May Begins AMA Motorcycle Awareness Month

With the beginning of Motorcycle Awareness Month on May 1, the American Motorcyclist Association is issuing a special appeal to motorists to be aware of their driving environment, check mirrors and blind spots before changing lanes and, especially, to watch for motorcyclists.

"The warmer weather in May brings out the riders who have been unable to ride all winter, so it presents an excellent opportunity for us to educate the non-riding public about the safety issues that affect motorcyclists every time we roll out of our driveways or onto a trail," said Rob Dingman, AMA president and CEO. "The AMA is monitoring more than 1,124 state and federal bills that would affect motorcycling safety or motorcyclists' rights, including many that deal with rider safety."

Among the top awareness issues in 2015 are distracted driving and the need for motorcyclist and driver training.

Sean Hutson, AMA government affairs manager for on-highway issues, said state legislatures are considering more than 150 bills that deal with distracted driving. Those bills range from prohibitions on minors using personal electronic devices to bans on the use of electronic devices by any driver.

Rather than solely seeking bans on specific forms of behavior, though, the AMA advocates legislation that includes enhanced penalty options to be determined by the courts in cases where distracted driving results in a crash.

In addition, the AMA supports training programs for motorcyclists -- including advanced skills courses - and more thorough education for motorists. A new law in Michigan, for example, requires motorcycle- and bicycle-awareness and safety instruction in all of the state's courses for new drivers.

Drivers can avoid crashes with motorcyclists by taking extra care and looking twice to spot motorcycles in traffic -- especially at intersections -- respecting the motorcyclists' space on the road and by not following too closely.

Motorcycle Awareness Month, launched by the AMA in the early 1980s and adopted by many state motorcycle-rights organizations, government entities and AMA-sanctioned clubs, is observed each May. Video and audio messages can be downloaded at www.americanmotorcyclist.com/Rights/Resources/PublicServiceAnnouncements.aspx.

AMA position statements on distracted and inattentive vehicle operation and rider education, as well as other subjects, can be found here: www.americanmotorcyclist.com/rights/positionstatements.

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2015 Victory Gunner

You've wanted to step up to a true heavyweight cruiser. Do it in style with the Gunner, a powerful cruiser with throwback bobber style and street-smart attitude.

The Victory Gunner's distinctive bobber styling is enhanced by the premium Suede Titanium Metallic and Black paint, including the two-tone fuel tank.

The Victory Freedom® 106/6 V-Twin is smooth, efficient – and extremely powerful. It’s fuel-injected, counter-balanced and delivers 110 ft-lb of torque you can use to own city streets and enjoy extended highway cruising with confidence and power to spare. It delivers instant throttle response and outstanding power you can unleash on demand.

With the outstanding power of the Victory Freedom® 106/6 V-Twin, you’ll ride the Gunner with confidence – and with 110 ft-lb of torque on tap. Use the power to enjoy the best cruising, to head out onto the open road, and to manage traffic with passing power to spare.

Every gear shift is smooth and defined with the Victory 6-speed transmission with true overdrive. Its helical-cut gears ensure that each shift is smooth and sure. For interstate cruising, the 6th gear overdrive drops the RPMs and revs up a great ride experience.

The lightweight 16" front and rear wheels have such unique and powerful style that the Victory Gunner looks like it just rolled out of a custom shop.

The comfortable Victory Gunner seat has a narrow straddle point so your legs extend directly to the pavement from the 25.0" seat height, enhancing your confidence and control. The relaxed cruiser ergos ensure a comfortable ride on city streets and out on the open highway.

The Victory Gunner seat is stylish and comfortable. This sleek solo seat offers the ideal combo of cushion and support. It also puts a rider in a position of confidence-inspiring control. The seat's styling integrates with a smooth lines of the Victory Gunner, enhancing the bike's throwback bobber style. For 2-up riding, add the accessory passenger seat – and pegs or floorboards – of your choice.

Every rider can make the Victory Gunner truly their own with Victory Accessories. Add comfort, convenience, extra style, protection and more with Victory Accessories. Every Victory accessory undergoes the same rigorous testing as our motorcycles, so they install easily, fit properly, and deliver outstanding performance.

Come out to Pete's Bel Air location and check out the 2015 Victory Gunner yourself! Pete's has this and many other new 2015 models waiting for you. Come to any of Pete's three locations for great deals on motorcycles.

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Riding in a Crosswind

Ah Yes, Riding in a Crosswind

My customers ask me all the time about riding in a crosswind. I figured this would be a good way to address the issue. While most of the tips and techniques are intuitive, there are a few things you should keep in mind.

First of all, be sure to give yourself room. Ride in the center lane, but if it’s a tight two lane road, ride on the center right portion of your lane to give yourself some breathing room from the oncoming traffic. Calculate how much the wind is pushing you around and make adjustments from there. Look at the tops of trees to try to predict if there are gusts ahead. When you do encounter a gust, don’t slow down immediately, as that makes you more unsteady. Keep that pace, then slow down after the gust if needed. Ride at a speed you are comfortable with.

Be prepared to take a break and get a cup of coffee. Short, powerful gusts tend to be very unpredictable, and the higher the wind speed and stronger the gusts the more dangerous the riding. When it’s too dangerous, take a breather.

Most of the time, when the wind is knocking your bike around people tend to overgrip. Lean a tad forward as well and drop your shoulders slightly, to lessen your profile. Of course, you need to hold on tighter, but not letting the bike get knocked around a little may make you an easier target for the wind, since you are too stiff. On the other hand, you do need to countersteer. It may take a bit of time to find the right balance of relaxation and aggression. 

And finally, wind can make a sunny day very, very cold. We’ve got tons of windproof jackets and gear to not only keep you safe, but warm.

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