58 Years of Indian Motorcycles - A Picture Gallery

Indian began making motorcycles in 1901 as the Hendee Manufacturing Company. The first production model was in 1902 and 143 units were produced. In 1903 376 motorcycles were sold. It continued production through 1953 when it no longer made the classic Indian. In 1999 Indian motorcycles were again produced, this time by the Indian Motorcycle Corporation. This was not the same company but it did have rights to the Indian name and trademarks.

I have re-created a gallery of Indian motorcycles that I had on the old site. I take a look at Indian models from the first model in 1901 to the present as provided in pictures submitted by members of the old site and some new members from my Motorcycle Views site. A gallery called "58 Years of Indian Motorcycles" is provided that will eventually give a picture and description for each model year from 1901 to 2003.

I want to update this gallery with pictures of Indian motorcycles. If you own an Indian motorcycle now or had a family member who owned one in the past, please consider submitting a picture and description of it for the gallery.

Take a look at 58 Years of Indian Motorcycles.

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It’s official, it’s road construction season in SD

Electric Scooter Vectrix Scootering Away In The UK
13 March 2008	File under Electrical Ecology Author: Mike Werner Location: Normandy, France
Although sales to the general public of the electric Vectrix scooter have been disappointing (I wonder why, since these electric scooters seem to offer what you need), the government agencies are starting to accept that this as the way forward. Already some Police forces have started using the Vectrix {link}. Glasgow Airport Police In the UK, the Glasgow Airport Police have received their first Vectrix scooter, to be used to patrol the area. The electric, non-polluting, scooter was purchased after a 2 weeks test period. The maxi scooter will be used to enforce non-parking and to regulate traffic. AccordMP Road surface consultant and contractor, AccordMP , specialize in "first on the scene" around the London roads. Their contract with the City of London calls for them to be on the scene of an incident within an hour. AccordMP have recently purchased 2 electric Vectrix scooters to assist them in getting their staff to their location in time.
Technorati :Ecological Electric Motorbikes Motorcycles Police Scooter Vectrix

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Helmet Law Jeapordizes Safety Funds


3/12/2008
Courtesy of the American Motorcyclist Association

U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters reaffirmed her desire to lobby states for mandatory helmet-use laws in testimony before the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee Transportation Subcommittee on March 6, the American Motorcyclist Association reports.

Peters' testimony follows letters she sent in February to U.S. House and Senate leaders urging Congress to allow states to divert federal money away from motorcycle safety training and awareness programs and instead push for mandated helmet use.

Under federal law, the U.S. Transportation Department is barred from lobbying for or against specific state laws. That measure was passed by Congress at the request of motorcyclists who specifically wanted to prevent the federal government from lobbying for mandatory helmet laws. But when asked whether she would support an exemption to the law to allow her department to lobby the states for mandatory helmet laws, she said she would.

"I support giving the information to states so that they can act on those laws," Peters testified. "And I certainly have made myself available to a number of states, and, in fact, have called governors when I see substantial increases in the number of motorcycle deaths in a state, especially a state that has repealed a helmet law."

Peters is pushing to move funds out of motorcycle safety training and awareness even though the money was specifically approved by Congress at the request of motorcyclists who wanted to beef up the nation's motorcycle safety training and awareness efforts.

In February, in response to the letters Peters wrote, Ed Moreland, AMA vice president for government relations, expressed concern that diverting federal motorcycle safety funds to mandate helmet use could harm rider training courses and motorcycle awareness programs that are already underfunded in many states.

At that time, he also expressed concern that Peters' proposal could contradict sections of transportation bills passed in 1998 and 2005 that ban the use of federal motorcycle safety funds to lobby state legislatures in favor of mandatory helmet laws and could effectively reverse that ban.

"Banning the federal government from lobbying for mandatory state helmet laws was the very reason Congress passed this measure in the first place," said Moreland. "What Peters is asking for is not an exception to the rule, it's an example of an exception completely circumventing the rule." Moreland believes Peters is willing to push for mandatory helmet laws at the expense of rider training and awareness programs designed to teach motorcycling skills that would prevent crashes from occurring in the first place.

"This latest testimony reaffirms our fears--that the U.S. transportation secretary wants to lobby for mandatory helmet laws by diverting funding specifically set aside for motorcycle safety training and awareness to further her mandatory helmet-use agenda," Moreland said.

"Helmet use is certainly one part of a comprehensive approach to motorcycle safety, but the use of motorcycle helmets is already advocated in existing motorcycle safety training programs," Moreland said.

"Congress decided to fund motorcycle safety training and awareness programs at the request of the motorcycling community. This effort by Secretary Peters to divert money away from those programs is an attempt to circumvent the wishes of Congress and those motorcyclists nationwide who wanted to specifically augment rider training and awareness programs," he said.

The American Motorcyclist Association: rights. riding. racing.

Founded in 1924, the AMA is a non-profit organization with 290,000 members. The Association's purpose is to protect and promote the interests of motorcyclists, while serving the needs of its members. For more information, visit the AMA website at www.AMADirectlink.com.
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Hell's Angels to celebrate 60th anniversary in Yucaipa

By CLAIRE TEETERS
Editor

Few people realize the Hell's Angels motorcyle club was founded in San Bernardino in 1948.

All you have to do is go to www.hellsangelsberdoo.com/eventinfo.html to learn the Hell's Angels are inviting the planet to “Come join in the biggest, baddest anniversary party in the world” at Angels Roadhouse, 32464 Dunlap Blvd. in Yucaipa on Friday, March 21, from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.

The website refers to the 60th anniversary bash that will include live music for a $20 donation and no minors. T-shirts are available.

Angel's Roadhouse is the site of the January murder of Grant Dodder, who was kicked to death after he went to assist a friend.

Angel's Roadhouse has been rumored to be actually owned by the biker club, but research lists the owner as Renee Viccary on the records.

According to Yucaipa Police Department's Lt. Mark Marnati, the San Bernardino Coun-ty Sheriffs' Department has been aware of the plans and is moving the County's Movement Against Street Hoodlums, also known as SMASH, with its gang-trained deputies into the area with a larger pool of manpower, into the area.

At least 40 officers will be staged in the area with scattered deputies to suppress any crime.

The California Highway Patrol will also be taking part in the operation.

Marnati also said the anniversary party will continue on Saturday, but intelligence reports that event will be held at the Hell's Angels clubhouse in San Bernardino.

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Vespa Spotting: One Gorgeous Tricycle!

March 13, 2008

(photo courtesy of Calvin Tang) Here in Philippines, when one talks about a motorcycle mounted with a sidecar, the image of the good ol’ tricycle would immediately pop to any Filipino’s mind. The three-wheeler is essentially a mini-version of the more popular jeepney. It’s a workhorse that carries cargo and passengers which can easily fit narrow streets and alleyways unlike the other bigger public transports (more info about Philippine tricycles here).

Yesterday, Eugene, a ride buddy and founder of Scoot66 (a riding club composed of Vespistis mostly based in southern Manila) posted in vespaclubph forum a couple a pictures of another “trike” not usually seen in the streets of Manila. It’s an immaculate white Vespa PX with a bullet-shaped, Cozy sidecar attached to it. My fascination with single seater, open and roofless sidecars may have been nurtured at a very young age while watching Star Rangers daily in the late 70s. But seeing the picture of those five superheroes now, I realize that their chosen mode of transport looks no different from the mobile patrol of the Barangay tanod (neighborhood peacekeepers) in our area. hahaha!

Here’s the front view of this drool-worthy Vespa sidecar:

So could this thing fit a grown man for a side passenger? Check out the sideview photo and see the legroom.

That looks pretty comfy. I haven’t seen this unit personally but I was told it has already been sold (sans the scoot) this morning. You see, there aren’t that much Vespa scooters in the country, but the Vespa sidecars come few and far in between. I’ve been told that there are only three units here in Manila so far.

It’s cool to have one but I simply don’t have an extra scoot to attach it to. I’ve done a little research and learned that installation of a Cozy sidecar could be a DIY project. If you’re in Manila and interested to get a sidecar for your scoot, you may send a private message to Eugene aka Pietros Pizza.

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