In the world of motorcycling the motard is a bike for crazies -- not packing much power but offering plenty of grunt for wheelies and other urban antics, making them quite popular amongst those who ride the city streets. They're typically modified off-roaders, as is the case with Zero X's new Zero S. The company took its electric dirtbike, added some street-friendly tires, tweaked the suspension, and doubled the battery life to offer 60 miles to a charge despite keeping the weight down to just 225 pounds. While a zero-to-60 time of five seconds won't win any awards from two-wheeled aficionados, that's more than quick enough to ensure victory at stoplights. A top speed of just 60 mph means highways are to be avoided, but they're no fun anyway. You can throw your leg over your own later this month for $9,950, or catch a video of this near-silent screamer right now after the break.

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Number of Motorcycles Produced
Motorcycle production in January 2009 was recorded as 87,667 units. Compared with the 114,214 units total recorded for the same month of the previous year, this is a decrease of 26,547 units or 23.2%, and production decrease on the same month of the previous year for seventeen consecutive months.

Number of Motorcycle Domestic Sales
Domestic sales (factory shipment) in January 2009 stood at 28,980 units, a decrease of 8.6% as compared with the same month of the previous year.

Exports (result) stood at 76.9% as compared with the same month of the previous year.

>> Motorcycle Export in January 2009
  82,088 units, down 24,658 units or 23.1%
  (January 2008: 106,746 units)

Number of Motorcycles Exported
Motorcycle export in January 2009 was recorded as 82,088 units. Compared with the 106,746 units total recorded for the same month of the previous year, this is a decrease of 24,658 units or 23.1%, and export decrease on the same month of the previous year for sixteen consecutive months.

Value of Motorcycles Exported
Total value of motorcycles exported for January 2009 was $605.06 million including $479.99 million for vehicles and $125.07 million for parts. This is a decrease of $132.97 million or 18.0% as compared with $738.03 million recorded for the same month of the previous year.

According to many riders in Daytona Beach for Bike Week, this week, they wouldn’t be caught dead on the road without their loud, modified, unbaffled straight pipes. They feel that it provides an added layer of protection against their “enemy” the car and truck driver who doesn’t see them and crashes into them causing death or serious injury. “If they don’t see us at least they will hear us”. Many riders believe they would have been killed or seriously injured had it not been for those loud pipes according to interviews conducted by the Daytona Beach News-Journal.

There is only one problem: it is against the law. Not only that, but most people dislike the sound of loud pipes roaring inside their brain. The maximum sound level by Florida law for a motorcycle traveling at 35mph at a distance of 50ft. is 78 decibels. By comparison, a blender generates 90 decibels from a distance of 3 feet. The ear piercing sound of a Harley with modified straight pipes can far exceed the lawful decibel level.

During bike week most bikers get a free pass on noise ordinance violations but more and more neighborhoods are banding together to reduce unwanted sounds. In fact, the American Motorcycle Association (AMA) regards excessive sound from the exhaust as the single greatest threat to motorcycling. Regardless of how “safe” loud pipes are for the rider the AMA has to protect the interests of the majority of law abiding motorcyclists around the country.

My advice, as a motorcycle accident attorney for 37 years, if you really want to protect yourself while riding, wear the recommended safety equipment (helmet, eye protection, leathers, proper footwear) and carry lots of insurance on your motorcycle policy. In Florida car and truck drivers have no requirement to carry mandatory bodily injury insurance so if you are in a crash caused by someone else you will probably have to pay all the bills yourself. And you will recover nothing for your lost wages and pain and suffering. The only way to fully protect yourself is to buy lots of motorcycle insurance with at least 50k in medical payments coverage and 100k in uninsured motorists coverage. This is minimal coverage and higher limits should be considered particularly for uninsured motorists’ insurance.

You use Best Buy for TVs, washing machines, computer peripherals and cell phones, so why not use them to shop for a $12,000 electric motorcycle? Why the hell not? Brammo and Best Buy have plans to sell the $11,995 Enertia electric motorcycle at five West Coast Best Buy stores in May.

Eventually Brammo would like to sell bikes at every Best Buy location around the world, but they want to see how the initial test works out. They should probably have pimply faced geek squad dudes drive around on them for promotion. And so they are diverted from touching anyone’s computer.

I don’t know how this would work out. My guess is they won’t sell very many.

[Green Tech Media]

Motorcycle safety ad - What do we have to do to get noticed!

By bbm studios

February 2009 – For nearly a decade, the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame has recognized individuals who have made significant contributions to the protection of motorcyclists’ rights, personal freedoms and liberties.

“The sacrifices these individuals have made in the political arena and in grassroots foundations have helped protect the rights of biker enthusiasts,” according to Christine Paige Diers, executive director of the famed South Dakota motorcycle museum.

In appreciation for the accomplishments of these individuals, the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum established the nation’s first and only Freedom Fighters Hall of Fame.  Since 2001, the motorcycle museum has awarded the Freedom Fighter honor to more than 40 individuals throughout the world from members of motorcycle safety foundations to politicians.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame is currently soliciting nominations for the 2009 Freedom Fighters Hall of Fame.  Individuals are encouraged to participate in the nominating process by submitting the name of an outstanding Freedom Fighter along with a brief bio as to why this person deserves to be recognized.  Biographical information and credentials should be no more than two pages.  All nominations must be received by April 1, 2009.

“This year’s winners will join a growing list of exemplary and tenacious motorcycle philanthropists who serve diligently, humbly and quietly so that we may enjoy the liberties that many of people take for granted,” stated the executive director for the popular motorcycle museum. 

Please visit the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum’s website for nomination forms, www.sturgismuseum.com
 or email Executive Director Christine Paige Diers at christine@sturgismuseum.com . Questions may also be directed to Christine via her email or by calling 605.347.2001.

The motorcycle museum is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization dedicated to collecting preserving and interpreting the history of motorcycling; honoring those who have made a positive and significant impact on the sport and lifestyle, and paying tribute to the heritage of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

Faced with mounting inventories due to weak sales amid the global recession, the company plans to produce slightly more than 260,000 units in Japan this year, Yamaha spokeswoman Satoko Ogawa said, confirming an earlier report in the Nikkei business daily.

The company also plans to reduce output of motorcycles and other products by 30 percent in the Americas and 20 percent in Europe, while it plans to maintain production levels in Asia where demand for smaller motorcycles remains relatively solid, she said.

Yamaha has already decided to shut its main assembly plant in Shizuoka Prefecture and the parts plants that feed it for 10 days in February and March to reduce output by 13,000 motorcycles, and it plans to negotiate with labour unions for more work stoppages in the April-June quarter.

Yamaha expects to tumble into an operating loss of 30 billion yen ($308 million) in 2009, against a profit of 48.4 billion yen last year, as demand for products such as large motorcycles and marine vehicles drops.

Group sales are forecast to fall 22 percent to 1.25 trillion yen.