Hey,
Another nuts day in Paradise. It’s Sin Wu’s birthday. We’ve been hanging out for almost a decade. I’m beginning to look for a newer model. Hell, my dear old ma is now another 10 years older, and she was old ten years ago. Us criminal motorcycle men never get older, right? We just keep riding, building and chasing young sweet things.
Am I digging a deadly hole or what? What the fuck. Most women out live us anyway. We gotta take our shots while we have a chance. Let’s hit the news before I completely bury myself:
MATT OLSEN HEADS KNUCKLEHEAD ANTIQUE MOTORCYCLE CLUB OF AMERICA YOUTH PROGRAM–Matt Olsen of the Youth Program of The Antique Motorcycle Club of America is the young man behind this plan. ?To me, it seems like the biggest problems with antique motorcycles, is people not knowing enough about them, and being intimidated by them? Olsen explained. ? I am amazed by the amount of people my age who love the way bikes look and sound, but have no clue about old bikes or how they work. I figured that if people in my age group were confused about the details of starting and operating ’40s era bikes, then there were probably more people that would benefit from some grass roots motorcycle promoting!?
His promotion involves two efforts. An essay contest to win the chance to restore a vintage motorcycle and a Daytona Biker Week hands on effort. Matt is setting up a booth at the Limpnickie lot at Daytona Bike Week 2009. Kickstarting demos will introduce young enthusiasts to vintage kickstart motorcycles.
Beginning Wednesday March 4th, there will be two people at the booth that will teach people how to kickstart a 1948 Indian Chief and a 1946 Harley- Davidson Knucklehead. The bikes will be on stands so that people can learn how to operate a ?dead man?s throttle?, hand shift and operate a foot clutch. The bikes will be on stands holding the rear wheel off of the ground. Each historic machine will stand in a sturdy upright position so youngsters won?t have to worry about trivial things like gravity and balance. Be There, Be There.
VINTAGE REAR FENDER CONVERSION KITS– These kits are designed to be used on OEM frames over any rear wide swingarm kit. They include both billet fender struts and steel fender. All mounting hardware included. 200mm fender measures approximately 9″ W. 240mm fender measures approximately 10.5″ W. Made in the U.S.A.
NOTE: Requires the fender supports to be cut off of stock chassis.
SPECTRO OILS POWERS YOUR FUN WITH NEW MOTOR-GUARD LINEUP–Spectro Oils launches their newest products for high engine performance ? Motor-Guard and Golden Motor-Guard Zinc-Fortified Engine Lubricants.
Brookfield, CT? Spectro is expanding its product selection to offer car enthusiasts a line of mineral and semi-synthetic lubricants fortified with over 2 times as much friction-fighting additives as most available oils today. So you don?t have to ?do it yourself? with messy additives to get the friction?easing additives your classic or vintage car needs ? Spectro does it for you.
These Motor-Guard lubricants will be offered in mineral oil and semi-synthetic formulations under the Spectro brand name.
All will feature 1,800 ppm of ZDDP friction-fighting additives, well in excess of available lubricants.
Spectro Golden Motor-Guard semi-synthetic premium lubricant will be offered in viscosities of 5w30, 5w40, 10w30, 10w40, and 20w50.
Spectro Motor-Guard premium quality mineral oils will be offered in viscosities of 10w40, 20w50, and SAE30.
Motor-Guard lubricants are formulated to protect flat tappets, reduce wear, extend component life, and provide tremendous lubrication protection in extreme heat conditions. ?Spectro Oils has some of the best products on the market for power sports engine and transmission applications. The new line of Golden Motor-Guard oil is another excellent addition to Spectro?s range of products that help to provide the best performance possible from engines,? said Spectro Oils President, Dave Miller. Motor-Guard provides excellent performance in high RPM racing engines and marine applications, and special proprietary shear-stable polymers help maintain viscosity and resist ?breakdown? providing reduced consumption and excellent protection from metal to metal contact. Golden Motor-Guard Semi-Synthetic motor oil combines the best properties of petroleum and Group IV PAO synthetic base stocks to provide levels of protection unattainable by any conventional oil.
For more information on Spectro Oils, please visit: www.spectro-oils.com or www.goldenmotorguard.com
BIKERNET TOOL ADVICE COLUMN SPONSORED BY JIMS MACHINE–
STRAIGHT SCREWDRIVER: A tool for opening paint cans. Sometimes used to convert common slotted screws into non-removable screws and butchering your palms.
PRY BAR: A tool used to crumple the metal surrounding that clip or bracket you needed to remove in order to replace a 50 cent part.
HOSE CUTTER: A tool used to make hoses too short.
BIKERNET UNIVERSITY DARWIN AWARD CONTINUATION CLASS– 7. Seems an Arkansas guy wanted some beer pretty badly. He decided that he’d just throw a cinder block through a liquor store window, grab some booze, and run. So he lifted the cinder block and heaved it over his head at the window. The cinder block bounced back and hit the would-be thief on the head, knocking him unconscious. The liquor store window was made of Plexiglas. The whole event was caught on videotape.
8. As a female shopper exited a New York convenience store, a man grabbed her purse and ran. The clerk called 911 immediately, and the woman was able to give them a detailed description of the snatcher. Within minutes, the police apprehended the snatcher. They put him in the car and drove back to the store. The thief was then taken out of the car and told to stand there for a positive ID. To which he replied, ‘Yes, officer, that’s her. That’s the lady I stole the purse from.’
9. The Ann Arbour News crime column reported that a man walked into a Burger King in Ypsilanti , Michigan , at 5 A.M., flashed a gun, and demanded cash. The clerk turned him down because he said he couldn’t open the cash register without a food order. When the man ordered onion rings, the clerk said they weren’t available for breakfast. The man, frustrated, walked away. [*A 5-STAR STUPIDITY AWARD WINNER]
10. When a man attempted to siphon gasoline from a motor home parked on a Seattle street, he got much more than he bargained for. Police arrived at the scene to find a very sick man curled up next to a motor home near spilled sewage. A police spokesman said that the man admitted to trying to steal gasoline and plugged his siphon hose into the motor home’s sewage tank by mistake. The owner of the vehicle declined to press charges saying that it was the best laugh he’d ever had.
*** Remember… They walk among us!!! ***
Meeting of the Minds Meet the States Session Delivers–One of the original principles the Meeting of the Minds was founded upon was the concept of bringing motorcyclists from across the country together to share experiences, legislative successes, initiatives underway, problematic issues being faced, and ideas related to all of this, the very definition of the Meeting of the Minds.
The Thursday night Meet the States Opening session has become a real highlight of the Meeting of the Minds. This is where various representatives from the State Motorcycle Rights Organizations (SMRO?s) present what is going on in their states and this year certainly delivered on the original concept of a meeting of the minds. I counted 36 states in all that presented and below is a list of the nearly 50 subjects that were covered.
It would be hard to find something going on in motorcycling that wasn?t discussed this year and it is somewhat amazing to stop for a moment and consider all the subjects being covered and dealt with by bikers? rights activists throughout our nation. This is a genuine value of having SMRO?s attend the Meeting of the Minds, after hearing the presentations the attendees are highly encouraged to get together and discuss similar issues being faced or worked on back in their own states, one could certainly find common ground in this room.
This session also proves extremely valuable to the MRF as it is our intent to come out of the Meeting of the Minds with our Legislative and Strategic Agenda for the coming year.
If something here interests you and you weren?t able to make it to Denver this year please contact your MRF SSMRO Reps., MRF State Program Reps., or your MRF Member Reps., one of these departments representatives can hook you up with a contact with the various information and we look forward to seeing you in Bloomington Minnesota for next years 25th Anniversary of the Meeting of the Minds.
?SMRO Conferences, State meetings, Officers trainings?PAC activity
?On-Line memberships and program registrations
?Share the Road programs
?Rider Education
?Motorcycle Safety and Awareness programs (both for motorcycles and other motor vehicles
?The impact of International issues
?Muffler bills, sound testing and related equipment
?Vulnerable user bills
?Helmet bills, City helmet bills, freedom of choice bill updates
?Local ordinance issues, private property use issues
?ATV bills
?Public Service announcements (PSA?s)
?Veterans license plate, license plate size bills
?501C3/501C4 issues, grants
?Red light bills
?Use of statistics, impacts of statistics
?Battles with the press
?Skill rated maps for challenging roads
?Bike week bans, overzealous law enforcement initiatives
?Comparative fault bills
?Motorcycle confiscation bills
?Mandatory rider education
?Civil disobedience experiences
?Suing a Governor for misappropriating motorcycle safety fund monies
?Right of Way (ROW) bills
?Participating in Motorcycle Safety Advisory councils
?Auxiliary lighting bills
?Motorcycle registration funds, attached fees, specific fees
?Lobby day, lobby day training
?Dial a ride programs for motorcycles, event specific bike trailers made available
?Impaired riding/ride straight campaigns
?Motorcycle CDL?s, lower BAC for motorcyclists efforts
?Mopeds/scooters-regulations, licensing, training or lack thereof
?Impact of moped and scooter crashes when considered motorcycles on reports
?Political relationships
?Discrimination issues, ?no colors? issues
?Sound based bans
?Partnerships with military bases for motorcycle training (both use and program delivery)
?Custom bike registration and titling issues
?Rider education councils
?Roadway conditions, 1-800 hazard report phone numbers
?2010 fund uses, issues
?Membership programs
?Motivation
?Youth and sport bike rider involvement
?Newsletters
?Successful events
?Accident scene management, first aid care at crash scenes
MUSEUM OF THE GULF COAST REMEMBERS JANIS JOPLIN–Port Arthur, TX ? This January, the Museum of the Gulf Coast will remember one of its most notable natives. Monday, January 19, 2009 marks the 66th birthday of rock music icon Janis Joplin. The legendary performer will be honored with a temporary display and film screenings at the Museum.
Throughout the month of January the Museum will host the Tribute to Janis motorcycle from the famed biker shop and bar Strokers Dallas. The custom bobber style bike was designed and built by Strokers founder Rick Fairless and features several images of Joplin and a psychedelic tie dye paint job. ?I built this bike as a tribute to a great Texas gal, Janis Joplin,? says Fairless. ?Tie Dye is my thing and it was hers too?I think Janis would be proud.? The bike will be on view at the Museum through January 28 and admittance to see the bike is included in general admission.
In addition, the Museum will screen two documentaries on January 19 as a birthday tribute to Joplin. The BBC produced Janis Joplin: Southern Discomfort will be shown at 2:00 p.m. and the PBS produced The History of Rock n Roll: My Generation will be shown at 4:00 p.m. Films are FREE and include admittance to the Museum?s exhibits including the Music Hall of Fame and the temporary exhibition Fifty Years of Rock and Roll on loan from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.
For more information about the Museum of the Gulf Coast please visit www.museumofthegulfcoast.org or call 409.982.7000. The Museum is located at 700 Procter Street in downtown Port Arthur and is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.
Museum of the Gulf Coast Museum
Contact: Shannon Harris, Director
700 Procter Street
Port Arthur, TX 77640
(409) 984-6444
Shannon.Harris@lamarpa.edu
www.museumofthegulfcoast.org
BIKERNET CHIROPRACTIC OFFICE RECOMMENDATIONS–When you are stiff and sore from sitting at your computer for long periods, it’s best if you vary your position and posture periodically. We know we shouldn’t sit for too long without taking a break to stretch and move around, but we forget, and then pay for it at the end of the day. In order to prevent chronic back and neck pain, here are several excellent stretches that are suggested to relieve the stress.
Try one of these the next time your back and neck start feeling tight …
–from Dr. Hamster
Comments On Billy Lane?s Court Case– I constantly read comments people are making about Billy Lane?s arrest pertaining to the collision that killed Gerald Morelock in Brevard County Florida.
It appears that many of them are assumptions, personal opinions and or contain distorted facts. I can understand how some of this happens as stories have a tendency to change as they are repeated. Most of the information starts with information printed in the Florida Today newspaper that is supplied by the State Attorney?s Office of Brevard County. The information is very carefully worded and is what the prosecutor Tom Brown would like the people reading it to believe.
There are also reports from the Brevard County Sheriff?s Department. In a situation where there is a collision and especially if a death is involved law enforcement are instructed to file every charge that they can against those involved. This is what is known as stacking charges and is done so that the prosecution can later drop charges that there are no legal grounds for. It is also very hard for the prosecution to add charges at a later date though in some cases they do.
Since Gerald Morelock died there was no way to file charges against him so charges were filed against Billy Lane. The Brevard County Sheriff?s Department stated in a report that the operators of both vehicles were operating under the influence of alcohol.
Billy Lane was charged with passing in a no passing zone, a charge that was later dismissed because it started in a legal passing zone.
The driving without a valid and or suspended license has also been dismissed.
What is not being said or mentioned are reports that Gerald Morelock who was operating a scooter pulled out into the lane of traffic that Billy Lane was using to pass other vehicles. It should be noted that Morelock was not in that lane when the pass was started.
The actions of Gerald Morelock caused the collision and his death. The fact that Morelock was under the influence of alcohol is also not being mentioned anymore.
The Florida Today newspaper is referring to Billy Lane as a celebrity and it appears that the prosecutor is handling it that way. It is the prosecutor?s job to try and get a conviction and that is how they are graded and also get promoted.
The Brevard County Court system has come under a lot of criticism lately because of how they handle cases including two where men were sent to prison and later found Not Guilty because of D&A Evidence.
Because this case has been getting so much publicity there is some doubt that Billy Lane will get a fair and unbiased trial. Hopefully he will and the court or jury will decide if he is guilty or not or to what degree. They will have the benefit of all the facts in this case to help make that decision unlike many others who are voicing their opinion on the internet and elsewhere.
For those of you that call your selves bikers and or motorcyclist you should be getting the real facts and then making a educated decision to support Billy Lane in this case because Gerald Morelock is the one that cause the collision that took his life!
–Rogue
FROM THE AMA, ATTENTION FLORIDA MOTORCYCLISTS– Legislation before the Florida Legislature could have a significant impact on funds available for motorcycle safety and training.
Passage of House Bill 5003a, authored by the House Committee on Full Appropriations Council on Education and Economic Development, could result in less money for motorcycle safety and training.
The bill would remove a provision that currently requires the additional license tax of $2.50 collected from the registration of any motorcycle, motor-driven cycle, and moped to “… be used exclusively to fund a motorcycle driver improvement program or the Florida Motorcycle Safety Education Program …”. The bill would also allow the license tax to be used for ” … the general operations of the department.” [AMA OPPOSES this bill]
House Bill 5007a, authored by the House Transportation & Economic Development Appropriations Committee, proposes the same changes as HB-5003a, removing the “… be used exclusively to fund a motorcycle driver improvement … or the Florida Motorcycle Safety Education Program …” and adding “… or the general operations of the department. [AMA OPPOSES this bill]
Florida motorcyclists should recall these bills come from the same elected body that passed legislation mandating all first-time motorcycle endorsement applicants show proof of successful completion of a rider training course. Mandatory rider education followed by cuts in funding – that’s not in the best interest of the Florida motorcycling community.
You can check the status and read the text of these bills at http://www.myfloridahouse.gov.
Visit the AMA “Issues and Legislation” area at http://www.amadirectlink.com/legisltn/rapidresponse.asp to learn who your elected officials are, then contact them to make your concerns known about the legislation above. By entering your Zip +4 Code in the box provided, you’re just a few steps away from the contact information you need. Make a call, send a letter or email message, and/or visit your elected officials so they know your ride, you vote, and you care.
–from Rogue
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