This enduro  rider was taking part in the Amageza Qualifier in South Africa. He spots a calf drowning, and then takes the kind of action that can never happen often enough.

South African rider Johan Gray shot this video and earns hero status in my book. It may not seem like a huge thing, bu taking the time to give something back to a world in need should Gray with a nice little deposit in the Karma Bank.

It’s not only a damned impressive thing for him to do as he jumps into the water to save the calf, but riding along off-road with a wet calf draped across the bike’s tank was mighty cool as well..

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3. MotoGP 2012 Season Calendar Released

Good times.

Now that I’m beyond ‘seasoned’ and heading into the ‘already turned the corner’ age group, I’m thinking about doing a little motorcycle camping again.

With that in mind, here are a few tips on making your motorcycle camping experiences a more refined experience than the ones I endured back in the day.

Don’t Blow A Bunch of Money Before You Test the Waters

Oaky, you’re taking the plunge and you’ve decided to try motorcycle camping. A word of warning -  don’t go overboard by spending a lot of money on all the latest camping gear and planning a seven-day excursion for your first trip. Make your first trip a more modest venture.

Here are a few hints on starting out right:

Travel light – buy or borrow just enough equipment for a one-night outing at a location familiar to you;

Reduce the possible points of failure on your first trip by not cooking. Eat your meals at restaurants. The $2.99 breakfast is awesome – everywhere.

You don’t have to visit Alaska on your first run out of the box. In case your first camping experience turns ugly and you want to beat a hasty retreat to the comforts of home, avoid investing a pile of money in gear before you know if motorcycle camping is your cup of tea. Take it easy out of the starting gate and gradually increase the duration and distances involved in your camping trips.

A Little Planning Goes A Long Way

Let’s face it, a motorcycle has limited carrying capacity, so you’re forced to take everything you need – but nothing you don’t. It comes down to this, motorcycle camping is backpacking at speed.

A checklist is essential. Do you want to take a laptop computer on a camping trip? Maybe a smart phone will do the trick?

And just like going on any camping trip, have the good sense to check the weather forecast. Maintain some flexibility in your schedule and you can avoid spending the entire trip soaking wet and smelling like a housepet.

Perhaps the best advice we can give? Three crucial words. Large plastic bags.

Pack A Reasonable Load

Don’t overload the motorcycle, they don’t like that in a purely aerodynamic way.

If you have it as an option, pack your camping equipment and other travel items in hard saddlebags. All your electronic items should be packed in waterproof bags and tightly strapped down to the motorcycle. Camera equipment is the most sensitive to water, so try zip-lock freezer bags, and heavy items should be stored as low as possible and somewhere ahead of the rear wheel. Do all your packing the day before you’re set to take off,  and by all means take a test ride to make sure you haven’t compromised the bike’s  handling and that all your items are secured against the wind.

Find the Right Campsite

It might not hurt to know where you’re sleeping each night of your trip, but the beauty of motorcycle camping is this; you don’t have to know where you’re staying each night of the trip. What you’ll need is fresh water, toilets, and showers. Selecting the right spot to pitch your tent or lay down your sleeping bag is a big deal, so look for a spot which is level and free of debris. Look for a place where there won’t be a lot of traffic from other campers and which won’t end up a mudhole should it rain overnight.

Another item to consider is a hammock. Light, easy to store and easy to set up, the right hammock can keeps you up off the ground and dry, and they’re actually pretty comfortable when you put your sleeping bag in them as bedding.

Clothes Make the Man – And Woman

No need to go crazy here, you can pick up a brand new package of t-shirts for a ten spot. Think blanket-lined jeans and rain gear. Any water-resistant clothing you bring will reward you many times over the long haul. It’s not a fashion show, but if you need something sporty and you need to ‘dress to impress,’ buy something nice, wear it, and then throw it all in a shipping box and send it home before you hit the road for your next destination.

For the ladies?  We’re well aware that there are certain necessities for achieving the proper look, so make sure they pack easily and don’t leak, don’t require a lot of space and are critical to the operation. Once again, our general rule is aimed at keeping it simple; only bring it if you can’t buy it when you get there – and be prepared to ship it all home before you set out.

LINKS FOR MOTORCYCLE CAMPERS

Let’s face it, you like to ride hard and fast and your insurance needs are all about the family you’re sure to leave behind. We kid…but you do need to make sure you’re covered in case you lay it down.

We’re here to help you get enough inexpensive motorcycle insurance to make sure your kids can go to college and your wife will remember you fondly…#justsayin

Related posts:

1. What To Expect at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally 2011 August 8-11, Your Sturgis Trip Guide
2. George Clooney Plans A Bike Trip – With Bono As His Travel Agent – Through Ireland
3. Some Motorcycle Product Ideas Should Never Have Seen the Light of Day

With that in mind, there is a virtual army of engineers and inventors working on ways to make them safer without destroying the essential character of the riding experience, and to that end, those designers and inventors have come up with some interesting ideas and concepts to improve the safety of motorcycles  involved in accidents and crashes.

Granted, some of the ideas will be dismissed out of hand by riders. Fixed leg shields? I think not. On the other hand, what if someone came up with a practical riding coat which included a pair of airbags but didn’t look like some kind of goofy down coat or parachute?

BMW are at the cutting edge of electronic countermeasures for motorcyclists in regard to safety, but many of their suggested innovations are aimed at preventing and avoiding accidents, not toward protecting the rider once a crash is underway.

We found three short videos of motorcycle crash testing from DEKRA, and watching them at least made me consider the possibilities, and that’s always the first step in the long road to the realization of a good idea.

www.dekra.com

Side Collision

Crash – Motorcycle and a VW

Side Impact Crash – Motorcycle vs. Mercedes A-Class

Click here to view the embedded video.

From DEKRA:
Car and Motorcycle On Collision Course

The trend towards higher car bodies brings with it a greater risk – both for motor bikers as well as car drivers – in a motorbike-car collision. Generally more care is called for on the part of car drivers: Motorbike riders are too often simply overlooked. Numerous accidents can also be prevented if all motorbikes were fitted with ABS. In addition, the introduction of the compulsory wearing of helmets for quad drivers is urgently needed. These are the main findings of the crash tests carried out by DEKRA and Winterthur insurance in Wildhaus/Switzerland in late June 2004.

Motorbikes are experiencing a boom: Since the nineties the number of motorbikes in Switzerland has almost doubled and currently number roughly 570,000 vehicles. A similar development has been recorded in Germany where 3.7 million motorbikes are currently on the road. At the same time the risk of accident for motorcyclists is about eight times greater than for car drivers. Are motorcyclists speed merchants and mostly responsible for the accidents? Different statistics show that this is not true. It is rather the case that two thirds of all motor bike accidents are caused by car drivers. Only a good 20% of all motor bike accidents are so-called self-caused or sole accidents. Turn offs or crossroad accidents are typical situations where the car driver overlooks the motor bike. Car drivers therefore bear a great responsibility. More partnership and consideration between car drivers and motor bike drivers is called for.

High Vehicles – High Risks
“The trend towards higher and higher automobiles such as vans and van-like trucks has a critical effect on motorcyclists,“ explained Jörg Ahlgrimm, Head of Analytical Reporting at DEKRA. When a motorcyclist hits a vehicle with a high, straight front, his head and upper torso immediately impact the vehicle structure. This means he cannot slide over the engine bonnet, as he would do against a flat front car. Steep, high vehicle fronts intercept the motorcyclist’s path of flight and therefore increase the risk of injury.

Side-on Collision: Risk Also for Car Occupants
Another crash test in which a crossroad collision between a car and a motor bike demonstrated that the car occupants were also exposed to a risk in this scenario that should not be underestimated. As the structures on the side of a car are not as strong as the rear or front and the crumple zones are largely lacking, an impacting motor bike can penetrate significantly into the vehicle. Head and upper torso of the car occupants are particularly at risk. Side air bags may not be able to develop their protective potential: The trigger mechanism is primarily configured for a car impact. The risk of a car occupant being injured in a side-on collision with a motorbike is particularly great in a high car with large window surfaces: The motorcyclist is not lifted over the vehicle and can easily penetrate through a side window.

Better Braking With ABS
“Anti-lock braking systems (ABS) reduce the motorcyclist’s risk of accident considerably, because: “Losing control of the motor bike braking is one of the main causes of accident”, said Anton Brunner, Head of Accident Research at Winterthur Insurance company. Even experienced motorcyclists are hopelessly overwhelmed in a shock situation without ABS, and are unable to apply the correct braking pressure. Unfortunately there are still too few motorbikes with ABS on the roads, and only a few manufacturers offer all models with ABS. The main reason for this is the lack of acceptance on the part of motorcyclists: Many bikers still believe that only inexperienced riders require ABS.

Airbags for Motorcycles?
Airbag technology – long since standard on the car – has so far not been fitted as standard on motorbikes. The few airbag prototypes so far developed admittedly have lower protective potential than is the case on the car. “However, those airbag models that allow the motorcyclists to be lifted upwards in a crash with a car are pointing the way ahead”, explained accident expert Ahlgrimm. They influence the path of the motorcyclist and lift him ideally over the danger zone or the car roof or the engine bonnet. This can considerably reduce the motorcyclist’s risk of injury in particular in a collision with a high vehicle.

Whether you ride a sport bike or an American cruiser, your insurance needs can get complicated.

We’re here to help you find the right motorcycle insurance, whatever you ride…

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Motorcycles come in as many different shapes, sizes – and with as many strengths and weaknesses – as they people who buy them, so your search will involve a whole bunch of choices.

Are you about speed? Style? Comfort? Practicality?

Once you’ve made those baseline determinations, you can start the hunt, and we think the following ten bikes from various manufacturers are a good place to start your shopping and test riding.

1. Triumph Bonneville ($7,299)

Photo © Triumph
If  you’re down with the look and feel of classic British bikes, start with the Triumph Bonneville. Its torque-heavy, air-cooled 865cc parallel twin doesn’t rev high and produces solid power. You also get iconic design with retro styling and modern functionality.

2. Kawasaki Vulcan 500 LTD ($5,499)

Photo © Kawasaki
If you decide to enter the market on a cruiser, you can’t go far wring with this compact parallel-twin, the Vulcan 500 LTD. Well-balanced, this mid-sized cruiser is well-suited for beginners and built on the  Ninja 500R platform features.

3. Suzuki GS500F ($5,899)

Photo © Suzuki

It’s time for a sportbike, and the GS500F’s will appeal to performance-oriented riders. To the good, an air-cooled, twin-cylinder 487cc engine is tame enough for beginners, but provides a decent enough top end for more experienced riders.

4. Yamaha V-Star 650 Custom ($6,099)

Photo © Yamaha

At a somewhat porky 513 lbs, Yamaha’s V-Star 650 Custom cruiser might is heavier than most of the bikes on this list, but a low 27″ seat height and mild-mannered handling make this an ideal beginner bike. You also get the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’ll have an enormous dealer network behind you, and that’s worth its weight in gold.

5. Suzuki DR-Z400SM ($6,299)

Photo © Suzuki
Arrived at the decision that you’ll be needing a versatile supermoto style bike? The Suzuki DR-Z400SM offers a  combination of dirtbike body and street-biased suspension which should take you comfortably down tracks from asphalt to gravel and dirt.

6. Harley-Davidson Sportster SuperLow ($7,999)

Photo © Harley-Davidson

The Harley-Davidson SuperLow is a re-configured Sportster and offers enhanced low speed maneuverability, a comfort-friendly saddle height of 25.5 inches, and more suspension travel for more comfortable long-distance riding.

7. Kawasaki Ninja 500R ($5,499)

Photo © Kawasaki
This is the relaxed older brother of the notorious Ninja bike like. The 500R is like a beefier, jacked up Ninja 250R. It remains manageable enough for beginning riders but offers more bang for the buck than little brother.

8. Suzuki GSX650F ($7,299)

Photo © Suzuki
It may look like a Gixxer, but the Suzuki GSX650F’s sports an upright posture and a less fussy powerplant, and that makes it a great choice for the  beginning rider.

9. BMW G650 Xcountry ($7,500)

Photo © BMW
If you’re after something versatile and dual purpose, consider a BMW G650 Xcountry. Packing 53 bhp, this single-cylinder powerplant will give you anvil-solid and reliable operation for a long, long time. The bizarre styling cuts a strange profile out on the road, but take comfort in the fact that you’re making a statement marking you as an iconoclast.

10. Honda Shadow Aero/Spirit 750 ($7,699)

Photo © Honda
The Honda Shadow Aero and Spirit line’s 750′s liquid-cooled 745cc V-twin is considerably more powerful than most bikes on our list, but with a low seat height and steady, predictable handling, this line has become a venerable contender. Add to that the fact that you have a huge dealer support network to fall back on in times of trouble, and you have a winner on your hands.

Whether you ride a sport bike or an American cruiser, your insurance needs can get complicated.

We’re here to help you find the right motorcycle insurance, whatever you ride…

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Lt. Colleen McMahon has achieved the required mastery of her 800-pound Harley-Davidson, and that puts her first among equals. But according to McMahon, her new gig doesn’t come without some misgivings. McMahon makes no bones about the pressure she feels that comes with being a motorcycle officer, but said managing her bike is as much about mental focus as it is about pure physical strength.

McMahon finished her motorcycle officer training at the Alameda County Sheriff’s Motor Academy. According to her instructor there – a man with 15 years on the job – she’s the only woman he’s ever ridden with.

“Women motorcyclists are still relatively rare, especially in law enforcement,” McMahon said.

Rare indeed.

The California Highway Patrol has a lone female motorcycle officer, Tammy Bogard, on the force.

As a biker outside of work, McMahon said it seemed like kismet that she be trained as a motor officer.

“I’ve lived, eaten and breathed motorcycles for nine years,” she said. “Ever since I started, I admired motor officers, and I’ve gotten so much support here it’s amazing.”

“It’s my job as a chief to provide opportunities to staff,” said Santa Cruz Chief of Police Kevin Vogel. “We’re proud that Lt. McMahon helped eliminate another glass ceiling and opened the door for all officers to experience the possibilities in this profession.”

So how does it feel to switch over to a bike nearly a third heavier than her daily rider?

Her 2007 Harley-Davidson Road King police bike weighs something like 300 pounds more than her personal BMW touring motorcycle. She said that while the police bike is considerably less nimble, she’s not letting that slow her down.

“I have to use a little more strategy (than a larger person), but once I’m under way, it’s effortless,” McMahon said. “It’s really ballet on a motorcycle with all the thing officers have to do. Just making tight turns on a big bike like that. This is where it’s hard to do.”

McMahon taught motorcycle safety at Cabrillo College for seven years, and it’s that experience which makes her perfect for the job on the road.

“Each step gaining mastery of the motorcycle is gaining mastery over yourself,” McMahon said. “It opens some interior door. I hope when I’m on my bike women will see me and say, ‘I think I’ll do that, or maybe I can do that.’ And they can.”

Photo by Zach Friend / SCPD

Buying Your First Bike? The Women’s Guide to Motorcycle Insurance

Whether you ride a sport bike or an American cruiser, your insurance needs can get complicated.
We’re here to help you find the right motorcycle insurance, whatever you ride…

Tips for buying your motorcycle insurance, coverage you need:

• Collision to pay for damage caused to your vehicle in an accident with another vehicle or any stationary object.
• Comprehensive to cover such things as fire, hail, wind, vandalism, hitting an animal, etc.
• Towing / Pickup
• Medical payment or personal injury protection to cover the medical bills resulting from an accident.
• Uninsured or underinsured motorist to protect us when the other driver is at-fault and does not have coverage or assets out of which your bills can be paid.

Related posts:

1. Indy Bikers Sue Drunken Cop, City After Fatal Accident
2. The Fastest Woman On A Motorcycle in the World Is An Insurance Agent?
3. New Orleans Motorcycle Officers in Hot Water Over Payola Scandal

You go to Sturgis…

No, not that one, the one in Mississippi.

The Sturgis thing? It can be a problem for Ultimate BMW Motorcycle restoration specialist Craig Vechorik, but not one he can’t solve with a quick geography primer.

“A lot of times, I have to explain we’re not in Sturgis, S.D., where they have the big bike rally every year,” he said. “But I just take that as an opportunity to tell them about Sturgis and Mississippi and how beautiful it is here. I invite them to ride their bikes down.”

How did he find his was into the restoration business?

“I’d always been one of those kids who would take things apart, then try to put them back together. Lawn mowers … anything I could get my hands on,” said Vechorik.  “Somehow I was able to put that clutch in the Rambler. After that I guess I knew where my path was headed.”

Vechorik has followed the long and winding road from Cape Girardeau, Mo. to Sturgis, a town of 189 people located 15 miles southwest of Starkville, Mississippi on his way to becoming a world-renowned specialist who is the acknowledged master or restoring and repairing BMW motorcycles built before 1970.

“Vech has created a real niche for himself,” says Charles Clark of Kickstand, a motorcycle parts shop owner and friend of Vechorik.  “You’ve got to be good and knowledgeable,and you’ve got to have a passion for it.

Vechorik is also a collector. His latest prize possession is a 1942 BMW R75 motorcycle – complete with sidecar and machine gun – that was used by the Germans in World War II.

“It was in a lot of pieces and rattling around in boxes when I bought it. Took me four- and-a-half years to fix it up, but it was well worth it. It’s the first all-terrain vehicle ever made,” Vechorik says. “It’s interesting when I take it to a show and a World War II veteran spots it. The reaction is usually the same. ‘Last time I saw one of those, I was a young man.’”

Vechorik created Bench Mark Works about while also working as a repair technician at Mississippi State. His father-in-law found an 8,000 sq. ft. building on the cheap which once served as a clothing factory, and Bench Mark Works was on the way.

“For years I had restored bikes on weekends and evenings, and I became the technical advisor to the national vintage BMW motorcycle club,” he said. “Thanks to UPS and the Internet it’s not a big deal being in Sturgis and supplying customers wherever.”

How does a guy with  a degree in anthropology end up being the ultimate specialist in niche, classic German motorcycles? By taking the long way around, that’s how. According to Vechorik, his first job out of high school was toiling as an engine room mechanic on a tugboat for three years.

“We went up and down the Mississippi River,” Vechorik said. “We’d pick up loads of coal in Ohio and bring them back to a little town just below New Orleans. That job taught me how to work for a living, how to take a job seriously. And it was tough.”

Vechorik piled up enough money to buy  his first BMW at 24, and he was hooked.

“I didn’t even test drive it,” he said. “I knew I wanted it as soon as I saw it. It was the prettiest silver and black thing you’ve ever seen. And I still have it.”

It’s surely not the only one he has, Vechorik displays lots of them in a museum at his shop, and the collection includes a 1928 BMW R52, a 1936 BMW R12 with a sidecar and a 1952 BMW 25/2. And if you’re thinking that he only shows the bikes, you’re thinking wrong.

He has an encyclopedic knowledge of parts, and he knows where to find them.

“I don’t have to go look in a book to know what it is and what it goes on,” he says. “I’ve studied all this through the years, and I think that’s why people keep coming back to us.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

Whether you ride a sport bike or an American cruiser, your insurance needs can get complicated.

We’re here to help you find the right motorcycle insurance, whatever you ride…

Tips for buying your motorcycle insurance, coverage you need:

• Collision to pay for damage caused to your vehicle in an accident with another vehicle or any stationary object.
• Comprehensive to cover such things as fire, hail, wind, vandalism, hitting an animal, etc.
• Towing / Pickup
• Medical payment or personal injury protection to cover the medical bills resulting from an accident.
• Uninsured or underinsured motorist to protect us when the other driver is at-fault and does not have coverage or assets out of which your bills can be paid.

Related posts:

1. What To Expect at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally 2011 August 8-11, Your Sturgis Trip Guide
2. The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Misfortune List for 2011 – Crime and Punishment
3. How to Check the VIN Numbers on Your Harley, The Cops in Sturgis Will, So You Should Too

Both beautiful and featuring and engine as solid as an anvil, this BMW represented the state-of-the-art for its era.

Due to the reliability of its design, the US Army had Harley Davidson make copies. Not many still exist because the initial run of the design wasn’t finished until after the war.

Some people believe this model was the first bike to feature telescopic front forks, but Nimbus rolled out their version of that front end a year earlier.

1936 BMW R12

Whether you ride a sport bike or an American cruiser, your insurance needs can get complicated.

We’re here to help you find the right motorcycle insurance, whatever you ride…

Tips for buying your motorcycle insurance, coverage you need:

• Collision to pay for damage caused to your vehicle in an accident with another vehicle or any stationary object.
• Comprehensive to cover such things as fire, hail, wind, vandalism, hitting an animal, etc.
• Towing / Pickup
• Medical payment or personal injury protection to cover the medical bills resulting from an accident.
• Uninsured or underinsured motorist to protect us when the other driver is at-fault and does not have coverage or assets out of which your bills can be paid.

Related posts:

1. Bike Find of the Day – The 1970 Moto Guzzi 750 Ambassador
2. Bike Find of the Day – 1936 Harley-Davidson EL Knucklehead
3. Two Wrenches Of Cool – The Wooler Flat Four

Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum
6030 Barber Motorsports Pkwy.
Birmingham, Alabama 35094
Phone (205) 699-7275
Fax (205) 702-8700

The Barber Vintage Festival  offers access to classic motorcycles and the legends that made the sport what it is today.

An added bonus?  A truly epic motorcycle parts swap meet that can help you locate that part needed to get your latest project back on the road.

Here are some of the special programs take place in the museum during the event.

Saturday, October 8

• 7am Park gates open
• 7am-7pm Will Call/Ticket sales Credentials
• 7:15–8am AHRMA RoadRacing Registration Paddock
• 7:15–5pm AHRMA RoadRacing Tech Paddock
• 7:30am AHRMA RoadRacing Riders Meeting #2 Paddock
• 730-10am VJMC Pancake Breakfast LOT F
• 8:30am AHRMA Trials Sign up LOT D
• 8am Museum opens Museum
• 8am-5pm Swap Meet LOT E
• 8am Motorcycle Classics Registration for Moto Guzzi Vintage Motorcycle show begins EXPO
• 8–9am AHRMA RoadRacing Practice (one short round) TRACK
• 8am-5pm SVFFA Fire trucks EXPO
• 8am-5pm EXPO/Fan Zone open EXPO
• 8am AMCA Registration for Antique Bike Show EXPO
• 9am John Healy & Don Hutchinson Seminar/Theater Museum
• 9:30am AHRMA Trials Riders Meeting LOT D
• 9-11am AHRMA RoadRacing TRACK
• 9am-9pm Auction Preview LOT E
• 10am-5pm Wall of Death (shows every 30 minutes) EXPO
• 10am Max Nightingale Seminar/Restoration Area Museum
• 10am Motorcycle Classics Moto Guzzi Vintage Motorcycle show begins EXPO
• 10am–Noon AHRMA Cross Country Registration LOT D
• 10am-Noon VJMC Motorcycle Show Registration/Set up LOT F
• 10am AHRMA Trials Begin LOT D
• 11am Steve Hall Seminar/Restoration Area Museum
• 11am Leo Goff Seminar/Theater Museum
• 11am Race of the Century Riders Meeting Paddock
• 11am-Noon Motorcycle Classics Seminar with Matt Wiley “Motorcycle Suspension” EXPO
• 11am-3pm AMCA Antique Bike Show voting EXPO
• 11am–12:30pm LUNCH
• Century Race
• Air Show
• Parade Laps
• Ducstock Parade Laps
• Noon AHRMA Cross Country Riders Meeting LOT D
• Noon -3pm VJMC People’s Choice Bike Show Voting LOT F
• 12:30pm-5pm AHRMA RoadRacing TRACK
• 12:30pm AHRMA Cross Country Riders Sighting Lap LOT D
• 1pm John Healy & Don Hutchinson Seminar/Theater Museum
• 2pm Max Nightingale Seminar/Restoration Area Museum
• 2pm Motorcycle Classics Moto Guzzi Vintage Motorcycle show Judging begins EXPO
• 2pm-9pm Auction LOT E
• 3pm Steve Hall Seminar/Restoration Area Museum
• 3pm Leo Goff Seminar/Theater Museum
• 1pm AHRMA Cross Country Race LOT D
• 1pm AMCA Lunch EXPO
• 2pm Autograph Session in Museum Museum
• 3pm AHRMA Post Vintage Cross Country Race LOT D
• 3pm Motorcycle Classics Awards Ceremony EXPO
• 4pm AMCA Awards Ceremony EXPO
• 4pm VJMC Awards Ceremony LOT F
• 5pm-7pm VJMC “Member’s only” Barbecue (ticket required) LOT F
• 6pm Museum closes

(Please note all times are subject to change)

Sunday, October 9

Location

• 7am Park gates open
• 7 am AHRMA Motocross Registration LOT D
• 7am-3pm Will Call/Ticket sales Credentials
• 7:15–8am AHRMA RoadRacing Registration Paddock
• 7:15–5pm AHRMA RoadRacing Tech Paddock
• 8–9am AHRMA RoadRacing Practice (one short round) TRACK
• 8am Museum opens Museum
• 8am-5pm Swap Meet LOT E
• 8am-5pm SVFFA Fire trucks EXPO
• 8am-5pm EXPO/Fan Zone open EXPO
• 8:30am AHRMA Motocross Riders Meeting LOT D
• 9am AHRMA Motocross Practice LOT D
• 9am Motorcycle Classics Moto Guzzi Corral opens EXPO
• 9am Steve Hall Seminar/Restoration Area Museum
• 9-11am AHRMA RoadRacing TRACK
• 10am Max Nightingale Seminar/Restoration Area Museum
• 10am Motorcycle Classics Meet & Greet the Editors for Refreshments EXPO
• 10am-5pm Wall of Death (shows every 30 minutes) EXPO
• 10:30am AHRMA Motocross Legends of Motocross Vintage Racing begins LOT D
• 11am–12:30pm LUNCH
• Airshow
• Parade Laps
• AMCA Parade Laps
• VJMC Parade Laps
• Ducstock Parade Laps
• 12:30pm-5pm AHRMA RoadRacing TRACK
• 1pm Autograph Session in Museum Museum
• 2pm Steve Hall Seminar/Restoration Area Museum
• 3pm Max Nightingale Seminar/Restoration Area Museum

5pm Museum closes

Whether you ride a sport bike or an American cruiser, your insurance needs can get complicated.

We’re here to help you find the right motorcycle insurance, whatever you ride…

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2. Hoosier State To Host American Iron Event
3. The Top Vintage Motorcycle Collectors in the World

Start with the major manufacturers like Yamaha, Honda, BMW, Ducati and Triumph.

Yamaha has been  known to provide top quality sports touring motorcycle over the years. Currently, the manufacturer offers one of the most popular touring motorcycles available in the marketplace  – the FJR 1300. This bike comes with an electronic clutch and  weighs in at a svelte 600 pounds which makes it both powerful enough and easy to handle.

It’s hard to beat BMW as the marque offers the maximum number of models in the sports touring variant. Their model line includes the F 800ST, K 1200GT, K 1200LT, R 1200RT and the R 1200ST. Of all these models, a great value for money comes with the F800 ST. At an attractive prize of $11,000, the F800 offers a sporty look and the compact size which will prevent you from having to spend your day wrestling a monster down the road.

BMW’s  R 1200ST  is a light-weight version of the 1200cc models in the  BMW lineup. Rated as one of the fastest sports touring motorcycles available in the market place, the K 1200 GT would be an excellent choice as it offers exceptional performance in a stripped-down package. If you want something a little more substantial, the K 1200LT is a bit pricier, but offers a slightly more feature-rich platform.

Honda has its own versions of the touring sports motorcycle category. Two popular versions are the Goldwing and the ST 1300. The venerable Gold wing is one of the most comfortable touring motorcycles in history and it sets the bar for the long haul riding category in terms of comfort and ride-ability. With a seat height near 30 inches, shorter riders might find it a bit on the tall side, but that’s a slight quibble when placed against the comfort and reliability benefits that the line provides.

Want to go with a European marque? It would be hard to go wrong with a  Triumph Sprint ST. Featuring a 1050cc powerplant and a very competitive price of $11000, the Sprint ST is relatively economical to operate compared to other models with the same engine size.

If you’d like something a little more race-proven, the Ducati ST3 Sports tourer comes with the manufacturers iconic 992cc powerplant. Tipping the scales at a positively featherweight 450 pounds and featuring the magnificent styling Ducati is known for around the world, the ST3 Sports Tourer is also  superb at handling twisty roads.

There are lots of other models to choose from in the Triumph and Moto Guzzi lineup, and any of them would be excellent choice in the touring sports category, but the major considerations, as always when selecting a bike to ride long distances without having your kidneys pounded to mush should always the comfort factor and the price.

Once you’ve selected the bike that will let you achieve your iron butt aspirations, you’ll need the right motorcycle insurance.

We’re here to help you pick out the correct coverage for your sport touring motorcycle…

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Developed by Rudolf Diesel in 1893, the compression-ignition engine works a little like a spark-ignition engine with one critical difference – in a diesel engine  air is compressed first, and then the fuel is injected into the cylinder. Because air heats up when compressed, the fuel ignites as a result of his heat rather than that from a spark plug.

The very high compression ratio of  low-speed diesel engines boast a thermal efficiency which beats 50 percent, and that’s a lot.

The bike below features a three cylinder, 1000cc Yanmar diesel which was built from block up and bored out. The builder says the timing was advanced, the bike was fitted with a special oil pan and pickup, modifications were made to the the injection pump and then the whole works was  turbocharged with GT15 turbocharger.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

If that doesn’t do the trick for you, or maybe you have a preference for non-marine engine diesels, how about this CAT diesel bike which features a springer softail frame, 200 rear tire, Cat C1.1 diesel engine and plans to include a turbocharger of its own.

Click here to view the embedded video.

A Diesel Motorcycle Gallery – What’s A Little Black Smoke Among Friends

Did you just build or buy a custom or classic motorcycle? Your insurance needs can get complicated.

At Motorcycleinsurance.com, we can make it easier…

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