Motorcycle Nation Podcast

The popular Rider’s Edge® (RE) motorcycle safety program offered by the Motor Company® has been at the heart of many discussions lately after it was announced that Buell production would end. The big question that has popped up is what is the future of RE without the use of the Buell Blast?

I have long thought that the Blast was a less than suitable training motorcycle. This is my opinion only, although if you asked the question to many of my colleagues you would get that same answer. There are two main reasons that I feel this way. The first lies in the single cylinder 492cc powerplant. This is too much power to put in the hands of a beginner who does not have the concept of throttle control and friction zone yet. The first reaction that a novice has when a motorcycle gets away from them is to apply a death grip to the handle bars. As we all know, in our right hand is the throttle which a death grip tends to roll on causing even more power transfer. This spells a bad day. A 125cc or 250cc motorcycle, while definitely still dangerous, is much less forgiving in the same situation.

The second reason I do not agree with the Blast as a trainer lies in the brakes. This motorcycle was produced, as best I can tell, with an entry level sportbike rider in mind. It is small because its secondary target market is made up of females. Again, my opinion. Because it is directed at the sport bike crowd it has extremely aggressive brakes. No other motorcycle class on the market can compare with the brakes on sportbikes. Low motorcycle weight paired with excellent brakes make sportbikes some of the quickest stopping bikes on the market. New riders tend to “attack” the brakes instead of reaching and squeezing the front brake lever. They also tend to stomp on the rear brake pedal instead of applying steady, even pressure. Doing either one of these can cause serious consequences, many times reason one. Panic hits, the deathgrip is applied, and we are in trouble again.

Those are my reasons. Now, back to the original question. With the demise of Buell, what will the future training bike of Rider’s Edge be? I discussed this with a RE provider and the answer I got is this. The government requires that manufacturers who cease production on a product continue to provide repair parts for a period of seven years. The RE program was also granted permission to use used motorcycles that they take in on trade provided they fully inspect them. This was prohibited in the original rules of the program. So, RE will continue to use Buell Blasts in the near future. The most surprising piece of information that I was able to get was that the Motor Company® has told the providers that they will have a new training unit available within five years. Whether this means that HD themselves will build it or that they will contract it out remains to be answered. Whatever route they take, I hope that they address the two problems that I have noted here for the sake of their students.

Ride Safe

In an earlier post here on the Motorcycle Nation Podcast I talked about how the public had found out that motorcyclists will look for reasons to ride and many times will try to mix their need to ride with helping out a cause. They will scour their local motorcycle rags or get online and search for local rides. On any given weekend most areas have more than three or four rides in the local area to choose from. The amount of rides can be attributable to the fact that the general public, some that can’t even spell motorcycle, are bringing charity to the biking community because they know there are big hearts and deep pockets there.

Recently, I have been hammered with requests to attend charity events, not related to motorcycling, but more on the level of being a Dad. Each morning when I get to work I take the five or ten minutes prior to my official start time to check my email and Facebook to see if there is anything that I need to handle quickly. What I have been finding are requests to attend Texas Hold’em tournaments. I have had at least 7 in the past week and that blows my mind. Tournaments for kid’s ball teams. Tournaments for cheerleading. Tournaments to send athletes to football camp. You name it, there is a tournament coming up for it.

It is interesting to me how people find ways to raise money for their particular cause. But, I can tell you, motorcyclists have the biggest hearts around. If you are reading this, thanks for sharing your heart with those legit organizations that put on a ride. You make yourself look good and you also make our two wheel community look good. Keep it up Motorcycle Nation. Let’s kill the stereotype.

Ride Safe

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Ever had the urge to take a motorcycle tour? I have been wanting to for quite some time and the first one that I will take is one offered by MotoCaribe Motorcycle Tours. Read the blog, sign up for email, updates, watch tour video and more at the MotoCaribe Motorcycle Tour blog. This tour is in the Dominican Republic and is one of the most affordable tours that I have found. The DR offers it all from mountains, to tropical rain forest, to arid desert regions, to the finest aqua blue water beach views around. Take a two wheel tour and explore a land widely untouched by the urbanization of the Western world. You can follow the link above or reach Ed to book a tour at 877-MOTOFUN ext. 100. This episode we talk with Ed Denzler, owner and lead rider of MotorCaribe.

We move into a mention of the FX show Sons of Anarchy. This is by far my fave show and one of the very few that I watch. It draws you in to the created world and makes you feel a part. There are two SOA podcasts that I have recently stumbled upon that I enjoy listening to. Check out Watchers of Anarchy and SAMCRO: A Podcast for the Fans of Sons of Anarchy. Give them a listen. After all, it is a long time until Season 3 starts. If you have been watching the show, listen in on the past episodes and you will discover show info that you missed.

Condolences to the Hurt family on the passing of Harry Hurt, the author of the famous Hurt Report that shaped motorcycle safety programs all over the nation and world. Harry passed away November 29th of a heart attack.

In the opening show dialogue I mentioned that we would cover recalls tonight. The MotoCaribe interview was going too well to shut it down and we went long. We will cover recalls in episode 16 coming out soon.

I have email addresses available for anyone interested. If you would like to have a You@mcnationpodcast.com email shoot me an email at steve@mcnationpodcast.com Include the name you want and I will set it up and contact you when complete.

Visit my friend Cliff Ravenscraft, The Podcast Answer Man for all your podcast equipment needs or for podcast consulting. Check out the bigger community Cliff has at GSPN.tv

Check out SideStand Up and find the links to the TalkShoe show that they do. If you are there on Tuesday nights from 7-9 pm you can participate in chat while the show is being recorded. It is available via iTunes and rss as well.

Music used on this episode are from musicalley.com Our opener was Ride by Adrenaline Factor and our closer was by Little Fish Big Pond called Velvet Sky.

Happy Holidays from The Motorcycle Nation Podcast!

Right-Click Here to Download

I am a huge fan of Sons of Anarchy and I plan on speaking a little bit about it in the next podcast episode that I plan on putting out sometime in the next week as time permits. I was very sad to see the season finale come as it seems that season 2 just began and it was over. The finale was so full of twists and turns and has left so many questions unanswered. I am dying to get on with the show and see what is going to happen next. Stahl is an animal and has really put Gemma in a bad situation. Cameron has really signed his death warrant if Jax and the boys can get to him. That prick Westin has been done in and I can’t wait for Zobelle to get his because I don’t think that Clay will let this go and he will make Zobelle’s murder his top priority. Rarely have I felt so much a part of a show that I felt true hatred towards a character when I saw them on screen. Westin and Zobelle are easy to hate. This show is gonna rock next season as well.

If you have not been watching the show I urge you to check it out. It is not for everyone and there will even be motorcyclists that have no interest in it but you should watch one episode and give it a shot. Hulu has many past episodes and you can also buy season 1 on DVD. Season 3 will start in September of 2010. Check it out, you won’t be sorry. I also ran across two podcasts that are SOA fan podcasts that I enjoy listening to. I just discovered them last night and have been listening to the episodes all day today trying to catch up with all of them. Check out Watchers of Anarchy and SAMCRO: A Podcast for the Fans of Sons of Anarchy

I have confirmed an interview with someone from one of the major insurance carriers. The purpose of this podcast will be to bring information to all of you on how to properly purchase motorcycle insurance to insure that you have the coverage needed to protect you in case of an accident. There are many gray areas that we all should know about especially medical coverage.

So, here is an opportunity for you to help out. Please email me, or just comment on this post, any questions that you would like for me to ask concerning purchasing the right amount of insurance, insuring medical, seasonal coverage, or any other item that you want to know. I look forward to this show and thank you for listening to the podcast and reading the blog.

Steve

Some critters we encounter on pretty much every ride. That would be the birds and the bugs. From listening to the motorcycle riders that I follow on Twitter there are places in the US that your bike will be covered in bugs after even a mid day ride. Hope you all have windshields for that one. Other critters, domesticated and wild, only show themselves to us occasionally. This list includes the dogs, cats, raccoons, possums, and many others. Some states have the occasional bear or longhorn steer to contend with but in Indiana the most feared is the deer.

I hit a deer in September of 2004 on my Softail. I popped around a downhill blind curve and started down a short straight stretch and it was as if someone dropped him at the side of the road. I had little time to react so I applied max braking and scrubbed off some speed before seeing the inevitable. I dropped my left shoulder and went for the ride. I can still hear the sound of my helmet grinding down the asphalt. Whew, what a ride. More on that at a later date maybe. The funny thing that non motorcyclists asked me was, “Why didn’t you swerve?” well Sherlock, tell me which way he was going to go! How many times have you seen a deer decide to wheel around and run the opposite direction? I could not predict anything in that short period of time.

Anyway, back to the other critters. I have encountered a critter in the past weeks that I have never encountered before while on my motorcycle. It started with the Michigan road trip and I saw another yesterday on my way to lunch. I am talking about turtles. On the Michigan ride we saw about five turtles and then the one yesterday made it six for me. I am a little surprised to be honest with you. Anyone been noticing a rash of turtles on your rides? Anyone know someone who has hit one?

What is the feared critter in your neck of the woods? Leave some feedback. All I can say is thank goodness I don’t live in alligator country! I will take the deer any day.

Ride Safe and watch out for those critters!

You all remember that my buddy Dennis bought a new Ultra Classic on our recent trip to Michigan. If you have not read about that one scroll down a couple posts and read about the road trip. What I did not share with you is that another friend also has a new bike that was purchased about two weeks ago. Now that is not a very amazing story but let me add this ironic twist. The other friend just so happens to be Dennis’ wife Kim.

I stopped by the ABATE of Indiana state office yesterday where Kim works as the HFIC, that would be Head FEMALE In Charge, of the Motorcycle Safety Division. Kim schedules all the classes for the safety program at the sixteen safety sites in the state. I stepped off my Softail and was checking out her bike when she came out the front door with the keys in hand. She told me to take the bike for a ride and I told her that I would take it around the block and would be right back.

Remember that I am riding a 1999 Softail Custom as my daily ride. We are talking the 80 cubic inch Evolution engine, which was still solid mounted to the frame during that production year, and a five speed tranny. This was my first experience on the Harley Davidsons with the 96″ engine and the six speed transmissions. I have to say that I was impressed with Kim’s Street Bob.

Kim with her new Street Bob outside the ABATE of Indiana offices.

Really good power through the gears, even in sixth when I cranked the throttle from sixty-five mph and held on to one hundred before I decided I did not want a ticket that day. I like the shift points with the six speed tranny but really can’t think of any use for that gear other than being on the interstate hammering out the miles. Shifting was very smooth and was a little confusing without that trademark “clunk” during each shift. The handling was very nice although my route did not allow me to give a good test of the lean angles of the bike as any roads with any curves are 20 miles farther to the South. Overall I loved the ride.

Speaking of curves, I have to share a story from a friend from a few years ago. I got an email from him one evening and I read the email and noticed that he had placed a new sentence into his ending signature. We have all heard of Deal’s Gap with their 318 curves in 11 miles. Well my friend lives in Kansas and he signed off on his email by saying, “Kansas, 11 curves in 318 miles.” And now you have the rest of the story.

Back to new bikes. So, for the past 10 months I have been surrounded by new bikes. I have had the opportunity to ride a few of them and came away impressed with all. All but one have been from the Motor Company and that was a BMW f800GS. That is an amazing motorcycle as well and it is on my list of bikes that I would like to have. A little adventure would be fun. Put some miles on and go to a place where you could enjoy the attributes of the Beemer’s off road side would be pure pleasure. I have the New Bike Fever bad, all this is missing is the Big Bank Account to go with it. If you have purchased a new motorcycle lately, let us know about it. I can live through you.

Ride Safe

2009 has been a trying year to say the least. I feel like the old Shleprock character from the Flintstones, having the ever present rain cloud above my head no matter which way I turned. There has been a deluge of bad for me and my family so far this year that started in February. My wife’s grandmother passed and while dealing with that my mother went in for back surgery. While recovering from the surgery, my father went into the hospital for diabetes related complications. Here we are nearing May 1st and he is still in the hospital, two surgeries later, with only one leg remaining and many months of rehab ahead.

Through it all, I have managed to keep moving forward. I have experienced up days and down days and friends, faceless and not have helped me along. The motorcycle community on Twitter has been a constant inspiration, always stepping up to ask about today’s situation and offering words of encouragement. This from people I have never met. And of course, friends that I see every day ask how things are going as well and our family stays together which helps too.

But, there are also times when I want to be alone, that time where you want to forget about it all even if but for a very short time. It is those times that I believe, we, as in me, you, and our motorcycling family, turn to our motorcycles to find solace and bring us inner peace. Every twist of the throttle takes us further away. The thoughts and problems that are causing us concern dance away as we lean into every curve. Soon we have a clear mind as we just enjoy the graceful moves of the motorcycle and feel the wind in our faces and enjoy the smells of our surroundings.

I have found few things in this life that provide me with true peace and clear my mind and soul. My motorcycle is at the top of that list.

Ride Safe

I recently wrote about the release of the two gentlemen that managed the motorcycle safety program for the State of Indiana through the Department of Education. The state said they were “downsizing” due to the economy and felt that someone else within the administration could oversee the program. This allowed them to cut two salaries from the payroll.

The Executive Director of ABATE of Indiana, Jay Jackson, met with Superintendent Dr. Tony Bennett last week. Dr. Bennett assured him that the state was proud of the program and Jay came out of the meeting feeling confident that the existence of the program is solid. That is good to hear for the thousands of motorcyclists that wish to take a safety course.

I still have a problem with the way this is being handled. My problem is that the state has potentially placed an important program, one that saves lives, into the hands of a non motorcyclist. There was also no thought given as to much of the behind the scenes requirements. The biggest one is the red tape involved with receiving the motorcycle safety and awareness grant money that is available from the federal government. How does this person that is responsible for the program now know the who and how to apply? Do they even care as a non motorcyclist?

I am going to get off my soapbox. I am disappointed that two men that were dedicated to motorcycle safety have been downsized. I am sure that there were plenty of areas in procurement where money could have been saved. Why is it people that had to go? I am still unsure if this is over but only time will tell. Until then, we will continue on as normal teaching the people of Indiana the safe aspects of operating a motorcycle.

I really don’t think that I have to tell anyone that. The economy is clearly in turmoil and has been for quite some time. As discussed in earlier posts and throughout the motorcycling media community, the motorcycle industry is not immune. I have researched and read of the state of the industry in many places over the past months about the slump in motorcycle sales which impacts accessories and clothing sales as well. Many companies have been slammed by this.

Fortunately, the slump has been nonexistent in my little world…until yesterday. Two close friends, very dedicated and professional men, were “downsized” due to the ecomony. I realize that this is happening all over the nation but these men held very important positions. I am not going to mention their names to maintain their privacy but many of you that read this will know who they are. These men worked for the Indiana Department of Education and one of their main responsibilities was the motorcycle safety education program for the state.

These men have dedicated well over 25 years each in the motorcycle safety arena. They have served as administrators of a state program, motorcycle safety instructors, and instructor trainers. They are involved with the State Motorcycle Safety Administrators (SMSA) and one has held a board position with the organization. Their names are well known all over the nation in the safety community and both are very well respected. Their leadership will be missed. I wish them luck.

Their surprise departure, told around mid morning that they were being let go without notice, leaves a void in the Indiana safety program. We have not been given any feedback as to who our contact will be with the state. You see, these two men were Indiana motorcycle safety. They wrote the contracts to the subs like ABATE. They managed the money that was used to run the program. Now they are gone.

So, as we feel sorrow for the loss of employment for these two men we face another question. What is the state of motorcycle safety in Indiana? Was this a political move disguised as “downsizing”? We just swore in a new Superintendent of the Department of Education earlier this year. Or, is the state truly in that large of a financial crisis? Only time will tell where this leads but two good men are now out of the work that they love. What a tragedy.