Hey,
I often say we’re living is strange times. They are actually super-strange. It started with Helmet Laws in the ‘70s. The government just couldn’t allow freedom so Joan Claybrook came up with the Public Burden Theory. Accidents cost the public, quick pass a law.
Some brothers still won’t go for the pay for insurance deal, to retain their freedom to choose. Some motorcycle rights organizations won’t fight for our freedom to choose and they buckled to insurance company threats. Maybe they wanted to make more money selling helmets? I don’t get it.
So comes Global Warming. According to Marc Morano’s book, The Politically Incorrect Guide to Climate Change, “MIT climate scientist Richard Lindzen has laid out the real agenda behind the global warming scare. “Controlling carbon is a bureaucrat’s dream. If you control carbon, you control life,” Lindzen said. We now know the climate isn’t warming, it’s cooling recently. The seas are rising less than they did 1000 years ago. There are more polar bears than ever before and none of Al Gore’s predictions came true. We are still here and driving fossil fuel cars.
Then came Zero mandates, which you will read about in the news. I know guys in agencies like the MIC who won’t even discuss these issues. Freedom doesn’t exist to them; it’s all about quietly bending to the will of the bureaucrats and hoping agencies will allow them to continue to build parts. Scary. They should fight back like the NRA.
I still like to think we can balance freedom with regulation for the best outcome, but Zero won’t ever allow that. Something to think about. Let’s hit the news.
The Bikernet Weekly News is sponsored in part by companies who also dig Freedom including: Cycle Source Magazine, the MRF, Las Vegas Bikefest, Iron Trader News, ChopperTown, BorntoRide.com and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum.
Most recently the Smoke Out and Quick Throttle Magazine came on board.
Hundreds of Motorcycle Riders Plan to Stop in Santa Fe on May 18–
Run for the Wall Participants Hosted by Local Harley-Davidson Dealership and Pueblo of Pojoaque
With names like Biker Daddy, Honey Badger, Sweeper and Squid, hundreds of motorcycle-riding patriots will proudly ride into Santa Fe Harley-Davidson on Friday, May 18. They won’t be stopping for service appointments or to admire a new model, according to local authorities. Instead, this is one of many stops as they make their way from Ontario, CA to the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial in Washington, DC during the 30th annual Run for the Wall.
Run For The Wall
Run for the Wall (RFTW) is a national non-profit organization which dedicates itself to promote healing among all veterans, to call for an accounting of all Prisoners of War (POW), those Missing in Action (MIA) and to honor the memory of those Killed in Action (KIA) from all wars. “We Ride for Those Who Can’t” is the theme for this fiercely dedicated group.
With an age range from 18 to 80, participants include father and son teams, husbands and wives, veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom and Afghanistan, active duty military, supporters, friends and family.
According to Steve Berniklau, RFTW’s Central Route New Mexico State Coordinator and the 2018 Staging Team Lead for the Central Route, an anticipated 750 motorcycles will stop at the Santa Fe Harley-Davidson dealership for lunch, mingling with the community, an exchange of patches, and a short ceremony honoring their mission. They will arrive at 12:30pm and depart by 2pm, Berniklau added.
The Pueblo of Pojoaque is sponsoring a traditional New Mexican lunch of Frito Pie and Potato Salad, and the New Mexico State Police are providing riders with a border to border escort along the route.
“We don’t give political speeches or stage demonstrations,” Berniklau said. “RFTW gets its message to the public by riding across the United States: Coast-to-Coast. We obey traffic laws and treat all citizens with dignity and respect. The issue of public awareness is only part of the reason RFTW exists. We also give Vietnam Veterans and all Veterans the opportunity to receive their own ‘Welcome Home’ and start their healing process.”
Santa Fe Harley-Davidson invites all members of the community to welcome and honor the RFTW riders at the dealership on May 18. There is no cost to attend.
Run For The Wall (RFTW) was started in 1989 by James Gregory and Bill Evans, two Vietnam Veterans who traveled across the heartland of America on motorcycles. They talked to local radio, TV and newspapers about the thousands of men and women still unaccounted for from all wars. The need for this awareness continues today and we carry on this tradition every May.
–Betsy Donnelly
— from Scott Melville
WACO SHOOTOUT NEWS–3 bikers hit with murder charges following shootout at Texas restaurant
Three bikers were indicted on murder charges Wednesday stemming from a 2015 shooting involving police outside a restaurant in Waco, Texas, including a prominent member of the Bandidos motorcycle club.
The indictment marks the first murder charges in the case and comes just eight days before the statute of limitations runs out. More than 20 other bikers were re-indicted on new charges ranging from rioting to tampering with evidence.
Police arrested nearly 200 bikers following the shooting at a Twin Peaks restaurant that left nine people dead and 20 injured. Investigators say the incident was sparked by rivalries between the Bandidos and Cossacks motorcycle clubs. Waco police officers monitoring the gathering also fired on the bikers.
Jeff Battey is among the three Bandidos members charged with murder. His attorney didn’t immediately return a message from The Associated Press.
According to Waco police incident reports reviewed by The AP, Battey, a former Marine, and another Bandido charged with murder Wednesday, Ray Allen, were seen “triangulated” over Matthew Smith, a Cossack who died at the scene from gunshot wounds. The third Bandido member indicted Wednesday was Glenn Walker.
All the bikers arrested following the shooting were each charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, a felony. But prosecutors have dropped 154 of those cases in the last four months, saying they wanted to focus on those who were “more culpable.”
Only one biker — Jake Carrizal, a locomotive driver and the president of the Dallas chapter of the Bandidos — has been tried. His trial ended in a hung jury and a mistrial last fall.
Carrizal was among the bikers re-indicted on Wednesday. He’s now facing a new charge of rioting.
The county’s district attorney said in a statement in February announcing the first round of disposed cases that information gleaned during Carrizal’s trial was “invaluable” in his office’s decision to narrow the focus of its investigation.
–Fox News
–from Rogue
ZERO TOLERANCE ALERT, Motorcycle Riders Foundation Releases Statement on Road to Zero Report–Today, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) released the following statement in response to a report issued by the Road to Zero Coalition which is managed by the National Safety Council.
The report, A Road to Zero: A vision for achieving zero roadway deaths by 2050, was released in April and identifies policies and practices to achieve the very notable and worthy objective of attaining zero deaths in the United States in 30 years:
Motorcycling and the safety of riders who engage in this growing mode of transportation remains a key priority of the MRF, its Board of Directors and its network of 220,000 riders across the U.S. In fact, the MRF, either directly or through our member networks, have numerous initiatives geared towards rider safety touching on issues such as motorcycle awareness, rider education and training, impairment, as well as technological advancements for motorcycle and equipment manufacturers.
Because the safety of the motorcycle community is so paramount to our organization, we commend the objective behind Road to Zero. As such, we have been present and an active participant in almost every Road to Zero Coalition meeting since the unveiling of the program in 2016. During these workshops we’ve offered the motorcyclist’s perspective on key issues areas, making recommendations and playing a proactive role in the dialogue.
Therefore, it is discouraging that the recently issued report reflects none of this input, instead emphasizing only one countermeasure in which to mitigate motorcycle fatalities. Consequently, the report fails to mention the presence and participation of our organization as well as other key motorcycle organizations, which collectively represent over half-a-million motorcyclists in the United States.
Within the report, the assessment on motorcycle fatalities again and again points to helmet laws as a proven countermeasure. However, there is the notable absence of mention of proactive measures, which prevent a collision from occurring at all. Reactive steps may or may not offer some level of injury mitigation only after a crash has already taken place.
If the goal is to eliminate all traffic deaths by 2050, there should be an emphasis on crash prevention and not simply safer crashing. These potential steps can manifest in a variety of ways including initiatives on rider education and training for new and returning riders, motorcycle awareness education for other roadway users and a variety of others.
In reviewing the report, the only proactive measures mentioned in regard to motorcycle fatalities are automatic emergency braking, self-balancing control mechanisms for motorcycles and a connected vehicle system. However, each of these presents its own set of concerns; a motorcycle coming to a halt could result in throwing an unprepared rider, the self-balancing technology is not yet available and there are numerous studies which indicate that motorcycles are not consistently identified by lane assist, collision warning, and emergency breaking systems as a part of a connected roadway system.
While these are certainly areas that should be reviewed, discussed and improved, they are not yet tangible solutions and there is uncertainty that they may even come to fruition by 2050.
Instead, the MRF, despite not being recognized in the report, have communicated, collaborated and participated in the various meetings and workshops that have taken place over the last two years, highlighting and advocating for tangible and practical initiatives that can be deployed immediately to include proactive countermeasures to reduce or eliminate motorcycle fatalities.
The absence of any acknowledgement of these ideas and lack of recognition of participating motorcycle organizations that represent our nation’s riders have unfortunately contributed to a flawed report that is neither practical nor inclusive when it comes to motorcycle safety. If the objective of Road to Zero is to truly achieve zero roadway deaths by 2050, we encourage leadership behind the program to be inclusive of input and ideas from all roadway users and to consider discussing practical proactive measures for motorcyclists.
The road to Zero is about control, just like Global Warming and Climate Change. We need to decide whether we want Freedom or Zero Freedom. Watch for Fred Harrell’s response later in the news.–Bandit
BRAND NEW IN BANDIT’S CANTINA–BABES, BIKES, BAGGERS, AND BIKEWEEK. Does it get any better? Just added to the Cantina, more fresh DAYTONA BIKEWEEK images covering multiple events. SUBSCRIBE & ENJOY!
QUICK, OPEN THE BIKERNET BAD JOKE LIBRARY– Father O’Malley was transferred to Texas from Dublin.
Father O’Malley rose from his bed one morning. It was a fine spring day in his new west Texas mission parish. He walked to the window of his bedroom to get a deep breath of the beautiful day outside. He then noticed there was a jackass lying dead in the middle of his front lawn. He promptly called the local police station. The conversation went like this:
“Good morning. This is Sergeant Jones. How might I help you?”
“And the best of the day te yerself. This is Father O’Malley at St. Ann ‘s Catholic Church. There’s a jackass lying dead in me front lawn and would ye be so kind as to send a couple o’yer lads to take care of the matter?”
Sergeant Jones, considering himself to be quite a wit and recognizing the foreign accent, thought he would have a little fun with the good father, replied, “Well now Father, it was always my impression that you people took care of the last rites!”
There was dead silence on the line for a long moment…
Father O’Malley then replied: “Aye, ’tis certainly true; but we are also obliged to notify the next of kin first, which is the reason for me call.”
–from Joe Smith
LE PERA SEAT OF THE WEEK—Avaitor//Pillion.
Overview
The Aviator pillion pad is 10.75″ wide. Installation is easy, no drilling is required, all mounting hardware is included with purchase.
Specs
Driver Seating:
N/A
Passenger Seating:
10.75″ Wide
MSRP:
$148.00
Part Number:
LK-017P [’08-’18]
New Bikernet TRIKES Reader Comment!–
PAUGHCO Trike Fender Kits
http://trikes.bikernet.com/pages/story_detail.aspx?id=12473
Can I just buy the brackets for the Paughco fenders?
— Kenneth swanson
kenneth.swanson@hill-rom.com
Batesville, IN
NEWS FROM THE GOVERNMENT SCIENCE LAB–Chicken Gun…….
Scientists at NASA built a gun specifically to launch standard 4 pound dead chickens at the windshields of airliners, military jets and the space shuttle, all traveling at maximum velocity. The idea is to simulate the frequent incidents of collisions with airborne fowl to test the strength of the windshields.
British engineers heard about the gun and were eager to test it on the windshields of their new high speed trains. Arrangements were made, and a gun was sent to the British engineers.
WHEN THE GUN WAS FIRED, THE ENGINEERS STOOD SHOCKED AS THE CHICKEN HURLED OUT OF THE BARREL, CRASHED INTO THE SHATTERPROOF SHIELD, SMASHED IT TO SMITHEREENS, BLASTED THROUGH THE CONTROL CONSOLE, SNAPPED THE ENGINEER’S BACK-REST IN TWO, AND EMBEDDED ITSELF IN THE BACK WALL OF THE CABIN, LIKE AN ARROW SHOT FROM A BOW.
THE HORRIFIED BRITS SENT NASA THE DISASTROUS RESULTS OF THE EXPERIMENT, ALONG WITH THE DESIGNS OF THE WINDSHIELD AND BEGGED THE U.S. SCIENTISTS FOR SUGGESTIONS.
NASA RESPONDED WITH A ONE-LINE MEMO
“DEFROST THE CHICKEN.” (TRUE STORY)
–El Waggs
Senior Advisor
Bikernet Science Community
A VIRTUAL REALITY Motorcycle Riding Experience– Comes to Capitol Hill
WHAT: On May 15, the House Motorcycle Caucus will host an event in honor of Motorcycle Awareness Month. Stacey “Ax” Axmaker, will be offering demonstrations of his unique virtual reality technology, allowing attendees, including Members of Congress and their staff, to experience the world of riding, without ever leaving the Capitol.
WHO: Stacey “Ax” Axmaker, Founder and President of BeCrashFree.com
WHEN: Tuesday, May 15th 2018
11am-4:00pm
WHERE: 2103 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
WHY: While recent projections indicate that motorcycle fatalities will decrease by 5.6%, motorcyclists are still overrepresented when it comes to traffic fatalities. Though this is due to a variety of factors, distracted driving and specifically texting plays a significant role in other road users failure to “see” motorcycles. As the temperatures in May increase, so do the riders on our nation’s roadways, making May the nationally recognized month for motorcycle awareness. The virtual reality riding event will allow participants to better understand many of the risks riders encounter through a fully-immersive experience via the use of virtual reality goggles and different real-life riding situations.
Stacey “Ax” Axmaker, a veteran in the field of motorcycle safety as well as a certified motorcycle instructor, curriculum developer and Founder and President of Motorcycle Safety Systems will talk participants through the experience…no motorcycle license required! The event coincides with the 10th Annual “Bikers Inside the Beltway,” in which hundreds of motorcyclists from all over the nation travel to Washington to meet with their elected officials, voicing issues of concerns and encouraging support for legislation affecting all riders.
HOW: For interviews or additional information please contact Megan Ekstrom, Vice-President of Government Affairs & Public Relations, The Motorcycle Riders Foundation at 202-725-5471 or by email.
NEW FROM LOWBROW–
Be in Cleveland at the end of July for a jam-packed weekend of excitement and parties! Fuel Cleveland presents Mama Tried’s Flat Out Friday July 27th 2018. Racer registration is now OPEN and spectator tickets are on sale now (and starting at $14)!
Fuel Cleveland takes place the day after Flat Out Friday and is a free event! There are parties Thursday, Friday and Saturday night on the Flat Out Friday / Fuel Cleveland weekend, so be sure to hang out, watch some (or better yet, participate in!) racing and enjoy some world-class motorcycles at Fuel CLE.
Buy a Fuel Cleveland patch and get your chance to win this just-finished custom Harley-Davidson Ironhead Sportster chopper built by The Gasbox in Cleveland, Ohio! You must be present at Fuel Cleveland to win the bike. However, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place are a Lincoln Electric TIG Welder, MIG Welder or Plasma Cutter, and you do NOT need to be present to win these prizes! Get your chance to win and help keep Fuel Cleveland a free show for everyone to enjoy!
GUN NUT REPORT: All the “News” That Fits Our Agenda
In the 1890s, under the leadership of new owner Adolph Ochs, The New York Times began using the slogan “All the News That’s Fit to Print.” That phrase may have been intended to convey the impression that stories in the Times were carefully vetted, honest, and free of bias. The slogan was emblazoned upon the masthead of his paper, where it still resides. You see, Ochs detested the sensationalist reporting common at the time that was designed to sell newspapers using highly charged, emotional headlines. Fast-forward to this century, though, and we find that things haven’t really changed that much with the media.
Today, sensationalist headlines regularly announce poorly-researched (if at all) stories emanating from anti-gun legacy media outlets, especially when those stories involve NRA. This week was no different.
When NRA-ILA announced last week that Vice President Mike Pence would be attending the 2018 NRA-ILA Leadership Forum at the NRA Annual Meetings in Dallas, the online form to obtain tickets was updated to state:
Due to the attendance of the Vice President of the United States, the U.S. Secret Service will be responsible for event security at the NRA-ILA Leadership Forum. As a result, firearms and firearm accessories, knives or weapons of any kind will be prohibited in the forum prior to and during his attendance. We will be posting a longer list of prohibited items in the near future.
This week, President Donald Trump announced his plan to address the crowd as well.
Of course, the security measures described above are standard operating procedures when it comes to events that include the attendance of someone whom the Secret Service is charged with protecting. But this seems to be news to some in the media.
On Monday, headlines began to appear that implied, and in at least one case falsely stated, the NRA had decided to implement a no-guns policy for those who wanted to see President Trump and Vice President Pence address some of their most ardent supporters.
Breitbart reported that the Associated Press sent a tweet claiming, “NRA bans guns at President Trump, VP Pence speeches during it’s (sic) annual meeting in Dallas.”
That tweet was eventually deleted, and AP’s follow-up tweet stated:
AP has deleted a tweet that incorrectly said the NRA had banned guns during Trump and Pence speeches at its annual meeting. The ban was put in place by the Secret Service. A corrected tweet is coming.
While it’s refreshing to see AP admit it was wrong for posting something without doing any sort of verification, its current headline on this story remains somewhat misleading, stating, “No guns allowed at NRA convention when Trump, Pence speak.”
But the deception didn’t end at AP. The Washington Post ran a story with a headline that included the statement, “The NRA said guns will be banned during a Pence speech.”
National Public Radio’s online story’s headline stated, “No Guns Allowed During NRA Convention Speech By Trump, Pence.”
While not many consider the Huffington Post an actual news outlet, one would hope it could do even a little research before posting a headline that includes the claim, “NRA Convention Bans Guns To Protect Mike Pence.”
So, what gives with these headlines? Wouldn’t it be more accurate to state that the Secret Service has implemented the policy? Of course, it would. Was the media aware of the Secret Service policy? Of course, it was. In fact, as covered by CNN and others last year, the exact same policy was implemented by the Secret Service in April 2017 when Trump addressed NRA members at the Annual Meetings in Atlanta.
So why not have more accuracy in the headlines? A cynic might say that the lack of clarity is intentional and designed by some members of the media to generate the controversy. And to a certain extent, there is some controversy.
Most of the “controversy,” however, comes from the anti-gun community, after it was spoon-fed its latest dose of invented outrage. NRA has been charged by anti-gun activists with being “hypocritical” because of the “No Guns” policy. Apparently, they either remain falsely convinced that NRA established the policy, or think we have the ability to override Secret Service security protocol. The truth, of course, is much simpler but doesn’t provide a click-baiting headline.
It’s clear that many in the media have rejected any attempt to assess the factual “fitness” of their reporting and have instead taken a new approach. When it comes to NRA, that approach is “All the ‘News’ That Fits Our Agenda.”
COPS FIGHTING MANDATORY DRUG TESTS – CLAIM IT’S ‘UNCONSTITUTIONAL’ TO SCREEN POLICE URINE
In an unprecedented protest against the routine offenses against due process and bodily integrity carried out in the name of the “war on drugs,” the union representing Pittsburgh police officers has condemned workplace drug and alcohol testing as a violation of the Constitution. Their zeal for the right to privacy only applies to themselves, however, not to the public they supposedly serve.
NBC affiliate WPXI reports that the Pittsburgh Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police “has filed a civil rights grievance against the city, claiming officers have been order to undergo drug and alcohol testing that is in violation of their contract.” Union attorney Bryan Campbell describes the policy as “an illegal search and seizure.”
Under the contract between the City of Pittsburgh and its paramilitary affiliate, police officers can be subjected to drug or alcohol tests only in three circumstances: When an officer displays signs of impairment on the job, fires a weapon, or is involved in a vehicle crash. The union’s complaint arises from a recent pursuit that ended in a car crash. Two officers who participated in the chase but were not directly involved in the crash were required to undergo testing.
Another blatantly obvious reason for police opposing public scutiny of their urine is that it could reveal the usage of such things as anabolic steroids. Police officers are no stranger to ‘Vitamin S’ as many of them have not only been caught using the rage-inducing hormones, but selling them as well.
hief Cameron McLay insists that the terms of the contract allow him to require tests of all officers involved in a pursuit, irrespective of whether they were also involved in a collision. Union attorney Campbell suggests that the city is sacrificing the rights of his clients in order to protect itself in the event of a lawsuit: “They [the officers] don’t forfeit their constitutional rights to protect the city from a civil liability.”
The union complaint may be as much a negotiating tactic as an assertion of Blue Privilege: Since April it has been involved in highly contentious contract arbitration with the Mayor over budget restrictions imposed through the city’s “Act 47 plan,” a financial restricting program for municipalities trying to stave off bankruptcy.
The plan called for a pay freeze this year, followed by a one percent raise next year, and raises of two percent in 2017 and 2018. These increases – which would be eagerly and gratefully received by people in the still-struggling productive sector – are disdained by the police union as insufficient.
Police in Pittsburgh have eagerly supplemented the revenue stream through the officially sanctioned theft called “civil asset forfeiture,” seizing more than $700,000 in cash and 11 vehicles in 2013-2014 (albeit much of the haul was collected subsequent to charges that generally resulted in a plea bargain). Special interest lobbyists associated with law enforcement are voluble in opposition to a proposed state bill that would place some restrictions on the practice. During the last legislative session, anti-reform lobbyists denounced the bill – which would reinforce the constitutional principle that punishment should be imposed following an actual conviction – as a “drug dealer’s bill of rights.”
Residents of Pittsburgh who are found in possession of small amounts of marijuana can still face criminal charges that “can cost [them jobs, housing, and leave them with a criminal record,” pointed out the Post-Gazette on November 17.
Criminal defense lawyer Patrick Nightingale, executive director of the Pittsburgh chapter of the National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), points out that someone found in possession of a minuscule amount of cannabis will “still have to be fingerprinted, they will still have their offense recorded in a national database. They will still have a rap sheet.”
The City Council is considering a measure that would permit the police to issue a non-traffic citation instead of a misdemeanor summons for possession of less than 30 grams of marijuana or eight grams of hashish.
This would result in a city fine of $100 and seizure of the contraband – in other words, it would offer a reduction in prohibition-related penalties while preserving the drug war infrastructure. This helps explain why the proposed city ordinance is supported by the Pittsburgh Police Bureau, whose personnel are seeking to retain their special immunity against the kind of drug war-inspired infringements of personal liberty routinely inflicted by them
–tribunistdaily.com
Cops should not be exempt from the laws that all the rest of us are expected to obey.
BLUE PRIVILAGE??????
No agency should be allowed to profit from items seized
Police in Pittsburgh have eagerly supplemented the revenue stream through the officially sanctioned theft called “civil asset forfeiture,”
Any items seized should go to schools etc. and that will lower the greed factor.
–Rogue
Supreme Editor
Bikernet Baggers
IRS HOSPITAL AUDIT–
At the end of the tax year, the IRS office sent an inspector to audit the books of a local hospital.
While the IRS agent was checking the books, he turned to the CFO of the hospital and said, “I notice you buy a lot of bandages. What do you do with the end of the roll when there’s too little left to be of any use?”
“Good question” noted the CFO. “We save them up and send them back to the bandage company and every once in a while, they send us a free roll.”
“Oh”, replied the auditor, somewhat disappointed that his unusual question had a practical answer. But on he went, in his arrogant and obnoxious way. “What do you do with what’s left over after setting a cast on a patient?”
“Ah, yes”, replied the CFO, realizing that the auditor was trying to trap him with an unanswerable question. “We save it and send it back to the manufacturer and every so often they will send us a free bag of plaster.”
“I see”, replied the auditor, thinking hard about how he could fluster the know-it-all CFO. “Well,” he went on, “What do you do with all the remains from the circumcision surgeries?”
“Here, too, we do not waste”, answered the CFO. “What we do is save all the little foreskins and send them to the IRS office, and about once a year they send us a complete prick.”
–Jim Waggaman
Bikernet Accounting Firm
INTERMOT customized shifts up a gear–More exhibitors, bigger area, more international
It is already two years since the leading European motorcycle and scooter event INTERMOT successfully integrated a new theme into the overall concept in the form of INTERMOT customized, a topic which was not only enthusiastically received but, more importantly, which is also bringing new momentum to the entire industry.
It’s important because some of the ideas that are developed in the V2 custom scene as well as the New Wave custom scene relating to café racers and modern custom-builds eventually end up being adapted for serial production.
The motorised two-wheeler industry is innovative and lives on the creativity of its members, who also use INTERMOT, taking place in Cologne from 3 to 7 October 2018, to network widely and exchange ideas with the brands and with the scene.
Accordingly, INTERMOT customized is being given more space in Hall 10.1 with the intention of making it significantly bigger and raising its international profile. And the early signs are impressive: out of the major manufacturers, BMW Motorrad, Harley Davidson, Kawasaki, Yamaha and, for the first time, Indian have all registered to also take part in the INTERMOT customized segment in addition to their regular participation.
The list of prestigious distributors in this segment includes CCE, Louis, Motorcycle Storehouse and Zodiac, appearing in Cologne for the first time. Internationally renowned customizers showcasing their “art on two wheels” include JvB, Fred Kodlin, Mellows, Sultans of Sprint, Walzwerk and Wrenchmonkees. Also joining the starting grid are the exhaust specialists from Jekill & Hyde, along with the helmet experts from Nolan. And of course, the new INTERMOT bike, a Yamaha XV 950 R Dragger customized by Marcus Walz, will also be here to be marvelled at.
Also taking place this year as a highlight of INTERMOT customized will be the AMD Championship of Custom Bike Building, an event that stops off in Cologne every two years. It is here that the “who’s who” of customizers will be putting themselves before an international jury with their spectacular conversions. The world title is traditionally awarded in the FreeStyle Class – all modifications are accepted here.
In addition, the customizing specialists will show in four other categories what’s in their machines: Retro/Modified, Modified Harley-Davidson, Performance and Café Racer. Participating customizers and their partners in the competition also get the opportunity to present cost-effectively on dedicated exhibition areas – the “Custom Islands” – and to raise their presence among the motorcycling enthusiasts.
In the Garage Area at INTERMOT customized, professionals will be working live on site on project bikes, ensuring every step in the process is clearly explained and demonstrated. Tasks like changing the footrests, handlebars, headlights and indicators will be as expertly explained and performed as shaping and fitting a fuel tank.
The area even includes a mobile spray booth. At this year’s event customizing enthusiasts and keen mechanics will be able to follow two projects from the design stage right through to the finished bike.
A brand new Ducati Scrambler 1100 will be completely redesigned and customized over the course of the five days of the fair. Niels Peter Jensen, the ProSieben Maxx TV channel presenter of shows such as “Extreme!” and “Man Made”, and himself a keen customizer, will be attending and discussing the conversion process in our Garage Area Lounge.
Under the banner “Turning scrap metal into gold”, INTERMOT customized is looking for a conceptual idea from the motorcycling community, wherein a given motorcycle (Honda CB 450S) is customized using parts from LSL and Highsider and with a maximum budget of Euro 750.00. The winning idea will be implemented by the winners, with the support of the experts in the Garage Area, and completed by the end of INTERMOT 2018.
Outrageous and fast-accelerating custom-builds are not only available in the INTERMOT customized hall to be admired, numerous bikes this year are also on the starting grid at the sprint races at INTERMOT 2018. In collaboration with Glemseck 101, INTERMOT is reinstating a sprint competition – this time a short sprint over approximately 130 metres. This is where the eccentric custom sprint bikes of the Sultans of Sprint will be making an appearance, as well as providing an amazing display at a special event area of INTERMOT customized.
INTERMOT on Facebook:
https://de-de.facebook.com/INTERMOT
–Volker De Cloedt
5-BALL RACING GARAGE UPDATE–New 5-Ball Racing Belt Buckles by Bandit
Mag Wheel
This is the solid brass mag wheel hand brazed and polished. The spokes are actually the shanks from massive wood screws out of the hull of an old sailing vessel.
All belt buckles can be made in Small 1.5 inch diameter, Medium 2.5-inch, Large 3-inch and Extra Large 3.5-inch outside diameter sizes. Keep in mind as they get larger they are heavier.
Each buckle is hand made for the most part and you will be in a very small group of owners in the world, perhaps one or two, or at most a dozen. No two buckles are exactly the same.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON SAYS ‘THANK YOU’ TO THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED AND THEIR SPOUSES–
Extends $99 Harley-Davidson® Riding Academy Offer to Spouses of Those Who Have Served, As Well as Spouses of First Responders
Friday is Military Spouse Appreciation Day and Harley-Davidson – to thank the millions of people who protect our country, our safety, and our freedom to ride and their spouses – is extending the offer of Harley-Davidson® Riding Academy New Rider Course to spouses of eligible current and former U.S. military personnel and first responders (law enforcement, fire, and EMS) for just $99.
“Along with saying thank you to those who have served, Military Spouse Appreciation Day offers us the perfect opportunity to thank the spouses who support members of the military, as well as first responders each and every day,” said Tim Budzien, Harley-Davidson U.S. Military Lead and U.S. Air Force Veteran. “We are proud to extend a discounted $99 Riding Academy offer to spouses of eligible U.S. military personnel and first responders so they, too, can discover their own personal freedom.”
Make this your year to learn to ride. H-D Riding Academy will help get you out, and build your skills on two wheels in just a few days. The Harley-Davidson® Riding Academy New Rider Course gives you what you need to get your license and ready to ride in just a few classes. Offered at select H-D® dealers, the New Rider Course provides you with expert guidance from Harley-Davidson certified coaches. In the classroom, you’ll get to know the motorcycle you’ll be riding and learn the basics of rider safety skills. On the practice range, you’ll build skills and confidence, learning everything from braking, turning and skilled maneuvers. Best of all, you will be connected to a growing community of new riders.
To find available courses near you, contact your local dealer or search for classes at www.h-d.com.
Eligible current and former U.S. military personnel, first responders (law enforcement, fire, and EMS) and their spouses can register and sign up now to take an eligible course now through September 30, 2018. Offer valid in continental U.S and Alaska only. For additional terms and conditions of the offer visit www.h-d.com/AmericanHeroes
BIKERNET PINSTRIPPER OF THE WEEK–This is from my long time friend Alex. Veryyyyy Kool article on him
I thought you would like to see this article in the recent issue of Grandeur Magazine which is published by the news-press organization in Ft. Myers and is distributed throughout Southwest Florida … Ft. Myers, Estero, Bonita Springs, Naples & Marco Island.
LATEST COLLECTOR CLASSIC FOR SALE—First ever Bonneville Streamliner and multi-Daytona Beach Land Speed Record holder. The Arrow is for sale.
Contact Don Whalen
Curator
Sierra Madre Motorcycle Company
626.8403326.
LATEST FROM S&S– NEW – Grand National and Slash Cut Slip-ons for 05-17 Dyna Models
The Dyna platform may have ceased production, but they remain an important part of the custom scene and companies like S&S Cycle continue to make cool parts for them! Their latest includes slip on mufflers in two different formats designed to look good and make big power.
The Grand National version is styled after their flat track race mufflers and the Slash Cut is a clean interpretation of a classic shape. Both include their removable dB Reducers that allow riders to fine tune the sound for the perfect exhaust note.
Both are also available in ceramic black or chrome and both promise a 17% gain in Hp. Fitment from 1995 to 2017, on most Dyna models.
For more info check out https://www.sscycle.com/mufflers-for-dyna/
THIS JUST IN FROM THE PATENT OFFICE–U.S. Patent 6630507
The U.S. Patent Office issued patent #6630507 to the U.S.Health and Human Services filed on 2/2/2001. The patent lists the use of certain cannabinoids found within the cannabis sativa plant as useful in certain neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and HIV dementia.
Since cannabis sativa (marijuana) contains compounds recognized and endorsed by an agency of the U.S. government- Why is it that marijuana remains on the Federal Schedule One list of drugs? The issuance of patent #6630507 is a direct contradiction of the governments own definition for classification of a Schedule 1 drug.
US Patent 6,630,507 Cannabinoids as Antioxidants and Neuroprotectants
“Cannabinoids have been found to have antioxidant properties, unrelated to NMDA receptor antagonism. This new found property makes cannabinoids useful in the treatment and prophylaxis of wide variety of oxidation associated diseases, such as ischemic, age-related, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
The cannabinoids are found to have particular application as neuroprotectants, for example in limiting neurological damage following ischemic insults, such as stroke and trauma, or in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and HIV dementia.
Nonpsychoactive cannabinoids, such as cannabidoil, are particularly advantageous to use because they avoid toxicity that is encountered with psychoactive cannabinoids at high doses useful in the method of the present invention.”…
The DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) classifies marijuana as a dangerous drug with no medical value. That classification contradicts mounds of evidence showing marijuana to be a very safe and effective medicine.
Marijuana is more effective, much less expensive, and much safer than many drugs currently used in its place. Marijuana can provide excellent relief for those who suffer from cancer, AIDS, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, arthritis, rheumatism, asthma, insomnia, and depression.
If knowledge of marijuana’s many medicinal uses, its remarkable safety, and hemp’s enormous potential as a natural resource become widely known, the DEA fears that support for Marijuana Prohibition will collapse, and thus threaten the DEA’s budget.
To maintain the myth that marijuana/hemp is useless and dangerous, the DEA prohibits medicinal use of marijuana, denies researchers access to marijuana for use in clinical studies, and rejects all applications to grow industrial hemp.
In 1988–after reviewing all evidence brought forth in a lawsuit against the government’s prohibition of medical marijuana–the DEA’s own administrative law judge (Judge Francis Young) wrote:
“The evidence in this record clearly shows that marijuana has been accepted as capable of relieving the distress of great numbers of very ill people, and doing so with safety under medical supervision. It would be unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious for the Drug Enforcement Administration to continue to stand between those sufferers and the benefits of this substance in light of the evidence.” Judge Francis Young of the Drug Enforcement Administration went on to say: “Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known. In strict medical terms, marijuana is safer than many foods we commonly consume.”
Judge Young recommended that the DEA allow marijuana to be prescribed as medicine, but the DEA has refused.
-Source: US Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, “In the Matter of Marijuana Rescheduling Petition,” [Docket #86-22], (September 6, 1988), p. 57.
BIKERNET UNIVERSITY ENGLISH DEPARTMENT WORD OF THE DAY–
suborn [suh-bawrn]
verb
1.
to bribe or induce (someone) unlawfully or secretly to perform some misdeed or to commit a crime.
2.
Law. a. to induce (a person, especially a witness) to give false testimony. b. to obtain (false testimony) from a witness.
QUOTES
ORIGIN
The Latin verb subornare, the ultimate source of English suborn, is composed of the prefix sub- “under, subordinate, near to, partially, secretly” and the verb ornare “to prepare, equip, arrange.” Ornare is from an assumed ordnare, a derivative of the noun ordo (stem ordin-) “line, row, rank, grade.” Subornare has several meanings: when the sense of the verb ornare predominates, the compound means “to supply, furnish; to dress up (in costume or disguise); when the sense of the prefix sub-, meaning “secretly, covertly,” predominates, the compound means “to instigate secretly or underhandedly, prepare clandestinely.” An extension of this last sense, “to induce someone to commit a crime or perjury,” from suborner in Old and Middle French, is its current sense in English. Suborn entered English in the 16th century.
FROM THE BIKERNET ECONOMIC INSTITUTE–The American Motorcyclist
Motorcycles have come a long way since 1885, when Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach built the first one in Germany. Called the reitwagen, or riding car, its engine had 0.5 horsepower and a top speed of 11 kilometers per hour. Fourteen years later, the first production bike was made by Hildebrand and Wolfmuller featuring a two-cylinder engine that produced 2.5 horsepower and topped out at 45 kph.
The industry has grown over the past 132 years serving a much more diverse crowd of riding enthusiasts. Although bike makers have struggled to recover from the financial-market meltdown a decade ago, here are additional facts from the Motorcycle Industry Council that will blow you away.
1. Harley Davidson is still the highest selling motorcycle in USA followed by Honda.
2. Eight motorcycle manufacturers represented 81% of all U.S sales in 2015.
3. California has highest motorcycle sales in entire USA. Florida and Texas have the second and third highest sales of new motorcycles.
4. But if you see number of motorcycles as per size of population, California sales work out to just 2.9 bikes per 100, below the national average of 3.2 bikes per 100 people. Wyoming, with 7.0 motorcycles per 100 people, has the most. As a result, there are fewer bikes in the east, with 2.9 per 100, and most in the midwest, with 3.4.
5. Women represented 14% of all motorcycle owners in 2014, up from 6% in 1990 and 10% in 2009. While Americans imagine typical Harley-Davidson owners as macho males the IHS Automotive data says Harley-Davidson still has a 60.2% share of women riders in motorcycle market.
6. Married riders comprise 61% of motorcycle owners, up from 57% in 1990.
7. 72% of motorcycle owners have received at least some college or post-graduate education, and almost as many (71%) were employed. Some 15% were retired.
8. The motorcycle industry contributed $24.1 billion in economic value in 2015 via sales, services, state taxes paid, and licensing fees, and it employed 81,567 people. This despite the fact that Motorcycles represented only 3% of total vehicle registrations.
–Ujjwal Dey
wayfarer@bikernet.com
CARBON FIBER wheels from Brock’s for the V-Twin Market–BST Carbon Fiber Wheels from Brock’s Performance – lighter and stronger than aluminum or steel – are now available for the V-Twin market.
Standard sizes are available for most stock Sportsters, Dynas, Softails (old and new) and Baggers. Diameters range from 16 to 21 inches up front, and 16 to 18 inches for the rear. Rear wheels are available in widths that go all the way to 8.5 inches.
Weighing considerably less than even the best billet or spoked wheels, BST Carbon Fiber hoops from Brock’s Performance will help give you the one thing we all want – faster acceleration and faster stopping as well. Lighter wheels means quicker turn-in on corners and the reduced unsprung weight makes the suspension’s job – keeping the rubber connected to the road – that much easier.
BST wheels from Brock’s Performance are DOT approved for street use, and are now available in a variety of “candy” colors that give you one more way to match the wheel to the bike, while leaving the unique look of Carbon Fiber intact.
So skip the Stage 3 kit – install a set of BST Carbon Fiber wheels instead. Make your bike faster – when you twist the throttle, hit the brakes, and turn the bars.
https://brocksperformance.com/wheels-tires/bst-carbon-fiber-wheels/harley-davidson/.
“THIS TOWN AINT BIG ENOUGH FOR THE TWO OF US.”
Tennessee Motorcycles & Music Revival Tickets & Camping On Sale Now!
Loretta Lynn’s October event will bring together Motorcyclists, Musicians and Overnight Festival-Goers for Four Days at Tennessee’s Preeminent Rally
Tickets and camping for the 2018 edition of the 4-day Tennessee Motorcycles & Music Revival are on sale exclusively at www.MotorcyclesAndMusic.com. The Revival is all about motorcycles, music, comradery and the outdoors. It is held at the sprawling Loretta Lynn Ranch owned by one of the most legendary country artists ever to play the world stage, Loretta Lynn.
Bridging the worlds of motorcycles and music, the Revival features custom builders and musicians you may already know and some on the edge that You Need to Know. “A perfect blend of artistry…motorcycles and music!” shared Thunder Press after attending the event last year.
Whiskey Myers, Tim Montana, Blackfoot Gypsies, The Steel Woods, Tayla Lynn & Shelly Fairchild’s Honky Tonk Circus, True Villains, Stone Senate, Heathen Sons, The Steel Union and many more will hit Loretta’s stage in Hurricane Mills Oct 4-7. The bands cover the gamut of southern rock, country, red dirt, outlaw country, and no-nonsense rock’n’roll bringing to the airwaves Tennessee’s state motto “Soundtrack of America”.
The 2017 TMMR received accolades from participants and media across the country including Loretta Lynn herself, “I love having Y’all here at the Ranch and hope you enjoy this place as much as I do. We enjoy having motorcycles here and I love you all!” Rolling Stone Magazine along with the entire country music scene shared the event and Loretta Lynn’s return to the stage after suffering from a stroke last spring.
The beloved Loretta Lynn performed to a patriotic audience of motorcycle riders at the Military Tribute Day where she put on an incredibly touching and often humorous performance. This year, Loretta’s Ride will benefit the USO, an organization which she has worked with over her entire career.
For those seeking to really “experience” the Revival, multiple choices are available to stay overnight at Loretta’s Ranch. Options range from setting up one’s own tent, renting one of a variety of deluxe canvas tents complete with bedding or cot options, cabin rentals, or bringing or renting a camper, RV or motor coach. The Ranch offers hundreds of RV hook-ups and three campgrounds to choose. Hotels are also nearby. Lodging options fit everyone’s budget and pricing can be found on the event website.
[page break]
FIM is a new Associate Member of
the Connected Motorcycle Consortium
FIM has joined The Connected Motorcycle Consortium (CMC), a collaboration between manufacturers, suppliers, researchers and associations to make motorcycles part of the future connected mobility.
CMC, a non-profit organization, is supported now by seven world leading motorcycle manufacturers; Ducati, KTM, Kawasaki and Suzuki while BMW Motorrad, Honda and Yamaha are the core members and have been the driving force to establish CMC.
In 2014 all manufacturing members of the Association des Constructeurs Européens de Motocycles (ACEM) have committed to introduce at least one of their PTW models equipped with C-ITS functionality by the year 2020 thus the members of the CMC are paving the way to achieve this shared goal of the European PTW industry.
CMC targets to improve motorcycle rider safety and comfort. Connected mobility / Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communications / Cooperative Intelligent Transportation Systems (C-ITS) are being developed, but motorcycle-specific safety aspects haven’t been taken into consideration sufficiently so far. CMC’s goal is to develop a common basic specification for motorcycle ITS, with as many cross-manufacturer standards as possible. Paramount for all members of CMC is the active contribution to the common project by supporting all bodies of the consortium depending on membership level.
Hennes Fischer, CMC Promoting & External Relations WG – “CMC is focused on developing motorcycle related standards; this makes a technical expertise a key factor for all participating parties. That is why CMC welcomes FIM as consortium member and is looking forward to FIM contribution for safer motorcycling and integration of motorcycles in future traffic planning.”
Damiano Zamana, FIM Programmes Director – “The FIM enhance its role of being the global advocate for motorcycling participating to the CMC bringing the motorcyclists’ needs at the core of the joint effort with manufacturers, representing PTW specific requirements and functions with the objective of integrate the PTW into the C-ITS community and international policy maker’s institutions.”
–Mrs Isabelle Larivière
NEW NICK THE DICK COMES TO BIKERNET—From the masterful artist Jon Towle. We’re in trouble now.
–Bandit
CALIFORNIA MANDATING SOLAR PANELS FOR ALL HOMES—This just in. The Governor called for mandating Solar Panels for all homes by 2025. Two years ago Los Angeles mandated higher taxes to help the homeless. Then they mandated trash pickup and doubled our prices. Great guys.
I’m moving to Deadwood.
–Bandit
RED CROSS ALERT–
Home fires don’t make the headlines like tornadoes and wildfires, but they are even more widespread and could impact every single one of us.
Every day, seven people die from fires – most in homes without working alarms. Many of these tragedies can be prevented. That’s why it’s absolutely vital for all of us to join together and Sound the Alarm about home fire. With your help, we can install 100,000 free smoke alarms in the homes of the most vulnerable families before our campaign ends on May 13!
Will you Sound the Alarm for fire safety in your community by making a tax-deductible donation to the Red Cross today?
We respond to almost 64,000 disasters every year and most of these are home fires.
That’s one of the many reasons why the Red Cross has launched Sound the Alarm to reduce fatalities and injuries caused by home fires. Until May 13, we’re holding a nationwide series of home fire safety events and by installing 100,000 smokes alarms to keep households safer from home fire disasters!
Please make a tax-deductible donation today to help families right when they need it most. No amount is too small to help the most vulnerable prepare or respond to tragedy:
Just $15 can cover the cost of installing one smoke alarm and providing fire safety training to its new owner.
$150 can cover the training and installation of one smoke alarm for someone who is deaf or hard-of-hearing.
$600 can provide financial assistance to a family impacted by a home fire.
By making your tax-deductible donation today, you’ll be making an enormous difference. Don’t wait – you can do your part to Sound the Alarm with a generous gift right now!
Thank you. By joining with other donors and volunteers to Sound the Alarm, supporters like you make the life-saving work of the Red Cross a reality.
Sincerely,
–Lauri Rhinehart
THE BIKERNET BAD JOKE LIBRARY IS OPEN FOR LUNCH– Car Keys
They weren’t in my pockets. Suddenly I realized I must have left them in the car. Frantically, I headed for the parking lot.
My husband had scolded me many times for leaving my keys in the car’s ignition. He’s afraid that the car could be stolen. As I looked around the parking lot, I realized he was right. The parking lot was empty. I immediately called the police. I gave them my location, confessed that I had left my keys in the car, and that it had been stolen.
Then I made the most difficult call of all to my husband: “ I left my keys in the car and it’s been stolen.”
There was a moment of silence. I thought the call had been disconnected, but then I heard his voice.”Are you kidding me?” he barked, “I dropped you off!”
Now it was my turn to be silent. Embarrassed, I said, “Well, come and get me.”
He retorted, “I will, as soon as I convince this cop that I didn’t steal your damn car!”
–from Sidehack Jerry
BRAND New Bikernet Reader Comment!–
Funky Panhead 2017
http://www.bikernet.com/pages/story_detail.aspx?id=13639
Yep, and I bet it’s a blast to ride.
— Sam
TX
Should have my title this week, a plate next week and start my Eddie Trotta break in process.–Bandit
FRED’S TAKE ONE ZERO EFFORTS–
Whether it’s bullshit, as you say, or a marketing ploy by the National Safety Council and the Dept. of Transportation, motorcyclists are not being included and I see this as a definitive effort to just ignore us and hope that we go away.
NSC gets the attention, people read their press releases and eventually, if the MRF does not make noise about this blatant omission, motorcycling gets left out of everything else. Hence the need to make noise, object to the omission, and the need for the MRF to stand firm and not allow these omissions to go unanswered.
Fatalities are part of our lives. I do not believe that it’s our goal to get zero’d out by omission; but that’s what’s going to happen if we just sit back and allow another “feel good” program get pushed that does not even acknowledge motorcycles.
If the choice is Zero or Freedom, I have no doubt that the MRF will choose freedom every time. Pointing out an omission in a program’s national effort is not about choosing Zero over Freedom. It’s pointing out the cavalier attitude of a collective of feel good agencies toward motorcycling.
My recommendation is that the MRF continue to push to hold everyone accountable for their lack of concern about motorcycles and motorcyclist rights and motorcycling’s own Road to Zero – the lack of support of the organizations fighting for their rights.
Whether it’s the National Safety Council, the U.S. Department of Transportation, NHTSA, individual motorcyclists, motorcycle clubs, and the motorcycle industry – including the aftermarket manufactures — accepting their lack of support or even acknowledgement is no longer acceptable.
Yeah, I’m back, wide awake, and you know that everyone who is not an active supporter of motorcyclists rights and the MRF is on my list to be educated about the follies of their sitting back and not supporting the organization and its handful of people standing up for all of our rights while those non-doers continue to enjoy their freedoms on my dollar. Yeah, I’m back and I’m wide awake!
–FRED HARRELL
Director, Conferences & Events
Motorcycle Riders Foundation
New FROM BDL– CC-130-BB Competitor Clutch for 1998 – 2006 Big Twins
BELT DRIVES LTD. recently redesigned there immensely popular CC-130-BB Competitor Clutch kit. Developed specifically for 1998-2006 Big Twins the new design incorporates alterations that provide an even smoother pull, positive feel and enhanced performance to handle increased HP and heavier loads with ease. For a closer look at the new Competitor Clutch and other new additions to the BDL line-up, head over to www.beltdrives.com and check it out.
CC-130-BB SPECIFICATIONS
Clutch stack height, = 1.760″ – 1.775″
Clutch travel, = .062″ Disengagement
(1) CC-130-CH, Clutch hub
(1) CDCC-137, Retaining Ring
(1) Thick steel backing plate, = .125″ thick, +/- .002″
(8) CC-130-CP, Friction plate = .150″ thick, +/- .002″
(7) CC-130-CS, Thin steel drive plate, = .059″ thick, +/- .002″
Last steel plate is .090″ below hub deck
Last Friction plate, .064″ above hub deck
(1) CC-130-PP, Ball Bearing Pressure plate
(42) BB-516, 5/16″ Steel ball bearings
(1) DES-600, Diaphragm, spring
(1) DSC-600, Diaphragm spring collar
(6) ESB-750, Shoulder bolts
(1) CDAS-500, Adjusting screw
(1) JN-100, Jam Nut
REDHEAD COMES TO BANDIT’S CANTINA—
REDS ON THE SCORPION KING CHOPPER BY JOHNNY MAC’S CHOPPER HOUSE
Check out Reds on the Johnny mac’s Chopper House “Scorpion King”
chopper. Red’s flew in from Poland to shoot all over the country, so
we grabbed her during her travels.
SUBSCRIBE & ENJOY the images
just loaded into the Cantina.
“contains topless images”
–JACK MCINTYRE
PHOTOGRAPHER
IRON TRADER NEWS
IRON TRADER NEWS.COM
Co-editor of Bandit’s Cantina
BIKERNET.COM
jackmcintyrephoto.com
QUOTE OF THE WEEK–“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.”
— Abraham Lincoln
–from Sidehack Jerry
GUN NUT REPORT--Six Reasons Why The AR-15 Is Actually Ideal For Self-Defense
The AR-15 may well be the most vilified rifle in existence at the moment, possibly even more so than the Soviet-designed AK-47. This is especially true following several incidents where bad people did bad things with the rifle in question.
As per usual following such incidents, politicians begin clamoring for the rifle to be banned. They use all kinds of rhetoric to paint the firearm as some kind of evil murder-death-kill machine that serves no other purpose except to end lives. This usually comes from the same people who claim that the most recent gunman, armed with a Glock, didn’t have a semiautomatic weapon.
Anyway, many of these folks–including at least one former vice president of the United States–have said that all you need for self-defense in your home is a shotgun.
Unfortunately, this just isn’t the case. The AR-15 is a great weapon for self-defense, and there are a number of reasons why. What follows is one man’s thinking on why the AR-15 is great for home defense and, in a few cases, why it’s far superior to the shotgun.
1. It’s Lightweight
The AR-15 is lightweight. Typically, a stripped down rifle weighs around six pounds or so unloaded. Ammo adds weight, of course, but it’s still not overly heavy.
With that weight comes some serious advantages. For one, it allows you to hold it up as you check out the entirety of your home to find the source of the sound of breaking glass that woke you up. Keeping a weapon at low ready requires a lot more muscle than many people think, and a lightweight rifle helps keep the muscular strain minimal.
That becomes even more important if, God forbid, you have to fire. Muscle fatigue can make your hands unsteady, which could cause you to miss your target.
Further, because of its weight, it’s light enough for almost any member of the family. In my household, my son and wife can both easily handle my AR-15. The only one who can’t is my almost 7-year-old daughter. And even then the problem isn’t the weight, but the size.
That lightweight design makes it a great choice for home defense because it doesn’t matter who needs to grab it, it’s sized about right.
2. It’s Compact
When you have to work around corners inside the average American home, the last thing you want is a long length on your weapon. A longer gun becomes unwieldy, and the AR-15 is a compact design, particularly when taken with the 16? barrel. This allows you to move through your home without knocking stuff down and creating more problems for yourself.
Further, it’s length is often adjustable. Most AR-15s come with a collapsible stock. While these are restricted in several states, they’re legal most places and they allow you to set the length even shorter if needed. This means it’s not just compact, but adjustable as well.
3. It Has Low Recoil
The .223/5.56 round isn’t known for a hard kick. The recoil is one of the lightest out there for any weapon that’s considered sufficient for dealing with two-legged predators. This does two things.
For one, it means that you can spend more time at the range. There’s nothing worse than having plenty of ammo to shoot, but your shoulder just can’t cut it anymore. More training time means better accuracy.
Additionally, that low-recoil means it’s suited well to be used by almost any member of the family. From the kid built like an NFL linebacker I have in my house to the petite girl running around other homes, if they can hold the weapon properly, chances are they can fire it.
More than that, though, the AR-15 platform’s light recoil also allows someone to make follow-up shots quickly.
When American Rifleman spoke with former special ops sergeant major Kyle E. Lamb, he had similar things to say.
“The AR is very easy to shoot. Head out to the range and test my theory. Ask anyone who wants to join in on the fun to try shooting a scored event, under pressure, with a pistol at home-defense ranges. After you see their performance, try the same with an AR, I will bet money you see much better control of the system. Men and women alike just shoot better with a carbine than with a pistol. As long as the carbine is light enough for the shooter to handle properly, the learning curve will be straight-up.”
4. Versatility
The AR-15 is ideal for almost any situation, a fact Lamb also points out in his American Rifleman discussion.
“The AR is unbelievably versatile, from contact shooting distances out to 300 yds., the carbine will outperform the pistol. Most of us don’t think of 300-yd. shooting as a likely home-defense scenario, and, in many areas, it wouldn’t be. But if given an option of defensive tools, and considering our country’s independent heritage and past experiences, why wouldn’t you want extended-range capabilities?”
Personally, I’m inclined to agree with him. While I don’t see me having to make a 300-yard shot–after all, from my yard you can’t actually see 300 yards in pretty much any direction–that doesn’t mean no one else will. And since it’ll also work from one end of my bedroom to another…well, it’s kind of a no-brainer.
Further, if you decide to do a little varmint hunting, the AR-15 is ideal for that.
However, contrary to what many in Washington seem to think, this isn’t a particularly powerful gun. If you’re wanting to shoot something other than coyotes and similar sized critters, you need something with a little more umph. The AR-15 isn’t the cannon it’s made out to be by the press. But it will do the job in protecting your home.
5. Accuracy
The AR-15 is incredibly accurate as a platform. This is greatly important when considering self-defense in the home because rounds don’t just stop when they miss their target. They keep going, and walls aren’t enough to stop them. If you miss your target, where else can be hit?
And that’s true of any firearm, mind you. Even the shotgun runs the risk of a miss penetrating a wall and hurting someone you care about. Plus, the round is great for minimizing the threat of overpenetration. As Sheriff Jim Wilson notes:
“However, for in-house use, a 55-grain soft-point load is probably the best choice in order to minimize bullet penetration. If it can be avoided, we don’t want our bullet to punch through walls, into other rooms where family members might be located. And we certainly don’t want the bullet exiting the house, or apartment, and endangering neighbors.”
But the AR-platform is accurate right off the shelf, and it can be made even more accurate with practice. Really, though, most people never shoot up to the ability of their rifle, so a stock configuration is plenty for home defense. And you should be glad of it.
Remember, this is a gun that’s capable of 300-yard shots with accuracy. While you should spend some time familiarizing yourself with how you need to adjust aim for different range increments, the fact is you’ll be able to hit what you’re aiming at.
6. Ammo Capacity
But what if you do miss? Contrary to what the loudmouth on that gun forum might say, people miss in real gunfights. Days at the range are easy, low-stress days. The targets (usually) stand still, and you have all the time in the world to make your shot. Once things go sideways, however, things change. Not only are the targets moving, but they’re shooting back at you. Your blood pressure is up and your heart is pounding through your chest like it’s a demolition crew sent to clear out your rib cage for some new condos.
You’re probably going to miss a shot or two.
That means you’re going to need more ammo than one shot per bad guy. That’s something people tend to forget.
When you wake up in the middle of the night, there’s no time to grab extra ammo and stuff it in the pockets of your bathrobe or pajamas. What you have in your weapon is pretty much what you’ve got.
One of the most popular shotguns out there is the Mossberg 500. I like them. I have one. And you know what they list as the ammo capacity of a Mossberg 500? A whopping six shots. If there are three guys in your house, that’s only two shots per bad guy. Do you really want to bank on not missing that much?
Even in magazine restricted states, you get more shots with an AR-15 than you do with a shotgun.
“But the shotgun puts out a cloud of pellets. You won’t need more shots,” someone might argue. And, to a point, they’re right. A shotgun does put out a cloud of shot. A small cloud.
You see, what most people don’t understand is that a shotgun isn’t a man-portable Death Blossom waiting for you to use it. It’s basically artillery grapeshot in a smaller package. It sends out a lot of shot, but you need to hit with at least most of it to stop the threat. That means you can both hit and miss, and that means the bad guy can keep fighting.
And that’s if you don’t outright miss. Contrary to what you may have heard, it is possible to miss with a shotgun. Ask bird hunters about that sometime.
With the AR, however, you’re going to have 10 rounds at least. In free states, you get 30. And believe me, no one ever survived a gunfight and then griped about having all that extra ammo on their person. More ammo is always better.
And just like that, there are a few reasons why the AR-15 is ideal for home defense. However, this isn’t comprehensive by any means.
Nor should any of this be taken to mean that you can’t defend your home with a handgun or shotgun. You can. Plenty of people do, and like everything else in life, there are tradeoffs. However, when people claim the AR-15 isn’t useful for protecting one’s home and family, they don’t know what they’re talking about, and these are the reasons why they’re wrong. Plain and simple.
However, it’s important to remember that having a gun is just part of the equation. It’s an important part, mind you, but still just a part. You also need training and practice, and a lot of it. Don’t feel bad, I say the same thing to veterans returning from war. I write about this stuff and I’m not even close to done with training or practice. It’s an ongoing process.
–By Tom Knighton
BEARING ARMS.COM
From: Paul Blumstein
MRF REPORT Ethanol Deal Struck–
As I have been reporting on in my weekly bulletins, President Trump has been trying to broker a deal in the long-running fight between ethanol producers and oil refiners over federal biofuels mandates, more commonly referred to as the Renewable Fuel Standard.
It is being reported that yesterday, a deal was struck between Trump, the heads of the EPA and Department of Agriculture and several key Senators. From what I understand, the President has agreed to allow 15 percent ethanol fuels year-round (EPA currently bans E15 sales in the summer months due to smog concerns) – this will be in exchange for decreased regulatory burdens on oil refineries, though the specifics of what that would entail have yet to be outlined.
Refiners’ concerns generally center around the cost of compliance credits known as renewable identification numbers, or RINs, which are used to prove they have satisfied their annual ethanol quota set forth by Congress.
One of the ‘gives’ to the oil industry is that the EPA would allow EXPORTED ethanol fuel to count towards the required quota, whereas previously, they could only count domestically used ethanol. The likely result is that, because companies can satisfy their regulatory requirements of blended ethanol gasoline through export products, there may be less ethanol blends in the domestic market (and at the pump).
Details are still emerging on the potential compromise, however what is unclear at this time is how this will affect plans by Sen. Cornyn’s office to introduce a comprehensive RFS reform package.
Its also unclear what direct relief and education consumers (i.e. motorcyclists, boaters, etc.) will receive if any. Though we should view it as a positive that the net effect could mean less need for higher ethanol blended gasoline, there are still concerns about consumer awareness and education about the effects on their motorcycle engine.
This fight is far from over, I expect to gain more information in the coming days and especially next week during Bikers Inside the Beltway.
Please reach out if you have any questions-
Megan J. Ekstrom
Vice-President, Government Affairs & Public Relations
Motorcycle Riders Foundation
www.mrf.org
BREAST CANCER PERFORMANCE BAGGER BY STRICTLY HAWGS—is being built in Los Angeles. Charles Cabaong, Joanne Altrade and his grandmother are building this tribute bagger. We will cover this project on Bikernet Baggers.
–Rogue
Extreme Editor
Bikernet Baggers
BIKERNET UNIVERSITY ECONOMIC CLASS–An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before, but had recently failed an entire class.
That class had insisted that socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer.
The professor then said, “OK, we will have an experiment in this class on this plan”. All grades will be averaged and everyone will receive the same grade so no one will fail and no one will receive an A.
After the first test, the grades were averaged and everyone got a B. The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy.
As the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too so they studied little. The second test average was a D! No one was happy.
When the 3rd test rolled around, the average was an F.
As the tests proceeded, the scores never increased as bickering, blame and name-calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for the benefit of anyone else.
To their great surprise, ALL FAILED and the professor told them that socialism would also ultimately fail because when the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great, but when government takes all the reward away, no one will try or want to succeed.
These are possibly the 5 best sentences you’ll ever read and all applicable to this experiment:
1. You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.
2. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.
3. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.
4. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it!
5. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that is the beginning of the end of any nation.
NEW ADVENTURE RIDES FROM VINTAGE RIDES–Is there a better way to travel the world than on a motorcycle? Open to the elements, the smells and the people, you go where the mind wanders and the road leads. There’s no lane too small, too steep, too challenging to ride on. At Vintage Rides, we live by this motto and we’ve selected five of our most emblematic and carefully crafted trips for you to discover.
THE SPICES ROUTE
Explore fragrant, lush, and majestic Kerala. Its smooth, winding roads will take you through tea plantations, idyllic parks and calm lagoons, without forgetting its animated residents. This trip is made for nature-lovers seeking a complete change of scenery and an easy-paced introduction to India’s diversity.
THE WILD SPIRIT OF THE STEPPE
Set your nomad spirit free and indulge in the raw beauty of Mongolia. Endless steppe, thick forests, quiet lakes, chiseled mountains and generous people, all beautifully weathered by the elements, will make your trip both unforgettable and authentic.
THE TRANS-HIMALAYAN
Ain’t no mountain high enough… and we’ll prove it to you. Embark on a high-altitude motorcycle experience at the footsteps of the mythical Himalayas. Push yourself to the limit and wind through scenic–and rocky-trails, vibrant cultures, and mesmerizing heights.
THE LAND OF MAHARAJAS
Rajasthan is not all about grandiose palaces, and we’ll take your wheels to the wild essence of the “Land of the Kings.” The unspoilt Thar desert, the timeless city of Jaisalmer, and of course the colourful encounters you’ll have along the road…
A unique – and epic – chance to feel like a trailblazer.
MUSTANG: THE LEGENDARY EXPEDITION
Be prepared for a humbling and trying expedition. We’ll take you to Nepal, the land of Everest. Between rugged tracks, awe-inspiring panoramas and terraced crops, you’ll tame the road, test your limits, and live the purest motorcycle journey.
–Vintage Rides
At Tendance Roadster
(by appointment only)
contact@vintagerides.com
+339 70 44 01 30?
MUSEUM NEWS–Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame
Memorial Day Honor Ride – May 28
Memorial Day allows us to honor the sacrifices made by our veterans and those we have loved. The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame in conjunction with the Sturgis Chamber of Commerce will host an Honor Ride on Memorial Day.
The ride will start from Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and head to the National Cemetery to pay our respects to those who have served in the Armed Forces. Entry is $10 per bike, pay at the door, includes a Hall of Fame patch & rubber duck and light refreshments.
RIDE SCHEDULE: Memorial Day May 28th
9:30-9:45 AM Donuts and Coffee
9:45-10:00 AM Bike lineup in museum’s parking lot
10:00 AM Boy Scouts will present our nation’s colors and recite the Pledge of Allegence
10:10 AM Blessing of Bikes by Auggie Minzlaff
10:25 AM Sturgis Police escort to National Cemetery
11 AM National Cemetery Memorial Day Ceremony
12 PM All riders head up Vanocker Canyon to Mt. Rushmore turn-out
This bike has been donated by board member Roger Haydock and his wife Elaine to the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum as a fund raiser. Show your support of the Museum by purchasing this amazing #88 Anniversary Edition Victory.
Buy Now
One of a Kind Henry Big Boy Colt 45 Rifle – $10 each or 3 for $20
2010 Custom Harley Davidson FLHTC – $50 each
You do not have to be present to win, drawings to be held August 11
Sturgis Motorcycle Museum
999 Main St
Sturgis, SD 57785-1620
IT’S ALL HAPPENING FAST—
We will launch a new Klock Werks tech on Monday with Dyna Mats and cell phone mounts.
I’m also working with a local artist on a Wilmington Waterfront sculpture. The Port of Los Angeles needs to kick ass on this waterfront effort.
Next week I hope to rough out my report to the California Air Resources Board. Wish me luck. I’m going to run it past the master Tony Sanfelipo, who is recovering from an accident. I’m also into the “Control” chapter of the book The Politically Incorrect Guide to Climate Change. I’m hoping this chapter provides inspiration.
I need to get back on my screenplay, fly to Deadwood, work on a book outline and take a drive to the Paughco headquarters in Carson City, Nevada. Hang on!
Join your local motorcycle rights group or the MRF and work toward riding free forever.
–Bandit
