Recently Added Motorcycle-Friendly Lodgings

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Major Motorcycle Rallies in March 2009

March ’09 Motorcycle Rallies

The March Motorcycle Rallies Calendar is starting to kick into gear, especially in the southern states where hints of Spring have bikers more than ready for some nice riding weather and a little rally action. Daytona Bike Week, which started on February 27th, is one of the first major rallies of ’09, and continues until March 8th. Some of the other rallies scheduled for the month of March include:

• Arizona Bike Week - (March 27 - April 5) - Scottsdale, Arizona
• Rooster Rally - (March 12 - 15) - Delhi, Louisiana
• Thunder in the Hill Country - (March 27 - 29) - Bandera, Texas
• Thunder on the Colorado - (March 20 - 22) - Smithville, Texas

There are lots of other motorcycle rides, runs, rallies, and other events scheduled throughout March, so visit the Motorcycle Rallies page to view a more complete list.

Ever Wonder How the Triumph Rocket III was Made?

Evan Tanner Dies While Motorcycle Camping

Past UFC middle-weight champion, Evan Tanner’s body was found in the Palo Verde area of California. According to some reports he had run out of gas and was attempting to walk out of the area in the 114 degree heat when he collapsed and died from heat stroke. Some of Tanner’s friends became worried when they didn’t hear from him and called authorities who began a ground and air search for the missing fighter. Prior to the trip he had said, "And to think, there are still places in the world where man has not been, where he has left no footprints, where the mysteries stand secure, untouched by human eyes. I want to go to these places, and sit, letting silence and solitude be my teachers." When some of Tanner’s friends tried to dissuade him from going he said, “So my plan is to go out to the desert, do some camping, ride the motorcycle, and shoot some guns. Sounds like a lot of fun to me. A lot of people do it. This isn’t a version of Into the Wild. I’m not going out into the desert with a pair of shorts and a bowie knife, to try to live off the land. I’m going fully geared up, and I’m planning on having some fun.” Evan recently wrote on his blog "I plan on going so deep into the desert, that any failure of my equipment, could cost me my life," wrote Tanner on the adventure in August. "I’ve been doing a great deal of research and study. I want to know all I can about where I’m going, and I want to make sure I have the best equipment." His motorcycle was found parked at his campsite.

Hells Angels Frisco Mark “Papa” Guardado funeral procession

This video shows the huge number of participants in Papa Frisco’s funeral procession. It’s a good video despite the pin head making comments towards the end.

Frogg Toggs

The Frogg Toggs website says their rainsuits are breathable, yet 100% waterproof. According to their literature this is because the waterproof fabric they are made of has pores 20,000 times smaller than a drop of water. The pores let moist body vapors escape while keeping the raindrops out. I decided to test their claims to see if this was true. I got their most popular rainsuit, the Pro Action (PA 102) to test. My test showed their claims to be true and the product to be a very good value. The first thing that I noticed about the Frogg Toggs when I opened the box were how thin and light they were. They weigh less and fold up smaller than my polyurethane and nylon rainsuit. In the interest of visibility and in the interest of following my own advice about riding in the rain, I got the orange set. Because they are a mottled orange and white pattern, they look a little more pastel than I had expected. My wife assures me that I do not look like a giant peach, but I think if I would have known how pastel they are, I would have ordered a different color. While I may not like the color that much, the comfort and the small amount of space they will take up in my saddle bags more than makes up for it. I ordered the 2X size and there is plenty of room inside to slip these on over other riding gear. They also have a zippered leg which will allow one to get them on over one’s boots. I have to admit, testing this pair of Frogg Toggs during a drought presented some challenges. I waited and waited for some rain, but it just never happened. Not to be deterred by a lack of inclement weather, I put them on over my clothes, turned on the shower full blast and hopped in. I stayed in there for about five minutes and for a good portion of that time had the shower hitting me full blast in the chest. I’m pretty sure that a person would have to be standing in a hurricane to get anywhere near that much water on them, but that makes the test that much better. When I took off the rainsuit, was I completely dry? No, not completely, but I think that was my fault rather than the rainsuit’s. As it turns out, the material around the zipper is not made out of the same waterproof material as the rainsuit itself, and if exposed to a direct stream of water it will absorb some of it and pass it through to the other side. However, I neglected to close the velcro backed flap that covers the zipper and provides a barrier that protects the zipper from water. As a result, the zipper got soaked. Even so, it left a "damp" strip down my shirt, not a soaked strip. On top of that, I don’t think that anyone would encounter that much water aimed directly at one’s chest during the coarse of a normal rain shower, or even if one were travelling at highway speeds in a severe thunderstorm. So is the material 100% waterproof? Yes, it is. Another thing that I quickly noticed was how cool they are, compared to my other rainsuit. I imagine that’s due to the material that the Frogg Toggs are made from. It truly seems that the breathability of the fabric actually works to keep you comfortable and dry not only from the outside in, but from the inside out as well. It feels more like you are wearing a shirt and pants than like you are wearing a rainsuit, and I like that a lot. The only complaint I have, from a motorcyclists point of view, is that because they have a hood that’s rolled up inside the collar, the neck cannot be cinched up tightly around the neck. I would imagine that some rain could find its way inside as the water comes pouring off of one’s head or helmet. I don’t think this would be as much of a problem with a full face, or even half helmet, but for those wearing a shorty, this may allow some water inside the rainsuit. With the minor issue of the loose-fitting collar, I think this rainsuit is going to perform very well and the price is right. If you want a very light-weight rainsuit, I think you’ll be very happy with these. Meanwhile, if you are riding in the rain through Georgia and you pass a guy that looks like a giant peach, that will probably be me. Uzi Rider

Jaffrum Sissy Bar Bag Review

Jafrum Sissy Bar Bag

I bought a Big Sissy Bar Bagrecently. I’ve got to tell you that I was skeptical that I would get a decent bag for less than $100. However, I figured I wasn’t risking a lot of money and if it lasted for more than one season I would have gotten my money’s worth out of it. Well let me tell you, I was pleasantly surprised by what I received. The bags are made of very thick and apparently durable leather and the stitching looks very sturdy. It looks like these bags should last for years. They have plenty of capacity for several days clothes and incidentals and will tie securely to any sissy bar. They also come with a plastic rain cover that will cover the bags completely in the event of inclement weather. I think these bags were really a bargain, and I’m a very hard man to please.

Featured Campground

Iron Horse Motorcycle Lodge

Our featured motorcycle campground is the Ironhorse Motorcycle Lodge in Stecoah, North Carolina. This fantastic motororcycle lodge and campground is nestled along Stecoah Creek in the Great Smoky Mountains. It is just a short ride to the legendary Tail of the Dragon which is more properly called Deals Gap along a stretch of Highway 129. This excillerating and challenging stretch of highway features 318 curves in just 11 miles. Other great motorcyling roads nearby are the Cherohala Skyway, and the Blue Ridge Parkway. The lodge has a nice fireplace and delicious home cooked meals are served daily. You can choose to sleep in a private room with private bath, private room with semi-private bath, the bunkhouse, or camp out under the stars in a tent near the creek. A clean bathouse is available to all campers.

New Harley Sport Bikes?

Is this a picture of a new Harley Davidson sport bike? Well, yes it is — sort of. The picture is an Brutale 910 made by the MV Agusta motorcycle company in Italy. It produces about 6,000 motorcycles a year and sells about one-sixth of those through importers in the United States. Are they cool? Well, Bruce Banner will be riding one in the upcoming Bat Man flick, "The Dark Knight" so you be the judge. Why did I say it was a Harley Davidson? HD recently purchased the company for about $109 mil. Many think that this will give the Harley Davidson "instant credibility," both abroad and here at home in the sport bike market. It appears that the MV Agusta motorcycle company had started falling on hard times, due to the weak U. S. dollar and otherwise weak sales. Smelling a good deal Harley snapped up the company. Around $70M of the $109M purchase price is targeted at paying of MV’s existing debt, which means that it gets to restart as a zero debt company. While the news may be great for motorcyclists interested in sport bikes, the news wasn’t well received by HD shareholders. On the news, HD stock (HOG) dropped to a 52 week low and closed at $32.33 on Fri., July 11.

More Motorcycle-Friendly Lodging

Not just motorcycle campgrounds anymore. By popular demand we’re adding even more places to stay when you are traveling by motorcycle. In addition to motorcycle campgrounds, motorcycle resorts and parks, we are now including select cabins, houses, lodges, bed & breakfasts, hotels and motels, that have assured us that they both biker-friendly and welcome and value your business.  In addition, we have entered a large number of state and national parks which will likely allow motorcycles although you should always check beforehand just to be sure. 

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