The ride from Port Royal to Adams includes a mix of woods and fields, with barns and farmhouses dotting the countryside – a common theme for this Tennessee motorcycle loop. (Photos by the author)
Clarksville, also known as Queen City, sits along the Cumberland River in Tennessee about 50 miles northwest of Nashville. Lifelong residents mingle with newcomers from the university and Army post, resulting in a mix of backgrounds that continues to breathe new life into this historic tobacco-trading town. It’s that combination of old and new, charm and creativity, that makes it unique.
This Tennessee motorcycle loop starts and ends at Clarksville’s Liberty Park, a great place to watch boats go into the marina or warm up on the walking trails. From the park, I headed east out of the city on State Route 76. For those needing some gear, two motorcycle dealerships are located on this road.
The restored 1859 general store in Port Royal houses a museum and visitor center. Behind the building is a parking lot, bathrooms, and picnic tables.
Taking a left on Old Clarksville Springfield Road, my first stop was Port Royal State Historic Park. The ride to this site had little traffic, and the park is small and walkable, consisting of the historic downtown area of Port Royal, a town established in 1797 along the Red River. The old general store serves as the visitor center.
If you’re staying the night in Clarksville, check the Roxy’s schedule and catch a show.
Just north of Port Royal is Adams, home of the Bell Witch cabin and cave. Tours of the cabin and cave begin in May, so I missed my chance on this mid-April ride. Maybe that was fortunate, since I’ve heard stories of bad luck following those who enter the cave. Those brave enough to enter will surely enjoy the stories of John Bell’s neighbor, Kate Batts, whose spirit is said to reside on the property.
By the looks of the quiet little town of Adams, you wouldn’t expect such a sinister story as you’ll hear at this stop.
From Adams, I headed north into Kentucky on U.S. Route 41, passing through quiet farmland on a gentle ride and giving myself time to enjoy the sunshine. I then took Kentucky State Route 1453 south and stopped in at the MB Roland Distillery. If you like whiskey, consider taking the tour of the distillery, and don’t forget to grab a bottle on your way out.
Stretch your legs with a tour of the MB Roland Distillery in Kentucky.
Heading south back into Tennessee from Kentucky State Route 115 consists of more farmland until the residential areas around the Fort Campbell Army post come into view. Riding into Clarksville’s downtown area, you’ll be greeted with many great eating spots to choose from for a lunch break. On this ride, I picked an old favorite: Blackhorse Pub & Brewery. This spot serves up comforting meals and made-in-house brews, and it’s been a focal point of downtown Clarksville for decades. From Blackhorse, the downtown area is very walkable and includes a park, the Customs House Museum, a meadery, a used bookstore, the Roxy Regional Theatre, and plenty more to explore.
The Blackhorse Pub & Brewery is just one of many thriving businesses to check out on Franklin Street.
The Customs House Museum in Clarksville was originally built as a post office in 1898. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
After lunch, I cruised through Austin Peay State University, my alma mater. I remembered walking with my now-husband to class as we chatted about our plans for the future, completely unaware that my education in English and creative writing would lead to a career of riding and writing about motorcycles. The campus is especially beautiful in spring when the dogwoods and other flowering trees are in full bloom.
I recalled many fond memories of my college years while riding through Austin Peay State University.
About 3 miles northeast of APSU is Dunbar Cave State Park. Parking beside the visitor center, it’s a short 0.15-mile walk down a wooded path to reach the mouth of the cave. Entering the cave requires booking a guided tour, but the floor in front of the cave’s mouth is open for visitors to shake a leg on. That’s right: The concrete platform in front of the cave was used as a dance-floor before the invention of air conditioning, with consistent 56-degree air blowing out of the cave to cool dancers and performers.
In addition to the cave seen here, Dunbar Cave State Park also includes a golf course and walking trails. Tours of the cave run from May to September.
The second loop of this ride heads west from Clarksville and is curvier than the first loop. Heading west on U.S. Route 79 and then south on State Route 233, riders are treated to winding pavement through low-traffic, heavily wooded country, with the road hopping from hill to hollow to hill and snaking along creeks. From Needmore, head south on Lylewood Road to drop down next to the river and ride to the Lylewood Inn.
Lylewood Road offers a pleasant shaded ride with very little traffic to contend with. Keep your eyes peeled for deer, turkey, and other wildlife.
Offering reprieve in an area with no other store or business for miles, Lylewood Inn is a large brick house set on a hilltop overlooking the river. The Mercantile store beside the inn offers jams, jellies, pickled goods, homemade gifts, and quilting supplies. Originally built in the early 1800s, this house has an interesting history involving arson and the Civil War, and it’s worth a stop.
Lylewood Inn makes for a nice stop at its location on the hilltop. Check the inn’s website for rates and events.
After popping into the Mercantile at Lylewood Inn, continue on Lylewood Road, which turns into Wildcat Creek Road. At the end of the road, turn left on State Route 46 and ride about 3 miles to the Cumberland City ferry. Ferry fees for out-of-county motorcycles are only $1, but be aware that the ferry only accepts cash and no bills larger than $5. From here, you can connect to my Small Town Tennessee Loop (find this Favorite Ride in the February 2024 issue) to extend your trip.
At the end of Wildcat Creek Road, turn left here on SR-46 to head to the ferry and enjoy views of Cumberland City.
Sticking to my planned route for the day, I entered Cumberland City and headed northeast on State Route 149 for a leisurely cruise on the opposite side of the Cumberland River to enter Clarksville, arriving back at Liberty Park. This route is passable year-round, but a spring or fall trip is best for colorful trees and pleasant temperatures. Finishing this Tennessee motorcycle loop, you’ll find more to explore in Clarksville, like the river walk in McGregor Park or the Fort Defiance Civil War Park & Interpretive Center.
The Cumberland City ferry is just a short ride across the river. It runs from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day.
Keep up with the latest in motorcycling gear, parts, accessories, and products with Rider’s New and Cool Motorcycle Gear monthly installments. The items in this list are available now.
Honda Gold Wing Accessories
Air deflectors for Honda Gold Wing
The 2025 Honda Gold Wing 50th Anniversary models feature special paint and details, but it needn’t stop there. More than 35 Honda Genuine Accessories are available for the latest Wings. For more comfort and touring capability, there’s a custom seat, air deflectors, a backrest, saddlebag liners, and more. For passengers, there are armrests, audio and push-to-talk switches, and taller grab rails. You can also spruce up your ride with chrome or black front caliper covers, saddlebag emblems, LED entry lights, and more. Browse Honda’s accessories catalog for the full list.
Previously focused on helmet care, Motorex’s Helmet & Gear Care has been revamped for use on a wider range of products and applications. Available in a 200ml spray can, this biodegradable cleaner works to freshen up and clean helmets, gloves, boots, and other items. Simply remove any heavy dirt from the surface, shake the container, spray on the active foam formula, leave it to work for a few minutes, and wipe away with a dry cloth. This easy-to-use all-rounder product offers both gentle and effective cleaning and deodorizing. Find at your local dealer.
Whether you’re taking your bike in for service or traveling to a bucket-list riding area in another state, the Condor Hitch Chock provides a compact and simple way to transport your bike behind your vehicle without needing to haul a trailer. It works with every motorcycle and features simple and easy attachment and detachment to any vehicle equipped with a hitch. The chock supports motorcycles weighing up to 1,400 lb and raises the motorcycle’s front end up to 8 inches off the ground. It’s also small and compact enough for easy storage when not in use. Available for $1,080.
Prepare for any adventure with SW-Motech’s Pro Yukon WP Tank Bag. With 6 liters of storage, this tankbag protects your items from water and dirt with an overlapping lid, a stable EVA bottom, and a TPU body that features plastic welding to join the materials seamlessly and securely. A clear compartment inside the lid offers waterproof storage for a phone or map, and the MOLLE attachment on the top can be used to hold extra accessories. The bag also features a robust carrying handle, an inner pocket with elastic loops and compartments, and reflective details. Available for $240.
In this installment of Motor School, Quinn shares a technique to help get your motorcycle down the road if it runs out of gas or quits running. (Photos by Kevin Wing)
A few months back, I visited the University of Virginia motor unit to show them the features and benefits of the BMW R 1250 RT-P. It was a glorious day of traffic cones, campus alleyways, a few trails, and a parking garage or two. No question, having an off-road background helped, as I was able to show them some techniques to safely navigate the unpredictable environment of drop-offs, off-camber dirt sections, heavy gravel, and other sketchy conditions they face daily. One of the lessons I imparted was something I learned from my best friend, Dean Hunter, when I was 9 years old. Let me explain in this installment of Motor School.
When you work traffic enforcement on a police bike, you start and stop the motor over and over all day long while running loads of police lighting and regularly failing to cover enough real estate to give the bike time to recharge its battery. At some point in this electric light disco showdown, your bike will refuse to advance the pistons when you toggle that little red button.
Unfortunately, the endgame is usually one of three scenarios: 1) After posturing on the side of the road trying to act like you “meant to do that,” someone eventually commandeers a pair of jumper cables; 2) you win the lottery and one of the new guys happens to have a jump-pack handy; or 3) you try to bump start an 850-lb bike, only to get run down by its saddlebags.
No matter what the outcome, the result is lost time and added hassle because you are stranded. We’ve all been there, out riding with a buddy when something unexpected happens: You run out of gas, your key fob dies, or your bike simply won’t start. So now what? Easy, just ask yourself, “What would Dean do?”
Dean’s solution is called the Buddy Bike Push. Notice that Dean didn’t call it the bike pull, or tow, or kick, or drag. Simply put, Dean rode his motorcycle next to me and used his leg to push my broken-down Honda XR80 down the trail. This technique is simple but not necessarily easy, so pay attention.
Never underestimate the benefits of getting the boot (a size-12 Indie Ridge boot in this case) to help get your bike to a location where it can be serviced.
I’m going to assume you are generally healthy and able bodied (I was only 9 when I learned this, but I ate a lot of Slim Jims, so I was strong). Let’s assume my bike will not start, but it is otherwise safe to move along the road. First, pull up parallel to the left side of my bike. We want to use the left side because you may need to shift through the gears, and you need your left leg for that. Stop close enough to my bike that you can reach an exposed, structurally solid part with your right leg, such as a crash bar, passenger footpeg, or luggage rack. This will be the spot where you’ll be in contact with my bike to produce forward movement. You should avoid points on my bike that are flimsy, flexible, or breakable, like saddlebags, fenders, turnsignal posts, or dangerous parts on or near the swingarm. Our goal is to identify and use an exposed point that is both strong and pronounced so we can push hard without bending or damaging things or harming ourselves in the process.
Next, rest the ball of your right foot gently onto the spot you’ve selected on my bike, making sure not to lock your leg out. You want a little flex in your leg so you can shorten and lengthen it as you encounter fluctuations in the distance between our bikes. Remember, you need to maintain consistent force to move me down the road. Okay, now my job begins. I’m going to put my bike in neutral, get my left leg out of your way, and with both of us pointing in the same direction, begin steering us safely down the road. Yes, I do the steering and you follow my lead.
All you need is a buddy and a thoughtfully placed right foot.
Now, very gently start adding power to your motorcycle and increase the pushing force to my bike through your leg. This initial movement will be the most difficult part of the exercise for you because we are both completely stopped at this stage and getting the bikes rolling takes effort. Take your time and don’t hurt yourself. I will help by maintaining good balance, staying off my brakes, and minimizing unexpected steering inputs. As you slowly increase the speed, pay close attention to maintaining a safe, comfortable space between our bikes. You want to be close enough to my bike to ensure good foot placement and control but not so close that we’re banging bars or rubbing parts. It’s odd at first, but after a few unplanned disengagements, you’ll start to get the hang of it.
Looking great so far. Here is where we have a choice to make. If this is a situation where you are simply assisting me with bump‐starting my motorcycle, go ahead and get me up to about 10-15 mph, then disengage. I’ll quickly turn my bike’s ignition on, click up into 2nd or 3rd gear, and let the clutch out. This should be all I need to get the party started.
If, on the other hand, I need to be pushed miles down the highway (say, to the nearest gas station), we should turn our hazards on, get as far to the right of the roadway as possible, and carefully pick up speed to a decent clip that minimizes the hazard in the roadway that is now the two of us. This is the type of scenario where you need to keep your left leg available for shifting up through the gears.
With a little practice, you will never again find yourself stranded when you run into bike challenges like running out of gas, throwing a chain, or discovering a dead battery.
A few thoughts: The more competent and experienced rider should be tasked with doing the pushing, as the lesser-skilled rider will basically just steer down the road and concentrate on happy thoughts. Also, keep your eyes open for areas where you might have to disengage momentarily (big dips, tight turns, etc.). In cases like this, try to get a bit more speed leading up to the disengagement spot so when you reengage, you’re not starting back up from zero.
This is a technique that should only be used as a last resort when all other attempts to get a bike going have failed. Before you argue that it’s too dangerous, voids your warranty, or requires special tools, legal signatures, and a doctor’s note, I can honestly say that I’ve used this technique in all sorts of conditions over the years, and it worked every time. If you learn it, as long as you have a friend around to help, you will never be stranded anywhere ever again. I only ask one thing in return: After you and your friend use this little magic trick to get you back to town, raise a glass to my buddy Dean Hunter, because without him I never would have made it back to camp to share it with you.
For more information on Total Control Training and available clinics, go to the Total Control website. Quinn wears Lee Parks Design gloves exclusively. Find Quinn at Police Motor Training.
Joel Samick’s garage is packed with retro motorcycles used for his RetroTours vintage motorcycle tours operation. (Photos by Kel Edge)
Have you ever discovered something that has you asking yourself, Why hasn’t anyone ever done this before? It seems so obvious, and yet… (The “and yet” is usually the reason why not, but still…).
That was my reaction when I first came across Joel Samick and his Northeast U.S.-based RetroTours operation seven years ago – and I’m still asking that very same question after spending two days visiting Joel and his wife, Lynn, in their spacious home on the Pennsylvania/Delaware border and riding a selection of their motorcycles. For this lovely semi-rural house comes complete with a large garage and workshop space to house 23 twin-cylinder motorcycles, plus two Fours – a 1976 Honda GL1000 Gold Wing (read my test ride review here) and a 1983 Suzuki GS550 ES, the only one not built during the 1970s.
The author enjoys his ride on the 1976 Honda GL1000 Gold Wing K0 rented from RetroTours.
These motorcycles comprise both Samick’s personal collection of 1970s Big Twins and the RetroTours rental fleet. They run from 1970 examples of Bonneville 650 and T100C Triumphs to a 1973 Norton Commando Fastback 750, a 1973 Yamaha TX750, a 1976 Kawasaki KZ750, a 1975 Suzuki T500 Titan 2-stroke, a 1976 Moto Guzzi 850T3, a 1977 Harley Davidson XLCR, etc. on up to that GS550.
It’s a veritable time warp collection that Samick has available for customers to choose from in making their way to Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, the mushroom capital of the world (google it to see why!) and gateway to some wonderful riding country, in order to go touring the classic way, on an authentic period motorcycle.
Joel Samick operates RetroTours from his garage in Pennsylvania.
“It’s important to stress that these are not perfectly restored, low-mileage collector’s items,” says Samick, who is in his late 60s, a true child of the era when motorcycles got used as everyday transportation. “These are working motorcycles that are carefully maintained but are not concours show ponies. I don’t want to modernize them too much, and I don’t want to fix them up to be better than they really were.”
“Okay, I do put on better shocks,” Samick continued, “and better lights, and a better horn and stuff like that, and blinkers, too, if they didn’t have them as stock. But I want people to experience them warts and all, and most customers appreciate that coming on one of our tours is going to add to their motorcycle knowledge simply because, in a given day, they can end up riding up to half a dozen different motorcycles in succession. That’s because on a group tour, we make it a policy to stop every 50 to 75 miles or so to refuel, stretch our legs, and swap bikes.”
RetroTours has officially existed since 2000 and has grown since then, mostly by word of mouth. “I wouldn’t advise anyone to try this business to make money!” said Samick. “But if you love meeting people of a like mind and doing adventurous rides on 40-year-old motorcycles, seeing America away from U.S. highways with cookie-cutter rest stops and McDonalds everywhere, and visiting the real America via country roads and byways, this is for you. While I may never grow rich, at least I’ll now grow poor a little more slowly while continuing to enjoy and share the adventure, the thrill, and the camaraderie of retro-touring. Every ride is unique, and each presents challenges, but I still love every ride I take, however short.”
At a cost of just $90 per day to include the rental of any of the bikes in the RetroTours lineup, plus a guided tour with Samick as leader, basic insurance, and home-cooked, post-tour dinner, it’s a bargain.
Samick has experimented with different group sizes and distances. “I try to tailor the tours to my specific clients, and I really enjoy designing trips to suit a client’s schedule, interests, and desires. From one-day local loops to extended journeys, I’m open to any suggestions, and I try to make it easy for customers to just show up and ride.”
Over the years, this routine has evolved into six or seven pre-planned tours per year, with Samick riding support, often on his 1977 BMW R 100 S with Dutch-built EML sidecar outfit. He’s experimented with group sizes of between three to 12 people and distances ranging from local jaunts to cross-country adventures and even international rides to Canada lasting up to two weeks.
RetroTours itineraries can be structured around any number of themes – gastronomic, cultural (Samick’s HQ is just 30 miles southeast of Pennsylvania’s horse-driven Amish country), scenic, or just plain fun riding. Samick likes twisting, lightly traveled backroads leading to places well off the beaten track.
“We’ll always look for the road less traveled, shunning highways completely, seeking the smallest and wiggliest lines on the map,” Samick said. “We try very hard to find routes that put us intimately in touch with the countryside we’re riding through. We sometimes use dirt roads, and stops may include local museums, scenic views, and even kitsch tourist attractions. If the weather’s fine, we sometimes stop at a small-town market for groceries, then picnic at a scenic spot in the country. When the ‘map distance’ is 100 miles, we allow 175!”
A hint of the ethos underpinning the RetroTours operation can be found in the 31-item waiver form customers must sign to confirm their acceptance. “I know that motorcycling is a dangerous activity, and I further realize that the trip I am about to leave on is at the lunatic fringe of motorcycling,” Clause 3 states. Or Item 23, which says, “Thirty-year-old gas tanks sometimes leak, and high-tension wires sometimes arc. There is a potential for on-board fire, while under way, and no extinguisher.” And underscoring the adaptability required to swap mounts all through the tour, Item 12 states that, “I will be switching bikes frequently, and there is no uniformity of control locations. Therefore, I will never really be familiar with the ‘feel’ of the bike I am riding, putting me in a very high-risk situation, even when nothing obvious is going wrong.” So there!
Driven by a belief that motorcycles should be ridden, not stored, Joel Samick has created a unique product, which I’m not aware of anyone else having matched anywhere in the world. Over the past quarter-century, he’s learned what it takes to plan and execute a successful tour while turning his hobby into a business.
The author rode this 1976 Honda GL1000 Gold Wing K0 from RetroTours’ fleet.
“I’ve come to realize that the best part of RetroTours is meeting and getting to know other enthusiasts,” said Samick. “Making new friends out of those who come together to meet the challenges that are inherent in what we do on our RetroTours trips is a rewarding experience, which makes everything worthwhile. We have fun together!”
Find more information and plan your RetroTours experience at the RetroTours website.
New for 2025, the limited-edition MV Agusta F3 Competizione is based on the F3 RR but includes special features like Öhlins suspension and carbon-fiber components, and only 300 units will be built. Each unit comes with a dedicated kit and a certificate of authenticity and is engraved with its unique unit number out of 300.
Replacing the F3 RR’s Marzzochi fork is a 43mm Öhlins NIX30 inverted fork with TiN-coated stanchions and full adjustability. Adjusters for compression and rebound are found on the top of the fork on the left and right, respectively. The Öhlins TXX 36 shock includes an external piggyback reservoir and is also fully adjustable. Also included is a 19-position adjustable steering damper. This suspension setup reduces weight by about 2 lb compared to the F3 RR’s suspension. More weight reduction comes from the carbon wheels that replace the RR’s aluminum alloy wheels, shaving off an extra 6.6 lb.
The MV Agusta F3 Competizione comes with an adjustable steering damper, and its unit number out of 300 is located on a plaque on the triple clamp.
Braking components remain the same, including 320mm front discs with radial-mounted Brembo Stylema monoblock 4-piston calipers and a 220mm rear disc. The RR’s standard battery is replaced with a lighter-weight lithium-ion battery in the Competizione.
The F3 Competizione’s titanium Akrapovič exhaust system bumps horsepower up from 155 on the F3 RR to 160 at 13,500 rpm. The engine powering both models is MV Agusta’s 798cc 3-cylinder, with a13,500 rpm rev limit. The Competizione benefits from the new 9-disc MV Agusta slip/assist clutch, which is claimed to reduce lever effort by 50%. Like the F3 RR, the Competizione also gets Electronically Assisted Shift for clutchless up- and downshifts.
The limited-edition F3 Competizione includes many carbon-fiber components.
The MV Agusta F3 Competizione comes with a new ECU and a 6-axis IMU. It offers four riding modes (Rain, Sport, Race, and Custom), eight levels of traction control, and cruise control. A 5.5-inch TFT display connects to the MV Ride smartphone app. ABS with two modes (Sport and Race) features a cornering function. Also included is front lift control and launch control, which MV Agusta claims allows the bike to accelerate from 0 to 100 kmh (62 mph) in under 3 seconds.
The bike includes many carbon fiber parts, including the fairing sides and front fender. Also included is a smoked racing windscreen. The Competizione’s design draws inspiration from the F4 Claudio and includes colors like Satin Metallic Carbon Black, Satin Intense Silver, and Gold. It has an Alcantara seat and gold finish on some components, including the front brake disc flanges and the rear sprocket. The CNC-machined triple clamp includes a plaque with the unit’s number out of 300.
As a limited-edition model, the 2025 MV Agusta F3 Competizione comes with a dedicated kit which includes the Akrapovič titanium exhaust, carbon-fiber cover for the exhaust terminal, a CNC-machined fuel cap, a fiberglass seat cover, a dedicated bike cover, and a certificate of authenticity.
Pricing for the MV Agusta F3 Competizione has not yet been announced.
Nelson-Rigg Traveler Tour (left) and Lite (right) Trunk Bags
Like the Shoei Neotec 3 modular helmet, we subjected the Nelson-Rigg Traveler Tour Motorcycle Trunk Bag and smaller Traveler Lite Motorcycle Trunk Bag to a nine-day, 4,200-mile torture test.
Both bags are part of Nelson-Rigg’s Route 1 line of cruiser luggage. The Traveler Tour Motorcycle Trunk Bag that I tested holds 63 liters (expandable to 73.5 liters), and the Traveler Lite Motorcycle Trunk Bag tested by my wingman Eric Birns holds 35 liters.
The Nelson-Rigg Traveler Tour Motorcycle Trunk Bag holds 63 liters.
The main difference between the two bags is size. Both are made of durable UltraMax fabric, which has a lifetime warranty against fading from sun exposure, and their rigid construction maintains shape even when empty. They have lockable zippers, mesh pockets inside the lid and main compartment, carry handles, reflective piping, and adjustable quick-release straps at each corner for securing them to the bike. The larger Tour bag also has three zippered outer pockets and a 360-degree expansion zipper.
The Nelson-Rigg Traveler Lite Motorcycle Trunk Bag holds 35 liters.
We loaded the bags with gear and mounted them on two Harley-Davidson touring bikes. Eric mounted the Lite bag on the luggage rack atop our Road Glide’s chopped Tour-Pak. I mounted the Tour bag in two positions on our Street Glide: during two 700-mile days on the interstate, I put it on the passenger seat, which kept the bag out of the wind and provided a backrest; for the rest of the trip, I mounted it on the luggage rack like Eric did, which is its typical mounting location.
Nelson-Rigg Traveler Tour Motorcycle Trunk Bag
Once mounted, the bags provided easy access to essentials like extra layers, rainsuits, and snacks, and the mesh pockets under the lid were ideal for maps, extra gloves, and other smaller items. The bags are lined with light gray fabric that makes it easy to see the contents. The Tour bag is large enough to hold two full-face helmets, and the Lite will hold one.
When we got to our hotel each night, we’d simply undo the four quick-release buckles and carry the bags inside. In the morning, we’d place the bags on the luggage racks, connect the buckles, and then adjust the straps as needed. It was an easy, convenient routine. And regardless of riding conditions – high speeds on the interstate in crosswinds, aggressive cornering with the bikes tossed from side to side, etc. – the bags stayed in place and our gear remained secure.
Nelson-Rigg Traveler Lite Motorcycle Trunk Bag
Both bags come with waterproof covers, which we used during a heavy downpour on our last day. Pro tip: Even though the rain covers have an elastic hem at the bottom, make sure to thread the mounting straps through the holes in each corner of the cover. I put the cover on in a rush and failed to do that, and it nearly blew off on Interstate 15. (If you make that mistake, a replacement rain cover is $19.95.)
These are high-quality, stylish bags that look good on any touring bike, regardless of make or model. The Nelson-Rigg Traveler Tour Motorcycle Trunk Bag (NR-300) retails for $259.95, and the Traveler Lite Motorcycle Trunk Bag (NR-250) retails for $169.95.
Kudzu Curve on Back of the Dragon (Virginia Route 16). (Photo above courtesy Back of the Dragon; other photos by the author and Dan McPhee).
Dan and I met nearly 20 years ago while playing on a recreational ice hockey team in our hometown of Ottawa, Ontario. When we weren’t talking about how bad our team was, we discussed our shared love of motorcycles. Our first motorcycle trip together was a long weekend exploring New Hampshire’s White Mountains.
For our next trip, we spent a week riding in the Appalachians of western North Carolina. We enjoyed it so much that we returned the following year. Dan and I became regular riding partners, and we’ve done tours throughout the U.S. and Canada. Recently, we returned to the Appalachians to celebrate the 15th anniversary of our first ride there.
Dan made a new friend at the Back of the Dragon store in Tazewell, Virginia.
After a long day and a half riding south on Interstate 81 from Ottawa, we kicked off our backroads bonanza near Wytheville, Virginia, which is in the heart of a half-dozen excellent loop rides known collectively as Claw of the Dragon. We exited I-81 at Marion and rode north on State Route 16, a road known as Back of the Dragon that winds its way through the mountains to Tazewell, a nice Appalachian town that’s a perfect place to rest and recharge. It has a variety of restaurants, shops, and motorcycle-friendly lodging options, including The Traveler on Main, which offers vacation suites with full kitchens. The Back of the Dragon welcome center is a hub for riders, offering artisan pizza, self-pouring beer taps, local insights, and souvenirs.
Dan and I on our first ride together to the Appalachians in 2008. Younger, stronger, and better looking, but probably not as wise?
SR-16 runs north-south over three mountains – Big Walker, Brushy, and Clinch – which gives the road its rolling humpbacked character, and its 32 miles have more than 400 curves. It weaves through lush, green forest and includes open valleys and scenic views. Changes in elevation are accompanied by changes in temperature that enhance the experience. It was easy to get into the rhythm of the ride and become one with our motorcycles, savoring each curve before moving to the next one.
Same guy, same horse, 15 years apart, at the Shady Valley Country Store on The Snake (U.S. Route 421) in Tennessee.
We enjoyed Back of the Dragon so much that after visiting Tazewell, we turned around and rode it in reverse, doubling our fun. Just north of Marion is Hungry Mother State Park, which surrounds a lake of the same name. At the park’s Royal Oak Campground, we pitched our tents on a wooden platform extended over the side of a hill like a backyard deck, allowing us to relax while nestled among bucolic trees.
Our campsite with the tent platform at Hungry Mother State Park, just off Virginia Route 16.
The next day we followed backroads south to Damascus and crossed into Johnson County, Tennessee, on State Route 133. We stopped at the Shady Valley Country Store, located at the crossroads of SR-133, SR-91, and U.S. Route 421. It’s a popular waypoint for motorcyclists, and we recreated a photo we’d taken 15 years ago: Dan riding a coin-operated horse made for kids.
After having a few laughs, we rode west on U.S. 421, another famous backroad known as The Snake, which slithers its way for 33 miles through Cherokee National Forest, goes over three mountains, and includes nearly 500 curves. Since Shady Valley is near the middle of The Snake, we rode to the western end in Holsten Valley and then turned around and rode to the eastern end in Mountain City.
Taking a break while riding Appalachian backroads in North Carolina.
As we continued heading south on backroads in western North Carolina, we experienced an unforgettable moment. I was leading as we rode on a straight stretch of road with a river just below us. Through our helmet communicators, Dan told me to look to my right. Flying over the river alongside us, at eye level and the same speed, was a bald eagle scanning the water below. It seemed like we were flying together. The vivid display of nature’s beauty ended all too quickly as the road and river veered in different directions.
After crossing state lines several times, we ended our day in Tennessee, ascending the winding State Route 143 to Roan Mountain State Park. We enjoyed a hearty dinner of sausage and potatoes cooked over the campfire and a quiet night under the stars.
Mountains as far as the eye can see on the Foothills Parkway in Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The next morning, we continued our southern trajectory on SR-143 back into North Carolina, and then we rode State Route 261 to Bakersville. We took a convoluted, curvy route to Hot Springs, where we turned south on State Route 209, another serpentine backroad known as The Rattler that claims 290 curves in 24 miles.
After riding through the Pigeon River Gorge on Interstate 40, we crossed into Tennessee again and took another winding backroad (State Route 32) along the northern edge of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and then U.S. Route 321. We passed through Gatlinburg, where a boy named Sue once stopped at an old saloon to have himself a brew and met his long-lost father. We didn’t find an old saloon on the heavily trafficked, tourist-friendly streets, so we made our way to Elkmont Campground in the park and settled in for another quiet night.
Dan and I with the Tail of the Dragon store’s namesake at Deals Gap.
Prior to meeting Dan, most of my motorcycle rides were of the solo variety. I was a “dawn to dusk” rider, all business, putting in the miles, with riding great roads my solitary goal. Riding with Dan has taught me to slow down and smell the roses. He enjoys talking to strangers, meeting people, and experiencing things other than riding. We’ve helped each other expand our horizons. I’ve shared the joys of riding long miles, and Dan encourages me to enjoy the parts of a trip that are off the bike.
Over the years, we’ve become great friends. Dan is like a brother to me. Our families have gotten close, and we know we can count on each other for the important things in life. Our friendship seems to be a rarity in today’s highly polarized world. We have different political views, but I don’t hold it against him that he’s usually wrong in every political discussion, nor does he hold it against me. We agree to disagree, yet we still respect each other.
Wilson Creek Valley overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina.
Sunrise brought us another beautiful day, and we headed south into the heart of Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Newfound Gap Road (U.S. Route 441). The park gets upwards of 13 million visitors per year, so it’s hard to find a time when U.S. 441 doesn’t have a lot of traffic, but it’s still a beautiful ride. Our favorite part is The Loop, where the road curves around 360 degrees and crosses over itself.
At the Newfound Gap overlook on the Tennessee-North Carolina state line, we admired the views of the road, the lush forest, and the blue-tinged ridges of the Smokies. Rather than continue south to Cherokee, we turned around and headed north to Pigeon Forge, where we picked up U.S. 321 again and then Foothills Parkway, a relaxing ride with spectacular views that got us in the right frame of mind for what would come next.
Dan and his Yamaha Super Ténéré enjoying some curves in northern Georgia.
At Chilhowee Lake, we turned east on U.S. Route 129, which runs along the edge of the lake for a few miles before climbing up to the Calderwood Dam overlook. This is the northern tip of Tail of the Dragon, the most famous backroad on our Appalachian greatest-hits tour. With 318 curves in 11 miles, it’s one of the tightest, twistiest sections of road in a region full of tight, twisty roads.
Dan was especially excited, exclaiming “I think I touched a peg!” in our helmet communicators. He rides a tall Yamaha Super Ténéré adventure bike, and it was a first for him. The beauty of Tail of the Dragon is the endless supply of curves, many of them nicely banked, and the lack of cross traffic. The downside is that motorcycle and car traffic can be heavy, especially on the weekends.
Carving my Gold Wing through curves in northern Georgia.
After crossing back into North Carolina near Deals Gap, we headed east on State Route 28, aka Moonshiner 28, and stopped to visit the impressive Fontana Dam. We followed SR-28 for its entire 81-mile length, which includes the Waterfall Byway (Bridal Veil Falls is a must-stop spot) and Indian Lake Scenic Byway, to the Georgia state line, where SR-28 continues south. Northern Georgia roads are fantastic, with wide curves, perfect pavement, and little traffic, which made it easy to get into a good flow.
We made our way west to Two Wheels of Suches, a motorcycle-only lodge and campground located on the Georgia Triangle, an excellent loop that connects U.S. Route 19, State Route 60, and Wolf Pen Gap Road (State Route 180). At the campground, we met a young man on a ’70s-era Harley hardtail chopper that he built himself. Hearing about his cross-country trips on that bike with its 2-gallon gas tank and leather-covered steel seat made Dan and I embarrassed for complaining that our heated grips don’t get quite hot enough.
Our campsite at the Two Wheels of Suches motorcycle-only resort in northern Georgia.
Having hit our southernmost point, it was time to start heading north. We followed backroads through Georgia and South Carolina before returning to North Carolina, eventually picking up the Blue Ridge Parkway for a relaxing cruise to Maggie Valley, where a hotel room and a barbecue meal awaited us.
The next day, we visited Wheels Through Time. Unlike most museums that are static and filled with signs that read “Do Not Touch,” WTT lets you get close to over 300 motorcycles on display. Staff members circulate and tell stories about various bikes, and they often start bikes to let visitors hear how they run.
During our visit to Wheels Through Time in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, Matt Walksler gave us a tour of the restoration shop.
During our visit, Matt Walksler, who now runs the museum after his father, Dale Walksler, passed away in 2021, invited a small group of us to join him for a behind-the-scenes tour of the shop where bikes are restored. Seeing the vintage engines, gas tanks, wheels, and parts along with several motorcycles in various states of restoration was incredible.
The next day, we left Maggie Valley and headed for Rider’s Roost, a motorcycle resort and campground in Ferguson, North Carolina. When we arrived, we discovered a lively scene and a band playing on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend. We set up our tents and went to join the party. It was different from the quiet campgrounds we were used to, but the “everybody is a friend” atmosphere made for a great evening of country rock music, darts, and beers.
Our campsite at Rider’s Roost Motorcycle Resort and Campground in Ferguson, North Carolina. A live band was playing about 300 yards away.
It was a long, two-day interstate slog back to Ottawa, which gave us plenty of time to reflect on our fantastic week exploring the best backroads in the Appalachians. The memories will last forever, another chapter in the book of experiences that Dan and I have written together. Hockey brought us together, but long motorcycle journeys have been the secret to our long-lasting friendship.
Trevor Denis has been addicted to motorcycling since he learned to ride and twisted the forks on a Honda XL80 with an accidental jump when he was 11. His thoughts and garage are mostly full of motorcycles. He lives in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, with his understanding wife, two great kids, a cat, and a lazy dog.
Riding BMW’s R 18 Transcontinental on this Pennsylvania motorcycle ride was a world away from the first bike I owned, a Kawasaki Ninja 750 (below). My choice to ride for a living worried and impressed my father in equal measure. (Photos by the author)
I’ve ridden Pennsylvania many times, and always in the presence of ghosts. Back in the early 1700s, my father’s family came from England to settle in the Keystone State. It wasn’t an easy life. The men in the family fought in the Revolutionary War and then the Civil War. And before my dad was born, his own father, a marine, fought in France during World War I.
Like so many veterans, my grandfather returned broken, and after a long struggle he died by his own hand. Just a few years later, on my father’s 16th birthday, his mother was taken by cancer.
My father and I with my first bike: a Kawasaki Ninja 750
More than once, I’d rolled up to the modest brick duplex where my father spent his early years. I’d hoped to see him there as a child, happy, before the hardening of loss left him so guarded. I’d ridden by his elementary school and a playground he’d talked about in old age. To me, it only felt somber. More like a visit to one of the state’s famous battlefields than a child’s happy place.
A tidy Amish farm.
There was one spot I had yet to try, an area called the Allegheny Plateau where my father had spent time camping as a boy, specifically in the hills south of Coudersport. Also known as the Pennsylvania Wilds, this region covers the north-central part of the state. My ride for the journey would be a luxurious BMW R 18 Transcontinental. Plenty of room to pack clothes, gear, camping equipment, and the heaviest of baggage: expectations.
The Starrucca Viaduct.
Grit and Grandeur | Pennsylvania Motorcycle Ride
I drop into Pennsylvania from the north via State Route 92, a quiet two-lane that sweeps along with the flow of the Susquehanna, which at 444 miles is the longest river in the eastern U.S., yet this midsummer it’s slow moving and choked with beautiful water lilies.
In Lanesboro I seek out the Starrucca Viaduct, a still-in-use Romanesque stone rail bridge that towers over the landscape for two-tenths of a mile. These are the strong shapes I expect from America’s backbone states, where I know from my own family history, the people are just as stoic and hard-working as this bridge that’s been shouldering heavy freight since 1848.
The BMW’s aesthetic fit well with Pennsylvania’s iron bridges and retired fuel pumps, yet underneath the bike bristles with new technology.
I’ve been on the BMW for about two weeks now and love the plush touring amenities, but today the space behind the huge windscreen feels like a mini sweat lodge as I trace slow backroads. I pick up the pace but want to stick to the smaller roads. Near the Marie Antoinette overlook, which affords sweeping views of the Susquehanna, I turn onto PA Route 6 (U.S. Route 6), which traces its crooked finger across the northern tier of Pennsylvania. This is how you learn a place: riding the commutes, filling up at the mom-and-pop stations, and asking those guys where to eat. A spot-hitting chicken cheesesteak at The Central On 6 in Burlington proves my point.
As I arrive at the Sherwood Motel in Wellsboro, I know I’m in the right place when I see all the bikes in the parking lot. There’s a pair of Yamaha Ténérés, a Harley Ultra Glide, a Gold Wing, and a mess of plated dirtbikes. It’s obvious I’ve made it to the edge of some kind of riding paradise, and the mood at the motel is Let’s Party. During an impromptu pizza fest at the pool, I pick up some route and site recommendations that leave me feeling like a kid on Christmas Eve when I finally hit the sack.
Grand Canyon East | Pennsylvania Motorcycle Ride
The first thing I want to check out is the Pine Creek Gorge, aka Pennsylvania’s Grand Canyon. I get my first glimpse of the 47-mile-long canyon at an overlook in Colton Point State Park. It’s impressive, but what’s interesting to me is that in my father’s youth the gorge area would have been clear-cut to meet the country’s demand for lumber. It’s hard to imagine this lush landscape as the man-made desert it was just a century ago.
Most of my motorcycle riding in Pennsylvania has involved investigating battlefields and chasing family history. On this occasion I paid more attention to the fertile landscapes and the people at work and play within these scenes.
It’s here I set the BMW Motorrad Connected app, the only means of navigation on the Transcontinental, to the “winding roads” preference, with my destination as Waterville, where I know I can connect with State Route 44, a road REVER rates as Epic. I’ve had a love/hate thing with this system so far, but it’s tough to be mad when it leads me to Painter Leetonia Road, scenic and gravel, just one strand of a massive spider web of unpaved routes in this region.
In the crux of a hairpin, I stop to chat with a couple on dual-sports and find out this road is part of the Pennsylvania Wilds BDR-X, which makes me laugh. The Transcontinental is about as far from an adventure bike as you can get, yet thanks to its slow steering and low center of gravity, it handles these groomed gravel roads like it was made for them. I pop back onto the pavement at Blackwell and follow State Route 414 to Upper Pine Bottom State Park.
The look of the R 18 Transcontinental’s cockpit is one part nostalgic round analog gauges, one part futuristic map screen.
Highway to the Stars | Pennsylvania Motorcycle Ride
Finally on SR-44, I sink into the BMW’s plush saddle and let it glide along as intended, feeling I’m inhabiting a kind of throne-like magic carpet. The road sweeps in step with the same Pine Creek that, for the last 350 million years, has been etching the famous gorge I viewed earlier in the day. I stop to watch folks in rafts floating beneath rusty rail bridges that fasten the green grassy shores like lacing on a corset.
It’s these relics that make me wonder if the eyes of the boy who became my father had once seen the same views. He was a Boy Scout, I know that. He loved trains and the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Did he camp in these hills? Did he road-trip here when his family was still intact? If so, I picture him in the backseat of some bubble-fendered car that would look fine next to my retro-scaped BMW.
Pennsylvania’s SR-44 is called Highway to the Stars because it lances an International Dark Sky Preserve that culminates in Cherry Springs State Park. This area within the sprawling Susquehannock State Forest is one of the best places in the eastern U.S. for stargazing, and although I’ve missed the park’s two annual star parties, I’m lucky enough to snag a campsite for the night.
As I looped-de-looped recommended roads on the Allegheny Plateau, I kept seeing signs for the Ice Mine. Was it a snow cone shop? What I found was far more refreshing.
I pitch my tent in the lawn-style area that’s not ideal for hanging out, so I decide to ride some more, heading south to the junction of SR-44 and SR-144 so I can make a loop up to Galeton, across U.S. Route 6, and back down to Cherry Springs from the top of SR-44 near Coudersport.
In the town of Germania, I see for the third time today a guy roaming around on a blue Harley Pan America with a mountain bike attached on the back. His bike is impossible to miss, and I wave dutifully, knowing my rig is likewise recognizable. I’ve lost count of the people who’ve popped a thumb my way, and I will say it is a pretty thing. In fact, this R 18 configuration is my favorite, with the stylish bags, trunk, and fairing balancing the visual heft of the outsized boxer Twin.
The way motorcycles turn complete strangers into fast friends is one of my favorite things about riding. Chatting with Brad outside the Ice Mine was a perfect example.
The Heart of an Ice Mine | Pennsylvania Motorcycle Ride
It’s National Ice Cream Day, or almost, so I decide it’s okay to have my second scoop for the day at The Brown Bull on Main Street in Galeton. I like the place immediately when I see the rack of custom kickstand pads welcoming bikers. I like it even more when the owner, Jim Bull, comes over to shoot the breeze about bikes. It’s a sweet spot where you can enjoy homestyle cooking with or without the ice cream course.
The ice mine.
I want to see Coudersport, a name my father had once mentioned, but the town’s closed off for an annual Eliot Ness Fest. Yup, that Eliot Ness, the Al Capone-chasing federal agent made so famous by The Untouchables movie and series. Evidently, he spent his last years here on the Allegheny Plateau, and that’s enough reason to throw a massive party each year. There’s also an Eliot Ness Museum in Coudersport.
Back on SR-44, I see a sign with an arrow that says Coudersport Ice Mine. I’m not sure what an “ice mine” is, but it sounds the opposite of hot, so I investigate. A steep gravel road takes me to what looks like a tiny chalet, and who’s parked there? My pal on the Pan America: “Brad Pitt without the Pitt,” I soon learn. It’s a fun chat, the kind that’s only possible between riders.
The Ice Mine, it turns out, is actually an ice cave and one of the wildest things I’ve come across in all my travels. At the chalet, you pay five bucks and are regaled with the history of the site before being led into the small stone-lined space where the ice cave is concealed. It’s staggering to feel the temperature shift from sweltering to icy cool in the single step it takes to go through the heavy door.
My favorite photo of Herbert Elvidge, a happy boy untouched by hardship.
To this day, no one fully understands why the ice wells up in the cave during the warm months then recedes when it’s cold. It couldn’t even be explained by the National Geographic Society when they studied it in the 1930s. That would have been in the days when my dad was a boy, full of energy and wonder and still safe from the tragic events that would shape his future. Had he peered into this wonderous cave, wide-eyed, as I am?
I’ll never know, of course, but I do know that for the short time I’m in the tiny, otherworldly space, I feel closer to that boy than ever before. And when I ride off into Pennsylvania’s darkest space, I am aglow with love for the man he became.
Jamie Elvidge has been a motorcycle journalist since beginning her career at Rider in 1986. In addition to testing the entire range of bikes for the major print magazines, she specializes in travel stories, receiving two prestigious Lowell Thomas Society of American Travel Writers Awards along the way.
The Highway 21 Women’s Pearl Motorcycle Jacket and Black Ivy Gloves are comfortable and styling leather motorcycle apparel for women. (Photo by Kevin Wing)
Black leather motorcycle apparel can often be understated, which many shoppers might enjoy about their gear. The Highway 21 leather apparel I’ve been testing has a bit more pizzaz, combining a cool look with comfortable and protective materials.
The Highway 21 Women’s Pearl Motorcycle Jacket is one of the most eye-catching black leather motorcycle jackets I’ve seen. From the brass-colored snap buttons on the flared collar to the buckled belt, it oozes more old-school cool than anything else in my closet.
The jacket is made of premium full-grain leather and is comfortable to wear. The leather is soft and flexible, unlike some stiffer and more constricting leather jackets I’ve worn. It comes with armor pockets in the back, shoulders, and elbows, although you’ll need to purchase the armor separately.
For adjustability, the jacket includes buckles at the cuffs and waist, along with the leather belt around the hips. The cuffs also have zippered vents that can be opened for some airflow, although that’s the sum of the ventilation options on this jacket, so I avoid wearing this one in hot weather. It also includes a comfort inner lining, two handwarmer pockets, and an internal pocket with a stretchable strap inside to secure any items you want to stow there.
The part of this jacket that most gives it its distinct look is the asymmetrical zipper and collar. With the zipper about halfway up, the collar can be snapped back into place for an open collar without the rider having to worry about loose parts flapping in the wind. If you want to zip it up all the way, simply unsnap the buttons and zip it up. I think the unsnapped buttons distract from the cool factor, so I usually leave the collar snapped back.
Whenever I’m wearing the Pearl jacket, I also wear my Highway 21 Women’s Black Ivy Gloves, which are made of supple goat leather and feature dual-density memory foam for comfort and less vibration, pre-curved fingers, accordion expansion panels on the fingers, hard knuckle protection, and a hook-and-loop adjustable wrist. They also feature a laser-etched Highway 21 design on the back of the hand.
The gloves work well with the jacket, but they also feature a more versatile look that isn’t quite as distinct. They’re easy to slip on and off, and if you purchase the right fit, they don’t slide around while riding. Like the jacket, they don’t offer much ventilation, so I wear them more often in spring and fall.
This Highway 21 leather apparel might not fit every look, but it certainly has personality. Both the Pearl Jacket and the Black Ivy Gloves are great spring and fall pieces of gear that are comfortable and protective. The jacket is available in sizes S-3XL for $249.95, and the gloves are available in sizes S-2XL for $54.95.
Winner of the 2024 Americade Bring It Bike Show Adventure category on Day 2: Dan Verkleir and Harley the Dog with their 1981 Honda GL1000 Gold Wing Terraplane Sidecar.
We were excited to return to Lake George, New York, for the 41st annual Americade rally and our Bring It Bike Show. Held at Fort William Henry on the southern shore of Lake George in the Adirondack Mountains, few rallies are in such a beautiful location surrounded by world-class motorcycling roads.
For the second year in a row, Rider and American Rider magazines co-hosted the Bring It Bike Show. With thousands of cool motorcycles at Americade, we invited attendees to Bring It!
Warm, sunny days with a cool breeze off Lake George made the 2024 Americade rally one of the best yet. The Bring It Bike Show was held at the corner of Canada Street and Beach Road, and the event drew steady crowds.
The 2024 Bring It Bike Show was sponsored by Americade, Spectro Performance Oils, SMK Helmets, Monimoto, Wild Ass, and The Lighthouse Grill. For three days, May 30 to June 1, we gave daily awards in several categories as well as a daily $200 cash prize for Editors’ Choice. All daily winners were eligible for the Best of Show award, which included $1,000 in cash plus several prizes.
The bike that won Best of Show was truly a showstopper, a motorcycle that was built from the ground up by a talented 25-year-old mechanical engineer named Hunter Leonard who lives in Crown Point, New York, an hour north of Lake George.
Best of Show: Leonard Motor Works Starrettania created by Hunter Leonard (center). The award, including $1,000 cash, was presented by Americade Executive Director Christian Dutcher (left) and Rider Magazine Editor-in-Chief Greg Drevenstedt (right).
The Leonard Motor Works Starrettania is one-of-a-kind. Named after a small town in Pennsylvania (with a slightly different spelling), the Starrettania is a vintage-style electric motorcycle that Leonard started designing as a college project. It took about three years to go from the original concept to the final version entered in the Bring It Bike Show.
Although its styling is inspired by a 1930s-era motorcycle, the Leonard Motor Works Starrettania was designed using the latest CAD software, and some of its parts – fenders, headlight nacelle, tank, and instrument panel – were built using a 3D printer. Leonard fabricated the frame and many other components, and only a handful of off-the-shelf parts were used.
Modern meets classic on the Leonard Motor Works Starrettania, a vintage-style electric motorcycle with 3D-printed components. If you’re wondering what that gear on the front wheel does, it runs the speedometer. The electric motor is in the rear wheel hub.
The Starrettania is powered by four lithium batteries from a Nissan Leaf, and its electric motor is built into the rear wheel’s hub, which allows for efficient packaging of the drivetrain. Leonard says the bike has a range of about 100 miles and a top speed in excess of 92 mph.
Hunter Leonard entered the Starrettania all three days of the Bring It Bike Show, and it drew a steady stream of crowds, questions, double takes, and photos. It won the Editors’ Choice award on Thursday, and at the end of the show on Saturday, it was the unanimous winner for Best of Show. We know we’ll be seeing much more from the creative, energetic, and enthusiastic Hunter Leonard, and we’ll follow up with a profile of him and the Starrettania in the near future.
There was a little bit of everything at the 2024 Americade Bring It Bike Show, from a tiny motorcycle powered by a weedeater motor to the massive orange-and-black Gold Wing trike with custom trailer seen in this photo.
We thank our show entries, our sponsors, and all Americade staff and volunteers for making our second Bring It Bike Show such a success. We’ll be back next year, so Bring It!
Bring It Bike Show Day 1 Winners:
American Bagger (Day 1): a highly customized 2010 Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic with a stunning paint scheme inspired by 19th century Buffalo Soldiers, owned by Douglas Alexander.
Adventure (Day 1): 2012 Honda Gold Wing with matching Tote “floating” trailer, owned by Barry and Lisa Woodcock.
Anything Goes (Day 1): 1967 Harley-Davidson Sprint Electric, owned by Tom Fisher. Tom used to race the gas-powered Sprint in the AHRMA 350GP class, and then he converted it to an electric bike with a 3kW (15 hp) motor.
Editors’ Choice (Day 1): Leonard Motor Works Starrettania, designed and built by Hunter Leonard. The Starrettania also won Best of Show.
Bring It Bike Show Day 2 Winners:
American Bagger (Day 2): 2022 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Apex owned by James Pitman.
American Cruiser (Day 2): 2012 Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxed owned by Coby Borwell.
Best Custom Paint (Day 2): 2020 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special with a stunning “hellscape” paint job owned by Frank Dumond.
Adventure (Day 2): Dan Verkleir and Harley the Dog with their 1981 Honda GL1000 Gold Wing Terraplane Sidecar.
Anything Goes (Day 2): Boss Hoss V8 owned by Kevin Taylor (not shown).
Editors’ Choice (Day 2): 1974 Honda CB750K owned by Tim Curley. Tim also won Editors’ Choice on Day 3 at the 2023 Americade Bring It Bike Show.
Bring It Bike Show Day 3 Winners:
American Bagger (Day 2): 2010 Harley-Davidson Road Glide owned by Stephen Luczkowec.
American Cruiser (Day 3): 2007 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 owned by Pete Ashak.
Anything Goes (Day 3): Razer Minibike powered by a 43cc weedeater motor, created and owned by David Kerl. Yes, he rode it to the show!
Editors’ Choice (Day 3): 2006 Honda Gold Wing Hannigan Trike with custom 1955 Chevy Bel-Air trailer. Ed’s trike (sans trailer) won Best Japanese (Day 2) at the 2023 Americade Bring It Bike Show.
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