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HELLS ANGELS RALLY TOPS CODY NEWS FOR 2006– There were months of trepidation before the Hells Angels came to Cody.The biker rally was the No. 1 story in Cody in 2006.But for many locals it was law enforcement, not the notorious outlaw biker gang, which caused the most consternation during the club’s World Run July 26-30.
Just prior to and during the first couple of days of the event, there were numerous complaints about officers – especially state troopers – being over-zealous with traffic stops.Local people and families reported being pulled over numerous times or for such things as having broken license plate lights.
Police quickly cut back the number of visible officers, and the rally went on without any major incidents.And estimated 1,300 Hells Angels – likely the largest gathering on record – attended the event.Police in a post-rally press conference said there was good reason for the heightened security and traffic stops.Had there not been such a major police presence and strict enforcement, there could have been real trouble, police spokesmen said.
— By Mark Heinz
–from Rogue
DEATHS DOWN IN PORTSMOUTH–PORTSMOUTH — The number of fatal motor vehicle crashes in the state dropped from 161 last year to 122 in 2006, which Division of Motor Vehicles Director Virginia Beecher credits to increased police presence and department initiatives.
In addition to the decrease in total deaths, the number of motorcycle operators killed in 2006 dropped by more than half. There were 17 deaths in 2006, 39 in 2005 and 25 in 2004.
Beecher said she thinks law enforcement officials are more visible on the state highways and local streets, which deters dangerous driving.”I think the main contributing factors of motor vehicle deaths are speed and alcohol, and as result of more visibility, people slow down,” she said. “One (death) is too many, but I’m pleased by the numbers.”
The issue of motorcycle safety in the state was brought to the forefront in 2004 when the total number of deaths jumped to 25 from 9 in 2003. After an even worse year in 2005, Beecher said she is happy to see the start of what she hopes is a downward trend.
Initiatives include a law passed last year that prevents a rider from receiving a 30-day driving permit after repeatedly failing the state test. The law requires anyone who failed the test twice to participate in a motorcycle training program.Education initiatives for both riders and new drivers have also likely helped lower the number of deaths, according to Beecher.One law that hasn’t passed, which Beecher wishes would, is one mandating helmets for riders.
— By Adam Leech
–from Rogue
HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM EVERYBODY HERE ATTEXAS SCOOTER TIMES!!!!!–Dont forget next Sunday, January 7the 5th Annual Dallas Chopper Show &Swap Meet at the Gigantic HistoricLonghorn Ballroom.
The Carter Blood Care BusWill be in the parking lot andeverybody who donates blood getsin the show FREE!!!!!
Then Get Readay For the 6th annualCONROE MOTORCYCLE EXPO & SWAP MEETSunday – January 21 -at theLone Star Expo Center – Conroe
We are ready for a wonderful 2007Hope you are too!!!
BIKERNET MOTORCYCLE SAFETY STUDY FINDINGS-10 WAYS–1.) Assume Drivers Can’t See You: Ride assuming that you and your motorcycleare totally invisible to motorists. That means you must never assume thatdrivers can see you. The odds are, they can’t so believe it yourself andalways have an “out” for dangerous traffic situations. Motorcycle Safetydepends on you.
2.) Maintain Safe Spacing: Leave plenty of space in front and back and tothe sides from all other vehicles. Be an island. Stay away from traffic asmuch as possible. This gives you more visibility and more time to react tosituations.
3.) Anticipate Trouble: Anticipate trouble situations and know what to dowhen you see them. Analyze what vehicles are doing and try to predict theoutcome. Then make sure you’re ready to avoid a bad traffic situation.
4.) Beware of Oncoming Left Turners: Beware of oncoming motorists turningleft in front of you at intersections. This is the leading cause of death ofmotorcycle riders. I’m deadly serious here. I have personally lost manyfriends to this accident. If you only remember one tip here, let it be thisone. Slow down before you enter an intersection. Have an escape routeplanned. Stay visible. Don’t travel too close to cars in front of you.Position your bike so it can be seen by the left turner. Eye contact is notenough.
5.) Ride Your Own Ride: Don’t try to keep up with your friends who may bemore experienced. Know your personal limits. Ride your own ride.
6.) Watch Out for Curves: Beware of taking curves that you can’t see around.A parked truck or a patch of sand may be awaiting you.
7.) Don’t Give In to Road Rage: Do not give in to road rage and try to “geteven” with another rider or motorist. If you follow these tips, most likelyyou won’t fall victim to road rage. It’s better to calm down, slow down, andcollect your thoughts first. Then continue on and enjoy the ride. That’swhat we’re all out there for in the first place.
8.) Don’t allow Tailgating: If someone is tailgating you, either speed up toopen more space or pull over and let them pass. Life is too short. Rememberthat a bike can stop faster than a car so you don’t want a truck on yourtail when you find yourself trying to brake to avoid an accident. Also,don’t tailgate the vehicle in front of you. Oncoming drivers can’t see you.
9.) Don’t Be Blinded by Sunglare: Beware of riding your motorcycle into sunglare. All it takes is turning a corner and finding the sun either directlyin your face or passing straight through your windshield. Some helmets haveshields to block the sun. Face shields help somewhat. But sometimes you justfind yourself blinded by the light. Slow down, pull over, shield your eyesand look for a way to change direction.
10.) Avoid Riding at Night: Avoid riding at night, especially late Saturdaynight and early Sunday when drunken drivers may be on the road. It goeswithout saying that you shouldn’t drink and ride. Going bar hopping? Leavethe bike at home and find a designated driver.
What Am I Trying To Say About Motorcycle Safety?The best way to be safe is to take a Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF)course to learn the basic ways to control your motorcycle and to learn howto recognize traffic situations that you need to be ready to handle.
Maintain your bike so it is safe too. Keep records of the intervals when youreplace tires, chains, clutch cables, batteries, brakes, etc. You don’t wantan equipment malfunction to contribute to a motorcycle accident.
Practice riding under all kinds of traffic situations. Ride with a buddy ifat all possible. Avoid riding long distances alone.
Become a member of any of our Motorcycles forums and read what otherexperienced riders have to say about how to ride safely.
I want you to become an aged motorcyclist because you know how to survive ona motorcycle. I don’t want to read about you in the newspaper or on amotorcycle forum or mailing list as yet another motorcycle statistic. Learnhow to be safe and responsible on a motorcycle. That’s why this Web site andforums exist and that’s why I’m writing these tips. The rest is up to you.
These 10 Ways To Be Safe on a Motorcycle have also been made available on acustom mousepad (buy direct) so you will always be reminded of them whileyou use your computer to visit the Motorcycles site or its associatedforums:http://motorcycles.about.com/od/miscellaneousproducts/ss/motogifts2006_3.htm
If you need more info on this or any other subject just go to the Sonsof Liberty Riders Info Zonehttp://solriders.com/ or http://bikers4row.org
Enews mailing list
Enews@solriders.com
http://solriders.com/mailman/listinfo/enews_solriders.com
Also, if you’re serious about being on top of the training curve, consider taking a Lee Parks Training Course called Total Control. Check Totalcontroltraining.net or call (800)943-5638. I’m going to take this course in February.–Bandit
MASSIVE BIKERNET EDITORIAL CORRECTION–Happy New year to you and the crew!I just finished reading Tony Tibbot’s Bike Build on your site. It’s great. I’ve been in contact with Tony via e-mail over the last couple of years regarding his bike.
Though, the article headline caught my attention because he’s not your 1st New Zealand build to be featured on Bikernet.com, I think I am:
http://www.bikernet.com/bikebarn/nzsporty.asp
Anyway, safe riding and have a great year!
–Andy
Many apologies. I’ll buy you a beer in Australia, in March, if you can make it to the show.–Bandit
WIN FREE TICKETS TO THE ARLEN NESS BIKE SHOW– Win Free Tickets and Swag for the January 27th and 28th 2007 Arlen Ness Bike Show in San Jose, CA. Enter your contact information and we will draw a name each week. Go to Arlen Ness Bike Show for more details.
WINNERS:
Jani Albers wins 2 show tickets
Juan Gutierrez wins 2 show tickets
Michael A. Noble wins 2 Show Tickets
Bob Silva wins 2 Show Tickets
Margaret Lee wins 2 Show Tickets
American Thunder Promotions produces the Arlen Ness Bike Show, the Donnie Smith Invitational Bike Show and the Donnie Smith Rochester Bike Show.
SEX AND MOTORCYCLES, THEY WORK–The best that modern science can say for abstinence is that it’s harmless when practiced in moderation. “Saving yourself” before the big game, the big business deal, the big hoedown or the big bakeoff may indeed confer some moral advantage; but physiologically it does zip.
Having regular and enthusiastic sex, by contrast, confers a host of measurable physiological advantages, be you male or female. (This assumes that you are engaging in sex without contracting a sexually transmitted disease.)
In one of the most credible studies correlating overall health with sexual frequency, Queens University in Belfast tracked the mortality of about 1,000 middle-aged men over the course of a decade. The study was designed to compare people of similar age and health. Its findings, published in 1997 in the British Medical Journal, were that men who reported the highest frequency of orgasm enjoyed a death rate half that of the laggards. Other studies (some rigorous, some less so) purport to show that having sex even a few times a week has an associative or causal relationship with the following:
— Improved sense of smell: After sex, production of the hormone prolactin surges. This, in turn, causes stem cells in the brain to develop new neurons in the brain’s olfactory bulb, its smell center.
— Reduced risk of heart disease: In a 2001 follow-up to the Queens University study mentioned above, researchers focused on cardiovascular health. Their finding? That by having sex three or more times a week, men reduced their risk of heart attack or stroke by half.
— Weight loss, overall fitness: Sex, if nothing else, is exercise. A vigorous bout burns some 200 calories–about the same as running 15 minutes on a treadmill or playing a spirited game of squash. The pulse rate, in a person aroused, rises from about 70 beats per minute to 150, the same as that of an athlete putting forth maximum effort. British researchers have determined that the equivalent of six Big Macs can be worked off by having sex three times a week for a year. Muscular contractions during intercourse work the pelvis, thighs, buttocks, arms, neck and thorax. Sex also boosts production of testosterone, which leads to stronger bones and muscles. Men’s Health magazine has gone so far as to call the bed the single greatest piece of exercise equipment ever invented.
— Reduced depression: A study of 293 women in 2002 had the same implications. American psychologist Gordon Gallup reported that sexually active participants whose male partners did not use condoms were less subject to depression than those whose partners did. One theory of causality: Prostoglandin, a hormone found only in semen, may be absorbed in the female genital tract, thus modulating female hormones.
— Pain relief: Immediately before orgasm, levels of the hormone oxytocin surge to five times their normal level. This, in turn, releases endorphins, which alleviate the pain of everything from headaches to arthritis to even migraines. In women, sex also prompts production of estrogen, which can reduce the pain of PMS.
— Less frequent colds and flu: Wilkes University in Pennsylvania says individuals who have sex once or twice a week show 30% higher levels of an antibody called immunoglobulin A, which is known to boost the immune system.
— Better bladder control: Heard of Kegel exercises? You do them, whether you know it or not, every time you stem your flow of urine. The same set of muscles is worked during sex.
— Better teeth: Seminal plasma contains zinc, calcium and other minerals shown to hinder tooth decay. Since this is a family web site, we will omit discussion of the mineral delivery system. Suffice it to say that it could be a far richer, more complex and more satisfying experience than squeezing a tube of Crest–even Tartar Control Crest. Researchers have noted, parenthetically, that sexual etiquette usually demands the brushing of one’s teeth before and/or after intimacy, which, by itself, would help promote better oral hygiene.
— A happier prostate? Some urologists believe they see a relationship between infrequency of ejaculation and cancer of the prostate. The causal argument goes like this: To produce seminal fluid, the prostate and the seminal vesicles take such substances from the blood as zinc, citric acid and potassium, and then concentrate them up to 600 times. Any carcinogens present in the blood likewise would be concentrated. Rather than have concentrated carcinogens hanging around causing trouble, it’s better to evict them. A study published by the British Journal of Urology International asserts that men in their 20s can reduce, by a third, their chance of getting prostate cancer by ejaculating more than five times a week.
While possession of a robust appetite for sex–and the physical ability to gratify it–may not always be the cynosure of perfect health, a reluctance to engage can be a sign that something is seriously on the fritz, especially where the culprit is an infirm erection.
Dr. J. Francois Eid, a urologist with Weill Medical College of Cornell University and New York Presbyterian Hospital, observes that erectile dysfunction is an extension of the vascular system. A lethargic member may be telling you that you have diseased blood vessels elsewhere in your body. “It could be a first sign of hypertension or diabetes or increased cholesterol levels. It’s a red flag that you should see your doctor.” Treatment and exercise, says Dr. Eid, can have things looking up again: “Men who exercise and have a good heart and low heart rate, and who are cardio-fit, have firmer erections. There very definitely is a relationship.”
But is there such a thing as too much sex?
The answer, in purely physiological terms, is this: If you’re female, probably not. If you’re male? You betcha.
Dr. Claire Bailey of the University of Bristol says there is little or no risk of a woman overdosing on sex. In fact, she says, regular sessions can not only firm a woman’s tummy and buttocks but also improve her posture.
As for men, urologist Eid says it’s definitely possible to get too much of a good thing, now that drugs such as Viagra and Levitra have given men far more staying power than what may actually be good for them.
–from Art Friedman
ROGUE INVESTIGATES STURGIS IN THE WINTER–Most of us have been to Sturgis for the rally or have at least read about it and seen photos in the media. Did you ever wonder what it looked like when there was no rally? Well here are some shots.
I had the opportunity to travel here over the holidays to stay with my brother Ted and his wife Caroline.
Caroline runs the Harley Shop in Deadwood so be sure to stop in and say Hi when you come for the rally. Oh Yeah, buy Something. Haha.
–ROGUE
SNITCHES RULED ILLEGAL IN QUEBEC–QUEBEC — The Quebec government’s use of violent-criminals-turned-informants to prosecute biker-gang members was ruled illegal yesterday, possibly opening up dozens of convictions for appeal.
The ruling by Mr. Justice Fraser Martin of the Quebec Superior Court could be used by convicted biker-gang members to appeal their convictions, said Jacques Normandeau, a Montreal criminal lawyer.
“The government does not have a right to use tricks or to cheat in order to get convictions,” Mr. Normandeau said yesterday.
–from Rogue
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