GEMC March/April News Letter GEMC

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1 GOLDEN EAGLES GEMC A Word From The Prez MOTORCYCLE Guess what? Another month has gone by and we are now into April. We are discovering new ways to enhance the clubhouse and it s facilities this year and will be discussing some of the membership survey results and suggestions at this months meeting. I too have personally discovered some changes related to my biking habits. NEVER, NEVER try to catch your ride if it decides to take a fall from it s center stand. I did and 5 weeks, 3 doctors and a lot of muscle relaxers and pain killers later I am now ready to take some short rides. I guess being 64 is not the same as being 46. The monthly newsletter is also discovering some new changes for Starting next month an Items For Sale and A Recipe for Fun sections are being incorporated into the publication. The club will now have a 50/50 and a door prize drawing for all meetings. I will discuss details at this month s meeting. Hope to see all of you there! We are saddened by the departure of Steve and Mary Solomon from GEMC s ranks but wish them the best in their new adventure. They were valued members for many years and consistently contributed to the GEMC s success. Good luck and God speed to Steve, Mary and their family. CLUB GEMC March/April News Letter From the President 1 Calendar Updates 1 Safety Tips Reminder 2 Hearing Loss Facts 3,4 March Clean Up Report 6 Did You Know Facts 7 Specialty Club Items 7 April 6 - Board Mtg at 7PM, membership Mtg. at 8:00PM April 14 - Breakfast ride, KSU 7:30 AM Clubhouse, 8:00 AM Hwy 54 & 41. April 19- Social Night, 6:30 PM Invite friends & fellow riders. April 28 - Dinner Ride KSU 6:30 PM at the Clubhouse. Invite friends & fellow riders. Inside this issue: Be safe on the road and ride every chance you can! KSU = Kicks Stands Up 1

2 Drive Defensively: Safety Tips Reminder Be especially alert at intersections because approximately 70 percent of motorcycle-vehicle collisions occur there! Watch for vehicles that may unexpectedly turn in front of you or pull out from a side street or driveway. At intersections where vision is limited by shrubbery, parked vehicles, or buildings, slow down, make doubly sure of traffic, and be prepared to react quickly. Check the rearview mirrors before changing lanes or stopping. A quick stop without checking rear traffic may result in a rear-end crash. When changing lanes, use signals and make a visual check to assure that you can change lanes safely. Watch the road surface and traffic ahead to anticipate problems and road hazards. Road hazards that are minor irritations for an automobile can be a major hazard for a rider. Hazards include potholes, oil slicks, puddles, debris or other objects on the roadway, ruts, uneven pavement, and railroad tracks. Painted roadway markings and manhole covers can be extremely slippery when wet. Go around most hazards. To do so safely, you must be able to spot such hazards from a distance. Slow down before reaching the obstacle and make sure you have enough room before changing direction. Railroad tracks should be crossed at an angle as close to 90 degrees as possible. Experienced motorcyclists often have this advice for new riders: "Assume that you are invisible to other motorists and operate your motorcycle accordingly." Position yourself to be seen. Ride in the portion of the lane where it is most likely that you will be seen by other motorists. Avoid the car's "No Zone" (i.e., blind spot). Use your headlights, day and night. All motor vehicles have blind spots where other vehicles cannot be seen with mirrors. Be Courteous: Treat other motorists with courtesy and respect. Avoid tailgating. Avoid riding between lanes of slow moving or stopped traffic. Know and obey traffic laws, including ordinances in your community. Avoid excessive noise by leaving the stock muffler in place or using a muffler of equivalent noise reduction. Use signals when appropriate. Remember, the practices of some riders are offensive to other motorists (e.g., weaving in and out of stalled traffic, riding on shoulders). Being inconsiderate of other motorists creates a negative image for all riders, and can cause crashes. 2

3 Hearing Loss?! Most motorcyclists understand the effects of a "silent killer" which follows them every time they enjoy riding their bikes. Unfortunately, several people still believe the causes of hearing loss are due to how loud the bike sounds, and/or that it affects only the people who do not wear full shell helmets. This is true to a certain degree. Based on several research studies, the major contributor to hearing loss in the motorcycle industry remains the "silent killer" known as "wind noise." Generically termed as the amount of noise turbulence produced around the head while the rider is in motion. Its inherited consequences result in irreversible hearing loss damage over a period of time when adequate hearing protection is not worn. Similar to the shooting and aviation industries, if this issue is not addressed correctly from the beginning the amount of exposure to the inner ear is compounded every time the rider ventures out on his/her bike for hours at a time. Constant duration of harmful level noises gradually force the rider into becoming another statistic of the "silent killer." To put this in perspective, according to OSHA's regulation of industrial noise exposure, an average worker surrounded by levels around 85-90dB for an eight hour day will not exceed the limits of exposure time within a 24 hour period of time. However, when the sound levels exceed 100dB, your exposure time is reduced to two hours. When sound levels exceed 115dB, your exposure time is drastically reduced to 15 minutes. This puts riding a bike a whole other realm as "wind noise" at highway speeds can measure up to 103dB, or comparable to a running chainsaw. At these levels the rider is not only fatiguing physically from the excess noise exposure, but it also puts him into a position of needing a hearing aid later in life. Another common ailment of motorcycle riding is a condition known as "Temporary Threshold Shift," commonly referred to as TTS by audiologists and hearing healthcare professionals. TTS is caused by excessive noise exposure for a duration of time, which drops your actual acute hearing pattern to a lower level temporarily. Meaning, your hearing is less than what it was before the initial exposure. Continuous TTS exposure will result in permanent damage. Everyone has experienced this phenomenon at one time or another, whether it is from going to loud dance halls, or concerts, or even work. Even some of today's movie theatres can cause this to happen, but this is a specific certainty for motorcyclists who disregard adequate hearing protection while riding their bike. Riding position and style of windshield help in preventing "silent killers" ability to fully be experienced. But even the best helmets on today's marketplace provide little help when considering "wind noise" levels at normal highway speeds. Obviously, this factor is increased in half shell models as well as skullcaps, but the common helmets used in today's marketplace are designed to fit entirely over the head providing a snug fit. 3

4 These types of helmets have the best attenuation value (reduction in noise) regardless of any airflow modifications done to the outside. But these helmets still produce wind noise readings of 110 to 116dB's, from 35mph to highway speeds. When reflecting back to the comparison chart, 116dB will only be suitable for 15 minutes of riding a day. Not a lot of time to enjoy your hobby... Is it? Although there are several versions of hearing protection devices on the market, a custom set of earmolds is still the best answer in suppressing sound. They provide excellent attenuation values and are comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. They can even be molded with high-grade transducers, which allow for stereo compatibility or communications. To find out more about these products search under our "Product Links" listed on the navigation bar. We also suggest checking with your local state officials on the regulations of wearing hearing protection. Several states have motorcycle laws regarding earplug use. For a quick reference, see the AMA web pages on State Motorcycle Laws - There is no significant difference in wind noise level as a function of speed, no matter what the helmet brand or model (all being full coverage). Neither the riding position nor the brand or style of motorcycle make significant difference in noise level. Padding inside the helmet, open or closed vents, or added weather stripping on the helmet to alter flow patterns, does not significantly alter the noise level in a helmet. Stopped at a stop light at a busy intersection with your helmet visor closed produces a sound level of 80-90dB SPL. (Lawn mower, loud restaurant levels) When not wearing a helmet, the wind noise at highway speed is nearly 10 times greater than when wearing a full coverage helmet. Below 30mph, machine, exhaust and environmental noises are heard. Once speeds exceed approximately 30mph, wind noise dominates completely. Some helmets resonate at approximately 500Hz, and actually enhance wind noise. Legal speeds of 65mph can produce wind noise levels at 103dB SPL, (chainsaw, pneumatic drill). This noise is loud enough to cause TTS in your hearing, tinnitus and permanent ear damage. Don t act like a Fred Flintstone! Take care of your hearing and it will take care of you! 4

5 March Party Night Report: Those who couldn t attend the quarterly Party Night missed a great time at the clubhouse. The food was spectacular, attendance was good and the atmosphere rated 5 STARS. Kudos to all who participated. No better way to end the first quarter of the New Year. I ll let the photos speak for themselves. 5

6 CLEAN UP DAY VOLUNTEERS The Board and it s members would like to thank the following for giving up their personal time on clean up day to help GEMC look and function better as a club: Grant Hile Tony Bernardo Dan Carbone Mike Walsh John Mitchell Bruce Schuman All GEMC members reap the benefits and rewards through their individual efforts. 6

7 DID YOU KNOW: Newsletter articles & photos needed. Send me some and my personal assistant will visit your house to get details!! to Submit birthdays and new bikes pics too! MY PERSONAL ASSISTANT > The legend claims that a small bell attached to your motorcycle, close to the ground, catches the Evil Road Spirits. The Little Gremlins live on your motorcycle causing all kinds of mechanical problems. The cavity of the bell attracts these Evil Spirits, but the constant ringing drives them insane and they lose their grip and fall to the ground. The legend also says that if you give the gremlin bell as a gift to a rider you double the protection. President John Mott V. Pres Grant Hile Treasurer Mike Kogut Secretary Mary Ellen Mitchell Finance Advisor Dan Carbone Known March\April Birthdays:?????????????????????????????????????? News Letter Editor at Large (Or Small) John (Rebel Rider) Mott Board of Directors Tony Bernado Dan Carbone Grant Hile Mike Kogut John Mott Mike Walsh John Mitchell Road Captain John Mitchell RC Assistant Dan Carbone Kitchen Manager Hile s Family? 7