Professional Documents
Culture Documents
ANNIVERS ARY
B l a c k v e n t !
F r i d a y E a .m . - 6 p.m.
2010 -O pen 10
b e r 2 6 ,
N ovem
SOUTHEAST WV
Upcoming Events...................................... 34
Jeff Davis – 304-673-7321 / jeff@thunderroadswv.com Do it in the Mud......................................... 35
STATEWIDE
Tom Barber – 304-290-8687 / tom@thunderroadswv.com KISS in the Kitchen................................... 36
NATIONAL FOUNDERS
Toni McCoy Shearon & Brian Shearon ON THE COVER
1528 Matlock Drive / Chapmansboro, TN 37035
Office 615-792-0040 / Fax: 615-792-7580 It was Love at First Sight when West Virginia’s Bruce Willis saw
email: thunderroads@charter.net the Honda Rune. But it took him five years, and three chance
Copyright 2010. Published by Thunder Roads West Virginia, LLC under license from Thunder meetings, to pop the question. When he did, it was to a Rune he
Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this magazines content may be reproduced without had never met. She was residing about as far away as possible
the written permission of the Publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility and is not
to be held liable for errors beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error, slander of any from here, and still be in the Continental U.S. The love affair and
group or individual, failure to produce any issue as scheduled due to reasons beyond our the meandering way it came to pass, are detailed in this month’s
control, any and all suits for libel, plagiarism, copyright infringement, and unauthorized use
of a person’s name or photograph. Opinions and claims made by advertisers and authors Bike of the Month feature on Page 20.
are their own, and do not necessarily represent the policy of Thunder Roads West Virginia,
Thunder Roads Magazine, or Thunder Publishing. The Publisher does not promote the abuse
of alcohol or other drugs.
Judging by the photo, you had a large and successful run. Be sure to let us
know about your schedule for next year. We will be happy to include it, at no
charge, in our upcoming events, as well as posting it on our online calendar of
events at www.thunderroadswv.com.
Regards,
Gary
Gary,
Thank you. It was a large turnout. We had 179 bikes and 350 riders. We
also had 17 cars/trucks and 39 other people that didn’t have bikes. The
mix-up was no big deal, I just thought I would bring it to your attention. His
run was held at the Masontown VFW and the band Mr. X performed, along
with great food. A total of $9,752 was raised. I think it is going to be a good
thing in the future for families that have lost a loved one. One family will be
picked every year by the committee and the run will be for that family with
all proceeds going to them. I will be happy to keep you updated and give CLOSED THANKSGIVING DAY 11/25
you the schedule for next year. Thank you. – Harleyryder2002
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The Grand Prize, a $185 motorcycle lift jack donated by Thunder $635 was raised just through registrations for the Marble Run,
Roads West Virginia, was won by Vicki Hiers of Bunker Hill, WV, but the good stuff didn’t end there. Longshots kept the party going
with a score of 22 points out of a possible 25. Erik Waak, of Charles with four bands, a $20 all-you-can-eat crab feast, and many other
Town, must have thought this was a golf tournament. Coming in at specials. 100% of the day’s proceeds were donated directly to the
a mere 9 points didn’t sound good, until he realized that was the National Breast Cancer Foundation. That came to $1,350.
lowest score. For his minimalist scoring, Erik went home clutching Thunder Roads West Virginia would like to thank all who came
a $100 gift certificate from Art by Weeze. Other prizes included gift out to support not only our ride, but the numerous other breast
certificates from Longshots, and a collection of biker apparel from cancer awareness rides throughout the state all month long.
two Inwood businesses; Evel Speed and The Pit Crew.
Dining
Family rience
Ex pe Mome’s
Plac
ed
n u se r v
Full me to 10pm
6am
S-M-T at 24 hrs
W-S
H om e ”
Hoult Road by the
Phillips Plant in
Cooking Fairmont, WV
E
an entire chapter to one specific model of bike that is like nothing else ever
TH
built. No other bike fits the same pigeon-hole as the Honda Valkyrie. Produced
by a Japanese company, it was designed and built in America, at the Marysville,
Ohio Honda plant. The cruiser-like frame is propelled down the highway by a
horizontally opposed, six-cylinder engine, more befitting an exotic sports car. In
fact, the exhaust note sounds more automotive than motorcycle. The stock set-
up generates a hundred horsepower, capable of propelling the 700-pound beast
into the neighborhood of about 140 miles per hour. This bike is massive, strong,
nimble, powerful, rugged, very fast, and beautiful.
But, the Valkyrie’s size alone dictated that it would not be a widespread
success. Bikers of smaller stature were often intimidated by its sheer bulk.
But the Valkyrie had an even greater limitation within the ranks of bikers who
worshipped this radical machine. Unlike many other bikes, once you bought
one of these, you never had to buy another one. Its over-engineered design
meant that no matter how hard you flogged this machine, you weren’t going to
wear it out. I know. I own a 1999 version, with more than 117-thousand miles on
the odometer.
It was right about the time I bought mine, that Honda began floating four
concept bikes, based on the Valkyrie. One had abbreviated sheet metal, giving
it a sportier look. One borrowed its design from the street rod crowd. Another
was a stripped-down monster that looked like it would be right at home on the
drag strip. Then, there was the design that engineers simply called T2. When
this bike was displayed at the big shows, it was such a public hit that Honda
decided to actually take the bike into production. The Valkyrie ended with the
2003 model year, and for ’04 Honda introduced the T2 concept bike to the
public as the Rune. The actual number of Runes built in ’04 and ’05 isn’t clear,
but best estimates say it is probably around 3,500.
“When I first saw that bike in ’04, I said, ‘Oh my god, that’s my dream bike
there,’” says Bruce Willis of Shady Spring, West Virginia, “It had everything I
liked about a bike: low, big, the wrap-around fender.” The Rune’s styling evokes
the looks of the mid-1900’s roadsters, with its low-slung fuel tank, retro radiator
grille, and massive tins wrapping around over-sized tires. Everywhere you look
on this bike, the engineers introduced curves and angles unlike any other bike
design. Its single-sided swing arm provides a clean look to the rear wheel, even
as it makes a statement about the massive strength built into it. But all that
presence came at a price. A hefty price. The $30,000 price tag was more than
Bruce could bear, so his dream bike remained just a dream.
Then, last year, he spotted a Rune sitting in a showroom in Beckley, and his
dream seemed possible again. But the deal fell through, and Bruce put his
dream back on the shelf. Soon afterwards, he was in Daytona, when a shiny,
black Rune pulled up alongside of him. This third encounter was more than he
could bear.
But, the Rune will seduce
“As soon as I got home, I got on the internet and started looking at them,” Bruce him into hitting the open
says. He found three Runes for sale in cyberspace. There was this black one, road. There’s just too
with only 1,400 miles on the odometer. But it was all the way out in Washington much unique technology
State. “It was an impulse buy,” says Bruce, as he looks back on that internet in one package to keep
purchase. “But I’m not sorry I did it.” it down. The complex
To this point, Bruce had always been a short-distance biker. But the Rune trailing bottom-link front
was speaking to him, and he knew he had to go get her. So he flew out to suspension is like nothing
Washington early this year, and the return trip was not only the maiden voyage else in the motorcycle
on his new bike, but the longest bike journey of his life. world. The 1832cc liquid-cooled, fuel-injected six banger can purr along at
highway speeds for hours without breaking a sweat. The five-speed transmission
“I rode all the way down through Oregon, and followed the coast in California and stout shaft drive design lay that power down on the tarmac with precision.
all the way down to San Diego,” he recalls, “and just had a majestic, wonderful The Rune, weighing in at about a hundred pounds more than even the Valkyrie’s
ride.” He followed the border with Mexico eastward, all the way to Del Rio, weight, draws it’s remarkable stopping power from a pair of three-piston caliper
Texas, and on home to West Virginia. “I just had the greatest trip I’ve ever had,” disc brakes up front, and a single, dual-piston design on the rear wheel.
he adds with a hearty laugh, “I’ve fallen in love with these long rides.” The duo
has logged more than 14,000 miles in this, his first riding season on the Rune, “I don’t know how I’ve fallen in love with these long rides. That bike really helps,”
including a run to Sturgis. “That almost killed me, because it was so hot,” he he remarks about riding the monster. He’s thinking about trips to Maine and
says of crossing the Northern Plains in mid-summer, “I don’t know if I’ll ever Daytona. “It’s just a Cadillac out there on the road. And the therapy is what I need
leave West Virginia in the summer time again,” he laughs. more than anything. Every time I get on it, it’s just like, ‘Wow! I love this bike.’”
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The sun was shining as a rousing collection of 114 bikes rolled event. Volunteers helped interested patients see every single bike
onto the grounds of the Beckley Veterans Administration Medical in the line-up. There was live music and food to go along with the
Center grounds. They were there for the Center’s annual bike show, dazzling display of hardware. Organizers say the event will be held
and the record number of entries made for quite a show indeed. The again next September.facility. You will be proud, as we are, that
Christian Motorcycle Association did a masterful job of running the such a home exists.”
304-267-7700
519 Winchester Ave., Martinsburg, WV
WEST VIRGINIA
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