motorcyclesafetyfoundation

ROYAL ENFIELD: a brief history of the bullet

When I was a kid my parents bought me a stingray style bicycle that we called a muscle bike. With a can of cheap green spray paint, a leopard patterned banana seat, and high handlebars, I went to work updating. Attaching handlebar streamers to the hand grips and playing cards with clothe-pins to the frame, the streamers flapped and playing cards blade slapped the spokes as the wheel moved. In my imagination, my muscle bike sound a bit like a motor.

After graduation from the university, I toured through India with a music group. Before going there, my mentor had given me the name and address of a good friend from the time he lived in Long Island, NY, and asked if I’d stop by in New Delhi to say hello if I had a chance.

One night in Delhi, I borrowed a Royal Enfield Motorcycle and drove to where she lived. I didn’t have a motorcycle license and hadn’t ridden a motorcycle. It’s dangerous to ride without training, and crazy to ride a motorcycle in India, but at 22 I felt invincible; I mounted the bike and took off through the streets of New Delhi dodging animals and people.

I found where she lived, knocked on the door, and told her why I was there. She invited me in for tea and we talked.

After that day, I didn’t ride a motorcycle again until I was 46 years old; but from that night in India until the time I bought my first Harley Davidson motorcycle, I have cherished that memory and the thrilling experience of riding the bike dodging goats, cows, and people.… read more...

YOGA FOR BIKERS AT SUPERSTITION HARLEY DAVIDSON JAN. 2020

Piano, photography, and videography by the talented Randy Anagnosis. He’s been an east coast marketer, recording artist, and now photographer for Superstition Harley Davidson. Anagnosis’ first CD was “Dreams,” c 1996, sold in hundreds of yoga studios. A second piano-driven album was “Full Moon Rising.” He also did a jazz album, “Thunder and Light.”

Video courtesy of Anagnosis, and Superstition Harley Davidson. Thanks to all the bike and yoga folks that showed up too. #motorcyclingyogiG

Turning Corners

TURN CORNERS, that’s what motorcyclist’s do. And they do it with style.

In our rider training and teaching, we learn the importance of cornering with skill. It takes more than simply turning the handlebar or figuring how much to lean or not lean into the curve. Cornering well as a cyclist is a potential life saving skill, and life saving skills happen with both technique and practice.

The uninitiated might think, for example, that slowing down to take a corner is important, but when a rider needs to get the most out of their tire traction it’s good if they are accelerating through the turn. Accelerating through the turn forces the full weight of the motorcycle down onto the tires which in turn make better contact with the pavement.

It’s a simple insight really, an important training tip. Sometimes on the road I see riders tend to forget the basics, approaching a turn too fast and then – suddenly realizing they carry too much speed into the curve – have to brake while turning rather than accelerate through the turn. Usually, it’s not a big deal, but it could be.

A rider’s correction only requires a little foresight, but it could be a life saver. As a cyclist, it’s good to remind ourselves that we’re on two wheels which requires twice the thinking, planning, skill and awareness of those on four wheels.

And the bottom line is that we all want to Ride On.

Subscribe for Updates