RoadRUNNER November/December 2007
Shamrock Tour
Shamrock Tour®: Helen, GA
Smoky Mountain roads are quiet places, especially in the morning. Turn off the key and listen. Beneath the engine’s cooling ticks, the subtle sounds of nature close in. The ever-present breeze dances with leaves above the clear streams tumbling from ancient mountains. Birds and crickets call, then answer. The grass sways. And above it all, clinging...
National Tours
From Bismarck to Pierre
Arriving in the city of Bismarck after driving through the grasslands of North Dakota for a couple of days is a slight shock to the system. And though it only has a population of 55,000, Bismarck's big streets and noisy traffic are as far removed from the quiet solitude of the prairie as one can get in these parts. All of a sudden I have to pay attention...
Along the Trans-America Trail
Year to year, under normal conditions, most riders don't contemplate getting very much riding in on the trails in Colorado and Utah after September. But for my Canadian friend Jeff Sherren and me that couldn't be helped, and it was already October by the time we started rolling toward the hazardous trails in the Rockies on a BMW R1200 GS and a KTM 950...
Long Island Scooter Tour
Long Island, in geological time, was born yesterday. Glaciers that created this 120-mile long, fish-shaped pile of rock and sand began retreating some 22,000 years ago. Sea levels rose in concert with the thaw, completely encircling the land mass 11,000 years later. Today, it's one of the most densely populated areas in America, home to more than 7.5...
International Destinations
Scotland
"Glenlivet it has castles three,/ Drumin, Blairfindy and Deskie,/ And also one distillery,/More famous than the castles three!" It's not Glenlivet we're visiting on our Edelweiss Royal Tour of Scotland, but tiny Cardhu in the village of Knockando on the River Spey. The tour buses have disgorged at the famous Glenlivet, just down the road, while Emma,...
Canada: New Brunswick
Our crossing from Maine into New Brunswick was quick and easy. We only had to stop long enough to answer one question: "Do you have any alcohol with you?" We had some wine and beer on board, but since the tight spaces on motorcycles are seldom thought to yield huge quantities of that sort of contraband we were waved through in the blink of an eye. Welcome...
Riding Impressions
2007 Kawasaki Concours 14
Kawasaki could write the book about playing the tease. For most of 2007, they coyly titillated the motorcycling world with hearsay about their long-anticipated replacement for the venerable Concours. Rumored release dates, tantalizing photos, and thinly veiled specs fluttered by, and each tidbit hinted at a machine that would share the DNA of the mind-numbingly...
Kawasaki KLR650
Finding interesting, new roads on the map is one of life's great treasure hunts. Poring over the topos, looking for previously unnoticed grey lines rife with squiggles is a quest that pays touring dividends time and again. But even the best research can run afoul of the facts. How many times have you ended up miles into your great new twisty discovery...
2007 Victory Jackpot
I've had the privilege of riding some of the finest creations the motorcycle industry has to offer. Everything from low-slung American customs, the fastest Japanese sportbikes, and exotic European models have all left their own indelible marks. But of all the machines I've ridden, none of them can steal a scene or draw a crowd the way the Vegas Jackpot...
2007 KTM 950 Supermoto
The burgeoning supermotard class of motorcycles offers a sizzling blend of motocross and road-racing designs that can be devastatingly quick on a twisty back road. If you've never experienced a 'motard, think of riding a big dirt bike on steroids, with lots of power, sticky street tires and great brakes – you've got the idea....
Chronicles
Breganze's Best Rally in B.C.
If Ducati is the Ferrari of motorcycles, then Laverda must be the Lamborghini.Produced in small numbers, and always sport oriented, Laverda's big twins and triples defied the established paradigm that Italian motorcycles were small and light with suspect electrical systems. Massimo Laverda's designs were robust and hugely durable, with ancillaries chosen...
Best Western and Harley-Davidson Reward Riders
One of the curious things about traveling by motorcycle (and particularly by Harley-Davidson) is the mixed bag of perceptions and receptions that one encounters along the way. Some friendly folks stride right over before you even have time to kill the ignition and eagerly chat you up about where you've been, where you're going, and what kind of bike...
Helmet Help
Let's get this out of the way up front: whether you wear a helmet is your choice – or not, depending on where you ride. You do the research, you decide. I never ride without one for three reasons: good or bad, I like my face the shape it is; wind in your hair and bugs in your teeth are seriously overrated; and I feel naked without one. If you've...
Product Reviews
Givi: T450 Trolley Bag
So you want to ride to work, but the bike just doesn't have the room? Well, thanks to the folks at Givi, justifying the two-wheel commute just got easier and a whole lot more practical. The new T450 Trolley Bag is a nifty, very portable travel bag designed after the rolling luggage you see being maneuvered so deftly through the airport. With a telescoping...
Fieldsheer Expandable Tail Bag
By chance I came across Fieldsheer's Expander Tail Bag just as I was leaving for a cross-country excursion. This bag was perfect for our trip. The suitcase style handle made off-bike portability a breeze, and the bag doubled nicely as a carry-on for our flight to pick up the bike. The dimensions – 16-inch length x 12.5-inch width (expandable to...
Bags-Connection Rearbag
Many modern sport bikes are saddlebag challenged, designed with either under-seat or upswept exhausts that make securing luggage difficult and sporty touring a logistical challenge. For these bikes, Bags-Connection has a luggage system that sits on the passenger seat and hangs over the sides of the bike by varying degrees, free and clear of hot surfaces....
Oxtar Sunray Boots
When it came time for a new set of riding kicks for the world's greatest co-pilot, Oxtar answered the call with their ladies' Sunray Boots. Arriving just prior to a two-week journey, the Sunrays were pressed into service with no more than an initial fitting. Like any other boots, it took a day or two to break them in, but after that they performed flawlessly....
Oxtar Matrix GTX II Boots
The Oxtar Matrix GTX II motorcycle boots reflect the style and craftsmanship one expects of an Italian manufacturer, but they also possess the comfort and durability that touring motorcyclists need, especially when the weather turns nasty. Full-grain leather construction, bonded to a rubber sole, gives the boots their stylish appearance and all-day...
Held Via Touring Boot
Cold, wet feet make any motorcycle journey miserable, but it doesn't have to be so. Held's Via leather touring boots are effectively waterproof, as a comprehensively soggy week of riding in Scotland recently proved. With toasty liners, shin and ankle protection, Velcro® calf adjustment and rugged gusseted zippers, these are without doubt the best...
BMW Rainlock Suit
The stylish new Rainlock suit by BMW is designed to be worn over any non-waterproof riding suit. Its dark color hides road dirt but at the same time its reflective material enhances your visibility. The jacket features two waterproof zippers in the front allowing quick access to pockets using the opposite hand. On the inside it has a pocket at the chest...
Nolan BODZ
High Tech Underwear The all-purpose Technical BODZ undergarments are great for motorcycling, and just about any other sports activity. The BODZ offers maximum stretch, maximum comfort and great freedom of movement. The inside features a new, complete system of innovative, versatile and high-performance fibers called Meryl® Actisystem™. It...
Icon Pursuit Women’s Jacket Bombshell Women’s Pant
The last few years have really seen an expansion in the quantity and quality of apparel specifically designed for female motorcyclists. In that time, Icon has distinguished itself as a manufacturer recognizing the needs of that market by designing gear that looks fashionable, fits comfortably, and offers substantial protection. The Icon Pursuit jacket...
Held Taigami Jacket and Nelix pants
The Holy Grail for all-weather riders is a warm, waterproof, wear-anywhere riding suit. Held-USA may have come close. Their Taigami touring jacket, made from 600-denier polyester and polyamide, with CE armor at the shoulder and elbows, and a foam back protector, also has a waterproof/windproof liner to keep the wearer dry and warm, while multiple zippered...
Held Sprint Gloves
I chose the Sprint from a selection of Held gloves thinking the left forefinger visor wiper indicated a degree of water resistance. It doesn't. That said, these are perhaps the best summer touring gloves you could buy. Featuring Kangaroo leather palms, Suprotect®-padded Pittards WR100 leather backs, strategically reinforced with Kevlar® and...
AGV Rossi Gothic White
AGV has produced another masterpiece with the Rossi Gothic White Helmet. Don't be blinded by it's good looks, though; it also is one of the safest lids around. The shell is composed of SSL (Super-Super-Light) carbon-Kevlar® construction, and the Gothic White comes in two shell and four EPS sizes for a very snug, racing fit. It features built-in...
Joe Rocket Good N Evil
Being a big fan of Joe Rocket's riding gear, I was ecstatic about getting my hands on one of their new helmets. The first thing I noticed was the weight of the helmet. It's lighter and this really seems to help in the fatigue department. It has a snug fit that has held up wonderfully over a good six months of wear, and it still fits well with no rattles...
HJC AC-12 Carbon Helmet
The AC-12 Carbon is HJC's top street helmet, featuring a lightweight carbon-fiber shell and other high-end touches at a very competitive price point. Key elements include an anti-fog face shield (AccuSight™), a tool-less shield replacement system (RapidFire™), and a fully removable and washable moisture-wicking liner (AquaTrans®). The...
Legendary Motorcycles
"What if we made a book about the most historically significant motorcycles ever, the bikes that became famous?" That simple question sparked a quest that sent author Basem Wasef and his wife to seek out motorcycling's most cherished icons. Clutching a list of mythicized bikes, they took off across the United States, driving a secondhand Porsche; and...
Blood, Sweat, and 2nd Gear
Being on the road, seeing new places, and doing new things is not only enlightening, it's fun. But travel, especially by motorcycle, does put a strain on the body. And, like any other activity, accidents can happen. If, as the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, then Blood, Sweat, and 2nd Gear by flash gordon, m.d., is...
Motorcycle-Themed Picture Books
Little Mike and MaddieMy daughter really loves these stories – maybe it's the dogs or maybe it's because her mom, dad, grandma, and grandpa all ride motorcycles! I have been asked repeatedly over the last few weeks to read and re-read the "motorcycle books." My only complaint is that they are so long! I do however really enjoy the pictures: they're...
