Here?s a quickie– I?m preparing to go away for the weekend and trying to take care of a million things before I go. Lucky for you Bandit will be home tomorrow and hopefully wipe out this sorry intro and type in a new one.
Here?s the news.
Oh bullshit. The broads hit it for Palm Springs and I can’t wait for the reports. It’s been quiet around here today, but I’ve roughed out three articles for the mags and caught up on Your Shots. Then I slipped out to the Hot Bike Studio. Markus was shooting a 1900 Orient Trike. It’s the only one in the country, and we’ll feature it in the August Issue. It’s incredible, an example of the first production motorcycle built in America.
Tomorrow Branscomb Richmond and his partner are dropping by, then it’s all Sturgis Shovelhead for the rest of the day. Can’t wait. Back to the news:
“KIDS & CHROME, A GRAND AFFAIR? GAINS MOMENTUM–March 2005 – – Kids & Chrome, A Grand Affair, sponsored by V-Twin, an exciting new fundraising event scheduled during the 2005 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, continues to grow and gain momentum. Hot Bike is also involved with the Kid’s charity on our run to Sturgis this year.
The event will be held on Wednesday, 10 August, at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Spearfish, SD, is being supported by virtually every major industry player and up-and-coming motorcycle business in the country. Currently over 60 businesses have signed on to endorse the event, with more joining the list daily.
V-Twin Kids & Chrome will add a new dimension to the Rally, and will serve to help fund two worthy non-profit organizations, Children?s Care Hospital & School in Rapid City and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame. You can personally make a difference in the life of a child with special needs or help to preserve the history of motorcycling by participating in a couple of ways.
Participate in one of two raffles, priced to suit every ones budget. Jesse Jurrens of Independent Cycle, Inc. has donated a one-off extreme custom valued at $70,000.00 in support of the event. Only 1,000 tickets will be sold for $100.00 each or 6 for $500.00. Todd and Shelly Erdman of Thunder Mountain Customs have also donated a motorcycle for the raffle, a brilliant $40,000.00 custom. Tickets for this bike are $10.00 each or 6 for $50.00.Tickets for both motorcycles are available by clicking on to the Kids & Chrome web site, www.kidsandchrome.org.
If you are interested in more information on Kids & Chrome, A Grand Affair, sponsored by V-Twin; are interested in being a sponsor; or would like to schedule a press interview, contact Director of Fundraising Bob Illingworth by phone 605.490.2628, or email lobbymc@yahoo.com
Fight That Speed Trap!– “You can?t fight City Hall!”You?ve heard that phrase so often it has become a clich?. Those who say it and mean it are usually in the employ of City Hall. The truth is you can fight City Hall… and win.
Speed traps are often used by municipalities as one method of generating revenue to run the government. “Safety” is given as the excuse for running a speed trap, but the real reason boils down to money. The police department wants more money for equipment and salaries. The City wants more money to avoid raising taxes. Local residents and businesses often go along with local speed traps because it reduces local taxes, and besides, they?re usually not the drivers who get the tickets anyway. A “win win” situation for everybody in town, but not for the poor saps that suffer fines, points and insurance surcharges in the name of “safety.”
However, any person, if persistent enough, can take meaningful action to eliminate the classic speed trap. There are multiple approaches to bringing public and private wrath down upon the perpetrators of speed traps.
Using Economic Pressure
With sufficient prodding local businesses can be effective in lobbying for the end of community speed traps. One way to prompt this kind of lobbying is to convince business owners that the local speed trap is costing them money, or is about to cost them money.
To add a little momentum to your efforts you may want to purchase small ads in surrounding community newspapers that identify the speed trap and ask for fellow victims to contact you. If you generate some additional interest and help, the media and local officials will start to take you more seriously.
The combination of economic sanctions (loss of business) and embarrassment of local officials may generate pressure to eliminate the speed trap, or at least reduce its most abusive characteristics. This isn?t all you can do.
Stimulate Government Action
If a local village or city is using a state or county highway as a speed trap you may be able to provoke the state or county officials sufficiently to have them force the end of the speed trap. For example, if the speed limit is severely under-posted you can request a copy of the traffic engineering study that sanctioned such a low speed limit. (You can use a “public information request” or “freedom of information request” to force the release of this study, if the public agency won?t willingly release it.) More often than not, no such study exists.
If the posted speed limit is 35 mph, but the traffic engineering study says the limit should be 55 mph, the speed limit should be considered illegal and unenforceable. Unfortunately, it may take a civil lawsuit and a forced refund of fines to actually get the municipality to comply. However, if the municipality is dependent on state or county funds they can be coerced by the state or county to eliminate the speed trap, or at least raise the speed limit to a more appropriate level.
Political Action
All elected officials give lip service to the belief that underhanded and exploitative speed enforcement should not be used as a means to extort money from honest responsible citizens. It?s fair game to ask them to put substance behind their words. You have every right to ask your state legislators to pass a law that will reduce, if not eliminate the abuses common to speed traps.
Require that any posted speed limit that differs from the standard speed limit for a given type of road or highway (speed limits for urban areas or rural highways are generally specified in state statutes) be supported by a legitimate traffic engineering study that determines the 85th percentile speed of free flowing unimpeded traffic. The posted speed limit should not be adjusted downward more than five miles per hour below the 85th percentile speed, as determined by the traffic engineering study.
Establish a limit on the percent of local revenues that any community can generate through traffic fines. Any local unit of government that is generating more than 10% to 20% of its total revenue from fines is abusing traffic enforcement for revenue enhancement purposes.
Require that a high percentage (75 %) of all traffic fines AND RELATED COSTS be transferred to an unrelated state fund, e.g. public education, emergency relief, or public library aids.
Prohibit the use of electronic speed measurement devices to enforce speed limits that have not been determined through the use of an official traffic engineering study.
Require specific and proper training for any person using electronic devices for speed enforcement purposes.
Provide that any motorist charged with a traffic violation has the automatic right for a change of venue to a court of record (from a local administrative or municipal court).
Prohibit the use of electronic speed measurement devices to clock vehicles within 100 yards of a speed limit sign that reduces the speed limit.
Several states already have laws that outlaw speed traps. Most of them can be found HERE or by clicking on STATE LAWS in the Directory, and will give you specific examples to share with your state representatives or senators.
By giving your legislator concrete and realistic suggestions you will have made it difficult for he or she to just ignore your request. Getting a bill drafted and introduced is still a long way from getting it passed into law, but it sure is a good start in the right direction.
Rogue
SENIOR PERSONAL ADS–Some “Senior” personal ads seen in Florida newspapers:(Who says seniors don’t have a sense of humor?)
FOXY LADY:
Sexy, fashion-conscious blue-haired beauty,80’s, slim, 5’4″ (used to be 5’6″),searching for sharp-looking, sharp-dressing companion.Matching white shoes andbelt a plus.
LONG-TERM COMMITMENT:
Recent widow who has just buried fourth husband, and am lookingfor someone to round out a six-unit plot.Dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath not a problem.
SERENITY NOW:
I am into solitude, long walks, sunrises, the ocean, yoga and meditation.
If you are the silent type, let’s get together,take our hearing aids out and enjoy quiet times.
WINNING SMILE:
Active grandmother with original teeth seeking a dedicated flosserto share rare steaks,corn on the cob and caramel candy.
BEATLES OR STONES?
I still like to rock,still like to cruise in my Camaro on Saturday nights and still like toplay the guitar.If you were a groovy chick, or are now a groovy hen,let’s get together and listen to my eight-track tapes.
MEMORIES:
I can usually remember Monday through Thursday.If you can remember Friday, Saturday and Sunday, let’s put our two headstogether.
MINT CONDITION:
Male, 1932, high mileage, good condition, some hair,many new parts including hip, knee, cornea, valves.Isn’t in running condition, but walks well.
–Jester
Record Bike Numbers Compete for European Championship–CUSTOM CHROME DEALER SHOW, MAINZ GERMANY MARCH 19th – 20th, 2005
A total of 64 top class custom builders from Europe and beyond entered 71 bikes in the AMD ProShow, held on Saturday March 19th and Sunday March 20th, to compete for the coveted accolade of being the official European Champion Custom Bike Builder for 2005.
The show was organized by custom V-twin industry magazine American Motorcycle Dealer (AMD) and presented at their annual dealer show by specialist aftermarket parts distributor Custom Chrome Europe (CCE), a division of Global Motorsports Group GmbH.Held at the Phoenixhalle in Mainz, Germany, Custom Chrome?s generous support and creative staging of the show was recognized and appreciated by builders and visitors alike.
Commenting on the job Custom Chrome?s show and marketing staff had done, AMD publisher Robin Bradley said: ?This is the fourth time that we have worked with Custom Chrome?s European Division in this way and I have to say that they have excelled themselves this year.”
Builders came from fourteen different countries and from as far afield as Abu Dhabi in the Middle East. The top twenty saw bikes from ten of those countries, confirming the international credentials of the event and the widespread excellence of European custom engineering.
Of the top ten, three bikes were entered by Swedish customizers, three by Germans, with one each from the Netherlands, Finland, Belgium and the Czech Republic.The winner was Thomas Habermann of Habermann-Performance from Erbach-Ringingen in Germany, with an innovative S&S Shovelhead-engined chopper called ?Caligo?.
Second place went to Piet Hofman, who owns Violator Motorcycles in the Netherlands. He took his second spot with ?Full Metal Jacket? an S&S 145 inch-engined low-rider.
Completing a clean sweep of top honors for S&S engine-equipped customs, third place went to Mika Neminen, owner of Mr Moore Custom Craft in Finland, for ?Viridian?, another S&S shovelhead chopper.
All three of these delighted builders will be appearing with their bikes at AMD?s second Annual Official World Championship of Custom Bike Building, being presented by Custom Chrome, at the Big Twin West Dealer Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, November 18th to 20th 2005.
At Custom Chrome?s expense, each of the builders will be flown to Las Vegas for a week-end at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Convention Centre this year?s venue for the World Championships, with their bikes being shipped to America so they can go head-to-head with America?s finest builders for the ultimate prize that custom bike building has to offer.
Custom Chrome?s support for the European Championship also included further prizes for the winners in the form of a polished RevTech 110 inch engine for the winner, a 96 inch S&S engine, and a RevTech 6-speed transmission for the third placed builder.
Further prizes for the fourth to tenth placed builders amounted to more than 1500 Euros of Custom Chrome merchandize credit sponsored by Corbin, Pro-One, Crane and Spyke.Further news releases, including details and pictures of the winning bikes, will follow this announcement. Additional reports and pictures will be posted to the event website (www.amdproshow.com), and appear in upcoming editions of AMD and HOT BIKE.
SONS OF LIBERTY RIDERS E-NEWS–Do you visit states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Kentucky to ride without a helmet? Would you like to have that choice here in West Virginia? Are you comfortable with the fact that motorists can kill motorcyclists, and get off with a $20 fine? Did you know, there are two bills in the legislature right now addressing these concerns? SB-293 the Helmet law modification would allow adult motorcyclists to choose whether to wear a helmet or not while riding a motorcycle in West Virginia.
SB-444 “Danny’s Law” our Careless Driving bill, would finally give motorists a reason to look for motorcycles with fines, points, and suspensions on drivers licenses for repeat offenders, and those who kill, or seriously injure motorcyclists, pedestrians, and other vulnerable road users.
But these laws will not be passed without your help.
HAVE WE GOT YOUR ATTENTION YET?
Both bills are in committee with no action being taken. Our only hope is for Citizen Motorcyclists to talk with their representatives, via phone, e-mail, or the old fashioned letter. Our Biker Governor is using the tourism angle, and so are we. Here are some talking points, and a sample letter you can use to get you started.
We have been looking at some numbers and have come to a realization that somewhere we are missing the point of what it is that is important in our information that we use. First of all there are more motorcycles on the road than our state officials think and it is growing at an enormous rate. We as a state are not addressing the problem we are merely putting a band aide on it.
? BIKERS VS. NASCAR As Daytona Bike Week draws to a close, it’s interesting to ponder these statistics reported by the Los Angeles Times in an article concerning the Daytona Speedway in their February 20, 2005 edition. According to a University of Central Florida survey, Daytona Beach’s two annual motorcycle rallies, Bike Week and Biketoberfest, generated $744 million in revenue for the area and an equivalent of 17,800 full-time, year-round jobs in 2001, the year of the UCF study. Speedweeks and the Pepsi 400 in July, by comparison, brought $560 million and the equivalent of 10,600 full-time jobs. So bikers are more beneficial to the economy than NASCAR moms and dads.
? MORE THAN NASCAR? Can you imagine what West Virginians spend on NASCAR? It seems we can’t go anywhere today without being exposed to NASCAR trivia. West Virginia has even cashed in on the NASCAR craze, by offering NASCAR license plates for your car. Motorcyclists spend more money than NASCAR fans. West Virginia has the best motorcycle roads East of the Mississippi. West Virginia is within a days ride of all the major population centers on the eastern seaboard. But Motorcyclists from across the country avoid West Virginia because of our Mandatory Helmet Law. Even West Virginia motorcyclists take their money to PA, OH, KY so they can have the choice to ride without a helmet.
MORE STATS TO PONDER According to the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC);
? The number of motorcycles in the United States – 8.8 million – is a third more than in 1998. – The median age of motorcycle owners is 42, up from 27 in 1985; the median income of motorcycle owners is $55,850, up from $25,600 in 1985.- The median income of Harley buyers is about $80,000.
? SAFER CRASHES ARE NOT THE ANSWER PREVENTING THEM IS. Helmets may ease the mind of our legislators but it is not affecting the numbers of dead bikers that we see. Look at the information from the MOTOR CYCLE INDUSTRY COUNCIL and you will see that motorcycle use is way up and is now mainstream in our society.
? Motorcycle Industry on Track for 12th Year of Consecutive Growth; 24 Percent
More Units Sold in the Past Four Years Than in the Entire Preceding Decade.
According to Motorcycle Industry Council estimates, year-to-date sales are up 4.4 percent through October 2004, marking the 12th consecutive year of growth for the United States motorcycle market.Thanks to motorcycling’s continuing popularity, 24 percent more units havebeen sold in the last four years than in the entire preceding decade
? Motorcycle Industry on Track for 12th Year of Consecutive Growth; 24 Percent More Units Sold in the Past Four Years Than in the Entire Preceding Decade.
Motorcyclists Say They Have Right To Choose
LANSING, Mich. — The state Senate on Wednesday passed a bill to let motorcyclists ride without helmets if they are at least 21 years old and meet other requirements.
After nearly two hours of debate, the Senate — which in the past has refused to change the state’s mandatory helmet law — voted 21-13 to send the bill to the House.
The legislation would repeal parts of the 36-year-old law, letting riders 21 and older go without helmets if they have been licensed to operate a motorcycle for at least two years or have taken a safety course.
Motorcyclists say they deserve a right to choose whether to wear helmets, arguing that helmets don’t prevent accidents. They also note that every state surrounding Michigan gives riders the option to not wear helmets.
Canyon Inn Benefit Run–Hello All,You people are the BOMB! I want to give you a heart felt ‘THANK YOU’ fordoing so-o-o much to help us with the Canyon Inn Benefit Run that we hadlast Sunday, March 20, 2005.
The run was a great success in that we generated about $4K for the CanyonInn Business Development Fund and we understand that all of theriders/people that attended it had a real nice time too.
You all know the valuable part that each of you played during theorganization and execution of this event. And, would you please tell allof the volunteers that you’re associated with that we thank them too! Wecouldn’t have done it without them…
Montie and Lisa are drawing up the plans for the new building site, theground is being prepared for the footings, and they hope to start pouringthe foundation later this spring. We wish them good will and god’sspeed.
Maybe sometime soon we all can meet there and have some good food and acold drink inside the New Canyon Inn in beautiful Harbison Canyon!
Watch the Canyon Inn Benefit Run web site for run/party pictures andconstruction news up-dates too.
Later
–Lawrence/SunSoul
For those interested:
Our run pictures are up.
http://canyoninnbenefit.com/
This run was different than many, 100% of the money went to one of our own. While I thought more could have made it, I was pleased with the turnout and we all had a blast.
Animal
If you need more info on this or any other subject just go to the Sons ofLiberty Riders Info Zonehttp://solriders.com/ or http://bikers4row.org
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