Passes & Canyons Blog

Riding motorcycles in the snow is not a lot of fun (unless you’re doing the annual Elephant Run or going ice racing), so for most of us winter is pretty much down time.

For the hard-core rider, at least those who don’t live where a “cold” day means 40 degrees, this time of year is sort of like doing jail time. What can you do to while away those days until Springtime springs you from your cage (pun intended)? Here are some ideas.

First off, just as farmers use the winter to mend their equipment, so should we. Take the time finally to give that bike a good cleaning. If there are repairs you’ve been putting off, now is the time. Or perhaps, more along the fun route, there are some new enhancements (otherwise known as “geegaws” or “farkles”) that you’ve been wanting to add to your bike. If Santa didn’t bring them to you, or you could play Santa yourself, to yourself. Your bike will thank you.

Of course, there’s no time like now to be planning next summer’s trip. Get out the maps, hit the Internet, and let your imagination run wild. The more you crave a ride the more you’re going to enjoy visions of next summer on the road. Take all the pleasure you can get from it. I know people do this because traffic on this website really spikes right after the first of the year and the pages being visited say “trip planning.”

On occasion you may want to drop by your favorite motorcycle dealership and enjoy the eye candy. Touch those gleaming tanks, sit on a few of those beauties. Again, let your imagination get carried away. The truth is, this may stoke your fever more than assuage it, but that’s still a lot more fun than sitting home moping.

Have you ever watched “On Any Sunday”? Surely you’ve at least heard of it, the motorcyclist-favorite 1971 documentary about racers and racing fans, including Steve McQueen, but have you ever watched it? If the answer is no, you owe it to yourself to do so now. This one will definitely get your motor running. And you can find it for free online.

Finally, there is one option you should never forget when the winter doldrums have you down: Go ride.

OK, sure there are times when you absolutely can’t. Two feet of snow on the ground and streets that are impassable even for four-wheel-drive vehicles will not miraculously open up for a motorcycle. But how often does that happen each winter? Watch the forecast, keep the bike well-charged so you know it will start, and be ready.

Never mind that it’s freezing cold out there–man up! Dress warmly (an electric vest is a wonderful thing) and get out there, if even just for half an hour. You’ll be glad you did, and you know you’ll be telling all your buddies about it. And all the time they’re telling you you’re crazy they’ll have that wistful look in their eye wishing they had done it, too.

Biker Quote for Today

Even as a second commuter vehicle, it knew when to dance into an opening and when to open its joy and race past every standing fool on the road. — tomisb

The time may finally have come for this piece of legislation. The Colorado Senate Transportation and Energy Committee on Tuesday unanimously approved Senate Bill 65 (SB 20-065) that would make it illegal for drivers to operate cellphones or other electronic equipment while driving unless they were using a hands-free device.

The bill now goes to the Senate Finance Committee and from there to the full Senate for consideration. If approved, as it was last year, it will move to the Colorado House, where it died last year. This year’s bill has been amended to address concerns that led to its failure in the House.

Commercial truckers already face this prohibition nationally, with much stiffer penalties, so one amendment specified that they will not be affected by this bill. Potential penalties for drivers were reduced from last year’s bill in order to mollify House opposition. One addition was to impose penalties of $300 and 4 points on any violation, first, second, or third or later, that involves texting. Texting while driving is already outlawed in Colorado, so this would be like saying that if you break both these laws at the same time we’re really going to hit you hard.

Motorcyclists and others who support this bill would do well to contact their state senators before it comes to a vote in that chamber to urge their support when it comes to the floor. You can find how to contact your senator here. Then, assuming the measure moves on to the House, it will be even more important to contact your representative to urge their support.

Biker Quote for Today

Die Living

After passing the Colorado Senate but dying in the House last year, the ever-recurring “Hang Up And Drive” bill is back.

Senate Bill 20-065, “Limit Mobile Electronic Devices While Driving,” will be considered on Tuesday at 2 p.m. by the Senate Transportation and Energy committee. If we can get a bunch of folks to show up in support it can only help.

The other thing that would help would be to contact the members of the committee to express your support. Here is their contact info:

Faith Winter, Chair – Faith.winter.senate@state.co.us – 303-866-4863

Kerry Donovan, Vice Chair – Kerry.donovan.senate@state.co.us – 303-866-4871

Mike Foote – Mike.foote.senate@state.co.us – 303-866-5291

Dennis Hisey – Dennis.hisey.senate@state.co.us – 303-866-4877

Ray Scott – Ray.scott.senate@state.co.us – 303-866-3077

Here is a summary of the bill.

The bill limits the use of a mobile electronic device while driving to adult drivers who use the mobile electronic device through a hands-free accessory.

The bill establishes penalties of $50 and 2 points for a first violation, $100 and 2 points for a second violation, $200 and 4 points for a third or subsequent violation, and $300 and 4 points if the violation involves text messaging.

This evolving bill has been promoted for years by Sen. Lois Court, who introduced it this year, but who has since been forced to resign due to health issues. It has been picked up by Sen. Chris Hansen and Rep. Dylan Roberts.

This year’s bill has been modified to address concerns raised in the House last year that led to its demise. Maybe this will be the year it finally becomes law.

Biker Quote for Today

You know you’re a biker when you subconsciously wave at another motorcycle and you’re in your car.

My curiosity was piqued recently when I received a notification of a silent auction to be held at Fay Myers Motorcycle World. “Aren’t silent auctions generally for charities?” my wife asked. Yes, so I had to go see what it was all about.

I got to Fay Myers and as usual there were a number of bikes outside plus a whole lot more inside. You could identify the ones being auctioned by the tags. Outside were generally older, used bikes, while inside were newer and new bikes.

It was a full range. The cheapest bike I saw was this 1987 Honda VF700C Super Magna, shown above. It listed a starting bid of $200 or you could buy it now for $380 (plus tax). OK now, that’s an inexpensive bike! I wonder what condition it’s in and how many miles it has on it.

There were some others outside that were pretty cheap: a 2002 Suzuki VS800 Intruder starting at $980; a 1998 Yamaha XVZ13 starting at $500; a 2006 Harley FXDI starting at $4,600. Inside the prices were much higher.

So what was the scoop on the silent auction? Here’s my take. I have to say I think it was definitely a gimmick. That said, if they had something you actually wanted you might have been able to get it for a pretty good price.

Take that VS800 Intruder. Starting at $980. Or buy it now for $1,240. If you really wanted it you could bid just a small amount more than the base price but you would risk someone else outbidding you. So what, bid $1,050 and hope? Or just buy it outright? But I would guess the buy-it-outright price is pretty much what you could have bought it for yesterday. Or could buy it for tomorrow.

With the higher-priced bikes I’m guessing again that the buy-it-now price is pretty darn close to its everyday price. And the higher priced bikes have a smaller percentage difference between starting bid and buy it now. Like a 2018 Honda Goldwing GL1800DJ with a starting bid of $19,167 or buy it now for $19,549. That’s only a $382 difference on a nearly $20,000 bike. Heck, if you can’t negotiate down at least that much you’re not trying.

The one good thing I think you could use this kind of sales event for would be to see what the dealer is willing to sell things for. Then, armed with that info, when you go to buy later you’ll know they’re willing to let it go for that amount so you’ll make sure not to pay more than that.

Bottom line, I was not impressed. But it was interesting to go check it out.

Biker Quote for Today

You know you’re a biker if people know you’re a biker even when you don’t want them to.

I kissed my wallet the moment I laid hands on it. This was when I got back from a ride on Sunday. More on that as it comes.

The forecast called for a high of 70 or 71 on Sunday so of course the RMMRC had a ride planned. So what if the plans were a little confused.

The last message I had seen said meet at the Circle K at Hess and Parker Road, so that was where I went. When I got there I was the only motorcycle in sight so I pulled out my phone and opened the most recent email. How odd–this said to meet at Performance Cycles.

OK, no big deal, I know the objective is to head to Rosie’s diner in Monument for lunch. I’ll just go there.

Navigationally this was not my best day. I must have made three wrong turns on my way over there. Plus, there was construction work going on along I-25 north of Larkspur. I managed to get there OK but it persuaded me I ought to take a day this summer and just ride all over the area between I-25 and CO 105 from Castle Rock down to Monument, exploring every road. It’s on my list now.

I got there before the others so I was sitting outside waiting when a group of a dozen bikes pulled in. This can’t be them, I thought, I’ve never been on an RMMRC ride with that many bikes. But as helmets came off I recognized faces. Wow, everybody wants to ride today.

It was true. I had already seen several hundred motorcycles out on the road. I would see several hundred more before I got home. I decided to declare Sturgis rules and stop waving.

So we ate and headed out, this time going north on CO 105. But before leaving I experienced that sinking feeling many of you have experienced at least once: my wallet was missing. Back I went into the diner and looked around our table. I asked the cashier and she checked with the manager. No wallet had been turned in. They took my contact info in case it showed up.

I was a bit distressed as we headed out, but I told myself that worrying would accomplish nothing and as long as I was out on my bike on this beautiful February day I ought to enjoy it. That did actually help and I was reasonably successful in focusing my attention on more pleasant things than calling to cancel all my credit cards, getting new Medicare and Social Security and all those other cards.

The last time I was out with an RMMRC group we had gone to Daniels Park and gone a short way north and then turned south again. Robert said at the time that the road ahead to the north was unpaved but I assured him it was paved now. So on this next ride it was his intent to go that way. I cannot overstate my befuddlement when we came to where the road turned to gravel. I’ve been on this road numerous times. How could I think it was paved when clearly it is not? At least it has clearly been heavily treated with magnesium chloride and was almost as good as paved.

And then we got to a place where it was not obvious which way to go and I had no idea. So Robert led us into, and then out of, a neighborhood. I’m sure he was getting a bit disgusted with me at this point. I told you, this was a navigationally distressed day for me.

Anyway, we eventually reached University, which became Lincoln Avenue as we headed east, and we reached I-25, turned north and split up to go home. And when I came in the door I was hoping fervently that I would find my wallet on the kitchen table, but it wasn’t there. With sinking heart I checked the pocket of my regular jacket and it was there!!!

Now I will do what I know you should do periodically, which is to take everything out of my wallet and photograph it all, both sides, and then store those photos in the cloud. If you haven’t already done this I recommend you do it, too. That way you’ll know exactly what cards to cancel and all those other sad details that you are faced with if you do actually lose your wallet.

Meanwhile, I’m so glad I had a good ride and the day ended well.

Biker Quote for Today

Why bikes are better than women: If you say bad things to your motorcycle, you don’t have to apologize before you can ride it again.

One of the fun things about being a member of a community of like-minded souls is that you run into old friends and acquaintances when you go to events. That was definitely the case for me recently at the Progressive International Motorcycle Show.

At one point I was just walking through the crowd, looking around for anything interesting, when suddenly I was face to face with Alisa Clickenger. I’ve know Alisa now for about 10 years and I hadn’t expected to see her there but I probably should have. I met Alisa during the Adventure for the Cures event put on up at Keystone by Sue Slate and Gin Shear. Alisa was one of the riders. Since then Alisa has ridden solo to the tip of South America and most recently organized the Sisters Centennial Motorcycle Ride, which came through here in 2016.

Alisa is now promoting her latest project, the Suffragists Centennial Ride, another coast to coast event tied in to the passage of the constitutional amendment that gave women the right to vote. Basically all of Alisa’s endeavors are aimed at empowering women by getting them on motorcycles and realizing their ability to take charge of their own lives.

So Alisa was there. Then I saw a tall, long-haired guy I recognized but took a while to place. It didn’t take me long, though, to realize it was Dan Ballard, who runs Bitchin’ Stitchin’. I don’t really know Dan–I’ve only met him once–but he was one of my very earliest advertisers here on the Passes & Canyons website. I didn’t say hello but it was like, oh yeah, I know him.

Next I ran into Mike Langello. Mike is a member of the RMMRC who I never quite met on a ride we took “together” a couple years ago. We were all headed out to Alabama to the Barber Motorsports Museum but Judy and I left separately from the group and then got snowbound in western Kansas for three days. We never did meet up with the group but I was in contact the whole time with Mike, who was leading the ride. I finally met him in person at an RMMRC meeting about a year later.

Finally, I was tired and wanted to sit so I chose a bench with space next to this other guy. We got to talking and of course asked what each other rode and when I said I have a 1999 Kawasaki Concours he replied that he had had two of them. He got the second after he “wadded up” the first. This guy, Phil, asked if I had been involved at all with the Concours Owners Group (COG) and I said I had just for one year, twice. Phil had been very active in that group and I realized he did look familiar and I must have meet him a time or two way back then.

Talking with Phil was fun. It was like we were part of a fraternity where we both knew the same things and could talk without needing to provide details or clarification. He said he had had two ’99 Connies and I asked, “The burgundy one?” He replied yes, but you know what some people call it, don’t you? Yes, the “Barney bike,” referencing Barney the purple dinosaur.

I told Phil the best thing I got out of COG membership was assistance at a Wrench & Retch where a couple guys helped me install some highway pegs I got from Murph after he came out with the design that allowed you to mount them without cutting holes in the body work. I’m betting there are at least three items in that statement that you don’t understand but Phil needed no explanation, he knew exactly what I was talking about.

The bottom line here is that it’s nice to go to these things and run into people you know. When I was working full time as a motorcycle journalist I used to go to lots of events and most of the time I was all by myself, didn’t know anyone, and I’ve never been really good at meeting people. I spent a lot of really solitary days in the thick of large crowds. That’s something I don’t miss.

Biker Quote for Today

Life is about finding out who you are while enjoying the journey to get there.