November 2016 www.mochapterz.homestead.com Newsletter 2016-11 Chapter Z Region E Missouri District Jeffco Wings of Arnold Gold Wing Road Riders Association FUN SAFETY KNOWLEDGE Chapter Directors John & Cindy Ruegge Asst. Chapter Directors...Paul & Cheryl Engelman Rider Educators.. Mike & Barb Bayuk Treasurers.Ed & Marsha Bechler Membership Enhancement Division. Dave & Lisa Arnold Motorist Awareness Division.Vernon & Pat Watts Chapter Hosts....Mike & Donna Sullivan Chapter Historian Paul & Cheryl Engelman Sponsor Relations.Cindy Stewart Ride Coordinator... Dave Ruegge Assistant Ride Coordinator...Tom Braun Technical Coordinator..KZ Zigaitis Newsletter Editor KZ & Carla Zigaitis Webmaster.. Dianne Walker CHAPTER Z MEETINGS 1st Monday of each month Ponderosa Steakhouse 3601 Jeffco Blvd, Arnold, MO 63010 Dinner at 6 pm, Meeting at 7 pm. Everyone Is Welcome! Friends for Fun, Safety and Knowledge 1
Your Chapter Staff Chapter Directors John & Cindy Ruegge jhr5374@sbcglobal.net 636-464-4639 Assistant Chapter Directors Chapter Historian MO District Couple of the Year Paul & Cheryl Engelman engelman5@sbcglobal.net 314-537-6518 Rider Ed Mike & Barb Bayuk gmbayuk@yahoo.com 314-706-6667 Treasurers Ed & Marsha Bechler moztreasurer@gmail.com 636-586-5930 Membership Enhancement Coord. Dave & Lisa Arnold lisavolleyball13@gmail.com 314-540-3110 Motorist Awareness Division Chapter Z Couple of the Year Vernon & Pat Watts vwatts@foamsupplies.com pjw6755@yahoo.com 314-583-7092 Ride Coordinator Dave Ruegge greenthing110@aol.com 314-640-9168 Asst. Ride Coordinator Tom Braun tbrn314@gmail.com 314-304-9164 Chapter Hosts Mike & Donna Sullivan ms1ds1@aol.com 636-931-0462 Sponsor Relations Cindy Stewart stew6253@yahoo.com 636-461-1681 Webmaster Chapter Z Individual of the Year Dianne Walker mochapterz@yahoo.com 618-791-4528 Newsletter Editors Technical Coordinator KZ & Carla Zigaitis kzzigaitis@gmail.com 314-709-9891 www.mochapterz.homestead.com Friends for Fun, Safety and Knowledge 2
A Few Words From Your Chapter Directors Well, it looks like the riding season is slowing down for some and not for others. The ones that are still riding regardless of the weather, please be careful with all of the leaves falling and the wet mornings, it makes the riding conditions more dangerous at times. Chapter Z s dinner ride will be November 15 th and it will be at Poppy s in Crystal City. We don t have any rides scheduled for the month of November, but Mother Nature might throw in a few good riding days for an impromptu ride. Chapter Z s Christmas party will be December 3 rd and during the Christmas party we will be having our toy collection for Toys for Tots, so remember bring a toy to the Christmas party. November 24 th is Thanksgiving, From Our Family to Yours HAPPY THANKGIVING. John & Cindy Ruegge Chapter Z Directors Friends for Fun, Safety and Knowledge 3
Assistant Chapter Directors Awesome Thoughts I think it's safe to say that fall is here, let s just hope the amazing weather sticks around for a while!! We started off the month with a bang with our Fall Festival, again thanks to all of our members who helped to make this a great success. For the Fall Colors Ride we didn't see much color (except green), but 14 members enjoyed a great ride and good food at Missouri Hick BBQ. Our dinner ride this month was to Holland's BBQ and we had 19 members present. As long as the weather stays nice, watch your email for impromptu rides. Paul & Cheryl Engelman Chapter Z Assistant Directors Friends for Fun, Safety and Knowledge 4
REDUCING THE RISK Mike and Barb Bayuk Chapter Z Rider Educators RIDING IN THOSE PESKY CROSSWINDS Well folks, fall is upon us here in the great state of Missouri. The weather has been fantastic last few days! However the change of season can bring changes in the weather. Not so much rain and unbearable temperatures but more of a problem is the winds. Cross winds on some of the roads that may have been traveled recently can be pretty fierce at times. The corn crops have been harvested and what helped to buffer the winds of summer are now gone. With that said let s just talk about some riding tips for handling those pesky crosswinds There are a couple of things that you can do to make the experience less stressful. For example, you can quit whiteknuckling your grips. When you hold on tight you also tend to stiff arm your controls. That merely allows front-end instability to propagate into the rest of the motorcycle. Relax your grips and droop your elbows. Allow your bike to be a bit unstable. Drive in the CENTER OF YOUR LANE. Lean forward and down to reduce your profile, and snug up your jacket. Is traction reduced when the wind blows you sideways? Well really you neither gain nor lose any significant traction when the wind blows from your side unless you are in a curve. While you are leaned into the wind all of the weight of the bike remains on your tires (fancy that) and there is very little lateral force scrubbing that traction away. How much lean do you need? Well that is going to be what the bike deals you. Should you anticipate those gusts? Should you just respond quickly to a gust in order to remain in control and traveling in a straight line? No, and no. Your bike will NOT travel in a straight line. That is, as long as you allow it to do its thing, your bike will be modestly blown off course with a gust and the result of that movement is EXACTLY the same as any other minor course change - you will need modest counter-steer input to correct it - the center of gravity of your bike will then be on the side the wind came from and the result is that it will lean towards the wind. Anticipating wind-sheer IS important under a couple of scenarios: the approach of an oncoming large vehicle suggests that severe buffeting will occur when you pass it, and entering or exiting stretches protected from the wind such as tunnels or bridges with relatively high retaining walls. In these cases you will certainly want to position the bike away from the source of the wind-sheer and insure you maintain a firm grip. There is some talk about a heavier bike being less likely to be blown around than a lighter bike? Well not necessarily. What is the primarily determinant of how great the effect of a crosswind is on your bike is its profile. A Gold Wing will typically be more harshly affected by crosswinds than a lighter cruiser or low profile sports bike. Can you mitigate some of that instability in any way? Yes. There are cowling additions that can be designed (some are available off the shelf - called 'belly pans') that streamline the airflow under your bike and help (modestly) to reduce crosswind handling problems. Your side profile area is what determines how your motorcycle reacts to crosswinds. Just as there is a Center of Gravity, there is also a Center of wind resistance. If that center of wind resistance is in front of your Center of Gravity then crosswinds will tend to push you off course. If it is behind your Center of Gravity the motorcycle will try to steer INTO the wind. As a result of a crosswind your bike will move off course and normal modest counter-steer will lean it into the wind. A strong gust will blow you out of track. So, correct your steering, gently, and keep going. Note... there are TWO times when a gusty crosswind changes your bike's direction of travel: when it hits, and when it stops. Both require that you allow the bike to respond and use normal modest counter-steering. (When it quits you will be leaned over and, as a result, your bike will move towards where the wind WAS coming from until you straighten it up. Hope this information helps you to survive the winds of fall. As always RIDE OFTEN..RIDE HARD..BUT MOST OF ALL RIDE SMART! Friends for Fun, Safety and Knowledge 5
Our Motto... Share the Road! Our Mission To Facilitate A Reduction In Motorcycle Crashes With Other Motor Vehicles. Fall Motorcycle Safety The seasons are changing. The leaves are changing. The weather is changing. So it makes sense that your motorcycling experience may be changing as well. Get all the information you need for fall motorcycle safety and you ll be able to handle this beautiful riding season like a pro. It s Tune-Up Time As the summer riding season ends and autumn sets in, your bike may be ready for a tune up. Check the mechanics, fluid levels, controls and tires especially the tires. Long summer days can wear out your wheels in no time. Check for any wear and tear, make sure the tires are properly inflated and the tread is still good. Be Prepared For Cold Fronts Temperature changes can be drastic in the fall. Warm, muggy mornings may give way to chilly, even freezing cold afternoons and vice versa. Pack extra clothes and gear to change into as the temperatures fluctuate. Or, if your morning starts off cold, dress in thermal layers that can be shed throughout the day. Protect Your Eyes Cold air is rough on the eyeballs. Consider wearing a full visor helmet, or purchasing some riding goggles to keep your eyes protected from the harsh winds of fall season cold fonts. Beware of Rain The rain is no place for a beginner biker. However, it s not always avoidable either. Keep a sharp eye on the weather and always be prepared for a few showers. Watch for Autumn Road Hazards Wet roads, fallen leaves, active wildlife, and end-of-summer construction projects are all things to look out for while you are riding this fall season. Keep your eyes wide-open and always be ready for a quick reaction time when hazards are spotted. Ride Smart, Ride Safe Vernon and Pat Watts Motorcycle Awareness Division Friends for Fun, Safety and Knowledge 6
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 I Meeting 4 5 6 7 13 Fran Tasche Z Meeting 14 W2 Meeting 8 9 10 15 Z Dinner Ride Mike Sullivan 16 20 21 22 23 27 Sandy Evans 28 Steve Rainey 29 30 Jim Bolding Tom Stewart Jonathan Jones Pam Bolding 17 P Meeting 24 Wayne Allred 11 12 18 19 25 Dave/Lisa Arnold Vicky Kayser 26 Friends for Fun, Safety and Knowledge 7
2016 Calendar of Activities Nov 3 Nov 7 Nov 14 Nov 15 Nov 17 Dec 1 Dec 3 Dec 5 Dec 11 Dec 12 Dec 15 Dec 20 Jan 1 Chapter I Meeting / Jackson, MO Chapter Z Meeting / Arnold, MO Chapter W2 Meeting / St. Charles, MO Chapter Z Dinner Ride - Poppy s / Crystal City, MO Chapter P Meeting / Union, MO Chapter I Meeting / Jackson, MO Chapter Z Christmas Party - VFW Post, Arnold, MO Chapter Z Meeting / Arnold, MO Chapter Z Toys For Tots Drive - Wal Mart / Arnold, MO Chapter W2 Meeting / St. Charles, MO Chapter P Meeting / Union, MO Chapter Z Dinner Ride - TBD Annual Polar Bear Ride - St. Charles, MO Friends for Fun, Safety and Knowledge 8
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Holland Café and BBQ Dinner Ride Friends for Fun, Safety and Knowledge 10
Thanks to all of our Sponsors! Friends for Fun, Safety and Knowledge 11
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718 Old Route 66 North Litchfield, IL 62056 Store Hours 1-800-373-6565 www.niehauscycle.com Mon - Fri 9am - 6pm Sat 9am - 4pm info@niehauscycle.com Friends for Fun, Safety and Knowledge 14
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