Motorcycle Misadventures

Welcome to the Miss Adventuring Weblog by Carla King

Here's where you'll find the latest news and updates on motorcycle misadventures, writing, books, bikes, gear and gadgets, events, radio, and podcasts. I send live dispatches from the road when I travel, and talk about them on a variety of shows. I  post news and commentary here. Enjoy, and contact me if you have a suggestion for a trip, a story, or a show. And please visit my website for stories, books, and other writings.

Join me tonight on Side Stand Up Motorcycle radio 4pm PT 7pm ET

On SideStandUp.com tonight Dec. 22nd at 7 PM EDT join us live and in the chat room for these great guests:

Just 5 days before he heads out for the 2010 Dakar Rally, Privateer Prince of Off-Road Endurance Rider Jonah Street is back. We can't wait to talk to Jonah about how he has prepped for the premier off-road race in the world today.

For the first time Ducati will be in the house. Public Relations Coordinator John Paolo Caton is on the show to tantalize us all with what is new from the builders of the Italian V-Twin.

Miss Adventuring Carla King is back with another awesome guest. Sarah Schilke, aka Super Sarah is an avid street rider turned amateur off-road racer. She's worked in the motorcycle industry for over a decade. Check out her website.

Geoff Gardisky National Executive Account Manager Centramatic / Motorcycle Division builders of a self balancing apparatus for the Gold Wing. Log onto sidestandup.com for the latest news and possible sponsor discounts.

And check out the site for a fun little JibJab animation of Carla, Denise, Tom, and Mike in a snowball fight. Cute, guys!

http://SideStandUp.com

Post Motorcycling for Women: Beginner Bikes, in your site or blog, via Scribd

As an author, web content developer, and social media consultant, I like to experiment with all the new tools for publishing. So I just uploaded my pdf ebook Motorcycling for Women: Beginner Bikes,  to Scribd. Now this is too cool. I made it a free download, and anyone can go to Scribd and grab the code to display the book on their sites and blogs. I want to share this ebook and so I invite you to do that. I've embedded the HTML here, in this blog, so you can see what it'll look like. Site visitors can page through the ebook right from your blog or web page. Yeah. It's too cool. Have fun!

Motorcycling for Women: Beginner Bikes - Cruisers

From Motorcycling for Women: Beginner Bikes

Cruisers
Low. Lid Back.

 Take a standard bike, extend the front fork, put a teardrop gas tank in front of the lowered seat, and you’ve got a cruiser. You’ll need to reach a bit more forward with your feet to find the foot pegs, but that all contributes to the “laid-back” styling of this kind of motorcycle.

Cruisers are good bikes to learn on because they’re low enough for most people to get both feet flat on the ground, which gives you better balance and more confidence.

They come “naked” so if you drop it you’re not breaking a lot of expensive options. But once you’ve got the hang of  it, you may be tempted to add saddlebags, a small windscreen, maybe even tie on a sleeping bag and tent and take off on a classic American backroads journey.

Examples of cruisers you might look at:

Honda Rebel 250: This popular cruiser is light and low and a real keeper with decent performance on the freeway. Buy it new or find one used, but plenty of people don’t want to give up their Rebels.

Kawasaki Eliminator 125: This single cylinder “thumper” is a great entree into motorcycling at only about 300 pounds wet. But budget-minded commuters also love this zippy cruiser with a big 3.4 gallon tank and outrageously good gas mileage for under $2700.

Download the free ebook: Motorcycling for Women: Beginner Bikes to learn more about great beginner bikes in cruiser, sport, dual-sport, scooter, and dirt-bike categories.

Comments? I'd love to hear them. Use the comments feature below. Thanks!

Review of the Doran 360M Tire Pressure Monitoring System for Motorcycles

My review of the Doran360M Tire Pressure Monitoring System for Motorcycles is up on Women Riders Now today. I've wanted to install a tire pressure monitor on my motorcycle ever since I rode a bike that had one -- I couldn't believe how it eased my mind! When I received the Doran 360M monitoring system in the mail though, I wondered if I'd be able to wire it to my bike all by myself, or if I'd end up having to pay a mechanic to do it. Read the article.

Motorcycling for Women: Beginner Bikes - Standards

From Motorcycling for Women: Beginner Bikes

Standard Bikes
Dean, Brando. Amelia. Battered brown leather jacket, silk scarf, avaitor glasses. Classic.

Standard motorcycles make great beginner bikes but they’re also really nice all-purpose bikes. Some people start with a standard and move on to a specialty bike, like a cruiser or racer or dual-sport, and end up keeping the standard. They’ve been around so long there are lots of used ones on the market.

The upright riding position makes it easy to look around without having to bend your head into uncomfortable positions. The controls lie exactly where your hands and feet naturally rest, which means it’s easier to deal with emergencies. It’s also very well balanced, with your center of gravity exactly in the middle of the bike.

Standards come “naked” without plastic coverings, fairings, or any kind of bling. This means that when you drop it you won’t be breaking a lot of expensive parts.

Many manufacturers stopped making standard bikes under 250ccs, but there are plenty of older models on the used market that make great starter and around-town bikes.

Examples of standard bikes you might look at:

Suzuki TU250X: One of the rare under-250cc standards being made today, this is a great keeper bike for city and backroads. Freeways are doable but not its forte. Under $4000 and gets over 60 mpg.

Honda CB Series: Like many manufacturers, Honda stopped making small standards about a decade ago when specialty bikes became the trend. But chances are you can grab one of these babies for cheap. Bonus: it’s classic enough to win admiring glances!

Download the free ebook: Motorcycling for Women: Beginner Bikes to learn more about great beginner bikes in cruiser, sport, dual-sport, scooter, and dirt-bike categories.

Comments? I'd love to hear them. Use the comments feature below. Thanks!

Great BBC audio report on women's motorcycle sidecar racing

"Forty years ago sidecars were a popular and cheap way for couples to travel around - you only have to think of Nora Batty and Compo from Last of the Summer Wine. Now the modern day sidecars are increasingly being used in motor sport racing. Passengers can travel up to 100 miles per hour, only meters off the ground. Reporter Anna Bailey met female passengers at the Mallory Park race track near Leicester." Listen to these women talk about their careers in sidecar racing. One couple is in their late 60's. One woman started racing after a bout with ovarian cancer. Did you know that motorcycle racers don't wear nylon underwear in case they fall, so it won't "weld" onto their skin? So what does one woman wear... hear it for yourself. Lots of great stories in this first- rate BBC report. It's amazing! Listen to the BBC - Radio 4 Woman's Hour -Sidecar racing.

What's a Beginner Bike? Introduction to the Ebook

What's a Beginner Bike? I'll be posting pages from my little ebook Motorcycling for Women: Beginner Bikes the next few days to invite thoughts and commentary. The ebook is targeted to women even though a lot of the information applies to men, too, because of the growing numbers of new women riders. I think many of us are being steered too fast to buy big bikes too soon.

Here's the introduction. I welcome your comments.

From Motorcycling for Women: Beginner Bikes - free ebook download (pdf)

I was lucky. I learned how to ride when I was 14 years old, flying through tobacco fields and over hills and through the woods. When I fell off I bounced right back up again. When the bike broke I either figured out how to fix it or pushed it back home. Usually I’d figure it out.

The little Honda I started on was definitely a beginner bike—a term widely debated today. Makers of large motorcycles claim their new 500cc machines are beginner bikes. I beg to differ. They’re heavy and have so much power they can flip a newbie onto the road while the bike continues on down it.

Yesterday’s 500cc motorcycles were considered mid-sized. An 800cc motorcycle was impressively monstrous. Today, a 250cc or under bike may actually be all you need for years if you’re riding backroads, commuting, or enjoying off-road adventures. When your skills are honed, and you decide what kind of riding style you prefer, you can always trade up. Most beginner bikes hold their value.

If you’re lucky, you’ll find a little bike waiting for you somewhere in a barn or in a neighbor’s garage. If not, go shopping! The kind of bikes recommended in these pages will give you confidence, allowing you to hone your skills and to enjoy motorcycling in the long term.

Download Beginner Bikes

The Future of the Social Web for Motorcycle Travelers and Beyond...

Everybody seems to have a web presence these days, even if it's just on Facebook. But wow, is it getting scattered! I just consolidated my own websites -- my author site, all of my various motorcycle travel websites, and my Miss Adventuring podcast under one single brand: Carla King. Yep. That's my name and I'm sticking to it!

Whether you're just starting to think about designing your personal web presence, blog, or Facebook page, or you're in charge of a website for a large company, it's worth considering a social media strategy now. Brands take years and years to build, and social media threatens to dilute it -- unless you have a solid strategy for integration. I like Jeremiah Owyan's advice... he's a real pro.

• The Future of the Social Web: In Five Eras - Web Strategy by Jeremiah Owyang

This is just an excerpt:

How Brands Should Prepare
What’s interesting isn’t this vision for the future, but what it holds in store for brands, as a result, companies should prepare by:

• Don’t Hesitate: These changes are coming at a rapid pace, and we’re in three of these eras by end of year. Brands should prepare by factoring in these eras into their near term plans. Don’t be left behind and let competitors connect with your community before you do.
• Prepare For Transparency:  People will be able to surf the web with their friends, as a result you must have a plan.  Prepare for every webpage and product to be reviewed by your customers and seen by prospects –even if you choose not to participate.  
• Connect with Advocates: Focus on customer advocates, they will sway over prospects, and could defend against detractors. Their opinion is trusted more than yours, and when the power shifts to community, and they start to define what products should be, they become more important than ever.
• Evolve your Enterprise Systems: Your enterprise systems will need to connect to the social web. Social networks and their partners are quickly becoming a source of customer information and lead generation beyond your CRM system.  CMS systems will need to inherit social features –pressure your vendors to offer this, or find a community platform.
• Shatter your Corporate Website: In the most radical future, content will come to consumers –rather than them chasing it– prepare to fragment your corporate website and let it distribute to the social web. Let the most important information go and spread to communities where they exist; fish where the fish are.

Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures

A motorcycle accident study offers you and your students a wealth of
information about accidents and how to avoid them. The Motorcycle
Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures, is a study
conducted by the University of Southern California (USC). With funds from
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, researcher Harry Hurt
investigated almost every aspect of 900 motorcycle accidents in the Los
Angeles area. Additionally, Hurt and his staff analyzed 3,600 motorcycle
traffic accident reports in the same geographic area.
Reprinted here for your information and use are the findings.

The final report is several hundred pages. If you would like this this
document in your resource library, the order information is:

Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures,
Volume 1: Technical Report, Hurt, H.H., Ouellet, J.V. and Thom, D.R.,
Traffic Safety Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles,
California 90007, Contract No. DOT HS-5-01160, January 1981 (Final
Report)

This document is available through:

National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, Virginia 22161
(703)-487-4600

Vol.I (The Main Report and Summary) is PB81206443 (~400 pages)
Vol.II (Appendix: Supplementary Data) is PB81206450 (~400 pages)
Either document is $42.95 plus $3.00 shipping. (circa 1990)

Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures
Findings

Throughout the accident and exposure data there are special observations
which relate to accident and injury causation and characteristics of the
motorcycle accidents studied. These findings are summarized as follows:

1. Approximately three-fourths of these motorcycle accidents involved
collision with another vehicle, which was most often a passenger
automobile.

2. Approximately one-fourth of these motorcycle accidents were single
vehicle accidents involving the motorcycle colliding with the roadway or
some fixed object in the environment.

3. Vehicle failure accounted for less than 3% of these motorcycle
accidents, and most of those were single vehicle accidents where control
was lost due to a puncture flat.

4. In single vehicle accidents, motorcycle rider error was present as the
accident precipitating factor in about two-thirds of the cases, with the
typical error being a slideout and fall due to overbraking or running
wide on a curve due to excess speed or under-cornering.

5. Roadway defects (pavement ridges, potholes, etc.) were the accident
cause in 2% of the accidents; animal involvement was 1% of the accidents.

6. In multiple vehicle accidents, the driver of the other vehicle
violated the motorcycle right-of-way and caused the accident in
two-thirds of those accidents.

7. The failure of motorists to detect and recognize motorcycles in
traffic is the predominating cause of motorcycle accidents. The driver of
the other vehicle involved in collision with the motorcycle did not see
the motorcycle before the collision, or did not see the motorcycle until
too late to avoid the collision.

8. Deliberate hostile action by a motorist against a motorcycle rider is
a rare accident cause. The most frequent accident configuration is the
motorcycle proceeding straight then the automobile makes a left turn in
front of the oncoming motorcycle.

10. Intersections are the most likely place for the motorcycle accident,
with the other vehicle violating the motorcycle right-of-way, and often
violating traffic controls.

11. Weather is not a factor in 98% of motorcycle accidents.

12. Most motorcycle accidents involve a short trip associated with
shopping, errands, friends, entertainment or recreation, and the accident
is likely to happen in a very short time close to the trip origin.

13. The view of the motorcycle or the other vehicle involved in the
accident is limited by glare or obstructed by other vehicles in almost
half of the multiple vehicle accidents.

14. Conspicuity of the motorcycle is a critical factor in the multiple
vehicle accidents, and accident involvement is significantly reduced by
the use of motorcycle headlamps (on in daylight) and the wearing of high
visibility yellow, orange or bright red jackets.

15. Fuel system leaks and spills were present in 62% of the motorcycle
accidents in the post-crash phase. This represents an undue hazard for
fire.

16. The median pre-crash speed was 29.8 mph, and the median crash speed
was 21.5 mph, and the one-in-a-thousand crash speed is approximately 86
mph.

17. The typical motorcycle pre-crash lines-of-sight to the traffic hazard
portray no contribution of the limits of peripheral vision; more than
three-fourths of all accident hazards are within 45deg of either side of
straight ahead.

18. Conspicuity of the motorcycle is most critical for the frontal
surfaces of the motorcycle and rider.

19. Vehicle defects related to accident causation are rare and likely to
be due to deficient or defective maintenance.

20. Motorcycle riders between the ages of 16 and 24 are significantly
overrepresented in accidents; motorcycle riders between the ages of 30
and 50 are significantly underrepresented. Although the majority of the
accident-involved motorcycle riders are male (96%), the female
motorcycles riders are significantly overrepresented in the accident
data.

22. Craftsmen, laborers, and students comprise most of the
accident-involved motorcycle riders. Professionals, sales workers, and
craftsmen are underrepresented and laborers, students and unemployed are
overrepresented in the accidents.

23. Motorcycle riders with previous recent traffic citations and
accidents are overrepresented in the accident data.

24. The motorcycle riders involved in accidents are essentially without
training; 92% were self-taught or learned from family or friends.
Motorcycle rider training experience reduces accident involvement and is
related to reduced injuries in the event of accidents.

25. More than half of the accident-involved motorcycle riders had less
than 5 months experience on the accident motorcycle, although the total
street riding experience was almost 3 years. Motorcycle riders with dirt
bike experience are significantly underrepresented in the accident data.

26. Lack of attention to the driving task is a common factor for the
motorcyclist in an accident.

27. Almost half of the fatal accidents show alcohol involvement.

28. Motorcycle riders in these accidents showed significant collision
avoidance problems. Most riders would overbrake and skid the rear wheel,
and underbrake the front wheel greatly reducing collision avoidance
deceleration. The ability to countersteer and swerve was essentially
absent.

29. The typical motorcycle accident allows the motorcyclist just less
than 2 seconds to complete all collision avoidance action.

30. Passenger-carrying motorcycles are not overrepresented in the
accident area.

31. The driver of the other vehicles involved in collision with the
motorcycle are not distinguished from other accident populations except
that the ages of 20 to 29, and beyond 65 are overrepresented. Also, these
drivers are generally unfamiliar with motorcycles.

32. Large displacement motorcycles are underrepresented in accidents but
they are associated with higher injury severity when involved in
accidents.

33. Any effect of motorcycle color on accident involvement is not
determinable from these data, but is expected to be insignificant because
the frontal surfaces are most often presented to the other vehicle
involved in the collision.

34. Motorcycles equipped with fairings and windshields are
underrepresented in accidents, most likely because of the contribution to
conspicuity and the association with more experienced and trained riders.

35. Motorcycle riders in these accidents were significantly without
motorcycle license, without any license, or with license revoked.

36. Motorcycle modifications such as those associated with the
semi-chopper or cafe racer are definitely overrepresented in accidents.

37. The likelihood of injury is extremely high in these motorcycle
accidents-98% of the multiple vehicle collisions and 96% of the single
vehicle accidents resulted in some kind of injury to the motorcycle
rider; 45% resulted in more than a minor injury.

38. Half of the injuries to the somatic regions were to the ankle-foot,
lower leg, knee, and thigh-upper leg.

39. Crash bars are not an effective injury countermeasure; the reduction
of injury to the ankle-foot is balanced by increase of injury to the
thigh-upper leg, knee, and lower leg.

40. The use of heavy boots, jacket, gloves, etc., is effective in
preventing or reducing abrasions and lacerations, which are frequent but
rarely severe injuries.

41. Groin injuries were sustained by the motorcyclist in at least 13% of
the accidents, which typified by multiple vehicle collision in frontal
impact at higher than average speed.

42. Injury severity increases with speed, alcohol involvement and
motorcycle size.

43. Seventy-three percent of the accident-involved motorcycle riders used
no eye protection, and it is likely that the wind on the unprotected eyes
contributed in impairment of vision which delayed hazard detection.

44. Approximately 50% of the motorcycle riders in traffic were using
safety helmets but only 40% of the accident-involved motorcycle riders
were wearing helmets at the time of the accident.

45. Voluntary safety helmet use by those accident-involved motorcycle
riders was lowest for untrained, uneducated, young motorcycle riders on
hot days and short trips.

46. The most deadly injuries to the accident victims were injuries to the
chest and head.

47. The use of the safety helmet is the single critical factor in the
prevention of reduction of head injury; the safety helmet which complies
with FMVSS 218 is a significantly effective injury countermeasure.

48. Safety helmet use caused no attenuation of critical traffic sounds,
no limitation of precrash visual field, and no fatigue or loss of
attention; no element of accident causation was related to helmet use.

49. FMVSS 218 provides a high level of protection in traffic accidents,
and needs modification only to increase coverage at the back of the head
and demonstrate impact protection of the front of full facial coverage
helmets, and insure all adult sizes for traffic use are covered by the
standard.

50. Helmeted riders and passengers showed significantly lower head and
neck injury for all types of injury, at all levels of injury severity.

51. The increased coverage of the full facial coverage helmet increases
protection, and significantly reduces face injuries.

52. There is no liability for neck injury by wearing a safety helmet;
helmeted riders had less neck injuries than unhelmeted riders. Only four
minor injuries were attributable to helmet use, and in each case the
helmet prevented possible critical or fatal head injury.

53. Sixty percent of the motorcyclists were not wearing safety helmets at
the time of the accident. Of this group, 26% said they did not wear
helmets because they were uncomfortable and inconvenient, and 53% simply
had no expectation of accident involvement.

54. Valid motorcycle exposure data can be obtained only from collection
at the traffic site. Motor vehicle or driver license data presents
information which is completely unrelated to actual use.

55. Less than 10% of the motorcycle riders involved in these accidents
had insurance of any kind to provide medical care or replace property.

More on sidecars in China

Awesome. In the second part of the show about Riding in China Jim and Bill talk about my 1998 trip in China, and the second trip last year with Teresa and Diny - 1st 5 minutes.

Sidecar Motorcycles in China Video

Meet Jim Bryant of Jimbo's Sidecars - who lent me the motorcycles in China and exports overseas - and also Bill of Big Bill's Bikes from Beijing, who I also met there. They're being interviewed on a show called Easy China about their sidecars. These are two 1/2 hour segments...

Sidecars in China Part 1
Sidecars in China Part 2

By the way, if you want a sidecar Jim will sell you one with a nice, reliable BMW engine in it for about 50/60K ($8000) RMB and Bill with the original CJ engine for 30K RMB ($4400).  You can fly into Beijing and pick it up to start your round the world trip there. Have fun!

Great gift for travelers: A stereo digital recorder for the iPod

I like my little iTalk Pro attachment for recording voice memos or short interviews to my iPod, but BSW just sent me a notice about  this direct-to-iPod stereo digital recording device. It's called the ProTrack, which is incorporated into an "integrated sled" for the iPod, and it's on sale for $149, which is amazing because it lists at $399.

I like that it uses AAA batteries, which are available everywhere in the world. And it works with iPod (Classic and 5th generation) and iPod nano (2nd or 3rd generation) , iPod Touch, iPhone 3G and 1st Generation with Optional Pro Track Adaptor .

Alesis PROTRACK Handheld Stereo Digital Recorder for iPod at BSWUSA.com