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Stan's Harley-Davidson

'Save the Headlights' ride raises money for Genesee Cancer Assistance

By Howard B. Owens
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Genesee County ABATE sponsored a "Save the Headlights" fun run today, originating at Stan's Harley-Davidson in Batavia in support of breast cancer treatment and research. Funds raised from the event are being donated to Genesee Cancer Assistance.

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Save the 'Headlights' motorcycle fun run is Saturday at Stan's -- wear something pink

By Billie Owens

This Saturday, Oct. 3, there will be a fun motorcycle ride for a good local cause -- raising money for Genesee Cancer Assistance and supporting breast cancer victims.

Cheekily called "Save the Headlights," it will be hosted at Stan's Harley Davidson in Batavia and the run is hosted by Genesee County NY ABATE.*

Registration is from 10 to 11:45 a.m. and kickstands go up at noon. Cost is $20 per rider and $10 per passenger.

There will be 50/50 raffles, basket raffles, door prizes and special item raffles, plus food trucks and more.

Don't forget to wear pink to show your support!

Stan's is located at 4425 W. Saile Drive, Batavia.

For more information visit their Facebook page, or email:   abategenesee@gmail.com

*ABATE stands for "American Bikers Aimed Toward Education." The nonprofit organization with chapters nationwide is dedicated to the freedom of the road -- preserving motorcyclists' rights, promoting safe operating practices, and raising motorists' awareness of motorcycles they share the roadway with.

Charity benefit at Stan's Saturday for injured motorcycle racer, donations and raffle items wanted

By Billie Owens

Jeremy Higgins, a national flat track motorcycle racer with ties to Rochester and the Western New York area was seriously injured in a racing accident in Springfield, Ill., last month.

He suffered several injuries, which included multiple broken bones, but more seriously, swelling of his brain that required emergency surgery. He and his wife, Amber, will need to stay at a hospital in Springfield for several weeks before being able to be transported back home to New York.

With a lengthy rehabilitation and recovery ahead of him, Higgins will not be able to return to work for quite some time.

Supporters of the Higgins family are attempting to raise as much money as possible to help offset the cost of all the necessary medical bills to help Jeremy get back to good health.

Stan’s Harley-Davidson in Batavia has graciously offered their dealership as a venue to host a benefit forJeremy Higgins on Saturday, Oct. 5th, 2019.

"Western New York Dealers Unite for Jeremy" will take place at Stan's from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. It is located at 4425 W. Saile Drive.

There will be a silent auction, 50/50 and basket raffle. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.

Any type of donation or anything to be raffled off to help raise funds for Jeremy and Amber is appreciated. All of proceeds will go directly to the Jeremy Higgins family.

Stan’s Harley Davidson welcomes not only other Bike shops but any local businesses in the area to display and advertise at this fundraiser.

The end goal is to help aid Jeremy and Amber as much as possible. No matter the size of the gift or donation, everything helps to aid our friend in his recovery.

Jeremy is one of the hardest working, most dedicated and kindest racers around; now it’s our turn to support him in this time of need.

If you or anyone you may know would like to donate, please contact Bob Dell 585-794-9091 or James Liles 585-813-1482. Thanks in advance for your time and gracious donation!

Harrington's wins Harley chili cook off

By Howard B. Owens

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Harrington's Market won a chili cookoff yesterday hosted by the Genesee County Harley Owners Group at Stan's Harley-Davidson. Pictured are Russ Marchese with Diane Harrington and Beckie Harrington-Gaylord. Art Harrington prepared the winning chili.

Info and top photo submitted by Russ Marchese. Two photos below by Howard Owens.

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Photos: Stan's Harley-Davidson Cruise-In Car & Bike Show

By Traci Turner

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Stan's Harley-Davidson held its Cruise-In Car and Bike Show this afternoon. A variety of vintage, rare and customized motorcycles and cars participated in the show. Eight trophies were given out this year.

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Photos: Stan's opens new showroom

By Howard B. Owens

Stan's Harley-Davidson held an open house Saturday to celebrate the opening of its new, expanded showroom. As part of the ceremonies, Lt. Colonel Ulises Miranda III from Early College International High School, Army JROTC Battalion, presented Daryl Horzempa and Debbie Parks of Stan's an award for their commitment to veterans.

Presentation of Colors

Jon DelVecchio, of Street Skills, was on hand to discuss motorcycle rider safety.

Photos: YWCA's Wheels and Heels at Stan's Harley-Davidson

By Howard B. Owens

Kaden Lyons, 9, models his Harley-Davidson gear atop his dad's bike at the YWCA's Wheels and Heels fundraiser today at Stan's Harley-Davidson.

The event featured a fashion show and Kaden was one of the models.

Funds raised will be used for the YW's for domestic violence programs.

The event's band was "driVen," with Mike Warren on bass and vocals, Dylan DeSmit on lead guitar and vocals and Alex DeSmit on drums.

Photos: 'Ride to Remember' honoring veterans

By Howard B. Owens

The Genesee Veterans Support Group hosted the "Ride to Remember" today. The event included a chicken BBQ at Stan's Harley-Davidson followed by a ride to the Geneseo Air Show.

Photos: Classic cars at Stan's

By Howard B. Owens

Stan's Harley-Davidson hosted its annual classic car and classic bike drive-in today.

Nathan and Abby Lake, of Batavia.

Hugh and Mary Ann Steves, of Strykersville.

Don McDonald, of Stafford.

Motorcycle safety instructor says it's time for riders to brush up their own skills

By Howard B. Owens

It's spring. It's traditional each spring to remind car drivers in WNY that motorcyclists are going to be out on the road again.

Look for them.

But a big part of Jon DelVecchio's message to motorcycle riders is you're the one most responsible for your own safety.

Yes, drivers of four-wheeled boxes need watch the roadways better, but there are things that alert and trained motorcycle riders can do to avoid crashes, even when confronted with the most inattentive drivers.

"Riding a motorcycle takes years of practice and effort to master," said DelVecchio, who will be teaching a motorcycle safety course at Stan's Harley Davidson at 1 p.m., Saturday, April 26. "You have to do something to improve your skills every year. A lot of people say, 'I'm going to go out, hope for the best. Those damn car drivers. It's always their fault.' "

DelVecchio, a Churchville resident, is a certified Motorcycle Safety Instructor who teaches the basic licensing course at Learn to Ride in Rochester. He's also started his own motorcycle safety business, Street Skills. He writes articles, produces videos and podcasts and sells a deck of flash cards riders can use to brush up on their skills each spring.

Too often, he said, riders take the basic riding course, pass the test, get their license and they think they're ready to ride. They never take another course, read a book or even watch a training video.

He doesn't take credit for the saying, but somebody once said that the typical motorcycle rider who has been riding for 10 years really only has one year of experience. They just keep repeating the first year over and over and over.

"Your skills are never fully mastered and in the spring you're off your game, so do something different this season," DelVecchio said. "Take a class. Read a book. Do something to improve skills, not just this year, but every year."

DelVecchio started riding in 2001. He had a wife and two toddlers, plus he taught driver's ed at Rush Henrietta High School, so he already took safety seriously (he's also a business teacher at RHHS). By 2007, he was offered a chance to teach at Learn to Ride and found that teaching motorcycle safety combined his two biggest passion -- teaching and riding.

During this time, he also formed a group through MeetUp.com of riders who shared a love of bikes, but also took their skills seriously. They ride together regularly and take trips together throughout the Northeast.

He's found riders have varied attitudes toward bike safety. There are the riders who get big bikes, like to ride without helmets or only with small helmets, and combine riding with maybe a few beers along the way, then there's the younger riders who get fast bikes, ride them fast and take risks.

DelVecchio was careful to not criticize either kind of rider. "To each his own," he indicated, but he would clearly like to see all riders take to improving their motorcycle skills more seriously.

The most common kind of motorcycle accident is the car turning left in front of an oncoming motorbike.

Drivers are reminded constantly this time of year to look twice, take extra care, but even that isn't enough, DelVecchio said.

Riders need to be aware that even careful drivers are going to have a hard time seeing you and if they do, it is difficult for drivers to gauge a motorcycle's speed and distance.

A video on YouTube demonstrates how a motorcycle coming down the road looks small in the distance and continues to look small to the driver until suddenly it looks very big. A bike and rider also have a greater likelihood than a car of blending into the background.

Motorcyclists need to be acutely aware of these visual impairments for drivers and either weave in their lane of traffic when approaching an intersection with a car present (making themselves more visible) or take other defensive driving action.

The second most common type of motorcycle accident involve riders coming into curves. They might be going too fast (relative to skills and experience) or they might not be familiar with the curve, or they might hit a substance on the roadway. The less experienced or knowledgeable a rider, the less aware they are of how to handle turns.

Turning a bike involves something called a countersteering. With a four-wheel or three-wheel vehicle, if a driver wants to go right, he or she turns right. Go left, turn left. But on a two-wheel vehicle, a rider who wants to go right needs to turn the front wheel to the left slightly and then lean into the turn.

Most of the time, riders do this instinctively, but when confronted with a new circumstance, the rider might pull the wheel in the wrong direction causing the rider to be ejected.

That's one reason extra training, knowledge and experience are so important for riders, DelVecchio said.

While acknowledging that helmets are controversial in the motorcycle community, DelVecchio believes riders should wear them, even full-face helmets, which offer the most protection.

He said he often tells his students that if they could talk to a person who was killed or suffered a serious head injury in a motorcycle accident, how do you think that rider would answer a question about going back in time and wearing a helmet.

"If you could rewind the clock and crash again but with the helmet, how many people out of 100 do you think would actually say, 'no I want to crash again without the helmet.' Right? None," DelVecchio said.

The point is he said, "is how do you know when you're going to crash?"

That said, he isn't in favor of forcing anybody to wear a helmet.

"I'm conservative. I'm tired of the government trying to tell me how to do things, but in that conservative view, I think if a crusty old rider, who has 10, 20 years experience, wants to go riding without a lid and he knows the risk, to me, OK, knock yourself out," DelVecchio said. "But there are so many new riders out there (riding without a helmet)."

As for beer and biking, DelVecchio doesn't do it himself.

"I love a beer, but when I ride, I never even have one," DelVecchio said. "It could be that little edge I give up."

DelVecchio's last bit of advise for riders: Be nice. Riders who are rude just make car drivers care less about the safety of other riders.

"If somebody's a real jerk, they've got a real loud bike and they're doing a wheelie next to a car, that person is not going to necessarily be punished for that wheelie or loud bike," DelVecchio said. "It's the next person on a bike who comes to the intersection where the other driver thinks, 'they don't care about their safety and I'm going to worry about him.' They're not going to purposefully gun for him, but they're going to think he dosen't care about his safety and he's obnoxious and discount him a little more."

DelVecchio also sells flash cards for beginning car drivers on his Web site. The seminar at Stan's, located at 4425 W. Saile Drive in the Town of Batavia, is free and open to all riders.

Photo: DelVecchio on the front bike. Behind him are his friends, from left, Lennie Rugg, Paul Hendel, Matt Ostrowski and Gene Rinas. The riders meet regularly at the Leaf & Bean in Chili Center, which is owned by Bergen resident (and a motorcycle enthusiast himself) Bill Scharvogel.

Installation of solar array atop Stan's Harley-Davidson nearly complete

By Howard B. Owens

Workers are expected to complete the installation today of a solar panel array atop the westside roof of Stan's Harley Davidson on West Saile Drive.

The total cost of the project, which covers more than 10,000 square feet of roof, is $574,000 with the cost partially financed by state and federal tax credits.

The panels will product enough electricity to run all of Stan's operations. The power generated from the panels is first shipped to National Grid. NG then sells the power back to Stan's at a reduced rate.

That should mean about a 50-percent cost savings each month for the Harley dealership.

"We won't know, probably, until the first of the year and it's up and going what it's actually doing," said owner Darryl Horzempa.

Horzempa decided to pursue the project after attending a Solarize Genesee County workshop in January hosted by the Genesee County Economic Development Center (though GCEDC was not involved in the project otherwise).

"I'm interested in recycling and things like that, so it was a natural thing to me to help take care of the environment," Horzempa said.

Rochester-based Arista Power won the contract for the solar panel installation.

Sponsored Post: Hogs for Paws at Stan's Harley-Davidson

By Howard B. Owens

This is our 3rd annual fundraiser and reunion event for our local animal shelter. We invite any former resident and supporters of the Genesee County Animal Shelter to come out and join us!

This event will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m .at Stan's Harley Davidson located at 4425 W. Saile Drive, Batavia.

List of activities:

*Bring an item from the Animal Shelter's wishlist or a monetary donation -- receive lunch on us (graciously donated by Beds-n-Bones Pet Lodge & Frank Penna Catering)
*Microchipping for Dogs and Cats $30
*Obedience training with Fort Hyde Kennel
*Professional photos taken of your pets
*50/50 Raffle
*Pick-your-prize Raffle
*Pet Photo contest
*Many Vendors (Dirty Hairy Pet Service, Amy's Fluffy Friends and more!)
*WBTA will be doing a live remote from 11-1
*Bounce house

There will also be a retirement celebration for Genesee County's K-9 unit, Pharoah. Pharoah will be joining us for the day. He will be doing demonstrations with his handler, Deputy Thompson.

We will also be trying to get donantions for the new K-9 unit, Destro, coming to join us in September.

Photos: Classic cars and beautiful bikes on display at Stan's today

By Howard B. Owens

Stan's Harley Davidson hosted a car and bike show today at its location on West Saile Drive. More than 100 classic cars and show-quality motorcycles were on display throughout the afternoon.

Above, Stafford resident Don McDonald with his 1932 Ford, "Lucky Lady." McDonald bought the car in 1957 for $250, which was not only a lot of money in 1957, but it was a lot of money for a 1932 Ford, which in some cases could be picked up for $50 in those days, McDonald said. Some of his friends teased him then about overpaying for the car, but it's worth substantially more now.

Darrell Mase, of Batavia with his '57 Ford. The continental kit on the back is painted with a tribute to a late friend.

Paul Horton, of Lockport, with a '31 Ford Roadster Pickup that he restored and rebuilt with the help of some friends.

John Peck was serving up hotdogs and hamburgers.

Motorcyclists invited on 'Ride to Remember' veterans

By Billie Owens

This Saturday is the “Ride to Remember,” sponsored by Genesee Veterans Support Network (GVSN) and Stan’s Harley Davidson. This ride honors those who served and sacrificed in defense of our freedoms.

Ride registration opens at Stan’s from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. Guided rides begin at 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Maps and directions are provided for those who wish to ride independently. It will be a 60-mile ride with three stops.

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Photos: Christian Motorcycle Association fundraiser at Stan's Harley-Davidson

By Howard B. Owens

Local members of the Christian Motorcycle Association served up a pulled pork feast at Stan's Harley-Davidson today as a fundraiser for the group's various ministries.

Among the CMA's efforts is supporting overseas ministers, including buying them motorcycles for transportation (or horses or boats if that works better where they live). The group also supports a film project to spread the gospel through movies in remote parts of the world. The CMA also travels to the major motorcycle rallies and hands out water and other necessities as a way to open the door to sharing about Jesus.

'Hogs for Paws' aims to aid Genesee County Animal Shelter

By Howard B. Owens

(Above, our dog "Pachuco" staring straight ahead. Two other dogs with similar markings are in the background.)

In support of the Genesee County Animal Shelter, Stan's Harley-Davidson and Beds-N-Bones Pet Lodge are sponsoring Hogs for Paws from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Aug. 18.

Bring in an item on the wish list (below) or make a donation and receive a free lunch (hot dog, salad, drink).

Dogs and cats can also be microchipped for $30.

Events include obedience training with Canine Academy, K-9 demonstrations, a 50/50 raffle, T-shirt sale an a "pet photo contest."

Wish list items include: Canned and dry cat and dog food, small blankets, and beds, bleach, laundry soap and paper towels and non-clumping cat litter.

Stan's is located at 4425 W. Saile Drive, Batavia.

Stan's all set for annual Race Day on Saturday

By Howard B. Owens

Saturday is Race Day at Stan's Harley-Davidson, when visitors can stop by the store and meet racers, check out their bikes and learn more about dirt track racing. The event is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jeff Eddy's (pictured above) Team 126 will be at the store signing autographs.  Area 51 will provide free passes for races at its track for people who attend. At 11 a.m. there will be a children's Big Wheel drag race. Stan's Harley-Davidson is located at 4425 W. Saile Drive, Batavia.

Harley-riding Border Patrol agents pass through Batavia, visit Stan's Harley

By Howard B. Owens

This morning, driving down Main Street, Batavia, I spotted a group Border Patrol agents riding Harley-Davidson Motorcycles, and I immediately thought, "I've never seen the Border Patrol on motor bikes before."

I would soon learn, this is an unusual sight -- there is only one motor bike unit with the Border Patrol in the United States, and they're based in Grand Island.

I stopped at an intersection next to the agents and asked one what they were up to and he told me they were headed to Stan's Harley-Davidson -- a pilgrimage of sorts, I gather.

The agents were in town to display their bikes at a Border Patrol co-sponsored golf tournament at Batavia Country Club.

Assistant Chief Mike Hester told me the Border Patrol invested in the Harley unit a year ago, during the previous administration, when the President was looking to double the size of the Border Patrol. Area agents found out that the Buffalo region has the second highest rate of Harley ownership in the nation, so a Harley unit was seen as a way to get into the community and recruit potential agents. Mostly, the Harley unit has been used at bike events and other community events, but they also patrol the tourist areas of Niagara, where heavy pedestrian traffic can make a typical cruiser harder and more dangerous to use.

Pictured are Supervisor Adam Matuszeiuski, Chief Hester, Acting Assistant Chief Andrew Scharnweber and Field Operations Supervisor Jason Heckler.

Stan's Harley was the group's last stop for the day in Genesee County before heading home.

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