What To Know About Riding Motorcycle And The Risk Involved

Motorcycles are less safe than cars and must be operated with great caution. Because of their low crash protection and high performance capabilities, motorcycles are more likely to be involved in a severe collision.

The skills needed to avoid many of these collisions are learned through training, experience and by performing the fundamentals over and over again. Before you venture out on the road for the first time on your new motorcycle, seek out and take proper training. You probably didn't teach yourself to drive a car. Why would you teach yourself to drive a motorcycle?

In Newfoundland and Labrador, motorcycle-training programs are available through the Newfoundland and Labrador Safety Counsel and Avalon Motor Sports. Among the skills to practise are starting and moving up a hill, turning sharply, accelerating and slowing on a turn, stopping quickly, avoiding obstacles, and doing a serpentine maneuver.

You should also have the proper size and weight of motorcycle and the right safety equipment. A motorcycle is the right size when you can place both feet on the ground when straddling the bike, and the footpegs, handlebars and controls are comfortably positioned. A CSA or DOT approved helmet is required. Helmets that provide face and eye protection along with protective clothing are also recommended.

There are many causes of motor vehicle collisions, but the sad truth is that many collisions could have been prevented. Listed below are just a few of the major causes of injury collisions. Have you ever done any of these?

BACKING UP II

by SPEEDSLUG

Everyone with a garage full of junk, like mine has to do the same thing when it comes to taking out their bike. Back it out! Now whatever is working for you, great. If you have a reverse gear, even better.

But if walking backwards trying to balance 600 pounds of iron raises your anxiety level, give this a try and see how it works for you.

If you think about it, facing the direction you walk makes the most sense. So just how do we do that with a bike? Imagine the side of the tank where it meets the handle bar. Kind of forms a 'corner' if you will. Hold the left bar with the left hand and plant the left side of your hip into that corner formed where the tank meets the bar. Place your right hand somewhere on the seat. Yes, the seat. When the bike is balanced for moving it should leave a little pressure on your hip to let you know its there. If the pressure gets suddenly lighter, lean it back to keep the bike from falling away from you. Depending on the weight of your bike you may have to lean into it to counter balance the pressure on your left hip.

Now, we're finally facing the direction we want to go! No tripping or slipping or dog toys, papers, etc by walking backwards.

To get everything rolling out the door push on the what? The seat!

Push on the seat with the right hand. Look in the direction you're walking. Light pressure on your left side of the hip to keep the bike balanced. Your left hand doing the steering.

If the bike begins to fall away from you give the bars a sharp turn to the right. We're using counter-steering here to lean the bike back to the left side, towards you again.

Have a spotter help you out the first few times. In no time at all no bike will be too heavy to roll backwards with this technique.

Inspecting Motorcycle Disc Brakes

Get your suspension set up to suit you!

By andy deegan

Having ridden motorcycles since the age of three, I thought there was bugger all my mucker Gaffs could tell me about bikes!

But after the obligatory half a gallon of grog on a Friday night, he convinced me to stop being a m**ge bag, and part with forty quid to have my suspension set up professionally! being an engineer, I was convinced that modern bikes come out of the factory set up to almost perfection... Hmmm, I was wrong!

If anything I thought my bike was set up slightly on the stiff side- totally the opposite was the answer from Mr White at Kais in Atherton. Having been fed a brew  and given a tour of the operating theatre (No MRSA in this computer controlled space age workshop), I was fired off to the cafe for the traditional full English.

An hour later the humorous Mr White senior hit me with the comment "try that fatty" - he's so f***in polite! Night & Day is the only description I can give you...my bike is transformed.

Many thanks to Andy & Cath and all the staff at Kais for a great insight into what’s involved in today’s modern bike suspension, the super friendly banter and for giving me a bike I feel so much more confident with.

History has helped prove old stories and stereotypes were either exaggerated or never happened at all, and today, the biker more reflects society rather than a motorcycle gang member.

But as quickly as the bad-boy biker stereotype was fading, a new generation of riders have appeared on the motorcycle scene, bringing a whole new level of public annoyance and anger. Just as the cruiser was synonymous with the bad-boy biker of days gone past, the sportbike represents the new symbol of terror on two-wheels.

As with any stereotype or broad brush, only a small number of riders are at the heart of this latest version of rebel biker, or bad-boy biker 2.0 as some are calling them.

Riding in packs, these usually young and aggressive riders weave in and out of traffic on public highways maneuvering dangerously close to other road users. Equally as threatening are the public displays of motorcycle stunting, also called stuntz by the younger and self-ordained hipper riders, where riders perform tricks with names like wheelie, seat-stander, flamingo and coasters.

And everything is done at high speeds.

In the past few years a horsepower battle in the cycle industry has produced bikes that have the power of a car but often weigh less than ever. Sophisticated suspension, braking systems and other electronics make them easy for inexperienced riders to handle, up to a point. But the bikes' potential speed and violent acceleration can quickly overwhelm all but the most skilled riders.

 

The pains of progress
Motorcycles have gradually become more powerful and nimble over time. But the more-rapid run-up in engine size and performance has occurred in only the past few years, as overall sales of motorcycles have boomed. New construction techniques and the widening availability of lightweight materials like carbon fiber and titanium "have made it easier to reduce weight and increase power cost-effectively," says Ted Miller, director of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, a research group. "The stoked sport bike," he says, is a fairly new development.

Bike makers across the industry are conspicuously boosting power. Italian manufacturer Ducati began selling the 1098, a superbike with 160 horsepower, which is a big jump from the 112 horsepower the company's racy 996 model put out 10 years ago. As a comparison, the motorcycle has about as much power as a Honda Accord EX sedan.

BMW AG's motorcycle unit had a reputation for building sedate bikes with less than 100 horsepower until it rolled out the 167-horsepower K1200S about three years ago. Even Harley-Davidson, long known for its slow cruising and touring models, recently released the Night Rod Special, a fast, low-slung bike with a 125-horsepower engine developed with sports-car maker Porsche AG.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the last time motorcycle fatalities were as high as they are today, the hottest bikes included machines like Kawasaki Motors Corp.'s Z1000. A fearsome bike at the time, its 90-or-so horsepower and total weight approaching 600 pounds seem benign compared with the nearly 200 horsepower generated by the company's new ZX-14 or rival bike maker Suzuki Motor Corp.'s GSX-R1000.

The Suzuki weighs barely 400 pounds with a full fuel tank, and can accelerate to 60 mph in about 2.5 seconds. It even comes with a switch so the rider can select low, medium or high power settings. Other bikes have adopted electronically controlled brakes, transmissions and traction control to keep the rear wheel from spinning out of control under acceleration.

Many supersport sportbikes are actually built for racing. In popular racing events like the American Motorcyclist Association superbike series, riders use bikes that are modified versions of those available to the public at dealerships. In order to compete in the races, cycle manufacturers have to build hundreds of the bikes for sale to consumers.

The process, called "homologation," is meant to guarantee that the bikes found on the track are roughly the same as those widely available to the public. The bikes sold this way are sometimes touted as "race replicas" or "homologation specials." Supersport motorcycles are built on racing platforms and modified for the highway before they are sold to enthusiasts. The bikes are especially popular with riders younger than 30.

The bikes are lightweight and with powerful engines and are all about speed. Supersports typically have more horsepower per pound than other bikes.

For instance, a 2006 model Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R produces 111 horsepower and weighs 404 pounds. In contrast, the 2006 model Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic Electra Glide, a touring motorcycle, produces 65 horsepower and weighs 788 pounds.

With these powerful motorcycles in the hands of young, fearless riders Stunting is an epidemic sweeping the nation.

"Aggressive motorcycle driving is an issue throughout the metro area," said Capt. Dek Kruger of the Kansas Highway Patrol. "We're seeing 'em popping wheelies on the interstates and performing stunts on the streets.

"It's getting worse. It's getting to the point where a lot of agencies are getting together and asking, 'How can we combat this?'"

And while it's not clear how many deaths and injuries can be attributed to stunting, it's obvious that the activity is dangerous.

According to police reports, a Kansas City motorcyclist was injured in October 2005 while speeding and "driving carelessly". He had been popping a wheelie — driving with the front tire in the air — after dark, so oncoming traffic couldn't see his headlight, which was pointing upward.

When a car pulled out in front of him, the motorcycle plowed into the vehicle.

"This is not rare," said Officer Dan Watts, community interaction officer for the Kansas City Police Department's North Patrol Division. "This is happening."

And not only in Kansas City.

In October, a Nebraska man died after he lost control while doing a wheelie, hit two curbs and was thrown.

In Texas, a motorcyclist and his passenger were killed in October when the driver lost control while doing a wheelie. The bike hit a curb, and both victims were sent airborne into an iron fence.

In September, a 3-year-old boy died in Florida after a motorcyclist, trying to do a wheelie, inadvertently landed on the child and dragged him about 15 yards.

Just recently, a Canadian rider who lost control while doing a wheelie and throwing his female passenger from the motorcycle, was sentenced to 20 months in jail.

The bottom line, law enforcement officials said, is that the stunting craze is contributing to the climbing national figures for motorcycle deaths.

So, why isn't law enforcement cracking down on stunting offenders? Riders have the performance and speed to outrun most police vehicles, and some have been known to remove or alter license plates to avoid identification.

 

Taking the tragic lead
These high-performance machines accounted for less than 10% of motorcycle registrations in 2005 but accounted for more than 25% of rider fatalities, according to data collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analyzed in a study released recently by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Sportbike riders suffer much higher death rates than riders of other kinds of bikes. And while superbikes still aren't as popular as the larger, more laid-back cruiser-style bikes they have been one of the fastest-growing segments of the industry. They represented 9% of the market in 2005, compared with 47% for cruisers. But superbike registrations jumped 83% between 2000 and 2005.

Supersport motorcycles have the highest death rates and worst overall insurance losses among all types of motorcycles, according to the Institute and Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI).

Motorcyclists who ride supersport bikes have driver death rates per 10,000 registered motorcycles nearly 4 times higher than rates for motorcyclists who ride all other types of bikes, according to the insurance industry group.

“Supersport motorcycles are indeed nimble and quick, but they also can be deadly,” says Anne McCartt, Institute senior vice president for research. “These bikes made up less than 10 percent of registered motorcycles in 2005 but accounted for over 25 percent of rider deaths. Their insurance losses were elevated, too.”

“Supersport motorcycles have such elevated crash death rates and insurance losses because many people ride them as if they were on a racetrack,” McCartt says. “Data show that speed is a big factor in their crashes. A combination of factors, including the motorcycle itself, may push up death rates,” she said.

“Motorcyclists presumably buy supersports and sport bikes because they want to go fast, and manufacturers are happy to oblige," According to McCartt. “Short of banning supersport and sport motorcycles from public roadways, capping the speed of these street-legal racing machines at the factory might be one way to reduce their risk.”

In Missouri, 93 motorcyclists died in 2006. In Kansas, there were 64 fatalities. Both were record highs.

So concerned are local law enforcement officials about the increase in motorcycle deaths that they held a summit in June, inviting county prosecutors, bikers and others to discuss enforcement and safety issues. While they addressed concerns about speeding and other related problems — a Kansas Highway Patrol arrest report from September showed a motorcycle was doing 102 mph in a 35 mph zone, for example — they spent a lot of time talking about stunting.

One question they discussed: Why is it so popular? Watts attributes part of the phenomenon to the increasing popularity of sport bikes, or motorcycles dubbed "crotch rockets" that are very powerful and have tremendous acceleration.

"Is that the only reason?" Watts asked. "No. I'm sure there are other social factors involved, too."

The reasons given by young riders for performing the stunts on public roads are; "So chicks will dig me", "Takin' it to the limit", "One person says he can do a wheelie, and somebody else says he can do one better. It just goes from there" and "To be on the edge."

Spreading the stunting word
For riders who want to learn how to ride a motorcycle safely, recognized and organized courses are offered. How are the offending riders learning all the latest stunts and tricks? Stunting for Dummies?

The Internet is awash with footage of motorcyclists stunting, some websites sell tutorial DVD’s teaching ‘the secrets of stunting street bikes from a pro stunter right in the comfort of your own home.’

Entire forum boards are devoted to giving tips and hints on not only how to perform stunts, but also how to prepare a motorcycle mechanically to perform better for stunting. All of the forums officially state stunting should be attempted in a private controlled area, however some of the posts written by riders within the forums tell a slightly different story.

A search for motorcycle stunts on the popular video-sharing website Youtube lists over five thousand results.

All this information is certainly helping stunts riders to improve their 'skills'. The bikers are popping wheelies at 90 mph or driving on their front tires. They're sitting on their handlebars. They're doing wheelies while passengers behind them hug the bike with their legs and bend backward parallel to the street, just inches off the ground. Sometimes, they're stunting in isolated parking lots and in areas where there is little or no traffic. Other times, they're doing it on busy streets and highways.

Greg Harrison, senior vice president of communications for the American Motorcyclist Association in Ohio, said his organization "does not condone whatsoever" stunting on public streets and highways.

"People who do those activities may call it stunting," Harrison said. "We call it reckless operation."

Harrison said that, while only a small minority of bikers engages in stunting activities, they do "colossal damage" to the rest of the motorcycling community.

"The people that observe them won't remember the number of motorcycles they quietly passed that day," he said. "But they'll certainly remember the ones who came wheelying past or standing on their seat."

In Florida, which had a nation-high 562 biker deaths in 2006, a state legislator is trying to stem the tide by proposing legislation that would force a motorcyclist to serve a mandatory jail term and forfeit his or her motorcycle license for 10 years for simply popping a wheelie.

No comparable laws are on the books in other states.

Instead, law enforcement officials generally look to citing perpetrators, if they can catch them for careless and imprudent driving or reckless driving.

"Stunting is pretty much the in thing now. It's getting so big," said Brian Smith, founder of the Kansas City-based group Midwest Stunters, which has about 30 members. Many of them get together regularly to ride and perform tricks.

He said stunters were "extremely skilled" and saw no problem with riding in large, open, vacant areas.

But even he said there were limits.

"I absolutely won't do it on the highway," Smith said. "That's too dangerous."

Even hosting recognized events to give stunters an outlet to show and test their skills may not necessarily be enough. In January, after riding eleven hours from Louisiana to participate in an annual StuntWars Competition at U.S.A. International Speedway in Lakeland, Florida, Christopher Fredrick, 23, was caught performing a stunt on the westbound side of Interstate 4.

He was on his way back from practice when, the FHP said, he was caught in the middle of a "seat stander," in which the rider stands upright on the seat of the bike while "popping a wheelie." Fredrick had done it many times before.

This time however, Fredrick was arrested and charged with reckless driving for standing on his motorcycle and failing to have a motorcycle endorsement on his license.

And because he was in jail, Fredrick missed Saturday's preliminaries and could not compete in Sunday's main event.

The fact that many stunters perform their stunts on public roads draws the ire of other motorcyclists. They intentionally draw a lot of attention to their apparently reckless behavior, and other motorcyclists, especially sportbike riders, feel that stunters give all riders a reputation for being irresponsible and dangerous to others.

The frustration felt by law enforcement is shared but a majority of the motorcycle community, who are as equally at a loss for a solution to the growing problem.

Here is our list, in no particular order of things bikers the country over should give a nod and thanks to as the good stuff that's done right.

Bikers that wave regardless of what they ride.
The mystery of the motorcycle wave has been discussed, debated and argued probably since the first pair of pioneer bikers started passing each other on the road. Not only does the meaning of the wave create some heated conversations, but who, when and to whom it should be made clouds discussions even more.

Some feel that only riders of similar styles of motorcycle should wave to each other, while a more extreme group prefer to wave to riders who are riding the same brand of bike.

While the different viewpoints argue and justify their opinions, there are a segment of riders who not only wave to any other biker on two wheels, regardless of the style or which corporate name is on the gas tank, some take their camaraderie as far as waving to scooter riders!

Clutch and Chrome applauds the bikers who realize riding is about the experience of being on two wheels with a powerhouse between your legs, roaring down the open road. Let the rest of the world divide themselves in special interest groups and bicker about who is better, smarter or even ‘right’. Bikers should enjoy the ride and revel in its brotherhood.

Military leaders enforcing motorcycle safety training
While the men and women served in Afghanistan and Iraq, their pay built up in the bank, and along with the generous re-enlistment bonuses being offered by the military, many of the service personnel have found themselves ‘cash-rich’ when returning home.

Unfortunately, the returning service personnel who decided to use their hard-earned money to buy a ‘dream motorcycle’ faced tragedy with many dying on American roads in numbers that rivaled the death toll of the beginning of the most recent war in Iraq. It wasn’t long before the different arms of the military quickly took notice, each creating their own motorcycle safety program.

New regulations, which carried the same weight as those meant for the battlefield ranged from mandatory helmet laws to compulsory safety training in order to ride their bikes.

It was heartwarming to read and learn of generals taking as much interest in the safety and lives of America’s brave service personnel at home as well as during dangerous tours of duty in foreign countries.

States that make an effort to raise motorcycle awareness and safety to other road-users.
Every year the month of May is designated as Motorcycle Awareness Month, but depending on where a biker lives, people would be hard-pressed to know about it.

It is a little confusing how States such as Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Oregon and New Hampshire who either have motorcycle riding politicians or regularly schedule grand unveilings of the awareness month seemingly let the campaign get swept to one side along with plastic dinnerware and deflating balloons the end of the announcement celebrations.

A round of applause as well as a heartfelt thanks certainly goes to States such as Minnesota and Georgia who have not only printed bumper stickers, posters and produced commercials in the past for the safety month, but also support great year round motorcycle safety awareness programs to keep other road users alert to the two-wheeled red-headed step children.

It would be great to have more States acknowledged in the pages of Clutch and Chrome, but there's the sneaking feeling it’ll be up the everyday biker to ‘remind’ local politicians how loud their voices can really be and the importance of the ‘biker vote’.

Motorcycle advocacy groups
Whether it’s the grandfather of motorcycle groups such as the American Motorcycle Association or the grassroots organization of ABATE (which stands for either American Brotherhood Aimed Towards Education, or American Brotherhood Against Totalitarian Enactments depending on who you ask), advocacy groups are the unspoken heroes of riding.

From keeping an eye on governmental bodies to lobbying for legal changes, advocacy groups protect the individual rights and freedoms of the everyday biker.

Whether you agree with them or not, various ABATE chapters have strongly fought for choice in helmet laws across the country over the last few years. The AMA have lobbied to increase penalties for drivers who injure others on the road in their Justice for All campaign.

Cities who welcome riders with open arms
With the average age of bikers moving upward and their average income bracket going in the same direction, it would be easy to assume that any city would welcome riders, and all the disposable income they may bring with open arms.

But this hasn’t been the case. Organizers of a recent major cross-country ride had a last minute scramble to re-organize the route when a town strongly opposed having the parade of fund-raising bikers come through their municipality. The ongoing battle between event planners and the city of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina over the Annual Spring Biker Rally is widely reported. Unfortunately it’s not just Carolinians that have an aversion to bikers, with other rallies across the United States facing local, usually illogical opposition.

From Sturgis, to Daytona and all the way out to Hollister, its with heartfelt thanks the Clutch and Chrome hat is tipped to the different cities around the country that look forward and even cater to the roaming biker coming to visit their annual rallies and events. It’s even better when we get to report on yet another city or State looking into creating and holding their own local motorcycle rally!

The true biker bar
It felt as if some bar owners suddenly took notice of the numerous news stories about the growing number of older bikers who happened to have some disposable income. It wasn’t long before the calendar week was saturated with various bike nights, with many cities giving bikers three or four events in an evening to choose from.

Understanding that everyone has their own opinion of what a bike night should look like, plenty of riders have experienced the disappointment of arriving at a bar only to be greeted with two other motorcycles parked in front, the latest pop music playing inside and only the newest, trendiest beers available at the bar.

Since we are a tight knit community the word soon spreads about the bars that are more interested in your money rather than the fact that you ride. The ironic twist to be learned by bar-owners everywhere is that true biker bars tend to be an inexpensive place to hang out with your old, new and as yet undiscovered friends while you chow down that all types of food that’s eaten with your hands and obviously not good for you.

So congratulations to the bars that continue to be a meeting place for bikers to come hang out, talk motorcycles and enjoy the company of fellow riders.

Television shows that celebrate the passion of motorcycles instead of relying on stereotypes and gimmicks
When we were throwing around ideas for this edition of ‘10 things’, even the person who suggested this knew it was slightly controversial. But what the heck!

Clutch and Chrome’s article Motorcycles on the small screen touched on the recent boom in television shows about motorcycles. Speed TV even devotes an entire evenings worth of programming to our two-wheeled mistress. While we’re happy as bikers with this wide choice of shows it does tend to highlight the good and the bad of biker boob tube.

A show from the Food Network of all channels didn’t even have riding as its primary focus, but the riding adventures in Feasting on Asphalt were far more entertaining than another TV show which regularly features some goofy presenter trying to see what tricks he can perfect on his tweaked ‘Busa.

The classic Biker Build-Off, a show that pits well-known motorcycle customizers against each other is more intense and pure edge of the seat entertainment compared to others that have the hosts obviously playing up conflict, drama or even design difficulty just for the camera.

Even the documentaries about the same biker rally can differ in quality. The subject matter in Sturgis: Hell on wheels covers the immense depth that make up the biking community as well as the heart of the event that makes it so popular. Other documentaries about the same rally only seem to further stereotype both the event and the rider.

So we give kudos to the motorcycle shows that respect the passion, and hosts that truly love to ride rather than the presenters that are there just to look good. Or worse, sensationalize for ratings.

The Honest Mechanic
Whether it’s because they do good work for a fair price or are simply honest about what needs to be done without any ‘up-selling’, these guys are the unspoken heroes of riding.

Usually the Honest Mechanic is known by one name, which isn’t anything like the one given at birth of course. Across the country, the Pops, Slims and Tinys of the mechanical world don’t have to buy any advertising or even carry around business cards. No, their business comes from spending decades working out of the same shop with the same bunch of guys giving the same reliable service.

Sure things are becoming a little more challenging with ‘engine downloads’ and new EPA standards, but half the joy of going to the honest motorcycle mechanic is watching the ingenuity as they work around these corporately imposed obstacles.

Thank you for keeping the nations bikers on the road through our mechanical mishaps.

Girlfriends or wives who love to ride
We know, we know, this should either be number one or number ten depending on which is the top or bottom of the list.

Firstly, the lists are in no order of preference or importance. If the truth were known, the list is more done round robin style, going around the Clutch and Chrome table just to keep everyone happy. After all, nothing looks uglier than a pouting biker. Or should that be funnier?

Either way, this is an important item that not only deserves a round of applause, but it should be given a stand ovation with enthusiastic whistles and high-fives.

Riding is simply a unique and incredible experience and most bikers want to share it with that special person in their lives. This is hard to do if that person is so scared or nervous about riding not only do they hurt your ears with concerns, complaints or general screams, but they draw blood as their nails dig into your side while hanging on.

But occasionally a biker’s better half will actually enjoy riding. Some have even been known to get their own motorcycle!

Its the biker with the most valued of accessories, the riding other half, who are the most envied in our two-wheeled world. Not just because they have fellow rider from the fairer sex, but having that someone special in their lives who understands and shares the passion riding has to offer.

Imagine what a true blessing it must be to look back or over at your partner in crime at the end of a long ride and have them ask to put down a few more miles before heading home.

Priceless.

Two wheels, an engine between the legs and an open road ahead.
Forget chrome, paint jobs and accessories, this is what all riders live and breath for. The basics of some wind in the face, gas in the tank and miles of asphalt ahead.

As great as all the other stuff we could come up with is, including everything already written about, it's all for nothing without an open road to ride. Non-riders find it hard to understand the feeling of not only hearing your engine, but feeling the vibrations run through the both the motorcycle as well as your body.

Styles may change, engines will undoubtedly become larger and the roads are sure to get more crowded, but the joy of riding will always appeal to the inner soul in every modern rebel just looking for that spark.

Brough bought by Brit

Legend on a legend: Lawrence astride the Brough

A legendary British motorcycle name may be given new life.

The Brough Superior Engineering company has been bought by Netherton Industries in Britain. The new owner intends to “preserve, protect, and promote the prestige and momentum” of the Brough Superior name.

The company had previously obtained Brough Superior Motorcycles Limited.

The deal was initiated by Englishman Mark Upham, manager of British Only Austria GmbH, which sells rare British motorcycles. Upham was appointed CEO of the Brough Superior operation.

Brough Superior motorcycles were manufactured form 1919 to 1940 in Nottingham and were considered among the finest available. Fit and finish was said to be comparable to the Rolls-Royce cars, and the bikes were tested at speeds up to 100 mph before delivery to the customer. Lawrence of Arabia rode and died on a Brough Superior.

The new owners have not yet produced a mission statement, so future intentions are unclear.

Bikes blamed for Bourdon death?

News stories after Bourdon's death blame sport bikes

The British Columbia Coalition of Motorcyclists is asking riders to express their opinions to the Vancouver Sun and Province newspapers — both of which have published articles recently that appear to blame sport bikes for the death of Canucks hockey player Luc Bourdon.

Vancouver Sun writer Craig McInnes complained on June 5 that B.C.'s public insurance body does not differentiate between cruisers and sport bikes. Sport bikes like the GSX-R that Bourdon was riding when he slammed into a truck last week "ratchet up the risk" for riders, McInnes says. "You don't buy one for transportation or the comfortable ride; you buy one because you want to go ridiculously, illegally and dangerously fast."

Ed Willes wrote in the Province on June 2 that preventing hockey players from riding motorcycles would save lives. "Maybe another young man will be saved if NHL teams prohibit their players from riding motorbikes. Maybe we'll be spared this terrible emptiness again if they could be stopped from getting on a bike in the first place."

Tim Horton in his prime

Bourdon is not the only hockey player to die on a public road. In the fall of 2003, the Atlanta Thrashers lost a promising young forward, Dan Snyder of Elmira, Ont., after a Ferrari driven by his team-mate, Dany Heatley, left the road and smashed into a fence.

Snyder was ejected from the passenger seat and sustained serious head injuries. Heatley's injuries were less severe, but he later pleaded guilty to second degree vehicular homicide. And many hockey fans remember the tragic end of the Toronto Maple Leafs' Tim Horton, who crashed a high performance sports car near Toronto while being pursued by police.

It would seem that driving beyond your skill limit can get you whether you're on a motorcycle, or in a car .... 

Vancouver Classic Motorcycle Builder Unveils 'The Old School' American Look with Today's Technology and Reliability

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 24, 2007 -- The Old School Motorcycle Company today, announces, not only the launch of its interactive web site , but unveils the Company's newest
re-creations of an American Icon Motorcycle, says Simon Sorriento, President and CEO.

"We are excited about the Time Bandit Classic because it is based on an old 1941 design. Features include an 84 cubic inch new Knucklehead motor, updated mechanical brakes, 5 gallon gas tanks, black powder-coated Springer forks and handlebars, 12 volt generator with auto-advance distributor, foot shift and, in keeping with tradition, a kick start," explains Sorriento. "We are also pleased to announce the Time Traveler Deluxe based on a 1965 Classic where its features include an 88 cubic inch new Panhead motor, 5 speed transmission, disc brakes, chain rear drive, electric start, kick start, and 5 gallon gas tanks," Sorriento adds.

The Old School Motorcycle Company was established in 2004 by Sorriento, after pondering the idea for several years. As a motorcycle enthusiast and custom builder, he had always felt that there was an appreciation and respect for the classics. Sorriento explains that each motorcycle he builds has its own character and back story, which ultimately adds to the nostalgic feel of the era. In fact, even the company's motto is "recreating American icons with today's technology."

Sorriento says, "The attention these motorcycles create is amazing." Sorriento tells the story of a grandmother who recalled the day her future husband rode up to her house on a 1947 Knucklehead to pick her up for their first date. They were supposed to have dinner then go dancing, however those plans fell through and they rode around on that motorcycle all evening.

Also available is a custom clothing line the company has developed. Everything is designed and made in Vancouver. Sorriento works closely with the local clothing companies to make sure that quality in the clothing line is top notch. He reveals that he is involved in every aspect of his company from clothes to photo shoots.

About Old School Motorcycle Company

Old School Motorcycle is a Canadian owned and operated Company with its first retail outlet in Burnaby, British Columbia.

Motorcycle fatalities spike: Report

PHILIP G. PAVEL/ASSOCIATED PRESS

Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was lucky; he survived his 2006 motorcycle crash. In Ontario, motorcycle fatalities are on the rise.

Ontario Motorcycles

Figures for 2004 / 2005

Licensed Motorcycles:

135,028 / 145,194

Motorcycle drivers killed: 44 / 68

Motorcycle passengers killed: 3 / 6

Motorcycle drivers hospitalized: 800 / 866

Motorcycle drivers in accidents: 1214 / 1351

Fatality factors

No motorcycle licence: 0% / 3%

Under 25 years of age: 26% / 24%

Over 44 years of age: 16% / 50%

Legally impaired (?.08): 13% / 16%

No safety helmet: 13% / 14%

Driving too fast/lost control: 49% / 53%

Single vehicle accident: 40% / 41%

Day time: 79% / 70%

Weekend: 47% / 55%

 Source: 2005 ORSAR

After year-long delay, stats show province's rider deaths increase by 57 per cent

Allan Johnson

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

May 31, 2008

The number of motorcyclists killed in Ontario has spiked, yet the Ministry of Transportation last year delayed its annual report to the public detailing the statistics.

In the introduction to the 2005 Ontario Road Safety Annual Report (ORSAR) released last month, Transportation Minister Jim Bradley states "the number of fatalities on Ontario's roads declined for the third year in a row." It is not until page 27 of the 105-page report where it states that there was a 57 per cent increase in motorcycle riders killed. The largest fatality increase was in the 45-to-65 group. These older riders accounted for half of the fatalities.

Motorcyclists requiring hospital treatment after an accident increased by 14 per cent.

Emna Dhahak, a spokesperson for the ministry, said no one, including technical staff involved in the preparation of the ORSAR, was available to discuss factors that may have contributed to the increases. However, she said that some numbers used in the report to compare motorcycle registrations of previous years to the 2005 figures were incorrect. These figures were later updated in the online version.

Independent analysis of the transportation ministry's motorcycle accident data for the past 15 years suggests that one factor in the increased number of motorcyclist fatalities in 2005 could have been the exceptionally long riding season due to good weather that year.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been recording substantial increases in the annual number of fatal motorcycling accidents for at least 10 years.

Significant factors involved in the 2006 U.S. motorcyclist fatality toll are excessive speed, lack of a motorcycling licence, older age, alcohol consumption and lack of use of a safety helmet (helmet use in the U.S. is estimated to be 52 per cent; the majority of states do not require safety helmets for adults). Riders over 40 years of age accounted for 47 per cent of the U.S. motorcycling deaths.

Although motorcycle helmets have been compulsory in Ontario for 40 years, 14 per cent of riders who died in the province were not wearing one. The 2005 report indicated that alcohol was a factor in 25 per cent of deaths.

While there was a 7.5 per cent increase in motorcycle registrations, this alone could not account for the large increase in fatal accidents.

Robert Ramsay, president of the Motorcycle and Moped Industry Council, said that a "stakeholders" meeting with motorcycle industry and motorcycle training representatives was held by the ministry in June 2007, and the fatality statistics were tabled and discussed.

In view of the increase in motorcyclist fatalities, particularly in regard to older motorcycle riders, and the fact that these increases had been known to the ministry for at least a year, the government spokesperson was asked what action was being taken to reduce the accident and fatality toll.

"The ministry will continue to monitor deaths and injuries on motorcycles and to work with stakeholders," said Dhahak, "including police, manufacturers, training course providers, insurers, safety advocates and community safety organizations, to review existing policies and public education activities with a goal of improving motorcycle safety in Ontario."