Riding high above the Gorges de la Nesque in Provence on one of its many “balcony” roads carved into the rock canyon walls. Photos by the author and Genie Tuttle.
Would you travel halfway around the world for an 11-day motorcycle touring vacation that promises fantastic roads and scenery, delicious food and drink, interesting foreign culture, fun and camaraderie every day? Of course you would.
What if each day’s route was a secret, and you had no idea where the tour is going other than the arrival airport, not even the hotel names? Signing up seem a little nuts?
Well, it probably is, but that hasn’t stopped Edelweiss Bike Travel’s Mystery Tour from selling out both times it has run, partly because of the company’s solid reputation for delivering everything in the first sentence above and partly because of repeat customers, from both the original Mystery Tour (now called the Life is Beautiful—Alpine Wonderland tour) and other Edelweiss motorcycle tours.
The tiny village of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, with its narrow streets and vaulted passageways, is considered to be one of the most beautiful in France.
When my wife Genie and I committed to the “MT” starting and ending in Nice, France, in June 2018, it felt like agreeing to do a trust fall with a stranger—you know he or she is probably going to catch you, but there’s always that tiny bit of doubt. We knew we’d be in good hands though, if not on good roads, since the MT is the one EBT tour led by Managing Director Rainer Buck and his wife Gaby, who may not know exactly where we’re going but have lots of company credit cards.
Rainer was assisted by guides Michael Goebel and Pablo Piferrer, who between them have nearly 20 years of experience guiding EBT tours around the world and made the 17 of us riders and co-pilots from the USA, Austria, Mexico and Switzerland feel like family.
Limestone cliffs form the walls of the Ardèche Gorges; their most famous feature is this 197-foot stone arch called the Pont d’Arc.
Canyons, Napoleon and Beautiful Villages
Once rescued from the row upon row of private jets and wall-to-wall resort high-rises surrounding Nice airport on the French Riviera, that afternoon we sipped prosecco in celebration of a rider’s birthday while “rookie” guide Rainer, or RR, gave the first tour briefing on the veranda of a lovely hotel in Vence, in the foothills of the Maritime Alps above Nice.
The Mystery Tour is different from other EBT tours in that—since only RR and the guides know each day’s route—the group stays together the entire time, with no riding off on your own. It’s also one of EBT’s Royal Tours, so all of the meals are included, even lunch on all but the rest day. Each of us also received a crossword puzzle, the six clues for which were printed on RR’s fresh T-shirt each day. Complete the puzzle correctly and you might go with RR on a special bonus ride on the penultimate day—more on this later.
With no clue from RR where we were headed except his daily dubious cry of “North!” we left Vence in the morning and instead headed west, over the 3,159-foot Col de Vence (Vence Pass) in the Maritime Alps. The endlessly winding road rising up through a green forest and imposing dolomite-type rocky mountains set the stage for the rest of the tour (rated a 4 out of 5 for difficulty among EBT tours), since we spent very little time on the center of our tires, or even in fifth or sixth gears.
The Sénanque Abbey was founded in 1148, and monks have always lived there since except for a few decades, growing lavender and tending honeybees.
Quite happy I had chosen an agile BMW R 1200 RT for Genie and me, as we explored an 11th-century church at the first of many coffee stops, I was also thankful for the mesh riding apparel we had brought for the warm temps in Southern France.
Picking up the Route Napoléon, which the emperor took on his return from exile in Elba in 1815, we zoomed around its smooth cambered corners through the diverse landscapes of Provence at a fun, brisk pace set by RR and most of the group riding BMW RTs, R 1200 and 800 GS models and Ducati Mutltistradas, with a guide in back sweeping up the slower riders.
Wildflowers were everywhere on the June tour.
Detouring onto snaky roads far above gorgeous valleys and down alongside turquoise-green rivers, lunch was at a 9th-century chateau perched high above the verdant scrubland. Our first of many deep gorges and the tunnels and arches along amazing “balcony roads” carved into the canyon walls high above were on the dessert menu as we rode along the spectacular Gorge du Verdon in the afternoon—at 15.5 miles long and up to 3,000 feet deep it’s aptly nicknamed the Grand Canyon of Europe.
Clinging to the cliffside in the Ardèche Gorges.
This part of France is also famous for its endless “blue gold” lavender fields, and the afternoon coffee-stop village of Moustiers, voted the prettiest in France—which is really saying something!
Briefly rejoining the Route Napoléon, it took us into Château-Arnoux-Saint-Auban for the evening, the end of a 162-mile riding day that was about par for each riding day of the tour. The chase van driven by one of the guides and carrying our luggage and a spare bike was rarely more than an hour away from the group, yet somehow always managed to beat us to each night’s hotel.
Many of Europe’s highest passes are in the French Alps.
Hotels on the 2018 MT ranged from, as RR put it tongue firmly in cheek, “zero to five stars,” which really meant that the one lovely auberge or inn on a bucolic farm in the Côtes du Rhône (the famous wine region in the Rhône Valley), my favorite, simply didn’t have a Michelin rating. The rest of the accommodations were equally or more wonderful, whether it was a castle, modern hotel with a river view, in a historic city or the base hotel in Vence.
Sustenance on the Mystery Tour was delicious, varied and frequent, and the vin superb.
We dined like kings as well, sometimes on French specialties like pâté and veal but more often on meat entrees with truffle-infused sauces and farm-to-table vegetables and salads, sumptuous fresh baked bread and a wide variety of cheeses. RR is passionate about wine, too, so he made sure that a nice selection of local vin rouge and vin blanc was available each evening and treated us to a special tasting one night as well.
Southern France is also home to the Carthusian monks who create the intoxicating neon green liqueur Chartreuse, which some of us enjoyed one night with Cuban cigars to the smooth sounds of Michael’s folk guitar and vocals. One really can’t say enough about guides Pablo and Michael—their efforts and camaraderie helped make the tour magnifique.
The River Tarn formed 33 miles of spectacular Gorges du Tarn flanked by limestone cliffs as much as 1,640 feet high.
Gorgeous Gorges, Endless Passes
The food, hotels and culture stops, such as the Caverne du Pont-d’Arc in the Ardèche Valley with its 36,000-year-old cave paintings, sprawling 12-acre Bamboo Park in the Rhône Valley and historic villages and towns with their lovely old French architecture and genuinely friendly people all made for a deliciously rich experience during our regular stops, lunches and evenings. It’s truly amazing I didn’t gain more weight, or run out of camera memory cards. But the raison d’être of the Mystery Tour is the roads and riding, made all the more fun by not knowing exactly what was in store each day.
No wider than a walking path through its arches and tunnels in places, the magnificent Combe Laval is virtually suspended from the side of the canyon.
Southeastern France is laced with deep gorges carved over the centuries by impressive rivers like the Verdon, Nesque and Tarn, and the ride connected the many gorges with the beautiful valleys, mountains, plateaus and national parks of Provence, the Languedoc region and French Alps. We crossed one of the most extraordinary areas in France, the Cévennes, on the Corniche de Cévennes, a wide sweeping road originally built in the 1700s by the Huguenot army that this day was nearly deserted and like a racetrack through the forest flora.
The 2018 Mystery Tour group enjoys a “boot” beer (we’re done riding but still in our boots) in a hotel parking lot in the Côtes du Rhône.
Our rest day—yet another riding day for many in the group—was among the spires and massifs of the Gorges du Tarn on the Tarn River, where some of us hiked, swam and kayaked before ascending and circling the Causse Noir and Causse Méjean on the bikes, giant limestone plateaus of rich farmland surrounded by gorges and strung with more exciting balcony roads and tunnels. If there was a problem with the roads and scenery on this tour, it was not being able to look away from either….
Looking down from 8,688-foot Col du Galibier.
From the Parc des Grands Causses we made a giant U-turn back toward Nice and the Côte d’Azur, but some of the best riding was yet to come—the French Alps. Over the next several days we conquered a dozen passes lined with snow in places, including the 2nd- through 5th-highest in France, and briefly crossed into Italy over the 9,003-foot Col Agnel to have a refreshingly different lunch of pizza and pasta while the three crossword puzzle winners enjoyed a helicopter tour with RR of Mont Blanc, at 15,777 feet the highest in Europe.
Descending from yet another pass in the French Alps.
After returning to France, the finale was a twisting ascent up to La Madone d’Utelle for a tasty picnic lunch skillfully prepared by Pablo at this hilltop sanctuary with a 360-degree view over the French Riviera. How he got the big van up—and down—that crazy road I’ll never know. Just one of the wonderful mysteries of the Mystery Tour.
Picnic time at the sanctuary of La Madone d’Utelle, high atop a mountain with a view of the French Riviera.
The 2018 Edelweiss Bike Travel Mystery Tour is now called the Life is Beautiful—Magical France tour and will run next June 6-26, 2019. The arrival airport for the next Mystery Tour is Athens, Greece, May 3, 2020…but shhhh, it’s a secret! For more info visit edelweissbike.com.
1975 Suzuki GT250M Hustler. Owner: Chris Wesney, Templeton, California.
Back in the early ’70s Suzuki was looking into the inevitable future and concentrating on getting into the four-stroke market, while still making good money from its two-strokes. And the predecessors of this GT250 Hustler had helped a lot.
Its parallel twin engine, perfectly square at 54 x 54mm bore and stroke, had first seen the light of the showroom floor in 1965 as the X-6 Hustler, a 250 tiger, which astounded the American motorcycling mind with a 90-plus-mph top speed and six-speed transmission. The engine was a simple piston-port design, with new-fangled automatic oiling, and cylinders were aluminum with iron liners.
Move forward eight years, and the rather similar GT250 Hustler appears—but with Suzuki’s Ram Air System (RAS) bolted to the top of the engine. The rubber-mounted hood was first seen on the company’s 1972 triples, the GT380 Sebring and GT550 Indy, which was the beginning of the Grand Touring series. The approach was simple enough, with this rather angular shroud aiding the cooling of the triple’s middle cylinder, sending more air through the cooling fins.
On a parallel twin this was more problematic, but useful in keeping the noise down. Two-strokes from the ’60s were notoriously rackety, especially in warm-up mode, and prone to give out a ringing and pinging sound from the fins. Strips of heat-resistant rubber were used in the 250’s cylinder-head fins to reduce the noise. All very civilized.
RAS was also a sales gimmick, giving the previous T250 model a new look. The factory was claiming the GT twin developed 31 horses at 7,000 rpm, but “Cycle” magazine used a rear-wheel dyno to measure the 1973 model’s horsepower: 22 at 7,500 rpm. The same magazine got a mere 20 horses when testing the similar 1975 version. As the humorist types back then liked to say, Suzuki was measuring power at the top of the piston.
It is true that Suzuki with this GT version had knowingly cut back on the power. This was because a major effort had been made, wise or not, to give the touring rider a quieter ride. However, it took some bright light to take the 26mm Mikuni carburetors apart and measure the slides; they had been lengthened by 6mm, which meant that full throttle was an impossibility. Two-strokes made a lot of noise from the intakes, so Suzuki used the longer slides on the GT–hence the slightly quieter engine. When found out, Suzuki immediately switched to correctly sized slides.
A battery and coil supplied the sparks, and the battery was a mere five amp/hour. Americans were coming to accept the electric leg, but because of weight and costs, no such starter was on the GT250. The rider’s left leg provided the starting mechanism, not that pushing the left-side kickstarter was much of a problem.
The engine was Suzuki solid, with the crankshaft running on three ball bearings, the one-piece connecting rods having needle bearings both top and bottom. Gasoline passed into the crankcase via that pair of Mikunis, while lubrication was done by the improved CCI (Crankcase Cylinder Injection) automatic-oiling arrangement. Just to make sure that the end bearings on the crankshaft were properly taken care of, they were pressure fed using CCI’s multipoint injection system. Compression ratio was an acceptable 7.5:1. The oil tank, part of the right side cover, held 2.8 pints and had a little window to alert the rider when oil was getting low.
Helical gears sent power rearward to a multi-disc wet clutch and then through the tranny, with its own oil supply. Sixth gear was very much an overdrive, which helped reduce noise at touring speeds.
Frame was a double cradle, with a major change from its T250 predecessor found under the four-gallon gas tank; instead of one large beam, there were now a trio of smaller tubes, strengthening the chassis and allowing for a more positive feel in the corners. The frame extended under the seat, so there was no bolt-on addition. Since this had touring pretensions, wheelbase was extended almost an inch to 52 inches for better high-speed stability.
The telescopic fork was adequate, as were the pair of adjustable shocks on the swingarm. Both wheels were 18-inchers, carrying a 3.00 tire on the front, 3.50 on the back. Front brake was a competent single disc, with a drum at the back that was activated hydraulically. Above the headlight were a speedo and tachometer. Wet weight was a hefty 350 pounds, 50 more than the original X-6.
The GT designation did not really live up to the bike’s touring abilities. As a solo bike, it was OK in the quarter-liter category, but with a passenger on board taking off from a stop was both a bit slow and noisy. If the engine was pulling less than four grand, a stall was quite possible, and quiet departures were not to be had. Plus the seat height of 31 inches meant a relatively tall rider was probable, leaving not much room for a passenger. The saddle was narrowed at the front, for those with challenging inseams, but not very comfortable for the rider when carrying a passenger.
In the end the GT250 Hustler, now a pussycat, only lasted three years. The RAS was removed, and the bike became simply the GT250 for the next two years–with bigger fins in the head to aid in cooling. That Ram Air System apparently served mainly to slow things down.
This 1975 model seen in the photos, in Aztec Yellow, spent much of its life in boxes and was only recently put back together–the only thing missing being the left side cover, which comes from a different year.
Will this truck pull out in front of you? Watching for the front wheel to begin rolling is a more reliable predictor than making eye contact with the driver.
For those of us on two wheels, the most likely clash with another vehicle would be at an intersection with an approaching vehicle turning left across our path or a vehicle pulling into our lane from a side road, parking lot or driveway. How can we know if the driver will pull the trigger and shoot point blank into our immediate path of travel? When it comes to the anxious driver poised to pull out from our right or left, is there a way to detect the driver’s intent?
If there’s a wheel, there’s a way. Determining if a vehicle is beginning to move forward is most practical if we look to the car’s front wheel. Our brain has a much easier time detecting even the subtlest wheel rotation than it does trying to discern if the mass of the vehicle itself is moving slightly from right to left (or vice versa). See the wheel of that vehicle to your right beginning to rotate counterclockwise? Be ready; the vehicle is about to enter your lane!
But what about eye contact? Even if a driver appears to be looking directly at you, he or she may be looking beyond, never even noticing you. And, even if the driver does see you, they could easily misinterpret the distance and speed at which you are approaching, believing that you are farther away than you are.
Always anticipate the move. Even if you are confident that a driver will not pull out, be ready when they do. The way to do that is by managing your speed. Ask yourself if you could smoothly and safely stop your motorcycle to avoid contact if that driver began to pull out. Looking and anticipating while still carrying excessive speed takes away your options and limits the space and time you have to work with should the driver enter the lane ahead of you. He wheel. I mean, he will.
Nearly concurrent with the birth of the magazine you’re reading now was the introduction of a motorcycle that would become virtually synonymous with two-wheel touring, Honda’s Gold Wing. The first Wing, the GL1000, grew larger and gained displacement over the years until in 2001 it reached what some riders considered the apex of its evolution, and others saw as an unfortunate step past perfection.
Nobody complained about the engine, a smooth flat six with fuel injection, two valves per cylinder, a hundred horsepower and a torque curve that seemingly had no beginning and no end–it was just always there, whenever you twisted the loud handle. The shaft drive that had been standard since the beginning was now incorporated into a single-sided swingarm for easier rear-wheel service. Also standard was a reverse gear–not just handy but almost mandatory for maneuvering the nearly 900-pound Wing in tight spaces–and linked brakes, with ABS an extra-cost option.
From Rider, April 2009.
Where the GL1800 significantly departed from the script written by its ancestors was in the handling department. Its grace and stability at speed was almost physics-defying, giving many touring riders their first taste of dragging hard parts in the corners well before the chassis sent any alarms upstairs. The frame itself was made of aluminum spars hefty enough to support bridges, and used the engine as a stressed member. Some 2002-model frames, however, were prone to cracking, and were the subject of a factory recall.
That wasn’t the only cause for criticism of the GL1800. Some of the improvements were fine, such as a larger radiator and fans and a higher-output alternator (from 1100 watts to 1300) in 2006. But two-up riders panned the GL18’s smaller bags and trunk compared to the GL1500’s, and felt the pilot’s seat placed the passenger too far to the rear to reap the benefits of the otherwise effective fairing and windscreen. The optional airbag on 2006-and-later models raised a few eyebrows among those who already thought the big Wing was just a car without doors.
The automotive analogy almost perfectly described the GL1800’s reliability, as well as its character, which some riders say is the very definition of bland. But there’s no denying that when it comes to the used market, the Wing gets the job done as well as or better than anything in the class for the same money.
The Gold Wing graces the cover of our February 2006 issue.
They’re more likely than most bikes to have been dealer serviced for most of their lives, so ask for receipts, and have a local dealer run the VIN to make sure the bike has been brought in for all recalls and service campaigns. Leaking fork seals aren’t too common, but they are a major pain to replace, so look for oil weeping down the fork legs, and check the condition of the brake and clutch fluid; flushing and replacing the fluid in the linked brake system is another service headache.
Try every setting and button on the stereo, the intercom and the navi system, and make sure the rear shock preload adjuster works. Function-check any add-on lights and accessories, and if you’re feeling brave and the seller isn’t looking, give the ABS a workout, too. Expect to pay anywhere from $7,500 for a first-year GL1800 in fair condition up to $12,000 for a 2011 model, excluding value-adding accessories.
From Rider, February 2006.
2001-2010 Honda GL1800 Gold Wing
PROS Long on power, competence and comfort.
Reliability above average, dealers everywhere.
CONS Short on personality, low-speed maneuverability and ease of service.
Excess weight can become tiresome.
Engine: Liquid-cooled, 1,832cc flat six, fuel injected, 2 valves per cylinder Final Drive: Shaft Weight: 898 lbs. Fuel Capacity: 6.6 gals. Seat Height: 29 in.
Travel from Yuma to San Diego via historic U.S. Route 80 and the wood Plank Road, and you’ll see how unforgiving the desert can be. Photos by the author.
Picture a scene in which hearty travelers traverse barren and windswept sand dunes on roads of rough-hewn timbers. I am not talking about some prehistoric time nor am I forecasting a dystopian future. No, my friends, many still-living Americans could tell you of this strange and fascinating tale set in the American Southwest.
I recently happened upon a magazine article that mentioned a wood plank road that spanned the sand dunes linking the southernmost portions of California and Arizona. With my interest piqued, I dug deeper and discovered that the Old Plank Road was operational for more than a decade and was ultimately displaced by a paved portion of U.S. Route 80 in 1926.
Almost four decades later, U.S. 80 succumbed to Interstate 8. Now, the Plank Road is a fascinating, crumbling relic of the early 20th century; however, long portions of Historic U.S. 80 are still passable as an interesting alternative to I-8 from Yuma, Arizona, to San Diego, California.
That was enough for me. I dug deeper into the history of the Plank Road, researched Historic U.S. 80, charted my course and packed the bags on my BMW R 1200 GS. I was off to discover the Plank Road and ride as much of Historic U.S. Route 80 as possible from Yuma to San Diego.
The Ocean-to-Ocean Highway Bridge is the impressive opening act to the Yuma to San Diego trek. The bridge spans the Colorado River, and its 1915 completion date coincides with the Plank Road. Its name indicates its importance in the nationwide, transcontinental Ocean-to-Ocean Highway.
Yuma to El Centro – in Search of the Plank Road
The sun-drenched starting point of my ride was the history-rich city of Yuma, Arizona. Now snowbirds in massive RVs converge on the city in winter like their winged migratory counterparts. However, Yuma was once a centerpiece of the Old West, and has been a transportation hub of the Southwest for more than one hundred years.
I began my trek west at the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway Bridge, which spans the Colorado River in north Yuma. Now on the National Historical Register, the bridge was completed in 1915, which coincides with the early years of the Plank Road. The area directly surrounding the bridge is home to a cluster of historical sites. The Yuma Territorial Prison, which sits directly adjacent to the bridge, was an intriguing walk back into the rough-and-tumble Old West. The close-by Colorado River State Historic Park dates back to the late 19th century and preserves a small number of the Plank Road timbers in a display.
After riding over the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway Bridge, a quick left turn placed me immediately on Historic U.S. 80. The road took me by crumpling adobe structures, over the All-American Canal and through the sandy desert. Whereas nearby I-8 is smooth, wide and boring, Historic U.S. 80 is narrow, cracked, undulating and entertaining. It requires attention and a bit of slaloming to avoid jarring reminders that it is a historic route. The long suspension on the BMW was tailor-made for the unpredictable road conditions.
A ride on Historic U.S. 80 requires vigilance. Sand drifts, potholes and crumbling margins speak to its relegation to secondary status.
After this opening act of my Historic U.S. 80 tour, I rejoined I-8 for a bit. Portions of Historic U.S. 80 are relegated to spur status–they “spur” off of the interstate but terminate without rejoining the new route. One such spur is Grays Well Road.
The Grays Well section of the original route is now a well-paved ingress into the Imperial Sand Dunes portion of the larger geological feature known as the Algodones Dunes. These dunes are what made the Plank Road necessary in the early 1900s. After enjoying a short, beautiful ride through shining sand hills, I came to the site that contains the longest and best-preserved portion of the Old Plank Road.
What I found was a stretch of the Old Plank Road that spans the equivalent of about five football fields in length. The road is protected from potential damage by off-road vehicles with metal, sand-worthy barriers, but visitors can touch and walk the Plank Road section. The road is intriguing. It has weathered and rusted into a heaving work of art.
One can almost hear the rhythmic thumping of Model T tires when visiting the protected section of the wood Plank Road. The vast majority of nearby interstate travelers have no idea that this historic relic even exists.
So why was the timber road ever built? Quite simply, it was commercially important to have a direct route here from the growing and thriving San Diego coastal area to the west. While asphalt and concrete road building techniques of the time worked reasonably well on the harder surfaces of the area directly east of the coast, the shifting sands of the Algodones Dunes posed a huge quandary for road builders.
San Diego businessman Ed Fletcher was the driving force that ultimately led to the construction of the Plank Road. That bumpy, ever-changing, maintenance-intensive endeavor continued as the transportation solution for crossing more than six miles of the dunes from 1915 through 1926.
I walked, touched and studied the Plank Road in solitude. Not a single soul even drove by in the substantial time I spent in the surreal dunes. When I finally pulled myself away, I took another short ride on the interstate before jumping back on Historic U.S. 80 toward the California towns of Holtville and El Centro. The long, straight stretch of the historic road gave me time to ruminate on the Plank Road and the challenges of early travelers.
Much of Historic U.S. 80 runs parallel with and in close proximity to the interstate, but it is worlds apart in terms of traffic and fun. There are remnants and ruins of structures that were left to languish in the desert heat when traffic was rerouted to the newer and faster interstate.
Historic U.S. 80 runs through the hearts of both Holtville and El Centro, as both were supremely important to the commerce and trade of the time. Either of these cities can serve as a gas and food stop on this route; I found a hotel in El Centro just off the Historic U.S. 80 route.
The Cleveland National Forest spans 460,000 acres of desert and chaparral.
Ocotillo to Laguna Junction – on the Winding Road
While fascinating and historically rich, the prior day’s ride was, for the most part, straight. Motorcyclists, by nature, love curves and that is what this next leg of my ride on Historic U.S. 80 had to offer.
After a breakfast of huevos rancheros in El Centro, I made my way to Ocotillo. After rolling through the town, named after a type of cactus, I rode a nicely curvy stretch of I-8 until I came to the exit for the Desert View Tower. The tall, eclectic stone structure, which dates back to the time of the Plank Road, sits on another Historic U.S. 80 spur west of the interstate.
After a short visit to the tower, I crossed the interstate to the south onto a long, intact loop of Historic U.S. 80. The road is instantly winding and remains coiled for miles of highly entertaining riding. The little desert oasis town of Jacumba Hot Springs is home to its namesake spring, a few colorful buildings and a clothing-optional resort. I am sure to everyone’s delight I opted to stay clothed and keep riding.
The GS is right at home with several brethren outside the Jacumba Spa Restaurant.
At a few points along the route, the tall international border “wall” could be seen to the south and there were sporadic signs warning that the region is subject to illegal drug trafficking. However, from the rolling perspective of a motorcycle saddle, there is a slow-paced calm to the area.
I rode through several small clusters of humanity and miles of unspoiled nature toward the Campo Indian Reservation and the Cleveland National Forest. The road conditions are variable and there are sections of concrete as well as reasonably maintained asphalt. However, from a pure riding perspective, I found this to be the most entertaining stretch of the route.
The Jacumba section just north of the U.S./Mexico border is the most curvy and entertaining of the ride.
Laguna Junction to the Beautiful Balboa Park
At Laguna Junction, Historic U.S. 80 runs north of the interstate for a while as it winds to the west. I passed through the small towns of Guatay and Descanso Junction, and the increased elevation of 4,000 feet brought with it a nice mix of oak and pine trees. Where Historic U.S. 80 melds back into I-8, I could see several now impassable portions of the old road in the mountains to my right.
From this point on through Alpine, El Cajon and La Mesa, Historic U.S. 80 flirts with and becomes the interstate and other roads intermittently. The ride in this stretch was much more frenetic and filled with traffic than the rest of the route, and rolled through historic commercial districts and residential communities as the ride became increasingly urban.
The entrance of the stunning Balboa Park is an impressive foreshadowing of the treasures within.
After several miles of this suburban jockeying, I rolled to the end of my tour as I entered the stunningly beautiful Balboa Park. The “Jewel of San Diego” spells the approximate end of the Historic U.S. 80, and a perfect end to the ride. The lush natural environment combined with fantastic museums and entertainment venues like the Old Globe Theater make Balboa one of the most delightful parks in the Southwest.
My final stop was the San Diego Automotive Museum in Balboa Park, which houses a nice collection of historic motorcycles alongside vintage and unique cars and trucks. Fittingly, the museum features a creative display dedicated to the Old Plank Road, which brings it to life and provides a fine overview of this significant part of transportation history.
The San Diego Automotive Museum in Balboa Park features a current exhibition that brings the Plank Road to life.Historic photos and staged exhibits in the museum show the wonders and challenges of crossing the Imperial Dunes.
Riding Considerations
Being a desert region, this ride is best made from fall to spring. The summer months are sweltering. Road conditions are extremely variable as there are sections of both asphalt and concrete. Potholes, sand and some broken tarmac should be expected. For a detailed series of route maps, visit americanroads.us/ushighways/ushighway80.html.
A while back, I dedicated a Riding Well column to the topic of preparing ourselves for every ride. We have T-CLOCS to assess the condition of our motorcycles, but what about a way to gauge the condition of the human at the controls? That’s when I developed the acronym, “READY.”
Before you ride, ask yourself, “Am I READY?”…
Relaxed and in the right mindset for riding. Is your head in a good place? If you’re angry, stressed or distracted, it may not be the best time to get on the bike. Tired? Don’t press on. Honestly assess your mental and emotional state before you straddle your bike.
Equipped with proper riding gear. If you’re reading this, you’re likely inclined to wear ATGATT. But is that chinstrap fastened? Do you have gear that’s right when that temperature plummets after the rain storm (you have rain gear, right?). Don’t forget the clear face shield in addition to the dark one that’s on your helmet.
Anticipating the ride ahead. Before you roll on the throttle, roll through in your mind the things you can expect to encounter out there. Consider how the season, the day of the week and time of day can present different challenges and threats. The more you think through, the less chance you’ll be taken by surprise.
Drug and alcohol free. The best bet is to save drinking for ride’s end. If you do have a drink at that bike-friendly pub, be sure to give it at least an hour (per drink) before riding again. And, if you’re on medications, be aware of any side effects that may impair your riding acuity.
Yielding to more aggressive drivers. Maintaining control of a situation sometimes means giving in to aggressive drivers. Engaging with them puts them in control. Decide before you ride how you will respond to antagonistic drivers.
I keep a laminated, wallet-sized copy of this card with me and refer to it before every ride and after every stop along the way. Want a copy of your own? Here’s a PDF of the card that you can download and print out. Then you’ll always have it at the READY!
Earlier this year I had the opportunity to photograph the Collezione Moto Poggi, located just outside Bologna in Villanova di Castenaso.
Collezione Moto Poggi
The current home to Pierluigi Poggi’s collection was opened in 2012 and houses the largest gathering of racing Yamahas in Europe, as well as bikes from many other marques.
Collezione Moto Poggi
While the vast majority of the bikes on display are Pierluigi’s, a number are on loan from other collectors and Yamaha Europe.
Collezione Moto Poggi
The bikes are displayed in four main halls with an additional room that houses the Minarelli family’s own collection.
Collezione Moto Poggi
Hall 1 has over fifty racing Yamahas, ranging from the company’s first production racer – the 1959 250cc Clubman Racer (also known as the YDS1R), to 990cc M1 MotoGP bikes.
Hall 2 contains many pre WW II racing machines including examples from DKW, F.B. Mondial, MV Agusta, etc. Hall 3 has mainly post WW II bikes such as Rumi, CM, Montessa & Yamaha.
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Hall 4 is home to an impressive line up of Yamaha WSBK racers and is also used for temporary exhibitions. During the the time I was there Frankie Chili was dropping in items for an exhibition to celebrate his 24 years in racing and graciously posed for a few shots.
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Hall 1
As can been seen there is no shortage of air-cooled TDs and water-cooled TZs here! From a 8.3hp TZ50 to the mighty TZ750.
A notable inclusion is one of Carlos Lavado’s 1986 World Championship winning YZR250/OW82s.
The mezzanine in Hall 2 has a display of about 50 micro motors (under 50cc). From Atala to Zurcher, via Benelli, Ceccato, Cimatti, DEMM, DKW, Ducati, Garelli, Grillo, JLO, Ibis, Imex, Itom, Malanca, Morini, Mondial, MV Agusta and Tomos.
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Hall 3
Race and road bikes galore!
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The oldest bike in the collection is this 1899 200cc Keller Donrion. Output 1.75hp!
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At the other end of the spectrum – a 1993 Yamaha V-Max.
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Two examples of the little known Binassi brand. A 125cc Competizone and 175 Sport. Both from 1971.
Now retired banker Nerio Pancaldi has been creating unique bikes since 1963. Typically using an unassuming small capacity Italian bike as the base, he designs and engineers major engine changes such as converting an OHV to a DOHC.
Or fitting his own desmo heads. A water-cooled 125cc gear-driven DOHC parallel twin is a completely original design.
Hall 4
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Noriyouki Haga’s 2000 YZF-R7 OW-02 heads this row of WSBK racers. After a problematic debut of the new design in 1999, Haga had a much more successful time the following year, finishing 2nd to Colin Edwards, with 4 wins. 2000 was also the R7’s last year, as Yamaha withdrew from WSBK at the end of that season.
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Pierfrancesco “Frankie” Chili poses with his first racing motorcycle, a Malanca he rode in 1982, during the setting up of a special exhibition to celebrate his 24 year racing career. The 4th Hall is used for such special events, including being the control point for historic races passing through Bologna.
Minarelli Room
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One room on the first floor houses ten of the Minarelli family’s competition bikes plus dozens of production and prototype motors. The No3 streamliner set five 175cc world records in 1971 and two more in 1975.
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The No1 bike set two 100cc records in 1971 and two in 1973. Successful 75 and 50cc bikes are also seen. One prototype motor on display is a 4-stroke 1954 DOHC 175cc unit. 067
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Angel Nieto’s 1981 125cc title winning Minarelli twin. Nieto had also won the ’79 title on an earlier version, then with Minarelli passing the design onto Garelli for the 1982 season, he won in ’82, ’83 & ‘84 on the basically unchanged machine. With only small changes Fausto Gresini then took the title in ’85 & ’86 and Luca Cadalora in ’87. The Constructor’s trophy and certificate accompany the bike.
There are numerous challenges that the Australian motorcycle industry confronts, here I touch on a few that I feel are perhaps some of the most important.
Fun – Fast – Frugal – Affordable
Most of us, no doubt you included, first got involved in motorcycles because they were fast and offered unbelievable thrills. While remaining practical enough, affordable and frugal enough to be used for mundane day to day tasks like commuting and the like.
Yamaha’s MT-09 is one of the few mainstream bikes not at the lower end of the scale that is actually performing well in the marketplace.
Advertising constraints largely prevent brands from really showcasing the fast and fun aspects of motorcycling. Across my own media channels I do like to portray the fun, the fast, the thrill and the daring-do that first got me interested in motorcycles. No doubt some of this is perhaps frowned upon, but for a lot of us, it remains what motorcycling is predominantly about, and what keeps many of us involved.
I also acknowledge that some people enjoy a casual ride in the country at a slow pace and just enjoy the scenery, with no real interest in the performance aspect of motorcycling. It is a lifestyle decision, largely with a significant social aspect with group rides and the like.
The 2018 Softail Breakout is one model to be somewhat bucking the negative sales trend, but overall Harley-Davidson is down by over 20 per cent.
It is interesting to note that most of the top selling road motorcycles are relatively low priced. Only the Harley Breakout and Yamaha MT-09 buck that trend in a road bike top ten that is largely populated by affordable learner machines.
Barriers to entry are larger than ever before
The days of cars being much dearer to buy and run than motorcycles are gone. $20k gets you a nice small car that gets comparable fuel economy to most motorcycles, while keeping you dry and cool or warm, depending on where you set the climate control, and generally also cost a lot less to service. However, people interested in 20k cars as their sole mode of transport are probably not going to be those most predisposed towards motorcycling.
The barriers to getting a motorcycle license and the costs incurred today are frightening. In many states new riders have to wear ridiculous high-vis vests for a number of years (which have proven to be of no help), and just how cool is that… New riders in some states are not allowed to carry passengers for their first three years on two wheels. My mother was taken to hospital on a motorcycle while in labour, and brought home from the hospital with bub in a motorcycle sidecar! Times have certainly changed, rules, rules and more rules.
Yamaha’s MT-03 learner bike, based on the YZF-R3
It is a four-figure exercise these days to become fully licensed in many states, and things are being made harder every year.
A case in point is the new regulations in Queensland that further restrict the training of new riders, and are causing problems for training providers who are incensed at new restrictions.
When most of us started out riding registration costs for motorcycles were a fraction of what it cost to register a car, that is no longer the case. The likes of MUARC and nanny-state governments have truly cut the industry off at the knees. But it is a death by a thousand cuts rather than a necking.
The fact that despite the barriers to entry, the sales of beginner motorcycles have been strong in recent years is immensely encouraging. However, I do believe the barriers to entry are keeping many more away from motorcycling than otherwise would be involved, and loving it.
Gone are the days of motorcycling being a cheap alternative, unless you’ll settle for something like Honda’s best selling CB125
Right now you would have to be very determined to get on a motorcycle for the first time, and also be doing pretty well financially. Those taking the plunge and joining our ranks, I salute you!
Do we give up on the toe-the-line attitude?
Do we need to harness the rebellious aspect of motorcycling again somehow?
Despite the capitulation of the populace to these truly preposterous regulations, if governments are going to put more and more restrictions on us, do we start putting two fingers up at them, and be seen to be doing so publicly….?
Dave McKenna stunting on his MT-09 – With policing focusing on the smallest infractions riders are at constant risk, which has an impact on the appeal of motorcycles
They hate us and want rid of us anyway, thus in my eyes we have nothing to lose by poking the bear, and perhaps even something to gain by bringing a bit of the rebel aspect back to motorcycling.
Unfortunately, with Australian now perhaps the most wowser country in the world, they will just make more rules, and make life on two wheels harder again…
Electric Motorcycles – Could they be a savior?
Will we have to wait until the first influx of genuinely good and practical electric motorcycles to really excite the public with something new that they want to be part of? Or will government departments do their best to cut that new direction off at the knees via yet more draconian barriers to entry?
Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire electric motorcycle represents the future of motorcycling in many ways
Police harassment is most certainly an issue
Police harassment of motorcyclists is also most certainly an issue, along with the now borderline insane penalties for minor traffic offences. Guilty until proven innocent, the penalties are beyond my comprehension when compared to what people get for bashing innocent people senseless… For the real few menaces to society that just don’t get off completely scot-free that is.
Police media units craft every single piece of news relating to motorcyclists into a jaundiced story and negative headline. Even where there is a positives to be found, there will be no strong mention of them, just that every single thing ever related to motorcycles has to have a negative connotation reinforced by the police. This then translates into headlines in the mainstream press regarding motorcycles to overwhelmingly always remain negative.
A middle-aged female friend moved to Victoria from NSW a few years ago. She is short of stature and rides a professionally lowered ZX-6R, so she can get her feet on the ground to provide her with a little more confidence and security. The following story is so ridiculous you would think it fiction, but I assure you it is fact.
On her very first ride in Victoria she was pulled up in Healesville with a number of other motorcyclists for a licence check and vehicle examinations. She was given a defect notice for worn hand-grips, despite the fact that the grips on a ZX-6R, like most modern motorcycles, have no real grooves but are instead smooth from new.
Harassment for the sake of it, pure and simple. But it gets better. With that behind her, the next ride again took her out of the city for a coffee in Myrtleford. A passing policeman noticed her bike looked a little low, questioned her on it and was told it was professionally lowered by a motorcycle suspension specialist to cater for her very short stature.
The 2013 Kawasaki ZX-6R 636cc version
She was then told that she needs to carry an engineers certification with the motorcycle to prove her machine was legal. So on her second ride in Victoria she had her second defect notice. A soul destroying experience and enough for many to give it away for good.
25 km/h over the limit in some states now incurs an automatic three-month suspension of your licence. It is certainly much harder to stay closer to speed limits on a motorcycle than in a car, especially now that so many of the limits on favoured motorcycle routes have been lowered.
The risks of accidental licence loss are always present. This has led to many riders electing to ride enduro bikes in the bush as an alternative to suffocating from the strain of trying to never stray over the limit on the road. Which really can take the enjoyment out of road riding in this day and age.
How do we combat the regulation and harassment that motorcyclists face
I myself have had meetings with ministers over the years when lobbying for access to off-road riding areas, and have been invited to, and spoken at, motorcycle safety conferences. I have a very basic understanding of how to deal with government, but the time and effort it takes to achieve any real progress is astounding. You also quickly learn that political staffers are the gate-keepers, and are the ones that really run the country.
It is very hard to successfully deal with government agencies, thus why ex-politicians and their staffers are tapped for their knowledge of how to walk the halls of power and gain influence by large industries. This knowledge and access costs money, serious money.
Industry campaigning resources within the FCAI are limited and the industry is hurting financially, but perhaps there is a case to be made for increased funding to facilitate the use of people who lobby government as a full-time career, and are smart as to how they go about it. But then, achieving consensus as to what issues to fund could prove difficult among FCAI members.
Trev on the KTM 1290 Super Adventure R off road – Even getting off-road access can involve paperwork these days
Without further efforts in these areas though things are only going to get worse for us in regards to barriers to entry. Not only that, it may see many seasoned riders give up, deeming it just all too hard.
The fact that 2.1-million Australians hold a motorcycle licence, yet there are only around 870,000 registered motorcycles in Australia suggests that many out there have already found it all too hard and hung up their helmets.
Many of us still riding have many registered motorcycles in their garage, thus that 870,000 registered motorcycles could realistically extrapolate to a figure of 400,000 or less people actually currently owning motorcycles. With more then 2.1-million licence holders that makes the current participation rate, by my reckoning, at around 20 per cent…
Finances
Of course current political instability and debt burdens also play their part in restricting motorcycle purchasing activity. Recently, obtaining motorcycle finance at good interest rates has never been easier, but it does not seem to have helped sales numbers all that much. Or perhaps it has, and if not for the ease of finance in recent years things would be even more dire.
However, while credit has been easy of late, lending restrictions have now got much tighter in this space also, and this is already having a significant flow-on effect. Some would even say that finance is the real crux of the matter right now, and the factor primarily responsible for this most recent downturn.
High living expenses are also a weight on everyone’s shoulders, explaining the popularity of competitively priced machines, especially in the LAMS segment
Young people having student loans to pay back, when earlier generations had no such swords hanging over their heads, or the truly insane property prices to worry about if youngsters actually hold a distant vision of hope to get on the real estate merry-go-round.
Those going to trade school and/or starting apprenticeships are also more likely to need a reliable work vehicle that can carry the tools of their trade. However, these days young tradies do relatively well, and are quite likely to have a dirt-bike in the shed for some weekend fun rather than owning a road bike. Particularly as riding on the road can be so hazardous to ones licence.
Fewer reasons than ever to upgrade
Sports-bike sales are in the toilet, no doubt about it. These days there is no need to buy a sports-bike to have amazing power, powerful brakes, and excellent suspension.
15 years ago you could only get big power, awesome brakes and excellent suspension by buying a sports-bike, nowadays that is simply not the case. Even ten years ago, who would have imagined that we could buy 170 horse-power adventure bikes with massive Brembo brakes and awesome suspension, or 200 horsepower naked-bikes for that matter..?
Ducati sales are down 22 per cent
Nowadays, pretty much every large capacity motorcycle on the market offers outstanding performance in every area, there really is no need to buy a sportsbike unless track days are your bag.
I believe that is the seconday reason behind the downturn in this space, close followed by the increasing penalties for accidental speeding.
The fact that the state can potentially take ownership of your vehicle for what once would be a relatively minor speeding offence, makes me want to set government buildings on fire and smash windows.
Thus, unlike earlier decades, performance is hardly a criteria for many to upgrade, as the level of performance of most motorcycles made in the last ten years is already brilliant. What really is there to gain by upgrading to something newer… ?
New machines are offering ever more amazing technology, but is upgrading getting harder to justify for many riders?
The move by some brands to increase their warranty periods out to three years is, I believe, a good move that will help shift new motorcycles. Still, it is a long way from the almost normal five or even six-year warranty periods now offered on new cars.
New technology such as the latest TFT dashes with integrated navigation prompts and Bluetooth etc certainly appeals to many, myself included.
The fixed price servicing package recently introduced by BMW, for example, could also help encourage riders to trade up to something newer.
On the dirt
Dirt-bike sales are also suffering, but currently the off-road market is faring a little better than the road segment. Sales of kids starter bikes like the PW50 and CRF50F are still very strong and are now the backbone of the off-road market.
Entry level options for the kids off road remain popular, like the CRF50F, CRF110F, CRF125F and CRF125FB
It seems consumers have been burnt by the cheap Chinese crap that hit the market years ago, and have now returned to trusted brands that deliver a much higher quality product. The competition between the bikes in this space though is fierce and profit margins tiny, which isn’t going to help keep dealers doors open.
It is also interesting to note than in an enduro segment, which in recent years has got more and more hard-core, and much more expensive, numbers are actually still pretty strong.
While sales of motocross bikes do ebb and flow a little, the trend is downward. The racing scene seems to be in trouble in most states, and finding somewhere to ride your motocross bike, legally, is certainly problematic. Theft problems are also rife, and yet add more hassle to the ownership experience for many.
We have had some wins, such as the Recreational Registration Scheme used in Victoria now expanding to other jurisdictions. It remains though that for younger riders the only place to legally partake is on private land, which is a huge impost for regular folk.
Summary
There are no easy answers but I do believe that the barriers to entry are much larger than ever before, and are the biggest challenge in getting people on two wheels. If you think motorcycles are fast, fun and cool, then having to wear a poxy high-vis vest everywhere can certainly put a dampener on things. Nobody could ever convince me this preposterous affront has been mandated due to safety reasons.
The affordability and frugality of modern cars and their convenience can also not be overstated.
For seasoned riders the reasons to upgrade to a new motorcycle are also fewer than ever before. Wearing all that depreciation on your current mount to gain something of nothing by going to a newer motorcycle, particularly if again purchasing a mount in the same genre of motorcycling, along with the upgrade costs which are then also subject to the accompanying government charges that go with it, means you really have to want that new bike…
In my opinion, the pandering to social media ‘influencers’ and the ‘hipsters’ has only brought motorcycling down in status. It also seems that the brands that have invested the most in this route, instead of looking after their core customers, are the brands that are currently hurting the most in regards to declining sales.
That said though, it was worth a try as the motorcycling demographic shows few signs of getting any younger… I am just not sure ‘influencers’ are ever going to have much real impact with young Australians, especially when virtually all their apparent social media ‘followers’, even the likes that weren’t just bought fakes, and are actually real people, are not even in Australia…
One thing is clear though, waiting out the downturn and doing nothing is not really an option. One less motorcycle sale equals one less finance or insurance sale. The knock on effects of someone actually getting out of riding altogether also leads to less consumables such as tyres, oils, pads, chains etc. and a lesser need to visit a motorcycle workshop.
Ten years ago a previous downturn caused many motorcycle dealers to close their doors. We are again on a precipice where many more dealers, many of whom are good, honest retailers, could be forced to shut up once and for all.
Yes, almost all workplaces and industry have to evolve, and adapt to changes in Australian society, and some dealers can also be their own worst enemy. But if you know a good one that does deserve your support, now might be a good time to show them a little custom, as every little bit helps. Trying to retain good staff in trying times is another massive problem that dealers face.
More motorcycle dealers will go to the wall
Please air your thoughts on the subjects I have raised in the comments section below, even if you vehemently disagree with me, as I know I certainly don’t have all the answers… Bring forth your own pearls of wisdom….
The previous column talked about the Capriolo 75. This week an even more unusual Capriolo is featured.
A rare Capriolo is this Cento 50
The Cento 50 (150) was debuted at the Milan Show in 1953 and is a rare example of a non-BMW influenced flat twin and also the smallest capacity such design to make production.
The Cento 50 was notable for the 150 flat twin powerplant
The pressed steel frame was very similar to the 75’s and the motor also carried over some features, such as usage of face-cams. The pressed steel Earles fork of the prototype was replaced by a normal telescopic fork for production.
The chassis was also similar to the Capriolo 75’s
Notable advanced features included indicators within the tail light and a neutral indicator light. A single carburettor was used, partially housed within the rear of the engine unit for a very clean appearance. Output was 8 hp and top speed was 95 km/h.
Power output was 8hp, enough for a top speed of 95km/h
Two versions were produced, with the later (coming in 1955) being easily distinguished by the full width brakes.
Capriolo Cento 50
Production ceased in 1956. Only some 500 were built making this sophisticated motorcycle highly collectable.
Only 500 of the Cento 50 were made in two versions, making them very collectableCapriolo Cento 50
Capriolo was the motorcycle division of the famous Italian aircraft manufacturer Caproni (and named after the local alpine deer).
The Capriolo 75 was produced when the Italian firm was banned from aircraft production following WW2
When Italy was barred from producing aircraft after WW II, Count Caproni turned to motorcycles (as did Aermacchi). In fact among their first projects was producing the frame for the first Ducati motorcycle, the 60.
The brand actually produced a frame for the Ducati 60
The 75 was introduced in 1951 and production continued until 1958.
The Capriolo 75 Normale had a distinctive frame
This 75 Normale is the second version (circa. 1957) of the 75, which featured revised engine parts (mainly the clutch) and hydraulic rear shocks in place of the earlier friction damper types. The front forks were also updated.
This later version (a 1957) featured updated suspension and clutch
The motor was unusual in having a longitudinally mounted crankshaft with the flywheel at the front. To complete the weirdness a face-cam system was used instead of a normal lobe cam.
Capriolo 75 engine cut-out
Output was 3.5hp at 6000rpm and a pressed steel frame which encompassed the tank was yet another unusual feature.
Capriolo 75 engine cut-out
With Count Caproni’s death in 1957 the company was reorganised and renamed Aeromere (Areo Meccanica Regionale).
The brand was later renamed Areo Meccanica Regionale
A new line of bikes was then designed including a new 75. Capriolo was taken over by Laverda in 1964.
Capriolo 75
Being an Italian company, of course a 75 Sport was soon introduced (1952). It made 4.5hp at 7,500rpm.
Capriolo 75
Capriolo 75Capriolo 75Capriolo 75Capriolo was taken over by Laverda in 1964Capriolo 75Capriolo 75Capriolo 75Capriolo 75Capriolo 75Capriolo 75 ‘Sport’Capriolo 75Capriolo 75Capriolo 75
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