Motorcycles offer a fuel-efficient alternative

Tag : Motorcycle Boots

"Miles per gallon range from 45 to 65," said Loyd. "Smaller bikeshold less than four gallons and larger bikes can hold as much assix gallons," which translates to a pretty decent distance betweenfill-ups and a much less painful bite in the wallet. Business hasbeen pretty good, according to Loyd.
"I would say there has been steady growth," he said. "The economyis tough right now, which might be adversely affecting business tosome degree, but with gas prices what they are right now, peoplecan just about finance the note on the bike with the savingsthey're going to realize on gas," said Loyd.
"I feel like some of our buyers recently had planned to buy anyway,but the gas thing just pushed them to go ahead and buy now," saidLoyd.
According to Robi Turner, manager of the Coweta County Tag Office,there has been a steady increase in new motorcycle tag applicationsover the past four years. In 2005, from January to May, 323motorcycle tags were issued. During that same period in 2006, 371new tags were issued. From January to May of 2007, 402 newmotorcycle tags were issued. During that same period this year, 438new tags have been issued.
"And bear in mind, January to May is typically a slower period formotorcycle tag applications," said Turner. "We typically see anincrease during the warmer months because ridership is somewhatseasonal."
Loyd is a rider. He rides every day back and forth to work, 34miles round trip six to seven days a week. He spends about $20every two weeks on gas. But there's a great deal more to thedecision than the bottom line.
Training is the key to safety
The shift from a gas guzzling larger or older vehicle to a morehighly fuel-efficient automobile is a relatively easy transition interms of driver performance, but the shift to a motorcycle requiresa whole new set of rider/driver skills. While it may be tempting tomake the leap in response to the frightening rate at which gasprices are going up, the decision to trade your automobile in for amotorcycle requires an investment in time, practice, patience andsolid instruction.
"There is definitely an increase in motorcycle ridership," saidChuck Dodson, coordinator for District 6, Chapter 2 of AmericanBikers Active Toward Education (ABATE), a motorcyclists rightsorganization devoted to educating riders and the public aboutmotorcycle safety.
"I'm seeing a large increase in people going out and buyingmotorcycles primarily to save gas, and I'm seeing an increase inrecreational riders who are now using their bikes as their primarymode of transportation," said Dodson.
ABATE is sometimes the subject of controversy for its stance onhelmets, but their web site, www.abatega.com, proclaims that ABATE is "not against the wearing of helmets." Whatit advocates is 'Freedom of Choice.' "We encourage all riders toride safely. An informed and educated rider is a safer rider."
Taking the stance that helmet laws do nothing to prevent anaccident, and that helmets only provide the illusion of safety,ABATE stresses rider education as the only proven method ofaccident prevention.
According to Dodson, the greatest challenge for riders isinexperience, both in their own riding skills and in their abilityto anticipate what the "caged drivers" are going to do on the road."Caged drivers" are those in automobiles.
"As an experienced rider, I'm watching the automobile driver'sfront wheels," said Dodson. "I'm watching his eyes in the mirror ifI can see them," he added. "Car drivers see motorcycles as runningslower because they are smaller," said Dodson, and that's if they"see" them at all.
"The number one cause of death and injury to motorcycle riders isfrom a vehicle turning left in front of them between the hours of 5and 7 p.m.," said Dodson. "It's rush hour, and motorists aretired," and the cold hard truth is that they sometimes just don'tsee the motorcycle. Visually, the eye is passively fixed on theother cars on the road, and if the driver isn't actively attendingto the road, the motorcyclist may be invisible to the caged driver.
"I myself have been hit in a parking lot by someone who said theydidn't see me," Dodson said.
ABATE uses the Motorman videos, developed by Jerry "Motorman"Palladino, a Florida police officer, to improve riders' skills."We'll watch the video, talk about what we see in the video, thenwe'll go out into the parking lot, set up a course, and practicewhat we watched and learned," said Dodson.
Crash data
Georgia motorcycle crashes increased 97 percent, and the number ofmotorcycle fatalities increased 147 percent, from 2000 through2006. During the same period of time, the number of registeredmotorcycles increased by nearly 84 percent, according to a GeorgiaHighway Safety report published at www.gahighwaysafety.org.
"In 2006, 4,041 motorcycle crashes occurred in Georgia, resultingin 3,082 injuries and 148 fatalities," the report indicated."Motorcycle crashes in Georgia represented only 1.2 percent of thecrashes in 2006, but accounted for 8.7 percent of the fatalities."
Of the 148 people killed in motorcycle crashes in the state ofGeorgia in 2006, 47 (just under 32 percent) were under 30 years ofage. Thirty-three (22.2 percent) killed in motorcycle accidentswere over the age of 50. The vast majority (93 percent) of themotorcycle fatalities in 2006 were males who were driving thevehicle at the time of the crash. Of the 148 fatalities, "24 werereported as not using a helmet or helmet use was unknown."
License requirements
It might surprise you to know that drivers as young as 16 canobtain a license to drive a motorcycle, though few would recommendit.
Lauren Corbitt, an 18-year-old local rider and ABATE member, justupgraded to her second motorcycle and routinely commutes fromNewnan to the University of West Georgia in Carrollton. She alsoregularly takes leisure trips on her bike.
"The gas thing was a huge motivator for me," she said, "but I havea lot of respect for the bike, other motorists, and the road. Iwould not have been ready for a bike at 16."
Corbitt, whose first bike was a high school graduation gift, nowdrives a 2007 Suzuki Boulevard C50C Cruiser. She upgradedspecifically for the larger gas tank.
"I'm a long trip girl," said Corbitt, "and I can cover a lot moremiles between stops on the newer bike."
Corbitt attributes much of her riding acumen to the ABATE program.She credits her ABATE training for teaching her how to ride in thefriction zone, pick up her bike after a crash, and brake quickly.
"I was very happy with the class," said Corbitt, "especially thefact that it was free. I am a better rider because of what I havelearned from ABATE," she said.
Licensees don't even have to take a class to earn a "class M"driver's license, but those who choose not to must pass a writtenand driving test to be fully licensed. Riders must furnish theirown motorcycle for the skills portion of the licensing test at theGeorgia Department of Driver Services, and the cycle must pass asafety inspection prior to the actual test.
An instructional permit is valid for six months and can be earnedby passing a written test. While drivers as young as 16 may apply,parental consent is required for drivers under the age of 18.Instructional permits are restricted to daylight hours, and thepermitted rider cannot have passengers or ride on limited-accesshighways. For first-time licensees, riders must provide the samestandard documentation required for an automobile license.
The Georgia Department of Driver Services' written and skills testscan be waived if the applicant produces a certificate indicatingcompletion of a certified basic safety course.
Harley-Davidson offers the Rider's Edge New Rider Course, whichcombines the proven curriculum of the Motorcycle SafetyFoundation's Basic Rider Course with additional instructionalelements provided by Harley-Davidson and Buell for a fee of $275for a weekday class, or $350 for a weekend class. Classes areoffered at the Great South Harley-Davidson dealership on Highway 16in Newnan every week.
The Rider's Edge course combines classroom instruction and hands-onrider training on The Buell Blast, a bike that is lightweight andeasy to handle. Classes are limited to 12 participants, and thetrainer to rider ratio is 1 to 6. The 25-hour Rider's Edge coursegoes beyond the number of instructional hours required by the stateby 10 hours, so while it may cost a little more, there is valueadded.
"For me, it was a good foundation of the dos and don'ts of how tobe safe," said Aisha Sivers, the female partner of a husband andwife riding team that recently took the Rider's Edge course.
Trevor Drayton, a Penn State aerospace engineering student who isvisiting family for the summer, has been riding for about a year.He said, "The class reinforces what experience you have and makesyou a more efficient and safe rider."
You must have at least a standard driver's license to take theclass, and Rider's Edge students have to ride the Buell Blastsduring class time, which is a state-required condition of theprogram's certification.
"We've got a 90 percent pass rate," said Loyd, "and we do offer toreschedule for a small fee if, for whatever reason, the riderfreezes up and fails to complete the actual riding portion of theclass."
According to Chuck Dodson, "Rider's Edge courses prepare you toearn your motorcyclists endorsement (an "M" next to the "C" on yourdriver's license) and/or a motorcycle license."
ABATE is designed to pick up where the beginner classes leave off."That's our goal," said Dodson. "ABATE wants you to be familiarwith your vehicle, its limitations, and your own limitations whileoperating it." Both courses offer valuable, and necessary,instruction that is vital to road safety.
General safety tips
"Proper gear is critical to rider safety," said Loyd, "whichincludes boots, a Department of Transportation-approved helmet, eyeprotection, proper clothing and gloves."
Riders must pay attention to other drivers and be aware of blindspots that might exist in the cars around them.
"I try to pretend that nobody can see me," said Loyd, "just to besafe." Riders should try to avoid road hazards, such asconstruction zones and debris in the road. The biggest thing is topay attention to road conditions, which are always subject tochange.