Hey,
Here we go, into another massive Thursday news. We ponder the final month of this year with some trepidation, yet high hopes for next year. Although the economy seems shaky at best, the prospects are bright and challenging for Bikernet.
We plan to deliver a stronger service level to all of our readers next year, with an easier to navigate home page, more vibrant content, and a state-of-the art blog. We’ve added considerably to our team with the first-ever advertising director, several active contributors and Trent who is flying at the Metric side.
Our mantra is simple; we don’t charge a lot for advertising, yet we try our damnest to provide a top-of-the-line service. We make every dollar count, so at night we can sleep knowing we’ve done our absolute best for our readers and our industry. It’s the Bikernet Code of the West, goddamnit. Let’s hit the news.
MOONEYES JAPAN SHOW ON BIKERNET–Check the Sheriff’s shots of classic chops and bobbers from Toyko. Japan is a mystical place, full of fleeting tradition, wonderful art and delicate women.
CYCLE SOUNDS IGNITION IMMOBILIZER SECURITY SYSTEM– Biker?s Choice offers a choice of bike alarms to suit your individual needs. The one featured here is an active relay with a remote.
Direct plug in replacement eliminates the need for adapters and also replaces the starter relay. It?s vibration and shock resistant and designed to operate in extreme temperatures; from -40?F to 235?F. It?s fully protected from starter motor spikes and has a low battery warning L.E.D. light. Use the hidden transmitter (sold separately) and disarm your bike without the key fob.
At $69.95, it protects your bike and your wallet. For more information such as fitment guides and other alarm accessories, visit www.Bikerschoice.com or visit one of our many dealers.
Happy Riding!!
–Carmen
1-817-258-9030
1-877-367-8711 Fax
cnelson@bikerschoice.com
THE FATBOB CHRISTMAS TREE–Merry Christmas, here’s your GODDAMN tree. I sent the original photograph to Billy Lane, figured he needed a tree. These are all goodies I got at Eustis, Oley, and Davenport. The pieces I intend to use on FATBOBBERS. I have built more than one bike by scoring one cool piece, then building a bobber around it.
Here’s another find. The two-tone fatbobs are for the ’47 Knuckle. The flathead tanks are 1940, but I used the VL decal with a little mod on the striping because of the contour of the later tanks. Doing a bigtwin flatty too. Will send pics of the build, also got my ’54 pan back from Carl Allen of Lake Shore fame. They closed the shop, so he is working out of his garage, 35 fucking years of service and so-long motherfucker, corporate pricks.
–FB
SBA SMALL BUSINESS HELP LINE–I watched an extensive presentation by the Administrator for the Small Business Administration (SBA). They gave out all their stimulus funds, but they’re not out of cash. They also work with over 5000 banks across the country providing loans. Plus they developed a program to support small business with SCORE, a volunteer network of executives. These folks will come to your business and help you find new technology, and new markets–FREE. Or they can help you learn and understand the export business and shipping to foreign lands. Don’t hesitate to give them a shot. You might be surprized.
THE POPE AND BANDIT INTERVIEW–
Bandit and the Pope of Pipe talk exhaust. Once a month the two performance junkies get together to solve the world’s problems… And sometimes they actually move the ball uphill. Dave discusses some of the latest success for his new 2:1 Concentric Baffle that drops 10db at full throttle and moves the peak torque down about 1000 rpms. The Engineering department of the University of Texas at Arlington assisted in the baffle design.
Get more radio and video shows in Bikernet
–Jeff Najar
K&G Cycles’ Business Model Spells Success–Lawrence, Kansas-December 16, 2009-Founded in 2006 by George and Kyle Marakas, K & G Cycles was born out of the pair’s love of motorcycling and a desire to turn their hobby of restoring antique bikes into a business. With the advent of K & G Cycles Web store in February 2009 they have successfully created a revolutionary approach to online merchandising without sacrificing their personal touch or passion for the industry.
Since its inception in 2006, K & G Cycles has been developing one of the industry’s most exciting new concepts in motorcycle parts retailing. With 900 categories of parts from over 200 manufacturers and 5 major motorcycle parts distributors, motorcyclists can find everything they need all in one location. In addition customers are rest-assured that when purchasing parts from K & G Cycles that they are dealing with a legitimate and reputable high tech business with a true mom and pop-type mentality.
Driven by the idea of creating a new kind of shopping experience within this marketplace, George and Kyle have developed a way to leverage pre-established relationships with a number of distributors to better serve the biker community. By carrying almost every V-twin part imaginable they have streamlined the buying process while still offering competitive pricing and great customer service.
K & G’s philosophical approach to online merchandising includes low overhead and great service. Their business model allows them to bring the widest variety of parts from a number of one-of-a-kind unique vendors at great prices. In order to reduce their costs, they warehouse every one of their products with their vendors until the product is sold. They are then able to pass their savings on to their customers and keep prices low. If customers cannot find the parts they are looking for, the staff at K & G is always happy to help via phone, e-mail or Skype. For more information about K & G Cycles, please call (785) 542-9227 or visit them on the Web at www.kandgcycles.com.
–Sarah Wozniak
Big Dog Motorcycles to Seek New Investors, Possible Sale–Big Dog Motorcycles owner Sheldon Coleman has hired an investment banking firm to assist in evaluating a possible merger, strategic partnership or sale of Big Dog or its assets. Big Dog and its shareholders will also consider selling additional equity to add capital, other financing options or a recapitalization of the company.
“Given the unprecedented, difficult market conditions, I strongly believe that Big Dog needs to add other equity partners or transition to new ownership to continue to develop and build Big Dog?s innovative products and capitalize on the rebounding economy,” says Coleman, the founder and principal shareholder of the Wichita, Kan.-based motorcycle manufacturer.
During evaluation process being conducted by William Blair & Company, Big Dog will continue to sell and develop motorcycles, service its dealers and consumers with warrant needs, parts and accessories. Also during this time, Coleman says he’ll continue to lead the company during the transition and that he hopes to be part of any new management team that takes over Big Dog.
Coleman told Dealernews that over the past couple of years, as the economy augured into the ground, Big Dog has steadily been working toward higher efficiency through staff reductions and decreases in production. “We have all the core elements of a company ready to respond to an upswing in the market,” he adds.
The company announced in August that it would stop production through the end of the year and that staff members would receive a 20 percent pay cut. The company currently has fewer than 100 employees, down from a peak of about 340 people in 2004.
Coleman predicts that the reaction among the company’s dealer network of about 80 dealers will be mostly positive, but acknowledges there could certainly be jitters among an industry that’s already been skating along the edge of uncertainty for the past year or so.
Coleman adds that he opted to make very transparent the search for new investors or a possible buyer given close-knit nature of the industry. “Everybody understands where the industry is and where the players are ? it’s a sophisticated group,” he says, adding that the news shouldn’t come as a surprise for most given this high level of uncertainty.
“We’re all hoping for the best and anticipating that we’ll find an excellent outcome,” he says.
Coleman says that the company will continue to invest in long-term strategies such as international distribution and developing new models. The company recently opened up distribution in Canada and last year released several new models.
Big Dog Motorcycles started producing motorcycles in 1994 and has build more than 25,000 production custom bikes. In 2010 its lineup include seven models in three classes
? by Dennis Johnson
–DEALERNEWS.COM
Big Dog recently opened this new dealer, so they’re not out yet.
Great Biker Stocking Stuffers from Hot Leathers
Hot Leathers has everything to stuff your friends? stockings this year!– Give?em a keychain, wallet, pins, pant bungees, facemask, gloves, tie, sunglasses, boxers, belt, clip pouch, zipper pull, wallet chain, jewelry, patches and how about some boot chains, too? Check out our huge selection ? 1000?s of gifts under $20.
Patches make for excellent stocking stuffers. Hot Leathers has the hugest selection of original patch designs you?ll ever see! Patches come in various sizes and start at just $2.95! They come ready to iron- on or can be sewn on everything from jackets to bags to jeans. They?re the perfect stocking stuffer. We have patches to suit any taste: skull, biker, military, patriotic, children?s, lady rider, humorous sayings, reflective, eagle, Native American, flag, religious, ribbon, angels and more!
SUCKER PUNCH BIKE OF THE WEEK–Oh you picked a good one for your Bikernet news lead. That’s Keli from Phoenix. Jeff Cochran took the shot and if my memory serves me it was 110 degrees out. We kept jumping in and out of the SUV to get the shot, I think we were on some sort of private property but the grounds crew didn’t seem to care as long as they could watch.
Keli was a good and she ended up in Sturgis with the SPS crew. From what I recall, she had a good time meeting all the bikers and celebs. Keli ended up being our calendar girl for 2007 Sturgis Rally Calendar. The bike is Christian’s personal ride.
Originally an FLH shovel the frame was cut and axle height adjusted 1.5 inches up and a 17 was installed on the back, making this one low riding mutha. Tons of hand machined aluminum parts and a low seat height make this one of the bosses favorite ride.
–Ken
I’M BACK & I WANT YOU, GIRLS OF BIKERNET CALENDAR SALE–Hi, TRIsTA here and I am the kind of girl you want around, if I do say so myself. It doesn’t matter if it is hot or cold out, I’ll meet you at the door with just a wisp of nylon on. I’ll even keep all your important dates so you will never be late.
I’m one of the select few “Girls of Bikernet” and I’m featured in their Girls of Bikernet Calendar. So get up and get personal, “I won’t bite, too hard” and click
BIKERNET UNIVERSITY ENGLISH DEPARTMENT WORD OF THE DAY SPONSORED BY THE SMOKE OUT 2010–obfuscate OB-fuh-skayt, transitive verb:
1. To darken or render indistinct or dim.
2. To make obscure or difficult to understand or make sense of.
3. To confuse or bewilder.
Yet little has been written of him (he obfuscated details of his life in interviews), and his art is little recalled.
— Gary Giddins, Visions of Jazz
The Bikernet Finance Department determined that the President obfuscated the economy by obfuscating the financial facts through the stimulus package that obfuscated the feds mistakes.
–Agent Zebra, “Bikernet’s Economic Advisory Report.”
It’s to be expected that teams’ publicity departments do a little spin-doctoring and enhance their players’ performances by using numbers that appear to be impressive, so it’s up to the commentators to determine if those stats have validity or are meant to obfuscate poor performances.
— Tim McCarver with Danny Peary, Tim Mccarver’s Baseball for Brain Surgeons and Other Fans
It will . . . obfuscate and mislead the public.
— Rod Liddle, “Labour’s attack on Gilligan is just nit-picking”, The Guardian, August 13, 2003
Obfuscate comes from Late Latin obfuscatus, past participle of obfuscare, “to darken,” from Latin ob- + fuscare, “to darken,” from fuscus, “dark.” The noun form is obfuscation.
INDIAN LARRY ISSUE COMING FROM THE CYCLE SOURCE STAFF–The stuff on Indian Larry was cool! I can’t wait to get that magazine when it comes out. I really got into his bikes. His bikes always inspired a lot of people. Also, your bikes, the bikes you have built, have always been some of my favorite bikes.
Right now I could use some inspiration. By the way Chopper John, and I have helped a little on our project bike. We have almost completed a rigid Sporty. John hand built the entire frame.
–Mike Pullin
LACKLUSTER BIKERNET FORUM–I have noticed the Your Shot section has been fairly inactive lately. Some of the threads are over 2 yrs old without a post.(example no one has had sex since June 2007) If I were a new visitor 2 yr old posts would look pretty stale to me.
Just a thought for lay out, Free for all your shot, then moving the swap meet buy /sell next. Then pretty much keep the tech section as stands. Then scrap most of the other sections.
Your Shot should be easier to find on the home page. I`m only one guy puttin in my 2 cents.
Thanks for your work in 2009 making Bikernet the best kick ass internet bike mag around. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to you, Nyla and family. Now, get down to the shop and build something, get ready for the salts in 2010.
–Rick F.
aka Fish
This is one area we will attack over the next couple of months. We will completely revamp the Forum. We are also considering a re-do on our classifieds area. Hang on.–Bandit
SWISS ARMY HAVE THE BEST BLOCK ON YOUR BLOCK–Our Block Sets make the perfect gift for the at-home chef on your holiday gift list. We began in the cutlery business 125 years ago and are still the Choice of Professionals today. We offer a variety of block sets as well as individual cutlery items and gift sets. From the Makers of the Original Swiss Army Knife, all of our cutlery carries a Lifetime Warranty against manufacturer’s defects.
REPORTS COMING IN THE RECENT SEMA NEWSLETTER–Is the gasoline engine dead? A landmark study from the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) and SEMA on alternative powertrains highlights the opportunities the new technologies represent for the specialty-equipment market.
The December issue also features the partnership between the Harvard Business School and the SEMA Education Institute. You?ll find an update on motorsports marketing and a research report on the changing landscape of the mobile-electronics market.
As always, the digital issue of SEMA News features video highlights, direct links to advertisers and a host of other viewing benefits. Click on the bottom right-hand corner of the cover to open the issue. You can continue turning each page by clicking on the right-hand side of each spread. The current issue as well as past issues can also be found at the SEMA News homepage.
Happy Reading and Happy Holidays,
–Matthew Pearson
SEMA Editorial Director
PAUL YAFFE TO CELEBRATE HIS BIRTHDAY AT THE BILLET BAR IN PHOENIX, AZ–I’ve been working for Myron, Billet Bar Boss, for a handful of years and he told me that you’ve got a pretty popular website and I was hoping you could do me a favor. Paul Yaffe’s birthday is coming up this Friday and we’re throwing him a big party. I’m trying to spread the word to make it as big as possible, and I was hoping you could post it on your website. Really appreciate it.
–Brad
I recently stumbled into a bar in Southern California and ordered a couple of drinks, a Jack on the Rocks and a glass of house wine. The bill was $20. No wonder I don’t drink at bars. Good god. I spoke to Myron the other day and he told me his prices are still $4.50 for well drinks. So, how about a ride to Phoenix, it’s just over 400 miles, for a drink?–Bandit
BETSY HITS GLENDALE TOY RUN– What’s news? I’ve had a busy few weeks with lots of family visiting from Minnesota and Colorado. I had hoped to go on the Hells Angels Toy ride two weeks ago, but that day the rain was too much. Then this past weekend it looked like the Glendale Toy Ride was going to have the same fate, but the skies opened up and it was a most perfect day.
All of my buddies had backed out because of weather, but my new bo and the fearless Carlana joined me. The streets were lined with kids that had waited in the rain over night, and the Mongols, the Vagos and the Boozefighters all turned out in large numbers with heaps of toys.
–Betz
Continued On Page 2
