Well sports fans, motorcycling sports fans that is, it’s time for the frenzy season. That’s the time of season when time is running out for joy riding. The challenge of motorcycling is upon us, the cold nights, harsh wind and unpredictable weather changes in Indiana. It’s time for wearing the leathers, packing the rain gear and making those last rides that you have been putting off. In short, it’s fall and winter is coming!

This month we’re going to an Experienced Rider Course, look at a new motorcycle publication, and stop by some Chapter events that were Big Time Fun. Also the Safety Tip this month is one that is overlooked by most riders, but is always remembered when it’s too late.

Pull the jacket on, slap on the helmet (NOTE TO EDITOR: that’s the hard, shiny thing most motorcyclists wear on their head) and thumb that little button..were gone!

There’s a new motorcycle newspaper out that’s free to motorcyclists. It’s ‘Hoosier Rider’ published by the Indianapolis Star. The paper contains different articles on biking here in Indiana and includes an events calender, classified ads and feature articles. The paper started it’s run in July and is starting to gain interest around the State. The striking thing about this paper is that it’s the first NEW publication devoted to motorcycling in years. Maybe the word is starting to leak out that there are 200,000 motorcyclists in this State and that we have money. At any rate, please contact Mike Tockey @ 317-633-1130 for your free subscription or E-mail @ www.hoosierrider.com. Let’s support this paper and the idea behind it. Motorcycle friendly newsletters are hard to come by, especially in Indiana, and anything devoted to our sport increases our visibility and our enjoyment of motorcycling. CALL TODAY!

A new member ride was held on Sunday, September 19th, and was attended by some new members and riders wanting more practice at group riding. The weather turned perfect for the event and the seventeen motorcycles and twenty five people that turned up were ready to ride. We held a short meeting at Benson’s on the rules of the road and then quickly departed for ‘Maid-Rite’ hamburgers in Greenville, Ohio. The 60 mile run was easy and relaxed, however, some surprises popped up along the way. We went to a single formation once, came across a wide gravel construction zone, several stop and go’s with only one long separation of the bunch and a couple of passing situations.

I was pleased to note several former students from the Muncie Motorcycle School in attendance and was extremely proud of their riding style and safe operation of their machines. John Parker led a safe and scenic ride though the countryside taking us off the beaten path every now and then to check out some back road scenery and challenge us with some hills and curves. After filling up on burgers in Greenville, we slow rolled to Parker City for gas and good-bye’s. The ride was fun, relaxed and interesting because of all the new people who attended and was enjoyable because the group got better and better with each passing mile.

I want to thank John Parker, Mike Mitchell, Chris and Vicki Hiatt and Andrea for helping out with this ride. I’ll plan on doing another in the spring for new members and anyone who wants more practice riding in a group.

One finally note to the rider’s who wore their Graduate Patches, nice job! You folks represent only 3,200 in the entire State who passed the RiderCourse this year. Way to go!

The 99 season of the Muncie Motorcycle School is now officially done. What a wild, hectic and busy season it’s been! This season our enrollment was up and more people from around the area stopped by to take a class or just to observe. We held twelve regular class sessions, one Instructor prep course, an Experienced Rider Course and a special ‘high school only’ class. I’m proud to say that we had no serious injuries this year and that the graduation rate was high (96%).

The most serious accident involved a student doing a 62’ wheelie across the range (on the rear fender of the bike) and falling off. Luckily she was wearing all her safety gear and walked away with just bruises. The bike however was severely damaged. The boys at Benson’s put it back together again, and except for the short rear fender, it’s as good as new.

The State of Indiana funded our site a little more this season. We now have a heater/air conditioner installed in the classroom and three new local instructors to train new students (two of them are #1277 members!).

The task this month is preparing next season’s schedule and getting it approved by the State and ABATE. I’ll plan on having at least 12 to 16 Street Skills Classes and one Experienced Rider Course. I’m also toying with the idea of having an all female class with female instructors. Ladies, I would like your feed back on this idea. Please contact me or Teresa over the next couple of months and let us know what you think. If I don’t hear from anyone I’ll assume the idea is a no-go.

I attended an Experienced Rider Update Course so I could get my certification as an Experienced Rider Course Instructor this past September. The two day update proved to be difficult and harder than I expected. Nine Instructors from around the State attended a one day school in Indianapolis to prepare us for the teaching phase and to evaluate our riding skills. Two of our state instructors did not pass the riding test and were bumped from the program. Of the seven that were left, four of us were assigned to Muncie for the student teaching phase of the certification.

The day of the school I had a cold and felt lousy. However the Update only occurs once every three years and that meant it was now or never. As luck would have it the day turned out nice and cool. Myself and the other three Instructors were given three classroom assignments to teach and three riding demo’s to perform. The only hitch was that two mistakes and you failed. A Chief Instructor from the State was sent to evaluate us through each phase of the teaching session. At the end of the day three of the Instructors passed and received certification. I was one of the three.

An Experienced Rider Course is different than a Street Skills Course and is more demanding and has a narrower window for passing. Later this year I’ll go into more detail about this and tell you more.

I want to thank all of our sponsors for their great support and hard work. Without them our program would not exist. I also would like to thank the Instructors for their hard work and dedication to our site. I know they are not in it for the money. It takes more than money to pull you away from your family on weekends and to watch all the motorcycles drive by the range honking their horns while you teach a class on cycling. It takes a true commitment to motorcycle safety and a commitment to saving lives.

Several of my former students have come the site and told me thanks for putting on a school. They tell me the things they learned at Muncie REALLY did work and that it saved them and/or their passengers from injury. Many say they didn’t have time to think about what to do, they just reacted to the situation by using the techniques learned at the school. That’s what it’s really all about.

AIRBAG FOR MOTORCYCLES>You may have read in RoadHouse a few months ago on the development of the inflatable vest the French were developing that would inflate quickly in a crash surrounding the rider with a cushion of air protecting the spine and neck from impact. It appears the Japanese have beaten them. I received information on the ‘EGGPARKA’ this last week. The parka is an unassuming vest that looks like a regular ski type vest, made in various colors (the one I saw was purple) and to the naked eye looks like an everyday, run of the mill motorcycle vest. However, when the rider gets thrown off his bike, the vest instantly inflates and surrounds the rider with a neck, back and side cushion. The vest is made of high density nylon that is skid and puncture resistant. It’s inflated by a concealed co2 cartridge hidden inside the vest. A lanyard extends from the garment and your ignition key attaches to it.

It’s made by Mugen Denko and is to be released some time this winter. Price is expected to be around $600.00.

SAFETY TIP OF THE MONTH> When riding in cool or cold air the body temperature gradually drops. You first feel this with numbness in the hands. As the body cools down, the vessels start to constrict to supply more blood to the major organs. This process is generally gradual and the rider may not notice the signs, except for the cold and stiffness of the hands and feet. The vessels in the brain work the same way, restricting blood flow to certain parts. The first response to cold is shivering and stiffness. The second and most important to motorcycle riders is slowed mental processing. JUDGEMENT is affected and REACTION time is affected. Wear protective gear that is fitted and warm and be aware that extended periods of riding in cool or cold air affects your ability to think clearly and to react quickly.

Finally, let’s close out this sessions with a look back at Benson’s Open House. Saturday, Sept. 18 proved why I’m glad I’m a H.O.G. member and a loyal customer to Benson’s. The Benson family brought in the best food, the best music and the neatest gifts! I want to thank all of the employee’s and members who helped out (you too Kent!) for making this event so great! You guys did a good job and made a wonderful memory for all that attended.

Until next month....Ride in that fall weather!