We’re not usually in the business of promoting other motorcycle websites, but I found two very interesting pieces this morning that I think deserve some promotion.
The first is a fun article in Hell For Leather about their ride up through Labrador this past summer.
I’d been in touch with HFL’s Wes and Grant before the ride with the idea of maybe meeting up with them for a night on their way through the Maritimes, but like many things we failed to make it all connect.
Then, on my return journey from Honda’s Cape Breton event in September, I just happened to be pulling into a pub parking lot in the town of New Glasgow with CMG news editor Steve Thornton, when two other motorcyclists pulled in at the same time on BMW GSs.
Interesting, I thought, and (like you do) I wondered over to say hi and see where they were heading (both bikes were heavily loaded for a big adventure trip). Then one of the guys removed his lid and asked "are you Rob Harris?".
Now as famous as I’d like to think I am, this doesn’t happen, but I was even more gobsmacked to find out that they were Wes and Grant from HFL magazine, on their way to Labrador!
What are the odds? Anyway, a beer or two and some Laphroaig back at the hotel later and we’d done all the catching up and general gloomy discussions of the state of the industry and that was that for that.
I wished them good luck, reminded them that a person can die up there if they’re not too careful and that was that. The results of their endeavours was a spectacular crash (fortunately no deaths) and a great article. Read it here.
The second is an editorial by Neil Johnston at One Wheel Drive magazine. It’s a well researched and well presented piece on the new anti-stunting law that has just come into effect in British Columbia.
I’ve done this kind of article before and it takes a whole load of time and research to get it right which is what Neil has done.
It’s a depressing read, but an important one, especially if you live or plan to ride in B.C. Read it here.
I don’t so much object to the 40/50 kph over limits as to the unconstitutional consequences, suspending a license and seizing a motor vehicle before your day in court is just wrong. I may have broken the speed limit, stood up on my pegs ( stunt riding) even laid a patch at last green light, give me a ticket and I’ll see you in court and we will let the judge decide, not some power hungy cop on the side of the road. I thought cowboy justice was a thing of the past.
I can understand the ‘running’…
I agree, too much power for the coppers…
Power corrupts and all that…..
40 Over??? Seems a little shy, or over zealous when we run 30 over just to go with the flow on the 4xx’s in Ontario…
What a surprise…
🙁
All the more reason to ride gravel and dirt back roads.
“For most sport bikes on the market, an entertaining entry speed for a 50km/h marked corner sits at double the suggested. So getting some joy out of a turn puts you at 100, or 40km/h over the limit an 80 km/h maximum highway.”
Huh? They need to hire an editor.
I think every speeding ticket needs context as time place traffic and weather. Speeding isn’t just a number. The cops and courts shure like metric speeds as they sound away faster than miles per hour.
In busy areas I travel with the traffic flow but out on a lonely highway with lttle or no traffic Ijust use my discression.
I guess I’ll join the “piss people off” category by saying I don’t have a problem with this…you don’t want to loose your ride, don’t speed…I feel the same about speed cameras (I know different can of worms)…but in reality, why would you need to go more than 40kph over the limit…even passing someone, I usually only gain about 20kph to pass, maybe 30kph…but that is only for the time of the pass…don’t get me wrong, I just paid two tickets I received in the mail (guess what, I was speeding…), I took the chance and got caught…I don’t think the excessive speed laws are unreasonable!
I’m going to start an argument.
I used to regularly run at speeds in excess of 200kph on the roads. Then at some undefined point I had an epiphany. I realized that not only was I increasing my own chances of injury (duh), I was also upsetting a lot of people and putting other folks and kids and pets in danger. I was in fact an irritation to society.
The new “sport” bikes are “race” bikes and should be sold as track only tools. We all go way over 40kph regularly on these machines, that’s why we buy them. We have no regard for anyone else. We need to find other reasons to ride. I did … DR650