We survived the Love Ride once again as we split lanes for 70 miles cutting a bloody swath through the notorious Los Angeles basin in an effort to support the 19th charity endeavor. The day was perfect, the traffic jammed as bikers scare motorists onto their brake pedals constantly after a couple of days of solid unheard of So Cal rain.
It was good to see some of the brothers, builders including Jesse Rooke (the new hot builder from Phoenix. His bike is on the cover of Hot Bike currently), some Hamsters and Jesse’s Discovery Channel creations at his No Love party.
The day before we braved the slick rain-soaked streets to hook up with Chica as he tried to build a modified shovel crammed into an old VL frame with a matching VL front end. He’s a craftsman and just hangin at his shop made me want to run back to the garage at the headquarters and spend the weekend working on the shrunken FXR. Damn he’s good. Let’s hit the news:
HARLEY-DAVIDSON SEEKS ALTERNATE LOCATION FOR MUSEUM–Milwaukee, WI. (November 1, 2002) — Citing escalating costs, Harley-Davidson officials today announced that the Company is seeking an alternate location for its planned museum project.
“Harley-Davidson, the Brewery Works and Grunau Project Development have been relentless in their efforts to adapt the historic Schlitz Brewhouse to the museum’s needs, but at this point we feel we have exhausted our options with that building,” said Matt Levatich, Director of the Museum. “Harley-Davidson remains committed to building a world-class museum destination and we would prefer to build it in Milwaukee. We will be considering other options at Schlitz Park as well as alternate locations in downtown Milwaukee and the surrounding area,” he said.
Work on the museum began in earnest in April of 1999 with an expected completion date of May, 2002. Detailed plans were developed to transform the Brewhouse and the surrounding land into a one-of-a-kind destination. However, the combined requirements of physically accommodating the expected 350,000 visitors annually, preserving the historical integrity of the building, and conforming to building code requirements proved to be too costly.
Late last year, the Company reported that the museum would not be ready – as originally planned – for its 100th Anniversary next year. Continuing efforts by Harley-Davidson, its architects, and Grunau Project Development have not been successful in finding a viable solution for this building.
I say we donate space in the Bikernet Ivory Tower for the H-D Museum. I’d be honored to have it here.
HIGHSCHOOL THEN AND NOW– One of our brothers sent the above sweet photograph of High School beauties “Then” and another of one them “Now”. The “Now” shot was too tough to post. Believe me the women in that shot were, how do you say, bad news. Let me know , if I have to post it?
BIKERNET INTRODUCES SEVERAL NEW SPONSORS—Including Performance Machine. Were proud to have the best of the best on Bikernet. We’ve known Perry and Ted Sands for decades and actually, my redheaded adopted daughter, Faith, has worked for Performance Machine since she was a kid. They’re good people and make the best wheels and brakes in the business.
Another new sponsor is Surgical Steeds by John Covington in Phoenix, the builder of the only line of Muscle Bikes in the country. Check his site for more informantion. We’ll be posting articles on both companies on a regular basis. That’s our job, goddamnit, bringing the lasted products and parts to you quick.
ENGINE DEALS OF THE WEEK– Here is the latest list of deals I have available:
Several TP Engineering 124″ Polished complete assembled motors. These happen to have the new billet rocker box design as well, very cool. They retail for near $10,000, selling them for $7000.
Tell Jose I can put some shit on a boat and send some his way too, no sweat!
Also great deals on 88″-121″ motors as well. Would like to maybe get a banner up on this kick ass site sometime soon, we’ll see how things shape up here at the shop…
Anyone, feel free to call me anytime, 812-569-4876. Thanks for your time…and space…
FOUR CYLINDER MOTORCYCLE HISTORY–We’re about to publish the history of the four cylinder motorcycle and info on the Richard Bunch Motorcycle Museum. But it wouldn’t be complete without a mention of the following four cylinder effort in Europe:Indians are our tradition. We are dedicated to producing a new Indian to truly fulfil the public’s naturally high expectations. We combine respect for the historical perspective, whilst applying a detailed understanding of the essence of the older Indian machines, so pivotal to the introduction of a new Indian.
Our new machines are made to order and available ex-works. There is a waiting list. By concentrating on quality, not quantity, our production is a modest quantity of motorcycles, with increasing figures as the years progress.
By carefully attending to our product and customers, we intend to be around for the long run, increasing production as prudent. The UK indian company, has been deeply involved in such activities as making parts, organising ‘Indian gatherings’, recreating and restoring older Indians, supplying enthusiasts around the globe since the 1970’s. we are proud to say our company is able to service ANY Indian from 1901-53 in addition to our new Indian Dakota 4.
BIKERS PARADE THROUGH CITY FOR VETS–By CINDY SWIRKOSun staff writer.
Billy Powell of Orange Springs attaches an American flag and a POW MIA flag to his motorcycle before the start of Bikers on Parade at Santa Fe Community College Sunday. The parade benefitted the Red Cross and was a part of the Veterans Day celebration.
All money raised from the entry fee benefits the Red Cross. Executive Director George Mazzeo said the event earns up to 15 percent of the agency’s budget.”All this money – $10 per rider – will be spent locally, primarily to alleviate the victims of family disasters such as house fires,” Mazzeo said. “We had 80 of those cases last year and we are running above that this year. This is the key event for us.”
SAMSON’S BIG GUNS 2 “SLASHERS” ARE SLASHING THE COMPETITION–You want pipes that will deliver High Performance and Sound that will clear those roads for you? These Bad and Beautiful pipes are the ones. SAMSON EXHAUST has done it again with the new Big Guns 2 “Slashers” with the tightest fitting 220? full coverage heat shields anywhere. The Big Guns 2 “Slashers” are just one of the new, exciting and great series of pipes from the Big Guns 2 family that only SAMSON can guarantee with Awesome Style, Sound and Performance. All ?Big Guns 2? come complete with mounting brackets and hardware.
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HANG UP AND HAVE A DRINK–Tests by Britain’s Transport Research Laboratory found that talking on acellphone while driving is “more dangerous than being drunk behind the wheel.”Driver reaction times for users of hand-held phones averaged 30 percentslowerthan for those driving just above the legal acohol limit.
*HANG UP, DUTCH BOY!In Cujik, Holland, a driver was so engrossed in his cell phone call hedidn’t see apolice car trying to pull him over until he crashed into it.
*HANG UP, SOCCER BOY!A Romanian soccer player was tossed from a national game, when, about tocross the ball, he stopped to answer his cell phone and then continued totalkfor the next five minutes.
*HANG UP, DOOFUS!Autoweek reports hearing a woman on a ferry arriving at Anacortes, Wash., asshe answered her cell phone: “Could you please call me back at this numberinabout 15 minutes? I’ll be on the road by then, and I’ll be able to give youmyfull attention.”
*HANG UP, SPARKY!News headline: “Man Talking on Cell Phone Struck by Lightning”
*HANG UP OR DIE!At an accident scene in Bloomington, Ill., paramedics had to ask a victimpinnedin her vehicle to please quit talking on her cell phone for a moment as itwasimpeding their efforts to free her.
*GOD HERE: HANG UP, STUPID!A Spanish priest fed up with mobile phones ringing during Mass has installedan elec-tronic jammer in church.
POLICE PUT A DAMPER ON BIKERS’ TOY RIDE, AN OFFICIAL SAID THAT PUBLIC SAFETY WAS A KEY ISSUE–By Dan HardyInquirer Staff Writer.Each fall for the last four years, thousands of motorcycle riders have driven their bikes through eastern Delaware County in a festive event organized by the nonprofit Bikers Against Child Abuse Inc. to raise money and collect toys for abused and neglected children.
The group, which has its national office in Delaware County, has been honored for its efforts in the past and has attracted wide support. U.S. Rep. Curt Weldon (R., Pa.) was the grand marshal for yesterday’s ride.
Yesterday, however, bikers gathering in Darby Borough at 10 a.m. were greeted with heavy police presence. About 135 officers who had been called in from more than half a dozen municipalities inspected each motorcycle for motor-vehicle code violations before the ride could proceed – something they had not done before previous rides. Neither police nor the bikers would say how many citations had been issued yesterday.
As a result, the ride’s organizers said, the turnout was much smaller, with many bikers turning around and going home before the parade even began. “We definitely lost money today,” said Mike Gambale, the president of Bikers Against Child Abuse.
Gambale, an Upper Darby resident and former Delaware County park policeman and East Lansdowne Borough police officer, said the event usually drew about 7,000 bikers, raised about $7,500, and collected thousands of toys. There was no estimate for yesterday’s results.
On Thursday, the Warlocks motorcycle club won an agreement with Philadelphia police in federal court that gave members the right to ride through the city to yesterday’s parade.
The Warlocks had said that club members participating in a Toys for Tots run to Children’s Hospital on Nov. 3 were surrounded by Philadelphia police and prohibited from participating in the ride. The agreement said that police “shall not impede plaintiff’s procession unless they have reasonable suspicion or probable cause to believe that one or more plaintiffs are in violation of the law.”
Darby Borough Police Chief Robert Smythe, standing across the street from the Knights of Columbus hall yesterday, said that the police presence in Delaware County had nothing to do with the Philadelphia injunction. The officers were there, he said, because “we had intelligence that there very well might be a problem between some of the outlaw biker gangs” that were planning to ride in the parade. When asked whether he was referring to the Warlocks or the Pagans, another group often labeled an “outlaw gang,” Smythe did not answer.
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