In the midst of the ever-growing crisis of the coronavirus, the motorcycle industry is helping out in many different ways. Donations of all kinds and other things have been coming out to help combat the virus and get us all “out of hiding” as I like to put it. AMERiders has the information for you on what is being done.
Besides hearing all the bad stuff of the dickwads and dicwadettes cleaning out the shelves at the stores of hand sanitizer and wipes to resell online at a ludicrous premium. (Kudos to the companies that have stopped some of these nutcases). I have love loss for those other nutcases who feel the need to stock up on toilet paper and paper towels either save some for the rest of us. With all this stupid stuff being done, we mostly hear about the bad stuff, so much so that it’s easy to forget that good things are also happening. People and companies are stepping up and helping, and it’s a beautiful thing to see. I wanted to bring those to your attention because I think we all need some happy thoughts in these weird times.
In Italy, for example, small motorcycle manufacturer Benelli has stepped up and donated two ventilators and 4,500 Tyvek suits to the Italian Red Cross. Tire manufacturer Pirelli and its partners donated $800,000 as well as 65 ventilators, 5,000 protectives suits, and 20,000 protective masks to help local health care providers. Here in the U.S., Yamaha Motor Manufacturing of America has donated 380 respirators, 49,000 gloves, 325 Tyvek suits, and 18,000 alcohol wipes to the Piedmont Newnan Hospital.
Companies aren’t the only ones helping out. While the individual capacity to donate either money or gear is more limited than for big companies, countless motorcyclists around the world are instead putting their time and their ride at their community’s disposition to help in a time of need.
The owners of a motorcycle riding school in Littleport, England, are offering people in their area to pick up prescriptions and deliver them where needed for free. Similarly, groups of riders in the Italian region of Umbria are helping seniors who can’t leave their homes due to the lockdown by picking up their prescriptions and delivering them to their door. In Sudbury, Canada, the members of the Warriors biker club volunteered to help the Meals on Wheels service by delivering meals to local seniors on a daily basis.
MotoGP & WSBK are helping by offering free Streaming
MotoGP and WSBK: Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta released a public letter encouraging the series paddocks and fans alike to stand strong and stay safe throughout this pandemic, and said he looks forward like all of us to when race seasons are in full swing. At this time, no further race rescheduling has been announced. However, MotoGP.com is now streaming ALL its content for free via MotoGP VideoPass! The free trial lasts until April 27, 2020, so if you’re missing racing, you have plenty of archival races, documentaries, and interviews going all the way back to 1992 to keep you busy.
Thankfully, these stories aren’t unique. If you ask me, good deeds deserve more visibility than toilet paper hoarders and online price gougers. I applaud the motorcycle industry for what they are doing. This is a time to be selfless and to help one another, don’t you think? If anything, it’s good for the soul. If you wish to help, a number of charities and local initiatives are seeking volunteers, look them up. So, how will you do some good today?
~Please stay safe
~And as always…
~Live Free Ride Hard~
~AMERiders
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Let AMERiders keep you up to date with information on How The Motorcycle Industry Is Helping out in Various Ways During COVID-19.
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