Motorcycle riders across the nation say they draw special attention from the law enforcement community, and they’ve had about enough of that treatment. They say it’s time to fight back, and the forefront of the fight is now in the state of Virginia.

Riders were mortified last year during the annual Virginia Beach Bike Classic when city police set up a motorcycles-only checkpoint that ended up with some riders getting tickets for “offenses” like wearing “improper helmets,” says Matt Danielson, attorney for the Virginia Coalition of Motorcyclists.

The police say Danielson is dead wrong with his take one roadblock.

Police in Arlington County, VA., ran a similar operation last year which targeted riders heading to the annual Rolling Thunder ride to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC., and Danielson said his clients were none too happy about that one as well.

If all goes to plan, such stops won’t be happening again – at least in Virginia.

The Virginia House of Delegates is now considering a bill that would make motorcycles-only checkpoints a thing of the past. The proposed legislation, HB187, was submitted by delegate Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah County, and was approved unanimously Wednesday morning by a Virginia House subcommittee.

“We’re not opposed to checkpoints. They’re a useful public safety tool,” Danielson said. “We just don’t want motorcyclists to be singled out.”

A spokesperson for the the Virginia Beach police department, officer Jimmy Barnes, denied the assertion that motorcyclists were singled out at any time last year by his department.

“We did have a checkpoint, but every car was stopped, not just motorcycles,” he said. “We don’t do that. That’s not our practice, and we will never do that.”

He was, however, not able to provide a list of how many tickets were issued to motorcyclists as opposed to those issue people driving cars.

Related posts:

1. Motorcycle Checkpoints Upheld in New York State And That’s Just Plain Wrong
2. Motorcycle Ride to Commemorate 9-11 Attacks Causes Fears of Gridlock in Virginia and Maryland
3. Older and Wiser Bikers? Maybe Not So Much

Okay, six years old might be a little young to be riding a motorcycle, even by our rather liberal standards, but what if that little shaver was riding a toy motorcycle – and crashed into a parked SUV?

That’s a touch over the top, and maybe it is sometimes too early to start learning to ride.

Authorities in the Mexican border town of Ciudad Juarez are keeping an eye out for miniature ruffians in training and to that end, ticketed a 6-year-old boy for reckless driving, driving without a license and not having his toy motorcycle registered.

Karla Noriega, the tiny hellion’s mother, said police took the additional step of impounded the baby-sized motorcycle that her son received as a Christmas after he “went over the high side” and ran into an SUV at a park a couple of days after Christmas.

Noriega took her case to the media when she learned that authorities were planning to charge her what she said was a “ridiculous” $183 in fines to get the tiny motorcycle back for her son.

Did that work?

You bet it did. It seems the pen is mightier than the sword and the Powers That Be dropped the fines and released the motorcycle to her son, Gael, after local newspapers published her story and applied some pressure.

Buying Your First Bike? The 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. Please Explain To Me How This Guy Walks Away From A Head On Motorcycle Crash
2. Why You Need More Than Just Basic Motorcycle Insurance Coverage
3. Knowledge Is Power – It Will Get Increasingly More Dangerous to Ride Your Bike So Know the Score

I know, those guys like to shoot each other over perceived slights or turf wars. So it was a member of the Bandidos who did the deed. Maybe a member of  the Outlaws checking out a new spot for a clubhouse?

Nope. It turns out it wasn’t a rival motorcycle club patchholder behind the attack, but members of a local street gang.

“As we continue the investigation, we are aware that the male victim, a member of the Hells Angles, has ongoing issues with local street gangs who are also known to police,” Duncan said. “Street gangs are associated to the drug trade, guns and firearms are involved, so they can be every bit as dangerous as the more traditional motorcycle clubs.”

The shootout began just after midnight in London and in the aftermath,  a man and a woman ended up in the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

To make matters even more Old West, it seems police were present when the shooting went down.

“Over the course of the last couple of days, we’ve heightened our presence in a number of areas and we were present for a specific reason,” Duncan said.

According to the authorities, three occupants one vehicle involved in the incident are already in custody. A fourth suspect remains at large.

Duncan added that it’s possible the gang members are actually ‘employees’ of sorts affiliated with the Hells Angels or Outlaws.

The shooting went down in a residential neighborhood close to a school, and that’s made the local constabulary downright peevish.

“We will not tolerate this open display of violence and we will work diligently to prevent further acts of violence,” Duncan said. “The message should be very clear to the individuals or groups involved.”

Related posts:

1. Video of the Hells Angels vs Vagos Killing in Nevada From Casino Security Tapes
2. Ontario Cop Back On Hot Seat For Collusion With Hells Angels
3. Hells Angels Vs Vagos War Over Expensive Coffee – Times Have Indeed Changed

There are a lot of facts associated with motorcycling, and you should know all the straight skinny before you head out on the road.

Who knows? All this knowledge might come in handy. As well all well know, knowledge is power…

The National Insurance Crime Bureau said that motorcycle thefts fell 24 percent in 2010 from a year earlier, based on data from the National Crime Information Center of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Motorcycle thefts have declined each year from 2006 to 2010 with the largest decrease occurring between 2008 and 2009. The top five makes stolen and the top five states in thefts for 2010 are shown below:

Top Five Makes Stolen, 2010    Top Five States in Motorcycle Thefts, 2010

1. Honda 12,260                               1. California 5,662

2. Yamaha 9,853                              2. Texas 4,394

3. Suzuki 8,969                                 3. Florida 4,148

4. Kawasaki 5,470                          4. North Carolina 2,649

5. Unknown make 3,420             5. Indiana 1,925

FATALITIES AND INJURIES

Overall: According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA, http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov), tthe following new terms are used to define motorcycle occupants: a motorcycle rider is the operator only; a passenger is any person seated on the motorcycle but not in control of the motorcycle; and any combined reference to the motorcycle rider (operator) as well as the passenger will be referred to as motorcyclists.

NHTSA says that in 2009, 4,462 motorcyclists died in crashes, down 16.0 percent from 5,312 in 2008, ending an 11- year increase in motorcycle deaths. Motorcycle fatalities in 2008 were at the highest level since NHTSA began collecting data in 1975. In 2009, 90,000 motorcyclists were injured in accidents, down 6.3 percent from 2008. In 2009 motorcyclists accounted for 13 percent of all traffic fatalities, 16 percent of all occupant fatalities and 4 percent of all occupants injured.

By Age: Older motorcyclists account for half of all motorcyclist fatalities. NHTSA data show that in 2008, 51 percent of motorcyclists killed in crashes were age 40 or over, compared with 33 percent 10 years earlier. In contrast, fatalities among young motorcyclists have declined in the past 10 years, relative to other age groups. In 2008 fatalities in the under 30-year-old group dropped to 31 percent of total motorcyclists killed in crashes from 40 percent in 1998. Fatalities among motorcyclists in the 30-to 39-year-old group fell to 19 percent in 2008 from 27 percent ten years earlier.

By Driver Behavior: Alcohol use: NHTSA says that in 2009, 29 percent of motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) over 0.08 percent (the national definition of drunk driving), compared with 23 percent of drivers of passenger cars, 23 percent of light truck drivers and 2 percent of large truck drivers in fatal crashes.

In 2008, 30 percent of all fatally injured motorcycle riders had BACs of 0.08 percent or higher. Another 7 percent had lower alcohol levels (0.01 to 0.07 percent BAC.). Fatally injured motorcycle riders between the ages of 40 to 49 had the highest percentage of BACs 0.08 percent and above (41 percent), compared with 36 percent for those ages 35 to 39. Forty-three percent of the 2,291 fatally injured motorcycle riders who died in single-vehicle crashes in 2008 (for example, those in which the motorcycle crashed into a stationary object) had BACs of 0.08 percent or higher. On weekend nights, the proportion was higher: 64 percent of motorcycle riders who died in single-vehicle crashes had BACs of 0.08 percent or higher.

In 2008, motorcycle riders killed in traffic crashes at night were nearly 4 times more likely to have BAC levels at or over 0.08 percent (48 percent) than those killed during the day (13 percent).

The reported helmet use rate for motorcycle riders with BACs at or over 0.08 percent who were killed in traffic crashes was 46 percent in 2008, compared with 66 percent for those who did not have any measurable blood alcohol.

Speeding: In 2008, 35 percent of all motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes were speeding, compared with 23 percent for drivers of passenger cars, 19 percent for light truck drivers and 8 percent for large truck drivers, according to NHTSA.

Licensing: One out of four motorcycle riders (25 percent) who were involved in fatal crashes were riding without a valid license in 2008, compared with 12 percent of passenger vehicle drivers. NHTSA says that motorcycle operators were also 1.4 times more likely than passenger vehicle drivers to have a prior license suspension or revocation (18 percent compared with 13 percent).

By Type of Motorcycle: According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), riders of “supersports” motorcycles have driver death rates per 10,000 registered vehicles nearly four times higher than for drivers of other types of motorcycles. Supersports have more horsepower than conventional motorcycles and can reach speeds of up to 190 mph. They are built on racing platforms and are modified for street use. The bikes are popular with riders under the age of 30. The bikes are light-weight and aerodynamically styled. In 2005, these bikes registered 22.5 driver deaths per 10,000 registered vehicles compared with 10.7 deaths for other sport models (related to supersports but do not have the acceleration, stability and handling of supersports). Standards and cruisers and touring bikes, with upright handlebars, have rates of 5.7 and 6.5 per 10,000 vehicles. In 2005, supersports accounted for 9 percent of registrations, and standards and cruisers made up 51 percent of registrations. Among fatally injured drivers, the IIHS says that drivers of supersports were the youngest—with an average age of 27. Touring motorcycle drivers were the oldest, 51 years old. Fatally injured drivers of other sports models were 34, on average; standard and cruiser drivers were 44 years old. Speeding and driver error were bigger factors in supersport and sport fatal crashes. Speed was cited in 57 percent of supersport riders’ fatal crashes in 2005 and in 46 percent for sport model riders. Speed was a factor in 27 of fatal crashes of riders of cruisers and standards, and for 22 percent of riders of touring models.

INSURANCE LOSSES

Collision Losses by Type: The IIHS says that supersports have the overall highest insurance losses under collision coverage among the motorcycle classes, almost four times higher than for touring models and more than six times higher than for cruisers. Nine of the ten motorcycles with the highest losses were supersports. Claim frequency is driving the high losses for supersports, meaning that they are involved in more collisions than other types of motorcycles—there were 9 claims per 100 insured vehicle years for supersports models, compared with 2.3 for all models. The models surveyed were all 2002-2006 models. Touring motorcycles had the most expensive claims because they are the most expensive to purchase. Supersport models are the most popular with thieves—with average loss payments for theft losses per insured vehicle years of $246 for 2002-2006 models, seven times higher than the average for all motorcycles. Supersport models had the highest frequency of thefts—31.8 per insured vehicle year, compared with cruisers and touring models which had the lowest at 1.1 claims per insured vehicle year. However, touring models had the highest average loss payments—$15,696, reflecting their high purchase price and upgrades.

SAFETY ISSUES

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF, http://www.msf-usa.org), sponsored by motorcycle manufacturers and distributors, works with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), state governments and other organizations to improve motorcycle safety through education, training and licensing. Since 1973 about 3.2 million motorcyclists have taken MSF training courses. The organization also works with the states to integrate rider safety and skills in licensing tests. It also promotes safety by recommending motorcycle operators wear protective gear, especially helmets, ride sober and ride within their skill limits.

Antilock Brakes: Stopping a motorcycle is more complex than stopping a car. Motorcycles have separate brakes for the front and rear wheels, and braking hard can lock the wheels and cause the bike to overturn. Not braking hard enough can put the rider into harm’s way. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) said in March 2010 that motorcycles with antilocks versus those without are 37 percent less likely to be in fatal crashes. In addition, the IIHS’s affiliate, the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), found that bikes with antilocks have 22 percent fewer claims for damage per insured vehicle year than the same model bikes without antilocks. HLDI also studied medical claims and found that under medical payment coverage, bikes with antilocks had 30 percent lower claim frequencies than bikes that did not have antilocks. (Claims frequencies represent the number of claims.) Claim frequencies were 33 percent lower under bodily injury liability coverage.

Airbags:Honda Motorcycle Company is the first company to offer the option of an airbag, which is available on one of the most expensive models. The option became available in 2006. A handful of companies have recently developed wearable airbags, which are worn either inside a jacket or strapped on outside. No data on the effectiveness of these new items has been published. 

Motorcycle Helmets: In 2009 motorcycle helmets saved 1,483 lives. NHTSA says that if all motorcyclists had worn helmets, 732 more lives would have been saved. Helmets are estimated to be 37 percent effective in preventing fatal injuries for motorcycle riders (operators) and 41 percent effective for motorcycle passengers.

Motorcycle Helmet Use Laws: According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 20 states and the District of Columbia had laws on the books requiring all motorcyclists to wear helmets as of June 2011 (See chart below). In another 27 states only people under a specific age (mostly between 17 and 20 years of age) were required to wear helmets. Three states (Illinois, Iowa and New Hampshire) had no helmet use laws. A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study covering 10 states found that when universal helmet laws, which pertain to all riders, were repealed, helmet use rates dropped from 99 percent to 50 percent. In states where the universal law was reinstated, helmet use rates rose to above 95 percent.

According to NHTSA’s National Occupant Protection Use Survey, motorcycle helmet use plummeted to 54 percent in June 2010 from 67 percent in June 2009. Helmet use reached a high of 71 percent in October 2000. Usage rates are higher in states that have universal laws that require all riders to use helmets. In June 2010, 76 percent of motorcyclists in universal law states wore them, 10 percentage points less than in 2009. In states without universal laws, usage was down 15 percentage points, dropping from 55 percent in 2009 to 40 percent in 2010. Motorcycle helmet use in 2010 was highest in the West, at 75 percent, down from 83 percent in the previous year, and lowest in the Midwest, at 43 percent, down from 67 percent in 2009. Helmet use was 54 percent in both the Northeast and the South, down by 7 percentage points and 11 percentage points, respectively from 2009. The survey only counts helmets that comply with Department of Transportation standards.

View Archived Tables:
MOTORCYCLE HELMET USE, 1994-2009 (1)

View Archived Tables:
MOTORCYCLIST FATALITIES AND FATALITY RATES, 1998-2008

View Archived Tables:
OCCUPANT FATALITY RATES BY VEHICLE TYPE, 1997 AND 2007

View Archived Tables:
MOTORCYCLE RIDERS KILLED OR INJURED BY TIME OF DAY AND DAY OF WEEK, 2008

View Archived Tables:
VEHICLES INVOLVED IN CRASHES BY VEHICLE TYPE AND CRASH SEVERITY, 2008

View Archived Tables:
PERSONS KILLED IN TOTAL AND ALCOHOL-IMPAIRED CRASHES BY PERSON TYPE, 2008

View Archived Tables:
DRIVERS IN FATAL CRASHES BY BLOOD ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION (BAC) AND VEHICLE TYPE, 1998-2008 (1)

Related posts:

1. The Comprehensive And Utterly Huge Guide to Motorcycle Helmet Laws
2. Motorcycle Helmet Law Debate Rages On – How Would You Fix The Issue?
3. Older and Wiser Bikers? Maybe Not So Much

Sabater took home the prestigious award for her estimable contributions to repealing a Nanny State ban on sales of youth powersports vehicles, and for that, she should well have been commended.

The AMA Motorcyclist of the Year title goes every year to “the person or persons who had the most profound impact on the world of motorcycling in the previous 12 months,” and Sabater was certainly that person or persons.

Sabate prevailed over a truly insane “lead law” and sealed the deal as President Barack Obama signed legislation which overturned the ban on Aug. 12. The legislation ended a three-year battle to save American youth from a life without riding motorcycles (a horrible fate) and kept this country free from cages-only ignominy for future generations.

“This was a victory on many levels.”

-Nancy Sabater

“A number of partners had a hand in our victory over this misguided law — the motorcycle industry, race promoters, parts distributors and others, but it’s Nancy and those like her — the individual enthusiasts — who truly put the rubber to the road, gave our cause a face in the crowd and brought this victory home,” AMA president and CEO Rob Dingman said. “They were the most influential motorcyclists of 2011, and AMA member and grassroots activist Nancy Sabater is the AMA Motorcyclist of the Year for her stellar work on behalf of families and kids.”

So when did the madness begin?

In 2009 shortly after Congress passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008, the law was a result of reports that cheap,  imported (generally from China) children’s toys were testing high for lead content. It’s true, lead is just plain bad for kids and presents serious health risks. But the CPSIA legislation was written in such a way that it banned the making, importing, distributing or selling of any product intended for children 12 and under that contained more than a trace amount of lead. The upshot was that dirtbikes and ATVs sized for kids fell under the umbrella as they might contain trace levels of lead in parts such as brake calipers and battery terminals.

Did it matter that it’s inconceivable that parts like that were never, ever going to end up in a kid’s mouth as a teething ring? No, according to legislators, it did not.

Thousands of individual motorcyclists, with Sabater the most vocal dissenter, fuhgood fight to repeal the law.

Sabater was also involved in two initiatives which preceded the fix itself: the AMA Family Capitol Hill Climb last May 26 and cranking out a slew of videos Sabater produced of well-known racers and motocross industry personalities talking sense about the lunacy of  portions written into the lead law.

“This victory is something that demonstrates the fruits of our labors. Something really happened here. We effected change. We showed these kids that if you want something hard enough and you work hard enough, that you can get results,” Sabater said. “Who knows what battles we’ll fight next, in D.C., for the AMA, for the rights of motorcyclists? This was a victory on many levels.”

Related posts:

1. Heroes Save Utah Motorcyclist Trapped Under Burning Car
2. Quick Tips and Facts for the Motorcyclist – Our Motorcycle Safety and Gear Infographic
3. The 2011 Year End Motorcycle Chain Links – Happy New Year Bikers

Drinking and riding is not only a serious concern for transportation safety officials, it should be one of your concerns as well.

Let’s be realistic here, drinking and riding is endemic to the motorcycle culture. Something like 46 percent of riders killed in accidents, at least according to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF), have at least some alcohol in their system at the time of their death. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes are 2.5 times more likely to have consumed alcohol than passenger vehicle operators.

Nuff said.

It appears riders like to have a snort or two and then take a ride. In 2007, the number of alcohol-impaired motorcyclists in fatal crashes increased by 10 percent while the number of alcohol-impaired drivers of passenger cars declined 6 percent. According to the NHTSA, they define “alcohol impaired” as having a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC)  0.08 grams/deciliter. Their analysis of motorcycle riders and passenger vehicle drivers killed showed about 83 percent of the alcohol-impaired accident fatalities were males.

Kelley Tway, media relations manager for Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), adds that drinking and driving among car and motorcycle operators is habitual and said that first offenders surveyed after being arrested for drunk driving admitted they had gotten away with drinking and driving many times before they were finally arrested.

So how do you make sure you’re not one of those riders dying or waking up in a drunk tank?

French insurance company MAAF  developed a hand little tool to help you out. Their application, and it works with most smartphones and the iPad, can tells you if you are legally capable of riding your motorcycle.

Check it out, and if you ever ride your motorcycle after a few drinks, get the app and save everyone a whole bunch of agony:

Click here to access the MAAF AlcooTel web site
Click here to access the iPhone Alcootel download
Click here to access the Windows Phone Alcootel download
Click here to access the Java based phones Alcootel download
Click here to access the iPad Alcootel download

Thanks to Mike Werner at motorbiker.org…

You Ride Hard and Fast

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 we are 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 if it all goes wrong…

Related posts:

1. Does What Kind of Bike You Ride Determine Your Safety? The Statistics Say Yes
2. Do You Ride Without A Motorcycle Endorsement?
3. The Ultimate In Motorcycle Insurance Facts and Figures

City council members Adam Vaughan and Joe Mihevc were the only two dissenters to vote against reviewing the long standing policy. According to Vaughan, motorcycles and electric scooters are “far less burdensome” forms transportation and thus deserve their current exempt status.

“I don’t think we should be charging them the same as cars when they don’t take up a full parking spot,” Vaughan said. “This is another cash grab by the Ford administration and yet we are not helping ease congestion.”

Toronto Mayor, Rob Ford, said he thinks motorcycles should have to pay to park.

The Toronto City Council seems to agree and that esteemed body voted 28-2 for a measure which would have the city staff to review motorcycles and scooters free parking some time in February. In a move sure to draw the ire of bikers, Toronto budget director Mike Del Grande and councilor Kristyn Wong-Tam led the charge to review the ordinance which allows  motorcycles and scooters an exemption from paying for street parking.

And if that’s not enough to rile the feathers of two-wheeled devotees, the same review process will also be used to determine whether or not Toronto will continue to exempt motorcycles from paying for long-term, on-street parking as well.

CEO of the Canadian Motorcycle Association, Marilynn Bastedo, , said taking away free parking for motorcycles would be a “backward step.”

“Many forward looking cities, especially in Europe, recognize that by encouraging two-wheeled transportation, congestion and pollution is greatly reduced,” said Bastedo. “The loss of parking revenues is miniscule compared to the benefits.”

Bastedo said the city would be sending the wrong message to voters and that changing the current law would indicate that  “we don’t care about reducing pollution and congestion” and added “it’s easy to target small groups in our community who have little influence on the decision making process.”

Buying Your First Bike? The 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. Has the Electric Motorcycle Gotten A Foothold in the Market?
2. Weather Suck In Your Neck of the Woods? Win A Free Cover for Your Motorcycle
3. Lane Splitting On Your Motorcycle – Time Saver or Disaster Waiting To Happen?

Do you fall in the “I can decide for myself, thanks very much” camp? Are you firmly entrenched in the “you’ve got to wear a helmet and keep your brains off the public roads” gang?

We’re unsure of where to stand on this issue.  It’s hard to argue that personal freedoms aren’t being infringed upon where mandatory helmet laws are concerned, but it’s also a tough argument to make that motorcyclists shouldn’t be forced to bear their fair share of whatever social  and medical costs might arise from exercising the freedom to ride without a lid.

To this point, I haven’t read a single article which I believe addresses all the relevant points in a succinct way, so how about coming up with some ideas?

Motorcycle Helmet Use Laws

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, twenty states and the District of Columbia have laws on the books which require all motorcyclists to wear helmets as of June 2011 .

In 27 states, only people under a specific age (generally those between 17 and 20 years of age) are required to wear helmets.

Three states (Illinois, Iowa and New Hampshire) have no helmet use laws whatever.

A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study covering 10 states found that when universal helmet laws applying to all riders were repealed, helmet use rates dropped from 99 percent to 50 percent.  Those kinds of numbers clearly indicate that there are a lot of riders who only wear a lid if the government says they must.

In states where those types of blanket helmet laws were reinstated, helmet use rates rose to above 95 percent.

The NHTSA’s National Occupant Protection Use Survey says motorcycle helmet use dropped to 54 percent in June 2010 from 67 percent in June 2009. At the peak, helmet use reached a high of 71 percent back in October 2000 and helmet .usage rates are higher in states which have universal laws to require all riders to use helmets.

In June 2010, 76 percent of motorcyclists in mandatory helmet law states wore them, and that represents a 10 percentage drop when compared to 2009. In states without universal laws, usage was down 15 percentage points, dropping from 55 percent in 2009 to 40 percent in 2010. Motorcycle helmet use in 2010 was highest in the West, at 75 percent, down from 83 percent in the previous year, and lowest in the Midwest, at 43 percent, down from 67 percent in 2009. Helmet use was 54 percent in both the Northeast and the South, down by 7 percentage points and 11 percentage points, respectively from 2009. The survey only counts helmets that comply with Department of Transportation standards.

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. The Comprehensive And Utterly Huge Guide to Motorcycle Helmet Laws
2. Michigan Motorcycle Helmet Law Repeal Battle Still Under Way
3. Massachusetts Mulls Repeal of Helmet Law

S&S Cycle makes motorcycle engines and parts and was founded in 1958 by George J. Smith and Stanley Stankos in Blue Island, Illinois. The company started out selling high performance pushrods for Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

“We were in a cash crunch and we needed help,” Smith said. “We got it.”

The La Crosse, Wisconsin company was growing fast in the 90′s and at least at the beginning of the 2000′s, so they had taken out some loans to finance the company’s rapid expansion. An economic downturn followed and that suddenly meant less orders, and coupled with the high interest payments their borrowing created, you had all the factors in line for  a severe cash flow issue.

The manufacturer of after-market engines and parts got some help to save S&S Cycle from the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority which guaranteed portions of the refinancing loans S&S needed to stay in operation. Yet another leg up in dire times came via a Community Grant from the state of Wisconsin’s Department of Commerce.

“We were in a cash crunch and we needed help,” Smith said. “We got it.”

That aid  was part of a new market tax credit loan through the WHEDA in 2009 and a community grant loan in 2010 which the company  used to invest in new equipment and tooling. Smith the S&S  resurgence comes as the company is refinancing loans from the 2004 expansion and was only possible because of the WHEDA guarantees.

Today S&S is back on the growth track, with revenues up 30 percent from 2009 and its workforce at 230, Smith said.

“Had it not been for the economic development assistance we received from various programs, we might not have been around…today,” Smith said.

S&S CYCLE

La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA

Tel: 608 627 1497/0253

Fax: 608 627 1488/0771

E-mail: sscust@sscycle.com

www.sscycle.com

Insuring your collectible or vintage motorcycle

As for insurance for your collectible motorcycle? You should be able to get Agreed Value coverage on a classic 1959 BSA Gold Star Catalina valued at $15,000 for somewhere around $25 a month, and that gives you the whole shooting match of coverage.

You can spend a lot less, but if you plan to ride the bikes in your collection, the above pricing is a reasonable approximation of what you can expect to pay.

Related posts:

1. Twin Jet Engine Board Tracker Harley – Bike Find of the Day
2. The Ultimate List of Vintage Motorcycle Links
3. The Silent Grey Fellow – Bike Find of the Day – 1912 Harley-Davidson Model B Silent Grey Fellow

After 35 years of riding, I got pulled over last summer and hit with a ticket for riding without an endorsement, and while it was annoying and cost me a little cash, it got me thinking about what the additional consequences of riding without the official imprimatur of the The Man might be.

An investigation of motorcycle crashes in Washington State found out how many un-endorsed motorcycle riders are being killed in crashes, and the facts are shocking to say the least.

According to Washington State Patrol records, during the five years from 2005 to 2009, crashes accounted for the deaths of 364 motorcyclists in Washington State, and those records also show that during the same period, nearly 40 percent (141 riders) did not have a legal motorcycle endorsement.

Those 141 un-endorsed riders may have held a permit, but since they never completed a motorcycle skills test to ensure that they had the minimal skills to operate a motorcycle on Washington roads, they were riding without the official government Seal of Approval.

A motorcycle permit is pretty easy to obtain in most states. To get one in the state of Washington, you only have to visit a Department of Licensing office, pay a $5 application fee, pass a basic knowledge test and upon passing the test pay $15 for an instructional permit. The permit is valid for 90 days and can be renewed as many times as you’d like.

The bad news is that almost  40-percent of riders killed in crashes only make it through the initial permitting process and fail to complete the full licensing process. While some riders find it sufficient to renew a permit than to finish out the process by passing an approved motorcycle safety course or riding test at a DOL office and many riders opt out of passing a very basic riding skills test and instead ride on the street unlicensed, at least statistically speaking, those riders are quite possibly on the road to ruin.

Riders who opt for this path might not have long to stay their course. The ability to infinitely renew a temporary motorcycle permit may be changing for Washington State riders.

Senator Phil Rockefeller (D-Kitsap County), introduced Senate Bill 5141 limiting the number of times a motorcycle instructional permit can be obtained without completing the full licensing process. The bill limits riders to two permit renewals – period. A third renewal would be allowed, but only if the rider presents a proof of enrollment in a motorcycle safety course.

That bill passed 44 to 2 in the Washington State Senate in February, 2011 and was referred to the House Transportation Committee the next day.

DOL records show that more than 127,000 new motorcyclists received endorsements from 2005 to 2009.  Of all newly endorsed riders, 64-percent took a motorcycle safety course. These riders took a single weekend out of their busy schedules to learn motorcycle skills. These skills are very basic, but they are the building blocks to enjoy a lifetime of motorcycling.

Motorcycling can, and we all know it,  be a high-risk activity. Of all the ways you can reduce the risks involved, the best way is to actually complete the process and pass a simple motorcycle riding skills test.

The Washington State Patrol says that riding without a motorcycle learner’s permit or violating the provisions of a permit could result in a $124 ticket (in Michigan, my ticket resulted in me shelling out $75 bucks), and it might also mean something far, far worse…

Related posts:

1. How to Get a Motorcycle Permit
2. Does What Kind of Bike You Ride Determine Your Safety? The Statistics Say Yes
3. Too Drunk To Ride? Find Out With This iPhone App

The checkpoint stops were part of a 2008 statewide initiative by troopers, timed to coincide with rallies like Laconia which draw crowds of riders. According to Judge Gary Sharpe, it was all about safety. Sharpe said  the checkpoints differed from random stops which had “a general interest in crime control.”

Four motorcyclists sued troopers claiming safety was nothing more than a pretext the authorities used to look for criminals. They added that the practice of motorcycle only stops was intrusive and unfair to riders as a group. Attorney Mitchell Proner said the case he worked on for the riders is the only such federal suit nationally.

Judge  Sharpe’s Thursday ruling noted that 5,342 vehicles passed through 17 checkpoints in 2008 and during those stops, authorities inspected 2,278 bikes and made a total of four criminal arrests. Some 1,064 tickets, including 365 for helmet violations, 99 for other safety violations, and 600 for non-safety violations, were issued as a direct result of the stops.

The ruling said state data showed an increase in motorcycle fatalities the preceding nine years, and an increase in tickets issued for illegal helmets from 35 in 2007 to 796 in 2008, was motivation for the stops. Almost half of the total tickets from such violations were issued at the checkpoints.

“The court concludes the checkpoints were enacted to promote motorcycle safety, a manifest public interest; they were effective in addressing this interest; and that any interference with individual liberties was not only minimal, but also grossly outweighed by the interest advanced,” wrote Sharpe in his decision.

Sharpe said the checkpoints gave police “appropriately” limited powers and was “minimally intrusive” to riders. Depositions in the case  showed riders were detained  45 minutes at the most -  even when “secondary inspections” were performed and riders were cited for inadequate helmets.

“The intrusion on civil liberties is something that shouldn’t be countenanced,” Proner said. “It’s obvious just from their own internal documents they’re looking for criminal activity.”

Proner said a checkpoint near Buffalo’s Peace Bridge was manned by border patrol agents -  and at one rally in central New York sponsored by a motorcycle club,  gang task force officers manned the checkpoints.

“The fact they didn’t find crime doesn’t mean that wasn’t what they’re fishing for,” Proner said. “That just shows you’ve got law abiding citizens on motorcycles primarily being inconvenienced.”

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. Bikers in Virginia Fight the Good Fight Against Motorcycle Only Checkpoints
2. Who Are the Worst Drivers In the Nation, A State by State Comparison
3. Proposed Michigan Helmet Law Repeal A Big Step Down a Slipperly Slope to a Motorcycle Nanny State

But both branches of the Illinois legislature  took the unusual step of overturning Quinn’s veto, and have now made the proposal into the law of the state.

The law as it was originally designed was intended to apply just to motorcycles, but after a raft of amendments, Illinois legislators added bicycles to the list as well. The new law was first proposed as a bill to give riders a break and help them avoid waiting at long red lights.

Sensors attached to stop lights are tripped by an electromagnet which often fails to detect motorcycles as they contain considerably lesser amounts of magnetic metals such as steel when compared to the volume of ferrous metals in a car, and the likelihood of a light turning green is reduced. This difference between cars and motorcycles was said to cause riders delays – or even force bikers to detour.

“I’ve sat at a stop light for several minutes several times before and been forced to make a right and come back around because it did not trip,” said Raymond Mucha, director of the motorcycle safety program at Illinois State University.

Mucha added that since aluminum and plastic make up the majority of materials used to construct a motorcycle, neither material would allow stop light sensors to be tripped in a timely manner, if at all.

“At the motorcycle safety program, we teach people how to deal with this problem, including putting the side stand down on the sensor,” said Erik Hanks, program coordinator of the state’s motorcycle safety program.

Hanks said there are several things bikers can do to trip the sensors, including adding a magnet to their motorcycles.

Critics of the law fear it could be abused by motorcyclists and lead to an increase in accidents. Since the law as written only requires individual riders to wait a “reasonable amount of time,” Hanks says the wording may leave open the possibility for some riders and drivers to take advantage of it.

“A lot of motorcycle accidents happen when a car turns left in front of the rider, and this creates the potential to have this happen more often,” Hanks said. “I can see both sides of the argument and my advice is to wait and see what this changes.”

Lawmakers in Kansas, Georgia and California are considering similar stop light legislation.

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…

Related posts:

1. Spike In Motorcycle Fatalities in Illinois A Grim Reminder To Riders
2. Motorcycle Checkpoints Upheld in New York State And That’s Just Plain Wrong
3. If You Drive A Car, Consider These Facts About Motorcycles on the Road With You

You use metrics to size up a stock’s true value. Here’s how. You base your calculations on current price multiples, the consistency of past earnings and a company’s cash flow and how much growth you can expect from a company, in this case,Harley-Davidson (NYSE: HOG).

Start by taking a look at investors’ favorite metric,the P/E ratio. This figure divides the company’s share price by its earnings per share. The lower this number is, the better the stock looks.

Second, you look at enterprise value to unleveraged free cash flow, and you arrive at this number by dividing a company’s enterprise value or its market cap, plus its debt, minus its cash on hand by its unleveraged free cash flow or the company’s cash flow and add back the interest payments on any debt the company may have. Again, the lower this number is, the better the stock looks to investors.

A good buy generally has low multiples on both of these numbers.

Harley-Davidson sports a P/E ratio of 21.2 and an EV/FCF ratio of 18.4 over the last year. An “ideal company,” if there is such a beast, will be consistently strong in its earnings and cash flow generation, and over the past five years, H-D’s net income margin has ranged from -0.5% to 16%. During that same time frame, unleveraged cash flow margin for H-D has ranged from -17.2% to 22.7%.

We certainly do not feel it is fair when we’ve spent years building a customer service-oriented business to promote the brand worldwide.

-Tom Gianetti, St-Paul Harley-Davidson

Harley’s five-year P/E ratio is less than its one-year ratio, and the fact that the company is in a capital-intensive industry which is very sensitive to overall economic conditions means H-D is a pretty volatile stock. The initial numbers don’t make Harley look like a cheap buy, but the stock’s performance has been solid, so maybe some other factors will swing your decision.

One of those factors might be the strength of the brand overall and it’s relationships with its dealer network.

And it’s here where a problem might arise for the Milwaukee firm.

A Harley-Davidson dealer in St. Paul, Minnesota, sued the company recently in federal court and contends that the manufacturer’s restrictions on international sales by U.S. dealers (and sales through third-party websites) are unfair and weaken individual dealer’s profits.

The suit arose over new restrictions on dealer’s ability to sell motorcycle parts, accessories and clothing.

“These changes would deprive us of literally millions of dollars of annual revenues, thereby jeopardizing our ability to remain in business,” the dealer said.

According to St-Paul Harley-Davidson, they say they earned $8 million a year in revenue from those types of sales from 2008 through 2010, even as overall motorcycle sales declined in 2008 as the recession chopped into the discretionary spending motorcycle dealers depend on to stay healthy. Sales have begun to improve, and Harley-Davidson said last month its third-quarter net income more than doubled from a year earlier.

Harley-Davidson says that’s way off base and has always taken a fiercely protective stance on maintaining its iconic brand by restricting sales of new inventory through third-party websites.

The motorcycle maker caused the ruckus by changing the rules on Aug. 1 of this year saying U.S. dealers may not sell Harley-Davidson parts and accessories to customers outside the United States and added that starting on Jan. 1, 2012, U.S. dealers may not sell new parts or accessories on “third-party” websites either.

St-Paul dealership president, Tom Giannetti, said Harley-Davidson had changed its policies to block sales of products through websites such eBay and Amazon.com.

“These new policies are highly controversial and may be arguable,” Giannetti said. “We certainly do not feel it is fair when we’ve spent years building a customer service-oriented business to promote the brand worldwide.”

The upshot? Even with the recent recall of some 300,000 Harley Davidson bikes by the company, investors don’t seem to see the dealer revolt as anything more than a tempest in a teapot, and shares of Harley-Davidson were up 4.4 percent at $39.30 on the NYSE.

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. Can Harley Davidson Hold On To the Youth Market?
2. Harley-Davidson Back In the Game, Sales Up 5 Percent in Q1
3. Harley-Davidson Back From The Lost Years After Restructuring

Bosco, a New Jersey dog who insisted on taking rides on his owner’s motorcycle, found himself entangled in a court case which charged that his owner, Gyula Szatmari, was guilty of animal cruelty.

“He would be crying when I would take my bike, and then I made something for him and I put him on the front of the bike,” Szatmari said.

Szatmari was pulled over by the police this past summer and charged by authorities with a count of animal cruelty for bringing Bosco for a ride.

“I told them I’ve been driving through your town for six and a half years,” Szatmari said. “You’re pulling me over now?”

Szatmari said Bosco regularly rides with him in his tractor trailer, and added that Bosco took to the bike right away and refused to be denied whenever he got a chance to ride on the motorcycle.

“I came to a red light the first time I rode him and a guy goes, ‘How long did it take you to teach him to do that on a bike?’ I told him this is the first day,” Szatmari said.

Authorities weren’t amused, as authorities tend to be when confronted with any deviation from the norm,  and took Szatmari to court.

“It was hectic but it really bugged me out I had to get a lawyer I’m glad it’s over,” Szatmari said after the matter was settled. “I never had a problem nowhere else. You know, my friend was telling me they’re making a commercial Harley Davidson’s commercial with a dog on the front of the bike.”

Authorities dropped the animal cruelty charge against Szatmari  this week. To resolve the issue, Szatmari pleaded guilty to an unsafe driving charge. The 56-year-old paid $449 in fines and court costs in Municipal Court.

The whole issue began when Szatmari was headed home from his job in August when he was pulled over in the rain in Marlboro. He was issued citations for careless driving and the improper transportation of an animal.

Szatmari said he’s never been questioned about riding with Bosco in any other county in the state, or for that matter, any other state where he and his pal have ridden their bike.

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…

Related posts:

1. The Trailer Queen Question – Ride It, Or Tow It And Then Ride It
2. Motorcycle Checkpoints Upheld in New York State And That’s Just Plain Wrong
3. Do You Ride Without A Motorcycle Endorsement?

In every state in the Union, you’re required to carry a certain amount of insurance to pay for injuries and property damage to others. This “minimum liability” amount pays for other victims in an accident, not you.

Here’s how it works in theory, if you’re the victim in an accident, then the other driver’s insurance will pay for your injuries or damage to your motorcycle.

This scenario assumes that the other driver is insured enough to cover you and your losses and damages, and the real fact of the matter is that it might not be the case. So where does any shortfall in what you’ll get to cover your total losses and damages come from if the other driver is uninsured or underinsured? From your insurer, and for your insurer to pay the difference, you have to have taken advantage of the option to purchase additional insurance.

The dollar amount of insurance coverage that your state absolutely requires you to have is often abbreviated as three separate numbers (for example, 20/50/10). Here’s what that means in terms of coverage and dollars:

• $20, 000 is the maximum amount to be paid per person for injuries from an accident when the policyholder – you – are at fault in the incident.

• $50,000 is the maximum amount which will be paid for all medical injuries related to any such accident, and that applies to more than one person.

• $10,000 is the maximum amount to be paid for any property damage caused by the incident such as damages to another vehicle, a building or other property.

Each state has their own formula which sets the minimum amount of coverage you must carry, so the formula and the numbers could be 15/30/15, 30/50/30, or some other combination. Industry experts recommend a policy that covers you for more than the minimums, and many say you should carry much more than those minimums.

Choosing a Policy

Online insurance is very popular with drivers these days because without visiting an agency, you can get detailed information written by experts, compare various plans, use the online calculator to estimate your premiums, and pay your premium once you have made your decision.

Certain insurance companies have taken advantage of Internet efficiencies to establish rates that are quite affordable for the consumer. These companies can provide online access to important details related to their policies – types of premiums, costs, liabilities, submitting a claim, and types of claims that are allowed. If the insurer you select has a help desk, you will be able to call for more information whenever you need it.

Here are some specifics to keep in mind when you are choosing an insurer for your motorcycle:

• Insurance rates depend on the model of the car being insured and its age. Expensive new motorcycles call for a higher premium.

• In general, a larger deductible results in lower premiums for the consumer. This means that you’ll pay more out of pocket should something happen, but if you’ve paid lower premiums for years it could be worth it.

• You’ll pay less if you take steps that could reduce the amount of any claims. Installing alarms, and other safety devices can help reduce your insurance costs.

• Your premium will be lower if you have taken a course in defensive driving, have not received any tickets, or were never at fault in a traffic accident.

The following factors will help you calculate what deductible you can afford to absorb:

• The amount you still owe on any lease or loan you took out for your motorcycle.

• The amount of cash you have in your savings account, the amount of credit you can assume, your monthly disposable income (after expenses), and the current replacement value of your motorcycle.

• The period of coverage.

• The crime rate in your area.

• The insurance payout to be made in case of an accident that was not your fault, or for one in which you were at fault.

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. Motorcycle Insurance Is Your Shield Against a Cold, Hard World
2. Michigan No Fault Motorcycle Insurance Explained
3. Motorcycle Insurance Facts For Dummies, Parents, Old Guys and Teens With Hot Sportbikes