historic General Stores this day

trip just kept getting better Know that we just scratched the surface and that these General Stores from

the past can be found all around the nation But for this time around it was this adventure that was

called 1 for Big City Getaway 2014

(Note as of this printing the Stillwater General Store has closed but is still worth the ride-by for the

roads and historic value)

Wersquore Outta HereThe great thing that we riders have over the more boring people out there is that our tripsand adventures happen the moment we roll out of our driveways and onto the roadOvernight trips are like mini-vacations for the soul and are most likely the reason they sayyou never see a motorcycle outside a psychiatrist office unless it belongs to the shrinkWersquore Outta Here is all about that ndash places to go and enjoy whether it be a group coupleor on your ownLetrsquos see what we think were our top three for 2014

2ND RUNNER UP bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 E MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854 bull 814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGEPACOM

Shira found this hide-away full of coffee awesomeness when we were to attend the ALTRider adventure

ride early this summer in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania The lodge is part of the coffee house and

although the room we had was a tad small it was well thought out and just added to the coolness of the

entire place We had the Penns Creek Room with its lsquoloft-stylersquo bed and rock wall shower Each morning

the aroma from the coffee shop downstairs was like a Sirenrsquos call and had us highly motivated to carefully

spring out of bed (well it was a loft and there was a drop) There were also great muffins and cakes to go along with the coffee

Millheim is well located with a great combination of fantastic riding both paved and not and has a few eateries within strolling distance (compared to walking

or marching distance) We liked everything about the Triple Creek Lodge ndash the smell the flavor and the quirkiness

1ST RUNNER UP bull INDIAN ROCK INN2206 RIVER RD UPPER BLACK EDDY PA 18972 bull 610-982-9600 bull INDIANROCKINNCOM

GPS Download wwwsendspacecomprodlen7u7kAlong the PA-side of the Delaware River just north of Jerseyrsquos Milford in a place where the river

crooks dramatically and heads north for a bit you will find a great local treasure - the Indian Rock

Inn Tucked underneath what are called the Pennsylvania Palisades and along both river and old

canal the Indian Rock is the complete package

After a day of fun riding to and around the region you can park the bikes grab your room and

shower and make your way to the very friendly bar The Barking Dog Grab a cocktail and me-

ander to the very comfortable large porch take a seat and watch the world go by After the sun

sets a delicious gourmet meal is just steps away Perhaps a night cap and then upstairs to end a

prefect day With all that it is easy to see how the Indian Rock grabbed first runner up in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

1ST PLACEWErsquoRE OUTTA HERE 2014 bull QUODDY HEAD STATION823 SOUTH LUBEC RD LUBEC ME 04652 bull 877-535-4714 bull QUODDYVACATIONCOM

Most times we are all for suggesting you sleep in a bit longer at any of our Wersquore Outta Here destinations but here at Quoddy Head

Station we urge - no insist ndash that you get up before the dawn so you can be the first in the United States to see the sun rise over the At-

lantic from the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse - just a 2 minute ride to the east

Here in the most north and east point of the United States life does not get much better

The rooms and views cannot be beat and the surrounding area with its little coves Reversing Falls State Park Rooseveltrsquos Campobello

cottage (actually in Canada) and the very coastal Maine town of Lebec with its large number of seafood restaurants nautical shops and

vistas are hard to beat anywhere else in the world When we travelled in the area

we rode under a giant orange full moon that rose over the bay at low tide

It was eerie and stunning all at the same time

One of those moments we talked about earlier Quoddy Head Station has to be one

of the most interesting and geographically perfect places we have traveled to in

many years and easily made its way to the 1st place spot for Wersquore Outta Here 2014

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 23

Mysterious AmericaAlways one of the perennial favorites for our readers is the odd wacky and off-beat destinations that our own Dr Seymour OrsquoLife brings

to us each month This year was no different and the choices to be made for the TopThree were very tight for the good doctor but undaunted our hero carried on and cameup with the short list So letrsquos get to it

2ND RUNNER UP bull ISLE OFWIGHT COUNTY MUSEUM103 MAIN ST SMITHFIELD VA 23430 bull 757-356-1223 bull HISTORICISLEOFWIGHTCOM

You remember this place ndash home of the Worldrsquos Oldest Ham It belonged to PD Gwaltney Jr

It had its beginnings in 1902 when a cured ham was accidentally hung from rafters in one Gwaltneyrsquos

houses until it was discovered by workers By 1924 the pet ham was kept in an iron safe which was

opened daily for guests to view Advertised as the worldrsquos oldest Smithfield ham Gwaltney fashioned

a brass collar for the ham and took it to shows and expos to exhibit the preservative powers of his

smoking method The ham was featured in Ripleyrsquos ldquoBelieve It Or Notrdquo in 1929 1932 and 2003 and

more importantly in Backroads in May of 2014 For sure the museum holds so much more but Sey-

mour could never get past the ham Neither could we

1ST RUNNER UP bull THE CULPER SPY RINGThis was the first multi-month piece by the minions of mystery and we spent three

full months searching for the real story on George Washingtonrsquos Culper Spy Ring

From its beginning with the hanging of Nathan Hale in what is now mid-town Man-

hattan to the desolation of being held on a prison ship in an East River Bay in Brook-

lyn - where we had the largest battle of our Revolutionary War Then on to the Culper

Spies themselves and the web they wove from Setauket Long Island across the

Sound to Connecticut and into New York and Philadelphia These men and woman

(nobody really knows who this lady was) changed the course of history It was then

onto treachery traitors and sex ndashwith the story of Benedict Arnold his wife Peggy

Shippen and her lover Major John Andrersquo and our own West Point Escape capture

and the gallows all played a part in this true story of our local American history

Mysterious Americarsquos history has never been so much fun

1ST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2014 bull THE TRANS-ALLEGHENY LUNATIC ASYLUM71 ASYLUM DR WESTON WV 26452 bull 304-269-5070 bull TRANS-ALLEGHENYLUNATICASYLUMCOM

When we first rode up to this massive 27-acre facility Shira who had no idea where or why we were there shook her head and simply asked why

The asylum stands like a monstrous stone beast dominating the ground It is the second largest hand-hewn bluestone building on the planet with only Russiarsquos

Kremlin surpassing it But it is the feel and aura that surround and linger around this building

that will tell you the real story of the place

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum also known as the We-

ston State Hospital was a Kirkbride psychiatric hospital that

operated from 1864 until 1994 Like many Kirkbridge hospi-

tals it started out with a noble idea but soon became overrun

with patients lack of proper care and some of the saddest and

scariest tales were heard here on the tour The place is massive and to walk the halls would literally take miles

The place is reportedly full of ghosts and very bad things from the other side One look at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

and you will have a hard time denying that claim Shira will never go back and it was one of the few times that she was seriously

ldquocreeped outrdquo Her words ndash not ours

With that being said you surely must agree that a visit to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum easily ranks as our 1st place for

our Mysterious America 2014

MomentsIt was April 10 of this past year when the phone here at Backroads rang Answering it I could hear the voice of a friend Dave on the farend ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo I asked ldquohow are yourdquoDaversquos voice trembled and broke ldquoJeff Bahr was killed today on his bikerdquoIn that moment everything stopped It remained stopped for a long time Sometimes it still doesA month or so later well after Jeffrsquos service and cremation Shira and I found ourselves at the spot where this happened We talked tothe young man who was tending his barbecue pit which he was stoking for the dayrsquos lunch He was there when the driver pulled out ofhis general storersquos parking lot without even a glance He sadly but kindly told us of that momentJeff had simply been riding down a wide country road when an 86-year old man pulled out in front of him Although rubber on the roadshowed Jeff tried to avoid the car it was too little too late and he was killed on impactI have no idea what happened to the old man after this event But regardless he has to live with his inattentiveness and actions for therest of his life So do many of usWe do not remember days we remember momentsThat day was made up of a moment we will never forgetThe weekend I wrote this Jeff if hersquod survived would have been 57 He would have had dozens more stories made us laugh a dozenmore times would have made this magazine a dozen times betterJeff I hope you know that so many of us miss you so muchTo you all enjoy and savor all your moments Life is made up of them and eventually one of those moments will hurt

Page 24 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Shirarsquos Ice Cream RunLast year we introduce a semi-monthly some of the time if she felt like it column ndashShirarsquos Ice Cream Run It seems to everybody but the red head that this column hasbecome a huge hit and we have had more comments and suggestions for the IceCream Runs than anything else within memory So think sweet creamy and cold andletrsquos see what Shira thought were on the top three stops of 2014rsquos Ice Cream Runs

2ND RUNNER UP bull HOLSTENrsquoS CONFECTIONARY1603 BROAD ST BLOOMFIELD NJ 07003 bull 973-338-7091 bull WWWHOLSTENSCOM

Immortalized on celluloid in the Sopranosrsquo final episode Holstenrsquos Confectionary has so much more

to offer than their souvenir t-shirts from said show A true old-time ice cream parlor Holstenrsquos home-

made ice cream and confections will win the hearts of any true lover of sweets Taking a seat at the

counter should bring back memories of visits to Woolworthrsquos and once the delicious dairyness is

placed in front of you complete with homemade whipped cream you will think you are in a

dream Holstenrsquos has the whole package ndash premium product comfortable setting and take-home

delights With its 2nd Runner Up status truly one of my favorites of this yearrsquos ice cream stops

1ST RUNNER UP bull CAYUGA LAKE CREAMERY8421 NY 89 INTERLAKEN NY 14847 bull 607-532-9492 bull WWWCAYUGALAKECREAMERYCOM

Nestled in the idyllic Finger Lakes the Cayuga Lake Creamery offers up some of the most in-

ventive flavors Irsquove seen including wine ice cream and sorbet (best of both worlds Irsquod say)

Sitting on their outdoor deck savoring your Maple Bacon or Lavender cone on a warm summer

day ndash what could be better than that

While the Finger Lakes may not offer the most challenging of rides the scenery is beautiful and

the gorges are well gorgeous I canrsquot think of a much better day than meandering around the

Fingers with a late afternoon stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery Their 14 butterfat mixture and only the best of locally sourced

ingredients produce some of the finest creamiest ice creams around Do yourself a favor and spin your wheels to this part of

NY state for a weekend of indulgence as their terrific flavors will keep you coming back day after day

1ST PLACE SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN bull HALLrsquoS HOMEMADE ICE CREAM861 RACCOONVALLEY RD MILLERSTOWN PA 17062

717-589-3290 bull WWWHALLSICECREAMCOM

I found this gem in the middle of the Alleghenies while Brian was off riding in the forest with the

ALTRider group Having grabbed the 1st Place spot in this yearrsquos Ice Cream Run you know Hallrsquos

Homemade Ice Cream and Dairy has to be something pretty special

While their flavor offerings may not be as exotic as Cayuga Lake the quality is heavenly Their

signature flavor and one I had not tasted before is their honey ice cream coming in a variety of

mixtures such as chocolate butter pecan and my personal favorite cinnamon Hallrsquos has a couple

of outdoor tables where you can take in the full dairy effect while licking your cone If that is too

overwhelming they have a very nice indoor seating area complete with air conditioning

The riding in this part of Pennsylvania is quite exciting with elevation changes sweepers and

twisties and for those desiring an off-road adventure plenty of woodlands to test your knobbies

What do all three of these winners have in common other than fantastic ice cream They are all

open all year long so if you happen to be out and about in Bloomfield NJ Interlaken NY or Miller-

stown PA make sure you plan a stop at one of the top three spots on Shirarsquos 2014 Ice Cream Run

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 25

Rip amp Ridereg bull RIVER RUNNERS ROOST2378 RTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770

845-557-0097 bull WWWRIVERRUNNERSROOSTCOMSEASONAL HOURS - CALL BEFORE HEADING OUT

CR 560 IN SUSSEX COUNTY NJCROSS DINGMANS BRIDGE bull $1 TOLLSTRAIGHT ON RTE 739RIGHT AT MILFORD RDLEFT AT RAYMONDSKILL RDCROSS OVER I-84HARD LEFT ON US 6QUICK RIGHT ONTOTWIN LAKES RDRIGHT AT RTE 434CROSS RIVER TO NEWYORKRIGHT AT RTE 97 SOUTHRIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST DOWN ROAD ON LEFT HAND SIDE

Rip amp Ridereg bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784603- 298-5515 bull WWW4ACESDINERCOM

GPS DOWNLOAD WWWSENDSPACECOMPRODLXXTWXB90-MILE ONEWAY ROUTE FROM THEWEST DOVER VERMONT REGION

BIG BEARS LODGE GRAY GHOST AND KITZHOF INN

RTE 100 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT RTE 35RIGHT AT RTE 121LEFT AT RTE 5CROSS INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE ndash ARCH BRIDGELEFT AT RTE 12 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 120LEFT AT RTE 4 WEST LEBANONFOUR ACES DOWN ON THE LEFT

TAylorrsquos ice creAm PArlor

18 e mAin sT chesTer nJ bull 908-879-5363

What to do on the first sub-freezing day in November Go for ice cream

of course I was hanging out with the good doctor OrsquoLife and best friend

Brian when OrsquoLife told us of this place that grows telephone poles Having

my doubts about most of what OrsquoLife tells me I asked him to prove it So

off we went to the quaint little town of Chester New Jersey

After a pleasant lunch at the Publick House complete with real wood

burning fireplace we trekked down the road a piece found said telephone

pole farm (for another column of course) and started our return to Back-

roads Central Lo and behold right before the turn onto Route 206 there

sat Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor in the nicest old building on the block We

got our spot and headed in to find well no one but Justin in a very toasty

old fashioned ice cream parlor I do think that he was surprised to see us

or anyone on such a cold day

Taylorrsquos has apparently been an ice cream institution in

Chester for the last 50 years or so founded by Mr Earle G

Taylor Sr who just passed this August Taylorrsquos was the vic-

tim of fire some time in 2013 and was closed for a good 8

months before reopening in the same spot with applause

from their long-time fans and customers Their ice cream is

all home made and always has been On a hot summer day

you will no doubt be lined up out the door and down the

block to get this tasty treat but Irsquom certain you will find it

worth the wait I think their pricing is quite reasonable for

the size scoop they dip and if you are like me and want a sam-

pling of several flavors they offer Kiddie Scoops at $195

each ndash a flight of ice cream sounds like the perfect end-of-

ride relaxation

We perused the two very full ice cream boards and poured

over the cabinets before making our decisions With close to

50 listed flavors what was a girl to do without minions to help her taste test We finally settled on chocolate hazelnut toasted coconut salted caramel and

vanilla fudge brownie I pretty much always opt for a cup as I savor my ice cream and it would run down my arm before I was even close to finishing but I was

almost tempted by their pretzel cone What is so great about Taylorrsquos cones is the plastic drip cup in which they reside both sanitary and mess-preventing

Page 26 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

TOWN amp COUNTRYC Y C L E C E N T E R

115 Route 23N bull Hamburg NJ bull 973-875-2111wwwtownandcountrycyclecentercom

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIYamahacom bull 516-935-6969

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE

SPORT TOURERIntroducing the most performancepower versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle From commutingand exploring backroads to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaharsquos un-mistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

While enjoying our treats we savored

the deacutecor of this very pleasant parlor Sev-

eral tables to enjoy your ice cream clip-

pings of newspaper articles school

paraphernalia and something that has no

place in an ice cream parlor an old-fash-

ioned fortune telling scale This couldnrsquot

possibly still be functioning could it Ac-

cording to Justin yes it was How could we

resist In went our pennies and up popped

our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked

the weight numbers) Brianrsquos read lsquoYou are

not overbearing but generally have things

your wayrsquo Wow I couldnrsquot wait to see if

mine was as accurate ldquoYou look to the fu-

ture rather than the pastrsquo So true

Back to the ice cream ndash it

was heavenly We all agreed

that the salted caramel was the

overall winner having the per-

fect balance of salt and

caramel with the best creamy

texture The toasted coconut

was very flavorful with lots of

coconut bits the chocolate

hazelnut was very dark and

creamy and mixed with the coconut made the perfect almond-free almond

joy The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole but cer-

tainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store

I believe Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round but if yoursquore head-

ing over during the winter months give them a call to make sure Enjoy the

winter and remember itrsquos never too cold to eat ice cream

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield PA

215-712-7433 bull wwwBMWMotorcyclescom

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

THE NEW R 1200 RA POWERFUL STATEMENT

Our newest boxer roadster has one missiondominate the streets in style The R 1200 Ris designed to blend comfort precisehandling and pure riding excitementhellipin one head-turning machine

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW R 1200 RSTHRILLING COMFORT

The new R 1200 RS is perfectly balancedcombining optimal wind and weather protectionwith powerful performance and controlPutting you in an unparalleled position toexplore the road - and your own limits

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW S 1000 RRWELCOME TO THENEW PLANET POWER

The S 1000 RR has been completely revisedThe results in its origins a genuine Double RRon the road a new supersports machine thatwill once again set the benchmark in its class

UNSTOPPABLE SPORT

WHAT lsquoRrsquo YOU WAITING FORCome to Montgomeryville Cycle Center to see the full line of 2015 BMW Motorcycles products and apparel

We have everything yoursquoll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever

Motorcyclepedia the northeastrsquos

premier motorcycle museum will

be holding its Speaker Series again

this winter with various riders and

orators covering topics ranging

from world touring to tips on avoiding tickets and an in depth look at GPS

technology and todayrsquos motorcycling

Backroadsrsquo own Brian amp Shira will start the series off with a talk on Jan-

uary 17 on lsquoThe Big Fiversquo motorcycle destinations around the planet along

with planning and touring around the United States and the world

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who

will help clear the fog about Garmin GPSrsquos and how their BaseCamp program

works along with how to create and export your own personal routes

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on ldquoEverything you need to know

on Motorcycles and the Lawrdquo - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper po-

lice procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists

Seth Simpson of Motorcycle training Solutions will be giving a seminar

on Rider Training

Motorcyclistmoto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about

Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys

Look for a Womenrsquos Riding Panel with some well-known female motor-

cyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing todayrsquos women

riders This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and

beginning women riders

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months

and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to

enlighten

Wersquoll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page

as soon as they are etched in stone

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh New York in the

riding heart of the Hudson Valley

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 27

A DAY AT THE MUSEUMlsquoSPEAKER SERIESrsquo RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Frankrsquos MotorcycleSales amp Service

120 Center RoadEssex VT 05451

802-878-3930wwwFranksMotorcycleSalescomBMWhtm

Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY845-357-1190

wwwLocomotionPowersportscom

LOCOMOTION POWER-

SPORTS138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY

845-357-1190

Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

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973-875-3640 bull wwwsussexmotorsportsnjcombull Family OwnedOperated in Northwest NJ bull Near the NYPA border

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JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

2015 Kawasaki Concoursreg14 ABSThe ultimate backroad SuperSport Tourer

The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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cycle insurance Agency increcreational vehicle specialists

Agents who ride and understandyour motorcycle insurance needs

Ask about our Tour cycle Program ndash the ultimate in coverage

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memBer

memBer

Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

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Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 23: January 2015 Backroads

The tour is open to riding groups and takes a little over an hour and a half We recommend that you make an

appointment and guarantee you will have an informative and fun day with our friends at Mustang seats

1ST RUNNER UP bull COASTAL BOTANICAL GARDENS32 BOTANICAL GARDENS DR BOOTHBAY ME 04537 bull 207-633-4333 bull MAINEGARDENSORG

This project took nearly 17 years planning planting and building before its opening in June of 2007 and today

the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens comprises 270 acres of tidal shore land thousands of flowers plants

and botanical oddities Interspersed amongst the natural beauty you will find dozens of sculptures that

only add to an already stunning venue Rarely has a visitor spent some time at the Coastal Botanical

Gardens and not wanted to return as soon as possible

It is simple to see why this easily took our First Runner Up spot

1ST PLACE BIG CITY GETAWAY 2014 FIVE STAR GENERAL STORES bull NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY

This article from our October issue embodied a little bit of everything we might look for in a Big

City Getaway It had local history interesting stops (5 of them) food ice cream and it was all

woven together with some of the neatest roads in northern New Jersey ndash a riding jewel for those

who have never been so lucky Running along to five different and historic General Stores this day

trip just kept getting better Know that we just scratched the surface and that these General Stores from

the past can be found all around the nation But for this time around it was this adventure that was

called 1 for Big City Getaway 2014

(Note as of this printing the Stillwater General Store has closed but is still worth the ride-by for the

roads and historic value)

Wersquore Outta HereThe great thing that we riders have over the more boring people out there is that our tripsand adventures happen the moment we roll out of our driveways and onto the roadOvernight trips are like mini-vacations for the soul and are most likely the reason they sayyou never see a motorcycle outside a psychiatrist office unless it belongs to the shrinkWersquore Outta Here is all about that ndash places to go and enjoy whether it be a group coupleor on your ownLetrsquos see what we think were our top three for 2014

2ND RUNNER UP bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 E MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854 bull 814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGEPACOM

Shira found this hide-away full of coffee awesomeness when we were to attend the ALTRider adventure

ride early this summer in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania The lodge is part of the coffee house and

although the room we had was a tad small it was well thought out and just added to the coolness of the

entire place We had the Penns Creek Room with its lsquoloft-stylersquo bed and rock wall shower Each morning

the aroma from the coffee shop downstairs was like a Sirenrsquos call and had us highly motivated to carefully

spring out of bed (well it was a loft and there was a drop) There were also great muffins and cakes to go along with the coffee

Millheim is well located with a great combination of fantastic riding both paved and not and has a few eateries within strolling distance (compared to walking

or marching distance) We liked everything about the Triple Creek Lodge ndash the smell the flavor and the quirkiness

1ST RUNNER UP bull INDIAN ROCK INN2206 RIVER RD UPPER BLACK EDDY PA 18972 bull 610-982-9600 bull INDIANROCKINNCOM

GPS Download wwwsendspacecomprodlen7u7kAlong the PA-side of the Delaware River just north of Jerseyrsquos Milford in a place where the river

crooks dramatically and heads north for a bit you will find a great local treasure - the Indian Rock

Inn Tucked underneath what are called the Pennsylvania Palisades and along both river and old

canal the Indian Rock is the complete package

After a day of fun riding to and around the region you can park the bikes grab your room and

shower and make your way to the very friendly bar The Barking Dog Grab a cocktail and me-

ander to the very comfortable large porch take a seat and watch the world go by After the sun

sets a delicious gourmet meal is just steps away Perhaps a night cap and then upstairs to end a

prefect day With all that it is easy to see how the Indian Rock grabbed first runner up in this yearrsquos Best of Backroads

1ST PLACEWErsquoRE OUTTA HERE 2014 bull QUODDY HEAD STATION823 SOUTH LUBEC RD LUBEC ME 04652 bull 877-535-4714 bull QUODDYVACATIONCOM

Most times we are all for suggesting you sleep in a bit longer at any of our Wersquore Outta Here destinations but here at Quoddy Head

Station we urge - no insist ndash that you get up before the dawn so you can be the first in the United States to see the sun rise over the At-

lantic from the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse - just a 2 minute ride to the east

Here in the most north and east point of the United States life does not get much better

The rooms and views cannot be beat and the surrounding area with its little coves Reversing Falls State Park Rooseveltrsquos Campobello

cottage (actually in Canada) and the very coastal Maine town of Lebec with its large number of seafood restaurants nautical shops and

vistas are hard to beat anywhere else in the world When we travelled in the area

we rode under a giant orange full moon that rose over the bay at low tide

It was eerie and stunning all at the same time

One of those moments we talked about earlier Quoddy Head Station has to be one

of the most interesting and geographically perfect places we have traveled to in

many years and easily made its way to the 1st place spot for Wersquore Outta Here 2014

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 23

Mysterious AmericaAlways one of the perennial favorites for our readers is the odd wacky and off-beat destinations that our own Dr Seymour OrsquoLife brings

to us each month This year was no different and the choices to be made for the TopThree were very tight for the good doctor but undaunted our hero carried on and cameup with the short list So letrsquos get to it

2ND RUNNER UP bull ISLE OFWIGHT COUNTY MUSEUM103 MAIN ST SMITHFIELD VA 23430 bull 757-356-1223 bull HISTORICISLEOFWIGHTCOM

You remember this place ndash home of the Worldrsquos Oldest Ham It belonged to PD Gwaltney Jr

It had its beginnings in 1902 when a cured ham was accidentally hung from rafters in one Gwaltneyrsquos

houses until it was discovered by workers By 1924 the pet ham was kept in an iron safe which was

opened daily for guests to view Advertised as the worldrsquos oldest Smithfield ham Gwaltney fashioned

a brass collar for the ham and took it to shows and expos to exhibit the preservative powers of his

smoking method The ham was featured in Ripleyrsquos ldquoBelieve It Or Notrdquo in 1929 1932 and 2003 and

more importantly in Backroads in May of 2014 For sure the museum holds so much more but Sey-

mour could never get past the ham Neither could we

1ST RUNNER UP bull THE CULPER SPY RINGThis was the first multi-month piece by the minions of mystery and we spent three

full months searching for the real story on George Washingtonrsquos Culper Spy Ring

From its beginning with the hanging of Nathan Hale in what is now mid-town Man-

hattan to the desolation of being held on a prison ship in an East River Bay in Brook-

lyn - where we had the largest battle of our Revolutionary War Then on to the Culper

Spies themselves and the web they wove from Setauket Long Island across the

Sound to Connecticut and into New York and Philadelphia These men and woman

(nobody really knows who this lady was) changed the course of history It was then

onto treachery traitors and sex ndashwith the story of Benedict Arnold his wife Peggy

Shippen and her lover Major John Andrersquo and our own West Point Escape capture

and the gallows all played a part in this true story of our local American history

Mysterious Americarsquos history has never been so much fun

1ST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2014 bull THE TRANS-ALLEGHENY LUNATIC ASYLUM71 ASYLUM DR WESTON WV 26452 bull 304-269-5070 bull TRANS-ALLEGHENYLUNATICASYLUMCOM

When we first rode up to this massive 27-acre facility Shira who had no idea where or why we were there shook her head and simply asked why

The asylum stands like a monstrous stone beast dominating the ground It is the second largest hand-hewn bluestone building on the planet with only Russiarsquos

Kremlin surpassing it But it is the feel and aura that surround and linger around this building

that will tell you the real story of the place

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum also known as the We-

ston State Hospital was a Kirkbride psychiatric hospital that

operated from 1864 until 1994 Like many Kirkbridge hospi-

tals it started out with a noble idea but soon became overrun

with patients lack of proper care and some of the saddest and

scariest tales were heard here on the tour The place is massive and to walk the halls would literally take miles

The place is reportedly full of ghosts and very bad things from the other side One look at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

and you will have a hard time denying that claim Shira will never go back and it was one of the few times that she was seriously

ldquocreeped outrdquo Her words ndash not ours

With that being said you surely must agree that a visit to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum easily ranks as our 1st place for

our Mysterious America 2014

MomentsIt was April 10 of this past year when the phone here at Backroads rang Answering it I could hear the voice of a friend Dave on the farend ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo I asked ldquohow are yourdquoDaversquos voice trembled and broke ldquoJeff Bahr was killed today on his bikerdquoIn that moment everything stopped It remained stopped for a long time Sometimes it still doesA month or so later well after Jeffrsquos service and cremation Shira and I found ourselves at the spot where this happened We talked tothe young man who was tending his barbecue pit which he was stoking for the dayrsquos lunch He was there when the driver pulled out ofhis general storersquos parking lot without even a glance He sadly but kindly told us of that momentJeff had simply been riding down a wide country road when an 86-year old man pulled out in front of him Although rubber on the roadshowed Jeff tried to avoid the car it was too little too late and he was killed on impactI have no idea what happened to the old man after this event But regardless he has to live with his inattentiveness and actions for therest of his life So do many of usWe do not remember days we remember momentsThat day was made up of a moment we will never forgetThe weekend I wrote this Jeff if hersquod survived would have been 57 He would have had dozens more stories made us laugh a dozenmore times would have made this magazine a dozen times betterJeff I hope you know that so many of us miss you so muchTo you all enjoy and savor all your moments Life is made up of them and eventually one of those moments will hurt

Page 24 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Shirarsquos Ice Cream RunLast year we introduce a semi-monthly some of the time if she felt like it column ndashShirarsquos Ice Cream Run It seems to everybody but the red head that this column hasbecome a huge hit and we have had more comments and suggestions for the IceCream Runs than anything else within memory So think sweet creamy and cold andletrsquos see what Shira thought were on the top three stops of 2014rsquos Ice Cream Runs

2ND RUNNER UP bull HOLSTENrsquoS CONFECTIONARY1603 BROAD ST BLOOMFIELD NJ 07003 bull 973-338-7091 bull WWWHOLSTENSCOM

Immortalized on celluloid in the Sopranosrsquo final episode Holstenrsquos Confectionary has so much more

to offer than their souvenir t-shirts from said show A true old-time ice cream parlor Holstenrsquos home-

made ice cream and confections will win the hearts of any true lover of sweets Taking a seat at the

counter should bring back memories of visits to Woolworthrsquos and once the delicious dairyness is

placed in front of you complete with homemade whipped cream you will think you are in a

dream Holstenrsquos has the whole package ndash premium product comfortable setting and take-home

delights With its 2nd Runner Up status truly one of my favorites of this yearrsquos ice cream stops

1ST RUNNER UP bull CAYUGA LAKE CREAMERY8421 NY 89 INTERLAKEN NY 14847 bull 607-532-9492 bull WWWCAYUGALAKECREAMERYCOM

Nestled in the idyllic Finger Lakes the Cayuga Lake Creamery offers up some of the most in-

ventive flavors Irsquove seen including wine ice cream and sorbet (best of both worlds Irsquod say)

Sitting on their outdoor deck savoring your Maple Bacon or Lavender cone on a warm summer

day ndash what could be better than that

While the Finger Lakes may not offer the most challenging of rides the scenery is beautiful and

the gorges are well gorgeous I canrsquot think of a much better day than meandering around the

Fingers with a late afternoon stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery Their 14 butterfat mixture and only the best of locally sourced

ingredients produce some of the finest creamiest ice creams around Do yourself a favor and spin your wheels to this part of

NY state for a weekend of indulgence as their terrific flavors will keep you coming back day after day

1ST PLACE SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN bull HALLrsquoS HOMEMADE ICE CREAM861 RACCOONVALLEY RD MILLERSTOWN PA 17062

717-589-3290 bull WWWHALLSICECREAMCOM

I found this gem in the middle of the Alleghenies while Brian was off riding in the forest with the

ALTRider group Having grabbed the 1st Place spot in this yearrsquos Ice Cream Run you know Hallrsquos

Homemade Ice Cream and Dairy has to be something pretty special

While their flavor offerings may not be as exotic as Cayuga Lake the quality is heavenly Their

signature flavor and one I had not tasted before is their honey ice cream coming in a variety of

mixtures such as chocolate butter pecan and my personal favorite cinnamon Hallrsquos has a couple

of outdoor tables where you can take in the full dairy effect while licking your cone If that is too

overwhelming they have a very nice indoor seating area complete with air conditioning

The riding in this part of Pennsylvania is quite exciting with elevation changes sweepers and

twisties and for those desiring an off-road adventure plenty of woodlands to test your knobbies

What do all three of these winners have in common other than fantastic ice cream They are all

open all year long so if you happen to be out and about in Bloomfield NJ Interlaken NY or Miller-

stown PA make sure you plan a stop at one of the top three spots on Shirarsquos 2014 Ice Cream Run

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 25

Rip amp Ridereg bull RIVER RUNNERS ROOST2378 RTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770

845-557-0097 bull WWWRIVERRUNNERSROOSTCOMSEASONAL HOURS - CALL BEFORE HEADING OUT

CR 560 IN SUSSEX COUNTY NJCROSS DINGMANS BRIDGE bull $1 TOLLSTRAIGHT ON RTE 739RIGHT AT MILFORD RDLEFT AT RAYMONDSKILL RDCROSS OVER I-84HARD LEFT ON US 6QUICK RIGHT ONTOTWIN LAKES RDRIGHT AT RTE 434CROSS RIVER TO NEWYORKRIGHT AT RTE 97 SOUTHRIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST DOWN ROAD ON LEFT HAND SIDE

Rip amp Ridereg bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784603- 298-5515 bull WWW4ACESDINERCOM

GPS DOWNLOAD WWWSENDSPACECOMPRODLXXTWXB90-MILE ONEWAY ROUTE FROM THEWEST DOVER VERMONT REGION

BIG BEARS LODGE GRAY GHOST AND KITZHOF INN

RTE 100 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT RTE 35RIGHT AT RTE 121LEFT AT RTE 5CROSS INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE ndash ARCH BRIDGELEFT AT RTE 12 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 120LEFT AT RTE 4 WEST LEBANONFOUR ACES DOWN ON THE LEFT

TAylorrsquos ice creAm PArlor

18 e mAin sT chesTer nJ bull 908-879-5363

What to do on the first sub-freezing day in November Go for ice cream

of course I was hanging out with the good doctor OrsquoLife and best friend

Brian when OrsquoLife told us of this place that grows telephone poles Having

my doubts about most of what OrsquoLife tells me I asked him to prove it So

off we went to the quaint little town of Chester New Jersey

After a pleasant lunch at the Publick House complete with real wood

burning fireplace we trekked down the road a piece found said telephone

pole farm (for another column of course) and started our return to Back-

roads Central Lo and behold right before the turn onto Route 206 there

sat Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor in the nicest old building on the block We

got our spot and headed in to find well no one but Justin in a very toasty

old fashioned ice cream parlor I do think that he was surprised to see us

or anyone on such a cold day

Taylorrsquos has apparently been an ice cream institution in

Chester for the last 50 years or so founded by Mr Earle G

Taylor Sr who just passed this August Taylorrsquos was the vic-

tim of fire some time in 2013 and was closed for a good 8

months before reopening in the same spot with applause

from their long-time fans and customers Their ice cream is

all home made and always has been On a hot summer day

you will no doubt be lined up out the door and down the

block to get this tasty treat but Irsquom certain you will find it

worth the wait I think their pricing is quite reasonable for

the size scoop they dip and if you are like me and want a sam-

pling of several flavors they offer Kiddie Scoops at $195

each ndash a flight of ice cream sounds like the perfect end-of-

ride relaxation

We perused the two very full ice cream boards and poured

over the cabinets before making our decisions With close to

50 listed flavors what was a girl to do without minions to help her taste test We finally settled on chocolate hazelnut toasted coconut salted caramel and

vanilla fudge brownie I pretty much always opt for a cup as I savor my ice cream and it would run down my arm before I was even close to finishing but I was

almost tempted by their pretzel cone What is so great about Taylorrsquos cones is the plastic drip cup in which they reside both sanitary and mess-preventing

Page 26 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

TOWN amp COUNTRYC Y C L E C E N T E R

115 Route 23N bull Hamburg NJ bull 973-875-2111wwwtownandcountrycyclecentercom

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIYamahacom bull 516-935-6969

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE

SPORT TOURERIntroducing the most performancepower versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle From commutingand exploring backroads to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaharsquos un-mistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

While enjoying our treats we savored

the deacutecor of this very pleasant parlor Sev-

eral tables to enjoy your ice cream clip-

pings of newspaper articles school

paraphernalia and something that has no

place in an ice cream parlor an old-fash-

ioned fortune telling scale This couldnrsquot

possibly still be functioning could it Ac-

cording to Justin yes it was How could we

resist In went our pennies and up popped

our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked

the weight numbers) Brianrsquos read lsquoYou are

not overbearing but generally have things

your wayrsquo Wow I couldnrsquot wait to see if

mine was as accurate ldquoYou look to the fu-

ture rather than the pastrsquo So true

Back to the ice cream ndash it

was heavenly We all agreed

that the salted caramel was the

overall winner having the per-

fect balance of salt and

caramel with the best creamy

texture The toasted coconut

was very flavorful with lots of

coconut bits the chocolate

hazelnut was very dark and

creamy and mixed with the coconut made the perfect almond-free almond

joy The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole but cer-

tainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store

I believe Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round but if yoursquore head-

ing over during the winter months give them a call to make sure Enjoy the

winter and remember itrsquos never too cold to eat ice cream

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield PA

215-712-7433 bull wwwBMWMotorcyclescom

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

THE NEW R 1200 RA POWERFUL STATEMENT

Our newest boxer roadster has one missiondominate the streets in style The R 1200 Ris designed to blend comfort precisehandling and pure riding excitementhellipin one head-turning machine

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW R 1200 RSTHRILLING COMFORT

The new R 1200 RS is perfectly balancedcombining optimal wind and weather protectionwith powerful performance and controlPutting you in an unparalleled position toexplore the road - and your own limits

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW S 1000 RRWELCOME TO THENEW PLANET POWER

The S 1000 RR has been completely revisedThe results in its origins a genuine Double RRon the road a new supersports machine thatwill once again set the benchmark in its class

UNSTOPPABLE SPORT

WHAT lsquoRrsquo YOU WAITING FORCome to Montgomeryville Cycle Center to see the full line of 2015 BMW Motorcycles products and apparel

We have everything yoursquoll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever

Motorcyclepedia the northeastrsquos

premier motorcycle museum will

be holding its Speaker Series again

this winter with various riders and

orators covering topics ranging

from world touring to tips on avoiding tickets and an in depth look at GPS

technology and todayrsquos motorcycling

Backroadsrsquo own Brian amp Shira will start the series off with a talk on Jan-

uary 17 on lsquoThe Big Fiversquo motorcycle destinations around the planet along

with planning and touring around the United States and the world

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who

will help clear the fog about Garmin GPSrsquos and how their BaseCamp program

works along with how to create and export your own personal routes

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on ldquoEverything you need to know

on Motorcycles and the Lawrdquo - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper po-

lice procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists

Seth Simpson of Motorcycle training Solutions will be giving a seminar

on Rider Training

Motorcyclistmoto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about

Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys

Look for a Womenrsquos Riding Panel with some well-known female motor-

cyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing todayrsquos women

riders This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and

beginning women riders

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months

and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to

enlighten

Wersquoll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page

as soon as they are etched in stone

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh New York in the

riding heart of the Hudson Valley

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 27

A DAY AT THE MUSEUMlsquoSPEAKER SERIESrsquo RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Frankrsquos MotorcycleSales amp Service

120 Center RoadEssex VT 05451

802-878-3930wwwFranksMotorcycleSalescomBMWhtm

Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY845-357-1190

wwwLocomotionPowersportscom

LOCOMOTION POWER-

SPORTS138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY

845-357-1190

Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

SUSSEX MOTORSPORTS446 Route 23 bull Sussex NJ bull Located across from the AampP Shopping Plaza

973-875-3640 bull wwwsussexmotorsportsnjcombull Family OwnedOperated in Northwest NJ bull Near the NYPA border

bull Wide selection of onoff road apparel jackets helmets gloves and boots

bull Qualified Service Technicians with over 30 years combined experienceto perform all your Yamaha authorized service

Wheel Sport Center Inc399 HUGUeNOT ST bull NeW ROCHeLLe NY

9146367235 bull WheelSportCenternet

JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

2015 Kawasaki Concoursreg14 ABSThe ultimate backroad SuperSport Tourer

The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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Pass of the Cattle

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Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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cycle insurance Agency increcreational vehicle specialists

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Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

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Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 24: January 2015 Backroads

Mysterious AmericaAlways one of the perennial favorites for our readers is the odd wacky and off-beat destinations that our own Dr Seymour OrsquoLife brings

to us each month This year was no different and the choices to be made for the TopThree were very tight for the good doctor but undaunted our hero carried on and cameup with the short list So letrsquos get to it

2ND RUNNER UP bull ISLE OFWIGHT COUNTY MUSEUM103 MAIN ST SMITHFIELD VA 23430 bull 757-356-1223 bull HISTORICISLEOFWIGHTCOM

You remember this place ndash home of the Worldrsquos Oldest Ham It belonged to PD Gwaltney Jr

It had its beginnings in 1902 when a cured ham was accidentally hung from rafters in one Gwaltneyrsquos

houses until it was discovered by workers By 1924 the pet ham was kept in an iron safe which was

opened daily for guests to view Advertised as the worldrsquos oldest Smithfield ham Gwaltney fashioned

a brass collar for the ham and took it to shows and expos to exhibit the preservative powers of his

smoking method The ham was featured in Ripleyrsquos ldquoBelieve It Or Notrdquo in 1929 1932 and 2003 and

more importantly in Backroads in May of 2014 For sure the museum holds so much more but Sey-

mour could never get past the ham Neither could we

1ST RUNNER UP bull THE CULPER SPY RINGThis was the first multi-month piece by the minions of mystery and we spent three

full months searching for the real story on George Washingtonrsquos Culper Spy Ring

From its beginning with the hanging of Nathan Hale in what is now mid-town Man-

hattan to the desolation of being held on a prison ship in an East River Bay in Brook-

lyn - where we had the largest battle of our Revolutionary War Then on to the Culper

Spies themselves and the web they wove from Setauket Long Island across the

Sound to Connecticut and into New York and Philadelphia These men and woman

(nobody really knows who this lady was) changed the course of history It was then

onto treachery traitors and sex ndashwith the story of Benedict Arnold his wife Peggy

Shippen and her lover Major John Andrersquo and our own West Point Escape capture

and the gallows all played a part in this true story of our local American history

Mysterious Americarsquos history has never been so much fun

1ST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2014 bull THE TRANS-ALLEGHENY LUNATIC ASYLUM71 ASYLUM DR WESTON WV 26452 bull 304-269-5070 bull TRANS-ALLEGHENYLUNATICASYLUMCOM

When we first rode up to this massive 27-acre facility Shira who had no idea where or why we were there shook her head and simply asked why

The asylum stands like a monstrous stone beast dominating the ground It is the second largest hand-hewn bluestone building on the planet with only Russiarsquos

Kremlin surpassing it But it is the feel and aura that surround and linger around this building

that will tell you the real story of the place

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum also known as the We-

ston State Hospital was a Kirkbride psychiatric hospital that

operated from 1864 until 1994 Like many Kirkbridge hospi-

tals it started out with a noble idea but soon became overrun

with patients lack of proper care and some of the saddest and

scariest tales were heard here on the tour The place is massive and to walk the halls would literally take miles

The place is reportedly full of ghosts and very bad things from the other side One look at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

and you will have a hard time denying that claim Shira will never go back and it was one of the few times that she was seriously

ldquocreeped outrdquo Her words ndash not ours

With that being said you surely must agree that a visit to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum easily ranks as our 1st place for

our Mysterious America 2014

MomentsIt was April 10 of this past year when the phone here at Backroads rang Answering it I could hear the voice of a friend Dave on the farend ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo I asked ldquohow are yourdquoDaversquos voice trembled and broke ldquoJeff Bahr was killed today on his bikerdquoIn that moment everything stopped It remained stopped for a long time Sometimes it still doesA month or so later well after Jeffrsquos service and cremation Shira and I found ourselves at the spot where this happened We talked tothe young man who was tending his barbecue pit which he was stoking for the dayrsquos lunch He was there when the driver pulled out ofhis general storersquos parking lot without even a glance He sadly but kindly told us of that momentJeff had simply been riding down a wide country road when an 86-year old man pulled out in front of him Although rubber on the roadshowed Jeff tried to avoid the car it was too little too late and he was killed on impactI have no idea what happened to the old man after this event But regardless he has to live with his inattentiveness and actions for therest of his life So do many of usWe do not remember days we remember momentsThat day was made up of a moment we will never forgetThe weekend I wrote this Jeff if hersquod survived would have been 57 He would have had dozens more stories made us laugh a dozenmore times would have made this magazine a dozen times betterJeff I hope you know that so many of us miss you so muchTo you all enjoy and savor all your moments Life is made up of them and eventually one of those moments will hurt

Page 24 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Shirarsquos Ice Cream RunLast year we introduce a semi-monthly some of the time if she felt like it column ndashShirarsquos Ice Cream Run It seems to everybody but the red head that this column hasbecome a huge hit and we have had more comments and suggestions for the IceCream Runs than anything else within memory So think sweet creamy and cold andletrsquos see what Shira thought were on the top three stops of 2014rsquos Ice Cream Runs

2ND RUNNER UP bull HOLSTENrsquoS CONFECTIONARY1603 BROAD ST BLOOMFIELD NJ 07003 bull 973-338-7091 bull WWWHOLSTENSCOM

Immortalized on celluloid in the Sopranosrsquo final episode Holstenrsquos Confectionary has so much more

to offer than their souvenir t-shirts from said show A true old-time ice cream parlor Holstenrsquos home-

made ice cream and confections will win the hearts of any true lover of sweets Taking a seat at the

counter should bring back memories of visits to Woolworthrsquos and once the delicious dairyness is

placed in front of you complete with homemade whipped cream you will think you are in a

dream Holstenrsquos has the whole package ndash premium product comfortable setting and take-home

delights With its 2nd Runner Up status truly one of my favorites of this yearrsquos ice cream stops

1ST RUNNER UP bull CAYUGA LAKE CREAMERY8421 NY 89 INTERLAKEN NY 14847 bull 607-532-9492 bull WWWCAYUGALAKECREAMERYCOM

Nestled in the idyllic Finger Lakes the Cayuga Lake Creamery offers up some of the most in-

ventive flavors Irsquove seen including wine ice cream and sorbet (best of both worlds Irsquod say)

Sitting on their outdoor deck savoring your Maple Bacon or Lavender cone on a warm summer

day ndash what could be better than that

While the Finger Lakes may not offer the most challenging of rides the scenery is beautiful and

the gorges are well gorgeous I canrsquot think of a much better day than meandering around the

Fingers with a late afternoon stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery Their 14 butterfat mixture and only the best of locally sourced

ingredients produce some of the finest creamiest ice creams around Do yourself a favor and spin your wheels to this part of

NY state for a weekend of indulgence as their terrific flavors will keep you coming back day after day

1ST PLACE SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN bull HALLrsquoS HOMEMADE ICE CREAM861 RACCOONVALLEY RD MILLERSTOWN PA 17062

717-589-3290 bull WWWHALLSICECREAMCOM

I found this gem in the middle of the Alleghenies while Brian was off riding in the forest with the

ALTRider group Having grabbed the 1st Place spot in this yearrsquos Ice Cream Run you know Hallrsquos

Homemade Ice Cream and Dairy has to be something pretty special

While their flavor offerings may not be as exotic as Cayuga Lake the quality is heavenly Their

signature flavor and one I had not tasted before is their honey ice cream coming in a variety of

mixtures such as chocolate butter pecan and my personal favorite cinnamon Hallrsquos has a couple

of outdoor tables where you can take in the full dairy effect while licking your cone If that is too

overwhelming they have a very nice indoor seating area complete with air conditioning

The riding in this part of Pennsylvania is quite exciting with elevation changes sweepers and

twisties and for those desiring an off-road adventure plenty of woodlands to test your knobbies

What do all three of these winners have in common other than fantastic ice cream They are all

open all year long so if you happen to be out and about in Bloomfield NJ Interlaken NY or Miller-

stown PA make sure you plan a stop at one of the top three spots on Shirarsquos 2014 Ice Cream Run

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 25

Rip amp Ridereg bull RIVER RUNNERS ROOST2378 RTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770

845-557-0097 bull WWWRIVERRUNNERSROOSTCOMSEASONAL HOURS - CALL BEFORE HEADING OUT

CR 560 IN SUSSEX COUNTY NJCROSS DINGMANS BRIDGE bull $1 TOLLSTRAIGHT ON RTE 739RIGHT AT MILFORD RDLEFT AT RAYMONDSKILL RDCROSS OVER I-84HARD LEFT ON US 6QUICK RIGHT ONTOTWIN LAKES RDRIGHT AT RTE 434CROSS RIVER TO NEWYORKRIGHT AT RTE 97 SOUTHRIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST DOWN ROAD ON LEFT HAND SIDE

Rip amp Ridereg bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784603- 298-5515 bull WWW4ACESDINERCOM

GPS DOWNLOAD WWWSENDSPACECOMPRODLXXTWXB90-MILE ONEWAY ROUTE FROM THEWEST DOVER VERMONT REGION

BIG BEARS LODGE GRAY GHOST AND KITZHOF INN

RTE 100 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT RTE 35RIGHT AT RTE 121LEFT AT RTE 5CROSS INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE ndash ARCH BRIDGELEFT AT RTE 12 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 120LEFT AT RTE 4 WEST LEBANONFOUR ACES DOWN ON THE LEFT

TAylorrsquos ice creAm PArlor

18 e mAin sT chesTer nJ bull 908-879-5363

What to do on the first sub-freezing day in November Go for ice cream

of course I was hanging out with the good doctor OrsquoLife and best friend

Brian when OrsquoLife told us of this place that grows telephone poles Having

my doubts about most of what OrsquoLife tells me I asked him to prove it So

off we went to the quaint little town of Chester New Jersey

After a pleasant lunch at the Publick House complete with real wood

burning fireplace we trekked down the road a piece found said telephone

pole farm (for another column of course) and started our return to Back-

roads Central Lo and behold right before the turn onto Route 206 there

sat Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor in the nicest old building on the block We

got our spot and headed in to find well no one but Justin in a very toasty

old fashioned ice cream parlor I do think that he was surprised to see us

or anyone on such a cold day

Taylorrsquos has apparently been an ice cream institution in

Chester for the last 50 years or so founded by Mr Earle G

Taylor Sr who just passed this August Taylorrsquos was the vic-

tim of fire some time in 2013 and was closed for a good 8

months before reopening in the same spot with applause

from their long-time fans and customers Their ice cream is

all home made and always has been On a hot summer day

you will no doubt be lined up out the door and down the

block to get this tasty treat but Irsquom certain you will find it

worth the wait I think their pricing is quite reasonable for

the size scoop they dip and if you are like me and want a sam-

pling of several flavors they offer Kiddie Scoops at $195

each ndash a flight of ice cream sounds like the perfect end-of-

ride relaxation

We perused the two very full ice cream boards and poured

over the cabinets before making our decisions With close to

50 listed flavors what was a girl to do without minions to help her taste test We finally settled on chocolate hazelnut toasted coconut salted caramel and

vanilla fudge brownie I pretty much always opt for a cup as I savor my ice cream and it would run down my arm before I was even close to finishing but I was

almost tempted by their pretzel cone What is so great about Taylorrsquos cones is the plastic drip cup in which they reside both sanitary and mess-preventing

Page 26 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

TOWN amp COUNTRYC Y C L E C E N T E R

115 Route 23N bull Hamburg NJ bull 973-875-2111wwwtownandcountrycyclecentercom

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIYamahacom bull 516-935-6969

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE

SPORT TOURERIntroducing the most performancepower versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle From commutingand exploring backroads to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaharsquos un-mistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

While enjoying our treats we savored

the deacutecor of this very pleasant parlor Sev-

eral tables to enjoy your ice cream clip-

pings of newspaper articles school

paraphernalia and something that has no

place in an ice cream parlor an old-fash-

ioned fortune telling scale This couldnrsquot

possibly still be functioning could it Ac-

cording to Justin yes it was How could we

resist In went our pennies and up popped

our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked

the weight numbers) Brianrsquos read lsquoYou are

not overbearing but generally have things

your wayrsquo Wow I couldnrsquot wait to see if

mine was as accurate ldquoYou look to the fu-

ture rather than the pastrsquo So true

Back to the ice cream ndash it

was heavenly We all agreed

that the salted caramel was the

overall winner having the per-

fect balance of salt and

caramel with the best creamy

texture The toasted coconut

was very flavorful with lots of

coconut bits the chocolate

hazelnut was very dark and

creamy and mixed with the coconut made the perfect almond-free almond

joy The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole but cer-

tainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store

I believe Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round but if yoursquore head-

ing over during the winter months give them a call to make sure Enjoy the

winter and remember itrsquos never too cold to eat ice cream

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield PA

215-712-7433 bull wwwBMWMotorcyclescom

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

THE NEW R 1200 RA POWERFUL STATEMENT

Our newest boxer roadster has one missiondominate the streets in style The R 1200 Ris designed to blend comfort precisehandling and pure riding excitementhellipin one head-turning machine

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW R 1200 RSTHRILLING COMFORT

The new R 1200 RS is perfectly balancedcombining optimal wind and weather protectionwith powerful performance and controlPutting you in an unparalleled position toexplore the road - and your own limits

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW S 1000 RRWELCOME TO THENEW PLANET POWER

The S 1000 RR has been completely revisedThe results in its origins a genuine Double RRon the road a new supersports machine thatwill once again set the benchmark in its class

UNSTOPPABLE SPORT

WHAT lsquoRrsquo YOU WAITING FORCome to Montgomeryville Cycle Center to see the full line of 2015 BMW Motorcycles products and apparel

We have everything yoursquoll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever

Motorcyclepedia the northeastrsquos

premier motorcycle museum will

be holding its Speaker Series again

this winter with various riders and

orators covering topics ranging

from world touring to tips on avoiding tickets and an in depth look at GPS

technology and todayrsquos motorcycling

Backroadsrsquo own Brian amp Shira will start the series off with a talk on Jan-

uary 17 on lsquoThe Big Fiversquo motorcycle destinations around the planet along

with planning and touring around the United States and the world

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who

will help clear the fog about Garmin GPSrsquos and how their BaseCamp program

works along with how to create and export your own personal routes

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on ldquoEverything you need to know

on Motorcycles and the Lawrdquo - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper po-

lice procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists

Seth Simpson of Motorcycle training Solutions will be giving a seminar

on Rider Training

Motorcyclistmoto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about

Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys

Look for a Womenrsquos Riding Panel with some well-known female motor-

cyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing todayrsquos women

riders This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and

beginning women riders

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months

and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to

enlighten

Wersquoll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page

as soon as they are etched in stone

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh New York in the

riding heart of the Hudson Valley

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 27

A DAY AT THE MUSEUMlsquoSPEAKER SERIESrsquo RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

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Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

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Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

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JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

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The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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memBer

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Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

JDS CYCLE PARTSeST 1988

247 W Westfield Ave Rosell Park NJ908-245-2445

bull Parts amp Accessories

bull Award-winning Service

bull Performance Work

bull Dyno Tuning

bull SampS Pro Tuning Center

bull Power CommanderTuning Center

American bull Metric bull Sport

Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 25: January 2015 Backroads

Shirarsquos Ice Cream RunLast year we introduce a semi-monthly some of the time if she felt like it column ndashShirarsquos Ice Cream Run It seems to everybody but the red head that this column hasbecome a huge hit and we have had more comments and suggestions for the IceCream Runs than anything else within memory So think sweet creamy and cold andletrsquos see what Shira thought were on the top three stops of 2014rsquos Ice Cream Runs

2ND RUNNER UP bull HOLSTENrsquoS CONFECTIONARY1603 BROAD ST BLOOMFIELD NJ 07003 bull 973-338-7091 bull WWWHOLSTENSCOM

Immortalized on celluloid in the Sopranosrsquo final episode Holstenrsquos Confectionary has so much more

to offer than their souvenir t-shirts from said show A true old-time ice cream parlor Holstenrsquos home-

made ice cream and confections will win the hearts of any true lover of sweets Taking a seat at the

counter should bring back memories of visits to Woolworthrsquos and once the delicious dairyness is

placed in front of you complete with homemade whipped cream you will think you are in a

dream Holstenrsquos has the whole package ndash premium product comfortable setting and take-home

delights With its 2nd Runner Up status truly one of my favorites of this yearrsquos ice cream stops

1ST RUNNER UP bull CAYUGA LAKE CREAMERY8421 NY 89 INTERLAKEN NY 14847 bull 607-532-9492 bull WWWCAYUGALAKECREAMERYCOM

Nestled in the idyllic Finger Lakes the Cayuga Lake Creamery offers up some of the most in-

ventive flavors Irsquove seen including wine ice cream and sorbet (best of both worlds Irsquod say)

Sitting on their outdoor deck savoring your Maple Bacon or Lavender cone on a warm summer

day ndash what could be better than that

While the Finger Lakes may not offer the most challenging of rides the scenery is beautiful and

the gorges are well gorgeous I canrsquot think of a much better day than meandering around the

Fingers with a late afternoon stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery Their 14 butterfat mixture and only the best of locally sourced

ingredients produce some of the finest creamiest ice creams around Do yourself a favor and spin your wheels to this part of

NY state for a weekend of indulgence as their terrific flavors will keep you coming back day after day

1ST PLACE SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN bull HALLrsquoS HOMEMADE ICE CREAM861 RACCOONVALLEY RD MILLERSTOWN PA 17062

717-589-3290 bull WWWHALLSICECREAMCOM

I found this gem in the middle of the Alleghenies while Brian was off riding in the forest with the

ALTRider group Having grabbed the 1st Place spot in this yearrsquos Ice Cream Run you know Hallrsquos

Homemade Ice Cream and Dairy has to be something pretty special

While their flavor offerings may not be as exotic as Cayuga Lake the quality is heavenly Their

signature flavor and one I had not tasted before is their honey ice cream coming in a variety of

mixtures such as chocolate butter pecan and my personal favorite cinnamon Hallrsquos has a couple

of outdoor tables where you can take in the full dairy effect while licking your cone If that is too

overwhelming they have a very nice indoor seating area complete with air conditioning

The riding in this part of Pennsylvania is quite exciting with elevation changes sweepers and

twisties and for those desiring an off-road adventure plenty of woodlands to test your knobbies

What do all three of these winners have in common other than fantastic ice cream They are all

open all year long so if you happen to be out and about in Bloomfield NJ Interlaken NY or Miller-

stown PA make sure you plan a stop at one of the top three spots on Shirarsquos 2014 Ice Cream Run

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 25

Rip amp Ridereg bull RIVER RUNNERS ROOST2378 RTE 97 POND EDDY NY 12770

845-557-0097 bull WWWRIVERRUNNERSROOSTCOMSEASONAL HOURS - CALL BEFORE HEADING OUT

CR 560 IN SUSSEX COUNTY NJCROSS DINGMANS BRIDGE bull $1 TOLLSTRAIGHT ON RTE 739RIGHT AT MILFORD RDLEFT AT RAYMONDSKILL RDCROSS OVER I-84HARD LEFT ON US 6QUICK RIGHT ONTOTWIN LAKES RDRIGHT AT RTE 434CROSS RIVER TO NEWYORKRIGHT AT RTE 97 SOUTHRIVER RUNNERrsquoS ROOST DOWN ROAD ON LEFT HAND SIDE

Rip amp Ridereg bull FOUR ACES DINER23 BRIDGE ST LEBANON NH 03784603- 298-5515 bull WWW4ACESDINERCOM

GPS DOWNLOAD WWWSENDSPACECOMPRODLXXTWXB90-MILE ONEWAY ROUTE FROM THEWEST DOVER VERMONT REGION

BIG BEARS LODGE GRAY GHOST AND KITZHOF INN

RTE 100 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 30LEFT AT RTE 35RIGHT AT RTE 121LEFT AT RTE 5CROSS INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE ndash ARCH BRIDGELEFT AT RTE 12 NORTHRIGHT AT RTE 120LEFT AT RTE 4 WEST LEBANONFOUR ACES DOWN ON THE LEFT

TAylorrsquos ice creAm PArlor

18 e mAin sT chesTer nJ bull 908-879-5363

What to do on the first sub-freezing day in November Go for ice cream

of course I was hanging out with the good doctor OrsquoLife and best friend

Brian when OrsquoLife told us of this place that grows telephone poles Having

my doubts about most of what OrsquoLife tells me I asked him to prove it So

off we went to the quaint little town of Chester New Jersey

After a pleasant lunch at the Publick House complete with real wood

burning fireplace we trekked down the road a piece found said telephone

pole farm (for another column of course) and started our return to Back-

roads Central Lo and behold right before the turn onto Route 206 there

sat Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor in the nicest old building on the block We

got our spot and headed in to find well no one but Justin in a very toasty

old fashioned ice cream parlor I do think that he was surprised to see us

or anyone on such a cold day

Taylorrsquos has apparently been an ice cream institution in

Chester for the last 50 years or so founded by Mr Earle G

Taylor Sr who just passed this August Taylorrsquos was the vic-

tim of fire some time in 2013 and was closed for a good 8

months before reopening in the same spot with applause

from their long-time fans and customers Their ice cream is

all home made and always has been On a hot summer day

you will no doubt be lined up out the door and down the

block to get this tasty treat but Irsquom certain you will find it

worth the wait I think their pricing is quite reasonable for

the size scoop they dip and if you are like me and want a sam-

pling of several flavors they offer Kiddie Scoops at $195

each ndash a flight of ice cream sounds like the perfect end-of-

ride relaxation

We perused the two very full ice cream boards and poured

over the cabinets before making our decisions With close to

50 listed flavors what was a girl to do without minions to help her taste test We finally settled on chocolate hazelnut toasted coconut salted caramel and

vanilla fudge brownie I pretty much always opt for a cup as I savor my ice cream and it would run down my arm before I was even close to finishing but I was

almost tempted by their pretzel cone What is so great about Taylorrsquos cones is the plastic drip cup in which they reside both sanitary and mess-preventing

Page 26 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

TOWN amp COUNTRYC Y C L E C E N T E R

115 Route 23N bull Hamburg NJ bull 973-875-2111wwwtownandcountrycyclecentercom

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIYamahacom bull 516-935-6969

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE

SPORT TOURERIntroducing the most performancepower versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle From commutingand exploring backroads to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaharsquos un-mistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

While enjoying our treats we savored

the deacutecor of this very pleasant parlor Sev-

eral tables to enjoy your ice cream clip-

pings of newspaper articles school

paraphernalia and something that has no

place in an ice cream parlor an old-fash-

ioned fortune telling scale This couldnrsquot

possibly still be functioning could it Ac-

cording to Justin yes it was How could we

resist In went our pennies and up popped

our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked

the weight numbers) Brianrsquos read lsquoYou are

not overbearing but generally have things

your wayrsquo Wow I couldnrsquot wait to see if

mine was as accurate ldquoYou look to the fu-

ture rather than the pastrsquo So true

Back to the ice cream ndash it

was heavenly We all agreed

that the salted caramel was the

overall winner having the per-

fect balance of salt and

caramel with the best creamy

texture The toasted coconut

was very flavorful with lots of

coconut bits the chocolate

hazelnut was very dark and

creamy and mixed with the coconut made the perfect almond-free almond

joy The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole but cer-

tainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store

I believe Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round but if yoursquore head-

ing over during the winter months give them a call to make sure Enjoy the

winter and remember itrsquos never too cold to eat ice cream

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield PA

215-712-7433 bull wwwBMWMotorcyclescom

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

THE NEW R 1200 RA POWERFUL STATEMENT

Our newest boxer roadster has one missiondominate the streets in style The R 1200 Ris designed to blend comfort precisehandling and pure riding excitementhellipin one head-turning machine

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW R 1200 RSTHRILLING COMFORT

The new R 1200 RS is perfectly balancedcombining optimal wind and weather protectionwith powerful performance and controlPutting you in an unparalleled position toexplore the road - and your own limits

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW S 1000 RRWELCOME TO THENEW PLANET POWER

The S 1000 RR has been completely revisedThe results in its origins a genuine Double RRon the road a new supersports machine thatwill once again set the benchmark in its class

UNSTOPPABLE SPORT

WHAT lsquoRrsquo YOU WAITING FORCome to Montgomeryville Cycle Center to see the full line of 2015 BMW Motorcycles products and apparel

We have everything yoursquoll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever

Motorcyclepedia the northeastrsquos

premier motorcycle museum will

be holding its Speaker Series again

this winter with various riders and

orators covering topics ranging

from world touring to tips on avoiding tickets and an in depth look at GPS

technology and todayrsquos motorcycling

Backroadsrsquo own Brian amp Shira will start the series off with a talk on Jan-

uary 17 on lsquoThe Big Fiversquo motorcycle destinations around the planet along

with planning and touring around the United States and the world

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who

will help clear the fog about Garmin GPSrsquos and how their BaseCamp program

works along with how to create and export your own personal routes

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on ldquoEverything you need to know

on Motorcycles and the Lawrdquo - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper po-

lice procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists

Seth Simpson of Motorcycle training Solutions will be giving a seminar

on Rider Training

Motorcyclistmoto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about

Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys

Look for a Womenrsquos Riding Panel with some well-known female motor-

cyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing todayrsquos women

riders This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and

beginning women riders

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months

and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to

enlighten

Wersquoll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page

as soon as they are etched in stone

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh New York in the

riding heart of the Hudson Valley

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 27

A DAY AT THE MUSEUMlsquoSPEAKER SERIESrsquo RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Frankrsquos MotorcycleSales amp Service

120 Center RoadEssex VT 05451

802-878-3930wwwFranksMotorcycleSalescomBMWhtm

Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY845-357-1190

wwwLocomotionPowersportscom

LOCOMOTION POWER-

SPORTS138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY

845-357-1190

Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

SUSSEX MOTORSPORTS446 Route 23 bull Sussex NJ bull Located across from the AampP Shopping Plaza

973-875-3640 bull wwwsussexmotorsportsnjcombull Family OwnedOperated in Northwest NJ bull Near the NYPA border

bull Wide selection of onoff road apparel jackets helmets gloves and boots

bull Qualified Service Technicians with over 30 years combined experienceto perform all your Yamaha authorized service

Wheel Sport Center Inc399 HUGUeNOT ST bull NeW ROCHeLLe NY

9146367235 bull WheelSportCenternet

JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

2015 Kawasaki Concoursreg14 ABSThe ultimate backroad SuperSport Tourer

The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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Pass of the Cattle

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Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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cycle insurance Agency increcreational vehicle specialists

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Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

JDS CYCLE PARTSeST 1988

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Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 26: January 2015 Backroads

TAylorrsquos ice creAm PArlor

18 e mAin sT chesTer nJ bull 908-879-5363

What to do on the first sub-freezing day in November Go for ice cream

of course I was hanging out with the good doctor OrsquoLife and best friend

Brian when OrsquoLife told us of this place that grows telephone poles Having

my doubts about most of what OrsquoLife tells me I asked him to prove it So

off we went to the quaint little town of Chester New Jersey

After a pleasant lunch at the Publick House complete with real wood

burning fireplace we trekked down the road a piece found said telephone

pole farm (for another column of course) and started our return to Back-

roads Central Lo and behold right before the turn onto Route 206 there

sat Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor in the nicest old building on the block We

got our spot and headed in to find well no one but Justin in a very toasty

old fashioned ice cream parlor I do think that he was surprised to see us

or anyone on such a cold day

Taylorrsquos has apparently been an ice cream institution in

Chester for the last 50 years or so founded by Mr Earle G

Taylor Sr who just passed this August Taylorrsquos was the vic-

tim of fire some time in 2013 and was closed for a good 8

months before reopening in the same spot with applause

from their long-time fans and customers Their ice cream is

all home made and always has been On a hot summer day

you will no doubt be lined up out the door and down the

block to get this tasty treat but Irsquom certain you will find it

worth the wait I think their pricing is quite reasonable for

the size scoop they dip and if you are like me and want a sam-

pling of several flavors they offer Kiddie Scoops at $195

each ndash a flight of ice cream sounds like the perfect end-of-

ride relaxation

We perused the two very full ice cream boards and poured

over the cabinets before making our decisions With close to

50 listed flavors what was a girl to do without minions to help her taste test We finally settled on chocolate hazelnut toasted coconut salted caramel and

vanilla fudge brownie I pretty much always opt for a cup as I savor my ice cream and it would run down my arm before I was even close to finishing but I was

almost tempted by their pretzel cone What is so great about Taylorrsquos cones is the plastic drip cup in which they reside both sanitary and mess-preventing

Page 26 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

TOWN amp COUNTRYC Y C L E C E N T E R

115 Route 23N bull Hamburg NJ bull 973-875-2111wwwtownandcountrycyclecentercom

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIYamahacom bull 516-935-6969

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE

SPORT TOURERIntroducing the most performancepower versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle From commutingand exploring backroads to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaharsquos un-mistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

While enjoying our treats we savored

the deacutecor of this very pleasant parlor Sev-

eral tables to enjoy your ice cream clip-

pings of newspaper articles school

paraphernalia and something that has no

place in an ice cream parlor an old-fash-

ioned fortune telling scale This couldnrsquot

possibly still be functioning could it Ac-

cording to Justin yes it was How could we

resist In went our pennies and up popped

our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked

the weight numbers) Brianrsquos read lsquoYou are

not overbearing but generally have things

your wayrsquo Wow I couldnrsquot wait to see if

mine was as accurate ldquoYou look to the fu-

ture rather than the pastrsquo So true

Back to the ice cream ndash it

was heavenly We all agreed

that the salted caramel was the

overall winner having the per-

fect balance of salt and

caramel with the best creamy

texture The toasted coconut

was very flavorful with lots of

coconut bits the chocolate

hazelnut was very dark and

creamy and mixed with the coconut made the perfect almond-free almond

joy The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole but cer-

tainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store

I believe Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round but if yoursquore head-

ing over during the winter months give them a call to make sure Enjoy the

winter and remember itrsquos never too cold to eat ice cream

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield PA

215-712-7433 bull wwwBMWMotorcyclescom

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

THE NEW R 1200 RA POWERFUL STATEMENT

Our newest boxer roadster has one missiondominate the streets in style The R 1200 Ris designed to blend comfort precisehandling and pure riding excitementhellipin one head-turning machine

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW R 1200 RSTHRILLING COMFORT

The new R 1200 RS is perfectly balancedcombining optimal wind and weather protectionwith powerful performance and controlPutting you in an unparalleled position toexplore the road - and your own limits

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW S 1000 RRWELCOME TO THENEW PLANET POWER

The S 1000 RR has been completely revisedThe results in its origins a genuine Double RRon the road a new supersports machine thatwill once again set the benchmark in its class

UNSTOPPABLE SPORT

WHAT lsquoRrsquo YOU WAITING FORCome to Montgomeryville Cycle Center to see the full line of 2015 BMW Motorcycles products and apparel

We have everything yoursquoll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever

Motorcyclepedia the northeastrsquos

premier motorcycle museum will

be holding its Speaker Series again

this winter with various riders and

orators covering topics ranging

from world touring to tips on avoiding tickets and an in depth look at GPS

technology and todayrsquos motorcycling

Backroadsrsquo own Brian amp Shira will start the series off with a talk on Jan-

uary 17 on lsquoThe Big Fiversquo motorcycle destinations around the planet along

with planning and touring around the United States and the world

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who

will help clear the fog about Garmin GPSrsquos and how their BaseCamp program

works along with how to create and export your own personal routes

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on ldquoEverything you need to know

on Motorcycles and the Lawrdquo - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper po-

lice procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists

Seth Simpson of Motorcycle training Solutions will be giving a seminar

on Rider Training

Motorcyclistmoto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about

Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys

Look for a Womenrsquos Riding Panel with some well-known female motor-

cyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing todayrsquos women

riders This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and

beginning women riders

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months

and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to

enlighten

Wersquoll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page

as soon as they are etched in stone

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh New York in the

riding heart of the Hudson Valley

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 27

A DAY AT THE MUSEUMlsquoSPEAKER SERIESrsquo RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Frankrsquos MotorcycleSales amp Service

120 Center RoadEssex VT 05451

802-878-3930wwwFranksMotorcycleSalescomBMWhtm

Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY845-357-1190

wwwLocomotionPowersportscom

LOCOMOTION POWER-

SPORTS138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY

845-357-1190

Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

SUSSEX MOTORSPORTS446 Route 23 bull Sussex NJ bull Located across from the AampP Shopping Plaza

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JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

2015 Kawasaki Concoursreg14 ABSThe ultimate backroad SuperSport Tourer

The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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We p ro v i d e a f r i e n d l y c l e a n a n d s e c u re

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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cycle insurance Agency increcreational vehicle specialists

Agents who ride and understandyour motorcycle insurance needs

Ask about our Tour cycle Program ndash the ultimate in coverage

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memBer

memBer

Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

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Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 27: January 2015 Backroads

While enjoying our treats we savored

the deacutecor of this very pleasant parlor Sev-

eral tables to enjoy your ice cream clip-

pings of newspaper articles school

paraphernalia and something that has no

place in an ice cream parlor an old-fash-

ioned fortune telling scale This couldnrsquot

possibly still be functioning could it Ac-

cording to Justin yes it was How could we

resist In went our pennies and up popped

our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked

the weight numbers) Brianrsquos read lsquoYou are

not overbearing but generally have things

your wayrsquo Wow I couldnrsquot wait to see if

mine was as accurate ldquoYou look to the fu-

ture rather than the pastrsquo So true

Back to the ice cream ndash it

was heavenly We all agreed

that the salted caramel was the

overall winner having the per-

fect balance of salt and

caramel with the best creamy

texture The toasted coconut

was very flavorful with lots of

coconut bits the chocolate

hazelnut was very dark and

creamy and mixed with the coconut made the perfect almond-free almond

joy The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole but cer-

tainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store

I believe Taylorrsquos Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round but if yoursquore head-

ing over during the winter months give them a call to make sure Enjoy the

winter and remember itrsquos never too cold to eat ice cream

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield PA

215-712-7433 bull wwwBMWMotorcyclescom

copy2014 BMW Motorrad USA a division of BMW of North America LLC The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks

THE NEW R 1200 RA POWERFUL STATEMENT

Our newest boxer roadster has one missiondominate the streets in style The R 1200 Ris designed to blend comfort precisehandling and pure riding excitementhellipin one head-turning machine

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW R 1200 RSTHRILLING COMFORT

The new R 1200 RS is perfectly balancedcombining optimal wind and weather protectionwith powerful performance and controlPutting you in an unparalleled position toexplore the road - and your own limits

ARRIVING IN OUR STORE EARLY 2015

THE NEW S 1000 RRWELCOME TO THENEW PLANET POWER

The S 1000 RR has been completely revisedThe results in its origins a genuine Double RRon the road a new supersports machine thatwill once again set the benchmark in its class

UNSTOPPABLE SPORT

WHAT lsquoRrsquo YOU WAITING FORCome to Montgomeryville Cycle Center to see the full line of 2015 BMW Motorcycles products and apparel

We have everything yoursquoll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever

Motorcyclepedia the northeastrsquos

premier motorcycle museum will

be holding its Speaker Series again

this winter with various riders and

orators covering topics ranging

from world touring to tips on avoiding tickets and an in depth look at GPS

technology and todayrsquos motorcycling

Backroadsrsquo own Brian amp Shira will start the series off with a talk on Jan-

uary 17 on lsquoThe Big Fiversquo motorcycle destinations around the planet along

with planning and touring around the United States and the world

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who

will help clear the fog about Garmin GPSrsquos and how their BaseCamp program

works along with how to create and export your own personal routes

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on ldquoEverything you need to know

on Motorcycles and the Lawrdquo - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper po-

lice procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists

Seth Simpson of Motorcycle training Solutions will be giving a seminar

on Rider Training

Motorcyclistmoto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about

Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys

Look for a Womenrsquos Riding Panel with some well-known female motor-

cyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing todayrsquos women

riders This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and

beginning women riders

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months

and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to

enlighten

Wersquoll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page

as soon as they are etched in stone

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh New York in the

riding heart of the Hudson Valley

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 27

A DAY AT THE MUSEUMlsquoSPEAKER SERIESrsquo RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Frankrsquos MotorcycleSales amp Service

120 Center RoadEssex VT 05451

802-878-3930wwwFranksMotorcycleSalescomBMWhtm

Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

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Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

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BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

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JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

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The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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memBer

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Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

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Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 28: January 2015 Backroads

Page 28 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

Rip amp Ridereg bull TRIPLE CREEK LODGE106 EAST MAIN ST MILLHEIM PA 16854814-303-9393 bull TRIPLECREEKLODGECOM

ONE-WAY 204 MILES

START ROUTE 94 COLUMBIA NJRTE 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PATAKE RTE 611 NORTHLEFT ONTO RTE 191RIGHT ONTO PA 2002RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RDBECOMES LITTLE GAP RDRIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RDRIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RDRIGHT ONTO RTE 209LEFT ONTO CR 534BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RDLEFT ONTO CR 940LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RDRIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RDSTRAIGHT ONTO CR 924HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RDLEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RDLEFT ONTO MAHANOY STLEFT ONTO MAIN STBECOMES RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RDBECOMES ZION GROVE RDRIGHT ONTO ARISTES RDBECOMES PA 2006LEFT ONTO CR 42STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61RIGHT ONTO CR 54LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RDRIGHT ONTO HIGH RDLEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RDBECOMES HELFENSTEIN RDRIGHT ONTO MAIN RDRIGHT ONTO CR 125LEFT ONTO CR 61LEFT ONTO CR 225RIGHT ONTO CR 890LEFT ONTO CR 61EXIT TO RTE 15 NORTHLEFT ONTO CR 304LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RDLEFT ONTO CR 104RIGHT ONTOTROXELVILLLE RDRIGHT ONTO CR 235LEFT ONTO CR 45TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHTABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Frankrsquos MotorcycleSales amp Service

120 Center RoadEssex VT 05451

802-878-3930wwwFranksMotorcycleSalescomBMWhtm

Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

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Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

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JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

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The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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memBer

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Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

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Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 29: January 2015 Backroads

The woman was young as were her friends - maybe 15 years old if that They

walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps climbing to the top of the

90-meter tower

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down the sound of skis

moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong smooth roll and then

she was airborne cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skill-

fully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadowrsquos

grass

Magnificent

Although it hadnrsquot snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting

at change the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend

of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travelrsquos 2014 Feschtl

Pronounced Fetz ndashel the German word means gathering and that is what our Eu-

ropean friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid New York

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the

globe first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet

Each year they hold a gathering or Feschtl in a different region of the United States

and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New Yorkrsquos

stunning Adirondacks making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the

weekend

Shira and I left the previous day and wanting to get into the German spirit of things

we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor ndash which could be lifted from

Germany itself ndash and then a slightly different and

way too much fun route north to the oldest moun-

tains in the world

Heading up Route 73 deep into the heart of the

Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a

new Porsche Carrera Although far faster and

more powerful that us we held our own along the

sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs

up later as the driver continued on

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken

during this game

This was just the first of many exotic machines

we would see during this trip

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 29

Climb aboard a true classic Kick backand enjoy the timeless style that maderiding synonymous with freedom Itrsquosall about the laid-back stance broadsaddle and that irresistible rumblethat only a cruiser can provide

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The sound of power

At Suzuki we want every ride to be safe and enjoyable So always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing Never ride under theinfluence of alcohol or other drugs Avoid excessive speeds Never engage in stunt riding Study your owners manual and always inspect yourSuzuki before riding Take a riding skills course For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Frankrsquos MotorcycleSales amp Service

120 Center RoadEssex VT 05451

802-878-3930wwwFranksMotorcycleSalescomBMWhtm

Edelweiss FeschtlBiggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY845-357-1190

wwwLocomotionPowersportscom

LOCOMOTION POWER-

SPORTS138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY

845-357-1190

Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

SUSSEX MOTORSPORTS446 Route 23 bull Sussex NJ bull Located across from the AampP Shopping Plaza

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JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

2015 Kawasaki Concoursreg14 ABSThe ultimate backroad SuperSport Tourer

The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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Visit us at the NY Boat ShowJan 21-25 bull Javits Center

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Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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cycle insurance Agency increcreational vehicle specialists

Agents who ride and understandyour motorcycle insurance needs

Ask about our Tour cycle Program ndash the ultimate in coverage

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memBer

memBer

Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

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Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

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help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 30: January 2015 Backroads

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Train-

ing Facility

It was here in 1980 that the Winter

Olympics were held and this day we took

the chairlift up the mountain and then the

elevator to the top of the jump tower

It is very very high and the view stupen-

dous But what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships We

planned to be in and out of the facility but as you have read we stayed for

hours eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump

watching these kids fly

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish took our room and wandered

down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and

Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweissrsquo fantastic

riding adventures

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and

the conversation ran the gamut and the globe

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for

dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner

Wachter ndash the founder of Edelweiss Both men are very passionate about mo-

torcycle touring and as Werner commented the volume of the assembled

group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group

as well

We all made it an early night as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put

together a ride for the next day And everybody wanted to be fresh the next

morning

I have to say since this is our backyard we were interested in where wersquod

all be going and how it would be put together

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small ridersrsquo meeting to

pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the

dayrsquos ride

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park despite

the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 13 of New York

State) there are a limited amount of paved roads

So we were not surprised to see a good sized casual 200-mile loop put

together by Markus

Wersquod happily followed along letting the main group led by Markus take

off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along side-

tracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us

eventually back into the main route

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled

out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

ldquoIF YOU WANT TO SURFASPHALThellipTHATrsquoS ITrdquo

HOLD ON LET GO

TAKE A TEST RIDE ANDCHARGE EVERY CORNER

138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY845-357-1190

wwwLocomotionPowersportscom

LOCOMOTION POWER-

SPORTS138 Orange Ave (Rte 202) Suffern NY

845-357-1190

Page 30 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

SUSSEX MOTORSPORTS446 Route 23 bull Sussex NJ bull Located across from the AampP Shopping Plaza

973-875-3640 bull wwwsussexmotorsportsnjcombull Family OwnedOperated in Northwest NJ bull Near the NYPA border

bull Wide selection of onoff road apparel jackets helmets gloves and boots

bull Qualified Service Technicians with over 30 years combined experienceto perform all your Yamaha authorized service

Wheel Sport Center Inc399 HUGUeNOT ST bull NeW ROCHeLLe NY

9146367235 bull WheelSportCenternet

JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

2015 Kawasaki Concoursreg14 ABSThe ultimate backroad SuperSport Tourer

The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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cycle insurance Agency increcreational vehicle specialists

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memBer

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Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

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Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

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BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

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Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

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For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

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BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

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If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

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Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

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Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

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Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

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210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

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2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 31: January 2015 Backroads

throughout the day we would see

these classic speedsters running

around the region

Shira and I pulled over immedi-

ately and soon after Werner and

Coral the fairer half did as well

These were really special ma-

chines and well worth taking the

time to see them up close and to talk

to the owners

I was sorry I left my Veyron at

home

We followed along the route en-

joying the views of the mountains

and the scenic Raquette River (the

third longest in New York) and then

rode around Long Lake home of a

long ago Spring Break rally and then east along Route 28 to North Creek

and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn

This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the

mountains for this Feschtl

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on

the road

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the

middle of the Adirondacks but that is not true of the eastern edge especially

the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way but as we approached

the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other

routes some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the

lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of

us To the south a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning

the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ the lakersquos monster but he didnrsquot

make an appearance even though Port Henry is lsquoground zerorsquo for such cryp-

tozoological events

We did find something else in Port Henry

This too was old rare and lucky for us still open enough to brew us a cup

of coffee ndash the Miss Port Henry Diner Built back in 1927 she is a true classic

and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during

Americade

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again

along Route 7 and 4 heading west These two roads have become favorites

of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid We did make one

or two sidetrackshellip one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

Introducing the most MotoGP-inspiredR1 ever From the advanced lsquorider ac-tiversquo electronics package to thepowerful crossplane crankshaftengine the line between Super-sport bike and factory MotoGP hasnever been more blurred

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and bootsDo not drink and ride It is illegal and dangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourageyou to ride safely and respect the environment For furher information regarding the MSF course pleasecall 1-800-446-9227 Specifications subject to change without notice Professional rider depicted on a closedcourse copy2014 yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved yamaha-motorcom

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 31

SUSSEX MOTORSPORTS446 Route 23 bull Sussex NJ bull Located across from the AampP Shopping Plaza

973-875-3640 bull wwwsussexmotorsportsnjcombull Family OwnedOperated in Northwest NJ bull Near the NYPA border

bull Wide selection of onoff road apparel jackets helmets gloves and boots

bull Qualified Service Technicians with over 30 years combined experienceto perform all your Yamaha authorized service

Wheel Sport Center Inc399 HUGUeNOT ST bull NeW ROCHeLLe NY

9146367235 bull WheelSportCenternet

JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

2015 Kawasaki Concoursreg14 ABSThe ultimate backroad SuperSport Tourer

The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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Visit us at the NY Boat ShowJan 21-25 bull Javits Center

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Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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memBer

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Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

JDS CYCLE PARTSeST 1988

247 W Westfield Ave Rosell Park NJ908-245-2445

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Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

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Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

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Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

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BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

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973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

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Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

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Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

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Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

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Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

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Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

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Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

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The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

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hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

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Page 32: January 2015 Backroads

SUSSEX MOTORSPORTS446 Route 23 bull Sussex NJ bull Located across from the AampP Shopping Plaza

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JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear

(or people) during your next ride all year long

cut gorge complete with running waterfalls ndash even at this time of year ndash and

then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional

scribe for Backroads Dan Bisbee

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and

just happened to be in front of the ADK Cafeacute ndash home of all pies delicious

Some dessert seemed in order

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the

shops of Lake Placidrsquos Main Street returning with a number of bottles of in-

fused olive oil

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and like

most things Edelweiss after a dayrsquos good ride the group gelled and it was

quite the evening

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours their partner-

ship with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sar-

dinia If you like exotic twisties mountains and the sea then this might be

just the tour for you

I know wersquore interested

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed

meant early to rise We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to

friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains

doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the

west

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly and as interestingly as we

could - with my guarantee to Shira wersquod miss the rain by hours and be in the

Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening

Mission successful

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in

Lake Placid gave tour veterans and those just interested in guided motorcycle

tours a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this

planet with Edelweiss again and again If you fancy joining in 2015 it will

be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept 18-20 To find out which of their trips

will tickle your fancy take a look at wwwedelweissbiketourcom

Page 32 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

2015 Kawasaki Concoursreg14 ABSThe ultimate backroad SuperSport Tourer

The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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Visit us at the NY Boat ShowJan 21-25 bull Javits Center

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Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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memBer

memBer

Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

JDS CYCLE PARTSeST 1988

247 W Westfield Ave Rosell Park NJ908-245-2445

bull Parts amp Accessories

bull Award-winning Service

bull Performance Work

bull Dyno Tuning

bull SampS Pro Tuning Center

bull Power CommanderTuning Center

American bull Metric bull Sport

Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 33: January 2015 Backroads

John Newman

In 2013 I read a travel feature that appealed to my motorcycle

touring impulses and set my writerrsquos imagination running The

article told of a (car) tour of northwest Ireland to the Inishowen

Peninsula and Malin Head the most northerly point of that land

Lundy Fastnet Shannon Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Faroes

Fair Isle These are some of the names used to identify areas of

sea around the British Isles Sailors navigators seafarers and

fishing crew listen to regular broadcasts and updates on the BBC

(British Broadcasting Corporation) to inform them of the condi-

tions they can expect to encounter

Malin Hebrideswhat a fascinating tour that could be Ireland

and the West of Scotland combined A myriad of ferries taking

me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice)

and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off

the West of Scotland

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) itrsquos a four-hour ride the slow

way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales My

first island but crossed by road bridge At Holyhead large comfortable fer-

ries sail to Dublin There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board

heading for the North West200 road races They were surprised I wasnrsquot

heading that way too

Itrsquos always tempting to spend time in Dublin bar hopping Guinness

music and the Craic But I put that out of my thoughts and headed north-

west to Navan once Irsquod been helped to find the right road by two or three

friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride

with only a tee shirt under my jacketthat situation wouldnrsquot last long

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal and some

of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers Leaving Navan I tracked

along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of

water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland The road

crisscrossed the border with the

Republic in this area kilometers

turn to miles and Euros turn to

Sterling and back again

Itrsquos a fortunate motorcyclist

who travels through Ireland with-

out getting a soaking from the

weather systems that hang out in

the Atlantic waiting to sweep in

I was not that fortunate one

In the northwest corner of the

Republic peninsulas headlands

with huge vertical cliffs and is-

lands poke out into the sea to-

wards Iceland the next landfall

Itrsquos a landscape of mountains and

Loughs where the sea pounds

against solid rock shorelines Un-

derneath racing grey clouds I

made for Fanad Head on a series

of narrow roads Plan A was to

catch ferry number two across

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 33

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

KAWASAKI CARES Always wear a helmet eye protection and proper apparelNever ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol Adhere to the maintenanceschedule in your ownerrsquos manual copy 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp USA

2015 Kawasaki Concoursreg14 ABSThe ultimate backroad SuperSport Tourer

The 2015 Kawasaki Concours14 ABS is aremarkable machine because its powerand poise will be familiar to riders of su-persport motorcycles yet its upright ridingposition offers far greater comfort than itssuperbike siblings making it equally athome carving canyons as it is traversinginterstate highways

Pay the Ferryman

Malin Head Road

Alfie on LoughFoyle Ferry

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

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Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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cycle insurance Agency increcreational vehicle specialists

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Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

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Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

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BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

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Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

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For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

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If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

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BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

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Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

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Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

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The RivertonTravel along the scenic

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Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

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The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

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Member of

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hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

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Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

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HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 34: January 2015 Backroads

from this peninsula to Inishowen but looking for information online before

I set out the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the

operating subsidy had been withdrawn

Tomorrow is another day and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi

through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny dried out and found

shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street where a warming fire and Guinness

provided some solace

Malin Head day began in waterproofs Cheerless but undaunted with visor

wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route What else is a touring

rider to dosit in the hotel all day Entering Malin village more optimistic

skies came into view from out at sea and by the time I reached Malin Head

large blue gaps had parted the grey and myself and the smattering of other

visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces

Time to head for my next ferry which was definitely operating The Lough

Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in

the North with the border marked as running through the middle On board

I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European Hersquod been to watch the (wet)

NW200 races and was now engaged on a lsquotreasure huntrsquoIrsquoll explain Each

year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues and be-

tween March and November they have to tour the country identify the clues

and take a photo as proof they have been there No prizes just a good excuse

to get out on the bike Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to

Dublin

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty It consists of splendid beaches and

dunes at the confluence of several

river estuaries and is dominated by

a huge basalt headland Birds rare

plants and land and marine wildlife

are abundant and preserved So I

was surprised to see they had built

the grim Magilligan Prison on part

of the land Not that this could in-

terfere much with the wildlife as all

the humans are locked in

With Malin behind Hebrides beckoned The Antrim coast road of Northern

Ireland is one of those lsquomust dorsquo rides I had planned to take that route to

Larne where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the

Scottish town of Troon Thwarted Another dank and drizzly low cloud day

that would make the coast route miserable So I picked up the main road to

Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains A day only no-

table for a brunch stop where the young waitress spotting my crash helmet

and attire engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrast-

ing personalities of William and Michael Dunlop the successful racing sons

of Robert Dunlop and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing)

Now that was a first

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were

strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses

outside saloons in the old west It was effective but the sea was smooth and

under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

Page 34 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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We p ro v i d e a f r i e n d l y c l e a n a n d s e c u re

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By Appointment Only

East Village NYC

Ph 212 475 5858 bull Fx  212 505 5205

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wwwrisingwolfgaragecom

Towards Glenelg Belgium riders on the Corran ferry

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 491-2900

wwwCrossCountryPowersportscom

Visit us at the NY Boat ShowJan 21-25 bull Javits Center

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Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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Ask about our Tour cycle Program ndash the ultimate in coverage

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serving new Jersey new york and Pennsylvania bull ATv bull Jet ski bull snowmobile

memBer

memBer

Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

JDS CYCLE PARTSeST 1988

247 W Westfield Ave Rosell Park NJ908-245-2445

bull Parts amp Accessories

bull Award-winning Service

bull Performance Work

bull Dyno Tuning

bull SampS Pro Tuning Center

bull Power CommanderTuning Center

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Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 35: January 2015 Backroads

and the Isle of Arran came out of the

horizon The captain directed our eyes to

the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of

Ailsa Craig looming out of the water the

halfway point of the crossing

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking

hotel cum pub located close to the ferry

terminal in Troon I found myself book-

ing a room there as it was the nearest

shelter when thunder laden skies

dumped more wet stuff just as us riders

came off the ferry exit ramp Not a first

choice for accommodation but at least I

wasnrsquot facing more wet (and dark) miles

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast motorcyclists give close

attention to the weather across the land Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying that

eveningrsquos forecast cheered the prospects for the following dayrsquos ride north along the coast to a

small town called Wemyss Bay where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute Sun blue sky and

warmer temperatures would accompany me

The southern part of western Scotland is a lsquoplaygroundrsquo for the urban population of Glasgow

centered largely on the sailing town of Largs At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry ter-

minus surprised me a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen

Anne style clock tower predominating It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to

Glasgow twenty-six miles away but over the years the various railway organizations had neg-

lected its upkeep In 2009 a group of lsquofriendsrsquo began to revive and renovate the building re-

creating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the

many waiting rooms

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and after a few road miles to the

north end of the island at Rubodach I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of

Bute narrows where the road north towards that dayrsquos destination Fort William is picked up

Sunshine forests hills mountains Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along

well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp A good part of the road runs along

the Loch Fyne shoreline famous for its oysters before looping back round the Loch to Inverary an at-

tractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists ndash a cracking dayrsquos ride out if you

live in the Glasgow conglomerate ndash and the location of Inverary Castle a Gothic pile home to the Dukes

of Argyll but now open to any lsquocommonerrsquo who hands over the admission fee

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 35

Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 491-2900

wwwCrossCountryPowersportscom

Visit us at the NY Boat ShowJan 21-25 bull Javits Center

NJ Boat Sales amp ExpoFeb 20-23

NJ Conv amp Expo Ctr Edisonfor Exclusive Show Specials

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains Nj

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye

Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

NOW TAKING DEPOSITSon Scramblers

cycle insurance Agency increcreational vehicle specialists

Agents who ride and understandyour motorcycle insurance needs

Ask about our Tour cycle Program ndash the ultimate in coverage

Passenger coverage bull Accessories coverage

medical Payments coverage

448 lincoln Ave bull hawthorne nJ 07506 bull 973-427-2246

wwwcycleinsuranceAgencycom

serving new Jersey new york and Pennsylvania bull ATv bull Jet ski bull snowmobile

memBer

memBer

Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

JDS CYCLE PARTSeST 1988

247 W Westfield Ave Rosell Park NJ908-245-2445

bull Parts amp Accessories

bull Award-winning Service

bull Performance Work

bull Dyno Tuning

bull SampS Pro Tuning Center

bull Power CommanderTuning Center

American bull Metric bull Sport

Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

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BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

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For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

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BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

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If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

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TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

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2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

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HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 36: January 2015 Backroads

Page 36 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

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serving new Jersey new york and Pennsylvania bull ATv bull Jet ski bull snowmobile

memBer

memBer

Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

JDS CYCLE PARTSeST 1988

247 W Westfield Ave Rosell Park NJ908-245-2445

bull Parts amp Accessories

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Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

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BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

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Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

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For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

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If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

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BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

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and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

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2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

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HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 37: January 2015 Backroads

Another day another ferry Irsquod overnighted in Fort William the tourist centre for the Highlands

and islands of the west coast then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry

across the narrow section of Loch Linhe Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200rsquos

with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage were jammed together on

deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side The bikes were all on

side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright I slung my leg

over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical as itrsquos essential to retain lsquodignity

controlrsquo when there are onlookers Success despite the wet deck

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula a slab of Scotland well off the lsquonormalrsquo

tourist route and itinerary and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take

me across to the Isle of Skye

Another day another weather system On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the penin-

sularsquos main village Strontian monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains They hadnrsquot yet

begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams and more importantly onto

me But it could only be a matter of time

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of

Bonnie Prince Charlie marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the un-

successful Jacobite uprising in 1745 Despite the lsquofifty shades of greyrsquo clouds and drizzly periods

there is no wind and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror A mysterious and en-

trancing panorama

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart but Irsquom cold with damp and decide to wait for

the next one and warm myself in the ticket office The dismal weather has not detracted from

the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotlandrsquos less explored areas and so warmed

through I wander into the small town for a beer and a lsquogawprsquo at the tourists who have arrived on

the magnificent steam train from Fort William

Up to this point therersquos been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers but on the Isle of Skye

where Irsquom staying for a while more come and go and a good proportion are from mainland Eu-

rope which is good to see Despite the weather Scotland must rank among one of the all round

best places in the world to take a bike It had been many years since Irsquod travelled this way and

I made a promise to myself to return again soon Such was the lsquopleasure levelrsquo of riding here

friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry from

Skye to another part of the mainland Itrsquos an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community In-

terest Company ndash any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of

the community rather than an individual or shareholders

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland

of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry The road no more than a car

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 37

Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charliersquos exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

JDS CYCLE PARTSeST 1988

247 W Westfield Ave Rosell Park NJ908-245-2445

bull Parts amp Accessories

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bull Performance Work

bull Dyno Tuning

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Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 38: January 2015 Backroads

width track at times climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking

views over the Sound of Sleat and then running steep through tight bends

towards the shoreline

The old ferry is a sight to behold A wonderful throwback An antidote to

often pointless modernity Itrsquos supposed to take six cars but that would be a

squeeze Irsquom on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to

admire the bike He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring and

has been coming to this lsquoremotersquo area on family holidays for years So I ex-

tolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of

lsquoour agersquo and a good turn of touring speed and advised him to get one On

the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying lsquoHold

motorcycles steadyrsquo

On the west coast therersquos one of those lsquoinitiationrsquo rides that every motor-

cyclist must do Itrsquos across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called

Applecross through the eleven mile narrow lsquoPass of the Cattlersquo It is as grand

and challenging as other riders tell it and on reaching the highest point in

the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell and pushing

the bike where I didnrsquot want it to go Therersquos a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

lage and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usu-

ally drive the low road (see picture) So I returned over the pass

and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Car-

ron

At this stage of the game comfortably into the touring lifestyle

and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions I

could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool Lochinver

Scourie and the wilder Highlands Or even ferried to the Outer

Hebrides Travelling can get you that way But having sampled

all the back roads of Skye and gazed on the rugged grandeur of

the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies and supped Guinness

at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival I had to head

south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock Which

would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay

Irish Sea Rockall Malin Hebrides Fair Isle Cromartyfor

the next time

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Rid-

ers You can find their offerings at wwwmotorentalie A simple

Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland

as well

Page 38 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOLRoad to Applecross twisties

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

JDS CYCLE PARTSeST 1988

247 W Westfield Ave Rosell Park NJ908-245-2445

bull Parts amp Accessories

bull Award-winning Service

bull Performance Work

bull Dyno Tuning

bull SampS Pro Tuning Center

bull Power CommanderTuning Center

American bull Metric bull Sport

Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 39: January 2015 Backroads

The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success

garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the

media alike And now Yamaha takes the popular

FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more ver-

satility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09rsquos crossplane-con-

cept liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-three-cylin-

der 847cc fuel-injected engine in a versatile

package that provides a sporty agile and comfort-

able ride for everything from daily commuting

to spirited canyon-carving to full-on touring

With excellent acceleration response and

handling characteristics the FJ-09 offers an

upright riding position for a stress-free

comfortable experience whether riding

solo or with a passenger The FJ-09

sports a whole host of position-ad-

justable components mdash including wind-

screen handlebars and seat mdash designed to further

accommodate a wide range of riders and riding pref-

erences And the large 48-gallon fuel tank enables

you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops

In addition the FJ-09 comes equipped with elec-

tronic control technologies that include YCC-T

(Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) ABS (Anti-lock

Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control Sys-

tem) to ensure smooth-running performance And as

if that werenrsquot enough versatility and adjustability

the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive

Mode) variable-throttle-control system which allows

the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09

including a top case side cases taller windscreen heated handgrips and a

comfort saddle seat

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options mdash Matte Gray and

Candy Red mdash and will retail for $10490 with bikes now available in

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 39

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he

needed and had them readily available while on the road

Donrsquot think this is just a cool fanny-pack It isnrsquot

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg being more holster than anything else

It easily swallows up your wallet phone tablet and other items you like to have access to

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines

Donrsquot do this on the road - it is frowned upon

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large

pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them ndash all the time

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $3995 and can be found at wwwgrabitpackcom

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT bull GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

JDS CYCLE PARTSeST 1988

247 W Westfield Ave Rosell Park NJ908-245-2445

bull Parts amp Accessories

bull Award-winning Service

bull Performance Work

bull Dyno Tuning

bull SampS Pro Tuning Center

bull Power CommanderTuning Center

American bull Metric bull Sport

Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 40: January 2015 Backroads

CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION

Nope not talking camels here or even Shira

what I am talking about is your all-important

CamelBak hydration system You do have and

use one when you ride donrsquot you

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or

something along its lines for supplying you much

needed water while riding to the next Great All

American Diner Run

Without proper care things can happen In

truth by its very nature your CamelBak is a

hotbed for thing tohellipumm grow and develop If

you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes

of ldquoMonsters Inside Merdquo on Animal Planet

Thatrsquoll get your attention

A number of years back we had one CamelBak

go rogue on us Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and I am sure in the bladder

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it Yuck our bad

Thus our introduction into CamelBak maintenance

What are molds

Molds are fungi that can be found both in-

doors and outdoors No one knows how many

species of fungi exist but estimates range from

tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thou-

sand or more Molds grow best in warm damp

and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by

making spores Some people are sensitive to molds For

these people exposure to molds can cause symp-

toms such as nasal stuffiness eye irritation

wheezing or skin irritation Some people such

as those with serious allergies to molds may have

more severe reactions

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly

like moist warm and sometimes dark environments

like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun

This is especially true if you use something other

than just water ndash like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction We have

found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh

water we really donrsquot have an issue with this But if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 min-

utes to clean and store it properly

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration

system clean and fresh when not in daily use or

while it is being stored for the winter

Here are some tips

The best way to care for your reservoir is to

clean and dry it after every use especially if you

fill the reservoir with anything other than water

However theoretically if someone didnrsquot clean it

after every single use and mold or discoloration

happens to develophellip

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda

or bleach Mix the solution inside your reservoir

and hold it up above your head while you pinch

the bite valve allowing the bleached water to run

through the tube

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs We

find these are very easy and the best way to go

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for

about 10 minutes ndash 20 if it had been a long time be-

tween cleanings

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap Be

sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning so-

lution before using again You can also use CamelBak

brushes from CamelBakrsquos Cleaning Kit to scrub your

reservoir and tube Brushes are the best way to ensure you

are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean

Once the reservoir is clean be sure to air dry the reservoir so

no moisture is trapped inside which can cause mold to grow

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and

makes drying easier

If you have spots left from the mold they will never come all the

way out because the reservoir is permanently stained but still safe

and usable

Over the winter the lsquocoolestrsquo tip we have heard and now use was

from our friends Glen and Janet

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they

have found the easiest

way is to simply clean it

out thoroughly rubber

JDS CYCLE PARTSeST 1988

247 W Westfield Ave Rosell Park NJ908-245-2445

bull Parts amp Accessories

bull Award-winning Service

bull Performance Work

bull Dyno Tuning

bull SampS Pro Tuning Center

bull Power CommanderTuning Center

American bull Metric bull Sport

Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 40 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 41: January 2015 Backroads

I have gotten lazy in the past few months

The old adage ldquoDo as I say not as I dordquo was

starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy

was on occasion sliding to the wayside

On those few days when I wasnrsquot traveling but

running local errands and meetings my usual full

riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear

ndash riding jacket helmet boots and gloves were all

there but it was quicker and more comfortable to

go to these things in civilian jeans than the heavier

full-on riding pants

It didnrsquot sit well with me and when I think some-

thing is not quite right it usually isnrsquot

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer ndash the Aerostich Protekt

Khakis

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for

urban motorcycle commuters and local rides

The stylish 100 cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home

in the office out on the town or riding down the road thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable triple

layer construction The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets al-

lowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor while wearing the pants

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily

remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty In fact you can watch a video

on the Aerostich website to see for yourself

When it is time to get back on the bike just slide in the pads and get going

Easy fashionable and functional

In case of a ldquogravity stormrdquo these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy Low Profile TF5

armor is also available and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle

layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether

at work a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable made in USA and you can find them at aerostichcom 2869 for $12700 ~ Brian Rathjen

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none

Whether yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer

Done

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda

Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay

in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hi-

bernation

When Spring comes take it out let it thaw and give

it another quick cleaning and you are good to go

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hy-

dration system

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in

daily use or while it is being stored for the winter

Yoursquoll thank us in the Spring

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 41

PRODUCT REVIEWAEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 42: January 2015 Backroads

The American International Motorcycle Expo or

AIMExpo ndash is held in the massive Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando Florida mid-October

each year

Brought together by people who live in the motor-

cycle industry and universe AIMExpo was created by

riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and en-

thusiasts

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word

quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was

very simple ndash location location locationhellip

Orlando in mid-October

Other things come into play as well

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the gen-

eral public in attendance

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry the media

and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public

ndash much like its European counterpart

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to

this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more

than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIM-

Expo

Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati and Suzuki all had new

model releases at the show ndash with Kawasaki and

Yamaha Star having big presentations at the Chapin

Theatre inside the convention center

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo but made it a

point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what

the ldquoOrlando Showrdquo was all about

We were not disappointed

As we said over 500 companies were involved in

AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the lat-

est gadgets the newest technology innovative compa-

nies offering brilliant new product ideas and

opportunities

Seminars and product talks abounded

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and

the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the

Big Apple and Windy City hotels were

more than plentiful and oh my god ndash reasonable

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and

media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was

new from the market and after-market The second day was a bit quieter We

were not there for the days open to the riding public but we heard they were

very well attended

Kawasaki Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here Ducati just

Page 42 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 bull The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is herehellip

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 43: January 2015 Backroads

bringing their new Scrambler but they were there

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenom-

enal hyperbike from Kawasaki the supercharged H2R was surely a crowd

pleaser

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs

We hope they reconsider next year as this was an excellent place to intro-

duce to the press riders and the

world new machines and prod-

uct as well as the newest tech-

nological advances and

programs available

We also encourage dealers and

shop owners who are looking for

a new and fresh trade show

driven by people who have been

around the motorcycle industry

exclusively to give AIMExpo a

shot

Others certainly have - such as

the AMA who held their national

convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy

this more industry intense event ndash we flew in and out of Orlando in

just hours with ease

Heck bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney

Booths and representatives from the major helmet apparel tires electron-

ics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products

and services but to answer any questions you as a dealer or customer might

have

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing

in these pages over the next few months

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and

the occasional free doodad or swag ndash but not much as

far as buying new gear or product

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what

is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what

they needed to have and then ordered product later from

their local shop or dealer

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film

Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with

filmmaker Todd Huffman who answered question

about the new Penton film This also featured a number

of other short films as well which ran throughout the

event This was a great place to cool your heels after

walking the immense venue

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there

was a free concert at the end of the day by ldquoStray Catsrdquo

bassist Lee Rocker who did a great job of rockinrsquo the

big center

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one We

love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has

so much to offer as well

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to

Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo

wwwaimexpousacom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 43

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 44: January 2015 Backroads

JANUARY 20159-11 bull Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington ConventionCenter in Washington DC Advance tickets now available online wwwmotorcy-cleshowscom Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15

22 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Seminar BaseCamp BootCamp Introductory coursein Garminrsquos BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transferthose routes to your GPS This demonstration for beginners will provide you with thefundamentals Major BaseCamp principles GPS vernacular file management and mul-tiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed Registration httptinyurlcombase-camp-bootcamp bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

24 bull Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl Bring your best killer recipecontaining bacon and win fabulous prizes $25 gift certificate just for entering Donrsquotcook Come taste and judge Space limited - call for details and registration 671Broadway Long Branch NJ bull 732-229-8518 bull wwwHDLongBranchcom

FEBRUARY 20156-8 bull Timonium Motorcycle Show Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd Timo-nium MD Adults $17 10-15 $5 under 10 free Featuring a NEW travel touring andadventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like BenkaPulko Rene Cormier Allan Karl Lisa amp Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose PriceHear their travel stories Plus see all the new bikes antique amp custom bike competitionshop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling seminars fashion showetc bull wwwcycleshownet

14 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off amp Gerbing Day 9a-4p Bringing twoways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear More info at wwwmortons-bmwcom bull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MARCH 20156-15 bull Daytona Bike Week FL bull wwwdaytonachambercombikeweekce

APRIL 20159-12 bull Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting Appomattox VA Have you ever won-dered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands How about around the worldIf you dream those kinds of dreams this is the event for you Overland travelers andthose who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun information and friendshipat the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox VA Along with seminars and presen-tations the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War atnearby Appomattox Courthouse Registration $45 until Dec 31 fee increases after thatdate Complete information wwwhorizonsunlimitedcomeventsvirginia-2015

18 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House 9a-4p Demo rides on new mod-els door prizes food music vendors great deals More info at wwwmortonsbmwcombull 540-891-9844 bull 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA

MAY 201516-17 bull New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders The premiseis simple They provide 450 miles of amazing roads throw in a night of camping ahearty dinner and breakfast then invite 199 of your fellow riders all for under $60 Fin-ishing patches available Sign in Cycle Gear 2070 Rte 70 East Cherry Hill NJ 830-10am bull Endsite Pic-a-Lilli Inn 866 Rte 206 Shamong NJ $50 pre-reg bull $60 day ofevent For more info please visit wwwnsbmwrcom

15-17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Spring Fling Rally Natural Bridge VA Find your way to theShenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling courtesy of Mortonrsquos BMW Centeredat the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel wersquoll enjoy great riding informative sem-inars and presentations good food a catered Saturday dinner buffet an optional Fridayevening Brats amp Brews dinner and more Registration is $50 until May 1 $60 after thatdate More information wwwmortonsbmwcom bull 540-891-9844

28-31 bull Backroads Spring Break 2015 Three (or four) day road trip heading north (orsouth if you live in Canada) 1st night Yankee Inn Lenox MA bull nights 2 + 3 GoldenArrow Resort Lake Placid NY bull night 4 somewhere in the Catskills (callemail Back-roads for details) See full information on pages 42 + 43 As always gathering is freejust pay your own way and have a great time Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull973-948-4176

JUNE 20151-6 bull Americade worlds largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally attracting over100000 annually Come for the day or for the week to the Best Riding Event in theUS with the most factory demos a massive motorcycle expo lots of incredible mo-torcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country Events in-clude guided and unguided rides poker runs scavenger hunt trade show bike showsvendors entertainment and more bull 518-798-7888 bull wwwamericadecom

13-21 bull Laconia Motorcycle Week ndash the original riding rally All of the attractions thatyou can imagine attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations Eventsand attractions are going on everywhere but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach bull603-366-2000 bull wwwlaconiamcweekcom

15-16 bull CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for atwo-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US Sign up by March and receive$100 off the weekend fee For more information please visit wwwclassridescom or call805-933-9936

Page 44 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 45: January 2015 Backroads

25-28 bull Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Johnstown PA bull 800-237-8590 bull wwwvis-itjohnstownpacomthunderinthevalley

JULY 201523-25 bull 43rd BMW MOA International Rally MetraPark Billings Montana bull wwwbmw-moaorg

SEPTEMBER 201517-21 bull Backroads Fall Foliage 2015 4-night road trip to VirginiaWest Virginia ridingheaven 1st night George Washington Hotel Winchester VA bull nights 2 + 3 Isaac Jack-son Hotel Elkins WV bull 4th night Shippen Place Hotel Shippensburg PA Wersquoll visitsome old and new stops and bring you on some great twisties See full information onpages 42 + 43 As always gathering is free just pay your own way and have a greattime Questions editorbackroadsusacom bull 973-948-4176

Watch calendar and website for new events

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information

wwwfacebookcompagesBackroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these ridesThere is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride andjoin other folks feel free to attend To check on Polar Bear cancellations amp updates callAMA Dis 2 908-722-0128 Sign-in is from 1130 am to 130 pm unless otherwiseposted General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions tothe locations polarbeargrandtourcom

JANUARY 20154 bull De THOMASIrsquos EAST 5 POINTS INN 580 Tuckahoe Rd amp Landis Ave Vineland NJ08360 bull 856-691-6080 bull wwwfivepointsinncom

11 bull UPSTREAM GRILLE 161 Rte 181 Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849 bull 973-663-2222 bullwwwupstreamgrillecom

18 bull LAGO 230 Washington Place North Brunswick TWP NJ 08902 bull 732 297-3803bull wwwLagoNJcom

25 bull THE EXCHANGE 160 E Main St Rockaway NJ 07866 bull 973-627-8488 bullwwwexchangefoodcom

FEBRUARY 20151 bull THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN 101 North Market Street Schaefferstown PA17088 bull 717 949-2122 bull franklinhousetaverncom

8 bull PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 bull 609 268-2066 bull picalillicom

15 bull HOOTERS 25 Rte 23 South Wayne NJ 07470 bull 973-837-1876 bullwwwhootersnjcom

22 bull BAHRS LANDING 2 Bay Ave Highlands NJ 07732 bull 732-872-1245 bullwwwbahrscom

MARCH 20151 bull FIREHOUSE EATERY 455 Saint Georges Ave Rahway NJ 07065 bull 732 382-9500bull wwwfirehouseeaterycom

8 bull LONG VALLEY PUB amp BREWERY 1 Fairmount Rd Long Valley NJ 07853 bull 908-876-1122 bull wwwrestaurantvillageatlongvalleycom

15 bull THE CHATTERBOX 1 Rte 15 South Augusta NJ 07822 bull 973-300-2300 bullwwwchatterboxdriveincom

22 bull BRIANrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON 600 S Flowers Mill Rd Langhorne PA 19047 bull 215752-9400 bull wwwbrianshdcom

29 bull THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE 743 Route 28 Kingston NY 12401 bull 845-338-2424 bull wwwhickoryrestaurantcom

APRIL 201512 bull CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St Easton PA 18042 bull 610-438-1311 bull wwwcheeburgercompennsylvania

19 bull CAPE MAY VFW post 386 NJ 419 Congress St Cape May NJ 08204 bull 609-884-7961

25 bull END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting 1130AM The rain date would be April 26 2015 same time Cost to Members $600 perperson There will be salad Wings Beef rolls and lemonade plus a cash bar You mustget an arm band from your flight leader

PLEASE SEND UPCOMINg EVENT INFORMATION

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Use form on website for correct format

wwwbackroadsusacomeventshtml

email editorbackroadsusacom bull fax 973-948-0823

UPCOMING eVeNTS CALeNDAR Whatrsquos Happening

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 45

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 46: January 2015 Backroads

Page 46 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Cool Nights Hot Bikes bull Two-Wheels or Four join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone from

a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 47: January 2015 Backroads

BACKROADS bull JANUARY 2015 Page 47

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

THE BIKE SHOP Automotive RevelationsMotorcycle Service

Repair + Parts

111 Mountain Spring Rd Milford PA bull 570-228-6101 bull fisherfabricationsgmailcom

Let us help you with your winter project

Custom welding serviceand PA inspections available on site

Sussex Hills Ltd

973-875-2048946 Rte 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair Parts amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all year

DAYTONA BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bullensp WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading

this magazine

Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love

TORQ-ITScrewdriverSpeed Wrench Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile with an ldquoergordquo Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 38rdquo and 14rdquo Sockets and extensions

BASIC SeT $1995 bull DeLUXe SeT $2995 bull ACCeSORY SeT $995

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS INC 1701 Manor Road bull Havertown PA 19083

Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM

Hudson Valleyrsquos

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery NY

845-446-0912

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 48: January 2015 Backroads

Page 48 JANUARY 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O t O R C y C L E M A R K E t P L A C E ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

Tues thru Sat 11am-10pmSunday Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware riverMeet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef GeorgersquosGreek American cookingBest bar menu lunch or dinner

Fresh poppers perogies calamari clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces

John Christina chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge Riverton PA

610-498-4241 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

wwwEuropeanCycleServicescom

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel

Page 49: January 2015 Backroads

hondacom MSRP excluding tax license registration destination charge and dealer-installed options Dealer prices may vary European model CB500X CB500F andCBR500R shown ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND NEVERUSE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNERrsquoS MANUAL THOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course nearyou call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 CBR CB CTX700N CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co Ltd (1214)

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscomDress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal anddangerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information re-garding the MSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

wwwPowersportsHondacom

2015 1290 SUPER DUKEUnleash the Beast

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTUREPerfect Ride for Any Journey

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735Mon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pm bull Sat 9am-5pm

SUNDAY CLOSED - GONE RIDING

Get the year off to a great start with a

new Honda from Hanover Powersports

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500

CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

2015 FJ-09THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

2015 YZF-R1COMPLETELY NEWFROM THE TRACK UPWhether itrsquos enjoying long sport touradventures or ripping up the trackYamaha has the bike for you Come getyours at Hanover PowersportsONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel