Vermont motorcycle touring

[markbvt]

Seven Days did an article on Vermont as a motorcycle tourism destination, featuring our friends Eric from MotoVermont and Bob from motorcycle-vermont.com:
http://www.7dvt.com/2012hello-moto

Definitely an opportunity for the state tourism folks to step up and make something of it.

--mark

[e30addict]

Damn, they're trying to get the secret out

Pretty cool you can rent something other than a Harley.

Harleys, he says, are “more traditional,” with fewer capabilities and a more limited market appeal — better known for cruising on wide, open roads than for navigating backcountry lanes.

[Moses P. Lester]

Gotta agree with what they said about App gap. I just got back from Arizona and rode it a few times and discovered I was standing on the pegs about half the time to spare my poor ass the torture.

[PhilB]

Doesn't mesh well, though, with their current "zero tolerance" program on minor speeding incidents.

PhilB

[Father Ribs]

Anyone else see the letter this week in 7Days that the best way to encourage motorcycle tourism in Vermont is to repeal our helmet law?

[Degsy]

Wirelessly posted

Vermont has a helmet law?

[Doc]

Wirelessly posted

Vermont has a helmet law?

You don't get up here much do ya?

[markbvt]

Doesn't mesh well, though, with their current "zero tolerance" program on minor speeding incidents.

True, but luckily that program is due to end Labor Day.

--mark

[e30addict]

Anyone else see the letter this week in 7Days that the best way to encourage motorcycle tourism in Vermont is to repeal our helmet law?

That will do wonders for the fatality rate.

But hey, most of them travel at 10 under the limit so at least the bureaucrats can claim success on clamping down on speeders

[PhilB]

True, but luckily that program is due to end Labor Day.

--mark

So it's just going to cover the majority of the riding season. Perfect.

PhilB

[nhbubba]

Most of us ride well past Labor Day. Especially since the out of staters clear out after that.

But your point is taken.

[NobodySpecific]

So it's just going to cover the majority of the riding season. Perfect.

PhilB

I actually don't like riding during the peak of summer. It's too hot and there are far too many idiots on the roads. Post labor day riding is some of the best riding of the year IMO.

[markbvt]

I actually don't like riding during the peak of summer. It's too hot and there are far too many idiots on the roads. Post labor day riding is some of the best riding of the year IMO.

+1. I would argue that September and October are Vermont's best months for motorcycle riding.

--mark

[01xj]

Damn, they're trying to get the secret out

Pretty cool you can rent something other than a Harley.

That is a very eloquent way to say they're slow and boring.

[PhilB]

Most of us ride well past Labor Day. Especially since the out of staters clear out after that.

But your point is taken.

Sure. Indeed, with this last mild winter, I never put mine away and rode it straight through.

But your statement about "since the out of staters clear out after that" is the key here for this issue. It shows that most of the business with regard to touring, tourists, and vacation happens before Labor Day, and so if the state tourism folks want people to come there as a destination for motorcycle touring, then handing out massive numbers of chickenshit tickets from now through Labor Day is, as I said, not going to "mesh well".

PhilB

[ranette]

Sure. Indeed, with this last mild winter, I never put mine away and rode it straight through.

But your statement about "since the out of staters clear out after that" is the key here for this issue. It shows that most of the business with regard to touring, tourists, and vacation happens before Labor Day, and so if the state tourism folks want people to come there as a destination for motorcycle touring, then handing out massive numbers of chickenshit tickets from now through Labor Day is, as I said, not going to "mesh well".

PhilB

I believe the Governor did say that the transportation department may have gotten a little carried away in their rhetoric. Personally I haven't noticed any glaring difference in either the number of troopers out there nor in the number of cars I've seen pulled over. Keep your speed within reason and don't drive/ride like an ass and there shouldn't be any issues.

[NobodySpecific]

I believe the Governor did say that the transportation department may have gotten a little carried away in their rhetoric. Personally I haven't noticed any glaring difference in either the number of troopers out there nor in the number of cars I've seen pulled over. Keep your speed within reason and don't drive/ride like an ass and there shouldn't be any issues.

I put 1,100 miles on my car in the past 9 days, and I can tell you that there were a lot of cops out. I also saw in another thread that somebody's friend got a ticket for 71 in a 65. If that's riding like an ass then I think we're all screwed

[SRTie4k]

And strangely, I've been riding/driving in VT more than usual the past 2 weeks (had 2 forced weeks off) and I have not noticed any more cops than normal. And those that I have seen were not too concerned with my riding on the interstate at 72 or driving the interstate at 71 towing a trailer with a busted tail light.

I've put over 1500 miles on my bike the past 2 weeks alone, at least half of which was in VT. And I've made at least 3 trips up and down I91/89 in my car and truck, all the way up to the Champlain islands in the truck never seeing a cop on the way up, but getting passed by only 1 on the way back (and 1 DMV truck).

[ranette]

I put 1,100 miles on my car in the past 9 days, and I can tell you that there were a lot of cops out. I also saw in another thread that somebody's friend got a ticket for 71 in a 65. If that's riding like an ass then I think we're all screwed

Ironically I got pulled over last night by a town cop after midnight in my car for not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign. Don't think it had anything at all to do with any stricter enforcement just typical trolling for drunks. Good for me, bad for the cop, he happened to pick probably the only driver on Route 100 that night who had not had a drop; got let off with a very mild warning. Got me wondering if I could pass a roadside sobriety test even if I was totally sober. Hitting my nose with an outstretched arm and walking a straight line are not skills I've practiced.

[kz1000ken]

I enjoy Vermont all year round, I'm an out of stater yes, but I feel most at home in Vermont, be it camping or skiing or riding around. I rode up to Mt Ascutney this past weekend at a more umm... spirited than usual but I slow down in town and did not see any more troopers than usual. September and October in Vermont is
moto-paradise. I wear all the gear and a helmet so I was not aware Vermont had a helmet law..

The Yankee Beemers throw a few nice events in or near Vermont and the riding there is the best in New England, IMO

[JohnCVermont]

Hey kz' ... Thank you for the nice words about Vermont riding. As certainly agree with the others, I do enjoy riding more after Labor Day, especially October when the temps get to the 40s & 50s. I don't have any skill or talent but I have decent gear and cold weather tolerance. In late September and October, I hope to get some nice "mental health rides" down to southern Vermont.

[Jwayma]

There is a dual sport rally scheduled up in VT 9/20 - 9/23, called the Cro Mag. Last time I checked they had 70 something riders committed to go. They have the entire VT State Campground on Silver Lake reserved. Sounds like a blast. I've never been but it sounds like they've been doing it for a few years. I'm sitting squarely on the top of the fence on going or not. I'd like to fall on the go side, but a lot of factors at the moment make it iffy.

[markbvt]

Huh. I didn't know CroMag is in Vermont this year; haven't been paying attention. It's a pretty big ADVrider thing. I may have to go.

--mark