Bikes in the Fast Lane: Top Internet Stories - 29 September 2012 plus 2 more

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• Top Internet Stories - 29 September 2012
• France: Police Allowed To Get BMW Motorcycles Again, Finally
• Loaded - On My Way To Intermot 2012

Top Internet Stories - 29 September 2012 Posted: 28 Sep 2012 09:00 AM PDT Just because I'm travelling doesn't mean I don't read motorcycles stories. Here are a few articles that have appeared over the last week. - Electric Cowboy rides Zero S, sets speed records on Bonneville Salt Flats (Autobloggreen) - Los Angeles Fire Department tries out a motorcycle response unit (La Times) - The American Superbike, Past Present And Future (Hell For Leather Magazine) - I Hate Motorcycles (Road Captain Usa) - Air Cav Troopers Conduct Motorcycle Mentorship Ride Learn About Safety (Defense Video & Imagery Distribution)

France: Police Allowed To Get BMW Motorcycles Again, Finally Posted: 28 Sep 2012 05:00 AM PDT Several years ago, BMW lost the contract of supplying the Gendarmes, National Police and Customs officers with Bavarian-made (Berlin actually) motorcycles. Instead, the authorities decided to buy their officers Yamaha FJR1300 motorcycles. Now, BMW France announced that they will be supplying the Law Enforcement Officers from the different units with BMW R1200RT "Special Administration", or better "Police" version. BMW's contract is for 3 years. So now the big question is why are they going back to BMW. Did the Yamaha not fulfill it's role, was it too expensive (doubtful), or what was the reason BMW got the contract back??? No numbers were announced, only that the contract is for 3 years. ...

Loaded - On My Way To Intermot 2012 Posted: 28 Sep 2012 11:00 PM PDT I'm on the long road to the German Intermot motorcycle exhibition. It's a long journey, and I should arrive on Monday. I'll be travelling mostly by train, and this weekend I'll be in Paris, and then by high-speed train to Cologne. I should be back Thursday afternoon, so in the mean time, I've got a few articles pre-programmed to keep you busy. Have fun, and back on Thursday. ...

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Bikes in the Fast Lane: Husaberg Has Updated Their Web Site plus 2 more

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• Husaberg Has Updated Their Web Site
• Video: Getting Around Hong Kong On A Brammo
• France: First Breathalyzer Distribution Machine?

Husaberg Has Updated Their Web Site Posted: 27 Sep 2012 09:00 AM PDT KTM owned Husaberg have recently updated their web site. It has become a very much web 2.0 site, well color coordinated (everything is blue and yellow), and you can navigate around their site with ease. The images they use are cool, it looks a bit like 3D. Surprisingly, the free wallpapers have similar photos as background, so it looks like some designer really went to town and redesigned the web site from the ground up. ...

Video: Getting Around Hong Kong On A Brammo Posted: 27 Sep 2012 05:00 AM PDT Brammo Hong Kong released an interesting video of one of their Enertia electric motorcycles riding around and into Hong Kong. It's interesting since a) Hong Kong is an enormous big city, and b) you get to see how an electric motorcycle holds up in city traffic. In the 20 minute long video, you get to see mostly motorway riding, so no stopping (and therefore recharging the battery) except for the toll booth (around the 4:30 mark). The first thing that will strike you is the noise level! Don't for one moment think that electric motorcycles are totally silent; they're not. The engine itself makes a whining noise, and the chain adds to that. It's quieter than traditional motorcycles, but not silent....... .........Click on the headline to continue reading this story....... ...

France: First Breathalyzer Distribution Machine? Posted: 26 Sep 2012 11:00 PM PDT You knew if was coming. With the mandatory breathalyzer requirement for cars and motorcycles (you need to have at least one in working condition on you) and the difficulties of obtaining the units here in France, the first machine not located in a disco that distributes the homologated breathalyzer has been installed at a driving school. The owner of the school installed the unit as prevention (imagine showing up for driving lessons drunk..) and because many people didn't know where to buy the mandatory alcohol testing units. He's selling the breathalyzer for €2 per unit (which is what they cost in gas stations, if you can find one). You used to find some of these machines in discos, but I'm sure you'll be seeing these distributors popping up in the most unexpected places, like parkings, police stations, motorcycle dealers.. etc. In the mean time, the manufacturer of the breathalyzer is rubbing his hands while raking in the money. But that is because he's the one who got the stupid law passed in France, so that he could sell millions of units. ...

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Bikes in the Fast Lane: Video: 3 Good Motorcycle Safety Ads From Utah plus 2 more

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• Video: 3 Good Motorcycle Safety Ads From Utah
• Apps: Smartphone Helps You Avoid Red Lights
• Paris: Ring Road (Peripherique) Speed To Be Lowered?

Video: 3 Good Motorcycle Safety Ads From Utah Posted: 26 Sep 2012 09:00 AM PDT Between Colorado and Utah it's a tossup for who produces the best safety TV commercials. Both states are very active in road safety advertisements, cars and motorcycles. The Utah Department of Safety (DPS) just released three very short TV PSAs that hit home in their simplicity and message. Very short, 15 seconds each, I particularly like the first one, since it's slogan is very good: "Body Shops Can't Repair Bodies". The second one is good too if you listen to the introduction. The last one is not bad, but less than the others. All three commercials are divided between car and motorcycles riders need to pay attention.... ...

Apps: Smartphone Helps You Avoid Red Lights Posted: 26 Sep 2012 05:00 AM PDT I knew there was some very usefulness for smartphones, somewhere. Yes, phoning is nice, but so 1990's, texting is nice, but so 2000's, navigation is nice, but so 2010. No, what's really cool is when your smartphone app tell you how fast you should go to catch the next light green. And it's something that's going to happen shortly. The geeks at MIT have designed a smartphone app that does exactly that. Using the front camera of your phone (if your phone doesn't have one, stop reading now and go back to your Tandy TRS-80), the software detects when traffic lights change color (red, orange, green), and using complicated formulas (which only MIT folks can understand), it will tell you at what speed you need to be travelling on your motorcycle to reach the light while it's green. So no more stopping for red lights (and no more drag races). But it's not just a formula, since that wouldn't be possible....... ......Click on the headline to continue reading this story....... ...

Paris: Ring Road (Peripherique) Speed To Be Lowered? Posted: 25 Sep 2012 11:00 PM PDT Yet another proof that the leaders are losing it. The Mayor of Paris, Delanoe (a very anti-motorcycle man), is looking at lowering the important Parisian ring road (called the Boulevard Peripherique, or BP) speed limit to 70 kph from 80 kph. First of all, it's funny, since between Monday and Friday, day and night, that road is so heavily used, the average speed is 15 kph for cars, and 30 kph for motorcycles. The only times the ring road is open is late at night on the weekend, and then speeds are often 150 kph, way above the authorized speed limit, and then by the young kids from the "burbs" in their GTIs. So why even bother using the little brain power you have to occupy yourself with issues that do nothing? Instead use your brain cells to do something about important issues in the French capital, like motorcycle parking areas, allowing motorcycles to ride in the bus lanes, allow motorcycles to split lanes, allow motorcycles ...... bla bla bla. There are so many real issues out there. According to the Mayor, it's to fight pollution. Pollution? The only pollution I see is when politicians speak. ...

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Bikes in the Fast Lane: Video: Kawasaki ZX-14R Soul Of A Ninja plus 2 more

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• Video: Kawasaki ZX-14R Soul Of A Ninja
• Goodyear: Shortly Never Need To Inflate Your Tires Again
• Australia: Mandatory High-Visibility Clothing Coming?

Video: Kawasaki ZX-14R Soul Of A Ninja Posted: 25 Sep 2012 09:00 AM PDT This is a very cool TV commercial from Kawasaki which they ran in North America for the introduction of the ZX-14R Ninja for 2012. The spooky part is the voice-over by DMX, with a rap song, a motorcycle speeding through a tunnel.... goose bumps. Just listen to the lyrics... ...

Goodyear: Shortly Never Need To Inflate Your Tires Again Posted: 25 Sep 2012 05:00 AM PDT Good news for lazy people like me. Checking for your tire pressure is a thing that you must do on a very regular basis. Under or over tire pressure not only can cost you more petrol, but is very unsafe. But it's a hassle to check the tire pressure. Knowing myself and my laziness, I've even installed a wireless tire pressure system on my BMW, but I haven't been able to do it on the Ducati. And I usually don't check it.... bad boy! Well, for people like me, Goodyear is coming with a solution that is heaven sent. It's a totally self-contained self-inflating tire technology called Goodyear's Air Maintenance Technology (AMT). This very smart system sits inside the tire, and is not connected in any shape to the vehicle, so no pumps, hoses or wires. Inside the tire is a regulator system that checks the tire pressure...... ......Click on the headline to continue reading this story....... ...

Australia: Mandatory High-Visibility Clothing Coming? Posted: 24 Sep 2012 11:00 PM PDT It looks like we in France (and others) aren't the only ones who will be forced to wear hi-viz gear when riding our motorcycles. In Australia, one misguided cop has gotten in his mind that he can save many of the 200 or so motorcycle related deaths per year amongst the 1.3 million riders. He is trying to push through legislation that will force motorcycle riders to wear hi-visibility clothing, day and night. He reckons that this way, bikers will be more visible to car drivers, and therefore avoid accidents (we'll become target fixation, that's probably more like it) On the rider side, they are totally opposed to the idea....... .......Click on the headline to continue reading this story....... ...

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