Gold Wing Road Riders

Association
NH-E Gatherings!
Last Sunday of the
month, 1pm at
Emma’s321, Ringe,NH

Unless otherwise noted

Who's-Who in NH-E

Chapter Directors
Ron and Susie Black darkcat1@ myfairpoint.net
Asst. Chapter Directors/Web Master
Bill&Dee Bascom nhe.webmaster@gmail.com
Chapter Treasurer
Michelle Shepard
Ride Coordinator
Please Volunteer
Newsletter Editor
Bill Bascom nhe.webmaster@gmail.com
From the desk of NH-E’s Chapter Director’s Member Enhancement
Please Volunteer
Goodwill Ambassadors
Hello GWRRA,
Leo and Jean Goodwin wing982@netzero.net
On September 26th we held our ride in for food at
Bill & Dee Bascom's house.
Dee and Bill Thank You fo being Great Hosts as usual. We had members from NHA,NHG,VTA and
NH/VT District Director. The weather was great making the ride to and from the event nice. The food
was awesome as it always is. The conversations catching up with everyone was fun.
On Sunday October 11th we rode with NHG for their Foliage ride to Newick's in Dover,NH for
lunch.
NHG had their raffle drawing at Newick's. It was good to see a GWRRA member win the
Grand Prize. Congratulations Phil White (NHE). The ride that Carole and John led was incredable. The
roads were great and the foliage was good. The ride to Johnson's Ice Cream in Northwood,NH was
fun. The Ice Cream end was excellent.
Saturday October 31st NHE will be joining NHG for a Halloween costume party & pot luck at Beryl
& Bob Reid's at 18 Jacks Drive
Alexandria,NH. Please see the information I sent in an email Thursday October 22,2020
If you are riding be safe and stay warm
Ron & Susie Black,
GWRRA NH-E Directors
darkcat1@myfairpoint.net
(603)562-7288
(603)562-4813
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR’S
Phil receiving NH-G Prize check
 Assistant Chapter Director
Newsletter Editor
Webmaster/Facebook Admin
Membership Enhancement Coordinator

Like to say a big THANK YOU to those that attended NH-E/RVRR Ride in for Food cook-out!
Not as many attended as in the past.. not sure if because of the virus or less interest.
That being said, this might be our last time hosting n event. SO…. Looking for other ideas for fund
raising!

Hope you are enjoying the Chapter “E” Newsletter as well as the Web page and Facebook Page!
Please feel free to send me anything you would like put into any of, or all 3 places!!
Also welcome any ideas, comments or suggestions!
*When you look through the Newsletter while online, You may see a number of items linked to
other sites. Such as the GWRRA seal is linked to the GWRRA web site… Can you find them all?
*If you have any thing you would like posted in upcoming Newsletter's,
Please get it to me by the 5th of the month. Bill, nhe.webmaster@gmail.com

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If you would like your Birthday/Anniversary posted.. PLEASE get your info to us!

BIRTHDAY’S ANNIVERSARY’S

Ron Black 9/1 Rick&Donna Lund 9/1

Dale O’Brian 9/15 Ron&Barb Stone 9/27
Phil White 9/16 Bob&Hazel Young 10/2
Karen Zitnay 10/4
Armand Guilmette 10/10
Ted Zitnay 10/14
 Rider Education _

Friends
_
The core reason for the Rider Education
program is knowledge and the ability to
operate a motorcycle safely, in all conditions.

Safety _ Knowledge _ Friends _ Fun _ Safety _ Knowledge _ Friends _ Fun _

Knowled

Rider Education Levels Program: Achievement

Congratulations to the following NH-VT District members for rising to a new Level:

 Jay Joplin (NH-A) – Level IV: Master Tour Rider,

30,000 Safe Miles, 7/13/2020
 Bruce Luhrs (NH-A) – Level IV: Master Tour Rider,
25,000 Safe Miles, 7/25/2020

_ Friends _ Fun _ Safety _ Knowledge _ Friends _ Fun _ Safety _ Knowledge

New GWRRA TRC/ARC Rider Course Option

A new alternative is available for anyone needing or wanting to

satisfy the Level II or III ARC or TRC Rider Course requirement. The GWRRA Rider
Education Officer Section web page has a link to the Approved RE Courses List that
mentions the new option. Taking the GWRRA TRC Rider Course is preferred, but now you
are allowed to combine the MSF, Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s, Street Strategies E-Course
90-minute video with a Range-Only class to get “Full TRC or ARC Course” credit. The E-
Course must be completed no sooner than 30 days before the Range class.

For example, if you take a Can-Am 3 Wheel Basic Rider (Range Only) Course and the MSF
Street Strategies E-course, you’ll have satisfied your Level II or III Rider Course requirement.
FYI, the $99.99 cost of the Can-Am 3 Wheel Basic Rider Course includes the $19.99 cost of
the MSF Basic Rider E-course.

Contact me if you’re interested in this E-Course/Range-Class option so we can be sure you’ll

get credit for the courses you plan to take.
 Be Vigilant, Be Visible - “Safety, Knowledge, & Friends for Fun”
– Bruce, bruce.luhrs@comcast.net

Upcoming Event's;
Calendar is from the NH-VT District web site. It shows rides/events from the 4 NH Chapter's!
On this NEW District Calendar, your able to sign up to get email notifications of new or changed
events! To do so, go to the calendar on the NH-E Web page, click on the blue box in the upper right of
the calendar, in drop down,”Notification: and go from there.
* You can now set it up to get event “Reminders”.
https://calendar.teamup.com/kb/can-i-set-event-reminders/
If you need help, let me know.. Bill

*********************************************************************************

For Sale/Wanted Classifieds;

Please send us any items you wish to sell, buy or trade!

There are a number of items also listed on the Distrct Web site
http://gwrra-nhvtdistrict.weebly.com/classifieds.html

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 Rider Education
The core reason for the Rider Education program
is knowledge and the ability to operate a
motorcycle safely, in all conditions.

Rider Education Levels Program: Achievements

Thank You Dick Bernier, NH-VT Rider Course Instructor (RCI),
for renewing your RCI Certification!

Note to Readers: My Rider Education article is longer than usual this month because a few members are very
interested in knowing what I thought of the MSF eCourses and a Can-Am 3 Wheel Basic Rider Course that I
took in September. I hope everyone enjoys it. Comments & questions are always welcome.

Taking a Trike Course after 50 years as a ‘2-Wheeler’

(Bruce’s MSF E-Course & Can-Am Range-Course experience) – September, 2020

I decided to take the Can-Am 3 Wheel Basic Rider Course and both MSF eCourses (Basic Rider & Street
Strategies). I also went through the 3-Wheel RiderCourse℠ Handbook found on the MSF-usa.org’s Library
page.

WHY would a “2-wheeler” take a (Can-Am) Trike Course?

 You need or want to take a GWRRA ARC/TRC Rider Ed course, but have to find an alternative
 To learn the differences between riding a trike vs. a 2-wheeler
 A Rider may not be comfortable on a 2-wheels and wants to research riding a trike
 A Co-Rider may be more interested in becoming a trike rider than riding on 2 wheels
 A 3-Wheel owner/Rider may want to try out a new trike or different type of trike

PREPARATION and Self-Assessment

 Taking the MSF Test Your Motorcycling Knowledge e-Quiz let me assess my current riding knowledge.
How well I answered the questions was very useful.
 I read the MSF 3-Wheel Basic Rider Course (BRC) Handbook. The ‘new” 3-Wheel riding information
was in the Motorcycle Types, Basic Controls and Basic Operations sections. The other sections were
great for both 2- or 3-wheel riders. The Knowledge Test and Study Questions stressed the important
topics you knew you were going to see later.

The virtual CLASSROOMs:

 The MSF Basic Rider eCourse provided the required
classroom knowledge that goes along with a 2- or 3-
Wheel Basic Rider Course.
  The shorter Street Strategies eCourse, (a subset of the BRC material) was only about 1.5 hrs. long. It
was an enjoyable, interesting review for an experienced rider.

 I was impressed by the quality of both eCourses.

o You can start and stop at any point. A pull-down table of contents lists the sections and topics.
You can review anything you’ve already gone through at any time and as many times as you
want.
o Each section consisted of text, the audio of the text being read and relevant videos and/or
photos. The videos and audio recording were easy to view and listen too, covering just what
was needed.
o The amount of information was nicely partitioned into comfortable size pages and sections.
o At the end of each section there was an 8-10 multiple choice knowledge test. After each
answer, the correct answer was given. At the end of the test, you got a percentage-correct
grade for that section.
o After each test, I’d go back and review questions I got wrong until I got a 100%.
o Once you completed all sections, you could print a completion certificate. If you wanted to
retake the whole eCourse again, there’s an option to reset your history and start from scratch.
o The certificate must be dated no more than 30 days before the Range Course’s starting date.

The 2-Day Can-Am 3 Wheel Basic Rider Course (Classroom)

 There were 7 students in the class I attended.
o I was the only Experienced Rider with a M/C license. The rest were (female) new-rider
students from NH & VT. (Can-Am does not offer any 3-Wheel courses in VT).
o My opinion: Can-Am’s strategy to provide the Spyder (2) and Ryker (3) motorcycles and
support the MSF Instructors supporting this course is successful. The students had plans to
purchase a Can-Am, had ordered one or already owned one.
 Students are required to have taken the MSF Basic Rider eCourse, but were given a hard copy of the
MSF 3-Wheel Basic Rider Course (BRC) Handbook at the start of class.
 We began with a 1-1.5 hr. review of BRC Handbook. It was obvious that the topics we discussed were
going to be seen on the 25 multiple choice Knowledge Test, which we took after that day’s range
exercises. Many important points were repeated during the range exercises.
o The instructor graded our answer sheets, we discussed any topics of concern, and the graded
answer sheets were collected “for the record”

Day 1 of the 2-Day Can-Am 3 Wheel Basic Rider Course (Range)

 I expected to be at a disadvantage, having to unlearn some 2-wheel habits and skills before learning 3-
wheel riding skills. I chose to ride a Can-Am Ryker.
 Exercise #1: Introduction to Motorcycle Controls, Indicators and Starting the Engine
o 2- and 3-Wheel models differ in their controls, but the Spyder F3’s and Ryker’s controls were
very different
 No clutch: automatic transmission;
  No gear shift: the Ryker has a twist & go transmission; the Spyder has a semi-
automatic 6 speed transmission – no clutch but you use a left thumb and finger (+/-)
paddle switch to change gears
 No front brake: single right-foot pedal controls front and rear brakes
 Both models have reverse: the Spyder has switches, the Ryker had a foot-peg/arm you
push & pull with your left foot
 Emergency brake: Ryker has a up/down lever on the left-hand side, Spyder has buttons
 5-foot width for 2 front wheels
o Starting: Not FINE-C, but IRABS because the controls are pretty different
 I-gnition: Engine Cut-off switch to Run position
 R-un: push the Start button (the dashboard display comes on)
 A-cknowldge: push the throttle “forward” to acknowledge … something
 B-rake: push on the brake pedal with you right foot
 S-tart: push the start button again to start the engine. Release the emergency brake
when you’re ready to go

 Exercise #2 – Starting, Turning and Stopping: Getting a feel for riding the trike
o Feeling the friction zone: foot on the brakes, advance the throttle until friction zone is felt
 What friction zone?
o Steering is always “Push-Pull”! It’s easier to push & pull using both arms, lean forward into the
turn – chin towards the mirror, the 2 front wheels are 5’ wide, 3 wheels – 3 tracks.

 Exercise #3 – Shifting and Stopping: Get up to 15mph, shifting into 2 nd gear, then slow, downshift and
come to a smooth stop. Right & Left turns from a stop.
o Stopping had a very different feel – it was easier, but no clutch and no front brake control
o I had to very consciously roll off the throttle because that was no longer part of the “roll off the
throttle, reach and pull the front brake lever” sequence
o Push-pull steering using both arms, chin to mirror lean,
o Look through the riding path, keeping in mind that 5’ wide front end
o Lock the handlebars and your elbows for 90° turn from a stop

 Exercise #4 – Adjusting Speed and Turning and Weave: accelerate to a wide 180° turn, brake, slow,
steady speed through the turn. Weave through cones 30-35’ apart
 No counter-steering necessary above 20 mph

 Exercise #5 – Stopping Quickly (Threshold Braking), Turn from a Stop, Weave

o Accelerating to 2nd gear/15 mph, start braking, downshift
o Managing the throttle with a front brake handle to work with, I constantly had to watch my wrist
position – keeping it flat and increase or decrease the throttle while making a sharp turn to the
left or right
o Emergency braking is very different with no clutch, no gear shifting on the Ryker, and one brake
pedal! There’s no worry about the bike skidding out from under you and less worry about
skidding the tires
o I think that will make it hard for a Ryker rider to use the controls on 2-Wheel motorcycle that has
a clutch and gears, as well as separate rear and front brakes

 “Exercise” #6 – Instructor Demo of Braking Distance: different speeds and with a 1 second delay
o Being distracted for just 1 second has a dramatic effect on the total stopping distance!
2-Day of the Can-Am 3 Wheel Basic Rider Course (Range)

 Exercise #7 – Limited Space Maneuvers

o Look through the turns, lock handlebars & elbow, go slow & wide for tight 180° turns

 Exercise #8 – Curve Judgement: accelerate, setup for the curve/brake, look through the curve

 Exercise #9 – Multiple Curves and Lane Changes

o Follow the red-lined curved road
o Right & Left lane changes: use your signal, look over your shoulder, cancel the signal

 Exercise #10 – Obstacles and Swerves

o 1st time ride all 3 wheels over the obstacle (6’ 2”x4”), 2nd time just one wheel, left or right
o Approach the “swerve cones” at 15-20 mph, swerve and then come to quick stop
o It’s easy to spin the rear tire on the Ryker when accelerating from a stop (there’s not much
weight back there)

 Skills Test: Each rider was scored on their performance during each of 5 skills. Points were deducted
for hitting cones, crossing lines, going too slow … Immediate failure for excessive loss of control, failure
to follow directions or intentional unsafe act

 Discussion about our Score Cards and Receiving our MSF & State of NH Completion Cards

SUMMARY: I learned a lot, reviewed and refreshed my riding skills. It was a blast!

 I thought the MSF eCourses were really good

 Reviewing safe riding skills information is always a good investment
 3-Wheel features that I thought were significantly different:
o no clutch/gears, one brake pedal, the IRABS starting procedure
o push-pull turning - having to use both arms, locking the handlebars and elbow
o chin-to-mirror leaning into the turns
o rolling off the throttle when braking
o compensating for the width of the front wheels
o less concern about skidding or traction in the turns when braking

 Taking 2- or 3-wheel Basic or Advanced Rider Course is a great opportunity to learn or refresh safe
riding skills, un-learn any bad habits you’ve developed, or review your personal limitations
 Even though this was a Basic Rider/Beginner course - It’s worth the time and investment to continue
review and sharpen your safe riding skills
 Riding a front-wheel trike was easy and IT WAS FUN!

Links to materials mentioned above:

 MSF Basic Rider E-Course (https://www.msf-usa.org/eCourse.aspx )
 MSF Street Strategies E-Course (https://www.msf-usa.org/ssecourse.aspx )
 MSF Library (https://www.msf-usa.org/library.aspx )
 MSF 3-Wheel Basic Rider Course Handbook
(https://www.msf-usa.org/downloads/3WBRC_Handbook_2017.pdf )
 MSF Test Your Motorcycling Knowledge e-Quiz (https://www.msf-usa.org/library.aspx#test-your-
knowledge-link )
 GWRRA Rider Ed Trike/Sidecar Parking Lot Practice (PLP) Guide
(http://www.gwrra-waa.org/pdf/GWRRATrike_SidecarPLPFacilitator%27sManual_4_08.pdf )
 Can-Am Rider Education (https://can-am.brp.com/on-road/us/en/learn-to-ride.html )

Be Vigilant, Be Visible - “Safety, Knowledge, & Friends for Fun”

– Bruce, bruce.luhrs@comcast.net