Cyclerides.com Weekly Update
12/13/06 

Greetings Riders,
 
Well, most of us have found out over the years that technology can be a blessing at times and a curse. Lately for me it has been both. Due to the amount of unwanted junk mail that is showing up in everyone's email inbox, the filters are really cracking down and is making email that is requested harder to get. So I have switched servers that sends the letter to hopefully get the best distribution that I can. You will find links at the bottom of the page to unsubscribe or to update your email address and to forward the letter to a friend. In all cases, add this letter and info@cyclerides.com to your safe list so that it will continually be delivered. If you missed last week's letter and the recap of the Toys To Kids Ride, you can read it at http://www.cyclerides.com/WeeklyUpdate12_6_06.htm. If you have not seen the video dedicated to the Pappas Kids Click Here. I think you will enjoy it. As always, if you miss a letter, you can always read it on the front page of www.cyclerides.com or check the Archives for past issues.
 
Unless you have been doing a tour of duty on the International Space Station over the last 3 weeks, you have probably heard or seen at least a few reports about the Carefree Noise Ordinance. The ordinance is old news, it was passed in 2002, but the reintroduction of it in an educational way is what is captivating the headlines. Due to a large amount of citizen complaints to the Town council about the motorcycle noise, they had to do something. After a struggle of minds within the council, some were for writing tickets immediately, the more rational ones decided to try a more friendly approach of reminding the riders to respect the fact that this is a residential community, and to ride into Carefree as quiet as they can while being mindful of not creating any excessive noise.
 
Instead of coming out and writing tickets immediately, Carefree has decided to create what could turn out to be a model program for the entire United States. Click Here to see how they plan to enforce it. OK, Gotcha! Just kidding. They have actually instituted a 6 month educational approach through the media to let everyone know that there is an 85 db limit to noise emitted by motor vehicles and ask that the riders be considerate and respectful of this as you ride through the town. Sounds easy enough to me. They ask us to obey their ordinance, we act like responsible citizens and try to adhere to that. They don't write tickets, no one gets hurt, we can still ride through the area, everyone wins.
 
To kick off this campaign they have posted signs along the roads that look like this. Unfortunately, the graphics on a little one 18" tall sign have taken the focus away from the purpose of the campaign. You might notice that there is a motorcycle on the sign. This is where the focus of this issue seems to have run off of the tracks. I don't know who was advising them on this, but I wouldn't hire them again. Even though I get it, everyone knows where 95% of the noise is coming from, they kind of threw us under the bus by putting a motorcycle on the sign. Right away, this turned the talk away from what they were trying to accomplish to talk of discrimination of bikers. But I'm sure we have all seen the signs with the trucks on them telling them not to "engine brake". The second thing that is being discussed on the sign is that it shows an 80 db limit when in fact the ordinance is 85 db. I still don't understand why they did that. Take a look at the large sign with all of the target violaters on it including a jackhammer and a plane.
 
These are all little things on the surface, but ones that mean something to the target audience, motorcyclists. When I met with Matt Dingman and Lloyd Meyers I mentioned that it probably wasn't a good idea to have a picture of a motorcycle on the sign unless they were going to include all of the other violators of noise even though they would be a small percentage of the total problem. They indicated that they were not just targeting motorcycles, in fact any type of motor vehicle that would create excessive noise, but the motorcycles were getting the most complaints. They agreed with my assessment, and as of today, Matt Dingman said that they did not want to appear discriminatory to motorcyclists and that the picture of the bike would be coming off of the sign immediately. Good for them. Another example of wanting to work together.
 
One thing I do find interesting about the sign controversy is that in 2003, Cave Creek took a stab at their own version of quieting motorcycles with the "Burpin' Down" campaign which we haven't heard much about lately. There was a huge picture of a motorcycle on this sign, and no one said a word about it. Go figure. This is a good example of how presentation can make a difference.
 
As I got more into this and did my research, I found that not only is this a motorcycle issue, but it is also a political football between two small neighboring towns. Since Cave Creek had experienced issues with motorcycle noise in the past, Carefree asked if Cave Creek would join them in their quest to collectively encourage the motorcycle riders to respect the noise ordinances and take it easy through the towns. Cave Creek turned them down cold. Now this one I could not figure out. Why in the world would Cave Creek not seize the opportunity to tag along on the campaign and not have the target on their back? It would only make sense to me that Cave Creek would have an interest in a positive resolution to this would be crisis. Because if the word doesn't get out, riders don't make an effort to take it easy and Carefree starts writing $175 tickets (not $750) for your first offense, the businesses who cater to motorcycles in Cave Creek will be the big losers, do to the fact that motorcycle traffic will dwindle to a fraction of what it is now.
 
You would think that even if the town itself did not want to get on board, at least the local businesses would have enough sense to see that a positive resolve in Carefree, which also happens to control the only way in and out of Cave Creek, would ultimately be a positive for them. For some reason, this little bit of common sense has seemed to allude them which has kept these businesses from seeing the big picture, while making excuses and trying to find ways around it. I don't get it. Why not simply educate the riders as to what is going on and be a service to everyone involved?
 
Still lingering in my mind was the fact that Cave Creek so flatly turned down the request to join the campaign. So I called the Town Manager of Cave Creek, Usama Abujbarah to ask him why the snub of Carefree's request. He said that the answer was simple, "Cave Creek was not going to allow another town to tell them how to handle their noise issues". He went on to say "that he was insulted that people would say that the only reason they did not go along with Carefree is that they were protecting the businesses in the town that cater to motorcyclists". Usama further stated that the businesses who derive income from motorcyclists were not his concern. It was their problem to figure out how to run their business successfully.
 
His concern was for the quality of life and welfare of the town as a whole. He concluded by saying; Get this! "The town of Cave Creek had not had a motorcycle noise complaint since 2001". Hmmmm. I'm guessing that his memory may be a little off on this because the "Burpin' Down" campaign was in 2003 and was a direct result of motorcycle noise complaints. They have also spent the last 2 years on a noise ordinance for the town of Cave Creek and had to shelve that because they could not come to agreement within their own council. So if his information is correct, and they have not had a motorcycle complaint since at least 2003, then the Burpin' Down campaign must have worked which would bode well for the Carefree educational effort.
 
You have now read the capsulized version of the facts as I know them. Now I will give you my spin on this whole subject as I see it from a motorcycle rider point of view. Some of you will have a different opinion and that is fine. I'm sure we can agree to disagree if that is the case.
 
1. I personally appreciate the way Carefree is handling this whole issue. The governing body of Carefree have their population complaining about too much noise, they have to respond to that concern. Carefree has the hammer so to speak, if they wanted to make life tough on us, they could do it tomorrow, but instead of writing tickets, they are reaching out to motorcycle community to ask that we would be mindful of keeping the noise as low as possible when riding through their residential community. They have agreed to a 6 month educational period with no tickets to allow us to self-regulate. I honestly think we can all make it for 2 miles on the East side and 1 mile on the West side of Carefree without making excessive noise. Most of us do, it is the few that cannot restrain themselves that are making the rest look bad.
 
2. Here is the really bad news. If we don't regulate ourselves, the government will do it for us. Carefree isn't the only town in the United States going through this exercise, they are only the tip of the iceberg. Noise is becoming a major issue. That is why you see rubberized asphalt and walls next to freeways. It is a global problem that is either going to be solved by us as riders or it will be legislated and enforced what pipes we will be allowed to have on our bikes. There is already an Arizona State Statute 28-955.01 in place that says:
 
28-955.01. Motorcycles; noise level equipment; unauthorized equipment
A. A person shall not operate or as an owner permit the operation of a motorcycle in this state that is not equipped with the manufacturer's original muffler or other original noise reduction equipment or with a replacement muffler or replacement noise reduction equipment capable of reducing the noise levels below the maximum operating noise levels established by the department pursuant to section 28-955.02. The state level is also 85db.
B. A person shall not use a muffler cutout, bypass or similar device on a motorcycle operated in this state.
 
If this were to be enforced, we wouldn't be having this other discussion.
 
3. If you don't believe it, just ask the airline industry. The government has mandated maximum noise levels generated by multi-million dollar jet airline engines in a multi-billion dollar industry. Do you think they wouldn't do it for motorcycles? If the problem persists and grows legs, you can count on it. That is why Harley-Davidson, The Motorcycle Industry Council and the AMA, among others, are on board to encourage self-regulation.
 
Rebecca Bortner, spokeswoman for the Harley-Davidson Motor Co. in Milwaukee, said the industry is keeping an eye on Carefree's program, particularly the educational aspects in which the community is reaching out to bikers. "It's a cool model," Bortner said. "We support the effort and are interested in the resolution."
 
Jen Dreis, media administrator for the Motorcycle Industry Council, said her national organization is considering giving Carefree a grant to carry out its sound reduction campaign. "The Motorcycle Industry Council agrees that excessively loud motorcycles are a growing industry and public concern," Dreis said.
 
Here is what the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is saying:
Shifting blame and failing to adopt responsible policies on a voluntary basis can only result in greater prejudice and discrimination against motorcycling. The consequences of continuing to ignore this issue will likely result in excessively rigorous state and federal standards, more expensive and less attractive motorcycles, the reduction of choices in aftermarket products, loss of riding opportunities, abusive enforcement of current laws and other punitive measures to riders and the motorcycle industry.  Whew! That can't be good!
 
4. Am I for the noise ordinance in Carefree? Absolutely not, but I am more against legislation telling me what equipment I can put on my motorcycle, and I am afraid that is where we are heading if our riding habits don't change. But not to worry, it can be done! Last Saturday I arranged for the Sheriff to bring out the noise meter to do some testing of my own. I will be back next week to follow up with story and pictures of how we did.
 
In closing, I believe that we should show some respect for others particularly in certain areas, primarily residential. I'm sure you wouldn't go blasting through your own neighborhood or mine. I like to hear my pipes bark as much as anybody. But I don't think in this case it has to be done on a couple of miles of Carefree roads. (I guess you can do it in Cave Creek, apparently they don't have a problem with it there. :)
 
As a group we always say that we are misunderstood because we wear leather jackets, bandannas and ride motorcycles. We claim to be good people just out expressing our freedom. We ask for respect and don't want to be treated differently. In this case, I think we have to show respect, to get respect, we have to be good citizens if we want to be treated like good citizens.
 
Remember, Carefree's complaint is not about motorcycles in general coming to the area, it is about the small percentage that are making UNNECESSARY noise. Just simply take it easy, quick shift to keep the RPM's down and it will all be good. Anyone can get past the DB meter with no problem if they want to. The sad facts are that 90% of the riders that go through there now are already mindful of the issue and are not a problem. But the other 10% can and will mess it up for the rest of us we don't police ourselves and remind others in our groups when they forget. Everyone likes to hear a good rumble of the pipes once in a while, just pick the right spots to do it. If this program works here, it could save the entire industry.
 
Look for next week's letter as I will take you through how to get past the DB meter and show you with video and pictures that it will work.
 
Here are some Useful Links:
http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ars/28/00955-01.htm
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/1128noise1128.html
http://www.azcentral.com/community/scottsdale/articles/1129sr-signs1129Z8.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noise_regulation
 

Next Week 

Merry Christmas!!
 

Extras 

It is that time of year when we need to especially remember our troops that will not be home this Christmas. You can send them a card for free. It only takes a couple of minutes. Go to http://www.letssaythanks.com/Home.html and send our troops a card.
 
Here is an inspiring video from our troops in Iraq, wishing us a Merry Christmas. Click Here. 

Looking for that special Christmas gift for your significant other? Here is one that I really like. The Garmin GPS. Click Here for my Story on it. Click Here to order. 

I don't know how this guy does it, but he is one of the best magicians to come around since Copperfield. Click Here. 
 
Until Next Week,
Blessings and Safe Riding To All,