Back in my first blog, I mentioned that I was getting married on MotoGP weekend. I claimed that I would keep everyone updated on the progress of my big day. Well, I got a little carried away with weekly motorcycle happenings, so I left most of the stressful, outrageous, repetitive, annoying, exciting details of wedding planning out of my blog.Well, I am a week out, and I have to say that I am getting excited. One – I am excited to get all of the horrendous planning out of the way; Two – it’s going to be a great time; Three – MotoGP is my mini-honeymoon; and Four – I really don’t have a four.
The only bummer is that I am not going to be able to play at every single event during the week. The city is closing down the bar district downtown for motorcycles only, Broad Ripple is hosting the freestyle competitions, Flat Track racing, MotoGP bikes … It’s going to be nutz!
Check out this free edition of Red Bull Indianapolis GP magazine. Pass it around and be sure to use all of the features.
www.redbullindianapolisgp.com/digitalmagazine
So for all of you coming to the race, be sure to plan out your rides accordingly. There are two schools of thought:
1. Get there fast.
2. Enjoy the ride there.
Thumb through some of my past blogs for ride ideas around the west and north side of Indianapolis. If you are looking for good places to cruise each night, head downtown and cruise the circle. Either you will be embarrassed that you cruised with the scene, or you’ll fit right in. Just remember that drinking and riding is never a good idea, especially around event times.
For all of those camping, the “Coke Lot” – adjacent to a Coca-Cola facility – is the spot, right outside of Turn 4 of the oval. It’s probably the most fun of any of the camping areas around the track. Not only did IMS hook up the riders with prime real estate, but you get easy access to all of the vendors, junk food and crazies that typically grace Georgetown Road all weekend long.
To be honest, there isn’t a whole lot to say but be there! Hundreds of vendors, leather checks, entertainment, girls, fast bikes!!!!
See you there.
Jarrod
It’s getting close to the big two-wheeled extravaganza at IMS — the Red Bull Indianapolis GP on Sept. 12-14. If you have any concerns about parking for your bike, let me assure you that there will be plenty!
But one important thing to note is that you will not be able to ride in the big gate on 16th Street, Gate 2. So be prepared to enter on 30th street at Gate 10.
Here’s how to ride to the track and park your bike, riding in from the Crawfordsville Road exit on Interstate 465 (keep clicking on the map to magnify the view):
Here’s how to get to the Brickyard from I-65 (keep clicking on the map to magnify the view):
Finally, here’s how to get to IMS coming from downtown (keep clicking on the map to magnify the view):
There is plenty of parking. Be smart and get a pass so that you don’t have to hassle with trying to find a spot.
Cheers,
Jarrod
Wednesday was National “Ride your Bike to Work Day!”
Yes, I did ride my bike to work on Wednesday and every other day of this week. What a great week! I didn’t know that there was a “Ride your Bike to Work Day.” In fact, this event has been going on for 17 years all over the world.
I did notice that there were a lot of bikes on the road, and I really do believe that more motorcycles on the road is better for our cities, especially for those who live, work and commute in the cities.
Later that night, I started getting antsy and ran out for a night ride with a few of my buds. I have to say that I am not a huge fan of the night rides. It really isn’t that much fun unless you have a chick on the back of the bike with you. I am not one of those riders who spends my time on my bike riding to Monument Circle, parking on the circle, standing by my bike and then riding up to Broad Ripple and do the same thing. That brings me to another funny story …
It was about 10:30 p,m., and I was heading back to my home in Broad Ripple. I pulled up to a guy on an all-white GSX-R with a race pipe. The rider was wearing a helmet but was pretty much in street clothes.
He asked, “How many miles have you ridden tonight?”
I spent the afternoon in Brown County, which is, by far, the best riding in Indiana, so I had put about 300 miles on my bike that day.
“About 300 or so miles,” I replied.
At this point, his eyes swelled like softballs, and I continued to tell him that I went down to Brown County in the afternoon.
“I would like to get down there some time,” he replied.
I told him that he should be down there every week. That pretty much sums up what I mean about the riders who cruise around town, pop wheelies, drag from light to light and sit in parking lots. That just isn’t fun for me. I need routes and destinations!
Quick update on the Scrambler … IT’S STILL IN THE SHOP!!!!!!!!!
Jarrod
Test rode the BMW 650 Moto.
So lately I have been on this supermoto kick. I don’t know what it is, but for me riding in the push-up position just is fun! I like to sit up on a bike, and I really never understood why others like to be hunched over while cruising around.
Right now, I have a Triumph Tiger 1050. It’s bad, real bad and a great all-around bike, but as all riders will tell you … one bike isn’t enough. Ever since the Ducati Hypermotard came out, I have been drooling over it. The only downfall is that I’m not sure if I want to pay the “Ducati Premium.” Sure, it has Ferrari-like styling, but it’s just not my style to go after a “lux” brand. The Hypermotard is different, though. The sexy lines, lean and limber stance, it’s just striking. I haven’t ridden one yet, but I have sat on it a few times.
So in my efforts to find a supermoto bike that will suit the city streets, I gave my first ride to the BMW. I like the guys down at Victory Triumph and now BMW. I have always had a great experience with them. On the first day of business, I walked in and hopped on the 650 Moto. I thought, “This could be a lot of fun!”
In short, it is not for me. The BMW just didn’t seem like a smooth bike. A short, short first gear and a rumbling vibration that blurred my vision wasn’t that much fun. I remember when I first got a bike, I said, “There is no reason to get anything above 600cc’s.” Now I don’t know if I would get any thing under 900cc’s. I like the ease and comfort of an easily driven bike, the available power that can give you an effortless ride and the ability to scare yourself. With the BMW, I felt like I was constantly over-revving and rattling my eyes.
Since that ride wasn’t enjoyable, I almost crossed out the Suzuki 450 sm. I just can’t see that bike being better than a BMW 650. In my efforts to escape the lure of the Hypermotard and to settle for something that would work, I am worried that I am going to give a test ride to the Hypermotard and instantly ask what type of financing is available. It’s just one of those things that I try not to think of because emotion may make the decision for me.
Jarrod
Since last week, I’ve had my bike out a couple of times and have loved it!
This week was fairly hectic. The IndyCar Series season is right around the corner, indycar.com had its preview party on Wednesday, deadlines are creeping, and “Up To SPEED” debuts this week at indycar.com. It was one of those weeks where I felt that I had to run to the bathroom, run to the studio, run between offices just to get everything in.
With the little guy at home, it’s harder to stay at the office and finish out the day, so I had to take work home with me a couple of days. Luckily, the indycar.com preview party forced me to relax a little bit, hang out with IndyCar fans and polish up the first episode of “Up To SPEED.” Check out indycar.com for the first episode this weekend.
The most exciting thing that happened this week was my venture to 96th Street Steakburger, which is not located on 96th Street. I went with my cousin, who felt that since he hit the treadmill for 30 minutes that he was granted a loaded double cheeseburger, fries and a large chocolate shake.
You would think that after a meal like that, one would have no problem running out of gas! Well, about 10 minutes later, he did run out of gas – or should I say his car ran out of gas! Luckily for us, it was in one of the busiest areas of I-465, with one of the smallest shoulders. As semis and cars whished by, his Chevy Tahoe felt like it was going to tip over.
I spent about 30 minutes starring out the back of the Tahoe watching drivers come to consciousness as they nearly ran into the back of us. I even texted a co-worker, “We ran out of gas, I am really scared!”
Lucky for us, help provided a can of gas, and we were on our way. If your car has one of those mile counters that tell you how many miles you have left, be sure that when it hits 30 that you get some octane.
The weekend looks rainy, and we have a lot to do around the house to get prepared for little man’s first Easter, so I probably won’t get on my bike. But the ride to work on Monday looks good!
Have a Happy Easter!
Jarrod
I am blogging to blog at this moment, Wednesday, Feb. 13. This is my second day home from work with what I like to call “The killer flu that won’t kill me!”
Just so you understand the pain that I am typing through right now, every strike of the keyboard is like getting poked in the eyes, followed by a sword slicing my head in half and a circus monkey clapping each side of my skull like cymbals! It hurts.