OPERATION A SUCCESS FOR
MICHEL FABRIZIO
 Michel
Fabrizio returned to Italy immediately yesterday after the weekend’s
Superbike round in Assen, to undergo a fasciotomy surgery on his right
forearm. Michel had been suffering from forearm flexor muscle compartment
syndrome for a few months and was therefore operated on yesterday evening at
the Villa Serena clinic in Forlì by Doctor Giorgio Gondolini. The surgery
was a success and Michel came away with 26 stitches.
The Italian rider will now undergo further therapies and treatments to speed
up his recovery so as to be ready to ride in the next Superbike round to
take place on 11th May at Monza.
New for 2008 - Suzuki Hayabusa slip-ons exhaust pipe
- Posted: 28 Apr 2008 09:33 AM CDT
 New
Slip-On Can Available Now
New for 2008 - Suzuki Hayabusa slip-ons exhaust pipe.
Slip-on Pipe Selections:
* Part #535-14 Polished S.S.
* Part #535-15 Faux-Ti S.S.
Light weight and all can finishes are available including:
* Titanium
* Polished
* Aluminum
* Carbon Fiber
* Black
Sound - We work on the dynamometer to give the
bike a nice rumble at idle while keeping a subtle tone all the way through
the RPM range.
http://www.danddexhaust.com/news/2008/04/new_for_2008_su.htm
2008 ZX-14 Kawasaki Exhaust
Pipes - Posted: 28 Apr 2008 09:26 AM CDT
 Twin
Cans Available Now
The new twin silencer slip-on exhaust pipe for the
Kawasaki ZX-14 comes in:
* Polished can (531-14)
* Faux titanium can (531-15)
The end cap and mid pipe are available in High Polish or
Faux Ti.
Pictured is a polished can with end cap and mid pipe in
Faux Ti. Faux Ti is a titanium-style finish that is created by bead blasting
and then brushing the metal.
Sound - Our team spent significant time
working on the dynamometer. Mufflers are packed using D&D's new and improved
packing system, which gives the bike a nice rumble at idle while keeping a
subtle tone all the way through the RPM range.
http://www.danddexhaust.com/news/2008/04/2008_zx14_kawas_1.htm
Out-Of-Position Front Brake Lever May Have Triggered
Cardenas-Hayden Crash At Fontana - News release
An out-of-position aftermarket folding front brake lever may have played a
role in Martin Cardenas' crash on the first lap of the AMA Supersport race
at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California on Sunday.
Cardenas collided with Steve Rapp on the approach to the corner where he
crashed, ultimately sliding into Tommy Hayden and causing him to crash as
well.
"We went through the big left from second gear to fourth gear at full
throttle next to each other and we hit," said Cardenas late Monday night,
shortly after he awoke following hours of successful surgery to insert a
titanium rod in his broken left femur. "When I reached the braking zone and
went for the front brakes there was no lever, I am sure there was no lever.
I didn't have front brakes. There was no lever. I tried to do the best I
could. I didn't have anywhere to go because I was on the inside and there
were a lot of people on the outside. I tried to hit the rear brake very hard
and turn to avoid as many people as possible and I slid the bike but as soon
as I touched the grass I crashed and then I don't know what happened. I am
very sorry."
When the bike came in off the crash truck and was examined by AMA tech
officials the front brake lever was in position and the front brake system
functioned normally. But closer examination by team mechanics on Monday
revealed that the lever's forward-travel stop was broken near the pivot
point, raising the possibility that the lever either folded up or was
knocked forward during the contact with Rapp's machine, and was out of
position when Cardenas reached for it with two fingers on his right hand.
The lever may have been knocked back into position as the bike tumbled
through the dirt or as it was picked up and loaded onto the crash truck.
Folding levers are hinged in the middle and are supposed to fold instead of
break in the event of a crash, increasing the chance that a crashed rider
can rejoin a race after picking up his machine.
"We may never know how it actually happened," said M4 EMGO Suzuki Crew Chief
Keith Perry. "Our first guess was that a tankslapper kicked the pads back in
the calipers but Martin says he doesn't remember any headshake before the
crash and he is adamant that there was no lever when he went for the brake.
The bike had a brake lever when we got it back, but it's a folding lever and
the part of the lever that keeps it from rotating forward on its mount was
broken. The only two things that make any kind of sense are the lever
folding up when Martin and Steve Rapp collided, or the lever getting pushed
forward enough to break its travel limiter and moving out of the reach of
Martin's fingers. All we can do now is hope for Martin and Tommy to heal up
quickly."
Cardenas should be released from Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in
Colton, California later this week and plans to return home to Medellin,
Colombia to recuperate. Well wishes can be sent to him through his website,
www.martincardenas.com .
Cardenas will return to AMA Formula Xtreme and Supersport competition with
M4 EMGO Suzuki when he has recovered from his injuries. In the meantime,
Cardenas' Formula Xtreme racebikes will be ridden by his teammate, Cory
West, who up to this point has been racing in the Supersport class only.
Negotiations are now underway to have Cardenas' Supersport bikes ridden by
Michael Barnes until Cardenas returns to action, and the team expects to
reach a final agreement with Barnes this week.
Pit Pass Radio - Weekly Motorcycle Talk Show -
News release
Advance, North Carolina (April 29, 2008) - Top people from the motorcycle
industry give their uncut opinions and race stories. Get your weekly
motorcycle news live from Pit Pass Radio.
7 PM to 9 PM Central - streaming from
www.pitpassradio.com
- First Hour -
Jake Holden - Road Racer, Corona Extra Honda Team
Jake Holden showed his outstanding talent this weekend, taking his Corona
Extra Honda CBR1000RR to victory in a thrilling SuperStock race that was
settled on the last corner of the last lap. The historic victory marks the
first ever in 1000cc SuperStock for Honda and the first for the new-for-'08
CBR1000RR. Jake is new to the Corona Team, last year he was riding with the
Michael Jordan Suzuki Team. He joins us to talk about his win, his new team
and racing to the lime.
www.corona-racing.com
Benny Solis #35 - Road Racer, Red Bull Rookies Cup
Benny Solis, Jr. began riding motorcycles in 1999 at the age of four on a
KTM 50. The North Hollywood, California racer cites Garry McCoy and
Valentino Rossi as influences and caught the racing bug after spending time
at the track with his father. Last season, he jumped up to the WERA 125cc
class and earned a West Coast championship for his efforts. Solis says his
2007 goal is to win the Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup and then go to the Red
Bull MotoGP Academy. Two weeks ago at Barber Motorsports Park he won a
thrilling 11-lap race, so he is off to a good start.
http://us.redbullrookiescup.com/riders_detail.php?id=36
- Second Hour -
Eric Peronnard - Promoter, MiniMoto SX and Enduro Cross
This weekend at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas is the Maxxis MiniMoto SX
event. The event is the biggest of its kind with a $15,000 purse. Eric joins
us to discuss the growth in the Mini bike industry, we also plan to get a
preview of the upcoming Enduro Cross series which starts July 5th in Las
Vegas. This year Enduro Cross action will be hitting five cities across the
U.S.
www.minimotsx.com
Chad Pederson and David Pingree - Motocrossers/Hillclimbers
They both just returned from Glen Helen which was host for Round 2 of the
Racer X/ Suzuki N.A.H.A. Pro Hillclimb Series. No they aren't planning a
post-Pro Motocross career in Hillclimbing but they did fare well in the
"Crossover" class. They say they had a lot of fun and we will hear about it
on the program.
www.pro-hillclimbers.org
Dan Kleen - President, NOHVCC
Dan is the President of the NOHVCC and Executive Director of the the Iowa
OHV. We recently had him on talking about how the ATV funds that were swept
by legislatures in 2002 to balance the state budget. The day we had him on
they voted and the house was a tie to return the funds so no action was
taken. After we had him on the show they had an overwhelming amount people
contact their legislators. We welcome him back to talk about what that means
for ATV and offroad motorcyclists and to see what else we can do to further
the cause.
www.nohvcc.com
Crew at Pit Pass Radio
Scott Casber, Tony Wenck, Tony Tice, Jack DeLeon and Ed Kuhlenkamp,
Build-Momentum
Pit Pass Radio is a syndicated motorcycle talk-radio show heard across the
U.S. on radio stations and around the world via the internet at
www.pitpassradio.com
. The show airs every Tuesday from 5-7 pm Pacific, 6-8 pm Mountain, 7-9 pm
Central, and 8-10 pm Eastern at
www.pitpassradio.com
. Companies interested in advertising on the show or marketing partnerships
can contact Ed Kuhlenkamp at (336) 293-9103, or
ed@build-momentum.com .
If you have any questions you can call in toll free 866-333-5966, or
515-284-5966.
CARDENAS UNDERGOES SURGERY - News release
Motorcycle racer Martin Cardenas of Team M4 EMGO Suzuki is undergoing
surgery today (Monday) to place a rod in his broken left femur. Cardenas was
injured in a crash on the opening lap of the Supersport race at Auto Club
Speedway in Fontana, California on Sunday. The Colombian lost control of his
GSX-R600 and fell off, and his body hit Tommy Hayden and his Rockstar Makita
Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R600.
The cause of the racing incident is not yet clear and Martin has been under
sedation much of the time since the crash. Cardenas did say that he didn't
have any brakes and that he had made contact with another rider immediately
before reaching the corner where he crashed.
AMA officials examined the bike after it came in on the crash truck and
found that the front brake system was functional, with the lever intact and
all brake pads in place; the brakes operated as they should when the lever
was pulled.
Camera footage of the incident shows Cardenas trying to steer the bike off
the inside of the track to avoid hitting other riders.
One possible explanation is that a tankslapper kicked the brake pads back
into the calipers and thus the former 250cc Grand Prix World Championship
racer got no braking response from pulling the lever as he approached the
corner; he may have been unable to pump the lever quickly enough to avoid a
crash.
"The AMA tech guys inspected the bike and its systems. Our brakes worked
afterward," said Crew Chief Keith Perry. "Some onboard footage indicates
that Martin was hit, but we don't know if that's what caused the crash or
some if headshake might have made the pads go back into the calipers or
something else. It's clear Martin grabbed the brake, but we don't know if
the brakes didn't work or if he was just in the grass without traction.
We're still trying to piece it all together."
Tommy Hayden was also injured in the crash. Team M4 EMGO Suzuki offers Tommy
and the entire Hayden family sincere apologies as well as wishing him a full
and swift recovery.
MICHAEL JORDAN MOTOR SPORTS RETURNS TO THE WINNER’S
CIRCLE - News release
Michael Jordan Motor Sports Suzuki rider Aaron Yates rode his Suzuki
GSX-R1000 to a second place finish in Sunday’s AMA Superstock race. This is
Yates’ third podium finish for the Jordan Suzuki team this season, and his
second podium finish at the 2.3 mile California race track.
Yates qualified for Sunday's event with a 1:24.279 time, earning a front row
start with teammate Geoff May, who started from third place with a
qualifying time of 1:25.338. Both riders got off to a good start before the
race was red flagged after a rider crashed on lap one. On the restart, Yates
rode strongly in second place for eight laps, momentarily dropping to
fourth, before regaining the second spot. Anticipating the green flag,
teammate May jumped the start. After serving a pit lane penalty, May crossed
the finish line in ninth place.
In the AMA Superbike races, both Yates and May qualified with 1:25.228 and
1:26.239 times respectively. Yates completed race one of the two race
doubleheader in 11th eighth place with May finishing in 12th place. In
Sunday’s second Superbike race, Yates, who started the race from the second
row, ended the event in 14th place, earning valuable points in the series
championship. May’s race ended on the 4th lap, giving the racer a 16th place
finish.
Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Hacking Inside Top-10 in
Fontana - News release
Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jamie Hacking rode to a steady seventh-place
finish during an extremely gusty AMA Superbike race at Auto Club Speedway in
Fontana, Calif. The Attack Kawasaki team rode the final race of the weekend
with Chaz Davies and Steve Rapp finishing eighth and ninth.
Under the Kawasaki Tent
Workin’ It Out
Hacking got a good start in the second superbike race of the doubleheader
weekend, but with the hot track conditions he found himself sliding more
than he wanted. Playing it smart, he got into a comfortable pace and brought
it across the finish line in seventh.
Staying Positive
A hard weekend could often get a rider down but Hacking has an extremely
optimistic attitude about the progress of the Kawasaki ZX™-10R.
“It’s easy to get down and complain, but that’s not what we should do,” said
Hacking. “We are looking better than we did at this point last year and I
know we will find what we need to make it work. We did last year and I know
we can this year.”
Team Battle
Davies, who started ninth, worked his way up to his teammate Rapp and
started a friendly battle for the eighth spot. When the two came across the
finish, Rapp was only a half second behind Davies.
“The track conditions were a little bit slick,” said Rapp. “I did my best to
keep it on two wheels, but push it the best I could. Chaz and I had a good
battle at the end.”
Cooling Off
A little perk that the riders of Alpinestars get to enjoy is a cooling fan
that fits perfectly into the hump on the back of their suit. Davies was able
to stay cool as he waited for his race to begin.
Blowing the Umbrellas
The teams and spectators were met on Sunday with the same conditions they
saw on Saturday; hot and windy. The riders had to keep cool and fight the
gusts on the track, while the umbrella girls had to test their strength, as
holding an umbrella in the wind presented a slight challenge.
POLICE FEAR BIKERS WAR
Burton Mail, UK - REVENGE attacks between
warring biker gangs could pose a 'life-threatening risk' to the South
Derbyshire public if a rock festival is given the go-ahead, police have
claimed.
The Outlaws Motorcycle Club wants to hold the Rock and Blues Custom Show at
Catton Hall, near Walton on Trent.
However, police fear the event could be targeted for a retribution attack
after seven Outlaws were charged with the M40 motorway murder of Gerry Tobin
(pictured), a full 'patch' member of the Hells Angels. Mr Tobin was shot in
the back of the head as he left the annual Hells Angels' Bulldog Bash
festival, in Warwickshire, in August last year.
Police fear that if licensing bosses give the green light to the Catton Hall
event - scheduled to take place from July 24 to 26 - members of the public
could be put in serious danger.
In a report to go before licensing bosses next week, a spokesman for
Derbyshire Constabulary says: "Police do not believe that the public safety
can be ensured should the event take place.
"The Rock and Blues Custom Show 2008 is an event of such significance to the
Outlaws MC that it represents the most desirable target for a revenge attack
by Hells Angels MC.
"As the Outlaws MC's equivalent to the Bulldog Bash, the 2008 show is the
first to have taken place after Tobin's murder, and therefore represents the
first suitably high-profile opportunity for revenge.
"The positioning of the site of the licensed event creates a heightened risk
to the public in the event of gang-related violence.
"The area of South Derbyshire has many narrow lanes, and were an incident to
take place, there is a substantial risk of harm to members of the public.
"From their enquiries over recent months, the police also believe that
serious organised crime may be being planned during the event, as part of
the national and international 'business planning' of the Outlaws
Association and Outlaws MC.
"In those circumstances, Derbyshire Constabulary would not enter into an
agreement to police and protect their activities."
He said there were "no conditions which could be placed upon the licence
which would, in the opinion of Derbyshire Constabulary, ensure the public
would be safe".
The Outlaws, Hells Angels and Bandidos are the biggest of the so-called
'1percent-er' motorcycle clubs in the world.
In January, three Outlaws members were attacked by a gang of Hells Angels
armed with machetes at Birmingham Airport - in full view of passengers and
children.
One of those arrested, Neil Bissell, the deputy organiser of the Bulldog
Bash, remains on police bail.
Closer to home, members of the Outlaws - who are rumoured to have a
'clubhouse' in the Waterloo Stret area of the town - are believed to have
been behind the stabbing of a 39-year-old man outside Burton's Abbey Inn, in
January, 2006.
However, despite the susbsequent arrests of three men and a woman in
connection with the knife attack, no charges were ever brought.
Simon Covell, from event organiser One Percent Entertainment, says the
Outlaws are 'fully committed' to ensuring the security of the bash, citing
risk assessments which have been carried out.
However, the police spokesman says: "It is a matter of official record that
over many years, '1percent-er' motorcycle clubs have been actively engaged
in organised crime, including murder, extortion, robbery, drugs and
firearms.
"Many of the violent incidents involve revenge attacks on rival gangs and
retaliation is undertaken on a global scale.
"In order to appreciate the potentially life-threatening risk to members of
the public in South Derbyshire, it is necessary to understand the history of
the motorcycle clubs and the intense rivalry and hatred that exists between
them.
"When respective motorcycle clubs hold major events, these are likely to
attract revenge attacks with the most impact."
The history of ingrained hatred between the Outlaws and the Hells Angels
dates back to 1969, when an Outlaw raped the wife of a rival gang member.
A decision on the premises licence will be made during a meeting of the
council's licensing sub-committee on Wednesday, May 7.
Acquittal of Hells Angel in drugs case stands
The Province, Canada - The acquittal of a Hells
Angel in a cocaine-trafficking trial by a judge who later apologized for his
use of profanity has been upheld by B.C.'s highest court.
Glen Hehn, a full member of the Nomads chapter of the notorious motorcycle
club, was charged after 52 kilograms of cocaine worth $1.56 million was
seized from a truck and a storage locker in Surrey in July 2003.
He was arrested along with Ewan Lilford, an alleged associate of the club,
after some of the drugs were loaded into the truck at a storage facility on
192 Street.
The key issue before B.C. Supreme Court Justice Peter Leask was whether Hehn
knew about the drugs in the truck and the locker.
Hehn rented the storage locker and allowed Lilford access to the locker, but
denied at trial knowing that Lilford trafficked in drugs and denied that he
himself was involved in trafficking.
The prosecutor argued that with such a large quantity of drugs it made sense
that Hehn knew about the narcotics.
Leask challenged that notion, stating that Hehn would have to have been "out
of his f--king mind" to have stored the drugs in his own locker.
He said Hehn's testimony raised a reasonable doubt about his guilt and
acquitted him in March 2007, but made a public apology in court shortly
afterward because of the profanity he'd used.
The Crown appealed the acquittal, arguing that Leask had engaged in
speculation and conjecture, and asked for a new trial.
But the B.C. Court of Appeal, in a unanimous ruling that did not mention the
judge's profanity, found he'd made no error in law and rejected the appeal.
A Crown spokesman said prosecutors respect the ruling, consider the matter
closed and plan no further action.
Justice For All, Except Hell's Angel On Jury Duty
News 8, CA - A Hell's Angel says he was only
trying to do his civic duty, but when he showed up for jury duty, he found
his clothes were on trial.
A Hells Angel for 13 years, Timothy Timms never thought his clothes would
get him thrown out of a public building.
But just last week, wearing his motorcycle club jacket, Timms was asked to
leave Superior Court or take off his vest.
Court officials say a judge had ordered that no Hell's Angel attire be
allowed in his court room because of an ongoing court case involving the
group. But court security mistook that for a sweeping ruling that affected
the entire court house.
"Which was not true, again it was a misunderstanding," said Timms. "It was
more embarrassment than anything else, I just felt very uncomfortable about
it. They made me feel uncomfortable."
Timms says he was just trying to complete his civic duty - something he's
done eight times he says in the last 10 years.
"The last eight times or seven times there was never any problem," noted
Timms.
But this time there was a problem. He and another member were escorted out
of the court building, and he says his rights were violated.
Court officials say, all they can do is apologize.
"There was a mistake. We realized there was this mistake, and we reached out
to those who were involved in that mistake," said Karen Dalton who is with
the Superior Court.
The court says they've apologized and offered to count his appearance as his
jury service for the year.
Timms has accepted that, but says he'll be happy to serve again in the
future, as long of course as he can wear what he wants.
Timms came to News 8 with his attorney. He says he's not sure if they will
be taking legal action against the court.
Pickup truck runs stop sign on wet road, hits motorcyclist
Asbury Park Press, NJ - BERKELEY — A pickup
truck driven by an insurance salesman unfamiliar with the area ran a stop
sign Monday night and struck a motorcyclist who had a suspended driver's
license, authorities said.
The investigation is continuing, police said.
Brett Joslin, 30, of Essex Street in Middletown was driving a Dodge Ram and
ran a stop sign at Serpentine Drive and Radovan Street, police said.
The roads were wet with a heavy rain, said Patrolman John Houghkirk of the
Berkeley Township Police Traffic Safety Unit. Houghkirk is the investigating
officer.
Joslin said he was unfamiliar with the area and was lost when he missed the
stop sign, police said.
The truck collided with a 2006 Harley-Davidson driven by James Duff, 46, of
the Bayville section of Berkeley, who suffered a severe injury to his right
leg, Houghkirk said.
Police said they do not know why Duff decided to drive on a night when the
weather was so bad.
In addition, Duff does not have a motorcycle license, and his regular
driver's license was suspended on four prior occasions for driving while
under the influence and failing to comply with a chemical test.
He was charged in 1993, 2001, and in February and May of 2006, said Kevin
Cranston of the state Motor Vehicle Commission.
His driving privileges were suspended in March for 10 years, Cranston said.
Duff's driving privileges also were suspended once for failing to pay
surcharge fees and another time after he was caught driving while suspended,
Cranston said.
Bikes and blues music take to San Bernardino city streets
Press-Enterprise, CA - San Bernardino area gear
heads will have another festival to look forward to with the addition of the
inaugural Berdoo Bikes and Blues Rendezvous to go along with the established
Route 66 Rendezvous.
The San Bernardino Convention and Visitors Bureau has teamed with the San
Bernardino City Professional Firefighters - Local 891 for the Bikes and
Blues Rendezvous on Friday and Saturday on the downtown streets.
"Our thought is to bring a springtime, early summer event to the city of San
Bernardino," said Wayne Austin, president and CEO of the San Bernardino
Convention and Visitors Bureau. He said the event is "somewhat fashioned in
the same way the (Route 66) Rendezvous is, to have sort of a kick off into
summertime."
Part of what sets the event apart from the Route 66 Rendezvous in September
is its focus on motorcycles.
"What we're trying to focus on is not the Harley, biker sort of fest, but
we're celebrating all motorcycles from all over the world: Triumph, Suzuki,
Yamaha, not just Harley Davidson," Austin said.
He said the event's first year will feature "jumps and hill climbs and
acrobatics." RAS Racing and Team Peterson NAHA will perform motorcycle
stunts.
Inland area musical acts, ranging from established blues group Rod Piazza
and the Mighty Flyers to the Redlands-based Zanja 8 will provide
entertainment on two stages.
The San Bernardino City Professional Firefighters union will organize the
66-mile poker run, set to start at 9 a.m. Saturday. Participation costs $5
and includes one poker hand. The ride will wind through San Timoteo Canyon
and Live Oak Canyon, with stops at points such as Angels Roadhouse and
Chaparral Motorsports where participants can collect a poker chip to be
turned in for a poker hand in Meadowbrook Park. Prizes range from $500 to
$200.
"It's all about the ride," said Tom Rubio, director of public relations and
marketing for San Bernardino City Professional Firefighters. "The guys have
laid out. It's a wonderful, beautiful riding course."
The concept for the event, which has been in the works for a couple of
years, was developed by the firefighters, according to Karen Blanco, San
Bernardino Convention and Visitors Bureau communications director.
"Lots of us go to Laughlin and Hollister and Sturgis," Rubio said, speaking
of the established rallies for cyclists. "The idea was to have a good family
event much like the car rendezvous but with motorcycles."
In keeping with the theme, organizers booked 2008 "American Idol" finalist
Amanda Overmyer, the Harley riding rock 'n' roll nurse, to kick start the
event by singing the national anthem at 6 p.m. Friday.
Portions of the event's proceeds will benefit the Edward G. Hirschman Burn
Center at Arrowhead Medical Regional Center.
Austin said he expects attendance to reach 15,000, with an estimated 5,000
on Friday and 10,000 on Saturday. He expects 3,000 to 5,000 motorcycles.
"We would eventually like to move into year two or year three with perhaps a
major motocross event, maybe at the National Orange Show, dare I say it,
maybe even a street event at some point in time like the Long Beach Grand
Prix only we'd do it with the motorcycle," he said.
Third annual Biker Blessing
Register-Herald, OH - The third annual Biker
Blessing is scheduled for Saturday, May 10, at 10 a.m. at the Eaton Church
of the Brethren (Camden Road parking lot), across from Eaton High School.
A short blessing will take place at 10 a.m. with free refreshments
following. Motorcycles of all types are welcome. Anyone with questions may
call 472-9007.
Firefighter Killed In Motorcycle Crash
KOLD-TV, AZ - A Fort Huachuca firefighter was
killed in a motorcycle crash over the weekend.
48-year-old Lt. Larry Duane Faccio was riding with the Bisbee chapter of the
"Riders of Fire" Motorcycle Club, when he was killed Sunday after another
motorcyclist crossed into his lane and hit him head-on in Mohave County,
according to base officials.
He was flown to a Las Vegas hospital, where he later died. The Hereford
resident had been a Fort Huachuca firefighter since 1995.
More than 60,000 motorcyclists took part in the Laughlin River Run. Another
biker also died during the event, he's been identified as 61-year-old Lake
Havasu City resident Victor Guy Mattice.
May is "Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month", and drivers are reminded to
share the road with motorcycles and to be extra careful when there's one
around.
According to AAA Arizona the leading cause of motorcycle crashes is usually
not the motorcycle driver, but other drivers on the road who don't see the
bike.
Biker who died in River Run wreck was So. Ariz. firefighter
AZ Central.com, AZ - SIERRA VISTA - One of two
motorcyclists killed over the weekend during the annual Laughlin River Run
rally was a firefighter at the Army's Fort Huachuca.
Base officials say Lt. Larry Duane Faccio had been a Fort Huachuca
firefighter since 1995. The 48-year-old Hereford resident was riding with
friends from several Cochise County firefighting agencies when he was killed
Sunday after another motorcyclist crossed into his lane and hit him head-on
in Mohave County.
Faccio was riding with the Bisbee chapter of the Riders of Fire Motorcycle
Club.
The other biker who died was 61-year-old Lake Havasu City resident Victor
Guy Mattice.
They were among an estimated 60,000 to 65,000 enthusiasts participating in
the biker rally. No other deaths were reported.
Biker killed in crash is named
The Star, UK - THE solo motorcyclist who died
following a crash this morning has been named.
Stuart Richardson, aged 26, of Harold Avenue, Woodlands, was riding his blue
Yamaha motorcycle along The Crescent in Woodlands, near Doncaster, at 2.10am
when the bike left the carriageway on the nearside and collided with a
lamppost and a boundary wall.
He sustained serious injuries and was taken to Doncaster Royal Infirmary,
but was pronounced dead on arrival.
Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident or anyone who saw the
bike being ridden prior to the collision to call the South Yorkshire Police
accident witness helpline on 0114 2202970.
Leesburg's Bikefest is fairly safe event this year
Orlando Sentinel, FL - LEESBURG - The same
bikers who rumbled and roared through Lake County toward downtown Leesburg
last weekend helped make the city's 12th annual Bikefest a pretty safe
event.
No fatalities were reported during the three-day event, according to
Leesburg police Maj. Steve Rockefeller. Authorities responded to nine
traffic crashes during the weekend, which attracted an estimated 250,000 to
300,000 motorcycle enthusiasts. Four accidents had minor injuries, and the
others had no injuries.
Leesburg police said six motorcycles were stolen during the event. In
addition, police handed out 10 traffic citations related to the event and
dealt with another 10 incidents involving intoxicated people from Bikefest.
The department took in 153 calls for service linked to the event.
The numbers pleased law enforcement.
"I think it was a good event," Rockefeller said Monday. "We came off
relatively safe."
The weekend statistics represent the second year in a row that no bikers
died during the festival. Leesburg police worked with other agencies,
including the Florida Department of Transportation and the Florida Highway
Patrol, to emphasize traffic safety this year. The stepped-up efforts came
after the 2006 Bikefest resulted in six people losing their lives.
Traffic barriers were set up in front of a popular festival spot, the Gator
Harley-Davidson in Leesburg, to try to limit the potential for deadly
accidents, Rockefeller said.
Meanwhile, festival advertising doubled as reminders for attendees to be
safe drivers. Rockefeller said the added awareness was used to encourage
drivers to use extra caution while at Bike- fest.
"That made the difference" in safety from previous years, he said.
Joe Shipes, executive vice president of the Leesburg Partnership, said the
extra safety plans helped make the event a success, with an increased amount
of bikers in attendance this year. Good weather and a wide selection of
activities -- from a bike show to musical performances, including the band
Skid Row -- helped generate a big turnout, he said.
"Everybody was happy," Shipes added. "We continue to see substantial
increases every year."
Continuous live video posted on the festival's Web site was another feature
that distinguished this year's celebration. Leesburg partnered with Wild
Zebra Media, a Central Florida image-design company, to upload video of all
the events. The clips drove thousands of Internet users to share the
Bikefest experience online.
The clips are still available online at leesburgbikefest .com, he said
"To be able to pull that off, I thought it was huge," Shipes said. "I was
amazed."
West Coast hosts cancer fundraiser
The Province, Canada - The Motorcycle Ride for
Dad rumbled into town yesterday, the first time the eight-year-old campaign
to promote prostate cancer awareness has been hosted on the West Coast.
The month-long campaign to educate men about the perils of prostate cancer
and raise money for research culminates in a day-long motorcycle ride May
31.
For ride chairman Sgt. Peter Groenland of the Vancouver Police Department
the event will have added significance. "You may be thinking this will never
happen to you," he told a news conference at VPD headquarters. "In a cruel
irony, two weeks ago, I thought the same, until a routine visit to my doctor
changed my life. I, too, am now facing an all-too-common reality -- that I
may have prostate cancer," said Groenland, of the VPD's traffic services
division.
Sgt. Peter Groenland of the VPD traffic services division sits astride his
motorcycle with wife Colleen. Initial tests show there is a possibility
Peter has prostate cancer. Police yesterday announced the 'Motorcycle Ride
for Dad' prostate-cancer fundraiser.
Jon Murray, The Province
Early detection through annual physical exams really can save your life,"
said Groenland, flanked by his wife Colleen and daughter Serena. "Please,
for the love of your families, go and get examined."
Representatives of various Metro Vancouver police forces, fire departments,
ambulance services and the sheriffs department and six-time Canadian
super-bike champion Steve Crevier of Maple Ridge shared the stage with the
30-year veteran police officer.
Dr. Paul Rennie of the the Prostate Centre at Vancouver General Hospital
said prostate cancer "is a disease that's quite curable."
"Every man over the age of 50 should have a test," he said.
"In Vancouver and B.C. in general we have the lowest mortality rate from
prostate cancer even though the number of men that get the disease is as a
high or higher than most of Canada."
The average age for men to get prostate cancer is the mid-60s, but anyone
with a dad, brother or uncle who has had the disease should start getting
checkups in his mid-40s, said Rennie, who is also director of lab research
and professor of surgery at the University of B.C.
"So far, no one has been able to find [the] cause. It's not like lung
cancer, where there's an obvious cause of either asbestos or smoking," he
added.
Registration for the ride and a chance to make a donation are available at
all Mark's Work Wearhouse outlets in B.C. and any Scotiabank branch. For
more info, see
www.motorcycleridefordad.org .
aivens@png.canwest.com
FACTS ON PROSTATE CANCER
- Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among Canadian men.
- This year an estimated 24,700 Canadian men will be diagnosed with prostate
cancer, and 4,300 will die from it.
- On average, 475 Canadian men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every
week.
- On average, 83 Canadian men die of prostate cancer every week.
- One in seven men will develop prostate cancer during his lifetime, mostly
after age 60. One in 27 will die from it. Source: Canadian Cancer Society
Motorcycle events benefit worthy causes
The Republican - MassLive.com, MA - For this
week's column, I offer you a mish-mash of motorcycle minutia for your
viewing pleasure. First off, two of the area's largest summer rides have
firmed up their dates, so get out the calendar and mark these down.
Molly's Ride for Child Safety, more commonly known as the Molly Bish ride,
will be taking place this year on June 29, a Sunday. The starting location
this year is going to be at the Sturbridge Host Hotel, 366 Main St. in
Sturbridge.
As many of you know, Molly Bish was a 16-year old lifeguard who was abducted
from Commins Pond in Warren in June 2000. Her remains were found in Palmer
several years later. Her parents, John and Magi Bish, started the Molly Bish
Foundation, which supports funding to provide child identification, safety
and educational programs for families, schools, community groups and law
enforcement around New England.
This ride is traditionally one of the two largest in Western Mass., the
other being the Brightside Charities run in the fall. Registration is from 9
a.m. until 12 noon and the cost is $20 per bike. There will be many
corresponding activities at the event site, which we will go over at a later
date.
Also this year, we will be welcoming back John Bish from a stroke that
nearly cost him his life. The route is also new this year and the rain date,
if necessary, is July 13. For more information. you can log on to
www.mollybish.org
The other big ride will be the second annual Melha Riders Hospital Run,
which will be held on Aug. 17. Last year's inaugural run drew almost 500
bikes and the goal this year is to bring that number up to around 1,000, if
possible.
Once again the ride will start at Suburban Chevrolet in Southwick and make
its way to the Shriners's Hospital for Children in Springfield. The good
folks at the Salty Dog Saloon will again present the after-party festivities
at their Bridge Street location in Springfield.
This year you can pre-purchase your $20 tickets and the Melha Riders are
also looking for corporate donations. This was a very well-organized run
last year and I believe, with the help of the Western Massachusetts
motorcycle community, we can make this ride bigger and better than ever
while helping out many less fortunate children. For more information or to
make a donation, log on to
www.melhariders.com
and follow the appropriate links.
Managed competition? What managed competition? I am looking to get feedback
on the so-called "managed" competition for insurance rates in Massachusetts.
Near as I can figure, the word "managed" in this state means no, you can't
charge what you want and yes, we still want our cut. Being the last state in
the union that still has an insurance commissioner that ultimately sets the
rates, many discount insurance companies, such as Geico, for an example,
still refuse to do business in Massachusetts.
Cycle crashes claim local men
Tunkhannock New Age Examiner, PA - A former
Tunkhannock Area School District administrator was killed on Interstate 81
south Saturday morning when his motorcycle was struck by a vehicle
attempting to use an emergency crossover, state police said.
Frank J. Valvano, 58, of Tunkhannock, was pronounced dead at the scene by
Luzerne County Deputy Coroner Jeff Stock following the 10:30 a.m. crash.
Compounding the tragedy, Mr. Valvano's wife was driving behind her husband
in another vehicle.
State police at Hazleton said Agnes Singley Yencho, 82, of Oneida, was
driving a 1989 Cutlass Ciera south in the area when she realized she wanted
to travel north on I-81 instead. She pulled to the right berm of the
highway, police said.
While Valvano was southbound in the passing lane on a 2003 Yamaha, Yencho
attempted to use an emergency vehicle crossover to make a U-turn and get
onto I-81 north, when she drove her vehicle across the south lanes and hit
the side of the motorcycle and Valvano.
Valvano, who was wearing a helmet, was knocked to the ground and was found
in the center median of the highway, police said.
Hzle Township Fire and Rescue firefighter Dave Shema said the accident
happened just south of Exit 143 at Route 924. State troopers brought
Valvano's wife back to the police barracks so someone could pick her up,
Shema said.
"She was pretty upset," he said.
Firefighters helped direct traffic around the scene and cleaned up debris.
Police are still investigating and will decide whether to file charges.
Valvano was a former assistant superintendent for the Tunkhannock Area
School Board, having retired from that post in 2007. He began working for
the district in 1987.
Interviewed shortly before last school year ended, Valvano said he was
planning to continue to work with children, and that he wanted to continue
to try to be active in the Special Olympics held at Tunkhannock Area High
School.
"I'm just looking to do something different," Mr. Valvano said in May 2007.
"I'm not really going to retire."
The cycle accident came less than 24 hours after another claimed a Harveys
Lake man in Eaton Township
Robert F. Stark, 48, of RR 3, Harveys Lake died on Friday afternoon, when a
motor cycle he was operating crashed into a Ford Explorer, about three miles
south of Tunkhannock.
According to police, Stark was operating a Harley Davidson west on Sugar
Hollow Road off Route 29 when the motorcycle crossed the center line as he
traveled on a curve.
At the time of the collision, Stark, who was not wearing a helmet, was
thrown into a stone wall adjacent to the road.
Stark man was pronounced dead at the scene by Wyoming County Coroner Thomas
Kukuchka at 1:02 p.m.
The crash was witnessed by a number of people who live on the road,
including Scott Barber, who said it sounded as if the motorcycle was
traveling fast and had blown a tire.
The operator of the Explorer, Lisa Sholes, 38, of RR 1 Mehoopany, was not
injured in the crash.
Granite Shoals police chief suffers brain injury in accident
KXAN-TV, TX - AUSTIN, Texas (KXAN) -- Granite
Shoals police Chief J.P. Wilson was in critical condition Tuesday after a
motorcycle accident over the weekend.
A woman pulled out in front Wilson's motorcycle on FM 1431 in Kingsland.
Wilson was taken to Brackenridge Hospital with a major brain injury.
The chief was not wearing a helmet.
Capt. Philip Brizendine is taking over as temporary chief.
Police officers will hit the streets Friday to help fill the boot to pay for
Wilson's medical expenses.
There is also a fund set up at the Texas Hill Country Bank in Granite
Shoals.
Motorcyclist killed in crash identified
The Huntsville Times - al.com, AL -
GUNTERSVILLE - A motorcyclist killed in a collision with a van on U.S. 431
here Monday night has been identified as Donald Phillip Bryant, 28, of
Albertville, said Marshall County Coroner Marlon Killion.
The wreck occurred about 8:50 p.m. near Guntersville Fire Station No. 2, he
said.
Guntersville Police Chief Jim Peterson identified the van driver as Benjamin
Foreman, 19, of Harvest.
Peterson said witnesses told police that Bryant was leaving a restaurant on
431 when he lost control of the motorcycle as he "popped a wheelie" and was
thrown into the path of the van.
Peterson said no charges will be made, but the wreck remains under
investigation. |
