The GUNNY'S SACK

August 1998
Welcome to the Gunny's Sack, a new monthly service of AIM/NCOM NEWS. We hope you'll enjoy Gunny's wit and wisdom as much as we have over the years. Gunny's Sack is now featured in numerous motorcycle publications throughout the country. We are pleased to include the Gunny's Sack as a service of AIM/NCOM NEWS, so feel free to reprint or redistribute this column. Happy reading, BILL BISH:

A Note From Gunny: Gunny started writing this bit of sometime good stuff and sometime nonsense because someone in Oregon's ABATE bunch kept seeing him at the runs and thought it would be nice for some fool to write about the runs. The column is sent to many different people now all over the world and USA. I guess there are those that enjoy it.

Gunny started riding in the middle 40's on his dad's scooters and has owned and ridden most of what has been available to ride. He is presently on a 1998 Honda Shadow ACE Tourer. It seems to be the right combination of power and size to fit him and he rides all over the place averaging between 15,000 and 22, 000 miles a year on the ride with another 18,000 to 20,000 miles in the cage because he believes in freedom of choice. He feels he should have the right to make those choices having spent 20 years in the US Marine Corps paying for the privileges of freedom in this great country. Besides that he is a VOTER and a TAX PAYER, and certainly not least a BIKER born and raised in a biker family.

..and now...

From The
GUNNY'S SACK

Now I know it'll be awhile back for you when you read this, but as I write, I'm caught up in the spirit of JULY 4TH, and celebrating the birth of liberty here. This country is established on the doctrine of democratic decisions by the people that are its citizens and it's known world wide as the cradle of freedom.
Most of us are extremely proud to live in a country that for the most part, despite her faults, is still the best place on earth to live. Just ask anyone who's lived most anywhere else on the planet. Especially those who left there to get here!
We aren't told where and when to work, and we come and go pretty much as we please as our income allows. If we don't like our boss we can quit and go find a new job. We can own our homes and start and own businesses.
Yet, we are still victims of our own prejudices. It's no wonder lawmakers think we aren't all intelligent life. We suffer from the worst kind of discrimination there is. That discrimination is within our own community and, many times, is self perpetuated. And we are the ones that cry loudest of all if we perceive our egos have been damaged. When are we going to figure out that what goes around comes around? In other words, if you don't like being discriminated against, don't do it yourself, and I'm talking about among ourselves, within the biker community. Whether it relates to the type or style or writing on a patch or the type of scoot we're riding, the one thing we DON'T NEED is to hassle with each other. There are those who count on just that. Don't give ‘em the satisfaction.
With that off my chest I'll shut my face and wish everybody a happy and safe year till the next celebration of our country's founding.

News Bits'n Pieces: France: Versailles, The French actor I wrote about last month, Gerard Depardeau, was ordered to stand trial for drunken driving as a result of tests taken after his motorcycle accident. He faces a possibility of heavy fines, FIVE years loss of driving privileges, and up to TWO years in the can. I guess France has stupid bikers too.

New York City: Some wore Brooks Brothers suits and some wore Black leather and rode MOTORCYCLES right up Park Avenue for the celebration of the "Motorcycle as an Art Form" at the venerable Guggenheim Museum. The museum's famous circular ramp was lined with 114 motorcycles from the early 1900's to the glorious machines we see and ride today. Must have been awesome! I understand the exhibit may travel to other museums as well.

Tokyo: The Honda Motor Company plans to expand it's motorcycle dealerships in Viet Nam to 110 from the present 50, and selling up to 450,000 units by 2003. This in spite of the economic problems in Asia at this time. I guess that shows Honda has confidence in Asia's ability to bounce back.

Britain: Motorcycle sales are still on a sharp upswing here. The phenomenon is attributed to the "Born Again Biker." This is the guy, or gal, that got off their old bike or scooter when they got married 20 years ago and yearns for wind in the face again now that the kids are raised and out of the house. Problem is, they are buying the super fast modern machines of today and aren't bothering to take riding courses teach them how to stay alive on these beasts of speed. Now, at least in Britain, we have accelerating accident rates blamed on the old folks instead of the kid! There's a switch, and a message therein for us all.

U.S. Air Force: An increase in motorcycle accidents and fatalities to Air Force personnel in the early part of this year has prompted officials to undertake a study to determine the causes and implement training to alleviate the problem. Rider training is becoming the norm in the US Air Force. Another message there-in? I wonder who it was that originally decided it was prudent to teach people how to ride safely, bikers themselves, maybe? Uh-oh! Could it be we are intelligent life? Oops! We're gonna lose our image if we aren't careful.

Los Angeles: It's gonna happen. "ChiPs", the popular cop shop scooter show of the late seventies and early eighties will again be on TV via "ChiPs 99" to be aired on the "TNT" cable channel in October. Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox , the originals, will star.

New York Again: Pay attention guys. A recent study from the Motorcycle Industry Council has come up with some interesting information. Are woman riders an emerging force? The ridership of women is on the increase and they tend to be better educated than their male counterparts, with 56% of women having some college or a degree, as opposed to just 42% of men. Not only that, but overall they make more money with an average income of about $47,300 annually as opposed to $43,800. Even so, and surprising to me, men outspend women in the apparel department with average annual expenditures of $300 against $267 by women.
Also, 10% of riding women prefer the big heavy touring "Goldwing" type bike over the typical 600 to 800 pound cruiser. Over a third of MSF Rider course graduates are now women. In that arena, they're setting an example for us, guys. It wouldn't hurt us to pay attention.

Sam's AIM Tip'O the month is about WITNESSES: As you know, my boss Sam Hochberg pretty much only handles injury claims, for bikers and cars too. One of the big problems he runs across is that people don't get the info they need at the scene, and believe it or not, the cops aren't doing it anymore! He had a case just this month with a badly bunged-up bicyclist who wrecked because of an ultra-fancy import's illegal U-turn. Before the meat wagon hauled him off, while he was laying there, he overheard witnesses tell the driver she was wrong and they knew it. Not ONE of them gave him their name, he didn't ask, and the Portland Police didn't get it! Now, Sam's got an uphill battle to fight.
If you should see a wreck or if you're in one, get those names down. Don't assume the cops will do it. And, if the other driver hadn't stuck around for that cyclist, he'd have had zip! By the way, if you should go down because someone else causes it, there's no contact between the vehicles, and the other guy splits, Oregon law generally requires that to make a claim against your own uninsured motorist coverage for your pain and suffering, you MUST have a witness, and one who is NOT also a claimant in that wreck. Your policy will usually require that you report it as a hit and run to the police within 24 or 48 hours.

Gunny again: When you see me or the AIM booth at a run or camp-out stop and say hi. While you're there pick up new helmet stickers and don't forget the latest NCOM newsletter. The paper is full of information about what we've been up to for the year as well as comments about various people we think are interesting. This issue has a comment or two about our AIM attorney Sam Hochberg. I also carry Sam's annual insurance update. This is a very important document when it comes to Insurance information. It doesn't tell you what company to use, but it does tell you the kinds of coverage you should carry to be sure you are taken care of in the unhappy event you are involved in a crash. Full coverage isn't always the coverage you need.

Keep the round side on the bottom

Gunny, Oregon's AIM chief of Staff