An experienced rider flew into LAX from Manitoba at 2:30 in the afternoon on February 17th. We delivered the bike to his hotel at 3:00 and by 5:30 he and his bike were upside-down in a tree after riding off a cliff in Malibu.

    You can’t tell from the picture, but the bike is down the cliff about 30 feet. The angle of the slope is about 60 degrees and beyond the tree is another 400 foot drop into the canyon.

What can we learn from this?

1. 1.After a long plane trip, you need to get some rest so that you are sharp and alert.
   

2. 2.The mountain roads in Southern California are some of the most challenging in the world. Although the rides through the canyons are breathtaking, they are also dangerous. Many of the turns do not have guardrails or fences to keep you from going over the edge of a cliff. Rider beware.
   

3. 3.The crashed bike is a Stratoliner. The rider was riding with a friend who was on a Concours 14. Obviously, the Concours is a faster bike through the mountains. I have a feeling that the rider on the Stratoliner was trying to keep up with the guy on the Concours in the mountains. Moral of the story, “Ride at your own pace. Don’t get pushed by others.”
   

4. 4.Plan your riding according to your skill level. There are plenty of beautiful roads in California. You don’t need to be riding over your head to have a good time.
   

    Miraculously, the rider fell through the branches and was not crushed by the bike as it rolled down the cliff and got hung on the tree. The rider got away with only a few bruises and the loss of his security deposit.

    We are in this business because we are passionate about motorcycles and like meeting people who share our passion for fun and adventure. However, when someone gets hurt, the passion, fun and adventure all goes away and you get left with a feeling of loss and sadness.

    Take some extra time when planning your motorcycle adventure to think about safety. Are you on the right bike? Are you riding with the right people? Do you have the experience you need to take the roads you have chosen?

    For our part, we will provide you with class leading motorcycles that are well maintained and make available to you top-notch riding and safety gear. We are familiar with the roads in California, Nevada and Arizona and can give you advice about where you should go.

    When all is said and done, safety is the most important part of any motorcycle adventure. The best way to have a great motorcycle vacation is to take the extra time to plan safety into the trip.

Ride safe...