If you are into seeing some of the best bikes in the world and some of the best builders then head out to the Brooklyn Invitational this weekend. Below you will find info on different parties and the builder list which is just out of this world. Happy riding if you are on the road heading out. Have a great weekend and keep the rubber side down #vtwinlife #harleydavidson #brooklyninvitational #indianlarry
In most accidents between a car and a bike, drivers tend to say the same thing: They just didn’t see the cyclist until it was too late. A new app aims to help by automatically warning drivers several seconds before a bike is visible. Using the ubiquity of smartphones, the app creates a vehicle-to-vehicle communication network between cars, bicycles, and motorcycles on the road.
“You’ve probably had the experience that you’re driving your car, and all of the sudden a motorcycle passes you on the left, fast,” says Pere Margalef, one of the designers of the new BikeShieldApp. “You think if you’d just decided to change lanes, you would have hit this guy. So I thought, what if somehow before I even see him, I know that he’s coming?”
Other companies are also developing technology for communication between vehicles, but those rely on adding new hardware, like sensors, to both cars and bikes. “It’s too complicated,” Margalef says. “I know it will happen eventually–in 10 years, cars may be driving themselves and preventing accidents. But that’s too late. I’m riding my bike and motorcycle now, and I want to fix the problem now.”
Since smartphones have the technology necessary to track vehicles, the designers decided to make an app. The app uses GPS to follow each vehicle, and when any two vehicles are close enough that an accident could happen, the app sends a notification to the driver. It can be set to a simple sound effect, or can give a voiced warning that, for example, a bike is approaching on the right. The warning comes five to ten seconds before you actually see a bicycle or motorcycle.
Cyclists won’t get a warning, since it can be less safe to listen to messages while riding, and because someone on a bike doesn’t have the same speed or ability to respond as a car. But they can use the app in other ways, including to get a recommendation for the safest route based on the number of people on the road who happen to also have the app.
The biggest challenge will be getting enough people to use the app that it can truly protect those on the road. To help gain adoption, the app is free, and the designers hope to use tightly knit bike and motorcycle communities to reach out to friends who drive.
“When I bought my motorcycle, all my friends were freaking out, saying, ‘You’re going to kill yourself, don’t do this,'” explains Margalef. “So now I can say I found a solution to keep me safe. If everyone who rides a bike or motorcycle shares it with 10 people, that’s one way for car drivers to start using it.”
The designers also plan to work with car insurance companies to integrate the technology into their own apps, and ultimately hopes to build it into cars–either through technology like Apple’s new CarPlay, or by working directly with manufacturers. They also hope to integrate the function into navigation apps like Waze and Google Maps, so drivers will have it without downloading anything new.
“No one wants to be in an accident,” says Margalef. “But some drivers might not take the time to download the app, so we also want to integrate it by default.”
The “I didn’t see him coming” excuse won’t hold if the BikeShield app becomes widely used. BikeShieldApp will be available in the App Store and Google Play Store on September 12.
Harley-Davidson 2014 Dyna Low Rider Recall
Last month, Harley-Davidson Motor Company had recalled over 66,000 of its Touring-model motorcycles due to pinched brake-line issues. On Friday, Harley-Davidson issued yet another recall, this one for the 2014 Harley-Davidson Low Rider (FXDL).
Harley has recalled over 4,500 Dyna Low Riders built from January 6, 2014, through June 19, 2014 worldwide due to ignition-switch issues; more than 3,300 are in the USA. Harley reports that due to engine vibration on modified Low Riders that rev over 5,600 RPM, the ignition switch can go from “on” to “accessory.” If this occurs, the engine can shut off while moving, potentially causing a crash. As of this writing, no crashes have been reported due to the issues of this recall.
The full defect notice goes into more detail explaining that the engine mount bracket on these models has a resonant frequency that happens around 5,800 rpm. At this point, it begins vibrating the ignition switch and can cause it to change position. The stock bikes only allow engine speeds up to 5,600 rpm, according to the report, but the company offers an option to increase the limit further.
Harley-Davidson will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine mount bracket assembly and ignition switch knob, free of charge. The recall was expected to begin by the end of July 2014.
Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464.
Another year has gone by and already it’s time for Sturgis! Sturgis is always an adventure and I don’t mean just during the rally. Folks are coming in from all over the world for the biggest party in the world and getting there is half the fun. With so much crazy weather out now and monsoon season in full force. Your bound to get wet so make sure you get to South Dakota safe so the partying can begin! If you’ve never gone keep an open mind and remember there is so much to do in Sturgis that you can go for years to come and have a different experience each time.
The excitement is hard to shake and the new friends are hard to leave so deciding to come back and do it all over is a fairly easy choice. The magic of the Hills is mesmerizing and the roads, well; there are few places on this good earth that offer this kind of riding.
Incredible roads like Needles Highway, Iron Mountain Road, the Wildlife Loop, Vanocker Canyon Road and Spearfish Canyon take you to amazing destinations – Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Custer State Park, Crazy Horse Memorial, Bear Butte State Park, the Badlands and Devil’s Tower National Monument. Highway 14A’s big, wide turns transport you to the infamous town of Deadwood and the mining town of Lead, and the awe inspiring Highway 385 meanders past towns like Hill City, Silver City and Custer, all contained in the Black Hills National Forest. It’s breathtaking and it’s glorious and it will make you want to come back.
The Sturgis® Motorcycle Rally is the experience of a lifetime in a place where local people can still show you a thing or two about hospitality and visiting exhibitors can show you anything and everything you’d want or need to dress you up or dress up your bike. Or heck, demo virtually every kind of bike on the market – custom, V-Twin or metric. It’s like being a kid again, in a candy store. Only better! Because in addition to the bikes there are concerts and races and bike shows, five blocks of Main Street bikes-only street vibe, the 12th Annual Mayor’s Ride, Michael Lichter’s annual exhibit, the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame, organized rides, some pretty impressive watering holes, custom legends, blue skies and warm, sunny days. It’s all waiting for you in Sturgis and the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota. #HarleyDavidson #VTwinLife #SturgisMotorcycleRally
For a list of events click the link below
http://www.sturgismotorcyclerally.com/news/list-news/
Bike Show Events
V-Twin Life – Riding the Black Hills
Legendary Buffalo Chip
V-Twin Life – Road King at the Sturgis sign
Breaking News
Milwaukee, April 1, 2014 — Harley-Davidson, Inc. (HOG) has announced agreement to be acquired by Japanese owned Kawasaki Motor Company LTD today, Tuesday, April 1, 2014 for an undisclosed sum. The public is invited to attend an audio webcast with Kevin Wardell, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer and John Only, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Harley-Davidson, Inc. from 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM (Central Time). A downloadable slide presentation will also be available as support to the webcast.
Commentary from the acquiring company Kawasaki Motor Company LTD:
“This is a great day for motor-bicyclists all over the world. Now you will all be able to say you own a Harley but pay much lower prices due to major cost savings of substituting plastic for the steel parts, a practice commonly known in our great Kawasaki/Harley Davidson facsimiles! Non-Riders all over the world will still be able to buy closets full of ‘Harley Davidson apparel’ without actually needing to know how to ride a motorcycle. In addition, we will send rider certificates upon request to anybody who would like to look as if they ride a motorcycle, this will be stamped with the official seal of approval by Kawasaki Motor Company LTD readable via a Sturgis secret decoder ring.” – Kesuke Morita Miyagi – Chairman of Kawasaki Motor Company LTD Kawasaki Kawasaki
Company Background:
Kawasaki Motor Company, LTD. is the parent company of Harley-Davidson Motor Company (as of now…bitches) and Harley-Davidson Financial Services (FYI, your payments will be in Yen from now on) – or, at least as long as April Fools day lasts!
http://www.daytonachamber.com/daytonabikeweek/
V-Twin Life 