Bob's Blog

International Female Ride Day© is a global campaign for women motorcyclists who own, ride or have access to a motorcycle or scooter. The day invites women to “JUST RIDE”.

By participating and riding on this globally synchronized united day, women underline and demonstrate their passion, ability and enthusiasm for motorcycling. Women participants are role models contribute to the activity by building awareness of female motorcyclists. This worldwide, synchronized unified presence further demonstrates through every cultures and in one language the fun and enjoyment females of all diversities share in this wonderful activity, in all its forms/variations – of motorcycling!

The event occurs on the first Friday of May each year. Women participate by simply being on their motorcycle to “JUST RIDE” …

• to work
• to meet a friend(s)
• to a fitness class
• to their local motorcycle retailer
• to a country road
• to take an off road or track day course
• to a shopping mall
• to your friends charity event and so on.

The day invites women to be on a motorcycle. It is not an organised ride nor is it a ride for charity. There has no directive so to speak, other then simply getting on your motorcycle, scooter or trike. It’s a simple action designed not to dilute the events core message- of highlighting women motorcyclists!

It isn’t surprising however, that numerous women’s groups are organized to JUST RIDE on the first Friday in May. Clubs, groups, organisations or solo- women incorporate their own purpose or theme. Often these events include a fund raiser of their local preferred charity or simply solidify camaraderie!

This campaign was introduced by Vicki Gray director of MOTORESS to ensure the growth of women in motorcycling. The only request is that women get out on their motorcycle, scooter or trike and “JUST RIDE”!

Motorcycles of all brands, types, styles, capacities and forms. Motorcycles for street, off road/dirt or scooter, sport, duo-purpose, cruiser, touring, trike or ATV.

This is one day devoted to women riders! Women of all ages and all experience levels demonstrating their personal passion, pleasure and camaraderie, unified in a globally synchronized action – together in the activity of motorcycling- around the world!

For more information, click HERE.

If you are riding a motorcycle on the street and you do not have a Class M motorcycle license here is your opportunity to get one FAST. Some riders say they are not properly licensed because they perceive the licensing process to be inconvenient and time consuming. With FAST TRACK Licensing we have removed some of the administrative barriers to the licensing process. FAST TRACK Licensing is available for both two and three-wheeled motorcycles.

FAST TRACK Licensing is conducted from April through September at selected Motor Vehicle Administration branch offices. See the list of locations at the bottom of this page. It is facilitated by certified Motorcycle Safety Program Instructors who are also certified to administer the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) knowledge and rider skill tests.

A learner’s permit is not required and there is no 14-day waiting period. An applicant is not required to have an accompanying rider but is still expected to transport his or her motorcycle to the MVA branch legally. The MVA is not responsible for any violation obtained by an individual who fails to operate their vehicle in accordance with Maryland law.

Applicants are expected to have already read and be familiar with the Motor Vehicle Administration Motorcycle Operators Manual, publication DL-001. This manual is also available at any MVA branch office. Applicants will first participate in a Study Hall where we will review the Test Yourself questions located throughout the manual and the sample knowledge test on page 38. Applicants will also be able to ask questions about the information in the manual. After the review the knowledge test will be administered.

Applicants must answer 21 out of 25 questions correctly, or score 84%, to pass. Another feature of FAST TRACK Licensing is that if a rider fails the knowledge test he or she does not have to return the next day to retake the test. The applicant will be coached as to the correct answers for the questions missed and then a second, but different test, will be administered.

After passing the knowledge test applicants will then be administered the on-cycle Rider Skill Test. An applicant’s motorcycle must be street legal. That means it is insured, registered and tagged. The applicant must present the vehicles current registration card and if the motorcycle is not registered in the applicant’s name will have to show proof that they have permission from the registered owner to use the motorcycle. The Examiner will inspect an applicant’s motorcycle to be sure that all the lights work and that there are no obvious equipment violations. An applicant is required to use a DOT compliant helmet and approved eye protection. If the applicant fails the riding test they will receive coaching on what they were assessed points for from the Examiner and then will be permitted to take the test again.

After passing both tests an applicant will be given a FAST TRACK Completion Certificate. This Certificate is valid only at the branch where it is issued and for that day only. The applicant will present this certificate to an MVA licensing agent to get the Class M license added to his or her current license. The applicant will have to pay the appropriate fee. Applicants with a valid learner’s permit do not have to take the knowledge test and will not have to pay a fee to get the Class M license. If an applicant fails the riding test he or she will be issued a Class M learner’s permit.

Applicants who fail the knowledge or skill test twice will be encouraged to participate in a formal rider training course and will not be allowed to participate in another FAST TRACK event in 2012.

FAST TRACK Licensing is conducted by appointment only at the following MVA branch offices during regular business hours and is available only to Maryland licensed drivers over the age of 18. For 2012 we will be accepting requests for appointments online only. To view the flyer for the event and to make an appointment online click on the link of the location you want to attend. There is a link on the flyer to make an appointment.

When you click on the link in the flyer an email will open. Enter the required customer information below and click “Send”. If you completed the process properly you will receive an auto-response from the Program confirming your appointment.

The schedule will be posted by the beginning of March 2013.

Walk-ins will be accepted as space permits. However, although every effort will be made to accommodate walk-ins, individuals without an appointment will not be guaranteed participation.

If you cannot make your scheduled appointment please contact the Program by email at motorcyclesafety@mva.maryland.gov and put FAST TRACK Cancel In the Subject line, or by calling us at 443.572.8236 to cancel. Individuals who do not show up for their scheduled appointment may not be allowed to participate in another FAST TRACK Licensing event this year.

By requesting an appointment you acknowledge that you have read and understand the information on this page concerning the FAST TRACK Licensing process.

FAST TRACK Licensing is NOT a substitute for rider training and all participants are encouraged to enroll in a Basic Rider Course 2 after getting their license to update and refresh their riding skills. Applicants who cannot pass either the knowledge or the riding skills tests on the second attempt will be counseled to consider enrolling in a Basic Rider Course or an Alternate Basic Rider Course and will not be permitted to participate in another event during the current calendar year. Both courses will allow a rider to practice street riding skills and if they pass they will be issued a Motorcycle Safety Program Completion Certificate for the Class M license.

* The riding test is designed to accommodate the traditional two-wheeled motorcycle trike conversion with two wheels in the rear and some of the newer factory trikes with two wheels in the rear, or front. However, it may not accommodate some three-wheeled motorcycles that are considered automotive conversions, or automotive hybrids. If you are not sure whether your 3-wheeler can be used in the riding skill test, please contact the Motorcycle Safety Program office before scheduling an appointment.

Hershey, PA (February 27, 2013) The Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) Museum is proud to announce the exhibit, “Welcome Invasion: British Motorcycles in America, 1940-1980.” The exhibit will open Friday, March 15th and run through Thursday, October 17th, 2013.

North American motorcyclists, many having learned to ride on Harley-Davidsons and Indians, eagerly took to and purchased the comparatively light-weight, fine handling and powerful English brands. Racers in particular valued the compact size, technical innovations, and excellent power output of now-classic competition motorcycles by AJS, Triumph, BSA, Matchless, Norton, and Royal Enfield. The British marques were accepted as “real” motorcycles by American riders, and even today are respected by even the most ardent proponents of American motorcycles.

The exhibit, informally called “British Invasion,” will present the British motorcycle as both aesthetic object (art) and as material culture (possessing meaning and a story). British Invasion will also interpret British motorcycles through an investigation of: 1) Technical innovations (such as Edward Turner’s parallel twin design); 2) The positive response by American buyers (why they were popular); and, 3) The eventual implosion of the British motorcycle industry in the 1970s. To assist in placing the British motorcycle within its context, period dealer signs, movie and popular music posters, and quotes by motorcycle commentators will be displayed. Additionally, visitors can examine “The Literature” table, holding examples of some of the primary literary texts addressing motorcycle studies.

A selection of the show-winning motorcycles on display in the British Invasion are: 1948 Triumph Speed Twin with sidecar; 1956 Ariel Square Four; a hand-built 1970 Cheyney-BSA off-road racer; a very rare 1955 T100R factory racer; a bevy of pristine 1960s Triumph twins; and the signature British performance bikes of the 1970s, to include a 1971 BSA B50MX, 1974 Norton Commando, 1974 Triumph Trident, and a custom 1974 Triumph/BSA Hurricane street-drag creation. Supporting the exhibit will be period motorcycle gear and collectables.

Please join the AACA Museum in enjoying an exhibit of some of the most beautiful motorcycles in America, in one of America’s premier motor museums! Museum patrons can also enjoy the museum’s newest display Porsche Style & Design which showcases more than 20 air and water cooled models as well as prototypes. There are also other household and personal items also designed Porsche that are in display as part of this Porsche Style & Design exhibit.

The Antique Automobile Club of America Museum, a member of the Smithsonian Institution Affiliations Program, displays beautifully restored automobiles, buses and motorcycles in unique life-like scenes representing the 1900′s – 1980′s in a cross-country journey from New York to San Francisco. The AACA Museum, a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, is celebrating 10 years as one of the nation’s largest automotive museums. Special exhibits change several times a year and focus on a variety of eras and types of vehicles. The AACA Museum is located just off Route 39, one mile west of Hersheypark Drive in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Regular admission $10, seniors age 61 and older $9, juniors age 4-12 $7, children age 3 and under are FREE. To celebrate our 10th Anniversary, Admission will be just $10 for two guests every Tuesday through 2013. The Museum is open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and select evening hours during the summer months. For further information, please call 717-566-7100 or visit www.AACAMuseum.org.

In 2010, a tradition as old as most of the motorcycles involved was revived. Riders traveling on motorcycles built before 1916 traveled from coast to coast of the United States of America, starting in New York and ending in San Francisco. Two years later, in 2012, another run was organized, only this time for motorcycles pre-1930 which allowed BMW’s to enter the race!. These “Cannonball Endurance Runs” were inspired by E.G. Baker, also known as “Cannonball.”

Cannonball Route

In 1912, he completed his first endurance ride on a 2-speed Indian traveling 14,000 miles in three months from Florida to Cuba, to Jamaica, and then to Panama. After finishing this ride, Baker decided it was time to attempt to break the transcontinental record. In 1913 he rode a 7 hp, 2-speed electric model twin Indian. He covered 3,378 miles in 11 days, 12 hours, and 10 minutes earning him the nickname “Cannonball.” According to reports, “Cannonball” Baker completed 140 timed long distance rides; 126 which were coast to coast.

Which brings us back to 2010 when a group of motorcycle enthusiasts decided it was time to invite all makes and models of motorcycles built before 1916 to gather and partake in an “epic adventure of man and machine.” Riders averaged 300 miles a day and traveled with crews on routes through national parks, along great lakes, rivers, mountain ranges, and more. This was an endurance run where one rider and one machine would claim victory. Unfortunately for BMW enthusiasts, the race was not open to BMW’s as the first BMW was not built until 1923.

However two years later in 2012 the Cannonball Endurance Run returned, only this time for makes and models pre 1930! And you know what that means? This year BMW joined the race! Collector Jack Wells entered a 1929 BMW R11 that is being ridden by Norm Nelson, #23. Joseph Gimpel, #62 is riding a 1928 R62, and Darryl Richman, #52 is riding a 1928 R52.

Team 23 is made up of 9 individuals: Norm Nelson, Rider and Wrench; Jack Wells, Entry Owner and Support Vehicle Pilot; Bill Robinson, Team Manager; Larry Meeker, Road manager; Alan Singer, Web master; Chris Alley, Chief Tech; Bill Botkin, tech; Ed Miller, technical Advisor; and John Duss, Legal Advisor. You can read ride reports from the road by visiting http://cannonball23.home.comcast.net/~cannonball23/

Team 62 is made up of 3 individuals: Rider, Joe Gimpel, and his long time friend and another handy person that Joe has known and worked with. More details on this team are available at http://www.motorcyclecannonball.com/index.php?option=com_sobipro&pid=55&sid=130:62-Joseph-Gimpel&Itemid=109

Team 52, also known as Team Boxer Rebellion has dozens of sponsors and support. A full list is available at http://darryl.crafty-fox.com/ and/or you can get ride reports and details on this team.

On September 7, 2012 70 total riders on Harley Davidson’s, BSA’s, Triumphs, Henderson’s, Indians, BMW’s, Rudge’s, and a Velocette, Invinvcible JAP, and Sunbeam started a 2-week journey coast to coast across the United States riding motorcycles built before 1930. The ride started in New York and will end in San Francisco. Most days are 300 miles or less, with shorter distances on the start and finish days. It is a scenic route, avoiding interstate highways, with stopping points at museums and hosted lunch stops.

As of September 18, Team 23 was in 5th place, Team 62 is in 32nd, and Team 52 is in 41st, among 70 total riders. The race ended September 23 and final results are now posted http://www.motorcyclecannonball.com/

Bob’s BMW salutes the BMW teams for their determination and enthusiasm. Traveling coast to coast on vintage and classic bikes is sure to be a challenge but we know if any brand can do it, it’s BMW! Perhaps next year, a Bob’s BMW ambassador can represent on one of Bob’s personal machines in his museum, or even better, maybe Bob himself will join the next Cannonball Endurance Race!