May is Motorcycle Awareness Month

Watch the videos; they are addressed in the narrative.

I know, every May we are reminded that it is “Motorcycle Awareness Month.”  We see plenty of “Look Twice, Save a Life,” signs and bumper stickers.  While I’m sure that these things do some good, I must also acknowledge that it only scratches the surface.

Why is this?

I’m Back!!!

Photo of a cornea showing keratitis

I haven’t written and posted anything since last year.  Let me explain,

I began having trouble seeing after my last post.  It eventually got bad enough that I went to the eye doctor and she diagnosed me with keratitis.  This is a condition which affects the cornea and often clouds it.  In the picture above, showing the pupil and iris of an eye under a special light, you can see the clouding. (This is not my eye.)

Evel Knievel, Peter Fonda and Clifford Vaughs: Not So Easy

Cliff Vaughs about 1970

Last month, Cliff Vaughs passed away in his sleep at age 79.  He most certainly wasn’t a household name but anyone into motorcycles is familiar with some of his work.  In my review of the movie Easy Rider (1969), I mentioned that Dan Haggerty had a part in working on the bikes in the movie.  However, it was Cliff Vaughs who designed them and oversaw their building.  He has remained relatively uncredited in this regard.

E0: Ethanol Free Fuel… There’s an App for That Too

I’ve already talked about the dangers and issues with ethanol in the fuel, especially for motorcycles. (See What You Need to Know About Ethanol and Ethanol: Update on this blog.) While the current standard, E10 (10% ethanol) is considered acceptable for use in motorcycles, the up and coming E15 will not be and may damage your engine or void your warranty.  But what if you ride a classic panhead or knucklehead?  You really should be using straight gasoline (E0) but how can you find any of the scarce stations still offering the stuff?  You guessed it; there’s an app for that.

Deceleration Pop… There’s an App for That

Maybe mine isn’t such an unusual story.  I bought a Harley last May and as part of the order, I selected aftermarket pipes to be installed before the bike was even delivered to me.  In my case they were Vance & Hines Big Shots Staggered and I took delivery of the bike from the dealer with that exhaust system installed and a “software download” needed to properly adjust the fuel injection for the new setup.  I immediately noted that there was a lot of loud popping, especially on deceleration.  I asked the service department about this but they assured me it was okay.

Off Road Bikers Targeted

Sign warning trail users of the danger

This season there has been a disturbing trend on Massachusetts trails.  Someone, or some group, has been stringing steel cables across trails with the intention of “clothes-lining” off road motorcyclists. 

Review: The Wild One (1953)

Rating:

I recently posted an article on the “Hollister Riot,” which really wasn’t a riot at all. (See post here.)  The news media just blew a wild party all out of proportion.  Bikers getting drunk, falling off their bikes and getting hurt doesn’t really sell papers and magazines, but having them take over a town and terrorize it? That sells papers as everyone wants to know if it can happen in their town and if they should lock up their daughters.  This movie, though a classic, was the result of this media hype and the next step in the vilification of the American biker.

Sticking It to the Man

“We want to be free to ride our machines without being hassled by the Man.”
Blues (Peter Fonda), The Wild Angels (1967)

Bikers have never liked the Man and they have always sought to “stick it to the Man.” 

Addressing Motorcycle Profiling, H.Res.831

This just released by the Motorcycle Riders Foundation.  A new bill addressing motorcycle profiling:

Hollister (Bad Biker Image pt. 1)

This July 4^th weekend marks the 69^th anniversary of what became known as the Hollister Riot.  It was a pivotal moment in both biker history and its image.  It was the genesis of the bad biker image that is still with us today.  On July 4^th we are used to looking back in history.  Let’s take a look back in biker history at this event.