Chronicles
Preparing your bike for winter storage
"A stitch in time saves nine" is the adage to keep in mind when preparing your bike properly for winter storage. It could save you as much as nine times the work – and money – later on. Of course, postponing that work until spring may be an attractive prospect on a chilly fall day; but imagine how you'll feel when that first day of warm...
STARgazing
Why would the STAR Touring and Riding Association hold its annual rally in Roanoke, Virginia? Well, aside from the fact that the city is scenic, friendly and located alongside the Blue Ridge Parkway, with terrific riding in any direction, Roanoke also happens to be known as the Star City....
Vintage Riding in Virginia's Hunt Country
It's the dog days of summer in Washington, DC, with humidity literally hanging in the hazy, stagnant air. And as usual, the airwaves are filled with their own brand of warm, moist air this election year. But now, loping over the rolling pastureland of Virginia's horse country with a cool wind in my face and listening to the staccato beat of my Honda...
De Soto National Forest
Day trips through the De Soto National Forest appear most suited for those passionate about forestry or fishing. The best that riders can expect are the sparsely populated roads. And even though there aren't too many choices for good touring destinations in western Alabama and eastern Mississippi, this national forest can be a lot of fun if you're willing...
Packing a bike
High above Roanoke, atop Mill Mountain, there is an 88-foot tall, illuminated star visible for miles after dark. And I suppose if you are organizing a rally in honor of Yamaha's Star line of cruising and touring machines, that big beacon could certainly be perceived as a sign. Also consider, Roanoke is part of the Shenandoah Valley and shenandoah means...
Shake, Rattle & Roll
Parkfield, California, lies along the San Andreas Fault where trails and streams can change direction with each quake and local property lines might as well be drawn with an Etch-a-Sketch. Ride into Parkfield with a group of Monterey Bay HOG members and you may even create your own little quake, shake a few leaves loose, and maybe discourage the ground...
Never too old
We have all heard that lame excuse: "I'm too old for that!" Perhaps it is true for some things. But it is not necessarily true about experiencing the thrill of a motorcycle ride. I came to this realization when I had the opportunity to give my mother-in-law a ride on the back of my Kawasaki Concours. During a recent visit, Mom expressed a great deal...
City Portrait: Australia
Within 25 years of European settlement, the community that became Melbourne was home to 300,000 people. The gold-fueled frenzy made it the fastest growing city in the British Empire, and its prodigious wealth earned it the name Marvelous Melbourne. Is it still marvelous, or has rival Sydney stolen its cachet?...
The 66 Diner
Along American roadways there is probably no more appealing example of cultural iconography than the simple chrome-plated diner. Defining the "fast" food concept of the time, they were everywhere in the fifties; and Route 66, the nation's first cross-country highway, supported its fair share of them. The heyday for both has long passed, but nostalgia...
Little Sister in the South
The slow-moving Ohio River flows by on the right and the traffic before us barely crawls through Bellevue and Newport. Eight million people live within a 100-mile radius, and it seems like almost everyone has come out at the same time to attend a major celebration. More likely, the amount of time lost on the roads here is the simple workaday cost of...
