March Madness
In addition to basketball, there is another madness brewing in March. The number of motorcycles you will see on the North Carolina roadways will skyrocket this month as we bring in some good weather and longer days. Those who have been locked in all winter away from their bikes are ready to roll.
If you have friends who don't ride, remind them to be on the lookout for motorcycles this spring and summer. Get everyone around you aware that this is the time of year for motorcycles to come back to the streets. Hopefully, if enough people get the message, the roadways will be safer for everyone in North Carolina and we can make March Motorcycle Madness a safe and enjoyable one.
Stay safe,
Ben Cochran |
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Bill in NC Gen. Assembly Proposes May as Motorcycle Awareness Month
There is currently a Bill in the North Carolina General Assembly that proposes to designate May as "Motorcycle Awareness Month" across the state of North Carolina. Motorcycle Awareness Month is designed to increase public awareness about motorcycles to those who do not ride. It also will promote safe riding for those who are already seasoned riders. To check out the complete proposed bill currently in the NC House, please click here. |
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Hard Times Shut Down NY Biker Bar Generosity
The Sawmill Tavern, a biker bar in Schenectady, New York, has been offering free meals to those who needed them since 1980. On any given Sunday, anyone could come by and get a free hot meal, no questions asked. Don Birch, the generous owner of the biker bar, recently had to quit the tradition due to the hard economic times. Even with food donations from local vendors, Birch is unable to pay for the Sunday buffets from his own pocket while keeping his business running. He has even been regularly dipping into his own Social Security checks to keep the Sunday lunch afloat for the folks of his town.
On the last Sunday that he offered a buffet, Birch gave out 50 $5 tickets, which he bought himself, for the people attending his lunch to go to a fundraising spaghetti dinner. For one more Sunday, even after he had to shut down his buffet, Birch was making sure someone would be fed a hot meal. For the whole story from CBS News, click here. |
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Weekly Riding Tip: Dumping a Big Bike
By: James R. Davis
The very first lesson I give a person who is moving up to a larger bike is how to dump the bigger bike.
I have them take the bike onto a grassy area with relatively firm ground. With the engine turned off, I have them lean the bike slowly over to the left. What I want them to learn is that there comes a point in leaning the bike where the center of gravity of the bike will move past the side of their tank, and then most of the weight of the bike will be on their "down" leg." At this point, no one can hold up a big bike. If the rider tries, it can result in an injury. Decide when you have reached that point. Then stop trying to hold up the bike. LET GO OF THE LOWER GRIP. Quickly step on the high peg and step as wide away from the bike as possible with your "down" leg, as the bike lies down.
If you do this correctly, you will find that you remain standing, one foot on the ground, the other on the high peg, with the bike between your legs on its side. Most important, without injury.
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Daytona Beach Police Rig Up Bikes To Catch Thieves
Many people go to the Bike Week in Daytona Beach, Florida. Some go to look at the bikes. Some just want to relax. Many just want to ride. Unfortunately, some go to steal. In an effort to curb the theft of bikes at Daytona's Bike Week, the Daytona Beach police have been setting up dummy bikes across the city. Once a person gets on the bike and rides off, they are tracked by GPS. The city's Police Chief hopes this will lead them back to a chop shop in the area. For the full story, with video, click here. |
