midwest motorcyclist, aug 2015 issue

* For qualified buyers. Visit BMW Motorcycles of Southeast Michigan for details. Always ride safely and wear proper protective gear.

BMW Motorcycles of Southeast Michigan14855 N. Sheldon Rd., Plymouth, MI

734.453.0500 www.bmwmcsem.com

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August 20154 www.midwestmotorcyclist.com

Columns5 To Our Readers16 Motorcycling and Law: MCCA by Dondi Vesprini18 Random Ramblings of a Rare Bird: The Fun & Folly of Riding Old Bikes

by Mike Mekinda20 Summer News Roundup by Jason Waechter21 The Preacher Speaks About... RLAP by Franz Hoffer

Features, News & Reviews6 Ladies Shine at Track Day by Blane Kamp7 Profile: Scott Parker, 9x Grand National Flat Track Champion by Ray Peabody12 Test Ride: 2015 Indian Scout by Ray Peabody15 Triumph Detorit Closes Plymouth Location15 ADV Monster H11 LED Headlight Bulb Upgrade by Gene SouthardResources5 Advertiser Index17 Event Schedule21 Michigan Harley-Davidson Dealer Event Schedule

How to contact us:

709 Fall StreetSpring Lake, Michigan 49456

(810) 923-8738www.midwestmotorcyclist.com

Copyright 1998-2015 cc media. All rights reserved. No part of thispublication may be reproduced, photocopied, or electronically

transmitted without the expressed written permission of the publisher.Advertisers, their agents, contributors of event information, free-

lance contributors and/or editorial contributors will defend, indemnifyand hold cc media and RTP Enterprises, Inc. harmless in any claimsof libel, copyright or trademark infringement, plagiarism, violation oflocal, national, or international privacy laws and any other claim or

suit that may arise subsequent to publication of said advertisement,stories, event information, and/or editorial. Submission of material for

consideration for publication in Michigan Motorcyclist/MidwestMotorcyclist, American CycleRider either solicited or unsolicited,

constitutes agreement to these terms. Except for thePublisher and Managing Editor, all writers are free-lance contributors.Any and all opinions expressed are those of the authors, and don’t

necessarily reflect those of the publisher.

Publisher/Managing EditorRay Peabody

[email protected]@sbcglobal.net

Advertising Sales/ Web Master / DistributionRay Peabody

[email protected]@sbcglobal.net

Cover DesignJulie Kirkendoll

cc media publications

Large cover photo: 2016 Indian Scout parked in downtown Milford. Photo by Ray Peabody.Small cover photo (upper): Ladies take the track at Grattan Raceway. Photo by Andrea Kamp.Small cover photo (lower): Scott Parker next to championship winning XR750 on display insidehis pub. Photo by Ray Peabody.

This Month’s Contributors:

Contributing Editors

Franz Hoffer, Mike Mekinda

plus

Blasne Kamp, Gene Southard,Dondi Vesprini, Jason Waechter

IN THIS ISSUE…..

BMW Motorcycles of Southeast Michigan

14855 N. Sheldon Rd., Plymouth, MI734.453.0500 www.bmwmcsem.com

OPEN HOUSESaturday, September 26, 2015

• Demo rides • Door prizes • Food & refreshments• Savings on all in-stock apparel & accessories• Special pricing on new and used motorcycles


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AdvertiserIndex

ABATE of Indiana ....................................8A.B.C. Harley-Davidson ...............21, 22, 23Battle Creek Harley-Davidson ......21, 22, 23BMW Motorcycles of Detroit................13, 20BMW of Grand Rapids..........5, 9, 10, 11BMW, SE Michigan..... .........2, 4, 8, 15C & S Harley-Davidson ...........21, 22, 23Capitol Harley-Davidson ..........21, 22, 23Classic MotorSports........,.........21, 22, 23Cycle Conservation Club ..........................16Diamond Gusset Jeans ...........................15Giant Loop........................................12Gildner’s Harley-Davidson ........21, 22, 23Grand Rapids H-D................. ...21, 22, 23Great Lakes Dual Sporters ...................17Great Lakes Harley-Davidson........21, 22, 23Hamilton’s Harley-Davidson ....14, 21, 22, 23Harley-Davidson dealers ..............21, 22, 23Hot Rod Harley-Davidson .............21, 22, 23Jason Waechter, The Motorcycle Lawyer..24Jerry B’s Cycle Works .......................12Kelley & Sons Trailers ...........................14Metro Triumph Riders............................9, 24Motor City Underwriters ......................12Motorcity Motorcycles.................3,5Motorcycle Solutions, LLC......................12MC Sport Touring Association..........13, 16Perry’s Harley-Davidson ..........21, 22, 23Ray C’s Harley-Davidson..........21, 22, 23Retail Warehouse .........................14, 20Richmond Cycle...................................18Ride for Kids...........................................7Rocky’s Outdoors.................................6, 9Sandy’s Harley-Davidson ...........21, 22, 23Shiawassee Harley-Davidson ....21, 22, 23Sport Bike Track Gear ............................ 13Sweet Trikes ...........................................12Tecumseh Harley-Davidson .....21, 22, 23Town & Country H-D................21, 22, 23Ton Up.....................................................18Zip’s 45th Parallel H-D..............21, 22, 23

PLEASE SUPPORTOUR ADVERTISERSThe advertisers in this magazine

help us bring a quality publicationto you. Please remember to buy

their products and usetheir services.

1765 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, MIOne mile north of Square Lake Rd. on the east side of Telegraph Rd.

248.920.2000 • www.ridemotorcity.com

on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/MotorCityMotorcycles

Pre-Owned Motorcycles

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2014 Indian® Chief®, VintageRed, 2,300+ miles,

Audio, w/s bag, heel shifter$20,999 OUT THE DOOR!!!

2000 BMW K1200LT,58,391 miles,

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2007 Harley-DavidsonVRSCAW - V-Rod,

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2007 Harley-Davidson®Ultra Classic, 70,832 miles,$9,999 OUT THE DOOR!!!

2011 Harley-Davidson®FLHX - Street Glide®,

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TRACK DAY@ Grattan

Monday, August 31, 2015

The day costs $165,which includestrack time, classroom instruction

and lunch. Allmakes and modelsof bikes are wel-

come to attend ourtrack events! Call

our store to reserveyour space today.

BE SEENWear Hi VizRiding Gear

Hope you’re having a greatsummer. Thanks for reading.

Have fun. Ride safe.See you on the road, at an event

or a campground. Ray


Ladies FirstBy Blane Kamp

When the Ladies First Track Day comesalong once a year at Grattan Raceway, it’s the ladiestime to shine. I’ve never seen so many women inrace leathers having such a great time. The ladieswere helping each other, smiling, telling stories andtalking about their sessions on the track. Theweather was great, getting into the 70s by midafternoon. Perfect conditions for the track day.Samantha Chambon, Director of Sportbike TrackGirl, organized the event and it was a completesuccess. There were a few crashes, but no one cameaway with more than bumps and bruises.

I’ve been to a number of track days and italways seems that someone cuts another rider off ormakes a mistake causing tension amongthe riders. Then you have problems. Ithink it has something to do with menand testosterone. That tension was absentat Ladies Track Day. Samantha said shedidn’t receive one complaint. Theseladies were going fast, too. I timed a fewunofficially in the low to mid 130s for laptimes. Roughly 20 seconds off the trackrecord and not even racing. These ladieswere smooth with great technique.Grattan is a great place to learn how toride your bike. There are no cars, oil or anti-freezespills to worry about. The coaches work with theriders to improve their lines, braking technique andoverall riding skills. I saw a lot of one-on-oneinstruction between the coaches and the riders. This

instruction could save the rider’s hide down theroad. Just knowing your bike will lean that muchfurther or stop that much quicker can be invaluableon the street. MSF courses are great, but there’snothing quite like being on a race track.

I was talking to a couple of the coaches,Mike Massara and Sally Inch,in the pits about the ladies-only track day. Sally wascommenting on how it gets thegirlfriends and wives into thesport. Instead of just watching,they’re participating. Many ofthe women are riding theirsignificant other’s motorcyclein the event. Two noviceclasses were reserved forwomen who were new to the

track and needed extra instruction. This allowed alot more one-on-one time with the coaches. 56entrants and eight female staff riders participated inthis year’s track day. There were also a goodnumber of male coaches pitching in to help the

ladies. Mike and Sally have worked with STT for along time and brought up some interestingconnections to Femmoto, a womens-onlymotorcycle event that started in 2002 in Las Vegas.

Richard Harris started LFTD after hebought the company, Sportbike Track Time, fromMonte Lutz in 2008. Monte’s wife, Bonnie Strawser,originally started Femmoto in 2002 as a two-dayevent in Las Vegas. That event ran for seven yearswith it’s peak coming in 2007 when they had 550female riders. Bonnie successfully encouraged manyof the manufacturers to bring their demo trucks tothe event. Women could pay for a track day and testride a variety of motorcycles. The cost to themanufacturers was too much to keep it going andFemmoto went away. The main problem was lackof promotion, according to my sources. Even with550 riders, it’s hard for the manufacturers to justifyparticipating. According to Women Riders Now,women make up 25% of all current riders. With anyluck, Samantha can get Ladies Track Day attendance

Continued on page 8

Photo by Lynn Kamp

Photo by Xtreme Sports Photography, 129photos.com


When Scott Parker retired fromprofessional flat track racing at the end of the 1998season, he was at the pinnacle of his career. He hadjust wrapped up his ninth AMA Grand NationalChampionship in eleven years and was stillwinning races. The second best racer in history (atthat time), Carroll Wesreber, had only won fourChampionships. Parker could have continuedracing, and likely winning, but he was done. Hedidn’t want to stay in the racing game past hisprime and had grown tired of the travel, havingbeen on the road since his teens. His enthusiasmwas gone. It was time to stop.

Before meeting Mr. Parker for thisinterview, I wondered what someone with so muchracing success would be doing after retiring fromthe track. I expected that he would still be involvedwith racing in some capacity. Perhaps, a race teamowner. Or maybe providing training to racers whowant to go faster. He is still under contract withHarley-Davidson and was intimately involved inthe development of the XR1200X several years. Healso worked on the marketing for the Street 750launch as well as an expert consultant on thedevelopment of that motorcycle for the X-Gamesflat track race. Otherwise, he’s not professionally

Continued on next page

Profile

Scott Parker, 9-Time AMA Grand NationalFlat Track Racing Champion

by Ray Peabody

involved with racing or the motorcycle industry.Instead, he owns and has operated Parker’s PD’s Pubat G-5153 Fenton Road in Grand Blanc for the lastseven years.

The first thing you see upon entering PD’sis the Harley-Davidson XR750 – on display in a glasscase - on which Parker won the last of hischampionships in 1998. Harley-Davidson gave himthe bike at a presentation ceremony in appreciationfor winning so many championships on thecompany’s behalf. Elsewhere in the Pub, pictures ofParker in full race mode are posted on the walls.While the mementos are there, visitors won’t feel as

if the bar is some kind of shrine to past racing glory.Mr. Parker is friendly and approachable as evidencedby the number of people who greeted him as wetalked.

Parker inherited the racing gene from hisfather who competed in enduros and ice races beforeeventually getting in to flat track. Young Scottstarted with a Rupp mini bike racing around a tree inhis family’s yard. Having dug a dirt path around thetree, he eventually moved to a local parking lot.

After the Rupp, he got the 65cc Yamaha thatlaunched his racing career. In 1974, Scott enteredsome AMA District 14 races running his 65cc againstbigger, more powerful 80cc bikes. Since his bike wasunderpowered, he had to develop racing techniquesand identify lines that would enable him to beat thebigger bikes. Those lessons carried over into hisprofessional career. Once he began winning, hemoved to Tennessee for a couple years to race,primarily because the payouts were better.

Parker moved up quickly through the ranksand, after having big success as a junior, he enteredthe professional race at the Houston Astrodome in1979. He was overly confident, expecting to win atthe top level of racing right out of the box. He gotspanked. It was a different level of racing than whathe had experienced as a junior; the competition wasfaster and more aggressive. Ultimately, he didn’teven qualify. Parker confesses that he was shocked togo from winning everything to not even making itinto the heat races. He knew he had to step up hisgame and get his head straight if he was going towin against the best of the best. He did, winning


Autumn Track Day



• Monday, August 31, 2015 •

The day costs $165, which includestrack time, class room instruction andlunch. All makes and models of bikes

are welcome to attend our trackevents! To register, please call

Audrey at (734) 453-0500

races at Indianapolis and Duquoin in that first year.He struggled through the 1980 season but

his prospects looked up in 1981. Harley-Davidsonhad hired Clyde Fessler, a marketing and pressrelations guy, to grenerate publicity for Harley-Davidson and their flat track racers. At the first westcoast race of the year, factory Harley racer, JaySpringsteen, wasn’t able to compete due to anongoing stomach ailment. Fessler tried to promotethe team with only one racer but knew he needed atleast one more racer. Parker was hired to fill in forSpringer while he recovered.

Once onboard with Harley-Davidson,Parker improved his standing every year, movingup from 9th to 7th to 6th before winning his firstGrand National Championship (GNC) in 1988. That1988 GNC propelled H-D back to the top of flattrack racing after several years of Hondadomination. He went on to win the GNC in 1989,1990, and 1991 before experiencing a stumble in1992. In that year, he finished only two pointsbehind Chris Carr despite having DNF’d in a raceand being out of three races due to injury. Parkeractually won more races than Carr that year which

kept him in contention for theGNC.

Parker was energizedgoing into the 1993 season.Unfortunately for him, his bikebroke down in the first race of theseason and Carr went on to win.At Hagerstown, Parker fell off hisbike and Ricky Graham went onto take the checkers. At that pointin the season, Parker was already40 points down on the leaders; agap that seemed insurmountable.He says that his motivationwaived and he was just goingthrough the motions. The mediabegan questioning whether hecould win again or if his careerwas over. Scott only won one race and Graham endedup winning the GNC in 1993. Interestingly enough,Parker’s lack of success in 1993 inspired him. He knewhe still had the skills and drive to win. He also wantedto prove the naysayers wrong.

He did. He not only won the GNC in 1994, healso won in 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998 for a total ofnine Grand National Championships. Only Chris Carr

has come close to matching Parker’s recordwith his seven GNCs early in this century.Despite the success of some younger racerslike Jared Mees and Bryan Smith, no onecurrently racing is even close to matchingParker’s GNC record.

At the end of the 1999 season, Parker

decided to retire. He was getting older. Thetraining and travel had become a pain. Heasked himself what really mattered. He hadbeen racing for more than 20 years anddecided he wanted to do something else.Maybe build some houses. He had beeninvolved in the construction industry as asideline for most of his career. Still, he was alittle unsure. He decided it might be better toease out of racing rather stop cold turkey. Heelected to race at five of the biggest races in1999 to smooth the transition out of racing.Unfortunately, the 1999 season was areflection of the less successful parts of hiscareer; he won one of the five races andfinished third and fourth in a couple others.His bike broke in one and he fell off inanother. His decision to retire seemed to be a

good one. These days, Scott Parker is still riding but

he rides at a more leisurely pace. Rather than anXR750, his main ride is a Harley-Davidson StreetGlide. He especially likes those 150 miles days in thesaddle exploring south central Michigan. The rest ofhis time is spent with family and managing PD’s.Although Parker is rightfully proud of his career, hedoesn’t miss racing. He’s moved on to moreimportant things in life.

For more information about Scott Parkerand his racing career, there’s lots of informationonline. Or you can stop by Parker’s PD’s Pub inGrand Blanc, Michigan for a meal and a beer and sayhello. Scott will likely be there as he is most everyday.

up and the manufacturers on board.S a m a n t h a organized the

event and ran all of itthrough Sport BikeTrack Girl. Iinterviewed Samanthato get her thoughts onthis year’s event .Samantha has beenriding on the track sinceJuly of 2012. “It was aninstant addiction,” shesaid. “In May 2014, Ijoined the STG staff and started planningfor Ladies First at Grattan on July 4th,2014. I absolutely love being a part of theorganization and encouraging women tocome out and try track days. It’s an honor

Continued from page 6 - Ladies First to be a part of a group of such strong, kind andencouraging women! There is nothing morerewarding than a female rider coming up to me at

the end of the day and saying ‘thiswas my first track day and Iabsolutely loved it. I will be backsoon.’” Samantha did a great jobwith the event. At the end of theday, the ladies walked away witha number of raffle prizes and agoody bag.Sportbike Track Girl has anotherLadies First Track Day eventscheduled for September 7, 2015 at

Talladega GP in Cullman, Alabama. Going forward,STG plans on having two outings a year for womenonly and grow the program in the next few years.They hope to get manufacturers on board in thefuture. STG’s goal is “No matter your skill level,

from the newestbeginner to the expertracer, we are here toprovide a relaxed settingdesigned to eliminate theintimidation and removethe obstacles we face aswomen riders”.

Ladies FirstTrack Day just celebratedits 6th year. There arecurrently a total of 9sponsors and Samanthais working on increasingthat number. For moreinformation, visit theSportbike Track Girl website atwww.sportbiketrackgirl.com.

Photo by Andrea Kamp

Continued from previous page - S. Parker Profile


5995 South DivisionGrand Rapids, MI

(616) 530-6900www.bmwmcgr.com

WIN A 2015 BMW R nine T!

ONLY 250 tickets will be soldDrawing will be held on September 19, 2015

Stop by our dealership to get your ticket today -before they’re all gone!

Proceeds to the Children With Hair Loss Charity

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ticket

Rocky’s Great OutdoorsG4014 South Saginaw Street, Burton, MI

(810) 742-5420www.motorcycleandoutdoors.com/

Rocky’s Great Outdoors is your one-stop shop for all of your outdooractivities. Whether you’re motorcycling, camping, hiking, kayaking,

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Pre-Owned Motorcycles

BMW Motorcycles of Grand Rapids, 5995 South Division, Grand Rapids, MI(616) 530-6900 www.bmwmcgr.com

2012 Suzuki GSX™ R750 , Yellow, 13,656 miles, $8,2502012 Triumph Tiger 800, Black, 18,896 miles, $7,9502009 BMW K 1200 LT, Black, 72,000 miles, $9,7502009 BMW R 1200 GS, Silver, 62,000 miles, $9,7502009 BMW R 1200 RT , Silver, 38,487 miles, $9,9502008 BMW K 1200 GT, Silver, 27,000 miles, $10,2502008 BMW R 1200 GS , Silver, 51,734 miles, $9,2502007 BMW K 1200 R Sport, Silver, 26,141 miles, $6,9502006 BMW R 1200 GS , Graphite, 62,682 miles, $9,4502005 BMW K 1200 LT, Graphite, 45,425 miles, $9,2502005 BMW K 1200 LT, Ocean Blue, 24,337 miles, $9,2502005 BMW R 1200 RT, Red, 71,444 miles, $7,7502005 BMW R 1200 RT, Red, 71,000 miles, $7,7502002 BMW K1200LT, Silver, 70,002 miles, $6,2502001 BMW R1100RT, Black/White, 116,805 miles, $3,9501992 BMW R100RT, Green, 50, 029 miles, $4,750

2002 BMW F 650 GS, 28,000

miles, Low suspension, Tall

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2012 MV Agusta

Brutale 1090 R,

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Finally, a company seems to be gettingthe remake of the Indian Motorcycle Companyright. When Polaris acquired the rights to theIndian brand in 2011, success in rebuilding thebrand seemed a long shot to many.

The original Indian Motorcycle Companyhalted motorcycle production in 1953. After beingthe dominant motorcycle company during the firstfour decades of the 20th century, Harley-Davidsontook the lead by supplying thousands ofmotorcycles to the U.S. military during WorldWar II. Indian was never able to recover lostmarket share. Since then, multiple companies havetried to resurrect the company but all failed. Mostwere tying the once prestigious brand to low-quality motorcycles. In the 1990s, one suchenterprise seemed to consider the actual buildingof motorcycles secondary to selling products withearly Indian logos. All of those companies failedto regain the early prominence. Polaris seemed tobe a company with resources sufficient enough torestore the company to its former glory. The firstindication that Polaris might succeed where othershave failed was the introduction of their ThunderStroke V-twin engine.

Once Indian established a dealer network,we decided it was time to test these entirely new,American-made motorcycles. Last year,Contributing Editor and The Skinny On…columnist, Pedro Gregorio, tested the Chieftain andcame away impressed by its engine andcomfortable ride. One month later, we published areview of the Roadmaster by regular contributor,Patrick Francis. He was equally enthusiastic aboutthe performance of the big tourer; the price tag, notso much. Once the Scout was released, we knew wehad to see whether this streak of positive reviewswould continue.

Test Ride

2015 Indian Scout, Modern Classicby Ray Peabody

The Scout name goes back to the originalIndian Motorcycle Company. Various versions ofthe Scout were built between 1920 and 1949. Someversions were more successful than others. “IronMan” Ed Kretz rode a Sport Scout to a win theinaugural Daytona 200 in 1937. The Scout also foundits way to the Daytona 200 winner’s circle in both1947 and 1948. Those who have seen the movieabout Burt Monroe might remember that he rode amodified 1000cc Scout to a land speed record at theBonneville Salt Flats in 1967. While the new Scoutmight never make it to the race track, performance

provides deep roots in its genetic tree.John Erickson, the General Manager at

MotorCity Indian Motorcycles in BloomfieldHills, Michigan offered up his Scout for ourtest. The test bike was stock except for anadd-on windscreen. The plan was to takeOrchard Lake Road west of the dealership inthe hunt for less traffic and open roads.

First impressions were positive. Afterriding several technologically sophisticatedmotorcycles in the recent months, thesimplicity of the Scout was a welcome change.The simple but elegant speedometer is locatedin front of the fuel tank just under thepullback handlebars. There is no tachometer.The controls are simple and standard; a singlebutton to actuate and discontinue thedirectional signals, a horn, dim / brightheadlight switch, starter button and on-offbutton. That’s it. The key is located on the leftside, just beneath the saddle between thecylinders.

The seating position is quite comfortable.The firm solo leather saddle is raised at therear which helps the rider maintain an upright

posture without slouching. I felt like I was sittingon top of the motorcycle rather than down in itdespite the low 25.3 inch saddle height. Thefootpegs are positioned at the lower front of theframe. They’re far enough forward to keep therider from feeling cramped but close enough tokeep a slight bend at the knee. The pull-back handlebars are a comfortable reach; the rider leansforward slightly but not so much as to put weighton the wrists and elbows.

Continued on page 14


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Continued from page 10 - Indian Scout Test

Out on the road, the water-cooled, fuel-injected, 69 cubic inch, 100 horsepower v-twintakes center stage. Vibration at idle or at speed isnegligible because of the engine counter balancer.While parked at idle, the exhaust note is barelyaudible.Accelerate hardthrough the sixgears and itsounds like amuffled hot rod. Idon’t especiallyfavor loud pipesbut the exhaustnote is so sweet,I’d like to hear alittle more of it.

The fronttelescoping forksare firm butforgiving enoughso the riderdoesn’t losecontrol on the bumpy sections of road. (Read “onMichigan roads.”) The twin rear shocks are stiff;they don’t cushion the bumps – especially the frostheaves - nearly as well. That written, the Scoutprovides solid, track-like handling on smoothsweepers and tighter curves.

Contributing to that precise handling isthe observation that the Scout feels lighter than its558 pounds (wet) might suggest. Good ridersmight not need to put their feet down at stops.(Not recommending this strategy just highlighting

the balance.)The single disk brakes, both front and

rear, bring the Scout to smooth, stable stops; asexpected. Motorcycles with poor brakes won’t beon the market long.

Overall, the Scout is a fun, fastmotorcycle, comfortable enough for the short

cruise to bike nightor an all-day tour ofthe State. The factthat the Scout seemsto be enjoyingstrong sales is nosurprise. I doubtwe’ll be seeing thismotorcycle in theDaytona 200anytime soon.However, itwouldn’t surpriseme at all to see theScout successfullycampaigned on thedirt track or maybe

even modified enough to go after some speedrecords at the Flats. Its genes would indicate thatit could do quite well.

Thanks to John Erickson of MotorCityIndian Motorcycles, located at 1765 S. TelegraphRoad in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. For moreinformation about the Scout or other models inthe Indian line-up, visit their store, give them acall at 248.920.2000, visit their website atwww.RideMotorCity.com, or check them out onFacebook.

MSRP: $10,999




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On my last trip to Florida Ihad the opportunity to visit ADVmonster and get one of there new LEDheadlight bulbs installed in my BMW.The output of the new bulb wasamazing. The upgraded bulb is rated at2500 lumens, much greater output thanthe standard H11 halogen bulb. But thereal improvement can only be seenwhen riding on a very dark night. Ihave to say that these old 60 year oldeyes do not see as well at night, so anyimprovement in night time vision isvery much appreciated. The beamreaches further down the road andgives improved lighting within theentire beam. An added benefit of theLED is the decrease in amp draw.

ADV Monster H11 LEDHeadlight Bulb Upgrade

by Gene SouthardAs you can see from the picture

there is more to fit inside the headlightshell so if room is a problem you mayhave trouble fitting it all in. But on thatdark night riding home and that waywardraccoon decides to cross the road in frontof you. You will be glad for the LEDupgrade.

Shelby Township, Michigan –Triumph Detroit hasannounced that theirPlymouth, Michigan, locationwill close effective July 31,2015. The company willcontinue to operate theirTriumph dealership located at50662 Van Dyke in ShelbyTownship, 1/4 mile south of23 Mile Road.

“We appreciate ourwest side customers andwould very much like tocontinue operating our Plymouth store,” saidSuzanne Canu, who with her husband, Dave, ownsTriumph Detroit. “Unfortunately, issues arose withour building and were unable to get them resolved

Triumph Detroit ClosesPlymouth Location

with our landlord. As a result,we elected not to renew ourlease. We apologize for anyinconvenience this mightcause our customers.”

Triumph Detroit iscommitted to serving all oftheir customers includingthose who made purchasesthrough the Plymouth store.For more information, vistTriumphDetroit’s ShelbyTownship

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Motorcycling & LawMCCA

by Dondi VespriniWe Ride!

...All Makes of Bikes...All Over the Country

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Our members come from all across the Midwest (and beyond)

and we ride many makes of street bikes - including:

We travel to great riding destinations close by and far away. We learn to be

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In Michigan, contact:Gregg Mitchell

[email protected]

Sport Touring is Our Middle Name!

In Indiana, contact:Donald “Moose” Parish

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For information about membership, meetings, events or rides,contact the MSTA group in your state:

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No place to ride? Michigan is home to the largest organized network of off-road trails in the world - more than 3500 miles of marked, maintained ORV trails for the entire family to enjoy! Since 1968, The Cycle Conservation Club of Michigan has led the charge to assure continued access to public lands for motorized recreation by working closely with state and federal government. Membership in the CCC offers organized trail rides, a map CD of the entire trail system, a subscription to the Great Lakes TrailRider Magazine

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I hope that, as we enter into the dogdays of summer, you have been loggingquality miles on your bike and taking in allthat a Michigan Summer has to offer. I havehad the opportunity to attend various motor-cycle events across our State and talk to manybikers about a variety of topics. Whilemotorcyclists from varying locations acrossthe State each have regional issues they areinterested in, perhaps the one topic that getsmore universal discussion than any other as itrelates to motorcycle insurance is the Michi-gan Catastrophic Claims Association(MCCA). I was asked by some attendees atthe Freedom Rally in Lansing this past June todevote this article to explaining what theMCCA is and why a fee shows up for same onmotorcycle insurance policies.

As many motorcyclists know,Michigan is a no fault insurance state. Whilemotorcyclists are not required to purchase nofault coverage on their motorcycle insurancepolicies, Michigan law nonetheless allows amotorcyclist to receive no fault benefits ifthey are involved in an accident with a motorvehicle. Those no fault benefits include itemssuch as medical expenses, attendant care,household services, wage loss and medicalmileage. The medical expense benefits it alifetime benefit which has no cap on costs.One can imagine that in the case of a cata-strophically injured person, the amount paidin no fault benefits can be incredibly high,especially in case where extensive medicaltreatment is required and intensive attendantcare and items such as home modifications arenecessary.

In an effort to ease the financialburden on any one insurance company payinga large amount of money on a no fault claimwhere one has been catastrophically injured,the MCCA was created by Michigan statute in1978. While the no fault insurer remainsliable to the catastrophically injured personfor lifetime medical expenses, the MCCAreimburses the no fault insurer for amountsthe insurer pays on the claim in excess of acertain amount. Currently, that amount is$545,000.00. This means that once the no faultinsurer has paid over $545,000.00 on a no faultclaim, it may be reimbursed by the MCCA forany additional payments it makes over thatamount.

In order to provide reimbursementto no fault insurers for these catastrophic type

no claims, all insurance companiesdoing business in Michigan are assesseda fee to help fund the MCCA. Theassessment is subject to change everyyear. The assessment for July 1, 2015 toJune 30, 2016 is $150.00 per insuredvehicle. The no fault insurers generallypass the costs of this assessment ondown to their insureds as part of thepremium that are paid on auto andmotorcycle insurance policies alike.

The MCCA is a source ofcontroversy, especially when it comesto the topic of No Fault reform. Insur-ance companies have been relentless inpushing to reform no fault law todecrease or cap it’s liability to pay nofault benefits, arguing that insurancecompanies are going broke due to theamount of money they pay out yearlyon no fault claims. However, when theinsurance industry is asked how muchmoney is in the MCCA, they are notforthcoming with the answer and all areleft in large part to speculate how muchmoney is in the MCCA.

As always, if anyone has anyquestions or if I can be of legal assis-tance to you or anyone you know whohas been injured in a motorcycleaccident, please don’t hesitate to contactme as I deal with these types of claimson a daily basis on behalf of injuredmotorcyclists statewide.

Further, if you would like tohave me come out to your Region tospeak or give a presentation on thelegal rights of an injured motorcyclistor on any specific topic that your regionmay be curious about, please don’thesitate to give me a call at (248-569-4646) or shoot me an e-mail [email protected]. I givepresentations to Regions state-wide andthere is never a charge associated withhaving me out. I enjoy having theopportunity to come out and meetmotorcycle enthusiasts from all parts ofour State!


EventsEvents do change.Please call ahead.

Michigan

Indiana

Midwest

July 25American Legion Riders of MichiganWilWin Ride for Our VeteransDeparts C&S Harley-DavidsonMount Pleasant, MichiganEnds Kewadin Casino in Sault Ste Marie$25 / personPre-register by June 25th

Register day of ride at C&S H-DSend payment to Earl Ruttkofsky9771 Wilson Rd., Lake City, MI 49651Include return address

July 255th AnnualSupport Our Troops FestivalAmerican Legion, Berrien CountyBaroda, MIReg & Breakfast 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.$20 / personRide leaves at 10 a.m.Live Bands, Beer tent, Bike, Car & TruckShow, Helicopter rideswww.supportourtroopsfestival.orgtroopsfestival49101@gmail.com

July 26Shiawassee Michigan H.O.G. Chapter#327115TH ANNUAL MYSTERY RIDESign in from 10:00AM Until Noon atShiawassee Sports Center 11901 N. BeyerRd. Birch Run MI. 48415$15.00 per person includes a Scenic 100mile Self-Guided Ride, Excellent BuffetDinner, Lots of Door Prizes, Awards, A “Big Pot” 50/50 drawing, Drawing for anew 2015 Street Glide, and Event Pins forthe first 400 registered riders. All Eventproceeds will benefit The Junction of Hopenon-profit Restaurant.For more information please call Judy at810-965-6664 or Fritz at 989-323-0607

July 30-August 13rd Annual Alpena Bike Fest6850 French Rd., Alpena, MI21 and over; no pets$25 per couple(810) [email protected]

August 1Bikes for Trykes, Joe’s RideScooter’s Bar & GrillFlint, MI9 a.m. registration11 a.m. escorted ride begins4 p.m. ride ends at Baron’s MotorcycleClub in Gaines, MI(810) [email protected]

August 11st Annual Cross Road Bike ShowFritz’s Restaurant & LoungeM-15 & M-46 Intersection inRichville, MI$8 pre-registration; $10 day of eventReg 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.Awards at 3 p.m.(989) 823-3329(989) 325-6688

August 1Vietnam Legacy RideMI Vietnam MemorialLansing, Michigan

(616) 350-1463www.vietnamlegacyridemi.com

August 1Motorcycle Poker RunStarts at Wolverine Harley-Davidson44660 N. Gratiot Ave.Clinton Township, MI586.463.7700$25 per personInfo: (586) 598-9716 or(586) 615-4067

August 2Ride for Kids to support childrenfighting brain tumorsWashtenaw Community College4800 E. Huron River DriveAnn Arbor, MIReg 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.Dual sport starts at 10 a.m.Road ride starts at 10:45 a.m.Pre-register at www.rideforkids.org

August 8Swap Meet at Hamilton HDcall for limited spacesHamilton Harley Davidson68951 White School RdSturgis MI269-651-3424www.hamiltonharley-davidson.com

August 8Combat Veterans MotorcycleAssociation, Michigan Chapter 35-22nd Annual All Patriots Runto benefit Camp LibertyVFW Post #2406695 Lansing Road, Charlotte, MIReg 9:30 a.m. to noon$20 / rider; $10 / passenger(517) [email protected]

August 12 (Wednesday)Talons Out Honor FlightVeteran’s Charity EventHelp send WWII vets on an HonorFlight to their MemorialCornwell’s Turkeyville USA18935 15 ½ Mile RoadMarshall, MI(269) 781-2247 [email protected]

August 1429th Annual Midnight RideDeparting from Meijer on 10 MileRoad(Exit #97 on US-131Rockford, MIwww.gwrra-mi-g.orgwww.jdrfwestmichigan.com

August 156th Davison Eagle RidersProstate Charity Ride3270 N. State Road, Davison, MIReg 10 a.m. to Noon$10 per person(810) [email protected]

August 21-23Thunder in OscodaAmerican Legion Riders, Post 274Oscoda, MIFree admission(248) 752-0424

August 22Valley Trail Riders present 1/2 mileovalMotorcycle Dirt Track RacingArenac FairgroundsI-75, Exit 190, east two milesStandish, MIGates Open at 9 a.m.Practice laps at NoonRaces start 2 p.m.

Info on Facebook at Valley Trail RidersMotorcycle Club

September 12The Ton-Up Motorcycle & Music FestivalDowntown Depot Town/Ypsilanti,MichiganCafé Racer10 E. Cross StreetYpsilanti, Michigan(734) 879-1201

September 12Red Knights Firefighters MCPoker Run and Steak-Out forGreat Lakes Burn CampLenox Township Park63775 Gratiot Avenue (between 29 and 30mile roads)Reg 11 a.m. to noon$25 per bike; $50 with passengerInfo: [email protected] or(586) 557-0892

September 12Paw Paw Grape Escape Motorcycle RideTo benefit the Great Lakes Burn CampSeaLandAir Travel513 E. Michigan Ave, Paw Paw, MI$25 per bike(269) 207-7710

September 12The Ton-Up Motorcycle & Music FestivalDepot Town / Ypsilanti, MICafé Racer10 E. Cross StYpsilanti, MI(734) 879-1201

September 13Battle of the BritsCamp DearbornMilford, Michigan

August 1Get Wet for a VetVFW Post 3601307 E. Jefferson, Mishawaka, INReg. 8 a.m., Kickstands up 9:30 a.m.Rider $15; Passenger $1021 & older onlywww.facebook.com/getwetforavet

August 18th Annual Rams Charity RideFighting MS one bike at a timeIndyWest Harley-Davidson6201 Cambridge WayPlainfield, INReg. 9 a.m.; Kickstands up at 10:30a.m.$20 bike; Passengers free(317) 677-5960

August 11st Annual Anna Bell’s RideBenefit to raise money for Child AbuseAwarenessEveritt’s Sugar Shack5560 Brookville Road,Indianapolis, IN$10 / rider; $5 / passengerReg. 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.Kickstands up: 11 a.m.(317) 693-4197

August 22nd Annual Road ConstructionAwareness RideIndianapolis Southside Harley-Davidson4930 Southport Crossing PlaceIndianapolis, INReg 9 a.m.; First bike out at 11 a.m.$20 / rider; $5 / passenger(317) 796-1133

(317) 372-8721

August 8Rolling Inferno NortheastBrotherhood BashKendallville Eagles1990 West North StreetKendallville, INReg 11 a.m.Kickstands up at noonRide: $20 per riderBash: $20 entry fee(260) [email protected]

August 14-166th Annual Hog Dazeat Ballard Field in Marion, IN3 miles west of I-69 on State Route 18$5 admissionGates open noon August 14th

Join us in Marion, Indiana where theterm “Hog” was founded. Celebratingthe historical Marion InternationalMotorcycle race where the first Harley-Davidson victory lap with a live hogtook place, leading to the term hogbecoming synonymous with motorcyclesand forever making Marion, Indiana theHome of the Hog. We have an awesomemusic lineup with an old fashionedrockabilly night on Friday and afantastic blend for Saturday. We willhave fantastic food, rides, field events, abike show, camping and tons of vendors.Do not let the weather keep you away.We have a huge entertainment tent.Check the website or Facebook often forupdates. Look forward to seeing youthere. This is a family friendlycharitable event sanctioned by ourfriends, ABATE of Indiana.

August 22Ovar’Rideto fight ovarian cancerNorth start route: Southside H-DSouth start route: Bloomington H-DFinish: Mike’s Music & Dance Barn inNashville, IN$25 / rider; $40 with passengerwww.ovariancancerIN.org

August 22Templar Order Motorcycle Club’s2nd Annual Dream RideStarts at On the Roxx2522 Portage MallReg. 9 a.m.; bikes out at 10 a.m.$20 / single; $25 / two up(219) 299-9049www.chasingdreams.orgAugust 23Ride Or Rot Vintage Motorcycle EventDowntown Fort Wayne, Indiana800 block of south Calhoun Street1:00 p.m.Photos & updates for 2015 event on ourRide Or Rot FTW Facebook page.group ride prior. Check back onFacebook for details.

August 2923rd Annual Mark Allen MemorialRideUAW Local 9332320 S. Tibbs AvenueIndianapolis, INReg. 9 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.First bike out 11 a.m.$25 / rider; $15 / passenger(317) 709-1961(317) 508-3865

September 53rd Standing Up for Our YouthFundraiserto benefit our local childrenBuddy & Pals Place1206 E. Summit StreetCrown Point, INReg. 9 a.m.; Kickstands up at 11 a.m.Rider $20; with Passenger $25

October 1166th Annual Devil’s StaircaseHillclimbOregonia, Ohiowww.daytonmc.com

September 26-27The Big Woods 200A 2-Day Dual Sport Event sanctionedby the American MotorcycleAssociation. Dual sport is a type ofmotorcycle riding which is a mix of offroad trails connected with the use ofroads. Participants of our events arefrom WI but we also drawparticipants from throughout theUnited States. Trails are used withpermission and/or permits throughthe USFS, County forests, and privatelandowners. Trails range from 2 track,gravel, minimal pavement (as little aswe can), and single track sections thatare optional- Saturday’s route isusually about 130 miles and Sunday’sroute is usually about 80 miles (thoughmiles and routes change often yearly).The motorcycles are street legalmotorcycles that are fully off roadcapable. This event is held in Wabeno,WI.Registration fee includes camping,meals, trail support, t-shirts and twodays of great riding through theNorthwoods in Wisconsin. Fundsraised from raffles and proceeds go tovarious local charities in ForestCounty and surrounding counties. Thisis truly exciting and rewarding for theWisconsin Dual Sport Riders to be apart of. For more information or toregister, visit the Wisconsin DualSport Riders website atwww.widualsportriders.org/v3/events.asp


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There’s an inherent coolness in riding anold motorbike, particularly one from the 70s or 80s.Not talking about a clapped out beater here, but adecent, well-ridden representative of the day. Aproper example will never win a show trophy, butstill looks good enough for the occasional “nicebike - used to have one of those...” from the guy atthe gas pump. I mention the 70s and 80s becausethere’s still an abundance of these bikes left. Manywere, and still are, really good looking bikes, andthey’re not old enough (or perfect enough) to drawthe ire of collectors who can’t believe you’re

The Fun and Folly of Riding Old Bikesby Mike Mekinda

Random Ramblings of a Rare Bird

actually riding a classic antique in the rain. Afterseveral years of only owning old bikes, however, I’mfinding there is definitely a downside to basking in thecool of riding vintage.

My current riding projects include a 1973Harley FLH with factory sidecar, and a 1982 HondaGL1100i Goldwing Interstate. I recently, reluctantly,parted ways with my 1988 Honda CBR1000F Hurricaneto make way for something newer; its place in thegarage remains noticeably empty. All three bikes werepurchased in nice shape, but many years of sitting lefteach in need of major maintenance. Fluids were flushed

and replaced, brakesoverhauled, electricalsmetered, connectionscleaned, hoses replaced…and the list goes on to theunrecorded minutiae ofrepairs done whilecompleting the biggerprojects. Overall, my bikesare mechanically sound, andaesthetically as nice aspossible without fullrestoration. They’re greatfun to ride to the local bikenights, occasional commutesto work, or rides along thescenic route with LovelyWife or Pretty Daughter to

grab a meal. More than that, however, and Left Brainkicks in and starts nagging Right Brain about the“what-ifs”, and the ride loses a bit of it’s fun - whichbrings me to the point of this rambling…

Riding an older bike means waves fromfolks in cars, especially kids. It means double takes atintersections, which might indicate being noticed bymore drivers. It means waves from most other riders,regardless of brand loyalty, as many started onsomething similar (or always wished for the bikethey couldn’t afford). It means nods fromconstruction workers, and long glances frompedestrians. Riding an older bike, like driving aclassic car, gets you noticed, and for all the rightreasons. The down? It’s rare to spend less than 15minutes at a gas stop. In fact, parking nearlyanywhere will lead to a conversation about the bike.“Original owner?” “How long have you had it?”“How’s it run?” Then, “I had/ always wanted one ofthese back when…”, and the long story begins.Fortunately, I usually love talking to folks, and I lovehearing their stories. If I’m two-up, Wife or Daughterwill usually say hello, then discretely fade into thebuilding to get a table and start the ordering process,or wander off to do some shopping. They know itcould be a while. There are times, however, when Ijust don’t have “a while” to spend, and I’ve got to getto work, or be somewhere else 10-minutes ago. And



Triumph Detroit50662 Van Dyke,

Shelby Township, MI(1/4 mile south of

23 Mile Road)

(586) 726-7400www.triumphdetroit.com

Triumph Detroit’s20TH Anniversary Open House

Saturday, August 22, 2015 • 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Join usas we

celebrate20 years

inbusiness.Founder Paul Lasko

will be joining us!

Food • Refreshments • Prizes • Giveaways

Don’tMiss It! You’re

Invited!

Continued from previous pagesometimes, I’m just getting “hangry” (perfect wordfor my “brick wall” hunger onset!), and all I want todo is walk inside and quietly get some food into mygrumbling belly - and I wish I drove the car.

Riding an older bike means the visceralsensations that come with a vehicle that has not yetbeen perfected by modern engineering. The rumbleof the engine that one feels through the bike, thanksto solid mounting and little insulation from theframe. The whir of the valvetrain over the sound ofthe wind, competing with the clatter of fat, non- 0-ring drive chains. The clunk and creak of old bodypanels on stiff suspension and flexi-chassis. The roarof old-school tread on skinny tires over imperfectpavement. The incredible sensations that create adirect connection between rider, bike and road. Thedownside? That connection means pieces of the bikesare always coming loose, occasionally escaping thebike and making a dash for freedom at mostinopportune times - like crossing a railroad track in aline of traffic! That direct connection also isresponsible for that buzzy numbness in theextremities and manly bits (or lady-bits, of course)after a longer ride. Rides typically end with a waitfor enough sensation in the fingers to use a wrenchor screwdriver, since forgetting to tighten loosefasteners on this ride will only multiply problems onthe next ride!

Riding an older bike means carburetors forfuel management, usually more than one in a(hopefully) synchronized bank. Properly set-up carbswork well, and, in my experience, seem far lessfinicky of fuel quality than FI. A bit of choke(remember those?), a little throttle, and they (mostly)fire right up and into a fast, warm-up idle. An addedbonus is, if the battery is weak, one can push start a

simple carbureted bike - no battery, no fuel pump ona modern bike, and usually no electronic ignitioneither. The down to carbs is cringing on frigidmornings as I consider the cold metals in thick, coldlube that’s barely flowing, as parts slide, squish andbang at 2500rpm for a 3-5 minute warmup, beforefinally sputtering away. Yeah, I know they were likethat for generations, but that’s also why mygrandfathers considered 60,000 the maximum trade-inmileage on vehicles (motorcycles often requiredrebuilds much earlier), and we now drive them wellover 100,000 miles. Carbs work fine most of the time,but I’ve been spoiled by the wonders of modern fuelinjection, especially in the ever-changing NEOhioclimate.

Riding an older bike (again, not a classicshow piece) typically means the entry cost wasminimal. They’re cheap to insure and, if it’s a bikethat was reasonably popular, cheap to maintain.Parts, both new and used, tend to be fairly abundantfor all but the rarest bikes, so downtime waiting forrepair parts is usually minimal. If something drastichappens to our old bike, we may be bummed, but notcrushed if something should happen to it that can’t be

repaired. We can save time and just ride, because wedon’t feel a compulsion to keep them shiny andsparkly. In some cases, you can even register/ platethem as classics or collectors bikes, and the platesare one-time for life. All sounds great, right?Downside is nearly every ride begins and/or endswith some sort of maintenance, adjustment orrepair. Parts may be readily available, but mightrequire some creative searching to find a decentprice. If prices seem unreasonable, the “racer’s taperepair” might be the chosen route. Even theinexpensive Collector registration comes hascaveats - this can’t be your only bike, the one you’reputting 10,000+ a year on, and is intended forlimited use. There is, however, a kind of upside tothat restriction; rotating bikes to meet the spirit ofthe law requires a multiple bikes/ cars collection.Legal rationalization for convincing the spouse youNEED a bigger garage and more old vehicles!

Riding an older bike seems like a fun andeconomical way to ride - and it can be. Older bikesare definitely best suited for local jaunts, though.There are times that an inexpensive modern bike isthe better way to go, and times you just WANT abig, expensive modern motorbike with all thecomforts.. Admittedly, my age may have somethingto do with it, but I prefer my adventures to comefrom the travel, NOT the potential of learninganother MacGyver fix on the side of an empty two-lane in the rain - especially if with a wet passenger.Not a chance that it would stop me from enjoyingmy older motorcycles, but, much like classic cars, Ifind one still needs a “daily driver”. Time toexpand the garage- I’ve just strengthened myrationalization for owning even more bikes!

Be seen, ride smart, stay safe and I’ll seeyou on the road! -mike


Summer News Roundupby Jason Waechter, Esq.

Attorney Jason A. Waechter is a national attorneyspecializing in the areas of motorcycle and motor vehicle injurylitigation. Mr. Waechter has collected millions of dollars insettlements, awards and verdicts for his motorcycle clients over thepast 20 years. Jason feels a duty to give back to his community. Aportion of each case settled goes to educational resources for bikers,funds to help bikers while their cases are being litigated and ourmotorcycle accident prevention campaign. Call Attorney JasonWaechter toll free at 1-877-BIKER LAW. Or visitwww.TheMotorcycleLawyer.com Legal disclaimer: The law is veryfact dependent and there are many nuances and exceptionsdepending on your particular circumstances. Therefore, given thelimited space, it is impossible to cover everything. Do not rely onthe short article to protect your rights.

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Summer is in full swing here inthe Midwest, which meansthere’s a lot going on formotorcyclists… and that’s notcounting all the hours andmiles we are logging on ourbikes! Of course, this is a busytime for me as well, as TheMotorcycle Lawyer, but also asan advocate for and promoterof motorcycle awareness andsafety. With that in mind, I’vecompiled a few brief butrelevant stories I thought wereimportant enough to share withbikers here in the Midwest andacross the country.

First off, I want totouch on lane-splitting. Ifyou’re not familiar with theterm, lane-splitting is when amotorcycle moves in the samedirection as other vehicles butbetween the lanes of traffic. Yousee this a lot when freeways arebacked up or traffic is slow.Sometimes it is calledwhitelining, filtering, stripe-riding, or lane sharing. In moststates, lane-splitting is illegal;however, in California it hasalways been legally ambiguous… not illegal, butnot really legal, either. I bring it up because thisspring, an exhaustive study by UC Berkley thatfound that lane-splitting is likely safe for motorcy-clists, and may even be safer than not lane-splitting.This landmark research is part of the reason lane-

splitting Bills have been cropping up acrossthe country, though so far, none has officiallypassed to make lane-splitting explicitly legal.I am looking for input from readers: if you’dlike to share your opinion on lane-splitting,use the contact information at the end of thisarticle.

Next, did you know that Alabama motor-cyclists can ride legally without a motorcyclelicense or endorsement on their driver’slicense? They are the last state not to requiremotorcycle-specific licensing, but that willchange beginning January 1, 2016. The Senaterecently approved a bill requiring a motor-cycle endorsement or motorcycle license inorder for a biker to ride legally on the road.Many people, myself included, believe this isa good step in terms of motorcycle safety, asriders will now have to pass a skills test inorder to be endorsed or licensed. Riders whoalready have an endorsement or motorcyclelicense will not have to re-take their skills testwhen the law takes effect. Whether requiredby law or not, I always recommend motorcy-clists take a certified rider training course andget the proper license or endorsement inorder to ride. What do you think? Get in touchand let me know.

Lastly, I wanted to touch on something alittle more personal, that is very important to

me both as The Motorcycle Lawyer, and as a fellowbiker: Motorcycle awareness and safety. If you’veread any of my past articles, you know that I amcommitted to promoting motorcycle awareness andsafety in a variety of ways, from billboards tobumper stickers to providing all kinds of free legaland safety information on my website and socialmedia. I’m always looking for new ways to get

involved and spread the word, so Iam pleased to announce that Irecently donated $2,000 to ABATE ofMichigan in support of the ABATEAwareness program. This programprovides new vehicle drivers (think:high school kids taking driver’seducation) with information abouthow to share the road with motorcy-clists and bicyclists, and how they

need to train themselves to be motorcycle-aware atall times. I love that this program tackles motor-cycle awareness education on the ground floor,getting young drivers thinking about motorcycleawareness and safety from the beginning. I had thehonor of hosting Vince Consiglio (ABATE ofMichigan’s President) and Mark Buchanan (Directorof ABATE Awareness) at one of my Michigan officesto present the check. I’m so pleased to be able tocontribute to this excellent program, and hope thatit will help to reduce motorcycle crashes, injuries,and deaths in the future. I’m curious to know howand if motorcycle awareness and safety is beingtaught in driver education programs in otherMidwest states; let me know by reaching out via thecontact information below.

That’s it: three quick updates on stuff that Ithink is interesting for motorcyclists across theUnited States. If you’d like to weigh in on any ofthese topics, suggest future article ideas, or ask aquestion (and I hope you will), contact me and myteam on Facebook (facebook.com/TheMotorcycleLawyer); on Twitter(@cyclelawyer1); or by email([email protected]).


MichiganHarley-DavidsonDealer EventsFor a complete list of Michigan Harley-Davidson Dealer

Association Members, see the dealer locator on page 23.

July 25BBQ, Bikes & BluesLive Music with Dirty BasementBlues, Free BBQ featuring PulledPork Sandwiches (while theylast!), and awesome contests witha chance to WIN $5000!ABC Harley-Davidson4405 Highland Road (M-59)Waterford, MI248.674.3175

July 2515th Annual Bike ShowShiawassee Sports Center11901 N. Beyer Rd. Birch Run MI.(989) 624-4400

July 26Shiawassee Michigan H.O.G.Chapter #327115TH ANNUAL MYSTERY RIDESign in from 10:00AM UntilNoon at Shiawassee SportsCenter 11901 N. Beyer Rd. BirchRun MI.$15.00 per person includes aScenic 100 mile Self-Guided Ride,Excellent Buffet Dinner, Lots ofDoor Prizes, Awards, A “ BigPot” 50/50 drawing, Drawing fora new 2015 Street Glide, andEvent Pins for the first 400registered riders. All Eventproceeds will benefit TheJunction of Hope non-profitRestaurant.For more information please callJudy at 810-965-6664 or Fritz at989-323-0607

August 1Sturgis Pre-PartyBattle Creek Harley-Davidson5738 Beckley RdBattle Creek, MI(269)979-2233

August 6-9Sturgis Bike Night,Open House,and Bikini Bike WashGrand Rapids Harley-Davidson2977 Corporate Grove Dr.Hudsonville, MI(616)896-0111

The Preacher Speaks About ...

RLAPby Franz Hoffer

August 8Swap Meet at Hamilton HDcall for limited spacesHamilton Harley Davidson68951 White School RdSturgis MI269-651-3424www.hamiltonharley-davidson.com

August 8Ride for the RedABC Harley-Davidson4405 Highland Rd (M-59)Waterford, MI(248) 674-3175

August 8Annual Teddy Bear RideGreat Lakes Harley-Davidson3850 S. Huron RdBay City, MI(989) 686-0400

August 840 Years with Harley-DavidsonCelebrationTown & Country H-D18655 U.S. 12Cement City, MI(517) 547-3333

August 8Ride for the CureBattle Creek Harley-Davidson5738 Beckley RdBattle Creek, MI(269)979-2233

August 15Summer LuauBattle Creek Harley-Davidson5738 Beckley RdBattle Creek, MI(269)979-2233

August 22Vegas Day!Battle Creek Harley-Davidson5738 Beckley RdBattle Creek, MI(269)979-2233

August 29Scavenger HuntCapitol Harley-Davidson9550 Woodlane DrDimondale, MI(517)646-2345

A couple months ago Iintroduced you to Gary Lewandowski andthe Ride Like A Pro (RLAP) trainingprogram. Well, my son, Eric, son-in-law,Tony, my cousin, Frank, and I took theclass recently and I wholeheartedlyrecommend it to anyone who rides. Theclass we took was designed forexperienced riders with at least 1,000hours under their belt. We all fit thatcategory so I figured it was a nice way tospend four hours (class started at 9:00amand ran till 1:00pm) and show off myriding skills. In my mind, I was going tosmoke everyone.Instead, the class was ahumbling experience asit stretched our ridingskills to the max. Therewere eight of us in theclass including oneyoung lady. I can sayunequivocally that everyone of us was a betterrider when the class wasover. But the proof inthe pudding is topractice, practice, andpractice some more. AsGary and his assistant,Cliff Crabtree, explainedbefore we started, “weare not looking forperfection in these four hours, we arelooking for technique. What we willteach you today will be difficult as it willgo against what your brain tells you todo. Therefore, what you learn here needsto be honed by practicing on your own.We will give you the tools to being abetter, safer rider; it’s up to each of you topractice and use those tools to where theyhappen as second nature, so you can’t do itwrong.” So…what did we do in the class?What could be so hard? Well, read on.

Emergency Braking: We individually ranour bikes up to 25 mph, upshifting into 2nd

gear. At a designated point, we had tojam on the hand and foot brake coming toa complete stop without skidding. Whilethe bike was coming to a stop, we had todownshift into 1st gear, putting our leftfoot on the ground for just a second as wecame to a complete stop, and thenaccelerate quickly and veer to the left.The concept being a hard stop with thebike completely under control and thenquick downshift into 1st and hardacceleration to get out of the way of apossible vehicle coming up behind you.It’s tougher than it sounds: we did thisexercise six times.

Slow Race: The overall concept of theRLAP program is learning to effectivelycontrol your bike while riding it in the

friction zone while at the same timeapplying pressure to the rear brake. Thefriction zone is that area of the clutchbetween completely open and completelyclosed. This exercise challenges you to rideyour bike, under control using the frictionzone on the clutch and the rear brake.Your speed is walking speed (1 to 5mph)and you have to maintain that severaltimes around the track; while contendingwith both straight sections and turns.

Slow Cone Weave: Utilizing the sameslow speed technique, we had to weavebetween six cones positioned 15 feet apart.It seemed easy enough but again, it wasn’t.The main trick, aside from controllingyour bike at slow speed, is to look whereyou want the bike to go. It will go whereyou look. If you look directly at the conesthen you run over them. You have to look

just past the cone you arenavigating (by about 5 to 6 ft)utilizing your peripheralvision to see them. Once pastone cone, you look past thenext one. Again, look whereyou want your bike to go. Aswe improved, the cones weremoved closer together tochallenge us more. We wentdown to 12 feet. It was difficult;we went through the cones sixtimes.

The Circle: Designed to getriders over their fear of slowspeed leaning. I had problemswith the slow speed lean allclass. A 24-foot diameter circle

is is the course. They use 24 feet becausemost roads are built with 12-foot lanes.The key - again - is to look where you wantto go. You set your bike up so the frontwheel is tight on the cones; then looking 3to 4 cones ahead and about 4 to 5 feetabove, you navigate the circle. It’s toughto get it through your head to look whereyou want to go and not just ahead of thebike. It’s tough but it works. We did thecircle sixtimes each.

The Offset Cone Weave: Designed toperfect left-to-right transitions. Two sets ofcones are set up over 30 feet with 12 feetbetween the two rows of cones. The conesare set up offset in the two rows. Youweave back and forth between the two setsof cones; right to left, then left to right.The key is to not look directly at the conesbut to look ahead and as you pass the coneon the second row, snap your head aroundand get ready for the next turn. Again, itlooks easy but is challenging. We did thissix times each.

The U Turn: The trick to a U-turn is tonever focus on the opposite side that youdon’t want to hit. The cones are set up at 24feet and you have to approach and executethe U-turn. It.seems easy enough but,again, things are not always what they



seem. We did this exercise six times each way. First, a U-turn to the left and then U-turn to the right. It’s difficultto avoid looking at that curve; it goes against what yourbrain wants to do but it’s the only way you will evernavigate the U-turn in the allotted 24 feet.

Intersection Exercise: This exercise gives you practicewith quick left to right transitions. The cones are set up ina cross configuration. The arms, head and foot of thecross are all at 24 feet. You ride through the crossexecuting 4 U-turns, going from one into another. This isdone with both left and right executed U-turns.

The Figure Eight: This calls for you to do a figure eightaround cones set up at 24 feet; you do this exercise bothleft and right. The 24-foot requirement, while difficult,makes sense as you have the real world situation of 24foot road widths.

The Preachers Comments: A humbling but greatexperience. I am not ashamed (but a little embarrassed)to admit I dropped my bike about 6 times in the variousexercises but, by the end of the session, was doing muchbetter (especially at picking up my bike!). I havepracticed since the class and while I still can’t do them allwithin the 12 or 24 foot requirement, I am getting closer. Iwill keep practicing. That’s the whole concept behind theexercises; teach you technique so you can practice. I amproud to say my son, Eric, was the top rider in the classand my son-in-law, Tony, was right behind him. Mycousin, Frank, and I finished somewhere in the middle.My friends, take the class. Please take the class. You willall be better, safer and more confident riders because of it.

Contact Info: Contact Gary Lewandowski directat [email protected] or at 586-246-4344 or visittheir website for more info at http://ridelikeapro-gl.com/.

SPECIAL THANKS TO PAT ARMITAGE WHOPHOTOGRAPHED AND GAVE ADVICE.

Pat Armitage - “I attended this class as a photographer to helpout my friend, Franz. I have ridden for 42 years and for 20 ofthose years, I taught people to ride for the Motorcycle SafetyFoundation and Harley Davidson’s Riders Edge. I trained withMSU Police Motorcycle Training for Civilian Riders. I taught aclass based on this training myself for a few years. Prior toattending this class, I was familiar with Ride Like a Pro havingreviewed several of their excellent videos. The videos are greatbut the real way to learn riding techniques is to take a class.

Observing how this class is structured and taught leftme impressed. I would highly recommend this class to anyonewho is serious about improving their riding skills. If you are notinterested in bettering your skills, I must ask “why not?” Merestreet experience does little to improve your skills beyond theminimum basics. Do you really want to ride well? Training isthe only real way to do it. This class is the place to startimproving. Don’t put it off. Sign up for the next Ride Like a Proclass this year.

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6. GaylordZIP’S 45TH PARALLEL HARLEY-DAVIDSON®980 S WISCONSIN AVE., GAYLORD(989) 732-8000, www.zips45thhd.com

4. Cement CityTOWN & COUNTRY HARLEY-DAVIDSON®US 12 & US 127, CEMENT CITY(517) 547-3333, www.cementcity-harley.com

5. FremontSANDY’S HARLEY-DAVIDSON® SPORT CENTER11940 N. MAPLE ISLAND RD, FREMONT (231) 924-3020www.sandysharley-davidson.com

7. HudsonvilleGRAND RAPIDS HARLEY-DAVIDSON®2977 CORPORATE GROVE DR., HUDSONVILLE(616) 896-0111, www.grandrapidsharley.com

1. Battle CreekBATTLE CREEK HARLEY-DAVIDSON®5738 BECKLEY RD, BATTLE CREEK(269) 979-2233, www.battlecreekharley.com

3. Birch RunSHIAWASSEE HARLEY-DAVIDSON®11901 N. BEYER ROAD, BIRCH RUN(989) 624-4400www.shiawasseeharley-davidson.com

2. Bay CityGREAT LAKES HARLEY-DAVIDSON®3850 S. HURON ROAD, BAY CITY(989) 686-0400, www.greatlakeshd.com

9. LansingCAPITOL HARLEY-DAVIDSON®9550 WOODLANE DRIVE, DIMONDALE(517) 646-2345, www.capitolhd.com

8. KalamazooPERRY’S HARLEY-DAVIDSON®5331 SPRINKLE ROAD, KALAMAZOO(269) 329-3450www.perryharley-davidson.com

10. LapeerRAY C’S HARLEY-DAVIDSON®1491 S. LAPEER ROAD, LAPEER(810) 664-9261, www.raycsh-d.com

15. Traverse CityCLASSIC MOTOR SPORTS HARLEY-DAVIDSON®3939 S BLUE STAR DRIVE, TRAVERSE CITY(231) 943-9344, www.classictc.com

12. MuskegonHOT ROD HARLEY-DAVIDSON®149 SHORELINE DRIVE, MUSKEGON(231) 722-3653, www.hotrodhd.com

13. SturgisHAMILTON HARLEY-DAVIDSON®68951 WHITE SCHOOL ROAD, STURGIS(616) 651-3424, www.hamiltonharley-davidson.com

11. Mt. PleasantC & S HARLEY-DAVIDSON®4741 E PICKARD, MT PLEASANT(989) 772-5513www.candssportcenter.com

16. WaterfordA.B.C. HARLEY-DAVIDSON®4405 HIGHLAND RD (M-59), WATERFORD(248) 674-3175www.abc-harley-davidson.com

17. West BranchGILDNER’S HARLEY-DAVIDSON® MOTORCYCLES2723 S M-76, WEST BRANCH(989) 345-1330, www.gildnershd.com

14. TecumsehTECUMSEH HARLEY-DAVIDSON®8080 MATTHEWS HIGHWAY, TECUMSEH(517) 423-3333

Michigan Harley-DavidsonDealer Association Members

Continued from previous page

MOTORCYCLE WRECK?Call the MOTORCYCLE LAWYER!

1-877-BIKER-LAW

WE TAKE AUTO & TRUCK CASES TOO!Hurt in a crash?Call Jason Waechter - The Motorcycle Lawyer

1-877-BIKER-LAWwww.TheMotorcycleLawyer.com

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FO

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AN

D B

EV

ER

AG

ES

:

Available throughout the day

ME

TR

O T

RIU

MP

H R

IDE

RS

ST

OR

E

Visit the red M

TR

trailer to purchasea variety of club and show

items

AC

CO

MM

OD

AT

ION

SC

amp

ing

Is Availab

le On

Site!

Ren

tal cabu

ins are also

available!

Go to w

ww

.campdearborn.com

or call (248) 684-6000

Battle o

f t

he B

rits

FO

R M

OR

E I

NFO

RM

ATIO

N G

O T

O:

ww

w.m

etro

trium

phrid

ers

.com

or c

all 5

86-9

44-7

456

An

AM

A-S

an

ctio

ned

Even

t. Be T

here, R

ain

or S

hin

e!

Beco

me a

n M

TR

mem

ber:

Ap

ply

on

ou

r w

eb

site

or p

ick u

p

a fo

rm

at th

e s

ho

w!

Area o

ffers great ro

ads an

d m

any p

oin

ts of in

terest nearb

y!

Battle o

f t

he B

rits

Presen

ted

by th

e M

etr

o T

riu

mp

h R

iders

Su

pp

ortin

g C

hild

ren

’s H

osp

ital o

f Mic

hig

an

Fo

un

datio

n

Mo

to

rcy

cle

& C

ar S

ho

w a

nd

Sw

ap

Meet

Su

nd

ay

, Sep

tem

ber 1

3, 2

015

10 a

.m. - 6

p.m

.

Cam

p D

earb

orn

17

00

Gen

eral M

oto

rs R

oad

, Milfo

rd

, MI

33

rd A

nn

ual

Battle

of t

he B

rit

s

midwest motorcyclist, aug 2015 issue

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