Itwould have been Doug Bingham’s 45thGriffith Park Sidecar Rally this coming October, 2016 but his “flyingchair” will be empty this next go-around. After nearly halfcentury’s full-time dedication to the promotion of the sidecarexperience, on this past January 27, 2016, Doug passed away at age76.

SayingDoug lived, breathed, ate, slept, dreamed sidecars would be noexaggeration. He expressed that passion by constantly promotingpublic consciousness about the sport, fought for its rights andsafety improvements, and of course designing and building sidecars ashe helped put untold numbers of people on three-wheels. In 1964 heestablished Side Strider, Inc., the shop located in Van Nuys whereover the decades he melded all makes, models and years of streetbikes into sidecar combinations, the “rigs” fitted for thestreet, off-roading and the tracks, literally different strokes forall kinds of folks.

Andwhen you’re talking unique machines, that goes hand and glove withthe unique individuals piloting them, men, women, veteran andyoung…from 70cc tiddlers to ferocious multi-cylinder superbikepowerplants, Doug had them on his radar and those in the sidecarnetwork knew that “Mr. Sidecar” was the go-to guy. One of hismain endeavors as a national sidecar ambassador, including serving asthe Director of the Sidecar Industry Council, was helping the newgeneration transition to the experience of “sidehacking.”

Dougalso put his skills to the test, and himself literally on the line asa top level track competitor that earned him the 1968 and 1969Sidecar Road Racing Championships. While he enjoyed bikes of allflavors, in this case he was piloting a Harley-Davidson poweredsidecar “rig” of his own design with Ed Wade as racingpassenger/co-pilot.

Listingonly a few of his accolades, the 50-year AMA and Charter Life memberwas voted the winner of the 1998 AMA MVP Award for advancing thecause of motorcycling, followed in 2003 by induction into the AMAMotorcycle Hall of Fame.

Doug’sno longer with us, but his legacy will certainly live on, not only inthe pages of motorcycling history, but in the hearts and minds of themany, like myself, who enjoyed his company, his talents and hisefforts to share that which he loved. Naturally we can just see Dougblasting around whatever three-wheeling event he’s moved onto andno doubt leading the way as always.We’llmiss you, Doug.

Inkeeping with that legacy, this rider/writer, having known Doug forsome 30 years, would like to add an interview he gave me some tenyears ago when I asked him to give bike fans an overview ofsidecar-ing…in Doug’s case…side-careing.Here it is:
SoDoug, how does one get into riding a sidecar for the first time?


Thatraises the question, what size bike do I need to haul a sidecar?

“Backin England when sidecars were popular after WWII, a big bike was a500cc. Even the BMWs of the time, 500cc bikes, were purpose made forsidecars. So today you hitch a sidecar up to a 400 or 500cc bike andit will be fine. Even the new scooters will take a sidecar. The onlyrule about shopping around for a used bike for your sidecar is tomake sure it has an exposed frame rather than a bike covered up withbody parts. You need to be able to attach the sidecar to the frame.You’ll also need to stiffen up the rear suspension and we recommenda steering damper. And you need to know how to use a phone…so youcan call if you need help.
Doyou need to have special training and a license for riding a sidecarrig?

“Ridinga sidecar requires understanding new techniques in addition to ridinga solo motorcycle. If you go to www.sidecar-industry.comunder the “Tech” menu there’s a description how to line up asidecar and how to drive one. There are also some books available.Meeting up with experienced sidecarists is another way to go, forinstance at one of the various sidecar events across the country. Andremember a sidecar will never fall over and you don’t even have toput your feet down when you stop.”
Cana first-timer attach his own sidecar or should he go to an expert?

DoI need to change the tires on my solo back when I attach a sidecar?


Whatkind of price tags are we looking at for an entry level sidecar?

“Themore economical entry level sidecars run between $3-4,000 include theVelorex, the Cozy, and the Texas. Another way to go is the completepackage like the Ural. Enfield also has a package of bike andsidecar. Another sidecar and bike package is offered byHarley-Davidson, but that’s a pricier package.”
What’sthe legal rules and regulations regarding sidecars? Are they bikes orcars?

InCalifornia, you’re not required to have a motorcycle license tooperate a sidecar. You might remember when Gov. Schwarzenegger hadthe accident with his sidecar where the driver backed out in front ofhim, and they made a big stink that he didn’t have a motorcyclelicense. Well, the truth was, he did have a license, a car licenseand that’s all he needed as a CA DMW says with a trike or sidecaryou can operate with a standard driver’s license. As far as I knowthat only state that requires a specific sidecar license isWashington State.
Nowhow do I convince my better half that it’s a good idea for us toget a sidecar?

Basicallyyou talk about sidecar safety.InEngland a while back they used to cut your insurance in half if yourode a sidecar because of the increased safety. You just can’t falldown. And when you go through an intersection in a sidecar, you’resuch of a spectacle that they can’t help but see you which meansthey’re not going to run into you. And you can carry more, peopleand stuff, and it’s just a great family adventure.



  

The definition of insanity is keep doing what you are doing and expect a change. How much power do we give to the past on a daily basis, how often have we said to ourselves when will I learn. Each day we face enough new challenges, so we don’t need to drag the ones from yesterday along.

Lori Deschene founder of the Tiny Buddha wrote, “We replay past mistakes over and over again in our head, allowing feelings of shame and regret to shape our actions in the present. We cling to frustration and worry about the future, as if the act of fixation somehow gives us power. We hold stress in our minds and bodies, potentially creating serious health issues, and accept that state of tension as the norm.”

40 Ways to Let Go and Feel Less Pain

By Lori Deschene

Let Go Of Frustration with Yourself/Your Life

1. Learn a new skill instead of dwelling on the skills you never mastered.

2. Change your perception—see the root cause as a blessing in disguise.

3. Cry it out. According to Dr. William Frey II, PH.D., biochemist at the Ramsey Medical Center in Minneapolis, crying away your negative feelings releases harmful chemicals that build up in your body due to stress.

4. Channel your discontent into an immediate positive action—make some calls about new job opportunities, or walk to the community center to volunteer.

5. Use meditation or yoga to bring you into the present moment (instead of dwelling on the past or worrying).

6. Make a list of your accomplishments—even the small ones— and add to it daily. You’ll have to let go of a little discontentment to make space for this self-satisfaction.

7. Visualize a box in your head labeled “Expectations.” Whenever you start dwelling on how things should be or should have been, mentally shelve the thoughts in this box.

8. Engage in a physical activity. Exercise decreases stress hormones and increases endorphins, chemicals that improve your state of mind.

9. Focus all your energy on something you can actually control instead of dwelling on things you can’t.

Let go of Anger and Bitterness

11. Feel it fully. If you stifle your feelings, they may leak out and affect everyone around you—not just the person who inspired your anger. Before you can let go of any emotion, you have to feel it fully.

12. Give yourself a rant window. Let yourself vent for a day before confronting the person who troubled you. This may diffuse the hostility and give you time to plan a rational confrontation.

13. Remind yourself that anger hurts you more than the person who upset you, and visualize it melting away as an act of kindness to yourself.

14. If possible, express your anger to the person who offended you. Communicating how you feel may help you move on. Keep in mind that you can’t control how the offender responds; you can only control how clearly and kindly you express yourself.

15. Take responsibility. Many times when you’re angry, you focus on what someone else did that was wrong, which essentially gives away your power. When you focus on what you could have done better, you often feel empowered and less bitter.

16. Put yourself in the offender’s shoes. We all make mistakes, and odds are you could have easily slipped up just like your husband, father, or friend did. Compassion dissolves anger.

17. Metaphorically throw it away. For example, jog with a backpack full of tennis balls. After you’ve built up a bit of rush, toss the balls one by one, labeling each as a part of your anger. (You’ll need to retrieve these—litter angers the earth!)

18. Use a stress ball, and express your anger physically and vocally when you use it. Make a scrunched up face or grunt. You may feel silly, but this allows you to actually express what you’re feeling inside.

19. Wear a rubber band on your wrist and gently flick it when you start obsessing on angry thoughts. This trains your mind to associate that type of persistent negativity with something unpleasant.

Let Go Of Past Relationships

21. Identify what the experience taught you to help develop a sense of closure.

22. Write everything you want to express in a letter. Even if you choose not to send it, clarifying your feelings will help you come to terms with reality as it is now.

23. Remember both the good and the bad. Even if appears this way now, the past was not perfect. Acknowledging this may minimize your sense of loss. As Laura Oliver says, “It’s easier to let go of a human than a hero.”

24. Un-romanticize the way you view love. Of course you’ll feel devastated if you believe you lost your soul mate. If you think you can find a love that amazing or better again, it will be easier to move on.

25. Visualize an empowered single you—the person you were before meeting your last love. That person was pretty awesome, and now you have the chance to be him or her again.

26. Create a space that reflects your present reality. Take down his pictures; delete her emails from your saved folder.

27. Reward yourself for small acts of acceptance. Get a facial after you delete his number from your phone, or head out with friends after putting all her things in a box.

28. Hang this statement somewhere you can see it. “Loving myself means letting go.”

29. Replace your emotional thoughts with facts. When you think, “I’ll never feel loved again!” don’t resist that feeling. Instead, move on to another thought, like “I learned a new song for karaoke tonight.”

Let Go Of Stress

31. Use a deep breathing technique, like ujjayi, to soothe yourself and seep into the present moment.

32. Immerse yourself in a group activity. Enjoying the people in your life may help put your problems in perspective.

33. Consider this quotation by Eckhart Tolle: “Worry pretends to be necessary but serves no useful purpose.” Questioning how your stress serves you may help you let it go.

34. Metaphorically release it. Write down all your stresses and toss the paper into your fireplace.

35. Replace your thoughts. Notice when you begin thinking about something that stresses you so you can shift your thought process to something more pleasant, like your passion for your hobby.

36. Take a sauna break. Studies reveal that people who go to sauna at least twice a week for ten to thirty minutes are less stressed after work than others with similar jobs who don’t.

37. Imagine your life ten years from now. Then look twenty years into the future, and then thirty. Realize that many of the things you’re worrying about don’t really matter in the grand scheme of things.

38. Organize your desk. According to Georgia Witkin, assistant director of psychiatry at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, completing a small task increases your sense of control and decreases your stress level.

39. Use it up. Make two lists: one with the root causes of your stress and one with actions to address them. As you complete these tasks, visualize yourself utilizing and depleting your “stress supply.”

It’s a long list, but there’s much left to be learned! Can you think of anything to add to this list—other areas of life where we need to practice letting go, and other techniques to start doing it right now? It’s possible, it’s proven, and it helps with health issues from strokes and heart attacks, to Alzheimer’s and dementia.

–Yale

Basedon a new 2015 Indian Scout and customized to emulate thepurpose-built nature of historic hill climb motorcycles, the BlackHills Beast is the work of Doug Siddens and Nick Jaquez ofIndianMotorcycles.net.

Photography by Todd Williams

Transformingthe look of the Scout started relatively easily with the addition ofseveral new Indian Motorcycle accessories including the 1920 SoloSaddle Seat (MSRP $379.99) and a set of the accessory laced wheels($499.99 each). Custom details that set the bike apart include anelongated custom swingarm, custom handlebar, custom radiator shroudand front number plate with an LED headlight. The 100+ horsepower ofmuscle in the Scout powerplant chewed up the earth via a custom tirechain designed for maximum grip when charging up a hill.

“Buildinga hill climber seemed easy enough, but it posed some uniquechallenges,” Says Doug Siddens of IndianMotorcycles.net.”Enthusiasts know what a hill climber looks like – so some ofthe mods were logical – but scaling them to fit the new Scout was thekey and took a lot of work and planning. We are very proud of theresult and the reception that the bike got at such an importantSturgis milestone, the 75th anniversary. “

“Weput the bike into our custom photo booth for the Sturgis MotorcycleRally,” Says Indian Motorcycle Marketing Director Scott Meek.”Loads of attendees climbed up and took photos on the bike. Itwas cool to see such a positive reaction and enable so many riders toexperience a key piece of Indian Motorcycle’s performanceheritage.”

“Wesettled in on a design quickly,” adds Nick Jaquez ofIndianMotorcycles.net “But none of it would have worked withoutthe assistance of our suppliers and partners in this build. Wecranked on it for a month and tossed out a few bits along the way – Ido feel like we delivered one hell of a machine – and it was a blastgetting it dirty too!”

Additionalsupport for the Indian Scout Black Hills Beast came from Aeromach(Floorboards and heel shifter), Dobeck Performance (Engine tuning),Fox Shocks (Suspension), RPW USA (Exhaust), Starr Studios (Paint),Ricochet Customs (Powder coating), BTR Moto (Swingarm and tirechain), Zippers performance (Chain Drive Conversion) and TraxxionDynamics (Front Suspension).

 

IndianMotorcycle will continue to play with this gritty work of art throughupcoming celebrations of custom Scout motorcycles, including theInternational Motorcycle Shows tour as part of the Scout CustomSeries launched last year with the Wall of Death Scout, and nowincluding the USO Scout and the Black Bullet Scout inspired by landspeed racing.

 

 

TheScout Custom Series can be viewed here:http://www.indianmotorcycle.com/en-us/custom-scout,http://www.indianmotorcycle.com/en-us/land-speed, 

Fora new video featuring the Black Hills Beast, log on towww.IndianMotorcycle.com.

Astory on the build by IndianMotorcycle.net can be viewed here:http://www.indianmotorcycles.net/threads/black-hills-beast-storms-the-75th-annual-sturgis-rally.8824/

 

 

Sooooo Elisa Seeger, owner of Indian Larry Motorcycles in Brooklyn New York, has invited me to their September 19th annual block party in honor of Larry. I can’t go. However since I’m a fan of Larry and have been writing a serialized sci-fi book called ‘BORDERLAND BIKER in memory of Indian Larry and Doo Wop music’ for Bikernet Magazine, I decide to honor him by making two changes on my Victory Vegas 8-Ball. Hey, what can I say; from following the teachings of Jesus to buying Gene Autry lunch boxes folks have for thousands of years found ways to be more like the people they respect.

Would Larry have chosen to chopper-ize a Vegas 8-Ball…hard to tell? My guess is that in an alternate universe were Larry given a 2013 Victory Vegas 8-Ball and asked to make just two modifications he might’ve added some mild, not wild, ape hangers and a different exhaust system. Larry was an artist that sculpted his own bars and exhaust systems; but if he had to choose those two items off a store shelf I suspect a Bassani Pro Street exhaust and some KST Kustom’s 16” Mayhem ape hangers would’ve been high on his list of possible choices.

I can change tires and oil and adjust cables, belts and chains but when it comes to doing ‘stuff’ I’m not qualified to do I’m a lot like Groucho Marx when he said, “I’d never join a club that would have me as a member.”…so I turned to Joe Leon.

Joe’s one of the master mechanics at Hollister Powersports and has experience customizing bikes. Together with parts manager Kevin Vance and with the encouragement of general manager Rey Sotelo we, rather they, complete the project.

Larry’s primary theme was always to build choppers that could be ridden aggressively through the twisties. He accomplished that goal and in turn inspired others…so much so I was recently told by one of the Polaris engineers that more than a few of the designers of select Victory models were/are fans of Indian Larry’s philosophy.

RIP Larry
Elisa, thank you for the invite, maybe next year

Todd Silicato is just that kind of guy. He worked for PM for years, but had the balls to strike out on his own and kick off Todd’s Cycles, which became a success. He designed his own product line, built wild customs and modified stock bikes. He’s sort of a quiet guy with his easy-going wife, Lisa, at his back. But he’s a biker with a constantly creative mind, always clicking, tinking, and contemplating his next move.

This wild café-styled Shovelhead is indicative of his creative nature. You won’t find another bike like this on the planet and Todd handmade all the sheet metal and custom components. I’ll let the chart tell you the bike’s particulars. We have a surprise for you.

Todd’s kids are grown and on their own and Todd and his wife started looking around. They visited Kauai several times and fell in love with the small Hawaiian Island, actually the oldest one of the main chain. Its 80,000 total population is just 100 miles or a half-hour flight from Lihue, the second largest town, to Honolulu on Oahu.

Highway 56, the Kuhio runs just 28 miles from Rice Street in Lihue to the junction of Hawaii Route 560 in Princeville. Route 560 cuts through dense rain forest covering most of the island for ten miles. The rest of the highways don’t cover more than 5 miles. However, Todd has lost considerable weight through numerous physical activities, such as surfing, swimming, hiking, bicycle riding, plus eating fish daily.

An amazing transformation, Todd having the nuts to slip away from 24 million strong California in Orange County to a small island village. He lives a mile from the beach and his shop is a mile from his small island hideout surrounded by rain forest.

He still designs parts for Drag Specialties and hand lever brake reservoirs for Brembo brakes, but his focus has shifted to helping locals fab and repair vehicles on the island, since equipment deteriorates at a rapid space in the briny sea air.

He’s just about to pop-open Todd’s Shop, not Todd’s Cycle, but a 1,500 square foot fab, welding and machine shop. “I gotta stay flexible,” Todd said. But the slower pace keeps him calm and at ease. “I wish the customers complained more.” He has a vintage truck project rusting in the shop and collecting too much money. He also has a VW bug project going nowhere fast. He’s involved in two personal bike projects, but they’re not flying together. Hell, he can ride his bicycle to Kapa, the largest town. There are only five other smaller towns on the island. It’s not as if he needs to finish his next bike to ride to Daytona…

Todd is currently building a Panhead with a 93-inch S&S engine and we discussed the merits of hot rod 93-inch S&S engines. “The 93 runs cooler than the big inch motors,” Todd said, “and I need it cool here, but the tallest speed limit on the island is only 50 mph. Makes it tough to build a really fast bike.” The project will sport one-off PM wheels, a Sportster front end, and the rest will be handled in Todd’s island shop.

He recently helped a local build a one-off direct drive skateboard. He has more friends on the island than he had in LA with 12 million mad drivers stuck in bumper-to-bumper congestion. And daily he jumps at the opportunity to slice at world-class surfing spots on the east shore, south shore and the north shore. “When the surf hits 20 feet over massive coral reefs,” Todd said. “I stay on the beach. I’m not a kid anymore.”

Rainfall smacks the dramatic cliffs and pinnacles of the Na Pali Coast at least once a week. “And sometimes for the entire week,” Todd said. Maybe that’s one reason island life is slower. It’s only took us over two years to complete this feature. “There’s less aggravation and more friends on the small island,” said Todd, “and customers who don’t push for progress.”

The new adventure for the Silicato family is surrounded by constant lush greenery including Ferns, and endless supply of vibrantly colored hibiscus flowers, deep purple bougainvillea vines, sensational birds of paradise, sweet smelling plumeria, gardenias, and Latana. Palms, candlenut trees, Banyan, most beautiful Royal Poinciana trees, and ferns fill the landscape. So, what’s not to love about and change of direction? Not a goddamn thing.

Nothing like a new adventure in life. I wish them all the best.

–Bandit

Regular Stuff

Owner: DENNIS SANCHES

Bike Name: MONSTER

Builder: TODD’S CYCLE (TC)

City/state: Now KAPAA, HI

Company Info:
Address: KAUAI
Phone: 808-634-3069

Web site: TODDSCYCLE.COM
E-mail: TODD@TODDSCYCLE.COM

Fabrication: TC

Manufacturing: TC

Welding: TC

Machining: TC

Engine

Year: 1980

Make: H-D

Model: FXWG

Displacement: 98-inch

Builder or Rebuilder: FAST ED / TC

Cases: H-D

Case finish: RAW

Barrels: S&S

Pistons: S&S

Barrel finish: BLACK

Lower end: S&S

Heads: H-D

Valves and springs: ANDREWS

Pushrods: S&S CUSTOMS

Cams: ANDREW’S

Lifters: JIM’S

Carburetion: S&S/ZIPPERS

Air cleaner: TODD’S CYCLE

Exhaust: TODD’S CYCLE

Transmission

Make: BAKER 6-SPEED

Primary: EVIL ENGINEERING

Clutch: EVIL ENGINEERING

Final drive: CHAIN

Frame

Year: 1980

Builder: H-D

Style or Model: FXWG

Modifications: MODIFIED SWING ARM STIFFER AND COOLER

Front End

Make: 49MM H-D

Model: DYNA

Length: STD.

Mods: WORKS PERFORMANCE CARTRIDGE AND CUSTOM MADE RESERVOIR SHOCKS. OHLINS STEERING DAMPNER.

Sheet metal

Tanks: TODD’S CYCLE

Fenders: TC

Oil tank: TODD’S CYCLE

Paint

Sheet metal: COLORZONE DESIGNS

Frame: POWDER COAT, SPECIALIZED COATINGS

Wheels

Front

Make: PERFORMANCE MACHINE

Size: 19X3

Brake calipers: PM

Brake rotor(s): PM

Tire: METZLER

Rear

Make: PM

Size: 18X4.250

Brake calipers: PM

Brake rotor: PM

Pulley: PM

Tire: METZLER

Controls

Foot controls: PM/TC

Finish: BLACK ANO

Master cylinder: PM

Brake lines: GOODRIDGE

Handlebar controls: MAGURA RADIAL/TC RESERVOIR’S

Finish: BLCK ANO

Brake Lines: GOODRIDGE

Kickstand: MATT HOTCH

Electrical

Ignition: DYNA

Ignition switch: TODD’S CYCLE

Coils: DYNA

Starter: DRAG SPECIALTIES

Wiring: TC

Headlight: TC

Taillight: TC

Electrical accessories: KOSO SPEEDOMETER

Battery: ANTIGRAVITY

What’s Left

Seat: AZTECA

Mirror(s): TC

Handlebars: TC SPEED BAR DOWN

Grips: TC

Pegs: TC

Oil filter: XRP REMOTE

Oil lines: XRP

Throttle: PM

Throttle cables: BARNETT

Fasteners: DIAMOND ENGINEERING

Credits: PERFORMANCE MACHINE
WORKS PERFORMANCE
MONSTER ENERGY

Performance Machine

S&S

JIMS

NCOM BIKER NEWSBYTES
Compiled & Edited by Bill Bish,
National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM)

MOTORCYCLE INDUSTRY PURSUES INTELLIGENT BIKES
The motorcycle industry recently took a major step toward the “connected bike” when three major OEMs announced the launch of a Connected Motorcycle Consortium (CMC), with Yamaha, BMW and Honda entering into a joint agreement to accelerate the development of intelligent bikes, whose technology development and inclusion in the greater mobility picture have lagged behind the connected-car movement.

Industry officials made the joint announcement at the 2015 ITS World Congress in Bordeaux, France, and the newly formed organization follows the 2014 signing of a far reaching Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by all members of the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) stating that connected motorcycles will be available for sale within the next five years incorporating smart safety devices that speak with each other across brands and products. The CMC will focus on sharing information and technology to get Cooperative-Intelligent Transportation Systems (C-ITS) applications onto powered two-wheelers by 2020, and the three manufacturers are encouraging other motorcycle OEMs to join the consortium in an effort to standardize C-ITS protocols across the motorcycle industry.

“In order to speed up more motorcycle-specific safety developments, we intend to cooperate to promote a successful implementation of C-ITS in motorcycles and scooters,” said Honda’s Tetsuo Suzuki. “The next logical step is to enter into a cooperation dedicated solely to the challenges relating to powered two-wheelers,” added Takaaki Kimura, of Yamaha.

“Our aim is to promote a timely and comprehensive use of cooperative ITS systems in powered-two wheelers offering the potential to improve safety. We therefore encourage other companies to join us,” said Prof. Dr. Karl Viktor Schaller, of BMW Motorrad.

DOJ CREATES NEW COUNCIL TO COMBAT “ANTI-GOVERNMENT VIEWS”
“Americans motivated by anti-government views and racist ideologies” will be the focus of a new Department of Justice position to coordinate investigations into violent homegrown extremism.

Assistant Attorney General John Carlin, head of the department’s national security division, told a George Washington University audience on October 14, 2015 that while the international terror threat occupies the public attention, federal officials remain just as concerned about the prospect of violence from Americans motivated by anti-government views and racist ideologies.

“We need to make sure we have the mechanisms in place so that we can continue to remain just as focused on the domestic terrorism threat while addressing the international terrorism threat,” Carlin said in a question-and-answer session following a speech at the university.

The new “Domestic Terrorism Council” will work with U.S. attorneys nationwide “to identify trends that can be used to help shape a national strategy.”

SURVEY CONFIRMS THAT BIKER PROFILING IS A NATIONAL EPIDEMIC
The National Motorcycle Profiling Survey that began October 1st is already beginning to show some strong early trends confirming that motorcyclist profiling is a prevalent and widespread problem, and is expected to yield some very interesting and telling statistics which can assist motorcyclists in recapturing our rights base across the country.

The questionnaire posted on Survey Monkey is intended to provide a clearer picture of motorcycle profiling from a national perspective through a thorough and comprehensive series of specific and detailed questions.

One very interesting statistic shows that 84.5% of the nearly 1,400 surveyed so far feel that being a biker has a negative impact on their civil rights, and report that riding a motorcycle places them under a higher level of scrutiny from both law enforcement and business owners. Importantly, this is not just a club issue, as 41.5% of those surveyed were independent riders and wear no identifying logo or emblem. Still, some independents from groups like the Legion Riders, ABATE, and VFW have reported being discriminated and profiled due to their patches and other attire.

“The initial results are very informative and are starting to paint the picture we have been seeing in our community for a long time,” said David “Double D” Devereaux of the Motorcycle Profiling Project (www.motorcycleprofilingproject.com), “but this time our legislative representatives, who aren’t familiar with the motorcycle community will be able to see it too.”

The National Motorcycle Profiling Survey, created by the North Florida Confederation of Clubs and sponsored by the MPP, will provide invaluable insight into the issue of motorcycle profiling in America as we move towards an effort to pass a national motorcycle anti-profiling law.

ETHANOL-FREE FUEL
Looking for ethanol-free gas? The website Pure Gas (www.pure-gas.org) is a definitive listing of gas stations that sell pure, ethanol-free gasoline, and currently lists 10,159 locations in the U.S. and Canada.

“Many cars, motorcycles, boats, aircraft and tools have engines that run worse, or have parts that deteriorate, when run on gasoline that contains ethanol. In addition, ethanol leaves residue on valves and other parts that can hinder performance,” claims the site.

The website doesn’t get into the political side of ethanol in gasoline, and this site does not sell advertising or seek sponsors.

You just click on your state or province to find out in your city those where you can fill up with pure gas without ethanol, and your search provides a list of 100 ethanol-free gas stations sorted nearest to furthest. The site also allows visitors to add new stations or remove existing ones.

NEW YORK R-O-W LAW
There’s been a nationwide push for stiffer penalties for drivers who commit moving violations that result in severe injuries or fatalities, and now a new law proposed in New York would call for felony charge for fatal moving violations.

Currently in New York, if a driver commits a moving violation that kills a motorcyclist, the driver would only be given a traffic ticket. However, ABATE of N.Y. is pushing for harsher penalties.

When fellow motorcyclist and retired New York State Trooper Kenny Watson heard the story of an ABATE member nicknamed Creto who was hit and killed by a negligent driver who was issued a ticket for the misdeed, he sat down with lawyers to draft legislation that would create harsher penalties for drivers who take a life after committing a moving violation.

“Running a stop sign, running a red light, moving from lanes unsafely,” he told News10 in Albany, NY. “They know what they’re doing, so they should be held accountable for it.”

The proposed Right-of-Way Violation legislation is called Creto/Kade’s Law and it would charge drivers with a Class D felony if they commit a moving violation that kills a motorcyclist, bicyclist or pedestrian. The charge carries the weight of up to seven years in prison, and would give families a bit of justice for the loss of a loved one.

“With a Class D felony, it’s going to haunt the person the rest of their life,” said Albany ABATE chapter president Andy “Animal” Liuzzi. “Let that haunt them for the 40 years they deprived someone of living.”

Motorcyclists are hoping drivers will think twice about committing a moving violation and running the risk of taking an innocent life if the law passes.

CALIFORNIA FREEWAY SIGNS TO ISSUE HIT-AND-RUN ALERTS
California’s freeway message signs will soon warn drivers about more than just snarled traffic and severe droughts. Thanks to a bill signed Monday, September 28 by Governor Jerry Brown, they will next warn motorists to watch for suspected hit-and-run vehicles through a “Yellow Alert” system.

U.S. DUTY ON JAPANESE MOTORCYCLES TO BE LIFTED UNDER TRADE AGREEMENT
The United States will remove a tariff levied on Japanese motorcycles with engine displacements of over 700cc under the recently agreed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact, according to Japan Times, and the 2.4% duty will be eliminated five years after the multilateral trade deal takes effect.

The United States, Japan and 10 other Pacific countries reached a broad agreement in early October to establish a free trade bloc covering 40 percent of the global economy.

For Japan, the new trade initiative will eliminate 99.9% of tariffs on industrial products within the TPP zone. Japan has exported about 120,000 motorcycles with engines of 251cc or higher annually to the U.S. market in recent years. Honda Motor Co., the world’s largest motorcycle maker by volume, and Yamaha Motor Co., compete with local rivals such as Harley-Davidson Motor Co., which mainly focuses on motorcycles with engine displacements of over 600cc.

The U.S. government imposes no tariff on imported motorbikes with engines of 700 cc or lower.
Japanese motorcycle makers are trying to beef up sales in the United States and Asian markets to offset flagging demand in Japan, where sales dropped to about 410,000 units in 2014 from a peak of 3.28 million in 1982.

FRENCH TRAFFIC RADAR TO DETECT UNINSUREDS
Authorities in France are now investigating a new way to make more money off of road users, as they want automated speed and red light radars to cross-check a new insurance database.

Checking this new database will allow law enforcement to see if your motorcycle, or car, has been properly insured. If not, they can fine you for riding without valid insurance, up to €3750 ($4,246 US) and the forfeiture of your vehicle and driver’s license.

French authorities are now asking all of the insurance companies to look at feeding a common database that will contain all the vehicle insurance data allowing the police to find out your insurance situation automatically.

WEIRD NEWS: YAMAHA TO SHOWCASE BIKE-RIDING ROBOT
As an extreme example of ITS Smart Technology, among Yamaha’s concepts set to appear at the Tokyo Motor Show is a motorcycle-riding robot, presumably to save motorcyclists from the drudgery of performing the task themselves.

Self-driving cars are understandable, but self-riding bikes are harder to get a handle on. Yamaha says it will display “an autonomous motorcycle-riding humanoid robot that combines motorcycle and robotics technologies.” There’s no further official information, but the Japanese motorcycle-maker has also recently trademarked the name “MotoBot”.

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QUOTABLE QUOTE: “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.”
Albert Einstein (1879-1955) Nobel Prize-winning German-born physicist

NCOM BIKER NEWSBYTES
Compiled & Edited by Bill Bish,
National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM)

MOTORCYCLE INDUSTRY PURSUES INTELLIGENT BIKES
The motorcycle industry recently took a major step toward the “connected bike” when three major OEMs announced the launch of a Connected Motorcycle Consortium (CMC), with Yamaha, BMW and Honda entering into a joint agreement to accelerate the development of intelligent bikes, whose technology development and inclusion in the greater mobility picture have lagged behind the connected-car movement.

Industry officials made the joint announcement at the 2015 ITS World Congress in Bordeaux, France, and the newly formed organization follows the 2014 signing of a far reaching Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by all members of the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) stating that connected motorcycles will be available for sale within the next five years incorporating smart safety devices that speak with each other across brands and products. The CMC will focus on sharing information and technology to get Cooperative-Intelligent Transportation Systems (C-ITS) applications onto powered two-wheelers by 2020, and the three manufacturers are encouraging other motorcycle OEMs to join the consortium in an effort to standardize C-ITS protocols across the motorcycle industry.

“In order to speed up more motorcycle-specific safety developments, we intend to cooperate to promote a successful implementation of C-ITS in motorcycles and scooters,” said Honda’s Tetsuo Suzuki. “The next logical step is to enter into a cooperation dedicated solely to the challenges relating to powered two-wheelers,” added Takaaki Kimura, of Yamaha.

“Our aim is to promote a timely and comprehensive use of cooperative ITS systems in powered-two wheelers offering the potential to improve safety. We therefore encourage other companies to join us,” said Prof. Dr. Karl Viktor Schaller, of BMW Motorrad.

DOJ CREATES NEW COUNCIL TO COMBAT “ANTI-GOVERNMENT VIEWS”
“Americans motivated by anti-government views and racist ideologies” will be the focus of a new Department of Justice position to coordinate investigations into violent homegrown extremism.

Assistant Attorney General John Carlin, head of the department’s national security division, told a George Washington University audience on October 14, 2015 that while the international terror threat occupies the public attention, federal officials remain just as concerned about the prospect of violence from Americans motivated by anti-government views and racist ideologies.

“We need to make sure we have the mechanisms in place so that we can continue to remain just as focused on the domestic terrorism threat while addressing the international terrorism threat,” Carlin said in a question-and-answer session following a speech at the university.

The new “Domestic Terrorism Council” will work with U.S. attorneys nationwide “to identify trends that can be used to help shape a national strategy.”

SURVEY CONFIRMS THAT BIKER PROFILING IS A NATIONAL EPIDEMIC
The National Motorcycle Profiling Survey that began October 1st is already beginning to show some strong early trends confirming that motorcyclist profiling is a prevalent and widespread problem, and is expected to yield some very interesting and telling statistics which can assist motorcyclists in recapturing our rights base across the country.

The questionnaire posted on Survey Monkey is intended to provide a clearer picture of motorcycle profiling from a national perspective through a thorough and comprehensive series of specific and detailed questions.

One very interesting statistic shows that 84.5% of the nearly 1,400 surveyed so far feel that being a biker has a negative impact on their civil rights, and report that riding a motorcycle places them under a higher level of scrutiny from both law enforcement and business owners. Importantly, this is not just a club issue, as 41.5% of those surveyed were independent riders and wear no identifying logo or emblem. Still, some independents from groups like the Legion Riders, ABATE, and VFW have reported being discriminated and profiled due to their patches and other attire.

“The initial results are very informative and are starting to paint the picture we have been seeing in our community for a long time,” said David “Double D” Devereaux of the Motorcycle Profiling Project (www.motorcycleprofilingproject.com), “but this time our legislative representatives, who aren’t familiar with the motorcycle community will be able to see it too.”

The National Motorcycle Profiling Survey, created by the North Florida Confederation of Clubs and sponsored by the MPP, will provide invaluable insight into the issue of motorcycle profiling in America as we move towards an effort to pass a national motorcycle anti-profiling law.

ETHANOL-FREE FUEL
Looking for ethanol-free gas? The website Pure Gas (www.pure-gas.org) is a definitive listing of gas stations that sell pure, ethanol-free gasoline, and currently lists 10,159 locations in the U.S. and Canada.

“Many cars, motorcycles, boats, aircraft and tools have engines that run worse, or have parts that deteriorate, when run on gasoline that contains ethanol. In addition, ethanol leaves residue on valves and other parts that can hinder performance,” claims the site.

The website doesn’t get into the political side of ethanol in gasoline, and this site does not sell advertising or seek sponsors.

You just click on your state or province to find out in your city those where you can fill up with pure gas without ethanol, and your search provides a list of 100 ethanol-free gas stations sorted nearest to furthest. The site also allows visitors to add new stations or remove existing ones.

NEW YORK R-O-W LAW
There’s been a nationwide push for stiffer penalties for drivers who commit moving violations that result in severe injuries or fatalities, and now a new law proposed in New York would call for felony charge for fatal moving violations.

Currently in New York, if a driver commits a moving violation that kills a motorcyclist, the driver would only be given a traffic ticket. However, ABATE of N.Y. is pushing for harsher penalties.

When fellow motorcyclist and retired New York State Trooper Kenny Watson heard the story of an ABATE member nicknamed Creto who was hit and killed by a negligent driver who was issued a ticket for the misdeed, he sat down with lawyers to draft legislation that would create harsher penalties for drivers who take a life after committing a moving violation.

“Running a stop sign, running a red light, moving from lanes unsafely,” he told News10 in Albany, NY. “They know what they’re doing, so they should be held accountable for it.”

The proposed Right-of-Way Violation legislation is called Creto/Kade’s Law and it would charge drivers with a Class D felony if they commit a moving violation that kills a motorcyclist, bicyclist or pedestrian. The charge carries the weight of up to seven years in prison, and would give families a bit of justice for the loss of a loved one.

“With a Class D felony, it’s going to haunt the person the rest of their life,” said Albany ABATE chapter president Andy “Animal” Liuzzi. “Let that haunt them for the 40 years they deprived someone of living.”

Motorcyclists are hoping drivers will think twice about committing a moving violation and running the risk of taking an innocent life if the law passes.

CALIFORNIA FREEWAY SIGNS TO ISSUE HIT-AND-RUN ALERTS
California’s freeway message signs will soon warn drivers about more than just snarled traffic and severe droughts. Thanks to a bill signed Monday, September 28 by Governor Jerry Brown, they will next warn motorists to watch for suspected hit-and-run vehicles through a “Yellow Alert” system.

U.S. DUTY ON JAPANESE MOTORCYCLES TO BE LIFTED UNDER TRADE AGREEMENT
The United States will remove a tariff levied on Japanese motorcycles with engine displacements of over 700cc under the recently agreed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact, according to Japan Times, and the 2.4% duty will be eliminated five years after the multilateral trade deal takes effect.

The United States, Japan and 10 other Pacific countries reached a broad agreement in early October to establish a free trade bloc covering 40 percent of the global economy.

For Japan, the new trade initiative will eliminate 99.9% of tariffs on industrial products within the TPP zone. Japan has exported about 120,000 motorcycles with engines of 251cc or higher annually to the U.S. market in recent years. Honda Motor Co., the world’s largest motorcycle maker by volume, and Yamaha Motor Co., compete with local rivals such as Harley-Davidson Motor Co., which mainly focuses on motorcycles with engine displacements of over 600cc.

The U.S. government imposes no tariff on imported motorbikes with engines of 700 cc or lower.
Japanese motorcycle makers are trying to beef up sales in the United States and Asian markets to offset flagging demand in Japan, where sales dropped to about 410,000 units in 2014 from a peak of 3.28 million in 1982.

FRENCH TRAFFIC RADAR TO DETECT UNINSUREDS
Authorities in France are now investigating a new way to make more money off of road users, as they want automated speed and red light radars to cross-check a new insurance database.

Checking this new database will allow law enforcement to see if your motorcycle, or car, has been properly insured. If not, they can fine you for riding without valid insurance, up to €3750 ($4,246 US) and the forfeiture of your vehicle and driver’s license.

French authorities are now asking all of the insurance companies to look at feeding a common database that will contain all the vehicle insurance data allowing the police to find out your insurance situation automatically.

WEIRD NEWS: YAMAHA TO SHOWCASE BIKE-RIDING ROBOT
As an extreme example of ITS Smart Technology, among Yamaha’s concepts set to appear at the Tokyo Motor Show is a motorcycle-riding robot, presumably to save motorcyclists from the drudgery of performing the task themselves.

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QUOTABLE QUOTE: “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.”
Albert Einstein (1879-1955) Nobel Prize-winning German-born physicist

“That Borderland’s been compressed, but not before we were able to rescue Shaun,” Kate replied with relief, “into a singularity. It exists now only as a point without dimension between my place and Ma n’ Pa’s. Speaking of which; this ‘IS’ my place! Enter it from the door you just came in and it’s the Styx Diner. Enter from its other door,” Kate pointed at a door opposite of the one I’d entered, “it’s Spanky’s Café.”

Looking down at Larry’s Victory Vegas 8-Ball I couldn’t help notice its lean built to be ridden along the backroads lines and the Bassani high flow exhaust on its 106ci over-head cam engine. Designed with most of the elements Larry liked in a chopper, I could understand why he’d adopted it. Larry’s appreciation for over-the-top V-twins like the Yamaha Road Warrior, the Raider and the ridiculously fast Suzuki M109 never hid the fact he’d forever favor ‘Old School Choppers’.

“How will I know how to get to Middleton?”

If I had a dollar for every time someone told me not to enter that town alone…well…I’d have enough money for more hamburgers. Hey, what can I say, I was still hungry.
An hour on down the road I knew why Larry had adopted the Vegas 8-Ball. While its chopper-esque design may have been similar to my Wide Glide; its over-head cam engine was light years ahead in power.

It was too easy. Two Colt 45s appeared in the bowl.
“Good, two Colt 45s,” said Larry, “and they’re loaded.”

Chapter Twenty Two

Coming soon

Reports from AIMExpo said that when the event opened to the public on Saturday they had a record day. I was happy to hear that, as I am sure the people with booths needed attendance.

When we were fighting the mandatory helmet law in the 1970s, a common slogan was “educate, don’t legislate.” Although rider education and motor vehicle awareness campaigns are in vogue today, we were all about education from the beginning of our grass-roots activism. We considered ourselves patriots and we fought to secure our right to be left alone. Our bodies were our property and we didn’t need any help from the government to help us decide what to wear when we rode. Two of our most sacred rights, from which all other rights derive, are the right to property and the right to be left alone. Think about that for a moment.

When I lecture about rights at a traffic stop, I often start my presentation by saying the only rights you have are the rights you know you have. If you don’t know you have a right to refuse answering certain questions at a traffic stop, you’ll probably let yourself get talked into relinquishing more rights, like allowing a search of your car or person. What you don’t know can hurt you. Yet, we’d like to continue in our blissful ignorance because it’s uncomfortable to think of the alternative. It’s understandable that no biker is going to want to stay home and read some reference books on the Constitution when it’s sunny out. But what about those rainy weekends or cold winter days? Do you really want to educate yourself to learn all you can about your rights, or are you complacent with life as it is, thinking nothing really bad is going to affect you?

But this is America and we have to trust our government. The truth is the continued erosion of rights has caused many to lose faith in our government. None of the wars since WW II have been declared by Congress, although only Congress can declare war. To get around this fact, there have been resolutions to declare war, although there is no legal basis for this in the Constitution. The war in Iraq and all of the wars that we have engaged in since World War II have been unconstitutional. The War Powers Act of 1973 notwithstanding, as in Article 1, Section 8, only Congress can declare war, not the President. The AUMF (Authorization for Use of Military force in Iraq) resolution is not an act of Congress, but a resolution as defined in a legal dictionary: Resolutions are not laws; they differ fundamentally in their purpose.

Some say the Constitution is a living document. I think it’s just a piece of paper if the government can amend or interpret it according to some political agenda or another. The blissfully ignorant among us think it’s OK to limit things like speech, association or gun ownership, for the good of society. The problem with that thinking is those things are all inalienable rights, which means they were never given by government and cannot be taken away by government. Here’s where some of that education becomes relevant. Read the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Learn the difference between rights and privileges. Unfortunately, almost everyone, me included, has given up some rights for privilege. The most often examined is the right to drive. I’ve had arguments with motorcycle rights leaders who have surrendered to the false belief that driving is a privilege. It goes back to that property right I spoke of earlier. Not only is your vehicle your property, but the roads are your property also. Ignorance of the facts and a trusting belief that you need a driver’s license to drive has made almost everyone fall into the trap of surrendering a right to government, thus allowing it to tax us (a license is a tax).

What is this driver’s license they require us to have? License – the permission granted by competent authority to exercise a certain privilege that, without such authorization, would constitute an illegal act.

There are numerous court decisions to support the argument that no license is needed to drive on the roadways unless it is for commercial purposes (The Supreme Court of Minnesota in the case of Hanson vs. Hall, 202 Minn. 381, 383 (1938), The Supreme Court of Nebraska in Michelsen vs. Dwyer, 63 N.W.2d, 513, 517, 158 Neb. 427 (1954), The Supreme Court of Illinois in the case of City of Chicago vs. Collins, 51 N.E. 907, 910, 175 Ill. 445, People vs. Nothaus, 363 P.2d 180, 182; 147 Colo. 210, 214 (1961), Adams vs City of Pocatello, 416 P.2d 46, 48; 91 Idaho 99 (1966), House vs. Cramer, 112 N.W. 3, 134 Iowa 374, Chicago Coach Co. vs. City of Chicago, 337 Ill. 200, 205, 169 N.E. 22; Matson vs. Dawson, 178 N.W.2d 588, 591 (Neb. 1970).

So how do the states get away with enforcing the law requiring a driver’s license? Citizens are legally under the jurisdiction of the state if they voluntarily and knowingly waived their right to travel “unregulated and unrestricted.” Requesting a driver’s license and vehicle registration is in effect, entering into a contract with the state. What makes this “legal,” and not a violation of the individuals common law right to travel “unrestricted” is that they knowingly volunteer, freely, by contract, to waive their right. If they were forced, coerced or unknowingly persuaded to obtain a license, the courts have said it is a clear violation of their rights. How many of us assumed a license was necessary? It’s stated clearly on page one of every motorist’s handbook in every state. Wisconsin’s booklet asks the question, “Who needs a license?” The state’s answer is every resident of the state who plans to drive a motor vehicle and any new resident who moves to Wisconsin must apply for a Wisconsin license within 30 days of establishing residency. That appears to be mandatory to me. I didn’t knowingly waive my rights, I was blissfully ignorant.

Look more closely at the gun ownership debate. There is an increasing energy on the part of some federal lawmakers to regulate gun ownership more and more. Pro-gun advocates argue the 2nd Amendment secures their right to own firearms. People like Ted Nugent are considered extremists or even nuts, when stating the 2nd Amendment is their permit to own and carry a firearm, not the permit issued by the states. In New York, police are claiming that membership in a motorcycle club voids any concealed carry permits, and members must surrender their guns.

Government’s answer to those who refuse to give up their rights is the continuing erosion of those rights by degree. Consider the attempts to regulate the size of magazines for firearms. Even some avid gun owners have been duped into agreeing with the concept of limiting magazine size. After all, who really needs 30 rounds? So it’s easy to compromise and agree to a 10-round limit. What really happens with that reasoning is a surrender of the right to own and use your property as you see fit. Now, you have allowed government to dictate some rules concerning your property and opened the door for even more regulation in the future. You’ve surrendered your right to control that property.