More

Motorcycle Views Newsletter for 04/07/2019

By Walter F. Kern

Motorcycle Views Newsletter

Vol. 13, No. 2, April 7, 2019

Articles of Interest on Motorcycle Views:

Subscribe to this Newsletter

1. Recent Motorcycle Recalls Posted on the Motorcycle Views Website:

2. 2019 Kawasaki Motorcycle Models:

I have updated my Makes and Models feature to include the most recent Kawasaki models. These include models from 2017-2019. Take a look .

3. 2019 Motorcycle Rallies (Gatherings):

Check out the schedule for major motorcycle rallies (gatherings) in 2019.

4. Ten Ways To Be Safe On a Motorcycle:

These 10 ways to be safe on a motorcycle have been read by thousands of motorcyclists over the past 18 years. If every rider would read them and heed them, we'd have a lot less reports of motorcyclists being killed unnecessarily. If you only read one, read the one on left turners. If you like this article and think it could help someone on one of your social networks, click the social network icons at the top of the page and share it with others. Read Ten Ways To Be Safe On a Motorcycle .

5. Motorcycle Packing List:

Getting organized and packing your motorcycle for a long trip can be difficult. There is only so much space on the motorcycle and so much stuff to find a place for. You need a motorcycle packing list.

The following motorcycle packing list was first used by me when I took my 6000 mile trip west in 1993. This motorcycle packing list has traveled with me ever since in my jacket pocket.

The motorcycle packing list is alphabetical by Regular Stuff, Clothes, and Toiletries. You'll have to select each of the three parts separately for ease in printing. I also have a more printer-friendly version below.

Just place an X in the box where the item is stored. The notation Left, Right, Top, and Jacket gives the location where the item has been stored on the bike. Left means left saddle bag, right is for right saddle bag, top is either for a trunk or somewhere else on the top of the bike like a luggage rack or back seat if no co-rider. The jacket has lots of pockets and hiding places. Many of the list items can be stored somewhere in the jacket.

I like to pencil in a count of the number of each item next to the item.  The count will change depending on the length of the trip.

If you are pulling a trailer or running a sidecar, you might want to draw in another column on the left or right where you can put an X if the item is in the trailer or sidecar.

I hope this list will help you to get organized for that long trip.

If you print this list, you'll get a copy without the side menus and advertisements. You'll still have to do a little cutting and possibly pasting of the printed pages to get the complete list together.

Go to Page 1 for Regular Stuff part of Packing List
Go to Page 2 for Clothes part of Packing List
Go to Page 3 for Toiletries part of Packing List

The Motorcycle Packing List is also included in my book, Getting Started Riding a Motorcycle .

6. Jane's Method of Packing for a Trip:

My late wife, Jane, once had to make a presentation in front of her entire Spokes-Women Motorcycle Club . The subject was: How to Pack Your Bike. This was in the year 2000. She put on a great show and wrote the following afterward. This is the first time it has been published. She also suggested the use of my Packing List, described above.

For our last meeting on May 7th at the American Legion, I volunteered to explain how to pack a bike. After I volunteered, I wondered if I was the wrong person to do this demonstration. I'm now riding a trike, which you have to pack entirely differently from bikes that have saddlebags. I do hope I was able to give some good ideas. Here is part of what I said and some things I forgot to say.

  1. I suggest that you start with a packing list. There is an excellent packing list on Walter's Motorcycle Views website.
  2. Start planning what to take and do a trial run packing your bike a week before you leave. That way you will know what you can and can not take.
  3. When packing your bags, remember to equalize the weight. I try to pack one bag with all the things I will need to take into a motel. The other bag has things I may or may not need right away.
  4. Be sure to pack for both warm and cold weather. You never know when the weather may get cold and you will need winter gloves and turtle neck shirts.
  5. If you are packing for a trip of a week or more, pack for only three days. On the third day, plan to do laundry at the motel. Put on your bathing suit and put all your clothes into the washer while you hang out at the pool. Now you are set for the next three days. Pack only clothes that have colors that do not run or need special washing so everything can be washed in one load. BRING QUARTERS!
  6. Do not forget UPS, Mail Boxes, and US Mail. You can ship things home or have them sent to your designation. If you buy items along the way, have the store mail them for you.
  7. If your saddlebags are not waterproof, pack all items in plastic bags. T-shirts can be rolled up and placed into a bag to save space. Pack your socks inside your sneakers. For toiletries, you have to think small. Buy sample bottles of shampoo, DO, powder, toothpaste, etc. Take few cosmetics. Take a small hair dryer with a metal round brush that can act as a curling iron.
  8. Do not forget to check your packing list. Remember to bring things like maps, camera, cell phone, jacket, etc. Check the list and re-check the list over and over again.
  9. When you bungee items to your bike, always remember this very important rule: Make sure your rain suit is the item on the very top. You do not want to have to go looking for your rain suit in the pouring down rain. I always bring an empty bag to bring home dirty laundry that I can bungee to the back of my bike. It also makes for a great back rest on your ride home.

Happy packing and have a great trip on your motorcycle. -- Jane Ann Kern

7. My Memoir, Normal Secrets :

My memoir, Normal Secrets , is a departure from my previous four motorcycle-themed books. It covers much of my life and reveals some secrets that almost no one knows about me. In fact, many secrets I didn't even know myself until recently. You'll also find out how fate changed my course in life many times as I struggled to find out who I was, what I wanted to do, who I would love, how I came to become both a motorcyclist and a moto-journalist, and how I came to become an author in my late seventies. It's a true story that begins in the Midwest and spans more than a hundred years. The book is available on Amazon in paperback, Kindle, Audible, and CD editions.

Check out my Podcast where my Normal Secrets Audible audiobook is discussed.

Click the book cover to learn how to buy it on Amazon.com.

8. 50 MORE Wild Motorcycle Tales:

50 MORE Wild Motorcycle Tales , my latest motorcycle book, is available on Amazon in paperback, Kindle, Audible, and CD editions.

Click the cover to see the book on Amazon.

Many readers have indicated that they wanted MORE motorcycle stories similar to those contained in my previous book, 50 Wild Motorcycle Tales . This new book gives 50 MORE Wild Motorcycle Tales for your reading enjoyment. Most of the stories were submitted to Motorcycle Views by visitors to the site.

I wrote 19 of the stories. My late wife, Jane, wrote four stories that are published in the book posthumously. The other authors are motorcyclists from all walks of life. They tell their own personal stories of what happened to them as the rode their motorcycles.

You'll find humor, risk-taking, adventure, 2-up excursions, world travelers, stupid tricks on bikes, lessons learned, and hazards while riding.

I don't intend to write any additional books of motorcycle stories so these two books become a 2-volume series.

You may want to consider buying both 50 Wild Motorcycle Tales and 50 MORE Wild Motorcycle Tales to have the 2-volume set together with a total of 100 Wild Tales. Remember, each of these two books has an Audible audiobook edition. Many people enjoy listening to a book these days on a car or motorcycle trip. Why not take 100 tales along with you in this 2-volume set.

9. Audiobook Corner:

I have been pleasantly surprised at the reception of my audiobooks. I did not realize that there was such a big market out there for audiobooks. Many listeners use the Whispersync for Voice feature on Amazon to link together the audiobook and the Kindle book so they can switch back and forth between the two. In fact, if you already have the Kindle edition, you can get the Audible edition at a reduced price.

As I mentioned above, I had the opportunity to do a Podcast for my book, Normal Secrets . What's a Podcast? I didn't know either. It was new to me. I received an email from the producer of my audiobook for Normal Secrets . He wanted me to participate in a Podcast to promote my new Audible book, Normal Secrets . He had a person lined up to lead a discussion of my book. It would include interviewing me and my narrator. We would each supply questions for the other and would in turn provide an audio file of our answers. All these audio pieces would be combined and fit into a specific time interval into an audio file, the Podcast. Then the Podcast would be made available online and made available to a mailing list of Podcast subscribers.

This is a good opportunity for you to hear about my memoir, Normal Secrets , and to hear both the narrator and me at the same time.

Check out my Podcast .

This Podcast is also featured on the front page of my website .

Currently, I have four Audible audiobooks:

Click the following covers to see these Audible audiobooks on Amazon. They make great inexpensive gifts. (They are also available on iTunes and other outlets.) Normal Secrets and 50 MORE Wild Motorcycle Tales are also available in a CD version.
Walter's Audiobooks:

10. Five Motorcycle Terms:

I am featuring five (5) of my Motorcycle Terms in each issue of the newsletter.

11. My 4 Previous Motorcycle Books:

My book, 50 Wild Motorcycle Tales , contains a collection of stories that originally were only available on my website. Fifty of these stories were selected, intensively edited, and compiled into the book. I wrote five of the stories. The book is available on Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook (Audible) editions. Click the book cover to learn how to buy it on Amazon.com. The Audible edition is also available for immediate download on iTunes and Audible.

This book now has a companion book, 50 MORE Wild Motorcycle Tales , described above, that provides 50 MORE motorcycle stories. Consider buying both books as a 2-volume set. No more stories will be written.

My book, Motorcycle Kick-Starts , also available on Amazon.com in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook (Audible) editions, contains a condensed view of motorcycling for new and returning riders. It's designed to whet your appetite for more while sticking to basic motorcycle information without overpowering you with details. The book shows you how you might learn to become an active, safe rider. Then ten short motorcycle stories are presented. Between stories, practical advice about motorcycles is given in the form of ten How-Tos and ten Tips that you will need to know. Click the book cover to learn how to buy it on Amazon.com. The Audible audiobook edition is also available on iTunes and Audible.

My book, Getting Started Riding a Motorcycle , also described above, was first published in 2011, but only as a Kindle edition. It was revised in 2014 and also made available in a paperback edition. Click the book cover to learn how to buy it on Amazon.com.

My book, Motorcycle Haiku Poetry , also available on Amazon.com in both paperback and Kindle editions, contains haiku poems about motorcycles. Haiku is a simple poem of three lines with five syllables in the first and last lines and seven in the second line. Each of the nearly 60 poems is coupled with a motorcycle picture and description related to the poem. I wrote seven of the haiku poems. Click the book cover to learn how to buy it on Amazon.com.

I hope you will take a look at my six books, available in paperback and Kindle editions on Amazon.com. My new book, Normal Secrets , is a memoir about secrets in my life. The other five books are motorcycle related. These books make great, inexpensive gifts. I have reduced the price of my six Kindle editions to $0.0 ( FREE ) IF you also first purchase the corresponding paperback edition. That way you can always have the book with you if you have a tablet or smartphone with you. None of the paperbacks has color pictures in them owing to the high price of producing a book with color. However, every Kindle edition has color pictures, so Normal Secrets , Getting Started Riding a Motorcycle , and Motorcycle Haiku Poetry Kindle books have full-color pictures (excepting original black-and-white pictures). These color pictures obviously don't show up in color on standard Kindle readers. They do show up on regular computers, the Amazon Fire tablets, and other color tablets.

Please visit my author website to learn about all my books.

12. Here Are Some Popular Articles On the Motorcycle Views Site. Take a Look:

13. 2018-2019 Polar Bear Grand Tour Motorcycle Runs:

This is our 41st season of winter riding. (It is my 28th season.) I'll be bringing you links to what happens on each weekly run so you'll have access to all the pictures and videos. Since the last Newsletter, the Polar Bear Grand Tour has completed 12 runs in the 2018-2019 season, the latest to Plumsted Grill, Cream Ridge, NJ. Click this link (or the picture) to see some of the pictures as they appear on Facebook.

All the pictures and videos for these ten runs can be found by clicking the following links:

Pic-A-Lilli Inn & Chilly Chili Run - Jan. 6, 2019
Victory Brewing Company - Jan. 13, 2019
The Exchange (& Crotona Midnight Run) - Jan. 27, 2019
Franklin House Tavern - Feb. 3, 2019
Hooters - Feb. 10, 2019
Pub 199 - Feb. 17, 2019
Lighthouse Tavern - Feb. 24, 2019
Long Valley Pub - Mar. 3, 2019
Bahr's Landing - Mar. 10, 2019
Brian's H-D - Mar. 17, 2019
Hickory BBQ Smokehouse - Mar. 24, 2019
Plumsted Grill - Mar. 31, 2019

The Polar Bears consist of 550 riders from New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Delaware, who ride each Sunday to a different prescribed destination where they sign-in and receive points. There is, usually, a restaurant at or near the destination. It gets cold, windy, and snowy on these rides. I've been a Polar Bear member for 28 years, and I built and continue to maintain their website .

14. Newsletter Now Quarterly:

This newsletter is now issued quarterly. Expect newsletters on the first Sunday of each quarter, namely in January, April, July, and October.

15. Newsletter Archive:

I have a Motorcycle Views Newsletter Archive to store all my newsletters. The archive gives the year, month, day, and subject for each newsletter. Each newsletter contains many links to the Motorcycle Views website. A link to the archive will also be included on the Home page of the site and on the page where users can join the newsletter list.

Visit the Motorcycle Views Newsletter Archive

16. The Motorcycle Views Website Is Also On Your Smartphone Or Tablet:

Are you relying more and more on your cellphone or tablet and less and less on your PC or MAC? Remember that all that great motorcycling information on Motorcycle Views is as near as your cellphone. Check us out anywhere you need motorcycle information.

17. Social Media:

See me on Facebook , Twitter , Pinterest , and YouTube .

Walter F. Kern's Author Page on Amazon Thanks again for coming along for the ride in this edition of the Motorcycle Views Newsletter. -- Walter

For New Subscribers:

This newsletter is now issued quarterly . Expect newsletters on the first Sunday of each quarter, namely in January, April, July, and October.

Please understand that the Motorcycle Views Newsletter is NOT the Motorcycle Views website. The newsletter provides a few links to content on the Motorcycle Views website. Once you click a link in the newsletter, you'll be getting access to content on the Motorcycle Views site.

If you'd like to view any of our past newsletters, just go to the newsletter archives page.

Thanks for signing up for the Motorcycle Views Newsletter. Using this Newsletter, I'll keep you up-to-date with what's going on in the Motorcycle Views Blog and the Motorcycle Views Website .

See me on Facebook , Twitter , Pinterest , and YouTube .

The Motorcycle Views Website is also on your smartphone or tablet:

Are you relying more and more on your cellphone or tablet and less and less on your PC or MAC? Remember that all that great motorcycling information on Motorcycle Views is as near as your cellphone. It's also in a new format designed to fit your portable screen. Check us out anywhere you need motorcycle information.

Walter's Books and Audiobooks:

Click the following covers to learn more about my books and audiobooks.
Walter's Books:

Walter's Audiobooks:

All Previous Newsletters:

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

All Newsletters

More about motorcycles

Walter's Books:
Click Picture for Walter F. Kern's
Kindle, Paperback, and Audible Books