The Best Fall Leaf Peeping Trips are by Motorcycle.

Even though the calendar now says we're into Autumn, Mother Nature (in Northern NY anyways) has deemed it to be Summer - temps in the 70's & 80's with big, white cumulus clouds in the sky.

But regardless, the shorter days and cooler temps are coming and will trigger the

My fav tree in my backyard

leaves to throw on their many coat of colors. That plus the many Fall Festivals & Events going on throughout our area make this the perfect time to jump on the bike and do some Leaf Peeping.

Just some quick tips from FX Caprara Harley-Davidson: 1)Do your T-CLOCS inspection - make sure your bike is ready to go. 2) Dress in layers, especially if you plan to be out for the entire day. 3) Watch for wet leaves in the corners and frost on the road in the early morning. 4) Be sure to bring a camera or that your phone is fully charged so you can take as many pictures of the b-e-a-utiful scenery as you like. 5) Leaf Peeping is really a thing for a lot of folks, and they'll be taking to the roads as well this time of year. Watch out for cagers who aren't paying attention.

Here's my idea of a perfect Fall Ride in the Adirondacks:

Gazebo in Harrisville on the Oswegatchie River

1) Start off with a Good Breakfast: Just like your bike, you'll need a good tank of fuel to get you through the day. My favorite spots are Gram's Diner in Adams (they are on vacation 9/25-10/3) or Lloyd's of Lowville in Lowville of course. 

2) From Lowville (pronounced "Lau-ville" by the locals), take Route 812 up to Bonaparte's Cave State Forest and take a hike in

The Adirondack Hotel is popular with riders & non-riders alike

the region where Napoleon's brother once eluded hired assassins. 

3) Take Route 812 back to Harrisville, then jump on State Route 3 heading East. In Tupper Lake follow Route 30 to Long Lake. Just about now you might be hankering for lunch, and the Adirondack Hotel is a perfect spot to grab some grub.

4) After lunch hop back on Route 30 going South to State Route 28 and head West. Enjoy the views of Raquette, Seventh and the Fulton Chain Lakes as you ride into Old Forge. A stop at the Old Forge Hardware Store is a must because they have everything.

Inside Old Forge Hardware Store

5) Continue West on 28 until you get to Route 12, jump on that heading North. It won't be too long before you'll be in the quaint village of Boonville. If you're wanting dinner, a place to stop for the night, check out the Boonville Hotel - a great place for both.

Or you can ride with Northern New York H.O.G. Chapter on their Fall Foliage Ride, October 7th. Meet at FXCHD at 11am, KSU at 11:30.

Of course you can do your own thing too - check out Go Tour NY for more rides/routes in the Adirondack & 1000 Islands regions. Just as long as you take the time and celebrate Autumn in the Adirondacks the best way possible - by Motorcycle. 

Ride Motorcycles and be Happier - 10 Ways

At times I'm your typical Northern California girl - I love yoga, definitely a nature lover, I'm into Zen-like thinking, and I subscribe to a number of "feel good" blogs.

One Elephant Journal article I read recently was titled 10 ways to Choose Happiness. (However I'm not a complete "hippie" because my first thought was, "One of them better involve riding a motorcycle!!") 

And, while the author didn't mention motorcycles in the article at all (how DARE they!), as it turns out all the bullet points can be achieved when you're a motorcyclist. Here, I'll show you: 

• Detach: On my motorcycle all I have to do is twist the throttle and I detach myself from all the negatives of my day.
• Give & Receive: By joining NNY H.O.G. (our local Harley Owners Group chapter) I am able to give advice and mentorship to those around me. And the camaraderie & great memories I receive in return? Priceless.
• Appreciate Yourself: "Give yourself some love on a daily basis." Easily done when I'm riding, or thinking about riding, or planning a ride, or reading about riding.... You get the point.
• Connect with Nature: Riding a motorcycle is

  

  "You in the mini-van - how long you in for?"

  completely different than riding in a car. In a car the windshield & cabin act to keep you in a cage, detached from what is around you - like you're watching a movie. When you're riding a motorcycle, you are IN the scene rather than staring at it from afar. You see & smell much more on a motorcycle than you ever do in a car. You're definitely connecting with Nature on a very intimate level.
• Be In The Moment: To be a good motorcyclist you need to be focused on what you're doing, NOW.
  
  What happened 10 minutes ago, last week and last year all melt into the background. And the only future you need to be aware of is which road you're going to take.
• Love Yourself: The fact that I didn't reach my weight goal, or that my teeth aren't going to pass the "tissue test" or that I didn't get many "likes" on my Facebook posts, doesn't matter in the least to my Harley-Davidson!! But seriously I don't really care about any of that stuff because I learned a long time ago that none of that matters. Thanks in large part to riding, I've come to know I'm beautiful. Period.
• Practice Gratitude: It's easy to complain, but then
  
  I realize how blessed I am - I can simply jump on my bike and ride away from it all and not everyone can.
• Get Inspired Daily: I'll think back to Harley-Davidson's four founding fathers who, over a century ago, had the foresight to start a company that evolved into a way of life that I so enjoy. Listening to other Bikers tell their story of their favorite road is another way I'm inspired.
• Focus on the Good: I was stuck in traffic on a hot July day, getting caught up at how I should have
  
  taken another route - getting too focused on the bad. I started looking around and there was a straight up Amish guy sitting close by, just looking at me on my bike as I sat sweating. All of a sudden he gives me the biggest smile and flashes me a 'biker wave'!!! The best one I've ever gotten came out of something I didn't initially see as good... 
• Practice Self-care: Putting on my riding gear and making sure my bike is well maintained certainly rev up my mind, body & spirit!!

So there you have it, when you ride a motorcycle you're a happier person. It's true that money cannot buy happiness, but it can buy you a Harley, which is pretty much the same thing! 

Don't wait for the perfect day - Make It!!!

This is not the first time you've heard that saying (and if it is you've got to get out more!) - but know that you're hearing it again because it's true.

To be sure Bikers know this since we often live in the present - we know that Life is short and we've got to get out to enjoy ourselves while we're here.

So it's with that in mind that this past Mother's Day, despite the cloudy skies and damp weather, I ventured out and had some fun.

The day was far from perfect by most people's standards, and yet the sun was still there and Spring is blooming in Northern New York - albeit a little slowly.

But nonetheless I got out and had some fun while connecting with Mother Nature (even though I didn't ride!).

Once again, you don't have to wait for the perfect day to get out and enjoy yourself and life. You just have to go out and make it perfect & have fun!!

8 Common Motorcycle Accidents & How to Avoid them

It doesn't matter if you're new to motorcycling or been at it for a while - every Spring you should take some time to dust off your riding skills (if you're lucky enough to live where snow dominates the landscape 6 months out of the year, that is).

In that spirit, here's a reminder of the most common motorcycle accidents and how to avoid them. Feel free to share this blog post with drivers as well to help them understand better what we motorcyclists go though.

1. Entered a corner too fast and you can't stay in your lane: the best approach is to trust the bike and ride it out. The bike is likely more capable than you are, so it's really you that thinks you're not able to make it around. Take as much lean out of the bike as possible by counter leaning, look where you want to go, and be as smooth as possible on the controls. How to Avoid it: Only ride as fast as you can see and use visual cues like telephone polls or signs to judge the sharpness of a corner.
2. A car/truck is merging into your space: beware of situations where lane changes become more possible. Is highway traffic slowing with one lane moving faster than the other? Did the person merging onto the interstate get behind you? (see "Thanks for waving as you tried to crush me"). How to Avoid it: Know

   

   The Truck Driver cannot see any of these bikes!

   where the blind spots are and spend as little time in them as possible.
3. Someone on a group ride decides to show off their "mad riding skillz": Going out on a group ride when one rider wants to demonstrate their stunt riding act (although they're not professionally trained....). They end up doing something stupid, over-correct and cause an accident. How to Avoid it: Make sure everyone knows group riding etiquette and to ride in staggered formation. 
   
4. A Car Door opens into you: You're in the city, stuck in a traffic jam, and it's HOT!! You decide to pass everyone on the right, between the line of traffic and parked cars when, all of a sudden, Nathan No-Look swings his door open into your path. How to avoid it: Don't "lane split" in the first place. In NY it's illegal - in fact, California is the only state that allows you to do it under the law. 
5. You've hit gravel in a blind corner and are losing
   
   traction: You're out riding through a few twisties when you round a corner only to find gravel, sand, wet leaves, or manure in your path. How to Avoid it: Don't hit it in the first place! Ride at a pace where you have time to move your bike. Enter the corner wide so you can see, and once you can see all the way through the turn you can speed up. "Slow in, fast out."
6. Caught out in the Rain and you're playing "slip & slide": Things like manhole covers, 'tar snakes' and painted lines on the road can become slippery during a rain storm. Plus the first rain after a long dry spell can bring up all the oil & gas out of the pavement. How to avoid it: As long as you've got good tread on your tires, your bike will be fine in wet conditions. Just be smooth on your controls, take corners easy, and leave plenty of room between you and the vehicle in front of you.
7. A car/truck turns left in front of you - the most
   
   common type of motorcycle accident: The science behind this happening: a driver looking for cars perceives merely an absence of cars, not the presence of a motorcycle. How to Avoid it: Look for signs that could indicate someone may turn in front of you: a car waiting to turn at an intersection, or come out of a driveway or parking lot. Yes, you do need to take something as innocent as a car waiting in a turn lane as a major and immediate threat to your life. In either situation, slow down, cover your brakes and get ready to take evasive action. And once you’ve identified said threat, you can work through it. Is the driver clearly able to see you? Are they looking at you? Where are their wheels pointing? What’s the road surface like? Is it going to be able to handle the full force of your brakes or are you going to lock them? You do know how to use the full ability of your brakes, right? Look at their wheels, not the car itself, because the wheels will give you the first clue of movement. During all this, also be aware of what’s behind and to your side. Should you need to take evasive action, you’ll need to know your routes of escape. It’s no good braking in time to avoid a turning car, only to be swatted from behind by a tailgating SUV. 
8. The 100% Most Avoidable Accident -
   
   DUI/DWI: You’d think this would be a ‘no brainer’ – we did just cover how, as a rider, you need to develop a precognitive sixth sense. But now you’re out with friends and you think by consuming a beer or two is going to add in on the fun, then ride home after that. It’s not!! You’ve just dulled your senses and taken away your reaction time. How fun is it going to be paying the DUI ticket and state fines? Paying the increases in your insurance premiums? How fun is it going to be when you get demoted at work? How fun is it going to be laying up in a hospital bed, recovering from a major accident? Or that you took someone else's life from them, their family and friends.... How to Avoid it: THINK!! DON'T DRINK AND RIDE!!! I'm not saying you shouldn’t drink at all. Just that when you do, your kick stand is down and your bike is parked for the night.

There you have it so now you can do what my Dad always told me to do, "Plan as if you'll live forever. But LIVE as if you'll die tomorrow."

Do you have any helpful advice to add? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

Do you hear their call?

Some of our customers don't believe us. They think it's just a sales tactic. However I've seen it happen enough times, both at FX Caprara Harley-Davidson and at Harley-Davidson of Atlanta, to know it's true. I even had it happen to me!

The Bikes call to people. "I should be yours..." "Take me home." "Let's go ride!" And they call all year round, regardless if there's snow on the ground. But they don't just call to only one person.... and that's when the trouble starts.

When I was working at H-D Atl, they had a 'previously enjoyed' Super Glide in the showroom. Every day I went to work I'd see this bike and hear her call. 

Finally, after almost two months, I made the choice

to bring her home. As I was filling out the finance app our GM came over to me. "I heard you were interested in that silver Dyna Super Glide.... How interested in it are you? Because I just had two others say they want it."

At FXCHD we've had customers express their love for a particular bike, but when we ask if they'd like to leave a deposit to hold the bike they decline. Then, sometimes within an hour after the first customer leaving, another customer comes along and falls in love with the same bike, and wants to get it.... NOW.

We do try to contact the first customer (if they gave us their info) and let them know about the other interested party. Not to start a bidding war but simply because they were there first! 

Customers will come back in a few weeks or even a month later and ask, "What happened to that bike? Why did you sell it??" Well, that's because we're not a museum.... It's our job.

Even though there's still snow on the ground, February is a great time to buy a motorcycle - even the other experts agree. We've gotten in great trades and our new bike inventory is stocked up, plus a few less customers around to hear "the call."

However, once the weather shows a hint of warming up enough for us to ride - usually in late March - the demand will increase and supply decrease. 

Not to mention, Harley-Davidson has two good programs that are ending on February 28, 2017: 

1. 0.99%APR with $0 Down* on select new 2016 Harley Motorcycles
2. FREE Extended Factory Warranty** on new 2016 Harley Motorcycles

So, even though the riding season is still 6 to 8 or maybe even 10 weeks out, if you're in the market to get a motorcycle, NOW is the time to do it.