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BIKERNET BONNEVILLE PILOT AND MONSTER DRINK GIRL–Valerie Thompson is off to a great start for 2006 AHDRA (All Harley Drag Racing Association). Monster Energy Drink (Hansen Beverage Company) has just signed as the top sponsor for VTRaceGirl for 2006.
Hacienda Harley Davidson of Scottsdale, AZ has also jumped on board for another season. Rick Hatch has put Valerie in seat of Hacienda’s new 2006 Harley Davidson Destroyer to ride this year.
This year the team of VTRaceGirl and Monster Energy Drink has set a lofty, but very attainable goal for our favorite racer. Valerie has set in motion the tools and people necessary to be the fastest female on two wheels at the Bonneville Salt Flats. Vini Bergeman (Big Daddy-The Kustomizer-Discovery Channel) is working with Charlie Mitchell (Custom Performance) to build the bike and we all know that VT is working her tail off to make sure her skills and confidence will pilot that bike that will go 200+ mph.
This year Avon Tires, Barnett, Custom Performance, Hacienda Harley Davidson, HJC Legend Air Ride Suspension, Monster Energy Drink, Phoenixbikers.com, and The Kustomizer are on board for 2006 VTRaceGirl sponsorship.
In December 2005, Valerie attended the Frank Hawley’s NHRA Drag Racing School. Strap on a Pro Stock Suzuki and drop the hammer at 9,000 rpm; 5 gears and 7 seconds later, you are at 170 mph. It is like being shot from cannon. This is Pro Stock racing. George Bryce, your personal instructor, has a reputation for developing champions. His teams and riders have won countless national championships in NHRA, AMA, ProStar and IDBA. This is the only professionally run pro stock motorcycle course in the world.
Last race of the season was in Las Vegas, NV, November 2005. Valerie was the #1 qualifier in her class (Super Sport). At the Sunday ceremony, Valerie was the only girl standing.
Valerie’s goals for next year are set high! Sky is the limit with no limits. The first goal is too get the first WIN out of the way with many more are to follow.
Some of Valerie’s highlights for 2005: BUB Bonneville Salt Flats, #1 Qualifier, NHRA Frank Hawley’s Drag School, Meeting incredible people through all the traveling— fans, competitors, and bike builders.
Special thanks to those who have stood and supported VT in 2005. First and foremost, my biggest fan and supporter–Charlie Mitchell, Custom Performance, Legend Air Suspension, BIKERNET.COM, Hacienda Harley Davidson, Kirk Johnson-Phoenixbikers.com, Militec-1, Avon Tyres, Barnett, Next Level Custom Signs, J. Gordon, Last Lake Resort, HJC, Keith Ball, Kenny Spievy, Matthew Kurtz, Jesse Lopez, Dave Little, and Jamie McNaughton from Harley Davidson Motor Company. Thank you Kirk Johnson of Phoenixbikers.com for keeping my website fresh and up-dated.
–from Rumble Magazine
COYOTE CUSTOMS ALERT–Listed on your bike shop page is a shop, Coyote Customs, which you need to be aware of. They have 17 complaints filed against them with the BBB. Jason Conley (owner) is not to be trusted and has cheated and lied to many customers. The BBB gives them an unsatisfactory rating. I think you need to be aware of this due to the fact you are giving free advertising to this guy. It sullies your business to have any association with this company.
Here is the link the BBB with his file. http://www.oklahomacity.bbb.org/commonreport.html?bid=13004786
–Mark
This gives me a lot of distress. Check out what the Better Business Bureau says and make your own decision regarding this shop. I dislike disgruntled customers who set out to hurt a business. On the other hand I Hate to publish news or information on any company that takes advantage of riders. If you have a different view, don’t hesitate to let us know.–Bandit
BIKERNET TRAVEL RECOMMENDATIONS–Sitting together on a train, traveling through the Swiss Alps, are aFrench guy an American guy, an old Greek lady and a young blondeSwiss girl.
The train goes into a dark tunnel and a few seconds later there isthe sound of a loud slap.
When the train emerges from the tunnel, the Frenchman has a brightred hand print on his cheek. No one speaks.
The old lady thinks: The Frenchman must have groped the blonde in thedark, and she slapped his cheek.
The blonde thinks: That Frenchman must have tried to grope me in thedark, but missed and fondled the old lady and she slapped his cheek.
The Frenchman thinks: The American must have groped the blonde in thedark. She tried to slap him but missed and got me instead.
The American thinks: I can’t wait for another tunnel, so I can smackthat Frenchman again.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON LAUNCHES NEW SHIPPING SERVICE–Harley-Davidson Shipping Expands Riding Opportunities for Motorcycle Owners.MILWAUKEE (January 6, 2005) – Harley-Davidson Motor Company announces a new motorcycle shipping service designed specifically with riders in mind. Harley-Davidson Shipping expands riding opportunities for motorcyclists who want to ride in locations throughout North America, but face the challenges of insufficient vacation time or inclement weather constraints.
“Harley-Davidson Shipping is a way for us to reach out to our customers with another high-quality service that enhances their riding experiences,” said Lara Lee, Vice President Enthusiast Services. “Through Harley-Davidson Shipping, we provide customers more opportunities to experience riding in new locations, while simplifying the transactions and offering flexible options.”
Owners of all brands can take advantage of the flexibility to ship motorcycles to various locations at a competitive price and with unparalleled customer service. Harley-Davidson Shipping offers convenient locations for shipping, including door-to-door pick-up and delivery from a business or personal residence. The new service goes beyond other shipping services by offering honored real-time quotes and multi-bike group discounts for all customers.
Harley-Davidson Shipping is open for any enthusiast to use, while offering additional discounts on shipments to all full Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.) and Buell Riders Adventure Group (BRAG) members. The service is available throughout the United States and Canada, including Hawaii and Alaska, beginning January 2006.
For more information about Harley-Davidson Shipping rates, locations, transit schedules and other services available contact 1-888-575-BIKE. Shipping quotes and vehicle tracking can be done online at http://www.harley-davidson.com/shipping
BIKERNET RESTAURANT REVIEWS–A young cowboy walks into a seedy cafe in Prescott, AZ. He sits at the counter and notices an oldcowboy with his arms folded staring blankly at a full bowl of chili.
After fifteen minutes of just sitting there staring at it, the young cowboy bravely asks the oldcowpoke, “If you ain’t gonna eat that, mind if I do?”
The older cowboy slowly turns his head toward the young wrangler and in his best cowboy mannersays, “Nah, go ahead.”
Eagerly, the young cowboy reaches over and slides the bowl over to his place and starts spooningit in with delight. He gets nearly down to the bottom and notices a dead mouse in the chili. Thesight was shocking and he immediately pukes up the chili into the bowl.
The old cowboy quietly says, “Yep, that’s as far as I got, too.”
–from Jester
HEAD GASKET BLUES–
Sittin here looking at my gal,
Wondering if I should throw in the towel?
She’s up on the rack
Should I really try to bring her back?
How could she be so one way
As to leave me sitting here with her heart in a tray?
I heard her death rattle, it ruined my day
How could the bitch just die this way
Her blood all over my britches
Aint it just like those bitches
Ruin a man’s day make him pay
All because he wanted to play?
–Mistress Marilyn
DAKAR/PARIS RACE REPORT–The first time I report on the Dakar for a bike magazine and one of only two Aussie riders is killed. With everything else that has happened recently I’m starting to see a real pattern developing here. It’s lucky I don’t have a depressive personality huh?
I never met Andy personally, he lives in a small bush town, a long way from Sydney. But the Rally racing community is very small in Oz, so I know those that do know him. It’s all over our news here…sad that for Aussies to hear about the Dakar one of them has to die in it. A few days ago and no one here knew anything about the Rally, much like most in the USA I would guess.
I have copied the news from Yahoo Rally Report.When you read the report about broken necks, it’s a moot point to remember that guys race off road every weekend all over the world and are perfectly OK. I am beginning to suspect that a combination of too high a speed and fatigue is responsible. These guys have been doing 500 kilometer race stages thru the desert, getting a few hours sleep at night, then doing the same again next morning.
Add 300 transport stages to be covered and that’s almost a 1000 kay a day. That’s tough on a normal road, let alone thru the rough desert terrain.Andy said in an interview a last year that he had decided not to do another Dakar, but the lure of the Rally brought him and many others back again.
— Jaq.
CRUISERS FOR $3200–Got a call from Johnny Pag today. This hits home. He’s developed a factory in China and is building these 250 cc, entry level cruisers for $3,200 retail. He’s also manufacturing fenders for Paul Yaffe, frames for race cars and brackets for rain gutters. He can have anything built to your specs in China.
We’re having a debate about American made over overseas products in It’s Your Shot letters right now. It’s a strange world we live in, a global economy that still doesn’t understand one another. But that’s the deal and you can find out more about Johnny’s cruisers and his abilities to manufacture any product by going to the dealer show in Indy or clicking on his web site: JohnnyPag.com.
He’s a Hamster who has been build custom bikes and products for our industry for 30 years.
“I am doing a lot of work in china facility for American motorcycle production companys, like Big Dog, etc,” Johnny said. “We can manufacturer a chrome moly Softail style frame for 200 bucks, and it’s tight, not sloppy.”
BIKERNET EDITORIAL COMMITTEE REPORT ON THE FUTURE OF MOTORCYCLING–Hiway and I have discussed the future of motorcycling, both in the USA and around the world. Our conclusions are that the Harley company really needs to put some serious thought into future directions. Their bikes are getting more expensive, with the high cost of modern living many younger riders can only dream of owning a brand new one, and Harley makes little money from used ones except in their parts department.
In the UK particularly there is a real trend away from Harley’s and other exotica.It’s why so many build and run Street fighters now.How many guys and gals in their twenties do you reckon want or can afford a Harley in the USA?
Triumph in the UK managed to rise from the ashes, but they changed their bikes in a major way…you are probably aware that custom choppers are really only big in America, many countries motor transport offices just will not register them.
I’d like to say I have a solution for Harley at hand, but I don’t. Unless they are prepared to make a completely new (for them) design of bike and engine. I really see that as their only alternative to hanging up in say 20 years time.Guys our age won’t be riding forever (I know we’ll try)..what is Harley going to do then?
— Jaq.
International Biker Tours–We have the pleasure to inform that on the 21 of March starts an expedition that will be undertaken by two riders on travel motorcycles provided with one assistance vehicle. From the most western point (Madrid) to the most eastern (Tokyo) we will be visiting twenty seven countries. The return will cross the Gobi desert and the Russian steppes towards Europe.
The countries to be visited are:
Spain, France, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Japan, Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Belgium and Holland.
Estimated time of the journey is 157 days with a total of 126 stages. Departure is scheduled for 21st March 2006 and return 25th August the same year.
It will cover a distance of 48.500 Km, and fuel usage is estimated at 7160 litres for the motorcycles and 5000 litres for the 4×4.
We will cross nine time zones, eleven distinct climatologies and ten types of vegetation. The people speak 24 different official languages, not counting dialects, and practise nine different religions.
The expedition is formed by a team of four. Two riders, one professional cameraman and a professional photographer. We will distribute to the media written report and a 15 minute video resume every week from our main office in Madrid; this will be free of charges to all media who requested for it.
To contact us for this service or further information please submit an E-mail to: southernsunsetslimited@yahoo.es
Sincerely yours,
Arturo Rodr?guez & Nicol?s Sulcic
SOUTHERN SUNSETS LIMITED
Av. Juan Sebastian Elcano 19 Apt 1442
Benalm?dena Costa
29630 M?laga, Spain
southernsunsetslimited@yahoo.es
(34) 616 40 15 62 ? 657 20 18 64
UK COMPANY N? 5308660
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