Honda hopes for cut of chopper market

Honda has a new motorcycle that looks about as far from a Honda as one could imagine.

"The Fury opens the door to the most extreme level of custom looks," the company said of the 2010 model. "But once you're rolling, the Fury experience is all about that special bond between rider and machine: the unmistakable big V-twin pulse, the characteristic Vee engine note and the no-nonsense stance bring you back to the core elements of riding."

The bike starts at $12,999.

"The reaction from media and consumers alike has been great," said Bill Savino, manager of motorcycle press at American Honda

Savino said that the company's test-riders have said that "the neat thing about the motorcycle is it gives you that sense of going back: It's simple; it works; and it handles well."

He also pointed out that for those who want to customize the bike, Honda offers an array of accessories, and outside companies such as Cobra make "chrome goodies for it."

What remains to be seen is whether motorcycling enthusiasts embrace a chopper made by Honda or merely consider it a poseur. Honda, for one, isn't too concerned about the latter or its relevance in the current marketplace.

"You always have the naysayers," Savino said, "but the funny thing is, what we've heard the most is, 'Why [make] a chopper now? It died off five years ago.'

"We don't believe that. We believe the chopper market in the $20,000 to $30,000 range has tapered off. But a chopper has never been made by a major manufacturer, and it's never been made at a reasonable price. There is this younger generation that has a CBR600 or 1000 in their garage and wanted a weekend cruiser. Now we are giving them something to go after."

For more information please visit: http://www.mcall.com/business/sfl-tc-biz-trans-fury-0805-0809sbaug09,0,7992006.story

If you've been involved in a motorcycle accident please call our office 24/7 for a free motorcycle case evaluation. 1-866-LAW-FRAN - for more information please visit http://www.lawfran.com

Flagler deputy injured in traffic accident

A Flagler County sheriff's deputy responding to a crash on a motorcycle was injured Wednesday when a tractor-trailer struck him in Palm Coast, a sheriff's spokeswoman said.

Sgt. Michael Van Buren, 42, was riding west on Palm Coast Parkway when he collided with a tractor-trailer coming from the northbound Interstate 95 exit ramp, said sheriff's spokeswoman Debra Johnson.

The crash involving Van Buren occurred shortly before noon as the sergeant was responding to a minor crash in which no one was injured. He suffered several fractures and other injuries and was taken to Florida Hospital Flagler where he will remain overnight, Johnson said.

Van Buren, who is the supervisor of the Flagler County sheriff's Traffic Unit, has worked for the Sheriff's Office since 1987, Johnson said.

The Florida Highway Patrol continues to investigate the accident but said Van Buren suffered facial injuries when his motorcycle crashed into the tractor-trailer. The driver of the truck, Roy L. Sanner, 66, of Ohio was not hurt, said FHP Lt. William Leeper.

Charges against Sanner are pending a full investigation, Leeper said.

For more information please visit: http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Flagler/flaFLAG01080609.htm

Craigslist Scam

The scam: There's nothing better than hitting the open road on a beautiful motorcycle, unless it's on a hot ride that you snagged at a bargain price. That was the offer facing Jim, a local reader of We've Got Your Back. Being a smart guy, Jim dug into the details and sniffed out a scam.

How it works: Jim cruised onto Craigslist, the free online classified ad site, and came across an offer for a lightly used Harley Davidson for less than $3,000. The alleged seller claimed to be a cruise ship worker who would naturally be out of town frequently. Jim writes that he saw ''red flags'' in her e-mail, including the sales price, which seemed to be $7,000 to $10,000 too low. He also was concerned about the seller's location in Florida and her willingness to ship the bike at no charge, when it would cost hundreds of dollars. Further, Jim was concerned about not being able to buy the bike with cash, as he had suggested.

What to do: Easy online research would show you that two people reported being ripped off by this same scam with exactly the same wording, except that the bike was with a shipping company in Stockton, Calif. Jim said he soon saw another posting on Craigslist by yet another victim. Use your common sense, he advises. If you see a bike that should go for three to four times the selling price, something is wrong. Use only secure methods to make online transactions, such as PayPal.

For more information please visit: http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-5yback0807.6976137aug07,0,2422394.story

Cruise For a Cause

Insight Financial Credit Union is hosting its 3nd Annual Cruise for a Cause motorcycle poker run to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. Participants will cruise through Orange, Seminole and Lake Counties making stops at Insight Financial Credit Union locations to draw a card for their poker hand. The last card will be drawn at the final destination in Maitland, where the best poker hand will be announced, door prizes will be awarded, lunch will be provided and a check will be presented to Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.

November 7, 2009 9:00 a.m. - Registration 1:00 p.m. - Last bike in 1:30 p.m. - Check presentation to Second Harvest Food Bank

Starting Location - Insight Financial’s Downtown Orlando Branch 206 Hillcrest Street Orlando, FL 32801

Ending Location - Insight Financial’s Maitland branch 480 S. Keller Rd. Orlando, FL 32810

$20 per bike (double or single riders) Sponsorships available Register online at Cruise For a Cause

Representatives from Insight Financial Credit Union, its members, representatives from Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida and bike enthusiasts will participate in the ride with a goal of raising $15,000 for Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.

For more information please visit: http://www.wftv.com/family/20317946/detail.html

If you've been involved in a motorcycle accident please call our office 24/7 for a free motorcycle case evaluation. 1-866-LAW-FRAN - for more information please visit http://www.lawfran.com

Police looking for Mazda that hit Riviera Beach cyclist

The car that left the scene of a hit and run on Tuesday is now being described by Riviera Beach police as a Mazda 626.

The car has been described as a white 4-door early 2000 model, Mazda 626 bearing a Florida tag. The car also had tinted windows.

Around 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday a motorcycle was heading down Australian Avenue when the driver lost control of the motorcycle, flew off the bike and landed in the road. Seconds later, the Mazda 626 hit the motorcyclist. The Mazda kept going and never stopped.

Anyone with information about this accident and/or the vehicle is asked to contact Riviera Beach Police at (561) 845-4123 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-458-TIPS.

For more information please visit: http://www.cbs12.com/news/mazda-4720202-police-hit.html

Texting While Driving Getting National Attention

Text messaging while driving has become a daily distraction for a generation of drivers hooked on instant communication...and a menace to others on the road.

Last year, heather Hurd, 26, and Stephanie Phills, 37, died when a truck driver, reaching for his hand-held device to text hist office, rammed into traffic at a stoplight on U.S. 27 in Central Florida, causing a 10-car pileup, police said. The driver was cited for careless driving, a noncriminal offense that carries a $500 fine.

In may, a truant Tampa, Fla., high school student slammed into a patrol car while texting. She caused $3,000 in damage but no injuries.

In New York, texting is considered the likely cause of a crash that killed five cheerleaders last year. And in April, a California woman was sentenced to six years in prison for killing a woman in a car accident...caused by texting while driving.

This reckless behavior, is by no means, an isolated problem.

In a previously unreleased report, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed last month that in 2002 there were 955 deaths and 240,000 crashes attributable to drivers using cellphones - either texting or talking. That was before texting became a true phenomenon.

This past week, the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute reported that texting while driving is 23 times more dangerous than driving fully alert.

There are 14 states that make it illegal to send a text message while driving, but Florida isn't one of them. State Rep. Doug Holder of Sarasota filed a bill recently to make it illegal to read or type on any mobile device while behind the wheel in Florida.

For a more detailed look please visit: http://www.philly.com/philly/business/technology/080409_texting_while_driving.html

If you've been injured in an automobile accident please call our office 24/7 for a free case evaluation- 1-866-LAW-FRAN. For more information please visit http://www.lawfran.com

Driver Injured as Truck Overturns

A cement truck overturned in Grand Ridge Wednesday morning, injuring the driver.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Roy Davis, 44, of Altha, was airlifted to a hospital with serious injuries.

The incident occurred at about 7 a.m., when the truck was traveling north on State Road 69 and turned right onto a dirt road at a construction site, highway patrol said.

The truck overturned on its left side on the dirt road. jackson County Fire Rescue had to extract the trapped driver from the truck.

For more information visit: http://www2.jcfloridan.com/jcf/news/local/article/driver_injured_as_truck_overturns/86421/

The Impact of Automaker Bankruptcies on Injured People

With both the Chrysler and General Motors bankruptcies now approved, the companies were able to shed billions of dollars in debt and other liabilities. Included in this debt were the rightful legal claims of consumers who were injured by the automakers' products. Those individuals hurt by GM and Chrysler vehicles before the companies entered bankruptcy will likely be able to recover only a small fraction of the compensation owed to them -- a result that is both unfair and insulting to those who put their trust and money into these companies. To compound the injury, billions of taxpayer dollars were given to GM and Chrysler to make the bankruptcies possible.

Chrysler: Only "New Chrysler" Customers Need Apply

When the "new Chrysler" emerged from bankruptcy on June 10, 2009, the company received a very important gift from the bankruptcy court: no liability for any product liability claims stemming from vehicles manufactured by the automaker pre-bankruptcy.

This means that if a consumer bought a vehicle manufactured by the "old Chrysler" but was not injured until after the company completed the bankruptcy, the person will be unable to recover anything for their injuries from Chrysler.

Under the terms of the automaker's bankruptcy, the new company only can be held liable for injuries stemming from vehicles manufactured by the new company. Any harm that is caused by vehicles manufactured by the old company, regardless of when the injury occurs, is not "new Chrysler's" problem. The company was given a free pass to walk away from these claims because the bankruptcy court felt it was "unfair" to make the new company responsible for any injuries -- no matter how severe -- caused by products built and sold by the old company.

GM: Timing is Everything

After the news came out about the deal Chrysler was able to negotiate in its bankruptcy, the focus quickly turned to General Motors as concern grew that the auto giant would be granted similar limits on liability. Several State Attorneys General, consumer advocacy groups, tort lawyers and victims injured by defective GM vehicles spent three days explaining why allowing the company to limit its liability was unacceptable and unfair to the injured.

Partly due to increased public scrutiny, GM eventually agreed to fewer limits on liability than those granted to Chrysler. According to the terms of its bankruptcy, GM will accept liability for any injuries caused by GM products, so long as the injury occurs after the company emerged from bankruptcy, regardless of when the vehicle was purchased. A victim of a defective GM product now has a claim if he or she were injured on or after July 10, 2009, the closing date for the new GM, and if the claim arose from the motor vehicle's operation or performance. However, just like the Chrysler bankruptcy, the new GM was relieved of its financial and legal obligation for any products liability claims existing against the company at the time it entered bankruptcy or before July 10. GM claims arising between June 1 and July 10, 2009 are in a middle ground and those claims may be handled by the bankruptcy court and possibly may receive some compensation but only to the extent that there are any assets left in old GM.

For more information visit: http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/the-impact-of-automaker-bankruptcies-on-injured-people-111108.php

If you've been involved in a automobile accident please call our office 24/7 for a free case evaluation. 1-866-LAW-FRAN - for more information please visit http://www.lawfran.com

Amtrak and First Class Motorcycle Tours Team Up for Two Auto Train Vacation Packages

WASHINGTON - Amtrak and First Class Motorcycle Tours have teamed up to offer two new vacation packages which include first-class accommodations on Amtrak’s Auto Train that allows motorcycle riders to travel with their bikes on board the train between Lorton, Va., south of Washington, DC and Sanford, Fla., just outside of Orlando.

The motorcycles are secured in specially-designed carriers and travel in the train’s auto carriers while tour participants travel on the train in private roomette sleeping accommodations. All meals on board the train are included in the price of the tour.

Both the northbound and southbound Auto Trains depart at 4 pm each afternoon and arrive at 9:30 am the next morning. After a complimentary dinner, tour participants may watch a movie or relax in the Lounge Car and then retire for the night. The next morning they will awaken in Virginia or Florida refreshed and ready for the motorcycle ride of a lifetime.

The "Trains, Planes, Limousines and Motorcycle Tour" is a seven-day motorcycle tour that begins in Florida where participants board the northbound Auto Train. Upon arrival in Virginia, participants tour Washington, DC by limousine before beginning a scenic motorcycle tour of the back roads of Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia. The tour ends just outside of Chattanooga, Tenn. where participants may choose to ride their bikes home or fly home and have their motorcycles shipped. The tour includes all lodging, breakfasts and dinners, first-class, one-way travel on the Auto Train as well as a DVD of the trip, parking fees and any entrance fees to national parks. This tour is available May through October.

The seven-day "Arctic Escape to the Sunshine State Tour" offers participants the opportunity to travel down to Florida with their motorcycles via Amtrak’s Auto Train. For those already in Florida, the tour begins at the Sanford Auto Train station. From there, the tour heads to the Keys in the Gulf of Mexico and then on to Key West, Fla. with a trip across the famous Alligator Alley and a ride on an air boat. After a day relaxing in Key West, the tour travels north with a stop in Cocoa Beach. This vacation package includes lodging, a DVD of the trip, parking fees, air boat ride in the Florida Everglades, and entrance to the Kennedy Space Center. While travel on the Auto Train is not required to participate in this tour, special pricing is available for those who choose to travel by rail. Tour prices do not include travel on the Auto Train. This tour is available November through January.

For more information visit:

http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=100396

If you've been involved in a motorcycle accident please call our office 24/7 for a free motorcycle case evaluation. 1-866-LAW-FRAN - for more information please visit http://www.lawfran.com

Six Motorcycle Officers Crash in Funeral Procession

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. -- Authorities say six motorcycle officers were involved in a crash while escorting the family of one of the country's largest Harley-Davidson dealers to his funeral.

A Florida Highway Patrol spokeswoman says a group of motorcycle officers from various agencies was riding with the funeral party for Bruce Rossmeyer Tuesday morning in Ormond Beach. The spokeswoman says the lead rider slowed down, while the riders near the back of the group didn't, causing a chain-reaction crash.

Authorities say two officers were hurt, but their injuries weren't serious. Damage to the motorcycles was also reported as minor.

Rossmeyer died in a motorcycle crash last week in Wyoming. The 66-year-old had owned more than a dozen Harley-Davidson dealerships, most located in Florida.

For more information visit: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/AP/story/1171902.html

Dog Bite Prevention

Every year, more than 500 Florida residents sustain dog bite injuries severe enough to require hospitalization, and two Floridians die due to injuries from dog bites. Injury rates in Florida are highest among children between the ages of one and nine years old. However, dog bites can also result in serious injuries for teenagers and adults. In 2006, three Florida residents 25 years or older died as a result of dog attacks.

Studies show that unneutered (intact) male dogs are associated with 70-76 percent of reported dog bites, emphasizing the importance of neutering pets. The number of dog bite injuries increases during the months of April through September, with the peak occurring in July. We encourage everyone to consider the following safety tips when interacting with dogs and thank all of the responsible pet owners for taking the appropriate steps to control and vaccinate their pets.

Safety tips for children and adults:
-Never approach an unfamiliar dog.
-Never run from a dog and never scream around a dog.
-If you believe a dog is about to attack you, try and place something in between yourself and the dog, such as a backpack or a bicycle.
-If a dog knocks you over, roll into a ball, cover your face and stay still.
-Do not disturb a dog that is sleeping, eating or caring for puppies.
-Children should never approach or play with dogs unless supervised by an adult.
-Children should tell an adult if they see a stray dog or a dog acting strangely.
-Adults should never leave an infant or young child alone with any dog, not even the family pet.

When you or your child approach a dog, remember to:
-Ask the owner for permission to pet the animal.
-Wait and watch the dog's body language.
-Let the pet sniff you.
-Pet the dog in the direction of its fur.

When any animal bite occurs, the bite victim should seek medical attention immediately.

For more information and additional tips visit: http://www.suwanneedemocrat.com/suwannee/local_story_197081455.html?keyword=topstory

If you've been injured as a result of a dog bite please call our office 24/7 for a free case evaluation. 1-866-Law-Fran For more information please visit http://lawfran.com/

Motorcycle Deaths On Track To Exceed Last Year

Story Published: Aug 2, 2009 at 5:18 PM CDT
Story Updated: Aug 2, 2009 at 5:18 PM CDT

Many of the Hells Angels are leaving the area toward Sturgis, South Dakota for the annual motorcycle rally.

Authorities are urging bikers to be extra cautious on the roads this time of year; motorcycle deaths are most prevalent in the months of August and September.

Tiffany Tarrolly has some pointers.
27 riders have died on Minnesota roads so far this year.
Compare that to 25 at this time last year.

Sergeant Mark Baker of the Minnesota State Patrol says there's an easy answer as to why we're outpacing last year's 24-year high.
"I think a lot of it is the popularity of motorcycles, again people are getting into, a lot of middle aged men especially, and when the price of gas went up we saw an increase in motorcycle miles driven," said Sgt. Baker.

According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, there are a record 225,000 registered motorcycles in Minnesota.

Though motorcycles make up less than five percent of all registered vehicles, they accounted for more than 15 percent of motor vehicle deaths last year.

Sgt. Baker says it has a lot to do with riding experience.
"We're seeing a lot of mistakes a lot of the motorcycle crashes, the majority we're seeing are the motorcycles themselves, no other vehicle involved, so there's usually some mistake made, maybe overdriving the bike or not handling the bike properly."

That's why biker, owner and president of Harley Davidson in Hermantown, Dennis Kachelmyer, says safety courses are even more important than the right gear.
"You need to know how to stop the motorcycle properly and how to turn it properly and those are two key things that can get you into a little bit of trouble if you're not current," he said.

The Minnesota DPS reports the most common factors attributing to motorcycle crashes are inexperience, speed, inattention and driving under the influence.

For more information read here: http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/news/local/52311962.html

If you've been involved in a motorcycle accident please call our office 24/7 for a free motorcycle case evaluation. 1-866-LAW-FRAN - for more information please visit http://www.lawfran.com