Blais, of Manchester, had driven off the road and, luckily, another driver noticed his motorcycle lights on in the wooded area and called police a little after 2:00am.

Police responded to the scene and discovered that Blais had sustained several serious injuries as a result of being thrown off of his motorcycle.  It was reported that Blais did have his helmet on.  Emergency responders transported Blais to a local hospital and then by air to Massachusetts General Hospital for treatment. 

Police are continuing to investigate the crash.

If you have suffered injuries in this or similar motorcycle accident in New Hampshire, contact the best motorcycle attorney, Tom Kiley, for a Free Consultation: 1-800-410-2769. 
The best motorcycle accident attorneys will provide a free consultation. We also provide a download of Tom’s FREE motorcycle book: Do Loud Pipes Save Lives? A Biker’s Guide to Accidents and Injuuries.

90% of the time when I ride, I do not wear a helmet. I live in Florida so I am not in violation of any motorcycle laws but I am breaking one of the cardinal sins of motorcycling. And that is riding safely.

What’s worse is I have absolutely no excuse. Not only do I blog about how helmets mitigate injuries and save lives, I own 4 helmets. I have 3 DOT motorcycle helmets and a carbon fiber novelty helmet just waiting to be worn.

The last thing I want to happen is to learn the hard way. The last thing I want is to receive a massive head injury or lose my life over something as simple as putting on a helmet.

My number #1 New Year’s Resolution is to commit to safe riding and make a bigger effort to wear a helmet each time I ride. If you have not been wearing a helmet, I suggest you do the same.

Loud motorcycle pipes have been one of the tactics that bikers have used to become more visible to motorists. The increased noise of loud pipes help motorists sense bikers as they are riding down the road. This fact helped coin the phrase, loud pipes save lives. While there is very little data to support this claim, it makes sense.

Loud pipes however, do have a few risks. The most common is hearing problems. Another risk is getting shot in the face by a neighbor who hates all the noise.

Last year in Jeffersonville, IN two neighbors got into an altercation over the loud motorcycle pipes. The altercation escalated to a point where the motorcycle owner was shot in the face by the annoyed neighbor. Now, the shooter faces an attempted murder and aggravated assault charges.

This is an extreme case but punctuates the point that loud pipes can be annoying to others. If you have loud pipes, try to be sensitive to your neighbors who don’t ride motorcycles or who don’t like getting woken up to the sound of Rinehart Exhaust or Screaming Eagles at 3 A.M.

But it is not my dream bike.

I have always wanted to have a true original custom cruiser. To do that, it will have to be built from the ground up. Even though it may sound like a daunting task, it actually is achievable.

DIY: Best case scenario is that you have the room, the tools, and knowledge to do the work yourself. The investment of time may be high but the end satisfaction has to be the best. If not, find a mechanic buddy and pay him with beer and pizza to help you. Otherwise, your mechanic will need to lead the build.

Rolling Chassis: Starting with a rolling chassis is best since they come with tires, rims, fenders, and even handlebars. Depending on the style of bike you want, rolling chassis can generally range between $1500-5000. There are a variety of vendors offering chopper, bobber, race style, and other styles.

Engines/Transmission: Harley Davidson engines and transmissions are great for custom motorcycle builds. Crate engines and transmissions can be purchased from motorcycle dealers. Another great source is motorcycle grave yards. You can also search for parts bikes for sale.

Controls: Controls should always be brand new or as close to new as possible. You don’t want to risk your safety on used brakes or throttle parts that could fail at the wrong time. You can buy controls at your online motorcycle retailer of choice.

Paint/Fabrication: Paint should be done by professionals. Even flat black paint needs to be applied by the hands of an experienced painter. What’s the point of building your dream bike unless the paint matches the beauty of the bike?

Building your dream bike from the ground up is a task that could take several weeks to several months based on your time availability and budget. It’s a labor of love so every minute and every dollar spent is a great investment. Make sure that once your bike is ready for the road, have a mechanic give it a quick review to make sure it is road ready. If so, twist the throttle and go!

That’s what make the winter especially cruel for bikers in the north. For several months, the ability to ride is simply not there. Their only choices are to wait until the next motorcycle riding season or travel to a warmer climate.

There is another option.

Snowmobiling could be a great way to get some of the thrills of the open road and experience a new way to enjoy the cold and snow of  winter.

Snowmobiles are incredibly fast and agile 2 or 4 stroke machines built for handling off road and mountainous terrain. These machines have two “tracks’ for rear tires and skis for the front allowing it to rocket through areas where cars and 4 wheelers cannot go. Snowmobiles are capable of speeds in excess of 100MPH and are very easy to drive.

Nothing can take the place of a motorcycle but snowmobiling is a great alternative to riding a motorcycle in the winter time.

Motorcycling can also be a very tough hobby for those whose significant other doesn’t understand or appreciate the fun of riding. Even the most hardcore bikers have a hard time riding as much as they would like when someone at home gives you grief for it.

In most cases, the grief centers around;

• Fear: Many non-riders are afraid that if they ride on a motorcycle, they will be seriously injured
• Perceived danger: Motorcycles are dangerous but some non-riders have an acute sense of danger which makes them have a negative opinion about riding.
• Bad personal experiences: Stories of friends, family, and even strangers’ accidents on motorcycles sometime cripple non-riders’ ability to jump on a bike.
• Lack of knowledge: Some non-riders know nothing about motorcycles but somehow formed a negative opinion.

These are some major hurdles to overcome but it can be done. With some careful thought and strategy, you might even get your hardcore anti-biker to start riding along. Of course, every situation is different but here are a few tips to try to turn your significant other into motorcycling fan.

• Motorcycle apparel: Men and women love cool biker clothing and getting a few motorcycle apparel items first may be a good segue into riding
• Motorcycle rider safety course: Knowledge is king. By getting your non-rider to learn how to ride in a safe environment, you’ll have a great chance of getting their support.
• Meeting other bikers: Meeting responsible bikers can help the non-biker in your life understand that bikers are regular people, respect traffic laws, and value their lives.
• Motorcycle events: Motorcycle events are exciting and they can get your non-rider excited about bikes, apparel, and potentially riding.
• Small steps: Try not to overwhelm your non-biker all at once. It will take some time to turn their negative opinion around.

Let’s not pretend, turning your non-riding significant other into a biker fan is an uphill climb. It may not be easy and it may not be quick. Consistency and patience is the key to getting them on your side. Your significant other may surprise you and become a biker fan sooner than you think.

McQueen acted in “The Magnificent Seven” (1960), “The Great Escape” (1963), “Bullitt” (1968), “The Getaway” (1972), and “The Towering Inferno” (1974), among many others. He received an Academy Award nomination, for “The Sand Pebbles” (1966), and several Golden Globe Award nominations.

McQueen, who once worked as a part-time motorcycle mechanic, was an avid off-road motorcycle racer. In 1978, he was inducted into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame. In 1999, he was inducted posthumously into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

By the time of his death in 1980, McQueen had collected over 100 classic motorcycles, including a 1937 Crocker “Hemi-head” V-Twin and a 1920 Indian Powerplus Daytona.

McQueen’s motorcycle, car, and airplane collecting is the subject of “McQueen’s Machines: The Cars and Bikes of a Hollywood Icon” by Matt Stone, along with McQueen’s amateur racing career and movie stunt work. McQueen’s Triumph TR6 Trophy motorcycle from “The Great Escape” has become legendary.

In a January 2007 review, Men’s Journal had this to say about “McQueen’s Machines”:

“Though both a ladies’ man and a man’s man, Steve McQueen was first and foremost a gearhead. He performed many of his own driving stunts. He raced across American deserts and European road courses on two wheels and four. He had the balls to pilot the terrifying Porsche 917 flat out down the Mulsanne straight and ride a Triumph through Paris traffic. ‘McQueen’s Machines’ is the first complete look inside the man’s garage and, as a result, one of the few peeks inside his head.”

Matt Stone is the executive editor of Motor Trend magazine. Chad McQueen, Steve’s son, writes the forward to the book.

Leno is the former host of the Tonight Show. He moved to an earlier time slot just this fall with the Jay Leno Show. (Conan O’Brian succeeded him at the Tonight Show.)

In addition to his work as a television host, Leno writes about cars for several publications, including Popular Mechanics and the Sunday Times of London.

In 2000, Leno was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame for his contributions as a motorcycling ambassador. He has a very large and impressive collection of motorcycles.

You can check out Leno’s motorcycles online at Jay Leno’s Garage, a Web site that also showcases his cars. Currently, Leno highlights more than 30 motorcycles on his site, among them his Vincent Black Shadow and his Brough Superior.

Visitors to Leno’s Web site can also show off their rides by posting information about their own motorcycles.

Rebel defiance is expressed through the design of the biker’s motorcycle. In the early days of custom choppers, the actual bike owner served as the chief mechanic and designer creating the bike in his own unique vision. Decades ago, bike owners used paint, custom motorcycle accessories, chrome, and other items to make their bikes appear as original as possible.

Today nothing has changed. Although typical motorcycle owner do not design or fabricate custom accessories, today’s biker still wants his bike to have that rebel edge. Aftermarket motorcycle parts and accessories have become a multi-million dollar industry creating parts to make even the most plain machine appear to a custom chopper.

One of the accessories that has stood the test of time are ape hanger handle bars. From the early 1960s to today, these handlebars are the hallmark of rebel bikers and nothing gives a motorcycle a more extreme look.

What are ape hangers handle bars? These are handle bars that extend vertically upward from the bike. Although there are no exact specifications for the length of ape hangers, they tend to be greater than 12 inches tall.  The name “ape hanger’ was given to this new motorcycle accessory because they made bikers’ arms appear exaggeratedly long.

This look was popularized in the early 1960s as bikers tried new and innovative ways to customize their bikes. As the ape hanger look grew in popularity, bikers kept pushing the envelope to make their ape hangers progressively taller. Most commercially produced ape hanger handle bars do not exceed 18 inches.

From the 1960s to today, rebel bikers pushed the ape hanger limits and now custom ape hangers are in excess of 20 inches high. While this look is extreme, it is also illegal. It is illegal to install handlebars on a motorcycle that extend above the shoulders of the rider. That’s why rebel bikers love ape hangers. It is another way they can defy the law.

Ape hanger handlebars are great accessories but not for every rider. While the look is great, controlling a motorcycle with ape hanger handle bars requires advanced motorcycle riding skill. For experienced riders who want an extreme look, ape hangers still make a loud and clear statement.

But not all helmets are the same. Some helmets simply don’t look very good. We all agree that protection is most important but style does matter.

Carbon Fiber helmets are great for adding safety and style to every ride on your custom cruiser or Harley Davidson. Carbon fiber has a very distinctive look that traditional helmets cannot match. Both carbon fiber DOT and Non DOT helmets are smaller than traditional helmets and offer the same or higher levels of protection.

Like most things, there are cheap imitation carbon fiber helmet so make sure to check type of carbon fiber used. The best carbon fiber helmets are a 50/50 blend of carbon fiber and Kevlar 29. This mix ensures the highest grade of stiffness and strength to keep you looking cool and riding safe.