Two Wheel Oklahoma

Why Do Motorcycles Pay Tolls?

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:52:00 +0000

Chances are if you live in Oklahoma you have traveled our state's many turnpikes. If you're like me you may have wondered why the toll for motorcycles is the same as the Hummer in the next lane. Seems like my 489-pound motorcycle would cause less damage to the pavement, reduce congestion and make everyone's turnpike commute a less stressful experience. Why isn't the toll for me and my motorcycle cheaper?

Heck, why am I paying a toll at all?

The tolls are based on axles- something most of us have but few could define. Murkier still is how the number of axles relates to road use or wear-and-tear. To understand the "logic" behind this pricing structure requires a little history.

The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority was created in 1947 to build the first toll road in Oklahoma, the Turner Turnpike between Tulsa and Oklahoma City. This was the postwar boom and America's nascent interstate highway system was beginning it's cross-country trek. When the turnpike opened in 1953 the gameplan was for the road to become a free road once the original bonds were retired. Ironically the original language also called for dissolution of the turnpike authority. But that's not quite how it happened.
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Task Force Promotes Route 66 in Tulsa

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 17:27:00 +0000

It's amazing what you can discover in your own back yard.

I am quite pleased to learn that a task force is being created to better market Route 66 in Tulsa. The effort to spiff up the old road is being championed by rookie city councilor, Blake Ewing (District 4).

Signs near Oklahoma's borders tout saving time on the turnpike.
I always wanted to post a sign that touted saving our history.

The Tulsa World reports the task force will examine ways to spur development, rehabilitate neglected structures and clean up abandoned brownfields.

Sadly, it wasn't that long ago that many locals were befuddled by all the tourists coming to Tulsa to experience the Mother Road. In the early days of the Internet it was not uncommon to find more information on Tulsa's stretch of Route 66 from a website located in Japan or Germany. Some guidebooks even skipped over T-Town, it was the dedicated "roadies" who discovered Tulsa despite our lack of effort. Ironic for a city that was home to the man commonly known as the Father of the Mother Road.

I think this is good news. In recent years my home town has done a better job of marketing the history of the Old Road. But there's so much more that could be done. Although we're late to the party, maybe efforts like this can help us capitalize on this wonderful resource.

After all, it's in our own back yard. Literally.

Sharing Seaba Station

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:06:00 +0000

KFOR in Oklahoma City did a nice video piece on the Seaba Station Motorcycle Museum in Warwick, Oklahoma.

The segment is called "Is This a Great State or What?"

We couldn't agree more.

Lost City: Find Yourself

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 16:02:00 +0000

Local Ride

When you only have time for a quickie.

Last week while roaming around the wilderness near Fort Gibson Lake we found Lost City, avoided a speed trap, and stumbled across a wonderful destination tucked away in the Oklahoma hills.

Lost City Road takes you on a 12-mile stretch through Cherokee County. It runs from Peggs to Hulbert, passing through the mysteriously named town of Lost City, Oklahoma.

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New Triumph Explorer

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:36:00 +0000

Another brand new bike from Europe is the Triumph Tiger 1200 Explorer. Sporting ABS, traction control, shaft drive, ride-by-wire and 135 horsepower the new adventure bike is set to take on the U.S. market in 2012.

More details soon!

New Ducati is the Pride of Bologna

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 15:18:00 +0000

Panigale Dispenses with Convention

Breaking with long-standing Ducati tradition the new 1199 Panigale has a monocoque frame and... a name! Unveiled at the EICMA International Motorcycle Show in Milano last month, the first example in America will be touring the 2011-2012 International Motorcycle Show circuit.

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Ducati 1199 Panigale

noreply@blogger.com (B Mathison) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 23:56:00 +0000

Trust us, if you are a sportbike rider, you want one of these. Available this spring. Interview with Ducati coming up.

Triumph

noreply@blogger.com (B Mathison) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 17:48:00 +0000

Cameramen need to ride too!

Dream Pavilion

noreply@blogger.com (B Mathison) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 16:50:00 +0000

Lots of great prototypes here. I think we've decided this is our favorite part of the show.

Welcome from Mike Caudill and Scott Russell

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 14:14:00 +0000

Here's a couple of short video clips from our first day at the International Motorcycle Show (IMS) in Dallas.

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Dallas Day One

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 03:40:00 +0000

Dallas International Motorcycle Show: Day 1

Rubbing elbows with old racers, drooling over cool prototypes and yes, we like Ike.

We made the drive to Dallas today and stormed the Convention Center with cameras blazing. Attendance at the show was light for this first day, but the overcast skies and occasional drizzle probably kept many riders away.

But for us, the first day of the show was pretty darn busy. We got to meet Superbike legend, Scott Russell, talked trials with the Smage brothers and got the scoop on several new motorcycles that are new to the American market.

Brad interviews five-time Daytona 200 winner
and AMA Hall of Famer, Scott Russell.


As Seen on TV: Smage Brothers, finalists on America's Got Talent

Fun day? You bet.

Stay tuned.

Rex and Brad's Excellent Adventure

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 16:53:00 +0000

We're going to Dallas so you won't have to!

The 2011-2012 season of the International Motorcycle Shows has kicked off and they're once again making a stop in Dallas. Since this is the closest venue to Oklahoma on the tour we're planning to head down and get the goods on all the new bikes, gear and industry news we can soak up in three days.

Road trip!

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Best-Of Show this Week

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 20:22:00 +0000

Special Two Wheel Oklahoma Episode for the Holidays

Travel Show Offers Viewers a Special Treat for Thanksgiving

A special edition of Two Wheel Oklahoma will premiere November 23 at 8:30 p.m.

The special show is a best-of episode featuring clips from eight journeys around Oklahoma. Co-hosts, Brad Mathison and Rex Brown, travel the backroads and highways of the Sooner State by motorcycle and share their experiences in a travel journal format. Highlights will include locations such as Arcadia, Watonga, Sapulpa, Spavinaw and many more.
Two Wheel Oklahoma is available on the Cox Channel (HD channel 703 or SD channel 3) on Wednesdays at 8:30 PM with encore showings on Saturdays at 9:30 PM and Sunday mornings at 9:30 AM. Cox subscribers will also have access to watch the show whenever they like using a video-on-demand service.

Husky Moab Wows 'em in Milan

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:18:00 +0000

Steve McQueen Rides Again

Husqvarna rolled out a nifty new concept bike today at the big international motorcycle exhibition in Milano, Italy. The prototype is called MOAB, as in the Utah desert, and fans of On Any Sunday will surely recognize the distinctive Husky color scheme.

The distinctive red and silver tank brought back memories of Malcolm Smith and Steve McQueen riding their Swedish racers around, through and over impossible obstacles.

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Life Beyond the Beeline

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:29:00 +0000

Alternate 75 is the first new episode of Two Wheel Oklahoma produced in 2011. It had been a year since we had shot any video so we decided to stay close to home. When I suggested we explore US-75 towards Okmulgee the response was a collective yawn.

Photo by Travis Edwards

This highway is not typically known for its scenic beauty or sweeping curves. Most of the way through Oklahoma it's pretty darn straight. Especially the section between Tulsa and Okmulgee. In fact, it's called the "Beeline" by the locals due to its boringly linear track.

But what most people don't realize is the old highway is still alive and kicking. It's even an officially recognized Federal highway between Sapulpa and Beggs- and if you keep your eyes peeled you can make it all the way to Okmulgee on old highway 75.

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Backroad to Birch Lake

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 16:22:00 +0000

Local Ride
When you only have time for a quickie.

This is the latest in our series of local rides. If you have a ride you'd like to share contact us.In our fourth episode Brad and I visited Barnsdall, Oklahoma in Osage County. You might remember it as the town with the oil well in the middle of Main Street.

But it turns out that's not the only attraction to see near Barnsdall.
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Urban Cowboy: Aprilia Mana 850

noreply@blogger.com (B Mathison) — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 13:54:00 +0000

Last week I got to spend a few days on the Aprilia Mana 850. This is a unique bike that isn't for everybody- but it's perfect for many.


Italian styling with a twist (and one less lever).

Parla Italiano?
I had to spend a few minutes learning how this Italian motorcycle works before riding off. The basics look pretty simple. Standard bike, with comfortable, sit-up riding position, Brembo brakes and a comfy seat. The Mana uses a trellis style frame with a wheelbase of 55.6". So far, so good. In fact, this looks and feels very similar to the slightly smaller, but more powerful, 750 Shiver that Aprilia has imported here for a couple of years.

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Oklahoma's Smallest Town

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 13:03:00 +0000

Population Trend Looking Grim for Mule Barn

Mule Barn, OK— Times are tough for small towns in Oklahoma.

Corporate farming, foreign oil, offshore manufacturing and more have impacted our rural way of life. Declining populations make it difficult for smaller municipalities to cope- and nowhere is that more evident than Mule Barn, Oklahoma.

Once a thriving community of 3, today Mule Barn's population is 0. A dramatic 300% decrease in only 13 short years. Many people ask themselves: How could this happen?

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Land of the Onion Burger

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 23:46:00 +0000

We headed off to Western Oklahoma looking for Route 66, but found onion burgers.

Windmills near Weatherford

Our sixth installment of Two Wheel Oklahoma featured a stretch of the Mother Road from El Reno to Weatherford, Oklahoma. Along this route we discovered some thriving communities, proud of their history- and their fried onion hamburgers!

The best I can tell the onion burger became popular during the Depression years. Restauranteurs searched for ways to make their expensive meat go further. Onions became a popular choice as filler because they were cheap and helped keep the burger moist. Eventually customers became accustomed to burgers with onion fried in, and the practice continued even after good times returned. Today the city of El Reno holds an annual Onion Burger Day each May and fries up a 700-pound burger. But onion burgers aren't the only thing to see.
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Coming to the Cox Channel this Fall

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 20:52:00 +0000

Two Wheel Oklahoma returns to television!

The show will be available on the Cox Channel three times a week beginning August 31st with a brand new, never-broadcast episode. Cox Cable customers in Oklahoma City and Tulsa areas can watch Two Wheel Oklahoma on channel 3 and HD channel 703. It will also be available through the Video-on-Demand system.

We want to thank our first two sponsors who have made this possible.

Brookside Motorcycles - These guys have been behind the Two Wheel concept since the beginning and are a dealership we believe in.

Corner Cafe - A new sponsor that was excited to be on board. They are located on Route 66 at 11th & Peoria and another at 53rd & Peoria. We have found that they make some of the best breakfasts in Tulsa!

We encourage everybody to drop by both of these businesses and let them know that you appreciate their involvement in keeping Two Wheel Oklahoma alive while we are out looking for more.
For that matter, let Cox know that you enjoy the show.

Now, pull up a couch and come ride along!

Wednesdays 8:30 PM
Saturdays 9:30 PM
Sundays 9:30 AM

Calling All Videos

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 18:31:00 +0000

Wouldn't it be cool if you could share your videos and somebody would show them on TV?

Yeah, we thought so too!

If you have a cool video that's under 5 minutes long and has something to do with motorcycles or Oklahoma or dirigibles or something interesting we'd love to see it. We can't promise anything but you just might see it on TV!

You can send us a link using our snazzy contact form or you can send them to info@twowheelok.com. If your file is larger than a few meg (and they usually are) we suggest using You Send It. It's a free service that allows you to transfer files up to 2 gig for free!

Oklahoma's Roadside Architecture

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 19:48:00 +0000

Notable Design at a Mile a Minute

I see a lot of cool buildings and structures along the highway.

There's probably a higher concentration of unique designs out on the road because of the desire to catch your attention as you whiz past. Some of the most interesting roadside attractions are also the most mundane.

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Ducati Diavel Ride Review

noreply@blogger.com (B Mathison) — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 21:48:00 +0000

I just got back from riding the Ducati Diavel and came back thoroughly pleased and surprised. The good folks in Bologna have been busy (not to mention the complete new Superbike coming out next year). We attended the introduction to the U.S. market of the Diavel while attending the IMS in Dallas and got the scoop on the design idea behind the new model.

The guys down at Ducati of Oklahoma twisted my arm until I took off on one of their newer Ducati models. I suited up and took off with a Ducati Diavel Carbon.
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Ride to Work Day Coverage in Tulsa

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 19:48:00 +0000

Fox 23 in Tulsa covered Ride to Work Day this morning on their Daybreak Show. They invited Brad and I to come up and explain what it's all about.

20th Annual Ride to Work Day

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 13:53:00 +0000

Ride to Work Day is Monday

Motorcycle and scooter riders' 20th annual commuting day is this coming Monday, June 20th.

Riding to work on this day is fun and highlights the positive value of motorcycling.

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