GUNNY REPORTS ON LEGISLATIVE, ACCIDENT AND MOTORCYCLE BUSINESS ISSUES

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. For more information, call us at 1-(800) ON-A-BIKE or visit us on our website at

From TheGUNNY’S SACK

WAR STUFF: By the time a lot of you folks read this in print in your newsletters, the war in Iraq, I HOPE, will be long over with. But our boys and girls are out there are fighting hot and heavy as I write this, so I hope you’ll let this old Marine give a little of his own perspective on all this. I saw one e-mail I agreed with, so I’m going to give you a little edited version of what he had to say. He needs to know he isn’t the only one in this country that feels the way he does.

“I’m venting tonight because I’m angry about what I saw tonight I watched as a bunch of misguided ‘citizens’ protesting in Portland tonight. We all have the right to lawful assembly, however last time I checked stopping traffic on freeways, blocking bridges, and unprovoked attacks on law enforcement officers didn’t fall under peaceful demonstration, nor is burning the stars and stripes while chanting we love Iraq. I must conclude that these people are either FOOLS OR COWARDS and if they love some other nation more by all means please leave! I KNOW most of you have a friend or family member who paid some price for freedom in blood or the ultimate sacrifice, [so that] these cowards have the chance to show they enjoy the freedom they [have]… hoo-ya semper-fi, crzycooter roger”

Regardless of what you think about the politics of this war, I agree with this man and say that if YOU burn my flag I will consider you a traitor subject to the laws governing such behavior. If you don’t like the way we do things in this country, if you don’t like the freedom you have here, if you don’t like our laws, change things legally, or move to a country you do like…. I’ll help ya pack!

NEWSBITS’N’PIECES: PHOENIX. AZ: Here’s another celeb that got banged up due to a reckless driver. Los Angeles Dodgers batting coach Jack Clark remained in stable condition at a Phoenix hospital, a day after he was injured in a motorcycle accident. Clark broke eight ribs and had cuts to his head when he was clipped by a car on his way to Bank One Ballpark for a Dodgers workout. No helmet law in AZ. Yet Clark didn’t die! Imagine that.

I have to tell you, if it were one of US, instead of a celeb, no one would even hear about it. The driver who caused the accident was cited for “an unsafe lane change.” Some states are working to change the law to call for stiffer penalties against negligent drivers who cause injury or death…good for them.

WEBSTER, N.Y.: American Motorcycle Corporation has signed a letter of intent to purchase Royal Ryder Motorcycle Manufacturing Company, Inc., of Hudson, Florida. Another Harley clone starting up. Hope they make it, but history tells us a different story. I remember Titan and some others who aren’t on the scene now. The EPA, with their ever-tightening noose around the neck of the motorcycle industry, probably had something to do with it too.

WASHINGTON: I was reading this article about our two-wheeled brothers on the road, the bicyclists. There’s a paradox that has long puzzled those folks, and it applies to us as well. Fact is, under some circumstances, commuters who burn a precious resource – oil – to drive to work get a tax break! Those who use their own muscle power to pedal bikes to the office don’t.

“Why should we discriminate in terms of tax treatment for somebody who is not polluting the air, not causing traffic congestion and not taking away from our petroleum reserves?” asked Rep. Earl Blumenauer, a democrat from here in Oregon.

How about a tax break for motorcycles too? WE burn MUCH less gas and pollute WAY less than cars or busses, even when we lay on the throttle a bit. We have fun and live a lifestyle we love, and we’re very environmentally FRIENDLY. Why don’t our lawmakers like Earl here ever talk about that? Something to think about.

MINNEAPOLIS: Norton Motorcycle Company has announced that it has changed its name to the Viper Motorcycle Company, and Viper has released all trademark rights to the Norton brand. Merch Performance Inc, is to supply engines for the new motorcycle. According to their new CEO, “The initial response to our first model, the Viper Diablo Power Cruiser, has greatly exceeded our expectations.” The goal for Viper Motorcycle Company is to be a full-line manufacturer of high-end motorcycles. The company will introduce 3 additional models sometime this year. Now THIS one just might be worth watching. My boss Sam Hochberg says that the Norton Commando was the very first bike he lusted after as a kid. Too bad for Sam: These new ones are NOT likely to look much like Nortons at all – especially since they aren’t even going to CALL ’em Nortons.

IRVINE, CA: According to the Business Wire news service, motorcycle sales for 2002 are up a remarkable 9.4 percent, and the U.S. motorcycle market is celebrating TEN consecutive years of rising sales! In 2001, new unit motorcycle sales topped 850,000 in the fourth straight year of double-digit increases. Strong demand for two-wheelers beat that mark in 2002, with total motorcycle sales of more than 937,000. ONE little contribution to the 2003 statistics will be that our Oregon AIM Attorney Sam Hochberg just picked up an Anniversary Edition Heritage Softail Classic. Old Sam just looks like a kid at Christmas. Sam’s not the type to splash out on big fancy cars – he hasn’t bought a brand new car since 1974. His last brand new BIKE was a little two-stroke he picked up in the Bronx in 1971! Sam, you ride safe on that new bike. His old shovel is now for sale, if anyone has a mind to inquire. His office is 503-224-1106, or you can just email him at sambikelaw@aol.com anytime.

Like most of our AIM (Aid to Injured Motorcyclists) Attorneys, Sam has been an avid rider most of his adult life. Ain’t it nice when we can go to one of our OWN if god forbid, we go down? The whole AIM system is set up like that. You get ’em by calling 1-800-ON-A-BIKE, or at www.ON-A-BIKE.com. You can get lots of info about Aid to Injured Motorcyclists (AIM) and the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM), of course, plus news, motorcycle laws, and plenty of links. Sam’s personal website is www.YourInjuryLawyers.com.

KAMPALA, UGANDA: Bikers here in America are always doing toy runs, poker runs, and other fundraisers, usually for sick kids. Turns out we aren’t the only bikers concerned about the welfare of others. In Uganda, Africa, there are bikers too, and they recently staged a rally and ride for the benefit of AIDS-stricken kids, so they could go to school. The ride was to raise funds for school supplies. This was a two week ride that netted $7,600 for the children. That will do a lot of good for those 60 kids. Hooray for the Ugandan bikers who care for kids. I guess bikers are the same the world over.

GUNNY AGAIN: As you good folks are reading these pearls of wisdom, my wife and I are riding on my motorcycle to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to attend the NCOM Convention starting on May 8th. I sincerely hope to see many of you there. Come over and say hi to me. I will be there the Tuesday preceding the festivities, and I’ll be part of the AIM Chiefs of Staff meeting held on Wednesday, the day before the Convention actually starts. These Conventions are the lifeblood of the AIM and NCOM programs. The very purpose for the existence of NCOM is to be a clearing house for information for any motorcycle organization or even individual, needing help with information relating to bikers rights. AIM of course is the vehicle to help those who are hurt in a mishap, either in their car or motorcycle. Our hardworking attorneys (who ride, as most Sack readers know) are working daily in our best interests. They never charge us up-front fees for their injury cases, and they do just about all their accident work on a contingency basis. They get paid when they get you paid. Then, of all things, they GIVE a large chunk of their fees to support the work of AIM/NCOM. That includes sponsorship of the Confederations of Clubs all over the country.

I’ve never been a big fan of lawyers, but over these ten years I’ve worked with Sam Hochberg, and for all the Conventions I’ve been to and all the Oregon Confederation meetings I’ve seen, I can tell you that THIS BUNCH IS ACES. These attorneys provide legal advice for SMRO’s all over the country, usually pro bono (for free). I hesitate to try and list all the free work they do for the motorcycle world for fear of missing someone important. If you want more good info, get in touch with the AIM/NCOM folks at 1-800-ON-A-BIKE or 1-800-531-2424.

Keep the round side on the bottom. Gunny, Oregon AIM Chief Of Staff

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Daytona Twin Tec LLC Announces New Fuel Injection Technology for2001 and Later Harley-Davidson( Motorcycles with Delphi Controller.TCFI Twin Cam Fuel Injection controller with optional WEGO Wide-bandExhaust Gas Oxygen sensor interface allows quickly auto-tuning fuelcurves on highly modified engines without dyno time.

Daytona Beach, Florida April 21, 2003: The new TCFI Twin CamFuel Injection controller solves tuning problems with highly modifiedengines.

Fully programmable plug-in replacement for the Delphi controller

Robust alpha-N (throttle position and RPM based) fuel controleliminates problems with long duration/high overlap camshafts

Fast on-road auto-tuning with the optional WEGO Wide-bandExhaust Gas Oxygen sensor interface. Competitive “band-aid” productssuch as the Dynojet Power Commander III require extensive dyno tuning.

Built-in data logging (free software available for downloadon our website)

The TCFI and WEGO are competitively priced with other vendors’units. Product shipments will begin in June 2003. Major distributorsthat have committed to carrying these new products include: ArlenNess, Axtell, Drag Specialties, Head Quarters (Canada) and TECDistributing.

About Daytona Twin Tec LLCDaytona Twin Tec LLC has a simple philosophy – do one thing and do itwell. Our product focus is electronic fuel injection and ignitionsystems for Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Our Twin Tec product line isbased on the most advanced technology and manufactured locally in ahighly automated ISO9000 rated facility.

How does the Twin Tec TCFI compare to the RevTech DFO, DynojetPower Commander, and Screamin Eagle EFI Tuner?

Each system has optimum applications, where it is the most costeffective alternative or offers a clear performance advantage:

Stock engines and engines with basic mods (aftermarket aircleaner and exhaust). The most cost effective choice is the RevTechDFO. This unit sells for under $200 retail and allows the user toeasily trim the fuel delivery by means of screwdriver adjustments.The biggest drawback is that hookup requires cutting the OE wireharness and splicing in connections using crimp terminals. Ouch!

88 CID engines with performance camshaft and aftermarket aircleaner and exhaust. The Dynojet Power Commander III will get the jobdone for about $400 as long as the camshaft profile is not tooradical. The Power Commander modifies the stock ECU injector drive,but is still a speed-density system. Past a certain point, manifoldpressure becomes too erratic and the injector pulse width varies allover the place at idle and low RPM cruise. At this point, you need arobust alpha-N system like the Twin Tec TCFI. Also, Power Commandersystems have no built-in auto-tune capability for fuel tables. If youget lucky you can download a table from their website that may work -else plan on spending a lot of time and money on the dyno. At$100-150/hour for dyno time, it doesn’t take long to burn through thedifference between the cost of the $400 Power Commander and acomplete TFCI+WEGO kit for $950. The TCFI also features extensivedata logging capability that will help you resolve any driveabilityissues.

95 CID engines with high compression, performance camshaft andaftermarket air cleaner, throttle body and exhaust. The Dynojet PowerCommander III will still work OK at wide open throttle, but dependingon the camshaft profile, you are likely to be left with some residualidle and cruise driveability issues. The more radical the enginemods, the better the Twin Tec TCFI will perform in comparison, andyou won’t have to spend much time on a dyno. The TCFI also gives youthe ability to change warmup enrichment and idle air controlparameters–very important with the more radical camshaft profiles.The data logging capability will help you resolve any driveabilityissues.

Screamin’ Eagle Stage I and II kits. At $460, the EFI Tuner ishard to beat – with fuel and ignition tables carefully mapped out bythe factory. But deviate from the exact Screamin’ Eagle combo and youare back to the same scenario as the Power Commander – lots of timeon the dyno. The EFI Tuner provides two additional benefits: scantool capability for reading and resetting diagnostic codes andminimal data logging capability. The biggest drawback is that the EFITuner “marries” itself to your ECU’s serial number and can never beused on another bike.

Do I need a load control dyno with exhaust sniffer?Regardless of what some people may claim, it is impossible toproperly tune a fuel injection system on a modified engine withoutsome means of covering the entire engine load range (from decel towide open throttle) and exhaust gas analysis. If you use a systemlike the Dynojet Power Commander III, you had better find a shop withthe DynoJet Model 250 load control dyno and optional air/fuel ratiomonitor.

You can accomplish the same result with the TCFI and optional WEGOby simply riding the bike on the road for several hours. As you runthrough different engine loads and RPM levels, the system auto-tunesthe fuel tables.

Will the TCFI work with the older Marelli fuel injection system,the fuel injection used on new Buell® models, or with the V-RodTM?

No, the TCFI is specifically intended for use with 2001 and laterH-D® models with the Delphi® ECU. The Delphi® ECU has a 36 pinconnector. The older Marelli system has a 35 pin connector. NewerBuell® models use a small ECU with two 12 pin Deutsch connectors. TheV-RodTM uses a more complex Delphi® ECU with additional outputs and alink to the electronic instrument cluster. Due to the limited market,we have no plans to support these applications.

Can I use the TCFI on a custom engine?

Probably not. The TCFI is not intended for fuel injectionretrofit. It requires all the same sensors and actuators as the stockDelphi ECU. This includes the crankshaft position sensor.

What applications has the TCFI been tested with?

We have tested and qualified the TCFI with modified 88 CID and 95CID engines. Setup files are provided for these applications. Intime, we will test the unit with larger engine displacements.

What are the limitations of the stock throttle body?

The stock throttle body is inadequate for engines greater than 88CID. With a 95 CID engine, the stock throttle body will not flowsufficient air above 4500 RPM. Maximum power will be limited to about105 HP. Our tests have shown that boring out the stock throttle bodyis ineffective. An aftermarket throttle body greater than 50mm isrequired for maximum power. The stock air cleaner is grosslyrestrictive and must always be replaced for any performanceapplication.

You can easily verify air flow restrictions with the TCFI Log datalogging software. Examine MAP (manifold pressure) at wide openthrottle. If MAP drops off as RPM increases, you know you have aproblem.

If the WEGO is used for auto-tuning fuel tables, should it beleft hooked up?

There are pros and cons. Modern race cars run wide-band exhaustgas oxygen sensors that continually make corrections as track andengine conditions change. You will have the same benefit – automaticcorrections, if your operating conditions change or if you makefurther engine modifications. However, the WEGO sensor is delicateand expensive. It will not tolerate exposure to any leaded fuel. Ifthe sensor degrades, engine performance will be affected. If sensorlife is not an issue in your application, leave it hooked up. If youwant to remove the sensor, we sell an 18 x 1.5mm hex plug.

The WEGO-LCD unit is intended for fair weather use or dyno labenvironments. Water splash may damage the LCD display. If you use aWEGO-LCD for initial tuning, you should later relocate it near theTCFI module under the seat or side cover where it will be protected.The standard WEGO unit is fully sealed and impervious to moisture.

How do I set up and tune the TCFI for a particular application?We provide setup files for common applications based on using theWEGO for auto-tuning fuel tables. Some tweaking of idle fuel andignition advance is generally required. We suggest that you downloadand the latest version of the TCFI instructions and PC Link TCFIsoftware for more details.

Do I need to spend time on a dyno?

On-road auto-tuning using the WEGO generally gives much betterresults as the operating conditions are more realistic. Do theon-road auto-tuning first. Then, if you want to get maximumhorsepower at wide open throttle, do dyno runs to fine tune theignition advance and air/fuel ratio.What kind of engines can I tune with the WEGO (Wide-band Exhaust GasOxygen Sensor System)?

The WEGO system can be used to tune most four stroke gasolinepowered internal combustion engines:

Harley-Davidson® Twin-Cam 88® with fuel injection and Twin TecTCFI unit. The WEGO or WEGO-LCD can be used to auto-tune fuel tables.This is the primary application that the WEGO technology was designedfor. It eliminates the need for a load control dyno with exhaustsniffer and allows for tuning under more realistic on-road operatingconditions.

Harley-Davidson carbureted engines. The WEGO-LCD is an idealtuning aid, either for on-road or dyno tuning. Knowing the exactair/fuel ratio greatly simplifies the task of carburetor jetting.

Other motorcycle engines and small engines in general. The smallsize and low power consumption make the WEGO-LCD an ideal tuning aid.For applications without an alternator, the WEGO-LCD can be run froma small 12 volt gel cell lead acid battery such as the type used forbackup power in alarm systems. The WEGO-LCD should not be used withtwo stroke or marine engines where oil or water vapor in the exhaustwill cause serious problems with the sensor.

Can I use the WEGO in place of an exhaust sniffer when dyno tuning?

Regardless of what some people may claim, it is impossible toproperly tune a fuel injection system on a modified engine withoutsome means of exhaust gas analysis. Shops can use the WEGO in placeof expensive exhaust gas sniffers. If your dyno has a dataacquisition system with a spare 0-5 volt input, you can connect theoutput of the WEGO and log air/fuel ratio during dyno runs.

Will exhaust reversion affect the WEGO?

The WEGO system will give inaccurate results if your exhaustsystem suffers from reversion effects. Reversion is the term for anegative pressure wave that can suck ambient air back into theexhaust. Open exhausts, such as drag pipes, always suffer from severereversion effects and are not suitable for use with the WEGO. Werecommend slip-on type mufflers such as the Cycle Shack “M” type.These eliminate the crossover and have a moderate amount of bafflingthat limits reversion while still allowing maximum power at high RPM.

Reversion effects will also occur with certain exhausts used on”bagger” style motorcycles, where two pipes split off near the rearcylinder. You may have to block off the pipe running to the leftside.Reversion effects will be most noticeable at idle, part throttle lowRPM cruise, and decel. If you see a very lean mixture under theseconditions, the cause is most likely reversion of ambient air. If youare using the WEGO with a TCFI unit, you can disable closed loopoperation under conditions where reversion occurs. Refer to the TCFIinstructions for details.

What is the difference between a wide-band and conventionalexhaust gas oxygen sensor?

Conventional (narrow-band) exhaust gas oxygen sensors have beenwidely used in automotive applications since 1981. Conventionalsensors have one to four wires and can only sense air/fuel ratio overa relatively narrow 14.5 to 15.0 range. They are intended to be usedwith 3-way catalytic converters that require operation near thestoichiometric point (14.7 air/fuel ratio). The range of thenarrow-band sensors is inadequate for closed loop control outside ofidle and cruise conditions. Wide-band sensors were developed for laband specialized automotive applications. The 5-wire NTK/Honda sensorused with the WEGO operates over a range of 10.4 to infinite air/fuelratio. This allows closed loop control under all engine operatingconditions.

Where can I find out more information about wide-band sensortechnology?

For more information about wide-band oxygen sensors, we suggestthat you visit the Tech Edge website. The NTK L1H1 UEGO sensormentioned on this website is similar to the Honda sensor used withthe WEGO.

What are the limitations of the wide-band sensor?

The sensor will be quickly degraded if leaded racing gasoline isused. Under these conditions, expected sensor life will be less than10 hours. As the sensor degrades, free air calibration will becomeimpossible.

Oil or other hydrocarbon residues in the exhaust will affect thesensor readings. Likewise, gasoline containing ethanol will result isslight air/fuel reading errors.

The sensor responds to the partial pressure of oxygen. Excessiveexhaust back pressure will affect sensor readings. This should not bea problem with any performance exhaust system. When used with aturbo, make sure the sensor is located downstream of the turbo.

Make sure the WEGO power is on whenever the engine is run. Withoutpower to the internal heating element, the sensor will clog withhydrocarbon residues and may be permanently degraded. If you want toremove the sensor, we sell an 18 x 1.5mm hex plug.

If the WEGO is used for auto-tuning fuel tables, should it beleft hooked up?

The O2 sensor is installed in the rear pipe as close to the exhaust valve aspossible what this does is take the air fuel ratio and gives the info to theWego which converts the info to the TCFI unit and the TCFI adjust the airfuel and adjusts it to the optimum for the best performance for whatmodifications the bike has had done to it.

Modern race cars run wide-band exhaust gas oxygen sensors thatcontinually make corrections as track and engine conditions change.You will have the same benefit – automatic corrections if youroperating conditions change or if you make further enginemodifications. However, the WEGO sensor is delicate and expensive. Itwill not tolerate exposure to any leaded fuel. If the sensordegrades, engine performance will be affected. If sensor life is notan issue in your application, leave it hooked up. If you want toremove the sensor, we sell an 18 x 1.5mm hex plug.

Why do I need a Twin Tec ignition?

If you like to go slow and don’t mind being embarrassed when yourbuddies leave you in the dust, you don’t need our products!

Most Harley® owners want to improve their motorcycle’sperformance, it’s just part of the scene. You can easily add 20-30 HPwith relatively simple and low cost modifications. You will get thegreatest return on investment with the following modifications:

· Twin Tec ignition

· Low restriction air cleaner and exhaust (typically slip-on mufflers)

· Carburetor tuning (jetting)

· Performance camshaft and related valvetrain components

The Twin Tec ignition gives you several important benefits:

Adjustable RPM limiter. Depending on the camshaft and othervalvetrain modifications you make, peak power will likely be around6000 RPM, well above the RPM limit of the stock ignition.

Adjustable advance. You can fine tune the advance to meet yourrequirements. The Twin Tec systems comes with enough adjustment rangefor most applications. You can also program a custom advance curveusing our optional PC link and free software.

Single fire (further explained below). Note that all Twin Cam 88engines are already factory equipped with single fire ignition. OtherHarley-Davidson engines will benefit from conversion to single fire.If you make certain camshaft and carburetor jetting changes,conversion to single fire may be required to avoid backfiringproblems.

Multiple spark (further explained below). Enhances starting andidle quality. Reduces plug fouling – especially if the carburetor hasbeen re-jetted.

How do I set a safe RPM limit?

Twin Tec ignitions have an adjustable RPM limiter. You can set theRPM limit from 3,000 to 9,900 RPM in 100 RPM steps by means of tworotary switches. The only exception is our Model 1005-OE that has afixed RPM limit.

Harley-Davidson stock ignition modules generally have the RPMlimit programmed at 5,600 RPM. If you modify the valvetrain, peakhorsepower will probably occur above 6,000 RPM and you will need toincrease the RPM limit. Check with the manufacturer. They canrecommend a safe RPM limit. We do not recommend increasing the RPMlimit of a stock engine above 5,800 RPM.

How can I optimize the timing advance?

Twin Tec ignitions allow you to easily tailor the ignition timingadvance to your application. Most Harley-Davidson owners makeperformance modifications in stages. The advantage of a Twin Tec unitis that you will always be able to optimize the timing to match yourexact requirements.

Models 1005, 1006, and 1007 come with two families of advancecurves: street and race. The actual curves are listed in theinstallation instructions that you can download. Use the streetadvance curves for stock or mildly modified engines. The mode switchis used to select the advance curve family. Once you have selected anadvance curve family, you can use the advance slope switch to changethe shape of the curve. Higher switch settings result in a moreaggressive curve. You can experiment with progressively higher switchsettings. As a general rule of thumb, you will obtain maximum powerby sing the highest setting possible without audible spark knock.Additional details are given in the instructions.

The TC88 unit has a 3D advance surface based on RPM and manifoldpressure. Since Twin Cam 88® engines have a non-adjustable crankshaftposition sensor, there is no mechanical means for setting the initialtiming. The TC88 unit solves the problem. Initial timing can beadjusted over a ±5° range by means of a rotary switch. A secondswitch allows you to change the slope of the advance surface. Higherswitch setting result in more aggressive advance. The use of a 3Dsurface and the wide adjustment range afforded by the two switchesallows you to accommodate most applications.

If you are doing dyno tuning or have specialized requirements, youcan program your own advance curve or surface by using our optionalPC link and free software. The software allows you to graphicallyedit the advance. You can also offset the rear cylinder timing over a±5° range. Harley-Davidson engine tuners have found that the rearcylinder often runs somewhat hotter and thus reaches the knock limitfirst. Slightly retarding the rear cylinder allows more overalladvance and may generate more power.

What is the difference between single fire and dual fire?

Single fire and dual fire refers to the number of times the sparkplug fires during each four stroke cycle. The terminology is somewhatunique to Harley-Davidson engines and is by no means consistentlyapplied. For example, Custom Chrome Industries, one of the largestdistributors of Harley-Davidson aftermarket parts, uses the oppositeterminology. Their single fire systems correspond to what most othercompanies refer to as dual fire.

With the exception of the new Twin-Cam 88 and late model Sportster1200 engines, all carbureted Harley-Davidson engines have been dualfire. A single coil winding with two high voltage output terminalsfires the spark plugs on both cylinders simultaneously. Each plug isfired twice during each four stroke cycle. This approach was used tocut costs as it eliminates the need for a dual-point distributor or asecond coil and additional electronics. Dual fire results in a numberof potential problems.

Most late model automotive engines are distributorless. Many ofthese engines use coil packs where a single coil winding fires twospark plugs. When one spark plug fires on the compression stroke theother spark plug is firing on the exhaust stroke. This approach istermed “wasted spark” and is widely used. The wasted spark alwaysoccurs on the exhaust stroke because the engines have even firingintervals (i.e. 90° for a V8) and cylinders are always paired so thatthe pistons are 360° out of phase (i.e. one on the compression strokewhen the other is on the exhaust stroke). The wasted spark causeslittle energy loss and no harmful effect on the exhaust stroke.

The situation is quite different with a dual-fire ignition on aHarley-Davidson V-twin engine with 315° and 405° firing intervals.The graphic shows what occurs. When the rear cylinder is fired on thecompression stroke, the front cylinder is on the exhaust stroke -which is OK. But when the front cylinder is fired on the compressionstroke, the rear cylinder is already on the intake stroke! Under someconditions, a combustible mixture may exist in the rear cylinder atthis point and the wasted spark causes a backfire through thecarburetor. Long duration camshafts and improper carburetor jettingcan contribute to the problem. Additional information on this subjectmay be found on the Mikuni web site.

The Problem with Dual Fire IgnitionA single-fire ignition eliminates the backfire problem and enhancesidle quality. The single-fire ignition uses separate coil windingsand electronics to fire each spark plug independently. Spark firingoccurs only on the compression stroke. Conversion of older carburetedHarley-Davidson engines to single fire is highly recommended. Thereis no downside to single fire, other than the cost of the conversion.

Twin Tec Models 1005, 1006, and 1007 have switch selectable singleand dual-fire operating modes. You can initially install one of ourunits and run in dual fire mode with your original equipment coil.You can then easily upgrade to single fire by adding an appropriatecoil. If you have a tach, it will continue to operate properly whenconnected to the tach output from the Twin Tec ignition (somecompetitive systems require that you purchase a tach adapter).

How does multiple spark work?

Many readers may be familiar with automotive multiple sparkignitions, such as the MSD 6-series. These are capacitive dischargesystems that fire a series of short sparks. The Twin Tec multiplespark technology works on a somewhat different principle but the endresult is similar. Coil primary current is repeatedly switched on andoff by the processor. When the current is switched on, energy isstored in the coil’s magnetic field. When the current is switchedoff, the stored energy is discharged as a spark. All Twin Tec unitscan fire a continuous series of sparks from the advanced timing pointto top dead center.

Multiple sparks are of no benefit if conditions of homogeneousmixture distribution and good swirl turbulence exist in thecombustion chamber. Under these ideal conditions, a single spark(even of relatively short duration) can generate a flame kernel thatwill rapidly propagate into a well established flame front. Multiplesparks can provide significant benefits under less than idealcombustion conditions. If a flammable mixture is not present at thespark plug when the first spark is fired, better conditions may existduring subsequent sparks. Instead of a complete misfire, it may stillbe possible to initiate combustion and generate some power.

Multiple spark will improve starting and idle quality. It willalso reduce lean surge during part throttle cruise.

What spark plugs wires are recommended for optimum performance?

Three types of spark plug wires are commonly available: originalequipment style carbon core suppression, low resistance spiral core,and solid core. Carbon core suppression wires cause some energy lossdue to their high resistance (about 5,000 ohms/foot). Replacingcarbon core suppression wires with low resistance spiral core wiresonly increases spark energy by about 10%. Contrary to any claims, youwill not see a performance improvement by changing spark plug wires.On the other hand, carbon core wires can deteriorate over time andany wires more than a few years old are candidates for replacement.If you are going to install new spark plug wires, buy a set of lowresistance spiral core wires. Most are less than 500 ohms/foot.At that point, almost no energy is lost in the wire. There are somenew versions with very low resistance (50 ohms/foot), but theadvantage is insignificant for the short lengths encountered inmotorcycle applications.

Do not use solid core spark plug wires. These radiate excessiveelectromagnetic noise that will cause radio interference and may evencause the processor in the ignition module to glitch. We do notrecommend Nology spark plug wires. These have a partially shieldedjacket that forms a energy storage capacitor. When the spark plugfires, energy stored in this capacitor is rapidly discharged causinga short but intense arc discharge. There may be some advantage if thespark plugs are fouled, but the Nology wires tend to radiate moreelectromagnetic noise.

How about spark plugs?Contrary to much of the marketing hype, novel spark plug designsgenerally fail to show any measurable performance improvements. Don’twaste your money! The biggest problem with spark plugs forHarley-Davidson engines is fouling. The trick is to find a heat rangethat is a good compromise between fouling and pre-ignition. Aplatinum tipped plug would also be a waste of money, since it wouldlikely foul long before it eroded. Stay with the recommended plug gap.

Use only resistor type spark plugs. The non-resistor type radiateexcessive electromagnetic noise that will cause radio interferenceand may even cause the processor in the ignition module to glitch.

Daytona Twin Tec ProductFeatures

1. Provides fuel auto-tune capability when used with Twin TecTCFI fuel injection controller

2. Versatile tuning aid for all carbureted and fuel injected engines

3. Requires wide-band oxygen sensor P/N 36531-PHM-A01 availablefrom Honda car dealers. Sensor fits standard 18×1.5mm exhaust fitting.

4. Highly accurate with less than (0.1 AFR error over 10.4- 19.5 AFR range

5. Easy free-air calibration procedure corrects for sensor aging effects

6. 0-5V analog output (other ranges available on special order)

7. Optional LCD display provides great readability in bright sunlight

8. Wide supply voltage range from 11-18V allows operation frombattery on small engines. Current drain is approximately 1 amp.

9. Compact size: 3.7-in. L x 1.7-in.W x 0.75-in.H. Standard WEGOunit without LCD is fully encapsulated and impervious to moisture.The WEGO is a versatile instrument with multiple applications. Whenused with the Twin Tec TCFI fuel injection controller, the WEGOallows fuel auto-tuning capability during actual on-road ridingconditions. WEGO units with the optional LCD display can also be usedas a tuning aid for almost any gasoline powered engine. The compactsize and wide supply voltage range allows operation from smallrechargeable batteries in a broad range of applications.

Wide-Band Oxygen Sensor on Rear Pipe

The WEGO uses a high tech sensor originally developed for the newHonda Insight hybrid vehicle. By utilizing miniature surface mountelectronics technology, digital signal processing techniques, and aswitching power supply for the sensor heater, the WEGO provides thesame level of accuracy as lab systems costing thousands of dollars.WEGO units have a 0-5V analog output that is compatible with the TCFIfuel injection controller and most data acquisition systems.

Part Number DescriptionSuggested Retail

WEGO, Wide-band Exhaust Gas Oxygen Sensor Interface(Requires $254.00Sensor P/N 36531-PHM-A01 Available from Honda Car Dealer)

WEGO-LCD Wide-band Exhaust Gas Oxygen Sensor Interface with$419.00Optional LCD Display (Requires Sensor P/N 36531-PHM-A01Available from Honda Car Dealer)

EGO-36531 Wide-band Exhaust Gas Oxygen Sensor Kit (for WEGO or $358.00WEGO-LCD. Consists of sensor P/N 36531-PHM-A01 and18x1.5mm weld nut for exhaust pipe)WEGO Wide-Band Exhaust Gas Oxygen Sensor Interface

Daytona Twin Tec LLC,
933 Beville Road, Suite 101-H
S.Daytona, FL 32119
(386) 304-0700

www.daytona-twintec.com

Contact:
Allen Alvarez
Sales Manager
386-304-0700
allen@daytona-twintec.com

 

BIKERNET NEWS FLASH–CRIME INC., VICTORIA’S SECRET, WILD 9/11 FIREMAN’S TRIBUTE AND NO REVVING IN CHARLESTON–NEW LAW

Continued From Page 3

BRAND NEW TRIPLE OIL SEAL–New triple lip oil seal, spacer, installation tool (required for properinstallation) en route. Works in all 5-speeds, install answers on web sitetwistgear.net> seals and spacers. (Note: champfer on spacer matches chamferon seal lip.)

–John Siebenthaler, siebenthaler@compuserve.com

STROKER’S LAMENT–I was waking up late after a ruff night. I had 35 minutes to get tothe shop for a quart, hit the bank, fuel up, and run 35 milessouth……. it could be done!

I handed the clerk at the gas station a 20 and checked the receipt forthe time. I never wear a watch because I refuse to live my life by theclock–20 minutes left! Time to let my girl breath. If everyone willkeep the fuck outa my way I can make it…

No such luck. Getting there late caused the oncoming lane to befilled with bikes and I was closing fast on something in the center ofmy lane on this narrow stretch of highway 491. What the hell is thatin the road? It’s big ….. it’s black…. and it’s ugly….. a turkeybuzzard. No problem, they always fly before you get there. Not thisbastard, he must have gone deaf from all the bikes passing the otherdirection. He certainly had no fear of motorcycles, in fact he seemedto be eyeing the riders as his next meal. The feather toting garbagedisposal had his back to me. I figured when he did fly he would headaway from the pack and toward the shoulder of the road, so I picked aline between the vulture and the double yellow stripe. I backed off andstart pulling down my two wheeled pavement eater. It’s now clear theskin headed road kill eater was not going to move. Visions of gettingsmacked in the face by a 30-pound feather duster are looming in mysubconscious. It’s to late. I’m there….. hit the juice andget past before the dumb bastard can move. Did you know that birdscan bug their eyes out. That was one surprised buzzard as I blew pastthrowing enough flame to light his tail feathers. I bet he was evenmore surprised to meet that 18 wheeler on my six.

I manage to make it to Fort Dade Avenue in one piece, almost there. This winding byway is covered by an arched canopy of live oaks, a greatride. What’s this? A dozen more buzzards on the side of the roadgnawing on the remains of a black bear. I hope this isn’t a sign ofthings to come.

So where am I heading? Last weekend was the first annual Nature CoastBikefest and I was on my way to the kick off poker run. Last out atnoon! Did I make it? Oh hell yeah.

Did I win? I pulled two pair, ducks and 8’s. The winning hand held fiveaces to take the 290 clams.

It wasn’t an event you’d travel across the country for but, it was agreat time and their first try at it. We will see what the 2nd AnnualNature Coast Bikefest has to offer.

FTW,
–Stroker

CHARLESTON ORDINANCE BANS “REVVING”– Just days before the Heritage Motorcycle Rally, expected to attract tens of thousands of bikers to South Carolina’s Lowcountry, Charleston City Council passed an anti-revving ordinance that riders view as a rude welcome.

The ordinance, which bans loud revving, amends Chapter 21 of the Code of the City of Charleston by amending Section 21-16 to prohibit persons from “engaging in clamorous singing, yelling, shouting, whooping, bellowing, hollering, or other loud, obstreperous, wanton and unnecessary noises, or from riding, driving, propelling, or otherwise operating any motorized vehicle, including but not limited to cars, trucks, vans and motorcycles, in a manner which emits unnecessary and loud noise or long continued noise, either in the day time or at night which disturbs the peace and quiet of the City, whether in the public street or within enclosures, public or private, and further amending Section 21-16 to provide that operating a motorized vehicle by rapid throttle advancing (revving) of an internal combustion engine resulting in increased noise from the engine is prohibited.”

This is an excerpt from the Bish Report launched today. The A.I.M. sponsored legislative news is posted twice a month. Check out the full story in the Bikernet Biker’s Rights department.

A HERO’S TRIBUTE–Every once in a while, I run across a bike that deserves a bit of special attention. Something out of the ordinary that was built purely on inspiration.

I met up with Paul Teutul Jr of Orange County Choppers while on a Sunday outing in Upstate New York and his bike just blew me away. OCC took the time, energy and money to put together a riding tribute to the 343 NYC Firefighters that lost their lives during the rescue operations at the 9/11 World Trade center disaster.

This bike blew me away. Equipped with a 100″ Rev-Tech motor, fire hydrant carburetor, fire hose exhaust, fire axe and ladder rear chain guard, red and gold NYFD paint, plenty of diamond plate and even a working siren and claxon. Crowds gathered and cheered where ever Paul Jr. pulled up on the bike. God knows how many hours went into this sweet, entirely hand crafted one of a kind creations. My hat’s off to the Paul Teutul’s Sr. & Jr. of Orange County Choppers for their creativity and spirit in remembering our brothers lost.

–Tbear

Old shot from Bob T.

AIR DISASTER– Poland’s worst air disaster occurred today when a small two-seater planecrashed into a cemetery this morning. Polish search and rescue workershave recovered 826 bodies so far and expect that the number will climb asthedigging continues into the night.

–from Chris T.

VICTORY SECRET–Victory Motorcyles, part of the Polaris Industries vehicle product line, is developing a unique customization experience on the Victory Motorcycles Web site

I can’t tell you any more. I’m sworn to secrecy.

WHAT LAYLA WANTS–Layla gets… And right now, all she wants is to show you some really cool items available in the Bikernet Gulch. In case you didn’t know, that little row of building across the bottom of all Bikernet pages is our own little shopping center. You can get shirts, hats, books, the finest leather around and CCI’s complete catalog. Check out a few items from Johnny Suede, Crime Inc., Joker Apparel and HA Leather, to name a few and see if you agree that this shit is bad-ass!

Click to see more Crime Inc.

Click to see more HA Leather.

Click to see more Johnny Suede.

Click to see more Joker Apparel.

POUR THE JACK–I need a break. We spaced the pulley on the King yesterday and detailed the monster. Just waiting on the Nacelle covers and it will roll again. Can’t wait. Next week, we’ll launch out Powder Coating story. If you need powder, you can find it on the home page of Bikernet. Custom Powder Coating in Dallas. They did a helluva job.

Now for a little color. I’m working with the factory paint department on something special. I’ll report more next week. Another crazy weekend approaching. Laughlin is next weekend, the Hamsters are headed to Paso Robles, I’m trying to kick the King into gear. Who knows where Jose will be.

Ride Forever–Bandit

BIKERNET NEWS FLASH–JOSE EXPLAINS MEANING OF LIFE, SCREAMIN’ EAGLE RESULTS AND YOUNG PROJECT

Continued From Page 2

BIKERNET CARIBBEAN/DISCOVERY REPORT– As always I have been receiving a ton of e-mails regarding my reports, now it’s the Discovery report turn. So let’s make something really clear.

Yes it was a bit biased, but if you read my reports as well as the news, you might know were I’m coming from.

I really don’t know the twist the show will take when the guys at Discovery edit it, but I’m guessing. Me, personally have no beef with the Hamsters, nor Dave Perewitz. That does not mean I can’t say what I want either. As I have said so many times here, don’t take what you read so seriously. It’s all for entertainment and fun. In all fairness I will post some more photos of the ride. I did not take the ride nor competition seriously either. It’s a deal so people can get their baddest shit together and build it. The bonus is riding with friends (who needs an excuse for that) and hanging out.

Once more, this is my point of view, and since I am the one writing the report, that’s the only one we have. I’m sure that we will receive lots of e-mails and comments after this, but next time let’s sit down and compare notes on the trip. I can’t do all this by myself…

Dave Perewitz and his Discovery Challenge Custom. The Hamster contender.

To top this off, even though Mr. Perewitz’ bike is not my style, I can still appreciate the workmanship and effort that he and his crew put into it. Maybe I’ll post photos of both bikes and let Bikernet readers choose the winner…Use It’s Your Shot Department to post your vote.Anyway, case closed….Kinda.

Here’s Jose’s bike from Florida. He’s the Choppers Inc. contender.

And now, back to ranting…I have been reading several boards about bikes. It’s very interesting the opinions of people behind a key board. From the latest Discovery motorcycle related TV shows, to the eternal bitching of high priced motorcycles from, ” well known” builders, and a lot of stuff that I’m not even gonna get into, so let’s start with the TV shows…

They are for entertainment purposes. Sure they enhance the careers and sales of certain people, but mostly are edited according to the ” tone ” the producer.

Nothing bad can evolve from these shows, au contraire mes amis, all good for the industry. The more exposure our small industry gets out to the ” normal” world, the better. Have you noticed that since these shows came out everyone and their mothers know what a chopper is, have a slight idea of what it takes to build one of them, and sort of knows that these are regular people with different talents– not thugs trying to take your ” virgin” daughters away in the middle of the night.

Let’s thank TV for those shows, good or bad, and make sure to e-mail Discovery and such channels our appreciation. Do it and do it often. Let them know how you feel about these shows. Remind them that if it wasn’t for Jose, they’d me out on the streets.www.Discovery.com As simple as that.

Which brings me to my next point, $$$$$$$$$. One question before I start again.. How much would you charge for your time and talent?People bitch about how expensive things are, how do people dare charging 150 grand for a motorcycle, how builders do this, how they do that?Ok, I think 150 g’s for a bike is a bit excessive, even 80. On the other hand this is an art. Builders are artists. They don’t get regular paychecks from a company, no bonus from the boss, nope, zip. What we do is what we do, the unseen side, the shops and bikes pay for the kid’s school, their needs, the rent, the utilities, everything….The wives shopping sprees, the cars, the mortgage, well I think you catch my drift.

Builders have to keep building no matter what. We all hope that what is being built is sold. In some cases it’s not sold, but the bills have to be paid. It’s very different to build a bike from the money you earn at your job, than being your job to build bikes, again I’m not excusing the 100 thousand bikes, but how much is time worth?

Again, let’s say that you are asking $20.00 and hour for label (yeah let’s be ridiculous) most of these bikes have over a thousand hours of work into them, do the math, at extreme cheap labor, is it $20,000 alone, not including the major components such as motor, tranny, frame, wheels, front end , etc… and then the other stuff that we always forget and adds up big time, the nick nacks. If I had more time I would provide a list of average prices for stuff and let our readers do the rest…

Then again, why choose the most expensive components when a nice cool chopper can be built rather inexpensively. Sometimes we gotta have the best, the biggest motor, the newest shit. And in reality this “hobby” or lifestyle, or whatever the fuck you wanna call it, is expensive.

That is why I am always impressed by people who do a good job on a cool bike with as little as possible, if it takes you on the ride and you have fun, there’s no need for lots of money. I will always prefer simple stuff, old stuff, things that used to be available for almost nothing and inventive and hard work stuff. Same as the top people, only that there’s people willing to pay for “their” stuff.All that really matters is that you take pride in, what you do and ride the crap out of. It does not matter which bike or which builder. It is all a matter of personal satisfaction.

And now to the very brief news…

Mike Seate from Iron Works has just released a new chopper book, T-Bear has more information on it, I’ve heard that it’s a really cool book…More info later on.

It’s being confirmed, The Camel Roadhouse is no more, effective as of now. Too bad it was a pretty good venue for our builders.

Freeway Magazine from France has released their April issue with a cover shot of the Rumble Customs Camel bike, and all the Daytona stuff. I really don’t care if you are boycotting the French, but this mag is very cool indeed.

I’ve got some info on what Indian Larry is building for the next Discovery Build off. Of course I have been sworn into secrecy, but I’m sure someone will send some spy photos pretty soon. Just a little hint..Old School rules !

Just received some information of a new show in Miami. It will take place labor day week end at Coconut Grove. Let’s see what happens there. It would be lot’s of fun to just go fuck around South Beach for a few days.

Anyway, I’m outta here, gotta check the hate mailand get ready for the next adventure. Soon, very soon.

–Jose, Bikernet Caribbean report,and lots more.

BUTT MEASUREMENTS– A man and his wife were working in their garden one day and the man looks over at his wife and says: “Your butt is getting really big, I mean really big. I bet your butt is bigger than the barbecue.”

With that he proceeded to get a measuring tape and measure the grill and then went over to where his wife was working and measured his wife’s bottom.

“Yes, I was right, your butt is two inches wider than thebarbecue!!!”

The woman chose to ignore her husband. Later that night in bed, the husband is feeling a little frisky. He makes some advances towards his wife who completely brushes him off.

“What’s wrong?” he asks.

She answers: “Do you really think I’m going to fire up this big-ass grill for one little weenie?”

–from Ken Miller

A YOUNG PROJECT– I was looking on Hank Young’s (The Flying Pan) website: http://www.youngchoppers.com and found it. It’s under Projects. Hank Young said the bike above is apart right now and in the paint shop. You can see it in person for the first time at the Horse Backstreet Choppers Smoke Out IV.

Young Choppers and Hot Rods Inc
51 Lakewood Dr. Marietta Georgia 30060
Telephone:1 800 235 4013
http://www.youngchoppers.com

–Chuck

SCREAMIN’ EAGLE DRAG TEAM IN THE HUNT AT HOUSTON– Hines Qualifies 15th; Tonglet Misses the Bump by 3/100ths Against Quickest Ever Field. MILWAUKEE, WIS. – (April 16, 2003) The Screamin’ Eagle/Vance & Hines drag racing team backed up their history- making season-opening performance by qualifying rider Andrew Hines 15th with a 7.260 second/183.05 mph run for the NHRA Pro Stock O?Reilly Spring Nationals in Houston, Texas. His qualifying effort aboard the V-Rod reset the record for the quickest time ever recorded by a NHRA Harley Pro Stock Bike.

Screamin? Eagle V-Rod teammate GT Tonglet?s best pass of 7.296 seconds narrowly missed the qualifying bump time by 3/100ths of a second. The Houston event bump time of 7.267 seconds was the quickest in NHRA Pro Stock Bike history as 34 bikes tried to make the Sunday show.

After qualifying in the 15th position, Hines faced an enormous first-round challenge against second ranked Shawn Gann (Suzuki). Hines red lighted his V-Rod with a -0.018 reaction time off the start, giving Gann the easy win.

?I staged as shallow as I could, but still red-lighted,? said Andrew Hines. ?But we proved Gainesville was no fluke and we can compete in this series.?

?We got both bikes running in the 7.2s and 180s, which is really exciting, because we?re still learning what these bikes can do,? said Byron Hines.

Angelle Savoie (Suzuki) won the final, retaining her series championship lead with a perfect start on the two-race season. Hines is seventh in points on the season.

Continued On Page 4

BIKERNET NEWS FLASH–H-D SALES CLIMB AND RIDERS’ RANCH FOR 100TH

Continued From Page 1

JOB OFFER OF THE WEEK–
We are a new (3yr) motorcycle repair business located in Naples,Fl. We are looking for a full time mechanic if you know of anyoneinterested in moving to Florida. Please fax resume to 239-593-4806.
Road House Hawgs,
Debra

NEW SITE OF THE WEEK–Advertise your Biker related Business, List your Club Events, List your Website, Sell your Bike or biker related items, Find events in your area, Meet fellow bikers, and just have some fun all for free. This is not a front for an adult site there are no member?s area. This is the original and improved BikerParties.com Built by Bikers for Bikers.

We are looking for Webmasters for 50 states keep you fellow bikers up on what is going on in your back yard. Contact: NorTon_John@bikerparties.comhttp://www.bikerparties.com

–NorTon John

How to tell if your ass is too small.

–from Chris T.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON’S 100TH ANNIVERSARY–Riders Ranch Ready to Rock With Bands,Stunt Shows, Camping & More.

Amazing stunt shows, world-renown bands, massive motorcycle show & competitions, a variety of food vendors & restaurants, a spa, internet caf?, water park, Go-Go Club, professional kickboxing and 200 acres of party fun.

That’s what Harley-Davidson enthusiasts, campers and day visitors will find at Riders Ranch, just minutes from Milwaukee, WI during Harley-Davidson’s 100th Anniversary celebration August 25th -September 1st.

Created by the design team that produced Riders Ranch for the 95th Anniversary of Harley-Davidson and the 25th & 30th anniversaries of Woodstock — Riders Ranch 2003 will have plenty of space for 25,000 campers and 550 RV’s along with 20,000-day visitors on the grounds of the Waukesha County Exposition Center, 20 miles from Milwaukee in Waukesha, WI.

A Party? “You bet!” says Riders Ranch spokesperson Emily Kalkstein, “But there’s space earmarked for ‘quiet camping’ too.”Campers can keep their ride close by or leave it in a paved, secured area at Riders Ranch. Campers can also cook on camp stoves, or pull up a chair in one of the full service restaurants on site.

Riders Ranch will feature RV hookups with electricity and water, hot showers, portable toilets, bank machines, a 24-hour convenience store, a shipping and receiving center, daily live bands, daily helicopter rides, an activity desk, 24-hour arcade & billiards, competitions, bike shows and more.

Three hundred vendors at Riders Ranch will provide plenty of shopping variety for everything from new leathers and shades to carburetors.

Live entertainment at Riders Ranch will be provided free to campers and day pass holders nightly. Catch Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras featuring The Radiators, Tues. Aug 26th, Eric Burdon & The New Animals, Wed. Aug. 27, Double Trouble headlining The Riders Ranch Blues Festival Thurs. Aug. 28 , Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad on Fri, Aug.29, and Foghat on Sat. Aug. 30. A gospel brunch is planned Sun., August 31.

To rev up the excitement level, take in Heavyweight Gladiators Professional Kickboxing on Fri. Aug. 29 to determine who is “King of the Ranch” or catch one of the amazing stunt shows at Riders Ranch.”People who see us think we’ve lost our minds,” says Tim O’Brien of LivFastPro.

O’Brien and his team fly 70 feet through the air, 40 feet off the ground in jumps so amazing, jaws routinely drop in disbelief. In the Riders Ranch Globe of Death, watch Monte Perlin perform heart-stopping feats at breakneck speed. Perlin is the stunt double for Arnold Schwartzenegger in Terminator III opening in theaters nationwide in July 2003.

Riders Ranch is the exclusive campsite for Mega Housing Management, the official housing bureau of the Harley-Davidson 100th Anniversary celebration. You can even ship your camping gear in advance and have it waiting for you at Riders Ranch when you arrive.

Target Special Events, hired by Mega Housing Management, is providing regional homes, apartments and condominiums for rent in addition to campsites at Riders Ranch for the hundreds of thousands of Harley enthusiasts expected for the 100th Anniversary celebration.

From $125 per camper for the week at Riders Ranch to $2,600 for a two-bedroom condo that can sleep up to six for seven nights, Target Special Event housing provides a wide range of opportunities for enthusiasts who want to celebrate Harley-Davidson’s 100th Anniversary.

For more information on Riders Ranch or reservations visit www.riders-ranch.com or call 800 773-5069. Accommodations in apartments and condominiums can be found at www.megahousing.com/100 or call 800 773-5069. For private home accommodations visit www.targetsport.com/100housing or call 800 832-4242 ext. 4. For vendor information at Riders Ranch visit www.road-shows.com or call 800 200-4557.

DISCOVERY CHANNEL AND READER’S SHOWCASE–Thanks for the comeback on the Discovery stuff Bandit.I’ll have to dig a lil deeper.Here is a couple of shots of my ride.If you think its up to snuff for a feature in Wrenches barn, let me know, and I can dig up some better shots.Later.

E man….. Bamfield BC..

You can feature your dedicated scoot on Bikernet by yourself. This is the only place in the world where you can post your shots and write your own story about building the bike of your dreams or even wild romantic experiences with your scoot. Check out the Reader’s Showcase on Bikernet.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON REPORTS ANOTHER RECORD FIRST QUARTER Milwaukee, Wis., April 16, 2003 — Harley-Davidson, Inc. (NYSE: HDI) today announced record revenue and earnings for its first quarter ended March 30, 2003. Revenue for the quarter was $1.1 billion compared with $927.8 million in the year-ago quarter, a 20.0 percent increase. First quarter diluted earnings per share (EPS) were 61 cents, a 56.4 percent increase compared with last year?s 39 cents.

?We are pleased with our outstanding results for the first quarter of 2003 as we continue to execute our long-term Plan for Sustainable Growth,? said Jeffrey L. Bleustein, chairman and chief executive officer of Harley-Davidson, Inc. ?While the long winter experienced by much of our nation has delayed some retail sales, dealer confidence and other measures that we use to track Harley-Davidson motorcycle demand remain strong.?

?With these indicators in mind and with construction of our new factory in York, Pennsylvania proceeding to plan, we are raising our shipment target for 2003 from 289,000 to 290,000 Harley-Davidson motorcycles,? added Bleustein. The Company?s new target is a 10% increase over 2002.

For the complete release and tables, please follow this link to the Harley-Davidson Media Website: www.h-dmedia.com.

Continued On Page 3

BIKERNET NEWS FLASH–AMBER ALERT–BIKE THIEVES

Photo from Bob T.

First and formost. Congratulations to our troops for an excellent job in Iraq. May Iraq become a model democracy for the region and the people live in peace for every more. The world is a strange place. Each situation is not meant for everyone. To some, peace is no fun. Violent conflict makes the day.

Okay, I have a tech question. I installed the new cast black mags on the Road King with a 150 Avon. I thought later models were set up for the 150 tires? Does that new rule only apply to Softails with narrow belts? The belt rubs the tire. Plus the tire seems to be off center. Who knows? Let’s get to the news:

H-D PERFORMANCE HIT HARD–Two nights ago Harold Pontarelli’s shop was broken into and stripped of parts and five state-of-the-art bikes. “These are not run-of-the-mill scoots,” Harold said today. “These are blown, fuel-injected monsters.” Each one will sport a wild Pontarelli’ paint job. We will post shots of these scoots quick. They also hauled off Harold’s Performance Machine inventory, dual carb set-ups and velocity stacks. If you see or hear of anything don’t hesitate to call (707)453-1649. Let’s find ’em. Harold is a good guy in the industry and a talented builder.

This is why I don’t like that, “ride it like you stole it,” shirt.

BIKERNET CHARLOTTE REPORT– My day started off great. Rolled out of the sack, got the coffee a goin. Then I made a killer ham & cheese omelet for breakfast. After doin breafast and old Mr. caffeine starten to kick in I turned on the TV.

Good news this morning with 7 Pow’s finding safe harbor. I decided to head out and go for a ride up to the North Carolina foothills. Fired up the Buell and headed up the road leaving the madness of the inner city behind.

The sun was shinning and the Buell was sounding real strong at 80 mph. That’s the sweet spot with this bike. You can just roll on the throttle (“Twist the Grip”) and it’s over 120 like now.

I’m ridin along thinkin about this summer, the 100th etc. trying to figure all B.S. from this winter out. Lot’s of stuff goin on in my head, the war, our troops. Ya know just stuff.

I’m on N.C. 321 jammin, I make Hickory, then Lenoir. I’m keeping my eyes peeled goin’ through town looking for my turn off to the twisty’s on N.C. 268. I check the trip meter on the speedo (Old timers gas gauge) and figure I better gas up.

So I roll in to this Amoco gas station right at the cross roads of N.C 321 & 268. I top off the gas tank. It takes 2 gallons, not bad for 93 miles. I find the head, and drain the “Old Lizard”.

Now, I’m ready for the good part of the ride. The twistys through the NC foothills. I turn on the gas, hit switch and the bike turns over but won’t fire!! Wha’da the fuck? It’s spinning over, I have gas but no spark, shit!! I do a quick check for stupid stuff but no luck.

Remember back when you and Layla were out for the “Smoke Out” and “Run for Breath” last summer. It was like a million degrees out and my bike just quit running on the damn highway in the traffic jam!!

Well this fucken grimlin was showing it’s ugly head again this fine Sunday. All I can do is call my buddy “Old Bob”, ask if he can drive up from Charlotte and rescue Pablo. So he says hold on he’ll be up as soon as he can.

So now what. Well, I buy the Sunday paper & read the headlines. Fortunately for me the Amoco station also has a restaurant and a TV goin’. The Martinsville Nascar Cup race is on getting ready to start. So I just try to relax and figure I could be worse off.

Well the wait went fast. I started jawing with the locals watching the race. The people there watching the race were in some kind of Nascar Pool, and we all were really getting into it. Old Bob finally gets there. I say adios to my new friends. Old Bob and me load up the Buell and head back to Charlotte.

Old Bob is a “Boozefighter”. He likes the green of North Cackey Lackey. Me I like the brown of the Southwest. We have had many friendly heated discussions on this, almost daily. Old Bob would give you the shirt off his back but not his hat. Never the hat. It’s his old narly blue Buell hat. The one his beloved “Face” (his Rot) chewed on when left laying around for to long.

Even with the gliches the day turned out to be a very good. Lot’s to be thankful for. The return of the seven Pow’s, my new friends in Lenoir and of course my compadre Old Bob. A real Bro and upholder of the “Code of the West”.

Later, Pablo

P.S. We figure the grimlin in the Buell might be the 30 amp main circuit breaker. Bob had the same symptoms on his Softail. Will carry a extra one with from now on.

BIKERNET GOVERNMENT SURVEY–
1. We took Iraq in less time than it took Janet Reno to take the Branch Davidian compound. That was a 51-day operation.

2. It took less time to find evidence of chemical weapons in Iraq than it took Hillary Clinton to find the Rose Law Firm billing records.

3. It took Teddy Kennedy longer to call the police after his Oldsmobile sunk at Chappaquiddick than it took the 3rd Infantry Division and the Marines to destroy the Medina Republican Guard.

4. We took Iraq in less time than it took to count the votes in Florida in the year 2000! And the Democrats called the Iraq effort a failed plan?

–from Rev CarlR

BIKERNET PETROL INVESTIGATION–You Think A Gallon Of Gas Is Expensive?

Diet Snapple 16 oz $1.29 ……… $10.32 per gallon
Lipton Ice Tea 16 oz $1.19 ……. $ 9.52 per gallon
Gatorade 20 oz $1.59 …………. $10.17 per gallon
Ocean Spray 16 oz $1.25 ………. $10.00 per gallon
Brake Fluid 12 oz $3.15 ……….. $33.60 per gallon
Vick’s Nyquil 6 oz $8.35 ……… $178.13 per gallon
Pepto Bismol 4 oz $3.85 ………. $123.20 per gallon
Whiteout 7 oz $1.39 ……………. $25.42 per gallon
Scope 1.5 oz $0.99 ……………… $84.48 per gallon

and this is the REAL KICKER……Evian water 9 oz for $1.49 …….. $21.19 per gallon.

$21.19 FOR WATER! ….and the buyers don’t even know the source. Yes, and the name Evian, is Naive turned around, and the Canadians are selling it by the millions of gallons to the US.

So, the next time you’re at the pump, be glad your car doesn’t run on water, Scope, or Whiteout, or God forbid, PEPTO BISMOL or NYQUIL!!!!

Just a little humor to help ease the pain of your next trip to the pump………..!

–from Chris T.

LETTERS REGARDING THE BIKERNET DISCOVERY RIDE REPORT–Jose,it’s interesting to read your perspective on the discovery ride. I’m a Hamster from maine. I went to the ride to have fun, which I did.

I think if Billy and his friends had shown up, maybe we all could of had a better time together. What little time I talked to him, he seemed real cool. When Billy blew his belt, Dave gave him one within 10 minutes. I was there.

You seem to promote an “us against them attitude”. As far as easter egg colors, weren’t Billy’s bikes orange and red?Does it matter what people ride, as long as they like it? It’s cool with me. I ride what I want. If anyone else doesn’t like it, tough.Dave and Billy were both cool. Maybe in Sturgis we’ll have a beer and a laugh.

Mark

Jose,

I was reading with great interest about the most recent “Biker Build-Off” article you submitted to Bikernet. As I read it, you really painted a picture about the animosity between the two crews, and how they just didn’t seem to get along this time, unlike the chemistry from the last build-off. I’ll be interested in seeing if this translates to the video when it is aired sometime in the future.

It’s been great to see the Discovery Channel take such a huge interest in the motorcycle industry the past couple of years. On the other hand, shows like “Monster Garage” and now the weekly “American Chopper” seem to have taken some strange and cartoon-like overtones. While I love to watch these shows to see the fabrication and details put into the project, I think they are losing touch with reality.

I have a proposition for you. I am very serious about this, and extremely committed to this proposal.

Considering you have connections to the Discovery Channel through Billy Lane, or even a few of your own, I’d like you to consider pitching a “Biker Build-Off” to the producers that would involve Caribbean Custom Cycles against myself, and the crew that built my bike. I believe that a smaller shop like yours, and a home builder would bring the show “back to Earth.” It would give it another dimension, showing a more realistic view. It would also open it up to show how a motorcycle can be built without using an “elite” builder, with an unlimited budget. I think more people would relate to that kind of story.

I think Caribbean Custom Choppers would get great publicity, not to mention we would be representing home builders everywhere.

Design, fabrication, construction and paint are already in place on my end. If I had a firm commitment from the Discovery Channel, I could start putting together a parts list. I would only need a filming schedule to complete the arrangements.

I think my bike is as good as the things I have seen on some of these shows. I also know that given a challenge like this, we would be a worthy opponent to you and your crew.

Please let me know if this is something you’d be interested in. If you are not, maybe you can put me in touch with someone at the Discovery Channel who would be interested in taking this idea further.

–Rob

Jose,

Sounds like you had an eventful trip. Too bad Imissed it, I would like to have gone with you guys.So you have no immediate plans to join the Hamsters? Dave’s bike was cool. From the few photos onBikernet, Billy’s looked real cool. I’d like to see somemore photos.

Hit me back, Jesse Rooke

Continued On Page 2

THE BISH REPORT–BAD LAWS NATIONWIDE

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. For more information, call us at 1-(800) ON-A-BIKE or visit us on our website at

COAST TO COAST BIKER NEWS
Compiled and Edited by BILL BISH,
National Coalition of Motorcyclists

HOUSE INTRODUCES COMPANION BILL TO ABOLISH HEALTH INSURANCE DISCRIMINATION Legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives as a companion measure to S. 423, which will end health insurance discrimination by prohibiting insurance carriers from refusing to provide benefits to those injured while motorcycling or participating in other so-called “risky” activities.

HR 1749, the “Health Care Parity for Legal Transportation and Recreational Activities Act of 2003,” is sponsored by Representatives Scott McInnis, a Republican from Colorado, and Democrat Ted Strictland from Ohio, and was introduced with 51 original co-sponsors from both sides of the aisle.

The language of HR 1749 is identical to that contained in S. 423, which was introduced in the U.S. Senate on February 14 by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Russ Feingold (D-WI), and states in part that “a plan or issuer may not deny benefits otherwise provided for the treatment of any injury solely because such injury resulted from participation of the participant or beneficiary in an activity such as motorcycling, snowmobiling, all-terrain vehicle riding, horseback riding, skiing or other similar legal activity.”

Both bills aim to promote health care parity for participants in legal transportation and recreational activities, and address a loophole created when the Department of Health and Human Services ruled that employers cannot deny health care coverage to motorcyclists and participants in other risky activities, yet insurers can deny benefits to insureds who are injured while participating in those activities.

CHARLESTON ORDINANCE BANS “REVVING” Just days before the Heritage Motorcycle Rally, expected to attract tens of thousands of bikers to South Carolina’s Lowcountry, Charleston City Council passed an anti-revving ordinance that riders view as a rude welcome.

The ordinance, which bans loud revving, amends Chapter 21 of the Code of the City of Charleston by amending Section 21-16 to prohibit persons from “engaging in clamorous singing, yelling, shouting, whooping, bellowing, hollering, or other loud, obstreperous, wanton and unnecessary noises, or from riding, driving, propelling, or otherwise operating any motorized vehicle, including but not limited to cars, trucks, vans and motorcycles, in a manner which emits unnecessary and loud noise or long continued noise, either in the day time or at night which disturbs the peace and quiet of the City, whether in the public street or within enclosures, public or private, and further amending Section 21-16 to provide that operating a motorized vehicle by rapid throttle advancing (revving) of an internal combustion engine resulting in increased noise from the engine is prohibited.”

Dave Harvey, an organizer of the event, said the action was overkill to placate residents of the city’s historic downtown district. “It is a direct attack on the motorcycle rally,” Harvey said. According to Harvey, the ordinance could be used to hassle bikers, adding that it is difficult to operate a motorcycle without some degree of revving.

Harvey estimates between 25,000 and 50,000 bikers will attend the rally, scheduled for April 16-20 in the small town of Ladson outside Charleston. Similar rallies up the coast in Myrtle Beach have drawn as many 300,000 people.

Charleston Police Major Herbert Whetsell said the ordinance is an improvement from the existing law because it more thoroughly spells out what is prohibited. Police aren’t looking to hassle bikers, he said. The law will be used only when someone revs their engine up high or jets away quickly and loudly, he said.

Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. and others said the city wants bikers to come, and that the ordinance is intended only to help provide a quiet atmosphere for residents and visitors.

Other officials said they are not trying to be unwelcoming. Councilman Henry Fishburne urged the bikers to come and visit – quietly. “Here’s your chance to show how well you can behave,” he added.

“Watch our Charleston,” says James “Gunny” Gregory, former Chairman of the Board for ABATE of California who now resides in South Carolina. “It is now against the law to sing at the sunrise Easter services when outside, to cheer the Riverdogs, or shout to a friend on the street. Mayor Joe knows best.”

ARIZONA BIKERS DERAIL “DANGEROUS DRIVING BILL” An anti-cruising bill which could have outlawed motorcycle events and rides with over 20 bikes was killed thanks to quick lobbying action by Arizona bikers.

HB 2386, the “Dangerous Driving Bill” introduced by John Nelson (R-Phoenix), would allow the towing of vehicles ticketed for drag racing or being part of a “procession” of more than 20 vehicles. Though aimed directly at street racers and cruisers, the bill’s vagueness could easily be extended to include motorcycles.

“Also, the new law would ask every city and municipality that wished to take advantage of the new towing language to pass its own language as to what and whom it would apply,” explained Roger “Priest” Hurm, Chairman and Lobbyist for the Modified Motorcycle Association (MMA) of Arizona and a member of the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM) Board of Directors. “Our job would be multiplied immensely as we would have to keep track of every city in Arizona to see if they included motorcycles in their ordinance.”

The anti-cruising bill had already passed the House of Representatives and already had a lot of momentum when the MMA, ABATE of Arizona and the Confederation of Clubs of Arizona were alerted to the possible implications for motorcyclists.

“We had not picked up on it because no keywords got our attention early,” said Priest, “But as I read it, I inserted the word motorcycle into the language and started seeing unintended possibilities for us. The vagueness continued throughout the language and a meeting with sponsor John Nelson, John Gonzales the city attorney, and Erik Edwards the police representative just reinforced in my mind the vagueness. So we went to work on the Senate Transportation Committee to kill it because of the ramifications implied to motorcyclists.”

The first two senators the bikers met with were Marsha Arzberger and Robert Cannell- Marsha, a rancher from Bisbee area and Bob, a pediatrician from Yuma. “Neither would vote yes on the bill. They saw no cruising problem in their areas — heck Marsha asked me what cruising was. Both had shown us support in previous years,” reported Priest. The next senator approached was biker-friendly Carolyn Allen from Scottsdale, home of the Barrett-Jackson Car auction. “Carolyn gave the keynote speech at the 1999 NCOM Convention in Phoenix and has always expressed the view to me that ‘helmets mess up my hair’,” said Priest. The auction people move cars all over–very expensive cars — and Carolyn expressed that her “motorcycle and car friends would be unhappy if I voted yes on it.”

“We had our third NO vote,” recalls Priest. “The day of the hearing I accompanied Ray Huston, MMA lobbyist, and Bobbi Hartman, ABATE lobbyist, to the hearing needing one more NO vote to kill the bill.”

In the hallway before Ray got up to speak, new information surfaced from the Phoenix city attorney. Ray had asked him on the towing section if the owner of the vehicle could go down and retrieve the car. For instance, if a teenager gets arrested and his dad’s car is towed. Can the dad go get it? “The city attorney hemmed a bit and hawed some more,” said Priest. “Ray pressed the issue. The result was information that the arrestee would have to go to a hearing before the release of a vehicle. Whoa….the scenario got worse for the anti-cruising bill: Now dad could not get to work the next day because of the new language. We seemed to have stopped the bill’s momentum.”

Finally, reason and common sense prevailed and six senators voted NO. The opinion from the Chair was that the bill was too “vague” and had too many “unintended possibilities” — the exact contentions made by the bikers. The final vote: No-6, Yes-0 and one went to the bathroom.

“We got a potentially dangerous bill to our motorcycling health — the so-called ‘Dangerous Driving Bill’ — killed in Arizona,” says a happy Priest. “We’ve learned to check all bills for unintended language that could affect the way we ride. Rust never sleeps, and neither can we!”

RIDER ED FUNDS UNDER ATTACK A few months ago, our Oregon A.I.M. (Aid to Injured Motorcyclists) Chief of Staff Gunny warned in his “Gunny’s Sack” that due to budget deficits across the country, Rider Education Program funding could be robbed unless motorcyclists made sure they were dedicated funds that are used specifically for motorcycle training and protected against being raided.

Since that time, the Utah motorcycle safety fund has come under attack, with their legislature attempting to divert rider ed funds to try to balance the state budget.

Now comes word from Michigan that, in a similar fashion, Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm has eliminated funding for Michigan’s motorcycle rider education program in her proposed 2004 budget for the Department of Education.

“The Motorcycle Safety Education Program and the Off-Road Vehicle Safety Education Program have been eliminated as part of an effort to focus limited state staff resources on core missions. These two programs provide grants to instructional agencies to help subsidize safety-training courses for individuals interested in operating motorcycles and off-road vehicles, whereas the department’s core focus is providing educational services to children. The total reduction as a result of eliminating these programs is $2.0 million. The fees that previously supported these programs will be eliminated and interested individuals can purchase safety training directly from private providers,” she explained.

Michigan’s motorcycle safety program is funded 100% by fees paid by licensed motorcyclists in that state. Michigan motorcyclists pay the costs that the Department of Education incurs to administer the program, so the move is not likely to save any money.

In fact, Michigan riders asked the state government in 1984 and again in 1996 to tax them to raise money to provide low cost rider education. All the state government does is collect and administer the funding, with bikers even paying for the costs of providing those services to them.

“The Governor’s suggestion that training can be purchased from private providers is not a good one,” reasons Lindsey Higginbottom, a motorcycle safety instructor in Whitmore Lake, MI. “We trained 1,000 students last year in Ann Arbor alone. About 5,000 were trained throughout the state. Our local Riders Edge program couldn’t begin to handle that number of students. We charge $25 for a course fee. A privatized course would likely cost $250 to $300, as it does in any of the private programs in other states. Our local RE classes cost $295. How many of our 5,000 students per year do you think would spend $295 for training and how many do you think would just enroll in the less expensive school of hard knocks and just go riding without training?”

If you live in Michigan, please contact the Governor, your state representative and your state senator and ask them to restore the motorcycle rider education funding for on and off road motorcycles in the Michigan Department of Education’s 2004 budget. If you live elsewhere, consider contacting the Michigan Department of Tourism and telling them that you will spend your motorcycle vacation dollars in a more motorcycle friendly Great Lakes state if Michigan eliminates rider ed funding. Be sure to send a copy of your letter to Governor Granholm.

OREGON HELMET REPEAL BILL INCHES FORWARD “The inch worm made a good move and the Helmet Bill received a work session this morning,” reports BikePAC of Oregon. A nice step for Bikers was completed with the Helmet Bill receiving the required 4 votes of the 7 committee members and was moved from the committee for a vote on the floor with a DO PASS recommendation.

Later, the Committee Administrator said the Lane Splitting bill was still on the short list to receive a work session, but had not been scheduled and she did not know when and if it would get a hearing.

TENNESSEE HELMET BILL PASSES COMMITTEE, REACHES IMPASS Tennessee House Bill 952 allowing freedom of choice for motorcyclists concerning helmets passed the House Transportation Committee meeting on Wednesday, April 4, with one amendment to require motorcyclists to have proof of health insurance. However, the bill now goes before the Finance Committee, chaired by State Representative Tommy Head (D-Clarksville), whose personal opposition to this bill, coupled with his influence as Chairman of Finance, has insured that no helmet modification has ever made it to the full House for consideration.

“With HB952 passing through the House Transportation Committee with a ‘Recommended Do Pass’ vote, we feel it is inappropriate for personal prejudice to prevent this legislation from reaching the House floor,” said Steve Lundwall, Director of the Concerned Motorcyclists of Tennessee/ABATE and member of the NCOM Board of Directors. “This is in conflict with the idea of a democracy.”

“All we want is a VOTE on the house floor,” he added.

“In the opposition’s testimony they tried to state that allowing freedom of choice would COST the state money in TennCare dollars,” said Wayne Shaub, CMT/ABATE State Legislative Officer. “They failed to see that it reality will add to the state budget through tourism, bike sales and increased economic activity.”

Shaub testified at the Transporation Committee hearing that “Today we have 84,130 street motorcycles registered in Tennessee. If we were to apply the same 20% growth in registrations that Florida experienced during the first year after their helmet law was repealed, that would mean the potential for:

16,826 new bikes at an average of $10K each: $168,260,000

Sales tax potential (at 9.25%): nearly $15.5M for Tennessee’s budget

Add in the income from Registrations, Change of title, and sales of apparel and accessories (and sales tax on them), we come up with around a QUARTER OF A BILLION DOLLARS of economic impact.”

Shaub pointed out to the committee that “As you can see, this change will not only return personal freedom, it will also increase funds to the state by millions of dollars.”

WASHINGTON’S “HELMET IS A HELMET” BILL PASSES A bill to define “what is a helmet” in the state of Washington passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 89 Yays to 9 Nays, and will soon be on the governor’s desk.

“Thanks to everyone who went to the state capitol and or called their Representatives, said Rich Bright, legislative advocate for ABATE of Washington. “YOU MADE IT HAPPEN!”

The helmet definition bill had already passed the Senate on March 11 by a vote of 44-3, and will redefine current law to state that a helmet is a hard shell with a padded liner, a chin strap, and a DOT sticker affixed by the manufacturer.

Previously, the Washington police had the latitude to define a helmet by their opinion, leading to thousands of traffic stops for “illegal” helmets with no recourse for the rider.

Also going to the Governor for his signature will be a bill to incorporate sidecar / trike training into the subsidized portion of the Washington Motorcycle Safety Program.

The Washington Road Riders Association reports that WRRA representatives met with Governor Locke’s transportation advisor, and the feedback was very positive.

FLORIDA PURSUES PRO-MOTORCYCLE AGENDA: ABATE of Florida, Inc. reports that they have three bills they are supporting this legislative session. The biker anti-discrimination bill has passed two committees in the Senate and will be facing its final senate committee hearing. It has already passed one committee in the House.

“Besides our discrimination bill, the stiffer penalties traffic bill has passed two committees in the senate and one in the house, and it will also be heard soon in a house committee,” reports James “Doc” Reichenbach, President of ABATE of Florida and Chairman of the Board of NCOM.

The final bill is for the state’s first specialty motorcycle tag. It is Red, White and Blue. It had final passage in the Senate and is in messages to be voted on by the House. Doc says that they also are waiting on their Governor to sign a proclamation for May as Motorcycle Safety Month.

“It is a testament of the hard work of the members of ABATE of Florida that these bills are moving through the legislature,” commends Doc.

WEIRD NEWS OF THE MONTH: PETA Tries to Whip Leather Fetishists Into Shape — The fur flew at the annual “Leather Weekend” last January in Washington, D.C., as activists with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sought to persuade the slaves of fashion and their biker buddies gathered for the fetish convention to give up black leather – studs and all.

“Why would I?” demanded Norman Wagner of Scottsdale, Ariz. “I’m 6-foot-3, and 230 pounds, and I can wear anything I want to.”

Wagner told reporter Lance Gay of The Knoxville News Sentinel that he is not harming anything by wearing his black leather biker duds, and he questioned the sanity of activists picking on those who chose to wear animal skins. “It’s been around for a thousand years, it’s durable, and I’m not wasting resources by using it,” he said. “Why would someone wear burlap?”

Kayla Rae Worden, a trans-gendered PETA activist from Asheville, N.C., who showed up to leaflet the event decked out in skimpy dominatrix hot pants in spite of freezing Washington weather, sought to persuade the fetishists that synthetics are just as erotic.

Worden, who said she used to wear leather and eat meat when she was a boy 15 years ago, contended the synthetic lifestyle provides even more protection than leather, and can be much more comfortable to wear. Besides, she said, leather smells.

One PETA activist showed up in a black biker outfit made of “pleather” – a silky synthetic black rubber, and white synthetic snakeskin boots. He said he was trying to show that fetishists can make a fashion statement without using leather.

Glen Sams, a 50-year-old member of the Centaur Motorcycle Club of Virginia, said the only requirement for those attending 33rd annual Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend was to have “a pronounced interest in leather” and he was not pleased that PETA is picking on the gathering.

When a mistake or accident causes a biker to put his motorcycle down on the pavement, nothing protects the skin from being scraped off on the asphalt like leather, Sams said. He dismissed the PETA protest. “We were here before PETA, and I imagine we will be here a long time after,” he said.

GOING TO MILWAUKEE FOR HARLEY?S 100TH? And who isn’t? Consider supporting bikers rights while you’re there. ABATE of Wisconsin is hosting two campgrounds within 30 minutes of downtown Milwaukee, with easy access to major highways.

For more information or reservations, call Greg or Diane at (262) 334-5079 or 306-0606, or by e-mail at biker@milwpc.com. You can also visit the ABATE of Wisconsin website at for information, location and a reservation form.

QUOTABLE QUOTE: “The average man’s love of liberty is nine-tenths imaginary. It takes a special sort of man to understand and enjoy liberty – and he is usually an outlaw in democratic societies.”

H.L. MENCKEN, Newspaperman & Political Commentator (1880-1956)

Title: Justin’s Trophy

Subtitle: Don’t Miss The Run For Breath In Charlotte

by Wrench
photos by Sin Wu

There’s a party weekend in Charlotte each year that culminates in a Sunday gathering and a grand bike show. The humid weekend escape was created five years ago by Mike Pullin a member of the Charlotte H-D team, after his son, Justin, died of asthma complications while Mike was on a run. Mike discovered, that the American Lung Association created camps for educating asthma inflicted kids, parents and friends on how to deal with lung associated complications. With the correct information, used promptly at the proper time, kids can survive asthma attacks readily and live long healthy lives. This crucial knowledge is critical for kids, so Mike kicked off this party weekend to support the learning camps and make a hearty donation to the American Lung Association program. For two years Bandit was the proud grand marshal of this event, “Bikernet will support and sponsor this weekend for as long as Mike’s involved,” Bandit said recently after a three-day drunk. This year Bandit couldn’t attend, but got a call from Mike’s better half, Meanest, who also works at the dealership. “Bandit,” She said in distinctive southern slippery words that slid through the receiver and lingered on his ear lobes, like butter running off the side of a stack of pancakes, “honey, since you can’t make it to the event, I would sure appreciate it if you would make us a special trophy for the Best of Show Class.”

Could Bandit turn her down? There’s no way he could muster the heartless nature to deny this woman and or the event that means so much to this bikin’ community. Besides, he had recently purchase a new Millermatic 175 MIG welder and needed the practice.

“Of course, baby,” he said into the phone to her glee. He pondered a variety of Rube Goldberg art objects, turned trophies at last year’s HORSE Smoke-Out. Hackasaw welded various motorcycle parts together, then chromed the H-D part number trophies and presented them to Edge, the show promoter. The winners were dazzled by the creative nature of the trophies and the deft construction and welding abilities.

Bandit was challenged. Could he weld a myriad of ring gears, clutch hubs and connecting rods together to create a 50 pound tribute to the Best Of Show Bike? He was perplexed. He brought up his pappy, a big surly bastard who ran a machine shop for a nationwide oil well testing company. The man welded oil derricks together, if needed, during his 40-years in the oil fields. His law of welding was, “Never lose the bead,” he grumbled and reveled in vast deep burn wounds, “even if you catch fire. Just keep welding, someone will put you out.” Bandit watched him as a kid, arc weld with bare hands, the slag sizzling on the back of his hands. He wouldn’t flinch until the job was done. “Boot tough and rattlesnake mean,” David Mann, the artist, said about Bandit’s dad.

Bandit’s dad made some of the finest metal art sculptures I’ve ever had the privilege of viewing. He handled iron like a sculptor molds clay. With his artistic tradition in mind Bandit went to work. He’s been welding for 30 years, off and on. Back in the 70s he made towel racks with worn out chains. Door knobs were brazed tranny gears and cam shafts. There were motorcycle kitchen utensils that never wore out.

He scratched my thinning hair and faced the project at hand. A long shoreman, who stops by the headquarters from time to time, delivered chunks of iron and steel. Bandit planned a new steel-based fence made out of angle iron, solid steel spikes, corrugated steel sheets and old bike wheels for the headquarters. We’ll report on that later. The —– Union man recently brought dropped off a 6-foot length of 6-inch diameter, scrap steel tubing. It was Bandit’s inspiration. He decided to form the leather jacketed arm of a man holding a wheel for the world to see.

We started the project by cutting the steel tubing with a reciprocating saw then split it down the middle with a cutting torch. Bandit dug out his HA leather shirt and studied the cuff and cut of the forearm. He needed heat like a blacksmith. He cut a wedge out of the tubing with the torch then created a stand for his rose bud torch tip, which you can see in the back of some of these shots. With that blasting away and a set of vice grips firmly clamped to the tubing he began pounding the red hot mild steel until he blacksmithed the desired shape. Another portion of the rusty tubing was used for the buttoned placket.

Here’s the beginning of the segment built base and a mild-steel ring Bandit decided to use for the rim. He has a dozen of these rings, he’s carried and moved from place to place for 20 years. It’s about time he found a use for them.

While hunting through a metal supply joint, Bandit discovered pressed segments of steel scattered around the concrete deck and hit up one of the workers. The biker looked both ways and let Bandit bag a bunch of punched out hole segments. You can order a sheet of steel with holes pressed into it without drilling. Massive presses snap round shapes out of the material with immense strength. Some were an inch thick. They’re like thick, mild steel, quarters, dimes and fifty-cent pieces. He used them to form my base, then welded them together with the Miller MIG welder. He also used various sized segments to form the initial shape of the hand. After the base for the palm was welded together, he began to fill and shape the muscles of a hand with beads of weld. He made the wrist long enough to protrude deep into the sleeve or be adjusted to fit.

The process continued from weekend to weekend. The Bikernet schedule is hectic and a stack of articles, to be written edited and prepared for posting, grew. If Bandit was missing from his desk, we immediately checked to see if sparks were flying in the garage. In the old days he found time behind a doobie to lose himself in the flame of a cutting torch. “It was actually a good feeling to disappear in the quiet cubicle of steel and wail away,” Bandit mumbled. One afternoon he snuck out of the headquarters and dug through drawers to find just the right hub nut for the trophy wheel. He bought some 1/8-inch diameter brazing rod for spokes and went to work building the wheel. The rods are labeled bronze, yet to Bandit they’re brass. With the wheel set aside and the sleeve MIG welded to the base, the hand was the difficult sculpture’s task ahead.

Time is at a premium at the headquarters. Yet Bandit attempted to carve out an afternoon for Trophy progress. A Saturday afternoon availed itself and he hauled ass to the garage, but as he snapped on the Miller MIG his weld sputtered unnaturally. He double-checked the setting on the dinky 50-pound tank filled with Argon and Carbon Dioxide (75%-25%). It was next to empty. Two more beads and welding was shut down for the rest of the day.

The headquarters went into red alert for an Argon refill. It was after noon on a Saturday–welding supply joints were closed… There was hell to pay until Monday.

With a new gas supply torqued into place, he went after the hand like Frankenstien forming the monster. He welded long flowing beads, then yanked off my welding glove to inspect the lines and curves of his right hand. Back and forth he poured long beads of mild steel in patterns to mirror a fortune teller’s image of his palm. With a satisfactory underside region “in hand”, he turned the 10-pound claw over and began to work the wrist area. Then it dawned on the big bastard, “I better bend this sonuvabitch,” Bandit growled, “before I started forming the back of the hand and knuckles.”

The tough part was bending the hand. Some of the elements were almost 1-inch thick. Bandit used vice-grips and chunks of pipe wrapped around the massive fingers to pull the palm into shape. He yanked, snarled, lurched and beat it with a ballpeen hammer. He broke digits off and had to re-weld them, but with the garage fuming with steaming sweat and the heat of red hot chunks of steel, it began to take shape.

Finally, Bandit started to fill in the back of the hand and build the knuckles. MIG welding is like working in a lightless tunnel. You can’t see shit until you strike an arc. Then you can only view about a 1/4-inch radius circle from where the wire is feeding. You can slow your progress, or weave in the same area, but while you’re trying to find your bearing or direction, you’re building a puddle of metal. Your mind must fixate on the position of the wire and give guidance immediately to your hand, as the wire feed won’t stop and allow you to check out the situation. The more he worked with the excellent MIG machine, the more he adjusted his sight to see ahead and understand the form or shape he was searching for.

The monster’s hand took form and he studied every element for needed filling and shaping. The wheel actually slipped between the thumb and forefinger effortlessly and seemed to fit snugly, as if the monster had come to life and knew its mission was to clutch the ultimate symbol of motorcycling forever more. The wrist fit neatly in the sleeve and Bandit welded it into an everlasting position and then welded the wheel.

Bandit was fortunate to have several true, trained artist, who are life long friends, and are only to happy to tell him when his design is shit. Nuttboy, who teaches art at several colleges and Chris Kallas, a biker artist who’s work is for sale in the Bikernet gulch, risked their lives, to stick their heads in our garage from time to time. Nuttboy told Bandit to go wild with the buttons he planned for the lapel of the sleeve. He pondered polished brass nuts, but while working on the King, discovered a couple of chromed license plate skulls with 1/4-20 studs on the back. He drilled and taped the holes. The skulls fit neatly into place. It was beginning to take shape.

Bandit contacted “Meanest” and requested the exact wording, she requested engraved into the trophy for the Best of Show recipient. She dictated each word to him, in no uncertain terms. May Ling, the new girl, feverishly hauled ass to the San Pedro trophy barn where she ordered a brushed brass plate engraved in black. It took the trophy bastard longer to computer-engrave a 2-inch piece of brass than it took Bandit to hand make the goddamn trophy.

Bandit asked his artist friends for finish input. He had a chrome credit and considered show chrome. Chrome has strange effects on various objects. It reflects the world, which works for custom parts, but often not on sculptures. Nuttboy again stepped up to the plate, since Chris sensed an evil spirit in Bandit’s seaweed green eyes, each time he lit the torch. Nuttboy suggested Bandit leave the corrosion-covered sleeve alone and bead-blast or wire brush the hand and base to give those areas a variety of treatments. He sorta took his Ph.D. advice. He polished the wheel and spokes, then wire-brushed the hand and the base.

When it came to the sleeve, he learned something about MIG welding. There are anti-splatter sprays to prevent slag from sticking to the welded surface and to the MIG tip. He hadn’t experienced this treatment, so the trophy was scattered with small beads of weld. He couldn’t leave the steel leather sleeve alone. He wire brushed it, but only to remove the slag. The rusty hue and the varied corroded pits remained.

Finally he dug through the garage box of spray cans for a heavy clear coat. He discovered Rust-oleum gloss, metal clear and doused the trophy. After it dried he peeled the skin off the double sided tape, on the back of the engraved brass plaque, and stuck it against the welded billboard. Done deal.

Two more tasks await. Sin Wu will find a thick felt lining to be glued to the bottom to prevent the 40-pound trophy for cutting the surface of furniture. The lovely one also suggested a light be dropped in the depths of the sleeve so he will drill a hole in the back for an extension cord. We’ll post another shot of it glowing. Hang on.

For information regarding the July 27th Run For Breath contact Meanest or Mike Pullin at Harley-Davidson of Charlotte, (704) 847-4647. Don’t forget to compete for this trophy by entering your bike. Make sure you have a back-up truck to haul the trophy.

–Wrench

BIKERNET NEWS FLASH–SWEET RIDES, TWO WOMEN IN THE SAHARA, TAHITI RIDE, NO MORE ER STORES, AND FLAME THROWERS FOR BIKES

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FLAME THROWER KITS FOR BIKES AND HOTRODS–Hi, I have a new website that sells flamethrower kits for motorcycles and hotrods. People really flip out when they see flames shooting out the tailpipes of a bad bike. I was hoping to put a link on my page in exchage for a link on your page. I am new and trying to gain some exposure.

Thanks, –Zach Hiller, http://www.gotflames.net

EASYRIDERS SHOPS NO MORE– Joe Teresi, President of Paisano Publicationssent all Easyriders store owners a registered letter. The Easyriders name has to be removed byJuly 1st. So I’m gonna call the place Strokers Dallas along with StrokersIceHouse.

It’s funny how this game called life isplayed.

You’re Shovelhead is nearly completed. We received the paint from Harold Ponterilli and it’s killer.

–Hope to C-YA soon,
Rick

BIKERNET INTERNATIONAL NEWS– When John Major was Prime Minister he was walking through Hyde Park oneday when a prostitute standing on a corner hailed him.

“Hey, you’re John Major, aren’t you?! How about fifty pounds or a spot of business?!”

“No, no.” John replied with a grin, “five pounds!” and kept on walking.

This exchange soon became a part of his normal routine. Each day ashe’d approach the corner, the prostitute would yell out, “Hey, Mr. PrimeMinister. Fifty Pounds!” and John Major would call back, “No, Fivepounds!”

Well, one day, Edwina Curry decided she’d go out for a walk with John.As they neared the corner, John suddenly realised what an embarrassing scene was about to happen.

Sure enough, there was the prostitute who smiled and yelled out, “Hey,Mr.Prime Minister……See what you get for five pounds?!”

BIKERNET CARIBBEAN REPORT–As you might know by now, I was away for a week or so as well as most of the Bikernet suspects, but guess what… We are back, and with much needed rest (some of us).

So yes I was fortunate enough to be invited for the second Discovery Channel Biker Build-off and you will read about it soon right here. We had a great time as always, with shit happening left and right, but I always look for the learning experience rather than the smooth sailing kinda deal. I met many people, we spent time at different places and everyone was more than happy to give us a helping hand or even shoot the shit. The little things are what make each adventure worth it. That’s what true brotherhood means (to me). Sure I’m going to plug some people this week, but they helped so much that it wouldn’t be fair to leave them out.

I was surprised by the number of riders who recognized me. Thanks for your time and for the kind words about my work here, on The Horse and at my shop. It’s always great to put names with faces, to be able to talk to people in person and not thru a damn computer. It still caught me by surprise when people I don’t know come over, say my name and start talking about Bikernet stuff. You don’t have an idea how cool I really think it is and how humbled I feel about it, again, Thanks guys..(and gals)

I’m not saying much about the ride since most of what can be said is in the upcoming report, plus photos. Hope you guys like it.The new bikes are slowly taking shape, the two Bobbers are almost there and I hope to have them ready by the Smoke Out in June, as well as some other projects that should be there as well. I’m getting this crazy ass exhaust for my new bobber, my friend Rich Ryan from Shamrock fabrication (www.shamrockfabrication.com) is doing a hell of a job. If you need some wicked stuff done, may it be pipes, metal work or even a whole bike give him a shout and tell him I sent ya. He will be joining us soon in The Horse with some very cool old school stuff…(Plus, he’s hooking me up with one of those really cool Goodson air cleaners).

As always it was great to hang out with Billy and crew, we had a blast and I had a chance to help them out a bit at the shop, he just moved next door and has lots more space. I saw some very cool stuff brewing up, but like it says at the door, ” What happens here, what you see here, what you hear here….Stays here” All I can say is that there’s some very evil shit going in there. Plus I got to spend some quality time with the Camel bike, and there’s so many details, cool details, that it’s amazing….Wait for the new projects, you will be amazed. Again thanks to Billy, Nick, Suzanne, Gene and Carlos for taking care of me while I was there…..(and I was there quite a long time…).

Nope I’m not going editorialize, as Bandit says, not this week. I’m going to let all the stuff from the ride weed itself out, and then maybe next week I will be back with a vengeance. Who know’s.All I am going to say is, it’s always better quality than quantity, and we shall leave it at that.

We had to fix some stuff during the trip. Yeah guys, we beat up those poor choppers, and beat them fuckin’ hard in Shreveport. If you are ever there, we were welcomed to Bayou Customs. Those guys went out of their way to help us out, excellent people and true bikers. My hat is off to them, my personal thanks to Jim and TC. I had such a good time while there, real people, no bullshit, no egos. We spent the whole day there and wished we could have stayed longer, but Dallas awaited. Thanks again guys…You rock !

The next Biker Build off will be Indian Larry vs Paul Yaffe. I guess it’s going to be pretty interesting. Keep your eyes peeled, and to top the scoop, whomever wins that one will go against Billy Lane. That will be a fun show to watch….

I heard rumors that the Camel bike deal is not going to happen anymore (no I wasn’t Billy). I guess the politicians and the anti- smoking campaign are part of the problem. I don’t know if this is going to happen now or next year, too bad. It was a pretty cool idea and a chance for the industry to get more recognition. Maybe some smart company will pick this one up. Let’s see what happens.

We had a chance to spend some time with Michael Lichter. He took a shitload of photos. Let’s see what comes from that. I’m sure whatever it is, they will be cool as hell. Also Donny Smith had a kick ass blue rigid chopper, good to see the guy enjoying his bike amongst us. Good to see Beau Allen Pacheco as well. It was good to be able to talk to those guys without the usual Rally mayhem.

Aaron Greene from Paramount Custom Cycles from Reno rode with us to Dallas. Really cool cat and really cool bikes, he was at Choppers Inc helping Billy out when I got there, again, what are friends for.If you have a chance check his stuff out. Watch for the Discovery show. They have shots of him jumping railroad tracks. It was insane.

Last but not least , gotta thank the Discovery crew. First for putting up with my antics once more, two for being cool about the whole thing. Maybe one of these days they will show up in Puerto Rico and we can really get in trouble, film or no film.

Anyway, I’m out of here. There’s a lot to be said about the whole ride. Then again, wait ’till the show airs and enjoy.

–Jose, Bikernet Caribbean Report
— Visit our Web Site http://www.chopperfreak.com

TAHITI 2003BYTEDDY “BEAR” BABOLCSAY–Papeete, TahitiMarch 2003,I was asked by The Tahiti Harley Riders Club, to bring a few American Bikers to Tahiti and celebrate Harley-Davidsons 100th Anniversary at a charity ball for handicapped children. Eight of us flew out and were astounded to find 850 people waiting to greet us. We helped to raise over $30,000 for the kids. All the TV stations and newspapers also showed up. We took a few Harleys for a grand tour of the island and all fell in love with Tahiti and her people.

This is Tatao, she’s 8 years old and has polio. Imagine, in this day and age for a child to have polio. She’s one of the kids Nyla, Maggie, Keith and I had a chance to visit with at the childrens center on Moorea. She’s one of the reasons I’m trying to put these trips together and getting that beautiful little girl to smile was the best part of the trip for me.

Kiki the president of the Tahiti Harley Riders Club and Bandit.

The Rugged Road by Theresa Wallach.—The remarkable story of the first womento cross the Sahara on a motorcycle. North Conway NI-I, March 2003 Whitehorse Press, publisher of books for motorcycle enthusiasts, is distributing this adventurous tale of two women traveling from London to Cape Town, overland by motorcycle and sidecar, pulling a trailer. The trip took place in 1934-35, before there were roads. They had no back up, and no compass! Theresa Wallaeh and Florence Blenkiron undertook this incredible journey from oasis to oasis, straight across the Sahara through equatorial Africa, and then south to the Cape. Being undeterred by nomads, sand drifts, heat, rain, rivers, breakdowns, and politics, they rode on. Having to fashion a tow hitch in the middle of the desert or rebuild the engine from scratch didn?t stop them either. On their way, they met gorillas, lions, and snakes, saw camels in their natural habitat, stayed in African villages, and met an amazing variety of friendly and helpful people.

This is a remarkable journey not to be missed by any motorcyclist who enjoys adventure travel, or those who dream of it! The book has black and white photos of the trip and maps detailing the route. It a tale of two women who had to overcome all the prejudices and problems of their day as well as the physically demanding task of riding across the Sahara and the length of Africa?7,500 miles.

Theresa Wallach is one of only three women ever to exceed 100mph at Brooklands. She held a degree in engineering from University College London, traveled alone all through the USA by motorcycle before it was fashionable and safe to do so, and started a business importing British motorcycles into the USA. She eventually ?retired? to Phoenix, Arizona, where she opened a school to teach motorcyclists how to ride properly and safely, and wrote a well-known book on motorcycle riding entitled, Easy Motorcycle Riding. Theresa Wallach died on her 90th birthday in 1999.

Hardbound, 6-1/4 x 9-1/2 inches, 152 pages, b/w illus. Price of the book is $24.95 plus shipping. VISA,

Press, or to obtain a free Whitehorse Press Motorcycling Catalog containing more than 1,500 motorcycling books,videos, maps, T-shirts, toots, and accessories, contact Whitehorse Press, P.O. Box 60, North Conway, NH 03 860-0060. Telephone toll-free 800-531-t t33 in the United States or Canada, or 603-356-6556 internationally; fax603-356-6590; e-mail Orders@WhitehorsePress.com. or visit their web site at www.WhitehorsePress.com. Me

SOME SWEET PAN AND SHOVELS–Greetings from miserable Atlanta (44 & raining). I’m headed back tonight to 75 degrees and sunny tomorrow in Lauderdale. Need to take the afternoon off and put some miles on the Pan.

Thought you could use some sweet Flathead and Shovel pics for the news. Thought you mentioned possibly hittin’ the 100th, any update on that? Would be cool to have some old school rides up front as well as the latest Twinkies…

–Lojack

I’m still anticipating riding the Pan to Milwaukee instead of Sturgis this year. Compu-fire is helping with an electronic distributor. The bike is running fine, although I need to check the rear breaks. They’re a tad on the soft side. That’s still the plan, though.

THE BREAK WHISTLE BLEW–Time to knock off and post this sucker. Daylight savings time is on, Spring is here, days are longer and the sun is brighter. Everything is feeling good from workouts to women.

We’re about to complete the Shrunken FXR. Should have a sizzling metal fabricating report next week. We even have a painter lined up.

I’m waiting for one part from the factory and the King will be on the road next week. In the meantime I ride the Pan around town. The other day I worked on the clutch pedal (tank shift) while the artist Chris Kallas was hanging out. The dual carbs make it difficult to reach, but we created a pedal tab that extended the front lip. It’s never been so easy to reach. Thanks Chris, for the inspiration.

I’m hoping Chris will give us a hand with the Run For Breath illustration. Goddamn, I love the sun. Let’s ride.

–Bandit

BIKERNET NEWS FLASH–AMERICAN THUNDER SHOW, HOLDEN DOWNED, MICAH HAS AMERICAN IRON HORSE, AND FIXIN’ PLASTIC

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HOW TO REPAIR PLASTIC BODYWORK–Unfortunately it’s a familiar story in our world — a simple accident in thedriveway results in a cracked bumper, taillight lens, or motorcycle fairing.With few repair shops interested in repairing plastic bodywork, replacing anexpensive part has often been the only option. Here’s a new book thatsolves this common dilemma with easy-to-follow instructions and clearillustrations that give Do-It-Yourselfers a way to make basic plasticrepairs on their own, easily and with great results. We know. We triedseveral plastic repair projects here at Whitehorse Press, using techniquesand materials described in this book, and the repaired parts look like new!

HOW TO REPAIR PLASTIC BODYWORK: Practical, Money-Saving Techniques for Cars,Motorcycles, Trucks, ATVs, and Snowmobiles, by Kurt Lammon, 144 pages, fullcolor photos throughout, item code W-PLAS, $19.95http://www.whitehorsepress.com/email.asp?cn=50245&en=en0304&id=plas

And, if you want to hear more about our own plastic repair experience, callJeff, our ace Customer Service Rep and all-around gearhead, at 800-531-1133,and he’ll be happy to bend your ear. He saved more than $600 on his firstrepair!

RIGID PHILOSOPHY–If I could, I’d enlist today and help my country track down thoseresponsiblefor killing thousands of innocent people in New York City andWashington,D.C. But, I’m over 50 now and the Armed Forces say I’m too old to enlist. You can’t be older than 35 and join the military.

They’ve got the whole thing backwards. Instead of sending 18-year-olds offto fight, they ought to take us old guys.You shouldn’t be able to join until you’re at least 35. For starters:Researchers say 18-year-olds think about sex every 10 seconds. Old guys onlythink about sex a couple of times a day, leaving us more than 28,000additional seconds per day to concentrate on the enemy.

Young guys haven’t lived long enough to be cranky, and a crankysoldier is a dangerous soldier. If we can’t kill the enemy we’llcomplain them intosubmission. “My back hurts! I’m hungry! Where’s the remote control?”

An 18-year-old hasn’t had a legal drink yet and you shouldn’t go to waruntil you’re at least old enough to legally drink. An average old guy, onthe other hand, has consumed 126,000 gallons of beer by the time he’s 35 anda jaunt through the desert heat with a backpack and M-60 would do wondersfor the old beer belly.An 18-year-old doesn’t like to get up before 10 a.m. Old guys get up early(to pee).If old guys are captured we couldn’t spill the beans because we’d probablyforget where we put them. In fact, name, rank, and serial number would be areal brainteaser.

Boot camp would actually be easier for old guys. We’re used to gettingscreamed and yelled at and we actually like soft food. We’ve also developeda deep appreciation for guns and rifles. We like them almost better thannaps.

An 18-year-old has the whole world ahead of him. He’s still learning toshave. To actually carry on a conversation. To wear pants without the top ofthe butt crack showing and the boxer shorts sticking out. To learn that apierced tongue catches food particles. And that a 200-watt speaker in theback seat of a Honda Accord can rupture an eardrum.

All great reasons tokeep our sons at home and to learn a little more about life before sendingthem off to a possible death.Let us old guys track down those dirty, rotten cowards who attacked ourhearts on September 11. The last thing the enemy would want to see right nowis a couple of million old farts with attitudes.

–RFR

NEW DRUGS FROM THE BIKERNET PHARMACY–F l i p i t o r, Increases life expectancy of commuters by controlling road rage and the urge to flip off other drivers.

HOLDEN RAPHAEL DIED SUNDAY– April 6 at the age of 49 in a motorcycle accident. He is survived by his wife Bonnie, daughter Jackie and his mother and brother. He was known as a big man with a big heart. For eight years he’s been a up-standing member of the Uglies Motorcycle Club. For seven years he has been responsible for the entertainment at the Beach Ride, a charity event that benefits the Exceptional Childrens Foundation.

He promoted motorcycle and non-motorcycle music related events throughout Southern California, across the USA and in Europe. He was well known and respected in the motorcycle and rock and roll communities.

A memorial service will be held Friday, April 11 at noon, at Mount Sinai Memorial Park, 5950 Forest Lawn Drive, Los Angeles.

He will be sorely missed.

MICAH MCCLOSKEY’S CUSTOM MOTORCYCLES BECOMES HOME TO AMERICAN IRON HORSE IN LOS ANGELES–That’s right. If you live in Los Angeles you can now purchase American Iron Horse customs and Dallas Choppers through Micah’s shop. These wild customs come with a two-year warrenty. The shop is located in Canoga Park on Sherman Way. Call (818) 348-8967.

INTERESTING QUOTES ABOUT THE WAR– “It’s like a movie. I can’t believe what I’m seeing,” said Adel, a lawyer in Beirut. “Why didn’t he just give up to start with if this was all the resistance he could muster? Instead of wasting all those lives for nothing.”

“Saddam Hussein is proving for the thousandth time that he is stubborn, stupid, idiotic and a terrorist. He is more like the head of a gang and not the president of a respectable state like Iraq,” said Sultan Nasser, 49-year-old Saudi bank employee.

NEW BIKERNET CORRESPONDENT COVERS DONNIE SMITH SHOW–Check out the coverage of Donnie’s third annual American Thunder Show on the bikernet Home page. Troy is a new Bikernet correspondent, young and learning the ropes. His first lesson: Don’t drink two sixers and try to photograph anything. Enjoy.

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