Americade

[Charlie Hoss]

I rode from Maine to Barre VT on Tuesday, a beautiful sunny day. I took the scenic route thru Conway, NH, over the Kancamangas Highway, then rte112 to 302 and on to Barre. Stayed over with friends and rode to Americade solo Wednesday morning. I was only going there for the Tour Expo so I bought a day pass. The weather went down the dumper in a hurry and I visited all the vendors in a good downpour. I picked up a black luggage rack for the top of my Givi V46. Installation was free so what the heck.

Its been many years since I've been to Americade. I was a bit disappointed in the Tour Expo. It seemed like back then, if they made it, you could buy it there. I didn't see any Pirelli tires, or Joe Rocket jackets, which I was prepared to spend some money on.

I left around 5 PM in heavy rain. Since there wasn't alot of cover to get dressed for the ride, things were kinda damp when I started out. I didn't realize a shirttail was hanging out. My whole front was wet by the time I stopped for food in Rutland, VT. I was a bit chilled at that point and remembered one last defense, a good lined rainsuit still in the right saddlebag. My First Gear riding jacket and pants are alledged to be waterproof, but I'm beginning to wonder about that. I had just purchased some waterproof fabric mittens to be worn over my riding gloves. Gloves were already wet but the 2 layers kept hands reasonably warm.

So with 4 layers of pants, 5 layers of shirts and jackets, I walked like a robot to the FJR and headed east. Not much traffic in the rain and no cops anywhere, I was able to exceed the speed limit substantially up 91 North. I stopped in Littleton, NH for my last gas. Had too many layers on to go pee.

It rained hard most of the way home. I was reasonably cozy, visibility wasn't very good due to water on inside of faceshield. h34r: I was worried about an encounter with deer or moose but only saw a small woodchuck near the road in NH.

I arrived home at 11PM, real tired, but otherwise no worse for wear. The whole experience was positive and probably good practice for the next long ride. :yahoo:

Charlie

 

[worldbound4now]

Tisk tisk... speeding in the rain with poor visibility. Sorry to hear that Americade turned out to be a disappointment. Send some of that extra money my way.

 

[odot]

So, you did pee in your pants, right? The space ship guys do that all the time......nothing to be embarassed about.

 

[DeadBank]

Sounds familiar. We left Lake George Wednesday mourning in a very light sprinkle. It soon turned heavy and the temperature slowy dropped. 55 degrees and windy rainy conditions when I pulled in my drive way in Connecticut. I also made very good time in spite of the rain. Did you make it to the forum part of the expo?

Mark

 

[Geezer]

Bit of a hijack, but I got a little wet inside my First Gear this week also. I may have not buttoned everything up tight so I'll find out next time I ride in the wet. I have ridden in rain before in the First Gear and stayed dry.

Too bad Americade washed out for you. I live near enough to run up for a day trip but just got too busy at work this week to get up there. Looks like things may dry out for the weekend.

 

[Afast03nNJ]

I rode up from Jersey with a buddy on Wednesday around 2PM in the pooring rain. Full rain gear on, my small luggage pack wrapped in plastic for some added protection. I've rode in rain before, but this was a real soaking rain. It never let up for the entire ride up. We got to the Roaring Brook and checked in. All of our packed clothes were soaked. My gear kept me dry, but everything I packed had gotten wet. Off to the the laundry facility to dry everything.

The bike handled the wet roads pretty good. I'm running the OEM Bridgestones with a new front tire. Never once did the bike hydroplane, even at 80MPH. I did get a check engine light about 1 hour into the ride, it went off about 20 minutes later. I thought I felt a misfire and slight loss of power, but after the light was off the bike seemed fine again. I can only assume some electrical component/connection had gotten wet.

Found some great deals at Americade on Thrusday, I agree that the Tour Expo didn't have much to purchase. It was more of a trade show rather then a sale show. I picked up a Nolan helmet, love the open face feature.

We took off for a ride Thursday afternoon, found a great loop up through Blue Ridge and over to Blue Mountain lake. Stopped for dinner in what seemed like a shady bar. Wound up having one of the best meals of the trip! Gotta love a find like that. We got back into Lake George around 10PM and the strip was going strong. It is obvious that LED's have taken over. Did anybody else see that strange looking conversion that looked like the rear of a Corvare with a V8 coupled with a bike front end? That was a very odd green machine.

Our trip home on Friday took us to Rt 30 down through VT over to Brattleboro. My best friend lives there so I though a suprise visit was in store. From there it was all high speed highway crusing all the way home. 91, 84, 684 to 287. I was less then 10 minutes from home watching the lightning in the sky when it opened up and poured. It rained so hard I actually had to take shelter under an over pass. 20 minutes later, still raining, my rain gear packed away I said screw it. By the time I got home I was soaking wet. Seemed like I had gone full circle, left in the pouring rain, got home in the pouring rain. Everything in between was relatively dry.

800 miles of crusing in 3 days was nothing short of awsome on the FJR.

The sun is shining and I'm home and the FJR needs a bath big time.

Americade was a wash, but it was still an awsome event!

 

[Charlie Hoss]

It sounds like the rain may have let up at Americade. It is STILL raining here in Maine, not supposed to quit til late Sunday or Monday. My buddy from Pittsfield, ME, is heading out early Sunday AM with 3 other bikes on a SS1000 trip to Mirtle Beach. They expect to leave in the rain. His GF is riding with him. I can't wait to hear how she stood up to the long ride!

Charlie

PS: I just KNEW somebody was going to bitch me out for fudging the speed limit in the rain. Point well taken.

Tisk tisk... speeding in the rain with poor visibility. Sorry to hear that Americade turned out to be a disappointment. Send some of that extra money my way.

Part of that extra money just went to MotorcycleLarry for some lowered passenger footpegs. Gotta keep the SO happy. :wub:

 

[v65]

Just got back last night from a week at Americade. Here are my thoughts:

I was a bit disappointed in the Tour Expo.

I went to the tour expo to buy some boots. I was looking for high end touring boots. I found countless Harley boots and what I would consider cruiser boots. Did Find two sets of touring boots, but not what I was looking for in terms of fit and water proofnes. I thought this was a cruising rally?

I was able to exceed the speed limit substantially up 91 North

You didn't also happen to blast past a two-up '06 on rt87 Wednesday in the rain did you. I was going along at the speed limit h34r-smiley: Can you get banned for that?

Spent five days riding in the rain, and loved almost every minute of it Unfortunately this may be our last trip. Been going for the last four years, the place stay at has gone to a five night minimum during Americade, and rumor is that they are increasing to a seven night min. Rather than look around for other places I think we will be looking for another event to go to.

 

[OhioFJR1300]

I picked up a black luggage rack for the top of my Givi V46. Installation was free so what the heck.

Charlie,

I have a V46 and i bought that same luggage rack for mine, I never put it on as it seems very heavy. Can you post a pic of yours? And any comments about it now that you have it.

Sorry to hear that Americade turned in to Rain -cade. But it makes me happy that I didn't go this year.

Thanks,

Rick

 

[floridafeeger]

I just got back from Americade (Jacksonville, Fl round trip via Blue Ridge Parkway, 3550 miles). It was my first and I was disappointed in vendor shows too. Looking for Oxtar boots - found only Tourmaster and cruiser boots. I passed a lotta FJR's and tried to wave at everybody. FJR performed flawlessly on the trip - camped every nite and now I am a die-hard motorcycle camper for sure! Met some nice folks up there, but to be honest, the Goldwing crowd seemed pretty snooty towards me and my little yamaha - that was disappointing....the harley guys in the campgrounds were more friendly than the goldwingers to me.

 

[Geezer]

I picked up a black luggage rack for the top of my Givi V46. Installation was free so what the heck.

Charlie,

I have a V46 and i bought that same luggage rack for mine, I never put it on as it seems very heavy. Can you post a pic of yours? And any comments about it now that you have it.

Sorry to hear that Americade turned in to Rain -cade. But it makes me happy that I didn't go this year.

Thanks,

Rick

I have the black rack on the top of my V46. No pics, but I don't find it heavy at all. I have never used it to carry anything, but it is handy to use as a handle while putting the trunk on and off the bike. I like the way it looks.