One of the most exciting, soul stirring moments of any motorsports event is when the high revving, fuel sucking machines respond in unison to the command, “Gentlemen start your engines!” On June 12, the sounds and smells of combustion engines will be replaced by the emission-free whizzing of electric motorcycles as they take turns rocketing through the legendary Isle of Man.

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Often a favored destination for motorcyclists for its vast highways and picturesque scenery, the Canadian province of Quebec may soon be a miserable place for many of the bikers who live there.

The provincial auto insurance board known as the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) is proposing a list of new rules that is sure to be unpopular for riders and manufacturers alike. The proposed regulation states that people under the age of 25 and anyone with less than five years of motorcycle riding experience would not be permitted to own or insure motorcycles deemed to be ‘high-risk’ by the board. In an attempt to allegedly reduce accidents involving inexperienced riders, SAAQ indicates that the system would place strict rules ownership.

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Few people are able to retrospectively recount the life of an outlaw biker with such accuracy and candor as John Hall, mostly because few people so deeply entrenched within such a culture ever make it out alive. If rival gangs, bar brawls or bike accidents don’t kill them, years of hard drinking and hard living usually do. Hall is an exception to these rules as he successfully transcended this great divide. Proving that sometimes our justice system actually works and men can be rehabilitated, Hall turned his life around from being the leader of an outlaw motorcycle gang the FBI called “the most violent criminal organization in America” and being incarcerated to becoming an acclaimed journalist and college professor.

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Historically speaking, the kinds of places that have openly accepted or invited motorcycle enthusiasts and their bikes were lacking in a number of areas. While they may have been convenient and offered motorcycle-friendly amenities, they did so with little comfort or luxury. On the other hand, accommodations on the higher end of the spectrum were pretentious and inconvenient for storing bikes and gear. The Iron Horse Hotel in Milwaukee is out to change that by offering extravagance and essential services for travelers arriving on two wheels.

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Named after a man by the name of Zebulon Pike, an explorer who led an expedition to the area in 1806, Pikes Peak is home to the second oldest motorsports race in America second only to the Indianapolis 500. First completed in 1916, this year marks the 87th running of the “Race to the Clouds.” If the math doesn’t add up, this is because there were several years that the event did not run over the course of its 93 year history. The 12.4 mile trek up the mountain consists of 156 treacherous turns to an elevation of 14,110 feet. Featuring 11 diverse classes of vehicles, the varied grid is made up of of automobiles, semi trucks, open wheel race cars, super stock cars, pro trucks and even motorcycle and ATV classes – making up a field of nearly 200 competitors.

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While wandering through the aisles at the local Blockbuster last weekend looking for a film that doesn’t suck, I happened upon the 2008 film Hell Ride. I rarely seize the opportunity to watch movies in the theatre these days and since I had heard dismal reviews, I guess it just slipped my mind and I never bothered seeing it. Since my options this particular evening appeared to range from Beverly Hills Chihuahua and Hotel for Dogs to Hannah Montana or High School Musical 3, I figured it might just be the best option.

Created as an homage to the trashy and violent B-movies of the 1970’s, Hell Ride follows the exploits of a biker gang known as the Victors as their leader seeks revenge for  the murder of his old lady 32 years prior by a rival gang known as the 666ers. Drama unfolds as rocks are unturned and the plot thickens, with the gradual emergence of a star-studded cast including the likes of Vinnie Jones, Larry Bishop, Michael Madsen, David Carradine, Eric Balfour and Dennis Hopper.

Read the review and watch the trailer after the jump.

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Back in 1997, an unusual motorcycle appeared on the front page of the Bristol Evening Post. Unable to afford a costly traditional sidecar, bus driver Alan Iles of Bedminster opted to build his own, using a bathtub. Twelve years later, the 1959 650cc BSA is still going and has been ridden all over Europe to help raise money for Cancer research and various charities, for which he has raised thousands of British pounds. Over the last dozen years, the only modifications made have been a splash of new paint and the addition of a seatbelt, so that his grandchildren can come along for the ride.

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I can’t count how many sunny Saturdays in my adult life I have spent lamenting the fact that yard work took precedent over being able to spend the entire day out riding my motorcycle.  Well, instead of wasting time dreaming, a farmer and motorcycle enthusiast managed to find a way to fix this problem by converting an old worn out ride on lawnmower into a chopper that actually, chops.

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Aprilia has recently jumped into the motocross category with both feet by launching the new 2009 MXV450.  A first for the company and the only V-Twin-equipped motocross bike in the world, the MXV 450 promises to combine a high-performance engine with authentic Italian style, light weight and advanced technology.

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The terms ‘high-performance’ and ‘scooter’ usually fit together about as well as pickles and peanut butter but Stuart Owen has customized his 1970 Lambretta to be among the fastest in the world. Owen, a former fish wholesaler who now runs a scooter customizing business, currently holds the fastest speed achieved by a Lambretta on British soil at 117.3 mph.

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