On the tenth anniversary of the attack upon the World Trade center and Pentagon, I was honored to have ridden with, by my estimation, a couple thousand other riders, to collectively remember that horrific day. It was an excellent and well executed ride through the Protrero canyon starting from Point Magu Naval Base and finishing at Pepperdine University where, they had 2,977 flags set up to honor each of those innocent victims of that terrible day. It was an excellent ride… but this post isn’t about the ride. It’s about the collective heart that went into it.

Too often we are consumed by our narrow and isolated lives and our efforts are put into satisfying our own personal needs. Charity, nurturing the collective human spirit, and efforts in the name of someone else, are rarely executed. Yet when this country experiences such a devastating event as the attacks, we are brought together as one to stand and shake our collective fist at those who would dare to bring us harm. Such was the case on 9-11-11.

The ceremony, the reading of letters sent by fallen soldiers to their families, the beautiful singing of our national anthem, the 21-gun salute, all brought me, and a couple thousand tough “bikers” to tears. I’m not ashamed to say that I did in fact cry as I heard Taps played on the bugle by a uniformed soldier. I love my country and whenever I am witness to an outpouring of love it just gets me.

As for the ride…

Dubbed The Ride to the Flags the event is a volunteer based ride intended to benefit charity (see the website to learn more) and is host to a couple thousand bikes. Staging was at the Naval base where security was well-managed (because it was a military base after all), the bikes were stacked 4-deep for as far as you could see and was lead by the Patriot Guard Riders through Protrero canyon and onto the Pepperdine campus. I was initially concerned about ability to lead such a large number of bikes through the narrow mountain roads but I’ll be honest, it was so damn well-executed I am left incredibly impressed.

Along the rout were road leaders managing the line of bikes, managing intersections, and at times taking some risks to make sure the rest of us were safely guided through the canyon. Everyday people were on the roadside waving flags, cheering, saluting, and watching as we rode by. Parents were out there with their kids and traffic stopped to let us by. Again… I’m impressed. I will most certainly make sure to take the same ride again next year.

Here are a handful of photos we took on that awesome day.

And finally, I want to thank my dear friend Nickie for riding with me and standing next to me as I cried like a child during all the ceremony.

More later…

General, News, Raves, Rides

A moment of silence please…….

You may remember my first article on the subject . In that article I mentioned how the bill started as a “smog-check” law but while in discussions on the senate floor it turned into a discussion about noise levels. Welcome to the new SB-435… Read more…

Activism, General, News

I have to say, this was by far and away, THE largest motorcycling event in which I have ever taken part! The eleventh annual West Coast Thunder! I was both humbled and honored to have been involved in such an emotionally charged experience. Read more…

Events, Motorcycles, News, Raves, Rides

God Bless America

On Memorial day, we gather as a nation to celebrate and pay tribute to all those brave men and women who fight to protect our freedom. Don’t get me wrong, I do not advocate war or violence. But I do advocate defending the things that are of value to me. And my freedom and my country are among the top of my list of that which is worth protecting. In truth… I love my country. Evidenced by the fact that nearly every time I hear our National Anthem, I tear up.

West Coast Thunder is an annual event designed with one thing in mind; to benefit those brave, selfless men and women, and their families. They literally put their lives on the line for me… it’s only right that I do what I can to show my gratitude.

This year the event will be on Monday May 31st… Memorial Day. The expectation is that several thousand motorcyclists will take part in the event. I along with members of my riding club, Southern Cruisers Riding Club, will be there. Celebrating our military and what they have done for us.

Here’s a brief rundown of the event:

• Priority Registration is $35 per participant (through May 17, 2010).
• Pre-Registration is $40 per participant (May 17 through May 30, 2010).
• Day-Of Registration is $40 per participant (May 31, 2010)

Each registered rider will receive:

• One registration packet for West Coast Thunder XI
• One venue entry wristband
• One general admission concert ticket (upgrade available)
• One West Coast Thunder XI ride pin
• One attachable American flag
• One raffle ticket for event prizes.
• One T-Shirt coupon

Registration packets will be mailed to the shipping address indicated

The first 1,000 riders to register will be invited to attend our
exclusive Saturday night V.I.P. Party.

This year, West Coast Thunder and Skip Fordyce Harley-Davidson have
partnered with their friends at KFRG Radio, 95.1 FM and Soboba Casino
to aide in the production of the event. As of 2010, the parade route
will change to accommodate the increased participation. Soboba Casino
in San Jacinto, California will be the final destination for the
parade this Memorial Day, Monday, May 31st, 2010. The parade will
still leave Skip Fordyce Harley-Davidson the morning of Memorial Day,
and travel directly to the Soboba Casino.

Will you attend this great event?

Visit the West Coast Thunder website at http://www.westcoastthunder.com for event details and registration information.

Events, General, News, Rides

Harry Hurt

Recently I posted an article that references the 1981 Hurt Study that analyzed 900 on-scene motorcycle accidents in the Los Angeles area. His was a groundbreaking study that gave rise to the use of things like always-on headlights, helmet laws, rider education etc. Well I’m sad to report that Mr. Hurt suffered a fatal heart attack on Sunday November 29, 2009 while at the Pomona Valley Hospital.

For those of you who don’t know. Harry Hurt was considered an expert on motorcycle crash causation and his study, conducted nearly 30 years ago is used today in the development of safety equipment and rider education classes. He will be missed…

Read the LA Times story.

General, News

After 28 years since the 1981 Hurt Study, conducted through UCLA on motorcycle crash causation, a new study is underway…. Finally. Let’s note here that the Hurt study of 1981 helped in large part to bring about things like always-on headlights, rider training like that of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, helmet laws etc. Clearly such a study would benefit the motorcycling, insurance, healthcare and other communities in many meaningful ways.

Motorcycle fatalities in the last decade represent 14% of all vehicle related deaths, while the number of bikes on the road represent anywhere from 1% to 4% of vehicles (depending on which study you happen to be reading). Whatever the percentage of motorcycles to overall vehicles, the number of motorcycles on the road has increased from 1998 to 2007 by roughly 80% (3.9 million to 7.1 million respectively). And with that sort of increase it’s no wonder there has been an increase in fatalities – According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration there were 5290 motorcycle related fatalities in 2008 – But the question still stands… what are the causative factors in motorcycle accidents and fatalities?

This of course brings us to the new study.

The new study, green-lighted by the U.S Department of Transportation, is a scaled down version of the original 1981 study which investigated 900 crashes. This new study will look at 300. This is highly criticized as being too small a sampling to provide any meaningful data and ultimately will not provide answers to this important question. The National Transportation Safety Board has recommended that the sample size be anywhere between 900 and 1200 crashes. But, Oklahoma State University, who will be conducting the new study, has estimated that a sampling of this size would cost the tax-payers $10 to $12 million dollars. Which exceeds the government provided budget of $4.2 million.

So there’s the rub. As with anything else it comes down to money. Okay so the Motorcycle Safety Foundation has actually offered an additional $2.8 million if the study investigates a minimum of 900 crashes. But as of October 1st, the sample size is still marked at 300.

In my opinion, a small study is better than none. Yet with offers from the MSF and others to increase the budget one would think efforts would be made to increase the sample size and thereby provide more and more meaningful data. This seems to me to be a no-brainer. And it would seem that I’m not the only one who thinks this way. There are full details about this issue at BikeSafer.com Crash Study Petition Fact Page including the official statements, stakeholders and background information. I encourage anyone who rides, or knows some who rides to visit this site and sign the petitions to increase the sampling and scope of the study.

Activism, News

Buell Motor Company, started by Erik Buell in 1983 has been a wholy owned subsidiary of Harley Davidson Inc. since 1998, will be shutting its doors. This was announced today by Harley Davidson as part of the cutbacks needed by the company to remain viable and position itself for growth into the future.

Personally I don’t like the Buell that much, owing mostly to it’s funny-looking design (I’m sorry but it looks like it’s been in a head-on collision).  But it did win awards and many significant races. And it’s just another sad bit of news for Harley which seems to have been suffering a lot with this down economy.

Read the story on Motorcycle USA.

News

I know that I’ve ranted about the Harley Davidson riders and their own personal culture. But I have also stated that I actually like the Harley brand and acknowledge it as an icon… a mainstay in the world of motorcycling.

I find it sad to read in the York Dispatch article, that with their 91% drop in 1st quarter profits and planned plant shut-downs, they are also letting people go. The economy clearly hasn’t let up and it will be a long time in my humble opinion, before the market of recreational toys like motorcycles, comes back in a meaningful way.

Interestingly, I took a little walk through our local Harley dealership not long ago and noticed one very glowing point. They had a large supply of previously owned bikes. All of them in excellent shape and with tremendously appealing price-tags. Now it’s always been a well-known fact that Harley Davidson is just about the best bike out there for value retention. But I never thought that this paradigm would create a secondary market that competes directly with themselves. Again… sad.

General, News

California SB 435, introduced by Santa Monica’s own idiot Senator Fran Pavley (Democrat), would have made it so that any motorcycle from the model year of 2000 and on, with a displacement of more than 280 cc, be smog tested and certified every two years.

Because of the efforts of ABATE, and riders all over California, this bill has been stopped for now (see ABATE’s On Capitol Steps for the whole story). But while in debate on the Senate floor, the issue turned from smog concerns, to issues concerning loud pipes. With new standards being developed in testing loudness, we are likely to expect new legislature aimed at motorcycles.

Source: ABATE.

ABATE of California, Inc. (ABATE) is a not-for-profit, social membership-driven, tax-exempt California corporation dedicated to preserving motorcyclists’ freedom of choice and freedom of the road. Their main goal is to promote motorcycling, advance motorcycle safety on the roads of California and protect the rights of motorcyclists everywhere.

Activism, News

Street Tripple

Motorcycle.com has ranked the Triumph Street Triple R as their 2009 motorcycle of the year. The Street Tripple is a street-fighter version of the Triumph Datona 675. With its three-cylinder engine, re-tuned from the Daytona, it makes for an awesome machine for riders of all skill levels. Ergonomically comfortable and low seat height keep it within range for the beginner but boasts the power and handling for veteran riders as well.

You can read the full story here.

News