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MRF LEADERS’ REPORT–Federal Motorcycle Safety Grant Program Announced.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced it is ready to begin rolling out the Federal Motorcycle Safety Grant Program championed by the Motorcycle Riders Foundation and included as part of the most recent Highway Bill (PL 109-59).
This first step allows the public to comment on NHTSA’s ideas on how the program should operate and what it should accomplish. Once this mandatory comment period is closed on June 23rd, 2006 there is no way to influence how the program is administered.
“This program has the potential to save lives across the country, the sooner the federal government brings the grant program online, the sooner we can start to see the benefits” said Jeff Hennie, vice president of government relations, Motorcycle Riders Foundation.
In order to submit comments or just read NHTSA’s proposal simply direct your computer to The MRF will continue to keep you informed on all up to the minute information on this grant program and all other news from Washington DC that affects Motorcyclists and their lifestyle. RIGHT TO REPAIR PASSES HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE–The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protections passed HR 2048, the motor vehicle “Right to Repair Act of 2005”. HR 2048 was amended during the markup process to address concerns that this bill would indirectly encourage the sending jobs and US dollars to China and other foreign countries. The Committee overwhelmingly agreed to the amendments. The final version of the bill will still provide all of the consumer rights protections intended in the original legislation. While the vote was nearly party line, there were several of the Democrat co-sponsors who voted against the legislation for unknown reasons. The final tally was 14 Yeas versus 13 Nay votes. “Now that we have cleared the subcommittee hurdle we must focus on the full Energy and Committee,” said Jeff Hennie, Vice President of Government relations for the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF). “This is a great victory, but we are not nearly finished yet.” The Motor Vehicle Right to Repair Act of 2005 was introduced in May of last year by Congressman Joe Barton (R-TX) and Edolphus Towns (D-NY). One year later the bill has more than 100 bipartisan supporters. The legislative intent of this measure is to offer protections for the American motor vehicle owner by making it illegal for the manufacturer of the motor vehicle to withhold information necessary to diagnose, service, or repair the motor vehicle. The MRF has formally committed to support HR 2048 believing safeguarding individual ownership rights is an absolute must. Access to accurate information when related to the repair or upkeep of a vehicle is essential to the safety and well being of the entire American motoring public. The goal of HR 2048 is to guarantee individual owners and repair shops have access to aftermarket parts and the same tools and training offered to individuals within the dealership network. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation will continue to update you with the most current information available about this issue. WOMEN ARE RIDING AGAINST CANCER!–We have some great cookbooks at the office that were put together byKootenay & Okanagan Women Motorcycle Enthusiasts and their friends. Theseare women who have lost friends and family to cancer and all profits of thecookbooks will go to the Canadian Cancer Society. They are $10.00 each. Ifyou would like to order one please contact the office at 1-877-580-0111 or(604) 580-0111. Thank you. 2nd ANNUAL GASTOWN MOTORCYCLE SHOW N’ SHINE – AUGUST 20, 2006YOUR SUMMER MOTORCYCLE SHOW!!!–It’s time to mark your calendars for the biggest motorcycle event thestreets of Vancouver have ever seen! On Sunday, August 20, 2006, the B.C.Coalition of Motorcyclists, in conjunction with the Gastown BusinessImprovement Society, will be closing down Water Street once again to put onthe 2nd Annual Gastown Motorcycle Show n’ Shine in the heart of Vancouver! This exciting event is free to the public to attend. There will be a fashionshow, a live band and there are tons of unique shops, restaurants and pubsin Gastown for spectators to enjoy. And, of course, there will be hundredsof bikes in every make and model lined up along the cobble stone streets andeveryone’s favorite manufacturers displaying the best of their best. Thiswill be an exciting celebration of motorcycling that you do not want tomiss! With an estimated 20,000 people showing up in the pouring rain at the 1stAnnual Gastown Show n’ Shine in 2005 we are convinced that a date in Augustwill bring out a crowd that we cannot even imagine. EARLY REGISTRATION IS ADVISED, AS THERE IS LIMITED SPACE ALL BIKES ARE WELCOME!!! JUNE 25 – CKNW NEWSCRUISE MOTORCYCLE RIDE SPONSORED BY BCCOM–Join Philip Till and Jon McComb on Sunday June 25 (10am – 4pm) on the 1stAnnual Newscruise from PNE to Alouette Lake in Golden Ears Park – Sponsoredby the B.C. Coalition of Motorcyclists and Thrifty Foods. For registration details go to:http://www.cknw.com/contests/promotions.cfm?REM=26962Net proceeds will benefit the CKNW Orphans’ Fund.Hope to see you there! MOTORCYCLE RIDERS ASSOCIAT OF AUSTRALIA REPORTS–I got word of a “Road Safety” summit in Queensland recently. As a result they want to take this stuff nationally and I believe the Old Premier has written to the Prime Minister about it. I’ve been through the Hansard report of the summit (attached) and in the motorcycle part there are some serious issues in there that will need to be addressed.Especially since there was that suggestion that they want to take themnationally.–Jaqhama One bit that needs correcting was in the Transport Minister’sspeech…”Motorbike riders are considered at fault in 84 per cent of motorbikerelated fatal crashes” The Premier came out with:”Let us talk about motorbikes. They contribute to a significant number of accidents. We need to assess the testing of radio frequency identification for motorcycles to enable better detection of speeding motorcycle riders.” From Narelle Haworth’s presentation it’s around “reducing exposure” and some of it seems to draw from the discredited proposal that MUARC did for Tasmania. “Our first recommendation is increasing the minimum age for riding.Given that fatality and injury risks for motorcycling are much higher than that for driving cars, why do we let young people ride around unsupervised on a motorcycle six months earlier than they can drive around unaccompanied in a car? It does not make sense. Increasing that minimum age will actually have a direct effect by reducing the number of riders in the highest risk age category. It will also result in more of the new riders actually having some basic car driving experience and,therefore, some traffic skills that they have acquired in a safer manner. ” (Missing the point completely that many young drivers who do not want a car will not have a car licence and therefore will just wait and get their bike licence anyway.)and this one!! “In terms of taking advantage of improvements in technology, you really need to allow access to a wider range of motorcycles. I make that recommendation with some concern for the potential for encouraging motorcycling.”and”Traffic congestion, increases in fuel prices and so on encourage people into motorcycling. If we are not careful, there is going to be a very large and continuing increase because of that pressure.”a Professor Sheean (presumably on filtering/splitting)”it was believed that one of the impediments to legislation to constrain motorcycle weaving was that it was not being enforced and that perhaps there should be more enforcement.” –Tony Ellis REDNECK ENGEERING SHIFTS WITH R-MAX USA BY ROADMAX TRANSMISSIONS–Redneck Engineering Power Their Choppers with R-Max USA by Roadmax Transmissions and 3″ Open Belt Drives. June 1, 2006 – Ontario, CA – R-Max USA by Roadmax has teamed up with Redneck Engineering to provide their custom motorcycles with high performance 6-speed 1″ extended Main Shaft transmissions and 3″ Open Belt Primary Drives for their left-side drive 300mm wide tire applications. The one inch extension on the R-Max USA by Roadmax transmission, coupled with the 3″ Open Belt Drive, allow the builders at Redneck Engineering to keep the drive components on the left thus keeping the lines of the motorcycle clean on the right. “R-Max USA by Roadmax created this transmission for Redneck Engineering and it allows us to build the bike with less offset on the motor and provide our customer with a ride that is just about as good as right side drive,” stated Mike Marquart, President, Redneck Engineering. “We like to use deep-dish wheels to have the bike make an impact. The R-Max USA by Roadmax transmission allows us to get the most out of our motorcycles.” The transmission assemblies utilize a 2.94:1 1st gear ratio, 2.21:1 2nd gear, 1.60:1 3rd gear, 1.23:1 4th gear, 1.00:1 5th gear, and for six speed applications an .86:1 overdrive gear ratio. Internals consist of SAE8620H precision cut full width gears with increased dog area. Gears are back cut and diamond media blasted for a very smooth and quiet operation. The shift forks are made from heat treated ALBC3 alloy because this gives the forks superior strength. Used in combination with the R-Max USA by Roadmax proprietary shift drum it offers Redneck Engineering’s enthusiasts smooth positive shifting and longer reliability. “We are honored to have Redneck Engineering be a part of our R-Max USA performance group,” explained Jaz Zbiegien, Sales and Marketing Director, R-Max USA by Roadmax. “It’s a thrill to be associated with a firm like Redneck that builds innovative high-performance motorcycles.” BIG DOG MOTORCYCLES FIRST TORNADO RALLY A BLAST, HANG ON FOR NUMBER TWO–Second Rally Set For June 10-11, 2006.Big Dog Motorcycles?, the leader in the high performance, highly-styled cruiser niche and the second largest American V-twin motorcycle manufacturer, was extremely pleased with the success of the company’s first Tornado Rally earlier this year and has set the date for the next Tornado Rally as June 10-11, 2006. Although Big Dog Motorcycles is the presenting sponsor of the Tornado Rally, the event is for all riders, enthusiasts, and anyone looking for a weekend event. “When developing the new annual rally, our ultimate goals were to promote the city – to show the motorcycle community our home – and to thank Wichita for its continued support through the excellent exposure this annual rally could bring,” stated Paul Hansen, Marketing Director, Big Dog Motorcycles. “The first Tornado Rally was phenomenal,” he added. Over 15,000 attended the two-day rally, which took six months to plan. While most people were from Kansas and the surrounding region, other states were also represented, including Alaska, California, and Florida. In fact, one rider rode his Big Dog Motorcycle 1,600 miles from Ft. Lauderdale. Two of the estimated 4,000 bikes that packed parking lots and city streets were the oldest Big Dog Motorcycle at the Rally: a 1995 Vintage Classic, the 16th the company ever built; and the Big Dog Motorcycle with the most miles: a 1995 Pro-Glide, the 18th ever built, with 79,618 miles on its odometer. All brands of motorcycles were represented. The economic impact for the city of Wichita was estimated to hit between $350,000 and $500,000. Many exhibitors and vendors were also pleased and plan on a return trip to Wichita with an even bigger exhibit space. John Archer of Briefly Covered Sportswear commented, “This was such a great event. The layout was good and the staff was especially helpful – two things you look at when you exhibit at an event like this one. We’re definitely coming back next year.” In addition, over 500 people went for a monster truck ride; thousands waited in long lines for the celebrity builders autographs; and the company quickly sold out of the official Tornado Rally t-shirts. “The support from the city government was also excellent. Leaders, police force, fire, and EMS, as well as the Wichita Convention and Visitors Bureau and surrounding neighborhoods, all supported our efforts to build this rally,” Hansen added. “With all this support, next year’s Tornado Rally promises to be even better,” he continued. ALL NEW 250 CC CHOPPER–Veterans to the custom bike industry will know the name Johnny Pag, a Master Builder for some 30 years in Southern California, his show winning customs appearing in the leading bike mags. Now he’s about to chalk up a new milestone in the industry. Taking his expertise and designs to China, and working with one of the largest motorcycle/parts manufacturers (suppliers to the Big Four Japanese OEMS) at their 650,000 sq. ft. facility, he’s closely supervised the fabrication and assembly of the Spyder to American quality standards but with a price tag that will make your jaw drop. And we’re not talking a downsized mini-bike, this is a full-scale, full framed motorcycle wrapped up in a package that includes front and rear disc brakes, custom candy paint, forward controls, beefy 1.25 inch handlebars and custom wheels, not to mention a 2-year, unlimited mileage warranty. The Spyder 250 as the name implies features a 250cc twin cylinder, four stroke powerplant that brings the bike, as Johnny says, “comfortably up to speeding ticket speeds.” While not aimed at breaking land speed records, the custom chopper will cruise all day and sips gas at 65 mpg. Specs include a dry weight of 360 lb. and a 73-inch wheelbase, a softail-type suspension with an adjustable seat height of 20-23 inches, chromed alloy rims, 21-inch front and 16-inch rear tires, rated load of 1000lbs., and a 4.2 gallon fuel tank. Colors include candy red, blue, silver and black all with silver flames and an all black model. Watch for a feature on Bikernet in the next couple of days. If you’re at Sturgis, you’ll find Johnny Pag Motorcycles with several Spyders on display at Glencoe Thunder Road. For more information log on to www.johnnypag.com or call 951-352-1300. BIKERNET JIMS TOOL OF THE WEEK–Cam Locking ToolNo. 994 – Use on all2006 to present Dyna Models. This precision tool allows the technician to lock the camshaft and crankshaft sprockets to properly remove, replace, and torque the sprocket bolts. This tool is made from non-marring Delrin. COMIN’ DOWN TO THE WIRE–Someone said there’s 64 days until we pull out for the ride to Sturgis. Holy shit, the sands of time are slipping away. We’re shipping out all our parts for powder next week, then we’re getting serious about building bikes for Sturgis and Bonneville. I spoke to John Reed about the V-Bike and received the final word about on more frame mod that needed to be addressed before I went to paint. I think I’m ready. It’s interesting to witness the V-Bike movement grow around the country. Cycle World Magazine built one. D&D is racing one at speed week. We stumbled into a guy who bought two of them. I’m looking to build a bike that’s big enough for me, has class, is rubbermounted and handles like a Buell. You can see every step in our Bonneville Department. So what’s coming up? This week’s going to be non-stop. I’m hoping for strippers tonight. We have the first Chinese 250 CC chopper designed by a Hamster, two Girls of Bikernet in the wings, one from Hawaii and one from Phoenix. All American Madness Show coverage with Scott Long is coming and more. Hang on. I know I’m forgetting something, goddamnit. Ride Forever, –Bandit
Entry forms available here:http://www.bccom-bc.com/gastown_2006/2006_registration_form.pdfProceeds support Canuck Place Children’s Hospice
For information please contact the B.C. Coalition of Motorcyclists at (604)580-0111 or 1-877-580-0111 or visit our website at www.bccom-bc.com
Secretary MRAA 
