For fellow bikers that are heading down to Daytona Bike Week, we want to give you a warning about traveling through Georgia.  A $70,000 federal grant was awarded to the state to set up motorcycle only checkpoints.  Bikers will be instructed by portable road signs to pull off the road where they will be inspected for a properly endorsed license, a DOT approved helmet, and the condition of their bikes including good tires, and working headlights & taillights.  The checkpoints have been reported to be operating from 8am to 5pm on I-75 at the vehicle inspection station in Monroe County and on I-95 in Chatham County.

While discussions about these types of checkpoints have gotten very heated, it's best to abide by Georgia's laws while passing through to bike week.  The estimated delay for bikers with proper equipment and endorsements should only be a few minutes.

Electric motorcycle maker Zero has released their new model, the XU that comes equipped with a removable battery pack to make charging more convenient.  The battery can be taken inside and charged in about an hour.  With the purchase and charging of multiple batteries non-stop use can be achieved by simply carrying the batteries with you and swapping them out as you lose your charge.  The XU was designed for more city riding, while Zero's previous models, the X and MX were designed specifically for off-road use.

Another bonus, without the removable battery pack, no one can steal your motorcycle!

Do you want to immerse yourself in the world of Harley-Davidson?  Or do you just miss that old summer camp feeling?  Well H-D is providing a way to for biker enthusiasts to do both!

The Harley-Davidson Museum is hosting 5 day motorcycle camps throughout 2011 in their hometown of Milwaukee.  May 9th-14th is Biker Boot Camp for Women, June 27th-July1st is H-D Fantasy Camp and July 6th-11th is Speed Camp.  All camps feature unique tours and rides aimed specifically for the registered group.  Cost is $3,000 which includes a night out, riding time on a Harley, hotel, transportation to all camp destinations, admissions to all planned activities and of course food.  Each group is only accepting 20 riders so if this sounds like your kind of vacation, register now at http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/HD_Museum/programs.jsp?locale=en_US or call 414-287-2799

Have you ever been riding your motorcycle and decided it was time for a nap?  Although the grassy patch on the side of the road may seem like a cozy place to doze off, it can cause other drivers to assume the worst.  A man in New Zealand recently laid his bike down next to him while napping on the side of the highway.  Another driver, assuming the man had been hit by a car and was unconscious, called for an ambulance.  When the local police realized the man was just sleeping they warned him to always keep his bike standing up when stopping for a rest.  Although there was no accident in this situation, The Motorcycle Lawyer recommends always stopping at a designated rest stop while riding your motorcycle.

Motorcycle-USA released it's Motorcycle Ride Guide this week, a one-stop tool for bikers to find riding destinations throughout the country.  You can now enter your current State and riding style, then through "Ride with GPS" you can download a map of your ride.  The new Ride Guide will also encourage bikers to share their favorite rides and enjoy locations they may never have known about.  To visit this great new site go to http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/Motorcycle-Ride-Guide.aspx 

The Motorcycle Lawyer represents injured bikers all across the country so let us know about some of your favorite rides either here or on our facebook  www.facebook.com/TheMotorcycleLawyer

Dream Machines of Austin, TX has just expanded it's customer base by launching www.dreammachinesofaustin.com to make their entire inventory available online.  Dream Machines stocks a wide variety of bikes from Harley's to custom choppers.  The store also buys and sells used bikes which means that their stock is constantly changing, they typically have more than 300 bikes in their showroom.  A spokesperson for Dream Machines said "We wanted to open our virtual doors to people outside of Austin.  While our primary customer base remains those people searching for motorcycles for sale in Austin, TX, we understand that our bikes might meet the needs of someone else.  Non-local customers can now purchase online and have their bikes delivered to their doorsteps."  The company also offers one to three-year mechanical warranties on all bikes purchased from them.  The Motorcycle Lawyer represents injured bikers all over the country including states like Texas and Florida.

25 years ago, a small study was done with results that showed the weight of helmets on motorcyclists can increase the risk of spinal cord injury by causing added torque on the rider's neck.  Well, that study has proved to have flawed results as discovered by research scientists at Johns Hopkins.  The actual statistics show that those wearing helmets are actually 22% less likely to have a cervical spine injury.  The study also proved a dramatic decrease in the likelihood of traumatic brain injury and death for helmet wearers.  The study is published online in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.  The Motorcycle Lawyer represents injured bikers across the country and whether you choose to wear a helmet or not you can always call us in the event of an accident at 1-877-BIKERLAW

Recently, The Motorcycle Lawyer was informed that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (DOT) has created a program to provide FREE safety training to motorcyclists.  Anyone with a motorcycle permit or license can enroll in the Motorcycle Safety Program at 70 different locations throughout the state.  It's a 15 hour basic skills course where motorcycles and gear are provided.  Once passed, the rider can enroll in the 6 hour Basic Rider 2 course (for experienced riders).  In the advanced course you must provide your own motorcycle and gear and the student is permitted to practice riding with a passenger.  To learn more about these courses or to enroll please visit http://www.pamsp.com/

In December 2010, H-D sponsored a BMX tour for military bases in Iraq and Kuwait called "Bikes Over Baghdad".  All military members in attendance were entered to win a new Harley-Davidson XR1200X.  The winer has finally been announced and the lucky soldier is Army Specialist Jonny Artmann of Silver Lake, Minnesota.  He is currently serving in Iraq as a Robotics Technician.  The Motorcycle Lawyer sends a heartfelt congratulations to Jonny and thanks him for serving our country!