Spain - Ver la versión original en español: One of the recurring themes in discussions between bikers on Internet forums, is the definition of what it is to be a biker? Usually you try to relate this – biker concept - to the type of bike or the use made of it: If being a biker means to ride a motorcycle of a legendary make or not. If being a biker means riding all year round in bad weather and good weather and not as an obstacle to the enjoyment of riding your motorcycle. What's clear is that these questions always prompt a debate because it appears to be the definition … [Read more...]
A Classic Case of Bike Crime
United Kingdom - The history of motorcycle (and other vehicle) crime. Crime has been with us forever. The motor vehicle however has only been with us in one form or another since the late 19th century. Like night follows day, vehicle crime followed up close behind & some offences are not quite as new as you might think! In 1891 for instance the police force, already 60 years in existence, were aware of the disquiet caused by these ‘new fangled’ horseless carriages, and over responding to local pressures from a frightened public (not to mention the horses), they … [Read more...]
The Good Rider
United States – Part 2: Balancing and Steering I started this series with the idea that a “good rider” is more than someone who can go fast on the track, and I suggested a list of characteristics that I think would define my ideal “good rider.” My list started with: A good rider is a motorcyclist who is skillful in control of a wide variety of motorcycles. Of course, different machines balance, accelerate, corner, and stop differently. I hope you haven’t developed a bigotry that prevents you from appreciating motorcycles that have more than two wheels. We’ll get to … [Read more...]
Necessity is the Mother of Invention in Gaza
Gaza - Necessity is the Mother of Invention or Motorcycling in Gaza - I came across an article recently, it was reporting on motorcycling in Gaza. I went about asking permission to print it, because that’s what’s required in their Terms and Conditions page. I waited and waited and came to the conclusion that they might be very busy people. In the end, I gave up and decided to write my own. Of course the article in France 24, was definitely the one I liked the best. It tells a tale of survival in Gaza and the birth of motorcycling in the war torn strip of land … [Read more...]
Excuse Me – Motorcycles are NOT Dangerous
United States - This past weekend I was at an outdoor event with one of my sons. The motorcycles were out in full force, as riding season had just begun for the majority of riders here in the Northland. As we both turned to admire a pack of bikes going by, I noticed another boy about my son's age standing with his father also looking on attentively with wide eyes. I'm sure many of us did when we were kids. What happened next didn’t surprise me but after nearly 33 years of riding, it still bothers me as much as when I first heard it myself. The father said, (in part I … [Read more...]
Crash Barriers Spain – Fitting Regulation
Spain - Ver la versión original en español: In 2005, in Spain a specific standard and a new Motorcyclist Protection System (SPM), was developed to improve the safety of motorcyclists in case of a fall and impact against a metallic crash barrier. It was after the protests of bikers in 2001 and 2002 when the Minister met representatives of riders and promised to work for a solution. This resulted in the UNE135900 standard and conforming to this standard the first SPM of Spain was developed by the Ministerio de Fomento (Ministry of Public Works). This was December, … [Read more...]
The Art of Dialogue and Motorcycling
Norway - In June 2008, over 100 motorcycling specialists met in the mountain town of Lillehammer, Norway to thrash out solutions to improve the “safety” of motorcyclists. The workshop was organised by the International Transport Forum/OECD with the objective of “bringing together the different stakeholders involved in motorcycling safety in order to identify the real problems of motorcycling safety (vs. the perceived problems), discuss practical solutions to these problems and propose a set of measures to improve the safety of motorcyclists”. The extraordinary … [Read more...]
