Some Stories About Life with Motorcycles in Various Places

First up, is this lovely tale about a police department that broke into a garage of a rider, stole his bike, then phoned him up to say that they had recovered it from a thief. It happened...

http://tinyurl.com/yc8mqm3

Now, imagine you have worked for a television news broadcaster for over 20 years. Then, the company who you work for discovers that you are also the spokesman for a heavily-maligned motorcycle gang and fires you for it. What would you do? Well, it happened to Steve Jones...

http://tinyurl.com/yed7mdo

Now, imagine you are competing in the Rally Dakar, which is on the other side of the world form your hometown, and you are trying to race to the front of the pack. When you think you have a chance, you take off to the left a bit, see a rise, and decide to jump it a bit and take a better position. Well, then you find out that you are about to land in a five meter deep tomb! Can you say...D'oh!

http://tinyurl.com/yauxoef

Now comes the one we wish we all had happen to us. Suppose you are a very wealthy heir to an even larger fortune and you want a new motorcycle. What do you buy? Well, a Vyrus 987 of course!

http://tinyurl.com/yawhnkn - plus a cool video of the lusty machine!

Cool Story Out of Lebanon - Firefighting Motorcycle

Actually, it is more of a scooter, but it is set up to fight fires in the historic coastal town of Sidon. They decided to take this route because so many of the streets in Sidon are ancient - maybe even based on thousands-of-years-old walking or horse paths - and thus are very narrow. Their firetrucks cannot get through and several fires have done extensive damage because of that fact. So, the Islamic Welfare Association (ISWA) has helped the city purchase and equip a scooter and trailer with the necessary gear to help squelch fires before they get too serious. It's a great idea that many other municipalities should think about for their own fire departments.

http://tinyurl.com/ydrr8yd

More Wednesday Moto News from Just About Everywhere, Part 2

And, even more...

Other designers are rallying behind the new 2010 Honda VFR1200F as many web posts have derided the machine as being 'ugly'. Even Pierre Terblanche has stepped up in its defense. The designer behind the new model, Teofilo Plaza, also designed the 2008 Honda Fireblade (CBR1000RR to US readers) and that was the first model of the 'snub-nosed' design. Many professional designers say that the VFR is ahead of its time.

http://tinyurl.com/yd5rzqw

We finally get news of the whereabouts of Davide Tardozzi after he left the Ducati World Superbike team. He will now be working for the BMW World Superbike team - at least for the next three years. The reasoning behind his departure from Ducati were never officially given, but it probably had to do with the Haga/Fabrizio 2009 WSBK effort...

http://tinyurl.com/yj5pg7h

Now even the Los Angeles police know what most of us have known for some time - BMW motorcycles are much less expensive to maintain than Harley-Davidsons. Most of us have already owned enough motorcycles to learn that lesson, but it took LA a while. Anyway, they have decided to purchase BMW R1200 RT-Ps for their motorcycle officers instead of the usual H-D. It will cost them less and save them some much needed money.

http://tinyurl.com/ylft33z

SPOT Assist - If You Adventure Ride, You Should Get This

The SPOT Assist is not very expensive when you consider that it could save your life! And, there are many ways to get discounts, including your AMA membership. So, there really is no excuse to not have one if you regularly go into areas where no one is around and you are alone - or even in a group if someone were to be seriously injured. It will do so much for you, and it has already saved lives.

http://tinyurl.com/ygv2kyb

LoJack Reveals Success in Recovering Stolen Motorcycles

If you have an expensive machine, or you want to hold on to a beloved motorcycle you own, you would do a very good job of securing it by putting LoJack on the machine. The company has recently released details on some motorcycles which have been recovered using the system. If you had any doubts, this is for you to read.

http://tinyurl.com/ycmlc2c

California Riders - Watch Out for Whittier Motorcycle Safety Enforcement Operations

Apparently, the city of Whittier, California - just between LA downtown and Anaheim - has picked up some extra funds for their police department. It would be nice news if it were going to be used for motorcycle safety. Instead, it will be going to "Enforcement Operations," which sounds like something from the Galactic Empire's CEO Palpatine. Be careful out there, unless they actually mean to cite cagers doing dangerous things around us two-wheeled people.

http://tinyurl.com/yhdxpmu

Motorcycle-Only Police Checkpoints - Profiling at its Worst

If anyone out there actually knows me, you will know that I am not very much in favor of racial profiling - I do find it a bit offensive. It reminds me of the day when the TSA was supposed to 'randomly' search airline passengers. I traveled a great deal, but in Japan and San Francisco I was always chosen for that extra search - and they even damaged my company laptop. OK, well, let us get to the motorcycle-only police checkpoints. Again, it is 'for our own safety' or so they tell us, but to me it is a discriminatory policy; they always go after us first because they believe that we are politically powerless. This is just like the health care debate - it's not Democrat versus Republican, it's Health Insurance Companies against American citizens...Anyway, this is certainly worth a read, and a good reason to write your Congresspeople if you leave in North Carolina!

http://tinyurl.com/yhqudjq

Colorado Mountain Towns Begin Motorcycle Safety Campaign

I know it sounds like they are going to just put out some flyers or give a few seminars, but it appears to be more likely a new program to cut down on impaired-riding. So, that usually means checkpoints which only ask motorcyclists to pull over; or, they will just put their focus on the riders. It is probably coming from a good place in these people's hearts, but they would do much better to educate car and truck (and, in Colorado, the bus drivers) drivers about motorcyclists as that was always the problem I encountered on the mountain roads of Colorado. If you are lucky enough to still live there, be careful when you ride in this region...they may just think your tire-warming swerve looks like you have had one too many...

http://tinyurl.com/yjpw8q9

Police Hunt for Ducati Rally Ride Saboteur - A Criminal Who Should Be in Prison!

Last year, some rather nasty person intentionally spilled oil across a highway in California during a Ducati fundraising rally to support the local La Honda Fire Brigade in Half Moon Bay. That caused 6 accidents. This year, it seems that someone intentionally spread roofing nails all over the same highway near the same spot where the oil was found last year. Police picked these up before any damage was done. The Ducati rally is known as the "La Ducati Day" and it annually raises a significant amount of money to support the local fire brigade - the community largely supports this event since it helps out a very important cause. Police are now working to figure out who has been doing this and they only have a little evidence. It is just so hard to believe that there are people out there who are capable of being this evil...

http://tinyurl.com/yjneu5c

The Blue Knights Motorcycle Club

Have you ever heard of this club? Chances are that if you have, it is because you are a member. You see, this club is made up of police officers throughout the world. The club is open to law enforcement employees, both active and retired; their family members may also join, but only as honorary members. It's all about getting officers together to ride and have fun. It's always good to be with people like you who you can trust when you ride together...

http://tinyurl.com/ygvg5bo

The Abu Dhabi Police Department Now Has Paul Teutul Original

They had this machine built by Orange County Choppers in order to help them with a community outreach program they have planned. The idea is to get attention from young people whose heads are usually turned by a Ferrari Enzo or a gold-plated Mercedes Benz...I think it will work well for them.

http://tinyurl.com/yzbqlel

Huge Increase in Speed Limit Enforcement at BSB Silverstone Round

Be careful if you are driving out to Silverstone this weekend! The rozzers will be everywhere! Remember, the economic downturn is hitting even municipal coffers...

http://tinyurl.com/y8hf5ms

Motorcycle Officers Get Video for their Police Bikes

One of the companies who produces the video camera with which many police cars around the nation (and world) are now equipped has now made a much more rugged camera which can be used on police motorcycles, ATVs or any other application which requires a rugged and waterproof camera system.

http://tinyurl.com/kmn4y9

JUST A WARNING - Stay Safe on the Roads, Ride Responsibly

This has come to me through many hundreds of articles, news posts, forum posts, and from friends through e-mail. Police the world over are cracking down on motorcycle riders who ride in any manner considered to be unsafe. That means stunting on public streets, wearing novelty helmets, riding too fast for conditions, etc.

First of all, please limit your reactions here as this is just a helpful post - not a condemnation. As motorcycle riders, the general public already sees us as 'daredevils' and does not see the motorcycle as necessary transport - this is mostly true in the USA as many other nations actually consider motorcycles transportation and not recreational vehicles as they are here. They need to see us as responsible road users or they do have the power to ban us wherever and whenever they want to - think about that, no riding allowed...

Additionally, cities and counties and states all over are facing very tough economic times - budget shortfalls are ubiquitous. So, these governments need to raise funds and traffic fines are an excellent source of that money.

All of these factors add up to increased police presence on our highways, roads and streets. Be careful out there - you are already in danger by just deciding to ride - and watch out for the rollers, the fuzz, the rozzers, Barney, bacon, big bear, smokey, tyre biters, or whatever you call them and ride responsibly!

NYPD Will Offer Motorcycle Safety Class to Fellow Officers

The NYPD has a problem similar to that of the US armed forces; too many of their own are dying in motorcycle accidents due to lack of training and too much ego. So, to help stem the tide, they have decided to give their officers proper motorcycle training on department time! Smart move NYPD.

http://tinyurl.com/lg3c25

Salt Lake City Motorcycle Police are Very Talented

The city's police team entered the 4th Annual Utah Highway Patrol Police Motorcycle Training and Competition event held in Lindon, UT.

http://tinyurl.com/l3kaar

Ride Safely and Within the Limit in Sussex!

Sussex Police will be using un-marked motorcycles in an attempt to slow the rise of motorcyclist deaths. There are signs all over the city warning bikers of their presence, so be mindful and ride safe.

http://tinyurl.com/m3frog