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Fact or Fiction – Helmet Use

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from Motorcycle Riders Foundation at http://mrf.org/ On a nearly annual basis the media in this country is inspired to report stories about motorcycle fatalities on our nation’s roadways. Invariably, these stories paint motorcycle rider deaths as a product of irresponsible riders who live in states that have some level of helmet choice. Frequently they report statistics that prove their narrative but fail to paint a full and complete picture. The lens with which these stories are reported often takes the naïve view that crashes can be made “safer” if only bikers somehow followed government helmet mandates. The only true solution to motorcycle safety and reducing fatalities are proactive measures, which prevent a collision from occurring at all, rather than reactive steps that may or may not offer some level of injury mitigation only after a crash has already taken place. Rider education, which prepares motorcyclists to interact with other roadway users by learning and practicing the skills necessary for hazard avoidance and developing a strategy to deal with real world traffic, is the primary component of a comprehensive motorcycle safety plan. Additionally, educating all motor vehicle operators to be alert and free of impairment as they share the road with others is critical in deterring crashes caused by inattention. When coming across these stories keep in mind some facts that are omitted from their reports. Fact: Over the last decade motorcycle related deaths have varied between years but for the most part remain flat. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data from 2019 shows 5,014 deaths, a decrease from the 2008 5,307 deaths NTSHA recorded. In that same time period registered motorcycles increased from 7.7 million in 2008 to 8.7 million ten years later. In other words, there are a million more bikes on the road and there were […]

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Traveling but can’t bring your motorcycle? Here are a few solutions

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from https://www.traveldailynews.com One of the primary reasons why people travel is to get away from their day-to-day hard-knock lives and relax on an island away from all the noise. Although leaving the noisy city to a remote location brings a high level of calmness and serenity, many people still like to be very active while on vacation. One major group of people in this category are bikers. Whether they are in Cancun or Fiji Islands, bikers love to have their motorcycles with them and don’t like to go too long without riding. If you are in this category of vacationers, then not being able to travel with your motorcycle must be such a bummer. The good news is that there are many solutions that bikers can try to ensure they can ride when they travel. Ranging from shipping your motorcycle to your location to renting a different motorcycle, these tips will surely help you do what you love, even in a different location. So, here are a few solutions that will keep you active when you cannot take your motorcycle along on trips. 1. Renting a motorcycle Renting service has been the most thought-after solution when going on traveling. Since you can’t travel with your motorcycle in tow, being able to rent it at your destination should be the next solution in mind. You might be worried about whether or not you will find a motorcycle rental service in your destination country, especially if you are going to a remote island. You should note that some brands allow tourists to rent a motorcycle from any part of the globe, and they can see the available countries in this URL or BRANDED website. This way, you can be sure a motorcycle will be waiting for you when you arrive. Also, ensure

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MRF on One of the most important numbers for Motorcyclists

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Know Your Numbers! Riding Free from DC – from Inside the Beltway May was Motorcycle Awareness Month but every month should be a month for motorcycle advocacy! Whether you were in D.C. for Bikers Inside the Beltway or working on issues back home, it’s a great time to advocate for bikers’ rights. One of the most important numbers any biker rights advocate should know is the number of motorcyclists in their states. When chatting with either state or federally elected officials, you should have the number of motorcyclists in your state on the tip of your tongue and drop it into any conversation about biker rights. Why? Because when you say the word motorcyclist that elected official translates it into voters! There are different ways to calculate how many bikers are in your state and each state does it differently. Some states release motorcycle endorsement numbers, while others release motorcycle registration statistics. In fact, some states including California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Texas, and Utah provide county by county data on the number of bikers throughout the state. Spend some time looking around your state’s department of transportation or motor vehicle website and see what you can find. Regardless of how we are counted, we need to know our numbers, and share those numbers. If you can’t find the number of bikers through your state’s websites, the federal government has a list of all registered motorcycles by state. To see how many motorcycles the federal government claims are in your state click here for their revised 2021 statistics. European Motorcycles The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers recently reported that registrations of new motorcycles in the five largest European markets increased by 10.3% in the first three months of this year compared to the same period in 2020. The five largest European

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Motorcycle riding rules including clothing gear for US Army troops abroad

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by Keith Pannell from https://www.army.mil Clearing up confusion on motorcycle gear BAUMHOLDER, Germany – The warmer weather means more motorcycle riders are taking advantage of Germany’s scenic roads. Riders should also take time to reacquaint themselves with the garrison and U.S. Army Europe-Africa motorcycle policies. Some rules may seem obvious: “Motorcycle operators will ride only on the permanently attached seat,” according to the joint U.S. Army Europe-Africa Regulation 190-1/U.S. Air Force Europe-Africa Instruction 31-202, Section 5-6, b, 1, (June 18, 2020). But, there may be some other “guidance” which has been passed down from other riders that may not be exactly accurate. “Active-duty service members, civilian employees, contractors and family members are required to have a U.S. state-issued motorcycle license or endorsement on a current U.S. state driver’s license to operate a motorcycle in Europe,” said Herbert Nold, U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz Safety specialist. “Additionally, riders are required to complete a four-hour approved U.S. Army in Europe motorcycle orientation course and pass a 30-question written test to receive a USAREUR-AF motorcycle license.” The joint regulation also states that motorcycle riders will wear: “a helmet fastened under the chin, which meets all the American National Standards Institute” guidelines and, shatter-proof or shatter-resistant eye protection Besides a helmet and eye protection, anytime a Soldier, civilian employee, family member or contractor pulls out of a parking spot, they are required to wear full-finger gloves made of leather or other abrasion-resistant material and over-the-ankle footwear “of sturdy leather and have a good, oil-resistant sole.” Riders must also have on a long-sleeved shirt or jacket and full-length trousers any time they’re riding the motorcycle, according to the regulation. Those requirements apply both on and off a military installation. “One of the things that’s popped up recently is what riders have to wear when they come

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Florida Drivers claim lack of state oversight led to their fraudulent motorcycle endorsements

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by Stephanie Coueignoux from https://www.mynews13.com ORLANDO, Fla. — About 200 people’s lives are now literally stalled after the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles suspended their driver’s licenses. Each of these individuals took a motorcycle endorsement training course two years ago so they could ride, but there’s now an issue. What You Need To Know About 200 Floridians had their driver’s licenses suspended over an illegitimate motorcycle endorsement State officials say the company in question was not a legitimate business Some of the drivers affected say the suspensions are not fair, because the state initially accepted the endorsements The state sent these people letters suspending their driver’s licenses, after it discovered the course wasn’t legitimate. But many of these drivers are upset, pointing out it was the state that accepted the certifications in the first place. Francisco Perez Velez is one of the drivers who received one of the letters. As the owners of an electric service company, Velez responds to power outages around the clock. His nephew, Evelio Perez, works with him. “We need to be there as soon as possible,” explains Perez. It’s part of the job made more difficult when the state suspended their licenses. “It’s going to be sad — you’re driving without a license and stopped by a police and you’re heading to your job and heading to the jail? It’s not fair,” said Perez. Perez and his uncle received separate letters from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, which claim they committed fraud. “We were in a nervous breakdown because we saw the cancellation of the license and assuming the state we did fraud, we were all in shock,” said Velez. This all started back in 2019, when nearly 200 people — including Perez and Velez — took a motorcycle course with

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Laws for riding motorcycles

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by Wells Foster, Chivon Kloepfer from https://www.wlns.com Laws for motorcyclists are a little different than ones for regular cars. Local legal expert Bryan Waldman breaks down the differences in this Legal Edge report. First, motorcyclists must have the correct kind of insurance. Then, they need a motorcycle endorsement on their driver’s license. Michigan does not require all motorcyclists to wear a helmet, but you first must reach a few milestones. Everyone on a motorcycle under 21 must wear a helmet, regardless of their experience on a bike. They must also have had a motorcycle endorsement for at least two years and/or pass a safety test. You must also have extra insurance coverage to cover medical bills. In Michigan, motorcycles are not considered motor vehicles, meaning insurance works a little differently. Motorcyclists don’t need to purchase any fault insurance. As long as a motor vehicle is involved, a motorcyclist is entitled to benefits. For example, if a motorcyclist spins out and crashes on some gravel by themselves, no fault benefits will activate. However, if they are involved in a near-miss with a car, the benefits do activate.

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Free Youth Leadership Program in Driver Education in Canada

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Teens in Ontario can now apply for new Vision Zero Youth Network Program. The Vision Zero Youth Network (VZYN) by Teens Learn to Drive Inc. allows teens in Ontario ages 15-19 to gain experience and help make their communities safe. ONTARIO, CANADA – Non-profit organization, Teens Learn to Drive Inc. (TL2D) is inviting media partners for the launch of its new leadership program for Ontario high school students called the Vision Zero Youth Network (VZYN). In Ontario’s worst case scenario, a 16-year old could: • Pass the G1 written test after taking 10 to 12 practice tests online. (This test concentrates on sign recognition of the rules of the road, and both are largely forgotten afterwards.) • Drive back and forth to the grocery store for a year while parents are unaware of what their child is doing on the road. • Practise the route of a road test a few times before taking the actual assessment – (perhaps in a much less busy region than where they live). NOTE: During this time, the parent cannot let them drive on 400-series highways. • On their 17th birthday, pass the 17-minute road test. • Then pile their friends into the car and head out on the 401 – North America’s busiest road – while driving at high speeds alongside other cars, trucks, motorcycles and emergency vehicles. If that sounds far-fetched, 62% of new drivers in Ontario do not take formal driver education (2019, MTO data). Instead, they learn from friends and family members who may have bad habits or outdated information. Vision Zero is an idea that was developed in Sweden during the late 1990s. It aims to eliminate deaths on roads by using systems and infrastructure to lessen the damage when drivers make mistakes. Sweden also strengthened their mandatory driver

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E-bikes that look like motorcycles take another hit in Canada

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by Maryse Zeidler from https://www.cbc.ca Appellant’s lawyer says his client relied on Motorino XMr for affordable transportation The British Columbia Court of Appeal has upheld a B.C. Supreme Court ruling that e-bikes designed to look and function more like mopeds or scooters do not meet the province’s definition of a motor-assisted cycle and therefore require a driver’s licence, registration and insurance. The case was brought forward by Ali Ghadban, who was issued a ticket in Surrey, B.C., in 2018 for riding his Motorino XMr without a driver’s licence and insurance. He said he wasn’t able to obtain them from the provincial insurer, ICBC. Two of the three Appeal Court justices assigned to the case agreed with the B.C. Supreme Court judge’s decision from May 2020 that found although the Motorino XMr is outfitted with pedals, limited power and a maximum speed of 32 km/h, it doesn’t qualify as a motor-assisted cycle because it’s not designed to be operated primarily by human power. At the heart of the issue are the XMr’s small pedals, which Court of Appeal Justice Harvey M. Groberman agreed would do little to propel the nearly 115-kilogram bike. Groberman said the XMr is designed to almost exclusively operate as a low-powered electric motorcycle, or as “a very heavy, impractical bicycle.” Although the XMr meets many of the technical requirements of a motor-assisted cycle as defined in B.C.’s Motor Vehicle Act, Groberman wrote, it doesn’t do so in practice. “If a piece of legislation defines ‘cat’ as ‘a small four-legged furry mammal that purrs,’ we would not expect that definition to include a dog fitted with a loudspeaker that plays a purring sound,” he said. Affordable, environmentally friendly Lawyer Dan Griffiths, who represented Ghadban in the case, said his client is a man of modest financial means who

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Vreeland Reflects on AHDRA Top Fuel Championship

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“When I got my first AHDRA license in 1992, I never dreamed I would be Top Fuel champion 28 years later!” said Pennsylvania Harley-Davidson dealer and Top Fuel Motorcycle pilot, Rich Vreeland. At that time, Vreeland and his brother Ray were fresh from opening Vreeland’s H-D in 1990 as The Motor Company’s youngest dealers ever. Rich was a sportsman gasoline racer and didn’t necessarily have the brutal Top Fuel bikes in his plans, let alone dreams of a championship. And if he was dreaming of a nitro TF championship, then 28 years later? To be fair, there was no AHDRA All-American motorcycle drag racing series for a good chunk of that time, and Vreeland was busy winning two AMRA Nitro Funnybike championships in the meantime. But when Bill Rowe plugged the starter cart back into AHDRA for the 2020 season, Vreeland was quick to jump on board as both racer and sponsor. He bookended this first new-AHDRA season, winning the Cordova opener and then again at the finals in Gainesville. While Rich has always had his brother Ray’s help when it comes to running the Bloomsburg dealership, 2020 was first season with Ray as full-time crew chief on the race team. And clearly, the results were there. Vreeland’s steady A-B performances qualified no worse than third and made it to the semis at every race he attended. He won two races and was undefeated in final round appearances. “I’m honored to be the inaugural Top Fuel champion under the new AHDRA ownership of Bill Rowe,” said Vreeland. “I am humbled to have my name added to the list of AHDRA Top Fuel champions like Ray Price, Jim McClure, Jay Turner, and Tommy Grimes.” Vreeland was runner-up for the 2010 and 2012 V-Rod championships in the “old” AHDRA, and was the

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Motorcycle policy shift stresses mentorship

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by Scott Prater from https://csmng.com FORT CARSON, Colo. — Due to a recent increase in accidents and mishaps, Fort Carson active-duty, military-member motorcyclists must obtain a Fort Carson Motorcycle License, through their unit motorcycle mentor, to ride legally on or off post. The policy, which affects military personnel only, is effective immediately, though military police and access-control-point personnel won’t begin enforcing the policy until July 15. Military members who are new to the installation will have a 30-day grace period to obtain the new license. Though the new policy may seem stringent to some at first, it does follow Army regulation, and the process for obtaining the new license is fairly simple. As part of the policy, most units on post are assigned a motorcycle mentor, who assists riders in obtaining the required rider training and filing the proper paperwork to earn their Fort Carson Motorcycle License. “This new policy is designed to provide more mentorship to our motorcycle riders,” said Derrick Merriwether, safety specialist, 4th Infantry Division. “We’re training them to the best of our ability to ensure that they are safe on the roads. That’s what this is all about. When a rider joins the program, their unit motorcycle mentor will check the rider’s bike, check their personal protective equipment and their level of experience. Then the mentor will work with the rider to be better prepared for the road.” All riders seeking a Fort Carson motorcycle license must hold a state issued driver’s license with a motorcycle endorsement, and must pass the post’s Basic Rider Course, hosted regularly by experienced instructors at the Fort Carson Motorcycle Training Range. “This really affects the new Soldiers — the (privates) through (specialists) — who buy these brand-new vehicles but are not very experienced riders,” Merriwether said. “The policy allows the

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