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OLD SCHOOL SPORTSTER MAKES IT TO BIKERNET–I hope my bike makes it on your web-site, Dad ( Tommy ) and I ( Charlie ) built it in the garage, it took about a year to build only on weekends, the frame was changed to accommodate a 200mm tire, 21″ wheel in the front with no brake, the rear brake lever is on the bars. The drive sprocket was the most challenging to make since we had to off set it one inch.
The seat I made because I can’t afford the work of Paul Cox. The clutch is on the shifter itself. We were after the old school look and I think we accomplished that.
Dad and I are proud of it since it is the first Harley we ever built. And there will be more to come.
BAKER SHIFTING TRICK OF THE WEEK–
With the bobber/old-skool craze in full effect, you’re probably seeing a lot of bikes with foot operated clutches and jockey shift transmissions. This hardcore style of riding is cool and having clean ape hangers with no hand levers is super clean looking. But make no mistake; it is harder to ride one of these pre-WWII setups than it may appear in the magazines.
The challenge are those final crucial moments as you roll up to the stoplight in front of the local Tavern with Suzie goo-goo pants checking you out curbside. In those final moments you have to find neutral and release the clutch so you can plant your left foot on the ground. Your right foot is busy with the rear brake duty bringing you to a stop. You don’t run a front brake because that’s not cool. What they don’t tell you is that finding neutral is a crapshoot with bad odds because most jockey shift linkages have a lever ratio many times that of its modern foot shift cousin. English translation: big lever ratios desensitize the feel of the detents in the transmission and make it almost impossible to feel the half-detent associated with finding neutral.
BAKER has a little trick to prevent you from looking like an old skool fool: the N1 shift drum. Originally developed for drag racers, the N1 shift pattern (Neutral-1-2-3-4-5-6) was designed to prevent false neutrals between 1st and 2nd by positioning neutral under 1st. This drag racer trick also eliminates all room for error in finding neutral on a jockey shift bike. As you roll up to the stoplight you tap all the way down with your left hand and you are guaranteed neutral because it is the last stop on the shift pattern. Little Suzie notices your skill in negotiating your minimally equipped bobber to a seamless stop and decides to hop on and leave her boyfriend with hair on the bottom of his feet at the Tavern with his buddies who have real billy bob teeth. We don’t offer any products to help you from this point on.
The professionals at Choppers Inc, Detroit Bros, and Indian Larry Legacy use this unspoken trick and they love it. These guys ride jockey shift bikes and live the life style; they should know. The N1 drum is a no-cost option when a complete tranny is purchased; and makes finding neutral black and white.
For additional information on this and more quality American made products, call 877-640-2004.
BIKERNET PHOTO ART EXHIBIT OF THE WEEK–She wouldn’t ride the next day because of a badass hangover, so I left her on the couch and ended up back at The Rooster, me and 200 others. We never saw each other again but brother, what a night!
Ride Hard,
Whiplash Biker Photog
soffordphotos@comcast.net
US POST OFFICE CONTACTS BIKERNET–I’m with the U.S. Postal Service’s press office that publicizes stamps.I obtained your contact info from the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and theSturgis Motorcycle Museum.
I canprovide photos of the cycles that posed for the bikes along with abackground on the cycle owners, their bikes and how the bikes wereselected. The stories behind their bikes are awesome. To see thestamps, visit the US Postal Service web site.
–from Mark Saunders
We took Mark up on his offer and will feature the bikes and the stamp art shortly.–Bandit
GEORGE CARLIN’S NEW RULES FOR 2006–
New Rule : Stop giving me that pop-up ad for classmates.com! There’s a reason you don’t talk to people for 25 years, because you don’t particularly like them! Besides, I already know what the captain of the football team is doing these days: mowing my lawn.
New Rule: Don’t eat anything that’s served to you out a window unless you’re a seagull. People are acting all shocked that a human finger was found in a bowl of Wendy’s chili. Hey, it cost less than a dollar. What did you expect it to contain? Trout?
New Rule: Stop saying that teenage boys who have sex with theirhot, blonde teachers are permanently damaged. I have a better description forthese kids: lucky bastards.
New Rule: If you need to shave and you still collect baseball cards, you’re a dope. If you’re a kid, the cards are keepsakes of your idols. If you’re a grown man , they’re pictures of men.
New Rule: Ladies, leave your eyebrows alone. Here’s how much men care about your eyebrows: do you have two of them? Okay, we’re done.http://www.bikernet.com/bikebarn/PageViewer.asp?PageID=877
BLACKJACK ON EUROPEAN WINNER–Same idea, but on a Guzzi box? Or did I imagine that……..
–Blackjack
MOTORCYCLE RIDERS FOUNDATION MEETS WITH EPA OFFICIALS–Recently, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) sent Kirk “Hardtail” Willard, Dave Dwyer and Jeff Hennie to meet with EPA officials at the National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Lab, located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This was the third time the MRF has sent the same team to Michigan to acquire the most recent information on what is currently going on and what will be happening concerning the EPA rule effecting motorcycle emissions.
The MRF met with Linc Wehrly from the EPA Office of Certification and Innovative Strategies and Rob French of the Assessments and Standards Division. During the meeting some important new information was revealed to the MRF on the status of the rule and what may occur in the future.
If the U.S. were to choose to adopt the World Motorcycle Test Cycle (WMTC) standards, the EPA would have to reintroduce the standards in a newly proposed rule which could provide an opportunity to revisit the prevailing exemptions to the current rule.
The Letter of Guidance proposed by the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) will not effect the exemptions detailed in the current rule. It is unclear to the EPA if they can ultimately accept the letter of guidance to carry out the rule the way it is written.
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) was assigned to review the effects of the strengthened emissions standards for motorcycles in California to determine if the lower standard did have significant impact on air quality. The review has not commenced and has not been scheduled at this point. However, the review could definitely have an impact on the direction EPA decides to pursue with its Tier 3 standards for motorcycles ( OR IF ANY REQUIREMENTS ON CUSTOM MOTORCYCLES ARE NECESSARY AT ALL).
“The MRF is the only national advocacy group, of any kind, that we (the EPA), meet with regularly to discuss the impact of the rulemaking process on their members.” Said Linc Wehrly, EPA.
The MRF will continue to be the nation’s leader when it comes to providing accurate, up to date information on the EPA situation as well as all other issues that impact motorcyclists on the federal level.
Latest on the EPA, and actually since this press release was written CARB has announced they are currently scheduling the CARB-EPA review process.
MMG-DUNED DESTROYERS TAKE FINAL ROUND IN DALLAS–MMG Management is proud to recognize and congratulate #1 Qualifier, Las Vegas Harley-Davidson sponsored, Tripp Nobles, and Jeff Stevens, dealer principal of Harley-Davidson of Bloomington, for their final round appearance at this weekend’s race in Dallas. Jeff’s lightning-quick R/T of .029, with an ET of 9.595 @ 135.59 MPH wasn’t quite enough to overcome Tripp’s 9.471 @ 140.11 MPH. This is a back-to-back victory for Tripp, who also won in Phoenix at the Arizona Bike Nationals two weeks prior.
Both pilots and their machines were participants in MMG’s V-Rod Destroyer Xtreme Events and had their bikes tuned by Matt Gross and MMG. Tripp is the racing instructor for MMG’s events.
In addition, MMG tuned bikes have carried numerous pilots through qualifying and eliminations. Every MMG V-Rod Destroyer Xtreme Event participant has qualified for the races they entered! One third of the qualifying field for Phoenix and Dallas were tuned by MMG! We can be sure that this trend will continue. Racer’s rides tuned/crew trained by MMG include: Tripp Nobles, Jeff Stevens, Mike Sizemore, Josh Fry, Derek Drown, Valerie Thompson, Tom Ocasio, Terry Tripp, Ray Cooper, and Billy Doherty. All pilots also received drag racing instruction from Tripp Nobles at our events.
MMG is in the planning of its next Destroyer event, which will precede the Atlanta race.
BIKERNET PRODUCT OF THE WEEK–HERE IS ONE OF MY CUSTOMER’S, Evan’s, INVENTION…AS SEEN ON MY BIKE. SHOT BY PETE. Check SICKSHOOTER.COM
–CHRIS Hill
CHRISHILLDESIGNS@aol.com
NEW MOTORBOOKS PUBLICATION–Muscle: America’s Legendary Performance Cars chronicles the coming together of three incendiary ingredients during the 1960s: developing V-8 technology, a culture obsessed with the need for speed, and 75 million baby boomers entering the auto market.
The resulting muscle cars, brutal machines unlike any the world had ever seen before or will ever see again, defined the sex-drugs-and-rock-and-roll generation.
BIKERNET DEAL OF THE WEEK– My Brother In N.C. Is Selling His 2000 fat boy, it is my old bike so you know everything is set up correctly on it, white brother suspension, Andrews cams, on off leather set, ever piece of bolt on chrome I could find, original paint and 8k miles the bike is in outstanding condition, I road it in the mountains outside of Charlotte 6 months ago.
Spread the word and if you have any questions about the bike just call me @(281) 288-9253 It is listed on ebay, here is the item # 4636642272
— Alexis
“Alexis Dean” Alexis@synistercycledesigns.com
HOW TO BUILD A FLOW BENCH– Go to http://www.tractorsport.com slide down to flowbench forum. It’s all there. Everything you need can be had from the website. Also many improvements and updates to the MSD flowbench.
My bench is still in the works. At times it seems like a life long project!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
–Paul
KNUCKLE BASKET PROJECT BIKE IN AUSTRALIA. THE WORLD’S SHORTEST REPORT–Started assembling the knuckle basket case I wrote you about last year. Here’s a pic.
— Bob Kotmel
OPPOSE A PAROLE–The drunk driver who killed Sherri Glover on June 22, 2003 received a Vehicular Homicide by DUI sentence of 15 years in January 2005. Now, his parole eligibility date is March 2006.
Sherri Glover was a Certified Motorcycle Rider Instructor licensed by the State of Tennessee and was a rider coach at Nashville Tech. The drunk driver had a blood alcohol content of .36% and two prior DUI convictions. (See more information at the end of this Newsletter.)
If you oppose the early parole of Jimmy Nall, the drunk driver who killed Sherri, please:help us by:
1. Submitting your personal opposition via petition or email
2. Circulating this email to friends and mentioning Sherri’s website to newsgroups and message boards.
WHO CAN OPPOSE PAROLE?Anyone, anywhere (any state or country) can oppose early parole. You do not have to be a personal friend. Please register your opposition via petition or email.
HOW DO I RESPOND TO OPPOSE PAROLE?* PETITION – The attachment to this email includes a printable petition, instructions, and brief information about the case and Sherri. This is the best way to respond as it provides a permanent record and gathers multiple signatures. Return only your name or gather signatures, then mail to the address at the bottom of the petition. A petition, instructions, and news are available in PDF format at:http://www.sherriglover.com/sherri_glover_petition_and_instruct.pdf
* VIA EMAIL PETITION – A simple email format and information about responding via email is on the website at http://www.sherriglover.com/parole_by_email.htm
* IMPACT STATEMENTS and LETTERS FROM OFFICIALS – Personal friends can write impact statements. Representatives of rider safety groups can write letters opposing early parole. Anyone can ask elected officials to write letters to the Board of Probation and Parole (BOPP) recognizing constituents? interests in this case. Information is on the website at http://www.sherriglover.com/parole_statements_letters.htm
WHEN DO YOU NEED TO RESPOND?Please respond as soon as possible. Mail printed petitions when you have finished collecting signatures or within two weeks of receipt of this email. The parole hearing is expected to be held in July or August 2006. However, when the hearing date is set we will have only a few days to submit opposition materials. Please respond now!
If you need more time to gather signatures at meetings, classes, events, etc., please advise me by email. I will place you on a short list of for immediate notification.
Thank you in advance for every signature returned.Please contact me for additional information. (Include your phone number if you want me to call.)
Stephen Glover, Sherri?s father
mailto:sgo622-parole@yahoo.com
(Temporary PO Box expires October 2006)
PO Box 5523
Clearwater FL 33758-5523Jay Swenson, Mpls.
BIKERNET TECH INQUIRY–Bandit, you’ve been great help in the past and I’m hoping you can help me again! I have an ’03 Bagger I just had some crane gear drive cams installed in, and the valve train noise is driving me crazy!!
The guy that did the install said that Crane cams are common for making that noise, and that maybe adjusting the pushrods will help. Also, he installed some lower fairings and said that the noise could be trapped in because of those.
I need to know what’s going on. Before these cams were in there was a pair of Andrews gear drive that made ok power, were quiet, but pinged under load in warmer weather. That was the goal of the Crane to get rid of that. What’s your opinion in this matter?
Your help is greatly appreciated. Please, email me back, or call me at 630-788-7880.
–Mike
SUPERMAX BELT DRIVES MOVES TO ARIZONA–We are moving to Arrid-zona.Our new address is:
SUPERMAX BELT DRIVES
1515 Wild Burro Drive,
Cottonwood Arizona, 86326
Temp phone is 928-301-6689
— Phil Ross
GARY LARSON PROMOTED TO VP LOGISTICS–S&S Cycle is pleased to announce that Gary Larson has been promoted to VP Logistics.
Gary Larson began his career with S&S as the Purchasing Manager. In relatively short order, he put together a top-notch purchasing department through his mentoring and purchasing philosophy. The department is now organized into separate commodity groups with a central focus on satisfying the needs of production, which ultimately, satisfies the needs of our customers.
Promoted to Director of Logistics in August 2004, his main focus included distribution, inventory control, as well as continuing to manage Purchasing. With a proven history of implementing efficiencies in many areas of the company, Larson received a unanimous vote from the Board of Directors for this promotion to VP.
“Gary Larson has been a valuable member of the S&S team for over two years and I have been extremely pleased with his efforts,” said S&S president, Brett Smith. “His contributions have enabled us to reduce raw material costs, increase inventory accuracy, and open our Distribution Center in La Crosse. Gary has definitely earned this promotion.”
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