Hey,
I don’t know where to start today? This morning two presidents of motorcycle companies called to discuss company moves. It’s crazy. Why would they want to talk to little old me? I’m just going to Sugar Bear’s, then Born Free this weekend and hang out. What the hell do I know?
Like everyone else I’m looking for inspiration, Bonneville notions and a cute redhead. It’s all too fascinating how our motorcycling gang is breaking up into many more segments. There are the bobbers, the café guys, the hip chopper riders, bikers, sport bike riders, clubbers, Hog Members, touring riders, cruisers, custom builders, Adventure riders, drag racers, Bonneville Racers, flat track racers, road racers, vintage guys, collectors, the garage built guys, motorcycle rights advocates, and me, the old fart.
It’s not to say anyone is locked into one category. You can be apart of five segments, or one, that’s up to you and freedom of choice. Let’s hit the news, while I ponder the future of spoked wheels.
BORN FREE ENTRY–Just finished up
this Pan for the Born Free 5 builders invite. Come on out and see it this Saturday. I’ll give you a full update on Cro Customs as soon as I
get some rest.
–Cro
HAVE YOU TRIED KEYLESS IGNITION —
Just imagine how awesome it would be to simply get on your bike and ride, then get off and just walk away, always knowing your bike is completely secure and never needing a key again!
That’s the power and convenience of the Digital Guard Dawg – KEYLESS IGNITION system, and now through a special group buy arrangement between Digital Guard Dawg and Bikernet through the end of June, Bikernet readers can own the award winning DGD-KIM KEYLESS IGNITION for only $264.00 that’s over 50% off the regular $429.00 price.
Unbeatable Security
When we say secure we mean it! Unlike most common alarms that simply interrupt the starter circuit and can be easily defeated. The system becomes the gateway for all your bikes electrical, so when the DGD-KIM arms, every circuit on your bike is completely immobilized! No other product gives you this level of protection.
One day all bikes will be keyless, but if you’re a rider who likes being at the head of the pack, then the Digital Guard Dawg™ Keyless Ignition Module can bring you tomorrow’s technology today. Losing your keys has never felt so good!
Learn more about the DGD-KIM Keyless Ignition: http://www.digitalguarddawg.com/MOTORCYCLE-KEYLESS-IGNITION-PG1.htm
Strong Security
When we say secure we mean it! Unlike most common alarms that simply interrupt the starter circuit and can be easily defeated. The system becomes the gateway for all your bikes electrical, so when the DGD-KIM arms, every circuit on your bike is completely immobilized! No other product gives you this level of protection.
Never Get Stranded
Should you ever damage or lose your Dawg Tag don’t even worry.
We can get your started right over the phone! Just call or 24/7 Emergency Hotline and we will be happy to get you back on the road. NO WORRIES. . .
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MORE FROM THE CODE OF THE WEST DEPARTMENT–
10. Kids in the back seat cause accidents.
11. Accidents in the back seat cause kids.
12. It’s hard to make a comeback when you haven’t been anywhere.
13. The world only beats a path to your door when you’re in the bathroom.
14. If God wanted me to touch my toes, he’d have put them on my knees.
15. When I’m finally holding all the right cards, everyone wants to play chess.
16. It’s not hard to meet expenses . . . they’re everywhere.
17. The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.
18. These days, I spend a lot of time thinking about the hereafter . . .I go somewhere to get something, and then wonder what I’m “here after?”
–Sam Burns
CHROME ANGEL HALO HEADLIGHT WITH CCFL FROM BIKER’S CHOICE–These units along with containing H4 60/55W halogen headlights also contain super white halos! And because we want to appeal to both your natures, we offer them in heavenly chrome, and dark black.
Mount a single unit, or double the effect by mounting 2 side by side (mounting hardware not supplied.)
You might even want to add one of our HID conversion kits at the same time for an unbelievable look. Dimensions: 5.75” diameter, 5.5” depth.
ChromePN: 26-6259
BlackPN: 26-6260
To order BikeMaster products, contact your local Biker’s Choice dealer. For assistance locating a dealer call customer service at 877-848-1320 or visit www.bikemaster.com and click on the dealer locator tab.
BIKERNET CERTIFIED PHILOSOPHER GETS TOUGH–
When the going gets tough the tough get going.
When you are faced with adversity you have two choices you can conquer it, or it can conquer you .–YALE
Over the last few days I have seen our vibrant city go from a center of business and progress to a city that has been devastated by Mother Nature. One of the good and bad things about today’s news and social media is we have instant updates of what is happening. We no longer need to wait for the evening news or the morning paper.
I have seen devastation that I thought would only happen someplace else, not in my town. We have had moment by moment updates of the flooding and the path of destruction left behind. As things have settled down a little and it is time to survey the damage I have seen a wonderful side of humanity.
People from every walk of Life are now taking on this adversity with a vengeance. Our city is united to overcome this disaster and working as One. The media called for a minimum of 600 volunteers to help clean out people houses, pump out the water, and remove anything that have gotten wet from furniture to drywall. What has amazed me is that we did not get 600 volunteers we got thousands.
People who have never met are now working together at record paces to restore our city. People have been inspired to overcome this obstacle and not old repair the problem but make things better. It made me proud to be a resident of Calgary and a member of humanity.
The energy is we are part of the solution and things are getting better. I Love to see the shift from problem to solution. This is a major lesson of life for me to know that there always is the answer.
Our City has United to become the solution
Today is Good!
And So It IS
–Namaste’
Adversity is the diamond dust Heaven polishes its jewels with. Thomas Carlyle
–Yale
Yale Custom Cycles
403-453-1999
2003 11 ST SE
Calgary AB
T2G 3G6
EXCITING NEWS COMING FROM BRASS BALLS BOBBERS—Dar Holdsworth, the boss has taken on a mission to help veterans hit the road on the motorcycle of their dream. Recently in Oklahoma, after a tornado devastated a large portion of the town a Vet discovered his old Harley buried in the rubble. Somehow Dar found out about it and decided to make a move to restore the owner’s Softail. “The rest of his life might be in rubble,” Dar said, “but we can bring the bike back.”
Dar reached out to the industry, and the industry responded.These photos are courtesy of James Pratt Photography.
This was just after the tornado.
Getting the bike from the rubble that once was a house.
Next getting the salvaged frame & motor from a temp storage unit the owner put their belongings in that they could salvage from the rubble.
By the way… This was all set in motion by James Pratt, photo journalist who is a friend of mine that was shooting the devastation for the local news. He saw this guy, Gerald Mobley, and talked to him. Found out he was building his “dream bike” in his garage. James called me and … you know me… softy… called Gerald and offered to build his bike for free.
—
Here is where we are at the moment.
Companies who have donated:
S&S: Complete motor rebuild using their 80″ Hot Set Up from their Service & Speed department.
Rivera: internal belt drive
Wild Ones: Chubby 10″ Outlaw bars
Thunder Custom Cycles (Elk City, OK):Brake Rotors, Caliper, Derby Cover, and more
Biker’s Choice: Filled in a lot of the gaps. Many items.
Outlaw Polishing: Oklahoma City
Diversified Plating: Oklahoma City
Custom Powder Coating: Oklahoma City
Suspension Tech
Spectro: Fluids and Lubricants
Hix Design: Leather work
Paint: Berserk Paint
Scallywag Customs: Tool bag
“These are my guys,” Dar said, “Really good builders/fabricators. Bryan Nikkel is standing and Justin Bailey is sitting.”
Here is a shot of the bike as it is today.
Wanted to share an update. Christine at LePera has donated a Sorento 2-up seat to the tornado bike build.
Just want to make sure all these good companies get props.
Plan to finish it next week and give it to the gentleman who lost his home in the tornado at the July 6th Toby Keith benefit concert.
–Dar Holdsworth
BrassBallsCycles.com
Uncompromising American Motorcycles
Supporter of Pros4Vets and OK Kids Korral
NFL UPDATE: Because the American Indian Counsel has requested that the NFL disassociate itself from Indian Names, the Washington Redskins have announced that they will change their name to the Washington Foreskins, in honor of all the dicks in Washington DC, effective immediately
–from Rogue
THIS JUST IN, BIKERNET READER COMMENT–SCOOTER TRAMP SCOTTY RIDES AMY
http://www.bikernet.com/pages/story_detail.aspx?id=11120
Sure is nice to read a piece that puts me right in there with you. Short and sweet. You can’t make this stuff up. Thanks for the respite.
–DunFallin
jgtalbot@montana.com
Waverly, KS
AMERICA THE GREAT… Especially When Seen From Two Wheels
By Tracey Cramer-Kelly
There are still people who believe in America.
Even though our family business (www.LeaderMotorcycle.com) goes to great lengths to manufacture products in the USA…
Even though I spent five years as a medic in the Army National Guard…
Even though I write about wounded veterans (www.TraceyCramerKelly.com)…
Sometimes it takes getting on my motorcycle to be reminded.
And I was recently reminded in spades during the annual Patriot Ride (www.thepatriotride.org)… and from the passenger seat, no less! (Those who know me will be shocked; indeed, I can’t remember the last time I rode bitch.)
The story goes like this: My husband’s battery was giving up the ghost on Friday. He stopped at a battery store and picked up a new one. The sales guy told him it was “ready to go” and didn’t need to be charged. I suggested he plug it in anyway, but after dinner out with friends, it must have slipped his mind.
You guessed it – the next morning he had no ride. It was either miss the Patriot Ride or go two-up. Now here’s another little-known secret: way (way) back, my husband was man enough to ride on the back of MY motorcycle (yeah, I was the biker when we met). He’d done his time; I figured it was only fair to let him drive.
Three thousand motorcycles is a lot of motorcycles. When I drive in a pack like that, I’m all about watching ahead of me and behind me. But being the passenger, I got to see America in action.
People lined the streets. They sat out front of their homes. They flew American flags. They waved and applauded as we went by (their hands must have been sore by the end – 3000 bikes!). In our hometown, we were greeted by an American flag taller than the people holding it up!
I didn’t realize how much I needed those people. I needed to be reminded that Americans still love their country, believe in their country, and will do what it takes to support their country and those representing it. I was humbled that they took time to appreciate us riders … as we supported America simply by doing what we love to do. How much more American can you get?
My favorite rider? A veteran with a prosthetic leg riding a Harley trike. HE was out there doing. Not letting his physical situation stop him. How can I let setbacks in my life stop me when I see that??
America is still The Great.
I will admit that riding on the back of a motorcycle is NOT my preference (my body told me that in no uncertain terms). But what I felt about Americans that day … it was worth it. Oh, and there are no pictures to prove I rode bitch.
Tracey Cramer-Kelly is the owner of Leader Motorcycle Accessories (www.LeaderMotorcycle.com) which manufactures gadget mounts and rain guards in the USA. She is also a published author whose characters are often bikers, soldiers or celebrities (visit www.TraceyCramerKelly.com for free excerpts). She has been a “biker chick” for over 25 years and currently owns a Kawasaki Vulcan.
UNCLE MONKEY ON THE WEATHER–
It is easy to forget about the world around us as we get caught up in our day-to-day lives. We catch glimpses of it as we speed across this great nation, rolling hills, great prairies, grand canyons, crashing oceans, majestic mountains. It is becoming rarer and rarer to actually stop and take in the beauty and the true force of nature. It is only when everything goes “wrong” that we realize that we are only visiting this place and that the planet and Mother Nature will dictate where things will go.
The people of Alberta Canada are just starting to realize the power of nature. Large amounts of rain in short amounts of time overwhelmed rivers, creeks, and communities. The rushing water has washed away not only entire neighborhoods but also large parts of the countryside forever changing lakes, rivers, streams, and the Rocky Mountains. Forever until it happens again.
I’m sure there will be out cries for changes – new dams, new viaducts, new whatever to prevent this from happening again. As modern man we have brain washed ourselves into thinking we are more then we are – masters of our domain and the world around us.
The truth is we are animals, animals scurrying around the countryside thinking we are accomplishing great things. We are no grander then ants and like those ants under foot our entire community, colony, world can be wiped out in a matter of moments.
So as you are out riding this summer stop and take a moment to wonder at the awesomeness of this planet we call earth and remember those that we lost to natural disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes, flash floods, earthquakes and tsunamis. Savour the moments of your life, the good, the bad, and the ugly because we are only a grains of sand washed up on this beach we call life.
-bad Uncle Monkey
TROCK IS BACK WITH Ductile Iron cylinders for all OHV H-Ds. —Ron Trock Jr. is pleased to announce the availability of the renowned Trock Cycle cylinders. Made from 80,000 ib. tensile strength ductile iron these cylinders will hold up under the most rigorous conditions.
Ductile iron also provides exceptional thermal stability so piston ring seal is assured throughout the entire operating temperature range. Custom, longer than stock lengths eliminate the need for stroker plate shims resulting in an optimum mechanical connection to the crankcase.
A variety of bore sizes are available to meet most riders’ needs from the rabid gearhead to the stock knuckle restoration.
For more information: Ron Trock, 13N417 French Rd., Hampshire, IL 60140; 847-683-4010 FREE 847-683-4010 ; or rrtrock@aol.com
THE NOS MYTH–Do you tremble with excitement, your heart pounding inside, your palms all sweaty and breath catching in your chest, when you come across NOS parts?
New old stock (NOS), also known as “new on the shelf” or “new off the shelf”, refers to obsolete equipment, or original parts for obsolete equipment, that have never been sold at retail. The term refers to merchandise being offered for sale which was manufactured long ago but that has never been used. Such merchandise may not be produced anymore, and the new old stock may represent the only current market source of a particular item. – Wikipedia.
When I first heard the term NOS, I couldn’t help but laugh and laugh, while my Old Man looked on incredulously. Collectors dream of finding these parts, and go to great lengths to keep their source a secret. Pickers going around the countryside looking for old stuff to buy and resell go into paroxysms of delight when they come across a hoard of dirty, dusty, never sold, old stock.
“New on the shelf” or “New off the shelf” is in reality parts that sat on the shelves and could not be sold!
What an odd twist of fate that these parts became valuable, desirable, and expensive to purchase, and very hard to find. Now they are classified as Vintage, at least a century old and worth their weight in gold. There is a whole section on Ebay dedicated entirely to NOS parts! If you do a Google search there are many listings for shops selling Vintage bikes and NOS parts!
So what was extra stock, unsold, and left in the back corners of shops, gathering thick layers of dust and cobwebs, giving shop owners palpitations and negative balances in their accounting books, are now costly antiques! Go figure!!!!
——Mistress Chris
BIKERNET 5-Ball RACING WHEELER REPORT—
Adrenaline Junky Calendar:
*NHRA* ….*M/C* RACING* 6/20-23, Epping, N.H., 6/27-30, Chicago, Il.
#1 Qualifier….Michael Ray, Buell, 6.832@197.05 mph…..WINNER..John Hall..6.924 @ 193.57 over Adam Arana….Red Light District, 6.324 @ 193.93..
*Texas Mile* 212 mph…..VALERIE THOMPSON …. 212 mph ….www.texasmile.net
*Ohio Mile 2013* 16 Days****July 6-7…. Sept. 28-29 ….www.ecta-lsr.com
*El Mirage 2013* July 14, Sept. 15, Oct. 20, Nov. 9-10.. www.scta.org
*Loring Maine* The Maine Event July 12-14 ….www.lta-lsr.com
*Bonneville, SCTA* *44 Days…. *August 10-16, 2013* ….www.scta-bni.org
*BUB Speed Trials* 58 Days…. *August 24-29, 2013* ….www.speedtrialsbybub.com
*Mojave Mile* October, 12-13 ….www.mojavemile.com
This past weekend in Epping, NH the Inaugural NHRA Event kicked ass. The Funny Car final found John Force and daughter Courtney staged, Dad cut a .057 against a .097 by Courtney, John Force had a losing 4.301 @ 262.28, Courtney a winning 4.367 @ 262.28.
With 13 races remaining the Motorcycles compete in 11 events. John Hall kicked ass with .067 light against Adam Arana’s Bright RED .070 light. Hall posted a winning 6.924 @ 193.57 mph, Arana 6.324 @ 193.93. In M/C Points Hector Arana Jr. leads the pack followed by John Hall and Michael Ray Jr.
The Bonneville salt we’ve come to cherish over the years is trickling through life’s hourglass at a turbo charged pace these days at Bikernet Headquarters. For those of you who were perched on the edge of your seat devouring the Thursday News you already have the inside scoop. Christi from Race Tech Suspension called with a completion date for our 5-Ball Raycer.
We’ll roll to Corona, CA. Friday morning destination Race Tech Suspension for a first-in-my-life-time-experience. Sporting axel to axel Race Tech Suspension will be a mind blowing experience, to say the least. Quite an honor, Thanks to Paul Thede and the Team at Race Tech.
(info extrapolated from an article by CNAZ)
Paul Thede Founded Race Tech in 1984, Won Pikes Peak in 2007, has set 15 Land Speed Records, posted a speed of 218.6 mpg in August of 2008 aboard the Lightning Motorcycle the first electric motorcycle over 200 mph.
The spotless hospital clean operating rooms in Corona are one of 50 Race Tech Centers staffed with factory trained technicians strategically located around the globe. So, in the event you ride or have a friend or neighbor who rides, check out Race Tech Suspension while your 5-Ball Racing Team inches closer to the starting line August 24-30th, 2013 during the BUB Speed Trials. Our Raycer will be stage in the following classes: 1944-APS-3000-PBG, 1945-APS-3000-PBF.
Stay Tuned: Speaking of the next stop, we will roll to Dr. Willies in Long Beach for a final systems check over and fluids. Once all the systems are operational, we will loaded the Raycer and roll North. But first, we’ll install fresh plugs and fire the hot rod for a few seconds. Then we roll to San Jose to meet with Dyno Guru’s Ron Williams and Jeff Bodie in a private dyno session Sat and Sun the 29th and 30th.
Thanks….With one helluva lot of help from my family and Industry friends….Thanks, Thanks, Thanks.
We’re on track for a stellar year rollin’ on the street and the ever slippery, never predictable Bonneville Salt Flats.
Tobey, The Welder, 2 out 3 Ex-Wives, My 3 Sons, Aerocharger, All Balls Racing, Kent Rich, Dutch and the Crew@Air Tech Streamlining, Arai Helmets, Keith Ball and the Crew@Bikernet, Bikers Choice, Brad Beach@Beach Racing, Dr. Willie Lanham, Long Beach, Ca., Cometic Gaskets, Dan Thayer@vtwinfuelinjection, Allen Alvarez@Daytona Twin Tech, ERC Race Gas, George The Wild Brush, ET Krankvents (Thanks Ted Shrode, Ph.D—- R. I. P.), Fisher Harmonic Damper, Dan Stern@House of Thunder H-D, Horsepower Inc., Ron Williams, Jeff, Kevin@Hardtailz, Randy Torgeson, Michelle and the Crew@Hyperformance, Jim’s Machine USA, K&N Air Cleaner, Paul Kittrell@Lyndall Racing Brakes, Marc Susman@Colorado Custom Cycle Wheels, Juan, Colorado Custom Cycle Wheels, Ray Whitehead@Pegasus, Pingel, Walt, Pro Charger, Jim @Sharp Eye Transmission, Reggie and Crew@R&R Cycle, Ben Kudon@Rivera Primo, Matthew Wiley@Race Tech Suspension, Rick Tedder@ R/T Performance, Schnitz Racing, Mr. McCahill@Spyke, S&S Cycle, Matthew Negherbon@Thunder Motorcycles in San Jose, Guy Caputo@Tiger Racing, Steve The Turbo Doc, Tsubaki Chains, Vanderbeck Race Cars, Vanson Leathers, World Wide Bearings, Duncan Keller, Yankee Engineuity in San Jose, Ca..
Haul Ass!
Ride for your Life!
–Ray C Wheeler
Performance Editor
wheeler@bikernet.com
[page break]
ACE CAFÉ, EXCITING SCOOTER FILM PROJECT!!–(Shooting in Slovenia)?WE ARE LOOKING TO CAST3 three X Male Scooter Riders Aged 20 – 29 years old.
Day Fee: £250 BSF (ABOUT 2-3 DAYS)?Buyout – £2000??1 X Male Manager Scooter Rider Aged 28 – 35 years old?
Day Fee: £250 BSF (ABOUT 2-3 DAYS)?Buyout – £2000??1 X Male Scooter Rider also our Narrator Aged 50 – 69 years old – English should not be his first language but should be able to speak English with a great accent (Bonus if he speaks Spanish, French, Italian and German as well!) ?
Day Fee: £250 BSF (ABOUT 3-4 DAYS)?Buyout – £3000??All fees are minus an agency 20% commission?Must have at least an; A1 or ideally A2 license ??
LIGHTNING ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE BEATS GASOLINE BIKES AT PIKES PEAK—
–By Charles Fleming
An all-electric motorcycle has beaten the traditional gas-powered bikes and posted top times in practice runs at Pikes Peak in Colorado.
The electric Lightning, under rider Carlin Dunne, this week ran the lower half of the steep, 12-mile course at 4:32 and the top at 5:04 — many seconds ahead of the next-fastest machines, officials at Lightning said.
That sets up the possibility that Dunne will beat his own record, set last year at Pikes Peak on a Ducati Multistrada. He’s the fastest person ever to climb the hill on a motorcycle, with a total course time of 9:52.819. (A couple of cars have made it just a fraction faster. The current record is held by driver Rhys Millen, who ran the hill at 9:46.164 in a Hyundai Genesis coupe.)
Photo gallery: Ten very fuel efficient motorcycles
Lightning is a Silicon Valley motorcycle manufacturer based in San Carlos, Calif. The brainchild of investment banker-turned-entrepreneur Richard Hatfield, Lightning has set multiple land-speed records on flat ground, including a record set in 2011 for world’s fastest super bike — at 218.637 mph.
The motorcycle A production version of the bike, the SB80, is priced at $38,800.
The company says it will soon go into production on a smaller, more affordable sport version shortly — something comparable in price to the sport bikes already on the market from Brammo and Zero. Bikes might be ready by fall, the company’s Art Haynie said.
This is the company’s first assault on Pikes Peak.
The actual Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will be run June 30.
–LA Times
–from Rogue
FFJ is now accepting submissions for its PodCast site– www.GovernaTorr.com
Submissions Open For Videos of you in:
1. Muscle Movie Review: Review of Action Movies only
2. Five Minute Novel: Book reviews of preferably Fiction books – don’t review your own novel please
3. Performance Poetry: Please don’t sit and recite a poem of yours – PERFORM the poem
All Videos should be:
1. less than 5 minutes in length STRICTLY
2. posted on You Tube
Send us a youtube valid link URL to your video and we will feature it at www.GovernaTorr.com
Submissions sent to: editor@freedomfiction.com
–Ujjwal Dey
QUICK New Bikernet Reader Comment!–Trikes for Disabled Riders
http://www.bikernettrikes.com/pages/story_detail.aspx?id=11071
I am physically challenged, 37 years and in Tanzania. I will be grateful if you can assist me on how to get a motorized transport to enhance my mobility from one place to the other. Am suffering from both legs and walks with hands
–Msafiri
msafirimsedi@gmail.com
Mwanza, Tanzania, United Republic of
GUN NUT REPORT WARNING–California: Traditional Ammunition Ban Sent to Senate Committee Suspense File
Members of the state Senate Appropriations Committee MUST hear your OPPOSITION
On Monday, Assembly Bill 711, was sent to the state Senate Appropriations Committee suspense file. Generally, bills sent to this file have a fiscal impact in any single fiscal year of $150,000 or more.
These bills will be held and not heard again until the last two days of the committee deadline, which are August 15 and 16. It is crucial that you keep the pressure on members of the state Senate Appropriations Committee and your state Senator. Contact information for members of this Senate committee is provided below and your state Senator’s contact information can be found here.
We need a strong voice of opposition to AB 711.
AB 711 would make California the first state in the nation to prohibit the use of all lead ammunition for hunting. Extensive research has shown that traditional lead ammunition does NOT pose a health hazard for hunters. In order to save California’s hunting heritage, all hunters, recreational shooters and gun owners MUST actively oppose AB 711.
Please communicate the following facts to members of the state Senate Appropriations Committee and your state Senator as reasons to OPPOSE AB 711:
— Federal and state health department studies have concluded that lead ammunition is not a human health risk.
— Despite 99% hunter compliance, the AB 821 lead ammunition ban has failed to reduce lead poisoning in condors.
— AB 711 fails to address the alternative sources of lead in the environment that are poisoning condors and other wildlife.
To view a copy of the NRA?s opposition letter to AB 711, please click here.
For more information on AB 711, check out HuntForTruth.org’s shocking video opposing AB 711 and its recent hard-hitting rebuttal to the bill sponsor’s alleged facts sheet in support of the bill.
This video and the rebuttal reveal the truth regarding lead ammunition, and expose the misinformation being spread by the ammunition ban proponents in their latest attack on hunters that is being disguised as a campaign to ?get the lead out.
Yesterday, Senate Bill 299 and Senate Bill 475 passed in the state Assembly Public Safety Committee by a party-line 5 to 2 vote. These bills will be referred to the state Assembly Appropriations Committee.
A hearing date has not been scheduled, but we will inform you when that date comes available. Until then, please call AND e-mail members of the state Assembly Appropriations Committee urging them to OPPOSE SB 299 and SB 475.
These anti-gun bills will do nothing to reduce California’s crime rate and will only affect law-abiding citizens, because criminals do not respect or obey the law. Contact information for members of the state Assembly Appropriations Committee is provided below.
SB 299 (DeSaulnier) requires law-abiding gun owners who are victims of gun theft to report that loss within seven days of when the owner knew or should have known it was lost or stolen. To view a copy of the NRA’s letter of opposition to SB 299, please check the NRA site.
SB 475 (Leno) requires prior approval of the Board of Supervisors of both the County of San Mateo and the City and County of San Francisco to allow a gun show at the Cow Palace. To view a copy of the NRA’s letter of opposition of SB 475, please check the NRA site.
BIKERNET DRAG RACING PHOTOG HITS TWO NITRO RACES–Here are some images from the March race with the first of 10 for the Top Fuel Harley’s, sent mainly those as that was the bigger draw can add more cars stuff if needed?
I will work on the second race now.
–RFR
We will deliver Richards full fuel-sniffing report next week. Amazing photos.—Bandit
AUTONOMOUS DRIVING DISCUSSED IN EUROPE–For the first time in EU history, top automotive and transport officials at the European Parliament discussed this week the implications of autonomous driving, a hotly debated subject within the automotive industry.
It is generally accepted that in approximately 90-95% of all road traffic accidents, human behavior is partially or fully responsible. Autonomous driving opens up the possibilities of improvements in safety, which would reduce these figures significantly, as well as offering improvements in fuel economy and traffic efficiency. However, the challenges hinge on public acceptance, legality, liability and infrastructure.
The seminar, hosted by MEP Christofer Fjellner and supported by Volvo Car Corporation debated the hot topics which could set the direction of autonomous driving policy within Europe i.e policy, safety issues, traffic congestion, and fuel economy
Autonomous driving is forging ahead in the US where steps are currently being taken to advance the technology by states adopting laws allowing for public road testing. However, Europe continues to lag behind the US with restrictive legislation that could, for the foreseeable future, effectively prevent the introduction of more advanced autonomous driving systems.
We have copyrights free video available to illustrate this subject which includes footage of autonomous driving vehicles and interviews with EU and car industry spokespeople. Let me know if you would like to receive it and I will send you the links where you can donwload it.
Jose Bonito
Media Relations
Ogilvy Broadcast
T: +44 (0)7528 016 224
LIFESTYLE DEAL OF THE WEEK—1995 80-INCH DYNA ONLY $6995. Check out this clean Dyna Low Rider! It’s got a chrome 2-into-1 exhaust, satin-finish motor, hypercharger air cleaner, 2-up seating, passenger pegs, and more. Don’t let this one get away! At this price it will not last long! Come by and see it today.
Like all of LifeStyle Cycles pre-owned Harleys, this bike has been thoroughly tested and inspected by a LifeStyle Cycles technician after undergoing a rigorous 38-point motorcycle inspection.
Located in Anaheim, California, LifeStyle Cycles has the West Coast’s largest selection of pre-owned and bank-owned motorcycles. With bikes coming in almost everyday, LifeStyle Cycles is sure to have the bike you are looking for at the price you want. Come see us today!
CHOPPERTOWN CREW SURVIVES SMOKE OUT— Zack returned mostly intact from filming the Smoke Out. He’s been wandering around muttering, “My soul feels dirty, I can’t get clean…” We’re sure he’ll be fine. We locked him in the editing cave with a microwave and a bedpan and he won’t be allowed to exit until the new film is done. Send him words of encouragement here.
That said, here’s this week’s update:
1. The new Choppertown store seems to be a hit, thanks for all the kind words! We’ve got a new DVD today, it’s a really cool film about the fastest Norton ever built, the Hogslayer dragbike. The film was professionally produced and looks great. Watch the trailer and get your copy here. Support the store and grab a Livin It DVD and Flake and Flames DVD while you’re at it!
TIP: SAVE 5% on your entire order by using the code “GLADMIDSOMMAR”. (Just a tip of the hat to our northern buddies who were drunk all last week to celebrate the longest day of the year.) The code expires Sunday June 30th!
NEW BENCH-TOP ENGLISH WHEEL–The Eastwood Company has launched a new Bench-Top English Wheel – professional quality with a knock-down design.
English Wheels have been staple tools of metal fabricators for years, but overall size and price constraints have often kept them out of reach of DIY-hobbyists and small shops. Eastwood’s new Bench-Top English Wheel overcomes those issues.
Eastwood’s English Wheel offers a 20″ throat and 18″ internal height to make this unit one of the biggest bench-top English Wheels on the market. “When designing this English Wheel, we wanted to offer a professional quality tool that was within reach of DIY-metal shapers and small fabrication shops” said Mark Robidoux, Eastwood Product Manager.
“Shipping a large item like an English Wheel can be costly, but the knockdown design we engineered into this English Wheel allows it to ship via Fed-Ex or UPS.”
MANDATORY ABS BRAKES COMING?-– Insurance Industry wants to make ABS braking on Motorcycles Mandatory and they have asked their buddies at NHTSA to help.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) maintain this step would significantly reduce crashes and deaths.
They petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to require new motorcycles to be equipped with antilock braking systems because they maintain this step would significantly reduce crashes and deaths.
Motorcycles with ABS are 31 percent less likely to be involved in fatal crashes than those same motorcycles without ABS, an IIHS analysis indicates, and a new study from HLDI found a 20 percent reduction in the rate of collision claims with ABS.
HLDI analysts concluded even greater gains result from ABS in conjunction with combined braking systems, which integrate a motorcycle’s front and rear brake controls. Together, they cut collision claim frequency by about one third.
“The data continue to accumulate in support of motorcycle ABS five years after we first reported on its effectiveness,” said Adrian Lund, president of both IIHS and HLDI. “We hope NHTSA will agree that it’s time to take action to ensure all riders get the benefit of this lifesaving technology.”
–from Rogue
BIKERNET UNIVERSITY ENGLISH DEPARTMENT VOCABULARLY LESSON OF THE DAY--snood snood, noun:
Her hair was up and held with a gauzy snood that flashed like diamonds beneath the gallery’s downlighters.
Take your snood off and relax. Well put your stuff down anyway. Relax, chin, do something and re—y’know just enjoy yourself…
DANA POINT CONCOURSE COVERED–These are the old classic motorcycles from the big show at Dana Point, California last weekend.
Not sure about the value except the Brough Superior. It’s a million dollar bike (maybe) owned by Sir Lawrence of Arabia
He actually died on one –
–Art Hall
Bikernet International Editor still in the States
Quick Throttle Magazine Extreme Event Photographer
AACA JOINS WITH SEMA, AMA TO OPPOSE EHANOL FUELS—
By Daniel Strohl, Hemmings Daily
As gas stations across the country get ready to roll out gasoline blended with 15 percent ethanol – and as the EPA has begun to recommend increasing the ethanol content in fuel to 30 percent – the Antique Automobile Club of America, one of the largest collector car clubs in the country, has come out in opposition to any mandate that places ethanol in automotive fuel.
“We know what E10 does to our cars; it’s very disruptive,” said Tom Cox, the president of the AACA. “So if we go to E15 – and E20 after that, I suppose – that doesn’t bode well for those of us with vintage vehicles.”
Cox and several other AACA members joined representatives from the American Motorcyclists Association and the Specialty Equipment Market Association’s SEMA Action Network (which has also recently vocalized its concerns regarding ethanol in fuel) last Wednesday in traveling to the Capitol in Washington, D.C., to rally in protest against ethanol-blended gasoline. During the rally, the AACA members parked their cars on the National Mall and met with members of the Congressional Automotive Performance and Motorsports Caucus, some of whom spoke out against the use of ethanol in fuel.
According to Cox, while the AACA has been and remains to be careful to keep out of the political aspects of the issue – as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, the IRS prevents it from lobbying or endorsing political candidates – seeing the effects of ethanol-blended fuel use in collector cars, particularly on AACA tours, has motivated AACA leadership to take more of a stand in recent years.
“There’s a lot of reasons to be against E15,” Cox said. “It creates vapor lock, it softens rubber parts, it eats up gas tanks and carburetors by causing them to rust and corrode, it pollutes more, and it gets less fuel mileage. I think that, in essence, this constant ratcheting of the levels of ethanol in gasoline is in so many ways achieving the early vehicle retirement goals that we’ve seen come out of Washington before. In all best possible circumstances we’d like to see ethanol out of gas completely because it is destructive – there’s no question about it.”
Cox said that, as a non-profit, the AACA can, and is expected to engage in, educational efforts, so it has undertaken to educate its 62,000 members – and the elected members of the government – about the effects of ethanol on older cars. In addition to the rally, the AACA also printed a pair of editorials arguing against ethanol-blended fuel in the May/June issue of the club’s magazine, Antique Automobile.
“While there is no mandate that motorists put E10 in their collector vehicles, off-road vehicles, motorcycles or small engines, un-blended gasoline is disappearing from the marketplace,” wrote Herb Oakes, the AACA’s director of legislation, in one of the editorials. “The life span of a vehicle and equipment can be dramatically reduced with the wrong fuel, and vintage car owners could be confronted with breakdowns because of it.”
At the federal level, two pieces of legislation introduced in Congress earlier this year – House Bill 875 and Senate Bill 344 – asked the EPA to suspend the sale of E15 until the fuel could be studied further. Both of those bills remain in committee.
However, at least two states have rejected ethanol-blended fuel mandates. Earlier this month, Florida Governor Rick Scott signed into law a bill (HB4001) that repealed existing Florida legislation that required up to 10 percent ethanol in fuel. Late last month, Maine Governor Paul LePage signed into law a bill (LD 115) that banned all ethanol-blended fuels from sale in the state as long as at least two other New England states followed suit.
Cox said that he believes the rally last week built awareness of the issue, but it also showed that a diversity of automotive organizations (AACA has long been known as catering to the restoration crowd, while SEMA has long been known as catering to the hot rodding and customizing crowd) can come together to speak out on the issue.
UPDATE: We also learned this morning, through Automotive News, that an Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers lawsuit to block the sale of E15 was denied by the U.S. Supreme Court.
THIS JUST IN FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE–The Food Stamp Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is proud to be distributing this year the largest amount of free Meals and Food Stamps to 48 million people.
At the same time, the National Park Service, administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, urges us “Please Do Not Feed the Animals.” The stated reason for the policy is because “The animals will grow dependent on handouts and will not learn to take care of themselves.”
–from Jim Waggaman
NEWS FLASH, New Bikernet Reader Comment!
Harley-Davidson and the Marlboro Man Bike at Loess H-D
http://www.bikernet.com/pages/story_detail.aspx?id=10614
I’m an artist for a team that built a BD replica on commission. We relied heavily on some of the beautiful shots posted here – angles you never get from screen grabs.
Thanks so much for putting all of this info out there!
] j [
00runy@gmail.com
Asheville, NC
81-year-old female BMW motorcycle legend dead after crash in Leeds–
–By Carol Robinson
LEEDS, Alabama – An 81-year-old Texas woman who was a legend in the world of BMW motorcycles died after a motorcycle crash Monday in Leeds.
The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office identified the woman as Ardys Campbell Kellerman, of Lexington. Kellerman, nicknamed “Queenie,” and “Queen of the Road” was one of the first female BMW riders in North America to cover one million miles, according to the website of Texas motorcycle shop Lone Star.
The crash happened at 3:22 p.m. at U.S. 78 and Rex Lake Road. Authorities said Kellerman was driving her motorcycle and pulled out of the convenience store at the intersection, which is near Barber Motor Sports. As she pulled onto U.S. 78, she was struck by an oncoming passenger car driven by an 82-year-old male.
Kellerman was airlifted to UAB Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 4:15 p.m.
According to published reports, Kellerman rode her BMW on countless cross country trips, competed in numerous competitions, and was beloved in motorcycle circles. “She died doing what she loved,” said her grandson, Paul Clement.
–from E.L.Woody
“King of the Paparazzi”
Babe shots thanks to the crew at Bikerpics.org
[page break]
CHILI COOKOUT & SUMMER RIDE–
Come hang out and enjoy lunch with Harry on Saturday, July 6th. He’ll be at the shop from 12:00-2:00pm cooking up his world famous chili for all CV customers and friends.
The fun doesn’t stop there. Meet up with old and new friends the following day, Sunday, July 7th for our summer ride! We meet at 10:00am in front of the CycleVisions shop. Kickstands up and we’re on the road by 10:30am.
See you then!
–Randy
Motorcycle land speed record holder Valerie Thompson to appear at BMW Motorrad Days in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany–BMW Motorrad celebrates 90th Anniversary with worldwide party in Germany
Valerie Thompson, owner/driver of Valerie Thompson Racing (VTR), will be appearing at the BMW Motorrad Days 2013 celebration July 5th – 7th in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, the biggest BMW party of the year with over 35,000 attendees expected.
BMW Motorrad Days 2013 is a three-day extravaganza featuring “everything BMW,” including new motorcycle introductions, special bike tours, riding demonstrations and races. The highly anticipated inaugural Classic Boxer Sprint, organized by the top German motorcycle magazine MO, will showcase the new BMW Concept Ninety homage motorcycle.
In addition to Thompson, other sports celebrities appearing at BMW Motorrad Days include four-time street bike freestyle world champion Chris Pfeiffer, adventurer Joe Dakar and the five winners of the “One World. One R 1200 GS. Tour”.
“I can’t thank the wonderful folks at BMW Motorrad enough for the opportunity to attend this major event that draws BMW enthusiasts from around the world. I’m very excited since this is my first trip to Germany. I only wish I could bring my BMW with me for all the tours they’ll be hosting,” stated Thompson.
While in Germany, Thompson will also be the subject of a BMW Motorrad photo shoot by photographer Markus Hofman, whose celebrity clients include Tom Cruise, Adrien Brody, and Formula One drivers Ralf Schumacher and David Coulthard.
Thompson’s next land speed racing competition will be SCTA’s Speedweek at the famed Bonneville Salt Flats August 10-16, where she hopes to set new land speed racing records on her BMW S 1000 RR motorcycle. For details, visit http://www.scta-bni.org.
On June 18, U.S. Reps. Mike Capuano (D-Mass.) and Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) introduced H.R. 2414, the Black Box Privacy Protection Act.
The bill will protect motorcyclists’ rights by requiring manufacturers to prominently disclose to consumers if an event data recorder (commonly known as a black box) is installed on their motorcycle, the data collection capabilities of such a device, and how such data may be used. The bill clarifies that the owner of the motorcycle owns the data and it may not be accessed without the permission of the owner.
Furthermore, this bill requires that manufacturers provide consumers with the option of controlling the recording function in automobiles or motorcycles manufactured in the future that are equipped with black boxes.
In other words, consumers would have the ability to turn the black box on or off.
Currently, no federal law exists that clarifies the rights of vehicle owners to ownership of the recorded data.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking requiring black boxes in all cars manufactured after Sept. 1, 2014. The NHTSA already has disclosure requirements, but the Black Box Privacy Protection Act would make the disclosure more prominent and give consumers even greater choice and privacy protections.
The American Motorcyclist Association protects motorcyclists’ freedom to ride and we support this bipartisan bill. If you are concerned that your insurer will selectively use data from a black box recorder to increase your rates, or that recorded data may be used to target you in a civil or criminal proceeding, then you—the motorcyclist—should urge your representative to support the Black Box Privacy Protection Act.
Be sure to follow the “Take Action” option to send a pre-written email directly to your representative.
Now more than ever, it is crucial that you become a member of the AMA to help us protect your freedom to ride. More members means more clout against the opponents of motorcycling, and your support will help the AMA fight for your rights – on the road, trail, racetrack, and in the halls of government.
To join, go to AmericanMotorcyclist.com/membership/join.
J-B WELD UPDATE–Chances are you’ve heard of J-B Weld – but do you know just how useful it can be to carry in your trunk or toolbox?
There are currently 18 different two-part epoxy adhesive products that bond strong for lasting repairs. They can withstand a constant temperature as high as 500 degrees – making it ideal for motorcycle repairs. Attached is a fact sheet with more about J-B Weld, its history and usage, and below are a few recent comments from those who have experienced the value of J-B Weld. Please take a look and see just how useful J-B Weld can be.
–Mariesa Stokes
on behalf of J-B Weld
mariesa.stokes@jimtaylorpr.com
“I dumped my motorcycle and broke part of the brake handle. I drilled a small hole in the good end of the handle, slid in part of a toothpick to align it and then J-B Welded it. Painted it with aluminum paint and hard to tell it was broken.”
–Gregory K.
“Used J-B Weld to patch an oil pan on my ‘02 Jeep. It lasted 3 winter months, despite all of the hot oil and freezing temperatures, not to mention hitting it off rocks and bottoming it out. It held out till I could afford a new pan. Thanks J-B Weld! I now take you everywhere I go.”
–Paul B.
“Used some J-B Weld on a cracked radiator and drove 60 miles home today. Never used it before but am definitely devoted now. Thank you for saving the day!”
–Clayton G.
“My alternator mount broke while cruising home for a holiday dinner. I was on a highway with nothing around but I had JB Weld in my trunk, and did a quick repair. I got home in time for dinner.”
–David S.
S&S ATTACKS HOLLISTER–If you’re going to be in the Hollister, CA area the weekend of July 5 & 6, you won’t want to miss the Hollister Rally.
S&S will be outdoors in the Corbin lot (we’ll be right next to Ride Wright Wheels) at Corbin Headquarters – 2360 Technology Parkway, Hollister, CA 95023. Display hours will be 9am to 5 pm both days.
We have several exciting new products for Sportster models, as well as some new high-performance exhaust products for big twins. If you’re into vintage, S&S Cycle’s Viola V-Twin service parts includes a great selection of hard to find parts for vintage Harley-Davidson engines.
You can see these products on our website at www.sscycle.com, but there’s nothing like seeing the real thing up close and personal! There’s also nothing like chatting face-to-face with one of our knowledgeable S&S show staff about your bike and how we can make it run stronger, and longer!
DEADLIEST DAY–July 4 Continues as Deadliest Day on the Road for All Americans
73 percent of California teens recognize texting while driving as distracting.
SACRAMENTO (June 25, 2013) –Independence Day is typically a time for barbecues, family gatherings, and celebrating the birth of our nation, however, for many travelers this holiday it may end in tragedy. According to research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), July 4 is now the deadliest day on the road for all Americans.
In the U.S., car crashes are the number one cause of death for everyone ages 1-34, with teens crashing four times more often than any other age group. Based on the latest available data, IIHS reports that more than 670 people were killed on July 4 from 2007-2011, which equates to an average of 134 deaths on that day each year.
Teens accounted for six percent of the driving fatalities on July 4, but continue to be particularly susceptible to distracted driving incidents. Recent research from The Allstate Foundation found in California that 73 percent of teens surveyed here admit that they find reading and responding to texts distracting while behind-the-wheel.
Additional findings from The Allstate Foundation research in California include:
•Teens are watching: 38 percent of teens here reported seeing their parents using a phone while driving.
•Do as I say, not as I do: Interestingly, only 17 percent of California parents admit to making and answering phone calls while driving.
•California teens are comfortable speaking up: 84 percent of teens say they would speak up in a car with someone who was driving in a way that made them feel scared or uncomfortable.
–Jim Klapthor
Senior Communications Consultant
Allstate Insurance Company
Diamond Bar, California
909-612-6644 off
909-839-3360 cell
Jim.Klapthor@Allstate.com
Follow @AllstateinCA
BIKERNET PHOTOGRAPHER IN TEXAS PULLS TANK–This is what I found when I pulled the left tank! Glad I didn’t bust the cases, fixing rocker box leaks and a trans with three neutrals.
–RFR
HARLEY’S SHIFTING MARKETS– Bah! Harley seeks a new generation of easy riders
James B. Kelleher, GARY CAMERON.
Harley-Davidson doesn’t do much quietly. Its motorcycles are notoriously noisy. Its slogans – “Screw It. Let’s Ride.” – are loud too.
So why was the Milwaukee company quiet last year when by its own numbers it successfully zoomed past a demographic hazard analysts had fretted about for years?
A top Harley-Davidson executive had said that in 2012, for the first time in years, the average buyer of the company’s bikes was not a baby boomer.
For a brand defined by the emergence and, lately, the aging of the post-World War II cohort of consumers, that’s a big deal – proof the 110-year-old company is gaining traction with a new generation of riders.
Yet its top global marketing guru, Mark-Hans Richer, continues to insist it’s no biggie – even though investors have long wondered how Harley would survive as boomers, who embraced its bikes as totems of rebellion in the 1960s and 1970s and drove its growth in the ensuing decades, rode off into the sunset.
One top analyst, Robin Farley at UBS Investment Research, suggests the company’s muffled messaging reflects its desire to avoid having the accomplishment examined too closely. That’s because by her calculation the average age of riders is still going up, not down. The company disputes her math but says even if she were correct, a new marketing focus means metrics like average age are less important than in the past.
Farley is skeptical. Average age is important because “that’s ultimately the core customer,” she says. “That’s one of the reasons they don’t want to talk about it.”
Beyond the boomer generation
Harley-Davidson has long known its reliance on an overwhelmingly white, male and middle-aged consumer base would ultimately challenge sales in North America, where it still earns two-thirds of its revenue.
So several CEOs ago, the company began an effort to attract buyers born after 1964. An outreach program was launched to gain favor with women and minorities; products were redesigned.
Harley-Davidson regularly claims the effort has been a success – and trots out supportive research from RL Polk, a leading provider of auto industry data, which shows Harley has been the market leader among riders ages 18 to 34, as well as women, blacks and Hispanics, for five years running.
But internal numbers have been hard to find, at least recently. Prior to 2009, Harley regularly reported data on average rider age. It stopped, it says, because the number did not measure the outreach effort – as much about winning over nonwhite, nonmale riders of all ages as about wooing the young.
Harley-Davidson also stopped talking about its boomer problem, analysts say, because it didn’t want to appear to be repudiating the generation that still buys a lot of its bikes but now has a choice of several other brands with the “Made in the USA” cred vying for its dollars.
Still, as the company’s annual shipments to dealers retreated from a record of 350,000 set before the recession to the 259,000 to 264,000 bikes it expects to ship in 2013, investors worried the outreach effort was not working and that Harley-Davidson’s demographic problem was getting worse.
Not so, says Richer. In an interview with Reuters, he said the company’s average buyer is now 47 years old, one year younger than five years ago, and holding steady.
If true, that means that in 2012 the average Harley rider was born in 1965 – the first year of Generation X, according to the Census Bureau’s definition. Given the demographic concerns, that’s huge.
Not everyone is buying it, including Farley, who has covered Harley-Davidson for a decade. She says that until the company stopped routinely disclosing the number, average rider age was rising steadily at a rate of about 6 months every year since at least 1999.
In 2008, Harley-Davidson said its average rider was 48 years old, up from 46.1 in 2004 and 43.4 in 1999, Farley says. Extrapolating from those figures, she believes the current average rider is over 50 and, by definition, still a boomer.
After she published a note based on her calculations, she says a company “senior manager” called her to say she was mistaken – but that the real number was 49 years, 6 months – a boomer still and not the 47 Richer claims.
Spokeswoman Maripat Blankenheim says the unnamed executive misspoke because he did not refer to “the most recent and more accurate database we are using.”
Most analysts accept Harley-Davidson’s claims that the outreach is working. Jamie Katz, an analyst at Morningstar, said that while the company has “a long way to go” before it gets back to the shipping rate it hit before the recession, “What they’ve done on the outreach front is impressive.
“Our biggest concern was that their core consumer – the old white man – was obviously decreasing in size.”
Queasy riders
The tactics the company has employed to penetrate new markets have ranged from programs at rallies popular with minority riders, to garage parties for women, to redesigns that made the company’s bikes appear more “sinister,” in the words of William Blair & Co analyst Sharon Zackfia.
It offered souped-up, all-black versions of existing bikes straight out of Batman or graphic novels to kick-start sales to younger riders. Women were enticed with the 883 Low, a lighter, lower-to-the ground model; the V-Rod was meant for boys looking for pulse-racing performance.
Katz at Morningstar estimates that outreach customers now account for about one-third of Harley-Davidson’s domestic sales, or nearly 50,000 bikes last year. “It’s really made me rethink the potential of the business,” she says.
Roberta Lamerdin, a 49-year-old small business owner north of Chicago, is one of the new female loyalists.
She never figured she’d ride a motorcycle. She changed her mind a few years back when her husband asked her to pick him up at a Harley-Davidson dealership, where he was having his bike repaired.
While waiting she sat on a Sportster 883 Low, the company’s flagship product in the push to win over women.
She bought it on the spot. Six years later, Lamerdin leads the local “Ladies of Harley” group, helping new women riders get comfortable in the saddle.
“Men just love it,” she said. “Not everybody, of course. Some of the old bikers, the so-called real bikers, don’t like it at all. But too bad.”
–from Rogue
BIKERNET DISCOVERY--Hey Chief…I took the ferry across Lake Michigan this week to test some boats near Cadillac, Michigan, and stopped to look at this Iron Head XL parked alongside highway 10 just east of Ludington.
There was a faded note in greasey pencil on the front fender, “$2,200 FIRM!” Same yard had a truck topper for $40.
Ford logo was on an old truck and the light was perfect.
–Charles Plueddeman
“A Good Man To Have Along”
Oshkosh, Wis.
920-203-1631
NMA E-Newsletter #232: Corruption Cases Raise Important Questions–With a few strokes of a pen, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett last week shut down that notorious den of corruption otherwise known as the Philadelphia Traffic Court.
?In January, nine former traffic court judges were indicted on charges for their alleged roles in a wide-ranging ticket-fixing scheme. Some, including the flamboyant Fortunato Perri, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and other related charges.
The Philadelphia example is just the latest in a long string of corruption cases centering on major players in the traffic justice system. Cops, prosecutors, court clerks and judges—all of have been implicated in recent scandals. Many observers have been asking why traffic enforcement operations are so prone to corruption and is there anything we can do about it?
LEADER OF MASSIVE MOTORCYCLE THEFT RING CONVICTED– faces up to 25 years in prison after using vans to swipe up deluxe rides.
By LAURA ITALIANO
The kingpin of a massive motorcycle theft ring was convicted of enterprise corruption in Manhattan today.
Steve Dow, 31, who went by the nickname “Jersey Dred,” now faces anywhere from one to 25 years in prison for his role in the ring, which officials said viewed the city’s streets as an outdoor, motorcycle showroom and was responsible for half of all cycle thefts here.
Ring members would drive around in vans — themselves often stolen — into which they’d load flashy motorcycles in a matter of seconds. The bikes — some 300 stolen a year, according to investigators — would be sold intact, or dismantled and shipped to buyers in the Caribbean and Senegal.
The ring was busted through a 17-month, joint NYPD and Manhattan DA investigation in which undercover cops purchased 63 bikes and 17 guns, including four assault weapons.
The same Manhattan Supreme Court jury also today acquitted one of Dow’s co-defendants and convicted two other co-defendants.
Omar Thomas, 25, was acquitted after NYPD staff accidentally deleted two surveillance tapes which prosecutors had said showed him selling a total of four bikes to under covers.
Damian Jones, 31, was also convicted of enterprise corruption and faces a higher possible minimum sentence, 4 and a half to 9 years, because of his previous convictions for assault and kidnapping.
Trumaine Francis, 28, was acquitted of enterprise corruption but was convicted of criminal possession of stolen property and grand larceny.
“Each of the defendants played different, but critical roles in a highly organized operation that systematically stole expensive motorcycles off the streets of Manhattan,” District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr. said after the verdict.
To date, 25 defendants charged in connection with the ring have been convicted, including fellow ringleaders Tiwane Paul, who is serving 7 and a half years to nine years prison and Selwyn Mills, who is serving 5 to 9 years.
–from Rogue
AUSTRALIAN Cops say they stopped a confrontation between clubs– Police in the Australian state of Victoria claim a potentially violent confrontation was thwarted by them after dozens of Hells Angels descended on an inner-city Bandidos-linked nightspot in a suspected bid to find the culprits who shot up their new clubhouse.
Police say between 30 and 50 Hells Angels wearing colours arrived at a Fitzroy nightclub last Saturday night, less than 48 hours after the HQ of their new Darkside chapter in Seaford had been riddled with up to 30 bullets, fired from a high-calibre weapon.
But urgent calls from the public to police almost certainly thwarted a brutal “run through” of the club.
Police sources say there are suspicions the Angels were looking for Bandidos boss Toby Mitchell.
The anti-biker Echo Taskforce is investigating both incidents.
There have been clear signs that tensions remain high between the clubs in the aftermath of an ambush on Bandidos by Hells Angels in Melton on March 1, leaving Mitchell and another member with bullet wounds.
The escalation comes as the Hells Angels prepare to host an opening party with its feeder club the Red Devils to officially mark its turf on the Mornington Peninsula.
Darkside, the Hells Angels’ fourth Victorian chapter, will be supported by the Red Devils’ Frankston chapter.
Victoria Police say they are aware of the June 29 party, which is likely to attract hundreds of bikers and associates from Victoria and across the nation. The cops say they will have a large presence on the night to monitor the bikers.
It’s said the Angels have been on a recruiting drive and Darkside has several prospects yet to get their “colours”.
It will be Australia’s 19th Hells Angels chapter and the first opened in Victoria since East County in Campbellfield in 2003.
SCREAMIN’ EAGLE V-RODS QUALIFY FOR NEW ENGLAND NATIONALS–Team is Still Searching for Horsepower as Hines and Krawiec Lose in First Round
EPPING, N.H. (June 23, 2013) – Racing for the first time at New England Dragway, Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle/Vance & Hines riders Ed Krawiec and Andrew Hines qualified their Harley-Davidson V-Rod motorcycles for the Auto-Plus NHRA New England Nationals. Both riders were eliminated in the first round of racing on Sunday. The event was won by Viper Motorcycle Company Buell rider John Hall.
Racing in warm and humid weather all weekend, the Screamin’ Eagle/Vance & Hines team continued to seek more performance from its new two-valve V-Twin engine. Hines qualified 10th with an Elapsed Time (ET) of 6.921 seconds, while Krawiec qualified 14th at 6.961 seconds. Sovereign-Star Racing Buell rider Michael Ray qualified in the number-one position with a 6.832 run.
“I feel that we’ve made progress with the new package in the last two weeks,” said Hines. “We find a promising tune-up on the dyno at home but then that gain does not seem to translate to the race track. It’s the typical growing pains we are going to go through with an all-new engine. There’s a lot of talent and experience on this team, and I’m confident we’ll sort it all out.”
In the opening round of Sunday eliminations Hines lost to Nitro Fish Suzuki rider
LE Tonglet. Krawiec had a rare red-light foul in his opening-round race, leaving the line 0.022-second early to hand a win to Viper Motorcycle Company Buell rider Matt Smith.
“My red light was total rider error,” said Krawiec, the defending Pro Stock Motorcycle champion. “I was trying to anticipate the light and get a good jump on Matt. The Harley team is just going through a big learning curve right now. We knew how to adjust our previous engine for any situation. We were in humidity again this weekend and we are still trying to figure out what this engine likes.”
Following five rounds of Pro Stock Motorcycle competition in the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, Lucas Oil Buell rider Hector Arana Jr., who lost on a red light in the first round at Epping, leads the class with 451 points. Hall moves into second place with 359 points, followed by Ray with 345 points and Hector Arana Sr. in fourth place with 327 points. Krawiec is in seventh place with 257 points. Hines is 13th with 211 points.
The Pro Stock Motorcycles will next race at the 16th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by Super Start Batteries, June 27-30, at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill.
AUTHORITIES STEP UP ENFORCEMENT, EDUCATION FOR MOTORCYCLISTS–
The Columbus Dispatch Wednesday June 19,
Kerry York has been riding motorcycles since he was six years old, but all that experience couldn’t prevent the wreck more than 20 years ago.
Run off the road by a turning vehicle, York, now 56, rode into a ditch and through a field to avoid what he assumes was a distracted driver.
“I don’t think she even knew what had happened,” he said this week. York walked away with only a sprained wrist, but said he may have had other injuries if he wasn’t wearing boots and a helmet.
Spring and summer are important times for motorists to be aware of motorcyclists hitting the open road as the weather gets nicer.
Three fatal motorcycle crashes within two weeks in May and June prompted the Granville post of the State Highway Patrol to step up education efforts for both bikers and other drivers. The post is doing public service announcements about motorcycle safety and using radio stations to get information out.
“When you add motorcycles to the mix, they’re more difficult to see,” said the patrol’s Sgt. Mark Leach. “Just because you’re in a motor vehicle doesn’t mean you have to stop thinking about the motorcycles that are out there.”
The patrol statewide steps up enforcement for motorcycles when the weather gets warmer, said patrol spokeswoman Lt. Anne Ralston. “When we see more motorcycles out on the roadway, we’re going to be watching and looking,” she said. “When we see violations, we’re going to stop those motorcycles.”
The patrol is also focusing attention on motorcycle safety by educating motorcyclists about driving licensed, sober and trained through PSAs, media releases and yard signs. It also works to raise awareness among drivers about motorcycles, reminding them to be extra careful and look twice while driving.
“We’re looking for motorcycle riders just like we’re enforcing the law with other motorists,” Ralston said.
It’s important for motorcyclists also to be aware of other distractions, said York, who works as a sales associate at A.D. Farrow Co. Harley-Davidson on West Broad Street.
“You’re constantly watching the sides streets for vehicles, children — anything that could enter into your path,” he said.
So far this year, there have been 26 fatal motorcycle-related traffic crashes. During the first six months of last year, there were 76 fatal motorcycle-related traffic crashes, which state patrol attributes to the warmer winter, as the first motorcycle-related fatal crash happened in January 2012.
The Franklin County sheriff’s office doesn’t step up motorcycle enforcement in the summer, but it does make sure the deputies know the specific rules applying to them.
“We do find that some motorcyclists, because of the cold-weather layoff, their skills are deteriorating and they don’t take the necessary precautions to get their skills back up,” said Sgt. Carl Hickey, of the sheriff’s traffic bureau. “When they begin riding again they just need to remember they’re not where they should be in driving ability, and to take precaution by driving slow.”
There are also rider training and refresher courses offered by A.D. Farrow and Motorcycle Ohio, a program of the state Department of Public Safety that provides resources and training for motorcyclists.
For more information on training courses through Motorcycle Ohio, visit www.motorcycle.ohio.gov.
–from Rogue
RING THE BELL– IT’S TIME TO PARTY–Busy weekend ahead, scrambling from party to event. Next week you should see another World Run Chapter, a killer restored Panhead feature, a Rogue tech, exciting news from Brass Balls, reports from Born Free, Smoke Out coverage, and several surprises along the way.
We hope to have the 1928 Shovelhead back on the road, and Ray’s 5-Ball Raycer will be ripping through the streets of San Jose. This summer is exploding with action. Just ride safe goddammit.
Ride Forever,
–Bandit
