Archive for the ‘Biker Issues’ Category

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Future Motorcyclists?

Monday, May 11th, 2026

I was headed to the grocery store yesterday and saw these three kids on their ebikes. They were waiting for a green light and when it came they started across only to have a person in a car make a right turn on red right in front of them. Hey buddy, pay attention.

I went on to the store and was only there for a couple minutes, then headed home. I turned off this main street where I had seen them and proceeded down this cross street and they came into view again, turning onto the street I was now on. I followed them a ways till they turned off at a park. Pulling away from a stop sign you can see one of them doing a wheelie.

What I only thought about later was that all of this was being recorded on my dash camera. That’s the footage you see above. If you can zoom in definitely do so because I couldn’t get my video editing software to do that. And it’s only my second encounter with them that’s in the video.

Anyway, watching these guys I couldn’t help but think about other members of the now defunct OFMC. Our original group was John, Bill, and me. John and Bill have known each other since grade school. When they got into junior high the two of them, plus several other friends, all got scooters, like Cushmans, and they were a gang.

More than once I’ve heard how they would ride their scooters to school on cold days, all bundled up, and stop a block from school, take off hats and gloves, unzip their jackets and pull up at school being totally cool. Of course they had lots of fun on the scooters–who wouldn’t?

They didn’t go right on to motorcycles as they got older but at one point John got the urge. He bought a Yamaha 750 Virago, which prompted me to get my Honda CB750, and then Bill to get his Honda Shadow. And the OFMC was born.

So the gestation period took a while but it finally produced results. How can that not happen with so many of these young guys–and girls!–out there today on these ebikes? Don’t tell me those things are not motorcycles. They are cycles and they have motors. Surely at least some of these kids will get the bug. I hope a whole lot of them do.

Biker Quote for Today

You might be a Yuppie biker if you’ve ever stopped at a red light & forgot to put a foot down (sober).

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Posted in Biker Issues, Electric motorcycles, motorcycle video | No Comments »

Motorcycle Fatalities Down In Latest Statistics

Thursday, April 16th, 2026


A particularly sweet motorcycle road in Utah.

Bringing news of 2024 statistics may seem a bit old but that’s the way it is with statistics of this sort. Once a year ends it takes time to pull it all together and make sense of it all, so the norm is that we see today what happened not last year, but the year before.

So the good news is that motorcycle fatalities declines by 2.2 percent in 2024. That is 138 fewer deaths. This data come from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) report, “Overview of Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes In 2024.”

On the other hand, injuries to motorcyclists increased from 2023 by 4,320, which is a 5.2 percent rise. Not so good. And I guess I’ll be one of those statistics when the report for 2025 comes out next year. Glad I’m in this group and not the first group.

The actual fatality numbers are not good even if they are lower. There were 6,228 people killed on bikes in 2024. And there were 144,050 injured. That last figure seems high enough that each of us should probably know at least one of those people. I know when the 2025 numbers come out I will have known one of those killed. It was a member of the RMMRC and he had only been part of the club a short time. We were glad to have him and really hate having lost him.

Another positive statistic has to do with alcohol impairment. The report shows that alcohol-impaired motorcyclist involved in fatal crashes declined in 2024 by 3 percent. That’s 1,606 compared to 1,656.

Urban areas have the larger proportions of motorcyclist fatalities vs. rural areas (18 percent vs. 13 percent). Interestingly, urban areas have a higher percentage of fatalities in cars and trucks and buses.

Colorado had 689 motorcyclist deaths in 2024, which is a decrease from 2023 of 4.3 percent.

That about covers the motorcycle-related stats in this report. Let’s all be careful out there. I’m going to be a number in next year’s report. Don’t you be a number in the following year’s report.

Biker Quote for Today

If there’s a there there, there’s a road that’ll take you there.

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Posted in Biker Issues, Motorcycle Safety | No Comments »

Now Let’s Fix This Hand Guard

Monday, March 30th, 2026

So now I needed to do something about this hand guard that broke off when I dropped the bike recently.

A bit of electrical tape and I’ve got a functioning hand guard again.

Naively, I guess, I headed down to Performance Cycle hoping they would have the item in stock. Well, no, not really. I looked around and did find a few hand guards but nothing like the one I have. So I asked for help.

After a good bit of searching and researching, the (now) two guys helping me found a system specifically designed to fit all models of the Suzuki DL650 (V-Strom). Emphasis on “system.” It consisted of brackets that would need to be installed on the handlebars, steel rod running from one bracket to the other, and then an actual shield to attach to the rod. And of course, this being a motorcycle part, I’m sure I was looking at a fairly high cost, though there was no price tag to look at.

While they were doing all this digging and searching, I was standing there thinking. First, a vague memory came back to me that perhaps this was not the first time this hand guard had come off. The end where it is secured to the handlebar has a bolt, and it was the part attached by the bolt that had broken. At the other end it was just a slot that slipped onto the bar. Previously I had just slipped the intact end onto the bar and propped the other end up onto where it broke off. Maybe I could do that again.

I told the guys what I was thinking and that maybe all I really needed was some black duct tape. “Or electrical tape,” one of them helpfully suggested. Good idea; electrical tape is thin while duct tape is quite wide. Thanks guys, I’m going to try this. If it doesn’t work you may see me again.

Going out to the bike I tried just slipping the guard back into place and it stayed pretty firmly. Great. Riding home it stayed in place.

At home I wound some electrical tape around it a couple times and I think it’s going to work fine. I know I had the headlight on my 1980 Honda CB750 Custom held together with electrical tape for many years and it did just fine. I think I’m good to go here.

Biker Quote for Today

In a world full of noise, the sound of my engine is my peace.

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Posted in Biker Issues, Motorcycle Gear, Motorcycle repair, Suzuki motorcycles, V-Strom | No Comments »

Motorcycle-Related Legislation

Monday, March 16th, 2026

Kicking back after the day’s ride.

As usual, Stump, the ABATE of Colorado legislative liaison, keeps us informed of what bills the legislature is considering that would have an impact on motorcyclists. He has been tracking a few this session.

HB26-1079 (Concerning a requirement that a minor have written permission to obtain an instruction permit to drive a motorcycle) passed the House on 3rd reading unanimously with an amendment to change the title to the “Cole Bradley Act.”

HB26-1125 (Concerning the assessment of penalties against a parent when a minor violates laws concerning the usage of certain electric vehicles, and, in connection therewith, authorizing the assessment of penalties against a parent for a minor’s improper usage of an electrical assisted bicycle, electric motorcycle, electric scooter, or electric skateboard) was withdrawn by the sponsor and listed as PI.

HB26-1329 (Concerning criminalizing certain motor vehicle activities, and, in connection therewith, criminalizing and creating penalties for motor vehicle racing, street takeovers, and stunt driving) was introduced on Wednesday, 3/11 and has 2 House sponsors but no Senate sponsors at this time. It is only 15 pages long and is quite interesting to read, especially the definitions.

Then there are a few other bills that do not directly address motorcycling issues but would still affect us.

SB26-003 (Concerning expanding the scope of the “Battery Stewardship Act” to cover the end-of-life management of electric vehicle batteries) passed the S-T&E Committee and is awaiting a hearing in the S-APP Committee. As we get more Electric Vehicles (EV) on the road, we should probably start thinking of how to dispose of the used batteries.

SB26-035 (Concerning an increase of traffic violation penalties) only has one Senate sponsor and no House sponsor but it passed the S-T&E Committee and the S-APP Committee. It’s scheduled for 2nd reading in the Senate on Tuesday.

SB26-072 (Concerning increasing criminal penalties related to assaultive conduct with a motor vehicle, and, in connection therewith, adding the conduct of causing the death of another person with a motor vehicle to the crime of criminally negligent homicide) has 2 Senate sponsors, no House sponsors and is awaiting a hearing in the S-JUD Committee.

SB26-132 (Concerning a requirement that a law enforcement officer offer a voluntary preliminary screening test for alcohol to a driver) has 2 Senate sponsors and 2 House Sponsors and was assigned to the S-JUD Committee. It passed through the Senate and has been assigned to the H-JUD Committee.

So far none of these have seemed to me to call for my presence at any hearings so I haven’t been down to the capitol this session. Keep up the good work Stump.

Biker Quote for Today

Riding a motorcycle demands total presence. Focus isn’t optional. — Judith Roberts

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Posted in ABATE, Biker Issues, Electric motorcycles, Motorcycle legislation, motorcycle training | No Comments »

Get Acquainted With ‘Inherent Risk’

Monday, January 19th, 2026

You don’t suppose there might be some inherent risk involved in racing a motorcycle on ice, do you?

If you’re not familiar with the concept of inherent risk you probably will be soon. It’s a movement that appears to be spreading state to state, and it will affect motorcycle riders.

Essentially, inherent risk is a recognition that some things people like to do carry some amount of risk. The current crop of laws being passed regarding inherent risk made a clear statement that if people choose to engage in these activities they do so recognizing the risks and accepting those risks. That is, if you do it and get hurt, it’s on you. Don’t try to sue someone else for your misfortune.

The first thing you might think of in this category could be motorcycle racing, but that’s really not the case. Racers uniformly are required to sign waivers stating they will not sue the track if they screw up and get hurt. Of course this is only true if the track is in good shape and the crash was the rider’s fault, or perhaps the fault of another racer. If there is a big pothole in the middle of a tough turn then the track is at fault. But how often is a track going to allow that hazard to exist?

The legislation is aimed more at places such as an open space area where the governmental entity that owns or controls it allows dirt bike riding. Or a farmer who lets local kids ride in his pasture. If you get hurt, don’t go suing the nice person who let you ride in his pasture. He didn’t cause your crash, you did.

So far Arkansas and Texas have enacted inherent risk legislation. The concept is supported by the American Motorcyclist Association, which put out a report that stated, “The American Motorcyclist Association, alongside Texas motocross track owners, motorcycle dealers, and riding enthusiasts, was closely engaged with efforts to pass HB 5624. The AMA commends the Texas state legislature for its passage, as HB 5624 aims to create a more consistent and predictable liability environment for property owners and off-road riding enthusiasts.”

The AMA also noted, “This form of legislation has picked up steam across the country, and the AMA is focused on additional efforts, primarily in Iowa and Missouri, where similar inherent risk bills are taking shape for re-introduction in each state’s next legislative session.”

Everyone knows the story of the woman who bought coffee at McDonald’s from a drive-up window, put the coffee between her legs, and then spilled it, burning herself. She sued McDonald’s and won. That would seem to fall under this policy. You bought the hot coffee and would have been unhappy if it had been cold. Nobody forced you to put it between your legs as you drove away.

I think we can all expect these laws to come to our own states. Look for them.

Biker Quote for Today

My comments to my neighbor who rides horses but thinks motorcycles are dangerous – “I’m not riding anything that has a mind of its own . . .” — markbxr400

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Posted in Biker Issues, Motorcycle legislation, Motorcycle Safety | 2 Comments »

Bulletproof But What About ‘Minor’ Parts?

Monday, January 12th, 2026

For lack of a water pump my old Concours sits in storage.

My one bike these days is my 2006 Suzuki V-Strom 650. With less than 51,000 miles on it currently it has a long life still ahead of it. Particularly considering that the engine is considered bulletproof, as in it will just keep on going and going and going.

But. And that’s a big “but.”

Just last week I ran across an item on Adventure Riders titled “Thinking Long Term,” about this “but” and something we seldom think about.

Zac, the writer, focuses not on the big parts, like the engine or frame, but on the little bits. Things like sensors. We all know how quickly electronic parts become outdated. What do you do if your bike depends on some bit of electronics and that unit dies, and then you can’t find a replacement?

This is not a theoretical exercise. When my 1980 Honda CB750 Custom got smashed I was faced with a decision. Do I bail it out of tow-yard jail and try to get it fixed, or do I just let it go? I chose to let it go because I had a pretty good idea that even if it was fixable–not at all a certainty–the repair would also add considerably to the overall expense and then, could I even get the parts?

Then it became even less theoretical recently when I was talking with Rick Steele over at Steele’s Cycles. We were talking about the factors that come into play when they are deciding what to do with a bike they have taken in. He used my 1999 Kawasaki Concours as an example.

As they do with all bikes they take in, they put it up on the lift and checked it out thoroughly. It ran–I knew that–but they discovered that the water pump was leaking. I did not know about that. And the thing was, Rick told me, you can’t get that water pump any more. They know a guy out east who repairs water pumps and they sent it to him but when they got it back it still leaked. So now, my old Connie is sitting in one of Steele’s storage areas with its fate unclear. The engine is as bulletproof as ever but not the water pump.

I guess this is an issue that aficionados of old bikes have lived with for a long time. Sometimes you can kludge in a different part and make it work. Sometimes you can fabricate a new part if you have the tools and the skill. Sometimes you can’t.

In my mind it makes the point in favor of newer bikes. I’ve lived for years with the reality that all my bikes were old enough that no dealer wanted to deal with them. Fortunately there are independent shops that pick up that trade. But at this point I’d just rather have the convenience of taking the bike to the dealer for service, knowing the parts are available. Plus, some of the new tech is nice. I’ve never had cruise control and that is something I’d like.

All of this is on my mind as I wonder about getting a new bike. And at this point that question is totally undecided.

Biker Quote for Today

Bikes may rust, but the memories they create never fade.

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Posted in antique motorcycles, Biker Issues, Honda motorcycles, Kawasaki, Motorcycle repair, Suzuki motorcycles, V-Strom, vintage motorcycles | No Comments »

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