May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness month. It is important to get the word out to your non-riding friends and family!
I don’t own any of these photos about motorcycle safety, but I have gathered them from across the internet. I think “Fair Use” is in full operation in regard to their use.
So, PLEASE, copy and paste any of these motorcycle safety pictures &, memes. Post them up to all your favorite sites. Point them out to non-riders, we riders already get it!
May is motorcycle safety awareness month…here is an idea to help spread awareness to the children.
As we all know, all the safety gear we wear and all the safety tech on our motorcycles are just not enough at times. Awareness of motorcycles by drivers of cars and trucks is as important as everything we do.
To help improve the awareness in others (and therefore ourselves) we need to start teaching children to watch for motorcycles. That is why the idea of teaching kids to count motorcycles instead of “punch bugs” is so important. If they are watching for motorcycles as kids they will have an easier time seeing them when they start to drive. Thus our safety as motorcyclist is improved. The payoff is in the future but let’s invest now.
Make a game that has a small reward when they spot “X” number of motorcycles. Ask your non-riding friends to do this with their children. Mention it at events and gatherings, just get the word out. You know when a 6-year-old yells “motorcycle” that their parent is going to see it to!!
RIDE ON, RIDE SAFE
Be aware that this motorcycle recall list is for the United States for the last 30 days, 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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NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V293000
Manufacturer Indian Motorcycle Company
Components VISIBILITY, EQUIPMENT
Summary Indian Motorcycle Company (Indian) is recalling certain 2022 Indian Chief Bobber, Indian Chief Dark Horse, and Indian Chief Bobber Dark Horse motorcycles. These motorcycles may be missing a belt guard reflector. As such, these motorcycles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, “Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.”
Remedy Dealers will install a belt guard reflector, as necessary, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a schedule for recall notification. Owners may contact Indian customer service at 1-877-204-3697. Indian’s number for this recall is I-23-05.
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NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V261000
Manufacturer Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Components ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Summary Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023 Rebel 300 (CMX300) motorcycles. The right engine crank house cover was incorrectly painted, allowing the press-fit plug to fall out.
Remedy Dealers will replace the right crank case cover, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed June 5, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-784-1870. Honda’s number for this recall is KP2.
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NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V257000
Manufacturer Buell Motorcycles
Components ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
Summary Buell Motorcycles (Buell) is recalling certain 2021-2022 1190 RX and SX motorcycles. The index spring may be installed improperly.
Remedy Dealers will install the index spring in the correct position, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed in April 2023. Owners may contact Buell customer service at 1-616-719-5917.
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NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V250000
Manufacturer Ducati North America
Components STRUCTURE
Summary Ducati North America (Ducati) is recalling certain 2023 Diavel V4 motorcycles. The right and/or left side passenger foot pegs may break while mounting or riding the motorcycle.
Remedy Dealers will inspect and if necessary, replace the right and/or left side passenger foot pegs, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed May 3, 2023. Owners may contact Ducati customer service at 1-888-391-5446. Ducati’s number for this recall is SRV-RCL-23-002.
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Ride On Ride Safe
Hitting Neutral – Harley Davidson Live Wire offers their second model.
Starting in the US, this July, you will be able to buy the second electric motorcycle offered by Harley Davidson’s electric division. For $15,499(US) you will be able to ride away with an S2 Del Mar capable of 0-60 in 3 seconds.
It will also have a range of 110 “city miles” and will recharge on a Level 2 charger from 20% to 80% in 75 minutes. There is no fast or super charge available currently.
My Take – This is an urban commuter motorcycle. Nothing wrong with that but, it is a niche spot that might find some traction against Zero’s offerings. The lack of a fast charger option is a bit of let down but from an urban zip around traffic commuter bike point of view it will probably work.
I test rode the Live Wire and the Zero SRF each were fantastic rides. Acceleration and handling were very good with both bikes, and they are something that people should look at if interested. But I am not yet a fan of EVs and electric motorcycles.
In the real world, outside of the urban jungle, there is still a dearth of charging stations and charging times are still incomparable to the standard conventional vehicle. I am awaiting the evolution of hydrogen power to be pursued as hard as EV. That will be the true zero emission vehicle.
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Up Shift – Ducati sets a new record!
For the first time ever, Ducati has recorded revenue of over $1 Billion!
This is a 24% increase over 2021 and a profit of over $100 million. This also aligns with the sale of the most Ducati motorcycles ever at 61,562 a 3.6% increase over 2021. Ducati has also expanded their dealership network to over 800.
My Take: Tie this to their race success in MotoGP and other series then I think we are in a Golden Age of Ducati. This is well deserved success they created a plan and are executing it well. It was just a few years ago that people stated that Ducati was Italian for 8th place, can’t say that anymore!
Ride on, Ride Safe
As we are in Motorcycle Helmet Safety Month, I thought we should revisit the proper fitment of your helmet.
Unfortunately, not every helmet will fit every head. Each helmet will have a sizing guide to help you ensure your head is safe and snug inside.
Sizing your Skull
When you measure your head, wrap the tape measure starting about ½ inch above your eyebrow. Next, loop it around your head, at the largest point keeping it above your ears.
Two recommendations with the tape measure, get a friend to help you you’re your buddy can make sure the tape measure is in the right spot. Also, measure your skull three times then calculate the average to get a closer measure of your head.
If your melon falls between two sizes of your motorcycle helmet of choice go with the smaller size.
Shape of your skull
This one is a bit harder. Most motorcycle helmet makers really, truly do not consider the shape of our braincases.
While all human heads are, for the most part, oval, some are more round while others can be more elongated. The shape of your skull impacts how your helmet will fit.
You will have to try on a properly sized helmet to see if it fits your individual dome!
Trying the Helmet On
Does your new candidate helmet feel a little tight? If so, that is good! Feeling a little tight or a touch uncomfortable is ok but, it should not be inducing any pain to the back of your gourd, your temples, or your forehead. Any hotspots or truly uncomfortable pressure points will be a guarantee of a miserable ride.
If it is feeling tight but not duly uncomfortable (the padding should adapt over time) now, try turning the motorcycle helmet right and left then tilting it forward and back. If the helmet moves over your skin freely it is too big, try a smaller size.
If it seems to fit well, try to keep it on for at least 10-15 minutes. Does it still feel good? When you take it off are there any hotspots or rub marks? If not you may have a winner. If you are having comfort issues the helmet just might be the wrong shape for your head.
Try to Pull the Helmet Off
Last step, if everything else seems to be working as it should, reach over your head and grasp the bottom/back of the helmet. Try pulling it up and over your head. If it comes off, try a different size.
Final thoughts
While these are my recommendations, please do your own research on proper fitment. There are as many fitment recommendations as makers of motorcycle helmets.
Use these suggestions as a way to get started with getting a good fit. Never trust just one website, look at as many sources of information to make sure you fully understand.
Also, you can use these fitment techniques as a starting point to determine if your current motorcycle helmet is still good to go. Can you pull your current helmet over and off your head? Might be a good time to replace your primary safety device.
Ride On, Ride Safe
With April being Motorcycle Helmet Safety Month, now is a good time to check your lid. Below is a simple checklist to make sure your helmet is still good to go.
Ride On, Ride Safe
Be aware that this motorcycle recall list is for the United States for the last 30 days, 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.
*****
NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V175000
Manufacturer Bombardier Recreational Products, Inc.
Components EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Summary Bombardier Recreational Products, Inc. (BRP) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Spyder RT and 2022-2023 Ryker motorcycles. The brake lights may stay illuminated even if the brake pedal is not pressed. As such, these motorcycles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, “Lamps, Reflective Devices, and associated Equipment.”
Remedy Depending on the model, dealers will replace the brake light switch, adjust the brake light switch, and/or add a spring to the brake light switch, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 18, 2023. Owners may contact BRP Customer Service at 1-888-272-9222. BRP’s number for this recall is 2023-6.
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NHTSA Campaign Number: 23E021000
Manufacturer Ducati North America
Components EQUIPMENT
Summary Ducati North America (Ducati) is recalling certain Ducati Performance Desert X Soft Side Bags Kits with part number 96781971AA, designed to fit 2023 DesertX motorcycles. The right-side bag may contact the exhaust during motorcycle use.
Remedy As an interim action, dealers will provide owners updated assembly instructions. Once parts are available, dealers will install a new right-side bag frame. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Interim owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 13, 2023. Second letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Ducati customer service at 1-888-391-5446. Ducati’s number for this recall is SRV-RCL-23-001.
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NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V146000
Manufacturer Triumph Motorcycles America, Ltd.
Components SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Summary Triumph Motorcycles America, Ltd. (Triumph) is recalling certain 2023 Bonneville T120 and Bonneville T120 Black motorcycles. The left-hand side (LHS) brake disc may be improperly secured and can detach.
Remedy Dealers will install a replacement damper and also replace the disc bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 20, 2023. Owners may contact Triumph’s customer service at 1-678-854-2010. Triumph’s number for this recall is SRAN 606.
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NHTSA Campaign Number: 23E016000
Manufacturer Harbor Freight Tools
Components EQUIPMENT
Summary Harbor Freight Tools (Harbor Freight) is recalling certain Central Hydraulics High Position Motorcycle Lifts with part number 99887. The lift welds or tubing may break, which can allow the lift to fall or drop the motorcycle.
Remedy Harbor Freight will provide a refund in the form of a Harbor Freight gift card. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 28, 2023. Owners may contact Harbor Freight customer service at 1-800-444-3353.
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Manufacturer Royal Enfield North America Limited
Components SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Summary Royal Enfield North America Limited (Royal Enfield) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Himalayan motorcycles. The salt used to treat the roads in the winter may corrode the brake calipers, causing a decrease or total loss of brake function.
Remedy Dealers will replace the front and rear brake calipers, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a schedule for recall notification. Owners may contact Royal Enfield’s customer service at 1-866-600-1122. Royal Enfield’s number for this recall is SC-31.
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NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V123000
Manufacturer BMW of North America, LLC
Components SERVICE BRAKES
Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2023 S 1000 RR motorcycles. The motorcycle hand brake lever may not function correctly, reducing brake performance.
Remedy Dealers will replace the hand brake lever fulcrum pin, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 18, 2023. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
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NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V106000
Manufacturer Polaris Inc.
Components ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Summary Polaris Inc. (Polaris) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Slingshot R, Slingshot S with Technology Package 1, Slingshot SL, Slingshot SLR, and Slingshot S motorcycles. The alternator may have been improperly heat-treated during manufacturing.
Remedy Dealers will replace the alternator, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 8, 2023. Owners may contact Polaris’ customer service at 1-855-863-2284. Polaris’ number for this recall is T-23-01.
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RIDE ON, RIDE SAFE
Down Shift – Cardio Packtalk is now subscription based.
Cardio, one of the leaders in motorcycle helmet to helmet and helmet to device communications has made a MAJOR change to how their product works.
The Bluetooth communications and intercom maker now has “Packtalk Custom” to allow you to “customize” the way you connect. The device itself sells for about $250US.
So, what do you get out of the box? The ability to connect to nothing. You must subscribe to the Silver Package to connect to your phone OR navigation system, NOT BOTH.
Subscribing to the silver package for $3 dollars per month gets you:
Subscribing to the gold package for $5 dollars a month allows you to “expand your capabilities with Bluetooth intercom and a 2nd device”. The full gold package gives you:
Subscribing to the Platinum package for $7 dollars a month enables:
My Take – WOW, why would I pay $250 dollars for something that I cannot use out of the box? I will not be purchasing this device that is for sure. IN FACT, I THINK THIS IS STUPID!
While I am sure that there are people who will do this, I would hope the vast majority of people will go to other brands. We should not have to pay additional fees to be able to use the product we just bought. As is, you will need to pay $5 a month just to use what I consider basic features.
Ride two up…. an extra $7 per month to be able to talk with your passenger and do the normal stuff like phone and nav.
This subscription thing is a trend I have been seeing in other areas including cars and trucks and I hope that people are smart enough to not buy into this or otherwise it might spread.
I can easily imagine a day where if you wanted 5th gear you would have to pay a fee.
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Up Shift – International Female Ride Day 2023
The 17th International Female Ride Day falls on May the 6th this year.
For 16 years the IFRD has “shined a spotlight on women riders and females in the motorsports arena!”
Nearly 20% of riders are women and that number has been growing over the years and I do not expect that growth to end anytime soon. Coming out of the pandemic more people and especially women are feeling empowered to do the things that they really want.
The goals of the event are:
My Take: Anything that gets folks out and riding is a great thing! That this team has been encouraging women to mount up and ride is just awesome. I hope that we can grow the number of women riding from 20% to 30% in the next few years.
Ride on, Ride Safe
The Moment Collector is an anthology of short stories from motorcyclists traveling the world. The collector of these stories is Sam Manicom, himself a world traveler on two wheels.
Sam collected twenty tales from intrepid motorcycling travelers. As with all anthologies some stories are more engrossing than others, some writers are better than others. Yet overall, I enjoyed the book greatly.
I was familiar with a few of the authors, Tim Notier for example, but most were new to me. Mr. Manicom provided each writer’s social media information with their stories. A subtle but impactful touch that allowed me to see more about each of them.
As noted above, it is difficult for any collection of stories, or moments, to have every tale a hit. I am giving this book a 4-Star review because it is an anthology and not all the stories were great.
However…. It should be part of your motorcycle book library!
Ride On, Ride Safe
Other books of Sam Manicom I have reviewed: Tortillas and Totems
Full disclosure Sam authored a guest post on this blog, and I paid for this book and was not paid for the review.
Down Shift – National Motorcycle Museum is closing.
Sadly, the National Motorcycle Museum will close its doors in September. The museum in Anamosa, Iowa, was opened 22 years ago by the owners of J&P Cycle John and Jill Parham. John passed away in 2017.
Their notification stated, “We have struggled for several years to cover wages and utilities partly due to low visitations.”
The museum states that it will auction its collections to pay outstanding bills. This auction will include both motorcycles and memorabilia that the Parham’s collected over their many years in the motorcycle industry.
My Take Just another sad note reflecting both the results of the pandemic and the state of the motorcycle industry in America. Also, I am not sure that Anamosa, Iowa is a destination for a lot of folks. I would not be surprised if more “niche” museums closed their doors in the near future.
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Up Shift – Moto Guzzi Experience
Moto Guzzi motorcycles are sponsoring 3 events around the USA. The first up is in Bozeman, MT (June 28th-July3rd 2023). The second is in the Smoky Mountains starting in Knoxville, TN (August 30th-September 4th). The third Moto Guzzi Experience runs October 18th – 23rd in the Ozark Mountains around Bentonville AK.
All these events include tour leaders and support vehicles, and you can rent a Moto Guzzi if you do not want to ride yours to the event. Base costs? $2,500 if you rent a motorcycle, $1,500 if you bring your own and passengers cost $1,000. That cost includes hotels, full board (minus alcohol), the tour leader and support vehicle.
Folks who attend the event will get a discount on a new V100 Mandello or a V85TT afterwards. Discounts of up to $1,250 on a new bike is never a bad thing.
My Take: I am assuming these events are going to be similar to what the Harley Owners Group does with their annual rallies If that is the case it should be a lot of fun. In fact, we were at one of the HOG rallies last year in the Smokey Mountains. If you attend of these Moto Guzzi events let me know I would like to hear how it turned out.
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Ride on, Ride Safe
I JUST WANT 2 RIDE!! 