Cyclerides.com Weekly Update

2/13/13

Greetings Riders,

Well, it has been an interesting start to this year as it relates to motorcycle riding. The weather has been about as cool and rainy as I have seen it for a few years. Just when you think it is time to get the bike rolling again, the weekend comes around and it is cold or rainy. But as we all know, that will soon change and motorcycle riding will be prime time. But by the looks of the extended forecast, that might still be a couple of weeks away. But it will be worth the wait.

And speaking of prime time riding, I would like to announce that we will begin the 2013 Spring season of the Cyclerides.com Westgate Bike Nights this year on Thursday, March 28th running every Thursday through June 27th. We are already working on programming for bike night to make it even bigger and better than in years past. I look forward to seeing all of you on opening night, Thursday, March 28th. Save the Date! We have limited space for vendors, if you would like to be a vendor, please contact me at info@cyclerides.com .

A lot of you probably saw the increasingly popular Westminster Dog Show on TV this past Monday and Tuesday. It is amazing how popular this event is getting. The winners are paraded around the morning news shows like movie stars or MVP's of the Super Bowl. Just for fun I Googled "how many dogs owners in the us". I found from the Humane Society of the United States that there are over 77 million owned dogs in the United States. 39 percent of U.S. households own at least one dog. On average, owners have 1.7 dogs. Now I know why this show has become so popular.

Since there isn’t much riding going on right now, I thought I would go into the archives and have a little fun. In 2003 I did a newsletter article about the Westminster Dog Show that still rings true today. I think you will enjoy how even today, I still relate a lot of things back to riding.

Westminster Motorcycle Show

2/15/03

Mrs. C. is a huge dog fan and watches all 6 hours of this show every year. I have to admit, this thing is really getting big. You see it on the front pages of various newspapers, interviews with the winner on CBS The Early Show and radio. I even remember a few years ago Scott Pasmore on 3 TV admitted to having strange dreams about dogs floating away underneath some helium balloons. He wouldn't say on the air what happened, but Cyclerides inside sources have said that the balloons popped in flight and apparently it wasn't pretty. Alrighty then Scott, maybe we should have Dr. Phil take a look at this one. My suggestion would be to cut down on the Underdog cartoons, no Alpo commercials before bedtime and refrain from sticking your head out of the window while driving. All have been known to lead to strange dog dreams by humans.

As always, when doing something that does not capture 100% of my attention, I tend to revert everything back to my love for motorcycles. As I was watching the 133rd Westminster Dog Show with Mrs. C. and hearing the booming voice of announcer Mike LaFave introduce the Mastiff from the Working Group, I thought maybe we could follow that same format with motorcycle shows. As you might recall, Mike boomed out the background of the Mastiff as "one of the most important breeds still in existence, he is a foundation dog that helped create the Bulldog, the Boxer, the Great Dane, Saint Bernard and New Foundland. He has been known for centuries in England and before that in Greece and Rome. He may have originated in Tibet thousands of years ago. This is Mastiff, number six!"

Why couldn't we do that with motorcycle shows? It would instead go something like this: "The Harley-Davidson, one of the most important brands still in existence, it is a foundation brand that helped create the Yamaha, the Kawasaki, the Honda, the Suzuki and the Goldwing. Harley has been known for over a century in the United States and abroad. And may have originated in the mind of Walter Davidson's ancestors in Tibet thousands of years ago." This is Harley-Davidson, Number six!

And when you change groups it would sound like this. And now I would like to introduce the Sport Cruiser Group. "The V-Rod, a crossover breed that has it's beginnings from the sport bike. 21st Century lore has it that a Harley Deuce and a Yamaha V-Max had an intimate moment during a ride in Germany and the V-Rod was born. As with all new breeds introduced into the club, the V-Rod will not be accepted as its own category in the club until there is acceptance by the public and continued breeding of other models." This is V-Rod, Number seven!

So next year when you are watching the 136th Westminster Dog Show you can imagine what words Mike LaFave would use to describe your motorcycle. And by the way Scott, you might want to move the dog bones away from the protein bars, you must have gotten them mixed up a time or two to come up with a dream like that.

CLARIFICATION: Please Read.

I’ve been getting some emails and I just want to clear up some confusion on an upcoming ride. As most of you know, from 2005-2008 I organized and executed a very successful ride called the Cyclerides.com Hearts to Heroes. In 2008 I ended this ride believing that needs had changed and it was time to move on to taking care of the wounded soldiers that were coming home. Unbeknownst to me, in April of 2008 an organization trademarked the name Hearts to Heroes and are now calling their ride the 8th Annual Hearts to Heroes, obviously trying to coat tail on the success of my ride. You can make your own decisions of the class of the type of person or organization who would do something like that, I certainly have mine. To avoid any confusion, I just want to make it perfectly clear to everyone that I have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ORGANIZATION, EXECUTION OR PROMOTERS OF THIS RIDE AND DO NOT ENDORSE IT IN ANY WAY. IT IS NOT A CYCLERIDES.COM RIDE IN ANY WAY. If you would like to support our troops who are in dire need, my suggestion would be to attend the Stand Up for Standdown event on Saturday, February 16th featuring the music of Hans Olson that supports homeless and in need Veterans.

This Week

Through February 20th
Harley-Davidson of Scottsdale 2012 Rental Fleet Blow Out! Our 2012 Rental Fleet is Going. . . Going. . . Gone! But we kept the best units for you! Starting at $8,995. These bikes have low miles and have been meticulously maintained by our #1 service department. Now is the time to get yourself that Harley-Davidson you’ve been dreaming about!
HURRY: UNITS MUST BE SOLD BY FEBRUARY 20TH OR THEY TOO WILL BE GONE!
Give them a call now to reserve your new bike. Harley-Davidson of Scottsdale is located at 15600 N. Hayden Rd. in Scottsdale, AZ. Call 480-905-1903.

Saturday, February 16th
Buddy Stubbs Anthem Hogs and Dogs. Buddy Stubbs Anthem Harley-Davidson invites you to ride over to their store on Saturday, February 16th, from 11am to 2pm to take back Valentine’s Day! Join Buddy’s crew for complimentary food and drinks while taking advantage of their 20% off ALL in stock jewelry sale! It will be a great day for a ride and an even better day when you pick out that special something that you wanted but didn’t receive for Valentine’s Day. Anthem H-D H.O.G. Chapter 2376 will be providing the FREE food and drinks so be sure to stop by and say hello. Buddy Stubbs Anthem Harley-Davidson is located at 41715 N. 41st Dr. Anthem, AZ 85086.

Saturday, February 16th
Stand Up for Stand Down. Stand Up For StandDown is an event being presented by Spectacular Entertainment to raise money for Arizona StandDown which helps homeless and in need veterans. There will be a motorcycle run- registration is 8:00 - 10:00 A.M. at VFW Post 1433, 7618 N. 63rd Ave, Glendale. $20 solo & $35 couple. Last stop is a concert at Chopper John's - 2546 E. Indian School Rd, Phx. We have an amazing number of cool raffle prizes, leather jackets, a Bulova Harley watch, 2- $100 gift certs for tattoos, and so much more! Concert 2:00 P.M. - 2:00 A.M. Hans Olson, Gary Beckert, Almost Irish, Swain's World, Rhythm Edition, Wild at Harp with Motown Hall of Fame drummer Jerome Teasely, Bird City, Elvis Before Noon & Arsenic Kitchen. Food, drink specials, raffle, auction, prizes and more! Proudly sponsored by: Chopper John's and Harley Davidson Motorcycles of Scottsdale AZ. To volunteer or make a donation call 480-359-5025.

Saturday, February 16th
3rd Annual Lost Dutchman State Park Run. Superstition Harley-Davidson Lost Dutchman State Park Benefit Ride and Party at the Park. Ride at your own pace observation run ending at Lost Dutchman State Park. Lunch, live music, vendors, raffles. Help us keep Lost Dutchman State Park one of the most profitable in the state. All proceeds directly impact Lost Dutchman State Park. Superstition Harley-Davidson – 2910 W Apache Trail, Apache Junction, AZ 85120 | www.superstitionhd.com | 480.346.0600

Sunday, February 17th
Bikers Soar for Wildlife Poker Run. Want to see Eagles, Red Tail Hawks, Burrowing Owls, and Turkey Vultures up close? Join us for our 8th annual “Bikers Soar For Wildlife” motorcycle ride sponsored by the Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center Auxiliary (AMWCA). All proceeds go to help rescue, rehabilitate and care for the hundreds of animals that come to the Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center each year. The ride starts and ends at Buffalo Chip Saloon - 6811 E. Cave Creek Rd. Cave Creek, AZ. 85331. Sign-up is 8:00 - 9:30 A.M. Breakfast will be available for purchase on a first come basis. As always participants will enjoy a great lunch, music, a raffle, auction and a large display of animals courtesy of the volunteers at Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center. Pre-registration is $25.00 for rider, $35.00 for rider & passenger. The first 200 who pre-register will receive a ride shirt and pin. After February 8, 2013, registration prices are $30.00 for rider and $40.00 for rider & passenger.

Wednesday, February 20th
Motorcycle Day at the Dome. Sponsored by ABATE of Arizona. The purpose of the Motorcycle Day at the Dome (MDATD) is to meet, greet and converse with your State/District Legislators and National Senators/Representatives in their offices OR on the Senate Lawn of the State Capitol, 1700 W. Washington St. in Phoenix. You will have the opportunity to discuss various issues facing Motorcyclists today. You can also sit in the gallery as the Legislators are in session. Representatives from Motorcycle Rights Organization Members, Motorcycle Clubs (MCs), Independent Riders and Motorcycle Supporters will attend the Annual Motorcycle Day at the Dome. This event is sponsored by ABATE of Arizona and the date is Wednesday, February 20th from 10:30-3pm on the Capitol grounds, House lawn. All volunteer organizations/workers and clubs should be on sight by 8:30am. Please mark your calendars. "All Bikers Welcome". A barricaded area is reserved for bike parking on 17th Ave between Washington and Jefferson , the full length of the Capitol grounds itself. Any delivery vehicles will have to enter the area from the Washington side. We have notified TV stations for media coverage. Your lobbyists cannot do this alone and we are asking for your help to make this another great year with our Legislation. We are asking that each of you invite as many of your motorcyclist friends as you can to participate in this important event. WE ARE ASKING ALL MOTORCYCLISTS TO PLEASE CALL or EMAIL your 2 Representatives and 1 Senator and Set-up an appointment with them to meet in their office from 9am-3pm. Or ask them to join you on the House lawn to discuss some key points effecting motorcyclists in Arizona. The Motorcycle Day at the Dome Committee (MDATD) is made up of all 4 MROs in the State of Arizona (Abate,MMA, ACMC, & MMAA). Sponsored by ABATEof Arizona.

Wednesday, February 20th

Harley-Davidson of Scottsdale Service Seminar. Take this opportunity to learn directly from the pros about how to take care of your prized possession. Space is Limited – RSVP Today! Topics covered will be:

* Dyno Room Demonstration with Jeff Bryant, Master Tech. See what it takes to make your engine perform the best it can.
* Lighting with Randy Fyffe, Parts Manager. See available options in lighting to make your bike safer.
* Preventive Maintenance with Ari Pappas, Service Professional. See what it takes to keep your bike in perfect shape.

Event starts at 6PM and is FREE to attend. Refreshments and snacks will be provided during the event. Space is Limited – RSVP Today to marketing@hdofscottsdale.com . All participants receive a 10 pack of “Win a Slim” registrations. Harley-Davidson of Scottsdale is located at 15600 N. Hayden Rd. in Scottsdale, AZ. Call 480-905-1903.

Next Week

Saturday, February 23rd

Buddy Stubbs Arizona Harley-Davidson Hot Rods & Harleys. Buddy Stubbs is hosting a Hot Rods & Harleys show at the dealership! Come by on Saturday, February 23rd to enjoy amazing automobiles from a time gone by. If you would like to enter your classic car or custom motorcycle in the show simply e-mail marketing@buddystubbs.com. Sweet cars, cool custom bikes, FREE food and drinks, what’s not to love? The event will run from 11AM - 3PM with prizes and trophies given away @ 2:30PM. In addition to the already great festivities, Buddy Stubbs H-D will be hosting live music by the 50’s rock band Come Back Buddy! Of course there will be tours of Buddy’s Motorcycle Museum and more! We look forward to having everyone join us and feel free to call Phillip with any questions at (602) 971-3400.

Saturday, February 23rd

Superstition Harley-Davidson 2nd Annual AZ HogFest & Benefit Ride. Event time is from Noon to 9:00pm. Ride leaves Sacaton at noon following the "Ira Hayes - Iwo Jima Flag Raising Ceremony". Ends at Superstition Harley-Davidson with a huge party. Whole Hog Competition. People's Choice Best Damn BBQ Competition. Live Music featuring "Trailer Park" Beer Garden. Ride Benefits VFW Post 7968 Charities. Single Rider $20. Rider & tail Gunner $30. Ride voucher includes lunch. Party is FREE and open to the public. All bikes welcome. Register at www.azhogfest.com or at Superstition Harley-Davidson, 2910 W Apache Trail, Apache Junction, AZ 85119.

Saturday, February 23rd

Rotten Rottie Rescue Poker Run. On Saturday February 23 please help support the Rottweiler's in our county shelters by helping us help them! We are going to be kicking off this game at Porkopolis at 1445 S. Arizona Ave (AZ Ave and the 202) at noon. Riders will be collecting poker cards at various stops in the valley and then return to Porkopolis to see if they claim the best or worst hand. Winners will get a Prize. There will also be some great Raffles to be won! Drink specials to enjoy. Music along the way! The event will be hosted by Brady Bogan from the morning show on KUPD! If you do not have a bike and want to play along anyway, you are welcome to ride in you car, truck, golf cart, whatever you want! Register early at get a free Rotten Rottie Rescue t-shirt!

Saturday, February 23rd

Biker Information Guide Bike Night at Renegade Tap & Kitchen. Starting at 3 pm till 10 pm with Happy Hour prices the whole time. Nationwide Vision Center has made a donation to Crickets Benefit Fund in the form of a complete Lasik Surgery Package for someone to win at our February 23 Bike Night. If you know anyone that would like or need this procedure we will be auctioning it off along with a host of other great gifts. We will be starting at 3 pm at Renegade Tap & Kitchen on Shea Blvd. at 94th Street, Rain or Shine. The restaurant will be giving us Happy Hour prices on drinks and appetizers all day and night. Jim Moore will be drawing the name of the winner of the custom painted refrigerator at about 7:30. There will be door prizes and fun for all. Renegade is located at 9400 Shea Blvd. just east of the 101 Fwy, on the South side.

Upcoming Events

April 10-14

Arizona Bike Week. The countdown is on for Arizona Bike Week 2013. In only 8 weeks the Southwest will be filled with motorcycles taking part in some beautiful riding and enjoying a great motorcycle rally with concerts this year featuring Tonic, Blues Traveler, Doobie Brothers and Third Eye Blind. On Sunday see “Jax” from Sons of Anarchy leading a ride from Arrowhead HD and at Cyclefest from Noon – 5pm. To start your planning, go to www.azbikeweek.com or you can pick up your Guide to Rides that will be available at all participating ABW locations beginning this weekend. And there will be Miss ABW signup parties at Kimmyz on Greenway, this Saturday 8-10pm and at the Hideaway Sunday 1-4pm.

Extras

Mid Week Updates will be made on the Cyclerides.com Facebook. New Easy to remember Facebook address. Go to Cyclerides.com Facebook. Over 4100 FANS! Take a look at all the new photos posted on the wall. If you are not on Facebook, you can still view the page, but you will not be able to post. There will be a link there for you to sign up for Facebook if you are inclined. Click the LIKE button!

This is called the Redneck Skydiver. Click Here to View.

This is is called “The spoiled Deer”. I’ve never seen anything like this. Click Here to View.

Video of the Week. This is an inspiring video to see what a motorcycle will do to get a guy back in the saddle. Click Here to View. Click on the Video of the Week graphic on the page.

If you would like to sign up for the Cyclerides.com Weekly Update Click Here.

Until Next Week,
Blessings and Safe Riding To All,

Barry Caraway
"The Road Is Yours - Take The Ride"
www.cyclerides.com