year

Are motorcycle crashes up from last year?

By Matthew A. Garcia 9 hours ago

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10)- A motorcycle crash took the life of a 69-year-old man from Vergennes, Vermont, on September 14, according to the Vermont State Police. Afterward, State Police took to social media saying motorcycle fatalities were up in the state 40% over a six-year average.

NEWS10 wondered if fatal motorcycle crashes in New York were also up, so we contacted multiple state agencies including the Department of Motor Vehicles and the New York State Police who directed us to the Traffic Safety Statistical Repository (TSSR).

Crash data, not only for motorcycles but automobiles, bicycles, pedestrians, and large trucks are available on the TSSR website.

Preliminary data showed there were more fatal motorcycle crashes during 2020 than 2019 in the state, according to the Traffic Safety Statistical Repository (TSSR). There

… Read More

Zero Motorcycles Launches Model Year 2022 S, DS, and DSR Motorcycles

By Matthew A. Garcia 3 days ago

SANTA CRUZ, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Zero Motorcycles, the worldwide leader in electric motorcycles and powertrains, today announced the early release of Model Year 2022 S street motorcycles and DS, and DSR dual sport models. The release of these new models is to support the consistently high demand for Zero Motorcycles and the continued growth of the company’s dealer network.

The brand that defined the category of electric motorcycles continues to see demand that far outpaces the market appetite for internal combustion engine motorcycles. Though the overall demand for all powersports, particularly dual-sport models, has increased since the onset of lockdown restrictions in early 2020, demand for electric motorcycles has continued to spike upward even well into the calendar year 2021 riding season.

This continued drive to own Zero models has triggered the company’s decision to launch several models early to support demand while riders still enjoy agreeable weather nationwide. The

… Read More

Sturgis motorcycle rally is revving up in South Dakota and is likely to be bigger than last year, despite delta variant’s prevalence

By Matthew A. Garcia 1 month ago

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Crowds of bikers are rumbling their way toward South Dakota’s Black Hills this week, raising fears that COVID-19 infections will be unleashed among the 700,000 people expected to show up at the Sturgis motorcycle rally.

The rally, which starts Friday, has become a haven for those eager to escape coronavirus precautions. Last year, the rally hardly slowed down, with roughly 460,000 people attending. Masks were mostly ditched as bikers crowded into bars, tattoo parlors and rock shows, offering a lesson in how massive gatherings could spread waves of the virus across the country.

From the archives (September 2020): Sturgis motorcycle rally in South Dakota in August linked to more than 250,000 coronavirus cases, study finds

This year — the 81st iteration of the rally — is expected to be even bigger, drawing people from around the U.S. and beyond, despite concerns about the virus’ highly

… Read More

Cleveland History Center to celebrate the Year of the Motorcycle with pair of exhibits

By Matthew A. Garcia 2 months ago

CLEVELAND, Ohio — If you consider yourself a motorcycle enthusiast and appreciate vintage cruisers, custom choppers and cool hogs, you’ll find plenty to gawk at when the Cleveland History Center launches “The Year of the Motorcycle” with a pair of exhibits starting in August.

The first, “A Century of the American Motorcycle,” comes from the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Birmingham, Alabama. The Cleveland History Center, home to the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum, describes the collection of over 30 motorcycles as an “extensive look into the technical and esthetic development of American motorcycles in particular, from the 1905 Indian Single, to the 1907 Merkel Light, on through the Twentieth Century, right up to the 2018 Motus MST.”

The exhibit will be supplemented by a series of special events including lectures, club tours and other gatherings. The show will open on August 19 and run through March 22. Tickets to the grand

… Read More