Interesting satistics from the Hurt Study

A few interesting stats from a crash study done in 1981:

***The median pre-crash speed was 29.8 mph, and the median crash speed was 21.5 mph, and the one-in-a-thousand crash speed is approximately 86 mph.

***Motorcycle riders with previous recent traffic citations and accidents are overrepresented in the accident data.

***The motorcycle riders involved in accidents are essentially without training; 92% were self-taught or learned from family or friends. Motorcycle rider training experience reduces accident involvement and is related to reduced injuries in the event of accidents.

***More than half of the accident-involved motorcycle riders had less than 5 months experience on the accident motorcycle, although the total street riding experience was almost 3 years. Motorcycle riders with dirt bike experience are significantly underrepresented in the accident data.

***Motorcycle riders in these accidents showed significant collision avoidance problems. Most riders would over-brake and skid the rear wheel, and under-brake the front wheel greatly reducing collision avoidance deceleration. The ability to countersteer and swerve was essentially absent.

***Seventy-three percent of the accident-involved motorcycle riders used no eye protection, and it is likely that the wind on the unprotected eyes contributed in impairment of vision which delayed hazard detection.

***Less than 10% of the motorcycle riders involved in these accidents had insurance of any kind to provide medical care or replace property.




From: Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures, Volume 1: Technical Report, Hurt, H.H., Ouellet, J.V. and Thom, D.R., Traffic Safety Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90007, Contract No. DOT HS-5-01160, January 1981 (Final Report)

Install an air-horn on your bike

But why install an air horn? My bike already has a "horn"? For some reason, bike makers believe that the size of your horn should be proportionate to the size of the vehicle. Trains and semi-s have huge air-horns, and the smaller you go, the smaller the horn. Maybe scooters should have those old school thumb-triggered bells like the old bikes had?

Wrong!

The most vulnerable people on the road should have the biggest horn. I got tired of riding and not being heard when someone thought about doing something stupid, like sharing my lane with me.

The video DOES NOT do the horn justice, it sounds like a high-pitched train. Works at 70 MPH, and so far I have only used it inappropriately.

I will post the notes/pics if anyone is interested, but it comes with good instructions, and it is maybe an hour project, easy as cake, and I love my new toy!!

Also, a nice review of the horn is here

Spring Bash '08 - Albertville AL

The North Alabama Air, Car, and Bike show in Albertville was organized by real pros. This was more of an air-show than anything else, but lots of vendors, several antique and classic cars, and a handful of bikes surrounding the biker vendor. Not so much a bike show, but a good excuse to get on the bike and show up. Nice, small air-show, and it looks like everybody in Marshall County showed up for this event.

Faunsdale Biker Rally - Alabama's wildest biker event

It has been a weeks since the biggest biker rally in Alabama, and I am still chuckling about what I saw. Oh sure I have seen naked people before, but never on a bike, at midnight, riding around a big, dirt track. That was a real treat. The biggest surprise was the BYOB, and whatever you can put on the back of your bike(or in your RV, or the trailer pulling your bike). That's right, no rules about beverages, except they do NOT sell alcohol there. So it turned into a quick trip down the road to Demopolis.

This was the single largest rally I have ever been to, and would guestimate 1,500-3,000 campers-RVs, tents etc., plus another 5,000 possibly in/out folks. Hard to gauge the real traffic due to everyone moving around alot, as there was much to see. In addition to the main stage, for music, wet-t contests, etc. there were "community stages" set up out in the village, where the real debauchery took place. Stripper poles surrounded by RVs, nice light-shows, PA systems, and portable tiki-bars with singing automatons. The food was typical festival-type food, but enough to keep you alive.

If you wanted something different to eat, you could ride down the road less than a mile for the Annual Faunsdale Crawfish Festival, going on at the same time.

I would suggest making this a bi-annual trip, I had a blast.

Find out more about Faunsdale Bike Rally here


Faunsdale Biker Rally - Alabama Spring 2008

1st Annual 'Giving Back is the New Black Ride'

The Hoover to Tuscaloosa charity ride started out at a great location - the Iron Horse, where we picked up donuts and coffee, before the ride down. Escorted all the way to Tuscaloosa by the organizers-Xcell Academy. We rolled into Rhythm and Brews downtown to a buffet of chicken fingers and wings - enough to feed 100 hungry bikers, and Desperate Measures- a local band playing rock, blues and even a country tune. Great time, good atmosphere, and good people all around. Next time they will have more than a week to prepare, and should have more than 100 participants, and will certainly be a MUST RIDE.

Deal's Gap - Biker Paradise in the south

I know Bama Rides is about motorcycling in Alabama, but I thought I would share one of the most amazing trips I have taken on a bike. Deal's Gap is considered a Mecca for bikers in the southeast, a journey every adventurous rider should take at least once in a lifetime, but I would suggest even more often. Also known as "Tail of the Dragon", this 11-mile section of U.S. Route 129 is located on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina in the Smokey Mountains. Just driving thru this region is incredible, and the ride I am describing is the cherry on the top. I have been to the Nantahala before, paddling, camping, and always thought the scenery was "nice", and the water is 55' year round. When we arrived at "The Store", there were about 50+ bikes, and no cars in the parking lot. Bikers everywhere, a lodge, restaurant, and gift shop. On the side there was the "Tree of Shame", where victims of the dragon can hang the parts he spit out. After a few minutes of gathering our thoughts, we hit the Tail, and it was a quick ride, and very confusing, as there were so many unusual factors - banked turns, and foot-peg scrapers, knee-draggers in every corner, mixed in with an occasional car. The rise and fall of the road has not been captured by any video or pics that I have seen. The 80 ft. drops off many of the corners are not seen in video either. It all ended too quickly, and the sun was going down. All I want to do is go back, and spend a bit more time exploring the surrounding areas, broken up by a few more trips thru the dragon.

We rode in on the Cherahola Skyway - it sounds like an amusement park ride, but it is better. This place is incredible, and the single most scenic places I have ever traveled. Breathtaking at 5,400 feet, it runs thru the Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests for 36 miles. The long sweeping turns, unlike Deal's Gap, are pleasant to cruise and sight-see, just don't get too focused on the view. There are lots of places to pull over. You gotta go.

Indian Hills Motorcycle Resort Anniversary Party 2008

A few images from the Rockland Resort, a little rain never hurt anybody, right? If you have not rolled over there, it is worth the trip. If you have any other resorts we need to know about, you should let us know.

Indian Hills Motorcycle Resort - a quick visit

On Saturday we had a quick stop at Indian Hills Motorcycle Resort, a relatively new addition to the biker stop circuit in Coosa county. The will be celebrating their 1st anniversary with a birthday party next weekend starting on Thursday the 27th, and ending on Sunday. They are expecting around 2,000 riders per day for the party, so we thought we would see what this place was all about.

It was a slow day on our visit (Easter weekend), but there was still around 40 riders, and everyone seemed real laid back. The staff was friendly and welcoming, and appeared to enjoy being there. The facilities were clean and comfortable, and the food looked delicious (we did not have time to eat). They do have a decent looking menu and good prices, so it might be worth exploring further.

The main facility is large, and housed several large tables, and two pool tables. Overall, I think it would certainly be worth another trip, and maybe even worth checking out the 1st Anniversary party.

Find out more here

Most Alabama Counties '08 Challenge - Tour Alabama on a motorcycle, and win

Do you travel all over the state on your bike every year? Do you think you might travel thru more counties than everyone else? If so you should enter the "Most Alabama Counties 2008 " Challenge to win a valuable prize, and recognition and admiration from bikers from all over the world. There are 67 counties in Alabama, but you may only need to travel to 20 or so, and take a picture to prove you were there. Are you up to the challenge?

Pictures we are looking for:

Good - notice the bike in the image, and a recognizable landmark, not the best, but it is OK and will qualify as one county

Better - much better subject, identifiable, and has a bike in the frame

Enter the MAC '08 Challenge today. Find out more details HERE

Daytona Bike Week 2008 - Bama Rides

The first part of the journey started out on a spectacular Birmingham day, leaving work early on a Thursday afternoon, sunny, and the prospect of a 1/2 day of questionable weather did not hamper our ride. We arrived in Troy, AL shortly after dark, and had Mexican, margaritas and a good conversation before retiring to the home of our first host and additional rider, Richard.

After waking the next morning, we rode out in the cool morning air all the way to Tallahassee, when we encountered our first drops of rain. It appeared that we might get wet, so I suggested that 11:30 might be a good time to find shelter and a burger while this little storm "blows over".

Well after an hour of eating and discussing the fact the weather had not blown over yet, we decided to get back on the road and get a bit closer, then determine what the weather would do.

What the weather would do

Well, that was the trick now. Weather is a funny thing, especially when you have to ride 10 hours in the rain.......funny. Notice the recreation of the actual view from a bike in the rain to the right. After several stops we wound up in Crystal River, home of large population of manatees. We found vacant covered flea market large enough to hold our bikes, gear, and soaking, prune-swollen carcasses. Of course we enjoyed the hour of dryer, motionless and safe tables the market provided.

Do Not Feed the Manatees

When we arrived in St. Cloud, as I predicted, the skies cleared as we came off the turnpike........10 hours of rain, and we pull in to nice weather as we get off the bikes.

I can't remember a shower ever feeling so good.

The ride over to Daytona

The next day was blue sky, and very windy gusts as we drove over to the coast. A fantastic day for a ride, down country roads, across pastures and flatlands. As we rolled into Daytona, you could feel the energy as the ratio of bikes to cars rose to 1:1. We rolled over the bridge in only 40 minutes, ready to get into something, mainly a beer.

We parked as soon as we got across the bridge to get into the mix, and keep the bikes from overheating. Got back out on Main St. and started looking for trouble. Lots of things to see, just ran out of time to capture it all. See the slideshow below.

It was still worth the ride down, even in the rain, and will do it again, maybe for BiketoberFest?


Tragically, the next morning, one of our group - William "Bill" Bills died in his sleep after the ride. I did not know Bill well, but I enjoyed his company that day, and I was glad to have shared his last ride with him. My condolences to his family.

More about Bill


Enjoy the pictures from Daytona Bike Week 2008

Weird Roadside Graveyard - Shannon, AL

I was out riding Sunday and caught a glimpse of an abandoned graveyard between Bessemer and Homewood, in Shannon. At first glance the headstones were SO CLOSE to the road, I thought I had mistaken them for something else, but there they were. I went back to get the camera because it was so weird, headstones less than 10 feet off the road. I wandered into the forgotten resting place assuming I would find a few 100-year old headstones, fascinated with the history behind the long dead residents of Shannon. I actually found many stones dating to the late 50s and 60s, and to my amazement, a 90 ft pine tree was growing out of the center of one grave.

So there I was, wondering around in thick woods, looking the sunken gravesites over as if it were a crime scene, awestruck how so many people could be abandoned.

Definitely worth a stop if you are in the area.




View Larger Map

More graveyards in the Oxmoor-Shannon area here

Gobbler Getter

Bama Bike Fest Fall 2007

For $20 you could have had a weekend pass to Adult Disneyland. If you did not attend this festival, you really should plan on being at the next one. Click the image below for the slideshow (controls are at the bottom right of the page)

180-deg. Panorama of McFarland Park

Click the link above to see a scrolling panorama, that almost captures a third of the action. Make sure you scroll to the right after enlarging. One of three stops that we made, this picture only shows about half the bikes in one of the stops at McFarland Park in Florence. This was truly an amazing trip, and one of the most impressive spectacles I have seen. I understand the riders extended almost 50 miles coming into Madison, Alabama. Read More

Trail of Tears 2007

The first time I have been on one of the most amazing rides of my life. The weather was unbelievable. The folks were cool, the bikes were loud, and everyone seemed to have a great time.

"There's alot of bikes..........alot of bikes. " -Kerry Jenkins