Seven female motorcyclists have been selected for the road racing program Milwaukee, Wis (January 19, 2021) Royal Enfield today announced its seven finalists for the BUILD TRAIN RACE (BTR) road racing program. The seven female motorcyclists come from diverse backgrounds and over the course of the next year are tasked with converting Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 motorcycles into road racing motorcycles, for a series of exhibition races to be held in 2021. Royal Enfield launched the BTR program in 2019, challenging four women to build flat track motorcycles and compete in select exhibitions during American Flat Track events. After a strong response to the program, the second phase of BTR will showcase the road racing capabilities of the Continental GT 650 and the abilities of seven female motorcyclists to build, train and race the motorcycles they create. Melissa Paris, veteran road racer, and BTR flat track participant will serve as a mentor to the selected participants and provide valuable insights throughout the duration of the program. “The BTR flat track program received an enormous outpouring of support and interest in the last year,” said Breeann Poland, Marketing Lead – Americas and Continental GT 650 global brand manager. “A panel of judges including myself, Melissa Paris and Anne Roberts have handpicked a group of fantastic female motorcycle enthusiasts from across the U.S. through a video submission process, and will be providing each of them with a Continental GT 650 motorcycle, so that they may begin the customization process.“ After careful review, the panel of judges selected Michaela Turnbull of Wyoming, CJ Lukacs of California, Kayla Theisler of Wisconsin, Becky Goebel of California, Trisha Dahl of Minnesota, Alyssa Bridges of California and Scarlett Grosselangehorst of New York to take part in the BTR program. The BTR road racing program will kick off in the coming weeks, as the participants receive their motorcycles and begin the customization process. Melissa Paris will provide guidance during the build process and will mentor the ladies during the training and racing portions of the program. Upon completion of their builds, the women will partake in a series of training sessions lead by Paris. The culmination of the program will take place when the seven women participate in yet-to-be-announced race exhibitions. To learn more about the program and to follow along throughout the year, visit BTR here. CJ Lukacs – “This BTR program is beyond anything I could have imagined being part of. That it even exists is such a rad opportunity. Being on display to learn with, grow with, and inspire other women through the passion of motorcycling, is truly remarkable and the greatest honor.” Alyssa Bridges – “This is certainly the opportunity of a lifetime and I couldn’t be more grateful and excited to participate. I am still in shock that we actually get to do this.” Trisha Dahl – “Royal Enfield is creating a motorcycle movement to make riding simply about fun again, the Build. Train. Race program and the Continental GT650 are proof of that.“ Kayla Theisler – “I’m super excited to not only share my passion for bikes with the world but also to learn and grow as a rider and racer with such incredibly inspiring women!” Michaela Trumbull – “I am beyond words excited and grateful to be a part of the Build Train Race Program! This company and the people involved are making my dreams come true and I can’t wait to work hand in hand with them!” Scarlett Grosselangehorst – “I am enthusiastic about every part of Build Train Race. My favorite aspect of the BTR program is that Royal Enfield actively supports the female riding community by demystifying wrenching and racing.” Becky Goebel – “I don’t know what the heck I just got myself into but I am excited! I closely watched last year’s Royal Enfield Build Train Race Program and thought it was an awesome idea to get women on bikes in these race realms and now I’m going to do it as well!”

Ormond Beach, FL (January 15, 2021) — Custom builders, industry celebs and riders in the know will be at Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Harley-Davidson on Sunday morning, March 7, 2021, for the Flying Piston Benefit Builders Breakfast. This stellar meet & greet brings the motorcycle industry together to kick off Daytona Bike Week and support new rider initiatives.

Getting the Band Back Together Again

The signature feature of the Breakfast is the IRONe16 Build-Off presented by STACYC showcasing five professionally customized IRONe electric bikes, which will be unveiled and auctioned along with original skate-deck artwork.

“This Flying Piston Breakfast revives the builder breakfast events of the mid-2000’s when Bruce Rossmeyer himself welcomed us to gather the riding community in support of local charities,” said Marilyn Stemp, co-founder of Flying Piston Benefit. “We’re delighted that Shelly and Mandy Rossmeyer are carrying on the tradition, making a place for riders to meet legacy and emerging custom builders and to support the motorcycle community.”

The inaugural class of IRONe pro builders includes Evan Favaro of Speakeasy Customs, Scott Kietzmann of Conquest Customs, Taber Nash of Nash Motorcycles, Wendell Turner of Turner’s Cycles and Chris Callen of Cycle Source Magazine. Each builder will customize Harley-Davidson’s top-of-the-line model: the IRONe 16 Brushless, the extended range lithium ion battery-powered electric balance bike.

“The first step to a motorcycle license is learning how to ride a bicycle,” said Mandy Rossmeyer, Director of Marketing & Events at Bruce Rossmeyer’s H-D. “We are excited to bring the Flying Piston Builder’s Breakfast to Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Harley-Davidson at Destination Daytona and proud to support motorcycling in our local community by enabling an All Kids Bike training program at Osceola Elementary School.”

Added STACYC’s Matt Schumann, “The team at STACYC are always excited to grow the next generation of riders. Supporting programs like the Flying Piston Builders Breakfast and the Rossmeyers are great ways to share the love of riding. We can’t wait to see the creativity these builders share.”

In the spirit of such events held at Bruce Rossmeyer’s over a decade ago, dozens of world-class custom builders have been invited to attend for the meet & greet. Names will be released as invitations are accepted. Along with the unveiling of the five custom IRONe bikes and a hearty breakfast, attendees can bid on original artwork and other gearhead items. Can’t attend? Bidding will be available in North America via a digital auction app.

The Builder Breakfast will be held at the Pavilion on the grounds of Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Harley-Davidson at Destination Daytona in Ormond Beach, FL. Only those holding tickets will enjoy exclusive entry to the Destination Daytona Pavilion and Red Carpet Photo Booth, access to the builder community and, of course, breakfast. Parking is free and tickets are available in advance for $20 ($25 at the door) at shop.brucerossmeyer.com. Proceeds will establish an All Kids Bike program at Osceola Elementary School in Ormond Beach, FL. Sponsors include: Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Harley-Davidson, Bikernet.com, Cycle Source Magazine, Rubenstein Law, STACYC, Strider, Gnarly Magazine, Atomic Bob.

 

Highlights Include New Street Bob 114 Model and Harley-Davidson Audio powered by Rockford Fosgate 

 

MILWAUKEE (January 19, 2021) – Harley-Davidson offers motorcycle riders more performance, style, technology and freedom for the soul in 2021. Highlights of the line include the gritty Street Bob® 114 and restyled Fat Boy 114 cruisers, and on-trend new styling options for three popular performance baggers: Street Glide® Special, Road Glide® Special and Road King® Special models. Harley-Davidson will also offer four super-premium models created by its Custom Vehicle Operations team. 

 

“Harley-Davidson enters 2021 focused on motorcycling as an emotional experience,” said VP Marketing, Theo Keetell. “The timeless pursuit of adventure and freedom on the open road is the foundation of our heritage and the vision of our future. As we enter this new year and a new riding season, fueling that desire is more important than ever.” 

 

Street Bob 114 Highlights Cruiser Models 

Eight Harley-Davidson Softail® models offer a pure riding experience, combining modern power and technology with authentic American styling. The new Street Bob 114 model adds stripped-down bobber styling and no-nonsense performance to the cruiser line. The lightest-weight Softail model equipped with a powerful Milwaukee-Eight® 114 engine, the Street Bob 114 is a quick-and-nimble ride with power to spare. It’s loaded with authentic attitude, from its mini-ape handlebar to the chopped rear fender. 

 

With its steamroller stance the Fat Boy® model remains one of the most physically imposing motorcycles in the Harley-Davidson® portfolio. Refreshed styling for 2021 brightens its look as brilliant chrome replaces the satin chrome finish on the powertrain and exhaust, the front end, the rear fender struts and the console. 

 

For cruiser riders seeking more performance, Harley-Davidson® Genuine Motor Parts & Accessories offers Milwaukee-Eight® Screamin’ Eagle Stage® III kits for Softail models that boost displacement and compression for a significant increase in torque and power over the stock engine. 

 

 

Hot Rod Baggers Highlight Touring Models 

The 2021 Harley-Davidson Touring motorcycle line includes a trio of hot rod baggers with fresh swagger and new features. With a slammed stance and muscular Milwaukee-Eight 114 power, the Road King Special, Road Glide Special and Street Glide Special models combine a commanding street presence with the long-haul capabilities of the Harley-Davidson Touring chassis. The Street Glid Special and Road Glide Special models have new two-tone paint options, and a choice of a blacked-out or bright chrome styling treatment – a choice between dark and sinister, or brilliant and more traditional. Road King Special and Street Glide Special models are equipped with a new brilliant Daymaker® LED headlamp, and all three Special models feature a new low-profile engine guard that emphasizes their slammed profiles. 

 

All Harley-Davidson Touring models equipped with the color touch-screen Boom!™ Box GTS infotainment system now feature Android Auto™ and Apple CarPlay® application compatibility. With a wired connection to a compatible smartphone, the rider may use either app to access media, streaming services, communication and navigation on the road while minimizing distractions. 

 

CVO Models: Next-Level Audio 

Harley-Davidson® Custom Vehicle Operations™ motorcycles represent the pinnacle of Harley-Davidson style and design, with show-stopping finishes, advanced technology, exclusive components and obsessive attention to detail. 

 

For 2021, the CVO Street Glide and CVO Road Glide models debut all-new Harley-Davidson Audio powered by Rockford Fosgate, an advanced audio system, featuring speakers and amplifiers designed specifically for Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Harley-Davidson® Audio powered by Rockford Fosgate components will also be available through Harley-Davidson Genuine Motor Parts & Accessories for 2014-later H-D Touring motorcycles equipped with a Boom!™ Box infotainment unit. 

 

Each of the four 2021 CVO models – CVO Street Glide, CVO Road Glide, CVO Limited and CVO Tri Glide® – feature new paint options and styling features. The Milwaukee-Eight® 117 V-Twin engine is exclusive to CVO models and is the most-powerful engine offered as original equipment from the Harley-Davidson factory.  

 

Continuously engineering new technology to make motorcycling even more intuitive, all CVO models are equipped with RDRS Safety Enhancements (formerly known as RDRS). This suite of technologies is designed to enhance rider confidence during unexpected situations or poor road conditions. Elements of RDRS Safety Enhancements include Cornering Enhanced Electronic Linked Braking, Cornering Enhanced Antilock Braking System, Cornering Enhanced Traction Control System, Drag-Torque Slip Control System, Vehicle Hold Control, and Tire Pressure Monitoring System.  

 

Harley-Davidson® Pan America™ Model Global Reveal Feb. 22, 2021
Harley-Davidson’s all-new Pan America 1250 adventure touring motorcycle was previewed in the Jan. 19 H-D 21 virtual launch experience. Harley-Davidson will be bringing the world back together on Feb. 22, 2021, to reveal the motorcycle’s full details in a separate digital event with the spotlight on the new Pan America motorcycle. Register for the debut event now at www.H-D.com/PanAmerica. 

 

To learn more about 2021 Motorcycles or to schedule a test ride, please visit www.H-D.com. 

 

Over 200 Historic Motorcycles Lost.

Europe’s highest altitude museum erupts in flames.

The Motorcycle Museum at the Top Mountain Crosspoint is a museum in Austria dedicated to motorcycles and sports cars, located on the Timmelsjoch high alpine pass.

Opened in 2016 as a major attraction of a high-mountain complex, located at 2175 meters above sea level between the Austrian North-Tyrolean and the Italian South-Tyrolean Alps and which also includes a panoramic restaurant and a cable car station, the Motorcycle Museum is housed in an iconic wood-clad building designed by the Austrian architect Michael Brötz.

Originating from the passion for of its “petrolhead” founders, the twin brothers Alban and Attila Scheiber, on a floor area of 2,600 square meters ( 28,000 square feet), the museum features some 170 motorcycles, from a rare Laurin & Klement CC Dourdan dating back to 1905, to models produced by both European and American celebrated manufacturers such as BMW, Zündapp, NSU, DKW, Motoguzzi, MV Augusta, Ducati, Bianchi, Aermacchi, Monet et Goyon, BSA, New Imperial, Triumph, Norton, Matchless, Sunbeam, AJS, Brough Superior, Vincent, Honda, Henderson, Scott, Indian, and Harley Davidson.

Among the most notable pieces on view, there are a 1912 two-cylinder Indian, a 1914 Harley Davidson, and a 1939 Brough Superior SS100 BJ.
Along with motorbikes, the museum’s gallery showcases sports cars, such as a Ferrari California Spider, a Porsche 959, and a Lotus 23 B.

More reports forthcoming in the Bikernet Weekly News on Thursday.

by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com

The thing with motorcycles customized at the request of the customers is that they are truly unique. Unlike bikes made for show, they also have something more appealing to them, warmer, something closer to our hearts. Just a quick look at this former Harley-Davidson Softail, and you instantly feel that.

The conversion of the Softail into a bike that is now called Mallet and Iron was performed by German custom shop Thunderbike at the request of one of its customers from the country’s Ruhr area. That’s one of the nation’s most important industrial zones, and a place where, among other things, a lot of mining is done.

We mentioned all that because the Mallet and Iron is supposed to be a tribute to Ruhr hard-working people, especially miners. That is visible on the graphics the bike displays, with engravings meant to remind onlookers of that: ”hammer and iron as symbols for the miners’ work, St. Barbara as her patron saint and “Glück Auf!” as a miner’s greeting,” the shop says.

But there’s more than that to the olive green, gloss-black-instead-of-chrome two-wheeler. As usual, Thunderbike modified the thing extensively by removing stock parts and putting in its own custom touches – the list of hardware additions made is over 20 items long, and includes everything from the turn signals to a Stage 2 lowering kit that brings the whole thing closer to the ground by 30 mm (1.1-inches).

We are not being told how much the customer was asked to pay for the conversion of his bike, but we did the math on the parts Thunderbike said it used and we came up with around 3,000 euros, or $3,600. That is far less than some of the more recent builds handled by the Germans, but proof of the fact you don’t need to spend tons of money to make a Harley special, as long as you have the right ideas.

 

by Stan Brein from http://robsonranchpioneerpress.com

A big thank you to the wonderful residents of Robson Ranch and the members of the Robson Ranch Motorcycle Club. In this topsy turvy year where community need skyrocketed, your continued support made our 10th annual Coats for Kids Ride event an overwhelming success. Although the ride itself could not be held, we gathered at American Eagle Harley Davidson on Nov. 21, to collect coats and celebrate with the good people who organized and contributed to this event. Everyone who attended the event brought at least one coat and many folks brought several. The final count of coats collected was 1,775, with 205 of those coming from Robson Ranch. The collection box at my front door was constantly overflowing.

The coats were gathered and sorted at the Denton Independent School District Service Center under the coordination of Barb Haflich, Coordinator of Social Services. They were then distributed to representatives from every district in Denton County: Aubrey, Decatur, Krum, Lake Dallas, Lewisville, Little Elm, Ponder, Sanger, and Denton. We are indebted to so many folks for this success. I would like to give a special thank you to Jan and Dave Riddle for their work with the Kiwanis Club, and Cherlyn and Bob Conway and their NxNW neighbors for efforts above and beyond the call of duty.

In an effort to get back to some semblance of normalcy, the club had a lunch ride on Dec. 8, to Doc’s Bar and Grill in Muenster, Texas. This destination is a double favorite for riders, given the great menu offerings and the scenic route to arrive there.

Mike Conley, Stephen Wiley, Dennis Dotson, Steve Williams, Robert Cox, Reggie Rother, Dave Riddle, and Dick Spivey enjoyed good food and comradery in true biker fashion.

The club board members met on Dec. 17 to begin planning for what 2021 will look like. With an optimistic outlook, we began planning rides to Galveston, the Hill Country, Big Bend, Angel Fire, Native American Oklahoma, Branson, and Arkansas. We also want to resume the regular second Tuesday breakfast/lunch rides and fourth Thursday dinner rides. Here’s hoping!

I hope that all of you were able to enjoy the holiday season and ringing in the New Year. Here’s hoping that 2021 will get us back toward health, prosperity, and normalcy.

See you on the road!

Beware of cagers and keep the rubber side down.

from https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Argentine Kevin Benavides, riding a Honda, on Friday won the motorcycle category of the 2021 Dakar Rally becoming the first South American to achieve the feat.

Ricky Brabec, the 2020 champion in the motorcycle class, finished second to teammate Kevin Benavides to clutch the first one-two Dakar Rally finish for Honda since 1987. Sam Sunderland, the 2017 champion in the category, finished third riding a KTM.

Benavides clinched the title on the 12th and the final stage of the category held on Friday. Honda has now registered a back-to-back win in the motorcycle class.

The finish of the final stage was completely overshadowed by the death of the French rider, Pierre Cherpin, who had been in an induced coma since his crash on the 7th stage.

“On stage five I was worried because I crashed so fast and hit my head and my ankle and felt a lot of pain. On that day I said maybe the Dakar is finished for me. But I continued pushing. I still have some pain, but at the moment I am more happy than in pain,” said Kevin Benavides after the finish.

Normally we would be reaching out to you with news and information about the upcoming 98th Laconia Motorcycle Week Rally. Sadly, we have other news to share . . .

On Christmas morning, our Motorcycle Week offices suffered a catastrophic fire resulting in a total loss of collectibles and souvenirs spanning the history of Laconia Motorcycle Week’s 97-year legacy. Although no one was injured, our beloved office cat, Ashland, perished in the fire. As of this writing, we’re still waiting for permission to enter the premises so that we may retrieve him and give him a proper burial.

Along with Ashland, most of the items lost can never be replaced, leaving us heavy-hearted, particularly after a year of COVID-related challenges. It’s hard to find the silver lining in an incident such as this, but we are grateful to the Laconia Fire Department and surrounding towns for their assistance and the outpouring of support we have received from our friends, family and loyal rally goers, past and present. We’d also like to thank Paul Cote and Check Twice Signs for setting up a GoFundMe campaign to help us recover from this devastating loss. All funds donated will be used to cover the extensive cost of fire clean-up (currently estimated close to $40K!) and replacing items lost from general operations and historical memorabilia. The Laconia Motorcycle Week Association will have DIRECT and SOLE access to donated funds. No donation is too small. A lot of us doing even a little will add up and help rebuild and restore.

If you’re able to give even a little, thank you! If you have memorabilia to donate, please contact Charlie St. Clair directly. Please copy this link and share it with your riding friends. If you prefer, you can issue a check payable to LMWA and mail it to PO Box 5399 Laconia, NH 03247 and put “Friends of MC Week- Rebuild Fund” in your memo.

The Laconia Motorcycle Week Association is a State of NH nonprofit association with a Board of Directors. The Directors have secured an off-site, heated storage unit for any salvageable items and any memorabilia you can donate.

Progress does continue for the 98th rally (albeit remotely) and updates on the schedule of events and the 2021 Rally News magazine will be out shortly.

THANK YOU for all your support!!!

GoFundMe Campaign

Coping with crisis and emergency situations is nothing new to VA. We trace our birth back to the Civil War, when an exhausted President Lincoln called on America to care for everyone who took up arms in that bloody battle. VA evolved in leaps and bounds when World War II called for a nationwide system to care for the men and women who liberated Europe. In 2020, VA faced a very different kind of crisis in the form of COVID-19, and it became VA’s responsibility once more to see our Veterans through it.

Many would agree that VA probably wasn’t up to this task just a few short years ago, after VA leaders were caught misrepresenting Veterans’ access to health care. Morale within VA was low, and polls showed most Veterans didn’t think very much of a bureaucracy that was failing them. Six years ago, a CNN poll showed that just 37% of Americans approved of VA’s performance.

But over the last few years, VA was reborn. Today our approval rating stands at about 90% for health care, and among our fastest growing population – women – we have an 86% approval rating.

Morale soared. From 2014 to 2016, VA was near the bottom of federal agencies in a survey of best places to work in the government. Now VA is sixth, and we expect to be fifth when new numbers come out in March.

We did it by listening to our employees and the Veterans we serve. I visited every state in the union and nearly every territory to talk to Veterans.

Veterans had been demanding options outside of VA care for years, and we delivered real, permanent choice to them through the MISSION Act. Now, millions of Veterans are getting care right in their communities and are finally at the center of their own health care decisions.

Giving Veterans choice didn’t mean the end of VA. Instead, we made VA more accountable and empowered VA staff to once more live up to the legacy of this department, and they rose to the occasion.

Recent studies show VA measures up to the private sector on access and quality.

Veterans liked what they saw and started voting with their feet. VA completed a record number of appointments in fiscal year 2019 – 59 million! – the same year the MISSION Act took effect. The more Veterans we served, the more Veterans trusted us. Trust in VA care hit a record high in April 2020.

VA achieved what all the experts in Washington said was impossible by rolling out a modernized health record that will make it easier than ever for health professionals to access Veterans’ medical history. No longer will Veterans have to lug boxes of paper records around, as my father did after serving in Vietnam.

We turned VA into a more welcoming place for women Veterans. VA now provides a full range of services for women Veterans and has a military sexual trauma coordinator at each of its medical centers.

We put staff, patients and visitors on notice that we have a zero-tolerance policy for sexual assault and harassment. Our ongoing campaign aimed at preventing these incidents is just one way of making a difference – another is the growing number of women we have in leadership roles who oversee our employees, 63% of which are women.

VA has tackled some of the most chronic problems facing Veterans with renewed energy. VA is working with states to reduce Veterans’ use of harmful opioids, which fell 48% over the last four years.

We’re working with local governments and companies to end Veteran homelessness. And VA is leading the effort not only to end Veteran suicide, but to begin a nationwide dialogue to prevent this tragedy among all Americans.

By the time COVID-19 hit, VA was a different organization than the one you read about in 2014 – we were ready for this mission. While the virus was a serious threat to many non-VA nursing homes, VA’s early actions to protect its most vulnerable patients resulted in far fewer infections at the homes we manage. We also used telehealth to keep in touch with patients at a time of social distancing.

VA’s performance during the crisis was so strong that 1,000 VA staff members deployed on more than 3,700 missions to assist non-VA health networks, including those that serve Native Americans.

VA has tested more than 1.3 million people for the virus and treated more than 125,000 Veterans. As of January 4, 2021, VA had administered more than 146,000 initial vaccine doses to Veterans and health care employees just a few weeks after it became available.

Before 2016, VA was falling short of Lincoln’s promise. Today, thanks to thousands of dedicated employees across the nation, VA has undergone the most transformational change seen since the end of World War II, and emerged from that process with renewed strength.

As a result, VA is now closer than ever to fulfilling the vision Lincoln had for our brave men and women who wear the uniform.

–VA Secretary Robert Wilkie

Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a “Notice of Public Rulemaking” regarding labels on E15 fuel dispensers. In the notice, the EPA proposed two potential changes to the current fuel pump labels related to E15. The first is modification of the current label and the second is removal of the label altogether. The modified label proposal contains these possible changes: Removing the “Attention” stripe along the upper right corner of the label. Removing the phrase “E15” from the label, while including the language “contains up to 15% percent ethanol”. Revising the language “Use only in” to “Safe for use in”. Revising the language “Don’t use in” to “Avoid use in”. Revising the format of the word “prohibited” such that it is not in bold and italicized type. The proposed total removal of the label would likely mean that Federal Trade Commission and the Clean Air Act regulations would have to be adjusted or accounted for. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) is concerned that either of these proposals will lead more consumers choosing the incorrect fuel for their vehicles. The MRF will submit comments to the EPA on our position in the next 90 days. Additionally, we will continue to advocate that Congress pass a law requiring strong labeling requirements. Consumers must know not only what they are putting in their vehicles, but also the potential harm different blends of fuel can do to their engines. To read the full release from the EPA click here.

About Motorcycle Riders Foundation The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) provides leadership at the federal level for states’ motorcyclists’ rights organizations as well as motorcycle clubs and individual riders. The MRF is chiefly concerned with issues at the national and international levels that impact the freedom and safety of American street motorcyclists. The MRF is committed to being a national advocate for the advancement of motorcycling and its associated lifestyle and works in conjunction with its partners to help educate elected officials and policymakers in Washington and beyond.