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2 Wheels
Instead of 4

Winter Riding

Royal
Enfield

Welcome
December 2010 - Winter in the Twin Cities

Thanks for taking a look at Twin Cities Rider. This is our second issue of what we hope will become your favourite source for motorcycle, scooter and moped information in the Minneapolis & St. Paul area.

Powered Two-Wheel Riding in the Winter?
Well.... yeah. We're not completely ignorant. We know that the majority of you have put your motorcycle, scooter or moped away. Maybe it's being stored at one of the many fine shops in the area or maybe it's tucked in the corner of your garage, but you're probably not planning on putting it to use for about four months. Of course we know that you're probably going to be thinking about motorcycles, scooters and the like during these cold months. We expect that you'll probably be heading over to the convention center in downtown Minneapolis the weekend of February 4th - 6th for the International Motorcycle Show. Ever your servants, we here at Twin Cities Rider have put together a few tidbits to help you make it through this winter, riding or not.

Wild Adventures, Practical Advise & a Cool Bike
I enjoy thumpers. A good single-cylinder bike is just plain fun and it probably doesn't hurt that a BSA Goldstar was one of my first "real" motorcycles. Late in November, I was allowed to spend some time with a new Royal Enfield Bullet G5 courtesy of Go Moto. The weather was pretty decent and I wanted to get at least one more review done before the snow stuck to the ground. CLICK HERE to read the review.

We all know that powered-two-wheeled vehicles are more fun than powered-four-wheeled vehicles - right? Part are they really more practical? This is Minnesota after all - home of large sports domes that have fabric roofs that collapse from just a lousy couple of feet of snow. Would anybody who lives here really consider a motorcycle or scooter as anything more than a toy? The answer is a resounding "yes" and we'll discuss that in 2 Wheels Instead of 4. We'll also introduce Esther Kwan who will give her perspective on 2 wheels as transportation.

Marty Mataya has a reputation as an adventurous rider. He has ridden bikes from mainland China through tough desert terrain. Marty participated in the Cokato scooter races this past fall. He seems to seek out unconventional riding. This time he thought it might be fun to take a Fly Scout (based on the Honda Cub design) and make it his winter ride. Yeah, a 110cc semi-manual, drum brake, vintage design with tall skinny tires - perfect for winter riding. Follow Marty's adventure HERE.  

Naturally I have MUCH more sense than Marty. I typically ride a 250cc Kymco People Scooter or Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle during the winter. CLICK HERE to check out my suggestions for getting yourself properly outfitted to face the great frozen tundra that is the Minneapolis/St. Paul area in winter.

Several features of this website are not necessarily associated with any single issue of Twin Cities Rider, but are here as resources for you. Our calendar page features a list of events in the Twin Cities area. The links page includes lists of area dealers and shops as well as groups & clubs. If you just can't get enough blather about motorcycles and scooters, check out the Two-Wheels-And-A-Motor podcasts or the Just-Gotta-Scoot podcasts. Of course it goes without saying that we desperately hope you will visit our sponsors and give them a chance to earn your business.

Twin Cities Rider will be published (more or less) monthly during the riding season and as appropriate during the winter. You can SUBSCRIBE HERE to receive email notification of new issues. Please CONTACT US if you have any questions or comments.