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Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Free Rider Training...how do they do that?

In the beautiful state of Pennsylvania they appear to do things differently than the rest of north America...

According to a press release this morning: Pennsylvania riders can enhance their driving skills and safety awareness by taking free training offered through Pennsylvania's Motorcycle Safety Program. Courses are free to Pennsylvania residents and are held from March through October at approximately 70 sites across the state. Motorcycle permit holders who successfully complete the course will be issued a motorcycle license.

The 15-hour, Basic Rider Course (BRC) consists of five hours of in-class instruction and 10 hours of practical riding experience on a riding range under the watchful eyes of certified rider coaches. The BRC is a comprehensive safety and skills overview that provides valuable training for new riders. This course is also helpful to more experienced riders, allowing them to polish their skills and recognize any unsafe habits they may have picked up. Motorcycles and helmets are provided for students taking the basic course.

If a rider has completed the BRC, the six-hour, Experienced Rider Course helps experienced riders refresh their safety knowledge and hone their skills on a riding range under the guidance of certified rider coaches. Students taking the ERC must provide their own motorcycle and helmet.

So - how can they do it and no one else seems to? Free rider training...to read the rest of the article and to find out more on the rider awareness program: Click here.

I think that there is a ton that could be done to increase the awareness of riders and drivers a like - the task or the challenge is to get the grants to hire the staff to be dedicated to that mission. For volunteers to try and do anything - well - life gets in the road no matter how good their intent! As a member of F.I.R.R.E. I will be encouraging our executive to apply for operational grants to hire staff to tackle these very issues....

In the news today:

Harley-Davidson has announced it's 2011 models and it's CVO Models (we will have the CVO info and the new military line of clothing info for you this afternoon). Victory has also outlined their 2011 offerings - the 106" Freedom Engine will be the only engine offering for Victory this year - no more 96"!

Right across this fair country of ours there are a rash of Motorcycle Accidents and Deaths to report. Visit the Rider Down section of our web site to learn more.
In Sports: Jordan Skoze is on his way to Shubenacadie and his 5th championship!

The third annual Bushwacked in the Outback event went off without a hitch.

If you are fortunate enough to be riding today - PLEASE - I beg you - Ride like every SOB in the country has an unsafe load, is blind and can not see you and IS out to get you and please ride Proud not loud and consider some push back on the issues that affect our safety!

Belt Drive Betty

A MAX Award winning web site!

National VP of Marketing

Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education

Contact Me

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

An idea whose time has come?

In the US of A the American Motorcycle Association he decided that it was time for riders to educate themselves about where the various politicians stand on issues related to motorcycles.

Being a non partisan organization they do not endorse any candidate but they do help you wade through the mire and get straight to the matters that are most important to riders.

Between questionnaires that were sent out and the voting records on the various issues, the AMA has been able to give one a pretty good insight as to the politicians and their mind set. Perhaps here in Canada it is time to do the same thing?

Lord knows it would be nice to know where some of our politicians stand on things like noise pollution, road and infrastructure maintenance, policing, helmets, after market pipes and accessories, importation...

Yes, I think the AMA may be on to something very significant!

In other news:
I am getting frustrated with the news feeds - the rash of injuries and deaths being reported is worrisome and saddening. Visit the Rider Down section on our web site at: www.beltdrivebetty.com to read about the various accidents and deaths that have taken place. My heart goes out to everyone who has been affected by a crash...

Don Cherry and Rick Hillier are getting ready to ride across Canada with the 10th Anniversary Ride for Dad Prostate Cancer Run.

In Montreal and throughout Quebec, new insurance rates slow the sales of sport bikes.

Business is taking on a twist of sorts...falling sales but soaring profits...

That rockin' province - Nova Scotia plays host the the 6th annual Dutch Mason's Blues Fest

If you are fortunate enough to be riding today - PLEASE - I beg you - Ride like every SOB in the country has an unsafe load, is blind and can not see you and IS out to get you and please ride Proud not loud and consider some push back on the issues that affect our safety!

Belt Drive Betty

A MAX Award winning web site!

National VP of Marketing

Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education

Contact Me

Monday, July 26, 2010

A great weekend to light a F.I.R.R.E.

The Southern Alberta Chapter of F.I.R.R.E. held it's very first fund raiser - a poker run to assist two riders families: Yvonne Perry & the family of Rick Betts.

Yvonne was a passenger injured in an accident back in May - the rider of the motorcycle - John was killed in that accident and Rick Betts from Lethbridge was killed in an accident and his family needed some support. His wife Levi was hospitalized after the accident.

Helping a fellow rider or passenger in the advent of an accident is a big part of what the Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education is all about.
This weekend in Southern Alberta, the Riding community got together to show 2 families - one a single mom & her 12 year old son and the other - Rick's wife - Levi, that they are cared about. Reaching out a helping hand, working to make a difference in our own community - within our family "Wind".

You see, every weekend we riders reach deep into our pockets and help all sorts of charities and while that is wildly important so is helping our own family, our own community, the riding community. I am so proud of our brothers and sisters in that southern AB country - what a great job for your first time out of the gates!

The next group to be working to impact the riding community and help light a F.I.R.R.E. is the central AB Chapter in Thorsby on August 7th and 8th:
www.firre.ca for all of the information!

In the news today:
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin took part in the HOG Rally in the southern Ukraine

In Calgary AB the final ECL Choppers for Charity ride brought in a ton of cash and toys for it's last time and the Hells Angels anniversary bash was a low keyed affair.

In the Windsor and Essex County region Kathy Troiani & the Essex County Riders make a difference and in Ameliasburgh ON Bikes & the Museum mixed it up!

In Manitoba a rider was killed and his passenger hospitalized after a collision yesterday.

In Nova Scotia - Cape Breton to be exact they look back at last year while anticipating this years Thunder in the Highlands Bikefest!

In St John's NL the MAC Rally rolled in to it's final destination raising approx. $75K for Breast Cancer research!

If you are fortunate enough to be riding today - PLEASE - I beg you - Ride like every SOB in the country has an unsafe load, is blind and can not see you and IS out to get you and please ride Proud not loud and consider some push back on the issues that affect our safety!

I LOVE YOU and want you around to argue with, to bench race with and to just generally hang out with so please - take care of YOU...YOU ARE IMPORTANT HERE!

Belt Drive Betty

A MAX Award winning web site!

National VP of Marketing

Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education

Contact Me

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Alberta Roads filled with deadly and flying debris?

This is a subject that is VERY close to my heart and one I think we need to start SCREAMING about. Debris on our roads, unsafe loads and the ensuing chaos and injuries.

Yesterday a man lost his leg when a forklift arm came of of the deck of a semi hauling scrap metal. The rider is apparently from BC... Officials said the man was eastbound with a group of other motorcyclists when a commercial semi-trailer approached from the opposite direction along Hwy. 1A, east of the Morley townsite. Last month a woman in an SUV was killed when the brake drum from a Semi flew into her vehicle in that Southern AB country...

Folks - I wear braces for the rest of my life all because some jerk wad did not tie his load of canoes down properly. A rider here in Grande Prairie a few years back was seriously injured when a 4x4 came off of a welding truck deck...

Flying debris, improperly maintained commercial vehicles and bad road repairs are HUGE dangers for everyone but more so for motorcyclists. As we all know when stuff happens on a bike, it goes bad REAL fast.

With all of the hulla ballu about the noise from motorcycles I wonder what would happen if WE actually started pushing back?

Maybe we need to start pushing to have our road ways become safer by insisting the DOT do it's job and ticket truckers who come out of the bush with mud up over the rails or the lazy ones who won't tarp their loads and salt and pepper us going down the road (think of the windshield claims that wouldn't be on cars and pick ups if we forced the issue).

When we see an unsafe road repair - if we documented it - and sent it in to the department of highways and infrastructure - I wonder what would happen if they got flooded with paper work?

The sad thing is, here in Canada I doubt it will ever happen that we could sustain enough anger or indignation to make much of an impact - we Canadians (not just the bikers but Canadians in general - we are too complacent and we think someone else will do it) - we are either too busy or unmotivated for the most part - at least that has been my experience...I got petitions in from Saskatchewan & Central AB tourists over the Edmonton Bylaw - NONE from any other province - Not a ONE. How freaking sad is that? Yet there isn't a rider in this country that isn't affected by what Edmonton has done - everyone acts isolated - well, that's Edmonton's problem, I live in Calgary or Vancouver, or Saskatoon or Windsor...read the news people - educate yourselves Right across NORTH AMERICA the push to quiet the noise from motorcycles is becoming a deafening roar and in North America there are 11 MILLION if us yet hardly a whimper and when there is it is from the same tired and over worked freedom fighters who really deeply care about protecting their community.

I am so saddened at the lack of indignation and action on the parts of my brothers and sisters - what is it going to take for 11 MILLION bikers/Riders/Enthusiasts of the cruising/touring community to get on the band wagon and start pushing back? We are supposed to be representative of our freedoms in these two great countries and yet...we appear to have our proverbial tails between our legs and letting the whiners of the world win...

Time to step up people, time to make some prolonged noise...I am a Biker - I am fed up with shitty roads, unsafe loads, disgustingly discriminatory laws and inattentive drivers.

How about you? Where do you stand on this topic? I would dearly love to know....

Also in the news today:
There are many deaths and accidents to report in the Rider Down section on Belt Drive Betty dot Com

Members of the Hells Angels on their way to the Annual Red & White National Party being held in Calgary this year were jacked up in Manitoba...

There is an interesting article on the art of reading a curve in the Rider Safety & Training section of the web site.

In Ontario the repatriation ceremony fro Sapper Brian Collier yesterday saw a lot of CAV members attend...that article is in the Support Our Troops section of the web site.

No mater which of the 100 or so motorcycle events that are taking place this weekend across this fair land called Canada that you decide to attend - PLEASE - I beg you - Ride like every SOB in the country has an unsafe load, is blind and can not see you and IS out to get you and please ride Proud not loud and consider some push back on the issues that affect our safety!

I LOVE YOU and want you around to argue with, to bench race with and to just generally hang out with so please - take care of YOU...

Belt Drive Betty

A MAX Award winning web site!

National VP of Marketing

Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education

Contact Me

Friday, July 23, 2010

The Alberta Government looses a respected spokesman

Trevor Coulombe, 38, of Edmonton — a married father of two, chief spokesman for the Children and Youth Services ministry is dead following a motorcycle accident on Green Mountain Road near Penticton, B.C at 6pm Wednesday night.

Apparently his riding partner saw him go off the road in his mirror - it appears that he mis judged/mis navigated the curve.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, his colleagues and all of the children the man championed.

Now on to a really contentious issue for the Ontario ABATE in West Grey...

For the past 8 years of a 22 year old event called the Final Frontier, a 50 acre parcel of land owned by the ABATE group has been the rally's home.
Now it appears that because of some rule changes and some misinformation not only is the ABATE Group not being permitted to hold the event but it appears that they feel extremely unwanted now.

According to an article in the Post,: Council says the issue is the group not following proper zoning rules - the property is not a campground, and it shouldn't be used as one.

Apparently the zoning application for change and the appropriate fees were late, some of the neighbors had complained that they felt the trailers on the property were being slept in... so this year, the local businesses who rely on the income generated by the event are out of luck, so are all of the charities the event serves and a bunch of riders whose hearts are now heavy and feel very unwanted by the municipality where they own property.
So far the ABATE has spent over $11,000 on rezoning and bureaucracy that could have gone to charity (Grey Bruce Eat and Learn program)

It is sad, bureaucratic and disgusting based on everything I have read - but hey, that's just my 2 cents worth...

As always, you feedback and input is deeply appreciated - feel free to comment or add your knowledge to the information I have!

In other news:
In PEI riders say that getting a motorcycle license is too easy and in Saskatchewan too many are riding on learners permits.

In BC, two people were hospitalized after a collision in Chilliwack.

In the US Harley-Davidson has posted a profit but analysts warn that the writing is on the wall - this is as good as it gets for a while.

And also in the US Premium Exploration is searching for a new CEO after their CEO Wilf Struck was killed in a collision on his motorcycle with a drunk driver near Calgary.

We here at Belt Drive Betty Media are proud to announce our new Facebook Style applications! You can create your own group, create an event and invite people to attend, you can have your own video channels and you also have your own status wall. All of these applications work just like those on Facebook - you can ask people to become your friends and share stuff to Facebook! Come check out our tools - because ours is a closed community unlike Face book's, the likelihood of spammers getting in the way they do over there are far less (We hand approve all of our members) and - we are only riders here...
We'd love for you to join us - membership is FREE and comes with a membership card that is good for special services and discounts at over 250 Canadian locations!

Remember if you are looking for something to do this weekend our national calendars have a number of great events listed!

If you are among the fortunate and you are riding today - PLEASE, ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you, IS out to get you and PLEASE, save those pipes for when a vehicle attempts to violate your right of way...And no matter which event you attend - ENJOY yourself!

Belt Drive Betty

A MAX Award winning web site!

National VP of Marketing

Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education

Contact Me

Thursday, July 22, 2010

So many questions...so few honest answers to be found

I have so many questions and sadly very few answers when it comes to these Motorcycle Noise bylaws that are springing up everywhere.

As our newspaper is very grass roots, several of the manufacturers and major "political" players in the motorcycle industry tend to "ignore" us. They very seldom answer our requests for assistance or information. So, it makes the job of getting to the bottom of the mystery and intrigue of any important topic a wee bit harder to accomplish.

The Moped Motorcycle Industry Council has reportedly told some dealers and others I have spoken to that they caught wind of the Federal Government attempting to rewrite a law regarding noise emission levels. I have hunted high and low and have contacted the ministry office (Transportation & Safety) only to be told there are not now and never have been any proposed changes to the noise laws under the Transportation Safety Act or through the DOT.

So...mystery number one. Where is this "rumour" really coming from?

Mystery number two is how every time I look in the news feeds lately, Luc Fournier, a member of the Motorcycle and Moped Industry Council (MMIC), is present as a representative for the Society for Automotive Engineers’ (SAE) J2825 at town council meetings across Canada.

So here we are with the MMIC reportedly telling motorcycle dealers that they caught a law before it was re written - yet - no where do we see evidence of that. We have a manufacturers organization going around and promoting the SAE test that reportedly the MMIC funded - is there something going oon the we as riders are not being told?

What or who is driving this? Well if you listen to the rider on the street they think two things...that the manufacturers are trying to bolster sales of new bikes by making aftermarket exhausts completely illegal via a new noise standard or that the manufacturers are trying to get the Federal Law changed because Federal law states a motorcycle with a displacement larger that 175 CC Must be governed to 82 db. (http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/acts-regulations/regulations-crc-c1038-sch-v.1.htm)

In a recent article in the Caledon Express: “Three years ago, the Society of Automotive Engineers worked to create the SAE J2825 test,” said Fournier.

According to Fournier, he’s presented the test all over the country to municipalities dealing with the same issue. “The noise emission issue is rising here (Canada) and in the U.S. This is not unique to your municipality,” he said.

He also explained that the MMIC understands why municipalities are having difficulties developing policies for this particular issue. Communities are split between those who ride motorcycles as a hobby, and do so ethically, he said, and those who take advantage of the ability to create noise, and those who do not participate in the hobby and wonder what is proper, and what is excessive.

The MMIC believes this test will not only establish a way for authorities to ticket riders causing excessive noise, but will also establish a standard that will show when riders are not causing a problem, or breaking the law should council create a bylaw for authorities to enforce. They also believe this is an issue in which a small part of the riding community is causing 100 per cent of the problems, and having a set standard will ease the minds and concerns of the members of the community who don’t ride.

“We want to be part of the solution,” said Fournier. “We want to improve the image of the sport. What we want is a standardized approach. We want all jurisdictions to use the same approach when dealing with excessive noise.”

The test is simply the placing of a sound meter, a piece of equipment that can range between $700 and $15,000 according to Fournier, 20 inches from the rear of the motorcycles’ tailpipe at a set angle. The reader displays the decibel level given off by the bike. The test suggests municipalities look for a decibel level under 92 for a motorcycle at idle, and under 96-100 for certain RPM’s on bikes with differing amounts of cylinders.

To show the council what some everyday decibel levels are Fournier displayed a chart showing that a food blender is 88 decibels, a radio or television is typically 70 decibels, conversation is typically 60 decibels, and a rock concert is 110 decibels. End quote.

I personally am of the frame of mind that the MMIC and the Canadian arms of the manufacturers are trying to get Federal Law rewritten by pushing this testing standard.
It allows for higher noise levels that the Federal law does...and so would be very beneficial to the industry.

Truth be told - all aftermarket exhausts are really illegal and if you read the fine print or listen hard when they are sold to you - the pipes are being sold to you for off highway use only! And that applies be it a car, a truck or a motorcycle.

If you have information on this topic - we would really welcome it - I think all of us in the community would love to be better educated on this topic.

As always - your input is VERY welcomed! So what do you think?

In the news today:

In Nova Scotia the Retreads are making an impact as their numbers grow.

In BC the Popkum Motorcycle Track/Facilities are being hailed as very diverse.

Also in BC a Kelowna rider is dead after a crash near Beaverdell.

In the US: Harley is trying to make a decision on keeping plants in Wisconsin and the AMA announced that AMA Dragbike racing is suspended as the promoter closes the doors.

Also in the US a man who was stunting and speeding on his bike is facing jail time of 16 years but not for his riding antics - for allowing his video camera to video the Officer who stopped him.

If you are among the fortunate and you are riding today - PLEASE, ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you, IS out to get you and PLEASE, save those pipes for when a vehicle attempts to violate your right of way...

Belt Drive Betty

A MAX Award winning web site!

National VP of Marketing

Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education