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Transcript of 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
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
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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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cycle insurance Agency increcreational vehicle specialists
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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
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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
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
NOW TAKING DEPOSITSon Scramblers
cycle insurance Agency increcreational vehicle specialists
Agents who ride and understandyour motorcycle insurance needs
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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
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Tel 18888769555 bull Visit Our New Website WWWTORQ-ITCOM
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Number One Riding
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Located on Picturesque Route 9W
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1076 Route 9W North
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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
Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are
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
Follow Us on Instagram
Watch Us on YouTube
Like Us on Facebook
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Watch Us on YouTube
Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735
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wwwPowersportsHondacom
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
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
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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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cycle insurance Agency increcreational vehicle specialists
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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
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
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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
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JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URALWith a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear
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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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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
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
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
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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
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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
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
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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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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
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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
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
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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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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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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
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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
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
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LOCOMOTION POWER-
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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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wwwCrossCountryPowersportscom
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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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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
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
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
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
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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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
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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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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
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
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
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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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
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
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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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
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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
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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
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
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Get the year off to a great start with a
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YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8500
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HUGE inventory of KTM Parts Accessories and Apparel
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
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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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cycle insurance Agency increcreational vehicle specialists
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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
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
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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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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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cycle insurance Agency increcreational vehicle specialists
Agents who ride and understandyour motorcycle insurance needs
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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
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
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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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
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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
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
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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
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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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
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
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
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
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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
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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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
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
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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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
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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
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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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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cycle insurance Agency increcreational vehicle specialists
Agents who ride and understandyour motorcycle insurance needs
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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
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
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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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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
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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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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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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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
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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
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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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
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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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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wwwCrossCountryPowersportscom
Visit us at the NY Boat ShowJan 21-25 bull Javits Center
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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
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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
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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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
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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
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
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
bull Wide selection of onoff road apparel jackets helmets gloves and boots
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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
Agents who ride and understandyour motorcycle insurance needs
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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
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
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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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 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
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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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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
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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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
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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
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
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
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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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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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
JDS CYCLE PARTSeST 1988
247 W Westfield Ave Rosell Park NJ908-245-2445
bull Parts amp Accessories
bull Award-winning Service
bull Performance Work
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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
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Room for the Whole Gang
Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300
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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
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
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If you didnrsquot like cool stuffyou wouldnrsquot be reading
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Herersquos somethingyoursquore going to love
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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
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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
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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
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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Watch Us on YouTube
Like Us on Facebook 210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735
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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
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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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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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
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
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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
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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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-
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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
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
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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
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
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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
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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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
JDS CYCLE PARTSeST 1988
247 W Westfield Ave Rosell Park NJ908-245-2445
bull Parts amp Accessories
bull Award-winning Service
bull Performance Work
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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
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
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)
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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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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 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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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
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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-
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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
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
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
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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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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 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
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