Faceyman's Motorcycle Adventures

Define: Bobber

2012-01-14T08:50:00.015-04:00

While I like the look of the 2012 Harley Davidson Street Bob presented in this review by Motorcycle.com, I question the use of the word "bobber" as a term to describe this motorcycle.

To me, a bobber is somewhat of a unique motorcycle where no two bikes are the same; bikes that are custom and built by people who have a genuine passion for motorcycling. They are cut up (AKA bobbed), chopped up, stripped down, light weight, fast and just down right "kick ass" motorcycles! Something like these:

Photo: BikerSwag.com
Photo: BikeEXIF.com
Photo: USA Bobbers.com
Photo: Brett Jordan (CC)
Photo: Mbike.com
Although a couple of the bobbers above are the result of custom motorcycle builds, a bobber isn't restricted to professional custom bike builders. A bobber can be built in a backyard garage by people who have a passion for building something unique. So I am left with the question, can a mass produced motorcycle such as the 2012 Harley Davidson Street Bob be considered a bobber? I say no, what do you think?

Racing in the Street

2011-12-30T10:50:00.004-04:00

Well, the cold weather & winter is upon us here in Freddy Beach (aka Fredericton). To help get through the winter months, I dream of spring and hitting the open road...maybe even a little "Racing in the Street"!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-22T07:50:00.002-04:00

Good News for CSBK 2012

2011-12-09T20:14:00.015-04:00

Good news for the Canadian Superbike (CSBK) Championship Racing Series, today they announced that they were able to secure a major sponsor for the upcoming 2012 racing season. This past fall, there was some controversy between the major sponsor - Parts Canada and the series management. The end result, Parts Canada pulled their sponsorship from the series.

Earlier today, Frontline CSBK Inc., organizer of Canada’s National motorcycle road racing series, introduced Chrysler Canada - Mopar as a major sponsor. This is great news for fans of the CSBK series and ensures that we will have races to follow in 2012. CSBK also announced the new Honda CBR 250 National Challenge series as well as Pro Superbike class, Pro Sport Bike, Harley-Davidson XR1200 Cup, Amateur Superbike and Amateur Sport Bike. In addition to the announcement of a new major sponsor, the 2012 series schedule was released:

2012 Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship Schedule
Round 1 (June 23-24) Shannonville Motorsport Park, ON.
Round 2 (July 7–8) Autodrome St. Eustache, QC.
Round 3 (July 21-22) Atlantic Motorsport Rark, N.S.
Round 4 (August 11-12) Circuit Mont-Tremblant, QC.
Rounds 5/6 (August 25-26) Mosport International Raceway, ON.

2012 V-Twin Superbikes

2011-11-18T20:54:00.016-04:00

As mentioned in a previous post, I was really excited to see the release of the 2012 Ducati Panigale. From what I have read, it is supposed to be quite a machine. To add to this, the rebirth of Erik Buell and the EBR1190RS is another point of excitement for 2012 as is the update to the 2012 KTM RC8. What do each of these bikes have in common, they are V-Twin powered superbikes!

With the introduction of these 2012 models, wouldn't it be great if one of the major motorcycle magazines initiated a 2012 V-Twin Superbike Shootout? Speaking for myself, it would be one comparison that I would be most interested in reading!

After some online research, here is a quick comparison of the power plants behind these three superbikes.

2012 Ducati Panigale

Type: Superquadro: L-twin cylinder 1199CC, 4 valve per cylinder, Desmodromic, liquid cooled
Bore x Stroke: 112 x 60.8mm
Power: 195hp (143kw) @ 10,750rpm
Peak Torque: 98.1lb-ft (132Nm) @ 9,000rpm
Exhaust: 2-1-2 system with catalytic converter and 2 lambda probes. Twin stainless steel mufflers with aluminum outer sleeves
Transmission: 6-Speed
Clutch: Slipper and self-servo wet multiplate clutch with hydraulic control

2012 EBR1190RS

Type: Liquid cooled V twin
Bore X Stroke: 4.17 x 2.66 (106 x 67.5 mm)
Displacement: 72.6 cu 1190CC
Compression Ratio: 13.6 :1
Fuel Delivery: Dual 61mm throttle bodies
Exhaust: Primary + Secondary
Peak Torque: 97 ft-lbs @ 9400 rpm
Peak Horsepower: 175 hp @ 9750 rpm
Clutch: Wet multi-plate, slipper
Transmission: 6 speed

2012 KTM RC8

Design: 2-cylinder 4-stroke Otto motor, 75° V arrangement, water-cooled
Displacement: 1,195 cm³ (72.92 cu in)
Bore: 105 mm (4.13 in)
Stroke: 69 mm (2.72 in)
Performance: 129 kW (173 hp)
Peak Torque: 93.7 lb-ft @ 8000 rpm
Transmission: 6-speed claw gears
Cooling: Water cooling, permanent circulation of coolant by water pump
Clutch: Multi-disc clutch in oilbath / hydraulically operated

Based on the information above, it appears that the Ducati Panigale has a major horsepower advantage over the EBR 1190RS and the KTM RC8, but there are other innovations that have to be considered too re: engine torque, frame, weight, suspension, traction control, etc.,...something a V-Twin Superbike Shootout would tell us. Which V-Twin Superbike do you think would come out on top?

Ducati - Checkmate!

2011-11-11T12:32:00.004-04:00

The new 195hp Ducati 1199 Panigale...looks like an amazing machine!

I love the sound of the Superquadro engine...check this out, "Checkmate"!

Further information, multimedia and pics available at Ducati's Panigale 1199 website.

Steve McQueen & Triumph

2011-10-25T21:14:00.012-03:00

Who was cooler than Steve McQueen, actor, motorcycle racer, auto racer and yes, rebel! This evening as I was catching up on some online reading, I came across the new releases from Triumph Motorcycles. One of the new releases is the Triumph T100 Steve McQueen Limited Edition Motorcycle.

According to the Triumph news release, this will be a limited production motorcycle with only 1100 being made available. Each bike will be numbered and will have Steve McQueen's signature on the side cover. The bike is designed after the Triumph Trophy TR6 which came to fame in the Great Escape movie! Kudos to Triumph for doing this.

Check it out, the 2012 Triumph Steve McQueen Edition...

Click on the image for a full view

...and the Triumph Trophy TR6 that Steve McQueen made famous!

Until next time, ride safe!

My Rocket!

2011-10-10T15:47:00.009-03:00

Here are a few pics that I took this morning of my 2009 Buell 1125R. One word describes this bike, "fun"! I purchased the bike new and have put 6000km on it over the past two summers. I actually ride the Buell more than my 2002 Yamaha VStar 1100 Classic...must be the fun factor!

Our riding season is just about done, maybe one more ride before I put the bikes away for the winter!

Time to Rant!

2011-10-09T06:16:00.005-03:00

It's time for a rant and a well deserved one! I am a mild mannered person and usually don't get upset by too much, but lately I have been really bothered by distracted drivers in cars and trucks who have been using cell phones/handheld devices while driving.

This past summer, our government made it illegal to talk on cell phones or text while driving (hands free cellular is permitted). Even with the introduction of this legislation and a minimum fine of $172.50, I still notice many cagers continue to use their cell phones while driving.

Yesterday, I went for a short ride on my Buell 1125R and there where two incidents that occurred that could have resulted in being involved in an accident. First, I was riding on a street that is two lanes and converges into one lane. I was riding the speed limit and about 50m from where the two lane ends and turns into one lane, a lady drives by me and then cuts right into my lane. She cut so aggressively that I had to hit the brakes hard to avoid a collision. Somehow, I noticed she was holding her handheld device in her right hand and not paying any attention to what was happening around her...what an idiot!

The second incident occurred a short time later when a lady lunged out of a driveway onto the street while talking on her cell phone. Her car took about half of the lane and I had to swerve to avoid yet another potential collision! If I had been in my truck, there would have surely been an accident as she had taken half of my lane and there was traffic in the oncoming lane! What are people thinking!

I fail to understand why it is so difficult for people to abide by this new legislation! What phone call or text message is so important that a driver wants to risk their life and more importantly risk my life because they want to talk on their phone or send/receive text messages while driving? I just don't get it, it's just stupid and totally avoidable!

Rather than be polite about it, to you cagers who continue to use your handheld devices while driving, "SMARTEN UP"! You have no right to put my life at risk!

Rant finished...to my fellow bikers, ride safe and watch out for idiots who use handheld devices while driving their cars!

Mosport - CSBK

2011-09-29T07:27:00.004-03:00

Check out this great video for Canadian Superbike Series - "Mosport High Octane Video"! Gotta love racing!

Ducati 1199 Panigale

2011-09-23T22:04:00.002-03:00

Last year is was the Ducati Diavel Carbon that got us excited! Now for the latest from the renowned Italian motorcycle manufacturer...the new Ducati 1199 Panigale! The Ducati 1199 Panigale will be revealed at the EICMA International Motorcycle Show in Milan 10-13 November and I am looking forward to the full report on Ducati's newest superbike. Here's the teaser from Ducati...

Hellcat Customs

2011-09-20T21:31:00.002-03:00

Two people I really enjoy following on Twitter are Kel AKA @FieryPinkGirl and her partner Jase AKA @hellcatcustoms. Although we have never met in person, you can tell by their tweets that they are genuine and that they are good people. Jase builds custom motorcycles, Hellcat Customs in Arizona and has shared his motorcycle expertise with me on several occasions. In the past, I have asked him technical questions about my Buell 1125R and he is always eager to respond. Today Kel posted a link to a YouTube video that shows a custom prototype bike that Hellcat Customs built for Motorcycle Travel America, a custom trike with front end tilt steering. It is so cool that I just have to embed it in my blog! Enjoy!

2012 Yamaha YZF-R1

2011-09-19T20:05:00.002-03:00

Okay, this has my attention! Check out the 2012 Yamaha YZF-R1.

EBR Nation Parts 3 & 4

2011-09-05T16:43:00.002-03:00

From Erik Buell Racing...American made sport bike, the 1190RS! Go EBR...need I say more, enjoy!

Part 3 - "Made in America"

Part 4 - "We Are Here"

Canadian Superbike (Part 2)

2011-08-28T14:48:00.016-03:00

I have been awhile putting up this post. I am back at work and it is my busiest time of year, so this had to wait.

Day 2 of the Canadian Superbike Series and Atlantic Motorsport Park was even more exciting than day 1. The final races were fun to watch, from the kids on CBR 125's to the Harley Davidson XR1200 series to the Pro Sportbike and Pro Superbike races.

We arrived at the track early in the morning and were the very first fans to claim our spot in corner two.

Our View in Corner 2
First race was the CBR 125 final...it was a blast to watch, like racing in slow motion. Although slow, the CBR 125 series is the launching point for future racers.

The race was won by a young lady named Stacey Nesbitt. Stacey actually ended up being the overall CBR 125 series leader for 2011.

The next set of races that I took pics was the XR1200 series. This was just fun watching these guys rip around the track on those big bikes. Also, this series really demonstrates rider ability as all are riding the same style of motorcycle.

#14 Steve Crevier was the winner in a race that was shortened due to a bad crash in corner 1. You can see how much of lead Steve gained in the pictures above.

Next was a visit to the pit area to look at some of the bikes. It was great as we had a chance to talk to some of the riders and take a close look at the bikes.

We even found a Buell 1125R in the pits...being a Buell 1125R owner, this made my day!

Here is #6 Brett McCormick's BMW S1000RR getting some attention before the Pro Superbike final!

I am not sure why I didn't take any pictures of the Pro Sportbike final, but I made sure that I got some of the Pro Superbike! It was a great race and it was dominated by #6 Brett McCormick on is BMW S1000RR. From the start of the race, he did not look back.

It was a great weekend of racing and I am really glad that I went. I think I will add the CSBK races at Atlantic Motorsport Park to my yearly calendar. There was one amateur race left in the day, however, Luc and I opted to head for home as we had a four hour drive. Apparently the race was rain shortened, so we didn't miss much! Check out this video from CSBK!

Until next time, ride safe!

Canadian Superbike Series - (Part 1)

2011-08-08T12:00:00.015-03:00

This past weekend was a great one! My friend Luc and I traveled to Atlantic Motorsport Park in Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia to watch round 5 of the Canadian Superbike Series. Neither Luc or I have been to the Superbike Series before and we went on the recommendation of one of my work colleagues/friends, JWebb (and her other half)!

We opted to travel via cage in my new 2011 Chevy Silverado rather than by bike; we just had too much gear, lawn chairs, umbrellas, coolers, etc...you get the point. I picked Luc up early Saturday am and we made the 4 hour drive to the track. Once at the track, we unloaded gear and stopped to watch some of the time trials. Saturday's schedule consisted mostly of time trials/qualifying with the big races scheduled for Sunday.

After a short walk through the pits, I texted JWebb, she said that they were in the pits as well, I texted back and said look for the two guys who look like tourists and sure enough, they found us.

It was great having JWebb and her husband Byron at the races as they are veterans at the track. They immediately adopted Luc and I, now termed "newbies" and began to show us around.

First thing they did was direct us to corner #2, from there you can see corners 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 and the back end straight away.

Click on map for full view
We made our way to corner #2, set up our chairs and had a great day watching qualifying and one of the CBR125 Challenge Races. Here are a few pics of the day (click on pics for a full view).

Luc checks out corner #2
The Kids on the CBR125's

Harley-Davidson XR1200 Series
Amateur Sportbike
The Pros
#6 Brett McCormick on his BMW S1000RR
We had a great day at the qualifying sessions on Saturday and could not wait for Sunday's final races! Next post, Canadian Superbike Series Part 2, stay tuned!

Nova Scotia Day 5 - Evangeline Trail

2011-07-28T06:47:00.015-03:00

Day 5 - It rained really hard the previous night and there was a threat of rain for day 5, but we lucked out...just clouds and hot muggy weather. Like other days, we got an early morning start for the Evangeline Trail and the Annapolis Valley. The trail follows Nova Scotia Route 1 and is very scenic...farm country, apple orchards and the Fundy Basin. Our afternoon destination was Digby, Nova Scotia and the Princess of Acadia Ferry. From there we would would cross the Bay of Fundy and make the journey home. Total distance for the day - 415 kilometers, this includes the three hour ferry crossing from Digby to Saint John.

The ride from Halifax to Windsor along Route 1 was quite enjoyable as there was very little traffic. We stopped in Windsor for a coffee and a quick bite to eat and then proceeded through the rest of the Annapolis Valley. Our next stop was at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. Acadia University is well recognized for academic excellence, among other things.

Zal on the steps at Acadia University
After a short stop we made our way through the rest of the Annapolis Valley...it was a beautiful ride through several small communities. It brought back many memories as I lived in this region as a teenager. Next stop was the Town of Annapolis Royal. This is another must stop location as the town is rich in history and views the Fundy Basin.

One of the gems of this community is Fort Anne, one of Canada's historic sites. "Fort Anne National Historic Site of Canada is Canada's oldest - a present day reminder of a time when conflict between Europe's empire builders was acted out on the shores of the Annapolis River. It offers a sweeping view of the beautiful Annapolis Basin from the centre of Annapolis Royal. Museum exhibits highlight the history of the fort." (Parks Canada)

Fort Anne
Defending the Fundy Basin
The Fundy Basin
Our final destination of the day was next, Digby, NS. We jumped on the bikes and made the thirty minute ride from Annapolis Royal to Digby. We were a bit pressed for time as we were scheduled for the 4 o'clock ferry crossing and we wanted to ensure that we had time for a feed of world famous "Digby Scallops"!

Once in Digby, we went downtown to the waterfront in search of the infamous Digby Scallop!
Digby Waterfront
We found the scallops that we were looking for and ordered take out as we had to get to the ferry terminal. Once at the ferry terminal we had the chance to enjoy our meal, we ate from the back of Zal's motorcycle trailer.

After finishing our scallops, we loaded the Princess of Acadia for the three hour crossing. It was a foggy sail across the Bay of Fundy and visibility was limited.

The three hour crossing was uneventful and when we arrived in Saint John, Luc and I said good-bye to Zal and set out on our way back to Fredericton. We had a great ride home, there was very little traffic and we arrived home just before dark.

Like last year, this was a great 5 day road trip and you could not find better guys to ride with! Luc and Zal are very easy going and we all have similar interests! I can't wait until next year's trip...destination to be determined!

Ride safe!

Nova Scotia Day 4 - Halifax

2011-07-25T20:06:00.019-03:00

Day 4 ended up being our shortest ride...153 kilometers, from New Glasgow, NS to Halifax, NS. Will explain why in a bit...

However it was not without adventure! We noticed a short way into the ride that Zal lost his riding lights, signal lights and brake lights. We stopped in Truro, NS for fuel and decided we were going to get to the bottom of Zal's electrical problem. First we pulled the side panel off the fairing of Zal's FJR 1300 and checked the fuse panel.

Next, we unhooked the trailer and checked the lights on Zal's bike, they worked so we knew it was an electrical issue between the trailer and the bike. Zal pulled the cover off the trailer wiring connector to discover a wire had worked itself free.

While Zal was fixing the wiring issue, he told us that he had dropped a small set screw on the ground, so Luc and I got on our hands and knees for the search. After a bit, we found the set screw.

It took the better part of an hour to fix Zal's wiring issue and then we were back on the road headed towards Halifax, Dartmouth actually. Our first stop in Dartmouth was the local Yamaha/Honda/Suzuki dealer Pro Cycle Limited. Luc and I are interested in purchasing communicators and we wanted to see what they had in stock. Unfortunately, there was nothing in stock.

Before leaving the motorcycle dealer, we had to decide where to ride to for the afternoon. Initially, we were going to ride to Peggy's Cove, but we opted to play tourist instead. We found accommodations, parked the bikes, changed into shorts and were tourists.

We caught the ferry from Dartmouth to the Halifax waterfront and found a good pub for lunch. Halifax is the largest city in Nova Scotia and the commercial hub of the region. It is also home to a large Canadian Naval Base.

Halifax-Dartmouth Ferry
Angus L. MacDonald Bridge
Halifax Waterfront
Once at the Halifax Waterfront, we stopped to watch some glass blowers demonstrating their trade...very cool!

We spent some time touring the waterfront and ended up at the Split Crow Pub, a place that I frequented when I worked the summer in Halifax in the early 80's...still a great place! Along the way, we ran into this guy!

After a few hours at the Split Crow, we met up with friends of Luc and went out to dinner, a nice way to finish off the evening. It was another great day and the three of us came to consensus that it was a great way to spend the day, relaxing and enjoying good company! Oh ya, we got caught in a huge thunderstorm and downpour on the way back to the hotel!

Next, day 5...the Evangeline Trail and the Annapolis Valley!

Nova Scotia Day 3 - Fortress of Louisbourg

2011-07-24T09:06:00.030-03:00

Day 3 started off very relaxed as we only had a short ride from Sydney, NS to the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site. We had a big breakfast and Zal treated with his winnings from the Casino the evening before...thanks Zalo! The ride from Sydney to Louisbourg only took 30 minutes or so and the road was very good. On top of that, traffic was non-existent! We arrived at the Fortress, paid our fees and caught the shuttle to the historic site. This is another must visit location!

Entrance to Park Interpretive Center
A bit about the fortress..."The Fortress of Louisbourg was a vibrant 18th century French community during the Franco-British struggle for supremacy in North America, 1713-1768. Centre of fishery and trade, colonial capital and fortified port - Louisbourg was besieged and captured in 1745 and 1758." (Parks Canada)

The partial restoration of the Fortress is incredible and the attention to period details is very evident, from the timber frame construction to the stone wall restoration to the antique furniture and clothing. Like my post on the Cabot Trail, I will let the pictures tell the story...enjoy!

Fisherman's home outside entrance to Fortress
Sentry guard on duty outside of Fortress
Entering the Fortress

A pub in the Fortress

At the prisoner's post in Fortress square!

The Blacksmith's Shop
Restoration Display
We spent about 3.5 hours touring the Fortress, leave at least that amount of time if you plan on visiting the Fortress.

After leaving the the Fortress we proceeded back to Sydney and connected with Nova Scotia Route 4 West on route back to Port Hawkesbury (132km). It was a beautiful ride through the Bras d'Or Lake region of Cape Breton. In places the road is very good and in other places it is a bit rough, but I still recommend the ride along Route 4 West. We arrived in Port Hawkesbury around 4:00pm. Our plan was to ride through to Halifax for the evening, but that was about to change. We came to consensus that we would ride as far as New Glasgow, NS and spend the evening and it was a good thing that we did as we were delayed an hour at the Canso causeway! Why were we delayed, cause of this! A submarine on a barge being towed through the causeway...not something you see everyday.

The delay was worth it as we enjoyed watching the old decommissioned submarine being towed through the causeway. After traffic cleared, we hit the road for the 100+KM ride to New Glasgow. We arrived at the hotel, ordered take out and settled in for the evening. It was another great day in Nova Scotia.

Next, Day 4 - Halifax...

Nova Scotia Days 1 & 2

2011-07-23T07:41:00.037-03:00

I just arrived home from a five day road trip to Nova Scotia with my good friends Luc and Zal. This year's trip consisted of a tour of the Cabot Trail, the Fortress of Louisbourg, the City of Halifax and the Annapolis Valley region.

Day 1 - Fredericton, NB to Port Hawkesbury, NS (506KM)

We started day 1 of the trip with wet weather. Luc and I met for a coffee and hit the road. We had about a 90 minute ride on the Trans-Canada highway to meet up with Zal. The ride was wet, but we did not run into any major downpours of rain. On the other hand, Zal ran into some major rain riding from his place via Saint John...so much that he had to stop under an overpass to let the rain pass by.

We met at the Big Stop in Salisbury, NB and had a big breakfast. During breakfast, we decided that we would stop at Atlantic Motoplex so that Zal could purchase a set of waterproof boot covers. While at Atlantic Motoplex, a salesman tried to sell me a new bike...I was offered a great trade in value for my VStar 1100 Classic, but the timing is not right for a new bike.

After leaving the dealer, we proceeded to Amherst, NS. We stopped at a tourist bureau to pick up some literature and hit the road for the Sunrise Trail (Route 6). The roads were fairly good and it was a nice ride. I found that there was not much to see along this route, perhaps it was the wet weather. We did not stop much, so I don't have many pics of day 1.

Coffee break on the Sunrise Trail
We arrived in Port Hawkesbury at about 6:00pm, checked into hotel, grabbed a bite to eat and relaxed in preparation for day 2, the Cabot Trail.

Day 2 - The Cabot Trail & Sydney, NS (464KM)

We woke with great anticipation for day 2 and the Cabot Trail. After some research (http://cabottrailbiker.com) we decided that we were going to do the trail in a counterclockwise direction.

The weather forecast was calling for clouds & showers, but that did not hamper our spirits. We hit the road around around 8:30 am...the start of the ride was very foggy which is not uncommon, at times it was difficult to see the bike in front of me.

We stopped at a local Tim Horton's for a coffee and a bite to eat in hopes that the fog would burn off.

We reached the entrance to the Cabot Trail at Saint Anns and by that time, the fog had cleared...we stopped to get rid of some gear and take a few pics.

Cabot Trail entrance at Saint Ann
View from Saint Ann Inn
While stopped, we were treated to an unexpected surprise, a visit from a bald eagle.

From there it was on to the Cabot Trail...this is a must visit place for motorcyclists. I will let the pictures do most of the the talking...click on pics for a full view.

After our stop at the entrance to Cape Breton Highlands National Park, we rode to the Coastal Restaurant...bikers are always welcome and the food is great, especially the coconut cream pie!

The Aspy Fault

The ride took about four hours and was one of the best rides I have been on. After our cruise around the trail, the weather turned and it was back to the rain gear.

We then rode the 80km to Sydney, Nova Scotia where we setlled for the eve. After unloading, we decided to go to the Sydney Casino for a bite to eat and some gaming. Zal was the night's big winner, walking away with $140.00.

Overall, it was a fantastic day of motorcycling, with wonderful scenery and great riding partners! I will post Day 3, the Fortress of Louisbourg soon!

On the Road...

2011-07-21T06:27:00.008-03:00

This year's road trip to Nova Scotia has been great. Luc, Zal and I are currently on the road so there is not much time to blog. I will post updates and photos when I get back home. So far, we have cruised the Cabot Trail, visited the Fortress of Louisbourg and rode through the Bras d'Or Lake region of Cape Breton, it has been amazing...the most fun that I have had on a motorcycle in a long time. If you travel to Nova Scotia these are must visit sites. I will guarantee that you will enjoy. Here is a small taste of taste of what we have exerienced so far.

We are currenlty in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia and are getting ready to head to the south shore of Nova Scotia. Plans are to spend the night in the Halifax area.

Nova Scotia

2011-07-17T05:30:00.005-03:00

The time has come for my annual bike trip. After some discussion, it was decided that the Province of Nova Scotia would be our destination. I will be traveling with my good friends Luc and Zal. Luc and I have traveled together the last two summers, Gaspe/Quebec City (2010) and the Magdalen Islands (2009) and many short rides in the local area. Zal joined us last summer for the Gaspe/Quebec City ride with his FJR 1300...he is an excellent person to ride with too.

Our route is as follows and the plan is subject to change as you can never be sure where we might end up.

Day 1 - Fredericton, New Brunswick to Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia via the Sunrise Trail on the Northumberland Coast. Riding distance - approximately 506KM.

Day 2 - Tour the Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia. It has been along time since I have toured the Cabot Trail and I can't wait! We will end up in Sydney, Nova Scotia (my Grandfather's birthplace) for the night. Riding distance - approximately 420KM, we plan to take our time and really enjoy the day!

Day 3 - Visit the Fortress of Louisburg National Historic Site. I have been to the Fortress twice before and it is a must see place...I am sure Zal & Luc will enjoy. From there it will be on to Halifax, Nova Scotia for the night. Riding distance - approximately 460KM.

Day 4 - Travel the Evangeline Trail through the beautiful Annapolis Valley. This part of the trip will be very special for me as I was born in the Annapolis Valley, have lived there on two separate occasions and have not been back for many years. We will probably end up in Digby, Nova Scotia for the evening, home of the world renowned "Digby Scallops"...I hope we get a feed of scallops! Riding distance - approximately 250KM

Day 5 - Catch the Princess of Acadia Ferry from Digby, Nova Scotia to Saint John, NB and travel back to Fredericton. This day is subject to change and the plan is tentative.

Total approximate distance - 1756KM. As in past years, I will be posting pics and blogging about the trip as I have in previous years.

Atlanticade

2011-07-08T17:03:00.021-03:00

This afternoon, I made the 150km ride to New Brunswick's largest motorcycle festival, Atlanticade. I had not originally planned on going, but the weather was just too nice, so I said what the heck, it's a good day for a ride! I decided to take the Buell 1125R as this would only be an afternoon trip. I enjoyed the solo ride to the coast side resort town and host to Atlanticade, St. Andrews by the Sea. If you ever have the chance to come to New Brunswick, this is a great place to visit.

Once in St. Andrews, I stopped by the registration center. The first thing that I saw was this very unique HD. It was really decked out and hauling a trailer that resembled a coffin...maybe it was a coffin. Take a look...click on pics for a full view.

This vintage Indian motorcycle was garnering a lot of attention as well!

At the registration center, I viewed the vendor booths and took a look at some of the custom bikes that were on display. Chopper Rods, a local custom fabrication shop based out of Fredericton had their drag bike and several customs on display...they do very nice work!

The first thing I noticed on this custom bike from Chopper Rods was the front brake...can anyone figure out why? The front brake assembly/fender is similar to my 1125R...gotta love that large brake rotor! The bike also has other components from a Buell XB12.

This next custom, also from Chopper Rods has an incredible paint scheme!

Next, I jumped on the Buell 1125R and headed for the main street in St. Andrews...can you find the 1125R in the crowd?

I stayed in town for about an hour, walking around and looking at bikes. I would estimate that there were a couple of hundred of bikes around town...I suspect that many were out on tours organized by the festival and that many more would be coming in for the weekend events.

After the walk, I had a quick bite to eat at the local Tim Horton's and geared up for the 150km ride home...what a great way to spend a summer afternoon!

Another Great Ride...

2011-07-06T19:45:00.009-03:00

Today my good friend Luc and I had a meeting with our friend Zal. Zal lives approximately 140kms from us, so we were looking forward to riding to meet with him. Luc and I exchanged several e-mails and decided we would take the sport bikes.

I met Luc around 10:00am and said let's do something different...rather than travel the boring old highway route, let's go the back way to Zal's through the Village of Cambridge-Narrows. Luc is very easy going (why we are so compatible as riding partners) and simply said ok. We checked out Google Maps, printed a hard copy and were on our way.

The drive along the Saint John River was beautiful as always. We stopped in Cambridge-Narrows, checked out our map and continued on our way. From there , we kind of went astray, a few wrong turns on back roads and several u-turns. We stopped in one place and asked a young fellow for directions and he said that you go down the road and catch the ferry. We went down the road and this is what we found!

What now?
Lucky for us, a lady in a car stopped near by and we asked about the ferry being closed. She informed us that we were at the wrong ferry...go figure! She gave us directions and we ended up in the community of Kars and the Belleisle Bay Ferry crossing.

Belleisle Bay Ferry Crossing

On the ferry (Luc)

Belleisle Bay

After the ferry crossing, we made our way to the Town of Hampton, stopped for fuel and then on to the Irving Big Stop in Rothesay to meet with Zal, albeit two hours late! It was really great to see Zal again, we had great laughs as we talked about last year's trip along the Gaspe Coast and talked about where we would ride to in the next few weeks. The nice thing about Zal & Luc as traveling partners is their easy going manner. All we decided on was the date and the province; we are going to travel to Nova Scotia and go where the roads take us...no plan, the same as last year!

We had a good lunch and then parted ways. Luc and I took the highway home, relatively boring as it is, but we thoroughly enjoyed the fact that we ended up off our original route on the way to meet Zal and that we traveled through some stunning scenery and twisty roads.

Until next time, ride safe and keep the right hand cranked!

New V-Star Shock

2011-06-28T08:28:00.032-03:00

I finally spent some much deserved time with the V-Star 1100 Classic. Last year, the rear shock began to leak oil and ultimately needed to be replaced. I have been procrastinating on replacing the shock, simply for the reason that my '09 Buell 1125R is just too much fun! In addition to that, the directions for rear shock replacement in the V-Star 1100 service manual look down right scary.

After a bit of research online, I decided to purchase a Progressive 465 rear shock from JC Motorcycle Accessories out of California. The price was great and delivery to Canada was a non-issue.

Progressive 465
Last weekend, I finally decided to replace the shock. I looked at the service manual again and just shook my head at the directions for the install. I decided that I would take a quick look online to see if there was any easier way to do the install. Sure enough, I found an alternate set of directions for the install that looked much easier than the Yamaha service manual...what did we do before the Internet!

The next step was off to the garage to complete the task. The images below give you an idea of the work that needed to be done.

Seat removal

Left side cover removal

Left chrome cover removal

Splash cover removal

Right side cover removal and battery box bolt removal

Disconnect wiring harness
Removing the tool box casing was a bit of the pain, there are many bolts and a few screws that hold it in place. Add the fuse box, the fuel filter, the fuel pump and affiliated hoses and I think you will get the picture...no pun intended!

Tool box casing
You do not have to completely remove the tool box casing, but you will have to unhook the fuse box and the fuel filter. Once that is done the tool box casing can be moved enough to get access to the rear shock.

Tool box casing moved

Access to rear shock

Alternate view of rear shock
Removing the shock was a bit tricky and lucky for me, my good friend Luc showed up as I was trying to figure out how I was going to get the shock out without an extra set of hands. Using a motorcycle jack on the front of the bike and a floor jack underneath the shock and relay arm (intermediate connector between rear shock & swingarm) made the job relatively easy. The floor jack allowed for taking pressure off the shock; top bolt removal and bottom connecting arm/bolt removal was easily done and the old shock was removed easily through the seat pan. The new Progressive shock was then installed using the same process.

Next it was simply a matter of reversing the steps and putting pieces back in place.

Re-installing tool box cover & other items
The total time was about about 3.5 hours for the shock install on the VStar 1100 Classic.

Almost complete...

The finished product!
Now the VStar is ready to go and I have no excuses for not riding it!

Bikers are Good People...

2011-06-13T19:44:00.003-03:00

Bikers are good people…

Following my last post on the Fredericton Motorcycle Club Annual Toy Ride, I received an e-mail from a friend regarding the impact of such events. The story is very touching:

“Hi Bryan,

I saw your latest Blog post last night, and wanted to share a story with you concerning the Toy Ride. When our son was not yet three, he was having some very serious medical issues, things got complicated fast, and he ended up having an extensive surgery in Saint John, and then was transferred to the Fredericton Hospital for his recovery. Because he was young, suffered lots of trauma and pain, he basically refused to get out of the wheel chair. Almost a week had past, and the doctors and nurses needed him to try and start walking. I’ll never forget when the nurse came to our room and told our son that there were over a hundred motorbikes in the parking lot of the hospital and they had toys for the boys and girls. We wheeled our son down to meet everyone, and to make a long story short…I really don’t think the Riders really understand the impact they are making with these young children and their families. They put a smile on his face, and that day was the starting point to his recovery (and we still have his Mr. Potato Head toy that was given to him). I know our family will never forget the Toy Ride, and we will always appreciate the Riders who help out.

Thanks,:)

SM”

I suspect that this story would bring a tear to the eye of any biker as it did for me. So the next time you take part in a toy or charity ride, just remember that although you are there for the ride, you are supporting something much bigger than the ride itself. And for the general public, the story above demonstrates that bikers are good people too!

Toy Ride 2011

2011-06-11T22:29:00.014-03:00

Today, I took part in the annual Fredericton Motorcycle Club Toy Ride. This is the third year that I have taken part in the ride and it is the only large group ride I participate in. Like the last two years, the event was well organized and the weather was perfect. This year the event was a bit different for me as I rode the Buell 1125R (so I looked a bit out of place)...the V-Star 1100 is temporarily out of service.

The ride supports the children's unit at our regional hospital and also supports the "Breakfast for Learning" program at Stanley High School...both excellent causes. I think I heard the organizers say that there were 166 bikes in the ride, so that is a pretty good turn out.

Like past years, I took some time to look at some of the rides and there were a few that caught my eye and peaked my interest. The custom work on this Harley-Davidson was very cool! Check out the custom wheels, the skull air intake cover, the brake lever and the gas tank.

Click on the image for a full view
What can I say about this one...great looking bike!

And...I have not seen one of these for ages, a Honda CBX 1100 Super Sport. I actually rode one of these many years back and it was scary!

Here's a short clip I put together of the day!

Thanks to the Fredericton Motorcycle Club for another fine event! I look forward to the 2012 Toy Ride!

New EBR Web Site

2011-06-10T21:22:00.006-03:00

The new Erik Buell Racing (EBR) web site has been released and it is worth checking out! At the site you will find complete information about the 1190Rs, including a pre-order information form and a parts store. The site looks great and the 1190RS looks even better.

Photo - Erik Buell Racing
Now, if only I had $40,000...$44,000 for the carbon fiber edition!

EBR 1190RS Engine Build

2011-06-04T07:19:00.004-03:00

The latest video from Erik Buell Racing..."EBR 1190RS Engine Build and Test". Enough said, enjoy!

The background music by Erik Buell and the Thunderbolts is pretty good too!

FHS Show & Shine

2011-05-28T15:07:00.008-03:00

On Saturday morning, I attended the FHS Show and Shine event. This is a great cause as it supports the school's "Stray Kat Racing Auto Club". The weather was not that cooperative, however the event was well supported by car enthusiasts from across the province. There were some interesting vehicles, including an old tow truck that had a somewhat rustic appearance, it was a show stopper!

Check out this video clip, see if you can find the V-12 Roadster!

Congratulations to the organizers for a well run event!

Custom HD

2011-05-22T20:00:00.004-03:00

On Friday, I received an information package from Harley-Davidson Canada called "HD1 - Custom of One". The package contained a brochure with information on customizing a Harley-Davidson that is unique to you. A letter accompanied the package that provided a link to the Harley Canada web site that I thought was very cool - http://www.harleycanada.com/hd1bikebuilder! The link allows you to design your own Sportster 1200 Custom, it's kinda fun to add different accessories to the 1200 Sportster. Here is the one I built...a bare bones denim black Sportster with a number of accessories. Try it out!

Ride safe!

Sold - Ninja 500

2011-05-15T09:23:00.005-03:00

The 2002 Ninja EX500 is gone! I sold it a week ago after posting it online at Kijiji.ca. There was much interest and it only took 3 days before someone showed up with cash in hand and left with the bike. I purchased the bike in June 2009 as an upgrade for my son (from his Ninja 250). Last summer he only used the Ninja half a dozen times and the insurance for a rider his age is out of this world, even with the Canada Safety Council Motorcycle Training Course. So after a long discussion with my son, we decided to put it on the market...added to the fact he really wants a car.

I am always a bit sad when I sell a motorcycle and this one was no exception. I put a lot of work into this bike and the new owner was very impressed with the condition. I also pride myself on taking very good care of my stuff. Here is the last pic of the Ninja 500 before she left the yard!

With the sale of the Ninja 500 comes the opportunity for a new project...what next? Any suggestions?

Fredericton High School Show & Shine

2011-05-09T11:09:00.008-03:00

The Fredericton High School “Stray Kat Auto Club” is hosting the 1st Annual “Cruise Into Spring” Custom and Classic Show & Shine Show at Fredericton High School on Saturday, May 28th beginning at 9:00am. Cars, motorcycles, trucks, etc., are all welcome! Plan on attending! Click on the poster for a full size view and details.

Please use the main entrance off Priestman Street across from York Street to enter, by the football fields.

Hope to see you there!

Finally...

2011-04-28T21:09:00.007-03:00

Spring has been along time coming, almost a month later than last year! Last weekend, we finally had some nice weather and I got out to ride. I had been listening to the weather forecast and when I heard that it was going to be 14C and sunny, I said to myself, I am going to ride today!

I have had my 2009 Buell 1125R ready for some time now, so it was just a matter of disconnecting the trickle charger, checking the oil, tire pressure and a quick safety check! From there, it was off for a 90 minute ride! The weather was good and it felt great to be riding...a feeling many motorcyclist's know! This ride was extra special for me as I had been laid up for the last month with health related issues.

The 1125R looks awesome and I look forward to another summer full of great rides!

I still have to install a new rear shock on my 2002 VStar 1100 Classic...I hope to have it on the road soon.

Until next time, keep the right hand cranked and ride safe!

2011 BMW S1000RR vs. 2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R

2011-03-20T10:15:00.004-03:00

At the recent 2011 Atlantic Motorcycle Show, there were two sport bikes that I spent some time looking at, the Kawasaki ZX-10R and the BMW S1000RR. The reviews I have read on each are overly positive for these high horsepower machines. Motorcycle.Com recently put the two up against each other...they provide an in-depth comparison of the two bikes and in the end, they give the S1000RR a slight advantage over the ZX-10R. Well worth the read! This video from Motorcycle.Com provides a good overview of both bikes. Enjoy!

Riding season is just around the corner and I am looking forward to getting out on the 09 Buell 1125R and the 02 V-Star 1100 Classic!

More From Motus...

2011-03-10T19:24:00.004-04:00

Over the last couple of days Motus released a couple of videos. One about their motorcycle company and a second showing a street ride at Daytona. Enjoy...

Spring is coming and I can't wait to ride...

American Muscle - Motus MST-01

2011-03-04T19:29:00.017-04:00

Today, there were several tweets via Twitter related to the release of the American made Motus MST-01 motorcycle. I have to admit, I had never even heard of Motus Motorcycles, so I was rather interested. The first tweet provided a link to MCN where there is a brief description of the bike. The second tweet provided a link to Hell for Leather where there is additional information and pictures of the Motus MST-01 release.

Photo: MCN

Photo: The KneeSlider
Along with the MST-01 model, there will also be an upgraded MST-R model available.

Photo: Motorcyclist Magazine Blog
Although, I have only seen a few images and video clips, the bike appears functional, somewhere between a sports bike and a sports tourer. The exposed frame gives the MST-01 a Ducati like appearance and the 1654cc, Pratt & Miller V-4 direct injection push rod engine looks awesome! Check out the video, the bike certainly sounds unlike others...

Video: Hell for Leather
A quick Google search, led me to this YouTube video which provides additional details on the unique KMV-4 power plant in this machine. This is an engine even car guys are going to appreciate! A second video shows the KMV-4 engine on the dyno.

It is nice to see North American companies moving into the sport bike market...a couple weeks back, Erik Buell Racing with the EBR 1190RS and now Motus Motorcycles.

Until next time, ride safe!

Friday Night Blues!

2011-02-25T21:26:00.010-04:00

Well, we are in the middle of yet another winter storm. The weather outside is truly frightful and by the time this storm passes, we will have another 30-35cm (12"-14") of snow. Since the city is just about shut down, the only thing to do is relax and wait for the storm to pass and think about the spring...and why not think of spring with a little Bob Seger and Neil Young music.

"I will answer the wind
I will leave with the tide
I'll be out on the road
Every chance I can ride"
(Bob Seger)

"Somewhere on a desert highway
She rides a Harley-Davidson
Her long blonde hair
flyin' in the wind
She's been runnin' half her life
The chrome and steel she rides
Collidin' with
the very air she breathes
The air she breathes"
(Neil Young)

Patiently waiting for spring. Ride safe...

Ducati Diavel Carbon

2011-02-24T21:52:00.004-04:00

Several weeks ago, I blogged about the 2011 Atlantic Motorcycle Show. One of my favorite bikes of the show was the 2011 Ducati Diavel Carbon...a very cool looking machine. Check out this promotional video from Ducati...it's worth a look and you will see why I was quite taken back by the machine.

MCN also posted a cool time lapse video that shows the production of the Ducati Diavel, it can be seen here at Asphalt and Rubber.

Until next time...

Finally, the EBR 1190RS

2011-02-18T19:18:00.018-04:00

Well, the photos hit the Internet today...the EBR 1190RS Street bike from Erik Buell Racing is here! Erik Buell Racing teased me all morning via Twitter /@erikbuellracing by posting small pics here and there of partial views of the EBR 1190RS. It was a Twitter post from Hell for Leather Magazine that came to my rescue and addressed my curiosity, so thanks Hell for Leather Magazine!

Photos: Steve Anderson/EBR

Photo: Ryan Merrill/Motorcycle USA

At first glance, it is a great looking machine...the only question that I have is why the move away from the under slung exhaust? I wish my 1125R had the same appearance, one thing I do not like about my bike is the two side mounted radiators...I prefer a look more like what we see here with the EBR 1190RS. I find the lines on the 1190RS appealing, almost European like. I look forward to finding out more about EBR and the release of the 1190RS.

Further information is available at Asphalt & Rubber.com and Cycle World. Make sure you check out Motorcycle USA as they have a good selection of pictures of the EBR 1190RS from the 2011 Indy Dealer Expo.

Until next time...ride safe!

Atlantic Motorcycle Show 2011

2011-02-12T20:41:00.052-04:00

Well, I got my annual winter motorcycle fix...the 2011 Atlantic Motorcycle Show! This year's show did not disappoint and I was really impressed with the manufacturer displays and the 2011 line up of motorcycles.

My good friend and fellow motorcyclist Luc, picked me up early in the morning. We started the day with a big breakfast at the Irving Big Stop and then the 90 minute drive to Moncton. Once in Moncton, we decided that we would visit the Ducati/Triumph/BMW/Yamaha dealership - Atlantic Motoplex before going to the show. Luc was looking for some motocross stuff and I was looking for a summer riding jacket...neither of us had luck, but it was fun to see what was available at the dealership.

From there it was on to the Moncton Coliseum Complex for the show. I have to say, I was a bit overwhelmed with the crowd, it is the largest crowd I have seen in all of the years that I have attend the show.

Luc and I decided that we would take our time at the show and enjoy the day, and that is exactly what we did. First stop was the Suzuki display, the Hayabusa always garners attention as do the GSX-R series of motorcycles.

The GSX1250FA Sport Tourer caught my attention and I am sure that it will offer added competition to the sport touring market.

The Ducati display was next, here we saw what was perhaps the most impressive motorcycle at the show...the Ducati Diavel Carbon!

Luc and I spent more time looking at this bike than any other bike at the show. We also spoke at length to the Ducati rep and wanted to know if there would be a spring demo ride as we both want to try out this beast! The rep took our contact info and said he would let us know when the demo ride is scheduled.

The Ducati 1198 is also an impressive machine...I just love the look of this bike!

Think I might need one of these, I am sure my Twitter friend @coledude would agree! What do you think Chris...looks good on me?

And what would a Ducati display be without a race bike!

From there it was on to the the Kawasaki display. The only Kawi that really peaked my interest was the 2011 Ninja ZX10R, I would love to take one of these for a rip!

The Harley-Davidson display was next and it was pretty much the same as last year, lots of bikes and lots of people! The XR1200 and the Street Glide always look good. Luc and I both agreed that the flat finish on the XR1200 made the bike.

The Street Glide is one of my favorites when it comes to the baggers and maybe, just maybe I will own one someday!

The Star Stryker was a popular attraction at the Yamaha display. This was the one Yamaha that I was looking forward too. The bike looks good and the options shown on this model fit the bike very well. While it looked good, the bike felt very heavy and a bit awkward...perhaps it is different when you get to ride one.

Victory Motorcycles had a larger display compared to previous years. The Cory Ness Signature Motorcycles were very nice! I liked everything on this Cory Ness Signature Vegas, the look, the paint, the wheels...a fine looking machine!

The 2011 Victory Cory Ness Cross Country was another eye catcher...great paint scheme!

Luc took a liking to the Victory Hammer S Muscle Cruiser, I have to admit that I liked it too!

The next machine, a work of art...the MV Agusta F4. Aside from the Ducati Diavel, this bike would have to be my choice for second favorite of the day. The dealer said that there would only be 100 F4's available in Canada and that 80 of them have already been spoken for. Beautiful lines on this bike, not to mention the cool exhaust!

Another interesting stop was the Mad Fabrication display. Mad Fabrication designs and builds custom motorcycle parts. I had a long conversation with the owner as I want to have a set of tips constructed for the exhaust on my Buell 1125R. The owner assured me that this is something that he could do for me. Here are a couple of racers out of the Mad Fab shop.

Honda had perhaps the largest display at the show. I have to admit, I like the look of the Honda Fury and I also like what they have done with the Shadow RS and the Shadow Phantom. The wrapped pipes give the Shadows a great look!

The 2011 Honda CBR 1000 Repsol Edition is another fine piece of Japanese engineering.

It was nice to see a Triumph presence at the show as well. The Daytona 675 is a sweet looking machine, very compact and lightweight.

I was a bit lost when looking for words to describe the 2011 Triumph Rocket III Roadster! Only one word comes to mind, "BIG"! A 2294cc liquid-cooled, DOHC, in-line 3-cylinder beast!

The final stop of the day was BMW. They too had an impressive showing. I was looking forward to two bikes in particular, the S1000RR and the new six cylinder tourer, the K1600GT. This was the first time that I have seen the S1000RR and it did not disappoint.

BMW also had a S1000RR race machine at the show. I am sure that my Twitter friend @MissBusa will like these!

I think that the BMW K1600GT is going to be a true competitor for the Honda Goldwing market, especially if it is in a competitive price range. The bike is loaded and I love the forward position of that huge six cylinder engine!

Overall, I really enjoyed the show! Luc and I spent 5 hours looking at bikes, talking to vendors, sharing our opinions and identifying our likes and dislikes. At the end of the day and as previously mentioned, Luc and I both agreed that the Ducati Diavel Carbon was the show stopper, at least for us! I also liked the MV Agusta F4 and the BMW S1000RR. For some reason, which I am still trying to figure out, Luc picked the "Beast", the 2011 Triumph Rocket III Roadster as his second favorite bike of the show. His third choice was the Amsoil booth, but you will have to ask him about that one!

The only downside to the show was the lack of custom bikes...there were a few, but not many. It would be great to have a biker build off or something of that nature at the show. Like years past, this is more of a vendor display than a true motorcycle show.

Now that I have my winter fix, I will anxiously wait for the snow to go and for the 2011 riding season. Oh ya, I forgot to mention, I purchased a new Icon Contra Textile Jacket at the show...exactly like the one below. Should be a nice match with my Buell 1125R and much more comfortable for summer riding.

Until next time, ride safe!

Saturday Afternoon Walk

2011-02-05T16:21:00.014-04:00

At times I complain about the winter weather and where I live, but the truth be known, I do really love Atlantic Canada. Today was a perfect winter day, sunny with a temperature of -3C/26F...so I dug out my old ash snowshoes and decided to go for a walk in the woods. (Click on the pictures for a full view, especially the last picture)

At the present time, the area behind my house is wooded. That will change soon as there is going to be a new school built and unfortunately the trees will go. You can see below that the survey lines have already been cut.

Neighborhood deer have been using the trail.

I came across this fresh deer trail, I suspect that there must have been three to four deer traveling together to cut a trail in the snow like this.

The snowshoeing was good and it did not take long to break into a sweat.

I did come across what we call a "snow hole"; it is generally snow on top of some brush and when you step on one, you sink quite deeply or fall. As you can see from the snow, I wiped out!

My total walk lasted about two hours and the walk back home was mush easier as I had already made the trail in the snow.

It was a beautiful day for a snowshoeing walk in the woods. This last pic I took would have to be my favorite of the day, some ice melting on the branch of a tree.

I will get my motorcycle fix next weekend as I am traveling to the Atlantic Motorcycle Show! Keep the right hand cranked and for those of you who get to ride at this time of year, ride safe!

New Diecasts (Updated)

2011-01-05T21:32:00.009-04:00

*******************************
Update - I forgot to to add my new Benelli Tornado 1130 diecast to this post (see below). I also added my Buell 1125R diecast that I received as a gift from @zaltech last summer (thanks again Zal).
*******************************
Several weeks ago, I received a diecast motorcycle as a gift. I was very pleased with the gift and wrote a short blog post about it. I took some vacation time over the Christmas break and during some idle time did an eBay search for diecast motorcycles...the end result was the purchase of a 1:12 scale Ducati Streetfighter and an Aprilla RSV1000R. Take a look...

Ducati Streetfighter

Aprilla RSV1000R

Benelli Tornado 1130

Buell 1125R (Summer 2010)

Atlantic Motorcycle Show 2011

2011-01-03T19:55:00.003-04:00

One of the things that gets me through the winter months is the Atlantic Motorcycle & ATV Show. This year's show is scheduled for February 11th - 13th, 2011 at the Moncton Coliseum.

All of the major manufacturers will be represented at this show as well as several custom builders. Further information is available at the Atlantic Motorcycle & ATV Show web site.

1913 Harley Davidson

2011-01-02T20:19:00.007-04:00

This YouTube video came to me compliments of @signbloke via Twitter and his "Monty" - The 1928 Chevrolet Blog. The video clip is almost 10 minutes long but well worth viewing. The other appealing fact about this 1913 Harley Davidson is that it was purchased here in Canada...Hamilton, Ontario.

This video is a real treat for motorcycle enthusiasts...enjoy!

Also, check out "Monty" - The 1928 Chevrolet Blog, it's pretty cool too!

RYCA Motors CS-1 Cafe Racer

2010-12-29T22:10:00.010-04:00

So, you want to build a Cafe Racer but don't have experience with custom builds...you had better check out RYCA Motors and their CS-1 Cafe Racer Kit for the Suzuki S40 (Savage). For $3000.00 you can purchase a CS-1 kit and according to RYCA Motors owner Casey Stevenson, all you need are basic mechanical skills and a few tools to do the conversion. Oh ya, you need a Suzuki S40 unless you want RYCA to build one for you...but that wouldn't be any fun!

Not sure this is for me, but it is a cool concept and a most interesting business model.

For further info, visit RYCA Motors Web Site

Back in Business!

2010-12-25T19:22:00.011-04:00

For Christmas, I received the latest copy of Motorcyclist magazine - January 2011 edition. Being the owner of a Buell Motorcycle, one of the articles caught my interest..."Erik Buell is Back in Business. This time, Erik Buell is doing it his way."

As you may recall, I blogged about EBR Racing back in October - Buell Resurrected in Street Mode, so the interview in Motorcyclist magazine is very timely, especially if we are to see something new for Buell enthusiasts. Speaking for myself, I look forward to seeing the day when a new street legal sport bike is available from Erik Buell.

The complete interview: Erik Buell is Back in Business. This time, Erik Buell is doing it his way.

Season's Greetings to all and Happy New Year!

New Models

2010-12-12T09:02:00.005-04:00

A "Secret Santa" in my office got me this 1/18th scale model of a 1952 Harley Davidson "K " Model, very cool! Note the Erik Buell Racing (EBR) Coffee Mug too!

This will go very nice with the 1/12th scale model of my 2009 Buell 1125R that another friend gave to me, can you see it in the lower left hand corner by my monitor?

It's only December and winter is just starting and I am already itching for spring and the 2011 riding season! For those of you who get to ride year round, ride safe and crank the throttle for me a few times.

And another riding season comes to an end...

2010-11-13T17:21:00.011-04:00

November 13th, 2010 and another riding season has come to an end, at least for me it has. Today was an uncharacteristic weather day, especially for the month of November. The temperature reached a high of 14C/57F, the sun was shining and many motorcyclists were getting that last ride in, yours' truly included. I went for a short ride around the city and then a nice ride along the Nashwaak River. Although short, I really appreciated this ride as I knew it would be the last of the season.

Looking back, it has been a great riding season. We had an early start to the season and the weather was the best that it has been in years. The 2010 season saw the sale of the Ninja 250 that I rebuilt for my son and the addition of a 2009 Buell 1125R to my collection!

The season also included an excellent 5 day road trip through the Acadian Coast of New Brunswick, the Gaspé Region of Quebec and on to Quebec City. There were also many day trips and short rides around the local area. And of course, I would be amiss if I did not mention how much fun the 1125R is...I really enjoyed riding around on it this summer. I actually put more miles on the 1125R than on the VStar 1100 Classic!

The VStar and the Ninja 500 were put away for the long winters' nap several weeks back and today the 1125R joined them.

The bikes will be fine over the winter months as the garage has an oil furnace and the temperature is controlled. Over the winter, I have to do a bit of work to do on the Ninja and the VStar, but nothing major. I also have to winterize the 1125R and do a some work to my 4-wheeler (1986 Honda TRX350).

So, with a slight tear in my eye, I put the covers on the bikes knowing that they will be there for me to work on over the winter months and will be calling out to me in the spring.

I have lots of work to do over the winter and despite my complaining at times, I actually enjoy the winter season. I will also spend the winter season living vicariously through my Twitter friends who get to ride year round...you know who you are!

Until my next time, ride safe!

Buell Resurrected in Street Mode?

2010-10-23T21:38:00.019-03:00

I recently came across this video teaser on YouTube from RatPak Records and Erik Buell Racing (EBR), it really peaked my interest.

I watched it several times and tried to figure out what the video was about. After some online research and a visit to the Hell for Leather web site, I found out that Erik Buell Racing was going to be releasing a street version of their 1190RR race bike...the EBR1190RS! Being the owner of a 2009 Buell 1125R, you can imagine my excitement upon discovering this news.

Further online research took me to the RatPac Records web site where I discovered that you can purchase EBR1190RS merchandise...and yes, I placed an order during my visit. This was further evidence that Erik Buell would be releasing a street legal motorcycle under the name EBR1190RS.

According to the Hell for Leather web site, Erik Buell's non-competition agreement with Harley Davidson Motorcycles expires in February 2011 and at that time we can expect to see the EBR1190RS. It will more than likely be a limited release motorcycle. I look forward to hearing more about the EBR1190RS.

So, as I sit here wearing my new EBR1190RS t-shirt, I only have one thing to say, welcome back Erik Buell!

Until next time, ride hard and ride safe!

Stanley High Auto Show

2010-09-26T21:19:00.008-03:00

Today, a good friend of mine and I attended a car show at local high school. It was a great show and all proceeds from the show will support the Stanley High School Auto Club! The weather was great and the turnout was even better! Check out the short video that I put together. See if you can find my friend's 1964 Ford Galaxie convertible!

One of the highlights for my friend and I was not a car, it was a 1920 6HP McCormick Deering Engine. It was on the back of a Ford Ranger truck. We spoke to the owner and asked if he would give us a demo and he obliged.

What a great way to spend an afternoon, checking out old cars, supporting one of our local schools and spending time with a friend! Best of all, my friend won the 50/50 draw and walked away with $180 in cash!

Until next time, ride safe!

Day 5 - The Ride Home (July 27, 2010)

2010-08-04T08:42:00.017-03:00

We really enjoyed our time in Quebec City and as mentioned in my previous blog post, it is a must visit city! Our plan for day 5 was pretty simple, jump on the bikes and ride the 600+km back to Fredericton; 740km for Zal! We made a quick stop for fuel, coffee and a bite to eat and were on our way.

We rode from just outside Quebec City to Rivière-du-Loup before making a stop, approximately 190km. The only excitement, just outside of Rivière-du-Loup, I got stung by hornet just to the side of my right eye! Not fun when you are riding at a speed of 120kmh! We stopped for fuel and said good bye to La Belle Province (English: The Beautiful Province). We continued on Highway 20 and then on to the Trans Canada Highway #2.

The next stop was Grand Falls, NB...fuel & lunch at the Irving Big Stop. After that, we rode to Woodstock, NB for a quick stretch and then it was the last 100km to home.

Overall, this was an excellent 5 day ride! The Acadian Peninsula, the Gaspé Coast and Quebec City were amazing places to ride and visit...the pics and scenery are evidence of that! I would highly recommend these locations as motorcycle destinations. The weather was great...during the 5 days, we rode a total of one hour in the rain!

I also have to mention that Zal and Luc are excellent guys to ride with and I expect that we will be traveling together again!

Finally, to close off this 5 day ride, here are some random shots of the trip courtesy of Zal & Luc!

Luc gets a nice shot of the coastal highway!

Faceyman discovers his rear shock is leaking oil!

Luc has some tire pressure issues!

Zal has no worries!

A view from Zal's FJR 1300...

Stuck in road construction somewhere on the Gaspé Coast...

Zal makes new friends wherever we go!

Taking a picture from the bushes...

Our last stop!

Until next time, keep the right hand cranked and ride safe!

Day 4 - Quebec City (July 26, 2010)

2010-08-03T10:11:00.019-03:00

The weather was a bit cloudy as we prepared for day 4 and our early morning journey from Rimouski to Quebec City...about a 315km ride. We only stopped for coffee, fuel and a few pics on the direct ride to Quebec City.

We were very fortunate to have Zal as part of our ride! Zal, used to truck long haul, so he was very familiar with Quebec City..definite bonus! We made a quick stop at a Canadian Tire Store in Levis, QC prior to entering Quebec City ...Zal wanted to purchase a brake lock for his FJR 1300. We found accommodations in Sainte-Foy (a suburb of Quebec City) and unloaded our bikes. We decided that we were going to be tourists for the day; the bikes would stay at the hotel and we would take a taxi to the downtown area...great idea, no worries about parking, traffic, etc.

Old Quebec City dates back 400 years and has a very rich history. The old city is completely fortified and has played an important strategic role in the defense of the city. The architecture has been restored to an immaculate condition and the military history is visible through the fortress walls and the cannons placed to defend the city from attack. Here is one of two entrances to Old Quebec!

We stopped at St. Patrick's Irish Pub for a bite to eat prior to touring the rest of the city.

After lunch, we enjoyed a walk through the streets of Old Quebec. I think the pictures speak for themselves.

After touring the streets of Old Quebec, we moved to the Citadelle of Quebec. The fortress was constructed by the British in 1820 mainly as a source of defense against a possible American invasion. The Americans had tried on two different occasions to invade, 1775 and 1812, each time without success. Today, the Citadelle of Quebec is still active as it is the home of the Royal 22e Régiment of the Canadian Armed Forces...a very distinguished Regiment of the Canadian Military.

After our tour, we met up with Zal's cousin and her partner. We joined them for a very nice evening dinner and then went on an evening walk to the Quebec Parliament and the nightclub district of Quebec City. On the way to meet Zal's cousin, we came across a couple of cool Moto Guzzi's...

An evening view of the Quebec Parliament...

It was getting rather late in the evening, so we bid our good-byes to Zal's cousin and her partner (great people BTW) and caught a cab back to the hotel. What a great day in Quebec City...a must visit if you are in the area!

Next, day 5 and the ride home.

Day 3 - The Gaspé Peninsula - continued (July 25, 2010)

2010-08-01T21:35:00.025-03:00

We awoke on day 3 to rain; we knew it was coming from the forecast the evening before. We decided to wait it out for a bit as the forecast for late morning/afternoon looked good. So, it was off to nice morning breakfast and a relaxed time packing our gear...it is so nice when you are not in a big hurray to hit the road.

After breakfast, the rain had slowed and we decided to load up and hit the road.

As soon as we hit highway 132, the skies opened up and the rain started to fall. We stopped for fuel and continued on in the rain; it was a mixture of heavy rain and light rain...it lasted for about 37km. The sky started to clear and I caught the glimpse of a lighthouse off in the distance. We stopped and I said to Luc & Zal, we need to go check out this lighthouse. We arrived at the lighthouse and to my embarrassment, it was only a small model!

The ride over the next 30km consisted of twisted roads through the Appalachian hills. We made another quick stop to take in the view of the wind generating stations located in the hills. As we traveled throughout the day, we must have seen at least a hundred wind generating stations.

The weather began to turn again and the heavy rains started; this turned out to be a scary point in the ride for both Luc and I! One of the hills had fresh pavement and when the rain hit, it became very slippery. Both Luc and I felt the rear ends of our bikes start to slide as we started through the twisties...talk about your heart jumping up into your throat! The rain only lasted for 15km, then much to our liking, the skies cleared and we continued our ride through the hills.

Over the next hour or so, we traveled through several small communities. One thing that always strikes me as I travel through Francophone communities is the significance of the Roman Catholic Church. Virtually every community we traveled through on the Gaspé coast had huge Catholic churches, usually located near the center of the community. Beautiful in architecture, they were stunning to look at at. The church below in the community of Grande-Vallée is just one example of what you can expect to see if you make this trip.

After a quick stop for fuel, we continued on. We eventually found a real lighthouse in the community of Riviere Madeline; we had to stop for a pic so I could recover from my embarrassment of the last lighthouse stop.

The next part of the journey may have been the best; at least for me. It was an 80+ kilometer ride along the coast. The sun was shining, the surf was high and the natural scenery was spectacular. I will let the images do the describing for me.

We stopped in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts for fuel and a bite to eat. At that point in time, we decided that we would ride to Rimouski and stay for the evening. Luc made a quick phone call, booked a room and we hit the road for our last 180km of the day.

We continued along the the coast on highway 132. As the sun started to set, the temperature changed and it became rather cool. We arrived in the City of Rimouski around 8:00pm, checked into our hotel and then stepped out for dinner. At dinner, we had a brief discussion as to where day 4's journey would take us. I asked Luc if he had every been to Quebec City; his response was no. I looked at Zal and he said, "Quebec City it is"! We returned to the hotel, made plans to get up early in the morning and ride to Quebec City.

Total riding time for day 3...approximately 5.5 hours, 400 kilometers. Stay tuned for day 4 - Old Quebec City!

Day 2 - The Gaspé Peninsula (July 24, 2010)

2010-07-29T08:18:00.022-03:00

We were quite excited for day 2 and the start of our ride to the Gaspé Peninsula. We were up quite early, loaded bikes and prepped for our journey across the bridge to Quebec.

We stopped at the Pointe-à-la-Croix tourist bureau to pick up some literature regarding the Gaspé Coast. We asked about places to stay and things to see and went on our merry old way. We had planned on stopping at a mountain top monastery, but we missed the exit; we realized this when we were 80km past, so we opted not to go back. At that point we stopped for fuel and a quick bite to eat.

Our next stop was a short distance away in the community of Paspébiac. One of the first things that caught our attention were the custom painted fire hydrants.

Originally, Paspébiac was a fishing community with codfish being the main source for the local economy. We toured a restored fishing museum called The LeBoutillier Warehouse, it was constructed between 1838 and 1855 and used for many years for drying codfish and preparing for shipping.

Below are the barrels that were used to ship dried codfish to different locations around the world. They are called "Hogsheads" and could hold up to 448 pounds of dried codfish. Apparently when they were full, they were easy to move by rolling along the ground.

The buildings at this site were restored to an immaculate condition.

After a quick visit, we hit the road and continued on our journey. The view along the coast was breathtaking and we stopped to take a few pictures such as the ones shown below.

Our next stop was the community of Percé and this was a real treat! Percé is quite a tourist destination due to it's natural geography and the famous Percé Rock; it really is quite a site!

Bonaventure Island is another popular area in Percé; it is a national historic site and is a protected bird sanctuary. 293 different species of migratory birds have been recorded on the island and it also houses a community of Northern Gannets which exceeds 100,000.

The older homes in the community were also quite fascinating to take a look at!

We had lunch in Percé and just enjoyed the afternoon. After lunch, we were not quite sure how much further we were going to ride. We decided that we would ride to the Town of Gaspé and determine our plan of action from there!

The ride between Percé and Gaspé was a blast! We rode through the hills and the twisties were so much fun! The road was a bit rough, but that was okay. Upon arrival in Gaspé we decided that we would stay there for the evening. Luc called a hotel, booked a room and we were off to check in. The room was perfect, it was huge, had three double beds and was located in the downtown core!

Once unpacked, we went for a walk around town and found a great cafe for a late evening dinner! Total riding distance for day 2 - 331km.

Stay tuned for day 3 of the ride!

Day 1 - The Acadian Peninsula (July 23, 2010)

2010-07-28T19:33:00.013-03:00

Our ride this past week did not disappoint! We left Fredericton on Friday, July 23rd with a loose plan in mind, ride to the Acadian Peninsula of New Brunswick and then the Gaspé Coast of Quebec. We were gone 5 days and completed 2200+ kilometers.

Day 1 The Acadian Peninsula - Click on pics for a full view

Luc, Al and I met early Friday morning, first for breakfast and then to start our ride to the Acadian Peninsula. We were a little late getting away because Al got caught up in some traffic and then went to the wrong meeting location. Al lives about 140km from Luc and I.

The first 200km on Route 8 is a relatively boring ride, it goes through a few rural communities in Central New Brunswick and there is not a lot to see. We stopped for a quick coffee in Doaktown and then on to Miramichi City. The stop in Miramichi City was sentimental for me as I grew up in that community. We fueled up and then had lunch at an old Irish Pub called O'Donaghue's. Al is checking things over as we prepare to depart for the Acadian Peninsula.

The drive along the Miramichi River to the Acadian Coast was great! The weather was beautiful and we enjoyed the scenic route. Our first stop was in the de la ville de Tracadie-Sheila. It is a community that borders the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Tracadie River. We stopped at the local marina to take in the scenery. (Those who read my blog know that I like to take pics of lighthouses, wharfs, boats & bridges)

After a short visit in Tracadie-Shelia, we jumped on our bikes and headed for our next destination, Caraquet! Caraquet is the cultural capital for the Acadian region or "Capitale de l'Acadie" and is recognized for it's commitment to supporting the Acadian Arts & Culture! Like Tracadie-Sheila, it is a beautiful place to visit. And of course, we stopped at the wharf to take a few pictures of the fishing boats!

Next was a ride along the coast on NB Route 11. It too, is a very scenic drive as it borders the coast of the Bay of Chaleur. We stopped in the City of Bathurst for fuel and changed to Route 134 and continued along the coast to the City of Campbellton...it was a beautiful evening ride! Prior to checking into our hotel, we stopped to take a look at the bridge which connects Campbellton, NB to Pointe-à-la-Croix, QC. We were quite excited with anticipation for day 2 and our ride along the Gaspe Coast of Quebec!

We logged 500+ km, while Zal was closer to 640km for the day. We checked into the hotel and then went for pizza, what a great start to our trip!

Stay tuned for day 2 of the ride! Here is a teaser of what's to come!

Next week's ride...starting July 23rd

2010-07-17T21:06:00.010-03:00

Every summer, I take at least one long trip and this summer is no exception. For those who follow my blog, you may recall last summer's ride to the Magdalen Islands or Îles de la Madeleine. It was an excellent ride that I gave a 5 star rating!

This summer's ride will be a 1700km loop that will start in central New Brunswick, go around the Acadian Peninsula, tour the Gaspé Coast of Quebec and return home through northern New Brunswick.

Click on map for a full view

There will be two friends sharing the ride with me; Luc (Îles de la Madeleine ride), who is a friend that I regularly share the roads with and Al, AKA "Zal". I will be taking my Yamaha V-Star 1100 Classic on this ride, Luc will have his Honda VTX 1300 and Zal will have his recently purchased Yamaha FJR 1300, complete with trailer.

The only thing we have planned is the route, the rest will fall into place. Since Zal is bringing his trailer, we will throw in a tent & camping gear should we have trouble finding accommodations.

Like last year, I will blog about the ride and share my experiences.

On closing note, Luc (CBR 900) & I (1125R) took our rockets to meet with Zal yesterday, it was a great 300+ KM ride through the scenic Saint John River countryside.

Stay tuned for updates and ride safe!

Jardine Fender Eliminator

2010-07-03T15:40:00.010-03:00

The last week has been one I would rather forget. I traveled to Denver, Colorado for a conference and ended up spending the better part of five days in a Denver hospital. Apparently, I picked up some kind of a virus that really did a number on me. I thought I had food poisoning, but it ended up much more serious than that. Anyway, I won't go on about it. I am back home and on the mend.

One thing that always makes me feel better is my motorcycles, whether it be riding or working on them. I am not yet feeling well enough to ride, but I figured that I was well enough to do some work on my rocket.

While I was away, the Jardine Fender Eliminator Kit that I ordered for my '09 Buell 1125R arrived. The stock rear fender on the 1125R is just plain ugly! Take a look...(click on pics for full view)

So, I decided to install the Jardine Fender Eliminator Kit. The first thing I had to do was remove the rear cowling and disconnect the wiring for the signal lights and the license plate light. After that, there were just three bolts that held the fender in place...it came off quite easily.

Next step in the installation, connect the stock signal lights to the Jardine Fender Eliminator, feed the wiring through and install the stock rubber grommets.

The last step of the installation was to connect the Jardine Fender Eliminator to the rear mounts, connect the signal light wiring and test.

The final pic shows the Jardine Fender Eliminator with license plate installed. I am very please with the new look and happy to be rid of the stock fender, what do you think?

I am not yet back to feeling 100%, but the self prescribed medication of working on my Buell has me feeling much better.

Until next time, ride hard and ride safe!

Fredericton Motorcycle Club Toy Run

2010-06-12T16:00:00.009-03:00

I usually don't take part in large motorcycle rides as I do not enjoy riding in large groups. I do however support the Fredericton Motorcycle Club Toy Run as it raises money for the local hospital and supports the breakfast program at a high school in our school district (my employer).

Here are a few pics from today's toy run...click on pictures for a full view.

There were several bikes that caught my eye on the toy run. This Yamaha V-Star 1100 Classic caught my attention...it has been somewhat customized and has a very unique look. The custom V-Star is driven by a young man that I taught in high school about 10 years ago.

This 1946 Harley Davidson garnered a lot of attention as well. It is a daily rider that many enjoyed looking at.

I had a brief conversation with the owner's partner and she explained the history behind the old '46. Here's a short video clip of the owner starting the '46!

Finally, it was nice to spend some time with my '02 V-Star 1100 Classic...I have been neglecting her a bit since I purchased the '09 Buell 1125R. She worked well and purred like a kitten! Here she is and notice that I am modeling my very cool Hellcat Customs t-shirt.

Until next time, keep the right hand cranked and ride safe!

What to do on a rainy day?

2010-06-06T15:39:00.011-03:00

Rain, rain, go away! Well, no riding this weekend. We had torrential rains yesterday and today it has been raining off and on with no signs of clearing. Since I did not feel like riding in the rain, I decided to spend some time working on my 2002 Yamaha V-Star 1100 Classic...I have not been spending much time with the Cruiser due to the Buell 1125R purchase.

Today’s job consisted of cleaning, polishing and installation of new parts. Several weeks back I ordered a Mustang tank cover and last evening I purchased a set of OEM passenger floor boards.

The tank cover was a relatively easy install; remove the passenger, rider seat and the speedometer cover and reverse the steps. I am very pleased with the look.

The OEM passenger floor boards were another story. When I went to install them, I noticed something fishy; the mounting hardware did not appear to match up. After examining the mounting hardware closely, I noticed that floorboards were incorrectly attached to the mounting hardware...they were backwards. Once I figured this out, it was an easy fix, remove a clip and post and reverse the floorboards...problem solved.

Here's hoping for some nice weather as I tend to spend too much money when it rains! Until next time, ride safe...

New Jacket!

2010-05-29T14:11:00.007-03:00

Over the last three weeks I have been looking extensively for a Buell leather jacket to go with my new 1125R. There were several on eBay that I was bidding on, but the demand must be high as they went for very high prices...and there was one I lost virtually in the last minute of the auction.

Then, one night last week I was checking online classified ads at Kijiji and to my surprise, I came across a used Vanson Buell leather jacket. I fired off an e-mail to the owner and received a very quick response. After several e-mails and many questions, we worked out a deal. The jacket arrived yesterday and I am pleased with the condition and the fit and I think it looks rather good on me...what do you think? Click on pic for a full view

This weekend!

2010-05-20T21:27:00.006-03:00

Well, the Canadian long weekend is almost here and that means it is once again time for our high school drag race competition! You may recall that I blogged about this last year. This is a great program and really gets high school students engaged in learning! I am not sure how many cars will be in this year's competition, but I will find out when I attend on Saturday. Here a couple of the cars from one of our high schools that will be competing. Check out the videos!

The plan is to jump on the bike early Saturday morning and make the two hour ride to the drag track. Like last year, I am really looking forward to this event.

Good-bye “Baby Ninja” and “Hello Baby”!

2010-05-01T15:36:00.007-03:00

Well, I did it! For those of you who follow my blog, you know that I have been very interested in purchasing a Buell 1125R. There were a couple of times where I almost had deals and they just didn’t work out and weren’t meant to be.

About a month ago, I came across a for sale ad for a new 2009 Buell 1125R. I contacted the owner and he informed me that the machine was brand new and that the only reason he was selling was because his wife is expecting. After several weeks of back and forth, two visits, we worked out a deal! Today, I took possession and went for a short cruise...I am very pleased so far and am looking forward to breaking this machine in (odometer reading – 90 kilometers or 56 miles)!

So all I have to say to the new Buell 1125R is “Hello Baby”!

Click on image for a full view

Good Bye Baby Ninja!

2010-04-23T19:23:00.003-03:00

Well, the Ninja 250 aka "Baby Ninja" is gone! I sold it last weekend to a university student who wants to learn how to ride. It was kind of a sad moment as I built rebuilt this for my son and felt a very close attachment to the machine. For those of you who read my blog, you will remember the Ninja 250 Project.

This really was an excellent bike for my son to learn how to ride on. He rode it for about 4 months last summer and got great enjoyment out of it. Now, he is ready to upgrade to my 2002 Kawasaki Ninja 500...he just physically outgrew the Ninja 250.

So, with a small tear in my eye and a lump in my throat, I watched my son jump on the "Baby Ninja" for the last time as we prepared to deliver it to it's new owner.

Good-bye "Baby Ninja"!

April 2nd and I Got to Ride!

2010-04-02T17:03:00.010-03:00

Today's weather was exceptional and I got a chance to ride. It has been an unusual spring and this is the earliest I have ever had my bikes out. Today's ride was a trek along the Saint John River and the Mactaquac Headpond. You will see from the pics below that ice is still in the headpond, so it adds a unique perspective to riding at the beginning of April!

Click on the pics for a full view of images

Before heading home, I stopped at Pokiok Stream and got a pic of the fast running spring water.

Simply put, a great ride for the second day of April!

Selling the Baby Ninja

2010-04-02T08:35:00.005-03:00

Well, the time has come to sell the 1997 Ninja 250 aka the "Baby Ninja"! I have mixed emotions about selling this bike as it was purchased as a project with the intention of rebuilding and giving to my son.

Well, the rebuild did take place and it was a blast fixing this bike while at the same time teaching my son about motorcycles. My son learned how to ride and spent last summer cruising around on the Ninja 250. As a father, I am glad to see that my son has picked up the same passion for motorcycles as I have; he still needs to work on the mechanical ability part, but that will come.

I have two reasons for selling the bike, first, my son has sprouted up to six feet in height and is still growing...physically, he has outgrown the Ninja 250. The second reason for selling the bike is that I have a 2002 Kawasaki Ninja 500 that my son would like to upgrade too and appropriately so.

Selling the Ninja 250 also leaves me in a bit of a dilemma; I did not realize how much fun I had riding the Ninja 500 last summer! Ya, I enjoyed cruising the highways and the back roads on the VStar 1100 Classic, but the Ninja was just outright fun to ride around the city. Back to the dilemma, I have it in my mind that I should have another sport bike, I have been actively looking but have yet to find something that really peaks my interest while at the same time fits within my price range. I am sure something will come along.

In the meantime, if I need a fun fix, I will just borrow the Ninja 500 from my son.

Until next time, ride safe!

The Atlantic Motorcycle Show 2010

2010-02-17T19:53:00.012-04:00

Last weekend I attended the Atlantic Motorcycle Show in Moncton. I was a bit disappointed as it turned out to be more of a consumer show rather than a true motorcycle show. There were very few custom bikes and the majority of the machines were straight from the factory.

I was hoping to see more custom bikes and some antiques as well. One of the few custom bikes at the show was this custom Harley from Kent County Customs.

The bike looked great and the paint was very well done. I wish the guy who did the custom work would have been around, I would have liked to talk to him.

One of the real treats and a bike I have seen many times was the "Betty Bobber". The significance of this bike it that it was built by high school students...how cool is that!

Last year, the "Betty Bobber" won two awards at the Donnie Smith Bike Show...what an accomplishment for a group of high school students and their teacher!

I spent a bit of time visiting the manufacturer's displays and looking at new bikes. I was really interested in seeing the 2010 Victory Vision 8-Ball as I read a review of the bike several weeks back. It really is a monster!

The Harley Davidson display, in my opinion was one of the best at the show. They had more reps there than any of the other manufacturers and were eager to promote their products. The extra effort that Harley-Davidson (Deeley Canada) put into this show did not go unnoticed; it was one of the most popular at the show. This 2010 Night Rod Special caught my eye! I would love to take one of these for a rip down the road!

I spent quite a bit of time talking to one of the reps from Harley-Davidson and was asking a lot of questions about Buell and inventory left in Canada. Immediately the rep asked what I was interested in and I said that I like the look of the 1125R, well that's all it took. Within minutes, I had a couple of dealers trying to find me an 1125R...there must be some kind of incentive for them to move them out of show rooms cause they were trying really hard to locate one. They were able to find a 1125R demo at the local HD dealer and I made arrangements to view it on Saturday.

Between my son's speed skating races on Saturday, I went to view the bike. It was a 2008 1125R with 4000km, it was a demo purchased from HD Canada.

We haggled over price, but did not come to any kind of mutual deal. I explained to the salesman that I could not purchase a bike without having the opportunity to test it out. Also, the price they were asking for an 08 was a bit on the high side, I have seen 09's with less mileage for the same price.

Overall, the motorcycle show was okay but the weekend was great! For those of you who follow me on Twitter or read my blog, you know that I am a huge fan of my son's short track speed skating!

Well, he had an excellent weekend and accomplished his goal of qualifying for the Canadian Short Track Speed Skating Championships...he was just thrilled and rightfully so, he has worked and trained very hard!

Can't wait for motorcycle season to start in May! Until next time, ride safe!

The Winter Months...

2010-01-31T14:07:00.007-04:00

Well, it has been quite some time since I last blogged, October as a matter of fact! Between work and my son's competitive speed skating (every other weekend), it has been a busy winter.

In two weeks, my son and I will be traveling to a speed skating competition in Moncton, NB. He is excited because he gets to skate on an Olympic size ice surface; he is trying to qualify for the Canadian Age Class Short Track Speed Skating Championships. I am excited for him and hope that he gets the qualifying times he needs! I am also excited for another reason, it just happens that the same weekend we are in Moncton coincides with the Atlantic Motorcycle Show!

For me, the Atlantic Motorcycle Show is a sure sign that spring will soon arrive. This will be the third year in a row that I will get to attend and I look forward to seeing the 2010 models, the custom bikes and of course, the vintage machines. This morning, I went through some of my Flickr photos from past years at the Atlantic Motorcycle Show and posted some of my favs to Twitter.

Reminiscing to the 2009 Atlantic Motorcycle Show, there were a couple of bikes that I really liked. This custom Yamaha ranked up there as one of my favorites.

I found the colors on the custom Yamaha to be outstanding as well as the low cut design... it looked really good! It was apparent that someone had put a lot of time, effort and money into this custom machine.

I also got a kick out of this OCC "Old School" style production bike, the OCC Greenie.

I am not sure how practical this would be as a daily rider, but it was cool to look at. I look forward to the show and what I am going to see in the next couple of weeks.

For those of you who live in a climate that is suitable for riding, ride safe and crank the throttle a time or two for me.

Til next time...

The Bike That Almost Was...

2009-10-25T08:51:00.009-03:00

Our riding season is just about done, the weather has turned and we have already had some snow and lots of very cold fall rain. For those who follow me on Twitter and those that follow my blog, you know that I currently have 3 bikes in my collection; a 2002 Kawasaki Ninja 500 (fun toy), 2002 Yamaha V-Star 1100 Classic and a 1997 Kawasaki Ninja 250 (which my son 17 year old son rides). They can be seen to your right.

I have been actively searching for a new winter project but have yet to find one that really peaks my interest. I have been looking at sport bikes as I expect that my son will upgrade to the Ninja 500 in the spring and I will be left without a fun toy! Also, I am not really interested in cruisers as I have my V-Star and I really like it.

I have been really interested in Buell's and have been checking the web on a daily basis to see what I can find. The recent announcement by Harley Davidson to discontinue the Buell line of motorcycles came as a surprise to me and ever since, I have been more aggressively looking at Buells.

While searching the web on Friday evening I came across an advertisement for a New 2008 Buell 1125R, exactly like the one in the picture below.

The bike was listed as being brand new and was for sale at a Harley Dealership about 200km from where I live. I could not believe the advertised price of $5999.00 and immediately I was interested! I conversed with several of my Twitter pals and there was consensus that that this was an unbelievable deal! I have to admit, I was excited and the plan was to call the dealer first thing Saturday morning to see if the price was right and to see if the bike was still available.

Saturday morning arrived and I called the Harley Davidson dealer and spoke at length with a salesman about the bike. On the road for $7631.00 he said...okay, I was still interested. At that point, he said that he expected the bike to sell within the hour as there had been many inquiries about the 1125R because of the advertised price. I explained that I was 2 hours away and would like to see the bike. The only way the salesman said that he could accommodate me and guarantee that the Buell would still be there was to take a deposit on the bike over the phone. I have to be honest, I have never seen a 1125R, let alone driven and I was not willing to put down a deposit.

After I hung up the phone, I debated if I would jump in my truck, make the two hour drive and take the chance that the Buell 1125R would still be at the dealership. For several reasons, I decided against it. First, I am looking for a winter project...this would not be a winter project and second, I think I was having a knee-jerk reaction about Harley Davidson's decision to discontinue Buell..even though the price on the brand new 2008 1125R was unbelievable.

There will be other opportunities and it was fun talking about the possibility of this bike with my Twitter pals. I am left wondering what if I purchased that bike! It was fun reading the online reviews and thinking about the bike that almost was...

Til next time, ride safe!

Cruising on A Fall Afternoon...

2009-09-26T20:47:00.010-03:00

Our riding season here in New Brunswick is relatively short (late April-early October) so most riders try to make the most of it. The weather has started to turn and it is definitely Fall. We had our first frost last evening and this morning was very cool!

The weather forecast called for a sunny day with a high temperature of 15C/59F, so I decided that I would get out for a short cruise. I gathered all of my riding gear (full leathers) and got set for a ride.

It was about 7C/44F when I warmed up the V-Star 1100 Classic. I was not sure where I was going to go, so I just jumped on the bike and drove towards the city. I stopped for fuel and decided that I would take my favorite drive along the Saint John River to Lower Jemseg and then to Gagetown. I have probably done this ride 50 times and it never gets boring...there is always something new or beautiful to see. I have blogged about this ride on previous occasions .

The best thing abut today's ride was the traffic, it was non-existent! Therefore, I could cruise along at a nice leisurely pace. Even though it was cool, I enjoyed the scenery and had a very relaxing ride!

Along the way, I stopped in Lower Jemseg at The Grand Lake Marshes for a break. The Grand Lake Marshes is a Nature Preserve that has been set up by Ducks Unlimited.

I was hoping to get a view of an Osprey, but no luck. You can see the Osprey nest off in the distance.

The Lower Jemseg region is absolutely beautiful; it is farm country surrounded by the Saint John River Valley. If any or my Twitter friends have a chance to make it to NB, I will gladly take them on this tour! Here are pics of a farmer's field, the Marshes and the beautiful Saint John River!

The Grand Lake Marshes...

The beautiful Saint John River...

After the brief stop in Lower Jemseg, I proceeded to the Gagetown Ferry and crossed the Saint John River. The weather was starting to cool, so I decided to head for home. Overall, I put about 150KM on the bike and even with the cool weather, the ride was just what I needed...hard to describe, it is just a biker thing!

Hopefully, I will get another ride or two before it get's too cold!

Until next time, ride safe!

Sailing the Miramichi River...

2009-08-23T09:27:00.024-03:00

Click on pictures for a full screen view...

Sailing the Miramichi River is a term we use to describe canoeing or kayaking on the Miramichi River. Saturday was a perfect day for a sail and my wife and I had previously made plans to go to a friend's camp (Glen & Sandra's), meet up with a group and sail the river. It was an absolutely perfect day to be on the water. Our friend's camp is about an hour's drive from our place. We arrived around noon, had lunch and enjoyed the view from our friend's camp.

After lunch, we loaded the boats and proceeded to the river!

We drove to the far end of Porter Cove, put the boats in the water and started our 3.5 hour sail down the river.

The water was warm and the paddling was very easy as we let the current do most of the work. There were a couple of spots where the water was low and we had to get out of the boats to move them down the river. There are some beautiful camps along the river.

Here we are in the kayak...

Three and half hours later, we arrived at the McNamee/Priceville Footbridge. This is the third generation of the bridge as it had been destroyed twice over the years.

At the bridge we pulled the boats out of the water and figured out that Richard had left his car keys back at the starting point of our river trip...problem, we were 10km from the car keys! It was a minor problem as people around this part of the country are very friendly and accommodating! Glen (owner of the camp) said, we will walk across the bridge and find someone to drive us to the vehicles and retrieve the keys...that is exactly what we did. Here are a few pictures from the bridge.

We made our way back to the boats, loaded them and returned to Glen & Sandra's camp for dinner. We enjoyed good company and an excellent feed of salmon, new potatoes, fresh corn and apple pie. What a great way to end the day! About 10:00pm, we gave our thanks, bid farewell and hit the road for home. Another great summer day in New Brunswick!

Until next time, ride and sail safe!

The Bridges of Sunbury County!

2009-08-16T15:09:00.021-03:00

Yesterday, I was out for a short cruise on the VStar 1100 Classic. I ended up just outside the city and was looking for a covered bridge that I had been to once before. I traveled on many different back country roads, but could not for the life of me remember where the bridge was. It was very hot, so I gave up and returned home.

The fact that I could not remember the location of the covered bridge bothered me, so when I got home, I went online and found the location of the bridge. I was very close to it yesterday...within 1km. I also discovered 3 other covered bridges in close proximity to the one I was looking for yesterday. They were all located in Sunbury County, New Brunswick. So, I planned my Sunday ride, get up early in the morning and travel to the four "Covered Bridges of Sunbury County".

My travel route is shown below, with the bridges being located at points B, C, D & E:

View Larger Map

My first destination was Rusagonis, about a 35km distance from my house. The weather was perfect and there was virtually no traffic, so I could travel at my own speed. One of the things you have to be cautious of around here when traveling on back roads are critters. Along the way to the first bridge, I came across a few deer in a farmers field.

First stop was the Patrick Owens Bridges in Rusagonis. The bridge was built in 1909 and the bridge has 2 spans at 35.2m (115' 6"). The bridge crosses the Rusagonis River. This was the largest of the four bridges that I visited.

The next bridge, the Smyth Bridge was 30km away and located at Mill Settlement. It was a much smaller covered bridge than the Patrick Owens Bridge. The Smyth Bridge spans a length of 41.5m or 136' 0½". It was built in 1912 and crosses the South Oromocto River.

Next stop was the Hoyt Station Bridge, only 6km from the Smyth Bridge. Built in 1936, this bridge crosses Back Creek. It spans a length 28.8m or 94' 4".

The fourth and final bridge was the Bell Bridge located in Juvenile Settlement, it was approximately 12km from the Hoyt Station Bridge. To get to the bridge, you travel through some beautiful farm country! The roads were a blast to drive!

The Bell Bridge was built in 1931 and crosses the South Oromocto River. It spans a length 37.6m or 123' 4".

All four bridges are maintained by our provincial government and they really are gems that are hidden within the Province of New Brunswick. I thoroughly enjoyed visiting each of the bridges and was left thinking, what was life like in these settlements where the bridges are located in the 1909-1936 era?

After visiting Bell Bridge, I started the journey home. I saddled up and headed toward route 101 to Welsford and then route 7 back to Fredericton. I was only on the bike a few minutes when I was hit by a small bird, it scared the crap out of me! The bird hit me right in the face, but fortunately for me I was wearing my Shark full face helmet. The shield, which was open at the time and the side of my helmet took most of the hit. The bird ended up on my lap, I brushed it off and stopped to check out my helmet. There was no damage to me or the helmet, just the bird!

Even with the bird incident, it was still a fun ride! Until next time, ride safe and watch out for birds!

Day 5 - July 25th The "Voyage" Home!

2009-07-29T20:00:00.013-03:00

Saturday, July 25th - We were up very early on Saturday morning as we had 8:00am reservation for the ferry...but we had to be on site by 7:00am. We are very fortunate that we had two nice days to tour the Îles de la Madeleine! Unfortunately, but not to our surprise, it was raining...the positive, we only had about a 7 minute ride to the ferry terminal. I wrapped my pack in plastic and loaded in on the V-Star.

Once at the ferry terminal, we had a short wait and then we were loaded on the boat. As mentioned in my day 1 post, the advantage of being on a motorcycle is that you are the first ones loaded and the first ones off the boat! Prior to loading the boat, I looked out at the water and it looked very rough!

Once you are loaded on the boat, the crew uses a large block of wood to wedge your motorcycle in place. I am not sure what they would do for a sport bike with a lower cowling??? You can see very clearly the wedge under Martin's Suzuki...

In no time, the ferry was off and we were out to sea. As I anticipated, it was rough. There was a small boat that left the harbour around the same time we did. The two pictures below clearly demonstrate what we were in for!

About half an hour into the cruise, we passed by Entry Island. As mentioned in my Day 4 post, this is a small Anglophone community where fishing and farming are the major industries.

Since this was the last view of land we would have for 3 hours, I decided that I would take advantage of the photo opportunity.

You can clearly see some livestock in this picture.

For some people, the next 4 hours on the ferry were not very pleasant! I was okay, but barf bags were in heavy demand and the boat staff were very busy dealing with people who were sea sick. Luc, Susan & Martin handled the crossing pretty well too, however, Luc & Martin did not move around too much!

We arrived in Souris, PEI around 1:00pm, unloaded, fueled up and hit the road! It was not raining, but the skies looked like they could explode at any moment! My rain suit did not hold up on the trip to the Îles de la Madeleine, so we stopped in Charlottetown and I purchased a new rain suit. By the time we reached Borden, PEI and the Confederation Bridge, the sun was shining. We drove pretty hard as we wanted to make it home before dark! We did make a stop for supper and fuel and then proceeded home. About 60km from Fredericton, Luc & I split from Martin & Susan as we live on different sides of the river. I was looking forward to seeing my wife and kids!

Overall, this is one of the best motorcycle trips I have ever been on and I would highly recommend it to my fellow motorcyclists! Also, Luc, Martin and Susan are great traveling partners! The 1200km journey and the 5 day trip to the Îles de la Madeleine receives a 5 star rating from me!

Til next time, ride safe!

Day 4 - July 24th The Tour of Îles de la Madeleine Continues

2009-07-28T21:18:00.028-03:00

Friday, July 24th - We woke early to a beautiful sunny morning...the plan for the day was to visit sites of interest on the Islands. Luc and I started the morning with an early morning walk. Again, we were in awe of the landscape and coastline. These pictures were taken about 500m from our rented cottage!

We explored the coastline and came across several sea caves that had been formed by the tides.

After about an hour of exploring, Luc and I returned to the cottage to meet up with Martin and Susan. The plan was to tour the other side of Cap aux Meules Island. We loaded our gear, jumped on the bikes and headed towards a lighthouse at Cap du Phare. I was leading the group and little did I know that I drove by the lighthouse without seeing it. We stopped in the village of L'Étang-du-Nord and Susan told me that we missed the lighthouse. I looked off in the distance and she was right.

Prior to travelling back to the lighthouse at Cap du Phare, I took this picture of a house that views the Atlantic Ocean. Very interesting architecture!

We jumped on our bikes and back tracked to Cap du Phare so that we could check out the lighthouse and take a few pictures.

After touring the lighthouse area, we jumped on the bikes and traveled back to the village of L'Étang-du-Nord. The scenery, like everything else we saw on the islands was spectacular. Here is a shot of the wharf and the surrounding landscape. Notice the shipwreck off in the distance. We asked a local about the shipwreck and he explained that the ship was from Halifax, Nova Scotia and was blown off course during a storm. The ship broke in half!

We stopped for a coffee and enjoyed the view. There was a real cool kite shop in L'Étang-du-Nord and it was fun to watch people learning how to fly and control a kite.

We also took time to check out this sculpture which was dedicated to the fisherman of the Islands.

Since they were trying to pull something out of the water, we figured that we would lend a helping hand! Apparently, this type of photo opportunity is quite popular with tourists!

From there, we took an alternate route to the Village of Cap aux Meules and had lunch. During our lunch, we set out our plan for the afternoon. Martin and Susan wanted to spend some time at the beach and Luc and I wanted to continue touring. We decided to split up and meet back at the cottage for supper.

There is a microbrewery on Cap aux Meules Island that Luc and I really wanted to check out. We parted ways with Susan and Martin and headed off to the À l'abri de la Tempête Microbrasserie. At the microbrewery, we met a young lady and employee named Isabelle. She took the two of us on a personal tour of the microbrewery...a very small but unique operation. One of the beers that they make is made entirely from products on the Islands, now that's cool! After the tour, we had the opportunity for some small samples of the beer they manufacture, it was all good!

After the microbrewery, Luc and I took a look at the map and decided that we would go to another lighthouse located on Havre aux Maisons Island at Cap Alright. It was not a long ride, but we were taken again to another spectacular view (I know, I keep repeating myself)! In the distance you can see Entry Island, it is a small Anglophone community about 10KM from the interconnected islands. I really wanted to go there, but there was just not enough time to catch a boat and go there...it is a full day trip!

I also took this picture of one of the cliffs near the lighthouse...Luc called it a postcard type of picture!

A few more interesting homes at Cap Alright...

After spending some time at the lighthouse, Luc and I saddled up and traveled to another wharf. We had one last place that we wanted to visit and it was a lookout point that we had scouted out earlier in the Village of Cap aux Meules. We climbed the long set of stairs to the top of the lookout point and here is the view that we had.

Notice the bridge off in the distance, this connects Cap aux Meules Island to Havre aux Maisons Island.

This was our last stop of the day before heading back to the cottage. What a great second day touring the Îles de la Madeleine! We met up with Martin and Susan and decided that we would have a BBQ for supper! Luc's friend Sarah and her friend Marc-Andre joined us! A great two days touring the Islands; my main focus was on the geography and the landscape. If I ever make it back here, I will spend some time focusing on the history and architecture of the area.

We had an early morning boat to catch, so we enjoyed each others company at the cottage, had a few beer and packed our gear.

But wait, the adventure is not over yet...here are the day 5 teasers. Get your barf bags ready!

To be continued...

Day 3 - July 23, The Tour of Îles de la Madeleine Begins

2009-07-27T12:27:00.032-03:00

Thursday, July 23rd - The tour begins! We were just ecstatic that we woke to sunny weather and clear skies.

The Îles de la Madeleine or in English, the Magdalen Islands is a series of almost a dozen islands in the Atlantic Ocean, six of which are linked together by narrow sand dunes and causeways. They fall under the governance of the Province of Quebec. The archipelago of the Îles de la Madeleine is located about 105KM from Prince Edward Island and is only accessible by boat and air plane.

The majority of the population are Francophone/Acadian in culture. There is however, a small Anglophone population also located in the region. It is beneficial if you know a little French, we were fortunate as Luc speaks English and French and he was our communication guy!

Our plan for the first day was to check out the six interconnected islands. Our rented cottage was located in the community of Fatima on Cap aux Meules Island. The cottage was nestled back in some trees and was only a stone's throw away from the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

We saddled up and left Fatima and headed to Havre aux Maisons Island. I was not prepared for what we were about the see! The countryside was absolutely breathtaking! Large grassy fields surrounded by hills, sand dunes, cliffs and beaches.

The next stop was Pointe aux Loups Island, the smallest of the six. This small narrow island consists mainly of sand dunes, much like an oasis. You look to the left, you see the Atlantic Ocean, you look to the right, you see the Atlantic Ocean...beautiful sand beaches!

From there it was on to Grosse Île and Grand Entrée Islands. We choose to go to Grand Entrée Island first and to stop at Grosse Île Island on the way back through. Again, we were not disappointed by the scenery! We traveled to the end of Grand Entrée Island where there is a large wharf, several restaurants and shops. Fishing along with tourism are the largest industries on the islands. We parked our bikes and toured the wharf.

While touring the wharf, Luc, Martin and I came across a large fishing boat called the Jean Mathieu! Several of the fisherman from the Jean Mathieu were working on a net, when Luc asked them what type of fish they generally catch.

Well, from there a great conversation took place and we spent about an hour talking to one of the fisherman and the Captain of the boat. They offered us a beer and proceeded to tell us about fishing for crab, lobster, mackerel and the seal hunt. I think they enjoyed the conversation as much as we did, you see we are all educators, so we had lots of questions and we don't know much about the commercial fishery.

The Captain of the boat, Denis, explained that most of the fishery was not operational at this time of year and if you saw boats going out they were either out for pleasure or possibly looking for some bar clams. That morning, Kendall, one the Jean Mathieu's crew was out and retrieved some bar clams.

Captain Denis said that the bar clams were excellent, either raw or cooked. He found a knife, opened the clam shell and said, here try this! So I did, the clam meat was quite tender, almost like a scallop. Luc tried as well, but Martin wanted nothing to so with eating raw clams!

We continued to talk about fishing and we started to ask questions about the fishing boat. Captain Denis asked us if we wanted to come aboard. We were like 3 little kids, excited and could not wait to see the boat. Captain Denis, showed us the kitchen, the wheel house and the holding area...it was very cool! Sue was watching us from far away and could tell that we were having a great time talking to these guys! The three of us were very interested in the electronics on board and Captain Denis proceeded to explain how the electronics were used for navigation, etc. One statement was quite profound, he stated that when he first started fishing all he had was a compass to go by, now he is completely reliant on electronics and technology.

We thanked Captain Denis and his crew for the tour and proceeded to find Susan and some lunch! Susan could not stop laughing at how excited we were by the tour of the boat!

After lunch, we were on our way back to Grosse Île Island! On the way, we made two stops; one to view the red coastline and cliffs...

And a second stop to view the beautiful white beach at "Old Harry"!

After a short stop at Old Harry Beach, we moved on to Grosse Île Island. Grosse Île Island is made up of Anglophones who are mainly of Scottish descent. Most work in the fishing industry, there is also a large salt mine located at the entry to the island. The hills on Grosse Île Island were amazing to look at, we stopped at Grosse Île North and climbed one of the large hills so that we could get a wide angle view of the sand dunes and beach.

Here is what we saw from the top of the hill, absolutely stunning!

Here is another view in the opposite direction, you can see the salt mine off in the distance.

And a view looking out at the Atlantic...I could have stayed on the top of that hill all day!

At this point, we had been on five of the six main islands and decided that we would make the trek to the sixth main island, Havre Aubert Island. It was about a 60km journey back through some of the area we had already covered. We stopped for a short rest on the beach at Pointe aux Loups Island and then on back to Cap aux Meules Island for fuel. From what we could tell, Cap aux Meules Island is the main commercial centre for the archipelago of islands.

The cruise across the dunes to Havre Aubert Island was just a beautiful as our morning cruise. We stopped at La Grave and toured the area, there are several small shops, restaurants and pubs located there.

We stopped at a local pub, sat on the back deck and simply enjoyed the view! We also met up with Luc's friend Sarah at this time!

We went to another pub for supper where I had a chance, with Luc's guidance to practice my French! Lets just say that I did okay! We were pretty tired after a full day of sun, riding and touring, so we decided to call it a day and go back the cottage! Sue opted to travel by car with Sarah. Martin, Luc and I proceeded to make the cruise back to Fatima. We relaxed during the evening, had a few beers and talked about what a great day we had!

The plan for Friday, visit site locations that we were interested in, so stay tuned for my Day 4 blog post! Here's the teaser this time...

Day 2 - July 22nd Journey to Îles de la Madeleine

2009-07-27T07:22:00.014-03:00

Wednesday, July 22nd - Day 2 of our journey to Îles de la Madeleine turned out to be much more of an adventure than we anticipated! We woke early, enjoyed coffee and loaded our bikes in preparation of our 50km trip to Souris, PEI to catch the ferry. We checked the weather forecast and it was rain, rain and more rain!

In yesterday's post, I mentioned that we had to travel 2.5km down a red dirt road (clay) to reach the cottage we were staying in...well, it rained extremely hard during the evening and that red dirt road turned into a cesspool of water and mud! It turned out to be one of the worst driving experiences that I have ever had...trying to get three loaded cruisers through 2.5km of wet clay, mud and water was horrendous! Click on the picture for a full view!

The rain had made the road very soft, muddy and slippery...talk about testing our driving skills, plus it was pouring rain as we were navigating this road! We were quite relieved that we made it through this mess without anyone putting their bike down...it was that bad!

We stopped at a local restaurant for breakfast and were advised by the locals to avoid the highway to Souris as there was major road construction going on. They advised us of an alternate route which we ended up taking. The ride to the ferry terminal was slow as it rained the entire time. We stopped for fuel in Souris and proceeded to the ferry terminal. Fortunately, we did not have a long wait prior to loading on the ferry.

I was amazed at how quickly we were loaded on the ferry! One of the major advantages of of having a motorcycle is that you are the first ones loaded on the ferry and the first ones off.

Once on the boat, we changed into some dry clothes, got some food and relaxed in the ship's lounge.

I ventured out into the rain to get pictures from the ships bow and stern.

Five hours after the ferry left Souris, PEI, we arrived at the ferry terminal in the Village of Cap aux Meules. I did not have any time to get pictures as it was dark, raining and there was no time as the ferry unloaded very quickly! Fortunately, we had a short ride to the cottage we had rented. We unloaded at the cottage, went for food and settled in for the evening.

Here is a teaser for my next post...

Stay tuned for some stunning scenery!

Day 1 - July 21st Journey to Îles de la Madeleine

2009-07-26T11:03:00.011-03:00

Tuesday, July 21st - The journey to Îles de la Madeleine started early Tuesday morning...the bike was packed and it was time to meet my traveling partners, Luc, Martin & Susan. With our bikes loaded, we set out for our first destination, Mount Stewart, Prince Edward Island...about a 400km journey.

View Larger Map

The weather was perfect and we stopped several times for fuel and food along the way. There was not much to see as we stuck to the major highways. We stopped to take view of the Confederation Bridge, an engineering marvel that connects New Brunswick to Prince Edward Island. The bridge is 12.9km long and is the longest bridge that covers ice (in the winter) in the world.

Next stop, was Mount Stewart, PEI. A friend had offered his cottage on the Atlantic Ocean and we graciously accepted his offer.

We had to drive about 2.5km through a farmer's potato field on a clay dirt road to reach the cottage. Potato farming is one of the largest industries on Prince Edward Island.

Once at the cottage, we unloaded our gear and checked out the area...nice beach with a great view! Supper was next and we relaxed through the evening in prep for Wednesday's five hour ferry ride. The cottage is about 50km from the ferry from Souris to Îles de la Madeleine, so Wednesday's journey would be an easy run. At least we thought it would be...that will be covered in the next blog post, so stay tuned!

A Small Taste of the Îles de la Madeleine

2009-07-25T22:24:00.003-03:00

I'm home from my motorcycle trip to the Îles de la Madeleine! What an experience and so scenic! Here is a small taste of what you can expect as I update my blog over the next several days...make sure you click on the picture for a full view.

More to follow...

Cool Pic...

2009-07-20T13:01:00.006-03:00

Yesterday I came across a really cool blog called The Daily Rider. I was instantly impressed with the photography skills of the owner of this blog and the look of his photos...I immediately added it to the list of blogs I read.

I am not that creative when it comes to photography, but wanted to try something different and was inspired by what I saw at The Daily Rider site...so here it is (with a little help from GIMP)! I call in Ninja & the Beast!

Now, I have to go finish some last minute things in preparation for tomorrow's motorcycle trip to the Magdalen Islands!

Til next time, ride safe!

My Top 5...

2009-07-17T21:25:00.015-03:00

A couple of days ago I was browsing on Twitter and I came across a tweet from @TheMotorworld stating that he had a new podcast posted at his Motoworld web site called "Dream Rides and Dream Trips". I had some idle time and decided that I would check out the podcast. Part way through the podcast, Paul (aka @TheMotorWorld) interviews Steve McQueen, not Steve McQueen the actor, but Steve McQueen the motorcycle safety course instructor and author of the Motorcycle Nation Podcast website. The topic of their discussion focused on dream motorcycles. Paul posed the question to Steve, "if you could choose any five motorcycles from any era with money not being an obstacle, what would you choose?" Well the conversation that followed was very interesting and you could tell that Paul and Steve were having fun discussing this topic. I won't go into detail as you can go listen to the podcast.

Ever since I listened to the podcast, I have been thinking about the question that Paul asked Steve about selecting five dream rides and thought to myself, if I could choose 5 dream rides, what would they be. This was a much more difficult task to do than I thought it would be, but here is what I came up with...I should mention that I am a fan of stock bikes!

1969 Honda CB 750 - this bike revolutionized the super bike era and was virtually bulletproof!

2009 Harley Davidson Street Glide - simply put, I love the look of this bike!

1999 Kawasaki ZRX-1100 Eddie Lawson Replica - this bike is mean and fast!

1961 BSA A10 - I have to select a British motorcycle! I can remember seeing one of these as a kid and was in awe by the shine of the chrome gas tank! Bike was fast for it's time with a 650cc engine and a top speed of 100 mph.

2009 Honda Gold Wing - the ultimate luxury touring machine!

It was difficult to narrow the selection to five as there are so many nice machines out there! I leave with one question, what would you choose for your top five?

First Ride on the Ninja 500

2009-07-07T21:05:00.010-03:00

Late this afternoon, I put the final touches on the 2002 Ninja 500 that would make it roadworthy. This included adding a high performance K&N air filter, installing the gas tank and adding new fuel, topping up the oil and a final inspection of cables, lights, etc.

This past weekend, the bike looked like this...

And after installing the tank today, it looked like this...

The Ninja fired up and sounded good. I let it run for a bit and then rechecked the oil...all was good. Next, the inaugural road test! I took the bike for a short run around town, monitoring all the systems and getting used to the feel of the bike...remember, I drive a cruiser! I did have to make a quick stop to adjust the clutch cable linkage.

I proceeded on about an 80km cruise, a combination of city driving and highway driving. The Ninja worked extremely well and I was very surprised at the power that it had, considering it is a 500cc twin. Cruising at 100km was not a problem and it was quite comfortable. I did notice that the bike likes high rpm's prior to shifting much better than low rpm's.

Overall, I am pleased with the way the "new to me" Ninja 500 turned out! Until next time, ride safe!

Working on the Ninja 500...

2009-07-02T18:22:00.007-03:00

I am currently on a weeks vacation and the weather has been rotten, rain, rain and more rain. As a result I have been working on the 2002 Kawasaki Ninja 500 that I recently purchased. I got a real good deal on the bike and mechanically and cosmetically it is in pretty good shape. The bike sat for three years and the only thing that the previous owner did was start the bike every once in awhile. There is some corrosion and rust on the bike, noticeably around the front exhaust and some of the engine bolts...heck, if I sat for three years I would be corroded and rusted in spots.

Earlier in the week, I removed the rear wheel, had a new tire mounted and reassembled the rear wheel assembly...you can see the new rear tire in the pic below. Since the bike sat so long, I decided to remove all of the body panels so I could clean the bike and also get at the coolant, oil and top end engine. First was removal of the rear panels, the gas tank and the lower cowling.

Next, was removal of the upper fairing. I could not believe how easy this was; disconnect the mirrors, two more bolts, unhook the headlight/signal light electrical and off it came...too easy. Removing the fairing on the Ninja 250 Project was a much more daunting task! You can clearly see the rust on the front exhaust on this picture of the naked Ninja! If I decide to keep this bike, I will remove the front pipes over the winter, remove rust and re-paint the pipes.

With the body panels and fairing removed, I changed the oil/filter (dealer talked me into using synthetic oil), flushed the coolant, replaced spark plugs and attempted to clean the air filter. Notice I said attempted! I suspect it was the original air filter...as soon as I started to clean, pieces of the air filter just fell apart. I called the local Kawasaki dealer and they have to order the part in for me, a minor delay. I will replace to fork oil too, but am waiting for a friend to help as I have no experience replacing fork oil. Everything else on the bike looks good!

Late this afternoon, I reinstalled the side body panels, lower cowling and upper fairing. Now I wait for my friend and for the air filter to arrive. Overall, a productive day in the garage!

I don't go back to work until Tuesday, so hopefully I will get some riding in on the V-Star 1100 Classic and get the Ninja 500 on the road.

Ride safe!