April is quite possibly the busiest month for the motorcycle community, especially for Full Throttle. We have events every weekend in April and leading into the first two weeks in May! We are very excited about this as we love putting on bike shows at different locations. In fact, if you would like Full Throttle to come to your place and host a bike show please contact us as we can handle everything for a bike show. We will bring the trophies, advertise it, do the judging, and announce the awards all for a small fee. This is what we do best besides of course advertising! Contact us at 727-935-4875 or email me directly for more information at tonyc@floridafullthrottle.com
Ok, Lets talk about all the great bike shows and events coming up in April and May. The first weekend is Bert’s Arcadia Bike fest in Downtown Arcadia on Saturday April 6th. This bike show always has at least 50-60 bikes in it and is a great feature of this event. We always have at least 10 to 12 classes for the bikes and give out first and 2nd place trophies in each class. Then we always give a Full Throttle Choice award and a Best in Show award for each bike show we host. The Next event is Tallahassee Bike Fest. This is a new and growing event and we have been a part of it since the beginning. We will be hosting a bike show on Friday and Saturday April 12th and 13th . Of course, all this information is in this month’s magazine and on our events page on the Full Throttle Facebook page if you are looking for more info and locations and times. The Tallahassee Bike Fest is held at the Apalachee Regional Park and has tons of vendors, a sound competition, mapped rides and an after party this year with Twista on Saturday April 13th. The next weekend is the big Florida Motorcycle Expo that we put on at Quaker Steak and Lube April 19th – 21st. We have tons of vendors, we give away $100 an hour, a $1000 Miss Full Throttle Competition on Saturday night, a Bike Show on Sunday and bands playing all weekend. Quaker Steak has great food and will have bars
all over the lot. This is a great event and is coming back to Quaker after a few years of being other locations. Our expo is sponsored by The Fran Haasch Law Group. After that we head to one of the best events in the state of Florida in my opinion, Leesburg Bike Fest April 26th – 28th . We will be hosting two bike shows this year on Friday and Saturday April 26th and 27th. This event usually draws about 100 bikes each day, so it is a very big show. Bikers take over the little town of Leesburg Fl and they are always very welcoming to the biker community. We love being a part of Leesburg Bike Fest every year as they always bring in great bands and the ride to Leesburg is always fun. The weekend after that is Thunder Beach in Panama City Beach Fl. We host the Best of Thunder Beach Bike Show on Saturday May 4th, which this year also happens to be my birthday!!! So, we are going to party and have a great time in Panama City Beach!!! Our last event in our month and a half of bike shows is a little out of town, it’s at Las Vegas Harley-Davidson. We are heading out there to host a 12-class bike show and discuss bringing back Las Vegas Bike Fest. We hope this happens as you may know I love Las Vegas and would be honored in helping bring this great event back. We are going to be very busy in the next month and a half, so we hope to see you at one of these great events.
Full Throttle Magazine has gone 100% digital – Which means we are not printing a magazine anymore, but we are still making a monthly publication you can read online for FREE!!! Our advertising and reach has grown as the cost of printing has risen so much we could not afford to keep printing magazines and then throwing them away at the end of the month when they were not picked up. NOW we can boost a post and reach thousands more people on their phones through social media like Facebook and Instagram and TikTok. Everyone is on their phones so why not make it easier to read the magazine that way then have to go out and find a printed copy! In fact I believe more people are seeing the magazine now than ever before. Our ads have become much more affordable also as a full-page ad is only $300 and it comes with social media advertising and multiple boosted posts. We can easily reach 10,000 people with one post on our social media pages. We are here to help your motorcycle events be successful! We also have a weekly video podcast where we interview different people each week and discuss things happening and the biker community. This is a lot of fun as my co-host is one of my best friends in Ohio and my professional bike judge, Jeremy Jurski. We have a lot of fun and hopefully you are watching it and enjoying it. Be safe and be smart out there, it’s starting to get hot again so be sure to wear sunscreen and bring your rain gear. Don’t drink and ride and I’ll see you soon!
Cheers!! From the Diva Angels Tampa Bay Chapter, this year is flying by, and we are into spring and some of the best riding of the year and planning summer trips. Safety tip of the month: Get one of those small portable tire inflators for your bike and vehicle and put it in your saddle bag (make sure to keep charged). My back tire is always a bi*ch to check then fill. I set the device for “motorcycle & pounds of pressure desired” screw it on the air valve and push the start button. It reads the air and fills to the desired pressure then shuts itself off…. Remove device and done. How simple is that??
Tampa Bay Chapter adds social riding events to our calendar on a regular basis, our rides are open to all, men or women. Check our Facebook page (link below) or website calendar https://www. tampabaydivaangels. com/events-calendar. html to see what’s going on and come join our fun. We have been very busy with all types of events so far this year. Our most recent adventures
are Road Cleanups, Relaxing evening socials, January Birthday ride to Miss Vickie’s, February Birthday ride to Sunken Gardens and lunch; Check our calendar regularly, we are always adding new events long and short. To learn more about us and what we do, we meet at Wing House 7790 US Hwy 19 N, Pinellas Park, FL 33781 (back room), 2nd Tuesday Monthly; 6:30 Social; Meeting 7-8pm; You can also find us at different bike nights around town.
Check out the all the chapters of the Diva Angels on our website http://www. divaangels.org to find a local chapter near you or visit us on Facebook at https://www. facebook.com/DIVAANGELSTAMPABAYCHAPTER/ we are a 501c (7) not for profit organization. Ride safe and rubber side down, COME RIDE WITH US!
Diva Helene, Web/Media/Treasurer
Diva Angels Tampa Bay Chapter
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Riding with your child is to say the very least an exhilarating and rewarding experience. Needless to say, it fosters a unique bond between parent and child. From the freedom of the open road to the practical advantages of transportation, motorcycle riding can enrich both the parent-child relationship and family life as a whole.
I was driving to New Orleans from Tampa a few weeks ago. I saw a dad and daughter cruising. His daughter must have been about 12 years of age. All dressed in her softball uniform, her dad was obviously taking her to a game or practice. I could not resist but to give thumbs up to dad. His daughter’s smile was from ear to ear. Glowing, proud, happy embracing the only man who truly loves her and obviously feeling safe, this little girl was the happiest little girl on earth.
It is not without a degree of envy I write that. You see, my children and I always rode my Harley in the neighborhood. That is, until fear took hold of their mom and ripple effect into their hearts. Sometimes I’m out there and I would do anything to have one of my children share in those moments.
torcycle safety and riding etiquette fosters responsibility and mutual trust. Teaching your child to navigate the roads safely instills valuable life skills and promotes a sense of independence while reinforcing the importance of listening and following instructions. Besides, as a parent would you rather be the one to teach those skills to your child or, have some newie crackerjack do it with a mindset to show-off?
One of the most compelling aspects of riding motorcycles with your child is the sense of adventure it instills. For many parents, introducing their child to the world of motorcycling opens up a realm of exploration and discovery that transcends ordinary experiences. Whether it's embarking on weekend rides through scenic landscapes or planning epic road trips together, the shared excitement of exploring new destinations strengthens the parent-child bond and creates lasting memories. I can attest to that. My dad and I would go all day long on his KZ900. Those are memories I will forever treasure!
Riding motorcycles with your child encourages a spirit of teamwork and communication. As a parent, guiding your child through the fundamentals of mo -
Beyond the thrill of adventure, riding motorcycles offers practical benefits for parents and families. In today's fast-paced world, where traffic congestion is a common concern, motorcycles provide an efficient means of transportation, allowing parents to navigate through crowded streets with ease. Whether commuting to work, running errands, or simply enjoying a leisurely ride, motorcycles offer a convenient and cost-effective mode of travel for families on the go.
Furthermore, riding motorcycles promotes environmental consciousness by reducing carbon emissions and fuel consumption compared to traditional automobiles. As parents, instilling eco-friendly habits in our children is paramount for shaping a sustainable future. By choosing motorcycles as a mode of transportation, parents can lead by example and teach their children the importance of environmental stewardship.
Another significant benefit of riding motorcycles with your child is the opportunity for quality time spent together outdoors. In today's digital age, where screens often dominate our children's attention, engaging in outdoor activities promotes physical health and well-being while fostering a deeper connection with nature. Whether it's feeling the wind in your hair as you cruise down country roads or stopping to admire a breathtaking sunset, riding motorcycles encourages parents and children to unplug and savor the simple pleasures of life.
Riding motorcycles cultivates a sense of resilience and adaptability in children. Learning to navigate
various road conditions and weather elements teaches valuable lessons in problem-solving and risk management. Overcoming challenges together strengthens the parent-child relationship and builds resilience that extends beyond the realm of motorcycling into other aspects of life.
Riding motorcycles as a parent with your child offers a plethora of beauty and benefits that enrich both the parent-child relationship and family life as a whole. From the sense of adventure and teamwork it fosters to the practical advantages of transportation and environmental consciousness, motorcycle riding provides a platform for shared experiences and lifelong memories. By embracing the joy of riding motorcycles together, parents can impart valuable lessons, strengthen bonds, and create cherished moments that will last a lifetime.
But what about the dangerous aspect of it a mother will say? There are so many deaths and accidents by motorcycles. Sure there are. Did you look at cancer deaths? What about car accident deaths? And if you looked at stats comparing accidents with children in a car versus accidents with children on motorcycles, year after year according to Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), statistics reveal that more people are killed in car crashes than they are in motorcycle crashes. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) regularly gathers car crash statistics specific to passenger vehicles, which includes cars, minivans, pickups, and SUVs. According to the IIHS:
· Of the 36,560 motor vehicle crash deaths that occurred in 2018, 63 percent were occupants in passengers
· Thirty-nine percent of those deaths occurred in single-vehicle crashes, and 61 percent occurred in multiple-vehicle crashes
· In terms of age, the IIHS reports that 23 percent of passenger vehicle occupants killed that year were under 25
· Just over 6,500 died in rollover crashes
The latest data from the NHTSA reveals the following about traffic crashes involving motorcycles:
· In 2017, a total of 5,172 motorcyclists were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes
· Of those motorcyclists killed, 94 percent were riders and 6 percent were passengers.
· A majority of the motorcycles involved in fatal crashes (91 percent) were two-wheeled motorcycles
· Motorcyclists made up 14 percent of all traffic fatalities, and 17 percent of all occupant (driver and passenger) fatalities
It’s common knowledge that drinking and driving is a terrible combination. But for those riding motorcycles, the risk of fatality is even higher. Here’s a startling fact from the NHTSA from 2016:
Motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes were found to have the highest percentage of alcohol-impaired drivers than any other vehicle types (25% for motorcycles, 21% for passenger cars, 20% for light trucks, and 2% for large trucks). Want more stats?
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ the-top-10-causes-of-death. That link will show you motorcycle deaths does not even make it in the top ten.
All that said, no parent in their right minds will ride with a child in heavy dense traffic in the middle of a major city. Point here is, riding with your child is healthy for the child, the relationship with the child and equips the child quite well with life lessons. So please, don’t cave into fear! Ride on with your child!
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