A Good Year for BMW Canada

While Honda, Yamaha and other motorcycle companies have been been suffering with the rest of the economy, BMW Motorrad Canada celebrated their best sales year ever.

Congratulations to BMW Canada!

Nevada Motorcycle Deaths Up

According to the Las Vegas Sun, fatal motorcycle accidents in Nevada have raised 11.8% in 2008. But, the news isn't all bad. 2008 brought a 15% decline in overall traffic fatalities and Clark County (Where Las Vegas is located) enjoyed a decline in motorcycle fatalities by 14.6% Hopefully the insurance rates will go down here!

DIY Squee - Keep Your Visor Nice and Dry!

Moisture on motorcycle helmet visors is not just pesky, it is down right dangerous! If you don't want to part with $15 plus shipping for a commercial Squee to keep your visor clear, take a look at this great article from Bolty about making your own Squee. Great job!

Two Wheel Drive Diesel Motorcycle?

With a price tag of nearly $20,000 USD and producing a somewhat minimal 50 bhp, this may not be an ideal motorcycle. But, this Dutch bike is a little different and if you have the money, and transportation to get it to you, it may be worth a second look.

Other diesel motorcycles have been offered and do poorly in the marketplace. But this one is a work-horse of a bike. By using a CVT (constantly variable transmission) and a front wheel hydraulic drive system, it may not only be a simple ride, but secure on and off the road. There is more info here at the VisorDown website.

30th Annual Dakar Starts in Buenos Aires

Off road car drivers and motorcycle riders from far flung corners of the world, have just started the 2009 Dakar Rally in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Typically held in the rough out-back of Africa, after the event was canceled last year due to terrorism fears and security concerns, the rally was moved to the relative safety of South America.

Even though this auto and motorcycle rally has been relocated to an entirely different continent, the competitors are not discouraged. They seem to take the relocation in stride, and as adventurers, accept it as another challenge.

The 2009 rally consists of 14 stages with a total distance of nearly 6,000 miles. The rice will likely end on January 17; giving the competitors only 14 days. That's roughly 425 miles per day, at times riding nothing that comes close to resembling a road. The Dakar is the sublime icon of endurance in the motorcycle riding world. Whether you ride or drive the Dakar, whether it is in Africa or South America, it is not for the timid or faint of heart.

You can read more about the Dakar here, here at The Earth Times, and here (with standings) at Fox Sports.