Two types of covers have been officially approved for use on motorcycle taxis in the Phillipines.
However, the government has not approved makeshift covers for other riders as they say they could be dangerous.
But that hasn’t stopped some riders who have invented their own protectors.
Joan Melani Mateo shared this photo on Facebook of the steel and plastic shield made by her husband Noel Alapar.
The Philippines and some other Asian countries, have limited pillions to married couples and partners only and they have advised them to wear face masks, gloves and helmets.
To prove their relationship, husbands and wives are required to present their marriage contract to authorities while common-law couples and live-in partners must have IDs showing they are living at the same address.
Meanwhile, one Uganda taxi driver who disobeyed the coronavirus curfew has committed suicide in a police station after his bike was impounded.
If you are planning a ride across the Queensland border you will now have to apply online for a new entry pass as the previous pass is no longer valid.
That means Queensland riders wanting to ride to another state and return as well as visitors from other states.
Note that the new Queensland Entry Declaration is only valid for seven days so you may have to reapply every time you cross the border!
However, it takes less than a minute to fill out the questionnaire and I received the confirmation email with attached pass within seconds of submitting my request.
The printed entry pass will allow residents and some non-residents to go back and forth across the border.
It needs to be displayed on your vehicle, otherwise riders can keep it in their jacket pocket and produce it at the border.
Queensland Police Deputy Commissioner Gollschewski says you will also have to carry identification which shows your residential address.
You can get your Queensland Entry Declaration by clicking here.
Queensland Police say they are revising their border checkpoint processes to “enable a more seamless crossing for those travelling from states other than Victoria”.
That means riders will still need to fill in the new entry pass.
Queensland can leave and return, but should avoid travelling to Victoria.
It also means riders from all other states and territories can enter Queensland so long as they have not been to Victoria in the past 14 days.
However, some border crossings, such as Numinbah Valley and the Lions Rd will remain closed with a concrete barrier.
They will likely remain that way so long as Queensland’s borders require monitoring by police.
Lions Rd Qld/NSW border still closed
Failure to comply with Queensland’s quarantine directions and border entry restrictions can result in on-the-spot fines of $1334 for individuals and $6672 for corporations.
If you lie on your declaration or are entering Queensland unlawfully, you face a $4003 fine.
Anyone who has travelled from Victoria and enters Queensland from today (3 July), including Queenslanders, will have to quarantine at their own expense for 14 days.
It will now be held from Friday to Monday 1-4 October 2021 at the state-of-the-art Australian Equine & Livestock Events Centre (AELEC) which also hosted the 2015 HOG Rally.
Organisers expected to attract thousands of riders descending for the long weekend of motorbikes, food and live music … and not just country music!
They are now aiming to carry over existing plans.
Tickets already purchased for the 2020 event will be valid for National Thunder 2021. Event organisers have made contact with all ticket-holders and other relevant stakeholders; those unable to attend in 2021 will be eligible for a refund.
The event was to include plenty of live rock music as well as a show especially produced for the rally featuring real horses and “iron horses” similar to the spectacular staged for the HOG Rally.
Tamworth HOG rally
Other highlights should include motorcycle and car displays, traders, guided rides around the district, more than 24 hours of entertainment and the giant Thunder Run through the streets of Tamworth.
The National Thunder Motorcycle Rally registration fee remains at $149 per person which includes all entertainment over the four days, a commemorative patch and t-shirt, rides and $50 raffle ticket.
Day passes may also be available closer to the event for those who can’t make the four days.
There are plenty of tourist attractions too. Apart from the iconic Big Golden Guitar and associated country music museum, there is also the popular Powerhouse Motorcycle Museum.
Powerhouse Motorcycle Museum
The HOG rally was held in February which was pretty hot, but October should be more accommodating with usually dry conditions and maximums in the mid-20s.
South Australia and Queensland are opening their borders to all Australians except Victorian riders, tourists and visitors due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.
The former is still deciding on NSW and the ACT, but is expected to announce a decision later this week. However, its border with Victoria remains closed.
Meanwhile, Queensland has announced borders will reopen from 10 July 2020 to visitors from all states and territories other than Victoria.
That means riders in Queensland can leave and return, but should avoid travelling to Victoria.
It also means riders from all other states and territories can enter Queensland so long as they have not been to Victoria in the past 14 days.
If you lie, the penalty is a $4000 fine.
Anyone who has travelled from Victoria and enters Queensland from this Friday (3 July), including Queenslanders, will have to quarantine at their own expense for 14 days.
Victorian lockdown
For Victorian riders, it could be a long road trip!
Meanwhile, they can still ride into NSW and the ACT, unless they are in the 10 postcodes undergoing a second lockdown from tomorrow night: 3012, 3021, 3032, 3038, 3042, 3046, 3047, 3055, 3060, 3064.
Riders in those postcodes can only leave their homes for work, to provide care, to get exercise or to buy groceries.
The border decisions and postcode lockdowns come in the wake of Victoria detecting 139 new cases in the past two days including a further 64 on Tuesday.
We have contacted several departments and Queensland Police to find out if the concrete barriers at border crossings such as the Lions Rd (pictured) and on the Numinbah Rd will be removed on 10 July.
Queensland Police Service said they are “working through arrangements to facilitate upcoming changes to border restrictions in Queensland”.
“Police will implement revised processes at border checkpoints to enable a more seamless crossing for those travelling from states other than Victoria.
“More details regarding the upcoming changes to border restrictions and police processing will be made available in due course.”
Meanwhile, for Queenslanders and interstate visitors to access the state, they must obtain an entry pass.
It only takes seconds to obtain the pass. Print it out and follow the instructions.
Ducati has built a limited-edition Scrambler 1100 Sport PRO with 500 Euros from the sale of each going to help the recovery of Bologna COVID-19 patients.
The problem is, the bike is only available to sell to the 80 members of the exclusive Scuderia Club Italia.
Ducati Scrambler 1100 PRO models in January
The sports-cultural association was founded in 1989 by vintage/racing car drivers, connoisseurs and motoring enthusiasts who design and develop original versions of cars and motorcycles.
They worked with the Ducati Design Centre to develop the limited edition Scrambler in a similar partnership that also produced 36 Monster 900 Club Italia bikes in 1995. The bikes are now highlight sought after collectors’ items.
The Scrambler Scrambler Ducati Club Italia model features unique graphics, a red leather seat by Poltrona Frau with embroidered Club Italia logo and a metallic blue tank with bright red side panels, topped off by the Giugiaro-designed Ducati logo.
The frame has the same metallic blue finish as the tank, while the rear subframe comes in natural aluminium with an aluminium numbered plaque.
The front and rear fenders are in aluminium with a tricolour finish and the wheels have black spokes.
Of course, it has Termignoni titanium silencers and there is plenty of billet aluminium in the tank cap, LED indicator bodies, brake and clutch levers, brake and clutch fluid reservoir covers, frame plugs and footpegs.
Funds to COVID recovery
Ducati will donate 500 euros from each bike sold to the #raceagainstCovid, the Ducati charity to help the S. Orsola Hospital in Bologna for the recovery of Covid-19 patients.
Bike deliveries will begin in September. Each customer will also receive a personalised bike cover, a certificate of authenticity and a hand-crafted Bell helmet that matches the colour of the bike and features dedicated graphics.
MVsay their washable “MV COVID mask”features a titanium nasal septum adjustment plate to “guarantee the (mask) from both breakage and oxidation by coming into contact with chemical agents and water”. We’re not sure what that means, but it does suggest it filters germs.
We have also seen the material used in other rider face masks and neck warmers as it protects against the cold and is strong enough to protect you from bugs and road detritus.
Face mask
But there is no guarantee this will protect you from coronavirus nor stop the spread to others if you are infected.
The MV logo is made from Italian calfskin and is sewn by hand.
The MV COVID mask is equipped with a water-repellent and cleansed TNT filter and N02 valves that can be dismantled to be washed and disinfected.
The mask is sewn with a 5-needle machine specially calibrated only and exclusively for this process.
Mask warning
R-PUR anti-pollution and anti-pollen motorcyclist face mask
This comes as doctors have issued a warning to riders about wearing surgical masks under full-face helmets.
They say proper surgical masks use a material to filter out particles before they enter the lungs and could provide too little oxygen and potentially causing the rider to faint.
The warning says riding can cause adrenalin to pump around the body, raising the heart rate and need for oxygen.
MV app
MV Ride app
The Italian company’s also just released their free MV Ride app for iPhone only.
It allows the rider to access saved maps and routes via the TFT dash and share with other MV riders.
To start, it is only available on models with the new 5.5-inch TFT screen: Brutale 1000 Serie Oro, a Brutale 1000 RR, a Superveloce 800 Serie Oro, or a Superveloce 800.
An Indian rider has escaped serious injury when his scooter sparked a fireball as it was sanitised at a roadside coronavirus checkpoint.
The health measure is one of many used to try to control the coronavirus infection rate in India which is almost 200,000 with more than 5500 deaths.
Thankfully the rider jumps free, although he initially runs straight back through the flames.
Fireball
Sanitiser has an alcohol base which can burst into flames if sprayed near an open flame or a very hot surface such as an exhaust or a catalytic convertor.
A cat can run at temperatures exceeding 500C. In fact, the more clogged the convertor, the hotter it gets and we expect that could be the case with this scooter.
You will notice that the fireball is sparked on the right side where the exhaust is located.
It’s not actually the scooter that burns. It’s the built-up deposit of spray on the ground.
However, its a timely warning about correctly filling your motorcycle tank.
Overfill and you could spill fuel on to the exhaust or catalytic convertor with disastrous consequences such as in this video.
Once again, this happened in India where the rider on the KTM 200 Duke allows the service station attendant to fill the tank while he is sitting on board.
That wouldn’t happen in Australia where most servos insist you get off your motorcycle.
In the video, the attendant overfills or the nozzle shut-off fails and the petrol spills and bursts into flames instantly.
The rider suffered burns to both legs and his right arm.
Overfilling motorcycle tank
Overfilling a motorcycle fuel tank is easy to do.
Cars have long filler necks which bubble up when the tank is near full and shuts off the nozzle.
There is rarely a splash back on the first “click” because the fuel has a long way to travel up the filler neck.
However, motorcycles either have a short filler neck or none at all. So the nozzle shuts off when the fuel tank is almost full and can easily splash out of the tank opening.
The correct way to fuel your bike, is to shove the nozzle down into the tank, not leave the tip near the top.
That way, the nozzle will shut off before the tank is full and near the fuel cap opening.
You then pull the nozzle back to the edge of the opening and slowly fill the tank by watching and listening.
Of course, you should first switch off the ignition, get off your bike and put it on the side stand or centre stand.
However, you need to be able to listen to the fuel gurgling in your tank. That may be difficult while wearing some helmets. I also wear ear plugs, so I take off my helmet and remove at least one ear plug when refuelling.
Squeezing in the most fuel
Some riders believe they fit more fuel in their bike if they put it on the centre stand, but it depends on the bike and the shape of the tank.
However, you really shouldn’t try to squeeze in as much fuel as possible.
Motorcycle tanks have filler recesses, hoses and an air gap at the top and will hold more fuel than the volume stated on the technical specifications.
That gap is there to allow the fuel to expand as it heats up. If you fill the gap, the fuel will simply spill out of the breather hose as you ride off.
The motorcycle tank is usually placed above the engine and in direct sunlight so they are susceptible to fuel expanding with the heat which pushes more fuel out of the breather hose.
Inaccurate pumps
If you haven’t totally filled up but the bowser suggests you’ve put in more than you believe is possible, it could be an inaccurate pump and you should lodge a complaint.
According to the National Measurement Institute (NMI), about one in a dozen complaints about inaccurate pumps is found to be correct.
They have trade measurement inspectors throughout Australia who are authorised to visit a place of business “at any reasonable time of day’’ as part of a trade measurement compliance inspection program.
Industry sources say servos are usually not fined, but warned on first offences.
So riders should be skeptical of bowser readings. Buy from reputable fuel suppliers and if you think you have a genuine complaint notify the authorities.
(Consumers can make complaints by ringing the national NMI hotline on 1300 686 664 or via email.
Now the global job cuts have been increased to 400 with 240 to go in the UK after a pandemic sales slump over the past three months.
In Australia, Triumph sales were only down 6.5% in the first quarter, but Triumph says some countries have recorded up to a 65% loss in sales.
Chief Executive Nick Bloor said the crisis has caused “significant damage” to the global motorcycle market and it was a “challenging time” for the company.
“These are not easy decisions to make, especially when individuals’ livelihoods are affected,”he says.
“However, regrettably the scale of impact of Covid-19 necessitates us to restructure now in order to protect the long term health and success of the Triumph brand and business.”
Global manufacture
Thailand Triumph factory
In 2002, Triumph opened its first factory in Thailand where it now has three facilities making about 80% of last year’s total of 60,131 bikes.
There are also factories in Brazil and India supplying for the local markets.
“Sales in the larger 500cc plus motorcycle segment, in key markets such as France, Italy, Germany, the USA and the UK have fallen by between 40 and 65 per cent over the past three months during what would normally be the peak season for sales,” the company said in a statement.
“Although Triumph sales have outperformed this significant decline to some degree, the market is forecast to remain considerably down on pre-Covid 19 levels as a direct result of the economic conditions created by it.”
Triumph’s factory in Hinckley, Leicestershire, mainly makes engine components. It will become a research and development centre, but continue to build their new Triumph Factory Custom (TFC) motorcycles.
Production will be wound down from about 6500 a year to about 4500.
Inactive motorcyclists who haven’t ridden for some time are being urged to ride again, especially for commuting, as the pandemic travel restrictions begin to ease across the country.
This comes as the national cycling lobby is calling for $300 million to be spent on bike lanes.
Inactive riders
Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries motorcycle manager Rhys Griffiths points out that there are about 2.1 million licensed riders in Australia and about 870,000 registered motorcycles and scooters.
That means there are about 1.2 million inactive riders with a licence, he says.
“COVID-19 has changed the way we go about our lives. Motorcycles and scooters present a clever solution to the challenges the pandemic presents,” he says.
“A motorbike might well be the best way to maintain social distance without creating congestion. Riders can avoid the contagion risks presented by public transport, while cutting commute times by lane filtering through increased traffic.
Rhys says the plea to inactive riders will be a theme of their fourth Ride to Work Week in September 2020.
He says they will generate awareness through the website and social media.
The FCAI message to inactive riders follows recent surveys which suggest commuters will avoid public transport.
The fear is that this will send Australia from lockdown to gridlock.
The FCAI says motorcycle and scooter riders have two advantages:
They can mitigate infection risks by maintaining social distance; and
As commuter traffic volumes potentially increase beyond pre-pandemic levels, riders can nimbly negotiate traffic and park conveniently, cutting commute times.
Rhys also reminded riders to strictly observe all social distancing and contagion control requirements, and to regularly disinfect helmets, gloves and any high-touch surfaces on vehicle controls.
Meanwhile, the cyclist lobby is putting pressure on the federal government to spend $300m to build more bike lanes as post-pandemic traffic is expected to explode.
The national cycling safety charity Amy Gillett Foundation has commissioned a national poll which shows “massive support” for safe separate cycling infrastructure.
They claim a “doubling in cycling participation during the coronavirus lockdowns, as Australians turn to bikes for effective social distancing, for transport, enjoyment, and exercise”.
The Foundation is calling for $300m to be allocated from the $3.8billion infrastructure commitment made in late November 2019 by the Federal Government to build bike lanes.
They say the investment could be made immediately as part of the $500m Local Roads and Community Infrastructure announcement last week (22 May 2020).
Yamaha has slammed the Indian Government over the complete closure of industry for the pandemic while also releasing a tribute scooter (above) to the resilience of Italians through the crisis.
The Japanese motorcycle manufacturer, which has three factories in India, says the complete closure should have been reviewed carefully.
Yamaha India boss Motofumi Shitara says India is one of the world’s largest economies and is the world’s largest two-wheeler market.
Complete closure
“Complete closure of economic activities in this market as well as other markets in the world has led to a massive depression, the worst since Great Depression in 1920s. The recovery period from such depression will take a long time,” he says.
Shitara says that with possible second and third wave infections, the world “needs to learn to live with coronavirus” with effective safety precautions.
Roma Edition
Yamaha Roma Edition scooter
This comes as Yamaha Europe has launched the Roma Edition MMXX maxi scooter for the Italian market in recognition of its resilience during the pandemic.
Italy was among the worst-hit countries with more than 233,000 infections and 33,415 deaths.
To pay homage to the resilience of the Italian people, Yamaha’s Europe Design Division in Gerno di Lesmo has spiced up the XMax Roma Edition with graphics of Roman streets on the fairing and silhouettes of the Colosseum on the rear.
It also comes with a sporty windscreen and aluminium.
The XMax is one of the top-selling scooters in Italy.
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Lions Rd Qld/NSW border still closed
Touring the Tamworth region
Powerhouse Motorcycle Museum
Face mask
R-PUR anti-pollution and anti-pollen motorcyclist face mask
MV Ride app
Thailand Triumph factory
Proposed Triumph 250
Triumph Thruxton and Rocket 3 TFC 
