Europe -The basics of riding a motorcycle never change and what we as rider’s face is as similar now as when motorcycles first hit the road – no pun intended. There has been and still continues to be many methods from practical to theory that seek to improve the motorcycling experience that evolves around safety. Looking back to 2009, one method used was the Lucky 13 cartoon series which was a safety message with a difference. Each issue of the cartoon featured Lucky 13, a young motorcyclist and focused on a particular risk factor, giving tips and recommendations … [Read more...]
As Seen from The Sidecar
Global Travel - At Motorcycle Minds we are no strangers to the mode of transport involving two wheels - the motorcycle - with appended to that a sidecar to evolve into a three wheeler outfit or hack. While our experience may have been short lived it was an enjoyable one with the two of us and a large French sheepdog with day and weekend trips away, meeting the nicest people, but given time would we have ventured any further than those trips, maybe or maybe not. Erring on the maybe not, we would probably not have turned it into a global circumnavigation, Guinness World … [Read more...]
Trans Euro Trail Aspiration
At Motorcycle Minds nothing attracts us more to motorcycling than the passion of riding especially when it strikes out from the pages of motorcycle travel adventure and life. One such passion we picked up, is the story of the establishment of Trans Euro Trail (TET), a 34,000km legal overland route from the North Cape in Norway to Tarifa on the Straits of Gibraltar, taking in 28 European countries and some of the best trails, landscapes and experiences of our continent – Europe, using as little surfaced road as possible that’s been put together by the people that best … [Read more...]
Diesel Spills Do Kill!
Sweden – SMC the Swedish Motorcyclists Association (Sveriges MotorCykliste) has reported on the issue of diesel spills from vehicles on Swedish roads where they ordered a test were friction on gravel and diesel was measured with alarming test results. Saying what motorcyclists, road engineers and authorities have known for decades, SMC has gone through the issue as it affects Swedish motorcyclists though which could be the issue anywhere in the world. SMC – Diesel And Oil Spills Every year a number of motorcycle and moped accidents happen due to diesel spillage … [Read more...]
Ride To Work – It’s International
Global - Today is international Ride to Work day, although by the time you are reading this you may be preparing to ride home from work or you may have missed the day entirely. Don't panic, if you are in the UK there is the "Ride to Work Week", initiated by the Motorcycle Industry Association, so you have four normal working days left. For those that bike to work or commute regularly, you will already know the benefits and the disadvantages that this brings, while being congestion beating you will still be riding in congested traffic but with the ability to filter - … [Read more...]
UK National Pothole Day 2017
United Kingdom - This Monday 16th January, is National Pothole Day #NationalPotholeDay - focussing attention on the UK road infrastructure. The initiative now in its third year is coordinated by the Street Repairs website which states that, “The UK’s road infrastructure is still suffering serious neglect. With the backlog for repairs increasing and maintenance budgets being slashed, we have listened to you the road user, and the general consensus is that it (National Pothole Day) is definitely needed.” The Street Repairs website, launched just over three years ago, … [Read more...]
Pedants ‘R’ Us
Europe - The one thing that we (Motorcycle Minds) try to ensure in the reporting of our articles is that they are factual to the point of being pedantically detailed. What we detest in articles or reports that we come across by others, is misrepresentation, misinterpretation, no references, or a just lack of professionalism. A general rule of thumb is that it’s not good to pass your personal opinion across as fact or truth in articles. While it might give the author a warm fuzzy feeling, it does not help the reader to understand the issues which are central to whatever … [Read more...]