Remembering Bill Kaeppner

I was saddened to read in the October American Motorcyclist of the passing of Bill Kaeppner; he was a special individual. Bill was one of the first member activists I had the pleasure of working with when I began at the AMA in 1973. Ohio was then considering HB 213 which would ultimately provide designated off road riding areas in Ohio’s state forests. Bill was a leading figure in The Enduro Riders Association and I was a fledging lobbyist for the AMA. The bill passed and later we worked together on a committee with the Department of Natural Resources to identify meaningful riding opportunities in some of the state forests. Bill worked long and hard for Ohio’s rider community and contributed much; we need more like him. He will be missed.

Robert Rasor | Former AMA President

Missed Show, Made Ride

After a frantic month of giving my bike a makeover for the 50th Anniversary “Then Came Bronson” display at July’s AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, I headed east from California in June.  In true Bronson fashion, I never made it to the event, falling 700 miles short while helping other people.

When I got back on the road, I had little time left to get home, so I broke out the atlas and looked for the most interesting route around the worst of the weather. The Dignity statue, Black Hills and Tetons along with bison, antelope and deer more than made up for the heat and rain I couldn’t avoid.

Four days, 2,400 miles and thousands of dead bugs later, I was home. My friends sent pictures of the show I had missed. It looked great.  The ride I had was not the one I planned; rides often work out like that.  It was a great ride, though. They often work out like that as well.

Diana “SportsterDiana” Lynn

San Francisco Bay Area, Calif.

More Bronson

I was thoroughly impressed with your AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days event. All the volunteers deserve a big “Thank You” for ensuring the success of all the planned activities.

I hung out at the tent with the display celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the movie and TV show called “Then Came Bronson.” I started asking each visitor what got them started riding, and they would all get a grin on their face and say “That TV show.”

Fifty years ago, I saw the movie “Easy Rider” with its drugs, sex and violent ending. I also saw the TV movie “Then Came Bronson” that became a weekly series. The difference in the two shows was the main character in T.C.B. “Lived happily ever after.” So, I wanted to be like him. Michael Parks portrayed a good guy who did odd jobs as he rode across the country helping others, and had a lot of adventures on a motorcycle each week to inspire all of us young (and old) riders.

Because of the show, in 1975, I bought a Harley Davidson Sportster like he rode, I still ride it, and continue to have adventures taking “Bronson Style” trips on it.

Bill Weder | St. Jacob, Ill.

Been There, Done That

I enjoyed that Michael [Marino] didn’t sugarcoat the problems he faced and how they affected his enjoyment of his trip (“Western Adventure,” September street issue). On a longer trip, I now plan on half the seat time per day than I used to, so that I am no longer under the pressure of an aggressive schedule.

Ethan Powsner

Grand Rapids, Mich.

The Electric Option

Having gone electric eight years ago, I wish to share my thoughts.

When you turn on the key, it is ready to go. No starter. No warm up needed. When you come to a stop light, it feels like it is dead. Don’t try to blip the throttle.

The motor smoothness and lack of noise means you have to watch your speedometer more. It can sneak up on you.

There are no filters or spark plugs or oil to change.

Electric motorcycles even make your neighbors happy.

Warren Steiner

Milwaukee, Wis.

Just Wondering…

I’m just wondering if the aftermarket exhaust manufacturers will be making devices for electric bikes to increase the volume of the whining electric motors

Dennis Bell | Rehoboth, Mass.

Like A Kid Again

I enjoyed the coverage of the Touratech Rally in the October issue. Adventure motorcycles have been an aspiration for me since I saw my first photograph of a BMW GS in an old Cycle magazine.

I’m not sure why this is, but maybe it has little to do with the geniuses in motorcycle manufacturer’s marketing departments and more to do with the simple passage of time. You see, all of us kids who grew up riding motocross bikes in the 1980s and 1990s are now out there buying bikes to commute and tour on and we are naturally drawn to machines that remind us of our youth.

Likewise, I think that is why the previous generation was so into Harley-Davidsons. They grew up in the 1970s when old-school choppers were cool. Years later, when they bought bikes, they gravitated to the brand that carried them back to those good old days.

While today I still have an old dirt bike, I’m really loving my KTM Adventure. It’s still a dirt bike to me, but it’s one that I can tour on, commute on, take a passenger on and feel comfortable on. Best of all, every time I twist the throttle, I’m reminded of ripping through the woods on a YZ125 when I was 15.

Mike Keefe | Chicago, Ill.

Wind Machine

In reference to Floyd Hoffman’s letter in the October issue, I’ve flown various times, but the closest time I ever came to controlling one was briefly when as a teen up in the air with an uncle in Florida and he gave me the controls.

But I once worked with an engineer and took him for a ride one evening on my road bike. He said a motorcycle ride was the closest thing to flying.

I frequently think of that when I’m out cutting through the wind on two wheels.

A. C. Reeves | Columbus, Ind.

Correction

A caption on page 19 of the September street edition misidentified the location of the Iowa 80 truck stop and museum. They are near Davenport, Iowa.