Archive for the ‘motorcycle clubs’ Category

« Older Entries

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

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

The Joy Of Hitting The Road

Monday, August 3rd, 2026


On a ride with other guys.

It hadn’t been all that long since my last road trip, a five day run out to Utah back in June. Still, it apparently is easy to forget just how great it feels to be out riding beyond your usual day-ride area. I took off for Cheyenne to test ride a Yamaha Tracer 9 in July was really struck by just how good it felt to be out on the open road. Just “Wow, I love this!”

Part of it may have been being by myself. I had posted the ride on the RMMRC’s Meet-Up page in case anyone wanted to come with me but nobody signed up. That didn’t surprise–or dismay–me. (Although Dave told me later he would have joined me but for the fact that he was in Kansas at the time.)

But I like riding alone. There’s just a delicious feeling that comes with knowing you are totally free to stop, go, turn–whatever–any time you want.

So there I was, heading north mostly on US 287, taking unplanned turn after unplanned turn and it just hit me how really good it felt. I was not expecting this feeling. I savored it.

And I enjoyed moving at my own pace. Sometimes I like to dawdle and when you’re with a group you pretty much need to go at whatever speed the leader sets. Although there have been times when I have peeled off and said you guys just go on, I’ll meet up with you later.

Don’t get me wrong; I like traveling with other people, too. I like both. Sometimes you do one, sometimes you do the other. And I know people who really don’t like traveling alone. What if you break down? What if you need assistance? Well, you just do whatever you need to do. Chances are really good that you’ll figure something out. And then what a great story you’ll have to tell.

That makes me think about buying this Tracer 9. There aren’t many left in the shops around town. What happens if by the time I decide to buy they’re all gone? I’ll tell you what happens. Road trip! I think I could live with that.

Biker Quote for Today

100 reasons not to date a biker: 71. Beer is a breakfast food.

Tags:
Posted in Colorado motorcycle rides, motorcycle clubs, Rocky Mountain Motorcycle Riders Club | No Comments »

‘I’ve Never Been On That Road’

Monday, July 27th, 2026


In the shade on the deck at the Switchback Smokehouse, which was not open.

Those were exactly the words I wanted to hear when I finally lead this RMMRC ride I’ve been intending to lead for two years now. And I was rewarded. Nice.

That’s right, I finally did it. I was going to do it last year, and I set out to pre-ride the route but got hit by a drunk driver, which totally altered all my plans for the next several months. I figured now was the time, at last.

We met up at the farm that is run by Denver Botanic Gardens out along Deer Creek Canyon Road. I was concerned that I might get only one person showing up, and then that one person canceled out, but ultimately three others signed up and a fourth just showed up, so there were five of us. Three of us had brought communicators but only Dave and I were able to connect; Bruce was the odd man out. Some day we may figure these things out.

As hot as it has been, this day was supposed to be at least a little cooler. I considered setting the time for 10 a.m. but went with 9 because that would be cooler. That was a good choice. The ride across town was actually cool to chilly. Very nice.

We headed up Deer Creek Canyon, then took a left onto Deer Creek Road, which climbs and becomes High Grade Road and then Pleasant Park Road. I knew all these guys had been on those stretches, but it was the next turn that would be different. We got near Conifer and then turned right onto Oehlmann Park Road. The road goes up and over a big hill that is covered with mountain homes. How these people get up and down in the winter I don’t understand because the roads are steep and twisty. But that makes it a really nice motorcycle run. Along the way Dave asked me what road this was and I knew I’d scored a new road with him.

Down the other side to South Turkey Creek Road, a right toward Tiny Town, then a left under US 285 and up North Turkey Creek Road. Then a right onto the next new road: High Drive. Later it was Tom who told me he had been on all these roads until we turned onto High Drive. A new one for him. Yes! Score.

This was another road through areas full of mountain homes and then down the other side it becomes Stanley Park Road, then Little Cub Creek Road. And it was along here that we came to the area I had checked out a couple weeks ago to make sure the flooding that hit that area in late June had been cleaned up. Before we reached the place where I had stopped and turned around we passed through a construction zone with one lane only that suggested if I had kept going earlier I might have encountered flood damage much worse than what I did see. Wow.

So we got to Evergreen, turned east on Bear Creek Road and cruised down to Kittredge, where I was planning lunch. We got to the Switchback Smokehouse and it was not open, but the sign said they opened at 11. It was 10:30, and they have a nice, shaded deck out by the creek so we figured we could wait. We sat and talked but as time passed I was perplexed. There did not seem to be any signs of activity inside and the chairs were still stacked upside down on the tables. Not what you expect when a restaurant is about to open.

Finally it was past 11 and I went to the door again and this time I noticed what I did not notice before: It was Tuesday and they are not open on Tuesday. Now, I had checked this specifically when I first planned out this route and this stop but that was two years ago. Apparently they have changed their days of operation in the interim. No matter. We had a pleasant stop and we just cruised on down to Morrison and got lunch there.

From Morrison we all went separate ways so we didn’t even bother leaving the restaurant as a group. And then it was blazing hot getting back across town. So glad I decided to start at 9 and not 10.

Biker Quote for Today

100 reasons not to date a biker: 93. Shiny things and loud noises get our blood pumping.

Tags:, , , ,
Posted in Colorado motorcycle rides, motorcycle clubs, Rocky Mountain Motorcycle Riders Club | No Comments »

I’m Convinced I Want A Bigger Bike

Thursday, July 16th, 2026


A stop on the recent Utah trip.

I’m down to only one motorcycle now and it’s the smallest one I have ever owned. This Suzuki V-Strom is a 650cc machine and it has done very well by me. That said, this recent trip to Utah convinced me that having something just a bit bigger and more powerful is desirable.

On the way out we blasted across Colorado on I-70 and the guys up front were running about 10 miles per hour above the limit. The limit is 75. So my V-Strom was working hard. I kept up, there’s never any issue about that. But it was working.

Then we got into Utah and the speed limit went up to 80. So we were doing 90. Or more. Now that little 650 was working hard. But I was keeping up.

Later in this trip we climbed some pretty high mountains, often on some particularly steep roads. That was when I really felt it. There were a couple times when I wasn’t sure we were going to keep up. I had to shift way down low to get the oomph to make those climbs. That was when it really gelled in my head that yes, I do want a bigger bike.

Not a lot bigger. I really don’t miss my old Concours. It was 1000cc and it weighed a whole lot. It had the power to carry that weight and on the highway it cruised just as smooth as glass. It was a nice highway bike. But oh man, at slow speeds in a parking lot you better not let it lean too far or there’s nothing on this planet that you can do to keep it from dropping.

So I’ve looked around a bit in recent years and I have identified the Yamaha Tracer 9 as just about the ideal bike. It’s 800cc and weighs around 450 pounds. That’s almost exactly the same as my V-Strom. The Connie weighed 600 pounds.

Weight is not the only thing; there’s also handling. But weight influences handling, particularly at very slow speeds. I’ve mentioned before how when the RMMRC went on a New Mexico/Arizona trip a few years ago I watched all these other guys wrestling their big machines around these tight curves, and meanwhile, on my V-Strom, I was dancing.

But I hate the idea of buying a motorcycle without having ridden one at least once. Last summer I heard that the Yamaha dealer in Cheyenne was hosting a demo days event. I had it on my calendar and a sure thing. Then, a drunk driver altered all my plans for the summer.

There was no Cheyenne demo days event listed on the Yamaha site this year but there was one set for Boise. OK, that would mean a road trip. That works. But then we ended up going to Alaska at that same time. We got home and I looked again, thinking I might need to go on a long trip. But apparently these events get added during the summer. And it turned out there was a demo days at a Denver dealership . . . the day we left for Alaska. Dang!

But then, oh my gosh, there it was: Cheyenne. The very next week. I’m going. And that’s the answer to the question you may have had, why was he going to Cheyenne?

Biker Quote for Today

I couldn’t find the right man, so I settled for a motorcycle. I’ve never been so happy.

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Kawasaki, motorcycle clubs, Rocky Mountain Motorcycle Riders Club, Suzuki motorcycles, V-Strom, Yamaha motorcycles | No Comments »

And More Threats To Motorcycling

Thursday, July 2nd, 2026


Yeah, Zero electric bikes have changed a lot since this shot from 2011.

I’ll proceed now with numbers 5 and 6 on this list of “10 Biggest Threats To Motorcycling” discussed in the May 2026 issue of American Motorcyclist, the publication of the American Motorcyclist Association. You’ll find issues 1 and 2 here, and 3 and 4 here.

Side-By-Side Size And Power, And Trail Degradation
Four-wheel all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are not motorcycles. But more and more, the people using these things are taking to the trails that have formerly been used by dirt bikes and mountain bikes. There is a problem in that they are double-track while we are single-track. They’re basically carving into the adjoining areas in order to do so. They’re also bigger and heavier so that contributes to the issue. Being more stable they also go faster. And because they are easier to use than a motorcycle, the users are often less experienced and don’t necessarily have a good idea what they’re doing.

That kind of adds up, doesn’t it? Do I really need to say more? To quote the AMA, “As a result, responsible motorized trail users are grouped in with the damage caused by oversized side-by-sides and the sometimes-poor decision-making by their drivers, leading to reductions in trails and land closures.”

Now, the AMA does not support getting these machines off the trails, they simply ask that they follow appropriate trail etiquette and trail groups “be mindful of one another and work together rather than one group dominating the trails in some way.” They also mention that some states now require training for these users, which presumably include appropriate and protective ways of operating the vehicle.

Consumer Choice
Electric is growing and you may already have an electric car or bike. But some people still want their gas-powered vehicles.

The motorcycle market should be allowed to evolve based on demand, innovation, and rider preferences.

Add in the fact that current infrastructure is not prepared for an all-electric future, it’s clear that electric mandates would certainly harm motorcycling.

That pretty well sums it up. Electric is fine, just don’t force it on everyone. The AMA supports two proposed Congressional bills that would address these concerns. These are the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act and the Automobile Retail Sales Act, both introduced in 2025.

Biker Quote for Today

Going for a ride is always worth it.

Tags:, ,
Posted in American Motorcyclist Association, Biker Issues, Dirt biking, Electric motorcycles, motorcycle clubs | 1 Comment »

Pre-Riding Comes Through Again

Monday, June 29th, 2026


It seems the worst of the flooding damage was on the road that is part of my planned route.

I wrote about pre-riding a route you plan to lead a group ride on just a few weeks ago. Well, it seems there’s a very good reason not to do that pre-ride too far in advance. Conditions change.

We just got back from two weeks in Alaska. We flew from Juneau to Seattle and needed to change planes in Seattle. We found right away that our flight was delayed a bit more than an hour. As it turned out, the plane to Denver was coming from Denver and they were delayed more than an hour from taking off. It seems there was a bit of a weather event. We never did learn much about it because it was all over by the time we did get home.

We’ve been home a week now and it occurred to me that if I intend to lead this ride that I’ve been planning since before I got hit head-on exactly one year ago, this is really when I should do it. I was leaning toward posting the ride on the RMMRC site Saturday and meanwhile I was catching up on all the emails that piled up while I was gone.

Surprise, surprise! I came across a new item saying there was extensive flooding in Evergreen and Kittredge, connected to the tornado that shut down the airport. Roads were completely blocked. And my route for this ride goes right through Evergreen and Kittredge. I figured Sunday I’d better take a ride up there and check it out before posting the ride.

So I did. As I headed up Colorado 74 out of Morrison I thought I ought to see a warning sign if the road was closed ahead, and there was no such sign. That’s positive. You go through Idledale before you reach Kittredge and there was a sign just outside of Idledale but I didn’t see it in time to read it, so no help. But that said to be cautious.

I got into Kittredge and the first thing I noticed was that the restaurant I planned to stop at for lunch on this ride seemed to be closed. It is right beside the creek so that was foreboding. I’d have to check on that. Then I got to the west end of Kittredge and where the creek crosses under the road it was obvious what had happened. There was an area to the side where a lot of logs and stumps were piled up, obviously from a clean-up effort, and the bridge abutment still had a lot of the same packed against it. But the road was open, albeit with a good bit of gravel remaining.


It appears they will be reopened in time for us.

On to Evergreen. Everything looked pretty good in Evergreen, though when I reached the fork where one way goes north and the other south, my route being south, I made that turn and it was clear they were not done cleaning up from flooding right there. But it was not bad. On south about a tenth of a mile and you get to the turn-off up Little Cub Creek Road–my route–and then the flooding became extremely evident.

Mostly it was where the stream had come out of its banks and left gravel–a lot of gravel–on the road. Then a little further along I came to a spot where at first I thought the road had been carried away altogether. I turned around and stopped to shoot that picture above. On closer inspection I could see that the adjoining road had been nearly washed away and all that rock and soil was covering the road I was on. It’s all passable but don’t try screaming down this road on a motorcycle. No problem as long as you know what to expect.

At this point I headed back the way I came and in Kittredge I stopped to check out the restaurant. They had a sign on the door saying that due to the flooding they were closed over the weekend but would reopen right away.

OK, I guess I can lead this ride. Now I just have to get it posted.

Biker Quote for Today

Cause one day you are gonna say that today was bumping. We’re living on the edge and my motorcycle’s speeding. It is what it is and this is how I’m feeling. — Charles Smith

Tags:, ,
Posted in Colorado motorcycle rides, Day Rides, motorcycle clubs, Rocky Mountain Motorcycle Riders Club | No Comments »

« Older Entries