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Motorcycle News Blog
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News Blog: "Blog" is used in the broadest
sense of the term here; after all, webBikeWorld itself
can be considered to be a blog! This page consists of personal
opinion and observations on news, views and ruminations on
motorcycles, accessories and more. This is info
that doesn't really fit anywhere else on the site. Got a
motorcycle blog or news page?
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Motorcycle Industry Sees 12th Year of Sales Growth
►NOTE: Motorcycle sales statistics and
information is now on the
Motorcycle Sales Statistics and Information page
NHTSA Requests Feedback on Amber Turn Signals
May 15, 2009 - The U.S. National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration is
requesting feedback on it's report, "The Effectiveness of Amber Rear
Turn Signals for Reducing Rear Impacts".
NHTSA is requesting comments regarding the effectiveness of amber
rear turn signals for reducing rear impacts.
Note
that this report does not specifically mention
motorcycles, but the visibility of vehicle
turn signals affects all road users, including
motorcyclists.
The U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard (FMVSS) 108 currently allows either red or
amber rear turn signals. The purpose of the new
report is to determine whether color has a significant
impact on the likelihood of rear-end crashes.
NHTSA’s conclusion was that amber turn
signals are 5.3% more effective than red turn signals at
preventing involvement in two-car crashes where a lead
vehicle is rear-struck in the act of turning left or
right, merging into traffic, changing lanes or
entering or leaving a parking space.
One quote from the report says that "Two
analyses of crash data report that amber turn signals
are approximately 20 percent more effective than red
turn signals at preventing vehicles from being
rear-ended while performing a maneuver that typically
involves signaling. One study did not find a
statistically significant difference between red and
amber turn signals. There has been no research presented
that is in favor of rear turn signals being red."
The study was designed around passenger
vehicles that had switched rear turn signal color.
The report is available here in .pdf format.
Comments must be submitted by September 6, 2009.
The request for comments was published in the May 11,
2009 Federal Register,
Vol. 74, No. 89, pages
21850-21851.
To submit comments, identified by Docket
Number NHTSA-2009-0095, visit the
Federal Rulemaking
Portal and follow the online instructions for
submitting comments.
Our feeling on this has been stated
before: "One light, one function". In other words,
signal and brake light functions should not be combined.
So a brake light should not also function as a turn
signal, and this goes for color also.
We support amber-colored lights for turn
signals; this would mean, for example, that a vehicle
that is stopped with the brake lights on making a turn
will have a separate amber turn signal that is blinking.
The difference in colors makes the intent of the vehicle
much more readily apparent and increases safety for all
other road users.
Italy Announces New Motorcycle Purchase
Incentives
February 26, 2009 - The Italian
Government, in an effort to support the industry and
resist a decline in consumption levels, implemented an
incentive of 500 € for replacing any Euro 0 or Euro 1
motorbike with a new Euro 3 vehicle under 400cc.
In January, "powered two-wheeler"
registrations fell by -38.8% in Italy when compared to
the previous year. ANCMA, the Italian association
representing motorcycle manufacturers, importers and the
linked industry, reported a -38.6% in the scooter
segment and -35.4% in the motorcycle sector while the
moped was the most vulnerable category, losing 43.6%.
ANCMA welcomed the incentives as a
valuable tool to accelerate the renewal of the
circulating park with new low emitting and more fuel
efficient vehicles. (Source: ACEM)
UPDATE: April 24, 2009 - The incentives policy devised for the PTW industry
triggererd a +7.8% rise in March.
March brought a major reversal in trend for sales in
Italy with 49,682 units (+7.8%) over the same month in
2008. In particular, registrations totaled 42,725
units, corresponding to an improvement of 14.6%.
From a
detailed analysis of the various segments, however, we
find that while scooters grew significantly, with 29,542
units (+35,5%), motorcycles continued to decline, albeit
to a lesser extent compared to the first two months of
the year, with 13,183 vehicles (-14.8%).
50cc units
continued to suffer, in the absence of an incentive
program, with 6,957 units (-21.1%). In the first quarter
of 2009, we are still ca 14,000 registrations (-15.5%)
and 8,000 mopeds (-34%) short.
Europeans Goals
for Advanced Brake Systems and Environment
December 23, 2008 - ACEM, the motorcycle industry
association of Europe, is promoting several strategic
measures "that will allow the motorcycle industry to
respond to society's most urgent demands", according to
Jacques Compagne, the ACEM Secretary General.
"As we are confident that our first goal of fitting
50% of PTWs (powered two-wheelers) with advanced braking
systems will be obtained by 2010, we have strengthened
our commitment to road safety and pledged to reach a
second, more ambitious and significant result: by 2015,
75% of PTWs will be offered on the market with advanced
braking systems as an option".
Regarding the environment and motorcycle emissions
controls, ACEM proposed a roadmap towards parity with
cars.
A Euro 4 stage would be implemented in 2012,
entailing a 25% reduction over Euro 3 in tailpipe
emissions for motorcycles, and in 2015, ACEM proposes to
attain Euro 5, which would mean a further 25% reduction
in tailpipe emissions for motorcycles and which would
achieve the goal of emissions parity with Euro 5
gasoline passenger cars.
Dollar Strengthens Against European Currencies
December 5, 2008 -
If you purchased a motorcycle helmet or other gear from
Europe or the UK in the beginning of 2008, you were
probably shocked at the poor exchange rate.
Back in January of 2008, a British Pound cost about
$1.98 USD. Today that same Pound costs "only"
$1.48, a drop of about 34%, according to the XE.com
currency exchange website.
A Euro would have cost about $1.47 USD in January of
2008 but it now goes for roughly $1.27, a 16% decrease.
So that
Schuberth R1 that cost about £360.00 would have set
you back a breathtaking $713.00 USD in January (not
including shipping). But it now costs about
$533.00, a difference of $180.00 USD!
But wait: the currency fluctuations and the global
recession have reduced some prices even more, and
retailers are marking down their existing stock.
That same R1 is now on sale for £324.00 (graphics) and
£279.00 (solids) at
Designer Helmets. Meaning that a solid color
R1 now costs roughly $413.00 USD (not including
shipping).
Note that exchange rates can change by the minute,
and there will probably be a lag time and difference in
what the credit card company or the retailer charges.
So be sure to check all the prices and transactions
first; understand the shipping and duty fees (if any)
and how the exchange rates will be transacted.
But the bottom line is that this may be the best time
in years to buy that hard-to-find European motorcycle
gear!
►NOTE: Motorcycle sales statistics
and information is now on the
Motorcycle Sales Statistics and Information page
2009 and Beyond Motorcycle Rumors
August 21, 2008 - Lots of news on the motorcycle
front, with Honda leaking a story of a very nice-looking
and ultra-tech VFR 1000cc V5, using a modified MotoGP
engine with Variable Cylinder Management, a paddle
shifter and brake-by-wire ABS. Rumours say the VFR
will be released at the Honda 60th Anniversary in
September.
Honda has confirmed that all of its motorcycles will
soon have ABS as standard, so every other motorbike
manufacturer on the planet will probably follow soon
after. Good news or not?
Meanwhile, more rumours say the retro Honda CB1100RR
will be released for production in 2010, along with the
standard CB1100 retro. And finally, busy Honda
will also release a very nice-looking new 250;
unfortunately, it looks identical to a Ducati
Ducati Monster 696!
Perhaps in response, Ducati is said to be working on
a new Monster S4 based on the
Monster 696, but with the
1098 engine.
BMW is also rumoured to be working on a new scooter
with roof to replace the before-its-time C1; they also
plan on releasing F 800 R and F 800 S street versions of
Chris Pfeiffer's stunt bike.
New Study Shows
Motorcycle Helmet Law Repeal Caused Fatalities
June 25, 2008 - Two University of Pittsburgh
researchers have published a new study in the most
recent edition of the American Journal of Public Health.
It is entitled “Changes
in Motorcycle-Related Head Injury Deaths,
Hospitalizations, and Hospital Charges Following Repeal
of Pennsylvania’s Mandatory Motorcycle Helmet Law,”
and it is available for a small fee from the American
Journal of Public Health.
The researchers are Kristen J. Mertz of the
University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public
Health and Harold B. Weiss, University of Pittsburgh,
Center for Injury Research and Control.
The study found that after the 2003 repeal of
Pennsylvania’s motorcycle helmet law, helmet use by
riders involved in reportable crashes decreased from 82
percent in 2001–2002 to 58 percent after the repeal
(2004–2005).
Motorcycle-related head injury deaths increased 66
percent, whereas non-head injury deaths increased 25
percent. In addition, motorcycle head injury
hospitalizations increased 78 percent compared with 28
percent for non-head injury hospitalizations.
These data were obtained from Pennsylvania’s
Departments of Health and Transportation. Researchers
suggest that the repeal was most likely responsible for
the relatively large increase in head injuries and that
this study is significant for two main reasons.
First, it used population-based hospital discharge
data compiled from all acute care hospitals in the
state, whereas the majority of previous studies of
post-repeal changes in motorcycle-related
hospitalizations include data only from selected trauma
centers. Second, the researchers attempted to
control for non-helmet factors by comparing changes in
head injuries to non-head injuries.
“Data alone, however, are not sufficient to reverse
helmet law repeal; many states maintain repeals despite
multiple studies showing increases in deaths, injuries
and costs. Until life-saving mandatory helmet
policies are reinstated, voluntary helmet use programs
should be developed and evaluated,” the study’s authors
recommended.
Abstract: "To evaluate the 2003 repeal of
Pennsylvania’s motorcycle helmet law, we assessed
changes in helmet use and compared motorcycle-related
head injuries with non-head injuries from 2001–2002 to
2004–2005.
Helmet use among riders in crashes decreased from 82%
to 58%. Head injury deaths increased 66%; non-head
injury deaths increased 25%.
Motorcycle-related head injury hospitalizations
increased 78% compared with 28% for non-head injury
hospitalizations. Helmet law repeals jeopardize
motorcycle riders. Until repeals are reversed,
states need voluntary strategies to increase helmet
use."
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