Going out doing what I love... My Passion

Call me crazy, but I have dreamed of my death. In my dream I'm old, probably in my 90s, laying in a bed surrounded by my children and their children. Which is all well and good, but that's not how I wish to depart this reality.

All of us will eventually shuffle off, leaving only the memory of us in the ones we love and who loved us.

Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash

Although, technically I'm not even supposed to be alive! As a child I was diagnosed with All Lymphatic Leukemia, and back in the early 70s the survival rate wasn't exactly the best. At one point the doctors told my father they needed to operate to remove the lymph nodes in my neck, and when he refused the doctors proclaimed I would die. "We are all going to die... No one gets out of this alive,"  was my dad's reply

Obviously I survived... they never did operate and a little while later I finally went into remission. That instilled the mantra into my head as I grew up: 

It doesn't matter how we die, only how we live.

Photo by Harley-Davidson on Unsplash

Last weekend, while I was in Alexandria Bay at the Thousand Islands River Run, I heard the news from New Hampshire. Word of the accident spread quickly through our biker community not only because we're somewhat close to the area (just a day ride), but also because we've got Fort Drum Army Post literally in our back yard (and most of the victims were former Marines). 

Going back to my youth again, growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 80s and 90s, I had quite a few friends pass away from a terminal illness that left their bodies weak and frail. For some it was all they could do just to sit up in bed. There was no way for them to do what they loved, even if that was just a walk in the park.

This past weekend there was also news from Hawaii: a plane carrying skydivers had gone down. In the news coverage, the girlfriend of one of the victims had said, "...he loved what he did and he died doing what he loved, so it was beautiful." 

Yes, both accidents were tragedies. And yes, both should never have happened. However, that is as much a part of the circle of life as life itself: birth, life, death, repeat.

And, if given the choice between a long suffering illness where my body and/or mind could betray me and I'm left virtually helpless, or a quick accident where I was doing something I enjoyed, I'd take the later. If at all possible, I'd like to go out doing what I love.

17 Do's and Don'ts for your First Group Ride

Many Bikers who've been around the block a time or two have a routine down when it comes to going on a group ride. Most like to arrive early to meet up with old friends while making new ones. Others prefer to register for the ride first and plan where they'll be riding in the group.

If you're new to motorcycling or new to group riding, here's a list of "do's and don'ts" right from FXCHD. These tips are good to follow if you're riding with friends or on a larger charity ride.

DO start off the day with a full tank of gas. There's usually a gas station close to where the ride starts, so plan to fill up there. Nothing's worse than having the ride starting out and less than a mile into it you've got to signal you need gas.

DO get to know your group riding signals. Sure lots of riders have bike to bike communications, but not everybody! So it's useful to know how to use signals to communicate and understand.

DON'T forget to do a T-CLOCS inspection before even leaving the house. You'll be really embarrassed if a cop pulls you over because your tail lamp is out.

DO have water with you so you can stay hydrated as the day goes on.

DON'T be afraid to ask questions and speak up! If the person leading the ride isn't pointed out to you, ask who you're supposed to be following. If you know the route they're taking is tore up, let the group know ahead of time.

DO take lots of pictures if that's your thing. Not only will it help you to remember the fun you had that day, they also make great birthday or Christmas gifts later on.

DO ride up to the pumps and gas up when the group stops for gas. Only after filling up your fuel tank do you empty your bladder (unless it's an urgency) or grab a snack to eat. And, even if you think you don't need gas, fill up anyways because you never know.

DO ride your own ride (meaning ride with the group and reasonably stay within your comfort zone). The nice thing about riding in a group is you'll usually have more experienced riders that can tell you're ready to take your ride to the next level, so they might have you go through some twisties that you didn't think you could handle. That being said...

...DON'T be pushed too far beyond your riding abilities. Say you've never ridden on the interstate and the group is planning a 'turn and burn' out to Buffalo (speeding down the Thruway just to get there and then get back). If this is not your style then say so! Do not ride faster than your Guardian Angel can fly.

DO make your last phone calls, texts, tweets and Instagram, Facebook, etc. posts well before the ride starts.

DON'T be "that guy/gal" to be putting on your helmet, gloves, selecting your radio station or getting your earbuds in, etc while everyone is already ready to ride and they're waiting on you. When the Road Captain says to get ready to ride, that is not the time to start an in-depth conversation or perform a T-CLOCS inspection. Go grab your stuff, put it on and start your bike.

DO take your rain gear with you. Even if the Weather Wo/Man says there won't be any rain, you might still find a need for it. Waterproof = Wind-proof. If it's not raining you can put on your rainsuit to help block the wind and keep you warm.

DO be familiar and be comfortable riding in a staggered formation. Most groups do this, it's only when Bikers have been riding together for years that are confident to ride side-by-side.

DON'T miss the Ride Briefing -with most rides they'll have a small period before KSU (Kick Stands Up) where they'll go over who the Road Captains are, what riding signals they'll be using, how they plan on handling stop lights & heavy traffic intersections, what the route will be, and what the road conditions are (if there's construction going on, gravel down, etc.). Sure you'll see it on the ride, but it is nice to know about it before hand as well.

DO wait for other members of the group on a ride. Keep an eye on your rearview mirrors and let members in the group ahead of you know if others have fallen behind. This can happen on small group rides with friends that you'll run into this situation (most larger charity group rides will also have someone riding 'sweep'). Someone maybe got a flat tire, stalled out their bike, or ran out of gas... If you no longer see them in your rearview, signal to the others, pull over and wait for them to catch up. If you don't see them in a few minutes, chances are you'll probably have to double back and go see what's going on.

DON'T drink and ride, group ride or riding on your own. First of all, the ride really is intoxicating enough. Second, most groups don't allow any alcohol before or during the ride - it's just not safe and puts others at risk. Third, if you do have an accident the police and your insurance will insist on a full investigation, and if they find you're legally intoxicated you'll be in for fines, license suspension, possible jail time, and increased insurance premiums.

Last but not least: DO take the time to enjoy the ride and make new friends. After all, you know you already have one thing in common: riding motorcycles! This is your time to relax, have fun, see new sites and roads, and maybe even learn a new thing or two. 

My first 30 days in Behind Bars...

You may remember this past February I broke up... with my 2004 Dyna Super Glide. I traded her in and got my 2018 115th Anniversary Heritage from FX Caprara Harley-Davidson.

Except that it was February... Not exactly Riding Season in Northern New York. 

So I had to wait... and wait... and wait... Then finally, on Earth Day no less, we were finally together and Riding.

One month later and 738 miles are in behind bars of this beautiful bike, and it's been phenomenal! 

Even though there are quite a few differences between my new bike and my old -most notably the engine displacement (my '04 was 88 cubic inch (1450cc), new is 114ci (1868cc)... !!!) -the new still felt like my old friend: cozy & natural. 

And yet, the 114ci Milwaukee-Eight motor is smoooooth -so smooth in fact that it's very easy for me to get up to 70mph and not realize it. (I hope no police are reading this!)

The frame of the 2018 Heritage is as agile as my old bike, making it a true joy to lean into the corners, roll on the throttle and go flying down the road.

With the high-performance suspension, the bike is easily maneuverable in parking lots as well as quite comfortable on long rides. 

Then there's the torque... as in there's A LOT of it!! 

In case you didn't know, torque is the feeling you get as the power of the motor gets transferred to the pavement, sitting you back in your seat.

At first it was hard for me to know when to shift, because this bike has torque that pulls through every gear (rather than running out of power forcing the rider to up-shift). 

The power and torque that the new Softails have will truly put a smile on your face! As the MoCo puts it, "...increased lean angle, quicker turn-in, quicker acceleration and more flickability, all with easier lift-off from the side stand."

I'm here to tell you that is truth in advertising!! Beyond the specs of any bike, there is the 'fun factor' to consider when making a buying decision. And all the new Softails, with their Milwaukee-Eight engines, have a very high rate of 'smiles per mile.' 

I am very much looking forward to many more days behind bars, riding my new Heritage for many, many more miles.

If you're interested in what my 'old' bike is doing now, she's gone on to have lots of fun doing wheelies and performing stunts with Hostile Crew -check out their Facebook page and Instagram.

Organizing a Motorcycle Ride for Charity

A sure sign of Spring is FX Caprara Harley-Davidson's Ride Calendar Meeting that happens every year in March. This is where our NNY Harley Owners Group and local motorcycle & riding clubs get together and plan out their rides that will leave from our dealership.


Some rides are just to have fun, but the majority are to raise funds for a charity. For instance, the Watertown Chrome Divas put on their annual Ta-Ta Run every year for local breast cancer services.

(All the pictures in this blog post are from the Diva's 2017 Ta-Ta Ride, their 10th year of putting it on.) 

It is a lot of fun to go on a well organized charity ride, but don't be fooled - it takes a lot of dedication and time to make it successful!

So we #atFXCHD thought we'd give you the highlights on how you can make this happen, on the off chance you'd like to set up a charity ride.

CHOOSING YOUR CHARITY
You may already have a charity in mind, or perhaps you're still in the process of choosing one that you feel a connection to. Either way, be sure to contact them and get permission to raise funds (it sounds weird I know, but sometimes they have rules for such things). Also get their permission to use their logos on your flyers to promote your ride. An added bonus: see if a few people from the charity you've chosen can be there for your ride - connecting a face to the cause will help immensely.

SETTING THE DATE
Sounds easy enough, doesn't it? Except that you'll want to remember major holidays (because people will be spending time with family/friends) and other bike rallies & events in your area (because they'll be going to Thousand Islands River Run, Americade or Laconia instead of going on your ride). 

You'll also want to decide on a rain date - usually the following weekend - in case you need to postpone it. We recommend giving yourself at least six months to get your ride all put together.

YOU'RE NOT A ONE MAN BAND
Get some friends/volunteers to help you, cuz you're gonna need it. From organizing, to planning the route, to finding give-aways and sponsors, and getting Bikers signed up on the day of the ride, plus a lot more - there's absolutely no way you'll be able to get it all done by yourself. Decide who is going to do what and meet regularly to see what's going on and where everyone is at.

LOGISTICALLY SPEAKING
Choose your starting and end points. Using a start point at FX Caprara Harley-Davidson (or your local Harley dealership) is great because we will help promote your ride, we have room enough in our parking lot, able to set up tables and chairs to register your riders, and have free coffee and donuts for everyone the day of. Plus, everyone loves going to a Harley dealer!! 

Your end point should also have a large parking area, have food (if you decide not to have it catered), music - live music preferably, and room enough inside for a Chinese Auction, 50/50 raffles, etc. Perfect places are Elks Clubs, American Legions, VFWs, and Marine Corp League. You can choose a restaurant of course, just see if they'll block off part of their parking for the bikes.

THE RIDE AND THE ROUTE
Next you'll want to decide what type of ride to do: scavenger hunt, poker run, or guided ride. The hunt gives a chance for everyone to do it on their own time and meet up at the end point. For both the poker run & guided rides you will need a group of Bikers to lead it. And for the poker run you'll need a deck of cards, score cards and prizes or part of the pot to award at the end. Some groups give out prizes for the best & worst hand, which gives everyone a chance to have a great time.

As for the Route: look for scenic rides along well paved roads with little traffic, so don't think of riding through the middle of downtown - the goal is to keep your group together & safe. 

Recommended length is 50 to 100 miles in all with at least three stops before reaching the end point (five if you're doing a poker run). Have the route printed out so you can give them to the Bikers going. Also actually ride the route, including stops, at least once before the day of the event. Remember: Summer months mean road construction can pop up anywhere! Adjust your route as necessary.

If your group is going to be large, you might want to ask local law enforcement weeks in advance to block large intersections for you. Or you can break up into two or three smaller groups. Remember: only law enforcement can block traffic - we advise you or any of your crew not to do it yourselves on the ride.

SHOW ME THE MONEY
Raising funds for a charity means you'll have to put a price on your ride. If you're having any sort of food, drink and entertainment at the end, and the cost of that isn't being covered by your sponsors, then you'll have to consider this going into the price of the ride as well.

You can sell early tickets at a reduced rate - this will give you an idea of how many people to expect (and also a way to contact them should you need to enact the rain date). And/or if you set the price at $25 per rider or vehicle and they hand you $30, you can ask if they'd like to put the $5 change towards 50/50.

Wrist bands will need to be given to those that have registered so you can easily see who has paid for the ride and who hasn't. Designing buttons, patches and/or t-shirts to sell to commemorate your charity run will help keep your event in the minds of the participants for next year's ride as well.

GET THEIR JOHN HANCOCK
Registering Bikers for your ride, you'll want them to sign a release waiver - they have to know that each person will be liable if involved in an accident. You may wish to check with an insurance agent for a liability policy and an attorney to draw up the release form. 

GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN
Getting the word out, now that you've got it all organized, is key to getting people to go on your ride. Tell everyone: bike dealerships and local repair shops, restaurants, bars and at all the bike nights you can go to. Start a Facebook Event Page and consider putting it on Eventbrite.com. Tell all the local clubs- the local H.O.G. (Harley Owners Group), Motorcycle & Riding Clubs in your area. If you can, get the local tv and radio stations involved. Don't just tell them once either, tell everyone lots of times - especially the closer you get to your event. This is an absolute must if you're wanting any sort of turn out for your ride!!

LAST BUT NOT LEAST

The day of your ride has finally arrived and you're all set. You and your crew get to the starting point at least 30 minutes before registration starts. Make sure you all have everything set and a way to get a hold of each other should questions arise that they need answers to. 

---And there you have it: the keys to organizing a motorcycle ride for charity. As you can see, it is quite a lot of work... but done correctly it will also be a lot of fun with old friends, plus you'll make new ones.