Photo Credit: Daytona Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Aug. 27, 2024) — The American Motorcyclist Association is adding a new stop to its annual AMA Gypsy Tour: Biketoberfest® in Daytona Beach, Fla, which runs Oct. 17-20 this year.

“Biketoberfest® is a fall staple for motorcyclists, giving riders the opportunity to enjoy Florida’s longer riding season along with the many vendors, motorcycle shows and custom bike builds that are a part of this city-wide road rally,” AMA Director of Marketing & Communications Joy Burgess said. “We’re pleased to add Biketoberfest® to our AMA Gypsy Tour schedule and look forward to fostering a long-term partnership with the event.”

At the four-day rally, AMA Gypsy Tour pins, as well as other materials that highlight the 100-year history of the AMA and American motorcycling, will be distributed at the Official Biketoberfest Welcome Center located trackside at Daytona International Speedway’s Fall Cycle Scene display area.  

“Biketoberfest® attracts motorcycle enthusiasts from around the world to enjoy the Florida sunshine, gentle ocean breezes, scenic rides, fun-filled activities and live music and to share their passion and love for motorcycles,” said Lori Campbell Baker, Executive Director for the Daytona Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, the promoter of Biketoberfest®. “We’re thrilled to have Biketoberfest® included on the AMA Gypsy Tour schedule and bring more awareness to all the activities surrounding this popular rally.”

The weekend event will include motorcycle racing at Daytona International Speedway, motorcycle shows, hundreds of vendors, scenic rides throughout Daytona Beach area, and much more!

For more information on the 2024 Biketoberfest® event, visit www.daytonabeach.com/biketoberfest/.

To learn more about AMA Gypsy Tours, head over to AmericanMotorcyclist.com/riding/on-road-riding/national-gypsy-tour/.

About Biketoberfest®
The Daytona Beach area welcomes motorcycle enthusiasts for the 32^nd annual Biketoberfest® rally on October 17-20. Biketoberfest® is a four-day event that attracts motorcycle enthusiasts to Volusia County with beautiful Florida weather, live music, the industry’s top vendors, bike shows, motorcycle racing at Daytona International Speedway, and miles of scenic rides along famous A1A, historic Main Street and The Loop in Ormond Beach. More information is available on the official event website, Biketoberfest.org, including a list of area events, concerts, demo rides, places to stay, top scenic rides, and more.

Official sponsors of Biketoberfest® include the American Motorcyclist Association, Daytona Beach Racing and Card Club, Dream Giveaway, Florida Motorcycle Safety Program (Florida Department of Transportation), Alert Riders, Rue & Ziffra, Southern Stone Communications and Teddy Morse’s Daytona Harley-Davidson.

About the Daytona Beach Area | #LoveDaytonaBeach

Experience endless adventures in this eclectic destination that offers the perfect, beach base camp from which to explore the greater Daytona Beach area and all of Central Florida. Choose thrilling activities or embrace the tranquility of days spent on 23 miles of world-famous, white-sand beaches. With more than 12,000 rooms, and a variety of meeting hotels and unique spaces, the destination has accommodations for meetings and groups of all sizes and budgets. Learn more at DaytonaBeach.com. #LoveDaytonaBeach

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PICKERINGTON, Ohio (May 3, 2024) — As more riders return to the open road, the American Motorcyclist Association reminds motorists to look for motorcycles and extend courtesy to their two-wheeled counterparts this Motorcycle Awareness Month. May heralds the unofficial start of the summer travel season, and this annual campaign aims to increase awareness and advocate for enhanced safety measures that improve motorcyclist safety nationwide.

“The safety and increased awareness of motorcyclists on the road is one of our paramount concerns here at the AMA,” said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. “Motorcycle Awareness Month is the perfect time for the AMA to address our core mission to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. One of the best ways to accomplish that is by encouraging measures that make our members safer on the road.”

During Motorcycle Awareness Month, and all year long, it’s imperative that motorists and motorcyclists work together to create safe roadways and reduce the number of crashes on our nation’s highways.

In a recent survey, AMA members indicated that the most concerning issues facing motorcyclists on the road pertain to distracted driving and the inattentive usage of Automated Driving Systems (ADS) in cars and trucks. Regarding these dangerous issues, among others, the AMA stresses the importance of exercising vigilance behind the wheel and avoiding all distractions while driving.

The AMA also reminds those who own cars with advanced driver assist capabilities to remain alert and attentive when operating their vehicle. Additionally, drivers should remain aware of their surroundings when using driver-assisted technology, including lane-keeping assistance, automated braking and adaptive cruise control, as many of those features remain in the early stages of development.

The AMA was encouraged by a recently enacted law that permits lane-filtering in Colorado, as well as other efforts around the country to pass similar legislation. As seen through implementation in several other states, lane filtering reduces the possibility for rear-end collisions by allowing motorcyclists to filter through congested traffic at low speeds.

As we celebrate Motorcycle Awareness Month this May, the AMA urges all road users — including both cars and motorcycles — to drive safely and remain vigilant on the road to ensure a safe environment for riders and drivers alike.

Since the creation of Motorcycle Awareness Month in the early 1980s, the AMA and its network of clubs, state motorcycle rights organizations, the motorcycle industry and U.S. government entities have been steadfast supporters of Motorcycle Awareness Month. Stay engaged with AmericanMotorcyclist.com and the AMA’s social media channels throughout the month for more information on motorcycle awareness.    

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April 30, 2024 (This story appeared in the May 2024 edition of American Motorcyclist)

By Keaton Maisano

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Established in 1887 in Coventry, England, Triumph has evolved into one of the world’s premier motorcycle manufacturers, renowned for its commitment to crafting high quality motorcycles. The partnership between Triumph and the AMA’s National Adventure Riding Series underscores a shared dedication to promoting and advancing the adventure riding community.

“As a long-time Triumph adventure bike rider, I am thrilled to welcome Triumph Motorcycles as the title sponsor of the AMA National Adventure Riding Series,” said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. “The company’s century-plus legacy and commitment to excellence make them an ideal partner, and we look forward to working with Triumph to deliver an excellent experience for adventure riders across the country.”

The 2024 Triumph AMA National Riding Series will span 12 two-day events across the United States, offering a wide range of routes, roads, two-track trails and backcountry exploration, all thoughtfully designed by local clubs and built around a weekend of activities that typically includes camping, bonfires, food and prizes.

These events provide riders of all skill levels the opportunity to experience and enjoy the many diverse facets of adventure riding.

“There’s a strong passion for adventure motorcycling at Triumph, as evident by the development of the Triumph Adventure Experience training facilities around the world, and of course from the continuous updates to the Tiger family of motorcycles,” Triumph Motorcycles America Marketing Director Adam VanderVeen said. “By offering ADV riders across the country an outlet to enjoy their motorcycles to the fullest with a welcoming group of like-minded riders, the AMA National Adventure Riding Series represents the best aspects of adventure riding. Triumph is proud to support this program which gives so many riders an organized way to ride their ADV bikes the way they were designed to be ridden. We hope everyone that participates in one of the events this season truly enjoys their adventure!”

The 2024 Triumph AMA Adventure Riding Series includes the following events:

• April 12-14: Perry Mountain Tower Run Adventure Ride (Plantersville, Ala.)
• May 18-19: Show Me 500 (Bixby, Mo.)
• June 1-2: Durty Dabbers Great Adventure Ride (Lock Haven, Pa.)
• June 8-9: Ride for Research (Webeno, Wis.)
• June 8-9: MTVR Adventure Bike Ride for Cystic Fibrosis (Belmont, N.H.)
• June 22-23: Big Bear Run (Big Bear Lake, Calif.)
• Sept. 14-15: Buffaloe 500 (Columbus, Ind.)
• Sept. 28-29: Big Woods 200 (Webeno, Wis.)
• Oct. 19-20: Green Ridge Moto Adventure (Little Orleans, Md.)
• Oct. 26-27: Cross-Florida Adventure Ride (Daytona, Fla.)
• Oct. 26-27: Scenic Adventure Ride (Morgan Hill, Calif.)
• Nov. 29-30: LA-Barstow to Vegas (Palmdale, Calif.)

For more information about Triumph Motorcycles, visit triumphmotorcycles.com.

Learn more about the Triumph AMA National Riding Series or view the full schedule at americanmotorcyclist.com/national-adventure-riding.

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March 20, 2024 (This story appeared in the March 2024 Edition of American Motorcyclist)

By Keaton Maisano

Plenty of hard work has gone into putting on the Durty Dabbers Great Adventure Dual-Sport event, and it has resulted in years of clean fun and great riding.

The annual event hosted by the Durty Dabbers — a trials and dual-sport motorcycle club in Central Pennsylvania with more than 100 active members — is the longest-running event in the Beta AMA National Dual Sport Series. Running the first weekend of June, the two-day event maintained its popularity for more than three decades, selling out its 2023 event within an hour.

“The series started out relatively small, numbers-wise,” Durty Dabbers President Nils Mantzoros said. “It grew with time.”

Today, the event hosts 550 riders — the maximum allowed by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources — for two days of riding that covers about 100 miles each day. In 2023, riders ranged from 16–87 years old.

Running simultaneously to the dual-sport ride — which has two course options of varying difficulties navigated by roll chart — is an adventure ride. Despite differences in skill and style, Mantzoros sets up the courses to promote togetherness.

“Every 10 or 12 miles I’ll have a reset,” Mantzoros said. “All three courses meet at each reset. So you can ride with a group of friends on bikes that aren’t necessarily compatible, but still hang out and be with your buddies during the day. I think that’s made our event quite popular.”

Using several forestry areas for its event, participants are offered free camping. Colleen Wise, who helps with the registration, said the camping is one of the many bright spots of the event.

“One of the best things that happens here is the camping because of the comradery,” Wise said. “Some people will come to see the same people they saw before.”

In addition to riding and camping, the event offers snacks and meals to its registered riders. Riders also receive a T-shirt and prizes at the event banquet.

Most of the proceeds made from the event go toward the Durty Dabbers’ riding area, a 100-acre area purchased by the club to serve as a free riding park. The club uses this space to teach the next generation how to safely ride dirt bikes.

“We maintain [the park],” Mantzoros said. “We built a quite exotic pavilion, and our goal this year is to put in bathrooms.”

While the club’s success could be measured in land it’s purchased or in the structures its built, Mantzoros finds the number of returning riders for its annual event as a great barometer that the club is doing good work.

“We have folks who come every year, because it shows we’re doing a good job that they want to come back,” Mantzoros said. “When they come here, it’s almost like a reunion.”

The next reunion is set for June 1–2, and registration for the event is set to open the first week of April. Those looking to participate can stay in the loop by going to durtydabbers.com and clicking the link in the top right of the landing page to sign up for the email list.

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“The AMA was formed 100 years ago to give riders something to do with their motorcycles, including a variety of recreational riding activities,” said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. “The 2024 Recreational Riding Commissions will play a critical role in helping the AMA increase and improve recreational riding opportunities as we work towards cultivating a stronger recreational riding structure for the next 100 years.”

The 2024 AMA Recreational Riding Commissions were chosen from a large pool of highly qualified AMA members who have prior experience working with the AMA or local motorcycle clubs and events. Each appointee will serve a one-year term, beginning February 2024, and will work to help strengthen the AMA’s recreational riding pursuits.

The 2024 AMA Recreational Riding Commission appointees include:

AMA Road Riding Commission

• Cyndi Brandt (Chairperson)
• Maggie McNally
• Marlene Harris
• Mike Stock
• Rick Ferguson
• Victor Casteneda Jr.
• Michael Battaglia
• Paul Flanders
• Robert Trigueros
• David Canada
• Greg Zuest
• Paul Rogers

AMA Off-Road Riding Commission

• Paul Reisinger (Chairperson)
• Paul Watson
• BJ Hessler
• Kalyn Benaroya
• John Luce
• John Newton
• Ken Schuck
• Mike Mauer
• Kevin Higgins
• William Jenkins
• Jonathan Peters
• Karen Umphress
• William Hearne
• Robert Butke
• Robert Nye
• George Wysopal

Both commissions will meet throughout the year to address emerging topics and seek avenues to further improve recreational riding opportunities for all AMA members.

Although applications are closed for 2024, AMA members in good standing may apply to serve on either commission in 2025. Those interested in applying must fill out the form at https://form.jotform.com/220953789579174 by Sept. 30, 2024.

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PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Feb. 13, 2024) — After another successful year of racing and recreational riding pursuits, the American Motorcyclist Association congratulates the winners of its 2023 AMA Racing, Organizer and Volunteer Awards.

Awarded to the standout individuals and organizations that helped cultivate another thriving year of AMA-sanctioned events, the 2023 awards serve as a recognition of those who went above and beyond in the goal to help promote and preserve the motorcycling lifestyle.

“We are grateful to everyone who helped make 2023 another outstanding year of AMA-sanctioned racing and riding,” AMA Director of Racing Mike Pelletier said. “Congratulations to all of the winners, who worked tirelessly throughout 2023 to further the AMA’s reach across the nation.”

AMA members participated in the selection process of certain racing categories — including the Athlete of the Year awards — while AMA staff selected the recipients of the organizational and volunteer awards.

The AMA Athlete of the Year Awards were bestowed upon Grant Baylor (National Championship), Evan Renshaw (Grand Championship) and Mason Jackson (ATV).

Jeff Emig was awarded the AMA Veteran/Senior Racer of the Year, while Jack Brucks was recognized as the AMA Youth Racer of the Year.

The AMA Female Racer of the Year was Mikayla Moore, who brought home the MotoAmerica Build, Train, Race Championship in 2023.

The 2023 U.S. International Six Days Enduro Team, which saw its World Trophy and Women’s World Trophy Teams ­— as well as Club Team XC Gear — secure first-place finishes at the grueling event in San Juan, Argentina, earned the AMA Sportsman of the Year award.

Shifting gears to the organizational awards, Lake Sugar Tree Motorsports Park (Motocross Organizer of the Year), National Enduro Promotions Group (Off-Road Racing Organizer of the Year), Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association (Track Racing Organizer of the Year) and Braircliff Motocross LLC (ATV Organizer of the Year) were all recognized for their prowess in operating AMA-sanctioned races.

Manchester Motorcycle Club Inc. was named the Recreational Road Riding Organizer of the Year and Durty Dabbers Motorcycle Club claimed the Recreational Off-Road Organizer of the Year honor.

Middle Atlantic Motocross Association Inc. earned AMA Club of the Year honors, while Vital MX secured the AMA Media Award.

The AMA also recognized Rory S. Reiley, John Bauman and Charity Gochenour as the AMA Volunteers of the Year.

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February 7, 2024 (Story from the February 2024 edition of American Motorcyclist)

By Keaton Maisano

Over the years, certain names have become synonymous with motorcycling: Carmichael, Coombs, DeCoster and Davidson to name a few.

For a pocket of riders in New Jersey, another name has become a staple of the riding lifestyle many there enjoy: Rocky.

Rocco “Rocky” Spano, although not an AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer, has certainly left an indelible mark on those in and around the AMA-chartered Ocean County Competition Riders (OCCR) — a New Jersey enduro club belonging to the East Coast Enduro Association (ECEA). The 77-year-old has been a member of the club for four decades, and despite increased age and health problems, he remains a selfless, knowledgeable presence.

“I’m in the ECEA Hall of Fame,” he says with a smile, “which had nothing to do with my riding ability; it’s just that everybody knows who I am! I try to engage people, and am really more of a diplomat, because I try to bring people into the sport and show them how to do things the right way.”

Given Spano’s many years of experience and countless interactions with others, OCCR club member Mike Kuriawa believes Spano’s impact is hard to measure.

“How many people has this guy impacted? How many people has this guy spoken with about small things and just helped in some way?” Kuriawa wondered. “He’s not a well-known racer. He’s not a well-known anything, but the reality is that he’s somebody that’s entrenched in something that’s kinda a niche sport and he’s the type of guy that shines when it comes to welcoming people and being accommodating. One of the biggest things is, he basically wants everybody to have a good time.”

Spano started riding off-road motorcycles around 20 years of age, and his racing career began years later in his mid-30s. Racing in approximately 400 enduros over the years, and helping put on many others, Spano has had a life filled with off-road riding.

“If you ask me about a particular enduro, I can’t remember except that I had fun,” Spano said. “The main reason I go out ­— I’ve ridden all the trails — is to take the guys out. And they have so much fun and it makes you feel good at the end of the day.”

Spano has become the unofficial patriarch of the OCCR, and one way he showcases his welcoming nature is at the club’s weekly Sunday rides.

“I’ve taken out as many as 25 guys for a ride because I’ve laid out 17 enduros in our forest,” Spano said. “I know where to go and everybody knows who I am.”

It was at one of these weekly Sunday rides that current club member David Bye first met Spano, who welcomed Bye with open arms.

“Being that I had such a nice experience, I continued to go when I could every Sunday,” Bye said. “He was always there no matter what, barring weather or health issues, of course.”

Even with serious health issues, Spano has remained focused on others. After a heart problem prevented Spano from leading a Sunday ride, he unexpectedly showed up in his truck and helped guide the group of riders to the entrances of different trailheads so they could still have a good time.

“That’s the type of thing that he would do, because nobody else would do it,” Kuriawa said. “Not only is it incredible that he would do it for the guys, but that he could be in his car and lead people around so they could still enjoy a day of riding without him because he was down and out and couldn’t be on a bike himself.”

Spano’s relentless efforts to make sure OCCR members and nonmembers feel included and have a good time is simply explained by his love for motorcycling.

“This is my passion. Everybody has a passion, and I enjoy riding so much,” Spano said. “It’s all about having fun. I tell everybody, ‘You don’t go out there to see how fast you can go. It’s about just going out there to enjoy yourself.’ I like including people. It’s the way I am.”

Spano’s passion bled into legislative work around 2009, when the state of New Jersey allowed riders to only use plow lines — patches of forest plowed out for controlled burns — in the state forest.

New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection approached Spano and others with the task of mapping trails, with the end goal of getting an updated menu of the trails.

“I did 115 miles of the 160 that we did,” Spano said. “Just last year, they gave us a menu of trails in my state forest, so I’m responsible for that.”

While Spano is still focused on riding when he can and being a positive influence on other riders and motorcycling, the idea of him one day not being a part of the group is hard to imagine.

“Rocky is a little bit of the glue,” Kuriawa said. “It’s hard to comprehend him not being around because he’s been around for so long. But I’m sure that when he’s gone, or if he stops doing it at some point, he’s going to be sorely missed.”

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Jan. 19, 2024 (Story from the January 2024 edition of American Motorcyclist)

By John Burns

Downsizing being all the rage these days, here comes Honda right on schedule with an all-new lighter, friendlier, and cheaper ADV bike. Sure the Africa Twin is a great adventurer, but most of us middle-aged cheapskates aren’t Cyril Despres, and most of our adventures don’t require 100+ horsepower, super long-travel suspension or a foot of ground clearance.

Most of us don’t want to pick up a 500-pound plus motorcycle when it invariably tips over in the most awkward place, either, and I, for one, see no need to shell out 15 or 20 g’s for a motorcycle whose potential mocks my skill set. Especially when Honda invited us to sample the all-new Transalp 750 on Backroad Discovery Route’s Pennsylvania trek.

With its 4.5-gallon tank full (half-a-gallon less than Africa Twin), Honda says the Transalp’s 459-lb wet weight undercuts the base AT by 46 lbs. in spite of its steel frame. The Transalp’s seat is 33.7 inches from the ground, but there’s also a low-seat option that takes it down to 33.3 in. My 30-inch legs felt pretty confident on either one, able to get my foot balls down on both sides as the 43mm Showa SFF-CA inverted fork groaned through part of its 7.9-inch travel as my massive mass settled in, and the Pro-Link Showa shock used up more than a little of its 7.5-inch travel.

I’ve toppled over more than once from a standstill on Yamaha Tenere 700s, whose seat height claim is 34.4 in. That extra inch is an angry one indeed. Not only is the Transalp seat lower, it’s also broader and more comfortable than the Tenere’s more dirtbikey one, which is a big reason why the Honda feels considerably “streetier” than the Yamaha.

Speaking of the Tenere, we’ve been singing the praises of its spunky 689cc parallel Twin since the first FZ-07 got here in 2015. With its own all-new parallel twin, Honda takes everything we like about that engine and kicks it up about three notches. 755cc isn’t much bigger than the Yamaha, but the Honda’s Unicam head and more oversquare dimensions conspire to have the Transalp moving out from 2,000 rpm on up with more authority than you expect from a 750. The engine also spins up more enthusiastically than the Tenere’s.

The U.S. version adheres to sound restrictions that limit horsepower compared to the 90.5 bhp at 9,500 rpm Honda claims for the Euro version, but it doesn’t have much less, and still feels plenty fast. At 4,000 rpm, the engine’s producing serious thrust, and between 6,000 and 8,000 rpm the angry animal trapped in the airbox and being poked with the 270-degree crank through the Vortex flow ducts is screaming to get out. If you want to bounce the tach needle off its soft limiter (just past 10k on the analog-looking TFT tach) as you scatter leaves on Pennsylvania dirt roads, you can. The standard up/down quickshifter makes it easy to keep things screaming, and especially helps with smooth downshifts on those loose surfaces, too; engine braking is three-way adjustable. (When you do want the clutch, its slip-assist function gives it a really light pull and smooth engagement.)

Alternatively, when you tire of standing on the pegs and trying to keep up with the fast kids, you can just sit down on the cush seat, dial it back to cruise mode, and take in the Pennsylvania BDR’s glorious fall scenery. The Transalp encourages that, as the width of the gas tank makes standing on the pegs slightly awkward. On smoothish gravel roads (most of the BDR), the ride’s impeccable. On the couple of gnarlier rocky sections we encountered, with the rocks mostly invisible under a carpet of leaves, you might wish for the Africa Twin’s more sophisticated suspension and a steering damper. But it’s all good.

Actually, there is no Cruise mode, but there are Sport, Standard, Gravel, Rain, and a customizable User mode. In User, you can switch to Off-road ABS, which disables rear ABS, and you can turn off traction control, too (HSTC, Honda calls it). It’s all easy for even a technophobe to operate quickly with the left-thumb button. Personally, I like a little HSTC, of which there are five levels. A couple of too-sideways times out of loose gravelly corners just as my medulla oblongata was seizing up, the Honda brain had already stepped in to slow the rear’s spinning and straighten things out. A man’s got to know his limitations — and when he doesn’t, it’s nice to have a machine that does.

On top of all that, after 1.5 days of riding 80 percent dirt roads, my bike’s computer said it was getting 45 mpg, and the computers on the fastest guys’ bikes, who were flogging their Transalps the whole time, read between 50 and 54 mpg. Not sure how that works, but I like it.

All in all, for $9,999, this is a helluva motorcycle that I alas, cannot wholeheartedly endorse, because they left off my favorite gadget: cruise control. If you’re one of those people who claims to not care about cc (Yamaha sold plenty of Teneres without it), then there’s nothing stopping you. Except that American Honda is only bringing in the Matte Black Metallic, and not the lovely white one available abroad. Those two things aside, I wouldn’t try to talk you down from this one. Very nice.

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Jan. 9, 2024 (Story from December edition of American Motorcyclist)

By Keaton Maisano

Most motorcyclists know this, and study after study have confirmed it, but it bears repeating, as it affects street riders just about every time they climb aboard a motorcycle: The most dangerous place to be on the street is an intersection, and the biggest cause of two-vehicle crashes (and a huge chunk of motorcyclist fatalities) is a vehicle turning left into the motorcycle’s path.

Whether from negligence or vision issues or the physical size of the motorcycle or a lack of headlight or excess speed on the part of the rider or any one of several other factors, the intersection and the left-turning vehicle are a lethal combination.

But what if technology was able to cancel this substantial threat to a motorcyclist’s well-being?

Well, that’s a reality the Connected Motorcycle Consortium (CMC) is trying to create. The CMC is a collaboration between manufacturers, suppliers, researchers and associations to make motorcycles and powered scooters part of the future connected mobility.

The non-profit organization was established by key motorcycle makers — BMW Motorrad, Honda and Yamaha — in 2016 to develop Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) that increase the safety for those riding motorcycles and scooters. With previous technology being developed without motorcycle-specific safety aspects in mind, the CMC’s goal is to make sure motorcycles are part of C-ITS and connected mobility.

All efforts fit under the CMC’s goal of digital conspicuity, which involves the recognition of motorcycles and other powered two-wheelers by means of exchanging messages with other vehicles. This action ensures drivers are aware of motorcycles in the vicinity, thus reducing dangerous situations and bad outcomes.

To showcase the progress made in the past seven years and across its first two phases of development, the CMC performed a demonstration of its technology Sept. 14-15 in Germany.

The demo event tested C-ITS features that aim to help motorcycles and cars communicate with one another and cut down on accidents — such as ones caused by the dreaded left-turn situation. ADAS features — which use camera, radar and lidar to sense motorcycles — were also used to show its capabilities in preventing crashes with motorcycles.

Throughout the demonstration — which included features such as Left Turn Assist (LTA) and Do Not Pass Warning (DNPW) — the CMC showed how an early exchange of information can prevent dangerous situations that have plagued motorcyclists.

For example, the demo presented the classic situation: a car turning left to cross over a lane occupied by a motorcycle. Instead of solely relying on the driver’s ability to see the motorcycle clearly — which can fail because of the driver simply missing the motorcyclist or by way of an obstructed view — C-ITS presents the driver with an alert that makes a noise and shows the motorcycle’s positioning on the car’s display.

This alert works similarly for motorcycles with a display, detecting stationary or turning cars that may pose a threat to a motorcyclist. Even motorcycles without displays could benefit from the technology based on the demo, which showed a small sender that could be fitted to a motorcycle. This sender informed other vehicles of a motorcycle’s whereabouts in each scenario throughout the tests, making the motorcyclists safe from other drivers who might not see them.

While this all remains in the testing phase and an ocean away, the demo is proof that progress is being made toward increasing the safety for motorcyclists on the road. This directly combats a trend of autonomous-vehicle development that fails to include motorcyclists in its testing, creating potentially dangerous situations for motorcyclists on the road.

The CMC moves into its third phase in 2024. This next step includes further research on key factors that will help reduce motorcycle accidents.

In addition, the CMC will revisit and revise its “Basic Specification” — a combination of research, tests, guidelines and more formed in 2020 to help motorcycles connect and “talk the same language” with other vehicles and infrastructure by means of wireless communications — as a result of further learnings and development.

The CMC foresees cooperation with infrastructure stakeholders and continued collaboration with vehicle makers as the project nears deployment.

To learn more and watch videos from the demonstration, visit www.cmc-info.net.

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