1. Florida's 719 miles of toll roads are the most of any state.
2. Florida's longest stretch of highway is US1 running 545 miles from Key West to the Georgia border.
3. The Interstate highway system, which was started during President Eisenhower's administration, lets individual states set the speed limits for the Interstate highway segments within their borders. 
4. Direction determines the highway number. East/West highways are even numbered, North/South are odd numbers.
5. The Interstate sign shield design is trademarked (Registration #835,635) and can't be used for commercial purposes. 
6. The only gravity hill in Florida is Spook Hill in Lake Wales. A gravity hill has a surrounding landscape that makes it appear that something, like a car, is rolling uphill.
7. The round white signs you see along the roadways are part of the Florida Memorial Marker Program. They can be requested by the family of someone killed in a highway accident and are inscribed with “Drive Safely, in Memory” followed by the deceased's name. 
8. The Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys is actually a bit short of being a full seven miles long. If you haven't rode it, you may have seen it in several big screen movies including True Lies and Licence to Kill.
9. I-95 is the nation's longest north-south Interstate. It stretches 1,920 miles and passes through 15 states from Maine to Florida.
10. On a multi-lane highway, the lane near the median is called the passing or fast lane. In theory, this lane should only be used for passing. Don't you wish everyone knew this?

Bikers have a reputation for always being ready to help out a worthy cause. If the cause is veteran related, they're even more inclined to help. That was the case several years ago when a guy named Robert Harris first showed up at bike shows in Florida. He had a 1985 Harley-Davidson Softail with an airbrushed Vietnam war scene on the tank. He said it was done in tribute to the soldiers he had served with in the 173rd Airborne unit during 1965-66. He called himself Sky Soldier. 

The bike struck a chord with many veterans who began giving Robert military items to add to the bike. There were medals, ribbons, challenge coins and other mementos. More modifications followed and the transformed bike became the center of attention at many shows. It was hard to ignore a Harley with a belt-fed M-60 machine gun, an M-72 LAW rocket launcher, an M-79 grenade launcher, a couple of shotguns, two M-16's, two AK-47's, claymore mines, mortar rounds, artillery shells, and a 9mm pistol. The mirrors and passenger foot pegs were fashioned from grenades and bayonets were mounted as highway pegs. Saddlebags were converted into ammo tins. The headlight was surrounded by 50 caliber rounds. A sidecar was added on later. It was made from some old F-4 Phantom fighter drop tanks with an ejection seat and a Gatling gun. Not to mention an afterburner fashioned from the engine cone of a 1970's A7 Corsair which would light up. 

Along with all the heavy hardware, the bike sported a custom leather seat and was given a one-of-a-kind paint job which depicted battle scenes from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Gulf Wars. There was a powerful audio system in the sidecar which pumped out patriotic tunes from the likes of Lee Greenwood and Bruce Springsteen. 

His bike display at the shows was like an artist's installation and included a sign asking for donations to help homeless veterans. One dollar to take a picture of the bike, five for a picture of you with the bike, and for ten you got to sit on the bike and pose. He seemed to be a good man doing good deeds. 

As a fellow U.S. Army veteran, I was impressed and offered to use my magazine, Go For A Ride, to help spread the word. The magazine already had a monthly section called “Veterans Info” and I agreed to put in updates about the Tribute Bike and did so for about a year and a half beginning in April 2009. This was the same time he was organizing a fundraiser called “Operation Dust Off”. This was to be a ride across America raising awareness and money for homeless and disabled vets. He did make the ride from Jacksonville, FL to Hollywood, CA with several fundraising stops along the way. His return to the east coast coincided with the 2009 Memorial Day Rolling Thunder  event in Washington, D.C. His report to the magazine noted that the ride fell far short of the financial goal he had set but that he hoped a documentary film would generate some future funding. 

Back in Florida, the bike was a regular feature and a prize winner at bike shows throughout the state. During the warm weather season he also took the bike to places like Laconia and Sturgis and was hosted at many veterans events around the country. 

Harris was always quick to point out that he was a volunteer and did not receive a salary or use any of the funds for his own expenses. At one point he reported that money raised by his appearances had gone to the Wounded Warriors Project, Paralyzed Veterans of America, National Veterans Foundation, Blind Veterans Association, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Suncoast Charities, U.S. Olympic Committee, Feed the Children, Boys Town, and more. 

The last report I received from Harris was published in the December 2010 issue of Go FAR telling about taking the bike to a Veterans Day event in Albany, GA. The next time I saw his name in print was early March of 2011 when the local paper reported on the arrest of some folks in Brooksville for international money laundering and illegal narcotics activity. The name of one of those arrested was Robert Harris. And guess what? That wasn't his real name. It was Eugene Paull.

He sure had me fooled. The police raided his property and found a house with secret stairways and an escape tunnel under construction. Overall, they seized 2 homes, 3 vehicles, 2 custom motorcycles, 2 campers, a 47-foot yacht, weapons, ammo, and cash. Over a million dollars in goods and property. There were also offshore bank accounts in Jamaica and the Cayman's but they were protected by international banking laws.

According to the media release from the Hernando County Sheriff's Office, Eugene Paull was convicted of Federal drug charges in 1973 but he fled to Jamaica before he could be sentenced. Apparently it was there that he developed the Robert Harris identity. The real Robert Harris was a child who died at the age of 2 in New Jersey in 1945. The Paull and Harris families did actually know each other. Paull was able to obtain a passport in Harris' name and used it to travel back to the USA. He was in the hotel business and, according to authorities, dealing drugs. He hooked up with a Jamaican girl named Carla who was also using a fake identity. The two settled in Brooksville and began setting up shell corporations to launder their illegal money. One of those businesses was showing off the Veterans Bike which allowed them to travel the country under the guise of doing charity work.

Who got all the money he was collecting at the bike shows? I do know that some of it did go to veteran charities. He would report making donations and there were photos with him handing over the money. But how much was actually collected? Who knows. It was all cash. For one of the years investigators estimated he collected over $100,000 but only donated $1,300 to any charities.  

After their arrest Harris and his girlfriend avoided prison time. They forfeited all of the goods and property and were only charged with identity theft. She was deported back to Jamaica. Harris received probation but was later arrested in Miami in possession of explosives and a large cache of cash. 

There's no doubt that Harris, or Paull, is a guy with a big ego. He even published a book of his adventures called “38 Years a Fugitive – I Beat The System”. You can find it on Amazon. I haven't read it but I did find something else that was very interesting while putting this story together. 

There is a YouTube video which was shot in Atlanta in 2019. It was the Dreamscape Boxing Club 30 Year Reunion. The narrator was Robert Harris, who founded the club in 1988 in Jamaica. In the seventeen minute film many of his boxing students testify to the good that Harris brought to their lives through the boxing club. And Harris turned some of these guys into very good world class boxers. It's an amazing contrast between the different lives that he's lived and makes me wonder who this guy really is.

I've also been wondering whatever happened to the Vet Tribute Bike? I believe most of the property and other goods were auctioned off, but supposedly the bike was given to a DAV Post in Brooksville to use to raise funds. I don't recall ever seeing any information about a raffle or auction and the post has since gone out of business. So, I'll put the question to you. Do you know where the Vet Tribute Bike ended up?

There’s that old saying about automobile shopping and “kicking the tires”. When it comes to motorcycles, I’m not sure you’d want to put your boot to one but there are a few things you should know about tires that can make your ride safer and more enjoyable.

You hear details of motorcycle accidents where they note if the victims were wearing helmets or not. Helmets are an important safety feature but I’d rank tires even higher on the safety scale. I’d sooner ride a bike sans helmet than ride one with worn-out rubber. A couple of small tire contact patches are all that hold you and your bike to the planet, along with a little help from gravity, and it’s in your best interest to make sure those rubber patches are ready to grip when needed.

I can’t tell you which brand or type of tire is best. That depends on you, your budget, and your riding style. Street riding, road racing, and off-road tire compounds and designs all have different characteristics that will give the best and safest performance under those different conditions. But I can tell you a little bit about those round rubber donuts that will make you a more educated tire shopper.

The Numbers Game

Whether you realize it or not, your tires are talking to you. You don’t hear anything? Ok, bend down, put on your reading glasses, and take a closer look at the sidewalls of your tires. Along with the tire brand name and model, which is probably prominently displayed, you’ll find information that can save your life. There will be a DOT certification along with information about the materials used in the construction of the tire and there will also be a series of mysterious numbers that tell you the tire size. For example 100-90/19 MC. The 100 indicates the width of the tire in millimeters. The 90 is the sidewall aspect ratio which means this tire’s sidewall height is 90% of the tire’s width. This number is also referred to as the tire’s series, profile, or aspect ratio. The 19 indicates this tire fits a 19-inch wheel and MC means it was made for a motorcycle. Some tires will also have letters, from J to Z, which are speed indicators. I think the J is for cruising around and the Z means Zoom Zoom.

Sidewalls will also tell you when the tire was made through the tire identification number. The last four digits will indicate the week and year the tire was produced for those made after 2000. Prior to that, well, do you really want a tire that old? I didn’t think so. There should also be an arrow which will indicate the direction the tire should rotate when mounted on the bike. This is important because the tire construction and the design of the tread pattern will give you the best performance when rolling in the correct direction. Incorrectly mounted tires can cause instability and loss of control.

Once you’re sure you’re rolling in the right direction make sure you’ve got enough air in the tires and that you’re not exceeding their weight limit. Inside the tires, proper air pressure, which is measured in “pounds per square inch” or PSI, ensures that the tire will remain affixed to the wheel rim, provide proper and secure traction on the road surface, and support the weight of the bike, riders, and gear. Speaking from experience, I can say it’s possible to overload a bike and not suffer a catastrophe, but it’s not advisable and it definitely affects the bike’s handling. Each tire sidewall will tell you how much air to put into the tire and how much weight it’s been designed to carry. Checking tire pressure is something that’s best to do prior to riding. The sidewall tire pressure settings are always calculated for a cold tire. Once you hit the road, the heat of the highway will have an effect on the reading you get. Proper tire pressure is one of the best things you can do for a safe ride and will help you get the most mileage from your tires.

Why Not Use Car Tires?

One thing you learn if you ride a lot is that motorcycle tires aren’t cheap and they tend to wear out a lot sooner than the ones on your car or truck. So why not use the longer-lasting treads on your two-wheeler? Several reasons, the first and most important being, it ain’t safe! All you have to do is set a motorcycle tire next to a car tire and you’ll see how differently they are designed. Tread patterns on car tires pretty much end at the sidewall whereas motorcycle treads run up the sides of the tires. Why? Cars don’t lean but bikes do and when you’re carving up some back road twisties you want as much tread against the pavement as you can at all times. Put a car tire on an angle and look at how little of a road patch you get. Bikes use up more of the tire surface and that’s one reason we grind them down quicker than on our four-wheeled transports.

Breaking In New Tires

Just like a new pair of boots, new tires require some care and attention for those first few hundred miles. New tires don’t have the same traction ability because the manufacturing process for tires often includes using a release lubricant to keep them from sticking to the production molds. Traces of that lubricant can remain on the tires and it needs to be worn off with some moderate riding. At first, a new set of tires might seem to be a bit slippery and braking distance will not be as short as a pair of road worn treads. This is also a good reason to replace both the front and rear tires at the same time with the same brand so you’ll get the same performance characteristics from both wheels.

Also if you’re running tires that require tubes you should put in a new tube whenever you put on a new tire. The bladders expand and contract and become more susceptible to failure as the miles mount up.

Tire Care

Keeping the tires properly inflated is one of the best things you can do to ensure your tires operate properly and last as long as possible. Prolonged direct sunlight can cause tires to harden and age more quickly and harsh chemicals like gas, oil, or cleansers should not be allowed to linger. And even though your tires will look cool and shiny after an application of one of the very popular tire dressings, you should just stick with soap and water. The dressings have lubricants and getting that stuff on the tread area can cause traction failure. But hey, at least your bike will look good sliding across the highway.

Online Tire Resources

All of the manufacturers have extensive websites where you can get the latest information about their products and the Motorcycle Industry Council has an online Tire Guide at mic.org.

Last Word

Two things here. First, if you’re not sure if it’s time to replace the rubber on your ride there’s a very easy way to find out. You just need a penny. You see, the space between the edge of a penny and the top of Lincoln’s head is 1/32 of an inch, the minimum tread you should ride on. Just stick the penny upside down into the tread to see if it’s time. Now, if you look at your tires and can see fiber sticking through, it’s past time. And if we’re talking off-road riding, you want even more tread on your tires.

Lastly, don’t buy a discount tire online and then expect your local shop to mount it without charging you appropriately. The brick and mortar shops have to cover their expenses and maintain enough expensive inventory on hand to meet customer demand. The selling and mounting of tires is a complete service they offer. Look around, do you see any “Tire Mounting Only” shops in your town?

There’s that old saying about automobile shopping and “kicking the tires”. When it comes to motorcycles, I’m not sure you’d want to put your boot to one but there are a few things you should know about tires that can make your ride safer and more enjoyable.

You hear details of motorcycle accidents where they note if the victims were wearing helmets or not. Helmets are an important safety feature but I’d rank tires even higher on the safety scale. I’d sooner ride a bike sans helmet than ride one with worn-out rubber. A couple of small tire contact patches are all that hold you and your bike to the planet, along with a little help from gravity, and it’s in your best interest to make sure those rubber patches are ready to grip when needed.

I can’t tell you which brand or type of tire is best. That depends on you, your budget, and your riding style. Street riding, road racing, and off-road tire compounds and designs all have different characteristics that will give the best and safest performance under those different conditions. But I can tell you a little bit about those round rubber donuts that will make you a more educated tire shopper.

The Numbers Game

Whether you realize it or not, your tires are talking to you. You don’t hear anything? Ok, bend down, put on your reading glasses, and take a closer look at the sidewalls of your tires. Along with the tire brand name and model, which is probably prominently displayed, you’ll find information that can save your life. There will be a DOT certification along with information about the materials used in the construction of the tire and there will also be a series of mysterious numbers that tell you the tire size. For example 100-90/19 MC. The 100 indicates the width of the tire in millimeters. The 90 is the sidewall aspect ratio which means this tire’s sidewall height is 90% of the tire’s width. This number is also referred to as the tire’s series, profile, or aspect ratio. The 19 indicates this tire fits a 19-inch wheel and MC means it was made for a motorcycle. Some tires will also have letters, from J to Z, which are speed indicators. I think the J is for cruising around and the Z means Zoom Zoom.

Sidewalls will also tell you when the tire was made through the tire identification number. The last four digits will indicate the week and year the tire was produced for those made after 2000. Prior to that, well, do you really want a tire that old? I didn’t think so. There should also be an arrow which will indicate the direction the tire should rotate when mounted on the bike. This is important because the tire construction and the design of the tread pattern will give you the best performance when rolling in the correct direction. Incorrectly mounted tires can cause instability and loss of control.

Once you’re sure you’re rolling in the right direction make sure you’ve got enough air in the tires and that you’re not exceeding their weight limit. Inside the tires, proper air pressure, which is measured in “pounds per square inch” or PSI, ensures that the tire will remain affixed to the wheel rim, provide proper and secure traction on the road surface, and support the weight of the bike, riders, and gear. Speaking from experience, I can say it’s possible to overload a bike and not suffer a catastrophe, but it’s not advisable and it definitely affects the bike’s handling. Each tire sidewall will tell you how much air to put into the tire and how much weight it’s been designed to carry. Checking tire pressure is something that’s best to do prior to riding. The sidewall tire pressure settings are always calculated for a cold tire. Once you hit the road, the heat of the highway will have an effect on the reading you get. Proper tire pressure is one of the best things you can do for a safe ride and will help you get the most mileage from your tires.

Why Not Use Car Tires?

One thing you learn if you ride a lot is that motorcycle tires aren’t cheap and they tend to wear out a lot sooner than the ones on your car or truck. So why not use the longer-lasting treads on your two-wheeler? Several reasons, the first and most important being, it ain’t safe! All you have to do is set a motorcycle tire next to a car tire and you’ll see how differently they are designed. Tread patterns on car tires pretty much end at the sidewall whereas motorcycle treads run up the sides of the tires. Why? Cars don’t lean but bikes do and when you’re carving up some back road twisties you want as much tread against the pavement as you can at all times. Put a car tire on an angle and look at how little of a road patch you get. Bikes use up more of the tire surface and that’s one reason we grind them down quicker than on our four-wheeled transports.

Breaking In New Tires

Just like a new pair of boots, new tires require some care and attention for those first few hundred miles. New tires don’t have the same traction ability because the manufacturing process for tires often includes using a release lubricant to keep them from sticking to the production molds. Traces of that lubricant can remain on the tires and it needs to be worn off with some moderate riding. At first, a new set of tires might seem to be a bit slippery and braking distance will not be as short as a pair of road worn treads. This is also a good reason to replace both the front and rear tires at the same time with the same brand so you’ll get the same performance characteristics from both wheels.

Also if you’re running tires that require tubes you should put in a new tube whenever you put on a new tire. The bladders expand and contract and become more susceptible to failure as the miles mount up.

Tire Care

Keeping the tires properly inflated is one of the best things you can do to ensure your tires operate properly and last as long as possible. Prolonged direct sunlight can cause tires to harden and age more quickly and harsh chemicals like gas, oil, or cleansers should not be allowed to linger. And even though your tires will look cool and shiny after an application of one of the very popular tire dressings, you should just stick with soap and water. The dressings have lubricants and getting that stuff on the tread area can cause traction failure. But hey, at least your bike will look good sliding across the highway.

Online Tire Resources

All of the manufacturers have extensive websites where you can get the latest information about their products and the Motorcycle Industry Council has an online Tire Guide at mic.org.

Last Word

Two things here. First, if you’re not sure if it’s time to replace the rubber on your ride there’s a very easy way to find out. You just need a penny. You see, the space between the edge of a penny and the top of Lincoln’s head is 1/32 of an inch, the minimum tread you should ride on. Just stick the penny upside down into the tread to see if it’s time. Now, if you look at your tires and can see fiber sticking through, it’s past time. And if we’re talking off-road riding, you want even more tread on your tires.

Lastly, don’t buy a discount tire online and then expect your local shop to mount it without charging you appropriately. The brick and mortar shops have to cover their expenses and maintain enough expensive inventory on hand to meet customer demand. The selling and mounting of tires is a complete service they offer. Look around, do you see any “Tire Mounting Only” shops in your town?

Several years ago a friend of mine decided to buy his kid a new bike. His boy was only four years old at the time but rode his Suzuki JR 50 pretty well. It was impressive to see a four-year-old ride a motorcycle. His boy was getting too big for the bike, so it was time for something new. So when my friend asked me which bike he should get I had to go through the normal hoops to figure out which bike would be best and where to find it. Asking questions like, is he going to race? Where is he riding? Lastly, the most important step was to watch the kid ride. After some searching, we found a really nice KTM 50 on Craigslist and made the three-hour drive to pick it up.

Once we were back home, my friend decided to get the bike out and let the kid ride. It was wet outside and the ground was pretty moist. My friend quickly realized this was a bad idea. The child kept falling down and the bike had too much power for the kid to control. The KTM is a little bit taller than the JR and the power it delivers can be quite intimidating for a kid even in the most perfect conditions. They quickly decided to pack it in and shortly afterward I got a call.

Teaching kids is usually much easier than trying to teach an adult. Kids are trusting, they want to please everyone, and they will try new things pretty easily. Adults, on the other hand, are not so easy to teach. They think they know everything, they usually have too much confidence, and they don’t listen at all. So needless to say, I prefer teaching kids! The key here is to be very patient and take things in small steps. Many proud dads out there have these grand visions of their kids being the next Ricky Carmichael, so getting their expectations down to ground zero is usually the first hurdle to get over.

I have a small track in the backyard, so I asked my friend to bring his kid over, and we began working on some of the basics. Just like anything else, riding takes time to learn, you have to be patient. Being too aggressive will make things stressful for you and the child. It’s best to look for small goals and plan everything in steps. Little things like teaching them how to properly use their brakes, control the throttle, how to sit on the bike, and even how to put on the helmet are all good starting goals. Once they accomplish those goals, create some drills so they can practice them, and reward them for getting it right.

I have seen so many parents out there take something that can be so enjoyable, and turn it into a stressful mess. Screaming at your kid or telling them to go over an obstacle that you wouldn’t even attempt is not going to really accomplish anything. The last thing you want to do is make them hate something they have just discovered and enjoy. Take time and set up those easy goals. You will be glad you did and the child will be better off for it!

When you ride off-road you rarely get the opportunity to simply ride to your riding location. Some of the places can be a chore just to get to simply because they are remote and off the beaten path. You have to consider a few things before heading out as planning properly can keep you from completely wasting an entire day.

One of the most common transport methods is simply loading your bike into a pick-up truck. Now this sounds simple, but it’s really not. You need to have a few things to get the bike in the back of the truck. I have loaded hundreds of bikes over the years, and I have also developed a system to do this safely without damaging my truck, the bike, or myself. Now on the comical side of things, I have seen numerous “accidents” while people were attempting to load or unload their bikes. I’ve watched guys miss the ramp, have the ramps slip, and tailgates flip up. I have seen a guy fall off the back of his truck, fall out the bed of a truck, and drop the bike off the back of the truck. All of these sightings usually resulted in a good belly laugh for me and my buddies. While it’s not nice to laugh at other people’s bad luck, I usually just can’t help myself. 

Here are a few recommendations for those who use a pick-up to transport your bikes. First thing is to buy a ramp that has a strap. Strapping the ramp to the truck will keep it from folding or flipping when you are pushing the bike onto the truck or slipping off when you are unloading the bike.

Next, I always use a step stool of some sort. Something with a wide base is best so I can easily make the transition from the ground to the bed of the truck. Some of the trucks out today are really tall, so doing this makes things much easier.

Lastly, I never ride my bike up the ramp. I have done this in the past, and it is possible, but the risk is much higher than the reward. Once you start up the ramp, you are committed. You cannot stop and put your feet down to stabilize you if something goes wrong. If you screw this up it usually means damaging your truck and your bike. It’s best to push the bike up the ramp.

Another method to consider is a trailer of some sort. I preferred the enclosed style because it gives me a place to change, it’s really easy to load, and I can lock up my stuff if I leave. The downside is maneuvering the trailer around, but once you get good at it, it’s really no problem. I have seen some riders really deck out their trailers. It’s pretty amazing what you can do with a small 12-foot trailer. A friend of mine had everything you would need for a riding trip set up in his, including a cot for sleeping and a gravity shower for washing up after the ride.

No matter what you choose, taking the time to plan getting to the ride can make your seat time on the bike much more enjoyable. Off-road guys usually can’t ride to our riding areas like the street guys can, but we definitely can go places they can’t.