Friday, May 04, 2012

Female Ride Day

Today is International Female Ride Day and Marissa Baeker of MotocyGalz has a great article on Vicki Gray, it's founder.  Hope all you ladies will get out today and do some riding!

There is a great article on the new motorcycle safety laws in BC by Neil Johnston of One Wheel Drive. In it he expresses the fundamental flaw in the new laws and how they affect every rider who happens to find themselves on uneven surfaces - especially dual sport riders.  To say the law is unfair and ill conceived is an understatment!  It's a great article filled with a ton of information and I encourage you all to read it.

Saskatoon is rethinking their stance on motorcycle noise and looking for ways to encompass other vehicles in it's noise net!

In Oklahoma the motorcycle officers there got a grant to offer FREE rider training! Man would that ever be nice to see here in Canada - imagine every rider having great training and how many lives that could save!

For those of you who love good music, check these gals out - Scarlett Jane - Russ Brown - a Motorcycle Lawyer from the USA turned me on to these Canadian gals from Toronto.

I fell in love with their music when I heard their songs Wild Fire & Oh Darling and look forward to hearing more from these gals when they release their new album "Stranger" this month.
They kick off a national tour this month to celebrate the release of their album and I urge you to check them out at the venues listed below.



Sat. May 19 – Times Changed  w/ Andrew Neville (Winnipeg, MB)
Mon. May 21 – House Concert (Swift Current, SK)
Wed. May 23 – Wunderbar w/ The Low Flying Planes (Edmonton, AB)
Thurs. May 24 – The Whistle Stop (Jasper, AB) One of our RFBA PARTNERS!!!
Fri. May 25 – Nancy O’s (Prince George, BC)
Sat. May 26 – The Packing House (Spences Bridge, BC)
Sun. May 27 – The Railway Club (Vancouver, BC)
Tues. May 29 – Buds Bar (Invermere, BC)
Thurs. May 31 – The Ironwood w/ Picture the Ocean (Calgary, AB)
Fri. June 1st – Nanton Auditorium Hotel (Nanton, AB)
Sat. June 2- Ye Olde Jar Bar (Medicine Hat, AB)
Sun. June 3 – Kergano’s (Moose Jaw, SK)
Wed. June 6 – House Concert (Marathon, ON)
Thurs. June 7 – House Concert (Dubraiville, ON)
Fri. June 8 – Loplops Lounge (Sault Ste. Marie, ON)
Sat. June 9 – Espanola Curling Club (Espanola, ON)
Sun. June 10 – House Concert (Foleyet, ON)
Tues. June 12 – CafĂ©/Bar Zenob (Trois Rivieres, QC)
Wed. June 13 – L’Argo (Quebec City, QC)
Thurs. June 14 – Vintage Bistro w/ Gordie Sampson (Hampton, NB) 
Fri. June 15 – Vintage Bistro (Hampton, NB)
Sat. June 16 – House Concert (Bedford, NS)
Sun. June 17 – The Carleton w/ Steven MacDougall of Slowcoaster (Halifax, NS)
Wed. June 20- Plan B (Moncton, NB)
Thurs. June 21 – Hunter’s Ale House (Charlottetown, PEI)
Fri. June 22 – The Dunk (Breadalbane, PEI)
Sat. June 23 – The Red Herring Pub (St. Andrew’s, NB)
Sun. June 24 – Bistro 610 (Woodstock, NB)
* June 30- July 1 – DAUPHIN COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL
* July 6-8 – MARIPOSA FOLK FESTIVAL
* Sept. 21 – Oct. 4 – HOME ROUTES CONCERT TOUR


I also want you to know about a couple of contests we have coming up on www.beltdrivebetty.com 
Both contests will have tickets to the Eric Church Concert at the Buffalo Chip in Sturgis - and both prizes are courtesy of Russ Brown!

One is a photo contest called show us your DIRTY GIRL and the other will be a written contest where in you will tell us why YOU deserve to win tickets - watch right here in my blog and on www.beltdrivebetty.com for all of the details!!!!


I have been under the weather with a rotten cold that does not appear like it wants to leave any time soon.  I get sick so seldom but when I do it generally knocks me flat on me arse of a bit - this time is no exception!

I plan on getting out for a ride today, even if it's just a blast to Sexsmith (25KM) but I think in order to do that and have the energy to hold my bike up and the ability to be alert at all -  I am going to have to have a nap at some point today!  I love naps, I generally get up, like today around 3-4am, but about 1pm, a nap is needed. When I get up from an hour's snooze I can go hard for at least 5 or 6 more hours.  Anyone else out there enjoy naps?

What are your plans for the day and the weekend? I plan on doing as little as possible in an effort to make this cold take a hike...I have trips to Charlevoix Quebec and Toronto coming up and want to be healthy for those two fantastic rides.

There are many other articles in the news today that may affect your day and life as a rider, check it out at www.beltdrivebetty.com, where our work is keeping YOU informed!

I leave you with a few funnies, shared with me by my wacky friends on Facebook and through emails....laughter - it does a body good!







Have a fantastic Friday and a wonderful weekend everyone!

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider


Tuesday, May 01, 2012

The right to choose...

The right to choose whether to wear a DOT helmet or not has been taken away from BC riders. 

As of June 1st beanies are being outlawed in BC. BC was the only province in Canada where beanies were allowed.  Along with the news that beanies are allowed came news of new laws coming into effect next year - a graduated licensing system for motorcycles, similar to those in Ontario is in the works. BC has also announced that passengers must be able to have their feet resting firmly on the passenger foot pegs (which here in Alberta has always been law).

The changes to BC's laws are meant to improve rider safety but Shirley Bond, BC's top cop is expecting some push back from riders.

Along with the news about helmets and graduated licenses, comes an article on two stolen motorcycles ridden by men who have horrendous driving records and from what the police can tell - these two riders never have possessed licenses.  Driving bans obviously don't work too well as this is far from the first story regarding those who are banned from driving/riding that flout the law.

The news is filled with stories on outlaw bikers today - most of them not very appearing or nice but one in particular caught my eye - a member of the Red Devils in Lexington South Carolina thwarted a convenience store robbery and the police are hoping to talk to the man - they are very pleased that he stopped the bad guy!

That is very contrary to the fact that there was a huge bust of the Hells Angels in Horry County and that in Australia they are getting ready to declare the Hells Angels as a criminal organization.

The United Motorcycle Council of Queensland is blaming the Bikie violence in Australia on clubs that have been allowing middle eastern persons to become members.  

Begin Quote: Russell "Camel" Wattie, spokesman for the United Motorcycle Council of Queensland, which represents 16 "patch" clubs, including the Hells Angels, Bandidos and Nomads, told The Courier-Mail there was now a "larger influence" from people of Middle Eastern origin on some clubs and they had "made a mistake letting them in". End Quote

There are a ton of articles in the news today  - Moto GP news, Motorcycle Comparison Rides and a whole lot more, so check it out at www.beltdrivebetty.com where our work  is keeping YOU informed!

I leave you with a few funnies, shared with me by friends on Facebook and through emails...





Have a fabulous Tuesday everyone and if you are riding today - PLEASE ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you!

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Monday, April 30, 2012

Would you really want to live there?

Can you imagine living in a gated community that won't let you ride your motorcycle into your own garage? Can you imagine living in a gated community where they think that allowing motorcycles will attract a rowdy and less than inviting group of people to it?

I can't but there are many communities that do not like nor do they allow motorcycles.

Today out of Hilton Head South Carolina comes a story of people attempting to convince the management of their gated community that they should be allowed to ride their motorcycles home instead of leaving them in a compound....

Not sure I could live where they don't want me and MY machine...

There is a bizarre lawsuit that has been filed in California where in a rider is suing Corbin & BMW for the long lasting erection riding his motorcycle gave him...hmmm - some people will sue for almost any reason...

Visit www.beltdrivebetty.com where our work is keeping YOU informed!

The news feeds are quiet so far today so I will leave you with a few funnies to start your Monday off right!






Have a fantastic Monday everyone.

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider