Saturday, August 07, 2010

Is Harley-Davidson really moving out of Milwaukee and Wisconsin?

The speculation in Milwaukee is that Harley-Davidson really could move out of Milwaukee and perhaps out of Wisconsin with it's manufacturing leaving only the museum and the corporate head offices in the city once known as the Beer, Brats and Harley Capital of the world.

 Keith Wandell says the decision as to whether or not the company moves it's plants out of Milwaukee and potentially out of Wisconsin will be made in two months. Currently negotiations with the unions is underway. In all 1,630 manufacturing jobs could be lost and for a city that has seen it's famous beer and brats industries leave town - the job losses would be devastating, not to mention the hit to the city's identity.

 No more Milwaukee Iron? Can you imagine the impact to the tourism department of that city?

 Harley-Davidson's "threat" is being looked upon as far more than a threat by the historians & elders of the city... "Prasad, the UW-Milwaukee professor, doesn’t see Harley’s threat to move simply as a negotiating tactic. A company with a 107-year history is more concerned with the next 100 years than with making idle threats to extract short-term advantages, he said."

 How will Milwaukee re brand itself? What will draw tourists by the hundreds of thousands the way the Harley-Davidson Motor Corp. has?  

 Is it time for the city of Milwaukee to get involved in the negotiations? I think so...
We shall be watching and waiting to hear the outcome of one of the most community altering decisions to be made in motorcycling in a long, long time. 


In the news today:
With the 5oth Friday the 13th in Port Dover event just around the corner, there is a book out that will be a must have for every rider to take home in their saddlebags! Dubbed "A Photo Journal: Canada's Largest Biker Event." Photographer Kal Commodore takes you on a unique photographic journey of Friday the 13th!

 The ABATE group in West Grey Ontario is back in the news and not in a good way.
They contravened an order to NOT host their party until their lad was re zoned properly - now their request for re zoning might be met with some additional resistance as a result.

 In the Comox  Valley of BC they are getting creative in the club and bar scene - the new drinking and driving laws are making it so you would be considered a risk if you have a glass of wine with dinner (.05 will see you get a 72 hour suspension and a liquor offense on your driving record) The NEW Bridge Lounge is offering a unique shuttle service...to kick things off they are hosting a party and dancers, video cameras and Harley's are wanted at tonight's Live Video Production and Recording party!

 Harley-Davidson is also in the news today as the ink is drying of the deal to sell MV Agusta.
Claudio Castiglioni - the former owner of MV Agusta is buying the company back from Milwaukee.

Last weekend's vintage rally in Ponoka AB was a big hit and the CVMG saw an Italian theme and hundreds of visitors come to their party.

 The 10th Anniversary Cross Canada Motorcycle Ride For Dad celebrations are well under way.  Retired General Rick Hillier and the MRFD arrived in Gagetown  and participated in a fund raiser to assist the Oromocto Legion in it's rebuilding efforts. Their Legion was razed by an arson fire in early June.

 Today the Central AB Chapter of F.I.R.R.E. holds it's first major event in Thorsby and on Sunday morning, after breakfast and their memorial service there will be a parade out to Drayton Valley and the Rockin' the Valley Show 'n' Shine and battle of the bands fundraiser for the Stollery Children's Hospital.

 There is no shortage of events to attend - whatever you do this weekend, please - ride defensively, ride your own ride   do NOT let peer pressure get the best of you...Ride like everyone around you is BLIND, has an UNSAFE load and IS out to get you and please - ride Proud not Loud - invest in a 140 DB Air horn instead!



Belt Drive Betty
A MAX Award winning web site!
National VP of Marketing
Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education
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Friday, August 06, 2010

Lots of news to report on today!

Some days there is very little in the mainstream news feeds about motorcycles and others there is a ton! The same is true of the motorcycle magazine feeds...well today is one of those days where both feeds are filled with lots of information.

 There are a number of motorcycle accidents again - seems like this is becoming the norm...I almost dread doing the news feeds because I am fearful about who I might know that will show up in the reports as hurt or dead. Our community might be big but it is still small enough for a person to know those who appear in the news...Check out the Rider Down section on our web site for the latest accident and injury reports.

 Have you ever wondered at what goes on in our government and how stuff changes without we, the taxpayers EVER being involved in the process?

 Well - I am going to report today on a bit of a touchy subject.
The reason I am reporting on this topic is if it can be done to one group, it can be done to any and is...we just haven't heard about it.

 The new changes to the Anti gang law did not require a vote in parliament - consequently you and I did not hear about it until after the fact.

Now I am all for catching criminals and keeping the peace - I am concerned however - any time something gets passed that appears to tread on our civil liberties.

 The changes to the law apparently allow the police to fast track wire tap requests, and will see  an increase in the prison sentences for certain offenses if they are deemed to have been perpetrated by "gangs". Now the stiffer sentences I agree with - the wire tapping fast tracking....I am uncertain of.

 What has me concerned is that the changes to the law required no public consultation or input. We were simply told after the fact that it was done.

 THAT bugs me.  If this kind of important legislation can be changed without public knowledge - what else is changes that we don't hear about?

 Just some food for thought folks - while we are all focused on the anti motorcycle noise bylaws - what is being pushed through the system without our knowledge...
In the News Today:
The Motorsports Hall of Fame appears to be no farther ahead today than it was in October. I am not sure why these kinds of ventures appear to fail so miserably here in Canada but fail they appear to...click on the link above to read the story.

 Our very own Sandra Tyacke and the Canadian Lone Wolves took a Leduc reporter for a ride to experience what it is like to ride - the thrill, the dangers...read the article by clicking here - I think you will find it VERY entertaining and informative!
 
The 10th Anniversary Ride for Dad is underway and it sounds like this group is having the ride of a life time! Read up on their adventures by clicking here.

 In sports Szoke talks about his career and the changes ahead...


Harley-Davidson in the USA is supporting the troops with a 1 million dollar Grant to help them have access to the benefits they need! Way to go H-D!

 I want to take a moment to thank everyone for their well wishes and prayers for my brother. Please keep him close today as he has surgery to have a feeding tube implanted and goes through another round of Chemo and Radiation treatments.  I believe your prayers make a difference and would appreciate it deeply if you would keep them coming.

There is no shortage of events to attend - whatever you do this weekend, please - ride defensively, ride your own ride   do NOT let peer pressure get the best of you...Ride like everyone around you is BLIND, has an UNSAFE load and IS out to get you and please - ride Proud not Loud - invest in a 140 DB Air horn instead!
Belt Drive Betty
A MAX Award winning web site!
National VP of Marketing
Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education
Contact Me LinkedinFacebookBloggerTwitter
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Wednesday, August 04, 2010

Long weekends and tragedy...

It appears to be that every long weekend we hear the tragic news of multiple deaths on the roadways of our country.

 People driving so hard to get somewhere fast so that they can relax...
I know how impatient we all get, how much we all look forward to our opportunity for a few days of relaxation somewhere other than home. It is so sad that for many the long weekend ends or begins, with tears.

 I tend to leave on Thursdays and not come home until Tuesdays...I just see no point in frustrating the crap out of myself and putting myself in a bad situation if I can at all avoid it. I am fortunate, my job and life afford me that small blessing...many don't have that luxury.

 I have been saying for a while that it felt like this year there have been more fatal accident s involving motorcycles in Canada and it would appear that I am sadly - not wrong.

 I was on the Education for the Driving Masses Blog and they have the motorcycle stats posted now...

So far this year we have lost 106 members of our community. The stats don't include injuries - only fatalities. In all of 2009 we lost 118 - so with two months left to go - we are in pretty tough folks unless some things change out on our roadways...

 Did you see in the news this morning about the 33 ton steel Coil that came off the semi by an Ontario Construction site? 33 meters of pavement was torn up! Again - Education for the Driving Masses has the whole story...

 Road debris, unsafe loads, inattentive drivers, impaired drivers....yes our roads are filled with obstacles and hurdles to over come folks. The best defence is a good offence. Being hyper alert and aware, riding defensively, and wearing good gear...that's what we have to do in order to arrive alive.

 I want - for the next two months to concentrate - to put all of our focus as a community - on the good things - the good stories - as much as possible. Let's put the universal law of attraction to a test and let's focus on everyone who rides a motorcycle getting home safe and sound.

 In the news today:
Harley-Davidson has announced the end of an era. They will no longer be producing side cars. 2011 signals the end!

 In BC - the Military Ride/Relay is getting set to leave August 19th from Comox and the ride concludes Sept. 10 in St John's Newfoundland, and later in the fall a celebration dinner will be held at 8 Wing Trenton where the cheques will be presented to the charities.

 In Ontario - Grand Bend is getting the concert that organizers wanted to host at Port Dover for the Friday the thirteenth weekend..

This coming weekend is the FIRRE event in Thorsby Alberta followed by the Rockin' the Valley Event in Drayton Valley!

 There is no shortage of events to attend - whatever you do this weekend, please - ride defensively, ride your own ride   do NOT let peer pressure get the best of you...Ride like everyone around you is BLIND, has an UNSAFE load and IS out to get you and please - ride Proud not Loud - invest in a 140 DB Air horn instead!
Belt Drive Betty
A MAX Award winning web site!
National VP of Marketing
Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education
Contact Me LinkedinFacebookBloggerTwitter
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Tuesday, August 03, 2010

Important lessons...

As I spend time with my brother and his family I have come to the conclusion that having a terminal illness can be a blessing. While this is not my first rodeo with cancer, it is perhaps the first time that I have understood that having a diagnosis like this can be a gift. At least he has the opportunity to talk to people, tell them he cares - right old wrongs and generally make peace with things.

 I think often of the people who die suddenly - be it in motorcycle accidents or slipping in the tub...their families don't get the "gift" of "I love you" or "Good bye" or "I am sorry"...so while it is sad what we are dealing with in my family right now - I am grateful that we are dealing with his imminent death instead of his sudden death...

 As I read the news feeds this morning and I read the story about the New Brunswick rider who died on the weekend, or the riders who have been injured in a number of crashes - like the one in Blackfalds last week and the on in Calgary on the weekend...their families do not have the benefit of the good bye's, the amends, the I love you's...

Life is truly like riding a motorcycle. It is a hell of a ride and we go about living it/riding through it without too much thought most of the time to the people around us - until we get cut off, or someone turns in front of us unexpectedly...when stuff goes wrong all of a sudden we start to reconsider/rethink the way we do things. Perhaps we decide to get an air horn or we decide to get a full face helmet because of an incident that changes our perspective. Perhaps we take some time out of our work schedules to live our lives differently - to spend time with the people we love...

 When you leave for work today, when you head out to whatever it is that makes your life busy - stop for two seconds and take a look around before you head out that door and ask yourself this question....

 "If I never came back - if this was my day to leave this earth - would my wife/husband really know I love them? Would the people in my world know how much I value and care for them?"

 Make this day a turning point in your life - take the vow that every day you are going to SHOW the special and important people in your life that you love them. Take the time to go for a walk, to cuddle on the couch - words are cheap - it is action that counts...

 I love you all...please be safe and ride like everyone driving is BLIND and out to get you. Watch for unsafe loads and debris and please - Ride Proud not Loud - save your pipes for that time when someone is about to invade your lane....

 Belt Drive Betty
www.beltdrivebetty.com
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