Gold Wing Road Riders Associa on Chapter J – Kokomo IN Region D / Great Lakes Region

January 2016

Chapter J will meet on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at Mar no’s Italian Restaurant, eat at 6PM w/ mee ng at 7PM Chapter J Directors Gwen & Gale McMain 765-452-9077 402 Ridgewood Drive, Kokomo IN 46901 [email protected] Chapter Treasurer Minnie Titus 2808 S. US Hwy 35 Logansport, IN 46947 Chapter Educator Gene Clark 765-453-4967 4237S 00EW, Kokomo, IN 46902 [email protected] Newsletter Editors Gwen McMain 765-452-9077 402 Ridgewood Dr., Kokomo, IN 46901 [email protected] Chapter J Ambassadors Rudy & Peggy Merryman 574-699-5063 5457 N 250 W, Kokomo, IN 46901 [email protected] Membership Enhancement Colleen Clark 765-453-4967 [email protected] Sunshine Lady Minnie Titus 574-753-3400 Executive Directors Ray & Sandi Garris [email protected] Region D Directors Loyd & Becky Glydewell

2016 INDIANA DISTRICT TEAM

District Directors Ray & Melinda Faber Assistant District Director Lonny Hunter Central Indiana Section-Chapters K,J,A2,C, E, L2 Assistant District Director Ken & Jessie Hunter SE Indiana Section-Chapters W,B,N2,G2,L Assistant District Director Wolf & Connie Gless NW Indiana Section-Chapters Q2,U2,S2,O2,H,F Assistant District Director Rick & Deb. Warmels Lower NE Indiana Sect.-Chapters D2,G,B2,T,U,M2 Assistant District Director Pat & Gerde McKee SW Indiana Section-Chapters O, D, Z, M District Treasurer Deb Caldwell Riders Education District Directors Mike & Penny Kadinger District MEC Craig & Joanie Isenhower District Leadership Educator Harriet Fansler Newsletter/Special Projects Killey & Dustin Shuck Entertainment Coordinator Mark & Dawn Reed Webmaster Howard Pletcher

Hi Chapter J, Well here we are headed into another year. Let’s hope it is a better one than the last one with a lot less violence and killing. Still, with all that that has happened, there is still a lot of good in this country and a lot of good people. It just seems that we see more of the bad stuff on the news than the good stuff, but let’s not forget all the good in this country and be proud to live here and stay positive and not negative. Our Mental Health Dinner was another success. I want to thank Harold and Linda, Danny and Minnie, Chet and Pat, Mike and Anita, Will and Wilma and Colleen for helping to make it so successful. You know guys, when I get tired of doing all of this that I have to as your CD, something like our Mental Health Dinner comes along and shows me that there still are people in this chapter who want to keep it going and active. So, I guess we will hang in there for another year and see how it goes. Again, thanks to all of you who came and helped even though you were not really up to it. Having help from the Mental Health people sure does make a difference too. The new location was smaller, but it worked out fine and no steps to climb made it really nice. I got a really nice thank you card from the Mental Health people. They really do appreciate our dinner each year. Makes it all worth while for me. Thanks again for all your help and support. Our Chapter Christmas Party was also a success and a lot of fun. We had 20 members attending. There was a lot of good food and fellowship. The gift exchange is always fun. Will won the sock this year. Good thing Danny didn’t because he had won the last two years. The sock was smaller than it had been, but still had some nice stuff in it. Poinsettias were given as door prizes, which The ladies like. We topped the evening off with a card game of 31, which is always fun. I want to thank all of you who stayed and helped clean up. I really appreciated it. All in all, it was a good evening filled with lots of fun and fellowship. OK guys, we had a bad experience last month at Martino’s for our meeting. There was a mix up and I have to agree that it was not good from start to finish, but one bad experience should not out weigh all the good meals and service we have had there. Having said that, lets give them another chance for our January meeting. We are running out of places to have our meeting and normally the food and service is good. I know the owner felt bad about the whole thing, so let’s give them another chance. Hope to see all of you on the 13th. I think all of our snow birds are gone now for the winter. Hope they all have a good winter and we will look forward to seeing them in the spring. Our Chapter Treasurer, Peggy, has stepped down after many years of doing it. Rudy and Peggy have had a rough year with all their health problems and I only hope this coming year is much better for them. They have been an important part of Chapter J for a very long time and we miss seeing them each week. We missed our photographer at our Christmas Party as well. I hope they can get pass all this nasty stuff and return to being active and loved members in our chapter.

Minnie has agreed to take over as treasurer. She is also our Sunshine Lady and she does a wonderful job at it, so I know she will do a fine job as treasurer also. She and Danny are always willing to step up and help wherever it is needed. Thanks Minnie for doing this for the chapter. You know Chapter J members that we are a small chapter and it seems as if we are getting smaller each year. Very few actually ride anymore and that is ok because it doesn’t matter if you come to chapter things on two, three or four wheels as long as you take the time to come and show your support and interest in this chapter. It is hard to keep on doing things if members don’t bother to come and participate in the things we do and show interest in it. Please keep this in mind when meeting night rolls around and come and have some input into the decisions we need to make for this chapter to keep it going from year to year or if you even want to keep it going. After all, it is up to all of you to make the decision as to whether we keep on as an active chapter or not. A chapter cannot keep on going with only a very few doing all that is needed. Well, I guess that is enough being on my soapbox. Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a happy and safe new year. Gwen

CRANBERRY SALAD 1 pk. Cranberries (grinded) 1 can crushed pineapple (drained) 2 c. sugar 1 c. crusted pecans 1 tub cool whip 2 c. miniature marshmallows Grind cranberries, add sugar, mix together, add all other ingredients, mix well. Serve chilled. (Submitted by Minnie Titus)

Chapter J Wednesday Night rides for January Jan. Jan. Jan. Jan.

6th 13th 20th 27th

Pizza Shack, Tipton, 6:00 PM Chapter J Meeting, Martino’s, Kokomo 6:00 PM Country Catfish, Kokomo, 6:00 PM Boondocks, Kokomo, Downtown, 6:00 PM

WE WILL ALL DRIVE DIRECT TO RESTAURANT, EATING AT 6:00 PM. ANY QUESTIONS, CALL ME.

2016 DISTRICT/NATIONAL/REGION SCHEDULE Feb. 12-13th April 16th May 19-21st July 7-9th July 28-30th

Winter Rendezvous-Clarion-Columbus, IN Spring Meeting-Anderson SWWU-Park Co. Fairgrounds-Rockville, IN Reno Rendezvous, Grand Sierra Resort Region D Rally-Branch Co. Fairgrounds, Coldwa ter,MI

WORDS TO LIVE BY Enjoy the little things in life, because one day you will look back and realize they were the big things. The best things in life are the people you love, the places you’ve seen and the memories you’ve made along the way. The best way to be happy is to turn the negatives into positives, don’t let anyone steal your joy and be thankful for what you have.

DINNER SPONSORS FOR 2016 Jan.-Rudy & Peggy Merryman Feb.-Harold & Linda Mouser Mar.-Danny & Minnie Titus Apr.-Gale & Gwen McMain May-Chuck & Polly Lorensburg June-Bob Green July-Larry & Shirlene Keith Aug.-Gary & Harriet Lippold Sept.-Chet & Pat McDaniel Oct.-Jim & Kay Wright Nov.-Jerry & Rhonda Rowlett Dec.-Gene & Colleen Clark

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS Minnie Titus Peggy Merryman Bill Johnson Merle Deford

1st. 3rd 30th 30th

JANUARY ANNIVERSARIES GWRRA WEB SITES GWRRA NATIONAL SITE www.gwrra.org REGION D SITE www.gwrra.regiond.org INDIANA DISTRICT SITE www.indianaonwings.org

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Gold Wing Timeline In the world of motorcycling, technology presses forward at such a furious pace that very few models survive a span of a couple dozen years. But for more than three-and-a-half decades, the Gold Wing® has done much more than merely survive: This remarkable machine has continued to create and define an entire segment of the motorcycling experience, raising standards and expectations time and time again. The following timeline provides a glimpse into the many milestones that have made the Gold Wing the icon it is today. 1975 GL1000 GOLD WING The original Gold Wing was much, much more than just a new motorcycle. Powered by a revolutionary 999cc liquid-cooled horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine, the Gold Wing opened new possibilities never before considered by the experts in the enthusiast press, much less the consumer public in general. What to make of this open-class machine with world-class power and crosscountry capabilities? Gold Wing customers took to the open road in droves, and helped inspire an industry-wide paradigm shift toward long-distance motorcycling. 1976 GL1000 GOLD WING LTD A new model marks the Gold Wing’s second year as Honda graces the GL1000 Limited Edition with an assortment of special features, including gold striping, special LTD sidecover badges, chromed radiator shroud and screen, quilt-patterned seat, plus gold wheels and spokes. 1979 With more than 80 percent of Gold Wing production being exported to North America, a vital need arose to build a production plant in the U.S. Although Honda had been building overseas plants for more than 25 years, the move to America in the 1970s was risky. To most consumers, Honda’s quality was its strongest selling point, and building in America could jeopardize this hard-earned reputation—not just for the Gold Wing, but for all Honda products for decades to come. Nevertheless, Honda forged ahead, and on September 10, 1979, the first Honda of America Manufacturing (HAM) plant begins production as a group of 64 associates completes the first 10 Honda motorcycles built in Marysville, Ohio. Within three months, Honda’s top managers had sufficient confidence in HAM’s capabilities to proceed with building an automobile plant in 1979—the first Japanese car builder to do so in the U.S. 1980 GL1100 GOLD WING Five years of continuous consumer input culminate in the introduction of the GL1100. More than a rehashed GL1000 with 10 percent greater displacement, the new Wing incorporates deliberately planned modifications that guide it away from the superbike realm and place it squarely into the touring category. The new 1085cc engine now favors torque rather than horsepower, a longer wheelbase provides more room for both pilot and passenger, and a new air-assisted suspension system gives the Gold Wing its most supple, comfortable ride to date. GL1100 GOLD WING INTERSTATE The GL1100 also introduced another innovation that was arguably more important than its mechanical changes. Since the Gold Wing’s long-distance prowess had inspired the creation of an entire aftermarket of bolt-on touring accessories, Honda’s engineers clearly envisioned a new direction toward a turnkey, fully dressed luxury machine. In 1980, the innovative Interstate fulfilled that vision as the first Gold Wing available fully equipped with factory-installed fairing, saddlebags and trunk, plus the option of a stereo sound system. Turnkey touring, Gold Wing style, is born. 1982 GL1100 GOLD WING ASPENCADE In quick succession, Honda introduces the concept of luxury touring with the Aspencade. Amenities abound in standard trim, including LCD instrumentation, stereo, CB, on-board air-compressor and thoughtful touches such as the handy storage pouches in the passenger backrest. At the same time, through the use of Redpages in its advertising, Honda underscores its technological edge.

1984 GL1200 GOLD WING ASPENCADE The GL1200 brought the Gold Wing to the outer limits of the four-cylinder engine’s performance and sophistication. The added power and torque of the larger 1182cc engine made the Gold Wing the king of its class in 1984, with a combination of smoothness and low-rpm acceleration that couldn’t be matched. The addition of hydraulic valve adjustment now made the Wing virtually maintenance-free. At the same time, chassis improvements made the big Wing feel amazingly agile, and open-road comfort was superlative. 1985 GL1200 LIMITED EDITION Honda marks the Wing’s 10th anniversary in two significant ways. First, with the Gold Wing so firmly entrenched within the touring realm, Honda decides to drop the standard, unfaired GL1200. Second, an ultra-luxurious Limited Edition arrives, complete with computerized fuel injection, four-speaker sound system, cruise control, auto-leveling rear suspension, a comprehensive electronic travel computer and special two-tone metallic gold paint. Following the success of its Marysville Motorcycle Plant, Honda constructs an engine plant in nearby Anna, Ohio, to build Gold Wing engines. Just as Marysville’s success paved the way for Honda’s auto manufacturing in America, the Anna Engine Plant moved from manufacturing GL engines alone to building powerplants for Civics and Accords. At Anna, all the casting, forging, machining and heat-treating processes necessary to turn raw materials into finished, sophisticated engines reside under one roof. As one associate proudly observes, “We do what seven Honda plants do in Japan.” 1988 GL1500 GOLD WING In 1984 a new design team began planning the next Wing. The new machine had to be superior in every aspect: extremely quiet and silky smooth, yet extremely powerful with superior handling. The GL1500 got there—the hard way. Thousands of hours were spent in testing 15 different machines in 60 prototype stages—the most comprehensive model development project in Honda’s history. These efforts culminated in a six-cylinder luxury motorcycle of such surpassing excellence it would establish a touring benchmark that would dominate motorcycling for more than a decade. 1993 The next-generation GL begins to take shape under the guidance of Masanori Aoki, a sportbike enthusiast who has already headed up development of high-performance bikes including the CBR250RR, CBR400RR and the CBR®600F3. “We set out to keep 80 percent of the Gold Wing’s touring capability,” Aoki said. But he also added, “My job is to add more fun factor, to build a Gold Wing with the kind of acceleration and handling people normally associate with sporting machines.” After considering flat-four, flat -six and flat-eight engine configurations and displacements up to 2000cc, customer response overwhelmingly points to a flat-six of about 1800cc displacement. In 1998, a full-scale model is created. 1996 The one-millionth Honda motorcycle made in America rolls off the Marysville assembly line. Appropriately enough, the millionth model is a Gold Wing; this commemoration is altogether fitting, since the success of the Gold Wing and that of Honda in America are inextricably intertwined. 2000 In January 2000, the Marysville Motorcycle Plant is thoroughly redesigned to build the new Gold Wing. As part of this process, the engine production line is transferred from Anna to Marysville to facilitate the new Gold Wing production. The Gold Wing’s new era officially begins when the first complete GL1800 rolls off the Marysville assembly line on October 10, 2000. 2001 GL1800 GOLD WING The word “new” cannot do justice to the GL1800. Two numbers alone tell a big story: 118 bhp and 125 lb./ft. of torque. Don’t try to find other bikes that compare, because there aren’t any. In terms of power, the new Gold Wing is literally in a class of one. Likewise, the list of long-legged mounts offering a box-section aluminum frame begins with the word “Gold” and ends with “Wing.” And that’s only the beginning. Before the GL1800 was completed, Honda would patent no less than 20 technological innovations that were incorporated into this amazing high-performance luxury motorcycle. 2005 GL1800 GOLD WING The 30th anniversary Gold Wing comes in a slew of colors, including Pearl Yellow, White, Metallic Silver, Dark Gray Metallic, Bright Blue Metallic and Candy Black Cherry. Special 30th anniversary color-matched badging on the front fairing, rear trunk and dash cover also distinguish the ’05 model, as does a 30th anniversary color-matched key, 30th anniversary opening ceremony on the LCD display, and unique carbon-fiber seat pattern on pearl yellow and metallic silver colors. To date, more than 500,000 Gold Wings have been produced.

2006 GL1800 GOLD WING In 2006, the most potent Gold Wing ever produced now elevates luxury motorcycling to unprecedented highs. A six-speaker premium audio system with 80 watts per channel comes standard on every new GL1800, and riders may also opt for a satellite navigation system with color screen, a Cold-Weather Comfort Package and an industry-first fully integrated motorcycle airbag. 2012 Manufacture of the Gold Wing shifts to the ultra-modern facility in Kumamoto, Japan, where production on a gigantic scale will see as many as 1800 motorcycles produced in a single day. The new 2012 Gold Wing brings upgraded styling along with a dazzling array of sophisticated electronic amenities including a next-generation GPS navigation system with user-friendly programmability for sharing favorite ride routes, which can be accessed online via computer, plus a built-in MP3/iPod® interface for the new SRS CS Auto™ technology surround-sound system. The 2012 Gold Wing also boasts increased luggage capacity, greater protection from wind and weather, revised suspension settings for enhanced ride compliance, and unparalleled comfort for both rider and passenger. In addition to its power-laden yet refined drivetrain and delightfully sporty handling, packages for ABS and airbag do much to further the Gold Wing’s reputation as the most celebrated touring machine in motorcycle history. 2015 To celebrate 40 years of this incredible machine, all 2015 Gold Wing models come with special badging. Also, our two-tone Red/ Black model features special blacked-out trim and all models get a redesigned front fascia and air intake, blacked-out headlight garnish and new instrument panel fonts.

January 2016 Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

1

2 Natl. Buffet Day

3

4

Natl. Chocolate Covered Cherry Day

Blue Monday

10

11

5

Cable Car Day

24 Natl. Peanut Butter Day

31

7

12

13

8

14

15

Chapter J Intl. Kite Day Meeting-Martinos Rest.-Eat 6P-Meeting 7P

18 Pooh Day

25

19

20

Popcorn Day Country Catfish-6P

26 Natl. Peanut Brittle Day

27 BoondocksDowntown Kokomo on the Square 6P

9

Natl. Bubble Bath Day

Pizza Shack Tipton-6P

Stephen Foster Day

17

6

21

Appreciate a Dragon Day

22

Natl. Hugging Day

28

16

23 Natl. Pie Day

29 Natl. Puzzle Day

30