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Steel Horse Sisterhood Summit Announces “Driven To Ride” Movie Screening

By Bandit | May 31, 2024
 
 
Joan Krenning, AKA Lady Road Dog and independent film producer, Michelle Bauer Carpenter would like to announce the screening of Michelle’s recently completed new documentary, Driven To Ride, at the Steel Horse Sisterhood Summit in May, 2014 in Denver, Colorado. 
 
“Driven to Ride” is a documentary that explores the unstoppable spirit and diversity of women motorcycle riders..
 
Five of the women featured in Driven to Ride are from the front range area of Colorado. BMW and KTM rider Erin Doherty-Ratay, Harley rider Masyn Moyer, and BMW rider Janice Ferrante live, ride and work in Boulder, Colorado. Vintage Harley rider Julie Graff currently lives in Berthoud, CO and long distance BMW rider Debra Conroy lives in both Denver and Steamboat Springs, CO. Longtime Harley chopper rider Betsy Huelskamp resides in Los Angeles, CA.
 
 
 
The screening, beginning on Friday afternoon, as is the case with all events at Steel Horse Sisterhood, will be FREE to all paid attendees. 
 
Throughout the week-end of the Steel Horse Sisterhood, a short panel discussion, spotlighting Michelle Bauer Carpenter and the six women featured in the movie, keeping to the theme of “Story” of the Steel Horse Sisterhood Summit is in the planning.
 
Opportunity for Summit Attendees
 
A plan to shoot additional footage  during the Steel Horse Sisterhood Summit in May of 2014 is now in the works including a sequence set in the beautiful Rocky Mountains of  Colorado. where Lady Road Dog will make a grand entrance surrounded by attendees of the Steel Horse Sisterhood. This footage, featuring women who are “Driven To Ride” will be used in future documentaries planned by Michelle Bauer Carpenter as well as Lady Road Dog and the Steel Horse Sisterhood. Actual location of the shoot will be announced at a later date.
 
FREE Registration Sweepstakes
 
Save $25.00 and enter to Win a FREE Registration ($125 Value) to the 2014 Steel Horse Sisterhood Summit By Registering Before Dec 31st, 2013.
 
PLUS 
1 (One) Free Registration will be given away for every 50 registrants. 
Go to ladyroaddog.com, click on “Register for the Steel Horse Sisterhood Summit“, and complete your registration.
 
 
An Event of a Lifetime
 
Located near the spectacular scenic surrounds of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, the Steel Horse Sisterhood Summit is a 3 day event specifically designed to broaden the skills, knowledge and experiences of  women motorcycle riders across the globe. It is a chance to forge more than just strong friendships – it is an opportunity to come together as a Sisterhood; to be part of the largest directory of information for women riders AND to raise money for charity groups – Helping with Horsepower, Ride for Kids and Grace After Fire.
 
Bringing industry professionals, manufacturers and designers together, this Summit provides a platform for women riders to have a voice; to dictate what they would like to see in future designs, to describe how they believe a ride should feel and to allow women riders everywhere connect in a way that has never been done before.
 
 
Rick Raus
V-Twin Marketing
714-280-8537
 
 
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Further Adventures of the Borderland Biker -Chapter 11

By Bandit | May 31, 2024
 
Editor’s note: The following story is from the book, “The Further Adventures of The Borderland Biker, In Memory of Indian Larry and Doo Wop Music,” by Derrel Whitemeyer.
 
 
 
“I’m flesh again,” said a newly formed but rapidly aging, Augie, “but not for long.” 
 
Not repulsed by the inventor’s decaying body, Larry ran to where Augie was standing. “Come with us. The Raider’s powerful enough to carry the three of us.” 
 
Augie smiled, “Thank you for the offer but as you can see I’m finally dying and it’s for the best. People weren’t meant to live as long as I’ve lived”
 
Augie took two pair of amber lens glasses from inside his coat, “Pay attention; I’ve little time. First, put on these glasses; with them you’ll be able to see the path you’ll have to follow to get out of the City and to the airfield. It may even lead you out of the Old Places but I’m not sure. Your tank map’s of no use now that the parabolic disks have been turned off.”
 
Larry and I after putting on the glasses were able to see the path. It glowed like a three foot wide amber strip and led to an ascending ramp directly in front of us. 
 
“The City and the dome will also begin to fade,” continued Augie. “Without the power being routed through the parabolic disks they’ll soon become only echoes. Years ago the City and the dome became dependent upon the power being generated by the disks. Without that power they’ll appear as I originally found them, as outlines, holographic blueprints.” 
 
I had to ask, “What do you mean they’ll become echoes?”
 
“After I arrived the City and the dome began to scavenge power from the disks I’d built to generate power for the Hunter. I’d created the Hunter for protection,” answered Augie. “I wasn’t surprised; in fact I was counting on the extra power bringing both the City and the dome back online. I only learned later the dome was using that power to lure and capture wayward riders and make them into cyborgs.” 
 
“As to who built this place or why it was abandoned I’ll never know. When I arrived the dome and the City had wasted away to where they were barely visible.”
 
“That’s why,” I said, “Charon couldn’t follow the river Styx here and had to enter through Marnie’s Borderland” 
 
 
Augie continued, “When I made the parabolic disks to power the Hunter I was expecting, in fact I was counting on, the City and the dome siphoning off the extra power and coming back online. It wasn’t until later I learned the dome was using their power to create Wheelers. The Wheelers never entered the City so the Hunter left them alone. I, in turn, never entered the dome so the Wheelers left me alone.”
 
“It sounds like,” interrupted Larry, “you and the Wheelers had yourselves a stalemate.”
 
“I’d prefer to call,” continued Augie who was beginning to look more like the aging picture of Oscar Wilde’s character Dorian Gray, “our arraignment a truce.” 
 
“The City, the dome, the Wheelers and the Hunter were dependent upon the parabolic disks. Over time I even became dependent on the power of the disks. Hey, what can I say, it’s seductive; I became addicted to it. It’s why I’ve been able to live so long but as you can see it came at a price.  The City, the dome and I became harmonic constructs…”
 
“You became,” I had to interrupt, “harmonic what?”
 
“Constructs,” continued Augie. “We became syncopated polarizations of what the disks were radiating. With the right frequencies of light, actually the frequencies are correlatives of Pythagorean chords; you can polarize light and gravitational waves into matter. It’s sorta like using ‘Cliff Notes’ to work around the Universal Field Theory but it works, at least on this scale and in this time and place.”
 
“As a musician,” I said, “I can understand the syncopation of chords to create harmony; however the syncopation of gravity and light to create matter is beyond me,”
 
“The key was not,” continues Augie, “to harmonize the two, but to find the frequencies where they were discordant. Light and gravity are transverse waves with no longitudinal vibrations. I found that by modifying my lighthouse lenses I was able to, by intersecting their waves, create discordance. Those points of discordance became everything you see surrounding us on a molecular level.”
 
“Hey, enough science for today; as you can see I’m rotting away. I’m surprised you can stand the sight of me let alone the smell. Ma’ n’ Pa, and you should hurry if you’re going to rescue them, can better explain the process than I can.”
 
“You’ve met,” Larry interrupted, “Ma n’ Pa?”
 
Augie answered Larry’s question but only after waiting for the back part of his scalp to fall off, “They arrived soon after I activated the disks. One day I heard a noise behind me, turned around and there they were smiling.” 
 
Picturing in my mind what would’ve happened if either the Wheelers or the Hunter had attacked Ma n’ Pa; I had to ask, “When Ma n’ Pa were confronted by the Hunter and the Wheelers what happened?”
 
“The question you should be asking is;” answered Augie, “why did the Hunter and the Wheelers instinctively know not to come near them? The Wheelers kept inside the dome and the Hunter stayed at the top of the ramp behind me.”
 
“Ma n’ Pa seemed friendly enough. Pa walked around studying my parabolic disks, nodding and complementing me on their design. When he’d finished he matter-of-factly asked Ma if he should still destroy me as well as the disks. I remember Ma giving a resigned grin, which was the closest I ever saw her come to smiling, and telling Pa to leave things alone for now. She said the disks would be important at a later date. It was as if she knew they’d be needed in the future.”
 
“I then turned to see why the Hunter was still cowering at the top of the ramp. I felt betrayed; I’d created him to be a guardian. He could’ve come down from the top of the ramp, stood at my side and at the very least put up the appearance of protecting me. When I turned back around Ma n’ Pa were gone; they’d left as mysteriously as they’d come.”
 
 “Hey, parts are falling off me. You two need to get going. Speaking of parts, your friend at the airfield will need these disks to generate the power required to get his aircraft to the height required to reboot Ma n’ Pa. I learned what he had to do when I interfaced with Charon’s thoughts.”
 
“What else,” Larry asked, “can you tell us about the disks?”
 
“I can tell you that my time for asking and answering questions is finally over,” garbled Augie at the same time his lower jaw pulled free from his face. 
 
Before anyone could say anything else Augie collapsed into a pile. His eyes with a look of relief were the last thing to melt away; what was left was turning to dust. Without the protective power of the parabolic disks to hold back the aging process his debt for having lived nearly two hundred years demanded and got its final payment. 
 
Larry bowed his head out of respect then motioned for me to get aboard the Raider while he gathered up the disks. When he’d stacked them and wrapped them then tied them to his back he climbed onto the Raider’s passenger seat, Larry then adjusted his sunglasses and pointed ahead, “The disks are actually quite light.”
 
Wearing the amber lens sunglasses we were able to follow the path leading to the next ramp. At the top it made an abrupt right hand turn; from there it spiraled upwards two more stories. Surrounding buildings, once radiant with energy, looked dull and lifeless. We surprisingly discovered the tiered city was inhabited with flesh colored plastic people frozen in various positions of city life…that is until one moved.
 
“It’s Elisa,” I shouted knowing it couldn’t be.
 
“It’s not her; it’s a manikin or android that’s been made in her image but it’s not Elisa,” shouted Larry into my ear.
 
It lurched towards us; and as much as it looked like Elisa I wasn’t about to stop to find out why and the sooner we got to the airfield the better.
 
We’d accomplished our mission. We had in taking the parabolic disks stopped the City from sending out anymore nightmares, overcome its guardian the Hunter and in the process taken away the dome’s ability to make Wheelers. The power of the disks would be more than enough to push Hilts’ plane high enough to reach Ma n’ Pa. We needed no delays; we needed to reach the airfield as soon as possible.
 
[page break]
 
 
 
The buildings were fading, blinking in and out of existence. With the stuttering speed of a strobe light they’d go from being opaque to being transparent back to being opaque. In sync with the blinking of the buildings the ramps and causeways we were riding on were also changing from solid to space back to solid. Soon the intervals between solid and space would become far enough apart for us to fall. We needed to get to ground level.
 
“Winky, winky,” said a chorus of voices off to the side of us, “soon everything goes blinky, blinky.”
 
Only able to move in twitches, a group of about eight plastic people stared at us. Their faces looked familiar and they were pointing towards the next left turn.
 
“They look like manikins,” I said, “made to look like Augie. We’ve gotta get out of here now!”
 
“They’re trying to tell us to take the next left.”
 
“The path goes right; if we turn left we’ll lose it,” I replied.
 
“We’ve no other choice. Take the next left; it leads to the lower levels,” repeated Larry.
 
A quick left, then another, and then a final left turn led us to ground level. At the same time the City stuttered out of existence with a final blink and changed from being solid to being an outline. Augie had called the outlines echoes or residual memories. You can’t ride on a memory. We’d gotten lucky.
 
After we came to a stop Larry and I got off the Raider and walked over to the edge of what had once been a building. It was now no more than a life size blueprint, a network of transparent lines.  Larry passed his hand through its outer edge.
 
“We would’ve had quite a fall,” said Larry. The good news is I can see the airfield where Hilts is waiting for us.”
 
The City and dome were now just echoes of their former selves. We were at the edge of the Old Places also known as the Wastelands. The airfield was a few miles away. I remembered Gary’s story of watching one of the hardcore Wheelers getting trapped here after dark and being eaten by something that hides within certain nighttime shadows. It made me ride towards the airfield without delay.
 
 
“We need to get to the airfield before whatever’s hiding within certain shadows finds us. We can look,” said Larry, “for Augie’s path and Elisa’s Road Warrior in the daytime.”
 
Roads intersecting the one we’d be taking to get to the airfield were clogged with vehicles and with the debris of years of neglect. In contrast the road leading directly to the airfield’s gates seemed relatively clear. 
 
I accelerated forward; a second gear shift up into third made the Raider smile, it was in its element. Seconds later a short shift into fourth had me pushing past ninety. Seconds after that and after a shift into fifth I was passing one hundred fifteen. 
 
Approaching the airfield’s outer gate, a last long straight allowed the Raider to stretch its legs even more. We were at a one hundred twenty and climbing. The Raider didn’t seem to care there were two people aboard and was still accelerating when the airfield’s lights came on and the gate to its perimeter chain link fence began to open.
 
“Hilts must’ve seen us coming,” said Larry through our wireless hearing aid size radios, “and put out the welcome mat; I wonder where he’s getting the electrical power?”
 
“Not from the disks,” I said as I began slowing down, “The good news is he has lots of light.”
 
Hilts was waving his arms on the other side of the airfield’s perimeter fence motioning for us to hurry; he’d already activated the closing of the gate when we rode inside and up to where he was standing.
 
“You brought the disks? Augie’s messenger said you would; she said you’d be bringing them. How is Augie?”
 
Larry had gotten off the Raider and was untying the disks from his back. He was in the process of putting them in order when he answered, “Augie didn’t make it. He paid the price for extending his life. Speaking of extending, how are you able to generate the power to light up this airfield?”
 
“Nothing mysterious,” answered Hilts, “just solar panels on all the hanger roofs; they collect the energy and store more than enough to last through the night.” 
 
 
“Hello, hello, is anyone out there?” I yelled at the darkness in my best paraphrasing of Pink Floyd’s famous lyrics in THE WALL. Night had surrounded the airfield.
 
Nothing answered; I didn’t expect an answer. I would’ve been surprised, well not too surprised after what I’d encountered in both the City and its adjoining dome, if I’d heard an answer.
 
“These disks will fit perfectly,” said Hilts after Larry and I returned from a short walk around the hanger, finally ending in front of the F-105’s cockpit. “They’ll provide more than enough power to get to the top of the thundercloud. The problem is having more than enough power creates the problem of having too much power. My problem is I don’t really have a throttle; the disks are either on or off. If I were to turn the disks on when the plane was on the ground the sudden acceleration would tear the plane apart. In fact if my calculations are right, and they’re always right, the F-105 will need to be doing almost 300 mph before I engage the disks.”
 
Larry and I had heard the word ‘me’ a second time and were both in the process of asking Hilts if his use of the word ‘me’ meant only he was flying out of here? 
 
I won the coin toss and asked the question, “You’ve said ‘me’ not we twice; does that mean Larry and I won’t be going with you to rescue Ma n’ Pa?”
 
Hilts didn’t hesitate, “Because of the modifications I’ve had to make to the F-105 you’ll have to find another way out. But not to worry; the maps of the surrounding area show a direct route from here to another Borderland.”
 
Hilts continued to work on the plane while Larry and I recounted our adventures from when we left the airport outside Gilroy until we arrived here.
 
Hilts listened but not intently until we got to the part where we first met Augustin Fresnel, his holographic counterpart and unfortunately his holographic counterpart’s counterpart the Hunter. At that point he stopped what he was doing and gave us his full attention.
 
“For a variety of reasons,” said Hilts, stopping to lean against the F-105’s wing, “too many of them based upon politics and jealousy, physicists Augustin Fresnel and James Maxwell were never given the credit they deserve for opening the door to solving the Universal Field Theory puzzle.”
 
“While Niels Bohr and his quantum mechanics crew of merry men had the full attention of the major powers; Fresnel and Maxwell, were gathering the pieces to the Universal Field Theory puzzle. Fresnel, while standing on the shoulders of the Pythagorean musical chord theory put the pieces together when he created the City and its dome.”
 
Larry had walked over to where a jet engine was on a lift next to the F-105’s bomb bay doors, “Describe this messenger Augie sent; what did she look like?”
 
“Tall, auburn hair tied in a bun, freckled, she was beautiful…only her skin?”
 
Remembering the cyborg that had lurched after us, I asked, “What about her skin?”
 
“Like I said, she was beautiful. Tall freckled, reddish hair tied in a bun; she was a good looking lady. I was even starting to take a shine to her when I realized her skin already had the same kind of shine you see on manikins…like maybe she was some type of robot.”
 
“She was,” I interrupted, “a robot or automaton of some type. You’ve described our friend Elisa; it’s very likely the City’s been making replicas, copies of people it encounters.” 
 
I then explained in greater detail our encounter with Elisa in the dome and how she had given us the key to her Yamaha Road Warrior, the dreamcatcher, some of her bottled coffee which we added to the coffee we gotten at OD’s Restaurant, and how she ultimately escaped with the Wheeler John. I didn’t leave out telling him about a replica of her, very likely the messenger that visited him, lurching towards us as we were fleeing the City.
 
“Was she trying to escape with you,” asked Hilts, “or stop you from escaping?”
 
 
 
 
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The Artist-Ones Hit the Road

By Bandit | May 31, 2024

They pile into vans with their equipment and hit the road in search of the next show. They perform live in front of crowds. Venues request them for major events. This group, unofficially known as the Smoke and Mirrors Guild, take their craft seriously, pouring their heart into each stop on their tour. Through all the excitement, they scrape through their travels and get by on the day-to-day.

The Guild lives the rock star lifestyle as much as any band. However, they carry canvas and palettes instead of six-strings. They are artists- ones that have spent lives entrenched in the motorcycle industry and spirit. They extract it from themselves through painting, enamel, and other visual mixed media.

“Imagine trying to get this shit through T.S.A.,” griped Chris Callen of Cycle Source Magazine. The reference had obviously been to his many oil paint tubes and airport security tyranny. He impatiently unloaded the trunk of his rental. “I always check that stuff now. They act like its plastique explosive or something.”

I contemplated his dilemma while I silently compared the resemblance of his collapsible painter’s easel to a rifle bipod. The party at Willie’s Tropical Tattoo of Daytona had been going on a couple hours now, and it looked like he expected to be early. I grabbed a bag and we greeted a sunny day at Bike Week. Callen’s mood instantly changed as he set up his canvas.

When Chris Callen, Seth Leibowitz and Darren McKeag start to paint anything, people watch. As I wandered the spectacle of Willie’s Tropical Tattoo at Daytona, there were many sights and smells of creativity. Alone, next to blaring speakers of blues band, Callen laid down his first layers of another tribute to our culture. The audience watching the guitar solo faced the audience of Callen’s paintbrush, like a flying-circus yin-yang. Even with ear-splitting commotion on all sides of us, the silent painting still demands attention of the crowd.

They create art inspired by the moment, and what today’s bike culture actually looks like– not some black velvet panorama of James Dean and Marilyn parked outside of malt shop. The viewers recognize the tone and style of the art as a snapshot of motorcycle lifestyle.

Callen has his dirty fingers in a lot of pies nowadays. Being Editor in Chief at Cycle Source Magazine and bassist for Big House Pete at the same time is an art in itself, but these things put his previous love for painting on the back burner. Still, he wanted to do more, and the traveling art show blossomed from there.

“When I got back into art it was like I found a lost piece of my soul,” said Callen.

Darren McKeag and Seth Lebowitz are both renowned tattoo Artists in Grinnell, Iowa and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania respectively. They are Callen’s counterparts in the art posse. Leibowitz explained to me the details of how the group came to be.

“I’ve known Chris going on 15 years, back when he delivered Cycle Source by hand. Guys used to constantly come into the tattoo shop asking if the new issue had been dropped off yet. I’m, like, you know we also do tattoos here…” Leibowitz joked. “The culture was evolving, and Chris had the idea with David Mann to create collages of event’s snapshots in Photoshop and then paint the collages on canvas.

The first collage grew out of the Smoke Out rally. We found a picture of a guy spraying accelerant and couple guys from Led Sled kicking a bike. Chris Carr set the land speed record with the bike in the background. Johhny Chop shinned with his banner. They came out amazing, and we hung them in the [tattoo] shop.”

Darren McKeag came into the fold about three years ago, when he met Callen at Torque Fest in Farley, Iowa. McKeag had originally come to Callen about advertising partners for Cycle Source, but has since become a contributor of writing, photography, and, of course, art.

These renaissance men have had a busy few months. Between setting up galleries and shows at Indian Larry’s and the new H-D dealership in New York, Las Vegas, and of course Daytona has left them precious little time for their personal pursuits. McKeag revealed some of the grind Smoke and Mirrors adapts to.

“Some people think it’s always a party. You’re constantly working. It isn’t until after midnight when we have time for a couple drinks or relax, we’re up till the morning, sleep for a couple hours, and then it’s time for the next destination. You’re painting all weekend, setting up your own booth, promoting yourself at the same time, and tearing down and getting back on the road. Then we all have our other stuff. And you’re trying to raise kids back home… But it’s my art. It’s all I’ve known since I was three.”

The foundations of the group are actually super simple, but original- a positive indicator that these shows will only get bigger from here.

“Nothing was about green paper,” declared Lebowitz. “[It was about] educating people through art, because art is such a good teaching tool. When they put their minds to something it happens. It’s about captivating people through art. The focus has gone elsewhere from art in education and culture, and everything really stems from art.”

“People have sort of forgotten the art side of motorcycles,” Callen explained. “That’s really where the whole thing comes from.”

It didn’t sound like it either. The group piled their supplies together and takes off for each location picking each other up on the way. Infamous artists like George The Painter, and the mysterious Jon Towle join them. Good or rough times are had by not one, but all.

“We’re all broke,” said Callen. “It’s hard to make it across the country loading up a bunch of guys and girls into the same van. We’re eating stuff out of crock-pots… sharing everything. In New York, Seth sold a helmet for a great price. All of us we’re so happy for him and congratulating him because it’s a huge accomplishment, but also because we would have some gas money to get back home.”

Everything is shared, and is for the good of the cause. If their brotherhood and camaraderie didn’t shine through the first minute you first met them, you might just call it socialism. They feed off of each other’s energy, and they really have fun.

“We like to pick up hitch hikers,” recalled McKeag. He tells a story of one that asked to be let off a few miles down the road when a couple guys were in the back seat seeing what its like to drive through multiple states naked. “We’re always fucking off, its chaos. We’re always trying to keep each other awake. I don’t spend as much time in the van as I would like to.”

Like an orchestra, the group creates their art for the same reason but each of them through different mediums. Leibowitz specializes in the tattoo world in cover-up work.

“I love working with fresh skin, of course, but I have a lot of empathy for cover-up work because I have some bad tattoos myself,” Leibowitz notes. “I enjoy the challenge of fixing them.”

He, like Callen, also prefers oil and canvas in terms of painting, but has also recently experimented with painting on wooden surfaces since receiving one accidently from a friend. A trip to Goodwill later ensured he had found a new medium.
 
 

 “Oil on canvas is like spreading hot butter on toast, and acrylic is like spreading cold butter on toast.” Leibowitz reflected. “It’s almost like sculpting. The wood, though, absorbs it completely different. I like to keep that monochromatic, and go over it with torching and burning and a layer of epoxy for a different look.”

McKeag primarily works with enamels, which allow him to create things like murals on high-temp surfaces such as engine headers, and he is also well versed in pinstriping. The parallels between the pinstriping, tattooing, and t-shirt designs he is known for are easily observed. “Seth and Chris do oil, which is great, because they’ll just pull the van over in the desert and paint a sunset, or whatever. I just hang in the van or, you know, go take a piss on the Joshua tree.”

The group has even been known to do “panel jams” with painting and pinstriping, with the artists switching canvases in the middle of the painting’s creation and picking up where the last one left off.

“It’s similar to something we’ve done before in the tattoo world, switching off between shading and outlines and coloring. It’s cool because it has so much energy, and it something that can never be duplicated- something completely one-off,” explains McKeag. Like any tag team, it’s also something that easily grabs the audience’s attention.
 
 

 As I spoke with the trio, it was obvious that they were beyond passionate about their craft. However, their charity work in particular elicited a glowing response from each of them. Adrenoleukodystrophy (A.L.D.) is a horrific disorder. Without getting technical, it causes a breakdown in the nerves, continuing on to effect and shut down the entire body. It is diagnosable through a simple test that can be done at birth- and costs only around $1.50 to do it.

“Aiden Has A Posse,” run by Bobby and Elisa Seeger of Indian Larry, is a charity devoted to bringing recognition to the cause in memoriam of Aiden Seeger who passed at only six years old. Smoke and Mirrors painted helmets for an auction style fundraiser, along with other prominent artists. In my conversation, the guys’ enthusiasm hit its maximum when speaking about their charity work.

“My helmet arrived three days before I left for a tour through Europe, and I had to throw everything I had into it and ship it back because I didn’t have as much time as the other guys,” said McKeag. “It was really busy. It was a black helmet so I did it in white enamel. I didn’t think it would be all that popular, but it was quite popular. Mine sold for $850. It’s really nice laying down knowing my painting made a difference for 850 people with what the tests cost. It’s so good to play it forward.”
 

 Around the same time, Seth did a portrait of “Walter White” from the television series Breaking Bad on canvas for the Rock For Life foundation that benefits families of cancer victims. It brought in hundreds of dollars, and was painted using only his left hand since his right was broken at the wrist. There does not seem to be anything they won’t do to show people how art can benefit people in a very real and significant way. They recognize their talents and reputation as a tool to help them help others.

“At the Indian Larry Block party I am working on a canvas, and people are watching, and I hear a little voice from behind me saying ‘Can you paint me a princess?’” said Callen warmly. “I turn around and see this little girl, and her mom is saying how we are working and too busy to paint a princess with her. Well, I asked if she could come by a little later, and I found a smaller canvas. We sat for a while and we painted a princess together for her. She was pretty captivated and definitely thrilled. It goes to show how people enjoy art on a natural level.”
 
 

 Callen later discovered through a mutual acquaintance that the same little girl had a learning disability. It made it more difficult for her to interact. Painting with him was a rare occasion. She connected with something and someone profoundly. Taking opportunities to share and teach art with the individual is a recurring theme with Smoke and Mirrors Guild.

“Life is too short,” McKeag reflected. “I am really blessed to know these people and have them in my life. The motorbike community opened up my entire world. My life is amazing because of them.”

Although none of them can pinpoint the plan for the future of the project, each of them is optimistic and un-afraid of what it could become.
 
 

“It’s snowballing,” McKeag exclaimed

“I would like to see it makes it way into a sort of guild. I want it to pick up more people as we develop and we have been, there’s a good bunch of us,” explained Callen. “I would definitely like to see it become a larger guild, because we get so much energy working with each other.”

“With this, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” said Leibowitz.

Personally, I have every belief that this will become a sought-after tradition at many events. It is a touchback to the ideals of the alternative and creative lifestyle motorcycle culture has carved out for itself. The Smoke and Mirrors Guild brings it full-circle, a new way to document, involve, and evolve the community.

The Smoke and Mirrors Guild will be appearing at the David Mann Art Show, December 6-8.

Check out  http://artformart.com/    
 for new and updates.

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The Circle of Love

By Bandit | May 31, 2024
 
The trials, tribulations and success of the Love Ride seem to have come full circle. They may not have raised the kind of money this year as they have in years past, but they held a masterly organized event packed with the most amazingly talented guest stars hitting the stage from start to finish. The riders truly got their money’s worth this year, and the price was down to $60. The day felt reminiscent of years gone by where the combination of motorcycles, sunshine, old friends, food and entertainment just felt comfortable.

 
I actually got to the event late, because the day before the event, they upped the starting time to accommodate a celebrity guest. Huh? What guest holds that kind of weight? I’ll tell you who………Katey Segal, and she won the heart and respect of everyone there. Not only is she a great actress on TV’s most popular motorcycle program SOA, but she is beautiful, and funny…….and the woman can SING! And her music selection was stellar moody oldies that the crowd sang along with word for word. She opened the event like no other person ever has. She drew people up to the stage and made everyone there feel like they were a part of something special.
 
The group “The Forest Rangers with Katey Segal” includes the singer and songwriter for the “Sons of Anarchy” soundtrack and theme song, and he performed as well as Audra mae, who sings a hauntingly beautiful “Forever Young” on the soundtrack. Something about a bowl full of aging bikers appreciating life that makes you FEEL forever young…………….at least on the inside!

 
One of the hosts on stage had the audience raise their hand if they had been to the Love Ride at least 5 years……….10 years, 15…20……25. I realized not too many hands were up when he pointed at me and said, “Lady……you are starting to show your age!” But it’s true. I have been coming to the Love Ride nearly as long as there has been a Love Ride. I remember it being small and intimate, I remember it growing out of control in popularity and getting impossible to find a place to park and then it took forever to walk just to get in the front gate. I remember not being able to find a place to sit in the grassy knoll because the people were that thick. But bigger isn’t always better, and sometimes less is more.
 
The 30th annual Love Ride could not have gone much smoother. I got in on the tail end of the morning press conference just in time to catch Jay Leno, Lorenzo Lamas, Emillio Rivera and his beautiful wife Yadi, Rusty Coones and his beautiful wife K.O, and the “Bold and the Beautiful” boys Ron Moss and Winsor Harmon all scampering out to their bikes for the 50 mile ride up to Castaic Lake. 

 
The ride was slow………..and orderly……………and safe. As a woman that has been long time known for being less than slow, orderly and safe, I have to say it was a very good thing. The police escorts did a fantastic job. It is just plain not that easy to keep that many people with that many different………..riding styles……together and sane! It couldn’t have been a more beautiful sunny, warm October day. Returning as Grand Marshal, Jay Leno was in his usual rare and funny form. He introduced all of the honorees and celebs, the royal Davidson family, Harley Dealers from all over the country, and military representing USO, which is what this year’s funds benefitted. USO offers assistance to deployed troops and their families. If you are interested in supporting our troops, you can do so at www.uso.org.

 
[page break] 
 
The Victor McLaglen Motor Corp Stunt and Drill team was there to perform their difficult stunts that they somehow do in a tight area, on lumpy dirt, and still…….they make it look effortless and easy. These guys must really put in long hours to develop that kind of skill……………and TRUST!!!

 
Jackson Browne took the stage looking every bit as cool as he did three decades ago, and sounding every bit as clear. I just love his music, and was singing and dancing like a lunatic, and I swear it was all over in three songs! He didn’t even sing “Stay………..just a little bit longer”. So when I started screaming “Stay” at the top of my lungs, he just looked right at me, laughed and said I can’t. So I wandered off to see what was happening backstage, and out and about……….not really sure if the concert was over……….? It was too short!

 
I walked down to the crystal blue lake and looked back at all of the interesting people enjoying the day. It was nice to actually be able to find your friends and enjoy some lunch and conversations. It was a mellow and relaxing atmosphere, and I was just enjoying people watching……….

 
Until…………..FOO Fighters in the house! And then it was a sea of wild hair and rock and roll madness well into the afternoon. Dave Grohl sets the bar high for the epitome of a Rock Star. They played good old fashioned rock & roll biker tunes, and the crowd sang and danced and laughed and lounged. It was a most perfect end to a most perfect day. What a fabulous surprise having so much great talent take the stage all day long! Although I really wanted to hear Jackson Browne sing “Stay”. I did leave before the music ended…………..oh man, if he had only sang “Stay”, I SO would have! Look forward to the much continued success of this ride!

 
 
I’m Betsy, and you can learn more about me at: 
Click on photo to visit webpage 
or find me on Facebook!
 
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Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Shows Results

By Bandit | May 31, 2024
 
 
The Dallas edition of the 2013-14 Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show was packed from opening bell on Friday to the awards ceremony on Sunday at 4PM. The free parking for motorcycles drew a huge 2-wheel crowd that funneled into the Progressive International Motorcycle Show and the very first bikes they saw were the custom sleds from the show. The bike show diversity was spectacular with big wheel Yamaha Bobbers to Diesel custom to huge tire baggers.

 
Ultimate Builder Class: FreeStyle 

Daniel Sanchez of Cut Throat Customs hails from Houston, Texas and brought in El Deguelo, a 2010 CTC Custom that features a cantilevered front air suspension that is hidden under the gas tank. Paint by Dustin Hobert, H-D Airbrush Studio. Engine: 1975 Honda 750. 

1: Daniel Sanchez, Cut Throat Customs – El Deguelo, 2010 CTC Custom

2: Kyle Shorey, Shade Tree Fabrications – Priceless, 2013 Shadetree Customs

3: Nick Morale, Dallas H-D /  Live Fast Customs – Hated, 2012 Harley-Davidson
 
 

 
Ultimate Builder Class: MOD Harley

Juan Gandara of Lubbock Custom Motorcycles rolled Firm Sueno into heavy competition. After the smoke cleared Gandara came away with first place. It features a stretched gas tank, custom dash, custom paneling around oil tank and rear fender. 

1: Juan Gandara, Lubbock Custom Motorcycles – Firm Sueno, 2007 Deluxe

2:Sean Stimel, Dallas H-D  – Big Slim, 2014 Harley-Davidson Slim

3: Jeff Halsted – Altered, 2008 Harley-Davidson Softail
 
 
 
Ultimate Builder Class: Retro MOD

Mark Webster builds slick street tracker and café racer. He won the Retro MOD class with his ’77  Yamaha XS650 Café Racer. It features forks from a 2008 GSXR 750, Custom triple trees and custom aluminum tank and tail section from Christen Dotson. 

1: Mark Webster – 1977 Yamaha XS650

2: Brian Jones – Netter 1962 FL Panhead

3: Brad Durest – 1979 H-D FLH
 
 
 
Ultimate Builder Class: MOD Street

Chop Shop Motorsports’ 2003 hardtail bobber took 1st place in MOD Street class with Gold Digger. Engine is ported and polished with Boss 429 cams. The features Firestone military tires with a springer front end and dirt bike handle bars.

1: Chop Shop Motorsports – Gold Digger, 2003 Yamaha VStar 1100

2: Leonard Mosley – 2007 Suzuki M109R

3: Jeff Azcona – Tequila, 2012 Royal Enfield, CS Bullet
 
 
 
Ultimate Builder Class: Performance Custom

Kyle Shorey’s Speedmetal is a handmade custom sled. The bike began life as a Saxon Crown motorcycle. It features handmade frame, tank, S&S 100 and girder front end. Paint by Chemical Candy Customs.

1: Kyle Shorey, Shade Tree Fabrications – Speedmetal, 2012 Shadetree Custom

2: Arynn Akins – King, 2005 Yamaha R1

3: Platinum Motorcycles – Inferno, 2004 Honda CBR 600rr
 
 
 
 
 
SHO DOG AWARD
Chop Shop Motorsports
EDITOR’S CHOICE AWARD
Dallas H-D / Live Fast Customs                                       
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD
Jeff Azcona’s Winner 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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GIMME SHELTER TECH

By Bandit | May 31, 2024

A brother, contributor, official Bikernet certified welder, VP of Bikernet Manufacturing, Dr. Feng, lives on a rusting steel ketch in the Wilmington marina. He recently agreed to a long-term road test of a 650 ATK cruiser. The notion of living on a boat is a romantic, solitary existence, rocking to sleep each night by splashing seawater against the drifting hull of a yacht. It’s a dreamy lifestyle, containing just a couple of drawbacks.

First, it’s fraught with all the bullshit regs of a condo complex, and perhaps even more with new environmental and terrorism agencies springing up around the country like ObamaCare clinics administering your right to health care, then maybe the right to food, shelter, transportation, and a job. Why not, but that one might be the line- in- the- sand for many recipients. I’m sure they want all their rights except for that last one, the right to a job.

There’s one more drawback for most marina dwellers, no garage. Some have storage lockers, or small shelters, and there’s a business model huddled under a flimsy cover right there, a new marina design with garages for some slip renters. There are more and more stifling regulations against working on your own boat, so this scenario will perhaps never come to pass, to afford boat owners a place to store tools and boat restoration supplies.

There you have it, a brother with a new ATK motorcycle slipping down narrow winding roads to his floating clubhouse. He desperately needed shelter and security for his freedom ride and Speed-way Shelters offered to “Gimme Shelter.”

Here’s the official company description:

Retractable Motorcycle Covers
All-Weather Protection for your Bike!

Speed-Way Motorsport Shelters are custom, secure, and private, miniature motorsport garages with a retractable “roll top” feature allowing for fast, immediate, easy access to your cycle! The main features and benefits of Speed-Way Shelters are weather proofing, ease of assembly and use, strong and durable long lasting materials and construction, custom designs with high functionality … all this affordably priced with two models to choose from.

Simply pull your cycle right into a Speed-Way motorcycle shelter, lower the retractable cover over your bike and you are done! With our motorcycle covers there is no wait time for pipes to cool. Rest assured with Speed-Way covers knowing your bike is fully protected from all outdoor elements, in all seasons, from winter to summer. Our motorcycle covers were designed with you in mind … the professional motorcyclist, the motorcycle commuter, and the weekend rider. They’ve got you covered!

Speed-Way Motorsport Shelters come in two sizes…the Standard-Sport Model and the Specialized Touring Model. Use the motorcycle-sizing guide to help identify the Speed-Way motorcycle cover that best fits your specific bike, such as Honda, Suzuki, Harley-Davidson and more. If there are ever any questions about the make or model of your motorcycle, or any other questions about our motorcycle covers, the Speed-Way staff is available for immediate assistance. Call their customer service department at 831-477-9600.

Dr. Feng’s first project was to find the perfect parking spot to attach his Speed-Way cover. He found one close to the entry gate and readily visible to anyone coming or going in the Marina. He also chose to position it back almost 5 feet from the wheel stop, to prevent a drunk or distracted motorist from thinking he found an empty spot and whipping into the space only to rear end his unsuspecting 650 ATK.

The sun was beginning to set as we attempted to install the Speed-Way, and with any experience this task would take less than 10 minutes. The entire kit is carefully packed in a crate, then in a Speedway box, and in a tough canvas-like Speed-Way carry-on bag.

It comes with a one-year manufacturer’s defects warranty and complete instructions. Get this:

NO TOOLS ARE REQUIRED FOR ASSEMBLY OF YOUR SPEED-WAY SHELTER!

That’s sort of true. If you decide to install the supplied cement anchors, you need a concrete drill and wrenches, but we will get there. And you better have a sharp knife to cut through packing straps, shipping tape, bubble-wrap and cardboard containers.

Otherwise, we spread out the components as suggested and went to work slipping pieces together like an erector- set puzzle. The instructions show one young individual erecting the Gimme Shelter, but it was handy to have one drunk hold some pieces while the smoker lit a cigarette and picked through the carefully marked pieces.

Dr. Feng laid down the anchor plate with the deck mounting holes for concrete fasteners first, and then the crossbar with its web of moveable rails like a series of roll bars. The instructions indicated for the concrete fastening holes to be faced to the outside. Everything just slipped and snapped together.

They even color-coded components to keep the process on the proper track. Next, we grabbed the two vertical support rails with wing-nut fasteners attached. We installed one then discovered its distinct design element. One end was pinched in a specific direction for a tight fit to the top rail. We took advantage of this design element and reversed the leg position.

Then we started to install the top cross bar poles, and they were all the same and clicked right into place. One more cross member attached the remaining frame element on the deck.

With the frame completed, the sun dropped out of sight and semi-darkness engulfed the parking area. We kept going and draped the strong, thick, coated cover over the frame and Dr. Feng crawled inside, peeled long Velcro flaps and positioned them over the floor bars, then over the cross members. There were more than enough Velcro straps to hold the cover securely.

It also contains screens and flap covered windows to afford ventilation. The flaps can be toggled to allow open vents. About that time, we made a call to Jeremiah, our construction expert, who made a mad dash into the highly fortified Port of Los Angeles, with a generator and concrete drills to install the provided anchor bolts. Since our deck surface was made of heavy pebble asphalt, he went with plastic-coated concrete screws.

We could have bought a chunk of plywood and bolted the Speed-Way to the wood platform. That’s a popular way to create a strong base, and Speed-Way shelters come with two sewn-in tie-down contact points for more heavy wind conditions. Guy ropes and stakes are available at any hardware store.

With any padlock, the Speed-Way can be locked, and inside the Speed-Way team supplied us with a LED light. We just needed a couple of AA batteries.

There you have it, and it’s been a week of test parking, chasing women and parking again. Here’s the final word from Dr. Feng:

Much as the Bob Dylan song lyric, “Come in she said, I’ll give you shelter from the storm,” puts a smile on my face… I’m always happy to see the Speed-Way Motorsports Shelter waiting in the marina parking lot as I roll in. It swallows up the ATK 650 cruiser nicely and keeps it out of sight and out of the weather until my next ride. (Also seems to keep that cold wet morning dew off the seat, which is a nice bonus.)

Bandit and I set it up with relative ease. Instructions seem quite straight-forward and easy to follow. Even has color coding on some parts for easier assembly match up. Some nice features as well, such as interior LED light, and tabs with matching holes to receive a padlock on the frame. Also vent flaps for hot humid weather. All- in- all, a great little mini garage away from home. (Marina neighbors think it’s cool as well.) So there you have it … Great product.

Dr. Feng tested and recommended.

Speed-Way Shelters are available at Biker’s Choice Dealers

CARE INSTRUCTIONS

Your Speed-way Shelter will provide you years of use, if cared for correctly.

1. Hand-clean your Speedway Shelter using light pressure with warm water and mild soap.

2. Always secure your Speedway Shelter to a solid surface to protect it from high wind,
falling or moving objects and unwelcome quests!

3. We highly recommend that you find an elevated area or an area that allows for fast run-off of water to keep your vehicle and shelter area as dry as possible. A slightly elevated platform is a great solution for both anchoring your shelter and keeping it free of water run-off.

4.If possible, find a location for your Speed-way Shelter that is protected by a building or some other solid barrier.

5. Some water repellents are acceptable for use to extend the life of your fabric cover. Use repellents that are normally used on outdoor equipment — such as tents, backpacks and apparel.

6 . It is always good to keep the windows opened a little for ventilation when the bike is hot or the weather is humid and warm. Please adjust the window opening for your own conditions. In the event of rain or snow fall, close your windows.

7. The fabric cover is treated with UV protection. However, for long-term storage of your vehicle, you can extend the life of your shelter with shade or a secondary tarp or cover.

8. To minimize dust and moisture, consider purchasing the Speed-way Shelter Diamond- Tough Floor, which is a high density, durable rubber material that fits beneath your Shelter space perfectly! It looks great, too!

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The Deep Sea Panhead

By Bandit | May 31, 2024

This story kicked off 10 years ago with a Lincoln MIG welder and a rusting mini-bike. An obsessed weight lifting and skateboarding 13-year-old, with his dad’s support, bought a MIG welder and started to chop his mini.

“I raced motocross until I broke my left foot,” said Jesse Srpan. “I needed to shift to something safer.”

Between TV builders, instructional videos and internet courses, Jesse started a two-year career of learning welding. As a junior in high school, he attended an open house at Auburn Career center vocational school. He was intrigued and met a lifetime mentor and friend, Ryan Eubank (former Auburn Career Center instructor, now a teacher at the Willoughby Eastlake Technical center), who taught at the school and was a weld school instructor for the Lincoln Welding School. He immediately tried to enroll in the school and was summarily turned down by the staff.

“It’s part of the rules,” the administrator said. “You’ve missed too many classes to be considered.”

“I wasn’t doing drugs and hanging out,” Jesse snapped. “I was working, taking welding seminars, and attending bike shows.”

Ryan stepped in to support Jesse, and ultimately he was accepted. He took welding classes throughout his junior and senior years at Newbury High School in the town of Chardon, Ohio, an exurb of Cleveland, a small town of 5,148, and began a serious process of accumulating welding certifications in the field of aerospace, structural steel welding, titanium, chrome moly, and pipe welding. He currently holds 15 welding certs, and hopes to add five more titanium and pipe welding related certs before the end of the year. There are multiple titanium certs available.

Jesse’s parents were both entrepreneurial. His father, a building contractor, taught him the ins and outs of owning a business, while his mother ran a jewelry business out of the house and encouraged the creative with an arts and crafts hobby side.

At 14, Jesse opened his own chop shop in 2003. “It was a hobby with a name,” Jesse said.

Just before high school graduation in 2009, his dad, Rick Srpan took Jesse to lunch and then to an attorney’s office.

“I didn’t know what was happening,” Jesse said. “I wasn’t married, so it couldn’t be a divorce.”

The attorney shoved a sheath of paper across his heavy oak desk toward Jesse. “It’s about time you were legal and independent,” his dad said. And as of 2008 Raw Iron Choppers became a documented reality, and he was officially in biz.

The majority of Jesse’s income continues to come from welding and custom parts. “There’s more demand for certified welders than ever before,” Jesse said.

Of course, his dad was a biker and bought this Panhead three decades ago, but until recently, it collected dust in the back of the contractor’s shop.

“Let me chop your Pan,” Jesse said during a slow stretch around the shop.

“Let’s do it together,” Rick said and they tore into the classic chop.

At first, Jesse pondered building another frame, but his dad encouraged him to keep the original raked wishbone frame and Jesse agreed. Then business around the shop increased and the project stalled. Initially, with the Spartan springer front end, the established theme was a “raw” steel look, no bondo or paint like knights and suits of armor, but then the creative configuration turned to dazzling green with a pro-street Panhead notion, then steam punk.

“It finally morphed into the Salvage Diver,” Jesse said and rolled his eyes.

Maybe it had something to do with their close proximity to Lake Erie, or the effects of welding nuclear storage containers, but the notion caught. His mother, the arts and crafts teacher, discovered the soft cast brass octopus, which became an integral portion of the knurled aluminum shifter. Jesse hand-fabricated the steel gas tank and numerous other components. Together, father and son rejuvenated a classic, but the creative never stops. Jesse is now building a KZ750 twin into a one-off, ground-up built café racer.

 
 

 If you’re ever broke down near Cleveland and need something welded, you know who to call.

El Panhead Tech Sheet

Owner: Rick Srpan
Builder: Jesse & Rick Srpan of Raw Iron Choppers, Chardon, Ohio
Year/model: 2012 “Salvage Diver”
Cost to build: $15,000.00
Time to build: 8 months

ENGINE

Engine: 1950 “EL” Panhead
Builder: Raw Iron Choppers/Harley Davidson
Displacement: 61-inch
Horsepower: 40
Cases: H-D
Flywheels: H-D
Balancing: H-D
Connecting rods: H-D
Cylinders: H-D 3-5/16-inch (0.040” over)
Pistons: Wiseco 9:1
Heads: STD “o-ring style intake”
Cam: H-D
Valves: STD
Rockers: STD
Lifters: H-D
Pushrods: H-D
Carb: S.U.
Air cleaner: Paugcho-tear drop
Exhaust: Raw Iron Choppers
Ignition: Single point distributor H-D
Coils: Dual 12-volt
Wires: Vintage wire cloth
Charging system: H-D
Regulator: H-D
Oil pump: H-D
Cam cover: H-D

TRANSMISSION

Primary cover: Open belt
Transmission: 1950 4-speed
Case: H-D
Gears: H-D
Mods: Right hand shift & hydraulic clutch
Clutch: Primo/H-D
Primary drive: Rivera Primo 3-inch belt drive
Final drive: Chain
Kickstarter: Baker Drivetrain-function formed hydraulic cover

CHASSIS

Frame: Modified 1950 wishbone
Rake: 42 degrees
Stretch: zero

Front forks: Spartan Frame works “riveted springer”
Mods: Neck raked, custom right hand shifter, & misc. components
Swingarm: None (rigid)

FINISH

Chromer: Chromatic Plating, Cleveland, Ohio
Polisher: Perfection Metal Polishing, Willoughby, Ohio
Powdercoater: Creative Mold & Machine, Newbury, Ohio
Painter: Larry Medwig-(base & clear) Mike Valentine-(air brushing)
Color: Grandeur blue candy over silver metal flake base

WHEELS

Front wheel: 2.15-21” Black rim w/stainless 40 spoke
Rear wheel: 3-16” Black rim w/stainless 40 spoke
Front brake: HHI 4 piston springer kit
Rear brake: HHI 4 piston sprocket brake
Front tire: Metzeler 90/90-21”
Rear tire: Metzeler 140/90b-16”

SHEET METAL

Fuel tank: Raw Iron Choppers (handmade)
Front fender: None
Rear fender: Raw Iron Choppers/Fat Katz
Fender struts: None
Rail: None

ACCESSORIES

Headlight: Crime Scene choppers
Taillight: Rare find
Oil tank: Crime scene choppers
Handlebars: Raw Iron Choppers “shorty bars”
Risers: Raw Iron Choppers “shorty bars”
Seat: Raw Iron Choppers “one off brass-riveted seat”
Pegs: Raw Iron Choppers “knurled pegs”
Chain guard: None
Speedo: None
Dash: None
License bracket: Raw Iron Choppers
Mirrors: None

Controls

Hand controls: Joker Machine-JX series
Foot controls: None

Levers: Joker machine-JX series
 
 
Read More →

NCOM COAST TO COAST BIKER NEWS for November 2013

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 NEWS
Compiled & Edited by Bill Bish,
National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM)
 
CDC TASK FORCE CALLS FOR HELMET LAWS
A task force operating under the auspices of the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is recommending that all states have a mandatory helmet law in place to require motorcycle riders of all ages to wear a helmet.
 
Citing reduced injuries and fatalities, as well as economic benefits, the Community Preventive Services Task Force, appointed by the director of the CDC, will make its recommendations to the federal agency and report its findings to the U.S. Congress in early December.
 
The CDC, whose primary mission is to fight disease, issued a report last summer recommending that all 50 states enact universal helmet laws in response to a sharp increase in motorcyclist fatalities; but ignoring the fact that the number of motorcycles in use nationwide has increased substantially over the past decade, and that costs associated with un-helmeted cyclists involved in fatal accidents represent a tiny fraction of overall U.S. healthcare expenditures.
 
In the meantime, U.S. Representative Tom Petri (R-WI) has authored a joint letter from members of Congress calling for the CDC to stop investigating motorcycling issues such as helmet laws, which they have no experience or expertise with, and “…to direct your attention and resources to areas that are not currently already being addressed elsewhere in the government.”
 
 
 
URGE CONGRESSIONAL ACTION TO BAR E15 GAS
The US Defenders (www.usdefenders.org) issued a Call To Action on October 26, 2013 calling for support of House Resolution 1462 “to Stop the Sale of Ethanol 15 (E15).”
 
The bipartisan RFS Reform Act would “eliminate the corn-based ethanol mandate currently required by the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), reduce the overall requirements of cellulosic ethanol not filled by other advanced bio-fuels, and rescind the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) waivers allowing gasoline blends containing up to 15-percent of ethanol.”
 
Introduced by Reps. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Steve Womack (R-AR), and Peter Welch (D-VT), H.R. 1462 would effectively overhaul the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) which mandates that 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels be part of our nation’s fuel supply by 2022, almost all of which being fulfilled by corn ethanol which in turn diverts nearly 40% of our nation’s corn crop from food and feed.
 
Congress created the RFS program in 2005 to promote the ethanol industry by setting the minimum amount of renewable fuel that must be blended into motor fuels annually.  E10 (10% ethanol blend) has become widely accepted and helped kickstart the ethanol industry, but in 2010 the EPA approved E15 for use in newer vehicles even though many automobile manufacturers claim its use can damage engines and void warranties, and no motorcycles or ATVs are currently approved to use the alcohol-laden fuel.
 
Rep. Goodlatte has also introduced the RFS Elimination Act (H.R.1461), “which eliminates the RFS altogether and makes ethanol compete in a free market.”  Both the RFS Elimination Act and the RFS Reform Act have been referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
 
Meanwhile, on November 15, the EPA recommended reducing the total amount of ethanol required by the RFS to be blended into U.S. transportation fuel nationwide in 2014 from 18.15 billion gallons down to 15.21 bg, though the move to reduce the minimum volume of renewable fuel next year does not provide a permanent solution to the inflexible short-term mandates nor the long-term diversion of feed stocks to fuel.
 
 
 
ROCHESTER, MINN ACCUSED OF DISCRIMINATING AGAINST BIKERS
An attorney representing the Confederation of Clubs of Minnesota claims that Rochester bars and restaurants illegally deny access to people wearing clothing that displays affiliations to certain motorcycle clubs and that the Rochester Police Department advises the establishments to do so.
 
In a letter dated October 31, 2013 to Rochester Police Chief Roger Peterson and City Attorney Terry Adkins, A.I.M. Attorney Michael M. Bader of St. Paul, MN states that by denying access to people displaying affiliations to these clubs, the establishments are violating Minnesota Statute 604.12. The statute, the first and only biker anti-discrimination law in the country, says that access cannot be denied to “a person who operates a motorcycle or is wearing clothing that displays the name of an organization or association,” unless the person’s behavior is endangering other people or property, or the person’s clothing “is obscene or includes the name or symbol of a criminal gang.”
 
Bader’s letter states that he has been provided “irrefutable evidence” that Rochester restaurants and bars violate the law by practicing “discrimination” against members of motorcycle clubs, and told the Post-Bulletin newspaper that the evidence includes taped recordings of conversations with bar owners who say police advised them to deny access to people wearing jackets or other clothing with certain motorcycle club colors and insignias. “The reason given by police, as evidenced in recordings, is: ‘that these groups have a history of violence,‘” but Minnesota Statute 609.229, which pertains to gang crime, requires a gang or club to have a “pattern of criminal activity” before establishments can deny access to its members.
 
“Our suggestion would be for Chief Peterson to send a memo to all licensed clubs and restaurants in Rochester with a copy of Minn. Stat. 604.12, advising the license holders that discrimination upon dress alone violates the statute and makes each establishment liable for damages and attorney fees for each person who suffers the discrimination,” Bader wrote in his letter.
 
Peterson told the paper he has no plans to send the type of memo Bader suggested because the police department is not violating any statute, saying it is well-known and well-established that the motorcycle clubs Bader represents have histories of violence in the Rochester area and the police department has advised bars and restaurants to deny access to people wearing any kind of gang colors or insignias, and that includes those of motorcycle clubs with violent histories.
 
If Peterson refuses to do so, “the next step is litigation,” Bader said in a recent interview. “And then it would be incumbent upon the city to prove this pattern of criminal activity.” According to Minnesota Statute 609.902, it requires at least three separate criminal acts within 10 years of the beginning of the criminal proceeding.
 
 
 
THREE-WHEELERS EXEMPTED FROM MOTORCYCLE LICENSING & HELMET LAWS
The Michigan legislature has approved a bill to change the state’s motorcycle laws to allow Elio Motors to sell a three-wheeled car in the state without buyers being required to get a motorcycle endorsement.
 
The “Elio” (pronounced EE-lee-oh) is considered a “motorcycle” under federal and state safety regulations because it has three wheels and weighs less than 1,600 pounds. Nonetheless, it handles like a car according to inventor Paul Elio, who says Michigan’s old law would have required buyers of the Elio to take a motorcycle safety test that teaches things like, “the throttle is on the right handlebar” and you should “lean into a curve.“
 
The company is banking on other states with similar laws to have them modified by the time Elio Motors plans to start production of the Elio in late 2014, but their main concern is the five states that require drivers of three-wheeled vehicles to wear a helmet.
 
Joel Sheltrown of Elio Motors says those laws must be changed by the time the Elio is for sale, because wearing a helmet in a car obscures the person’s vision and hearing, and the weight of the helmet also has the potential to cause severe neck damage in an accident.
 
Such laws could also hinder sales of the three-wheeler, which will be manufactured in Shreveport, Louisiana, where the state recently amended their laws to allow Elio occupants to ride without a helmet and operators won’t have to get a special “M” endorsement on their driver’s license as required of motorcyclists.
 
 
 
GLOBAL TIRE MARKET PROJECTED TO GROW, DRIVEN BY MOTORCYCLES
The worldwide market for tires is projected to grow at a 5% annual rate for the period 2014-2015, and motorcycles will be a key driver.
 
According to an industry report, the increasing demand for motorcycles positively influences the demand for tires and hence leads to the growth of the Global Tire market. The demand for motorcycles comes from developing and under-developed countries where the penetration rate of cars is low.
 
Also, it is expected that the adoption of tubeless tires in the Global Motorcycle market will increase and will have a positive impact on the Global Tire market.
 
 
 
1 IN 4 DRIVERS ADMIT SURFING THE WEB WHILE BEHIND THE WHEEL
Texting while driving used to be an offense identified with younger vehicle operators, but a new poll shows how it has spread to older drivers as well. The poll also found that one in four drivers are now accessing the Web while driving, yet another dangerous distraction, and the increase is driven by older drivers using smartphones.
 
The number of drivers who report using their cell phones to access the Internet while behind the wheel continues to rise, to a point where nearly one of four drivers are going online while driving, according to a national survey that has tracked the potentially deadly practice over the past five years.  There were also jumps in the percentages of people who read or respond to e-mail, and who read or update social media networks while driving, according to an article appearing on the front page of USA TODAY on Tuesday, November 12th.
 
Insurer State Farm began asking drivers in 2009 whether they went online while driving. The percentage of drivers who said they do so has nearly doubled, from 13% in 2009 to 24% this year. Among drivers ages 18-29, that number rose from 29% to 49%.
 
Most research on distracted driving — and most laws against it — has focused on texting while driving, which creates a crash risk 23 times greater than not doing so, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  But the rise in ownership of smartphones, which allow users to surf the Web, access social media and send and receive e-mail, means there are more opportunities than ever for driver distraction, and over the past three years the sharpest increases in smartphone ownership were among drivers 40 and over. For drivers ages 40-49, the percentage that owns smartphones rose from 47% in 2011 to 82% in 2013; for those 50-64, it went from 44% to 64%, and for those 65 and older, from 23% to 39%.
 
Perhaps reflecting the nation’s sustained campaign against texting while driving, that problem is growing much more slowly than surfing the Web. The percentage of people who report texting while driving rose slightly over the past five years, from 31% to 35% of all drivers. Among those 18-29, the number who report doing so has actually decreased, from 71% to 69%.
 
Chris Mullen, State Farm’s director of technology research says, “We need to keep an eye on social media, reading e-mail, all these other functions folks can use. … That could be legislation, it could be enforcement, it could be education and awareness.”
 
 
 
DRIVERS WOULD OPT TO LOSE CONTROL
A new survey finds that one in five Americans would never take the wheel again if a self-driving, or autonomous, car were available.  CarInsurance.com asked 2,000 drivers whether they would buy an autonomous car if it meant they never had to drive again, and 20% of them said yes. That number soars if cheaper car insurance is part of the deal.
 
While 1 in 5 licensed drivers surveyed said they would gladly turn over the keys and let computers do the driving, more than a third of those surveyed said an 80% discount on car insurance rates would make purchase of an autonomous vehicle “very likely,” and 90% of respondents said they would at least consider the idea.
 
Cars that park themselves, navigate stop-and-go-traffic or avert an impending collision are already on U.S. roads today, and Nissan has promised to deliver a fully autonomous vehicle — one that allows a computer to assume control under the right conditions — to showrooms by 2020. A fully automated vehicle that doesn’t need a human operator could someday follow.
 
“Our survey shows cheaper insurance will greatly influence consumer acceptance,” said CarInsurance.com managing editor Des Toups. “Some of the liability of operating a car will doubtless be assumed by the manufacturer,” Toups said. “But a lot of the decrease in rates could come simply because there would be many fewer accidents.”
 
Trust will be a big hurdle, the survey results show, as 64% said computers were not capable of the same quality of decision-making that human drivers exhibit, and 75% said they can drive a car better than a computer could. Asked what they would do with their additional free time, 26% responded that they’d text/talk with friends, 21% would read, while 10% would sleep and 7% would work.
 
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QUOTABLE QUOTE:  “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.”
Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) American poet and practical philosopher
 
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Back To Basics – How To Change A Rear Tire

By Bandit | May 31, 2024
 
Hi, I am Fast Andie with Fast Andie Racing.
 
The articles I plan to write will be for you ladies! I’m not writing with the intention that you think you need to work on your own motorcycle. If you choose to do that, awesome! If not, join the many men that choose not to work on their own either. The truth of the matter is Harley dealers have a service department for a reason.  I want to share with you the basics of repairs so you can decide if you want to tackle it yourself, or just simply know what happens when you take it to someone else to get repaired. As women, we are entitled to educate ourselves the same way we educate ourselves on the car we drive every day. If you haven’t done that yet, now is a great time to make changes!
 
This is an important task for myself and my crew at Fast Andie Racing! I like to smoke tires, not drugs! The down side to this addictive behavior? Always replacing rear tires!
 
Not only do I complete a burnout before each and every pass I make on the drag strip, I like to do them for fun! My latest burnout took place at The Legendary Buffalo Chip Campground during the 2013 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. I like to bring drag bikes out and have it out with the guys! This year the burnouts aired on CMT’s Biker Battle Episode. Always a good time and in good company! There is nothing like going head to head in a burnout with legends Kurt Peterson of Lil’ Evil Inkorpor8ted and James Patience of Ground Zero Customs!
 
The first thing I do is put the motorcycle on a small jack.
 
Jacks are relatively inexpensive and very handy for almost everything you do. Use t-handled allen wrenches or a socket and ratchet to remove the rear brake caliper. Mark the tensioner:
 
This might be a chain tensioner or a belt tensioner depending on your motorcycle.
You can use a tape measure or a digital caliper, pictured below:
 
 
 
 
Before removing the tire, also take note of any spacers used.
 
 
Andie’s Note: Good idea: take a picture of all the spacers and their order before disassembly so you don’t miss anything.
 
 
 
Remove axle nut until it is flush with the end of the axle and tap axle out with a rubber mallet. Support tire to avoid axle binding on the way out. Remove chain off sprocket or belt. Some motorcycles may require removing chain or belt guard first. My chain guard is fairly simple to deal with, therefore, removal is not necessary for me. 
 
 
 
 
Then I take a new drag tire and the rear wheel with the old tire still in place to my mechanic to swap the tires for me. He uses a tire machine. Since my drag bikes usually have blown out rear tires, and it’s not legal to drive them anywhere, having someone replace my rear tires is very convenient for me!! 
 
With the tire off and out of the way, this is a great time to inspect the sprocket, chain or belt, brake rotor and brake pads. If anything needs to be replaced or repaired, it is best to do this now.
 
Once I get the rear tire back (usually takes about 15 minutes to break the bead on my old tire and set the new tire on the wheel), I begin reinstalling the rear tire so I can melt it off again!
 
~Just a side note, burning them off is an expensive habit!
 
I apply anti-seize lube on the rear axle before anything else. I make sure I have the chain lined up, proper alignment on chain tensioners, all spacers are in the same order, (refer to that picture to be sure you have the correct order!) and then slide the rear axle through the chain, all spacers and the rear tire (of course!).
 
 
 
Then start your axle nut. Make sure you check your manufacture specs on chain or belt tension. Mine requires ½” “play” on the chain.  
 
 
Last I reinstall the brake caliper and snug bolts tight with again either t-handled allen wrench or socket on a ratchet.
 
 
 
Remove Jack.
And you are done!
 
 
So what do I do with all these burnout tires? Recycle of course! A few have been given away as gifts to sponsors. But the burnout tire that was televised at The Legendary Buffalo Chip is now hanging up at their office. Next year at Sturgis, go to the Chip and check it out:
 
 
 
 
 
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Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Experience For November 2013

By Bandit | May 31, 2024
 
For many years, the local Sturgis newspaper (Meade County Times) put out a special edition newspaper after each Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.  Looking through the archives at the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame, we found a stack of these special editions from various years starting in 1984.  Each edition was a full newspaper with as many as five sections.  They all boast full color covers on each section, and plenty of advertising from local and regional businesses.  If you were around any of the years prior to 1988, you could snag one for only $1.  From 1988 through the last edition we’ve found in our archives (1999), you could get your copy for $2. 
 
 
 
When it comes to archiving items in the museum world, newspapers are notoriously bad bets.  They’re made out of inexpensive paper that tends to age and even disintegrate quickly when compared to other papers.  Handling any textile, and particularly paper, is hard on it, so you can’t have old newspapers out where they can be handled.  Because of the issues associated with saving and archiving newspapers, we try not to keep too many of them on hand.  These special editions are an exception at the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum.
 
 
 
 
We decided to get them out and give you a little taste of them for this month’s feature.  We’ve got full editions from 1984, 1986-1991, 1994-1995, 1998 & 1999.  In addition, we’ve got a “Legends of Sturgis” special collector’s edition that chronicles historical information.  When we spent a little time perusing these editions we learned that there are some things that seem to have stayed the same over the years and others that have changed drastically.  
 
 
 
There’s an article from 1984 about the addition of extra phone banks for rally-goers.  In this day of personal cell phones, that seems a little odd.  There’s an article from 1988 about Chris Carr – who was a 21-year-old racer.  Since then, Chris has held a land speed record, been inducted into the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame and retired from racing.  The 50th Anniversary in 1990 has a headline indicating it’s “Once in a Lifetime.”  Back in 1994, there’s a story about rally-goers opinions on health care reform, gun control and helmet laws.  In 1998, there’s an article about the unveiling of a brand new motorcycle – the Excelsior Henderson – which only lasted one year.  
 
 
 
A big part of our mission here at the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame is to keep the history of the Sturgis Rally.  These old publications are just one of the many ways we strive to meet that mission. 
 
 
 
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