Last weekend I said good-bye to a faithful and understanding companion. Always a source of unconditional support, we shared many wonderful experiences. At the same time, I welcomed a successor who I’m sure will also stand the test of time and accompany me to many people and places, yet TBD. And yes, I’m talking about motorcycles.

While some riders have the luxury of multiple bikes, I had to decide on one. Although fun, making the choice was anything but easy and took a couple of years. Since I was happy with my FZ1, I was willing to wait until just the right one came along.

Choosing a bike is a very individual decision and each rider has to select the right bike for him/her. Expecting I’ll continue to ride long distances and want to have something suitable for highway, backroads and gravel, I knew an adventure touring bike was next. Then I narrowed it down to a Triumph Tiger, BMW- one of the GS’s or the R1200RT , and the Ducati Multi Strada. Interestingly, Yamaha wasn’t even in the running until I saw the Ténéré at a spring motorcycle show. I even tried the Harley-Davidson Street Glide, just to be sure I had covered all my bases.

Here was what I looked for (in no particular order).

1. Price. Initial outlay, maintenance, accessories.
2. Seating position. An upright seating position for both short and long distance comfort. Allowance to shift around and change position periodically.
3. Power. Admittedly, most bikes have way more power than I’ll ever use. But when I’m out there and need to call on power for defensive maneuvers, I want to know it’s there.
4. Suitability for long distance travel. Included in this category are fuel capacity, availability of retailers, parts, overall comfort, maintenance frequency.
5. Dealer location. I live in a rural area. Since I put on quite a few miles, maintenance has to be done more often. If the nearest retailer is an hour away, it’s very inconvenient, especially if I have to leave my bike there. It means arranging a ride back and forth – there’s 4 hours each for me and my chauffeur without even considering scheduling around work.
6. Weather protection. Without going for a full touring bike, it had to offer as much protection as possible from wind and weather.
7. Versatility. I don’t want my bike to restrict what roads I’m going to take. I’ve been in precarious situations before when I’ve followed a call down a road my bike wasn’t designed for.
8. Physical characteristics. Adventure touring/dual sport bikes tend to be taller so seat height, preferably without alterations was important. Also a consideration was the overall weight, the weight distribution and the balance.
9. Reliability. The greater the reliability, the lower the likelihood it’s going to leave me stranded and the lower the maintenance costs.
10. Simplicity. This is getting more difficult to find on a bike. I enjoy doing the work myself as much as possible. Simple also means there’s less to go wrong. And less time at the dealer and lower maintenance costs. Ironicially, I wanted to get away from a chain drive, although this wasn’t a high priority.

And that’s how I ended up with the Ténéré. There are lots of excellent bikes out there and it’s not easy to chose. When I finally saw this bike and sat on it, and then took it for a test ride, I knew immediately it was my next bike.

Now it’s here and it’s every bit as fantastic as I knew it would be. It was a fond farewell to my FZ1 but I know it’s gone to a good home where it will be well looked after and enjoyed.

During a recent ride to Ottawa, I watched as my odometer clicked over to 200,000. Being stuck in construction traffic for two hours gave me plenty of time to pause and reflect. That’s a lot of road covered by that bike since 2002.   That's a lot of road covered by ME!

Although my camera was ready, a real-time photo of the grand moment was out of the question. My bike and I were both running low on fuel so I pulled into the next rest stop and sought out a piece of shade. Right beside a sportbike who’s rider was sprawled in the shade, seeking respite from the heat and an a sore left wrist, the result of miles of stop and go traffic. I’d found my photographer and after a brief chat, it was time to move on.

It was at the fuel pump I began to do the math. How many times had I filled this tank? At approx. 300 km per tank, I’d filled it a minimum of 670 times. It had also received:

• 40 oil changes. (Doing it myself meant I’d saved approx. $1,600 in labour)
• 8 sets of tires
• 6 or 7 sets of spark plugs
• 5 new chains
• 5 front and rear sprockets
• 4 front brake pads
• 3 rear brake pads
• 3 air filters
• 1 set of wheel bearings, front and rear
• 1 clutch cable
• ..and 1 little speeding ticket.

My mind couldn’t even comprehend how many times the wheels have turned let alone how many times the pistons have gone up and down. It’s quite an amazing machine.

Aside from maybe a couple hundred kilometers, I’ve been there for every inch of the way with that bike.  Or better said, it’s been there every minute for me.

Those 200,000 kilometers pale in comparison to the wonderful experiences we’ve had together, the places it’s taken me, the people its introduced me to and the role its played in teaching me about myself.  I am eternally grateful.    And ready for many, many more miles of riding - maybe not with the same bike, but definitely on a bike.

Looking for some great new Ontario roads to explore? Last weekend I found myself heading to Ottawa again, this time for an Ontario Road Riders Association (ORRA) meeting and a National Memorial Ride. Out of necessity, I used the 400 series of highways to get there. But (except for a few miles) the ride back, shared here below, was a backroads adventure.

If you’ve never explored Eastern Ontario, you owe yourself this treat. While any roads will get you to where you’re going, the area between Smith Falls and Peterborough is a particular gem. Use as much or as little of this route as you wish – and go back often! 

Here’s what you can expect:

1. Varied terrain. The roads pass through rock cuts, wind around lakes and rivers, weave through forests, cross fertile farmland and occasionally parallel the historic Rideau and Trent-Severn waterways.
2. Many twistie secondary roads with breathtaking scenery around each corner. The surfaces are either paved or hard topped; I avoided gravel this time. But you do need to be prepared for short stretches of unannounced surface treatments (gravel) and areas roughened up by winter damage.
3. Very little traffic. There were a few dirt-bikes, ATV’s, horses and the odd car on the secondary roads.  Roads that are more travelled thoroughfares get progressively busier as Sunday draws to a close and the number of cars, some towing boats, correspondingly increases.
4. Picturesque hamlets, historic churches, mills, farms that are relics of a pioneer past, small towns that invite you to stop and savour the local atmosphere.
5. You’ll need a small sense of adventure and lots of time. Although my Sunday start was south of Smith Falls, admittedly I ran out of steam by Peterborough.  At that point I looked for the most direct route back. I had taken my time in the morning and enjoyed some visiting, but that left seven and a half hours of riding to get back to Orangeville.

It was worth every kilometer and I’ll do it again! If you’d like any more information on the routes or the sights, feel free to contact me.

It’s no secret that I’m bike shopping. I’ve been investigating a range of road-bikes, looking for just the right one based on specific criteria. Although I wouldn’t have pictured a Harley-Davidson on that list, I jumped at the chance to test a brand new Street Glide last weekend.

Of utmost consideration is the overall fit. That includes budget, physical size and comfort. More so is the fit to the kind of riding I intend to do most often.

To my surprise, the Street Glide had me in its spell as soon as I hit the starter and felt – and heard - that distinctive HD rumble. It didn’t take long until I was cruising up the highway, radio on, leaving everything else behind. I was Easy Rider. Female version, in a full face helmet.

Weight and sheer size can create a perception that a bike is hard to handle. Not so with the Street Glide. It was surprisingly spirited, nimble, well balanced and easy to maneuver at slow speeds. Its mystique had a way of drawing the attention of other drivers and pedestrians alike – something I’m not used to.

While I have shied away from the cruiser style, preferring a more upright seating position and a little less rumble, it was insightful and fun to try. Best of all, I have a new appreciation for the brand and understanding of its allure.

Thank you.

One need not look far or deep to realize that the Universe is always at work, conspiring to guide us. Take for example the ride I took earlier this week on the Triumph Tiger.

Chris Ellis, GM of Canadian Operations for Triumph Motorcycles generously arranged a Tiger to test ride for a few days. Finding my way to pick it up was no problem. I used a map.

Convinced I could find the rural address easily enough for the drop off, I left the map at home. I got within a few miles and then got a bit stymied. I knew I was on the right track up to a certain point and then the surroundings no longer looked familiar.

Remembering also that I had forgotten to refuel, I decided to turn around and go back into town. I made a left onto the next sideroad, intending to make a quick U-turn and zip back on the main road. It was a good idea, had the access not been blocked by an elderly woman dithering about when to pull out into traffic.

After almost five minutes of patiently waiting for her to move and clear the bottleneck which had formed as I sat there, I was safely on my way.As luck would have it, I pulled into the Shell station just as a guy on a Triumph Bonneville pulled up to the same pump. Trevor was a friend of Chris’s and was able to steer me in the right direction.

I had missed a turn. Going a few extra miles in the wrong direction and the wait at the stop sign had put me in perfect time to meet up with Trevor and get the directions I needed.

I chuckled to myself and said a quiet thank you for being looked after. It’s a small example but these things happen all the time, we don’t often notice them.  Of course, next time, maybe I’ll think to double check the map and take my cell phone and contact info with me.