Winter Tire & fines in BC

I have been asked by a number of riders to find out what is up with riders being fined for not having winter tires on their motorcycles.

I have a request in to the BC Laws site to see if they can help me find the information on what the law exactly states.

ICBC's web site states:

Although winter tires are not mandatory in B.C., keep in mind that the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure can designate them to be required on certain roads and highways. This typically happens during the fall and winter months in northern B.C. and the southern Interior.

NB - If you are driving on these roads without winter tires, police can ticket you and make you turn back.

On the Ministry of Transportation site  they provide regional maps for roads where winter tires and or tire chains are mandatory.

So if you see this sign: You need to understand you will be ticketed.

From what I understand, studded tires may be an option but double check with your ICBC office.

If I get any other information on this situation I will be sure to post about it.

It's a quiet news day so far and I am going to sign off for now.
I have a ton of writing and video editing to do and whack of phone calls to make.

UPDATE:  I just got word from a Facebook friend that one of our American brothers needs a helping hand after a crash.  If you can help out, please do.


If you are blessed enough to be riding today, please ride like everyone is blind and can not see you and remember to dress for the slide, not the ride.

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Writer

Tragedy in Chino California

A student at Newman Elementary School, fired the AR-15 that was mounted on a police motorcycle that was on display during an event for students called Red Ribbon Week, a drug and alcohol awareness event.

Why was the rifle loaded? Why was it not on safety?  Why was it even on the "display bike". 

Those are answers we'll have to wait for.

The gun was apparently locked on the bike and the bullet hit the steel plate locking device causing the shrapnel that injured the students.

In other news:

Indian Larry's bike, built for the Discovery Channel’s Biker Build-Off against Billy Lane

 is for sale in the Neiman Marcus Christmas catalogue - you too can own it for just $750,000...

Gulf Week in Dubai is getting ready to kick off.

In sports, there are those who are wondering "Can Erik Buell Racing Make Enough Bikes to Enter World Superbike Series?"

That's right, it is rumoured that Eric Buell Racing might become part of the WSBK. He has a lot of hurdles to jump, but if he can do it, well, let's just say it seems people are rooting for him.

The manufacturers have a lot of news today...

The Indian is being test ridden. Click here to see the review

Yamaha to invest $150mn to build a new plant in Pakistan.

And Triumph is launching in India.

There is one other story I would like to draw attention to, police have shot and killed a 13 year old boy who was playing with a fake assault rifle - a toy gun.

I can not imagine the grief that his parents must be going through. As I lift a prayer for him, his family and friends, I ask that you do too. I also pray for the police forces - they have a tough job, get criticized a lot, sometime rightly, other times not.  I pray that something is learned and this you man's life is not in vain.

Funnies don't feel appropriate today.

Have a great Thursday, for those who subscribe to our weekly community news paper, the Busted Knuckle Chronicles, Canada's ONLY Weekly, I hope you enjoy the read on the Conga's time in Fredericton!

If you are blessed enough to be riding today, please ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you, and remember to dress for the slide and not the ride.

Belt Drive Betty

Editor & Rider

Manufacturers new models, a Ducati goes off road and a few other interesting stories

The news is rather light today but what is in it is very interesting!

Ducati's new 1199 Superleggera has been revealed. It is a stripped down version of the 1199 Panigale R and the pwer to weight ratio is said to lead the chart for production motorcycles.

Honda is revealing it's new models in Milan and Tokyo, 16 in total, with 3 of those being worldwide models. Apparently the CBR250 is back on the market - it had been reported earlier that it was to be replaced by the new CBR300, but the CBR300 will only be available in limited markets.

In Portland Oregon, MotoCorsa, a Ducati dealer, decided to take a Ducati 1199 Panigale S off roading....the results apparently were quite amazing. According to the article on WIRED, the bike was dubbed the Ducati 1199 Panigale TerraCorsa!

Read the article to find out the minor changes it took to take this bike off road.
Watch the video below to see how well the TerraCorsa handled going off road.

In Sturgis SD, an early October blizzard that ravaged farmers and local businesses has caused the Sturgis Rally to divert funds that would normally go to rally charities towards the aid of their locals.
According to the article in the Republic $15,000 had been diverted.

In British Columbia, the trial for the gent accused of doing 300KPH is set to start.

Also in BC, the identity of the rider killed by logs that crushed him has been released.
Hugh Craig Roberts of West Vancouver was the victim.

In Quebec, the case of a Hells Angels member will remain in limbo for another 4 months because he had escaped from jail when a judge had stayed charges on his co-accused.

And in Queensland Australia, 8 alleged members of the Hells Angels were charged during a drug bust.
3 of them are reported to be high ranking members who have also had their motorcycles confiscated.

I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday and leave you with a few funnies shared with me by friends on Facebook and via email:

If you are blessed to be riding today, please ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you and remember to dress for the slide and not the ride!

Belt Drive Betty
Editor  Rider

War in Australia? Things are heating up on all fronts.

The battle against the bikies in Queensland Australia is going to create a backlash. It has to.

The tough new laws in Queensland are said to be forcing bikies to leave their clubs.

AND YET...

The Bandidos have not only patched over the Finks, but new reports express that they have also patched over the Rock Machine and the Mongols have moved into Australia.

In my humble opinion that can only mean one thing - WAR.

The police have reportedly asked for more and bigger weapons as well as more and better armour as they fear reprisal.

Officers who have expressed their concerns over the new laws have been told that they should rethink their involvement with the force.  Begin Quote:
"If people aren't prepared to do that, to step up in times when the going gets tough, then they really do need to consider another career or another line of employment."

Overnight it was reported that front line police were being threatened with the sack if they failed to enforce the State Government's new bikie laws. End Quote
They have also been told how to protect themselves and their families.

Police officers are complaining that resources are being stretched too thin already.


The police have begun a campaign of terror against tattoo parlour owners, as bikies are not permitted to own or work in them any longer.

The daughter of a former head of the Queensland Bandidos says her tattoo shop is being unfairly targeted because police think her dad has something to do with her shop.  He "retired" from the Bandidos in light of the new laws and has an office in the back of her shop.
She claims that her father has NO interests in her shop beyond having an office there and that police have had her shop under surveillance and have searched her car.

She says that no club members visit her shop and that she herself is not a club member. She says it's not only hurting her business but other businesses around hers.

I get the fact that the police are going to monitor places like hers, but I wonder at the tactics and what the backlash will be.

There have been numerous reports of innocents being arrested and then released like one man who was wearing an SOA shirt that police mistakenly thought meant he was a bikie - he was released once they realized he was only a fan of a TV show. Another man was arrested as an associate because he attended a charity run hosted by Odins Warriors.  Another man claimed to have been stopped 11 times in 11 days.

THESE LAWS ARE ONLY A WEEK OLD!

These new laws have created a situation that is going to become untenable and soon.

I have an issue with knee jerk laws that are not well thought out and are rushed through for approval like the laws in Queensland Australia were. At some point there needs to be good sense exercised, some devil's advocacy used.

Innocents are going to get caught up in this war against bikies, their civil liberties will be trod on - and then what?

What say you?

I'd dearly love to know your thoughts on this subject.
Join us on Facebook, Linked In, Twitter, Google+ or right here for some discussion on the ramifications of these new laws and what could or should be done differently.

In other news:

A number of military supporters from Canada will taking part in the Battlefield Ride 2014, when they will cycle 400KM's through various battlefields in Europe in support of Wounded Warriors.

BMW is planning on taking the Milan Motorcycle Show by storm with two new models and a new scooter.

The FIM has announced the newest member of the Women in Motorcycling Commission.

An Indonesian motorcyclist, riding alone,  is working on completing an around the world journey for peace.

Our newspaper, the Busted Knuckle Chronicles is Canada's only weekly newspaper for motorcyclists - get your subscription today.  You can get it free by becoming a member of the Canadian Riders Support Network or for a small fee by subscribing.

I leave you with a few funnies shared with me by friends on Facebook and via email:

If you are blessed enough to be riding today, please ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you and remember to dress for the slide, not the ride.

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Pink prison uniforms for 1% prisoners in Queensland?

That's right, the Queensland government say they are looking to humiliate and degrade 1% criminals because they are bullies and they feel that emulating some American prisons is the right way to go.

According to the article Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie had been threatened by biker gangs since the laws were passed, but did not elaborate.

Under the new laws in Queensland which Victoria is now looking to adopt, 15 Clubs have been deemed as criminal organizations members face an additional 15 years to any prison term while authorities will have the power to destroy motorcycles.

In another article, mainstream riding clubs in Australia are fearful.
Begin Quote: Mr Katter (state member for Mount Isa) said the bill was rushed through Parliament and he was disappointed an amendment to protect the rights of social clubs for motorcyclists was not passed. End Quote

In other news, the first shots of what is believed to be the new Triumph 250cc have been revealed.

BearTek is launching a new line of  technology winter and sports gloves.
Begin Quote: By integrating Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capabilities and other wireless technologies into the gloves, wearers are given instant connectivity in the glove fingertips to control their phone, music and other media devices like GoPro cameras without physically touching them. End Quote

In California, the Love Ride has concluded but tally information on number of bikes and total donations will not be available until later today.

In Ireland a new motorcycle touring company is getting set to kick off - RetroVentures will let you hire a Royal Enfield or a Triumph motorcycle so that you can tour the Wild Atlantic Way when it is kicked off next season.

And in the US, the cause and names of those involved in the 3 vehicle, 5 death crash have been revealed.

This whole situation in Queensland has caused me to take Australia off my bucket list for a while.

The knee jerk reaction laws that have been passed there are a little too scary for even a female rider to contemplate.  Why? If you are seen with a 1% er and you talk to them, you can be labelled an associate and you could find yourself in jail.  The way I like to talk to anyone, yeah, I am pretty sure my arse would land up in a cell so for the time being and until cooler heads prevail, Australia will be replaced on my bucket list by Greece.

What say you?

I leave you with a few funnies, shared with me by friends on Facebook and via email:

If you are blessed enough to be riding today, please ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you and dress for the slide, not the ride.

Belt Drive Betty

Editor & Rider

Logging Truck looses control, rider crushed by logs - Whistler BC

It's been a busy 24 hours in the news today and not all of it is good news.

There is sad news out of Whistler BC today, a rider was crush by a load of logs that came off of a logging truck that lost control.  My heart goes out to the 65 yeard old West Vancouver man's family and friends.

And more sad news, this time out of Pennsylvania as 5 people died when 2 motorcycles crashed head on into an SUV killing the 4 riders and the driver of the SUV.

Newcastle Harley-Davidson and Geordie Harley Owners Group Chapter fundraising push for the Elderberries programme got an extra push from The Duchess of Northumberland who rode in on a Harley.

The 30th Annual LOVE Ride is set to go on October 20th.

In Australia they are asking themselves what the Mongols take over of the Finks means for the 1% scene.

In sports, Tom Sykes has won the 2013 World Superbike championship at Jerez and JORGE Lorenzo has won the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, after championship leader Marc Marquez was disqualified.

It's going to be a wild and wooley time in Australia with the new laws in Queesland and now the Mongols moving in. Not sure I would want to be a rider there.  The reports from some regular every day riders about police stops and harrassment have been un nerving.

What do you think is going to happen there? I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter...join us on Facbook, Twitter, Linked In, Google+ or right here in this blog to share some dialogue.

I leave you now with a few funnies, shared with me by friends on Facebook and via email:

If you are fortunate enough to be riding today, please ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you and remember to dress for the slide, not the ride.

Belt Drive Betty,
Editor & Rider