Hey,
Yep, it’s California Bike Week beginning right fuckin’ now in Los Angeles, in fact I rang the bell to start your engines, I think, or did I dream that? It’s mostly happening in Pomona at the fairgrounds, but parties are popping up in Beverly Hills, Universal City Walk, on Wilshire at the Peterson Museum and at Glendale H-D.
I remember the old days, partners flying out from all over the country for Love Ride Parties. We split lanes across Hollywood freeways from one party to the next until out of towners were scared shitless and girls were passing out. What’s a few thousand bumpers at 100 mph?
Just returned from the Sucker Punch Sally New Model Launch in Arizona. This group has hit the nail on the head, and you’ll see all the new models in the next couple of weeks. Journalists were on hand from most of the country’s mags including American Iron, The Horse, Cycle Source, Dealer News, American Dealer News, Motorcyclists and Thunder Press. Oops, I missed Courtney and his English partner from Hot Bike and Street Choppers. We had a helluva time riding the various models, playing horseshoes in the dirt, Titty Bars and warm sunlit roads in the desert. Can’t beat a light agile rigid that respects the traditions of the first choppers.
More on the ride and Knockout Motorcycles at the end. The reports are in and confirmed. The industry is coming back. We’ve seen what folks call a cleansing of our niche industry in the grand scheme of American Society. The tide has now turned. Business is picking up. Events are even feeling the buzz. Let’s rock and ride. No one will ever stop us from building choppers or riding like maniacs across the desert. Let’s hit the news:
SUCKER PUNCH NEW DEALER AT MICHAELS MOTORCYCLE WORKS–We have recently signed on with SuckerPunch Sally’s and will be having an Open House January 12, 2008 when our first eight bikes are delivered. We are also having a Grand Opening April 5 with a ride April 6. We would love to have you here for one of these, especially since you were at my first Grand Opening in the ’70s!
We are also working on a logo for a rally here in Woodland Park, CO honoring the military in August 2008. Could you help with some artwork for the logo?
–Michael GATT
info@michaelsmotorcycleworks.com
BIGTWIN BIKESHOW, NETHERLANDS READY TO ROCK– Bigtwin Bikeshow, Netherlands gearing up for biggest yetNEXT weekend will see the 16th annual Bigtwin Show (formerly known as Motorsale) open its doors on Friday November 9th for three days packed with custom action for consumers in The Netherlands and beyond.
The event, held at the AutoTron facility at Rosmalen, near Eindhoven, has long been one of the most popular custom events in Europe, and is regularly supported by an exhibitor community that includes custom shops and bike builders from the domestic Dutch market and elsewhere in Northern Europe, along with most of Europe’s distribution majors.
Indeed, for several years now the event has hosted Zodiac International’s annual dealer show, with many of Zodiac’s American (such as S&S Cycle) and other international vendors taking part in support of their product lines.
This year also sees the event becoming an Official World Championship Affiliate for the first time, which means that in addition to generous cash and parts prizes donated by bike show sponsor Zodiac and selected of their vendors (Snap On and Harrison Billet Brakes among them), sponsoring Dutch custom bike magazine Bigtwin will send the Best In Show winner to compete against the world’s finest builders at the 5th annual Official World Championship at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally next summer.
Last entries for bikes are now being taken, and all enquiries can be directed to Margot Gerritsen …
mailto:bikeshow@bigtwin.nl
www.bigtwinbikeshow.nl
DEFENDING AMERICA ‘S HONOR–When in England at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of empire building by George Bush.He answered by saying, ‘Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return.It became very quiet in the room.Then there was a conference in France where a number of international engineers were taking part, including French and American. During a break one of the French engineers came back into the room saying ‘Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done? He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he intended to do, bomb them?’
A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: ‘Our carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a day, they can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water from sea water each day, and they carry half a dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck.. We have eleven such ships; how many does France have?’
Once again, dead silence.
–from Len Wurman
MD ELECTRONIC CONTROL BOX–THE MD cycle control box from Custom Chrome is claimed to be one of the smallest units on the market. It allows the use of push buttons for functions such as hi-low beam, turn signals left and right, horn and has an option for a starter button. The unit can be used with conventional or LED turn signals.
Due to its size it can be installed almost anywhere on the bike; dimensions are 50mm x 45mm x 21mm.
Continuing the small scale theme is the MD mini solid state relay for hi-low beam. The small solid state relay for use with push buttons to switch between hi and low beam can be installed inside the headlight and switches from low to high beam at the touch of a button. Dimensions are 30mm x 30mm x 15mm.
CUSTOM CHROME USA
Tel: 408 778 0500
E-mail:
CUSTOM CHROME EUROPE
Tel: +49 (0)671 888 880
E-mail:
LOVE RIDE RUN FROM LIFESTYLE CYCLES IN ORANGE COUNTRY, RIDE WITH THE BEST– NOVEMBER 11th, 20078:00 AM: MEET AT LIFESTYLE CYCLES
1534 N. State College Blvd.
Anaheim, CA 92806
KICKSTANDS UP: AT 10:01 AM!
It’s time for the 7th Annual LifeStyle Cycles’ Ride to the Love Ride! This year it’s going to be a FREE event! That means a huge free breakfast, free entertainment, music and of course, the ride out to Love Ride 24 in Pomona!
We’ll have raffle tickets for sale for an opportunity to win GREAT PRIZES, a 50/50 drawing and much more, so make your plans now to come out to LifeStyle Cycles on NOVEMBER 11 at 8:00 AM for breakfast and fun, and then it’s KICKSTANDS UP AT 10:01 AM as we get on the road to the Love Ride! Tell all your friends, and we’ll see you on the 11th of November!
–CALL LIFESTYLE CYCLES
(714) 490-0155
GET READY FOR THE BIGGEST MOTORCYCLE SHOWS OF THE SEASON–Check out the NEW 2008 models at the Cycle World International Motorcycle Shows presented by Toyota coming to the Long Beach Convention Center on December 7-9, 2007.
Check with Advanstar for the International show in your area.
S&S ANNOUNCES MATT SMITH WINS POMONA NHRA AND CHAMPIONSHIP– LA CROSSE, WI (November 8, 2007) S&S? Cycle announces Matt Smith on his Torco Racing Fuels Buell?, powered by an S&S 160ci Billet Pro Stock engine, has won the number one plate in NHRA POWERade Championship Pro Stock Motorcycle Drag Racing during the Pomona, California event.
In the season-ending race, the title was down to the wire. Of the four eligible riders to carry the number one plate home, Chip Ellis, Peggy Llewellyn and Matt Smith were riding S&S 160ci Pro Stock powered bikes, with Andrew Hines on his Harley rounding out the four.
“This season was a huge success for S&S, G2, and all the S&S-powered Buells,” said S&S President, Brett Smith. “A few years ago, the board felt we should immediately begin competing at the highest level in drag racing. In fairly short order, S&S power was able to bring home a championship!” Smith went on to say, “I cannot thank Matt Smith-the newest POWERade Pro Stock Motorcycle Champion, Chip Ellis, Peggy Llewellyn, Matt Guidera, Hector Arana, Chris Rivas, Junior Pippin, Tom Bradford, Michael Ray and the teams for their support of S&S and our race products. I would like to extend a special thanks to G2 for all the hard work they have put into not only their own Drag Specialties team with Chip Ellis, but all the teams fielding our engines. Without G2, none of this would have been possible. My hat is off to George and Jackie Bryce, Ken Johnson, Derek Churchwell, Ruth Olson and the entire G2 organization. But I have special thanks for my dad, George Smith whose vision, personal commitment and sacrifice made this such a success for S&S and all of our S&S-powered teams!”
The weekend was exciting with Ellis, Smith and Llewellyn winning races throughout the qualifying rounds. Hines tripped a red light in the second round of eliminations, sending Ellis and Smith to round three, each against US Army Suzuki riders. Both Ellis and Smith won, eliminating Hines from the championship and assuring an S&S powered rider taking the number one plate.
“Matt Smith has proven to be one heck of a racer,” said George Smith. “He’s cutting good lights and he’s figured out how to get away from the starting line better than anyone else, and that’s how drag races are won. He proved that again this weekend, even though we were making more power with Chip’s bike, as shown by our back half and trap speeds. My hat’s off to him. Congratulations to him and his team for a job well done.”
“Seven bikes in the Pomona field of 16 were S&S 160ci Pro Stock-powered Buells. And the good news is that in addition to our team and the new national champion, Hector ‘The Hammer’ Arana, Matt Guidera, Peggy Llewellyn and Chris Rivas all had great seasons on S&S-powered Buells,” noted George Smith. “The S&S-powered Buell program distributed exclusively by G2, is alive and well.”
When the lights went green, Smith ended up winning with a 6.944 at 191.08mph to the 6.957 at 192.17mph Ellis ran.
Congratulations to Matt Smith on taking the number one plate, Chip Ellis on coming in at number three in the season and Peggy Llewellyn for scoring enough points for fourth in NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Racing. Be sure to look up the 2008 schedule and plan to get as many events as possible on your calendar now.
SHK MOVES TO WESTMINSTER–A busy month for SHK:We are moving the garage to Westminster.The “B-72” needs repair after rolled over by a truck.The Svenmeister will be featured in the January issue of Savage magazine.
The “Gobber” will be featured in the next Back Street Heroes issue.No word from The Horse magazine yet…keep your eyes out!BritChopper magazine also will publish SHK bikes soon.We also started with the “SHK STICKERMANIA” pages on our website. Check it out! So long! BIKERNET CHRISTMAS GRAB BAG GIVE-AWAY–We’re going to the shipping store to buy 50 boxes. Then we’ll fill them with stocking stuffers from stickers, to books, T-shirts and posters. Each one will be packed with surprises for Bikernet Readers at Christmas. So go into our FREE contest area and give us any excuse to send you a package. BIG DOG MOTORCYCLES COMES TO LIFE ON-LINE WITH NEW WEB SITE–Serving as the true epicenter of the Big Dog Motorcycles brand and experience, the fresh,redesigned website features 360-degree walk around views of the motorcycles, videos, movingimages, a reorganized accessories section, and an on-line virtual clothing and collectibles catalog WICHITA, Kansas (November 1, 2007) – Big Dog Motorcycles?, the world’s largestmanufacturer of custom bikes, launched its newly redesigned website today featuring moreinteractivity, content, and user-friendly navigation that make the entire brand come to life on-line. With the majority of Big Dog Motorcycles owners using the internet for research prior to theirmotorcycle purchase, www.bigdogmotorcycles.com, which attracts as many as 70,000 visitorsper month, plays an increasingly integral role in the motorcycle buying process, said PaulHansen, Marketing Director, Big Dog Motorcycles. “The internet is the primary source of information for our buyers, much more than anybrochure, television or print ad, or any other traditional marketing medium, so we wanted tocapitalize on this new age of marketing,” Hansen said. “We wanted to provide a uniqueexperience that would connect customers to the lifestyle and product you get when you buy aBig Dog.” Visitors to the site are immediately invited to watch videos, take a tour throughout the entiremanufacturing process, read company news, and, of course, check out the 2008 model line-up. They will also discover other new additions to the website such as dramatic new visuallyengaging 360-degree views of every motorcycle, striking photography, as well as expandedfeatures and technical specifications. Visitors can also now download screen savers andwallpaper, read an e-newsletter, check out current job postings, dream with an on-line graphicscatalog, and browse through over 100 pieces of apparel and collectibles with just a single clickthanks to an all-new on-line clothing catalog. Throughout the site, users can easily find their dealer through an all-new zip code locator, animportant move since the website is a top lead generator for the company’s network of over100 dealers.
–Svenmeister
SVENMEISTER HARDCORE KUSTOMS
Svenmeister
PO Box 140358
Edgewater,CO 80214
United States
www.SVENMEISTERHARDCOREKUSTOMS.com
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