Daily news about motorcycleshttp://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/en-usTue, 21 May 2013 18:00:00 +0200 Fri, 24 May 2013 08:00:00 +0200

#Belgium #Safety #Politics - The Belgium government, in the form of the Minister of Public Works, is planning to make the Wallonne region of Belgium safer for motorcycle riders. Many bikers are killed on the roads of the French speaking part of Belgium, and to make sure the bikers understand their fragility he is installing 80 signs warning motorcycle riders of upcoming road dangers. But according to him, only 8% of accidents are caused by the road itself, 50% by the other driver and 37% by the biker.

He is printing 15,000 maps with all the danger spots in the area which will be distributed at biker events.

It's a good thing that the government is thinking about our safety but... and there is always a but... 1) instead of printing maps he should use & promote the Moto Smarty app to warn riders, and 2) instead of placing signs, how about doing something about the road itself?

]]>http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/belgium-action-for-the-safety-of-motorcyclists.htmTravelMike Wernerhttp://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/belgium-action-for-the-safety-of-motorcyclists.htm?opendocument&commentshttp://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/belgium-action-for-the-safety-of-motorcyclists.htm http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dxcomments/belgium-action-for-the-safety-of-motorcyclists.htm http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/belgium-action-for-the-safety-of-motorcyclists.htm?opendocument&comments Thu, 23 May 2013 08:00:00 +0200

#Funeral #Lebabon - I'd say a lot of bikers I know would like to ride a motorcycle funeral like this; armed with machine guns (and probably many do).]]>http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/motorcycle-funeral-lebanese-style.htmTravelMike Wernerhttp://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/motorcycle-funeral-lebanese-style.htm?opendocument&commentshttp://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/motorcycle-funeral-lebanese-style.htm http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dxcomments/motorcycle-funeral-lebanese-style.htm http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/motorcycle-funeral-lebanese-style.htm?opendocument&comments Wed, 15 May 2013 14:00:00 +0200

#Logis #Hotels - The private hotel chain Logis, a French group and France's biggest hotel chain, has started a campaign to attract motorcycle riders to their establishments.

Many of you who travel on holiday on a motorcycle will know that often hotels for some reason do not like bikers. They see us a rowdy and loud people, and are often not equipped to receive us and our stinking and noisy motorcycles (all true, but still....).

Logis seem to be going out of their way to accommodate us. They have recently sign a charter to make our lives more bearable when travelling. Out of the 2,556 hotel properties in Europe (2,429 in France, 32 in Spain, 25 in Belgium, 24 in The Netherlands, etc) 290 are already converted to servicing bikers. They are called Logis Moto...........

...........Click on the headline to continue reading this story.......

]]>http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/one-european-hotel-chain-that-caters-for-motorcycles.htmTravelMike Wernerhttp://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/one-european-hotel-chain-that-caters-for-motorcycles.htm?opendocument&commentshttp://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/one-european-hotel-chain-that-caters-for-motorcycles.htm http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dxcomments/one-european-hotel-chain-that-caters-for-motorcycles.htm http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/one-european-hotel-chain-that-caters-for-motorcycles.htm?opendocument&comments Fri, 10 May 2013 08:00:00 +0200

#Exposition #Monks #Abbey - Here's an interesting travel tip for those of you who are planning to visit France shortly. Starting on the 17th of May, until the 30th of June, in the Abbey of Saint-Martin de Ligugé the monks there are holding an exposition of enameled motorcycle art.

The expo is named "A Golden Century of Motorcycles", and consists of 25 enamel based portraits of vintage and modern motorcycles, even the latest Ducati Diavel and the Yamaha V-Max.

Apart from passing through the obligatory gift shop, you can even ask the monks to make an enamel rendering of your favorite motorcycle. All exposed artwork can also be purchased. Each artwork is on a copper plate measuring 17 x 25 cm...........

...........Click on the headline to continue reading this story.......

]]>http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/france-monks-motorcycles-and-holiday.htmTravelMike Wernerhttp://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/france-monks-motorcycles-and-holiday.htm?opendocument&commentshttp://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/france-monks-motorcycles-and-holiday.htm http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dxcomments/france-monks-motorcycles-and-holiday.htm http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/france-monks-motorcycles-and-holiday.htm?opendocument&comments Wed, 8 May 2013 18:00:00 +0200

#Luggage #Business #Suits - When traveling for business, it's usually difficult to ride a motorcycle, since you can't really show up to a meeting dressed in your leathers and biker boots, can you now (unless you are maybe a loan shark or hitman)? And taking your business clothes, including your shoes, is a hassle and the end result will probably mean that your suit is as wrinkled as a 90 year old woman who has been sunbathing in the nude all her life.

But it does not need to be like this. The Skyroll Wrinkle-Free Luggage Carrier could solve your problems. In the center is a hollow tube into which fits your "dress" shoes, while your clothes, including suit, roll around the tube. Simple and very effective to make sure your suits are wrinkle free and easy to transport...........

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]]>http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/idea-traveling-on-a-motorcycle-for-business.htmTravelMike Wernerhttp://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/idea-traveling-on-a-motorcycle-for-business.htm?opendocument&commentshttp://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/idea-traveling-on-a-motorcycle-for-business.htm http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dxcomments/idea-traveling-on-a-motorcycle-for-business.htm http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/idea-traveling-on-a-motorcycle-for-business.htm?opendocument&comments Tue, 7 May 2013 08:00:00 +0200

The French MotoGP motorcycle race is on for 17, 18 and 19 May, and the French Angry Biker Association (FFMC) has put in place several motorcycle rest stops along the way, where you can tank up, get hot/cold drinks, eat, visors cleaned, mechanics, etc.

Here's a list and map of where they are, and when they are open.

]]>http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/france-motogp-2013-motorcycle-rest-places---relais-calmos.htmTravelMike Wernerhttp://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/france-motogp-2013-motorcycle-rest-places---relais-calmos.htm?opendocument&commentshttp://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/france-motogp-2013-motorcycle-rest-places---relais-calmos.htm http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dxcomments/france-motogp-2013-motorcycle-rest-places---relais-calmos.htm http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/france-motogp-2013-motorcycle-rest-places---relais-calmos.htm?opendocument&comments Wed, 24 Apr 2013 08:00:00 +0200

#Syria #River #Motorcycle - In civil war-torn country like Syria, riding your motorcycle over a bridge can be very dangerous for your health, that is, if the bridge still exists. So people do what they need to do to cross the river.....

]]>http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/syria-how-to-get-your-motorcycle-across-the-river.htmTravelMike Wernerhttp://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/syria-how-to-get-your-motorcycle-across-the-river.htm?opendocument&commentshttp://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/syria-how-to-get-your-motorcycle-across-the-river.htm http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dxcomments/syria-how-to-get-your-motorcycle-across-the-river.htm http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/syria-how-to-get-your-motorcycle-across-the-river.htm?opendocument&comments Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:00:00 +0200

#Accident #Europe #Statistics - The roadside assistance organization in Belgium, Touring, has conducted a research on the number of deadly motorcycles accidents in Europe, and correlating them with the number of inhabitants of that country. This gives a score of the countries where you are more likely to have a fatal motorcycle accident.

I didn't manage to get much data, except for the top 4 "most dangerous countries in Europe". The number you see after the country is the number of deadly motorcycle accidents per million inhabitants...........

...........Click on the headline to continue reading this story.......

]]>http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/the-most-dangerous-countries-for-motorcycles-in-europe.htmTravelMike Wernerhttp://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/the-most-dangerous-countries-for-motorcycles-in-europe.htm?opendocument&commentshttp://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/the-most-dangerous-countries-for-motorcycles-in-europe.htm http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dxcomments/the-most-dangerous-countries-for-motorcycles-in-europe.htm http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/the-most-dangerous-countries-for-motorcycles-in-europe.htm?opendocument&comments Wed, 10 Apr 2013 08:00:00 +0200

#Politics #Europe - A strong rumor has been circulating amongst motorcycle professionals, particularly motorcycle dealers, that Europe was going to install a law that made changing your tires for a different brand illegal. Sounds far fetched?

Actually, Germany has such a law, that requires you to use only homologated parts on your motorcycle, including the tires. So if a motorcycle manufacturer has homologated their bike with tires from Brand A, model B, than that it what you will need to put on your bike from now on. It is forbidden in Germany to go for Brand X, Model Z, unless that tire has been approved. Tire manufacturers are bound to keep tires in play for 10 years, after that you're on your own...........

...........Click on the headline to continue reading this story.......

]]>http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/europe-no-tire-brand-change-rumor-debunked.htmTravelMike Wernerhttp://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/europe-no-tire-brand-change-rumor-debunked.htm?opendocument&commentshttp://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/europe-no-tire-brand-change-rumor-debunked.htm http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dxcomments/europe-no-tire-brand-change-rumor-debunked.htm http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/europe-no-tire-brand-change-rumor-debunked.htm?opendocument&comments Tue, 9 Apr 2013 14:00:00 +0200

#GPS #Smartphone - Sometimes I forget that there are other places on this planet that have nanny-states, where the government tries to control every aspect of our lives, from birth to burial. France is pretty bad at this, but I'd say California is a close second. In their latest drive to ensure that its citizens can't do anything that can be seen as remotely dangerous, they have disallowed to usage of smartphone-based GPS while driving, or in our case while riding our motorcycles.

Basically, some judge in a court somewhere in California decided that the ban currently in place that disallows you to talk or text while driving also implies that you are not allowed to use your smartphone to navigate through the roads of California. If you want to use your smartphone's GPS, do it at home..............

...........Click on the headline to continue reading this story.......

]]>http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/usa-wtf-no-more-smartphone-gps-usage-in-california.htmTravelMike Wernerhttp://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/usa-wtf-no-more-smartphone-gps-usage-in-california.htm?opendocument&commentshttp://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/usa-wtf-no-more-smartphone-gps-usage-in-california.htm http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dxcomments/usa-wtf-no-more-smartphone-gps-usage-in-california.htm http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/usa-wtf-no-more-smartphone-gps-usage-in-california.htm?opendocument&comments