Whatta Week,
Just returned from Cincy where the entire industry displayed its wares at the Easyriders V-twin show. I actually helped kick off this effort with Jim Betlach before I left ER and Jim has done a helluva job. We may have a report on it later next week.
This industry is expanding and rockin’ although it’s small by comparison. The biggest item at the forefront is the EPA restrictions. Take 15 minutes and read the article mentioned on the home page and write to the MRF. We all need your support.
I thought I’d mention something quick that we don’t often think about. The V-twin custom motorcycle industry is fun, alive and vibrant, but small by comparison to the auto industry, toaster folks, fishing industry, you name it. I spoke to a wheel manufacturer last year and asked him how many of their most popular wheels did they make. He said 1,000. Think about that. This ain’t no Walmart order of 500,000 hub caps. Kinda puts the whole tamale in prospective.
Let’s hit the news, then I’ll tell you what to expect on Bikernet for the rest of the week:
WAR VETS BURNIN’ OFF ADRENALINE–Since 9/11, more American troops have died in off-duty motorcycle accidents than fighting in Afghanistan.Nearly 350 GIs have died on bikes since the 2001 terrorist attacks compared with 259 killed while serving in Afghanistan, according to safety records kept by each service. The number who die in crashes each year – nearly all in the United States – has more than doubled since 2001, hitting new levels in 2005. Nearly 1,000 more have been injured, draining power when the Pentagon needs every soldier.
A big part of the problem, say commanders at bases, comes when soldiers return from war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan with months of tax-free salaries and extra pay for combat and overseas service. They buy high-powered motorcycles and hit the streets to burn off adrenaline, testosterone and boredom.
Dying on American roads after months or years of combat abroad seems to survivors like cruel irony.”When the doctor told me that he was dead, I told him that wasn’t acceptable, it just wasn’t acceptable,” said Andrea Strickland, 22, the widow of Marine Lance Cpl. Mark Strickland. “I said, ‘He just got back from a war zone, and you’re going to tell me that he died doing something he loved?’ “
“Our goal is not to see the same thing happen,” said Lt. Gen. James F. Amos, commander of the II Marine Expeditionary Force, which has its headquarters at Lejeune.
After the October crashes, which Amos described as “a cold shot to the heart,” he ordered a crackdown. The base ceased normal operations for a day in November to focus on safety, particularly for motorcyclists. It added safety programs and re-emphasized existing ones, such as mandatory safety classes and a mentor program Amos created that is being considered as a model for use corpswide.
Most riders who get into trouble, he said, are inexperienced and doing something they shouldn’t, such as popping wheelies.He said he rarely taps his machine’s full power.”It’s just there if I need it,” he said.
Cyclists such as Toldness are a growing military subculture. Younger troops favor shrieking, race-bred sport bikes while officers and senior noncommissioned officers often cruise on the more laid-back Harleys. Parking lots for special operations units sometimes look like someone issued an order allowing only motorcycles and pickups. In Kuwait and Iraq, off-duty talk often covers the opposite sex, beer and motorcycles, and not always in that order.”Guys come back from Iraq after a year, and right away they need that big bike because their buddy’s got one or their girlfriend wants them to,” Toldness said.
I want everyone to think about ONE thing in regards to more service people dying in motorcycle deaths than have died in Afghanistan since 9/11:EVERY GI MUST WEAR A HELMET AT ALL TIMES?
JAY PRICERaleigh News & Observer
So what should we all gain from this?That helmets do NOT save lives. Period. Take this information and spread it around your statehouse among those that think the “motorcycle helmet” is the answer and ask them to explain why our servicemen and women are dying WHILE wearing helmets.
Then while they fumble and stumble for an answer, explain to them that ONLY through BETTER education of both motorcyclist and the public can we ever hope to reduce the number of deaths.
Helmets are nothing more than a Band-Aid trying to cover a gaping wound.
–Spotman
Sons of Liberty Riders
TEXAS BIKERNET PHOTOG TRIES TO REACH HORSE–If you talk to Hammer can you ask him to check his e-mail. I have sent the brown bike three times now, the last time to his home as he requested. If he has changed his mind about using it fine, but a response of some type would be cool.
The other was suppose to have been in SC, but they moved that blue bike I sent to you for HB there instead so I wanted to see if the Horse might be interested, even though I believe they had a bike with similar paint.
Trying to line up a girl, for the Girls of Bikernet, for this weekend.
–RFR
Hell, shoot ’em both for Bikernet or the Girls of Bikernet. We’re ready to launch. See below for new HORSE contact info.–Bandit
HORSE SNEAKS INTO ER EXPO– We just returned from the Cincinnati V-Twin Expo. Several of you were there, so you know it was a great venue with all the major builders, dealers, manufacturers and people in the motorcycle industry. THE HORSE BC attended for 2nd year with a booth and gave away over 1,000 copies of past issues. Ralph was able to arrange for Kara, our cover girl from issue #55, to come. Although we had over 500 copies of her issue, they were all gone by Saturday night; Kara signed each issue for a potential new customer!
In order to keep us moving into 2006 with a little more control, we’re going to change the location we have you send your submissions. After you have sent all your articles, photos, art, etc. for issue #59 to Ralph, begin immediately to send all future submissions to:
Alan Mayes, Managing Editor
PO Box 1824
Tullahoma, TN 37388
615-498-4924
Alan will be working on a daily basis with Ralph to assign articles. When articles, photos and art are received, Alan will be logging in and keeping track on a spreadsheet. I know many times freelance writers send packages to Geno, Ralph, myself and even our subscription company. They find an address in the magazine and send to the wrong address.
I know many of you have mentioned that you have sent in packages and they get lost. This new method will allow everything to be logged in and if you need to track an article you sent, you’ll know to call Alan and he will let you know where it is and perhaps what issue it may be published in. Previous submissions will soon be cataloged by Ralph into the spreadsheet, too, so we’ll know exactly what we have on hand.
As a note, many, many of the people attending, in most cases employees of the manufacturers or shops stopped by the booth to congratulate us on the great magazine THE HORSE BC is. Some say it’s the only mag they read!
–Hank
BIKERNET BILLION DEFINED– The next time you hear a politician use the word “billion,”casually, think about whether you want the politician spending your tax money.
A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but one advertisingagency did a good job of putting that figure into perspective in one of its releases:
1.. A billion seconds ago it was 1959.
2.. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.
3.. A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.
4.. A billion days ago no-one walked on two feet on earth.
5.. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate our government spends it.
–from Joe Lankau
BIKENET STRESS MANAGEMENT SEMINAR–Just in case you’ve had a rough day, here’s a stress management technique recommended in all the latest psychological texts.
The funny thing is that it really works.
1. Picture yourself near a stream.
2. Birds are softly chirping in the cool mountain air.
3. No one but you knows your secret place.
4. You are in total seclusion from the hectic place called “the world,”
5. The soothing sound of a gentle waterfall fills the air with a cascade of serenity.
6. The water is crystal clear.
7. You can easily make out the face of the person you’re holding underwater.
8. See, you’re smiling already.
–from Skooter
BONNEVILLE BIKERNET SALT SHAKER UPDATES–The V uses a touring tranny, but any FXR fit one will be OK. It uses one of the CCI extended chain sprockets, with the same teeth as stock. But Baker sells a sharp one, if there is any problem with the offset /teeth, etc., let me know and I will go down and measure one.
The twin cam tranny won’t bolt to a non twin cam bottom end engine.
On my Vs, with a 110 revtech, I have never had a problem with the engine moving on the tranny using a stock OEM inner /outer primary, which is a really good stabilizer.If you are using a belt drive with a good billet piece that takes the place of the stock inner, you should not have a problem.
How much hp/ torque do you have on the engine you are using?The V is a lot different than a the Softail setup, that most choppers use, the primary is shorter, and seems to be a lot more rigid.
CCI, have a V going to Daytona, Why don’t you ask Your butt hole buddy Sean if you can ride it around so you can get used to it. I mentioned this to John Lott already. If you want to, let me know and I will pressure him on my end.
–John Reed
Custom Chrome
John’s in constant trouble with the brass. We will run a BDL primary drive. –Bandit
FIVE RULES FOR MEN TO FOLLOW TO HAVE A HAPPY LIFE– 1. It’s important to have a woman who helps at home, who cooks from time to time, cleans up and has a job.
2. It’s important to have a woman who can make you laugh.
3. It’s important to have a woman who you can trust and who doesn’t lie to you.
4. It’s important to have a woman who is good in bed and who likes to be with you.
5. It’s very, very important that these four women don’t know each other.
FLORIDA BIKE SHOP INVESTIGATED– A Biker owned a small motorcycle shop in Florida. The Florida Hourly Wage Department claimed he was not paying proper wages to his help and sent an agent out to interview him.
“I need a list of your employees and how much you pay them,” demanded the agent.
“Well” replied the Biker, “There’s my lead mechanic who’s been with me for 3 years. I pay him $600 a week plus parts for his bike at cost. The helper has been here for 18 months, and I pay him $500 per week plus parts for his bike at cost
Then there’s the half-wit who works here about 18 hours every day and does about 90% of all the work around here. He makes $10 per week, and I buy him a bottle of Jack Daniels every Saturday night.”
“That’s the guy I want to talk to – the half-wit,” says the agent.
“That would be me,” replied the biker.
–from Rogue
Motorcycle Hall Of Fame Member 2005
SARA LIBERTE ANNOUNCES HER AFFAIR WITH DAVE PEREWITZ–Liberte, a well-known and respected custom bike designer and photographer, will be launching her newest photo series in 2006. “Builder and Machine” is a photographic series that explores the motorcycle builders most in demand today and the machines they create. A stunning black and white Image
Fusion portrait will be the end result of a visit to each builder’s shop where Sara will explore the latest creations that have sprung from the mind of each builder. Images of the builders will be portrayed in a way you’ve never seen before; builder and machine fused together to make their unique work a true part of them. Some builders in the lineup include Dave Perewitz, Mondo of Denvers Choppers, Kendall Johnson, Johnny Chop, and Randy Simpson of Milwaukee Iron.
Sara Liberte also offers limited edition Fine Art Photographs from her Image Fusion; Woman and machine series. The Pittsburgh artist has developed a limited edition run of only 150 prints of each image available in sizes 20″ x 30″ and 16″ x 20″ to offer to the public. Since displaying her work at Myrtle Beach, Laconia, Sturgis, and Las Vegas Bike Fest in 2005, demand to purchase the images has increased.
Motorbooks International has just released Liberte’s newest book “How to Repair and Maintain American V-Twin Motorcycles.” A seasoned mechanic, Sara Liberte brings her knowledge, skills, and advice into your garage with this informative book. With 21 do-it-yourself projects, Liberte will help you to know and understand how to do everything from fluid changes to technical upgrades to your ride. The book is available at bookstores everywhere, and signed copies are available through Sara’s website.
Sara’s Fine Art prints and signed copies of her book are available on her website. Dealer inquiries are welcome.
Contact info for Sara Liberte
www.saraliberte.com
sara@saraliberte.com
328 Perry Highway
Pittsburgh, PA 15229
412/931-6205
412/400-3978
BIKERNET BONNEVILLE SALT SHAKER BAKER TRANSMISSION ORDER–I’ve been back and forth with John Reed, Berry Wardlaw and John Reed to make sure I order the right tranny for the V-bike. One of these days were going to post an article about transmission, what fit’s what, shaft lengths for wide tires, etc.
John was trying to help me through the maze: If the back of the engine is the same as a (rubber mount) FXR/dresser, and the front part of the tranny is for a (rubber mount) FXR/dresser, it should be OK.
As far as I know, the back end of the engine mount is the same on Shovel and Evos, and I’m sure Panheads, and late model FXR rubber mount trannies bolt straight to the engines. It’s only really early r/m trannies that need a seperate bracket.
–John Reed
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