May Biking Events & Riding Tips

Vintage Torque Fest

This May 5^th and 6^th, the Vintage Torque Fest 2017 came to Dubuque, Iowa. The Vintage Torque Fest is a car-show fundraiser that was created to help families with children who have congenital heart defects. It brings together people from around the country that have a passion for keeping past traditions alive, including music, cars, clothes, and art. Hot rod drivers come from around the United States to meet up with artists, vendors from both coasts, and bands that have toured the world. During the event, hot rods were allowed to make exhibition laps on the dirt track, feature cars and motorcycles were inside the buildings, vendors sold hot rod merchandise to the masses, and artists around the world contributed to the art show at the kustom culture gallery and auction.

Top 3 Riding Tips for May

Now that the winter has eased off a little, you might need a couple of tips to remain safe on the road. May is also Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. Here are our top 3 recommendations for this month to avoid motorcycle accidents:

1. Don’t Drive in the Rain if You Don’t Have To

Adverse weather conditions are a major cause of motorcycle accidents so avoid biking on rainy days. However, if you can’t avoid it altogether do your best to wait a half hour to an hour after the rain starts to head out. The first few minutes of rain dislodges surface oils on the roadway making the roadway slick and hazardous. However, if you must ride in the rain, keep a proper look out and avoid these oil patches.

2. Wear Protective Gear at All Times

It may be warmer outside, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t wear protective gear. A rider not wearing a helmet is 5 times more likely to sustain a critical head injury in a wreck. You can also lose 1 mm of skin for every MPH you are traveling; so, if you get into an accident without substantial material protecting body, you might be in for a world of hurt and possibly a severe infection.

3. Drive Defensively

It’s May now, which means more people are traveling our roadways. They also might be more reckless and inclined to have a beer or two at an outdoor event. Make sure you’re aware of the other drivers around you, particularly if you think they’re unaware of you. Likewise, keep an eye out for pedestrians who might walk out onto the road; this is particularly dangerous if you’re driving near parked cars.