July 20th, 2015 at 3:31 pm 
July is Women's Motorcycle Month! Every week for the month of July, visit our blog to read about some of the pioneers of women's motorcycling.
Dot Robinson
From before she was even born, Dorothy “Dot” Robinson was surrounded by motorcycles. When her mother went into labor on April 22, 1912, her father rushed her to the hospital in the sidecar of his motorcycle. Beyond that, motorcycles were in Dot's blood. Her father designed sidecars and was an amateur racer. Dot and her family moved to Michigan when she was six years old, where her father ran a motorcycle dealership.
She started riding when she was young, and earned her first trophy in the Flint 100 Endurance race back in 1930. Dot met her husband, Earl Robinson, while working in her father's motorcycle shop. She and Earl married in 1931, and in 1935 made a record transcontinental run together. After that, they were invited to run a Harley-Davidson dealership in Detroit. They ran the shop until 1971, then sold it to travel the world by motorcycle.
While running the shop with her husband, Dot was also busy becoming the first woman to win an AMA national competition in 1940 and again in 1946. She was also a founding member of the Motor Maids, a women's motorcycle club that still exists today, which was featured extensively in American Motorcyclist Magazine. Dot began wearing her signature pink motorcycle gear in the 1950s in order to distinguish herself from the motorcycle “outlaws” portrayed in film wearing all-black leathers.
Dot Robinson, motorcycle pioneer, passed away at the age of 87 in 1999. She guessed that in her lifetime she had traveled more than a million miles on a motorcycle.
What do you think? Did Dot Robinson help pave the way for women motorcyclists of the future? Share your opinion below, or join the conversation on Facebook!
Source(s):
http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/asp/museum/exhibits/heroesofharley/biopage1.asp?id=78
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July 13th, 2015 at 12:15 pm
July is Women's Motorcycle Month! Every week for the month of July, visit our blog to read about some of the pioneers of women's motorcycling.
EFFIE AND AVIS HOTCHKISS
Effie and Avis Hotchkiss were a mother and daughter team that had no intention of setting any records or gaining any fame, they simply wanted to see America and thought a Harley-Davidson would be the best way to do just that.
They started their epic ride in New York and headed to San Francisco for the World's Fair. They traveled through Salt Lake City, Chicago, and Milwaukee, to name a few. Their two-month trip, beginning in 1915, was the first recorded all-female cross-country motorcycle ride. They brought along tools, camping gear, and pots and pans; there were few hotels, restaurants, and repair shops along their route.
What do you think? Did this mother-daughter duo pave the way for women motorcyclists of the future? Share your opinion below, or join the conversation on Facebook!
Source(s):
http://vrumblesramblingbikerblog.wordpress.com/2012/02/09/effie-and-avis-hotchkiss-riding-into-history/
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July 1st, 2015 at 4:22 pm
Women have been riding motorcycles for well over a hundred years, but over the last decade ridership has increased dramatically.
In fact, according to a recent Motorcycle Industry Council ownership survey, over twelve percent of motorcycle owners are women, and more than twenty-five percent of motorcycle riders are women (including passengers). In 2008, there were more than 5.7 female motorcyclists in the United States. You go, girl!
Harley-Davidson commissioned a study to learn what makes female bikers tick. What they found is that women motorcyclists are happier in general with their lives, their partners, and their leisure time than women who don't ride motorcycles.
In celebration of Women's Motorcycle Month, I want to ask all vehicle drivers to please Watch for Motorcyclists when you're on the road. See the biker, not the bike; that rider is somebody's daughter, wife, mom, or sister. Be careful and be vigilant.
I am also inviting women riders to join our Facebook community and share their stories. Ladies, what makes you ride? What do you get out of it? How did you get started? What would you tell other women thinking about riding, or just starting out? Finally, I want to hear your BEST motorcycling story. Let's get the conversation going!
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June 19th, 2015 at 1:52 pm
June 2015
Updates from The Motorcycle Lawyer
The Law Offices
of Jason Waechter
Jason Waechter and his team of lawyers specialize in personal injury law across the United States. If you or anyone you know has been injured, please call us today… we want to help!
Headquarters:
19080 W. Ten Mile Rd.
Southfield, MI, 48075
1-800-708-LIFE
1-877-BIKER-LAW
Get out and Ride!
Did you Ride to Work on June 15?
Monday, June 15, was International Ride to Work Day, a chance for motorcyclists around the world to ride together to help raise awareness that motorcycles are everywhere… and a great excuse to ride your motorcycle on a week day!
This was the 23rd year for International Ride to Work Day, which started in 1992 with then-editor of Road Rider Magazine Fred Rau suggested it in an editorial. The idea started out slowly, with various business-sponsored and grass roots events happening around the world. A non-profit group of the same name (Ride to Work) was formed in 2000, and International Ride to Work Day is now celebrated on the third Monday in June every year in at least fourteen countries.
Did you ride to work on Monday, June 15? How was it? Did you see a lot of bikes that day in your area? Let us know!
Find us on Facebook,follow us on Twitter, or send your story to writer@lawyerforlife.com.
July is Women's Motorcycle Month
Tell us why you ride.
July is Women's Motorcycle Month, and we want to hear women's stories from the road. What made you decide to start riding a motorcycle? What is your favorite route? How does motorcycling improve your life? Email your story to writer@lawyerforlife.com, share it on our Facebook page, or Tweet us.
Did you know…?
- Women have been riding motorcycles longer than they've had the vote.
- Women who ride motorcycles report feelinghappier, more confident, and sexier than women who don't*.
- About 12% of motorcycle owners, and about 25% of motorcycle riders are women**.
- Many women list “freedom” as the number one thing they love about riding motorcycles*.
- Ridership among women increased by 35% from 2003 to 2012**.
- Close to half of women who ride prefer cruisers over sport bikes**.
Know a woman who rides? Let her know we want to hear from her! Please forward this newsletter or like us on Facebook so we can reach and potentially help more bikers.
Beyond Motorcycle Accident Injury Cases
If you're injured, we're here to help
Obviously, the focus of this newsletter is our motorcycle accident injury practice, but did you know we can help with all kinds of injury cases?
As if that's not enough, I have also personally researched and vetted injury attorneys across the country, in order to build a nationwide network of top accident injury lawyers. No matter what city or state you were injured in, we can connect you with a top attorney to help you with your case.
If you or someone you care about has been injured, call us as soon as possible to get us working for you: 1-800-708-5433.
What have we been up to? Check it out!
2015 Michigan
Motorcycle Events…ßclick
Like us? Tell us… and the world!
We want to reach more bikers who need our help
Write a review to tell people what you like about our firm and the services we offer. If you don't have a Yelp account, that's ok: Just click here, write your review, then click "sign up and post". It'll take you through a quick and easy registration, and you can post your review right away.
Be sure to share your review with us by posting on our Facebook page.
*According to a 2012 Kelton study commissioned by Harley-Davidson
**According to the 2012 Motorcycle Industry Council ownership survey
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May 28th, 2015 at 2:08 pm
In honor of this week, I've compiled a list of tire maintenance tips to help you get the most out of your ride.
#1: Get to know your owner's manual. Yeah, it can be a bit dry to sit and read a manual, but you're going to get a lot out of it. Specifically, your manual will tell you about ideal tire pressure, how to adjust your pressure for load or environmental conditions, and more.
#2: Store it right. How you store your bike can make a big difference in the lifespan and performance of your tires. Keep them out of direct sunlight. Avoid using “cleaning” products that actually just dry tires out. Make sure you store your bike properly over the winter: check out this article I wrote for Michigan Midwest Motorcycle Magazine for winter storage tips.
#3: Check before you ride. Check your tire pressure when the tires are cold using a reliable pressure gauge. Many manufacturers recommend checking pressure only once a week, but my thinking is it takes 2 minutes to do… why not just do it before you ride, and at the same time, check your lights and brakes too. Better to find a problem before you go than while you're out riding and trying to enjoy yourself. Need a reliable tire gauge? Request one here (sorry, limited to Michigan residents only).
#4: Look at your tires. Seems obvious, but a lot of people don't. When you check your pressure, give the tires a once-over to make sure there are no cracks, flat spots, weird wear patterns, or embedded objects. Again, it could save you from wasting a bunch of time on the side of the road trying to patch a tire on the fly.
#5: Be prepared. Get yourself a portable repair kit. It should have tire plugs, a rasp, some razor blades or a box cutter, an allen wrench, and an air pump or portable canisters. You can buy these items to assemble a kit yourself, or buy one pre-assembled from a retailer. If you can, get one that also has a First Aid kit built in… just in case.
Want more information for tire maintenance and safety? Check out NHTSA's What's your PSI tip sheet! If you or someone you care about has been injured in a motorcycle accident, the number to call if you fall is 1-877-BIKER-LAW.
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December 29th, 2014 at 2:24 pm
Harley-Davidson has issued two additional recalls this month that I want all bikers to be aware of:
The first recall (NHTSA file #14V725000
) affects about 5,000 FLS Softails (2014-2015). The problem with these bikes is they may be missing a sensor that lets the rider know their front turn signal(s) isn't working. Without working turn signals, riders could be at higher risk of a crash or an interaction with a motor vehicle.
When I saw this recall had been issued, it really hit home for me how important it is to do a pre-ride inspection before every ride. It only takes a few seconds, but it could save your life. Things to check before every ride:
- brakes
- tire pressure
- tread depth
- headlamp
- turn signals
- others: see PDF list
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) publishes this printable PDF that provides a pre-ride checklist. Print it off and keep it handy and always check your bike before hitting the road. With all the other risk-factors that can affect your ride, including potholes and other motorists, it makes sense to do as much as you can yourself to ensure your own safety when you're out on your bike. If you do realize your turn signals aren't working, make sure you brush up on your hand signals; click here
for an easy tutorial.
The second recall (
NHTSA file #14V750000) affects just over 1,500 Tri-Glide FLHTCUTG (2015) bikes built between mid-July and mid-October, 2014. The issue is that these bikes may have a rear brake master cylinder assembled with an incorrect piston, which may not provide enough support and could allow the primary cup to tear. A primary cup tear could decrease how well the brakes work and increase the risk of a crash.
If you think your bike is affected by either of these recalls, contact H-D's customer service line before your next ride at 414-343-4056; the recall number for the Softails is #0681, and for the Tri-Glides it's #0162.
Spread the word and ride safe! If you or someone you care about has been injured in a crash, call me
.
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November 26th, 2014 at 2:27 pm
If you've been following me for a while, you know that I'm always talking about how important it is to take good care of your bike's tires. With that in mind, I wanted to let our readers know about a new video released by the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) that is totally focused on tires. In just over four minutes, the video talks about the importance of choosing the right tires, how to properly and regularly inspect them, some tips for maintenance, and when it's time to replace your tires.
MIC chair Dennis McNeal says, “your safety depends on you becoming well-versed at selecting, inspecting, maintaining, and replacing your bike's tires.” The video was designed to accompany the MIC's Tire Guide booklet. Tire maintenance is an important aspect of motorcycling safety, but can also have an effect on how well your bike rides and your fuel consumption, so it's worth keeping up with it.
It's easy to add a quick but thorough tire inspection to your pre-ride routine, especially since inspecting your tires is part of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's (MSF) T-CLOCS inspection, which includes:
- Tires and wheels
- Controls
- Lights and electrics
- Oil and other fluids
- Chassis
- Stands
Obviously, keeping your motorcycle in great condition won't guarantee your safety, but it's still worth doing, if only for your peace of mind. Plus, it can help your bike last longer, ride better, and allow you to focus more easily on the road and other drivers instead of your equipment.
Read more about the MIC's new video here.
Read more about MSF's T-CLOCS inspection here.
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September 30th, 2014 at 12:57 pm
Clutch Issue:
If you own a 2014 Harley-Davidson, brace yourself: the company is recalling more than 100,000 bikes for a clutch issue. Harley-Davidson is recalling over 105,000 motorcycles (2014 model year) for a clutch issue. Some of the following 2014 models are affected:
Electra Glide Ultra Classic; Ultra Limited; Police Electra Glide; Street Glide Special; Street Glide; Tri Glide Ultra; CVO Limited; CVO Road King; CVO Breakout; Electra Glide Ultra Classic Twin Cooled; Ultra Limited Shrine; Street Glide Shrine; and CVO Softail Deluxe.
A component in the clutch master cylinder of affected bikes could fail, which could lead to the clutch not having enough pressure to remain disengaged. If that happens, the motorcycle could creep forward when the rider means to be stopped, which could lead to a crash or injuries. Harley will be contacting affected owners; if you own an affected bike or think you might, contact Harley-Davidson's customer service department before riding it again: 1-800-258-2464. More information here.
Fuel Cap Issue:
Just under a thousand Harley-Davidson XG500 and XG750 motorcycles (model year 2015) are being recalled because of a fuel cap issue. The affected bikes were made between June 11 and August 14 of this year.
The fuel cap on affected bikes may not seal properly, which could lead to fuel leakage and a potential fire risk. Harley will be contacting affected owners; if you own an affected bike or think you might, contact Harley-Davidson's customer service department before riding it again: 1-800-258-2464. More information here.
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September 25th, 2014 at 3:02 pm
Are you in the market for a new Victory motorcycle or Polaris powersport vehicle? Do you have a Costco membership? If so, you're in luck… Now you can pick out your new ride when you pick up bulk bagels and paper towels.
Costco itself isn't actually selling motorcycles; those sales are managed by dealers who participate in a partnership program with the wholesale chain (un-creatively named the Costco Auto Program).
The program isn't new, either. Victory and Polaris are joining Aprilia, BMW, Ducati, Honda, Husqvarna, Indian, Kawasaki, KTM, Moto Guzzi, MV Agusta, Spyder, Suzuki, Triumph, and Yamaha. As a matter of fact, a number of major car companies also participate in the Costco Auto Program, which Costco says sold about 350,000 vehicles last year.
What do you think? Would you buy a motorcycle, powersport vehicle, or even a car through Costco? Let us know: Comment here or join the conversation on Facebook.
Source: http://bit.ly/1vkJLM2
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