The Van Buren Sisters: Paving the Way for Women and Motorcycles

Women in the Wind

Women didn't even have the right to vote yet when the Van Buren sisters set out on their transcontinental journey in 1916. But Gussie and Addie Van Buren had more courage and guts than most men of the day when they began their trip from New York to California. A trip that started on July 4th with them arriving in Los Angeles on September 8th after traveling 5,500 miles over hazardous roads. These were the days before the interstate superhighways and much of the journey on their pair of Indian motorcycles had to endure riding through mud and washed out roadways.

The Van Buren sisters on their transcontinental motorcycle journey in 1916

Celebrating Women & Motorcycling

This year marks the 100 year anniversary of the Van Buren sisters' epic solo journey on their motorcycles. In honor of these courageous young ladies and to celebrate the female motorcycling heroines of the past, the Sisters' Centennial Motorcycle Ride will be following the Van Buren sisters' 1916 route. Primarily following the Lincoln highway across the United States from New York to San Francisco, it will combine scenic routes and major metropolitan areas allowing for great riding as well as promoting female motorcycling role models. All makes and models of bikes (as well as men) are invited. 

To learn more about the amazing Van Buren sisters as well as the Sisters' Centennial Motorcycle Ride happening this summer, check out their website by clicking the logo below:

Sisters' Centennial Motorcycle Ride

 

Get Out and Ride!

We're getting pretty excited about the weather forecast here in Wisconsin!

Upper 40's with possible 50 degrees over the next week with no snow. That's almost unheard of here in December.

Looks like it's time to sneak in one more ride this year!! Enjoy!

The Most Beautiful Motorcycle Ride in the Country

Drive the Great River Road Month

After being voted one of the country's most beautiful roadways, September is now "Drive the Great River Road Month". We are lucky enough to have this gorgeous road run through our back yard and motorcycles from across the country make the trek to enjoy its beauty. Check out everything the Great River Road has to offer and make plans to ride it soon!

Bridge Over the Mississippi River at Sunset

Mississippi River on One Side & Majestic Bluffs on the Other

Click here to find out more!

The Top 10 Reasons Some Bikers Don't Wave

I'm unashamedly stealing this from the Cyril Huze Blog. It was just too funny not to share.

If at least some of these don't make you laugh:
1.  You don't ride and have no idea what any of this means.
2.  You have no sense of humor and need to get a life.
3.  You're dead.

Enjoy!
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Top Ten Reasons Why Harley Riders Don’t Wave Back
10. Afraid it will invalidate warranty.
9. Leather and studs make it too heavy to raise arm.
8. Refuse to wave to anyone whose bike is already paid for.
7. Afraid to let go of handlebars because they might vibrate off.
6. Rushing wind would blow scabs off the new tattoos.
5. Angry because just took out second mortgage to pay luxury tax on new Harley.
4. Just discovered the fine print in owner’s manual and realized H-D is partially owned by Honda.
3. Can’t tell if other riders are waving or just reaching to cover their ears like everyone else.
2. Remembers the last time a Harley rider waved back - he impaled his hand on spiked helmet.
1. They’re too tired from spending hours polishing all that chrome to lift their arms.

Top Ten Reasons Why Gold Wing Riders Don’t Wave Back
10. Wasn’t sure whether other rider was waving or making an obscene gesture.
9. Afraid might get frostbite if hand is removed from heated grip.
8. Has arthritis and the past 400 miles have made it difficult to raise arm.
7. Reflection from etched windshield momentarily blinded him.
6. The espresso machine just finished.
5. Was actually asleep when other rider waved.
4. Was in a three-way conference call with stockbroker and accessories dealer.
3. Was distracted by odd shaped blip on radar screen.
2. Was simultaneously adjusting the air suspension, seat height, programmable CD player, seat temperature and satellite navigation system.
1. Couldn’t find the “auto wave back” button on dashboard.

Top 10 Reasons Sport bikers Don’t Wave At All
10. They have not been riding long enough to know they’re supposed to.
9. They’re going too fast to have time enough to register the movement and respond.
8. You weren’t wearing bright enough gear.
7. If they stick their arm out going that fast, they’ll rip it out of the socket.
6. They’re too occupied with trying to get rid of their chicken strips.
5. They look way too cool with both hands on the bars or they don’t want to unbalance themselves while standing on the tank.
4. Their skin tight-Kevlar-ballistic-nylon-kangaroo-leather suits prevent any position other than fetal.
3. Raising an arm allows bugs into the armholes of their tank tops.
2. It’s too hard to do one-handed stoppies.
1. They were too busy slipping their flip-flop back on.

Top Ten Reasons Why BMW Riders Don’t Wave Back
10. New Aerostich suit too stiff to raise arm.
9. Removing a hand from the bars is considered “bad form.”
8. Your bike isn’t weird enough looking to justify acknowledgment.
7. Too sore from an 800-mile day on a stock “comfort” seat.
6. Too busy programming the GPS, monitoring radar, listening to ipod, XM, or talking on the cell phone.
5. He’s an Iron Butt rider and you’re not!.
4. Wires from Gerbings is too short.
3. You’re not riding the “right kind” of BMW.
2. You haven’t been properly introduced.
1. Afraid it will be misinterpreted as a friendly gesture.

Reviews & Thank You's

Hey everyone!

I'm not trying to toot my own horn but I'd like to share a few reviews we've received recently - but for a very good reason that I'll reveal in a bit.

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Posted by Bub on Apr 10th 2014

I've been a biker for 31 plus years. NEVER found a good pair of chaps that fit me right, till I had a custom pair made for me. Unfortunately, EMT's had to cut them off a few yrs back. I heard good things about these on Facebook. I have large muscular legs and with the comfort fit spandex these fit me just right.. better than the custom fit. I am not one to write a review but with such a gr8 deal I had to pass this on.. Ride Free

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Posted by Tony on March 22nd 2014

The vest is a vest and a very nice vest at that. What I was overly impressed with was the service. I ordered the vest on a Friday and had it at my door Monday morning. I will be sending everyone I know to this website.

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Posted by Jon on Apr 9th 2014

Great looking and comfortable chaps and the best thing is the price. Shipping great. Dean took care of me with a question and what not. Very helpful. Told my friends I ride with to buy these chaps from Double D. Thanks Dean.

Photo courtesy of Jim Whistleman

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So what's my point?

I got into this business not only to provide good products for a great price but to serve my fellow riders. I wanted to give the service that I felt was really lacking at so many shops and dealerships. Your wonderful comments tell me that I'm on the right track. And that makes it all worth while.

Thank you to everyone for your business, your kind words and your trust.

We'll see you on the road.

Dean "D-Day" Bartosh

Owner - Double D Cycles
www.doubledcycles.com

info@doubledcycles.com

608-799-0988

Lube Your Motorcycle Cables the Cheap Way

Don't Forget the Cables!

One of the most overlooked maintenance items on a motorcycle is the cables. Cables can dry out, become brittle and break over time if not properly maintained. Sitting on the side of the road with a busted cable - not good! I recommend to folks that they lube their cables at least once a year in the spring. It's actually pretty simple and only takes a few minutes. Why would you pay the dealership $80.00 an hour to do it?

The video shows a simple way to do it yourself and with a few items that you probably have laying around your garage. (I've heard from a few riders that it's not good to oil the newer teflon cables though. Has anyone else heard this?)




Have you found any other simple ways to do this yourself?

Why is Your Stuff so Cheap?

Cheap Price Doesn't Always Mean Cheap Quality

"Why is your stuff so cheap?" We hear that question more times than I care to tell you. So often cheap price is equated with cheap quality. But it doesn't have to be.

More often than not, you're paying for the "privilege" of wearing somebody's name splashed across your back. At Double D Cycles, we forgo the logos and charge you what the item should really be priced at. This is the principle upon which Double D Cycles was built: To give you the same quality (or better) than you could find at the dealership at a price that doesn't break the bank.

Quality Materials, Quality Construction, Guaranteed

Our leather items are constructed with full grain leather - not the split hide stuff that feels like plastic and cracks at the first sign of cold weather. Heavy duty zippers and hardware for long-lasting performance. Our boots are constructed with the same heavy duty full grain leather and Goodyear welt construction as the big boys use.

And if you're not happy, you can send it back to us for a refund. With no hassles.

So, why is our stuff so cheap? It's not. It's priced reasonably because we're here to make a living and serve the motorcycle community - not make a fortune off the backs of fellow bikers.

Stop by the Double D Cycles online store. See what we have to offer at a price you can afford and feel free to contact us with any questions. Come ride with us!

The Best Motorcycle Rides in America

Our Back Yard Has One of the Best

Pretty much running through our back yard is the Great River Road. The Great River Road is a stretch of Highway 35 that runs down the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi River from the northern part of the state to Iowa. It gently winds along the edge of the state with the Mississippi River on one side and scenic bluffs on the other side. The Great River Road takes you through 250 miles of some of the most beautiful scenery in the Midwest. It's one of my favorites and I feel so lucky to have it so close. To learn more about the Great River Road, visit the website at http://wigrr.com.

How Does Your Favorite Motorcycle Road Stack Up?

We all have our favorite ride. Some of us favor the wide open country roads while some of us love the twisties. The Discovery Channel recently put together their list of the top motorcycle rides in America. You can see their picks here: Best Motorcycle Rides in America.

Was your favorite motorcycle road on the list? Or what additions and subtractions would you make to it?

Double D Cycles Company/Products News

Double D Cycles Becomes Authorized K&N Dealer

We are proud to announce that Double D Cycles is now an authorized dealer for K&N Engineering. K&N filters are the premier filter known the world over and a definite performance upgrade for any motorcycle.

K&N Engineering in Riverside California is the world's leading manufacturer of washable performance air filters and air intake systems. K&N is a world class filtration company selling air filters, oil filters, and air intakes in over 30 countries with over 5,000 products designed for cars, trucks, motorcycles, engines, and industrial applications. From their Million Mile Warranty to their Consumer Protection Pledge, K&N stands behind their products and their consumers 100%. K&N is one of the original performance companies and Double D Cycles is excited to team up with them and offer their great products!

New Rhinestone Shirt w/Angel Wing Fleur de Lis Design

Rhinestone shirts with angel wings, crosses and Fleur de Lis designs have become extremely popular with the ladies over the past few years. Who are we to argue with the world of fashion?! So we just added this stunning top to our women's line of clothing.

Women's Rhinestone Shirt w/Angel Wing Fleur de Lis Design

Rhinestones, angel wings and the popular Fleur de Lis design are all incorporated into this beautiful women's shirt. You can have the best of all worlds!

• Garment Dyed Women's T-Shirt

• Cotton/Spandex Blend for Comfort and a Flattering Fit

• Stunning Design Highlighted by Rhinestones and Beautiful Background Graphics

• Printed and Rhinestoned in the USA

This sparkly top will surely make you the envy of all your friends!

Size Availability: Comes in regular and plus sizes. Sizes S thru L; Plus sizes XL through 3XL.

Indian Motorcycles Pokes Harley in the Eye

Indian Motorcycle Returns

 

With the return of Indian Motorcycle, they are unveiling the 2014 Indian Chief during the Sturgis rally this year. To ramp up the competitive juices, Indian produced the following commercial which takes a nice healthy jab at Harley-Davidson. A 30-second version will start hitting the television airwaves soon.

What do you think of this iconic company getting back into the fight?

Motorcycle Parts Now Available

Double D Cycles Now Selling American Made Motorcycle Parts

We are proud to announce that Double D Cycles is now an authorized dealer for Mid-USA Motorcycle Parts! We will be able to offer motorcycle parts from great AMERICAN manufacturers like S&S Cycle, Paughco, Baker Transmission, BDL, Lucas Oils, Andrews, Jims and many others!

Check out the thousands of motorcycle parts that Mid-USA offers and shoot us a message on our "Motorcycle Parts Page" of what you're interested in. We'll be happy to quote you a price and do whatever we can to get you the parts you need as quickly as possible! 

Do You "Love" Your Bike?

Does your motorcycle have a name?

There are many of us that have a deep affection towards our motorcycles.  I know, to the non-rider it seems a little strange to have an "affection" towards a mechanical object. It's kind of like loving your can opener or taking your hair blow dryer on a date. Yet a lot of us who ride feel a deep emotional connection to our scoots. It's just another one of those things that you can't explain but you feel it if your a motorcyclist. Can you explain it?

D-Day and my soul-riding partner "Dixie"

Another strange thing that a lot of us do is name our motorcycles. My Wide Glide's name is "Dixie". There's no huge story behind the name. I just liked it. She was so beautiful and sexy with all her curves that she just seemed like a sweet Southern gal to me and "Dixie" seemed to fit. Does your motorcycle have a name? And if so, how did you come to naming it that?

Sons of Anarchy: Love Em or Hate Em?

Sons of Anarchy gets mixed reviews

Well, it looks like the motorcycle bad boys of Charming are going to be back for another season. Wearing their perfectly matching outfits of KD's sunglasses and leather vests (except for Jax who dons his white tennis shoes), they'll undoubtedly roll back into another season of high drama. But is the show realistic? And does it really matter?

I've been to a lot of motorcycle forums where the posts are so scathing that some of the folks could probably get locked up for "hate speech". There's a lot of haters out there. I've seen everything from "What a bunch of fake posers!" to people making the comments of "A real M/C would never do that!". But let's look at it for what it really is: a television show.

A Soap Opera with Motorcycles

Granted, if you're looking for a peek inside a real motorcycle club, watching the Sons of Anarchy probably isn't going to get you there. And if you watch the show with a critical eye shouting at the TV screen about every little thing that isn't realistic, you probably shouldn't watch the show. It's not supposed to be realistic folks. It's a television drama.

So let's call the show for what it really is: It's a soap opera with motorcycles in it. Nothing more. It's never claimed to be realistic. It's just another television drama like The Sopranos, ER or Lost. Yet, I've never heard anyone ever scream about how those shows are "fake".

So, what do you think? Love em or hate em?

And does it really matter?

Free Harley Museum Tickets

Going to the Harley-Davidson museum this month?

We got a hold of four tickets to the Harley Museum that are good thru the end of this month. For the next four people who order $40.00 or more from Double D Cycles, we will enclose one of the tickets with your order.

* To claim your ticket, you must enter the words "Harley Museum" in the Order Instructions/Comments box during checkout. *

There's only four so I don't imagine we'll be running this promotion for very long!

Happy Birthday D-Day!

The president of our company just recently celebrated another birthday. A good friend of Double D Cycles made a very special birthday cake.

"D-Day" enjoying his Double D's birthday cake

Quite fitting. Don't you think?!

A huge "Thank You" to Cindy from 'CakeCreations by Cindy' in Holmen, WI for this special treat that was quite worthy of the Double D's name!

Happy Memorial Day

Double D Cycles would like to wish everyone a wonderful Memorial Day!

We hope that you not only had time to enjoy the weekend with family and friends but spent a few moments thinking about what Memorial Day truly means.

Double D Cycles would like to thank all who have served in the military. We ask our customers to please remember and honor those who have paid the ultimate price to ensure that the USA remained the greatest country in the world.

Birthday Sale

Bikers Love Double D's

In honor of our company president's birthday next week, we'll be offering our signature "Bikers Love Double D's" t-shirt at a sale price.
 

So through May 26th, you'll be able to get this great shirt for 10% off the regular price. That's only $17.96!
 
To claim the sale price, enter the word D-Day as the coupon code while checking out.

There's a limited supply so when sizes run out, they're gone!

Ladies! You Asked - We Listened!

Women's Rhinestone Studded Shirt with Cross and Angel Wings Design

When we posted this picture a week ago, we had no idea that we'd get the overwhelming response that we did! Well, the first batch hit our door yesterday and they are stunning! "Barbie", our in-house biker babe, tells me I did a great job picking this one out to add to our line of women's shirts.

Women's Rhinestone Studded Shirt with Cross and Angel Wings Design with Lace Side Panels and Sleeves

This gorgeous women's shirt sports the cross and angel wings design on the front as well as having a similar design on the back with the angel wings stretching from the shoulders to the waistline. Both designs are embellished with an ample supply of rhinestones. The style of this shirt really ramps up with the lace side panels and sleeves. And it's made in the USA.

"Barbie" normally wears a size medium and the size medium in this shirt fit her perfectly. This top is available in regular sizes S thru XL and plus sizes 1X thru 3X.

Motorcycle style shirt with a feminine touch!

The Ladies Want More Bling!

We've been told by the ladies that we need more "bling". I'm starting to wade into waters here that I personally don't think are too "biker" but as they say, "The customer is always right".

Ladies, even though I think I have good taste, I am still just a guy afterall. What do you ladies think of this one? Rhinestone studded with lace sleeves and side panels. Back design is the same except it also has large angel wings which run behind it from the shoulders down to the waist.

The initial unveiling of this shirt brought rave reviews and we're in the process of bringing some of them in.

Women's motorcycle shirt with cross and angel wings studded with rhinestones

Do you think we're on the right path? Or what kind of items would you like to see at Double D Cycles?

* DOUBLE D CYCLES IS BACK OPEN FOR BUSINESS!! *

Our remodeling is done and we're open again! We've not only got a new look but a few new products and added some new security measures to add more protection for your information. We also now accept major credit cards right on our site.

Bikers Love Double D Cycles

Please stop by and give us an honest opinion of what you think of the new look!

www.doubledcycles.com