Exploring America’s Main Streets on a motorcycle

Brothers Brant and Dylan Ozanich and Wyatt McCall were at a motorcycle shop in Hamilton, Montana, ordering a part for Dylan’s bike when they met two old bikers from Texas and talked with them about their trip across the country.

Although they had no treasurer, Brant pointed to McCall to answer the question. “You guys are going to need this, trust me,” said one of the older men, handing him $200 in cash.

The three friends, all in their early 20s, admit they looked a little raggedy at the time. “It was straight kindness,” said McCall, and typical of the generosity of the bikers they met across the country. And it turns out, “we did need it the next day for more bike repairs.”

The generosity of strangers repeated itself during the two-month summer journey of three young men on the cusp of adulthood to find and document Main Street culture and people across the United States. And making the trip on motorcycles connected them not just to the towns and people they visited, but also to the country’s biker community.

An exploration of biker culture

Contributing their own money and raising funds from family, friends and Kickstarter, the trio started a blog, raised over $10,000 to fund the trip and pay for the pre- and post-production costs of documenting their journey. They documented the journey on their blog and the reddit online community, and they hope to have a documentary and book out sometime next year.

Traveling on motorcycles turned out to be key. Dylan rode a 1982 Yamaha XJ 750 Seca ($500 cost); Brant rode a 1980 Yamaha XJ 650 Maxim ($500); and McCall rode a 1985 Honda V65 Magna ($1500 cost). “On Maxim, On Magna, On Seca” was a mantra they picked up for the trip.

“We didn’t know motorcycles were going to be that much of a connection between people, but they were,” said McCall. “Every time you get to a new place, you’re part of this new community.”

“With motorcycles you feel the scenery and the microclimate change and smell the fields you drive through,” said Brant. “Besides, it’s just plain badass.”

Finding their first Main Street

They packed up their bikes and left around noon on July 6. They planned to head north, turn east to get to New York, south to Mississippi and then through Texas and the Southwest to return home to California, But they decided not to keep to a strict schedule, allowing for fellow travelers to guide them on their way.

It didn’t take long to hit pay dirt. A few hours after they hit the road, they found their first Main Street in Point Arena, a small town north of San Francisco.

As they hopped off their bikes, the locals they met convinced them to come back the next day for a parade marking Independence Day. “The whole community came out and let us be a part of it and accepted us into the community,” Dylan said.

That serendipity set the tone for the rest of the trip.

The best sandwich in Idaho, or anywhere

The travelers only had a guarantee of places to stay (and eat) in New York and Los Angeles. Everything else would be an exploration, local recommendations and possibly, information from their not-guaranteed Internet connections.

The road led them to a Mennonite deli in Clark Fork, Idaho, that “made the best sandwiches we’ve ever tasted,” said McCall. They bought sandwiches and drove a mile down the road into Montana near a bridge to picnic and more. “We jumped off the bridge to swim,” Dylan said. And the drive through the Bitterroot Mountain range that cuts Idaho and Montana wasn’t too shabby either.

They also explored the source of their food, working for five days at Echo Valley Farm in Wisconsin in exchange for room and board. “It was some of the most gorgeous, breathtaking American looking farmland I’ve ever seen, with rolling green hills and grain mills,” Brant said. “It felt like what we were looking for the whole time — true America heartland.”

The farm’s kindness was typical of the people who gave them shelter on their journey. “We pulled up, three dirty bikers, to this nice sustainable farm,” he said. They “showed us a nice place to park the bikes, took us on a tractor up around the whole property and told us about everything they were doing.”

A willingness of strangers to share their stories was also typical. Shortly after they crossed the Mason Dixon Line into Maryland and found a good campsite at Catoctin Mountain Park, they heard music coming through the woods. “Was it a violin or cello?” said McCall, so they went to explore it.

They discovered two older Korean men playing songs about Korea on their saxophones. “We found the coolest guys on the whole trip.”

Busted shocks and other struggles

The trip wasn’t without its troubles. San Francisco street cleaners knocked over Brant’s bike the day before they left on their trip, pulling off the entire front end. Brant thought he had repaired the damage that day, until the shocks stopped working somewhere in Montana.

“For a few days I didn’t know if my bike would be able to make it,” said Brant. But they were able to fix it. “He pulled it all apart in the forest, drained it and put in new fluid,” said Dylan.

Brant also had the smallest gas tank, holding a gallon less than the other two bikes. He also had the worst gas mileage. And so he ran out of gas at least five times on the trip, and coasted into gas stations on fumes at least three times. “I learned toward the end of the trip to carry a water bottle or two of gas.”

By the time they arrived home in San Francisco on August 28, everyone was glad to sleep in their own beds again.

“For the first six days back, McCall was at his girlfriend’s house, and Dylan and I sat on the couch watching movies,” said Brant.

‘An adult within my society’

Giving up the benefits of home for a couple months was worth the journey. Dylan left San Francisco thinking it would be a way to transition from his youth to adulthood. Along the way, he hoped to learn “what it means to be a man in my society.” While he doesn’t have any specific answers, “seeing my country and understanding what my country is about … helped me understand that more.”

While Brant has always liked to travel and experience new things, he thought he would graduate college, get a job and save for his next planned trip. Not anymore. “Being out there in America on the road, and roughing it, inspired me to book a plane ticket to South America with my last $400,” he said. “I thought, ‘If you did this, you can do pretty much anything without a lot of resources.’ “

McCall, who had graduated in May not knowing what he wanted to do, thinks travel and video may be his calling.(And he learned how to ride a motorcycle along the way.)

The three friends credit each other with making it an amazing experience. “We did get in fights and have problems, but we wouldn’t have been able to do it without each other,” said Dylan.

“Every different leg of the trip, there was one pushing, one dragging and one on a stretcher,” he said. “It would change every single day.”

“We wouldn’t have made it across the country and back without the others.”

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Source: KPLR (AP, 11/06)

Pioneering Electric Motorcycle Riders Complete Two Cross-Country Trips This Week

 Two electric motorcycle teams made cross-country trips across the U.S. this week. Terry Hershner, a green energy and electric vehicle advocate, took a solo trip from San Diego, Calif. to Jacksonville, Fla., riding a modified 2012 Zero S. The other, Team Moto Electra, took a replica vintage Norton Featherbed, that was electrified by Brian Richardson and a James Madison University team led by Dr. Robert Prins.

Hershner set out very early on May 31 from San Diego, and reached Jacksonville on June 5. He ran into a few snags, such as traffic accidents stalling traffic for miles, a large rainstorm in Texas, and a serious problem when the motor failed. Fixing the problem required the overnight delivery of a replacement motor from Zero Motorcycles, and late night motorcycle surgery by Hershner. Total travel time was 5 days 15 hours—including the 40 hours required for the roadside motor-ectomy, to cover 2,659 miles.

This makes Terry Hershner the first to complete a solo unassisted cross-country electric motorcycle trip.

If At First, You Don't Succeed...

Hershner's first cross-country attempt with his 2012 Zero S was last November, when he traveled from Orlando, Fla. to Los Angeles to attend the launch party for the 2013 Zero S. After he didn't quite make it, due to the long distances between charging stations along I-10 in Arizona, he spent the last six months living in California and modifying his bike for long-range travel. The battery pack capacity was increased to 18 kilowatt-hours—the stock Zero S has a nine kilowatt-hour pack—and charging rate was amped up to support a one-hour charge time. Legendary motorcycle designer Craig Vetter also lent a hand with aerodynamics.

Between the bigger pack and improved aerodynamics, Hershner can ride 150 miles or so on a charge, at 70 miles per hour. The one-hour charging system uses multiple Elcon 2500 chargers, for a total 13.5 kilowatt charging rate. It's designed to simultaneously plug into multiple power outlets or multiple J1772 charging stations.

The improved aerodynamic design of the fairing, a shell placed over the frame of some motorcycles, is the result of a few years research and design by Craig Vetter. He contends that motorcycles are aerodynamically inefficient, and with better fairing designs there could be huge fuel savings, whether that fuel is electricity or gasoline. With the fairing, a motorcycle becomes a smooth object that slides through the air—rather than getting pushed against air.

Mobile Charging

Team Moto Electra is the brainchild of Brian Richardson, of Blue Grass, Va. He built the electric motorcycle on a vintage Norton Featherbed frame, with technical assistance from Dr. Prins and his students at James Madison University. The bike was raced in the 2010-2011 TTXGP seasons, with AMA Motorcycle Racing champion Thad Wolff as the rider. They were the first team to race an electric bike in a sanctioned gas bike race.

They left Jacksonville, Fla. on June 3, and arrived in Santa Monica on the afternoon of June 6. There were no major snags, but they did have to get throttle parts shipped to them while near Tuscon.

For the trip, they upgraded the battery pack to provide longer riding range. The whole team was along for the ride, following along in a van and carrying a standalone generator for charging the bike. Wolff and Brian Richardson, the manager of Moto-Electra Racing, traded off riding duties.

Prior to the trip, Richardson said, “We will travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean using only the batteries in the vehicle.” He explained that Thad Wolff, one of the great AMA Superbike racers of the 1980s, would be racing against the clock.

Ride, Charge, Repeat

The pattern for both Moto Electra and Terry Hershner was to ride for about two hours, then charge for about an hour—repeating this pattern as many times as required.

The goal of both teams was to demonstrate the capability of fast charging for a long-range all-electric motorcycle trip. The 2:1 riding-to-charging ratio is quite different typical electric car trips that have a ratio of one hour of driving to three or four hours of charging. The more challenging ratio of driving-to-charging for most EVs is part of the problem for taking long-range trips in an electric car. Fast-charging potentially flips the ratio.

Tesla Motors and Nissan are investing in nationwide fast charging networks that could feasibly let electric car owners make road trips. Until then, electric vehicle owners have to be enterprising and brave to make long range trips. “At the turn of the 20th century, gasoline powered vehicles were useless for long distance travel,” said Richardson. “There were no roads, no filling stations, and the vehicles were not dependable. Our goal is to challenge perceptions about the useful range of electric vehicles, and set a world record in the process.” Mission accomplished.


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Source: PluginCars (Herron, 6/7)

DPS Urges Motorists to Use Caution Around Motorcyclists

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is reminding drivers on Texas roadways to use extra caution around motorcycles as part of Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month, which is observed during the month of May.

“Because of size and visibility, motorcyclists face unique challenges on the road that make them more vulnerable,” said DPS Director Steven McCraw. “We encourage all drivers – whether on two wheels or four – to actively watch out for each other and obey traffic laws. Motorcyclists can further protect themselves by wearing helmets; and other drivers can help by looking twice and giving extra space to motorcyclists.”

Currently, there are more than 440,000 motorcycles and mopeds registered in Texas, and that number is expected to grow.

DPS recommends all drivers “Share the Road” and “Look Twice” for motorcycles, which are Texas Department of Transportation public awareness campaigns that highlight motorcycle safety. Motorists should use caution, especially at intersections and when changing lanes – two common places where serious motorcycle collisions occur. Half of all fatal motorcycle crashes in Texas occur because a car or truck driver never saw the motorcyclist.

In 2012, 460 people in Texas died in motorcycle crashes – down from the 488 motorcyclists who died in 2011. However, those deaths accounted for approximately 13 percent of all traffic deaths in the state last year, and 89 percent of motorcycle crashes in Texas result in death or injury.

In addition to the annual awareness campaign, May 2013 also marks the 30th anniversary of the DPS Motorcycle Safety Unit. The unit coordinates training courses at more than 200 locations around the state for both basic and experienced riders. Motorcyclists must be properly licensed to operate a motorcycle in the State of Texas. For more information on motorcycle training or to find a training location in your area, please call 1-800-292-5787 or visit www.dps.texas.gov/msb.

Drivers and motorcyclists can significantly reduce their chances of being involved in a serious or fatal crash by adhering to basic safety measures, including:

• Always allow a motorcyclist the full lane width – never try to share a lane.

• Perform a visual check for motorcycles by checking mirrors and blind spots before entering or exiting a lane of traffic, and at intersections.

• Always signal your intentions before changing lanes or merging with traffic.

• Allow more following distance – three or four sec¬onds – when behind a motorcycle so the motorcyclist has enough time to maneuver or stop in an emer¬gency.

• Never tailgate. In dry conditions, motorcycles can stop more quickly than cars.

• Never drive while distracted.

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Source: KBTX (AP, 5/2)

Valerie Thompson Prepares for Texas Mile

Valerie Thompson, owner/driver of Valerie Thompson Racing (VTR), is hoping to set new land speed records during her first appearance at the Texas Mile race March 22-24 at Chase Field Industrial Complex in Beeville Texas. Thompson hopes to become a member of “200 MPH Club of Texas,” with her Martech Services Company sponsored BMW S1000 RR Superbike.

Popularity of the Texas Mile has grown rapidly since its inaugural event in October 2003, with participants from the US, Canada and Mexico testing themselves on one of the fastest and most challenging 1-mile tracks in the world. This bi-annual Motorsports Festival is welcomes racers in several categories, including motorcycles, high-performance street machines, racecars and land speed racers.

“I can’t wait to kick off our 2013 racing season at the legendary Texas Mile,” said Thompson. “We have been busy preparing our Superbike with new BMW Motorrad HP4 Race Parts, MS Production supplied carbon fiber race parts and new paint job by Orlando Autobody of Mesa Arizona. Even out tow vehicle has been improved with new Vision Wheels from our newest sponsor,” added Thompson.

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Source: Motorcycle U.S.A (AP, 3/20)

Bikers rally at State Capitol for new motorcycle bill

Hundreds of bikers rumbled their way to the State Capitol Monday morning to promote a new piece of legislation.

The group of bikers is asking state lawmakers to pass the Motorcycle Crash Prevention Act, a bill aimed at lowering the number of motorcycle accidents across Texas.

Among other things, the bill would provide funding to expand Texas’ “Share the Road” program--a public service campaign intended to make drivers more aware of motorcycles on the road.

If the proposed bill becomes law, it would also fund more training for riders.

One of the event’s organizers says she's optimistic about the bill passing, thanks to the motorcyclists' lobby.

"We're all registered voters and we're heavily involved in all the politics of the state,” Terri Williams with the Texas Motorcycle Rights Association said. “We want to make them aware of us in large numbers to let them know that we have the backing of the state of Texas with the motorcyclists."

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Source: YNN (AP, 1/28)

Driver sought in hit-and-run

A Hallsville man died Sunday night after wrecking his motorcycle and then being run over by a pickup truck whose driver fled the scene in rural Upshur County, said investigating Texas Depatment of Public Safety Trooper Brandon Love.

Officers were seeking a white pickup which ran over Maxwell Kyle Hardin, 35, as he lay in the roadway of FM 726 after wrecking the motorcycle in an accident which also injured his girlfriend, Love said.

Hardin died after being taken by ambulance to East Texas Medical Center Gilmer, where Upshur County Pct. 4 Justice of the Peace W.V. Ray pronounced him dead at 8:35 p.m., said Love.

Donna Rene Miller of Hallsville, who was marking her 36th birthday, was taken by ambulance to Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview with possible head injuries, but was expected to recover, Love said.

She and Hardin had left a birthday party for her at her home in Hallsville, the trooper said.

Authorities do not know whether it was the motorcycle crash, or the pickup, which killed Hardin, Love said.

The trooper gave this account of the accidents and related events:

The couple was southbound on FM 726 between the intersections with Hwy. 154 and FM 1650 (near Glenwood), when Hardin swerved the 1999 Honda Shadow to miss a deer. The driver lost control and ran into a ditch on the roadway’s right side, throwing him and Ms. Miller off the motorcycle.

Hardin was lying in the southbound lane when, probably within 30 seconds, the southbound pickup ran over him and stopped momentarily before continuing southward on FM 726.

A man who was sitting on his porch witnessed the motorcycle accident and was going to help when he saw the pickup run over Hardin.

The witness couldn’t tell anything about the driver, but said nobody exited the vehicle. Authorities have no description of it, other than it was a white pickup, and anyone with information on the incident is asked to call the Tyler DPS office at 903-939-6000 or the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office at 903-843-2541.

Leaving the scene of the accident was a felony offense.

Hardin and Ms. Miller weren’t wearing helmets, but she was able to call 911 on her cell phone. Love was notified of the incidents at 7:15 p.m.

Those were the first of four traffic crashes attributable at least partly to animals in rural Upshur County Sunday evening. The other two, both caused by a calf who strayed into FM 2263 three miles northeast of Gilmer (off Hwy. 155), resulted in no serious injuries, according to Love.

David Sterling, 55, of Gilmer, was southbound when his 2001 GMC pickup struck the calf, Love said. Sterling exited the truck, was charged by the animal, and received a minor knee injury when he ran and jumped back into the vehicle, said the trooper.

Love said he was called to that accident at 10:30 p.m., arrived at 10:39, and was turning his patrol car around when he witnessed the second crash. The calf had run northward up the road, and 55-year-old Amron Dailey of Gilmer overturned her southbound 2005 Chevrolet Malibu when she swerved to miss the animal, the trooper said.

“I saw her car rolling in my headlights  in the ditch. . . I saw it roll twice,” Love said at the scene. Ms. Dailey escaped injury when the vehicle ran off the roadway’s right side and ended up right side up, straddling a ditch.

Ms. Dailey was wearing her seat belt, which “definitely saved her from getting ejected,” Love said.

Both accidents occurred near the intersection with Blue Bell Road, and both Sterling and Ms. Dailey were alone in their vehicles, Love said. Both reside on FM 2263, he stated.

Love and an Upshur County Sheriff’s Deputy used a flashlight to spot the calf in a pasture beside the road. The animal jumped up and ran a short distance away from the officers into the pasture.

Rain began within an hour after Ms. Dailey’s crash.

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Source: The Gilmer Mirror (Williams, 1/31)

“No Hand Man” motorcyclist attempting hands-free 525-mile ride

Phil Comar has a bit of a double life. The 63-year-old Adrian, Mich., man works as a motorcycle safety trainer, teaching proper techniques to new riders. But for the past 20 years, Comar has been putting extra danger into his Harley rides by training himself to steer without using his hands. This weekend, he'll attempt to beat his own world record for charity by riding 525 miles hands free, without stopping. That's one way to keep from being distracted.

Comar -- nicknamed the "No Hand Man" -- says he encourages no one to follow in his wake and attempt to go 70 mph without using the handlebars. "I am about as close to being a professional as anyone has been when it comes to riding with no hands," he says, telling The Cincinnati Enquirer that he's never had an accident.

After Comar's father died in 2008 from Parkinson's disease, Comar began a series of fund-raising rides. His first ride in 2010 went 314 miles; last year he attempted the same 525-mile trip from the Mackinac Bridge to Covington, Ky., but only made 327 miles -- still good enough for the Guinness Book of World Records. His bike has a couple of modifications to make the trip, namely an extra fuel tank for range, but there's no secret device to keeping it on the road beyond Comar's legs.

Keeping a 550-lb Harley cruiser going straight without hands might not sound so hard. But as the video from one of Comar's rides shows, steering with your body requires a whole different set of skills. It looks impossible to make the smaller, constant corrections as you would with handlebars, and Comar has to plan ahead for any combination of traffic and turns. While a freeway offers far fewer corners, it also raises the speed to dangerous levels; Comar takes some precautions by having chase vehicles and another rider always nearby.

There are easier ways to raise money for charity, and if you want to help Comar reach his goal of $25,000 for the Michael J. Fox Foundation, you can donate here.

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Source: Yahoo (Hyde, 9/26)

Birthday crash almost snuffs 3 lives

A birthday celebration gone bad nearly cost the lives of three Bandera men during the early morning hours of Friday, April 27.

According to witnesses, Nancy Cruz, 28, of Bandera, was celebrating her birthday at the Longhorn Saloon on Bandera's Main Street. Shortly after midnight, Cruz left the bar and "drove her 1999 Mustang south on Highway 16 at a high rate of speed," preliminary Department of Public Safety reports state.

In the vicinity of the River Oaks Motel and Sonic, she apparently struck a motorcycle from behind and two pedestrians who were walking along the side of the road.

Cruz fled the scene, according to DPS reports.

Both pedestrians were air-lifted to University Hospital in San Antonio with serious injuries. The motorcycle rider was transported to Boerne Methodist by ambulance.

Cruz was arrested later in the day after turning herself in and, according to Bandera County Sheriff's Office arrest reports, was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

According to Capt. Charlie Hicks at BCSO, "there may be possible additional charges, pending a completed investigation."

According to Hicks, a Texas Ranger assisted the DPS with the investigation. He was not able to confirm if the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) was conducting an investigation regarding Cruz's condition at the Longhorn.

The motorcycle rider, 18-year-old Dakota Bates, had left work at the Longhorn where he was reportedly helping with the karaoke and on his way home, traveling south on Main Street.

According to a close family member, Bates "is home and is recovering."
The two injured pedestrians were Claude "Cowboy" Beghly, 43, and Eric Armstrong, 29, both of Bandera.

Beghly had been released from the hospital by Monday, April 30.

According to Armstrong's father, Eloy Armstrong, the young man suffered from bleeding in the brain and a lacerated liver, among other injuries.

[click here if you've been seriously injured in a motorcycle accident in Texas]

"Eric and Cowboy were walking either to or from the Shell Station," said Eloy. "They had nothing to do with it, they were just innocent bystanders."

The father was referring to rumors flying around town that Cruz had left the Longhorn angry at a bartender who had asked her to leave, waited outside until the bartender got off work, and then ran over him. However, Bates was not working as a bartender.

As of late Monday afternoon, the younger Armstrong was still in intensive care, heavily sedated, but improving, his father said.

Cruz bonded out of jail on a $75,000 bond on Saturday, April 28.

BCSO dispatch records show the accident happening at 12:27 am.

The investigation into the accident is continuing under the direction of the DPS with assistance from the BCSO and the Texas Rangers.

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source: Bandera County Courier (Edwards, 5/3)

ETX authorities release surveillance video in fatal hit and run wreck

TYLER - East Texas authorities need help finding the person who hit and killed a Smith County motorcyclist.

Not only did someone hit him, but they dragged his bike for nearly a mile and then left the scene.

DPS says early Sunday morning, the driver of a dark-colored truck hit the motorcyclist on Highway 64 East, just six miles outside of Tyler.

Joey Allen took us to the place his friend Jacky Jonston died early Sunday. It's the same place the two met 13 years ago.

"I ran out of gas in front of his house one night on the bike, and I walked across the street," says Allen, "I asked him if I could borrow some gas and his wife, Sharon, she stuck her head out the door and said, 'You want some breakfast?' and we were friends ever since."

Jonston was 65-years-old and nicknamed "ZZ" by friends for his ZZ Top beard. Though, they say sometimes he was called grumpy, "He always had something to say about something and he was grumping about it," says Allen.

Allen runs Smith County Cycles and built the bike Jonston was driving. He says Jonston's wife had passed away and he was just starting to get out and about again.

"He was a member of our club for many years. He was a good guy, no doubt about it. He'd do anything for you if he had the means and ways to do it," says Allen.

In Valero gas station surveillance video, a truck can be seen pushing Jonston's motorcycle down the highway. That video is what little evidence authorities have to track down the driver. DPS says the truck slammed into the back of Jonston's bike just as he was turning in to his driveway.

[view surveillance video here]

"You can see where they came back on the right side of the road, and you can see the skid marks from his bike tires sliding all the way over the hill," says Allen.

"The unidentified vehicle continued on down the road, and at some point stopped, realized something and dislodged the motorcycle," says DPS trooper Jean Dark.

Allen says he's not a vindictive person, but he's angry and wants to know who did this to his friend.

"I really truly wish somebody could man up and say what they did because the real disgrace in it is not owning up to what you did," he says.

Allen has driven up and down the road looking for clues, and with his eyes peeled for the truck that could have killed Jonston.

Authorities are asking anyone who may have seen the wreck or noticed a dark blue or black Ford heavy duty truck with front-end damage to contact them.

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source: KLTV (Torre, 4/2)

ASYTX Fundraiser Dinner and Dance to Help Injured Volunteer

AMARILLO -- A fundraiser dinner and dance for Hoss Lewman of Hardcore Motorcycle Ministry. The dinner is at 1401 West 8th street. All proceeds go to Hoss and his wife Stacey.

Cost is by donation.

Hoss was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident.

Hoss was very active with America Supports You Texas Welcome Home Rally's at the airport. He furnished the flags for the flag line when we greet and welcome home our military heroes.

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source: myhighplains.com (Wehmhoener, 2/24)

Back in the saddle again

After a 2001 motorcycle accident that resulted in permanent injuries, Tim Freeman said he thought he would never again feel the exhilarating, wind-in-your-face feeling that inspires so many bike enthusiasts.

But thanks to a specially modified bike Freeman bought this summer from a local motorcycle dealer and a lot of hard work, he is back on the road again. And he's loving it.

"I thought that would never happen again," Freeman said. "Right now I'm very, very, very happy."

Out of his passion for bikes and the open road, he founded the Night Riders motorcycle group in the 1980s in Fremont. Freeman later settled in the Washington, D.C., area, where he worked for 19 years as a corrections officer in the federal prison system.

On a warm November day in 2001, he said, he took his newly purchased motorcycle for a ride in Maryland. After turning onto a brand new road to explore, Freeman said, he lost control and careened off the still-soft pavement into a wooded area.

"I was knocked out," he said. "I laid there for three days."

Freeman's salvation was realized when a passing motorist finally spotted his bike's tail light, which she said was still illuminated, and called in emergency crews.

"The good Lord decided it wasn't my time," he said. "And I'm so thankful."

Freeman said he spent nearly a week inside a hospital as a "John Doe," since someone apparently stole his wallet before he arrived in the emergency room. He said he is not bitter about that or anything else surrounding the incident.

"I'm not mad," Freeman said.

More than 10 years later, he still suffers from some brain damage, vision problems, a knee injury that forces him to walk with a cane, and he has difficulty using the right side of his body.

"They told me I would never drive another car again," Freeman said.

Freeman retired from his job at the prison because of his injuries, but decided to settle in Fremont again after coming back to visit his son in 2008. After getting glasses that correct his double vision and passing his Ohio driving test, Freeman bought a car.

He said, during the years since his accident, the idea of getting back on a motorcycle kept creeping into his mind until it became a serious goal.

"I tried everything for a while to get the idea of riding a bike out of my mind," Freeman said. "It just wouldn't go nowhere. When I started thinking positive, I just couldn't let go of it."

One day, he saw a woman pull up next to his car riding a motorcycle with three wheels, commonly referred to as a trike. Freeman said something clicked in his mind, and he started searching out his own modified motorcycle.

Frank Chovan, a salesman at Schiets Motorsports, said he met Freeman last year when the man walked into the dealership ready to buy.

"He basically came in and said he wanted to ride a bike again and it was more important to him than breathing air," Chovan said.

Employees put their heads together, he said, and realized that outrigger-style wheels could be added to a motorcycle to prevent any danger of it tipping, since Freeman might have difficulty bracing himself on his right side.

Last autumn, Freeman treated himself to the brand-new, specially modified Suzuki Burgman 650 as a birthday present.

"It felt so good, because it didn't lean," Freeman said. "I can't fall."

In addition to the two extra wheels, the bike was also outfitted with a left-handed throttle kick to replace the typical throttle on the right-side handlebar.

Chovan said motorcycle instructor Darl Schiets helped Freeman with a refresher course and everyone at the business has grown close to the man.

"We've become great friends," Chovan said. "I'm just happy we were able to help Tim out and get him riding again."

So what's next for the man who wouldn't let a life-threatening crash keep him off a bike?

Freeman and the rest of the Night Riders are planning a ride to Texas in August.

"I gotta go," he said. "I just enjoy it a whole, whole, whole lot."

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source: The News Messenger (Tower, 1/24)

The Basics of Motorcycle Helmet Safety

It's not set in stone, but it is thought that the earliest motorcycle was built in 1885 by Gottlieb Daimler. A simple device, not intended for high speed, there was no thought for head protection. Indian followed suit in 1902, followed closely by Harley Davidson in 1903, with motorcycles that went faster than the predecessor. These two builders battled it out for fastest bikes in the interim of 1931 and 1953, and as their bikes got faster, so did the fatality rate from motorcycles crashes climb.

The history of the modern motorcycle helmet began in 1953 when Professor C.F. Lombard, known as "Red," of the University of Southern California (USC), applied for a patent for a motorcycle helmet that featured a dual layer of padding focused on the design of absorbing and distributing the shock of impact in the case of accident.

By 1958, California set the precedent for motorcycle safety by requiring motorcycle police officers to wear helmets; But the United States wasn't the only country beginning to understand the need for safety.

American National Safety Standard

On January, 1, 1961, Australia passed the first law mandating the use of motorcycle helmets, well that seemed to get the ball rolling. In The United States in 1966, the American National Safety Standard for Motorcycle Helmets was introduced, this organization set required performance standards for helmets that all manufacturers were required to build their helmets to

The Highway Safety Act of 1966 was introduced by the federal government which stated that helmet laws in all states were required to be eligible for federal funding for highway maintenance and construction. In 1974 the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) set safety standards that every motorcycle helmet was required to pass and all helmets must be inspected and have a DOT sticker to prove that the helmet passed the inspection and met the minimum requirements. The USC Head Protection Research Laboratories lobbied the federal government in 1997 to upgrade these standards.

Back to 1977, for reasons unknown, the federal government repealed the helmet law and within three years half of the states followed suit and repealed their own helmet laws. Motorcycle injuries and fatalities rose sharply, seems the people forgot that 80% of motorcycle accidents resulted in injury or death. Statistics show that a motorcyclist is twenty-one times per driven mile more likely to be killed than persons driving cars.

The Attractiveness of the Helmet

This risk decreases by 29% if a helmet is worn. But, opponents to helmet laws cite freedom of choice as to whether or not they should wear a helmet, regardless of what the statistics show based on the thought that it didn't hurt anyone except themselves. Wrong! The numbers showed that more likely than not, those that chose "freedom of choice" and didn't wear helmets, usually chose not to have insurance as well. When these persons were injured in accidents it was left for the taxpayers to absorb the cost of their hospitalization. Not to mention the effect on friends and family when left to care for a paraplegic or quadriplegic loved one, without the benefit of insurance to pay for their care. Currently only three states do not have mandatory helmet laws.

The Biker Lawyers are experienced Texas motorcycle accident lawyers that also love to ride. We know Texas motorcycle law and the bias against bikers; therefore, we are dedicated to aggressively winning motorcycle accident cases. We will actively fight to not only protect your rights, but also win the settlement you deserve.

The Cole Legal Group regularly represents motorcycle accident clients all over the great state of Texas, including Dallas, Austin, Houston, San Antonio, and Waxahachie. Call us today at 1-800-245-5539 for a free case evaluation!

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Texas Officers Discuss The Perils of Motorcycle Escort Duty

Nearly every day, Houston-area motorists share streets and freeways with police officers on motorcycle who are escorting funerals, dignitaries, wide-cargo loads or controlling traffic outside sporting events.

The two-wheeled duty can be dangerous and even deadly: At least one officer was killed and seven others were injured as off-duty escorts in the past five years, according to a Houston Chronicle accident analysis.

Sgt. Matt Novotny, 52, is recovering from a broken pelvis and other severe injuries he received when was hit by a motorist Dec. 12. Novotny, the head of Pasadena Police Department's 10-officer motorcycle unit, was working an off-duty job escorting a funeral when he was hit at the intersection of West Fuqua and Almeda. The female driver, who police determined was not impaired, had a green light but apparently failed to see the officer.

"It is a very dangerous thing," said Vance Mitchell, spokesman for the Pasadena police. "This is probably the worse we've had, and this is the third one in the last 12 months."

The most recent death appears to be a January 2008 accident that killed Harris County Precinct 7 Deputy Constable David Joubert, 60, who was on his way to escorting a funeral in Houston when a car pulled in front of him.

Vehicle of choice

Toy Leach is one of the Houston Police Department's 46 officers assigned to the motorcycle detail, officers who have to requalify annually to ride their Harley-Davidson Road King police motorcycles. Motorcycles are the vehicle of choice for escorts because they can maneuver between cars to clear congested intersections.

"The intersections are the hardest because some of them are big, and they're three lanes coming from each direction," said Leach, a two-year veteran. "So when a motorcycle goes up there and puts their lights and sirens on, the people don't see you on a motorcycle anyway. The intersection is the most dangerous part, you have people running red lights and stuff like that."

The Harris County Sheriff's Office currently employs nine full-time motorcycle officers assigned to traffic investigations, and another 22 who work only off-duty escorts of oversize cargo loads or funerals processions. Three deputies have died over the past 30 years in motorcycle accidents, and two were escorting funerals. The latest was Deputy Keith Fricke, who died in June 1997 after a car cut through the procession and hit Fricke's motorcycle.

Lt. Darryl Coleman, head of the Harris County Sheriff's Office traffic enforcement section, said the biggest danger is motorists who don't notice the motorcycle officers, even when they are using their emergency lights and have sirens on.

"The known dangers are the unaware motorists, the inattentive motorists who not aware of the police motorcycle who is approaching them," said Lt. Darryl Coleman. "The (motorcycle officer) has to be on the lookout for the driver who is not on the lookout for them."

Coleman said it has been years since a sheriff's motorcycle officer died, and the most recent accident was last December when a deputy was injured while escorting participants in the Texas Bowl football game near the Galleria.

A Houston city ordinance requires that all funeral processions be escorted by at least one police motorcycle, and at least two for a procession of more than 10 vehicles. Off-duty motorcycle officers are hired by funeral homes to do the escorts, and they are paid from $125 to $225, depending on the number of stops and which department the officers belong to.

Call to repeal ordinance

In addition to the off-duty escorts, police departments assign motorcycle officers while on duty to escort funerals of officers and their families, as well as escorting visiting dignitaries.

Houston police, since January 2010, have assigned their motorcycle officers to escort vehicles at 188 events, including 151 funerals of police officers and their relatives, as well as other city workers. The remaining escorts were either for dignitaries or for traffic control at major sporting events.

HPD said its last serious motorcycle accident took place when Officer Scott Hamilton was escorting a funeral in January 2010. His injuries required multiple reconstructive surgeries to his face, causing him to retire for medical reasons.

One Houston funeral director wants elected officials to repeal the ordinance requiring motorcycle escorts for a funeral procession, saying it has become increasingly dangerous to officers and those in the motorcade. He'd rather have mourners meet the hearse and the family at the church or cemetery.

"I've seen over the years it's getting more dangerous. We're endangering the police officers, and the people going down the road and the people in the procession," said Greg Compean, owner of Compean Funeral Home. "It comes at a cost, and I'm not talking about economics but about someone getting seriously hurt, or even killed."

Refusal to yield

Leach, the HPD officer, says motorists have sometimes refused to yield to a police escort, forcing him to explain that city ordinance extends the authority of a police emergency vehicle to off-duty escorts.

But the motorcycle officers are mainly concerned with the drivers who are zooming along, talking on their cell phones or otherwise not paying attention.

"You're ready to move out of the way if a car's coming. You've got your head on a swivel," Leach said.

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source: officer.com (Pinkerton, 12/19)

The Dangers of Risky Lane Change As Reported by a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

If you were injured on a motorcycle simply because another vehicle driver made a risky lane change, you'll need a talented motorcycle accident attorney to defend your privileges. According to research, more than 55,000 bikers are involved in one incident or another yearly. These mishaps typically end in fatality and serious physical injuries. One of the major reasons behind these accidents is unsafe lane change by reckless motorists. Once another motorist is reckless and illegally switches lanes, causing you to lose control of your motorcycle or collide with another vehicle, an attorney can assist you to get compensation for all of your damages, which includes lost pay or wages, medical expenditures, loss of companionship or consortium, and actual physical pain and suffering.

Driving through traffic is stressful and sometimes frightening. One contributing factor is the overly aggressive behavior of some drivers. Drivers of passenger vehicles who perform unsafe lane changes as well as other dangerous maneuvers additionally result in many serious automobile accidents. Changing lanes isn't easy. Making a lane change may be very complex and can be rather risky. Yet, every vehicle driver must understand how to switch lanes. If you're a parent, coach your teen the way to change lanes correctly, because this is not a move to be taken frivolously.

When changing lanes, use your blinker or use hand signals. Only switch one lane at a time and never switch lanes in a location where lanes are defined by solid lines (yellow or white, single or double). Only do this where the roads are marked by broken or dashed lines. Be sure never to accelerate or cut anyone off while changing lanes. It can be dangerous to change lanes in a school area. Don't change lanes in an intersection, or too close to the intersection. It's advisable to wait until you're past the light before changing lanes.

Now, if perhaps you were injured by another driver due to unsafe lane change it's a good idea to employ a motorcycle accident lawyer to assist you. A motorcycle accident attorney is somebody who has specialty in the field and definitely will deal with your case with accuracy. He is familiar with the ramifications which are involved in a legal strategy. He can approximate the chances of your case and you will thereby get a distinct concept of what might be the result of such a case. An essential advantage of finding a motorcycle accident lawyer can promise you that the case is being worked by someone who is familiar with this field and knows perfectly what ought to be the subsequent step. Therefore, you can ease your mind of the pressure and stress.

When you're suffering from a personal injury, the last thing you'll need is a lot of anxiety. Selecting a motorcycle accident attorney could help you stand to get much better compensation or settlement. Through the help of a motorcycle accident lawyer, the chances of getting well recompensed are tremendously enhanced. Bottom line is you are in position to gain more through the help of a motorcycle accident lawyer or attorney.

The Cole Legal Group are experienced Texas motorcycle accident lawyers that also love to ride. We know Texas motorcycle law and the bias against bikers; therefore, we are dedicated to aggressively winning motorcycle accident cases. We will actively fight to not only protect your rights, but also win the settlement you deserve.

We regularly represents motorcycle accident clients all over the great state of Texas, including Austin, Houston, San Antonio, Amarillo, Waco and Lubbock. Contact us with this online form, or call us today at 1-800-245-5539 for a free case evaluation!