Good News
Government Working For Motorcyclists?A $286.4 billion transportation bill regulating the way transportation funds are spent through September 2009 may actually benefit motorcyclists.
For the first time in more than 30 years, Congress is funding a nationwide motorcycle-crash study aimed at discovering what, exactly, causes motorcycle fatalities. Thanks to a $3 million portion of the new bill, researchers from the Oklahoma Transportation Center, located at Oklahoma State University, will be able to conduct a study hoping to explain the recent increase in motorcycling fatalities.
"After more than a decade of decline, motorcycling fatalities have increased in recent years, and those increases have prompted endless speculation about the reasons why," AMA President Robert Rasor said in a press release. "We're pleased that Congress agrees that we need answers, not theories. We're anxious for the study to begin, to help us understand how to prevent crashes and save lives."
At first glance this may only seem beneficial to the street crowd, arguably the motorcyclists with the highest risk of fatal accidents. But along with the monies for the new study, the transportation bill also sets aside $370 million in gasoline taxes for the Recreational Trails Program.
Hopefully, this takes some of the sting out of filling up your truck with $3 per gallon gas.
Euro Imports
The immigration class of 2006 arriving from Europe should include New Zealand native and factory KTM pilot Ben Townley, who signed with Pro Circuit Kawasaki, and possibly Australia's Andrew McFarlane, joining a mystery team-maybe the product of countryman and friend Chad Reed.
South African Tyla Rattray and Dutchman Marc de Reuver have postponed until at least 2007, racing the European GPs for another year.