Sturgis Motorcycle Museum – BSA 441 Victor Special
By Bandit |
As one of England’s oldest motorcycle companies, BSA grew out of a consortium of firearms manufacturers who first expanded into bicycles, then into the fledgling “motor bicycle” market by fitting a stronger frame with a Belgian-made Minerva engine.
That was 1905. By 1910 Birmingham Small Arms was building its own 30 cubic inch flathead single and BSA was on its way to becoming a household name.
In 1964 and 1965, Jeff Smith rode a modified bike with BSA’s 441cc single and won the 500cc motocross championship both years. At that time, motocross championships were good for sales of road bikes. After the two wins, BSA introduced Victor Special to the public.
These bikes were built for the track, and not for the general public. Some of the modifications that made them great for racing, turned out to be problems when they were introduced to the public. In reality, the Victor Special was more a 250cc bike with a 441cc engine.
The components were made to race in short sprints, not be ridden over the longer haul. Starting the bike was more than a slight challenge for riders unfamiliar with the process, and parts build to withstand those short stints on the track commonly needed replacement.
Still, BSA built and sold a considerable number of these bikes, and if you’re in the market for a vintage bike, you can pick one of these up fairly easily for a relatively reasonable price.
Brass Balls 2014 Brawler GT
By Bandit |
“Here is our latest Brawler GT. We finished it this week,” said Dar Holdsworth the boss of Brass Balls Cycles. FXRs are coming back under the signage of the only two custom bike manufacturers left standing in the United States, Brass Balls Cycles and Big Bear Choppers.
What an interesting run since the heyday of 2007, then the financial downfall of 2008. Yet, through it all two motorcycle configurations stood tall, the Bobber and the FXR. The bobber survived because it’s the essence of the chopper world without the frills. It’s the very forerunner of the custom motorcycle.
After World War II the guys came home and stripped stock motorcycles to give them class, then to start racing, hence the bobber. Here are some shots of the most recent Brass Balls Cycles bobber, built to respect the Navy for the Rolling Thunder Event at the capitol in support of veterans everywhere.
 |
 |
The other survivor is considered the best handling motorcycle Harley ever built. Eric Buell designed it initially.
One company consistently improves on the H-D platform, and that’s S&S. “This Brawler GT has an S&S EFI, T-series (they can’t say twin cam for copyright legal reasons) 111-inch motor,” said Dar. This is the first FXR to boast a Twin Cam powertrain.
The engine is mated to a 6 Rivera Primo FL style tranny with oil pan underneath. “It sports a Delkron inner primary and Barnett’s Scorpion billet outer primary,” said Dar. “D&D tuned the exhaust with a 2-into-1 system and carbon fiber canister exhaust. Oh, and one of the new S&S Air-1 air cleaners makes the air flow.
Dar is a builder who builds because he loves to ride, he loves any creative exercise, and he loves quality. This Brawler GT represents his notion of the best handling motorcycle product on the market.
Some more featured components incorporated into the Brawler GT include:
“Ohlin’s front and rear suspension with our own custom designed & machined fork clamps,” said Dar, “with the top clamp housing our Chrono-classic analog tach/digital speedo.”
Dual Brembo radial calipers with EBC floating rotors.
BST carbon fiber wheels with Avon 3D-XM Storm tires.
Carbon fiber front fender.
“It has our Brass Balls Performance LED headlight up front and rear LED signal lights incorporated into the chassis,” said Dar. “Custom fabricated in house: fuel tank, rear cowling and side panels.”
ISR adjustable hand controls with Brass Balls new Performance leather wrapped billet grips. Motion pro cables.
“Oh, and we have a new relationship with Driven Oils (formerly Joe Gibbs Racing oils),” said Dar. “We will be loading this bike with Driven’s amazing performance oils.”
This one is going to our dealer in Shanghai,” said Dar. “Yes, we are exporting American Motorcycles to China.”
Dar has refined his Brawler GT model for three years. “It’s the most incredible riders’ bike we’ve ever created,” said Dar, “and the first person I’ve given photos to is Bikernet.”
“By the way, I know there is no chain guard on it. We fabricated one from aluminum,” Dar said, “then took it off to use it for making a mold to manufacture units from carbon fiber.”
The Brawler start at $39,995, and this one was outfitted to $51,500.
Bikernet.com Extreme Brawler Tech Chart
Regular Stuff
Owner: Darwin Motorcycles Shanghai
Bike Name: Brawler GT
Builder: Darwin Motorcycles / Brass Balls Cycles
City/state: Oklahoma City, OK. USA
Company Info:
Address: 401 S. Blackwelder Ave. OKC OK 73108
Phone: 405-270-0995
Web site: www.BrassBallsCycles.com
E-mail: evolve@DarwinMotorcycles.com
Fabrication: Darwin / Brass Balls
Manufacturing: Darwin / Brass Balls
Welding: Darwin / Brass Balls
Machining: Darwin / Brass Balls
Engine
Year: 2014
Make: S&S
Model: 111-inch T-Series EFI
Displacement: 111-inch
Builder or Rebuilder:
Cases: S&S
Case finish: Black
Barrels: S&S
Bore: 4-1/8-inch
Pistons: S&S
Barrel finish: black with machined fins
Lower end: S&S
Stroke: 4-1/8-inch
Rods: S&S
Heads: S&S
Head finish: Polished
Valves and springs: S&S
Pushrods: S&S
Cams: S&S / Crane
Lifters: S&S
Carburetion: S&S Throttle body EFI
Air cleaner: S&S Air 1
Exhaust: D&D / Brass Balls Custom
Mufflers: D&D Bobcat with carbon fiber
Other:
Transmission
Year: 2014
Make: Rivera
Gear configuration: 6-speed
Primary: Delkron Inner / Barnett Outer
Clutch: Barnett
Final drive: Chain
Kicker: not on this bike
Frame
Year: 2014
Builder: Darwin Motorcycles
Style or Model: Brawler GT
Rake: 28 degrees
Modifications: Inspired by FXR
Front End
Make: Brass Balls Performance
Model: using Ohlin’s Road & Track legs
Year: 2014
Mods: Custom machined Brass Balls Performance fork clamps that house a chrono-classic gauge.
Sheet metal
Tanks: Brawler GT tank
Fenders: Brawler GT tail cowling
Panels: Brawler GT side panels
Oil tank: FL style pan under tranny
Paint
Sheet metal: Manny’s Ink & Air, Oklahoma City.
Frame: Custom Powder Coat
Wheels:
Front: BST Carbon Fiber
Make: Black Stone Tech
Size: 17 x 3.5-inch
Brake calipers: Brembo Radial mount
Brake rotor(s): EBC floating
Tire: Avon 3D-XM Storm 120mm
Rear: BST Carbon Fiber
Size: 17x 5.5-inch
Brake calipers: Hawg Halter
Brake rotor: Galpher
Pulley: Vortex sprocket
Tire: 3D-XM Storm 180mm
Controls
Foot controls: Brawler GT
Finish: Chrome
Master cylinder: Wilwood
Brake lines: Goodridge
Handlebar controls: ISR adjustable
Finish: Black Ano
Clutch Cable: Motion Pro
Brake Lines: Goodridge
Shifting: Smooth as silk
Kickstand: Brass Balls Performance, billet aluminum
Electrical
Ignition: S&S
Ignition switch: DM
Coils: S&S
Regulator: Cycle Electric
Charging: Cycle Electric
Starter: All Balls
Wiring: Wire Plus
Harness: WirePlus
Headlight: Brass Balls Performance LED
Taillight: Brass Balls Performance LED in chassis
Switches: ISR
Battery: Antigravity Lithium Ion
What’s Left
Seat: HixDesign
Mirror(s): Bar end
Gas caps: racing
Handlebars: Tracker
Grips: Brass Balls Performance leather wrapped billet aluminum
Oil filter: K&N
Oil cooler: non
Oil lines: GoodYear
Fuel Lines: S&S
Throttle: Joker Machine
Throttle cables: Motion Pro
Fasteners: Gardner Wescott
Comments:
The Brawler GT is an uncompromising American Sport Cruiser. It is a very comfortable cruiser with a neutral riding position, but is also a very sport performance orientated bike to take advantage of any track or twisty road.
The one taboo phrase that plagues the biker world is “Biker Down!”.
By Bandit |
This is where it starts, we’ve lost so many through the years, brothers and sisters in the wind, and it seems as we get older, there are so many more that quickly take the route to the silent highway.
I can remember Christmas day, 2006 – by 8am I had received two phone calls that friends had gone down in separate accidents, and were gone. Those calls, and the many others through the years, have left the heart scarred.
July, 2013 was the 4th close call for me. I was lying in a hospital bed after a really freaky mishap, and to this day I only remember a fishtail and my face smacking the handlebars. I was not even sure if I blacked out for a few seconds. I wasn’t drunk, and was going about 25 mph on a straight road. It was a nice sunny day, and I had many miles logged in before this, probably 160,000 plus over the years. I have replayed the whole scene over and over since then, and all I could think was, “I don’t need this shit right now!”
A lady stopped in her truck to help and I asked her to head back down the road and get a friend to come help. A few minutes later he showed up and took me to the hospital since I had a gaping wound over my eye and the usual road rash. As a nurse, I was in denial, I didn’t need to get checked out, but then I was forced to look in the mirror. I was banged up, and pretty lucky, I thought.
When I got to the hospital and was sent to CT scan they found a subarachnoid bleed (brain), and as luck would have it, no neurosurgeon was on duty in the small rural hospital. So, they decided a two hour ambulance ride to the local trauma center would not suffice, they had to airlift me.
I felt like a total dumbass, but off to the big city hospital I went, where I had a MRI, observation, and was sent home with a fractured orbit (eye socket), sutures on face and chin, road rash and wounded pride. My guardian angel was definitely looking out for me July 7th! I was so lucky!
While I was lying around in the hospital, I kept thinking about the past, how many accidents I’ve been involved in, or had come upon while riding, and how I felt so helpless when I got there. The one that comes to mind the most was the one on a local interstate, on our way to Daytona, about 7 years ago. We were cruising along in the fast lane at about 80, when the traffic slowed quickly, we dropped down to 45 due to an accident up ahead and my front wheel started to violently shake, front flat. I managed to get Fringe (FLHPI) pulled over to the median barrier and just happened to glance out of the corner of my eye and there goes a crotch rocket tucked up under an SUV complete with rider, being dragged down the Interstate.
The driver of the SUV had no clue that she was dragging the bike. The guys I was with had to flag her down and when she finally slowed, the rider broke free and rolled to the barrier. He was covered in Kevlar and had a full face helmet on. With my heart pounding, just from trying to get my scoot under control and then seeing this really jacked my adrenaline to high octane as I ran over to him.
I was lucky when another woman came running up, said she was a nurse but was an OB (obstetrics/baby) nurse and didn’t quite know what to do. So there we sat, two educated nurses without emergency training. We could work a “code” in a hospital but weren’t sure where to start on the victim, we’ve always been told don’t touch the helmet.
ABC’s, CPR, First aid basics, all the training we had was cloudy in the background! The truck driver behind me had witnessed everything. He brought out a pair of scissors, and we cut the rider’s backpack off and opened the shield on his helmet and lucky for us he was breathing, but not awake, alert or oriented. That rider was a lucky survivor!
In nursing school, they don’t teach you what to do at an accident scene as they tell you to leave that to the EMT’s or the Paramedics. Nurses are taught to Assess, Plan, Implement, and Evaluate. The nursing process is based on practices or theories that are taught in the nursing school curriculum. So while we could help the victim, we still felt like helpless victims ourselves, a crucial gap in emergent care, that neither of us was previously aware of.
Ok, lately, it’s been a rough couple of years; I am just recovering from 4 deaths in my family in 8 months. I lost my fiancée suddenly, then my dad after 9 months of illness, my brother’s daughter (11) in a house fire, and my ex-mother in law. Then my dogs, one to old age, one to leukemia, and one to bone cancer. I was trying to decide where life was going, after so much death, or what direction I wanted it to go in. Well, I guess you could say this new chapter started where the death chapter ended!
Then a friend tells me about a course being taught in Florida for instructors. And he says, since you are a nurse, “its right up your alley!!!!”
So after checking out the website and getting more information on the organization I decided to register. After all the years, the gap was about to be bridged by the Accident Scene Management/Road Guardians!
There are different levels of instructor:
Lead Instructors are those that have medical training, i.e. EMT or higher (RN/LPN, Paramedic, ARNP, etc.) They must be present if the instructor doesn’t have medical training or credentials.
Assistant instructors must be motorcyclists but do not require medical training.
In order to become an instructor one has to be a motorcyclist, plain and simple.
A course refresher is mandatory to maintain Instructor status and is taken every 2 years.
All instructors must pay the fees and take the 30 hour course.
Once completed, it allows you to teach the 5 courses that ASM (Accident Safety Management) offers:
- “A Crash Course for the Motorcyclist”**
- “Advanced Bystander Assistance”**
- “Anatomy of a Motorcycle Crash”**
- Basic Refresher
- Advanced Refresher
**CE’s are offered for medical professionals.
You are required to teach 2 classes a year minimum.
The course was developed by Vicki Sanfelipo, RN/EMT – who had had similar roadside experiences as a nurse, but really didn’t know what to do at the accident scene even with nurses training. Taking information from a class she had taken on motorcycle safety, and completing an EMT course, she developed this class in 1996 and began teaching it in 1997. In 10 years time, the course has grown to 140+ Instructors and has now gone international in four countries! Amazing!
Check out their website: https://roadguardians.org/asmi-what-it-is/
I want to bring this information to the local biker community and beyond. My goal is to have someone that has taken this course, use this information to help save a life. Its critical time that goes by before EMS arrives at an accident scene. I have had firsthand experiences of being somewhere where I was doing CPR and it took 45 minutes to get a helicopter to the scene. Your hands are tied with what you can do, but you can educate people on the basics and hope to enhance the survival rate of the accident victim. My wish is that we all have time to ride and remain safe, upright, and on two (or three!) wheels!
Peace,
Ride safe, ride free….
Dmac
A little bit about Dmac:
I have been riding my own since 1999, and, like most have logged a lot of years and miles on the back. My happiest time in life is with my granddaughters, and when I’m in the wind. The back country roads through America, in this great country of ours, are my favorite. One of my goals in life is to ride the back roads in every state (I have 7 left) and then venture on to Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
I’ve been a licensed practical nurse for 24 years working in areas of Med-Surg, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, and Cardiology/Anticoagulation Therapy. I have been taking pre-requisite courses toward my RN over the years, and raising the kids, helped with our garage, and finally was set to go to college and finish my degree in August 2003. I was accepted, everything completed, and ready to start the “bridge to RN” program full time. And suddenly, I end up divorced after 20 years of marriage, so much for my plan. I kept the house and had to work full time, and school ended up being put on the back burner yet again! UGH!!!
Then I found a way and it’s taken me 10 years, but I should be finishing my RN by years end, 2014!
And now I have found the way I can give back and pay it forward. By passing along vital information to others in the biker community about those first critical minutes until EMS arrives! I bridged the gap after all this time! Through the years, motorcycle rights and awareness/safety, has been my passion and still is, but this brings it full circle!
The Road Guardians Program was created to support Motorcycle Trauma Training education as a critical element to outcomes should a crash occur. Road Guardians is a nationally branded program that supports Accident Scene Management’s Mission to Reduce Injuries and fatalities to Motorcyclists. The program provides Resources, Rewards and Recognition to those who are properly trained and properly licensed. We encourage motorcyclists to be “lifelong learners” by providing resources and opportunity as well.
Through Road Guardians we not only are able to connect to our safety minded riders, feeding them safety information, but we are also able to support an area of motorcycle safety often forgotten. training specific to motorcycle crashes is imperative for all motorcyclists and trained rescuers. In order for the best possible outcome we need to focus on preventing a crash from occurring in the first place, and then preparing for proper response in the event a crash occurs. Through the Road Guardians Program we highlight six areas of motorcycle safety in which any motorcyclist can take personal responsibility to get educated.
For more information Click here – Bystander Assistance
ASMI – What It Is
Accident Scene Management, Incorporated (ASMI) is the leading international motorcycle trauma training association. We teach bystanders and EMTs what to do in order to prevent injuries and fatalities to motorcyclists.
Vicki Sanfelipo – Lead Instructor, RN/EMT – ASMI Director/Lead Instructor/Instructor Trainer/ASMI Board Chairperson.
Vicki is the Author of “A Crash Course for the Motorcyclist”. She established the non-profit organization Accident Scene Management, Inc. in 1996 in order to reduce injuries and fatalities to motorcyclists through First Response training. She acts as Director of ASMI yet today. Vicki worked for over 25 years in a variety of settings throughout the hospital from Critical Care to the Operating Room. She spent 8 years working as an educator at Waukesha Memorial Hospital for the Department of Surgery. She become an EMT in 1999 to better connect ASMI training to the EMS.
Vicki teaches CPR, Defibrillators, and First Aid for the American Heart Association. She has been riding her own motorcycle for over 25 years and has completed the MSF’s Experienced Rider Course. She is a life member of A.B.A.T.E. of Wisc., Charter Member Central Wisc. H.O.G. & member of Kettle Moraine H.O.G., Motorcycle Riders Foundation, BOLT, Patriot Guard, St. Croix Valley Riders, The Iron Butt Association, the American Motorcyclist Association & Road Guardians.
You can contact Vicki here: vicki@accidentscene.org or 262-706-3278
Partying, Fighting and Biking
By Bandit |
The common thread of the following books is a passion for motorcycles and adventure. Adventure can be found in riding great distances and crossing state and national borders and finding yourself. Adventure can be more localized and involve urban turf wars against other clubs and law enforcement agencies and finding yourself in jail or prison. What is it about the two wheeler that attracts the outsider, the weird, the loner and the misfit? Does the general dislike and mistrust of the motorcycle and its rider by normal society push the outsider into the motorcycle fold or do they naturally go there on their own? Is it a conscious decision or a process of elimination? Is it a fascination with the mechanical aspects of the machine itself? Is it an early imprint of a parent’s reaction to a loud machine on a child’s developing psyche? Is it a case of: My parents hate motorcycles therefore, to bother the shit out of them, I will like motorcycles? I don’t know. Maybe I just think too much.
Soul On Bikes The East Bay Dragons MC And The Black Biker Set – Tobie Gene Levingston- with Keith and Kent Zimmerman– A car clubber turned motorcycle clubbers life story. Starting in the fifties, Tobie relates the trials and tribulations of guiding a group of black Harley riders through the turbulent sixties and into the funky seventies and beyond. Soul relates the philosophies and insights of the founding member and president of The East Bay Dragons MC.
Publisher: Motorbooks.
Paperback: 272 pages. (Black and white and color pictures.)
Phil Cross Gypsy Joker to a Hells Angel by Phil and Meg Cross.
The life and times of Phil Cross. An attractive collection of black and white and color photographs interlaced with tales of fightin’, fuckin’and bikin’. The photographs really make this book interesting with tons of pics from the old days. Phil relates his life story from the streets of San Francisco to a spot on the FBI’s most wanted list.
Publisher: Motorbooks.
Hardcover: 240 pages.
Down and Out in Patagonia, Kamchatka, and Timbuktu – Greg Frazier’s Round and Round and Round- the World Motorcycle Journey by Dr. Gregory Frasier.
Down and Out is a long and rambling narrative from Dr. (of Economics ) Gregory Frasier’s tales of his endless round the world motorcycle journey. Beginning with his recollections of riding in a push car as a one year old and ending with fond memories of bullying his only round the world passenger (who suffers from Parkinson’s) the weird Dr. Greg makes his way around the world in his own unique way; Self admittedly the hardest way possible. Plan ahead? Why? What fun would that be? The self-described ‘eccentric elitist’ relates his life story in clunky prose in chapter after chapter after chapter that made me not want to continue reading. But I did. It is full of color pictures of exotic lands captioned with an annoying cursive style print. If you enjoy reading about another’s misfortune and want to learn from his mistakes, grab Down And Out off the shelf. If not there are plenty of books out there that will offer advice about motorcycle touring.
Publisher: Motorbooks.
Hardcover: 224 pages.
The Essential Guide to Motorcycle Travel Second Edition Planning, Outfitting And Accessorizing by Dale Coyner
The title says it all. The Essential Guide To Motorcycle Travel guides you on the path to an excellent motorcycle journey. Dale Coyner starts out with three questions relevant to any journey: Where to? How long? How much? From the answers to those questions he proceeds to lay out how he plans his trips. Dale goes into gear for the rider and bike in great detail, keeping up with the newest developments in material and technology for the ride. Full of color photos of people, places and things related to the text and plenty of illustrations. Motorcycle Travel is a great book for touring pros and beginners alike.
Publisher: Whitehorse Press.
Paperback: 189 pages.
Hell On Wheels An Illustrated History Of Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs -Bill Hayes.
From the first organized motorcycle club in America in 1903 to the outlaw clubs formed in the forties and fifties to the televised saga of SAMCRO in the oughts Hell On Wheels is a comprehensive history of outlaw clubs worldwide. Packed with color and black and white pictures of outlaw bikers riding, partying and getting arrested. Bill Hayes does a good job of cramming a lot of facts into a readable format. There are plenty of movie posters, news clippings, police reports and memorabilia between the covers of Hell On Wheels. From Hollister to Altamont to Laughlin, Hayes chronicles the bad boys of the motorcycle world in one easy to read and easy to look at book of knowledge.
Publisher: Motorbooks.
Softcover: 192 pages.
(Photos from www.amazon.com)
2014 First Annual Iron & Ash Ride Kicks Off
By Bandit |
May 31st and June 1st, 2014.
The First Annual Iron & Ash Ride is an Epic cross country ride to raise awareness for Veterans, Cigars for Warriors and Veterans Outreach.
(To read more about this Click here)
 |
 |
 |
 |
Storm Boen, Founder of Cigars for Warriors and Jonathan Drew from Drew Estates were there to greet us. We also met up with Vaughn Boyd from Deadwood Tobacco which is the icon of Cigar establishments for bikers. They came down especially for the event.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The party was at the Tejas Rodeo with music, dancing and a rodeo. It was great fun, great people and great cigars. The crew of Iron & Ash rode in from all over the country. With Rogue coming all the way from Florida, Dr. Ruth riding in from Minnesota and Cat the One Legged Blonde riding in from Wisconsin. Rogue is the Official Photographer, Dr Ruth is the Road Captain and Cat is the Designer, Planner and Inspiration for the run. We met in San Antonio, Texas for the start of this great ride, where we will be meeting up with Veterans and veteran supporters from all over the country.
 |
 |
 |
 |
We all met the Rock Star in the Cigar industry Johnathan Drew. This man started Drew Estates with only 1800 dollars. What I personally find appealing to this man is his heart of giving back by supporting Cigars for Warriors and building homes for the needy. I have always believed behind a strong man is a strong woman and there is. His lovely wife of 15 yrs is his strongest supporter. As her husband spoke she perked up as a big group of rodeo boys were getting loud. She gracefully walked over and asked them to please listen. They did. One of the men came back later and said “Wow, I own five businesses. How can I help?”
 |
 |
 |
 |
It was a beautiful beginning of the cross country heart felt journey for this crew. Getting back to and working in the community has never become tiring.
 |
 |
Stay tuned for more updates from these various events as we travel along.
Please check our schedule and if you live nearby or want to take a ride please JOIN us for any part of the journey you can!
There will be lots of fun events, great people, fantastic cigars and a great time for all, and we will be helping the Veterans and Cigars for Warriors!
Located in the historic city of Deadwood, South Dakota The Deadwood Tobacco Company and Cigar Bar is a full service tobacconist with all your favorite cigars, tobacco products and accessories. We carry the finest brands, both imported and domestic, as well as fine gifts and Deadwood souvenirs. Drop by our beautiful smoking lounge located downstairs in the historic tunnels of Deadwood, home to original jail. (the only jail that serves beer!) Catch a game on the big screen TV, enjoy over 50 varieties of beer and your favorite cigar. We also offer a huge online general store with the best brands at the best prices.
The Drew Estate story is one of daring, heartbreak & success but, most of all, one of passion for cigars and the country of Nicaragua, where we have been making cigars since 1998. Jonathan Drew & Marvin Samel are not your average cigar makers, their story does not start in Cuba, or with fathers in the cigar business. It started with a dream, and through their can-do spirit and never-say-die attitude made Drew Estate one of the premier cigar manufacturers on the planet.
 |
C.B. Dalton works around the clock here at Cigar Bandits to round up the best cigars at the best prices you’ll find anywhere! Check out C.B.’s “Steals of the Week” for even greater savings. Get your share of the loot at CigarBandits.com!
|
AKA Cigars is a Boutique Cigar Company highly focused on Quality. We started with our ideas and concepts in early 2010 of creating a company that will be known for High Quality Products, as well as a Fun, Exciting, and Edgy Nature. We started selling in commerce in May of 2011 and we will continue to work hard to evolve into a company that everyone knows and trust for Quality Products.
We wanted to have an American Themed Company that is for us Americans. Something for All of us to show our Patriotism and to be Proud of. So for Everyone who is Proud to be an American, You Are American KickAss.
 |
Swinger Cigars are made from hand selected tobaccos, carefully blended to make the most enjoyable smoking experience. We pride ourselves on giving you the very best cigars at an affordable price.
We procure the finest fillers, binders and wrappers from around the tobacco world.
|
Cigar Press premiered in June of 2007. It was founded in Los Angeles, California by Thor Nielsen, who currently lives in and produces Cigar Press out of Miami, FL. It can be found in cigar shops around the United States in all 50 states as well as other countries and cities such as Canada, New Zealand, Amsterdam, Great Britain, Brazil, Hong Kong, among others.
Family Tradition and Youngblood Kustomz
By Bandit |
I hear bikers say they grew up riding, or riding has been in their family for generations. It is something to be proud of, and arguably more sincere than a recipe book, or a fishing spot. Those motorcycles carry memories and family legacy, not just the rider. With a name like Youngblood Kustomz, you can almost expect a deep lineage in the motorcycle shop, but it’s hard to top Steven Youngblood’s roots in the motorcycle community.
Steven was three years old when he received his first motorcycle, but those were not his first rides. Steven’s father was able to harness his car seat to the back of his Harley before he was able to walk, a tradition that continued with his brother and sister. Shortly after Steven received a Yamaha PW50 dirtbike, his father lost the lawn.
His uncle owned a motorcycle shop. It mostly serviced Harley-Davidsons. Steven spent nights after school and lots of weekends helping around the shop. Eventually, he wanted to learn to paint parts. Those lessons became the seedlings of Youngblood Kustomz.
Steve started painting old fenders and tanks, but quickly moved on to painting anything lying around, while working on his dirt bikes. He worked through high school at the shop, and decided to move on to trade school for body work. It was around this time, at age 19, when Steve found his first ground-up build.
“It was sitting out in the back of a farmer’s yard, and there were two of them,” Steve recalled. “They were both Harley Sprints, from the AMF period. I know some people go back and forth if those were truly Harleys. They were covered in straw, mud, and mold. One was a basket case and one was a complete bike. The guy said I could have one if I could find something useful to do with it. It took me two days of scrubbing to find out what I actually had.”
What he had was a bike with pitted chrome, a salvageable electric system, and a project requiring attention for every part.
“I had found some information online to help me work. It was my first time sandblasting anything, and I just had one of those cheap cyclone blasters from Home Depot. Once I had accounted for all the chassis parts, I started taking apart the engine.”
After polishing the cases and many hours of work reassembling, he had a something to ride– wearing orange and black Prismatic paint.
He began taking on more motorcycle side projects for painting under his own name and went to mechanical school. Fourteen years later, Youngblood Kustomz is a thriving business in Buford, Georgia. The philosophy of the company is simple:
“I wanted to give customers something back I would be proud of and they would be happy with,” said Steve.
As a builder, Steve admits he prefers motorcycles to hot rods in his shop for practical reasons.
“I do about 80% bikes. Right now I have a ’67 Chevy Z10 frame-up. Hot rods have more parts, and I would rather have more bikes, because my shop is not very big. Even if it was bigger I would fill it one way or another,” Steve confessed. His garage is located a stone’s throw away from his house. Plans for expansion are not far off, because Steve is constantly looking for new projects.
“I like OEM factory parts for the fit and finish, definitely. For bike builds though, I like to find different things to make parts out of. It keeps people interested. I look at eBay, and check out other bike shop’s scrape part bins.”
This is an understatement. For a KZ400 bobber, Steve used a utility spotlight with a converted breather cover for the headlight. His other builds are riddled with conversions. Youngblood Kustomz also makes use of the surrounding countryside as well.
“I know everyone around here; my family has been here for years, it helps in looking for parts.”
Old sprockets were made into pegs, and an old tractor fuel filter was fashioned into a brake light. Old metal filing cabinet and ammo boxes have been machined into saddle bags. In an effort to keep the found parts “functional,” Steve once used a defused grenade as a kicker pedal.
“I paint everything and anything. I’m bad about bartering and trading work, so I can have something new to paint. I’ve painted just about everything in my shop.”
Steve prepped and sprayed bowling pins and lawnmowers. Most metal that comes down his path leaves baptized in Youngblood designs. So what was the wildest thing Steve ever painted.
“Have you ever painted something really crazy, like, I dunno, an airplane or something like that?” I inquired. Steve silently pondered for a second.
“Yeah,” he replied.
“Yeah what?” I said, confused.
“Yeah, I’ve painted an airplane.”
Steve told me the story of the stunt propeller-driven airplane he painted after receiving a call out of the blue one day. He had to make sure each coat of paint on the wings were exactly the same on each side so the plane could perform the twists and turns that it was designed for. The slightest imbalance could affect the handling. I guess when you paint anything and everything as a gun-for-hire, stunt planes are just part of the portfolio.
“The guy performed for crowds at airfield shows. He would do crazy shit like stream toilet paper into the prop so it shreds over the crowd like confetti. He wanted an intricate paint job. He had LEDs. There was some serious money in the plane,” Steve remembered. The owner of the plane was adamant about getting Steve into the cock pit for a ride.
“The first couple flips and turns were cool, but after that I said he had better knock it off, or else the inside may get ruined,” Steve added with a laugh. It sounded like Steve was a once-in-a-lifetime client.
 |
 |
 |
 |
The ride is far from over for Youngblood Kustomz, though. Stay updated with Steve and his latest projects by liking Youngblood Kustomz’s Facebook page.
The Most Interesting Man in the World
By Bandit |
I saw him from the distance, as he walked toward me at the port of Los Angeles. He looked like some kind of Anime character dressed in a long black leather trench coat over bright layers, shirt and scarf, black leather chaps and black boots. I noticed the mud splattered up the back of his coat and up the front of his boots and chaps. His grey hair appeared to have not been brushed in a month. He had some odd things hanging around his neck. I was later to find out they were a golden Buddha inside a coin like pendant, and some tiger fur in a sealed capsule from the Tiger Temple in Thailand. Both items were covered in welding dust, and grit. He smiled a genuine soul smile with flashes of beautiful shiny metallic teeth. He said very few words, and his voice was like a large cat purring.
“WOW!” I thought, “This guy looks like he has been somewhere!”
Later that night we met again at the floating Yacht Club. This sounds posh, but to my surprise, it was more like a super-sized redneck patio party with plastic furniture and next to no class, but great, friendly people, to me a balance of pure perfection. I was on a nice roll, sharing my stories of personal enlightenment, and surrounded by about six eager suitors. I decided then to dub this man, ‘The Most Interesting Man’ on earth. That guy on the popular U.S. commercials paled in comparison. At the end of the night when he walked out and was standing next to his super cool black and chromed bike in the parking lot, that was it! This guy just kept getting better!
Soon I found out the bike was the beautiful, cool looking ATK GV 650, all black and chrome. It looked like a really expensive motorcycle; I figured he paid around twenty grand for it. Surprisingly, the cool chromed beauty sells for just under seven grand, brand new! It looked like the cool cruiser of my dreams. Little did I know a few months later, I would be learning to ride on the same motorcycle, and also writing a review for Bikernet.com.
My first meeting with the guys, Keith and Ray, at BIKERNET Headquarters was very comfortable and cool. As The Most Interesting went out to find a carton of his favorite Canadian smokes, I was given the grand tour from Keith Ball, who is a tall drink of water, and well poised, which is fairly rare for me to say as I stand at nearly six foot tall. Keith showed me beautiful bikes, of different shapes and sizes, some old, some new, some that had raced and won at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, motorcycles upstairs and down, and even incredible glass over motorcycle office and patio furniture. The art that graced the walls was intricate and incredible, and much of it had graced motorcycle magazine covers and pages throughout the years. I just knew this was every bike aficionado’s wet dream.
I left with Keith’s new book, and a race team sticker and patch. The books cover read, “Harbor Town Seduction a Wild Chance Hogan Ride” by K. Randall Ball. “Murder, treachery, and too many women at every turn”.
“Nice”, I thought, “I need a new good read”. The sticker and matching patch had a pin up girl in a racing checkered bikini, casually leaning over an orange #5 cue ball, and on it was printed, “Bikernet.com racing team”. Then I went to meet Ray, a very fit man with longish white hair and beard, who radiated kindness and positive intentions. He was still talking about renting a few mermaids, as I had recently been contacted by Thom Shouse the “tail man” and asked if I would like to be a mermaid, after he saw my Facebook bodysurfing videos, freediving videos, and my general love and ability in the ocean.
Earlier that day I had tried on my first Thom Shouse tail. I had explained to Ray and Keith over dinner how Thom had contacted me because of my freediving and love of being under the sea. To my amazement, most mermaids apparently just sit on the beach collecting buckets of sand in their tails, flopping this way and that, looking cute, and do not or can not swim.
Ray’s walls also were graced with cool biker art, and I noticed a panoramic picture of a bunch of guys with bikes on what looked like some white washed desert playa somewhere. I questioned it as it interested me. Turns out it was the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, where land speed records were set and broken. He casually asks me, “So, you want to go to that place, Bonneville…with us next time?”
“Hell yea!” I exclaimed.
“I like her” he says in general, and hands me another book I am instructed to read first. It is another book by Keith, with a cool illustrated cover that looks a lot like Keith on a Black and chromed bike on the cover, holding some kind of assault rifle, and ammo rounds about his neck. It reads, “Sam Chopper Orwell”. Sweet.
By this time I wasn’t just itching to learn to ride; my itch had turned into a full-blown “want to ride” rash. My first and only lesson was around 20 years earlier on a big heavy Moto Guzzi, that had power and was pointed toward a sandy curb in Huntington Beach, California. My all of 3 second ride ended in the bike sliding out and resting a very hot muffler on my leg peeling off all the skin, and branding me with a scar that lasted for awhile. I did not try learning again after that until now, and had only on a couple of occasions been a passenger. I was nervous to say the least.
My first ride with the Most Interesting Man was as a passenger, who as I had previously discovered through some “small link” dock talk, had some sort of land speed record. “Wow, things just keep getting more interesting!” I thought, and I wondered what the hell I was getting myself in for. I met up with The Most Interesting, or Dr. Feng, as BIKERNET readers know him, in order to pick out my helmet. Silver, white and black that had a couple of small dragons on the crown to balance my Chinese year of the rat, and for safety (of course), was recommended. All geared up we set out. The ATK GV 650 was all cleaned up, gassed up and ready to go. The ride as a passenger was a comfortable one. I felt balanced and safe on the seat, and at no time felt like I was going to slide off the back and eat pavement like I had previously on another ride as a passenger in my past.
I was amazed at how far we traveled that day and how many places we saw with very little expense on the gas. Let’s just say, Dr. Feng is by nature fast, and I was comfortable going at the speeds he liked on the freeway, even at points feeling like I was flying, and so comfortable I closed my eyes for a little rest and meditation on the freeways of Southern California. The ride as a passenger was very nice.
We were able to cover lots of ground. First we rode to the Los Angeles art district from Port of Los Angeles area, and then into Chinatown to meet up with Keith and Ray for lunch, and a break. At lunch Dr. Feng ordered enough slippery shrimp to feed the entire Chinese army, along with other food. Keith mentions something about getting The Most Interesting into a different job where he would be cleaned up and, “Not in the dirt all day.” Over a bite of slippery shrimp, I puked just a bit into the back of my throat, as an image flashed in my mind of The Most Interesting, looking anything but that, in low end broke lawyer’s garb, cheap shiny shoes, slacks that were short and tight because they shrunk up, as the fit changed due to the sedentary desk job lifestyle and belly weight gain.
“NO!” I exclaim without thinking, “That is why I was interested in talking with him in the first place! He looked like he’d been places!” Everybody laughs.
Next to the Buddhist temple to check that out, and back onto the ATK. Now heading back into San Pedro, we were able to see the Korean Bell, and then the Wayfarers Chapel. As a passenger on the bike I felt more in touch with the places we traveled, and felt like we covered much more distance than we would have in my car. The bike was so sturdy and stable we both took our hands off and just let the bike glide down a hill on the way back to headquarters. Dr. Feng, with his hands off the handlebars jokingly flailed a bit, and the balance of the bike was evident, so even during that, I was comfortable. My next ride would be in the mountains as both a rider and a passenger.
Up to the Angeles mountains, where I was to begin to learn to ride, with me on the front as the driver and Dr., Feng on the back as a passenger, reaching over me and letting go of the handlebars when he felt I had my balance and comfort. Just due to my own past experiences, I tensed up and my legs were shaking, and I found the steering different. We pulled over. Dr. Feng explains to me the concept of counter steering, where at certain speeds you can very gently, with one finger, push the handlebars in the OPPOSITE direction you desire to turn and the bike leans and turns just right, with little effort. I try this the next day on my next ride.
The ATK GV 650 started up easily and immediately with the turn of the key. The controls are clear and easy to read. With Dr. Feng on the back again, he gets me off the side and onto the road, from first into second, then as I gain confidence he lets go, and seems to disappear, only giving suggestions as needed. The ride was smooth and beautiful. With the counter steering that Dr. Feng had taught me the day before, the bike turned and leaned into each turn comfortably, with almost no effort. I moved up through to 4th gear, and although it took a little pressure to shift gears (1 down, 2, 3, 4 and 5 up), the throttle was punchy and sensitive, even for someone just learning it was easy enough. The ATK is a V-twin, and even though it is a 650 it has 880 horsepower. It is fairly light for a comparable bike of its size, and has a low center of gravity and is very stable, and easy to control. With Dr. Feng as the passenger, while driving I did not even feel that he was there, and the ride was fun. The next day went even better, as I comfortably, safely and smoothly got up to 75 miles per hour, on only my third lesson.
Obviously, Dr. Feng wanted to test what the bike really had, how it handles at higher speeds (and possibly what I really had in me as well), so we did the incredible. We pulled up on the side of the road near a decent group in some really nice cars from some racing club. We casually watched the group pull away, and The Most Interesting casually finished his cigarette, slowly takes a couple of photographs of me on the bike and says, “So shall we catch up with them?”
“Sure” I thought mounting the bike and putting on my gloves.
Then we were off. The ATK handled wonderfully. Even at higher speeds and as a passenger I felt totally safe, on this wild ride. We were hauling and the bike handled well. Both I as a passenger, and the saddlebags weighed us down. The ATK handled well in the turns, and Dr. Feng was pushing to pass, often scraping both foot pedal and muffler on our right side on the ground. We passed a Lotus and a Mercedes, and half the group the first attempt but it took a bit longer to pass the final two racers. They were spraying us with rocks and dust. Racing around 30 plus miles, The Most Interesting finally, seizes the opportunity and passes the final two racers. After passing everyone and leaving them in the dust The Most Interesting floors it on a straight section and reaches speeds of upwards of 120, so obviously the bike works well in 5th gear. We would have continued accelerating, only slowing down when I had to tap out, as my helmet was lifting off my head due to the wind against my Go Pro camera mounted on my helmet. Let’s just say we got noticed.
By the time the racecar group caught up to us, and passed by the restaurant we had stopped at to rest, Dr. Feng, the Most Interesting Man on earth, was half way through his cigarette, kicking back, and I was off the bike with my helmet off and relaxing. I waved as they passed. Not a car waved back. Toby informed me they were probably pissed, because a cruiser weighed down with bags and a passenger smoked them all. Apparently that just normally does not happen. Needless to say the back tire needed to be replaced shortly thereafter.
Dr. Feng later informed me that last ride would be added to his list of top ten rides in his incredible motorcycle riding career, which says a lot about the handling and capabilities of the ATK GV650. Seriously though, this bike rocks, it was an absolutely great time on a fun, well built, exciting bike. Need I say more?
Check out this great Article on the ATK 650 by Dr. Feng.
New 5-Ball Racing Shirts.
Bikernet Reviews QuadBoss Ramps
By Bandit |
Life is strange, but we deal with whatever is thrown at us, right? Okay, we were assigned a mission to road test two ramps from Biker’s Choice. The Bikernet team built ramps in the past, modified Easyriders ramps, had ramps stolen, and recently we had an arched aluminum ramp. One of the tailgate tangs snapped off and Dr. Feng welded it back into place with an added gusset.
We helped to sell the Frogman’s stretched FXR by a TV guy to Bob Bitchin of Biker Magazine and Sailing Magazine (now Cruising Outpost) fame. When Bob picked up the bike, he needed a ramp, so off went our repaired arched aluminum ramp forever.
Right now, we have a Kendall trailer, which has its own ramp. These trailers are the shit, but we sorta missed the arched ramp for pickup truck or Bikernet van loading, and we’ve thought about making them an accessory to our new Wheeler Work Stations, due out this year.
Aaron Whitney from Biker’s Choice offered a couple of options and we decided to test one against the other. We took delivery of two aluminum-arched ramps from QuadBoss.
We were immediately impressed with the welds, the new wider tangs and the hinges. For the price, we could tell a considerable level of workmanship and time went into each unit. I reached out to QuadBoss for some basic info. First, I went to their web site, but they didn’t list a single motorcycle ramp, no construction information, and just a list of ATV and UTV ramps, part numbers and prices.
I reached out to the company and this is the response I received:
We offer ATV and UTV ramps only, not single motorcycle ramps. Please take a look at our different selections in the link below.
Thank you,
Cynthia Pierce
QuadBoss Products
877-847-1558
As it turns out Kyle, the official Bikernet electrician needed a hand with his ATK. Seems the air was showing through his rear 15-inch tire and needed replacing. This was an opportunity to load the 250 ATK in the back of the Bikernet van twice using these lightweight, heavy-duty ramps.
I didn’t know exactly what to expect. I’ve been loading and unloading motorcycles for 40 years. I’ve seen and experienced the worst scenarios, from braking ramps, to rolling off ramps, to ramps departing in the middle of loading, to you name it.
“But can you ride a motorcycle up one of these ramps?” Richard Kranzler, the esteemed Bikernet Bagger editor inquired. Good question. I hadn’t considered this option.
First, we tried loading the 250 ATK with the single-rail curved ramp (Cynthia ultimately confessed, they do make motorcycle ramps). This is a major improvement over the traditional ramp. The new wide tangs or tongues worked perfectly to hold the ramp secure, but there was an issue with the ramp and van door latches.
We followed the recommendation and used the straps to hold the ramp in place. That was a major benefit and made the precarious process a helluva lot more secure. We didn’t need to consider the ramp shifting while we muscled the bike in the van while messing with the mirrors for clearance.
Worked like a champ, but with the bike in place, we were forced to check loading the ramp for the trip. It fit in the long 1500 Express Van, but it could have been a problem, although it would not be a problem in a pickup truck.
Then we backed out the little 250 ATK and tried again using the 33-inch wide folding unit called the Folding Wide-Boy, which is 88 inches long. We folded it out, and laid it over the opening lip of the van and it fit like a glove.
Again, we used the straps as requested, but immediately the loading process became easier. The ramp was far more stationary. Actually, anyone could ride a bike up one of these and into the back of the pickup. Kyle was able to walk up the ramp beside the bike and not hang off the side.
In addition, once the bike was loaded, loading the ramp became more convenient, because the 33 by 88 folding ramp folded into a 33 by 44 box and tucked in easily beside the bike. Pickup owners might avoid tearing up bed frames with ramps if they can fold their ramp and store it in the bed, and maybe even out of sight of thieves.
56-3858 $490.99 Wide Boy
56-0054 $129.99 Curve single rail ramp
So, did I forget anything? For the actual run to have Kyle’s rear tire replaced, we used the QuadBoss Wide Boy. Puppy worked like a champ.
2014 First Annual Iron & Ash Ride – Along the Way
By Bandit |
The First Annual Iron & Ash Ride is an Epic cross country ride to raise awareness for Veterans, Cigars for Warriors and Veterans Outreach.
The team came from all over, Rogue traveled 1129 miles in one day from FL, Dr. Ruth traveled 1300 miles from MN, and I traveled about 1200 miles from Wisconsin. We all joined up in San Antonio, Texas for the start of the Ride.
Our first stop had us traveling towards the Gulf Coast, which is a beautiful ride, be sure to wear lots of sun screen! This took us to Corpus Christi long enough to drop off our luggage and run to Tobacco World to be met by David and Liz and welcomed into their world of cigars and veterans.
There we met the Corps Man, and shared a wealth of medical information and instant camaraderie with his trauma background of patients and caring for them in the field. It is incredible what they are expected to do out in the field, but are not given similar jobs for their skills when they get back to the US.
We met up with a Vietnam Veteran who is still plagued with memories. And onto Jose the owner born in Cuba but who came to America as a child and his family obtained their citizenship correctly. He enlisted in the Navy and has been on nuclear subs ever since, working through the ranks to become a commander. The stories were absolutely incredible.
More photos from Corpus Christi:
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Our next stop had us riding up the coast; we rode onto a bridge with the sunrise behind it, and were met by the site of a fully loaded battleship with jets and helicopters on deck. This was a very impressive sight. I kept wishing I had a camera with me.
We then headed to Houston where we were met with rain every 20 minutes only to drive for another 20 minutes, long enough to dry out only to be drenched yet again. The idea of wearing long sleeve white shirts due to sunburn blisters and the rain, you get my drift. We finally arrived in Houston, after cussing out our GPS which gave us confused directions. Then Rogue rode down the grass hill to the ramp, and yes this is a true story!
We finished up at That Cigar Place and were met there by an old time friend of Rogue’s, called Billy Tinny. We had a great time listening to the two of them as they exchanged stories. We were lost in time as we listened to the history of motorcycle events through the times, as told by the stories these two were sharing. It was awesome!
Then we were off to Lake Charles to add another rider to the team. Darryl is a longtime friend of Rogue’s, and is helping out with Security for the rest of the ride. We stopped over to meet Sonny Keeton an iconic pin striper and a man of many talents with a wonderful wealth of information. His son Waylon is a paramedic and he also races motorcycles. Some very cool times were shared. Cool, cool, cool!
The nights were spent with little sleep, great laughs, knowledge and stories shared. All the money and cigars raised is for the veterans. This has been a fast paced epic adventure so far.
In Baton Rouge our coordinator Alaine, a soft spoken fireball, put together such an awesome time. If you are ever in Baton Rouge you have to try the best Catfish ever at the Cadillac Café. What an awesome place, the owner Jen is funny yet inviting and a huge veteran supporter.
How wonderful all of this has been and how privileged I am to have Rogue, Dr. Ruth and Darryl riding along with me. A truly fantastic and incredible adventure! We are paying our own way, not using your donations and it has been worth every penny.
More photos from the Ride:
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Since 1987, Tobacco World has been South Texas’ choice Tobacconist! We offer brands such as Arturo Fuente, Punch, Ashton, Macaundo, Punch, etc. Our shop also carries imported cigarettes, pipes, humidors, and accessories. Our staff is very knowledgeable and is here to make your shopping experience with us memorable.
That Cigar Place is the cigar shop and lounge you have been waiting for. Our lounge is spacious and comfortable. We have 3 TV’s with the sports, news or a good movie playing at all times. Sink into our leather chairs and take off the load of the day. This is truly your extended den where you can enjoy a cigar from our fantastic selection.
For 25 years The Cadillac has provided the best live music in Baton Rouge. They have stayed ahead of the curve while introducing various new acts which all revolve around rock and roll. They started out as a small music venue in 1989 and have developed into one of Baton Rouge premier night clubs. They have the best light show, best DJs and live music. Enjoy!
NCOM Coast To Coast Biker News for June 2014
By Bandit |
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)
U.S. HOUSE VOTES DOWN FEDERAL HELMET LAW PUSH
The Obama Administration’s proposed GROW AMERICA Act, a four-year $302 billion transportation funding measure, contains a provision to allow NHTSA to begin lobbying states and state legislators “to consider proposals related to motorcycle helmet use laws,” effectively overturning a ban against such federal lobbying on the issue that has been in place since 1995.
But on June 9th, by a voice vote on the floor of 229-192 (10 absent or abstaining), the U.S. House of Representatives approved an amendment offered by U.S. Representatives Tim Walberg (R-MI) and Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) to strike that provision from the House’s version of the legislation; titled the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 4745).
The full bill was approved by the House the following day, with the offending language in Section 102 of H.R. 4745 successfully eliminated, but the Senate version of this highly politicized and largely partisan transportation funding bill is still under consideration.
The Administration “strongly opposes House passage of H.R. 4745,” and “looks forward to working with the Congress on an orderly appropriations process…”
“VISION ZERO” HITS NYC
A controversial European traffic control plan referred to as “Vision Zero” has found its way to American shores, as NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio has gained support of the New York City Council for his Vision Zero plan to eliminate traffic fatalities by 2024.
On May 29, 2014, the City Council approved a package of new policies aiding Mayor de Blasio’s quest to end traffic deaths, modeled after a Swedish philosophy that treats all road deaths and serious injuries as inherently preventable, the initiative has become the centerpiece of the new administration’s transportation agenda.
Among the changes approved, which includes misdemeanor charges or loss of license for hitting a pedestrian or cyclist, certain “exhibition behavior” from motorcyclists will not be tolerated under the law. The new rules governing motorcycle behavior outlaws “wheelies, doughnuts, burnouts and revving” — a first offense would be punishable by up to 60 days in jail.
AMERICAN LEGION RIDER DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BY “NO COLORS” POLICY
Bikers all across South Florida are threatening to boycott and protest a restaurant after a member of the American Legion Riders said he was discriminated against for riding a motorcycle and wearing patches that proclaim his military service.
Proud Navy veteran Robert Thompson of Pompano Beach told WPTV Channel 5 (NBC) that a manager at the Old Key Lime House told him to remove his leather vest because they do not allow “gangs or colors” and that “his kind” was not welcome.
Within days of the incident, hundreds of veterans and bikers began sharing what happened through social media. A Facebook page was even created to boycott and protest the Old Key Lime House. Fearing backlash, management at the restaurant suspended the employee who made the comments, and the owner has apologized, calling it “a terrible misunderstanding.”
A manager at the restaurant told the TV news station that their “no colors or gangs” policy should not have been applied, claiming that the restaurant welcomes bikers and veterans; although a sign still hangs at the bar that states: “WELCOME ALL BIKERS – NO PATCHES or CLUB AFFILIATION ALLOWED – LEAVE IT ON BIKE”
Thompson said he did not speak out to cause controversy but to stop discrimination, no matter what someone looks like, from happening again anywhere.
MINNESOTA APPROVES PURPLE HEART MOTORCYCLE LICENSE PLATE
Few U.S. states offer the option to get a personalized motorcycle license plate. Minnesota just approved a bill to create a special motorcycle license plate for wounded combat veterans which will be a shrunken version of the Purple Heart plates that car owners can get.
FLYING OLD GLORY COULD VOID YOUR WARRANTY
Due to wind resistance from flags fluttering behind his Harley trike, former Wisconsin State Senator Dave Zien was informed by Harley-Davidson that the factory would not honor the warranty after the clutch failed during a ride to Dallas, Texas for the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM) Convention last month.
Zien, 64, a longtime member of the NCOM Legislative Task Force, says the Motor Company denied his warranty claim because of the excessive drag created by the flapping flags he flies from the back of his 2014 trike, which has 15,000 miles on it and is covered by a seven-year unlimited mileage warranty.
“All they said was, because I fly flags on the bike, there’s no warranty on the powertrain,” Zien told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel newspaper on May 15. A combat Marine and Viet Nam veteran, the former lawmaker is a Hall of Fame biker who has set several long-distance riding records since the 1970s and says he’s always done so with multiple flags on his bike. His 1991 Harley with one million miles on the odometer has been on display since 2000 at the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame in South Dakota.
Harley-Davidson told the newspaper that Zien’s warranty is still in effect, but because of the addition of aftermarket products — essentially, the huge flags — Zien has voided any coverage on the powertrain and transmission.
“The issue isn’t that the flags are heavy,” Harley spokeswoman Maripat Blankenheim told the Journal-Sentinel, “but they provide terrific drag on the engine and the transmission, especially when the bike is at highway speeds.”
She added that the flag mounts that Zien used were not Harley products. “When you alter a motorcycle with non-compliant products, that does impact your ability to make a warranty claim,” Blankenheim said. Zien currently has seven flags flying from his three-wheeler including full-sized Stars and Stripes, Don’t Tread on Me, U.S. Marine Corps and Wisconsin flags and an NRA banner that proclaims “Stand and Fight”, and he says all the flag mounts were installed at a Harley dealership.
The “Million Mile Motorcycle Man” is ready for a fight to defend the right of all to fly a flag on a motorcycle without voiding the warranty. “Ain’t nobody gonna stop our flags, not even Harley-Davidson corporate,” Zien told the paper.
MOTORCYCLE THEFTS CONTINUE DOWNWARD TREND
Motorcycle thefts continued to decline in 2013, a downward trend that began in 2008; and of five major brands only Harley-Davidson owners saw an uptick in the number of stolen bikes.
According to new data released by the National Crime Information Center, an electronic clearinghouse of nationwide crime data aggregated by the FBI, overall last year there were 45,367 reported motorcycle thefts nationwide, the equivalent of one every nine minutes, down 1.5%, even as bike sales increased.
Of those stolen, there were 3,907 Harley-Davidsons, up 4% from 2012, while the percentage of stolen Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki motorcycles fell 2.1% (Kawasaki) to 9.1% (Suzuki). Honda was the bike stolen most often, followed by Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Harley-Davidson.
The thefts were highest in California, followed by Florida, Texas, North Carolina and Indiana.
Thirty seven percent of the motorcycles reported stolen in the U.S. in 2013 were recovered, compared with about 50% of the stolen cars.
ELECTRIC CYCLES GAIN TRACTION
Despite America’s love affair with Harley-Davidsons, electric motorcycles are revving up U.S. sales, according to a recent article in USA Today, and two-wheeled e-vehicles are gaining converts among urban commuters and law enforcement.
Sales of high-performance e-motorcycles will rise at least 30% per year through 2023 in North America, cites a report last month by Navigant Research, a market research firm. Co-author John Gartner sees several reasons: consumers looking for refuge from high gasoline prices, increases in city traffic and improved e-vehicles.
Zero, the largest U.S. manufacturer of e-motorcycles, has boosted production from fewer than 100 units in 2010 to more than 2,000 this year, notes Scott Harden, the company’s vice president of marketing. Compared to gas-powered counterparts, he says Zeros are cheaper to operate — about a penny per mile — and don’t make noise, fumes or vibrations.
E-motorcycles sell best in the San Francisco Bay area, southern California, Florida and Texas, says Adrian Stewart, director of marketing for Oregon-based Brammo, which rolled out its first model in 2009.
The U.S. market faces increased competition as BMW launches an e-scooter this year, and Yamaha plans an electric entry in 2016.
Also on the way are three-wheeled electric tuk-tuks, vehicles without sides that have canopies and are common in Asia. Netherlands-based Tuk Tuk Factory is partnering with eTuk USA, which is seeking road-use approval for three models from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
THOUSANDS OF ANGRY BIKERS CLOG FRENCH STREETS IN PROTEST
Once again, France was the scene of enormous demonstrations with thousands of motorcyclists gathering in every city across the nation on April 12 and protesting at the newly proposed speed limit of 80 km per hour (50 mph) on the national road network.
The angry bikers accuse the government of wanting to impose draconian measures in the sole attempt to cash in extra euros from road users who simply won’t respect the proposed speed limits.
Paris alone saw more than 5,000 angry bikers blocking the city centre for hours and bringing it to a complete standstill. Other cities across France also saw massive protests with thousands of irate motorcyclists showing their opposition to the reduced speed limit. Lyon, the second largest French city, was also paralyzed with thousands of bikers blocking that city’s centre in revolt against the new speed restrictions. Protests took place in 80 towns and cities across the country and were all organized by regional branches of the extremely respected and powerful Fédération Française des Motards en Colère (FFMC) also known in English as the French Federation of Angry Bikers.
The French government will further discuss the proposals and a decision will be made by the end of the year. The bikers are prepared to take up the streets again if need be to express their on-going ire.
WEIRD NEWS: TINY POOCH TAKES DOWN HOG
Police in Riverton, Wyoming were called to the scene of a motorcycle accident where a 45-year old man reported that a Chihuahua dog had chased him down the road on his Harley-Davidson, attempting to bite the front tire and causing it to crash.
Answering the age old question, “What’s he going to do with it when he catches it,” the pooch fled the scene but was later apprehended and its owner cited for having a small dog at large.
FOUR CORNERS “COMING TOGETHER”
The National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM) and Confederation of Clubs (COC) will host a “Coming Together” on Saturday, August 30, 2014 during Ignacio Bike Week, 1:30-4:30pm at the Sun Ute Community Center, 290 Mouache in Ignacio, Colorado.
“An opportunity to meet patch holders from around the country,” the agenda includes a COC Report by Richard M. Lester, Founder of AIM & NCOM, a seminar on the Defender Program & National Anti-profiling Legislation by Paul Landers, U.S. Defender Lt Commander and Liaison for COCs Texas, a seminar on Riders Rights and Liberties, and a seminar by Colorado Aid to Injured Motorcyclists (A.I.M.) Attorney Wade Eldridge on Search and Seizure & Other Rights.
The Coming Together will continue with a Confederation of Clubs Meeting with reports from representatives of each Confederation present, and conclude with a Show of Unity.
For further information, contact NCOM at 800-ON-A-BIKE.
Advertisement
QUOTABLE QUOTE: “You ought to be extremely cautious, watchful, jealous of your liberty; for instead of securing your rights, you may lose them forever…”
~ Patrick Henry (1788)