A little something for our Military, LEO's, and first responders

    Lance and SYM (two brands we sell) have decided to offer a discount for college students, first responders, military, and LEO's for 2016. We think this is a GREAT idea.

                                                                                

The details are here. Check out their bikes and come take advantage of this special offer. We have several on the floor, and can get in whatever you need.

Third annual Shrinky Dink comes to a close.

    The Third Annual Shrinky Dink Ride competition has come to an end.We had some weird weather for this one with almost summer like conditions till Christmas time, and only one or two brutal cold snaps. But, people still managed to get their rides logged in.

     The cheering section was in place to keep riders motivated with a smile.

    Our longest ride in under 32 degree temps was put in by Tony at 162 miles in 25-28 degree temps. He made good use of heated gear and a good machine and really put in the miles.

     The cold snap DID hit and our coldest ride this year was in 5 degrees (the guy was riding a 50cc machine). video here

    We had several other riders brave the cold and get their machines out for a little exercise. Some were more impressive than others, but all that rode deserve a salute. It takes the right gear and a good mindset to ride in the cold. We can sell you all the gear you need, but the heart to do it is up to you.
                                                                       

                                                                              

    Our winner this year  was Tim who did some of his rides on a 250cc Ninja, but most on a Genuine buddy 170i . He completed several dozen short rides and hops in temps ranging from 12-31 degrees which put him in the lead with just a few days to go.

    Did Tony go easy on him? Will Tim need to put in some longer rides next year? Should Adam have registered ALL of his rides? We will see next year.

     Everyone who rode is entitled to a free shrinky dink just for participating, they are at the shop ready and waiting. Tim and Tony can stop by (or call) to find out what they have won and pick up their prizes.
                                                                     

    We will be doing this again next year. Keep an eye out here on our blog, and like our facebook for future events. Its a fun way to get your bike out for rides in the winter, learn how to layer with the right gear to be comfortable, and just have some good competitive fun!

Stella rebuilds

   We have earned a reputation for very reliable Stella rebuilds here. We can build a reliable bike that makes far more power than stock. We know how to make fast, peaky motors but our specialty is the "touring build". We have built several Stellas with new parts that can run over 60 M.P.H. all day with top speeds approaching 80 M.P.H.

      We just thought a little video showing the quality of the parts we use might be appropriate.

                                                                     

         We have learned many tricks over the years for a good build, but it all starts with the right parts. "Speed is only a matter of money; how fast do you want to go? "

10 Years of the Genuine Buddy

Genuine Scooters has been selling the Buddy line of scooters for 10 years. This scooter comes in a 50cc two-stroke, and a 125 and 170i four-stroke model. They have become known as one of the most reliable small scooters in America. To celebrate, Genuine is giving away one of their 10th anniversary models. All you have to do is stop by the shop and ask us to register you for a chance to win. It is THAT EASY! We have the anniversary editions on the floor; so you can check out what you might win ahead of time. 

Grips...YES Grips

    If you love your bike, then you take care of it.  Yes, the oil changes and good tires are the most important; but, it is time to talk about one of the most overlooked and yet easy modifications to your ride. The hand grips! Frequently we hear "My hands are killing me!" , or "my bike is too buzzy". You might be surprised at how the overall character of your ride can be changed with new grips.  Replacing the hand grips is easy, CHEAP, and can improve the comfort of you ride by leaps and bounds; especially on a long ride.

  Most bikes come from the factory with average, black grips. They do the job adequately, but if yours have several hundred miles on them, or if you want to personalize your ride, you should check out the many options available. You can choose grips that can begin a theme, or just take your bike from hoo-hum to WOW for just a few bucks.
                                                                           

                                                                                    

                                   Retro metal flake, biker bling, or color matched to your paint job. 

                                   There are also many that we think are cool but defy categorization.

                                                                                       

   Comfort and style don't always go hand-in-hand. Some times you need to choose which is a priority. Some grips aren't the most amazing things to look at, but are incredibly comfortable. Sore Hands? Try a set of foam grips for $6.95!
                                                                       

We make sure to keep the sportbikes covered as well with lots of color choices being available.
                                                                               

Dirtbikes, dualsports, and ATV grips are kept on the shelf as well
                                                                             

    The cruiser crowd may have more to choose from than anyone.
                                                                              

     We have made a commitment this year to keeping plenty of these in stock at the shop. Some are fun, some squishy, some quite bright, but ALL are functional.


If you liked this blog, feel free to follow us here, on Facebook, Youtube, or on our Instagram. Or you can always stop by the shop to visit.

Third annual Shrinky Dink open house

    We decided to throw another little shindig in the middle of the Third Shrinky Dink Challenge. We had food, music, balloons and a bunch of folks stopped by.
     The commemorative annual shrinky dinks were out for all who attended. They have been seen on Christmas trees as ornaments, as talismans from evil, and even a few uses we haven't quite figured out yet.

   There was a long buffet with drinks and all sorts of food and goodies including cupcakes, and TWO cakes to choose from. (thanks Heather, Trish and Courtney)    

   

         We had a good turnout and this year we were happy to see a few more young customers stop in.     

      Our love of bikes came in our single digit years, and has stuck with us all these years. If you start them young, they will ride forever. The young man below spent time exercising his imagination on his scooter. He rode out to the rescue and carried everyone in the shop to safety. He is quite wise for his age as he started with the ladies first.             

     It always makes us smile to see bikes in the parking lot. Especially when there is snow on the ground. The roads were clear and dry and a few riders took advantage of the sunny day to ride over.

We even had a visit by the VERY RARE Princess Pony. A strange mythical beastie who, it has been said, woos riders with its charms.

     The fire was on, the coffee and hot chocolate were plentiful. The deserts that show up always amaze. A few of our regulars were missed due to snow engagements and broken car parts; but that just left more balloons for the rest of us.                              

      We are looking forward to Spring with plans for another two-digit ride, and a few events for new bikes being introduced from Genuine this year. As always, there will be shenanigans, squeezed in between the work hours. Remember, this is supposed to be fun! Be sure to keep your eyes on the Facebook page and our events page as well for upcoming events.

    

A little tire comparison on the Lance Cabo

     The last time we took the Lance Cabo offroad a bit, it was running a 50/50 dual purpose tire. The trails in that test were similar to what we selected today.

                                                            

 The 50/50 tire worked well, but since our daughter uses the Cabo 150 as a daily transport for school when the time came for a new tire we opted for a more street designated tire. The Shinko sr723 has been a good choice for the street so far; let's see how it does in the dirt.
                                                                        
                                                                         

     The tread on the new tire doesn't look that much less aggressive than the one it replaced, but let us assure you it is. As we took it off road there was a lot of slipping and sliding trying to climb a hill in the leaves. The leaves on the ground were wet and that made it a bit more difficult. We attempted this hill a couple of times, but the surface was too loose and slippery.                                                                                   

 

Final determination; this long steep hill was a "no go" with the new tires, so we decided to try a nice dry stream crossing.

We are happy to say, as long as the ground was dry the street tires held their own and after this pic the Cabo pulled right out of here, and we were on our way. Trying to find the next good spot for another pic we came across a scenic pond.

 
    With enough mud on the tires for one day, we made our way back to the hard-top road and headed home. The Cabo still did everything we expected of it, it was just the tires that weren't up to the task in some places. The bottom line? If you plan on exploring a few fishing trails and back roads. It will be best to stick to the 50/50 dirt and street tires. They don't last quite as long, but the trade off is good traction in the rough stuff. If dirt is not on the menu the 723 Shinko did a fine job. Either way, we know our tires here and can help you choose the right ones. We just love the testing part, too!