A basic rundown of different motorcycle luggage
We outline the broad categories of motorcycle travel bags and luggage.
Source: MotorCyclistOnline.com
A Guide To Motorcycle Travel Bags And Luggage
Tag Archives: News
Radio jock calls for rider ban on highway
A radio jock has called for a motorcycle ban on Melbourne’s Monash Freeway after a fatality that police have already blamed on the rider, even before any crash investigation.
The accident happened about 8am today (February 6, 2019) near the Blackburn Road on-ramp.
Media reports already claim the rider was “lane splitting at speed”, hit a couple of cars and ended up under the wheels of a truck. The as-yet unnamed rider tragically died at the scene.
Click here for more on filtering near trucks.
Shock jock
Police claim it is one of nine out of the 10 motorcycle fatalities so far this year due to rider error.
3AW radio announcer Neil Mitchell subsequently called for a motorcycle ban on the busy section.
The Motorcycle Riders Association of Victoria immediately called on police to stop giving opinions on road crashes to the media before a proper crash investigation and on Mitchell to “stop vilifying riders”.
“Police at bike crash sites often give opinions on causes to the media,” says MRA Victoria spokesman Damien Codognotto.
“They do this before any real science can be done. Preempting the coroner/court is not tolerated in other crashes or crimes.”
He says the radio shock jock needs to recognise that motorcycle and scooter riders are “legitimate, environmentally-friendly road users who more than pay their way”.
“As electric bikes become the norm numbers of two-wheelers will continue to grow,” he says.
“It behoves community voices like Mitchel to promote harmony on our roads, not hate”.
Shepherds Australia Foundation cofounder Dean Marks says there is too much comment in the media before the “appropriate facts” are investigated.
“What should be reported is the collision, outcome and that the matter is under investigation.
“Until complete, it would be unfair and unreasonable to make further comment.
“We are constantly seeing the cart before the horse which forces people into sides before any investigation has been undertaken.”
Riders have been calling for proper analysis of motorcycle crashes for years, rather than relying on incomplete and hastily concluded crash investigations by police.
Click here to about the great road crash statistics scam.
Last year, the Victorian La Trobe University unveiled a plan to create a national road trauma research hub at its Bendigo campus, in a bid to reduce Australia’s regional road toll.
This was welcomed by rider representatives.
However, efforts to check on the progress of the plan have failed. Riders groups claim it may have just been a media stunt to attract funding.
Meanwhile, the Victorian Motorcycle Expert Advisory Panel has not sat since before the state election.
Victorian motorcycle campaigner and former No 1 member of the Motorcycle Riders Association of Australia Rodney Brown says the current motorcycle death rate makes it vital the committee meets soon.
He has contacted new Roads Minister Jaala Pulford urging the government to “start talking to the motorcycle community to gather overall feedback and act upon it”.
Source: MotorbikeWriter.com
Additional private Sydney test crucial for Scott
GSR Kawasaki rider targeting suspension and braking improvements.
Image: Russell Colvin.
Glenn Scott believes an additional private test this Friday at Sydney Motorsport Park will play a crucial role in setting up his season for success.
The privateer rider wound up 18th on the overall timesheets at last weekend’s Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) test in Phillip Island, sampling a new tyre from Pirelli for the first time aboard his Kawasaki ZX-10R.
“Friday will be great to get on the bike again,” Scott explained. “Any ride time for us right now is valuable and we still have plenty to test. Friday, we will be trying some new valving in the front forks and also some parts to help improve our braking.
“There is no denying we struggled to find a set-up over the two days at Phillip Island, hovering around the P15 mark all weekend. Lack of testing over the summer break really caught myself and the team out, as most teams seemed very comfortable on arrival to the island.
“Despite our lack of time on bike we felt good on the bike, we looked comfortable on track, however we unfortunately couldn’t put together a lap-time. The most challenging part of the weekend was getting used to the new Pirelli tyre. A few more sessions with the new tyre are needed as factory teams clearly showed the tyre works well with the likes of Wayne Maxwell popping out a beauty of a lap.”
The ASBK kicks off on 21-24 February at Phillip Island, running conjunction with the FIM Motul Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) opener.
Source: CycleOnline.com.au
Bell officially launches Eliminator helmet on the Gold Coast
Helmet launch attended by over 200 riders and motorcycle enthusiasts.
Image: Supplied.
Bell Powersports Australia has released its all-new Eliminator helmet with an official launch at the Gold Coast Creative House, where over 200 diverse riders and motorcycle enthusiasts attended.
The inside of the warehouse played host to an open bar provided by Young Henrys and a variance of motorcycle models and makes, as the Eliminator itself tries to cover a wide market rather than cater to a particular rider style. Outside saw the Show and Shine, food truck and plenty of motorcycle parking for all attendees.
Recently-crowned two-time Dakar Rally champion and Bell athlete Toby Price headlined a list of professional riders and personalities, which included Dan Reardon, Harry Bink, Emma McFerran, Matt McFerran, April Vaughn and Matt Mingay.
The focus was to draw in the broader motorcycle community by creating an event that spoke to several tiers of the public, stockists and influencers alike, engaging them into the Bell ethos and pushing forward the thinking that not only is Bell consistently at the forefront of helmet evolution and safety, but also still true to it’s roots of a genuine passion for motorcycles.
The Eliminator is the new helmet from Bell Powersports that encompasses a bygone era of racing and on-trend design aesthetics. Available in either composite or carbon fibre shells, the lid boasts an unique ventilation design that adds style and functional advantages over its competition.
The ProVision shield is ECE certified, vastly outperforming the standard’s mist-retardant test, and is designed for all ranges of uses from everyday commuting to extreme competition. For more information, visit www.bellhelmets.com.
Source: CycleOnline.com.au
ASBK return on the cards for Jones at Phillip Island opener
ASBK return on the cards for Jones at Phillip Island opener
Complete plans for 2019 campaign not yet locked in for the former champion.
Image: Russell Colvin.
Former premier class champion Mike Jones has revealed he’ll make a return to the Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) at Phillip Island’s opening round on 21-24 February.
Jones been racing internationally for the past two seasons, most recently contesting the Spanish Superstock 1000 champion with Speed Racing Team Kawasaki, while also making a guest MotoGP appearance at the Island in 2018 with Angel Nieto Team.
The Queenslander was on-track at the weekend’s official ASBK test aboard a 2018 edition Kawasaki ZX-10RR, winding up 10th on the timesheets after laying down his best-time in the final session on Sunday afternoon.
Without any plans in place for the 2019 season, Jones says Phillip Island’s first stop is an opportunity to remain sharp on the motorcycle as he endeavours to lock down his program for the year, with hopes of remaining on the international circuit.
“I’ll be racing round one of the ASBK at Phillip Island,” Jones revealed to CycleOnline.com.au. “We were at the ASBK test to get some practice in and try to get myself up to speed in preparation for the event.
“It’s actually a 2018 Kawasaki ZX-10RR [that I’m riding] owned by K&R Hydraulics and Maverick Race Developments, it’s their bike and I’m just sort of borrowing it at the moment for the first round. The goal for me is to progress in my career, and to race overseas is that goal. Right now at the moment, I don’t have anything confirmed.
“So the idea is to race the first round to keep me in the seat and riding – keep the eye in – and we’ll see what comes of it. It was awesome [to be back] – I got to catch up with a lot of people and see some familiar faces. Obviously, the ASBK field is very competitive – it’s gotten a lot stronger in the couple of years that I’ve been overseas.
“It’s really good to come back and be in such a competitive field. It’s just awesome for Australia to have that level of competitiveness and I’m really looking forward to racing the guys at the first round.”
Round one of the ASBK will be held in conjunction with the FIM Motul Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) opener.
Source: CycleOnline.com.au
Supercross promoter addresses drying agent saga at San Diego
Riders experience skin irritations from lime mixture.
Image: Supplied.
Feld Entertainment, the promoter of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship, has addressed the drying agent it utilised at the weekend’s rain-drenched fifth round in San Diego after ongoing backlash from riders and personnel.
The drying agent, a mix of lime and sand, caused skin irritation to a number of riders while additional damage to their machines was also sustained in the encounter.
The promoter has stated its reaching out to participants from the weekend’s Californian stop to ensure the welfare of riders, declaring its reviewing the current process behind dealing with excessive amounts of water.
“The wellbeing of our riders, their teams and our crew is always a top priority for us at all supercross events,” the statement read. “Given last week’s forecast of rain for Saturday’s event in San Diego, the track crew took normal precautions to ensure a safe and raceable track.
“Prior to the qualifying rounds and main events, they removed the protective tarp and applied a drying agent, a lime and sand mixture, to treat two areas on the track to try and remove moisture from the dirt. This process has been used safely for decades at supercross to dry dirt and thereby reduce the risk of accidents for the riders.
“It appears that the unprecedented amount of rain on Saturday prevented the lime from mixing with the soil as usual. This resulted in splashing of the riders and their bikes, which may have caused skin irritation to some riders and damage to their bikes.
“We are currently reaching out to each rider who participated in Saturday’s race to assess the extent of the impact, ensure their welfare and get them back on their bikes racing. We are also reviewing our existing processes to deal with excessive water on the track to prevent a recurrence.”
A selection of top tier riders have spoken about being unable to train during the week because of burns and skin irritation, including Team Honda HRC’s Ken Roczen. The AMA Supercross series returns to action this weekend at Minnesota for the first east coast stop of the tour.
Source: MotoOnline.com.au
Parkes confirms ARRC entry with Yamaha Racing Team ASEAN
Australian to challenge alongside Endurance World Championship commitments.
Image: Supplied.
Broc Parkes has confirmed he’ll contest the newly-introduced ASB100 category in the 2019 Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) with Yamaha Racing Team ASEAN, joined by Yuki Ito in the premier class aboard the YZF-R1.
The Australian will challenge the series alongside his regular role with YART Yamaha Official EWC Team in the FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC).
“Happy to announce I will be racing the Asia Road Racing Championship with Yamaha Racing Team as well as the FIM Endurance World Championship with YART Yamaha Official EWC Team,” said Parkes in a brief social media statement. Big thanks to Yamaha Racing – [I’m] looking forward to a great year..
The Asia Road Racing Championship kicks off on 8-10 March in Malaysia before heading to The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australian for round two on 25-28 April. The series will will extend to seven rounds in 2019.
Source: CycleOnline.com.au
Online shopping increases truck traffic
The rapid growth in online shopping has caused a rise in trucks on our roads that are not delivering to shopping centres but right to our suburban front door.
This presents a major increase in congestion, but also danger for riders who easily disappear in truck blind spots.
Trucks also present problems for riders from tyre blowouts as this video shows.
While the number of truck crashes is low on the statistics, when they crash they can cause multiple deaths and injuries.
Trucks were responsible for 169 deaths from 152 fatal crashes in Australia in the 12 months up to September 2018.
In the USA, truck crashes kill more than 4000 people each year, including about 500 motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians.
Fashion to blame
The online fashion industry is one of the biggest causes of this increase in truck traffic.
Almost a third of all clothes are now bought online and about 40% are returned when they don’t fit or after the buyer has taken an Instagram selfie!
And that’s just the fashion industry. A lot of other products are now bought online rather than from shopping centres.
Fashion Revolution of Belgium has warned fashion shoppers of the hidden dangers and costs of this increase in online trucking of goods with this video.
It shows women trying on clothes on highways, surrounded by trucks and traffic.
Count the costs
The costs of this online fashion business is not only an increase in traffic congestion, but also road danger and CO2 emissions output.
In 2016, transportation (including air travel) overtook power plants as the top producer of carbon dioxide emissions for the first time since 1979.
A quarter of this comes from trucks doing house deliveries after they have been transported by plane or ship to a warehouse.
Before online shopping, trucks mainly delivered to warehouses and shopping centres.
Now most packages go directly to a residential address.
Shoppers have traded trips to the shops in relatively fuel-efficient vehicles for deliveries to suburban homes by trucks and other heavy vehicles.
What to do
We are not suggesting you stop online shopping. It’s convenient and cheap.
In fact, we have several motorcycle products available through our online shop that are difficult or to find in shops or are not stocked in Australia.
However, you can help reduce truck traffic by ensuring you do your research first so that you don’t have to return articles that don’t fit or are not suitable.
You can also buy several articles at a time from the same distributor to try to avoid multiple trips and packages.
However, I recently bought four barbecue items from the same distributor and they arrived over two separate deliveries in four different packages!
Source: MotorbikeWriter.com
Factory Husqvarna drafts Wilson for supercross remainder
Number 15 returns to Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing.
Image: Supplied.
Dean Wilson has been promoted to the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team for the remainder of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship.
Wilson, a former member of the squad, has been racing in a self-managed operation while utilising factory support and components from the European manufacturer in the first five rounds.
The move will ultimately me see him spearhead the outfit’s premier class efforts, as reigning champion Jason Anderson is sidelined for the series while teammate 450SX debutant Zach Osborne is unlikely to make a scheduled return from injury this weekend.
“I am really excited to be back with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team,” said Wilson. “They have been a great help with my privateer effort. I am looking forward to putting in good results and making everyone proud.”
It’s understood the popular number 15 will retain his personal sponsors for the duration of his campaign with the factory team. Equal fifth in the championship standings, no plans have been made official to contest the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship with the squad later this year.
Source: MotoOnline.com.au
Injury delays AMA Supercross debut of Lawrence
Re-injured collarbone sidelines Queenslander ahead of 250SX East.
Image: Simon Cudby.
Geico Honda’s Hunter Lawrence has confirmed he will miss this weekend’s opening round of the 2019 Monster Energy AMA Supercross 250SX East series after sustaining a collarbone injury.
Lawrence was due to line-up for the first time in the US on Saturday at Minneapolis, Minnesota, however will now have his supercross debut delayed.
“Absolutely heartbroken to say the least guys,” Lawrence confirmed via a social media post this morning. “I wont be lining up at round one this weekend.
“Some of you know a few months back I had a collarbone injury that I have now re-injured and it isn’t in a condition where I am able to plate it – a misfortunate crash and part of the sport. Will do everything I can like always to get back to 100 percent.
“I want to thank my amazing team and supporting sponsors for all their great support and a massive shout-out to all of the Aussie fans that were behind me and following along. Super-bummed, but with the Aussie grit and determination I’ll be back soon.”
Lawrence had been easing his way into supercross throughout the off-season in Southern California when the injury occurred, however it’s unclear when he may be fit enough to return later in the season.
Source: MotoOnline.com.au