Bama Rides

Investigation into how and why a rear motorcycle tire slide can cause a crash, as without two spinning tires, you have less or no steering. Sounds like common sense, but it is a bit trickier than that. I had more fun making this video, despite the fact I was making fun of my injured brother, […]

If you are a new or returning motorcycle rider and DON”T have some anxiety about crashing, something is wrong. After riding with my little brother (returning rider) this past weekend, my anxiety level was very high as I rode behind him on some tricky river twisties and even had a few puckers when I knew […]

Motorcyclist and journalist Davey Johnson has been missing since June 5th after crossing Sonoma Pass on a CB1000R on a test ride. He checked in by test, next to a waterway, and has not been heard from since. His motorcycle, gloves and helmet were discovered close by, and later his backpack, and phone were also […]

I have always been fascinated by the idea of “the wrong bike”. Ever since I started taking the wrong bike to the wrong place, I have enjoyed watching other people do the same thing. It also brings up the idea – what makes the “right” bike? Why can’t you ride a cruiser or sportbike down […]

Why does it happen?  Why does any community have a limited shelf-life?  It seems that most online communities at least, have a few years as a blazing, bright star, before they mellow into a brown dwarf and finally fizzle like a sparkler on the 4th.  Sad but true.  The sadness is proportional with the former […]

After years of research and development, Harley has come out with what may be a real contender, not only in the electric motorcycle market, but perhaps a contender in the overall motorcycle market.  The idea that you can compete in a traditional market – cruisers, is an amazing concept, but I believe that this revolutionary […]

Motorcyclists are a tribal, petty people. We make assumptions early in our careers that turn into biases we’ll vigorously defend to anyone ignorant enough to disagree. Luckily, experience and practical knowledge rarely come into play in these discussions; facts are nearly never welcome and typically dismissed as irrelevant. “Look at this asshole… doesn’t he know […]

This video was shot in 2014 at a gymkhana event known as Top Gun, held at the Montevallo Safety Center.  The event was free, and meant to help riders improve their skills.  It was quickly apparent that a few riders did not need any improvement, so WHY were they there?  It was very obvious that […]

I love the video below because it illustrates well the two extremes of adventure motorcycles and gear. The whole idea of having a perfect bike for adventure is ludicrous, and hopefully after watching, you will agree. From my experience, there so often seems to be a reluctance to ride without proper tools (bike, gear, tents, […]

Since the first time I heard the phrase “Loud pipes save lives” I wondered where someone gathered the data needed to make the claim.  After discussing the concept with several of it’s advocates, I quickly realized the concept was a PR/marketing device – designed to persuade normal citizenry that the outrageous behavior had a positive […]