Cyclerides.com
Weekly Update
1/17/07
Greetings Riders,
Well, this last couple of weeks
has been a good opportunity to try out those new heated grips you got for
Christmas or the latest face wraps. This last week has been as cold as
I can remember for a while. That observation is validated by the "just
nuked" look of the plants and trees in my yard. Needless to say, this cool and
rainy weather has led to some undesirable riding conditions
lately. But the good news is the premium time to get out and ride is just around
the corner. That is why you are seeing all of the new bike nights starting up
now.
If you missed last week's letter
about the National Guard deployment and the Patriot Guard, Click Here. In reviewing videos for the
letter I came across this video by Toby Keith of his American Soldier song. It
really tells the story in pictures of what I wrote about last week. Click Here
for the video.
Most of you know by now that I
am kind of a gadget guy. I've written in the past about MP3
Players, molded earphones for your MP3 player and the Garmin Quest
GPS. Since switching
to the Road Glide 18 months ago I am really settling into the comforts
of riding. The windshield that I said I would never have, I now love.
And those bags that I thought were style killers and only used by old men,
I don't know how I ever got by without them. Some might say it is
because I am getting older, but I'll stick with my story that my tastes are
changing. Along with those changing tastes comes making the riding experience as
good as it can be.
For me, riding is made up of a
few components. One is just being out and enjoying the riding
experience. Two is seeing the countryside in the best possible way it can be
seen, from the saddle of a motorcycle. Three is maximizing the enjoyment of the
ride from Point A to Point B. As you might remember from articles in
the past I am a huge fan of earplugs. I don't go very far without sticking in
some earplugs to cut down on the wind buffeting across my ears. This really cuts
down on the fatigue of a long ride by taking the constant irritation away. If
you have never tried them, get a pair that are comfortable for you and give it a
shot, you will be surprised.
The other part that I look
forward to on a long ride is the music. You can do this by either using
an MP3 player and molded headphones to directly bring the music to your ears, or
if you have a bagger you can use the installed radio/CD player that comes with
the bike. Either way, I still use earplugs and can hear the radio from the bike
even better with earplugs due to not having the wind noise. Always looking to
add the next cool toy, I decided to broaden my listening entertainment by adding
an XM Radio to the Road Glide. Not being a fan of tacking a bunch of stuff on
the handlebars, I found an XM Radio that I could mount on my fairing that would
be a clean install, look good and be extremely functional. The answer to my
satellite radio techno wish list was the Delphi Roady XT.
The Roady XT is a very small and
thin receiver that will mount right to your fairing in a variety of ways. The car mounting kit that is included with the Roady XT comes
with everything you will need to mount the unit to your fairing. It is powered
by 12V from your cigarette lighter. On my installation I took off the fairing,
and got a cigarette lighter receptacle (female end), spliced into the
existing lighter connection, plugged in the Roady cord and then drilled a small
hole in the fairing behind the Roady installation to run the wires through. The
antenna for the XM is magnetic which I stuck to the top of the radio underneath
the fairing. It was a very slick and easy installation. The hardest part of
it was getting the fairing off and particularly back on again. If you don't
want to go through those steps to install your unit, you can take it
to Jim at Biker's Bay, 602-923-0114, for a $75 installation.
Once you have the kit mounted and
the Roady installed, you will tune your FM radio on your bike to your
choice of several channels. I happen to have mine set to 90.1. You will want
to program one of your buttons for this frequency. When you turn
on the bike ignition, the Roady will automatically turn on and
XM programming will be transmitted to your bikes stereo system and
available for your listening pleasure. You can then easily remove the Roady from
the cradle and lock it in your bags for security purposes when leaving your bike
for extended periods of time and then just slide it back on when you return.
Here is another cool function of the Roady XT. Since it has a built-in
wireless FM Transmitter, anyone with an FM radio tuned to the designated station
riding within 50 feet of your bike, can also enjoy the same music.
Being one of those that thought I
would never use a windshield OR pay for radio, I have really enjoyed
the XM radio experience. Not only are there over 150 channels of programming and
almost every genre of music choices you can think of, there are also choices of
TV News programs like Fox and CNN, Sports programming and one of my
favorites, 3 choices of Comedy channels. When I got this I had no idea
that most of my time listening to this would be split between channels other
than music. Another cool feature of this system is that it will also scroll
sports scores and stock quotes along the bottom of the screen. I was coming back
from Rocky Point and a KU basketball game was being played. I was able to watch
real time score updates as I was driving back. The Roady XT also offers a
headphone jack for those of you with the molded earphones.
I have talked about XM in my
article, but you can also get Sirius Satellite service as well. It
really just comes down to which one has the programming that you like
more. In my case, I chose XM because I liked the Roady XT for the
installation on the bike. You can also get an additional car accessory kit for
about $30, install that in your vehicle and simply take the Roady off of
the base unit and use it in both your car and on your motorcycle.
You can do a Google search for
"Delphi Roady XT" and find several deals out there for the unit.
One I came across is $29.95 after a $20
rebate that includes
a car kit. I actually got mine for free from a promotion at XM
Radio for signing a 6
month subscription agreement at $12.95 per month. Here is a little trick that
might work. I signed up for a free trial to listen to XM Radio on the internet to see if I liked the
programming that they offered. After my trial period, they emailed me an offer
for the free radio. If you just do a little searching you can find a great deal
on this unit. Circuit City, Best Buy and Ultimate Electronics also carry them.
Enjoy your new Tunes On The
Road.
Highlights This
Week
***NEW!! First
Night January 18th!***
First 50 Riders on January 18th get a
FREE Buffalo Wild Wings Bike Night
T-Shirt.
Saturday, January 20th
We'll have Fav ‘50s soundtracks &
movies playing all day, and refreshments straight out
of the Malt Shoppe:
ice cream sodas, sundaes, burgers and fries.
This Week's Bike
Night Events
Tuesday
Nights
Chester’s Harley Davidson Biker Night at the
Tilted Kilt in Tempe!
If you are looking for some fun on a Tuesday night, With 2
outdoor patios and plenty of excitement, This place is a good time! The
Tilted Kilt is home to the best Scotch-Irish experience in Arizona, with an
award-winning menu, classic pub fare, and signature Kilt items sure to please
any palate, not to mention twenty four globe-spanning beers on tap!
Biker Night Tuesdays also mean $3 Jack Daniels and half-price
appetizers. And, with a Tilted Kilt Biker Night Card, you
receive 15% OFF your total bill. So what are you waiting for? Come on down and
have a craic with Chester’s Harley-Davidson! The Tilted Kilt is
located at 660 W. Warner Rd. in Tempe, AZ. Just 1.5 miles East of I-10 on Warner
Rd. 480-592-0102. Click Here for Map.
Chandler Harley-Davidson Tuesday Bike
Night at Nozzlehead's Grille &
Pub. Stop by Two Wheel Tuesday Bike Night at
Nozzlehead's Grille and Pub located at 4920 S. Gilbert Rd. in Chandler, AZ. Join
us for Munchies and Music, Food and Drink, Specials, and good old fashion H-D
fun! Nozzlehead's is a fun firefighter-themed restaurant that serves the
best pure angus burgers and meatiest wings in the valley. 12
flavors of wings! 11 tap beers served out of the front-end of a real fire truck.
Hot Times, Cold Drinks and Great Food! Stop by this Tuesday for the First
Night!! Stop by Chandler Harley-Davidson located at 6895 W. Chandler Blvd. in
Chandler for a Nozzlehead Food Discount
Coupon.
New!!!
Superstition Harley-Davidson and San Tan Flat are bringing Bike Nights
back to the East Valley! Mark your calendars,
because every Tuesday means one thing, cheap food and drinks for ALL
bikers! Come hit up San Tan Flat from 6pm to 9pm for a good-ole-fashioned
biker bash. There’ll be $1.50 drafts, ½ off appetizers, $5 Chilidog
combos, and a bunch of prizes! Come sit and relax indoors or outdoors at San Tan
Flat were there’ll be music, fire pits and marshmallows to roast-to bring out
that biker in you. That’s Tuesday nights at San Tan Flat – the corner of
Ellsworth and Hunt Highway. Do it up right, ’Bike Night’ it baby! 6185 W.
Hunt Hwy., Queen Creek, AZ. 480-882-2995. This is one of the coolest
places in town and worth the ride to check it out.
Wednesday
Nights
***NEW!!***
Bike Night at Buffalo Wild Wings Mesa-Falcon
Field.
This is a great new stop
for riders on the East Side. Enjoy GREAT FOOD and Live Music every
Wednesday night with Soul Catcher, featuring
acoustic blues and classic rock from 7pm - 10pm every Wednesday Night at
Buffalo Wild Wings located at 4425 E. McKellips Rd. in Mesa, AZ, just across
from Falcon Field. Special motorcycle parking in front of the patio. Choose
from the extensive new menu including Wings, Chicken Tenders, Huge
selection of salads, Wraps, Sandwiches, Ribs & Combos, Burgers, Desserts and
Beverages. Click Here for complete menu. Bike Night specials are 50 Cent Legs
all day, $2.50 Coronas & Pacificos, $2.00 Well Rum and Coke, $2.00 Well
Vodka Tonics, $1.75 Bud Light Pints, $1.75 Miller Light Pints. Sit inside and
watch your favorite sporting events on over 50 TV's and 5 Giant Screen
TV's or sit outside on the huge patio where there are more TV's and
enjoy the evening air. Wherever you find to relax, you will be sure to have a
good time, good food and good entertainment at the Buffalo Wings Wednesday Bike
Night. 480-218-9464. Click
Here to take a look at Buffalo Wild Wings.
Thursday
Night
The Bike Night At The Billet
Bar. Voted "BEST BIKER BAR IN PHOENIX"
by New Times. There is no better place to watch all the Bikes
ride down Scottsdale road than from The Billet Bar Patio. The Billet is
ALWAYS packed with bikes Every Day. Stop by and take a look at the New Flamed Booths
on the Paradise Patio. The new bars front and rear provide spacious seating,
fresh air atmosphere, perfect temperature and courteous staff. The food is
amazing and always the latest in cold libations await. You can sit at the back
bar and watch your favorite TV on any of the seven big inch televisions. Play
pool, listen to the latest music and socialize. The front patio seats over 75
people and is perfect for people watching on Scottsdale Rd. The Billet Bar is
located on 3752 N. Scottsdale Rd. Check it out this Thursday night and all
weekend long. Info: at 480-941-1876. Click Here for the New Billet Bar Page with
pictures.
***NEW!! First Night January 18th!***
Thursday
Bike Night at Buffalo Wild Wings in Goodyear.
First 50 Riders on January 18th get a
FREE Buffalo Wild Wings Bike Night T-Shirt.
This is a great new stop for riders on the West
side. Enjoy GREAT FOOD from an extensive menu. 50 flat screen TV's and
10 Giant Screen TV's. Watch your favorite sporting events including the Suns or
College Basketball. Or enjoy the new Video Jukebox on the Big Screens. Buffalo
Wild Wings has a HUGE outdoor patio on the front that is perfect for enjoying
the great Arizona evening weather. 50 Cent Legs all day. Great drink specials.
There is plenty of action and fun at this Buffalo Wild Wings located at 13111 W.
McDowell in Goodyear. Just 1 mile N. of I-10 just West of Dysart and
McDowell at 13111 W. McDowell. First 50 Riders
on January 18th get a FREE Buffalo Wild Wings Bike Night
T-Shirt.
Every Saturday
and Sunday
***NEW!!! Live Music! No DB
Meters***
Western Trails Ranch Bike Weekend. Take a nice ride
out of town and Enjoy a relaxed country atmosphere with good food and Live Rock
& Roll Music every Saturday and Sunday Afternoons from Noon to 4pm. See the upcoming band list below. Loud pipes? No problem! You can
ride out to Western Trails without worrying about DB metering equipment to greet
you. Hang out under the covered patio at the Buzzard's Saloon or in
front of the stage for some impromptu dancing. Buzzard’s Saloon now has
Appetizer’s available at the Bar. Mozzarella Cheese Sticks, Chicken Tenders,
Fries, Jalapeno Poppers, Breaded Mushrooms, Onion Rings, Beer Battered Mushrooms
& Zucchini and Spicy Chicken Wings. Fast food service from the
Bartender. Buddy Boom’s Real BBQ is also open for those who don’t mind
walking 300 Feet for the best Burgers, award winning Ribs & BBQ on the
Westside of town.
So take a ride out to Western Trails for some Lunch, Live
Music and Fun every Saturday and Sunday. Starts This Saturday! For more
information on Western Trails Ranch go to www.westerntrailsranch.com . Located on Hwy. 60
in Morristown, just 12 N. of Sun City West on Grand or just 3 miles South
of Carefree Hwy. Click Here for Map.
Live Band Schedule:
January 20-21. Noon-4pm. Dok & Gal. Biker’s Favorite
rock & roll.
January 27-28. 1-5pm. Phat Bastard playing Rock
& Roll.
Every
Sunday
Sugar Daddy's Blues Biker Sunday
Brunch.
Sugar Daddy's welcomes you back to
riding with the Award Winning Sugar Daddy's Sunday Brunch voted "Best
Sunday Brunch" by Newtimes 2006. Enjoy a $9 All You Can Eat
Buffet, $2 Mimosas, $4 Bloody Mary Bar from 10am - 4pm. Relax to
Live Music from 10am - 4pm on the 5700 sq. ft. climate
controlled patio. Riding by later? Grab a quick BBQ from Noon - 5pm on the
patio. You can also order off of the extensive menu.Our 5,000 sq. ft.
temperature controlled patio has six air conditioning units, misters, and plenty
of shade. Sugar Daddy's patio, food and entertainment is becoming a regular
Sunday stop. If you haven't tried it yet, give them a try. Complimentary coffee
is now served. Make Sugar Daddy's Blues your stop on your ride down Scottsdale
Rd. for Brunch or Lunch from 10am - 4pm. Or maybe just relax on
the patio with your favorite beverage and watch the bikes roll down Scottsdale
Rd. Click here to see the awesome pictures and
details of Sugar Daddy's located at 3102 N.
Scottsdale Rd. between Indian School and Thomas on the West side of the road.
Stop by and check it out. A great place to hang out. Plenty of Bike Parking. If
you have suggestions, email them at sugardaddysaz@aol.com .
480-970-6556.
This
Week
Saturday, January
20th
Chester's
Harley-Davidson "Sportster 50th Birthday Party". What’s 50 years
old, has no legs, and still runs faster than you? The Harley Sportster of
course! Born back in 1957, the old man’s officially over the hill this year as
we celebrate the Sportster’s Fabulous 50th. We'll have Fav ‘50s
soundtracks & movies playing all day, and refreshments straight out of the
Malt Shoppe: ice cream sodas, sundaes, burgers and fries. Come decked out in your 50’s finery and we’ll even throw a
$50 Chester’s Gift Card your way! If you are looking for a destination ride,
FREE Lunch and to celebrate a piece of history, ride on over to Chester's
Harley-Davidson located at 922 S. Country Club Dr. in Mesa, AZ.
480-894-0404.
Saturday, January
20th
A group of American Freedom
Riders are going on an unofficial ride to Wickenburg this Saturday 1/20 to
see the traveling Vietnam Wall. Everyone is invited
to join us, especially those of you who rode with us last weekend to the Ramos
and Compean rally. What a great group of riders - real patriots and real people.
We will stage in the Denny's parking lot on Bell Rd. just west of I-17.
Kickstand up at 10:00 am. We will make a straight run to Wickenburg, spend
whatever time is appropriate at the wall, and then come back to the Western
Trails Ranch for lunch and beverage.
Next
Week
Friday, January
26th
Chester's
Harley-Davidson Glassware Party. Got fifteen bucks handy? Have we
ever got a deal for you! Visit Chester's on Friday, January 26th for our
Glassware Party. It's like your Aunt Bessies tupperware parties, but Harleyd
out! Your 15 dollars will nab you one of a variety of Harley glasses which well
fill with the beer of your choice for our Beers of the World Tasting.
You'll also get a spin of our Prize Wheel on
Chester's Customer Appreciation Day, Saturday, January 27th from 6 - 9 pm, for
each glass you purchase. All that, plus
crackers, fruit, cheese, cold meat trays, and live music and all the proceeds
benefit Waste Not, a local organization that feeds the hungry. Tell Auntie B you're sorry, but you've got something better
this year, and join us for the Glassware Party, January 26th. Well see you
there! Chester's HD is located at 922 S. Country Club Dr. in Mesa, AZ.
480-894-0404.
Saturday, January
27th
Chester's
Harley-Davidson Customer Appreciation Day. We Thank You! Chester's
Harley-Davidson loves their customers. Stop by for Customer Appreciation Day,
Saturday, January 27th, and well prove it! Storewide savings of up to 50% off on selected in-stock
MotorClothes merchandise and selected Genuine Motor Parts & Accessories;
spins on the Prize Wheel for every purchase totaling $250 or more; Live Music;
Free Subs and Drinks from 11am to 2pm; and for every purchase well let you throw
the dice. The higher you roll, the more you save! Don't worry, we won't make you join a group hug or anything
we just want you to know we care, that's all. Customer Appreciation Day, January 27th. Be here! Chester's
HD is located at 922 S. Country Club Dr. in Mesa, AZ.
480-894-0404.
Saturday, January
27th
Buddy Stubbs
Harley-Davidson 2nd Annual Hot Rods and Hot Dogs. Join the fun at
Buddy Stubbs Harley-Davidson as they roll in the Hot Rods for everyone to view
and vote for your favorite nostalgic car. There will be a free BBQ, Live
Rockabilly Band, Free Pool Tournament, 12:30 pm Motorcycle Museum Tour with
Buddy Stubbs, 50/50 Raffles and your opportunity to meet the H.O.G. Chapter
members. This is always a fun and well attended event. Make this your
destination on Saturday, January 27th and ride by for a free lunch,
music and some nostalgic eye candy from cars of the yesteryear. Buddy
Stubbs HD is located at 13850 N. Cave Creek Rd. in Phoenix, AZ.
602-971-3400.
Saturday, January
27th
Bikers Bay Grand
Opening Party. Join Bikers Bay as they celebrate their Grand
Opening of their newest store located at 2530 E. Bell Rd. from 10am - 3pm.
Bikers Bay has taken over the entire parking lot and will present Live
Classic Rock from Trainwreck playing your favorite tunes from the 70's and
80's, 25 Vendors for you to browse, Major raffle prizes from Custom Chrome
and Drag Specialties as well as many others that you can win just for
attending. Fresh cooked BBQ will be available for purchase at the event.
Stop by and see the original "Ride In and Ride Out" specialists. While you
are browsing the vendors or listening to some Classic Rock, get your oil
changed or take advantage of their tire deals to get ready for the riding
season. For more information go to www.mybikersbay.com or call
602-923-0114.
Sunday, January
28th
Arizona Freedom Rally. Let Freedom Ring. Ride to support Arizona's
Legislative Effort. Sign-In opens 9am at Park Central Mall located at 3121
N 3rd Avenue, South of Indian School on Central at Earl, between Osborn
& Thomas in Phoenix. Food & Beverage available. Parade lineup
starts at 10:30am. Mass Ride to Wesley Bolin Plaza (across from the Arizona
State Capitol) for speeches. There will be no vendors at Wesley Bolin
Plaza. Guest Speakers TBA. Co-operatively presented by Arizonas three SMROs:
ABATE, MMA, & ACMC. The Arizona Freedom Rally is YOUR opportunity to
participate in a highly visible display of motorcycles showing the
politicians of Arizona that Riders do vote and do care about their rights.
Extras
Here are some short
clips of some mishaps of ordinary people. Click
Here.
For those of you that like
to look at new concept cars, here is a photo gallery of the latest from
the Detroit Auto Show. Click Here. There are some very
cool cars here. Check out the new Camaro.
For you Seinfeld
fans, you are going to love this one. Most of you heard about the
tirade of Michael Richards at a comedy shop in L.A. Someone put together a great
clip interspersing real Seinfeld clips with clips of his act. Very Funny.
Click Here.
As for me this week, I will be attending
the first night of the Buffalo Wild Wings Bike Night in Goodyear. See ya there.
Until Next Week,
Blessings and Safe
Riding To All,
Barry Caraway
"The Road Is
Yours - Take The Ride"
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newsletter is
Copyright © 2006 BDC Products, LLC.
Information may be used
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reserved.