RETROTOURS NEWSLETTER AUTUMN 2022
I am thankful for a great year! There were eight tours in all. For the most part, the weather was fantastic. I would love to report that there were no mechanical issues and no crashes but that would be inaccurate. Adventure means risk, and risk means sometimes things do go south.
I will be writing full ride reports to post to www.retrotours.com over the winter. Nothing will be left out: the good and the not-so-good. Check them out! Reliving the rides by writing and reading about them helps us get through cold, bleak, grey days, when riding does not seem so attractive. 2023 will again feature 7 scheduled rides: 3 one-day rides, 2 two-day rides, a three-day, and a four-day. In addition, I will gladly create ‘Custom Tours’ for anyone who requests a different date. You can choose the date, the bikes, and the length. I can suggest a possible destination where applicable and voila: Custom Tour for 1 to 12 riders.
I am frequently asked about best practice for winter storage. I generally suggest keeping the gas tank full and charging the battery for a week each month. When there is a break in the conditions, check tire pressure, get that thing out there and put 20 or 30 miles on it. If you can manage to do that once a month or every 6 weeks, you will not have any problems. It really is the best thing for your bike and for your psyche. I do not ‘store’ any of the 25 (+/-) bikes in the RetroTours fleet. Instead, I ride one until, in wintertime, I log 50 miles. Then I top up the tank, park it, and ride the next one. I use a white board hanging on the wall to record date-of-last-ride and choose the bike that has been sitting the longest when it’s time to switch. I have 3 inexpensive maintenance chargers that I circulate around the bikes, so each bike gets a week on the charger every 4 to 6 weeks. All the bikes are carbureted but I have not had any fuel system issues in over 20 years. I average 8-12 years for battery life. This system works.
Why no chase vehicle? Another frequently asked question. First, I believe that a chase vehicle compromises the spirit of adventure. Second, it would involve the high added expense of the vehicle and driver. When there is a mechanical issue or a crash the group pulls together to deal with the situation. Solutions vary. Most of the time, we are able to repair the problem. Sometimes it is possible to do an overnight ride home, 2-up, to fetch a back-up bike while the rest of the group sleeps. Sometimes it is necessary to rent a truck. Ocaissionally, we have to stash a crashed bike and/or an injured rider for retrieval the week after the tour concludes. It always amazes me how the group finds a way. Everyone contributes according to their abilities.
Am I too old to do a RetroTour? This is a question that is not asked that often, but I am sure many of you have the thought. If you think you are, maybe you are. I just turned 71 and feel like I could keep doing this forever. The bikes may get smaller and lighter, the trips might get shorter, but the thrill of riding out on the tiniest back roads with a group of like-minded enthusiasts is still there for me. The 2023 schedule will include some ass-breaking iron-butt long rides for the mile muncher crowd, but also several shorter rides, some with daily mileage limits of 125 miles. This year, one new rider came on 7 of the 8 rides. There are many repeat riders, several have been on 20 or more tours.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE? Nothing at all; try it for yourself and you will see.
My job is to make it easy for you. Let’s talk. Best wishes for a Happy Holiday season.
BTW, after 7 tours, you receive credit for one free tour-day.
Sometimes we find ourselves in the middle of nowhere.
Sometimes, in the middle of nowhere, we find ourselves.
