WEAR APPROPRIATE CLOTHING ITEMS – Make sure you put on a helmet, goggles, and other appropriate protective clothing to the weather and terrain at all times. A helmet, gloves, over-the-ankle boots, and a long time sleeve shirt are all crucial areas of your selected gear.

OBEY THE LAW – Learn the ATV legalities in your state, and the spots you will end up riding in.  Familiarity with the legal guidelines, not only helps in keeping individuals risk-free, but also prevents fine and penalties.

WATCH YOUR SPEED – Always ride at an appropriate speed. Come to terms with your skills and don’t exceed your riding ability. Operating at high speeds not only endangers yourself, but others as well.

NO PASSENGERS – Never carry passengers on your own ATV. Most ATV’s are created for a single provision only. Incorporating travelers on an ATV made for one person, can distress the equilibrium of a typical system, and can cause it to rollover. Many recent ATV’s are specifically designed for one or more riders.

GET SKILLED – Do not allow young or naive riders to operate ATV’s without guidance and supervision. An ATV should be an enjoyable machine to ride.  However, an ATV consists of a powerful apparatus, which can result in excessive speeds. Therefore, it is essential to master its functions and controls. Like driving a car, you first have to practice to enhance your skills.

NEVER RIDE ALONE – It is always best to ride with other ATV riders. Try not to ride alone. This way, if a mishap does occur, you have people around to help you.

CHECK THE WEATHER – Learn of regional weather conditions. Many people disregard weather features, which have a dramatic affect on roadways. For example: rainfall makes paths murky and smooth, while blizzards hide several obstacles within the snow. In addition, the sun can cause dehydration. Therefore, wear a protective suit to arm yourself from the elements.

CARRY A MAP – Have a map of all those roads or place you want to travel to. It’s really no fun to get lost. If you can’t get a map, purchase a GPS unit. The latest GPS’s have got “path” functions, which offer paths you can ride on, and also trace where you ride. You can even find your way back if lost.

Employ COMMON SENSE – It’s as simple as that!

Image Source: Popular Mechanics

Scooters4Hooters Legacy Ride

April 16th, 2011

12pm – 6pm, Ride: 1pm – 2:15pm

New Location: Downtown Orlando @ Lake Eola Park (corner of Eola & Central)
Map/Directions

Scooters4Hooters™ began as a legacy scooter ride through Orlando, in support of Libby’s Legacy Breast Cancer Foundation™ in 2007. Libby’s Legacy™ was started in honor of Libby Maynard, by her daughter Robin, after losing her mother to Stage IV Breast Cancer. All proceeds from the annual ride and other events go to Libby’s Legacy™.

The Mission of Libby’s Legacy is to provide comprehensive breast heath care to the underserved Central Florida community through education, mammograms, follow up diagnostics and Hope Coaches on the journey from diagnosis to treatment. Libby’s Legacy also helps stage IV breast cancer patients battling this disease by granting wishes in order to create cherished memories with loved ones through the LIVE BIG program. Not just Surviving…but LIVING! Scooters4Hooters™ was created to be a fun and unique way to support this dream.

Your support is needed and greatly appreciated, please use the link below to access the fundraising page:

http://www.scooters4hooters.com/fundraising.php?id=146

Motorcycle Safety 101

Perhaps you’ve already been riding for years and you may think you know all there is to know about riding a motorcycle. Many old time riders learned from their buddies how to ride or taught themselves to ride. But one look at motorcycle crash statistics will tell you it never hurts to take refresher course. A motorcycle safety course is a good start. Not only will the course cover the basics and fundamentals of riding safety, after you take it, you may even qualify for a discount on your motorcycle insurance. Check with your insurance carrier to find out.

Helmet Hair

Whether you live in a state or country where it’s mandatory or not, wearing a helmet may be the easiest thing you do that provides the most protection from injury, or even worse, death.  A USA national statistic says that motorcycle riders are 37 times more likely to die than those riding in passenger vehicles. That statistic alone should encourage you to wear a helmet. Many of those deaths are due to severe head trauma or brain injury. No one wants to be responsible for injury to another rider, especially when it can be so easily avoided just by putting a helmet on. Make sure it’s DOT, Snell or ECE certified.

Darth Vader Gear

Aside from a helmet, there are many other components of proper safety gear to protect every part of your body in the event of an accident. A jacket made from abrasion-resistant material is key. Most of us would prefer a broken bone to a bad case of road rash. Accident statistics show that injuries to the lower half of the body account for half of all injuries suffered. Avoid becoming one of those statistics with pants made from leather or Kevlar, with padding in all the right places.

Keep it Running Smooth

We love our bikes and want to make sure they run properly, and to be safe to ride. A well-formed preventive maintenance schedule will keep your bike in good condition. Performing quick inspections every time you prepare to ride your bike is a good method to keeping safe. Checking tire pressure and making  sure the tires aren’t damaged. Also make sure that the lights work, and that everything is where it should be.

Being a responsible rider, and remember  that a motorcycle is a vehicle and not a toy are the final keys to staying safe when riding your motorcycle. Knowing you and your passenger are safe will allow you to enjoy riding all the more.

Insurance

Don’t assume that your motorcycle insurance policy will cover you abroad if you’re unsure. Always check with your provider to make sure that you are fully insured to ride within the EU and, if so, also ask for the protocol to follow should you be unfortunate enough to have and accident or have your bike stolen while you’re away.

Breakdown cover

Again, your current breakdown cover might not extend to recovery while abroad, so be sure to check with your provider before setting off. It’s always better to be safe than sorry; being stuck in a different country unable to get your bike home doesn’t sound like much of a holiday.

Check your bike

It’s a great idea to have your bike serviced before such a big trip to ensure that it’s running as well as it possibly can, making it less likely to give you any problems while you’re away. Also make sure that you have sufficient time left on both your MOT and road tax to cover you through to the end of your trip.

Passport

Keep your passport in a safe location at all times during your trip – you’ll need it to cross borders, and it’s also required at some European campsites or hotels before you receive entry to your accommodation.

Vehicle Registration Document

Every EU country requires motorbike riders to travel with their original V5 document as proof that the bike is registered to you. France takes a particularly hard line on this; police there have the power to detain anyone who can’t prove ownership of their motorbike.

With these simple tips and some general research on riding abroad, you’ll ensure you don’t come across any unexpected obstacles during your travels.

BMW Motorrad first presented its in-line 6 concept bike in the fall of 2009, and the thought of a 6 cylinder cruiser from BMW has captured the imagination of many motorcycle enthusiasts.  In fact, one look at this touring bike and it makes you want to hop on it and head on down the road.  No matter where the road might lead, any motorcycle lover can see that the experience will be thrilling and exhilarating to say the least.

The key to any great touring motorcycle is the incorporation of safety, equipment and comfort elements, as well as prestige, performance, and luxury.  BMW has managed to seamlessly blend all of these elements in the K1600GT and K1600GTL to a degree that it creates a whole new dimension of long distance comfort and durability, along with unparalleled riding properties.

What you get with this tourer is engine output of 160 bhp, which is plenty of power to get you where you want to go under any conditions.  Additionally, since the engine is significantly narrower than other 6 cylinder models, there are no significant drawbacks in chassis geometry, weight distribution, or center of gravity in this marvelous bike.

In fact, the K1600GT and K1600GTL are breaking new ground in six cylinder bikes with engines greater than 1000 CCs.  BMW’s extremely compact design and engineering applications on this bike model make it a joy to ride.

The result is an extremely lightweight motorcycle at only 766 pounds, panniers and topcase included, which places this BMW model in the lower range of the touring segment.  However, if your first concern is safety, the lighter weight and great amount of power do not force you to compromise personal security.

The engine has three different settings available simply by pressing a button on the right hand side of the handlebars.  What you are able to do is change your bike from a touring motorcycle to one that handles well in the rain, and one that handles well under dynamic or sports-like conditions.

The bike is full of innovative concepts, such as ESA II or Electronic Suspension Adjustment II.  As a rider, you press another button, and instantly adapt rebound dampening properties of the front and rear spring, as well as the spring load or spring rest or the rear spring strut.  You also adjust the spring rate, or hardness of the suspension, which adds to the bikes outstanding stability and responsiveness in any load state.

Additionally, the bike allows for damping settings such as sport, normal or comfort, which creates a perceptible characteristic when touring.  Whatever damping setting you choose, you will never sacrifice stability, safety and comfort.

According to the Regional Auto Theft Task Force, there were around 1100 motorcycles stolen in and around San Diego County alone during 2009, with insurance claims averaging just over $9000.  With one motorcycle stolen in the United States every 8 minutes, there is no question that there is a need for laws such as the one just enacted in California.

It is now a misdemeanor to possess the aforementioned theft devices, and violators will be subject to 6 months in jail and a fine of $1000.  This seems like a step in the right direction, and we will have to wait for next year’s statistics to see whether the law will put a dent on motorcycle theft.

In other motorcycle news:

Now that winter is upon us, many bike lovers and motorcycle riders have already stored their bikes.  There are, of course, those who are lucky enough to live in states where they can ride their motorcycles year-round.  However, Dunlop has plenty of tips for both, some of which are reprinted below:

• On a regular basis, check your tires all the way around. Rotate both tires completely and make sure there are no nails, or other objects penetrating the tire. If you find anything, do not ride until you have your motorcycle dealer inspect the tire and replace it if necessary.
• Check the tire sidewalls for signs of cracking and never use sidewall treatments or dressings, which can actually accelerate tire cracking.
• Checking tire pressure is the most important tire maintenance function you can perform. Maintaining the correct air pressure is crucial to the tires’ rolling efficiency, steering, grip, wear and load-carrying capabilities—for every 4 psi a tire is underinflated, you could lose up to 80 pounds of load-carrying capacity.
• You’re not only riding on your tires, you’re also riding on the air within them, so check cold air pressure as often as possible with a high-quality air-pressure gauge, and have it calibrated at least once a year.
• If you’re storing your motorcycle for the winter and/or if you’re storing spare tires, try to avoid frequent and varied extremes of temperature during storage. Do not keep tires next to radiators or sources of heat. Tires subjected to these conditions will age more quickly than those stored in a cool, constant environment.
• Do not store tires where electric motors are present; the high concentration of ozone will accelerate tire cracking.
• When buying new tires make sure you select tires that can carry your expected load, including the total weight of the motorcycle, the rider(s), luggage and any equipment. Always match front and rear tires.
• After installation of new tires, check to make sure the arrows on the sidewall are pointing in the correct direction of rotation, and that the balance dot on the tire is lined up with the valve stem.

You can go to the Dunlop website if you need more tire tips.

Harley-Davidson

With a burgeoning population of over 1 billion people, India is an attractive market for the American icon, which had seen its sales stagnate over the last couple of years.  In order to boost overall sales, Harley is offering the SuperLow, which is priced at around $12,168 or 550,000 Rupees at yesterday’s exchange rates.  The other model, the Iron 883 pictured on the left, is available for about 650,000 Rupees, or about 14,380 dollars.

Although the motorcycles will be assembled in India, the parts will come from Harley-Davidson’s Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Missouri factories, as well as other part and component suppliers.  The unassembled kits from which the new models are put together will give Harley a wider profit margin due to a lower tax structure than the fully assembled units which it is now importing into India.

India is an extremely price-sensitive market, and producing the models in country will allow Harley to cut prices while boosting sales and profits.  Harley has been increasing its motorcycle sales totals outside the United States, and it is one of the reasons why the company has seen very healthy profit margins when compared to its performance during the recent years, which were truly times of economic upheaval.

Harley’s foreign sales increased to 27% of total sales for the July-September quarter, up a full three points from the 24% it posted during the same time the previous year.  Harley expects foreign sales to continue on the upswing, especially in India where it not only sells the two previously mentioned models, but also the Fat Boy, Road King, and Roadster motorcycles.

Although Harley has targeted rich urban bikers in India, the bulk of its motorcycle sales have come from rural areas since it began operations in India during August of 2009.  The majority of the motorcycle market in India is controlled by Hero Honda, owned, in part, by Honda Motor Co. (26%) and the Munjal business family (26%) from India. In fact, more than half of the country’s motorcycles are manufactured by the Hero Honda group, and rural areas account for nearly 40% of Honda sales.

Harley-Davidson Motorcycles has taken some very aggressive restructuring actions, and it has improved profits from its Harley-Davidson Financial Services section, which, together with foreign sales, has led to an increase of 66% in profits during the third quarter of this year.  However, revenues are down by 2%, due in part to the poor performance in retail sales of its American-made heavyweights.

It remains to be seen whether Harley’s aggressive restructuring and foreign motorcycle sales strategy will help the company survive despite the fact that its main American market continues to grow older.

The EICMA 2010 Motorcycle Trade Show will be welcoming back several major companies that did not show up for the 2009 presentation.  Among the most notable absentees from the 2009 motorcycle show was Yamaha, which made a recent announcement that it will be in attendance for this year’s edition of the motorcycle event.

If we take a close look at the market data, the true significance of the Italian show is evident since the country accounts for 56% of the production in Europe, 27% of the motorcycles, and a significant 25% market share.

EICMA has actually received a total of 2,400,000 visitors over the previous 5 years, including 250,000 motorcycle industry attendees, and over 80,000 trade visitors from abroad.

The Managing Director of the EICMA Trade Show, Costantino Ruggiero, showed great satisfaction with the major exhibitors who were present at EICMA 2009, and who have already confirmed their participation for the 2010 edition.

What is of greater importance to the show is that a number of companies that did not show up last year have made their intentions to attend the show known by applying for 2010. Manufacturers, makers, and exhibitors, including Ligier, Microcar, Nolan, Husaberg, Fuchs, and many others intend to be present.

It is especially significant that EICMA will welcome back Honda. The Japanese motorcycle manufacturer has shown an inclination toward making EICMA its European trade show of reference.

As the motorcycle industry continues to evolve, EICMA has continue to go along with the trends, and the very successful “The Green Planet,” which debuted in 2009, is being welcomed back.  ”The Green Planet” is billed as a show-within-a-show, and it is entirely dedicated to electric and hybrid bikes, vehicles and prototypes.

The United States Department of Commerce is going to host its official pavilion during the Milan show in order to try to improve trade relations.  In addition, there will be a new segment debuting for 2010 called Custom City.

This brand new exhibition shows how EICMA has learned to go along with the changing trends in international motorcycling.  The Milan show has now dedicated an area to custom motorcycle builders and their bikes.

Those who are planning to attend the show can expect Custom City to be a show-within-a-show, not unlike “Green Planet. Show producers are simply recognizing that there is a great upward trend in the world of custom motorcycles, and that this market segment accounts for 17.5% of the sales in the Italian market.

The custom category will not only feature custom motorcycle builds, it will also feature specialized accessories and fashions in the international venue so that visibility and impact are expanded.

The location of custom city will be in Pavilion 2 of Fiera Milano, which has also hosted Harley-Davidson, CR&S, Big Bear, Confederate, Headbanger, Gray Indian’s Collection and Zero Engineering.

Terre di Moto srl will be presenting the special section, and Bikers Life magazine will be providing full sponsorship.

In order to make things much easier for those who are planning to go to Milan for the show, EICMA has prepared a number of “all-inclusive packages.”

Suzuki V-Strom 650

I have always been a road only rider with an appetite for big sport touring bikes, mostly beemers. Some of the bikes I’ve had include the Kawasaki Concours, BMW K75S,  BMW K100RS,  BMW K1200LT, BMW R1150RT and the super fast BMW K1200GT… so as you can see dual sport hasn’t been my kind of thing.

Now that I just got a place in Rosarito (Baja California, Mexico) to relax in front of beach everything has changed! When it comes to exploring Baja and riding on bumpy Mexican roads, a dual purpose is the way to go. Even for crossing the border back to the US a dual sport motorcycle makes sense since their narrower profile makes it easy to ride in between lanes cutting the cross time from 3 to 0.1 hours.

After researching the available options here are the 4 candidates that made it to my shopping list:

Kawasaki KLR, Suzuki DL 1000 V-Storm, KTM 950 Adventurer and BMW R1200GS

I like big bikes, in my opinion they are more versatile and make me feel safer with better grip, more power and the ability to safely carry a passenger, that is why I focused on the so called “adventure tourers” (large dual-sports).  Smaller dual sport bikes although  more fun off the road and with better maneuverability they are not as well suited for longer trips.

It was only a few short years ago that we first heard about Ducati playing around with a cruiser-prototype, but we all figured that the Italian bike maker would just go back to doing what it does best:  Build some of the baddest street rockets anywhere!

My first thought is that this had to be some other motorcycle maker with a similar name, or that somebody was joking around because Ducati, the builder of hair-raising, pulse-quickening, heart-thumping performance bikes, could not possibly be thinking about releasing anything that even comes remotely close to a power cruiser anytime soon.

However, we are only a few months away from the end of 2010, and Ducati is truly on the verge of releasing the Ducati Diavel, which in the Bolognese dialect means “devil.”  According to the motorcycle maker, a Ducati employee uttered, “Ignurànt comm’ al diavel!” upon first seeing the machine, which roughly translates to “Evil, like the evil.”

A Ducati that is not a super sportbike is something that is unheard of, especially since models like the Monster, Multistrada, Sport Classic and Hypermotard all had plenty of racing lineage before they were allowed to hit the streets.  However, although we are not 100% certain, the Diavel has never even sniffed a racetrack, and it is not likely to do so anytime soon.

Although Ducati has been very hesitant to classify its cruiser, the thinking is that the Italian motorcycle manufacturer is going after the market where Harley-Davidson’s liquid-cooled VRSC series, the Yamaha Vmax and Suzuki B-King rule the pavement.

There is also very little known as far as specs, but if they are going after the pavement pounder segment ruled by Harley, Yamaha and Suzuki, then it will have ABS, Ducati Racing Modes which will alter power output and delivery, along with Ducati Traction Control.  Moreover, we are certain that Ducati will come up with plenty of goodies.

Power will be delivered to the rear wheel by the Teststretta 11-degree engine, which is also in the Multistrada, and you can expect the Diavel to deliver a comfortable ride.  We have included an official teaser of the bike, as well as a spy shot taken not too long ago.

The bike isn’t expected to change much from now until it is officially released.  However, if you are already drooling and anxious about all of the details and specs, you are going to have to wait until the EICMA, or Milan International Motorcycle Show, which is set to take place from November 2nd to the 7th.

If you are the adventurous type, you can make your reservations and head out to Milan so that you can be among the first to get a look at the finished product.  If not, we will keep you posted, and we will give you all of the details right after the November show.