Polar Bear Grand Tour - Lewes, DE 11/7/2010

Check out pictures and videos of the second motorcycle run of the Polar Bear Grand Tour season to Lewes, DE on November 7, 2010.

Polar Bear Grand Tour to the CABIN 12/12/2010

Check out pictures and videos of the seventh motorcycle run of the Polar Bear Grand Tour season to the CABIN on December 12, 2010. We brought toys for the Children's Hospital.

Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Rally

I had the good fortune to attend Rolling Thunder over Memorial Day weekend in 2005. In fact, I wrote an article about it with pictures. Take a look.

I also noticed that a great video about Rolling Thunder is also available on YouTube. The year of this video is not mentioned but it's either 2005 or 2006. It looks pretty much like the sights that we saw in 2005. Here's the video.

My Motorcycle Trike Video on YouTube

I started working on a video about two years ago while I worked on the old site. It was a two-minute video that melded motorcycle trikes and the young kids favorite, Flat Stanley. I never got to put that video up. I just created a much longer -- 9 minute -- video based on that old video but with much more detail. I put the video up tonight on YouTube. Take a look.

Polar Bears, Bunnies, and Bikes Meet at the Chatterbox

The Polar Bear Grand Tour is winding down. Only three more events this season.

Last Sunday, the ride was to the Chatterbox, a circular restaurant at the intersection of Routes 206 and 15 in Augusta, New Jersey. Easter Sunday would be next weekend so no Polar Bear run would be made next week. That didn't keep the Easter Bunny away from the Chatterbox.

One never knows what to expect at an event like this. The weather had turned a bit cold and rainy and kept the attendance down. Those who did come found good food, an educational display in the center of the restaurant, and a bunny rabbit walking around and handing out candy. The display was the actual car used by the Pixar animators in making the movie, Cars. It was for the character "The King" (Richard Petty). I caught all of this in pictures and videos.

Take a look and listen to pictures and videos from the Chatterbox.

The Day You Went to Work - Motorcycle Safety Video

Check out this short YouTube video. Don't ever let down on motorcycle safety.

Trials Motorcycle Invades British Mansion

Well, since this video is making the rounds, I thought I might as well show it here too.

If you've seen motorcycle trials riders before, this may not seem so unusual but the setting is. Dougie Lampkin, 12 times world trials champion, invades a British mansion on his bike and proceeds to take it room to room, even up a spiral staircase. The occupants, with British aplomb, barely notice he's there even when the engine comes right next to their heads.

Obviously, a bit of planning was necessary here. Dougie did scout the place beforehand and plan a route that he could get through.

Certainly an entertaining video that I recommend.

Super Bowl Sunday on a Motorcycle Trike

I'm thankful that I have at least one day a week during the New Jersey winter when I can take a ride on my motorcycle. Of course, my motorcycle is now a motorcycle trike and that ride is to one of the destinations on the Polar Bear Grand Tour.

I look forward to these rides since I take all the pictures and videos to update the Web site each week. I created that Web site myself back in 1996 when the Internet was new. This is my twelfth year of updating the site and I've taken, processed, and published over 6000 pictures of Polar Bear activities. In recent years I've begun publishing short videos each week as well.

The ride last Sunday was to the Exchange, a restaurant in Rockaway, NJ. Now it just so happens that my son lives less than five miles from there in Boonton. Jane and I thought that it might be nice to add an overnight visit to our son, daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren to precede the Polar Bear sign-in. So we rode up on Saturday afternoon.

It was a 75 mile ride to our son's house. He lives in a wooded, secluded area north of Route 80. We pulled up to the front door, blew the weak Gold Wing horns and out popped three male grandkids all under the age of 10. Of course, we were dressed in our finest black apparel with heated vests and gloves and Nolan flip-up full-face helmets. The helmet colors matched the color of the trikes. We pretty much looked like a cross between Darth Vader and the Frankenstein monster to Jordan, Jayson, and Ian but our voices gave us away as they shouted in unison, "Hi Grandma and Poppy. Can we go for a ride?"

"Later," I said. We had promised them that we would take each of them for a short ride up and down their extensive driveway sometime before we left. But right now, we were too tired for that.

Our other son also came up with his wife and our granddaughter, Andi Jaye, 2. We were also going to kinda celebrate a milestone birthday of mine. Andi would not be getting a motorcycle ride.

We pulled the trikes over into their 3-car garage and left them for the night.

We had a great visit with the family and a good night's sleep.

The next day we planned to ride to the Polar Bear destination at Rockaway starting out at 10:45 a.m. We got all the gear on and I backed my trike out of the garage to try to program my GPS with the destination. Now, it was only five miles away over a simple course but I wanted to try to setup the route anyway. First off, I couldn't get a satellite signal in the isolated area surrounded by trees. Then when I tried to enter the address of the Exchange, it accepted the town and the street number, but it balked on the street name and proceeded to freeze up. I tried it again and got the same result. I rebooted the GPS and got the same result. Even the map would just sit there and jiggle back and forth. All the usual GPS controls also stopped working. After five minutes of this, Jane was on my case so I just forgot about the GPS and rode over to the destination with no problem getting there.

When I arrived, the GPS was still not working. One of my buddies suggested I pull out the internal card and reinsert it. That did nothing. It still wouldn't work.

We signed-in and I took my usual pictures and videos. After about an hour, we decided to call it a day and got back on the trikes and headed back to our son's house. I almost missed a turn going back because the way going was different from the way coming back. Don't you hate that?

By the time we got back to our son's house, the GPS had mysteriously started working again. (And it worked flawlessly all the way home too.) I felt like my trike had just spent a few hours in the Boonton Triangle. Strange things seem to happen in those woods.

As we pulled up to our son's house we expected to find the three grandsons all lined up for the motorcycle rides, but no one was there. I went into the house still with full gear on and yelled for the kids. They were not ready to go at all. So we sat there waiting for all to be ready and for them to find their helmets.

The 10-year-old was ready first and took a seat behind his grandma for an extended trip down the third-of-a-mile driveway and back.

The six-year-old wanted to ride with me on my red trike. I had to make sure he was firmly seated and holding onto the side handles next to the pillion seat. I cautioned him before every turn what I was going to do and to "hang on tight." He did. Near the end of the loop, I blew the horn twice and then dropped him at the front door.

Then I took the four-year-old on my trike. He's a tiny guy with a wide smile. I took him on the same route and blew the horn twice as I had for his bro. Kids like to be treated equally.

After that, we had lunch and then departed for home about 3 p.m. The trip was speedy and uneventful. We listened to the Super Bowl pre-game show on the trike's radio as we each rode home. As usual, Jane and I communicated with each other over the CB.

We pulled into our garage about 4:30 p.m., unloaded the trikes, phoned the kids that we had arrived safely and awaited the Super Bowl XLII game between the NY Giants and the New England Patriots. We all know how that came out. It was the perfect end to a perfect riding day.

Take a look at the pictures and videos taken on the Polar Bear run to Rockaway, NJ on Super Bowl XLII Sunday.

Motorcycle pictures courtesy of Steven M. Kern.

Biker Tribute to CBR600 Hottie

I've ridden in a few biker tributes and funeral processions. It's sad to know that a fellow rider has died while riding his or her bike. Here's the story of Sherri Linkous of Largo, FL killed while riding to work on her sportbike on July 17, 2007. Known as CBR600 Hottie, Sherri had friends all over. Read her story on sptimes.com and then view the tribute video, below.

Women Riders Video

Here's a great visual and musical video called SHOCKING BLUE -HARLEY DAVIDSON/ GET IT ON (69/75). It's all about women on motorcycles. Not to be missed. (See other videos by the same author and read some details about the content of this video by clicking here.)

Be sure to also check out my own Women Riders subject that includes a Women on Motorcycles Picture Gallery.

World's Largest Motorcycle Must Be Seen to Be Believed

I just had to display this YouTube video that shows the World's Largest Motorcycle. I'm not sure why anyone would want to spend $300,000 to create it but this guy thought it worth his time, talent, and treasure to bring it to the world.

Polar Bear Grand Tour Visits Lake Hopatcong, NJ

This was one of those iffy Polar Bear days. The temperature was near 40 degrees for most of the state of New Jersey but it lowered to near freezing or below at the higher elevations. Since our members come from all over the state and even Connecticut there was a good chance that some would find ice on the roads. That turned out to be true. Members of my own GWRRA Chapter NJ-F had traveled to North Jersey very early in the morning to attend another chapter's meeting before they rode to the Lake Hopatcong area for the Polar Bear Grand Tour. They encountered two icy parking lots and it was touch-and-go whether they would keep their bikes upright. They vowed never again to ride so early in the winter mornings.

This destination was the Wearhouse Grill. My GPS performed flawlessly to guide us right to the door. We arrived early and stood around until the flight leaders had setup to sign-in the riders. They had a special menu just for the Polar Bear Grand Tour. I especially liked the hot apple pie a la mode served in a glass mug.

Here are pictures and videos from this winter day run.

Motorcycle Video Clips

Both my wife and I are members of the Polar Bear Grand Tour based in New Jersey. This is our 16th season riding with this motorcycle group and it's also the 29th anniversary of the founding of the group. I happen to be the Webmaster for the Polar Bears and I spend quite a lot of time taking pictures and videos of the various runs.

I'll be featuring these videos in a new feature, Polar Bear Grand Tour - Motorcycle Video Clips. I expect that more motorcycle videos will also be finding their way into this feature in the coming year. For the time being, it's mostly about what I've observed over the past few years as a Polar Bear member.

Take a look at these Motorcycle Video Clips. They're very short. It's too soon to tell whether I want to start featuring motorcycle video clips submitted by visitors.

Polar Bear Grand Tour in the Pine Barrens

Another rainy day! This is supposed to be the Polar Bear season. Even though it's now officially winter, it continues to be more like spring with 58 degree temperatures.

This was our first run to the Sweetwater Casino. It's located in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey in the middle of nowhere right next to the Mullica River. The place is big enough to hold the Polar Bears when we show up in force. They even have motorcycle parking up front on concrete -- this works fine except when the Polar Bears show up.

Here are pictures and videos from this rainy run.

Airplanes and Motorcycles

Today was the Polar Bear Grand Tour visit to the Flying "W" Airport in Medford, New Jersey. It was a really cold day with temperatures around 25 degrees and a biting wind. Not many riders standing around outside today. They were all standing on line inside waiting for the sign-in to open at 11:30 a.m.

The Flying "A" is a real operating airport for small planes. It was the first time that the Polar Bears had visited this intriguing site. While we were there, I observed several takeoffs and landings of small airplanes and I intently watched a small helicopter doing maneuvers right in front of me.

Take a look at pictures and videos I took today to document our visit.

1936 Knucklehead Video

I'm experimenting with including a You Tube video in the blog. I already have motorcycle videos permanently embedded on the rightside of the blog. I just want to be ready to include new videos about motorcycles as I see them.

Polar Bear Grand Tour Visits Fort Dix, New Jersey

I don't know if you remember, but Fort Dix was in the news in May of 2007 after a terrorist plot was uncovered to attack soldiers at the base. That was after our last Polar Bear Grand Tour run to Fort Dix. We had our 2008 run to Fort Dix last Sunday, January 27, 2008 and security was tighter.

This was my first time back on my trike in three months and it felt good. I've been recovering from the removal of a couple of basal cell carcinomas, one on the back top of my left ear and one on the top right side of my forehead. These skin problems had conspired to keep me from putting a helmet on for nearly three months. Today I bit the bullet, put on my balaclava, gently placed my new Nolan flip-up helmet on my head and fastened the chinstrap. My glasses were rubbing against my ear and that brought a bit of pain. I was hoping that nothing was bleeding back there. The pressure of the helmet against the balaclava and onto the sore on my forehead was noticeable. The helmet felt smaller. Maybe it had compressed a bit from sitting in the garage for the last three months. At any rate, I was going to ride today. First was a four-mile ride to our monthly GWRRA Chapter F meeting. That went OK. Next was the 31 mile ride to Fort Dix. Surprisingly that went well too.

Jane and I rode with three other bikes from Chapter F. I cautioned the riders over the CB as we neared the fort to expect anything at the entrance because of expected tightened security.

The day was alternately sunny and overcast and about 33 degrees. There was a threat of light snow showers. Fort Dix was checking IDs today but not consistently. Sometimes IDs were checked, and sometimes riders were waved by. Some were stopped at the gate because their names were not on the Polar Bear roster. In one case, a rider was left at the gate while his wife was allowed in. Turns out his name was on the list all the time. But most got in.

Here are a few pictures and videos I took at Fort Dix. I confess I was a little apprehensive about taking pictures at the fort. I fully expected to be approached by an MP and have my camera confiscated but that never happened. I worry too much. There are a few pictures of me at the end taken by "Blondie," one of the Chapter F women who rode her own Honda Gold Wing 1800 with us. Hopefully, that will be enough pictures of me for a few years.

More Efficient Motorcycle Trike Engine - It's About Time

I got an email from a company in Australia that makes GTM trikes. I was not familiar with GTM but am interested in trikes.

It seems that GTM has been making trikes for awhile using VW engines and has just signed a deal with another company, Revetec, to provide them with a new type of engine called the X4v2.

The X4v2 provides much higher torque than the VW engine, especially in the lower RPM ranges. This results in much greater acceleration and increased fuel economy. That caught my attention. I was beginning to wonder if anyone out there was even thinking about engine efficiency to help us poor riders try to beat the high price of gasoline.

I know when both my wife and I take out our Gold Wing trikes we end up getting killed with double gas cost as well as double toll costs. Our governor here in New Jersey is now proposing a plan to help pay off the state debt by raising tolls 800 percent! To even manage my costs I may have to go to a single trike, take the back roads more often, and try to trade the trike in on something that gets more than 28 mpg.

I don't know if the Revetec technology will pay off in Australia but I thought maybe you'd like to take a look at a video of the trike in action. Maybe someday, we can get some more efficiency out of our own trikes. I'm not holding my breath.

Take a look at what I currently have on trikes. If you own a trike, send me a picture of it and I'll put it in my Trike Gallery.

The picture above is courtesy of Revetec Holdings Limited.

Triumph Rocket III - Funny Video

Take a look at this short video from Triumph.

Robbie Maddison Makes Record Motorcycle Jump in Las Vegas

In case you missed it, Robbie Maddison broke the world motorcycle jumping record Monday night, soaring 322 feet, 7 1/2 inches at the Las Vegas Rio All-Suite Casino and Hotel.

His jump, originally scheduled to coincide with the dropping of the ball in Times Square on New Year's Eve, was delayed because a previous televised football game went into overtime. In fact, I had set my Tivo to record the jump, then fell asleep and missed the jump completely because the Tivo stopped recording before the actual jump.

This was a jump dedicated to the memory of Evel Knievel. It's one not to be missed and I'm sure we'll be seeing more of Robbie as he tries to break his own record.

Members of my Motorcycle Views Forum did see the jump and provided links to videos of the jump. Take a look and add your own comments either in the forum or here, below, after you see the video.