Hey,
Sometimes in the middle of the day something comes to me. This time I forgot it before it became a reality. But Midnight Express reminded me of something that’s bothered me for years. And this week it slapped us in the face. The EPA is after Harley. You’ll see the report below.
I’ve reached out to many rights organizations to fight the EPA for many reasons. Now, another opportunity surfaced. What if Harley sued the EPA. Sue them for what they are doing to the factory, the aftermarket and to Freedom.
This could be a monopoly case. I don’t think it’s right for one agency to control everything. Even if man-induced global warming has some impact, it’s not right to put whole industries out of business and force folks out of work because of an unproven contention. Isn’t this the McCarthy era all over again?
Hell, I even tried to start and industry council with the MRF. And we have a V-Twin council with the Motorcycle Industry Council. You tell me what kind of impact this will have on the performance industry and custom shops?
But, each strike against Freedom is an opportunity, an opportunity to make Freedom a priority again. Let’s hit the news.
THE FINANCIAL TIMES–The excitement caused by the upward ‘blip’ in Harley’s share price just before the 4th July holiday weekend in the United States most likely turned out to be some share price boosting by profit raiders and not, after all, the first shots in a take-over battle.
The price shot up by some 20 percent from around $45.00 at its close on June 30 to peak at $54.20 on Friday July 1; only to drop back to $48.37 when trading re-opened after the holiday weekend on Tuesday July 5. As this edition of AMD Magazine went to press (July 15), Harley shares were trading at around $48.10.
–a Bikernet Reader
NEWS FROM IRON AND RESIN–
We believe in collecting memories. Not things. And a lifetime of good memories is a lifetime well lived. So to help us chronicle some of our favorite activities and commit them to paper, we teamed up with our friends at WORD Notebooks.
Introducing the Rider Journal and the Surfer Journal. Handy pocket notebooks to log your day to day adventures on a bike or a board. The Rider Journal is the perfect companion to keep with your bike and has places to record details of rides you’ve taken, maintenance schedules and build details.
The Surfer Journal is formatted to log each of your surf sessions with details of the ocean conditions, boards ridden as well as an account of your session.
Both notebooks have plenty of space to record doodles, thoughts, ideas and highlights from the day.
So fill your life with adventure. Not things. Have stories to tell. Not stuff to show. And make sure you write it down. Because one day you’ll want to remember all the rad stuff you did.
Iron & Resin
1328 N. Ventura Ave.
Ventura, CA 93001
Phone: 805-628-9020 Email: customerservice@ironandresin.com
QUICK, OPEN THE BIKERNET BAD JOKE LIBRARY– A couple just married were happy with the whole thing. He was happy with the Hole and she was happy with the Thing.
WTF!!… I just filled the car up with gas didn’t notice i’d spilled some on my sleeve. Going down the road I lit a roach, and my sleeve burst into flames, so I opened the window, and stuck my arm out, to try and blow out the flames, and the darn cops stopped me, and are now arresting me for having a fire arm without a licence…
–from Rogue and Sidehack Jerry
STURGIS RIDE COMING TO BIKERNET TOMORROW–Sounds like a good ride.
Sold my FLD last week. Hate riding here. When I quit working and move back west somewhere, I’ll get another. Leaning toward Indian. Somewhat disenchanted with H-D reliability and durability.
–Bruce S. Snyder
Official Bikernet Copy Editor
Florida
ELECTION DEBATE RULES– Gotta tell ya – I watched Gary Johnson and his VP pick William
Weld (both the Libertarian party guys who are running and are former
Republican governors) on that CNN town hall a few weeks ago and I gotta say
I was really impressed with both of them – very level headed, very informed
and real down to earth. May want to go for them.
How fouled up is it that
some “election committee” has pegged it at having to poll 15% (!!!) to be
able to be part of the presidential debates? Fifteen per cent – wow. That
is a huge threshold. Talk about a rigged system. How is anyone not super
well-funded or without deep pockets ever gonna be able to garner any kind of
momentum in order to go up against both monster parties with them kind of
rules. I get it …they’re not supposed to be able to…
–Ride Easy,
Andreas
Midnight Express Motorcycle Company
BRAND New Bikernet Reader Comment!–
SEAT OF PANTS BIKERNET WEEKLY NEWS for August 18, 2016
http://www.bikernet.com/pages/story_detail.aspx?id=12986
Speaking of Ray Wheeler, whatever happened to the land speed record attempt. What happened to the bike.
–Sam
Texas
When Ray read your comment he split. He caught the next flight to Brazil. But rumor has it he will attend the Ohio Mile in a couple of months. –Bandit
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ENDING USE OF PRIVATE PRISONS–
WASHINGTON The Justice Department will end its use of private prisons declaring that the facilities are less safe and “compare poorly” with government run institutions in the country’s largest prison system.
In a memo to the federal Bureau of Prisons on Thursday, Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates directed officials to start the process of reducing and “ultimately ending” the government’s reliance on private lock-ups that at its peak in 2013 housed nearly 30,000 of the 220,00 inmates in custody.
“They simply do not provide the same level of correctional services, programs and resources,” Yates wrote. “They do not save substantially on costs; and as noted in a recent report by the department’s Office of Inspector General, they do not maintain the same level of safety and security.”
This month, a review by the inspector general found that incidents involving inmate discipline; the recovery of contraband, including cellphones; and the frequency of facility lockdowns were more common in contract prisons than in government-run facilities.
“For example, the contract prisons confiscated eight times as many contraband
cellphones on average as the BOP institutions,” the inspector general reported. “Contract prisons also had higher rates of assaults, both by inmates on other inmates and by inmates on staff.”
The federal government began to rely on contract prisons to keep pace with a
population that soared by nearly 800% from 1980 to 2013.
He urged states to follow the federal government’s lead.
Corrections Corp. of America, a longtime contractor with the federal government, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
–Kevin Johnson
USA TODAY
Published in Florida Today
–from Rogue
EPA ATTACKS ANOTHER INDUSTRY—OURS–Harley settles on emissions for $15M
Motorcycle company compromises with EPA over ‘super tuners’
Harley-Davidson has agreed to pay a multimillion-dollar fine and fund environmental remediation efforts after allegedly selling aftermarket devices that allowed motorcyclists to cheat U.S. emissions standards.
The Milwaukee-based manufacturer will pay a $12 million civil penalty and $3 million toward environmental efforts in a deal with the Environmental Protection Agency after the agency accused the company of selling about 340,000 “super tuners” that bolstered power but also raised harmful emissions.
The company agreed to offer to buy back all of the devices, cease selling the tuners and destroy them.
Harley-Davidson shares dove more than 7% after the news was released but recovered, closing down 1.7% to $53.54.
“Given Harley-Davidson’s prominence in the industry, this is a very significant step toward our goal of stopping the sale of illegal aftermarket defeat devices that cause harmful pollution on our roads and in our communities,” Assistant Attorney General John Cruden, head of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, said in a statement.
Harley said it sought to settle quickly rather than engage in a drawn-out fight.
“This settlement is not an admission of liability but instead represents a good-faith compromise with the EPA on areas of law we interpret differently, particularly EPA’s assertion that it is illegal for anyone to modify a certified vehicle even if it will be used solely for off-road/ closed-course competition,” Ed Moreland, Harley-Davidson’s government affairs director, said in a statement.
The super tuners allegedly violate U.S. regulators’ prohibition on “defeat devices,” which enable vehicles to spurn emissions standards. German automaker Volkswagen Group violated those same standards by installing software on 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide. Harley’s case involved aftermarket parts on a much smaller scale.
Harley also sold more than 12,000 motorcycles without EPA pollution certification in model years 2006 through 2008, according to the agency. It must ensure that all future bikes will have secured necessary EPA approvals.
–Florida Today
This is bullshit and a shake down from the EPA.
I have a good friend who is retired from the EPA and is on Trump’s environmental team and he assured me that if Trump gets elected there will be some major changes at the EPA.
–Rogue
TECH ALERT–I noticed you mentioned checking the front wheel bearing on Harleys in your post. It is a good Idea because there have been issues with them.
It is usually the right side bearing that goes bad and that is because of the shield.
Water gets in and washes out the grease.
This can be caused by riding a lot in the rain and or using a pressure washer.
Harley is aware of this issue and was supposed to fix it. But last comment I heard was not to pressure wash the bearing.
For what its worth?
–Rogue
NEW GIRL OF BIKERNET COMING–
Here is a model I shot for Finland, but if you have a bike I can shoot her
with it.
I talked to the builder of that bike down the coast, it was a bike they ran at
Bonneville some years back and it did not run. But I am sure after Sturgis
you have some up your sleeve that I can unfold.
–Peter
Girls of Bikernet official Photograper
AN EXCLUSIVE FEATURE ON BIKERNET BAGGERS–
I have another article ready for you in administration,
Sturgis Rally Rats – it is about the people who travel to the dealerships to help out during the crowded rallies and written by one of them.
I do not remember every seeing an article about these people and all they do to get and keep people’s motorcycles running during events.
Check it out on Bikernet Baggers. Interesting behind the scenes tale. –Bandit
BIKERNET BAD JOKE LIBRARY IS STILL OPEN–My goal for 2016 was to lose just 10 pounds … only 15 to go!
Ate salad for dinner … Mostly croutons & tomatoes … Really, just one big, round crouton covered with tomato sauce … And cheese …
FINE, it was a pizza … Ok?!
How to prepare Tofu:
1. Throw it in the trash.
2. Grill some Meat.
I just did a week’s worth of cardio after walking into a spider web …
I don’t mean to brag, but …. I finished my 14-day diet food in 3 hours and 20 minutes!
A recent study has found women who carry a little extra weight live longer than men who mention it …
Kids today don’t know how easy they have it … when I was young, I had to walk 9 feet through shag carpet to change the TV channel …
Remember back when we were kids and every time it was below zero out, they closed school? Me neither.
I may not be that funny or athletic or good looking or smart or talented … I forgot where I was going with this …
A thief broke into my house last night … He started searching for money … so I woke up and searched with him …
My dentist told me I need a crown … I said, “You bet, pour mine over rocks” ….
I think I’ll just put an “Out of Order” sticker on my forehead and call it a day …
“Just remember, once you’re over the hill, you begin to pick up speed.” So, lighten up and enjoy the ride downhill!
–from Sam Burns
[page break]
CALIFORNIA LEGALIZES LANE SPLITTING, GOVERNOR SIGNS BILL INTO LAW–California has become the first state to formally recognize lane splitting as a legal maneuver for motorcyclists, as Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 51 into law on Friday, August 19, 2016.
The legislation does not specify rules for lane splitting, but simply a) defines lane splitting as “driving a motorcycle, that has 2 wheels in contact with the ground, between rows of stopped or moving vehicles in the same lane, as specified”; and b) authorizes the California Highway Patrol (CHP), in consult with other agencies and organizations, to “develop educational guidelines relating to lane splitting in a manner that would ensure the safety of the motorcyclist, drivers and passengers.”
Lane splitting has long existed in a legal gray area in California, without being expressly prohibited nor allowed, but permitted by law enforcement. The CHP published educational guidelines on lane-splitting in 2012, but regulators later ruled the agency had no authority to make public policy.
The bipartisan bill, sponsored by Assembly members Bill Quirk (D-Hayward) and Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale), passed unanimously through the state Senate 38-0 and the Assembly 74-0 and essentially clarifies that the CHP does in fact have the authority and permission to devise guidelines for splitting lanes.
Many studies have found proper lane splitting to be safe, and the practice of “filtering” through traffic to reduce congestion is legal in much of the world.
–Bill Bish
NCOM
See Bill’s whole tamale report on Bikernet tomorrow.–Bandit
A HISTORY LESSON FROM THE BIKERNET BAD JOKE LIBRARY–I only forwarded this because it’s educational.
With the Summer Games upon us, here is a piece of Greek history.
2500 years ago a slave call girl from Sardinia named Gedophamee (pronounced Get-offa’-me) was attending the first athletic festival in Greece. This festival had no name.
In those days the athletes performed naked and to prevent unwanted arousal while competing, the men imbibed freely on a drink containing saltpeter.
At the opening ceremonial parade of this first great event, Gedophamee observed the first wave of naked athletic males marching toward her and she exclaimed: “Oh! Limp pricks!”.
Over the next two and a half millennia that expression morphed into “Olympics”.
Now you know….
Don’t bother to thank me, I enjoy discussing history.
–from Rogue
RECORDS SET FOR ANY AMERICAN CAR AND ANY BRITISH CAR AT RM SOTHEBY’S FRIDAY MONTEREY AUCTION
· Le Mans legend: Ex-Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar D-Type smashes record for a British automobile sold at auction at final $21.78 million
· CSX 2000, the very first Shelby Cobra, achieves $13.75 million, setting a new auction benchmark for an American car
· RM Sotheby’s flagship Monterey, California sale continues, Saturday, August 20
RM Sotheby’s kicked off its flagship Monterey, California sale before a packed house last night, setting a series of records for automobiles offered fresh to the market.
Leading the charge, a 1955 Jaguar D-Type, chassis no. XKD 501, sold for $21,780,000 – the highest price ever achieved for a British automobile at auction. The 1956 Le Mans-winning D-Type, widely recognized as the most important Jaguar ever made, was the subject of a 15-minute bidding contest between four determined collectors before selling for a final $21.78 million, comfortably surpassing its $20 million low estimate.
The first D-Type supplied by Jaguar to a privateer team, XKD 501 was sold new to the famed Scottish Racing team, Ecurie Ecosse, who campaigned it to victory at the grueling 1956 Le Mans 24 Hours.
It was offered at tonight’s sale following almost two decades in one of America’s leading collections. The record-setting Jaguar is only the fourth British car to have sold for more than $10 million at auction and eclipses the previous record by over $7 million. That was set by a $14.3m 1962 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato sold by RM Sotheby’s in New York in December 2015.
Closely following the sale of the legendary D-Type was an American legend – CSX 2000, the very first Shelby Cobra, which also roared into the record books, commanding a final price of $13,750,000 – a new auction benchmark for an American automobile.
One of the most highly anticipated lots of this year’s Monterey auction week, the original Shelby Cobra was constructed and kept from new by the legendary Carroll Shelby and never left his care. Offered by the Carroll Hall Shelby Trust, CSX 2000’s strong sales price represents a new record for an American car sold at auction, besting the previous record ($11m for a 1968 Ford GT40 Gulf / Mirage), which was set at the same sale in August 2012.
Rounding out the top three sales for the evening was a 1955 Ferrari 750 Monza Spider, chassis no. 0510 M, driven by the big three of American racing in period: Phil Hill, Carroll Shelby and Jim Hall. Presented by its owner of 60 years, Jim Hall, who addressed the standing-room only audience, it commanded $5,225,000 to establish a new auction record for the model.
“Tonight’s records for any British car, any American car, and for a Ferrari 750 Monza demonstrate that collectors remain prepared to part with significant sums to secure the rarest, fresh-to-the-market automobiles,” says Ian Kelleher, Managing Director, RM Sotheby’s West Coast Division. “These outstanding prices achieved at our flagship sale are a reassuring sign that the market remains healthy and vibrant.”
*Results are listed in USD and include 10 percent buyer’s premium.
FOR MORE NEWS FROM RM SOTHEBY’S
Visit: www.rmsothebys.com
WEEKEND GUN NUT REPORT–
Gun ban advocates, knowing their goals aren’t especially popular with the American people, have in recent years tried to couch their agenda in more innocuous-sounding terms. They don’t want to ban all guns, they’ll say, they just want to keep them out of the wrong hands. But once you start paying close attention to their claims, you realize that the “wrong hands” might be closer and more numerous than you think … and might even include the more senior members of your family.
Breitbart News recently pointed out that an “expert” who works at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (BSPH) is sounding the alarm about firearm possession amongst the elderly. Perhaps not coincidentally, that “expert” also claims that firearm ownership is most common in America for those aged 50 or older.
Dr. Shannon Frattaroli of the Bloomberg School told New America Media that the typical gun control focus on crime and mass shootings leaves out the risks of firearm possession among older Americans. “[A]ny conversation about guns has to include a conversation [about] gun ownership among older adults,” she said. “There’s definitely more to be done on that issue in the United States.”
Frattaroli believes depression, frailty, dementia, grandchildren, and the risks of accidental shootings all counsel against senior citizens keeping firearms in their homes, as she claims, “they would harm someone coming into the home who’s not there for a home invasion, someone there for a legitimate purpose like a caretaker.”
One solution, the New America Media article suggests, is “competency tests for gun owners,” which would be similar to “requiring motorists to prove their proficiency behind the wheel as they grow older.” Another, according to Frattaroli, is allowing a concerned “loved one or neighbor” to obtain a court order to disarm gun owners whom the petitioner considers a risk to themselves or others.
It takes a true gun control extremist to paint Grandma with the same brush as others who are categorically prohibited from possessing firearms, such as felons or those who are addicted to illegal drugs like heroin or methamphetamine.
And while Dr. Frattaroli’s views may seem extreme, she is far from alone in suggesting the aged have a dark side that weighs against trusting them with firearms. Even the Social Security Administration, as we’ve reported, is looking to get into the gun control business by reporting certain of its beneficiaries to the FBI as “mental defectives.”
But lest gun control advocates like Dr. Frattaroli be accused of age discrimination, college students fair no better in their eyes. A spirited classroom discussion is likely to provoke murderous rage, they insist. And if academic debate doesn’t lead to homicide, they argue, binge drinking or other degenerate behavior surely will.
What about adults with children? Shouldn’t someone responsible enough to oversee the well-being of another human being be responsible enough for possessing an inanimate object like a firearm? No, gun control advocates argue. The safest course is for them to forgo guns as well, because the children will find them.
Perhaps single women, then? No, gun controllers will tell you, because they’re too weak to hold onto the gun and too incapable to use it if they do. They’d be better off with whistles to summon help.
Even in an age of advanced political correctness, apparently no stereotype is too offensive to be employed in the pursuit of banning guns. And when it comes to keeping firearms out of the hands of “dangerous people,” even the Bridge Club or the Shuffleboard League could prove just a little too high-risk to exercise their Second Amendment rights.
New Bikernet BAGGERS Reader Comment!– STURGIS RALLY RATS–Bikernet Baggers Exclusive
http://www.bikernetbaggers.com/pages/story_detail.aspx?id=13098
Excellent article….Always enjoy getting those “behind the scenes” peek at how everything truly rolls. Thanks Vince & Rogue!
–Dobe Vick
HDdobe@yahoo.com
Waukesha, WI
DEAL OF THE WEEKEND FROM ILLINOIS H-D– 2003 Softail Deuce
Stock Number: U079361IL
$165 per month*
BIKERNET UNIVERSITY ENGLISH DEPARTMENT SEX-FILLED WORD OF THE DAY—Mesmerism:
1. a compelling attraction; fascination.
There’s a spell about the hand-organ and a mesmerism about spinning round and round that no youngster can resist.
— , “An Itinerant Merry-Go-Round in New York City,” The Outlook, Volume 132, September–December, 1922
Mesmerism is an eponym formed on the basis of Austrian physician Friedrich Anton Mesmer, who popularized the notion of inducing a hypnotic state by animal magnetism. It entered English in the late 1700s.
GIBBS Brand Lubricant–Now Available from M-W
Available per can, pack of 4, or case of 12
Mark Williams Enterprises has long been searching for a product that provides better corrosion resistance than commonly used WD-40® oil. M/W has always been skeptical of products with miracles through chemistry.
However, GIBBS brand lubricant is the exception, and lives up to its claims. This product is the best bet for keeping unpainted dragster chassis tubing from rusting. The recent trend towards unpainted tubular chassis makes this product a must-use item. It also keeps driveline parts corrosion free without plating options that can have hydrogen embitterment crack development issues. Mark Williams is now a dealer for GIBBS Brand USA.
Single Can P/N 55-0070
Pack of 4 cans P/N 55-0070-4
Case of 12 cans P/N 55-0070-12
Please take note: GIBBS Brand USA products have no affiliation with Joe Gibbs Racing or Joe Gibbs Racing oils.
RENT AN INDIAN, QUICK–EagleRider now offers rentals on seven Indian Motorcycle® models around the country. Visit EagleRider.com for more information.
With Club EagleRider, you get access to thousands of motorcycles to rent for only $39 per month. You can try any bike you want, ride a new bike every month, rent from dozens of locations around the US, and enjoy numerous benefits of being a club member.
13 free rental days per year
Nationwide network of rental locations
Fleet of over 4,000 motorcycles and ATVs of all major brands.
Up to 50% off additional rental days
Access to all your favorite Indian® motorcycles
WEEKEND QUOTE–“When I’m out running in the mountains and I get that fear that a cougar is following me and I’m going to die, I think, ‘It’s OK if the cougar eats me because I’ve done some really cool things.'”
–Jenn Shelton
THE BILL HAYES WEDDING PARTY IS SCRAMBLING—They are all over the shop this morning cleaning. The shop will never be so clean.
Next week will start with a bang of content on Bikernet and Bikernet Baggers. Rogue has a serious line-up. We will cover new Saddlemen seats on the Bikernet Blog. We are hoping the whole Bikernet Empire will go mobile friendly next week.
I will launch the first jammed chapter of my ride to Sturgis with Mike Stevenson and surprise comparison between my 2014 Indian Classic and Mike’s new 2015 Street Glide. He’s looking to sell his Glide and buy an Indian.
Back to content, we have Bill’s NCOM legislative report ready to launch, a feature from India on new Royal Enfields (will they finally build a twin?), a tech from Dr. Willie on an old Evo Softail and a cross-country adventure, and I’ve going to launch a new MetalSport company update. It’s going to be a busy week.
Keep asking about Freedom and ride it forever.
–Bandit
