Americade

[Pat C]

I didn't see to many FJR this year, there seemed to be more HD. I left on Saturday, rain on and off the whole trip back to CT. Thank God for my Tourmaster rain gear. We did some highway driving since we whated to get back sooner because of rain. I had a good chance to try my throttlemeiser I must say for me it wasn't worth the price, I'm better off getting cc. Just my 2 cents.

 

[DJB]

I left on Friday not wanting to deal with the rain after I went up on Wednesday in nothing but rain. Thank you for buying a stitch. It kept me mostly dry and warm. I agree the vendors are for the most part **** and the pricing was outlandish. I went wanting aux lights goth nothing but odds and ends. Ordered lights online when I git back and will save 200 dollars plus the 140 for the install they wanted. I think I will miss next year. :angry: :angry:

 

[lnewlf]

Went up Tues AM-saw a lot of FJRs -good place to look at stuff and then buy online. Talk is that it might be in Vt. next year..

 

[Geezer]

I wasn't planning to go this year but my kids wanted to go up on Saturday, and I can't turn down a day riding with the girls so I said OK. Deena decided not to go after the weather man said it was likely to rain, so Danielle and I headed out in the rain around 10:00 AM. We got there about 1:00 PM and walked around town for a couple of hours. It had stopped raining long enough for us to enjoy the walk around town and some lunch at a Mexican place on Canada Street, then we headed back home.

We saw maybe a half-dozen FJRs around town while we were there. Danielle rides an SV650S, the older style with the curvy plastic, and we saw even fewer of them. She saw a Triumph Tiger ride by slowly in the traffic and was very impressed. I'm pretty sure if we had a Triumph dealer nearby she'd be looking to trade in her SV for one of those. :winksmiley02:

We hit some very heavy rain on the way home and the SV started to misfire a little bit from being too wet. Luckily the rain stopped for a while and gave us a chance to dry out before it got any worse. I got home just before dark. Danielle had to go a different direction for the last half hour to her house and she hit a nasty thunder storm that had her ducking into gas stations whenever possible to wait out the worst of it. She did make it home safe about an hour later than expected.

 

[STC10]

I didn't see to many FJR this year, there seemed to be more HD. I left on Saturday, rain on and off the whole trip back to CT. Thank God for my Tourmaster rain gear. We did some highway driving since we whated to get back sooner because of rain. I had a good chance to try my throttlemeiser I must say for me it wasn't worth the price, I'm better off getting cc. Just my 2 cents.

This was the third trip to Americade for me, the first multi day trip for my wife. We were there Wed-Sun. Stayed at Lake George Escape campground in a cabin.

I didn't go last year. This event really has become a Harley rally. Nothing against them , but I don't need to look at tent after tent of leather and chrome. In future, I think we'll skip the zoo and tour the area on our own.

These pictures pretty much sum up the week.

 

[Karmak]

I went up Thursday, I think I've gone the last 4-5 years. Missed the rain, although I could see it had rained in a lot of different areas on the way up. The ride was the best part, I usually take Rte 29 most of the way. It's a good road and there was almost no traffic-the majority of cruisers must have kept to the main roads. Saw a few FJRs. As stated above, more of a Harley rally although I did see a lot of Goldwings, etc. Interestingly, it seemed the geezer crowd was the majority up there (I am also a member of that order). What is strange is it's always held in the beginning weeks of June when the weather's kind of crazy. Maybe they want to get it in before the tourist season kicks in.

 

[rockmurf]

I went last year and thought it was ok but the road conditions can't compare to West Virginia. I don't see myself going back to the americade.

 

[blassoff]

Interesting. I've been going up to Americade for the part 4 years. This is the first year that rain was ever a problem. This year I went Monday to Friday. Getting there early is a lot more fun for me. I get in and out before it gets super crowded. The ride up on Monday is pretty leisurely. Registration isn't too crowded, and then it's off to ride the area and rest up. The rain started in earnest on Wednesday early afternoon and didn't let up until friday am. Which sucked for me as I was leaving early friday afternoon.

I probably saw a dozen FJR's, slightly more gen2's then gen1's. Americade has always been a 50/50 event. 50% loud pipes and the balance goldwings, beemers, connies, and ???

On Friday and Saturday you get the day visiters. I expect they're more Hardleys than anything else.

If not for the rain and some dumb-**** stuff (like dropping my bike in the parking lot or forgetting medications and scrambling to get drugs) Americade woulda been okay.

If the weather cooperates and you can sit in on some interesting seminars, it's a great time. I bought a givi rack from twisted throttle for $147 delivered. If you need tires, the prices are usually very good and the service is excellent. Most everything else you'll find to buy is just okay.

Ya know, I never found a decent meal this year. All the restaurants were sub-par, and I don't know why. Maybe the rain colored my mood, I was just surprised that nothing I found was exceptional.

For a decent video of Americade check out Fred Rau's website. He's got at least 20 minutes of slices of americade.

Baz

 

[Bust-A-Cap]

I've probably missed only two or three Americades since 1993, but it definitely isn't the same event that it use to be. My friends and I got there on Monday and left on Sunday due to rain on Saturday. IMO this event is beginning to run out of steam and the organizers for Americade aren't doing enough to attract bikers of different yolks or vendors that sell stuff that isn't made of chrome. I have nothing against Harleys, Goldwings, trikes or seniors but the sportbike/sport tourer crowd would definitely jazz things up a bit. I knew things were going downhill when I saw one vendor selling kilts and another selling clothes for dogs! What happened to Honda, BMW, Corbin and Sargent? Nevertheless, the roads in the Adirondack region are great and I rode the crap out of my FJR blasting through the mountains of Vermont on Tuesday.

 

[blassoff]

I've probably missed only two or three Americades since 1993, but it definitely isn't the same event that it use to be. My friends and I got there on Monday and left on Sunday due to rain on Saturday. IMO this event is beginning to run out of steam and the organizers for Americade aren't doing enough to attract bikers of different yolks or vendors that sell stuff that isn't made of chrome. I have nothing against Harleys, Goldwings, trikes or seniors but the sportbike/sport tourer crowd would definitely jazz things up a bit. I knew things were going downhill when I saw one vendor selling kilts and another selling clothes for dogs! What happened to Honda, BMW, Corbin and Sargent? Nevertheless, the roads in the Adirondack region are great and I rode the crap out of my FJR blasting through the mountains of Vermont on Tuesday.

Does that mean that we need to start hanging out with the BMW crowd? Where is there a local (within 3-400 miles) sport touring rally. Even just touring...that would probably work too (if not for exclusively wing vendors).

I go to Americade because for the most part you get motorcyclists, not just bikers. Was sub-par this year....how sad.

Bikers, ****s, loud pipes, oh my

Bikers, ****s, loud pipes, oh my

Bikers, ****s, loud pipes, oh my

We're off to see the wizard, the wondrful wizard of OZ

 

[anarchoxen]

It always rains on the way up there and on the way home.

 

[garauld]

Here's a thought have the troopers put out the word before the event that they would set up sound meter checks on access roads around Lake George....

 

[STC10]

Here's a thought have the troopers put out the word before the event that they would set up sound meter checks on access roads around Lake George....

The police were out checking helmets. A couple of friends on Harleys were pulled over twice to check for DOT helmets. I wonder if the close proximity in both time and locale to Laconia bike week has an effect on the Harley attendance. Perhaps a move to another time slot would stem the tide. I really don't have a problem with any make of bike, there are self rightious riders of all makes, but the loud pipes are annoying. I couldn't get South Park out of my head all week. RABARABARABARBA.................................

 

[bramfrank]

Laconia is always a week or 2 after Americade and hasn;t moved as far as I know . . . .

The question I have is; On the Wednesday, who was the trustng soul with the PA plates who left his 2730 (or 2820, or 2610 - I didn't get THAT close) in it's mount, has an empty dash shelf, but more interestingly, also left what appeared to be a 2-way radio sittong on his left saddlebag, seemingly plugged in (to charge perhaps) and a loose helmet? This was in the lot near the indoor venue.

I have the plate number from a pic I took, but for obvious reasons won't post it.

 

[vabrzn]

I wasn't planning to go this year but my kids wanted to go up on Saturday, and I can't turn down a day riding with the girls so I said OK. Deena decided not to go after the weather man said it was likely to rain, so Danielle and I headed out in the rain around 10:00 AM. We got there about 1:00 PM and walked around town for a couple of hours. It had stopped raining long enough for us to enjoy the walk around town and some lunch at a Mexican place on Canada Street, then we headed back home.
We saw maybe a half-dozen FJRs around town while we were there. Danielle rides an SV650S, the older style with the curvy plastic, and we saw even fewer of them. She saw a Triumph Tiger ride by slowly in the traffic and was very impressed. I'm pretty sure if we had a Triumph dealer nearby she'd be looking to trade in her SV for one of those. :winksmiley02:

We hit some very heavy rain on the way home and the SV started to misfire a little bit from being too wet. Luckily the rain stopped for a while and gave us a chance to dry out before it got any worse. I got home just before dark. Danielle had to go a different direction for the last half hour to her house and she hit a nasty thunder storm that had her ducking into gas stations whenever possible to wait out the worst of it. She did make it home safe about an hour later than expected.

Cool you can take a trip with your daughter like that!

 

[STC10]

Laconia is always a week or 2 after Americade and hasn;t moved as far as I know . . . .

The question I have is; On the Wednesday, who was the trustng soul with the PA plates who left his 2730 (or 2820, or 2610 - I didn't get THAT close) in it's mount, has an empty dash shelf, but more interestingly, also left what appeared to be a 2-way radio sittong on his left saddlebag, seemingly plugged in (to charge perhaps) and a loose helmet? This was in the lot near the indoor venue.

I have the plate number from a pic I took, but for obvious reasons won't post it.

Laconia went from the 12th to the 20th. I think maybe more people are splitting the week between the two shows. I would assume that they won't try too hard to discourage the Harleys, that would mean alot of lost revenue.

Not me on the exposed electronics. I might leave my helmet, but never the Zumo.

 

[blassoff]

Laconia is always a week or 2 after Americade and hasn;t moved as far as I know . . . .

The question I have is; On the Wednesday, who was the trustng soul with the PA plates who left his 2730 (or 2820, or 2610 - I didn't get THAT close) in it's mount, has an empty dash shelf, but more interestingly, also left what appeared to be a 2-way radio sittong on his left saddlebag, seemingly plugged in (to charge perhaps) and a loose helmet? This was in the lot near the indoor venue.

I have the plate number from a pic I took, but for obvious reasons won't post it.

That was me. What...you didn't see the jackets sitting there too?

The radio was locked onto the saddlebag handle, that couldn't be stolen easily.

The 2730 has so many fricken wires running to it, stealing it would have been a real chore. You'd have to cut the power cord, the antenna cord, disconnect the audio cable, and undo the ram mount. There were 200+ volunteers running around plus attendees, I think somebody would-a noticed. But, you'll be happy to know that I did buy a lock for the ram mount. :lol:

Was that you who asked about the dash?

Barry

 

[Fred W]

Laconia went from the 12th to the 20th. I think maybe more people are splitting the week between the two shows.

Nobody with anything more that an smattering of gray matter would attend Laconia. Drove (in a car) through the area on Friday to get to a hike on Mt Chocorua. (note: cell phones work well on that Mt if you need to work while you walk... ) We got stuck behind several Hardly parades in the few miles we needed to traverse their shindig.

Friggen party pirates... :angry: