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NCOM Coast To Coast Biker News for November 2014

By Bandit | May 31, 2024
 
THE AIM/NCOM MOTORCYCLE E-NEWS SERVICE is brought to you by Aid to Injured Motorcyclists (A.I.M.) and the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM), and is sponsored by the Law Offices of Richard M. Lester. If you’ve been involved in any kind of accident, call us at 1-(800) ON-A-BIKE or visit www.ON-A-BIKE.com.
 
 
 
NCOM COAST TO COAST BIKER NEWSBYTES
Compiled & Edited by Bill Bish,
National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM)
 
MOTORCYCLISTS GAIN SOME RELIEF FROM CONGRESSIONAL HELMET LAW EFFORTS
Driven by discontent, disillusionment and distrust, American voters saw red in November’s mid-term elections and whisked control of the Unites States Senate to the first Republican majority since 2006 and won additional seats in the Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives, as well as favoring the GOP in numerous statewide races and a majority of gubernatorial contests nationwide.
 
While most of the electorate is simply happy to see an end to a record $4 billion in campaign ads appearing incessantly on television, radio and newspapers, and in in-boxes and mailboxes everywhere, motorcycle riders should be especially glad to have won at least a temporary respite from helmet law threats from Congress and in states where Republicans have remained or gained in governance.
 
As recently as this summer, the Obama Administration included a thinly-veiled attempt to impose a national helmet law through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) surface transportation reauthorization proposal to Congress, but the measure was derailed by the Republican-controlled House.  Three years ago, motorcyclists across America successfully opposed a proposed amendment to S.1449, the “Motor Vehicle and Highway Safety Improvement Act of 2011,” that would have called for a National Mandatory Helmet Law for all motorcyclists.
 
Although federal agencies like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) will undoubtedly continue to advance their pro-helmet law agendas, lacking a Democrat majority in either chamber will likely curb enthusiasm for helmet law mandates from Washington, for now.
 
 
 
PAY-TO-PLAY HELMET LAW PROPOSED IN NEW MEXICO
In a unique scheme to punish motorcyclists for exercising their right to ride without a helmet, a Discussion Draft of a Senate bill proposed for the 2015 52nd Legislature for the state of New Mexico would create a system of taxation for riders who opt not to wear a helmet.
 
Specifically, “The department [Motor Vehicles Division] shall make available distinctive motorcycle validation stickers that signify that any person age eighteen or older who operates a motorcycle on which that sticker is affixed are not required by law to wear a safety helmet.  The department shall issue validation sticker when a qualifying person pays the fee as provided for.”
 
A standard validation sticker is just $15 annually, but it would cost $692 per year for the “distinctive motorcycle validating sticker” that allows the rider to go lidless…the additional tax revenue to be distributed as follows: $541.60 to the trauma system fund, $135.40 to the brain injury services fund, and $15 as additionally provided by law.  Otherwise, the rider and passengers must wear a helmet, even though New Mexico law currently does not require helmet use for those 18 and older.
 
“My concern is this will turn into a helmet law in New Mexico,” said Annette Torrez, chairperson for the New Mexico Motorcycle Rights Organization (NMMRO) and a member of the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM) board of directors, who reported on the effort at a recent NCOM Regional Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland.  “We found out that a lobbyist in New Mexico asked a senator to draft the bill, and though it does not have a sponsor yet, we are currently researching who is behind it.”
 
 
 
TEXAS SAYS NO POLARIS SLINGSHOTS
The Polaris Slingshot, a brand new three-wheeled sports-vehicle now just arriving at dealerships across the U.S., lacks componentry necessary to be considered “a car” and in most states you register it as a motorcycle; but the Texas DMV says “Whoa pardner, not so fast.”
 
Though Polaris says they’d already received approval from the Lone Star State to sell their Slingshot there, according to a letter to Texas Polaris dealers posted on a Slingshot forum on November 4th they were notified by the Vehicle Titling and Registration Division of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles that the DMV is taking the position that even if dealers are licensed to sell it as a motorcycle, owners of the Slingshot will not be able to register it because it is not street legal as far as Texas “motorcycles” are concerned.
 
The conflict hinges on the wording used to define a motorcycle in Texas. The Texas Department of Public Safety Motorcycle Operator’s Manual says three-wheelers are defined by certain characteristics, one of them being “saddle seating,” meaning “seating in which the rider/passenger straddles the vehicle,” but the Slingshot’s seats sit side-by-side.  Because it doesn’t have a “saddle,” the DMV ruling prohibits the Polaris Slingshot from being registered as a motorcycle, so they will not be sold in the state until this “VERY urgent matter” is resolved.
 
The Texas precedence has the potential to sway other states to define the Slingshot similarly, a scenario Polaris is surely hoping to avoid.
 
Polaris has fought hard for their not-car classification, and have used the fact that their vehicles are legally considered motorcycles to ease their passage through regulatory waters, but this gray area has led to some other unintended legal consequences, such as operator licensing, vehicle registration and applicable helmet requirements.  Ultimately, it has everything to do with the way laws are written and how “motorcycle” is defined therein, which varies from state to state.
 
 
New 5-Ball Racing Shirts.
New 5-Ball Racing Shirts.
 
INDIANA SCOOTER RIDERS FACE NEW REGULATIONS
Indiana officials are warning motor scooter drivers that starting in January they’ll need license plates on those bikes.  Legislators have approved Indiana’s first license requirements for scooters, and under the new law drivers of scooters with engines of 50 cubic centimeters or less will need to buy license plates and pass a Bureau of Motor Vehicles test involving road signals and signs.  Operators of scooters with larger engines will be required to follow motorcycle requirements, including holding a valid motorcycle license or learner’s permit.
 
Evansville police officials told a legislative committee that scooters had often been involved in accidents and used in crimes such as robberies, but that the owners couldn’t be found because they lacked any registration.
 
The new law doesn’t require insurance for drivers of the smaller scooters, and the registration will cost $26.35, plus a $10 excise tax.
 
Law sponsor Rep. Dave Wolkins (R-Winona Lake) said not requiring a driver’s license for scooter operators was important because he felt it was necessary that those with drunken driving convictions still have a way to get to work.
 
 
MINIBIKE MANUFACTURER TO PAY RECORD $4.3 MILLION FEDERAL FINE
Baja Inc. of Anderson, South Carolina, has agreed to pay a record $4.3 million civil penalty to settle a complaint from federal regulators that it delayed reporting safety defects on its go-karts and minibikes, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has reported.
 
The settlement resolves CPSC charges that the firm knowingly failed to report within 24 hours, as required by federal law, known defects and an unreasonable risk of serious injury involving 11 models of minibikes and go-carts sold nationwide from November 2004 through June 2010.
 
The defects in Baja’s products, which consisted of fuel leaks and unintended acceleration, resulted in the recall in 2010 of 308,000 Baja Motorsports minibikes and go-karts, which is when Baja filed its Full Report with CPSC.
 
Although the company agreed to pay the fine, it did not admit any wrongdoing and said it was paying to “avoid the cost, distraction, delay and uncertainty” of continued proceedings.
 
Previously, the highest penalty the safety commission had issued was a $4 million fine against Graco Children’s Products in 2005 for failure to inform CPSC about dangers to children.
 
 
 
NEW ARMY RULES BAN BASKETBALL SHOES AND CLUB COLORS
U.S. Military installations worldwide require military members and employees to utilize a variety of safety equipment to ride motorcycles on base that is not required by laws outside their boundaries, but some new Army rules in Hawaii sound way off base.
 
On Nov. 1, Military Police and leaders at all levels began enforcement of U.S. Army-Hawaii Policy Letter 11 on Motorcycle Safety, consisting of four major changes to the pre-existing policy, including changes to required safety equipment and prohibited equipment.
 
“When operating a motorcycle on USARHAW installations, riders must wear a DOT approved helmet, protective eyewear, abrasion-resistant gloves, long pants (excluding PT pants), long sleeves, and leather/canvass boots or sturdy over-the-ankle shoes,” and such regs are typical of most military bases, but their new policy “prohibits riders from wearing high-top basketball shoes while riding.”
 
Additionally, the new policy specifies the use of reflective gear at all times, and riders must wear either a fluorescent (brightly colored) and reflective vest, jacket or upper outer garment, or they must wear a motorcycle specific jacket with padding/armor.
 
But what’s most concerning is “Prohibited Equipment” that is NOT allowed to be worn: “Riders on-post are not authorized to wear any garment that displays an affiliation with a motorcycle club or other group that offers or solicits membership.”
 
The new policy applies to all motorcycle operators on USARHAW installations. In addition, the policy applies to all 25th Infantry Division Soldiers, both on and off-post.
 
 
STUDY SHOWS LANE SPLITTING POSES NO ADDITIONAL DANGERS
A series of new studies out of the University of California, Berkeley found that the practice of lane splitting poses no additional danger to motorcyclists.  California is the only state that allows for the maneuver, which is the act of a motorcyclist passing slow or stalled traffic by riding in between cars along the lane lines.
 
Two yearlong studies were recently released by UC Berkeley and were commissioned by the California Highway Patrol and the Office of Traffic Safety, and determined that the seemingly risky move of weaving in-between traffic to be no more dangerous than just riding a motorcycle, when executed in a safe and prudent manner.
 
The state-commissioned research considered thousands of accident reports and found lane splitting is poses no more risk than riding a motorcycle in a marked lane, with the exception when lane splitting (a.k.a.; lane sharing, or filtering) is done at speeds over 10 miles an hour in excess of traffic flow.
 
One report is a crash study that examined 8,262 motorcyclists who were involved in crashes while lane splitting between June 2012 and August 2013.  The second report examined lane-splitting habits among various groups in 2012 and 2013.
 
Researchers found lane splitters are less likely to be rear-ended (2.7% of crashes vs. 4.6% for average motorcyclists), and lane-splitting motorcyclists involved in crashes were notably less likely than other motorcyclists to suffer head injury (9.1% vs. 16.5%), torso injury (18.6% vs. 27.3%), or fatal injury (1.4% vs. 3.1%).
 
Lane-splitting in California appears to be on the rise, with 62% of motorcyclists admitting to lane-splitting on both freeways and other roads, a 7.5-percentage-point increase over 2013.
 
Data from the studies will be shared with the CHP, which this year began working on guidelines for lane-splitting.  Authors say the report, the first of its kind about lane-splitting, will be followed up by more in-depth analysis, including looking at rider age, rider gender, motorcycle characteristics and collision and roadway characteristics.
 
In many countries, lane splitting and filtering are normal practices for motorcyclists, particularly in highly urbanized areas of Europe and Asia.
 
 
 
LANE FILTERING APPROVED DOWN UNDER
Following consultation with riders, motorists and road safety groups, the government of Queensland, Australia decided to make changes to the laws regarding motorcycle riding, and beginning early next year motorcyclists will now be able to move around stationary or slow moving vehicles, as long as they are travelling less than 30 kilometres an hour (18.64 mph).
 
A trial in New South Wales found lane filtering could help ease traffic congestion and Transport Minister Scott Emerson agreed it should be rolled out in Queensland, but it will only be allowed for experienced riders and won’t be allowed in school zones during school hours.
 
Among other “sensible changes,” motorcyclists will also now be able to legally stretch their leg off the bike to help avoid fatigue, take both feet off the footsteps to reverse into a parking space and turn their head to do a shoulder check.
 
 
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QUOTABLE QUOTE:  “Since when do we have to agree with people to defend them from injustice?”
~ Lillian Hellman (1905-1984), American playwright and memoirist
 
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Eulogy for Dale Sheppard

By Bandit | May 31, 2024
 
 

Dale Shepard died recently (November 16th). His passing was unexpected.

For those unfortunate enough not to have known him, Dale was the man who owned Biker Dale’s Bike Shop in Groves Texas where I replaced Betsy’s engine only weeks ago.

It was at the Galveston Motorcycle Rally last weekend that Dale ate two bad oysters. For whatever reason, these caused an infection in his blood that somehow complicated an already existing medical condition. It was one of those times when something that should not have killed a man did. I’ve seen this before. I have also seen men survive things that should have killed them 10 times over. Go figure. Some say that when your number’s up, it’s just up and nothing can change it. So it would seem.

When a man dies those who knew him often get to saying a lot of nice things—even if the guy was a complete asshole. I have no intentions of doing that here and will only talk about the man as I did when he was still alive.

Until the end Dale dedicated his life to the motorcycle. Although grumpy at times, he had one of the biggest hearts of anyone I’ve known. He was a biker through and through. He was my friend.

It was a sunny day the first time I met Dale. After being turned away at two other shops, I’d pulled into his yard with my clutch problem to ask if it’d be okay to pull my bike apart in his lot. Of course I’d buy any needed parts from him. I also secretly hoped to barrow any special tools I might need, and maybe get a little technical advice too. I was on the road with a mechanical problem, not too much money (as usual), and nowhere else to turn. So I looked hopefully at this stranger as he said, “Let me ride it.”.  This seemed an unusual request but, with little choice anyway, I said, “It’s not locked.”

 
So I watched all the possessions I own in this world ride off with a man I’d first laid eyes on only moments before. When 10 minutes had passed, and to my surprise, Dale walked out of his shop and told me to come inside. There, sitting on his personal lift, Betsy was already strapped in and jacked up. Without my knowledge Dale had brought her in through the back door. “You can work on it there,” he offered, “That’s my tool box,” one hand pointed to a huge roll away, “Use those tools and ask if there’s anything you need.” 

When evening came and Betsy was still on that rack (where she’d remain for an entire month), Dale offered me the shop’s back room or “guard shack” to stay in. For transportation Dale gave me one of his own bikes and often loaned me the shop truck. To date no one had been able to diagnose my clutch problem, but Dale determined it was inside the transmission itself. I located another trany and began the shipping process. During this particular stay I worked sporadically on the shop’s customer bikes, painted the ceiling, and installed a little water heater. In the end Dale charged me only for the small parts I bought; and even then it was at his cost. But by then we’d become friends.

I later learned Dale was building a motorcycle around the broken—now fixed—transmission I’d left behind. Since my ability to run down inexpensive used parts was sometimes better than his, he’d occasionally call to hit me up for something needed on this new bike build and I always found it for him. First it was a clutch; then came other parts too. Very weakly that cheap fuck would ask what he owed me, but I never let him pay a single dime.

My good fortune here was not exclusive. This is another example: Dale’s birthday party was held at the shop every year with a big BBQ and beer fest. Having ridden the 100 miles from Houston to be in attendance, Chadd’s Shovelhead blew an engine not far from the shop. After Dale picked the bike up, Chadd threw it on one of the lifts and soon learned that the front cylinder had suffered an internal meltdown. When time came to leave, Dale gave Chadd one of his own FXRs for the ride home. Although I don’t know how that story ended, I do know that, although acting like this may not always have been the best for business, it was definitely the best for creating close, long lasting friendships and Dale was an extremely wealthy man in that arena. To my surprise, this kind of generosity did not seem to hinder business much for whenever I made return visits to the shop the place had always been expanded. Wanting for the ability to do complete engine work, Dale was recently putting together a machine shop in one of the shop’s adjacent bays.

With a standing invitation to use of a complete shop to see to the needs of ANY problem Betsy might develop, I returned many times over the years and, among so many others, have certainly spent my share of time in the guard shack. While there I was always given a lift and access to tools. Bryan, Dale’s sole employee and a Harley-Davidson mechanic of 30 some-odd years, would be busy working on customer bikes as I slaved over Betsy. Dale had a tendency to sit working at the computer in his little office. Now and then he’d come out all bitchy and gripe loudly at us over some tedious bullshit. I learned that this was just his nature and so I’d tell him, “It’s a good thing I’m here ’cause it gives you more to bitch about.” and he’d not argue. Next I’d tell him that if we did everything perfect he’d still make up shit to gripe about. To this he’d also agree. Other times he’d surprise me with sarcastic comical outbursts that seemed to come out of the blue. Sometimes I’d tell him of the parts or information I needed while he completely ignored me and simply went about his own business. Then Dale would surprise me again by quickly ordering the parts, finding them in the shop, or working out a solution to my problem. It was fucking amazing really.

Always, and especially on my last visit, Dale put many hours of his own time into getting my beat up old bike back on the road. I often wondered how he could afford this when there were so many real-customer money jobs that required his attention. And because of this I always did my best to pour time and effort into any project I was capable of handling for him. He accepted my offers quickly and with no regret.

Sometimes I’d ask how he made that motorcycle go so fast or pump him for other mechanical information (us gear-heads are always hungry to learn more) and he’d refuse to give a fucking answer. Other times that man would go out of his way to teach me something; as in the case of a customer’s chopper I recently worked on. This chopper needed the transmission reassembled and installed into the bike. It became pretty apparent that, although I might get the guts put back in that thing eventually, I really had no idea what the proper procedure for the job was. Seeing this, Dale told me to leave the fucking thing alone. Later, he came outside to get me and made me stand there watching as he put it together properly. Dale wanted me to learn and this was his way of giving a lesson. When he’d finished, I installed the trany, clutch, etc. and ultimately completed the job.

Whereas some shops usher customer bikes in and out as quickly as possible with only nominal thought or attention paid to detail, these guys were very good and very attentive mechanics who used their extensive knowledge and experience to do their absolute best at solving the customer’s problems. I was there. I saw. For them, this whole deal was an act of passion.

Another interesting thing is that Dale was extremely literate. He often complained about the terrible spelling and bad grammar of my writing (I carry only a fourth grade education) and sometimes helped to fix it.

As a young man of 20’ish, and long before the “new age” biker scene came to pass, it was men like Dale who’d originally attracted me to the biker culture. For not only did these guys share the same passion as I, but most extended a kind of real friendship I’d seldom seen before. But such men were not molded by that era, they seem instead to have been born that way. I believe, and so have seen, that they will always exist among us and it is to this day that I hold in high value the existence of people like Dale.

I have lived long enough to truly know that this world is only temporary. Every year some of those around me just keep popping out of here until the day arrives when it’ll finally be my turn. So it is that I seldom take the world too seriously anymore; for in the end we will all leave this place together and everything left behind will simply return to the dust. And once on the other side I’ll be among those many friends who gather at Dale’s table and talk of the times we shared together in this life.

So it’s not so much Dale’s death that bothers me. We’re all going there. It’s the fact that I’ll not be seeing him again for the duration of this life that puts an ache deep into my heart. And so I say…

“Goodbye my friend.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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2014 Cannonball Motorcycle Endurance Run

By Bandit | May 31, 2024
 
 
 
The 2014 Cannonball Run is an endurance test of motorcycles built prior to 1937 that started at the Daytona Beach Resort in Daytona Beach Florida on September 5th. The riders started to assemble on the beach at 8:30 AM for a group photo.  They started the 3,938 mile ride to Tacoma Washington at 10:00AM and are scheduled to arrive there on September 21st.
 
 
 
 

The Run was started in 2010  and is held every other year so the 2010 and 2012 events are in the books and the 2014 ride is making history as well.
 
 
 
 
Taken from the official Cannonball website are the RULES of the Ride:

These machines are old and most are very rare. A lot of these early bikes would not be on the road today were it not for new parts. In a lot of cases only the motor survived to be resurrected into its former self. As long as the engine in your machine is original then its eligible to run for the prize. Any reproduction chassis or parts should be as they were originally.
 
 
 

BRAKES……..We are all aware that 100 years ago brakes were not that good. If in any way you can improve your braking ability, to the point of even adding a front brake, then it is highly recommended.
 
 
 

CARBS AND MAGS……The original carbs, whether modified or updated some, need to be used, spares allowed. If your magneto isn’t rebuilt you should consider it. We want each bike to use it’s intended ignition source, spares allowed.
 
 
 

THE TIRES……..Well, the tires are very important. The argument for or against the safety of clincher tires has long been a debate. If you don’t want to run clincher rims and tires, then you don’t have to. Spares allowed.
 
 
 

THE LIGHTS ………Each motorcycle must have a headlight, taillight, and brake light.
 
 
 

LICENSE AND REGISTRATION……… Each machine, like any other motorcycle on the road, will need to be registered and licensed. The rider also needs to have auto liability insurance as well as a drivers license.
 
 
 
 
 

Riders come from all over the world to be part of this, they have support teams and fans

I do know some of the people riding like the Team American Iron made up of Buzz Kanter, Chris Sommer Simmons, Pat Simmons and Paul Ousey.
 
 
 

Some of the people following the riders are Michael Lichter who will also be photographing the event. Others reporting will include but not limited to  Felicia Morgan and Bean’re and there is also Vickie Sanfelipo of Accident Scene Management who is a nurse. This is the first time to my knowledge that there was a nurse as part of the ride.
 
 

There are many other riders and people taking part in this adventure and more information about who they are as well as other information can be found on the official Cannonball website http://www.motorcyclecannonball.com/

 
 
 
 
 
 
 There are many videos on UTube from the Cannonball Run:
 
 

 
 
 

 
 

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JIMS NEW 135-INCH RACING MONSTER

By Bandit | May 31, 2024

Editor’s Note: We’ve worked with JIMS staff for maybe 30 years, maybe longer. Jim Thiessen has one of the most solid companies in the industry. When the custom world is on fire JIMS keeps rolling along. So, when we decided to create something completely nuts for Bonneville in a Belly Tank configuration I discussed it with Jim and he immediately wanted to be involved. JIMS is our first, and so far our largest 5-Ball Racing sponsor behind this endeavor. Second to JIMS is Kent Weeks of Lucky Devil Metal Works, then Paughco.

When I discussed this endeavor with Jim he had just announced his new 135-inch twin cam, a similar engine to the JIMS engine used by Hiro on the salt this year for more records.

I reached out to Paul Platts and quizzed him about the new JIMS race engine sold exclusively through H-D dealerships.

BIKERNET: Tell us a little about the JIMS history of building engines with H-D?

JIMS: JIMS and H-D entered into a license agreement back in 2000. H-D licensed certain twin cam intellectual property so JIMS could build an authentic twin cam motor. Some aftermarket manufacturers prefer to design around a patent; JIMS went the other way and licensed the intellectual property. All JIMS engines use authentic Harley-Davidson product, or JIMS product … They can be easily worked on at any authorized Harley-Davidson dealership.

BIKERNET: How is this engine improved over the 131?

JIMS: The main difference is stroke. The 131 is 4.5 stroke x 4 5/16 bore. The 135 is 4 5/8 stroke x 4 5/16 bore. Other upgrades include JIMS pushrod covers, Multiple cam cover options with black rocker box covers, and the Screamin’ Eagle upgraded oil pump.

BIKERNET: Why did your team pick this bore and stroke configuration?

JIMS: Although these are ‘race only’ motors, It’s very important to JIMS to develop a stroke and bore configuration that can live up to durability in the real world. The 135 was a modest step up from the 131 without sacrificing reliability.

BIKERNET: Where are the cases improved and why?

JIMS: JIMS needed to develop a special case in order to spread out the cylinder head bolt pattern. While doing this, JIMS also added more material in many areas for strength. Every single JIMS engine utilizes a Timken style bearing in the left case.

BIKERNET: What’s the compression of this engine and what is the piston configuration?

JIMS: JIMS engines either come with a flat top piston, and or a slightly dished piston. The compression ratio is 10.67:1, which once again, is designed for many hundreds of hours of reliability. Many customers increase compression after purchasing the engine, but we wanted to keep the compression ratio down for dependability. It is always recommended that JIMS engines use high-octane pump gas.

BIKERNET: What connecting rods do you use in this engine?

JIMS: The JIMS engines incorporates the Screamin’ Eagle I-beam connecting rods. These rods are forged, incredibly strong and proven in thousands of flywheel assemblies.

BIKERNET: Do you change the valve configuration from stock other than the roller rockers?

JIMS: No, the heads used on the JIMS motors are CNC ported Screamin’ Eagle heads with the JIMS bolt pattern machined into them.

 
 
BIKERNET:  Do you consider this a stroker motor, a big bore engine, and do the piston have adequate skirt to prevent piston abuse?

JIMS: The pistons used in the JIMS engine are fully machined from a forging at CP pistons. These pistons have been durability tested with zero issues, and have proved themselves over the years to be next to bullet proof. There are proprietary skirt profiles that help with piston wear.

BIKERNET: What will this engine rev to?

JIMS: 6400 rpm

BIKERNET: Does JIMS offer a series of cams for this motor for different applications? Are there mid-range torque cams and top speed cams?

JIMS: No, JIMS offers the engine with the Screamin’ Eagle 266 cam. A very good performing cam that once again … Doesn’t take away from reliability. Many customer change cams after purchasing the motor, but all of JIMS testing is done with this cam.

BIKERNET: Are the engines factory balanced?

JIMS: The flywheel assembly is fully machined on every surface, giving JIMS the ability to balance at the machine center. Yes, all JIMS engines are balanced to spec.

Is there any need to do anything except install it and go for a ride? Like any change, the engine will need proper tune / mapping.

The process goes like this… Install in chassis, tune for break-in period, break in motor, tune for power ~ then go have fun at the track!

BIKERNET: What does JIM recommend for break-in procedure?

JIMS: First 50 miles do not exceed 2500 / 50mph varying speed, next 500 do not exceed 3000 / 55 mph varying speed. Oil change at 50, 500 and 100 miles. Very similar to stock.

BIKERNET: This is a monster. Does JIM recommend any added chassis elements, such as a performance clutch, outboard bearings on a belt drive system, a true track on a touring frame?

JIMS: The added recommendations include: Large intake (As big as possible), performance exhaust (must have larger header tube), performance clutch & S.E. Race tuner.

BIKERNET: We are going to install one of these monsters in our Streamlined Trike Bonneville effort with a carburetor and most likely a D&D exhaust system. We are using a Paughco Rubber mounted frame carriage with the oil bag under the 5-speed transmission. We are thinking about a CCE larger oil tank, massive oil coolers, and perhaps two of the JIMS head fan systems. Would you recommend anything else?

JIMS: You are on the right track for keeping the motor cool! Large oil capacity and fans = awesome!

BIKERNET: Tell us about ordering one of these engines?

JIMS: They are all sold through H-D dealers.
I would note that each engine is built to order. They are custom. The customer can pay for custom engraving on the heads, diamond cut is available, manual or automatic compression releases, night train covers, compression hop up, etc. are available.

We have all Twin Cam cases, early to late, as well as a Evo mounting twin cam, which has the Evolution Mount cast in the case.

These engines come with a 1-year warranty.

 
 
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The WMDRA’s AMSOIL Sturgis Nationals 2014

By Bandit | May 31, 2024
 
 
The WMDRA’s AMSOIL Sturgis Nationals brought some of the quickest and fastest drag bikes on the planet to a vintage 1/8 mile strip just out of Sturgis, South Dakota for the 74th Annual Sturgis Race and Rally, along with–oh–400,000 friends.
 
 
 
 
The WMDRA came to be a part of the 74th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and to bring drag racing to Sturgis Dragway. Sandra Alberti’s collaboration with Sturgis Nationals Title sponsor AMSOIL was busy even before their races began.
 
 
 
 
 
As teams were pulling into the track, the WMDRA crew was preparing for 3 days of chaos.
 
 
 
 
Beginning on Monday, there were appearances in town bringing burnouts to Main Street at the AMSOIL campus. Featuring Glen Kerr with his 1950’s dual engine Triumph Dubble Trubble, David Tibert, and Chris Spencer, the Mike Bahnmaier Top Fueler, and a couple front wheel to wheel burnouts by AGR Racing dazzled the downtown shoppers. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
From the WMDRA AMSOIL burnouts on Main Street, to Fort Mead VA Facility and Hospital where Bahnmaier Race team took Verl “Smitty” Smith’s place for two year’s respite from the “Griz Robinson Memorial Bike Show” for a few hours of visiting with the vets and playing a little bingo. Then late that evening it was WMDRA on to Jay Allen’s Easyrider on Lazelle to accompany Doc Hopkins and his daughter Kersten Heling to crank up the bikes of their father-daughter Nitro team in front of thousands of enthusiastic faces.
 
 
 
 
But 18 hour days are just part of Sturgis and why we come.
 
 
 
 
That’s right –WMDRA came to race and so it did. The track prep was completed, ready to race, the pits had teams from throughout the US and Canada, the concession stands were open, registration and tech cards all entered in the track computer system and it RAINED, in that special kind of OMG rain that Sturgis is known for. Rains sent the S&S Cycle folks scrambling to get their T124 test bikes undercover. S&S shared the track to provide riders with an opportunity to feel the power of the legendary S&S creation. There was a drag race school by drag racer and land speed record holder, Mark Dotson. And there was that darned RAIN.
 
 
 
 
Tents and pits were secured, Ray Wheeler’s Land Speed Bike and his generous supply of Kangen water (for the race teams and spectators to drink) snugged up under the grandstands and qualifying was delayed till 9 am on Wednesday. Amazingly, Jerry and the crew at Sturgis Dragway had the track ready and despite the glitch of lightening blowing out the computer system in the time slip booth, qualifying and racing continued.
 
 
 
 
The racers did have to send crew members and friends to get run information now placed on clips on the concession stand wall.  Was it perfect? NO. Was it functional? YES.
 
 
And so qualifying began, a day late, and each team got two qualifying passes and the WMDRA’s focus on getting the race in paid off and eliminations began on time. However, between qualifying and racing, one of the premier track side activities took place in the pits. The WMDRA Grand Marshals signed autographs. Bonnie Truett, who had just that morning been inducted into the Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame, was accompanied by his buddies and cohorts in racing, Pete Hill and Marion “Mo” Owens.  The lines for autographs and pictures stretched in the pit area and gave the tower a chance to get the ladders ready.
 
 
 
The Air Force Academy Band Wild Blue Country sang the National Anthem and the races were ON.  Just as the sun was setting, a new set of Sturgis Champions were in line for photo ops, with North Carolina’s Freddie Robbins, riding for Bahnmaier Racing, crowned Top Fuel King. 
 
 
 
 
Sturgis Race and Rally is many things to many people. Some come to drag race with the WMDRA, some come to flat track, some to hill climb, some to drink and some come to ride and watch the show, others obviously come to BE the show.
 
 
 
Many senses are tickled on Main Street. Smoke fills the air from the WMDRA drag bikes at AMSOIL, the heat of the street engines almost crawling down Lazelle Street, the grill sizzling and bands at Easyriders blasting.  The Indian Taco stands, the pin stripers, booth after booth of apparel, boots, baby tees, bars–it’s just Sturgis, and that’s only in DOWNTOWN. Sturgis, the oldest ongoing Race and Rally in the World with over 400,000 people in a town that usually has 6,000. 
 
 
 
 
And how in the hell does that work out?? AWESOME see you next year.
 
 
 

The Western Motorcycle Drag Racing Association (WMDRA) was formed in 2011 to promote the sport of ALL-MAKE, American and Metric, motorcycle drag racing in the Western United States.  
 
A grass roots organization, we are drag racers for drag racing!
 
Our goal is simple: promote organized dragbike events in the West where we can match our bikes, mechanical and riding skills with others, and have a good time at the track! We offer eleven different classes of competition for all makes of motorcycles and types of racers.
 
We are an NHRA Alternative Sanction Organization (ASO) and have built strong relationships with track owners and managers over the course of our first two seasons to become a solid, organized association committed to safety, development and enhancement of all-make motorcycle drag racing.
 
WMDRA events are affordably priced at just $15/day or $25/event and attract the most die-hard and loyal fans in the sport. Spectators are always welcome in the pits to talk with racers and crew members, and participate in our free drag race school!
 
Our commitment to the sport is real, and with a bit more financial horsepower, our success will only continue to grow. 


Western Motorcycle Drag Racing Assoc., LLC
(208) 850-5795


 
 
 
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Schuberth and 5-Ball Racing Together at Bonneville

By Bandit | May 31, 2024
 
 
 
Aliso Viejo, Calif. – September 12, 2014 – Landspeed racing team 5-Ball Racing’s “JETobey” Harden is the latest Bonneville racer to hit the salt in a Schuberth helmet at the 2014 Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trails. 5-Ball joins other landspeed racing competitors Valerie Thompson, Erin Hunter, Andy Sills, MOTUS Motorcycles and Robert Pandya in the Schuberth line up.
 
 
 
5-Ball Racing is the brainchild of Keith “Bandit” Ball, the editor of bikernet.com and a custom bike legend. The latest 5-Ball Bonneville entry was a heavily modified 1940 Harley-Davidson flathead with a K-model top end, piloted by accomplished former road racer Harden. In spite of much of the week being rained out, Harden laid down some runs in the 750-APG class, taking on other vintage bikes and current models alike.
 
Harden sports Schuberth’s masterpiece SR1 helmet, a lightweight motorcycle racing helmet on the bleeding edge of aerodynamic performance. “I’ve worn lots of full-faced racing helmets, but I have never worn one as aerodynamic as this one,” Harden reports. “There is no side-to-side buffeting. It just flows through the air as if on rails. There is no sense of weight pulling against my neck, it just glides.”
 

The wind-tunnel developed shell design and adjustable D-Force spoiler reduce aerodynamic lift, and stabilize the helmet at speed to prevent the buffeting and oscillation riders often experience at extreme speeds. A variable ventilation system flows over 2-1Ž2 gallons of cooling fresh air over the rider’s head and vents warm air out the back of the helmet to keep the rider cool and comfortable. The quick release shield system allows riders to easily swap the Pinlock-ready face shield, available in light and dark smoke, clear, amber, silver mirror, blue mirror and iridium finishes. Tear-off ready shields are also available.
 
 
For more information about Schuberth North America, its products, and its helmet ambassadors, visit Schuberthnorthamerica.com. Join the Schuberth community online on Facebook, and follow @SchuberthNA on Twitter. You can also connect on Instagram and YouTube.
 
5-Ball Racing’s “JETobey” Harden sporting the Schuberth SR1 on the Bonneville salt.
 
 

 
About Schuberth GmbH: The German helmet manufacturer Schuberth has been developing and producing high-end head protection systems for over 90 years. With a multitude of innovative products, the company ranks among the world’s leading manufacturers of motorcycle, Formula 1 and motor sport helmets as well as head protection for innovative solutions in industrial safety, fire fighting, the police and the military. The experience gained in particular from Formula 1, the pinnacle of motor sports, constantly provides fresh impetus for product developments that set the benchmark for head protection systems.

About Schuberth North America: In 2010, Schuberth GmbH opened the North American sister office in Aliso Viejo, California and continues to grow its exclusive dealer network for motorcycle products in the U.S. and Canada. Additional business segments work directly with law enforcement departments on the motor officer and crowd control products and with IndyCar and NASCAR teams on the auto racing helmets. In 2014, Schuberth North America also assumed U.S. distribution for German apparel and glove manufacturer Held.
 
 
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NCOM Coast To Coast Biker News for September 2014

By Bandit | May 31, 2024
 
 
THE AIM/NCOM MOTORCYCLE E-NEWS SERVICE is brought to you by Aid to Injured Motorcyclists (A.I.M.) and the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM), and is sponsored by the Law Offices of Richard M. Lester. If you’ve been involved in any kind of accident, call us at 1-(800) ON-A-BIKE or visit www.ON-A-BIKE.com.
 
 
 
NCOM BIKER NEWSBYTES
Compiled & Edited by Bill Bish,
National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM)
 
FLORIDA STATE FAIR SETTLES CIVIL RIGHTS LAWSUIT
In a big win for motorcycle club members nationwide, the Florida State Fair and local law enforcement were dealt a stunning blow when they agreed to settle a Civil Rights lawsuit filed by Aid to Injured Motorcyclists (A.I.M.) attorney Jerry Theophilopoulos (“Jerry T”) on behalf of the East Florida Confederation of Clubs.
 
The Florida State Fair and Fair employees, along with two Hillsborough County Sheriffs agreed to pay three members of the West Florida Confederation of Clubs a total of $72,500 to settle the case after nearly a hundred club members were denied entry into the fair by off-duty sheriff’s deputies on Feb. 7, 2010 based on the fact they would not remove their colors.
 
A posted policy banned “club colors” and the bikers were threatened with jail if they attempted to enter the front gate of the fair, and AIM lawyer Jerry T. captured the entire event on film with a videographer, which was a pivotal reason the federal lawsuit was settled out of court.
 
“This settlement is a great day for all motorcycle club members, not only in the state of Florida, but across America,” said Jerry T., “We sent a message that our people will not be discriminated against in a public forum.”
 
After the lawsuit, the no-club-colors signs were replace by a posted policy stating that the fair may turn away or eject people who are disruptive or who display behavior associated with “criminal gang membership.”  That cleared the way for bikers to attend subsequent fairs.
 
 
 
MORE MOTORCYCLES EQUALS SAFER ROADS
According to the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA), an increased number of motorcycles on the road results in a lower rate of serious accidents.  When 10% or more of vehicles on the road are motorcycles, mopeds or scooters, there is a proportionate reduction in rider fatalities, says Steve Kenward, CEO of the MCIA, a motorcycle trade association in England.
 
Japan has 98 bikes per 1,000 vehicles (9.8%), and for every 1,000 bikes on the road, the country has 0.8 motorcyclist fatalities per year.  In Europe the ratio of bikes to cars is lower, at 73 per 1,000 (7.3%), and the rate of motorcyclist fatalities is higher, at 1.52 per 1,000 bikes.  In the USA, the ratio of bikes to cars is just 27 per thousand (2.7%) and the motorcyclist fatality rate is much higher, at 5.32 per thousand bikes.
 
Kenward told how “volume breeds safety” at the recent National Safer Roads Partnerships’ Conference, where police forces, local authorities, government officials and academics meet to discuss road safety.
 
There is also a growing body of evidence that those who start their motoring career on motorcycles make better car drivers.  
 
With congestion on the rise, Kenward explained that getting more motorists on motorcycles would result in a “virtuous circle” leading to better road users.
 
According to their research, an increase in motorcycle use has also been proven to keep traffic flowing.  A study which models traffic for one of the busiest roads in Europe concluded that if just 10% of drivers swapped to powered two wheelers (PTWs), congestion would be reduced for all road users by 40%.  Increase that number to 25% and congestion is eliminated entirely.
 
 
 
SIKHS DENIED EXEMPTION FROM ONTARIO HELMET LAW
Motorcycle-riding Sikhs in Ontario, Canada will not be exempted from the helmet law, Premier Kathleen Wynne has ruled.  The Canadian Sikh Association received a letter from Wynne stating the Liberal government, for safety reasons, will not allow Sikh motorcycle riders to wear only turbans as two other Canadian Provinces currently allow.
 
The Ontario Highway Traffic Act requires all motorcyclists to wear a helmet.  This poses a problem for those of the Sikh faith, whose turbans don’t fit under most helmets.
 
“After careful deliberation, we have determined that we will not grant this type of exemption as it would pose a road safety risk,” Wynne said in her letter dated Aug. 14.
 
Wynne said safety trumps religious freedoms in this case.  “As you know, the issue of balance between religious accommodation and public safety has been considered by the courts in Ontario which, on this issue, have found that Ontario’s mandatory helmet law does not infringe on the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, nor the Ontario Human Rights Code,” she said.
 
In 2008, an Ontario judge ruled against a human rights challenge launched by a devout Sikh who was fined $110 in 2005 for not wearing a helmet while riding a motorcycle.
 
NDP MPP Jagmeet Singh (Bramalea-Gore-Malton) said he was “deeply disappointed by Premier Wynne’s decision not to grant an exemption to motorcycle helmet laws for turbaned Sikhs.  Similar exemptions already exist in the United Kingdom, Manitoba and British Columbia, and here in Ontario the idea is supported by members from all three caucuses.”
 
 
 
MSF MOTORCYCLE SAFETY STUDY TO IMPROVE COUNTERMEASURES
The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) has announced that the data-acquisition phase of the MSF 100 Motorcyclists Naturalistic Study is now completed, and preliminary results are being shared at various transportation safety venues around the world.
 
The MSF partnered with the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute on this world’s first, large-scale, naturalistic motorcycle riding study.  The 3.5-year study began by collecting data from instruments installed on motorcycles owned by study participants as the bikes were ridden in normal day-to-day use. Sensors and video cameras recorded all motorcycle operator inputs such as steering, acceleration, braking and lean, as well as recording all motions of the motorcycle, current riding conditions and the actions of surrounding traffic. The motorcycle instrumentation was designed to be as inconspicuous as possible, so that participant-riders would forget their rides were being monitored. 
 
“The MSF 100 study is being conducted to support motorcycle safety research, with particular emphasis on results that offer ongoing guidance in rider training,” said MSF’s Director of Quality Assurance and Research, Dr. Sherry Williams. “The study utilizes a naturalistic methodology that provided researchers with information captured by instruments installed on one-hundred motorcycles ridden for a combined nine-thousand-plus hours by real riders in real riding conditions.” 
 
The MSF 100 Study, which tracked participants in Virginia, California, Florida and Arizona, is expected to be a rich source of insight for years to come on a wide range of questions and points of interest for an international array of safety professionals generally, but riders and rider safety professionals specifically.
 
All 100 riders on their equipped motorcycles have completed the data acquisition phase of the study, and the analysis phase is now yielding preliminary results.
 
 
NSW AUSTRALIA LEGALIZES LANE FILTERING
This summer the state government of New South Wales legalized lane filtering, which allows motorcyclists to legally ride between two lanes when traffic is stationary or slow moving.  The idea behind legalizing lane filtering was to reduce traffic congestion and queuing at intersections.

There are strict conditions attached, which include heavy fines and three demerit points for motorcyclists caught moving between traffic at more than 30 kilometers/hour, under a new offense called lane splitting.  It is also illegal for motorcyclists to lane filter next to a curb, next to parked cars or in school zones.
 
Police say that early indicators show the new legislation is working, but many motorists are still unaware of the new rules.  Other road users (motorists, cyclists and pedestrians) are advised by the Roads and Maritime to “check twice” for motorcyclists and follow regular road rules.
 
 
BIKER PROFILING
New demographics prepared by the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) show the median age of California motorcycle owners was 45 years old in 2012 — having risen from 33 years in 1990, 38 years in 1998 and 41 years in 2009.
 
Statistics show that the median income for motorcyclists in the Golden State was $64,130 in 2012, more than double what it was in 1990.  More than 60% reported their annual household incomes at over $50,000, with almost 20% reporting incomes of over $100,000.  Almost three quarters of them were employed.  About 14% were retired.
 
 
 
CALIFORNIA SIDE X SIDES UNDER NEW JURISDICTION
Good news for offroaders as ABATE of California Lobbyist James Lombardo has announced that AB 988 was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown on August 25th.  
 
AB 988 is Assemblyman Brian Jones’ bill that puts Side X Sides (Rhinos, Razors, etc) under the jurisdiction of the new Motor Vehicle Board and as such will allow Side X Side owners with grievances to take those grievances to a non-binding arbitration hearing instead of having to spend money on hiring an attorney to represent them. 
 
 
ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLES TO HELP REDUCE AIR POLLUTION IN IRAN
Nearly half a million electric motorcycles will be manufactured to help reduce Iran’s Tehran Air Pollution. 
 
The Iran Fuel Conservation Company (IFcC) has a plan to get 400,000 motorcycles that use gasoline off the road and to replace them with 400,000 electric motorcycles, saying, “Due to incomplete combustion, some motorcycles pollute the air four times as much as automobiles.  A manufacturer will receive $300 for each electric motorbike it produces and sells.
 
Once the plan is implemented, only electric motorcycles will be allowed on the streets of central Tehran.
 
 
 
WEIRD NEWS: MOTORCYCLE-RIDING VIGILANTE SERVES DIRTY JUSTICE
Beware litterbugs; a vigilante female biker, fed up with people brazenly tossing trash out of their vehicles, is seeking street justice.
 
Wearing a GoPro camera on her helmet, she rides her motorcycle up to drivers who just can’t be bothered to find a trash can and knocks on the window.  What happens next in a video gone viral is a beautiful victory for everyone who has ever felt that little twinge of anger while watching someone lazily toss a full bag of fast food trash onto the pavement… she chucks garbage right back at the offenders before speeding away on her motorcycle!
 
Shot somewhere in Russia, immediately after the video was uploaded it skyrocketed to the top of Reddit.com with more than half-a-million views in 24 hours; a sweet vision of revenge for all those people who can’t stand littering.
 
 
 
RUDEST DRIVERS ARE FROM IDAHO
Drivers from Idaho, Washington, D.C. and New York have been judged to be the rudest drivers, according to a survey by Insure.com, an independent consumer insurance information website.  Also judged to be quite rude are drivers from Wyoming, Massachusetts, Vermont and Delaware.
 
Here’s how the top 10 rudest drivers rank, based on a survey of 2,000 licensed drivers nationwide: 1 – Idaho, 2 – Washington, D.C., 3 – New York, 4 – Wyoming, 5 – Massachusetts, 6 – Delaware (tied with) Vermont, 8 – New Jersey, 9 – Nevada, and 10 – Utah.
 
When asked what makes them most mad about other drivers, people said:
– Talking on a cellphone while driving: 47%
– Tailgating: 37%
– Not signaling turns: 35%
– Weaving in and out of lanes: 28%
– Driving too fast: 26%
 
Half of the respondents (49%) believe that about a quarter of other drivers should not be on the road, while twenty-one percent think half of other drivers should not be allowed to drive.
 
Advertisement
 
QUOTABLE QUOTE: “Liberty is the right to chose.  Freedom is the result of that choice.”
~ Pierre-Jules Renard (1864-1910) French author
 
 
 
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What’s Cool?

By Bandit | May 31, 2024
 
The people we aspired to be decades ago were much different than the celebrities young people looked up to today. The values of our past have nearly vanished, but I’m hoping that if everyone sees this, they might think differently about what “cool” was yesterday and what is considered “cool” today. . . really isn’t.
Share and remind everyone what “cool” used to be like!

Jim Waggaman



6 time Golden Globe winner Paul Newman boating in Venice during a film festival (1963)
 

 Children of Chicago (1941)
 

 The gorgeous necklines of the 1950s
 

 A young Harrison Ford
 

 A young boy stealing the show, back when middle school kids knew how to dance (1950)
 

 Clint Eastwood with actresses Olive Sturgess and Dani Crayne in San Francisco, 1954
 

The original way to ‘text’ in Class (1944)
 

 A gang of greasers in NYC, 1950
 

 Teenagers and their first car (1950s)
 

 Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and his cabinet – 1968. These men knew how to wear a suit.
 

Sophia Loren, one of the only actresses to win an Oscar, Grammy, and Golden Globe awards. 

A famous quote of hers: “Sex appeal is fifty percent what you’ve got and fifty percent what people think you’ve got.“
 

A man ice skating in a suit (1937)
 

This is how teenagers dated in the 1950s
 

High school fashion feature in Life Magazine (1969)
 

Frank Sinatra stepping out of a helicopter with a drink
 

Dean Martin and Angie Dickinson on the set of Rio Bravo, 1959
 

Girl with typewriter and a smoke
 

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip at the horse races (1968)
 

Muhammad Ali looking dapper
 

Paul McCartney and Mick Jagger sit opposite each other on a train to Bangor . (1967)
 

Girl on a scooter (1969)
 

The definition of old school cool. Cary Grant in the 1950s
 
 
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Bit by an Alligator Just for Flippin’ over Pancakes!!!

By Bandit | May 31, 2024
 
 
 
When the Petersen Museum announced that the first 150 motorcyclists who showed up got a free Sunday morning pancake breakfast plus two for one museum entrance tickets, people were setting their alarm clocks, this rider/writer included. In part it had to do with an exhibit of café racers on display, but any excuse to ride for free grub brought out a full menu of machines of all sizes and flavors, spanning the decades from 1960 to the present and beyond. You could say it was syrup on the pancake when this rider/writer showed up on the rooftop of the museum to encounter not only a bevy of about 100 bikes, but a slew of four-wheelers, including exotics like Ferrari, Lotus, Jaguar and classic ‘50s Corvettes as well as radical hot rods. Yes, bikes and cars living and playing together…who’d a thunk it possible?
 
 
 
 
 

Highlights of the gathering including two examples of Larry Romestant’s bodacious beemers aka SpecialKs based around the BMW four-cylinder 1200cc K and K75 3-cyclinder bikes in custom café, cruiser and commuter variations. While the purists who love their twin opposed “airheads,” in effect pushing the K bikes out of the picture, there is renewed interest in the so-called “flying bricks” thanks to SpecialKs ability to fuse the best of classic Brit and European styling into their creations not to mention a stellar triangulated frame and handmade bodywork taking its cues from the likes of Ducati, MV Agusta, and Velocette to name a few. Receiving literally rave reviews, SpecialKs is probably the global leader in K bike forward thinking and their techno-art creations offer unique styling, turbine smooth power, and legendary BMW dependability.
 
 
 
 

Also in attendance were Osh Minetian and Josh Withers, the tream recently launching a classic ‘70s BMW focused shop called Oshmo where they both restore and build custom twin-cylinder bikes and selling them to customers as far away as Monaco. Osh comes from a background in hypo BMW cars, named one of the Top 10 Tuners by Autoweek Magazine. Josh rode in on his awarding winner “California sky blue” 1973 “toaster tank” Beemer.
 
 
 
 

At the opposite end of the spectrum were the “plug-in and play” stealth machines rode in by U. of Pennsylvania graduate electrical engineer Harlan Flagg and his buddy Thomas Ito. Their shop, Hollywood Electrics, is a center for electric powered bikes including leading brands Zero and Brammo and they also offer their own performance mods. You could say they definitely put the zip into zap, the new ebikes a force to be reckoned with.
 
Says Harlan, “We sell more electric motorcycles out of our little place than anyone else in the world. Our bikes can do 0-60 in three seconds. Top speed exceeds 100 mph with170 miles cruisin’ around times as far as range. And the batteries have a 100,000 mile warranty.” 
 
 
 

Asked if he heard about the Harley-Davidson electric bike, Harlan replies, “I rode it. But can you buy it? They’re testing the waters, but I think they will come out with them.” Then Brian says, “We have a race team that’s compete at Laguna Seca and Willow Springs and one of the bikes we sold just won the Vetter Eco-Fuel Challenge. We raced Pikes Peak the last two years and this year we made it to the top in 11 minutes and 59 seconds on a modified Zero FX with Jeff Clark riding. Electric bikes at the Isle of Mann averaged 117 mph so they’ve come very far. You could say electric bikes are the current future.”
 
 

Taking another wild tangent was the appearance of one of the 36- produced Dan Gurney radical “Alligator” bikes powered by a specially modified Honda 350cc engine but also a new prototype called the “Instigator.” The bikes are produced by a division of All American Racers and their rep Chris Rhys explained the history of the bikes, saying “Back in the 2003 there was a production run of the Alligator, one of those seen here. There were also four prototypes for the new higher performance version. The first was powered by a 126 inch motor and that one went to the Barber Motorsports Museum. The one seen here has a 102 cubic inch S&S engine, modified by us including fuel-injection and with fly-by-wire.” Something like this machine will go into probably within the next two years. The prototype brought to the Petersen event to offer a taste of things to come, tips the scales at about 550 lb. with fuel, and puts out 150 HP with130 ft/lb of torque. So far it’s been tested at 150+mph.
 
 
 
Japanese bikes were also in abundance including the debut of a very tidy 350cc twin Honda powered café racer built for actor James Cromwell back in the late 1970s. Its new owner, Sean Gordon, a Hollywood special effects expert, spent 15 years trying to acquire the bike, eventually taking it home in 2011 and just recently completing its full restoration. A 1978 CB750, also café’d out, and making music through a vintage Kerker pipe, was ridden in by Drew Newman. Another top custom was a 1975 CB750 F model Super Sport showed up from Gasser Customs with its honcho/builder Adam Gaspic at the controls. The concept was ‘50/60s hotrod inspired and features included a 836cc Wiesco kit, custom tank and seat, plus a front end and rear swingarm grafted from a 1984 VF 750 Honda Interceptor.
 
 
 
 
While downsized in cc’s but still tons of fun were three small displacement, single cylinder thumpers brought by Abhi Eswarappa (all original 1968 Honda S90), Christian X (restored 1976 Suzuki A-100) and Damien Saaverdra (restored 1965 Italian-bred Gilera).
 
 
 
 

Catching up with the Petersen Museum’s Michael Bodell, he tells us that this time was the first Sunday cruisin’ event where motorcycles joined the car guys and it was such a success that the museum plans to continue outreach to the bike community to encourage their attendance in the future. Says Bodell, “We definitely enjoyed having the motorcycle fans show up. We had help from Hollywood Electrics putting out the word and we also had help from Deus ex Machina for the display of café racers in the museum lobby plus the pancakes were dished out by Johnny Rockets.” 
 
 
 

Keep in mind the Petersen is just about to go into remodeling mode, expanding their motorcycle gallery, so the last top-of-the-museum last-Sunday-of–the-month free pancake events is this Sept. 28., then the rally moves to a new location to be announced via their blog carstories.com where they would also like people with interesting vehicles and bikes to send in photos. Bottom line, relative to hot pancakes and cool vehicles including bikes, get your licks in by the end of September before the famous L.A. museum goes into sleep mode.
 
 
 
 

 
 
 

THE PETERSEN AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM

The two unique features that separate the Petersen Automotive Museum from other automotive museums are the Streetscape diorama, and the rotating exhibit spaces. To keep The Museum fresh, relevant, and to keep visitors coming back, it was decided from the beginning not to display the entire Museum Collection at once. In the 300,000 square feet that comprise The Petersen Automotive Museum, only about 150 vehicles are on display at any one time. The other half of the 300+ vehicle collection is in on-site storage, awaiting the chance to go on exhibition. Depending on the chosen subject, the rotating exhibits can range from 100% Petersen vehicles to 90% on loan.

A large part of The Museum’s focus is to collect and preserve historic vehicles, and a great deal of importance was placed from day one on acquiring a great number of significant vehicles of all shapes, sizes, makes, models, and purposes. As the Museum’s popularity grew as a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit educational institution, people came to realize that it was the perfect tax deductible home for their prized possession. Our first donation was a beautifully restored 1952 Mercedes-Benz 300 Cabriolet from Annapolis, Maryland. Since then, we have taken in donations from all over the world varying greatly from single vehicles, to multiple vehicle collections, rare automobile components, artwork, photographs, books, and automobilia.

 
 

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OptiMate6 Model TM181 Automatic Battery Charger

By Bandit | May 31, 2024
 
 

Nothing lasts forever and motorcycle batteries are no exception. The original equipment battery on my 2012 FLD Dyna Switchback had been dragging occasionally, after enduring a couple of summers and bad-ass winters in northern Virginia, plus another sweltering summer in the Conch Republic of south Florida. So I was pissed but not surprised when it barely had enough grunt to fire up my bike for the commute home from work a couple of weeks ago. I charged the battery when I got home, but a subsequent test with a multimeter confirmed my suspicion. The battery was toast.

So, purchasing a new one was a priority. I reached out to Biker’s Choice and ordered a new battery, plus.

The man in brown delivered two boxes to my door in the midst of a tropical downpour: a Twin Power premium motorcycle battery and an OptiMate6 Model TM181 automatic charger, manufactured by Tecmate International.

 
 Removing and replacing the battery on the FLD isn’t complicated. Naturally, you want the ignition and the run switch turned off first.
 
•Remove the seat.
 
•Remove the battery cover, which is held in place with a single screw at the bottom.
 
•Remove the rubber strap that secures the battery in its housing.
 
•Disconnect the negative terminal first, followed by the positive.
 
•Slide the battery out.
 

Reverse the preceding steps to install the new battery. Connect the positive terminal first, and then the negative. If your bike has an onboard clock like the Switchback does, you’ll need to reset it.

According to the literature that came with the Twin Power battery, it was shipped from the factory fully charged. Still, you never know how much time has elapsed since then, and batteries do self-discharge over time when not in use. Just to be on the safe side, I charged the battery overnight after installing it on the bike.

Most readers are probably familiar with the Battery Tender and its clones, which are trickle chargers/maintainers, and they do that job well. The microprocessor-driven TM181 charger for 12 V lead-acid batteries goes beyond that (according to the manufacturer):
  • It optimizes and extends the life of 3 to 240 Ah AGM, GEL and sealed or refillable lead-acid batteries.
  • It can save a battery as low as 0.5 V that can’t accept a charge from a standard smart charger or the vehicle’s charging system after jump-starting.
  • It will recharge a battery faster than a standard smart charger.
  • It continuously readjusts the charge rate to suit the battery’s size and condition.
  • It provides visual indication, via its LED display, if the battery is damaged or near the end of its life.
  • It protects the battery from discharge by the vehicle’s connected circuitry (such as a security system), keeps it 100-percent ready, and never overcharges.
  • If you do something stupid, like connect the charger to the battery bassackwards, the charger has built-in reverse polarity protection, disabling output so no damage will result.
  • It comes with a three-year limited warranty.

 

The charger can be laid flat or wall-mounted. It comes with a pair of harnesses: a 15A fused plug-in harness that can be permanently connected to the battery terminals, and a plug-in harness with clamps that can be used to charge a battery outside of the vehicle (or an automotive battery under the hood).

Use is straightforward, but do read the instructions and pay attention the safety precautions and warnings. Batteries generate explosive gases, and battery acid is extremely caustic and corrosive.

 So, goddammit, I’m back on the road. I appreciate the quick response time from the team at Biker’s Choice. 
 
–Bruce
Bikernet’s Official Certified Copy Editor
Book Editor and
Tech Associate 
 
 
 
 
 
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