It’s Thursday, and the news is packed. Laborers are tearing up our gates and replacing them with wrought Iron jobs that are electrically operated. Get this, we’re going to line the backs of them with tin so we’re private. Then at midnight when I’m flying down Harry Bridges drunk, and the cops are on my ass I can press the remote in my vest and fly through the gate to safety. Press it again and the gate closes. Yeah right. Let’s get to the news.
VICTORY MOTORCYCLES RETURNS AS MAJOR SPONSOR OF KYLE PETTY RIDE–MEDINA, MN (May 3, 2004): Victory Motorcycles is a major sponsor of the 2004 Kyle Petty Charity Ride and Victory is once again the official motorcycle of the annual ride that raises money for children’s hospitals and the Victory Junction Gang Camp for kids.This year’s Kyle Petty Charity Ride is being run May 1 through May 8 from Palm Desert, California, to the Victory Junction Gang Camp in Randleman, North Carolina.
Victory will once again set the pace for the ride as both Kyle Petty and his father, legendary NASCAR champion Richard Petty, are among the riders on Victory motorcycles.The 2004 edition is the 10th annual fundraising ride led by NASCAR racer Kyle Petty. It started in 1994 as a recreational ride from North Carolina to a NASCAR race weekend in Arizona. The ride was so much fun and attracted enough riders that Kyle envisioned turning it into a fundraising ride.
More than $4 million has been raised in the past decade. The money has been given to children’s hospitals and clinics across the country and has financed construction of the Victory Junction Gang Camp. The camp project was launched by Kyle and his wife Pattie in honor of their late son Adam, a NASCAR racer who died at age 19 in a 2000 practice crash.
The ride traditionally starts in California, where NASCAR races prior to one of its rare weekends off. For several years the ride ended at Kyle and Pattie’s farm in North Carolina. In 2003 the ride ended at Daytona Beach, Florida, and this year it will end at the Victory Junction Camp.In the ride’s first nine years, it has logged over 24,000 miles and has involved more than 3,000 riders. This year?s ride will cover approximately 3,188 miles and will include overnight stops in Las Vegas, Flagstaff, AZ, Roswell, NM, Oklahoma City, Branson, MO, Tupelo, MS, Atlanta and Randleman, NC, home of the Victory Junction Gang Camp.
For More Charity Ride InformationFor more information about the Kyle Petty Charity Ride, or to make a donation, visit www.kylepettycharityride.com, call 888-45-PETTY or e-mail: info@kylepettycharityride.com.
HUNTED LIMITED EDITION PAINT JOB–I’m looking for a 2003 hard to find Harley paint set that none of the dealers have at this time. On their computers they show two stores that have the set but I’ve already called. The set was a numbered radical set with part number 95710-03BFY. It was black with blue flames. If you have any luck locating one from an individual, I would buy.
“Nicholas Sears” NEW CANTINA MEMBER’S STORY– I signed up for the Cantina a couple of months back and just wanted to let you I enjoy it a lot. I find it interesting that you were in the Navy about the same time I was(’66-’69, I was in for a kiddie cruise). I was homeported in Key West, Fla. stationed on a destroyer escort – great duty. I was a third class gunners mate and never figured out why they never sent me to ‘nam – I even put in for it. Anyway, after I got out, I went back to Tucson and got my first scooter – a ’56 pan – wishbone rigid, 12-inch over wide glide, 21 front wheel (no front brake), jockey shift and suicide clutch. It was the first bike I ever rode. Hell, I thought they all came like that. I rode that evil bastard for many years until the lower end seized up and left me stranded for the last time. After that I rode Sportsters, a ’75 xlch and a ’67 xlch(stretched rigid) – both fast bikes. My latest is an ’81 Shovel(low rider) which has both kick and electric start – a first for me. I’m in the process of a ground up rebuild. I’ll send pictures of it when I’m finished, if you’re interested. It’s old school – basic black and a little chrome with nothing extra. I’m a fanatic about unnecessary weight. I don’t even pack. You sure triggerd a lot of memories for me with your own experiences. Back in the early ’70s there were three outlaw clubs in Tucson, the Soul Sinners, the Sons of Odin and the Ironhorsemen. They had an alliance and had Tucson divided up for their own territories. Then the Dirty Dozen came to town and Arizona was a one club state. I live in New Mexico now where the Bandidos rule. I never rode as a 1% but always got along and had their respect. Stand up and be a man of your word always worked for me. Keep up the good work. Ride free, ride fast, –Bill Wish I still had the Pan. BIG DOG SHIPS 500 BIKES IN APRIL–This marks the first time the manufacturer has reached the one-month, 500-unit milestone, shattering all previous records of units shipped. Big Dog Motorcycles(, the leading designer and manufacturer of high performance, highly-styled heavyweight cruisers, shipped 503 new motorcycles in April as its growing network of dealers geared up for their summer selling season. This is the first time the 10-year old, $100 million manufacturer has sold and shipped over 500 bikes in a single month and represents a 43% increase over April 2003 when 351 left the company?s warehouse. In the first four months of 2004, Big Dog Motorcycles’ dealers have taken delivery of 1,600 bikes, keeping the company on track to hit its forecast of 5,000 units for the year. Since the company?s inception in 1994, it has enjoyed year after year of record sales and shipments. This year will be no different, as the manufacturer will close 2004 with sales that beat its own records and growth outpacing the motorcycle industry as a whole. BIKERNET STAFFER MUST BE FIRED– An executive was pondering over a hard decision. He had to get rid of oneof his staff. He had narrowed it down to one of two people, Debra or Jack.It would be a hard decision to make, as they were both equally qualified andboth did excellent work. He finally decided that in the morning whicheverone used the water cooler first would have to go. Debra came in the next morning, hugely hung over after partying all night.She went to the cooler to get some water to take an aspirin and theexecutive approached her and said, “Debra, I’ve never done this before, butI have to lay you or Jack off.” Debra replied, “Could you jack off – I feel like shit.” –from Ken Miller BIKERNET SPONSORS BOAT CRUISE– AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Partygoers apparently hoping to catch a glimpse of nude sunbathers crowded on one side of a floating barge, prompting the ship to capsize and dump all 60 people into Lake Travis. Two people were hospitalized with minor injuries Sunday after the rented double-decker barge sank near Hippie Hollow, a lakeside park and the only public nude beach in Texas. The accident occurred during Splash Day, a semiannual event hosted at the clothing-optional area by the Austin Tavern Guild, a gay and lesbian bar association. Witnesses said that all of the people aboard the barge moved to one side as it neared Hippie Hollow, creating uneven distribution and making it tilt. It sank in 50-foot-deep water. –from Rogue BIKERNET APPROVES TRADEMARK OF “FCUK”–The French Connection United Kingdom Company has applied for government approval of a registered trademark using their acronym, “FCUK.” If the French Connection gets approval for the trademark, the “FCUK” will begin appearing on T-shirts, tote bags, sodas, mugs and many, many other products worn and displayed in the public, all with the approval of the U.S. government! Plus it will be used in advertising in all media: TV, newspapers, magazines, etc. –from Rogue JOIN THE RIDE OF YOUR DREAMS–Spirit of America Ride–The Journey Begins August 28,2004. Coast to Coast. Fourteen States. Twenty-One Cities. Fifteen Days. The United States of America in Full Living Color from Your Handlebars! Hear the rumble of the engines…Pull up your kickstand…Twist the throttle…Here comes “The Spirit of America”! The Spirit of America Ride for kids worldwide was created by the goodwill of a group of motorcyclists who together formed an alliance to raise money and to make a difference in a child’s life. At the heart of this group are workers from the recovery of Ground Zero in New York City. The spirit of compassion so apparent everywhere after 9-11 has not died. It lives on through the giving of these Ground Zero veterans and all who participate in the Spirit of America Ride for Kids Worldwide. Honoring the past and rebuilding for the future. The ride travels over 3600 miles coast to coast. Each day the mileage varies according to the terrain. Most days the riders will be on the road for 5 hours or more, some days only a few. Average mileage is 260 miles per day. The riders can ride along with the Road Crew, or take in the day at their leisure, meeting us that evening. Spirit of America Ride Route and dates: Coast-to-Coast & Halfway Point Rider Fees Include:Hotel accommodations for 16 nights across the country at each stop; various meals; T-Shirt and ride pin; special event privileges and more! Further Information and Registration: Spirit of America Ride for Kids Worldwide THE LAUGHLIN BUILD-OFF– On April 20th ten of the world’s greatest bike builders thundered into Laughlin, Nevada. For 72 hours in a secret desert shop they worked non stop to create BBO X, a one-off 124 cubic inch, rigid, right side drive, black and chrome, spear-like chopper. Then they presented it to Hugh King, producer of Discovery’s Great Biker Build Off. The geniuses who came together to make this awesome steed were Arlen Ness, Cory Ness, Russell Mitchell, Eddie Trotta, Mitch Bergeron, Kendall Johnson, Matt Hotch, Joe Martin, Chica and Hank Young. Chica hand fabricated the gas tank. Hank Young made the oil tank. Kendall Johnson was responsible for assembling and tweaking the 124 cc. S&S motor and the Baker 6 speed transmission, Mitch Bergeron was responsible for the frame and the billet down tube (in which was cut in the Roman Numeral X and the Discovery planet), Matt Hotch fabricated the fenders, Joe Martin built the pipes and did the pin striping, Russell Mitchell and Eddie Trotta built the front end and Arlen Ness and Cory Ness were responsible for the paint and the overall supervision of the project. A special guest appearance was made by legendary seat maker, Danny Gray who fabricated a black leather seat with a zebra stripped manta ray inset. On Saturday night, April 24th, before thousands at the Laughlin River Run, BBO X was unveiled and formally presented to Hugh King. Each of the ten builders had competed in Bike Build Off before. Their ten bikes were on display at the Discovery both where the people voted on which motorcycle they thought was best in show. Matt Hotch’s low slung, blue beach cruiser took the prize. All these productions, BBOs V-X, will air on Discovery Channel during Bike Week which begins Monday, June 14 and continues through Father’s Day June 20th. THE BIKERNET COWBOY– An old cowboy sat down at the bar and ordered a drink. As he sat sippinghis drink, a young woman sat down next to him. She turned to the cowboyand asked, “Are you a real cowboy?” He replied, “Well, I’ve spent my whole life, breaking colts, workingcows, going to rodeos, fixing fences, pulling calves, bailing hay,doctoring calves, cleaning my barn, fixing flats, working on tractors,and feeding my dogs, so I guess I am a cowboy.” She said, “I’m a lesbian. I spend my whole day thinking about women. Assoon as I get up in the morning, I think about women. When I shower, Ithink about women. When I watch TV, I think about women. I even think>about women when I eat. It seems that everything makes me think ofwomen.” The two sat sipping in silence. A little while later, a man sat down on the other side of the old cowboyand asked, “Are you a real cowboy?” He replied, “I always thought I was, but I just found out I’m alesbian.” –from Pablo SIDECARS FITTER FOR SPEED– ROGER SYMINGTON is an apostle of speed who preaches agospel of going faster on three wheels than most people canon four – especially around corners. Mr. Symington’s vehicle of choice: a high-performancemotorcycle sidecar (in his case, a Dutch-made EML),propelled by his hopped-up 172-horsepower Honda CBR1100XXBlackbird. “I especially want younger people to getinterested in how extremely near the edge sidecars canperform,” said Mr. Symington, a 61-year-old retired vancustomizer from Hemmingford, Quebec. “I ask them what kindof ride they want. Just a ride, or a real ride.” Motorcycle sidecars aren’t often thought of as thrillmachines. More often they are seen as the middle-agedbiker’s accessory, added on for a nonbiking spouse, theluggage or even a pet. Indeed, Hal Kendall, a Houston-basedsidecar authority and a co-founder of the United SidecarAssociation, estimates there are as many as 100,000traditional sidecars on American roads, but fewer than 200high-performance rigs. “On two or four wheels, if you see a30 or 40 m.p.h. speed limit sign on curves, you alwaysthink you can beat it by 10 or 20 m.p.h.,” he said. “On aconventional sidecar, don’t try, unless you know racingtechniques.” High-performance rigs, in contrast, “dig in,” corner flat,and grab the road. They mate to the motorcycle with moresophisticated suspensions. And the rig’s tires and wheelsare switched to a wider automotive type to better grip theroad. With specially modified hub steering, the motorcyclewheel also turns the sidecar wheel (a conventional sidecaris just pulled along). The motorcycle is often ahigh-performance sport bike putting out close to 200horsepower. The result: “It’s like flying an aerobatic airplane withoutthe wings,” said Hal Walters, 53, a human resources managerat the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, who fliesplanes in his spare time. Mr. Symington recently blastedhim around the hairpin curves and bends of Route 276 andthe Blue Ridge Parkway in the Smoky Mountains. “I’d guesswe were pulling one and a half G’s or more in turns,” Mr.Walters said. “And I’m used to acceleration, but nothinglike this.” The high-performance models generally come from Europe,where they were developed for rally racing, and cost$16,000 or more – which does not include getting the kitmounted on the motorcycle, a job that entails swappingwheels and suspension parts on the cycle for new ones, thenhooking up the electrical, steering and braking systems.That can run as much as $3,500. For Doug Miller, it was worth it. In 1993, Mr. Miller, aformer motorcycle racing champion who had suffered a spineinjury (unrelated to the sport) that meant he could not usehis legs to balance on a bike or work foot controls, wastaken for a ride in one of Mr. Symington’s sidecar rigs anddeclared, “I’ve got to get one. If you hear of a series ofbank robberies by a guy in a wheelchair, it’s me.” Now hehas a high-tech French RDS Neptune sidecar with an ’03Suzuki GSXR 1300 Hayabusa motorcycle, originally capable ofmore than 180 miles per hour. With the sidecar forstability and using special hand controls, Mr. Miller isrenowned now as a top rider in the sidecar world. By GEORGE P. BLUMBERG –from Tbear Continued On Page 2
August 28 -Napa, CA to Virginia City, NV
August 29-Virginia City to Wendover, NV
August 30-Wendover, NV to Logan, UT
August 31-Logan, UT to Jackson, WY
September 1-Yellowstone National Park, WY
September 2-Dubois, WY to Denver, CO
September 3-Denver, CO to Kearney, NE
September 4-Kearney, NE to Omaha, NE
September 5-Omaha, NE to Burlington, Iowa
September 6-Burlington, Iowa to Bloomington, IL to Danville, IL
September 7-Danville, IL to OHIO
September 8-OHIO to New Castle, PA
September 9-Shanksville, PA
September 9-Shanksville, PA to Gettysburg, PA
September 10-Gettysburg, PA to York HD Factory Tour to Langhorne, PA
September 11-Langhorne, PA to Staten Island, NY
September 11-Staten Island, NY to New York City, NY
1114 Avenue of the Americas
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800. 293.0370
http://www.spiritofamericaride.com
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