Hey,
Life is nuts. Just when the economy hits bottom we decide to spend thousands on restructuring Bikernet. What the hell? I had a meeting with the SEMA VP of councils, and we’re planning a meeting at the Bikernet Headquarters in December. We are still investigating a motorcycle committee under the umbrella of SEMA, the automotive aftermarket organization. In a sense they are the NRA for the Hot Rod world.
We are a minute market compared to the automotive side, so I believe they can add to our legislative punch, to keep our industry free. They fight many similar automotive battles. We’ll see. I also think this open our little niche market to the guys on the 4-wheel side and could reach out of the box for additional customers for our struggling industry. What the hell, ya gotta give this lifestyle our best shot.
It’s up to the bros to decide, I’ll keep you posted. Each Thursday rolls around like a weekly dust devil threatening to become a serious hurricane. Every Thursday morning I grab a cup of coffee and storm to my desk in our Bikernet Tech Lab (or the shop). I pray for uninterrupted focus on the news. Each week throws a new and exciting jalapeno into the mix. The computers act up, the internet shuts down, we face an abrupt power-outage or Sin Wu demands sex. Stop the presses. Today was no different.
Anyway, we’ll cover some of the issues in the news, while I scramble through the news and eat my chicken, cactus, and avocado burrito, because Sin refused to cook breakfast. Something to do with hormones. Let’s hit it.
ROLLIN SIXES/BIKERNET ANNUAL XMAS T-SHIRT DRIVE FOR THE TROOPS NEWS– Hey guys just giving a short update on the T-shirts for Troops drive. The down economy is apparent in every daily chore these days and our T-shirt drive is no exception, but thanks to the great guys and gals that help by getting involved and working almost constantly on this project we are still looking at having about 1,000 shirts as of now to get wrapped and sent out.
Keep in mind that’s just shirts, that doesn’t include the stickers, keychains, goodies, and CDs rolling in. I am very pleased to say that the Ft Myers Beach Lions not only donated about 200 shirts after they invited me to one of their dinner functions as a guest speaker to talk about T-shirts for Troops, they even stepped up further and donated a generous donation to also cover the shipping of their shirts!
I would also like to say thanks to the guys who put on Viva Las Vegas for sending a few shirts and about 100 CD’s. These are by far not the only donation we have received, but possibly the largest so far! I would also like to take a moment to let everyone know we are posting 2 items on ebay for auction, all the proceeds from which will help cover the shipping and printing costs we incur in doing this effort.
As always we will be producing a Christmas card with names of all who donated to our annual cause that will be wrapped with every shirt. A little bit more about those Auction items they will be up as 10 day auctions the first of which is a handmade American Flag quilt made by a good friend of the family just for this cause the other is a Harley Davidson Cuckoo clock both are high quality pieces and whomever wins either item will be very pleased!
Both items will be posted tomorrow and I will have item numbers and pictures once they are posted good luck and happy bidding! Don’t forget there is still time to ship your shirts or other donations. Any items should be recieved by Nov. 30 to insure it included with this years mailing if it makes it a little late no problem we will put it aside for next year or send out a late package.
please send all donations to:
T-shirts for Troops
311 Aviation Parkway
Cape Coral, Fl 33914
All checks and money orders please make payable to: Rollin Sixes Choppers No Apologies Kindness
BIKERNET WORD OF THE WEEK–stentorian sten-TOR-ee-uhn, adjective:Extremely loud.
Around his family, Sergeant Charles Mingus Sr. was easily angered and often violent and closemouthed the rest of the time, except when he gave orders in a stentorian voice that carried the assumption of command.
— Gene Santoro, Myself When I Am Real
He broke the tradition of stentorian tenors, whose big voices and melodramatic high notes were needed to fill the concert halls and vaudeville houses.
— Richard Corliss, “The Book on Bing Crosby”, Time, May 17, 2001
Then a stentorian voice blared an all-points bulletin: “Calling the G-men! Calling all Americans to war on the underworld!”
— Strobe Talbott, “Resisting the Gangbusters Option”, Time, October 15, 1990
The bearded, often curmudgeonly Knoller can be found in the press filing center on most every presidential trip, his stentorian voice booming out 35-second takes for radio — as many as 20 a day — and shaping the day’s news for dozens of journalists who can’t help but hear him.
— Dana Milbank, “Bush by the Numbers, as Told by a Diligent Scorekeeper”, Washington Post, September 3, 2002
Stentorian comes from Stentor, a Greek herald in the Trojan War. According to Homer’s Iliad, his voice was as loud as that of fifty men combined.
JIMS Tools for next week, from K&G CYCLES–JIMS Universal Bearing PackerThis is an indispensable tool for around the shop. There is no way you can pack a bearing by hand as fast, or as well, as this little gem. Just put the bearing between the cones, hook up your grease gun, and start squeezing. Perfectly packed bearing every time.
JIMS Final Drive Locking Tool
Use this dude to lock final drive sprocket while you are wrenching on a mainshaft nut or whatever. It works a damn site better than a 2 x 4 and its indestructible. Use on all Shovel or EVO 1980-1999 Belt Driven. Use on Twin Cam? 1999-05 FXD, 1999-06 FL, and 2000-06 FXST. It even works on aftermarket 5 or 6-speeds.
BENEFITS FROM NEW K&G SITE REBUILD– The new K and G Cycles website is just too big to cover all in one big story. We covered the whole shooting match in one big story last week but now it’s time to get down to some of the details. In the next few weeks, we are going to get you all the details one cool feature at a time.
One of the coolest new things you’ll find on the new web site is the K and G Cycles Forum. This is for all of you — our customers — to sound off, join in, find an answer to a question, buy some used parts, or some some of your own. All of that, and more, is yours in the Forum.
Kyle has started a forum devoted specifically to Women and Motorcycling. Her first post is focused on getting started learning to ride. She already has several more threads planned based on her experiences. Come check it out and join in a chat with her.
George has started several of his own, too. His big passion, other than Kyle, of course, is Antique and Vintage Restoration. Come start a thread and get in the game. This is where all of the restoration questions get asked and answered.
Another current topic is the new website itself. K and G wants you to let them know what you think. Look it over and give them feedback on what is just right and what needs some work. If you have an idea for a new feature, let them know and they’ll likely launch it. It will also likely result in some cash to spend at K and G Cycles!
OK, enough about the forum for now. Go to www.kandgcycles.com and check out the new forum. Drop a line in the forum and someone will answer you. You never know who’ll you’ll meet.
Harley-Davidson at the IMS SHOWS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY–The Cycle World International Motorcycle Shows (IMS) kicks off its 29th season in Dallas. Harley-Davidson will have a presence at each show and will have product communication staff to assist media at both the Long Beach and New York City shows.
International Motorcycle Show Schedule
Location
Dates
Dallas, Texas
Nov. 13 ? 15, 2009
San Mateo, Calif.
Nov. 20 ? 22, 2009
Long Beach, Calif.
Dec. 4 ? 6, 2009
Seattle, Wash.
Dec. 11 ? 13, 2009
Novi, Mich.
Jan. 1 ? 3, 2010
Greenville, S.C.
Jan. 8 ? 10, 2010
Washington, D.C.
Jan. 15 ? 17, 2010
New York, N.Y.
Jan. 22 ? 24, 2010
Cleveland, Ohio
Jan. 29 ? 31, 2010
Minneapolis, Minn.
Feb. 5 ? 7, 2010
Chicago, Ill.
Feb. 19 ? 21, 2010
The Cycle World International Motorcycle Shows Web site features a wealth of information including news, product information, interactive video clips and in depth coverage of the shows across the country. For more information on any of the IMS shows, visit www.motorcycleshows.com.
RE: Honor Among Soldiers -By Joseph L. Galloway– I am surprised, honored, and humbled that you choose this picture to augment your piece.
I sincerely appreciate your thoughtfulness. For me it is a validation of what am I doing to promote what “WE” stand for. This class of motorcycle (Harley, Indian, etc.) is America. The [Veteran] Soldier is what represents the strength and ideals of America. And on Veterans Day, your photo represents patriotic America.
The bike is ’41, 741 Indian Army motorcycle, the uniform is WWII Warrant Officer, and the individual is myself, a Senior Warrant Officer (CW-4), U.S. Army, Transportation Corps, Senior Chief Engineer, of 37 years.
Gratefully appreciative,
CW4r James E. Bundgaard
WE TURN ANOTHER PAGE IN THE UNCLE MONKEY DOCTRINE–Live hard and die young. For many of us it is a philosophy that we fully embraced. Life was meant to be lived and we lived it to its fullest. No temptation left undone, no road unridden. Forty and heaven forbid fifty were far off distant things. That was ancient, it was left for those that sat on the sidelines and didn?t get in the game.
We trudged through life until one day we wake up to a worn and haggard face in the mirror. Our forties and now our fifties are behind us in the rear view mirror. We are left muttering that if we had know we would have lived this long we would have taken better care of our bodies. Our bodies are beaten and broken from a hard life that we have lived to the fullest.
As I laid another friend to rest, I look back on my life and all that I have accomplished. A beautiful wife, two wonderful kids, and a sassy granddaughter who keeps this ?papa? on his toes. I have been on top of the world and I?ve been at the bottom wondering which way to turn. What were once gatherings for parties became weekends for weddings have now become gatherings for funerals.
It is said life is what happens when you are busy making other plans. I write this still waiting for my forties to come knocking at the door. For most of us decades, have clicked off faster then the years. We have seen technology come and go and change the way we live our lives. While it would be simple for us to take a knee and head to the locker room to live for another day, it is today that will define the rest of lives. We may have to watch what we eat and put our bravado to the side for a moment but that does not mean we have to stop embracing life, stop tasting the variety that life has to offer.
Life is to be celebrated, cherished and enjoyed. We don?t know what life has in store for us and for our friends, so take the time to stop in and say hello to a friend, to lay rest to family squabble and let bygones be bygones, to travel those distant roads. In the end live happy and die fulfilled.
-bad Uncle Monkey
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A NEW SHOP and a NEW BASE MODEL all in one week!– NEW BASE MODEL FOR 2010 – THE VALIANT EVOLUTION Comes Standard with:S&S 113″ – S&S Super G Carb – Baker 6 Speed Transmission – Tauer Machine Primary – Kraft Tech Frame – Dragon Springer by American Suspension – Ride Wright Wheels – White Wall Tires – Custom Exhaust – Custom Seat. Starting at a modest $29,995.00(watch for more pictures to be loaded shortly)
Designed by Custom Eyes Concepts and built by South Side Kustoms
South Side Kustoms
596 Michigan Ave.
Buffalo, NY 14203
1-716-823-6279
1-800-675-3191
www.south-side-kustoms.com
Jason McCudden~OWNER
info@south-side-kustoms.com
Jeff is the Grand Prize winner of the 2009 Wheels Through Time Museum Raffle!– This past Saturday, November 14, 2009, thousands gathered at the Wheels Through Time Museum in Maggie Valley, NC for the museum’s seventh annual motorcycle raffle Held during the annual Haywood County Toy Run, put on by the local Blue Ridge Thunder Motorcycle Club, this year’s drawing drew one of the largest crowds since the museum’s opening in 2002.
With sunny skies and countless eager toy runners and raffle entrants, the atmosphere was perfect for giving away the beautiful 1947 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead to one lucky winner.
Just before 3:00 p.m., museum curator and founder, Dale Walksler, stepped to the podium to let everyone know the moment had arrived. A random visitor from the crowd was chosen to draw the winning ticket, and as she approached the drum full of tickets, the crowd fell silent.
The winner was Jeff Kunz from St. Louis, MO. Jeff had visited Western North Carolina in August with a friend. Staying in Maggie Valley, Jeff and his friend decided to rent a few motorcycles from Gryphon Bikes, the local motorcycle rental shop to take in a bit of the mountains. Upon leaving the rental shop, owner Ken Brown, a long time museum friend and supporter, told them about the Wheels Through Time Museum.
The two decided to make an afternoon out of it……a choice that Jeff wouldn’t regret.After a great visit at the museum, Jeff decided to take a chance on the museum’s raffle. After buying one ticket, they went on their way….and the rest is history.
The 2009 Grand Prize was a genuine 1947 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead beautifully restored in the Wheels Through Time Restoration Shop. Held since November of 2002, the WTT Raffle has featured such machines as a 1936 Harley-Davidson VLH, a 1951 H-D custom Panhead, a 1940 Harley Knucklehead and more. Winners have emerged from Massachusetts, Tennessee, South Carolina, Alabama, and this year, St. Louis, MO.
As for next year’s raffle, the museum has already completed another 1947 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead to be given away next November. “Although the same year as the 2009 machine, we feel this is one of our best raffle bikes yet,” said museum curator Dale Walksler. The bike has many great period and original features, including leather saddlebags, special Hanson Sportshield roll-up windshield, plenty of chrome, and an awesome “period” red and black scalloped paint scheme.
To order tickets, visit the museum’s website at www.WheelsThroughTime.com.
KING OF THE RAT BIKES, PROOF SHOVELS WILL NEVER DIE– It is now 2009 and I have been riding the same Shovelhead rat bike for over 34 years. You presented a Shovelhead class trophy to me in Vacaville, Calif at an ER bike show back in ’92 or ’93.
I have logged over 600,000 miles and still counting with the same bike (18 or so different Shovel rebuilds, a couple of trannys and etc…..). I have ridden to Washington DC the last 4 years in a row, joining the National Veterans Awareness Ride, to honor Veterans (the northern version of the RTW).
I still live in Roseburg Oregon and have been putting my last few years of riding adventures on my web site at www.ratbikemilo.com . Milwaukee Wisconsin saw me and the rat bike for the 100th, and the 105th as well. I hope you have time to look at the web site and smile at some of my adventures.
–Rat Bike Milo Anderson
Hector Arana On Buell Wins First Pro Stock Motorcycle NHRA Championship–When Pro Stock rider Hector Arana won his first NHRA national event after 19 years in Norwalk, Ohio, the Puerto Rican native thought it couldn’t get any better. Well, it did: In Pomona, California, last Sunday, 51-year old Hector clinched his first Full Throttle Championship on his Lucas Oil Buell.
Hector gives credit for a great portion of his success to Pro Stock racer Larry Morgan’s engine shop in Newark, Ohio. Morgan is his teammate under the Lucas Oil umbrella and he had offered to look over and modify the power plants. Morgan was able to make some modifications that paid immediate dividends.
“Larry Morgan, he is one of the blessings I have,” Hector says. “He wanted to see the cylinder head and see what he could do for me. He looked over it, he worked on it, and he said, ‘You’re going to be in good shape; you’re going to do it.’ He is a big part of this. When he gave me more performance, my confidence was higher, and that was one less thing to worry about. To have the horsepower to run those awesome numbers was great. Those bonus points I collected by qualifying No. 1 added up for me to be here and win this championship. Larry did his job, he did it all.”
With these modifications, Hector’s results improved dramatically at every national event that followed. Wins in Brainerd, MN, and Indianapolis lifted him to third, qualifying first at four of the final five races and racking up two more victories in three final-round showings. Krawiec and Hines were the closest runner-ups, with Krawiec ending up second with two points difference, and Hines on third.- – C.S. Berg
WIRE PLUS Announces Pre-Christmas Special On-Line Pricing– Winfield, KS- Wire Plus Power Sports Electronics announced today that they are offering all of their dealers and consumers an additional 10% off their earned discount on all their products now through January 31, 2010. Now through 1/31/10, you can order any product on-line and if you mention the promo code ?NEWWEB?, you?ll receive a 10% discount and free shipping on all Wire Plus products? Dealers and consumers ordering Smooth or Diamond Cut Power Ports will earn another 10% off for a total of 20% off normal pricing on these above-mentioned styles of Power Ports
?This is a great promotion for our dealers to make some extra money during the slow time of the year?, stated Rick Marler, President of Wire Plus. Dealers can make a much better profit margin during this winter special, as well as make additional dollars simply by installing them on customer?s bikes. Installation only takes a few minutes, but dealers can charge customers up to an hour for labor. All that?s necessary is to connect two wires to the battery and attach the unit directly on the horn bolt or to any other location with one bolt mounting.
The ?Smooth? single Power Port is available in a luxurious chrome finish as well as a black powder coated finish. Their ?Diamond Cut? single Power Port is only available in a chrome finish. Now you can power your cell phone, heated vest, air compressor, cigarette lighter, GPS device or any electrical device up to 15 amps, anytime you ride. Get rid of dangling wires and connect a battery charger through the port when you?re not riding. You can actually maintain and charge your battery through this port.
All Power Ports can be installed in minutes by connecting two wires to your battery and attaching the unit directly on the horn bolt or to any other location with one bolt mounting. These small compact Power Ports are constructed from billet aluminum and are manufactured right here in the USA. With Power Ports from Wire Plus, you will always have immediate power right at your fingertips every time you ride ?Anywhere! MSRP: $99.95.
Call Don Bromlow, National Sales Director for more information regarding this special winter discount promotion. For those interested in buying a Power Port direct from Wire Plus, please call (620) 221-2417 (Major credit cards accepted) Check them out online at www.wire-plus.com or email them at sales@wire-plus.com.
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