The Bikernet staff wants to say, “Thanks!” In a very big way, we are thankful to still be doing what we love everyday.   Just the other day a perfect stranger, a 28-year-old Redhead wandered into the shop. Honor’s friend, Megan, just broke up with her old man and needed a place to stay. All she had to her name was a rigid frame, a link to a partial Panhead engine, and pieces of a primary belt drive.   Immediately, Honor shared her space in the front of the Bikernet headquarters. Ryan McQuiston, of McQuiston’s Custom Cycles offered her a job, while she worked on transferring her electrician union standing to a local group. And the brothers in the shop checked her frame (not that one) and started to chase parts for her first bike. It’s like that with bikers all over the world. Always willing to help anyone with anything.   We are damn thankful to every Bikernet Reader, Contributor, Cantina Member and 5-Ball Customer for helping us keep the lights on, sharing the action and enjoying the ride everyday.   I wish everyone the absolute best this Thanksgiving. See you in Bonneville next year.   K.Ball Janitor 5-Ball Inc. Bandit’s Cantina Bikernet.com™

We needed to get out of Chinese Covid hell. We needed to ride, and we should ride in style. Harley-Davidson Custom Vehicle Operations has always set the gold standard of style and luxury. Because they are manufactured in a limited quantity, they always sell out. In this time of a Chinese Covid (CCQ) quarantine, a CVO may be the perfect prescription for your sequestered soul.

The 2020 CVOs have taken on a subtle, more introspective look. The CVO Street Glide is the brash bad boy of the bunch. Offered in three paint options, mine was Smokey Gray and Black Hole with 1970s-style race-inspired graphics highlighted by Gloss Black, Satin Black, and Black Onyx finishes. Fugitive wheels finished in Denim Black/Gloss Black. Gloss Black Heavy Breather air cleaner.

This bad boy is the loudest of the CVO gang this year, with a 300-watt amp powering each pair of Boom including Stage II bi-amped speakers. I can attest that anyone within earshot will know you are coming and your prefferd 600 watts of music style

All three 2020 CVOs get the Milwaukee-Eight 117 motor. This powerplant is exclusive to the CVO line. It has the highest displacement of a stock Harley-Davidson, and more power than any other Motor Company showroom engine. With an elegant blaze of red paint, the engine features an incredible color mix of accented rocker box lows. With 125 ft/lbs of torque, the M8 117 is amazing. You are looking over the top of 100mph before you blink.

An amazing array of safety features have been integrated called REFLEX™ DEFENSIVE RIDER SYSTEMS or RDRS. This new collection of technologies helps give you confidence and control in less-than-ideal situations. The systems utilize advanced chassis control, electronic brake control and powertrain technology to assist you with accelerating and braking in a straight line or while in a turn. Even a HOLD designation will lockdown a 950lb Ultra with two passengers on a San Francisco hill hands free! I suggest looking at their video online at https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/en/content/reflex-defensive-rider-systems.html

What’s more, the bike is built with the latest version of Harley Davidson-designed connect service and App, powered by cellular connectivity that’s based on a rider’s subscription. 

With this, you can check for the fuel level, receive notifications about faults and tamper alerts. You can also monitor and track a stolen vehicle. 

The bike features premium paint and finishes that have a great effect on the design of the device. It empowers the bike to produce an impregnably quality look that you don’t find among its peers out there.

With a gloss black or satin finish, H-D is built with a fugitive trademark cast aluminium wheels. The front side comes with a massive 19-inch road-worthy wheel while the rear area boasts an 18-inch finely finished wheel.

You would be amazed to hear that with as little as $40,539, you can have a brand new 2020 CVO street glide packed in your garage for instant delivery. That’s about the best price you can get in the market for a product of this perfect quality. 

   

What’s more, the bike is built with the latest version of Harley Davidson-designed connect service and App, powered by cellular connectivity that’s based on rider’s subscription. 

Chinese Harley-Davidson, Status of old motorcycles in Europe, Trade War and Tariffs on motorcycles and its parts, Off-Road Bikes on the Street and more.

Compiled & Edited by Bill Bish

National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM)

The National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM) is a nationwide motorcyclists rights organization serving over 2,000 NCOM Member Groups throughout the United States, with all services fully-funded through Aid to Injured Motorcyclist (AIM) Attorneys available in each state who donate a portion of their legal fees from motorcycle accidents back into the NCOM Network of Biker Services (www.ON-A-BIKE.com / 800-ON-A-BIKE).

Click Here to read the NCOM news on Bikernet.

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from https://communityjournal.net

The H-D Museum will remain closed to the public until at least January 3, 2021

MILWAUKEE, USA (Nov. 20, 2020) – The Harley-Davidson Museum is announcing that beginning Friday, Nov. 20, 2020, the campus will be closed to the public until at least January 3, 2021. Additionally, the H-D Museum’s Holiday Weekend Sale originally scheduled for Nov. 27-29, will be postponed to a later date to be determined.

After assessing the City of Milwaukee Order 4.2 and the ongoing COVID-19 situation, the H-D Museum has made this decision in an effort to help keep guests and staff safe. The H-D Museum team will closely monitor the situation to determine a reopening date in 2021.

The H-D Museum website (H-DMuseum.com) and social channels will continue to connect with the community through virtual gallery talks, behind-the-scenes video vignettes and more engaging stories of innovation, perseverance and adventure. Additionally, enthusiasts are invited to visit The Shop online to purchase gifts.

MOTOR® Bar & Restaurant will also close beginning Friday, November 20, including carry-out and delivery operations, and will reopen when it’s deemed safe to do so.

Guests who have already purchased H-D Museum tickets may contact our staff at Tickets@H-DMuseum.com for information about rescheduling and refund availability.

Since the H-D Museum reopened in June, safeguards and protocols – including enhanced cleaning and sanitizing procedures, installing signage to encourage social distancing, requiring face coverings for all visitors and more – have been successfully practiced for the health and well-being of our guests and staff.

About the Harley-Davidson Museum
Discover culture and history through stories and interactive exhibits that celebrate expression, camaraderie and love for the sport at the Harley-Davidson Museum. A visit to the H-D Museum is an experience that will stay with you for a lifetime. With an unrivaled collection of Harley-Davidson® motorcycles and memorabilia, a 20-acre, park-like campus, and a calendar full of activities, the H-D Museum is one of Milwaukee’s top tourist destinations for visitors from around the globe. Make your plans to visit the Harley-Davidson Museum at H-DMuseum.com.

On November 23, 1936, the first issue of the pictorial magazine Life is published, featuring a cover photo of the Fort Peck Dam’s spillway by Margaret Bourke-White.

Life actually had its start earlier in the 20th century as a different kind of magazine: a weekly humor publication, not unlike today’s The New Yorker in its use of tart cartoons, humorous pieces and cultural reporting. When the original Life folded during the Great Depression, the influential American publisher Henry Luce bought the name and re-launched the magazine as a picture-based periodical on this day in 1936. By this time, Luce had already enjoyed great success as the publisher of Time, a weekly news magazine.

–from the History Channel

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

Very few bike makers out there (and by extension car makers) are innovative enough to give birth to new families of engines that inspire generations. Harley-Davidson is one of those that are, as its powerplants were at times as famous as the bike models assembled in Milwaukee.

Say the word Knucklehead, and the mind immediately links that to Harley. And it has done so since 1936, when the engine came into the world.

Named so after the shape of valve covers, Knucklehead has come to stand for the type of motorcycles that were made in Milwaukee from 1936 to 1947, when the Panhead engine replace it. The name is still very much alive because bikes powered by this type of hardware are still a craze in the custom bike industry.

And you know that to be true when guys like Andreas Bergerforth, the main man of Thunderbike, a German custom shop specializing in Harleys, has one built for himself.

Put together close to a decade ago, the Knucklehead Project, as the garage calls this build, has all the traits of a bike of its age. Not only does it stay true to a wartime-era two-wheeler when it comes to shape and tech, but it also brings with it enough patina and beat-down stance to speak volumes about its lineage.

We’re told that for this bike to be brought back in shape, the original had to be dismantled “up to the last screw” and only then, after some love and care, put back together – there’s no mention on whether some of the hardware had to be replaced with new one.

Because this bike was built for in-house use, Thunderbike makes no mention of cost, but the Germans do say similar builds snatched back in 2012, when this one was put together, some 30,000 euros ($35,500 at today’s exchange rates), so that should give you an idea.

NCOM BIKER NEWSBYTES

Compiled & Edited by Bill Bish,

DESPITE PANDEMIC, MOTORCYCLISTS MEASURE SUCCESSES

“Even in the middle of a global pandemic, we’ve succeeded in getting pro-motorcycle legislation passed and advanced our political agenda,” said National Coalition of Motorcyclists’ Legislative Task Force Chairman Frank Ernst to open the LTF Meeting during the recent NCOM Convention in Indianapolis, Oct. 16-18, 2020.

In reviewing a legion of legislative victories over the past year, Ernst highlighted the fact that determined and resourceful bikers successfully lobbied to repeal a mandatory helmet law in Missouri and passed anti-profiling in Idaho, all the while dealing with the worldwide spread of Coronavirus and subsequent lockdowns, social distancing, travel restrictions, and related complications.

On March 18, Idaho became the fourth state since 2011, behind Washington, Maryland and Louisiana, to pass a law (S.B. 1292) restricting law enforcement from discriminatorily profiling bikers for traffic stops and investigative measures.

A few months later, on July 14, the “Show-Me” state showed the biker world how persistence and perseverance pays off by passing H.B. 1963 to repeal their helmet requirement for most adult riders 26 and older, on their fifth attempt since 1999.

Additionally, the biker lobby worked with Congress to include several motorcycle-friendly provisions in the massive $1.5 trillion infrastructure bill, H.R.2 “Moving Forward Act,” including further prohibitions against motorcycle-only checkpoints, expanding profiling restrictions based on mode of transportation or style of dress, and furthering riders’ future advisory role with Congress.  While this legislation will need a reboot with the new Congressional Session, bikers also succeeded in getting many key legislators re-elected to make the mission easier to accomplish with the new Senate and House.

Riders’ rights activists from across the country went on to present the gathering with their own examples of legal and legislative accomplishments despite the odds and obstacles.  “If we can rise above a deadly plague to effectively promote our issues, imagine what we can accomplish when life gets back to normal,” summed up Ernst to conclude the productive Convention forum.

MOTORCYCLE SALES CONTINUE TO ROLL

The good times keep rolling, as the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) reports a new-model sales increase for the third quarter this year.  Year-to-date sales of new motorcycles and scooters through September increased 10.2% compared to the same period last year.

RIDER FATALITIES CONTINUE DECLINE

Preliminary estimates of 2019 highway crash data released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in October indicate that motorcyclist deaths continue to decline even as vehicle miles traveled or VMT increases.

Motorcyclist fatalities fell 0.5% to 5,014 last year, a third consecutive year of declines in rider road deaths, amid an overall 2% decline in vehicle fatalities in 2019 (from 36,835 in 2018 to 36,096 in 2019).

RIDING OFF-ROAD BIKES ON ROAD

While some jurisdictions across the U.S. are developing new laws to allow the use of off-road vehicles on city streets, police in New Haven, Connecticut have launched a new task force specifically to identify people illegally riding dirt bikes, ATVs, or other “motorized recreational vehicles” on any public property within city limits.  That includes streets, sidewalks, parks, and playgrounds.

MICHIGAN MOTORCYCLISTS PROTEST UNFAIR INSURANCE LAW

As if riding a motorcycle wasn’t enough of a gamble, riders in Michigan now risk having an accident with a driver who chose to cap their own medical benefits at a level less than the amount the injured motorcyclist actually incurs in medical expenses.  ABATE of Michigan members and supporters gathered on the capitol steps in September to protest the state’s new automobile insurance law that limits access to lifetime medical benefits available to motorcyclists to how much coverage the car driver chose to purchase for themselves.

Previously, motorcyclists involved in an accident with an at-fault car driver would have their medical bills covered under the state’s no-fault system, known as personal injury protection coverage or PIP.  But motorcyclists no longer have the same coverages under a new law designed to drive down auto insurance rates — routinely ranked among the highest in the nation — by allowing motorists to purchase policies with limited personal injury protection benefits.

State Senator Peter Lucido (R-Macomb County) introduced legislation to rectify this dangerous defect in the system by allowing motorcyclists to file a claim against their own insurance policy.

This summer it was announced that proposed tariffs of up to 100% on motorcycles and parts imported from Europe were dropped by the U.S., and when it recently became the EU’s turn to impose extra charges on American products, motorcycles were likewise taken off the list of this ill-conceived ‘tax’ scheme stemming from a dispute over aircraft subsidies.

On October 26, the WTO gave the EU a green light to impose tariffs on American products for $4 billion per year, but on Nov 9 the European Commission published their list and motorcycles and related products were not included.

These trade sanctions would not only have negatively impacted the motorcycle sales industry, including the aftermarket equipment sector, it could have deeply affected motorcyclists who rely on imported parts for general maintenance.

This marked the third time that such irrational trade tariffs have been proposed, and once again it took an international effort of U.S. and European motorcyclists and trade industry to thwart a potentially devastating blow to the industry and marketplace.

With British Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirming a return to nationwide ‘lockdown’ since November 5th, non-essential travel such as recreational motorcycling is once again on pause in the U.K., and it has also been confirmed that all motorcycle licensing tests and training sessions are likewise suspended for the duration of the lockdown.

Motorcyclists can still use a bike for essential journeys, such as going for food and medicine or visiting someone in your support bubble, but you can’t head out for a ride with some mates.

The new lockdown has also had a wider effect on motorcycling at large, with the cancelling of all permits for events and activities such as enduros, motocross and trials events.  Any motorcycle related events will also be unable to run.  Just like the first lockdown in Spring, the government has asked all non-essential retailers to close, which includes motorcycle dealerships.

‘HOME RECYCLING’ OF OLD MOTORCYCLES IN EUROPE MAY END

Europe has rules in place for the collection and destruction of cars that have come to the end of their life, but motorcycles are currently exempt from these rules.  That may change, if it’s up to the European Commission.

According to the Federation of European Motorcyclists’ Associations (FEMA), these rules are part of the End-of-life Vehicles Directive aimed at the prevention of waste from vehicles that have come to the end of their life.  The directive also tells EU Member States to set up systems for the collection and de-registration of all end-of life vehicles, and to have all vehicles that have reached the end of their life ‘transferred to authorized treatment facilities’ to be demolished in an environmentally friendly way.

“If motorcycles were to be included in the scope of the directive, that could mean the end of so-called home recycling,” says FEMA, explaining that “recycling” of motorcycles and motorcycle parts is an integral part of motorcycle use.  “Home recycling, where you end the bike’s registration and take it apart for reuse of its parts, is a significant part of the motorcycle culture,” according to FEMA, adding that; “Home recycling helps to keep bikes on the road with used spare parts, instead of using new parts that have to be produced from raw materials.”

FEMA insists that the private reuse of motorcycle parts is one of the best ways to prevent waste and to prevent the unnecessary use of raw materials.  This way, motorcyclists play their part in the circular economy as well as being environmentally friendly.

Luckily motorcycles and other powered two-wheelers are not included in the scope of the current directive, a position that was lobbied for by FEMA when the directive was written and adopted in the late 1990s, but the European Commission now plans to revise the End-of-life Vehicles Directive (2000/53/EC) and wants to explore the need to have powered two-wheelers (motorcycles) included in the scope.

PHILLIPINE RIDER GROUP FILES CASE VS. “DOBLE PLAKA”

Motorcycle rider group, Riders of the Philippines (ROTP), has filed for a Petition for Certiorari and Prohibition against Republic Act 11235 (Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act / Doble Plaka) in hopes of receiving a favorable ruling from the court and possibly the issuance of a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) and/or writ of preliminary injunction.

CHINESE HARLEY-DAVIDSON

Harley-Davidson’s “More Roads to Harley-Davidson” plan for the future called for opening the brand to the developing consumer market in Asia, but a newly released photo from China’s Zhejiang Qianjiang Motorcycle Co., Ltd. via the Chinese Patent Office reveals a 350cc entry level parallel-twin developed in partnership.

QUOTABLE QUOTE: “The successful revolutionary is a statesman, the unsuccessful one a criminal.”

ABOUT AIM / NCOM: The National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM) is a nationwide motorcyclists rights organization serving over 2,000 NCOM Member Groups throughout the United States, with all services fully-funded through Aid to Injured Motorcyclist (AIM) Attorneys available in each state who donate a portion of their legal fees from motorcycle accidents back into the NCOM Network of Biker Services (www.ON-A-BIKE.com / 800-ON-A-BIKE).

by Ellie Honeybone from https://www.abc.net.au

You may be forgiven for assuming the world’s leading manufacturer of Ducati bevel drive engine parts would live in a bustling city, perhaps in Italy or the United States, somewhere central and close to consumers.

But in fact, this talented engineer and self-described “petrol head” lives in a tiny historic town, deep in the forests of south-west WA.

Even though shipping his handmade engine parts around the world from Nannup is a logistical nightmare, Brook Henry wouldn’t have it any other way.

A family business

Mr Henry grew up surrounded by Ducatis.

His older brothers imported and distributed the high-performance motorcycle brand in New Zealand from the late 1960s through to the 1980s.

“I spent pretty well all my time at the workshop, fixing, racing and working on Ducati bevel drive twins and singles,” Mr Henry said.

“I also did an apprenticeship outside that business as a toolmaker, but I never liked doing toolmaking and I always wanted to go back to motorcycles.”

That love of motorcycles grew and continued for the next 40 years with Mr Henry now a household name and ‘master’ in the Ducati world.

He has travelled extensively, inspected designs inside Ducati’s Bologna factory and even appeared on bike lover Jay Leno’s US television show.

After settling down first in Perth and then further south in Nannup, Mr Henry developed a business building, designing and shipping bevel drive parts, engines and complete motorcycles across the world.

Pandemic revives restoration projects

There are only so many original bevel drive Ducatis in existence, making Brook Henry’s business incredibly niche.

These bikes were built during the 1970s and 80s and made famous after legendary British champion Mike Hailwood won the Isle of Man race in 1978.

When the world went into COVID-19 lockdown during early 2020, many owners of bevel drive bikes decided it was the right time to blow off the cobwebs and reignite their restoration projects.

“I’ve never been so busy because guys who bought bevel drives put them in the back of a shed and chucked a rag over them,” Mr Henry said.

“The wives got sick of their husbands being in the kitchen and told them to go out and find something to do in the shed.

“So they went out and pulled the cover off the old Ducati bevel drive and started looking around to where they could get the parts to start putting it back together.

“Our customer base worldwide has been huge with COVID because anyone who’s got a bevel drive has gone and started working on it.”

The next chapter

In addition to supplying global customers with all the parts they need for their pandemic restorations, Mr Henry has another project in the works.

Through what he calls a “crazy set of circumstances”, he purchased the drawings for the original engine used in the late Mike Hailwood’s Isle of Man race winning bike, of which only a handful were ever made.

“We’ve actually been talked into making 12 exact replicas of Hailwood’s bike,” he said.

“We decided that we would make a limited run of them and the number we decided on was 12, because that was his racing number.”

While there will only be a dozen of these Hailwood recreations made, the engine — dubbed the ‘Ritorno’ — is available on its own with the approval of the Ducati factory.

“The business is expanding at 100 miles an hour because people worldwide want that engine and want parts for it,” Mr Henry said.

“So we’re gathering speed at a frightening rate at the moment, but I’m so passionate about it and I love what I do.”

Government funding leads to expansion

Mr Henry has big plans for expansion after receiving a $113,000 Regional Economic Development grant from the WA Government.

The investment will be used to employ more staff and purchase state of the art manufacturing equipment to build Mr Henry’s own version of the iconic bevel drive engine.

“I like to keep the outside of the engine looking the same where I can,” he said.

“And now I’ve got the opportunity to basically build my own internals and to improve on the existing engine.”

Despite being extremely busy these days, Mr Henry still enjoys the occasional ride through the scenic forest roads near his home.

“They say that motorcycles are built to transport people, but Ducatis are built to transport the soul,” he said.

“The only thing is, you do not have any control over emus and wildlife, kangaroos running out of the bush, all that sort of thing.

“So I really don’t want to hurt myself, because I’ve got too much to do — and it’s a damn shame I’m 66 and not 36.”

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

Historically speaking, the name Harley-Davidson has generally been associated with males. That’s because, for one, it is mostly males that ride them, and second, because we can’t really remember a Harley bike wearing a girl name.

But the naming policy that led to bikes being christened Iron, Street Bob (or the same Bob, only Fat), or Road King does not apply to the custom industry. It is there and only there where you can find, for instance, a Breakout called Stella.

The build by this name is the work of German custom shop Thunderbike, a regular on this scene for the past 20 years. Although the bikes the Germans make are at times incredible, the way in which they name the finished projects is sketchy to say the least. Probably knowing that, their latest customer asked for the customized Breakout he ordered to be called Stella, after his daughter.

Inspired by an older build of the garage called Mitch, Stella has been customized in the usual Thunderbike way, with a big focus on six main elements: fender, saddle, tank, wheels, fork and air ride.

Sporting an air ride suspension kit that allows for up to 10 cm height adjustment, Stella rides on custom wheels, sized 21 and 23 inches, and wrapped in Avon tires.

It looks different from stock Breakouts not only because of the above modifications, but also thanks to a host of others. The aluminum tank and rear fender were welded by hand, there’s a special and short Dr. Jekill & Mr. Hyde exhaust system on one side, and a leather saddle made to match the looks of the build.

You can have a look at all the parts used on this latest build from Thunderbike at this link. Don’t expect to get an idea of how much the project is worth, as the Germans are not in the habit of revealing that. We punched in some numbers though, as they appear in the garage’s inventory, and the around 30 different items used to complete this motorcycle amount to some 15,000 euros. That’s the equivalent of roughly $17,700 at today’s exchange rates, or dangerously close to the starting price of the bike in factory form.

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

Providing motorcycle riders with the same level of infotainment technology already available for drivers has proven to be quite a challenge. Because of the particularities of two-wheeled motoring, technologies that have been available in cars for some time now are just beginning to be adopted.

Take for instance Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which have been brought as standard to the range of bikes just this year by two of the biggest names of the industry, Harley-Davidson and Indian. And this sluggishness applies to hardware as well.

In a move that is certain to cause a stir, parts supplier Bosch announced at the beginning of the month the launch of its (and the world’s) first integrated split screen for motorcycles, but also a smartphone integration solution called mySPIN.

The screen is a TFT 10.25-inch in size that can simultaneously display relevant vehicle information, and smartphone apps content like navigation. According to Bosch, BMW motorcycles (we are not being told which ones) will be the first to use them this year (also, unclear when will BMW have time to integrate it in its bikes in the little time left until the end of 2020).

As for the mySPIN app, it was designed to work with both the split screen and the usual ones. Ducati, for instance, will deploy it together with a new 6.5-inch display without the split-screen option, and Kawasaki will follow, although we’re not told with what screen it will use.

mySPIN has been around for about two years now in the watersports segment, but now expands to motorcycles to provide “smartphone content in an integrated and easy way while riding their bike.” Using it, riders get access to a community, Dash Radio, Genius Maps and Sygic, among others.

“Our clusters in combination with mySPIN offer a new riding experience with more safety and convenience for motorcycle riders. For us, this is the next step in terms of connectivity for motorcycles,” says Geoff Liersch, President of the Two-Wheeler & Powersports unit at Bosch.