Hey,
Another crazed week and not enough whiskey or sex. The other side of the coin is all good. I spoke to Senators, SEMA representatives (hot rod guys), MIC members and members of the MRF. The MRF has struggled for years to keep the EPA off our backs with some success. They were able to get the one unregulated custom bike in a lifetime and the 24 shop show bikes rule on the books. That was a major accomplishment, but the EPA told them they needed more support to open the books again. That support is now emerging with a strong group of individuals who represent the rider, the shop owner, the parts manufacturer and the motorcycle manufacturer.
It’s all good and we’ll report as everything comes together. Plus the Bikernet crew is working on a noise model and will begin testing in the next two weeks. We will set a standard for the amount of noise a motorcycle needs to produce to say out of harms way. We’ve run our proposal past several representatives of the industry to positive and supportive responses. More reports on that shortly.
Let’s hit the news, then I’ll bring you up to date on our Bonneville projects:
JOKER MACHINE STYLE KING HAND CONTROLS– At last. We’ve needed these so long. Now, 1996-up Harley bagger owners can finally install custom hand controls on their bike and still retain use of their radio and cruise control functions. Style King controls also fit most other Harley models, allowing easy retrofit without the hassle of re-wiring, and retain use of the MoCo’s tried and true stock switches and housings.
The new Joker Machine Style King controls are made to fit Sportsters (’96-present), Softails (’96-present), Road Kings, Electra Glides and Road Glides (’96-present) and V-Rod models up to 2005. Style King controls are available in hydraulic or cable clutch versions and are offered in either chrome, or hard black anodized finish. Both brake and clutch master cylinders are available in 9/16 and 11/16-inch sizes to fit single or dual brakes and most trans-mounted hydraulic clutch actuation units.
Joker Machine’s new Style King hand controls are available at your local Drag Specialties dealer, or directly from Joker Machine. Log on at www.jokermachine.com for more information and pricing.
THE BIKERNET BLONDE FILES–A man is dining in a fancy restaurant and there is a gorgeous blonde sitting at the next table. He has been checking her out since he sat down, but lacks the nerve to start a conversation.
Suddenly she sneezes, and her glass eye comes flying out of its socket towards the man.
He reflexively reaches out, grabs it out of the air, and hands it back.
“Oh my, I am so sorry,” the woman says as she pops her eye back in place.
“Let me buy your dinner to make it up to you,” she says.
They enjoy a wonderful dinner together, and afterwards they go to the theater followed by drinks. They talk, they laugh, she shares her deepest dreams and he shares his. She listens.
After paying for everything, she asks him if he would like to come to her place for a nightcap …… and stay for breakfast.
They have a wonderful, wonderful time.
The next morning, she cooks a gourmet meal with all the trimmings.
The guy is amazed!! Everything has been SO incredible!!!!
“You know,” he said, “you are the perfect woman. Are you this nice to every guy you meet?”
“No,” she replies……… “but you just happened to catch my eye.! ”
–from Geno
Patriot Motor Corporation V-Twin Street Bikes Receive CARB Emissions Certification–NASCAR Engineering and Design Veteran Ashley Tilling Joins Patriot Team–Patriot Motor Corporation (Pink Sheets:PMCY), exclusive worldwide distributor of the Patriot OffRoad(TM) line of Dirt Bike motorcycles and All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) and the Steed(R) by Patriot(TM) domestic line of V-Twin custom street bikes, today announced it has received California Air Resources Board emissions certification for both the Steed(R) by Patriot(TM) and Patriot(TM) V-Twin Musclebikes lines of custom and production V-Twin street bikes fitted with 111, 117 and 124 cubic inch displacement engines.
Following the recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Certificate issued to Patriot — which documents that the company’s custom and production V-Twin street bikes are exhaust-emission legal in 49 states — CARB Executive Order M-094-0001, issued January 25, 2006, now makes Patriot V-Twin street bikes fully exhaust and evaporative emission compliant in all 50 states.
“California has the strictest emission standards in the United States… and is among the most stringent globally,” notes Steve Moonitz, Director of Product Development and Compliance for Patriot Motorcycle Corporation.
Annual motorcycle sales in California are approximately 40% greater than the next highest state, which is the Florida market. “CARB certification officially opens up the biggest motorcycle market in the United States,” notes Jim White, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Full 50-state compliance gives our dealer organization the official ‘green light’ to now add Patriot V-Twin products to their existing lines.”
The newly formed Patriot Street Bike Division includes both the original Steed(R) by Patriot(TM) custom 300 series and the groundbreaking, affordable Patriot(TM) V-Twin Musclebikes(TM) 200 series models that will be unveiled at the upcoming V-Twin Dealer Expo (February 4-6, Cincinnati, OH) and “DealerNews” Dealer Expo 2006 (February 18-20, Indianapolis, IN).
Patriot Motor Corporation also announced the addition of Ashley Tilling to the company’s Engineering Group. Mr. Tilling comes from a diversified, broad-spectrum background in engineering and design. He has worked at the top levels of NASCAR racing — including the NASCAR R&D facility — where he did testing on safety systems, aerodynamic wind tunnel testing and vehicle crash testing. He played an integral role in the development of the HANS safety device now used in many racing series throughout the world. He also innovated several of the features of the NASCAR “Car of the Future,” which will be cycled into the 2007 racing season.
“We are extremely pleased and proud that the various divisions of Patriot Motor Corporation continue to attract outstanding individuals, such as Ashley Tilling,” states CEO Michel Attias. “From top-flight leaders in management to those with high-caliber engineering and design expertise… each and every talented addition is another win that furthers the strength and synergy of the Patriot Team.”
BIKERNET BONNEVILLE RIDER VALERIE THOMPSON ROAD REPORT–Morning! I just got home late last night from my first race in Gainesville, Fl. I had quite the experience. Truck broke down, flat tires etc…I’ll be writing my Bikernet report today!!! I don’t know where to start…! But all said AND done…I flew home and kissed the ground!!! No lie!
There were about 60+ Destroyer bikes there. With a 32 bike field and I qualified # 14 in the super gas class and 20th in the destroyer class.
I am getting ready for Bonneville!!! I wonder if I’ll look like that girl on the bike..hee hee! Good job on the picture! That’s my favorite!!! But I have a great looking one on the destroyer bike I’ll send over later today.
–VT
We’re waiting, baby –Bandit
SEMA’S STATE BY STATE CUSTOM BIKE LEGISLATIVE EFFORT–All – Had a great meeting with the Motor Vehicle Division Director today and he’s excited to begin work on the custom motorcycle titling/registration model bill. We’re meeting again on the 23rd of March with his staff to begin outlining the legislation so I’m going to need as much of everyone’s input by then if possible. We’ll still have a lot of time to refine the bill after this, but I want to keep momentum going and the sooner we have a final product, the sooner I can distribute this to my colleagues in other states.
In my discussion with the director I presented the theory for the bill by identifying custom motorcycles by the type of engine they use and assigning a year based on the years of production for the style of engine. For example if someone’s building a bike around a flathead motor it could be titled and registered as any of the years the flathead was in production, in short it would be classified a flathead replica. The same would be true for Knuckleheads, Panheads, Shovelheads, and finally Evolutions. When it comes to Evo’s we’ll probably need to come up with a different name as by using Evolution we may run into the Harley political buzzsaw. Something like late model single-cam may suffice, but because this may be a term we use for some time to come I want it to be a user friendly term. so I’d be happy to hear more suggestions.
As with SEMA I’m taking the approach of crafting something that improves the process for titling and registering at all levels. If we get this implemented in a good number of states, gone will be the days of magazine articles about how to title and register your bike. That’s a lofty goal, but it starts here in Montana. Take a look at this month’s issue of Driving Force, the SEMA Action Network’s monthly newsletter, and see the progress SEMA is making with their custom vehicle titling and registration model bill:
http://www.semasan.com/images/df0306.pdf
Senator John Brueggeman
321 Lakeview Dr
Polson, MT 59860
PH: 406.883.2395
FAX: 406.883.2390
CELL: 406.270.6699
Here’s John’s Test Legislation
Model Custom American Motorcycle Bill
Vehicle Laws – Custom Motorcycle
(a) A custom motorcycle means any motorcycle that:
(1) Contains an engine manufactured 20 years prior to the current calendar year or contains an engine manufactured to resemble an engine 20 or more years old; and
(2) Has been altered from the manufacturer’s original design; or is constructed in whole or in part from non-original materials.
title of a custom motorcycle shall be the model year that the engine of such vehicle resembles.
(c) For each custom vehicle, there shall be a one-time registration fee of $_____.
(d) (1) in applying for registration of a custom motorcycle under this section, the owner of the custom motorcycle shall submit with the application a certification that the vehicle for which the application is made:
(I) Will be maintained for occasional transportation, exhibitions, club activities, parades, tours, and similar uses; and;
(II) Will not be used for general daily transportation.
(2) In addition to the certification required under paragraph (1) of this subsection, when applying for registration of a custom motorcycle, the new owner of the custom motorcycle shall provide proof acceptable to the administration that the custom motorcycle passed a safety inspection that has been approved by the Administration in consultation with the custom motorcycle community in this state.
(d) Unless the presence of the equipment was specifically required by a statute of this State as a condition of sale in the year listed as the year of manufacture on the certificate of title, the presence of any specific equipment is not required for the operation of a vehicle registered under this section.
(f) A vehicle registered under this section is exempt from any statute that requires periodic vehicle inspections and from any statute that requires the use and inspection of emission controls.
I decided to scrap the flat/knuckle/pan/shovel/evo specific language in the bill for now and opt for this cleaner version that more closely adheres to SEMA’s model bill. This is a rough draft, but let me know what you think and what changes you may want to make.
IMMORTALS M.C. CHARITY RIDE/SILENT AUCTION– My name is Mandi Weina and I have already emailed you in reference to donations and/or sponsorship for our event. But we got to thinking, it would be such an honor to have you come and sign autographs for our cause to bring a huge crowd. If only for an hour we would love to have you help us. You see, we are having a hard time getting our local media to cover our event and a big name like yours would help get us in the public’s eye. All the proceeds go to the Children’s Miracle Network and Aurora Pediatric Cancer Services, the Immortals don’t keep a penny, it all goes to the kids.
An even bigger thrill would be if you would join us on our 100 mile ride and party afterwords.
Please consider our request for helping these unfortunate kids. Our ride leaves from the Walmart parking lot in Manitowoc, Wisconsin and ends at the Immortals clubhouse on June 3, 2006
Mandi Weina
blazingdolphin@peoplepc.com
Mandi, will always support your event. We’ll contact you regarding scheduling. If we can make it, we’ll be there. In the meantime we will do whatever we can to make your event a success.– Bandit
SPORTSTER RESURRECTION–I’m resurrecting a ’73 XLCH that’s been a total basket for over a decade.Talk about lo-buck, this is a lunch money expedition.I?m off to a good start with Paughco frame and springer. Most $$ will go into motor and paint.
Yep,a good, ol skool ’70s paint job, with ghost flames and such.Anyhoo, I’m jammin the web to get my head together on where and what I can get to put this putt back together. I need cases and bottom end. Maybe I can get by with my slugs and jugs. The tranny’s OK with “new” andrews cogs before teardown.Also I’m checkin out who’s who in the Los Angeles area for Paint. As regards the “sporty” project you mentionhttp://www.bikernet.com/sportsters/here’s an idea… this could be the bike?
This blue kick only really hits home for me (hi skool ’72).
look forward to your reply
–Nick sharpe
nick@bop35.com
GRIP YOUR BUTT!– No backsliding from Triboseat, the ultra-grippy seat cover from Advanced Seating Technology. And now it’s available for riders as well as passengers and for more bikes than ever before in 2006.
We all know the problem. Under hard acceleration or braking, passenger slides into rider, or vice versa. There’s ‘helmet clash’ and even ‘body slam’ – and it spoils the ride.
Triboseat dramatically reduces all that. It’s a grippy, rubberised mesh that fits snugly around the rider or pillion seat. Simple to fit too – no glue, no staples, just a secure drawstring. Custom designed, the Triboseat looks neat and taut, like part of the bike – it’s an anti-slip second skin for the seat.
Triboseat – the name derives from the word ‘Tribology’, the science of friction – has been used by Crescent Rizla-Suzuki on their promotional pillion rides in front of BSB crowds since 2003.
There are Triboseats to fit every common model of sports bike, plus tourers, adventure tourers and naked bikes. Aprilia, BMW, Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki, Triumph, Suzuki + others.
Triboseat products are available from only £13.99 SRP
Contact AST Triboseat 01825 722020
http://www.triboseat.com/
HELLS ANGELS FEELING DEPRESSED– The Stockholm chapter of the biker gang Hell’s Angels is being investigated for fraud after police found 70 per cent of members were certified as depressed by the same doctor and were getting state sickness benefits.
“It seems to be depressing being a member of this club,” Christer Nilsson, deputy head of Stockholm police’s criminal investigation department, told newspaper Dagens Nyheter. Biker gangs like the Hell’s Angels and their deadly rivals the Bandidos have a history of violent crime in Scandinavia including shootouts and bomb attacks, but have also branched out into benefit and tax frauds in recent years, police say.
Sweden has estimated that as much as a fifth of the workforce is on long-term sick leave or early retirement due to sickness, often put down to “burn-out”
From: Reuters
NEW METRIC REVOLUTION WEBSITE–The new Metric Revolution website is up and running!!!!!Go to http://www.metrictv.net to sign up for the monthly newsletter, Metric Times, and a chance to win a new helmet. Be sure to check out Don Gray’s forum and our new website www.dongraycustoms.com
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