Florida Gator Tale - March 2003

Well, at least it warmed up finally here in Florida! And that warmer weather brought out more riders to the two lunch rides. On Feb 8th, there were 16 riders on 15 bikes that showed up to a very packed restaurant in Arcadia FL. The “wet” group, who encountered rain on their trek over from the Melbourne area arrived about 30 minutes late due to “navigational difficulties” (they got lost) :-) That was just as well though because the rest of the riders had only gotten seated in the 10-15 minutes before they arrived because the restaurant was so crowded. About half the attendees were HSTA members. This included myself (Bill Royal), Henry Custer, Tom Roe, Russ Sage, Larry Fitch, Terry Brown, and a special welcome to Jon Helm who drove in from Delray Beach (which would have earned him top mileage honors had it not been for all the extra miles the Melbourne boys got while getting lost!). Jon recently moved here from Michigan.

Blackwater Inn Lunch Ride
Names of HSTA Attendees are listed in the article!

Unfortunately, the on time crowd had to leave before the others were finished eating. Our group coming over from the Tampa area hadn’t gotten lost, but we did suffer our share of travail in the form of mechanical problems. One Gold Winger had a body panel fly off (which was recovered quickly), but one Harley rider wasn’t so lucky. His mount blew a head gasket and had to be left by the road side until he could fetch it later. Because of that, he was very anxious to get home in order to make the trip to fetch the bike. Then, to top it all off, my ST had started acting strange on the ride down. The handling was “not right” at first. It was very subtle, but slowly getting worse. A visual inspection of the bike before lunch didn’t turn up anything, but I was sure something was going on. On the ride home it got worse and worse. About half-way home it had gotten to the point that I was now sure it was a rear tire/wheel related problem and when we found a safe place to stop a close visual inspection turned up a “bubble” on the sidewall of my rear tire. I decided to limp home carefully and made it OK. When the tire was removed for its replacement, the inside of the tire showed about a foot long “gash” in the cords. I suspect there was some tire damage done when it went flat on my Thanksgiving trip (due to a failed valve stem). Apparently that damage slowly worsened until it finally got bad enough to show up in the handling and ultimately the visual signs. I count myself very lucky that it worked out the way it did.

And that brings us to the lunch ride the very next Saturday to the Blackwater Inn in Astor FL. This turned out to be an absolutely spectacular day for motorcycle riding. It just doesn’t get any better than this. Nice sunny, blue sky, but cool enough to be comfortable in riding gear. Maybe a tad windy at times, but that didn’t stop the 28 attendees on 25 mounts who showed up this day!. As usual, the attendance was split about halfway between HSTA members (15) and non-members (13). Top mileage honors went to the group of 9 riders that rode with me up from Sun City Center. We included 2 women in the group and we covered 165 miles to get there, just beating out Nick Walther and Katherine Martin who must have taken a very scenic route to cover 160 miles to get to Astor from Melbourne! The HSTA members who attended were myself (Bill Royal), Eve Blazsur, Russ Sage, Nick Walther, Gary Williamson, Sam Ulbing, Phil Ridgdill, Bill Robinson, Alex Singer, Steve Smith, Tom Roe, Joe Avera, Ray Kenney, Davie Boland and Jim McClure. Thanks to all of you members who support our club by being members and attending the rides!

Motorcycle related items - wanted or for sale, riding buddies or room mates for events can be placed right here - for free! Just send them to arrive by the 20th for the next month's publication. Send to Bill Royal, 1515 Blackstone Circle, Sun City Center, FL. 33573 or email to wgr@sprynet.com.

For Sale

1996 BMW R1100RT - BMW's top boxer touring bike, complete with factory bags, ABS, electric Parabellum windshield and a new BMW comfort seat. Just broken in at 38k miles. Beautiful dark blue. Priced well below market at $7250. Call Bill at 904-730-9719, warrior@aol.com

Sargent Cycle Seat for an ST1100 - Black Grip-Tex cover with silver piping. $150 or best offer - Phil Ridgdill at 904 287 9654 or rfoxrdr@earthlink.net

1987 Honda Hurricane CBR1000. 39K Corbin, Yoshimura exhaust, K&N, etc. Recent tune up, timing chain, sprockets and chain. Beautiful condition. Always Mobil 1. Regret to sell but lack room for two bikes. $3200. Call Alan 850-668-0886 or mericke@attglobal.net

ST1100 accessories. Corbin leather seat $195.00, Ventura Sport Rack w/L brackets $85.00, Hondaline Backrest w/bag $85.00, Gen Mar bar risers $55.00, Haynes Repair Manual $10.00, Lockhart Phillips Tank Bra $10.00, Stock windshield good condition $50.00. Contact: Terry Brown 321-724-4559 or tlbst1100@yahoo.com or tbrown02@harris.com

Daytona Bike Week is here. I sure hope the weather warms up a bit for Bike week. We’ve actually had some very cool weather this year, 26 degrees on my back porch, that’s cold for us Southern guys. I always look forward to the races during Bike Week, the noise on the street I could do without, more on this later. This year might prove to be very interesting with all the rule changes. The best race will probably be the Supersport 600cc Race, Kawasaki has their new machine, Honda has the new CBR600RR, and these two have to be the favorites.

This is the time when I really get new bike fever. Recently I had the opportunity to ride the FJR 1300. This machine definitely has motor, smooth delivery and will pull in any gear at almost any speed. You can’t say that about a lot of motorcycles. This one will pull off from a dead stop in top gear with just a minor bit of slipping the clutch. I read in MCN( Motorcycle Consumer News) where it has some vibration at 4000 rpm, I don’t want to get into a dispute with MCN but I didn’t notice any vibration at all. Maybe I’m just not picky enough, it was smooth as silk to me. On this particular bike I did notice a bit too much slop in the shift lever but this can be adjusted out very easy. The bike handles great, easy to turn, feels like you could just turn around anywhere you want. I was really surprised when I checked the wheelbase 59.6; it felt like maybe 56 or 57. It also felt light, it is light considering other Sport Tourers but actually it isn’t. I have this thing about weight on Sport Tourers. There is no reason why the Major Manufactures, Yamaha-BMW-Honda do not build a lightweight 1000cc-1300cc Sport Touring type bike. I find it very interesting how they determine weight. I’ve got a Yamaha issued brochure that lists the FJR Dry Wt. As 521 lbs (237kgs). MCN has the FJR at wet weight 637 lbs. In my book that’s 116 lbs, I don’t think 6.6 gals of fuel-Fork Oil-Engine oil-coolant & hyd fluids would add up to 116 lbs. At 550 lbs ready to ride this would be a light Sport Touring Motorcycle, at 637 lbs it’s not light. Consider this, MCN has the Honda ST1300 at 727 lbs wet, this is way too much. I haven’t had the chance to ride the ST1300 yet, I will later and will write about it. The new Honda ST1300 is reported to be about 65 lbs lighter than the ST1100. If the numbers MCN report is correct, I believe they are, that means my old ST100 is pushing 800 lbs wet. Try turning this monster around on a two-lane road, it’s about like turning a Battleship around in your backyard. I just feel like 550 lbs ready to ride is enough. There are two major players in the Motorcycle Field who could build a 550 lbs Sport Tourer whenever they felt like it, but bigger and heavier, not what I’m looking for.

The suspension was just about perfect; forks were spot on the money. The rear shock was a bit off, I’m sure a few adjustments would sort that out. The brakes felt great to me, actually it kind of felt like the ones on my new VFR, I’d say they were excellent. The powered windscreen was very effective. This windscreen bit is just fascinating to me, I can’t tell you how many times I changed position on the screen. I wonder why we didn’t have these years ago, it’s a great idea and it works fine. As far as the seat goes, it was fine for my little skinny arse. I’m sure that the after market people will have a seat available anytime your ready but for me the standard seat was fine. There is no denying this is one fine motorcycle.

Although I complain about the weight the FJR 1300 does not feel like or handle like a heavy motorcycle, it feels like a light wt. Motorcycle. That along with the price and service interval of 26000 miles (Valve adj) put the Yamaha at the top of large displacement Sport Touring Motorcycles.

Ride Safe - Phil Ridgdill

HSTA Members Save on Riding Into History

The 4th Annual Riding Into History Concours d' Elegance for motorcycles has been scheduled for May 3rd, 2003. The event will once again be held at the beautiful World Golf Village, just north of St. Augustine on I-95, exit 95A.

There will be 100 or more antique, vintage and custom bikes on display, as well as dealers, vendors, clubs, food and exhibitions. HSTA members can receive a voucher that will save them $10, so that two people can attend for the price of one. Just e-mail Bill Robinson at RIH2003@aol.com and request a voucher. He'll mail you one - just be sure to include your return snail mail address. Make your plans now. it's a great destination.

For more information you can also go to www.RidingIntoHistory.com.

Tri-Star - Sparta NC - May 23 thru 25 2003

Event coordinator: Galen Diehl (276) 647-3162 gdiehl@kimbanet.com

Web: http://bellsouthpwp.net/p/i/pippin01/tristar/page1.htm

Come ride the mountain roads at the newest HSTA sanctioned rally in Sparta, North Carolina. If you’ve never ridden the roads in this area you owe it to yourself to come to this event. If you have ridden in the area, we'll see you in Sparta Memorial Day weekend.

"Tri-Star" is located in Sparta, NC at the crossroads of US 21 and NC 18 in northwest North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains, nestled between the New River and the Blue Ridge Parkway, offering scenic vistas, unspoiled landscape and friendly folk. Named Tri-Star because you're only a few miles from the States of Virginia and Tennessee.

So come and enjoy the scenic beauty and miles and miles of great twisty mountain roads. See the web site link above for a registration form, event fees and pre-registration discount.

Join us for a Friday evening cookout and Saturday evening BBQ dinner. Lots of things to do in the area for those not interested in riding. A great way to spend your Memorial Day Weekend.

Helen 2002 -

The AMA sanctioned HSTA Helen Rally will be held May 2, 3, 4 at the Alpenhof Inn, Helen, GA.

Come and enjoy the friendly atmosphere in Helen
Socialize with fellow HSTA members
Ride some of the great roads in northern Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee.

This popular event has a new coordinator this year—Eric Larsen We have a web site with Rally cost & information and a printable registration form at:

http://bellsouthpwp.net/p/i/pippin01/helen/page1.htm

The Daytona Dinner is scheduled for Saturday 5:30pm, March 8th 2003. We will have a speaker this year. Mr. Jon Seidel from American Honda has agreed to speak to us about Honda and the good things they do for all of us. The Dinner will be at the same location as last year, Indigo Lakes Golf Club, 312 Indigo Drive, Daytona Beach, FL. The Manager is Marc Lillis. Great Location, 5 minutes from the Daytona Speedway and 5 minutes from the Daytona Memorial Stadium (dirt track). Indigo Drive is the first intersection East of I 95 on International Speedway Drive (US 92 ), turn left on Indigo Drive, pass in front of the Holiday Inn, continue on Indigo Drive through a residential area until you come to the Indigo Lakes Golf Club (approx 1 mile) If your coming from the Speedway, it’s the last traffic light before I 95, turn right on to Indigo drive.

We will have a private Banquet Room and will have a buffet dinner, menu as follows; Same as last year only better, as promised by the manager of Indigo Lakes Golf Club. Tossed Garden Salad with dressing, Pasta Salad, Fruit Salad, Cranberry gelatin Salad, Chicken Marsala, Broiled Fish du jour (grouper) Roast Beef Sliced, Savory Rice, Mixed Vegetable Medley, Fresh Baked Rolls & Butter, Hot bread pudding with Brandy hard Sauce & a Choice of Beverage, Coffee, Tea, & Ice Tea. There will be an Open Cash Bar in the Banquet Room. Price, Meal $ 18.95 per person, with tax & service charge total will be $23.70 per person.

Dinner will be by Prepaid Reservation. All cheques made out to the Indigo Lakes Golf Club, Mail Cheques to Phillip Ridgdill, 720 Opossum Lane, Switzerland FL 32259, last day to receive reservation will be Feb 26 2003, all checks will be deposited with the golf club. The Golf Club Staff will have the Reservation List at the Banquet Room.

Coordinator – Phil Ridgdill, (904 287 9654) e-mail rfoxrdr@earthlink.net

As avid members of the Honda Sport Touring Association, we are always looking to find the perfect sport touring motorcycle. It should be both fun to ride in the mountains and comfortable getting there. It should offer excellent protection from the wind, yet it should be light and nimble. It must have useful bags to tote all of our gear, but it should look more like a sport bike than a pack mule. Yes, it should be two bikes in one; a sport bike and a touring bike.

Does such a bike exist? Well, for a number of years I’ve been on a quest to find just such a bike. My 1982 CBX was a good try. But in the end, six cylinders made for a heavy load. My 1983 CX650 Turbo was certainly unique. Great roll on power and good mileage, but much too weird to be perfect. My Pacific Coast did almost everything well, except maybe wheelies. I could just never get over the fact that scooter riders always waved at me.

I went through a number of BMW boxers, from the R to the RS to the RT. All very good bikes, but not quite what I was looking for in the sport department.
I thought the Italians might have the answer, so I went for the Ducati ST4. Lots of motor, good handling and it oozed sex appeal. As a touring bike, however, there was not quite enough comfort and protection for a 50+ guy like me. The Cagiva Gran Canyon with Ducati power was much better in the comfort department, but it needed too much mechanical attention, and parts can be hard to find.
Until recently, most would agree that the ST1100 came the closest to filling the bill. It’s a comfortable, long legged bike with legendary reliability. It has an honest motor, shaft drive, and it won’t let you down in the curves. The bags work and it doesn’t exactly look like a PC’s big brother. It’s as close as you get to the perfect sport tourer. Until now.

When I first saw the Yamaha FJR 1300 in the bike magazines, I was stunned. Here was a motorcycle with 145 hp, fuel injection, shaft drive, integrated bags, a standard electric windshield, a comfortable riding position and a weight to rival some roadsters. It was also easy on the eyes and the pocketbook. That was the bike for me...if I lived in Europe.

No, it wasn’t coming here. We didn’t appreciate sport touring motorcycles like the Euros did. Yamaha knew best what was good for us. We all wanted cruisers. Yeah, right.
Americans can be downright determined, and after a year of many of us writing nasty letters to Yamaha and anyone else who would listen, the FJR was U.S. bound. My dealer called me to tell me of the advance ordering program, and I plopped down my $500 on the first day. About five months later, she arrived.

In the meantime, Honda had announced their new ST 1300, something like the original ST, only better in almost every way. I read all the tests and comparisons, and here is my take on the two new 1300s. The Honda is more comfortable, offers more features and protects the rider better. The Yamaha is faster, lighter, handles better and is cheaper. Both are excellent bikes. I don’t own an ST, so that’s about all I can say about the comparison. I can, however, shed a bit more light on the FJR.
The very first thing I noticed about the FJR is that it handles like a much smaller and lighter bike. It’s fun in the twisties, and it doesn’t bully you in the parking lot. The second thing I noticed was that it gave off more heat than the afterburner of an F-16. Could I live with that?

Fortunately, the heat subsides as the bike breaks in. It’s a strange phenomenon, but I’ve heard it from other FJR riders as well. If you can stand it the first 600 miles, you should be just fine. Now it may be a tad warmer than other bikes I’ve ridden, but not by much.

The next thing your realize is that the engine has more torque than you’ve ever experienced in a four cylinder bike. When I first got it I stopped at a light, completely oblivious to the fact that I never downshifted. When the signal changed, I noticed that acceleration was sluggish, and assumed I was still in second or even third. I was actually in fifth. While I don’t recommend such advanced riding techniques, it is rather amazing to know that you have reasonable power in any gear at any time.

As for gears one through four, the power is smooth and ample. Sixty mikes per hour comes in about 3 seconds, and the quarter mile goes by in less than 11, provided you can ride like those magazine guys. Top speed is something north of 150. Meanwhile back in the real world, the horses and torque make the bike a treat to ride in almost any condition. The power is always there, but it’s never intimidating.

As for comfort, different bikes fit different guys, and this one fits me very well. I’m about 6’ 2” and 180 (before lunch), and I find the FJR to be roomy with a nice and easy riding position. The electric windshield works great, and offers very good protection. Due to my height, I opted for Yamaha’s larger screen (about $100), but I could have easily kept the stock one and been happy.

Another big surprise on the positive side is the bags. They look good, work great and hold a bunch of stuff. You can easily drop the largest full face helmet into either side without any fussing or fitting. The bags remove easily, and the bike looks mighty fine with or without them, A nice bonus is that Yamaha sent free bag liners to those of us who ponied up the cash early on. They are by far the nicest I’ve ever seen, putting my pretty nice BMW liners in a distant second place.

I’ve only put 4000 miles on the FJR, but I look forward to many more. It will cruise at Autobahn speeds all day in solid, stable comfort. It has more power than anyone really needs, and it handles better than I can ride. Considering that is lists for $11,495, I think it’s one of the best bargains in sport touring today.

But is it the perfect sport tourer? No, I’m rather certain I’ll never find that. But is sure is fun searching.

For those of us who go into a deep depression every year once Bike Week is over, the perfect cure is Riding Into History. Now in it’s fourth year at the World Golf Village

(I-95, just north of St. Augustine), the event promises to be bigger and better than ever.

In years past Riding Into History had been held during Bike Week, and poor weather had keep it from reaching its full potential. Fortunately, this year it will be held in the sunny month of May, on Saturday, May 3rd to be exact. The gates will open at 10 AM.

Riding Into History is actually three events in one day, beginning with charity rides that will originate in both Daytona and Jacksonville. BMW Motorcycles of Daytona Beach will host one ride, while Adamec’s Harley-Davidson/Buell will be the starting point in Jacksonville. The ride will cover a number of historical sights in north Florida, and all participants will get a color T-shirt, free admission into the Concours and VIP parking. The donation for the rides will be $25 for a rider and $15 for a passenger.

The centerpiece of Riding Into History is the Concours d’ Elegance for antique, vintage, classic, custom and racing motorcycles. Over 100 bikes will be on display on the Walk of Champions, circling the beautiful lake in the center of the World Golf Village. There will also be dealers, vendors, food and clubs, including the HSTA. Admission to the Concours is $10, but HSTA members can get two for one vouchers by e-mailing Bill Robinson at RIH2003@aol.com. If you have a bike to enter in the Concours, you and your motorcycle both get in for free.

Twin Honda Turbos ‘82 CX500T and ‘83 CX650T
at Riding Into History at World Golf Village

The Biker’s Ball is the culmination of a great day of motorcycling. Held at the Renaissance Resort Hotel, the ball features a happy hour, seated dinner and dancing to the tunes of Mid-Life Crisis. There is also a silent auction where you can pick up great bargains on dinners, trips, cycle gear and other goodies. The ball begins at 6:30 and tickets are $85 per person. Dress is biker formal.

Hotel rooms are available at the Renaissance at discounted prices (be sure to mention Riding Into History). The nearby Comfort Suites also offers special rates to those attending the event.

Best of all, the proceeds go to charity. Buddy Check 12, a partnership between Baptist Medical and First Coast News will put the funds to good use in the battle against breast cancer. Riding Into History is presented each year by the volunteer membership of the Atlantic Beach Vintage Motorcycle Club.

It’s a great destination, with something for everyone. It may not make you forget about Bike Week, but it sure will help you through the withdrawal.

For additional information go to: RidingIntoHistory.com. You can also contact HSTA member Bill Robinson at 904-730-9719, RIH2003@aol.com.

Date	Event	Location	Contact
Feb. 07-09	Ride the Rio	Ft. Davis, Texas	David Gorham (281) 996-5043 cycledog@mindspring.com
Apr. 18-20	T-15	Mena, Arkansas	Danny Gordon (903) 463-4973 danny@hpnt.net
May. 02-04	Huck's Memorial Road & Track Rally	Gassville, Arkansas	Peter Peitz (870) 435 6777 pgpeitz@cox-internet.com
May. 02-04	Helen 2002	Helen, Georgia	Eric Larsen (770) 805- 0607 enlarsen@bellsouth.net
May. 16-18	TwiStar 2002	Spring Green, Wisconsin	John Perkings (608) 280-8204 john@cs.wisc.edu
May 23-25	Tri-STAR	Sparta, NC	Galen Diehl (276) 647-3162 gdiehl@kimbanet.com
Jun. 06-08	WeSTAR	Buck Meadows/Groveland, California	John Button (925) 736-2670 john@buttonhome.org
Jun. 22-25	STAR 2003	Charleston, West Virginia	Jon & Janet Campbell (513) 932-3341 ohiohsta@cinci.rr.com
Aug. 22-24	Mail Pouch Fly-by	Marietta, Ohio	Jon Campbell (513) 932-3341 jcampbell7@cinci.rr.com
Sep. 05-07	Ozark BS Rally	Theodosia, Missouri	Ed Young (417) 926-3075 magna@fidnet.com
Sep. 12-14	SE-Star	Dillard, Georgia	Trey Hall (615) 574-9927 strey1100@aol.com
Sep. 26-28	Byway Boogie	Hot Springs Village, Arkansas	Robert Bashaw (870)460-9570 Robert.Bashaw@ocse.state.ar.us
Oct. 03-05	River City Ride	Corydon, Indiana	Don Parish (317) 936-5818 mparish@hrtc.net
Oct. 10-12	FOF XI	Parkshills, Missouri	James Radcliff (314) 213-5854 jradcliff@frenchgerleman.com
Oct. 31-Nov. 02	Texas Hill Country	Kerrville, Texas	Jim Poulos (817) 268-4620 jamo1935@aol.com

Inside This Issue

February Lunch Rides in Florida
Submitted By: Bill Royal

Welcome to the Club!

Free Ads

Ramblin Around
Submitted By: Phil Ridgdill

Event Spotlights

Daytona Bike Week Dinner
Submitted By: Phil Ridgdill

Is the FJR the Perfect Sport Tourer?
Submitted By: William Robinson

Destination: Riding Into History
Submitted By: William Robinson

In Response To
Submitted By: Eve Blazsur

Upcoming Rides/Events

Inside This Issue

February Lunch Rides in Florida Submitted By: Bill Royal

Welcome to the Club!

Free Ads

Ramblin Around Submitted By: Phil Ridgdill

Event Spotlights

Daytona Bike Week Dinner Submitted By: Phil Ridgdill

Is the FJR the Perfect Sport Tourer? Submitted By: William Robinson

Destination: Riding Into History Submitted By: William Robinson