Archive for the ‘Motorcycle’ Category

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z wUpshift: The state of Washington enacted a law that, if enforced, is a boon to motorcycle riders. The DUI-E (Electronic) law allows a police officer to issue a ticket when they catch someone using a cell phone or electronic device while driving.

This DUI-E is enforceable even if you are stop for a stop sign or a red light. AND as a primary offence a police officer can pull a driver over for holding a phone. There are a few exceptions:

  • Hands free and can start use by a single touch or swipe without holding the device.
  • Parked or out of the flow of traffic.
  • Starting your GPS or music before you drive.
  • Contacting emergency services.

My Take: It is about time! More people (including motorcyclist) are killed in traffic accidents then by guns and I think cell phones are to blame for many of those accidents. I hope to this DUI-E law will get nationwide attention and spread across the country/world. (I don’t know when this was enacted it is the 1st time I have heard of it.)

If you are from the state of Washington, can you let us know if it is been enforced?

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z 1Downshift: An end of an era, the last Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycles have been sold. While the ‘Busa had already been discontinued in most markets they were still being delivered to India. The last shipment of Hayabusa superbikes motorcycles arrived on Indian showroom floors and all have been sold

The Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycle has been one of the most iconic superbikes of all time. But changing environmental rules seem to have gotten the better of this favorite superbike.

My Take: I can’t believe that Suzuki will let their flag ship model fade away. Are they working on a new version, one that can meet the new rules? Internet rumors have said yes and no, so we really don’t know. Suzuki just brought back the Katana after 30 years. Will they let the Hayabusa disappear for that long too? I really hope not.

z3

Thanks to Yamaha Motor Europe you, or your kids (wink wink), can colorize 7 different Yamaha motorcycles.  Dirt bikes, street bikes and a race motorcycle are all there for your crayons or colored pencils.

If you are interested check out the “Yamaha Colouring Page“.  Download the images and give to your kids (wink wink).

If your kids (wink wink) do a good job upload it in the comment section and let the rest of it see your inner Picasso.

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NBCSCDownshift: MOTOGP and World Superbike now on NBCSC – NBC now has the multi-year rights to both MOTOGP and World Superbike motorcycle racing in the US market. I found out about this when I tried to DVR World Superbike this past weekend.

NBCSC will open their MOTOGP coverage with the race in Qatar (not anymore) the rest will air either on NBC or NBCSC either live or tape delay. OR you can watch live on their streaming service, where it appears that MOTO2 and MOTO3 will only be available.

World Superbike is getting 6 races televised but it appears that only 2 will air live, based on their timing.

My Take: As much as BEIN Sports was maligned for the numbers of households it was in, at least they televised all the races! So, based on this how do I politely say NBCSC AND DORNA YOU SUCK? NBC how much did you pay to not show the races?

OH, but I can buy your NBC steaming packages? Why would I give you that money when I can pay MOTOGP and World Superbike directly, for the same thing?
DORNA you really don’t want motorcycle racing to succeed in the USA do you?
NBCSC is doing a poor job with Supercross (it is listed as motocross for DVR purposes) why would I think it would do any better with the other forms of motorcycle racing?

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motogpNeutral: MOTOGP in Qatar & Thailand Canceled – The Corona Virus has forced a prudent action of cancelling the first two races of the 2020 MOTOGP season in both. There was some question regarding MOTO2 and MOTO3 classes as they were already in Qatar preparing for the race. But that question has been answered, they are racing in Qatar.

The second race, Thailand was rescheduled for October.

Additionally, DORNA is considering hold races with out the fans. Not sure how that would work out for the tracks?  My understanding is that they make most of their money on those race weekends from the fans.  Selling 100,000 hot dogs puts the money in their pocket.

My Take: It was the prudent thing to do. For all you Marc Marquez haters, yes, it is a conspiracy to allow him to get healthy! LOL

This is a fast changing situation…I going to try and keep up!

recall

Be aware that this motorcycle recall list is for the United States, there is no way I could cover the entire world. But in the world of global manufacturing, if a motorcycle is being recalled in one country there is a good chance it is under recall in others. Also, this should not be considered a definitive list, check for yourself if you have any questions.

If you are US based use the NHTSA website http://www.safercar.gov. Enter your VIN number to see if your motorcycle is affected by the recall.

If you are based outside the USA, use the appropriate website to locate recalls that may impact you.

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Manufacturer Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA

Components SERVICE BRAKES, AIR

Summary

Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA (Yamaha) is recalling certain 2019 YZF-R3 motorcycles. The brake hose holder may come loose, potentially causing damage to the brake hose protector and hose, resulting in a brake fluid leak.

Remedy

Yamaha will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front brake hose holder, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 28, 2020. Yamaha customer service at 1-800-962-7926. Yamaha’s number for this recall is 990134. Note: Motorcycles in this recall are also affected by NHTSA recall number 20V-071.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

 

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Manufacturer Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA

Components SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Summary

Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA (Yamaha) is recalling certain 2019 YZF-R3 motorcycles. The front brake hose my chafe against the horn lead wire when the handlebars are turned from left to right, potentially resulting in a brake fluid leak.

Remedy

Yamaha will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front brake hose, replacing it as necessary, and reroute the horn lead wire, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 28, 2020. Owners may contact Yamaha customer service at 1-800-962-7926. Yamaha’s number for this recall is 990135.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

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Manufacturer Akoury

Components EQUIPMENT

Summary

Akoury is recalling certain Boss67 motorcycle helmets, part number BFR CO, in sizes S, M, L, XL, and XXL. The helmets may lack proper impact protection. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 218, “Motorcycle Helmets.”

Remedy

Akoury will notify owners, and dealers will replace helmets or provide a credit for the helmet, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Akoury customer service at 1-514-824-0666.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

19 2

Not sure what was going on in 2019 but there were not a lot of selections for the “best of” motorcycle tank art.   As always, these tanks might be from a time much earlier than 2019 but that is when I first saw them.

This year there was no cut down, I ended up with 9 and this is those 9 best motorcycle tanks for 2019.  I wish I could attribute the artist (and photographer) who made these crazy works of art.  If you know who created these rolling motorcycle art pieces, formally called a tank, please let me know so I can properly label them.

Which one do you like the best?

 

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DOWNSIFHT: Norton Motorcycles May Not Last Much Longer – Norton has gone into norton“administration” which from an American view appears to be like bankruptcy. They have a £300,000 tax bill to the Queen; orders they can’t fill and internet rumors that they were taking parts off bikes in for service to put on the production line.
There was a lot of high hope for Norton Motorcycles recently with the introduction of Atlas and Ranger 650 parallel twins as well as a new V4. But the new plant for the 650s is not finished and may never be completed now.
MY TAKE: Is this yet another sign of the decline of the motorcycle industry? Sells are down even where the economies are good. Norton has been struggling but unless something starts a turn round, I think we will start seeing other manufactures closing shop as well.

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dakarUPSHIFT: An American Wins the Dakar Motorcycle Rally – Riding a Honda CRF 450 Ricky Barbec finished the 11-day, 5000-mile rally in 40 hours and 2 minutes! The rally was held within the boards of Saudi Arabria this year. Starting in Jeddah, Barbec took the lead in stage 3 and never gave it up.

MY TAKE: WOW and I never heard or saw it on TV or in the news. Sad

best poster 2019

A few years ago, I started to “collect” motorcycle themed posters/print, a few are even in real life. This year I added 21 individual motorcycle prints/posters to my collection.

With that said I award, with nothing but that fine badge and a mention on this blog, the top 9 motorcycle posters of 2019! I wish they all had the artist information on them so we could recognize their talent.

If you see some cool motorcycle posters while you are cruising about in real life or cruising the interwebs, send me a link and they might make next year’s list!

19 (4)

I just stumble upon these weird and wonderful motorcycles as I fool around on Twitter, Facebook, Reddit.  But this year there were fewer than in the past, only had 12 to cut down to 9.

Those 3 motorcycles that did not make the cut just might show up on our IJUSTWAN2RIDE Facebook page.

So without further ado I present the 9 Weird Motorcycles for 2019!  Which one is your favorite?

recall

Be aware that this motorcycle recall list is for the United States, there is no way I could cover the entire world. But in the world of global manufacturing, if a motorcycle is being recalled in one country there is a good chance it is under recall in others. Also, this should not be considered a definitive list, check for yourself if you have any questions.

If you are US based use the NHTSA website http://www.safercar.gov. Enter your VIN number to see if your motorcycle is affected by the recall.

If you are based in outside the USA use the appropriate website to locate recalls that may impact you.

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Manufacturer Arcimoto Inc

NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V032000

Components STEERING, SERVICE BRAKES

Potential Number of Units Affected 50

Summary: Arcimoto Inc. (Arcimoto) is recalling certain 2019 FUV motorcycles. During full right steering lock, the brake line may contact the steering main-link.

Remedy: Arcimoto will notify owners, and dealers will inspect for proper clearance between the hard brake line and the steering main-link, correcting as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in January 2020. Owners may contact Arcimoto customer service at 1-541-683-6293.

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Manufacturer Arcimoto Inc

NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V031000

Components ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Potential Number of Units Affected 50

Summary: Arcimoto Inc. (Arcimoto) is recalling certain 2019 FUV motorcycles. Due to electrical interference within the electrical harnesses and modules, the instrument cluster display may intermittently go blank. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 123, “Motorcycle Controls and Displays.”

Remedy: Arcimoto will notify owners, and dealers will install a flyback/damping-diode to the exterior of the wiper motor to block a power surge, add filter and surge protection to display backer board or inline to upgrade display’s ability to block electrical noise, and install Check RAM Corruption (CRC) software. All services will be performed free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in January 2020. Owners may contact Arcimoto customer service at 1-541-683-6293.

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Manufacturer Triumph Motorcycles America, LTD

NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V015000

Components STRUCTURE

Potential Number of Units Affected 3,244

Summary: Triumph Motorcycles America, LTD (Triumph) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Thruxton, 2016-2019 Thruxton R and 2020 Thruxton TFC motorcycles. The side stand spring may fracture, possibly allowing the side stand switch to activate and shut off the engine.

Remedy: Triumph will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side stand spring, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 10, 2020. Owners may contact Triumph customer service at 1-678-854-2010. Triumph’s number for this recall is SRAN 570.

 

Manufacturer Triumph Motorcycles America, LTD

NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V014000

Components POWER TRAIN

Potential Number of Units Affected 1,304

Summary: Triumph Motorcycles America, LTD (Triumph) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Speed Twin motorcycles. The gear shift lever linkage may separate from shifter ball joint, resulting in an inability to change gears.

Remedy: Triumph will notify owners, and dealers will secure the attachment with a different thread locking compound, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 27, 2020. Owners may contact Triumph customer service at 1-678-854-2010. Triumph’s number for this recall is SRAN 569.

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Manufacturer Genuine Scooters, LLC

NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V010000

Components SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Potential Number of Units Affected 148

Summary: Genuine Scooters, LLC. (Genuine Scooters) is recalling certain 2020 Royal Alloy GT150 scooters. The front brake rotor may become uncentered within the front brake caliper allowing the inner brake pad to dislodge from the top of the brake caliper.

Remedy: Genuine Scooters will notify owners, and dealers will reposition the brake rotors with spacers to prevent the brake pads from dislodging, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in January 2020. Note: Genuine Scooters requests owners to not drive their scooters. Please have the scooter towed to a dealer for repairs. Roadside assistance coverage has been provided along with owner’s warranty so the tow will be free of charge. Owners may contact Genuine Scooters customer service at 1-773-433-1311.

Bike down Glare cool blue Movie Poster DRAFT 1

Never Ride Alone is a good rule to live by if you ride motorcycles. As a title of a dirt bike motorcycle film where the guy does just that in some of the most rugged and remote parts of the Peruvian Andes, well it’s weird.

Not only did he ride his dirt bike alone Scott Englund also was the star, director, editor, cameraman, narrator and everything else. For a one man project this film turned out wonderfully. Although I just don’t get the tag line “Because you can’t tell a story with a band-aid”, some of my best stories end with band-aids or worse!

In the film Scott walks us through what brought him to this point in his life. Moving his family to Peru setting up several businesses, including an off-road motorcycle touring company, all to serve the local community. He shows us how he and some of his customers and friends ride the rugged trails including one scene where a guy drops a bike over the hill, there was little left of the motorcycle.

Next, he shows us how he trains to get ready for the big ride, his training is also alone. Riding his motorcycle over even more harsh and severe terrain at high altitudes to get his body and mind ready to ride up and over a 15,000 peak where no one had ridden a motorcycle before.

The final ride up and over the peak was very well filmed. I just can’t imagine riding 30-40 feet stopping and moving the camera’s or breaking out a drone, putting away a drone and riding another 30-40 feet. Put that on top of some of the toughest off-road motorcycling I have seen, wow, props to Scott!

You can find Never Ride Alone on VIMEO or FilmFreeway.

“Never Ride Alone” was a Portland Motorcycle Film Festival Peoples Choice winner in 2019 and a 2018 Official CARE Awards Selection. Now it is also a IJustWant2Ride.com 5-star award winner (which that and $10 might buy you a cup of Star Bucks).

5 star