Archive for August, 2026

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An Impromptu Ride

Monday, August 24th, 2026


Stopped at Daniels Park with the RMMRC on an earlier ride.

A bunch of the guys from the RMMRC were getting together just for breakfast down in Parker the other day so I figured I’d ride. The forecast was calling for another record hot day but in the morning it would be bearable.

Bob was there. It was good to see him. This was the first time I’ve seen him since I heard he had to give up riding entirely due to health issues. Pretty sad. He said, “It happens in the best of families.”

Dave and Gene were both there and they both rode. They’re getting ready to leave very soon for an Edelweiss Tours ride through the Alps. They wanted to make sure they had their communicators synced up and working properly.

After we ate, and after they got the communicators working, someone said, “So you want to go for a ride?” We were all game.

Gene suggested doing Guanella Pass, which would have gotten us out of the oncoming heat, but Dave didn’t have the time. Other things on his agenda for the afternoon. No, let’s just do a loop down through Salida, to Palmer Lake, and back over to CO 83 and up through Franktown. A ride we’ve all done all or part of a hundred times but what the heck.

I didn’t think about it until we were moving but it would have been a courtesy for me to have texted Judy two words: impromptu ride. But we have our phones set up to track each other so I knew when I didn’t get home when she expected me she would look and see that I was obviously out on a ride. She did.

We headed down to Hess Road and took Hess around the Rueter-Hess Reservoir, across I-25, and onto Castle Pines Parkway. Oh my gosh what a lot of work they’re doing on that road. They appear to be putting in a median the entire way and completely reconstructing the westbound lanes. Slow going.

At Daniels Park we headed south to pick up US 85, then a jog to the right to Salida. Then through Salida to pick up CO 105. This road runs along the face of the foothills and is a favorite for bikers. On summer weekends there’s a constant stream of motorcycles in both directions. On this Friday we had it mostly to ourselves.

The heat was building but as long as we kept moving it didn’t get bad. Other than occasional traffic lights we did not stop.

At Palmer Lake we turned east on Palmer Divide Road. That’s an arrow-straight road that crosses back over I-25 to hit CO 83 coming up from Colorado Springs. To my surprise, Gene turned onto northbound I-25, but I stayed with Dave. I didn’t want to get on the slab. What’s with Gene?

Dave and I cruised on up past Castlewood Canyon State Park, to Franktown, and on to his turn-off at Bayou Gulch Road. Then it was just me cruising on home. A nice ride but by the time I got home I was very pleased to feel the coolness of the swamp cooler at work. And we did set another record high.

Biker Quote for Today

Nothing matters at 90 miles an hour, nothing matters at all.

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The Heat Breaks

Thursday, August 20th, 2026


Once completed I-70 at the foot of Floyd Hill will take a flyover through what used to be a hillside in order to smooth out a sharp turn. You can see where the pillars will be built for the westbound lanes. The pillars for the eastbound lanes are already in place.

It has been so blazing hot for so long that I just haven’t been interested in getting out on the bike. Sure, it’s cooler once you get up in the hills but that long slog across town coming home has just been killer. Guess what? It finally cooled off. I went riding.

Heading west across town in the morning was cool and comfortable. I got to Morrison and headed on up Bear Creek Canyon and immediately found myself behind someone in a U-Haul truck. A professional trucker might have pushed that thing around the tight turns at a good clip but this guy was no pro. And there’s almost no place to pass.

This was the slowest trip up the canyon ever. But that wasn’t all bad because the reason things have cooled off is that we have had torrential rains–and we have really needed rain. But with rain comes sand and gravel washing down onto the road. Back in June there were torrential rains up here and this whole road got washed out in several places. This time, however, while there was some sand and gravel, the worst was where unpaved driveways come down to the road. Some were pretty bad but you could see it coming and adjust.

Fortunately I was only going as far as Kittredge. At Kittredge I turned off onto the road up Kerr Gulch. Kerr Gulch Road was much cleaner and there’s never more than minimal traffic so that was great. I got up to Evergreen Parkway and headed north the short distance to where I turned onto old US 40 running up Mount Vernon Canyon and then down the steep decline over Floyd Hill to where US 40 meets US 6.

This is a real point of interest these days. I-70 is right alongside US 40 coming down Floyd Hill and, uncharacteristic of most interstates, at the bottom of the hill you need to slow way down for a sharp left-hand turn into Clear Creek Canyon. Well, it is uncharacteristic of interstates to have such a turn and after all these years they are doing something about it. They have cut off the hilltop and are erecting tall pillars to carry the interstate on a more gently curving arc high above the existing roadbed. It’s a pretty impressive sight. I stopped and shot a couple pictures.

Then I headed down into Clear Creek Canyon to pick up the Peak-to-Peak Highway over toward Black Hawk. So far the sky had been clear and blue but now storm clouds were starting to form. At Black Hawk it looked like it could rain at any time but just a few miles further and the sky was clear again. Weather in Colorado is very localized.

The Peak-to-Peak was clean and clear and up high like this things were very nicely cool. I was planning to head down through Golden Gate Canyon, however, and the last time I was on that road it was lousy with sand and gravel. Odd, because none of the other roads were–just Golden Gate. What would it be like this time?

Clean and clear. Nice. But now the clouds were forming again and looking threatening. It could be a race down the canyon to see if I could get ahead of them. I won the race.

Now south toward Morrison again and then east across town. Yeah, it was a good bit warmer–a bit too warm, I’d say–but nothing like the furnace it has been. Nice to finally get out for a ride.

Biker Quote for Today

You might be a Yuppie biker if you think that’s actually a *suntan* that makes real bikers so dark-skinned.

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Threats To Motorcycling 7 And 8

Monday, August 17th, 2026


It really matters what goes into your gas tank. Just ask Dennis. Thank goodness for several other guys who rushed over to help us roll this Indian into the truck.

I’m picking up where I left off a while ago, offering an overview of what the American Motorcyclist Association listed in their magazine, American Motorcyclist, as the “10 Biggest Threats to Motorcycling.” Let’s continue.

Excessive Sound
Yeah, we’re all familiar with this. Loud pipes save lives. Or they don’t, they just annoy other people. You’ve probably all heard how the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration did a study and concluded there is “little evidence” that louder pipes improve rider safety. This piece also quotes from what they referred to as “an exhaustive study” (pun definitely intended) in Romania that said “The sound produced by a motorcycle is not heard by the drivers of cars in front of you or is heard too late to be able to influence the driver’s decision. Our best advice? Let’s be seen, not heard.”

The downside (per the article): Few other factors contribute more to misunderstanding and prejudice against the motorcycling community than excessively loud motorcycles.” This leads to laws that seek to curtail motorcycling. I guess that would count as a threat to motorcycling.

The fix, as the article continues, includes the AMA’s program of gifting sound meters to AMA-chartered clubs to accurately check the sound emissions of their bikes. “Motorcyclists also have a responsibility to be part of the solution by being sensitive to community standards and respectful of their fellow citizens’ right to enjoy a peaceful environment.”

If you think the issue is valid but the fix offered is a bit week I would agree. Too bad, but can you offer anything better? Then do.

Ethanol
This is simple enough. Federal mandates require use of ethanol fuel, which is generally made from corn. A little is not a particularly bad thing. Too much can damage your motorcycle engine, though not necessarily your car engine. So it’s important that there be good labeling at the gas pumps.

Just a bit more info on the damage: “Ethanol-laced fuel can also be hazardous for bikes stored for weeks or months at a time, as the blend starts to oxidize, separating the ethanol from the gasoline and forming a thick, corrosive sludge that can ravage fuel tanks, fuel systems, and engines.” Not to mention that you get fewer miles to the gallon with ethanol in your fuel.

The main fix they are calling for here has to do with better labeling at the pumps. They also offer measures you can take, such as “using fuel stabilizers, keeping the tank full to limit headspace for air and humidity to get in, or simply filling your tank with ethanol-free petrol.” If you can find it.

You also need to just pay attention. The OFMC was on a trip a few years back and at a gas stop Dennis did not read the signs on the pump carefully and ended up putting diesel fuel in his tank. That was completely on him. That pump was marked. So to the AMA’s suggestion I would add, don’t be stupid.

Biker Quote for Today

Motorcycles are wonderful contraptions, but it’s the people we get to know and hang out with and ride with along the way that make them so special. — Mitch Boehm

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Posted in American Motorcyclist Association, Biker Issues, Loud Pipes, motorcycle clubs, Motorcycle legislation | No Comments »

Two-Wheelers In The News

Thursday, August 13th, 2026


This is a screen grab from a video released by the Colorado State Patrol. It’s too small to see clearly but just behind that white car in the left lane a motorcycle is in the air, having hit the white car in the rear. Also note the CSP car just to the left of the dash-camera car.

I don’t watch television but I do use internet aggregators that collect articles and videos and other postings that focus on motorcycles. Due to that I frequently will get a link for a video from a TV station news report. Two of these links took me to news stories that I found of interest.

This first one is dash-camera footage of a motorcyclist here in Colorado who was lane-splitting when things took a bad turn. Mind you, lane-splitting is illegal in Colorado. Lane filtering is legal provided that the traffic you are passing through is at a complete stop and you are not exceeding some fairly low speed limit, 10 or 15 miles an hour–I don’t remember exactly.

In the video captured and shown in this clip a rider is blasting along between traffic that is itself blasting along. And then someone in the right-hand lane decides to move into the left-hand lane. I’m sure this driver looked and saw there was room and made the move without dreaming that someone on a bike would be blasting up the center.

The bike is seen going end over end and as the traffic quickly stops you can see the rider lying on the pavement, with his bike a little ways ahead of him. I’m not sure what injuries the rider suffered. Anyway, take a look–it’s not an endorsement for lane-splitting. I couldn’t find a way to embed the video so I’m just providing this link: https://www.kktv.com/2026/08/10/colorado-state-patrol-reminds-motorcycle-riders-lane-splitting-is-illegal-dangerous-after-crash-denver/?outputType=amp

The other video addresses the growing use of e-bikes, electric motorcycles, and scooters. Let’s face it, there is use and there is abuse. I don’t see any harm in someone using a battery-powered bicycle to help them along as they ride on a bike trail. But if you have a more powerful one and it goes quite fast without you even peddling at all, that does not belong on a bike path. Heck, pure bicycles and pedestrians can be hazard enough if the bicyclist blasts past without calling out “On your left” or some such warning.

The police are not ignoring this developing situation. Some jurisdictions are cracking down. Ultimately I believe a major rethinking of what is and isn’t OK, and where, will be needed. Electric powered bikes have great potential to reduce car traffic and make streets less congested. Not to mention–as I have before–that these e-bikes have got to be a gateway drug that will lead at least some of these young riders to motorcycles later. We sure hope so.

But a Wild West approach where anything goes cannot and will not last for long. Here’s the link: https://www.kktv.com/2026/07/15/csp-warns-about-difference-between-electric-bikes-electric-motorcycles/

Biker Quote for Today

100 reasons not to date a biker: 77. We have scars and talk about them proudly.

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Posted in Motorcycle legislation, Motorcycle Safety, motorcycle video | No Comments »

Post Number 2000: Checking Out A Tracer At The Dealership

Monday, August 10th, 2026

As that title above indicates, this is post number 2,000 on this blog. My very first post was on Saturday, April 8, 2006. Wow. Who would have thought.


Bikes set up for demo rides in Cheyenne.

As I’m assuming you are aware, I have been looking seriously at buying a Yamaha Tracer 9. I went up to Cheyenne a few weeks ago to test ride one and since then I’ve been looking at the aftermarket mods I would want to make to the bike if I bought it.

As the next step, I visited a local dealership with one in stock, Grand Prix Motorsports. The guys up in Cheyenne were too busy running the test rides to take a lot of time to seriously go through the details of the bike and I wanted to do that.

Coming into the shop I was greeted by a sales guy and I told him what I was there for. He led me over to the bike and we talked. I had a lot of really basic questions. Where is the sight glass for checking the oil level? How do you remove the seat? How do you adjust the seat? (It can be raised and lowered.) How do you open, and how do you remove/mount the side bags? How do you raise/lower the wind screen? Stuff like that.

I also asked him about modifications. For that, he told me, I would need to speak to someone in parts. He led me upstairs and handed me off to a fellow up there.

My questions:

What are the options for a case guard? I want to mount highway pegs and it appears the way to do that is on a case guard. First you need the case guard. That’s OK, I want one of those, too. I have had case guards on all my bikes. Yamaha does make one for the bike so that would seem like the best option, although I’ve seen others on forums that I find more attractive.

What can I do to improve the seat? In test riding I felt the stock seat was too hard and too narrow. Yamaha makes a “comfort seat” but what I’ve read about those is not favorable. I offered that I could just take it to Bitchin Stitchin, a local motorcycle seat customizer, and get it done there. The parts guy strongly recommended I go to Bitchin Stitchin.

The Tracer originally came with an option for a top bag, which I want but now they appear to have backed off on that, leaving that item to the aftermarket. The parts guy told me the bags originally offered were made by Givi and now Yamaha has ceded that whole market directly to Givi. We looked at what Givi has to offer and when I pointed out one that they listed as being good for the Tracer the parts guy told me that yes, it would work, but I would also have to buy the mounting kit–it doesn’t just attach directly the way the one they sold with the bike does. So that mounting kit would be about $350 on top of the $400 or so for the bag. Ouch.

I headed back downstairs to look at the bike more and the sales guy rejoined me. I had told him that I wasn’t planning to buy that day but of course he asked me what it would take for me to buy today. I asked him what deal he could offer me that would push me to buy from him rather than any of the many other places I could get the same bike. He told me he couldn’t negotiate a price unless I was intending to buy. Fair enough; I get that. We can get to that part later, perhaps, but not today.

Then he went all salesman on me, telling me they originally had three in stock and this was the last one. If I didn’t buy it today it might not be there when I came back.

“Then I’ll just buy it somewhere else,” I replied. That shut that down.

The important information I got from the exchange was that when it came down to actually making a purchase, they do have negotiating room. The $12,599 list price is not set in stone. Also, he pointed out that with taxes and fees and whatever, out the door the price is closer to $14,000. Good to know.

I’ve looked online and $12,599 seems the standard price, though some dealerships are asking a bit more and others are asking less. Some a good bit less. But what I’m told is that some states, such as California, charge a sales tax even if the vehicle is to be licensed in another state. In Colorado we pay a use tax so if you are taking the vehicle out of state you don’t pay the tax here. So if I were to buy elsewhere I would need to discuss the terms in detail beforehand to be sure it’s actually a good deal.

Am I going to do this? I do think I am. Right now, though, this beastly heat is just discouraging me from even riding the bike I have so I’m not exactly motivated to buy another one. But it has to cool off sometime. Then . . .

Biker Quote for Today

“That is why, as soon as I felt a real attraction for my first passion which was the motorcycle, and in spite of the danger it could represent, they encouraged me.” -– Jacky Ickx

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A 5-Day Colorado Ride

Thursday, August 6th, 2026


Map for 5-day ride.

I got a comment last week from Richard, referring back to a very old post where I had put together a suggested ride for someone who had found this website:

Hello Ken, I will be part of a 4-bike group coming from Central Texas September 20 and starting our CO tour 21st. This route looks great but would you recommend a slightly different one for us? Our only two wishes would be to 1. ride the MDH from Ouray to Silverton (north to south rather than the other way around) and 2. end up in the very south of CO as we need to head for Ruidoso NM on Day 6 (Saturday 26th).

I could probably adapt this myself but why not ask an expert who knows the state as I could route us right past something magnificent. We are coming from Brownwood TX and are comfortable with 600 miles or so on our ride to CO – so maybe staying that night in the very north of NM.

Of course I’m always happy to help riders plan their trips so using the original post as a starting point I put together this following route to meet Richard’s wishes.

Two points I would make: These days are around 300 miles and while that may not seem like much, on slow-going mountain roads that can actually be a pretty long day. So you should just pick different points to stop for the night and whatever other adjustments suit your needs. Also, this route leaves the group in southwestern Colorado for the fifth day so if they wish to stay west it could be a short day, but if they want to head back east it’s a nice day’s ride of their choice. Heading for Ruidoso the next day I suspect they will want to come back east. Here’s the route:

Arriving
Come from central Texas and stop for the night at either Raton or come into Colorado a bit to Trinidad or Walsenburg.

Day 1
Starting out Day 1, cruise a short distance north on I-25 to the Colorado City/Rye exit (CR 670) into Colorado City and pick up CO 165 west toward San Isabel. Pass through San Isabel and make a stop at Bishop Castle. After you’ve gotten enough of that amazing piece of art continue on 165 to where it hits CO 96 and turn right, heading up to Florence and then take CO 115 on into Canon City. Go west on US 50 just out of town and look for the turn-off to Skyline Drive. Ride Skyline Drive, which takes you right back into town. Then head west on US 50 again, this time looking for CO 9, at Parkdale and take it north to Fairplay. Continue on 9 over Hoosier Pass down to near Frisco and then take a right onto Swan Mountain Road along the east side of Dillon Reservoir. You’ll hit US 6. Take US 6 east over Loveland Pass and down to I-70. A short jaunt on I-70 will bring you to the US 40/Empire exit. Take US 40 through Empire and on up over Berthoud Pass, down to Winter Park. That’s just a hair under 300 miles so Winter Park might be a good place to stop for the night.

Day 2
Continue north and west on US 40 to just past Granby and turn right onto US 34, which runs up past Grand Lake and into Rocky Mountain National Park and over Trail Ridge Road. Be aware that you need to arrange your entrance into and through RMNP in advance. Trail Ridge Road brings you out at Estes Park. Continue on US 34 down the Big Thompson Canyon but before you get into Loveland make a left turn on CO 56 up toward Masonville. Take CR 27 (Buckhorn Road) to the left and stay on it (just stay on the pavement) up to Stove Prairie and down the other side where you’ll pick up CO 14 up Poudre Canyon. Take a left on CO 14, up and over Cameron Pass into North Park and Walden. At Walden go left and where the road splits, CO 14 and CO 125, stay to the right on CO 14 down to Muddy Pass, which is US 40. Go west (right) on 40 over Rabbit Ears Pass, down to Steamboat Springs. Unless you want to see Steamboat you will turn at the bottom of the pass onto CO 131/CR 14F and take that road down to Oak Creek, to Yampa, and on to Toponas where you will take a left onto CO134 over Gore Pass and will rejoin US 40 just outside of Kremmling. Take 40 into Kremmling and at just under 300 miles Kremmling would be a good place to spend the night.

Day 3
Head south out of Kremmling on CO 9 (right at the stoplight) on down to Silverthorne. When you reach I-70 get on it and blast west a short distance over Vail Pass, past Vail, to Minturn and turn off onto US 24 over Tennessee Pass. This will bring you to Leadville. Continue south to the Twin Lakes turn-off (CO 82) which will take you over Independence Pass. Go through Aspen down to Carbondale and turn south (left) onto CO 133 over McClure Pass. At Hotchkiss turn south on CO 92 through Crawford down along the north rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison until you get to the dam, where you reach US 50. Take 50 on into Gunnison for the night. Total mileage for the day about 315 miles.

Day 4
For Day 4 you’ll start with a little backtracking along the Blue Mesa Reservoir, but soon you’ll reach the dam again and now you keep going on US 50 to Montrose. A terrific sidetrip, if you don’t mind about 20 extra miles, is to turn into the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and ask at the gate about how to find the East Portal Road. This very steep road twists its way all the way to the bottom of the canyon. It’s a great ride. Then you’ll come back up the way you came, all the way back to US 50. Then continue on into Montrose. Head northwest (right) on US 50 through Delta and on to Grand Junction. Follow 50 all the way until it hits I-70 and then take I-70 west a few miles to Fruita. Get off at Fruita and take the well-marked CO 340 down into Colorado National Monument and follow Rim Rock Road through the monument. This will ultimately bring you right back into Grand Junction where you will pick up US 50 and head back the way you came in, but only for about 8 miles. At Whitewater turn right onto CO 141, the Unaweep Tabeguache Scenic Byway through Gateway and on down to Naturita. Past Naturita, where CO 145 splits off from CO 141 take CO 145 to Placerville. At Placerville go left onto CO 62 to Ridgway. Another 10 miles south on US 550 puts you in Ouray for the night. Total about 310 miles.

Day 5
This last day has you headed onto the Million Dollar Highway. You climb up into the canyon from Ouray and wind your way south to Silverton over Red Mountain Pass. From Silverton you continue south over Molas Pass down to Durango. That’s just over 60 miles. From here you have a number of options and I’ll leave it to you to decide what works best. You could head east out of Durango on US 160 to Pagosa Springs and then go over Wolf Creek Pass and down to South Fork. From there you would continue east on 160 to Alamosa and then maybe turn south to set up for your next day’s ride to Ruidoso. Or at Pagosa you could turn south on US 84 down into New Mexico and turn south at Chama toward Espanola. Or at Chama you could come back into Colorado on NM 17/CO 17 over Cumbres and La Manga Passes to Antonito. Then turn south on US 285 into New Mexico. Or from Durango you could continue south on US 550 to Aztec and wherever in New Mexico you want to make it to that day.

So, OK. Tweak away. I guarantee this route would be pretty darn sweet but everyone is different. Take from it as you wish. Have a great ride.

Biker Quote for Today

It truly is an odd thing we bikers do, riding through miserable conditions like this. We don’t invite then or look for them, surely, but when they are upon us we relish the challenge and silently claim the superiority of adventure over comfort, wilderness over warmth, discovery over certainty. — Foster Kinn

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