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March 2013 Motorcycle News

What's Billy Lane Up To These Days?

After his release in September of 2014, Billy has been posting frequently to social media and made an appearance at the most recent Sturgis along with some of the riders for his latest endeavor, Sons of Speed. What is Sons of Speed, you ask? It’s a racing event that draws inspiration from the early twentieth century board track racers. The machines will feature pre-1925 1000cc V-twins and identical hand built racing chassis. The builders will throw their personal touch on the machines by fa…

OCC is Back?! Well, Sort of.

Those eager to watch some fresh episodes of the Teutul’s building motorcycles will have something to rejoice about come February 20. A&E; will premiere the “Orange County Choppers: American Made” series at 4 pm ET which brings Paul Sr., Mikey, and the OCC gang back with a new friend… Rusty Coones from “Sons of Anarchy.” The series is promising to provide an “intimate glimpse into the adrenaline fueled lifestyle” of Paul Sr. and Rusty. I’m not sure what they’re up to but I’m skeptical about t…

Best Time to Buy Used (or New) Motorcycles

Since the season is upon us, I decided to write up a quick piece on the best time of year to buy used motorcycles and a few things to consider before and during making this decision. As you might have guessed from the title, this time of year happens to be the best to buy new. Check out the tips for some popular websites below and you'll have a better chance at finding a "motivated" seller when it comes time to negotiate a price. When buying new, anytime around November or December is best. …

Do Biketoberfest Like a Pro

With Biketoberfest right around the corner, we decided to do a follow-up to an article that received lots of praise several years back for the headache it saved rookies and veterans alike. In the spirit of fun, because that’s what these events are supposed to be, I’ll point out some helpful tips on how to avoid traffic, activities for the family (G-Rated), the best restaurants, good hotels, and some of the events that will be happening around Daytona. Avoiding Traffic The first thing …

Full Throttle Fire Leaves 'Worlds largest Biker Bar' Future in Question

Sturgis : On Sept. 8, the Worlds Largest Biker Bar, The Full Throttle Saloon just outside of Sturgis S.D. was leveled as the 10 million dollar facility burned to the ground. The fire was caused by a faulty electrical wire, according to owner Michael Ballard. Officially, federal, state, and local authorities ruled the blaze accidental but failed to pinpoint a cause. The Full Throttle was made famous by being one of the largest event venue draws during the giant Sturgis Mot…

LAFD Fire Hogs wounded vets head to Sturgis

July 29th, 2015 Led by members of the Los Angeles City Fire Department's own motorcycle club, more than a dozen wounded veterans are hitting the road in the first-ever veterans charity ride to Sturgis, South Dakota -- a popular spot for bikers. They'll have some fun along the way, but will also deal with some serious issues that concern veterans. "We've got a suicide rate of 22 a day right now and it's only on the rise. The reality of it is that we, as service members, need to start tak…

Indian Motorcycle Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis

July 13th, 2015Indian Motorcycle, America’s first motorcycle company, today announced its sponsorship of the “Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis.” The ride, intended to raise support for severely wounded and injured veterans, will offer a group of former military service members the opportunity to ride to Sturgis, SD just in time for the rally’s 75th anniversary.Indian Motorcycle recently announced a partnership with the USO, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing programs and live entert…

On cross-country motorcycle ride William Shatner stops in Independence

July 8th, 2015Standing by their motorcycles in the 90-degree heat, American Legion members anxiously held their phones waiting to hear the revving of motorcycles along U.S. 40.“There he is,” pointed one member.“Oh my gosh, it’s Captain Kirk!” squealed the wife of another.Like it was a movie, William Shatner, 84, famously known as Star Trek’s Captain Kirk, pulled up to the entrance of Independence’s American Legion Post 21 with his wife, Elizabeth, behind him.“Wow, now this is a hot ride,” said S…

Sturgis to reach new milestone, over 800k attendees

July 7th, 2015 Article originally written on LATimes. The town of less than 7,000 typically draws 400,000 visitors for the rally. But after the 2014 gathering, the Rapid City Journal suggested that the milestone might make attendance spike. If 853,000 or more people show up, the figure will top the entire state’s population. The mammoth biker bash will be Aug. 3-9. With the huge crowds in mind, an Orange County event organizer will develop Sturgis City Park as an entertainment v…

Marlon Brando Harley sells for $256,000

July 6th, 2015Article originally written on GizMag.A 1970 Harley-Davidson FLH Electra-Glide owned since new by screen icon Marlon Brando has sold for $256,000 at Julien's Hollywood Legends auction in Hollywood. Brando won two academy awards for best actor (from eight nominations) and despite many famous film roles (A Streetcar named Desire, The Godfather, Last Tango in Paris, Guys and Dolls, On the Waterfront, Julius Caesar, Apocalypse Now and Mutiny on the Bounty, it was his role as Johnny Stra…

Honda RC213V-S Is a Street-Legal MotoGP Motorcycle

July 2nd, 2015Limited to 200 units and handmade to order at a rate of just one per day, the Honda RC213V-S is the company’s MotoGP race bike made street-legal.Based on the production version RCV1000R MotoGP machine (as raced by Nicky Hayden in 2014), this RCV213V-S streetbike is almost identical except for the carbon brakes; it is equipped with the Brembo steel brake setup as used by the Honda racebikes in the wet. The streetbike also omits the seamless gearbox and pneumatic valve system used on…

Throttle Fest drives away negative aspects of motorcycle culture

June 30th, 2015Article written on The Chicago Tribune.Ramp stunts, a "wall of death" and a motorcycle riding a tight rope with trapeze artists above the Lake County Fairgrounds were among the weekend attractions that celebrated all aspects of bike culture during Throttle Fest in Grayslake.The three-day motorcycle festival and rally highlighted the positive community among motorcyclists, attendees and organizers said, not the menacing image popular culture might suggest. Many at the event describ…

Wind-powered motorcycle for a Mad Max world

June 25th, 2015Come the days of scarcity, hopefully we won't be living in a post-apocalyptic desert wasteland warring viciously over the few resources left -- and hopefully we'll be a little more prepared, with sustainable replacements for the fossil-fueled technology we live with now.This is the idea behind James Dyson Award entry Strangeworld -- a motorcycle powered by the wind and the sun."I was riding a rented motorcycle through Glencoe in the Highlands of Scotland in late 2013," explained p…

Harley-Davidson CEO Wants Young People To Live For Real On A Motorcyle

June 22nd, 2015Article originally written on The Huffington Post.Matt Levatich prefers a hog to the bad piggies of "Angry Birds."The Harley-Davidson CEO said electronic devices, such as smartphones and video games, were distracting potential young bikers from the call of the open road."I'm in the camp of: It isn't bad, it's just different," he told The Wall Street Journal.But he believes the rebellious counterculture that started in the 1950s -- in which motorcycles were emblematic -- will endur…

Motorcycle dream job with Harley-Davidson

June 18th, 2015MILWAUKEE Growing up skiing and boating on Grayson Lake, Nathan Boyd never dreamed of a job with America’s most legendary motorcycle company.“I rode dirt bikes from the age of 5 through college, but I’d never been on a street bike until I joined the Harley-Davidson Motor Company,” said Boyd, a member of the Boyd County High School class of 1988 who now works as director of product integrity for Harley-Davidson in Milwaukee.With hands on at every point in the development of a new H…

Harley-Davidsons electric motorcycle needs a few more years

June 12th, 2015Harley-Davidson has been showing off its first electric motorcycle, Project LiveWire, for nearly a year now, taking the prototype on promotional tours around the US to gather feedback from riders. The company hasn't previously mentioned launch dates for the bike, but has now confirmed that it's going to be a while before the LiveWire goes on sale. Harley-Davidson's chief executive Matt Levatich told The Wall Street Journal that a launch isn't likely "in the next couple years but i…

Motorcycle run raises $25000 for charity

June 8th, 2015Chef’s Restaurant raised $25,000 for charity with help from 200 motorcycle riders and their supporters over the weekend.Erie County Sheriff Timothy Howard and Buffalo Sabres player Rene Robert joined in by starting the motorcycle run at 11 a.m. Saturday.The run and companion raffle raised money for the Louis Billittier Foundation, formed to continue the children’s charity work of its late namesake. His son Lou Billittier Jr. owns Chef’s with his wife Mary Beth.A portion of the road…

Electric motorcycle allows Berea to save gas while patrolling parks

June 1st, 2015The Berea Police Department put its all-electric motorcycle through its paces Wednesday during a public demonstration.Purchased for $21,000, the bike will be used to patrol trails and the city's park system, police Chief David Gregory said.The Berea department is the first Kentucky law enforcement agency to use an environmentally friendly all-electric motorcycle, Gregory said.Because the bike is virtually silent, it won't disturb people relaxing in the parks."This will let them kee…

Lane splitting soon to be legal in California

May 29th, 2015Article originally written on Mercury News.California is poised to become the first state to allow motorcycles to weave between cars that are slowed by traffic.The Assembly on Thursday overwhelmingly approved Assembly Bill 51, permitting motorcyclists to split lanes so long as they do so at speeds no faster than 50 mph and no faster than 15 mph than traffic in adjacent lanes is moving. The bill heads to the Senate after passing, without debate, on a 53 to 11 vote.All other states b…

Mark Wahlberg Retells the Combat History of the Indian Motorcycle

May 19th, 2015The history of America cannot be told without the mention of a few definitive companies, in some cases, a bit more involved in making history than others. Indian Motorcycle is one of them, having built thousands of combat bikes during the first and second World Wars, and undoubtedly permitting the delivery of some incredibly important messages. To honor the brave men and women who have served, past and present, Indian and the USO have built a modern tribute bike in the likeness of …

Cortege of 100 motorcyclists accompany body of DSI campaigner home

May 7th, 2015Mr Lynam was fatally injured in a crash outside Kilkee yesterday during a Down Syndrome Ireland charity event.Mr Lynam was passionate about motorbikes and when his daughter Robyn was born in 2005 he and another father of a child with Down Syndrome organised a motorcycle fundraiser.The fundraiser, called RevUp4DSI in aid of the charity, has raised €1.6m over the last 10 years.Mr Lynam was a marshall in this year's event when he was fatally injured.He had co-ordinated all major fundra…

Motorcycle and TT legend Geoff Duke dies

May 4th, 2015Article originally written on Yahoo!Duke was one of the first major stars of grand prix motorcycle racing in the 1950s.He made his name at the famous Isle of Man event, earning a factory Norton ride after winning the 1949 Senior Clubmans TT and Senior Manx Grand Prix.In his first year with Norton, he set a record pace on the way to TT victory and came within one point of the 500cc world championship, finishing second in the 350cc class too.The following year he dominated both the 35…

Steve McQueens old motorcycle goes for $775,000

April 15th, 2015The motorcycle, a Cyclone Board Track Racer, looks more like a bicycle with a motor added on than a traditional motorcycle. The model was made by the Joerns Motor Manufacturing Co. between 1913 and 1916. This motorcycle was auctioned off Saturday by Mecum Auctions in Las Vegas. Despite its modest appearance a motorcycle from this model was recorded going 111 mph in 1914, which was a record at that time. The motorcycle was owned by McQueen, and was previously purchased at an est…

Honda builds new Camping Bike

March 25th, 2015Article written on Motorcycle-USA by Bryan Harley.Honda has had a habit of pushing the design envelope recently (think NM4 and CTX700). Apparently, the manufacturer’s engineers are at it again, this time with a motorcycle that’s part Ruckus, part scrambler, and outfitted to be an ideal motorcycle for camping.Honda unveiled the Bulldog concept model at the 31st Osaka Motorcycle Show 2015. The motorcycle is powered by a 399cc Inline two-cylinder engine with dual overhead cams. The …

Indian Motorcycles Adding Screens To Bikes

March 20th, 2015Article originally written on Forbes.Indian Motorcycles is adding screens to its motorcycles, bringing new-age technology to the classic bikes, said Steve Menneto, vice president of motorcycles for Polaris Industries, at the Forbes Reinventing American conference on Thursday.The screens would allow riders to see mileage counts, chart where they are going, check that their motorcycles don’t have any mechanical problems and control their music. “You’ve got to have loud music when y…

Legendary Steve McQueen 1915 Cyclone motorcycle up for auction

March 11th, 2015Minnesota-based motorcycle manufacturer Joerns Motor Manufacturing Company didn't last long -- just a few short years, from 1912 to 1917. during that time, though, the company managed to produce one of the most highly prized pieces of motorcycling history -- the Cyclone.Because its production run was so short, very few of the original Cyclone motorcycles were made. The best estimates say around 300 were manufactured, with only six known to remain in existence today -- but they we…

New 2016 Indian Chief Motorcycle

February 16th, 2015Article originally written on Fox News.The Indian Chief Dark Horse will soon be cruising into showrooms. The new entry-level Chief has been stripped of most of its shiny bits, ditches the whitewall tires, and is finished in a menacing matte black paint scheme.Cast back wheels lower the profile even further, as does its single-seat saddle, which can be doubled-up as an option.Mechanically, the Dark Horse is all Chief and features the same torquey Thunder Stroke 111 cubic-inch V…

Ewan McGregor on his vintage Italian motorcycle

February 12th, 2015Fans of Ewan McGregor should not be surprised that the actor uses two wheels to get around Hollywood. After all, the Moulin Rouge star has created and starred in two television series about lengthy motorbike rides.On Tuesday the Scottish actor was spotted on his classic Italian motorcycle in Los Angeles.The 43-year-old looked a bit glum, probably because he's gotten a bad start to the new year; his film Mortdecai - which also starred Johnny Depp and Gwyneth Paltrow - bombed ba…

Indian Motorcycle Announces 2016 Chief Dark Horse

February 11th, 2015Article originally written on motorcycle.comYesterday we brought you the news of Indian launching its newest model, the 2016 Chief Dark Horse, with a group ride through Chicago called the Dark Horse Challenge Ride. Today in an Indian press release, the company has officially announced the Dark Horse will be showcased in a consumer reveal spanning two continents.The Chief Dark Horse will be presented to American audiences at Chicago’s Progressive International Motorcycle Show, …

Will Victory Beat Harley-Davidson

February 10th, 2015Article originally written on greencarreports.comA patent for the name “Victory Charger” has been filed by Polaris with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Polaris recently bought the manufacturing business of electric-motorcycle maker Brammo; it's also the parent company of Victory Motorcycles, a manufacturer of cruiser-style bikes that compete against Harley Davidson. The Polaris patent is for “Electric motorcycles and structural parts therefor”, which appears to be a plac…

Richmond motorcycle clubs reach out to homeless with barbecue

January 12th, 2015RICHMOND -- Residents of a transitional facility for the homeless were treated to food and clothing Saturday afternoon by members of local motorcycle clubs who collaborated on the good deed.Members from several Richmond-based clubs -- the All Access VIPs, the Fugitives, Road Runners, Show Kings, Four Horsemen, Bonafide Riders, Filthy Rich, Real Richmond and Elegant Ebony Ladies -- gathered at the West County Interim Housing Program at Brookside Shelter, bringing a barbecue to p…

William Shatner to cross US on Rivet, a custom steampunk motorcycle

January 9th, 2014In a move worthy of Captain Kirk himself, William Shatner has started a company to create custom futuristic steampunk motorcycles — and will ride his own machine from Chicago to Los Angeles later this year to promote the brand.Shatner posted a link to the new company's website on his Facebook page."Excited about my partnership with American Wrench in forming Rivet Motors," the post reads. "This is the cycle of the future."Rivet is described as "a machine as distinguished and ico…

Russian Startup Livemap Lands $300K Grant For Its Motorcycle Helmet

January 5th, 2015As we’re coming up on the next Consumer Electronics Show, I got an update from one of the companies that participated in TechCrunch’s Hardware Battlefield at the last CES — Russian startup Livemap.The Livemap team is working to create motorcycle helmets with voice control and GPS navigation directly in your field of vision — so while you’re riding, you can see directions in your helmet display without having to fiddle with another device or look away from the road. (Back in Janu…

Motorcycles taking on a 70s design

December 26th, 2014SEVENTIES STYLE IS ON A ROLL—especially in the realms of fashion, décor, and facial hair. That goes for the motorcycle world, too. New models, from Honda to Ducati, are being aimed at Gen-X riders, who, now in their 40s, are likely to gravitate toward the ’70s-style bikes they probably coveted as children. And with good reason: That was the decade when motorcycles evolved from toys into viable modes of transportation. Engines became more powerful and reliable, while suspension…

Indian Scout 40 Groundbreakers

December 23rd, 2014Indian Motorcycle, America’s first motorcycle company, announced it has joined forces with Rolling Stone in this week’s release of a chronology of the “40 Most Groundbreaking Albums of all Time,” exclusively presented by the groundbreaking new 2015 Indian Scout. The compilation by the editorial staff of Rolling Stone identifies the most “monumental musical statements that changed the world.”The chronological listing spans the nearly 60 years from Woody Guthrie’s 1940 “Dust Bow…

Hells Angels Motorcycle Club members arrested after holiday toy drive

December 23rd, 2014Four members of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club left a Christmas toy drive on Sunday only to be arrested on suspicion of drug and firearms charges.lRelated First of three storms brings more rain to Southern CaliforniaSheriff's officials said it's unclear what the men's roles were at the Ventura County toy drive. But in years past, the club has tried to shy away from its outlaw image. In Fresno, the Hells Angels have donated gifts during the holiday season to the Poverello Hou…

Milan motorcycle show report

December 11th, 2014This month's Milan motorcycle show celebrated the centenary of an event that traditionally showcases the following year's new models. Rarely in those 100 years can the Italian halls have hosted a more exciting display than this year's, which confirmed that after several quiet years the motorcycle industry has burst into life in spectacular fashion.That's good news for British enthusiasts because Motorcycle Live, this country's biggest show, opens next Saturday (November 22). T…

The fastest electric motorcycle on the market

December 4th, 2014With a polite round of applause, the first owner of the fastest production electric motorcycle took the keys to his new ride. Sitting down just a few moments later, he slyly looked down and slid them onto the ring next to keys for his Tesla. His half-hour or so commute is now 17 minutes — legally, that is.I'm not in some gleaming garage or an airplane hangar, but in the second floor of Autodesk's headquarters in San Francisco. That's an odd place for a motorcycle, but it's also…

Honda builds its 300,000,000 motorcycle

December 1st, 2014Honda has built its 300 millionth motorcycle, crossing a milestone that few automakers have reached.The historic bike produced at its Kumamoto Factory in Japan was a top-of-the-line Gold Wing, which has a 1.8-liter engine and sells for over $24,000 -- a far cry from the humble 98cc Dream Type-D that kicked off production in 1949.It took the company nearly two decades to build its 10 millionth motorcycle in 1968, but only five more to reach 20 million in 1973, and things just ke…

Indian Motorcycle unveils Long Beach IMS plans

November 10th, 2014Indian Motorcycle, America’s first motorcycle company, today announced its itinerary for the International Motorcycle Show in Long Beach, Calif., which takes place November 14-16 at the Long Beach Convention Center. Riders in southern California are encouraged to be among the first in the nation to take a demo ride on the stunning new 2015 Indian Scout, motorcycling’s hottest new middle-weight cruiser, the ultra-premium luxury touring Indian Roadmaster and the rest…

Local veteran presented with a special Harley Davidson

November 11th, 2014A local group is thanking local veterans for their service by giving away special gifts in the form of two wheels. “Harley’s For Heroes” surprised veteran Shane Betts on Sunday with a newly rebuilt Harley Davidson motorcycle at Appalachian Harley Davidson in Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County. Twice a year, the group presents a classic-style Harley to wounded a veteran who has returned home from Iraq or Afghanistan. Each Harley is custom-built solely from donated pa…

Five new bikes that upend motorcycle performance

November 12th, 2014Just as the motoring universe has begun to assimilate the incredible performance of cars such as the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and Nissan GT-R Nismo, it now must prepare for an emerging crop of incomprehensibly fast motorcycles.Street-legal, two-wheeled hyper-speed is not new; the Kawasaki Ninja 900, Suzuki GSXR1100 and Honda Hurricane 1000 of the 1980s eradicated all prior performance benchmarks for street motorcycles. Such was their potency that a bil…

Harley-Davidson Sets Goal to Plant 50 Million Trees Worldwide by 2025

November 7th, 2014Harley-Davidson Sets Goal to Plant 50 Million Trees Worldwide by 2025Partnership Marks Expansion of The Nature Conservancy’s Plant a Billion Trees ProgramMILWAUKEE, Oct. 29, 2014 —Harley-Davidson®, together with The Nature Conservancy, is mobilizing its global community of riders to raise funds to plant 50 million trees worldwide by 2025 as part of its Renew the Ride™ initiative.Dedicated to the goal of preserving the open road for future generations of riders, Renew the Ride i…

Harley-Davidson Partners with Wounded Warrior Project

November 6th, 2014Harley-Davidson made a special delivery of new 2015 motorcycles to six U.S. military veterans, today. The surprise jumpstarts a new partnership between Harley-Davidson and Wounded Warrior Project to help improve the lives of service men and women living with post-traumatic stress disorder.Bill Davidson, great-grandson of company co-founder William A. Davidson, along with six Harley-Davidson employees who are veterans, rode the bikes – led by police motorcade – to Wounded Warrio…

Parkland Toy Run delivers again

November 3rd, 2014About 50 motorcycles, a half dozen fire departments and a handful of cars participated in the 20th Annual Parkland Toy Run on Saturday to help Season of Hope.With temperatures in the early 40s late morning, most motorcycle riders gathered inside CiCi's Pizza before the ride began for free coffee, hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls. Organizer Kevin Sumpter, president of the Parkland Cycle Servants, was pleased with the turnout. Members of several local motorcycle clubs such as the…

Fifty things you’ll never do with an electric motorcycle

October 31st, 2014Most of you are painfully aware that I have spent the last two years riding a 100% electric motorcycle, in my case a 2010 Zero DS.It’s true, I’m a little obsessed and not just because I’ve always liked riding bikes. For me, the real revelation is that an electric motorcycle can not only provide all the excitement of riding, but perhaps more excitingly I can now see that their applicability as a household energy storage appliance is inevitable.As much as I love my 2010 model, si…

2015 Indian Chieftain by Motorcycle USA

October 28th, 2014The 2015 Indian Chieftain is a visually striking machine. Tall and regal in front, valanced fenders lending a touch of class, the Indian headdress logo gussying up its tank and a pearl of an engine at the center of it all. The massive engine is definitely a focal point, mushroom covers on large-diameter heads, cooling fins machined to a jewel-like sheen, stout parallel pushrod tubes hinting at the power lurking in the big bores beneath. The Blue and Ivory Cream paint job on our…

Harley-Davidson: More Tech, Less Roar

October 28th, 2014While watching CNBC’s Squawk Box show last week, I heard Jim Cramer make the following comment:“You know… this may be more of a technology company than we think. It reads like a fantastic semiconductor company.”The company he was referring to?None other than Milwaukee’s motorcycle stalwart, Harley-Davidson (HOG).Now, I’ve heard Harley-Davidson get called many things in my day… but a tech company? Not so much.Is Cramer as mad as his Mad Money show? Or is there some truth to his …

Motorcycle lane-splitting study finds: the more speed, the more danger

October 23rd, 2014A yearlong California study of motorcycle lane-splitting has concluded the practice is no more dangerous than motorcycling in general, if the rider is traveling at speeds similar to or only slightly faster than the surrounding traffic.The maneuver becomes more dangerous, however, when a motorcyclist is speeding or riding more than 10 mph faster than the traffic the cyclist is passing.Lane-splitting occurs when a motorcyclist passes other vehicles by riding between them along th…

Easy Rider motorcycle auctioned for $135m

October 20th, 2014California auction house Profiles in History said bidding had been fierce but did not name the buyer.Reportedly used in the film's climactic crash scene, the Harley-Davidson was restored by actor Dan Haggerty.Yet the bike's authenticity has been questioned by another collector who claims he owns the actual chopper used.Gordon Granger of Texas also claims he has a certificate, signed by Grizzly Adams star Haggerty, proving his bike is the genuine article.Haggerty, who had a smal…

Bikers v ISIS? Dutch motorcycle gang gets green light to fight Islamic State

October 16th, 2014Article originally written on RT.comAlready battling airstrikes conducted by the US and its allies, the Islamic State now has another threat to look out for: a motorcycle gang from the Netherlands.Three members of the infamous Dutch biker gang “No Surrender” reportedly journeyed to Iraq and Syria last week in order to fight alongside Kurdish troops and against Islamic State (IS) militants.Now, commenting on the legality of that move, the Dutch public prosecutor said Tues…

Behind The Motorcycles In Easy Rider, A Long-Obscured Story

October 13th, 2014On Oct. 18, the Calabasas, Calif.-based auction house Profiles In History will auction off what it says is the last authentic motorcycle used in the filming of 1969's Easy Rider, and what some consider the most famous motorcycle in the world.Peter Fonda, who played Wyatt in the Dennis Hopper-directed film, rode the so-called "Captain America" bike, named for its distinctive American flag color scheme and known for its sharply-angled long front end.The bike currently for sale wa…

Why One Syrian Refugee Risked it All for a Motorcycle

October 10th, 2014SURUC, Turkey -- Ahmed Sheikh Saleh visits the refugee camp nearly every day. He's well-known to many here: the tall, lanky man with thick grey hair. The man who smokes Gitanes and asks for news from home. The man with the motorcycle.Saleh, 45, is a refugee, too. But he doesn't live in the public park in this frontier city near the Syrian border, where families fleeing ISIS sleep in grassy patches underneath the boughs of old trees. In the morning, Saleh rides his cream-colored…

Stolen Harley-Davidson motorcycle found after 42 years

October 9th, 2014Article originally written on ABC7.After 42 years, a stolen classic Harley-Davidson was found at the L.A./Long Beach seaport, and it's being returned to its rightful owner.North Carolina resident Edgar Johnson Junior reunited with his father's 1954 Harley-Davidson Hydra-Glide motorcycle on Thursday."Words can't describe how I'm feeling today," said Johnson. "It's wonderful."Johnson says someone stole the bike from his family's backyard in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1972. He sa…

Man Loses Marriage and Job, Gains Motivation from 11,000-Mile Motorcycle Trip to Alaska

September 29th, 2014Sebastiaan de With is a 26-year-old Dutch man living in San Francisco. He's a designer, photographer and motorcycle enthusiast.As he put it in a Reddit post: de With "got divorced, lost my job, so me and my buddy got on our motorcycles and rode North to the Alaskan Arctic until the road ran out."De With's journey from San Francisco to Anchorage, Alaska, took about two months roundtrip. He and his friend, Stuart Philkill, documented their journey (they're both photographers) w…

Keanu Reeves motorcycle company debuts first bike

September 25th, 2014Keanu Reeves is setting out on another excellent adventure.The actor and motorcycle enthusiast has teamed up with bike builder Gard Hollinger to launch the Arch Motorcycle Company.The Los Angeles-based outfit has started taking orders for its first ride, the KRGT-1.Not just another custom rod, the big V-Twin features an all-original design built with handmade parts and powered by a unique 2032cc motor developed with S&S Cycle good for nearly 122 hp and 122 lb-ft of …

This Burly, $65K Motorcycle Is Inspired by a Fighter Plane

September 23rd, 2014Birmingham, Alabama-based Confederate Motorcycles has been building fast, outrageously designed, limited run motorcycles for over two decades, and its creations have been by turns brilliant and insane. Their latest, the $65,000 X132 Hellcat Speedster, looks destined for the first pile. It’s a made-in-the-USA cruiser so gorgeous and powerful, you may be able to forgive its excess in price.The Hellcat Speedster is the latest in Confederate’s Hellcat series, which it’s been buil…

Motorcycle restoration a loving tribute to Dennis Robinsons older brother, Steven

September 17th, 2014For years, Steven Robinson's Honda motorcycle was a painful reminder of his 2010 death in a traffic accident.Today, the restored bike stands as a gleaming tribute to a beloved brother and a life cut tragically short."It just amazes me to see it sitting there," said Dennis Robinson, growing emotional as he looked at his brother's motorcycle outside TBC Hot Rods and Bikes on Russell Street.Dennis Robinson, 54, said he grew up idolizing his older brother, relying on hi…

A Rock Hill man is accused of stealing a motorcycle he borrowed for a charity

September 10th, 2014ROCK HILL — A Rock Hill man is accused of stealing a motorcycle he borrowed for a charity bike ride last month.Vernon Nelson, 40, was arrested Tuesday and charged with breach of trust, according to Rock Hill Police.A woman told police she lent her 2009 Harley Davidson to Nelson on Aug. 22 so he could participate in a charity motorcycle ride the following day. He was supposed to return the bike two days later but he didn't. The woman hasn't been able to get in touch with him s…

Harley-Davidson brings new electric motorcycle to Kansas City

September 9th, 2014Worth Harley-Davidson is offering people an opportunity to ride Harley-Davidson's first hand built, non-production, custom electric motorcycle from Thursday through Saturday.Project Livewire is not under production, but Harley-Davidson is taking it on a nationwide tour to get customer feedback. Just 35 of the motorcycles were built, and 11 are currently in Kansas City for the first time.The bike is a major change of pace for the motorcycle manufacturer that is known for its lo…

Honda recalls 126K motorcycles for a 2nd time

September 8th, 2014Honda Motor Co. is recalling 126,000 motorcycles for a second time because their brakes can malfunction.The recall covers Honda's GL-1800 motorcycles for model years 2001-2010 and 2012. A problem with the secondary brake master cylinder can cause the rear brake to drag, potentially leading to a crash or fire.Honda had received 533 complaints through July 24, including reports of eight small fires. There have been no reports of crashes or injuries as a result of the problem.Hon…

Harley rally to bring boost for economy

September 4th, 2014Rocky Mount is primed to hold one of its bigger events of the year on Friday.For the first time ever, the city is part of the NC State Harley Owners Group Rally, which is the largest factory-sponsored motorcycle organization in the world with nearly a million members around the globe. The annual event for Harley-Davidson riders is a four-day weekend of planned activities along U.S. 64 dubbed “Door to Door on 64,” starting Wednesday in Murphy, continuing today in Statesville, t…

Motorcycles will roar for late biker legend Don Tilley

September 2nd, 2014Hundreds of Harley riders will converge on Statesville Sunday to celebrate the life of Don Tilley, who died as he lived most of his 78 years: Riding a motorcycle with his wife.Tilley was a legend in racing and Harley-Davidson circles, having led all 20 of Kyle Petty’s “ Charity Ride Across America” treks to raise money for seriously ill children. He died when he lost control of his motorcycle on the Blue Ridge Parkway south of Asheville Friday evening.Robinette Tilley, his wif…

Ozone in Colorado mountains surprises researchers

August 28th, 2014DENVER (AP) - Researchers say they're surprised by how much harmful ozone and ozone-causing chemicals are drifting into the Colorado mountains from urban and rural areas below.Scientists from the National Center for Atmospheric Research and NASA say an intensive examination of pollution along the northern Front Range found ozone all the way up to the Continental Divide.They say mountain ozone levels were similar to or greater than levels at lower elevations in some cas…

Harleys Not Alone in the Electric Motorcycle Race

August 27th, 2014Harley-Davidson’s (HOG) latest model is sure to induce cringes among many die-hard bikers: an electric motorcycle. Project Livewire, now in beta and touring the U.S. to give test rides to Harley fans, boasts zero emissions, far less noise than a standard Harley, and no gearbox. The all-electric motorcycle is missing quite a few of the attributes that make a Harley what it is.Considering this is a company that famously attempted to trademark the distinctive sound made by a Harley…

Sikhs denied exemption from Ontario’s motorcycle helmet law

August 26th, 2014Motorcycle-riding Sikhs in Ontario will not be exempted from the province’s helmet law, Premier Kathleen Wynne has decided.The Canadian Sikh Association says it received a letter last week from Wynne stating the Liberal government, for safety reasons, will not allow Sikh motorcycle riders to wear only turbans as British Columbia and Manitoba currently allow.“After careful deliberation, we have determined that we will not grant this type of exemption as it would pose a road safet…

Justin Bieber nearly crashes into pedestrian while illegally riding motorcycle on sidewalk

August 25th, 2014Justin Bieber had a close call on the road.The 'Baby' singer took his Can-Am Spyder 3-wheeled motorcyle for a joyride in Beverly Hills on Thursday. In trying to avoid traffic, he nearly hit a pedestrian, according to TMZ.Bieber, clad in a flannel shirt and jeans, illegally moved his bike onto the sidewalk after encountering bumper-to-bumper traffic. On his way off the sidewalk and back on to the street, he nearly hit an elderly woman who was using a walker.The close encounter di…

High-End Motorcycles Meet Indias Mopeds

August 22nd, 2014Workers at Erik Buell Racing have spent the past year building motorcycles for rich men who like to move fast. EBR’s newest model, the 1190SX, went on sale in July for $16,995 and is a good choice for “someone who’s looking to go 110 miles per hour on the racetrack,” says Anthony Galimberti, co-owner of Big Boyz Toys, a motorcycle dealership in Marlboro, N.Y. Although the company is known for building powerful trophy bikes, two-thirds of EBR’s 150 workers spend most of their tim…

Lorenzen Wrights motorcycle to be sold at auction

August 19th, 2014A custom motorcycle built specifically for the former University of Memphis and Memphis Grizzlies player Lorenzen Wright will be auctioned Aug. 22.The motorcycle was built in 2008 to fit the 6-foot-11-inch Wright by Carl Brouhard, a nationally known custom motorcycle builder. It will be auctioned at noon at Morris Auction Center, located at 2687 Mt. Moriah Terrace. It will be available for inspection Aug. 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.“This may be a once in a lifetime opportunity to …

Indian Motorcycle riding high as retro chic rules the road

August 18th, 2014Article originally written on Houston Chronicle.Ronald Richards of west Houston has been riding motorcycles for 40 of his 60 years. But the retired military serviceman says the Indian Chieftain he bought a month ago is "unlike any I've ever owned" in terms of the attention he gets while riding it.Greg White, a 63-year-old energy business owner in Sugar Land, heartily agrees. Crowds sometimes gather when he pulls up to a gasoline pump on his Indian Vintage with leather …

Like America, Hormel motorcycle is fueled by bacon

August 15th, 2014Article originally written on CNet.To promote the company's reputation as America's favorite doughnut shop, Dunkin' Donuts created the slogan "America Runs on Dunkin'." Now, I'm not calling Dunkin' a liar, but everyone knows that America really runs on bacon, and Hormel Foods has set out to prove it.San Diego is hosting the International Bacon Film Festival at the USS Midway Museum on August 29. To promote the event, Hormel, one of the most prolific bacon makers in the country, …

CHP stuck in the middle on motorcycle lane-splitting

August 13th, 2014The California Highway Patrol has withdrawn its safety guidance on motorcycle lane-splitting.The law enforcement agency two weeks ago quietly removed from its website a series of recommendations for riders using the popular traffic-avoidance practice, one often reviled by automobile drivers.Lane-splitting, or lane-filtering, is the term used to describe motorcyclists riding in the space between lanes, usually on freeways, and usually when the traffic has slowed or stopped. Relat…

Skully heads-up display motorcycle helmet now available for preorder

August 12th, 2014The Skully AR-1, a high-tech helmet aimed at making motorcycle riding safer by letting riders see what’s behind them, is now available for preorder.The helmet is being sold exclusively on Indiegogo for $1399 and is expected to ship in May 2015. The price of the helmet will go up to $1499 after a 30-day campaign. The helmet features a heads-up display that shows a live feed from a nearly 180-degree rearview camera. The view of the back of the road is displayed outside of the…

US safety agency opens probe into Can-Am Spyder motorcycle fires

August 11th, 2014DETROIT (AP) — U.S. safety regulators are investigating two reports of fires in Can-Am Spyder three-wheeled motorcycles.The probe covers about 52,000 motorcycles from the 2008 through 2014 model years.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says in documents posted Friday that the fires appear to be unrelated to three recalls of the motorcycles. One Spyder was destroyed last month in a fire while being used by the Morgantown, West Virginia, Police Department. Another …

Harley-Davidson Makes An Electric Motorcycle

August 8th, 2014Harley-Davidson unveiling of a new electric motorcycle sent serious energy through the industry last week. Shares of Harley-Davidson Inc. rose significantly after the manufacturer unveiled images of “Project LiveWire,” and websites reported record-level traffic after covering the news.The announcement also created buzz for brands already making electric bikes. ZERO Motorcycles President Scot Harden said web traffic more than doubled the day Harley announced LiveWire, while the co…

Guardian Helmet to Save Lives

August 7th, 2014It's the Google Glass for motorcyclists.A new high-tech helmet could change the way riders take to the road, and combines augmented reality with several other high-tech features to keep bikers safe.The helmet, called the Guardian GA-1, is the brainchild of Ryan Shearman, the founder and CEO of Fusar Tech."Riding in the city is akin to running with the bulls," the 27-year-old Hoboken resident told the Daily News. "It takes quite a brave individual to ride a bike in Manhattan."Shea…

Victorian Government rejects proposal to allow riders to weave through stationary traffic

August 6th, 2014A proposal to allow motorbike and scooter riders to weave through slow-moving or stationary traffic has been rejected by the Victorian Government.The Opposition has promised to amend legislation allowing so-called "filtering" if it wins government in November's state election.Labor's spokesman for roads Luke Donnellan said the move would be a "win-win for everybody"."We think it's time for the Government to act, so we're jumping on the front foot and saying let's get movi…

The Indian Scout motorcycle returns for $10,999

August 4th, 2014It’s not the world’s fastest Indian, but for now it’s the smallest.The recently reborn Indian Motorcycle company has resurrected the legendary Scout name for its new entry level bike.The $10,999 cruiser is powered by an all-new 69 cubic inch twin that’s rated at 100 hp and 72 lb-ft of torque and finished with heritage design cues. A modern aluminum frame helps provide a low curb weight of 558 pounds, and a low seating position to go with it. The Scout’s long gas tank hearkens bac…

Indian Motorcycles Revival Isnt Done Yet

August 1st, 2014After a year of success with its revived lineup of Indian Motorcycles, Polaris Industries is rolling into this weekend’s huge motorcycle rally in Sturgis, S.Dakota, with strong momentum and at least one more surprise in store.It’s been a year since Indian unveiled three new models at Sturgis in a bid to challenge market leader Harley-Davidson. This week, it added a fourth, the $26,999 Roadmaster, a new luxury touring bike that will serve as the brand’s flagship. On Saturday…

New Illinois Motorcycle Law for 600CC

July 30th, 2014After graduating from Illinois' motorcycle safety class, instructors say, some students rush out and buy a monster racing bike that can go 140 mph — and they can't handle it. "Motorcycles keep getting bigger," said Scott Mochinski, a safety class administrator. "They're higher-risk, much heavier, and more powerful. … If you've never ridden and you're bringing in a big heavy motorcycle, it's very difficult." Yet to get a motorcycle classification on a driver's license…

Motorcycle by Orange County Choppers honors fallen firefighters

July 22nd, 2014Paul Kennedy held a tissue in one hand, a black-and-white photo of his son in the other, his eyes welling as the vroom of an approaching motorcycle grew louder.He remembered fist-bumping his son after a recent ride they had taken together around Boston. He pictured cruising down Route 1 with his only child.Then as it roared into the parking lot, he laid eyes on the motorcycle commissioned to honor his firefighter son and Lieutenant Ed Walsh, the victims in March’s fatal Back Bay f…

Safe ride is top rule of the road

July 18th, 2014Whether hosting a blessing for bike riders in the area or gathering for meet-and-greet sessions, members of the Suffolk chapter of the Christian Motorcyclists Association get together just about weekly, and sometimes more often than that.When they do get together to ride, it's Bob Thurman's job as the group's road captain to watch out to make sure riders are safe, making sure they don't engage in dangerous behaviors such as speeding, as well keeping an eye on those with less motor…

Flying motorcycle now on sale

July 16th, 2014The race to sell the first flying car of the 21st century may be won by a motorcycle.The PAL-V is a transforming gyrocopter designed and built in the Netherlands that’s now on sale, with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2016, according to BBC Autos.A modern take on the type of flying machine used by James Bond in the film “You Only Live Twice,” the PAL-V – for Personal Air and Land Vehicle – takes its usefulness to the next level.Thanks to a hydraulic suspension system, the vehicl…

Motorcycle riders come to blows by the side of track after crashing out during grand prix

July 15th, 2014Competition was so feirce at the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring today that these two riders came to blows.The trackside fight happened after Moto3 racer Bryan Schouten crashed heavily on a corner after colliding with his Dutch compatriot Scott Deroue.But instead of waiting for medics, or checking to see if his countryman was injured, Schouten, who rides for Mahindra, instead charged Kalex KTM racer Deroue.The pair were then seeing tussling and throwing punches at one another…

Indian Motorcycle Sturgis to host open house

July 8th, 2014STURGIS | Indian Motorcycle Sturgis opened its doors to the public last month, but they have planned a grand opening for Friday and Saturday this week.The newly renovated, 5,700-square-foot dealership is owned and operated by Vern Eide Motorcars in conjunction with Polaris Industries, giving Indian Motorcycle its first dedicated retail presence in Sturgis since the 1950s."The Vern Eide family is honored to partner with Polaris Industries in bringing the iconic Indian …

Indian is 61 years young

July 7th, 2014You could say this 2014 Indian Chief Vintage is a motorcycle that enthusiasts have been waiting 61 years to ride.Indian motorcycles, the historic brand founded in 1901, has seen its share of short-lived, under-financed and over-promised revival attempts since it went out of business in 1953.But after the brand was purchased more than two years ago by Polaris Industries, the big Minnesota manufacturer of snowmobiles and Victory motorcycles, expectations have been high that this time…

Meet Honda’s anime-inspired NM4 Vultus motorcycle

July 3rd, 2014Whoa, that’s a pretty sweet-looking concept bikeOh, it’s no concept – Honda has actually put the NM4 Vultus into full production. We’ll agree with you that it’s sweet-looking though.One might say it’s “futuristic”One might. The Vultus’ young design team has taken lorryloads of inspiration from Japanimation, and it’s impossible not to see echoes of the street bikes of Akira in its poised, muscular lines. It also has something of the stealth bomber about it, we think. Basically, it d…

Military developing stealth motorcycle

July 2nd, 2014Motorcycle enthusiasts love the sound of a roaring chopper, but the U.S. military isn’t among them. What the Armed Forces need is a cutting-edge motorcycle that – among other things – is fast, stealthy and silent.And they may have one soon – a two-wheel-drive hybrid that will give American soldiers a huge advantage downrange.DARPA – the Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency – recently awarded a small business innovation research grant to develop a military-…

2015 Indian Motorcycles to Debut at Sturgis

Experience the industrys hottest new bikes in a week packed with demo rides product demonstrations apparel sales live music and more.Indian Motorcycle, America’s first motorcycle company, today announced its plans and itinerary for the 74th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, which formally runs August 4-10 in Sturgis, South Dakota. As the company celebrates the one year anniversary of its re-introduction into the motorcycle industry with the launch of the 2014 Indian Chief, this year’s unveiling o…

Sturgis to be taken by Indian

June 27th, 2014Experience the industrys hottest new bikes in a week packed with demo rides product demonstrations apparel sales live music and more.Indian Motorcycle, America’s first motorcycle company, today announced its plans and itinerary for the 74th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, which formally runs August 4-10 in Sturgis, South Dakota. As the company celebrates the one year anniversary of its re-introduction into the motorcycle industry with the launch of the 2014 Indian Chief, this yea…

Indian Motorcycle roars back into business with new shop in Olathe

June 21st, 2014When 92-year-old Bobby Hill was a young man he raced Indian motorcycles in Dodge City, Kan., and other tracks across the country, going toe-to-toe with Harley-Davidson bikes in a fierce rivalry.But the Indian motorcycle company, an iconic brand that counted movie stars and racing fanatics among its customers, filed for bankruptcy in 1953 and Hill stopped racing them. Next month, though, Hill and the other two members of what was known as the Indian Wrecking Crew will be honored fo…

LAPD now using new Zero MMX stealth electric motorcycle

June 23rd, 2014A new super stealthy, military-grade motorcycle is now on the prowl in Los Angeles, quietly hunting criminals in hard-to-reach places.The Los Angeles Police Department has purchased the sleek new Zero MMX electric motorcycle for its fleet of off-road patrol units, cops confirmed to the Daily News.The MMX — which runs about $15,000 but is not for sale to civilians — can zip covertly along park trails and even through buildings thanks to its virtually soundless, zero-emissions desig…

Sturgis 2014 Hall of Fame Inductees

June 9th, 2014The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the 2014 inductees into the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame and the Freedom Fighters Hall of Fame. The Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame is designed to recognize individuals or groups who have made a long term positive impact on the motorcycle community. The Freedom Fighters Hall of Fame recognizes the commitment and sacrifices individuals across the nation and world have made to protect the rights of moto…

Man ticketed after boy found tied to motorcycle

June 5th, 2014EATONTOWN, N.J.Police in New Jersey ticketed a New York man after they saw a 5-year-old tied to his motorcycle.A police officer in Eatontown noticed twine tied around the boy's feet and waist to secure him to the motorcycle. The officer also thought the helmet was too big for the boy's head.Police tell the Asbury Park Press a woman in a pickup truck parked next to the motorcycle identified herself as the boy's mother. Police say the woman said she had given her son permission to ri…

Miranda Lambert Gives Carrie Underwood a Motorcycle

June 2nd, 2014What do you get when your good friends with Miranda Lambert? A motorcycle, of course!Blake Shelton's wife gifted fellow country superstar and good pal Carrie Underwood with a new ride on Saturday, May 24.The American Idol alum wrote on Twitter: "Well, it's not every day @mirandalambert buys you a motorcycle!" Underwood attached a pic of herself atop the two-wheeler with the Tweet, where she's dressed casually and sans shoes."Next stop, motorcycle driving lessons!!! #RansTheBest," t…

Bultaco is Back but With Electric Motorcycles

May 23rd, 2014Bultaco Motorcycles announced plans to reinvent itself as an electric motorcycle manufacturer. The Spanish marque had ceased production in 1983 but now has found a way to get back into the groove. Bultaco revealed its Rapitan and Rapitan Sport - electric-powered prototypes which it claims are "close approximations" of EV models which it will bring in 2014. The new Bultaco claims direct legitimacy from the Bulto family. Daniel Oliver Bulto will serve as Head of Bu…

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India sets target to sell 45 lakh units in FY15

May 19th, 2014NEW DELHI: Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India has set an ambitious target to sell 45 lakh units in the country this fiscal as it gears up to introduce two new motorcycles, and hopes to cash in on the recently launched scooter - Activa 125.It is also planning to open 1,000 more outlets taking the total to 3,800 by the end of the 2014-15 fiscal."HMSI has set the challenging target of 45 lakh unit sales in FY 2014-15. I am confident that propelled by three new launches including the…

Honda to launch two new motorcycles by second quarter

May 15th, 2014Two-wheeler manufacturer Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) will launch two new motorcycles in the second quarter (July-September) of fiscal 2014-15.Two-wheeler manufacturer Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) will launch two new motorcycles in the second quarter (July-September) of fiscal 2014-15.The company made the announcement Tuesday at its 13th annual business meet held in Japan with over 900 business partners, including dealers, distributors, transporters, stock…

Barber Recognized by Guinness as World’s Largest Motorcycle Museum

May 13th, 2014Guinness World Records has officially recognized the Barber Motorsports Museum as the world’s largest motorcycle museum in the world. The 144,000-square-foot, five-story museum is home to nearly 1400 motorcycles, of which about 700 are on exhibit. We’ve featured the Barber Museum before, and are completely blown away each time we step foot within its doors. It’s simply awe-inspiring.The museum opened in its current location at the 830-acre Barber Motorsports Park in 2003. George Ba…

How gas prices relate to motorcycle fatalities

May 9th, 2014While traffic fatalities have dropped to record lows in recent years, motorcycle deaths have risen, reflecting both an increase in the number of riders and the inherent vulnerability of the vehicles.And researchers have found a strong relationship between gasoline prices and motorcycle fatalities: As gas prices rise, so do the number of fatalities, and falling gas prices tend to be mirrored by reduced numbers of motorcycle deaths.Safety experts speculate that is because higher gas p…

Motorcycle show putting a 4-wheeled spin on offerings

May 2nd, 2014The motorcycle industry is growing extra wheels.Many manufacturers at this weekend's Progressive International Motorcycle Show are using the event to promote vehicles that aren't motorcycles at all. They'll be trumpeting their side-by-sides — four-wheel-drive off-road vehicles that are a cross between a souped-up golf cart and a downsized dune buggy.To be sure, the manufacturers' main interest in the motorcycle show is still motorcycles. The annual gathering in Long Beach is their c…

Elon Musk Announces Tesla Giga Battery Factorys Two New Sites

May 5th, 2014Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors Inc., is set to name two sites for the company's Giga factory.The company's next-generation battery packs will be constructed in the factory, according to Greentech Media."What we're going to do is move forward with more than one state, at least two, all the way to breaking ground, just in case there are last-minute issues," Musk said.Musk added that the decision is being made to "minimize the timing risk."Tesla is looking to add a new electric car in …

Suzuki Motorcycle aims to sell half a million units

May 6th, 2014Japanese two-wheeler maker Suzuki Motorcycle aims to sell five lakh units in 2014-15, a top company official said today.The company, as part of consolidating its presence in the two-wheeler market, is also planning to introduce two new motorcycles this year, Suzuki Motorcycle India Executive Vice President, Atul Gupta said, after launching the company's new 110 cc scooterette "LET'S" here."We are No 2 in some states in the scooter segment and countrywide we are No 3 in the market. T…

ABATE to promote motorcycle safety May 3

April 23rd, 2014Vince Rizzone will be among riders revving up to promote motorcycle safety May 3.That's when Alliance of Bikers Aimed Toward Eduction of Erie County riders will rally to signal other drivers to be alert to motorcycles."We had 11 motorcycle deaths in Erie County last year. I was at the hospital about 25 times to visit people who had been in motorcycle accidents," Rizzone said. "Other drivers need to be aware that motorcycles are out and on the road with them, and that maybe they n…

Michigan lawmakers close motorcycle safety loophole by limiting temporary permits

April 22nd, 2014LANSING, MI -- Michigan motorcycle riders will have to take off the proverbial training wheels and obtain a full operating endorsement after two seasons on the road under legislation headed to the desk of Gov. Rick Snyder.House Bill 4781, unanimously approved by the Michigan Senate on Tuesday, closes a loophole in state law allowing motorcycle operators to obtain a Temporary Instruction Permit each season without ever completing a skills test required for endorsement.The permits …

Honda CB Shine becomes Indias all time highest selling 125cc motorcycle

April 21st, 2014India's second largest two-wheeler company Honda Motorcycles & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. (HMSI) has a reason to celebrate. The company has set a new milestone today by selling over 30 lakh units of CB Shine. The Honda CB Shine has become 'India's all time highest selling 125cc motorcycle' and also First Ever 125cc motorcycle to achieve 30 lakh unit mark.Globally as well, the CB Shine has become Honda Japan's top selling motorcycle across Honda's two-wheeler operations worldwide…

Motorcycle Crew Has One Requirement, and It Isn’t a License

April 18th, 2014Inside a biker garage in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, a red 1981 Moto Guzzi V50 Monza was beginning to draw a crowd.It would not start. Its spark plugs were coated in a thick, black film, but replacing them did not help. The Monza’s owner, who wore a denim vest and leather gloves with fringes, stood over the bike and did some tinkering. The engine roared heartily.Hollers and whistles broke out in the garage.“Get it, girl,” someone yelled.There were motorcycles everywhere, gasoline tan…

MSF Updates Basic Rider Course Curriculum

April 9th, 2014 The next phase in motorcycle rider training launched in a Kansas suburb over the weekend. Johnson County Community College became the first site to use the updated Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic RiderCourse that now includes online training, greater emphasis on rider behavior, and additional focus on emergency responses in real-world traffic.One of the major revisions to the BRC is the inclusion of the MSF Basic eCourse, which students take prior to attending the in-person cl…

Senators refuse to water down helmet law

April 4th, 2014BATON ROUGE — Louisiana motorcyclists still must wear helmets, without exceptions.The Senate Transportation Committee killed a proposal Thursday by Sen. Mike Walsworth, R-West Monroe, that would have allowed people 21 and older to ride without a helmet if they complete a safety training course and hold a certain amount of liability insurance.Walsworth said he wanted to “give a narrow way of allowing a person the option of wearing a helmet or not.” He said laws with similar excepti…

2015 Honda NM4 Revealed

April 4, 2014Innovation Marks the 2015 Honda LineupAll-new products are backed by returning favorites in this first release of 2015 Honda modelsTorrance, CA: In recent new-model releases, Honda has covered an extensive span across all categories with more than 20 exciting new powersports products. This remarkably wide variety has impacted virtually all segments of the market, from lightweight, fun bikes such as the Grom™ and 500 series, to big-displacement trendsetters such as the Valkyrie, F6B …

Motorcycle riders say noise bylaw a double standard

March 20th, 2014Article originally written on http://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca The debate over noisy vehicles in Saskatoon is far from over and opposition to a proposed city bylaw that would muzzle motorcycles is growing louder.The city wants to implement new methods to target excessively loud vehicles but some say that sets a double standard.Motorcycle rider Neil Nemeth says he doesn’t think the proposed bylaw is being fairly applied. While it’s aimed at cracking down on all vehicles that emit …

Highest Motorcycle Ownership Per Capita

March 17th, 2014In a recent study done ranking each of the 50 states (and the District of Columbia) by motorcycle ownership per capita, South Dakota ranked the best. There are a total of 69,284 motorcycles registered in the state, according to the Department of Transportation, and with a total population of 816,598, when you do the math, there’s roughly 12 people in South Dakota for every motorcycle.Considering South Dakota is the home of the Sturgis rally, its ranking on this list may not be mu…

Ride a Motorcycle 1000 Miles in 24 Hours

March 12th, 2014If you have ever wanted to hop on your motorcycle and ride for days, just to see how much ground you could cover or where you'd end up, you're not alone."There are as many reasons long-distance riding appeals to folks as there are riders," says Ira Agins of the Iron Butt Association (IBA), a loosely organized group of endurance-motorcycling enthusiasts. "Some do it for the challenge, some want to see a lot of the country in a short amount of time, some simply love motorcycle ridi…

Four juveniles caught trying to steal motorcycle

March 11th, 2014NASHIK: The Nashik Road police recovered 11 two-wheelers from four juveniles after they were caught red-handed stealing a motorcycle from the Nashik Road railway station on Monday morning.All four are residents of Nashik Road area and Class X students of a school. Stealing motorcycles was a thrill for the group; they abandoned the stolen bikes after these ran out of fuel."With repeated incidents of vehicle thefts being reported in the city, we had deployed plainclothes police per…

An Ultra-Compact Motorcycle Made for City Sprints

Legalization of gun suppressors hits bulls-eye in Iowa HouseThe Swift AVA 250 is everything that’s right and good about vintage motorcycles. It’s raw. It’s raucous. It barks and clatters and feels like it will rattle the fillings right out of your teeth. Yes, it’s more of a motorized bicycle than a proper motorcycle. But it’s charming and stylish, and and it feels faster than it is. It is an elemental machine, a cheap and cheerful runabout perfect for city life.The diminutive motorcycle, and AVA…

Road Hog: $1 Million Motorcycle Coming Soon

It wasn't that long ago that the first $1 million car was news. Now, a two-wheel vehicle is about to hit seven figures.Lauge Jensen, the Denmark-based maker of customized motorcycles, recently sold what is believed to be the most expensive bike (of current production) ever.The motorcycle, called "Goldfinger," was plated with 24-karat gold and covered with 250 small diamonds totaling more than 7 carats. The seat is upholstered with what the company calls a "unique cognac-colored crocodile skin" a…

Motorcycle lane filtering to be legalised

February 27th, 2014The practice, also known as lane splitting, is common elsewhere in the world but Australian riders can currently be penalised by police.NSW Transport Minister Duncan Gay says the shift is part of a package of changes to ease road congestion and improve motorcycle safety."We held a successful trial in Sydney CBD last year of motorcyclists being exempt from existing lane filtering laws in an attempt to ease road congestion and measure potential safety issues for other road users…

5 Things Not to Say to a Motorcycle Rider

February 21st, 2014Hello non-motorcycle riders. I want to take a minute to talk about motorcycle conversation etiquette. I'm talking about that awkward moment where you see someone carrying a helmet in the coffee line and you strike up a conversation. You don't really know what to say and perhaps you feel terrified of ever being on a motorcycle or you have a friend of a friend of friend who had a bad experience. Here are some commonly-said phrases which no one should really say beca…

Tron designer creates Lotus motorcycle minus the blue glow

It's a simple equation. You watch "Tron" or "Tron: Legacy" and then you want a Light Cycle. But you can't have a Light Cycle, because they don't really exist (this crazy custom bike being an exception). You can, however, have an upcoming Lotus C-01 motorcycle, which has "Tron: Legacy" designer Daniel Simon's fingerprints all over it.The clean lines, low riding position, and silhouette of the C-01 are definitely reminiscent of the "Tron" bikes. Instead of glowing blue, it has gold-painted accents…

This Motorcycle Maker Faces Headwinds Abroad

February 17th, 2014Harley-Davidson is an iconic American brand with roughly 54.9% of the heavyweight motorcycle market share in the U.S., but the bike maker also has its sights set on dominating the international market. It's a challenging endeavor -- the company experienced red tape that slowed business overseas during its most recent quarter. When this is paired with new competition from Polaris Industries , there are a few headwinds Harley has to deal with overseas.Overseas issuesOveral…

Honda Releases Six New 2014 Models

February 13th, 2014Over a month into 2014, Honda has unexpectedly released six new models of 2014 motorcycles. They include the Interceptor and Interceptor Deluxe (both V-4, upright, faired sportbikes), the all-new CBR650F (another upright, faired sportbike), the retro CB1100 and CB1100 Deluxe (air-cool fours with a new six-speed transmission, and added electronics for the Deluxe version), and the biggest surprise of all, the Montesa Cota 4RT Repsol Edition observed trials motorcycle (which will…

New York man missing in Mexico during motorcycle trip

February 11th, 2014A 32-year-old New York man has been missing for almost two weeks while on a motorcycle trip through Latin America.According to the New York Daily News, Harry Devert, from Pelham, has not been heard from since Jan. 25 while riding his motorcycle through Mexico. "Just got an hour and a half long escort out of some area it was too dangerous for me to be," he told his girlfriend, Sarah Schiear, through WhatsApp. "Gonna get back on the road soon. Apparently there's another military…

Pope Auctions off his Harley

February 6th, 2014The Pope's Harley Davidson motorcycle goes up for auction today.Signed “Francesco” on its tank, the 1,585 cc Harley Davidson Dyna Super Glide will be auctioned for charity in Paris to raise funds for Caritas Roma, a charity working on behalf of the church.The motorcycle was presented to the head of the Roman Catholic Church in June 2013 to mark the motorcycle brand’s 110th anniversary. It is not clear if the pope actually rode it.“I suspect that it will (have) a very limited mi…

Ohio man buried riding his 1967 Harley-Davidson

February 3rd, 2014Billy Standley always told friends and family he'd be buried riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle.Now thanks to his adoring family, his dying wish has been fulfilled.The Ohio motorhead was spectacularly laid to rest in a Mechanicsburg cemetery on Friday while seated on the back of his 1967 Electra Glide cruiser thanks to the handiwork of five embalmers and a metal back brace and straps.As his family told the Dayton Daily News it was a project that's been in the works for the l…

Indian Maker Hero Unveils Diesel-Engined Motorcycle Concept

January 31st, 2014Diesel-engined cars are nothing new these days, even if sales in the U.S. are yet to catch up to ever-popular gasoline vehicles.But little is ever heard of diesel-engined motorcycles. Between gasoline bikes and the new breed of electric models, few seem to have explored the diesel concept.Indian maker Hero is breaking that trend with its RNT concept (via MotorBeam)--a diesel motorcycle with the option of a front hub-mounted electric motor.It's fair to say the RNT isn't the pret…

Ducati tops motorcycle sales

January 28th, 2014In an upset equivalent to the Ferrari California outselling the Ford Focus, the Ducati 899 Panigale superbike topped the UK registrations list in December to beat bikes and scooters costing a fifth of that.The 148bhp 899 costs £12,495, while the second-best selling bike for the month, Honda’s CBF 125 commuter, sells for £2,600.A UK spokesman for the Italian bike brand attributed the bumper month to the fact that the long-awaited ‘entry’ version of the hyper-performance Panigale…

Suzuki Motorcycle launches new scooter bike to roll out more

January 27th, 2014Japanese two-wheeler maker SuzukiMotorcycle, which today unveiled two new products -- a scooter and a motorcycle -- said it will launch two more products in the country this calender year to enhance its market share in the world's second largest two-wheeler market.The company currently commands 16 per cent pie in the domestic scooter space while just one per cent in the motorcycle segment.The company has also roped in Bollywood actress Parineeti Chopra to endorse its new …

Indian Motorcycles Roar Into India

January 24th, 2014One of the world’s most iconic motorcycle brands, Indian Motorcycles, arrived in India Wednesday, hoping to ride the surging demand for big bikes. The company unveiled its lineup of three motorcycles, each with a 1,811-cubic centimeter engine and a throaty exhaust.They come with technologies that, in India, generally are associated with premium cars, including cruise control, anti-lock braking systems, keyless starter, leather seats, smartphone connectivity and a high-end stere…

Lotus C-01 motorcycle shows its carbon-fiber face

January 20th, 2014Well, this isn't exactly what we were expecting. The images you see above come from Motorcycle News in the UK and are apparently official renderings of what the upcoming Lotus C-01 motorcycle will look like. As you can see, it's sort of a power cruiser, with a raked-out front end and extremely wide rubber out back.Power will reportedly come from a liquid-cooled V-twin engine sourced from KTM, similar to the one used in the Austrian's brand's own RC8R, but tuned to produce aroun…

Marauding Motorcyclists Go Hog Wild Outside Manhattan Funeral Home

January 16th, 2014The recklessness behavior unfolded in the same neighborhood where bikers dragged an SUV driver out of his car last September and brutally beat him in front of his wife and child, as multiple officers allegedly stood by and did nothing. The witness who uploaded this video yesterday writes:"A motorcycle gang closes Broadway and intimidates the public on January 12, 2014, just two blocks from the police station house, and in the same precinct where last summer, another motorcycle …

Motorcycle rider, two fans killed at Dakar Rally

January 15th, 2014CATAMARCA, Argentina (AP) — Belgian motorcycle rider Eric Palante has died at the Dakar Rally, organizers said Friday.Organizers said they went out looking for the 50-year-old Palante after he failed to finish the fifth stage, which most riders completed on Thursday, and found his body along the route.The cause of death was being investigated, and officials offered few details.This was Palante's 11th Dakar Rally, according to an event biography, which said he would ha…

Indian Motorcycle Weekends at Washington IMS

January 14th, 2014Indian Motorcycle will be in Washington, DC starting this Friday at 3 p.m. as part of the Progressive International Motorcycle Show (IMS). Riders who attend the IMS at the Washington Convention Center will be treated to a variety of events throughout the weekend – many of which honor the US service personnel stationed in the DC area.As part of Indian’s efforts to support and honor our military, admission to Stars and Stripes Saturday Sponsored by Indian Motorcycle will be free …

Upcoming Lotus Motorcycle Rumored to Pack a 200 HP V-Twin Engine

January 13th, 2014It's about half a year since Lotus announced they were working to have their first motorcycle ready, and that it was to be a hyper bike.Voices in the industry close to Lotus claim that the C-01 is powered by a v-twin mill which produces around 170 hp in its stock trim, but which has been tuned to ring the bell at 200 horsepower in the Lotus version. The manufacturer of the engine was not disclosed yet, but we can just take a look around and gather the 170 hp-ish v-twin engines …

Indian Announces Honoring Heroes Incentive Program

January 10th, 2014Today, Indian Motorcycle announced the Honoring Heroes incentive program which supports North American military personnel. Furthering a “nearly 100 year commitment to Armed Forces,” Indian will give any active, reserve, National Guard, and retired military personnel a $1,000 incentive towards the purchase of any new Indian Chief models.Those who follow Indian Motorcycle news most likely know that the Honoring Heroes program for all U.S. and Canadian Armed Forces personnel is an…

Royal Enfield Bullet: India’s cult motorcycle takes on the world

NEW DELHI: The Royal Enfield Bullet, often described as the oldest continuously produced motorcycle in the world, is a cult product for enthusiasts who love it for its vintage feel as much as for the thrum of its engine.Muscular and pliant, the Bullet - an Indian-made avatar of an old British brand - has found renewed popularity over the past few years, as leisure motorcycling in India has blossomed. Its manufacturer, Royal Enfield Motors, sold almost 175,000 motorcycles - Bullets as well as thr…

Honda presents the Dakar Rally bike: New CRF450 Rally

January 8th, 2014All Team HRC are in Rosario awaiting the Dakar Rally scrutineering after the shakedown held at the Otamendi track, near the Honda Campana factory. Team HRC Team Director, Katsumi Yamazaki describes Honda’s new weapon, the CRF450 RALLY.TEAM HRC returned to Dakar Rally in January 2013, for the first time after a 24 year absence, aboard a CRF450 RALLY prototype based on the commercial CRF450X enduro model Honda. The 2013 Dakar Rally generated valuable information on key areas such …

Flossie The Robot Can Ride A Motorcycle Better Than You

January 2nd, 2014Meet Flossie, Castrol lubricant’s robotic motorcycle test rider. Able to be fitted onto any motorcycle or scooter, Flossie can ride almost any two-wheeler that’s strapped to a chassis dynamometer.Castrol use Flossie to test a variety of lubricants for a wide range of motorcycle products. Like some of the best human riders, “It [Flossie] is equipped with a self learning mode to enable it to know the gear change pattern, clutch feel and throttle response of the bike – just like an…

Mission Motorcycles Co-Founder to be sued

December 30th, 2013FORT LEE, N.J. (AP) — A New Jersey man who co-founded a company that makes electric motorcycles is being sued by the company over stock shares.Fort Lee resident Vincent Ip co-founded Mission Motorcycles of San Francisco. The company makes high-end, electric-powered motorcycles that Time magazine calls one of the top inventions of 2013.Ip was terminated in November for what the company's lawsuit calls unprofessional behavior including physical threats.The company claims a stock…

Biker gang that beat dad in Washington Heights likely facing lesser charges

December 27th, 2013Article originally written on NY Daily News.Charges against members of the biker crew — including an undercover detective — that allegedly chased down and attacked a driver will likely be reduced because the victim’s facial injuries are not as serious as initially feared, prosecutors said Friday."It's likely that on the next [court date]we're going to move to reduce the top charges" from first-degree assault and gang assault to attempted assault and attempted gang assault, Ass…

BMW R nineT by Urban Motor

BMW R nineT is one of the newest motorcycles built by the German manufacturer and the guys from Urban Motor are the first tuners who had the occasion to modify it.Their creation is called the Track Grinder and shows what potential for customization has the new BMW R nineT.Like the stock model the Track Grinder is powered by the air- and oil-cooled version of BMW’s 1170cc boxer engine which delivers a claimed 110 horsepower and 88 pound-feet of torque. The unit didn’t receive any modifications bu…

Indian Motorcycle Unveils The Big Chief Custom

At the Indian Motorcycle display inside the International Motorcycle Show (IMS) at the Javits Center in New York City, Indian Motorcycle®, revealed a fully customized, Indian Chief Classic conceptualized and designed by Indian Motorcycle’s Industrial Design team. The “Big Chief Custom” is the first custom Indian Chief created around the 2014 models introduced with great fanfare at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally this past August.Spearheaded by the head of Polaris Industries’ Industrial Design…

Indian Motorcycle in BA part of iconic brands revival

December 13th, 2013America's oldest motorcycle brand is back.Indian Motorcycle has launched three new models this year, and Chad Smith of 5th Gear Cycle is excited to be one of two Oklahoma dealers selling the iconic brand."It's a strong brand," Smith said of Indian, which was founded in 1901.The company went bankrupt in the 1950s, followed by many attempts at revival over the years. Then, in 2011, Polaris Industries bought Indian.Smith said Polaris' acquisition of the brand is differe…

Cotton motorcycle presented to Gloucester Folk Museum

December 11th, 2013Article originally written on BBC.The British Motorcycle Charitable Trust (BMCT) will loan the only surviving Mark 1 Telstar in its original form to the city's folk museum.It was restored in the US and was recently bought by the trust and shipped to the UK.Cottons were made in Gloucester between 1919 and 1978. Only 16 Mark 1s were ever made.Andy Bufton, from the trust, said he was delighted that the bike, with frame number five, would be put on permanent display."It was rest…

2014 Kawasaki Z1000 ABS

December 10th, 2013Article originally written on Motorcycle USA.Kawasaki is hungry for a bigger slice of the streetfighter pie with its updated-for-2014 Z1000 ABS ($11,999). By integrating the latest suspension and brake technology with its tried-and-true Inline Four architecture and wrapping it in edgy, futuristic-looking body panels, Kawasaki is convinced that it’ll steal sales from upscale Euro brands. But will the formula work? We spent a few hours behind the handlebar on the chaotic streets…

2013 Long Beach International Motorcycle Show Report

December 9th, 2013Article originally written on Motorcycle.comToday the motorcycle press descended upon the Long Beach Convention Center to attend media day at the annual International Motorcycle Show. After feasting from a continental breakfast buffet the discerning journalists set to the task of reporting on the bounty of new model motorcycles – most of which has been previously showcased in our November EICMA reporting. If you missed anything from that show here’s a run down of what to look f…

Illinois: Sports team license plates now available for motorcycles

December 5th, 2013Legislation proposed by Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White (D) expanding the Illinois sports teams’ series to include motorcycle license plates was signed into law Aug. 9 by Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn (D).Twenty-five dollars from each motorcycle license plate will support the Professional Sports Teams Education Fund, with proceeds going to the Common School Fund, which supports public schools throughout the state of Illinois.“I am proud to make these license plates available …

Co-host of HGTVs Curb Appeal dies in San Francisco motorcycle crash

December 4th, 2013A co-host of the HGTV show "Curb Appeal" has been killed in a motorcycle accident in San Francisco.The San Francisco medical examiner identified 38-year-old Bill Beckwith as the victim of a crash near the city's Haight-Ashbury neighborhood Monday night. He was riding a motorcycle that was struck by a car.Beckwith was one of the three hosts of "Curb Appeal," which features home renovations. He was a carpenter and general contractor who grew up on a farm in Maine and owned his ow…

Polaris reintroduces Indian motorcycles

December 3rd, 2013Article originally written on LA Times.Three years ago Polaris Industries bought the historic Indian motorcycle brand and vowed to make it roar again.The results of that boast have hit the streets, in the form of three mighty machines — the Indian Chief Classic, the Indian Chief Vintage and the Indian Chieftain.The rollout represents a roll of the dice for the successful powersports company, which has managed to bring the three entirely new motorcycles to market in 27 months fr…

New York City is motorcycle theft capital

December 2nd, 2013Article originally written on USA Today.How long does it take to steal a motorcycle?A New York minute.New York is the nation's capital of motorcycle thievery, followed by swingin' Las Vegas, the National Insurance Crime Bureau reports. Next comes San Diego, Indianapolis and Miami.Overall, just like when it comes to car thefts, motorcycle thefts have been dropping. In 2012, the year in which the NICB bases its analysis, they amounted to 46,061 ripped-off bikes, down …

Motorcycle thefts: Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki most stolen brands

Nothing says "love" quite like theft. And motorcycle thieves just love their Hondas, Yamahas and Suzukis.They particularly love stealing them in California -- especially Los Angeles. The state and county led the nation in bike thefts for 2012.The three Japanese marques were the most-stolen brands in the top locations last year, according to a new study from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, which reported that overall thefts of two-wheelers dropped slightly from 2011.Honda led the league, rep…

Motorcycle sales throttle up again in Wisconsin

November 25th, 2013Article originally written on JS Online.The long motorcycle recession may finally be over, with national sales edging upward and Wisconsin bike registrations up considerably from five years ago.Recent data from the Motorcycle Industry Council, published in trade journals, shows a 0.9% year-over-year sales gain for the third quarter, erasing a 5.2% decline registered through the end of the second quarter.Sales of off-highway and dual-sport bikes showed the greatest percentage g…

Biker cop changed story about his role motorcycle mob attack

November 22nd, 2013Article originally written on NY Daily!Undercover detective Wojciech Braszczok blatantly backtracked over his story when grilled on his failure to stop the biker rally beatdown of a lower Manhattan dad, according to investigative statements the Daily News obtained.“I didn’t take police action because I didn’t have my gun or my shield on me,” Braszczok told officers after the Sept. 29 motorcycle mob attack on the West Side Highway.“There were too many people there. It was one a…

Motorcycle racer Kurt Caselli dies in crash

November 18th, 2013Article originally written on Fox News.American desert motorcycle racer Kurt Caselli died Friday after wrecking in the Baja 1000 in Mexico, event sanctioning body Score International said Saturday. Score said the 30-year-old Caselli, from Palmdale, Calif., died of trauma after losing control of his KTM in a sandy, high-speed section while leading with about 100 miles left.Caselli won the San Felipe 250 last season and finished second and third in the other two Sco…

MPD officer caught on video drag racing gets his job back

November 15th, 2013Article originally written on WSFA.The Montgomery Police Department is confirming that the motorcycle officer who was captured on video drag racing with a private citizen will get his job back.WSFA 12 News first reported the story earlier this week after video of the race was posted on YouTube. The story has since gone viral with national reports from outlets such as CNN and NBC's Today Show.It didn't take long before MPD officials found out about the YouTube video. The office…

Alabama cop caught on video drag racing

November 14th, 2013Article originally written on NY Daily News.A turbo-charged Alabama cop’s career hit a wall this week after he was busted on camera drag racing with his motorcycle while on duty.The unidentified Montgomery police officer turned in his badge after a local biker, Lawrence Lee Spillers, posted video of the race on YouTube on Sunday, WSFA-TV reported.The five-minute clip begins with the officer pulling up to Spillers, who was riding a sport bike, at a red light.Spillers chatted wi…

Motorcycle enthusiasts form club to restore vintage bikes

November 13th, 2013Article originally written on Daily Mail.Vintage motorcycle enthusiasts in the Mountain State now have a way to connect with similarly minded individuals in their home state.A group of motorcyclists has successfully petitioned the Antique Motorcycle Club of America for a new chapter in West Virginia. The chapter's charter was approved earlier this month, and was in the hands of the chapter's president, Rick Rogers, last week."The objective is to promote the restoration of vint…

Motorcycle event collects holiday gifts for children

Motorcycle enthusiasts on Saturday held their Hamilton County Toy Run to collect toys for Partnership children.Motorcycle rides were offered for free to collect holiday toys for children affected by domestic violence and homelessness, a news release said. The rides began at 11 a.m. at Sportsman's Warehouse and concluded at Charlie's Restaurant and Lounge in Soddy-Daisy.Non-riders also brought donations of unwrapped toys to Charlie's.The toys collected from Saturday will serve as presents t…

New York undercover cop indicted in SUV-motorcycle clash

November 11th, 2013Article originally written on LA Times.A grand jury in New York has indicted an undercover detective who took part in a violent clash between motorcyclists and an SUV driver, an incident which gained nationwide attention after video of the altercation swept across the Internet.Wojciech Braszczok was indicted on nine different charges, including first-degree gang assault, first- and second-degree assault, riot and coercion, according to court records.Braszczok, 32, would face u…

Motorcycle ride lands teen in history’s cross hairs

November 8th, 2013Article originally written on Fredericksburg.WHEN Jack McNairy rode his motorcycle into the crowded city of Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963, it quickly became clear to the 18-year-old high school student that going all the way into downtown wasn’t going to work.There were just too many people.His mother may have gone there that morning to catch a glimpse of John and Jackie Kennedy, but young McNairy quickly changed gears and decided to park just off the Stemmons Freeway not far from De…

Harley-Davidson launches small motorcycle lineup

November 7th, 2013Article originally written on Fox News.Should we call them piglets?Harley-Davidson has launched a new lineup of small, affordable motorcycles aimed at urban and emerging markets.The Street 500 and Street 750 are powered, respectively, by all-new 500 cc and 750 cc versions of Harley’s V-twin Revolution engine, dubbed Revolution X. The two-seaters feature six-speed manual transmissions and belt drive.Harley says they were designed to offer greater agility and response for use on …

Harley reveals all new Street 750 and 500 urban V-twins

November 6th, 2013Article originally written on Motorcycle News.Harley-Davidson has entered the commuter market with its first all-new model for 13 years, the Street 750 and 500.Aimed squarely at ‘urban young adults’ both Street models feature a new liquid-cooled V-twin and, at a claimed 221kg fuelled and ready, are the lightest Harleys ever to leave the Milwaukee factory.While the 500 remains for now a US-only model, the 750 is destined for Europe where Harley hope that the Street’s combination…

The ultimate Triumph: Stolen motorcycle retrieved 46 years later

November 5th, 2013Article originally written on LA Times.More than 46 years after his $300 Triumph motorcycle was stolen from his backyard, a Nebraska man, now 72, has been reunited with his bike, U.S. customs officials announced Monday.The man’s blue and black Triumph Tiger 100 motorcycle was en route to Japan from the Los Angeles/Long Beach ports complex when it was recovered Wednesday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said. The bike was stolen in early February 1967 from the man’s…

Hondas Grom mini-motorcycle is flying off dealer lots

Article originally written on LA Times.In 1964, the Beach Boys had a hit record that started with the lyrics, "It's not a big motorcycle, just a groovy little motorbike."A half-century later, Honda has reinvented the groovy little motorbike for a new generation of young riders. And it can't make them fast enough to satisfy a swarm of buyers.Dealers are sold out of the tiny Grom — a name derived from "grommet," for newbie surfer — and report waiting lists of up to 40 buyers. Many are offering mor…

Pink slams critics over daughters motorcycle ride

Article originally written on NY Daily News.Pink isn't feeling so rosy over questions about her parenting.The singer took to Twitter to air her grievances regarding the backlash she and husband, Carey Hart, have received after posting Instagram pics of their 2-year-old daughter, Willow, joyriding with her dad on a motorcycle."If any of u have more experience on a bike than my husband, then I will listen to your opinions on how he should take my daughter for a ride," the "Just Give Me a Reason" s…

3 Calif kids hurt when gun on cops motorcycle fires

October 28th, 2013Article originally written on USA Today.Three California elementary school students suffered minor injuries Wednesday when a gun mounted on a police motorcycle discharged during a safety demonstration at an anti-drug event.The students were not hit by gunfire in the "accidental misfire" at Newman Elementary School about 11:15 a.m. PT, said Chino Police Department spokeswoman Tamrin Olden. Two were treated at a hospital for cuts and one was treated for cuts and scrapes at the sc…

Video emerges in bikers’ brutal assault on Henry Hudson Parkway driver

October 23rd, 2013Article originally written on NY Daily News.Graphic video surfaced Tuesday showing a Manhattan father being dragged from his luxury SUV by a mob of bikers yelling profanities and demanding that the victim “get out!”The 19-second clip shows Alexian Lien, 33, being pulled from his Range Rover by his head and thrown to the ground in the vicious Sept. 29 beatdown.The new video was obtained by WABC Channel 7, which reported it came from a witness to the assault that capped a 4-mile …

Enterprise Enters Motorcycle Rental Biz in Vegas

October 21st, 2013Article originally written on ABC News.Enterprise Rent-A-Car is taking a leap into the motorcycle business with a new, Las Vegas-based fleet of Harley-Davidsons.The company better known for four-wheeled vehicles launched its two-wheeled line on Wednesday, marking the first time a major car rental company is offering motorcycles in the U.S.Enterprise Vice President Steve Short says the company started the pilot program in Sin City because it sees opportunity among tourists who w…

Skully fits heads-up display into motorcycle helmet

October 16th, 2013Article originally written on Tech Hive.Ask a hundred entrepreneurs where they draw inspiration and you’ll probably get a hundred different answers, but few are likely to be as unusual as that of Marcus Weller. The CEO of Skully Helmets came up with his idea for a high-tech motorcycle helmet after smashing into a car on a street in Barcelona.“I was looking at a street sign when the car in front slammed on its brakes and I hit it,” he said.Weller thinks the accident wouldn’t hav…

Elk chases couple on motorcycle in Montana, USA

October 14th, 2013Article originally written on Metro.Heather Leigh said she and her boyfriend, Glen, had slowed down after seeing a truck stopped on the Montana’s scenic Highway 200 between the US towns of Ovando and Missoula.It was only then that they realised the large male elk had come out to take a closer look at the traffic and soon took a particular interest in their bike.After coming in to take a closer look at the couple, Glen, who was driving the motorbike, decided to hit the throttle …

Govt shutdown shuts down Sanford Biketoberfest air show

October 11th, 2013Article originally written on wftv.comSANFORD, Fla. —The sights and sounds of an airshow never get old for Sanford resident John Smith.I just like to see those jets rip overhead at 400 to 500 miles an hour that's pretty good, ya know," Smith said.This year, the government shutdown has left festival organizers high and dry. The popular attraction had been part of the city's Biketoberfest for years.Sanford had Federal Aviation Authority approval to host the airshow, but because f…

Jeff Oldnettle tells tales from the trail after motorcycle tour of Alaska

October 10th, 2013(CBS News) There were two more arrests in the biker road rage case in New York. One suspect is an undercover police detective, and has been charged in the attack. He is allegedly seen on video hitting and kicking an SUV, before the driver, Alexian Lien, was attacked.CBS News senior correspondent John Miller, a former deputy commissioner with the New York Police Department, said on "CBS This Morning": "This is a story that starts out as not such a good day (for the NYPD) because…

Three NYPD cops took part in Road Rage Incedent

October 7th, 2013Article originally written on CBS News.Multiple New York City police officers took part in a motorcycle ride in New York this week that led to a violent road-rage incident that saw a gang of motorcyclists attack a motorist with his wife and child in the car, CBS News' John Miller reports.According to New York Police Department sources, whether either of the two new officers to step forward witnessed Sunday's incidents remains unclear, Miller reported Saturday afternoon. All thre…

After Road Rage Motorcycle Clubs Combat Image Problem

October 4th, 2013Article originally written on Fox.As Alexian Lien recovers from Sunday’s vicious beating by a throng of pissed-off bikers in New York City, motorcycle clubs around the nation are working to deflect the blame cast upon them in the wake of the Harlem violent encounter. The bikers involved in the beating, during which Lien was ripped out of his black Range Rover after being chased by the motorcyclists angered after he bumped into their crew, were part of group called H…

Man in Coma after Road Rage in NYC

October 2nd, 2013BOSTON (CBS) - A Massachusetts man is paralyzed after a disturbing road rage incident in New York City that was caught on video.The wife of Edwin Mieses tells WBZ-TV her husband is in a coma.Police say the incident began Sunday when a driver of a Range Rover was suddenly surrounded on the West Side Highway in Manhattan by a group of motorcyclists on an annual ride to Times Square.In the video recorded on a biker's helmet camera and later posted on YouTube, one of the bikers appe…

German journalist makes charity visit to central Vietnam by motorcycle

September 30th, 2013Journalist Lothar A. Baltrusch has travelled 15,000 km by his motorbike from Germany to Vietnam to see a poor girl in the central province of Quang Tri.The German journalist arrived in Vietnam on July 9 after he left Schwerte city, Germany, on May 17 and went through many countries, including Poland, Latvia, Russia, Mongolia, China and Laos.His first destination in Vietnam is Trieu Phong district, Quang Tri province, where he is going to provide financial support …

Project RUSHMORE: 2014 Harley-Davidson Motorcycles

September 26th, 2013Article originally written on Forbes.comIn all of the excitement of the Harley-Davidson HOG -0.56% 110th Anniversary, it was almost possible to miss the really big news from the Motor Company. The 2014 Harley-Davidson lineup has been announced, and eight of the new bikes benefit from an initiative that has been named “Project RUSHMORE.”Project RUSHMORE is the largest scale new model launch in H-D’s history. The project “encompasses eight new motorcycles that feature improved …

Lawmakers hear arguments for, against motorcycle helmets

September 25th, 2013Article originally written on Metro West Daily.Even though he was injured in a motorcycle accident, Rick Gleason thinks that Massachusetts motorcyclists should have a choice about wearing a helmet.Gleason, who started riding motorcycles behind his father at age 5, testified Tuesday on behalf of the Massachusetts Motorcycle Association in support of legislation that would lift the state's requirement that all motorcyclists wear helmets."The bills in no way direct you to …

Indian Motorcycles a big hit with cruiser crowd in Edmonton

September 23rd, 2013EDMONTON - Bikers descended on an Edmonton motorsports store Friday for the return of Indian Motorcycle — an iconic American brand.Jan Stewart, wearing an Indian Motorcycle jacket, rode more than three hours from Cold Lake the night before to be among the first to test-ride one of the gleaming new-generation Indian motorcycles at Cycle Works Motorsports at 56th Avenue and 75th Street.“I stayed the night and rushed over here as quick as I could find the place,” Stewa…

Motorcycle ministry thrives on the fellowship of the road

September 20th, 2013Article originally written on Washington Post.Under a brilliant blue sky, Tyrone “T-Bone” Taylor moved his motorcycle swiftly yet carefully Saturday around a bank of orange cones on a course created in a corner of Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church’s parking lot.His wife, Lashan “L.A.” Taylor, watched as a cluster of fellow motorcycle enthusiasts walked by sports bikes, cruisers and trikes, sharing stories and admiring how owners personalized their rides.“I’m not a r…

Krazy Horse in Bury St Edmunds to launch as Indian Motorcycle dealership

September 19th, 2013The Lamdin Road based business is to launch as an Indian Motorcycle UK dealership at the beginning of next month.It will become one of only 70 Indian Motorcycle dealerships outside of the USA.Indian Motorcycle, formed in the late 1800’s, is America’s first motorcycle company.It began by dominating in racing before its vehicles were used in World War One and World War Two.It has just launched a new range of Indian Chiefs motorcycles including the Chief Classic, Chief Vintage a…

Harley-Davidson Reveals Latest ‘Captain America’ Motorcycle

September 18th, 2013Harley-Davidson and Marvel Entertainment unveiled the Breakout, a low-slung, chopper-like motorcycle during San Diego Comic-Con. The bike will be the signature ride for the Steve Rogers character’s in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”The film, scheduled for release next April, continues a marketing partnership between Marvel and the motorcycle maker that began with 2011’s “Captain America: The First Avenger.” The companies have collaborated on a number of promotions that…

Goodwood Revival 2013: Motorcycle racing

September 16th, 2013Article originally written on Telegraph.This March was the 10th anniversary of Barry Sheene’s death, so it’s fitting that the 2013 Goodwood Revival’s main motorcycle event, the Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy, should feature a new yet familiar name: Freddie Sheene. The double 500cc world champion’s son is making his debut at the Revival.Freddie rides a Manx Norton in the event, which this year is for 500cc bikes from the Sixties: Norton and Matchless G50 singles; BMW, Honda and …

Harley-Davidson confirms smaller motorcycle for riders overseas in works

September 12th, 2013Article originally written on bizjournals.comHarley-Davidson Inc. confirmed it is working on a motorcycle with a smaller engine, a departure for the iconic Milwaukee manufacturer that dominates the heavyweight motorcycle market.Gizmag first reported that Harley-Davidson is developing a cheaper, 500cc motorcycle that would primarily target “restricted-license riders” in Europe and Australia, as well as new riders in India and other parts of Asia. Gizmag spoke with Harley-David…

2 Million Bikers to DC: Motorcycle Riders Roll into Washington

September 11th, 2013A group called the 2 Million Bikers to DC is leading a parade of motorcycles through the nation’s capital today to commemorate 9/11 victims and military veterans. “We’re here for 9-11,” the national ride coordinator Belinda Bee told the Washington Times. Since Tuesday, riders from around the country have been tweeting photos of their journey to Washington (hashtag #2MBikers), with early pictures and videos showing thousands of bikes overflowing out of rest stops and parking l…

Bradley Cooper pulls on some leathers and jumps on his motorcycle

September 11th, 2013Article originally written on Daily Mail.He’s played the thrill-seeking action man on more than one occasion and in real life Bradley Cooper obviously loves an adrenaline rush.After finishing an intense work out in Brentwood, California the actor was spotted jumping on one of his many motorcycles.Whilst he no doubt got sweaty in the gym, the 38-year-old wanted to look the part as he threw on his leathers for his ride.The Hangover star has a collection of motorcycles with the …

Motorcycles come in various shapes and colors

September 9th, 2013Article originally written on The Reporter.Norristown resident Joe Paravoti is likely to get double-take stares at his bike, “Uncle Buck,” at Bike Night. It won first place in the “Hillbilly Toothpick” class at this year’s East Coast Sturgis Rally in Maryland, and is a unique, Frankenstein-like amalgamation of handmade and recycled wood parts, and parts from numerous manufacturers spanning the ‘70s to today. “Lansdale will be the first time I sh…

KTM 2013 1190 Adventure First Ride

September 6th, 2013Article originally written on Cyclenews.comOn paper, the new KTM 1190 is impressive. On the road, it’s more than impressive. It’s amazing. Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait a little bit – at least until December - before you can get your hands on one to see for yourself, but we’ll tell you right now it’ll be worth the wait. How do we know? Because KTM teased us by giving us a sneak “preview” of the 2014 1190 Adventure, which the Austrians call the world’s most versatile trave…

Motorcycles Roll Toward the $1 Million Mark

September 5th, 2013Article originally written on WSJ.comThis Sunday, you'll find Don Dickstein, the leader of the pack, astride his white Harley-Davidson raising money for New Jersey charities.Mr. Dickstein, 67 years old, is hosting his 14th annual motorcycle run on Sept. 8. Some 1,200 bikers will rumble across the George Washington Bridge and through Bergen and Rockland counties for 72 miles of nonstop fun. Over the years, Mr. Dickstein's feel-good biker bash, which has its own nonprofit founda…

Fugawi Motorcycle Club creating their spark on TV

September 4th, 2013CHESTNUT RIDGE, N.Y. — Don't be fooled by their Harley-Davidson hogs or the skull and tomahawk stitched onto their black leather vests. Despite their outlaw image, the Fugawi Motorcycle Club is anything but a gang of troublemakers, members say. More like a bunch of middle-aged family men with an outsized love of loud bikes, practical jokes and roadside restaurants. "People see bikers, they think 'bad,' " says club president Scott Sanguinetti, 48, known as "Mudflap." "It's no…

Indian Motorcycle tour hits Madison during Harley 110th

Article originally written on bizjournals.comThe renewed Harley-Indian rivalry will hit near Harley-Davidson Inc.’s home turf this weekend.At the same time that thousands of Harley-Davidson riders celebrate the iconic motorcycle manufacturer’s 110th birthday in Milwaukee, challenger Polaris Industries Inc. will hold a demo event for its new Indian Motorcycle lineup 83 miles away, in Madison.In a bold move, Medina, Minn.-based Polaris (NYSE: PII) unveiled three 2014 Indian motorcycles earlier thi…

Motorcycles running red lights? Its the law sometimes

August 29th, 2013Article originally written on JSonline.comWest Allis resident John Glass used to pull up to intersections on his motorcycle and sometimes find he was stuck.Traffic lights remained red because they didn't sense his bike, and the longtime motorcycle enthusiast would have to take a roundabout route or wait for a car to come and trigger the sensors.Today, Glass knows what to do: He simply runs the red lights.With thousands of Harley riders descending on Milwaukee this week for Harle…

Motorcycle ride to honor 9/11 victims

August 27th, 2013Article originally written on Gazzette.DANVILLE — The Illinois & Indiana Firefighters Association is holding a one-day motorcycle ride on Sept. 15 to remember the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists attacks.The 9/11 Memorial Ride is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. at the Village Mall, 2917 N. Vermilion St., Danville, and end around 4:45 p.m. at the Friendly Tavern, 216 E. South St., Danville. It is open to all vehicles.The ride will take participants through Ve…

Classic Indian motorcycles back on road with new model

August 26th, 2013Article originally written on USA Today.SPIRIT LAKE, Iowa -- Vertues Hass has a job most bike enthusiasts would envy. He hops on and tests the sleek Indian motorcycles that Polaris Industries will roll from its northwest Iowa plant to consumers next month.Polaris' revival of the 1901 iconic motorcycle — with classic styling and high-powered engineering — is creating a "buying frenzy" that leaders hope will bring even more growth to the region."We've got 50 bikes sold before they…

New Seattle Seahawks motorcycle

August 23rd, 2013So you're a Seattle Seahawks fan and you think your Russell Wilson jersey, Shaun Alexander bobblehead or Matt Hasselbeck living room shrine might not be enough to show just how big of a fan you really are.Well, you're in luck. For just a $50 donation to charity, you can buy a chance to win what might be the ultimate piece of Seahawks team flair: A $60,000 custom motorcycle that is sure to garner plenty of attention around Seattle.According to MyNorthwest.com, Keith Wong is a Sea…

Erik Buell Racing Patents 400 hp Hybrid Motorcycle

August 20th, 2013Article originally written on Gas2.Erik Buell has patented a 400 hp gas-electric hybrid superbike to end all superbikes. To put that into perspective, with a quarter of the power, a Honda CBR600 rider would be totally unintimidated by the gnarliest high-horsepower hybrids from Porsche and Ferrari.With about a third the power, Yamaha’s VMax regularly strikes terror into the hearts of its riders – and they, in turn, openly mock the Europeans and go gunning for timeslips in rural O…

2014 Indian motorcycle makes home-state debut

August 19th, 2013Article originally written on The Star Tribune.Polaris offered fans of the iconic Indian motorcycle a chance try out the new models at the Twin Cities dealership. The venerable brand is seeing its first redesign in more than five years. After unveiling the new Indian Chief motorcycles in Sturgis, S.D., earlier this month, Polaris Industries Inc. has finally rolled out the highly anticipated bikes to riders in its home state. To promote the first redesign of the iconic 1901 bik…

Harley-Davidson Supports Breast Cancer Awareness

August 15th, 2013Article originally written on Motorcycle.ComBreast Cancer Awareness Month brings attention to a disease that effects mothers, daughters, wives and sisters all over the world. For those touched by the disease, support and awareness are vital for fighting and hopefully one day curing this disease.This fall, Harley-Davidson Footwear is proud to introduce the Maddison, a performance riding boot designed specifically for the Harley-Davidson Motorclothes Pink Label Collection. Availab…

Indian Motorcycle making a comeback

August 12th, 2013Article originally written on Telegram.WORCESTER — Backed by Polaris Industries, the Indian Motorcycle brand has positioned itself to resume its rivalry with Harley Davidson. Locally, Wagner Motorsports International will lead the charge.Next weekend, Wagner Motorsports is hosting the 2014 demo tour, where nearly two dozen of the newly redesigned Indian motorcycles will be available for test rides. The demo tour will start with a one-day rally in Minnesota on Wednesday; it will …

Motorcycle Club responds to fantastic news

August 9th, 2013Article originally written on Goulburn Post.THE Goulburn Motorcycle Club hopes to have a permanent track up and running by Christmas under a compromise struck at Tuesday’s Council meeting.See your ad hereThe track, next to the Goulburn speedway, will receive the conditional go ahead provided the club can furnish an approved environmental management plan, including wider noise monitoring.The complex must also firstly secure Sydney Catchment Authority (SCA) approval.The gallery was…

Three Big Indians to Revive a Century-Old Motorcycle Brand

August 8th, 2013Article originally written on Whether the trio will woo enough fans to dent Harley Davidson’s (HOG) dominance remains to be seen, but the vintage-style bikes did draw a small crowd in the courtyard outside the Bloomberg building in Manhattan. I stopped by with someone who has seen many a brand come and go: Jan-Benedict Steenkamp, a marketing professor from the University of North Carolina in town to promote his new book, Brand Breakout. The professor asked the Polaris CEO how thi…

Sturgis Motorcycle Hall Announces 2013 Inductees

August 7th, 2013 Article originally published on www.rapidcityjournal.comSTURGIS |The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame has announced the 2013 inductees into the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame and the Freedom Fighters Hall of Fame.The Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame is designed to recognize individuals or groups who have made a long-term positive impact on the motorcycle community. The Freedom Fighters Hall of Fame recognizes the commitment and sacrific…

For India a Motorcycle Made of Silver

August 6th, 2013Article originally written on The Wall Street Journal.An Indian company is offering custom-built motorcycles covered in silver that will cost between five million rupees ($81,169) and 10 million rupees, depending on the brand.Silver Emporium, better known in India for its silver dinner sets, will give the silver treatment to any model of motorcycle, according to managing director Rahul Mehta.“We are confident that we can turn around a bike for any leading brand with a s…

Bellingham film about motorcycle racing speeds toward completion

August 5th, 2013"Out of Nothing," a documentary in the works about motorcycle land speed racing, features a heavy dose of Whatcom County, both on the screen and behind the cameras.So it's fitting that one the county's most recognizable residents, comedian Ryan Stiles, is the face of an online appeal for donations to help finance the film's finishing touches.Stiles, one of the documentary's producers, became involved with the project at the urging of fellow producer Andrew Lahmann of Bellingham, …

Custom Motorcycles as Sculpture: The White the Black the Kestrel

August 2nd, 2013The artist Ian Barry’s newest sculpture could easily be mistaken for a mere motorcycle. It is an impressive piece of hand-built machinery, but that’s not how Mr. Barry sees the newest creation in his Falcon Ten series. To him, his custom motorcycles exist on a different plane than the two-wheel conveyances people drive on public roads. His bikes are the gasoline-powered embodiment of living, breathing, moving art.In 1998, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum presented “The Art of the…

Like riding a bike: Guardsmen get professional motorcycle training

August 1st, 2013SOUTH BELOIT, Ill. - Soldiers and airmen from the Wisconsin National Guard and Guardsmen from other states gathered at Blackhawk Farms Raceway in South Beloit, Ill., June 26 for a day of instruction from the STAR Motorcycle School.Aimed at limiting the number of service members killed or injured on their motorcycles, STAR, or skills and techniques for advanced riding, used the closed track at Blackhawk to teach the all-National Guard class, which included beginners and other ride…

Harley-Davidson CEO not intimidated by Polaris Indian launch at Sturgis

After months of marketing hype with not-so-subtle digs at Harley-Davidson, Polaris will unveil the 2014 Indian Motorcycle on Aug. 3 at the year’s biggest motorcycle rally in Sturgis, S.D.Medina, Minn.-based Polaris, a powersports vehicle manufacturer, has a lot riding on the revamp of America’s oldest motorcycle brand.It’s on track to have an estimated 200 dealers in place by the end of the year, including between 125 and 140 in the U.S., according to a research note from Robert W. Baird & C…

This Motorcycle Helmet Gives You Eyes In The Back Of Your Head

Reevu is a company keen on reinventing the helmet as we know it.Most recently, the company touted a rearview camera that keeps track of the action going on behind your head.This is rather useful for motorcyclists and could be adapted by those racing open-top cars.Now Reevu is looking to push commercial helmet technology even further.Get ready to get your fighter pilot style on, because helmets are getting head-up displays.Already available in military applications, the helmet-based HUD hasn't tr…

Madison lands another motorcycle Wing Ding

July 26th, 2013Article originally written on Madison.comA huge motorcycle gathering is coming to Madison next summer, but it’s a “Wing Ding,” not a “Wild One.”The Gold Wing Road Riders Association, whose members fancy Honda’s powerful but relatively quiet touring machines, will have its annual convention at the Alliant Energy Center fromJuly 2-5, 2014, Madison, Dane County and tourism officials announced Wednesday.The convention/get together/party, called Wing Ding, is expected to attract 12,000…

Jack Nicklaus Grandson Nick OLeary Survives Scary Motorcycle Crash

Florida State undoubtedly expects big things from junior tight end Nick O'Leary this coming season. But after a stunning video that was released Wednesday, it's clear O'Leary is lucky to even be alive.See for yourself.O'Leary, the grandson of golfing legend Jack Nicklaus, was driving his motorcycle down a street in Tallahassee, Fla., in May when a Lexus pulled out in front of him. The violent collision immediate propelled O'Leary from the motorcycle and set him sliding some 75-100 feet, narrowly…

Motorcycle helmet gets built-in heads-up display

July 23rd, 2013Would-be RoboCops will love this.Reevu, inventors of the world’s first motorcycle helmet with a built-in rear view mirror, has now enhanced that system with a heads up display.Overlaid onto a mirror just above the wearer’s line of site, the display is being developed to provide various types of information for racers and road riders, including GPS and performance data, engine diagnostics and communications.Reevu is working on a motorsports version first, and tells FoxNews.com that…

Aussie student re-invents police motorcycle helmet

July 19th, 2013Article originally written on SMH.comA real-life RoboCop is one step closer to reality thanks to 23-year-old UNSW design student Alfred Boyadgis.Boyadgis has designed a high-tech helmet for motorcycle officers that displays information in the visor and combines a number of vital technologies that are currently only available at arm's length.The helmet is designed to improve response times in emergencies and save lives. It has already attracted interest from the Chief of Police in …

Harley-Davidson celebrates the ride at 2013 Sturgis Rally

July 17th, 2013Article originally written on H-D.Harley-Davidson riders and motorcycle enthusiasts will revel in the granddaddy of all motorcycle rallies at the 73rd Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota’s legendary Black Hills region.Demo rides on 2013 Harley-Davidson motorcycles will now be located at the Black Hills Harley-Davidson dealership at 2820 Harley Drive, just off exit 55 in Rapid City, S.D., to give riders the most enjoyable route and additional options for food, beverages…

Casper motorcycle ride honors Gold Star families

July 16th, 2013Article originally written on trib.comFour private vehicles and a group of 20-some motorcycles lined up behind the City of Casper police car. Casper Chief of Police Chris Walsh occupied the rear position, reds and blues flashing and siren sounding on his personal vehicle.Sunday’s procession even may have looked like a celebration, but it wasn’t.Inside the four private vehicles were Gold Star families — families who had given the ultimate sacrifice for their c…

Davis County Sheriffs Office sets itself apart in putting medics on motorcycles

July 15th, 2013Tara Garner’s children were collecting candy as the July 4 parade passed by, when they looked up and saw a deputy on a motorcycle, waving and talking to kids.“I know you,” one of Garner’s sons said to Chris Pope, from the Davis County Sheriff’s Office. “You came to my house on your motorcycle when my mom was having a heart attack.”The deputy said, “I hope your mom’s doing OK,” and the children pointed to where she was standing, holding her 3-month-old baby.One week after giving bi…

Mentor planners OK motorcycle gathering

July 13th, 2013The article was originally written on News Herald.The Mentor Planning Commission approved a new event Thursday that seeks to showcase vintage motorcycles.Wiseco Performance Products will sponsor the one-day rally at its Industrial Park Boulevard location in Mentor.This is the first event of its kind the global piston producer will host."I'm looking forward to seeing what's all around Northeast Ohio. I'm looking forward to seeing some classic Indians and some British bikes like som…

Terra Motors Adds iPhone Support To Their Electric Motorcycles

July 12th, 2013Article originally written on Ubergizmo.While we have seen Apple work with car manufacturers at integrating iOS devices into future car models, the same unfortunately cannot be said the same for motorcyclists where support for the iPhone is few, if any at all. Well the good news for motorcyclists is that if you wanted to get your hands on a motorcycle that has iPhone integration, Terra Motors might be a company to keep an eye on. The Japanese company who has been known for their d…

Freedom Riders Asia: Charley Boorman’s Motorcycle Tour of the Far EastFreedom Riders Asia: Charley Boorman’s Motorcycle Tour of the Far East

July 9th, 2013Article originally written on The Diplomat.In Oliver Stone’s original Wall Street, Charlie Sheen makes an utterance that borders on the absurd. Playing the role of a rising stock market star, during a bout of musing he wistfully tells his girlfriend, “I think if I can make a bundle of cash before I'm thirty and get out of this racket, I'll be able to ride my motorcycle across China.”In response to this “throwaway” line, author of Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Te…

Eddie Kidds wife admits beating the paralysed former motorcycle stuntman

July 5th, 2013Article originally written on mirror.co.ukThe wife of paralysed motorcycle stuntman Eddie Kidd yesterday admitted assaulting him four times.Ex-glamour model Samantha Kidd, 44, had previously pleaded not guilty but changed her plea ahead of a trial next week.She stared at her hands and looked on the verge of tears as she stood in the dock at Brighton Magistrates’ Court, East Sussex.She admitted four counts of assault by beating Eddie Kidd, three at his home in Peacehaven, East Susse…

Lightning electric motorcycle beats gas bikes in Pikes Peak climb

July 2nd, 2013Sebastian Loeb and his Peugeot 208 T16 roadster smashed all standing records to get to the top of Pikes Peak in 8 minutes, 13.878 seconds, but for two-wheelers the big news out of the 91st annual Pikes Peak International Hill Climb was all about Carlin Dunne and his electric Lightning.The San Carlos-manufactured all-electric race bike beat all other motorcycles to the top of the 14,110-foot peak on June 30, setting the fastest motorcycle time with a run of 10:00.694.He ran the 12.4…

Calling All Huskys! Bring Your Bike To Vintage Motorcycle Days

June 28th, 2013Article originally written on CycleNews.comCorona, CA - June 27, 2013 - Husqvarna owners, riders and racers are encouraged to bring their motorcycles to BikeBandit.com AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, on July 19-21, to participate in the what is shaping up to be the largest gathering of Husky fans and bikes in the country. This years's event will showcase the champions and riders of Husqvarna, and as part of that, the AMA will be putting Husky owners front and center at the country's …

Indian Motorcycles Poised for a Comeback

June 26th, 2013SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB) — It was the brand that helped make Springfield famous and now, Indian Motorcycles are revving up for a comeback. With a new company acquiring the Indian name, it looks like the classic ride is ready for a revival. It has been tried before, but this time, the Indian Motorcycle could be on track for a bona fide revival. The iconic brand has been basically dormant for a half century but now, Polaris, best known for their snowmobiles, is breathing…

Lady Rides Her Skull Adorned Motorcycle as Her Pet Bird Flies Alongside

June 25th, 2013Article originally written on themarysue.com There are so many questions that must be asked about this fabulous woman.This video may only be 36 seconds long, but you will rewind it again and again to make sure that you did, in fact, just see a real outlaw woman driving down the street on her bright green motor bike, accompanied by her pet bird, with rifles strapped to the wheels and handlebars, like someone strait out of dystopian science fiction.…

Victoria Gadson, computer analyst and devoted motorcycle rider

June 24th, 2013Article originally written on philly.comVICKY GADSON didn't hear her teenage son sneaking out of the house on those long-ago summer evenings, opening the garage door and wheeling her motorcycle out to the street.Or, at least, she pretended not to.Her son, Richard, would borrow Mom's bike regularly to race through city streets with his buddies. Maybe she was able to rest more securely in the knowledge that Rickey knew what he was doing. After all, he had been riding two-wheelers si…

Riding the blazingly quick, electric Zero Motorcycles

June 21st, 2013Article originally written on http://news.consumerreports.org/The first time Zero Motorcycles stopped by our headquarters four years ago, we were intrigued by the promise of electric motorcycles, but our team felt they needed more work. Fast forward a few years, and the new line from Zero comes across as mature and well thought out.Staff riding enthusiasts sampled several motorcycles, including the entry-level XU, Zero S street fighter, Zero DS dual sport, and Zero FX stealth figh…

Honda Motorcycle launches new edition of Dream Yuga

June 20th, 2013Article originally written on http://www.indianexpress.com/Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) today launched the new version of its entry level bike Dream Yuga priced at Rs 45,101 (ex-showroom Delhi). The company said the new Dream Yuga is equipped with 'Honda Eco technology' which has helped in increasing fuel economy of the model to 74 kmpl from the previous 72kmpl based on "its internal test ride mode that is close to actual city riding conditions" "Dream Yug…

Crew Rides Across the US in 3 Days — On an Electric Motorcycle

June 19th, 2013Article originally written on wired.comAs night fell on the Moto-Electra team during the first day of its cross-country adventure, Thad Wolff realized the headlight on the home-built electric motorcycle was out of alignment. It was dark, it was raining and he really, really needed that light. So he pulled into a gas station, his support van not far behind, to make an emergency repair.Brian Richardson, the man responsible for building the bike, whipped out a Dremel and went to work…

Holy rollers: Pope blesses hundreds of Harley-Davidsons

June 17th, 2013Article originally written on Msn.comVATICAN CITY — Biker culture came to the Vatican on Sunday as Pope Francis blessed thousands of Harley-Davidsons and their riders celebrating the manufacturer's 110th anniversary with a loud parade and plenty of leather.Thundering Harley engines nearly drowned out the Latin recitation of the "Our Father" prayer that accompanied Francis as he greeted the crowd before Mass. Standing in his open-top jeep, Francis drove up the main boulevard leadin…

Zero MMX brings stealth electric motorcycle to US Special Forces

June 13th, 2013Article originally written on autoblog.comThe crack of a rifle breaks the silence of the humid night. The four-strong, black-swathed team quickly mount their motorcycles and move off in the darkness toward the sound at breakneck speed. Invisible, almost silent, they quickly close the distance to the enemy. The element of surprise is on their side and justice is about to be meted out.While this scenario might sound like something from the movies, it is now quite plausible. At least…

Honda, BMW experiment with the autonomous motorcycle

June 11th, 2013Article originally written on http://gigaom.com/BMW and Honda have already added plenty of connectivity to their cars, but now they’re turning attention to vehicles that have fewer than four wheels. The two automotive giants are working with the University of Michigan and Australian startup Cohda Wireless to put networking smarts into their motorcycles.Adelaide-based Cohda designs radio systems and software that will not only link nearby vehicles on the road to each other, but als…

The Motorcycle Mama

June 10th, 2013Article originally written on cdapress.com/ HAYDEN - Motorcycle riding can be a little slice of hog heaven. Just ask 94-year-old Betty Lokay. "It's been quite a life," Lokay said. "I've had a fantastic 95 years." Lokay turns 95 June 27, and she loves riding. Lokay met Chery Cooper, 67, in the parking lot of Lokay's apartment comple…

Google Glass Could Be Coming to Motorcycle Helmets

June 7, 2013 Next year’s defining new-tech moment is sure to be the public release of Google’s first ‘wearable’ technology, Google Glass. You’re probably already aware of the idea: a tiny heads-up display fitted to a frame that looks like a pair of lens-less glasses. With its own built in camera, computer and a Bluetooth link to your mobile phone, the technology promises to revolutionise the lives of those people who currently spend all their time head-down, absorbed in their smartphone screens…

The motorcycle daredevil next door premieres new show on SPEED

June 6th, 2013The article was originally written on clclt.comJournalist Neale Bayly has traveled through 65 countries — 45 on his motorcycle — in the past 35 years. He once bought a bike in Florida and rode up to Alaska. He then sold it for $400 and hitchhiked to California, flew to Asia to tour several countries, and then spent the last of his money on a one-way ticket to Australia. He arrived with only $22 in his pocket and wound up living th…

Novelty Motorcycle Helmets

June 4, 2013 In the U.S., 19 states require bikers to wear helmets. But a choice of style over rider safety when selecting a helmet can be deadly. Suzanne Randa, a 49-year-old mother of four, was riding on the back of her fiance's motorcycle down a California highway last May. Randa's daughter, Kelli Meador, recalled, "As they were coming around the curve, I guess that is when he hit his breaks and lost control of the bike." The bike hit the highway divider. Her fiance survived, but Rand…

ABATE of Indiana rides to raise awareness for motorcycle safety

June 3rd, 2013This article was originally written on WANE.comFORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Motorcycle riders from around the Midwest came to Fort Wayne Sunday to support motorcycle awareness.More than 1,000 riders showed up at the K-Mart plaza on the south side of Fort Wayne Sunday morning for the 24th annual American Bikers Aimed Toward Education (ABATE) Mayor's Ride. Participants rode to downtown Decatur, where there was food and entertainment for them at the Courthouse Square.The ride is a way…

UFC Set to Rumble for Harley-Davidsons 110th Anniversary

May 31, 2013 MILWAUKEE - The legendary Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Octagon® is set to ride into Milwaukee for Harley-Davidson’s 110th Anniversary celebration, giving fans of the two all-American heavyweight brands an opportunity to witness one of the hardest-hitting live fights of the year – the UFC® 164 Harley-Davidson Hometown Throwdown. UFC stars including Cain Velasquez, Mike Chiesa and Matt Hughes will be at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in downtown Milwauke…

Unique Motorcycle Safety Device Aims to Reduce Rear-End Collisions

May 30, 2013 Look ma, no brakes. But slow down anyway! California startup Vectolabs has developed a new type of safety light for motorcycles that illuminates when the bike slows down, regardless of whether or not the rider is using the brakes. Called Vololights, the device is comprised of two sets of LEDs built into a license plate holder that’s fitted with an accelerometer and CPU. When it senses that the motorcycle it is installed on starts slowing down, a pattern of blinking…

Vectrix To Launch Electric Motorcycle Shortly

May 29, 2013 Vectrix , a company that over the last few years has had its ups & downs, is about to launch an electric motorcycle. They have several models of electric scooters available, one that has won the "Scooter of the Year" award from the European CleanWeek 2020 organization, the Vectrix VX 1li/Li+. Now Vectrix is getting ready to launch a new electric motorcycle. Called the VT-1, it's going to be the equivalent of a 125cc motorcycle with a low speed of 55 mph (88 kph)…

Biking the Nation, Corner to Corner

May 28, 2013 Gary Lewis of Huntington once jumped on his Harley and rode to El Paso just for fun. Oh, he didn’t ride nonstop. He took a break somewhere in northern Texas to sleep for the night. While that might sound a little extreme, it’s not uncommon for people who love their motorcycles to take off on epic rides when they have a few days off. In October of 2008, though, Lewis heard about the most epic motorcycle ride in America. It’s called the Four Corners ride, and it was started in 1983…

The HOGs Are Coming To The Strip

May 24, 2013 The principals of Las Vegas Harley-Davidson have announced plans to construct an $18 million dollar flagship dealership on the south end of the Vegas Strip, close to the iconic “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign, according to the Vegas Review Journal. The planned 50,000 square ft tw0-level building will replace the current 70,000 sq. ft store located about 2.5 miles from the strip. Don Andress President, and Tim Cashman, Las Vegas Harley-Davidson vice president, said they have …

Missouri Motorcycle Riders Had Good Legislative Year

May 24, 2013 JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri motorcyclists would benefit from several bills awaiting the governor's signature this year, but a top-tier priority to waive the state's helmet law for most adults didn't make it out of the proposal parking lot. Under a measure passed this session, law enforcement wouldn't be able to set up checkpoints targeted to pull over motorcycles, which supporters said will protect riders at motorcycle rallies from being singled out. Another measure declares M…

Which Way to Jump Ducati? The Rumor Mill is Working Double Shifts

May 23, 2013 One of the advantages of having spent a life-time around GP racing is that you develop a network of other ancients who both gossip a lot and tend to be rather well informed. I got talking to one such wrinkly, and very knowledgeable, veteran at the British Superbike round at Oulton Park, and he had just returned from a very entertaining, not to say interesting,MotoGP race at Jerez. Amongst the cognoscenti in Spain, there is a very interesting, and highly credible, story in circulati…

Sturgis Motorcycles as Art Exhibition to Highlight Café Racers for 2013

May 22, 2013 STURGIS, S.D., —Lucky number 13 for the annual “Motorcycles as Art” exhibition at the Buffalo Chip during this year’s Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is titled “Ton Up! – Speed, Style and Café Racer Culture,” focusing on the origins and continued popularity of the café racer movement worldwide. Co-curators Michael Lichter (LichterPhoto.com) and Paul d’Orléans (theVintagent.com) have assembled a comprehensive display of 32 machines from 12 makes and six decades—plus unpublished photography…

The Rules: Cleaning Your Bike

May 22, 2013 The air is warm again, the tarmac shimmers and the sun strokes the back of every rider’s neck. Leathers hang patiently, helmets seem to buzz in anticipation and garage doors are poised on standby. At no point in this fantasy is it cool to walk outside in your finest attire and straddle a filthy, gunk-clad bike. Sometimes we tell ourselves a quick dollop of soap and a slap of lube will do, but for those who want to brush up on their cleaning skills, premium motorcycle care brand SDo…

Riding The Arctic Circle…On A Honda C90

May 21, 2013 Ed March isn’t your typical motorcyclist. He chose to take a motorcycle journey to the Arctic Circle in the dead of winter. While many people would consider this a crazy idea in itself, March’s choice of motorcycle — a Honda C90 — will probably shock many more. He traveled alone, accompanied with just his camera equipment, camping gear, his trusty C90 and his Union Jack. Why does he do it? “To show the world you don’t need a BMW R1200GS to travel.” And because “I just can’t seem to…

The Buffalo Chip Presents Daredevil Wednesday at the 2013 Sturgis Rally

May 17, 2013 Sturgis, S.D., May 14—The Sturgis Buffalo Chip is proud to announce Daredevil Wednesday, a day of daring and exciting stunts to take place during the Sturgis summer music and motorcycle festival. For the first time ever, a “Calling All Daredevils” contest is also taking place where daredevils nationwide can submit their own stunts to be selected, big or small, to join a day of history being made. Multiple stunts are currently already planned to attempt setting World Records, making …

Red Baron: Motorcycle with Airplane Engine Makes a Roaring Racket

May 17, 2013 When motorcycle enthusiasts say "loud pipes save lives," I don't think they are imagining the Red Baron, an insane two-wheel machine powered by an actual aircraft engine. It's a beast. A monster. A crazed marriage of sky and land. It's also incredibly loud. German tinkerer Frank Ohle spent 18 months bringing the Red Baron from concept to reality. It's not like you can just pull the engine out of a regular bike and pop in an aircraft engine. Just about every part of the motorcy…

Harlem Dirt Bikers Look to Build Motorcycle Park

May 16, 2013 Harlem dirt bikers are banding together to come up with a legal, safe way to get bikes out of danger — and themselves out of hot water. Forming a group called Bikelife, dirt bikers known by the street names Al Capone and Benmore, have joined with anti-violence activist Iesha Sekou to plea for a motorbike Mecca where bikers can safely ride. The move gained traction after dirt biker Eddie Fernandez, 28, was hit and killed a year ago while being chased by police for riding his off-ro…

MD First Look: AVA Swift 250

May 15, 2013 We’ve all seen the photos—grainy shots of exhausted-looking Italians, draped over small-displacement Singles, cigarette dangling from a lower lip. Photos from the great era of Italian motorcycling, the 1950s, when buzzy little bikes competed in time trials on public roads, time trials like the Motogiro d’Italia. This fabulously celebrated and fondly remembered race that covered over 5000 miles of public roads, before a tragic accident ended public roadracing events in 1957. What wa…

Indian Motorcycle Announces Price Point, Sturgis Unveiling of 2014 Indian Chief

May 15, 2013 MEDINA, Minn. — May 13, 2013 — Indian Motorcycle is continuing its trip toward the historic unveiling of the completely new 2014 Indian Motorcycle. Following on the heels of the reveal of the all-new Thunder Stroke 111 engine on March 9 at Daytona Bike Week, Indian Motorcycle is announcing additional details as it accelerates toward the upcoming launch. Staying true to its heritage, the revival of the Indian Motorcycle brand will debut with the introduction of the 2014 Indian …

May Declared as Motorcycle Awareness Month

May 14, 2013 The month of May is Motorcycle Awareness Month -- one of the most important months of the year for the safety of all road users and especially motorcyclists, according to the American Motorcyclist Association. The AMA is the largest motorcycling rights and event-sanctioning organization in North America. "Motorcycle Awareness Month serves as a seasonal reminder to all road users to look around, check their mirrors and consciously look for motorcycles," said AMA Preside…

Electric Bikes: Frog eBike and Husqvarna E-go

Frog eBikeMany consider that electricity holds the key for the future of cars and motorcycles. And there is no wonder why, since the electric technologies offer a lot of advantages, the biggest one being that they are more efficient than any type of combustion engine. The Frog eBike is one of the newest electric concepts and besides its efficiency is also fully recyclable. The concept was penned by Jin Soek Hwang and features a futuristic design language. Unfortunately we don’t have a…

Harley-Davidson celebrates Women Riders Month

Harley-Davidson celebrates 'Women Riders Month' with a nationwide search for top stories of female independence MILWAUKEE - As Harley-Davidson’s year-long, global 110th Anniversary Celebration rolls on, the company continues to highlight the independent spirits that have fueled the brand for more than a century. In May, Harley-Davidson will shine its headlight on women riders as part of the fifth annual Women Riders Month. There’s never been a glass ceiling for women when it comes to Har…

Myrtle Beach Area Ready for Upcoming Bike Rally

May 13, 2013 MYRTLE BEACH — Businesses along the Grand Strand want to do more to bring crowds back to the Spring Myrtle Beach Harley Davidson Crusin’ the Coast rally. The plans include additional entertainment options and a 90-mile bike ride that stretches all across the Grand Strand. Horry County public safety officials have a different focus. They just want to make sure bike week participants behave – no matter how many show up. There are no good estimates for how many will. Read mor…

Motorcycle Safely, State Officials Urge

May 10, 2013 Like your brain? Invest in a good helmet. State officials shared that simple message Thursday at Lake Lanier to remind motorcyclists to ride safely. The advent of warmer weather means more motorcycles on state roadways, said Harris Blackwood, director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. Each motorcycle rider, he said, should have a good helmet, proper shoes and gloves. They also should take a safety course, said Jim Kelly, who heads the state Motorcycle Safety Program. …

Harley-Davidson World Ride Ready to Rumble June 23-24

May 9, 2013 Let's ride, The Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.) invites Harley-Davidson motorcycle riders from around the world to join its members in celebrating the 110th Anniversary of Harley-Davidson Motor Company and the 30th Anniversary of H.O.G. as they enjoy the freedom of the open road during the 2013 Harley-Davidson World Ride on June 23-24. “Harley-Davidson is celebrating two big anniversaries this year, and the World Ride is a great way for riders around the world to celebrate them …

Where the Rumble Meets the Road

Three Harley-Davidsons sat rumbling near the guardrail at a Yosemite National Park overlook, barely tethered stallions. One rider, wearing leather chaps and a stars and stripes helmet, laughed in the direction of our overloaded BMW R1100R, piled high with bungee-corded duffel bags and camping gear. “Man, we’re just out on a joy ride,” he said, shaking his head. “You’ve got some real guts traveling like this.” For my boyfriend, Piotr, and me, riding a motorcycle around our home base of New …

Biker Businesses Predict Resurgent Rally

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) – With just a few days left before the 2013 Bike Rally, bike-related businesses say they are anticipating one of the best rallies they've seen in the Grand Strand in years. "We've got a full staff working," said SBB General Manager Bill Barber. "We literally had to put Four Corners back together because we tore it down after we sold it." Barber says the SBB staff decided to shut down SBB Four Corners on Highway 17 because the building had been losing money for years, bu…

Cars vs Bikes: Let’s Be Grown Up About This

For acceleration it’s two wheels, but what about braking? Down the pub, we all like to imagine ours is the best. But in a no-holds-barred shoot-out, who gets there? Let’s start at the start. Bikes launch phenomenally well, putting all their weight onto the driven wheel and becoming “all wheel drive” by virtue of there only being one on the road. It’s important to lean forward and not let the bike lift, but even quite modest bikes post blistering 0-60 times compared to cars thanks to this effec…

Motorcyclists gather to spread awareness

May 6th, 2013ALBION – Riders from across western New York traveled through Orleans County Sunday to note both the launch of motorcycle season and a rumbling reminder for drivers to be attentive of their two-wheeled brethren. The riders who assembled at the Orleans County Chapter of American Bikers Aimed Toward Education of New York’s annual Motorcycle Safety & Awareness Rally have spent countless years and endless miles on the rural and sce…

To Harley or not to Harley? A question that is harder and harder to answer

May 3, 2013 Article originally written at www.motorcyclistonline.com. Baggers-the cross breed of cruiser and a full-dress tourer-are big business. Distinguished by saddlebags and full fairings, and built for stylish over-the-road travel, they're the most popular subset of the massive cruiser market. Harley-Davidson doesn't disclose sales by model, but even a cursory curbside survey says baggers are Milwaukee's best-selling bikes. It seems every second Harley you see is a Street Gl…

Motorcycle Awareness Month is May!

May 2, 2013 The month of May is Motorcycle Awareness Month -- one of the most important months of the year for the safety of all road users and especially motorcyclists, according to the American Motorcyclist Association.The AMA is the largest motorcycling rights and event-sanctioning organization in North America."Motorcycle Awareness Month serves as a seasonal reminder to all road users to look around, check their mirrors and consciously look for motorcycles," said AMA President and CEO R…

Economic indicator, Harley Davidson?

May 1, 2013 Harley-Davidson Inc sounded an upbeat note about the state of the global consumer on Thursday with a 34 percent increase in quarterly profit and a big jump in shipments of its iconic motorcycles ahead of the traditional spring selling season. The Milwaukee-based company, closely watched because of the window it provides on discretionary spending, said overall revenue from bikes, parts and accessories, and apparel rose 9.8 percent to $1.57 billion in the most recent quarter.…

HINES AND KRAWIEC QUALIFY V-RODS FOR HOUSTON ELIMINATIONS

April 30, 2013 BAYTOWN, Texas – Harley-Davidson® Screamin’ Eagle®/Vance & Hines riders Ed Krawiec and Andrew Hines continued advancement of the team’s new Harley-Davidson® V-Rod® motorcycles, as both riders qualified for the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals presented by Super Start Batteries at Royal Purple Raceway, the third Pro Stock Motorcycle event in the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.Hines, a winner for three consecutive years at the Houston event, qualified thi…

There's an app for that?

April 29, 2013 The Laconia Motorcycle Week Association has combined old school debauchery with new technology, in an all new app, the free Laconia Mobile Guide(LMG) now the OFFICIAL mobile guide of Laconia Motorcycle Week. Is this the new swiss army knife - 'everything you need'...The Laconia Mobile Guide hopes to help riders find all the latest and greatest information for events and activities in and around the Lakes Region and State of NH. For the 90th anniversary, Laconia Motorcycl…

To helmet or not to helmet?

April 27, 2013 Winter seems to be lingering around a lot of the country, but motorcycle riders like the rest of nature are springing up all over. Weather or not, my ride came out of hibernation a week ago. I’m sure ‘soon’ is welcome news for colder regions of the states. The bad news is, as with the first snow of the season and car accidents, we’ve already had several serious cycle accidents.A sobering tally, reports this week that motorcycle deaths last year increased across our nation. It…

10 Tops for traffic

April 26, 2013 Nobody wants to sit in traffic, and as much as riding has that certain something above sitting in a car, and a lot of times you can sneak through traffic enjoying everyone’s envy –let’s just say envy, traffic still bites. Of course the traffic you’re in day after day in the commute to the big city near you might border on the ridiculous, but we’ve assembled as list of the ten worst cities to get caught in during rush hour in the US.Traffic data provider Inrix looked at a wide…

Top Five Ways to Make Your Ride Run Forever

April 25. 2013 Though we may set out to keep a bike forever, not everyone will have the persistence — and luck — of Irv Gordon, a man who holds the world record for having driven his 1966 Volvo P1800 for nearly 3 million miles. You can, however, greatly extend the life of your vehicle, while simultaneously reducing the possibility of mechanical mishaps. The following five items are basic and can apply to any vehicle. 1. Follow Your Vehicle's Service Schedule: This may seem like a no-…

AMA Roadrace Grand Championships head to Virginia International Raceway Sept 21-22

April 24, 2013 Article originally written on americanmotorcyclist.com. Amateur roadracers in the American Motorcyclist Association will compete for national championships on Sept. 21-22 when the 2013 AMA Roadrace Grand Championships go to Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Va. "The annual AMA Roadrace Grand Championships feature the most-talented up-and-coming young roadracers in the United States," said AMA Track Racing Manager Ken Saillant. "We're looking forwar…

Motorcycle Safety

April 23, 2013, Article originated at idahostar.org/ It's that time of year when many drivers are starting to see motorcycles on the road again. With Idaho being one of the top places to ride, officials want to remind drivers and motorcyclists to be safe and aware when driving. More than four thousand fatalities occur each year in the United States. Summer Joy talks to friends and family that have lost a loved one in a motorcycle accident and to find out what drivers and riders ne…

Our environment

April 22, 2013 Yup, it’s Earth day 2013! Didn’t know? Well, that doesn’t matter because motorcyclists as a group, are considered much more environmentally conscientious than average. I suppose we appreciate a debris free road for selfish reasons, but bikers also tend to feel greater kinship with, and a deeper appreciation for our natural environment, there are exceptions. Article originally written at americanmotorcyclist.com.The AMA salutes motorcyclists and all-terrain vehicle riders…

And the hand bone is connected to the arm bone

April, 20, 2013 Article originally written at motorcyclecruiser.com. Most of us recognize the importance of at least a quick visual check of our machines before we set out, but what many riders forget is that it's just as important to check your body position. Out on a one-lane country road 30 minutes into your ride is not the ideal time to be wondering, "Uh, why are my hands tingling? Why are my shoulders tight? And damn it, why does my neck ache?"But that's often how it goes with ri…

Some secrets of cruising

April 19, 2013 Quiet towns all over America transform into wild party spots as thousands and thousands of bikers roll in for not just the basics: beer, bikes, and boobs, but any type of debauchery that may spontaneously combust. Many show off in bike races, bike exhibitions, burnouts, and the girls, well mostly girls, in bikini contests. Bands from new local talent to legends of rock and roll, and country can be found jamming at many biker events. Some events last a day, some 3 or 4 d…

RTC deters crime, who'da thunk it?

April 18, 2013 Self-defense is a fundamental right. The U.S. constitution, the constitutions of 44 states, common law, and the laws of all states recognize the right to use arms in self-defense. Right to Carry (RTC) laws respect the right to self-defense by allowing individuals to carry firearms for protection.The Supreme Court, striking down the District of Columbia’s handgun ban in District of Columbia v. Heller (2008), ruled that “the inherent right of self-defense has been central to the Sec…

54-46 Final Score!!! Defeated in the Senate, the background check proposal!

April 17, 2013 Article originally written at foxnews.com. The Senate has defeated a vital amendment seen as the linchpin to Democrats' gun control bill, dealing a major setback to President Obama as he campaigns to expand the federal background check system. The vote was 54-46, with supporters falling six votes short of the required 60-vote threshold. The Senate is proceeding to several other amendments, but the failure of the background check proposal authored by Sens. Joe M…

To E15, or not to E15?

April 17, 2013 WASHINGTON: The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals' decision in August 2012 that dismissed challenges to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) partial approval of E15. The EPA decision at issue authorized a 50 percent increase in the amount of ethanol in gasoline for newer-model year motor vehicles, while maintaining a prohibition on the mid-level ethanol blend use in old…

Thunder in the Valley Motorcycle Rally

April 16, 2013 This summer, Memorial Day through July 4th, The Alleghenies offers everything from a motorcycle rally to canopy tours and plenty of festivals. Start summer right with these events: Laurel Ridgeline Canopy Tours (all summer) Seven Springs Mountain Resort. Constructed to fit into the natural landscape, Seven Springs' new canopy tours consist of 10 zip-lines ranging in length from 145-feet to the grand finale--1,500-feet of zip 150-feet in the air! 46th Annual Blair…

Rock To Rap And Everything In Between: Harley-Davidson Unveils Preliminary Lineup For 110th Anniversary Celebration

April 15, 2013 An eclectic mix of talent ranging from emerging stars to legendary bands will rock the Milwaukee Lakefront with Harley-Davidson during the culmination of the company's year-long, global 110th Anniversary Celebration.More than 60 bands will take to the stages of Milwaukee's Henry Maier Festival Park (Summerfest Grounds) Thursday, Aug. 29, through Sunday, Sept.1, 2013. The first round of confirmed performers includes ZZ Top, Katey Sagal & The Forest Rangers, Dropkick M…

Moto Guzzi USA, would like to introduce

April 13, 2013 Moto Guzzi USA, the North American branch of the Piaggio Group’s iconic Moto Guzzi motorcycle brand, known for its high quality craftsmanship, iconic design, rich heritage and originality, today announced the all-new 2014 California 1400 models will arrive to U.S. dealerships the week of April 15th. The storied Italian brand and model line gained prominence in the American market via its exclusive contract with the LAPD and California Highway Patrol, over 40 years ago. Avail…

Aerosmith And Toby Keith Join Star-Studded Lineup For Harley-Davidsons 110th Anniversary Celebration In Milwaukee

April 12, 2013 Rock n' Roll Hall-of-Famers Aerosmith and superstar Toby Keith will join Kid Rock as headline performers for Harley-Davidson's 110th Anniversary Celebration in Milwaukee over Labor Day weekend.Keith will perform Thursday, Aug. 29; Aerosmith will take the stage Friday, Aug. 30; and Kid Rock will round out the epic weekend of music Saturday, Aug. 31. Each headline concert is at the Marcus Amphitheater, located on the south end of Milwaukee's Henry Maier Festival …

ABS Bikes:

April 11, 2013 Anti-lock brakes on bikes? At first I kind of shrugged the idea off thinking it was another way to raise or even justify prices. I have ABS on my car, no big deal, but I can feel the vibration. Maybe I'm old, I'm definitely old school: big engine, loud pipes, good tires, brakes are on the list - more for crap getting in my way, but I really can't imagine that vibration going over well while I'm on two wheels.Whelp, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway safety…

Motorcycle safety campaign starts

March 29th, 2013Article originally written on http://register-news.com/The Illinois Department of Transportation has kicked off the “Gear Up - Ride Smart” motorcycle safety campaign in partnership with the Illinois State Police, Gold Wing Road Riders Association and A Brotherhood Aimed Towards Education, also known as ABATE.The campaign promotes safe motorcycle riding through continued training and use of proper gear and reminds all motorcyclists to get licensed, get proper training and keep mot…

Jesse James Married Drag Racer Alexis DeJoria

March 25th, 2013Article originally written at Starpulse.comJesse James has married for the fourth time after a ceremony with drag racer Alexis DeJoria this weekend.US Weekly confirmed the story, but niether star has mentioned their nuptials via any of their social media pages -- despite several new posts from both of them.According to the magazine, the wedding took place in Malibu, Calif., at DeJoria's father's estate. Her father is the co-founder of the Paul Mitchell line of hair products. Acco…

Worlds first rearview motorcycle helmet introduced

March 22nd, 2013James Bond doesn’t always have time to put on a helmet when he commandeers a motorcycle, but if he did, the Reevu would be a fitting choice.As its name suggests, the Reevu features a unique, periscope-style rear view vision system that allows the rider to see what’s directly behind without turning their head.Fitted with a series of reflective surfaces built into a tunnel on the crown of the helmet that reflect light up and over the wearer’s head, the view from behind is projected…

Kate Moss campaign for Matchless London motorcycles revealed

March 20th, 2013Italian-owned classic motorcycle company Matchless has chosen Kate Moss as the face of its latest campaign.One of Britain's oldest motorcycle companies Matchless London was bought up earlier this year by the Malenotti family, previously owners of heritage biker brand Belstaff. Founded way back in 1899, Matchless Motorcycles manufactured classic bikes until 1966 in South London, but the brand has been reborn in 2013 with a new line of motorbike-inspired luxury apparel.Brothers Mic…

Victory And Playboy Team Up

March 13th, 2013Article originally written on Cycle News.Victory Motorcycles and Playboy have teamed up to support Operation Gratitude, and are offering the chance to bid on a Playmate-autographed Victory Cross Country – with all proceeds from the bike auction going to Operation Gratitude. The Sunset Red 2013 Victory Cross Country that will be available in the March 21-28 auction appeared on the cover of the 2013 Victory catalog along with Playboy Playmate Raquel Pomplun. The bike has been …

DeLand biker rally is decidedly different

March 11th, 2013Article originally written on http://www.news-journalonline.comDELAND — It isn't every day a man in leather, patches and chains walks into a doll shop filled with porcelain babies and $100 Barbies.Unless it's Bike Week in DeLand. Then you'd be surprised how often that scenario occurs.DeLand's annual one-day Bike Rally — the ninth one, downtown along the stretch of Woodland Boulevard that leads past mom-and-pop storefronts of books, antiques, prom dresses and, yes, dolls — is West…

A Bike Week call for motorcycle awareness

March 5th, 2013Article originally written on The Orlando Sentinel.A tractor-trailer cut sharply in front of Nikki Cope's pink-trimmed Yamaha.The 23-year-old motorcyclist swerved and survived.But not everybody is as agile — or as lucky — on two wheels."I think we've all had some really serious close calls," said Cope, shaking her head as she recounted her most recent narrow escape during a motorcycle-awareness rally Sunday in east Orange County. "Motorcycles can be hard to see. They're small. But…

Sturgis Motorcycle Hall announces 2013 inductees

March 4th, 2013Article originally written on http://rapidcityjournal.comSTURGIS |The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame has announced the 2013 inductees into the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame and the Freedom Fighters Hall of Fame. The Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame is designed to recognize individuals or groups who have made a long term positive impact on the motorcycle community. The Freedom Fighters Hall of Fame recognizes the commitment and sacrifices individuals across th…

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