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May 4 07; Editor's Note; As you know, I have NOT continued to add news stories for months. I have not been well, so my work has suffered, pls accept my apologies. Last spring (06) I started with the best of 'intentions' - What? Best Intentions? (voice of Samuel Jackson in Pulp Fiction!). Sorry. I will try to get this site back on the rails now. Just bought an 05 VTX 1300, so I am riding alot right now. Let's face it, I'm just a bum! Hope you find some good reading on this page! Zen Find good motorcycle topics on our biker news site, and remember to keep it in your favorites. We try to updated motorcycle news articles often. Find news reports, press releases, motorcycle news links, & more. |
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May 1 2007; Annapolis; For bikers, death is always a lane Away; Alison Harbaugh — The Capital; members of the Unlimited Riders Motorcycle Club cruise down Bywater Road in Annapolis yesterday. They are part of a speed bike culture that claims dozens of young lives statewide each year. Some 'ride to survive,' others live for today. By HEATHER RAWLYK, Staff Writer Louis Ragsdale has seen first hand how one false move can turn deadly for a motorcyclist. About 10 years ago, the Annapolis High School graduate was cruising down Route 10 on his Suzuki GSX-R 750 when another man blew past him on a bike and turned his head back. "He looked at me and hit the gas, like 'Come and get me,' " Mr. Ragsdale said. "That's what they do if they want to race. You get a lot of that on the road." On this day, however, the driver taunting Mr. Ragsdale didn't leave him eating dust. The man hit a curve at a high rate of speed. By the time he turned to face forward, he wasn't able to straighten back out. He slammed into a guardrail and was pronounced dead at the scene. The impact launched the man's helmet straight at Mr. Ragsdale, who was close behind. "His helmet almost hit me and knocked me off my bike," he said. "Yeah, I couldn't believe it." The incident shook Mr. Ragsdale, now 41, but it didn't stop him from riding, or still taking part in a race here and there - so long as he has a straight roadway to do it on. And the same goes for many motorcyclists, according to James Grace, who frequently rides his Yamaha R-1 to Annapolis City Dock to meet with friends during the warmer months of the year. "Once you start riding, you don't want to stop no matter what you see," he said. "I've been in a couple wrecks, my friends have wrecked. We know people who've been killed on bikes. I don't know, you just get back on - and you're more careful the next time." This is not to say that Mr. Grace doesn't worry each spring, when the weather warms up and he and his buddies hit the road after a long, cold winter. "Some of us are rusty, so I do worry," he said. "I worry that, wow, maybe something terrible will happen this year. There's already been some bad crashes (this year) and the season's just starting … But will that keep us from doing what we love? Nah." A deadly ride; Numerous motorcycle accidents last weekend prompted county police to warn riders to be cautious and for motorists to pay special attention to their two-wheeled brethren. Kevin Ross, 29, of Baltimore, and Lora Burgess, 30, of Laurel, were killed on Interstate 97 near Severna Park April 22 after Mr. Ross tried to pass another vehicle on the right shoulder of the road and struck a guardrail. Ms. Burgess was riding on the back of the motorcycle during the crash. County emergency crews were kept busy that same day with three other serious motorcycle collisions that left riders hospitalized. There have been three motorcycle fatalities - including the April 22 crash - in the county this year, according to Cpl. Mark Shawkey, a county police spokesman. There were 11 fatal crashes in 2006, ranking Anne Arundel County third in the state in motorcycle fatalities. Overall, there were 85 people killed on motorcycles in Maryland last year, said 1st Sgt. Arthur Betts, of the Maryland State Police. Eighty-seven were killed in the state in 2005, and 66 in 2004. County police responded to 18 property damage accidents involving motorcycles last year, and 98 personal injury accidents, Cpl Shawkey said. One of the most common causes for these wrecks was a driver running off the road, he said. 'Ride to survive'; Because of recent incidents, Mr. Ragsdale, co-founder of the Annapolis-based "Unlimited Riders" co-ed motorcycle club, is sure to remind the group's 16 members to use caution as they get back on the road. "'Ride to survive,' that's our motto," he said. "Basically, you are your own worst enemy. You know you have a fast bike and sometimes you want to test it. You just gotta know when to go fast and when not to go fast." A woman Unlimited Riders member was with Mr. Ross and Ms. Burgess when their motorcycle crashed. "She had just met them downtown at the dock and decided to run out to 97," Mr. Ragsdale said. "She's pretty shaken up by it." The wreck further reinforces that using the shoulder as a passing lane is "a big no-no" with his motorcycle club. "You never know what's on that shoulder and at that high rate of speed, the smallest thing can take you down," he said. "We encourage our riders not to pass - you just gotta wait your turn." Mr. Ragsdale said he isn't into popping wheelies either. "I ain't into tricks," he said. But a couple of his club members are. And whenever a member wants to raise a wheel, the rest of the group is there to make sure it's done as safely as possible. Some riders will slow down traffic on the highway, by getting in all lanes and dropping their speed down a couple notches below the limit. A few more riders will drive ahead, and make sure the faster traffic is moving forward, he said. That leaves the trickster with a "cushion" to pop a wheelie and not have other cars in the way. But not all riders are as cautious, Mr. Grace said. "I see people popping wheelies down 50 with no other riders with them," he said. "They've got other traffic near them too. That stuff is pretty dangerous. It makes me nervous watching." Any motorcyclists caught popping a wheelie by police will be charged with negligent driving, Cpl. Shakey said. Some riders take on congested roadways that should never see a stunt like a wheelie, said Vincent Price, co-owner of Xtreme Wheelie Ride Maryland, which let's riders use a simulator to replicate a stunt wheelie using a real motorcycle. "You can't be wheeling down West Street," he said. "West Street is way too busy to be on one wheel. Sometimes it isn't about the actual person riding, but something that got in their way." In September, a 35-year-old Prince George's County man was killed while popping a wheelie on West Street in front of the Wendy's restaurant. The man clipped a woman's car and was ejected from his bike. He died at the scene. Officer Hal Dalton, a city police spokesman, said that was the only motorcycle fatality in the city last year. "They're a rarity in town," he said. "Mostly because there isn't a speed limit in town more than 40 mph. That and the city is usually congested, we don't get a lot of stunt driving." Not invincible; Mr. Price said he's over his daredevil days.When he first started riding 17 years ago, he thought he was invincible. "I was in my 20s and I felt like I was Superman - a rebel without a cause," he said. He presumes that's the attitude of the majority of young riders. "Nothing's going to happen to me, that's the mentality," he said. He said he's older now, and has seen enough to make him realize that safety must play a big part if he's going to ride. In 1995, Mr. Price lost control of his bike on Ritchie Highway and broke his shoulder. About five years ago, a friend of his was killed on a motorcycle. "I didn't stop riding, but I became more conscious," he said. "He had kids, I have kids. You know, you say you can fix your bike, but I can't replace me." He said he gets nervous whenever he sees a car pull out from a side street. "People gotta be aware there are bikes out there,"
he said. "I get jumpy when I see cars turning and pulling out.
I always have my hand on the horn, whatever I can do to get attention."
Ryan, a 24-year-old Yamaha rider from Annapolis, who did not wish to
give his last name, said a lot of his friends have a "live-for-today"
approach when riding. "You live once, and this is what we love
doing," he said. "If something happens to me on this (motorcycle)
at least I went down doing what I love. I think that's how we all feel.
You'd have to ride on one of these to understand."
BIRMINGHAM Alabama -- June 5, 2006 ; Bikers born to run -- into the law; By Mike Linn; Montgomery Advertiser; John Moore of the Close Call Riderz extreme motorcycle club executes a stoppie -- or reverse wheelie -- near downtown Birmingham on Thursday. Just north of downtown, on streets with little traffic and light, young men are getting their kicks on motorcycles. They stand on their seats, pop wheelies and ride on their front tires. After about 20 minutes, they bolt to evade the uniformed men and women they love to hate. Their world is extreme biking, an up-and-coming daredevil sport that might make Evel Knievel proud but makes motorists and police shudder. Across the state, more and more teens and twentysomethings are hopping on sport motorcycles and learning tricks once relegated to skateboards, bicycles and surfboards. They can be seen zipping through traffic on Interstate 85 between Montgomery and Auburn or popping wheelies on Interstate 65 near Clanton. "The sports bike scene here is blowing up," said John Moore of Close Call Riderz, a Birmingham-based extreme biking club made up mostly of college students and younger professionals. Close Call Riderz's 15 or so members have turned city streets and interstates into their personal playgrounds, and they have become adept at pestering police officers they say are simply out to get them. "They'll pull you over for anything," said Moore, 22, who is studying to be a pharmacist. "It's gotten to the point where you just can't enjoy it anymore. They treat us like we're a bunch of drug dealers running cocaine or something." Authorities say they're merely protecting the driving public and the bikers themselves. Statistics from the Alabama Department of Public Safety show how dangerous motorcycles can be. Motorcycle-related fatalities in Alabama hit 75 in 2004, up from 52 in 2003 and 45 in 2002. Last year, the number of motorcycle-related fatalities was 60. Get
the whole motorcycle news story here...
May 3, 2006; STURGIS South Dakota; Sturgis Bike Week 2006 - Legendary Sturgis Prepares for 2006 ; By Territory Media - Black Hills Today - blackhillsportal.com ; Expected crowds could reach close to 3/4 of a million people. 2006 Sturgis Rally is expected to be a true record breaker. And now the biggest motorcycle event in the nation is turning up the volume. Producers are creating a music festival around the massive 66th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, South Dakota. which also includes the construction of an amphitheater. The new Rock`n the Rally festival is set for Aug. 6-10, right in the middle of Sturgis Bike Week. Mark Russo, production manager/site coordinator for producer Dork Fish, says, 'As opposed to the `build it and they will come` theory, we subscribe to the `build it where they already are` theory.' They are here, all right, in huge numbers. The town of Sturgis normally has a population of 6,500 people. When the Rally comes to town, its population swells to 600,000 plus. The total population of South Dakota is 754,000. Dork Fish Entertainment is building an $11 million permanent amphitheater on a 34-acre site at the Glencoe Camp Resort in Sturgis. Funding comes from Sturgis entrepreneur and Glencoe Nation owner Gary Lippold, who already has a strong presence in the city with the campground and other business ventures. Dork Fish has a 10-year partnership agreement with Lippold. The event`s producers find themselves in uncharted waters, and first-year festivals are unpredictable by nature. 'No one has ever done a festival like this in conjunction with an event like the Sturgis Bike Week,' Russo says. 'Every other festival exists on its own merit and convinced everyone it was a destination they wanted to go to. Part of our rationale is building next to a place where people already had a destination, and we just need to make sure everyone is aware of what we`re doing and build a great facility.' Read more about this motorcycle event news here...
May 4 2006; Marietta,OH,USA; Motorcycle club holds hill climb; The Pioneer Motorcycle Club of Waterford will have its first doubleheader hill climb of the season at the club grounds. The hill climb will be held at 4 p.m. on Saturday and at 11 a.m. on Sunday. This is an AMA and District 11 sanctioned event. Individuals can sign up at the hill on the day of the event. All ATV classes will be first on the hill, followed by the micro mini, mini junior, mini senior, 65cc class then the motorcycles. To get to the site, take Ohio 339 to Waterford then follow the signs to the hill. For more information: (740) 373-9566, (740) 783-2095, (740) 678-0082 or (740) 984-8831. More news here... May 2, 2006; Mesa, AZ, USA; Local News; Fallen officer honored ; By Katie McDevitt and Gary Grado; Tribune ; Tyler Fahlman’s father turned him in for underage drinking three years ago to “teach him a lesson,” court records show. But that lesson wasn’t learned. News; The 20-year-old Tempe man was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol three days later, records show. Fahlman spent a night in jail and did community service, only to later plead guilty to underage possession of alcohol and rack up a couple of speeding tickets. Fifteen Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and one victim’s impact panel later, Fahlman is being held in Maricopa County’s Lower Buckeye Jail on suspicion of manslaughter and hit-and-run after being involved in a crash Saturday in Tempe that fatally injured Gilbert police officer Rob Targosz, 37, while the officer was riding his motorcycle to work. While Fahlman is being held on a $270,000 bond, the Gilbert Police Department is making funeral arrangements for its first officer to die in the line of duty and remembering a 12-year veteran of the department who was married just nine months ago. “Any time I asked him about his wife, he’d grin ear-to-ear and say, ‘I’m a lucky guy,’ ” Gilbert Police Chief Tim Dorn said. “He liked to catch bad guys, but the side a lot of the public didn’t see was his caring side and how much he cared for his family.” Get the whole Arizona motorcycle story here... April 21 2006; Greenwich,NJ,USA;Apr 27, 2006; The blessing of the bikes; By Kenneth Partridge, Staff Reporter; Gary Swenson thought of this Sunday’s “Blessing of the Bikes” as an opportunity to bestow wishes of fun and safety upon his fellow motorcycle riders. Spotting Gary Swenson this Sunday at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church shouldn’t be too hard: He’ll be the guy in the leather jacket, dark sunglasses and black helmet with red flames painted on it. Then again, if Mr. Swenson gets his way, there might be a lot of other people on hand who fit that same general description. This weekend will mark St. Paul’s first “Blessing of the Bikes,” a special ceremony Mr. Swenson conceived of after learning there were other motorcycle enthusiasts in the congregation. For Mr. Swenson, who first discovered motorcycles in the Army 40 years ago and recently got back into riding, the blessing is a chance to bond with fellow riders as the summer — prime riding season — approaches. He came up with the idea after going to similar blessings the church holds for veterans. “The thought was to address [the motorcyclists] in the spring, when they first start,” said Mr. Swenson, who routinely rides to church on his shiny 2005 Harley Davidson Fat Boy. More on this New Jersey motorcycle news article here... April 27 2006; Springfield mass Massachusetts;
Urge your lawmaker to back motorcycle bill; Wednesday, April
26, 2006 April 20 2006; UK motorcycle news story; Blackpool Today Blackpool, England, UK. Bike run a devilishly good idea ANSDELL biker Angela Patterson is a bit of a devil – but has a cause worthy of an angel. The 28-year-old from Woodlands Road is planning a motorcycle run between Devils Bridge in Cumbria, a popular biker meeting point, to Devils Bridge in Ceredigion, Wales – and back again – on July 15. All proceeds from the run will go to the Ebenezer Childcare Trust Livingstone helping children in Zambia who have been left orphaned because of the AIDS epidemic. She said: "We're not sure how many people will be taking part but have had a lot of interest. "It is such a worthy cause and we're encouraging everybody taking part to get as much sponsorship as possible." The distance is about 200 miles and there is a choice of three routes available, one requiring an overnight stay. Maps and places to stay are available on the organiser's website. Moto Challenge author Nick Sanders will be joining motorcyclists taking part. Nick is famous for his book which suggests popular motorcycle runs and gives all the information needed for a run. There will be a barbecue and raffles available when participants reach their Welsh destination. Anyone wishing to take part in the event can visit the website at www.devilsrun.co.uk or contact Angela on 07884 364371. Get the entire UK motor bike news story here... April 20 2006; Washington, DC, USA; Washington motorcycle news story; America Supports You: Motorcycle Club Rides for Servicemembers; American Forces Press Service;WASHINGTON; The Blue Knights International Motorcycle Club is sponsoring a Purple Heart Ride April 23 to raise money for servicemembers and their families. Members of the Maryland IX Chapter of the Blue Knights will be riding to the National Naval Medical Center, in Bethesda, Md., near the nation's capital, to demonstrate their support for members of the armed forces who have valiantly served the country and have been wounded, according to an Armed Forces Foundation news release. Money from the ride will go to the Armed Forces Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving quality of life for members of the armed forces. The foundation is a member of the Defense Department's "America Supports You" program, which showcases efforts by Americans to support servicemembers and their families. More motorcycle news here... APRIL 20th Feature Biker News Story April 19 2006 Toronto Ontario; Biker suspect often won early release; Wayne Kellestine habitually vowed to abandon crime COLIN FREEZE AND TIMOTHY APPLEBY From Thursday's Globe and Mail During his 40-year criminal career, Wayne Kellestine, the outlaw biker now accused in the worst mass murder in Ontario history, frequently won early release from jails, prisons and halfway houses by telling officials he would quit all the vices that kept landing him in trouble, his parole records show. Mr. Kellestine's long history encompasses drugs, assault and a charge of attempted murder that was dropped after the man he allegedly shot decided not to testify against him. At court and parole hearings, he routinely insisted he would kick his associations with guns, drugs and outlaw bikers. Often -- but not always -- he was taken at his word, even when police officers cautioned that he should not be taken at face value. "The local police are opposed to your release due to your ties to organized crime," the National Parole Board pointed out the last time Mr. Kellestine left prison, in 2003. Still, after completing two-thirds of four years from his 2002 conviction for possessing assorted firearms, some of them prohibited weapons, Mr. Kellestine was allowed to return to his southwestern Ontario farm without spending the remaining months of his sentence in a halfway house. He was ordered to stay away from outlaw bikers. Conservative MP Jason Kenney said yesterday that Mr. Kellestine's past promises of good behaviour in exchange for freedom are "outrageous" and underscore the need for tough anti-crime initiatives. "There are too many violent crimes that happen from people who have not served their full sentence," said Mr. Kenney, who is the Prime Minister's parliamentary secretary. In Winnipeg, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said yesterday his government will soon introduce legislation imposing minimum sentences for a host of gun-related offences. Liberal MP Dan McTeague said MPs have heard too many stories of parole boards being lenient, only to have individuals reoffend. The key is for the board members to put greater stock in statements by victims and police, he said. "Clearly this is an example of where the parole board has dropped the ball. Some people are very good at disguising who they are." Mr. Kellestine and four others, including a 46-year-old Monkton, Ont., woman, face first-degree murder charges following the April 8 discovery of the bodies of eight Bandido gang members and associates near the hamlet of Shedden, Ont. Police sources have said the violence stemmed from a plan by some Bandido members to break away. Underworld sources say that plan entailed defection to the Hells Angels, who have swallowed up most of Ontario's outlaw bikers. Held at the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre in London, Mr. Kellestine, 56, is scheduled to appear in court April 24. The last time Mr. Kellestine appeared before the parole board, it noted he vowed to stop taking drugs and that a judge had already ordered him to destroy his guns. Besides, "you acknowledged that your primary risk area is biker involvement," read National Parole Board documents released to The Globe and Mail yesterday. ". . .You stated that you retired." The partly censored records show Mr. Kellestine to be a lifelong scofflaw who beat the biggest charge he had ever faced -- one count of attempted murder in 1992 -- but who drew a series of fines and relatively short jail sentences for crimes dating back to the 1960s. Mr. Kellestine was convicted of three counts of assault causing bodily harm, including an attack on a bus driver, in 1967. He was jailed for 30 days. There was a long lull. But in 1983, he was again convicted of assault causing bodily harm, for beating up someone in a money dispute. He was fined $500. Two years later, Mr. Kellestine was up on another assault charge. He successfully appealed a $700 fine, which was reduced to a one-day jail sentence. In 1989, Mr. Kellestine committed a different kind of assault. "You apparently spat on an undercover police officer working security at a motorcycle show," records state. This time he was fined $250. In 1992, police charged Mr. Kellestine with attempted murder, alleging he shot a man in the stomach. When the matter got to court, the victim absolved Mr. Kellestine of any responsibility. By 1994, Mr. Kellestine was serving a six-year sentence for selling cocaine, pills and a handgun to an undercover officer. The board allowed him to leave jail for three days to attend his father's funeral, though not to visit his mother at Christmas. By the mid-1990s, Mr. Kellestine had completed the prison courses "Living Without Violence" and "Anger Management," and insisted he was done with outlaw bikers. But halfway houses didn't want to take him, and police didn't want him freed. "Police from five area police forces [are] adamantly opposed" to any release, prison officials noted. The board initially agreed: "With your history of escalating criminal behaviour including drugs, weapons, and violence, the risk is not seen as manageable." Still, as time went on the board gave him short periods of freedom, as is standard. By 1996, Mr. Kellestine was freed after serving the customary two-thirds of his sentence -- but that was revoked at least three times. In 1997, he twice flunked a urine test, as valium showed up in his system. He was again let out a year later, until police spotted him associating with bikers. Mr. Kellestine was sent back to jail. "You blamed police for your circumstances," say records of the time, adding: "You have done little to address the serious risk factors of drug abuse." Read this biker news story here... ***
Apr 17 2006; Australia International motorcycle news event story; Motocross; Honda to support junior titles as major sponsor; Honda Australia have once again taken the role of naming right’s sponsor for the Australian Junior Motocross Championships that take place in the ACT this year. The ACT Motorcycle Club (ACTMCC) will be hosting the prestigious event that has a history of acting as the proving ground for many professional riders in the professional ranks today. Last year, Honda’s own Kade Mosig won an impressive two Championship titles including the 15yrs 125cc title on his CR125, as well as the 13-16yrs 250cc four stroke title on his CRF250. The teenager is now racing in the Pro Lite division this year for the Full Throttle Sports/ Scrivens Honda Team in the sanctioned Motocross and Supercross national series. More australia motorcycle news click for news source here...
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