News from Places 2 Ride

Transformed Ducati Multistrada

2012-05-23T08:57:00.001-05:00

Are you a fan of the original Ducati Multistrada?

Yeah, me too. The new 1200 is righteously awesome but the original was, eh... not so much. The odd split fairing was just a little too wacky for my taste.

But Carlo Roscio of Northern Italy has taken a 2003 Multistrada and transformed it into a machine called the Biuta, and it is a beaut! Using an Ohlins suspension from a Honda he has morphed his Multi' into a naked streetfighter that will make anyone a fan.

More info (in Italian) and construction photos here...

Ride for Our Heroes

2012-05-16T13:03:00.000-05:00

This event was added to our database by Jocelyn O'Briend.

Event Starts: 9/22/2012
Location: Devens, MA
The Ride for Our Heroes is a true motorcycle enthusiast event honoring our nation's service members, veterans and their families, while raising vital funds for the Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Home Base Program.

Riders are encouraged to make fundraising for the Home Base Program an important part of their event participation. Prizes will be awarded for reaching fundraising goals. Every dollar helps to make a difference in the lives of New England veterans and their families. The Ride features three starting points from locations throughout New England and will kick-off with an opening ceremony and acknowledgement of local military heroes.

The Ride concludes with the WZLX Ride for Our Heroes Party at Fort Devens in Devens, MA.

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Top o' the Rockies

2012-05-16T08:15:00.000-05:00

This event was added to our database by David Adair.

Event Starts: 7/12/2012
Location: Paonia, CO
Sponsored by the BMW Motorcycle Club of Colorado #66 and featuring entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights, a complimentary dinner prepared by the great folks of Paonia, the American Legion beer garden, wine tours, door prizes, and plenty of food and merchandise vendors, you''re sure to enjoy this bit of small town Colorado. GPS coordinates: N38.86963 W107.59935

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Rally on the Road 66

2012-05-15T16:02:00.002-05:00

This event was added to our database by Jerry Ries.

Event Starts: 6/09/2012
Location: Baxter Springs, KS
Ride Historic Route 66 from Baxter Springs KS to Seaba Station Motorcycle Museum, stopping in Tulsa Saturday night. Stopping at most all historic destinations along the way.

This is the 2nd running of the event, open to all bikes with a kick starter. Entrance fee $50.00 per person includes event shirt.

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Clever Tank Bag for Techies

2012-05-14T15:07:00.000-05:00

Tank bags offer a convenient solution to transporting "stuff" when you're riding a motorcycle. Most offer easy on-easy off so you can just take it with when you reach your destination. A wide variety of sizes are available to suit most any rider's needs.

One of the coolest tank bags we've seen lately is the Rider GPS tank bag from Cycle Case. It's built with a GPS pocket in the flap with a clear window for easy viewing. At just under $50 it's a bargain.

Image courtesy Cycle Case.

Seaba Station Motorcycle Swap Meet

2012-05-11T09:54:00.002-05:00

This event was added to our database by Jerry Ries.

Event Starts: 5/19/2012
Location: Warwick, OK
Come out to Seaba Station Motorcycle Museum May 19 & 20 and find those parts you have been needing.

Hours are 10 - 5 each day. No admission fee. Spots are still available if you have stuff to sell. 20 x 30 ft. space is $35 for both days and 15 x 20 ft. spaces are $10 per day. We are located 7 miles west of Chandler on Route 66.

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Envision the Electric Motorcycle

2012-05-04T10:31:00.000-05:00

The Motorcycle as Art

Over the last few years the electric motorcycle has migrated from Toys 'R Us to a dealer's showroom near you. As these vehicles become more reality than fancy it's only right that some far-thinking souls start applying some out-of-the box design principles.

Terms like paradigm shift and reinvent get tossed around a lot.But does the motorcycle really need to be reinvented?

Take a look and see what you think...

Frog's Ultra-Cool Vision for What Electric Motorcycles Can Be

Bikes on eBay: 1905 Indian Prototype

2012-05-01T16:53:00.000-05:00

We're a little late sharing this one- but I think you'll agree it's worth it!

This is a 1905 prototype of the first Indian motorcycle with a V-twin. This is serial number 366 and only two complete bikes were produced. They were used as testing prototypes and differ greatly from the production version Indian motorcycles.

Indian V-Twin Prototype

Obviously it's a fixer upper. But as the auctions states, this is "possibly the most significant Indian of all time." Right now the auction has one day to go, has not met reserve and the bids are over $70k!

Old Spiral Highway

2012-04-27T21:20:00.000-05:00

This new place to ride was added to our database by .

Type of Ride: Street
It''s less than 10 miles long but you''ll love every minute of it. The old Lewiston Grade runs south from US-95 to State Highway 128 near Lewiston, Idaho. The 2000 foot descent is a twisting ride with spectacular views. Rumor has it the song "Hot Rod Lincoln" was written about this highway.

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Wheels Through Time

2012-04-12T18:45:00.000-05:00

This new place to ride was added to our database by Webmaster.

Type of Ride: Hangout
A museum located at 62 Vintage Lane in Maggie Valley, NC, thirty miles west of Asheville, NC.

Wheels Through Time boasts a premier collection of rare American vintage motorcycles. Founded by Dale Walksler in 1993, WTT has become an integral piece in discovering, maintaining, and preserving American motorcycle history. The collection houses tens of thousands of motorcycle pictures, historic memorabilia, and other motorcycle artifacts.

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Clever Power Plug for BMW Riders

2012-04-01T11:04:00.002-05:00

Now you can have it either way.

BMW motorcycles have a wacky accessory power plug known as a Powerlet Outlet. It's basically like a cigarette lighter, but about half the diameter.

The upside to this Eurocentric receptacle is the positive snap connection. Anything plugged into it really locks into place. The downside is, well- almost nothing plugs into it. Most accessories are made to go into the good old 'Merican cigarette lighter receptacle.

So we were impressed when we came across this on eBay...

Powerlet Convertible Adapter Plug

Instead of using a bulky adapter to plug in your Fuzzbuster you can attach this nifty plug instead. Now you can use the Fuzzbuster on the Beemer or in the Kia!

With the red sleeve the plug fits a standard accessory power outlet, remove it and you can plug it into the BMW. And it includes a 5-amp fuse, an LED to let you know the circuit is hot and screw terminals to make it easy to hook up. No solder needed!

Shop more cool eBay Stores for motorcycle gadgets...

Rally Around the Pits

2012-03-29T18:28:00.000-05:00

This event was added to our database by Kelli White.

Event Starts: 10/14/2012
Location: Arcadia, OK
Come ride Route 66 for the second annual Rally Around the Pits. The Rally will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Biker Shak in Arcadia, OK. Family friendly motorcycle rally to benefit Pit Bull Rescue Oklahoma, a nonprofit animal rescue organization. There will be a poker run, raffles and vendors to interest both motorcyclists and dog owners, adoptable dogs, and live music featuring Mudflap Nichols and the Twisted Spokes

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Half Price Aprilia

2012-03-26T11:18:00.001-05:00

Looking for a good deal on a brand new motorcycle?

Now through May you can score a 2009 Aprilia Mana 850 for less than $6000. That's like a jazillion percent off the original sticker price of $11k!

A couple of years ago I took a spin on a motorcycle called an Aprilia Mana. It’s an 850cc V-twin that looks like a spiffy sort of bike- no fairings or leather tassels. Just a sit-upright standard with tons of storage and a comfortable seat. You can even stow a full-face helmet under the cover that appears to be the gas tank (the tank is actually under the seat ala BMW F650).

I rode the crap out of the little Aprilia and enjoyed the heck out of it. Two Wheel Oklahoma wrote a very favorable ride review of the Aprilia. But– there’s a very big but…

Read the whole darn thing »

Brookside Vintage Cycle Meet

2012-03-22T22:36:00.000-05:00

This event was added to our database by Paul or Mark.

Event Starts: 4/15/2012
Location: Tulsa, OK
Brookside Vintage Cycle Meet for Spring has been set for Sunday, April 15th from 11-3 @ 42nd & Peoria = Brookside Motorcycle Co. parking lot...just 1mi. N. of the I-44 & Peoria exit.

We always have a great turnout of 1980 and older vintage rides to enjoy - ride them in or load them up and join us ! Street, dirt , minibikes - all welcome ! No entry fees - just fun!

BBQ by OSoSlow BBQ & sodas provided ! We also have parking for non-vintage at the south end of the building. Mark your calender, tell your friends and come out and see some blasts from the past !

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Cherohala Skyway

2012-03-20T22:33:00.005-05:00

This new place to ride was added to our database by Leann.

Type of Ride: Street
The Cherohala Skyway is fast becoming a favorite in the motorcycling and sportscar circles. The scenic byway, finished in 1996, stretches 51 miles (from the town of Tellico Plains, TN to the city limits of Robbinsville, NC) and climbs to 5400 ft in the sky. The twists and turns on the Skyway is a road enthusiast's dream come true.

On the Tellico side make sure you take the time to get off the Skyway to see Bald River Falls. River rd (Forest Service rd 210) is a winding road and the waterfall is spectacular! The town of Tellico Plains has many eateries, Kat''s Deli is a great place to grab a bite and located right on the river. Lodging in Tellico is limited to cabins and camping but a hotel is at the end of the Skyway in Robbinsville. While in Tellico Plains make sure to stop by the visitor center to get your free maps and information from the knowledgeable and friendly staff. Next door to the Visitor Center you will find The Charles Hall Museum which is a must see for anyone traveling through town. The displays in the museum are beyond words and trust me when I tell you, you will be shocked to find such a collection in this town. You can also pick up your souvenirs, tshirts, and refreshments in the museum gift shop.

The weather on the Skyway can be tricky during certain times of the year. During the summer you will find the mountains, on many days, to be very hazy. The fall months are the most traveled time due to the leaf watchers and the foliage is out of this word! The winter can get ugly on the top elevations. If its raining down low, chances are there is snow on top. Keep the earth in mind when traveling across the Skyway!

Also, on the Robbinsville side of the Skyway you will find the world famous Deal's Gap (aka The Dragon) crosses over the Cherohala Skyway. Make a weekend of it and kill two birds with one stone!

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Wanna' Buy a Ducati?

2012-03-17T18:29:00.000-05:00

Or maybe a Ducati factory?

For about the umpteenth time in recent memory the Italian flagship of motorcycling may be up for sale. In 2005 a private equity group known as Investindustrial purchased Ducati from a group of doctors in Texas. Now it appears they intend to sell. Investindustrial had Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs sound out a public listing for Ducati in Hong Kong last year.

Investindustrial’s chairman, Andrea Bonomi, said a handful of groups in Asia, Europe and the United States are interested in the sale. Rumors abound and possible suitors like BMW, Volkswagen and even Mahindra have been mentioned as possible buyers.

Bikes on eBay: Yamaha RD400

2012-03-06T19:11:00.001-06:00

In some circles it's known as the original crotch rocket.

The Yamaha RD revolutionized light sporting motorcycles with a reliable two-stroke twin equipped with automatic oil injection. For the time these bikes offered blistering speed and wonderful handling. The more refined RD400 brought us more power and disk brakes.

Yamaha RD400

This 1976 model only shows 10k miles and is clean as a whistle. The previous owner has owned it since 1986! Bidding is active and it's listed under "other makes" so you might sneak in and score a deal.

Motorcycle Medics in Austin

2012-03-05T16:12:00.000-06:00

Austin, Texas has initiated a pilot program to utilize motorcycles to expedite the arrival of emergency medical personnel.

The idea is not new- biker medics have been employed in London, England for many years and Miami-Dade County in Florida has been doing it for about five years.

"Motorcycles can arrive two to three minutes faster than an ambulance — especially during large congested events like Austin’s South by Southwest music festival," said Eric S. Jakubauskas, commander of Austin-Travis County EMS Special Events. "And those extra minutes can mean the difference between life and death, he said. “That can be special if the person is in severe respiratory distress or was having a cardiac problem — two to three minutes can mean whether you resuscitate the person or you don’t.”

The EMS personnel ride BMW G650 X-P motorbikes. And the best part is the taxpayers haven't paid a dime– the motorcycles have been donated.

Read the full article from Government Technology...

Motorcycle GPS or Smartphone?

2012-02-21T13:56:00.001-06:00

There's an app for that.

But is it time to ditch your GPS and navigate with your smartphone?

More and more people are using the navigation features of their iPhone or Android smartphone and skipping the traditional GPS. There are tons of apps for mobile devices that work wonderfully for walking tours, sightseeing and, sometimes, automotive navigation. But it's a very different game when used on a motorcycle.

Read the whole darn thing »

28th Annual 1000-IN-24 Endurance Ride

2012-02-13T18:34:00.002-06:00

This event was added to our database by Bill Gillespie.

Event Starts: 8/18/2012
Location: Greenwood Village, CO
Colorado Freewheelers Motorcycle Club

Start & end at: Fay Myers Motorcycle World
9700 E Arapahoe Rd.
Greenwood Village, CO 80112

Entry: $50.00 solo, $100.00 2-up.

Includes: a scenic 2 & 4 lane route, collector shirt, hat, and pin. Optional MERA "1000 plus in 24" certificate and/or Iron Butt Association SS1K for qualified finishers.

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Mid America Freedom Rally

2012-02-09T11:27:00.004-06:00

This event was added to our database by Taz Moeller.

Event Starts: 5/25/2012
Location: Waynesville/Buckhorn, MO
24th annual Mid America Freedom Rally held in Buckhorn MO at the Pulaski County Shrine Club, off I-44 at exit 153.

Gates open up on Friday 25 May at 12 noon, and will remain open until Monday morning. Cost for the event is $25 FOR MRO members and $30 for non. The rally will include poker runs, 2 days of field events both Bike and non-Bike events, Wet-T, religious services on Sunday, Bike Show, and a Memorial Day Ceremony along with a midnight Rolling Thunder to remember those who gave all. There are over 26 vendors on site with all your needs from leather to food. There are three bars on site with individual and package sales. There will be 6 bands, 2 every night.

Free event T-shirts to the first 2000 through the gate. Must be 18 or above to attend.

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Free Tolls for Motorcycles

2012-02-04T11:07:00.002-06:00

Ever wonder why you're paying the same highway toll as a car or truck?
Originally published February 3, 2012 on Two Wheel Oklahoma

Chances are if you live in Oklahoma you have traveled our state's many turnpikes. If you're like me you may have wondered why the toll for motorcycles is the same as the Hummer in the next lane. Seems like my 489-pound motorcycle would cause less damage to the pavement, reduce congestion and make everyone's turnpike commute a less stressful experience. Why isn't the toll for me and my motorcycle cheaper?

Heck, why am I paying a toll at all?

Continue...

Famous Italians

2012-02-01T11:38:00.001-06:00

A few famous Italians at work:

Fabrizio

Rossi

Biaggi

Schettino

Win Big from GoPro

2012-01-29T20:15:00.001-06:00

Go Pro is running an awesome sweepstakes promotion. They are giving away an HD Hero 2 and each and every product they make to one very lucky winner. But here's the best part- they're doing it every day!

GoPro cameras are used by more motorsports professionals, race teams, and core enthusiasts than any other camera in the world. It is simply the smallest, lightest, most powerful HD camera in the world for capturing and sharing immersive videos and photos of your racing, driving and riding.

Almost $1000 worth of cool HD video gear can be yours, and all it takes is signing up. Sign up every day!

Shoei & GEICO Renew Partnership

2012-01-11T07:51:00.001-06:00

After a brief hiatus, Shoei will once again protect the entire Geico Honda motocross team.

Already long time sponsor of team captain Kevin Windham, Shoei will now be outfitting the Lites team with their often copied (but never duplicated) Transworld Motorcross Product of the Year-winning VFX-W helmet.

How do the team riders feel about the partnership with Shoei?
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