American Motorcyclist Association Distributes Voters Guide

American Motorcyclist Association members who want to know where candidates stand on motorcycling related issues heading into Election Day should check out the 2012 AMA Voter Guide. The online tool is an exclusive benefit of AMA membership.

Motorcycle-only checkpoints, restricted recreational access to public lands and health insurance discrimination against motorcyclists are just some of the issues used to rate federal congressional (and soon, state gubernatorial and presidential candidates) in the 2012 AMA Voter Guide. 

"The 2012 AMA Voter Guide gives AMA members important information about political candidates," said Wayne Allard, a former U.S. representative and U.S. senator from Colorado who now serves as the AMA vice president for government relations. "The guide includes a rating for every federal candidate of the major political parties who returned an AMA questionnaire. Very soon we'll be adding the gubernatorial and presidential candidates as well." 

The AMA 2012 Voter Guide is part of the AMA "Vote Like A Motorcyclist" campaign to help members decide how to cast their ballots in the upcoming elections.

"The AMA is a non-partisan organization and doesn't make political endorsements," explained Allard. "But we do provide tools to help our members make informed choices on Election Day and offer tips for getting involved in campaigns. 

"The rating shows how closely the candidates' answers align with AMA positions," Allard said. "The 2012 AMA Voter Guide also features scorecards for federal incumbents seeking re-election that shows how closely their voting records and other actions match the positions held by the AMA." 

Voting and getting involved politically are important because the results of Election Day lay the foundation for legislation and laws, Allard added. If anti-motorcycling candidates earn elected office, then they could legislate away opportunities to ride, cut back or eliminate funding for rider safety training, or even wipe out other programs that motorcyclists have spent years working to implement. 

"We encourage AMA members and all riders to cast their ballots and work on political campaigns based, in part, on candidates' positions on motorcycling related issues, as well as other issues of importance to them," Allard said. 

To learn more about the AMA's "Vote Like a Motorcyclist" campaign and to access the AMA 2012 Voter Guide online member benefit, go to www.americanmotorcyclist.com/membership/members_only/voterguide.aspx. 

 

Wynonna Judd's Husband Injured in Motorcycle Accident

Wynonoa 

Wynonna Judd has postponed a series of concerts after her husband Michael Moser, 55, was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident August 18 near Hill City, S.D. Moser, who scored four No. 1 country hits in the '80s, as a member of the band Highway 101, plays drums in his wife's band.

The couple were riding their motorcycles prior to a scheduled concert at the Deadwood Mountain Grand Hotel and Casino in Deadwood, S.D., when Moser drifted across the center line of the highway and collided with the driver's side door of a Chevrolet Malibu. Wynonna, who was riding ahead of Moser, was not involved in the accident.

He was transported to an area hospital and is being treated for serious but non-life threatening injuries. Saturday's concert was postponed, as well as four other dates scheduled later this week in Canada.

Wynonna & Moser

Judd and Moser were married on June 10 at her farm near Nashville.

Multiple Motorcycle Clubs raided by FBI in Georgia

According to federal prosecutors dual FBI raids Thursday of motorcycle clubs in southwest Atlanta and Buford netted 23 arrests on drug and weapons charges.

Members of the Outlaw Motorcycle Club and its affiliates, Hoodlums Motorcycle Club , Southern Knights and Black Pistons, were charged in federal court with selling cocaine and methamphetamines, illegal possession of guns and, for several suspects, trying to make bombs.

Federal agents were seen just after dawn crashing down the gates of the Outlaw club in the 3900 block of Campbellton Road, witnesses said. Authorities also raided a club on the 2500 block of South Waterworks Drive in Buford.

The take-down was the culmination of a two-year FBI investigation, federal officials said.

Among those arrested were George Norwood of Cumming and Raymond Sellers of Dawsonville. Both were accused of trying to make a bomb.

Sellers gave an undercover agent a list of ingredients to get to build a bomb that Norwood described was "strong enough to destroy a house."

Larry McDaniel, president of the Outlaw's Silver Region comprising Georgia and Alabama, and Milledgeville's Howard Brown, the Georgia president of the Black Pistons, were both arrested on federal obstruction charges for telling bike club members throughout Georgia about an FBI informant at the Cleveland, Ga., chapter, according to federal indictments.

Others indicted include Howard Haney, 41, of Alpharetta, charged with methamphetamine conspiracy and distribution, and Davey Honeycutt, 41, of Gainesville, charged with cocaine conspiracy and possession as well as being a convicted felon in possession of a gun.

Phillip Alexander, 49, and Benny Leverett, 46, both of Buford, were charged with aiding and abetting the possession of either cocaine or methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and Reynol Castronjon, 21, of Gainesville was charged with conspiracy and methamphetamine possession.

Other men arrested and charged in connection with Thursday's sting, including one man arrested in Fort Worth, Texas, were from outside the eight-county Metro Atlanta region.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Product Review: Motorcycle Video Cameras

The last couple of posts have focused on comparing models of motorcycles, so this edition we change our "focus" to motorcycle cameras.  If you have ever ridden in  parade, long ride, etc I'm sure there have nee times you wished you could have captured the event on video.  This review from webbikeworld.com should help.

Part two of this series will cover the studio aspects of the two cameras.

Motorcycle Milepost Newsdesk

This edition of the Motorcycle Milepost looks at 3 totally different items...even though each is part of the motorcycle lifestyle.

Mandatory Day-Glo Riding Apparel

An Australian  country policeman has started a national struggle over the possibility of compulsory hi-visibility clothing as part of a bid to make riding safer and reduce the toll of about 200 deaths a year from motorcycle accidents.
This is likely to start a national rebellion against forcing motorcycle licence holders, including the 750,000 who use their machines every week, into day-glo safety wardrobes.
Anger over the proposal for mandatory protective clothing is nearing the level of fury reached when daytime headlight use was pushed as a safety measure 25 years ago.

A Victorian Government road safety inquiry will consider the hi-viz option and, if adopted, other states could be expected to follow.
  . The public debate began when the fluoro idea was pushed by Senior Sergeant Bill Gore of the Wangaratta Highway Patrol, a 35-year police motorbike veteran.

The Best of the Bike Builders

The annual AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building has come and gone once more – showcasing a host of the planet's maddest, weirdest and most intricate modified machines.

It seems that there's a bit of a steampunk bent in the world of custom bikes, with the top three finalists all displaying plenty of brass where traditional customs might use chrome, as well as shunning modern technology like disc brakes. Or even front brakes for the 2nd and 3rd place bikes.

1St Place Winner

Thunderbike, of Hamminkeln, near Essen in Germany, was chosen by fellow competitors and selected VIP judges to have built the stand-out 'class of 2012' custom motorcycle with 'PainTTless', a hand crafted one-of-a-kind tour de force that oozes stunning design and engineering craftsmanship from every angle.

Using a restored and modified 1000cc Harley-Davidson Ironhead Sportster engine in a one-off, hand-built custom swingarm frame, Andreas Bergerforth and the dedicated team at Thunderbike (www.thunderbike.de) have cemented their reputation as being among the world's foremost motorcycle customizers, following up on their multiple AMD European Championship wins and AMD World Championship top-five placings.

2012 Sturgis is in the Books

The final figures aren't in yet, but an early estimate sugggests that more than 500,000 people participated in the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally that ended Sunday.

Traffic numbers were up over 2011, according to the South Dakota Highway Patrol.

Sadly, nine people died in rally-related motorcycle accidents, the Highway Patrol said,  including an Oakes, N.D., woman who was killed Friday when her motorcycle struck a pickup truck driven by a Colorado man.

Police said 50 people were injured in accidents during the rally, down from 80 last year.

Statistics released Sunday show that

• 251 people were arrested for driving drunk during the event, up from 235 last year. 
• Misdemeanor drug arrests were up from 149 to 185. 
• Felony drug arrests were down from 43 last year to 34 this year. Altogether, the Highway Patrol issued more than 900 citations.

Harley Road King vs Yamaha Royal Star

One of our goals at the Motorcycle Milepost is to provide product comparisons. Over the next few months this will encompass bikes, clothing, parts, accessories and even catalog services. 


In this edition, we utilize a review from MotorcycleUSA.com as they do a great job of a side-by-side on the Harley Road King and the Yamaha  Royal Star.  

Frankly I loved both and would ride either in a heartbeat.

Mans Best Friend...and a Great Passenger

Last week we did a brief post about a rider hitting a deer during a West Virginia rally.  Today, something a little more pleasant.  OK....its a lot more pleasant.







This gem comes to us courtesy of Carolina Camera. In this report the term "mans best friend" takes on a whole new meaning.

Biker Collides with a Deer - Caught on Film

We here at the Motorcycle Milepost strive to bring you ALL facets of motorcycling.  Sometimes its a weekend event, others a bike night a local water-hole, developments in technology....and the occasional freaky piece of video. This is one of those video moments.

Late last month during a two-day motorcycle race through West Virginia, Braden Childers was cruising down the road, flanked by forest on either side.

If you grew up in a wooded area, you probably know what’s coming........a deer.

The doe bolted across the road just in time to make collision with Childers’ bike inevitable — and his head cam caught the whole thing.

Creator of H.O.G. Inducted in Hall of Fame

Steve Piehl was given a challenging assignment at Harley-Davidson Inc. when the company was fighting for its survival.

In the fall of 1982, he was told to organize a group for Harley bike owners who would support their passion for the brand and, hopefully, bring more riders into the fold.

At the time, Piehl thought that someday the Harley Owners Group would have tens of thousands of members nationwide. He never imagined that, today, it would have nearly a million members in dozens of countries.

This week, Piehl was inducted into the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame in Sturgis, where the 72nd Sturgis Motorcycle Rally continues through Sunday.

Piehl said he didn't expect to be included in the Hall of Fame even as the Harley Owners Group grew into one of the motorcycle industry's biggest success stories.

Working under Clyde Fessler, Harley's general sales manager at the time, Piehl was given only about three months to launch the organization in January 1983.

Piehl was only three years out of college, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, when he was given the assignment to create the Harley Owners Group.

Early on, the organization bonded with Harley dealerships that formed local chapters for their customers to join in and socialize.

Then came rallies, tours, a roadside assistance program and other things aimed at making motorcycling more enjoyable and fostering customer loyalty.

Harley Owners Group is credited with boosting attendance at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally as local chapters made the event an annual pilgrimage where members could test ride the latest new motorcycles and meet company executives including Willie G. Davidson.

Looking ahead, Piehl says the Harley Owners Group must stay connected with younger motorcyclists, female riders and everyone else in the Harley family.

Tax Credit for Electric Motorcycles

Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden has included language to preserve and streamline the tax credit for purchasing new electric motorcycles as part of the tax extenders package being debated in the Senate Finance Committee.

Wyden, D-Ore., made the push with Ashland electric motorcycle maker Brammo in mind.

This amendment will combine existing tax credits into one credit covering all highway-ready vehicles. It will support red, white and blue jobs and a new American-led industry that has real promise to serve our growing transportation and environmental needs.

Brammo founder and Chief Executive Officer Craig Bramscher said such a tax credit would spur motorcycle riders to become early adopters of electric vehicle technology.

"With the extension of the tax credit, we are confident that the next wave of electric motorcycle owners will be encouraged to take to the road on zero-emission vehicles," Bramscher said in a statement.

Wyden's amendment combined existing tax credits for all electric vehicles to one credit that includes electric motorcycles.

It also eliminated low speed vehicles such as electric golf carts from being eligible for the consolidated tax credit. The renewed credit will provide up to a $2,500 tax credit to customers for the purchase of an electric motorcycle.

The industry is expected to create nearly 2,000 jobs during the next 18 months and more than 16,000 jobs over the next five years.