Archive for the ‘Biker Issues’ Category

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Threats To Motorcycling 7 And 8

Monday, August 17th, 2026


It really matters what goes into your gas tank. Just ask Dennis. Thank goodness for several other guys who rushed over to help us roll this Indian into the truck.

I’m picking up where I left off a while ago, offering an overview of what the American Motorcyclist Association listed in their magazine, American Motorcyclist, as the “10 Biggest Threats to Motorcycling.” Let’s continue.

Excessive Sound
Yeah, we’re all familiar with this. Loud pipes save lives. Or they don’t, they just annoy other people. You’ve probably all heard how the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration did a study and concluded there is “little evidence” that louder pipes improve rider safety. This piece also quotes from what they referred to as “an exhaustive study” (pun definitely intended) in Romania that said “The sound produced by a motorcycle is not heard by the drivers of cars in front of you or is heard too late to be able to influence the driver’s decision. Our best advice? Let’s be seen, not heard.”

The downside (per the article): Few other factors contribute more to misunderstanding and prejudice against the motorcycling community than excessively loud motorcycles.” This leads to laws that seek to curtail motorcycling. I guess that would count as a threat to motorcycling.

The fix, as the article continues, includes the AMA’s program of gifting sound meters to AMA-chartered clubs to accurately check the sound emissions of their bikes. “Motorcyclists also have a responsibility to be part of the solution by being sensitive to community standards and respectful of their fellow citizens’ right to enjoy a peaceful environment.”

If you think the issue is valid but the fix offered is a bit week I would agree. Too bad, but can you offer anything better? Then do.

Ethanol
This is simple enough. Federal mandates require use of ethanol fuel, which is generally made from corn. A little is not a particularly bad thing. Too much can damage your motorcycle engine, though not necessarily your car engine. So it’s important that there be good labeling at the gas pumps.

Just a bit more info on the damage: “Ethanol-laced fuel can also be hazardous for bikes stored for weeks or months at a time, as the blend starts to oxidize, separating the ethanol from the gasoline and forming a thick, corrosive sludge that can ravage fuel tanks, fuel systems, and engines.” Not to mention that you get fewer miles to the gallon with ethanol in your fuel.

The main fix they are calling for here has to do with better labeling at the pumps. They also offer measures you can take, such as “using fuel stabilizers, keeping the tank full to limit headspace for air and humidity to get in, or simply filling your tank with ethanol-free petrol.” If you can find it.

You also need to just pay attention. The OFMC was on a trip a few years back and at a gas stop Dennis did not read the signs on the pump carefully and ended up putting diesel fuel in his tank. That was completely on him. That pump was marked. So to the AMA’s suggestion I would add, don’t be stupid.

Biker Quote for Today

Motorcycles are wonderful contraptions, but it’s the people we get to know and hang out with and ride with along the way that make them so special. — Mitch Boehm

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Posted in American Motorcyclist Association, Biker Issues, Loud Pipes, motorcycle clubs, Motorcycle legislation | No Comments »

Your Results May Vary–Particularly Based On Speed

Thursday, July 9th, 2026


Even I-70 has some gorgeous spots in Utah.

We all know that when you go really fast your gas mileage suffers. How much does it suffer? Seldom have I had as good a chance to test this as when I did this Utah ride with other RMMRC members in May.

I was, of course, on my 2006 Suzuki V-Strom 650, the only bike I own these days. That bike theoretically holds 5.8 gallons. In normal use I tend to get around 45 miles to the gallon, though there have been plenty of times when I have averaged well over 50.

That said, keep in mind that I’m not much of a go-fast guy. On my own on a 65 mph highway I’ll tend to cruise between 60 and 70. I’m in no hurry. I’m out to enjoy myself, not to burn up miles.

It was a little different on this trip. Tom was leading and while he has never struck me as much of a go-fast guy either, for whatever reason, he chose to go quite fast this day. Maybe he just figures if he is forced to take the interstate he might as well go fast and make that part of the trip as quick as possible.

Through Colorado west out of Denver the speed limit on the interstate is nominally 75, although there are stretches, such as through Glenwood Canyon, where the limit is considerably lower. So we blasted along much of the time at 85. Sometimes 90. Of course we did go slower where appropriate.

My 650cc bike can handle 85-90 mph. It’s working but I can keep up. And so I did. But here are the numbers.

The distance from Morrison, where I filled up, to Grand Junction is about 235 miles. With 5.8 gallons, and averaging 45 miles per gallon, that should–and normally does–carry me about 260 miles. Getting to Grand Junction should have been no big deal. But we were in Debeque Canyon and I could see that it was not going to happen.

I passed word up to Tom that I needed to stop for gas and we did stop, in Palisade. How much gas did my bike take? The receipt shows I put in 5.3 gallons. I would not have made it to our planned gas stop on the west side of Junction.

The funny thing, though, is that my decrease in gas mileage turned out not to be anywhere near as great as I expected. In fact, as I sat down to write this I was planning something spelling out a big drop in gas mileage but when I hit the calculator I was surprised at just how small a difference it made. Maybe speed shaved 3 miles per gallon off my gas mileage. I was expecting a lot more.

That’s what happens when you work with facts: you have an expectation and sometimes it bears out and sometimes you are just wrong. Well now I know.

Biker Quote for Today

100 reasons not to date a biker: 81. You’ll have to spend a bunch of money on a jacket, riding boots, helmet, and gloves. If we break up, at least you have a Halloween outfit.

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And More Threats To Motorcycling

Thursday, July 2nd, 2026


Yeah, Zero electric bikes have changed a lot since this shot from 2011.

I’ll proceed now with numbers 5 and 6 on this list of “10 Biggest Threats To Motorcycling” discussed in the May 2026 issue of American Motorcyclist, the publication of the American Motorcyclist Association. You’ll find issues 1 and 2 here, and 3 and 4 here.

Side-By-Side Size And Power, And Trail Degradation
Four-wheel all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are not motorcycles. But more and more, the people using these things are taking to the trails that have formerly been used by dirt bikes and mountain bikes. There is a problem in that they are double-track while we are single-track. They’re basically carving into the adjoining areas in order to do so. They’re also bigger and heavier so that contributes to the issue. Being more stable they also go faster. And because they are easier to use than a motorcycle, the users are often less experienced and don’t necessarily have a good idea what they’re doing.

That kind of adds up, doesn’t it? Do I really need to say more? To quote the AMA, “As a result, responsible motorized trail users are grouped in with the damage caused by oversized side-by-sides and the sometimes-poor decision-making by their drivers, leading to reductions in trails and land closures.”

Now, the AMA does not support getting these machines off the trails, they simply ask that they follow appropriate trail etiquette and trail groups “be mindful of one another and work together rather than one group dominating the trails in some way.” They also mention that some states now require training for these users, which presumably include appropriate and protective ways of operating the vehicle.

Consumer Choice
Electric is growing and you may already have an electric car or bike. But some people still want their gas-powered vehicles.

The motorcycle market should be allowed to evolve based on demand, innovation, and rider preferences.

Add in the fact that current infrastructure is not prepared for an all-electric future, it’s clear that electric mandates would certainly harm motorcycling.

That pretty well sums it up. Electric is fine, just don’t force it on everyone. The AMA supports two proposed Congressional bills that would address these concerns. These are the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act and the Automobile Retail Sales Act, both introduced in 2025.

Biker Quote for Today

Going for a ride is always worth it.

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Posted in American Motorcyclist Association, Biker Issues, Dirt biking, Electric motorcycles, motorcycle clubs | 1 Comment »

With Friends Like These . . .

Thursday, June 25th, 2026


The RMMRC at a stop on this Utah trip.

I’ve written about this before but now it has happened again. Same concept as before: sometimes the people most hazardous to you may be your friends.

In that post I linked to above I was riding with the RMMRC and because we got separated from one rider we stopped to give him a call. Alan was parked just in front of me and because he was making the call I’m not sure he was aware I was back there. When it came time to roll he definitely acted like he didn’t know I was back there and he backed right into me, causing me to lose the bike and it to fall. No harm, no damage, but gosh, shouldn’t you look behind you before you back up?

As I know I’ve described before, my first realization of this danger was on a ride with the OFMC may years ago when I was leading and made the decision to pull over to the left for a view area. A split second before I made my turn, Bill came blasting past me–I don’t remember why. What I do remember is that if I had made my move ever so much sooner it would have been pretty disastrous for both of us. Of course, it would have helped if I had signaled to make my intentions known.

So this time was very much like the first instance with Alan. This time it was Gene. On this recent Utah trip we stopped for lunch in Glenwood Springs. I was parked right behind Gene. As we prepared to pull out, Gene started backing up, totally oblivious to the fact that I was there. I yelled but with the engine noise and with helmets on I’m sure he didn’t hear a thing. This time, however, I was able to roll back just enough that there was no contact. And then Gene pulled forward totally unaware of what just happened.

Gosh, guys, is it too much to ask, again, that you look behind you before you back up?

Biker Quote for Today

100 reasons not to date a biker: 45. ‘Do rags

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More Threats To Motorcycling

Thursday, May 28th, 2026


You ride this, I’ll ride that.

I’ll pick up again on this list of “10 Biggest Threats To Motorcycling” that the AMA printed in its latest issue of American Motorcyclist.

Right To Repair
The third on the list is right to repair. The problem is that as vehicles of all kinds get more complex, the manufacturers are not excited about sharing their proprietary tech that is needed for someone else to fix them. They’d rather you had no option but to take your bike or car to the dealer.

As they put it, “Right to Repair is the idea that a consumer has the right to choose their preferred service and repair provider (including themselves and independent shops); this also means that manufacturers are required to make the parts and needed information available to the public for a fair and reasonable price.”

For example, what if the nearest dealer is 150 miles away, while you’ve got a good independent shop right down the street?

The AMA and other groups are promoting–with growing momentum–federal legislation to require that this be an option. Meanwhile, 20 plus states have passed their won Right to Repair legislation.

Land Access
This next item is perhaps the most contentious of the bunch, with some riders on one side of the argument and others on the other side. Motorized access to public lands is not something everyone wants to see. A lot of hikers strongly resent sharing a trail with someone on a motorcycle.

But motorcyclists are citizens and pay taxes, too, so you can’t rightfully close off all public land to all motorized traffic. It’s all about striking an equitable balance. It also helps to have separate hiking and biking trails.

The fix for the problem, the article says, is this:

“A wider recognition and understanding of the benefits that off-highway motorcycles have on the local economy, coupled with volunteer trail maintenance efforts spearheaded by these users, goes a long way in preventing potential closures from being proposed. Responsible trail use and partnerships with other users are important.
“When land-access issues do arise, it is important to be organized and engaged with the land managing agency. The AMA encourages alternative sites to be identified and made available if a recreational area is closed for an extended period of time.”

Keep this in mind because the next item on the list refers directly back to this.

Biker Quote for Today

100 reasons not to date a biker: 47. Spring fever starts in November.

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Posted in American Motorcyclist Association, Biker Issues, motorcycle clubs, Motorcycle Riders Foundation | 1 Comment »

The Benefit Of Delaying Decisions

Monday, May 25th, 2026


These are the three helmets I was considering giving to a thrift store.

I learned a very important lesson many years ago: Put off decisions until they have to be made because in many cases they will be made for you first.

I’m not a procrastinator; I generally make decisions right away and quickly act on them. But some decisions don’t require immediate action, and in fact, circumstances often change so that even if you had decided one thing, you now find yourself faced with something else.

In this case, what I’m talking about is this business of what to do with three old helmets. I noted that the norm would be to just throw them away but I also noted that when I was a lot younger and a lot poorer I bought a used helmet for $25 at a yard sale, and had I not done so I would have simply gone without a helmet. I figured there must be people out there today just like me. Wouldn’t it be better for them to have even an old helmet than no helmet if they were in a crash?

I asked for opinions, particularly if they were contrary to my thinking, and the one I got was from Dave. He said, “Something to keep in mind if you sell or give away an old helmet. If that person does get in a crash and that person or family members tracks that old helmet back to you, you may have a possible nasty legal battle. Nowadays you never know what could happen. Just throw them in the trash or keep on a shelf as a memento.”

I had not thought about legal ramifications but I really wasn’t concerned about that. If you just anonymously give an old helmet to Goodwill or someone like that, how would anyone track it back to you? But then in a case like that they might come back after Goodwill.

And I guess that’s exactly what at least some thrift stores are thinking. I decided to inquire to see if our local ARC Store would even accept old helmets. No. No explanation why, just no.

OK, I guess I don’t have to make any decision about giving them away or tossing them. It’s been made for me. And now those helmets are in the dumpster waiting to be hauled away in a few days.

Biker Quote for Today

You might be a Yuppie biker if the two most important items in your toolkit are gojo and a manicure kit.

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Posted in Biker Issues, Motorcycle Gear, motorcycle helmets, Motorcycle Safety | No Comments »

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