The Lonely Rider

More and more municipalities are enacting local bylaws that focus on noise levels emitted by motorcycle exhausts. On the surface, I’m sure most people would say this is a great idea, especially residents who are tired of hearing a loud motorbike passing by with the throttle cracked wide open. Hell I would too so I can totally appreciate their position on the matter but what’s being done about it is discriminatory and unfair.  Despite my empathy for local residents and their frustration, I do take exception to laws like these because they are written to only be enforced on motorcycles, while noisy cars and trucks are exempt from them. However these discriminatory laws don’t just come out of thin air; they are proposed and passed because of irresponsible riders who have little respect for others and constantly crack the throttle wide open in residential areas. Once again, the irresponsible actions of some riders have negatively affected the whole riding community.

Here are the simplified details for the new law that was just passed in Caledon, Ontario:

1. Can not exceed 92db while at idle measured from a distance of 50cm behind the exhaust.

2. If a one, two, three, four or six cylinder engine, can not exceed 98db while at 2000RPM, measured from a distance of 50cm behind the exhaust.

3. If a three or four cylinder engine, can not exceed 100db, while at 5000RPM, measured from a distance of 50cm behind the exhaust

Note that if you if you have a three or four cylinder bike, you will have to pass all three tests, where as other engine combination’s will only have to pass two tests. If a bike fails any ONE of the tests, the rider can expect a fine of $150. If the rider chooses to fight the ticket, they can expect the fine to go up to $1000 if they lose.

The Canadian government has set standards for noise and since 1983, all motorcycles have been made with “silencers” in their mufflers to reduce the exhaust noise. To achieve this, the mufflers are packed with sound deadening material. Towns that pass and enforce these new laws are basically saying that they don’t accept the standards of the Canadian government.

The problem here is the low decibel limits and the distance from the exhaust that the sound will be measured at. Not only are these levels very low – so low that many cars and trucks couldn’t pass the test – but the measurements being taken at only 50cm away pretty much guarantees a fail even for new bikes that come stock right from the showroom floor. This will be a huge concern for those who ride any V-Twin motorcycle because even with a stock exhaust system, they are generally louder than many other bikes. For those who are sporting after-market or modified exhausts can pretty much be assured of having their sound levels checked (and tickets issued) on the side of the road should you happen to be spotted (or heard) by local Law Enforcement.

The town has pretty much said to motorcyclists that they are unwelcome and if you come here, you will be punished. They may as well have just passed a law banning motorcycles from their town altogether. I’ll say it again – Not only is this law unfair with it’s low sound level requirements, but its pure discrimination. Only motorcycles will have to obey this law – it simply doesn’t apply to all other vehicles. So what does a rider do? Avoid and boycott the town altogether as some have suggested? I think that’s the wrong approach because in the end…the town will get exactly what they want – No more motorcycles. Personally, I have no intention of avoiding the area. I will ride right through the town like I have before and as always, I will be responsible with the throttle and show them that not all motorcycles (or their riders) are noisy and if I get a ticket, I will fight it! But one thing is for certain…I will not spend another penny in Caledon.

As long as they discriminate against me as a rider, I will not stop again for lunch, refreshments or even gas. I may however, stop to stretch my legs and smile at the local residents as they walk past scowling at me.

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I recently had the privilege of attending the Kahuna Powersports launch party for the return of the Norton. Norton motorcycles have been around since 1908 and are part of British pop culture. They have a long heritage and have caught the eye of many riders since before most of us were born. Unfortunately, Norton was another victim of economic hardships and closed their doors in 1976.

Well…the Norton lives again and are coming to Canada with the Commando 961 SE. Now before you get your hopes up for getting the Special Edition model, you should know that there will be a very limited supply of only 20 bikes…18 of which are already spoken for. Ok…grab some tissues because there will be a few other models released later this year. A base model 961, the Cafe Racer and the Sport models will all be available by June of 2011. But you should act fast if you are thinking about getting one of these fine machines because once again, supply will be limited and demand will be high even though the cost will be around $20,000CDN (not including freight, PDI, taxes, etc).

The Commando 961SE shown above is a pretty sexy looking machine but there will be some subtle changes once we see it on Canadian roads thanks to the Federal certification process that all vehicles have to go through before they are brought into the country in volume. One obvious change will be the front end, where the Canadian version of the bike will be sporting ‘upside down forks’ as opposed to the traditional ones shown in the picture.

Norton paid a lot of attention to detail as they modernized their bike and although they held true to the aesthetic looks of the bikes made in the ’70′s, everything is completely modern and they didn’t go cheap on their choice in parts. Brembro brakes, Ohlins suspension, carbon fibre fenders & chain guard, and steel braided brake lines are just to name a few.

So for all those Norton and cafe racer fans, get your finances in order and get into a dealership soon to place your order. If you’re in Ontario, go check out Kahuna Powersports to place your deposit. These bikes will move fast so if you want one, you had better act fast!

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Learning Curves – Review

www.learningcurves.ca

Published in 2Ride Magazine

Each Spring, more and more people take up motorcycling and they do so for a wide range of reasons. As such, motorcycle training schools across the country quickly fill up with students who are new to riding or those who are returning after taking many years off. Whether you are new to riding or someone who is taking up riding again, the question that is often asked is “Why take a course? Isn’t it just like riding a bike?” The short answer is no…it’s not.

Riding a motorcycle comes with risk, just like driving a car does. However, making a mistake on a motorbike can have far greater consequences. The point to taking a safety course is to mitigate and reduce those risks. Instructors start you with the basics of where the controls are and how to use them and rapidly move you up to required skills like emergency braking, obstacle avoidance and proper vision techniques. Even for those who have ridden before and are returning to riding much has changed in the past decade and so have the bikes that are available today. For those who have many years experience riding dirt bikes, riding on public roads is a very different experience since trees don’t tend to simply jump out in front of you (only those who drive/ride drunk would disagree with that statement). In general, people take up riding for many reasons ranging from a childhood fantasy to a mid-life crisis, encouragement from their friends or family, to wanting to save on gas, or simply wanting to indulge in the pure joy and sensations that riding provides and that they’ve heard about. Many of the joys of riding are foreign to new riders until they actually get out on their own bike and discover the thrills, adventures and excitement on their own. I recently spent some time at “Learning Curves” a motorcycle safety school in Toronto and talked to some of the students and their instructors. The students shared the opinion that they wanted to learn the basics of motorcycle riding and some students went far as to say that they are taking the course to learn to “stay alive”. Although a relatively new school, Learning Curves bring to the table decades of combined motorcycling experience. The owners and head instructors have a long history in the riding community teaching others how to ride and most of their junior instructors come from other schools. What makes Learning Curves different is their personal touch and hands-on teaching style. Let’s face it, we all learn differently and while we may excel with some concepts, we may lack in other areas. These instructors teach differently and adapt to your needs as a student, even spending more time with individual riders to help them in areas where they are weak. The instructors fully understand what’s involved in riding on public roads and are there to pass down their knowledge much like native cultures pass down knowledge from one generation to the next by showing them first hand. We all start out the same as newbies, without a clue what we are doing and it’s the instructor’s passion for riding and willingness to “pay it forward” that makes taking a course enjoyable. Just observing the instructors running along side the students and taking extra time talking to those who required some extra tutelage, showed how much they cared about arming new riders with the basic knowledge and skills that they would need to head out on the open roads. It helps also that the instructors remember what it’s like to be new at riding and teach without the “I know more than you so you better listen” attitude found at some other schools. It also helps that they all have a great sense of humour and friendliness that makes students feel at ease from the moment you arrive. As with other Ministry approved riding schools, Learning Curves offers both M1 and M2 exit courses and administers the Ministry skills test at the end of the program. Most schools focus on teaching you what you need to pass the Ministry tests at the end of the course but Learning Curves takes it to another level with additional tips, techniques and advice to add another level of safety for their students to take to the road. With that in mind though, if a student doesn’t “get it” they won’t pass the test. Another thing that really makes Learning Curves stand apart from the rest is their “Street Proofing” program. Once a student passes the M1 course, they will take you out on the streets at a later date (using your own bike once you get it) and show you how to ride in the real world (which is vastly different from puttering around in a safe, controlled parking lot) offering up tips and advice along the way. This is an invaluable service to help new riders navigate the roads safely. Whatever your reasons are for taking up riding, please take the time to do it safely and take a safety course. It’s worth far more than it costs and should be considered a personal investment in you. Most riding schools offer not only a basic course for those who are new to riding but also advanced courses too. Some regions have graduated licensing and local schools, which are certified by their local governing body, offer weekend courses that focus on the skills required and actually administer the ministry tests that are required to graduate to the next level.

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Now that the riding season is in full swing, we at MotoLimo.com are seeing more and more riders getting stuck on the side of the road. Sometimes it can’t be avoided, sometimes it’s the result of a crash (regardless of fault) or sometimes it’s a mechanical failure, which may or may not of been avoidable.

In the last couple days, we have rescued bikes for flat tires, broken chains and many bikes with mystery electrical problems. We’ve also had to pickup a few wrecks including a Goldwing that burst into flames. The rider was cut off by someone and when the rider swerved hard to avoid the vehicle, he hit a nasty pothole resulting in him dumping his bike and rupturing a fuel line..WHOOSH! The rider was ok but the bike was burnt to a crisp and is a bloody mess.

Last week I had to, not so gently, man-handle a bike that was soon to be declared a write-off. A car turned left in front of the rider and a head-on collision occurred. Luckily the rider bounced well and fared far better than the bike did and she only suffered a few cuts and bruises and a messed up wrist.

Please ride safe out there.

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TourByTwo.com is looking for new amateur writers to become contributors to the site. Have you ever dreamed of having your motorcycle travel stories published? Now is your chance to enter the world of motorcycle and travel journalism.

TourByTwo’s Founder and Chief Editor, will review and judge potential candidates. Submit your 300-word (or 5min video) travel piece by January 31st, 2010 to be one of five new motorcycle travel journalists.

We’re looking for inspired riders with a desire to write about their adventures, who can mix multimedia savvy with an engaging writing style. Our emphasis is on riding related stories and adventures. Video documentaries will also be acceptable for online story submissions.

The right candidates will know how to recognize and tell a story, write or record and edit it, clean and get it up on our site fast. You will of course be credited for your contributions and will have an online profile established on the site.

Please send a brief cover letter, clips or writing samples and a resume to info@tourbytwo.com. Links to your stories are acceptable as well as video submissions.

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