The AMA has started its "Motorcycles Matter" campaign. This is a multi-pronged effort to increase the awareness of heedless cagers of the motorcyclists who share the road and make things safer for said motorcyclists.

Item 1: currently, killing a motorcyclist because of negligence or idiocy carries a stiff fine of... $50-100!?! The AMA is pursuing a "get-tough" policy with legislatures of all 50 states. They want to increase the ridiculous penalty for violation of right of way of a motorcyclist which leads to death or crippling injury to $1000 and suspension of license for at least 30 days. Also, the penalty for intentionally killing, trying to kill, or injuring a rider would increase.

Item 2: they also want a class for offenders, to underscore the vulnerability of cyclists and pedestrians.

Item 3: billboards, posters, radio spots, government proclamations, and letters to newspapers to remind drivers to watch for motorcyclists.

Item 4: alteration of armco barriers to a design that doesn't cause instant decapitation for riders.

I think it's a good program. They had all kinds of examples... a soccer mom blatantly pulling out in front of a rider in her SUV, killing the rider, and getting away with a $50 fine (and nothing on her driving record); a guy who pulled out and then stopped in the middle of the road and after the carnage, said in broken English, "You go too fast, I teach you slow down"; some punk kid who turned left from the center lane, running over a man and his wife on a Blackbird--wife died, man lost a limb, bike lodged under car's front wheels as he tried for 30 feet to get away, dragging bike and the guy with him the whole time...

My father was attacked once a long long time ago when he was on one of his early bikes. It was a 100cc two stroke I think, top speed about 70 and some cyclist-hating dipshit tried to run him off the road three times then bumped his rear and finally threw a bottle as he drove by.

Anyway, I'm going to join the AMA just as soon as I can.

On a completely different and even contradictory note, here is a short (2 min) video sent to me yesterday. Check it out, riding wheelies for miles in the sun on the freeway, must be a religious experience...

I've learned some stunts on SBK, but this one takes the prize.

March 11th is the start of the World Superbike racing season. I didn't watch it last year but I saw the 2 hour recap on SV a few times over X-Mas and it was pretty awesome. It's the NASCAR of motorcycle racing, certainly not the fastest bikes, but the most money, best competition, most fans, etc. The contrast with NASCAR comes when you consider that NASCAR is boring as all hell, while WSB requires huge amounts of skill (they have to turn both ways, shift, and use brakes), encourages divergence in bike design, and nobody dies.

I'm pulling for Troy Corser on the factory Aprilia, seen here, here, and here. Dig that matte paint.

Bike pic of the day is this scary thought... A police bike that can go 200 mph? Ugh.

Ahh, got bikes out of my system for another day...