On the weekend of August 21- 23, 2009, Woodburn Raceway once again hosted the All Harley Drag Racing Association (AHDRA), a three day event Friday through Sunday afternoon. Actual racing takes place on Saturday and Sunday where the final contenders race against each other.

This year, as with last, overall numbers of participants and fans were down from years past. The combination of poor economy and less available tracks has taken its toll on the race community. Even in the world of AMA and NASCAR numbers are down.

Drag racing among bikes has had a long and colorful history and has always been a part of the motorcycling landscape. But today it faces an uphill battle with everyone from developers eying potential property to environmental zealots who claim racing is causing harm to the environment. Plus, one can’t discount the price of fuel and its impact on racing.

For many years now, Drag Racing hasn’t gotten much in the way of television coverage. It’s considered the ugly stepchild within the race world. Of course, this in no way reflects upon the dedicated down to earth people who race and enjoy supporting drag racing. It’s just the way of the times.

Drag racing even amongst car fans has lost its luster as compared to its glory days. During the sixties and seventies, every kid in the US knew who Big Daddy Don Garlits or Shirley “Cha Cha” Muldowney was. We all had models of the Little Red Wagon, Snake or Mongoose race cars. We also collected the Hot Wheels editions of the same cars. Yep, the seventies race car drivers did for racing what WWF did for the world of pro wrestling. They focused on building larger than life Characters. Characters you cheered for, or booed. Monster Trucks exhibitions picked up on this and have built up their roster of Grave Digger’s and the like. If I were in charge of motorcycle or car drag racing I would do the same thing.

Unless you paint racing bigger than it is, like Monster Trucks and WWF, you won’t get the kids and young adults to embrace it. Instead you will continue to cater to a shrinking fan base. So in this man’s humble opinion the answer to increasing TV time and bringing in more fans is to go back to what worked in its hey day.

Ranting aside, spending a day at the races is a great way to blow off the day and enjoy the smell of alcohol and nitro in the air. Be prepared to bring along some ear plugs; it will make for a much more enjoyable time.

What I like about AHDRA is that you can ride your bike to the track and then race it as is if you like or you can trailer it in. I saw a few full dressers making their way down the race track along with a number of other daily riders. I also noted a handful of go fast gals who spent their time heading down the track. Different from last year was the contingent of club sponsored/supported race teams and individuals. Last year I didn’t notice any MC patches on the backs of the racers, this year I counted at least four club colors being flown possible more.

Those who race range from locals who come down for the two days to test their limits to full on teams who travel the US the entire season chasing points. But, regardless of patch affiliation, racing team or being on their own everyone who comes to the race track walks the same common ground: They love Speed, Adrenalin and pushing themselves to the limits of their physical and mental capabilities, and of course they are all Machine Heads!

Yep, I get it, and if money wasn’t an issue you’d most likely see me barreling down the raceway at full tilt boogie.

One of the advantages to these types of races is that your one day $35.00 admission price gets you into the pits. Here you get to visit the various teams and individual racers. You can also stand about 10 feet away from the track and watch the racers take off or finish their quarter mile. You can’t do this in the AMA or NASCAR circuits unless your pockets are lined with gold.

Speaking with a few race teams, I was informed that a number of race tracks have been put on off limits to AHDRA and other American Made bike racing associations. All I can say is there have been a few incidents tied to some colorful characters at some of these raceways. Race track owners frown at such things and don’t want a repeat so they have made it too costly for the AHDRA and other racing associations to rent the track from them.

Lastly, racing on a sanctioned track can be a healthy way to meet your need for speed and letting off steam. One fellow I spoke with was up from Fresno, CA. He and his Dad drove up so he could race his bike. While chatting with him he told me that he began racing five years ago and it has quite literally kept him off the streets and out of jail. Need I say anything more? Maybe if more Fathers and Sons joined together and took up racing the jails might be less full and relationships stronger. Now that’s worth pondering.

God bless, ride safe and we’ll see you, out at the racetrack.

Speaking for myself, I was first introduced to world of riding while at the farm of our family friends the English’s. They had a Honda Automatic Trail 50 which they used to ride around the farm. On more than one visit to the farm, I was given the chance to ride around on this bike which if memory serves me right was a light green. Again if memory serves me right they also had a pale pink maybe pale red one too. Later in my early teens a couple of my neighborhood buddies purchased with the help of Mom and Dad trail bikes of their own. Mark purchased the 100 and Bruce purchased the 125. Now here’s the fuzzy part, I recollect them both being Suzuki bikes, the 100 was yellow and the 125 was red. I have tried to look up each of the bikes but without having an exact date I can’t be sure of the make. (Maybe someone can help me out here and comment on what was being sold during the early seventies which fits, my profile).

Since I’m not in contact with Bruce or Mark I can’t ask them. Regardless of what make they were we would ride them all day long during the summer months and after school.

The place we did most of our riding was what we fondly all called The Trails. These trails were located in beautiful Ferndale, WA. Our house was on Seamount Drive and was the first among many housing developments built to support the employees of the newly constructed Mobil refinery. My Mom and Dad had moved their in 1958 so Dad could go to work as an engineer for the Mobil refinery. When 1959 came around I was born. My Dad after nearly 30 years retired in 1987. Anyhow these trails were a patchwork quilt of overgrown grassy unused farm land and forested areas which abutted our neighborhood. It consisted of more than a hundred acres of trails, roads and the such which made for excellent riding be it on bicycles or motor bikes along with the occasional auto or tractor.

Since we had plenty of time on our hands we would even build our own trails through the brush and trees. These trails featured everything from Dead Mans Hill to various almost forgotten forested trails along some nasty ravines. It also had a main rutted dirt road which meandered through the whole of the area. It also featured a run off stream from a swamp along with multiple entry points some of which we barely ever used because they headed off into whole new territories. As a kid you couldn’t have asked for a better place to spend your days exploring and riding. Fortunately for me The Trails were less than 5 minutes walk up the street from my house and only 30 seconds from Mark’s front door.

One day while we were out riding Bruce was feeling rather charitable toward me and decided I should have a crack at riding his bike solo. So after clamoring aboard and running through the basics of shifting and braking I set out. Everything was going great that is until I grazed a tree while trying to slow down the bike and I knocked off the Odometer knob. Subsequently Bruce wasn’t so charitable and I was relegated to riding on the back from that point on.

One of my fondest memories during those years was the time everyone in the neighborhood who owned a motorcycle decided we would do a group ride and ride all the way out to Custer and go swimming in Giles Pond. Giles Pond was a good 10 miles or more from where we lived and when I went there on my bicycle I would use the roads. Well somehow or another Mark H another neighbor boy knew of a way to get their without using the roads. So after we all gathered at the trail head rider and passenger alike Mark H. led the way for our mini caravan of 6 various makes, models and years of trail bikes along the back trials, dirt roads and farm land and the occasional country road to our destination. When we got to the pond we decided to strip off our cloths and swim across the pond which was a good distance. Once we hit the far shore and had a quick rest we swam back to the bikes and got dressed and then rode back the same way we came.

Later while in high school I would drive my car down to my cousin Scott’s home located off 196th in the Tacoma area. We would ride around the byways of Puyallup on his Honda CB 450. By the time 1980 rolled around I decided it was time to buy my own bike. So, after I located the bike I wanted through the local newspaper, I drove over and put down a $50.00 retainer on it. I then went to my bank and pulled out $500.00 and negotiated a loan for the remaining $700.00. After enlisting a friend to drive me back over to Redmond I was then able to purchase my first bike.

It was a thing to behold, a used 1978 Yamaha 650 Twin Special with only 5000 miles on it. It featured a tear drop black tank and Chromed metal side covers thanks to the previous owner who was into Harley’s. He had purchased the Yamy for his wife who was now ready to own her own Harley, hence the need to sell the bike to me. So after handing him the cash he handed me the title and keys and off I rode.

Every year NCOM is held at a different city throughout the US.  It is a chance for motorcycle clubs (as in 3 piece patch holders) along with Christian MM and other patch holders to come together under one roof and learn how to be more effective in directing policies and legislation in their towns and states.  It is also a time for attendees to come together and hammer out various disagreements among themselves.  It is a time for networking, building alliances and making new friends and saying hello to old ones.  Many of those who attend but not all come as representatives for their states Club delegations. Much like in politics each district has its local delegates that go the state meeting and then go to the national meeting.

The reason I was attending this event for the first time was to receive an award for my work as the producer/creator of HogRadio. I along with 7 others from among the riding community were awarded the Silver Spoke award at this years 24th annual NCOM.

This is the first time I have ever been awarded this way for something I have created since I was in high school when I was awarded for my part in an art project for my high school.  I didn’t even know of this convention prior to research I had done after starting HogRadio 16 months ago.

Since my goal has always been to bring information to our listeners that they wouldn’t get anywhere else and to spotlight all the good things about motorcycling and the biker lifestyle I was honored for improving the Image of motorcycling.  It didn’t hurt that we had interviewed Richard Lester, founder of AIM and NCOM on our show a few months back.  Regardless of why they chose me I was humbled by being awarded and being honored, I even had a chance to share a few words to the 400 or so awards banquet crowd.

One of the major moves by NCOM is to reach out to the Sport Bike riders and offer them a chance to become involved with what is going on.  They had a fellow from PRO which is a sport bike club organization located on the east coast consisting mainly of black riders.  I met Seven, the rep who attended NCOM, and will have him on HogRadio very soon to discuss with us the movement within his circle of influence which is made up of thousands of African-American sport bike and cruiser class riders.  Many of you would be surprised to know that there is a 50/50 women to men ratio amongst this riding community.  These women take riding as seriously as any guy does, which in my book warrants notice.

Which brings me to my main point, do you take your rights as riders as seriously as you do your riding skills?

There is a lot of legislation taking place in the various hamlets and cities geared to making riding a not so nice past time.  Some within the New York city council wish to give the police the right to impound your bike and charge you $500.00 to retrieve it if they see your bike has pipes without an EPA stamp of approval on them (can someone say factory pipes only).

Other towns have been working to curb large gathering such as this years Myrtle Beach fiasco.  While others such as Snohomish decided to snub the Annual Old Bike day by requesting huge increases to cover “crowd control”.  They lose out and another town will gain by this stupidity.

What about loud pipe restrictions?  We have noted on HogRadio that many of the sport bike crowd have discovered the world of race pipes designed to increase air flow, HP and mileage.  It’s no longer the cruiser class but everyone who will be affected here. What about all the rat bike and café style bikes being built and ridden?  These will come under heavy scrutiny if the money grubbing politico’s have their way.  Not to mention activists out to throttle anything that smells like gasoline.

What about all the riders killed by stupid drivers in their cars or trucks?  In the majority of cases these reckless drivers get away with a fine and a ticket and nothing more.  Yet now the state wants bike owners to start being tested every other time they get their endorsement upped.  Note, I’m not against testing, but why not make all car drivers take a mandatory test every other time they have to re-up their drivers licenses and make sure to have them learn about the rights of motorcyclists.

The only way things will improve is if we the riding community get involved in contacting our government reps.  Maybe you don’t get pulled over because you wear a three piece patch but believe me; the day will come when you are pulled over because you ride a bike.

Conclusion, get educated on the facts, and make your voice heard!  This way you can continue to enjoy your passion of riding motorcycles.  And as a close friend who has never ridden a bike in his life stated to me. “If bikes never existed and they were invented today, chances are good that they would never be allowed on the street.”

God bless, ride safe and we will see you out on the road.

Steve Johann
HogRadio Producer

As I explained in the first part, we stayed in a World Mark time share condo in Kihei which is located halfway between everything and also happens to be the driest part of the island. The temps never made it above the mid 80’s and there was always a slight breeze to keep you cooled off.

Before coming to the island, we did a little research thanks to a great book Maui Revealed, loaned to us by friends who had visited Maui. This book is written by people who live on the islands. It details out just what to see along the roads you are traveling even down to the road markers and turn outs.

Venture 1. Road to Kahakuloa Bay. We headed out from our condo in Kihei mid morning and drove along Highway 30. This road is like driving on Hwy 1 along the California Coast (a trip I shared a few columns back) but with the mixed vegetation of the island along with copious amounts of red and black rock formations ala Badlands & Bryce National parks in many of the places once you pass Kapalua. The views were spectacular and we did a fare share of stopping along the cliff side to take pics and enjoy the views. We ventured to the end of the two lane road and then turned back when it turned into a single lane road. (Our rental agreement forbade us from driving beyond this point). But in a Jeep or say any type of Motorcycle the road could be easily and safely traveled without mishap. It actually becomes HWY 340 and loops around the entire north part of the island and eventually leads back to Kihei via 30. Expect to spend the entire day driving this road if you want to make the most of it.

Venture 2. Road to Haleakala Crater. We opted to drive the road during the day and watch the sunset; the other option many take is to drive in the dark and make it up to watch the sunrise. Flip a coin on which you decide. As I said in part one, this road is switchback city as you wind yourself to the top of the 10,000 high peak. But it is well worth the trek. It isn’t everyday you get to drive to the top of a cinder cone and look at the inside of a former volcano and also take in a view of the entire island at the same time. Once at the top you can hike into the crater, something we didn’t have enough time to do.

Be forewarned it gets very cold at the end of the day low 40’s and in the morning well below freezing when you add the wind chill factor. So dress accordingly.

Venture 3. Road to Hana is a lazy twisty road you drive along it is also named highway 36/360, or the Hana Highway. This road offers more cliff driving but with a much wetter lush tropical rain forest feel to it. Expect many turn outs and photo ops of various waterfalls and ocean views on this trek. Once you get to Hana make sure to visit Hana Bay which includes an old wharf. At the end of the road by the wharf there is a short, not so well know path that leads to a very small Red Sand Beach and if you go beyond this point you will find a beautiful little bay with a plaque commemorating the birth place of one of King Kamehameha’s Wives. Well worth the 10 minutes it takes to walk/crawl there.

As you leave and head back you will come across Wai’anapanapa State Park and Black Sand beach; go there! Don’t tell the authorities, but I smuggled off three small bags of sand from three different beaches. I filled up a couple glass jars with the various colored sands as a reminder to us of our trip.

The road to Hana is famous and well worth the trip. If you have the proper transport, bike or Jeep, you can continue all the way around the south island and make it back to Kihei, but keep in mind you will need 8 to 10 (or more) hours to do this as the roads are slow and there is so much to see. Be prepared for rain along the Hana road especially in the AM hours, it broke and was sunny during the afternoon drive back.

Special points of interest: The Sugar Museum which is located half way between Kihei and the airport. Here you will find out about the introduction of the sugar cane to the islands and how it transformed the islands. Maui is one of the world’s largest exporters of sugar. Well worth the $7.00 admission fee.

Another attraction we opted for was the Musical/play/acrobatic performance called “Ulalena;” it is a theater similar to a Vegas Cirque du Soleil show, but it is centered on the legends and history of Hawaiian Islands. This show is located in Ka’anapali and is well worth the $50.00 ticket price (check HawaiiDiscounts.com for a good deal). After the show we headed down the street to eat at “The Mixed Plate” an outside diner where they serve authentic Hawaiian food, with a view of the bay. We split a single dinner plate and barely finished it off, all for $13.00. Another local eatery in Kihei which serves up bodacious amounts of local food is “Da Kitchen.” The tempura fish is excellent. We also ate one breakfast at another local seaside café in Kihei called “Kihei Caffe” my wife had blackened fish and I had pork chops. These three eateries are local and they all serve up huge amounts of food for very reasonable prices.

Snorkeling is a must and one of the best beaches to do this is the North beach at ‘Ahihi Cove by the ‘Ahihi-Kina’u Reserve. This little rocky cove is the home dozens of types of colorful fish and a handful of sea turtles. Go in the morning before 11AM before the water begins to get bit choppier.

There are so many places to go and see, and we didn’t get to all of them, but these are a few of what we discovered and really enjoyed. There are two major resort towns: Lahaina and Kihei. Many of the time share companies have condos in both towns. It is up to you which one you want to stay at. Kehei is dryer and newer, Lahaina is older but more developed. There are numerous other towns which offer places to stay all over the island.

Bottom line, do you homework before you come over, the internet is filled with everything you need. Use the condo as a base camp and realize you will be doing a lot of traveling about and exploring, we spent the early morning swimming in the pool and late evening also and left the rest of the day open for the chance to lay on warm sandy beaches and frolic in warm water, something 90% of Americans don’t get a chance to do everyday. Just as I was skeptical about coming to Maui, and it took the first couple of days to adjust, once I did I came to really enjoy myself. Now I’m ready for another 9 days, this time with the kids.

Here’s to enjoying God’s creation along with countless thousands of others!

Aloha!

Steve Johann

Yep that’s right my wife of 20 years and I are celebrating our 20th Anniversary right here in Paradise, namely Maui!  We left the kids with the grandparents and set out on our adventure Thursday the 26th and will be flying back to the cold wet climate we call home April 3rd.

For those of you who have visited Maui, we have made a condo in Kihei our home away from home, thanks to the in-laws great gift to us of nine days in their World Mark time share Resort just a block up the street from the sandy beach and warm waters.  Kihei, for those who have never visited, is the once desert side of this island of 130,000 permanent dwellers (and who knows how many millions of yearly tourists).  It is green, yet spends most of the time in the 70’s and 80’s with a slight breeze.  The waters are crystal clear turquoise blue and warm; a minute after jumping in you can spend as long as you want without freezing your butt off.

As with anything, I’m always a little skeptical of somewhere we hear so much good about by all our friends who have made this trek before us, but after three days I finally admitted to my wife, I could come back again and again even with the kids in tow.

For a full report on some of the best places to visit and experience, I will do a part two of this article, but in this first part I can tell you we have driven much of the island in our rental car, a two-door Chevy Cobalt with no rear leg room (but that’s fine we are just two of us on this trip).  One of the most popular car rentals is the Mustang convertible as I figured every ten rental cars we see out and about is a convertible Mustang.  Yes, when the boys are away they prefer to play, as in playing “cool dude” in a “cool car.” Second must be the Charger.  The only problem with these muscle cars is the speed limit on 90% of the roads is 30 to 45mph with a brief stretch of 55 for about five miles on the main highway.  The roads are curvy and don’t leave room for muscling your way around, unless you want a ticket as the cops are pretty plentiful.  But this brings me to what many do, and that is to rent a Motorcycle for the day or the week.

Because I broke my foot on Labor Day and was on crutches/scooter until middle of December, I was unable to get out and get my Endorsement which I had planned on doing early fall.  Because of this, my wife and I opted to rent a couple of scooters and do our cruising around the Kihei area for the full day.  This was a blast, and my wife who had never been on a motorized two wheeler but the back of my bike back in the 90’s, she had a blast too.  We rented our bikes from Island Riders, walking distance from our condo for a total of $102.00 including tax for the two of us for 8 hours.  Island Riders also rents a number of styles and makes, so you have a great selection.  Harleys go for $135.00 for 8 hours, Buel/V-Rods $155.00 for 8 hours, BMW cruisers $175.00 for 8 hours and the Honda/Kawasaki 750’s go for $89.00 for 8 hours while our 50 cc scoots were $45.00 for 8 hours.

While out cruising the back roads of town, we came across South Maui Choppers a few miles down from our Condo and they offer two Arlen Ness bikes for rent, along with a few other custom bikes.  These guys have only been doing bike building for a few years but have gotten quite the rep, and when Arlen comes to Maui with his family during November, he leads a public ride which is organized by South Maui Choppers.  I also noted a HD Motorcycle Dealer/rental outfit in Kahului, just a couple miles from the airport; they also rent and sell all types of makes and styles.

So the next time we come back, you can bet I will be renting a Motorcycle and will travel some of the same roads we traveled in our Cobalt.  Hawaii has no Helmet Law which made it wonderful for me to cruise around on the scooter with the hair blowing in my face and yes I have quite the sun drenched face and body (a deep red you might say), which I hope will turn brown in the weeks ahead!  The few sport bikes I spotted were ridden by the locals who wore helmets; on the other hand the cruisers, as in H-D and other V-Twin bikes, 95% of these riders didn’t wear helmets.

One of the roads we drove was to the top of the Haleakala Crater, which is one switch back after another to the top. Up from behind I spotted a sport bike rider doing Knee-sliding as he cut the curves behind us.  When we pulled over to let him pass he turned around and headed back down.  I guess the whole reason he was on the road was to knee-slide, and I suspect he had a favorite spot to do this.

All toll, this has been a wonderful vacation which I would love to repeat, ala kids in tow.  Of course my in-laws have to get things lined up and we will have to fork out few C-notes in addition to airfare for five.  Guess I can always dream!

So until the next time, when I cover all the great things (including photo’s) to do while visiting Maui, Aloha.

Steve Johann

We’ve all been inundated with the following message which preaches Bigger is Better. When it comes to ads for bigger is better the following commercials have been sighted by yours truly:

• Bigger is better! TV ad for BoFlex machine stating women love men with bigger pecs.
• Bigger is better! Spam ad(s) for pills designed to increase the size of your manhood because women aren’t satisfied with an average size guy.
• Bigger is better when it comes to horsepower! Articles and ads for the latest big-bore bikes.

And of course, we’re all supposed to know, that surgically enhanced models are better looking than their non-surgically enhanced counterparts. At least according to all the ads and images we see in most every bike related magazine!

The bottom line is, we as human beings, specifically the male variety, are sold a bill of goods everyday of our lives which states: “If it ain’t big, it ain’t bad! And if you’re not bad, you will be ignored by those you want to impress most. From the ladies to your fellow motorcyclists.”

I was chatting with Aaron Frank, editor at large for Motorcyclist magazine the other day and I posed the question why is it that all the bike manufacturers continue to build bigger horsepower bikes when in all reality a rider can only use about half of their potential? We had a good laugh and decided it had a whole lot more to do with bragging rights than it does with practicality.

Within the world of motorsports, bragging rights are often more important than having a bike you can enjoy riding on a daily basis. The idea that you need 165 horsepower to propel yourself down the highways and byways safely much less sanely isn’t even a question. You don’t. So, if you let me play the devil’s advocate for a moment, I want to challenge this notion.

First and foremost bigger is not always better. Proof: Just ask someone who has gone from a size 34 inch waist to a size 44 inch waist.

Lets do a reality check, when you can only afford one bike and you aren’t financially set like Jay Leno, you have to ask yourself what bike will meet the following criteria:

• It must be affordable.
• It must handle well in the city as well as the highways and by-ways.
• It needs to be comfortable
• It needs to be easy to maintain and it must be cost effective to own as in insurance costs and fuel.

So what bike fits into this category? I don’t have any brand or class in mind but what I do know is that this all-purpose bike won’t be the latest big-bore king with oodles of excess horsepower on tap which requires its rider to keep the bike in check at every turn of the throttle.

It will most likely be a far tamer version designed to give its rider the most enjoyment and all around riding pleasure the rider could hope for on their given budget. I have a hunch most of you already own one of these bikes, which serves your riding needs best.

Often perception is all in the eye of the beholder; namely the rider’s mind. Bike manufacturers build big-bore bikes for one purpose only and that is to prove to their rivals that they can! It is all about bragging rights. Otherwise AMA racing wouldn’t exist as it does today where the average racer sits on a hundred thousand dollar machine, not your mid level street machine. Bike companies spend millions of dollars to prove they have the latest and greatest which encompasses horsepower ratings. It is in the manufacturer’s best interest to make you dissatisfied with what you already own. Because they can continue to sell you a new bike and keep their businesses growing.

Which is kind of the whole point behind this article. We as human beings can get so caught up dreaming about and craving what we don’t have, that we forget to enjoy what we already do have. We can’t enjoy the wife or husband we have because we are always comparing them to the individuals on the TV screen or computer screen or some magazine we are looking at.

We can’t enjoy the house we live in if we are fixated on what Bill Gates owns. And we certainly won’t enjoy our current all-purpose bike when we’re panting after the latest and greatest monster bike.

The secret to a happy life is learning to live with who you are and making the most of what God has given you. It’s learning to enjoy the bike you already own and spending as much time riding instead of dreaming and scheming for the next big bike.

Lastly, don’t get the idea that I hate big-bore bikes I don’t. They’re fun to read about and look at but I don’t need one to enjoy the experience of being on the road with the wind in my face.

And since I gave up the idea of an acting career, I don’t need those pills either.

Here’s to enjoying your bike no matter what size it is!

]]> http://www.northwestcyclereport.com/2009/03/03/bigger-isnt-always-better/feed/ http://www.northwestcyclereport.com/2009/02/01/it%e2%80%99s-a-family-affair/ http://www.northwestcyclereport.com/2009/02/01/it%e2%80%99s-a-family-affair/#comments Sun, 01 Feb 2009 17:05:31 +0000 Steve Johann http://www.northwestcyclereport.com/?p=1564 Lately I’m going through a 70’s revival of sorts. I’ve been revisiting the music, TV shows and the movies of this era. Namely, Soul/Disco music and various movies that broke with tradition. It most likely stems from my 30 year high school reunion that I attended this past June. I’m not the only one; ABC TV has a new show called Life on Mars: A cop show set in 1973 with a few twists added for good measure.

As a kid I spent my early teens riding on the back of my friends’ trail bikes, converting my Sears 3 speed into a pre-BMX bike with my own custom paint job thanks to Krylon paints. I learned how to repair bent rims and replace forks destroyed while doing Evel Knievel jumps. I dreamed of owning a muscle car when I turned 16.

By the time I turned 16 and began driving, I only had one choice and that was to drive my folks 1971 Mazda 1800 four door. After a year of driving it and wrecking it numerous times, I felt compelled to buy it from them my Junior year. (I got pretty good at doing body work!) At the same time some of my friends were buying Muscle Cars. My best friend, Bert, bought a Graber Orange 69 375HP SS Chevelle with a black vinyl top, 4 speed the works. Another friend, Mike, owned a 64 Dodge Polara with a beefed up 383 which rattled the windows of our home when he came to pick me up. Thanks to the Cherry Bombs we bolted directly to the headers he put on the engine!

Even though I dreamed of one day buying my own muscle car, by the time it came to buying a car I couldn’t afford one so I opted to buy what I could afford (my folks car). In turn I set about making it the best ride I could, beginning with the purchase and installation of a “Super Tuner” Style Cassette Deck, Amplifier and set of Jenson Tri-axials. This made for one heck of a killer sound system and made for some of the best music powered road trips one could imagine.

The choice was always between 1) do we take Steve’s car because I had the best stereo and could stretch our gas money or 2) do we take my buddies’ cars because they had the most power and looked hot? Many times it came down to how much money we had in our collective pockets and we wanted to do. Cruise or race, park or take a road trip. The money I saved in fuel costs allowed me and another friend to take a road trip from Ferndale, WA to Disneyland during Christmas Break my Senior year, this included hotel rooms and everything else two guys needed for 10 days of adventure.

As kids, nobody disrespected each other because of our choice of rides. Instead we talked endlessly of what we were going to buy to make our rides faster and or look cooler. We spent endless hours cruising and parking and pouring over Hot Rod and just enjoying the freedom of owning our very own cars.

Within this same time period I also lived in two musical worlds; one was listening to Rock Music as in Foghat’s “Slow Ride” blaring out of the speakers of my buddy’s SS as we pegged the speedometer at 120 MP on those back country roads. The other was Disco music which I enjoyed dancing to at the under age Disco in Bellingham. I even took my first girl friend out dancing on our first date to the Disco.

What’s this got to do with motorcycles? An awful lot. Instead of embracing each others’ rides, we end up many times disrespecting each others’ rides. Instead of supporting the individuality of each other, we draw lines. Instead of accepting that not all riders are financially equal with an endless supply of money to work with, we look down on those who ride “lesser” bikes. Instead of unifying over our similarities we divide over our differences.

The only times I have seen lines crossed is when it comes to raising money for a great cause or joining together on a Toy Run or a Ride for Life, then bikers of all stripes, colors and conformities join arms and ride together. In these cases the cause is bigger than the differences and there in lies the truth. When we begin to see each other as a family of motorcycle riders we will start to respect each other and support each other. The simple fact that bike owners are only 2% of the US population should make us realize we are a small family indeed and we have so much more in common than not.

There’s a great song from Sly and the Family Stone that we can apply to our lives as riders. It’s their 1971 hit “Family Affair” which goes something like this: “one son likes education and the other doesn’t, but the mother still loves them both, because they are the same blood and blood is thicker than mud, because it’s a Family affair.”

So whether you ride a cruiser an adventure or a sport bike you are all bike riders and that makes you a member of the cycling family which in turn makes us brothers and sisters of sorts. Just keep in mind what another Sly Stone song stated; “different strokes for different folks”

Oh, and for the record I did end up purchasing a Muscle car in 1989, a 1968 number matching SS 396 El Camino which currently sits in the driveway waiting for the day I can afford to restore it!

Steve Johann

Speaking of Hog Radio we just celebrated one year of podcasting this past November. It’s hard to believe Walt and I have been doing this for a year but we have. As part of the show, I took advantage while on a summer vacation to Southern Cal to visit a number of legends within the biking world. You can read the whole story in my previous columns (here, here and here). I have included some pictures of these legends.

Steve and Walt at SIMS.

Another big event for Hog Radio was spending Saturday December 13th doing an all day live show from the floor of the Seattle International Motorcycle Show. Joining Walt and I at our booth was my son Nathaniel, friend Alan Boyd and John Davis, editor and publisher of Northwest Cycle Report. Thanks guys, I couldn’t have done it without your help. We had a great day interviewing various reps, vendors and individuals who were exhibiting at the show. You can listen to all 4 hours worth of interviews at hogradio.net. I’ve included some pictures of the event.

Talk about December, I don’t have to tell anyone that we’ve had the longest stretch of snow in the Puget Sound region I can ever remember. Of all things it began on the weekend of the IMS and has continued through today. Suffice it to say we had a WHITE CHRISTMAS.

Speaking of snow now is a great time to start planning your summer rides/trips. There are so many great roads to explore here in the Northwest and BC/Washington State region. One idea is a trip up to see where the Winter Olympics will be held. This can make for a great 1 day ride or you can make it a 2 day depending on what you plan to see and do. Make sure to come down through the Frazer River gorge area, stop in at Hope and read all about the filming of the first Rambo movie which was filmed there and have your picture taken with your head on Rambo’s body at the Visitor center!

A quick nice off road trek is to head up to Chuckanut Mountain while meandering along Chuckanut Drive. The forest service road is just above Larabee State Park and it takes you to the top of Chuckanut Mountain where after parking you can walk to the top and view all the San Juan Islands and then you can climb to the ridge and view almost every mountain peak from Baker to Hood. I remember doing this on my 78 Yamaha 650 while my buddy rode his KZ1000 we made it almost to the top before we had to park the bikes and hoof it up the last leg of the dirt road. It was near sunset and boy was it a spectacular view.

As a last thought I would love to know what percentage of you who read this column belong to an organized riding club or don’t. I’d like your feedback on the pluses and minuses if any of belonging or not belonging. Please respond in the feedback section. If you wish you can mention the group/club and what type of Motorcycle you ride.

Feel free to contact me at www.hogradio.net (Use the Contact form) and let me know what personalities or topics you would like us to cover on Hog Radio. Thanks.

Ride safe and have a happy and productive New Year!

Steve Johann - Producer/Co-Host of Hog Radio www.hogradio.net

International Motorcycle Show. This years Seattle IMS show will be held December 12^th -14^th, same place same time as last years show. Attending the IMS show afford you the opportunity to talk with manufacturers reps and sit on the latest rides from every maker in the world all in one place.

I was speaking with the coordinator for IMS and he said that numbers are up from last year. We discussed the reason and couldn’t nail it down other than many old riders are now seeking to get back into riding and there are a lot of newbie’s interested in riding and they are coming out to see what is being offered.

Good news! Hog Radio will have a booth and be doing a “Live” show all day Saturday at the Seattle IMS. We will have our booth set up so you can come by say hello and sign up for a chance to win free books published by Motor books International. We will be interviewing manufacturer reps all day long. John Davis publisher of NW Cycle Report will be assisting us, so make it a point to stop by.

Biker Movies. That’s right some of us enjoy kicking back and watching movies on those dark dreary nights and what better time to rent some old and newer bike oriented movies. My wife and I just finished watching Mad Max 1979 the original in the trilogy of Max movies. Mad Max is a straight out Biker movie harkening back to the 60’s bad boy biker flicks. Here are just a few examples:

Electra Glide in Blue. This mid 70’s crime drama/mystery style movie centers on motorcycle cops, specifically a very young Robert Blake as the cycle cop who sets about investigating a mysterious death.

The Billy Jack franchise. As a kid in high school I remember viewing a couple of these at the local drive in movie. In all, there are four movies created featuring Billy Jack, beginning with Born Losers and the later self titled “Billy Jack”movies. Billy Jack makes it his business to butt heads with anyone who is a bully. The movies have some subtle political undertones to them but they offer up plenty of pre Chuck Norris karate kicks to keep you well entertained.

The Wild One. 1953 The Wild One is the Granddaddy of all biker movies. This film is a classic Film Noir style movie It features a young Marlon Brando as a thug MC leader who comes to a small town and begins to harass the locals. It features a very entertaining pre-rap rap scene it the café. This movie in many ways formed the Bad Boy biker image which still remains to this day.

There are probably well over 60 movies that prominently feature bikes as part of their theme. So you will have no problem finding something that fits your fancy.

For those who enjoy Sport Bike Racing there are plenty of Documentaries highlighting the life and times of various Racers, many of which are put out by White Horse Publishing.

Hog Radio. Go to www.hogradio.net and spend some time with us as we chat about and interview some very interesting guests that live, breath and contribute to the world of riding. We are about entertaining, educating and inspiring you the rider. So come on by and take a listen if you haven’t done so. Make us a part of your weekly ritual.

Forums. Biker Forums are places for riders to congregate and chat about you guessed it all things bike related. From American made to Metrics, Cruisers to Sport bikes there is a place for everyone. Forums can be a wealth of information depending on what you are looking for.

Restoration Clubs. There are a number of clubs who specialize in doing just this. These clubs are dedicated to restoring vintage bikes Metrics to American made bikes. For those of you who have dreamed about finding and restoring your first bike these clubs can be a valuable source and support to you.

Motorcycle Museums. There are a number of motorcycle museums located across the US and Canada. I recommend doing a Google search for motorcycle museum and see what comes up. Spending a few hours with your friends or family at one of these museums can be a great way to spend a Saturday or Sunday.

Good Books. As the producer of Hog Radio I get a chance to do a lot of reading or at least skimming of the various books we receive as part of our Author interviews. MBI is a great source of books relating to motorcycles and riding. The library is another good resource. Books, be they pictorial or textual offer readers a chance to share in the adventure and or gain insights into their favorite riders or builders life.

Dealer Events. Many cycle dealers offer monthly events designed to pull you in during off season months. They can be a great place to come by, hang out and grab some free grub and hook up with your riding buddies. There’s nothing like spending a couple hours with fellow enthusiasts shooting the breeze and looking at the latest gear. Don’t forget while you’re there, to pick up some stocking stuffers.

I hope these ideas will give you plenty of indoor activities to keep your passion burning as you wait out the rain, snow and icy roads until you can once again hit the open highways and byways. And for those who ride 365 take it easy out their and ride safe!

Photo by CarbonNYC

For many, winter means parking the bike and waiting out the cold, wet, gray months that take over from November through February. For some, it just means putting on warmer clothing and getting out the heavy duty rain gear.

I have a few words to the wise for both camps.

1. Watch it out there. People in the Puget Sound who drive cars, trucks and RV’s will panic when the roads get wet. Many of the imports (people born outside the Puget Sound region) have no clue about driving in less than perfect conditions.
2. You’re invisible. When the dark moist days hit visibility in most cars drops by as much as 60%. Think about how many of us drive everyday in fogged up cars for the first few miles until our windows defrost. While this takes place you cannot see much around you; especially a small two wheeled vehicle like a motorcycle.
3. Night vision ain’t day vision, baby. Remember your visibility and clarity at night drops significantly for both cyclists and drivers. So please drive slower and look around you more often. Do not hug bumpers; the truck in front of you can’t see you.

Here are a few things that you can do to make the most out of the winter days.

1. Buy a reflective safety vest and wear it. Yes, you may look like a flagger, but your life is worth it.
2. You might think about an upgrade in the horn department. The louder the better. Many bikes come with horns that sound weak and can’t be heard in many of today’s sound proof vehicles. A truck style air horn just may save your life.
3. Make sure you have bright headlamps and tail lights. Older cycles may be in need of high tech riding lights, the brighter the better.
4. Make sure that your equipment is in top condition. Start with tire pressure and tread wear. There are some great aftermarket tires out there designed to offer riders exceptional handling. But follow the pressure guide on the new tires for proper inflation. Many of the aftermarket tires have a much higher tire pressure than the stock tires. The mistake by some riders is to keep the same air pressure in the new tires they did in the old ones. Bad move.
5. Enjoy the cold days. As an enthusiast I can say I’ve had some of my best short rides on crisp, clear Saturday afternoons. Not a lot of people out on a cold January day as most are in watching football or out at the mall shopping. This makes for some very open roads. Did I say open? You know what I mean.
6. Use the down time to fix and repair any thing that needs to be tended to or that you put off during the prime riding season. For some this may mean stripping the bike down and getting a new paint job. For others it may mean a complete engine overhaul or tune up and lube.
7. Catch up on your movie watching. Go to your favorite DVD/Video outlet and rent a few old 60’s or 70’s biker movies. Start with Electra Glide in Blue – not a true cycle movie but a pretty tough and gritty movie involving a cop on an Electra Glide. Another good one is On Any Sunday. Even the local library system has Easy Rider and the granddaddy of them all, The Wild One. Just keep in mind, most of these biker flicks are adult fair and not geared to the kiddies.

The bottom line, whether you are a year-round rider or a fair weather rider, remember to drive safely and make the most out of our Puget Sound winters.

Finally, we had Flash Gordon, MD, author of Blood, Sweat, and 2nd Gear, on Hog Radio for an interview. As part of our interview we went over various real-life scenarios bikers come into. You would do well to listen to this episode as he gives a lot of great advice. Flash is an MD and a long time rider; he owns and rides an Aprilia and a BMW.

Have a great November and make sure to listen to Hog Radio as we will keep you entertained all winter long.

Steve Johann