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  • From: MrMotorcycle
  • Description:

    http://01mrmotorcycle.blogspot.com/

    http://www.kulassspeedshoppaint.blogspot.com/

  • Blog post
  • 3 days ago
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• Easy Rider: The Ride Back! Exc Easy Rider: The Ride Back! Exclusive Ohio Showing Behind the Scenes Footage Extensive Promo Reel of Film

  • From: searay
  • Description:

    www.twowheelthundertv.com

    Will keep you up to date on the new movie Easy Rider: The Rider Back.

    Get tickets while they last @ http://www.wildhogstickets.com/

    EASY RIDER:THE RIDE BACK

    The long awaited prequel to one of the highest grossing independent films of all time. "Easy Rider" defined the thoughts and values of a generation. The prequel "Easy Rider: The Ride Back" shows through flashbacks how these much loved characters became the classic icons of a generation.

    Millions of fans around the world know the throb of the Captain America Harley Davidson, the roar of that great 60s music, the thrill of the open road. Now a whole new generation can experience the same sense of freedom through these modern day road rebels in "Easy Rider: The Ride Back".

     

  • Blog post
  • 2 weeks ago
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• LONG DISTANCE COFFEE LONG DISTANCE COFFEE

  • From: Spadgesmum
  • Description:

    When my husband & I arrived back in our home country (South Africa) just over 12mths ago, the first thing we did was to go to a Harley dealer & slap down a hefty wad of money as a deposit on a new TriGlide. We chose the colour & I gotta admit, I was so excited, as this would be my opportunity to ride for myself. We'd left the Middle East to come home & sold our FLHCTU, so until the TriGlide arrived, we were restricted to driving the car.

    The weeks passed.

    The months passed.

    By December, we were told by HD that they had no idea when or even if TriGlides would touch down on SA soil.

    My husband exported his Softail Custom from the Middle East & after numerous hassles, it finally made it home. He got to ride it, but as he'd customised it to be a solo seater, I was left waiting & wanting.

    Frustration & impatience finally overtook, so we travelled the 200 odd miles to our nearest HD dealer, told them to cancel the TriGlide & ordered an ElectraGlide Ultra Limited. We were told delivery would be in 2-3wks, which suited us fine, as we were heading overseas to visit our son & his family.

    I didn't mind that I wouldn't be able to ride myself (the FLHCTU was too big for me to learn) because after an absence of five long months I literally just wanted to ride again!

    The FLHTK arrived late on a Friday night. Oh how we oooohed & aaaahhd! She was a beaut!

    The following morning, we gave her a quick polish & then said "Where shall we go for a nice ride?"

    "How about the coffee shop at Vaalwater?" I suggested.

    No sooner said than done, we climbed aboard & hit the road.

    A round trip of 180km (112miles)

    Just for a cup of coffee.

    But..........more importantly, just for the ride.

     

  • Blog post
  • 2 weeks ago
  • Views: 140

• Readying For the Ride Readying For the Ride

  • From: BobByington
  • Description:

    On February 1, 2001 I lfet for my solo ride from Portland, OR to Key West, FL. So far it is the ride of my life. One element I had not really thought much about until recently was the preparation to attempt such an adventure.

     

    Since I had bought my first Harley I had been to Sturgis a few times so knew what it was like to spend time in the saddle but I always had a friend or 2 along. This time I was going solo and had some new internal challenges. Getting the bike ready to go was the easy part. Wrapping my head around it was another thing.

     

    It is fear of the unknown that can make a person a bit crazy. Somebody asked if I had a gun? Now, I had owned hunting rifles but never a pistol. I'm not anti-gun but just never thought I needed one before. And then I started to imagine possible scenarios of people of questionable character wanting to harrass a lone biker from Oregon a long ways from home. So, I bought the pistol.

     

    I did a bit of research, semiauto verses revolver. What caliber? The young guy at the gun store was very helpful. I bought a S&W 357 magnum, 5 shot revolver with a moderate barrel. The cool thing was that it was chambered to fire .38 Special which would save money on ammo at the firing range. It was something cool in stainless steel. It had mass. It was serious. It was deadly serious. I took it home and put it away.

    Now I had to shoot it. There is an indoor gun range where one can go tho practise. It is the same one the local police use to practise and train. When you go there for the first time you have to watch a short video then take a test. Once throught that process someone sets you up on the range with a target, hearing protection and basic instruction in how to stand so the recoil of the pistol does not smack it back into your nose. Oh yeah, squeeze the trigger and aim for the trunk. Major organs. And remember never point the gun at someone unless you intend to use it.

     

    I ended up putting a carton of 38 Special target loads through the gun. Shooting some one careful round after another and some as fast as I could squeeze the trigger. And I could not help but think about the fact that this was supposed to be a bad guy. When I had finished with the 38 Special rounds and went to check out the guy behind the counter asked if I had ever shot a pistol with .357 mag rounds and if not would I like to try. I hadn't and he gave me 5 target load rounds explaining that they still were not as hot as the  fully loaded antipersonnel rounds that he reccommended for real knock down power. And they were amazing in the report and recoil. I went home, cleaned my pistol and put it away and started thinking.

     

    I started to think about how I was going to carry it and needing to get a concealed weapons permit. I had several states to cross and a permit in one state is not recognized in another. I barely had time to get a permit for Oregon let alone the 8 other states I was going to cross. Then I started to think about the why? Professionally I had been an RN, that's right a registered nurse. I had been a registered nurse working on a psych unit. I went into nursing to help people heal. That pistol was the antithesis of my work. And I recognized that it was fear that drove me to buy that gun and I really had to check in with myself to see if that fear was valid for me. Did I want to take on the responsabilty of packing that weapon and bear the possible consequences. I decided no.

     

    I took the pistol back to where I bought it. The guy that had sold to me wasn't quite as enthusiastic, I wasn't any longer a brother in arms. I lost a few bucks on the deal but felt like a huge weight had been taken off my shoulders.

     

    A couple of weeks later I was off on my journey not knowing what or who I would find around the next corner and that was fine. I came in peace looking to see new places and make new friends unburdened of fear and stainless steel.

  • Blog post
  • 3 weeks ago
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• How I got the name Cookies How I got the name Cookies

  • From: snackdog
  • Description:

    In May 2006, I took the day off to go to the Port Dover Friday the 13th rally in Port Dover, Ontario. It was an overnight trip and I went with some folks from the RideMotorcycle.com chapter in Detroit.

    The rally is held every Friday the 13th, winter or summer, rain or shine, or so they say. According to the web site, the tradition started in 1981 on Friday November 13 with 25 friends. This year the news reported they had 50,000 bikes and 100,000 visitors, all in a town of 5000 residents.

    As the week approached, I kept my eye on the weather. It has been a somewhat cold Spring and as the week progressed, the weather reports called for more cold wet weather. Finally, on Wednesday night before the trip, the Detroit ride leader officially called off the trip but noted that Bob Feyers, the Detroit chapter chairman, was still interested in going. I searched for a more favorable weather report and called Bob with my findings and my desire to go. He had a few other takers and 7 of us decided to go. Since it was a smaller group or a less formal group (I'm not sure which), we decided to leave a little bit later in the day. We were to meet in Mt Clements at 7:30 am -- the original plan called for leaving at 6 am! This meant I could leave Ann Arbor at 6 am. The old plan called for leaving A2 at 4:30 am! Yikes!

    My ride to Mt Clemens was uneventful though it was cold -- I think it was around 42 degrees most of the trip. We finally were all ready to go around 8 am: Bob, his brother Tony, Shawn, Owen, Mike (aka Keys), a guy from Grand Rapids who was not planning to stay over night, and me. We rode to Port Huron and stopped one last time to gas up in gallons.

    There, we met some guys on Goldwings who wanted some ride partners so they joined our little caravan. We crossed the Blue Water Bridge and entered Canada in Sarnia. When I pulled up to the immigration booth, the guy asked if I was "with the group" and I said yes. And he replied, and they let you ride with them, noting my sport/touring Honda Interceptor. I said sure. I like my bike a lot -- it is very unique, good looking, has lots of advanced features like fuel injection and anti-lock brakes and it is fairly comfortable. It lacked the presence of say a Harley Davidson but that day has come for me. I now drive a 2007 Harley Street Bob. In reality, my old bike got a lot of admiring looks despite not being a Harley. And the RideMotorcycle.com groups takes all comers anyway.

    We took a fairly fast ride to along the 402 and 401 -- our planned stop was a service plaza on the 401. It was good ride though the big highway is not that fun -- plus I had to pee pretty bad by the time we got there. Some of the other guys had intercom systems so they could talk to each other -- two had CB systems so they could talk to each other and truckers on the highway. I'd like to look into a CB system.

    When we stopped, and seemingly wherever we stopped, folks asked about the bikes and going to Port Dover. It seemed that everyone in Canada knew about the event and knew someone who was going: a brother, a father, a friend. It was like being an instant celebrity.

    We decided to go to the motel first, get rooms, and drop off some items. We got the celebrity treatment again and I even got a butt swap from a middle aged woman who jokingly asked us to bring her along. By now, it was around 11 am. The ride to Port Dover from the motel in Woodstock was a lot nicer than the highway -- a winding road through small towns. As we got closer, the number of bikes increased and there were all sorts of bikes represented. The ride through the last town before Port Dover, Simcoe, was slow as there were many stop lights and a lot of bikes. Residents sat in chairs along the road to watch us go by. Finally we hit a check point staffed by the Ontario Provincial Police -- at that point, only motorcycles and residents with passes were allowed through. In Port Dover, the streets were lined with every kind of bike -- some streets had three rows of bikes. We parked in a lot by the sports "arena." At this point, our first question was, where is the beer tent? The local police pointed us in the right direction.

    The first place with beer and food was run by some kind of Christian fraternity, like the Knights of Columbus. C'mon in boys, there's beer and pizza downstairs. Somehow it felt like the Hotel California where you can visit any time you like but you can never leave so we opted for the first outdoor beer tent. The weather was a little chilly but partly sunny and dry. The beer tent we found was raising money for an animal preserve. I asked, you mean for the animals we've scared away? The lady smiled and said don't worry, they will come back when you leave. We enjoyed a couple of beers and brats and then decided to tour the bikes. We walked past more bikes than you can imagine. There were folks of all ages, men and women, though most seemed on the far side of 40. There were leather vendors, T shirt vendors, jewelry vendors, and bars -- everything a biker needs. There was even a fish fry with strippers.

    There were all sort of crazy bikes too -- with animal skin seats and bull horns on the front. There was a bike with a motorcycle front end and a Fiero back-end. It looks like it would seat 4 including the driver. There were choppers too of course.

    We walked back and found another beer tent and settled down for an afternoon of beer, more brats, chatting, and people watching. As the day progressed, the crowd got younger, probably as folks were arriving after leaving work. The crowd got bigger and bigger. And yes it was too cold for women to take off their shirts for the bikers, for those who are thinking about such things.

    Around 5 or so, it started to look like it might rain so we decided to a) go back to the motel, b) get some beer from the beer store, c) find a bar with more beer and dinner. We also had a recommendation for a bar that the motel concierge would later refer to as a "gentlemen's club" where sexual favors were inexpensive -- needless to say, we passed. I got separated buying t-shirts (they have a pretty strange idea of what size a woman's extra large is -- I'm not sure if it would fit Annalee) but we all got back together again at the bikes. It sprinkled and then started to rain a bit more as we arrived in Simcoe. Owen's bike, a Harley as it turns out, started to backfire a lot and most of us had to pee so we stopped to check out both problems. Bob joked that you just can't take Harleys out in the rain and it did appear that one or both of the spark plugs was fouled. We got directions to a part store and Owen took Bob's Harley while the rest of us peed and had a Wendy's snack. We also got directions to the local Beer Store. We were worried that the government store would close early, even though it was Friday night. Keys teased the local guy who gave us directions, as he was getting into his truck, that a real good samaritan would go get the beer for the poor wet bikers. He got back out and said he would but we said oh no, that was okay. He good-naturedly told us "fuck you" and we all laughed. Owen came back with two sets of plugs and his bike was running fine again. We found the Beer Store (past two Tim Hortons and a shoe store) and got the beer -- there was some debate about whether or not it would be cold but this was Canada so of course it was. The case fit in one of the Harley trunks so off we went -- by now the rain had largely subsided.

    We arrived at the motel and waited to get checked in. The motel guy was on the phone for sometime and after some more teasing by Keys, we broke into the beer. The bar manager let us know we could not drink in the lobby but invited us to the bar, which turned out to be a pretty good bar. We took the beer to one of the rooms and finished off the case while watching the end of a Pistons game. Then it was off to the bar for dinner and more beer. It was a good bar with a band and good staff. Keys started ordering whiskey shots along with the beer and food. The group dwindled as people grew tired or overcome. Finally it was last call and Bob, Shawn and I were left. Bob decided he was done and Shawn ordered a beer and agreed not to let him drink alone. By this point, I think I had had three whiskey shots and 12 beers, counting everything we had in Port Dover. He wanted to talk politics so it was off to the motel parking lot. Somewhere between John Bolton and Ann Coulter and one too many cigarettes (just to be social), I puked. Twice. Shawn was a bit surprised but I said its okay, I'm still listening. Finally I had to go the bathroom and call it a night.

    The next morning I was pretty fragile and food was the furthest thing from my mind. I showered, had some coffee, and got dressed. Owen, my roommate, came back from a "big truckers breakfast" and we went downstairs to settle the bill. The other guys were there and Keys said, hey I hear you were the hero last night. My handiwork was still there on the motel pavement outside. Bob said, I think you are going to get a new nickname: Cookies.

    We all laughed and they were ready to go to McDonald's for breakfast. So we checked out, geared up, and headed over. Owen took off on his own as he was planning a longer 4 day trip around the Bruce Peninsula. I just had orange juice and coffee.

    The ride back was pretty uneventful as was the crossing back into the USA. We separated at that point -- they went back to Detroit and I headed to Owosso to meet up with the rest of the family. I did get a little wet on the way home but I did have the foresight to put on my packed rain gear and I stayed dry.

    Later in the week, I got the following message:

    Dr. Pilgram, after the Port Dover trip this weekend, several members of the club, including 2 Doctors, have agreed that Mike Nowak's (Snackdog) handle needs to be changed to 'COOKIES' which is still considered a snack I guess... The reason for the change...well...let's just say 'what happens on the road, stays on the road' (or on the ground in the hotel parking lot).

    thanks,

    bob

    Just call me Cookies. 

  • Blog post
  • 3 weeks ago
  • Views: 97

• West Coast Thunder 2010 West Coast Thunder 2010

  • From: PeteLeClair
  • Description:

     

    It was with equal parts trepidation and excitement that I entered the last number of my credit card and hit the order button.

     

    What was I doing I thought. The second guessing started, the what ifs...

     

    After a 28 year hiatus from riding I had purchased an 06 Heritage Softail from my nephew in November of 09. The biggest bike I'd ridden previously was a 750 Yamaha.

     

    Here I was just 6 months into riding my new bike (mostly solo) that I was going to mount up and go on my first organized ride, with my lovely wife on the back.

     

    Now we're not talking about an ordinary ride here. I'd seen countless groups before cruising down the highway but never in numbers like this. This was West Coast Thunder 2010.

     

    We arrived at the staging area at about 8:00 a.m. The ride was to start promptly at 9:11 a.m. We walked the 1/2 block to Skip Fordyce Harley-Davidson in Riverside to get some coffee and mingle. Even from a 1/2 block away we could hear the bikes continue to roll in and line up.

     

    The city had blocked off Indiana Avenue to all traffic. Pre-registerd riders to the left, todays registering riders to the right. As we made our way back to my bike we stood in awe of the sight before us. For almost 2 city blocks there were 10 to 12 bikes lined up across the street as far as the eye could see. Harleys (by far the most), imports from across both ponds, customs, choppers, trikes; you name it, it was represented.

     

    At 9:11 a.m. after the opening ceremonies, mounting of colors to the Color Guards and tear jerking rendition of God Bless America by a 5 year old (yes 5) the signal was given to start the bikes.

     

    Like a summer storm rolling through the sound rolled from the start of the pack over us and off into the distance as 10,000+ bikes fired up.

     

    The Color Guard set out, following the lead of Riverside Police, and followed closely behind by the 10,000 riders and their mounts. 

     

    The first stretch of the ride was a short 11 miles to Riverside National Cemetery but oh, what a ride.

    The police had closed off the intersections to opposing traffic, making our transition to the Cemetery a full on parade. The street sides are lined with people waving flags and holding signs while flashing peace signs and cheering us on loudly. As I rode past the Marine Corps flags I'd yell out loudly, "Semper Fi".

     

     

    

    At the Cemetery the group split. Some riders headed in for the Memorial Day ceremonies and the rest rode on another 32 miles to Soboba Casino in San Jacinto. It too was a closed route with CHP,  local police, and sheriffs' agencies shutting down on ramps and even Interstate 215 and State Route 60. Even along the freeway and onramps and sidestreets people had lined up to cheer us on.

     

    

    At the casino they had set up a secure area for the bikes, a venue for vendors of foods and motorcycle paraphenalia and a concert area where we were entertained by James Otto and Danny Gokey.

     

    Over $300,000 from West Coast Thunder rides since 1999 have been donated to Riverside National Cemetery and was instrumental in the building of the POW/MIA Memorial and continues to donate for the planned Vietnam War Memorial.

    

     

    Semper Fi

     

  • Blog post
  • 3 weeks ago
  • Views: 137
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• Hot Bikes and Cool Winter Nigh Hot Bikes and Cool Winter Nights

  • From: PeteLeClair
  • Description:

    Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 13th @ 6:00 p.m when the Inland Empire Chapter of the Chrome Divas host "Hot Bikes and Cool Winter Nights"

    
    

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  • 3 weeks ago
  • Views: 60
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• Riding Outlaw in the PRC (shor Riding Outlaw in the PRC (short story one)

  • From: hclay
  • Description:

     

    Riding in China is unusual to say the least.....tags are impossible to get so therefore most bikes are ridden "outlaw" with no legal status....Foreigners here often smuggle bikes in through Hong Kong or buy existing bikes from expats that are leaving….

     

    Having traded my shovel plus a little cash for a twin cam to a “Black Harley” dealer..Black in front of a business such as Harley or Taxi denotes the owner has no business license, I started to ride on my own with the one guy who seemed not to be a “Rolex Rider” (most Legal Harleys in China are rather expensive with no used market for 2^nd hand buyers that is legal) and he was one of the only guys who I could tell had lived “da-life”  back across the big pond.    We both had our own tales to "not tell" as to the circumstances that led us to take up residence in the “Big Slanty” and found a brotherhood in our “likeness” and our preference for chasing Chinese Tang, “get’n’ toasted” and riding out by the Great Wall..

    On one particular ride to a section of the wall that had a coffee shop nearby we were cruising along at a good clip when I noticed a “crowd of dirty thunder” approaching our tail pipes fast.  The roads in China are not that clean and often the locals use the road for drying corn for the live stock so it puts a lot of particle dust in the air and sometimes makes visibility poor…as we continued on .. a car whips in front of us and the group closes in…feeling a bit apprehensive I started to slow down to see if the group would “flash” by; but to my disappointment they seemed to fall in behind me and my “road dog” with the exception of one rider, later I would find out his name was Qu and I named him Qu Po Po for reasons that will become clearer later.  He motioned for us to pull over and as I was negotiating the gravel at road’s edge, out of the 'side of my eye', I could see a girl with a camera with one of those massive lens and several others in the car that was directly in front of me and my partner.  He ask me where I was going and I told him in the best Chinese I could muster.  With a  flip of the hand he indicated to proceed.. and I offered him the lead position which he declined preferring to watch our riding style, later comparing it to that of the American Cowboy even though my partner was Canadian. All along the route, the "photo-vehicle"  churned out shots which were later featured on a Chinese biker website...Upon reaching our destination I learned that this was a club, the V2s, and that a good portion of them were law officers. ….nervous due to the quasi legal/illegal status of my bike and tag, I was somewhat baffled as to why they were not checking numbers and paperwork til I found out that they too were on bikes that were not legal.  Qu the one who approach me was a local cop who later helped me get my 2^nd Twin Cam and jumped into action when a thief made my life more difficult by trying to steal one of my motorcycles…I nicknamed him po po as a private joke and have been riding with these guys on an occasional basis every since.  Even the cops ride “outlaw” in the PRC

  • Audio blog post
  • 3 weeks ago
  • Views: 139

• Rave About My Ride Rave About My Ride

  • From: BobByington
  • Description:

    While I do not own a bike at this time ( a story that is the result of my own bad decissions) I owned a 1995 Roadking. It had an Andrews cam, Mikuni Carb and a set of very loud pipes. It was black, my favorite color on any bike.

    On Feb 1, 2001, I embarked on the ride of my life. I road from Portland, OR, to Key West, FL and back. I went down the coast to San Diego and then headed east. The first day only making Coos Bay due to a late start that day. I could hardly sleep that night and packed up the bike before dawn and headed down 101. Well what started as a bit of mist turned into rain and I stopped in a small cafe for breakfast waiting for the rain to let up and a little more sunlight. Well, the only thing that changed was the amount of light and it was still pretty grey out when I continued south.

    Anyone that has been on this road knows parts run right along the edge of the ocean and I took the brunt of this Pacific storm for miles, getting thoroughly soaked and chilled. Sometimes I was leaning into the wind as it blasted away at me. But there is a magical place on this stretch of highway...the California Border. It was like stepping out of the shower at home. The rain stopped, the winds calmed and the sun came out. By Eureka I was beginning to dry out but I bought another pair of rainproof gloves at the Harley dealer. With better road conditions I made it to Pacifica that evening. It was dark when I got there. Figure I spent close to 12 hrs in the saddle that day.

    I don't have the space to recount the whole trip but the thing I have to state is that I never met an unfriendly person the whole trip. I spent time in San Antonio, Mobile, Pensacola, Daytona Beach and of course Key West, where I spent 6 months before deciding I missed Oregon too much. In all I took 6 weeks going across the US and 8 days coming home.

    The closest call to disaster was having my rear tire blow out at 75 mph on the freeway in Palm Springs. Thankfully I had AAA and the Harley dealer was only one exit up the freeway.

    So this is the ride I rave about and will never forget. Be glad to share more details some day.

  • Blog post
  • 3 weeks ago
  • Views: 211

• Ignition Interlock Installers Ignition Interlock Installers in AZ?

  • From: SteveL
  • Description:

    HELP!!!  I can’t find a company in AZ that will install an Ignition Interlock on my 2006 HD Heritage Softail.  I got a dui a month after buying it. Don’t slam me I’m not a big drinker they caught me coming out of a restaurant after a family reunion, I had a few drinks w/ dinner and I was just barely over the limit.  I have had to pay for and look at my bike in the garage for a year.  My suspension is up next week and now can’t even find a company in AZ that will install this device on my bike so I can ride!  If anyone has any suggestions or knows of any place that does PLEASE let me know!! 

  • Blog post
  • 2 months ago
  • Views: 91
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• Vote For Us to Join Lynyrd Sky Vote For Us to Join Lynyrd Skynyrd

  • From: swampdawamp
  • Description:

    SwampDaWamp is now in the top 5 contenders to play on Lynyrd Skynyrd's Simple Man Cruise!
    
     Click to vote! No registration required.
    
    

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 157
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• Things I Learned on the Summer Things I Learned on the Summer Tour; by Gig

  • From: swampdawamp
  • Description:

    Hey people!
    
    We are taking a few weeks off the road to prepare for the album support tour this fall/winter. ROCK THIS COUNTRY is out and on sale now on our official website swampdawamp.com . We're in rehearsals for the new show now and at home. We have a few sparse shows coming up so come out if you can. You really should check out the new CD, if you cant afford the $10.00 write me and tell me why and I will send you one for free.... So anyway, I thought I would spend some time blogging about all the stuff happening.
    
    What have I learned so far this year? The Good, The Bad and The Ugly! right.....
    
    1. I probably shouldn't blog when I'm drinking! Yes I'm drinking! LOL!
    2. Good people do exist all over the United States.
    3. I love Wisconsin
    4. Keith is Great! (sorry you're # 4 man, you're first in the next blog)LOLOL..inside joke!LOL!
    5. The new songs are a real piece of life that people seem to get a hold of. I love playing them!
    6. Ronald McDonald is the Devil.
    7. Golden Corral AKA Golden Cow RULES!
    8. Pajamas are acceptable attire at all truck stops.
    9. ~~~Leather in Sturgis was cheap~~
    10. Don't Hide From Love~~
    
    Part 2 coming...........
    
    Thanks for checkin in~~

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 176
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• "ROCK THIS COUNTRY" Available "ROCK THIS COUNTRY" Available NOW!

  • From: swampdawamp
  • Description:

    The new CD from SwampDaWamp, “Rock This Country,” has been officially released and we’re having a listening party! Stop by www.SwampDaWamp.com and visit our Music page to join the party! See ya there!

    OR check out our Ecard and stream the full album!

    Want to keep rockin’? Order “Rock This Country” from our store at www.SwampDaWamp.com.

    Don’t wanna wait? It’s available for digital download from our store as well!

     

    

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 146
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• HOG Club rockers HOG Club rockers

  • From: Bikerman55
  • Description:

    Further to my blog below - I have recieved a few responses - thanks for those.

    I am sure there must be more brothers (and sisters) out there that would be willing to assist in this search - please give me a yell and help me put together this collection - cheers

    DJ

    I am looking for HOG chapter rockers from around the world - anyone who would be willing to supply me with theirs (or any that they can get) I will be happy to provide a swop for mine (or send by return the cost of those you send me.

    Thanks

    DJ

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 224
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• XR1200 Test Ride XR1200 Test Ride

  • From: Dubz
  • Description:

    Well I finally did it - got round to taking a XR1200 out for a test ride on Saturday. Woke up on Saturday morning with the sun shining for a change and thought bugger it - its now time to go and nail this wee baby that  have been thinking about for the past few months. So off I headed on my custom 883 and headed into WMCC (Wellington Motorcycles), prior to leaving home I called them and asked for this bike to be ready to rock and roll. Arrived at WMCC and there she was just screaming at me to throw my leg over and nuzzle into the seat. Once all kitted up we went through the middle of town before heading out on the motorway towards home, rode up to the house - pulled into the carport and raced into the garage to grab my tail-bag (had to make sure that I could fit my current luggage on this bike - or the fun would of stopped there) so yes I must say that I am pleased that my current luggage will fit this wee baby just nicely. 

    Started her up again and thought well I still have some time on my hands before having to surrender her back to WMCC, so headed off for more of a ride around the Wellington region. Down the road from home and along the motorway, decided to take it easy and obtaining a ticket from the law wouldnt really make my day - cruising along nicely sitting on around the 105kmh before turning off and heading over the Haywards - nice dry roads and not alot of traffic on the road, so this gave me time to get to use having my feet placed under my butt instead of out the front on forward controls (took all of about 20mins to get use too) then it was time to play and see what this wee 1200 could do for me........................... wow what a machine, just a little tickle and insteadly responsed to the gentle touch that was placed on the throttle without the need to change down looking for more power (uurrgggghhh more power - yes indeed). Once over the Haywards it was a cruise around the Whitby bay before heading back down State Highway 1 and into the city. While on SH1 I thought I would see how much spunk this girl had....... and bugger me, this baby is one hell of a Sporty - nice and smooth, but totally aggressive if you want her to be. The twin disc brakes are just magic, the seat is good for the toosh after a decent amount of time on the leather, the handle bars are placed slightly wider than the 883 custom that I currently own and my wrists werent screaming at me once I had finished riding, leg room is great - how ever you wouldnt want to be too tall or you could end up feeling like a frog on a golf ball. The speedo and rest of the instruments were easy to read without having to lower your head to look at how fast you are riding or at what level the rev counter is sitting on. The alarm is a great extra given that many insurance companies here in NZ are stating that bikes must be alarmed and the colour - well yes I rode the Orange one and still a great head turner - I had a Duc riding next to me for a wee while and he was either trying to make out what I was riding - orrrrrrrrr he thought that this old girls butt looked good on the XR1200 (ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha).  

    Finally handed the keys back to WMCC and have placed my order for a 2010 model.................... with the release of the XR1200x which is a mint looking machine its just a matter of looks that I may or may not like - either way I will confirm either the XR1200 or the XR1200x...............both bloody fantastic machines - 

     

    Well Done Harley Davidson

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  • 1 year ago
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• San Joaquin Delta San Joaquin Delta

  • From: HDMAN
  • Description:

    Hey Everyone,

    Liz and I have been cruising around the San Francisco bay area and Sacramento Delta. Having a great time and meeting a lot of great people in our travels. Last weekend we went on a ride around the San Joaquin Delta with a group that refer to themselves as the Dumplin Gang. It was great, reminded us of home and the Inner Circle... The Roadking has been awesome rolling us to each of our destinations, with the exception of it cutting out due to a recall part which the dealer will replace next week. It has been in the 90s and 100s daily, which takes some getting used to. A friend here we call "shoes" is really interested in coming back to N.Z. with us and meeting a kiwi gal, of course Liz is a great advertisement for both...  We will get some pictures loaded somewhere soon for you all to look at. Hope all is well back home. All the best.

    Marko and Liz

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• 17-20 JUN 2009 VA State HOG Ra 17-20 JUN 2009 VA State HOG Rally - Roanoke, VA

  • From: PixieHOG
  • Description:

    17-20 JUN 2009

    VIRGINIA STATE HARLEY OWNERS GROUP (HOG) RALLY – ROANOKE, VA

     

    “Rain, rain, Go away…

    Come again another day…”

     

     

    This edition of my riding ramblings is all about R & R… That’s rain, and well, more rain!  That’s because there’s different kinds of rain, you see.  There are the isolated thunderstorms that crop up in the summertime...  the kind when it’s 95 degrees outside and by the time you get your rain suit unpacked, the sun comes back out and you’re almost dry again.  There’s also the kind of misty rain that brings with it an intense fog...  where you slow down to a crawl with your flashers on and guide by the taillights on the vehicle ahead of you, just hoping that a sudden obstruction in the road doesn’t catch you by surprise.  There are plenty of other kinds of rain too, but the two I mentioned above are what I had to deal with on this trip. 

     

    I left Jessup, PA on Wednesday morning.  It was only about 53 degrees and the skies had an overcast threat to them.  I stopped to fill my tank and have some coffee before setting out down Interstate 81 on my journey to Roanoke, VA.  I had made my plans for the Virginia State HOG Rally months ago, and I was determined that I’d make it there no matter what the weather threw my way.  So, I had my rain suit readily available in the top of my saddlebag and I set off to the south hoping that the skies would only stay a threat and not become a reality. 

     

    Interstate 81 has its moments where there’s some attractive scenery through the mountains and valleys, but for the most part, it’s like any highway and the route is for function more than a joy ride.  I made it through Pennsylvania with only gray skies, and then started to get a few big droplets hitting my windshield right before the Maryland border.  I pulled under an overpass to don my rain suit, and it was a good thing too!  Just as I crossed the Mason-Dixon Line, the skies opened up and I got a big, wet welcome to the southland!  It remained a steady downpour with little variance for the rest of my ride into Roanoke.  By the time I got to the rally registration table, I was completely drenched, but the rain at least lightened some.  By that time, I was ready for a nice hot shower, a good hot meal, and a nice long rest!  I managed the first two, and the rain actually stopped by the evening.  So, I met up with friends at the hotel, got settled in for the evening, and planned out which rides and events to attend.

     

    Thursday morning, we set out along Route 313 into West Virginia, destination, Lost World Caverns in Lewisburg.  The sun was on our side that day and we ended up having a gorgeous ride through the mountains.  Route 313 is full of switchbacks and the kind of twisting, winding roads that seem to have been made for a motorcycle.  With the exception of some gravel washed across the road in spots, it was a spectacular expedition!  The crisp mountain air, lush green foliage and scenery can’t even be justified through writing.  There’s something to be said about the scraping of floorboards as you lean into the curves of the road.  Oh, and lest I forget, the turtle crossing the street!  You have to find humor in things too.  But all in all, it was a gorgeous ride and a gorgeous day for it.  Definitely a turn around from the rains that swept through the previous day!

     

    We spent some time exploring the caverns and taking pictures of the natural wonders below the earth’s surface.  If you’re ever out that way, I recommend taking the time for it.  At the Lost World Caverns, they give you a fun fact sheet and a flashlight then let you self-guide through the caves.  It’s a nice change of pace from the guided tours of most others.  So, after some spelunking, we geared back up for the return trip to Roanoke.  For that, we rode Route 215 then picked up Interstate again further down the line.  The rest of the evening, we spent at the rally site, checking out the vendors and some of the HOG activities: opening ceremonies, and an illuminated bike show and parade through the parking lot, voting and cheering on our favorites.  The list of rally events goes on and on…  There was plenty for every flavor, and not enough time to get it all in! 

     

    Friday morning, I left with another group to ride the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Just when I thought the scenery couldn’t get any more spectacular…  The ride through the mountains was a welcome change from the 95-degree heat in the city.  We stopped at some of the overlooks for some breathtaking views of the valley below!  What an amazing sight to behold!  We did have our fair share of whitetail deer threatening our path too, but without incident.  We stopped at an old mill turned restaurant and gift shop/ general store and took a break for some brunch there.  On the way back, we rode Route 58 back to the Interstate, with a quick shower (the first type I mentioned in the opening paragraph), and returned to the rally site in time for the parade briefing.

     

    Friday night was the bike parade through downtown.  I had the honor of riding two-up with Tidewater’s Senior Road Captain while carrying the Chapter flag.  The crowds of people who turned out to line the streets were absolutely amazing!  Roanoke embraced and welcomed the Harley riders with southern hospitality and charm everywhere you turned.   The event coordinators working with the city really put allot of work into this and their efforts truly paid off.  Following the parade, we attended the concert in the park and the People’s Choice bike show, then back to the hotel HOG Heaven for some karaoke before calling it a night.

     

    Unfortunately, I couldn’t stay around for the closing ceremonies; I had to get back on the road and headed north again on Saturday.  So, I bid my farewells to my fellow riders and friends then set off on my voyage back to Pennsylvania again.  It seemed to be the same gray sky threat that I left with on Wednesday, only allot warmer!  I was taking the same route on my return trip, north up I-81, to get home.  I made it as far as Winchester before the storms began.  These were the fast and furious types that pass through quickly.  So, I rode in and out of the rain and sun all the way through West Virginia and Maryland.  When I got into Pennsylvania just south of Hazleton and the Schuylkill Valley though, the rain turned to a light mist, and the fog settled in like a giant blanket over the valley.  There’s something uniquely different about experiencing the fog on a motorcycle versus traveling by car.  It has a certain eerie quality that you can feel wrapped around you and almost taste it in the air.  Despite these treacherous conditions, I did run into some other bikers braving the weather as well.  For about 100 miles, I slowed to almost a crawl at times, just keeping focused on the road and approaching headlamps and passing taillights.  I came across two riders with their flashers on and stayed with them for a good stretch of the Interstate.  I figured it had to be easier for motorists to see three bikes than just one!  After they exited, I managed to keep behind a pick-up truck that signaled to me that he knew I was following.  So, I kept a safe enough distance and guided by his lights until the fog lifted and cleared enough for improved visibility. 

     

    By the time I arrived home, the rain was little more than a drizzle, but I was happy to be out of it at last!  What a long trip, but well worth every drop of rain.  I think there’s a leading coffee brand that claims, “Good to the last drop!”  Well, I can say the same about this adventure too.  At the end of the day, I had logged another 1,327 miles on the odometer, my bike is filthy, my rain suit is still drying out, and I still need to do laundry…  But, it will all be remembered fondly down the road!

     

    Until next time…  Keep the rubber side down & the shiny side up, as they say!  (Especially on the wet pavement!)

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Melissa M. Bennett

     

     

     

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  • 1 year ago
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• Riding Crutches Riding Crutches

  • From: Frosty406
  • Description:

    Whaata pisser.  Got all kinds of riding planned and I go rip my achilles tendon. Surgery Monday, 4 to six weeks recovery then rehab.  I sure do hope God had a good reason for letting this happen. 
    Gonna miss out on the Thunder in the Valley and all kind of side trips.  Hopefully I will be well enough to ride in August when I head out to the Grand Canyon.  Gonna hit Utah too.  Stay tuned.

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  • 1 year ago
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• Throwing a Wobble Throwing a Wobble

  • From: AfricanMike
  • Description:

    Wednesday, June 03, 2009

    THROWING A WOBBLE
    

    I'm the first to admit I'm pretty hopeless at remembering specific dates, but thanks to THIS I knew our 'problem' wasn't very old.

     

    Let me explain..............Hubs, myself & 8 good friends decided to take a run through to Ras al Khaimah for a long weekend. We supposedly were offered a good rate from the new Rotana Cove resort, so plans were made for a getaway. (A review on that will follow shortly. It'll contain much swearing methinks) Anyway, we loaded up Tallulah (my bike) & set off with 2 others riding their Harleys. Apart from numerous rehydration stops (the temperature hit 52C at one stage) our ride was uneventful until about 400m before the entrance to the resort. Tallulah developed a barely controllable wobble & both Hubs & myself knew immediately that we'd felt that same wobble before. Hubs managed to get the bike into the carpark without incident & it remained there until Sunday. On Saturday, Hubs phoned the manager of the Dubai Harley dealership & explained the problem. A recovery vehicle was sent & Tallulah was taken away to be 'fixed'.

    
    
    
    This is where I have a problem.
    
    
    

    In November last year, after developing the 'first' wobble, 5 different people rode Tallulah & determined there definitely was a problem with the rear wheel. The manager of the Abu Dhabi dealership reckoned there was nothing wrong. On Hubs' insistance that a closer examination be carried out, it was discovered that the lining of the rear tyre had shredded. It cost us Dh1100 to have that tyre replaced, despite the bike still being under warranty. We were told (after the fact & by another customer who'd had his tyre replaced free of charge) that we shouldn't have had to pay, as the tyres allegedly come with a guarantee. Needless to say, we weren't refunded.

     

    Fast forward >>>>>>>>>to a few days ago. When we went to collect the bike from the Dubai dealership, we were told that the tyre had indeed shredded, again. When Hubs said that this was the SECOND time in less than 6mths & only 1800km 'wear' & we shouldn't have to pay for it, he was informed that Dunlop are only guaranteeing their tyres for 50km. After that, it's tough tits. So, after an expensive break, we had to cough up a further Dh1595 to fix a defective tyre, which wasn't our responsibility.

     

    It seems that both the dealerships of Harley Davidson & Dunlop in the Middle East really couldn't give a damn about customer service. In recent months, the Abu Dhabi franchise of Harley Davidson has earned itself a rather tawdry reputation. Shoddy workmanship, poor customer relations & an air of 'take it or leave it' is blatantly obvious. When I enquired recently about reporting a matter to someone further up the food chain - i.e. going higher than the store manager/area manager, I was told I couldn't - simple as that. No one gets as far as the franchise holder - in my opinion, the person who is ultimately responsible for running a successful world renowned brand.
    Gawd forbid anyone should complain to the Al Masaood Group.
    It's way too busy raking in the dosh.
    

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  • 1 year ago
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• 24MAY2009 24MAY2009

  • From: PixieHOG
  • Description:
    Pics from Rolling Thunder are online!  I'm still adding captions, but you can view them at:
    
    http://seabeeskbennett.smugmug.com/Motorcycle%20Rides%20&%20Events
     
    password = TIDEWATER
     
    With an estimated HALF-MILLION participants, it truly was an amazing event!
     
    I'll write some more about our misadventures later, but for now.. Enjoy the pics!
     
    Melissa
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  • 1 year ago
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