Polar Bear Grand Tour to The Exchange in Rockaway, NJ on January 27, 2013

Check out pictures of the 14th motorcycle run of the 2012-2013 Polar Bear Grand Tour season to The Exchange in Rockaway, NJ on January 27, 2013.

We All Love Old Motorcycles

I have a picture gallery of old motorcycles that has some beautiful old bikes. Especially, look for the Cushman, Indian, Harley-Davidson, Matchless, and Phelon and Moore. Take a look.

Major Motorcycle Rallies for 2013

In the off season, many riders like to plan rides to various motorcycle rallies. I have just updated my motorcycle rally article and schedule for 2013 to assist you.

Motorcycle rallies (biker rallies) are simply gatherings of riders and motorcycles at specified times and places usually with attendant vendors, food, games, and other activities.

Motorcycle rallies or biker rallies may last from a day to more than a week. Some major motorcycle or biker rallies are built around organized professional motorcycle races.

Motorcycle rally attendance varied widely from a low of a couple of dozen riders or less to huge organized rallies with hundreds of thousands of riders.

My updated article, Motorcycle Rallies (Biker Rallies) - Major Rallies for Motorcycles, gives basic information about motorcycle rallies. The second page of this article contains my list of the top motorcycle rallies.

The picture shows me raising my arm after I parked my bike on Main Street at the 1993 Sturgis Rally. That was the year of the great Midwest floods.

Motorcycle Pictures of the Week - Marcelo

Here are my Pictures of the Week as displayed on the Motorcycle Views Website. These pictures are taken from the Moto Pic Gallery. See Marcelo Suárez Salvia on his 2001 Kymco 100cc under Men on Motorcycles. There are no Trikes Only, Women on Motorcycles, or Bikes Only this week. We need more pictures of men and women with their motorcycles. Get your picture in. For details, see Motorcycle Pictures of the Week.

Motorcycle Accident Tragedy Results in Motorcycle Education Act of 2009

Losing family members to motorcycle accidents could have the effect of a rider wanting to refrain from motorcycle riding. Not so for Cherene Williams-Walters of St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands. Even though she lost her husband to an accident that took place right in front of her, she wanted to do something to promote motorcycle safety. Her story is chronicled in an article in the Virgin Islands Daily News by reporter Fiona Stokes. Here's an excerpt:

"Williams-Walters said she began riding with her husband Thaddeus Walters in 2002, and they rode together on the same bike or on separate bikes often until he was killed while they rode one evening in September 2007.

'I was riding behind him on my bike that night when he crashed by Sunny Isle,' she said. 'It was something I couldn't believe.'

Just more than a year later, in November 2008, she also lost her brother, Raymond Williams, who died in a motorcycle crash less than a mile from where Walters was killed.

Despite the losses, Williams-Walters said she still finds joy in riding, and her primary focus has turned to promoting motorcycle safety and hopefully limit the number of motorcycle tragedies in the territory." -- Fiona Stokes

Since then, Williams-Walters has assisted with the development of the Motorcycle Education Act of 2009 that recently was signed into law. Read more.

Polar Bear Grand Tour Run to Sir John's in North Brunswick, NJ on January 20, 2013

Check out pictures of the 13th motorcycle run of the 2012-2013 Polar Bear Grand Tour season to Sir John's in North Brunswick, NJ on January 20, 2013.

Ayrton Senna - His Life May Help Motorcyclists to be Better Riders

Ayrton Senna was a world class automobile racing champion, thought to be, by many, the best to ever race. Here's an article about him from MotorcycleDaily.com including a video. Motorcyclists may be able to learn some of his techniques to learn their limits and how to improve them. Here's an excerpt from the article:

"Ayrton Senna rarely had the best car, but he had an uncanny ability to get the best out of it. Three F1 World titles and 65 pole positions before he was tragically killed in 1994 while leading his final race. He may have been the best motorsports racer in history. Indeed, most modern F1 champions think he is clearly the best automobile racer ever (including Michael Schumacker).

What can motorcyclists learn from an automobile racer known for consistently finding the limits of both traction and speed?" -- MotorcycleDaily.com

Read more and watch the video

Wild Motorcycle Tales - Two New Stories

There are two new motorcycle stories this week for your enjoyment. They both involve motorcycle trips: one in france and one in Arizona. Got your own motorcycle story? Send it to me.

Now, read about a motorcycle camping Trip to Llano with lots of pictures and a dog on board. Follow that up with Drifting in France about a honeymoon motorcycle trip.

Motorcycle Book Review: The Adventures of Olive Pearl and Hammy Davidson

I review a new paperback book, The Adventures of Olive Pearl and Hammy Davidson written by first-time author, Michael DeRosa. This is a 96-page book written for 9-12 year olds but adults can learn a thing or two also. Here's an excerpt from the preface:

"Olive Pearl is a green and black motorcycle and Hammy Davidson is her stuffed piggy passenger. Our story puts us on the road with them to experience the joy of motorcycling. We come along on a 1700-mile road trip to meet new people, see new things, and learn new lessons." -- Michael DeRosa

Read the review.

Also, check out all my recommended motorcycle books and more than 20 motorcycle book reviews.

Motorcycle Pictures of the Week - Claudia and Gary

Here are my Pictures of the Week as displayed on the Motorcycle Views Website. This feature has been expanded to include Bikes Only and Trikes Only. These pictures are taken from the Moto Pic Gallery. See Claudia on her 2004 Kawasaki 125cc under Women on Motorcycles. Also see Gary on his 1985 Yamaha Virago 700 under Men on Motorcycles. There are no Trikes Only or Bikes Only this week. We need more pictures of men and women with their motorcycles. Get your picture in. For details, see Motorcycle Pictures of the Week.

Polar Bear Grand Tour to Wearhouse Grill in Lake Hopatcong, NJ on January 13, 2013

Check out pictures of the 12th motorcycle run of the 2012-2013 Polar Bear Grand Tour season to the Wearhouse Grill in Lake Hopatcong, NJ on January 13, 2013.

John Britten Builds his Remarkable One-Off Racing Bike, the Britten V1000

I just found an incredible video from motorcycledaily.com consisting of three 15-minute videos relating the life of New Zealand inventor, John Britten. If you ever wanted to see true mechanical genius at work, you need to see this. It describes the process John went through to create a one-off bike totally from scratch and go on to race against the fastest Ducatis at Daytona. As you may know, John died at the age of 45 of cancer soon after this remarkable achievement. Watch the videos and be inspired.

How Not to Put a Motorcycle in the Back of a Pickup

Maybe you've seen these videos before but they do show that putting a bike in the back of a pickup is not for amateurs and can be pretty humorous. Take a look.

Motorcycle Riders Provide Safety Data as They Ride

Motorcyclists are dying on the highways in record numbers, mostly because drivers can't see them. Studies of motorcycle safety are ongoing but don't usually result in decreased motorcycle injuries. Here's a story from nbc-2.com about a new real-world study that involves 100 riders who have bikes equipped with cameras and recording devices that will store a year's worth of riding data. Be sure to check out the video to see one of these riders discussing the new study. Read more.

Best Motorcycle Movies

Sometime ago I compiled my list of 10 Famous Motorcycle Movies. I own all these movies and in my article they were reviewed and had links to buy them on Amazon.

I just found another article entitled Timeless Two-Wheeled Travels: The Best Motorcycle Films by Dennis Pimento of bestmoviesevernews.com. He reviews his list of best mototcycle movies. Many of his picks are the same as mine. Other picks include modern films replete with motorcycles. Read Timeless Two-Wheeled Travels: The Best Motorcycle Films. Take a look at the pictures and be sure to watch the video clip of an Easy Rider scene at the end.

Count Motorcycles - The Game That May Keep Riders Safer

Now here's something unusual that may help promote motorcycle safety and reduce motorcycle accidents that result from motorists not seeing us on our motorcycles.

Count Motorcycles, LLC has come up with a new game aimed at increasing motorcycle awareness. The game is a new concept in motorcycle awareness that gets people to see motorcycles. The Count Motorcycles game and CountMotorcycles.com will be premiering at the New York Progressive International Motorcycle Show with on–air personality 'Mistress' Juliya Chernetsky at the Jacob Javits Center January 18, 19 and 20, 2013. Here's a quote from a press release from CountMotorcycles.com:

"Count Motorcycles, the game, accomplishes this by introducing a simple competition out of looking for motorcycles. It plays on people's natural inclination to be competitive and play games to make people aware of motorcycles. The website, CountMotorcycles.com, simply provides the game's rules, point structure and a few 'hints.' Very little is said about motorcycle safety or statistics. Instead, the focus is on a quick set of rules and how points are awarded with suggestions to play 'Punch-Buggy' style or to tally points at the end of a drive. By arranging the website this way, counting motorcycles is seen as fun and not a passive safety message." -- CountMotorcycles.com

Read more and be sure to see how to play the game at the bottom of the press release.

Motorcycle Picture of the Week - Tami C.

Here are my Pictures of the Week as displayed on the Motorcycle Views Website. These pictures are taken from the Moto Pic Gallery. See Tami C. on her 2006 Honda VTX 1300C under Women on Motorcycles. There are no Men on Motorcycles, Bikes Only, or Trikes Only this week. Send your picture in. We are showing an encore picture this week to encourage women to submit a picture of themselves with their bike. For details, see Motorcycle Pictures of the Week.

NHTSA Says, "Louder Please."

Many riders say: Loud Pipes (Bikes) Save Lives. Maybe this is truer than you might think. The NHTSA is now realizing that some bikes are so quiet, especially at low speeds, that something ought to be done to turn up the volume so that they can be heard. It's becoming a safety concern. A recent article from MotorcycleDaily.com discusses the motorcycle loudness issue. Here's a quote:

"If the NHTSA has its way, quiet motorcycles will be banned! To be more specific, electric vehicles of all types, including two wheelers, are frequently so quiet that they pose a safety risk to pedestrians at low speeds." -- motorcycledaily.com

Read more and, be sure to look at the video to see and hear what Domino's Pizza is doing with some of their delivery vehicles.

Polar Bear Grand Tour Run to De Thomasi's East 5 Points Inn on January 6, 2013

Check out pictures of the 11th motorcycle run of the 2012-2013 Polar Bear Grand Tour season to De Thomasi's East 5 Points Inn on January 6, 2013.

Some Aging Motorcyclists Want Motorcycle Hearses and Facebook Too

Aging motorcycle riders love their motorcycles and, increasingly, their social media participation. Some want to use social media as part of their own funeral services. Some even want to be carried out in hearses pulled by motorcycles. Here's a story by Peter Gray of NPR.org that shows how all these elements came together for one such motorcyclist. Here's a quote:

"Old Aristocracy Hill isn't a part of Springfield, Illinois that draws a lot of attention. The quiet neighborhood dates back to before the Civil War, its historic homes now carefully preserved by proud business owners. But outside a stately funeral home, a large black-and-chrome Harley-Davidson motorcycle trike pulls out of the parking lot, towing a matching casket in its glass-sided trailer. It's not something you would expect to see, but it's exactly what 67-year-old Lew Bird says his friend Dave Rondelli wanted: one last ride." -- Peter Gray, NPR.org

Read more and, if you like, click the top of the story to hear an audio version.

Women Riding Pillion Must Ride Side-Saddle in Indonesian Town

One town in Indonesia is now requiring female passengers on motorcycles to ride side-saddle. Here's a quote from news.com.au:

"A city in Indonesia's Islamic law stronghold of Aceh will ban women passengers from straddling motorbikes, describing the position as 'improper.' The move comes after leaders from the country's only province ruled under strict sharia law drafted a series of new bills, including banning women from wearing tight trousers, and allowing the stoning of adulterers and the flogging of homosexuals." -- news.com.au

Read more.

Motorcycle Picture of the Week - Lisa

Here are my Pictures of the Week as displayed on the Motorcycle Views Website. These pictures are taken from the Moto Pic Gallery. See Lisa on her 2005 Harley-Davidson Sportster Custom under Women on Motorcycles. There are no Men on Motorcycles, Bikes Only, or Trikes Only this week. Send your picture in. We are showing an encore picture this week to encourage women to submit a picture of themselves with their bike. For details, see Motorcycle Pictures of the Week.