The center of activity at 8:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning in Jasper, Arkansas is
the Ozark Cafe. Coffee cups rattle saucers in the cafe’s bacon fried air while
Billy Bell and his dad, Gene, hold court at a big checked-cloth-covered table.
The family resemblance is clear between the two lean, sun-checked men
gathered with a group of weather beaten locals swilling coffee and swapping
the news of the day.
Speaking of Mountains
Cruising the Ozarks: Arkansas
I’ve traveled by motorcycle to more than 30 states, and Arkansas ranks high
on my list as one of the most motorcycle-friendly states I’ve visited. With
more than 52 state parks, and sprawling mountain views, it’s no wonder it’s
called “the Natural State.” Add in twisty backroads with rolling scenic
landscape and plenty of elevation changes, and it was an easy decision when
the leaders of the North and South Central regions of the Vulcan Bagger
Association went looking for a destination for a combined rally.
Who Invented the Motorcycle?
Good question, but I have to ask you one; gas or steam? No, that's not what
my Dental Hygienist asks me before she sets to work cleaning my gnashers.
You see Gottlieb Daimler invented the first gas powered motorcycle in 1885,
when an engine created by Nicolaus August Otto was attached to a wooden
bicycle. Just to clarify things here; 'gas' is not a reference to gasoline, but
fuel in a gaseous state rather than liquefied
Past Story Archives
Arkansas? Naturally
From the twisty Ozark asphalt and rolling Ouachita Mountains to the wide
open Mississippi Delta it is safe to say that Arkansas was made for
motorcycling. There are many reasons to explore The Natural State on two
even three wheels, but their motorcycle friendly attitude keeps me coming
back. That, and the sprawling mountain views, scenic open landscape, and of
course all the fresh air that country life here has to offer.
It is a gorgeous, sunny summer afternoon. I am one of some 15 riders on
vintage-inspired Kawasaki Drifter motorcycles exploring the twisty
backroads of Arkansas. We are heading south on AR 23, better known as
the Pig Trail Scenic Byway, one of “The Natural State’s” most renowned
routes. It attracts riders from all over the country to explore its serpentine
tarmac.
Deer strike! Surviving a close encounter
10 Things you need to know when riding in a group
If you’ve ever ridden your motorcycle in a group before, you may have
had a less-than-happy experience where tensions started to rise, and
maybe you needed a little time apart from the group after the ride starts.
You know the kind of rides I mean ... where as soon as you get to lunch
you check your phone hoping for some minor emergency so you can exit
gracefully and ride back solo.
Are You A Confident Motorcyclist? While a very rare few of us are born with
natural ability on a motorcycle, the majority of riders learn by doing.
We try to avoid mistakes, especially painful ones, keep our eyes and ears
open, and hopefully become mature in our abilities.
How to become a confident motorcyclist
The riding season is finally here and before you take your motorcycle on a
road trip, spend an afternoon performing a thorough inspection of your bike.
It’ll help keep it in optimal condition and prevent major repairs later on.
Getting your bike ready for the riding season
As cold weather starts to roll in this season and the last red leaves fall off the
trees, it's time to start thinking about what you're going to do with your
motorcycle this winter. For some, winter means buying fuel stabilizer, dusting
off the trickle charger, and gently snuggling their motorcycle into a warm corner
of the garage.
Riding in the cold
Scared of riding in the wet stuff? There’s no need; with a little know-how and a little
preparation, riding in the rain can be just as safe and just as fun as riding on a nice,
sunny day. Relax. Pay attention. After all, it’s only water The heavens have opened
and it’s pouring. You can’t see very far down the road thanks to the spray coming off
other vehicles. Your visor is misting up and you’re not entirely sure how you and your
bike are going to handle the rain. Slow down a bit.. Here’s how to ride a motorcycle
in the rain.
17 tips for riding in the Rain
You are riding down a road and as you enter a turn you feel as if you are going too fast
and are heading for the tree on the side of the road. What should you do? Get on the
brakes? Roll off the throttle? Bail? Believe it or not this is where a good number of
inexperienced riders will get into trouble. As a novice rider approaches a turn most will
instinctively look directly at a stationary object such as a tree, guard rail etc, (target fixation).
Curve safety
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Copyright © 2024 - Ozark Rides, All Rights Reserved
Staying cool during the heat of summer
Summer is most certainly upon us. That means beautiful long days to enjoy rides on your bike.
Summer means different things depending on your location, from triple-digit scorchers to high
humidity levels that have you sweating before you even strap on a helmet. Riders try various
methods to coping with the heat. Some people will always wear leather, some choosing mesh
and textile in the hotter months, and others no gear at all, the latter being a really bad idea.
There are plenty of ways for riders to keep cool during the summer that will help you stay
comfortable and focused on riding.
10 Reasons for Riding Alone
Any excuse is good enough for a ride – whether it’s with the
pillion-in-a-million, a couple of friends, a dozen club members, a hundred
shop riders, or a thousand toy runners – yet solo riding is our favorite.
Arcadia Valley… The Jewel of the Ozarks
As a serious rider you're always seeking to find "The Perfect Road", you know the one you can't
wait to get back to. When I was invited to visit Arcadia Valley Missouri I must admit that the vision
that I had in my head was that it was just another typical sleepy Missouri back road community...
Boy was I ever wrong. Seldom does a rider find Valhalla in their own back yard, but the 900 square
mile region known as Arcadia Valley is just that. The communities of Pilot Knob, Ironton and Arcadia
are nestled in the picturesque valley of the St. Francois Mountains and besides the over the top scenic
rides, there are so many things to do while visiting the area...
Get Access & Benefits!
Become a Patron!
Or
Copyright © 2024 - Ozark Rides, All Rights Reserved
The center of activity at 8:00 a.m. on a Sunday
morning in Jasper, Arkansas is the Ozark Cafe.
Coffee cups rattle saucers in the cafe’s bacon fried
air while Billy Bell and his dad, Gene, hold court at
a big checked-cloth-covered table. The family
resemblance is clear between the two lean,
sun-checked men gathered with a group of weather
beaten locals swilling coffee and swapping the news
of the day.
Speaking of Mountains
Cruising the Ozarks: Arkansas
I’ve traveled by motorcycle to more than 30 states,
and Arkansas ranks high on my list as one of the
most motorcycle-friendly states I’ve visited. With
more than 52 state parks, and sprawling mountain
views, it’s no wonder it’s called “the Natural State.”
Add in twisty backroads with rolling scenic landscape
and plenty of elevation changes, and it was an easy
decision when the leaders of the North and South
Central regions of the Vulcan Bagger Association
went looking for a destination for a combined rally.
Who Invented the Motorcycle?
Good question, but I have to ask you one; gas or
steam? No, that's not what my Dental Hygienist
asks me before she sets to work cleaning my
gnashers. You see Gottlieb Daimler invented the
first gas powered motorcycle in 1885, when an
engine created by Nicolaus August Otto was attached
to a wooden bicycle. Just to clarify things here; 'gas'
is not a reference to gasoline, but fuel in a gaseous
state rather than liquefied.
Past Story Archives
It is a gorgeous, sunny summer afternoon. I am one
of some 15 riders on vintage-inspired Kawasaki
Drifter motorcycles exploring the twisty backroads
of Arkansas. We are heading south on AR 23, better
known as the Pig Trail Scenic Byway, one of “The
Natural State’s” most renowned routes. It attracts
riders from all over the country to explore its
serpentine tarmac.
Deer strike! Surviving a close encounter
10 Things you need to know when riding
in a group
If you’ve ever ridden your motorcycle in a group
before, you may have had a less-than-happy
experience where tensions started to rise, and
maybe you needed a little time apart from the
group after the ride starts. You know the kind of
rides I mean ... where as soon as you get to lunch
you check your phone hoping for some minor
emergency so you can exit gracefully and ride
back solo.
Are You A Confident Motorcyclist? While a very
rare few of us are born with natural ability on a
motorcycle, the majority of riders learn by doing.
We try to avoid mistakes, especially painful ones,
keep our eyes and ears open, and hopefully
become mature in our abilities.
How to become a confident motorcyclist
The riding season is finally here and before you
take your motorcycle on a road trip, spend an
afternoon performing a thorough inspection of
your bike. It’ll help keep it in optimal condition
and prevent major repairs later on.
Getting your bike ready for the ride
As cold weather starts to roll in this season and
the last red leaves fall off the trees, it's time to
start thinking about what you're going to do with
your motorcycle this winter. For some, winter
means buying fuel stabilizer, dusting off the
trickle charger, and gently snuggling their
motorcycle into a warm corner of the garage.
Riding in the cold
Scared of riding in the wet stuff? There’s no
need; with a little know-how and a little
preparation, riding in the rain can be just as
safe and just as fun as riding on a nice, sunny
day. Relax. Pay attention. After all, it’s only
water The heavens have opened and it’s pouring.
You can’t see very far down the road thanks to
the spray coming off other vehicles. Your visor is
misting up and you’re not entirely sure how you
and your bike are going to handle the rain. Slow
down a bit.. Here’s how to ride a motorcycle in
the rain.
17 tips for riding in the Rain
You are riding down a road and as you enter a
turn you feel as if you are going too fast and are
heading for the tree on the side of the road.
What should you do? Get on the brakes? Roll off
the throttle? Bail? Believe it or not this is where
a good number of inexperienced riders will get
into trouble. As a novice rider approaches a turn
most will instinctively look directly at a stationary
object such as a tree, guard rail etc,
(target fixation).
Curve safety
Summer is most certainly upon us. That means
beautiful long days to enjoy rides on your bike.
Summer means different things depending on your
location, from triple-digit scorchers to high
humidity levels that have you sweating before you
even strap on a helmet. Riders try various
methods to coping with the heat. Some people will
always wear leather, some choosing mesh and
textile in the hotter months, and others no gear at
all, the latter being a really bad idea. There are
plenty of ways for riders to keep cool during the
summer that will help you stay comfortable and
focused on riding.
Staying cool during the heat of summer
10 Reasons for Riding Alone
Any excuse is good enough for a ride, whether it’s
with the pillion-in-a-million, a couple of friends, a
dozen club members, a hundred shop riders, or a
thousand toy runners – yet solo riding is our
favorite.
Arcadia Valley… The Jewel of the Ozarks
As a serious rider you're always seeking to find
"The Perfect Road", you know the one you can't
wait to get back to. When I was invited to visit
Arcadia Valley Missouri I must admit that the
vision that I had in my head was that it was just
another typical sleepy Missouri back road
community... Boy was I ever wrong.
Seldom does a rider find Valhalla in their own back
yard, but the 900 square mile region known as
Arcadia Valley is just that. The communities of
Pilot Knob, Ironton and Arcadia are nestled in the
picturesque valley of the St. Francois Mountains
and besides the over the top scenic rides, there
are so many things to do while visiting the area...
Arkansas? Naturally
From the twisty Ozark asphalt and rolling
Ouachita Mountains to the wide open Mississippi
Delta it is safe to say that Arkansas was made for
motorcycling. There are many reasons to explore
The Natural State on two even three wheels, but
their motorcycle friendly attitude keeps me
coming back. That, and the sprawling mountain
views, scenic open landscape, and of course all
the fresh air that country life here has to offer.
Get Access & Benefits!
Become a Patron!
Or
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