Scot Harden to Zero Motorcycles, Interview, and Thoughts

The Recreation HQ and The Quiet Warrior want to congratulate off-road racing legend, Scot Harden, on his new post at Zero Motorcycles. As many of you know, The General, on behalf of BRC, attended the 24 Hours of Electricross and was the event’s official sound tester.

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PHOTO: BRC's Don Amador on Zero Dirt Bike

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See Blog on 24 Hours of Electricross “Saved by Zero”
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2009/04/saved-by-zero-24-hours-of-electricross.html

Video of “Sound Test” at start of Race
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3r5SJPKO5w

If this issue is of interest, I suggest you read Jeff Cobb’s excellent interview with Scot Harden as it highlights the pros and challenges associated with this new technology. The article also touches on some of the environmental factors in the land-use equation.

Interview with Zero’s Scot Harden
http://www.motorcycle.com/events/interview-with-zeros-scot-harden-89981.html

Besides the “battery longevity” issue, HQ believes the electric motorcycle industry should work hard to promote a responsible land-use ethic that strongly discourages the creation of illegal “bandit trails” routes on public and private (private land that you don’t have permission to be on) land.

50 Year Old Guys and Illegal trails in SF Bay Area
http://marinbiker.com/

Being at Electricross and talking with a lot of electric motorcycle enthusiasts, The Quiet Warrior was surprised by the number of riders (even riders who claimed to be “environmentalists" and were against gas-powered dirt-bikes) who thought these products were just the ticket to enable them to ride illegally in local state and county parks.

What many riders don’t know is that The General/BRC helped Zero Motorcycles with some land-use tenets in their Code of Ethics.

Zero Motorcycles’ Code of Ethics

1.) Zero Motorcycles is dedicated to engineering high performance motorcycles that do not harm the environment. Our motorcycles will be free from emissions and noise. We will be environmentally conscious in our actions to help ensure a cleaner environment through recycling, responsible waste disposal and respecting nature.

2.) Zero Motorcycles will provide transportation options, both on road and off road, that are practical, efficient and contribute to a cleaner environment.

3.) Zero Motorcycles will stand behind the quality of our products by providing excellent customer service to ensure all customers are completely satisfied.

4.) Zero Motorcycles will make a consistent effort to promote a responsible, fun, honest and safe environment for all aspects of operating a motorcycle.

5.) Zero Motorcycles will respect all others with whom we share the roads and recreation areas. We are also dedicated to respecting the members of the greater community. We will use common sense and be aware of our surroundings when sharing the trails and roads. We will ride safely and respectfully.



Again, Scot has a lot of work ahead of him at Zero. The Quiet Warrior hopes that one of the issues he will tackle is to damp down what could be a growing counter culture of illegal trail riding and building by OHVers using this new technology.

New Electric Side-by-Side - Going Green or Just Good Sense

While paging through Brian’s BRC Recreation News yesterday, The General enjoyed reading about a new all-electric side-by-side called the Ranger EV manufactured by Polaris.
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Story about new Ranger EV

http://www.startribune.com/business/86673177.html

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PHOTO: BRC's Don Amador on an all-electric Zero Motorcycles dirt bike
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Some of you may remember back in the Spring of 2009 when The General attended the 1st ever all electric dirt bike 24 hour race held in San Jose.

See April 5, 2009 Blog with info, links to stories, and video/audio of event
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2009/04/saved-by-zero-24-hours-of-electricross.html

Since that event, I have talked with a lot of riders about the future of all-electric OHVs.
At this point in time, I don’t believe the all-electric OHV will replace the gas-powered dirt-bike or ATV for those of us who take long rides that would exceed the limits of current battery technology.

However, I do believe that all-electric OHVs do have a place in the OHV family for use in cases where the trips are mostly short in nature. Those examples include use on a small farm, hunters who drive up to a stand and wait, federal or state agencies that don’t need vehicles with extended driving range, by recreationists who make short trips, or of special interest to the Recreation HQ – for use in new all-electric OHV parks sited in urban areas.

As many of you know, The General does not buy the global warming scam along with a number of other eco-hoaxes such as the bogus environmental lawsuit filed by anti-OHV groups to supposedly protect the now infamous “Carnegie Hoax Fish.”

See blog that includes Photo of The General holding the Carnegie Hoax Fish
http://jeepndel.blogspot.com/2009/12/carnegie-svra-rally-and-ride.html

The Recreation HQ does not support the EV OHV industry because it wants to be green.
Rather, it supports electric OHVs because they make sense for certain applications and they are now a factor in the land-use equation and an important and new member of the OHV family. Will EV OHVs save the planet from certain destruction? No! But they do have a place for certain applications and we should support that concept simply because it makes sense.

Rockers and Youth to the Rescue

I can’t tell you how many times The General has been at OHV meetings comprised mostly of aging white guys of various body types. What has been lacking is getting younger riders involved in land-use advocacy.

The good news in what has been a virtual avalanche of OHV-related bad news lately is that there are a growing number of young people who are stepping up the plate and answering the call.

Just recently, the Peace Mafia, an alternative rock band based in Reno, Nevada, managed a rock/BRC booth at Mammoth MX. Their goal is to get rockers, young people, racers, and others involved in helping keep trails open. The band has made a long-term commitment to land access.

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BRC News Release on Peace Mafia/Mammoth MX
http://www.sharetrails.org/releases/media/?story=651

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Also, I see other younger riders getting involved and learning the trade. In Northern California, a rep. for a major aftermarket company is representing OHV interests
on a county/stakeholder planning group. He has made a commitment to learn the process so he can be part of the solution. Good for them and even better for us old guys and the sport.

I challenge more celebrities in the art/music/movie/TV industry to get involved in the fight to keep trails open. Consider hosting a concert or trail ride. Donate your time for a PSA. Consider making a financial contribution to BRC or some other land use organization. There is no time like the present for you to get involved.

If you want to send a donation, plan a concert, host a fundraiser trail ride, or make some other commitment…feel free to contact The General.

Don Amador
The General’s Recreation HQ
555 Honey Lane
Oakley, CA 94561
Office: 925.625.6287
Email: damador@cwo.com

To send a donation to BRC:

The BlueRibbon Coalition, Inc.
4555 Burley Drive, Ste. A
Pocatello, ID 83202
www.sharetrails.org

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New Member of OHV Family

Op-Ed by Don Amador

It’s not often that a trail rider or land-use organization is witness to a watershed moment in motorcycle history. Such events for me include the rollout of the 1969 Honda CB750 inline four-cylinder street bike, introduction ...

For Complete Op-Ed go to:

http://www.sharetrails.org/releases/media/?story=639

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Video/Audio of Starting Line

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3r5SJPKO5w

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Saved By Zero - 24 Hours of Electricross

When you take the OHV sound testing program often taught by Dr. Rob Harrison (the godfather of the SAE J1287 “20-inch” sound test for OHVs) he asks the class this question, “If a tree falls in the forest does it make a sound or a noise?” If you have taken the class you know the answer-- which is -- yes, it makes a sound since sound is a scientific measurement, but not a noise since noise is based on human values or interpretation.

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Photo to right is of Team HotChalk - hey, is that WPS's Rex Halepeska in the picture?

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Now the question can be asked another way…”If there is an all electric dirt bike race, does it make a sound or a noise?” After attending the 2009 24 Hours of Electricross and
taking some sound measurements at the starting line and at various turns, the “tree falling” could now be replaced with “electric OHVs” in that famous question.

I was proud to have attended the event on behalf of the BlueRibbon Coalition and intend to write a longer article for the coalition. However, The General wanted to post the audio/visual clip from the starting line where the crowd noise was actually louder than
the bikes. Another cool thing is that a number of teams were either BRC members or had BRC members as part of the team. How cool is that? (also, note BRC decal on front fender of winning bike)

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Official Sound Readings

Loudest dBA Reading at Start Line (crowd cheering/bikes) 79.6 dBA

Typical Single Bike Passing by Sound Meter Next to Track (tire/chain sound) - 74.0 dBA or less

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See clip below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3r5SJPKO5w

Helmet Cam Video from Starting Line

http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/electricross/

Congrats to Team HotChalk for placing 1st in the event
http://www.hotchalk.com/mydesk/index.php/math-matters/387-math-matters-offroad-algebra

Also kudos to Marin County Motorcycle Association for placing 2nd
http://www.mcmadirt.com/

And helmets off to Fox Racing Shox for placing 3rd
http://www.foxracingshox.com/

April 6 San Jose Merc. News Article on Event

http://www.mercurynews.com/centralcoast/ci_12080407

Last but not least – major congrats to Zero Motorcycles for having the guts to hang their product out on the line for the entire world to see. They have a lot to be proud of. Kudos to OHMVR Deputy Director, Daphne Greene, for attending the event and dropping the green flag at this historic race.

I believe folks will look back to this event as when the electric dirt-bike came of age.

If we can get some new all-electric OHV parks sited near large cities and/or open up some green belts for electric OHV use or site some indoor "year-round" tracks in empty industrial buildings … maybe we can say that urban OHV use has indeed been “Saved by Zero Motorcycles”

Saved by Zero Sound Track
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swzK7Q8teSM




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24 Hours of Electricross - New Member of Off-road Family

Taking a break from all the OHV “bad news,” The General is happy to report on a very cool event that is happening in San Jose on the weekend of April 4-5, 2009.

I will be representing BRC at the first ever 24 Hours of Electricross endurance test for all electric OHVs. The event will be held at the 408 MX facilities at the San Jose fairgrounds. OHMVR will be there as well, plus a number of other partners and sponsors.

A number of teams both domestic and international will be putting their electric OHVs to the test. The Guinness Book of World Records will be there.

***** Don Amador on Zero Motorcycles Dirt Bike in photo at right of screen *****

Zero Motorcycles Info on Event. (includes info about Demo rides, quotes from Zero founder Neil Saiki, Daphne Greene, and Don Amador, plus other stuff etc.)
http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/electricross/

Zero Motorcycles Code of Ethics
http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/electricross/Code-of-Ethics.html

March 27 Santa Cruz Sentinel Article
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_12008079

Fox Business Article

http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/zero-motorcycles-set-world-record--hour-electric-vehicle-endurance-race/

Motorcycle.com Article

http://www.motorcycle.com/news/zero-hosts-electric-24-hr-endurance-race-88100.html

I believe that electric OHVs are or will become an important member of
the off-road family. I too share the sentiments of Deputy Director Greene (OHMVR Program) that having these products available increases our collective chance to site an urban/city OHV park so folks can ride close to home.

Don will be doing a post event story.

See ya there!

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