Here’s Why Lane Splitting Should Be Legal For Motorcycles

Know Someone Who Needs to Learn About This?

One of the most controversial subjects, in the world of Road Safety, is the subject often referred to as Lane Splitting.

Its something that if you haven't been at least a passenger on a motorcycle before, that you will not understand. Its something that we demonstrate to our customers when we take them out for a Harley Ride in Melbourne. If you know someone who you think needs to become better informed about this subject - then send them out for a ride with us, so we can demonstrate it to them for you.

Most people who drive a car don't understand what it feels like to ride a bike or what the road conditions look like from a motorcycle rider's point of view. They think its dangerous when we know its not and that it doesn't look or feel dangerous from where we sit, doing it on our bikes. The car driver mindset - starts from the view they get from their drivers seat. Things look entirely different from a riders seat on a bike - for many reasons - that are only understood if one has had the experience. I should know, because I have seen the light come on inside the heads of the 1000's of Harley Ride passengers I have had on the back of my bike over the years. Its only when I explain and demonstrate reality to them that they realise that most of what they thought they knew - is WRONG.

If you want to understand what we are talking about, here is a great video where a group of very experienced riders talk about this controversial subject:

The real reason why motorcycles do it? They are many and varied. When you come out for a Harley Ride with us you will quickly come to understand why motorcycle riders do it.

Its a topic which often comes up between us and our passengers, and when people have it demonstrated and explained to them, they always go away with a different point of view, one that is often counter to that which they held before the ride.

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Groupon Discounts - the truth behind their facade

Just over a year ago, I was getting calls a couple of times a week from Groupon, Living Social and their "coupon clones". Their claim was that they could bring my company, "heaps of new work, and that there were thousands of customers queuing up to buy my product that I was supposedly missing out on.

The problem is, as I pointed out to them, that volume sales doesn't match the service I provide. One of my competitors in the Harley Rides industry had already been burned getting involved with several of these discounters, and I didn't want to suffer the same fate.

My focus is on providing a Quality Experience for my customers. Providing Quality requires that the Harley Davidson motorcycles I use to transport my customers, are maintained and serviced to the highest standards. This means that their safety is guaranteed - that no short cuts are taken.

To achieve this goal I never service or repair my motorcycle - I'm not qualified to do that. I pay a qualified Harley Davidson mechanic $100 per hour plus the cost of parts to perform that task. This means that my bike and all the bikes I use are in tip top condition.

But, some of my competitors in the Harley Rides industry here in Melbourne, don't take my approach. They cut corners and maintain very old machines that are more prone to breakdowns. One of those uses Red Balloon and Adrenalin Tours as agents for their Harley Rides business and has fallen foul of Groupon and Living Social and lived to regret that experience.

http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/consumer-watchdog-targets-website-product-reviews-and-discounts-20121214-2bf7b.html#ixzz2FFodeWK2

Why book through a multinational holiday or "experience" promotional website?

To book accommodation, restaurants, holidays, Harley Rides etc go direct to the person who owns and operates the business he/she does not have to pay large commissions. Visit our website here at Harley Rides in Melbourne or call us direct on Freecall 1800 182 282 - our technical advice is free - you don't get that at Groupon etc. And as for Red Balloon and Adrenalin - they don't even conduct quality checks on the products they supply. All they are interested in, is getting their 25% Agents commission. At Groupon, after factoring in a 50% discount or something similar, and after they take their cut - that leaves the supplier with almost nothing. In my case not enough to cover my costs. And I'm not prepared to cut corners to get more business at the expense of scarificing my customers safety

Mr Rob Sims, ACCC ''People are buying a voucher and the circumstances are such that they cannot actually redeem it, and therefore they just lose their money. Many do get a discount, but some just lose their money,'' Mr Sims said. ''That is unfair on the small- business person who either breaks his or her back to try and meet them, or just suffers the reputational damage. And it is unfair to consumers.''

The owner of a Sydney driving school told the Herald his business was damaged by a group deal. He made no profit and had to put his own customers aside while fulfilling vouchers.

''It is not worth it [because] I made no profit at all and the price they advertise my business is too cheap for me. I cannot afford it [and] they take too much [commission].'

Before you do book something online - do your research. We have many good reviews on Trip Advisor - Harley Rides in Melbourne and are recommended by Tourism Australia . After reading many reviews, its pretty easy to tell which ones are fake.

Where have all the tourists gone?

Things are very quiet in Melbourne right now. Maybe its the economic climate, or that people aren't travelling from the USA or Europe in as greater numbers as in the past. I wish I knew why more people aren't coming out for a Harley Ride with us.

The most common question I get asked when someone is sitting on the back of my Harley Davidson (a 2012 Heritage Softail BTW) is, "How many time a week do you take people for a ride John?" My answer is, "Not that often actually. If I was in this business for the money, then  I would have quit years ago." Interestingly, one of my peers in the Harley Rides industry just quit and stopped doing rides because he wasn't making any money doing it......

My situation differs a little from most. I have no debts and as a retired Army Officer I have a military pension that gives me more flexibility than most. For me riding a motorcycle is my passion. There is just nothing else that I would rather do - so taking people out for motorcycle joyrides is it : )

Maybe, its the cost of the ride. I'm the first to admit that its not cheap to come out for a ride with us. But, interestingly its been almost 3 years since we last raised our prices. If anything we have stayed a little behind inflation prices or the cost of living increases. Maintaining a Harley Davidson motorcycle is not cheap - and I am a stickler for keeping my bike in great condition (so it doesn't let me down at the most embarrassing time, like in the middle of a ride). Some of my peers in the Harley Rides industry service their own bikes to save money. Several own very old bikes to save money. So competing on price is not easy.

Or is it the Public Perception of the Motorcycle? According to certain Government Agencies, like the Transport Accident Commission (TAC), riding on a motorcycle is a very risky business. According to them if you get on a motorcycle you are guaranteed to have a accident. I haven't had an accident for over 30 years on my motorcycle. In fact I am highly aware of what to avoid and how to stay out of trouble whenever I am on my bike. In fact I am paranoid about making a mistake that will result in getting my bike scratched. If anything, sitting on the back of my motorcycle as a passenger is far safer that being in a bus or taxi or hire car in my biased opinion.

Is a fear of motorcycles stopping people from coming out for a ride with us? Many rides are a surprise for the person we are taking out. These rides are often booked as a surprise gift for their birthday, anniversary, fathers day or mothers day, even on their wedding day. The responses we get are diverse, and the frequent response is immediate apprehension - usually goaded by their friends with silly remarks like, "Now, don't fall off", said with a big smile and accompanying laughter.

After a person has been been sitting on the bike and have moved off, their apprehension quickly evaporates. I make a point of explaining why the bike stays upright when we are in motion, and demonstrate the physics that make it difficult to fall off the bike - unless we are stationary - or something hits us (which is very unlikely as long as I am in control).

By the end of the ride, our passengers have a new perspective as to why I ride a motorcycle - which as someone I know declares, "Is the most fun thing you can ever do." It is an addiction. I know the risks and I know how to manage them - I just wish people understood that fact.

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Motorcycle Converts on Youtube

Most people have a negative attitude to motorcycles. Many think that as soon as you get on one that they will fall off, and that they need to cling on tight. Many are surprised to discover that their perceptions are 100% wrong after going for a Harley Ride as a pillion passenger. Yes, if you want to convert that someone you love to your way of thinking about motorcycles then give them an hour with us and we guarantee that we will change their minds, and that they will want you to get one - very soon!

The best way to do it is to organise a surprise Harley Ride, that way they won't have to think about it. If they have to think about it, then they will come up with 1000 excuses to get out of going. If its a surprise, then we don't give them time to think about it, and before they know it we rid them of their negative perceptions as we demonstrate why they can't fall off a moving motorbike, why there is nothing dangerous about an "inanimate piece of metal" and that staying out of the way of cars is easier on a motorcycle, that compared to driving a car (where the driver is actually almost blind to what is around them - i.e. they have many blind spots, on a motorcycle you have none).

Youtube Harley Rides on New Year's Eve

What do you do to make New Year's Eve just a little bit different? Organise a Harley Ride for your guests attending your themed party is one option chosen by one of our customers to celebrate the end of 2011 last year.

Or to waste a little time before the big night, on a visit to Melbourne two girls chose to take a ride to start their big day off, before partying the night away.

Down the Great Ocean Road on a Harley Davidson

What many people don't recognise is the fact that the Great Ocean Road needs to be experienced, and the best way to experience the Great ocean Road is by riding as a passenger on a Harley Davidson on a Harley Ride.

"But, I don't think I could take sitting on the back of a bike all day," I hear you say? Well, we don't actually ride continuously for hours at a time. we actually ride for an hour, stop relax, ride for another hour, stop relax have lunch etc. The experience comes from sitting on the back of the bike as a passenger and taking in all the views - which you wouldn't see from inside a tourist bus. Get it? You see everything, and we don't need to stop. Add the feeling you get from being on a Harley Davidson, the feel of the wind in your face, the looks of envy from other road users and you should soon understand why this is something that need's to be taken off one's Bucket List : )

Tanya's Harley Davidson Ride

As a reward for good work, Tanya was given a Harley Ride by her employer. The ride was for two people, so she took her partner out for the ride with us. This is but one of the many types of ride that we do. Staff rewards in the form of a Harley Ride are something that always goes down well.

On this occasion the ride started and finished in Williamstown. Lasting for an hour we went over the West gate Bridge to St Kilda and back.

Birthday Surprise Harley Ride

On this particular day, we turned up at the school where Paul is the Headmaster. His sister organised the Harley Ride as a surprise gift. Noteably, his students were very impressed as can be seen by the amount of attention we got at the time we picked him up. 

Harley Ride Conversations

Talking to our passengers, seated on the back of our Harley Davidson motorcycle, as we cruise around is one of the joys of a Harley Ride . Do we use an intercom? No we don't. Why? because we don't need one. Its very easy to talk to you if you are a pillion on a bike with us. Here is a Youtube clips that show you what I mean.

You Tube - Ride The Yarra Boulevard with us

One of the great things about Melbourne is its parklands. The Yarra Boulevard is just one such location and its very close to the city. And what a Harley Ride it makes!

We quite often integrate this route into our Harley Rides when we takes someone out for one of our motorcycle joyrides. Its the only place I know where you are actually in the middle of a city like Melbourne, but you feel like you are right out in the Australian countryside. Just another experience we offer.

You Tube Across My handlebars

What's it like? What can you see - seated on the back of a Harley Davidson motorbike on one of our Harley Rides?

This is the first in what I hope will become a series of You Tube clips where I attach a camera to my bike as I take people for joyrides around Melbourne.

So enjoy this and let me know what you think.

Tourism Victoria Video Vault - Discover Melbourne by Harley Davidson

Click Here to view the Video Vault

 

Tourism Victoria recently launched their Video Vault and we are featured as part of one of their video promotions for tourists visiting Melbourne.

This video includes an interview with John giving an explanation of what a Harley Ride is all about and explains why - if you are visiting Melbourne - then this is a must do!

Coxy's Big Break and Harley Rides

From time to time we get called on by various Melbourne TV networks to do a spot on one of their shows. This time it was Cox's Big Break, a travel show which goes to air each Saturday on Network 7 at 5.30pm.

Here is the episode that included Harley Rides :

Big Stick Movie Experience 12th January 2008

Large corporate activities are things that we often get involved in. This month we were called upon by Big Stick Adventures to be part of an activity which invovled a Corprate Incentive Reward activity, the theme for the day which was a "movie experience". The day involved filming us and other forms of transport chasing a "bad guy" around Melbourne with the corporates who captured the bad guy in the end. Prior to the day some pre filming was done, so that when the final product was edited at the end of the day it looked like a genuine "action movie". Things you can do on a Harley Ride - the options are endless.

Harley Rides - More or Our Customers

Here is another Animoto video clip where I have put together another sequence of photo's taken from many of the various jobs that we have completed for Corporate Groups, Birthday rides for mothers and even a wedding - I'm having a lot of fun with Animoto.

Harley Rides - Our Customers

These photos come from the official www.harleyrides.com.au collection and show the diversity of people we take out for Harley Rides and some of the other things we get called upon to do...

Team Building Melbourne Harley Tour

When you are leding a team of people in the workplace, there comes a time when you want to reward them in the form of a Team Building activity. A Harley Ride is an excellent Team Building activity - one which we are called upon to provide.

Yesterday, we took one such goup on a Dandenong Ranges Tour in two sidecars on a 3 hour ride up into the mountains just outside Melbourne.

Felicity, the team leader, had organized for us to meet them all in the city at 1.30pm and we cruised down the Monash Freeway and out through Ferntree Gully to out first stop at the Observatory on the top of Mt Dandenong. The funniest thing was seeing all the irls wave at everyone we rode past.

The day ended as we got back to the city at 4.40pm. Here is photo of the group taken at the Observatory on top of Mt Dandenong:














Here is a note I received from Felicity today:

Hi John,
I just wanted to say again how fabulous the afternoon was yesterday. Everyone absolutely loved it and they were able to really relax and enjoy themselves. I will definitely be recommending you to our other divisions.
Regards,
Felicity Stanley
Executive Manager
Select Appointments - Notting Hill

What a Week!

Thank god its Monday! As the weather starts to warm here in Melbourne, the workload soon heats up and demand for Harley Rides begins in earnest.
This past week has certainly proven that year in year out the story remains the same.
Just to give you some idea of what we get up to, I'll detail several of the rides underatken over the last week:

On Thursday, we took two girls for a half day ride up into the Yarra Valley. It was for a 25th Birthday surprise gift, which certainly made its impact. First we rode from Cheltenham out to Emerald and then on to Healesville where we stopped for a coffe break. Needless to say the girls certainly had a big smile on their faces when we stopped. My passenger kept saying, "How cool is this!". Yes, we get paid to make people happy.

On Friday, it was off down the Great Ocean Road to Apollo Bay. This stretch of road never gets boring and is always spectacular. The weather was magnificent and there wasn't much traffic on the road, so we didn't get held up. But, we also didn't break any speed limits, this is a treacherous piece of winding road which I treat with considerable respect. But, I do love it...

The weekend saw me working with my sidecar at the Stringybark Festival. October is "Festival Season" in Melbourne. Here I was taking people - 3 at a time - kids and their parents mainly - for short rides. It was round and round the same circuit for two long days. On Saturday I did 40 laps and on Sunday I did over 55 laps. Needless to say there were many photos taken and many smiles all round. On Sunday night I went to bed very early - pushing a sidecar around all weekend is exhausting...

On Monday morning I took my bike in for a service. The service interval is 8000 km and I like to make sure that my bike is kept in perfect condition - I can't afford to have it break down - so I look after it. After all it is my "tool of trade". The bike goes in for a service about every 6 weeks and I cover around 60,000 kms each year. I'll be replacing this one with a new one at the end of next year!

While the bike was being serviced, I received a call from a girl who wanted to give a friend a surprise ride. She decided that she need to do it that afternoon. She even came in and paid me at the dealership where my bike was being serviced and off I went to end the day by making another woman happy..... Its a hard life!

People Who come for Harley Rides with us

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Here is a link to a Photo Gallery of people we have taken for a Harley Ride.

Visions of Melbourne

I stumbled over an excellent Video Page on the Visit Victoria web site the other day.

It contains four magnificent Video Clips that showcase magnificent Melbourne.