"Why I Travel Solo" by Jay Kannaiyan (JamminGlobal.com)

I am asked this question quite frequently on my trip. Firstly, I'd like to state that traveling solo doesn't mean being lonely. On the contrary, I find it allows others to see this stranger on a motorcycle as being more approachable, leading to novel social encounters.  Taking a water break in the middle of the Western Desert in Egypt, I am approached by a local Bedouin and invited home for lunch.

In the years leading up to this trip, I learned the character traits needed for motorcycle touring by going on small to big trips around the US with these riding mentors of mine. While I enjoyed traveling as a pair or a group, I could see the flexibility that's offered when one travels solo. But on a ten-day trip with accurate information on roads and hotels in a developed country, there's not much need for being flexible.  I feel the option is needed when traveling through developing countries, where things can change quite often. This change should be cherished in the spirit of exploration, so it's best to be prepared by being flexible and going with the flow without needing the consensus from a traveling partner.

The flexibility also affects your riding. Sometimes I end up stopping every fifteen minutes to adjust something or ride for two hours without a break. If you stop unexpectedly, the other rider(s) start worrying that something has happened. But if both these riders rode solo, then no one would worry when you are fifteen minutes late. Of course, it's nice to have a traveling partner when something does go terribly wrong, but even then, besides being incapacitated, an individual can find their way back to safety.

I've also found that if you are intent on getting to know different cultures, a home-stay with a local family can give a traveler insight into the nuances of various societies. The biggest difference I experienced was the skewed daily schedule of Argentine families, where they eat lunch around 4pm and then dinner around 11pm or midnight. Thanks to CouchSurfing.org, I have access to this insight, which wouldn't be available through hotel stays.

Since I'm entering people's lives for a short time, I feel that traveling solo gives my trip a smaller footprint, making the adjustment of a guest into the host's daily routine that much more congenial compared to accommodating a group. Along the same lines, when I'm staying in small hotels, I've seen how the staff readily accepts that bike safety is of paramount importance and allow me to park in their lobby.  When I was staying in Guanajuato, Mexico, my front tire was against the reception desk with my rear tire squeezed by the front door.  I feel traveling with two or more bikes wouldn't welcome these kinds of accommodations.

One facet of traveling solo is that others view you as being vulnerable; not having an immediate support network and I've seen that this brings out the caring nature in people; especially in mothers of my hosts. I have to admit, it's comforting to be taken care of by a mother after being on the road for a while. In the northern Brazilian town of Maceio, Brono's mother welcomed me as a son and prepared a copious amount of food after noting that I was too skinny. I've learned that accepting such acts of kindness allows your benefactor to feel satisfied in providing to someone in need. Modern individualistic society tries to instill the notion of self-reliance and looks upon accepting gifts as a sign of weakness, or at least an act that must be paid back. However, there is a joy in giving unconditionally that exists in older societies.

While I may be in solitude inside my helmet, frequently staying with locals keeps me very social. This allows me to develop both these sides of my character. In the end, the journey of life is with ourselves, so we might as well be comfortable with it. As big changes in our society become the norm due to the effects of humanity on this planet, personal introspection is going to be needed in order for realistic change to occur. Traveling solo allows you to get comfortable with yourself and listen more to your intuition, your instinct, which is the basis for rational judgment.

Camping out in the middle of Patagonia, with not another soul for hundreds of kilometers, I feel connected to the vast land and sky that we are a part of. My companion and my safety net is parked next to me, ready to ride on.

Introduction to JamminGlobal.com and Jay Kannaiyan

Taking off my helmet at a petrol station in Peru, I'm approached by a curious local, and the inevitable first question is always, "Where are you from?"  I enjoy the shocked reaction upon them hearing, "India," and I quickly add to that, "but I started in the US," which doesn't help reduce the shock value.

Hola, my name is Jay Kannaiyan. I was born in India, but moved early to spend my childhood in Zambia, Africa, where wildlife safaris were the regular family trips.  After finishing up school back in India, I arrived in the US to pursue mechanical engineering, and that's where I got my first taste of two-wheeled excitement.  I putted about campus on a Suzuki GS500; and once I landed my first job, I started making small trips on the bike.  I soon recognized my need for speed and upgraded to a more powerful Suzuki GSX-R600, on which I toured around the US and dragged knee around Mid-western race tracks, putting 50,000 miles on her in four years. I saw the beautiful mountains of the Eastern US and the great lands of the Rockies in the West, and soon the desire to go further, beyond the asphalt, lead me to the dual-sport Suzuki DR650.

By this time, the idea of riding around the world on a motorcycle appealed to my inner core, and I eagerly absorbed as much knowledge as possible about this way of life.  I knew I had to make some preliminary smaller trips in order to iron out the bigger issues like what to carry and how many tools I would need, etc.  Since I planned to head to South America, I figured a short trip to Mexico was in order to see how it would be to travel in a developing country with a foreign language.  Brushing aside all the usual warnings, I had a great experience and knew I could continue all the way south.

Waiting for things to line up, I next went up to Alaska and all the way north to Prudhoe Bay.  I had some major mechanical issues towards the end of that trip, but I put it down as experience-building for the big trip.  After recovering from a skiing knee injury, I spent two weeks going down the US Continental Divide as a final dry run with the bike setup properly and with all the appropriate gear.

The time came to pull the trigger on the big trip, and I sold everything I had in Chicago and set off on my DR650 — motorcycle and man into the wind. It's been over a year now, and I feel right at home on the road with sanDRina, my steady companion. I've already had numerous lifetime experiences and my appetite keeps growing. When the muscles tire, I rest my bones in a welcoming place. When sanDRina shows signs of wear, she gets treated well, as her health is as important as mine.  Waking up for a sunrise in the remote high altitude southwestern deserts of Bolivia over a pot of steaming oatmeal and a cup of coffee, I breathe in and know that life is good, on two wheels.

Stay tuned for the next exciting installment of this journey of a lifetime.

The Lake Express will operate from April 30th through October 31st this year; and for the months of May and June, motorcycles will ride for free, a savings of $38.00 per one-way crossing. That offer applies to standard two-wheeled motorcycles. Keep in mind, there is still a fee for each passenger. According to the Lake Express customer service operator we spoke with, that fee per person is $95.50, which includes the fuel surcharge and the port and security fee. While perhaps not the most frugal method of circumventing the southern tip of Lake Michigan, the approximate 28% discount being offered by Lake Express was certainly worth mentioning and most definitely will be appreciated by the many bikers who will no doubt take advantage of this savings during May and June.

Accustomed to transporting bikes, the Lake Express has space specifically designated so that riders can enjoy the crossing confident that their bike is safe and protected. There are tie-downs provided for riders to properly secure their bike to the vehicle deck, and there is an easy on-and-off "nature" to the ferry allowing riders to go ashore within moments of reaching port. There is a minimum of 12 available slots per departure set aside for motorcycles, but exceptions may be made for larger group bookings. Motorcyclists are asked to be at the ferry 45 minutes prior to departure; and for safety and security reasons, once the Lake Express is ready for departure, no one is allowed on the vehicle deck. There is an open deck available for those who want to enjoy the cruise outdoors. There is also a classic climate-controlled cabin and the L'Expresso Cafe with on-board dining and movies to keep you entertained for those who'd prefer to cruise indoors.  For a slightly higher fee, you can opt to sit in the premier cabin where you will enjoy steward service, complimentary newspapers, non-alcoholic beverages, headsets for movies, and work-friendly table seating with electrical service for those traveling with their laptops. There is lots of good info on the Lake Express web site, such as attraction pages to check out for both Wisconsin and Michigan.

Wondering what's in the area specifically for bikers? Well, the Harley-Davidson Museum is located right there in Milwaukee. You'll want to check out the H-D Museum site for scheduled events that might be going on during your visit. For example, during May, there is a Women Riders Month Celebration in Milwaukee (May 22), and the First Rumble at the H-D Museum (May 27) scheduled.  A little further north in Tomahawk, WI, is the Harley Davidson plant where you can schedule a behind-the-scenes plant tour.  In Milwaukee, you may want to check out the upscale Iron Horse Hotel which caters to business travelers and motorcycle enthusiasts alike. Whether you book a room for the night or just want to drop by one of their restaurants or bars, the Iron Horse would be a fun aside visit for any biker visiting the Milwaukee area. Of course, there are lots of scenic routes through coastal and country back roads throughout southern Michigan and Wisconsin. Don't forget to check out the lodging map on BikerCamps.com. There are plenty of good motorcycle-friendly camping sites to choose from for those interested in camping.

This month, Senate Bill 22 narrowly failed to get the two-thirds votes of the House required to get enacted into law. The vote came down to 282 yes votes vs 144 no votes. That’s a 66.2% yes margin which is about as close as it gets.

The Omnibus bill, which in reality was 160 bills rolled into one and included more than 1,300 pages, was the latest attempt to steam-roll a bill, which none of the legislators had read, through the Congress. Luckily, the AMA, along with other outraged motorcycle groups, were able to scream loudly enough to be heard. They  urged motorcycling voters to get involved and  let their congressmen know how they felt about this law, and the people responded. Luckily, enough of the representatives listened to their constituents to halt the measure before it got sneaked through.

Had the bill passed, it would have banned any motorized vehicles from more than 2 million acres of public land. Despite this bill failing, expect it to come up again. As always the price of freedom is vigilance.
 

Here is the Voting Roll for Senate Bill 22

Check to see how your representative voted, if they voted NAY, you might want to thank them, if they Voted Yea you might want to tell them that they are working hard to lose your vote next election.  If they are one of the six that didn’t vote at all, you have to wonder how they got elected in the first place.

Moto Honda da Amazonia LTD., a Brazilian subsidiary of Honda, has announced that beginning sometime in mid-March 2009, the CG150 Titan Mix, which introduces the new flex fuel technology, will become available for purchase in Brazil.  This will be the world’s first motorcycle to be equipped with a mix fuel injection system, a technology independently developed by Honda. By blending gasoline-based fuel with bio-ethanol fuel, often produced from sugarcane and wheat, Honda anticipates a reduction of CO2 emissions along with customer fuel costs.

So why Brazil as the venue to launch this new motorcycle? Well, turns out that while the CG 150 Titan Mix will be the first motorcycle in the world to offer this new flex fuel technology, around 90% of new automobiles already being sold in Brazil now use this technology. So the Brazilians already have ample supplies of this fuel mixture already available.

Commuter Bike – Clean & Affordable

Honda is expecting that because of the lowered fuel costs and cleaner emissions of the CG 150 Titan Mix, it will be an ideal form of transportation for commuters. In 2008, there were approximately 1.91 million motorcycles registered in Brazil. Of those bikes, 1.326 million (about 72%) were Honda’s. So brand recognition among the Brazilian people is already in place. Another feature that Honda hopes will be attractive to commuters is the starting price for the CG 150 will be 6,340 Real. Converted to U.S. dollars, that would  be 2758.32, a price that Honda believe commuters will find affordable. They’re hoping for annual sales of about 200,000 units.

2009 Tax Credit for Motorcycle and RV Purchase

The recent stimulus package that was signed into law on Tuesday (2/17/09) had a last minute inclusion for motorcycles and recreational vehicles. Cars and light trucks already had dibbs on their dollar share of the stimulus billions, and with the successful lobbying from the AMA, Harley-Davidson, and other industry groups, along with the support of four senators from areas most affected by a struggling motorcycle industry (Bob Casey, D-PA, Christopher Bond, R-MO, Russell Feingold, D-WI, and Herb Kohl, D-WI), motorcycles and RVs quietly squeaked there way into the bill. This is not an industry-saving piece of legislation, as we understand it, but may be a gentle purchase incentive for certain buyers. The cost to include motorcycles and RVs to the stimulus is estimated at around $100 million.  

Section 1008 of the Stimulus Plan

Section 1008 in the stimulus bill allows taxpayers purchasing a motorcycle or RV under $49,500 to deduct state and federal sales tax paid in 2009 when filing their ’09 tax returns. It is important to understand that this is a tax deduction and not a tax credit.  A tax deduction reduces income reported and not taxes owed. To be eligible for the tax deduction, a single person’s annual modified adjusted gross income for that tax year cannot exceed $125,000 or $250,000 for a joint return.  The effective date for this deduction, according to the language of the bill itself applies, "to purchases on or after the date of the enactment of this Act in taxable years ending after such date." We interpret this to mean that for any bike purchased after the date the Act was signed until one year from that date.You may want to check with the dealer on that if you are purchasing close to the beginning or ending date.

What does that mean to me?

Let’s say you were buying a bike that costs $20,000 and you pay 6% sales tax where you live.   The sales tax wold come to $1,200 and is deductable from your taxes next year.  So if your tax bracket is say 30%, then that would be a savings of $400.  Not a lot, but every little bit helps.  If you were thinking of buying a new motorcycle anyway, that’s $400 worth accessories that you won’t have to shell out the cash for.

Carmichael Still Racing – Trucks This Time

After enjoying perhaps the most successful career in motocross history and dominating the sport for nearly ten years, Ricky Carmichael semi-retired from motocross in 2007, and has now begun capturing the attention of four-wheeled racing fans. His incredible career in motocross earned him the nickname "The GOAT" (Greatest of All Time).  This past weekend, Carmichael’s performance at the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Auto Club Speedway in San Bernardino County 200, earned him the Raybestos "Rookie of the Race" award. Driving the No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet, retaining the same number he wore in motocross, Carmichael finished the race in eighth place, making him the only rookie driver to finish in the top 10. That will move him up 9 spots in the 2009 NCWTS point standings. Not bad, considering this was only Carmichael’s second race.

Most beginners of any sport would be estactic with that kind of showing, but comments he made after the race indicate Carmichael likes to be in the lead. In one interview, he said, "I’m super pumped, and I learned a lot. I wish we could have done better for KHI but personally, I’m happy." It will be interesting to see how he performs in upcoming races. On April 25th at the Kansas Speedway, Carmichael will get his next opportunity. He’s really missed by his fans at motocross, but glad we at least get to follow him with NASCAR.

The motorcycle industry, like the auto industry, has been delegating some of its R & D dollars to the design of innovative fossil-fuel alternative bikes. While motorcycles are known for their excellent fuel economy, few people are aware that hydrocarbon emissions on some bikes and scooters may be up to 90 times more than an SUV.  The reason for this is that while motorcycles and scooters have better fuel efficiency than cars, their engines are able to convert fuel into energy at a faster rate than autos thereby producing more nitrogen oxides, which is one of the primary ingredients of smog. Adding catalytic converters to motorcycles has been proposed by some, but motorcyclists are generally opposed to these  power-robbing and fuel-efficiency destroying devices that are mandated for automobiles.

However,  some have been experimenting with alternative ideas for "green" bikes and currently the most common approach is the electric motorcycle. Electric vehicles have been around for long enough in the automobile industry for us to know that the primary shortcomings are their limited range between recharges and puny acceleration capabilities.  For most motorcyclists these are both non-starters.  But as we all know, motorcycles and cars are completely different animals, and while range is still an issue, the speed and acceleration problem seems to have been conquered.

Green Means Go

Just to show you how much progress has been made in terms of acceleration, one of the newer motorcycles that recently made history in the drag racing world is the KillaCycle. On October 23rd, 2008, the KillaCycle, ridden by Scotty Pollacheck, did 7.89 seconds @ 168 mph, becoming the new official NEDRA (National Electric Drag Racing Association) record holder. This amazing time was the quickest quarter-mile time for any electric vehicle in the world. The KillaCycle will accelerate from 0-60 mph in less than a second and has over 500 hp. What makes this bike so powerful is the A123 Systems nano-phosphate battery cells. This is the same type battery used in the  DeWalt cordless hand tools. Not a bad speed for an electric screwdriver with wheels.

Another electric motorcycle that has been introduced in 2009 as a street version is the Zero S, which sells for just under $10,000.  The Zero S has a top speed of 70 mph and a range of 60 miles before needing to be recharged.  While we don’t envision cruising along the highway like George Jetson on this thing, it could make a 20-mile each way commute a lot cheaper when gas prices go back up.  I would expect to see a lot of these hitting the city streets as soon as OPEC tightens the thumb screws on us again. 

Zero Motorcycles, the company that makes the Zero S, also has a dirt bike version called the Zero X which accelerates from 0-30 mph in less than 2 seconds.  Award winning designer Neal Saiki came up with the Zero design, and we found it interesting that the frame of the Zero X, being made of aluminum, weighs only 18 lbs. The total weight for the entire motorcycle is only 140 pounds.  The Zero power pack uses a non-toxic lithium-ion technology and contains no toxic metals whatsoever, meaning these batteries are rated for land-fill disposal in the US, Canada, and Europe. Several celebrities, including Jay Leno and James Denton, own one of the Zero X bikes. Jay Leno has done a YouTube video about the bike in his private garage and James Denton did a video with him doing a demo ride at his cabin property in Montana.

In the recent TED Conference (Technology, Entertain, Design), there was yet another of the green bikes to be unveiled. To purchase one of these beauties, you’d better have plenty of the spending kind of green. Scheduled to release a limited 50 bikes in 2010, the new Mission One bike will cost $68,995. Not an economical solution if you’re looking for a commuter bike that will save money at the pump. There will be a more affordable model announced at a later date. The Mission One bike is a design of Mission Motors and is going to show its power ride reaching a top speed of 150 MPH with 100-foot  pounds of torque between 0 and 6,500 RPM. The lithium-ion battery energy source will have a charge time of under 2 hours at 240 V and 8 hours at 120 V, with a running distance of 150 miles. The bike design is truly a beauty, and we’re hoping Tarantino will come up with another Kill Something movie, so Uma can show us what one of these babies can do.

There are other alternative-fueled scooters and bikes available, with more still in the labs. As stated earlier, we don’t expect these newer bikes to replace all gas-powered motorcycles. They will be an alternative to some, and an addition to others. Doubt tattoo artists will be inking these brand names into anybody’s arms in the near future though.

Jeremy Lusk, nicknamed "The Pitbull," known for his daredevil performances in the sport of freestyle motocross, suffered a fatal head injury on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009, while performing at a competition in San Jose, Costa Rica. Born in San Diego in 1984, Lusk began riding motorcycles at the age of 3 and turned pro at 19. Of the brief number of years since turning pro, 2008 had been his most successful and his future with the sport looked bright. At the ’08 XGames freestyle motocross competition, Lusk came away with a gold and silver medal for the FMX best-trick doing a double-grab Hart Attack backflip. That same year, Lusk also entered the X Games Mexico competition and won two gold medals there, as well as a bronze helmet in Freestyle at the Moto X World Championships.  The General Manager and VP of the X Games franchise, Chris Stiepock, stated that Lusk "had emerged as one of the world’s best freestyle moto riders." 

On Saturday, while attempting to land after doing a back-flip trick over a 100-foot jump, Lusk was unable to complete the maneuveur and landed headfirst on the landing ramp. This is a trick that Lusk had done successfully many times before. While performing in 2007 at the X Games in Carson, Lusk had experienced a similar crash. He was able to walk away from the that crash,  in San Jose there would be no such happy ending. After the accident, Lusk was rushed to Calderon Guardia Hospital in San Jose, where he was put into a medically-induced coma as a protective measure because of severe brain swelling.  Jorge Ramirez, chief of intensive care at Calderon Hospital stated that Lusk had suffered severe damage to his brain and possibly spinal cord injury.  About his condition at the time of death, Ramirez stated, "…the medicine was being reduced to see how his body responded. That didn’t mean he was going to wake up. He was in shock and that got worse last night, until he stopped responding and entered into cardiac and respiratory failure."

Loss to Freestyle Motocross Community

For anyone who’s a fan and has watched any of the freestyle motocross tricks, it is something to watch and evident that there is substantial risk involved for the rider. X Games Senior VP Rick Alessandri stated, "When a professional athlete takes the field of play, whether they’re a bull rider, motocross rider or equestrian, they understand that (death) can happen on any given day to any athlete."  Interesting to note is that while there are frequent injuries sustained by these talented riders, Jeremy Lusk is the first known death to take place in either the Dew Tour or the X Games.

Upon being notified of the accident, Lusk’s wife, in-laws, and parents immediately flew to Costa Rica and were at his side when he died on Tuesday, January, 11, 2009. Lusk was only 24. Below is a tribute video:

Future Sale of Youth Cycles Uncertain

Most parents are thrilled when they can interest their children away from the television or video games long enough to participate in an outdoor sport. Youth sports like dirt biking can teach independence, safety awareness, sportsmanship, mechanical know-how, and can build self confidence, not to mention the benefits of getting outdoors for fresh air and exercise. Aside from these things, time spent at the dirt tracks is usually excellent family bonding time and an opportunity to meet and develop lifelong friendships with some really nice people. So why would a sport that offers so much to our youth be in jeopardy?  

Flawed Attempt by Congress to Get the Lead Out

In August of 2008, Congress enacted what is called the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 that will ban all products for children under the age of 12 that may contain lead beyond a specified amount. This Act was drawn up in reaction to the toys and other products made in China that contained known harmful levels of lead. With the wording of the Act as it currently stands, motorcycles and ATVs geared toward use by children will also be affected, and a motorcycle industry already suffering under the hard-hit economy will take an even more damaging blow.  The Specialty Vehicle Institute of America and the Motorcycle Industry Council, including independently-owned shops, are pleading for a common sense revision to the Act, so that halt to the sale of youth motorcycles or ATVs, which began on February 10, 2009, will be reversed. Imagine motorcycle showrooms without Honda CRF50s, 70s, 80s, 100s, Kawasaki KX 65 or the KLX110 that your children are so anxious to check out? Visit a Honda showroom after the 10th, and you won’t have to imagine. They’re gone. And if your child already rides and owns one of these bikes, forget about getting replacement parts, either.

Don’t Chew That

While it’s true that oversight may be needed for the production of children’s toys to ensure a lowered risk of lead exposure, it seems that once again poorly and hastily written legislation may unnecessarily harm an already suffering industry. The Act (CPSIA) states that consumer products are not allowed to have greater than 600 parts per million of lead in any accessible part for a product intended for sale to children under the age of 12.  The Specialty Vehicle Institute of America and the Motorcycle Industry Council are requesting emergency relief from the provisions of this Act which went into effect on February 10, 2009. They are seeking an exemption for ATV and motorcycle parts, which is where the largest concern lies.  It’s not so much the bike, but the parts that may contain lead in higher amounts than allowed by the Act. To most reasonable-minded people, it would be safe to assume that except for the rarest of rare circumstances, none of these motorcycle parts would ever get anywhere near the mouth of a child much less be ingested.

Show Support to the Sport and the Industry

We urge you to contact your Senators and Congressman ASAP and tell them to fix this broken law, so that motorcycle stores might return their inventory to their salesfloors and our children may continue to enjoy the sport of dirt biking. You can also visit the website of Missouri State Representative Tom Self, at www.tomself.com, who is actively working to resolve this matter. Let him know you support and appreciate his grassroots efforts.