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BIKERNET CARIBBEAN REPORT–The Jack Daniels BBQ was a hit, we had over 200 bikes in and out. Weplaced a booth with a few of our bikes and goodies to sell, Roger Bourgetfrom Bourget’s Bike Works was present, posing for photos, talking to peopleand helping with the judging. The bike show was an event, bikes coming andgoing made it extra hard to judge, but late in the afternoon we managed tochoose the favorites. Best of Show went to a ’50s Pan-Shovel chopper (photoabove). Sure, it was not the nicest, most perfect bike, but it was the onlyguy who showed up on a rigid, kickstart, jockey shift, old- school chopper.While all the HOG bikes and chrome barges sparkled in the hot sun,the trusty old chopper waited patiently while dripping oil for its turn tohead back the 60 miles or so home.
The choice of Best of Show was my choice, solely, based on what I’m writingabove, and many other little things. The obvious lotsa money bikes werethere, but the old chopper caught my eye. Maybe some people have learned thelesson, it’s not only the bike, but the story behind it. We had as manyas 50 of our bikes parked around, from simple mods to full customs, allin a family type of camaraderie, which made the day a better one for us andour customers.We hope next year Bandit might join us, get loaded on Jack and taste thekick ass BBQs all over the grass lot.
The HOG MDA run took place Sunday (also). Seems that the attendance waspretty good, although rain in the mountains created a quick return to thecity.Someone heard that they (HOG) would not attend the BBQ because they werenot “formally” invited Tsk..Tsk… (that’s stupid)
The WCC bike is already painted and ready for final assembly. Next week wewill load some photos for the Bikernet.com guys to enjoy. The metalflaketangerine is looking very good, but you guys will be the judge.
Word was passed among the bikers at the BBQ for the search of choppers forThe Horse magazine, as well as an invitation to join Bikernet and sendtheir photos. We will try to load some photos up in the near future.
That’s it for now, we are working hard on the WCC and theSturgis trip is just down the road. Like everyone else heading to the BlackHills, we have a ton of work ahead of us, so I’ll make this short and headback to the dungeon, er…shop.
— Jose, Caribbean BikernetAgent.
MOTORCYCLE RIGHTS ALERT–GET INVOLVED–Hey all you bikers out there, I just got the following e-mail from Ray at theMMRA (Minnesota Motorcycle Riders Association). If you’re interesting in yourrights as a motorcycle enthusiast, read and write! ?THANKS! (You can justcopy and paste any of these letters into your word processor, fill in theproper names and send away.) It does help to send these letters. This is anationwide issue!
It would be good for everyone to write to their U.S. senator and representativeon this issue. If anyone receives a written response, please ask them to senda copy to the MMRA and we can pass them on to the MRF.
Ray Egan
Executive Director
Minnesota Motorcycle Riders Association Inc.
P.O. Box 18067
Minneapolis, Minn. 55418-0067
Phone: (763) 541-1704
Toll Free: (800) 541-1704
Fax: (763) 425-0176
SAMPLE LETTER TO SEND TO YOUR SENATOR–[Address to The Honorable______, United States Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510]
Dear Senator _____,
Recently, the White House nominated North Carolina trauma surgeon Jeffrey Runge to be the next Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.?
I am concerned about this nomination, because Dr. Runge has supported NHTSA?s ?passive approach? to traffic safety and its emphasis on injury reduction over accident prevention. ?Traffic crashes are predictable and preventable and therefore are not accidents,? Dr. Runge and other physicians wrote in September 1999. I would like to know how that belief squares with Congress, because, in TEA-21, the Congress made accident prevention NHTSA?s number one mission.
Despite TEA-21, injury reduction still dominates NHTSA. According to ?Wrong Turn? — the June 11 cover story in New Yorker Magazine — the epidemiologists and their followers at NHTSA felt ?that the best way to combat the epidemic on the highways was to shift attention from the driver to the vehicle. No other country pursued the passive strategy as vigorously, and no other country had such high expectations for its success. But America’s slipping record on auto safety suggests that somewhere in the logic of that approach there was a mistake. And, if so, it necessarily changes the way we think about car crashes.? Isn?t the NHTSA-Ford-Firestone :?controversy? reason enough to begin to ?change the way we think about car crashes???
Like other motorcyclists, I am committed to safety on the road through accident prevention, such as more resources for state-run rider safety training and a national program of making motorists aware of motorcycles. Will Dr. Runge support or oppose accident prevention strategies or will he keep attention focused away ?from the driver to the vehicle???
I urge you to read the important New Yorker Magazine article as you consider the Runge nomination. For more information, please contact me or call the Motorcycle Riders Foundation at (202) 546-0983.
Sincerely,
[Name and Address]
Here’s a great wheelie by an ET racer. While they don’t generate the attention the pro bikes do, the sport classes have their share of exciting moments. Sorry I can’t ID him yet, but hopefully I will.
SEATTLE DRAGS THIS WEEKEND-BE THEREas the AHDRA brings Seattle race fans two full days of the fastest V-Twin action inthe world on June 30 and July 1. Downtown Harley-Davidson, DestinationHarley-Davidson; Eastside Harley-Davidson will present the PacificNationals. The show was a great success in 2000, and AHDRA plans to stagethe biggest show yet at Seattle International Raceway. Our webmaster, the Gangster and Bikernet correspondent Helen Wolfe will be covering the event and handing out stickers (if the bookkeeper send the damned things….) Stop them and say hello.
Coming off back to back races in Norwalk, Ohio, and Denver, Colo., the points chase is heating up at this mid-season sixth event on the AHDRA National Points Tour. California’s,Chicago Joe leads the JIMS Top Fuel ranks in National and Western points,but New Jersey’s Drums Brancaccio (Out of Time/Bammer Racing), the onlyrider to pilot three fuel bikes in AHDRA competition, is close behind.At this time, Drums is not expected to compete in Seattle. Dave O’Hara,however, will compete. Following a monumental first-ever win at last week’sRocky Mountain Nationals that tied him for the West points lead with ChicagoJoe, O’Hara and the “Hell Racing” team are fired up for competition atSeattle International Raceway.
Eastside Harley-Davidson will host the AHDRA “Kick Start Party” on June 28, beginning at 5 p.m. Reality Motorsports/ Eastside Harley-Davidson?s Kristine Becker,AHDRA?s first-ever female JIMS Top Fuel rider, will be on hand for autographs,along with entertainment, food and beverage.
The fun continues on Fridaynight when Children?s Ride 6 hosts the first ever, Pre-Ride Party at Freddie?sClub in Auburn, Wash. The party gets underway at 4 p.m. and goes until 10 p.m.Party participants can register for Children?s Ride 6 and purchase raffletickets for a Harley-Davidson Road King Classic to be given away at SeattleInternational Raceway. Seattle local Steve Huff will be on hand with twonitro machines, including his 200 mph JIMS Top Fueler that led racingicon Jim McClure to a 9th National Championship. Live music, great doorprizes and plenty of food will also be available. Freddie?s Club is locatedat 333 15th St., NE.
On July 1, motorcycleriders from all over the Northwest will participate in Children?s Ride6. The escorted ride will leave from Sammamish State Park and head to SeattleInternational Raceway for the Pacific Nationals, presented by DowntownHarley-Davidson, Destination Harley-Davidson and Eastside Harley-Davidson.All proceeds from Children?s Ride 6 and the Harley-Davidson Road King Classicraffle will benefit the uncompensated care program at Children?s Hospital,which assures quality care to all children of the Northwest, regardlessof their ability to pay. Last year over 850 motorcycles participated, raisingover $133,000 for Children?s Hospital. For more information on Children?sRide 6, call (206) 368-4876 or visit the Web site at www.childrens-ride.com.
Event Details:Gates open both daysat 8 a.m. Qualifying begins Saturday at 10:30 a.m. and eliminations beginat 12:30 p.m. on Sunday.Admission is $25 forone day, and $35 for the weekend. H.O.G. members receive a $5 discountwith a valid card; Children (6-12) are admitted for $5. Ages 5 andunder receive free admission.
For more information onthe Pacific Nationals presented by Downtown Harley-Davidson, DestinationHarley-Davidson and Eastside Harley-Davidson, please contact the AHDRAat (336) 924-2095 or visit www.ahdra.com
THEN catch the drags in Mission, B.C., on July 14-15 for more Harley DragRacing with the CMDRA (Canadian Motorcycle Drag Racing Association) atMission Raceway Park. Log on to www.cmdra.com for more info.And the following weekend in Mission, B.C. on July 21-July 22 Top FuelHarleys second debut with the NHRA at the NHRA Canadian National Open.
Hope to see you all at the races!!!!
ROGUE COPS ATTACK BIKERS–Actually, Rogue sent me this shot, but Buch Lovell is working on a book of Cops on Bikes, a coffee table masterpiece. If you know of any old prints of cop bikes or cops on bikes, don’t hesitate to contact us. We want him to finish this damn thing and get the Pedro cops off my ass. You can send the shots to Bikernet, P.O. Box 1168, San Pedro, Calif. 90733-1168. We’ll scan them and return them unharmed and without bullet holes.
BIKER EXECUTIVE WANTED–Dear friends, we would really appreciate it if you would pass this along toyour readers!Thanks, ?Bob Illingworth,
Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame
President and Acting Director
Executive Director Position,Sturgis Motorcycle Museum And Hall Of Fame,Seeking Individual For Full Time Year Round Director Position. ?CandidateWill Be Responsible For The Complete Operation Of The Museum Including GrantWriting And Other Fund Raising Programs. Send Resume ?To:
Sturgis Motorcycle Museum
P.O. Box 602
Sturgis, S.D. 57785
CHOPPERS INC. ON BIKERNET–One of the major up and coming shops on the East Coast, Billy Lang’s Choppers Inc., is hopping. We were fortunate to feature his latest creation on Bikernet. Check it out in Wrench’s Bike Barn. Here’s his latest creation and a banner so you can find this hot head from the east. The link would be www.choppersinc.com.
” The Knuck Sandwich originally was going to inherit the ’46 EL mill that my red Pan was supposed to get,” said Billy. “I decided instead to use KnuckleheadPower, USA’s 84- inch twin carb engine. They build a great product. The frame is a ’39 Knuck frame that I paid $500 for-severely bent. I paid $400 for the 1935 VL springer. Trying to build something with old parts cheap, except for the engine. I’ll send some updated pics next week.”
BUELL REPORT PART II– Installed the 55t international Buell pulley on my S2 yesterday. I also had to put back on the 29t trans pulley.?Started doing the rear belt adjustment. Man, I turned the fuckin axle adjusters all the way out and still had 3 to 4 inches of belt deflection. What the hell is going on here??
So I went to the?Buell parts manuals. The belt for the Buell listed is a 128t. So I go count the teeth on my belt. 128 teeth, right on, so what the fuck is the deal here? I called up my Buell guy at the factory and P/N for the 128 tooth belt was correct. OK, now what? Is there a different swing arm, shock? All bad news. All shocks and swing arms are the same P/N. So that was the good news with more good news coming.
Well, after some more digging around, the factory found the correct P/N for the belt match when using the 55t rear pulley. It’s a “Swiss” Buell P/N! It is not listed in the Buell part manuals! Again my buddy from Wisconsin comes through. The “Swiss” belt?has?125 teeth.
My connect says “this will fix your problem Paul.” Well it?makes sense to me now. I thought that it had to be a different belt. It costs a hell of a lot less to make only one type of swing arm and have a different size belt to make this work.
So I?had Mike (Paladin) order that puppy for me and it should be at the shop a few days before I head off to Chicago. I hope. Anyway, here are the P/N’s for the International belt and pulley:
Pulley: P/N 327727-97Y 55 tooth International rear pulley ?
?Belt : P/ N??40038-91??125 tooth Swiss/International belt
Stock Buell belt is 128t Its P/N is 40022-91
?Note: This?belt?is not listed in the Buell parts manuals.?(Stock belt P/N 40022-91 128t) Ratio- 55t divided 29=1.896 Stock is 2.26 for 27/61 combo or 2.10 for the 29/61 combo
Hope this info is of help for the long-distance, high gas mileage Buell rider.
Later, Paul
EXHAUST SYSTEM CRITERIA– How about a Harley-Davidson aftermarket exhaust system roundup. But not the usual horsepower stats, I want to know how each manufacuters stack up for:
1- ease of installation
2- resistance to bluing
3- warranty
4- heat shields
5- quality fit and finish
6- sound
7 – tuneablility
8- legal considerations
9 – curb appeal
Not all of us are into 140hp monsters. I ride around town and like to have my fatboy looking sharp. I don’t want to spend $500 on a new system and find out it is crap that will be blue in a week or, worse yet, sounds like crap.
–“Jeff” This could be a tough task–Bandit On to Page 3
