2010 Parts Unlimited UP300 Trail Ride

Parts Unlimited is one of the major players in the motorcycle industry. Each year Parts organizes a series of rides so that dealers and vendors can get back to basics with a few just-for-fun days in the dirt. The top-performing dealers in the Parts Unlimited network were given a choice of a dual sport trip through Colorado or a single-track extravaganza in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. MotoUSA has had the fortune of attending the Colorado Rocky Mountain 400 in years past alongside Motorcycle Superstore. But despite all the sworn testaments about how epic the UP was, Michigan has always been just a little too far away to justify a trip. As luck would have it, a well-timed phone call presented the opportunity we were looking for.

Scott Oakes, better known as The No Toil Guy, has kept in touch since meeting on the RM 400 ride several years ago. We’ve tested and found the No Toil oil filter treatment products much to our liking, but Scott wasn’t calling to just check in with the latest update, his RV was headed east and had some extra space. I reserved a spot, booked plane tickets and dropped our 2010 Honda CRF450R Project Bike at the No Toil headquarters in Yuba City, CA. It was too easy. All I had to do was pack my gearbag and fly in like a factory sponsored racer.

Of course, it doesn’t exactly work out that way. Just getting to Marquette in Northern Michigan proved to be the most difficult part. Four flights later and I was supposed to be there in plenty of time to get registered and run the Honda through sound tech. Missing the final flight forced an almost eight-hour drive across Michigan. I wasn’t too bummed though, considering it would give me a better chance to see a new part of the country. If you’re planning a trip to the UP for any reason, just take the flight. Michigan is nice, but it’s pretty boring. It’s flat and heavily wooded, meaning the drive is basically down long tunnels of unremarkable trees. Crossing the Mackinac Bridge with Lake Huron on the right and Lake Michigan on the left was the highlight, but I still had to stop by the Sawyer International Airport a short distance away from Marquette, in Gwinn. My luggage would be waiting for me and I had to swap rental cars for the next several days. The bags never left Oregon, so it was off to the Holiday Inn with nothing but a laptop and having missed registration, tech and the welcome dinner. Sweet.

Not having trail ridden all summer, my enthusiasm was at an all-time high, but the difficulties were starting to rack up. Determined to stay focused on the goal, I salvaged some basic toiletries from the front desk, picked up fresh underwear and a sweatshirt from a nearby department store and set off the following morning to find the CRF. After all that I was going to ride if it meant wearing jeans and a stolen helmet.

After the riders’ meeting and a group photo with Kinney Jones, I bombed out for the airport to retrieve my bags, which were promised to arrive. I recognized the last bag off the conveyor and was in a much better mood with all my personal effects in tow. Noticing a couple guys with their own gearbags, I offered a ride and they gladly accepted, so Scott, Jimmy and I all headed back to the fairgrounds where everything was staged. The passengers were polite and quiet, and it took about half the trip to realize it was GNCC racers Scott Watkins and Jimmy Jarrett. Moose Racing had flown them in to rub shoulders with the dealers just one day after Jarrett took an emotional overall win at the brutal Unadilla GNCC, his first in nearly a decade! Once we all put the connection together I was stoked to get some personal chat time and they were quick to express appreciation for the MotorcycleUSA Holeshot Award. Maybe that travel snafu wasn’t all bad after all.

By the time I geared up, all the other riders had already been riding for about an hour or two. I kicked the Honda to life and headed out for the Gentian Crossing, which was the starting point for a series of marked trails. The short two-mile commute was heavy with two-way traffic and we all kept our speed down for safety and respect for a few scattered neighbors. The timing was perfect and I met up with the No Toil boys, Scott and Joey Tenney, who had just finished their first loop.

The Sandstormers Motorcycle Club had laid out five motorcycle loops in a clover leaf shape. Our first was the West Plains trail that looped around Harvey Lake. As it had for the past several years, it had rained like a SOB the night before, but our days were sun-drenched and mild making for perfect riding conditions. The sandy soil was moist, dust-free and my fresh Michelin Starcross tires were taking full advantage. Apparently my first loop was a popular one as it had already developed plenty of braking chatter and acceleration whoops over its 16 miles, but the Honda’s MB1-modified suspension ate them up. The faster and deeper the better, as smaller chop was somewhat harsh on the motocross suspension. It was a great warm-up ride for me and we all headed back for lunch to refuel.

Scott’s DR-Z400S was having some electrical woes, so he stole Joey’s CRF250X for the afternoon. I was anxious to really get some riding in so we headed for the AA-level Moon Rocks trail. We made plenty of stops along the 20-mile loop for photos and to catch our breath as we helped other riders lift bikes as needed. Somewhere along the way Scott kept riding while I stopped for a few photos with Kinney, the designated cameraman for the event. From there I teamed up with Jarrett, Watkins and about 10 other riders.

At one point someone pointed out a guy on a Yamaha YZ125 and said it was eight-time National Enduro Champion Dick Burleson. From then on I tried to hop in behind the living legend as much as possible. Several times I was surprised that he struggled on seemingly minor obstacles, but I attributed it to age and a recent back injury that must’ve been slowing him down. At one point I actually had to help boost him over a dug-out root. He struggled so much that I eventually offered some tips to try to get him moving, but had to shout to be heard through his helmet and revving two-stroke.

“Dick, roll backward a little.
“Pull your front wheel back, Dick.
“Hey! … Dick! … Put your front wheel on the root so you can get some momentum.
“Nice job, Dick!” 

I never should have second-guessed a Hall of Famer. I later learned that it was actually just one of the dealers, which explains why the guy was less than appreciative of my help and unresponsive to attempts at conversation…

Apparently I missed the memo that we had hopped onto the 22-mile We-We Hills loop, which was made even longer as our convoy got turned around in the deep woods. Eventually we stumbled into a residential area around Goose Lake and stopped for directions. A local told us to start bushwhacking our way down a mountain to where we could pop out in the right area. After trailblazing our way down, around and back up the hill, the general consensus was that we should go back and ask for a revised map. Eventually the sweep party found us and guided the group down an abandoned railroad to the proper trail and back home.

Dinner was out on the town that night and we selected a great pub down on the edge of Lake Superior. A great meal, good company and the comfort of my own toothbrush capped the evening. Sore muscles were happy for a soft bed after roughly 50 miles of technical single track.

Day 2 dawned with perfect weather again and we rolled out to Gentian to start the East Plains trail. Rian Timmons from Scott Sports joined us and we all took the aptly named Woods Loop for 10 miles of extended bar bashing. It was here that I really came to appreciate the Cycra Probend CRM handguards that had been installed on Day 1. It took the better part of the morning to complete the full 26 miles as we collected video footage for Scott’s blog. After another great catered lunch, most vendors started to load up, No Toil included. Being that I had missed the first morning, I decided to head out for a quick blast around the more open South Plains trail. This loop was fast, flowing and headed southwest toward Powell Lake. By this time I was back in the trail-riding mode and anxious to really push the big Honda. It’s not a great idea to ride by yourself and it’s even less ideal to drop the hammer, but that’s exactly what I did. The single-track was devoid of almost any bumps and was so much fun it was irresistible. Sprinting the full 10 miles was enough to put the kibosh on my plans to hit all five routes, but four out of five isn’t bad.

Parts Unlimited hosted a banquet at an upscale lodge to close out the event. The banquet was much shorter than I remember from the Colorado event, which was fine by me. All the vendors stood up to be recognized and some various awards were handed out to show appreciation and camaraderie. Burleson acted as a fill-in host and he kept it short and sweet so we could focus on the excellent meal and some cold beverages. The next day it was time to go home and the return trip was much smoother. Traveling mishaps aside, the UP300 was fantastic, and the two days of excellent trail riding were just what I needed to get back in the swing for the fall riding season. It’s obvious that Parts Unlimited truly values this sport, and no matter how busy we all get in our lives, sometimes you just have to get out and ride.