Members,

Over the past couple of months (a year actually) we have been working with Rick Case Powerhouse on getting club members discounts for service and accessories. Rusty Johnson (General Manager) and I came to an agreement on this recently and now I want to forward it to you.

First of all, if you have been on any recent rides, you may have noticed I was wearing the new club t-shirt or the club patch on the back of my leather vest. Thanks to Ken Cimetta for designing this. He put a lot of work into an emblem that stands out.

Some members fronted the club money to purchase the patches and Rick Case fronted the club money for the purchase of the t-shirts. Both will be paid back with sales of each.

The dealership initially offered to sell the shirts at the dealership, but then I would not know who was a member of the club. Ken changed some features on the web site and you are now available to purchase the shirts and patches directly. Rather then mail the patches to you and incur another expense, I will drop off your shirt/patch to the dealership and you can pick it up there at the cashier window.

Before you can purchase a patch or t-shirt, you must be a registered member. Membership fees are only $25.00 a year for the entire family. This is very cheap considering what other clubs charge.

Now here is where the discount comes in. Rick Case Powerhouse will give you an additional 10% discount off your service/accessory purchase each Wednesday when you are wearing your club shirt or patch. Add that to your “Reward’s Points” and you get 20% off! With today’s economy, I need every coupon or discount I can get. If I were going to make a major purchase or service appointment, this 20% discount could pay for my membership fee and shirt the first time I used it.

There will be additional membership benefits. These will include the opportunity for free give-a-ways on club rides, ice-cream socials, members’ only events and more. The membership will decide what we do. Remember, this is your club, take action to make it better.

Questions and Answers:

1. Do I have to be a dues paying member to ride with the club? No, not for basic rides. But if there are special give-a-ways or free lunches, only dues paying members will have this opportunity. The easiest way for me to recognize you will be your wearing your club shirt or patch, but if you are not into patches or our club shirts, I will have a membership list in my cell phone.

2. Where does this money go? The club has some administrative expenses that we need to pay for. Adrian & Ronnie Sue Goldfarb have been offering their legal services to register the club as a “not for profit status” and there are federal fees to pay. HRCA charges the club a yearly registration and then there is the issue of insurance to consider. I would like to start having regular club meetings at local restaurants and the club could pick up part of the food bill. No club member can profit from any funds collected. The club would decide how funds are spent.

3. What is my place in the club? That is entirely up to you. How involved do you want to become? I would like more Ride Captains. Available positions are endless. Here are some samples: Welcome Committee, Ride Planner, Ride for Kids Task Force Member, Safety Officer, Training Specialist, etc. Or you can just be a member and ride with us and enjoy the great outdoors.

4. Will I still get all your wonderful emails? For the short term the answer is yes. But there will be special opportunity emails sent out to dues paying members only.

5. What privileges will I have using the club website? Working with the webmaster, you should have the ability to post comments about any given ride, pictures, make suggestions, etc. I would like to see a club bulletin board soon so you can post items for sale.

6. When does this start? What better time then now? I have the shirts in a wide selection of sizes, but only a limited number of patches left.

7. What if I already purchased a shirt/patch from you earlier? Thank you for your purchase, but you are requested to register as a dues paying member.

For registration, go to http://www.goldcoastriders.com On the right side you will see a tab for Register. This will allow you to choose a login and password. Next, log-in and go to the “Pages” tab to purchase your membership and shirts or patches. We are still trying to work out some of the bugs ( I should get an email that you registered and size shirt). I will send you an email regarding when you can pick up your shirt/patch at the dealership cashier. If you don’t hear from me within a couple of days, please send me an email so I can chase down the order.

Looking forward to riding with you.

As I sit here thinking to myself what do I pack for a motorcycle trip, my last ride comes to mind.

What did I need that I forgot?

What did I bring that I never used or should have left at home?

What did I bring that I didn’t use, but would never leave home without it?

When we leave for vacation, the tendency is to pack everything just in case you might need it. On a motorcycle, this wisdom is failed before you leave your house. I always tell people, “lay out on your bed everything you want to bring, and then put half of it back”. Space and weight on a motorcycle are major considerations. Let’s talk a little about both.

Space

Those riders who ride Gold Wings brag about the travel storage their bike possesses. But without proper planning, they quickly find themselves strapping bags to their back seats also. There is an old saying; saddle bags won’t carry everything you want, but they will carry just about everything you will need.

Weight

First of all, you must consider your bike’s maximum gross weight. Refer to your owner’s manual for this number. Take your body weight and that of your passenger plus that of all the items you are bringing with you (clothes, tools, helmet, jacket, snacks, drinks, luggage bag, etc). Also add to this number any accessories you may have added to your bike. Now add in the weight of fuel and oil and you will have a more realistic number. Add this number to the weight of your empty weight bike and this total is the maximum gross weight. Never exceed the recommended maximum gross weight of your bike.

When packing your bike, always consider placement and the bike’s center of gravity. Strive to keep the bike balanced and the heavier items placed towards the lower parts of the bike. Keep the saddlebags as close to the same weight as possible. This will prevent you from leaning to one side as your go down the road. Never place too much weight on the back of the bike. This can make the front tire light and affect steering.

Finally when packing, don’t forget some of the time proven methods to keep clothes dry and minimum space used. The answer to this is simple: large heavy gauge zip-lock bags. This will allow you to press all the air out and keeps your clothes dry. You can also place your dirty/wet clothing in these to keep your clean clothes clean! Don’t pack too many clothes, you can normally find a washing machine sometime during your trip. Leave a little extra room for that t-shirt you buy also.

Here is a checklist that might help you: http://micapeak.com/checklists/mclist.html

Please consider going to this site and completing the emergency contact checklist and keeping that on your motorcycle/jacket/helmet. http://micapeak.com/tools/medform.html

The Long Trip List

Here’s a list of items (*) you might want to take with you when you’re planning a long trip.

Bungee cords Camera Cell Phone Dry Clothes Duct Tape First Aid Kit

Flashlight Flat Tire Kit or Fix-A-Flat (for motorcycles) Gloves (heavy and light)

Knife Maps/GPS Money Multi-Tool Tire Gauge Tools

Small Roll Toilet Paper Water Toiletries Soft Shoes Extra Oil

*Some of these items may not be required by everyone. Talk with other people in the group to share the responsibility of bringing those items.

Items that you should leave at home:

Expensive Jewelry Fashion Clothes over Safety Heavy Bulky Items

Items you can’t forget:

Medicines (prescription and over the counter) Emergency Contact Numbers

Reading & Sun Glasses Insurance Information (health and motorcycle) Camera

Phone Charger Motorcycle Owners Manual Bike Cleaning Kit

Snack Food Rain Gear Extra Cash and Credit Cards

Sun-Pass

When riding from Florida to northern destinations, remember to dress in layers. This allows you to add/remove clothing based on the current temperature. With multiple layers, you will stay much warmer when the mercury drops down. This works in the reverse as you return home. Modern fabric technology allows us to wear clothing that possesses little bulk but keeps us warm. Always pack your rain gear so you can get to it with minimal effort. You may be taking it on and off several times throughout the day.

Don’t wait until the last minute to pack. Now is the time to assemble what you plan on brining and see how it fits on your bike. Load your bike up the morning/afternoon before your departure. Take your bike out for a ride to see how it handles with all the extra weight. After returning, check to see if items shifted. The morning of departure is not the time to realize something is not right.

Being prepared takes work and time. Planning now will make your time on the bike more rewarding. Check your bike’s fluids, tire pressure, lights, fuses, brakes, etc.

Finally, let someone know your trip schedule and phone number of the hotels/resort you will be staying at. Get plenty of rest the night before the big departure date. Start your motorcycle vacation with a positive attitude and you will be ready for what is thrown your way. Make sure that you have “In Case of Emergency” or ICE number is programmed into your cell phone, just in case.

Ride safe,

Greg Mathes