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.

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.

Scooters are great in all kinds of weather. Picture: Getty Images

SCOOTERS and all-terrain motorbike sales grew in 2011, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries says.

Chamber CEO Ian Chalmers said an 18.4 per cent increase in all-terrain sales reflected rural economies recovering nationwide.

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.

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.

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.

Quote:

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.

Still no contact, if these look familiar, please contact us on 0433229815

Motorcyclists are to be given permanent permission to ride on London’s bus lanes.

The decision to allow motorbikes on the majority of the capital’s red routes from January 23 follows two 18-month trials since 2009.

Transport for London says the trials have been popular, with an estimated 50,000 motorcycle journeys a day in the bus lanes.

It is claimed this has helped smooth traffic, cut CO2 emissions and improve journey times for motorcyclists.

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.

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.

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.

VICTORIA'S top traffic cop has ordered an unprecedented holiday season blitz on speeding and drink and drug affected motorists.

Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walshe said it would include a dramatic increase in mobile speed camera use in high-risk locations.

MOTORISTS will be slugged with higher registration fees to pay for a $120 million blowout in the cost of the bungled VicRoads database.

In a sweetener for car owners, quarterly payments will be introduced to soften the pain of an annual lump-sum payment.

Treasurer Kim Wells will today release the State Government's Budget update.

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.