GWRRA Region B NY District - Chapter D: "There are no wrong turns, only D tours!" Website: www.gwrra-ny-d.org SEPTEMBER 2013 NEWSLETTER CHAPTER D OFFICERS & STAFF CD: Bob & Chris Makai rmakai10@yahoo.com ACD: Bill & Lisa Nickal wnickal@twcny.rr.com TREASURER: Bill Downey billrpa@aol.com MEC: Trish Thayer pthayer27@gmail.com RIDER ED.: Rick Reardon redwing91.rr@gmail.com COY 2013:Jim & Trish Thayer jthayer12@gmail.com TECH. DIR.: TBD CHAPTER D COMMITTEES Newsletter: Bill Spencer Advertising: Henry Jedra Sunshine: Shirley Hammond Patches & Pins: Laurie O Brien Webmaster: Pam Pearson NY DISTRICT OFFICERS DD: Paul & Suzette Wood 585-343-8903 gwrranydd@gmail.com ADD: Bob & Cathy Turner 631-368-8982 ghostriderse@verizon.net ADD: Gary & Donna Cork 518-877-4917 Dgcorkny@aol.com DIST. TREAS: Kathy DeGroff 315-289-1308 kdegroff2@yahoo.com DASH-FOR-CASH 2013 IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES Sep 8 -! Chapter D 30th Anniversary Picnic -! POSTPONED Sep 11 -! Monthly Gathering @ Euclid @ 6PM (dinner)! followed by meeting at 7PM Sep 14 -! Progressive Dinner Ride starting @11AM @! Rick & Pam s in Central Square Sep 20-22 - District Ride Out, Lake George Sep 25 -! Dinner Ride @ Frank s Roadhouse, East! Syracuse @ 6:30PM Sep 28 -! Naples Grapefest, meet at Brenda s Diner Oct 9 -! Monthly Gathering @ Euclid @ 6PM (dinner)! followed by meeting at 7PM ANNIVERSARIES Sept 12 Bill & Julie Spencer Sept 14 Jim & Cheryl VanLengen BIRTHDAYS Sept 6 Alice Ridgeway Sept 7 Scott Peters Sept 8 Burt Falk Sept 9 Fran Holz Sept 12 Al Yerdon 13 pts as of 9/1/13
...to our Chapter Directors... Hi, everyone. It is now September, the State Fair is almost over, and soon school will start again. Hopefully fall will be a pleasant season. Summer was not as nice as we would have hoped. Approximately 15 Chapter D members attended the Chapter T BBQ held at Linda and Clark Clemons' home in Sylvan Beach on August 17. It was a gorgeous day for a picnic and everyone had a great time. There was an abundance of good food and great conversations with good friends. Thanks to Linda and Clark for hosting the picnic and for Chapter T for inviting us. On August 18, Mike and Sharon Jedra led the Chapter ride to the Erie Canal. As Chris and I did not attend this event, we will ask Mike to let us all know at the next Gathering how the group enjoyed the day's events. A group of eight bikes and 13 riders and co-riders took part in the Windmill Farm ride to Lowville on August 24. We met at Good Golly's and from there began the ride to Lowville. The day was picture perfect in the low 70's. We were disappointed that the winds were calm and that the wind turbines were not turning while we were riding among them through the countryside. It was quite a sight. We had lunch at Boondock's in Lyons Falls. The inside of the restaurant was unique, with an outdoor feel. There was a stream running through the center of the dining room, a few trees and a cave, and owl and cricket sound effects. The food was very good and we had a great time. Thank you to Bill and Julie for planning and leading this ride. This was one of the rides that was scheduled for the Bi-State Convention, but due to rain it never went out. A dinner ride was scheduled for August 28 at Rudy's Lakeside in Oswego. Because I was ill, I did not attend this dinner ride. Hopefully a few Chapter members were able to get to Oswego without getting wet and enjoyed dinner and the view at Rudy's. As I mentioned in a recent email, the Anniversary picnic that was scheduled for September 8 was canceled. Chris and I feel that the 30th anniversary of this Chapter is a landmark that should be recognized. We are looking at the possibility of celebrating this anniversary at a future date and hopefully we will have a lot of members attend. Look through all your photos of past Chapter events and be prepared to bring them to the celebration and share them and your memories with all of the Chapter members. We will keep everyone informed. Hope to see you all at the next gathering! Bob and Chris Makai Chapter Directors
...to our Assistant Chapter Directors... Bi-State 2013 Well Done Well, as our summer is rapidly drawing to a close, Lisa and I look forward to attending the Ride Out in Lake George! Earlier this month New Jersey and New York Districts completed the fifth year of the Bi- State convention. Congratulations on five successful years. Lisa and I enjoyed the exciting rides, always informative education classes, good food, fun and most of all, being with old and new friends! We both look forward to attending the 2014 convention in New Jersey. As Assistant Chapter Director, I was more involved this year in the planning and execution of this year s convention. The meetings to pull off such a convention began early in March as GWRRA NY/NJ members started formulating a plan. I was amazed at the amount of planning and the number of GWRRA members who helped pull off such a big event. What was most amazing was that this Bi-State event happens in our own back yard! Lisa and I are very proud of the hard work and participation of our Chapter D members. From the beginning of the plans to the execution of all the various events, Chapter D was there! John and Pam Van Deusen (District Educators) along with Rick Reardon, helped coordinate the many classroom and range classes, something they do well all year long. We are truly a lucky chapter to have such talented educators. Pam Pearson, with the help of Alice Ridgeway and others, contacted, coordinated and assisted the many vendors who attended and donated many items for door prizes. The Vendor Coordinator is no easy task, takes long hours and hundreds of calls! Thank you to Pam for an outstanding job. Jim and Trish Thayer (also Chapter T members) again coordinated the efforts needed to host a hospitality room. It was another job well done which required many hours of work. I must say I visited the room many times for a refreshing drink and snack during the many days of the convention. There was always fresh coffee, lemonade, snacks and no shortage of new friends and humor! My hands on involvement came as I assisted Bill and Julie Spencer with the scheduled rides. Bill and Julie put together a host of full day, half day and lunch rides for our many visitors to participate in. As the Ride Captain of one all day ride and tail or participant on many other rides, this was no small task! As they say It s the Journey not the Destination, throw in the crazy weather Mother Nature has sent our way this year, and you know what I mean. April, May, June and July was spent with tests for each ride for any route changes that needed to be made, and there were many, due to flooded roads and washed out bridges! Leading up to the week long convention, copies of each ride (both paper and electronic) were made, and maps of the Syracuse area (with all the road work closings) to assist our travelers had to be made. As the convention unfolded, Bill and Julie set up a phenomenal booth to lead riders down the path they wanted to partake in! The booth Included large map boards, sign-up sheets and emergency information sheets (I.C.E). They coordinated the many Chapter D members who volunteered to lead/tail for each ride. Many of the rides had so many wishing to participate, that the ride would have to be split and additional leads/tails located. Again Chapter D stepped up to fill in where needed and the many compliments Bill and Julie received are a result of the many members who stepped up to help. It is this friendliness and willingness to share your knowledge and skills that make Lisa and I very proud to be a part of this Chapter and very proud to serve as your Assistant Chapter Directors GWRRA Chapter D New York! Bill and Lisa Nickal Assistant Chapter Directors 2013
...Chapter Rider Educator... What is the "Road Captain" or Ride Leader, Boss, or maybe the person in charge? This is a person capable of setting up a ride and leading a group of motorcyclists riding safely within the GWRRA Team Riding Guidelines (GWRRA Team Riding Seminar). Contact a Chapter Educator to learn more. This person should have experience and knowledge in all aspects of Team Riding skills (Road Captain Course). Contact a Chapter Educator to setup a course. This person should be able to fill in as the "Tail Gunner" or "Sweep person" if need be. Who should be a Road Captain? Anyone who has the willingness to lead rides & further their knowledge in team riding. This could be the CD, ACD, RE or RC or anyone else that has confidence/experience to ride safely. The importance of riding the GWRRA way? 1) Safety 2) Consistency 3) Ride enjoyment 4) "Cool factor" - when the team moves as a unit - i.e. lane changes :) The Road Captain s (Ride Leader) responsibility: Should have experience in leading a group and make safe decisions. Planned or know the route, where stops, fuel and food are. Should pick his/her Tail (Sweep) person. Make sure all have empty bladders and full tanks. Ride to the least experienced rider s skill. Go over the Team Riders Guide. Sets tone and speed of ride. Communication channel (CB channel). Good communication skills with the Sweep person. Communicates info to all - hazards, speed changes, lane changes, etc. Listens to the "team". Seek Anticipate Act - needs to keep the safety of the team in mind at all times. Communicates to all "ride your own ride". Needs to be able to take charge if something happens, if the group gets separated, or someone gets a little crazy that endangers the group. Be responsible to lead the group from start to finish as safely as possible. Setup Crash Scene Response pre ride plan.
(When I lead a ride, I feel responsible for everyone in my group from all aspects of the ride). Team Riding Guidelines: Full Tank, Empty Bladder Who the ride leader and Sweep are CB channel New riders and where to place them Ride in staggered formation - explain if new riders are present Where is the ride going to and route to be taken Pace of ride Mileage of ride Is fuel going to be needed, remember the smaller tank bikes Planned rest stops, for food and maybe ICE CREAM - no, we hate those words :) Are there any trikes (trailers) and bikes with trailers - placement of each type? Any medical needs with anybody, need to eat at certain time or special type of food Review of hand signals Exchange cell #'s or ICE contact info (In Case of Emergency) Have a fun & safe trip Crash Scene Response pre plan: who to place in positions. 1) Scene Coordinator (Over sees the operation) 2) Traffic Control (Directs traffic, help protect everyone at scene- wear Hi Vis jacket or vest when in traffic) Remember to never turn your back to traffic 3) First Responder (EMT/First Aid), First Aid Kit(s) 4) Communication (Someone to call 911 and give precise info and updates) 5) Safety (Makes sure that the safety of team members is #1) if you have enough people and the knowledge for this position. Remember - Is the scene safe and are the members safe? Remember, if it is one of our team members that is in a situation, we need to do whatever we can to keep calm for ourselves and the victim. Being calm will help to keep control of the situation. Ride Safe, Ride Smart Rick & Pam Rider Educators Chapter D Check out this link to GWRRA s Motorist Awareness page: http://gwrra.org/regional/ridered/mad/index.html
...to our Technical Contributor... In the 60 thousand miles we have ridden on our GL1800, we have installed about 5 sets of new tires. A couple of sets back, I noticed the newly installed tires were not holding air well. When I mentioned this while chatting at one of our chapter events, I got an immediate response... they didn t clean the inside of the rims when they put the new tires on. I lived with it until the tires wore down and needed replacement again. In my haste at dropping the rims and tires off at the dealer, I forgot to bring up the issue of cleaning the rims. Sure enough, when I mounted the wheels with the new tires, the air leakage was even worse...about 1 pound of air loss per day. I became accustomed to the need to add air every couple of days. This summer, we again needed new tires and I did not forget about the leaking problem. In the past, I had discussed tire changers with Jim Thayer and he had mentioned he had a No-Mar changer. I brought this up again and Jim offered to let me try this changer out. The No-Mar is a manual tire changer that is sturdily built and comes with clamps, bars, and spoons that have plastic material in the appropriate locations to help prevent scratches and digs in the rims during the changing process. With some pointers from Jim to get me started, I gave it a go. Breaking the tire beads went pretty well. I had a little trouble getting the rims adequately clamped for the tire de-mounting process, however, once I got the clamping correct, the de-mounting went fairly easily. The design of the No-Mar does provide mechanical advantage that helps the de-mount process considerably over trying to do this on the garage floor. When I got the old tires off the rims, the reason for the air leakage was confirmed...the inside of the rims appeared to not have been cleaned in a long, long time, and, there was a significant accumulation of bead sealer. I spent nearly an hour cleaning the inside of each rim to remove the dirt and bead sealer, as well as buff some scratches left by tools during prior tire changes. I then mounted the larger-diameter/smaller-width front tire. Clamping the rim down with the No-Mar and limited use of some detergent/water mix Jim had on hand allowed me to get the front tire on the rim with an acceptable amount of physical effort. It wasn t easy, but, it wasn t impossible. The smaller diameter and thicker rear tire was another matter. I was able to get one side on the rim, however, the other side was not going to happen. Here is where I found the No-Mar changer to be lacking...other than holding the rim, it provides no additional mechanical advantage in stretching the new, very stiff, tire over the rim. A stop at a small bike shop later that day got the tire the rest of the way onto the rim in less than 5 minutes time. We now have a new set of tires on our bike that gives it back that almost new smooth ride. There is still some air leakage, however, It is significantly less than before. Where does this leave me: access to a manual tire changer would be handy to get the old tires off the rims so they can be properly cleaned, however, $1000 for that purpose alone may not be worth it; next time around I might try a closer motorcycle shop where I could drop of the rims for the demount, pick them up to clean them, then return them for the new tire mount; or, see if I can find a shop that will do the job correctly (including cleaning the rims) for a reasonable price. If you have had a similar experience or have thoughts on this, I am interested in further discussion. Finally, many thanks to Jim for letting me use his No-Mar changer and assisting me with this learning process!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bill Spencer
...to our Membership Enhancement Coordinator... I have made a few phone calls to remind folks that their GWRRA Membership is up for renewal and have also been in touch with some of our newest members. I thank all of you for making these new folks feel welcomed as they show up at the gatherings. Let s keep spreading the word about the importance of being a part of GWRRA where we strive to live by our motto: Friends for Fun, Safety and Knowledge Following is a link to the GWRRA website that enables you to apply for a free 2 month Trial Membership. If you are not yet a member, we hope you will give it a try. If you are already a member and know someone that might be interested, please consider forwarding this newsletter to them or simply send them the link. http://gwrra.org/free_trial.html Trish Thayer Chapter NY-D ~ MEC...to Member Ads... FOR SALE: 2004 Honda GL1800 Gold Wing 8285 miles $15,900 Partial list of Accessories: Chrome Trunk and Saddlebag Lights, All Wings, Ergo Dually Pegs (Fold up), CB and Antenna, Back Rest, Rotor Covers Contact: Joe Hammond (315) 699-7979 FOR SALE: 1990 Goldwing SE 1500.!!!!!! $4800 obo!! Bike is in good shape and has 74,844 miles. It has it all - i.e. Cruise control,!! reverse, newer tires, AM/FM Cassette, CB, Intercom, Custom Seat with Back!! Rest, Custom high windshield with vent, adjustable air ride rear suspension,!! trailer hitch with wiring, Service Manual, 2ea. Heated Vests, 2ea. helmets with!! microphones for Intercoms and much more. Contact: Glenn Murdock (315) 214-5015 FOR SALE: 2006 Honda Goldwing!!! 23,000 miles! $15,495!! Bike has CB, GPS; Heated Seats, Heated Grips, lots of LED safety chrome,!! Highway pegs, Backrest, Back Off Brake module, Scorpio Security System,!! Driving Lights, LED Turn Signals in Mirrors, Stealth Light bars, Rear!! Spoiler, plus a bunch of other stuff.!! Contact: Jack Seeley 607-656-9414 Home (Answering Machine),!! 607-656-2494 Work, or pedlesjack@aol.com
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...to our Chapter Sponsors... The Gathering Place Where memories are made with family and friends Wednesday-Friday 7am - 7pm Saturday - Sunday 7am - 2pm County Route 17, Redfield, NY 315-387-3101
...to our Chapter Sponsors...
...to our Chapter Sponsors...