Passes & Canyons Blog

We all know those signs over the highways that alert you to problems, scheduled closures, and such. And during May, which is designated Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, those signs typically carry the message for drivers to be aware and watch out for motorcycles on the road with them.

This past May, my wife Judy asked the question, “Why do they only have that message during May? Why don’t they put that up there all year?”

I can now answer that question, and it’s actually a good answer.

Last week I attended a meeting at the Colorado Department of Transportation and one of the people there was Heather Halpape, who works in public relations with CDOT. At one point in the meeting she spoke about messages on those signs so afterward I asked her Judy’s question. Here’s what she said.

First, they do put up that message more often than just in May. They also put it up in August during the time around the Sturgis rally because there are a lot of bikes moving through the state to or from Sturgis. She said there is one other time when they use it as well, though she couldn’t remember off hand when that is.

Second, although the message is an attempt to promote safe driving, it can actually create less-safe conditions. Those signs don’t always have messages on them, but when they do, people make a point to read them. This can lead slowdowns and congestion. We saw that just this past weekend as we were coming down I-25 past the Yale exit. The sign there was alerting people to a closure at Belleview, and we hit congestion approaching that sign. After the sign, traffic sped up and the congestion cleared.

Third, people have been trained that messages are only put on the signs if the matter is important. So they make a point to read them. If there was always a message of some kind, that would just become routine and people would start to ignore the signs. And of course, that would defeat the purpose.

So there you go. Judy had a good question but Heather had a good answer that shows the people working for the state have given real thought to the matter. Kudos to CDOT.

Recent from National Motorcycle Examiner
NHTSA measure advances without helmet mandate

Biker Quote for Today

Don’t let my motorcycle ride interfere with the safety of your phone call.

Are you aware that when you renew your plates on your motorcycle(s) each year in Colorado you pay $4 that goes into a fund to help defray the cost of rider training courses? Also, anyone renewing their driver’s license with motorcycle accreditation pays an extra $2 that goes to the same fund.

This is all set in place because some years ago the motorcycling community asked for it. The general idea is that it is a good thing for everybody to have the folks riding motorcycles actually get some training so they can do it competently. The accompanying concept was that such a program could help to forestall proposals that Colorado institute a mandatory helmet law. That is to say, education and better riding skills do more to prevent traffic fatalities than wearing helmets. Or, to put it differently, crash prevention is better than having safer crashes.

Regardless of how you might feel about helmet laws, I don’t see how anyone can argue that it is not better to avoid crashing than to crash and not get hurt so badly.

The vehicle for this funneling of fees to rider training is Colorado’s Motorcycle Operator Safety Training program or MOST. MOST is now under attack, in some cases from organizations that originally supported its creation.

I could go on at great length with the history and background of what is currently going on, as ABATE of Colorado’s State Coordinator Terry Howard did with me, but I’ll give you the short version.

ABATE, Riders for Justice, some of the motorcycle clubs, dealerships, and others pushed for the training approach. Over the years the program was not given sufficient oversight and some problems developed. The Colorado Legislature this past year conducted an audit of the program and identified a number of issues. Several of those issues were immediately addressed and rectified and the rest will soon have been fixed.

In the meantime, however, new people have replaced the old, and in organizations such as the Colorado Confederation of Clubs (COC) which came into existence later, there is no understanding of the history of and reasons for the fees. Some of the previous supporters are now saying, “Why should we have to pay to reduce the cost for other people to learn to ride?”

In a twist that gives fits to Terry Howard, a Republican, the legislative audit committee was divided on party lines–with the Republicans being the ones she finds herself in opposition to. In the current anti-tax atmosphere, the Republicans on the committee are in favor of eliminating MOST and letting us keep our $4 and $2 fees. It is the Democrats who are saying, “The motorcyclists asked for this program, and for these fees to be levied on them, so let’s keep the fees and keep the program they fund.”

One other thing to keep in mind: If MOST is killed there is no certainty that the fees will be eliminated. We could end up paying the fees without getting the benefit.

The committee deadlocked in this past session, but it seems likely that Republican Rep. Marsha Looper, of Colorado Springs, will introduce legislation in the next session to kill MOST. This would be a good topic for all Colorado motorcyclists to learn more about, and then do what you can to educate your legislators, whether you support MOST or oppose it. Most of them don’t know anything at all about it.

Recent from National Motorcycle Examiner
NHTSA proposes additional naturalistic motorcycle safety study

Biker Quote for Today

Statistics show that most solo motorcycle accidents are caused by a defective nut holding the handlebars.

It was a statement that many felt needed to be made, but time moves ahead and sometimes you just have to let it go.

At the request of ABATE of Colorado‘s southern districts, the group’s long-standing boycott of the Red River Rally, in Red River, NM, may be coming to an end.

The boycott was agreed upon following a fatal crash during the 2004 rally and the aftermath of that incident. A 15-year-old boy, without a driver’s license, was playing chicken with a friend and ran head-on into two motorcycles carrying four people. Two of the four died and one was severely injured, losing a leg among other injuries. The four were all Coloradans and ABATE members.

Authorities in Taos County, where the incident occurred, chose only to order the boy into counseling, levied a $175 fine, and allowed him to keep his learner’s permit. That was too much to take, and ABATE voted to institute the boycott. The idea was to stop Colorado dollars from bolstering the economy in the Red River area by keeping Colorado riders away from the rally.

According to Terry Howard, state coordinator for ABATE of Colorado, the boycott was reasonably effective the first year but each year less so. Now, the southern districts feel that continuing the boycott is hindering their efforts to attract members, and they have asked that it be ended. Each ABATE district has been asked to vote on whether they agree with the move, and the matter will then be decided at the next state board meeting.

Recent from National Motorcycle Examiner
Stay alert! Danger on the road

Biker Quote for Today

ATGATT: Cooler than a skin graft.

I’ve never been afraid to get my hands dirty, but that doesn’t mean I’ve ever been all that much of a mechanic. Granted, with the guidance of some experienced friends I did once drop a new engine into a 1964 Ford Fairlane, but that was long ago and far away.

When it comes to my motorcycles I have always been the guy paying someone else to do all but the most basic maintenance. Heck, I’ve never even replaced a tire. I generally replace oil and filters, and adjust the chain on my old Honda CB750, and that’s about it. I did replace the shift-shaft seal on the Honda recently.

I’m open to learning more. To that end, I plan to attend a basic motorcycle maintenance session the Erico Motorsports is offering on Saturday, Nov. 5. Here’s what they intend to cover:

1. Chain/chassis lubrication and adjustment
2. Oil level inspection and change along with coolant level checks
3. Brake pad and fluid inspection
4. Inspection of tires along with correct tire pressure settings
5. Frame and suspension inspection
6. General safety check
7. Benefits of a dynamometer and power commander
8. Set up for storage/winterization
9. Pre-ride inspection
10. Scheduled maintenance
11. Performance enhancement

Of course I have two interests in doing this. First, I’m hoping I might learn something. Second, I figure it will be an interesting session to write about.

In case you’re interested, you’ll need to contact Tai Beldock at Erico to RSVP at tai@ericomotorsports.com. There is no charge but they’ll be providing lunch and want to have an idea how many people to expect.

So stay tuned. Or maybe I’ll see you there. If you do come, please find me and introduce yourself. I’ll be the guy shooting pictures. I love meeting the folks who visit my website.

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Butler Maps goes backcountry

Biker Quote for Today

Bikes are a ton easier to push through doorways when the guy on the bike isn’t holding the brake.

This guest post has been provided by Sarah Henderson. Sarah is into road safety and making our roads much more safe for cyclists and also motorists. Click here for more information. I hope you’ll find it useful and perhaps thought-provoking.

Motorcycle Safety Tips

There’s nothing like the feel of riding your bike on a beautiful, sunny day. Staying safe on the bike is really up to you. Here are some tips to help you stay safe when you’re out on the bike.

Bike Maintenance

Give your bike a quick check once in a while to ensure that everything is working. Check the lights, brake lights, turn signals and oil on a regular basis. Look at cables to be sure they aren’t frayed or worn and lube the train.

Gear

Quality gear can make the difference in an accident. The helmet should fit well and snugly. It should have the DOT label to show that it meets federal standards. Quality leather pants and a jacket not only look sharp, they also help protect you from road debris. Black is the natural choice, but a brighter color will make you more visible to other drivers. Gloves should be non-slip and the shoes you put on should cover the ankles.

Respect

Motorcycles are naturally harder to see. Engaging in risky behavior like riding on the shoulder or weaving through traffic will increase your chances of being in an accident. It’s also important to obey the speed limit when riding and, of course, never drink alcohol or take drugs before hitting the open road.

Assumptions

Normally, you want to avoid making any assumptions. But when you’re on a bike, there are some that make sense. Assume that there is a car in the lane you want to merge into and check on its location. Further, assume that the driver in that car has not noticed you and proceed with caution.

Take a Rider Safety Class

There are classes available to help make you a safer rider. Consider signing up for one of these affordable classes so you can spend more time enjoying the road and less time dealing with accidents. Plus, several insurance companies offer a discount on insurance premiums if you take a safety course. Allstate Insurance, for example, will reward you with a five percent discount on insurance premiums if you take a motorcycle safety class. Nationwide is another insurance company that will insure your bike and give you a five percent discount for taking a safety course.

Remember that Drivers are Blind

It’s not a conscious choice, but it is a fact that far too many drivers just don’t notice motorcycles. Motorcycle awareness, or the lack thereof, is often cited by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association a leading factor in motorcycle accidents. Make yourself more visible by using your turn signals when possible. Take the time to check your mirror before braking so you can not only watch the object in front of you, but also the car behind you to be sure it is slowing down.

Smooth Riding

Easy accelerations, gentle braking using both brakes, proper gear choice and smooth steering will help you stay safe. Your bike will hold traction on the road better and you will be less likely to land in a ditch.

Slow Down when Necessary

If visibility is poor or the car ahead of you is slowing down, you need to slow down, also. Keep the speed in line with what you can see and leave a distance between you and the car ahead of you.

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Royal Enfield making inroads in US

Biker Quote for Today

Gear: Because walking away in disgust beats riding away in an ambulance.

I just want to pass along this information I saw in this month’s issue of ABATE of Colorado‘s Spokesman publication. It’s something they got from the Motorcycle Riders Foundation, and has to do with the statistics that so often are used to justify “fixes” for problems. Here’s what the MRF put out.

Possible Errors? When errors, omissions or inaccuracies are discovered in reports or statistics, it calls into question the integrity of results. Additionally, small numbers can be easily skewed by slight or seemingly insignificant variations. Furthermore, numbers may be exploited if uncharacteristic highs or lows are used as a baseline. None of these discoveries are intended to argue against helmet use, but rather to demonstrate that suggesting a helmet law is not the solution to motorcycle safety. Individual states need to maintain the ability to determine what measures best address the needs and desires of their residents as suggested in the National Agenda for Motorcycle Safety (NAMS).

FACT Comparison of studies is complicated due to varying criteria, wherein one report references riders, it is unclear if that includes passengers or specifically operators. Other papers may refer to the numbers of persons, crashes or vehicles intermittently. This can be quite confusing as the numbers are usually very close and are frequently compared in error.

FACT A Minnesota motorcyclist survived a crash only to be struck by a car while standing on the road attempting to flag down a motorist for assistance. This was subsequently counted as a motorcycle fatality.

FACT A Pennsylvania taxi driver, with multiple suspensions,was responsible for about two percent of the state’s total motorcycle fatalities when he caused a crash with three motorcycles and killed five helmeted riders in a single incident.

FACT Motorcycle fatalities dropped by 10% in 2009 and preliminary reports indicate that 2010 numbers will be further reduced by at least 2%. The Motorcycle Industry Council advises that sales of replacement tires were up by 6.1% in 2010, suggesting an increase in motorcycle usage. A decrease in fatalities despite an increase in exposure would suggest that motorcycle safety and awareness programs, specifically rider education courses, have been successful.

FACT The National Transportation Safety Board has investigated over 120,000 airplane incidents, over 60,000 surface transportation incidents, and just 6 individual motorcycle incidents in their entire 44 year history — Apparently enough investigation to warrant adding mandatory helmet laws for motorcyclists on their “top ten most wanted list.”

FACT According to preliminary data from the Governors Highway Safety Association, states that have a mandatory adult helmet law had 6 fewer fatalities in 2010 than in 2009, while free choice states saw a reduction of 74. The state with the single largest decline in fatalities (Texas -60) is a choice state and a state which requires helmets on all riders tied for the greatest increase (New York +24).

FACT FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System) continues to include “mopeds” in motorcycle crash statistics despite the fact that most states do not require registration of these vehicles. This practice skews the most respected method of measuring the effectiveness of motorcycle safety programs, which is the ratio of accidents, injuries and fatalities per 10,000 registrations.

For more information, contact Jeff Hennie, Motorcycle Riders Foundation, 202-546-0983, jeff@mrf.org

Recent from National Motorcycle Examiner
Creating a comfortable, high-mileage motorcycle that carries groceries

Biker Quote for Today

She pulled out into his path. Classical modus deathus for a biker.

I love my 1980 Honda CB750 Custom. It’s the first bike I ever owned and I’ve had it for what seems like forever. I still ride it regularly and though my Kawi is a more dependable bike, the Honda is just more fun to ride. It’s that “dependable” part that’s getting to me, though.

I rode the Honda today. And as I got on it and fired it up I had the same thought I always do anymore when I ride it: Am I going to get home today without any problems?

I can safely say now, after the fact, that I did indeed get home without any problems. But that’s the problem. Too often in recent years the answer to that question has been “No.” Last year it was out of commission for a lengthy period and in the last few years I’ve only put about 700 to 800 miles on it a year. Most of the time I ride the Kawi. Whereas I used to take the Honda everywhere (of course, it was the only bike I had), now when I plan to take a trip I always take the Kawi. First off, frankly, the Kawi is a better highway bike. But secondly, and also a big factor, I just don’t trust the Honda.

So why don’t I just get rid of it and get a newer bike? That’s pretty much what my mother said once when I told her one of our critters was sick. But no, it just doesn’t work that way. I love this bike. I wanted a bike for so many years and I finally got one. I got this one. And this bike has brought me more joy than I can begin to say.

OK. Fine. So what’s the big deal? Keep the bike, and keep riding it. But now we’re right back at the start. I really don’t enjoy wasting hours of my day waiting for the tow truck to arrive. I really don’t enjoy helping to ensure that my mechanic lives an affluent life while I scrape by. And I’m not equipped and I don’t have the time to do all my own repairs the way some folks say I should.

When you’re talking love for your kids you always think unconditional love. There’s nothing they could ever do that would cause you not to love them. But a motorcycle is not your kids. And sometimes, regret it though you may, the time comes to get rid of the bike. I know it will shock many of my friends to hear this–even my wife–but that day may be coming.

Recent from National Motorcycle Examiner
French Association of Angry Bikers fights back

Biker Quote for Today

I don’t think duct tape is gonna fix that.

It seems like only last week we were cooking through the hottest August on record in Colorado. Oh, wait. It was last week. And now here it is September and yesterday’s high was about 65 degrees. Is that cool enough for you?

More importantly, we know what that portends. It’s not going to be long and the leaves will be turning and there will be snow. The riding season anywhere higher than the prairie will be ended. Fortunately, the riding season on the prairie never ends, it just takes a hiatus now and then. But I ride 12 months out of the year, every year, no exceptions, and I know others who do the same. It would be different if I lived above 8,000 feet. Maybe even 7,000.

With that in mind I was interested in a piece put out yesterday by Lisa Petrocelli, the Albany Biker Culture Examiner, called “Season of the biker.” What she said was that, “An interesting thought occurred to me today – that the seasons of the year seem to last twice as long for bikers.”

Her gist was that winter, when we can’t ride, seems to last twice as long. And summer comes early and stays late because while others are resigning themselves to the seasons, we are claiming the warmth sooner and clinging to it later.

As Lisa says, “while most people around me (family members, co-workers) seem to be geared toward the coming season, the bikers around me are still at rest in the Summertime. Yes, we all know this is the last month of Summer, but it IS STILL SUMMER! I have seen absolutely no movement by the bikers in my world to even consider slowing down or start to think about storing their bikes for the winter.”

It is, of course, only early September right now and there is some great riding to be done in the next several weeks. Fall color rides are a great thing to do and there’s no better way to see it all than on a motorcycle. But I still need to get out and do some dual-sport riding. That’s something that does have a time factor on it.

I’ve been trying all summer to find time to get up to Gunnison and go riding with Kevin Smith, who runs Colorado Mountain Moto, and that time has not been found. I finally emailed Kevin the other day saying I’m ready to throw a dart at the calendar and just do it. Likewise, I’ve been planning to ride with Ron Coleman of Western Dual Sport Motorcycle Adventures and Dan Patino of Go 2 Motorcycle Tours and it just hasn’t happened. I think it’s safe to say you can look forward to several dual-sport riding reports here in the very near future. If not, I’m going to be kicking myself hard.

It’s time to ride. Everything else can wait.

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Motorcycle rentals for a lot less

Biker Quote for Today

When the sun shines two wheels always win.