Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge to Run Florida to Alaska

February 8th, 2010

Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge

Here’s an interesting looking challenge. Have you ever heard of the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge? This 7,000-mile run starts in Key West, Florida, and ends on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. The race begins on June 20, 2010, and the winner will take home half a million dollars in Alaskan gold.

Hoka Hey, the organizers tell us, means “It’s a good day to die.”

“HOKA HEY” was the roar of every warrior that rode into battle with Crazy Horse. Join us as we ride into battle. As we put ourselves on the line to find out just who we are.

More from the organizers:

Known as the Conch Republic since the city seceded from the union in 1982; Key West reflects the rebel spirit of the Hoka Hey Challenger and we couldn’t think of a better place to kick-off the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge!

Key West is said to be the southernmost city in the Continental United States. It is also the southern terminus of U.S. 1 and State Road A1A. The Southernmost point in the continental United States is claimed to be at the corner of South Street and Whitehead Street and this is where our adventure will begin on June 20, 2010.

About the destination:

Homer is on the shore of Kachemak Bay on the southwest side of the Kenai Peninsula. In fact, Homer is just 15 miles away from the westernmost point in the North American highway system at Anchor Point, AK.

Homer’s most distinguishing feature is the Homer Spit, a narrow 4.5 mile (7 km) long gravel bar that extends into the bay. And it is here that our Challengers will find the end of the road. Plus, when the Challengers arrive in here; they will be greeted by one of the most enthusiastic and endearing group of people you could ever hope to meet!

The event is a benefit for the following charities.
Paralyzed Veterans of America
Warrior Weekend
Disabled American Veterans
American Gold Star Mothers, Inc.
Vietnam Veterans of America
American Indian College Fund
National Multiple Sclerosis Society

This looks like one to watch for. If you decide to run in it, let me know and I’d love to carry your reports.

Recent from National Motorcycle Examiner
Buy that motorcycle now for this summer

Biker Quote for Today

If ya ain’t flyin’ ya ain’t tryin’!

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Posted in motorcycle racing, motorcycle touring, Rides and Rallies | 10 Comments »

Getting an Itch to Go South of the Border

February 4th, 2010

I met Alisa Clickenger last year covering the Dirty Dozen, Adventure for the Cures ride. Alisa is now embarked on a solo ride to the southern tip of South America. Following her trip is giving me an itch.

a road in PanamaFirst off, I’ve always been more interested in seeing South America and Central America than a lot of other places in the world. But now I’m seeing her pictures and one thing is coming very clear: Riding in a third world country has got to be a lot like riding used to be in the U.S. about 50 or 60 or 70 years ago.

Sure they have some major highways, and some major cities, but much of these countries is still what we would call “unspoiled” by development. Tiny, twisty roads that we exult over when we discover them here are the order of the day down there. Take a look at this photo, one that Alisa put up on her blog. Does that look like sweet riding? It does to me.

Now, I have to say, Alisa’s stories of the hassles of getting through customs have reinforced my reluctance to do the kind of trip she’s doing. But I’d love to fly into some place, such as Panama, in the photo, and rent a bike. And of course, tours are offered just about anywhere these days, in case you really don’t want to worry about the hassles.

I’ve never really given this sort of thing much thought before, but the more I see Alisa’s pictures the more I do start dreaming. Now if I just had a bit more disposable cash . . .

Biker Quote for Today

The mother road remains, it provides no more. It can only take us away.

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Posted in motorcycle touring | 1 Comment »

Embarrassing Moments on Motorcycles

February 1st, 2010

Regular readers know I like to pass along particularly interesting or amusing things I run into on biker forums. This time I’m just going to point you to the thread so you can check it out yourself.

The question posed was, “What was you most embarrassing biker moment?” This was on the HD Talking forum. Here’s an example of what you’ll find, courtesy of AcidRayn.

ugggh,!!!
just had one this morning!!
stopped for gas, same place, same pump i stop every morning.
sitting next to me is Uber Hot Mommy in her escalade, i’m talking
heather locklear, christie brinkley prime years hot here, she’s checkin me out,
or the bike, i look over, give the “yea im game” look, i say something stoopit,
she smiles, then starts cracking up, im like, how rude, yea, well, she seen the gas overflowin outa my tank and all over my jeans.
i had visions of going home as a fiery comet.

Enjoy.

Biker Quote for Today

Evolution stops when stupidity is no longer fatal!

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Posted in Miscellaneous, Motorcycles | No Comments »

Motorcycle Travel Network Offers Touring Alternative

January 28th, 2010

Imagine if you had a large network of contacts all around the country, so you could travel on your motorcycle and have a place to stay the night pretty much everywhere you went.

Motorcycle Travel Net logoWell, you can. I don’t know why I only just learned about this but that’s exactly what the Motorcycle Travel Network (MTN) is all about.Through a membership in the MTN you have the ability to locate people where you’re headed and arrange to stay at their homes, rather than getting a motel. You also can provide accommodations for other motorcycle travelers and receive a small compensation for putting them up at your own home.

Of course, the best part of this has to be that you get to meet and make friends with other people who share your interests. I’m very interested in learning more about this, and when I do I’ll pass along what I’ve learned.

The way it works is that you pay $30 a year to join for one year, or $45 for two years, or $90 for five years. Then when you stay at someone’s home you pay them a gratuity of $15 for one person per day, or $20 for two people per day.

Here’s a bit of what the MTN has to say on its site.

The goal of MTN is for motorcycle enthusiasts to share their knowledge, experiences and stories with each other in a warm friendly and comfortable environment, namely, in a member’s home. We want to help insure that as you travel you will be staying with people that share your enthusiasm for motorcycles and travel. When you stay with MTN hosts you will be staying with local experts on where to ride, where to eat, sites to see or where to get mechanical service. Likewise you will be staying with someone who is interested in hearing about your riding adventures, and sharing their own.

They seem to have this thing pretty well worked out; check the site for a lot of info on how it all works. And if you have any experience with this network I’d love to have your comments. Thanks.

Biker Quote for Today

I would rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on earth. — Steve McQueen

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Posted in Motorcycle Accommodations, motorcycle touring | 1 Comment »

Motomarathon 2010 Season Announced

January 25th, 2010

Motomarathon logoThe Motomarathon is back in 2010 with four events on its calendar. “The Motomarathon Association,” says founding Route Master John Metzger, “sanctions an annual series of four-day rides over the best roads and most scenic routes in the nation, and now with organized sport-riding tours on both coasts.” Its first season was 2009.

Here is the list of this year’s events.

  • Southern California Motomarathon — March 26-29
  • New England Motomarathon — May 13-16
  • Centopassi Motomarathon — June 25-28
  • Colorado Motomarathon — September 17-20

With two inaugural rides last season, only six riders completed all the checkpoints out of nearly 100 participants. “With four events scheduled for 2010, it will be a challenge to nail every check,” said Metzger. “This should result in a national champion to be crowned by the end of the year.”

For more information visit the website or contact John Metzger, 303-641-1062, john@metzger.com.

Biker Quote for Today

Ride Safe. Ride Hard. Enjoy the Ride!

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Posted in motorcycle racing, motorcycle touring, Rides and Rallies | No Comments »

Car Pollution vs. Motorcycle: Tracking the Truth

January 22nd, 2010

It seems a no-brainer that motorcycles pollute less than cars because we get more miles per gallon. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. And tracking down the reality of the matter is not easy, either, as I have been finding.

Harley exhaust pipesI’m working on an article for RumBum.com, and a series of articles for Eaminer.com, on this topic and apparently the truth of the matter is no one really knows for sure which pollutes more. Or to put it a little differently, which has the greater ecological impact. (Note on January 10, 2018: Both of these publications are now extinct so I have deleted the links.)

Just to simplify the issue, two things are certain. Because motorcycles consume less fuel covering a specific distance than cars, motorcycles emit fewer of the pollutants that bear a one-to-one relationship to the amount of fuel used. At the same time, because most motorcycles do not have catalytic converters, the fuel is burned less completely and bikes therefore emit more of those pollutants. I read in one place that a motorcycle emits more of these pollutants in one mile than a Hummer emits in 100 miles. Wow. Even if that’s a huge exaggeration it’s still something to think about.

But there are other factors that have to be considered as well. Motorcycles use fewer resources to build (they’re smaller), they burn less fuel regardless of pollution levels, they do less damage to the roadway, and on and on. I know I’m not capable of balancing all these factors out to determine which vehicles are the greenest. And apparently no one else is, or at least no one who is capable of doing so has done so yet.

I checked with the American Motorcyclist Association to see if they had any authoritative information and they referred me to the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC). It turned out the MIC didn’t have any definitive info either. Cam Arnold, their VP for communication, told me that “Obviously it’s a big issue, and there are a million variables. When you start digging into it it’s a huge issue.”

So anyway, this blog is where I often give the back story on the pieces I write for other venues. Usually I do that after the fact, but this time I’ll telling the back story ahead of the rest. I don’t know where this will all lead but I’ll let you know once it’s done.

Biker Quote for Today

Sometimes it takes a whole tankful of fuel before you can think straight.

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Posted in Biker Issues, Motorcycle legislation | 2 Comments »

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