Happy Thanksgiving,
I hope we can all kick back and think for a minute, about our lives and how lucky we are to be who we are and where we are. There’s some crazy shit out there and we need to be thankful, respectful and strong.
I want to thank everyone, writers, photographers, readers, industry folks and staff who helped us with Bikernet daily. We have a blast doing what we’re doing and response has been overwhelmingly positive.
So, try to take a moment away from computers, e-mail and cell phones to take a ride with someone special. Go someplace where you can watch a sunset, a river, the ocean or a skyline. Kick back and reflect on all we have.
In the meantime enjoy the news:
NEW SPONSORS ON BIKERNET–We’d like to welcome Envy Cycle Creations/Streetwalker Exhaust systems and Doherty Machine for stepping up to join the Bikernet team. We’ll bring you info, techs and features on their products soon.
CALIFORNIA HELMET LAW ABOUT TO FALL–Just a little catch up on some helmet citations. While I was at the MRF Meeting of the Minds, a comment was made that there was still a helmet law in California. Well, yes and no. Some departments are honoring the injunction issued in the Easyriders case, and some are honoring the enforcement bulletin advising of the injunction. This is the most recent evidence, a letter from the city of San Diego dismissing helmet citations. Thought you might be interested in this. Red Barron organized the July 4th helmet protest rally in San Diego, which resulted in a number of helmet citations that are being contested.
MILWAUKEE IRON STAYS IN MILWAUKEE– Long-time Harley-Davidson motorcycle riders call their machines “Milwaukee Iron.” At a time when manufacturing workers are losing their jobs to offshore factories or nonunion shops, members of United Steelworkers (USW) Local 2-209 know that Milwaukee Iron is going to stay in Milwaukee after they approved a memorandum of agreement to their contract with Harley-Davidson.
Both sides went back to the drawing board last month after the workers rejected an earlier tentative agreement. The company was looking for a way to cut costs and wanted to cut by as much as one-third wages of workers hired after the first of the year. The new agreement, approved on Nov. 14, includes a two-tier wage system for newly hired employees, but with much smaller gaps than in the earlier agreement.
The deal also means the 1,600 union members will keep their jobs and it requires the company to invest more than $120 million to expand production of the power train capacity in Milwaukee, creating more than 100 new jobs.
Harley-Davidson’s commitment to keeping jobs in America is linked to its partnership with its workers’ unions. Committees composed of managers and union representatives team up to make many of the company’s important decisions. This unique approach helped propel the company back to success after being on the brink of bankruptcy in 1994. That’s when the company and its unions agreed to collaborate and establish a High Performance Work Organization partnership. As part of the partnership, employees and management make consensus decisions that keep the company competitive and find efficient methods to produce high-quality products without compromising production levels, job security or working conditions.
Local 2-209 President Jim Wheiland says the union is looking forward toexpanding here, rather than worry about a rival plant that would produce the same product with newer, state of the art equipment.
All Harley-Davidson Big Twin and XL power trains are now produced in Milwaukee. If workers had rejected the deal, the company had said it would expand production outside of Wisconsin. The new agreement specifies that the company will remain in Milwaukee.
Wheiland says:The upside is that “Milwaukee Iron” will continue to be made right here in Milwaukee where it belongs.
–from Rogue
Motorcycle Hall Of Fame Member 2005
IRON PIGS FIGHTIN’ WORDS FOR BIKER CLUB–Pennsylvania: Organization says baseball team owners infringing trademark.What’s the difference between Iron Pigs and IronPigs?A lot, if you’re Lehigh Valley’s baseball team. Not so much if you’re an international motorcycle club based in Texas.
The Iron Pigs Motorcycle Club, based in Bedford, informed the team earlier this week that it holds a trademark on the name and plans to take action to force the baseball team to change it.
The motorcycle club, made up of current or former law enforcement officers and firemen, registered its patch design and name with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office when the club was founded in 2000 in Oroville, Calif.
Since then, a club spokesman said, the motorcycle club has defended its trademark ”several times,” including earlier this year against a Harley-Davidson motorcycle dealership in Rogers, Ark.
”Why should this baseball club profit off our name?” said Bob Nowlin, the club’s national secretary/treasurer. ”We spent a lot of time and quite a bit of money getting this trademark.”
The motorcycle club’s Iron Pigs trademark is listed on the U.S. Trademark and Patent Office Web site.
”We’re not concerned about this,” Lehigh Valley co-owner Joe Finley said. ”We were well aware the motorcycle club existed, but there are a lot of examples of companies and groups and services that have the same name.”
–from Rogue
RAY PRICE NITRO HARLEY RUNNER UP AT VEGAS NHRA MEET– Raleigh, NC: The Samson/Ray Price Nitro Harley team was runner up by .014 seconds in the final round of the JIMS LAS VEGAS NATIONALS PRESENTED BY BARNETT CLUTCHESqualifying 15th with a 6.775 ET in the Strips’ quickest Nitro Harley field ever.
On Saturday the temperature dropped and the wind picked up during the qualifying session and Tommy Grimes managed to get the Samson/Ray Price Nitro Harley in the field despite the team finding serious motor problems after the fact. After working most of the night changing motors and working with the computer, the Samson/Ray Price team went through the field winning all but the last round. That last round was the closest round of the weekend in the Nitro Top Fuel class with Grimes only .014 (that’s 14/1000’s of a second) off the winning pace with the top mph of the weekend at 216.62 mph at 6.530ET.
At the AHDRA Awards Banquet, Grimes and Price were frequently called to the podium, 1st to receive the team’s #1 trophy for the Screamin’ Eagle NHRA Nitro Harley Exhibition Series. The second call was to receive the AHDRA’s Best Appearing Top Fuel Team Award. The team was also awarded 4th place in AHDRA National Points series after moving up from a 3 way close race .
With over 20 years of experience in the powersports industry, Hanson is charged with advancing the company’s customer service and dealer training initiatives
WICHITA, Kansas (November 15, 2006) – Big Dog Motorcycles, the world’s largest manufacturer of custom motorcycles, recently appointed Wayne Hanson as its Customer Support Manager. Prior to joining Big Dog Motorcycles, Hanson was employed for over twenty years at Minnesota-based Arctic Cat, a leading manufacturer of ATVs and snowmobiles.
Nick Messer, President, Big Dog Motorcycles, made the announcement.
“Wayne brings over twenty years experience in customer service, management, and dealer relations to Big Dog Motorcycles,” Messer explained. “With his proven leadership – in both the manufacturing and dealership environments – his appointment strengthens our customer support and dealer service training programs and will establish even stronger relationships with our entire dealer network.”
In addition to managing a customer service team of 12, Hanson will focus on improving dealer service operations through primarily training, education, and certifications, and ensuring that all service issues are resolved in a timely and effective manner.
While at Arctic Cat, Hanson served in increasingly responsible positions. Beginning as Inventory Manager, Hanson was moved to Business Support Analyst, and, most recently as Call Center Manager. Prior to Arctic Cat, Hanson worked in two powersports dealerships.
“His unique background and strong skill set will be a great asset to Big Dog Motorcycles and our management team,” Messer continued. “We are already hearing positive feedback from our dealers; we’re glad to have in him on board.”
U.S. CHOPPERS ACCLAIMED BIKE NUMBER 1, TO BE AUCTION OFF IN BIG TWIN SHOW–U.S. Choppers acclaimed bike “No. 1” is to be auctioned at next weeks Big Twin West Show at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas (Sunday Dec 3rd, 1pm)
“No. 1” is the culmination of 17 years of bike building experience by U.S. Choppers owner Rick Krost. The inspiration for the name “No. 1” was two-fold. First, it is the first bike U.S. Choppers has introduced in a public forum. Secondly, it is the only working prototype and first model of a successful chassis line introduced by U.S. Choppers. It is truly 1 of 1 and will never be re-created.
“No.1” along with other boardtrack bikes built by Roger Goldammer and Krugger have brought about a new movement in the style of American V-twins and is thought to be the next industry trend.
Now is your chance to bid on one of the first modern interpretations of an old classic- the boardtrack racer.
“No.1” has been featured on network TV’s “Steel Dreams” with great riding sequences with legendary Keith Ball, and Speed Channels coverage of the World Championships of 2005.
It has also been featured in many magazines including but not limited to: (Cover) Iron Works (USA), (Cover) Wild Magazine (France), Hardcore Chopper (Japan), Hot Bike Japan, Freeway (France/Spain), AMD (Internationally), Barnett’s (USA), and Long Beach Magazine.
“No 1” can be viewed over the internet in several places- most importantly a several page archived feature by Keith Ball of Bikernet.com.
“No 1” can also be seen in the introduction page of the book “Art of the Chopper 2” by world acclaimed photographer Tom Zimberoff and is slated to be one of the bikes in a full chapter on U.S. Choppers in book number 3.
“No. 1” also finished 10th in the World at the 2005 AMD Championships right here at Mandalay Bay.
Copies of any print or film media will be provided to the buyer for affirmation of the pedigree.
U.S. Choppers
2039 S. Lyon St
Santa Ana, CA 92705
714-546-4699
Appointments Only Please
www.uschopper.com
STEALTH NORTH CAROLINA TURKEY INVESTIGATION–To all of you out there and to the staff at BIKERNET, Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at STEALTH BIKE WORKS!
We have just finished up our rigid Evo project. I am really proud of how the bike turned out. It is badass with the Apes and 3-inch open BDL belt drive. It is a bare bones no nonsense bike. The bare essentials and that’s it, nothing extra. So far it is one of the simpliest bikes we have done and to me that makes it one of the best. The bike is kickstart only. It runs a Rev-Tech four speed tranny. The engine is a box stock Evo from H-D. The frame is Paughco straight leg, no rake. It is old school right down to the squeeze horn.
Next up we will being finishing a Shovelhead rigid that is being reconstructed after a wreck. After that we will be starting on our shop project bike. It looks like, for now, we will have some winter projects.
Hey, it is Toy Run Season, get out and go to a Toy Run. You will be helping out people who are down on their luck for whatever reason, it really doesn’t matter. For a lot them, their Christmas depends on what we do at Toy Runs. The next few weeks in the Charlotte area, there are Toy Runs every weekend. If for no other reason, it is a good reason to ride.
Remember to take time today to reflect on what you have to be thankful for. We all lose sight of this from time to time in everyday life, myself included. Spend time with nthe ones closest to you and maybe go for a ride!
Until next week, RIDE!
–STEALTHMAN
CLASSIC SPARTO TAILLIGHT FROM 2-WHEELERS–This is one of those taillights that never goes out of style. It’s small and perfect for a bobber or any classic with a flat fender. It’s powdercoated gloss black in the true biker tradition. It’s only 55.95 from 2-Wheelers.
THE HOT DIVE BARS FROM TODD’S CYCLE– We at Todd’s Cycle have modified one of our hottest selling bars “The dive bar”and came up with the new and improved “knuckle bar.” These babies come in two sizes 17″ and 12″ tall.
They come in four exciting finishes , flat or gloss black, chrome, and raw. 1″ O.D. and you can run all wires internally. These babies come stock with 5″ of pullback to give your wrist a break for those long rides.
These bad boys are in stock and ready to ship. Call us for more info and price or check out our awesome website at www.toddscycle.com Phone: 714-901-4516
JUST PUBLISHED-ROADSHOW BY WHITEHORSE PRESS–For thirty years, Rush drummer, author, and songwriter, Neil Peart has wanted to write a book about the life of a touring musician, and now he has – but with a two-wheel twist. He chose to do his between-show traveling by motorcycle.
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