Post Number 2000: Checking Out A Tracer At The Dealership

August 10th, 2026

As that title above indicates, this is post number 2,000 on this blog. My very first post was on Saturday, April 8, 2006. Wow. Who would have thought.


Bikes set up for demo rides in Cheyenne.

As I’m assuming you are aware, I have been looking seriously at buying a Yamaha Tracer 9. I went up to Cheyenne a few weeks ago to test ride one and since then I’ve been looking at the aftermarket mods I would want to make to the bike if I bought it.

As the next step, I visited a local dealership with one in stock, Grand Prix Motorsports. The guys up in Cheyenne were too busy running the test rides to take a lot of time to seriously go through the details of the bike and I wanted to do that.

Coming into the shop I was greeted by a sales guy and I told him what I was there for. He led me over to the bike and we talked. I had a lot of really basic questions. Where is the sight glass for checking the oil level? How do you remove the seat? How do you adjust the seat? (It can be raised and lowered.) How do you open, and how do you remove/mount the side bags? How do you raise/lower the wind screen? Stuff like that.

I also asked him about modifications. For that, he told me, I would need to speak to someone in parts. He led me upstairs and handed me off to a fellow up there.

My questions:

What are the options for a case guard? I want to mount highway pegs and it appears the way to do that is on a case guard. First you need the case guard. That’s OK, I want one of those, too. I have had case guards on all my bikes. Yamaha does make one for the bike so that would seem like the best option, although I’ve seen others on forums that I find more attractive.

What can I do to improve the seat? In test riding I felt the stock seat was too hard and too narrow. Yamaha makes a “comfort seat” but what I’ve read about those is not favorable. I offered that I could just take it to Bitchin Stitchin, a local motorcycle seat customizer, and get it done there. The parts guy strongly recommended I go to Bitchin Stitchin.

The Tracer originally came with an option for a top bag, which I want but now they appear to have backed off on that, leaving that item to the aftermarket. The parts guy told me the bags originally offered were made by Givi and now Yamaha has ceded that whole market directly to Givi. We looked at what Givi has to offer and when I pointed out one that they listed as being good for the Tracer the parts guy told me that yes, it would work, but I would also have to buy the mounting kit–it doesn’t just attach directly the way the one they sold with the bike does. So that mounting kit would be about $350 on top of the $400 or so for the bag. Ouch.

I headed back downstairs to look at the bike more and the sales guy rejoined me. I had told him that I wasn’t planning to buy that day but of course he asked me what it would take for me to buy today. I asked him what deal he could offer me that would push me to buy from him rather than any of the many other places I could get the same bike. He told me he couldn’t negotiate a price unless I was intending to buy. Fair enough; I get that. We can get to that part later, perhaps, but not today.

Then he went all salesman on me, telling me they originally had three in stock and this was the last one. If I didn’t buy it today it might not be there when I came back.

“Then I’ll just buy it somewhere else,” I replied. That shut that down.

The important information I got from the exchange was that when it came down to actually making a purchase, they do have negotiating room. The $12,599 list price is not set in stone. Also, he pointed out that with taxes and fees and whatever, out the door the price is closer to $14,000. Good to know.

I’ve looked online and $12,599 seems the standard price, though some dealerships are asking a bit more and others are asking less. Some a good bit less. But what I’m told is that some states, such as California, charge a sales tax even if the vehicle is to be licensed in another state. In Colorado we pay a use tax so if you are taking the vehicle out of state you don’t pay the tax here. So if I were to buy elsewhere I would need to discuss the terms in detail beforehand to be sure it’s actually a good deal.

Am I going to do this? I do think I am. Right now, though, this beastly heat is just discouraging me from even riding the bike I have so I’m not exactly motivated to buy another one. But it has to cool off sometime. Then . . .

Biker Quote for Today

“That is why, as soon as I felt a real attraction for my first passion which was the motorcycle, and in spite of the danger it could represent, they encouraged me.” -– Jacky Ickx

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A 5-Day Colorado Ride

August 6th, 2026


Map for 5-day ride.

I got a comment last week from Richard, referring back to a very old post where I had put together a suggested ride for someone who had found this website:

Hello Ken, I will be part of a 4-bike group coming from Central Texas September 20 and starting our CO tour 21st. This route looks great but would you recommend a slightly different one for us? Our only two wishes would be to 1. ride the MDH from Ouray to Silverton (north to south rather than the other way around) and 2. end up in the very south of CO as we need to head for Ruidoso NM on Day 6 (Saturday 26th).

I could probably adapt this myself but why not ask an expert who knows the state as I could route us right past something magnificent. We are coming from Brownwood TX and are comfortable with 600 miles or so on our ride to CO – so maybe staying that night in the very north of NM.

Of course I’m always happy to help riders plan their trips so using the original post as a starting point I put together this following route to meet Richard’s wishes.

Two points I would make: These days are around 300 miles and while that may not seem like much, on slow-going mountain roads that can actually be a pretty long day. So you should just pick different points to stop for the night and whatever other adjustments suit your needs. Also, this route leaves the group in southwestern Colorado for the fifth day so if they wish to stay west it could be a short day, but if they want to head back east it’s a nice day’s ride of their choice. Heading for Ruidoso the next day I suspect they will want to come back east. Here’s the route:

Arriving
Come from central Texas and stop for the night at either Raton or come into Colorado a bit to Trinidad or Walsenburg.

Day 1
Starting out Day 1, cruise a short distance north on I-25 to the Colorado City/Rye exit (CR 670) into Colorado City and pick up CO 165 west toward San Isabel. Pass through San Isabel and make a stop at Bishop Castle. After you’ve gotten enough of that amazing piece of art continue on 165 to where it hits CO 96 and turn right, heading up to Florence and then take CO 115 on into Canon City. Go west on US 50 just out of town and look for the turn-off to Skyline Drive. Ride Skyline Drive, which takes you right back into town. Then head west on US 50 again, this time looking for CO 9, at Parkdale and take it north to Fairplay. Continue on 9 over Hoosier Pass down to near Frisco and then take a right onto Swan Mountain Road along the east side of Dillon Reservoir. You’ll hit US 6. Take US 6 east over Loveland Pass and down to I-70. A short jaunt on I-70 will bring you to the US 40/Empire exit. Take US 40 through Empire and on up over Berthoud Pass, down to Winter Park. That’s just a hair under 300 miles so Winter Park might be a good place to stop for the night.

Day 2
Continue north and west on US 40 to just past Granby and turn right onto US 34, which runs up past Grand Lake and into Rocky Mountain National Park and over Trail Ridge Road. Be aware that you need to arrange your entrance into and through RMNP in advance. Trail Ridge Road brings you out at Estes Park. Continue on US 34 down the Big Thompson Canyon but before you get into Loveland make a left turn on CO 56 up toward Masonville. Take CR 27 (Buckhorn Road) to the left and stay on it (just stay on the pavement) up to Stove Prairie and down the other side where you’ll pick up CO 14 up Poudre Canyon. Take a left on CO 14, up and over Cameron Pass into North Park and Walden. At Walden go left and where the road splits, CO 14 and CO 125, stay to the right on CO 14 down to Muddy Pass, which is US 40. Go west (right) on 40 over Rabbit Ears Pass, down to Steamboat Springs. Unless you want to see Steamboat you will turn at the bottom of the pass onto CO 131/CR 14F and take that road down to Oak Creek, to Yampa, and on to Toponas where you will take a left onto CO134 over Gore Pass and will rejoin US 40 just outside of Kremmling. Take 40 into Kremmling and at just under 300 miles Kremmling would be a good place to spend the night.

Day 3
Head south out of Kremmling on CO 9 (right at the stoplight) on down to Silverthorne. When you reach I-70 get on it and blast west a short distance over Vail Pass, past Vail, to Minturn and turn off onto US 24 over Tennessee Pass. This will bring you to Leadville. Continue south to the Twin Lakes turn-off (CO 82) which will take you over Independence Pass. Go through Aspen down to Carbondale and turn south (left) onto CO 133 over McClure Pass. At Hotchkiss turn south on CO 92 through Crawford down along the north rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison until you get to the dam, where you reach US 50. Take 50 on into Gunnison for the night. Total mileage for the day about 315 miles.

Day 4
For Day 4 you’ll start with a little backtracking along the Blue Mesa Reservoir, but soon you’ll reach the dam again and now you keep going on US 50 to Montrose. A terrific sidetrip, if you don’t mind about 20 extra miles, is to turn into the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and ask at the gate about how to find the East Portal Road. This very steep road twists its way all the way to the bottom of the canyon. It’s a great ride. Then you’ll come back up the way you came, all the way back to US 50. Then continue on into Montrose. Head northwest (right) on US 50 through Delta and on to Grand Junction. Follow 50 all the way until it hits I-70 and then take I-70 west a few miles to Fruita. Get off at Fruita and take the well-marked CO 340 down into Colorado National Monument and follow Rim Rock Road through the monument. This will ultimately bring you right back into Grand Junction where you will pick up US 50 and head back the way you came in, but only for about 8 miles. At Whitewater turn right onto CO 141, the Unaweep Tabeguache Scenic Byway through Gateway and on down to Naturita. Past Naturita, where CO 145 splits off from CO 141 take CO 145 to Placerville. At Placerville go left onto CO 62 to Ridgway. Another 10 miles south on US 550 puts you in Ouray for the night. Total about 310 miles.

Day 5
This last day has you headed onto the Million Dollar Highway. You climb up into the canyon from Ouray and wind your way south to Silverton over Red Mountain Pass. From Silverton you continue south over Molas Pass down to Durango. That’s just over 60 miles. From here you have a number of options and I’ll leave it to you to decide what works best. You could head east out of Durango on US 160 to Pagosa Springs and then go over Wolf Creek Pass and down to South Fork. From there you would continue east on 160 to Alamosa and then maybe turn south to set up for your next day’s ride to Ruidoso. Or at Pagosa you could turn south on US 84 down into New Mexico and turn south at Chama toward Espanola. Or at Chama you could come back into Colorado on NM 17/CO 17 over Cumbres and La Manga Passes to Antonito. Then turn south on US 285 into New Mexico. Or from Durango you could continue south on US 550 to Aztec and wherever in New Mexico you want to make it to that day.

So, OK. Tweak away. I guarantee this route would be pretty darn sweet but everyone is different. Take from it as you wish. Have a great ride.

Biker Quote for Today

It truly is an odd thing we bikers do, riding through miserable conditions like this. We don’t invite then or look for them, surely, but when they are upon us we relish the challenge and silently claim the superiority of adventure over comfort, wilderness over warmth, discovery over certainty. — Foster Kinn

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The Joy Of Hitting The Road

August 3rd, 2026


On a ride with other guys.

It hadn’t been all that long since my last road trip, a five day run out to Utah back in June. Still, it apparently is easy to forget just how great it feels to be out riding beyond your usual day-ride area. I took off for Cheyenne to test ride a Yamaha Tracer 9 in July was really struck by just how good it felt to be out on the open road. Just “Wow, I love this!”

Part of it may have been being by myself. I had posted the ride on the RMMRC’s Meet-Up page in case anyone wanted to come with me but nobody signed up. That didn’t surprise–or dismay–me. (Although Dave told me later he would have joined me but for the fact that he was in Kansas at the time.)

But I like riding alone. There’s just a delicious feeling that comes with knowing you are totally free to stop, go, turn–whatever–any time you want.

So there I was, heading north mostly on US 287, taking unplanned turn after unplanned turn and it just hit me how really good it felt. I was not expecting this feeling. I savored it.

And I enjoyed moving at my own pace. Sometimes I like to dawdle and when you’re with a group you pretty much need to go at whatever speed the leader sets. Although there have been times when I have peeled off and said you guys just go on, I’ll meet up with you later.

Don’t get me wrong; I like traveling with other people, too. I like both. Sometimes you do one, sometimes you do the other. And I know people who really don’t like traveling alone. What if you break down? What if you need assistance? Well, you just do whatever you need to do. Chances are really good that you’ll figure something out. And then what a great story you’ll have to tell.

That makes me think about buying this Tracer 9. There aren’t many left in the shops around town. What happens if by the time I decide to buy they’re all gone? I’ll tell you what happens. Road trip! I think I could live with that.

Biker Quote for Today

100 reasons not to date a biker: 71. Beer is a breakfast food.

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History Repeats, With Variations

July 30th, 2026


Jungle up on Skyline Drive down by Canon City.

Willie and Jungle are very good friends of ours and we know them as a direct result of my setting up this website. I put a “Colorado Motorcycle Rentals and Tours” page on the site and Willie was running a motorcycle tour company. She saw the site and contacted me to ask to be included on that page. I was happy to do so.

I can’t remember if we talked or emailed but she told me that if I was ever up in Eagle I should stop by, and if I needed a place to spend the night they would be happy to put me up. Some time later I had plans to attend a rally that was going on at Avon so I figured I’d take her up on the offer. I called and she said they were going to be gone at that time but no matter, I could stay there anyway and she would let the lady taking care of their cats know to expect me.

We had never met and she invited me to stay at their home without them there. Anyone who knows Willie and Jungle will know that this is pure Willie and Jungle. I thought it was a little strange but I took advantage of the offer. Some time later we did meet in person and have since become fast friends.

So anyway, on my way to Eagle that day I ran into stopped traffic up on Vail Pass. There were other riders also going to the rally so at one point another rider and I decided to just take the shoulder and move up to the front of the stoppage. It was illegal then but we were willing to chance it. As we cruised along some riders called out to us to say it was a bad idea (“$300 fine!”) but others joined us. We got away with it. The delay was caused by a truck on fire.

Well, on Sunday Judy and I were heading over to Eagle to spend a couple days with Willie and Jungle. Just by chance, shortly before we planned to leave home, I saw an item about I-70 being closed due to a fire in the westbound tunnel. A truck on fire. Oh gosh, should we take an alternate route? Digging further we couldn’t find anything and eventually figured out that this was just one of those phantom news items that somehow reappears years later. Who knows why. So we would take I-70 after all. (We were in the car, not on the bike.)

Still wary, we got to the tunnel and no problem. Cruising on, though, as we got near Copper Mountain, there were road signs warning of a delay on Vail Pass. We didn’t want to go all the way south to Buena Vista, then up through Leadville and back to the interstate at Minturn so we decided we’d just take it as it came.

Well, it was a long stop. More than an hour. And it occurred to me that this was the perfect time to be on a motorcycle. Traffic was at a complete stop and it was a wide road with plenty of space between lanes. Shouldn’t we be seeing motorcycles lane-splitting past us? But the whole time we sat there there was not a single one. We finally started moving again, slowly, and then–yes, then–sure enough, here comes a couple on a bike splitting along through all these moving vehicles. Totally illegal. Oh well, we hope you don’t have any unplanned encounters.

We got near the bottom of Vail Pass and what do you suppose was causing the delay? A truck on fire. Not in the tunnel as the phantom article I saw said, but a truck on fire just the same. And very near where that other truck was on fire all those years ago. I think that pass is just high enough to make your brakes burn about the time you get to the bottom if you’re not using your brakes and gears correctly. In this case it was clear the fire started at the rear wheels and spread into the trailer.

Just to tie things up, as we were headed home on Tuesday we once again ran into a delay on Vail Pass. This time it was road construction; they’re rebuilding the road and adding new lanes. This time the delay was only 20 minutes. But we’re sitting there and once again I’m thinking this is a perfect opportunity for a motorcycle. Where are they? And then one did come along. Filtering right up the middle past all these stopped vehicles, just like the law says. Good for you!

Biker Quote for Today

I have discovered biker paradise. It is called the Great Smoky Mountains.

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‘I’ve Never Been On That Road’

July 27th, 2026


In the shade on the deck at the Switchback Smokehouse, which was not open.

Those were exactly the words I wanted to hear when I finally lead this RMMRC ride I’ve been intending to lead for two years now. And I was rewarded. Nice.

That’s right, I finally did it. I was going to do it last year, and I set out to pre-ride the route but got hit by a drunk driver, which totally altered all my plans for the next several months. I figured now was the time, at last.

We met up at the farm that is run by Denver Botanic Gardens out along Deer Creek Canyon Road. I was concerned that I might get only one person showing up, and then that one person canceled out, but ultimately three others signed up and a fourth just showed up, so there were five of us. Three of us had brought communicators but only Dave and I were able to connect; Bruce was the odd man out. Some day we may figure these things out.

As hot as it has been, this day was supposed to be at least a little cooler. I considered setting the time for 10 a.m. but went with 9 because that would be cooler. That was a good choice. The ride across town was actually cool to chilly. Very nice.

We headed up Deer Creek Canyon, then took a left onto Deer Creek Road, which climbs and becomes High Grade Road and then Pleasant Park Road. I knew all these guys had been on those stretches, but it was the next turn that would be different. We got near Conifer and then turned right onto Oehlmann Park Road. The road goes up and over a big hill that is covered with mountain homes. How these people get up and down in the winter I don’t understand because the roads are steep and twisty. But that makes it a really nice motorcycle run. Along the way Dave asked me what road this was and I knew I’d scored a new road with him.

Down the other side to South Turkey Creek Road, a right toward Tiny Town, then a left under US 285 and up North Turkey Creek Road. Then a right onto the next new road: High Drive. Later it was Tom who told me he had been on all these roads until we turned onto High Drive. A new one for him. Yes! Score.

This was another road through areas full of mountain homes and then down the other side it becomes Stanley Park Road, then Little Cub Creek Road. And it was along here that we came to the area I had checked out a couple weeks ago to make sure the flooding that hit that area in late June had been cleaned up. Before we reached the place where I had stopped and turned around we passed through a construction zone with one lane only that suggested if I had kept going earlier I might have encountered flood damage much worse than what I did see. Wow.

So we got to Evergreen, turned east on Bear Creek Road and cruised down to Kittredge, where I was planning lunch. We got to the Switchback Smokehouse and it was not open, but the sign said they opened at 11. It was 10:30, and they have a nice, shaded deck out by the creek so we figured we could wait. We sat and talked but as time passed I was perplexed. There did not seem to be any signs of activity inside and the chairs were still stacked upside down on the tables. Not what you expect when a restaurant is about to open.

Finally it was past 11 and I went to the door again and this time I noticed what I did not notice before: It was Tuesday and they are not open on Tuesday. Now, I had checked this specifically when I first planned out this route and this stop but that was two years ago. Apparently they have changed their days of operation in the interim. No matter. We had a pleasant stop and we just cruised on down to Morrison and got lunch there.

From Morrison we all went separate ways so we didn’t even bother leaving the restaurant as a group. And then it was blazing hot getting back across town. So glad I decided to start at 9 and not 10.

Biker Quote for Today

100 reasons not to date a biker: 93. Shiny things and loud noises get our blood pumping.

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The Ride Home From Cheyenne

July 23rd, 2026

Heading home from Cheyenne after test riding the Yamaha Tracer 9 I did not want to backtrack, nor did I want to take I-25. No problem, US 85 runs between Cheyenne and Denver, just to the east of I-25. That would be my route.


This was my route home. (Courtesy of Google Maps.)

It was wide open at first and a nice ride but I knew I would be hitting several towns along the way, just as I had hit several on the way up the day before on US 287. I would just take it as it came.

By the time I got to Greeley I was already locked in on the theme for this whole ride: This is the industrial heartland of Colorado. A big part of that industry is agriculture, but it’s still industry. Plus, these days, there is drilling and fracking and all of this oil and gas work going on. Everywhere. This is not scenic Colorado.

That’s OK. I’m kind of a Tom Waits kind of guy; I like to immerse myself in the grittier sides of life now and then. It helps keep things real.

Greeley turned out not to be any kind of issue. They have a bypass and I just cruised right around the town. I might have made it a point to go through just to see how things are changing but I was really more interested in getting home. It was already getting hot.

From Greeley it was Evans, LaSalle, Gilcrest, and then Platteville. Time to stop, stretch my legs, and get a bite to eat. Feeling adventurous–and not particularly interested in most of the other stuff this convenience store had–I opted for some rolled up mystery tubes of some kind of food that were rolling on a griddle. And you know what? They actually tasted pretty darn good. I don’t know what they were, and who knows what food value they had, but I liked them.

While I was standing outside eating a young guy going in asked, “Does your bike go fast?” “Fast enough,” was my reply. He grinned.

And the whole time I was standing there I watched truck after truck after truck going by.

From Platteville it was Fort Lupton, then Brighton, and into the metro area. Lots of traffic signals. Very hot when sitting still. Now I really wanted to get home.

Not enough to take the interstate so I went into Commerce City and then down through Denver on city streets. Again, more stop and go, more heat. I just want to get home. And finally I was home. I’m heading for the shower.

Biker Quote for Today

Biker by birth, rebel by choice.

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