I took the 10mm steel balls and wasn’t going to ask why, because Dave seemed to have his own reasoning at times and it really didn’t match anyone else’s.

But, he offered up the reason in his next breath, “Sometimes ya gotta teach those idiots a lesson.”

It wasn’t until a couple of years later did I realize what he meant. I was south of Dayton riding about 5 mph over when I saw an older lady pull up to a stop sign, look right at me, and pull out in front of me.

I had to swerve or lock ‘em up. As you riders know, lock ‘em up ain’t much of a choice. So, I swerved into the oncoming lane a bit and cruised right by her. Apparently, she wasn’t too interested in me letting her know I thought she was number one as she was staring straight head, white knucklin’ the steering wheel.

I didn’t have it in me then, and I don’t today. I just can’t see myself tossing a handful of ball bearings over my shoulder at 60 mph. Besides, I did do my part and pay attention, and that seems to have saved me a lot of grief over the years.

The truth is, most motorcycle related fatalities are the fault of the rider, as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows us with results from a study reported in 2003.

The number of deaths has risen steadily over the years since 1998. Sure, some of you are going to cite that ownership has risen as well, but the deaths have doubled per million miles traveled. That is an impressive increase.

Speed and Juice

The major factors? Two of them have been excessive speed and alcohol impairment.

For a couple of years, I quit attending bike nights in the local area. I was concerned about the early Thursday morning news broadcast that always seemed to have a story about a biker, or bikers, that was involved in an accident within a mile of the bike night venue.

Alcohol was a factor in 100% of those wrecks for two years in a row.

In 2001, 29% of fatally injured motorcyclists were impaired with a .08, or above, Blood Alcohol Content. That’s a hefty number, to be sure, but it gets worse when we consider single vehicle crashes alone. That percentage is at 41.

Speed is another factor, and I think you could read experience into this as well.

Breaking and steering accounted for roughly 22% of single vehicle biker fatalities in 2001. The ownership and miles on the road were also in a dramatic increase at the time as more folks wanted to ride. Bikes are generally bigger and frames are radically different.

There’s also the numbers that say half of all single bike crashes involved poor negotiation of a curve, pre curve. In addition, 60% of those single vehicle crashes happened at night.

We want to ride, we ride, but we ain’t really ready to.

Other Drivers

What used to be a perception is not so much a reality, but it is true to a degree.  Bad drivers kill bikers!

In 2001, there were 1,428 two-vehicle fatal crashes involving a motorcycle and another vehicle. In 36 percent (516) of these crashes, the other vehicle was turning left while the motorcycle was going straight or passing. Because of the motorcycles size and unique handling characteristics, other roadway users may not understand the actions that motorcyclists take to safely interact in traffic. For example, roadway users may not provide motorcycle operators enough space or allow adequate reaction time to take crash avoidance maneuvers to avoid a hazard.

Automobile operators who do not ride just have know idea what it means to control a bike, or how to share the road. In fact, in the area I live in, there is a town that is full of arrogant drivers. You can see it on their faces, “How dare there be other people driving on MY road!”

And listen, if you smoke and drive, please look in your rearview mirror before you toss that incendiary device out your window. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of watching that glowing torch rise slowly to a window, then come rushing at a raging velocity towards me at night.

Oh yeah, big dogs that sneeze too. Yep, caught a face full of Boxer snot once.

What Does All This Mean?

Riding season is coming into full swing and there will be more bikers again. More opportunities to fail at safety.

The NHTSA is taking measures to educate drivers about awareness and “Share The Road”, but there has to be some distance traveled at individual responsibilities as well. Biking is a privilege and a right, that doesn’t mean we have go about it stupidly.

Every operator of every type of vehicle needs to be more alert and aware of what is going on, and this goes doubly for bikers. We need to take great precaution in learning our bikes and keeping on our toes.

Related posts

• No related posts.

Where most people see that legacy is in a mascot for the Oklahoma State University. It is his caricature that the mascot is based on.

When Frank was eight years old, he witnessed the cold blooded murder of his father in the Eaton family home. His father’s best friend, Mose Beaman, told little Frank something that remained with him for over twenty years:

My boy, may an old man’s curse rest upon you if you do not try to avenge your father’s murder.

Frank left home at fifteen to join the Army and learn to shoot. Although he was too young to actually be officially recognized as a soldier, Franks was given an award for his excellent marksmanship and the fort’s commander dubbed him “Pistol Pete”.

Eaton signed on as a U.S. Marshal working for a territory judge in Oklahoma and began to make a name for himself as a gunslinger. In the next eleven years, Frank gunned down fifteen criminals, including five of the six men responsible for his father’s murder.

Frank retired when he learned the sixth man was killed during a card game.

Although he retired as a gunslinger, he served as a local lawman for his hometown in Oklahoma, as well as eking out a living on a ranch. He never lost his talent with guns and was said to have been as fast in his last few years as he was when he was younger.

But the leather biker jacket that takes his nickname, isn’t designed with the mascot in mind. No, this jacket has legend written all over it.

Not only designed with two “gun” pockets on the inside, the leather biker jacket features A vertical pocket on the outside that is not only easy to open, but is also large enough to carry a long barreled pistol, or a nice pair of leather gauntleted gloves.

The Pistol Pete jacket found here is of the highest quality (naked cowhide) and is as rugged as the legend it is named after.

for the complete Frank "Pistol Pete" story, visit this article.

Related posts

• Pistol Pete ~ Gunslinger Special (2)
• Sexy Ladies Western Style Leather Biker Jacket (2)
• Retro Womens Leather Motorcycle Jacket (2)
• When Shopping For The Leather Jacket, Ask (2)
• Ladies Leather Braided Motorcycle Jacket (2)

Believe me, I have looked at thousands of jackets over a couple of dozen different sites and some of the jackets look identical. The models are even the same. Well, this is because the leather shops on-line are exactly like the ones in the brick and mortar stores; there are way fewer suppliers than there are stores.

That should clear up some fog.

What has to be watched is value, and the value can be found in pricing versus what is known as the grade.

The grade of leather is noted by a number between 01 and 09, 01 being the best. The best grade of leather for motorcycle jackets is “naked” cowhide and is 2mm thick or better.

Now, if you have shopped around and noticed that there is never a grade listing with the product, that is because the grade is little known outside of the leather industry.

This is also one of the reasons why you can look at a jacket at one store, and see the same jacket at another for a completely different price.

My suggestion is to behave just like you would if you were at the mall; ask questions. By calling or e-mailing an e-commerce site, you can get a feel about the service and the company you’re dealing with.

Ask about the jacket and the grade. See what kind of story you get. Make your determination from there.

Then ask yourself how smaller concerns, such as Bikerleather123, can afford to be competitive with the older, more established stores.

I think you’ll find the answer in the phone call.

Don’t get burned when you shop for that special leather biker jacket. Ask questions and get a feel for who you are dealing with.

Related posts

• Pistol Pete ~ Gunslinger Special (2)
• Ladies Leather Braided Motorcycle Jacket (2)
• Bikerleather123 Speed Month Sale (2)
• The Legend Behind The Pistol Pete Jacket (5)
• Sexy Ladies Western Style Leather Biker Jacket (2)

Saddlebags are a necessity for stowing articles a biker determines they will need for a trip of any length. Sometimes the size is determined by the amount of extra stuff that will be taken, which usually is multiplied when there is a rider.

Leather saddlebags made from hand dyed heavy weight vegetable tanned cowhide. Brown only. Dimensions: 14 1/2" x 9 1/2" x 5 1/2".

Before rushing out and buying a set of saddlebags, the bike owner should take measurements so there is no interference with pipes, seats, springs, etc. Another factor to be consider is if the owner prefers bracketed bags or throw overs.

Consideration of  the length of trips to be taken as well. No biker wants to be caught too far from home with too little room because they have too small motorcycle saddlebags.

One thing I considered when I bought my bags for Apache Rose was the fact that I’d be riding back and forth to work, The mornings could be chilly and the afternoons hot, so I needed room enough to store my leather chaps , jackets, gloves, and whatever else.

Bikerleather123.com carries a wide variety of real leather saddlebags, not that pvc crap, and is very helpful in with measuring and finding the perfect saddlebags. As a matter of fact, they can get leather motorcycle saddlebags custom made.

Why not give them a shout while looking for that perfect set of leather bags?

Related posts

• These Retro Saddle Bags Rock! (2)
• Kick Ass Men’s Milwaukee Motorcycle Boots (2)

This year, Bikerleather123 is featuring both men’s and women’s leather motorcycle jackets,boots, vests , and chaps in our annual October sale. There is also authentic leather saddle bags (not pvc) listed in the sale.

As always, our monthly sales feature items marked 10% off already competitive pricing on top of the line leather apparel.

Don’t ask yourself in November why you didn’t shop with us in October.

Related posts

• Sexy Ladies Western Style Leather Biker Jacket (2)
• Retro Womens Leather Motorcycle Jacket (2)
• Bikerleather123 Speed Month Sale (2)
• When Shopping For The Leather Jacket, Ask (2)
• Pistol Pete ~ Gunslinger Special (2)

A rider’s footwear is actually a very important piece of equipment because he or she must be able to hold a bike, that weighs hundreds of pounds, upright without slipping or wavering. The boot should also be comfortable for hours at a time, and for my money, there is no better boot on the market than the leather biker boot made by Milwaukee.

Related posts

• Kick Ass Men’s Milwaukee Motorcycle Boots (2)
• Dragon Riding ~ Leather Jackets and The Infamous Tail Of The Dragon (2)
• These Retro Saddle Bags Rock! (2)
• Sexy Ladies Western Style Leather Biker Jacket (2)
• Pistol Pete ~ Gunslinger Special (2)

Tail Of the Dragon

Grab your biker leathers and head to the southeastern edge of the Great Smokey National Park, where the Tail Of The Dragon awaits for any motorist who dares an attempt at taming it. Starting at the state line of Tennessee, near Deal’s Gap North Carolina, the Tail Of The Dragon runs along U.S. Route 129 for eleven miles and earns its name because of the three hundred and eighteen curves and a roller coaster elevation variance of one thousand feet from Deal’s Gap Resort  to the Tabcat Bridge near Chillhowee Lake.

The six mile “as the crow flies” stretch of road has long been a favorite of motorcyclists and sports car enthusiasts from around the world. It is not uncommon to find bikers from all over Europe who have brought the motorcycles with them to ride the Dragon for weeks at a time.

Along the route, wrought with switchback and chicane type cures, the vistas of the Appalachian Mountain range are stunning and inviting to stop and take a look. Another favorite site along the way is the Cheoah Dam, the site of the filming for the famous dam scene in the 1993 theatrical release of The Fugitive.

Deal’s Gap resort is the gathering hub for all who ride the Tail Of The Dragon. The resort offers all manner of memorabilia, such as pins, tee-shirts, videos, and more. The resort also features a hotel and campgrounds. There are less than thirty available rooms, so it is advisable to plan your trip far in advance if you want to stay at the resort. Other options include getting a room in the Gatlinburg or Cherokee areas. This option actually makes for a very scenic ride of to the Tail Of The Dragon as the routes traverse mountains and hug the shores of beautiful lakes and rivers along the way.

The one drawback to riding the Tail Of The Dragon is traffic. Through the week is the best time to attempt to tame it as the traffic is considerably less dense than the weekend.

If you are a motorcyclist, chances are that you have heard of the Tail Of The Dragon, and if you have never made the trip, it is highly recommended that you do. Be warned: the Dragon can bite, and wiil, if you are not prepared or alert.

Related posts

• Milwaukee Biker Boots (2)
• Sexy Ladies Western Style Leather Biker Jacket (2)
• Pistol Pete ~ Gunslinger Special (2)
• These Retro Saddle Bags Rock! (2)
• The Legend Behind The Pistol Pete Jacket (5)

May is Speed Month at Bikerleather123 and they are feauring twenty different styles of racing jackets for both men and women.

Come on in to Bikerleather123 and celebrate America’s favorite thrill, speed.

Related posts

• When Shopping For The Leather Jacket, Ask (2)
• Burning Leather Sale (2)
• Sexy Ladies Western Style Leather Biker Jacket (2)
• Retro Womens Leather Motorcycle Jacket (2)
• Pistol Pete ~ Gunslinger Special (2)

Ladies Leather Jacket[/intlink]“]This is one hot looking western style jacket for the ladies. Sexy is its game, and sexy is written all over this short, midriff showing quality cowhide leather biker jacket. Check this out:

• Top grain cowhide
• Silver snaps
• Inside chest pocket
• Braid and fringe detail
• Unique bead and bone detail on both sides of the front of the jacket
• Handwork bead designs

Grab one of these Sexy Ladies Western Style Leather Biker Jackets today for $128.00.

Related posts

• Retro Womens Leather Motorcycle Jacket (2)
• Pistol Pete ~ Gunslinger Special (2)
• The Legend Behind The Pistol Pete Jacket (5)
• Dragon Riding ~ Leather Jackets and The Infamous Tail Of The Dragon (2)
• Burning Leather Sale (2)

Racing Style Men's Leather Biker Jacket

This leather biker jacket is no doubt a head turner. The racing style of this leather jacket will set you apart from the rest of the pack. You’ll feel like a true king of the road with the features that include:

• Top grain cowhide
• zip-out Thinsulate™  liner
• Numerous pockets including two horizontal zippered front pockets

Functionality, comfort and style at $145. You’ll be smiling wide when you wear this leather biker jacket.

Related posts

• No related posts.