Ultra Road Glide well almost!

Our transformation from stock Road Glide to Ultra Road Glide is complete, well almost! Ever since discovering the soft detachable lowers, I refuse to spend the big buck for the hard-sided lowers that don't have vents and take more than a few minutes to remove.

Our Mystery Ride this year titled, "Ride Your A Ride" made us change our opinion of whether or not we should spend the money converting our ride into one in which we can communicate with others with Ultra Classics. Earlier in the summer we decided to purchase the wireless blue-tooth Scala Headsets. These headsets have worked flawlessly and provided us the ability to talk with each other while not being attached via a wire. We were able to listen to music being played on the Zumo 550 GPS and also listen to turn-by-turn directions. This communication system is now for sale for $225 because we had Capital City Harley-Davidson install the complete Intercom System! After purchasing the new headsets for our helmets we are into the intercom for, are you sitting down, just under $2,000! Yeah it's a lot of money, however I love to ride the Road Glide and still feel it is Harley's best kept secret and the best touring bike they make. The only problem with the Road Glide, it doesn't come with the Intercom System! The 2010 Road Glide's have improved in only one area that considers any space on this blog and that's it's new 5th gear to quiet the whining noises that was noticeable in earlier version 6 speeds. The least the Motor Company could have done was to include the 103 cubic inch motors the Ultra Classic Limiteds received.

The following is a list of parts to convert the Road Glide into an Intercom Road Glide, keep in mind that prior to doing this, I rigid mounted the King-Tour Pak because I was tired of the rattling and also knew we were going to add the Intercom System later this summer. By-the-way, the Motor Company also for 2010 took away standard Cruise Control and PTT or Push To Talk switches that are found standard on the 2008 models. Again, I ask why would anyone trade in an earlier model Road Glide for a 2010?
15347-08 Console Insert $10.99
68172-06 Wrap Around Light Kit (Just like the Ultra Classics) $214.99
70169-06 Non-Ultra Wire Harness $129.99
76416-06 Advanced Radio CB Kit $299.99
76440-06 Intercom Kit $89.99
77136-08 Console Pod Assembly $138.99
77155-06 Advanced Rear Speakers Pod $439.99
Labor 3.5 hours @ $70/hour totaling $245.00
Shop Supplies Miscellaneous Extras $50.00
76386-08 Road Tech Shorty CB Antenna $29.95
76388-08 Road Tech Shorty AM-FM Antenna $29.95
Total Costs not counting Helmet Headsets...................................$1500.00 (approximately)

We received a 20% discount at the Dealership which everyone does at this time, not counting labor costs. In order to add this system you must have the Advanced Audio Radio which is standard equipment for Touring Models starting in 2007 (I believe). We have since used the new Intercom and wonder how we got by without it. We still like the blue-tooth wireless Scalas, however they didn't allow us to talk to other Ultra Riders and we really needed this ability when we host our Annual Tourin' Hawgs Mystery Rides. What's nice about the blue-tooth communication is that they can be added to any helmet except half helmets. They allow rider and passenger to communicate with each other during a ride, and Cathy and I still believe communication is vital in not only a safer ride, but a longer relationship together too! If you are interested in our Scala Headsets, let us know.

Remember to practice safe cycling! Ride Your "A" Ride!

After Sturgis 2009 Day 5

Our last full day in Rapid City started with a run of 2 miles, then a trip to the laundromat. I figure that going home with clean clothes is a bonus! Andrew slept a little longer while I did two loads, dried and folded.

When I got back to the hotel we got ready to ride Nemo Road on our way to Deadwood. Shortly after leaving the hotel it started to rain. We rode from Rapid City to Deadwood in the rain, none-the-less it was still scenic and there was little traffic. Many call Nemo Road, Nemo Canyon as you get the feeling you are in a Canyon since there are canyon walls on one side or the other throughout the ride. We passed through a little unincorporated town of Nemo that had small one room cabins for rent overlooking canyon walls across the street.

When we got to Deadwood it was evident, Sturgis Bike Week is now just a memory. The town itself was very dead! During Bike Week you can't find a spot to park, today you could park anywhere. After checking out some of the souvenir shops we headed to Mustang Sally's for yet another hotdog, chips and lemonade.

As we left Deadwood we decided that Spearfish Canyon was calling our names and this would be the last time seeing the Canyon this trip. This time through the Canyon we picked up our speed a little and Andrew again handled his bike as though he has been riding for years! A stop was made at the falls for another photo opportunity.

We watched the weather report Friday night and it wasn't promising. The forecast called for rain most of the day Saturday and into Sunday on our way home. Saturday's ride would be from Rapid City to Albert Lea, Minnesota, some 515 miles. We decided to leave Rapid City by 4:00 AM instead of 5:00 as originally planned. Saturday was overcast all day, but no rain! We stopped at J&L Harley-Davidson in Sioux Falls since I had a broken isolator on the passenger backrest. The backrest is held in place by three rubber isolators and I knew I had broken one, possibly two and didn't want to lose the entire backrest unexpectedly. J&L was able to get us in and fix the isolator under warranty! The time it took was two hours because we arrived around 11:30 and at noon the entire serive department goes to lunch for 30 minutes. Once it was fixed we were on our way once again.

Around 4:30 we arrived in Albert Lea. We stopped at Bergdale Harley-Davidson next door from our hotel and Andrew doing his best Zman impersonation purchased his third Harley-Davidson t-shirt on this trip!

Sunday morning we left around 9:00 AM and later arrived back home in Watertown around 3:00. Our entire ride totaled 2404 miles! We had a great time with no real surprises other than how well Andrew handled his Honda Shadow. I have no doubt whenever he decides to move up in engine size, he will be able to ride safely.

After Sturgis 2009 Day 4

Day 4 started with a question, "Andrew how do you feel today?" His answer, "Let's ride the Needles!" Mount Rushmore was on our list of must sees while in Rapid City. It was a short ride on Hwy 16 to 16A through Keystone to what I feel is the most popular man-made spots in the US. Each time I've been at Mount Rushmore I have never seen the sky bluer. On the drive towards the Presidents you started to climb. As you wind your way through many twists and turns the faces of our nation got closer and bigger. Many photos were taken. Some history behind the Presidents is a room, 80' x 100' that is titled, "The Hall of Records". This room is located behind President Lincoln and has never been completed. The use of the room was to house many important documents related to the birth of the US and its' history.

After Mount Rushmore we rode west on Highway 244 to Highway 385 into Hill City and then Prairie Berry Winery just north of Hill City. I purchased one bottle of wine, Brianna. After we left the Winery we continued south on Highway 385 to Highway 87 otherwise called Needles Highway. We stopped at Sylvan Lake for a few photos then continued east on Needles Highway through two tunnels. Upon leaving the Needles we took the Wildlife Loop through Custer State Park. In the three previous years I have NEVER seen one Buffalo in the Park! The Ranger at the gate guaranteed us we would see a few. I've heard this before! Well, we didn't see a few.....we saw many! In fact, we had to come to a complete stop in order to allow them the right-of-way. You never want to tango with a Buffalo, especially on a motorcycle! We also saw some Prairie Dogs, Mules and Pronghorns. Just past the Game Lodge was a small grocery store for the campers of the Park. We stopped and grabbed a hotdog and water. During lunch I asked Andrew how he felt once again and he replied, "Good enough to tackle Iron Mountain Road and the Pigtails (photo)!" Or for you Youtube viewers watch it here.

Iron Mountain Road will test your skills to a whole new level. If you thought the Needles was intense, it was only a warm up as to what the switchbacks would throw at you! Not only were there a few 5 and 10 mph switchbacks, but also three tunnels that framed Mount Rushmore and the two pigtail bridges. Keep in mind that seldom was there a guard rail to be found just in case you went wide to keep you on course! Again, another shout out to John & Randy for giving Andrew the basics and for him having the desire to improve!

After Sturgis 2009 Day 3

Wednesday we decided to take it a little easy and wait until Thursday to do Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road depending upon how Andrew felt. Wednesday was reserved for the Canyons and Devil's Tower.

As we left Rapid City we headed West on I-90 just enough to allow a ride through Boulder Canyon, then onto Ice Box Canyon (we now know why they call it Ice Box.........it was sure cold!) and finally to Spearfish Canyon.
What I have never seen previously on the many trips to South Dakota was Roughlock Falls. The Falls are located between Lead and Spearfish within Spearfish Canyon. The drive from Spearfish Canyon to Roughlock Falls was on gravel and then afterwards about 50-60 miles on gravel as we rode CR-222 to CR-134. You need to be careful on these gravel roads for obvious reasons, the cattle! We had to stop and wait for them to move out of our way. Again, we weren't in any hurry, especially since any one of them could have taken both of us out including the bikes.

When we completed Spearfish Canyon I thought about the training Andrew had received again from Riders Edge. He handled the Canyons like he's done it before. We next drove into Spearfish and Black Hills University at Spearfish. This is where I have stayed on two previous trips to the Rally.

From here, we were only a few miles from the South Dakota/Wyoming State Line. Within an hour of Spearfish we found ourselves facing the 1st National Monument, Devils Tower. The legend states bears chased six Indian Maidens onto a small rock. Here the six prayed to the Gods to protect them from the bears. The rock started to grow towards the sky. After awhile the rock had grown so tall that the bears couldn't reach the Maidens. The bears didn't give up as they continued to claw at the sides of the rock. To this day you can still see the claw marks on the sides of Devil's Tower!

Prior to heading back to Rapid City we decided to go to Sturgis Harley-Davidson and then onto Bear Butte which is just a short drive northeast of Sturgis.

After Sturgis 2009 Day 2

Day 2 started out westbound on I-90 towards the Missouri River. As a note to SK, Budweiser has a new plant (distribution center?) east of Chamberlain, SD. At Chamberlain we headed north along the River. This route was approximately 100 mile detour from I-90, but if you find yourself on a motorcycle, then time shouldn't matter. This route is extremely scenic! We continued west into Pierre (Capital of SD) and Petersen's Harley-Davidson. As we left the dealership we were told to head north to the Oahe Dam, the world's 2nd largest plowed earth dam (used to be #1 until China built their's last year). We were forced to dirt roads on Hwy 34 west all the way to Pierre, some 40+ miles. Andrew got a taste of riding on gravel, grated roads, dirt and pee gravel during this jaunt. It really sucked! But an adventure none-the-less.

We talked to two different people today telling us about the hail storm that hit Sturgis Bike Week. One described the hail to be grapefruit sized the other baseball! A third party informed us that some of the bars in Sturgis kicked the customers out so that bikes could be brought in for protection. Gas tanks, speedometers and fenders sustained lots of damages. Good thing we decided to make the trek a week after the rally!

Once back on I-90 we continued to the Badlands. Before entering the Park, we stopped at the Conoco Service Station for some buffalo. We each had a buffalo hotdog for lunch! As always, it was very warm, no it was hot! A shout-out goes to John and Randy once again for wisdom of safe motorcycling taught to Andrew. If one has the will to ride safely and continues to practice by riding their "A" Game, then they should be able to handle whatever comes their way. I was concerned with Andrew's limited riding skills, however as the week went on, my concern was not warranted. His handling of the Badlands and later in Day 4 was much better than I anticipated!

South Dakota would not be complete without a stop in Wall and the famous Wall Drug. Again we found ourselves riding out of the Badlands towards Wall in freshly laid pee gravel! We arrived in Wall on the main drag again on freshly laid pee gravel! They informed us that the Highway Department waited until Sturgis Bike Week was over to start their maintenance work. Thanks guys! The water is always free at Wall Drug, too bad the ice cream isn't!

After Wall Drug we decided it was time to check into the Days Inn in Rapid City for the next four nights. This would be our home base where all our rides from here on out would originate from.

After Sturgis Ride 2009

Finally after months of planning, the day arrived in which Andrew and I would venture to South Dakota on our motorcycles. Monday morning couldn't arrive soon enough! By 4:45 AM we were leaving the driveway in 70 degree weather with humidity to match. The air was thick and the morning still dark. Our first stop was in Mauston at the Kwik Trip off of I-90 for gas (Andrew) and then breakfast at the McDonald's across from the gas station. G-nome got his first photo opp here to a confused employee! The next stop was in Winona where we both needed fuel. Andrew's tank is just a 3.7 including the reserve where mine is the new 6 gallon tank that Harley-Davidson introduced in 2007. The range of the larger tank is great for the Touring Rider. As we left the Kwik Trip in Winona we headed for Winona HD which was about double the size of my garage and they were closed. As we got back on I-90 heading west we passed The Spam Museum in Austin, MN (which we plan to visit on our way home if time permits). Just west of Austin is Albert Lea and home to Bergdale Harley-Davidson. We will be spending next Saturday night next door at Holiday Inn Express.

One last gas stop for the day in my Road Glide was just east of Sioux Falls. Andrew asked for some Bug Slide to clean his Nolan Modular Helmet. As we left the gas station I forgot to secure the right saddlebag and shortly after getting on I-90 Andrew rode up alone side me to point my mistake out. I pulled over immediately and secured the bag. G-none was still resting as were the soft lowers! A few miles later Andrew told me that my HD flat fitted cap blew out though! This forced us to make a stop at J&L Harley-Davidson in Sioux Falls, SD. After purchasing a new cap (same style) and have some gourmet coffee we headed for one last gas stop for Andrew. We later arrived at Days Inn in Mitchell after traveling 574.8 miles and came to rest at 4:39 PM. After the hot tub and waterslide, dinner was served to us by Rudy Tuesday as they advertised "free" delivery!

Tuesday the plan is to hit The Corn Palace, then the ride north and west alone the Missouri River, onto the Badlands and Wall Drug. Photos of our ride will be posted some time next week.

7th Annual Mystery Ride

Saturday morning we awoke to sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 60's. The 7th Annual Mystery Ride was finally here! This year's theme, "Ride Your A Game". Created around the old saying, "Bring Your A Game"; this ride emphasized Ride within your ABILITY, be AWARE of ever changing road, traffic and weather conditions, bring a positive ATTITUDE and ride ALERT by being drug and alcohol free. As usual this ride had been in the making for approximately 10 months. It takes time to not only plan the theme, but create the routes, ride them, change if need be, organize stops, meals, overnight lodging and finally to bring this all together within a budget that many can afford. This year we were able to bring the weekend, one overnight together within a price of under $150 not including gas for the bikes! This year also marked the largest group of riders ever. Twenty-two couples, 44 people and a total of 26 motorcycles left Watertown by 8:45 AM Saturday morning heading...........well, that was the mystery, no one other than Cathy and I knew! Remember the saying? Sports?

Many new couples joined us this year along with many faithful past close friends. One couple Joe and Deb have been on all 7 of our Mystery Rides! These rides are more for socializing than they are for pounding miles on the bikes. We tend to stick to County Truck roads and keep speeds below 50 mph. We attempt to keep each day around 140-180 miles. By keeping rides within this range, we get to the hotel early and have more time to meet and greet. Our ride headed North this year, mainly because of the theme and we never headed this direction with our Tourin Hawgs. Have you guessed where we are going yet? If you thought Titletown, you were correct! Green Bay home of the Packers would be our resting place for the night. But before we arrived we would have one breakdown.

Terry and Jan's 2002 Harley Road Glide decided it was time for a new Drive Belt before we got to lunch in Winneconnie. Chuck and Sarah stayed with them and a call was made to Open Roads Harley-Davidson in Fond Du Lac. They arrived at the dealership around 12:30 and within two hours I got a call from Chuck saying they are riding once again! A drive belt is about a three hour job and they had two mechanics working on the RG. Great job to the wrenchers at Open Roads! Both couples made it to Green Bay as we were checking into the Days Inn on Holmgren Way. Another problem developed with John and Tanya's 1978 Kawasaki KZ1000 in that a wire came unscrewed and they were losing power each time they slowed down to the point the bike was shutting down. John because he has owned this bike since new, yeah I did say since new was able to locate the problem and fix it in time for a smooth Sunday ride home. Imagine, having a bike for 31 years! Talk about loyalty to a brand!

At Fin & Feather in Winneconne we were treated to a plate lunch that consisted of a hamburger or brat and all the fixings. Along the shores of the Wolf River. The restaurant also has a Showboat that has dinner cruises along with live bands and private parties. Deb and the staff catered to our every need. If you find yourself in the area, this is a must stop for lunch or dinner! After lunch our 7 teams that were designated by the color on their name tags, got together and each were given a sheet to complete having 50 sports trivia questions. Winners & losers would receive prizes at Saturday nights dinner. Sunday's lunch is another must see. Just outside of Kiel (south) is a Sports Bar titled "The Sand Pit". Here you will find two indoor volleyball courts, a fully stocked bar and three guys that will make sure your stay is memorable. Usually on Sundays they are closed, except when Cathy and I asked to open just for us Tourin Hawgs, they complied and served a pulled pork sandwich with all the goodies and fresh baked cookies for dessert. Thanks Dave!

Saturday night's dinner was a short walk from the hotel. Brett Favre's Steakhouse was asked by us to trim the fat and come up with a dinner party to beat all. Cathy and I selected pork tenderloin with an apple cinnamon glaze, lemon chicken, a medley of vegetables, garlic mashed potatoes, rolls & butter, coffee and tea and to top it off a Chef slicing prime rib! We were able to sweeten the deal with a large portion of cheesecake with chocolate sauce all for $25 including tax & tip per person! No one left their seats hungry. The sports trivia winning team had 23 of the 50 correct and each member received an NFL Green Bay Packer hat donated by our son Andrew. Each couple on the losing team received sport trivia playing cards. Imagine only 11 of the 50 correct! Couples were asked to wear their favorite sport teams clothing to help with the theme.

Sunday morning we all met at Lambeau Field in the parking lot for a group photo. A great time was had by all. I have no idea how we will ever top this year's ride! To those that rode, thanks for another great Mystery Ride. Be prepared for tent camping and mac & cheese next year! A special shout out goes to Dan & Beth, Bill & Rita and Marc & Chris for being our Road Guards and keeping this large of a group close together. I really missed not having the "wired" communication this year, in more ways than one, right Rita!? Good thing the FCC wasn't listening (lol)!

Please remember to leave comments on the blog at the bottom of each article. This way others can read what you thought of the ride! Don't forget to check for additional photos taken this year at Shutterfly, password "chrome". By-the-way any word that is bolded is a link to another site. Also if you click on a photo within the blog it will open to enormous size on your computer screen! Enjoy!

J&P Open House 2009

Friday, June 26th we headed west to Dyersville, IA for an up-close and personal view of the one and only baseball diamond built in the middle of a corn field! Yeah, you got it, Field of Dreams! Before we made it to Dyersville a secret stop at Botham Winery had been planned. Home of the Badger Blush and Big Stuff Too, this little winery in the hills of southwestern Wisconsin near Barneveld is a must see. After a few samples from their many popular wines, we knew what we wanted; Badger Blush was my favorite, Cathy's was Big Stuff Too.

After lunch at Culver's in Platteville, it was on to Kevin Costner's white Farm House in Dyersville to the Movie Set of Field of Dreams. After a few miles on a gravel road we neared the baseball field the was built so they would play, or so to speak. We got many pictures and even sat on the wooden bleachers where Costner himself sat wondering, "Why should I build a baseball field in the middle of the field?" We all talked about getting together for another "Dive-In-Movie" just so we could again relive the past by watching this movie. If you have seen the movie, then take a drive to see the field!

A short drive from Field of Dreams and we found ourselves at the Comfort Inn off of STH 20 and HWY 136 in Dyersville. Dinner Friday evening was at the Country Junction (walking distance from Super 8 and Comfort Inn). On the menu was a full list of specialty Martini's! Just ask Chris how she liked her Chocolate one after dinner! The bar area is in a silo shaped area of the restaurant. The food was good and the prices reasonable. The pies, well they were fantastic! A must stop for dinner if you find yourself in the area!

On Saturday we arrived at J&P Cycles around 9:15. There were a few hundred bikes that beat us, since they started greeting riders at 8:00. This year marked their 30th anniversary, and not to be out done by previous years, John and the crew again brought back Michele Smith, Cory Ness, Rick Fairless, Jason Britton, Monster and a few stunt teams. The weather couldn't have been any nicer. It was warm, well very warm! God blessed us with a breeze that helped keep the heat in check. The girls again walked around filling up their cards for a chance to win a raffle prize. As of Sunday evening we still haven't received a call saying we won anything. But then again, riding with friends, staying over night, socializing and getting back home safely......I'd say we won many times over! The celebrities all signed autographs on anything from hats, shirts, self-portraits to even a pedal motorcycle! This year many of my pictures were of other Road Glides. You can see these and many other photos at Shutterfly, make sure you type in the password chrome.

After we left J&P Cycles we headed for ice cream at the Dairy Barn in Anamosa, home of the National Motorcycle Museum. We found a family run ice cream parlor and blew our diets by ordering turtle sundaes! After a shorter ride home, thanks to Warren (cut off about 9 miles by taking X47 north to Hwy 20, we all found ourselves in the pool at the hotel, well except for Zman who needed a nap! After relaxing we all met at the local Pizza Hut, two blocks away. Many of us ordered the Pazzon meat lovers. Prior to this I had two trips to the salad bar! I love pizza and the more the better, except for the Pazzon. If you are hungry, I mean really hungry, skip the salad bar, go right to the Pazzon! This was one of the best pizzas I've ever had! I was stuffed, like the Pazzon!

Sunday after breakfast we headed to Dubuque Harley-Davidson. Vigil (owner of Sauk Cuty HD purchased both Wilwert's dealerships, one in Dubuque the other in Galena, IL). They had their Open House on Saturday. The last group picture of this ride was taken in the parking lot of Dubuque HD. Their dealer shirts were really awesome, however if I purchased another HD t-shirt, then I think I could move the tour-pak to the solo position if you know what I mean!

Gas mileage on the Glide was awesome. Friday & Saturday we got 48 mpg with Cathy and all the bags full! In the wind of Sunday, the mileage went down to 44. The wind though was probably some of the strongest I've had the pleasure of riding in for some time. Enjoy the photos and links to other sites. Thanks again to Marc & Chris, Dan & Beth, Pat & Kim (new owners of HD), Chad & Rhonnie, Jason (gotta get the wife on the next ride!) and Chuck & Sandy, for the memorable weekend! Stay safe and remember to Ride Your "A" Ride at all times! Head & Eyes up always!

Harley's Forgotten RG Stripe Now Found!

Harley-Davidson for whatever reason, some say to save money while others think it was a mishap not known until after production was in full swing! Whatever the reason the Motor Company never added a stripe on the side covers for the 2007 & 2008 Road Glide model years. In 2009 an attempt was made to add a plain stripe that I feel has no artistic value what-so-ever, but none-the-less a stripe was added!

After researching where I could purchase such an artistic stripe to compliment the Vivid Black paint, bright red and burgundy stripe of the 2008 Road Glide, I located a company named Hell's Foundry. This company sells a "Winding Road" Glide stripe for $49.95 that not only compliments the blank canvas of the dull looking side cover, but connects the strip from the gas tank to the one located on the saddle bags.

Installation was tricky and I ended up with a few creases, but you'll need to look closely to find them. I probably saved $50 or so by not paying someone to install. Thanks to my wife for ordering these stripes for our 27th Anniversary!

Remember to continue to "Ride Your A Game" by bringing a positive ATTITUDE, riding within your own ABILITY not others, being AWARE of ever changing road, weather and traffic conditions and be ALERT by keeping a mind free of drugs, alcohol and clutter.
Ride safe!

The Hell With Waldo, Where's Willie G?

The First Rumble at Harley-Davidson's Museum off Canal Street in downtown Milwaukee took place Saturday, May 9. Breakfast with Bill Davidson for all Museum members was held prior to the Bike Blessing at the intersection on HD Museum property.

Three couples from Watertown braved the forecast of 50 degrees, winds around 15-20 mph and threatening rain. Just east of Pewaukee, CDogg needed gas and motioned to me in panic. Not really, remember the saying full tank, empty bladder? His wife even asked him if he had enough fuel! Good thing he thought he did because after fueling, the big v-twin would not kick over. A call was made to Wisconsin Harley-Davidson who later made the trip to STH 164 and I-94 to pick the bike up at the Kwik Trip station.

The remaining two couples later continued the trip to the museum. We made it just in time to partake in the Bike Blessing and then later on we received individual blessings. Harley knows how to throw a celebration! After Zman and his wife became members of the HD Museum and we got our key chain and HD Road Pack we got photos with the bike that was in the movie starring Harrison Ford, "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull"(2008).

As we were walking around I saw what appeared to me as Willie G and his wife! I knew Bill Davidson was going to be present and had hoped Willie would be there as well. As luck would have it, he was! This was my first face-to-face meeting with Willie G and his wife. He was very personable and we had photos taken with him and he signed whatever we were wearing, at the time it was raingear!

Later we witnessed two V-Rod dragsters battle it out in the parking lot! Really, they burned rubber and went screaming (like Danny Gokey's last note on American Idol during Rock & Roll week) for about 150-200 feet. Black rubber and all. I later met up with Bill Davidson and asked him how difficult it would be to clean the red dyed cement where the top fuel bikes raced. His reply, "Clean it! Hell we had them sign it!"

Many more photos can be seen on Shutterfly. Simply click on Willie and it links you to another site. Be sure to type in the password "chrome" when you get there.

WHERE TO SECURE THOSE DAMN HELMETS!

Have you ever found yourself after parking your beloved Harley and then not knowing what to do with your helmet? Do you place it on the seat, to later when you're not around fall on the ground and chip, or worse yet have someone else decide your helmet is much better than theirs, so they take it! Yeah I know, what's the big deal taking it with you. Well, have you ever sat in a booth for lunch with three other riders and their helmets? Didn't think so, because if you have, you wouldn't have asked! Keep in mind that you can click on any image and it will open much larger! By-the-way, those with Tour Paks (King or Chopped) can move their Pak forward or backwards approximately 2" by removing the same 5 bolts in the photo and moving the entire Pak to the second set of mounting holes on the mounting bracket.

Helmets protect the head and neck in the event of a crash. Most motorcycle heads injuries are the result of, you guessed it, not wearing a helmet at all! So they protect the head, is there anything positive about lugging one around all day long, well other than you can always tell the wife, "No more purchases, I gotta carry the helmets!" Seriously, if you are like us and like to tour with your Harley, then you don't have room in the saddlebags or tour pack to secure your helmets. Carrying them around all day long is a pain in the butt! So many are seen either resting on the seat of the motorcycle waiting to fall and damage or on the ground.

Helmet locks have been available for purchase for many, many years. These locks can be easily mounted to the engine guards, saddlebag guards or frame tubes, but they come at a price of appearance. Where to mount these buggers that is out of the way, useful when needed and might create a conversational piece? On our first Ultra Classic, purchased used from a guy near Orlando, Florida he had the helmet locks mounted under the tour pack! They were out of sight, useful when needed and started many a conversation on our rides.

I didn't take the time to purchase helmet locks for our 2008 Ultra and have since sold that for a 2008 Road Glide. Recently we had the detachable tour pack installed and I will show you the list of materials needed and what is involved in securing these locks under the tour pack. Any anyone that knows me, if I can do this, hell anyone can!

Materials needed include helmet locks (dah!), part #45732-86 Harley catalog $18.95, 7/8" to 1-1/4" diameter tubing, preferably solid plastic dowel, though a piece of PVC capped off on both ends would also work. You can choose to use a drill press (I recommend it), drill through the center of the dowel, from one end to the other. If using PVC then drill through the center of both caps. Use PVC cement/cleaner to adhere end caps on (again if using PVC). Use a 1/4" drill bit for the holes. Thanks Don for locating the needed dowel at Grainger Part #1UTW2 (1 inch diameter) . You can order this item in different lengths. One example is a length of one foot for $3.70. If using a 1-1/4" part #1UTW6 one foot length is $5.97. This is extruded Nylon 6/6.

Finally it is done! After cutting the extruded nylon dowels to 2-1/4" in length, drilling a 1/4" hole down the length of the dowel and getting the few pieces of hardware (3-1/2" Phillips head bolt, washers and nylon lock nut $4.64), all I needed to do was mount it on the Tour Pak. In all I have less than $45 total cost including the dowel, locks and hardware. Now the helmets will be out of the way when dining out with friends or simply traveling with tour and saddle bags full of clothes and other necessities.

If you should come up with a useful idea, making rides more enjoyable, please share it! We are all in this together. Enjoy another riding season and remember to always be on your "A" game when you ride (Be Alert by being drug free and having plenty of rest. Be Aware of ever changing road & weather conditions along with other drivers. Ride within your Ability, not someone elses and bring a positive Attitude to every ride)!