As the leader in providing mobility to people with disabilities, Ride-Away sees this motorcycle as the biggest leap from products that our clients need, to a product that excites the senses. We want to be in the forefront of providing a product that dramatically raises the quality of life for people with special challenges and this bike is fast, sexy, and promotes the feeling of independence on the road. With the Martin Conquest derived from a BMW motorcycle, we are thrilled to continue to promote the automotive evolution for people with disabilities from big van, to minivan, to 3 wheel motorcycle.

Contact Arthur Joseph Arrage at Ride-Away for more information – Phone (757)455-9889

I am forwarding you an article about the motorcycle, which is called The Conquest. We have been offering it about a year now. Ride-away itself has been in operations since 1986. We have (12) offices up and down the East coast, with Headquarters in New Hampshire. We have two offices in Virginia, one in Norfolk, which is where I am located and one in Richmond. Both locations have a showroom and garage.

I am also attaching a Ride-Away Fact Sheet. It gives a good summary of what we do. Again, if anyone has any questions or perhaps contacts you through your webiste, they are welcome to call me at anytime. We are able to transport vehicles or motorcycles(and there is even a pick up truck on the market now which is newer than the motorcycle) between our offices and even to anywhere in the country.

Fact Sheet PDF: Ride-Away Fact Sheet(1)

Please let me know if you need anything else from me. This is such a wonderful opportunity! My General Manager, Joy Darr and even our Corporate expressed excitement and gratitude for this opportunity.

Arthur Joseph Arrage
Mobility Consultant
Ride-Away Handicap Equipment Corporation
6059 East Virginia Beach Boulevard
Norfolk, VA 23502
Phone (757)455-9889
Toll Free (866)312-5438
Fax (757)466-0300
Web www.ride-away.com

The Virginia Coalition of Motorcyclists (VCOM) strongly opposes this bill. In an effort to understand the reasoning behind this bill, Jim Cannon and I met with Delegate Stolle this morning. He advised us that the bill was introduced at the request of the Chief of Police of Virginia Beach. The Delegate also clearly believes in this bill. His reasoning was that Virginia
Code already requires children under age eight to be restrained when traveling in any motor vehicle and that this bill merely clarifies the code. He also felt it was a safety issue. Despite our arguments he held firm to his position.

Let’s look at the Delegate’s arguments. First, Virginia Code Section 46.2-1095 requires that any person who drives on the highways of Virginia any motor vehicle manufactured after January 1, 1968, shall ensure that any child, up to age eight, whom he transports therein, is provided with and properly secured in a child restraint device. (emphasis added). You do not
place a child in a motorcycle. It is impossible to get in a motorcycle. You get on a motorcycle and therefore the child is being transported thereon not therein. As such this section does not apply to motorcycles. When this legislation passed not a single member of the General Assembly was considering motorcycles. If the delegate wants to clear up the code he can do so by adding motorcycles to section E of the statute which lists vehicles
to which the statute does not apply, such as taxicabs, school buses and limousines.

The Delegate’s safety argument also fails. According to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles there have been fourteen children age eight and under injured as motorcycle passengers over the past three years. That is an average of less than five per year. There have been no deaths in the past three years. How is this safety issue? It seems to me that the motorcycling parents of this Commonwealth are doing a pretty good job of deciding for
themselves when their children are ready to be motorcycle passengers.

I would urge all motorcyclists to call and/or email Delegate Stolle and voice your concerns over HB 1850. Delegate Stolle’s phone number is (804) 698-1083. His email address is DelCStolle@house.virginia.gov

I would also urge you to contact your legislator and let him or her know how you feel. You can find the contact information for every legislator at the following link:
http://lis.virginia.gov/111/mbr/MBR.HTM

It is of great importance do this now. The session is only 45 days long and this bill could come up in sub-committee soon. When VCOM receives notification of the subcommittee meeting we will put out another notification so that anyone who wishes to attend can. The more motorcyclists we have in sub-committee the more likely we can defeat this assault on the rights of motorcyclists. You can also follow VCOM on twitter @VAMotorcyclist.

I would also strongly urge you to attend Lobby Day this Monday, January 17, 2011. Come to the Capitol with other motorcyclists and tell Delegate Stolle and other legislators how you feel about this bill and other matters of interest to Virginia Motorcyclists. There will be a legislative meeting starting at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday January 16 at the Holiday Inn Airport in
Sandston, VA. We will discuss all upcoming legislation and how to speak with your legislators. After the meeting there will be a free BBQ Dinner cooked by Stewart Newton. The next morning we will depart for the Capitol where you will have access to members of the General Assembly and their aids. After we speak with the senators and delegates we will go to Penny Lane Pub where lunch will be served compliments of Tom McGrath’s Motorcycle Law Group. I hope to see you there.

If you have any questions or comments concerning this or any other matters please feel free to contact me.

Matt Danielson
Tom McGrath’s Motorcycle Law Group
1-800-321-8968
www.motorcyclelawgroup.com

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If you own/work for a business that offers a specific service to bikers please let me know the details at webmaster@vabiker.net and I will gladly post the information.

Naval Stations are no stranger to the rumbling sound of a motorcycle engine.

Due to high gas prices, an unpredictable schedule, and a shortage of parking on base, more sailors are buying motorcycles now than ever before.

Read the full story here…

More information here – RidetoWork.org

Martinsville is participating in a program called the Motorcycle Grand Tour of Virginia, said Jennifer Doss, director of tourism for the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corp. (EDC). Managed by the Governor’s Motorcycle Council of Virginia, the tour includes more than 80 sites throughout the state.

For each site they visit between April and November, enrolled motorcyclists receive a stamp for passports they carry with them, Doss said. The stamps can be redeemed for prizes, including a grand prize vacation package for two to Virginia Beach.

Read the full story here…

For more information or to register, go to: http://www.vamotorcycletour.com/

Garlon Turner, 60, of Suffolk was traveling south on the James River Bridge when a strong wind gust flipped his 2007 Harley Davidson over. State Police and safety instructors say they might never know how fast the gust of wind was, but there are steps motorcyclists can take to enhance safety.

Melanie Stokes, a spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, said motorcyclists need to exercise great caution whenever going over bridges or overpasses.

Read the full story here…