Belt Drive Betty's Blog: 7/4/10

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Friday, July 09, 2010

Noise bylaws - what's the truth? What Gives here? I have more questions than answers.

Well folks - the MMIC has been doing quite a job promoting the new motorcycle noise test to various communities. If you read the news on our site today, there are two articles from ON that will make you shake your head, especially if you read the whole blog BEFORE you read those two articles...

What I wonder is their true motivation. They claim it is to improve the image of the motorcycle community. But is it? 92 decibels at idle...96 at 2000 RPM...remember those numbers.

They claim that they caught a federal law being rewritten but did they? Yes the law has been updated but the basic information on decibel levels, from all of the research I have had time to do - well, they do not appear to have changed at all.

Here is the link to the Noise Emissions Regulations on the Transport Canada Web Site: (http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/acts-regulations/regulations-crc-c1038-sch-v.1.htm)

Here is the section that pertains to motorcycles:
3. Every motorcycle shall be so constructed that

(a) where tested in accordance with Annex 3 to ECE Regulation No. 41, Uniform Provisions concerning the Approval of Motor Cycles with regard to Noise, dated January 19, 1981, as amended September 14, 1984, excluding the requirements of paragraph 3.2 of that Annex, the exterior sound level does not exceed

(i) 77 dBA, in the case of a motorcycle with an engine displacement not exceeding 80 cm3,

(ii) 80 dBA, in the case of a motorcycle with an engine displacement exceeding 80 cm3 and not exceeding 175 cm3, and

(iii) 82 dBA, in the case of a motorcycle with an engine displacement exceeding 175 cm3; or

(b) where tested in accordance with

(i) Appendix I-2 to subparts D and E, part 205, chapter I, title 40 of the United States Code of Federal Regulations, as amended by Vol. 45, No. 252 of the Federal Register of the United States published on December 31, 1980, at pages 86727 and 86728, the exterior sound level does not exceed 70 dBA, in the case of a motorcycle with an engine displacement not exceeding 50 cm3 and a maximum attainable speed of 48 km/h on a level paved surface, and

(ii) Appendix I-1 to subparts D and E, part 205, chapter I, title 40 of the United States Code of Federal Regulations, as amended by Vol. 45, No. 252 of the Federal Register of the United States published on December 31, 1980, at pages 86726 and 86727, the exterior sound level does not exceed 80 dBA, in any other case.

So folks - I guess we need some serious discussion.

If the Federal Regulations states that a motorcycle should not exceed 82 decibels - right from factory - my questions are this:

How many motorcycles right on the show room floor pass? It SHOULD be all of them - agreed?
If the federal law states 82 decibels (Accelerating vehicles 83) and that applies to ALL Passenger Vehicles, from what I am gathering by reading part 1 of the regulation. Then am I wrong in thinking that the police services have not been doing their job for a long, LONG time as this law has been on the books for, forever?
If this is the law, then how come exhaust manufacturers have been allowed to create products that contravene the law? (I believe the loop hole is that they tell you the pipes they are selling you are for OFF road use only - then is you use them on road - you then are presumed to KNOW you are breaking the law if you put them on your street bike.)
What does 82/83 decibels sound like and how many car stereos, pick ups, cars will pass? And what is the level for semis, commercial and construction vehicles? It should be the same level one would think - if so, can they conform, do they pass the noise test? I know there are specific laws covering construction and commercial vehicles - I just don't have the time to sift through them all - if you do, here is the link to the resource page on the Transport Canada Web Site: http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/acts-regulations/acts-1993c16.htm

Why are we so uneducated about the federal law? Seriously people, if you read the federal law, which from what I can see is pretty fair, right across the table, then where do we get the idea that as municipalities or provinces we can change the law to be less than what the federal law is? It appears to be tougher than what the SAE and the MMIC are proposing.

I wonder are leaf blowers held to this same level?

Why are the police not enforcing the federal law? After all - are the RCMP not federal?

Maybe I am being simple here, but really folks, if the police had just been enforcing what is on the books all along, do you really think anyone would be in trouble here?

The federal law (The Highway Transportation Safety Act) also allows for stunting tickets to be issued for "riding" or driving" style as far as noise generation is concerned, so again I ask you - what is going on here? Perhaps fine limits need to increase but do we really need to be spending the money? Creating the hatred and hostility that is swirling around when truly, what is on the books seems pretty strict already?

WHO is driving this bylaw frenzy? Why are they driving it? What is really going on on the political scene that they want to ram through without us knowing about it by creating or using this motorcycle noise bylaw crap as a smoke screen? Am I paranoid? Delusion or just reading all of the information that is out there some how wrong?

Maybe it's just me, maybe I just don't understand the wording of federal law or when and where the provincial and regional laws can supersede it. Can some one in the legal profession help us to understand what is truly going on here? I am about as confused as I can get. I look forward to talking to the civil law lawyer in the middle of the month, perhaps he can help us to understand this stuff better.

If the law states 82/83 does this mean the manufacturers who paid to create the measurement tests with the SAE are trying to get the federal laws amended to the up side?

As I said the more I read to try and educate myself - the more confused I become.
How about you, does your head hurt yet? Do you have the same kinds of questions I have or am I alone?

As always, I would love to have your feedback and input...truly.

There is a lot in the news today and I need to get on my motorcycle and begin a sales trip to Edmonton - 5 stops before 7 pm tonight! Tomorrow I am at the FT Saskatchewan Cancer Run and then the Little Warriors Poker Run and on my way back home by 5 pm so that I can be home by 10 pm or there abouts, so..I had best get my butt in the saddle - PLEASE, no matter what event you are attending, no matter where your holidays are taking you - PLEASE, ride like every corner holds a moose/deer or elk, that every driver of a cage is BLIND , can not see you you and IS out to get you - ride safe...you are important here.

Belt Drive Betty

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National VP of Marketing

Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education

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Thursday, July 08, 2010

On a day like today, where does one begin?

The news is filled with so many diverse and interesting articles today I hardly know where to begin. How about we start with the Australians who have decided to go after the Hells Angels?

Just over a year ago, a fight had broken out between rival "Gangs" in the airport in Sidney. One man was killed and a week later, in more "turf war" violence the brother of the dead man was in hospital after being shot.

The incidents were enough to help authorities in the Australian state of New South Wales to fast-track laws that allowed police to request a court to label a group as an criminal organization. The court decision allows police to arrest any members of the group, individuals who associate or do business with the group as well as confiscate properties. Those arrested could face as much as five years in prison if convicted.
It was recently reported that police have asked the court system to consider the Hells Angels motorcycle gangs a criminal organization. (Clutch & Chrome Magazine)

The Outlaw Clubs - Bikies as they are called in Australia have formed a coalition United Motorcycle Council, an umbrella group for 18 motorcycle gangs and have hired a lawyer to address the issues at hand.

In St Andrews New Brunswick small business is in love with Atlanticade and the motorcyclists who attended it. Approximately 10K riders attended the event in it's new home and the love affair appears to be mutual as already some hotels are reporting that they are 70% sold out for next years event!

British Columbia Mounties are in the spotlight again and not in a good way as another officer is charged with impaired driving. The female officer was off duty, driving her own car. In less than 8 months five RCMP officers have been charged with impaired driving.
I will completely bite my tongue on this topic...

My diatribe yesterday about road debris and crappy roads period appears to have been timely. In Calgary - Carmacks looks after the roads and according to an article by CBC:
Maintenance workers who patrol Calgary's busy freeways say they find all sorts of debris, including vehicle parts, fridges, stoves and all sorts of furniture. "People change a tire and they'll just leave it there on the side of the road," said David Francis, who works for Carmacks, the company in charge of patrolling Stoney Trail and Deerfoot Trail for debris.
Since Stoney Trail opened on Nov. 1, Carmacks has picked up about 1,080 pieces of debris from the road.

Also in the news today:
A BC rider is in hospital after hitting a semi.

In Ontario the rider and the passenger of an H-D motorcycle has gone to hospital after a collision with a Honda.

And in Regina, they are mourning the passing of their principle. Bruce Pearce, principle of Campbell Collegiate died in a single motorcycle accident just outside of Drumheller yesterday.

There is a lot of sports news and other industry news today as well so check out the home page at www.beltdrivebetty.com - center of the page has all of the breaking/latest news.

If you are amongst the lucky and you are riding today - PLEASE, ride like everyone around you is out to get you and is BLIND. Remember to Ride PROUD NOT Loud - save the pipes for when someone drifts into your lane while on that cell phone of theirs.

Belt Drive Betty

A MAX Award winning web site!

National VP of Marketing

Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education

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Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Roads - debris and repairs and the ensuing accidents

Our roads - they are vital ribbons of asphalt that connect us. Down these ribbons of black top are trucked the groceries and staples we require.

Mom's in mini vans take their kids to the next town over for hockey and softball games and people of all shapes and sizes driving all means of conveyances travel to and from work.

Yes our roadways are vital to the economy. They bring tourists to spend money in our communities - they connect us and they define us.

In this province as in others in this fair country, our road ways are killing members of the motorcycling community. And no, I am not referring to accidents/incidents or collisions.
I am referring to the state of our roadways. From tire debris left on the roads by semi's to the horrid frost heaves, cracks, pot holes and terrible repairs to road construction where little or no signage warns motorcyclists of the danger they are about to face, our roads are killing and injuring riders.

So why is it that something so vital to a community's survival, so important to every man , woman and child can be allowed to fall into the state of disrepair that our roads are in?

I for one have experienced "wows' in the road that have lifted me right out of the saddle of my bike at proper highway speed. I have seen the road snakes that mask awful cracks that can grab the front wheel of a motorcycle and make for treacherous, gut wrenching minutes. I have experienced road repairs that are so awful that I wished I could take the person who globbed the asphalt for the repair on the road and have that person ride pillion over that rotten repair a hundred times before letting them wander away.

I have been face with debris from semi's that make riding an obstacle course and I have been salt and peppered by silt, sand and chaff coming from the trailer of a grain/gravel or sand hauling semi whose driver was too lazy to tarp his/her load down or from trucks that have come out of the bush covered in mud and spewing it for miles down the road.

I have seen unsafe loads where 4 x 4's come off of welding decks and boomers come off of cats and other heavy equipment that is being hauled because some one forgot to secure them properly.

I have had people throw cigarette butts, pop/beer cans and coffee cups out the window and have had to dodge them and in some cases just suffer being hit.

I have ridden on roads where the highway department has not cleaned the sand and gravel from the winter and had vehicles drive on the shoulder where all of that debris ends up in my face.

We riders are tax payers. We pay our license fees...we deserve to ride our motorcycles on roads that are safe - at least far safer than what they are right now.

Larry Darrell Kientz died after a motorcycle accident in Alberta just north of Calgary over the long weekend. He was operating a touring motorbike when he hit a marked bump and lost control. Police say they ruled out alcohol and speed as factors in the crash.(From the Energy City Article)

According to police reports this chiropractor was not speeding - and yet he hit a bump in the road that was so severe it caused him to loose control of his motorcycle and cost him his life.

I think people, that with all of the 'garbage' being flung at our community over the excessive noise that some in our community generate, that it is time - long since time, that we start demanding road ways that are repaired properly, not in some hap hazard way.
It is time we start holding the companies that pave roads and repair and maintain them to some level of accountability and consequently every municipal government for the state of repair they are in and the quality of the repairs that are effected.

It is time we start demanding that DOT and Highway Patrol start handing out tickets for the unsecured loads and untarpped trucks that barrel down our highways. I think we need to start seeing people fined for littering and causing harm not just to the environment but to the other motorists who have to dodge the debris...the laws are on the books - let's see them be enforced - otherwise, what's the point to them being there?

As always, your comments, feedback and input are deeply and gratefully accepted here! It is only through divergent dialogue and ideas being shared that we will ever learn and grow.

In other news:

The ladies on the Conga III for Breast Cancer have hit the $20K mark in their fund raising efforts.

The funeral for the BC Chiropractor that was killed on the long weekend happens on July 10th.

The rider killed in another long weekend collision was Will Stuck of Premium Exploration in Billings Montana.

BCCOM wants to remind you of their upcoming meetings - these are really important ones for all riders on Vancouver Island to attend...

If you own a 2010 Kawasaki Z1000, there is a recall that could affect you (Yes I know it is US, but lots of people now a days buy in the US)

If you are amongst the lucky and you are riding today - PLEASE, ride like everyone around you is out to get you and is BLIND. Remember to Ride PROUD NOT Loud - save the pipes for when someone drifts into your lane while on that cell phone of theirs.

Belt Drive Betty

A MAX Award winning web site!

National VP of Marketing

Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education

Contact Me

Tuesday, July 06, 2010

Of motorcycles and people

The Hoka Hey Challenge has lost another rider to an accident. This time the rider, 63-year-old Kenneth J. Greene of Ocala, Fla., died after wrecking his motorcycle Sunday afternoon on the Glenn Highway near the Matanuska Glacier.

I feel sad for the people who loved these two riders and I have to wonder what it is about being a part of a race of this nature that causes people to put their lives on the line. I guess the half million dollar prize would be a part of it. I wonder what will happen if the organizers do not pay out the top prize at Sturgis like they are supposed to?

There have been a lot of rumors and speculation over that... Jim Redcloud, one of the organizers who also participated in the race has had shall we say some controversy surrounding himself and his past endeavors and that has to some degree been a cloud over this event.

There are, yet again a ton of accidents and names of deceased riders that have been reported this morning. You can find all of the information on www.beltdrivebetty.com under Latest News.

There are some really heartwarming stories today and after the last few days that for me have been filled with the purging of yet more toxic people from my life - well, heart warming is good. Heart warming reminds me why I do what I do, why I care so deeply...

There is a ride being organized : WE ALL LOVE TO RIDE!
It is being hosted for a man named Mark who had developed Lou Gehrig's Disease - ALS.

My cousin, friend and riding buddy, Mark, developed A.L.S or better known as Lou Gehrig's disease back in 2006.

Mark is my very close friend and a riding buddy for years. In fact, riding was one of his greatest pleasures as it is for most of us. I have attached pictures of Mark from our trip to the sport bike rally in 2006 and a picture from Early 2010. This is a guy who played every sport and was always active. Today he is restricted to a wheel chair, unable to move or even talk. He is being fed through a feeding tube as of last week. I hate to say it, but soon, tomorrow might not come for Mark.

Mark said something to me months ago I will never forget, and yes there are tears running down my cheeks as I write this. He said to me,” Johnny, when you go riding, do me a favor and ride for me too!” Of course, I replied with a “you bet I will” and I have every time I go out, but I want to do more.

MARK’S RUN WILL BE HELD ON AUG.8, 2010

Meeting at the front of the Mohawk Raceway parking lot at 1 p.m.

What I would like to do is simply have a ride, with as many bikes as possible to run into Etobicoke, past Marks home, give a few rev’s and then return. I know this would bring a smile to his face even if he couldn’t manage to make the movement, I know he would be smiling inside, bigger than anyone could ever imagine.

Following the Run past Mark’s home, we will ride back through Belfountain and the Forks of the Credit area back to the Rockwood area where I will happily put on a BBQ for all to show my appreciation of your participation.

I am NOT asking for any money, just your support of a fellow rider, however if you feel the need to donate, any funds received will be directly forwarded to the A.L.S. society of Ontario.

As I said - heartwarming, real and honest ...

There are a few in my world who could learn from this simple act - kindness, love, genuine caring, selflessness...

If you are amongst the lucky and you are riding today - PLEASE, ride like everyone around you is out to get you and is BLIND. Remember to Ride PROUD NOT Loud - save the pipes for when someone drifts into your lane while on that cell phone of theirs.

Belt Drive Betty

A MAX Award winning web site!

National VP of Marketing

Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education

Contact Me

Monday, July 05, 2010

July - motorcycle safety month...

The Canada Day and July 4th weekend celebrations have come and gone for another year.
The weekend, while very enjoyable for many, saw Canadian highways and byways filled with several tragic incidents involving motorcyclists.

The carnage that has been taking place in our community has been nothing short of devastating - sadly the motoring public does not seem to be getting the message that they need to share the road with us.

July is supposed to be motorcycle safety month in Canada. A month where police services target motorcycles to ensure the riders are wearing proper safety gear and that the motorcycles they ride are up to par to be on the roadways. The reason for this is more accidents involving motorcycles tend to happen in July than at any other time of the year. If that is truly the case folks we could be in for a rough summer emotionally.

Most of the "accidents" in the news today that involve motorcycles have very little do with the driver of the motorcycle having done anything wrong, in fact left hand turning accidents still seem to be the most prevalent...

The only thing riders can do to stay safe is to be hyper aware to their surroundings and the dangers. Defensive riding is the key to having that peaceful weekend putt or that incredible journey stay uneventful and even then, defensive riding is not always enough.

Loud pipe save lives in certain situations - like chasing wild life away from the ditches/road side or preventing that inattentive cager from drifting into your lane when you are beside them in urban riding/driving situations - we riders know that, heck even the motorcycle cops in Oakland California seem to know that : http://www.blogcatalog.com/blog/harley-davidson-sportster/f32e784513e5a86cbc74ff281f6b25a1 BUT...

In Calgary, today is the day when John Mar gets his way - the noise bylaw there is set to be ammended and he has the signatures of at least 8 others on council to back him up, councilman Mar wants his city to get tough on noise.

Liane Langlois in Edmonton stated that over 3,000 signatures have been garnered from a small segment of the shops she has the petition with - in her bid to see the Edmonton motorcycle noise bylaw be over turned. Insane Customs, Bad Ass Customs, H-D Edmonton, Heritage H-D and a number of other locations have the petitions and are just waiting on you to stop in and sign them.

The Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education might be a really good organization to become a part of right now. For $20 a year for a single or $30 for a couple the Never Ride Alone program and the National call centre alone are worth the money. (National Downed Rider Hot Line & Never Ride Alone 1-866-315-1013) Add in to that the rider education discounts on the Ride Like a Pro DVD's and the Rights committee that is working at getting the aftermarket industry behind us to challenge the Edmonton motorcycle noise bylaw and well - you have a group that all though very brand new - is already starting to make an impact!

If that was all that F.I.R.R.E. did yours would be a well spent $20, but, fund raising for motorcycle accident victims and creating awareness for the cager and mainstream public as to the Faces of riders and who we are the other aspects that rounds out this organization.

The southern Alberta F.I.R.R.E. is hosting a poker run July 24th weekend to support Yvonne Perry a single mom with cerebral palsy who was injured back in May and I myself am hosting an awareness Conga across Canada in August and September to light a F.I.R.R.E. in the soul of every rider I can and to educate the general public all about the riding community. If it is true that July is the month when we will see the most motorcycle "accidents" then please, consider joining F.I.R.R.E. because united we can make a difference and support each other. www.firre.ca

There is a ton of "accident" information and many other articles of interest in the news today - to get your fix head on over to www.beltdrivebetty.com

If you are fortunate enough to be riding today...please ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you and IS out to get you.
Please ride proud not loud and if you get a noise ticket - please FIGHT IT!

Belt Drive Betty

A MAX Award winning web site!

National VP of Marketing

Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education