My first motorcycle was a 1980 Honda CM400E. It wasn’t fast, and the brakes were lousy, but it delivered some memorable rides. One ride was notably short, but it made a lasting impact on a special family friend.

Raymond was the younger brother of my father’s close friend and colleague. It was challenging for Raymond to communicate with words, but there was one message he always conveyed with crystal clarity: He loved motorcycles.

I discovered this one afternoon when I arrived at my parents’ house riding my Honda CM400E. Raymond was visiting, and he was mesmerized. I shut off the motor, but he kept the motor noises going: “Vroom! Vroom!” We were happy to see each other, but what mattered to him most in that moment was one simple fact: I had arrived on a motorcycle.

Raymond’s big brother James, who had stopped by to talk shop with my dad, came outside too. He directed Raymond to stand back from the bike because it would be hot. Raymond adjusted his distance but not his gaze, and that grin never left his face.

Discreetly, I asked James if I could take his brother for a ride, explaining what Raymond would need to do on a slow ride through my dad’s quiet neighborhood. Recognizing the impact my motorcycle was having on Raymond and placing his trust in me, James agreed.

“Raymond,” I asked, “do you want to go for a ride on the motorcycle?” He literally jumped at the invitation and looked to his brother for approval. James smiled his okay.

My spare helmet fit Raymond just fine. My dad’s leather jacket fit well enough. As we suited up, I talked with Raymond about what I was going to do – drive the motorcycle – and what he was going to do – sit still on the seat behind me. He understood.

While I sat on the front seat and held the bars steady, James helped Raymond grab my shoulders, slide his leg over the seat, and drop into position behind me. Snugged in between my back and the sissy bar (remember those?), Raymond bounced with anticipation.

“Now listen, buddy,” I said, “you have to sit tight!” Perhaps interpreting my words as a request for him to hold tightly onto me, he wrapped his arms around my skinny midsection and squeezed. Raymond seemed confident with this approach, and he sure was eager to ride.

I started the motor, gave that little Twin some throttle, and turned onto the street for a leisurely ride with no reason to shift out of 2nd gear. It took the better part of five minutes to make a mile loop, and Raymond howled his excitement the whole time.

As we pulled back into the driveway, my mother snapped a photograph that ended up on the refrigerator at Raymond’s house, where it stayed, gradually fading, for decades. James would tell me how Raymond showed the picture to people who came to visit. “Everyone needs to see Raymond on the motorcycle,” he’d say. When I’d bump into a mutual friend elsewhere, conversations often started like this: “Raymond still won’t let me sit down until I go see the picture of him on that motorbike with you!”

That photo is now gone, and sadly so is Raymond, but his memory helps me hold onto valuable life lessons I learned from his family over many years. He is burned into my heart, notably because of one joyous ride we shared on my old 400. Here’s to short rides with long impact.

See more stories from Scott A. Williams here.

The post The Long Impact of a Short Ride on a 1980 Honda CM400E appeared first on Rider Magazine.

It came to me in the middle of the night, as most great ideas do: I would take an India motorcycle trip, crossing from north to south. My route would take me from the mountains of Ladakh to the valleys of Kashmir, into bustling Rajasthan, over the Western Ghats, and through the wet jungles of the South – a total distance of more than 4,500 miles. I would ride “Ullu,” my 2009 Royal Enfield Machismo 350 with an ongoing tappet issue, and my budget would be only 30,000 rupees (about $360).

See all of Rider‘s Royal Enfield coverage here.

The Northern Portion of My India Motorcycle Trip:

Manali – Leh – Jammu and Kashmir – Dharamshala

The path to Ladakh is a playground of natural beauty. It is also vast, with no mechanics or petrol stations en route.

I waded through rivers that reached my waist in Nubra Valley and coasted down the 21‑­hairpin Gata Loops at breathtaking speed. I reached the moonscape‑­like peak of Wari La Pass, was snowed on at Khardung La, and raced a herd of wild horses as they thundered down More Plains. I rode through a canyon with a sparkling river running through the center and tackled the treacherous 17,586‑­foot Chang La Pass. Ladakh was a dreamscape, and the surroundings changed drastically from fresh landslides to icy lakes to the legendary dunes of Pang. As far as an India motorcycle trip was concerned, I was in paradise.

The dirt road connecting Koksar to Kaza in Spiti Valley was a constant game of temporary fixes for Ullu: shoelaces through the wheel guard, a bungee cord around the exhaust pipe, and a snapped clutch lever repaired with duct tape. The terrain was a bone‑­shaking challenge from start to end, and vehicles littered the boulder‑­strewn paths in various states of breakdown.

Near the border of Pakistan, I steeled myself for two dangerous passes on National Highway 26 from Kashmir between Killar, Khajjiar, and Kishtwar. Both were closing soon due to forecasted snow, and I was determined to cross them off my list. The Cliffhanger was a tricky and dramatic ride on a road carved into a sheer cliff that’s 2,000 feet above the Chenab River.

Related Story from Ellie Cooper: Himalayan Cliffhanger | Riding India’s Death Road

Saach Pass, an endurance ride through deep forest to an ice‑­slicked desolate mesa, was a mix of endless clutch control and precise handling on the downhills. With such tantalizing terrain to explore, it was difficult to leave the North, but the rest of India beckoned me.

Rajasthan:

Dharamshala – Amritsar – Pushkar – Jaisalmer – Jodhpur – Udaipur 

I detoured into Pushkar to learn how to build a motorbike from scratch at my friend Mukesh’s garage. I spent a week drinking chai with a team of mechanics by the roadside, sharing communal meals on the garage floor, and learning how to replace clutch plates.

Every road from Punjab to Rajasthan was long and uneventful, but I was not so lucky when I started the next leg of my India motorcycle trip.

National Highway 11 toward Jaisalmer was a road of death, and the smell of various animals decomposing in the midday heat carried on the breeze. I saw mirages of great lakes that vanished as quickly as they appeared, and burnt‑­out vehicles lay overturned in the sand. The desert can be a strange place.

The winter winds on the highway toyed with everyone on the road. I fought against a side wind that buffeted me back and forth with such velocity that I gasped for air under my helmet. Six high‑­speed lorries – massive trucks in formation across two lanes – were inches away from my tires. On that road, it was suicidal to be so close to the edge with pushy trucks and a bullying wind, but I had no choice. I slowed my speed but started to be sucked under the gap between their wheels as my handlebar toggled ferociously with the pressure. I clipped the edge of the sand at 30 mph and went down.

I crawled on my hands and knees toward the bike a few meters from where I had landed on the concrete and hit the kill switch. Ullu received only a broken horn and a buckled wheel. My riding gear saved me from a worse fate, but I still had a dollop of whiplash and a mild concussion.

Jaisalmer was a beautiful place to recover. Determined to see deep desert, I rode out to catch the sunset, going until my wheels sank into endless sand. Later, as I lay back on Ullu’s seat and watched billions of stars in the inky‑­black sky, I reflected on how India is not an easy place to ride, but it was worth every near‑­miss.

Hoping for a bit of good fortune for the remainder of my India motorcycle trip, I sought out the Bullet Baba shrine on National Highway 65. It is one of 33 million Hindu deities and represents the legend of a local man who crashed into a tree and died and whose motorcycle found its way back to the crash site alone without keys or petrol. Locals flock to the site to ask for safe passage across India’s roads and offer whiskey in return. I visited the holy bike with a bottle stuffed into my backpack.

The final stop on my Rajasthan tour was Udaipur. I lazily wound through the undulating Aravalli hills of Kumbhalgarh in afternoon light and rode around the famous Rani Road at sunrise to see Rajasthan’s shining lakes. India was changing her look every few hundred miles, and I could not wait to see what the Western Ghats had to offer.

Udaipur – Mumbai – Pune – Goa – Ooty – Erivikulam – Munnar 

I entered Mumbai in Western India like a child pretending to be a racer. I was in a tide of hundreds of motorcycles at rush hour, all revving their engines impatiently. Without any warning, signaling, or light change, true to their name, the Bullets sped forward, each one racing the next. On wash day, the air smelled like a bucket of soap suds, and the whole city was brightly decorated.

I headed immediately for Mahabaleshwar, a hill station with luxurious views of the stunning Sahyadri range. With less than 2 liters of petrol after the hills, I bounced along the descent on badly broken road surfaces, glad that I had reduced the air in my tires. I sputtered into Goa on Christmas Day through a blanket of freezing sea mist. My present to my trusty steed was a full service and a week off.

The roads into Munnar are on every Indian traveler’s bucket list. I chose to ride through five national parks, relishing the gorgeous blue Nilgiri hills on all sides. In beautiful Ooty, I raced down 36 consecutive hairpins on the addictive downhills of the accident‑­prone Kalhatty Road. At one time, tourists were not permitted to ride it due to the complexity and danger of the epic turns.

I reached Munnar, where the oscillating route was full of seemingly endless tight corners and fast bends. It was some of the most perfect motorcycle riding I had ever experienced. Tea leaves were draped over the hills in a lime green patchwork quilt, knitted with care by whichever gods had imagined such a place.

Related: Ellie Cooper | Ep. 67 Rider Magazine Insider Podcast

The Western Ghats:

Munnar – Idukki – Kanyakumari

I dawdled through the coconut plantations of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, fingering the meager rupees left in my pocket and wondering if I would make it to the end. I was almost there, and it was probably because of the heat and fatigue at this point that I began to make mistakes. 

I took a wrong turn and had to explain to a very confused ranger why I was riding illegally in a tiger reserve. Ullu’s ignition cable suddenly came loose in the middle of the jungle, but again I was fortunate; a local reattached it with his teeth for free. Another time, I stopped to admire the view and carelessly knocked my bike keys into a pile of rubbish many feet down, and the whole village came running to help. Eventually, a tiny man with a hooked stick five times as long as he was tall came running to the rescue, grinning from ear to ear.

It hit me hard when I got to Kerala and saw the sign for Kanyakumari – the city at the southernmost tip of India – that my journey would soon end. Little moments of the trip replayed in my mind, from the icy dreamland of the Himalayas to brightly decorated Rajasthan to the sublime colors of the South. 

At the end of my India motorcycle trip, I sat atop Ullu and patted her tank, watching the sight I had been waiting for: the sun setting into the Arabian Sea. The next morning, sitting at the same spot, I watched the sun rise over the Bay of Bengal to the east.

Indian roads are a complex machine that operates on courage and trust, and I now understand the absurdity of them in their confusion and chaos. I learned that every breakdown is a chance for a new connection with a stranger; that many bike issues can be fixed with tin cans, rubber bands, or a mouthful of petrol; and that no matter how long the journey might take, there is always time for another chai.

See all of Rider‘s International Touring stories here.

The post An India Motorcycle Trip from Head to Toe appeared first on Rider Magazine.

Covering the front brake is a big no-no at most police motor schools across the country. By this, I mean resting any number of your fingers on the front brake lever when not actuating the front brake. Instead, instructors teach riders to keep all fingers on the throttle until you need the brakes, then all fingers on the brake lever. Having been exposed to lots of motorcycle riding disciplines over the last 40 years, I was always curious where this idea originated, as it seems odd not to have all my tools at the ready while riding.

I’ve heard different reasons from motor instructors over the years as to why covering the front brake leads students to eternal damnation. Here are a few:

• Heavy police motorcycles require the strength of all four fingers to effectively slow down during an emergency stop.
• Motor officers will panic and tense up in an emergency, inadvertently jerking the fingers covering the brake lever and causing a crash.
• If you don’t have all four fingers squeezing the brake lever during a collision, the remaining fingers around the throttle could get pinned between the lever and the throttle, causing them to get crushed or severed.

To find a definitive answer, I decided to confer with my old pal Russell Groover out in Florida. A former motor officer and longtime instructor, Russell was instrumental in the creation of the first Basic Motor School used by the Tampa Police Department and later adopted by most agencies in the Southeast in the 1950s. As a youth, Russell grew up racing scrambles and competing in regional hillclimbs, and he was considered a sand specialist in his day, racing enduros down Daytona Beach on his military surplus 1942 Harley-Davidson 45ci. Yep, Russell is a genuine American bad-ass, and if I’m honest, it surprises me that he still takes my calls. But I digress. What did the Oracle tell me? 

“Well, Quinn, keep in mind bikes back then had clutches on the floor, shifters on the tank, and front brakes on the left side of the bars, so we were busy just getting through a work shift. All these bikes had basic cable drum brakes, and at best, they were lousy if you had them set up perfectly and the roads were dry. It wasn’t unusual to snap a brake lever pulling so damn hard trying to get the bike to slow down.” 

When I brought up the idea of covering the front brake with a few fingers in preparation for emergency braking, Russell just laughed and explained that it wasn’t even a consideration in anybody’s mind back then because even four fingers weren’t enough.

My takeaway is this: A poor braking system demanded far more work (and more fingers) from the rider back then, so they instructed motor officers to access every bit of braking power they could muster, and the training manual reflected it. It makes sense given the antiquated systems they had at the time, but that was 1955. Unfortunately, even with the adoption of hydraulic disc brakes and riders no longer experiencing white-knuckle pulls trying to stop, motor programs have yet to update curriculums, as if we’re still living in the past.

Let’s pretend we’re in the future…say, 2023. You have a motorcycle with big brake rotors, powerful hydraulic calipers, and ABS. We’ll call this system “Brembo.” I know it’s crazy, but we’re talking about the future, so just go with me here. Let’s also assume that you always cover the front brake while riding your motorcycle.

Are these futuristic brakes strong enough to stop you with less than four fingers? Check.

By covering the front brake, are you minimizing your reaction time in an emergency due to your finger(s) being staged for rapid deployment? Check.

Will this enable you to perform smooth trail braking, creating a far more stable chassis during cornering? Check.

Will you now be able to smoothly overlap your controls transitioning from throttle to brakes, further stabilizing the motorcycle and generating better overall traction? Again, check.

Wow, I can’t wait for the future! 

Related: Quinn Redeker | Ep. 64 Rider Magazine Insider Podcast

If I haven’t been clear, let me come out and say it: I am a huge proponent of covering the front brake in all riding situations, on pavement and in the dirt. And dammit, if it were up to me, I would allow anybody in your riding group to smack your hand with a heavy ruler every time you failed to do it. 

I cover the front brake with my index finger alone and have all-day comfort, dexterity, leverage, and enough force to handle any situation, from gentle slowing to threshold braking. And if you’re wondering, my one finger provides enough pulling power on the lever to brake hard enough for my BMW 1250 RT-P’s ABS to kick in, rain or shine. 

Here’s the thing: Motorcycle riding takes loads of coordination, skill, concentration, practice, more practice, good judgment, and maybe even a dash of psychic ability. If you think that by covering the front brake, any unexpected event will overwhelm your senses and cause you to go “condition black,” blindly grabbing a handful of brakes and crashing in a panic, I suggest you consider scrapbooking instead of motorcycling. And because I’m supportive, feel free to use the photos we took of you skipping around in the butterfly sanctuary a few weeks back. 

So yes, covering the front brake it is! Great decision. And while this article is more about wrapping your head around the idea of covering the front brake than it is a how-to guide, let’s discuss a few details if you don’t currently employ this technique and want to time warp yourself back to the future.

First, let’s decide what finger(s) we will use. As I mentioned, I use only my index finger and can achieve effective and comfortable braking results on all but my old drum-equipped racebikes, on which I use only two. I recommend you let the overall strength of your braking system be your guide. 

We want to make sure we have constant contact with the lever regardless of throttle position so that at any time during the manipulation of your controls, you can effectively apply the front brake. This means the lever needs to be close enough to reach when you twist the throttle, yet far enough to have adequate travel for maximum braking force. A great way to check if your lever is set in a good spot is to give it a firm squeeze and see if it “cages” the remaining fingers you have wrapped around the throttle. In other words, we don’t want the lever to touch your throttle fingers when you apply the brake. 

Lastly, you need to familiarize your hand with this new way of interacting with your bike. My recommendation is to sit in your garage with your bike shut off and practice keeping your finger rested on the lever while manipulating your throttle throughout its range of travel. You should be comfortable with this in about the same amount of time it would take you to eat two large chimichangas with an ice-cold beverage. Pay attention to ensure you are manipulating your front brake at all throttle positions. If you can’t apply the brake at a moment’s notice, all is lost. 

Once you feel comfortable with this technique in a static setting, ride your bike at slow speeds in your neighborhood or an empty parking lot, working this drill over and over. Keep focus on smooth throttle roll on and smooth front brake application.

Now that you’ve heard my pitch, I’ll make a few assurances should you choose to put on your spacesuit and give this a try. I promise you a greatly increased sense of security, knowing you are ready for an emergency stop at any moment. More critically, your overall braking distances will decrease because your reaction times will improve significantly. And I guarantee you will feel more confident about yourself as a rider the moment you start covering the front brake. Call it Quinn’s win-win-win. 

Find Quinn at Police Motor Training. Send feedback to rider@ridermagazine.com.

See all of Quinn Redeker’s “Motor School” articles here.

The post Motor School With Quinn Redeker: Cover Me, I’m on the Move appeared first on Rider Magazine.

It’s always fun to have a theme for a motorcycle tour, and my plan for a late August ride was a four-day loop from my home in Oklahoma to visit three historic hotels that are widely purported to be haunted. The first would be the St. James Hotel in Cimarron, New Mexico, followed by the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, and finally the Eldridge Hotel in Lawrence, Kansas. Between the fright nights, I’d ride first-class mountain roads on a nearly 1,900-mile route through five states.

Scan QR code above or click here to view the route on REVER

One Hot Motorcycle Tour with a Side of Wind

To make time, I rode west on Interstate 40 for the first 150 miles or so. Wind turbines were spinning at a good clip, and flags at roadside businesses whipped around in the hot wind. I rode in what my buddies and I call “the I-40 lean” – riding with the bike pitched a few degrees to the left to counteract the constant gale.

It was nearly 100 degrees when I crossed into the panhandle of Texas, and the empty landscape was dotted with cattle and oil wells. When I stopped in Dalhart to refuel, a guy with long hair and a shaggy beard pulling two Harleys on a trailer behind a pickup asked where I was heading. After I shared my plan, he said he was heading home after riding many of the same roads.

Eyeing my Suzuki V-Strom 1050XT, he said he still owns a KTM he bought back in the ’90s when he was in Germany. “I spent three years there myself,” I said, “when I was in the Army.” Turns out we were stationed in some of the same places, decades ago, on the other side of the world. And here we were, on a sweltering afternoon in small-town Texas, talking motorcycles and swapping memories.

St. James Hotel

The temperature subsided a bit after crossing into New Mexico, where I rode through high plains grassland. North of Springer, I continued west on State Route 58, climbing into the foothills of the Rockies. Once in Cimarron, I parked in front of the St. James Hotel. Walking into the lobby felt like going back in time to the Old West of the late 1800s.

Built in 1872 near the Santa Fe Trail and originally known as Lambert’s Inn, this hotel was a favorite of Old West legends such as Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Buffalo Bill Cody, Annie Oakley, Jesse James, and Billy the Kid.

During the lawless days of the Wild West, the hotel was the site of at least 26 murders; bullet holes are still visible over the bar in the hotel’s main dining room. Today, the St. James has 12 restored rooms in the original building, each named for a famous guest who stayed in the room, and 10 more rooms in a modern annex.

Several ghosts have been identified by paranormal experts in the St. James. Room 18 is off-limits because it is believed to house the malevolent ghost of Thomas James Wright, who was murdered after he won rights to the hotel in a poker game. The spirit of Mary Elizabeth Lambert, wife of the hotel’s founder, is said to be a protector of the hotel. She died there in 1926, and some say her rose-scented perfume still wafts through the hallways. There have been reports of a persistent tapping sound in Room 17, the mysterious smell of cigar smoke even though the hotel is nonsmoking, and sightings of a mischievous ghost resembling a little old man, nicknamed the “Little Imp,” who supposedly steals and relocates objects.

I stayed in the Pancho Griego room in the old building. Griego, a card dealer and local enforcer, picked a fight in the hotel’s saloon with gunslinger Clay Allison over the killing of Griego’s nephew. Unfortunately for Griego, he was a little (or a lot) drunk and took a bullet to the head from Allison’s gun. Would Griego’s restless spirit pay me a visit?  

After a nice dinner in the hotel restaurant, I turned in. I’ve stayed in supposedly haunted hotels all over the country going back at least 20 years, and I’ve never had a paranormal experience. But at the St. James, I was awakened at 3 a.m. – the so-called “witching hour” when the spirit world is said to be most active – by an unidentifiable foul odor that defied explanation (no, it wasn’t me).

A Motorcycle Tour on the Enchanted Circle

Continuing west on U.S. Route 64, I enjoyed flowing curves and yellow wildflowers as I rode through Cimarron Canyon State Park. Climbing out of the canyon revealed Eagle Nest Lake, an alpine lake above 8,000 feet near the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway.

Turning north on State Route 38, I followed the byway toward the ski town of Red River. I knew this stretch of highway from many ski trips there with my wife and kids. The road meanders through the mountains, winding its way up to 9,820-foot Bobcat Pass and into Carson National Forest. Memories of those family trips rushed back – the cabins we stayed in, our favorite ski lifts and runs, the restaurants we liked, and the fun we had.

Crossing into Colorado, I rode over 9,426-foot La Veta Pass on U.S. Route 160 and then up through Colorado Springs and Denver. At Loveland, I turned west on U.S. Route 34 and enjoyed a winding ride through Big Thompson Canyon and Roosevelt National Forest to Estes Park.

See all of Rider‘s South Central U.S. tour stories here.

Stanley Hotel

After a 400-mile day, I arrived at the Stanley Hotel, which sits on a sprawling property with views of the city that serves as the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. When it opened in 1909, it rivaled the finest hotels in America. It was established by Freelan Stanley, who, along with twin brother Francis, co-founded the Stanley Motor Carriage Company, which manufactured steam-powered automobiles from 1897-1924. Freelan fell in love with the Estes Valley, in part because he believed the area helped restore his previously failing health. Early hotel guests were impressed by features such as electric lights, telephones, modern bathrooms, a uniformed staff, and a fleet of Stanley Steamers.

By the 1970s, the hotel was struggling but got a shot in the arm when it became known as the inspiration for Stephen King’s bestseller The Shining. The book may be fiction, but there are plenty of real-life ghost stories swirling around the Stanley.

After checking in, I took the vintage Otis elevator to my fourth-floor room, which was hot as hell – fitting. The front desk dispatched a service technician, and as he worked on the air conditioner, I quizzed him about the hotel’s ghostly reputation.

“Is there anything to the ghost stuff?”

“Yep, they’re here,” he said. “I had my first experience after I’d been here a few months – tapped me right on the shoulder, but there was nobody there.”

“Interesting…” I replied, feeling a little chill down my spine.

At twilight, I walked out front to admire the Stanley’s beautiful facade against the darkening sky and visit the mildly creepy hedge maze, disappointed that a frozen Jack Nicholson was nowhere to be found. Back inside, I peeked in the séance room. The place certainly looked haunted.

Although Stephen King’s frightful night was in Room 217, the fourth floor where I was staying is thought to be the most haunted part of the hotel. Guests in Room 407 have reported being tucked into bed by an invisible force, and the apparition of a cowboy has been reported in Room 428. But Room 401 is the creepiest – female guests have reported inappropriate “touching” by what is thought to be an unfriendly male ghost. After my unsettling experience at the St. James, learning about the paranormal activity that has occurred just down the hall from my room had my eyes wide open as I turned off the bedside lamp.

However, after a restful sleep undisturbed by the spirit world, I packed up and headed south on the Peak-to-Peak Scenic Byway, a beautiful, curvy mountain road that reminded me why I’m a motorcyclist. Thinking it couldn’t get any better, I was proven wrong on State Route 119 toward Boulder, which follows a burbling stream with high rock cliffs on both sides for 16 glorious miles.

The fun soon came to an end, and I steeled myself for a long, hot slog on Interstate 70 into Kansas. It was well after dark and I had clocked 652 miles for the day when I arrived in Lawrence for the last stop on my ghost tour.

Eldridge Hotel

Originally built in 1855 under the name Free State Hotel, the Eldridge Hotel was burned down twice because of its role as a focal point of anti-slavery sentiment. Each time it was burned, the hotel’s founder, Col. Shalor Eldridge, rebuilt it at the same site. In 1867, it was renamed the Eldridge Hotel, and through the turn of the 20th century, it was considered one of the finest hotels west of the Mississippi River.

The Eldridge Hotel also has a long history of paranormal activity. The fifth floor is thought to have a direct connection to the spirit world, with Room 506 at the epicenter. Guests have reported seeing apparitions, breath marks on mirrors, doors opening and closing by themselves, and lights mysteriously turning themselves on and off. The elevator is said to have its own ghost who erratically opens and closes the elevator doors.

I checked into Room 305, which is spacious with modern amenities, and got cleaned up. Later, I wandered downstairs and explored the lobby, bar, and basement. The Eldridge is a beautiful old hotel, and I felt the weight of its history. With that history in mind – some of it painful – I can see how the energy of the past may still be imprinted on this place.

I once again slept peacefully in the comfy bed and woke up early, anxious to get on the road home. The only possible evidence of mischievous spirits was that my television was stuck on the Hallmark Murders & Mysteries channel.

Some of the roads and stops on my Old West motorcycle tour could certainly be considered supernatural, but did the experience make a believer out of me? Until I can find a logical explanation for what happened to me at the St. James Hotel, the jury is out.

See all of Rider‘s touring stories here.

The post An Old West Motorcycle Tour to 3 Haunted Hotels appeared first on Rider Magazine.

As a rider for over 50 years and writer for motorcycle magazines for more than 25 years, I’ve heard motorcyclists spout some bizarre beliefs. Here are some of the most enduring motorcycle myths. Each is bogus.

1. Loud pipes save lives. Loud pipes mean more power.

The first of my motorcycle myths is a twofer. First off, loud pipes don’t save lives, but becoming a better rider can. Some people also assume a louder exhaust (one with little or no baffling) makes more power. While a less restrictive exhaust may add a bit more horsepower at the top of the rev range, they often perform poorly unless corresponding changes are made to the intake side. OEM exhausts are designed to provide horsepower and torque where it matters – in the midrange where you spend most of your time riding.

2. Open-face helmets are just as good as full-face helmets.

Full-face motorcycle helmets provide better protection than open-face helmets because they cover the entire head, including the chin and face. Seeing photos of riders with the bottom half of their face torn off convinced me.

A meta-analysis in Preventive Medicine Reports found that full-face helmets reduce the risk of head injuries by 64% and neck injuries by 36% compared to open-face helmets. A full-face helmet’s faceshield protects the face and provides a clear view, and the fully enclosed design reduces noise by up to 30 decibels. Overall, full-face helmets provide better protection, more comfort, and increased safety.

See all of Rider‘s Helmet reviews here.

3. Using car tires on motorcycles is fine.

Does anyone still buy this myth? Using car tires on motorcycles can be dangerous. The Motorcycle Industry Council warns: “Never mount a passenger car tire on a motorcycle rim; the flat profile of a car tire is incompatible with the dynamics of a vehicle that leans as it corners, and the section of the tire in contact with the rim (the ‘bead’) is incompatible with motorcycle rims.”

Tales from the Dark Side, Eric Trow’s feature in Rider on this topic, includes a quote from motorcycle safety expert and AMA hall-of-famer David Hough: “Motorcycle engineers get up awfully early in the morning to calculate what works best for bikes. An owner who disregards the engineers’ advice should think carefully about his or her talents in being more clever than the engineers. The owner who installs tires not designed for the task must take full responsibility for the results.”

Related: Tales From the Dark Side: Putting Car Tires on Motorcycles

4. The rear brake stops a bike better than the front brake.

Using the front brake to stop a motorcycle is more effective and safer than relying on the rear brake. No exercise was practiced more and drilled into us harder during police motor officer training than proper braking. According to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, the front brake provides over 70% of a motorcycle’s stopping power. It is more effective because as you brake, a motorcycle’s weight shifts forward, giving the front tire more grip. The front brake also provides better control and stability, especially in emergency situations, whereas the rear tire can lock up and skid, leading to loss of control. Using both brakes together provides the shortest stopping distance.

5. “I had to lay it down.”

This refers to intentionally laying a motorcycle on its side to avoid an impending crash. In other words, crashing to avoid a crash. This is not only pointless, it’s dangerous. Every millisecond of braking before impact reduces speed and the severity of damage. Experienced riders and safety organizations such as the MSF emphasize that riders should maintain control of the motorcycle and try to avoid an accident altogether through proper use of the brakes. Laying the bike down is a sign of panic and lack of proper training and experience. It can result in road rash, broken bones, and even death.

6. Lane splitting is dangerous.

Research has shown lane splitting reduces traffic congestion and improves traffic flow. A study by the University of California Berkeley found that lane splitting reduces traffic delays by up to 40%. Lane splitting can be safer for motorcyclists because it reduces the likelihood of being hit from behind by distracted or inattentive drivers. The study also found no increased risk of crashes for motorcyclists who practice it safely and responsibly. Once only allowed in California, it is now legal in various forms in four states. For more on this topic, check out Eric Trow’s feature, Split Decision: Are Lane Splitting and Lane Filtering Safe?.

7. BMWs are more reliable than other motorcycles.

I own a BMW motorcycle, and I’ve owned, ridden, tested, or rented bikes from nearly every major manufacturer. As you can expect, I have opinions about brand reliability, but don’t take my word for it. A 2015 Consumer Reports survey of 11,000 motorcycle owners provided the following ranking of brands in terms of reliability: 1. Yamaha, 2. Honda, 3. Suzuki, 4. Kawasaki, 5. Harley-Davidson, 6. Triumph, 7. Ducati, and 8. BMW.

See all of Rider‘s BMW coverage here.

8. Leather motorcycle apparel offers the best protection.

In truth, the best protective gear is the gear you use and wear all the time. In some instances, Kevlar (a synthetic material five times stronger than steel and with excellent abrasion resistance) and Cordura (a durable nylon that’s also resistant to abrasion) are considered superior to leather. They also weigh less than leather and can keep you cooler, a significant benefit in hot weather.

See all of Rider‘s Apparel reviews here.

9. Being a passenger on a motorcycle is just like being a rider.

Early in my riding days, I gave little thought to what my passenger was experiencing. Eventually, I wised up, and an article I wrote about riding with passengers became one of my most requested reprints. A passenger’s perspective on a motorcycle is very different from the rider’s. If you have any doubts, hop on the passenger seat and ride for 50 miles with someone else at the controls. Passengers can impact the bike’s handling. Riding with a good passenger is wonderful; riding with those who are scared or unfamiliar with how a motorcycle handles can be a total disaster.  

10. Real riders never wash their bikes.

A good friend and fellow motorcycle journalist never washed his bike. He bragged that every bug he ever hit was still there. It was a case of pride over performance. My post-trip habit is to thoroughly wash and detail my motorcycle. In the process, I examine every cable and fastener to ensure it is snug and in its proper place. Going over the bike inch by inch, I often find little things wrong that, if unaddressed, could have caused big problems later. Riders should take the time to clean their own bike and know what to look for. This is the motorcyclist’s equivalent of a pilot flight pre-check. It can save your life.

11. Aftermarket performance accessories improve performance.

My friend Kevin Brown says one of the first things he learned at the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute was to ask the following questions of a rider who complained his bike was not running right: “What did you do to it? Did you add any accessories or make any performance enhancements?” Turns out a high percentage of bikes could be fixed by simply removing the addition. The chances you’ll improve the performance of your bike by adding something is highly unlikely. Usually it runs worse.

See all of Rider‘s Parts & Accessories reviews here.

12. Turn your handlebar in the direction you want to go.

Motorcyclists control the direction of travel by using “countersteering.” This means the rider turns or pushes the handlebar in the opposite direction of the turn. In other words, steer left to turn right, and vice versa. This works because as you turn in the opposite direction, the bike and rider will lean in the direction you wish to go. Many riders are unaware of this but make the correct movement unconsciously.  

Related: Stayin’ Safe: Countersteering

13. Car drivers see motorcycles and will stop for you.

Automobile drivers don’t look for motorcycles the way they watch for other cars. They often will look directly at you yet fail to register the presence of a motorcycle. I credit a good part of my surviving so many motorcycle miles without incident to pretending my bike and I are wrapped in an invisibility cloak and no one can see me. Because of this mindset, I expect cars to pull out in front of me and am always prepared with a “Plan B.”  

14. Only wusses wear protective gear.

Those who have had accidents often credit their protective gear with saving their lives. My riding friends operate with the motto ATGATT, meaning “All The Gear, All The Time.” Full protective gear includes a good helmet and armored jacket, gloves, pants, and boots. Some riders now use airbag vests or suits. Many seriously injured bikers lament from a hospital bed: “But I was only going three blocks to the store. I didn’t want to get all suited up just for that.” 

15. Raingear keeps you dry in the rain.

I’m told some raingear works well. My experience, however, is that rain almost always seeps into small cracks or seams, and before I know it, I’m soaked. I’ve owned at least five pairs of “waterproof” gloves and only one pair worked. Same for boots. If you are riding in the rain, prepare to get wet.  

16. Interstate highways are dangerous.

Interstate highways, while certainly not the most fun, are generally considered the safest place to ride a motorcycle due to their consistent speeds and limited access, which minimizes cross traffic. According to the NHTSA, interstates have the lowest fatality rates per mile traveled compared to other road types. Two-lane roads pose a higher risk due to their narrow lanes and lack of barriers between opposing lanes of traffic. City streets and parking lots pose the highest risk of accidents for motorcyclists due to higher levels of congestion, frequent intersections, and obstacles.

17. Riding side by side within a lane like Ponch and Jon on CHiPs is the best way to ride.

Motorcyclists are safest when riding in a staggered formation. It provides greater visibility and more space for emergency maneuvers and stopping. It also makes it easier to signal your fellow riders should the need arise.  

Related: Stayin’ Safe: Group Riding Tips

18. Faced with a potential accident, you can avoid injury by jumping off your motorcycle.

Like “laying it down,” this may be tempting if it appears you are about to crash, but it’s a bad idea and will likely result in serious injury or death. Sticking with the motorcycle, attempting to control it, and having faith in its ability to stop, rapidly change direction, and get you out of a tight situation is nearly always the better choice. Motorcycles are far more capable than we give them credit for. 

19. Once you set the correct tire pressure on your bike, you can forget it.

Tire pressure has a significant influence on the performance and safety of a motorcycle. Keeping both tires at the correct pressure provides the best ride quality, traction, stability, and control. Incorrect tire pressure negatively impacts wear on the tires and hurts your mileage. All motorcycle tires lose air to some extent, so it is imperative to always check for correct pressure before every ride. 

In his book The Power of Myth, Joseph Cambell wrote that mythologies have value because they “support our quest for wisdom and happiness.” Loud pipes may make you feel cool, and backroads may be the most fun, but don’t believe loud pipes will save your life or that backroads are safer. Motorcycle myths are still myths – widely held but false beliefs.

See all of Rider‘s Tips & Tricks articles here.

The post 19 Common Motorcycle Myths appeared first on Rider Magazine.

When the leaves tremble with their last days of color and the north winds begin to blow, I want to seize the day and take a ride before the snowflakes fly. I like to experience a variety of roads and sights all within the limited daylight of late fall. Northern New Jersey has great roads that ramble through state forests, around reservoirs and farms, and into small towns, making for a superb day ride.

I had plotted a route for this trip, but soon after my ride began, I saw a road sign that warned: APPLE SEASON HEAVY TRAFFIC. The last thing I wanted was to be stuck in the middle of a traffic jam surrounded by carloads of apple‑­picking tourists slowly swarming toward orchards, so I threw out my itinerary and decided to go wherever the road and my gut told me.

Scan QR code above or click here to view the route on REVER

Rolling up Abram S. Hewitt State Forest’s Bearfort Ridge on the serpentine Warwick Turnpike, I avoided the congestion by taking the forest‑­enveloped Clinton Road, which snakes through a large section of the 35,000‑­acre Pequannock Watershed. There are four reservoirs open for public recreation, and the area is crisscrossed by mountain trails and home to all manner of wildlife. 

Clinton Road and its surrounding wilderness have a somewhat creepy reputation for ghost sightings, witch gatherings, weird animal hybrids, and at least one infamous serial killer. I was attracted to this particular stretch on my New Jersey backroads motorcycle ride because it was recently repaved and weaves alongside the sun-kissed reservoirs and through colorful forests, but the area’s notoriety added to its allure.

Several boat launches and parking areas provided opportunities to stretch my legs and drink in the scenery. Some riders are tempted to white‑­knuckle it through the many twisties of Clinton Road, but I don’t recommend it. During the late fall rutting season, deer are hyperactive and as plentiful as flies on a cow patty. Besides, a slow cruise gives you time to appreciate the beauty.

See all of Rider‘s Northeast U.S. tour stories here.

However, as I turned off Clinton Road and rode west on the mostly rural State Route 23, I ramped up the pace. The crisp, pure air caressing my face was invigorating. At Hamburg, I picked up State Route 94. Rumbling south, I spotted the Northern New Jersey Veterans Memorial Cemetery and stopped to pay my respects. Walking through the cemetery, you cannot help but be overwhelmed with emotion and appreciation for those who served our country and now rest in this hallowed ground. 

Continuing south, SR‑­94 passes through Newton, a bustling small town, and then into lush farmland, with New Jersey’s western mountains rising on the horizon like a fortress wall.

In Blairstown, I stopped for lunch at the Blairstown Diner, which has been family owned and operated for over 70 years and has tasty food and authentic retro decor. The diner was featured in the original Friday the 13th film, and in the hills of nearby Hardwick, Boy Scout Camp No‑­Be‑­Bo‑­Sco stood in for the film’s major setting, Camp Crystal Lake.

From Blairstown, I wound my way north on the rolling County Road 521, stopping briefly at the scenic White Lake Natural Resource Area and the historic Vass Farmstead. Built in 1812 and listed in the National Registry of Historic Places, it is worth a stop.

At Stillwater, I turned left onto County Road 617 and then followed a series of other rural roads. My Vulcan handled these wavy and weaving routes through farmland and forests with cool confidence. By the time I reached SR‑­23 again, the sun was hanging low in the western sky. Heading south, I cracked the whip on my Vulcan and enjoyed its pulsating power as we rode down the highway.

As I exited onto the tree‑­lined County Road 513, my journey neared its end. Although my route was impromptu, the ride was perfect. Cruising on great roads through the beautiful countryside during the fall reminded me what riding is meant to be: unfettered by plans and going with the flow. There definitely will be more freewheeling rides in my future. As Peter Fonda’s sage old biker character Damien Blade said in Wild Hogs, “Lose the watches.”

See all of Rider‘s touring stories here.

New Jersey Backroads Motorcycle Ride Resources:

• New Jersey Tourism Bureau
• Northern NJ Veterans Memorial Cemetery
• Blairstown Diner
• White Lake Natural Resource Area
• Vass Farmstead

The post A New Jersey Backroads Motorcycle Ride in Fall | Favorite Ride appeared first on Rider Magazine.

America should designate a national park dedicated to motorcycles, and I nominate the Barber Vintage Motorsports Park. Set on 880 acres in the lush, rolling hills east of Birmingham, Alabama, it’s a motorcycle dreamland. A 16‑­turn, 2.4‑­mile racetrack designed with input from John Surtees and Dan Gurney winds through the campus. There are no grandstands, just well‑­manicured grassy hillsides where spectators can spread out chairs, blankets, and umbrellas.

The crown jewel, of course, is the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, which holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest collection of motorcycles: more than 1,800 of them representing 200 manufacturers from 22 countries.

More than 1,000 motorcycles are on display at any given time, and they are spread out over five floors in a spacious, well‑­lit cathedral of speed and engineering. The top floor of the museum houses the Barber Advanced Design Center, an industrial design lab.

Barber has hosted rounds of AMA/MotoAmerica Superbike racing since 2003. I attended the Superbike races in 2004, where I watched the dominant Mat Mladin battle it out against Jake Zemke and Miguel Duhamel. It also hosts American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) racing.

Barber hosts two annual motorcycling events: Barber Small Bore, which celebrates the wild and wacky world of minibikes, and Barber Vintage Festival, which brings together vintage bike fans for a three‑­day festival packed with AHRMA races, demo rides, bike shows, seminars, museum tours, vendor areas, and a huge swap meet.

This past October, the 18th annual Barber Vintage Festival hosted the inaugural BMW Motorrad Days Americas – a spin‑­off of the event that takes place every summer in Germany – to celebrate the 100th anniversary of BMW Motorrad.

See all of Rider‘s BMW coverage here.

BMW invited members of the motorcycle media and friends of the brand to be part of the event, which gave me the opportunity for a long-overdue visit to the festival and museum. I’ve been told that you can’t do justice to the museum in less than a full day, and truer words have never been spoken. The scale, depth, and breadth of the collection is mind‑­boggling.

On Friday, our chummy group of motojournalists saddled up on a fleet of BMW R 18 Roctanes to ride from our hotel to Barber. We were joined by Peter Nettesheim and his daughter, Kate. Nettesheim’s New York home showcases the world’s largest collection of BMW motorcycles. He owns at least one of every BMW model built between 1923 and 1970, including the oldest known example of the first motorcycle BMW built, the 1923 R 32, as well as various newer models and an extensive collection of BMW paraphernalia.

Upon arriving at Barber, I hopped on one of the shuttles that carries visitors along the park’s ring road surrounding the racetrack and ferries them to the museum, the Fan Zone, the swap meet, the Proving Grounds, the paddock, and the spectating areas. Motorcycles were parked on nearly every available patch of grass, and the age range and diversity of bikes were impressive. The blue smoke and ring‑­a‑­ding sounds of 2‑­strokes filled the air, and old‑­school minibikes piloted by hipsters and overgrown boys zipped around everywhere. Harleys, Hondas, and Hodakas of various vintages and conditions sat proudly on makeshift kickstand pads, some with “For Sale” signs tucked into the handlebars. Name any motorcycle brand, and it was represented somewhere by someone.

My first stop was the sprawling Proving Grounds, which was the staging area for demo rides offered by BMW, CFMOTO, Indian, KTM, Royal Enfield, Triumph, Yamaha, and electric bike maker Ryvid. BMW had an enormous fleet of bikes on hand and was offering both on‑­road and off‑­road demos. Next to BMW’s demo area, our very own Quinn Redeker gave hourly police‑­style riding demonstrations on a BMW R 1250 RT‑­P, and his humor and skills weaving through tight cone patterns kept folks thoroughly entertained.

Related: Motor School with Quinn Redeker: Hi, My Name is Quinn

Near the Proving Grounds was the Isle of Triumph, an immersive fan experience located inside the racetrack with live music, a bike show, art installations, and vendors selling food, drinks, and merch.

Next, I made my way over to the Henderson Auctions Fan Zone, which overlooks the racetrack and had a bouncy‑­house kids zone, American Motor Drome Company’s Wall of Death, the Urias Family Globe of Death, and a vendor area, where I visited our friends at Royal Enfield, SW‑­Motech, and Wunderlich America.

Taking up most of the real estate in the Fan Zone was the BMW Motorrad Days Americas area, which included displays of current and historical models, a beer garden, a stage with live music, a merchandise store, and partner displays, including Edelweiss Bike Travel, RawHyde Adventures, and the BMW Performance Center.

On the stage at noon, GS Brand Ambassador Shawn “Rock On” Thomas and BMW Motorrad VP Region Americas Trudy Hardy gave a few introductory remarks before pulling a cover off the 2024 BMW R 1300 GS – the bike’s first public showing since being announced on Sept. 28 (see page 7 for details). After Stefan Reiff, BMW Motorrad’s VP of Customer, Brand and Sales, gave an overview of the new GS, Thomas rolled it off the stage, and I captured a short video of him starting up the bike, which is available on the Rider YouTube channel. The R 1300 GS was on display the rest of the weekend, giving folks a chance to check out the bike up close.

Related: BMW Motorrad Unveils 2024 BMW R 1300 GS at Barber Vintage Festival | Videos

At dinner on Friday night, I had the privilege of sitting with Udo Giestl, who worked as an engineer for Butler & Smith, the former U.S. importer for BMW motorcycles. He built the R 90 S racebikes that Reg Pridmore, Gary Fisher, and Steve McLaughlin campaigned in the inaugural 1976 season of AMA Superbike racing. McLaughlin and Pridmore finished 1‑­2 in the Daytona 200 that year, and Pridmore won the championship.

On Saturday, Giestl’s son, Eric, led the BMW parade laps on a restored version of Pridmore’s R 90 S racebike, and he was flanked by Peter and Kate Nettesheim on two vintage BMWs from Peter’s collection.

That same day, Revival Cycles hosted a BMW‑­only ride‑­in bike show, which included well‑­maintained bikes of new and old vintages as well as various customs, like an R 75/5 chopper with a raked‑­out springer front end. I joined several other journalists for an in‑­depth tour of the BMWs in the Barber Museum given by BMW archivist Fred Jakobs, who had traveled from Germany to attend the event.

It was a full, fun weekend with more to do than there was time to do it. No word yet whether BMW Motorrad Days Americas will become an annual event, but no matter what, put the Barber Vintage Festival on your calendar (Oct. 11‑­13, 2024), and make sure you allow plenty of time to explore the museum.

For more information, visit the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum website.

The post Inaugural BMW Motorrad Days Americas at Barber Vintage Festival a Success appeared first on Rider Magazine.

Related: Himalayan Cliffhanger | Riding India’s Death Road

The November 2023 issue included “India from Head to Toe,” about riding her Royal Enfield 4,500 miles from the high Himalayan passes to the southernmost tip of India. Check out Cooper’s book, Waiting for Mango Season, available on Amazon, to read more about her adventures in India.

LINKS: Waiting for Mango Season on Amazon, @elliecooper.author on Instagram

You can check out Episode 67 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean, and YouTube or via the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast webpage. Please subscribe, leave us a 5-star rating, and tell your friends! Scroll down for a list of previous episodes.

Visit the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast webpage to check out previous episodes:

• Ep. 66: Motorcycle Cannonball team Jonas Zahn and Brenda Kuhl, PeglegSpeedShop
• Ep. 65: Tom Medema, RallyForRangers.org
• Ep. 64: Quinn Redeker, PoliceMotorTraining.com
• Ep. 63: Justin Bradshaw, REVER
• Ep. 62: Ed Conde, New England Riders
• Ep. 61: Steven Goode, Great American Scenic Byway Tour benefiting the Parkinson’s Foundation
• Ep. 60: Eric Trow, Stayin’ Safe
• Ep. 59: Nick Ienatsch, Yamaha Champions Riding School
• Ep. 58: Inna Thorn and Tim James, Backcountry Discovery Routes
• Ep. 57: Tim Card, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Fundraiser
• Ep. 56: Kyle Petty, Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America
• Ep. 55: Guillermo Cornejo, Riders-Share.com
• Ep. 54: Kevin Duke, Editor-in-Chief of American Rider
• Ep. 53: Killboy, Killboy.com
• Ep. 52: Perry Steed, OperationPurpose.net
• Ep. 51: Forrest Hobbs, TransAmerica Trail “purist”
• Ep. 50: Dave Scott, Part 3 on the TransAmerica Trail
• Ep. 49: Gina ‘Brooklyn’ Neumann, Leather and Lace MC
• Ep. 48: Dave Scott on the TransAmerica Trail
• Ep. 47: Neale Bayly, motojournalist and philanthropist
• Ep. 46: Dave Scott, TransAmerica Trail Part 1
• Ep. 45: C. Jane Taylor, author of Spirit Traffic
• Ep. 44: Moshe K. Levy, Moto Mouth Moshe
• Ep. 43: Can Akkaya, Superbike-Coach.com
• Ep. 42: Andre LaPlante, MotoVentures
• Ep. 41: Scott A. Williams, writer and contributor to Rider
• Ep. 40: Chris Peterman, Director of Motorcycles at CFMOTO USA
• Ep. 39: Hayley Bell, Founder and President of Global Business Development for Women Riders World Relay
• Ep. 38: Eric Trow, Rider Contributing Editor and Stayin’ Safe Principal
• Ep. 37: Bill Dragoo, Dragoo Adventure Riding Training (DART)
• Ep. 36: Gordon McCall, Director of Motorsports for The Quail Motorcycle Gathering
• Ep. 35: Rennie Scaysbrook, Pikes Peak record holder, motorcycle journalist, and racer
• Ep. 34: Cat MacLeod of Leod Escapes Motorcycle “Track and Tour”
• Ep. 33: Inna Thorn and Tim James of Backcountry Discovery Routes
• Ep. 32: C. Jane Taylor, author of Spirit Traffic
• Ep. 31: Alan Wilzig, motorcycle collector and owner of Wilzig Racing Manor
• Ep. 30: Scott Moreno, founder and owner of IMTBike Motorcycle Tours and Rentals
• Ep. 29: Greg Rice, long-distance rider and Iron Butt Rally competitor
• Ep. 28: Brian Case, Director of the Barber Advanced Design Center at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum
• Ep. 27: Steven Goode, motorcyclist who completed the Great American Deli Schlep to support MAZON
• Ep. 26: Nancy Gerloff and Mark Augustyn, creators of Mimi and Moto: The Motorcycle Monkeys
• Ep. 25: Jess Stone, designer of the K9 Moto Cockpit and founder of Ruffly
• Ep. 24: Eddie Braun, Hollywood stuntman who completed Evel Knievel’s Snake River Canyon jump, and star of the film “Stuntman”
• Ep. 23: Ryan McFarland, founder and CEO of Strider Bikes and All Kids Bike advocate
• Ep. 22: Americade interview with Bill, Gini, and Christian Dutcher
• Ep. 21: Peter Starr, motorcycle filmmaker, author, and MotoStarr podcast host
• Ep. 20: Jon DelVecchio, founder of Street Skills and author of “Cornering Confidence”
• Ep. 19: Lauren Trantham, founder of Ride My Road
• Ep. 18: Keith Code, founder and director of California Superbike School
• Ep. 17: Valerie Thompson, world’s fastest female motorcycle racer
• Ep. 16: Wayne Rainey, president of MotoAmerica and a motorcycle racing legend
• Ep. 15: Longhaulpaul (Paul Pelland), Chasing the Cure: a million-mile motorcycle journey for MS
• Ep. 14: Andy Goldfine, Aerostich founder and Ride to Work Day advocate
• Ep. 13: Dr. Gregory W. Frazier, America’s #1 extreme motorcycle adventurer
• Ep. 12: Daniel Calderon, Curator of Exhibitions at SFO Museum
• Ep. 11: Peter Jones, Rider columnist and author of The Bad Editor
• Ep. 10: Christian Dutcher, Director of Americade and Touratech DirtDaze Rally
• Ep. 09: Melissa Holbrook Pierson, author of The Perfect Vehicle
• Ep. 08: Rainer Buck, CEO of Edelweiss Bike Travel
• Ep. 07: Michael Lock, CEO of AMA Pro Racing
• Ep. 06: Alonzo Bodden, motorcycle enthusiast and comedian
• Ep. 05: Paul D’Orleans, publisher of The Vintagent
• Ep. 04: Eric Trow, Rider columnist and owner, Stayin’ Safe Advanced Riding Training
• Ep. 03: Clement Salvadori, traveling motorcyclist and Rider contributor
• Ep. 02: Kevin Wing, world-class motorcycle photographer and Rider contributor
• Ep. 01: Robert Pandya and Discover the Ride at the Progressive International Motorcycle Shows

The post Ellie Cooper | Ep. 67 Rider Magazine Insider Podcast appeared first on Rider Magazine.

I’ll assume that most of you have quite a bit of motorcycle riding experience under your belt, and I bet you’ve logged some heavy miles and had a few near misses over the years. Given your vast experience, you’ve probably learned a few things along the way. Over the years of riding as a motor officer, I have managed to learn some habits that maybe you haven’t heard about and could benefit from.

This first one came to me via a salty old motor cop addressing a room full of other salty old motor cops, and it absolutely woke up the room. He asked, “What does a green light mean?” And while your brain, like mine, probably thought it means you have legal right-of-way to go through the intersection, this guy dropped a bomb and answered, “A green light means the bulb is working.”

Think about that for a minute: The bulb is working. That’s all it means. He went on to demand that we trust no traffic signal and remain colorblind, making damn sure to clear every intersection lane-by-lane before entering it. In the end, he made believers out of every one of us old motor cops: A light bulb has no mystical power to keep you safe. 

From that day forward, I never went through an intersection without diligently assessing the cross-traffic during my approach. Had I not, on three separate occasions I would have been seriously injured or worse due to oblivious drivers blowing stale red lights. And if you are wondering, no, I didn’t let them off with warnings.

Related: Quinn Redeker | Ep. 64 Rider Magazine Insider Podcast

Other Motor School Intersection Tips

In addition to assessing each intersection before going into it, it’s also good practice to avoid being the first vehicle into the intersection. Think about it: How many times have you watched vehicles run the red trying to “make the light”? You don’t want to rip out there as soon as your light turns green, only to come face-to-face with Bruce The Crossfit King, hopped up on pre-workout caffeine on his way to The Box to smash some PRs. Better to slow your roll, assess, and then proceed. Let everybody else risk the wrath of Bruce.

Another habit? When approaching a green light, I speed up or slow down a little bit to pace next to vehicles headed in the same direction as me until I clear the intersection. It just takes a few seconds, and by having a nice big car or truck on my side, I have a “blocker” to protect me. Once out of the intersection, I go on about my business until the next one presents itself.

Although this next tip is not related to intersections, it has saved my skin more times than I can count. I worked traffic in the hilly beach town of Ventura, California, which means I made lots of stops on steep slopes. I was not interested in having my bike run away without me or roll off the kickstand during a traffic stop, so I always kept my bike in 1st gear as an improvised motorcycle emergency brake. My ritual consisted of clicking down to 1st, shutting the bike off, letting the clutch out, allowing the bike to roll forward and settle, then putting the kickstand down and stepping off into the great unknown. The settle part is key because the bike typically rolls a few inches after you let the clutch out, which can be just far enough to roll it off the stand and hit the ground. Ask me how I know this… 

These are just a few ideas that might benefit you from time to time. For those of you who already know these things, thanks for listening politely as I preached to the choir. Most importantly, for all the elder statesmen out there who have, in one form or another, helped save my life, I leave you with this:

“When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.” –Mark Twain

Find Quinn at Police Motor Training. Send feedback to rider@ridermagazine.com.

See all of Quinn Redeker’s “Motor School” articles here.

The post Motor School With Quinn Redeker: What Does a Green Light Mean? appeared first on Rider Magazine.

Moab, Utah, is an ideal destination for a motorcycle trip. Where else can you find sandstone arches, red‑­walled canyons, snow‑­capped mountains, scenic byways, two national parks, and a fun, adventure‑­ready town? The best time to visit is in the spring or fall because it’s often too hot in the summer and roads can get icy in the winter.

Scan QR code above or click here to view the route on REVER

Since I live in Denver, on the other side of the Rockies, part of the fun of visiting Moab is simply getting there. Heading west out of the city, U.S. Route 285 climbs the Front Range before passing through mountain towns like Conifer (8,277 feet), Bailey (7,740 feet), and Fairplay (9,954 feet).

Riding through the Rockies means going over mountain passes, and on the way to Fairplay, you’ll cruise over Kenosha Pass (9,997 feet) and Red Hill Pass (9,993 feet) before descending into a broad valley. Such grand vistas across open range show the true beauty of Colorado. Fairplay is an old mining town named after the notion that all miners should have an equal chance to stake a claim. It’s home to South Park City, an open‑­air museum preserving a 19th century mining town, including over 40 original buildings and thousands of artifacts from the boomtown days.

Continuing south on U.S. 285, the road becomes U.S. Route 24 at Antero Junction and goes south and then north through Buena Vista (7,925 feet) and Granite (9,012 feet). At Twin Lakes, turning west on State Route 82 takes you across the Continental Divide at Independence Pass (12,095 feet), where the air is thin and always chilly.

The long, winding descent to the ski town of Aspen is pure pleasure. SR‑­82 ends at Glenwood Springs, and the next 134 westward miles follow a curving section of Interstate 70. If you have the time, I recommend the scenic Rim Rock Drive through the Colorado National Monument among the high cliffs above Grand Junction.

See all of Rider‘s Colorado touring stories here.

After crossing into Utah, take the first Moab exit for State Route 128, which is a scenic byway that winds through a majestic red rock canyon carved by the Colorado River. Highlights include the stunning Fisher Tower and Castle Rock, a finger‑­like spiral to the southwest that’s been seen in many films and commercials. 

At milepost 14 on SR‑­128 is the Red Cliffs Lodge, built on the old George White Ranch, another location used in many Western films. If you’re a cowboy fan like me, visit the lodge’s Moab Museum of Film and Western Heritage to see production stills, movie posters, autographed scripts, props from movies filmed nearby, and displays about Western heritage. Lunch or dinner at The Cowboy Grill is highly recommended.

The key attractions in Moab are Arches and Canyonlands national parks. Arches, located just a few miles north of town, is the more popular of the two, and the nearly 20‑­mile paved road through the park takes you past a stunning array of sandstone arches, petrified dunes, and red rock formations.

Canyonlands is the largest national park in Utah, and its diversity staggers the imagination. The park is 32 miles from Moab and has 20 miles of paved roads with many pullouts offering spectacular views. The Island in the Sky sits atop a massive 1,500‑­foot‑­high mesa, and on a clear day you can see over 100 miles in any direction. Sunrise and sunset are particularly beautiful times of day to enjoy these panoramic views of canyon country.  

Scenic State Route 313 leads to both Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point State Park, which offers unforgettable views of deep canyons and cliffs overlooking the Colorado River. I recommend taking time to explore side trails to see different viewpoints in this one‑­of‑­a‑­kind area.

See all of Rider‘s Utah touring stories here.

The La Sal Mountain Loop, a 36‑­mile scenic road that starts at SR‑­128 near Red Cliffs Lodge and goes through Castle Valley, up into the La Sal Mountains, and then back down to Moab near Spanish Valley, is another great local ride.

Moab is an ideal base camp for lodging, dining, and other adventures such as whitewater rafting, hiking, mountain biking, and off‑­road riding and driving (you can rent Jeeps, ATVs, and side‑­by‑­sides). One of my favorite places to stay is the Red Stone Inn, a rustic but clean and affordable motel with a communal hot tub and picnic area and rooms with a TV, free wi‑­fi, and a mini kitchen.

Whether you travel across the Colorado Rockies, through the red‑­rock canyons of southern Utah, or take some other route to get there, put Moab on your “must visit” list. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

See all of Rider‘s touring stories here.

Denver to Moab Motorcycle Trip Resources:

• South Park City Museum, Fairplay, Colorado
• Colorado National Monument
• Discover Moab, Utah
• Red Cliffs Lodge
• Red Stone Inn
• Arches National Park
• Canyonlands National Park
• Dead Horse Point State Park

The post Motoring from Denver to Moab | Favorite Ride appeared first on Rider Magazine.