Started with a stock Harley wishbone frame. Somebody else, not us, cut off all the mounting tabs to make a “home made “chopper. Basically ruining the frame for any kind of authentic, antique restoration. The bike was also missing its original sheet metal, tins, and handlebars. We knew going in that this bike was going to become a custom chopper. We do not take original Harley parts and ruin them. Enough with the disclaimer.


The wishbone frame was sandblasted, raked and molded. The frame was then “cherried.” A cherried frame has all its seems, joints, bits, and divots filled with weld and then ground down, primed and painted to achieve a perfectly smooth finish. We used House of Kolor cobalt candy blue. We also cut sections of the frame open to install hidden brake lines and wiring. The oil tank was removed and a custom-built rear fender with a hidden oil tank inside of it was fabricated. Complete with internal lines and vent. With the removal of the stock oil tank, we raised up the transmission to line up to align all sprockets. Got this idea from my drag racing days, also needed to fill the gap where the oil tank was. A straight edge was placed on the engine sprocket and the rear wheel sprocket. The Trans mounting plate was relocated so the clutch basket center line matched up with the straight edge centerline.



Engine was rebuilt, with high performance in mind. All new bearings and bushings, rebuilt rods and flywheels. New crank pins (3) case races replaced. Flywheel assembly was balanced. degreed, and a performance cam shaft installed with a tricked-out breathing system. S&S “drilled” oil pump, and re-jetted S&S super E carburetor, Rowe, Black Melonite, valves, and new performance valve springs were added. Venolia forged pistons, fly cut for valve relief. Valve covers also had to be reshaped at the top for high-lift valve clearance.




All brake and oil lines are stainless steel braided, must have $300.00 just in lines and fittings, all custom made in our shop, to fit. Transmission was rebuilt and a 3-inch belt drive with a custom made stainless guard installed.


The frame seat post is your brake fluid reservoir. A fill plug is located under the seat. Dot 5. Three master cylinders are hidden under the transmission. Two operate at the same time through a adjustable balance bar that is attached to the foot brake pedal. You can adjust the pressure at each cylinder to your preference, 60% front, 40% rear, are the current settings. Rear disc brake set-up is a neat combo sprocket/rotor, which also gives a clean look to the right side of the wheel.


The other master cylinder is for the hydraulic assisted suicide clutch. The kicker cover was modified to except a custom-made wheel cylinder, going from manual clutch, to hydraulic. Suicide meaning you must hold the foot lever down with your left foot to disengage the clutch; you cannot put your left foot on the ground to hold the bike up when it’s in gear. Very tricky my dear, said the wicked witch of the west.



Gears are shifted by your left hand, there is no gate that would create a positive stop, only a de-dent in the Trans shift fork. Hense the quest-o-matic name tag. But, once you get used to the shifting feel, you could shift with your eyes closed, but don’t. And don’t forget you must take you hand off of the handlebar to shift. Are you getting the hang of the Widow-Maker?



New Avon tires and rims, rims are laced with diamond cut spokes. Ape-hanger handlebars are custom made with internal controls, No brake levers, wires, or cables. And built in risers for that super clean look up top. New Springer front fork is 4 inches longer than stock.



There is no battery on this motorcycle. The ignition is controlled by a magneto, just like a lawn mower. Crank the motor with the kick-starter, ”no button pushers here.” The magnets in the magneto create a spark for the dual points and the bike starts, once running the alternator creates electricity to run the lights. There is no light switch.

Lights come on automatically. A regulator and capacitor that are hidden under the seat control the alternator. The capacitor acts like a super small battery, holding a small charge to run the lights. Roll control system, (brake line lock) for them steep hills, like a parking brake.

The paint is all house of Kolor candys. Original paint job was candy cobalt blue with lighter cobalt flames. I wanted to spice it up a bit. Repainted the sheet metal candy cobalt blue, and air brushed a two-tone layer of candy brandywine flames. Followed that up with another two-tone layer of candy tangerine flames. Hand painted pin stripe, Multiple layers of clear to top it all off.


This bike was originally built in 1992, and then completely rebuilt as you see it today in 1996, repainted in 2009. Do not want to sell this bike, but I clearly have too many toys, Knucklehead, Shovelhead, F head (JD twin), Indian chief, and Flathead, and I guess, eventually, one by one, they must all go. We are only short caretakers for our possessions. No key, no locks. If someone is trying to steal this wild-n-crazy ride, and can first get it started, and then somehow ride it away, they deserve to have it.



Over sixty pictures can be found on our web site: incaudos.com home page, or under motorcycles.

NCOM COAST TO COAST BIKER NEWS
Compiled & Edited by Bill Bish,
National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM)

KIDS JUST WANT TO RIDE ACT
Two years ago the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) implemented the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008 to regulate the lead content in children’s toys, inadvertently banning the sale of youth model all-terrain vehicles and off-highway motorcycles due to trace levels of lead in some inaccessible components.

On January 25, Representative Denny Rehberg (R-MT) introduced H.R. 412, the Kids Just Want to Ride Act of 2011, which would exempt child-sized dirtbikes and ATVs from the “Lead Law” and provide a legislative fix to the misapplied restrictions.

The Kids Just Want to Ride Act aims to clarify the previous federal law, which the consumer agency claims they must strictly interpret as written despite having twice postponed enforcement.

Rep. Rehberg joined 22 fellow lawmakers from both parties in the House to introduce the new bipartisan act, calling the legislation “…the best way to clarify congressional intent and ensure that children have access to the youth-sized vehicles that will keep them safe.” Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) has announced plans to introduce similar legislation in the Senate.

Congress conducted initial hearings on the CPSIA on February 17 in the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade, and reviewed CPSC resources for implementing the lead law.

TAKING AIM AT CHILD PASSENGERS
A Virginia Beach lawmaker has tried and failed to prohibit children under 8 from riding on motorcycles, but despite the defeat of HB 1850 the issue is recurring in states across the country.

In opposing the measure, Matt Danielson, legal counsel for the Virginia Coalition of Motorcyclists (VCOM), said that there have been no fatalities among children under 8 riding on motorcycles in the past ten years. “I don’t look at this as a governmental issue. I look at this as a parental issue,” said Danielson on behalf of VCOM, a political action committee that represents motorcyclists’ interests in the General Assembly. “I think the parent can make a better decision about whether their child is ready to ride than can some legislator in Richmond.”

Such reasoning hasn’t deterred other state legislation, such as HB 2232 in Oregon that would ban kids under 7 from riding as a passenger, despite existing state law that requires a motorcycle passenger’s feet must reach the footpegs.

Furthermore, in a bid to ban children from riding motorcycles in the Philippines, a ranking senator has cited the State’s power to invoke parens patriae, or the constitutional mandate to “assume and act as a natural parent or guardian in order to safeguard the welfare of any child or individual or an incapacitated and dependent minor who is in need of protection against danger, risk of lives and limbs.”

With the growing number of motorcycle users worldwide, and with economic influences making motorbikes the most affordable mode of transportation, the matter of children riding and who is ultimately responsible for their safety and welfare will be a mounting concern.

U.S. HOUSE BILL ENCOURAGES STATE VEHICLE SAFETY INSPECTION PROGRAMS
U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX) has introduced House Bill 229, the Michael Jon Newkirk Transportation Safety Enhancement Act of 2011 that establishes national standards for state safety inspections for motor vehicles. The bill requires states to establish minimum annual vehicle safety inspection programs or lose specific federal funds.

Included in the requirements listed in the language of this new bill, states must enact and enforce “a law that requires the owner of a motor vehicle registered in the state to present the vehicle for inspection on an annual basis to ensure that the vehicle meets or exceeds motor vehicle safety standards to be established by the state.”

Less than half the states have vehicle safety inspection programs and of those programs that do exist, many have inconsistent standards, a situation that HB 229 intends to address by standardizing such safety inspection procedures.

WARNING: AUTOMOTIVE SAFETY DEVICES COMING SOON TO MOTORCYCLES
Within the next two years, motorcycles could be sporting collision detection and other safety features more typically found installed in cars. The new safety systems being tested for motorcycles include speed limit warnings, information about neighboring vehicles and changing lanes, and information of the tightness of road bends and the speed in which to turn.

According to a report from the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation), tests are being completed to bring the latest technologies found on cars to two-wheels, and the rise in motorcyclist fatalities has prompted researchers to adapt the first bike-based safety systems by late 2012.

MIRA (the Motor Industry Research Association) acts as a testing and innovation center for carmakers and has been carrying out tests on the “Saferider” systems on road bikes and simulators. An ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems) consultant at MIRA, Jonathan Moore, said of the project: “Saferider takes the driver safety systems that are becoming standard on cars and tries to adapt them to the unique needs of motorcyclists.”

Moore said making safety systems on motorcycles useful was “challenging” because of all the distractions to which riders were subjected. With traffic noise and motorcycle helmets insulating riders from the traditional audible alarms found on car collision systems, researchers have looked for ways to alert bikers of pending danger with tactile warning systems such as vibrating seats and special gloves.

New hi-tech systems could also protect riders from themselves, as one system being tested warns that a rider is going too fast to negotiate a turn. MIRA has developed “smart” software that acts as a “co-pilot” which, with the help of a digital map, knows what speed a motorcyclist should be travelling to make it around an approaching curve in the road.

MOTORCYCLE SALES CONTINUE DECLINE, BUT SHOW SIGNS OF IMPROVEMENT
Sales of new motorcycles, scooters and ATVs dropped from 2009 to 2010, but some increases were seen in the month of December according to a recently released sales report for 2010 from the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC).

In 2009, motorcycle sales saw a drastic drop. Close to 360,000 fewer motorcycles were sold in 2009 as compared to 2008, and sales have continued to decline. Total motorcycle sales, including scooters, through 2010 dropped 15.8%, or 82,198 fewer units in 2010 for a total of 439,678 motorcycles sold this year. If you break it down into category, off-road, dual-sport, highway, and scooters all saw a decrease in sales this year.

The biggest loser was off-highway motorcycles, which saw a 23.3% decrease with a drop of nearly 25,000 bikes. The scooter segment saw the smallest decrease at 9.4%, amounting to 3,000 fewer units than were sold in 2009. ATV sales were down 64,000 units, or 20% down.

December saw increases in some segments over the prior year month. Scooter sales were up 20% over the year-ago month, with an increase of 322 units. Dual purpose motorcycles also increased, at 7.2%, with a rise of 86 units over December 2009.

SOUTH CAROLINA BILL WOULD ALLOW CHARITABLE RAFFLES
With many states around the nation cracking down on everything from poker runs to raffles, lawmakers in South Carolina are moving to ensure that local churches, schools and nonprofits do not unknowingly break the law when they hold charitable raffles.

Legislation, already approved by a Senate committee 18-4, would change the state Constitution to allow the groups to hold a limited number of raffles and casino nights annually — as long as 90% of the money raised goes to benefit charitable causes.

“It’s a good start,” said Austin Coates of ABATE South Carolina, a motorcyclist rights nonprofit that holds hundreds of raffles annually for Special Olympics, breast cancer prevention, burn victims and others. “But there’ll be a fight ahead before it becomes law.”

The bill next heads to the full Senate for consideration. Should it survive there, it would go to the House. Ultimately, however, voters would have to approve any change in the state Constitution.

MOTORCYCLE CHECKPOINTS IN GEORGIA DURING BIKE WEEK
The state of Georgia has received a $70,000 federal grant to launch motorcycle-only checkpoints in early March, just as Daytona Bike Week is getting underway. For most travelers, their route will take them through Georgia and likely into awaiting roadblocks to check for such things as proper license and current registration, insurance, DOT-approved helmets, EPA-approved mufflers, working horn and lights, etc, etc.

“We were informed by unnamed sources that the Check Points would start in early March to coincide with the Daytona Bike Week event,” said Dan Forrest, State Director of ABATE of Georgia. “Most points of entry to Florida will be involved, so anyone traveling through Georgia to Daytona might want to rethink their route.”

The US Defenders have issued a Call To Action regarding the proliferation of these motorcycle-only roadblocks being funded by NHTSA grants, and are urging the motorcycle community to voice their opposition to these so-called “Safety Checks” by contacting NHTSA, the U.S. DOT and most importantly by asking your own federal legislators to support H.R. 1498 by Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) to retain a ban on NHTSA’s ability to lobby State Legislators using our federal dollars through the “Motorcycle Law Enforcement Demonstration” grant program (DTNH22-10-R-00386).

“These roadblocks or checkpoints for motorcycles ONLY are being conducted illegally and are discriminatory to say the least,” says Escondido Paul, National Lt. Commander of the US Defenders. “This is one more piece of evidence of the constant profiling attempts targeting our community at large.”

WASHINGTON STATE BILL WOULD PROHIBIT MOTORCYCLE PROFILING
The Confederation of Clubs, US Defenders and ABATE of Washington are seeking support for legislation that would condemn and prevent the widespread law enforcement practice of motorcycle profiling.

The Washington Courts have confirmed that the Washington State Patrol is guilty of unlawful profiling and discrimination against motorcyclists. In 2002 the Court granted a permanent injunction against the State Patrol’s use of a training pamphlet titled BIKER 101 (Wulfekuhle v. Washington State Patrol). However, on November 23, 2009 the WSP, under oath, explicitly admitted that they profile members of motorcycle clubs and continue to use BIKER 101 as a training manual.

This gross violation of a Washington State Superior Court injunction proves that the pattern of motorcycle profiling continues and that the WSP brazenly violates the liberties of motorcyclists even in the face of judicial reprimand.

To curb such injustices, Rep. Steve Kirby (D-Tacoma) introduced HB 1333 on January 19 to require law enforcement agencies to adopt a written policy that condemns and prevents motorcycle profiling, review existing procedures, and institute training to address the issue of motorcycle profiling, which means using the fact that a person rides a motorcycle or wears motorcycle-related clothes as a factor in deciding to stop and question, arrest, or search a person or a vehicle without legal basis. (Companion: SB 5242).

QUOTABLE QUOTE: “Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.”
–Edmund Burke (1729-1797), British statesman and philosopher

 

 

Vanishing Point

By Johnny White

 

Republic Harley Davidson in Stafford, Texas, asked me to document a few of their special projects for the world to see. I have been privileged enough to be one of the only civilians allowed to test ride one of their Police-ready motorcycles, available to any officer who wants to apply his trade to the two-wheeled tradition of motorcycle police officer.

 

 

I recently rode a 2010 FLHTP 2010 Police Special Electra Glide which had been “tweaked” by Republic’s very talented Service Department. These beautiful machines come with a stock 103” and lots of bells and whistles to assure the law enforcement officer’s have the very best machine available while riding through the rough urban environment today’s mounted officer has become accustomed to traveling and working through. Republic decided to max this bike’s nastiness out by adding a Bad Boy big bore package, ultimately resulting in a  Stage IV 103”. The only way I can truly describe this bike is to call it, well…scary fast.

 

 

 

The Bike’s motor-work wasn’t the only upgrades either. Republic added lighted floorboards, Kuryakyn Lizard Lights, and plenty of chrome to make this bike “show” as well as “go”. Neutral was a bear to find, but I attributed that to my limited experience with this bikes’ race-ready clutch and motor. There was no bolt left unturned when getting this monster ready for the road and she showed it with every trip.

 

 

The stopping power was extremely sharp due to H-D’s marriage to Brembo’s braking system and today’s technology of anti-lock braking. When you want to stop, this bike has no problem granting your wish.

 

 

While cruising the city streets of Houston, I was able to play with the incredibly crisp throttle response from the drivetrain. Combined with Republic’s upgrade, H-D has a performance monster on their hands. I have heard rumors that you can make a 103” perform better than the CVO equipped 110”, but I cannot imagine more power out of a heavy V-Twin. This bike has V-Rod acceleration coupled with a beautiful batwing styled fairing to block the wind. Freeway riding was a breeze as I could easily cruise at 85 mph in 4^th gear without ever having to break 4000 rpm’s. This bike is a highway MONSTER!

 

 

 

I tested the bike in a parking lot trying to emulate some of the corner turning drills I have seen police and sheriffs perform in the past and this bike handled everything I could throw at it. While it is not the lightest machine in the stable, you can easily control the bike using basic counter-steering techniques, as well as looking through your turn while giving it plenty of gas on the backside. I was more than pleased with the nimble nature of this radical beast. The refinement of the machine combined with the reputation and honor of H-D makes this the perfect motorcycle for any police officer who’s as serious about his ride as he is about his career. This is the bike all departments should be looking at.

 

 

 

Check out a display of the Lizard Lights as well as listening to the motor on this beautiful machine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSFYzdZk9FQ

 

 

Harley Davidson has a long history of working with the Law Enforcement departments all over the world, check into the H-D magazine directed to that genre as well as the link to their storied history.

 

http://www.harley-davidson.com/en_US/Content/Pages/Police_Motorcycles/motor_officer.html?locale=en_US&bmLocale=en_US

Link to the Motor Officer Magazine on H-D.com

 

 

http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Police_Motorcycles/police_history.jsp?locale=en_US&bmLocale=en_US

Link to the History of the Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Company and the Police Department’s relationship.

 

 

Show Metric Units

Dimensions	U.S. UNITS
Length	95.1 in.
Overall Width	38 in.
Overall Height	61 in.
Seat Height
Laden	27.3 in.
Unladen	30.7 in.
Ground Clearance	5.1 in.
Rake (steering head)	26 (deg)
Fork Angle	29.25 (deg)
Trail	6.69 in.
Wheelbase	63.5 in.
Tires
Type 3	Dunlop® Harley-Davidson Series, bias blackwall front and rear
Front Model	D408F
Front Specification	BW 130/80B17
Rear Model	D407
Rear Specification	BW 180/65B16
Extended Description	Bead-retention tires designed to remain on wheel during sudden loss of pressure. Sealed, automotive-style wheel bearings requiring no end play adjustments and service interval of 100,000 miles (160,000 km).
Fuel Capacity	6 gal.
Reserve Fuel Capacity, Fuel Injection (warning light)	1 gal.
Oil Capacity (w/filter)	4 qts.
Transmission Capacity	1 qts.
Primary Chain Case Capacity	1.4 qts.
Coolant Capacity	N/A
Weight
As Shipped	794 lbs.
Weight, In Running Order	831 lbs.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating	1,360 lbs.
Front	500 lbs.
Rear	927 lbs.

 

Powertrain 1
Engine 456	Air-cooled, Twin Cam 103™
Valves	Pushrod-operated, overhead valves with hydraulic, self-adjusting lifters; two valves per cylinder
Bore	3.875 in.
Stroke	4.375 in.
Displacement	103 cu. in.
Compression Ratio	9.6:1
Fuel System 7	Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI)
Air Cleaner	Fiberglass, washable
Lubrication System	Pressurized, dry-sump

 

Drivetrain 1
Primary Drive	Chain, 34/46  ratio
Final Drive 8	Belt, 32/68 ratio
Clutch	multi-plate, wet
Transmission	6-Speed Cruise Drive®
Gear Ratios (overall)
1st	9.593
2nd	6.65
3rd	4.938
4th	4
5th	3.378
6th	2.875

 

Chassis 1
Frame	Mild steel; tubular frame; two-piece stamped and welded backbone; cast and forged junctions; twin downtubes; bolt-on rear frame with forged fender supports; MIG welded
Swingarm	Mild steel, two-piece drawn and welded section, forged junctions, MIG welded
Front Fork	41.3 mm telescopic
Rear Shocks	Air-adjustable
Wheels
Optional Style Type 3	N/A
Front Type	Black, Slotted Disc Cast Aluminum
Wheels, Front Width	3 in.
Front Height	17 in.
Rear Type	Black, Slotted Disc Cast Aluminum
Rear Width	5 in.
Rear Height	16 in.
Brakes
Caliper Type	32mm 4-piston front and rear
Rotor Type	Patented, uniform expansion
Front Diameter	11.81 in
Front Width	0.28 in.
Front Dual	Yes
Rear Diameter	11.81 in.
Rear Width	0.28 in.
Anti-Lock Braking System	Optional
Suspension Travel, Rear	3 in.
Engineered for sidecar	Yes

 

Performance 1
Engine Torque (Per SAE)	J1349
North America (ft. lbs.) 9	102 in.
North America (rpm)	3,500
Lean Angle, Right	33 deg
Lean Angle, Left	31 deg
Fuel Economy: Urban	35
Fuel Economy: Highway	54

 

Electric 1
Battery	Sealed, maintenance-free, 12V, 28-amp/hour, 270 cca (per Battery Council International Rating)
Charging	Three-phase, 50-amp system (585W @ 13V, 2000 rpm, 650W max power @ 13V)
Starting	1.2 kW electric with solenoid shift starter motor engagement
Lighting
Headlamp	Quartz halogen, 55-watt low beam, 60-watt high beam
	8W/28W
Turn Signal	Turn Signal Lights 28W (21W) self-canceling
Pursuit Lamps	Front-mounted PAR-36 lamps, one red, one blue, incandescent
Flashers	Four-way, integrated into turn signal switches
Indicator Lamps	Indicator Lamps High beam, turn signals, hazard signals, neutral, low oil pressure, engine diagnostics, low fuel, police emergency light activation, 6-speed, ABS light (optional)
Electronic Siren (optional)	Weatherproof 100W siren amplifier, 100W siren speaker and integrated PA system specifically designed for use on Haarley-Davidson® Police motorcycles; 2-tones: wail and yelp with additional airhorn capacity

 

Warranty 1
Warranty 10	24 months (unlimited mileage)
Service Interval 11	First 1,000 miles (1,600 km), every 5,000 miles (8,000 km) thereafter

1Vehicles depicted may differ from vehicles manufactured and delivered. Specifications and prices listed may differ from specifications and prices of vehicles manufactured and delivered. All product descriptions (including depictions, specifications, dimensions, measurements, ratings and competitive comparisons) are based on available information at the time of publication. Although such descriptions are believed correct, errors and changes can occur and complete accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Harley-Davidson may make changes at any time to prices and specifications, and may change or discontinue models, without notice and without incurring any obligation. Attention: Vehicles in the configurations shown and many of the accessories described in this catalog may not be available for sale or use in some locations. Please check with your dealer for complete product details and the latest information. All models feature 6-speed transmission (VRSC™ models and Sportster® models are 5-speed) and carbon fiber belt final drive; multi-plate clutch with diaphragm spring in oil bath; and 2-year unlimited mileage warranty.

2Measurement reflects 180 lb. (81.7 kg) operator weight.

3Standard and optional wheels may vary by country and region.

4Recommended 91 octane or higher fuel (R+M)/2.

5Thermostatically controlled oil cooler standard equipment.

6Automatic compression release.

7Standard and optional fuel systems may vary by country and region.

8U.S. and HDI markets, except Japan: Belt, 32/64 ratio.

9Values shown are nominal. Performance may vary by country and region.

10See motorcycle owner’s manual for complete details.

11Inspections of certain systems and components are required at 2,500 mile (4,000 km) intervals. See Owner’s Manual for full details.

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Vehicles depicted may differ from vehicles manufactured and delivered. Specifications and prices listed may differ from specifications and prices of vehicles manufactured and delivered. All product descriptions (including depictions, specifications, dimensions, measurements, ratings and competitive comparisons) are based on available information at the time of publication. Although such descriptions are believed correct, errors and changes can occur and complete accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Harley-Davidson may make changes at any time to prices and specifications, and may change or discontinue models, without notice and without incurring any obligation. Attention: Vehicles in the configurations shown and many of the accessories described in this catalog may not be available for sale or use in some locations. Please check with your dealer for complete product details and the latest information. All models feature 6-speed transmission (VRSC™ models and Sportster® models are 5-speed) and carbon fiber belt final drive; multi-plate clutch with diaphragm spring in oil bath; and 2-year unlimited mileage warranty.

© 2001 – 2011 H-D. All rights reserved.

THE AIM/NCOM MOTORCYCLE E-NEWS SERVICE is brought to you by Aid to Injured Motorcyclists (A.I.M.) and the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM), and is sponsored by the Law Offices of Richard M. Lester. If you’ve been involved in any kind of accident, call us at 1-(800) ON-A-BIKE or visit www.ON-A-BIKE.com.

NCOM COAST TO COAST BIKER NEWS
Compiled & Edited by Bill Bish,
National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM)

DIRTY POLITICS BACKFIRES
In an historic mid-term election that saw the GOP sweep into control of the House and narrowly miss winning a Senate majority, as well as Republican gains in gubernatorial posts and statewide races, most of the electorate is simply happy to see an end to negative campaign ads and mudslinging by candidates.

One such attack ad could easily be confused with a commercial for Sons of Anarchy, with a Florida congressional hopeful being accused of being a member of “a biker gang linked to meth running” and acts of criminal violence.

The TV spot kicks off with a rumbling Harley motor and a gritty-voiced narrator growling, “Guns. Prostitution. Murder. That’s who Allen West rides with.” Paid for and produced by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the smear piece ends with, “We don’t need a politician who rides with gangs.” The Palm Beach Post reported that the Florida Democratic Party said a West supporter was wearing a South Florida Confederation of Clubs patch, and that confederation “has ties to the Outlaws organized crime syndicate.”

West (R) is indeed an active motorcyclist who writes a regular political column for a local South Florida biker magazine “Wheels on the Road” that supported his bid, and the Tea Party favorite did have members of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club providing security during his campaign, but the mudslinging appears to be the desperate last-gasp tactics of incumbent Rep. Ron Klein (D) to hold on to his House seat.

The Miami New Times called it the “Scariest Ad Of the Year”, but according to one of West’s fellow biker rag columnists, Chuck Lehmann, “This smear tactic by Klein backfired big time as the voters overwhelmingly gave, the underdog, Allen West a resounding 10 point victory over the pathetic Ron Klein, who went down to defeat in disgrace. My WOTR colleague/columnist Lt.Col. Allen West can now be called Congressman-elect Allen West, C.D. 22 Representative in Congress.”

VOTERS SEE RED
Fueled by discontent, record voter turnout nationwide not only gave the Republican Party the nod in local and national races, but they also saw red at the ballot box as Red Light Camera initiatives lost big on election day.

According to TheNewspaper.com, “Regardless of who you voted for, November 2nd represented a major win for everyone who opposes the use of red light cameras. In a handful of pockets across the nation, voters decided they were sick of the automated machines and by voting against the use of these devices, sent a message to law enforcement, as well as the companies that manufacture red light cameras.”

These cameras are often viewed as a revenue-generating scheme rather than safety devices, and many citizens feel that red light cameras even represent a violation of our constitutional rights. On election day, cities and districts across the nation decided to ban the use of these cameras, adding to a growing list of towns that have already voted to do so.

“The outcome of the voting is a major blow for American Traffic Solutions, the company that manufacturers a large number of the cameras,” reported Autoblog.com. “ATS tried hard to block these measures from even appearing on the ballot, but it was denied. The company was then forced to spend millions of dollars to attempt to sway the public to vote in favor of the cameras, to no avail.”

In Houston, Texas, which happens to be one of ATS’s most important accounts, a campaign was run against the camera company by brothers Paul and Randy Kubosh through their Citizens Against Red Light Cameras organization. ATS reportedly spent over $1.7 million, ten times more than the Kubosh brothers, yet ATS still lost the fight in Houston. Following Houston’s lead, red light cameras are now banned in Mukilteo, Washington; Anaheim, California; and Baytown, Texas.

NEW YORK RIDERS FIGHT DISCRIMINATION
In addition to the unprecedented harassment on highways by police manning motorcycle-only checkpoints, which is the subject of ongoing litigation by Aid to Injured Motorcyclists (A.I.M.) Attorney Mitch Proner, Big Apple riders are now faced with elimination of legal bike-only parking spaces.

As if it weren’t’ difficult enough for New York City motorcyclists, over the past decade bikers contend the city has turned up the heat on regulatory and legislative fronts, leading to growing complaints of harassment and accusations of discrimination.

There are only about 37,000 motorcyclists in a city of over 8 million people so they are a tiny minority, but the motorcycle community has begun to organize and fight back with a group known as “The New York Motorcycle & Scooter Task Force” (NYMSTF), working to ease some of these problems. Most large cities in the U.S. provide biker-only parking for good reason: Bikes and scooters take up less room and are more environmentally-friendly than passenger vehicles.

OSHA TELLS OREGON SCHOOL DISTRICT TO BAN MOTORCYCLE TRAVEL
Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division officials have recommended that school employees be prohibited from using motorcycles as transportation to work-related activities after Principal Tiffany O’Donnell was seriously injured Sept. 13 in a motorcycle accident en route between two rural schools.

O’Donnell, principal of both Elk Trail Elementary School and Shady Cove School, was seriously injured while riding her Suzuki motorcycle between campuses when she was struck by a Nissan pickup truck that was making an illegal U-turn, police said.

State OSHA officials said the school district has not violated any regulations, and no citations have been issued, but cautioned that allowing employees to drive motorcycles for work activities presents a hazard to employees, as well as a liability to the school district. The school board is mulling over the recommendation, which is not mandatory.

School administrators are expected to drive their personal vehicle for work purposes, but it hadn’t occurred to district officials to dictate what kind of vehicle they drive, said Eagle Point schools Superintendent Cynda Rickert, adding that “We don’t know if the Board will move forward on a policy not allowing you to drive a motorcycle if you are doing school business.”

OMG
Distracted driving apparently causes fatal crashes affecting bikers and drivers of light trucks more than any other group on the road, according to 2009 statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Though the statistics don’t break down which operator was distracted, only that “distracted driving” affected one or more drivers in fatal crashes, you can be sure there aren’t too many bikers distracted by talking or texting on a cell phone while riding their bikes.

It’s estimated that approximately 959,000 traffic incidents last year were caused by distracted driving and 4,898 of those resulted in at least one death. As a result, Massachusetts recently joined 29 other states in passing a texting ban; almost all of those same states (28) have also banned cell phone use in some form.

However, a new insurance industry study says that such bans have not reduced automobile accidents. The report does not dispute the danger of texting while driving, but rather it suggests that banning the practice does not automatically produce safer roads.
“If we’re counting on texting bans to reduce crashes from distracted driving, they’re not doing that,’’ said Adrian Lund, president of the Highway Loss Data Institute in presenting the group’s findings in Kansas City during the annual meeting of the Governors Highway Safety Association.

The new study is not the first time the research institute has suggested that legislative efforts to combat distracted driving are not affecting crash rates. In January, the institute found virtually no change in crash frequency for states that had enacted bans on handheld phone use.

Lund suggested multiple explanations, pointing to prior studies that found many drivers are not heeding the texting ban, and may be lowering their hands and taking their eyes off the road to text more discreetly.

US Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, who has championed awareness of the dangers of cellphone use and other distractions, immediately condemned the study as “completely misleading.’’

HIGH COURT RULES AGAINST SOUTH AUSTRALIA GANG LAW
Six of seven High Court judges have ruled that aspects of anti-“bikie” laws, which prevent members of “declared” motorcycle gangs from associating with each other, were unconstitutional as applied in South Australia.

Under SA laws passed last year to disband outlawed motorcycle clubs, the state attorney-general can “declare” an organization to be an illegal gang if satisfied that its members associate for serious criminal purposes and represent a risk to public safety and order.

This is the second resounding legal defeat of this calculating and reactionary piece of legislation, according to the United Motorcycle Council of New South Wales, a coalition of motorcycle clubs organized to fight such discriminatory gang laws. “This decision is an important milestone not just in terms of the fight against the South Australian legislation, but also against similar hastily adopted legislation of other states,” said Ferret, UMC Chairman.

Other Australian states, including NSW and Queensland, have enacted similar legislation but officials there believe that their legislation differs in key respects.

To celebrate the Supreme Court decision, members of rival clubs came together for a drink to toast a win against the very laws aimed at stopping them from associating.

But South Australian Premier Mike Rann said the ruling was only a setback in his self-declared war on bikies, saying he would “keep coming” at members of motorcycle clubs with new legislative measures.

SCOTTISH BIKERS PROTEST FUEL HIKES
Hundreds of Scottish bike riders formed a rolling roadblock into Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, on Saturday, Sept 25th to protest skyrocketing petrol prices and increase public awareness of a proposed 1p increase in fuel duty.

Members of Fife Bikers blocked sections of the M90 as around 600 bikers slowly rolled into the capital, and organizers say they are prepared to do so again. Member Jim Seymour told the Courier newspaper that he thought the bikers had received a “fantastic” response from the public who lined the streets and overpasses to watch the demonstration.

Petitions handed out that day and signed by members of the public are still being gathered, and will be handed in to MSPs in Parliament who will be asked to take legislative action.

WEIRD NEWS: ACTOR FATALLY SHOT FILMING MOTORCYCLE GETAWAY SCENE
Actor Kirk Abella was masked and filming a getaway scene for the British film “Going Somewhere” when a watchman mistook the performer for a real bandit and fatally shot him.

The New York Daily News reports that when the director shouted, “Action,” Abella ran to his waiting motorcycle (and masked stunt driver) to make his film getaway — only to be grabbed by his shirt and shot in the back at close range by volunteer village guard, Eddie Cuizon, in front of dozens of spectators.

Police told the media that when the crowd heard Cuizon fire the gun they believed it was just part of the film — not realizing they were witnessing the actor’s murder.

The shooting took place in the Parian district of Cebu in the Philippine Islands, where criminals often use motorcycles to escape law enforcement.

QUOTABLE QUOTE: “If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn’t sit for a month.”
~Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) 26th President of the United States

  

 

Lone Star Rally 2010

 

This years’ Lone Star Rally was much like Sturgis in the crowd seemed to have grown from the past few years. Whoever said we are in a recession forgot to tell the bikers, because they were out in force at this years’ rally. I would estimate at least 200,000 people were on the Strand on Saturday night; partly due to the incredible weather I am sure.

 

 

 

 

Our trip to the rally is an easy 75 miles which I take as many back-roads as possible. The V-Rod handles a passenger as well as any bike I’ve ever ridden and doesn’t seem to lose any power with the added cargo on the rear. I was still able to scrape my pegs in hard turns and never felt as if the bike was out of control. The weather was in the 60’s, sunny, and not a cloud in the sky.

 

 

 

 

Of course the rally had it’s fair share of Baggers again, as that seems to be the growing trend in bikerdom. I myself have not caught the bug entirely, but I can definitely see the advantages of having a dresser. It seems all the vendors have also caught on to this wave of bagger fever, as it seemed everyone was selling something specifically for your bagger. I am not too sure why the local Harley dealers’ don’t make a stronger showing at the rally, but it seems as though this place is off limits. Shit, I’d be selling everything I could with the holidays fast approaching. I can tell you, people were spending money!

 

 

 

 

The bikes we saw were starting to trend back towards actual function over form. While you could still see a Joe Martin custom or a rigid sporty on the street, it seems most riders have started to swing the way of actual ride performance. Besides baggers, I saw sportbikes, V-Rods, Dynas, and very few choppers.

 

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 As much as I enjoy riding a radical bike and having people point and stare while you pull up on it; I can tell you riding a radical rigid isn’t as fun after having to ride it back home after a long day. While you make look cool as hell, you feel like ass when you get home and then you have to check the bike over before riding again. It seems the form over function trend is over for now.

 

 

I enjoy looking back at pics in the mags from several years ago and comparing them to what I see now. To be honest, if you’d have told me 4 years ago that I’d be riding a bike with a 36 degree rake, 250 rear tire, and 115 rwhp, I’d have pictured a custom chopper instead of my nasty black V-Rod. You know what they say, “Time will tell and shit will smell!”

 

 

The nature of the rally seemed to revolve more around fun than in years’ past. Several years were marred with either bad weather, hurricane recovery, shitty economy, or bad timing. This time it seemed everyone was there to support the rally as well as Galveston, Texas.

 

 

 

I was surprised to see several old friends at the rally and we had a few drinks while bullshitting about life, bikes, women, etc. Good times as we reminisced about the past and bullshitted about the future. Before I knew it the sun was going down and the temperature was dropping faster than I cared for. We loaded up and headed back home, another year’s rally ended successfully for us and I couldn’t help but feel good as we rode home.

 

 

 

Through Western Europe. Author Toby Ballentine has spent a lifetime exploring Europe, beginning as a child with his parents and as an adult on his own. He combines his love of the continent with his passion for motorcycles in this excellent travel guide from Whitehorse Press.

“This book will focus on what I consider are some of the most scenic motorcycle routes in Europe as you travel to your destination. As a motorcyclist I have always agreed with the mantra” it’s the journey, not the destination” that truly makes a trip worthwhile.”

The book is organized into five separate regions, France, Germany, Austria /Switzerland, Italy and Spain. Each region will one or two airline accessible hubs to pick up rental bikes. Two to five detailed motorcycle routes will be laid out from each hub. Each trip is an average of one week and several hundred miles in length. Each trip has its own little map and turn by turn directions.

Toby gives advice on when to go where to go and of course where to stay when you get there. He likes to mix it up with camping and bed and breakfasts for accommodations and grocery stores and café’s for food. Also covered are where and what to rent as for motorcycle choices.

The back of the book features a Band of Brothers Tour following the route of the historic Easy Company of the 101st Airborne from the beaches of D-Day to Germany. Also included is a Grand Tour tying nine of the previous tours into one grand adventure. Remember to pack a camera and send us some postcards when you go on this trip.

Publisher: Whitehorse Press
Pages 384 Illustrations color
ISBN 978-1-884313-82-0
Format 5.5 x 8.5 inches
Binding Paperback

The San Mateo results are as follows:

Performance Customs

1. Kevin Cherry

2. Jim Giuffra

3. Ray Wheeler

4. Jovan Samonte

5. Robert Sissons

Modified Harley-Davidson

1. Chuck Toeniskoeter

2. Paul Binford

Freestyle

1. Jim Giuffra

2. Mike Ludovico

3. Frederick Fortune

4. Gino Ilacqua

5. Mike Vivona

Have you ever seen an event on television, and wondered what it would be like to actually be there? Well, for years, I wanted to attend the SEMA show, held every year at the Las Vegas Convention Center, and finally got my chance this year. The SEMA show is where everybody who’s anybody in the automotive (and bike) world is found on the first week in November.

Everyone in the aftermarket industry puts on their peacock suits to attract buyers, and they spend millions on custom built hot rods and bikes to attract attention to their products. It’s one huge jaw-dropping car and bike show that has to be seen to be believed. It takes up the entire Convention Center, and the parking lot to boot; well in excess of a million square feet! It’s so big, you can’t see everything in one day, and two days would be rushing it. It’s the second largest convention in Vegas annually.

Having set my priorities in advance, I made a bee-line for Hot Rod Alley, where the speed equipment manufacturers like Edelbrock and other legendary companies were found. They were selling every imaginable item to make your vehicle run faster, climb higher, bounce better, and look sweeter, and the array of eye-candy was more than amazing.

As you know, Harleys and hot rods go hand in hand, and most of us gearheads love both with unbridled enthusiasm. I spent hours wandering from display to display drooling all over creations from Foose, Brizio, Chapouris, and other heavy hitters in the hot rod and custom world. I even got a picture with Pete Chapouris’ “California Kid” coupe from the Martin Sheen movie.

Naturally, my top priority was bikes, and I found them too. Ron Finch had one of his offbeat custom bikes in the House of Color display, and we chatted a while about creativity, and the new styles in the industry. Ron’s a great guy with a great sense of humor, and he builds some of the most outlandish, imaginative bikes in the world.

The House of Kolor display was also home to some other flashy custom bikes and rods, and everything from refrigerators to surfboards with eye-popping graphics! They also had world renown pinstriper and air brush artist Jim “Hetz” Hetzler there signing autographs and providing tips for beginners and vets alike. And our own contributor, JoAnn Bortels, was featured with the creator of HOK, Jon Kosmoski.

Out in the concourse, I ran into some of the most creative bikes I’ve seen in years. They look so stone-age they were almost scary! They look like Jurassic Park meets Mad Max, but I was assured by their creator, Rafik Kaissi, owner of RK Concepts that they do run, and have all been ridden. To make them even more amazing, some of them were built in a single-car garage behind the builder’s apartment before he bought his shop! I stared at these machines for nearly an hour, and I still find details I’ve overlooked every time I look at the pictures! Check ‘em out and watch the test rides at www.rkconcepts.com!

While wandering through the North Hall, I ran across Dar Holdsworth from Brass Balls Bobbers, and he introduced me to Eric Mauk, who’s the Director of Public Relations for Rahal-Letterman Racing. (Yeah, the Indy car folks) They’re teaming up to build an S&S powered super sport bike called the RLX to benefit the US Naval Hospital’s medical research efforts. It will have custom graphics featuring Bobby Rahal’s three Indy car championships, and his 1986 Indy 500 win. The X Wedge engine and frame were donated by S&S, the drivetrain by Baker, and many other companies also rushed to help out with the project. Brock’s Performance and BST wheels donated the high tech carbon fiber wheels to get the beast up and rolling. Look for this bruiser on it’s fund raising tour next year! You can see Dar’s video about this bike at www.brassballsbobbers.com.

As you might expect, there were scantily attired young ladies all over, posing with cars and attendees, and the usual free swag that you could load up on. My feet still hurt a week later, but I got to see the best the industry has to offer, and believe me, it’s an experience I’ll remember for a long time!

–Buckshot

For the last chapter click here: http://www.bikernet.com/pages/story_detail.aspx?id=8687

Last month, we kicked around the Paughco classic frame, the CCI Rev Tech engine, the Bikernet transmission, and Haley, Miss Horse Sweeps. We are scrambling toward a roller, but we needed pipes, a primary system to tie the engine and trans together, and a wiring system to make it fly and last. This entire effort was designed to give a brother the opportunity to win a Horse-induced, Bikernet.com-supported, Brass Balls-built bobber, just for being a reader, a rider, and a fan of the lifestyle.

What could be better than to watch your ride come to life on the pages of your favorite mag? There’s a deadline to this effort. The bike must be completed and delivered to a major event (add event), where Haley will pull the winner’s ticket, just before I sweep her off her delicate toes and kidnap her to Vegas.

Back to the nuts and bolts of the issue. D&D stepped up to help with a performance exhaust system. D&D dyno-tunes every system they manufacture. Dave Rash, the boss, is an avid Bonneville racer and a performance nut. Dar Holdsworth, the doctor of Darwin Motorcycles, delivered a Brass Balls Bobber to the D&D Texas facility, where they designed a head pipe that would support three muffler systems, to allow customers a choice. They could go with a completely stainless system, and stainless megaphone, flat black, or chrome components. D&D recently designed a sport-bike styled canister system in short and long configurations, and in any finish. They are also making mufflers with aluminum housings. These flexible units can be left bare metal, polished, chromed, powder-coated, ceramic-coated, or stained and media-blasted for a titanium look.

D&D also manufactures a quiet muffler system for emission testing, with restricted baffles, which are available straight or slash cut. D&D also hand-finishes the merge joints on the inside of their pipes for the best possible flow. They build all of Chris Carr’s XR 750 pipes.

As most of us know, the majority of breakdowns revolve around electrical issues, but in most cases, there are new-tech solutions, like electronic ignitions, improved connectors and complete wiring harness systems from companies like Wire Plus. Now you can buy a flawless wiring system that contains the ignition switch, highbeam switch, circuit breakers, horn button, starter relay, starter button, and all the correct wiring leads.

With one of these Wire Plus integrated systems, I could drink a fifth of Jack Daniels, chase Haley around the shop, and wire a complete motorcycle in a couple of hours. If you’re into turn signals, they have all the guts for blinkers, too.

Steve is a manufacturer’s manufacturer. He lives to make shit better. So natch, we are using a BDL belt of Dar’s choosing, since in the future, Brass Balls will start to run BDL systems on Darwin Motorcycles. Steve recently moved the entire BDL complex to a new, larger, more efficient facility in SoCal.

“We have 50 plus CNC machines, rapid prototype capabilities, 30-40 gear making machines, a foundry with permanent mold casting capabilities, and screw machines,” Steve rattled at me while trying to hit the road for Base Lake. “We also make in-house rubber and synthetic products with compression and injection molding abilities.”

BDL owns the patent on the ball-bearing clutch plate systems.

“Not ball-bearing clutches,” Steve said, “They’re dangerous.”

The Bikernet 5-Ball Racing Bonneville bike runs their ball bearing clutch plate for high-speed grip on the salt. So there you have it, more elements for your Brass Balls Bobber, if you win it. It’s easy, just subscribe to the HORSE, pray to the Bikernet.com gods, and live by the code of the west. Someone it going to win this bastard, and if I’m a lucky, I’ll win Haley’s heart. Sometimes I’m a lucky bastard.

–Bandit

http://www.thehorsemag.com/Pages/BB_Giveaway_Rules.html

Click on the photos and graphs to view them larger

A lot of companies have the “set it and forget it” philosophy, whereby they do the legwork for you and build fuel-injection maps and pre-load them into a given unit. Then it’s up to you to select the map that’s closest to your setup. Others offer units that are more “tunable,” where custom maps can be written using dynamometers with air-fuel sniffers that simulate road conditions and allow your bike to be tuned across the rpm/throttle position range.

And that’s just the beginning because bikes no longer have simple ignitions. Instead, they’re equipped with ECMs that control virtually everything on the bike. This can not onlymake it difficult to tune your bike, but tough to service it in general. Most people end up just taking it to their local dealer because they claim to be the only ones with the tools to cure your bike ailment. This trip is usually accompanied by a substantial bill.

Lucky for us there are a couple of smart guys over at Daytona Twin Tec who have developed some tools that enable you to perform the maintenance of your motorcycle in the comfort of your own garage.

The Twin Scan II is a tool that your dealer doesn’t want you to know about. It can read and clear diagnostic codes from the ECM, turn signal/security module, speedometer, tach and ABS system. There’s a real time display of engine data and built-in data logging that stores 45 minutes of data and is automatically triggered when the bike throws a code. This bad boy is compatible with 2001-20011 HD fuel-injected models as well as 2003-2006 carbureted models with a 12-pin ignition module. It also has two analog inputs for air/fuel ratio, which brings us to our next piece of wizardry from Daytona Twin Tec.

It’s the Wego III wide-band air/fuel metering system. This little marvel is like having your own on-board dyno. It comes with a Bosch LSU4.2 five-wire wide band O2 sensor that allows you to take highly accurate air/fuel readings from 10.3-19.5 AFR with less than plus or minus .10 AFR error. It will log more than two hours of data including AFR, rpm and it has a 0-5v analog input for sensors such as throttle position or manifold pressure.

And this isn’t just for fuel-injected bikes either. Carb guys: No longer will you hear, “Just go up two jet sizes and call it good.” Also gone is the practice of judging the tune by the color of the pipes. This system will tell you exactly where your tune up is and allow you make the necessary adjustments without guesswork. And for you fuel-injected bike owners, you can take your FI maps into your own hands without having to rely on a shop with a dyno to tune your bike. For little more than a custom map would cost, you can own the tool to do it yourself.

Don’t let the electronics on your bike scare you. Here are two tools that allow you to take the tuning of your bike back into your garage. With the bikes that are being built, these two tools are as necessary to your toolbox as a ratchet and sockets.