Polar Bear Motorcycles: Season Opener 2018-2019

First ride of the 2018-2019 season. From left: Mac, CT Blogger, Captain, Grumpy and Pogy down front.

Polar Bear Motorcycle Blog, Polar Bear Grand Tour, ride to Cape May, NJ, October 28, 2018.

By: Chris Loynd, aka CT Blogger
Photos by: John Bowlan, aka Grumpy

I'm back, at least for some of the rides this season. Starting a new business, Digital Pizza, took my full attention last season. Fortunately it is more stable now and I have some wonderful clients. I will forever regret missing that anniversary patch, especially since my first Polar Bear patch was for the Polar Bear's 25th anniversary, 2002-2003. When I earn this season's patch I'll leave a space for the missing rocker to always remember my missing season.

Life sometimes trumps motorcycling. It's a shame. It happens. The only red rocker on my Polar Bear vest was for the 2008-2009 season when, in the great recession, I closed my 17-year business and joined The Maritime Aquarium.

Motorcycling also helps life go better. It was good catching up with my fellow Grand Tour staffers. Grand Poohbah Bob was too busy registering riders to do more than say hello. I was pleased to see Flight A Leader Pat Bachota there; John Bachota passed away just a week-and-a-half ago. Walter posted a nice memoriam of photos and videos on the Grand Tour site. And I trust being among her fellow Polar Bears offered Pat something valuable.

Riding from Stratford, Conn. to Cape May, N.J. for lunch is as crazy as it's ever been.

Fortunately for us the nor'easter rain storm came through Saturday. Sunday morning was dreary, damp and cold. Most of the day remained overcast and blustery. We rode in and out of a few patches of sun. I was wishing I had an extra layer. Captain said he felt the cold. He rides without electrics, always has. Me, I've gone to the full suit from Warm & Safe heated clothing. But even with electrically heated clothes, you have to figure the proper riding layers on top. My mix of electrics and insulation was a bit off. To keep my body, especially legs, warm enough I overcooked the tops of my feet.

I was joined by what has become the Connecticut Polar Bear stalwarts for the last several years: Captain, Grumpy, Pogy and Mac. At Cape May we met up, briefly, with two of our other regulars, the Polar Rican and Anonymous Ed. They were joined by Mike on a Trike. Mike is one of Fonz's Connecticut Rider Education Program, ConnREP, students.

Fonz led his separate group down earlier in the day. They went for breakfast first then sign-in so they could get back home earlier Sunday. The rest of us rode to sign-in first then enjoyed lunch. We were still able to get back before sundown. We will be especially challenged to repeat the feat this coming Sunday, though. The ride is longer, Lewes, Del., and the clock is sooner as we "fall back" an hour that morning.

Other ConnREP students have join us for Polar Bears before. The most successful of these was Token2. He's since moved to Virginia and we may not see him on too many rides anymore. Last year though, he rode up from Virginia to meet the CT Bears in Cape May.

Also from ConnREP is Thumper. Paul is still on the email list and hopefully we'll see him on a ride or two this season.

On Sunday morning I forgot how long it takes to get dressed for a Polar Bear ride. I called Captain 10 minutes before our departure time and told him I was running late but on my way. I guess the guys missed me because they waited. In years' past they would have left without me.

As I arrived they were already lined up ready to go. Captain waived me to the front. He was worried about his Goldwing's charging system and wanted me to take the lead in case he had to drop out. Fortunately, his bike was fine the whole way down and back.

I was on my restored Harley-Davidson Heritage Springer. It underwent a frame-off restoration, largely because winter riding corrosion ate the bike. The trouble all started when highway crews switched from sodium to calcium chloride. Sunday the Harley ran fine, spit some oil but I think it's because the tank is overfull. And a little oil always looks like a whole lot of oil once it spreads. Captain, my wingman, said my spray assured his Honda plastics won't rust.

Part of the Harley restoration was a change in the handlebars. I now have wider beach bars. This was the first 400+ mile day I've done on the new configuration and I have to say I felt those wider bars between my shoulder blades Sunday night, maybe more so Monday morning. But the bars look cool!

It was great catching up with my riding buddies. However it may be that I missed something last year or perhaps I'm just getting more sensitive. Our CT Bears always enjoyed busting each others' chops like we're in high school. But it seemed to me the level of snark increased. Maybe we're all just getting grumpier in our old age.

I was over cautious on my gas stops. I have a whole new tank on my Harley and the gauge must be off. It was showing dead empty at 120 miles. I'm used to getting 160 to 180 on a tank, easy. When I filled the tank it took only 3 1/2 gallons of what I assume is a standard 5-gallon capacity. I'll confirm that very important assumption with my builder before next Sunday! I'm not sure if the gauge can be recalibrated. Meanwhile I'm confident riding by the odometer, although it is hard to ignore that flashing warning light.

My restoration bike no longer has stock pipes and the replacement exhaust may be hurting gas mileage. I'll continue to be conservative, but may stretch it a bit more on the Lewes ride this Sunday. I have my siphon with me just in case. Pogy and Captain have Goldwings with bigger tanks and spare fuel to share. Of course if I do run out of gas, I'll never hear the end of it. They ragged on me for being late Sunday morning like a pack of wolves on fresh kill. And yes, I'll get up extra early this coming Sunday, 7:00 a.m. departure.