Today's Bikerbits news

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The information compiled in this newsletter is gathered from news publications on and off line. The information in no way suggests the views of the editor compiling the information; nor is she responsible for the contents. This eZine is just informational containing news from other sources which are credited for the origin.

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Betsy E Lister Founder of Bikerbits.info inducted into the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame 2010

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PLEASE SEND ANY INFORMATION YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE POSTED TO ME AT: GYPSYPASHN@AOL.COM, THANK YOU!

Just a reminder that *bikerbits* will be on vacation from August 4th to August 19th.

HUNTSVILLE, AL -- Alabama State Troopers are out in full force through Friday, but you'll be seeing more motorcycles than cruisers.

As a continuation to the "Take Back our Highways" campaign, 14 troopers on motorcycles are spread out across Madison and Morgan counties ticketing motorists breaking the law.

4 Share Curtis Summerville, a spokesperson for the state troopers office, said troopers are targeting drivers who are following too closely, failing to yield, speeding, not wearing a seat belt and drinking and driving.

"The commanders in north Alabama have gotten together to target areas where we've had a lot of collisions, high speeds and complaints from citizens," Summerville said. In Madison County, that includes Winchester Road, U.S. 431, Alabama 53 and the Wall Triana area.

While the motorcycle troopers are part of an announced campaign, their visit to Huntsville was unannounced, and Summerville said they will definitely be back.

Last year, of all statewide traffic fatalities, 68 percent of the people killed weren't wearing seat belts, Summerville said.

He also added that the trooper crackdown is making a difference as far as fatalities go. There are about 130 less fatalities statewide than there were this time last year, Summerville said. "That's something tangible to see our efforts are being rewarded out there," he said.

The motorcycle detail is not a money-making opportunity for troopers, Summerville added.

"The money generated goes to the Alabama state general fund," he said. "It's meant to change the attitude and behavior toward driving."

The Bakersfield ABATE 40 is requesting you and your friends attend a special ABATE meeting this Monday at 7:00 PM at Magoo's Pizza 5700 Stine Rd. Bakersfield. Special Speakers, Joey Lester and others to address the recent helmet ticket issue, and the legality of Motorcycle targeting safety check stops and other motorcycle issues local, state and federal.   Everybody is welcome, bring the family and friends. Please forward this message to all interested parties. For more info. Omar (661)832-5240 or (661) 900-8690.

  Ride Safe!

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Sleepy and Kat

Thank you,

Robert F. Laurin

Robert F. Laurin

Principal Designer 1

Processes Unlimited International Inc.

5500 Ming Ave. Suite 400

Bakersfield CA. 93309

(661) 885-3126 office

(661) 858-9936 cell

(661) 396-3782 fax

rflaurin@prou.com E-mail

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger poses for photographers during a tour of a motorcycle exhibit at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif. on Wednesday. CAPTIONBy Adam Lau, APWhen California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger toured the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum yesterday, he couldn't help himself. He had to show off the 1991 Indian motorcycle that he rode in one of the Terminator movies.

Schwarzenegger had come to the Simi Valley, Calif., hilltop museum to sign a bill to designate Feb. 6 as Ronald Reagan Day. Elderly former First Lady Nancy Reagan was the special guest.

While he was there, he toured the special exhibit at the museum of famous motorcycles, which range from a 1903 Harley-Davidson to a 2008 MV Agusta. But it also includes a collection of movie motorcycles. They include bikes ridden in films like, the Wild Wild West; Batman and Robin; Star Trek and the World's Fastest Indian. Oh, and Indian cycle that Schwarzenegger himself owns and is lending for the exhibit.

He looked like he was enjoying himself -- the photographers sure loved the occasion -- but he looked a little out of place in a business suit astride the big, tough bike.

Written by Alameda Sun Published: Thursday, 29 July 2010 On July 10, the annual Oakland Police Motorcycle Competition was held at Bob Dron's Harley Davidson Motorcycle dealership on Hegenburger Avenue in Oakland. More than 45 motorcycle officers from as far away as Redding...

APD Officer Dave Ellis with two awards from the Oakland Police Motorcycle Competition. On July 10, the annual Oakland Police Motorcycle Competition was held at Bob Dron's Harley Davidson Motorcycle dealership on Hegenburger Avenue in Oakland.

More than 45 motorcycle officers from as far away as Redding and Ventura County participated in a day long competitive event. Several hundred attendees watched as the officers showcased their skills in safety and in riding. All current makes and models of police motorcycles were present, and the tough course did not favor any specific brand.

Three officers from the Alameda Police Department competed. Officer David Ellis has been with the Alameda Police Department for 14 year and has prior service with the Oakland Police Department for 15 years. For the majority of his career, he has been assigned to the motorcycle units. Ellis is the lead instructor for the police motorcycle schools that are mandatory for incoming traffic officers. Over the years, Ellis has acquired a number of trophies and awards from police motorcycle competitions throughout the state. In 2009, in addition to high-ranking awards from four motorcycle competitions, he was also awarded Alameda Police Department "Officer of the Year."

As a result of Ellis' knowledge and expertise, he was awarded first place in the highly competitive "Top Gun" event, where two officers enter a complex coned-off box and attempt to make each other run out of the course or put a foot down on the pavementt. He also took second overall in the timed obstacle course event.

The Bakersfield Police Department will be conducting a specialized Motorcycle Safety Enforcement Operation on August 1, 2010. Extra officers will be on duty patrolling areas frequented by motorcyclists and where crashes occur. Officers will be cracking down on traffic violations made by motorcyclists as well as other vehicle drivers that can lead to motorcycle collisions, injuries and fatalities.

Motorcycle fatalities have been on the rise in California, increasing 175 percent in the last decade, from 204 killed in 1998 to 560 killed in 2008. Since April of this year two (2) motorcyclists have lost their lives in collisions on Bakersfield roadways.

Factors contributing to motorcycle crashes very often include speeding and impairment due to alcohol and other drugs by motorcyclists. The Bakersfield Police Department is also reminding all motorists to always be alert and watch out for motorcycles, especially when turning and changing lanes.

Another major factor leading to motorcycle crashes is inexperience. Riders, young and old, are encouraged to seek training and safety information. Many people are riding motorcycles without the proper motorcycle license endorsement and without the skills necessary to ride safely.

Rider�s can get training through the California Motorcyclist Safety Program. Information and training locations are available at www.CA-msp.org or 1-877 RIDE 411 or 1-877-743-3411.

Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

I got this last night from Hawthorne PD, but was working the Lennox bondage club killing and didn't realize this was today.

The Hawthorne Police Department, Manhattan Beach Police Department, and Hermosa Beach Police Department will be conducting a specialized Motorcycle Safety Enforcement Operation on Wednesday, July 28th, 2010. Extra officers will be on duty patrolling areas frequented by motorcyclists and where crashes occur. Officers will be cracking down on traffic violations made by motorcyclists as well as other vehicle drivers that can lead to motorcycle collisions, injuries, and fatalities.

Motorcycle fatalities have been on the rise in California, increasing 175 percent in the last decade, from 204 killed in 1998, to 560 killed in 2008. The City of Hawthorne has had 2 fatal motorcycle accidents and 10 motorcycle injury accidents since 2008.

Factors contributing to motorcycle crashes often include speeding and impairment due to alcohol and other drugs by motorcyclists. The Hawthorne Police Department is also reminding all motorists to always be alert and watch out for motorcycles, especially when turning and changing lanes.

Rider's can get training through the California Motorcyclist Safety Program. Information and training locations are available at www.CA-msp.org or 1-877 RIDE 411 or 1-877-743-3411.

Folks, We had some friends do an Iron Butt Ride recently. They completed their 1000 miles in the allotted time so Kudos to them.

The one problem that they did run into was rain. Now they had the proper rain gear but the problem was that it was hot.

Remember, folks, that rain gear does not breathe like normal clothing and you may still get wet - from the inside out. If it is warm and it stops raining your clothes will dry out pretty quickly, but we do recommend having some dry clothes with you, when possible, so that you can be comfortable and your ride more enjoyable.

If you want your event listed, or if you'd like to be featured promoting your ride, then simply send me an email.

Friday Night Event - July 30 Torrington Thunder! RAIN DATE presented by Insurance Works and Trantolo & Trantolo

Main Street Bike Night. $5 per bike, $10 per show bike. We're shutting down Main Street and bringing in some great food, great entertainment by Shovelhead, great prizes and trophies -- all to benefit Torrington DARE. Info: 860-482-9084, or Norm 860-830-1256

TSI in both Ellington and Columbi is sending the cops to the rooftops -- and your contributions are the only way to get them down. So come out, pitch in to get the cops back down to solid ground and help our Special Olympians in the process. It should be a great time! 9-3, TSI 398 Somers Rd Ellington and TSI 8 commerce Dr Columbia.

Red Knights CT 4 8th Annual Charity Ride, to benefit The CT Burns Foundation. Rain or Shine, registration 9-11 am. Ride beginning at Joseph Mellilo Middle School, 67 Hudson St., East Haven, CT and ending at Guilford Firemans Field, Long Hill Rd., Guilford, CT. $25/Bike, $35/ with rider, $10 for walk-ins. Police escorted ride with food, music, vrendors, raffles, and bike show. Info contact Chuck at 203-627-2023 or www.redknightsct4.com.

Folks, this week we'll be starting at one of our sponsor locations -- Brother's Harley Davidson, 557 West Main Street, Branford, CT. This ride takes us on some of our great back roads and will hopefully be enjoyable for you.

From Brother's, go right on rte 1 for a short distance, then left onto North Branford Rd (rte 139). Take a right onto Foxon Rd (rte 80 east). Then ride to the next rotary and grab rte 81 (3rd exit off rotary). Travel about 5 miles then take a right onto Beaver Meadow Rd with will turn into Jail Hill Rd. From there, take a right onto Saybrook Rd (rte 154), turn left onto Bridge Rd (rte 82) and follow to the intersection of rte 85 and take a right. Ride for about 15-29 miles and then take a right onto Cross Rd which then become Spithead Rd (unique street name) then take a right onto Rope Ferry Rd and end where the food is great and the sunsets are among the best around -- Sunset Ribs.

PS: Sorry, folks, this route defies our little map representation. So, just go for the adventure!

HEADS UP! if we publish your ride, we will send you a $50 gift certificate to the dealership of your choice.

The Bar-B's: 'Heartbreak' Melinda Galiano, Jupiter; 'Purple Haze' Denise Taylor, Lake Worth; 'DoubleD' Donna McKee, Loxahatchee; 'Grey Guse' Gail Clark, Boynton Beach, and 'Tuck-n-Roll' Kristin Groleau, Boynton Beach. (Thomas Cordy / Palm Beach Post) Denise Taylor goes around the table air-kissing her three girlfriends before sitting down for their weekly lunch at the Cheesecake Factory at CityPlace in West Palm Beach.

�Hello, dawling,� Denise says, setting down her Coach bag just as Melinda Galiano is finally off her cellphone. �Cute shirt!�

Melinda wags her head and flips her hair over her bare-shoulder designer blouse, a bling-bling watch sparkling to match the blinding rock on the ring finger of her left hand. Denise�s own Brighton bracelets jangle as she waves hello.

Gail Clark and Kristin Groleau are chatting � all hands, mind you � across the table as Kristin punches information into a BlackBerry that seems surgically attached to her left hand. It�s no surprise they all call her the �secretary� of their little social group, the Bar-Bs.

Today, as on most days, the topic du jour is the same: When are they going out for their next motorcycle ride?

Forget what you�ve heard about women riding on the back of hogs. These four women are the new eye-lined, lip-sticked and powdered face of women motorcyclists. Think Sex and the City meets Sons of Anarchy.

It wasn�t long ago that a woman looked Melinda up and down, from her Gucci loafers to her perfectly coiffed golden hair and asked, �You ride a motorcycle?�

Yes, she does. And so do an increasing number of well-off 40- and 50-something-year-olds, who�ve mirrored the independence they�ve found at the helm of a motorcycle in their personal lives. Since 2003, the number of women bikers has gone up from 9.6 percent to 12.3 percent in 2008, the last year for which statistics are available, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council, a national nonprofit that promotes motorcycling.

These women didn�t get into riding to keep up with their husbands or boyfriends. It�s an adventure of their own.

�I don�t want him to ride,� Kristin said of her long-time partner and the father of her 2-year-old. �He�s too dangerous behind the wheel of a car, as it is.�

Oh, there is still a rough-and-tumble nature to bikers. The Bar-Bs, officially, are a �group� not an organized �club,� which has all sorts of fraternity-like requirements such as never riding alone or never riding without wearing your �colors.� Those offenses can still end in bar fights, the women say.

So call them a club at your own risk, but note this about the Bar-Bs: They�re all about the matching T-shirts and cute nicknames. Kristin, the former dirt bike rider, is Tuck & Roll Bar-B. Denise, who always wears something purple, is Purple Haze Bar-B. Gail is Grey Guse Bar-B, and keeps a teddy bear holding a bottle of Grey Goose on the back of her chopper. And Melinda is Heartbreak Bar-B. (The reason why should be withheld, they all agreed).

�People have the wrong picture in their minds,� Melinda said, adding that they all make sure to wear their wedding bands whenever they ride or enter a bar.

Instead, theirs truly is a sisterhood of traveling choppers. They have ridden all over the country at the helm of their bikes and always keep tabs on each other.

When Gail and her boyfriend rode the Hoka Hey run � 8,142 miles over 13 days from Key West to Alaska � Melinda texted her incessantly to check up on her. She sent Gail off with the blessed, crystal rosary Melinda�s godfather had brought back from the Vatican during a military tour of duty in the 1960s.

It was Gail�s boyfriend who presided over the wedding of Melinda and her husband, Gary . And Melinda and Denise met their husbands at the same bike night and were married three years ago, one month apart.

�We�re like sisters,� Melinda said. �I know if something happened to me, my friends would take care of everything.�

Denise, 51, grew up in Fort Lauderdale watching her father ride motorcycles. But he never taught her to ride or even let her onto the back of his bike. For years, after meeting her husband at bike night, she rode on the back of his motorcycle on long rides.

She guesses there are dozens of cellphone pictures from stunned drivers who caught her reading a book on the back of his motorcycles on a ride to Minnesota.

Gail, 54, grew up in New Hampshire, the tomboy of four sisters, playing a host of sports. Her mother successfully sued the school board before Title IX to get her daughter on the school soccer team.

She used to ride to California and back on the back of her ex-husband�s motorcycle every summer, but never wanted to take the reins herself because she was the mother of two young boys.

�I had two boys and just didn�t feel it was the responsible thing for me to ride,� she said. �So I waited.�

With her sons grown, she got her license at age 47, seven years ago. Today, the owner of a pest control company, she still prefers a comfortable Salty Dog Saloon T-shirt and shorts instead of a frilly dress or skirt. And she still is a formidable golfer, with a 14 handicap.

Melinda, 56, had been a Manhattan restaurateur, who grew up going to the New York Metropolitan Opera House and was on a first-name basis with the staff at Ferragamo � until her divorce. She said she lost everything and moved to Florida to live with her parents, starting over as a commercial real estate broker at age 45.

Her image of bikers was like most people�s � hard-living, rough-around-the-edge free spirits with no responsibilities � until she went to drop off a gift for Toys for Tots as part of a motorcycle-ride fundraiser.

She was skittish around what looked like �5 miles of motorcycles� gurgling up the road until she ran into a banker she knew who, instead of his three-button suit, was wearing his riding leathers.

He persuaded her to go to bike night at a local bar. Melinda was overwhelmed by how friendly the people were � a shock to a native Queens girl, she says.

�That�s what everybody thinks. That it�s dirt bags and guys with guns, and it�s not,� Kristin added.

Eventually, at that very bar, on a bike night, Melinda handed a new friend a $4,000 check for a used motorcycle as those around her clapped and hooted and hollered.

�You would�ve thought I�d just been offered a scholarship to Cambridge,� said Melinda, who carries a compact in her bike�s saddlebags.

Kristin, 39, a Boynton Beach native, has been riding motorcycles since she was 5. The exhaust of her first bike, a Honda Trail 70 dirt bike, is displayed like polished chrome artwork on one wall in her home. But she didn�t own a bike for years as an adult.

�I got tired of going to pick up men on bikes just so I could ride on the back,� she said. �I loved going out on a bike, but depending on someone else got so old.�

Now, they ride on the weekends and in charity rides. �Bikers, they are the most charitable, wonderful people,� said Melinda, who organizes several charity events locally. Mostly, they ride for the feel of freedom they say you can only experience on a motorcycle.

�Only a biker understands why your dog sticks its head out the window,� Gail said.

And at every stop, the fab four help the image of women motorcycle riders go biker chick to biker chic.

�The old image of motorcycles � Gail said, with Melinda finishing her thought, � is gone.�

Hank Young's motorcycle and hot rod shop tucked behind a residential Marietta neighborhood once buzzed with the clatter of building choppers, the stretched-out, chromed-out rough cousins of the motorcycle family.

More business news Rise of the machines: Coke bets on Freestyle growth Is the American chopper riding into the sunset? Banker Gordon Teel awash in lawsuits M&A no longer MIA in Georgia Mortgage help for homeowners Delta Air Lines news, links Coca-Cola Co. news Health Care Reform coverage Read Henry Unger's Biz Beat blog Young Choppers & Hot Rods is quieter now. Young has taken to changing oil on motorcycles, doing repairs and rehabbing vintage cars. He once employed four workers, but now it's just him and a part-timer. Retro-look choppers sit in the lobby as reminders of rich times only a few years ago.

"The heyday is over," Young said on a recent steamy July morning. "It's back to reality. Everybody's struggling. A lot of guys are going out of business."

Once bolstered by in-your-face reality TV shows, ample disposable income and big personalities like Jesse James and Kid Rock, the American chopper industry has seen sales decline, customers disappear and shops close in Georgia and around the country. Potential customers have hunkered down to wait out an uncertain economy.

"Everybody's having a tough time right now," said Don Parkinson, co-owner of Bikers Dream of Atlanta, which opened in 1996. The motorcycle dealership, actually located in Alpharetta, sold about 275 bikes in its peak year of 2002, when guys -- they are mostly guys -- would plunk down $25,000 or more for tricked-out rides.

This year, Parkinson said his sales team might sell fewer than 100 motorcycles. His staff has shrunk from 17 to seven.

"The type of bikes we have, these are not necessities," said Parkinson, who said the bike downturn started at least three years ago. "They're higher-priced products. They're luxury items."

Biker lore holds that the American chopper dates to sometime after World War II and into the 1950s , when American servicemen returned to their garages and started modifying bikes, removing parts and lightening the load on the frame to create "bobbers." Then things started getting extreme.

The distinctive chopper look came to encompass a range of stylistic touches such as long wheelbases that can stretch to nine feet, large tires, skinny gas tanks, massive power plants, low-riding profiles and prodigious amounts of eye-aching chrome. The prices: anywhere from $23,900 to $120,000 for a new bike.

"There�s no end to the detail you can put into it, the level of customization," said Ty van Hooydonk, director of product communications for the Irvine, Calif.-based Motorcycle Industry Council.

As choppers grew in popularity, mainstream manufacturers got in on the act with bikes that borrowed elements of chopper styling, with names like the Suzuki Intruder, Honda Rune, Yamaha Raider, Victory Vegas Jackpot and Honda Fury.

About five years ago, choppers were rumbling out of shops as fast as doctors, dentists and construction workers could hand over their money. Young turned his hobby into a living and incorporated as Young Choppers & Hot Rods after building an acclaimed retro bike called the Flying Pan in 2002. He appeared on a reality television show called "Biker Build-Off" and started reaping the perks of minor celebrity.

A local dealer outfitted him with a truck and a gaudy 40-foot trailer. Diners began to recognize him in restaurants. He turned business away unless customers gave him the freedom to make bikes in his preferred retro styling. He might ask them what their favorite colors were, but then choose different ones. Young collected $10,000 deposits for bikes that would eventually sell for several times that sum. He delivered one bike to the Sturgis Rally to a client who had ordered it sight unseen.

A sign in his shop still advises potential clients that Young builds bikes his way, with your money.

"That was the way it was," Young said. "Not anymore. But for a while, it was like, �I hope you like it!'"

Exact sales figures for the chopper segment are hard to come by. But statistics from the Motorcycle Industry Council show a dramatic drop in sales of new on-highway motorcycles, of which choppers are one type. New motorcycle sales dropped to 358,000 last year, down 41 percent from 2008. In 2006, by comparison, 681,000 new on-highway motorcycles changed hands.

"That was the high-water mark," said Robin Diedrich, a St. Louis-based analyst with Edward Jones. But 2006 also showed serious trouble in the real estate market, with housing prices dipping and sales slowing.

The consequent evaporation of wealth has eroded demand for choppers and other expensive toys such as boats and recreational vehicles. Motorcycles are vulnerable to a pullback in demand, because most riders use them for recreation rather than just for transportation.

"We know it's not going to turn around before the end of the year," said John Nasi, director of marketing and dealer development at Wichita-based Big Dog Motorcycles, the biggest manufacturer of custom motorcycles. "[But] we're poised to maintain and stay in this marketplace."

In 2004 and 2005, Big Dog churned out about 6,000 bikes per year. This year, it will build fewer than 1,000. The company has laid off scores of factory workers and managers.

In the first six months of this year, sales of on-highway motorcycles totaled 181,500, according to the motorcycle council. The travails of the chopper category mirror the overall problems of the U.S. motorcycle industry.

"This has just been a dreadful couple of years," said Morningstar analyst Phil Gorham. "Industry demand just fell off a cliff maybe two years ago."

Bikers Dream is trying to compensate for the sales decline with service work. On a recent visit, the dealership's repair shop was stocked with used bikes of all descriptions, including those with fat rear tires, painted-on flames and one with a Bob Marley portrait on the gas tank.

"We still do a pretty strong business in servicing," said Parkinson. "We're trying to do more."

Hank Young of Young Choppers still has two customers, both in Italy, who order the occasional custom-built motorcycle. That trailer with the lights and speakers is long gone, sold off as Young sensed trouble.

Things are so rough in the motorcycle industry that Harley-Davidson's 20 percent drop in first-quarter U.S. sales was actually better than the overall industry. Bike analysts warn of a "consumer reset," and voice fears that the industry won't get back to its former size for a long time, if ever. The industry suffered an 8 percent volume drop in the second quarter.

With unemployment in the U.S. hovering close to 10 percent, "it is likely to be several quarters before consumers again feel confident to make high-ticket purchases," Gorham wrote recently in a note to investors.

Diedrich said one major problem for motorcycle companies is that first-time customers, who in years past might be counted on to buy cheaper bikes, have been battered by stagnant wage growth and unemployment. They are holding back on purchasing bikes. Meanwhile, long-time riders are hanging onto their bikes longer without trading them in. That dampens demand.

"In the U.S., we're looking for a down year this year and maybe low single-digit growth in 2011," she said.

Young said he doesn't believe the chopper business will ever return to the red-hot days of the mid-2000s.

July 31 Adairsville, GA. Cruisers for Christ 7th Annual Benefit Ride. Register 8:30am at NorthPoint Church on Orchard Road. Ride departs 10am. Benefits Hands and Feet Ministries and Bartow Christmas Coalition. $25 per bike (includes lunch & raffle ticket)/Two-Up $30 (includes 2 - lunch & raffle tickets). Free t-shirts to first 100 registered. Fred Painter 770-773-7732 or Jim Payne 770-773-7435.

July 31 Alpharetta, GA. 2nd Annual Pancake Run. Supporting an Air Borne Infantry Rifle Company in Afghanistan. From 4pm-7:30pm at The Original Pancake House, 5530 Windward Parkway. Riders get T-shirt, promo coupons from sponsors and local restaurants, opportunity to win $150+ in gift cards and prizes; all you can eat pancakes at end of the ride. Sign up at www.originalpancakhouse.org

July 31 Altoona, AL. 278 Custom Cycle Customer Apprecation. 9am to 2pm. Door Prizes, Music by Alleyway, free Dales BBQ, store specials and vendors. Contact customs278@hopper.net

July 31 Canton/Marietta, GA. 3rd Annual Clermont Lounge Run. Leaving out of Bodock�s Bar & Grill, 150 Riverstone Pkwy in Canton and Mulligan�s, 698 Roswell St in Marietta. Come see a piece of history before it�s gone. Call 770-704-7001 or 770-499-1137.

July 31 Canton, GA. Tough Love Cycles Grand Opening Party. Noon til ? with free food, music, hot women (maybe) and 20% off parts ordered day of event. 1061 Marietta Road. Call 770-720-0217.

July 31 Cleveland, TN. Dixie Dogs & Cats Poker Run . Register 10am-12 noon at Pokey's, Sahara Drive. FBO 11am/LBI 4pm. $20 for 3 hands and a cool T-shirt, $10 for one hand. Benefits Dixie Day Spay, a low-cost spay/neuter clinic for cats/dogs. Call Betti Gravelle 423-618-2101 or visit dayspay@dixiedogsandcats.org .

July 31 Cochran, GA. 7th Annual Middle Georgia Bikers Benefit Run. Benefits ABC Women's Client and The Empire Pentecostal Holiness Church Ministries. Register 8:30am at 101 Church Street. $25 per person includes BBQ meal. Departs 10:15am. Live music, bike contest, silent auction and more. Pre-register by July 16 and receive free t-shirt and more. Visit www.middlegeorgiabikers.com or call 478-875-2096.

July 31 Newnan, GA. Inaugural Public Safety & Military Appreciation Day. Come to Great South H-D for a day of vendors, food, drinks, and band. All Public Safety branches will be represented. Email joe@greatsouthhd.com

July 31 Ozark, AL. Rolling Thunder IV. Benefits American Cancer Society. 150 bikes /150 miles. Reg. 7:30-9:50am at Ozark Travel Park, 2414 N US 231. $20 bike/$5 passenger includes lunch. Departs 10am. Call Brent 334-983-1511 or e-mail brent@brownproducts .com. Visit www.ozarktravelpark.com

July 31 Talladega, AL. March of Dimes Bikers for Babies Ride to Talladega Super Speedway. Gateway rides leaving Birmingham, Dothan, Gadsden, Huntsville, Mobile, Montgomery and Shoals. Visit www.bikersforbabiesal.org for info on gateway rides or register day of event at Talladega Super Speedway. Call 256-627-7175.

Thank you readers, who took the time to read Jim Meehan's story, and the time to contact me asking "HOW YOU COULD HELP"!

Right now there's a call into Harley Davidson put in by Joe OBorney from Illinois to see if possibly there's a way they could assist us in this. I also contacted the Chief of the Bangor Police on Facebook after I received a request from him to be his friend! Sent him the story... trying to get a rise from him as he is a lot closer to Jim.

And right now, there are people either willing to put on a fundraiser or there are people willing to send money to a fund... and this does our heart good!

Again, there will be no bikerbits for the next couple of weeks.... but upon return, I hopefully will have some GOOD NEWS... stay tuned faithful readers!

With the current uproar over the Two Bills (LD 1675 and LD 1642) I feel I need to address some issues about this.

We are working as diligently as we can to resolve these issues. The main issue is a misinterpretation of the intent of the law, most specifically LD 1642 which deals with amplification. This section pertains to ALL MOTOR VEHICLES.NOT JUST MOTORCYCLES. Anything different is profiling and discriminatory.

It will not help our cause to bash Legislators, Law Enforcement, or opponents in our endeavor to resolve this dilemma. Please do not throw out all the work that has been done by flying off the handle and giving all motorcyclists a bad name to fuel the fires. DO NOT boycott the Toy Run. Instead make it the biggest toy run ever.

We have long maintained that there were adequate laws on the books to address this problem and with the minute section about amplification being changed it has opened what should have been a small ripple into a major quagmire. What we had anticipated as a tapering in with the change of the inspection sticker display has become an urgent �do it now� item.

This has been coming for many years and there have been people involved with United Bikers of Maine and the Maine Motorcyclists Political Action Committee that have been dealing with this for ten years. If you are, all of a sudden, in an uproar that your rights have not been being protected, where have you been during all of these hearings?

There are many avenues being worked on by many different people. Please let this process work. The problem did not happen overnight, so don�t think it will disappear that way either.

US Army WWII Veteran Harry L. "Toot" Knox, 85,   Port Charlotte, Fl formally of Malden, MA 4 Aug. '10

-----------------------

    The family of Harry "Toot" Knox has asked that we be present at the funeral of their loved one.

    Harry served in the US Army during WWII.

------------

    There will be a grave side service only

    Date: Wednesday 4 August 2010

    at:    Forestdale Cemetary
        150 Forest St
        Malden, MA 02148

    http://tinyurl.com/26t6uy8

    Staging time/location: TBA

    For planning purposes, the service is schedules for 10 AM

    Ride Captain: Grace Washburn   nermal1@comcast.net

    Final details will be posted as soon as they are finalized.

Saturday July 31st
We are leaving the dealership at 9am and heading to Parkers Maple Barn in Mason, NH

Sunday August 1st
We are leaving the dealership at 8:30am and heading to the Multi Chapter Memorial Ride hosted by the South Shore HOG Chapter.

Keith O'Reilly
Boston HOG Chapter
Treasurer

NASHUA � For military veterans, coming home can be both joyous and difficult, especially for the thousands who come home permanently injured.

For those veterans, Home for Our Troops offers not only a home, but also the first steps toward a new life. Homes for Our Troops helps severely injured military veterans by building specially adapted homes that provide maximum freedom of movement and the ability to live more independently. Since 2005, HFOT has built 42 homes and renovated nine others in 31 states, with another 28 projects currently under construction.

For the seventh consecutive year, 15 Texas Roadhouse restaurants in New England are partnering with Nashua and Manchester Harley-Davidson and Dirico Motorcycles to host a motorcycle ride and Harley raffle to benefit Homes for Our Troops. The event will be on Sunday beginning at the Texas Roadhouse in Nashua and ending at the Manchester Harley-Davidson.

The bike run comes with a breakfast and lunch provided by Texas Roadhouse, live entertainment, raffles and more.

Registration is from 8-10 a.m. Riders will depart the Texas Roadhouse in Nashua at 10:30 and arrive at Manchester Harley-Davidson at 12:30 p.m. for lunch and a concert that will last until 3:30. Registration is $30 per driver and $20 per passenger, and can be purchased at www.homes forourtroops.org/bikerun or at the start location. Those not able to ride can join the riders at the finish for lunch and the concert for $20.

Five years ago, the state of New Hampshire passed a helmet law. No, not that kind of a helmet law -- not a motorcycle helmet requirement. It was a bicycle helmet law: Riders under 16 must wear protective headgear when riding on public ways.

In earlier debate on the legislation, someone mentioned it would be good to expand it to skateboarders under 16, recalls Steve Wade, executive director of the Brain Injury Association of New Hampshire. But that proposal went nowhere. Wade said it was tough enough just mustering support for protecting young bicyclists; it took two or three years to win legislative approval.

Still, Wade sees an expanded helmet law, combined with a continued educational campaign on safety, as another tool to reduce the number of young people with brain injuries. And he said he would not be surprised to see some legislation proposed in the next year or two as a result of work by the New Hampshire Sports Concussion Advisory Council.

As he travels the state, he sees skate park after skate park where participants are not wearing helmets. Some of the parks have signs that indicate helmets are required, but "that's almost never enforced," Wade said.

Riders and skateboarders are getting the message, though they may not be heeding the advice. Anthony Gavell, 21, of Laconia, said he sustained a few concussions when he was younger and a physician warned him to wear a helmet or potentially suffer a long-term brain injury.

Taylor Clark, 14, with the Waterville Valley Skateboard Camp, falls while skateboarding with a helmet at the Skatepark in Concord. (THOMAS ROY) "You're not invincible," he said. "You have to take the right precautions if you're going to do the sports that you're going to do."

Yet even though he said wearing protective gear has become more second-nature since his doctor's warning, Gavell was not wearing a helmet recently while riding his bike at the Adam Curtis Skateboard Park in Manchester.

Recreation directors around the state strongly recommend that people using municipal skate and ride facilities use proper safety equipment.

The Milford Skate Park at Keyes Field initially implemented a helmet requirement, but that has since become a recommendation, said Milford Recreation Director Nicole Banks. "It's a skate-at-your-own-risk facility," she said.

Barry Foley, recreation director for the city of Portsmouth, said it seems to him that more young riders and skateboarders are wearing helmets. Portsmouth's skate park at the Greenleaf Recreation Center has a rule that participants must wear helmets at all times, but the park is not staffed and the rule is not enforced.

State law offers municipal and school facilities some liability protection when it comes to skateboarding, rollerblading, and biking. Under RSA 507-B:11, if such a facility permits such use without charge, they "shall not be liable for personal injury or property damage resulting from the person's participation in such activity, in the absence of gross and wanton negligence."

►Click here to view more skateboarding and biking images from Union Leader photographer Thomas Roy.

The law requiring boys and girls under 16 to wear bicycle helmets when riding on a public way is covered under the traditional Rules of the Road statute. A person found in violation of the chapter is subject to a maximum $35 fine for each occurrence.

State Rep. Phyllis Katsakiores, R-Derry, who for years fought for the youth bicycle helmet law before it won approval, said the concern among police officers was the challenge of trying to enforce such laws. Education remains an important step in promoting public safety, both for bicyclists and skateboarders wearing helmets, she said.

Wade, at the Brain Injury Association, said that balanced legislation can be one more tool to promote public safety. He said that having a helmet law for young riders supports parents, in that they can inform their children that they must wear a helmet because it is the law.

"Legislation can only take you so far," he said. "Ultimately, the parents are really the ones in the driver's seat."

ASHEVILLE � The pancakes were a welcome sight for about 15 sore Marines passing through town on the way back to Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville.

The Marines were in Western North Carolina for a four-day motorcycle training exercise that took them to Brevard, Robbinsville and here. Volunteers from Covenant Community Church and Skyland UMC were on hand to send about 15 Marines off on their ride back to Eastern North Carolina with full bellies.

The safety program is aimed at reducing the number of injuries or deaths suffered by novice riders. All Marines who own a motorcycle at Camp Lejeune are required to go through the safety program.

�We just wanted to show our support to these guys for what they do for our country,� said Daniel Hinson. �It truly has been a complete blessing to us. You start out wanting it to be a blessing for the guys but it turns out to always be a blessing for us.�

The breakfast food was provided by The Tastee-Diner in West Asheville. About 35 volunteers circulated among three tables, serving scrambled eggs, pancakes, biscuits and grits.

�It's not good to have a guy survive a year over there (in the war zone),� and then come back here and get injured by riding too fast on a bike, said Paul Hollingsworth, a tactical specialist with the 8th Marine Regiment based at Camp Lejeune. He is in charge of the motorcycle safety training on base and also organized the trip.

To own a motorcycle in North Carolina, all people have to do is go to the Division of Motor Vehicles to get a motorcycle driver endorsement and take a motorcycle safety course at a community college. Marines take additional safety classes and a basic riding course on base.

Area Veterans of Foreign Wars groups have made the Marines' trek through the mountains less expensive than it otherwise would be. The group in Brevard provided a meal and shelter and the Robbinsville group organized a nice surprise, too: The Sheriff's Department escorted the posse through town to the VFW grounds, where they camped out for the night.

Although the four-day trip partnered more experienced drivers with novices, even the more experienced riders learned something new. Lance Corp. Jason Granzow has been riding a motorcycle for four years, and four days on the motorcycle has left him quite sore. But he appreciates the trip because he's gained some valuable experience.

�You really need to know your limits and how far you can push yourself,� he said, �because if you don't feel comfortable, you are not in the right mindset. You're can make rash decisions and you will mess up and potentially hurt others.�

The founder of a national fast food chain became one of the more famous Pennsylvania residents involved in a motorcycle accident.

The founder the national pretzel franchise, Auntie Annie�s, Anne Beiler suffered a concussion, broken collarbone, broken rib, and abrasions to her face after a motorcycle accident on Saturday.

�If I didn't have my helmet on, I wouldn't be here," Beiler told Lancaster online yesterday.

The accident came after a local ride with friends to have dinner and after another short trip, desert. But approximately a mile from her home Beiler hit an oil slick, was unable to retain control and crashed her motorcycle in Salisbury Township.

The accident comes after thirty-one years of riding a motorcycle and not long after completing a 3,000 mile road trip that had the pretzel franchise founder and her husband ride to Florida, Tennessee and Virginia, all with no mishaps.

Lancaster-based Auntie Anne's is the largest franchiser of hand-rolled soft pretzels, with more than 1,000 locations worldwide.

The accident won�t keep her off a motorcycle though with Beiler planning to get back in the saddle as soon as her injuries heal.

"My husband and I just thoroughly enjoy it," she said in an interview with Lancaster online, "It was just an accident, a fluke thing."

NANTICOKE � Urging motorcyclists to put safety first and take free training courses as part of a motorcycle safety campaign, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is driving home the point with a new motorcycle safety video documentary.

click image to enlargeMary Novotnak of Freeland maneuvers her motorcycle around the parking lot as instructor Harry Salmon keeps watch Tuesday.

Select images available for purchase in the Times Leader Photo Store ON THE NET Visit www.pamsp.com for more information on the Motorcycle Safety Program and to enroll in a course. State motorcyclists, their friends and family members tell their own stories in the documentary, which debuted Wednesday at www.LiveFreeRideAlive.com.

�The Live Free, Ride Alive campaign is a major component of PennDOT�s efforts to reduce motorcycle crashes and fatalities on Pennsylvania roadways,� PennDOT Secretary Allen D. Biehler said in a press release.

In addition to the documentary, the website offers other resources, including sections on motorcycle gear and upkeep, rider tips and information about popular motorcycle routes in the Keystone State.

Riders can also enhance their driving skills and safety awareness by taking free training courses offered locally at Luzerne County Community College through PennDOT�s Motorcycle Safety Program.

Certified rider coaches Harry Salmon of Kingston and Walt Lansberry of Nanticoke led students through exercises in an LCCC parking lot Tuesday evening.

�A rider who never sat on a bike, we get them riding in under an hour,� Lansberry said.

Larry Golden, 39, of Sweet Valley, said Tuesday was his first time on a motorcycle as an adult, adding that his wife, Melanie, who also is taking the course, has been talking about learning to ride for the past 10 years.

�It�s better than trying to learn it by yourself. You have somebody watching over you. It�ll definitely improve your safety on the road,� Golden said.

Inside the college�s Educational Conference Center, Jason Wasmanski of Kingston taught another group of students about strategies for riding safely.

�We teach them about the types of motorcycles, controls on a motorcycle, scenarios on the road, how we would mitigate risks and, in general, the basics of motorcycling,� he said.

The courses are free to state residents and go from March through October at about 70 sites across the state. Motorcycle permit holders who successfully complete the course will be issued a motorcycle license.

The 15-hour Basic Rider Course consists of five hours of in-class instruction and 10 hours of practical riding experience under the watchful eyes of certified rider coaches. The course is a comprehensive safety and skills overview that provides valuable training for new riders.

It�s also helpful to more experienced riders, allowing them to polish their skills and recognize any unsafe habits they might have picked up. Motorcycles and helmets are provided for students taking the basic course.

A free, six-hour Experienced Rider Course is available to riders who completed the basic course; it helps refresh their safety knowledge and hone their skills on a riding range under the guidance of certified rider coaches.

Students taking the Experienced Rider Course must provide their own motorcycle and helmet.

July 30 CHROME DRIVE LIVE w/ Alice in Chains Tribute Band	Friday � 7:00pm - 10:00pm

Location	Harley-Davidson of Greenville / Quaker Steak and Lube 30 Chrome Drive Greenville, SC

Created By	Harley-Davidson of Greenville

More Info	Miss Chrome Drive Preliminary Bikini Contest at 7:30pm Alice in Chains Tribute Band- Jar of Flies will start at 8pm 15% off all Licensed Harley-Davidson Apparel, from 6-10pm

Monday Bike Night	August 2 � 3:00pm - 9:00pm

Location	Law Brothers Cycles 717 US Highway 62 Wolfforth, TX

Created By	Law Brothers Custom Motorcycles

More Info	Law Brothers Cycles and Leathers & Lace are teaming up for Monday Bike Night. Family Friendly Fun, Free Hot Dogs, Oil Change Specials and More.

2011 MOTORCYCLES

FINANCING

FIND A DEALER

Check out the new CVO� models, and upgrades including optional ABS on most Softail� models and a Twin Cam 103� PowerPak option on select Touring models. And that's just the beginning. With a range of bikes starting at $7,999*, the new lineup has something for everyone.

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THE 2011 SUPERLOW�

For balanced handling, comfort and connection with the road.

SWING A LEG OVER IT

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THE 2011 XR1200X�

Begging to be put away dirty after some good, clean fun.

RIDE IT HARD

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THE 2011 ROAD GLIDE� ULTRA

Packed to the shark-nosed gills with
features for an ultra plush ride.

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2011 MOTORCYCLES

PARTS & APPAREL

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MY PROFILE

*Prices listed are the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Prices. Excludes taxes, license, registration, options, freight and dealer prep. Dealer prices may vary.

(1) My husband has two adult sons from his first marriage. Their mom was an addict and "abandoned" the family when the boys were 5 and 18 months. So my husband was the primary parent.

Come my husband's birthday, Father's Day and Christmas, the older son/daughter-in-law do not give my husband anything, except a card, if I send them an e-mail reminder -- otherwise they bring nothing. The younger son does give gifts to his dad. To me, it's a slap in the face not to give your father a token gift. This couple has no problem taking the generous gifts from my husband. My husband says, "It doesn't bother me, I'm a giver not a taker," as his default defense. My husband DID confide in me once that he is ashamed his boy turned out to be a "taker." Hubby will not tell him this. He does not want to "estrange" the son he sees only several times a year.

It bothers me to no end that this son isn't grateful to his father for his sacrifice.

(2) My husband is addicted to motorcycles. He was when I met him (we've been together six years). If he were single, he'd use all of his five vacation weeks to travel the country on his motorcycle. He and I take about two weeks of "together" vacations. His other weeks, he rides while I stay home.

He encourages me to use these weeks to visit friends and family, but I resent being shoved aside for his motorcycle trips. Every January we get into unpleasant discussions as he starts mapping out this year's trips. When I protest, he gets angry that I'm trying to keep him "from enjoying his passion for riding."

I used to ride with him sometimes, but back and neck problems prevent me from continuing. I did not enjoy that mode of travel much anyway.

If I could, I'd sentence you to five minutes a day of writing down your blessings, until it kills your impulse to fuss over whatever isn't going exactly as you'd like.

Your husband's motorcycle passion? You are trying to keep him from enjoying it. Cut it out.

I understand wanting to share your vacations, I do. But you married someone who loves riding, loved it before you loved each other. He cut back to make room for you: three weeks biking solo, 49 weeks with you.

Where you see a threat, I see an ally: Biking keeps the guy you love happy. It keeps a part of him alive, too -- a big part of the whole person you fell for. Embrace that.

It's not your place to change him anyway -- but you can change the way you respond to him. Meaning: Get out there and make something of your three weeks already.

As for the "ungrateful" son? Prodding him hasn't worked. Prodding your husband to get upset hasn't worked. Your pride in his history is sweet, as is your desire to win him his due -- but it stops being sweet when you stir up something that the principals themselves have decided to leave at rest. "Several" visits annually are what this son has to give. Accept them warmly, please.

The Olympics could take on a whole new motorcycle meaning with a recent agreement and sponsorship announcement.

None other than the BMW Group will be the Official Mobility Partner of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) from now through 2016. BMW Group will also be the Official Mobility Partner of four National Governing Bodies (NGBs): USA Bobsled & Skeleton, US Speedskating, USA Swimming and USA Track & Field.

When the announcement was recently made a host of well-known and official faces were there. Jack Pitney, Vice President of Marketing for BMW of North America, USOC Chief Marketing Officer Lisa Baird and short track speedskater Apolo Anton Ohno, the most decorated U.S. winter Olympian of all time, were all in New York City to make the partnership announcement.

This multi-million dollar agreement goes beyond financial support to also provide the USOC with fundraising opportunities and the four individual NGBs with BMW Group technical expertise. BMW Group will use its experts, deep technology base and facilities to help the Olympic and Paralympic Teams improve their training and performance. An example of this has been the company's work with BMW ORACLE Racing to improve its performance. BMW Group's expertise in light weight construction and aerodynamics helped the BMW Oracle Racing Team design a technically advanced yacht that won the America's Cup sailing competition this year.

"As a company dedicated to joy, performance and efficiency, BMW Group is a fitting partner for the USOC, whose mission of achieving sustained competitive excellence and inspiring Americans dovetails perfectly with our own values," said Pitney. "It is important to us to add substantive value to a partnership that is more than just a financial sponsorship. We are excited to share our resources, which include some of the world's leading engineers and technology experts and an enthusiastic owner and dealer community, with U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes over the next six years."

Pitney revealed that BMW Group will also raise awareness for the Olympic Movement by supporting cause-related efforts to generate additional funds to support the training of Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls.

"BMW is a premier, powerful brand that is recognized for competitive excellence and dynamic performance, just like our U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams," said USOC Chief Executive Officer Scott Blackmun. "Joining together these two performance-driven organizations will provide a tremendous asset to America's top athletes while providing the unique value of investing in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams. We thank BMW Group for providing this tremendous funding for our athletes and, through future activation, keeping the Olympic spirit burning bright."

Included in the BMW Group of partners is the motorcycle division, BMW Motorrad, all being the Official Mobility Partner of the USOC, as well as the 2012, 2014 and 2016 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams, and the 2011 and 2015 U.S. Pan American and Parapan American Teams. BMW Group will develop exclusive programs to support Team USA and will have a presence at the three Olympic Training Centers. These facilities welcome America's top athletes to live and train among the nation's best, including bobsled and skeleton sliders, speedskaters, swimmers, and track & field standouts.

BMW Group will also have a presence at the major events of the four NGBs, beginning with the USA Swimming National Championships August 3-7, 2010, in Irvine, California. BMW Group's sponsorship of USA Bobsled & Skeleton, US Speedskating, USA Swimming and USA Track & Field will include support for coaching and training programs, as well as increasing awareness of the NGBs and their athletes.

"Sponsors are critical to the success of Team USA," said Ohno. "What's truly unique about BMW is their willingness to go beyond financial assistance and make available their engineers and technology experts to work with Team USA athletes and try to enhance their training programs."

Twenty years ago 47 states required helmets for all motorcycle riders, now that number is at 20 states.

Dave Williams has been in three motorcycle accidents, "One the pick-up we hit it in the bed and flew over the bed rolled and hit our heads and the helmets were trashed. But 50 dollars is better than your head."

In accidents like Wednesday's, all three riders were riding without a helmet, two were sent to Portneuf Medical Center, one still remains in critical but stable condition.

Howell said, "I've seen a lot of motorcycle accidents; if you're wearing a helmet your chances of getting hurt are a lot less."

Statistics show a motorcycle crash with catastrophic injuries cost's more than just the riders' well-being or life; it's an unnecessary cost that hits taxpayers' wallets.

District 29 Representative, James Ruchti said, "If you get hurt and you get a brain injury it could be the rest of the community that pays to put you back together."

STAR Instructor, Tom Dickman added, "There's no guarantee that there won't be injuries depending on the severity of the crash, the STAR program we encourage safety of wearing safety gear."

So riders across Idaho can remain educated when it comes to helmet safety, whether you wear one, or not.

Williams concluded, "Its kind of a comfort factor for me, and in a crash you will get less of an injury, I'm not saying no injury but less of a head injury if you do."

The number of riders wearing helmets has decreased from 63 to 51 percent over the last decade, while the number of motorcycle fatalities in the same time period has nearly doubled

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/291/7577/Motorcycle-Article/Backroad-Ramblings-July-2010.aspx Backroad Ramblings July 2010 Jason GiacchinoContributing Editor| Articles|RSS A freelancer and published novelist Jason is currently the editor in chief of Mountain Bike Tales digital magazine and holds a State University of New York degree in applied science with a minor in journalism. When not hunched over a computer monitor, he can be found playing outside in the suburbs of Buffalo, New York.

The electric motorcycle is partly irksome to our Rambling Man because it crosses a clearly defined line separating 'motorheads' from 'computer geeks.'Wide Open Rheostat

I don�t know about you, but I feel a strange sense of conflict whenever a company proclaims having harnessed the future by creating an all-electric motorcycle. And please don�t misunderstand, I�m all for leaving as minimal a carbon footprint as possible and our reliance upon fossil fuels is a hot subject made even hotter with recent events taking place in the Gulf of Mexico.

Surprisingly, what troubles me has less to do with the oft-laughable performance figures some of these electrical-powered scoots are boasting. I realize that in time as battery-technology advances and inevitable shavings of weight come to pass, perhaps today�s fairly dismal spec sheets will become more reasonable (and I suppose little things like the time between chargings and the duration of the recharge period will improve as well). These improvements are all but inevitable and there�s no need to take my word for it; just compare today�s literclass horsepower ratings to those of, say, your average internal combustion 4-stroke mill of the early 1900s. Or for that matter, compare today�s numbers even to those only a few years ago. Technology, it seems, marches on in accordance with our calendar.

No, what bothers me about the whole premise of the electric-motor powered motorcycle is a lot more superficial, shallow, and perhaps even hypothetical; namely who in the world is going to be able to tinker with these things?

Until now the motorcycle has traditionally represented a more-accessible alternative to the ever-increasingly complex automobile. Many of the principles small-engine and backyard mechanics had discovered and honed throughout the years transferred easily to the motorcycle, allowing for routine maintenance and moderate repairs to be performed at home for a fraction of the cost of dealer-hourly rates. No need to reiterate the simple idea that bikes, not unlike cars, have been getting steadily more and more complicated as time goes on; anyone with even moderate knowledge of motorcycles realizes that concepts such as electronic fuel injection, anti-lock brakes, fuel and air sensors, pollution controls, fully programmable ignitions, and even throttle-by-wire systems have been creeping steadily into our realm. Sure some of these innovations are credited as improving reliability and making for a safer riding experience, but again the trouble is that many of us non-certified technicians (read: backyard mechanics) simply cannot adjust as quickly as the technology is advancing.

The electric-powered motor may have a drastic effect on what it means to be a motorcyclist.The problem with the electric motorcycle, in my opinion anyway, is that it finally crosses the line that has always separated the �motorheads� in high school from the �computer nerds�. The line has been steadily dwindling for the past decade or so as indicated by the fact that racetracks, once lined with oil-stained folks boasting grease under their fingernails and a set of wrenches at the ready, have been disappearing. Replacing them are individuals in pristine lab coats with laptops and thick wiring harnesses dangling from them.

I�m all for the �change is good� campaign, but can�t help but feel that the electric-bike is going to shift the very dynamic of what it means to be a motorcyclist. No, really, think about it for a moment: Take away the noise, the smells of un-burnt hydrocarbons, and, at least now anyway, much of the performance of the motorcycle and what are you left with? An adult-sized version of your kid�s Power Wheels would be my guess.

But perhaps the biggest disgrace of all could come in the form of hop-up-potential or in this case, lack thereof. Most human beings with even a moderate knowledge of the internal combustion process have some concept of freeing up a restricted exhaust, opening up a choked airbox, or increasing the size of the cylinder/piston are means of boosting output, but how many of us have even the faintest idea how to extract extra ponies from an electric motor?

I can speak fairly intelligently on many failed attempts in hoping to do just that back in my slot-cars/ model railroad days. For me, and many of the kids in my neighborhood, going from a battery-powered RC car to a gas one wasn�t just an upgrade; it was a rite of passage! Once you learned the nuances of properly mixing your gas and oil and mastered the art of firing those little two-strokes to smoky life, there was simply no going back to the battery-powered variation you got at Sears.

For many, working on a motorcycle is a fulfilling process. Will it be the same when there's an electric motor instead of a conventional internal combustion mill to wrench on?Maybe I�m being pessimistic here. Maybe the day will arrive when pulling up to and sliding your electric hog into a diagonal parking position in front of the roughest biker bar in town will result in comments like, �sweet oversized voltage cables� or �where did you snag that trick power controller unit?�

After all, a quick Google search does reveal a fairly active tuner scene on such current electric-powered goodies as golf carts, scooters, and electric bicycles, even if the common denominator for increasing performance seems to be simply bypassing factory-installed governors.

Perhaps I�m just especially sensitive about this whole subject on account of the fact that at this article�s writing, I�m in the final phases of throwing in the hat on diagnosing an electrical anomaly that�s been plaguing my trusty but rusty 1992 Ford Festiva (with only 86,000 miles on the internal-combustion clock). Despite painstakingly checking every wire, connection, and switch, I�ve been unable to lock down the short resulting in blown fuses whenever the headlights or turn signals are activated. Yeah, tinkering with the flow of electrons has never been my strong suit, but I suppose I can�t speak on behalf of everyone: Just look at the car audio industry!

Today I will bravely expose my view in answer to the question: Do loud pipes really save lives?

But before I launch headfirst into this one, know that my very own stepmother rode a bike with screaming pipes. I loved her then and I love her now. And I'm pretty sure she still likes me.

Those who argue that loud pipes save lives assert that the screaming machine alerts drivers to their presence when approaching their blind spot. This call-to-attention prevents the driver from cutting them off. Not being cut off equals not being killed. While the final mathematical equation is accurate, the formula used to get there isn't.

While driving my car at higher, more lethal speeds, I can anecdotally say that I hear motorcycles up ahead and right beside quite well. What I don't hear nearly as well is what's behind me.

There is a scientific explanation for this. As you increase the distance between yourself and the source of the sound, the intensity of the sound decreases. Sound intensity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance away from the source. Each time you double the distance, you reduce the sound pressure by a factor of two and the intensity by a factor of four. In plain English, when driving my car ahead of (and continually away from) a motorcycle, I am driving to where the sound is less intense, hence less audible. And in all likelihood it's competing against the noise I'm driving toward (i.e. the vehicles ahead of me).

My point of view keeps good company. The American Motorcycle Association has opposed excessive motorcycle noise since 1924. And as mentioned in a previous column, ICBC's Road Sense for Riders states that "It is estimated that 80 per cent of all riding information comes through the eyes." Which is to say that visual cues have greater efficacy than auditory ones.

Motorcycle Cruiser, an online magazine, also addresses this myth of loud pipes saving lives in a feature article titled The Deadly Dozen: 12 Motorcycle Safety Myths and Misconceptions. The writer of this article suggests that a more effective way to proactively ensure your safety might be to wear bright reflective clothes and helmet, and consider installing a loud horn. Again, the emphasis is on visual first; then, an intermittent, startling sound (loud horn).

OK, so perhaps the scientific explanation, the shared philosophy from motorcycle-centric organizations and the input from a respectable online motorcycle magazine might not produce the definitive argument. What clinches it for me is this: if auditory input is so crucial for safety, then sitting on the source of the eardrum-shattering noise would significantly diminish one's ability to hear other oncoming hazards as they enter one's own danger zone. Your visual sensory inputs probably have to be operating at 98 per cent in order to stay safe.

If you are going to argue that loud pipes save lives, you may as well also argue for drunk driving. After all, it was documented by the All American Auto Transport in 2008 that more than 65 per cent of all accidents are caused by sober drivers. No, I'm not advocating it; I'm trying to point out that while each statement can be skewed in a convincing way, each is terribly misleading.

There. I've said it. Let the controversy rage on. But please, step off your bike before you roar.

Dangerous switchback: Last week I wrote about the loop from Sooke to Port Renfrew through to Cowichan Lake and back. I've received a request from a local ambulance service provider to alert riders to a stretch of road that has seen a recent rash of accidents within a 30-metre stretch.

The e-mail included this message: "The accidents are all occurring just past the Sombrio River Bridge southbound from Port Renfrew to Jordan River and Victoria. There is a right-hand gradually decreasing radius curve when you come off the bridge, leading into a slight left-hand bend as the road steepens down into the sharp left-hand turn that's followed by the right-hand switchback that leads down to the one-lane bridge. There seems to be a loss of control under braking just as the bikes start down the steepest part of the hill approximately 200 feet before the left-hand corner."

And guess what? All downed riders were older and experienced, travelling on cruisers, riding on a dry and clean road. Speed did not appear to be an issue. While there were no serious injuries, in each case ambulances were called. And that's a crappy way to end a ride.

Don't rush, especially this particular stretch. Slow down. Arrive alive -- and preferably not in an ambulance.

Britt Santowski is a former chief instructor with the Vancouver Island Safety Council, where she trained instructors and taught riders for almost a decade. Britt is also a workshop facilitator, speaker, consultant and author.

�The party�s going to go on as scheduled. There�s no way to cancel it now,� contends Cynthia Pinnell. �It is what it is.� On behalf of ABATE, secretary Cynthia Pinnell met with West Grey Council at its regular meeting on Monday morning, to ask council to reconsider a decision to bring an end to the annual Final Frontier event being held this holiday weekend. ABATE, a non-profit group of Ontario motorcycle enthusiasts is discouraged and disappointed with a recent council resolution stating the annual Final Frontier weekend, held for the past 22 years on ABATE property between Priceville and Durham, will no longer be allowed to take place. In addition, no camping will be allowed on site until proper rezoning of the property is complete. In the past, council has granted approval for camping on a temporary basis, with the understanding campers would vacate the land at the conclusion of the event. Residents in the area of the ABATE property met with council on July 5, voicing concerns over noise, campfires and the continued appearance of trailers on the property. Council listened to ABATE�s concerns on Monday, primarily that it is now too late to cancel the Final Frontier weekend, but remained unmoved in holding to its original resolution to ban the event due to contravention of West Grey zoning bylaws and Grey County�s official plan. �I understand where council is coming from, but our event is going on regardless,� Ms. Pinnell told the Confederate. Final Frontier annually sees hundreds of campers set up for the weekend, with live entertainment and competitions adding to the festivities. Ms. Pinnell said ABATE respects council and would like to work with them on the issue, but it just isn�t possible to cancel the bands and stop this year�s event. Other communities such as Port Dover and New Liskeard enjoy weekend bike events that are both popular and beneficial to the host communities, and Durham is no exception. �The townsfolk in Durham are awesome,� said Ms. Pinnell. �The community is for us. It�s just a handful of people who have a problem.� The Final Frontier weekend is the main fundraiser donating money to the Grey Bruce Eat and Learn program. ABATE also adopts a section of roadway in West Grey and helped with clean-up following last year�s tornado in Durham. Ms. Pinnell said the event was held for many years without complaints, and ABATE had no neighbours when the property was first purchased. She said not everyone is against the Final Frontier event, and no longer having it will be detrimental to the local economy. She asked council to hold a special meeting to reconsider their stance, but Mayor Kevin Eccles refused on behalf of council, saying not enough new information has come to light to warrant such a meeting. The group was issued a temporary permit to hold the event last year, and has already spent upwards of $20,000 on planning and other studies to make things right. Due to the cost of planning and rezoning, ABATE was unable to make its usual charitable donations last year. If fines or charges are laid following this weekend�s event, ABATE�s charitable contributions will once again be affected. �We�re here to help the community but, sadly, that�s how it has to work,� said Ms. Pinnell.

The accident scene on Route 8 southbound in Shelton. Two people were taken to Bridgeport Hospital with serious injuries after a motorcycle accident on Route 8 southbound in Shelton Thursday afternoon.

The accident has closed the left lane of the highway, according to the state Department of Transportation, and triggered a smaller accident farther north on the highway.

The accidents happened around 3:45 p.m. Thursday between exits 12 and 11 in Shelton.

Echo Hose Ambulance Assistant Chief Joe Laucella said the two people on the motorcycle had serious injuries, and a couple other people in the accidents complained of minor injuries.

It�s not clear yet what caused the accident, or what types of injuries the motorcycle passengers had.

Last update: July 29, 2010 - 9:18 PM PThe CEO of the Freedom Valu Center gas station and convenience stores that dot the Twin Cities area has died in a motorcycle crash in Montana, the company said Thursday.

David B. Erickson, 55, of Lakeland Shores, Minn., died in the crash Wednesday afternoon near Bozeman, according to a statement from the company's headquarters in Hudson, Wis.

Erickson's wife, Debi, also was on the motorcycle and was treated for minor injuries, the statement said.

The motorcycle drifted off the right side of the road and over an embankment north of the Bridger Bowl ski area, the Montana Highway Patrol told the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. Both of the Ericksons were wearing helmets, the patrol told the newspaper, adding that alcohol and speed were not factors.

The Freedom stores are privately held and family-owned. Along with locations in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, Freedom also operates stores in Wisconsin, South Dakota and Michigan.

In March 2009, David Erickson's parents, Claire and Betty Lou, were found shot to death in an apparent murder-suicide in their Hudson home. David Erickson said at the time that he suspected his 83-year-old father did it "out of love" for the couple's three children, worried they someday would be left to care for Betty Lou, 81, who had Alzheimer's.

Share 0 diggs digg Topics Dunkin' Donuts Motorcycling Accidental Death See more topics � XMedical Procedures and Tests Bodies of Water Road Transportation Drunk Driving Rivers Vehicles Hospitals and Clinics Crimes Prosecution Transportation Drug Trafficking By Tracy Jordan, OF THE MORNING CALL

A 30-year-old Monroe County man suspected of drunken driving and having cocaine in his vehicle ran over and killed a 29-year-old man who had crashed his motorcycle on Route 209 in the Marshalls Creek section of Middle Smithfield Township around 1 a.m. Thursday, police said.

State police say Benjamin J. Warner, 30, of Paradise Township also struck and broke the leg of an East Stroudsburg man, Robert Scotko, who had been helping the motorcyclist and his female passenger after the 1 a.m. accident.

Warner and his passenger, Denise Warner, 24, of Paradise Township, are both in custody on drug charges. Benjamin Warner also faces charges related to the motorcyclist's death and injuries to Scotko.

State police did not identify the motorcyclist or his female passenger. They said the motorcycle driver lived in Bushkill, Pike County.

Scotko told police the vehicle first struck him and then drove over the motorcyclist in the southbound lane of Route 209 in the area of Sellersville Drive.

Based on Scotko's description of the vehicle, state police said they located it a few miles away in the parking lot a Dunkin' Donuts store. The vehicle had damage consistent with the crash, state police said.

State police said Warner displayed several signs of intoxication. He was transported to Pocono Medical Center in East Stroudsburg, where a blood test revealed he had a blood-alcohol level of .25 percent, more than three times the legal limit, state police said.

State police said they searched Warner's vehicle and found suspected cocaine and drug paraphernalia.

The Warners were charged with criminal conspiracy, possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Benjamin Warner also was charged with drunken driving, accidents involving death or personal injury and two counts of aggravated assault while driving drunk.

2 injured in motorcycle crash By Amanda Leigh Brozana (Staff Writer abrozana@republicanherald.com) Published: July 30, 2010 LAVELLE - A man and woman were hospitalized Thursday following a series of motorcycle accidents that ended in a violent crash in Butler Township.

According to Ashland police, the pair were traveling in Ashland early Thursday evening when the male driver toppled the motorcycle at 12th and Centre streets, where two passers-by helped stand the bike up.

Police said the pair proceeded to 13th Street, where they struck a car between Walnut and Spruce streets about 5:40 p.m. and fled.

The final crash occurred shortly before 6 p.m. near 1 Germantown Road between Lavelle and Locustdale. Germantown Road intersects with Lavelle Road between routes 54 and 901.

According to information from Schuylkill County Communications emergency transmissions, neither motorcyclist was wearing a helmet.

Ashland police said that the man was responsive at the scene but was in and out of consciousness. The woman, police said, appeared to have suffered a leg injury and behaved combatively with emergency responders. Both were taken to Geisinger Medical Center, Danville.

The identities of both individuals as well as their conditions are unknown. Attempts to contact Butler Township police, the investigating unit, following the accident were unsuccessful Thursday and no further details were available.

PA: http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/breaking-news/index.ssf/2010/07/bushkill_township_resident_cru.html Bushkill resident crushed after vehicle runs through Route 209 motorcycle accident scene Published: Thursday, July 29, 2010, 10:00 AM Updated: Thursday, July 29, 2010, 1:22 PM Express-Times staff A man and woman from Henryville, Pa., face charges after driving a vehicle through the scene of a motorcycle crash early this morning, killing a 29-year-old Bushkill, Pa., resident and injuring a man attempting to help the injured, according to police.

The Bushkill resident and a seriously injured unidentified female were involved in a motorcycle crash early this morning on Route 209 in Middle Smithfield Township near the Country Club of the Poconos, police say. Robert Scotko, of East Stroudsburg, attempted to help the injured when a vehicle drove through the scene, breaking Scotko's leg and crushing one of the motorcycle crash victims who later died, according to police.

The vehicle fled, but was later located by police at a Dunkin Donuts parking lot.

Driver Benjamin Warner, 30, and his passenger Denise Warner, 24, appeared intoxicated, police say, and a blood test revealed Benjamin Warner had a blood-alcohol content of 0.25. The legal limit to drive is 0.08.

Benjamin Warner is charged with criminal conspiracy, possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, driving under the influence, two counts of aggravated assault by vehicle while under the influence and accidents involving personal death or injury.

Denise Warner faces charges of criminal conspiracy and possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia.

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