The American Dream, apple pie, gold streets and toys - lots of expensive toys....
As the American economy flounders and fails to re start I have to ask myself why the US government isn't DEMANDING some loyalty, some pay back, out of Harley-Davidson.
Back when the importation of foreign motorcycles saw heavy tariffs and duties applied to slow the retail sales of the foreign products and protect the "Iconic" brand Harley-Davidson, H-D was grateful, humbled even. Back in the late 40's early 50's the US government protected H-D...It happened again in 83 when Ronald Reagan imposed a 45% tariff on imported bikes and bikes over 700 cc engine capacity...
It appears however that H-D's Colors are not red, white and blue the way they claim in all of their patriotic, chest pounding commercials but GREEN and they are a running to the green as fast as they can. (See the article on the new CKD plant in India being built)
It saddens me to realize that something the American Consumer has held so dear - gave up their hard earned dollars to defend and protect (remember - taxpayers protected it) to see that brand live to be over 100 years old and then slap the American rider, the American Consumer, the American Employee - the American government (State Govt too) right upside the head and say thanks for protecting us so we could make money.
Now that you need jobs here in the US though - well too bad - we can make or build stuff cheaper elsewhere so too bad America...employees - you will do with far less, cities and states - we WILL pull our plants out of here if you don't bend to our will...I wonder if the next time this ICON needs a bail out because of their decision making - will the American Government, the taxpayer - the employee/consumer actually look back in history and go - yah - NO....
Sorry folks - I understand this is commerce and business and I get it that it is their right to seek those greener pastures and yet I can't help but ask myself...why...why are the the governments of the various cities and states not protecting the American job?
The bail out and stimulus needs to be revisited and should have a lot more to do with jobs in the US... (Mind you the work ethic and the wage expectation needs to be revisited as does the price of things like cars and trucks etc...) with out our biggest trading partner being healthy, our economy is going to falter farther too.
Harley-Davidson Motor Corp is about as loyal and patriotic as the man in the moon - no scratch that unfair comparison - at least the man in the moon hasn't run off to greener pastures...
It's commerce, I get that.
India...the American dream of nice cars and homes, and toys - lots of toys - has moved to a country called India where sacrifice is a way of life.
India - where generation after generation live together under one roof, learning and sharing - these people know short term pain for long term gain. Their work ethic today is what the work ethic in North America used to be. Their sense of family values and protectionism very much the same as it used to be here.
But something tells me that if H-D were to ask for protection - a bail out the way they did so many years ago here in North America - they probably wouldn't get it from the Indian government - the Indian government would look at the history books, see what H-D did to the US of A in it's time of need and say - yah, no - Hero Honda is offering us a better deal...
The American Icon - H-D sees green and is going for it, the American consumer will go on feeling loyal to the brand, the American Employee will grudgingly stay at their job at the plants that H-D threatened to move out of Milwaukee and the state and municipal governments will go on letting H-D push them around. Nothing much will change and yet...
Any company that touts itself as a patriotic one, that builds its image the way H-D has done....by being seen as this patriotic retailer, well I think they have set themselves up to get kicked around just a bit....and that's my humble opinion.
(And yes, I ride a Harley...)
As always - I welcome your thoughts and opinions - please jump in to the discussion here in my blog, on Face Book or in the Forums on www.beltdrivebetty.com - I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on this topic.
Check out the days news over on www.beltdrivebetty.com...The Surete Quebec has
caught someone they have been looking for since 2009.
If you are riding today you luck dog...PLEASE ride safe.
Belt Drive Betty
Rider & Editor
The Busted Knuckle Chronicles
www.bustedknucklenews.com
www.beltdrivebetty.com
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Monday, November 01, 2010
IMBBA, New Events and Event News
The International Master Bike Builders Association (IMBBA) has accepted the Busted Knuckle Chronicles as a Sponsor for Canada and the International arm leading up to the world Championship which will be held in Laval QC in 2012. (IMMBA International Site IMBBA Canadian Site and the Event information page for Canada)
It is exciting - I get to work with people in the motorcycle industry that I respect and admire.
MJ Reynolds will be supplying articles for us on the different builders from around the world who are committed to competing at the 2012 event!
Yes - it is exciting and rewarding to be able to be involved in seeing our aftermarket shops starting to have their own Quality assurance seal. We had tried to do that here in Canada about 6 years ago with CADA but we could not get enough builders or repair shops to see the merit at the time. Perhaps now that the consumers faith in the little guy needs some bolstering the builders and repair shops will get their buts on board with a program that is meant to lend credibility for quality workmanship.
This year there are two new motorcycles in BC - both the same weekend - One in Merritt and the other in Salmon Arm. The good news is - they are close enough together that if you are in the area attending both is not out of the question.
The Merritt Event - the Great Canadian Bike Rally is supporting some great kid's charities
and the Sturgis North event is in someways an evolution of the Salmon Arm Summer Stomp with a music festival and vending experience being incorporated in the town of Salmon Arm.
The one thing about hosting out door events and working with bikers - you lot are last minute people - if it rains one direction you are looking for something to do elsewhere.
Getting you to pre book is like pulling teeth unless there is some HUGE advantage to doing so - you have 30 year mortgages on your homes and 5 year loans on your vehicles and bikes, and a 3 year cell phone contract but you are afraid of commitment when it comes to choosing events, entering contests doing pretty much anything else - I know, I been working with you in one capacity or another for over 30 years and the last 7 have been real eye openers!
The other challenge that event coordinators face - weather - both venues are blessed to be in good weather belts but we all know mother nature is female...
It is beginning to look like my Motorcycle Awareness Conga this year will leave from Merritt and head for Cape Breton and the Thunder in the Highlands...
That's right folks - we are planning on doing it again....July16th 2011 to August 15th 2011
Riding across Canada on an awareness campaign to remind motorists to share the road with us and to raise money for the CMTA's Injured Riders Fund. Remember - July is the month with the highest number of deaths and accidents hence why the RCMP an police services call it Motorcycle Road Safety Month.
The news feeds are pretty quiet today so I am going to take advantage and get back to work on our community phone book....
If you are riding today you luck dog...PLEASE ride safe.
Belt Drive Betty
Rider & Editor
The Busted Knuckle Chronicles
www.bustedknucklenews.com
www.beltdrivebetty.com
It is exciting - I get to work with people in the motorcycle industry that I respect and admire.
MJ Reynolds will be supplying articles for us on the different builders from around the world who are committed to competing at the 2012 event!
Yes - it is exciting and rewarding to be able to be involved in seeing our aftermarket shops starting to have their own Quality assurance seal. We had tried to do that here in Canada about 6 years ago with CADA but we could not get enough builders or repair shops to see the merit at the time. Perhaps now that the consumers faith in the little guy needs some bolstering the builders and repair shops will get their buts on board with a program that is meant to lend credibility for quality workmanship.
This year there are two new motorcycles in BC - both the same weekend - One in Merritt and the other in Salmon Arm. The good news is - they are close enough together that if you are in the area attending both is not out of the question.
The Merritt Event - the Great Canadian Bike Rally is supporting some great kid's charities
and the Sturgis North event is in someways an evolution of the Salmon Arm Summer Stomp with a music festival and vending experience being incorporated in the town of Salmon Arm.
The one thing about hosting out door events and working with bikers - you lot are last minute people - if it rains one direction you are looking for something to do elsewhere.
Getting you to pre book is like pulling teeth unless there is some HUGE advantage to doing so - you have 30 year mortgages on your homes and 5 year loans on your vehicles and bikes, and a 3 year cell phone contract but you are afraid of commitment when it comes to choosing events, entering contests doing pretty much anything else - I know, I been working with you in one capacity or another for over 30 years and the last 7 have been real eye openers!
The other challenge that event coordinators face - weather - both venues are blessed to be in good weather belts but we all know mother nature is female...
It is beginning to look like my Motorcycle Awareness Conga this year will leave from Merritt and head for Cape Breton and the Thunder in the Highlands...
That's right folks - we are planning on doing it again....July16th 2011 to August 15th 2011
Riding across Canada on an awareness campaign to remind motorists to share the road with us and to raise money for the CMTA's Injured Riders Fund. Remember - July is the month with the highest number of deaths and accidents hence why the RCMP an police services call it Motorcycle Road Safety Month.
The news feeds are pretty quiet today so I am going to take advantage and get back to work on our community phone book....
If you are riding today you luck dog...PLEASE ride safe.
Belt Drive Betty
Rider & Editor
The Busted Knuckle Chronicles
www.bustedknucklenews.com
www.beltdrivebetty.com
Friday, October 29, 2010
Sponsoring the CMTA's Injured Riders Fund
Since starting Belt Drive Betty dot com and the Busted Knuckle Chronicles Newspaper back in 2003 - I have ensured that giving back to my community was high on my list of priorities.
My philosophy in life is to pay forward every kindness I have ever been shown.
I started the BDB Foundation - a non registered mutual benefits society - to regulate how I give back. The key stake holders in my business work me with to assess who and how we give back to.
I donate space in the newspaper and sponsor events with free publicity, Ali (Our wonderful Web Mistress) and I sponsor web sites for riding clubs and non profits.
I used to have an on line store and we'd run small sales and donate the proceeds to Breast Cancer research or the Military Families Fund...
Well - after a whole bunch of soul searching and trying to figure out how to give back without politics and personality conflicts I finally hit on the right idea.
I talked to the other key stakeholders in the CMTA - of which I am one.
(Canadian Motorcycle Tourism Association)
I expressed to them the need for a riders assistance fund that could help people during the period of time between an accident and the time insurance proceeds come in. They agreed to administer a fund that would be accessed by application. This fund will assist any rider with a valid motorcycle license/learner's permit, passenger or family dependent on the individual situation.
They agreed that this was a great idea and easily done utilizing the Belt Drive Betty information, communication and networking tools to facilitate things.
A special committee of three riders was struck and they are currently working with a lawyer to construct an application to do just that - find a way to support riders.
I will be printing a profile on each of those three riders come February or March once the CMTA's Injured Rider Fund Page is built....
We are re launching the BDB Club Store....
The store will have for sale things like license plate and street and bar signs.
It will have the new BDB Club Patches, the Canadian Riders Support Network Patches
Subscriptions to the Busted Knuckle Chronicles Community Newspaper
Key Tags and other items as we can afford them...
We will - as the BDB Foundation - donate a portion of the proceeds from the sales of these items to the CMTA's Injured Rider Fund. Ali and I are sponsoring the web site, Intercon Messaging is sponsoring the 800 Number - before too much longer everything will be in place in time for the 2011 riding season!
When I get products given to me to do reviews on, depending on the item we will auction it off or donate it as a silent auction item to an injured riders fund raiser.
Helping my fellow rider has ALWAYS been important to me - and I needed to find a way that made sense to me and my business - this makes sense to me and I hope you will support what we do by purchasing your subscriptions to the community newspaper, patches, key chains etc through our store when it comes on line in Mid November....
As a business or individual you can donate directly to the CMTA - Be it with cash or goods for either auctions or to go out to individual fundraisers -
by making your cheque out to: Canadian Motorcycle Tourism Association (Tagged with Injured Rider's Fund) And mail it to 10908-102 St Grande Prairie AB T8V 2X3....
Or by mailing your product donation to the same address as above.
The CMTA will be acknowledging ALL donations and how they are distributed on the CMTA's Injured Rider Fund Web Page which is being designed and will be launched sometime in February.
The BDB Club & The BDB Foundation supporting the CMTA's Injured Riders Fund!
In other news:
In ON - The MCC is looking for a new boss. Are you the right person to do the job?
And in Caledon one rider wishes the councellors who had approved the new noise bylaw would have shown up for the testing day hosted by Luc Fournier of the Motorcycle Moped Industry Council (The Motorcycle Manufacturers of Canada)
In BC - Azzkikr Customs is offering some wicked deals to members of the BDB CLub - register on line for FREE membership to take advantage of their offers!
The court case of a man who killed two well known BC riders got underway.
In Alberta - Edmonton Harley-Davidson is also offering some special deals to our members!
As is Gypsy in Stony Plain (Located in TJ & The Bear Biker Wear)
In Okotoks a rider will be going to trail after pleading not guilty to impaired in a case where he and his passenger were seriously injured.
In the mean time, have a glorious day. Remember to than God for the gifts in your life, to drink your Biker Coffee Company Coffee WITH your friends (Hoarding is an unattractive trait) and if you are riding today - PLEASE - remember what a lucky bugger you are and ride safe. Ride like EVERYONE is out to get you!
Belt Drive Betty
Rider & Editor
The Busted Knuckle Chronicles
www.bustedknucklenews.com
www.beltdrivebetty.com
My philosophy in life is to pay forward every kindness I have ever been shown.
I started the BDB Foundation - a non registered mutual benefits society - to regulate how I give back. The key stake holders in my business work me with to assess who and how we give back to.
I donate space in the newspaper and sponsor events with free publicity, Ali (Our wonderful Web Mistress) and I sponsor web sites for riding clubs and non profits.
I used to have an on line store and we'd run small sales and donate the proceeds to Breast Cancer research or the Military Families Fund...
Well - after a whole bunch of soul searching and trying to figure out how to give back without politics and personality conflicts I finally hit on the right idea.
I talked to the other key stakeholders in the CMTA - of which I am one.
(Canadian Motorcycle Tourism Association)
I expressed to them the need for a riders assistance fund that could help people during the period of time between an accident and the time insurance proceeds come in. They agreed to administer a fund that would be accessed by application. This fund will assist any rider with a valid motorcycle license/learner's permit, passenger or family dependent on the individual situation.
They agreed that this was a great idea and easily done utilizing the Belt Drive Betty information, communication and networking tools to facilitate things.
A special committee of three riders was struck and they are currently working with a lawyer to construct an application to do just that - find a way to support riders.
I will be printing a profile on each of those three riders come February or March once the CMTA's Injured Rider Fund Page is built....
We are re launching the BDB Club Store....
The store will have for sale things like license plate and street and bar signs.
It will have the new BDB Club Patches, the Canadian Riders Support Network Patches
Subscriptions to the Busted Knuckle Chronicles Community Newspaper
Key Tags and other items as we can afford them...
We will - as the BDB Foundation - donate a portion of the proceeds from the sales of these items to the CMTA's Injured Rider Fund. Ali and I are sponsoring the web site, Intercon Messaging is sponsoring the 800 Number - before too much longer everything will be in place in time for the 2011 riding season!
When I get products given to me to do reviews on, depending on the item we will auction it off or donate it as a silent auction item to an injured riders fund raiser.
Helping my fellow rider has ALWAYS been important to me - and I needed to find a way that made sense to me and my business - this makes sense to me and I hope you will support what we do by purchasing your subscriptions to the community newspaper, patches, key chains etc through our store when it comes on line in Mid November....
As a business or individual you can donate directly to the CMTA - Be it with cash or goods for either auctions or to go out to individual fundraisers -
by making your cheque out to: Canadian Motorcycle Tourism Association (Tagged with Injured Rider's Fund) And mail it to 10908-102 St Grande Prairie AB T8V 2X3....
Or by mailing your product donation to the same address as above.
The CMTA will be acknowledging ALL donations and how they are distributed on the CMTA's Injured Rider Fund Web Page which is being designed and will be launched sometime in February.
The BDB Club & The BDB Foundation supporting the CMTA's Injured Riders Fund!
In other news:
In ON - The MCC is looking for a new boss. Are you the right person to do the job?
And in Caledon one rider wishes the councellors who had approved the new noise bylaw would have shown up for the testing day hosted by Luc Fournier of the Motorcycle Moped Industry Council (The Motorcycle Manufacturers of Canada)
In BC - Azzkikr Customs is offering some wicked deals to members of the BDB CLub - register on line for FREE membership to take advantage of their offers!
The court case of a man who killed two well known BC riders got underway.
In Alberta - Edmonton Harley-Davidson is also offering some special deals to our members!
As is Gypsy in Stony Plain (Located in TJ & The Bear Biker Wear)
In Okotoks a rider will be going to trail after pleading not guilty to impaired in a case where he and his passenger were seriously injured.
In the mean time, have a glorious day. Remember to than God for the gifts in your life, to drink your Biker Coffee Company Coffee WITH your friends (Hoarding is an unattractive trait) and if you are riding today - PLEASE - remember what a lucky bugger you are and ride safe. Ride like EVERYONE is out to get you!
Belt Drive Betty
Rider & Editor
The Busted Knuckle Chronicles
www.bustedknucklenews.com
www.beltdrivebetty.com
Thursday, October 28, 2010
The BDB Club and the Injured Riders Fund ...Riders assiting riders!
The BDB Club is all about we riders.
The Rider Friendly Business Association now has 275 locations where your
BDB Club card means special services, discounts and or special offers!
People who belong to the Harley-Owners Group, the GWRRA - know how valuable tools like a membership card that is tied to lots of perks and benefits, a directory of businesses that are partnered up to serve you and communication tools like a newspaper/newsletter, powerful event calendars and other rider related communication tools can be.
When I started the Belt Drive Betty web site in 2004 - I had a vision, a dream of a clearinghouse - a place riders could come to find what they needed - everything from event information to help on any number of topics.
I saw a CAA style service geared towards us.
Well folks - every day I get another inch closer to seeing that dream become a reality.
Belt Drive Betty's Little Black Book - The 2011 Rider Friendly Business Association Community Directory is NATIONAL this year.
We now have business partners eager to serve YOU in every province and territory save Nunavut!
We will have our hard plastic membership cards and activation information for those cards in all of our phone books this year! There will also be a place for you to record your membership number in the printed book so that if you forget your card - no big deal!
NEW THIS YEAR - We are offering THREE incredible services for you - our members!
BDB Club Support Number 1-866-765-6718 - this is the number our members will use when accessing our support services!
Service # 1:
We have the Intercon Messaging "Never Ride Alone Program"
Are you riding in a heavily gamed region - going on a long trip alone?
Would you feel better knowing that someone is "watching" out for you?
When you call in to the BDB Club Support Number - you tell the helpful operator that you are wanting to use the Never Ride Alone Program - you tell them where you are going, which route you are taking and what time you expect to be at your destination for the day. They will ask you to check in with them periodically throughout the day to create reference points. If you do not call them at the appointed time from your final destination of the day - and they in turn can't get a hold of you at the numbers you provide for them - they will send someone looking for you from the last reference point. Then if something happens - God forbid- and you were to get hit by a deer or have an accident - the probability that help would come, that you could be OK - just went up!
THIS IS A NATIONAL SERVICE - Good for anywhere you are traveling in Canada
Intercon Messaging is a certified 911 dispatch center with messaging services and more.
Our account executive rides and is totally supportive of the riding community!
Intercon Messaging SPONSORS this PROGRAM for OUR MEMBERS FOR FREE!
(Please click on the link above to visit their site.)
Service # 2: Canadian Riders Support Network - THIS IS A NATIONAL SERVICE
Over 400 riders from coast to coast to coast have stood up to say - IF you break down, get jammed up and need a hand while on the road - I am here.
You have three ways of accessing their information.
Your PRINTED Community Directory - Belt Drive Betty's Little Black Book - for your saddle bags...the web site: www.canadianriders.ca or the BDB Club's Support Network Number 1-866-765-6718
Your phone book is printed twice a year and we do our best to keep the information accurate. The most current and up to date information will always be available through the Canadian Riders Web Site - you can access that with your web enabled cell phone or your Blackberry. And of course you can always call into the Toll Free BDB Club's Support Network Number and the staff there can see if we have any riders in the area you are in and attempt to contact them on your behalf.
(Some riders only provide emails for texting etc)
Please note:
All Canadian Rider Members will follow their gut and help you based on their availability, and how they feel when they interact with you. This is a TOTALLY Voluntary Program and Belt Drive Betty Media TM and their partners are in no way responsible for anything other that providing a venue for those who wish to help to get that message out and for those who need help a place to potentially find some.
Our Third Service:
The CMTA's Injured Rider Fund is sponsored IN PART by the BDB Foundation.
(I will explain tomorrow exactly how we sponsor the CMTA Injured Rider Fund)
The Canadian Motorcycle Tourism Association is an Alberta Registered Non Profit Association with a mandate to create tourism opportunities and marketing partnerships along with promoting responsible motorcycling and supporting the riding community.
This non profit accepts corporate, small business and individual donations, is non political and non partisan.
The Injured Rider's Fund is administered by a special committee of three riders who assess the applications for assistance.
They will:
Deliver low interest loans and out right financial gifting as fund availability allows
(each application will be treated individually.)
Assist with finding the other day to day practical supports a rider and their family may need like bike storage, transportation assistance etc...
Now - the CMTA does not want to duplicate services so to that end if a rider from BC needs support, then they will be directed to AIM, if a rider from Southern AB needs help, they will be directed to the SA Chapter of FIRRE and if a rider is from Nova Scotia, they will be directed to the Bikers Down Society.
The CMTA's Injured Rider Fund is meant to help in the areas where there are no organized support systems. Watch for the on line applications and other information to become available in January/February 2011...
So what does it cost to be a member of the BDB Club
and have access to all of these services?
NOTHING! IT IS FREE.
Register on www.beltdrivebetty.com to trigger your membership number
You can print off your temporary card right on line...
Feel free to get in on the discussion over at www.beltdrivebetty.com in the forums, on my personal FB page or the Belt Drive Betty & The Busted Knuckle Fan Page or right here in this blog!
Your input and feed back IS GREATLY appreciated - I can't grow if I am not exposed to other ideas and ways of thinking!
In the mean time, have a glorious day. Remember to than God for the gifts in your life, to drink your Biker Coffee Company Coffee WITH your friends (Hoarding is an unattractive trait) and if you are riding today - PLEASE - remember what a lucky bugger you are and ride safe. Ride like EVERYONE is out to get you!
Belt Drive Betty
Rider & Editor
The Busted Knuckle Chronicles
www.bustedknucklenews.com
www.beltdrivebetty.com
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Who is taking a retailer to court? The answer just might surprise you...
We hear often about companies vigorously defending their trade marks. Harley-Davidson, in the world of motorcycles is one that is often in the news or discussed in small business circles for that very reason - defending their trade mark. but guess what - not this time.
Nope this time it is the Hell's Angels who are defending their mark.
British fashion designer Alexander McQueen Trading Ltd. and Saks Inc. are being sued - The goods in question – some labelled “Hells Angels Pashmina,” “Hells Angels Jacquard Box Dress” and “Hells Knuckle Duster” – are confusingly similar to the group’s “Death Head” marks, the lawsuit alleges.So - if you are one of the posh who can afford to shop at places like Saks...careful what you buy....
The RCMP in BC get in on the discussion about the new REALLY TOUGH speeding laws in BC.
Neil Johnston of One Wheel Drive - one of my favorite writers - gets up close and personal on this topic and some of the answers he gets may shock you or not...
He discusses everything from the demerits to insurance all the way to the impound fees, toeing fees, road side justice to the potential for prejudice from the police. He tackles all of the hard issues head on...it is a read I am sure you will find enlightening.
Roads are becoming safer for riders in the US and Britain... overall the stats bear out that even tough traffic has increased, fatalities of those on bikes is decreasing.
Hell for Leather seems to have found some more reasons to not like the Harley-Davidson motorcycle too much - they have found a rather unflattering review on the Motor Corp's bikes from the Michigan State Police... and it appears to be backed up by the LAPD
Today's gear question - goggles, glasses and visors - what do you use and for those of you who wear glasses in particular - I am getting glasses in a couple of weeks and that is going to change what I wear for eye wear - HELPPPPP - I need to figure out what I want to try out for eye wear on my bike now too!
A blogger friend - Fuzzy Galore, came across this company on the Net...http://www.donor.pk/donor/index.php - no type o there, DONOR is the name of this motorcycle apparel company from India...what are your thoughts on the name?
Like always, I welcome your feed back and input - join our discussion on the topic either here in my blog, on my Face Book pages or in the forums on www.beltdrivebetty.com
We'd love to hear your thoughts...but remember - anonymous posts will NOT be published. If you feel strongly enough about a topic to wade in, then stand up and have your voice counted.
There are still lots of other news article to read over at www.beltdrivebetty.com on the What's Hot page!
If you are among the fortunate and are riding today - PLEASE, ride like everyone is out to get you and is blind and can not see you and remember you are FORTUNATE cause here in the great white north - the white is descending in various places... I am jealous of all who are still riding!
Belt Drive Betty
Rider & Editor
The Busted Knuckle Chronicles
www.bustedknucklenews.com
www.beltdrivebetty.com
Nope this time it is the Hell's Angels who are defending their mark.
British fashion designer Alexander McQueen Trading Ltd. and Saks Inc. are being sued - The goods in question – some labelled “Hells Angels Pashmina,” “Hells Angels Jacquard Box Dress” and “Hells Knuckle Duster” – are confusingly similar to the group’s “Death Head” marks, the lawsuit alleges.So - if you are one of the posh who can afford to shop at places like Saks...careful what you buy....
The RCMP in BC get in on the discussion about the new REALLY TOUGH speeding laws in BC.
Neil Johnston of One Wheel Drive - one of my favorite writers - gets up close and personal on this topic and some of the answers he gets may shock you or not...
He discusses everything from the demerits to insurance all the way to the impound fees, toeing fees, road side justice to the potential for prejudice from the police. He tackles all of the hard issues head on...it is a read I am sure you will find enlightening.
Roads are becoming safer for riders in the US and Britain... overall the stats bear out that even tough traffic has increased, fatalities of those on bikes is decreasing.
Hell for Leather seems to have found some more reasons to not like the Harley-Davidson motorcycle too much - they have found a rather unflattering review on the Motor Corp's bikes from the Michigan State Police... and it appears to be backed up by the LAPD
Today's gear question - goggles, glasses and visors - what do you use and for those of you who wear glasses in particular - I am getting glasses in a couple of weeks and that is going to change what I wear for eye wear - HELPPPPP - I need to figure out what I want to try out for eye wear on my bike now too!
A blogger friend - Fuzzy Galore, came across this company on the Net...http://www.donor.pk/donor/index.php - no type o there, DONOR is the name of this motorcycle apparel company from India...what are your thoughts on the name?
Like always, I welcome your feed back and input - join our discussion on the topic either here in my blog, on my Face Book pages or in the forums on www.beltdrivebetty.com
We'd love to hear your thoughts...but remember - anonymous posts will NOT be published. If you feel strongly enough about a topic to wade in, then stand up and have your voice counted.
There are still lots of other news article to read over at www.beltdrivebetty.com on the What's Hot page!
If you are among the fortunate and are riding today - PLEASE, ride like everyone is out to get you and is blind and can not see you and remember you are FORTUNATE cause here in the great white north - the white is descending in various places... I am jealous of all who are still riding!
Belt Drive Betty
Rider & Editor
The Busted Knuckle Chronicles
www.bustedknucklenews.com
www.beltdrivebetty.com
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
A quiet day in the news - kind of...
Sometimes the old boy upstairs has a funny sense of humour - you ever notice that?
I have been asking you all for feedback on new gear and what happens - there is an article on Italy banning the beanie. And not just the beanie but event the DOT version of the beanie...
And the fines - even to tourists are not gonna be cheap - from 80 up to 300 Euros....
Today's question is all about gloves...I have seen the effects of wearing no gloves in the event of an accident and it is not a pretty picture.
Currently I own 2 sets of gauntlets - one light weight and the other more of a winter type and then I also have a pair of fingerless gloves that cover the entire top and palm but leave the fingers from the middle knuckle down exposed. They are my warm weather gloves...
What brand and style of glove do you wear and why?
I am very curious as gloves are not something people tend to talk a lot about.
Please consider joining in the discussion either right here in my blog, over in the forums on www.beltdrivebetty.com or on Face Book on the Belt Drive Betty & The Busted Knuckle Fan Page...
In the news today:
In the US - Harley-Davidson is honoring the vets at the museum in Milwaukee
Also in the US - Motorcycle Sales continue to decline
The RCMP say the property seizure act is a vital tool in fighting organized crime
In BC a rider was taken to hospital with non life threatening injuries after a crash
On the national scene - Terry Rae is being presented with the Bar & Hedy Hodgson Award
Dalton Timmis Insurance has announced a new program for motorcycles and other recreational vehicles.
If you are among the fortunate and are riding today - PLEASE, ride like everyone is out to get you and is blind and can not see you and remember you are FORTUNATE cause here in the great white north - the white is descending in various places... I am jealous of all who are still riding!
Belt Drive Betty
Rider & Editor
The Busted Knuckle Chronicles
www.bustedknucklenews.com
www.beltdrivebetty.com
I have been asking you all for feedback on new gear and what happens - there is an article on Italy banning the beanie. And not just the beanie but event the DOT version of the beanie...
And the fines - even to tourists are not gonna be cheap - from 80 up to 300 Euros....
Today's question is all about gloves...I have seen the effects of wearing no gloves in the event of an accident and it is not a pretty picture.
Currently I own 2 sets of gauntlets - one light weight and the other more of a winter type and then I also have a pair of fingerless gloves that cover the entire top and palm but leave the fingers from the middle knuckle down exposed. They are my warm weather gloves...
What brand and style of glove do you wear and why?
I am very curious as gloves are not something people tend to talk a lot about.
Please consider joining in the discussion either right here in my blog, over in the forums on www.beltdrivebetty.com or on Face Book on the Belt Drive Betty & The Busted Knuckle Fan Page...
In the news today:
In the US - Harley-Davidson is honoring the vets at the museum in Milwaukee
Also in the US - Motorcycle Sales continue to decline
The RCMP say the property seizure act is a vital tool in fighting organized crime
In BC a rider was taken to hospital with non life threatening injuries after a crash
On the national scene - Terry Rae is being presented with the Bar & Hedy Hodgson Award
Dalton Timmis Insurance has announced a new program for motorcycles and other recreational vehicles.
If you are among the fortunate and are riding today - PLEASE, ride like everyone is out to get you and is blind and can not see you and remember you are FORTUNATE cause here in the great white north - the white is descending in various places... I am jealous of all who are still riding!
Belt Drive Betty
Rider & Editor
The Busted Knuckle Chronicles
www.bustedknucklenews.com
www.beltdrivebetty.com
Monday, October 25, 2010
Footwear and motorcycles, to flip flop or not....
I know I was young once.
Of that I am quite sure. And I know when I was young I took chances some smarter than others but...
I have become highly critical of those who wear things like sandals and flip flops when they ride. When I pull up beside some dude who has his gal on the back of his motorcycle - and she is wearing a bikini or shorts and a halter/tank top, sandals/flip flops and a full faced helmet I want to SCREAM - I WANT TO RAGE - I want to ask him "Do you not value the life of that pretty young thing behind you?" I have been asking you for feedback on buying new gear....today I ask about foot wear...the following story has a lot to do with why I am the way I am when it comes to my feelings about good gear.
Back in the day when I was young, I was living in a little community called Mara Lake BC. My old man was a guy with the nick name of Rotten Ronnie - aptly named for the noxious gases that exploded from him after a feed of moose or deer meat...Ron is the man who taught me to ride a motorcycle.
Road rash....a story of gory and disturbing proportions that I want to share with you for it is this incident that set me on the path to being an opinionated lady on this topic in many, many ways.
One weekend, Ron and I had gone to Kelowna, we had had a great time and got up nice and early on the Sunday morning to head home, Ron had things around the yard he wanted to get done before work on Monday morning. There were lots of motorcycles out - it was a glorious day to ride.
As we passed through Vernon, traffic began to get thicker, there was construction up ahead about 10 kilometers or so. This young buck (remember I was a lofty 24 then) pulled up beside us on his Suzuki sport bike. He had this very buxom young lady riding pillion. She was wearing a full faced helmet, a bikini and sandals. He was wearing jeans, tee, boots and a full face.
I sat on my bitch pad shaking my head thinking to myself this guy really doesn't value what he has sitting behind him...
Well, we leave the set of lights, the dude on the sport bike far faster than us on the our FXRS...he's gone like a rocket....as Ron and I come around a corner - just before the construction zone that is between Vernon and Armstrong - we see the carnage....my blood runs cold and I am almost sick to my stomach.
There is buddy's sport bike, embedded in the trunk of a car...buddy is screaming, standing but wobbly, bleeding and road rashed...his once pretty little girlfriend is now dead.
Her once buxom form is nothing more than bones now as she has no chest left, just a rib cage from doing a face plant at about 100 KMPH and skidding down the shoulder of the road into the ditch. Her one foot is gone - literally worn off from the high exit rate - she had skidded down the pavement for a good 100 feet or so before tumbling into the ditch.
Rib bones and raw meat are all that were left of her. That and her un scarred, untouched face. I guess that was a consolation, at least her family could have an open casket funeral.
That crash is forever etched in my mind. The howling of the rider - that of a wolf in enormous pain...the visual of this pretty, pretty girl at the set of lights only minutes before transposed over the corpse lying in the ditch that I saw will never leave my mind's eye.
Now perhaps you understand all of the questions from last week about good gear - maybe it will explain a bit to you about why I get a tad opinionated on the subject of gear and helmets etc...so today the question is footwear - what brand, what style and why you chose the particular style you did.
Foot wear is a very important and vital part of the gear equation in my mind...Please share with me your thoughts on choosing good footwear...
In the news today:
Harley-Davidson reports it's American dealer network is shrinking
In Saskatoon SK the council has asked their lawyer to look into drafting an all encompassing vehicle noise bylaw.
In Alberta, a couple of politicians are going to start pushing for helmets on quads and snow machines to become mandatory claiming there have been too many deaths after reading a recent report from the Alberta Centre for Injury Control and Research.
In BC - the dude riding his bike at break neck speed through the lower mainland won't be doing anything quite that reckless again for a while.
In Quebec, Mom Boucher was stabbed in prison altercation
In Europe - Dual Sport Bikes could become legislated right our of existence because the EU will not allow an ABS OFF switch on them rendering this style of machine useless for off road purposes.
If you are among the fortunate and are riding today - PLEASE, ride like everyone is out to get you and is blind and can not see you and remember you are FORTUNATE cause here in the great white north - the white is descending... I am jealous of all who are still riding.
Belt Drive Betty
Rider & Editor
The Busted Knuckle Chronicles
www.bustedknucklenews.com
www.beltdrivebetty.com
Of that I am quite sure. And I know when I was young I took chances some smarter than others but...
I have become highly critical of those who wear things like sandals and flip flops when they ride. When I pull up beside some dude who has his gal on the back of his motorcycle - and she is wearing a bikini or shorts and a halter/tank top, sandals/flip flops and a full faced helmet I want to SCREAM - I WANT TO RAGE - I want to ask him "Do you not value the life of that pretty young thing behind you?" I have been asking you for feedback on buying new gear....today I ask about foot wear...the following story has a lot to do with why I am the way I am when it comes to my feelings about good gear.
Back in the day when I was young, I was living in a little community called Mara Lake BC. My old man was a guy with the nick name of Rotten Ronnie - aptly named for the noxious gases that exploded from him after a feed of moose or deer meat...Ron is the man who taught me to ride a motorcycle.
Road rash....a story of gory and disturbing proportions that I want to share with you for it is this incident that set me on the path to being an opinionated lady on this topic in many, many ways.
One weekend, Ron and I had gone to Kelowna, we had had a great time and got up nice and early on the Sunday morning to head home, Ron had things around the yard he wanted to get done before work on Monday morning. There were lots of motorcycles out - it was a glorious day to ride.
As we passed through Vernon, traffic began to get thicker, there was construction up ahead about 10 kilometers or so. This young buck (remember I was a lofty 24 then) pulled up beside us on his Suzuki sport bike. He had this very buxom young lady riding pillion. She was wearing a full faced helmet, a bikini and sandals. He was wearing jeans, tee, boots and a full face.
I sat on my bitch pad shaking my head thinking to myself this guy really doesn't value what he has sitting behind him...
Well, we leave the set of lights, the dude on the sport bike far faster than us on the our FXRS...he's gone like a rocket....as Ron and I come around a corner - just before the construction zone that is between Vernon and Armstrong - we see the carnage....my blood runs cold and I am almost sick to my stomach.
There is buddy's sport bike, embedded in the trunk of a car...buddy is screaming, standing but wobbly, bleeding and road rashed...his once pretty little girlfriend is now dead.
Her once buxom form is nothing more than bones now as she has no chest left, just a rib cage from doing a face plant at about 100 KMPH and skidding down the shoulder of the road into the ditch. Her one foot is gone - literally worn off from the high exit rate - she had skidded down the pavement for a good 100 feet or so before tumbling into the ditch.
Rib bones and raw meat are all that were left of her. That and her un scarred, untouched face. I guess that was a consolation, at least her family could have an open casket funeral.
That crash is forever etched in my mind. The howling of the rider - that of a wolf in enormous pain...the visual of this pretty, pretty girl at the set of lights only minutes before transposed over the corpse lying in the ditch that I saw will never leave my mind's eye.
Now perhaps you understand all of the questions from last week about good gear - maybe it will explain a bit to you about why I get a tad opinionated on the subject of gear and helmets etc...so today the question is footwear - what brand, what style and why you chose the particular style you did.
Foot wear is a very important and vital part of the gear equation in my mind...Please share with me your thoughts on choosing good footwear...
In the news today:
Harley-Davidson reports it's American dealer network is shrinking
In Saskatoon SK the council has asked their lawyer to look into drafting an all encompassing vehicle noise bylaw.
In Alberta, a couple of politicians are going to start pushing for helmets on quads and snow machines to become mandatory claiming there have been too many deaths after reading a recent report from the Alberta Centre for Injury Control and Research.
In BC - the dude riding his bike at break neck speed through the lower mainland won't be doing anything quite that reckless again for a while.
In Quebec, Mom Boucher was stabbed in prison altercation
In Europe - Dual Sport Bikes could become legislated right our of existence because the EU will not allow an ABS OFF switch on them rendering this style of machine useless for off road purposes.
If you are among the fortunate and are riding today - PLEASE, ride like everyone is out to get you and is blind and can not see you and remember you are FORTUNATE cause here in the great white north - the white is descending... I am jealous of all who are still riding.
Belt Drive Betty
Rider & Editor
The Busted Knuckle Chronicles
www.bustedknucklenews.com
www.beltdrivebetty.com
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