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BUELL WILL NEVER DIE, Erik Buell to Sell 1125R-Based Race Bikes–Buell streetbike production may be over, but 1125R-based racing motorcycles will soon be available from a new independent race shop founded by Erik Buell, who will be leaving Buell Motorcycle Co.
The new company, Erik Buell Racing in East Troy, Wis., also will specialize in the supply of race-use-only Buell motorcycle parts and race preparation services for engines and motorcycles. The company will build and sell the racing motorcycles under license from Harley-Davidson. Erik Buell Racing will provide technical support to racers of Buell motorcycles.
?I?m looking forward to helping Buell racers keep their bikes flying,? Buell said in a Harley-Davidson press release. ?We?ve got some exciting race development projects in the works, and it will mean a lot to me personally to see Buell racers competing for wins and championships in the 2010 season and beyond.?
Buell president and COO Jon Flickinger said, ?I?m pleased that Harley-Davidson is assisting Erik in establishing this business to continue supporting the racing efforts he has had so much passion for over the years. Harley-Davidson and the Buell Motorcycle Co. will always be proud of their affiliation with Erik, and we wish him well in this new endeavor to support Buell racers.?
Erik Buell Racing will be staffed by Erik Buell and a veteran team of personnel. For more information, after Dec. 1, contact:
–Erik Buell Racing LLC
www.erikbuellracing.com
info@erikbuellracing.com
–Dealernews
A HEFTY WORD FROM THE BIKERNETMETRIC EDITOR–Hey all you metric riders! Have you heard about the best place to discover metric motorcycle news? It’s the Bikernet Metric News blog In the last week alone, we’ve posted almost 40 photos and information about Ducati, BMW and Honda, while profiling custom metric builds by Slingshot Cycles, Last Ride, Thunderbike and the amazing Dave Cook. On top of that, renowned motorcycle photographer Colleen Swartz sent us some killer shots of a 1954 Victoria Bergmeister. “What is that,” you wonder? Click hereto find out, and remember, METRICS KICK ASS!
HAWAIIAN BIKER Jim Russi debuts Fine Art Surf Photography in inaugural gallery show– The thomadro Art Gallery in Haleiwa is proud to announce the premier showing of world renowned in water photographer Jim Russi. A reception will be held at the Gallery on the evening of Haleiwa Art Walk, Saturday, November 28th, from 6:00 p.m. ? 9:00 p.m.
Over the last three decades Jim?s trained eye for capturing light and form has brought us images of soft and subtle elements of water that few have ever seen.
We will be showing large limited edition canvas giclees and photographic prints in handcrafted one-of-a-kind frames by Jennifer Holmcy.
The evening is open to everyone and will include art, food & drink. This is the perfect start to the North Shore surf season. The artist will be at the gallery during the reception.
The gallery is located at 66-145 Kamehameha Hwy in the Haleiwa Town Center.
Please call thomadro Art Gallery for more information at 808-637-8010.
THIS JUST IN, Pittsburgh OKs $50K ‘Middle Finger’ Settlement– PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh City Council has tentatively approved paying $50,000 to settle a free speech lawsuit filed by a man cited for giving a city police officer the middle finger.Thirty-five-year-old David Hackbart, of Butler, made the gesture at a driver in April 2006, then did it again when someone yelled at him — realizing only later the second person was a police officer.The American Civil Liberties Union sued saying Hackbart’s gesture was constitutionally protected speech. A federal judge postponed a September trial indefinitely at the request of attorneys on both sides.
Council gave initial approval to the settlement Tuesday, but must vote again next week to finally approve the payment. No court documents settling the case have been filed.
–Rogue
SADDLEMAN PRODUCT OF THE WEEK, Deluxe Saddlebag Chaps with Storage Bags for Harley Davidson FLH–Protect your bagger?s saddlebag lids with these handy covers. The soft backside is gentle to your paint, and the durable, weather impervious exterior keeps away road debris, boot scuffs and other dangers to your expensive bags.
When you need just a little bit more luggage capacity, attach the handy expandable Lid Storage Bags for an extra few days? worth of gear. The black SaddleTuff? material and artful contours blend seamlessly into any bike?s design, and they couldn?t be more convenient.
Easy to install, ten minutes without drilling or modifying bike
Also available as Lid Cover only.
Easy access bags
Secure, but easy on, easy off
Model: 3501-0454 MSRP: $129.95
Saddlemen products are available at your nearby Parts Unlimited (for metric)and Drag Specialties (for Harley) retailers
800: 1-800-397-7709
Local: 1-310-638-1222
saddlemensales@msn.com
THE UNCLE MONKEY DOCTRINE TURNS A FAST PAGE–From the very first time William S. Harley took that first trip around the block and said ?That was amazing? can we make it faster?? we have been obsessed with wringing the very last ounce of performance out of our motorcycles. We can hardly be blamed for it. The need for speed has been hard wired into us from the very beginning when we began our ultimate pursuit, the pursuit of Eve. Can we be faster? We certainly think so.
Very few bikes roll out onto the street before we start tweaking and changing in the pursuit of performance. From the tried and true, no replacement for displacement to the orientation of the spark plug gap in the cylinder, to exotic cocktails of fuel mixtures there is no stone left unturned in search of our goal. I know it is hard for many of my readers on crotch rockets to believe but yes, us Harley guys are obsessed with speed. Millions of dollars have been poured into our Harleys over the decades to make them almost as quick as your stock bike. In fact many of my friends have a speed demon listed somewhere on their resume of bikes they have owned. It seems like a frivolous pursuit. There is always something new to try. One of my friends dumped tens of thousand of dollars into his brand new Wide Glide before it even left the showroom floor. He is now the proud owner of a slightly faster Harley. Was it a waste of money? He (and his dealer) certainly doesn?t think so.
Very few of us actually use the power that even the stock bikes have to offer. No, other then the odd blast up an on ramp or the occasional burn out in a pit at a rally we rarely open our bikes up. But it is there. We know it and that is good enough to satisfy our inner demon.
Quickness has served us well over the millennia. It has provided food for our tables, survival when under attack. Having a fast horse is as important today as it was when Jesse James and Billy the Kid blazed a path across the Wild West. Speed offers us a freedom that society can no longer give us. There is no eminent survival instinct. There will always be food on the table at the end of the day and well Bob in accounting doesn?t hold a candle to us when it comes to getting that big promotion next week. But out on the highways, when we are alone in our heads, each vehicle becomes our prey speeding across the open prairie to be stalked and devoured before moving on to the next one. No, out on the highways we become primitive and wild. We believe we would do our ancestors proud.
Is our never-ending pursuit of speed futile? You?ll have to ask that sabre tooth tiger nipping at our heels.
-bad Uncle Monkey
TATTOO OF THE DAY–Okay, so I’m promoting my son’s tattoo shop. It’s a small part I can do for my son, Frank, and his family. He has three amazing kids. And I’m damn thankful, he’s doing so well, a good father, and I’m proud of him. Except he rides a dyna glide. Rigids and FXRs rule.–Bandit
WHEELS THROUGH TIME MUSEUM HOLIDAY TRIBUTE–Each year, as the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, our riding season here in the mountains unfortunately comes to a close. Its during these times that I have an opportunity to sit back and reflect on the year that’s gone by, hopefully with joy, happiness, and thanks.
As Thanksgiving rapidly approaches, we’re reminded of the great people, places and things that come into our lives and have an opportunity to recognize how those aspects have made us better people. I’ve got a lot to be thankful for….too much to mention in just a few words. The love and support of family, good health, great friends with whom I’m fortunate to share my passion. Its during this time of year that its so important to make the most of what you have and give thanks to those who care.
So, Happy Thanksgiving, from myself and everyone at Wheels Through Time. May the rest of 2009 be a great one, and may 2010 bring you all happiness, love, and joy.
This year has been a great one. The museum is currently bigger and better than ever, with more rare machines than ever. Some of the rarest bikes in the museum have made their way here this year, including the 1929 DAR boardtrack racer, Jack Pine endurance racers, several great dirt-track machines from the earliest days of dirt track history, and last but not least, a 1916 Harley-Davidson Sidecar….that you drive from the sidecar. Most of these machines have already been brought back to running and operating condition, and a few more are on the workbenches as we speak.
We’ve had a lot going on back in the shop this year. We’ve finished a total of 10 new machines for the museum so far this year, and have a few more planned to be finished by year’s end. Currently, I’m working on two Harley-Davidson VLs…one a 1936 hot-rod and the second a 1934 crustoration. They’re both going to be great project. Last year, I asked my friend Brian Haenlien to build a hopped up motor for our land speed racing VL — a task that Brian took with pride. He did such a good job on the motor, that I’ve convinced him to build another one to put in a road bike. We’re pretty excited about the build, and have all the confidence in the world that it’ll do a 100 mph when its done….full fenders and all.
Matt’s been hard at work in the shop on a great project that’s sort of new ground for all of us — building a genuine 1920s-era Harley Cutdown. “What’s a cutdown?” you ask. Its a customized, literally “cut-down” Harley from the early days of motorcycle customization (before choppers, there were bobbers, and before bobbers there were cutdowns). Matts made some serious progress so far. The engine, which came to us as sort of a mystery motor, with parts from different years, and combinations for a fast motor, has already been rebuilt as of last week, and the transmission and clutch will be wrapped up any day now. We found a clean frame in the back of the shop that’ll fit perfect with the project. Its a 1918 or ’19 frame, that needs a bit of straightening. Then the plan is to modify it to lower the engine and shorten the wheel-base. The original style teens and twenties Harleys sit pretty high, and aren’t your most agile bikes, so the plan is to drop it way down, get it closer to the ground, and make it more “race friendly”. Matts really excited about this…..”Its not too often that you get to chop a teens harley” he says.
We’ll be producing new videos on each of these builds as they progress, and will be posting them, as well as countless other shows about whats going on at the museum and in the shop, in the video section of our website. So stay tuned in….I know that you’re going to like what you see!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING, GODDAMNIT–It’s getting damn close to midnight the night before turkey day. While rumbling through the news once more, I thought of another contributor I failed to mention. I apologize if I missed anyone. I appreciate every member of our team, and look forward to 2010. I’m pumped to see the changes to the site, a more active blog, more services for readers and an even more active Bikernet.
I thought of one, the Canyon Carver, our new advertising director. He’s seriously bolstering the team for next year and watching over my shoulder. So, give thanks today/tomorrow/everyday and make a point to buy American this holiday season. You’ll be proud you did.
Ride Forever,
–Bandit
