Rizla Suzuki Unveils Livery, MSF Promotes Gladden & Sommerset Rebels Meet Complete

There is not a lot beyond a photo, but the Rizla Suzuki MotoGP team has now shown us what their Suzuki GSV-R will look like for the 2010 season. Riders Loris Capirossi and Alvaro Bautista will look good riding one of these...And, I almost forgot, Troy Lee Designs was at the helm of this design!

http://tinyurl.com/yzfwvku

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (USA) has promoted Robert Gladden to be their General Manager. Gladden was the MSF Director, Program Administration, before he was promoted from within. He will now report to MSF President Tim Buche and will have much more responsibility. To read up on some Gladden history, please take the link. He has had an intriguing path to the top.

http://tinyurl.com/ylyu6ny

The Somerset Rebels Speedway meet coming up a week from today is now fully set. After Suyfutdinov's confirmation a few days ago, we now get news that his fellow countryman Roman Povazhny will be joining the event as well. That means that the weekend is fully set and ready to go. If you can get to this meeting, you will not be disappointed - you will have one hell of an evening!

http://tinyurl.com/ykcwm9j

Motorcycle Safety News from the MSF and German IVM

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation and Germany's Industrie-Verband Motorrad Deutschland e.V. (IVM) are calling for paper submissions for the 8th ifz-International Motorcycle Safety Conference, which will be held 4 - 5 October 2010 in Cologne, Germany. There are specific areas of interest for these papers and the ones selected will be presented at the meeting. It is all supported by the motorcycle industry and is designed to improve the world of motorcycling through ideas and programs worldwide.

http://tinyurl.com/ycb55w4

MSF Not Completely Ruling Out Funding New Motorcycle Safety Study

We have seen a great deal in the moto-press about the new motorcycle safety study - to replace the aging "Hurt" Report - and the controversy over the number of crashes to be studied - 300 instead of 900. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) was very critical of this huge change from the previous terms. After all, the statistical accuracy can be very compromised by decreasing the number of data objects by that much. However, the MSF has now cleared up their position a bit more. They say that they may, in fact, help out if the data gathered is actually enough to be significant. A study is now being conducted at Oklahoma State University (OSU) to determine if 300 will provide enough information for the study to be trustworthy.

http://tinyurl.com/ybwg862

A Truly Well-Made Motorcycle Safety Video with Mick Doohan

This comes from Down Under (actually Down Down Under as it is out of South Australia) and stars Mick Doohan and some stunning crashes from MotoGP in recent years. The editing is quality and it has a good air of professionalism. If only they could translate those here in the US. I think everyone would enjoy the message and maybe even cringe a little. Enjoy the vid and check out the website; it is one of the better ones out there.

http://tinyurl.com/yanubva

Motorcycle Safety Foundation Press Release on New Motorcycle Crash Causation Study

This is getting funny and tragic...The MSF now has another press release concerning its position on the FHWA, NHTSA, Oklahoma State University Motorcycle Crash Causation Study. They feel that the size of the study would not be large enough to be statistically accurate. I agree with them, but I would try to get the rest of the money needed to get this thing done now - somehow, someway it could be done cheaper or money can be found! Everyone needs this study to be done...but, it does have to be done right...

http://tinyurl.com/yhnwhm8

Motorcycle Crash Causation Study Not What Was Promised

It seems that the Federal Highway Administration (actually abbreviated as FHWA) does not plan to investigate as many motorcycle crashes as originally planned. This is due to the fact that Congress funded the study based on cost estimates that are outdated now. So, the motorcycle industry funded the study based on what it was said to cost - they pledged to fund half of the cost - and only if the study was properly conducted. Well, now it appears that only 300 crashes will be investigate for the study. This throws a serious wrench in the works! It looks like we will have to get Congress to fund the rest of the study just to make it relevant. It just never ends - we must dedicate much of our lives to fight for freedom and knowledge...thanks to the MSF for this information.

http://tinyurl.com/yhpvg4a

About Time! Federal Highway Administration Begins Major Study into Causes of Motorcycle Accidents

It has been planned for several years now - and it was announced by the American Motorcyclist Association more than two years ago when they first started asking for funding. The US government had asked that half of the money come from the motorcycle industry and associated groups; this was done early last year. Then, they had to have some test studies to examine the methods to be used for the overall program. Well, finally we will get the study we have been asking for since the Hurt Report was released over 25 years ago!

http://tinyurl.com/ydyjpab

http://tinyurl.com/ydaxsp3

Even more: http://tinyurl.com/yjtgdus

And, More: http://tinyurl.com/yggswnk

Texas Has New Laws in Effect Concerning Motorcyclists

Some are rather nice, and some are questionable, but they are the rules now in Texas...

http://tinyurl.com/nba3dv

Only in Texas - Man Sues Moto Dealership for...Front Break (ab)Use?

Yep. it's true and I bet you have already heard something of this story. I am a native of Texas - I grew up there - so I do know something of the state. This is not all that surprising simply because it seems that most Texans - including yours truly - are hard-headed people. I hope I'm not generalizing too much for you; and, this is not restricted to any specific sub-culture within the Republic. This guy, though, I can only accuse of ignorance, not stupidity. He simply should have taken the class and he would be just fine today...d'oh!

http://tinyurl.com/ma6dny

NOTE: I must credit the link and discovery of this story to a fellow Team Oregon Instructor; I will not mention the name only to protect him from being associated with me - we all know how that connection can hurt your future fortunes.

MSF Opens New Campus in Irving, Texas

I found this on a new site which I have yet to use - it has quite a few ads, so be prepared.

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation has opened a new campus allowing them to teach all MSF courses at one location. If you are in the DFW area, this will provide you with extra training potential!

http://tinyurl.com/leff7b

MSF Holding Contest for Women Motorcyclists Only

Check this out and - if you are female - give it a go!

http://tinyurl.com/lqfbvr