 
| Happenings | Tidbits from the World of Motorcycles | |
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| | August 01, 2008 | | Safety and Group Riding | A recent group ride across several states gave me plenty of time to think about group riding, and safety concerns.
First, our group was too big. I know that it is fun to ride with a large group, but it simply doesn't work all that well. When you get up to 20 riders, you just won't make all the lights together. Cars will have to cut in, and you cannot just stay in a long double file formation.
From a riding perspective, it is better to form into smaller groups of riders that have similar riding skills, bikes, and styles. It just works better.
With a large group, you are going to constantly have riders making decisions about stop lights, going around cars, where to ride in the pack, and so forth. With a smaller group, you have a lot less.
Another factor is that some riders like to stop and look at the scenery, others like to push for miles, some prefer spending time in dealerships. I don't like to spend time in a gas station, except for the minimum time needed to fuel and hit the head. However, it seems foolish to me to constantly blast through the best scenery on the trip. I'd rather periodically breath the air and enjoy the view from a fixed spot off the bike.
While it isn't necessarily safer to stop so much, it is safer to match your stops to your personal preferences. Again, easier in smaller groups.
One key thing to remember is that many of us are social animals. We prefer riding with others, because it adds to the enjoyment. This is particularly true at lunch stops and when stopping for the night. It really isn't that hard to plan the lunch stops ahead, and to provide everyone with a daily ride map. In this way, the urgency to stay with the group is greatly diminished.
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| | July 11, 2008 | | Excitement builds - meet the racers at Hard Rock | As we get ready for the annual big event at Laguna Seca, arrangements have been made to meet the racers.
Chris Vermeulen, Horge Lorenzo, Ben Bostrom, Eric Bostrom, Joey Pascarella, Cameron Gish, and Toriano Wilson will be available Tuesday, July 15, 2008 at 11:30 at the San Francisco Hard Rock Cafe'.
A side note is that the ACE cafe, the London prototype for all the biker cafes that followed it, will have a replica built for this year's Sturgis rally.
There is nothing for motorcycle riders like the middle of the season.
Ride on.
| Topic Tags: Ace Cafe, Ben Bostrom, Cameron Gish, Chris Vermeulen, Eric Bostrom, Hard Rock Cafe, Horge Lorenzo, Joey Pascarella, Laguna Seca, Red Bull Grand Prix, Sturgis, Toriano Wilson | |
| | July 03, 2008 | | Great Guy - Total Firecracker | The amazing Charlie Brechtel was in my office, interviewing me for his website BikersInnerCircle.
For those of you who are not familiat with Charlie, his band is THE biker band. In fact, they won't play anywhere else. His music covers a wide range of riding related material.
Having never met him before, I had no idea what to expect. He is the most natural talent imagineable. Likeable, true to himself, and VERY energetic, he knows absolutely everybody in the motorcycle world.
He has cut tracks with Eric Buell (who has his own band), knows every bike builder, was an acquaintance of Indian Larry [the deceased bike builder], works with Michael Lichter [the motorcycle photographer], and he came to see me with his posse to talk about motorcycle accident cases, and riding safety.
Those of you that know me know that I get a little stiff around a camera. I guess I am thinking about being cross-examined later on anything that comes out of my mouth. Anyway, we had an excellent time, and I hope something good comes out of it.
If you haven't listened to Charlie's show, or been to a concert, you are missing out big time. There is a calendar on his website.
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