By Lulu

Usually our Biking Business article deals with motorcycle shops, builders or bars. This month we decided to step on the wild side and feature St. John’s River Tours in Astor. Bill Nordle and his wife, Tina, have run the Blackwater Inn and Williams Landing for years. They recently purchased the river boat tours that run out of the docks behind their restaurants…a favorite with bikers traveling 40. The boat ride on the MV Neptune Star is a two-hour informative tour of the pristine St. John’s River, Blue Creek and into Lake George. You are certain to see gators, exotic birds, turtles of all shapes and sizes and we even saw a raccoon, eagle and manatees. Captain Bob is an expert on wildlife and the history of Florida and its waterways…he also is pretty darn funny! The boat rides run Tuesday through Sunday twice a day. Leaving at 10:30 and 2:30. Registration is available online at www.St.JohnsRiverTours.com although they will take you if seating is available without a reservation. The cost is $25 per person, $15 for children under 10. Group rates are available for clubs by calling 866-349-0674. The boat seats 20 and even has a restroom. Smoking is not permitted. After cruising the river, you are certain to have an appetite for shrimp…so climb the stairs and sit in their treetop porch for a cold one and some delicious chow! So even though Bill and Tina aren’t in the motorcycle industry, they provide what motorcyclists love…good food, cold beer, stiff drinks and the place to kick back and enjoy nature. Don’t forget they are closed on Mondays!

By Danny Martin (American Cycle Auto & Truck)

Well it’s that time again we’re going to dig our hands into the cat box and see what we can come up with. This month I’m going to try to tell you how to change that broken clutch or brake lever on your handlebar controls. It’s going to be simple so when you’re ready you can do it. For this you might need one little specialty tool, but you can get it from your local Drag Specialties dealer while you’re there picking out the multiple different levers. Or you can just have them order you this and it’s a good tool to have in your collection if you don’t already have one. It is the Motion Pro #MP08-0186 Snapring pliers for about $15.00. It will come with some interchangeable extra tips for doing other jobs or to make some jobs like this one even easier. So, run down to your dealer get your tools and your parts and get ready to go.

Let’s start with the right-hand side it’s always the easiest, sometimes you may have to loosen the mirror so you take your Allen wrench (if it’s a stock Harley you’ll need a half inch wrench). Loosen the mirror so it will not be in the way of the pin that we need to remove, now with the mirror loose let’s take our snap ring pliers find the funny looking little thing underneath the bottom of the brake lever perch put the tips in the holes squeeze it open and slowly remove it. Be careful do not let this thing go flying or you’ll be looking all over for a little snap ring. Now that we have the clip removed simply push the pin up and slowly ease out your broken brake lever. On some of the older bikes like the one I’m working on, there’s a nipple barrel end fitting in there that you need to realign back up with your brake plunger. Put that all back in and put it back together in reverse order and you have a new brake lever.

For the left-side it gets a little more complicated. We have to loosen up the clutch cable a little bit so you can get the cable out of the clutch perch. Take your 7/16 or 1/2 inch wrench, locate the adjustment in the middle of your clutch cable and loosen the lock bolt, then put it all together by shortening the cable which will loosen your lever. Once it’s nice and loose you can take your C clip removal tool, your mirrors already loose, push the pin out and wiggle out your clutch lever. Remove and replace the lever with the spacers and things that hold in your clutch cable. Put it all back together and we will readjust the clutch. So, I would guess in this article we’re going to learn how to change levers AND adjust a clutch LOL. Now you will tighten your clutch cable up to a point where there is only about an eighth inch or less of play in your lever. They say to put a nickel between the perch and the lever and that’s about where you need to be adjusted. Tighten up the lock Bolt and you should be ready to go riding.

Now if I have forgotten something or if there is something you would like to give me a chance at showing you how to do. Please contact the magazine or me at AMCAT, I will do all I can to help you. Thank you once again from Thunder Roads Florida and AMCAT’s Cat Box.

By Lulu

Even those who have never made it to Bike Week, have heard of the world-famous Iron Horse Saloon…and almost everyone who comes to Daytona visits more than once while in town. Locals and those from miles and miles away, ride in for T-shirts, Craiger’s beef tips and the fine music that Iron Horse always provides! This year was no exception with crowd favorites such as Mustang Sally, Confederate Railroad, Outlaws, Kentucky Headhunters and Brian Howe. People who enjoy great FREE music love the Iron Horse! One other staple of the Iron Horse is the Wall of Death that stuns those who have never climbed to the top to watch the trick riders. Many ride in simply to see their favorite bartender year after year such as Sherry and Diana. Whatever your reason for riding in the owners, Melissa and Sally do appreciate your business and work hard to provide great food, music, t-shirts and just a cool place to cool your pipes!

By Lulu

Just south of Daytona in New Smyrna Beach on US 1 is a really cool bar, Bay 3 Bar. Owners Barry and Jan are well loved by all who ride down to spend some time drinking and hanging out. During Bike Week, they filled the place with bands such as Deadlanders and biker favorites Mistreater! They have GREAT beer prices all year long so ride down and visit soon!

By Lulu

Just before Bike Week Roadside Tavern opened their doors, bringing back music and food to one of the favorite biker establishments in the Daytona area. A large inside non-smoking bar has a great back porch with a stage and cornhole pits. The owners of Boot Hill Saloon have taken over the bar and with their knowledge of motorcyclists and bars we are certain they will fill the Port Orange area bar with lots of great music!

By Lulu

The Boat Bar in Port Orange may be one of your places you haven’t visited yet, but you should! First-off the owners are awesome folk. Tony and Dar have been in the area for years and years and everyone loves them. You also should know they have CHEAP ice cold beer! And during Bike Week and Biketoberfest they have a free BBQ that is awesome home cooking. All year long their beer is the same price $2 domestics and $3 imports…you can’t beat that! So, take a short hop on your scoot and visit The Boat Bar soon.

By Lulu

Well thankfully Mother Nature didn’t do as much damage to the beautiful old oaks on the Broken Spoke property as it seemed Biketoberfest. Cleaning up the property was an ordeal after Hurricane Matthew, but honestly the pretty grounds of the Spoke seemed no worse for wear! Bike and rat rod shows, beautiful bartenders and fantastic music is what the Broken Spoke is known for and this year they brought it all! I could sit under those trees and drink all week; my only regret is there are so many events to cover during Bike Week that I can’t spend enough time there and when Bike Week ends the gates close and don’t reopen until the next big event…

By Deborah Speicher

The 10th Annual Harley-Davidson MDA Women’s Ride is one of Daytona Bike Week’s best organized rides just for the ladies!  Attendance has ebbed and flowed over the years and I think some of the former participants forget what the ride is all about – raising much needed funds for MDA, taking children/young adults with muscular dystrophy on a motorcycle ride and the camaraderie of being with a large group of women riders.  For those of us who keep coming back each year, it’s a reality check.  We know that we are truly rich and not just because we can afford our own motorcycles.  We are rich in health, rich in friendships and enriched by being a part of this event.

This years’ ride started out just a tad chilly (36 degrees!) but the sun was out and warming up.  We staged and left from the Daytona Beach Speedway, and our police escort took us on a back roads ride to Destination Daytona.   Announcements, prizes and kudos went to all at that time.  This was followed by lunch at Saints & Sinners.

Participation was down a bit this year due to one factor which was the change in date.  Historically, this ride has always been the Tuesday during Daytona Bike Week but was changed to the Thursday to accommodate our Road Queen, Karen Davidson.  Karen has led this ride every year and it would not be the same without her.  Although donations were still being collected at the time of my writing this article, at last count it was approximately $17,000.  Way to go ladies.   I will be back for this event next year!

By Lulu

St. Patrick’s Day was during Bike Week, a bit cold that day, but we took the afternoon to ride out to Starke to see how they celebrate the Luck of the Irish. On our way, we stopped in McHenry’s Irish Pub in Keystone Heights. We were served a huge portion of corn beef and cabbage! A great way to start an Irish celebration. Then off to the park in Starke where there was plenty of ice cold Bud Light for drinking or snow cones for those who were under 21! Live music was the fare for the evening including the Ben Carter Band. Don’t forget that Starke has their Bikefest August 11-13 with vendors and live music Friday-Sunday!

By TJ

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Toasting 55 years in business and the grand opening of their new location on US 1 in Ormond Beach, this was not your everyday celebration. The Connor family knows how to throw a bash with a combination of a virtual taste of Daytona, free flowing sampling of all their beer and wine lines and a full-blown rock concert with legendary .38 Special playing the hits like Rockin’ Into the Night and Hold on Loosely. Beautiful ladies were promoting their brands. NASCAR drivers were on hand including Brad Keselowski signing autographs for the fans. S. R. Perrott has been a successful business in the Volusia/Flagler area for 55 years distributing our favorite alcohol products.

By Lulu

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What an absolutely beautiful day to ride! We left Port Orange on the Ultra with leathers on but by the time we arrived at the VFW Post #505 in Winter Springs it was just perfect weather to be on a motorcycle. The major fundraiser for the Seminole County HOG chapter is billed as a Valentine’s Poker Run, lots of women and men had on pink, red or hearts. The stops included Shay’s Airport Hangar, Rockin’ Rhonda’s, Casselberry’s Patio Bar and ended at The Green Parrot. Hundreds of folks rode for their cause which includes the Orlando Bahia Shrine, Orlando Veteran’s Homes and Wreath’s Across America. A 2017 Heritage Softail or $10,000 was being raffled off as part of the festivities. I believe all 1000 tickets were sold! The Bobby Friss Band that I love were putting their heart and soul into the celebration. Live and silent auctions were an additional stream of money for their charities. This was a very well organized event and I loved that I had never been to any of the stops. Thank you SCHOG and to all of you who spent your day helping them to help such worthy charities!!!

By Lulu

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If you came to Beaver Bar at the very busiest moment of Bike Week…the crowds would still be bigger at Heavy’s Anniversary Bash for Midwest Motorcycles. The entire property was packed, cars were parked up and down the street. Crashrocket was jamming. And the folks in the bike contest waited patiently for the award ceremony. They presented Leslye Beaver a stuffed beaver for her continued support of the biking community. The weather was perfect and everyone seems to really enjoy this event each year. Thanks, Heavy and Christine for being so active in the community, for being part of Thunder Roads Florida and for the hard work you put into this event!

By T-Rex

We stopped in Post 350 off Rt. 1 in Port St. John for Biker Day at the Tiki and who did we run into? Nancy and Sean from Stargazer Embroidery. They were set up with two sewing machines non-stop, no waiting…also hanging around, patches, vests and much more. The machines were singing all day along with the Henderson Band. The Tiki was packed. Bartenders going non-stop too. Stephanie, Janice and Debbie a big thanks to you girls. They had food, horseshoes and this time poker with darts. Looking forward to the 3rd Saturday of the month for their monthly Biker Tiki Days. See y’all there.

Welcome to Stargazer Embroidery!

We are in the business to provide our customers with a high-quality product at an affordable cost and always in a timely manner. We provide embroidery, screen printing, die cut vinyl, heat transfers and custom patches. When not working at the shop Monday through Friday, we are available to be a vendor at your event where we will sew patches, sell patches and biker apparel. We make custom patches so if you have a saying, a design or want a patch you cannot find, come to us!

Thank you,
Nancy and Sean Dahlke

By Danny Martin (American Cycle Auto & Truck)

Well Folks, thanks for having me back for my third installment of Playing in the Cat Box. This month is truly a “You Can Do It Yourself” with minimal tools article. While I was down in your wonderful state for Bike Week it just so happens that my voltage regulator decided it did not want to work. So with a Mr. T starter kit tool set and a little help from Brigit at Custom Works on Beach St. in Daytona I got all the stuff I needed. A new Drag Specialties battery part number 2113-0021, a voltage regulator #2112-0783 and just in case a starter switch relay #DS325849. So if you are ready here we go.

On this particular bike as with most custom built bikes and anything before 1998 usually you can find the voltage regulator mounted between the uprights right behind the front fender. A small rectangular box with a plug that goes into your stator. It is right on the primary side. I determined that a loose plug on the primary stator is what caused mine to fail by shorting out and not working properly and it was surging. It burned out my regulator overcharging my battery making it work too hard, so always check that connection. That is usually the first reason why when you leave your house and get to the bar your bike won’t start, because the battery is dead.

Let’s start by removing it. It is all pretty simple you can usually just cut the wires and pull them out. But you have to fish them back through so keep that in mind. So now take your 10mm wrench and remove your battery. Take the 7/16 socket and take the broken regulator off. Now you are ready to reinstall. This assembly process is a little more tedious than difficult. You remount the voltage regulator, plug in your stator plug…making sure this connection is snug. Take the wire now and feed it back through the way you took out the old one. Remounting with either zip ties or tabs or whatever has been supplied by your builder or dealer. Route the voltage regulator wire all the way back to the battery, or sometimes there will be a circuit breaker or mounting tab where the old one was. Reinstall the supplied factory butt connector. If you read the first article, you already know your battery is charged and ready to install. Hook up the negative first, then the positive and you should be ready to ride.

Once again thank you for playing in the box, if you have questions or comments please let me know.
AMCAT

By Lulu

We do our Thunder Roads/Twisted Tea parties almost every month, and every so often one just Twists Out of the Park! The crowd was huge! I can tell how much the regulars love the owner Jan…since they were all there to wish her a Happy Birthday complete with a beautiful cake! Well, Blue Diamond vocals and music rocked the party all day long, the tea sampling and giveaways had a steady flow…but what really set this party apart was the generosity of the locals. We raised $184 dollars and 78 pounds of food for the Second Harvest Food Bank! They couldn’t be more appreciative when they see me coming. As most of you know we donate the money and the food in the county it is raised in. Thank you to Jan and Barry, the staff, the patrons, to Twisted Tea for the continued support, to my help (particularly Earth and Mama Bear as my Twisted Tea girl came down with a bug last minute)! Our next party is at St. John’s River Grille in Deland on April 19th 6-9p. This is a beautiful setting on the St. John’s River with the time change there is no reason not to get on your bike and ride out for a night of music, friendly people and bring some cans to help stock the food bank!