Category Archives: Motorcycle News

Motorcycle News, Riding a Motorcycle in the Rain

Heavy rain ends motorcycle swap meet

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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

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curveroad1MOREHEAD, 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

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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.

Motorcycle News

Motorbike routes and destinations inventory

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motorcycle destinations

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

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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

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motorcycle racing

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

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motorcycle safety

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.

Motorcycle News

Motorcycle fatality rates on rise in Illinois

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motorcycle fatality rate

For a month dedicated to emphasizing awareness and safety, May turned out to be deadly for motorcyclists in central Illinois.

According to data compiled by the Illinois Department of Transportation, motorcycle fatalities in Illinois climbed from 131 in 2010 to 148 in 2012 for the last two years. An increase of 13 percent is very disturbing according to all motorcycle-transportation officials.

Lt. Col. Scott Abbott of the Illinois State Police said it’s hard to peg one specific reason for why more people are dying on motorcycles. One thing analysts do know,  is that more people are riding motorcycles.

The Cause of the Problem is…

Records show that Illinois has seen a 57 percent increase in the number of motorcyclists registered in the state over the past decade.  On average, Illinois sees about 13,000 new motorcyclists each year, which could be at the heart of the problem. Plus many new riders aren’t getting the proper training while most learn bad riding habits from friends and family members. Other leading accident factors include improper lane usage, not negotiating curves correctly and alcohol.

IDOT launched a campaign called “Start Seeing Motorcycles.” However, Abbot believed that one of the most important thing in preventing fatalities is encouraging people to wear the proper gear. The GHSA listed motorcycle helmet laws as the most effective way to prevent motorcyclist fatalities and serious injuries, noting in the report that 706 motorcyclists would have lived nationally in 2010 had they been wearing a helmet.

Also, Abbott believed that training can correct numerous bad habits and misnomers, such as it’s wise to only use the rear brake to avoid flipping the bike. If more motorcyclists were properly trained, it could reverse the troubling trend.

“In the hands of a skilled rider, motorcycles are as safe as any vehicle,” Abbott said. “But the problem is most people are not as skilled as they could be.

To read the original article, CLICK HERE.

Motorcycle News

Firefighter motorcycle club to host ride for Autism Center

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motorcycle ride

SAGINAW, Michigan — Last June 9, local area fire fighters hit the streets for a cause. They ride a motorcycle to help children with Autism attend a Great Lakes Bay Autism Center summer camp at Saginaw Valley State University.The three week camp hosts two sessions for different age groups from ages 5 to 12 and includes visits from local police K-9 units and the fire department.

The Saginaw area Axeman Professional Fire Fighters Motorcycle Club host their annual charity motorcycle ride to raise money for the camp with a poker run and pig roast. The participants with the best and worst poker hands received prizes at the pig roast dinner.

To read the original article, CLICK HERE.

 

Motorcycle News

Rain cancels safety session on motorcycles

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Columbus, Georgia – Rain has canceled a session focusing on safety for motorcycle riders at the National Infantry Museum. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,motorcycle traffic deaths have increased over the last three years.

The Maneuver Center of Excellence was hosting the Motorcycle Mentorship D-day Remembrance safety ride to emphasizes safety, education of Department of the Army and post motorcycle riding policies and tips for new motorcyclists. The event that should coincide with the start of summer riding season was cancelled due to heavy rain.

To read the original post, click HERE.