ABioBikers

My New Bike BMW F800

2010-06-05T15:32:00.002-04:00

FINALLY! We went and got me a new bike today. We bought it in Charleston. Oddly enough, it was between this and the new Honda Phantom 750 (which I still like!). Of course Tuni kept going on and on about this one, and a man at the dealership (not an employee) looked at me and said "cruisers suck!" I hit him in the arm, but still ended up with this baby. Now I just have to go get my motorcycle license so I can drive it! So next year, I'll be riding the Smokies, too!! Whoohoo!

Most of the 2010 Smoky Mountain Gang

2010-06-04T21:27:00.002-04:00

Not shown are the ones who were too lazy to get out of bed in the morning. YOU know who you are! : )

2010 Smoky Mountains Ride Has Come and Gone

2010-05-23T21:32:00.005-04:00

The 2010 Smoky Mountains ride has come and gone. It was a great turn-out this weekend requiring four cabins to house everyone. The initial forecast predicted rain, and that we got, along with some nasty fog on Friday. But for a good bit of the time we had beautiful skies, sunny and hot.

I'll just put these few photos here for now and post more with more comments later when I've got a bit more energy. But I do want to thank Rob for organizing this again. we really appreciate you, Rob! And Jean kept us all well fed to the point of busting! Thanks, Jean! You're awesome!

I really enjoyed hanging out with the ladies and children on this trip. It was great to see so many this time.

Continued scouting!

2010-01-17T14:42:00.002-05:00

Hey guys, Brian and I made a one day scouting trip to the Smokeys. Did 335 miles. The roads were in great condition. Some sand and salt, but ice free and gravel free. The temps hit 64 degrees. Dry falls, near "Bridal Veil Falls" where we stop for pictures, is now open with a fine parking lot. It would be a good place to stop with a sack lunch to eat by the falls. Here's a few pictures.

Possible last ride of the Season?

2009-11-09T11:42:00.002-05:00

Doug, I, and Matthew Powell made it out this weekend. We met on the BRP and then wended our way to Kentucky. We departed at 7am Sunday and the temp was 31-37 (depending on where you were). We climbed a hill into the Sun and the temp rose to 55 in the course of about 5 minutes. I was "macho" and went without the heated jacket and the Sun was great. Then, we decended into the valley again and it dropped below 40! This put a chill in me that I could not shake without stopping for coffee. Note to self: "You haveheat: use it!".

On a back road, this 18 wheeler flat bed shot out in front of us and was just tearing up the road. He was doing 25-30 in the corners and hitting mid 60s in the straights. If a guy can drive a truck like this dude,there's no excuse for a car not being able to go the speed limit! When the truck got to a stop sign, he waved us by. He was a great guy, and I was kind of sad because it was an experience following a truck that could move like this. He must drive the road all day long.

On the BRP Friday, I hit a deer. It was on my right and started running in front of me, parallel, on my right. I braked hard to about 40mph, then it turned left on a dime in front of me. I continued to brake, and swerved, and mentally calculated (in that subconcious split second brain way) that we would pass without incident. Well, I was a hair off and clipped her left hind leg. I don't think I hurt her, but it felt like running over a 2x4. Maybe she suffered a broken leg, which would be fatal, but at the time I was busy with my end of the deal. No damage at all to me or the bike. There are A LOT of deer out now. I'm seeing them all along the roads, dead and alive. Maybe we'll get one more ride in before January.

Rob

2009-10-21T12:53:00.003-04:00

Isn't it amazing how I just get more handsome every year? Done vomiting yet?...OK. Doug and I made a ride this October. It was cold and rainy, but with heated bikes and heated gear, it was no big deal. I made it back down to Suches area which I have good memories of as it was my first big trip on the new BMW with Lisa, John, and Bob Newman and the roads were fantastic.

On the way back, we crossed the summit of the Cherohala (Cherohaulass). At the top, it was 25 degrees (from the BMW computer) and mostly clear with a snow flake here and there. We stopped at the summit to have a drink and enjoy the icy beauty and snapped this picture.

We proceeded and found an ice covered tree that fell across the road. Then, we approached a spot with about 100 feet of ice where a couple of Harley riders flagged us down. They hit the ice and their bikes went down. It was nice of them to warn us. We probably would have seen it, but still, if we hit it at 20 mph we would likely have gone down too. Instead we paddled across at low speed.

It ended up being a fantastic ride. I love the new Metzler Z6 interact tires and highly recommend them to all of you with Sport Tourers. [edit: I withdraw my recommendation! The tires are great but I wore out the sides in 2000 miles--they suck--back to regular Z6 for me]

MotorDad's Pics

2009-05-19T12:25:00.008-04:00

Hi All-

Thanks for another great time! Jean and Mona, the food was fabulous again and I almost had to pay baggage fees for the weight I gained. The rental Goldwing worked okay but I'm glad to be back on my ST1100. It feels small now but nimble. The atlas cover in this series is a book highly recommended by my taxi driver- he's a long-time local with a son who rides a Ducati. I ran into truly ugly stop'n go on the way to returning the rental but still made the flights okay. It absolutely killed me that I couldn't legally split lanes in TN to make time. I love California! Still, the riding was beautiful and I had a great time visiting with everyone. I will send the videos to Rob (hard to post 8 GB). I appreciated that several other riders interested in a more 'sightseeing' pace like myself next time. Hope I can make it...I'm considering cross-country again on the ST to save some $$ and have a bike that corners better.

More pics, 2009 PLUS one of my hubby's new bike (Whew!)

2009-05-17T10:07:00.006-04:00

Smoky Mountian Ride 2009 Pics

2009-05-17T09:17:00.006-04:00

Smoky Mountain Ride 2009!

2009-05-17T09:03:00.002-04:00

It was great seeing all of you and meeting several. Here I've posted several pics from the trip, but feel free to throw up some more of your own that you feel may better represent your experience. As John and I were talking this morning, it became clear once again that men and women think very differently. As we were going through the shots, he asked me where the photo of his bike was. I hadn't taken one. (BIG oops!) I explained that women are more interested in people (so my shots tended to be of people) while men in this situation would be more interested in the machines. What is embarrassingly absent are photos of the "pit crew" and the wonderful food. So to Jean and Mona, I apologize profusely. The food was excellent and I greatly appreciate the tremendous effort.

Again, Zoe John and I had a very nice time, as short as our stay was. I hope Saturday brought great riding for all and you all have a nice trip back home. See ya again next year, if not sooner.

Motordad enroute...

2009-05-14T01:13:00.003-04:00

On the way to TN again- waiting @ SFO for my redeye. I got tethering from my WM device to work and video-skyped with the kids and Shaleah over 3G, after fixing the home side via LogMeIn. I feel very accomplished! I'm debating the Lynchburg run after I pick up the oldwing in Knoxville, but after the redeye (and considering forecasted thunderstorms) that might be crazy. Plus, I might miss dinner. Rocky Best was kind enough to drive me to the airport after we finished Maui class today. On the way I talked with Bob Newman- he plans to meet Johnny Cooper in Jackson MS and ride up for dinner at the cabin- something about Mulligan Stew and beers? Too loud to make it out as we returned Rocky's Hertz car.
Seeya soon!

Track Day at VIR with Cornerspeed

2009-05-08T14:03:00.005-04:00

I finally got out and took the cornerspeed school at Virginia International Raceway. I passed the written and now I can get my WERA racing license. I plan to do it, but no way do I expect to race; these guys are FAST. I also got to ride on the back of Scott Harwell's bike. He's a retired Pro AMA racer and it was fantastic. Wheeling down the straights, hitting 150 mph, braking forces like you can't believe, accelerating in the corners and leaning over to the grass was really amazing. I'll never be that good.

Rob C.

3d Annual May Smokies Ride

2009-04-21T13:42:00.003-04:00

We are on of course for May 14-17, 2009. We have so many people this year we've reserved 3 cabins (the Lodge and two smaller cabins). We have 2 babies going (they can only drink light beer and ride pillion). Now just 3 weeks away and I'm peeing my pants in anticipation.

Robo

Abe Lincoln Custom Bike

2009-04-04T08:44:00.012-04:00

While working in Springfield, Illinois a few weeks ago I visited the Lincoln Museum. This place is top notch. Very awesome exhibits. Considering this is the 200th anniversary year of his birth, I thought it would be a good thing to see. Interestingly, they had this custom bike on exhibit. If you look closely, you can see all kinds of details like pennies in the wheels and a hatchet mounted on the left side (see photos below). I thought it was pretty cool.

What you missed!

2009-02-13T01:11:00.003-05:00

Seems like we had a lot of last-minute no-shows who figured we'd be dodging raindrops today. Not so! Mike Vosberg (Consumables Mfg, 500 Bldg) and I made the run to Alice's for lunch today. The roads were slightly damp in the woods, but the clouds were pretty and it was a good day for riding. Note the sign in the restaurant: "No Whiners". Let's do an encore next month- although March may be hard for me to get away and I can only tell a few of you why. The 12-13 or 26-27 may work, I'm up for suggestions. I got a lot of good ride video too. See motordad.blogspot.com for it. The video is a little cloudy, probably because I didn't have Matt and Rob around to clean my windshield this time. Better luck next time, and great riding with you Mike!

The new girl

2009-02-12T19:41:00.005-05:00

I finally did it. I got my track bike. This is a 2007 Honda CBR600RR. This thing is scary fast. It redlines at 15,000 RPM, screams like a prison rape victim, and wheelies w/o thinking. Perfect for a 46 year old wimp....

Nice weather in NC

2009-02-08T12:15:00.003-05:00

We in NC were gifted by the weather gods and had some mid 60s in the western NC mountains. Brian and I spent Friday night in a hotel in order to maximize daylight on Saturday. We hooked up with Eric and Doug in Highlands around noon. The temps were fantastic, but the roads had some snow and ice at the cols as well as a lot of salt and sand. Against my better judgement, I will have to wash the salty mojo off the RT. Doug reported that the Dragon was an icy handful in the AM hours, too. Some high lights:

1) Brian did his best imitation of "Wild Hogs" by colliding with a bird! I've never witnessed that before. The bird took a good hit.

2) We all had many nervous moments and skids in the salt and sand. Sometimes, especially 441 over the Smokeys, had patches of ice and snow.

3) Once into Tenessee, the roads were fantastic, but the day was about over.

4) We had one, maybe two, solid radar saves--Radar detectors RULE!

5) I made a moron move. I was taking the small loop road under Bridal Veil falls and found the exit blocked by snow. Instead of starting my U turn on the low side of the narrow road, thus using the engine to go uphill and gravity for reverse, I started on the high side. Once my front tire was pointing downhill, I needed Brian to grab the RT rack and pull me back up to complete the turn. MORON!

6) We only had a cell phone with us as a camera, which sucks, but here's a picture of Bridal Veil Falls from last year and the one from this trip. Look at the ice curtains!

ABioBikers West - 1st Ride to Alice's Restaurant

2009-01-31T10:59:00.007-05:00

Well, the first ABioBikers West Ride to Alice's didn't go exactly as planned. We ended up at Alice's, but unfortunately our ride was a rental Camry. Don't ask. Scott, myself and Meredith (a totally awesome chic and forensic customer) drove up on Thursday, Jan. 29th and hung out with the bikers. It was a gorgeous day. The place was packed with the leather and tattoos folks eating some pretty bad food. But that's not why you go. It was quite nice in spite of the 4-wheels up and back. Thanks, Scott! Better luck with the next planned ride.

ABiobikers West Alice's Lunch 29Jan09

2009-01-21T18:33:00.000-05:00

Hi All-
It's hard to believe it's January elsewhere in the world. Last weekend's weather reminded me of why I moved to CA in the first place, and a phone call to my brother in Minneapolis confirmed it. My condolences to those of you keeping warm indoors while your bike hibernates.
In CA, it's time to go riding! This Thursday's forecast is sloppy weather, plus we need to give Jeff time to get a new battery and install it. How about the 29th? If the weather looks bad again by next Tuesday, I'll postpone. I ride rain or shine, but that doesn't mean it would be fun to do a lunch ride that way. Let's plan to meet in the Building 351 parking lot (where the gym is) at 11:30. Plan on the ride taking a half-hour each way, plus an hour for lunch. See you then!
Preview of the destination:http://alicesrestaurant.com/
My route is 92 W > 280 S > 84 W.
Email to nelsonsd@applera.com if you'd like to join us.
Thanks for your responses!
Keep the shiny side up!
-Scott

3rd Annual ABioBikers Smoky Mountain Ride

2009-01-19T09:36:00.002-05:00

Hello All,
The 3rd Annual ABioBikers Smoky Mountain Ride is scheduled for May 14 - 17th. It's great to see that the group has grown to such an extent that we now need two cabins! I look forward to seeing everyone again this year. Hey Chris--will there be new shirts this year?

Put a fork in it, it's done!

2008-06-04T12:13:00.002-04:00

OK, the board seems to have gone dead. I will make this my last post (unless it miraculously revives). I figure since this was about riding, a last few pics of the ride are in order.
Rob

Wakey wakey!

2008-05-30T09:16:00.000-04:00

Morning coffee and prepping for the day's ride

The East-West Connection

2008-05-26T00:45:00.001-04:00

Hi All-
The bike is ready, I'm about as ready as I'm going to get, and I hit the road tomorrow morning. You can track my progress at motordad.blogspot.com. I'm looking forward to riding the Dragon with you!
-Scott

2008-03-24T08:27:00.000-04:00

After the falls...

Dirtbike Gang - March 22, 2008

2008-03-23T18:19:00.006-04:00

Ben after a few times on the trail. After a lot of rain in NC this week, the trail included numerous mud holes.

Rob gets a feel for the Honda 230.

Here's me and Ben at the beginning of the day--nice and clean, getting ready for the intro and warm up.

Here's the gang after a long day of dirtbiking this weekend at the Speed Compound Motorcross Park in Bear Creek, NC.

On the bike again...

2008-03-14T21:22:00.002-04:00

if only as a rider. After almost a year and a half I found myself on two wheels again. A couple of nights ago I hopped on the back of the VFR with John and went for a short ride around town. It was early evening and the weather was perfect--clear, slightly cool. We took I-20 to 378 and headed off down Corley Mill Rd. Tall pines and small ponds flanked the winding road on either side. At one low point in the road I could see swampy areas on both sides. My nostrils filled with the odor of earth. Further along I smelled burning leaves, or wood. At the end of Corley Mill we turned right and headed across the Lake Murray dam. Off to the left the sun was setting and the sky was filled with so many colors that I couldn't name them all. We continued on and jumped back onto I-20 for the homestretch. I was starting to feel the chill. I was surprised that the seat was so uncomfortable. (I'll have to let John get that Corbin seat, afterall!) When we got home I was feeling very satifsfied. It was nice to be on a bike again.

4 wheels are almost as good as 2

2008-02-27T18:22:00.003-05:00

While on my dive trip in Mexico, I had a chance to ride the Baja racers there. $400 for about 25 miles on a desert track. It was quite a rush. They will do about 70 MPH in 4th gear but I never got out of 3d (about 50 mph)--I know, WHIMP! Even so, these things fly and going off a jump is a rush. Here's one shot of me in a jump and one link to a YOUTUBE video screaming in a corner. I call it a war cry, William Schultze called it a girly scream.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFySBM0Ffzk

OK, Make that May 29

2007-12-07T09:59:00.000-05:00

Looks like May 29 is the settled date. I'll be checking into getting the cabin. Sooner the better!

Robo

May 15 or 22 ABI Bikers Second Annual....

2007-11-04T17:48:00.000-05:00

You understand. So looks like May 15 or 22 time frame is looking good. I was recently hiking north of Asheville on the Appalachian Trail and found some nice areas to ride. I'll scope it out soon or next spring--love doing that kind of recon work!

Fall Ride in NC with the Bumble Bee

2007-10-20T08:24:00.000-04:00

Matthew Powell, his buddy Ian, and I snuck in a Fall ride in the NC/TN mountains. We had great riding, but ran into some thick fog in the mountain tops (blue ridge especially) and so looked for new territory. We found highway 209 from Interstate 40 to Hot Springs, NC. This was an excellent road. Horses, windmills, dilapidated barns, a waterwheel; very beautiful and pastoral. And nice twisties and no traffic. Check it out:http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=lake+junaluska,+nc+to+Hot+Springs,+NC&sll=35.588085,-82.878799&sspn=0.252952,0.473099&ie=UTF8&z=10&om=1

Fontana Lake is 60 feet low!

BMW, Honda Interceptor, Triumph Speed Triple: all single sided swing arm bikes.
And boy did they get a workout on these roads.

Look at Matthew's bright yellow pack. Hence the title of this post, "Bumble Bee"

New babies all around

2007-09-17T10:02:00.001-04:00

Well, John an Lisa started it and now I have decided to wade in. NO! not another little Wantuch running around. If that happens, there will be a Urologist in Ann Arbor that is going to be very unhappy when he opens his mail. Actually, I hit on a great deal for an FJR and couldn't pass it up. Picked it up last week and got a 100miles in yesterday. As much as I loved my X, I can see this bike as being the one for quite some time. The VTX is going to be for sale soon, and all the grass has finally burned off of it. Still has the tank dents, but those are negotiatin points for the buyer. If you know someone...

Newest Dragon Rider

2007-08-20T11:13:00.000-04:00

Here's Zoe sporting her fashionable Deal's Gap t-shirt that I got her on our last trip. At that time we did the Dragon in the Miata twice and she was riding in utero. In a couple of years we'll get her her very own litte tykes motorcycle to get her started on the right path. Zoom! Zoom!

Who's the Trouble Maker???

2007-06-07T19:27:00.000-04:00

So I went riding with Matthew Powell yesterday; me on the RT and him on the Triumph Triple. There was a long line, probably a mile, of traffic stopped on a two lane road with a dashed yellow line. The oncoming lane was clear. I said to Matthew that we should , since we have a broken yellow, 'pass' the traffic. With a little goading, he was into it and off we went. Once we got to the end, we saw an accident and a policman was directing traffic in the one open lane. We quickly ducked back in line, me in front of a truck and he behind the truck.
Once we got close, I saw the cop looking at me and I gave him a wave and got a wave back. I then pulled over in a parking lot once we were past the scene. Matthew comes up to me and says, "Did that cop yell at you for passing all the traffic"? "No", I said, he waved at me!
What we figure happened was that the big faring and headlight of the RT blocked the cop's view of the naked Triumph and he only saw one bike passing. Then, when we approach, he sees two bikes. Well, he must have decided that the mild mannered BMW rider must have been in line and it was the Triumph leather racing suit rider who was the troublemaker! Boy was Matthew pissed. But hey, I said he got what he deserved, riding a hooligan bike like that!
Now, you Triumph fans out there will recognize the Triumph Triple. Matthew let me ride it (only had 400 miles on it--what was he thinking??). WOW! This thing is like sitting on a bull, holding the horns. 125 or so horses on a light, naked bike. The engine just growls with unbridled power, like the Tasmanian Devil trying to break free of chains! WOW, I say again. What a screaming machine, and just beautiful. Oh my, oh my, what do I do now.......

New Baby

2007-05-26T08:05:00.000-04:00

Here is Tuni and his new baby, at least until Zoe comes in August.

Dirty Dozen Do the Dragon

2007-05-20T21:15:00.000-04:00

Fueling up for the day's ride.

Hey guys (and gal)--what a great trip! The weather couldn't have been better up in Townsend and the surrounding area. Here we are starting off the first morning getting fueled up and ready to go. Primary destination--Deal's Gap and the infamous Dragon's Tail.

Heading Out

Post-Dragon Gang

John P., Doug, John C., Cathy, Chris W., Kevin R., Lisa D. (and Zoe), Rob C., John O., Bob N., Bear, William S. and Matt S.

http://www.tailofthedragon.com/

Lisa and John chillin' in the mountains.
I'd like to say "thank you" to Rob for organizing this trip; Bob, William and John P. for doing the grocery shopping; Chris, Bear and Bob for cooking yummy meals; and Doug for his outstanding advice and guidance along the way. Thanks to everyone for such great rides, discussions and more material for making fun of Rob and Kevin. (Ahh-the dangers of getting everyone together in the same place!!)

Special thanks to William for making sure the pregnant chic was well stocked with chocolate!!

We'll see you again on the next trip in the Fall.

2007-04-29T08:51:00.000-04:00

We only have a few weeks left until the Tennesee/NC ride. My bike is washed, waxed, new tires, and ready to go. The weather is nice again. Looking forward to the gathering.

Robo

Another motorcycle video

2007-03-13T10:13:00.000-04:00

This one deserves a beating:

http://zappinternet.com/index.php?video=LoMpHufQal

Hope you guys will upgrade your account so you can continue to post. Really no big deal, only takes a couple of minutes.

Rob

US Army Sky Soldiers Demo Team

2007-02-25T12:13:00.000-05:00

Hello All,
I hope you'll oblige me on this non-motorcycle post. But I couldn't help but share this info with you as I am extremely proud of my dad and the Sky Soldiers Demo team he has been a part of since it's inception in 1997.
The mission of the Sky Soldiers, (or Army Aviation Heritage Foundation) is to improve the public’s awareness of Army Aviation and it’s Veterans. Utilizing flyable historic Army Aviation aircraft, the AAHF tells the story of Army Aviation to the public through country-wide education presentations and airshows.
So if you're a fan of airshows, more than likely you will have already seen them or will see them in an upcoming airshow in your area soon. You can even take a ride on a real, Vietnam-era Huey helicopter. VERY cool. I've done it myself several times.
Further, the Cobra team has been rented this year to represent the US Army.
Anyway, below is a home video of the Cobra demo team at an airshow and another link to the Sky Soldiers' website, if you would like more info.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHxIuTDkXig

http://www.armyav.org/

Thanks for allowing me this post. But I thought it might be of interest to other high-performace machine-loving folks like you.
Way to go dad! I'm very proud of you and your fellow vets and all the Sky Soldiers men and women who volunteer their valuable time making this successful.
Cheers!

What's your Outlaw biker name

2007-02-15T14:20:00.000-05:00

Mine is Panhead of the Sons of Santa.

http://www.ratbike.org/motorcycho/outlawname.php

Lisa, I can tell you already what yours is!

Outrun the cops!

2006-11-27T22:22:00.000-05:00

http://tinyurl.com/yf39ln

The video is long. If you are bored, watch the beginning to get the idea, then skip to about 2/3 through. The cop rams the Harley several times before the dramatic ending.

Rob

Joshua Tree National Forest

2006-11-13T09:45:00.000-05:00

At the Sales Meeting a few weeks ago, Liz Casanova, Michelle Lockey, Madera Bibb and I went for a drive through the Joshua Tree National Forest. We had a rental car, of course, but I couldn't help wishing I was on my bike as we rode through the windy roads. What a spectacular ecosystem! We saw a bobcat, numerous ravens and raptors, a couple of mountain goats and a pretty fiercesome stinkbug. Here is am image of the Joshua trees. Unfortunately, I had not thought enough in advance to bring my U2 CD along as was recommended by Matthew Powell. It was a great way to spend half a day off at the Sales Meeting. Perhaps one day I'll get to take a ride through this area or through the American southwest on my VTX1300. Of course I'll have to stop every so often to give John a break as his SV1000 isn't nearly as comfy for the long haul. (HeeHee)

Cycle World International Motorcycle Shows

2006-11-01T19:06:00.000-05:00

The CW Motorcycle Shows start this weekend and may be coming to a city near you. Great place to see all the new bikes in one spot and see tons of gear. Vendors of all kinds and beer too!
Here is the link for the site and the schedule. Enjoy!
Phoenix - Nov. 3-5, 2006 Houston - Nov. 10-12, 2006 Ft. Worth - Nov. 17-19, 2006 Seattle - Dec. 1-3, 2006 Long Beach - Dec. 8-10, 2006 San Mateo - Dec. 15-17, 2006 Novi - Jan. 5-7, 2007 Washington DC - Jan. 12-14, 2007 New York - Jan. 19-21, 2007 Cleveland - Jan. 26-28, 2007 Minneapolis - Feb. 2-4, 2007 Chicago - Feb. 9-11, 2007 Atlanta - Feb. 23-25, 2007

Barbers Race Museum

2006-10-24T11:17:00.000-04:00

Just came back from the Barber Race Track and Museum in Birmingham. Great day for racing. The museum is worth a visit by itself. My favorites are the REALLY old, essentially motorized bicycles from the early 1900s (1910--1930). A Sears brand is pictured below. It had regular bike pedals and chain to get up to speed, then a manual clutch to engage the engine which used a sewn leather belt! Very cool. Cost about $170.

For those of you who are waiting to take a pot shot at BMW, I'll let you know my heated BMW vest burnt out on the way home forcing me to stop early and get a hotel. Now, it has a 3 year warranty and the dealer is refunding my money and giving me a different brand. Also, my darn gortex liner in my RevIt Pants delaminated and the 'gang of three' was quite wet in the rain. RevIT is taking care of that also. Finally, my darn IPOD crapped out. Still, it was a good trip and listening to your engine while screaming through the mountain roads is all the music you need.

Rob

2006-10-17T16:13:00.000-04:00

Too hot to wear a jacket or riding pants? Your state does not require a helmet? Read this......

http://www.speedfreakinc.com/content/articles/riding/roadrashqueen.html

2006-10-16T16:04:00.000-04:00

Here's a great video of some awesome riding.

Check out my recent MSF course exam.

Rob

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6178043709180164205&q=motorcycle

I finally got my Deals pics

2006-10-16T09:33:00.000-04:00

Well I sprung for the pictures from Deal's Gap, Tail of the Dragon, only $5 for a digital picture. Deal's was a fun ride with John and Lisa. Even I can look cool--it just costs a lot of money to cover me up with gear and a nice bike!--And finally I don't look gay!

Best Birthday Present Ever!!

2006-10-15T22:17:00.000-04:00

For my birthday John surprised me with two great new bike additions--Honda leather saddle bags and some Vance and Hines pipes!!!!!!!!! I was grinning ear to ear upon starting up my VTX for the first time this afternoon and hearing the throaty glub, glub sound emminating from those babies. What a great ride we had. I couldn't keep from laughing as I listened to the new rumble of my bike, thinking at times it sounded much like the engine of one of the pod racers in Star Wars. It's a beautiful noise--not too loud, but deep and gurgling, with a nice vibration as I accelerate. Thanks honey!! You really know how to treat a lady!

Should have saved $20...

2006-10-13T09:58:00.000-04:00

...for the motorcycle safety course! Darwin was right. Enjoy
www-scf.usc.edu/~itsara/learntoride.wmv

Harley Video

2006-09-29T21:57:00.000-04:00

This is a Harley promotional video. It's interesting. Look for the transvestite biker.

http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=-7061079025585485911&hl=en

Rob

Knoxville 07???

2006-09-12T14:10:00.000-04:00

It was good to see so many bloggers at the meeting in Orlando last week. As our riding season comes to a close in the soon to be great white north, my thoughts start to turn to rides for next season. I looked at a Map to try to decide what would be doable with lots of ABioBikers as possible and looks like Knoxville, TN may hold the most promise. Quite a few of us can make it to the area in one day. My thought would be to select a central location and ride out from there.
Can't set anything in stone just yet, but wanted to plant the seed for the future. Weigh in if you have a comment and we can start to set this up soon.

Chris

Labor Day Ride: Sunday--Tail of the Dragon

2006-09-04T20:14:00.000-04:00

Sunday we rode the Tail of the Dragon (http://www.tailofthedragon.com/) down to Deals Gap. 318 curves in 11 miles!! Admittedly, I had to take it a bit slow on my VTX1300 compared to Rob on his 1200RT and John on his SV1000. But I made it to Deals Gap and enjoyed watching the mix of Harley riders, sportbikers and touring biker riders coming in and out. The photo board in the general store showcasing pics of Dragon's Tail mishaps--broken ankles, scraped flesh, etc. was an interesting study. Three cheers for real riding gear, which clearly, many people fail to utilize. Lastly, let me add one more blogsite: www.killboy.com (not very inspirational for a motorcycle site, I admit) which posts pics of riders as they navigate the Dragon. All in all, even with some rain on the way home Monday, it was a great ride. And nothing exploded in Rob's cycle bag this time.

Labor Day Ride: Saturday

2006-09-04T19:49:00.000-04:00

The remnants of Ernesto failed to dissuade us from our ride this Labor Day weekend to western North Carolina. On the way to Andrews we stopped off at Caesar's Head State park (pic above) hoping to get a scenic view. But thick fog obsured everything more than a few dozen feet in front of us (which made the ride through the curvy mountain roads quite interesting for a while). Dropping below the fogline in the mountains and heading northwest, the ride was clear and warm Saturday afternoon as we made our way up through Brevard, west across the Blue Ridge Parkway and then down 441 and 74 to Andrews, North Carolina.

Sept. 2-3 ride in Western NC

2006-08-26T13:34:00.000-04:00

Lisa, John, and I will be on a Western NC ride if anyone close is interested.

Rob

2006-08-22T19:47:00.000-04:00

OK Guys the new toy is now posted
Matthew I know it is not a go fast bike but pushing 50 years old I want comfort.
Kevin it is not a harley, but after visiting 4 Harley dealers in search of a Road King, I was treated as if they were doing me a favor by charging me almost 2K above MSRP. So a honda davidson it will be.
Rob I can get any option I want for this bike (note snake skin seat and backrest).
So guys lets ride

2006-08-18T15:30:00.000-04:00

Hey guys, I think I might be able to get another one or two thousand miles out of this Metzler Z6! Think so?

Rob

MotoGP

2006-07-28T17:30:00.000-04:00

A good time was had by all. Just a quick update that we survived the heat at Laguna Seca last weekend. Thankfully we had plenty of liquid refreshment. Nicky won the big race and we managed not to set a fire while cooking dinner.
The first picture shows how wonderful it is to be a bachelor. Jeff decided not to for go the usually couch and chair in his living room and instead installed a great piece of artwork. When he starts it, yes , in the house, it exhilarates all senses.
The second picture is from the sultans tent by the legendary corkscrew. Scott, we thank you.

Isn't this how all Harley riders drive?

2006-07-27T15:37:00.000-04:00

Assuming this rider was not hurt, it's pretty funny. The commentary is funny, too. This guy really blew this turn. In fact, he didn't turn at all.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4206826673549984946

Rob

2006-06-15T17:04:00.000-04:00

Check this video out:

http://www.gary310.com/temp/StewMeat1.wmv

Watch for the slow motion after the main film.
Couple of things I noticed:

1) These guys get busy in the corners, love that kind of riding
2) In the slow mo, notice how he starts to react by beginning to straighten up before the impact. If he had more time he might have been able to swerve behind the deer which is a great move. In either case, he was getting level before heavy breaking or impact. Impressive riding--you know what to do but will you do it when it happens to you? I hope I don't get to find out myself.
Enjoy.

Rob

Watch out for dogs...I mean BEARS!

2006-06-06T10:33:00.000-04:00

I just returned from a great ride from North Carolina to Niagara Falls, Canada (With John Prinkey and Kevin Roberts and 3 other of their buddies). There are a lot of beautiful windy roads through NY and Pennsylvania if you keep off the interstates. I decided to take Skyline Drive through the Shenandoah Mountains in Virginia on the way home (despite the maddening 35 mph speed limit which I ignored, as well as the 'radar detectors illegal' law). Coming around a corner I saw a 'dog' about 100 feet ahead in the center of the road just walking along. I thought, 'what idiot brings his dog here AND lets him run in the middle of the road'? I began to slow down since I figured it would chase me and I'd accelerate away as trained in the MSF riding class. As I got closer, I noticed it was a black bear cub! I stopped suddenly, about 30 feet away, not wanting to get too close since I figured Mom was probably watching me the entire time. The little guy saw me and scampered away off the road into the brush. I decided to get the heck out of there quickly. I had stopped so suddenly and was not thinking about what I was doing and didn't realize I was in second gear. I almost stalled the engine taking off before realizing my mistake and dropping into first. About 5 miles up the road, I saw another, larger, black bear in the woods laying down.This drive was out of the way and added a good 2 hours to my 400 mile trip home but was well worth the $10 entry fee.Watch out for bears!Rob

Movin' on Up...

2006-06-03T23:25:00.000-04:00

Well, I have finally decided on a new bike. This 2005 Honda VTX 1300 was just too sweet to pass up. I'm afraid I can't offer any apologies to the sportbike and touring bike fans out there who weren't shy in their attempts to lead me astray, 'cause this bike was just me--a cruiser with a seat low enough for my stumpy legs, a big step up in power from my Shadow 600, manueverable enough for me it seems, and cherry red, to boot!
I did test ride a 2004 Victory Vegas which was smooth as silk, powerful (of course) and even had throaty Van Ness custom pipes which I loved. But it was an awkward ride, I found, and nearly gave me a 2nd degree burn on the right thigh when I sat at a red light. I guess the South Carolina summer doesn't go well with this kind of bike.
As soon as I got my new 1300 home from Summerville, where John and I picked it up, I gave it a good wash, wax and shine and snapped this pic for ya'll to see. I am really looking forward to our next ride. John and I are gonna plan a trip up to the mountains again in the Fall, probably around the first of October, to see the leaves turn and breathe in some of that fresh, crisp highland air. You're all welcome to join us.
Until then, Happy and Safe Motoring!

My Dream Bike

2006-05-26T20:29:00.000-04:00

Here's a picture of my new dream bike I saw in Amsterdam.

--Rob

A Ride Suches This

2006-05-03T07:12:00.000-04:00

What a great trip! This past weekend Rob, Bob, John (my boyfriend) and I headed over to Suches (prounounced "such as") Georgia north of Atlanta. We all met Thursday night at a little cabin off highway 60. After Rob dealt with his exploding shaving cream incident (ask him about that one) we enjoyed the beer and sandwiches that Bob had so graciously prepared for us.
Friday we had a perfect day for riding. (The route we took is posted below). Winding through the mountains, among the places we visited were Vogel State Park, Brasstown Bald and Apalachicola Falls. Two Wheels Only restaurant provided a welcome respite for breakfast and dinner.
After a full day of riding on Friday, we all dispersed Saturday morning and headed to our respective home towns. We all agreed that another trip was necessary soon with the hopes that more AB folks will be able to join us.

Thanks for the invite!

2006-04-17T12:19:00.000-04:00

I wanted to thank Lisa Davis for inviting me to join ABioBikers...I didn't even know this blog existed until I saw her at work last week in Foster City.

For those of you that don't me, I've been riding for 19 years, sportbikes the entire time. Raced with the AFM in Northern California for five years, and since have done a number of track days and many, many rides around California.

With all our weather in 2006, I haven't ridden much yet this year (instead, I've been squeaking in bicycle rides between rain storms), and my 2001 CBR needs to get in for an interval service (32,000 miles!), a new chain and tires, and a Penske shock rebuild, but I will have it on the road very soon and will be posting reports and photos from rides. BTW, I am also a track photographer for Laguna Seca and Infineon Raceways, so I will be posting links to photos from events here if you're interested in seeing them.

Be seeing you soon (on the road, I hope)!

Here is a link to my current SportsShooter web site, with photos from recent AMA Superbike testing from Infineon Raceway:

http://www.sportsshooter.com/members.html?id=1138

Cheers,
Stephen.

Thank you for invite

2006-04-16T08:56:00.000-04:00

WOW-You're actually letting a sales rep join the club. Thank you for the invite. I'm anxious to hear how others are doing and trips people might be taking on the East Coast. My husband & I both ride. He has a Heritage Softail and I have a Softail Std. See picture. Those of you that may know me, may not believe it's really me on a Harley.

Caesar's Head Ride

2006-04-09T20:12:00.000-04:00

What a day! John and I took a ride today up to Caesar's Head--a beautiful spot in the mountains between South Carolina and North Carolina. It goes without saying that bikers were abound in the hills, taking advantage of the sunny, yet a bit nippy day. All in all, we rode about 315 miles which took us about 8 hours with stops for refueling (bikes and bellies) and rest here and there. This was my test ride for our upcoming trip in a couple of weeks to the Blue Ridge. We can't wait!

Interesting Blog

2006-04-06T09:21:00.000-04:00

These riders went from Miami to South America. I've not read it all yet but it is interesting and has good pictures. Start at the bottom; it's written in English and Spanish.

http://www.vamumansu.blogspot.com/

OK, this is gross!

2006-03-15T22:52:00.000-05:00

http://tinyurl.com/f9fva

2006-03-11T17:03:00.000-05:00

Check out this video (scroll to the bottom of web page, have volume on):

http://tinyurl.com/z5fke

Give me two wheels and hold the mayo...

2006-03-11T09:44:00.000-05:00

Did you ever notice that when you work in your home, lunch becomes a series of snacks while sitting on conference calls? Same with working in the field as most lunches tend to be eaten while staring at traffic on the way to the next customer site. This usually means indigestion as well as mustard stains on your pants.
That is why, with the temperature in the mid forties and my phone silent, I chose to skip a meal that would surely find its way to my mid section and do something for my soul. I took a ride. I think that I had unconsciously been setting things up for the last few weeks as my helmet found its way out of the storage closet and into general population. As I had set the bike up to accommodate a bonus day, I simply had to check the air pressure, lights and unhook the battery tender. The bike started on the second pump of the pistons and I let it warm up while I got on my gear. Five minutes later, I was being cut off by my first clueless cage dweller, but the rest of the next forty five minutes was pure mind clearing bliss. I was gone for the total of an hour but the benefits were far greater than the sandwich and chips would have provided. And surprise, surprise, my phone did not ring while I was gone. It did however, while I was getting that granola bar out of the cupboard. I guess I'm just greedy.

Talking Guage

2006-03-06T19:56:00.000-05:00

I can attest to the usefulness of that talking tire guage. Especially for those who have big rotors on both sides of the front wheel, it's nice to just listen after finally getting the guage on the stem. Recommend buy in my opnion.

Better late than never

2006-03-05T10:37:00.000-05:00

Finally got a picture of my baby. She is an 04 FJR1300. It was a balmy 42 yesterday so I decided to take the cover off and put a few miles on.

Tire Pressure Gauge

2006-02-25T09:38:00.000-05:00

I finally found a great tire pressure gauge at a good price from www.roadgear.com. I find most dial gauges and cheap stick gauges to be either inaccurate or fragile. Roadgear sells a talking digital gauge and a silent small digital gauge. They are sold individually or as a package. I bought the pair for $40. The talking gauge is great to have at the house and the portable lives with my motorcycle tool kit now. They claim 1% accuracy and I found both gauges read the same pressure and agree with my expensive, non portable, 3 inch diameter dial pressure gauge. Here's a picture of the set.
Robo

Motorcycle Riding Foundation

2006-02-18T10:28:00.000-05:00

Hi all,

I just wanted to put in a good word for the riding course I took from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. Scott Nelson, one of the ABIOBIKERS, is an instructor. The course was 4 hours class Friday night, all day Saturday (about 1/2 day on the bikes), then all day Sunday on the bikes. Sunday ended with the riding exam and then the written exam. It was $100 from the local community college. Even for guys like me who have been riding a long time, I found that I learned a lot. I had serveral bad habits to break. You ride their bikes so you don't have to worry about having your own or damaging your own (people do fall). It also allows you to get your motorcycle endorsement w/o taking the riding exam at DMV. I highly recommend it:

http://www.msf-usa.org/

Robo

My ride- in case anyone cares.

2006-02-15T13:13:00.000-05:00

Hi All-

Here's my ST1100, taken last year when I actually found time for a leisure ride.

Rules of the Road to keep in mind

2006-02-15T13:11:00.000-05:00

(taken from the 1962
Honda motorcycle handbook):
1. At the rise of the hand by Policeman, stop
rapidly. Do not pass him by or otherwise disrespect
him.
2. When a passenger of the foot, hooves in sight,
tootel the horn trumpet melodiously at first. If he
still obstacles your passage, tootel him with vigor
and express by word of mouth, warning Hi, Hi.
3. Beware of the wandering horse that he shall not
take fright as you pass him. Do not explode the
exhaust box at him. Go soothingly by.
4. Give big space to the festive dog that makes
sport in roadway. Avoid entanglement of dog with wheel
spokes.
5. Go soothingly on the grease mud, as there lurks
the skid demon. Press the brake foot as you roll
around the corners, and save the collapse and tie up.
Melodiously avoiding the grease demon, Scott

2006-02-10T22:47:00.000-05:00

Nice work Chris. Here's John's Jackpot:

2006-02-10T22:44:00.000-05:00

We need more cruisers!

2006-02-09T21:57:00.000-05:00

ABioBikers
I can't be the only one out there who rides sitting back instead of sitting up or hunched over. I may have to coerce Cooper by telling him his bike is ugly to get him to post some pictures. I'm giving him one more week and then I start to harrass and humiliate.

Young riders in training

2006-02-05T10:54:00.000-05:00

Hello All!
Scott Nelson asked me to post this photo for him. He's clearly doing his fatherly duty in training the little ones early.
Stay tuned for more photos of Scott, his bike and family.
Cheers!
Lisa

Bob Newman and his Triumph

2006-02-05T09:56:00.000-05:00

Hi all, This is Rob C. Bob Newman asked me to make this post for him because he's not yet unpacked from his move to Florida. Bob has two Triumphs, the newer one is pictured here. Bob lives in Jacksonville, Florida with his new wife Jean. I'll let him add more but I can tell you that Bob always has an interesting story to tell; he's been a Merchant Marine Engineer and owned his own gas station. Unlike me, he can stand cold temperatures with no heated seat, handgrips, or electric vest (all of which would probably blow the Triumph's electrical system) and is therefore a 'real' man.

Another Picture of Bob's Triumph

2006-02-05T09:52:00.000-05:00

Posting Profile Photos

2006-02-02T18:13:00.000-05:00

If anyone wants to post a photo on their profile and needs the pic. hosted, you can email it to me and I can host it and send you back the link.

Good Morning Vietnam

2006-02-02T06:23:00.000-05:00

Good Day to ALL the Bio Bikers.
Really looking forward to this ride. North georgia is great riding. It is always interesting to see the gear that people carry in the saddle bags. I have discovered that a pair of jeans can go about 800 miles before they can stand up on their own, riding in the rain for more than 200 miles will make your head and helmet shrink, your bike will only break down after driving past the last service station on your route and first and foremost road rash leaves scars.
See you all in the spring.

If you see my bike on a trailer call 911 it is stolen. Ride on

This is great!

2006-02-01T00:18:00.000-05:00

Lisa and Rob,
Thanks for making this happen. I hope that this thing grows. The thing that I have always liked best about AB is the energy that comes from the people that work here. This seems to extend to friendships outside of the office and this blog proves it.
I do not know if you can now see my profile, but after about thirty years, I find myself back in motorcycling. Out of the dirt and onto the street. This time with a Honda VTX 1800 C.
I can't plan out as far as April, but the ride to Suches seems like it may be to much to pass up. We will have to see.

Rob Courter

2006-01-31T18:05:00.000-05:00

Hi Guys,

I must say I'm impressed with what a simple idea turned into. Already we have a ride planned, a BLOG, and several postings. I'll put my details in my Blogger Profile but will post the picture of my BMW R1200RT here. I couldn't get my wife to take a picture so it's just the bike alone. I have some pics of me that I will put in my profile if you can stand them.

Looking forward to April with Lisa, John, Bob, and Bob.

Regards,
Rob Courter (aka Robo)

North Atlanta Ride--April 27-30

2006-01-29T10:39:00.000-05:00

Hello AB Bikers on the lower east coast!
Here is the route of a ride that we (me and John and Rob)
planning to go on at the end of April--27-30th. We're planning to stay 2 nights (Thursday and Friday) in Suches, Georgia at Two Wheels Motorcycle Resort (http://www.twowheelsonly.com).
You are welcome to join us for what is sure to be a fun-
filled weekend of riding and cutting up (but we have to agree not to talk about work TOO much).
We're going to make the reservations soon, so let us know if you're interested.

Lisa and John

2006-01-28T16:49:00.000-05:00

Bob--thanks for getting us kicked off. Now it's my turn to put up a photo of me and John and the bikes. (The photo of us in Hawaii didn't quite fit the theme of the blog, but I didn't have a decent bike pic at the time).
I am a first time biker. I've only been riding for a couple of years now and me and my Shadow haven't been too far, yet. John had a VFR in a previous life, but is enjoying the SV1000 quite a bit now. We ride on the weekends around town mostly, and we are looking forward to our first tour togther.

Welcome!

2006-01-18T07:39:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the ABioBikers blog--photo gallery and discussion page for AB employees and friends who enjoy motorbiking. Feel free to post your own favorite photos of two-wheel adventures, stories of your favorite rides, suggestions for safety or whatever you feel others would enjoy.