Ireland, who has been riding since she was a kid and now travels across the country as host of Biker TV, is in Moncton this weekend as a celebrity guest at the Atlantic Motorcycle and ATV Show at the Coliseum. She will be on hand today and tomorrow to greet fans, speak about her experiences and show highlights of Biker TV's coverage of New Brunswick's Atlanticade Motorcycle Festival in St. Andrews.
The show opened yesterday and continues today from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults and $8 for seniors and students. It is one of the largest shows of its kind in Canada and becomes a showcase for new bikes, four-wheelers, accessories, aftermarket parts, clothing, riding gear and motorcycle festivals being held around the Maritimes.
Ireland says she once had to swerve and avoid a couch that fell off a truck on a highway outside of Toronto. She made it safely, but still shudders a bit when she talks about a horrendous crash she had on the Trans-Canada Highway near Edmundston in the fall of 2007. She clipped another bike while swerving around a transport truck and the big Harley-Davidson she was riding went into a slide before flipping end-over-end. Ireland walked away from the crash with a broken collarbone that still hurts some days.
"I'm still traumatized about it and have visions of the bike and all my belongings scattered all over the road, but I would never consider not getting back on a bike. It's my therapy, it's my life."
Clinton Smout, a motorcycle safety expert who has trained thousands of riders (including a blind child) at his schools in Ontario, says children should be taught to ride early.
He says children learn quickly and often catch the motorcycle "bug" and remain riders for life. Smout says all-terrain vehicles have gotten a bad reputation for being unsafe because people who ride them aren't properly trained or prepared.
He also advocates children should only ride machines they are big enough to handle, because part of riding a four-wheeler is knowing how to move your body and shift your weight to control the machine.
Over the weekend, Smout will be offering free rides on Yamaha mini dirt bikes at the Coliseum. Helmets, boots and other safety gear are provided and kids can try out the machines after a short introductory course.
Those who are interested in motorcycle safety courses can sign up at the Safety Services New Brunswick (www.ssnb.ca) booth and receive a discount of $50. The courses are usually $430 and are held throughout the season at 11 sites in New Brunswick and P.E.I. Motorcycles are provided and the courses cover an entire weekend.
For motorcycle fans, the show is a place to bump into old friends and see the latest machines. One hot-looking machine that making its debut appearance in Atlantic Canada is the 2011 Ducati Diavel, which is known as the "Carbon Dart." Sales consultant Shane Scott said this futuristic-looking machine delivers 162 horsepower to a lightweight frame and body that uses a lot of carbon fiber. It also uses many features developed on the race track like an antilock braking system, traction control and a slip clutch transmission that allows the rider to downshift without using the clutch.
The Diavel has a pricetag in the $19,000 range.
Over at the massive Harley-Davidson display, fans can look over the selection of Sportsters, Street Glides and Road Glide machines. Consultant Josh Cormier says entry-level Harleys start around $10,000 for a Sportster and rise up through the ranks to over $40,000. One of the big attractions this year is the Road Glide Ultra, which comes complete with luggage carriers, heated seats, back support, stereo system, floating anti-vibration footrests and other luxury items. The Harley booth also has a fit shop, a bike display where prospective customers can choose from a selection of different handlebars and seats to find the most comfortable combination.
Motorcycle fans will find machines of all sizes at the show, from tiny 50-cc dirt bikes all the way up to big highway cruisers.
You can also find things like the eight-wheeled Argo amphibious vehicle, four-wheeled all-terrain vehicles and even a couple of snowmobiles.
The big door prize this year is a track kit for an ATV from G. Bourque in Moncton. Entry-level riders might have a look at the 50-cc scooters that can be ridden without a motorcycle licence. And people with an eye for nostalgia might like the vintage-looking Triumphs or the Royal Enfields, new bikes built to look like bikes from the 1940s and '50s.
There's also a wide selection of leather goods, helmets, jackets, boots and other accessories, along with information on upcoming events. One event that is drawing attention is Moto Moncton, a new motorcycle festival for Moncton that will be held the weekend of Aug. 19-29.
Although complete details have not been released, they say it will include a downtown street party, live music by local bands, motorcycle stunt shows, a burnout competition and daily touring rides. The festival is a co-operative effort between the City of Moncton, local dealers and volunteers.
* The Atlantic Motorcycle and ATV Show will be open at the Moncton Coliseum today from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults and $8 for students and seniors.
sourcehttp://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/news/article/1379665
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