The name 4B's stands for Bent & Buckled Bikies Bureau, with the idea being to offer injured riders support during their stays in hospital. This is a side of motorcycling often ignored, but the 4B's, with regular visits, distribution of magazines and friendly support, try to make it as easy as possible.
Last year Jane and Dirk planned a big journey of 25.000 kilometers on classic Harley Davidsons, to drive overland from the Netherlands through Germany, Poland, Russia, Mongolia, China, Thailand, Malaysia into Indonesia, with the final destination being Tondano in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. This was and is to raise money for a new children home for underprivileged children in Tondano.
After a total 2 years of motorbike preparations and 3 months to organize all permits and visa’s, they left the Netherlands on a rainy day, the 5th of June on classic Harleys for this overland journey to Indonesia. Dirk on his 1942, 1200cc flathead and Jane on her special purpose build 1968, 1200cc flathead Servicar (Three wheeler).
A memorandum of understanding between the major riders’ groups on a proposal to recognise and legitimise filtering at a national level
In a landmark agreement on the issue of legitimising filtering, the Motorcycle Riders Association Vic (MRAV), Australian Motorcycle Council (AMC), Victorian Motorcycle Council (VMC) and the Australian Riders’ Division (ARD) (of Motorcycling Australia) have co-signed a Memorandum of Understanding agreeing to support the proposal put forward late last year to VicRoads by the ARD.
Posted by maggoton 22/01/2012 17:00:16 (158 reads)
Debate over state's road fatality figures Mark Russell January 22, 2012
THE safety of Victoria's roads has improved even more than the official road toll suggests, according to new Transport Accident Commission data. As experts consider the next step in driving down the state's road toll, new figures obtained by The Sunday Age show a larger drop in fatalities when deaths are weighted by population.
Claude Guéant, French Interior Minister, has just announced one of the most ridiculous and absurd pieces of legislation that will force all bikers in France from 1st January 2013 to wear at least 125 cm2 of reflective clothing between the waist and the shoulders. Not only bikers who reside in France will be obliged to comply with this policy but also all those who visit France by motorbike/scooter. If you are caught not wearing the required reflective clothing, you will be liable for a fine of 68 euros payable on the spot and at least two points taken off your licence.
It is probably one of the world’s biggest group motorbike rides. Each year tens of thousands of migrant workers load their belongings on to the back of their bikes and form a convoy home for the Chinese New Year.
Posted by maggoton 10/01/2012 20:16:07 (144 reads)
www.FasterSafer.com Yamaha Champions Riding School instructors Nick Ienatsch and Ken Hill have launched a new website, www.FasterSafer.com, to promote motorcycle safety.
Posted by maggoton 05/01/2012 14:09:04 (127 reads)
As any avid biker will tell you, motorcycles have a lot of advantages over cars - they use less fuel, accelerate faster, are more maneuverable, can be parked in more places, and don't incorporate the weight of extra seating for passengers who are non-existent on solo commutes.
With the warm weather anticipated this weekend, it is possible that motorcycle riders will dig their bikes out of storage to take advantage of our mild winter. And, if they do, they have a new law to contend with – one that will allow them to proceed with caution through an intersection if a stoplight fails to turn green. That law states that must happen “within a reasonable period of time” due to a signal malfunction or simply because the vehicle does not weigh enough to set off ground sensors.
You don’t have to spend long in holiday traffic to realise more thought needs to go into speed zones around Australia.
Cruising along the Hume Highway (impressively now with more wire rope barriers to stop head-ons and impacts with trees, even if bikers understandably aren't fans) in light traffic on a sunny day, for example, and it’s clear there are sections that could easily handle speeds of 120 or 130km/h. Most of the dual carriageway (which is almost the entire stretch these days) could easily cope with higher speeds in the right conditions.
Finally a way for Big Ted to save money, without pain, stop all funding of the clowns at MUARC - Gavin
RADICAL road safety measures, including cutting speed limits by 10km/h, are needed to save more lives, according to a leading road trauma expert.
Last night, Victoria looked set to record one of the lowest - if not the lowest - road toll on record. Last night the toll stood at 287, one death fewer than for 2010, making it the lowest toll since records started in 1952.
Posted by maggoton 26/12/2011 14:32:56 (120 reads)
ANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM, Dec 25, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Reports suggest that motoring and travel costs will continue to rise in the New Year, that's why Swinton, the UK's leading bike insurance broker is predicting an increase in popularity in motorcyclists.
Posted by maggoton 21/12/2011 13:58:22 (119 reads)
December 21, 2011, 10:02 am
A campaign to raise awareness of motorcycle safety has shown that the majority of riders are acting responsibly, although Police are disappointed with the levels of excess speed.
Month of Motorcycles ran from 14 November to 11 December in Central District, during which time Police were proactively speaking to motorcycle and moped riders with a focus on vehicle conditions, safety equipment, clothing, licences rider behaviour and legal compliance.
Posted by maggoton 18/12/2011 16:36:15 (151 reads)
I’m one of those guys who thinks motorcycles are really cool, but I don’t ride one. I think it’s because I’ve always been convinced that I’d end up killing myself if I tried to negotiate the slick roads and maniac drivers of Chicago in the winter time. I actually knew a guy in college who rode a motorcycle and got in an accident and ended up as a paraplegic, so that doesn’t help with my anxieties.
Posted by maggoton 18/12/2011 16:30:21 (166 reads)
Ours are set to rise but
Motorcycle riders in NSW will pay less for green slips with the cost of compulsory third party insurance (CTP) set to fall by 19 per cent from January.
MORE speed and red light cameras and more night speed traps are likely after a sharp policy U-turn by the Baillieu Government.
Despite attacking speed cameras as revenue-raisers before the last election, the Coalition will renege on its promise to publish mobile speed camera locations.