The GUNNY'S SACK

September 2006 We've lost too many American lives in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, and we’ve also lost way too many of our own in highway accidents. A record number of people took riding courses this year, so at least it makes me feel like some of the caterwauling I've been doing has had a positive effect on my brothers and sisters.

Safety of my people on the roads wherever they may be is always foremost in my mind, and folks taking those courses make me feel good and they do too. It's amazing to me the feedback I get when someone that took the course thinking they wouldn't learn anything because they have ridden for years find they had a lot of bad habits they weren't aware of. Just love it.

FALL MAINTENANCE: Time to take her down and spruce her up for next year, unless you're like a lot of us who ride year-round. Here in the Northwest, we even have a group called the "WET LEATHER RIDERS." Whether you ride all year or not, after a summer on the road be sure to change your oil, see if you need new tires, maybe a new seat or paint job. Check the drive systems and ALL the rest of the stuff we let slide because the sun was out and it was time to ride. Make a checklist and mark off each thing as you get it taken care of.

IT'S YOUR BUTT on that scoot and if you place value on it, you take care of the stuff that needs taken care of. Maybe I'm rambling a little, but lately I've seen some pretty sorry looking tires. Don't ride'em till you can see their INSIDES! Sheesh. You're liable to see your OWN insides. Road rash is ugly enough without us being the cause of it.

Enough of me and on to the good stuff I've run up on:

NEWSBITS ‘N' PIECES:

FLYING SCOOTERS: Yeah, and this old pilot isn't so sure he'd git on one of these to fly, but it IS for real. This outfit in California will show you how to take your 50 cc scooter and set you up to take off with you AND it in an ultralight parasail! Can't beat it for ingenuity, I'll say that for it. Take a look online, at www.ultralightflyingscooter.com.

MIDTERM ELECTIONS: Keep a weather eye open in your state when you go to the polls and cast your votes. Some of the measures that are put forth are not in ours or anyone's best interest. Oregon's BikePAC tells me that our Measure 45 is NOT one Oregonians should consider. Term limits do not accomplish the job the proponents want. Take a real close look at the stuff YOU might be voting on. Some of it may curtail more of our personal freedoms. Let’s not let that happen.

Oregon's term limits seriously damage our efforts to reform the adult helmet law, among other issues important to motorcyclists. BikePAC has found it takes several sessions for new legislators to have a good understanding of some of the more complex issues, like transportation. By the time they get that understanding they're swept out the door by ‘limits', and we have to start all over again! Legislative turnover is NORMALLY about a third, without limits. It's hard enough educating that many each session, but tripling our efforts is too much. Experience counts in all jobs and legislating is no different. If we don't like the job an elected official does, we can just elect someone else! That's true term limits. Setting arbitrary limits is just voluntary loss of our liberty. Remember, "We the People" have say-so!

GUNNY AGAIN: Remember our AIM (Aid to Injured Motorcyclists) attorneys across this country are here to help us when we come to grief, whether in a bike or car accident or for whatever other reason. Call your local AIM guy or just call 1-800-ON-A-BIKE, or go online to www.On-A-Bike.com, and they will get you to the right place. These lawyers ride with us and are part of our lifestyle. They KNOW the dynamics of motorcycle wrecks, and what happens to us. Many have been there and done that. Do yourself a favor and call AIM.

Now if we can keep from having WRECKS, we can make the AIM lawyers specialize in some OTHER field of law! I know some of ‘em would like nothing more.

Just ride safe, please! And...