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Thursday, May 22nd, 2008 |
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Posted 05:43:32 PM Filed under Travel
Author: Mike Werner | Location: Normandy, France
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Via: MBI Member: MASMoto
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Those Spaniards are very motorcycle friendly, and progressive thinking. The authorities have started placing special areas in front of traffic lights for motorcycles.
These areas will allow bikes to go to the front and have an area reserved for motorcycles, the way some countries do for bicycles. It's a much safer way to start from a light for motorcycles, and cars will not be hindered, since as we all know, motorcycles accelerate faster than cars.
Barcelona  was the first to install a special box for motorcycle, between the white "stop" line and the pedestrian crossing.
On the photo, you can see the "do not stand here" marking saying "Except Motorcycles".
Madrid followed recently, with their own version:
Less obtrusive, but the result is still there, a place to be away from cages when you're at the light.
Thank you Spain for showing the way. Let's hope other countries follow. 
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| Technorati :Law Motorbikes Motorcycles Politics Spain |
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Posted 12:34:28 PM Filed under Travel
Author: Mike Werner | Location: Normandy, France
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Via: MBI Member: OliePeil
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You don't need to look very far, they're all in Germany. Its still the country with no top speed on the "autobahn", though more and more speed limits are being imposed on their long motorway stretches. But there still are roads where you can live in up.
So here are the top ten motorways/autoroutes/autobahns/autostradas where you can ride your motorcycle at the speed of light. But remember, there's always someone faster than you, so watch your six!
Road: A31
Essen to Emden
Length: 250 kms
Two lanes of almost straight roads, and often busy, so better get up early.
Road: A19/A24
Berlin to Rostock
Length:230 Kms
Some speed limits apply, but for the rest have fun!
Road: A5
Karlsruhe to Basel
Length: 417 Kms
Lots of traffic, even weekends. Straight roads, few curves.
Road: A38
Gottingen to Leipzig
Length: 247 Kms
The ideal road, fast, curves, less traffic.
Road: A3
Frankfurt to Bonn
Length: 174 Kms.
Three lane heaven. Busy during the day, better at night.
Road: A62
Landstuhl to Nonnweiler
Length: 57 Kms
200 kph speed limit coming up.
Road: A81
Weinsberg to Wurzburg
Length: 102 Kms
You'll find that this is where Porche and AMG do their high speed tests.
Road: A92
Munchen to Deggendorf
Length: 145 Kms
Boring but very fast.
Road: A96
Landsberg to Bregenz
Length: 128 Kms
Bits missing, but the scenery is worth it, as is the road.
Road: A9
Nurnberg to Holledau
Length: 134 Kms
Boring, but very fast three lane road.
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| Technorati :Germany Motorbikes Motorcycles Road Speed Speeding |
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Posted 08:30:00 AM Filed under System
Author: Mike Werner | Location: Normandy, France
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Just a reminder, if you want, you can subscribe to our free weekly newsletter that is emailed to you thanks to Nouri.sh  . All you need to do is follow the link below. Once a week, on Sunday afternoon (Paris time), we email a roundup of all stories and articles written during the week.
The newsletter summary is a paragraph or two synopsis, and usually contains one mini photo. To read the full article, you click on the headline.
If you don't want to come here every day (you are obviously welcome to come here more than once a day), and you don't want to use a RSS-reader, this is an ideal solution.
Click here to subscribe.
Remember, when you receive the confirmation email, and/or the newsletter email, to check your junk/spam/mass mail folder, since it might appear there.
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| Technorati :Motorbikes Motorcycles Newsletter |
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Posted 07:45:34 AM Filed under France
Author: Mike Werner | Location: Normandy, France
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Via: Moto Revue
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So far in France (like many other countries), the Police would ticket you by using photo evidence, usually with help of the radar gun. This way, when there are disputes, the photo is proof-positive that you and the motorcycle did something wrong.
Lately, specially in Paris, the Police have been ordered to fine anyone, even if they aren't equipped with a camera, and even if they don't stop you. What that means, a Police officer driving along in his "normal" car will write down your license plate if he/she sees you doing something illegal (like not stopping at a stop sign, crossing a white line, not using your indicators when changing lanes, etc), and the a few days later you receive the fine. You'd be lucky to remember if you were riding that day.... let alone if you actually did do what they are saying.
So far, Police have warned you that you were being photographed ("flashed" as they say in France). Or if they were using handguns, opposite traffic would warn you by flashing their lights.
This causes several problems, even for the Gendarmes. These tickets are way to easy to challenge. It requires going to the courts, but it also means the cop needs to go to court. Since they don't have any evidence, it becomes very difficult to show the judge that you did do something illegal.
Nevertheless, between 2006 and 2007, the "on-the-fly" tickets increased 1266% !!!!! 80% of them were cars, 20% motorcycles. And since splitting lanes is tolerated, but illegal, cops can, and will, ticket you even when you don't see them, and even if they don't stop you.
But then, it becomes your word against theirs in front of a judge, and often the judge will rule in favor of you.
It's a stupid system, and it boils down to intimidation. Who blinks first....
Let's hope more and more motorcycle riders (and cagers) start challenging the tickets. That will stop them from doing this.
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| Technorati :France Law Motorbikes Motorcycles Police Ticket |
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Wednesday, May 21st, 2008 |
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Posted 12:45:03 PM Filed under Racing Web
Author: Mike Werner | Location: Normandy, France
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Like last year, world's toughest motorcycle enduro can be followed on your PC. The Erzberg Rodeo is billed as the toughest enduro. 1500 motorcycle riders need to conquer the mountain, and only 1 can win.
Lots of motorcycle stars are participating again this year {link}. You'll find the schedule of events if you click on the link.
You can see several areas of the 4 day event via webcams. They're not live streaming, but can update every second, so it's not bad. At the bottom of the page you'll see in German "Aktualisierung nach:". After that text there are numbers. These numbers represent the number of seconds between updates, so you can select whatever value you want as refresh rate (depending on your bandwidth).
On both sides of the page are a total of 7 icons. Each icon represents a webcam in a specific area. Click on it to view that camera. The last camera is mobile.
Now you can view the Erzberg Rodeo at the comfort of your PC...Have fun watching it...
Click here to access the webcam page
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| Technorati :Austria Enduro Erzberg Motorbikes Motorcycles Webcam |
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Posted 07:36:56 AM Filed under Funny Entertainment
Author: Mike Werner | Location: Normandy, France
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Via: Yahoo News & AFP News
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| | AFP | | An Iraqi inspects his modified moped which comes with six rear view mirrors mounted on the handle bars to warn the rider of any danger from behind at the Nahda Street 'Vespa Market' in Baghdad's city centre. Motorcycles are regarded as safer than four-wheel vehicles in Baghdad where bomb blasts and gun attacks are so common they rarely make headlines. (AFP/Ali Yussef) |
You think he really wants to know what's behind him on his motorcycle. 
Question is, can he still see the road in front of him?
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| Technorati :Accessories Mirror Motorbikes Motorcycles |
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