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 1^st – 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 – Café/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

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

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

Who are the good guys and how can you tell them from the bad guys?

The police services in this country are under fire as the Toronto Star investigates cops who lie, mislead and conceal information and evidence right across this country. They have uncovered 120 cases of cops lying/misleading and concealing...

The article is a damning statement of what is wrong with our police services in this country and I urge you to read it for yourself and draw your own conclusions.  After having read it and based on my own personal experiences with the police services in this province (Alberta) I will find it even harder to trust a police officer than I did only yesterday. My faith in them has been that badly shaken.

The Hells Angels are in the news again for a number of reasons, the most notable - they are suing MTV and Fantasy Factor host  Rob Dyrdek for infringing on their copyright of the famous death head logo.

I am uncertain as to why anyone would think that infringing on the Hells Angels Trademark is a good idea. Now the kids who bought that stuff thinking it was cool and bad assed just may find themselves being roughed up and having their fancy tee shirts ripped off their back, and MTV could find itself under new management - at the very east they will be firing their current legal council one would hope.

As for the brainchild behind this blatent and highly public intellectual property theft - well, I doubt he'll be a TV host for much longer. The Hells are going to make a piss pot full of cash for their defence fund and if there is any justice in this world - MTV will be bankrupted for their stupidity. That's my not so humble take on this situation - but I have a question - who should get the Darwin Award for this stunt? MTV or their host?

There is a TON of news in the feeds again today, everything from a Hells Angel associate being denied access to his child because of his lifestyle and associations to the German police force stomping on "biker gangs"

In sports news, Rossi is sticking by Ducati, in business and industry news, women are fuelling Harley-Davidson, in Baltimore, they are having trouble with illegal dirt bikes on the road and are calling for help regarding a 6 year old being injured.

Yes the news is wild and woolly this morning!  To find out what's happening in motorcycling that might affect your day or life as a rider, check out www.beltdrivebetty.com where our work is keeping YOU informed.

I leave you with a few giggles, shared with me by friends on Facebook and through emails...laughter really is the best medicine!

Have a fantastic Friday, a fabulous weekend and remember, if you are riding - PLEASE, ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you, use respect with that right hand and most of all, have fun.

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Are you a fan of Sons of Anarchy? Then get out the popcorn.......

Cause Kurt Sutter is promising his newest TV series is going to make SOA look like Sesame Street!  Discovery has 6 episodes that will begin airing May 14th.

Begin Quote: The series will examine crime organizations such as the Crips street gang, the Irish Mob, a Latin American crime family, the Aryan Brotherhood and, yes, outlaw bikers. Each episode will include interviews with a criminal organization’s current and former members, some of whom are in hiding, and tell tales that Sutter promises will “make Sons of Anarchy look like Sesame Street.” End Quote

Well - I guess we will all find out soon enough if his predictions are true!

I do have a question for you all about the whole outlaw bikers on TV thing - do you think that these programs hurt the motorcyclists image with the mainstreamer who does not really know our culture or our history?  I'd love to hear your thoughts on the subject!

In other News:
A Winnipeg police officer is in the hot seat for his conduct during an investigation

Ted Laternus defends loud pipes in his Globe & Mail article

The new Victory Judge is reviewed by Motorcyclist Magazine

French Trials rider Julien Dupont stunts his way through Rio de Janeiro

If old motorcycles turn your crank, then check out the three Crockers up for auction at Bonhams

There is a lot in the news feeds again today, visit www.beltdrivebetty.com where our work is keeping you informed!

It's a busy day here today, so I am going to leave you with a few funnies, shared with me by my wonderful, bent and warped friends, either through Facebook or by email...

Have a fantastic hump day...
Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Three Crashes, three different results - one thing in common

This morning's news has stories of three crashes involving Canadian riders.

The first is about the crash that has Saskatchewan native & Superbike Competitor/Champion Brett McCormick in hospital with a broken neck. 

Begin Quote: 
Reaching speeds of 269.6 kilometres per hour, the 20-year-old continued to whip around the track, until he was passed by another rider on a turn.

The manoeuvre by his competitor caused McCormick to alter his line as he took the turn wider than he otherwise normally would have.

“I ended up off the track and I hit some of the water,” said McCormick. “I crashed at a really high speed.”

The winner of the 2011 Canadian superbike championship said he was thrown off his bike and “did a bunch of rolling.” End Quote

The second crash report is from Leduc where a 22 year old rider died of his injuries after loosing control and hitting a guardrail. My heart goes out to his family.

And the third article is out of Calgary, where a rider is in hospital with life threatening injuries after a crash on Memorial Drive at the Deerfoot. Police suspect alcohol was a factor on the rider's part.

Brett McCormick was riding in a closed track competition environment, had great care on scene and takes this risk as a professional every day of his life...one mistake cost him dearly.

The rider from the crash in Leduc, he lost control and hit a guardrail and sadly, one mistake cost him (and his family) dearly.

The rider in the Calgary crash - chose to drink and ride (I hope the cops are wrong) but if that is the case, one mistake cost him dearly.

People, we riders make mistakes just as often as cagers do, the biggest difference is that when WE riders make mistakes and or poor choices - we pay with our bodies and lives in a way few riders stop to consider.

It is up to us, to each rider to respect the fact that ONE MISTAKE is all it takes to forever alter our lives...

Think about that the next time you get on your machine - YOUR SAFETY is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.

There is a TON of news in the feeds today:

Under Lifestyles - Oldtimers - the world's oldest Indian sold for $155,000

Under Motorcycle Reviews: The Star Raider SCL & the H-D Softail Slim

Under Lifestyles - International Motorcycle Events: The Biggest Bike Run in SE Ohio

Charleston West Virginia is slated to host their first ever ALL bike rally & there is a nationwide call in the US to Support the Troops through the Give Back 24 events.

There is a ton of Sports news, not to mention some interesting Law & Politics articles...

Check it all out at www.beltdrivebetty.com

I leave you with a few funnies shared with me by friends on Facebook & through emails - after a morning like this, laughter is seriously needed.

PLEASE - if you are riding today, ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you and wants into your lane!

Belt Drive Betty,

Editor & Rider

Can you imagine?

Can you imagine being a father and riding with your 15 year old son?  It's a thing many fathers feel huge pride in doing. Now imagine, being on a trip with your son - you on your motorcycle and he on his and you watch him die, in your mirror.

That is exactly what happened to a father in Lubbock Texas.  The father an son duo were riding home to Lubbock after a trip to Oklahoma. The father passed a semi, and watching in his mirror, saw the semi veer into his son.

I can not imagine the heartbreak this father has to be feeling. His son was an accomplished rider with 10,000 miles under his belt at 15, riding on a learners permit that allowed him to ride with a licensed rider (his dad).

My heart and prayers go out to the family and to the father in particular. I can not imagine how this man is going to cope.

In other news:

A rider in BC is dead following an ill fated U-turn. According to the article in the Times Colonist:in
"Duaine Roger Schlack is believed to have been making a U-turn at the intersection of Headquarters and Smith roads when he turned into the path of the vehicle that had been travelling behind him, Comox Valley RCMP said."  The article also refrences an accident that this same rider had last year. Again, my heart and prayers go out to the family and friends of this rider...

People, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE - ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you and that they want the lane position you are in.  

This is just the very beginning of riding season and we are seeing far too many crashes and too many are fatal crashes.

The news feeds are quiet this morning save for motorcycle sports news, we will be checking them on and off all day as some of the feeds were down for maintenance...

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

Have a fabulous Monday

Belt Drive Betty

Editor & Rider