Motorcycle Touring, Motorcycle Tours

Millions of tourists travel to the Black Hills of South Dakota each year and many don’t have the opportunity to see all the great features of the area offers. Having a sense for the area prior to making your trip can enlighten prospective travelers to the wonders the area has to offer. For trekkers making their first stop to the Black Hills of South Dakota, there are a few personal guidelines to rule by:

Be adventurous. Many of the great aspects of the Black Hills are spread out in each area, but you can drive to most under an hour. Taking a tour of Mount Rushmore? Visit Custer State Park or ride the 1880 Train in Hill City. Staying in Deadwood? Visit Teddy Roosevelt’s ‘Friendship Tower’ or inquire about ghost tours at the Bullock Hotel.

Be open minded. Not everyone is enchanted by pine forests and granite rock spires, but if you allow yourself to soak up the history of the Black Hills and travel to the natural wonders of the area, you may become fond this area’s offerings. This also includes events in each city – attend the Days of ’76 in Deadwood or an annual Black Hills Pow Wow in Rapid City to acquire a taste of Black Hills culture.

Navigate the roads with caution. Get accustomed to driving around tight quarters, steep hills, and windy roads. This comes in handy especially when visiting Mount Rushmore or traveling through the Needles Highway in Custer State Park. During the Sturgis Rally, a phenomenal amount of motorcyclists are here, so being cautious and wary will ensure better safety on the roads. There’s nothing more daunting traveling on a steep road, rolling through tight-quarter rock tunnels, and winding around single-lane road mazes with flocks of motorcyclists. Many of the roads are open and easy to navigate, but it’s always best to err on the side of caution when traveling.

If you can abide by these, you’re on your way to having an excellent Black Mountain Hills of Dakota experience. If you’re staying in Rapid City, you’re essentially an hour from everywhere in the Black Hills. It’s good to visit the popular attractions like Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer State Park, and Deadwood Main Street. Keep in mind that there are many more treasures laden throughout each town and scenic byway. Also, make sure to visit Devils Tower, the United States’ first National Monument, which is located about an hour away from Spearfish near Hulett, Wyoming.

Here’s a brief collection of fun events and good dining for each city to look into when planning a trip:

Spearfish

• Roma’s Ristorante
• Corvette Rally
• Festival in the Park
• Bum Steer Steakhouse

Deadwood & Lead

• Kool Deadwood Nights
• Skiing at Terry Peak & Mystic Miner
• July 4th Fireworks in Lead
• Days of ’76 Rodeo & Parade
• Saloon #10 & Social Club Restaurant
• Oggies Sports Bar at the Lodge
• Deadwood Mountain Grand concerts
• Mickelson Trail & Races

Custer

• Crazy Horse Memorial
• Jewel Cave National Monument
• Blue Bell Lodge
• Black Hills Playhouse
• Custer State Park
• Sylvan Lake Lodge

Hill City

• 1880 Train
• Sylvan Lake
• Alpine Inn (excellent dining)
• Main Street attractions
• Prairie Berry Winery

Sturgis

• Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
• Full Throttle Saloon (check out the tv show!)
• Buffalo Chip Campground (excellent concerts yearly)
• Easyriders Saloon
• Loud American Roadhouse

Many of us live in areas not conducive to riding a motorcycle rear round. I know there are die-hards out there who will ride in anything, all year, I used to be one of them, rain, snow, negative temperatures, you name it. Today, however, I prefer to ride my motorcycle when the conditions are more favorable. I enjoy riding more when there are less hazards and warmer temperatures. This means that every year, just like thousands of others, I roll my motorcycle into its winter nesting place, the back of my garage.

Storing a motorcycle is not as simple as rolling it into the back of a garage though, at least if you want a effortless start to the new riding season. It doesn’t have to be hard either. Just a few steps and you can insure that your motorcycle will be ready when you are.

The first and most important step would be care of your motorcycle battery. Over time motorcycle batteries slowly discharge. You might have experienced the effects on your battery after your motorcycle sat for just a week or two. Imagine if you left it alone for an entire winter. Your battery would surely be dead and depending on its age and condition before storage, it might not ever take a charge again. Buying and installing a new battery in your motorcycle on the first day of good riding weather is an easily avoidable situation. Keep your motorcycle battery charged.

In the past one would have to charge the battery periodically during the storage period. Today we have battery chargers that offer a low rate of charge only as needed by the battery. These battery chargers shut off when a full charge is reached as to avoid overcharging and damaging the battery. Most of these battery chargers supply a ‘pigtail’ that can be permanently attached to your motorcycle battery, thus making it easier to connect the battery charger. So convenient that you easily could, and should use the battery charger year round.

The second sign of a long stored motorcycle is the deterioration of the fuel. Like batteries discharging, over time fuel will become ‘stale’ and creating a gum and varnish buildup. Not just the fuel in the tank, but in the entire fuel system. To avoid hard or impossible starting of your motorcycle (and poor running if you do get it started) due to stale fuel, removing or treating the fuel in your motorcycle is a must. Draining a fuel tank is a real drag, and getting all of the gas out of carburetors is not much better. Fortunately there are fuel additives available today that will halt the negative effects of aging gas, perfect for your stored motorcycle.

Congratulations! You’ve tackled the two most important steps in storing your motorcycle. Check back for Part II where I discuss commonly overlooked storage details and talk about bringing your motorcycle out of storage.

The really nice thing about motorcycles and other vehicles in general is that over time they continue to get better and better. Thus it is that just because you’ve ridden a particular machine once, that doesn’t mean you don’t want to ride one again, given the opportunity. So when my second opportunity to ride a Can-Am Spyder presented itself recently of course I jumped at the chance.

And you know what? I think they’ve improved it.

Of course, I’m not comparing apples to apples here so keep that in mind. What I rode before was the 2009 Spyder RS, which is just the basic machine. This time I rode the 2011 Spyder RT, the touring machine, that comes with luggage containers and a back-rest for the passenger. That extra mass could make a difference in handling. Or it could just be that I did a better job riding it because I had experience.

What’s more likely, however, is that they’ve improved the Spyder, and I suspect the key factor is the new for 2010 Stability Control System (SCS). It’s amazing what they can do with electronics. But let me describe what I’m talking about.

The Spyder is not a motorcycle. In fact, the Can-Am people take pains to tell you that. They call it a roadster. With two wheels in front and one in back, it steers like a car. You turn the handlebars to the right to go right, left to go left. No leaning like on a motorcycle. And like a car, as the Spyder turns right, centrifugal force wants to throw you to the left. In a car you’re strapped into a full chair and you’re not going anywhere, but on a Spyder you don’t have that chair back to restrain you. What I found riding the RS was that I needed to brace myself on the rear-set foot pegs going into curves and then lean my body across the console. It was fine once I got used to it but it definitely took some getting used to.

Riding the RT was different. Sure, centrifugal force still wants to throw you to the opposite side–the laws of physics haven’t changed–but it just didn’t seem as powerful a force. Part of it may be that the “Ultra comfort touring saddle” on the RT is a bit deeper with a bit more lower back support, but I’m also thinking the SCS has something to do with it.

So how was the ride? It was good, and interesting, too. The RT I rode was a manual transmission model but you can also get them with semi-automatic, like a scooter, where you just twist the throttle. The 998cc V-twin engine makes good enough power that one guy I was riding with laid some rubber taking off from a stop one time. “Just an accident,” he claimed. Sure. I know I’ve never had the urge to see what kind of power a machine has. Right.

On the road you really feel a lot more secure than you do riding a motorcycle. The Spyder is so much bigger that it has got to be more visible to other drivers. It kind of made me feel like I was riding in a Volkswagen Beetle with no covering. And sitting way up high like that, visibility was excellent.

With that big, broad seat, and no need to put your feet on the group when you come to a stop, the RT is definitely a ride-all-day bike (excuse me, roadster). The windshield is electrically adjustable and heated grips and cruise control are standard. Your passenger will be even more comfortable than you, with armrests and a cushioned backrest. The storage spaces fore and aft will swallow a huge amount of luggage, and there’s even a trailer lock in case you need more luggage capacity. That’s the basic RT. There are four versions of the RT, with an increasing array of standard features, so getting what you want is not an issue.

The Spyder is “riding reinvented,” as Can-Am likes to say. Go take a test ride and answer that for yourself.

Hanoi is a lovely city divided into two main areas. The Old Quarter which is based around Lake Hoan Kiem, and the French Quarter where government departments, embassies, and those that work in them tend to live. The lively, bustling tourist area in the Old Quarter has plenty of hotels at very reasonable prices, tucked in between shops, restaurants, markets and motorcycles, which tend to line the tree lined footpaths, making walking something of a mission. It is a good base for a stay in Hanoi, as much of the city will be within walking distance.

Three days in this vibrant city is not enough to see everything there is to do. You could easily fill a week. I have outlined an itinerary that gives you a good cross section of sights around Hanoi that you could achieve in three days. Take into consideration the heat, which will slow you down if you are not used to it. The best way to really absorb the vibes of this fascinating city is to walk.

Day 1 – The streets of the Old Quarter are truly a fascinating experience. You need to allow a day for wandering, map in hand. You will get a close up view of the life of working Vietnamese today. The streets all specialise in one type of commodity. So you have shoe street, towel street, tin-maker street, toy street, paper, rope – the list goes on………and on, it certainly makes for easy shopping! If you want to ensure you don’t miss some of the best streets, follow the map from a Lonely Planet, or the local tourist information maps from your hotel.

Hanoi Walking Tour Outline – I will start from the ice cream shop by Lake Hoan Kiem opposite the Highland Building. Wander round the lake edge and cross the bright red Huc Bridge to visit Ngoc Son Temple. A little further on, you’ll come to the Martyr’s Monument near the Water Puppet Theatre. Cross the road here and you can start to follow around the street system. Be sure to go via Memorial House – an old restored Chinese merchant’s house that is very interesting. Then walk on via Bach Ma Temple. We found this shut. Most museums in Hanoi are closed between 12.00pm – 2.00pm, and on Mondays. Something you need to keep in mind when planning your days. If you are following the guide books, you will go past the East Gate to the Dong Xuan Market – a three storied market with hundreds of stalls. We preferred the open air market where flowers, local produce, fruit, vegetables, meat and fish were being processed and sold. It was interesting to see there were no flies, despite the meat and fish being out in the open uncovered. At the end of Herb Street there is Baguette et Chocolat – a good stop for some delicious cakes and pastries, and all for about a dollar! Finishing back at the Highland building, take the lift up to the rooftop restaurant for a wonderful view over Lake Hoan Kiem, and a cooling drink. Or give your weary feet a treat and indulge in a foot massage next door, with stunning views to soak up, while you are being treated to a relaxing massage for less then $10.

Day Two -Use this day to visit some of the many wonderful museums in Hanoi that are of interest to you. Taxis, cyclos, or motorcycle taxis are a cheap means of getting around. Choosing from the many museums will be your challenge.

A taxi ride out to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex will take up the afternoon. Be sure to dress appropriately, and show respect. This is a place of great reverence for Vietnamese people. Finishing off the day at the Water Puppet theatre – will round off the day nicely. It is worth paying to have a front seat.

Day Three – This is a good day to take a one day tour out of Hanoi. I highly recommend the day tour to Perfume Pagoda which is not actually one pagoda, but an area with 38 pagodas, Buddhist shrines and temples. It is very important for the Vietnamese people, and Buddhist pilgrims come to stay, at a special festival around March-April. Expect it to be very busy at that time.

You will be picked up from your hotel and travel through some very scenic rural countryside to the boats at My Duc. From here you take a relaxing 60 to 90 minute boat ride down the Yen Vi River. While you are rowed by one of the boat women, you can enjoy stunning views of the karst cliffs of the Huong Tich Mountains, swathes of shocking pink waterlilies, and spot small pagodas tucked into the river banks, as you drift along. You arrive at the wharf, and walk up wide steps to the base of the mountain. Lined with stalls and restaurants, you will have a meal here after you have seen the pagodas. Thein Chu is at the base of the mountain. At the moment they are building new sleeping areas, and it is intriguing to watch the craftsmen at work. While you can walk up the mountain to Huong Tich Chu – the pagoda in the cave, there is a gondola I suggest you take at least one way, for the wonderful views. The path can be slippery, and narrow, but it may be a challenge you want to take up. But do save some energy for the steps into the fascinating pagoda in a cave. Most tours include a full meal, before the return boat and bus trip.

We did this trip to Perfume Pagoda with Ganoa Tours, which we organised at the front desk of our hotel, Golden Sun. There are several tour companies you could go with.