Passes & Canyons Blog

The RMMRC on top of Guanella Pass back when the weather was a little warmer.

I thought the RMMRC had decided to suspend all group rides until the peak of the virus had passed so I was surprised to get an email from the Meetup page about a ride two Wednesdays ago. So I went riding.

It was no big deal, just another run out to Patty Ann’s in Kiowa for brunch. But on a nice day Patty Ann’s is a good place to gather. They have a large patio out back where we can sit not too close together in the open air. And they have really good food.

We were surprised when we got there to see that they have installed tents to shelter you from the weather and to maintain separation between different parties. That didn’t really suit us, though. First off, it was a little cool and we wanted the sun. Secondly, whereas a family might sit together in one tent, close to each other but no one else, we wanted to maintain distance amongst ourselves. So we moved two tables out into an open area to meet our wishes. And then of course we moved them back before we left.

So the RMMRC is going through some realignment these days. Robert, this year’s president, has moved to Panama so that spot needed filling. Robert was also one of the most active organizers of rides so other people need to step up.

Roy, one of the founders of the club, takes a personal interest in seeing it continue so he has personally taken to urging greater involvement of other members, which definitely means he has turned some of his focus on me. Every time we talk he urges me to offer any ideas for rides that I might have. And I do have an idea I intend to offer.

In the case of this ride he threw out the question of who wanted to lead. As he scanned the group his eyes lit on me and he said, “How about you, Ken?” Bob, who often leads, said he would do it but he only knows one boring route. I said I knew a different road. So I lead the ride down to Kiowa. It was a simple route, just out Parker Road (CO 83) to Bayou Gulch Road, just south of the south entrance to the Pinery, which leads to Flintwood Road, which we took south to CO 86 and then east to Kiowa.

Then on the way back we didn’t want to take the same route in reverse so someone suggested we go back to just past Flintwood, like about 100 feet past Flintwood, and take that road, Deerfield Road, to Russellville Road to CO 83. Somehow I got designated to lead again, so I did.

In all there was nothing at all extraordinary about this day’s ride. But it was a heck of a nice day to be out on a motorcycle and clearly the transition to new leadership is underway for the RMMRC. I’m happy to do my part.

Biker Quote for Today

Just one more motorcycle . . . I promise.

A rider on Tenderfoot Pass. Where is that, you say? I’ll get to that some other day.

There was a wise crack going around some time ago about a particularly grisly motorcyclist death where people were saying, “Thank goodness he was wearing a helmet.” That’s pretty much where this latest thing from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) fits in.

I saw this report, with the title “NTSB calls on states to mandate motorcycle helmets in wake of deadly New Hampshire crash involving impaired West Springfield truck driver” and it’s the same sort of thing. It appears a drunken driver of a pick-up pulling a flat-bed trailer crossed into the oncoming lane and killed seven motorcyclists.

So what does the NTSB do? After investigating they issue a report calling for mandatory helmet laws in every state. Like that totally makes sense.

Don’t get me wrong. I believe in wearing a helmet and always do. However, I also believe in leaving it to the rider to decide. I just don’t think this is the kind of thing government should be dictating. As it was, 12 of the 18 riders in this group were wearing helmets. And the article states that, “NTSB investigators could not conclusively determine the effectiveness of the helmets used by riders in the New Hampshire crash. But the board still voted to recommend that states review and implement motorcycle helmet laws.”

I translate that as “probably most of these people would have died anyway but let’s use this tragedy to push our point of view.” Or, thank goodness some of those dead people were wearing helmets.

The NTSB chairman, Robert Sumwalt, is quoted pulling out the old canard that “someone’s right to ride without a helmet ends at my wallet.” The report says, “NTSB staff and board members also emphasized the societal costs of motorcycle fatalities, citing nearly $9 billion combined in medical costs, lost productivity, EMS services, insurance administrative costs, property damage and workplace losses that may have been avoided in 2017 through universal helmet mandates.”

That argument totally ignores the fact that there are countless things that each and every one of us do that contribute to those same costs, from eating unhealthy food to not exercising to just plain walking down the street. You might get hit by a bus where the driver had a heart attack and the bus veered off onto the sidewalk you were on! Taking that walk was an avoidable behavior that resulted in your injury! Maybe you should have been wearing a helmet when you took that walk.

I say back off. It’s called life.

Biker Quote for Today

They say stress kills. Well, I found the cure. Ride motorcycles.

Checking out a Harley at the 2020 PIMS in Denver.

The Progressive International Motorcycle Show (PIMS) will be held in Denver this year, albeit moved to June and held outdoors. This is going to be vastly different from other PIMS events and it could be pretty much fun.

The show will actually kick off in Denver, June 18-20, before moving on to places like Chicago, Nashville, and Atlanta. Originally scheduled in Denver for January, adaptation to the Covid-19 problem led the organizers to move things outdoors. This meant waiting for warmer weather. So June here.

Being outside in warm weather is going to open up a lot of possibilities that were not really options inside during the winter. This will include demo rides on the street, off-road demo rides, and stunt shows or races. Of course you’ll have the booths selling stuff and as in at least the last few years there will also be e-bicycles and the PIMS Discover The Ride opportunity for people who have never ridden to experience what it’s like.

Here’s the blurb from their website:

After 5 years in the making, the Progressive® International Motorcycle Shows is venturing outdoors to create the most immersive powersports event yet ­– IMS Outdoors, a tour of events across the United States, launching in Summer 2021.

The Progressive® IMS Outdoors invites riders and prospective riders of all ages and abilities out for a weekend to engage with powersports culture and explore related lifestyles in a festival-like atmosphere. Attendees will be able to ride 2 and 4-wheel vehicles, shop premier brands, watch entertainment and even camp overnight (in select cities); preparing them for more riding and adventures with family and friends.

Popular IMS attractions including, the Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show, IMS Vintage Garage, Discover The Ride and Adventure Out among others will be back for your enjoyment for the new IMS Outdoors events.

What they’re not telling us yet is where this will all happen. Last year was the first time the show came to Denver, at least in a long time, and it was held downtown at the convention center. That doesn’t seem to be the case this year, but where? We’ll see, and I’ll pass that info along as soon as I get it.

Biker Quote for Today

Once the love for a motorcycle is discovered there is no putting out the fire.

EagleRider CEO Chris McIntyre with the Golden Gate Bridge before we crossed into San Francisco.

I’m not sure why this has been on my mind lately, but it has so I figured I’d write about it.

I had an experience with airport security in Oakland, California, back in 2010 that still makes me shake my head. But some background is in order.

Back then I was writing for Examiner.com, a site that no longer exists, as their “National Motorcycle Examiner.” As such, a lot of terrific opportunities came my way. One was an invitation from EagleRider to go on a week-long, all expenses paid (except getting there and back) motorcycle tour of California, from L.A. up the coast, inland to Yosemite National Park, and then to San Francisco. You better believe I accepted.

Now, like most people, I hate to check bags when flying, preferring to squeeze everything I’ll need into a carry-on bag. That means I couldn’t take a lot and my bag was pretty full. No big deal.

So we did the tour and had a great time and I wrote a bunch about it for Examiner and other publications I wrote for back then, including of course this blog. We ended the tour in San Francisco and after saying my good-byes I went across the bay to visit a friend who lives in Oakland. To fly home I went to the Oakland airport.

By this time I had a problem, however. EagleRider and a bunch of the places we visited had loaded us up with a ton of swag. I had a mesh EagleRider motorcycle jacket, about a dozen t-shirts, eight jumbo bags of beef jerky, and I can’t remember what else. Recall that my small bag was already full when I came out here. Where was I going to put all this stuff?

I really didn’t want to pay to check a second bag but I had the idea to take clothes out of the bag, put everything else in, and whatever clothes didn’t fit in the bag I would wear. This meant I had on about six t-shirts and whatever else it took. This was summer so it was warm but over all this I put on the jacket. Yes I was warm but I got it all handled.

So I went to the airport and I guess security thought I was a bit odd. They didn’t say anything but they searched my bag thoroughly and ran the wand over me very deliberately. It was clear I was getting special treatment but not only that, they were being very hostile. I made some non-hostile remark and the woman basically told me to keep my mouth shut or things were going to get a lot worse.

Of course I was not a hijacker and I was no threat at all and finally they reluctantly allowed me on the plane. But the thing that has always bugged me was this: How about, maybe, they just ask me why I’m wearing all this stuff? I’m not saying take my explanation and just pass me on through. Go ahead and check me out thoroughly. But was the hostility really necessary? Just ask a simple question, hear my simple answer, and go ahead and do your job. No, I guess that’s too much to ask.

One amusing thing did happen immediately after this, however. As I got on the plane one of the other passengers saw my jacket and asked if I was with that group he saw two days earlier crossing the Richmond-San Rafael bridge. Yes! That was us, and he was there too, just at that moment. How funny.

Biker Quote for Today

Motorcycles make me happy. You, not so much.

This is the kind of situation where these systems would kick in.

I’m writing this on Sunday and there is an article in today’s Denver Post that really caught my eye. Maybe you read it, if you subscribe, but it seems most people don’t these days so I figure it’s worth pointing out. The article is titled “Smart cruise control comes to motorcycles.” (It’s actually reprinted from the New York Times.)

According to this article, both BMW and Ducati are introducing this system on bikes. The system controls throttle and braking.

No surprise to any of us, the challenges of creating something of this sort for motorcycles is vastly different from creating the same for cars. As the article notes, “because motorcycles don’t have automatic transmissions, they could stall or even fall over if the technology were allowed to bring them to a complete stop.” So these systems only work if you’re going more than 20 mph.

The systems use radar sensors to keep track of vehicles ahead of you. Mainly they will latch onto a vehicle in front of you and match your speed to that. If there is no vehicle ahead of you it will cruise at whatever speed you set it for, up to 100 mph.

The systems are only programmed to pay attention to vehicles in your lane moving in the same direction. If you’re at an intersection and someone pulls out in front of you it will not register, so hit your own brakes!

According to the article, the project manager at Ducati said the system “is a convenience system, not a safety system; it is there to enhance comfort during highway travels.”

Obviously, the fact that motorcycles lean makes for big differences than systems for cars. BMW’s director of product development is quoted saying that “the system must be able to detect cars and other motorcycles while it is leaned over.” When you’re leaned over above certain speeds both systems will slow you down, with Ducati pushing that point all the way to 50 degrees of lean.

So that’s just a brief overview. If you’re interested I would definitely recommend you read the whole article.

Biker Quote for Today

I Googled my symptoms . . . turns out I just needed to go ride.

Lifting a bike that went down. Fortunately, no one was hurt in this slow-speed get-off.

I was reading the Spokesman, ABATE of Colorado’s bimonthly newsletter the other day and they had this piece provided to them by Scott O’Sullivan, who is involved with Rider Justice and the O’Sullivan Law Firm. I thought it was pretty good and worth passing along, so here it is. It’s a tiny bit self-serving in that it is a promotion for the O’Sullivan Law Firm and Rider Justice, but hey, no big deal. I’m not endorsing them; I don’t know anything about them. I just thought it was good information.

Top 5 Ways Insurance Companies Cheat You

When you’re injured in a motorcycle crash, it’s stressful enough dealing with the mounting medical bills and the long healing process. Even worse, all the red tape and hoops you have to jump through when dealing with insurance claims just adds insult to injury. But it’s important to make sure you receive all the money you’re entitled to. After years of responsibly paying your insurance premiums, you deserve to recoup every dollar from your coverage! However, I’m sorry to say that insurance companies are not on your side. Here are the Top 5 Ways Insurance Companies Cheat You.

After a Crash Asking for a Recorded Statement
Most everyone is familiar with the Miranda Warning that says, “Anything you say can be used against you in a court of law.” This is also true for recorded statements that an insurance company may request from you. Insurance adjusters will twist your words to make you look bad, thus making you ineligible for your claim. If an insurance company representative is asking you to make a recorded statement, hang up and call a motorcycle accident attorney immediately.

Pushing for a Quick Settlement
Dealing with insurance companies and legal battles can be an extremely stressful experience. But no matter how badly you want to wash your hands of the entire thing and just get it over with, you should never fall into the trap of accepting a quick settlement from your insurance company. Insurance companies use this tactic because it saves them a lot of time and money, and it almost always guarantees that motorcycle accident victims accept a much smaller amount before fully understanding how much their claim is really worth.

Asking for a Signed Medical Release
If you’re in a motorcycle accident, an insurance adjuster may try to convince you that you absolutely have to sign medical release forms, giving them access to all of your medical records, both past and present. Why is this bad? I have seen insurance companies go far back into a victim’s health history and deny payment based on previous experiences that have nothing to do with the accident and the victim’s current condition.

Causing Confusion
When it comes to the average individual, insurance contracts are confusing. Insurance companies often rely on a victim’s confusion (and the many other issues they may be facing, such as medical concerns) to push inadequate settlements or even to get victims to sign away their own rights! When filing a claim, sign NOTHING until you hire an attorney to go over the documents so you know your rights.

Refusing to Renew
Although you shouldn’t rush the process and settle right away, be sure not to waste too much time filing a claim if you decide that’s the route you want to take, especially if you’ve already contacted your insurance company with an inquiry. Many insurance companies will drop your coverage and refuse to renew a policy if they get a whiff that you may be considering a claim.

Do you have specific questions about Colorado state laws when it comes to dealing with insurance companies after a motorcycle accident? Call or text us at (303) 388-5304.

Biker Quote for Today

Look twice for motorcycles: someone’s whole world is on that bike.

Judy shot this from behind me as we cruised through British Columbia on the rented Harley.

Judy went straight to the core: “The worst thing about renting a motorcycle is that it’s not your own.”

She was right on the money in two senses. First, unless you rent a bike that is just like the one you ride at home, you’re on an unfamiliar machine. Second, if you damage a rented bike it’s probably going to cost you a lot more money than if you did the same damage to your own.

This was all very much on both our minds a few years ago as we spent two days riding in British Columbia on a rented Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Classic. We chose the Electra Glide because it was the only bike the company had that came with full passenger accommodations and I wanted Judy to have the ultimate in comfort. The consequence of that choice was that we were not only on an unfamiliar machine, but on an extremely heavy unfamiliar machine.

I consider my wife to be the most precious cargo I ever carry and I had never before taken her on a bike I was not already thoroughly familiar with. The idea of climbing on this bike for the first time, her climbing on behind me, and riding off made me a bit nervous. But I took it easy, and was cautious, and all went well at the start.

I quickly started learning about the quirks of the bike, however. I’m accustomed to coming to a stop and putting my feet down at a point where I can plant them for maximum stability. On the Electra Glide, I would put my feet down and think I had solid footing but with the bike still rolling just a bit the passenger floorboards would run up against my calves and push my feet forward. That doesn’t happen on any of my three bikes. The buddy pegs are back further on all of them.

Things like that I could adjust to but I never adjusted to the extreme weight of this bike. It has a low center of gravity so it’s very stable on the highway, but at slow speeds it can tip and if that much weight once gets going sideways there’s nothing I could do to restrain it.

The issue really presented itself in the parking garage at the place we were staying in Whistler. The floor was very smooth, slippery concrete and the turns to get to where we needed to park were numerous and very tight. With either of my bikes I could navigate that route easily, and with a lot more experience on the Electra Glide I could probably do the same, but I didn’t have that experience. After a couple times we made it easier by Judy getting off or on at the entrance to the garage.

The issue of cost was also ever present in my mind. My Honda is old and is only worth maybe $700. If I did damage to it that would cost $2,000 to repair I’d probably just buy another old, used bike for a lot less. My Kawasaki is also getting older but I carry collision insurance on it, with a $250 deductible. And I only paid $3,000 for the Suzuki.

With this rental we had the option of paying $18 a day and having a $2,000 deductible, or $24 a day and having a $1,000 deductible. We went with the lower deductible but that still meant we could be liable for $1,000. Our rental was costing us $350 for two days already and the thought of it costing $1,350 was not comforting.

Of course, I never expected to do any damage to the bike, but that’s why they call them “accidents.” And while we never did have even any close encounters with other vehicles, there was one time when I came perilously close to dropping the bike.

We were on a very scenic stretch of road and turned into a pull-out to have a better look. The pull-out was gravel, and the gravel turned out to be deeper than I anticipated. With that big, heavy machine that I was not all that familiar with, it was an incredibly tense moment.

Within the space of six heartbeats I alternated between believing we were going down, to profound relief that I had recovered it, to certainty that we were going down, to elation that we weren’t, to horror once more, and finally to breathing a huge, huge sigh of relief as the bike finally came to a stop upright. I’m sure the only thing that enabled me to keep that bike up was adrenaline.

Bottom line: We’ll never rent that heavy a bike again. And while it’s great to be able to fly off somewhere far away and then have a bike to ride, it’s not all pleasure. We had a great time but next time we’ll have a much better idea of what to expect.

Biker Quote for Today

I’m not addicted to my motorcycle, we’re just in a committed relationship.

A shot from the 2009 Show & Swap.

Two more motorcycle events have been canceled due to Covid 19.

The Last Brass Monkey Run, the annual last-day-of-the-year event put on by ABATE of Colorado, has been canceled.

Larry Montgomery, ABATE state rep, said in the latest issue of the Spokesman, ABATE’s member newsletter, “At this time we are temporarily on hold for the Last Brass Monkey Run that was to be held on December 31, 2020, at the Rock Rest Bar & Grill in Golden. We are still going to make available to anyone that would renew at this event to be able to renew online December 31, 2020, and you will receive your Brass Nuts in the mail along with your membership card. For those that do not renew, but would still want or need the Brass Nuts for this year we will make arrangements to get them to you for a $5.00 donation to ABATE. We will need mailing info to send them to you.”

This would have been the 33rd Last Brass Monkey Run so once again, a long-standing tradition bites the dust thanks to the coronavirus.

Also canceled is the 2021 Colorado Motorcycle Expo, the event that takes the place of the old Colorado Motorcycle Show & Swap.

I also got word of this cancellation through the Spokesman, where Mike Cole, ABATE District 17 rep, said, “We talked to you last month about your interest in attending the Colorado Motorcycle Expo in 2021, while we did get a response from you and it appeared that many were not going to attend, the decision has been made for us, the 2021 Expo has been canceled and I believe you all know why, unless you have been living in a virus bubble?”

ABATE had been debating having its usual booth at the Expo and had asked members if they planned to attend the Expo. I had replied that I for one did not plan to go, and I listed my concerns in this post about the event. Man, the folks who bought out that event have got to be losing their shirts on this badly timed acquisition.

But we can take heart from the fact that vaccines appear to be on the way. Maybe by next summer my listing of upcoming events will once again be packed with rides and rallies.

In the meantime, we can all still ride alone, which I prefer anyway–most of the time. To set the mood, I pulled up some old biker quotes about riding alone:

• Riding faster than everyone else only guarantees you’ll ride alone.
• The road is only open when you ride alone.
• I can tell better stories when I ride alone, but I have better time when I ride with friends.
• He who rides alone can start today.
• If you cannot find a good companion to ride with, ride alone, like an elephant roaming the jungle. It is better to be alone than to be with those who will hinder your progress.
• Motorcycles are better than men because your motorcycle never wants a night out alone with the other motorcycles.

Biker Quote for Today

I don’t know why they got mad. All I said was that in order to be a biker your motorcycle needs to leave your yard.