Tag: female motorcycle rider

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Media Press Day at Progressive International Motorcycle Show (IMS) in Long Beach, California

The Progressive International Motorcycle Show (IMS) kicks off in Long Beach, California before traveling across the United States to New York, Dallas, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Washington, D.C and Chicago http://www.motorcycleshows.com/.

IMS is the perfect place to see, listen, touch and test ride the various motorcycle brands, to purchase products and obtain resourceful information for motorcycle riders, passengers and future motorcycle riders.

Electric was the common theme throughout IMS this year. The future of personal mobility is driven by electrification. The industry is introducing newbies to motorcycles with no clutch and no gears.

The United States of America will need to get ready to build an infrastructure for electric bicycles and electric motorcycles.

DISCOVER THE RIDE and NEW TO 2

Robert Pandya and his team took the motorcycle industry back to basics by introducing Discover the Ride and New to 2 for children and adults.

The purpose of Discover the Ride is to put people on motorcycles for the first time at IMS with STACYC, Yamaha Power Assist Bicycles and Zero Motorcycles. The goal is to widen the funnel and encourage people of all ages to become motorcycle riders.

STACYC is the first powered balance bike to inspire children who has been walking for a short time. STACYC offers different models for ages 3-7 years of age. The goal is to engage young children with using a throttle and fall in love with motorcycle riding before the age of seven (7).

Individuals with no motorcycle riding experience were required to ride a Yamaha Power Assist Electric Bicycle to demonstrate their ability to balance before test riding a Zero Motorcycle. Total Control Training partnered with Robert’s team to provide safety instructors to shepherd new riders at IMS.

I had the pleasure of witnessing Discover the Ride at IMS with a first time motorcycle rider and it works!

Zero Motorcycles provides a sense of effortlessness just by a simple twist of the throttle without a clutch, gears and low maintenance. The zero motorcycle is speed limited for test riding to about 12 mph for safety reasons and to allow instructors to have a conversation with riders during the test ride on a test track inside the building at IMS.

New to 2 is a video and stage series designed to answer questions for new riders from visiting a local dealer to making a choice of the type of motorcycle to purchase.

Yamaha has been making electric bicycles in Japan for more than 25 years. Yamaha is the first pedal assist bicycle manufacturer. The electric bicycle is huge in Europe and starting to grow in the United States of America. Yamaha is starting out with four (4) models from mountain bike, drop bar, road bike and fitness commuting bike. The Yamaha Power Assist Electric Bicycle serves as the step in between STACYC and Zero. There is a cross over from the motorcycle culture to power assist electric bicycles and motorcycles. If it wasn’t for the bicycle, there would not be motorcycles!

      TRIUMP MOTORCYCLES

Triumph Motorcycles introduced Scrambler 1200 XE and Scrambler 1200 XC. The Scrambler 1200 XC is good for on and off road riding and the 1200 XE the “E” is for extreme. These adventure motorcycles have rider modes rain, road, sport and off road. Cruise control is standard. The 1200 XE is the first Scrambler with a 21 inch front wheel. Bluetooth accessory to communicate directly with GoPro camera to take picture and video and collaboration with Google to allow turn by turn navigation on display. The price of the Scrambler 1200 will be introduced to the United States in December 2018.

Triumph Motorcycles received the 2018 Motorcycle.com Standard Motorcycle of the Year for the Triumph Street Triple 765.

HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLES

Harley Davidson announced they are celebrating 115 years of motorcycling and the celebration of 28 new dealerships across the globe in 2018. 4.9% growth in Europe and unprecedented growth in Thailand, China and Asia. Harley-Davidson is focusing on growing the number of riders in the United States to 2 million riders by 2027. On July 30, 2018, more roads to Harley Davidson was established more roads to access of the information to the media about the bikes about to be sold. Harley Davidson is investing $800 million into the strategy to help the United States grow 2 million riders in nine (9) more years.

Harley Davidson is starting an electric vehicle portfolio and continue to innovate their touring and soft-tail motorcycles. They will add a low cc motorcycle segment. They will expand their visibility and marketing to capture new riders. They will work with their dealerships across the globe to ensure their dealerships are an inviting place to capture new and current riders.
The Milwaukee-Eight 117 engine will be included on touring CVO Street Glide, Road Glide and Limited. These will always get the biggest engine instead of the Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine.

Harley Davidson also upgraded their infotainment system on the touring models. The new version is called the Boom! Box GTS Infotainment system include a touch screen with faster download and processing time and it has Apple Car Play compatible for iPhone users, but does not include Android Auto.

On display for presentation on the Softail side was the Harley Davidson FXDR 114. This is the 10th Softail motorcycle in just 15 months with the focus on weight reduction starting with cast aluminum swing arm, which provides a 43% reduction in weight.

The first Harley Davidson electric motorcycle the LiveWire was not on display. LiveWire specifications will be available in January 2019 and on sale in August 2019.

URAL MOTORCYCLES

Ural Motorcycles is now in the 20th century with modernized power plant, redesigned thermal group from cylinders and pistons to combat the air cooled function of the motor, increased fin size fins were added and increased the fins size, new oil pick up design to give another ½ liter of oil due to deeper oil pan, fuel injection system, the spare hub and wheels all match with larger spokes, on the motorcycle for simple plug and ride. Ural has been working very hard to keep the look and the opportunity for big kids to feel like little kids.

Ural also has its first electric motorcycle concept not, yet a production prototype established in Moscow in 2016. The goal is to collect feedback, to understand what the market wants and how the market reacts to it and if Ural should continue to move forward with the project. Zero Motorcycles is providing engineering support to Ural. The battery is inside the seat in the sidecar, which feels like there is always a rider in the sidecar for balance, comfort, safety and confidence. There are two batteries one located on the bike and one on the sidecar. The motorcycle will not operate if the sidecar is removed due to the battery under the seat. The production date is not available.

BMW

BMW is on tract for another year of record growth, which is driven by a lot of the new products such as the G 310 R and G 310 GS. The focus overtime in making sure they bring on products for the market and customers and focus on adding more standard equipment and improving the packages to their motorcycles and features their customers are asking for.

The BMW 700 products helped bring a lot of new riders to the sport with 37% of the product sales to women.

BMW unveiled the 2019 R 1250 GS with shift cam technology to give more increase power, increase torque and balance delivery for every situation.

BMW unveiled the 2019 S 1000 RR. The engine is 9lbs lighter and the overall bike is 25lbs lighter with increased horsepower. The new S 2019 S 1000 R superbike with M package was also unveiled with a weight decrease of 7lbs and motorsports paint.

INDIAN MOTORCYCLE

Indian Motorcycle decided to talk about something different than new products after mentioning the FTR 1200 was unveiled in Germany this year. The FTR 1200 won 17 of the 18 American Flat Track races in 2018. Jared Mees captured grand national championships and Indian Motorcycle capturing manufacturers championships in both seasons. Racing has a significance importance to the Indian Motorcycle brand because it started in racing in 1901. The 2019 Indian Motorcycle Wrecking Crew was introduced Jared Mees and brothers Briar and Bronson Bauman.

MV AGUSTA

MV Agusta introduced the 2019 Brutale 1000 and the 2019 Turisom Veloce RC SCS.

The Brutale was first introduced to the market in 2002. It is the most powerful superbike. The main principle in Brutale is power. 212 horsepower on a naked bike weighing about 409lbs. All of the body work except for the fuel tank is carbon fiber. The Brutale is an emotional motorcycle with a lot of power and street legal.

MV Agusta was one of the first companies to provide unique technology to the motorcycle world. For example, MV Agusta is the first company to put an electronic upshift on a production motorcycle, the first company to put an upshift and downshift on a production motorcycle, the first company to have Full Ride By Wire on a mid-weight super sport motorcycle. They have a new first, the first production motorcycle with a Smart Clutch System (SCS) on the 2019 Turismo Veloce RC SCS to allow riders to use either manual or automatic clutch operation. Riders never have to touch the clutch lever. Riders don’t have to worry up using the clutch lever while moving through traffic. The bike weight is 435lbs with 110 horse power and goes from 0 to 60mph in 3.1 seconds. MV Agusta is about performance not touring.

YAMAHA

Yamaha introduced nine (9) new models for 2019 in the three (3) main categories of dirt, road and tour. The focus is to continue to offer a wide range of new and exciting motorcycles with the latest in performance and technology for riders of all ages and skill levels.

Niken and Niken GT multiple wheel motorcycle handles like a two (2) wheel motorcycle offers motorcycle riders a lot more confidence while cornering to make riding less stressful and fun.

Yamaha sold out of Niken motorcycles after opening an online reservation program in September 2018.

The Niken GT is open for online reservations with a retail price of $17,2999 for delivery in March 2019.

PIAGGIO

The 2019 Moto Guzzi V85 TT was introduced and it will be available from Italy in the 2nd Quarter of 2019.

The world superbike was also on display 2019 Aprilla RSV4 RR Factory 1000. This motorcycle has won multiple world championships and work superbike.
Piaggio is the only manufacturer that is up for scooters sales.

KAWASAKI

Kawakaki introduced their super charged hyper sports bike Ninja H2, H2R and H2 Carbon. The new H2R is the most powerful super charged engine Kawasaki has made to date. Also on display was the ZX-10R with new engine design and maximum performance. The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10 RR is a race ready limited model with only 500 available in the world.

2019 Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE LT Plus was unveiled with cruise control, traction control, intelligent braking system, sport, road, rain and manual modes. There will be a Rideology app available in 2019 to allow riders to make adjustments from the palm of their hands on their Android or iPhones devices to check fuel gage, service intervals and riding module to identify routes taken and for planning.

HONDA

Honda shared one of the best historical videos about their founder and the brand for more than 60 years. The video started with a picture of the first American Honda Motor building on Pico Blvd in Los Angeles, California from June 1959 and a quote from the founder Soichiro Honda “A company is most clearly defined not by its people or its history, but by its products.”

The Honda Monkey is selling out like hotcakes because it’s a fun motorcycle to ride for 1,200 miles on land, through water and mud just ask Ari Herring and Zack Courts. Ari and Zack rode Honda Monkeys from Ensenada to La Paz Mexico to trace some of the Baja 1000 course. Motorcycle enthusiast can check out their show at Motorcycles on Motor Trend: Throttle Out http://bit.ly/2FmWUEq on November 21, 2018.

PROGRESSIVE

Progressive is number one in motorcycle insurance due to customer service with policies starting off at just $75.00 per year. Progressive partnered up with Indian Motorcycle to give away an all expense paid trip to Sturgis with two loaner Indian motorcycles for winners to ride. 

Flo’s Chop Shop offered relaxation break in massage chairs while listening to an interactive music play list created by guest, beard trims, line ups and hair designs for free.

ENERGICA

Engergica approach motorcycles in 2009 and decided later to go green. In 2014, Energica created an electric motorcycle as an opportunity to attract the younger generation. Today, the Energica Ego is known to the world for the first street legal electric Italian sport motorcycle. Engergica’s focus is on style performance and quality and they are living up to it with the ability to charge an electric motorcycle within 20-22 minutes!

SUZUKI

Industry gearhead and living legend Kevin Cameron provided history of Suzuki. Mr. Cameron has decades of experience in the motorcycle industry from racing to technology, product development and product evaluation.

Mr. Cameron shared his knowledge and history about Katana motorcycles, 2 stroke engines, 4 stroke engines, horsepower, crankshaft seizure, piston seizure problem in 2 stroke engines, connecting rod, combustion, cylinder plating and oil consumption. Mr. Cameron expressed the greatest problem facing product development is the internal friction of large human groups, engineers wasting times on committees and in meetings. It’s important for the motorcycle industry to allow engineers to devote their time to designs and test prototypes.

LUNCH

Black Girls Ride Magazine Porsche Taylor, Founder and Editor-In-Chief and Sarah Moreau, Staff Writer enjoyed lunch sponsored by Suzuki with Serena Bleeker, Digital Campaign Manager, Bonner Motorcycle Group and Julian Eger, Communications, http://Motorcycles.org aka Discover Today’s Motorcycling.

DUCATI

Ducati delivered the highest level of market share, which demonstrates taking the brand into new worlds with cruiser and off road motorcycles.

The Scrambler Café Racer is one of the most popular motorcycles with LED light and fuel gage for first time motorcycle riders at a reasonable Ducati price.

ALLSTATE

Allstate Insurance offered guest to Float In and Fill Up on a Free Root Beer Float and the opportunity for current, new and future rides to enjoy an interactive virtual reality motorcycle ride on an Indian Scout.

IMS is a one stop shop for motorcycle riders and passengers and a great place to network, catch up with old friends and plan a future ride within or outside the country.


 

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MOTORCYCLE RIDE TO THE BOYHOOD HOME OF ALEX HALEY

It was a peaceful motorcycle ride on the backroads of Henning, Tennessee to pay respect to Alexander Murray Palmer Haley aka Alex Haley, the African American author of Pulitzer Prize winning novel Roots translated into 37 languages, the Autobiography of Malcom X translated into eight (8) languages, Palmer Town, Madam Walker, A Different Kind of Christmas, Queen, Henning and Fred Montgomery. Most people do not know Alex Haley’s first screenplay was Super Fly.

Alex Haley’s boyhood home is the first state-owned historic site devoted to African-Americans in Tennessee.
The home is in a quiet neighborhood and it was owned by his grandparents Will and Cynthia Palmer.

Alex Haley lived with his grandparents from 1921 through 1929. It was on the front porch where young Alex Haley would listen to the accounts about his family history to include the stories of his West African roots and the famous Mandingo Kunta Kinte.

Alex Haley is buried in the front yard of his boyhood home.

I enjoyed walking around the outside of the home with beautiful black and white picture monuments and brief descriptions about his family.

While admiring Alex Haley’s home Porsche Taylor, Founder and Editor-In-Chief, Black Girls Ride Magazine http://blackgirlsride.com/ and I had the opportunity to meet the former Mayor of Henning Mary Ann Jarrett. Ms. Jarrett served as mayor from 2001 through 2005.

Alex Haley contribution to the African American community is invaluable. His legacy reminds us of the importance to uplift and honor our roots with dignity.

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SAGUARO CACTUS HUG ON THE OPEN ROAD IN ARIZONA

I feel like I’m receiving hugs from the beautiful Saguaro cacti every time I ride my motorcycle through the Arizona desert.

The Saguaro Cactus is the largest cactus in the United States of America. In Arizona, the Saguaro Cactus is protected by the Native Plant Protection Act . If you are smart, do not touch cactus in Arizona to avoid a class four (4) felony.  You could pay a fine, go to jail or serve time in prison for cutting, vandalizing, shooting, digging up, ramming with vehicle, illegally purchasing or poaching the protected Arizona symbol.

The Saguaro Cactus develops slowly. It takes 3 to 10 days for Saguaro Cactus seeds to germinate. It can take approximately 10 years to grow 1.5 inches before it reaches its full height of 50 feet and weigh more than 4,000 lbs. It usually takes 75 years for a Saguaro Cactus to grow a branch often referred to as an arm. The Saguaro Cactus can live for up to 200 years.

Do your research before you purchase a Saguaro Cactus because it may have microchip to identify a stolen plant.  Make sure you purchase a Saguaro Cactus from an approved supplier. The cost of a Saguaro Cactus depends on the size. Some saguaro cactus can be sold for $100.00 per foot. The Saguaro Cactus are usually sold by approved garden centers or online distributors from $5.00 to $2,500.00.

ARIZONA REVISED STATUTE 3-932

A.   A person commits theft of protected native plants if, without the express consent of the landowner, the person knowingly removes or destroys any protected native plants from private or state land. Theft of protected native plants with a value of:

       1. One thousand five hundred dollars or more is a class 4 felony.

      2. At least seven hundred fifty dollars but less than one thousand five                         hundred dollars is a class 5 felony.

      3. At least five hundred dollars but less than seven hundred fifty dollars is a           class 6 felony.

      4.  Less than five hundred dollars is a class 1 misdemeanor.

B.   A knowing violation of this chapter involving either the misuse of permits, tags, seals, or receipts, or the collection, salvage, harvest, transportation or possession of protected plants without any required permits, tags, seals or receipts is a class 1 misdemeanor. A subsequent conviction for a violation of this subsection is a class 6 felony.

C.  All other violations of this chapter are class 3 misdemeanors except that if a prior conviction is a class 3 misdemeanor, a subsequent conviction is a class 2 misdemeanor, and if a prior conviction is a class 2 misdemeanor, a subsequent conviction is a class 1 misdemeanor.

D.  From and after June 30, 1990, on conviction of any violation of this chapter the director may request of the court that the convicted person, or a responsible person from a convicted entity, be ordered to attend educational classes or programs pursuant to section 3-911, subsection C.

E.  On conviction of a violation of this chapter, the director may also request of the court as a provision of the sentence, the revocation of all permits issued to the person convicted and the permittee shall be required to surrender any unused tags or seals or receipts to the division, and the division shall not issue new or additional permits to the permittee for a period of one year from the date of conviction. The director may further request of the court that the sentence include a provision prohibiting a person convicted of a violation of this chapter from engaging in the salvage of protected native plants or acting as agent for any other permittee for a period of up to one year. In considering any such request to revoke or deny permits or prohibit work in salvage or with another permittee the court shall consider:

1.   The nature of the offense.

2.  The nature of any prior convictions

3. The overall performance record by the convicted party in terms of its                      violations of this chapter compared to its efforts to salvage native plants            as intended by this chapter.

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LABOR DAY INCLUDES BLACK HISTORY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Motorcycle ride to Memphis, Tennessee where two black sanitation workers  – Echol Cole age 36 and Robert Walker age 30 were crushed to death in a garbage truck compactor on Thursday, February 1, 1968 about 4:30pm.

April 3, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. marched in Memphis, Tennessee to support the strike of black sanitation workers for equal pay and better working conditions. Some black sanitation workers were not allowed to catch the bus, so they had to walk because their employer would not allow them to wash off the stench of trash in a sink like their white co-workers after working 9 hours per day for $1.25 per day.

April 4, 1968 – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.

BRIEF BLACK HISTORY LABOR MOVEMENT TIMELINE

1844 – It is worth noting the state of Oregon ordered all black people to get out since it was the first state to make Labor Day a holiday in 1887.  Slave holders in Oregon could keep their slaves for up to three years. All free blacks including slaves had to leave Oregon. Those who refused to leave could be severely whipped not less than 20 or more 29 stripes to be repeated every six (6) months until they left.  Black women were given three (3) years to leave and black men were given two (2) years to leave under a law called the Peter Burnett’s Lash Law . When Peter Burnett became the first Governor of California, his push for the exclusion of black people in California was defeated https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2017/06/07/when-portland-banned-blacks-oregons-shameful-history-as-an-all-white-state/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.83c5932648f2.

1850 – Samuel Ringgold Ward organized the first black American labor union in New York, New York called the American League of Colored Laborers (ALCL) http://www.blackpast.org/aah/american-league-colored-laborers-1850 for skilled free craftsmen and to encourage African American business to develop agricultural and industrial skills.

1850 – White ship caulkers went on strike and started a riot against the well unionized black ship caulkers because they were sometimes paid more than them due to collective bargaining with Baltimore shipyard owners. The shipyard owners fired approximately 1,000 black workers including Isaac Myers http://www.blackpast.org/aah/myers-isaac-1835-1891 who was born a free black in Baltimore, Maryland in 1835. At the age of 16, he started working as a Ship Caulker. After Myers was fired in 1850 along with other black ship caulkers, he and other black laborers established the Chesapeake Marine Railway and the Dry Dock Company to employ themselves.

1865 – Blacks legally freed as slaves had a difficult time finding paid employment and joining unions including blacks in white-collar professions such as the first black lawyer Macon Bolling Allen http://www.blackpast.org/aah/allen-macon-bolling-1816-1894 and the first black doctor James McCune Smith http://www.blackpast.org/aah/smith-james-mccune-1813-1865. Some free blacks worked in blue-collar jobs such as servants, laborers, farm workers, artisans and caulkers.

1869 – African Americans established the Colored National Labor Union (CNLU) to improve working conditions and quality of life for its members collectively on a national level and public education with equal opportunities for blacks. Isaac Meyers became the first president of the CNLU. The CNLU included all races, genders, or occupations.

1872 – Fredrick Douglas http://www.blackpast.org/aah/douglass-frederick-1817-1895 became the second president of the Colored National Labor Union

1887 – Oregon was the first state to make Labor Day a holiday.

1894 – Labor Day became a Federal Holiday after a strike led by the American Railway Union also referred to as the Pullman Strike. Black Pullmans had to continue working because they were not allowed to join the union.

1925 – the Brotherhood of the Sleeping Car Porters  was established, and the first president of the union was Asa Philip Randolph http://www.blackpast.org/aah/randolph-asa-philip-1889-1979. This was the first union to receive a charter in the American Federation of Labor  known today as the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO).

1940 – the International Association of Machinist union known to today as the International Association of Machinist and Aerospace Workers (IAM) banned segregation.

1942 – Executive Order 8802 https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/history/35th/thelaw/eo-8802.html was created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to address pay inequality based on gender and race.

1943 – the National War Labor Board issued an order to abolish pay differentials based on race because America thought it was necessary for the Negro to work so America can win World War II.

 

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EUROPE IS THE RECORD HOLDER FOR THE WORLD’S LARGEST ALL FEMALE BIKER MEET

The World’s Largest All Female Motorcycle Meet was organized by Sherrie Woolf and Nimi Patel.

In 2017, the world record was set with 1,132 female motorcycle riders.  Female motorcycle riders in Australia and the United States of America (USA) did attempt to break the record. The total count for Australia was 1,002 and 808 for the USA. On July 29, 2018, the goal was to reach more than 1,200 female motorcycle riders to set a new world record.

In February 2018, Porsche Taylor, Founder and Editor In Chief, Black Girls Ride Magazine http://blackgirlsride.com sent me a Facebook invitation to the World’s Largest All Female Motorcycle Meet. I’m so glad I accepted the invitation.  Porsche and I traveled from Los Angeles, California to London, England. It took us 3 ½ hours to get to Lynn’s Raven Café in Whitchurch, England for the count.

It was an honor to finally meet Sherrie in person after following her journey on Facebook.
Sherrie kept individuals engaged on Facebook throughout the year with sponsor, vendor and charity information and introduced the group to international adventure motorcycle riders Zoe Cano https://www.zoecano.com/ and Steph Jeavons https://stephjeavons.com/.

Steph is the first person from Britain to ride on all seven continents and through 53 countries on a Honda CRF250L. Steph’s motorcycle ride started in March 2014 from London. She returned home in 2018.

Zoe rode her classic Triumph Bonneville T100 solo across the American Continent after receiving her motorcycle endorsement with less than 100 riding miles under her belt in 2012.

Sherry wants to keep raising the number of female motorcycle riders and to raise the profile of female bikers to let manufactures know we are out here. Sherry notices the improvement in gear available for female motorcycle riders over the last few years. One of Sherry’s favorite motorcycle gear providers is MotoGirl https://motogirl.co.uk/.  A lot of the female motorcycle riders at the event were wearing MotoGirl leggings.

Sherrie let Porsche and I borrow a couple of her motorcycles to participate in the ride for the count. Porsche was number 433 and I was number 434. The official count for 2019 was 443. The low turnout was due to rain storms across Europe. The rainy weather did not prevent the event from raising £2,458 (3,182.00 United States Dollar) for charity to split among Shropshire, Staffordshire Blood Bikers and British Bikers Relief Fund.

The participants welcomed Porsche and I with open arms and jokingly referred to us as the “Crazy Americans” for traveling across the pond commonly known as the Atlantic Ocean just to participate.

I hope to return to Europe in 2019 to support the World’s Largest All Female Motorcycle Meet record at Lynn’s Raven Café.

 

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MOTORCYCLE HELMET WITH PINLOCK VISOR FOR CLEAR VISION IN THE RAIN

MOTORCYCLE RIDERS it is worth it to INVEST IN A PINLOCK VISOR FOR YOUR HELMET TO SEE CLEARLY WHILE RIDING IN THE RAIN.  It is dangerous to ride a motorcycle when your helmet shield fogs.

In 1994, Derek Arnold created the Pinlock system for motorcycle riders to see clearly. The Pinlock system uses a silicon bead sealant when the Pinlock visor is attached to the helmet visor to absorb moisture on the inside to allow clear visibility.  The Pinlock inserts integrate with different helmet brand visors.

There are three different types of Pinlocks:

1. Push Pin – used with Pinlock ready helmets by inserting lens into the face shield
2. Three Component Pin – provides extra grip to a helmet that has an expanded version of the Push Pin system with integrated screws
3. Tear Off Pin – uses Pinlock insert lenses and tear-off strips for motorcycle racers. The Pinlock Tear Off Pins are only compatible with 2D visors.

There are three Pinlock levels for fog protection:

1. Pinlock 30 – universal fit for Pinlock ready helmet brands
2. Pinlock 70 – custom fit for specific helmet brands
3. Pinlock 120 – specific helmet brands for motorcycle racing or adventure riding

Visit https://pinlock.com to see if there is a Pinlock visor available for your helmet.

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CHECK THE WEATHER BEFORE YOUR MOTORCYCLE RIDE

It’s highly suggested to check the weather along the route you plan to take on your journey to your destination outside your local riding area.

My go to website to obtain weather forecast on Interstates are https://www.theweathernetwork.com/us/maps/us-highway-forecast/ and https://www.accuweather.com/en/driving-directions-weather.  My favorite app to monitor weather conditions is MyRadar http://myradar.com.

The more you ride your motorcycle across state lines, you will LEARN HOW TO READ THE SKY. Is the sky clear? Are the clouds white or dark ready to release rain?

PAY ATTENTION TO THE ANIMALS. I’ve witness for myself during my cross country motorcycle rides the old wives’ tale is true if COWS ARE LYING DOWN IN A PASTURE A RAINSTORM IS COMING…lol

ALWAYS PACK YOUR RAIN GEAR!!! It rains winter, spring, summer and fall.

ONLY YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE YOU DRINK PLENTY OF WATER AND LIQUIDS WITH ELECTROLYTES TO HYDRATE to prevent dehydration and heat exhaustion, which can lead to more serious health conditions, such as heat stroke.
Ride Safe and Ride Smart,

SeCCRet the Cross Country Rider

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MOTORCYCLE RIDE TO THE FOUR CORNERS MONUMENT IN THE USA

It’s a great feeling to visit four different states at the same time without figuring out how to clone yourself.

I rode my motorcycle on gravel with a beautiful view of seven (7) flags representing three nations Navajo, Ute and United States of America and four states Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. The Navajo Nation owns these remote areas of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. The Ute Nation owns the southwest corner of Colorado.

On February 2, 1848, the United States acquired the remote area currently known as the four corners from Mexico under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo for $15 million. The people living in the area had the choice to relocate within the new borders of Mexico or receive full civil rights as an American citizen. It is worth noting the land was initially owned by Native Americans before it was claimed by Spain and before Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821.

In 1912, the cement pad was built on site to officially mark the only place in the Unites States of America where four states meet at one point Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. In 1931, the cement pad was replaced with a brass disc marker. In 1962, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Land Management poured an elevated cement pad around the 1931 brass marker. The monument was rebuilt in 1992 replacing the 1931 brass marker with a disc shaped plate.  In 2010, the monument was rebuilt again with the same 1992 disc shaped plate.

The monument is located miles away from gas, food, and lodging. There are several campgrounds nearby the monument. Visitors are encouraged to bring water and hand sanitizer since there is no running water. There are booths surrounding the four corners monument to purchase jewelry, crafts and food directly from the Navajo and Ute.

You will have to wait patiently in line for your turn to stand or lay down in the middle of the four states or figure out creative ways to touch all four states with your arms and legs. Don’t forget to get a picture!

If you plan to ride your motorcycle to the Four Corners Monument, bring your kickstand pad.

 

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MOTORCYCLE RIDE TO MICHAEL JACKSON’S CHILDHOOD HOME (includes video footage of visit)

As I ride my motorcycle through the streets of Gary, Indiana on July 5, 2017, I immediately notice poverty. Gary reminds me of a ghost town with vacant storefronts, boarded up buildings and houses and empty streets.

I’m excited for the opportunity to visit the childhood home of the late Michael Jackson and his siblings Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, Randy, La Toya, Rebbie and Janet.

Joseph Jackson and Katherine Jackson purchased a two-bedroom home on 2300 Jackson Street in Gary, Indiana while Joseph Jackson was working at Inland Steel and Katherine working part-time at Sears in 1950. Joe and Katherine had 10 children. One of their children Brandon died after he was born. Joe and Katherine raised nine (9) children in their small two-bedroom home before the Jacksons became famous.

I pull up on my motorcycle to 2300 Jackson Street and park in front of the only nice house on the block. The black wrought iron fence surrounding a perfectly manicured lawn was locked to prevent visitors from walking up to the house. The small white house had security shutters on the windows to prevent criminals and visitors from looking inside. There are also security cameras installed on the house. The large granite memorial statute for Michael Jackson in the front yard with images from various stages of his career and some lyrics from his popular songs. On the side of the house in the driveway are donated bricks with some pictures of Michael and the names of family members. Behind the house is an alley. There are plastic flowers and handwritten graffiti expressing love and admiration for the Jackson family. Across from the alley is Roosevelt High School where some of the Jackson children attended. According to various news sources, the memorial statute for Michael was removed in October 2017 and in the possession of the family.

A childhood friend of the Jackson’s was there during my visit doing some surveillance on behalf of the family. He confirmed Joe and Katherine currently owns the home. The family is interested in doing something more Jackson family related since it is more like a Michael Jackson monument. He was taking pictures and sending them to Jermaine Jackson. The family is thinking about doing a Jackson’s family museum since Michael’s estate may not be interested in doing it right now and it’s important to honor the entire family and their efforts in music. He is a local designer that works with the Jackson family.

The Jackson’s achievements, music and legacy will live on forever.

Click play to watch the video below of visit to the Jackson family home.

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Motorcycle Helmet May Save Your Life

The most common fatal injuries sustained by motorcycle riders are injuries to the head. The purpose of the motorcycle helmet is to help reduce fatalities and injuries resulting from motorcycle accidents.  It was a pleasure hosting a motorcycle helmet clinic to educate motorcycle riders and passengers in the community.

Motorcycle riders adopted the use of helmets from the military, football, auto racing and space industries.

In 1918, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) was established to oversee the development of voluntary consensus standards for products, services, processes, systems and personnel in the United States. The first American Standard Safety Code was approved in 1921 and covered the protection of the heads and eyes of industrial workers. Many standards produced by ANSI in the 1930s promoted safety in work and home environments. ANSI based standards is essentially for auto race driving helmets adopted or endorsed for use by motorcycle riders. ANSI formerly adopted its present name after numerous reorganizations and name changes in 1969.

Motorcycle riders wore leather caps made of sheepskin or gabardine leather until T.E. Lawrence (aka Lawrence Arabia suffered a fatal motorcycle crash and Hugh Carins lead the development of the motorcycle crash helmet in 1935.

In 1953, Professor C.F. Red Lombard submitted the first patent for a motorcycle helmet.

Snell Memorial Foundation has independently tested manufacturer’s helmets since 1957. Once a helmet is Snell certified, the manufacturer cannot make any design changes. Any structural modification made by a motorcycle rider such as drilling holes, paint, glue, adhesive stickers or solvents not approved by the manufacturer may make the helmet ineffective and automatically invalidate existing Snell certification because it could affect the performance quality of the helmet. Snell Standards are the toughest testing and performance standards in the world. Snell examines, revises, updates and republishes many of its standards about every five years.

In 1966, the National Highway Safety Act (NHSA) required states to pass mandatory helmet laws in order to receive Federal highway funding.
In 1967, the U.S. Department of Transportation was established to help maintain and develop the nation’s transportation system and infrastructure.

In 1970, Congress amended the Vehicle Safety Act to expand the definition of motor vehicle equipment to include “any device, article or apparel…to safeguard motor vehicles, drivers, passengers, and other highway users from the risk of accident, injury or death and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was established to help reduce the number of deaths, injuries, and economic losses resulting from motorcycle vehicle crashes on the Nation’s highways.

On January 4, 1974, the U.S. Department of Transportation declared Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 218 (FMVSS-218) for motorcycle helmets.

In 1975, Congress withdrew the requirements of the NHSA and many states repealed mandatory helmet laws.

On July 6, 2012, President Barack Obama signed into law a new two year transportation reauthorization bill, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), which modified the definition of “motor vehicle equipment adding the term “motorcycle helmet” to the description of regulated items.

Motorcycle helmets sold in the United States must meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard FMVSS 218. It is a violation of some state laws for motorcycle riders and passengers to wear unsafe novelty helmets with affix stickers perpetrating manufacturers certification labels that do not meet FMVS 218.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration requires motorcycle helmets manufactured after May 13, 2013 to include the phrase “FMVSS No. 128 on the certification decal with the manufacturers name or brand name and the word certified to make easy for riders and law enforcement to identify non-compliant helmets. Prior to May 13, 2013, the label requirements of FMVSS No. 218 consist of the letters “DOT” on the rear of the helmet. As of this date, there are no regulatory limits on the age of motorcycle helmets that may be used to comply with a state motorcycle helmet use law. Motorcycle riders and passengers can wear helmets with “DOT” made prior to the May 2013 label change requirements.

If you are planning a motorcycle ride crossing state lines, check the current helmet laws.

As of 2018, there is no helmet law in Illinois, Iowa and New Hampshire. Alabama, California, District of Columbia, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia and Washington require all motorcyclist and passengers to wear a helmet under universal helmet laws. Partial helmet laws states of Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming requires motorcycle riders to have medical insurance coverage.

Higher insurance premiums for motorcycle riders that wear helmets in states that do not require protection because helmetless motorcyclist in most cases are uninsured at the time of serious injury or fatal accident. For example, the state of Michigan requires motorcycle riders to have at least $20,000 of medical benefit coverage on their motorcycle insurance if they plan to ride without a helmet which would likely raise insurance cost. If a motorcycle rider is uninsured or under insured, their treatment cost is often funded by state public health programs.

A high number of motorcycle crash fatalities has shown motorcyclist wearing sub-standard motorcycle helmets not intended for highway use providing little or no head protection resulting in high cost to tax payers.

When shopping for a motorcycle helmet check for the following labels to certify the helmet meets or exceeds FMVSS 218.
• DOT prior to May 13, 2013
• FMVSS No. 128 after May 13, 2013
• Snell inside the helmet.
• American National Standards Institute (ANSI) inside the helmet
• Manufacturers name on or inside the helmet stating model, size, month and year of manufacture, construction materials and owners information.
Make sure your helmet is a good snug fit and it can stay on your head after fasting the chin strap when you shake your head from side to side and up and down.

If your helmet takes a hit or drop on the ground, it should be replaced immediately because the expanded polystyrene (EPS) inside the helmet absorbs the energy of an impact spreading the forces throughout the helmet material, which is used to protect your head and brain. Although the helmet may appear normal, the inner EPS foam may have lost absorbing capability and may provide little or no protection during a motorcycle accident. You may consider contacting the manufacturer to request having your motorcycle helmet x-rayed by a professional to confirm if the inner layers of the helmet are still in good condition.