RoadRUNNER July/August 2007
Shamrock Tour
Shamrock Tour®: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Without warning, the clock radio fires a loathsome pop song wreathed in static across the room, piercing my harmonious dream state like a perfectly targeted broadhead arrow burying itself in a dusty hay bale. "Oh Britney, you're frighteningly 'Toxic' at 7:00 a.m." But thankfully the brilliant, blue sky and soothing breeze flowing through the open window...
National Tours
Part II: New York Waterways
In 1808, while still mayor of New York City, De Witt Clinton began championing a grand vision: a system of canals providing the first all-water commercial shipping link from western New York and the Great Lakes to New York City, and from there to the rest of the world. At the time, many considered "Clinton's Ditch" to be a huge folly. Even President...
Canada to Mexico - Off-Road Excerpts
If you're up for it, this rugged, cross-country adventure could be the trip of a lifetime. Roaming from spectacular valleys where antelope caper to high plateaus where wild horses still run, we crossed river rapids and deserts and the undisturbed wilds of the western ranges. We stirred up the dust in ghost towns and slept each night beneath the...
Iowa River Tour: Beside the Big Muddy
The Ojibwe people called it "Missi Sippi," Great River, and perhaps no other geographical feature has been traveled on, along, and written about more than this one. Samuel Clemens, using the pen name Mark Twain, turned the Mississippi River into a living entity, untamed, unforgiving, and yet harmoniously bound to the people and towns on its banks. Winding...
International Destinations
The Great Ocean Road
I love Aussie meat pies. Like Vegemite, they're a staple in the Australian diet. But I also discovered recently from Food Standards Australia New Zealand that the ubiquitous pie may contain any of the following: beef, buffalo, camel, cattle, deer, goat, hare, pig, poultry, rabbit, sheep and/or kangaroo, including snouts, ears, tongue roots, tendons...
The Colors of Guatemala
When last we heard from them in the tropics, our world travelers Ramona Eichhorn and Uwe Krauss had crossed Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras on their KTM 640 Adventures. They now take us into Guatemala to explore the Mayan heartland of Central America....
Riding Impressions
Kawasaki ZX-14
Boasting an inline four-cylinder engine that displaces 1352cc, the new ZX-14 is currently the biggest and most powerful sport bike in production. With the assistance of its ram-air system, the bike is said to produce 187 crankshaft horsepower at 9500 rpm. Even without the aid of forced air, stock engines have been pumping out over 170 bhp at the rear...
Honda Shadow Spirit 750 C2
The quiet back roads north of San Diego inspire a lazy, humming rhythm as we zigzag toward our planned coffee stop. The guys from Honda are leading the way and I'm sure the other journalists in the bunch are, like myself, kicking back, relaxing, and enjoying the scenery. Mornings like this epitomize the carefree joys of cruisers, and Shadow 750s have...
2007 BMW F800S/ST
BMW has officially entered the midrange motorcycle fray with the all-new F800 series, featuring the sporting S and the touring-oriented ST. The Bavarians invited us to test both in an exotic and very demanding setting: The Big Island of Hawaii....
Star Motorcycles V Star 1300
Western North Carolina has some of the finest motorcycle roads in the United States, many of which just happen to be a stone's throw from the palatial confines of the RoadRUNNER offices. So when we got an offer to visit beautiful Asheville and spend a very unconfined day riding Star Motorcycles' brand-new V Star 1300 – well, let's just say no...
Chronicles
And the Winner is…
In keeping with its progressive nature, the Victoria Police Department in Victoria, BC, Canada, set out to select a modern motorcycle for their Traffic Section. While fiscal responsibility has always been a consideration in selecting vehicles for the department, officer comfort and safety are primary concerns, as well as the desire to have a motor that...
The Right Tools
Having cruised to the front of a line of cars waiting to board the Spirit of Vancouver Island, I instinctively kick the side stand forward and lean the Yamaha 650 Seca to the left to dismount – except this time my rain pant leg catches the side stand, collapsing it – and over goes the bike with me still on it....
Product Reviews
Sidi Vertigo Corsa Boots
By the look and feel of these new and improved Vertigo Corsa Boots, they resemble ski boots. The Sidi Tecno-II System places a buckle over the bridge of the rider’s foot, and by simply twisting a knob the boots can be adjusted to fit perfectly. This prevents foot injuries when sliding forward in a crash. Your toes would thank you if they could....
BMW AirFlow Boots
Keeping the air flowing over the body during those hot days in the saddle is a wonderful thing, and now you needn’t overlook your feet when summer outfits are assembled. BMW’s AirFlow 2 boots have lightweight uppers constructed of leather and fabric with highly breathable AirTex® side panels that allow the wind free access. But just...
Olympia Accordion Gloves
When daylong rides are in the offing, there’s no doubt that Olympia jackets and pants are tops for comfort and design. And now, the same can be said about their gloves. After an extended Midwest tour, I gave the Accordion gloves an enthusiastic “thumbs up.” Constructed of tough but supple premium, drum-dyed cowhide, these mitts fit...
Olympia Bushwhacker Air Jacket and Airglide 2 Overpants
Olympia Moto Sports reports they are “…redefining MC apparel design to deliver cutting-edge innovations and fresh new directions in style.” Their Bushwhacker jacket is a good example of how Olympia is living up to this claim. With appealing style and versatile function, the jacket’s rugged 500-denier Dupont Cordura® outer...
REV'IT! Off Track Jacket and Dakar Pants
With the popularity of dual-sport bikes on the rise, the definition of a day’s ride is becoming a much more blurry proposition. And while that may be the beauty of these machines, it makes choosing the proper gear all the more difficult. Standard dirt-riding apparel simply doesn’t offer the armor and abrasion resistance needed for road duty,...
BMW AirFlow 3 Suit
The BMW AirFlow 3 suit is the perfect choice for traveling during the summer months. Constructed of tear- and abrasion-resistant Dynatec material and BMW’s AirTex® fabric, this outfit manages to stay cool even in the hottest climes. Equipped with a mesh lining that’s kind to the skin and feels great in the rushing air, it also has ample...
BMW AirFlow 2 Gloves
Like their breezy, foot-binding brethren, BMW's AirFlow Gloves are for use in warm weather only. The AirTex® material just north of the knuckles is combined with Pittards® leather, and perforations between the fingers allow airflow throughout the entire glove. Plenty of extra comfort and motion is on hand, too, thanks to Cordura® stretch...
Caberg Justissimo Helmet
The Caberg Justissimo is an extremely well-designed flip-up helmet, featuring one of the best combinations of functionality and ergonomics. The quick-release fastener, top and chin air vents, one-touch chin bar release, and integral sun visor are all deployed with fidget-free simplicity, even with heavy gloves. The interior features a removable and...
Master Lock Quantum Cuff®
No matter how secure the parking lot, the neighborhood, or even your own driveway appears, having your ride stolen is always a lingering concern. And while no theft proof system is foolproof, it never hurts to make the dirt bag’s “job” as difficult as possible. The folks at Masterlock have a brand-new device that promises to make thieves...
Hilleberg Staika Tent
If you're looking for the perfect tent to hold up in varying conditions, the completely freestanding, high-end Staika from the Swedish tent manufacturer Hilleberg could be the most versatile tent on the market. It offers all the comfort a motorcyclist on the go could ask for, and not a single peg is needed to pitch it, which takes only three minutes....
Hilleberg Nallo 3 Tent
This tent is the best solution for motorcyclists who want to keep their luggage as light as possible and still have plenty of room. The Nallo is a tunnel tent, a layout that offers the best weight-to-space ratio. The outer fabric is made of lightweight Kerlon 1200, which, according to the manufacturer, is more tear resistant than other “expedition...
