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RARE JOCKEY SHIFT–Getting closer to finishing up my Shifter. Join the Cantina for the rarest biker memorabilia we can find. Check the Digital Discovery area.
Bob T.
HEY BANDIT,– just letting you know legendary bike builder and ahrma racer Steve Coe has gone public with his extensive collection. We have been featured at Daytona USA, iron horse saloon, no name saloon, etc…Check us out at
BIKERNET CARIBBEAN REPORT–One more month goes by and we are still here doing the news. Good things do happen, I just got a call from some TV producer to do a series called Caribbean Chopper, the only shitty part is that I’m going to have to watch all the Chopper TV shows some of you guy?s love so much. I really don’t know if I can withstand such torture. Don’t worry guys, I won?t charge for my autographs; they will be free with the purchase of one of my chops, or the bringing of a chick (good looking and with all her teeth, of course).
This week it’s full of news, it’s amazing the amount of e-mails and gossip we get thought the e-mails. Some weeks I get none, some weeks so much shit that it could last for months.So I guess without further ado and not getting into my rants about who liked, who understood or who hated my Daytona report, which I really don’t give a fucking donkey dick about… let’s get to the juicy stuff.
There’s some stories going around that the Las Vegas Bike fest has set up a new gimmick, it’s called Artistry in Iron and only 25 of the top builders in the nation will be able to participate, and bring their custom chops to the event. I will leak the list as soon as I get more news about it; I really believe this will be fun.
Talking to Billy lane the other day, he was so fucking busy with bikes and such that he was vowing to get the fuck out of Melbourne. For those of you who don’t read gossip papers (like I) seems like Enquirer found out Billy and his new squeeze (none other than Paris Hilton !!!!!) hanging out in the Hawaiian sun. Sure I knew about it, but since it’s coming out I might as well beat those suckers to the punch. They are also talking of Billy’s desires to be in Porn, so I guess that with Pari’s experience it will be a logical step… We all know the hubless 2 was called Money Shot for something. Lets call it wishful thinking.
To those of you who think I am always bashing on the OCC guys, let me tell you, it’s not true. I happened to catch one of the shows the other day, I mean, I don’t watch because I don’t have much time left after my day is done, but lucky for me, I got to catch an episode and they were putting together a Holidays theme bike. It?s amazing what you can do with some metal and the proper machinery, needless to say, the candy cane sliders tripped the shit out of me. I don’t even remember if they were fighting or not, since I was mesmerized with all the intricate work and what not. To sum it up it was awesome. Go get them guys !!!!! Can’t wait for the Easter one!!!
Since I’m on a roll with TV people, I don’t want to sound like I’m full of myself, but I happen to know many of those guys. They tell me a lot of stuff that I don’t share with anyone, (I guess that’s why they tell me). Some people might call them ” secrets” but since it’s two am and I just got home and am pissed of, just trying to finish a couple fucking bikes, I’m fucking opening the Pandoras box…I might have a few less friends after this week, but what the fuck, they might understand!
And now the one everyone loves to talk about….Yeap if you guessed Jesse James, give the man a fucking smelly, cuban cigar…… Grapevine has it that Jesse is retiring from building bikes and Monster garage, he is going to pursue an acting career, he has been auditioning for Broadway musicals and such, there’s also reports that he wants to raise Llamas near Wyoming. I guess he just wants to stop eating sparks and having as much fun as he does building all those cool cars and bikes. The reports claim that Bling Bling, Chopper Dave, Rockabilly Jay and Foamsucker Hodge are trying to raise enough dough to buy Jesse out. Don’t forget that you heard it here first.
The Horse, our favorite magazine has been sold to the Easyriders media moguls. It was an expected move, since the mag has grown so much in the past year, even to the feat of arriving at Wal Marts newsstands. More good news is that the miracle of me on the cover will take place in the first issue after the buy out; to say the least, that will be amazing, (nope not the buy out) but me on the cover!!! They are looking for an editor and I’ve heard many names, but I guess I’ll save them for next week. One hint, the editor they want used to work for Easyriders, but he?s holding out for a six-digit salary and will probably get it.
I know I never do any news about the Company…but today is a new day, I did something about OCC , so I must do something about Harley. In the industry news report they were talking about bringing back the Knuckle, Pan and Shovel motors. I find this the best news ever, you will be able to buy an exact repro of those motors for your Chop. They are also promising an affordable price for them. I guess they have noticed that the crate Evo’s are going like hotcakes, so they want to jump in the bandwagon…. I guess I said this before, but I can’t fucking wait.
On a sadder note Indian Larry is finally retiring from motorcycling, after the hit shows in Discovery he has racked enough dough and recognition to escape to Tibet and become a monk. I guess he?s searching for spiritual enlightenment, peace and to be able to piss without people snapping shots. Larry will be missed by many, but if it’s for the betterment of a friend, I’m all for it. Unless you happen to visit Nepal with Richard Gere, I guess we won’t be able to see him at all.
Anyway, I gotta go. For those of you always wondering when would I finally get a new girlfriend, let me tell you, I already did. I’m writing this April Fool’s news in her pad in Hollywood, just a few miles away from the Bikernet Headquarters. I promised Alyssa Lovelace that I would take her to dinner the 1st of April, you know, April Fools day, which is her birthday. Fuck !!! That is TODAY !!!!!
So Happy APRIL FOOLS DAY you SUCKERS !!!!!!!!If you believed the words above, I got a bridge to sell.
Jose Caribbean Bikernet Report on April Fools Day…
BUY AMERICAN MENTION OF THE WEEK, 3-29-04–Welcome to Roger Simmermaker’s Buy American Mention of the Week E-zine, created specifically for consumer patriots who want to Buy American and contribute to a more prosperous America. Please feel free to forward this to friends, family and associates. Thank you for your free subscription and for passing this important information along! For past issues, please visit our website at http:// www.howtobuyamerican.com .
American-Made Apparel in So Many Ways; Costco vs. Wal-Mart
There?s no reason to buy imported apparel if you know where to look. Over the last few months, I have written several ?Buy American Mention of the Week? articles on just how easy ? and affordable ? it is to buy apparel made in the USA. My belief that everything you wear every day can be (and should be) made in the USA continues to be reinforced as I continue to become aware of more patriotic apparel-makers that pride themselves in their American workforce.
From dress shirts and everyday apparel to bikinis and pajamas, all can be found made in the USA. As layoffs and Chinese imports increase simultaneously, we can help replace these jobs by directing our dollars to American manufacturers, forcing them to expand their production and hire more Americans. I?m sure that neither the American companies nor their newly-hired employees would complain.
I had the pleasure of meeting the owner for A.N.H. Distributors last month, and I have just received my first order from their King Cotton Collection. You can see their collection at http:// www.anhdistributors.com . Every item they offer is made in their Miami factory.
Looking for American-made dress shirts? Try www.mortonshirts.com or check out the new pinpoint oxford dress shirt from http:// www.quantumcotton.com . Quantum?s new white dress shirt is simply the softest and most comfortable dress shirt I have ever worn.
If you?re looking to get into the swing of spring, try http:// www.venusswimwear.com . Venus Swimwear is based in Jacksonville, Florida and is America?s largest maker of swimwear. Let?s help keep them on top since every piece of swimwear they offer is stitched right here in the USA. Venus does offer other clothing and accessories that may not be American made, so if you search their catalog for items other than swimwear, keep this in mind.
Looking for American-made pajamas? Try Pajama Mama?s website at http:// www.pjmama.com where you?ll see several styles and colors ? all made in the USA.
Of course we can?t always order everything over the internet or via telephone. When you?re not searching for American-made apparel and find yourself looking for a big name retailer that has everything, you might try Costco instead of Wal-Mart. I haven?t seen any data on the percentage of goods made in America from Costco vs. Wal-Mart, even though Wal-Mart is America?s biggest importer of Chinese goods, but there are other reasons Costco might be more deserving of our dollars.
Costco has a reputation in the retail industry for providing the best benefits for their employees, and their wages are much better than Wal-Mart?s as well. Cashiers start out at $10.50 an hour, top out at $17.50 an hour, and can make $40,000 a year in less than four years working full-time.
Wal-Mart, which refuses to release information on their wage rates, claiming they vary depending on the location, starts their Las Vegas cashiers at $7.65 an hour and tops them out at $11.45 an hour. It?s amazing that Wal-Mart?s top pay for cashiers is less than 10% higher than Costco?s starting pay.
Costco?s employee turnover rate is more than half of Wal-Mart?s, and the company has successfully resisted passing on rising health care costs to their employees seven of the last eight years.
As you might guess, Costco has taken some heat from the Wall Street elite for being too generous to their employees and not focusing on shareholder returns instead. That should be a clue to ordinary Americans that Costco is doing something right. Could it be that 82% of Costco?s employees are covered (able to afford) company-provided health insurance? Could it be that Costco covers 92% of health care premiums for their workers vs. 66.6% for Wal-Mart? The answer is probably ?yes? to both questions.
The more health care premiums are covered by successful American companies employing Americans, the less the federal government will be obligated to cover through higher taxes on all of us as pressures mount to find a solution to the health-care crisis. The best solution is obviously not one that shifts the burden to working Americans.
So when you?re looking for American-made apparel of any kind, try one of the company websites featured in this article, or one of the many others featured on the links page at http:// www.howtobuyamerican.com . But for general retail, consider Costco instead of Wal-Mart, where you?re likely to find happier employees for a happier shopping experience.
Roger Simmermaker, Author
How Americans Can Buy American
http:// www.howtobuyamerican.com
Submitted by Nick Roberts
VICTORY TO CELEBRATE POLARIS 50th ANNIVERSAY WITH JUMP OVER SNAKE RIVER CANYON–
GM Mark Blackwell to Jump Victory Vegas Over Legendary Canyon
MEDINA, MN, April 1, 2004 ? Victory Motorcycles is going to new heights to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its parent company, Polaris Industries, by having the bike division?s General Manager, Mark Blackwell, jump the Snake River Canyon on a Victory Vegas.
Blackwell will make the jump on July 24, 2004, and it will be televised live to the crowd attending the Polaris 50th Anniversary Celebration in St. Paul, Minnesota.
This is the same canyon that motorcycle daredevil Evel Knievel attempted to clear in the X-1 Skycycle on September 8, 1974. Knievel did not clear the 1,580-foot canyon but he landed safely as a parachute slowed his vehicle?s descent.
?This Victory jump will be doubly memorable because it celebrates the Polaris 50th as well as the 30th anniversary of Evel?s attempt,? said Blackwell. ?We?re doing it to pay tribute to Polaris and entertain the company employees, dealers and customers as they celebrate back in Minnesota,?
While Knievel was inside a rocket-like vehicle with two wheels, Blackwell will be on a nearly stock Vegas.
?We?ve removed a few parts to reduce the bike?s weight, and I?m using hard-compound tires, but that?s about it,? said Blackwell, who won the AMA?s first 500cc motocross national championship in 1972 and was inducted into the AMA Hall of Fame in 2000.Knievel launched the Skycycle off a steep 300-foot ramp and had hoped to land about 400 feet beyond the far edge of the canyon, making his goal a leap ? or, more accurately, a ?flight? ? of about 1,980 feet.
?I?ve cleared 2,000 easily on practice jumps, and I even overshot the landing ramp a time or two when I built up too much approach speed,? Blackwell said. ?The key to a smooth jump is throttle restraint on the run-up ramp. The ponies in our Freedom? V-twin like to run, but I?ve got to make sure I don?t exceed my target speed. Once I?m airborne, I’ll just sit back and enjoy the ride.?Victory and a national broadcast network are currently discussing the possibility of airing the jump live. Details such as the broadcast time and network will be announced once plans are finalized.
?It will be great viewing for motorsports enthusiasts at home, and for me, it?s a great riding opportunity,? Blackwell said. ?When the idea was first suggested, I said ?I love it. I hope you?re not fooling!??
About PolarisInformation about the complete line of Polaris products is available from authorized Polaris dealers or from the Polaris homepage athttp://www. polarisindustries.com.
2004 marks the 50th Anniversary of Polaris Industries. Celebrations will be held in Roseau, Minnesota, birthplace of Polaris, on June 18-19, 2004 and a worldwide celebration will take place in St. Paul at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds on July 24, 2004. Visit http://www. polarisindustries.com or call 1-800-POLARIS for more information. Happy April Fools!!
THAT’S THE NEWS– Bandit’s bailed on you, headed for Arizona on a Victory Kingpin. The plan was to leave Wilmington by 10:00 am, but the morning was cold and the bed was warm, so we snuggled a bit too long. He rolled out around 11:00.
Next week will be interesting here in the new digs. We decided on who will replace the windows, the rolling gate and who will fix the roll up door. Fucking undependable bastards out there. Three weeks we’ve been in this place and trying to find reputable companies is difficult, or just someone who’ll call back. I do have to thank our friends though. Jim Murillo, Buster, Chris Chrome, Nuttboy, Kraig, Kyle and Crazy John. Without them, we’d be sitting on boxes at the curb, still in San Pedro.
Have a great weekend, and don’t be fooled!
Happy April Fools Day.
Layla
