Smart Turn System

A thread through the motorcycle class I teach is risk awareness, risk taking and risk mitigation. We're often talking about making making yourself visible and always communicating your intentions. At some point, the topic of turn signals comes up. I talk about using the signals to let others know what you're doing. And, possibly more importantly, canceling the signal when you're done.

How many times have you been driving down the road and see someone who's left their signal on? When you first see them, you're waiting for them to make their move. Eventually you realize they're not going to do anything, not even cancel their signal. At some point, you probably even start ignoring them.

As motorcyclists, we don't ever want other roadway users to start ignoring us. I believe leaving your signal on is a good way to have this happen. So, in class, I try to emphasize using the turn signals when you're going to make a turn or lane change and to cancel them when you're done with your maneuver.

In my never ending quest for motorcycle technology that help make us safer, I came across Smart Turn System (STS).

The device monitors several inputs, including speed and lean angle, determines when you've completed your "turn" and will cancel the signal.

My Road King will cancel the signal after making a turn using lean angle sensors. For lane change maneuvers, or even straight-line riding, it will use a distance measurement to cancel the signal.

Ultimately, my bike will already cancel the signal after a turn or a lane change, much like the STS will cancel the signal as well. The big difference is the STS is smarter in that it "senses" when the turn or lane change has been completed and will cancel the signal based on that.

STS has a beta program and, of course, I've already signed up. Although I never got a response email, so I am a little concerned. The beta program is supposed to kick off in March 2016. So if you're interested, head over to their site and sign up.

Obviously if I get in the beta program, I'll share my impressions with you, in accordance with the beta program guidelines. If you get in, let me know...

High Tech Helmet

Wearable technology is synonymous with smart watches, fitness trackers and even jewelry. But there's a more exciting market emerging, especially for us motorcyclists - smart helmets!

FUSAR Technologies is developing the Guardian GA-1 helmet featuring their patent-pending STAR System™. It features a heads-up display (HUD), voice commands, video recording and more.

The HUD gives the rider situational awareness in all directions, allowing the rider to make quick decisions based not only what's in front but what may be behind as well. The helmet also includes video recording. In the event of a crash, the video is stored in memory which can be reviewed later. The voice commands make it effortless to interact with the system and allows the rider to keep their hands on the bars.

I'm pretty excited about the Guardian GA-1 and look forward to learning more about it... Check out the video below.

Welcome to the smart helmet revolution. from FUSAR Technologies on Vimeo.

The Simplest Solutions...

I've always felt there's beauty in simplicity. I don't know how many times in the past I've been trying to solve a difficult problem, working maybe for days on a solution, trying every imaginable path to the best answer. What I've found is that the most satisfying, and usually the best, solution, turns out to be the simplest.

Those answers are usually found when you pick your head up out of the details, ask yourself again what you're trying to solve, and then asking what's the simplest thing I can do.

Well, what follows is, to me, another example...

I know the the Department of Transportation has been working on a vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication system to make our highways safer. There are a lot of people out there that are concerned with the privacy issues around the sharing of information. However, I believe that certain measures that we can take to make our roadways safer, especially for motorcyclists, is worth it.

I haven't paid too much attention to V2V because, let's face it,, it's being developed by the DOT. My feeling there is they'll spend a lot of time engineering and over-engineering the project. I think part of it are starting to appear in the market place, but it'll take a while longer before we see it in the wild in any meaningful way.

The other day I stumbled on an app that I think gets to the heart of V2V. Not only that, it seems so simple and utilizes something we all pretty much already have - our smartphones!!

I'm talking about the Bike Shield App. It has the potential to make our roadways safer right now. And it's as simple as firing up the app anytime you're getting ready to drive or ride. From their website:

Simple and revolutionary, TheBikeShieldApp is a First Layer Crash Avoidance Technology mobile app which establishes communication between cars, motorcycles and bicycles that are sharing the road. When using this app, car drivers get an acoustic signal that warns them about approaching motorcycles and bicycles. These signals raise drivers’ awareness and reduce distracted maneuvers that may result in a fatal crash with motorcycles and bicycles.

I think the biggest hurdle is going to get people aware of the app and to start using the app. The app comes out in a couple days. In the meantime, I suggest you head over to their site and learn more about it. And when the app comes out, install it and start using it.

AMA Petitions for the Return of the Lane Splitting Guidelines

Following up on my previous post about the removal the the lane splitting guidelines, the American Motorcyclist Association has started a petition to have the guidelines returned to the California government websites.

If you haven't already, head over to the petition and sign it!!

Lane Splitting Guidelines

I got an email from the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) about how one man was able to have lane splitting guidelines removed from the California Highway Patrol website. It kind of makes me mad. The purpose of the guidelines is to give both motorcyclists and motorists common sense safety tips when it comes to lane splitting or lane filtering. I won't go into to detail because you can read more about it at the AMA website.

One solution I thought of is for everyone to just post the guidelines on their motorcycle-related websites. Then it becomes easily available to everyone simply by searching. With that in mind, I've posted the text of the guidelines below. You can also download a copy here. Also, to the best of my knowledge, lane splitting is only not illegal in California.

To be perfectly clear, this is not my work. Nor do I intent to pass it off as my work. To the best of my knowledge the guidelines were developed by the California Motorcyclist Safety Program. If there is an issue posting the guidelines here, please contact me and I'll remove them.

Below are the guidelines...

Lane Splitting General Guidelines 

Lane splitting in a safe and prudent manner is not illegal in the state of California. 

The term lane splitting, sometimes known as lane sharing, filtering or white-lining, refers to the process of a motorcyclist riding between lanes of stopped or slower moving traffic or moving between lanes to the front of traffic stopped at a traffic light. 

Motorcyclists who are competent enough riders to lane split, should follow these general guidelines if choosing to lane split: 

1) Travel at a speed that is no more than 10 MPH faster than other traffic – danger increases at higher speed differentials.- A speed differential of 10 miles per hour or less allows an alert, competent rider enough time to identify and react to most dangerous situations that can occur.
- The greater the speed differential, the less time a rider has to identify and react to a hazard. 

2) It is not advisable to lane split when traffic flow is at 30 mph or faster --- danger increases as overall speed increases.- At just 20 mph, in the 1 or 2 seconds it takes a rider to identify a hazard, that rider will travel approximately 30 to 60 feet before even starting to take evasive action. Actual reaction (braking or swerving) will take additional time and distance.
- Braking and stopping distance varies greatly based on a multitude of factors(rider, machine and environment).
- As speed increases, crash severity increases. 

3) Typically, it is safer to split between the #1 and #2 lanes than between other lanes.- Other road users are more accustomed to motorcycles splitting between the #1 and #2(furthest left) lanes.
- Avoid splitting in lanes near freeway on-ramps and exits.
- Avoid splitting lanes when another motorcycle rider is splitting between other nearby lanes as cars may make additional room for one rider and accidentally reduce space for another. 

4) Consider the total environment in which you are splitting, including the width of the lanes, size of surrounding vehicles, as well as roadway, weather, and lighting conditions.- Some lanes are narrower than others, leaving little room to pass safely. If you can't fit, don't split.
- Some vehicles are wider than others -- it is not advisable to split near wide trucks. If you can't fit, don't split.
- Know the limitations of your motorcycle --- wide bars, fairing and bags require more space between vehicles. If you can't fit, don't split.
- Avoid splitting on unfamiliar roads to avoid surprises such as poor road surfaces.
- Seams in the pavement or concrete between lanes can be hazardous if they are wide or uneven.
- Poor visibility, due to darkness or weather conditions, makes it difficult for riders to see road hazards and makes it more difficult for drivers to see you.
- Help drivers see you by wearing brightly colored protective gear and using high beams during daylight. 

5) Be alert and anticipate possible movements by other road users.- Be very aware of what the cars around you are doing. If a space, or gap, opens up next to your lane, be prepared react accordingly.
- Always be prepared to take evasive action if a vehicle changes lanes.
- Account for inattentive or distracted drivers.
- Riders should not weave back and forth between lanes or ride on top of the line.
- Riders should avoid lingering in blind spots.
- Never ride while impaired by drugs, alcohol or fatigue.
- Constantly scan for changing conditions. 

The Four R's or “Be-Attitudes” of Lane Splitting:Be Reasonable, be Responsible, be Respectful, be aware of all Roadway and traffic conditions.
- Reasonable means not more than 10 MPH faster than traffic flow and not over 39 MPH.
- You are Responsible for your own safety and decisions.

• Don't put yourself in dangerous positions.

• If you can't fit, don't split.

- Be Respectful --- sharing the road goes both ways.

• Don't rely on loud pipes to keep you safe, loud pipes often startle people and poison the attitude of car drivers toward motorcyclists.

• Other vehicles are not required to make space for motorcycles to lane split.

- Roadways and traffic can be hazardous.

• uneven pavement

• wide trucks

• distracted drivers

• weather conditions

• curves

• etc.

Disclaimers:These general guidelines are not guaranteed to keep you safe. 

Lane splitting should not be performed by inexperienced riders. These guidelines assume a high level of riding competency and experience. 

The recommendations contained here are only general guidelines and cannot cover all possible combinations of situations and variables. 

Personal Safety: Every rider has ultimate responsibility for his or her own decision making and safety. Riders must be conscious of reducing crash risk at all times. California law requires all motorcycle riders and passengers wear a helmet that complies with the DOT FMVSS 218 standard. 

Risk of getting a ticket: Motorcyclists who lane split are not relieved of the responsibility to obey all existing traffic laws. With respect to possible law enforcement action, keep in mind that it will be up to the discretion of the Law Enforcement Officer to determine if riding behavior while lane splitting is or was safe and prudent. 

When is it NOT OK to split?You should NOT lane split:
- If you can't fit.
- At a toll booth.
- If traffic is moving too fast or unpredictably.
- If dangerous road conditions exist --- examples include water or grit on the road, slippery road markings, road construction, uneven pavement, metal grates, etc.
- If you cannot clearly see a way out of the space you're going into (for example, if a van or SUV is blocking your view).
- Between trucks, buses, RVs, and other wide vehicles.
- Around or through curves.
- If you are not fully alert and aware of your surroundings.
- If you are unable to react to changing conditions instantaneously.
- If you don't feel comfortable with the situation. 

Messages for Other Vehicle Drivers1) Lane splitting by motorcycles is not illegal in California when done in a safe and prudent manner.
2) Motorists should not take it upon themselves to discourage motorcyclists from lane splitting.
3) Intentionally blocking or impeding a motorcyclist in a way that could cause harm to the rider is illegal (CVC 22400).
4) Opening a vehicle door to impede a motorcycle is illegal (CVC 22517).
5) Never drive while distracted.
6) You can help keep motorcyclists and all road users safe by

• Checking mirrors and blind spots, especially before changing lanes or turning

• Signaling your intentions before changing lanes or merging with traffic

• Allowing more following distance, three or four seconds, when behind a motorcycle so the motorcyclist has enough time to maneuver or stop in an emergency

cleaning up…

wanted to go for a ride with my wife yesterday to test out the new bars… she was in a cleaning mood and suggested i clean the bike instead. my first thought was why would i want to clean the bike *before* heading out on a big trip??

since i figured if i went for a ride my wife wouldn’t be going with me i decided to follow her advice and clean the bike. not necessarily a bad thing but not top on my list of things to do on a saturday…

i can’t remember the last time i actually cleaned my bike. sure it usually gets washed after a service but it never gets cleaned as well. not to mention not getting waxed. so it was probably time i washed the bike.

turns out it wasn’t such a bad thing… it gave me a chance to really go over the bike before heading out. i came across a couple items i wanted to check that i may not have found had i not cleaned the bike. nothing critical but worth checking into further.

when i finished cleaning the bike i felt a lot better about it. not only did it end up clean, i felt more confident about the condition of the bike.

now i looking forward to the trip even more…

think biker…

came across this today…

no longer riding…

as a result of the bikesafe nc assessment i talked about in my previous post, i no longer ride my bike…

i now drive my bike.

before i go further, let me talk about the day… the morning started off with an introduction to the bikesafe program. then led into risk taking, risk awareness and risk mitigation. we’re told what we’re going to learn that day isn’t necessarily the right way or the only way to drive, but are tools and techniques to make us safer on the road.

as i recall, sgt. mark brown made the comment that the bikesafe program in london has seen a twenty-five percent drop in motorcycle fatalities as a result of their bikesafe program. i commented that it’s amazing realize that what we learn in an afternoon can decrease our chances of a fatal crash by twenty-five percent.

after the morning classroom session, we given a route to drive. a police officer follows, making assessments of our driving behavior. after the drive, we’re given our assessments.

generally, everyone eats lunch at the highway patrol cafeteria. as sgt. mark brown likes to point out, it’s “fish on fridays!!!” this is a great opportunity to chat more with the officers.

the afternoon starts with an introduction to “the system.”  so much information is presented, i could probably take it again and learn just as much. we’re taught about controlling the bike better, reading the road, strategies to make us safer on the road.

after the discussion, back out to the road for an afternoon assessment. the afternoon assessment takes us out for a longer ride, covering a lot of different driving scenarios – two lane roads, highways, heavily congested areas, etc. the idea is to put into practice what we learned earlier.

looking back on the say, i can easily say this was well worth the time; a must-have for everyone. it’s amazing how small things can make a big difference. i’ve put into practice some of the things i’ve learned and driving is so much more enjoyable. if you have a chance, take it.

below are some take-aways from the day – definitely not an exhaustive list:

• driving a bike is a matter of attitude. people like mat mladin, valentino rossi, nicky hayden don’t ride their bikes around the track – they drive them. while we might not be out on the road to win a race, we should still have the right attitude when we’re out there. i now choose to drive my bike…
• drive with a purpose. as sgt. mark brown says, “the purpose of riding is to get from point a to point b without damage to machine or injury to human.” when you think about it, when we make that happen, the drive between is so enjoyable.
• always, always always have an escape route. always know where you’re going to go if or when you have to bail. this isn’t something you have the luxury of thinking about when the knucklehead behind you locks up their tires.
• use your mirrors – check all around you all the time. i thought i did a good job of checking my mirrors. not as good as i could have been doing… now i focus on identifying the color, make and model of the car behind me. i’ll also try to identify if it’s a male or female driver and any other identifying factors – just in case said knucklehead decides to occupy the same space i’m currently using.
• read the road signs. not only the ones posted by dot. it’s amazing how much the terrain can tell you if you know what to look for.

of course there was a lot more that i can’t think of right now… it’ll come back to me when i’m out driving…

in closing, i need to thank sgt. mark brown for his dedication and effort in bringing the bikesafe program to north carolina. if you ever meet him, you’ll quickly know he’s got a passion for motorcycling. he’s a pretty funny guy too.

thanks to all the police officers to help make the program successful. the officers come from different departments. we had state troopers, raleigh police, cary police and apex police. a lot of these officers do this on their day off. and they don’t get paid for this. because they believe in the program and believe it’s the right thing to do. after doing this during the day, some of the guys have to work at night.

a special thanks to trooper adams for sharing his knowledge with me during the day. i can only hope, and have no reason to believe otherwise, the other officers were as good as trooper adams.

if you get a chance, sign up for bikesafe. if the above isn’t enough, think about how cool it is to be blasting down the highway with a trooper behind you – without his lights on!!!

in response . . .

. . . to john q public’s comment on my earlier post… i would have just responded in the comments, but i think this deserves more than being obscured in post comments…

from facts and figures page on for car drivers site (emphasis added):

Cell Phones

A University of Utah study, "A Comparison of the Cell Phone Driver and the Drunk Driver, found that "…the impairments associated with using a cell phone while driving can be as profound as those associated with driving while drunk." Furthermore, the impairment levels were similar whether the cell phones were used in handheld or hands-free mode.

yikes!!!

‘nuff said…

hang up, pay attention and drive…

was downtown yesterday, heading home, in the far left of three lanes of traffic. cruising thirty-five, the speed limit. i’m even with the rear tire of an suv in the center lane when the knucklehead (i don’t think i was that kind at the time) decides he needs to make a left turn. yes, a left turn from the center.

i quickly hit the brakes and move as far to the left as i can. i would have gotten up on the sidewalk if the curb wasn’t there. once i was out of harm’s way, i laid on the horn. looking directly at me through the driver’s side mirror, i see a surprised look on a guy with a cell phone jammed in his ear.

of course he finishes his left turn and keeps going. had i not been wrapped up in being thankful for not making any contact with said knucklehead, i probably would have followed him and given him an earful. of course i would have had to wait until he removed the cell phone from his ear.

the only thing i can hope is that he’s learned to take the cell phone out of his ear and pay attention to the primary task at hand – driving.

a couple things to consider:

• if you drive a cage, please pay attention to the environment around you – including motorcycles!!
• if you can afford a car, a cell phone and a cell phone plan, can’t you invest a few more dollars for a bluetooth headset?? based on this post…
• if you ride a motorcycle, practice your quick stops – you can never be too good at quick stops.
• if you’re on a different bike (as i happened to be in this particular instance), take some time getting used to it…

sorry – don’t mean to be preachy, but…

ironically, as i was starting my journey home, i was following a mass transit bus. the bus number happened to be seven. as you may recall, seven is my lucky number. so i’m thinking about what may be in store for me. i think about playing the lottery, especially since i missed out earlier. but since i only have one number, i can’t really do that. i figure whatever it is, it will happen naturally. in hindsight, i think it was my butt not being wiped out!!

my future’s so bright…

…or maybe it’s my past since we’re talking brake and tail lights!!

my father-in-law and i took a trip over to custom dynamics to talk to them about led replacement options for the brake and turn signals. the folks at custom dynamics told us know what we needed then proceeded to work up an awesome deal. next thing i know, we’re walking out with a new set of lights – thanks gramps…

installation of the turn signals, both front and rear were as easy as removing the lens cover and bulb, replacing them with the led fixture and replacing the lens. the brake light wasn’t quite as simple as it required disassembling the lens housing and gluing the led array in place.

on advice from the folks at custom dynamics, we used the plumbing version of amazing goop to glue the led array to housing… the thing to know about this stuff is it’s runny and it’s sticky. use in small quantities and wait for it to set before adding more. i know from experience on this one… also, don’t use alcohol to clean the silver fixture inside the lens housing – it won’t stay silver very long…

waiting for the assembled lens housing, containing the led array and goop, to dry before reattaching to the bike.

a big key to installing the led fixture in the lens housing it to make sure you have it oriented correctly. one edge of the led array contains white leds to light up the license plate. you want to make sure the leds are facing up to actually light the plate.

the results…

not something i’m necessarily going to notice while riding. but it’s not about me noticing, it’s about getting others to notice me!!! and from a couple of trusted sources, they work extremely well.

msf videos

i did a quick search on youtube and found the videos from the msf... for being motorcycle safety awareness month and promoting videos on youtube, i was a little disappointed to only find three videos from the msf. you can find all three videos here... this is the only one i've watched so far:

motorcycle awareness month

today kicks off motorcycle awareness month. seems like the amount of effort being put into actually raising awareness varies from state to state. some states are going all out - well maybe not all out, but they seem to be making some effort. other states don't seem like they're doing anything.

the ama and msf are putting together a campaign to raise awareness. the ama has a humorous video on their web site. the msf is supposed to be putting videos up on youtube. i'll have to see if i can locate them...

the msf has come up with five rules for staying safe - actually ten rules, five for a motorcyclist and five for cages. here they are:

motorcyclists

• get trained and licensed - take an msf ridercourse and get licensed by the department of motor vehicles
• wear protective gear - wear proper protective riding gear, most importantly a helmet made to department of transportation standards
• ride unimpaired - ride unimpaired, never drinking or using other drugs before getting on a motorcycle
• ride within your limits - stay within your personal limits, never riding faster or farther than your abilities can handle
• be a lifelong learner - be lifelong learners, regularly returning for refresher riding courses

cages

• look out for motorcyclists - use your eyes and mirrors to see what’s around
• don't be distracted - hang up and drive, put down the food, the pet, the personal grooming gear, the cd, and the reading material and save it for later
• give two-wheelers some room - don't tailgate or get too close side-by-side
• use your turn signals - signal your intentions. it's also the law
• keep it in the car - don’t throw trash and cigarettes out the window, and securely lash down cargo that can fall out on the road and be a deadly hazard

there ya have it...

ride safe...

tragedy...

a week ago today billy lane, a custom motorcycle builder hit and killed a fellow motorcyclist, as reported by florida today. it's a sad story all the way around... i'm not sure where to start, other than noting the saddest part is the death of gerald morelock.

when something like this happens, the death of a biker caused by the wrongful actions of a cager, the cager usually gets off with a fine for the traffic violation. for example, if a cage makes a left hand turn in front of a biker and kills the biker, the cager is usually just charges with failure to yield the right of way and slapped with a fine. obviously this doesn't sit well with the biker community - which the ama is trying to do something about...

unfortunately this time a biker did it to another biker. through negligence, billy lane, in his cage, was passing two other vehicles on a double yellow line. before he could get back into his own lane, he hit the gerald head on - killing him. those are the facts. there's still speculation whether billy was drinking or not and the tox reports have yet to come back.

looking back on billy's past, i, unfortunately, have to believe he was drinking when this happened. i've seen billy four times in person, each time i've seen him, he's been drinking. no, that doesn't mean he rides after drinking. but i can't imagine he's the type to let someone else cart him around after he's tipped a few. not only that, when he was in town for the smoke out, he was arrested on charges of drunk driving, riding on the wrong side of the road and riding without a helmet. it would seem that billy might have learned from this earlier episode. but he didn't, at least not with his reckless driving behavior. and so it follows that he probably didn't with drinking either.

there's so much speculation about what should happen now. rightfully so, nothing will happen until the tox reports come back. if they show he's been drinking, he'll probably have the book thrown at him. what if they come back clean?? should he get the slap on the wrist and the fine?? should he get charged with something more serious for killing a biker??

and what should billy do?? a lot of people say he should do the right thing. but what is the right thing?? should he try to help out the family for the damage he's caused?? should he let the legal system handle it all?? at a minimum he should give up drinking and driving/riding. since he's been lying low, it's hard to know what he's doing. and i don't blame him - he's under a microscope right now and no matter what he does, someone will criticize him for it. at a minimum, he's got to live the rest of his life knowing he took another biker's life. and that's truly sad.

only time will play the rest of this story out. and not matter how it plays out, nothing will put all the pieces back together again. maybe the third saddest part of all this is stuff like this probably happens daily - we just don't hear about it because a famous bike builder or media star usually isn't involved.

peace out...

harley wobble...

well, it's been a while since i posted, but that doesn't mean i haven't been riding... most of my riding lately, though, has been short trips around town - nothing big, no all day or overnight trips... just been too busy recently to take a longer trip...

over the last several weeks, i've noticed my bike is tending to wobble as i ride it. although i first noticed it many weeks ago, i wasn't too concerned as it wasn't that bad. however, as i've ridden, the wobble is getting worse and worse - to the point i'm becoming concerned for my safety. while i won't rule anything out, i don't think this is related to the famed harley wobble, which can be read more about here too. i will say, however, that as i was experiencing the wobble, the thought/fear of the harley wobble as at the forefront of my thoughts.

the first time i experienced the wobble, i was in a turn not far from my house. i felt it wobble, which was unusual and got my attention. it wasn't a bad wobble, but enough to get my attention. the road was newly paved, which i didn't think would/could be a factor as it was smoother that before. but you never know...

over the weeks, as i'm riding, i notice it more often and getting worse. worse in the sense that the wobble is lasting longer and longer and getting more noticeable. violent is the word that comes to mind, although that seems a bit dramatic. the other day it got to the point where i'm questioning my safety on the bike. i do realize that i'm not the most experienced on a bike, but i do consider myself a fairly competent rider. i believe the skills i've developed over the past several years have made me a very safe rider. i ride like i'm invisible and everyone is out to hit me. so when i begin to feel unsafe on a bike, something serious is going on.

last week i gave the bike a quick once over - checking the tire pressure, the steering neck, the air pressure in the rear shocks, etc. everything seemed to check out. not feeling confident i didn't over look anything, i called the service department at the local dealership. i explained what was going on and what i had checked. service department dood said outside of tire pressure he couldn't think of anything that would cause the wobble. and, he said, it sounded like i had the appropriate pressure in the tires... curses...

today i finally took the time to get the bike up on the lift. and i had my father-in-law (fil) here to help. we started with the front tire, everything seemed to be okay. my fil like to check things out from front to back, so he starts with the front tire and checks all the components as he moves towards the back of the bike. i like to check groups of components on a bike, tires, shocks, etc. so after checking the front tire, he starts moving to the middle of the bike and i move to the back tire. i grab the rear tire and move it from side to side. uh oh, i think i found the problem. i call fil over and tell him to take a look. facing the rear of the bike, i move the tire left and right about half an inch. uhhhh, houston, we have a problem - it shouldn't be doing that. as i move the tire, i watch the rim and the spokes. the spokes are definitely loose. not much to do now but call the dealership to make an appointment to get this fixed.

i call the dealership to schedule an appointment. i explain what's going on and that i'm a preferred customer. basically a preferred customer means i paid a lot of money to have someone else do something for me that i could probably do on my own for much less money if i would just learn how. but there are some perks, like a free loaner bike when i have to leave it at the shop. or priority seating when the service department is slammed. priority seating pays off this time. the first open slot they have is august 30. but, being a preferred customer, i can bring it in any time, drop it off and they'll get it fixed within three days - assuming they don't have to order out for parts. the dood tells me to bring it in at my convenience and they'll get to it. of course they'll need it for a couple days... no problem, i said, we just have to be sure a rental is available. oops, problem... seems the rental is only good for service, not warrantee or repair work. the work is covered because i'm a preferred customer, but not the rental. i explain it was my understanding the rental was good any time i had to bring my bike in for work. service dood says he wishes he knew who was telling people that because a lot of people are under that impression and he has to be the dood that breaks the bad news to people... and i don't blame him there - he is put in a bad spot. i inform service dood that i can tell him exactly who told me i get a rental whenever i bring my bike in. the false-advertising dood was the sales manager when i bought my bike and was promoted to general manager. one thing about false-advertising dood is he personifies a used car salesman. close your eyes and imagine a used car salesman. now you're picturing this dood. and, believe it or not, he really was a used car salesman in a former life.

i'm more than happy to spill the beans and offer false-advertising dood's name up. and when i do, service dood makes a deal. since that's what he told me, and he's the general manager, he's going to get me the rental!!! service department dood says that if i can work out a convenient time to pick up a rental, they'll be more than happy to get my bike in... excellent. i get my bike in and i get the rental i'm not supposed to have.

i'm mixed about what i discovered today. i'm extremely happy that i found the problem while the bike was still sitting in my garage instead of while i was tooling down the road. i'm happy that i'll get the bike in this coming week and that i get a rental while they're working on my bike. i'm disappointed because i'll miss riding until i can get the bike in and get the rental. and tomorrow i'll be observing a basic rider course and i was looking forward to riding the bike. but when i weigh the pros and the cons, it's a no-brainer that not riding an unsafe bike for a few days will be well worth the comfort and confidence of riding a safe bike. (did that make sense??)

one other thought - this probably all started when i had my tire replaced in may.

peace and ride safe...

one more...

okay, after searching the new york dmv site, i finally found the other commercial that i mentioned in my previous post... there are only two commercials, a 15 second spot and a 30 second spot... i thought they might be different, but they're not - ones just a shorter version of the other...

enjoy...

not to beat a dead horse...

...and continue on the safety bandwagon, but i'm going to... planning a ride to the smoke out this weekend which i talked about earlier, so maybe after this post, the content will get more exciting!!!

according to a new york dmv press release, they are stepping up their public safety campaign to make motorist more aware of motorcyclists... a friend e-mailed me a link to one of the commercials that's supposed to be airing... startling at first, but i think it gets the message across.

i searched around their web site looking for other commercials but have been unsuccessful so far. i'll keep looking and if/when i find them, i'll post them...

until then, ride safe...

ben and helmet use...

from the latest news it looks like ben is going to make a quick, and hopefully full, recovery. it sounds like it will be a couple weeks before they really know if there will be any long term effects.

i wonder if ben will start wearing a helmet... regarding helmet use, there was a report on the kdka web site about helmet use, or as they put it, "expert opinions vary whether a helmet would have helped ben." the "expert," dr. guy catone, says that the helmet could have changed the mechanical forces in the accident, possibly making it worse. at face value, this is true, it could have made it worse. but there are a lot of other factors, that if thrown into the situation, could have possibly made it worse - weather conditions (what if it was raining), road conditions (what if there was a lot of gravel), speed (what if he was going a lot faster), etc. we could go on forever listing the different possible factors that could have changed the effects of the accident. how about this one?? what if the lady driving the car would have checked for oncoming traffic and waited to make the left hand turn in front of the motorcycle??

but i digress - back to the use of helmets... it's a fact that helmet use does help protect the rider in cases of accidents. sure, there are probably instances where it does attribute to additional injury. but the protection provided by a helmet outweighs the additional risk of injury or wearing the helmet and far exceeds not using a helmet at all.

with that said, it should also be noted that helmet use alone is not enough to prevent injury or save a rider's life. riders should employ a strategy of defensive riding techniques to prevent getting in an accident in the first place...

i guess that's enough about that (for now). i'll get off my soapbox...

ride safe...

serious, but stable condision...

that's the latest on ben roethlisberger, quarterback for the pittsburgh steelers.

ben was in a motorcycle accident this morning that apparently left him in fairly bad shape. it's still early after the accident, so a lot of the details are still being figured out. according to the police report it seems ben was a victim of the dreaded left turn in front of the motorcycle. unfortunately, it also seems ben was not wearing a helmet!!!

best wishes, thoughts and prayers to ben for a speedy and full recovery...