All posts by Brandon

93 year old gets birthday motorcycle ride

July 9, 2013 Brandon Leave a comment

LAKE CHARLES, LA (KPLC) -One Lake Charles woman decided to make her birthday a memorable one.

Fox 19, shared a news about a 93 year old woman who ditched the cake and ice cream for her birthday celebration. This year

Landry wanted to try something new — a ride on a motorcycle.

When asked, what she’s going to do,she replied “Oh, I’m going to get on a motorcycle and go for a ride! I want to go riding!”.

And that’s exactly what she did.

Landry was the recreational supervisor for Drew Park in Lake Charles for more than 30 years. She has four children, 10 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren.

She loves to watch football, basketball, baseball and she keeps up with politics.

To read the original post, CLICK HERE.

Motorcycle News

Hundreds watch as motorcycle riders race a 180-foot hill

July 8, 2013 Brandon Leave a comment

According to Grand Forks Herald, hundreds visited the pine-lined stretch of the Forest River at the bottom of a steep 180-foot hill last Sunday, July 7, 2013.

RURAL FORDVILLE, N.D. — Hundreds visited this normally-secluded location Saturday for the 14th Annual Eagle Ridge Motorcycle Hillclimb. Crowds gathered in rows of lawn chairs in the shade to watch motorcycle riders attempt to ride their bikes over the hill in the shortest amount of time.

Despite cash prizes awarded to winners in each class, the love of riding is what draws many people, especially riders to this motorcycle event. According to Logan Cipala, a rider, riding is a great stress-relief.

The entire event was made possible by donations from sponsors. Their contributions make up part of the prizes given to winners of the race. But, the additional funds raised in part by the $10 admission fee are usually given to the Fordville Fire Department and ambulance service.

The most honored prize goes to the rider who clocks the fastest climb of the day. Each year’s fastest rider gets his or her name engraved into the Andrew Greicar memorial trophy beside the names of previous years’ winners.

To read the original post, CLICK HERE.

Motorcycle News, Riding a Motorcycle in the Rain

Heavy rain ends motorcycle swap meet

July 5, 2013 Brandon Leave a comment

Reports from Lewiston Sun Journal states that the first annual motorcycle swap meet, hosted by the Dixfield League of Riders at the American Legion, was forced to shut down due to the bad weather.

The swap meet was scheduled for 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., but according to Ed Ellis, director of the Dixfield League of Riders and first vice commander of the local Legion post, they had to shut down early after the rain began coming down harder.

Earlier in the day, outdoor vendors had to fight against sporadic bouts of rain, while selling motorcycle parts on sale. The rain didn’t stop residents from stopping by and checking out the sale while legion members cooked hamburgers and hot dogs for those in attendance. The money raised will be going to the American Legion and the League of Riders.

Shortly after shutting down the swap meet, Ellis said he and the rest of the Dixfield League of Riders would meet to reschedule the event. The event will possibly resume in August so that riders can avoid riding in the rain.

To read the original post, CLICK HERE.

Motorcycle News, Riding a Motorcycle in the Rain

Man killed in Rowan County motorcycle accident

July 4, 2013 Brandon Leave a comment

MOREHEAD, Ky – According to WKYT, a man was killed around 5:30 p.m. after being involved in a motorcycle accident on a dangerous stretch of road in Rowan County last Saturday evening.

State police say 36-year-old Jonathan Elam was riding a motorcycle down US-60 West when he lost control, crossed the center line, struck the guardrail and came to a final rest on the eastbound shoulder.

The Rowan County Coroner pronounced Elam dead at the scene.

Randy Fergeson, who lives just a few yards from where the fatal accident took place, says Saturday’s wet weather may have played a part in the fatal crash. However, he also said that the curve is dangerous regardless of the rain and it would have been avoided if the rider knew that a sharp curve was ahead.

“They don’t have any flashing lights down there and if you don’t know that curve then you’re eventually going to wreck.” he said.

Fergeson hopes this crash will prompt someone to put caution signs around that curve to prevent any future fatal wrecks.

To read the original article, CLICK HERE.

Motorcycle News

Motorcycle culture is alive but evolving in Southern Indiana

July 2, 2013 Brandon Leave a comment

SOUTHERN INDIANA —“I’m a motorcyclist. I’m not a biker,” that was said by Bernie Bartley, 64, of Louisville. According to him, bikers are those people who run around looking like pirates, making a lot of noise and don’t want to wear their helmets.

Maybe he sounds cranky about today’s motorcycle riders but, maybe that’s a right he’s earned. He owns 14 motorcycles, of those, three are licensed for the road, while the rest are now museum pieces that he restored.

On the other hand, Derek Korte, the purchasing and preowned inventory manager at CC Powersports in Clarksville, a biker is someone who’s in search of freedom, who enjoys being outside, being outdoors.

“They enjoy being active, but they like being in control of something other than a car. A motorcycle gives you an amount of freedom where you’re kind of open-air, no cockpit around you and you’re just kind of cruising, man” he added.

Korte has seen all types of riders come through his showroom because CC Powersports is the largest motorcycle dealership in the Louisville metro area. Once upon a time, it billed itself as the largest in the Midwest.

The line between “bikers” and “motorcyclists” has blurred over the years.

ROADS OF SOUTHERN INDIANA

Thanks to its hilly terrain and plenitude of backroads, Southern Indiana may just be the best place in the state to ride.

A popular route is Ind. 211, which begins at an intersection near Elizabeth. Scanlan, Wilkey and Bartley all name it as one of the best roads for riding in the area.

“A lot of people say their favorite roads are the roads that have no paint,” Wilkey said. “So any backroad that’s not been striped, that’s a good road because there’s not a lot of traffic, not a lot of people.”

To read the original post, click HERE.

Riding a Motorcycle in the Rain

Watch Rider Crashes Silly in the Rain

July 1, 2013 Brandon Leave a comment

Autoevolution posted a video of how a rider’s late reaction results to a crash.

When riding a motorcycle the operator must be attentive driver. driver’s late reaction is said to be a key element of a crash. While on the other hand, traffic awareness and properly assessing the road conditions are key elements which allow a rider to stay out of dangerous situations or make the best of the unexpected things happening around him.

Add in the rain to an already dangerous method of transportation and things become really interesting, so to speak. Riding in the rain is very risky and it requires the rider’s full attention. But this does not necessarily mean that a rider would crash… unless something is missing.

To watch the video and read the original post, CLICK HERE.

Motorcycle News

Motorbike routes and destinations inventory

June 27, 2013 Brandon Leave a comment

Winding and undulating roads, hospitality, and butter tarts. Those are prominent items that tourism specialists Chris Hughes and Mike Jacobs were high on during their early-June assessment of motorcycle-destination loops that have been created for Ontario’s Highlands Tourism Organization (OHTO). They were hired last January by OHTO to help develop destination motorcycle routes and their accompanying inventory of motorcycle-friendly accommodations, restaurants and attractions.

Renfrew, Haliburton and Lanark counties are targets for this not-for-profit tourism organization that is mandated to increase tourism in the region.

OHTO manager Nicole Whiting, who works out of Pembroke, said; “Motorcycle touring development is part of OHTO’s destination development plan for 2013”.

BC Hughes Tourism Consultants not only wants to provide destinations for motorcyclists, but destinations that rival the best on the continent and bring bikers from near and far.

Over the entire nine days and more than 3,000 kilometres of biking in the region, Hughes had uncovered numerous hidden gems that all motorcycle enthusiasts must know about.

To read the original post, CLICK HERE.

Motorcycle News

Cross-country Motorcycle Ride for Veterans

June 26, 2013 Brandon Leave a comment

Petaluman Victor Vaz joined the 25th Run for the Wall last May after a friend invited him. About 1,500 participating motorcyclists take to the highway to ride from California to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., to honor fallen or missing-in-action soldiers and to promote healing among veterans and their families.

Vaz was a one-time Elvis impersonator and skydiver said he’s been riding motorcycles ever since he was young. He’s no stranger to adventures but his ride to Washington in honor of veterans, was different — and better — than all the rest.

Some motorcyclists got into accidents along the way and were cared for by medical personnel that accompanied the caravan since the group had to keep riding and couldn’t stop to help.

For Vaz, arriving in the nation’s capitol was the pinnacle of the entire experience. A picture taken at the time shows him overcome with emotion.

“The event, educating people about (soldiers missing in action) definitely opened my eyes,” he said. “I’d never been to the wall, and it reached into your soul, brought out feelings I never knew I had.”

To read the original article, please click HERE.

Motorcycle News

Peters family joined motocross racing

June 24, 2013 Brandon Leave a comment

Since 1977, the Peters family has been connected to the North Dakota Motorcycle Association.

As an assistant principal at Mandan Middle School and NDMA board president, Tom Peters has been going to races all over the state and has won 19 state championships during his career.

However, for the first time in two decades, he has decided to hang up his motorcycle helmet and focus on watching and helping his two sons race.

Tom’s siblings are also involved with motocross racing. His brother, Jim Peters, is a past NDMA member, his sister Rachel Buresh, operates the scoring computer that keeps track of results.

Tom’s sons, Ryan and Daniel, both placed in the top 3 in various events at the motocross races at the Southwest Motocross Association Track. The family has been involved in Dickinson motocross for about 20 years. They made friends during their many years at motocross race and formed bonds with fellow racers.

“The cool thing is that there are a lot of families here,” Jim said. “It’s kind of neat to see families. You’ll see maybe mom or dad riding and a couple kids, or at least a bunch of them cheering them on.”

To read the original post, CLICK HERE.

Motorcycle News

Summer is a Dangerous Season for Motorcyclists

June 20, 2013 Brandon Leave a comment

After the rainy season make way for warmer temperatures in Washington, many motorcyclists are intent on getting back on the road. As soon as the summer season starts, motorcycles flock to the streets to take advantage of the beautiful weather.

But the summer also poses certain safety risks that aren’t necessarily apparent at other times of the year. Most motorcyclists tend to overestimate their own skills after being off the road for months. And drivers, accustomed to having the roads to themselves, may not give motorcyclists the attention they deserve.

The Bernard Law Group is concerned that these circumstances will contribute in the number of motorcycle accidents in the state. Kirk Bernard has seen firsthand the repercussions of such accidents, and he’s dedicated his life not only to assisting victims of motorcycle crashes, but to making sure such incidents never occur in the first place.

The market share of motorcycles has grown because many people are learning how to ride a motorcycle despite their sex, age and background. A recent report from the Insurance Information Institute indicates that the number of registered motorcycles continues to rise, from 8 million in 2009 to 8.2 million in 2010.

With so many people riding motorcycles at any given moment, it’s important that riders take the proper precautions.

To that end, Bernard Law urges all motorcyclists to consider getting motorcycle training, to wear the right equipment or safety gear, to learn how to be visible, to learn how to ride in different weather conditions and to always follow the law.

Following these steps can dramatically improve not only your safety, but the safety of all those you share the road with.

To read the original press release, CLICK HERE.