Chapter Z Region E Missouri District Jeffco Wings of Arnold

Transcription

1 February Newsletter Chapter Z Region E Missouri District Jeffco Wings of Arnold Gold Wing Road Riders Association Chapter Directors Paul & Cheryl Engelman Asst. Chapter Directors...Vernon & Pat Watts Rider Educators..Leaster & Sara Gibson Treasurers.Ed & Marsha Bechler Membership Enhancement Division. Dave & Lisa Arnold Motorist Awareness Division.Mark & Sharon Meyer Chapter Hosts....Mike & Donna Sullivan Chapter Historian Paul & Cheryl Engelman Sponsor Relations.Cindy Stewart Ride Coordinator... Dave Ruegge Assistant Ride Coordinator...Tom Braun Newsletter Editors...Ron & Teresa Minner Webmaster..Dianne Walker 2018 Couple of the Year..Mark & Sharon Meyer CHAPTER Z MEETINGS 1st Monday of each month Ponderosa Steakhouse 3601 Jeffco Blvd, Arnold, MO Dinner at 6 pm, Meeting at 7 pm. Everyone Is Welcome!

2 2018 Chapter Staff Chapter Directors Chapter Historian Paul & Cheryl Engelman Assistant Chapter Directors Vernon & Pat Watts Rider Educators Leaster & Sara Gibson Treasurers Ed & Marsha Bechler Membership Enhancement Dave & Lisa Arnold Map Coordinators Mark & Sharon Meyer Ride Coordinator Dave Ruegge Asst. Ride Coordinator Tom Braun Chapter Hosts Mike & Donna Sullivan Sponsor Relations Cindy Stewart Webmaster Dianne Walker Newsletter Editors Ron & Teresa Minner

3 Missouri District Staff DISTRICT DIRECTOR Ken Lueckenotte & Jan Schanbacher RIDER EDUCATOR Marty Hall MEMBERSHIP ENHANCEMENTNCEMENT JP & Jana Wicks PATCH SHOP Nancy Hofmann 2017 COUPLE OF THE YEAR Chuck & Trish Smith 2017 INDIVIDUAL OF THE YEAR Marlene Cloude NEWSLETTER Jennifer Murray ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Vacant at this time TREASURER Glenn & Carol White LTD M.A.P. Coordinator Marlene Cloude MEDIC-FIRST AID COORDINATOR Jerry Blatt & Scooter Beatty WEBMASTER Dale Kaiser VENDOR COORDINATOR Randy & Kathy Gibbs ROADIES Jerry Rothermich & Sally Enderle

4 2018 Chapter Z Directors Paul & Cheryl Engelman 48 Days Until Spring Well I feel like Mother Nature is teasing us with a few beautiful days here and there, I for one am ready for spring, I miss my motorcycle family!!!! The only scheduled event for this month will be our dinner ride to Poppy's Ristorante in Crystal City on February 20th. On March 2nd several of us will head to Lake of the Ozarks for Missouri District Spring Fling, with this years theme being Mardi Gras, this is always a great time where we get to meet with our friends from across the neighboring states. As we plan the ride calendar for 2018, please remember that this is your chapter and we are always looking for rides the members want to do. If you have a suggestion for a ride or if there is a ride you would like to plan please let us know. 48 more days til Spring, but whose counting.

5 2018 Assistant Chapter Directors Vern & Pat Watts Tired of this cold weather? We can't wait for spring and riding weather to return. We had two very nice dinner rides (in cars) in January. We had 27 Z members attend our Polar Bear ride at Joey B's in south county on New Years Day. Our monthly dinner ride we went to the Local House in Arnold. It is a new place for us, we hope they will consider us for a sponsor. We had 26 Z members attend. Any members who have not attended one of our monthly dinners or you haven't been to one in a while we want to encourage you to join us. We would love for you to come, the more the merrier!

6 Our Motto... Share the Road! Our Mission... To Facilitate A Reduction In Motorcycle Crashes With Other Motor Vehicles. Mark & Sharon Meyer Motorcycle Awareness 2018 Couple of the Year Good sign (where did January go?). I swear that Xmas and New Years was just last week. Might mean riding season will be here before we know it. I actually feel guilty that I have not given our trike any attention for quite a while. It is used to a lot of attention from me most of the time. We have been remodeling a bathroom that has taken up most our time. Still married also. Really do not have much words of wisdom at this time and probably never had. This cold weather is depressing and any hints of a semi decent day you see a few riders out there taking advantage of getting their bikes out on the road. Sharon and I are heading to South Padre Island in Texas on January 31 with the 6 pack and some other couples and and are heading back home March 3. We will be thinking of all you Chapter Z friends while we are there. Hope the weather gets better here. Ride Smart and Ride Safe!

7 SHARING SOME THOUGHTS Nice article written by one of our fellow members, Steve Lake, out of Chapter "O". Thanks very much for the help Steve! 9 Motorcycle Safety Tips For New Riders Expert advice for first-time and returning riders Motorcycles are fun and fuel efficient. That s not news to anyone who s ridden one. But neither is the fact that they re also way more dangerous than a car. The cold reality is that motorcyclists are 30 times more likely to die in a crash than people in a car, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). And nearly half of all motorcycle deaths are the result of single-vehicle crashes. The numbers are even scarier for older riders, who are increasingly taking up or returning to motorcycling after many years. Because of slower reflexes, weaker eyesight, more brittle bones, and other disadvantages, riders over 60 years old are three times more likely to be hospitalized after a crash than younger ones. Still, many enthusiasts enjoy a lifetime of riding without injury. The key to optimizing your odds is to be prepared and avoid risks. Keep in mind that 48 percent of fatalities in 2010 involved speeding, according to the IIHS, and alcohol was a factor in 42 percent. Eliminate those factors and you ve dramatically reduced your risk. Below are some more tips to help you stay safe on two wheels. Don t buy more bike than you can handle. Keep in mind if you ve been off of motorcycles for awhile, you may be surprised by the performance of today s bikes. Even models with small-displacement engines are notably faster and more powerful than they were 10 or 20 years ago. Invest in antilock brakes. Now available on a wide array of models, antilock brakes are a proven lifesaver. IIHS data shows that motorcycles equipped with ABS brakes were 37 percent less likely to be involved in a fatal crash than bikes without it. The reason is simple: Locking up the brakes in a panic stop robs the rider of any steering control. That can easily lead to a skid and crash, which can result in serious injury. ABS helps you retain steering control during an emergency stop, and it can be especially valuable in slippery conditions. Especially important--hone your skills. Find a GWRRA or Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) riding course in your area---and sign up for it. Often. Why often and not just yearly? Because practice makes perfect. A GWRRA or MSF class can teach you the basics, as well as advanced techniques, such as how to perform evasive emergency maneuvers. The cost ranges from free to??? but what is it worth to know what to do in an emergency or how to handle you bike safely? Plus an approved safety course may make you eligible for an insurance discount. Use your head. Helmets are an emotional topic for some riders. But the facts show the risk. Riders without a helmet are 40 percent more likely to suffer a fatal head injury in a crash and are three times more likely to suffer brain injuries, than those with helmets, according to government studies. When Texas and Arkansas repealed their helmet laws, they saw a 31- and 21-percent increase in motorcycle fatalities, respectively. It is absolute insanity to repeal helmet laws, says Orly Avitzur, M.D., a neurologist and a Consumer Reports medical adviser. Because helmets do save lives, it is insanity to expose the skull and the brain to potential trauma that could be prevented or at least mitigated. A full-face helmet that s approved by the Department of Transportation is the best choice. (Look for a DOT certification sticker on the helmet.) Modern helmets are strong, light weight, and comfortable, and they cut down on wind noise and fatigue. Keep in mind that helmets deteriorate over time, and may not be safe even if they look fine. The

8 Snell Memorial Foundation, an independent helmet testing and standards-setting organization, recommends replacing a helmet every five years, or sooner if it's been damaged or has been in a crash. Beyond potential deterioration due to aging and exposure to hair oils and chemicals, Snell points out that there is often a notable improvement over that time in helmet design and materials. ATGATT. Jeans, a T-shirt, and sandals are recipes for a painful disaster on a bike. Instead, you want gear that will protect you from wind chill, flying bugs and debris, and, yes, lots of road rash if you should slide out. For maximum protection, go for a leather or other reinforced jacket, gloves, full pants, and over-the-ankle footwear, even in summer. Specially designed jackets with rugged padding and breathable mesh material provide protection as well as ventilation for riding in warm weather. You ll also want effective eye protection; don t rely on eyeglasses or a bike s windscreen. Use a helmet visor or goggles. And keep in mind that car drivers who have hit a motorcycle rider often say they just didn't see them, so choose gear in bright colors. Be defensive. A recent study by the University of South Florida s Center for Urban Transportation Research found that in collisions involving a motorcycle and a car, car drivers were at fault 60 percent of the time. So, you need to be extra alert, especially in this age of epidemic phone use and texting behind the wheel. Keep an eye out for cars suddenly changing lanes or pulling out from side streets. And don t tailgate; keeping a safe following distance is critical, both to ensure you have enough stopping distance and so you have time to react to obstacles in the road. An object that a car might easily straddle could be a serious hazard when on a bike. Avoid bad weather. Slippery conditions reduce your margin for error. Rain not only cuts your visibility but reduces your tires grip on the road, which can make cornering tricky. If you need to ride in the rain, remember that the most dangerous time is right after precipitation begins, as the water can cause oil residue to rise to the top. And avoid making sudden maneuvers. Be especially gentle with the brakes, throttle, and steering to avoid sliding. When riding in strong side winds, be proactive in anticipating the potential push from the side by moving to the side of the lane the wind is coming from. This will give you some leeway in the lane, should a gust nudge you. Watch for road hazards. A motorcycle has less contact with the pavement than a car. Sand, wet leaves, or pebbles--- even fresh lawn clippings thrown onto the roadbed---can cause a bike to slide unexpectedly, easily resulting in a spill. Bumps and potholes that you might barely notice in a car can pose serious danger when on a bike. If you can t avoid them, slow down as much as possible before encountering them, with minimal steering input. Railroad tracks and other hazards should be approached as close to a right angle as possible, to reduce the chances of a skid. T-CLOCS. Before each ride, do a quick walk-around to make sure your lights, horn, and directional signals are working properly. Check the chain, belt, or shaft and the brakes. And inspect the tires for wear and make sure they re set at the proper pressure. When tires are under-inflated, handling gets really hard, steering gets harder, and the bike doesn t want to lean. Make sure the bike s tank is full.and yours isn t. It s embarrassing to have to stop a ride your buddies are enjoying before it even starts because you forget to do either one. ***Portions in this article from Consumer Reports As always, I'm looking forward to learning new stuff! Take care and God bless you and yours. Marty Hall MO District Rider Educator

9 February 2018 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Chapter I Meeting Jim Kayser Chapter Z Meeting William Gibson Chapter W2 Meeting Lou & Jan Bartoloni Ray & Debbie Walker Cheryl Thoma Chapter Z Dinner Ride Ray Walker Cindy Ruegge John Lehmann Bruce Henrickson Les & Sara Gibson

10 2018 Calendar of Activities Feb 1 Feb 2 Feb 5 Feb 12 Feb 14 Feb 19 Feb 20 Mar 1 Mar 2-4 Mar 5 Mar 12 Chapter I Meeting / Jackson, MO Groundhog Day Chapter Z Meeting / Ponderosa / Arnold, MO Chapter W2 Meeting / St Charles, MO Valentine s Day President s Day Chapter Z Dinner Ride / Poppy s / Crystal City, MO Chapter I Meeting / Jackson, MO Spring Fling / Inn at the Grand Glaize / Osage Beach, MO Chapter Z Meeting / Ponderosa / Arnold, MO Chapter W2 Meeting / St Charles, MO Mar 17 Mar 20 St Patrick s Day Chapter Z Dinner Ride / TBD Spring Fling Coming Soon

11 ANNUAL POLAR BEAR RIDE JOEY B S

12 ANNUAL POLAR BEAR RIDE JOEY B S

13 MONTHLY DINNER RIDE Arnold, MO Thanks Leaster Gibson for photos.

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19 Thanks to all of our Sponsors!

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21 718 Old Route 66 North Litchfield, IL Store Hours Mon - Fri 9am - 6pm Sat 9am - 4pm info@niehauscycle.com

22 Everyone get Ready for Fun! Spring Fling is Coming! March 3rd, 2018

23 Remember Participate!Participate! Participate! We will be having Participation Points again this year. Join in the fun! Participate as much as you can.