I am an ordinary guy who enjoys riding motorcycles. I love riding all makes and models. I love short rides, long rides, and multi-day road trips. I lead an annual summer tour in various parts of the USA. I post reviews about motorcycle gear, motorcycles, roads, restaurants, sights, gadgets and more. Check out the "Motorcycle Facts,Trivia and History" page, the "Oz on Pods" page and the other pages for other useful and fun information. Ride carefully and Prayerfully, Oz.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Country store on Arkansas 7 - Great place to stop.

While riding it is always nice to stop for a little break and some nice refreshment, it is a nice bonus when you get some good service and conversation.  I found such a store in northern Arkansas.

At the intersection of Hwy 7 (Scenic Byway) and State Hwy 16/123 you will find the Blue Mountain Bakery & Deli (formerly Hankins Country Store) near Pelson, AR.  The store has been there for many years and had closed sometime in 2009, but has recently been reopened (2010) with new owners and the new name.

The new owners were very friendly and hospitable.  The wife is the store's baker and she was putting the final touches on her homemade cinnamon rolls when we walked in.  The items in the bakery display all looked delicious.

My friend tried the strawberry muffin and I got a cherry fried pie.  Both items were fresh and tasty.  The fried pie was full of cherries and was dusted with cinnamon.  I really liked it.  The muffin had chucks of reak strawberries.  We sat out on the porch and enjoyed our snacks.


You can also purchase firewood, camping supplies, drinks, and other food items at the store.  From this intersection you have great options.  No matter which direction you go you will enjoy nice twisties, great scenery, and light traffic.  So if you are in the north central area of Arkansas stop by the Blue Mountain Bakery & Deli.  You will find it refreshing.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Awesome Motorcycle Trips

A friend and I recently rode our motorcycles up to Des Moines, Iowa and we camped on the way up.  My son competed in the National Junior Forensic League tournament in Des Moines.  This was my first long trip on my new motorcycle, Yamaha Venture.
 

We will be camped in Petit Jean State Park and Mount Magazine State Park in Arkansas, Lake of the Ozarks State Park and Stockton State Park in Missouri, and staying in a motel while in Des Moines.  On Saturday June 26th we visited J and P Cycles in Anamosa, Iowa.  They were host their "Open House" that Saturday and Sunday.  We picked up some good deals!

On July 10th my son and I along with 7 others will depart on our trip to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.  We have not been there or ridden a great deal in Wyoming.  It will be a 14 day trip with lots of great roads and places.
Picture of Yellowstone Falls borrowed from http://grandcanyon.free.fr/images/cascade/original/

We are trailering through Texas and New Mexico to Pueblo, Colorado.  From there we will be riding the rest of the time.  We are spending 5 nights in West Yellowstone before heading back.  We have plans for a rafting trip, a visit to a gold mine, some hiking, and visits to some museums. 
Ride carefully and prayerfully!    
  
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* I have personally ordered from and/or visited these businesses and based on my experiences I recommend this company.  I have an affiliate relationship with the businesses, which means if you follow this link and purchase, I will receive a small commission and will get to ride more!
 
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"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6 


Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Top Motorcycle Cup Holder

I resisted at first.  I thought, "I don't need a drink when riding."  Well, last summer I rode on a friends bike for a few days and he had a cup holder.  Before I knew it I started using it and I liked having a beverage available while riding.

After I gave his bike back I started missing the convenience of having a readily available drink.  I ordered an inexpensive black plastic cup holder and it worked great.

After purchasing the Venture in May I put the cup holder on the bike, but it sure did not look quite right on the new shiny Venture.  After looking at some other options I ran across a great deal on a Kuryakyn universal cup holder while at the Jeff Williams Motorcycle Swap Meet in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.


The cup holder mounts on either clutch or break perch mounts, or if you use a clamp it can mount to the handlebars.  The cup holder accepts a wide range of cup/bottle sizes.  The chrome C-ring has rubber nipples that accommodate various sizes and keeps a good grip on the cups.  A sturdy nylon mesh net with leather-like material makes up the bottom portion of the cup holder.


The chrome ring, attachment, and bolts look good and are very sturdy.  Kuryakyn provides three pairs of extra bolts and two bushings to make mounting easy.  I chose to use one bolt and not have the cup as high up as it would be if both perch mounts bolts were used.



I have found the cup holder convenient, reliable on corners, and good looking.  I recommend the Kuryakyn universal cup holder for your bike.  I think you will like it.

Ride carefully and prayerfully!    
  
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* I have personally ordered from and/or visited these businesses and based on my experiences I recommend this company.  I have an affiliate relationship with the businesses, which means if you follow this link and purchase, I will receive a small commission and will get to ride more!
 
Feedback on these businesses is appreciated.  You may comment below.
 
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6 


Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Quality Motorcycle Riding Jeans

Two years ago I read about jeans that had strategic Kevlar reinforcement.  I bought a pair of jeans that had the reinforcement and stretch material in the crotch and above the knees.  They were OK, but not as comfortable as I had hoped.

Well, I decided to give a different brand and style of the protective jeans a chance.  I visited the Riders Discount and ordered a pair of Shift Lodown Street Jeans.

The Lodown jeans come in "dark indigo" (lightly faded black) and "light indigo" (faded blue).  I ordered the dark indigo.  The jeans have five pockets, two front pockets, two back pockets, and one key pocket.  Kevlar reinforcement is included in the knees, butt, and hips.  The seams for the extra protection is not too noticeable so the jeans have a traditional look.

Quality of the fabric and the stitching is very good.  Snaps and zipper looked good and worked great.  There are limited waist sizes (30 - 40) and no options for the inseam length.  When I received the jeans they had to be cut and hemmed (I am 5'6").

Once I had them altered I was ready to test them.  I have worn them on 4 different rides of various distances and I have found them much more comfortable than the other jeans.  The Lodown Jeans have a loose and comfortable fit.  The pockets are slightly bigger than traditional Levi or Wrangler jeans.  I was able to move and squat/sit without any problems or discomfort.

Time will tell, but the jeans seem very well made and durable.  I know that I love them and will be purchasing more.  They look good enough to wear even when I am not riding.  I highly recommend the Shift lowdown street jeans.

I also took a chance on some "transition" sunglasses, they are suppose to go from near clear to dark based on the amount of light.  I ordered the Bobster Phontochromic Hooligan Sunglasses from Riders Discount.

The glasses are very comfortable and the workmanship is top-notch.  The glasses fit well and protect my eyes from the wind when riding.  I really like them for evening and/or night riding.  They do not get dark enough for me in the bright sunlight.  I found that the glasses were slow in darkening and that they just did not block enough of the bright light.

I keep the glasses on the bike to use when riding at dusk, dawn, and night.  Bobster makes comfortable sunglasses, but I would not recommend the Hooligan Sunglasses for everyday usage, but they are great for the times when the light is low.
 
Ride carefully and prayerfully!    
  
Connect and follow Biker Oz on the following:

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Ordinary Biker Oz YouTube Channel has video reviews and more
Please visit the following great companies:

 

* I have personally ordered from and/or visited these businesses and based on my experiences I recommend this company.  I have an affiliate relationship with the businesses, which means if you follow this link and purchase, I will receive a small commission and will get to ride more!
 
Feedback on these businesses is appreciated.  You may comment below.
 
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6 

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Yamaha Royal Star Venture

I have posted a review on my V Star 1100 and I posted when the V Star hit 100,000 miles.  I now want to announce that the very reliable, ridable, maneuverable machine has been replaced.

After a lot of looking and research I am now riding a Yamaha Royal Star Venture. I looked at almost every bagger out there.  One of the big factors in my decision is that the Venture comes with a 5 year unlimited miles warranty.  That is hard to turn down, especially considering how much I ride.

I picked up the bike Saturday May 22, 2010 from Motion CycleSports and I am looking forward to riding it for 100,000+ miles.
I got up early Sunday morning and went riding prior to attending church.  I stopped on CO 331 aka Woodlawn Road on the east side of McKinney and took these pictures of my bike.
Needless to say I am pretty excited and I am really enjoying the Venture.  Later on when I get 10,000+ miles on the bike I will post my thoughts and impressions.  In the mean time I am riding every chance I get.
Ride carefully and prayerfully!    
  
Connect and follow Biker Oz on the following:

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Please visit the following great companies:

 

* I have personally ordered from and/or visited these businesses and based on my experiences I recommend this company.  I have an affiliate relationship with the businesses, which means if you follow this link and purchase, I will receive a small commission and will get to ride more!
 
Feedback on these businesses is appreciated.  You may comment below.
 
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6 

 

Monday, May 17, 2010

A Must Visit National Park in the American West

I know that there has been a lot written about Arches National Park in Utah, but I am going to share my thoughts anyway.

In June 2009 part of our 4 state trip included a day of riding from SW Colorado into Utah and up to Moab to visit Arches NP.  As we rode up US 191 from Monticello, UT we saw many formations that gave us a small preview of what was in store for us.

Church Rock lies to the east of US 191, south of Moab, UT
 
Along the way we stopped at Wilson  Arch, a popular formation right beside the highway with paved parking provided on both sides of the road.  Hiking to the arch is allowed and the view from the arch is great.

Wilson Arch
The boys on the arch, what a view!
View from Wilson Arch and one of the group on the arch.
Parking lot as seen from the arch
 
The hike up the arch is short, but steep.  We made the hike in our riding boots and I am glad I went up.  It was really neat.

We continued to Moab and then to Arches NP.  The park is just north of Moab on US 191.  There is a gift shop with facilities at the entrance of the park.  We rode  17.7 miles to the farthest part of the park, Devils Garden Trailhead.  Along the way we viewed the desert landscape and the saw many of the 2000+ arches in the park.
 
One of the arches along the way.
 
There is numerous trails and we had limited time, so we decided to visit this area the most.  One arch we hiked to was Pine Tree Arch.  There were many in the area, but the hikes to them are longer.
 
Look closely and you can see me and my son at Pine Tree Arch.
 
There are many unique formations that are not arches.  The Devils Garden area had some neat formations.
 
 Elephant Rock - not the best angle, but you can see the elephant head and top of his truck.
Another unique formation.
 
We left Devils Garden Trailhead and road to Delicate Arch Viewpoint.  Due to time we did not hike to the famous arch, but we hiked a short distance to a great viewpoint just south of the arch.  It is an impressive site.
 
The iconic Delicate Arch
Delicate Arch
 
After view Delicate Arch we headed out of the park and on to Grand Junction, CO by way of an awesome road UT 128 (see previous post about the road).

Arches National Park is a worthy destination.  Allot plenty of time to hike to some of the sites.  Take plenty water, snacks, and sunscreen.  I look forward to visiting the park again in the future.
Ride carefully and prayerfully!    
  
Connect and follow Biker Oz on the following:

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Ordinary Biker Oz YouTube Channel has video reviews and more
Please visit the following great companies:

 
* I have personally ordered from and/or visited these businesses and based on my experiences I recommend this company.  I have an affiliate relationship with the businesses, which means if you follow this link and purchase, I will receive a small commission and will get to ride more!
 
Feedback on these businesses is appreciated.  You may comment below.
 
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6