VaVaVroom Contest
VaVaVroom, a women#8217;s clothing and accessory company, is kicking off a motorcycle and scooter riding jacket sweepstakes being held on its Facebook page from May 17-June 7. You can win a new riding jacket by providing VaVaVroom with feedback on the jacket. Details onVaVaVrooms Facebook page.
More Prizes!
In recognition and support of May being Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, Rider Insurance is giving away hundreds of dollars a day in motorcycle safety apparel and motorcycle training courses throughout May on Facebook. The promotion kicked off on May 1, and everyone who “likes” Rider Insurances page on Facebook is eligible to participate. Details can be found atRider.com and on the Rider Insurance Facebook page.
AMA Womens Conference Update
I will be the first to announce when and where the 2012 AMA Women amp; Motorcycling Conference will be held, so be sure to sign up for the WRN Newsletter so you#8217;re the first to know, too. That said, nothing#8217;s been announced yet. The AMA is soliciting input from past attendees via a 10-question survey to help in planning the 2012 conference. The questions ask things like how many days the event should be, what region of the country you would like to see it held in, and what factors go into your decision to attend, among other things. I#8217;ll keep you posted.
Hoka Hey and Harley
Harley-Davidson is getting involved with the Hoka Hey Challenge, an endurance ride, by rewarding H.O.G. members who participate. The highest-finishing eligible H.O.G. member who completes the event, as determined by the organizers, will be awarded a 2012 Harley-Davidson Custom Vehicle Operations motorcycle of his or her choice. In addition, the second through fifth highest-finishing eligible H.O.G. members will each be awarded a portion of $19,000 in additional cash prizes. More details are on the H.O.G. members page.HokaHeyChallenge.comalso has info on the event.
Motorcycling Academics: Save the Date
The International Journal of Motorcycle Studies is holding its second conference June 7-10, 2012 (next year), in Colorado Springs, Colo. More info atIJMS.nova.edu.
AMA Life Members Get More Benefits
The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is recognizing the organizations most loyal members with the option to add benefits at significant savings with the introduction of a new membership category: AMA Life Member Plus. Visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com, then click on “Members,” then “Life Member Plus” to read about this new exciting program.
Motorcycle Fatalities Down and Sales Up
A report released by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) reveals that motorcycle fatalities declined in 2010 by at least 2 percent. Based on preliminary data, GHSA projects that motorcycle fatalities declined from 4,465 in 2009 to 4,376 or less in 2010. The projection is based on data from 50 states and the District of Columbia. The decline comes on the heels of a dramatic 16 percent drop in 2009, which followed 11 straight years of steady increases in motorcycle deaths.
Motorcycle sales among major brands rose 7.2 percent in the first quarter of 2011 compared to the same period last year, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council#8217;s Retail Sales Report. This report tracks sales among 18 leading brands being sold in the U.S.
The popular scooter segment saw the biggest gain, up nearly 50 percent. Sales of dual-purpose bikes, built for on- and off-highway use and generally among the most fuel-efficient motorcycles, increased by almost 25 percent. Tire sales, a strong indicator of motorcycle use, were up as well during the first three months.
Roar Motorcycles Launches Franchise Program
From Dealernews: Roar Motorcycles, a Florida custom bike dealership catering to women riders, is now selling territory rights to prospective dealers interested in opening their own Roar Boutique Store.Dealers would pay a one-time fee of $30,000 that covers the protected territory rights only. It does not include future costs of the Roar Boutique Storeor merchandise. Roar Motorcycles says it will help its dealers with marketing, merchandising and motorcycle sales. It also requires franchised dealers to honor the Roar Code of Conduct and Performance Criteria. VisitRoarMotorcycles.com for more info, and read the WRN story on Roar here.
ABS On All BMWs Now
After pioneering the concept of antilock brakes (ABS) on motorcycles 23 years ago, BMW Motorrad USA is now the first motorcycle manufacturer to offer ABS as standard equipment on its entire range of 2012 model year motorcycles. Motorcycles with ABS are 37 percent less likely to be in a fatal crash.