Rumours of my Retirement & Other REALLY Bizarre stuff...

I got a couple of emails today, one was from a friend I hadn't heard from in a while.

He told me that I sucked and that there was no way I should be retiring.  That he was invited to attend a poker run in support of me, being held as a way to discourage me from retiring.

And the other from a friend who was appalled that I hadn't shared with her that I was retiring.

Well folks I am here to tell you that I am far from retiring, I have far too much that I want to do in this community to think of retiring.

There have been times, since Ray Sasseville, Joan Hansen and Sturgis North decided to launch a shotgun lawsuit against 7 people, when I wondered if what I am working at means anything at all, if it's worth it, if it has value to anyone. But time and again the support and help that I have gotten from this community has reaffirmed that the work I have chosen to do is valuable to at least some.

I am scratching my head right now wondering who it is that is spreading the rumour that I am retiring.  We have begun editing the 2nd season of the TV show and I will be filming for it all summer, provided I have no other set backs, like the crash that has taken me off my work game for the past three weeks.

Our web sites are being overhauled, yet again and we have taken the newspaper to the digital realm entirely.  We are working harder than ever to bring the news and information that this community needs to them.

So the answer to the queries I have been getting is NO - I am not retiring.

I am taken aback by a strange turn of events in the lawsuit though. I am not sure what to make of it.

As you may remember, Sturgis North and company, had offered to drop their lawsuit against all seven of us that were named.  The other six defendants offer was straight forward, don't sue for costs, this goes away. My offer however included a $250K gag order, a removal of all reference to Sturgis North and company in my newspaper, web site and blog and that I monitor social media, my circle of friends and acquaintances to ensure no comments were made by them and allowed to stand, no letters to the editor etc....

I could not accept those terms and a counter offer has been prepared.
Since all of the other parties agreed to settle their cases, they had all signed off and sent their documents to the attorney for Sturgis North, Gerhard Pyper.

My lawyer was not going to send out my counter offer to settle until such time as all of the other suits had gone through court and were over.

We have been waiting for those orders to be signed for about 6 weeks now, a very long time for documents to take in being processed.

Well, today, I got an email from my attorney stating that the BC Law Society had contacted him to let him know that they had assigned a custodian to take over and wind down the law firm Pyper Law Group.
Gerhard Pyper is the lawyer of record for Ray Sasseville and Sturgis North.

My lawyer went on to express that the only reasons that a custodian would be assigned to a law firm was in the event of death, infirmity, suspension or disbarment. The Law Society is not allowed to tell you why a custodian is assigned.

So, I did some investigating and I found out that there were no obituary notices, and since there is was nothing in the news about this attorney anywhere, I went to the BC Law Courts web site and low and behold, Gerhard Pyper has been suspended.  (See the documents on the left)
According to the documents the lawyer was suspended pursuant to
Rule 3-7.1 of the Law Society Rules. But that didn't mean much to me and so I went and read up on that:

Rule 3-7.1 is

EXTRAORDINARY ACTION TO PROTECT PUBLIC

3-7.1 (1) An order may be made under this Rule with respect to a lawyer or articled student who is

(a) the subject of an investigation or intended investigation under Rule 3-5, and

(b) not the subject of a citation in connection with the matter under investigation or intended to be under investigation.

(2) If they are satisfied, on reasonable grounds, that extraordinary action is necessary to protect the public, 3 or more Benchers may


(a) [rescinded]

(b) impose conditions or limitations on the practice of a lawyer or on the enrolment of an articled student, or

(c) suspend a lawyer or the enrolment of an articled student.

(3) to (13) [rescinded]

(14) An order made under this Rule or varied under Rule 3-7.3 [Procedure] is effective until the first of


(a) final disposition of any citation authorized under Part 4 arising from the investigation, or

(b) rescission, variation or further variation under Rule 3-7.3.

I guess on Monday I will be chatting with my lawyer to see how much more this complicates things and how much more expense I will have to face over this suit because of this situation.

For those of you lucky enough to be riding this weekend, please stay safe, enjoy yourself, and remember, the charity you are riding for needs you - rain or shine....

I am hoping to be healed up enough by next week (June 21-22) that I can be on the be on the bike attending the GP Toys for Tots ride to Peace River.

There is also a bike blessing in town on the 21st being hosted by the Trench Wenches MC - one way or the other next weekend will be my first official ride since the crash...

If you want to find out what events are going on in your province of this magnificent land of ours, visit www.motorcycleeventscanada.com

Ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you and please consider dressing for the slide and not the ride...

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Draggin' Jeans, are they worth it? Do they Work?

I have been wearing Draggin' Jeans for 3 years now and I love them!
They do EXACTLY what they are supposed to and look good doing it!

I own both the Classic and the Drayko Drift styles.

The Drayko Drift is a very modern and trendy style of jean, made of hand distressed denim and while the Kevlar protection zones in them work the same as they do in their other cuts, the acid washed fabric does not stand up to the miles of riding I do.

They are a great jean, they look and fit good, and they will protect your hide, but be forewarned that these jeans are more suited to the rider who goes for short putts or Sunday afternoon rides.
They are not meant to be worn day after day on a 33,000 KM trip, that's for sure.

I call them my dress jeans!  
They still protect my hide but they are not work horse that the classic cut is!

I am wearing my K-Shirt and Drayko Twist Draggin' Jeans in this photo
I was with Jim Hapgood of 2CAV Beaumont-Hamel Unit in St. John's NL

I had gotten two new pairs of the Drayko Drift before I left on my Conga last year, one a size 14 and one a size 12 just before I left on the Conga last year.  I also bought a K - Shirt, a Kvelar riding shirt.

The jeans I wore the most were the size 14's, I torture tested those babies, I let them get wet, I rode 12 and 14 hours a day in them and I washed them in cold water frequently, using a dryer to lightly tumble dry them every chance I got.

Torn after I brutalized them

The jeans lasted better than I thought they would, the arse didn't fall out of them until I got to Cow Head Newfoundland where they split on me - inside the inner thigh, in a distress crease.

The good news is that when I contacted Draggin' Jeans about my situation, they replaced them with a pair of the Classic jeans which are not distressed and are more conducive to long distance riding.

Now the Classic jean is something I am far more familiar with as I have had a pair of them for three years and those babies are TOUGH and durable.

My first pair of classic jeans are still going strong and the new ones are the ones I was wearing when I had my upset in gravel at 30-35 KPH on May 24th, 2014.

The jeans not only did their job, but they held up better than my new leather jacket or my riding gloves did, in fact, there is ZERO evidence of the skidding in the gravel that I did. The jeans don't have a mark on them.

They dissipated the heat as promised in their literature, and I had ZERO abrasion!

When they say these jeans will give you 4.4 seconds skid time and then some they mean it and they have earned CE rating (CE stands for European Conformity’ the universally recognized symbol of product quality and durability) and they are the only Kevlar riding jean to do so from my understanding.

The reason I love Draggin Jeans is they allow me to stay cool and comfortable and yet protected.
You can also add knee armour to them if you want.

I do however have one small problem with the jeans...
I am a middle aged woman whose weight seems to go up and down like a yoyo these days, not like when I was in my 20's and 30's and could devour everything I wanted and never gain an ounce.

My first pair of Draggin' Jeans were size 12 classics and when I lost some weight I ended up having them taken in at the inseam and the waist to get a better fit and that cost me $70 because the seamstress had a hard time sewing them up.

My new classics are also size 12 and the fit me very well until I started doing Yoga again and now they are too big in the waist - I wear a belt with them!

They are an expensive investment and having them in a couple of sizes makes the investment a little bit steeper, but it's an investment I am happy to make. I can wear just the jeans and KNOW with confidence that my hide is safe and get off the bike and not have to un-leather, I can wear long johns underneath them in cold weather and still be warm or I can wear them with my chaps and know that my arse is protected.

They are stylish, comfortable but most of all they really do what they say they will.

DRAGGIN' JEANS SAVE YOUR HIDE!

The K-shirt is another investment that I made and I am glad I did. The K-shirt comes with armour for your shoulders and you can purchase additional armour for your elbows and back.
It also has double Kevlar across the shoulders, the forearms and the elbows.  While I have never had to put the shirt to the test, it is something I wear almost every day of the riding season, especially on hot days where I don't want to wear a jacket of any kind.
To be completely outfitted from shoulder to ankle in Draggin' Jean's products will cost you:
$229 - $349 depending on the style of jean you choose
$219 for a K-Shirt
$35 for K-Gloves
$35 for K-Sox
So for $550 give or take you can have some of the BEST riding gear out there and still by stylin'!

My next investment from Draggin' Jeans will be some K-Sox and some K-Gloves, I am also contemplating the ladies riding jacket - they start at $260 and go up to $329.

Their men's line runs similar pricing.

This company's products are products I believe in and wouldn't want to be without.
I LOVE my Draggin' Jeans and K-Shirt and I am sure that if you tried them, you'd enjoy them as well.

They breath well, look good and do the job they are meant for.
What else can you ask from a product?

You can order retail direct from the company web site and their customer service is AWESOME or you can purchase locally from various retailers throughout Canada by using their store locator.

I don't often give a product 5 gas tanks out of 5 but Draggin' Jeans has proven to me that they deserve the 5 tank rating and that there IS truth in advertising!

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

Belt Drive Betty,
Editor & Rider

A tragic and joyful Saturday for motorcyclists

There are reports in the news feed of three fatalities and two injuries so far this weekend.

In Ontario, one rider is dead after a crash on the 400 and 2 are dead following a crash on the 17.

In Nova Scotia a rider is in hospital following a crash on Herring Cove Road.

The Heroes Highway Ride was a resounding success in spite of a crash that saw one rider injured.

My heart breaks every time I read of a fellow rider dying or being injured.

The weekend so far has been filled with some heartwarming stories too...

In the Philippines, riders set THREE world records!

In Estonia, the largest gathering of riders in Europe is underway.

In Kitchener Ontario, the Ride for Dad raised $130,000 and 743 motorcyclists took part!

There are so many motorcycle events taking place today and I am asking everyone who rides in a group ride to please, keep a safe distance between you and the rider ahead of you, be hyper vigilant and aware.

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

Have a fabulous Sunday and please ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you and consider dressing for the slide and not the ride.

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Behaviour or Race & why Black Bike Week is under the spotlight

Atlantic Beach SC is in the spotlight again as Atlantic Beach Bikefest, a.k.a Black Bike Week apparently had lots of problems again this year and Governor Haley is planning on shutting it down.  

After three murders and an increase in stolen motorcycles, traffic tickets and fatalities, the Governor has had enough.


According to the Last Refuge, in a 24 hour period ten people were shot, three fatally during the Atlantic Beach Bikefest a.k.a Black Bike Week. This year the Rough Ryders "gang" were evicted from the event because there were too many members present apparently.

An article from Top Conservative News shows three different videos that show some of what went on and those videos may shed some light on why there is a differentiation between the Myrtle Beach Bike Week event that is held the week before Black Bike Week.

MS News Now has two reports on Black Bike Week, one of them comparing the statistics of it to the Harley Bike Week the week before. The comparison graphs point to Black Bike Week being a bigger drain on resources than the Harley Bike Week with trends over 10 years being shown (2005 - 2014).

The Mayor of Atlantic Beach SC is none too happy. 
He feels his relatively peaceful and quiet city is getting a bad rap over the situation.
AND YET - the Mayor and the town had worked hard to increase the amount of vendors for Black Bike Week by dropping vendor fees and they were collecting economic data on what the event brings to the city.

The Atlantic Beach Bikefest starts on the heels of the Myrtle Beach Bike Week and has over the years been surrounded by controversy and the NAACP, has been a watch dog to ensure that there is no discrimination of Colored people.  They have successfully sued restaurants and other businesses for Civil Rights Act violations when those owners wanted to close their doors only during this particular week.

In past years hoteliers have complained of their rooms being trashed during Black Bike Week and restauranteurs have complained of high numbers of dining and dashing, others see extreme reductions in their tills over that week and the whole racial issue flares its ugly head time and again. 

I have watched videos from Atlantic Beach Bike Week and Myrtle Beach Bike Week and I have my opinions on why people are so upset in Atlantic Beach - behaviour not race seems to be the problem.  

I wonder why the city of Atlantic Beach decided to court larger crowds, extend the hours and lower vendor fees? This event has been fraught with issues and challenges in the past, did they think larger numbers would reduce that?

Perhaps faced with a $127,000 policing bill they needed the revenue. Perhaps they were willing to see the event grow because it could benefit the region.  Perhaps they did so to prove to the NAACP that there is NO discrimination.  Whatever the reason, it backfired.

3 people are dead. 7 are injured and a city and its residents are concerned and rightly so.

Although the Governor seems to be talking tough, the city seems to know that they have to prepare for Black Bike Week because no matter what, riders will still show up in their town, official event or not. 

For there to be no tension over this event, I suggest that the organizers of Black Bike Week and its supporters and attendees look at how participants are behaving.  

If the same behaviours were exhibited at a non racial - meaning everyone welcome - events, do you not think businesses would close up for the event?

If the same behaviours were exhibited at a non racial - meaning everyone welcome - event, do you not think the people who live in and pay taxes to the city would not be up in arms?

There have been issues in the past in Sturgis SD, a non racial - everyone welcome - event.

Those incidents, like the shooting in Custer State Park in 2008, have seen no colours bylaws stepped up in the licensed establishments, there have been thoughtless boobs who have to do that burn out or otherwise show off and ruin it for others, there have been incidents of lewd conduct that have resulted in charges.  

The issue at any large gathering of people that involves alcohol is BEHAVIOUR, CONDUCT and at non racial events, those behaviours are not tolerated. Police presence increases with the size of the event and the history of the event and its attendees conduct.

Laws are in place to protect the innocent bystander, the citizen and tax payer and the non motorcycling visitor of the city/region hosting an event, from the choices of STUPID - SELFISH PEOPLE no matter WHAT RACE, WHAT RELIGION, WHAT GENDER.

I know this much, being politically correct, being fearful of the NAACP and their successes with Civil Rights lawsuits is going to make a bad situation worse.

Be you Black, White, Green, Purple, Red, Orange...if you conduct yourselves like asshats, don't pull the racial card to defend your behaviour. 

Suck it up - if you behaved badly, take your lumps.  For those who were there to have a good time, peaceably, do you enjoy the intense scrutiny the behaviours of SOME of your fellow riders has brought down on you?

Most of us "white" people or people who don't give a shit about race, feel the EXACT SAME about those in our circles who conduct themselves like asshats and bring on extreme costs, extreme presence of police etc.

Why is it so expensive to vend at events? Why is it so expensive to attend some events?

Because asshats have increased police presence and someone has to pay for that.

Because asshats have left behind so much garbage and been so disrespectful causing damage of all sorts and someone has to pay for that.

And that would be the rest of us, Black, White, Green, Purple, RED or ORANGE, that go to events to meet people, spend time with our friends, take in great riding and sight seeing, good music and have no need to show off, be rude or crude or destroy shit.

Having fun is one thing.

If you are a visitor to a community who is hosting an event, WHY destroy the relationships that the businesses, the riders, the police and the hosting community need to have with conduct that is so over the top? 

People are the problem. People, who when they consume large amounts of alcohol and or consume various narcotics too often become rude, disrespectful, unsafe and sometimes violent. People with hidden agendas and egos the size of Texas or those who think they are invincible...

Be it football games, racing events, music festivals, hockey games, protests or any other large gathering of people, there will always be those who have to destroy the good time/the good purpose for the many, to satisfy their own selfish desires.

It is BEHAVIOUR that is the issue, not RACE but BEHAVIOUR.

Can anyone else see that, or is it just me?

In Other News:

According to an article in the Guardian Newspaper today, the RCMP in Prince Edward Island is set to start targeting aggressive riders, offensive motorcycle noise, drugs and outlaw motorcycle gangs. Begin Quote: They will also conduct enforcement initiatives targeting aggressive drivers with a focus on motorcycles and offensive noise during the motorcycle season. End Quote

Begin Quote: There will also be increased intelligence sharing, with a focus on drugs and outlaw motorcycle groups. End Quote

Out of Montreal today is a story in the Gazette about a woman who stopped suddenly on the highway to avoid hitting a family of ducks and subsequently a father and daughter on a motorcycle died.

The driver, Emma Czornobaj, 25, of Châteauguay is facing 4 charges, 2 of criminal negligence and 2 of dangerous driving causing death. It took over a year for her to be charged. If convicted of criminal negligence she faces life in prison and if convicted of dangerous driving causing death she faces 14 years in prison.

The Vancouver Sun is reporting that the Hells Angels have won another round in the legal fight to regain their clubhouse in Nanaimo BC.

Begin Quote: Justice Mary Saunders, writing for a three-judge appeal court panel, said the government appeared to want to remove Widdifield to gain strategic advantage in the long running civil case between the director and several Nanaimo Hells Angels, as well as Angels Acres - the company that owns the disputed clubhouse.

"The prize in this application appears to be the availability of a Charter argument in the forfeiture proceedings," Saunders said in her reasons released Monday, explaining that Widdifield could make a constitutional argument on admissibility of evidence that wouldn't be available to the company. End Quote

The Civil Forfeiture Director has filed similar cases against the East End & Kelowna Clubhouse stating that they were used for criminal activities. 

The Hells Angels are fighting back with a suit that challenges the constitutionality of B.C.'s Civil Forfeiture Act.

In the US, the funeral of Maya Angelou, the renowned poet and spiritualist is being guarded by the group 2 Million Bikers.  According the article on Jezebel, even though 2 Million Bikers does not ascribe to Angelou's beliefs, they are going to form a wall to protect her service from Westboro Bapist Church demonstrators because they believe in Freedom of Speech for everyone.

If you are blessed enough to be riding today, please ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you and please, consider dressing for the slide, not the ride!

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

The Ford Mustang, Glasses and Online Shopping for Eyewear

So what do these three things have in common, the Ford Mustang, eyeglasses and shopping for eyeglasses online?

Well, a while back there was a press release from Mustang and Clearly Contacts that Clearly Contacts, an online eyeglass shop had joined forces to promote the brand.
Mustang had decided that like many other automobile lines, it wanted its own brand of eyewear.

I agreed to try a pair to do a product review for ClearlyContacts.ca

The process of ordering online was simple enough, although I did have a question about whether the frames which said they were for males were unisex or if there was a female line. There was no female line and the frames are supposedly Unisex.

Under Product Info it says the Frame is MALE

I ordered the 1904 Titanium Frost frames with my single vision prescription.

Ordering anything as personal as glasses on line is tough for me.  I am fussy and I hate waiting for what I want. The frames you choose might not fit you and you might have to send them back for a different pair.  If your prescription is too involved like bifocals or progressives - well that can be a disaster because your eyes can measure differently (distance of pupil to glasses lens) and it can be tough to get the frames to fit and allow the lenses to do their job well.

The Fitting Chart on the frame page:

They actually tell you to go to a local store to try on frames to find ones that fit....Sorry but I find that to be a wee bit offensive. And if I am going to go to a local shop, where I probably know at least one of the employees, I am probably going to buy them there instead of online. But hey, that's just me!

Now, I got the glasses about 5 days after I ordered them and they came with a small bottle of lens cleaner, a lens cleaning cloth and a small screw driver in a clear plastic pouch and a glasses case.

The glasses fit me, the prescription seems right,  the service was reasonably fast and the transaction straight forward. That's the good news!  The bad news is that I think Mustang - the brand of cars did themselves a great disservice.

They chose to go with just the word Mustang instead of their famous Horse.

How much more representative of the brand would those glasses be if they had the image of the horse on the side instead of:

The array of choice also left me flat, there was simply nothing in the Mustang Line that truly appealed to me.

Ranging from $79 - $99, it seems that unlike their car brand, that is a higher end brand, they opted for the cheaper, lower end frames to put their name on.

Pride of ownership is what the Mustang Car is all about, the race history, the loyal following but something tells me that although having their own brand of eyewear may seem prestigious, they could have taken much more care in the quality and the variety of the frames they offered the Mustang lover.

I give ClearlyContacts 3 out of 5 gas tanks

While the process was smooth enough and I encountered no pitfalls, I am not sure how I feel about the company after reading the fitting suggestions for the frames. I do after all prefer to shop local and support my local economy and the very suggestion that I should use my local shop to try frames on and then copy down measurements to use for shopping on line feels SOOOO wrong to me.

I give the Mustang Line 1 out of 5 gas tanks.

Shame on you Mustang, you should put much more thought into the quality and design of your glasses line than you did. If branding was the goal of creating your own line of glasses - you failed miserably.

You could have also chosen some frames more suitable to we ladies.

And that folks is how I feel about the Ford Mustang, Glasses and ordering eyeglasses on line.

Belt Drive Betty

I'd rather swear like a truck driver or a sailor...

My recent crash has put me in the mood to write about safety gear and riding safely.

Why?

Because I hope and pray that this missive will save the life and or the the hide of someone I care about and who knows, that could be you.

I have lost many people I love in the motorcycle community over the almost 40 years I have been a part of it. The crew I rode with back in the 70's and 80's wore jeans and sometimes chaps, beanies or no helmet when and where the law allowed and often just a leather vest, with no shirt or jacket.

I was one of those riders/passengers. I often rode on sunny warm days with just good motorcycle boots, jeans and a vest and the only helmet I owned was a beanie.

I thought I was hot stuff.  I looked good, and I loved the way the sun felt on my skin, I hated it when a bug or rock hit me, but when I was in my 20's & 30's it was a small price to pay for looking good.

EGO - VANITY, call it what you will - STUPIDITY!

Then I got a wake up call and realized looking good was a stupid reason to not wear proper gear.

In 1986, riding on the back of the '84 FXR with my then old man, Ron LePoidvin,  I witnessed something so horrific that I was puking my guts out.

Not unlike the girl featured in this photo, (I found doing a Google Images search on HmongPlus.com), the girl on the back of this dude's sport bike was wearing a bikini,

AND she was much better endowed than the girl featured here. She was at least a 38 double D and instead of wearing high heels, she was wearing flip flops, but she had on that full faced helmet.
I was rather envious of the buxom young lady, she looked great.

Well, buddy goes roaring by us as we are entering a construction zone on the outskirts of Vernon BC.

In less than 2 minutes, we came upon the most horrific scene I have ever witnessed.

The rider centre punched the back end of a pick up, but unlike the rider in the photo above, he was wearing all the gear.  He ended up in the box of the pick up, she got launched over the pick up and ended up skidding down the shoulder of the pavement for some 200 feet or better. I don't remember where the bike ended up, because I was so horrified.

While buddy ended up with some broken bones and a long recovery, he survived the crash.

His pretty, pretty passenger was dead. Her beautiful face intact thanks to the full faced helmet she wore but her statuesque figure was now nothing more than ground hamburger, you could see her ribs  where once those glorious Double D 38's had been.  Her thighs and legs and her feet and arms were no better.  It is a sight that I see every time I see another rider not wearing good gear.

I am sure her parents were grateful that they could still view her pretty face at her funeral.

Having been young once, although it was a long time ago, I still remember the feeling, men wolf whistling at me, feeding my ego, telling me how hot I looked in that leather vest with no jacket.

But that day cured me of wanting to look sexy on a motorcycle.

I learned really quickly that there was plenty of time to look hot once I got to a rally or event.
When I was off the bike, I could stash my leather jacket and don just the vest and still have my ego fed. In my mid 50's today, I don't give a hoot about sexy or having my ego fed, although it still feels nice once in a while.

After my crash on May 24th, 2014, I could have looked like Sean Stanley from the UK who shared this photo of himself on Facebook:

His crash happened last year in the UK at 25 MPH.
His comment was:  To all the people on motorbikes wearing t-shirts and shorts thinking they are cool, this is the result of coming off at 25mph

Imagine the pain that the road rash he sported caused him.
Imagine the scars and the gravel that he's probably still having surface from his wounds to this day!

My crash happened at about 30-35KPH on gravel, I was never more grateful for good gear.

Instead of looking like Sean, I just have some torn cartilage in my chest around my sternum, deep tissue bruising, sore muscles and a black bruise on my thigh.

No road rash and no gravel to pick out of my hide.  No trip to the hospital.

I was wearing:
Draggin' Jeans that cost about $250.00 - no chaps:

Kevlar Impact Zones

Not a mark on the jeans!

Held Gloves from Angel Wing Trading Inc. and sold by WestCoast ROAR in Mill Bay, BC that cost around $150.00:

The glove is torn but my hide on my hand is not.

Viking Cycle Leather Jacket from Motorcycle House that cost about $100:

The brand new jacket on its maiden ride -  the leather is worn, but I have no road rash on my right arm!

Vest from Leather & Steel in Fruitvale BC - Cost about $90 (I have worn this vest for 12 years and am going to miss it...

Tore the snap right out of the vest and tore some of my favourite pins off of it,  but again, I have zero road rash

Milwaukee Boots bought at Konquer Motorcycles, Kelowna BC and cost about $165:

Some road rash on these babies but my feet are in tact and no worse for wear!

My VOSS helmet from Roadhouse Distribution in Vancouver BC, sold by Leather & Steel in Fruitvale BC and cost about $100:

The ear protector is shot, but my ear is fine, it was sure filled with dirt and grit though!

I would much rather get up off the ground swearing like a truck driver or a sailor and being sad that my bike was written off than be carted off to the hospital in an ambulance and facing a long and painful recovery.  

I'd much rather pull into the driveway at home in a truck and trailer than be in an ambulance on the way to the hospital.

The cost of my crash?

My bike got written off and a few of my contents from the bike will need to be either repaired or replaced.   I was able to replace my bike with a bit of financial help from my husband to bridge the gap between insurance and the price of replacing.

My Held Gloves ($150)

My helmet ($100) and I have a helmet from LeatherUp to do a product review on already sitting here so I am good to go.

My vest ($90) which was 12 years old, could be repaired - and even though I love it, it should be replaced. 

My jacket ($100) will need to be replaced. 

Since I was doing a product review on the jacket, there was no physical cost to me and I own 2 other riding jackets, so I am good to go.

Your gear is meant to save your life and to allow you to ride again and be a consumer again.

Your gear is meant to add freedom and quality to your life, to enriched the ride, not detract from it.

Your gear is meant to protect you from road debris, rocks, sand, cigarettes, garbage bags, road snakes and every other bit of crap people can create.

Your gear is meant to give your loved ones a bit of reassurance that you will be home, reasonably safe and sound, because they love and need you.

I am blessed to be alive and it is because these manufacturers and the shops who sell these products really do seem to want you to be able to buy more gear from them when you need to replace it.  

You are, after all of no use to them as a customer if you don't survive.

That said, you still need to really research the gear you are thinking of buying!  

What appeals to me may not appeal to you.

Read product reviews, watch videos, ask your fellow riders - RESEARCH!!!! 

Not only can it save you money but it can save you in many other ways!

You should try the gear on before you buy to ensure a good fit, so go to your local shop and support your local economy whenever you can.  

If you live in a remote place where online shopping is the only way to shop outside of once and twice a year trips to larger centres, then make sure you review the refunds and shipping policies of the online companies you choose to work with.  And don't forget to ask that retailer in the larger centre that you shop in if they will ship to you and if so what their returns policy might be.  Sometimes a phone call to a not so local, local can be well placed!

You just never know if you can support your local business, because when you are a rider, local means a lot different to us than it does to others!

What say you?

If you are blessed to be riding today, please ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you and please consider dressing for the slide and not the ride!

Belt Drive Betty

Editor & Rider

Shopping for a new bike to you bike, the pitfalls, the challenges and the questions

It's been a long time since I have had to shop for a motorcycle, but now that I am there, I thought I would share with you some of the challenges one faces.

On my trusty old Street Glide

Now I am in a unique situation compared to many. Firstly, it's riding season and as a reporter I need to be out there, getting the stories, the videos and the interviews. I have a week to find a bike and get things wrapped up with insurance so I can afford the bike I need.

My needs are specific. Tour Pack, Hard Bags and comfort for the long haul.

I need a bike with reasonably low mileage, as I am a high mile rider and I need warranty that is really decent because I can't afford to be down long when crap happens.

I also don't have deep pockets contrary to the thoughts of many. Because of the Sturgis North Lawsuit for defamation that I am fighting, I have to watch EVERY PENNY I spend and from here on in that is going to become even more so, to ensure I can pay a lawyer to prove my innocence.

What I get from insurance and every bit of my overdraft is what it will take to get me into a ride that has what I need. I have no delusions about getting the ride I want - that just isn't happening on my budget.

I am not a brand snob. I loved my Street Glide, but I have been looking at Victory's, BMW Sport Touring bikes, and Harley's. I ruled out most imports like Ducati and Aprilia and sadly even the BMW simply because of where I live and the lack of services available on those brands.
I considered Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki, but they just don't appeal to me at all and all for a variety of reasons. There are some limitations to those brands that are deal breakers for me.

I want to stick to brands that can be serviced where I live not 5 hours away like in Edmonton.
My husband is well versed on HD's so I wouldn't have to always go to Edmonton for my service work if I bought an HD, but I am leaning toward a Victory as Gaudin's Honda sells them and I have a good relationship with Alan, the owner.

BUT, it also comes down to what I can afford to spend.

The way I see it right now, after all of my investigations, it is a duke it out comest between the Victory Cross Country Tour and The Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic and a few private sale Street Glides I have found.

I have spoken to over 30 dealers from the BC coast to Ontario and even a couple of American ones.
I have spent countless hours on Kijiji, Autotrader , etc., researching prices , etc., and speaking to different owners.

What I have experienced in this process, that is far from over, has left me wondering what in the HE DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS has happened to customer service and the art of sales and negotiation.

In my searching, I first decided to call every dealer that is connected to our newspaper and the Rider Friendly Business Association. I started with the H-D shops because I did so love my Street Glide and hoped to find a good used one. Not happening right now at least, a new one starts at $28,000+ and there are very few used ones around and when they can be found they average $24,999 before taxes etc.  Way out of my budget. The Street Glide is the most popular touring bike Harley makes!

Everyone of the RFBA dealers I takes to has been helpful, although only a few have had any kind of used inventory to discuss.

I called a central Alberta dealer, the salesman never even asked my name, just did his best to sell me on a 2014 Project Rushmore Street Glide.  Only $14,000 out of my price range.

I called two southern Alberta dealers, one was attentive and sympathetic but really had no used inventory to discuss and was diplomatic enough NOT to bring up the new bikes and financing.

The other tried to put me on a Slim, not taking into consideration any of my physical needs and never asked for my name.

I called north central dealers and one didn't have the time of day for me based on the dollar amount I had to spend and the other has gone above and beyond in trying to aid me.

I did not give my local dealer a call but I did check out their used inventory on line.
There was nothing there for me.

I tried 7 BC dealers, one was just straight up front that they had nothing on the floor for used inventory, another who didn't ask my name tried to put me into a Slim and then told me that the dollars I had wouldn't put me into anything close to what I want. He actually inferred that I wanted too much for the money I have - well maybe so, but I will keep looking thanks...

Three others have bent over backwards trying to find something they could put me in and are looking at options for me and one didn't even have the decency to call me back.

Of the three who are working with me, one admitted that the 2010 Ultra with 4,000 KM's on it is the best deal for me and that he couldn't come close to touching it unless I wanted a custom painted Ultra which is not very practical for a gal who seldom has time to wash her own bike, I'd destroy the $10K paint job on it in a year.

I spoke to three dealers in Ontario and only one has really listened and is doing their best to see what they can do for me with numbers.

So far in the HD department I have l bike that is really close to my budget (About $1,400 out of my reach), and two I don't have numbers on yet, I should have them today.

In the Victory Department, I spoke to several dealers and the problem there is a total lack of used inventory and I cannot really afford the new non current bikes either, they are all $5-6,000 out of my budget range.

Now for the questions I have asked about the bikes I have been looking at and some of the comments from some of the sales people...

Here is how I started pretty much every conversation unless I KNEW the sales person on the other end of the line.

Hi there (salespersons name if they gave it), I am looking for a used touring bike.
I need a motorcycle with a tour pack and hard bags. I would like a bike that either has or can have extended warranty on it. I ride a lot, average 20,000 K per year,  and would like to find something with lower KM's on it and preferably (in the case of the H-D's) 2010 or newer so I am on the new frame style.

Q: What kind of mileage is on the bike?
A: I'm not sure, but it's an immaculate bike, blue and silver in colour.

Q: Does it have a tour pack?
A: No it doesn't

Q: What does the warranty cover?
A: Oh, you know, everything the manufacturer's doesn't and more.

These were the craziest of the answers I got to some of my questions.

And why is it every salesperson save two asked me what colour I wanted first instead of talking about the equipment I need. I don't care what colour it is, I don't ride the colour.

For people who are so desperate to sell you something, why is it they don't try to build a relationship with you?  I couldn't believe how many people never asked my name - that BLEW me away!

I am NOT BRAND LOYAL but I could be dealership loyal, if people care to earn my business.
Just because I don't have a lot to spend now doesn't mean that someday soon I won't. So far three dealerships are trying really hard to earn my business. 3 out of 30 and then these dealers wonder WHY so many people go south of the border to buy.

My business is one that is supported solely by advertisers and I never get a chance to do much in the way of sales calls because of admin time, writing, editing etc and the charitable work we do here at Belt Drive Betty Media.  I start training two sales people this weekend so that this business can grow and do more.  As it grows, I can see my way clear to buying the bike of my dreams, but for now, they are all out of my reach - this is truly a hunt for the bike I need, not the one I want.

On the private sale end of things there have been a few interesting machines out there but the owners don't seem to be willing to budge on prices and they want all the money for their machines and then some.

It's riding season and so I am going to pay a premium price for any used bike if I want to ride and do my job this season.

I will fill you in on this epic hunt as it blossoms into a new to me ride.

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

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider