Motorcycle Recalls

Everyday we surf the web to locate information that we can share with our readers of Biker-Space.com  whether it is sharing videos, information on safety and riding, or just anything on motorcycles and we came across this article on  motorcyclistonline.com and this is one issues that we can honestly say we never thought about motorcycle recalls.  That even though I purchased my bike new that there maybe something wrong with it.  We automatically assume everything is good.  Well know more.  We at Biker-Space.com have been educated and we hope to pass this information along and educate others.

 

While there’s plenty of press on car, truck, or SUV recalls, little is mentioned about recalls on motorcycles.
 

The fact is a bit surprising. In 2005, 87,000 motorcyclists were injured while over 4,500 were killed, a 14 percent and 13 percent increase, respectively, from 2004. While many were related to (lack of) driving skills, weather, other vehicles, and simply bad luck, some were related to defects found in the motorcycle itself.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provides service bulletins and posts recall information on its website. Recalls can be found in the Office of Defects Investigation at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/recallsearch.cfm. To discover if your motorcycle has a recall against it, at the site, select “Vehicle”, its year, make, and model. You will then see if any component of the motorcycle has a recall attached to it.

Note that even if the NHTSA site does not list a recall, motorcycle manufacturers sometimes issue their own. You may want to check their websites periodically or call their toll-free number.

Everyone assumes that when they buy a new motorcycle that everything is in working order. But other factors, including design issues or simple material stresses, can make the perfect bike less than optimal. Recalls are useful because it gives the motorcycle companies the chance to quickly resolve the issues so that customers are safe and satisfied with their rides for years—and miles—to come. 

 

For a list of the most recent motorcycle recalls please go to: 

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/motorcycle_recalls/index.html

http://www.allmotorcyclerecalls.com/

 

 

First Motorcycle Race Video and Electronic Motorcycle Racing Video

The first video is very funny and entertaining as I watched these motorcyclist get it in on the track.  The second video is a preview of the new electronic motorcycle.  It's cute will it replace the gas powered motorcycle's in the future?  I don't think so but it will definitely sell.  The main drawback for me is you won't be heard.  It 's a quite ride and we as motorcyclist know loud pipes saves lives.  My Pipe Is My Voice.  In any event we hope that you find both video's enjoyable.

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Peripheral Vision Technique In Motorcycle Riding--By Andrew Trevitt

One of the most basic techniques of motorcycle riding is to keep your head up and look where you are going. From a safety standpoint, this helps you avoid target fixation; in terms of performance, looking far ahead effectively slows things down, giving you more time to process what you see and take action. The question becomes, then, how do you see something near-like a reference point on the pavement-when you are supposed to be looking far ahead? The answer is that you must use your peripheral vision.

Peripheral vision is the ability to see objects and motion outside of the direct line of sight. Many sports rely on good peripheral vision; a baseball or soccer player must be able to look directly at the ball while seeing as many of the other players around him as he can, for example. Good jugglers don't look at any of the objects being juggled, but rather stare at a spot in space, relying solely on peripheral vision to see all the chainsaws (yikes!) at once.

Typically, you get the most information about something you are directly looking at. The further away something is from this direct line of sight, the less you are able to discern about it. When you take your driving test at the DMV, your peripheral vision is tested by gradually moving a light around your direct line of sight. While we're concerned with something simple like seeing a light off to the side, we're also interested in gleaning more information about it. If a car pulls up beside you on the freeway, you want to know exactly how far to the side it is, how fast it's going, and if the person behind the wheel is paying attention. And ideally you'd be able to do this without actually looking at the car. On the racetrack, it's nice to know exactly how close to your ideal line you are without having to stare directly at the front wheel.

You can improve your peripheral vision through exercise, but first it's important that you aren't inadvertently limiting your range. Simple things like your hair or the edge of a balaclava can restrict your vision. When shopping for a helmet, consider the width of the eyeport and how it can affect things. Wear contacts rather than glasses and a dark shield rather than sunglasses, as the frames can block your line of sight considerably. Optometrist Diana Risco points out that "glasses, especially those that have moderate amounts of astigmatism or a progressive lens (a multifocal lens that changes gradually from distance to near but only through the central corridor of the glasses), can be especially difficult with riding since you need to look in the exact area of the glasses for clarity. Contacts move with your eye so that the optical center is always aligned. Contact lenses are ideal for sports."

Your optometrist can perform tests to check your peripheral vision as well as recommend some exercises. We found several sources on the Internet with variations on the following exercise that can help: In a relaxed setting, focus your gaze on a spot directly in front of you-for example, a picture on a wall. Without moving your eyes, concentrate on something just to the side of the spot, such as a second picture beside the first. Without looking directly at the second object, try to discern as much information about it as you can. Gradually work farther away from where you are actually looking, concentrating on each individual object until you are considering things right at the edge of your vision. Work both to the left and right, and don't forget above and below. With practice, you'll get better at discovering more detail about objects farther to the side. For example, you can add movement to the exercise as well by walking down the sidewalk looking straight ahead (where you want to go) but concentrating on what is to each side of you. You'll then want to practice while riding; eventually it will become second nature to quickly and easily see something to the side without actually looking at it.

The implications of improved peripheral vision are fairly obvious in a street setting: you'll be better able to spot potential danger-such as a car pulling out of a driveway-and then react accordingly, all without losing focus of what's directly in front of you. And on the track it will be much easier to pick up and use reference points while keeping your head up and actually looking as far ahead into the corner as possible. There are numerous and more subtle advantages on both venues. For example, keeping tabs on a bike or car directly in front of you using your peripheral vision lets you look at and focus on the upcoming corner or intersection. With continued practice, you'll find more and more uses for peripheral vision, improving your riding on both street and track.

Guys Gone Wild: Sturgis Motorcycle Rally by Debora Dragseth

 We were email this article and we felt that it needed to be shared with the readers of Biker-Space.com.  If you are in Sturgis, South Dakota then you don't want to miss this week long event.

   
IT'S OFF THE DAMN CHAIN!!!!!

Today marks the opening of the outrageous phenomenon known as the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, a week-long, $987 million party for about 500,000 people. Every year in early August my sleepy hometown, Sturgis, population 6,500, hosts a half million biking enthusiasts who swarm here for a combination carnival, racing event, party, music festival, and shopping mall. 

Tucked into the scenic Black Hills of western South Dakota, for one memorable week each year Sturgis becomes the epicenter of the oldest, biggest, loudest, most authentic and out-of-control motorcycle rally in the world. We become the largest city in the state by a factor of three. That equates to each household in town hosting 183 “guests.” Nearly 500 festival-goers will land in jail; hundreds will be issued tickets for violations such as indecent exposure, open container, or driving on the sidewalk; 350 or so will require hospital emergency room visits; two or three will die of heart attacks; and a half-dozen or more will be killed in traffic accidents. Keeping its guests safe costs the city of Sturgis over $1 million in insurance, increased law enforcement, attorney costs, fire and ambulance services, and the like.  

To Read More About This Wonderful Event Please Click Here

MYRTLE BEACH SUED AGAIN OVER NOISE LAW-- compiled and edited by Bill Bish - JULY 2010 National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM)

As Myrtle Beach prepares to adjust some of the 14 ordinances passed in 2008 to quell the May motorcycle rallies, including their city-wide helmet law and four other ordinances being invalidated by the state’s high court, it faces yet another legal challenge that could require even more changes. Some residents and other motorcycle enthusiasts are suing the city again, this time hoping the Horry County Circuit Court will overturn the city's noise ordinance. Under the final version of the noise ordinance amendment, which gained final approval in March 2009, no vehicles except emergency vehicles can be louder than 89 decibels when measured from 20 inches away from the exhaust pipe, at a 45-degree angle, while the vehicle is idling. 

Bikers also must have an EPA issued sticker that state their bike meets federal noise reduction laws according to the municipal ordinance, but not South Carolina state law. On June 15th, Virginia-based Aid to Injured Motorcyclists (A.I.M.) attorney Tom McGrath filed suit in Horry County Circuit Court on behalf of local motel owner William O’Day, Horry County ABATE, and others who feel the city overstepped their authority in enacting muffler regulations that conflict with existing state law. McGrath's challenge to the city's helmet ordinance prevailed in the S.C. Supreme Court, with all five justices unanimously agreeing that the state has already covered the issue of who has to wear motorcycle helmets and that the city could not make its own rules because there must be a uniform traffic code. 

The noise ordinance wasn't included in the case the high court recently ruled on, he said, because the focus was on the helmet law. "They were issuing tickets left and right [under the helmet law]," he said. "No one we know had gotten a ticket under the noise ordinance. It's still sitting there, and the city has bought decibel meters, so we assume they are planning to use them. We felt we shouldn't let the ordinance stay on the books." McGrath said he felt it best to give the Circuit Court the first chance to make the decision in this case. "Let's see if the judge will follow the Supreme Court's opinion," he told the Sun News. Meanwhile, the city of Myrtle Beach has mailed out refunds to those who paid fines when they received tickets for not wearing motorcycle helmets. The city repaid nearly $14,000 in fines for 141 tickets it issued when the improper helmet law was in effect.