INDIAN MOTORCYCLE PARTNERS WITH INTERNATIONAL FEMALE RIDE DAY® MOVEMENT TO CELEBRATE AND EMPOWER MORE WOMEN THROUGH RIDING 14th-Annual Global Event Celebrates Female Motorcyclists with “Just Ride!” Call To Action; Indian Motorcycle Leverages Global Network to Reach Female Riders Around the World MINNEAPOLIS (August 20, 2020) – Indian Motorcycle, America’s First Motorcycle Company, has partnered with International Female Ride Day® (IFRD), a globally synchronized ride day celebrating women riders and their passion for riding. IFRD will take place Saturday, August 22, on six continents in over 120 countries. IFRD and the “Just Ride!” call to action were created in 2007 to focus on female motorcycle riders. Since then, women around the world have rallied behind the movement to celebrate and welcome the growing number of female riders. “I started IFRD to advance the awareness of women motorcycle riders and inspire women everywhere. Working with Indian Motorcycle encourages even more women to join the celebration of riding and become part of the movement,” said IFRD Founder Vicki Gray. “It is truly an experience like no other — exhilarating, liberating, and fulfilling. The female riding community is one of expanding camaraderie on the open road.” “Just Ride!” is the only requirement to participate in IFRD. Motorcyclists around the world can celebrate the day by simply getting outside for a solo ride, riding as a passenger, or riding with friends and family. Riders are also encouraged to join Indian Motorcycle, and its network of female riders and ambassadors around the globe by celebrating digitally and sharing photos on social media using the hashtags #IFRD and #InternationalFemaleRideDay. “It’s encouraging to see more and more female riders around the world riding motorcycles as a pastime, and joining the Indian Motorcycle brand,” said Pam Kermisch, Chief Customer Engagement and Growth Officer. “IFRD is an incredible movement in its unique ability to rally the cause of female riders, and more importantly, female empowerment on a global level, and that’s something we are very proud to be a part of.” No matter how or where you ride, Indian Motorcycle and IFRD encourage safe riding practices. Wear appropriate safety gear, perform pre-ride vehicle checks, and follow local and CDC guidelines for social distancing to protect against the spread of COVID-19. Visit the IFRD website to learn more, including ways to participate, helpful tips for preparing your ride and photo inspirations from previous years. For more information on Indian Motorcycle visit IndianMotorcycle.com  and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. ABOUT INTERNATIONAL FEMALE RIDE DAY® International Female Ride Day® (IFRD) is a globally synchronized ride day for women motorcycle riders. Now referred to as a “movement” by its participants, its action of “Just Ride!” asks women to be on their motorcycles, scooters or trikes on the first Saturday of May each year. Created in 2007 by Vicki Gray, a lifetime motorcycling advocate, road and race instructor – with the purpose to profile and highlight the many diverse women enjoying the activity of motorcycling. Its mission is to that of building awareness of female motorcyclists across all cultures while simultaneously encouraging other women to take up the sport. The event is managed under the MOTORESS® canopy. ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE® Indian Motorcycle is America’s first motorcycle company. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.

Hey,

You’ll see in the news, the SEMA show has been cancelled. That’s a major hit to SEMA, the aftermarket car industry and to Las Vegas. I watched a guy stand up and threaten the town of Shasta, California to open the town or get out of the way.

Life is nuts. You need to read Bill Bish’s NCOM report. According to Cycle World, motorcycle sales are up for 2020, although the economy is down, and unemployment is up. The NCOM convention is still in full swing and so is the Meeting of the Minds.

Laconia is forcing riders to wear masks. Strange times. Other than the control freaks who want to, well you know, the greatest minds in the world are trying to figure this puppy out. They will get there, but we need to hold our mud until this passes or they get a handle on it.

The Bikernet Weekly News is sponsored in part by companies who also dig Freedom including: Cycle Source Magazine, the MRF, Las Vegas Bikefest, Iron Trader News, ChopperTown, BorntoRide.com and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum. Most recently Quick Throttle Magazine came on board.

LATEST CLASSICS FROM PAUGHCO– Paughco Shovelhead Straight Cut Drag Pipes for 70 thru 84 FL Models
Paughco 1-3/4″ 40″ Long Straight Cut Shovelhead Drag Pipes

• Works with kick or electric start
• Was designed to clear factory fiberglass saddlebags or rear highway bars
• The rear pipe is an under-the transmission style
• Smooth, even mandrel bends
• Fully polished high-quality chrome-plating
• Give that custom handbuilt look to any Big Twin
• Each set includes a chrome mounting bracket
264.95

Can’t sell these puppies in California.–Bandit

SEMA cancelled–The Diamond Bar, California based Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) announced August 5 that due to COVID-19 and concerns that event facilities and services will be unavailable, the SEMA Show will not be taking place in 2020.

“While both event organizers and industry members have been working tirelessly to deliver an outstanding SEMA Show in November, mounting uncertainty has rendered continuing with the event inadvisable. SEMA expects the decision will bring much needed clarity to an uncertain picture and will help exhibitors, attendees and partners plan accordingly.”

Recent SEMA Show survey results are said to have indicated interest in a possible virtual trade show with related live elements. SEMA will be working with industry members to determine interest levels on specific alternatives.

“The SEMA Show is committed to furthering businesses in the automotive specialty equipment market, and to providing manufacturers and buyers with the best opportunity to connect, promote new products and discover new trends,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA President and CEO.

–Posted by DealerWorld

Why not have the SEMA show outdoors like Sturgis? Too bad. –Bandit

INVESTIGATION OF THE WEEK FROM THE NMA–Members of Congress Demand Answers About California DMV $50M Personal Data Sale.

When news broke about Facebook collaborating with data mining companies during the runup to the 2016 presidential election, it may have broken the damn. Now almost four years later, more citizens are raising concerns about their data and who’s sharing it.

Several members of California’s delegation to the United States Congress, including Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-13), who is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, are demanding information from the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). They say the DMV has been selling California drivers’ personal data.

According to Motherboard, a tech publication that’s part of the Vice network, the DMV generates about $50 million a year from selling drivers’ data.

“We’re troubled by press reports about the California DMV’s disclosure of vast quantities of data which could enable invasive biometric policing and be a symptom of a deeper privacy malady. The California DMV receives more than $50 million annually from selling the personal information of Californians, according to press reports. The individuals whose data are being sold are reportedly not informed of this practice or given the opportunity to opt-out.

What information is being sold, to whom it is sold, and what guardrails are associated with the sale remain unclear,” said the letter addressed to Steve Gordon, Director, California Department of Motor Vehicles. Eleven U.S. Representatives from California signed the letter. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-12) and Hon. David S. Kim, Secretary, California State Transportation Agency.

The letter also addressed concerns about data possibly being shared with federal agencies such as Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the FBI. Since California allows undocumented immigrants to gain driver’s licenses, their personal data may be used by ICE to track and deport people in the country illegally.

“What types of organizations has the DMV disclosed drivers’ data to in the past three years? In particular, has the DMV sold or otherwise disclosed data to debt collection agencies, private investigators, data brokers, or law enforcement agencies?” the letter inquired. How about spammers?

According to a statement responding to the letter, the DMV says the money generated from the data sale helps offset some of the agency’s operating costs.

The practice is not only confined to California. Both Virginia and Wisconsin DMVs also sell driver personal data. The practice is sanctioned under the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA), which was passed in the 1990s.

“In this day and age, unfortunately, government entities don’t resist the lure of selling Americans’ personal information for private exploitation. This problem will only get worse as cities, trying to be ‘smart,’ collect more information about what we do and where we go,” said Lee Tien, senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, in an e-mail to Motherboard.

–By Manny Otiko
California Black Media

Keanu Reeves Talks Filming The Matrix 4 In Berlin With Safety Protocols In Place

Film productions came to a halt following the global pandemic but recently some films in some places have been able to get back to work, and that includes the production of the fourth Matrix movie, which was in the process of moving its production from San Francisco to Germany when everything shut down. Filming in Berlin has now begun, though with a variety of new safety procedures in place.

Keanu Reeves doesn’t go into detail regarding how production has changed compared to how things might have been handled previously, but he does tell AP that the changes aren’t having a noticeable impact on the production in any way. It sounds like things are going about as smoothly as they would if there were no new protocols at all, but that seems to be because there’s been real thought put into how safety is being handled. According to Reeves…

There’s really thoughtful, effective protocols in place, and the rhythm of filmmaking has been not really impacted or interrupted. I think everyone loves the project. If you’re ever going to get into any kind of situation that needs to be figured out or, ‘How do we do this,’ show business people are the best. We’re scrappy, we know how to get stuff done, we’re inventive, think on our feet… It goes back to like, ‘Let’s put on a show’… And that spirit is definitely alive and well in The Matrix.

Keanu Reeves says that show-business people are versatile and used to having to come up with solutions to problems, and that is an incredibly valuable skill right now. Coming up with new safety protocols so that all the people on the film set are as safe as possible is one thing, but considering how variable work can be from day to day on a film set, especially for a movie like The Matrix, which we can expect will be giving us some pretty visually intense action, those safety protocols are likely being put through their paces. How to keep everybody safe in a simple dialogue scene isn’t going to be the same for a motorcycle stunt or something that has Keanu Reeves hanging from wires.

However, while safety might sometimes be more complicated on the set, Keanu Reeves says that it’s all being handled well and the creative problem solving that might be necessary on a production with no money is being used just as well to figure out how to get the necessary work done, but in a way that doesn’t put people unnecessarily at risk.

Originally set to release in May of 2021, The Matrix 4, which one assumes will get a subtitle at some point, is now set to release in April of 2022 due to the production delay as well as the need to shuffle other movies around. Godzilla Vs. Kong will now open on the film’s previous May date.

–Dirk Libbey
Cinemablend.com

Keanu Reeves is the principal behind ARCH motorcycles, and I hope to see one of Gard’s creations tearing up the screen in the next Matrix movie. Never did understand those movies…–Bandit

MEETING OF THE MINDS UPDATE–We’ve gotten a lot of questions of late following continued shutdown of some events, while others continue to operate in some capacity or other.

Indeed, some events have only very recently been cancelled, but we continue to share updates concerning registration for Meeting of the Minds, because Meeting of the Minds is not just a gathering of motorcyclists from around the Country (and sometimes the world) – it’s the Legislative Agenda setting meeting to determine on what our organization focuses and prioritizes for the next year as well as an information sharing event that regularly sparks prevention and action in our shared movement towards that lofty goal of FREEDOM.

With the state of social issues and unrest in our country, those very freedoms are being challenged daily. While now may or may not be the time for action, it’s always the time for vigilance.

While we fully realize that all of you are individuals, with your own specific concerns related to what’s going on with the Pandemic and would never second guess a personal decision (especially one related to your own health and wellbeing), I wanted to share with you a response that Fred Harrell, the Meeting of the Minds Conference Coordinator, just shared in response to a question about the state of the event. Please forward the attached email to your SSMRO leadership and membership in the hope that it may make them feel more confident or at least informed.

–Doc

Thank you for your question regarding the Meeting of the Minds Conference.

Unless there is a shutdown of events in Indiana, the 2020 Meeting of the Minds is still scheduled to take place on September 24-27, 2020.

However, with direction from the CDC, State of Indiana, Marion County, Indiana, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation, ABATE of Indiana and the Waterfront Hotel will take every precaution to ensure that face masks and hand sanitizer are readily available for Meeting of the Minds Conference attendees. Additionally, workshop areas will be sanitized between each workshop session.

We understand that these are trying and uncertain times. However, I wrote the COVID-19 compliance policy for my employer – Red Rock Harley-Davidson, I have reviewed the State of Indiana’s COVID-19 guidelines, discussed safety procedures with ABATE of Indiana and the Waterfront Hotel and feel confident that we are taking the safety and wellbeing of MOTM 2020 attendees seriously.

Beyond our efforts to be pro-active, I will not make promises that I cannot keep. I will assure you that mask/facial coverings will be available for all attendees. I cannot tell you that everyone will wear them anymore than I can tell you that everyone will use the hand sanitizer we make available to attendees. Neither can I tell you that the wearing of face masks will be mandatory. Currently, wearing of face masks is an individual choice in Indiana.

I hope I have answered your question. If you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you and I hope to see you at the Meeting of the Minds Conference.

–Fredric Harrell
Director, Conferences & Events
Motorcycle Riders Foundation

The Countdown is on for the Milwaukee Rally 2020!—
Another Rally is on…Here’s the agenda.

Milwaukee Harley-Davidson
DAY 1 – THURSDAY, SEPT 3RD
4:00 PM – BARS OPEN
4:00 PM – FANTASTIC EATS
7:00 PM – TAKE IT EASY (EAGLES TRIBUTE)

DAY 2 – FRIDAY, SEPT 4TH
LIVE MUSIC ALL DAY
11:00 AM – SHUT THE FRONT
DOOR
3:00 PM – SMART MOUTH
7:00 PM – THE NOW

DAY 3 – SATURDAY, SEPT 5TH
LIVE MUSIC ALL DAY
11:00 AM – SWEET DIEZEL
JENKINS
3:00 PM – BOOMER NATION
7:00 PM – JASMINE CAIN

DAY 4 – SUNDAY, SEPT 6TH
LIVE MUSIC ALL DAY
9:00 AM – DEALERSHIP OPENS
11:00 AM – MORNING DANCE
PARTY
5:00 PM – VINTAGE VEGAS
FT. BOBBY WAY

WEST BEND HARLEY-DAVIDSON
DAY 1 – THURSDAY, SEPT 3RD
5:00 PM – BARS OPEN
5:00 PM – FANTASTIC EATS
5:00 PM – TEN FEET TALL – ROCK

DAY 2 – FRIDAY, SEPT 4TH
LIVE MUSIC ALL DAY
10:00 AM – RICKY ORTA JR
1:00 PM – BOOMER NATION
5:00 PM – JASMINE CAIN

DAY 3 – SATURDAY, SEPT 5TH
LIVE MUSIC ALL DAY
11:00 AM – THE ITCH
3:00 PM – SIX PACK SAMMY
7:00 PM – GIMME SKYNYRD

DAY 4 – SUNDAY, SEPT 6TH
LIVE MUSIC ALL DAY
9:00 AM – DEALERSHIP OPENS
9:00 AM – MORNING DANCE PARTY
3:00 PM – KILROY

BE THERE, BE THERE, BE THERE
No ticket purchase necessary for live music. Come out and have some fun!
Fox River Harley-Davidson® | (630) 584-8000 | FoxRiverHD.com

INDIAN MOTORCYCLE RETURNS TO THE HILL WITH FTR750 FOR AMA PRO HILLCLIMB SERIES–

After More Than 80 Years Away From the Sport, Indian Motorcycle Returns to its Hill-Climbing Roots;
Enlists 10-Time AMA Pro Hillclimb Champion John Koester to Pilot FTR750 Hillclimb Race Bike

Indian Motorcycle, America’s First Motorcycle Company, today announced its participation in the upcoming AMA Pro Hillclimb Racing series, marking a return to a sport it once dominated more than 80 years ago.

Indian Motorcycle enters the 2020 series’ new Twins class armed with a modified Indian FTR750 hill climber, piloted by the company’s newest factory rider and 10-time AMA Pro Hillclimb Champion John “Flying” Koester. Regarded as one of the sport’s top riders, Koester was the first U.S. racer to win all three National AMA Pro Hillclimb titles in a single season.

“It’s an absolute honor to represent Indian Motorcycle as it makes its dramatic return to hillclimb racing on the same machine that literally changed the game for flat-track racing over the past four years,” said Koester. “We’re excited to unleash the FTR750 on the hill, with our minds firmly fixed on the ultimate goal of capturing a championship.”

Koester, along with his father and crew chief Gordy Koester, spearheaded the dramatic transformation of the FTR750 from a flat track race bike to a full-fledged hill shredder. Modifications include an extended swingarm, knobby tires, redesigned rear tail, and an upgraded Rekluse clutch to account for the increased clutch use demanded by hillclimb racing. The team also worked with S&S to design an exhaust system specific to Koester and his riding position.

“When we created the new Twins class, our intention was to attract leading OEMs like Indian Motorcycle to return to this uniquely challenging and exciting form of racing, and we couldn’t be more excited to now welcome Indian Motorcycle back to the hill for the first time in more than 80 years,” said Rob Redmann, Director of AMA Pro Hillclimb. “There is nothing like Hillclimb racing – fast, quick and exciting. We believe brands such as Indian Motorcycle will dramatically impact our ability to draw more fans and help grow this incredible sport.”

Since 1901, racing has been a part of the Indian Motorcycle DNA. Founders George Hendee and Oscar Hedstrom met at a bicycle race, and maintained their passion for speed and competition when developing the brand in its infancy. Today, Indian Motorcycle has honored its forefathers by continuing the brand’s racing prowess through various forms of racing, including flat track, landspeed, bagger racing at the upcoming, inaugural MotoAmerica King of the Baggers event, and now hillclimb.

“We are always looking for exciting and unique opportunities not only to compete, but to also demonstrate the prowess of our engineering and design teams and the capabilities of the incredible motorcycles we develop,” said Gary Gray, Vice President Racing, Service and Technology for Indian Motorcycle. “We’re not only fans of hillclimb racing, but with our brand’s history in the sport, it was a no-brainer that we’d make our return after all these years.”

QUICK, OPEN THE BANDIT’S CANTINA BAD JOKE LIBRARY— “Mr. Smith, I have reviewed this case very carefully,” the divorce court judge said, “and I’ve decided to give your wife $350 a week.”

“That’s very fair, your honor,” the now divorced husband said. “And every now and then I’ll try to send her a few bucks myself.”

–Sam Burns
Official Librarian
Bandit’s Cantina
Bad Joke Library

WORLD RIDER TV REPORT–
How are you feeling? I hope that things are starting to look a little more normal. Let me know. I continue to connect with people all over the world on my weekly Journeys Webcast. This Monday, August 17th, I bring Michnus & Elsebie Olivier to the Livestream. From South Africa, they’ve been traveling the world for the last ten years on a pair of Suzuki motorcycles. But for the last five months, they’ve been stuck in the colonial city of Sucre Bolivia.
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Our conversation will cover topics such as lessons from the road, how a six-month trip turned into a ten-year adventure, and the importance of slowing down and taking time to experience new places and people.

The webcast is free and will Livestream on Monday, August 17th, at 3 PM PST/6 PM EST. Nothing for sale. Just a great conversation and connection that gives us all a break from the insanity of news, protests, doomsday scenarios, and fear. To be sure, this journey is about hope, kindness, possibilities, and finding reasons to smile and laugh! If you haven’t watched any of my webcasts live, you’ll need to register to get a link for the room. It’s easy, just go here: register.journeyswebcast.com

I started the Journeys Webcast in April while under quarantine, sequestered, and locked down as a way to connect with people I’ve met all over the world. This week is a special episode as Steve Farber, who is a friend and fellow keynote speaker, will be streaming live with us from San Diego. We live only 20 miles apart, but in these strange times, we’ll be sharing a glass of wine and our conversation remotely instead of face to face.

REGISTER NOW, IT’S FREE: http://register.journeyswebcast.com

My idea started as a whim. Simply do a weekly live stream event where travelers, entrepreneurs, vintners, chefs, musicians, authors, speakers, and ordinary people living extraordinary lives come together for an hour of storytelling, inspiration, idea-sharing, and connection.

This is our 17th Livestream of the Journeys Webcast—they keep getting better. If you haven’t attended one yet, tune in tomorrow afternoon and see what everyone is talking about. Attendees interact with my guests via a live chat and ask questions of my guest and each other. This interaction with those watching our Livestream, adds to the fun and color of each episode. So please join us tomorrow. I would love to see you!

The first fifteen episodes of JOURNEYS brought guests from South Africa, Ecuador, Uruguay, Turkey, Mexico, Croatia, Romania, LA, Georgia, and Greece. And if you missed either of them, here are links to the YouTube replays. They’re entertaining, and you’ll enjoy watching. Be sure to like and comment if you can.

#1 Ronnie Borragerio—100 Countries. 100,000 Miles—South Africa
#2 Jeremy Kroeker & Elle West—Stuck & Quarantined In Uruguay
#3 Dr. Jeff Salz—Finding Adventure In Everything You Do—Ecuador
#4 Ryan Pyle—Future Realities for Travelers & Adventurers—Turkey
#5 Jerry D’Alessandro—From Rockstar to Holly TV & Travel Producer—Mexico
#6 Ashley Colburn—Emmy Winning TV Host & Croatian Singing Star—Croatia
#7 Oliver Bauer—They Thought He Was Crazy Moving From Germany to Romania—Romania
#8 Leon Logothetis (Kindness Diaries)—The Kindness Activist—Los Angeles
#9 Panos Kyriazis—A Greek Love Story. A Tiny Village to The Best Wine Bar—Greece
#10 Andro Barnovi—From Minister of Defense, Chief of Staff, Governor to Winemaker—Georgia
#11 Rudy Maxa—Future of Travel & Tourism Spinning Out of Control—USA
#12 Jo Rust—Beating Depression & Anxiety—The First Woman To Motorcycle Africa Solo
#13 Jack Maxwell—Booze Traveler Host On Cancer, Cannabis and Journey From Shining Shoes to World Traveling TV Host
#14 Sigtyggur Baldursson—Sugarcubes Drummer on Fishballs, Music, Iceland, and Calypso
#15 You Are My Guest — Stuck In Brazil, A Garden In Peru, Short Ribs in a Hurricane
#16 Steve Farber — Why Love Is Just Damn Good Business
In the meantime, I wish you, your family, and your close friends a safe journey through these challenging times. There is light, and there is hope, and together we can enjoy the journey. Please share this link with friends who you think would enjoy receiving updates on our weekly webcasts.

–Allan Karl
Host of Journeys Webcast & WorldRider.tv

May I ask you a favor? Please subscribe to my YouTube Channel. I’m on a “Journey” to get 1,000 subscribers, so YouTube recognizes me as a partner and will highlight my channel more often.

www.journeyswebcast.com where the replays are all available.

NAMZ WIRING EXTENSIONS--We are the Industry Standard!

When it comes to wiring extensions, NAMZ is the number #1 source in the world! That’s right, NAMZ produces about 95% of all wiring extensions sold across the globe. We also private label manufacture all types of specialized handlebar wiring extensions in all sorts of customer specified configurations. How did we dot it? It’s simple, we work really hard, have a terrific bunch of employees and own the very best, high volume harness process machines produced.

“The key is the processing equipment. We only invest in the very best, Swiss, German and American made, military-spec equipment so we can be as consistent as possible”, says NAMZ President and Founder, Jeff Zielinski. “We reduce as much of the human error elements as physically possible to prevent mistakes and reduce the pressure on our employees.

We offer speedometer extensions for all models dating back to the mid-90’s to current. Making installation simple, we install the terminals on both ends of our extensions making your life easier. And soon, we will be releasing 100% plug-n-play speedometer extensions, with an OEM female connector installed and a custom made, mating male connector! That’s right, we tooled up and made the male mating connector with wire seal and custom designed crimp terminals. No matter what you chose, NAMZ has the extensions you’ll ever need!
Find our ALL of our Extensions right here!

NEWS FROM THE HAWAIIAN CHOPPER RALLY— Built from Scratch

Checkout the Jack Daniel’s Chopper Bicycle fabricated by 808 Kustom Cycles, LLC Designed by Javen. These Kustom Chopper BIKE’s are a design build. Now taking orders, if you would like a Kustom Chopper Bicycle of your own visit www.hawaiimotorcyclerally.com.

TEXAS WEATHER REPORT— Went for a pre 9:00 am “online still” church ride, turned into 188.8 miles, so I guess I rode to Austin kinda, sorta.

I went down FM 1227 were the old abandoned Navasota drag strip is, I discovered it a few years ago back when I had the Roadglide. Not much left now, I couldn’t see the tower for the trees, I met the owner the first trip, nice guy.

Bitch neighbor complained about the noise. One of the Texas prisons is also off the same road, so anytime I go down it, I try to do it at speeds that can be heard!

Thankful I’ve never been in one, and it’s not my place to judge those who are. I also got to wondering how many miles I’ve ridden in my life, since I began legally in ‘75 and decided the answer is…not enough!

Then playing on some twisty turns I pondered on the number of folks that I’ve ridden or would ride handlebar to handlebar with? That’s a select few I have that type of trust in. Especially when you’re doing them turns!

Realized also that fancy metal thing over the air cleaner is reducing the air flow, so either it’s going away or I’ll put the one from the Road Glide on it? RG was back to all OEM components before we parted ways. So I’ve got an almost new V&H black Pro Pipe (they replaced the first one, excellent customer service) and a set of smoked add on stop/run/turn bag lights and the V&H straights that we’re on the Dyna. I need another 2015 Road Glide?

We’re already in the “feels like” 111 degrees, thankfully should cool down some after today to just regular Texas heat.

–RFR

[page break]

IT AIN’T STURGIS, BUT–
I went out to take a look. Nothing else to do around here. It ain’t Sturgis or anywhere near the rally, but a freeway ride and a cruze to California Harley-Davidson works for now.

They had a party and a bike wash. I took care of some business and was out of there before the crowd arrived. Here are a couple of photos they sent me of the Belle, a couple of shop vixens and I.

You folks be safe coming back from Sturgis. Your un-official correspondent in South Bay California.

–Gearhead
Unofficial, Official Correspondent
Bikernet.com™

NEWS FROM THE CONTROL FREAK STATE--California says its climate policies are needed to prevent heat-related illness and death.

But by trying to rely on unreliable renewables, and by shutting down both natural gas and nuclear plants, California yesterday had to cut off power — and thus air conditioning — for millions of people during a heatwave, thereby risking an increase in heat-related illness and death.

Below is my latest column for Forbes — please share!

–Michael

Why California’s Climate Policies Are Causing Electricity BlackoutsFires, Gov. Newsom, and Covid patient
Millions of Californians were denied electrical power and thus air conditioning during a heatwave, raising the risk of heatstroke and death, particularly among the elderly and sick.

The blackouts come at a time when people, particularly the elderly, are forced to remain indoors due to Covid-19.

At first, the state’s electrical grid operator last night asked customers to voluntarily reduce electricity use. But after power reserves fell to dangerous levels it declared a “Stage 3 emergency” cutting off power to people across the state at 6:30 pm.

The immediate reason for the black-outs was the failure of a 500-megawatt power plant and an out-of-service 750-megawatt unit not being available. “There is nothing nefarious going on here,” said a spokeswoman for California Independent System Operator (CAISO). “We are just trying to run the grid.”

But the underlying reasons that California is experiencing rolling black-outs for the second time in less than a year stem from the state’s climate policies, which California policymakers have justified as necessary to prevent deaths from heatwaves.

In October, Pacific Gas and Electric cut off power to homes across California to avoid starting forest fires. The utility and California’s leaders had over the previous decade diverted billions meant for grid maintenance to renewables.

And yesterday, California had to impose rolling blackouts because it had failed to maintain sufficient reliable power from natural gas and nuclear plants, or pay in advance for enough guaranteed electricity imports from other states.

It may be that California’s utilities and their regulator, the California Public Utilities Commission, which is also controlled by Gov. Newsom, didn’t want to spend the extra money to guarantee the additional electricity out of fears of raising California’s electricity prices even more than they had already raised them.

California saw its electricity prices rise six times more than the rest of the United States from 2011 to 2019, due to its huge expansion of renewables. Republicans in the U.S. Congress have pointed to that massive increase to challenge justifications by Democrats to spend $2 trillion on renewables in the name of climate change.

Even though the cost of solar panels declined dramatically between 2011 and 2019, their unreliable and weather-dependent nature meant that they imposed large new costs in the form of storage and transmission to keep electricity as reliable. California’s solar panels and farms were all turning off as the blackouts began, with no help available from the states to the East already in nightfall.

Electricity from solar goes away at the very moment when the demand for electricity rises. “The peak demand was steady in late hours,” said the spokesperson for CAISO, which is controlled by Gov. Gavin Newsom, “and we had thousands of megawatts of solar reducing their output as the sunset.”

The two blackouts in less than a year are thus strong evidence that the tens of billions that Californians have spent on renewables come with high human, economic, and environmental costs.

California’s anti-nuclear policies also contributed to the blackouts. In 2013, Gov. Jerry Brown forced a nuclear power plant, San Onofre, in southern California to close. Had that plant still been operating, there almost certainly would not have been blackouts on Friday as the reserve margin would have been significantly larger. The capacity of San Onofre was double that of the lost generation capacity that triggered the blackout.

California’s current and former large nuclear plants are located on the coast, which allows for their electricity to travel shorter distances, and through less-constrained transmission lines than the state’s industrial solar farms, to get to the coastal cities where electricity is in highest demand.

There has been very little electricity from wind during the summer heatwave in California and the broader western U.S., further driving up demand. In fact, the same weather pattern, a stable high-pressure bubble, is the cause of heatwaves, since it brought very low wind for days on end along with very high temperatures.

Things won’t be any better, and may be worse, in the winter, which produces far less solar electricity than the summer. Solar plus storage, an expensive attempt to fix problems like what led to this blackout, cannot help through long winters of low output.

California’s electricity prices will continue to rise if it continues to add more renewables to its grid, and goes forward with plans to shut down its last nuclear plant, Diablo Canyon, in 2025.

To manage the increasingly unreliable grid, California will either need to keep its nuclear plant operating, build more natural gas plants, or pay ever more money annually to reserve emergency electricity supplies from its neighbors.

After the blackouts last October, Gov. Newsom attacked PG&E Corp. for “greed and mismanagement” and named a top aide, Ana Matosantos, to be his “energy czar.”

“This is not the new normal, and this does not take 10 years to solve,” Newsom said. “The entire system needs to be reimagined.”

Michael Shellenberger is a Time Magazine “Hero of the Environment,” and president of Environmental Progress, an independent research and policy organization. He is the author of Apocalypse Never: Why Environmental Alarmism Hurts Us All. Follow him on Twitter @ShellenbergerMD.

Michael Shellenberger

President, Environmental Progress
2569 Telegraph Avenue,
Berkeley, CA 94704

BANDIT’S CANTINA BAD JOKE LIBRARY IS WIDE OPEN– HARD WORK…
Every morning, the CEO of a large bank in Manhattan walks to the corner where a shoe-shine is always located.

He sits on the couch, examines the Wall Street Journal, and the shoe-shine gives his shoes a shiny, excellent look.

One morning the shoeshine asks the Executive Director:

– What do you think about the situation in the stock market?

The Director asks in turn arrogantly:

– Why are you so interested in that – that topic?

“I have a million dollars in your bank,” the shoeshine says, “and I’m considering investing some of the money in the capital market.”

– What’s your name? –Asks the Director.

– John Smith H.

The Director arrives at the bank and asks the Manager of the Customer Department:

– Do we have a client named John Smith H.?

– Certainly –answers the Customer Service Manager–, he is a highly esteemed customer. He has a million dollars in his account.

The Director comes out, approaches the shoeshine, and says:

– Mr. Smith, I ask you this coming Monday to be the guest of honor at our board meeting and tell us the story of your life. I am sure we will have something to learn from you.

At the board meeting, the Executive Director introduces him to the board members:

– We all know Mr. Smith, who makes our shoes shine in the corner; But Mr. Smith is also our esteemed customer with a million dollars in his account. I invited him to tell us the story of his life. I am sure we can learn from him.

Mr. Smith began his story:

– I came to this country fifty years ago as a young immigrant from Europe with an unpronounceable name. I got off the ship without a penny. The first thing I did was change my name to Smith. I was hungry and exhausted. I started wandering around looking for a job but to no avail. Suddenly I found a coin on the sidewalk. I bought an apple. I had two options: eat the apple and quench my hunger or start a business. I sold the apple for two dollars and bought two apples with the money. I also sold them and continued in business. When I started accumulating dollars, I was able to buy a set of used brushes and shoe polish and started polishing shoes. I didn’t spend a penny on entertainment or clothing, I just bought bread and some cheese to survive. I saved penny by penny and after a while, I bought a new set of shoe brushes and ointments in different shades and expanded my clientele.

I lived like a monk and saved penny by penny. After a while I was able to buy an armchair so that my clients could sit comfortably while cleaning their shoes, and that brought me more clients. I did not spend a penny on the joys of life. I kept saving every penny.

A few years ago, when the previous shoe-shine on the corner decided to retire, I had already saved enough money to buy his shoeshine location at this great place.

Finally, three months ago, my sister, who was a whore in Chicago, passed away and left me a million dollars.

–from El Waggs

BIKERNET UNIVERSITY ENGLISH DEPARTMENT VOCABULARY LESSON OF THE WEEK–
vicarious
[ vahy-kair-ee-uhs, vi- ]
Adjective

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF VICARIOUS?
The adjective vicarious comes from the Latin adjective and noun vicarius “substituting, taking the place of another; one who takes over for or from another, a replacement or successor.”

Vicarius is formed from the noun vicis (a genitive singular—the nominative singular does not occur) “a recurring occasion, a turn; an interchange or alternation,” and the adjective suffix –arius, completely naturalized in English as –ary. Vicarius regularly becomes vicaire, vicar(e) in Old French, and vicar(e), vicair(e) in Middle English, with many meanings, including “one delegated with apostolic authority, such as a priest or the pope; a priest appointed to a parish in place of the regular priest or parson.” Vicarious entered English in the 17th century.

HOW IS VICARIOUS USED?
Laying a sleeping bag on the hard metal floor of a rail car as it rumbles down the tracks is not for those accustomed to creature comforts. Yet his photographs of this life-on-the-edge experience illicit a vicarious thrill.

ALEXA KEEFE, “NOT YOUR TYPICAL TRAVELOGUE: A PHOTOGRAPHER’S TRAIN-HOPPING ADVENTURES,” NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, SEPTEMBER 28, 2015

Track and field are some of the most exciting events in the Olympic Games, but after the weeks of hype, the events themselves are so short … that it seems like they’re over before a casual fan has time to get a vicarious adrenaline rush.

ELSPETH REEVE, “GET TO KNOW THE U.S. OLYMPIC TRACK AND FIELD TEAM THROUGH GIFS,” THE ATLANTIC, JULY 24, 2012

felt or enjoyed through imagined participation in the experience of others: a vicarious thrill. 

LIFESTYLE CYCLES DEAL OF THE WEEK–2017 Harley-Davidson FXDLS – Low Rider S for $18,995.00
See it here: https://www.lifestylecycles.com/default.asp?page=xPreOwnedInventoryDetail&id=9230479

This bike is a great looking Dyna with low miles the Magnum Gold rims set off the Brown seat

ONLY 5851.00 Miles !!!!!

2017 Vivid Black Harley-Davidson DYNA LOW RIDER (S) Screaming Eagle Twin Cam 110

Some of the features/Add-on’s on this bike

* Screaming Eagle® Twin Cam 110
* 6-speed
* Blacked-out, Shotgun 2-1-2 collector exhaust with dual mufflers
* Front brakes: Single disc. ABS, 4-piston fixed.
Rear brakes : Single disc. ABS, 2-piston torque-free floating
* Speedo and tachometer mounted in a wrinkle black console mounted on the tank with a black trim ring,
High beam, directional light bar, neutral, low oil pressure, engine diagnostics, turn signals, security system(optional), 6-speed, low fuel warnings
* Wheels: Magnum Gold, Split 5-Spoke Cast Aluminum Front tire:100/90-B19
Rear tire: 160/70-B17

This bike has passed Lifestyle Cycles rigorous 101 point safety and mechanical inspection. Whether your looking to commute to work, ride the coast or take that dream vacation, this bike is ready to go!!!

*******************90 day/1000 mile in house limited warranty!****************************************

EZ FINANCING-SHIPPING AVAILABLE!!!

Fill out an online application and ride today!!!

**Open 7 days a week**

***90 day/1000 mile in house limited warranty!

Just $18,995.00 at Lifestyle Cycles (714) 490-0155

THERE ARE STILL SOME CLASS MAGAZINES AROUND-– TRJ #84: A First Look

This summer has been a whirlwind. As the global pandemic continues, we are excited to announce that Rodder’s Journal #84 is at the printer in the final stages of production. Of all the issues we’ve published, this one is without question one of our favorites.

Our feature cars span the traditional hot rod and custom spectrum, ranging from Norm Grabowski’s restored “Kookie Kar” to Barry Lobeck’s flamed ’40 Ford coupe wearing its original lacquer from the “Street is Neat” era.

There’s the Panella Trucking Willys Gasser and a hot rod F-100 pickup built by a talented high schooler. In addition to the cars, we have our first-ever custom upholstery scrapbook that showcases veteran Texas trimmer Vernon McKean, a Missouri hot rodding retrospective with Bob Rothenberg, a tour of Mercury Charlie’s shop, and a colorful profile on surf artist Eddy Y. It’s a carefully curated mix, and we’d like to think it’s a great escape from all that’s happening in the world today.

We’ll have a more detailed look down the line, but we figured we would kick off the week with a glimpse inside TRJ #84. To subscribe or renew, click here, or give us a call at (800) 750-9550 in North America or (804) 496-6906 internationally.

Cheers!
Your Friends at The Rodder’s Journal

YOUR VOICE, YOUR CHOICE: Our Nation’s Leadership is Counting on You to Register to Vote!

Campaign season has taken on a unique look this year. Not even the presidential election has been able to escape the winds of change. As the nation copes, those running for public office have been forced to connect with voters remotely by holding virtual events instead of traditional in-person appearances. What began with more than a dozen candidates has been narrowed to two: incumbent President Donald Trump, the Republican, and former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee. Not only will Americans choose the nation’s next president, but voters will also elect all 435 members of the U.S. House, 35 U.S. senators, 13 governors and thousands of state and local leaders too. With the finish line on the horizon, there is no better time to prepare for and fulfill our civic duty as Americans.

Voter Information
Election day will be here quickly. Regardless of circumstances impacting the polls on November 3, options are available to vote early or by absentee ballot. The Voter Information tool at semaSAN.com/SEMAvotes provides you with information on your state’s voting dates and deadlines. In advance, find out if your state and federal representatives are affiliated with the hobby-friendly, SAN-supported caucuses at semaSAN.com/StateCaucus and semaSAN.com/FederalCaucus. Locate your elected officials under the “Legislators” tab at semaSAN.com.

Why wait? Take action today by planning to vote! On behalf of our beloved hobby, take part in our democracy and make your voice heard in November’s election.

NEWS FROM THE TWISTED ROAD– So you’ve booked that beautiful Panigale for a week on the West Coast, your airplane ticket is paid for, and now you just need to get your gear from wherever here is, to there. This takes some simple planning, and—unless you want checked bag fees—a willingness to play pack mule.

I have both the pleasure and the pain of a nine-to-five that requires very frequent travel, usually domestically, and sometimes abroad. The pleasure part usually involves turning my free time on these business trips into motorcycle adventures.

I’ve ridden a ZX-6R down the PCH, been a hooligan through parts of Chicago I shouldn’t have on a Scrambler 803, experienced the worst rain ever in Manchester, UK on a Street Triple RS, and ridden coast to coast twice in Scotland on BMWs. For each of these trips, I’ve utilized the same method of getting my gear to and fro, and truth be told it’s not too challenging.

My first recommendation is to invest in a good duffel, preferably one designed to take a beating. I opted for the ritzy Velomacchi Speedway Duffel and haven’t regretted it, but there are a lot of options out there; peruse the luggage section of any motorcycle gear website. For shorter trips you may be able to get away with a larger backpack.

If you’re bringing a duffel, make sure you have a way to tie it down to a bike, and test it at home first. Don’t wait until you’re picking up the bike to figure it out. (Trust me, you’ll thank yourself for that!) Now, you can pack all your clothes and essentials in a roller if you want, but make sure you’ve already arranged for bike pickup and drop-off that doesn’t require strapping the thing to the bike.

What you’ll likely discover as you’re packing your gear is not all of it will fit in just your duffel or backpack, or even a duffel and backpack. Helmets take up a lot of space, as do jackets. Airlines will allow you to carry your helmet onboard as a second bag, and sometimes they’ll let it go as a third. Flight attendants and gate agents seem to understand this is not a thing you want to risk checking. Most airline policies regarding this state only two carry-ons. I do not endorse breaking this policy, do so at your own risk; I can only speak to my experiences.

Consider wearing your jacket to save space in the bags, and store it in the overhead bin. Take the armor out of your jacket and pants to consolidate space in the bags. Moto-specific pants don’t take up too much more space than normal pants, and gloves are small and easily accommodated.

Last thing to consider is the weather at your destination; I’ve worn a 3-season suit through Heathrow because I was going to be gone for 10 days and underestimated my luggage space. It wasn’t comfortable, but it is allowed. Just be prepared to answer a lot of questions and get a lot of stares.

This is clearly not exhaustive, but it should provide a good starter guide. No two people pack the same, you’ll find what works for you, and what doesn’t.

–from the Twisted Road Team

KEEP THE BANDIT’S CANTINA BAD JOKE LIBRARY OPEN AND MASK FREE-– Good-bye Grandpa
A father put his 3-year old daughter to bed, told her a story and listened to her prayers which ended by saying, “God bless Mommy, God bless Daddy, God bless Grandma and good-bye Grandpa.”

The father asked, ‘Why did you say good-bye Grandpa?’

The little girl said, “I don’t know daddy, it just seemed like the thing to do.”

The next day grandpa died. The father thought it was a strange coincidence.

A few months later the father put the girl to bed and listened to her prayers which went like this, “God bless Mommy, God Bless Daddy and good-bye Grandma.”

The next day the grandmother died.

“Holy crap” thought the father, “this kid is in contact with the other side.”

Several weeks later when the girl was going to bed the dad heard her say, “God bless Mommy and good-bye Daddy.”

He practically went into shock. He couldn’t sleep all night and got up at the crack of dawn to go to his office. He was nervous as a cat all day, had lunch and watched the clock. He figured if he could get by until midnight he would be okay. He felt safe in the office, so instead of going home at the end of the day he stayed there, drinking coffee, looking at his watch and jumping at every sound. Finally midnight arrived; he breathed a sigh of relief and went home.

When he got home his wife said, “I’ve never seen you work so late. What’s the matter?”

He said, “I don’t want to talk about it, I’ve just spent the worst day of my life.”

She said, “You think you had a bad day, you’ll never believe what happened to me. This morning my golf pro dropped dead in the middle of my lesson!”

–EL WAGGS
Senior Joke Investigator
Bandit’s Cantina
Bad Joke Library

URGENT: TELL THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR TO SPEND MONEY APPROPRIATED BY CONGRESS TO SAVE THE BONNEVILLE SALT FLATS
DON’T DELAY! Please urge the Secretary of the Interior to allocate the Restore Bonneville program funds as directed by Congress:

Overview: The U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the Utah Department of Natural Resources agreed in April 2020 to create a “Restore Bonneville” program. The U.S. Congress has appropriated money in the BLM’s Fiscal Year 2020 budget to start the program. However, the U.S. Department of the Interior has not released the funds which are subject to a Sept. 30, 2020 deadline. Please urge the Secretary of the Interior to allocate the Restore Bonneville funds as directed by Congress.

The once 13-mile racetrack at Bonneville is now less than 8 miles due to salt erosion. The Restore Bonneville program will help protect the historic venue by increasing the volume of salt being pumped onto Bonneville to over 1 million tons a year. This will be accomplished by upgrading the infrastructure currently used to pump around 300,000 tons a year. The land-speed racing community has worked with lawmakers, regulators, and the potash mine owner to create the program.

MORE PIPE OPTIONS FROM PAUGHCO– BUILD YOUR OWN PIPE SETS
$270.95

Starting at $24/mo with Affirm. Prequalify now

Build Your Own Pipe Sets

The ‘Build Your Own Pipe’ program features comprehensive kits that include everything you need to fabricate your own 1¾”-diameter custom exhaust system. Drawing on their many years of experience, the guys in the Paughco pipe bending shop came up with these combinations of tubing sections for each engine type. The Shovelhead kit includes weld-on flanges for stock HD heads, and weld-on 3-bolt flanges for S.T.D. aftermarket cylinder heads. Evolution Big Twin and Sportster engines and Twin Cams.

NEWS FROM THE MASTER OF LIGHT–Artist David Uhl

We are home from Sturgis and are happy to report that we had a very successful trip. Many thanks to those who stopped in and supported David’s program!

We will begin shipping Sturgis commemorative pieces in the next week or so.

You can see those pieces on our website here:

https://www.uhlstudios.com/fine-art/collections/sturgis-commemorative/

We had a great time in Deadwood, reconnecting with many friends and adding several others to that list. The weather was beautiful and it was great to see so many smiling, happy faces!

Thanks again and have a great week!

–Greg Rhodes
International Sales Director

Uhl Studios
15801 W. Colfax Avenue
Golden, CO 80401
303-913-4840

IT’S NUTS I TELL YA—Life is crazy and the Covid hasn’t helped. This country has been through a great deal throughout history, and it will continue to survive and flourish. We may need to kick some ass along the way.

A brother contacted me about a typewriter for his daughter. She wants to write music. WTF? But of course, I’ll help.

We have a Girl of Bikernet coming shortly from Barry Green. Kaytie works for a dealership and bartends at a local bar. She’s all about riding and the lifestyle. Hang on!

I’m working with Danial James on some art for our Chinese whorehouse in Deadwood. It took into the 1980s before the control freaks shut down the last brothel in Deadwood.

Bill Wall made me this fantastic vest, while I still worked at Easyriders. After I left, I didn’t feel it would be cool to wear it. But now, it has a place of honor and history in the Deadwood joint.

Here’s the gang who helped haul the Peashooter into the Deadwood living room. That’s Dr. Hamster, Commander Edge and George, the boss.

Around the Corner Danial James touched up Adrian’s Softail. He might sell it, since we got him a beautiful 2015 Chieftain.

Jerry’s brother-in-law makes these used tire clocks. Jerry did the tile work in Deadwood and got me one for the shop. Tread is a tad low. 

Never dull around here. We worked hard on republishing my first book, Prize Possession. I received my first batch of copies this week. Hopefully, they will be for sale shortly in the shop.

Hang on and continue to ride free, goddammit.

–Bandit

Let’s Ride Sweepstakes Offers Additional Weekly Prizes

 

MILWAUKEE (August 20^th, 2020) – For over 117 years, the experience of two wheels is Harley-Davidson’s contribution to the world to bring people together and help riders experience freedom for the soul. Now, more than ever, Harley-Davidson is showcasing the power of riding with the Let’s Ride Challenge.

 

Through riding-related activities, participants earn entries for a chance to win prizes celebrating the community and spirit of two wheels including the grand-prize custom 2020 Low Rider® S motorcycle and weekly drawings for additional prizes.

 

Grand Prize Low Rider S Features

The Grand Prize is a one-of-a-kind 2020 Low Rider S that pays homage to the iconic 1980 FXB Sturgis motorcycle model. The styling team spent significant effort to capture the nostalgic spirit of the original motorcycle conceived by Willie G. Davidson with added touches that fuse current coastal-inspired performance and styling trends.

 

• Custom painted bodywork and   front and rear wheels that are replenished in black and feature an iconic orange pinstripe. Features stylized maps of Sturgis that showcase epic motorcycle rides from every direction of the city laid out on the tank and fenders. The artwork itself is faded out across each part and their full detail is unlocked only after further exploration. Outer fairing and side cover feature hand-painted detailing.

 

• The seat and backrest are trimmed with buffalo leather, a nod to the West and the spirit of Sturgis.  A custom Sturgis-embroidered logo and hangtag call out the first year of the rally, 1938.  The orange detailing on the seat ties it to the rest of the motorcycle to give it the full custom treatment.

 

• The motorcycle features a bevy of chrome Harley-Davidson® Parts & Accessories that contrast with black paint including chrome Screamin’ Eagle® Street Cannon Mufflers, header shields, fender struts, turn signals, mirrors, fuel caps, and mid control mounts, and brake pedal.

 

• A black Single-Sided Swingarm Bag, Holdfast sissy bar, Layback license plate holder, and Softail Quarter Fairing provide enhanced touring comfort and convenience while combining classic and coastal looks in one evocative package.

 

• The 2020 Low Rider S features potent performance modifications to make every run to the rev limiter a rush including orange Screamin’ Eagle® 10MM Phat Spark Plug Wires, Stage IV 117 Kit, and Street Cannon mufflers.

 

 

Let’s Ride Challenge

Riders can earn entries to win the custom 2020 Low Rider S motorcycle and other prizes by participating in the following:

 

• Join the Let’s Ride Challenge at (MERKEL LINK) to earn 5 entries

 

• Join the Let’s Ride challenge on the Harley-Davidson® app and track miles
  • Ride 0 – 600 miles to earn 5 entries
  • Ride 601-1200 miles to earn an additional 5 entries

 

• Demo Harley-Davidson® motorcycles
  • Demo a Harley-Davidson® motorcycle for 5 entries
  • Take a second demo ride for an additional 5 entries

 

• Take Riding Academy and learn to ride to earn 15 entries

 

In addition, every week a winner will be randomly selected to win an assortment of Harley-Davidson™ General Merchandise and a Yoder Smokers™.

 

Enter the challenge and explore all the ways to win at H-D.com/LetsRide.

 

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.  A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.  LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES (D.C.) 18 YEARS OR OLDER.  VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Sweepstakes ends 8/31/2020. For Official Rules, alternate method of entry, prize descriptions and odds disclosure, visit www.H-D.com/LetsRide.  Sponsor: Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Inc., 3700 W. Juneau Ave, Milwaukee, WI  53208.

Motorcycle specific fatality markers petition that was done last year did not amount to anything !!! So here is a petition to our Governor Matt Mead to help  make the road side fatality markers specific for motorcycles !!!!!

This will let people know that a marker represents  a motorcycle fatality and in there subconscious mind they will be thinking about motorcycles. I’m not giving up !!!!

This is an inexpensive way to make people more aware  of motorcycles, therefore raising awareness to the safety of motorcyclist on the road !!!!

Every year the automotive industry adds more safety features to autos, cameras, airbags, backup sensors, etc.  A motorcycle specific marker is a potential safety feature. It’s simple and can save the life of a friend, mother, father, brother or a sister. Everyone sees the markers now and thinks to themselves I wonder what happened?  So let’s inform them wherever a motorcycle was involved !!!

Governor Matt Mead please look into this and help make it happen. Wyoming has way too many motorcycle fatalities every year. Most of them can be avoided  by making people more aware with the motorcycle specific markers. They will be constant reminders throughout the state, no matter what road you travel !!!!!

–Fallen Biker

Our goal is to reach 100 signatures and we need more support. You can read more and sign the petition here:

http://chng.it/xc5zqB5gH6

Bikers Are an Amazingly Strong Group and Understand the Benefits of Freedom

The Bikernet Weekly News is sponsored in part by companies who also dig Freedom including: Cycle Source Magazine, the MRF, Las Vegas Bikefest, Iron Trader News, ChopperTown, BorntoRide.com and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum. Most recently Quick Throttle Magazine came on board.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE WEEKLY NEWS ON BIKERNET

Join the Cantina – Subscribe Today

https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

by Susanna Schick from https://cleantechnica.com

Like many CleanTechnica readers, Marlio Escobar wanted an electric motorcycle, but not an ugly, expensive one. He wanted a cool electric motorcycle that fit within his budget. So he built one. And he’ll build you one too. Marlio takes vintage motorcycles (sometimes nothing more than an old frame!) and remakes them into cool electric motorcycles. He looked at the prices of electric motorcycles and thought “there’s no way I’m spending that much money on a bike I can build!” The first one cost him $60,000 to build, but now he builds them for $5,000. That cost includes the motorcycle, because vintage bikes are practically given away thanks to a dearth of parts. He bought a Honda CB200 frame for $100. But he will happily fix any bike, vintage to modern. Marlio has even converted a Suzuki Hayabusa.

Four years ago, Marlio started this endeavor to save on gas money. He wanted something that would get him to and from work, a 60-mile commute round-trip. At first, he planned to build an electric bicycle for this purpose. As part of that project, he went to get a tire changed on a set of electric hub wheels. The mechanic was interested in his project and invited him to build an electric motorcycle together for display at the Philadelphia auto show. And now Marlio has kits that can work on many frames, to make an electric motorcycle capable of up to 200 miles per charge at 75-80mph. The Kawasaki Ninja 250 he converted is now a 550-pound electric beast. Marlio explains that by keeping the gearbox, he gets 40-50 lbs of torque per gear, which helps enormously with the range. This is on a 3 kW motor with a 4-speed transmission capable of a 90-mph top speed. Here is his video of that conversion. Specs are below.

His kit for the CB200 was a little different, as he wanted to make it look appropriate to the vintage motorcycle. The motor is a hub motor, 8 kW 105 Ah, which matches the look of the rear wheel’s drum brake. His converted electric CB200 can blow away the 1/8th mile in four seconds, according to Marlio. To make it home after that run, just dial down the torque with the app and get 80-90 miles of range out of it. Marlio built this CB200 in just a few days.

Marlio enjoys talking to people about what they want. He wants to bring custom electric motorcycles to the masses, to show people how to put it together and customize their build. Since the biggest concern with electric motorcycles is range, he wanted to be able to beat that. So he built a kit capable of getting up to 200 miles of range at highway speeds by minimizing the amps it uses. Marlio mentioned that a Zero is pulling 200-300 amps no matter what you’re doing, so the range is not ideal. I asked if he had an app like my Zero does. There is indeed an app for that. He developed an app which enables the owner to modify the watts, amps, and regenerative braking. When I asked him how he got into this, he told me he’s a big battery whiz and was interested in figuring out density and output, always looking for the ideal battery. He just played around with it while consulting for a battery company. Now he’s really into green energy and has his own green energy/development company. He works with developers on creating solar-powered buildings. Follow the adventures of DIY Guy and see what else he builds on YouTube and on Instagram.

Marlio would like to thank the following people for helping him bring his dream to life:

Raul, owner of Electric Motorsport in California, for moving him toward electric motorcycles and walking him through his first build.

Ambler EV in Ambler, PA that specializes in EV conversions for allowing Marlio to work out of their shop.

ASI technology in Canada produces some of the best controllers on the market and helped him to develop the right controller. Their product is great because you can change your power specs on the fly through their app.

Escobar CB200 specs:

CB200 frame
GXSR 600 front forks
ASI Bosch BAC8000 controller
3 LG chemical batteries
1 kWh
8 kW hub motor
70 mph top speed
80 miles of range

Escobar Blue Ninja specs:

Kawasaki Ninja 250
ASI Bosch BAC8000 controller
86v 480 a123 26650 cells
2 kWh
8 kW hub motor
85 mph top speed
50 miles of range
3.9 seconds in the 1/8 mile

The coronavirus pandemic has curtailed many pastimes, but motorcycling remains a great way for people to recreate, travel, and commute because it’s naturally a social-distancing activity. This is something the MIC continues to share with mainstream media journalists and influencers, and it’s getting results.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writer Anthony Conroy had that idea in mind with his review of the Honda CB650R, in an article that ran online and in print, with the headline:

Motorcycle review: COVID blues? Honda’s ‘neo sports-cafe’ will turn that frown upside-down

By Anthony Conroy, Pittsburg Gazette

Isolation? Check. Face mask? Check. Distance between yourself and others? Check. COVID-19 preparation? Guess again.

When it comes to motorcycling, there’s no need for coronavirus concerns. And with Honda’s CB650R at our disposal, very little time was spent indoors, as the Honda checks all the right boxes in putting space between yourself and others.

American Honda, based in Torrance, California, was kind of enough to lend the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette a 2019 model (don’t expect many changes from the 2020 version) and we used that time exploring Pittsburgh’s rugged streets and beyond.

The CB650R is Honda’s middleweight offering for a style of bike the manufacturer calls a “neo sports-cafe.” It’s a name that hearkens back to the days of street racers buzzing from cafe to cafe in the English countryside, but unlike many of bikes from the 1950s and ’60s, the CB is a modern example of refinement. As a daily commuter, it was even, dare we say, gentlemanly.

The bike is powered by a 649cc, liquid-cooled, inline-four cylinder engine whose power was predictable — in the best possible way — and manageable. New riders will appreciate that most, as it inspires confidence. Experienced riders will find the engine so compliant, they’ll be tempted to tap into their inner daredevil.

When upping the pace, life best exists between 6,200 rpm and a redline that stops just short of 13,000. The biggest smiles are found in third and fourth gear, where the gearing and estimated 85 horsepower are best exploited. However, the bike’s power delivery seems smoothest in the mid-range and the 6-speed gearbox is ratioed accordingly.

For riders who insist on having more power, the 650’s bigger brother, the CB1000R, might be a better option. But the 650, whether it’s commuting to work or touring on the highway, is more than capable and in no way underwhelming.

Once off the throttle, the CB is slowed at the front wheel by two radially mounted, four-piston Nissin brake calipers, whose function was smooth — no bites or grabbiness. A stock slipper clutch meant less engine braking, but downshifts were seamless. No wheel-hop when braking aggressively for stops at the local 7-Eleven.

Of course, the overall package is only enhanced by handling that Honda’s engineers nailed. Even with a bigger rider like myself, the 450-pound CB requires only the lightest steering inputs to lean into turns and goes exactly where you want it to go.

Smiles were abundant while blasting up Sycamore Street to Mount Washington, dodging joggers along Stone Manse Drive — a short, isolated but favored stretch in South Park — and scooting around Riverview Park and Observatory Hill.

The bike’s all-around abilities shone on a ride to Tionesta, Pennsylvania, and the Allegheny National Forest, a chilly trip that included highway miles and back-country twisties. On that particular journey, a gas tank slightly larger than the standard 4.1-gallon unit would’ve been welcomed, but I never had an issue getting to the next stop.

Ergonomically, the bike was generally comfortable, with a seat that is plush compared to the other Japanese bikes in its class. The reach to the grips puts the rider in a sporty position — sportier than Yamaha’s FZ lineup, less aggressive than Kawasaki’s Z models and more in tune with Suzuki’s GSX-S line. The seat height is 31.9 inches, and women and riders under 5-foot-5 will appreciate how narrow the seat is at the tank. That waspiness allows for better reach to the ground.

Since Honda is trying to keep the CB650R affordable (MSRP is $9,000) for younger riders, that means the bike comes with little frills when it comes to electronic rider aids. In other words, there are no engine power modes. Traction control adjustability has two options: on and off. Honda was kind enough to include a toggle button, accessible with the left index finger, to activate the traction control.

The TC kicked in just once — that I’m aware of — during my stint aboard the CB. In third gear on West Liberty Avenue, I rode over a wet tar snake at lean. There was a slight loss in grip followed by a super-quick engine hiccup. I can only assume that hiccup — an electronic cut in power — was the TC kicking in and helped keep my keister from hitting the roadway. Thank you, Honda.

The CB also lacks adjustable front suspension. Optional ABS is available for about $200 more and is standard on the 2020 model. (Ours was ABS-equipped, but was not tested.)

Useful information — including speed, fuel, fuel mileage and warning lights — is relayed to the rider via a cellphone-sized and -shaped LCD display that was easily readable in both harsh sunlight and at night.

Aesthetically, the bike generally avoids a lot of the funky styling points seen on other motorcycles in the standard/naked classification. An instantly noticeable detail is the LCD ring that encircles the headlight. Bronze-colored details can be found on the fork tubes, wheels and engine cases and pair well with the Honda’s “chromosphere” red paint.

However, Honda’s designers seemed to do the CB a disservice by covering the most eye-pleasing part of the bike with the ugliest part: the radiator obscures the headers of four gorgeous exhaust pipes that wrap underneath the motorcycle.

Unless that’s a deal-breaker, consider it a minor flaw in an otherwise wonderful achievement: Honda has built a middleweight bike whose potential can be appreciated by riders of all shapes, sizes and experience levels.

First Published June 23, 2020

This morning I struggled to find the right words to describe how much I miss serving alongside YOU, our volunteers, and being part of something truly special — meaningful engagements that strengthen and unite communities. But then the right words came. As I scrolled through my Facebook feed, post after post, I saw the extraordinary impact that Operation Gratitude made a year ago today. From Nashville and Bristol in Tennessee all the way to Baltimore our team did what we do best — we made important connections between those who serve and the citizens they protect. A year ago today we provided opportunities for Americans across the country to express appreciation in a hands-on way. And we went a step further. Our volunteers were able to say “thank you for your service” in person, directly to active duty service members and their families, veterans, and first responders in the communities where they live and work. In return, they heard a local hero respond with the words, “thank you for your support.” And we didn’t stop there. Those five simple words, in both directions, were the start of a conversation that led to a meaningful connection, which created better understanding and built bridges between civilians and those who serve our nation. So let me tell you more about what we did a year ago today and what it means for the future of our organization and the communities we serve, together with you.

NASHVILLE, TN One year ago today, our team and our volunteers assembled 10,000 Operation Gratitude Care Pouches in just three hours, and we hand-delivered them to every police officer, firefighter, and EMT in Nashville, The words of Police Captain Daniel Newbern in this Tennessean article demonstrate the impact we made, “the items in the bag don’t mean nearly as much as the effort put into the bag. It touches every single officer. This lets them know this community supports them and welcomes them.” That day our volunteers also delivered Battalion Buddies to children of deployed Troops from the 101st Airborne Division. I saw our volunteers hug those families, thank them, and for more than two hours, talk to them about what it was like to be away from their husbands and their fathers for months on end. As I walked one military spouse to the door she turned to me and said, “I’ve never experienced that before — everyone here was so kind and they listened to me. They really understand what we’re going through.” As I reflect on that moment and type these words, I feel the same emotion that I did a year ago. My eyes are welling up with tears thinking about the impact we made. By saying thank you and enabling direct and meaningful connections, we sparked a bond in Nashville a year ago. And Operation Gratitude has been back to “Music City” several times since that day to go one step further and forge strong bonds in the community. With the help of First Lady Maria Lee and through multiple deliveries to first responders and National Guardsmen during COVID-19 and a devastating tornado, we strengthened the resolve of the men and women in harm’s way.  As Captain Newbern said in an email last month, “Operation Gratitude lifted our spirits and provided much needed support.” BRISTOL, TN Literally seconds after I finished looking through the photos from Nashville, our COO, retired Marine Colonel Paul Cucinotta, posted a memory on his feed about his experience representing Operation Gratitude at Bristol Motor Speedway, 300 miles away on the other side of Tennessee. A year ago today, Paul and his son, Joey, helped forge strong bonds and build bridges, too. As I scrolled through the photos with Operation Gratitude’s logo emblazoned on the No. 18 M&M’s USA car, I thought about the conversation I had with Paul a year ago today when he excitedly recounted what he saw and experienced — Americans coming together not only around their common passion for NASCAR, but to celebrate our nation. He met with drivers, mechanics and fans – including dozens of military veterans and first responders. They shared stories about service and sacrifice, and talked about the great work Operation Gratitude was doing in communities across America. I will never forget the tone in Paul’s voice as he told me how honored and proud he was to be part of our organization and “a movement that was bringing people together to thank and support the brave men and women who serve our country.” Stay tuned for what Operation Gratitude will be doing with Mars Wrigley and NASCAR in the very near future to build community and shed a light on the important work we are doing to unite our country. BALTIMORE, MD An hour later I looked at my feed again, and saw another member of our team, Navy Spouse Monica Shea, and her Facebook memory from a year ago today, when she joined Baltimore police officers and their families to fill backpacks with items that Operation Gratitude had donated for children in underprivileged communities as they prepared to go back to school. I will never forget her text that night either. Monica expressed the same pride and used the same words as Paul — she was honored to be part of Operation Gratitude and to witness firsthand the impact of bringing people together in communities in a meaningful way. Monica saw what it looks like to forge strong bonds and bridge divides. Those bonds were sparked when Operation Gratitude hosted an Assembly Day for the first time in Baltimore just two months before on June 1, 2019 with our volunteers and our partner, CSX. After creating that first meaningful connection, Operation Gratitude’s team and our volunteers were invited back to deliver the Care Pouches in person to 10,000 first responders in police and fire stations throughout  Baltimore City and County. We were also invited back to join their communities for National Night Out in early August and yet again for their Backpack Giveaway on August 17. Operation Gratitude provided the opportunities for the officers and the citizens they protect to to come together in meaningful ways — and it all started two months earlier when hundreds of volunteers said “thank you for your service” 10,000 times. As Richard Worley, chief of patrol for the Baltimore Police Department, said in this Baltimore Sun article, appreciation means “a tremendous amount to all of the officers because it gives them hope and encouragement for what they do.” And because of the connections we made with the citizens of Baltimore that day, he went a step further to say: “We need the community probably more than they need us. We need them to help us solve the issues that we have.” As I read those words from Chief Worley above, I am filled with emotion yet again with the realization that we all need each other to help solve the issues facing our nation and our communities. Saying “thank you for your service” is the start of a conversation that leads to a meaningful connection and a better understanding of what service means. Today is also a perfect day to highlight some of our volunteers who have embraced our mission. Over the course of our three week “Red, White and Blue” Paracord Challenge, 1,319 of you sparked a bond by saying “thank you” in a very tangible way, making 40,552 bracelets. Special recognition goes to our top 3 crafters: Shelly Coulombe of Coventry, RI (1550 Bracelets), Charlotte Robles of Santa Ynez, CA (1201 Bracelets) and Melissa Keever of Stevensville, MD (1060 Bracelets). Our group winners are: National Charity League San Ramon Chapter (1830 Bracelets), National Charity League – San Marino Chapter (1000 Bracelets) and Oceanside Rotary Club (665 Bracelets). As a way of expressing my own gratitude to you by sharing an email from a service member who already received one of these bracelets: “The paracord bracelet I received is now holding up our U.S. Flag in the housing area.” These beautiful bracelets represent only one  of the myriad ways we build bridges and forge strong bonds every day — and it all starts with a “thank you.” During these challenging times, as you reflect on what Operation Gratitude did a year ago today and what you have done to support us for the past 365 days, I am asking you to consider two things. First, what do you want to see our organization accomplish over the next 12 months; and secondly, how do you want to take action with us? Please feel free to email me what you feel is most important, so the next time I send you an email with the subject line – “A Year Ago Today” – you will feel the same pride I experience every time I have the opportunity to serve alongside YOU and make an impact in all of the communities we serve nationwide. With Gratitude and Semper Fidelis, Kevin Schmiegel Lieutenant Colonel, USMC (Ret.) Chief Executive Officer, Operation Gratitude #ActionsSpeakLouder

POMONA, Calif. (August 18, 2020)— As a result of continued concerns over COVID-19, along with county and state restrictions in place in the state of California, Bonnier Events has made the difficult decision to postpone the Lucas Oil Off-Road Expo powered by General Tire, scheduled for October 3-4 at the Fairplex in Pomona, CA, to 2021.

Exhibitors who have already booked a booth for the Off-Road Expo in Pomona can transfer booth space to Off-Road Expo Arizona, at WestWorld of Scottsdale in Scottsdale, AZ, October 17-18.

Individual Spectator tickets to the Off-Road Expo in Pomona that were purchased online will be refunded automatically within 30 days.

The staff of the Off-Road Expo appreciates your patience and support as we work through this unprecedented situation. We look forward to either seeing you in Scottsdale in October or back at Pomona in 2021.