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SASHA RIDE IN HARLEY-DAVIDSON WOMEN’S DAY PARADE– Attached is a photo of me at the conclusion of the Harley-Davidson Women’s Day Parade led by Karen Davidson. It was a most spectacular moment and an honor to ride with all of these glorious girl motorcycle enthusiasts. For as far as the eye could see, all chicks on Harleys and Buells roaring along International Speedway Blvd, then on to Route A1A.
My bike was the most radical little scooter there with her raked front end and swarovski crystal skins. She and I rode in from Nashville.
There were chicks there that came in from Canada to be in the parade! But they had to trailer down and drive straight through, three girls sharing the driving for a total of 20+ hours. Their dedication to participate in this history-making event was impressive.
I was especially honored when Karen Davidson met my bike, Miss Tigerlily, and she said some great compliments to my beloved m’cyle. Miss Tigerlily was tickled to meet Ms. Davidson. The parade was very well organized by corporate. Harley-Davidson raised funds for MDA, too. I hope they have a gathering like this every year. It’s a very special event to have all these fabulous ladies together in all their glory with their cherished motorcycles.
–Sasha
JIMS SUNDAY TOOL OF THE WEEK–Nine (2-Piece) Super Torx key Set This set of nine of the most popular Torx? keys are 20% stronger than one piece Torx bits. Torx keys are heat treated alloy steel. Includes six _-inch drive, and three larger 3/8-inch drive bits.
No.1773 – Torx Key Sizes: T-10, T-15, T-20, T-25, T-27, T-30, T-40, T-45, T-50
Suggested Retail Price $36.00
THUNDER IN THE PARK MOTORCYCLE AND MUSIC FESTIVAL– Just found out about a run in July that should be great! It’s called Thunder in the Park Motorcycle & Music Festival. Besides the usual stuff like bike shows, beer, an’ hot gals, BLUE OYSTER CULT & FOGHAT will be playin’!!
This’ll be a top-notch deal, put on by John Carbry, who started the Fresno Grizzlies, the Portland Mavericks, an’ founded The Diamond Group that got Grizzly Stadium built. I’ll be coverin’ it for Thunder Press. Better write it down somewhere, or ya’ll forget it sure as hell. The website is: http://www.thunderinfresno.com
–Buckshot
WILLIE G. SUPPORTS THE ART OF PINSTRIPING–Happy to read that Willie G. was supporting pin stripers, and that Ray Drea was in charge of the project. That’s no surprise to me. Ray was a top notch pin striper himself, and used to hang out with our ABATE guys in Butler, Wisconsin, when he was an 18 year old kid with nothing but time on his hands and lots of talent. He used to travel to Daytona every year with my cousin, Vince Ballistreri, and pin stripe on the beach.
Vince ended up staying there and opening a shop in Winter Garden. His other partner, Jon Reno, returned to Wisconsin and opened up Calibre Paint, the multi-million dollar paint facility that works with Harley-Davidson and does their retro painting. Ray joined up with Harley too, and works in the Design Center with Willie G.
Vince paints signs, does work for Orlando Harley-Davidson and occasional “specialty” jobs for Universal Studios. Small world, and yes some top notch painters come from this area of the mid-west. Another famous mid-western painter is Butch Brinza, who was in Santa Barbara for a long time and recently moved to Arizona. He was friends with my cousin Vince and Jon Reno too.
By the way, Ray was doing our ABATE t-shirts for us back when he was a kid. He designed a lot of neat stuff, especially the Waupun Prison Show shirts. I still have all of mine, and I think they’re collector items.
–Pan
RUNNIN’ LICK’S SOLO BAGS– Check out these cool and compact SOLO BAGS now being offered by Lick’s Cycles. Not only are they downsized for riders who don’t have a need for those bulky units, but they allow you to keep a clean sanitary look while providing a stash for your basics.
100% made it the USA, Lick’s SOLO BAGS are not a mass production item. Each set is meticulously hand crafted to order from high quality tanned black leather with hand stitched black or red piping.
Other features include rugged quick release buckles, Indian Head pressed nickel Conchos and Lick’s logo stamped inside to ensure authenticity.
The way cool bags are designed for ’82 through ’08 Sportsters, Big Twin Softails and a wide variety of rigid applications.
For complete details call 413-663-9050 or catch them on the Web at
SUNDAY NEWS FROM THE DEVIL– I am finishing some new stuff on the car project, Fabricating a tranny cover and cutting and fitting the hood for Jimmy’s 60 MG. as soon as I get it out the door (sometime next week) I’ll get the tanks mounted on Sin Wu’s bike and chop on them a little, so you can have some new tank material for the next Root Beer Float article.
I also sent you some info from a friend who is trying to get his dojo established in Houston to offer combat and personal defense training so he can stay in the states. He has recently returned from the middle east where he worked with a few diferent governments (U.S. and Brits mostly) offering training to special forces ext. I thought maybe you might do a post on him or something to help him get the word out. his E-mail is mailto:bylcombativefightingskills@yahoo.com. He is a good guy.
–Kent
LET’S PAUSE FOR A SUNDAY MOMENT– Billy Graham was returning to Charlotte after a speaking engagement and when his plane arrived there was a limousine there to transport him to his home. As he prepared to get into the limo, he stopped and spoke to the driver.
“You know” he said, “I am 87 years old and I have never driven a limousine. Would you mind if I drove it for a while?”
The driver said, “No problem. Have at it.”
Billy gets into the driver’s seat and they head off down the highway.
A short distance away sat a rookie State Trooper operating his first speed trap.
The long white limo went by him doing 70 in a 55 mph zone.
The trooper pulled out and easily caught the limo and he got out of his patrol car to begin the procedure.
The young trooper walked up to the driver’s door and when the glass was rolled down, he was surprised to see who was driving.
He immediately excused himself and went back to his car and called his supervisor.
He told the supervisor, “I know we are supposed to enforce the law… But I also kno w that important people are given certain courtesies. I need to know what I should do because I have stopped a very important person.” The supervisor asked, “Is it the governor?”
The young trooper said, “No, he’s more important than that.”
The supervisor said, “Oh, so it’s the president.”
The young trooper said, “No, he’s even more important than that.”
The supervisor finally asked, “Well then, who is it?”
The young trooper said, “I think it’s Jesus, because he’s got Billy Graham for a chauffeur!”
–from Rev CarlR
AMAZING KOPPER KART RESURRECTION–? My release of initial Kopper Kart stuff is going to be delayed a few days… But here’s some cool tidbits to review: http://www.kopperkart.com/original/
All the fuss will start next week upon it’s return to NJ from Detroit.
Here another link… This is the most complete digital/on line collection of historical photos of the original Barris truck: http://public.fotki.com/Rikster/11_car_photos/beautiful_custom_cars/barris-1 /barris-ccustoms-195/kopper_kart/
I attached a classic photo of Bill Riedel, Guilder and Gold Leaf Specialist, next to Alan Johnson, Master Pinstriper, in front of the Kopper Kart klone, AJ’s shop, Saturday, March 1. Plus some others… examples of basic coverage from the weekend…
~C
BIKE WEEK SAFETY CONCLUSIONS– Auto drivers must keep watch. ORANGE CITY – After 54years of riding motorcycles, “Crazy Eddie” Colosimo knows a thing or two about sharing the road safely with automobiles.
“You need to ride like you cannot be seen, because there’s a mental thing with car drivers. … They just do not see motorcyclists,” said Colosimo, president of Bikers for First Amendment Rights in Volusia County.
Safety experts say Colosimo’s theory holds water. Glenn Victor of the Florida Safety Council said drivers in cars often have similar reactions when they hit a motorcycle.
Since Bike Week celebrations began Friday in Volusia, five people have died in motorcycle-involved crashes. Law-enforcement officers and emergency responders say common sense and heightened awareness by all drivers – either in cars or on cycles – can make the roads safer when thousands of bikers descend on Daytona Beach.
The excesses of Bike Week, including alcohol, speeding and reckless wheelies, often are blamed for injuries and fatalities. But placing the blame for Bike Week crashes on motorcyclists doesn’t jibe with statistics.
“Everyone thinks the motorcyclist is always at fault, and that’s not true,” said Mark O’Keefe, a spokesman for the EVAC ambulance service in Volusia County. In 2006, the most recent year for which Bike Week statistics are available, 20 people died in 19 motorcycle-related crashes:
Six were single-vehicle crashes in which the motorcycle was at fault.
Five crashes occurred when a car violated a motorcycle’s right of way.
Eight were collisions in which cars and motorcycles were equally at fault.
Some motorists don’t realize that the same safety regulations apply to motorcycles, cars and trucks. “The first thing that we always reiterate to people is that you have to recognize that motorcycles are vehicles that have all the rights of the roadway that everyone else does,” Victor said.
Trooper Kim Miller of the Florida Highway Patrol said drivers often don’t understand that a motorcycle has the right to a full lane of traffic, a misconception she attributes to drivers seeing motorcyclists riding two-abreast in the same lane.
“A lot of people when they pass or try to go around a motorcycle, they forget the motorcycle has a right to that lane where they’re traveling,” Miller said. Fewer wheels, more limitations At the same time, drivers needs to understand a motorcycle’s limitations, Victor said. “You never, ever want to tailgate a motorcycle,” Victor said.
Specifically, tree branches, cardboard boxes and other road debris that cars and trucks might just roll right over are much more hazardous to motorcyclists.
“They may have to make an evasive maneuver, and they may have to drop their bike, and if we’re following them too closely, we all know what’s going to happen: We’re going to hit them, or we’re going to run right over them,” Victor said.
Brent Lewis from Amarillo, Texas, who is attending his seventh Bike Week, said he sees this happen often. “The drivers are probably just not looking around enough as these bikes pull in and out,” Lewis said, “The motorists need to be really aware and cautious that these guys can’t stop and turn like they do in a car.” ‘Take that second look’ Miller said visibility is the key factor in right-of-way crashes: Drivers often don’t spot motorcycles because of their size. But motorists also have difficulty gauging the speed of an oncoming biker and how far away he is.
“If that motorcycle is approaching and you can’t tell how fast they’re going, it’s best to just wait,” Miller said. “Your eyes should be scanning – take that second look again, because your eyes may have missed that motorcycle coming.”
–from Rogue
BIKERNET SUPPORT GOOD MANNERS– I was waiting tables at a country club when an elegantly dressed woman spilled Manhattan clam chowder all over her white linen skirt. She began furiously dabbing at it with a napkin.
Having plenty of experience with getting out food stains, I asked, “Can I bring you some club soda?”
“Young lady,” she barked, “I’ll be the judge of when I’ve had enough to drink. Bring me another martini!”
–from Rev CarlR
THE MISSING SATURDAY REPORT–Figured I’d enlighten you on last Saturday’s events deep in the heart of “my” crack house. (You’d understand if you saw it…)
I woke up on what I thought was Saturday evening, and was typing my ritual letters. I don’t type them to anyone in particular, but I’m saving them in a file for my kids to read someday and help them remember who I was. Something like that, I guess. I share them with folks sometimes when I think I did good.
Finished out my work week with a few hours of overtime, and finally made it to bed at about 11 AM this morning. Just woke up and microwaved a cup of coffee leftover from yesterday. (Fucking coffee pot hasn’t repaired itself yet, dammit.)
I’m reading my mail and bulletins. My friend Terri had written an incredibly deep and thought provoking piece on family and relationships and being alone and then signed off “Just my thoughts on a Sunday.”
I was really thinking about it… H’mmmm…. Deep thoughts…. H’mmmm. All philosophical and shit… Then it hit me… Thoughts on a Sunday? Sunday??? It’s dark out… Oh SHIT!!! I LOST Saturday!!!! OHMYGAWD!!!! I must have slept straight through for 30 hours!!! DAMMIT! I had shit to do!!!! The Laundry Mat for one, DAMMIT!!! I have to get that new back tire put on Clementine!!! The liquor store is closed on Sunday and I’m out of whiskey!!! SHIT!!!
Baby’s probably starved half to death…. Turn on the porch light and… Naw, he’s sleeping behind Clementine on the porch… Well, he sure looks still… Too still… Don’t see him breathing… Maybe I did starve him to DEATH!?!?!? How fucking long DID I sleep? I yelled “BABY!!!”, and I bolted nekkid out the door!!! He jumped up looking freaked out by my obvious insanity, and I thanked JEsus he was alive. Whew. Scared the shit out of me there… “Alright, lay back down, you ain’t dead….” as I came back into the kitchen. He looked at me like he was confused and I was stupid, and plopped back down…
What time is it anyway?? 7:20PM on a SUNDAY??? WTF?? I scratched my nuts and realized that I was scratching my nuts. Feels good… Being a dog must not be so bad, I think. Sunday? FUCK!!! I gotta take a shower and wake up and go do laundry… Laundry Mat closes the doors at midnight… Do I have soap?? Sunday? FUCK!!! Then I happen to move the mouse over the time thingee on my computer and it says “Saturday, February 09, 2008”. SATURDAY??? WTF??? What goddamned day is it anyway??? FUCK!!! Saturday?? This changes everything!! Now I have to hit the liquor store before nine. I’ve got an hour. Shower. Is it Saturday? Dammit. Now I’ll worry till’ I’m back at work on Monday night if I’m supposed to be back at work a day earlier? Am I really late for work tonight? Is it today? Or is it tomorrow? Do I trust the computer? Do I trust Terri? WHATFUCKINGDAYISTHIS!????
Oh hell. Fuck it. Just fuck it…
Go pee…
Fart…
Scratch one more time… (That DID feel good!)
Go back to bed…
Welcome to my world!!! 🙂
–Kev
IT’S TIME FOR A RIDE–The sun is out. The Sturgis Shovel is gassed and ready for the road. A big week lies ahead and I’ve been scrambling for scattered thoughts. This year is coming into blurry focus and it’s already March. We will publish two books this year, build a couple of bikes, throw our first Sturgis show, develop a bike show judging system, take the Assalt Weapan to the Maxton Mile, support Veteran’s charities and work our asses off on the two best custom motorcycle web sites, Bikernet and Bikernet Metric.
Can I take a day off for my 60th birthday? Maybe.
Let’s Ride
–Bandit
