Jack’s bike night babe from RFR.
It’s nearly noon on Thursday and I’m still sweeping the shop out after the American Rider Tech we shot on the 2004 Sportster custom. Deadlines. That Sportster is hot property. Everyone who shows up at the shop wants to ride it.
We better get to the news. I’m ready for the weekend. The news is packed with event and ride info. Keep your note pad handy:
JOKER MACHINE’S LATEST ADDITION–Former motorcycle magazine photographer and writer Jeff Deasey has joined the Joker Machine team to serve as the company’s Media/Marketing Director. Deasey spent the past 6 years in the motorsports publishing industry and performs freelance work for Iron Works and other select publications in his spare time.
Jeff will handle all inquiries from television and print media, and he is also responsible for creating ad and press release materials.
Jeff and co-worker Bryan Warren are also currently working on Joker Machine’s catalog #6 that promises to be jam-packed with all of the company’s latest high-quality items, slated for release in time for the summer riding season.
If your show or publication needs any assistance with information about Joker Machine?s AHDRA and Supermoto racing teams or product line, please feel free to contact Jeff at (909) 613-0098 voice, (909) 613-0098 fax or send an e-MAIL to: jd@jokermachine.com
BIKERNET TECH ARTICLE VOTE–Just wanted to say, I followed your tech article and it worked like a charm. Used my stock wide belt and saved a ton of cash. Great article.
Mike Curtis
Atlanta, GA
Thanks Mike. Our Tech Articles are always archived. They never go away.–Bandit
BLIND AND DEAF MAN PLANS 150MPH QUADBIKE RECORD ATTEMPT–WITH the aim of clinching a Guinness world record, Graham Hicks, who is bothblind and totally deaf, will attempt to travel at more than 150mph on hisquadbike at Bruntingthorpe proving ground in the United Kingdom. The eventis set to take place in August this year.
Hicks’ quadbike is powered by a Honda CBR1100XX motor, giving it plenty ofpower and top-end speed.This event will form part of Hicks’ work for the United Kingdom charityDeafblind UK. He already holds similar records for jetskiing andquadbiking.In this latest challenge, Hicks will have a pillion rider – CambridgeshirePolice Constable Brian Sharman. PC Sharman will indicate direction to Hicksusing touch signals. This obviously requires a huge degree of trust betweenrider and pillion, considering the high speeds involved.
Practice runs are now under way, achieving speeds in excess of 100mph.To become involved in this challenge, contact Deafblind UK’s Challenge Teamon the following number:
For more information on Deafblind UK, contact:DEAFBLIND UK
Tel: +44 (0)1733 358 100
E-mail: jjohnson@deafblind.org.uk
www.deafblind.org.uk
THE FOOT CLUTCH ANNIVERSARY–Well I finally finished the foot clutch…Just need to mount it and find my Ape Hangers, some howI lost them in my garage, if you can believe that. Must be age.
We celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary todaymaybe that’s why I can find the Ape Hangers..
Be Cool
–Bob T. and Leandra
Yucca Valley, CA
RING GEAR CONVERSION AND OFFSET COMPENSATORY–This 84 tooth ring gear conversion kit is much stronger than the OEM 102 tooth unit, and provides slightly faster motor turn over due to the reduced number of teeth. For all 1990-93 Big-Twin Harley-Davidson motorcycles, Evo or Twin-Cam. Includes our famous quality ring gear, bolts and special pinion gear. Available immediately.
Now available……Complete 1.5 inch offset compensator assembly for chain drive primary with 24 tooth sprocket (1990-93 Softail) or 25 tooth sprocket (1993-present Softail). Also available in 1-inch, and 1.4375-inch offset. Call for part numbers.
Rivera Engineering
562-907-2600
MORE THAN 1,5000 BIKES BLESSED–Monday, April 26, 2004 Posted: 8:56 AM EDT (1256 GMT)Rev. Robert McElwee blessed more than a thousand mortocycles and bicycles during this year’s annual Blessing of the Bikes.
FRONTENAC, Kansas (AP) — Rumbles of thunder and heavy rains were replaced by the rumbles of hundreds of motorcycles and a sprinkling of holy water.
Leading the gang and wearing riding boots beneath his vestments was the Rev. Robert McElwee, who offered prayer during the annual Blessing of the Bikes in downtown Frontenac.
“Did I get you?” he asked Sunday, weaving through a cordon of more than 1,500 brightly painted motorcycles from as far away as Utah and Idaho.
McElwee, pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and an avid motorcyclist, has seen the event grow in the past eight years from an informal gathering after Sunday Mass to a regional affair in this town of 3,000.
NEW BIKERNET PHOTOG–Really dig your site, visit every week. Great work! I’m a pretty serious photog with what spare time I have between working and family and riding etc. If you have any specific pics you need from Florida I would be interested in contributing. I live in the Jacksonville area but travel the entire state on a quarterly basis on business and weekend riding on my FXD.
Attached is a little sweetie I ran across last weekend at the Leesburg Bikefest in Central Florida. Nice tank top huh?
Let me know if I can do any shooting for you. I have digital cameras so I have a pretty quick turn.
–Whiplash
STRAY KAT CHOPPER FRAME–Cyril Huze now offers his Stray Kat Chopper frame with a single curved down tube accepting a 250 or a 280 mm/300 series tires with a stock width belt. Frames for 250 mm are offered in left side or right side drive. Frames for 280/300 mm are offered in right side drive only. Constructed out of 4130 chromemoly, using 1 1/4 inch tubing for superior strength, tig welded and fixture cooled. For a clean look, internal fork stops are integrated in the steering head. For this frame, a direct-bolt on round stainless steel oil tank with center oil fill and “hidden” battery is offered.
Available in 3 inch stretch/38-degree rake, or 5 inch stretch/42-degree rake. Any other stretch or rake on request.
Cyril Huze.
Tel: 561-392-5557
http://www.cyrilhuze.com
FRANK DID ALRIGHT–I just want to thank Frank Kaisler and anyone else involved in putting the photos and article about my bike on your website.
I didn’t have any photos from that show. Please tell Frank he has a good eye for custom motorcycles. That bike won best in show at that Harley-Davidson ride in show. it also came in 3rd at the Rats Hole show, won an all expense paid trip to Essen Germany for the Essen international motor show, will be featured in Hot Bike and about 15 other US and European magazines, and it is a bare metal, unpainted, bare machined and bare carbon fiber, prototype motorcycle.
Thank you, again
Richard Sansone
sansonemotorcycles.com
ALL SEABEE REUNION–The 6th annual All Seabee Reunion is fast approaching-just 30 days away. Now is the time to make your plans to attend. Roomsare still available at the Casa Sirena Hotel, official reunionheadquarters.
Hotel reservations can be made by calling 800-447-3529.The discounted reunion room rate still applies.
The reunion will be held in Port Hueneme, CA. The dates of the reunionareMay 20-23, 2004. Our web site, www.allseabees.com contains completeinformation on the reunion. You may also print the registration forms.
BILANSKY ROMPS AT ROAD AMERICA–Buell Riders Dominate Formula USA Thunderbike National.
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (April 25, 2004) – Hal’s Harley-Davidson/Buell rider Dan Bilansky roared away from the pack aboard his Buell Firebolt for a convincing victory in the Formula USA National Thunderbike race at Road America. Harding Harley-Davidson riders Bryan Bemisderfer and David Estok finished second and third to complete a podium sweep for Buell riders in the Thunderbike class.
For Bilansky, the win offered some redemption after a disappointing outing in the F-USA season-opener at Daytona International Speedway in February, where he crashed out of the lead.
“Daytona was a hard one to get over,” said Bilansky, who is from Delafield, Wis. “But I want to win a championship and to do that I have to be consistent, so maybe a win today makes up for being a race behind after Daytona. This was a kick today because we are so close to home. I have lots of family here who haven’t seen me race in several years, and this is a home-town race for everyone from Buell and Hal’s.”
Hoban Brothers Racing/Appleton H-D/Buell rider Jeff Johnson set a blistering pace aboard his Buell Firebolt to take the pole position for the Thunderbike race with a 2:37.219 lap of the four-mile Road America course in cool but dry conditions on Saturday. However, dense fog enveloped the Road America course on Sunday morning and the start of racing action was postponed until almost noon. Crashes in several support races further delayed the Formula USA National feature events, which were then shortened from 10 to five laps because of time constraints.
Johnson jumped the start before it went green and then hesitated as Bilansky raced off to open an early lead while Bemisderfer, Estok, Suzuki rider Ed Key, Johnson and Harding rider Tripp Nobles battled in a pack behind him. On the second lap, Bemisderfer ran off the course in turn five after trying to out-brake Nobles. Bemisderfer managed to stay upright and remained in contention. Nobles went out on lap four with a mechanical problem.
“Second place gives us some good points towards the championship,” said Bemisderfer. “Bilansky got that great start and then just took off full speed. I think the rest of us took a lap to gauge track conditions before we really pushed it today and gave him too much of a head start.”
Estok, who said he is still recovering from a concussion suffered in a March automobile accident, was also happy to come away with solid points on the day. “I’m still a little foggy, to be honest, and really didn’t feel smooth all weekend until the race started,” he said. “I’m still leading the Thunderbike points, which is awesome. They’ll have to watch out when I’m back to full speed.”
Key finished fourth, with Kosco H-D/Buell rider Joe Rozynski fifth. Johnson was fifth across the line, but a one-lap penalty for jumping the start bumped him back to 23rd place in the final standings.
Estok maintains his lead in the Thunderbike series with 41 points, just a one-point margin over his teammate Bemisderfer.
The third stop on the eight-race Formula USA Thunderbike series is May 29-31 at Summit Point Raceway, Summit Point, W.Va.
The Formula USA Thunderbike series is a horsepower-to-weight ratio restricted class, open to a variety of production-based motorcycles. Buell-mounted riders competing in the eight-event 2004 Thunderbike series are racing for a share of the $70,500 contingency fund posted by Buell Motorcycle Company and Buell Rider’s Adventure Group (BRAG).
To learn more about Buell Motorcycles, visit your local Buell dealer today and experience the pure streetfighter attitude, style, and performance only found on board a Buell. For the Buell dealer nearest you, pull into www.buell.com.
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