Here’s a disturbing bit of news.  The Montreal Gazette reports a motorcyclist was fleeing police when his passenger fell off the back of the bike and was killed.  Neither the cyclist or any other bystanders stopped to offer any assistance. Read the story here.

Posted by Holly Wagner from Dealer News

Heading for downtown Sturgis for the rally this year was a good move for Harley-Davidson.

“We are very happy being here in Sturgis because we believe we are talking to a lot more people who are interested in Harley-Davidson,” Steve Piehl, Harley’s director of customer experience, told the Rapid City Journal .

In Rapid City, Harley had counters at the doors. Not so in Sturgis, so there is no accurate count of visitors to the Motor Co.’s exhibit of new bikes, PG&A and a special section for women riders at Third and Lazelle streets in Sturgis.

The move put H-D in the thick of vendors focusing on PG&A to customize bikes and improve performance.

The shift is following the money, as many cash-strapped riders opt to maintain and improve the bikes they have, or buy used machines, rather than trading up to newer bikes.

People who buy a used bike are looking to make it their own, so they buy something to personalize it,” he says.

Piehl reported about 1,000 demonstration rides per day in Sturgis. Harley had 80 bikes available for demo rides.

Harley-Davidson CEO Keith Wandell and other top executives who trekked to Sturgis came away with a favorable impression of the company’s presence there.

“There’s a real strong feeling that Sturgis is part of the Harley- Davidson experience and that Harley is part of the Sturgis experience,” Piehl says.

It was nearing 10 p.m. as my son Jonathan and I, rolled under the carport of a Comfort Inn just outside Frostburg, Maryland.  We had been riding for eight and a half hours in ninety-five degree heat, and my stamina was fading.  My shoulders were stiffening and my reflexes were becoming sluggish, I knew this meant I needed a light meal and some sleep.  We were concluding the first of a three day tour of the Washington DC, and Baltimore, area.

 As we parked the bikes and removed our helmets, I noticed an elderly man who had just exited his tan Mercury Marquis, slowly shuffling his way to the lobby.  As I approached the front desk I overheard the night clerk explaining to the gentleman that there were no rooms available at this hotel, but that she had been in touch with another hotel just two exits east that did have some vacancies. 

Armed with directions for the alternative hotel, the old man and I walked across the lobby together. I held the door open for him as I bid him a good evening.   He returned the greeting and told me his name was Edgar, Edgar Garrison, from Athens, Georgia.   As we stood under the black Maryland sky, Edgar told me he was 87 years of age, and that he was on his way to Baltimore, for his great granddaughter’s wedding, “she is pharmacist you know,” he proudly proclaimed.  I nodding with approval then I shut the car door as he settled behind the steering wheel of his large sedan.  Edgar stood about five feet seven inches tall, and slightly bent over; he was of slender build, and thick white hair that was disheveled enough to give him the appearance of a slightly mad scientist.  He was articulate, and appeared to be of a gentle disposition. He reminded me of my grandfather who had passed away many years ago.

Jonathan and I fired up the bikes and jumped back on the highway heading toward the hotel and a good night’s rest.   

8:00 a.m. came much too quickly, but after a long, hot shower and some hot hotel coffee it was time to move on.  As we walked toward our bikes, I quickly surveyed the parking lot to see if I could spot the tan Marquis  belonging to my new friend Edgar, but unable able to spot the vehicle, I assumed he must have found another place to  spend the night.  We threw a leg over the motorcycles and headed eastward.  As I settled into the ride I continued to speculate if Edgar had found a place to sleep last night, perhaps I should have seen to it that he got a room. 

I spent the better part of the next hour aggravated with myself because I didn’t offer more assistance to the old man even though he didn’t seem to need it.  As we approached a steep incline on US 68 the Maryland scenery was stunning!  I rolled on the throttle and eased my way into the passing lane as we flew by the heavy laden tractor trailers, whose engines were straining to make the steep climb.  Then up in the distance I spotted a tan Mercury Marquis, I immediately identified the vehicle as Edgars, and within a minute’s time we pulled alongside of him.  He instantly recognized us and he flashed a brilliant smile revealing his finely fitted porcelains, followed by an animated wave and a tip of the hat.  That was all I needed, it seems my new found buddy was having the time of his life.   I waved a final time and rolled on the throttle, content to know Edgar would be just fine! 

Most men slumbered as I rode through the night, heading no place certain.

My sole companion was a full harvest moon, lighting my path with an eerie reddening glow.

While cutting through the ebony veil of night, cool midnight dew misted my visor.

As the miles rolled farther behind me, and the rhythm of the engine kept time, my mind was released like a thoroughbred out of the gate.   It ran past memories of days once lived, and the faces of childhood friends long since forgotten.  I reflected on dreams yet birthed and plans incomplete. Of strangers l will encounter and spaces I’ve still to explore.

 At times the thoughts of past mistakes hit my soul like a hot desert wind buffets ones face.

I reflected on my sons, and how quickly they have grown, I wondered what these uncertain times holds in store for them.

I sang songs of worship to the Almighty, and recited prayers of thanksgiving in the cathedral of the starless sky, and was reminded once again of the many blessings which fill my days. 

Most men slumbered as I rode through the night, heading no place certain.

Mary Virginia Wade, better known as “Jennie Wade,” was the only civilian causality in the battle of Gettysburg.  Jennie was just twenty years old when the Army of the Potomac, under the command of Gen. George Meade, and Gen. Robert E. Lee’s, Army of Northern Virginia, clashed in the fields and town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania for three bloody days in July of 1863. 

“War changes people lives,” and there is no better example of that than the Jennie Wade story.  Life in the small borough of Gettysburg had been pretty normal for the young woman.  She and her mother operated a sewing business out of the home they shared together on the Breckenridge St. and Jennie had been recently engaged to childhood friend, Corp. Johnston H. Skelly Jr. of the 87 Pennsylvania.  Life was good, but all of that was about to change. 

 The tragic tale of Jennie Wade began on July 1, 1863.  The confederate army advanced southward leaving the Union troops no choice, but to retreat to higher ground in the town of Gettysburg.  As the streets began to fill with soldiers Jennie and  her mother, along with brother; Henry, and a small child they cared for, sought refuge in the home of her sister; Georgia Wade McClellan, who lived a few blocks away.  

During July 1^st and 2^nd, the family stayed busy passing out water and baking bread for the Union troops.  At approximately 8:30 a.m. on July 3^rd, Jennie was in the kitchen kneading dough when a confederate soldier fired his musket into the house.  The musket ball blasted through two doors and struck Jennie in the back just below her left shoulder blade and lodged in her heart.  She was killed instantly.

 As if this story wasn’t tragic enough, it was later reported that her fiancé; Corp. Skelly, had been wounded in the battle at Winchester, Virginia in early May, and died of his wounds on July 12^th.   Neither knew of  the others fate.  Both Jennie Wade, and Corp. Skelly,  are buried near one another in Gettysburg’s Evergreen Cemetery. 

BMW is recalling certain ’08-’09 F 650 GS and F 800 GS models manufactured from Sept. 27, 2007, through March 30, 2009. The company is also recalling ’07-’08 G 650 Xcountry, Xchallenge and Xmoto models manufacturered from Nov. 29, 2006, through May 19, 2008.

The drive chains of the F650 GS and F800 GS may not have been produced to specification. As a result, over time the chain could break. If the broken chain becomes trapped between the rear wheel and the frame, the rear wheel could lock up.

Regarding the G 650 models, over time the roll gear pin’s mounting attachment could break. If it does, fragments of the attachment could become trapped between the drive chain and the rear sprocket, possibly causing the rear wheel to lock up.

BMW has not yet provided NHTSA with a remedy plan or a notification schedule.

The NHTSA campaign ID numbers are 10V273000 for the G 650 models and 10V274000 for the F 650 and F800.

Posted by Arlo Redwine

I love riding in Ohio, and therefore I am always on the look out for new and interesting places to visit within the Buckeye state.  This week I ran across a great touring idea while reading the Springfield News and Sun.  Reporter, Elaine Morris Roberts, suggested we tour the homes, libraries, and monuments, of the past presidents of the United States who were from Ohio.  I thought this was a great touring idea, and one I have put on my riding schedule.   Here’s Elaine’s story.

Ohio presidents tour also an education

by Elaine Morris Roberts

With the official start of summer just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about summer travel. Sometimes, the historical locations get lost among the amusement parks and beach vacations, but Ohio boasts eight presidents, seven of whom are represented with homes, libraries and monuments within the state that are open to the public.

They are all bargains, and what you take away will last a lifetime.

• William Henry Harrison, an Indiana native, is buried near Cincinnati in North Bend.

His tomb is located 15 miles west of Cincinnati on Cliff Road, west off U.S. Route 50.

Open during daylight hours, admission is free.

• Ulysses S. Grant’s home, at 500 Bouthillier Street in Galena, is open Wednesday through Sunday 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., April through October.

Suggested donation: $4 adults, $2 children; group reservations are recommended.

Information available at granthome.com.

• Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center is located at Hayes and Buckland avenues in Fremont.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Admission to the museum and house is $10.50, $6 for the house only and $4 for children.

Information at rbhayes.org or (800) 998-7737.

• James A. Garfield National Historic Site, at 8095 Mentor Ave. in Mentor, is open from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Adult admission is $5; children 15 and under are free.

Information at nps.gov/jaga or (440) 255-8722.

• Benjamin Harrison, born in North Bend, near Cincinnati, moved to Indianapolis with his wife soon after his graduation from Miami University.

His home, located at 230 North Delaware Street in Indianapolis, is open to the public.

Information at presidentbenjaminharrison.org or (317) 631-1888.

•The William McKinley Birthplace Home and Research Center is located at 40 S. Main St. in Niles.

The facility is open Saturdays in May and June from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Information is available at mckinleyhome.lib.oh.us or (330) 652-1704 ext. 208.

The McKinley Memorial Library is at the same location. Information is available at mckinley.lib.oh.us or (330) 652-1704.

• William Howard Taft National Historic Site, 2038 Auburn Ave. in Cincinnati, is free to all visitors.

Tours are offered daily, every half-hour from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

Information at nps.gov/wiho or (513) 684-3262.

Keep The Rubber Side Down, and several of my pals were given a little ink by the Motorcyclist Insurance website. We were listed as the top 53 Motorcycle Enthusiast blogs.

Congratulations to all of you.

Mary Slepicka from Dealer News, writes this following post,

Motorcycle exhaust manufacturer LeoVince USA is looking to hire “energetic and highly professional” independent outside sales people to join the company’s sales team, EVP Tim Calhoun tells Dealernews.

“This is an exciting opportunity for take-charge candidates to control their financial futures as we expand our dealer outreach program,” he says.

Candidates will be expected to develop and cultivate new and existing customers in assigned territories, and work with a partner inside rep. Candidates must a basic working knowledge of motorcycles, ATVs, off-road motorcycles or scooters.

“Any special expertise in any one or all of these areas is a plus,” he adds. According to Calhoun, LeoVince seeks

• Entrepreneurial thinkers with ability to adjust to a constantly changing sales environment;
• Excellent listeners with quality written and verbal communication skills;
• Excellent sales and account management skills;
• Professionals with “enthusiast” personalities;
• Successful understanding of the sales cycle, from introduction to re-order;
• An ability to share experiences and knowledge with the company’s inside team;
• Candidates open to investing in their knowledge base to become experts on Leo Vince’s family of performance products;
• And willingness to participate in occasional special events, promotions and races in their local sales areas.

The company is not accepting phone calls, nor recruiter contacts for this posting, Calhoun says. Instead, candidates are asked to e-mail their resumes to greatjobs@leovinceusa.com.

Posted by Mary Slepicka

BMW Motorrad USA has announced the opening of eight new dealerships within the past five months to better serve new and underserved markets.

“In 2010 and beyond we will continue to identify growth opportunities for the BMW brand in markets that do not currently have a BMW motorcycle dealership by partnering with new or existing motorcycle dealers in those areas,” Todd Andersen, the company’s marketing manager, states in a press release.

The newest BMW dealerships are

• Van-Wall Powersports in Perry, Iowa;
• BMW Motorcycles of Chattanooga in Chattanooga, Tenn.;
• Bergen County BMW Motorcycles in Rochelle Park, N.J.;
• Montgomeryville Cycle Center in Hatfield, Pa.;
• BMW Motorcycles Tulsa in Tulsa, Okla.;
• BMW Motorcycles of Spokane/Westside Motorsports in Spokane, Wash.;
• BMW Motorcycles of Utah in Sandy, Utah; and
• Kissell Motor Sports in State College, Pa.

“Our dedicated dealer network was the key to our success last year,” says Andersen, citing the fact that BMW Motorrad USA outperformed the industry for the second year in a row in 2009 despite an overall motorcycle industry decline of 41 percent. “Our dealers continued to serve our customers well thanks to new products like the K1300 GT, K 1300 S, and the new S 1000 RR superbike, as well as attractive financing programs from BMW Financial Services.”

BMW says it now has 143 active dealers. In comparison, in February 2008 it had 136; last year it had 139.

2009 Sales Performance
BMW Motorrad says that worldwide, 87,306 BMW motorcycles were delivered to customers in 2009, a year-over-year drop of 14.1 percent and in line with company expectations.

BMW says that while the world market for motorcycles above 500cc was still about 1.5 million units in 2007, it shrank to about 900,000 units in 2009. This corresponds to a market drop of around 40 percent in two years. In 2009 alone, the world market declined by more than 30 percent, BMW says. The company did not cite sources for the statistics.

BMW Motorrad says that in the U.S., its third-largest market, 9,168 BMW motorcycles were registered, a drop of 22.5 percent compared to the previous year. But the company says it increased its share of the over-500cc market by 2.0 percent to 2.6 percent.

Husqvarna Motorcycles, the second motorcycle brand of the BMW Group, had worldwide sales figures of 13,052 units, a drop of 3 percent. BMW does not divulge U.S. sales, but does say they were up in 2009.

from Dealer News

BMW S1000RR on the Dyno: Off the Charts!

By Gabe Ets-Hokin 

from Motorcycle Daily.com