2020 New Year’s Riding Resolutions

New Year’s Eve is one of the largest global celebrations, marking the last day of the year and for this year marking the end of the decade.

Are you one of those? You know… the type who likes to argue that 2019 isn’t *really* the end of the decade. Because there is no year 0 in the Anno Domini system which our calendars are based on and the first year ever was year one (1) therefore, the first year of any and all subsequent decades is the one ending in one (1).

Merriam-Webster offers up that it’s defined by popular culture and common usage so, decades end after the 9 year and I’m holding steady with that definition to close out the decade!

Lets move off the Anno Domini system.

A new year is a naturally introspective time, it’s a renewal—starting with a clean slate so’s to speak. Most will consider the year’s past challenges, celebrate the year’s past accomplishments and look forward to the future. It often provides a time to set new goals. Maybe a new motorcycle adventure, new gear, a new project bike, set a new mileage goal, turn the motel miles in and really tent camp at the 80th Sturgis Rally or maybe you dream of a cross-country adventure on Harley’s new Pan America(ADV) motorcycle and resolve to ride the Trans-America Trail across the U.S. from coast to coast—off road!

I don’t typically make a New Year’s resolution, but I think if pushed for something in 2020, I am going do more of what I enjoy—ride more, learn something new with a wrench, and improve my riding. Then again, I resolve to ride more often than annually anyway.

Some of you are already aware of this, but for those who aren’t, Team Oregon has an outstanding rider training program for all skill sets. Check them out.

Happy New Year to you and yours! Lets ride into a happier year and watch out for yourselves and watch out for your brothers and sisters in the wind.

Photo courtesy of Harley-Davidson

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The Oregon Eclipse Anxiety Creates Fallout For Motorcyclists

It’s official.  The Great American Solar Eclipse and the potential for catastrophic disaster has produced the first ever Oregon Motorcycle Solar Eclipse Advisory: AVOID RIDING MOTORCYCLES, August 18 — 22, 2017 is the stated recommendation.

Plan to have a good time watching the 2-minute daylight-to-twilight event (around 10:15 am), but just don’t travel anywhere by motorcycle for 5-days!

Huh?  How did we get to this place?

The “once-in-a-lifetime” excitement and buzz surrounding the eclipse is now at Defcon 1 with less than seven days before the interstellar event.  For months people have been on an obsessive pursuit of the perfect photo location.  Get outside advertisements and turn your Oregon journey into a legacy have been everywhere,  Eclipse 101 brochures, guide pamphlets, and preparedness articles are in overdrive across all forms of media.

Advisory: Avoid Motorcycle Riding August 18 – 22, 2017

But, there is this bazaar pre-cog of an impending apocalyptic doom that is permeating the eclipse narrative given that hundreds of thousand of people and their vehicles — perhaps millions — will converge on the already severely overcrowded highways.

Can you spell Oregon anxiety and fear?

Media ratings often drive the “never miss an opportunity to drum up catastrophic hysteria:”  Did you set up a generator ‘war room’ in your basement in case of a state-wide breakdown of electricity and communication?  Did you rent a satellite phone to update your social media channels from Steens Mountain?  Does your family have an evacuation route and disaster preparedness plan?  Did you stock up on SPAM and water?  Do you have a full tank of gas?  Did you buy extra coolant and oil for the engine?  Do you have jumper cables?  Did you purchase a spare tire for your spare tire in case it goes flat?  Did you drain your checking account and now walking around with thousands of dollars in your wallet?  Do you have paper maps in case the cell phone grid goes down?  Did you take a first aid course?  Do you have a roll of duct tape?  Did you buy a package of souvenir: “The Path Of Totality” toilet paper?

Seems silly, but maybe the media should ask us if we remembered to breath?

Is the sky truly falling or is the daily drum beat of “chicken little” prudent preparedness?

I don’t think we want the celestial spectacle any darker and will know soon enough.  Though we might make fun of them a little, looking back, we may also sympathize, but after a long season of eclipse anxiety and survival doomsaying, condensed with all the scientific history, phony viewing glasses and hype — we should all be so lucky as to have yet another boring Monday on August 21st.

TIME photo modified by author with original courtesy of TIME.  TEAM Oregon photo courtesy of web site.

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Washington State Moves Motorcycling Issues Forward

I’m talking about Senate Bill 5141 which was signed by Gov. Inslee and took effect on June 14th.

It states that if a motorcyclist approaches an intersection, including a left turn intersection, controlled by a triggered traffic control signal using a vehicle detection device, and that signal is inoperative due to the size of the motorcycle, the motorcyclist must come to a complete stop. If the signal fails to operate after one cycle, the motorcyclist may proceed through the intersection or turn left after exercising due care.

The Washington legislation provided a legal way for motorcyclists to get through a red light and according to the American Motorcyclist Association, 14 other states have passed similar legislation.

In Oregon, motorcycle detection issues remain a problem at traffic lights in both rural and urban areas.  If you’re like me you’ve experienced the frustration and/or jockeyed around so that the auto behind can trigger the light.  And when motorcyclists encounter devices that fail to notice their presence, most riders will proceed through the red light after taking “due caution.”

I’m wondering when the Oregon Department of Transportation and the Oregon Governor’s Advisory Committee on Motorcycle Safety will take up the issue?

Many cagers and law makers believe that motorcyclists are at fault in triggering traffic lights so, in the spirit of reporting both sides… the Oregon Motorcycle Manual and the TEAM Oregon Motorcycle Safety Program offer advice on how to position a motorcycle correctly at traffic stops so signaling devices will hopefully register it.

Photo courtesy of the internet.

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Harley-Davidson Riding Academy

The new Harley-Davidson™ Riding Academy logo

Back in April, Harley-Davidson unveiled its new Riding Academy in the U.S., which is a program to help students take their first lessons in riding and they get to do it on a Harley-Davidson Street 500 motorcycle.

You might recall that the Harley-Davidson™  Riding Academy was previously called Rider’s Edge®.  In September 2012 the program celebrated a milestone of training 300,000 riders since starting in 2000.  At the time the Buell Blast, a motorcycle made by the Buell Motorcycle Company was used in the Rider’s Edge New Rider program.  In July 2009, prior to ceasing all motorcycle production, Buell ran an ad campaign stating that the Buell Blast would no longer appear in their line-up and the ad featured a Buell Blast being destroyed in an automobile crusher.

The new Harley-Davidson™ Riding Academy is a national rider training program and is likely to be hosted by Harley-Davidson dealerships across the country.

The old Rider’s Edge® logo

It’s designed to get folks comfortable on a bike and give them the skills needed to ride with confidence.  The students are trained on the motorcycle that they will be riding and will also be taught the basics of rider safety. All the student needs to bring is the riding gear that consists of a long sleeves, jeans/pants, ankle length footwear, full gloves, eyewear and DOT standard helmet. The academy will provide a motorcycle and certified instructors from Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF). The course features a minimum of 20 hours of classroom and range training with two instructors guiding 12 students at a time. The practice range is where students learn maneuvers such as turning, braking, going over obstacles and controlling skids.

Some thought the original Rider’s Edge Program was a pricey version of the MSF Basic Rider Course with four additional promotional/marketing hours added into the curriculum. Otherwise the curriculum of the two were nearly identical.  I have not been through the new Riding Academy, but would anticipate that it’s a Harley-Davidson branded version of the new 2014 MSF curriculum.

The motorcycle used in the new Harley-Davidson Riding Academy is the newly launched liquid-cooled Harley-Davidson Street 500.  I suspect the strategy of incorporating the Street 500 motorcycle is that students will want to keep riding after the class is over once they’ve learned on the motorcycle… maybe even consider a purchase.  The Street 500 is fitted with a vehicle protection kit that protects the motorcycle in case a student is not able to maintain balance and topples it. In addition, there is a first of its kind Power Limit Calibration system that is in place to restrict the bikes at low gear speeds allowing only the maximum speed needed for the course.  Or put another way, it modifies the fuel injection system and de-powers the bike.  If you’re looking for initial impressions of the bike for training check out this post HERE.

Once the training has been completed, the students will get an MSF Basic Rider Course completion card which may even exempt students from the state testing for a motorcycle endorsement, but this varies state to state. Harley states that this card may even help new riders in getting a discount on their motorcycle insurance.

TEAM OREGON Training Locations

But, what about the state of Oregon?

It looks like the Oregon Harley-Davidson dealers get somewhat of a pass on managing the new Riding Academy logistics since the only approved training is provided by TEAM OREGON.

If you’ve been riding awhile you’ll recall that Oregon was the first state to break away from MSF and Idaho soon followed.  There is 40-years of history, but in 2003, the last time MSF released a new curriculum, TEAM OREGON decided the new product didn’t meet the riders of Oregon needs.  However, MSF would not support continued use of the old product so, TEAM OREGON designed their own curriculum to meet the needs of Oregon riders.  The prevailing viewpoint was the California-based MSF “one-size-fits-all curriculum” didn’t address local issues – for example, Florida’s riding environment is much different from Washington State’s, which is unlike Wisconsin’s or New York’s.  MSF sued TEAM OREGON in 2006 over the curriculum they developed which the Oregon Department of Justice and Oregon State University tenaciously defended and in December 2008 the MSF agreed to abandon its lawsuit without any monetary settlement.  More details on the lawsuit are located HERE.

Independent of where you live in the Northwest, this blog has promoted safe motorcycle operation and suggested many times that riders be life-long learners.  Take a training class.

More information can be found at: TEAM OREGON – Basic (BRT) and Intermediate (IRT) courses are available statewide and meet Oregon’s mandatory training requirement.  Idaho STAR Motorcycle Safety Program;  Advanced Street Skills; Puget Sound Safety

Photos courtesy H-D and TEAM OREGON.  Shout-out to Pat Hahn (TEAM OREGON Communications and Outreach Manager) who was consulted for accuracy in the writing of this article.

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Going To The Promised Land

Christianity talks about getting into Heaven; Islam focuses on Paradise; Buddism and Hinduism offer an ultimate reincarnation into blissful Nirvana — every major world religion offers its followers entrance into some sort of ‘Promised Land’.

Not to be overly dramatic, but I’m talking about Medford, Oregon, and a promise that if you attend the TEAM OREGON Advanced Rider Training (ART) in Medford on June 28-29th you’ll come away with increased motorcycle riding knowledge!

This is a rare opportunity for southern Oregon motorcyclists to attend a training course for experienced/expert level riders taught on the go-kart track at Jackson County Sports Park.   This is the same training that is also taught year round at Pat’s Acres in Canby, OR.

Feedback on the training is that it’s a great learning experience.  More info and video HERE. Cost is $150 per person.  I’ve been informed that there are currently 22 seats remaining: 7 in the Saturday a.m./p.m. course and 15 in the Friday p.m./Saturday a.m. course.  It’s anticipated they will all fill by mid-June.

Most important is to take note that the training will not return to Medford before 2014 so get enrolled now while you still can.

Photo courtesy of TEAM OREGON.  Full Disclosure: I’m not employed by or affiliated with TEAM OREGON.  I am an advocate for lifelong learning.

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Oregon Motorcycle License Fees

The dark months are on us.

You know them as that period in the northwest from November 1 to April 30, when the days are short, the air is cold, the misty precipitation often transforms into solids and then back again.  As a result the riding days are few and far between.

Like many of you I recently needed to renew my driver’s license.

It’s a fairly benign task except now the rules have become a bit more restrictive and you have to provide proof of your legal presence, identity and date of birth.  “Presence” means that you have to provide proof that you are a U.S. citizen, permanent legal resident, or otherwise legally present in the U.S.

I filled out the form, provided a passport as proof, passed the eye exam and hoped for a striking photo that I could be proud to show at the airport.  I started to write out a check to the DMV for $40 and the clerk corrected me, stating it would be $68.  Whoa?!  Somewhat miffed about the extra fee just because a box is checked on the license… I ask what the extra $28 paid for and the clerk stumbled around a bit saying that I would need to talk to Salem DMV about the renewal money.

So, I did.

I went to the “Ask ODOT” button on the DMV site and sent them a note.  The initial response I received was “Revenues DMV receives from fees related to vehicle title registration, driver licenses and endorsements are being used to recover costs and replenish the state’s Highway fund… please see the attached Key Facts booklet.”

This didn’t make sense, but I looked over the document, and found few references to motorcycle fees or how that money was spent so I sent a follow-up email and received another quick reply which was more helpful:  “The $28 motorcycle endorsement fee goes into a motorcycle safety account which is dedicated to motorcycle training and public information and awareness.  Please see the Motorcycle Safety program website.”

So, I surfed over there and downloaded the most recent data.

On page six of the Motorcycle Safety Databook – 2008, it provides details on various project funding, however, it was over 3 years old so I sent another email asking if there was data through 2011.  I received another quick response which stated the web site needed to be updated with the newer information, and they attached a PDF file that included the 2011 data.  After reviewing the document I had several additional questions and called Michele O’Leary, ODOT Transportation Safety Division.

What follows is some additional detail and learnings:  The additional $28 that is collected for a motorcycle endorsement over the driver license fee goes toward what is known as the Motorcycle Safety Subaccount Fee. The $28 is collected each time a person renews their motorcycle endorsed license. As of 2010, each new endorsement holder pays an additional $10 (first time only) so they have $38 collected. The fee was established under ORS 807.370 (20).

Motorcycle Safety Program expenditures are:

OSU TEAM OREGON Program:  Funds in 2011 were $866K (in 2007 it was $803K); this funds the daily operation of statewide motorcycle safety project which includes: Mobile Program courses, instructor training, instructor update workshops, instructor and training location monitoring, public information and education activities by staff and instructors.  Items such as fairs, sober graduation presentations, motorcycle events, insurance, printing and materials.

Motorcycle Statewide Services:  Funds in 2011 were $96K (in 2007 it was $106.8K); this funds travel expenses for members of the Governor’s Advisory Committee on Motorcycle Safety. It also includes printing, mailing, and distribution costs along with equipment and travel expenses for TEAM OREGON Motorcycle Safety Program.

There are also some Federal funds which help augment the state expenses.  They are:

Motorcycle Safety Program Enhancement Project:  Funds in 2011 were $127.7K (in 2007 it was $53K); this funds the enhancement of the state motorcycle safety training program through the purchase of training motorcycles, improvements to the mobile training program, curriculum improvements and range site lease.

Motorcycle Safety Public Information and Education:  Funds in 2011 were $30K (in 2007 it was $40K); this funds public information and education contract and campaign materials for motorist awareness.

Interesting to note is that the Federal motorcycle dollars have been capped at $100K each year. The Motorcycle Safety Program office had some unspent funds one year and rolled them into 2011 to be able to spend them. However, the Federal allocation will be reduced to less than $50K each year starting in 2014 and into the foreseeable future.

In terms of revenue collected to run the various programs, the state of Oregon issues approximately 12,000 new motorcycle endorsements each year at DMV. This equates to: 12K x $38 = $456,000 (approximately).  The remainder of the state funds comes from renewals, which are a “rolling” target as each person renews at a different time.  There are also registration funds from the state motorcycle safety training program which are collected that help pay for the cost of operating the training.

While the program is largely self-sufficient, the downside is that there are no extra monies to take on larger initiatives and make a larger impact on motorcycle safety.  Only a large increase of people applying for motorcycle endorsements or shadowing the legislature to request additional funds will put extra money into the sub-account.

I think it’s also most important that the motorcycle community understand that the use of the endorsement fee is legislated in ORS 802.340 (2):

802.340 Transportation Safety Account; uses; Motorcycle Safety Subaccount. (1) The Transportation Safety Account is established in the General Fund of the State Treasury. Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, all money credited to the account established under this section is appropriated continuously for and shall be used by the Department of Transportation to carry out the following purposes:

(a) Payment of the per diem, travel and other expenses of the Transportation Safety Committee.

(b) Payment of the expenses of the department in performance of its duties related to transportation safety.

(c) Functions or programs established under ORS 802.315.

(2) There is established in the account created under subsection (1) of this section a subaccount to be known as the Motorcycle Safety Subaccount. The subaccount shall consist of moneys credited to the subaccount under ORS 807.370 and as otherwise provided by law. The subaccount shall be accounted for separately. Moneys in the subaccount are continuously appropriated to the department for and shall be used to carry out the purposes provided under ORS 802.320.

The statute ensures that legislators can’t take the motorcycle endorsement fees and put them into the general fund to use on whatever pet project they have this month.

Now you know more than you ever wanted to know about motorcycle endorsement fees.

Photo courtesy of Oregon DMV.  Shout-out to Michele O’Leary, ODOT Transportation Safety Division for taking the time to answer questions and respond to email/phone calls. 

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Slippery When Wet

I-5 (S) In Route To Team Oregon – ART

“June Gloom” – It’s a southern California term for a weather pattern that results in cloudy, overcast skies with cool temperatures during the late spring and early summer.

We should be so lucky in Oregon!

Our “May Grey” was followed by a full on rain storm today.  Surprise, the first week of June is heavy rain and to top it off there is the forecast of snow down to 3000 feet in the cascades.

It turns out that I took the day off work and planned to attend the Team Oregon Advanced Rider Training (ART) with some rider friends.  In the paperwork, Team Oregon made it very clear.  Regardless of the weather, rain or shine the one-day course would happen so come prepared.

You see ART is not a high speed, racing-oriented class, but it provides riders a chance to build skills on an enclosed track while getting feedback from expert instructors. It’s designed for the rider who has at least 12,000 miles of current, on-street riding experience and includes 4 hours of range (riding) instruction including cornering, braking, swerving and traction management.

Advanced Rider Training Is Cancelled

So, I put on the rain gear and departed the house in heavy rain to take on the morning rush hour traffic.  Merged onto I-5 with the visible oil sheen and “rooster tails” from semi-trucks while watching a couple of folks on their cell phones – I suppose they had to tell friends just how wet the roads were – to arrive 35 minutes later at the Pat’s Acres Racing Complex and learn that the instructors cancelled the class!  Huh?  And get this… because the track was too oily and wet.

Are you tracking with me here?  It’s Oregon!  Duh.  I just spent the morning on an oil slick I-5 corridor accelerating/braking in stop-n-go traffic, making lane-change transitions, passing semi-trucks while thinking about my traction judgment and then safely existing the freeway and smoothly cornering through the curves of the Canby ramp only to find out that Pat’s “little race track” has an oil sheen and the rain made it slippery when wet!  Are you kidding me?  Really.

Who are these people?!  Isn’t the idea of this course to help riders improve judgment and skills by linking turns and choosing better lines in the rain. To get better in the type of weather conditions that are fairly routine in the Northwest.  And to practice on a closed course vs. on the interstate, right?   So let me get this straight.  The weather is too challenging to learn, but it’s okay for riders to head back home in the very same conditions that required them to cancel?  Worse yet was the fact that several people had called 30 minutes prior to the start of the class and obtained confirmation that it was still on.

I’m sure the Team Oregon office in Corvallis didn’t appreciate my phone call.  But, they did hear my “pull your head out” message and where to send my refund!

Photo taken by author (GoPro Helmet Camera) 

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OSP News Flash Substitutes For Safety Campaign

Graphic Display From Swedish Police

I couldn’t believe it when I read it!

Last Monday morning the Oregon State Police (OSP) news flash reported that Russell Mathews was seriously injured on Sunday when riding along Hwy 211 in the Eagle Creek area.  He was ejected from his motorcycle while trying to pass a vehicle preparing to turn onto Judd Road.  Mr. Mathews attempted to pass on the right side of the vehicle when the motorcycle front tire went off the abrupt pavement edge and the motorcycle went down a steep embankment and flipping.  Mr. Mathews was transported by LifeFlight to Legacy Emanuel Hospital.  All of us motorcyclists hope for Mr. Mathews quick recovery.

But, in the first paragraph of the news flash and I quote:

“This crash is a reminder during “Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month” for all travelers and motorcycles operators to drive safely and remember the rules of the road.”

That’s it?!  This news flash and a link on the OSP web site demonstrates the full commitment or represents the exhaustive efforts of the Oregon State Police (OSP) to raise visibility on Motorcycle Safety?  I wouldn’t call this a bold move for a 2010 campaign!  It’s my understanding, that OSP has NO specific motorcycle safety awareness campaign this year.  On the surface the above news flash reminder looks like they decided to “pile on” the back of a motorcyclists misfortune.  This idea doesn’t feel like a winner to me.

Here’s a better idea… how about putting the above graphic motorcycle and auto on display at car shows? Or how about tying this to the already in place cell phone campaign to wake drivers up out of their cell phone induced coma’s with some shocking and dramatic displays?  The above display was actually placed at the Stockholm Motorcycle Fair by the Swedish Police.  More on the back story is HERE.

I’m trying not to jump to a negative conclusion as I’ve had my “day in the life” and appreciate OSP’s service, but last year 51 people lost their lives in motorcycle crashes in Oregon.  New motorcycle endorsements are on the rise (last 5 years from 98,000 to 134,000) and the lack of a major awareness campaign by this critical organization responsible for public safety is either a major policy shift or the agency has decided to place its limited resources on other higher priority programs.

Either way that’s a disappointment.  I’ve blogged previously about ODOT’s safety awareness activities during motorcycle awareness month, but as warmer temperatures arrive it means people are busting out their garage to get a little wind in the face and independent of your experience level please be careful out there.

And speaking of experience.  Looking for a MSF course? Or if you’re a veteran be a life-long learner and take a refresher course.  Team Oregon has consistently been rated very high in motorcycle training too.

Photo courtesy Drive and Stay Alive.

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Stupid Hurts In The New Year

It was the slogan of American Honda’s safety awareness campaign back in 1998.

The “Stupid Hurts” (.pdf) campaign was intended to create a lasting impression on parents and youngsters as the company was under a lot of pressure with respect to marketing and promotion of ATVs.  It was a multi-million dollar program to deliver straightforward, no-nonsense messages encouraging rider training about helmet use, operator-only use, drug and alcohol-free operation, appropriate age/vehicle size, and youth supervision.

But, beginning Jan. 1, 2010  “stupid is as stupid does”…the Oregon legislature has passed a number of new laws to protect YOU as well as increase the fines because in case you haven’t heard the state has a “revenue challenge.”  Many would debate that it’s a SPENDING problem, but what do we know?  For example, the fine for riding a motorcycle without a motorcycle endorsement jumps from $360 to $720. However, the law also requires the court to suspend the fine if the rider completes training and receives an endorsement within 120 days of sentencing.  Of course if you’re under 21 years of age you are required to complete a TEAM Oregon Basic Rider Training (BRT) course which historically has had long lead times.

But, wait there’s more:

1. Oregon’s “Move Over” law in 2010 now means that you’ll have to move over for tow trucks and other roadside assistance vehicles. Under current law, drivers have to pull over from police cars, fire engines and ambulances rendering assistance on a highway having two or more lanes of traffic going in the same direction. The change also clarifies that if a motorist can’t pull over because there is a vehicle in the other lane, the driver must slow his or her vehicle to at least 5 miles an hour under the posted speed.
2. There was also an amendment to House Bill 2040 to add roadside assistance vehicles and tow vehicles to the list of vehicles that require motorist to “maintain a safe distance.”  Failure to maintain a safe distance (ORS 811.147) is a class B traffic violation.
3. For drunk drivers who are convicted with a blood alcohol level of .15 percent or higher — they will now pay a minimum fine of $2,000. Previously, the fine structure called for a minimum fine of $1,000 for a first offense, $1,500 for a second conviction and $2,000 for a third or subsequent conviction, without regard for level of drunkenness.
4. And what about protecting the children?  Any under 16 years of age will have to wear a safety belt or harness when operating a Class I or Class II all-terrain vehicle used for off-road use or a Class II ATV legal for street use. The safety belt or safety harness must be used when the vehicles are used both on public roads and premises open to the public. The law holds the parent, legal guardian or person responsible for the child responsible for compliance.
5. Operators and passengers of Class II ATVs who are younger than 18 must wear motorcycle helmets. There is an exception for vehicles that have a roof or roll bar and that are registered through the Department of Transportation.

Clearly these new rules will create a lasting impression and stop stupid!

Photo courtesy of Honda.

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Troops Dying On Motorcycles

Army Harley-Davidson

Military life is a lot about adrenaline (shooting weapons, parachuting out of planes, repelling from Blackhawks, etc.), not to mention the amount of testosterone filled “hoorah” recruits go through during basic that gives many the feeling of invincibility.

However, military personnel and motorcycles are a lethal combination as the News Observer reports that since 9/11, more American troops have died in off-duty motorcycle accidents than fighting in Afghanistan.

I’m not going to debate if the military personnel buy high-powered motorcycles and hit the streets to burn off adrenaline, testosterone or boredom.  Or if it’s due to a lack of maturity, a lack of training or inexperience riding powerful sport bikes.  Or if it’s due to psychological stress that lingers returning home from combat.  I’m interested, but will leave that to the experts to determine.

I want to talk about motorcycle accidents and Dealer responsibility.  But, first a couple of background facts:

All military branches of the armed forces have seen significant increases in motorcycle fatalities.

As of October 1^st, 24 deaths have occurred in the Marine Corp which breaks the previous record of 19 fatalities set the year before. Nine of the 24 were from Camp Pendleton. In 2000, when the Marine Corps started keeping track of motorcycle fatalities, seven riders died.

The Marines have had a higher fatality rate than the civilian population, according to Peter Hill, head of engineering with the safety division at Marine Corps headquarters in Washington, D.C.

A survey of motorcycle use in the Marines, has so far counted 17,348 riders nationwide, 56 percent of them on fast sport bikes, and the count is projected to reach about 25,000.

Military personnel are required to take a three-day basic rider course or a one-day experienced rider course before they are allowed to ride on/off base. However, most know how to get around the requirement by storing motorcycles off-base either at dealers or friends home.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there are about 7.5 fatalities per 10,000 civilian riders. In the Marine Corps, the rate was about 9.5 per 10,000 riders this year, according to Marine Corps statistics.

For every mile traveled, motorcyclists are about 32 times as likely to be killed as someone in a car, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, sport motorcycles generally weigh half as much as a cruiser-style motorcycle and have about twice the horsepower.

In the civilian population, the fatality rate is four times higher on a sport bikes than on a cruiser.

Marines Walk By Sportbikes

I’ve written previously on motorcycle safety HERE, HERE and on alcohol related accidents HERE.  I’m sadden by the above statistics and especially dislike reading about our young veterans getting injured or killed on motorcycles.  Many AFTER they’ve returned from the Gulf.  My efforts here are to bring visibility of a growing problem and maybe in some small way help reduce motorcycle fatalities.

But, let’s return to the role of the motorcycle dealer and their prevention responsibility, if any.  First, I fully believe they have a lot of responsibility as the first line of “defense” so-to-speak and doing a good job of “fitting” motorcycle to customer, but unfortunately know they are also simply a corporation that makes money selling motorcycles and motorcycle accessories. The owners of these dealers and the manufactures they represent want you to believe they are biker’s best friend, but at the end of the day it’s all about business and what will bring them the most sales volume and the best return on their investment.  I’m not arbitrarily discounting their genuine desire to avoid or prevent motorcycle accidents, but most all dealer’s have many more requirements to rent/ride a motorcycle from their business than they do to purchase one!  Some dealers pass out vouchers for customers to attend local safety classes, but do you think a sales person would ever say… “You are just not ready for that 175mph super bike, let’s put you in a big scooter” or “Sorry, but that chrome laden Ultra Glide is just too heavy a motorcycle for you and might I suggest that you step into a Sporty”.  Yeah right like that would ever happen!  

Yet another example of the great lengths that dealers/manufactures will go to catch the military personnel attention is the rising popularity of motorcycle sales at overseas military exchanges, which offer two American makes, Harley-Davidson and Buell, at bargain prices. After the Afghanistan war started, sales jumped nearly 50 percent, to more than 4,000 a year thru this channel, and have held steady, according to figures provided by the different services’ exchanges. At exchanges in the two combat zones alone, troops bought more than 1,500 motorcycles in 2005 (last year of stats) and took delivery of them on their return to the U.S.

I know it’s crucial to draw a line between courage and recklessness.   Knowing your limits, respecting others on the road, proper training, and being completely aware of what’s going on around you are all factors in why people stay alive on a motorcycle.  Now if we could recalibrate the mentality of the dealer network from the operator assumes all responsibility mind-set to more along the lines of it being critical to reducing fatalities and maintain your customer base.  If you’re in the “channel” I welcome your comments or ideas…

Want more training info?  Look at a MSF course which is an intensive two or three day classroom and riding course supervised by expert riders. Or if you’re a veteran be a life-long learner and take a refresher course.  Team Oregon has consistently been rated very high in motorcycle training too.

Marine photo courtsey of North County Times and Hayne Palmour IV – Staff Photographer

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