Visiblity -

One disadvantage motorcycles have compared to cars is that they’re less visible. Taking steps to increase your visibility is an important step in managing your riding risk.

Clothing -

Black has long been a popular fashion choice among Harley® bike riders, but sometimes dark colors can be hard to see. If bright, highly visible clothing does not suit your taste, consider adding a few well-placed pieces of reflective tape to your gear, especially at night. Harley-Davidson also offers apparel with reflective taping such as a conspicuity vest, rain gear, jackets, and caps.

Signals -

Make sure your turn signals are working properly – and use them. In addition, consider using hand signals in situations where you want to make absolutely sure a driver knows your intentions.

Brakelights -

If you want to make sure the driver behind you knows what you’re up to, consider flashing your brake light as you prepare to stop.

Horn -

Use your horn to help draw attention to yourself when necessary. But don’t rely on it or overuse it.  
 

Positioning -

Maintaining the proper lane position is a crucial part of an effective street strategy.

Space -

Maintain a space cushion on all sides of your motorcycle. This helps provide adequate reaction time if evasive maneuvers are necessary. It also helps create an “escape route.”

Lane Placement -

In general, when riding alone on a straight road most people prefer to ride in the left third of the lane. It provides you the best line of sight for the road ahead, and makes you most visible to oncoming traffic. However, always be prepared to make adjustments based on road conditions and traffic patterns.

Following Distance -

Always leave a minimum of two seconds between you and the vehicle in front of you. The ideal following distance will vary depending on road conditions and other factors. 
 
 
 
S.E.E (Search, Evaluate, Execute) -

Recently, the MSF introduced a simplified version of the mental process for making judgments and taking action in traffic: S.E.E., for Search, Evaluate, and Execute, which is used in the Rider’s Edge® New Rider Course and the MSF Basic Rider Course.

Search -

As you ride, scan the area aggressively, including the areas along the road and behind you. Check your mirrors frequently to maintain a constant awareness of your surroundings.

Evaluate -

Use that information to evaluate the situation, predict what unexpected hazards and challenges may arise, and actively formulate strategies to deal with them.

Execute -

Adjust your speed and positioning accordingly, while communicating your intentions to others.

 
Staying Sharp -

For some, knowing your skill limits may mean keeping your bike at home when the weather is threatening. For others it may mean choosing a route that avoids congested areas or timing your departure to avoid rush hour traffic. It all depends on your own skill set and comfort level.

Knowing Your Limits -

There are some rules that apply to all riders, no matter the skill level. Riding in an overly aggressive manner is never acceptable. There’s no excuse for jeopardizing others by pushing your limits on the street. Riding while tired is another risk that no rider should take. When you’re tired, your reflexes are slowed and your judgment is not as strong – a combination that no motorcycle rider can afford. Other, more obvious examples of behavior that should be avoided under any circumstances are talking on a cell phone while riding and looking at a map while you’re in the saddle. If you get off course, pull over to a safe area to consult your map. Remember, out on the open road, you must take responsibility for all your actions, and keeping yourself safe should always be your number one concern.

 
Alcohol Limits -

There’s no plainer way to say it: Riding a motorcycle when you’re not in complete control of your mental faculties is not smart. Using alcohol (even a small amount) or other drugs (including even certain prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications such as antihistamines) can have a deadly effect on your ride.

Dangerous Decisions -

Data collected by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation® shows that almost 40 percent of riders killed in motorcycle accidents had been drinking. And only about one-third of those were considered legally intoxicated. The rest, though below the “legal limit,” had consumed enough alcohol to diminish their skills and impair their judgment – which ended up costing them their lives.

 
A Matter of Time -

Contrary to popular belief, drinking strong coffee, splashing cold water on your face, or “getting some fresh air” will not help you sober up. These things may help you temporarily feel less impaired, but the only thing that eliminates alcohol from your system is time. That said, there’s only one sure way to keep alcohol from affecting your riding ability: If you’re riding, don’t drink – period.

Bad Call -

It’s easy to tell yourself, “I’m only going to have one drink.” But after that first drink, it becomes even easier to convince yourself that “one more won’t hurt.” With each successive drink, your self-evaluation abilities diminish – not to mention your riding skills and judgment. The best way, therefore, to avoid ending up drinking more than you wanted to is to ask for a soft drink instead of that first serving of alcohol. Better yet, leave the bike at home if you or others are going to be drinking and arrange for a designated driver. Don’t risk your own and others’ safety by putting yourself in a situation where you may lose control of your better judgment. 

The legend of the Boot Hill Saloon reaches far and wide around the world, anywhere that bikers get together or travel to…..no matter where. Places like Hollister, Sturgis, Laconia, Myrtle Beach, Essen, Germany, and even Paris boasts a Boot Hill Saloon sticker on the Eifel Tower, as well as China where there is a sticker from the legendary watering hole on the Great Wall. In the Australian Outback a person was seen wearing a famous Boot Hill t-shirt, popular Nascar drivers have been said to wear them under their driving suits, and there are reports that an American astronaut wore a Boot Hill shirt into orbit.

The Boot Hill Saloon is the traditional “first stop” when you blow into town, the “meeting place” in Daytona Beach. It is a long standing tradition, almost a quest by many, to buy a Boot Hill T-shirt before leaving Daytona Beach. For the ladies who visit the famous Saloon it is a long standing tradition to leave their bra hanging from the ceiling. Just what is the history behind this legendary Saloon, this Icon to the biker community?

The official deeds and abstracts go back to the 1800’s when the building was built. It was three buildings in one, one side a church, the middle section a “watering hole” better known as a bar by many, and the third portion a barbershop. In fact if you look around the Saloon you might still spot the old church pew which remains from earlier times standing on the site of the original Church. There are still a few old timers around who remember those days. On the other side of the bar was a barbershop with a smoking room in the back. Many a story must have been shared in that room after having your haircut and a shave. This room later changed to a real estate office and later to a fooseball parlor which boasted a hardwood indoor shuffleboard court which was later used in the Saloon for competitive entertainment. The site which is now the Boot Hill Saloon was originally called the Kit Kat Club, one of the hottest spots in Daytona Beach in the early 1900’s when Daytona was booming as a popular resort town.

Now, if you are wondering when and how the “Boot” became the Boot Hill Saloon, the story might go like this….. The Kit Kat Club was a respectable place, and the owners were not thrilled with the motorcycle racing on the beach which was becoming increasingly popular in the mid 1930’s. Drag racing of the motorcycles was spreading to Main Street. Hollywood was making movies depicting the biker image as the “type of people” that normal folk should not be around, dangerous harassing gangs riding around on motorcycles. The popular Kit Kat Club began closing during the season when the motorcycle races and the enthusiasts came to town.

The motorcycle races continued to grow as did the number of enthusiasts, and the aging Kit Kat Club owners sold the bar to one of its bartenders by the name of Dennis MaGuire. The bar was turned into a western theme bar, called “The Boot Hill Saloon“, and if you look around the Saloon some of the old pictures still remain on the walls. Even the earliest t-shirts which are now a collectors item, boast a sheriffs badge on the left pocket area. The name was a natural, you know, with the cemetery across the street and everything. The bar however remained closed during the busy motorcycle racing season for a few years even though Main Street was bustling with activity and partying bikers were everywhere..

Around this same time, the early seventies, “Bike Week” as it was loosely named, was gaining momentum and becoming a happening event with several thousand bikers converging on Daytona Beach in the early spring. Main Street became the center of the activities as the beach hotels provided accommodations for the event that took place on the beach. Dennis MaGuire was more “biker friendly” than the previous owners of the Kit Kat Club and began to stay open during this event. The Boot Hill Saloon once again became a popular watering hole and also a meeting place for the bikers to gather when arriving in town. Word spread and the bar rapidly became the place to be during Bike Week as well as throughout the rest of the year. Friendly people, cold beer, and good times was the motto of the Saloon, the kind of place you feel right at home, even if you are a stranger in town.

During the 70’s and early 80’s the media began writing stories about the wild gathering of bikers in Daytona Beach. Every reporter was looking to validate the Hollywood version of the biker image. It was around this time the movie Easy Rider was filmed starring Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda. A large autographed picture of Peter Fonda hung in the Saloon for years from the star’s visit one year during Bike Week, but was stolen about 6 years ago from the wall. It was thought that the Boot Hill was the perfect example of the biker life-style and was featured in many articles and photographs about the upsurge of Bike Week in Daytona Beach. Featured articles appeared in Easy Rider Magazine, and a photograph promotional was done with Harley Davidson in front of the Boot Hill introducing their new 1980 design motorcycles. The Boot Hill even appeared in, of all things, the Smithsonian Magazine, and became a major part of “Harleydom”

Walking into the Boot Hill Saloon makes you feel as though you are in a time warp, and looking at all of the memorabilia left behind on the walls, ceiling, tables, and bar will keep you intriqued for hours. Signatures of the multitude of people who have visited over the years remain on every surface, business cards, photographs of great times, and personal items leaving the mark of many are hung on every hook and nail. Ornate chandeliers from an earlier era hang from the ceiling, some boasting the cobwebs of time. A walk around the Boot Hill is a true window into the Biker life-style.

Sitting at the bar in the Boot Hill Saloon is an experience not to miss. The guy or girl beside you will most likely be friendly, and might be a tough looking biker, biker babe, or a slick looking suit type with a beach beauty. Everyone is welcome at the Boot, and the famous slogan says it all, “Order a Drink and Have a Seat, You’re Better Off Here Than Across The Street.” And if you look across the street you will see why.

The Boot Hill Saloon to this day remains the cornerstone of Bike Week and Biketoberfest events on Main Street.

Women Riders Now is organizing a top-notch women riders symposium held during Ohio Bike Week in June. It’s called “Women Riders: No Limits!” presented by Motolight.

Ohio Bike Week is a week long rally taking place in Sandusky, Ohio, near the shores of Lake Erie from June 6 through 15. “Women Rider: No Limits!” presented by Motolight starts Thursday evening June 12 with women-focused vendors inside the Sandusky State Theater. On Friday, June 13, four seminars will be held during the day inside the theater while the vendor display remains open all day. Vendors will also be open on Saturday, June 14.

There will door prizes, and opportunities to learn more about you and your motorcycle as well as networking with other women riders. The event is open to men.

The seminars are:
1. 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.: Know Your Motorcycle: an introduction to motorcycle maintenance
Presented by Sara Liberte of Garage-Girls. Sara is a motorcycle shop owner and author of “How to Repair and Maintain Your V-Twin Motorcycle.” Sara shares everything you need to know about your motorcycle starting the day you purchase it including why and how often to service your bike; why and how to use your service manual; what basic tools you should have; the pre-ride check list – what it is why it’s so important; and so much more. Seminar attendees will leave with newfound confidence regarding understanding the technical side of their motorcycle.

2. 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Lifting a Downed Bike & Other Confidence Builders
Nearly every rider has dropped his or her bike at one time or another. There’s nothing to fear if you do drop it and you’re alone, because you can learn to lift the bike yourself. This seminar demonstrates, using audience participation, how to lift a downed bike. Plus, never fear running out of gas again. We’ll demonstrate how to properly siphon gas should the need arise. Finally, we’ll share the secret to riding through gravel confidently.

3. 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.: Secrets from Veteran Riders: Lesson’s Learned the Hard Way
This is a panel discussion of four veteran women riders who have traveled many, many miles solo and with groups. They’ll share road-born experiences in hopes of enlightening others who wish to ride long distances. These long distance riding panelists are Michelle Matheron, Chief MSF Instructor; Kay Gilletly, MSF Rider Coach, Brenda Hickling-Thatcher, President of the Motor Maids; and Teresa Cote, Iron Butt rider.

4. 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Be the Best Rider You Can Be! Street Survival Strategies
Presented by Susan Rzepka Orion, MSF Rider Coach and WRN Riding Right columnist. Susan teaches how to manage risk in various street riding scenarios that often lead to accidents. Using a street riding simulator video, she’ll discuss things like where a rider should be looking, the correct placement of the motorcycle and how to get out of sticky situations on the road.

Here’s the schedule:
Thursday, June 12:
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.: Vendors set up inside theater
3:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.: Vendors open, opening reception in lobby of theater, cash bar and snacks

Friday, June 13:
8:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.: Vendors open
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.: Seminar 1
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Seminar 2
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.: Lunch break
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Seminar 3
4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Seminar 4
11:00 p.m: Vendors close

Saturday, June 14:
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.: Vendors open

Harleys are meant for weekends!  To get on the open road, feel the wind in your hair – and ride.  Nowhere in particular, its all about the ride.

I ride an 883 Sportster which is orange and black, the motor has custom cams and will push you back on throttle.   Usually I ride to Daytona with friends, hitting several bars on the way to meet new people.  This weekend we stopped at the Last Resort (home of the cold beer and killer woman).   The “killer woman” being Eileen Wournos!

For those that don’t know, Eileen Wournos was a serial killer in Central Florida.  Charlize Theiron portrayed her in the movie “Monster”.   There is a casket outside the door that is supposedly where she slept, while living homeless at the Last Resort, but she actually slept in an old car seat.  

The Last Resort is owned by Al Bulling, and during the time Wuornos hung out at Bulling´s establishment, no one at the bar knew that the scruffy hooker was routinely killing her johns with a .22-caliber gun she kept in her purse. She stayed in a cheap motel down the road when she had the money, and slept on an old car seat in back of The Last Resort when she didn´t, including the night before she was arrested.

It was cold and “you can´t put people on the street,” the proprietor says.

“She never propositioned anyone in the bar, and she paid for her own drinks,” adds Bulling, who´s kept the car seat at his house as a souvenir, and still has the bra Wuornos gave him to display along with all the other donated women´s undergarments that decorated his business until recently. Held together with safety pins and a band-aid, he now keeps it in a dated plastic Ziploc bag.

Truly a place to visit!