by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com Over the past week, as part of our Two-Wheeler Month coverage, we talked at length about the custom motorcycles made by Wichita, Kansas-based Big Dog Motorcycles. As the week draws to a close, so do our stories about the group, as we’ve reached the end of the list of Big Dog machines available. And of course we saved the best for last. Big Dog is among the few shops out there to have turned custom motorcycles into series production bikes. That’s a good way to provide people with the riding thrills they like without sending them into bankruptcy. With this approach, Big Dog managed to keep prices low, as low as $28,995 for the Coyote model. The Coyote is part of a lineup of bikes that also includes the Boxer and K9, but also the alpha male of the lot, the Bulldog. This is the most expensive Big Dog machine currently available, and there’s a good reason for that. Technically, the build does not differ all that much from its siblings (with the exception of the Boxer, which is significantly shorter). It also rides on a custom frame, the frame houses the same S&S Super Sidewinder V-Twin engine as in all the other bikes, and the engine is tied to the same 6-speed transmission. Only this time it comes with a reverse gear. Why a reverse gear? Because what sets the Bulldog apart from the rest of the Big Dog motorcycles is that well, it is not a bike. It’s a trike, one meant to “break the leash” as its makers say. That’s right, a trike powered by an engine so big (the Sidewinder has a displacement of 124ci/2.0-liters) it comes with “more displacement per cylinder than the sum of all cylinders on today’s biggest inline-four Superbikes.“ Just like the bikes in the portfolio, this one too comes with a wealth of customization options for the body, wheels, and engine. The starting price for the trike is $42,995.

Hey,

As you know, life is nuts and then you die. Done deal. But wait. I’m here in Deadwood. I escaped the madness of California. I’m in a place where folks are having fun, where chrome is cool, gambling is a blast and the girl drink shots.

The Thought for the day: Wherever enlightened ones dwell, in a village or wilderness, on a mountain or on a coast, that is indeed a place of joy.

Let’s party and check the news:

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

Harley-Davidson’s Softail frame has become over the years the backbone of a great number of motorcycles. The Milwaukee-based bike builder currently has 12 bike models using it, ranging from the Standard to the Heritage Classic.

Down the ages – the first time the frame was used as a registered trademark was way back in 1984 – other names were stealing the headlines. There were names like the Night Train, Cross Bones, and of course the Springer.

As do the Softails of today, older ones are favorites of the custom industry, even if perhaps not as much as say the more recent Breakout. And one fine example of custom work on an older Softail is the one we have in the gallery above.

Wearing the name Earl Grey, the build is based on a 2010 Cross Bones and is an older project of German custom shop Thunderbike. Like most of their other builds, old or new, this one too is a mammoth display of custom parts – some 20 of them were used all around the two-wheeler.

The exhaust, handlebar, footpegs and fuel tank are aftermarket parts, as are the tailights and headlamps. The front end sits on a Springer fork, shortened to meet the purpose of the build, while the power of the Screamin’ Eagle 113ci fitted with a race kit is sent to the ground by means of disc wheels.

It is these wheels that are the standout element on this build. Painted all white, they fit the matte paint used elsewhere on the body just right to give you the impression the Earl Grey name is the perfect description for the machine: it looks just as diluted as a cup of milk tea, pale when compared to the other colorful builds out there.

We are not being told what happened to the bike after it was completed, but rest assured this is truly a one-off so chances are you’ll not see it on the road anywhere.

Hey,

As you know, life is nuts and then you die. Done deal. But wait. I’m here in Deadwood. I escaped the madness of California. I’m in a place where folks are having fun, where chrome is cool, gambling is a blast and the girl drink shots.

The Thought for the day: Wherever enlightened ones dwell, in a village or wilderness, on a mountain or on a coast, that is indeed a place of joy.

Let’s party and check the news:

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.

NHDRO Kicks Off Motorcycle Drag Racing Season

NHDRO’s previously named Mid-Season Sizzle gets it half-right—June 26-28 at Lucas Oil Raceway will totally sizzle! With a late start because of COVID-19 restrictions, the Midwest’s largest all-motorcycle drag racing series kicks off the season with the first big race of 2020 at a time that would normally be mid-year. And although they’d rather have two races under their belts by now, Brian and Niki Welch can’t wait to welcome the NHDRO family back to the best track on the planet.

NHDRO will see a full slate of Pro Street contenders on a premium, Kyle Lang-prepped track—perfect for 220+ mph, six and a half second turbo and nitrous streetbikes. Gabe Frederick, Frankie Stotz, Dave Roisen, nitrous-huffing Gaige Herrara, and trailers-full of badass, Quicktime Racing, side-mount turbo, Suzuki Hayabusas ridden by Rudy Sanzottera, Brad Christain, Brett Ware, Jeff Lindeman, Kieth Bobo, and Matt Moen, will all be seeing competition for the first time this year.

Pro Ultra 4.60 champion Smokin’ Joe Rodney will have a tough time defending his title against an ever-growing field in the world’s quickest eighth mile, two wheel index class. Runner-up Broderick Jackson, former champ Les Stimac, the whole I-65 crew of Deshawn Wheeler, Jeff Jones, and many, many more.

Likewise, Kentuckian Joe “Big” Deck knows that keeping his Hardcore Cycles Top Gas championship will be a major achievement indeed. 8.20 index studs like Kounselor Kenny Schwartz, Mike and Heather Wagner, David “Skywalker” Thompson, Dustin “Biscuits” Lee, Michael D’Addio, Jeremy Teasley and more will all be aiming for Deck.

Crazy Comp champ David Beshara can choose to defend his BB Racing crown in one or both of 8.90 Super Comp or M2.Shocks 8.70 Quick Street—the classes replacing Crazy Comp. The 8.70 index class will be streetbikes only, while Super Comp will allow both wheelie bar and no-bar bikes.

Street Fighter champion Ron “Ju-Jitsu” Arnold will have to pick up the pace a bit, as the retired 9.50 Street Fighter class is now Dirty 30 9.30 index for streetbikes.

Kevin Dennis Insurance Street ET champion “Biscuits” Lee and MPS Pro ET champ Dalton Markham will have huge fields to overcome, including many of the racers already mentioned.

NHDRO welcomes several new classes, including the first, full, quarter mile round of the much-anticipated HTP Super Stock class. A modern riff on the old Prostar Supersport class, Super Stock will allow the best jockeys and most subtle and “creative” tuners to rise to the top. Patrick Cooper, Dustin Clark, Robert Sprague and maybe even former NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle champ LE Tonglet are looking forward to competing at the event.

By contrast, the 240-pounds-and-over riders of NHDRO’s new Pro Supreme class would sink like anchors if thrown into the water. But put these graceful big men in the seat and on the clutch and watch them float like summer butterflies in this no-points class.

NHDRO True ET is also a no-points class, and features true OEM hand clutches. $50 entry gets you a chance to cart off the winnings in this 100 percent payback class.

Kids have always played a big, participatory part of the NHDRO family, but for the first time they’ll have their own class—Hard Times Parts and Service Jr. Dragster. Light ‘em up and let ‘em loose!

And of course, VooDoo Grudge punctuates the day and caps off the night with the Midwest’s hottest and ready-to-race gamblers. Joey Jobbe, Money Mike Studebaker, Wiggle, Hot Boy, Dre Buckets, Lucky Nemo, Brad Holland, Josh Keller, Ke Ke Jones and more will all be taking stripes for stacks.

Racers from all other series are welcome to come shake off the cobwebs, blow out the rust, and pick up some timeslips. Now is the time to race and NHDRO is the place!

Find out more about NHDRO at http://www.nhdroracing.com/

This report was prepared by Tim Hailey. Enjoy everything there is to read, see and watch about motorcycle drag racing and more at https://www.eatmyink.com

BILLY RAY HEADS FOR THE MOUNTAINS–NEW YORK, N.Y. – Busch, the beer brewed for the great outdoors, has extolled the beauty of America’s landscapes using music and song since its founding in 1955, developing iconic jingles for its ad campaigns such as ‘Head for the Mountains’ in the 1980s.

Today, inspired by the creativity Americans across the country showed while staying indoors this spring, Busch is announcing a new campaign to bring that very song to the fore again, and is enlisting the support of rock legend and two-time 2020 GRAMMY® winner Billy Ray Cyrus and one lucky Busch fan to do so.

Starting today through July 5, Busch is giving its fans the chance to remake its ‘Head for the Mountains’ jingle, with one person taking home a $10,000 contract from Busch to have their version featured in an upcoming ad. To help determine the winner, Busch is partnering with rockstar Billy Ray Cyrus, who kicked off the campaign with a rendition of his own. In addition to identifying the winning entry, Cyrus will help him or her hone their skills with a 1:1 coaching lesson before recording the final version.

“Every Busch fan has undoubtedly heard ‘Head for the Mountains’ and can probably recall seeing the ad on TV back in the day,” said Daniel Blake, VP of Value Brands at Anheuser-Busch, “We wanted to give these fans the opportunity to tap into their creativity and record their own rendition, and with a legend like Cyrus providing inspiration and coaching the winner, we’re eager to hear an updated version almost 40 years later.”

“I have fond memories of those ads. The ‘Head for the Mountains with Busch’ chorus is totally nostalgic!” said Billy Ray Cyrus, “We had a great time in the studio recording the song and the opportunity to work alongside the winner to help hone their skills is really cool.”

The lyrics of the ‘Head for the Mountains’ song can be found on the Busch Instagram page @BuschBeer and are written out on Busch.com/mountains. To enter, fans can submit their version of the jingle on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or YouTube using the hashtags #HeadForTheMountains and #Contest. Submissions are open from June 23 – July 5, 2020. Follow @BuschBeer on Twitter and Instagram to learn more.

HEAD FOR THE MOUNTAINS OFFICIAL RULES
No purchase or payment of any kind necessary to enter for a chance to win. A purchase or payment of any kind will not increase your chances of winning. The contest is intended for viewing in the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia only and will be governed by United States law. Void where prohibited. See official rules at busch.com/mountains & details.

MRF YOUNG ACTIVIST AWARD NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR 2020 AWARD–WANTED: Nominations needed from a State Motorcycle Rights Organization (SMRO) for a Young Activist to attend the Meeting of the Minds Conference (MOTM) in Indianapolis, IN All Expenses Paid.

What is a Young Activist? A Young Activist is a person between the ages of 18 and 30 who has expressed an interest in, and devoted time and energy to their chosen passion involving motorcycling. Motorcycle Riders Foundation Awareness & Education, Inc. (MRFA&E) would like to be able to present this award to a Young Activist this year. But we need candidates.

In addition to the age requirement mentioned above the successful candidate for this Scholarship also needs to be nominated by the SMRO. The young person must be a member of that organization and have a valid motorcycle endorsement.

The nominee must also submit a minimum three hundred (300)-word essay on why biker’s rights are important to them. A well written essay from the heart is like a picture or blueprint of who the candidate is; coming directly from the candidate, this gives the MRFA&E Board of Directors a better perspective of the individual.
After all the work what does the winning nominee(s) receive?

One-year membership to the Motorcycle Riders Foundation, Inc. (MRF), effective the first full day of the MRF’s MOTM Conference during the year of the award.
Travel Expense paid by MRFA&E to the MRF’s MOTM.

Hotel accommodations at the MOTM. Accommodations will include the hotel room only. Telephone, food, movie rentals, etc. will be the sole responsibility of winning candidates.

MOTM registration and banquet fees are paid by MRFA&E.

Special recognition at the MRF’s MOTM. Said recognition will include a plaque, presentation of one-year membership in MRF, and other items or activities as approved by the MRFA&E Board of Directors.

Award winner needs to be available to assist MRFA&E at the MRF’s MOTM conference.

What is the time frame? All nominations with the application and essay must be submitted along with a Young Activist Scholarship Fund Nomination Form no later than July 15. You can find the nomination form at www.mrfae.org.
If you have questions, contact: Paulette Korte secretary@mrfae.org
Submitted by Deborah Butitta, MRFAE Chairman

ZACK’S 883 UPGRADED—With New used S&S teardrop air cleaner. We recently fixed Zack’s wrecked 2001 Sportster with a Screamin’ Eagle 1200 kit, a Mikuni carb and an S&S Teardrop air cleaner.

https://www.bikernet.com/pages/story_detail.aspx?id=14652&id=14652

We installed their new Mini air cleaner on the 1200, but Zack kept the stock S&S chromed Teardrop air cleaner and decided to install it on his later model 883 Sporty. Here are a couple of shots of the upgrade. It’s against the code to allow any S&S part go unused.

–Bandit

VA HELPS WOMEN VETERANS—Did you know the suicide rate is higher for women vets than males.

In this time of physical distancing, VA knows it’s easy for women Veterans to feel isolated. Life plans and health can change in an instant. That is why VA is working to remove barriers and improve access to essential services. These services include reproductive health care, refilling prescriptions, and accessing the Veterans Crisis Line and Women Veterans Call Center.

As states and cities across the nation have issued stay-at-home orders, VA encourages Veterans enrolled in VA health care to take advantage of our virtual tools to access care. These include secure video appointments from home, mobile health apps and online appointment requests.

For example, VA Video Connect allows Veterans to connect with their care team and have a face-to-face visit with their doctor. Veterans can also refill their prescriptions by sending their doctor a secure message through My HealtheVet. Using virtual tools, Veterans can avoid exposure to the coronavirus and keep their loved ones and fellow Veterans safe. Veterans can send a message to their providers or contact their local VA medical center to learn more about what telehealth services are available.

Information on contraception
VA also encourages women Veterans staying at home to speak to their providers about contraception. Currently, women Veterans can receive a one-year prescription for oral contraceptives (three months dispensed and three refills). For convenience, Veterans can meet with their doctor regarding reproductive health through VA’s telehealth services.

The Women Veterans Call Center (WVCC) is also here to help answer questions about VA benefits and services. Call or text the WVCC at 1-855-VA-WOMEN (or 1-855-829-6636) Monday through Saturday.

VA’s Intimate Partner Violence Assistance Program (IPVAP) is still available to help women Veterans, their partners, and VA staff impacted by intimate partner violence (IPV). The National Domestic Violence Hotline is an important resource for anyone experiencing IPV.

For more information on how women Veterans can safely receive assistance for IPV, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or visit the VA website to find out how to speak to a local IPVAP coordinator.

Number for Veterans Crisis Line
VA is dedicated to helping Veterans maintain their mental health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic and all year round. Consequently, it gives Veterans the tools, resources and information they need. VA’s mental health website (mentalhealth.va.gov/) helps Veterans manage stress and anxiety. The VCL is available 24/7. Women Veterans who need to speak to someone urgently can contact VCL. They can call 1-800-273- 8255 (Press 1) or text “838255” for a confidential chat.

Visit VA.gov for more information about women’s health care. Also, for the latest VA updates on COVID-19 and tips on preventing its spread, visit https://www.va.gov/coronavirus.

VA’s Women’s Health Services Office is part of The Women Veterans Health Program, created in 1988, to streamline services for female Veterans to provide more cost-effective medical and psychosocial care. VA’s Women’s Health Services Office provides programmatic and strategic support to implement positive changes in the provision of care for all women Veterans.

–VA

Good News: Senate Passes
Great American Outdoors Act
Outdoor recreation got a major boost last week when the U.S. Senate passed the Great American Outdoors Act, which would address the $20 billion maintenance backlog on federal public lands and would fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

“Trails and facilities on our public lands have deteriorated after years of wear and tear and insufficient funding,” said Scott Schloegel, MIC senior vice president of government relations. “The GAOA will help fix that, improving access for motorcycle, ATV, and side-by-side enthusiasts, families, and everyone who wants to enjoy the outdoors safely and closer to home in many cases. It will also help reinvigorate the outdoor recreation economy, which, before the coronavirus pandemic hit, contributed $778 billion to the U.S. economy.”

–MIC

STURGIS MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM RALLY SPACES AVAILABLE

Vendor spaces are available in different sizes on both Main Street and Junction Ave. Contact us for more details at 605-347-2001 or info@sturgismuseum.com.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame is a 501(c)3 non-profit located right in the heart of the Rally.

Vendor Details:
Vendor & Sales Tax licenses must be purchased separately through the City of Sturgis

Lot rent is $12/sq. ft.
Power & water available
No camping on the lot
Spaces are available on a first come first serve basis

NATIONAL MOTORISTS ASSOCIATION ALERT–SIX Things You Should Immediately Do after Driving over an Animal

By Johnathan David ,

We hope this never happens to you, but there is a real risk that one day you may drive over an animal while driving.

It’s dreadful, awful, and sometimes downright heartbreaking.

Because these situations can be overwhelming and, unfortunately, are all too common, we put together this guide that will teach you the smartest and safest course of action to take if you ever hit an animal with your car.

Stay Calm
Pull over with your hazards on as soon as there is a safe location to do so.

Take stock of your surroundings. Check the road, the volume of traffic, and where the animal is. If it is safe to do so, get out of your car to assess the animal.

Take a few deep breaths and talk yourself through your next steps.

Obviously, if you or anyone in the car is seriously injured due to the collision, the first thing you should do is call emergency services.

What Kind Of Animal Did You Hit?
The next steps you take will depend on what species of animal you hit with your car. An action plan to help an injured domestic dog or cat will differ significantly from what you can do for a dead squirrel.

If you hit a domestic animal such as a dog, cat, goat, cow, pig, or sheep, you should treat it as if you had hit a person.

Even if you were not at fault for the accident, you could get in legal trouble for driving away without attempting to help the animal and notifying authorities.

The law varies depending on the state you are traveling. Generally, though, since pets are considered personal property, you could be charged with animal cruelty or failing to notify the owner of property damage if you drive away.

Call the Authorities

Your next step should be to call the police and/or animal control for further advice and assistance.

Whether you are speaking with the police or animal control, they will likely ask you to assess the animal’s injuries.

Even if you’re not a veterinarian, you can look to see if the animal is breathing and bleeding. Watching to see if the animal’s body moves up and down is one of the best ways to check from a distance if the animal is still alive.

Remember that if it is alive, the animal is likely injured and scared, and may try to bite or scratch you if you get too close.

If you have a small dead wild animal such as a bird, squirrel, or snake on your hands, there’s unfortunately not much you can do. If the remains are in the roadway, safely move them off the road, so that scavengers aren’t at risk of themselves being hit by cars.

Take the Animal to the Vet

These next steps will depend on the kind of animal and the extent of their injuries. The animal control official you speak with will advise you what to do based on the situation.

If you are dealing with a small domestic animal like a cat or dog and you can safely transport it, and you may be asked to take it to the vet.

If you are taking the animal for help, don’t offer it any food or water, unless a trained professional tells you to do so. The animal may need treatment that involves an operation under anesthetic, and should not be ingesting food or liquids.

Wait for help

If the animal needs care, but you are unable to move it or transport it, then it’s essential to stay with the animal until help arrives.

If you leave the scene, animal control may not be able to find the exact location of the animal until it’s too late.

While you are waiting, cover the animal with a towel or a blanket to try to keep it warm and calm.

If you are on a particularly busy road, others may stop to help. You can use this to your advantage to create a safety barrier between traffic and you and the animal.

If the animal is in the middle of the road, animal control may advise you to gently move the animal to the shoulder, where it is safer.

If the animal in question is large, this may not be possible. Additionally, wild animals can carry diseases, and you may not want to risk being bitten, scratched, or clawed.

If you hit a large animal, assess whether your vehicle is safe to drive or you need to organize a tow truck and transportation for yourself and any passengers.

We hope you never have to use this information, but accidents like this happen all the time, and it’s better to know what steps to take than to find yourself in a situation unprepared.

If you take one thing from this article, make it this: never drive away from an animal you hit. What you thought was a fox could be someone’s beloved cat. The bird you thought was dead might be injured and suffering. Follow these steps to help the animal, however, you can.

Johnathan David has been a reptile hobbyist since childhood. He has years of experience in herpetoculture and has cared for geckos (2 gargoyles), skinks (blue tongue) and a frog (poison dart).

–NMA

2020 RED CROSS Summer Fund Drive

Right now, all of us continue to cope with much uncertainty during these difficult times. With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we need to be more vigilant than ever.

Helping people is at the heart of our mission, and the American Red Cross is here to provide relief and support to families, no matter what crises they face.

We’ll stay strong throughout the summer, responding to disasters like wildfires and floods, training people in lifesaving skills like first aid and CPR, and providing blood and platelets to patients in need. And we need your help to make that happen.
We have a goal of raising $100,000 by midnight of June 30, to make sure we have the resources we need to face the emergencies, big and small, that come our way this summer. Keith, your donation today can help us meet this crucial Summer Fund Drive goal.

Here’s just a glimpse of what we will do in the months ahead:

Shelter
Provide families with shelter and support when disasters strike.
Service Armed Forces
Offer virtual mental health services to members of the armed forces, veterans and their families.
Blood Drive
Collect lifesaving blood to help meet patient needs across the country.
First Aid

Train people through online CPR and First Aid classes so families are prepared even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
We need to be ready to do all that and even more. No emergency is insurmountable, and with your support, we can make sure we’re there for them all. Especially during these difficult times, your compassion and outreach are a lifeline for those with nowhere else to turn.

Our mission is driven by a concern for humanity. Our work does not discriminate. Now, more than ever, we need to care for and support one another.

Please make your gift today to help us meet our summer goal. Your gift makes all the difference for families facing urgent challenges this summer.

[page break]

NEWS FROM THE TWISTED ROAD–When I first tell people about my motorcycle rental company, I often hear one of two reactions:

I already have a motorcycle—why would I want to rent someone else’s?

I’m not ever letting anyone else ride my bike

Although we aren’t going to cover #2 in this post (we’re actually going to cover it in a separate post shortly) we are going to explain the reasons why people rent motorcycles.

If you’re not yet familiar with our company, Twisted Road pairs riders with motorcycles so they can rent and ride. What makes us unique? All of our motos are privately owned. Think of it as Airbnb for motorcycles, or Turo for motorcycles.

So back to the original question—why would you ever need to rent a bike?

Reason 1: You just need a bike to ride
There are plenty of people who have a motorcycle license but no longer have a motorcycle. Maybe they couldn’t afford to keep the bike anymore. Or perhaps they had kids and their spouse asked that they don’t ride. Or maybe the bike got into an accident and they haven’t repaired it. Yet.

But the world doesn’t stop because someone sold their bike. People still ride in groups, rent motorcycles in California, and take an annual pilgrimage to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

So, when these former riders get the itch, they rent a moto. Makes sense, right?

Reason 2: You need a bike when you travel

There are six disappointing words that all riders have said: “I wish I had my bike.” I first muttered these words when traveling in the Grand Canyon on vacation. Three bison crossed the road in front of me. While I was in my car. And because there weren’t rental options nearby, I had to see The Grand Canyon (and Bryce, and Zion) on four wheels, not two.

It can be time consuming and impractical to ride everywhere. What if you want to rent a motorcycle in Alaska? Or need a motorcycle rental in Hawaii? Or you live in Oregon and want to go motorcycle riding in San Diego? You no longer need to ride (or trailer) your bike, but instead can rent locally.

Reason 3: You want to test ride before you buy.

So, you find the bike you love on Craigslist. Or Facebook. Or the dealer. And you want to ride it before you spend your cold hard cash. Right? Not so fast, cowboy. Private owners almost never allow test rides, and although some dealers do (emphasis on some) a motorcycle test ride lasts about 20 minutes. Tops.

But this is a bike! You need to know how it feels. How the riding position is. Do you cramp up after 2 hours of riding? How does it do when riding slowly through your town? Or on the highway? Riders know this risk, so they rent bikes to do an “extended test ride” first. Paying $200 to test ride the Harley LiveWire for a whole day before spending $35,000 is money well spent. In fact, even if you need to add a plane ticket, food, and a hotel so you can fly to LA and test ride it, it’s still worth it.

Reason 4: You feel like trying something different

We all want to ride something new, right? I mean, you own a Harley Fat Boy but really want to ride a Triumph Thruxton for a day. Or you have an Indian Scout bobber in the garage but really want to see what it’s like to ride the new Honda Africa Twin. It’s expensive to own all of these bikes, especially if you don’t have room to store them. It’s even more costly if you don’t have an understanding spouse. So with rentals, people ride something new. They have fun. They cheat on their bikes. (But nobody has to know, right?)

Undefined

There are plenty of reasons to rent a motorcycle, but only one reason to ride. It’s not to get from point A to point B. It’s not to commute. We ride to live—to experience all the sensations of the world on two wheels.

Now that you have some reasons to rent a motorcycle, check out Twisted Road to see what bikes are available to rent where you live, or where you want to travel.

THE DIME BAG NEWS–Thanks for keeping me aligned, especially with my kids.

I got shipment of leather and foam. I got to finish at seat for Hays Cycles. Got some 4-5 oz leather for the Dimebag Leather Wallets. I still need to find help with the four-strand, round braid and find some clasps for a wallet chain. Need to order two heavy steel stamps with Dimebag Leather logo to fit the wallets and time-cover.

Also doing a hand-tooled leather seat for the FXR Show at the Buffalo Chip in Sturgis. And lots more Dimebag product development.

All the Best
–AC

THREE CUSTOM BUILDERS TAKE HOME AWARDS FROM
HARLEY-DAVIDSON’S ‘THE NO SHOW’

June 21st marks the end of Harley-Davidson Motor Company’s first-ever week-long motorcycle show hosted on the brand’s Instagram page that featured builders invited by Harley-Davidson and the postponed Mama Tried, Congregation Vintage Bike & Car, and Born-Free motorcycle shows. After seven days of custom motorcycles being rolled out from 60 builders from across the world ranging in style, era, and geography, three standout builds are claiming titles.

Each awarded builder has set the bar in creating a custom bike that is fine-tuned, distinctively their own, and creatively designed. While they are all celebrated for their achievements in ingenuity, artistry, self-expression, and ability to pave a new road in customization, one winner was chosen in each of the following categories to receive an award created by Harley-Davidson designers:

· Media Choice Award: chosen and presented by a journalist panel from industry-leading motorcycle publications.

· H-D Styling & Design Award: chosen and presented by Brad Richards, vice president of styling & design at Harley-Davidson and long-time garage builder.

· Harley-Davidson Museum Award: chosen by museum staff and presented by Bill Davidson, vice president of the Harley-Davidson Museum and great-grandson of Harley-Davidson’s Co-Founder William A. Davidson.

Taking home the Media Choice Award is Ben Zales of Burbank, California for his custom 1963 Harley-Davidson® Panhead motorcycle.

The journalist panel applauds the bike’s uniqueness and its ’60s era style with an attention to design that effortlessly flows together and is reflective of Zale’s top-notch craftsmanship.

Zales fabricated the bike in his home garage and built the tank, pipes, seat, and controls. He also designed the tear-dropped oil tank to align with the gas tank, kicker pedal and seat. Zales’ artistry is widely known as he is a Born-Free 10 and 11 invited builder as well as a Mooneyes Hot Rod Custom Show 2019 invited guest. View a walkaround of the bike on Instagram here.

The H-D Styling & Design Award goes to Michael Lange of Waukesha, Wisconsin for his customized 1921 Harley-Davidson Banjo Two-cam Board Track Racer. Lange converted a single-cam Harley-Davidson motorcycle into a twin cam and fabricated the cam chest and cover, gear rack as well as the cam shafts, gears, and oil pump.

The bike also features factory racing cylinders, casting from a board track racer, and the gas tank is hand fabricated. Richards, of Harley-Davidson’s styling and design team, drew from Willie G. Davidson’s coined phrase, “form follows function, but both report to emotion,” when choosing Lange’s build. “The custom build stood out for its beauty, but also as a pure racing machine with a re-engineered motor that keeps the bike performing,” Richards describes of the build. Lange has been an invited builder to every Mama Tried Motorcycle Show since its inception. View a walkaround of the bike on Instagram here.

Receiving the Harley-Davidson Museum Award is Christian Newman of Buffalo, New York for his ultra-narrow, all stainless-steel custom 1940 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead motorcycle that he designed and fabricated. H-D Museum staff selected Newman for the ingenuity behind all the stainless hand-built components as well as the narrowing of the transmission 2” and running the oil through the frame, feed, return, and vent. The bike also features a sprocket and rotor outside of the frame, girder fork, open rockers, and vintage glass lenses in scratch-made housings. The bars, grips, and controls are handmade. Newman is also a Born-Free 12 invited builder showcasing his talents at the show. View a walkaround of the bike on Instagram here.

Those who missed the show can visit Harley-Davidson’s Instagram page to scroll through the array of bikes and tap into their favorites where they’ll see a personal video of each builder walking them through his or her masterpiece. A virtual “stage” to listen to acoustic sets is also still available as well as a “merch booth” featuring ultra-limited-edition The No Show t-shirts that can be purchased while supplies last, with 100 percent of t-shirt sales going directly to benefit invited builders.

Royal Enfield Gears Up for Racing– Johnny Lewis and ladies of the BUILD TRAIN RACE program prepare to hit the track

August will mark the return to racing for American Flat Track (AFT) and Royal Enfield. Royal Enfield will debut its FT racer at AFT Rounds 5 & 6 on August 28-29, when Moto Anatomy’s Johnny Lewis takes the track for the first time in the Production Twins class.

Lewis planned to unveil the concept FT at the Daytona AFT round in March, but due to COVID-19, the races were rescheduled. Despite the AFT season being temporarily postponed, Lewis is logging hours at his Center Hill, Florida training facility on the Royal Enfield FT concept. With the help of Royal Enfield, Harris Performance and S&S Cycle, the development of the FT has continued. Lewis will officially present the Royal Enfield FT at Volusia County Speedway on July 17.

“The Royal Enfield FT concept has already shown promise so far.” said rider and team owner Johnny Lewis. “We’re already seeing great results from the motorcycle. The team at Harris Performance and Royal Enfield have done a great job with the chassis, and we’ve already begun working through small adjustments based on my feedback. With the way the schedule is shaping out with small tracks, we could surprise many people.”

Lewis will be joined by the all-female BUILD TRAIN RACE participants at the Atlanta Short Track race at Dixie Speedway October 2-3 and the AFT season finale in Daytona Beach October 15-16. During these rounds, the women will conduct a special exhibition aboard their custom INT650 flat track motorcycles as part of the AFT event schedule.

Fans will also have multiple opportunities to ride Royal Enfield motorcycles during the AFT season. The full lineup of Royal Enfield motorcycles will be available for rides throughout the remainder of the AFT season to consumers with a valid motorcycle license. Additionally, Lewis will host a Royal Enfield Slide School at select rounds. During the Slide School sessions, participants will receive coaching from Lewis and learn the basics of flat track aboard track prepped FT411 Himalayan motorcycles.

2020 Slide School Dates

July 19: Center Hill, FL following Volusia AFT
August 8: Cleveland, OH
September 13: Gettysburg, PA following Williams Grove AFT
October 6: Travelers Rest, SC
October 18: Center Hill, FL following Daytona AFT

To learn more about the demo tour and the Slide School program, visit www.royalenfield.com/us/en/himalayan-flat-track/.

WE HAVEN’T GIVEN UP ON HAL ROBINSON—Marie is working on bandana art sporting Hal Robinson illustrations. We have some of Hal’s art on three t-shirts, and if you like the art you can buy a frameable print to go with the T-shirt.

Not bad, and he was one of the Easyriders masters. He long passed into his art studio in the sky.

–Bandit

TEXAS WEATHER REPORT–Don’t you just love to unpack stuff I haven’t seen in years. Wish I still had all those AEE Magazines and the first 10 Easyriders Magazines!

Although a bit young when they hit the stands, the lady at the Weingarten’s didn’t know or didn’t care?

Yesterday morning’s view, no redhead, no vodka crazy, life keeps moving.

–RFR

That’s one of the Codes: Life is always changing. And it’s always coming and going. Here’s the perfect example. Chinese prostitutes in Deadwood 1800s.

And a new candidate for our house in Deadwood, today. —Bandit

QUICK, OPEN THE BANDIT’S CANTINA BAD JOKE LIBRARY–I tried to sue the airline for losing my luggage. I lost my case.

I went to buy some camouflage trousers yesterday but couldn’t find any.

I can’t believe I got fired from the calendar factory. All I did was take a day off.

The man who survived pepper spray and mustard gas is now a seasoned veteran.

Will glass coffins be a success? Remains to be seen.

‘I have a split personality’ said Tom, being Frank.

What did one flag say to the other? Nothing, it just waved!

–Wayfarer
Chief Correspondent
Bikernet News Bureau
India

Green Light for PMRA in Tulsa This Weekend–Professional Motorcycle Racers Association (PMRA) returns to the track this Saturday, June 27, at Tulsa Raceway in Oklahoma. New PMRA director Shannon Mendenhall looks forward to welcoming all racers old and new, and sharing with them his vision for the venerable organization’s future.

The event will run a full program of the hottest dragbike classes in the region, including the wild, big tire, turbo Funnybikes, nitrous-huffing Pro Mods, and small-slick “streetbikes” of Pro Open. Defending class champ Mark Rendeluk will be fending off challenges from some major ballers like Shane “Showboat” Eperjesi on Robert Valera’s bike, Rob Garcia, Vince Testa, and the long-awaited return of Nigel Patrick.

“We are looking forward to competing with a great quality and caliber of men and bikes coming to Tulsa,” said Rendeluk. “We will be trying out something new for 2020, and if it works it may be a game changer for us!”

4.60 bikes are similar to their Pro Open big brothers, but cut their passes short at the eighth mile and hold to a 4.60 index.

Top Gas bikes run the full quarter with an 8.20 index, while Super Comp slows it down a touch to 8.90, and Super Gas further still to 9.90. Kirk Reeves, Ryan Schlup, and Jim Miller will defend those championships, respectively.

Pro Stagger 5.60/6.0 split, V-twin/Baggers, Grudge Outlaw, Pro ET, and Street ET fill out the line-up. Charlie Gaither is the defending champ of both Pro and Street ET.

Payouts are a 70/20 split, class sponsors will be announced at the race.

And when the PMRA program wraps up, racers will have another chance to race deep into the night during Mendenhall’s Midnight Motorcycle Drag Racing Series.

Mendenhall—AKA “Melonhead” or just “Melon”—is the owner of Cycleworld Powersports in Jenks, OK, and has a long history in motorcycle drag racing. His career stretches back to racing with the legendary Marshall and Vicki Farr of Farr’s Cycles in the IDBA and AMA/Prostar days.

But right now he’s most excited about taking PMRA back to the top. “I’m trying to bring motorcycle racing back like it was in the ‘90s and 2000s,” finished Mendenhall.

Whether you’re a fan or competitor, you won’t want to miss this opportunity to get back racing and be part of the new PMRA.

Tulsa Raceway Park is at 3101 N. Garnett Rd., Tulsa, OK 74116. Gates open Friday night the 26th at 6pm for test and tune. On Saturday, gates open up 8am, with testing 9am and qualifying at 10:30am.

Host hotel is the Hilton Garden Inn Midtown in Tulsa.

Questions? Email Shannon Mendenhall at cycleworldtulsa@gmail.com

This report was prepared by Tim Hailey with photos by Bland Bridenstine. Enjoy everything there is to read, see and watch about motorcycle drag racing and more at https://www.eatmyink.com

NEW FROM BILTWELL–AlumiCore Grips
A technical advancement in high-performance grip design for late-model Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Available in both Throttle-By-Wire and two-cable designs with replaceable TPV rubber sleeves with CNC-machined flanges and ends in black electroplated or polished finishes.

Internal wedge mechanism keeps clutch side from twisting and the TBW interface isn’t a glued in plastic contraption like most – it’s 6061 aluminum like the rest of the construction and built right in. What all that mumbo-jumbo means is that you get positive throttle control with a great-looking, long-lasting pair of grips!

—www.biltwell.com

BRAND New Bikernet Reader Comment!–
NCOM Biker Newsbytes June 2020

https://www.bikernet.com/pages/NCOM_Biker_Newsbytes_June_2020.aspx

First, let me say I am not a racist, but I am not perfect either. Harley makes a statement on racism but forgets to mention their confederate edition bikes back in ’77.

I am not saying the confederate flags are a symbol of racism but how about cleaning your own house before taking a look at others!

–Stealth
mikethestealth@hotmail.com
Charlotte, NC

Kawasaki To Reproduce Cylinder Heads for 1970s Z1 Motorcycles–
Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A has announced that they will offer reproduced cylinder heads, manufactured in Japan, for the original 1970s Kawasaki Z1, KZ900 and KZ1000 models.

–Rider Magazine

ZEN WISDOM– “Leave your front door and your back door open. Allow your thoughts to come and go. Just don’t serve them tea.”

— Shunryu Suzuki

BIKER SERIES SHOOTING BEGINS--Hollywood producers casting for new series being shot in Malaga on Spain’s Costa del Sol.

Hollywood producers are back in Malaga on Spain’s Costa del Sol filming a new series which will be shot in the province and Almeria.

AFTER a lengthy break due to the coronavirus, television producers are back and looking for local talent to star in ‘Marked The Unforgiven,’ a series inspired by Hell’s Angels, adapted from the bestseller Marked written by George Christie, former president of the Hells Angels of Ventura, California.

Auditions will take place at the end of the month, and a date will be set on June 15 for castings at Miramar Hotel in Malaga and in the auditorium of the Guitar Museum in Almeria.

Wanda-Halcyon’s communications director, Laura Beltrán Jiménez, said producers “hope to launch some promising Spanish actors who want to participate in a Hollywood production that will be seen around the world,” adding that the production team is “excited to hire local talent whenever possible as part of our commitment to economic development in the region.”

In a statement, Hormiguea, the Spanish communications agency which promotes Hollywood productions, explained that Marked The Unforgiven is the story of former Navy recon sniper Jack Crest, who returns home to Ventura, California, from Afghanistan.

He becomes the protégé of ‘Big John’ played by George Christie, and the two form a motorcycle club comprised only of veterans: Marine Recon, Green Berets, Navy Seals, Delta Operators and a Coast Guard captain.

The production was the brainchild of Sutish Sharma, former BBC executive and CEO of New Street Pictures, Pinewood Studios, in London and Pat Andrew of Wanda-Halcyon Television, former executive of Spelling Entertainment Inc.

Andrew was recently named one of the top producers to watch in Europe in 2020.

THE SUPREME FOSSIL FUEL FILES–U.S. Supreme Court Rules U.S. Forest Service Can Approve Pipeline Under National Trail– The U.S. Supreme Court overturned a federal appeals court ruling that held the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) lacked the authority to allow a permit for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) to cross beneath a portion of the Appalachian Trail in Virginia.

The $8 billion ACP would carry natural gas 600 miles from West Virginia to North Carolina to provide fuel for electric power along the east coast.

Where Authority Lies

The ACP would cross several federal lands, including national forests. The USFS granted federal permits along the route. Environmental groups sued to block the pipeline, saying the USFS lacked the authority to allow the ACP to cross under a small portion of the Appalachian Trail in Virginia. Under the 1968 Trails Act, the Department of the Interior designated the Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Maine to Georgia, as under the management of the National Park Service.

In 2019, the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, in Richmond, agreed with plaintiff environmental groups, ruling the Appalachian Trail fell under the authority of the NPS, which the court found was barred by federal law from granting rights of way for energy development.

Led by Dominion Energy, the consortium of companies building ACP appealed the lower court’s decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, with the Trump administration joining, on both substantive and legal grounds.

Industry groups argued the pipeline would neither harm the environment nor disturb hikers, as it would be constructed 600 feet below the trail, going underground a half-mile before crossing beneath the trail and exiting a half-mile beyond the trail.

The Trump administration and the consortium also argued the 1920 Mineral Leasing Act (MLA) granted USFS, in this instance, the authority to approve rights-of-way for oil and gas production and transport.

USFS Authorization Affirmed

Joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Samuel Alito, Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh, Justice Clarence Thomas authored a majority opinion reversing the 4th Circuit Court’s ruling, holding the Trails Act did not alter the USFS’s authority under the MLA to permit pipeline construction under the trail.

“We hold that the Mineral Leasing Act does grant the Forest Service that authority and therefore reverse the judgment” of the lower court, Thomas wrote.

The pipeline will have not harmed the environment, said ACP spokesperson Ann Nallo in a statement issued after the Supreme Court’s decision.

“For decades, more than 50 other pipelines have safely crossed the trail without disturbing its public use,” said Nallo. “The Atlantic Coast Pipeline will be no different.”

Having resolved this dispute, the consortium building ACP will now proceed to obtain the final permits for completion, saying it expects the pipeline to be operating by 2022.

Impact on Another Pipeline

It is likely the Supreme Court’s decision will reach beyond ACP’s particular case to allow the completion of a second pipeline.

The nearly completed 300-mile Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP), running from West Virginia to southern Virginia, crosses the Appalachian Trail in the Jefferson National Forest. Work on it was halted after the 4th Circuit Court’s ACP ruling. With that decision overturned and the same authority at issue in the MVP case, the pipeline should now be able to proceed to completion.

Clarifying Authority

The new decision appropriately places permitting authority for crossing the Appalachian Trail where it belongs with the USFS, providing certainty to oil and gas developers, says Mark Burghardt, a partner at the international law firm Dorsey & Whitney, in a statement.

“This decision is very good for natural gas producers, pipeline companies, and natural gas consumers,” said Burghardt. “In the short term, it will allow development of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline [and] long term, it allows pipeline companies to plan routes with certainty on how to cross the 780-mile Appalachian Trail and will allow the development of natural gas fields in less-populated areas to the west.

“The environmental groups challenging the pipeline were not worried about damage to the trail, since this pipeline is located far underground. [They] are simply against fossil fuels,” Burghardt’s statement said. “This is the right decision. It is a common-sense, practical decision that adheres to the text and purpose of the Trails Act [which] simply does not express the intent to transfer control of the property at issue from the Forest Service to the National Park Service.”

Sterling Burnett, Ph.D. (hsburnett@heartland.org) is the managing editor of Environment & Climate News.

By Tara Rippin
Heartland Institute

[page break]

LIFESTYE DEAL OF THE WEEK–2018 Harley-Davidson FLHXS – Street Glide Special 115th Anniversary for $25,995.00

See it here: https://www.lifestylecycles.com/default.asp?page=xPreOwnedInventoryDetail&id=8093945

2018 FLHXS Anniversary Street Glide Touring ‘Milwaukee 8’

**JUST 741 miles**

With its batwing fairing and angular saddlebags, Harley-Davidson’s Street Glide—its top-selling Touring model in the U.S.—cuts an iconic profile. It was overhauled for 2014 as part of Project Rushmore, including a redesigned batwing fairing with a new Splitstream vent, a hydraulic clutch, a beefier fork, dual halogen headlights, a new audio system, redesigned saddlebags, One-Touch latches and ergonomic switches, fresh styling and more.

Street Glide has the original stripped-down hot-rod look that is often copied but has never been equaled. The Milwaukee-Eight 107 engine backs up the look with massive torque. The 107 runs smoother and it runs cooler. The ride is unmatched as well, thanks to the fully adjustable rear suspension and responsive front suspension and Reflex linked Brembo brakes with ABS.

You also get a BOOM! Box 4.3 radio that puts out 25 watts per channel and GPS. There’s a pride that comes from riding the original, and when it comes to the stripped down, hot rod look, that would be the Harley-Davidson STREET GLIDE.

ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT:

Anniversary edition (#1311 of 1900) Denim Blue paint, beautiful eagle graphics, and raised tank logos looks new! It is dripping with black and totally awesome. Vivid black tank strap with graphic blue eagle face. Vivid black bars, mirrors and levers. Daymaker headlamp, vivid black smoked lense blinkers, complete vivid black forks on turbine wheels.

Black engine covers including rocker covers with a chrome band, vivid black and paint matching blue 107 air cleaner cover, cam with blue/black accented H-D logo. ABS and Rinehart Racing black exhaust. 2-up seat with quick detachable backrest and hardware in place to add a luggage rack. Vivid black engine guard and more anniversary eagle graphics on the bag. So much more, this one is really a must come see…

Just a few of the new standards for 2018:
New gloss black Turbine wheels; 19-inch front and 18-inch rear.

Saddle Bags and FLHX rear fascia create a slammed profile; uses same all-new front and rear suspension setup as Street Glide Special/Road Glide Special.

A new 9-inch-tall, 1.25-inch-diameter mini-ape handlebar combines a profiling rider attitude with comfort for the open road.

This bike has passed Lifestyle Cycles rigorous 100 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!!!

EZ FINANCING-SHIPPING AVAILABLE!!!

**Open 7 Days a Week**

Fill out an online application and ride today!!!

Just $25,995 at Lifestyle Cycles (714) 490-0155

EASYRIDERS STAFFER FROM THE PAST CAN HELP YOU WITH HOME BUYING–If some of your contacts might be interested in my services, please don’t hesitate to share the link with them. https://www.afihomesinvestment.com/

QUOTE OF THE WEEK—As a result of the freedom they have attained through knowledge of the truth, their thoughts are peaceful, their words are peaceful, and their deeds are peaceful.–Buddha

The need to advocate for motorists’ rights has grown during the time of COVID. NMA members need to be more vigilant than ever in home communities and home states.

This newsletter is a two-parter and comes from what we see trending nationally. This week, we look at speed limits, automated traffic enforcement, and street surveillance. Next week, the focus will be on police reform, infrastructure, tolls, and some positive things we see coming down the pike.

We would like to hear your views on what’s next. Please email us at nma@motorists.org.

Speed Limits

Before the current world health crisis, cities and towns were under pressure by Vision Zero and anti-car proponents to lower limits without regard for natural, safe driving speeds. The 85th percentile continues under critical review at all levels of government. The carcass of the 55 mph National Maximum Speed Limit even seems to be rising from the dead as calls for reinstitution of a federally mandated restrictive limit are growing.

Ironically, the Center for Disease Control announced at the end of May that personal vehicles are currently the safest way to get around in the current pandemic and after the country completely opens. (Of course, the agency later retracted this recommendation after pressure from anti-car activists.)

Automated Traffic Enforcement (ATE): Red-Light and Speed Cameras

Many cities have echoed the camera company party line in declaring ATE as a vital safety tool when it is no secret that the revenue from photo tickets is often a budget balancer for them. The coronavirus jolt to the economy may cause more cities to look at the deployment of cameras to fill budget gaps.

Several new types of automated cameras are becoming available as part of the policing tool chest. Green-light cameras combine red-light and speed camera technologies. Distracted driving detection cams mounted along roadways primarily detect whether a driver is using a cell phone while the vehicle is in motion. The Australian state of New South Wales began using the detection cameras this year. In the first two months of operation, more than $7.1 million in fines were issued to 21,000 drivers, or roughly the equivalent of 5 million US dollars.

Street Surveillance: Automated License Plate Readers, Surveillance Cams, Facial Recognition, Contact Tracing Apps on Phones, Drone and Airplane Surveillance

Big Brother and Sister are here, and they are not going away.

Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) and Other Surveillance Cameras

Many cities around the country are either funding mobile (police vehicle) ALPRs or are putting the devices at the entrances and exits to their towns. Neighborhood groups now also use ALPRs, closed-circuit cameras, and personal Ring doorbell cameras to track traffic in and out of their subdivisions. Police ALPR use will only increase. Same with surveillance cameras, especially with civil unrest used as justification.

Facial Recognition

Facial recognition devices constitute the surveillance technology of choice in China. In the US, while privacy rights groups and even cities have started pushing back against rights violation issues surrounding the use of facial recognition as an enforcement tool, its implementation for identifying and tracking individuals on the streets and in their cars is on the rise.

Data gathered from facial recognition are already connecting to databases that contain personal information and biometrics gleaned from state DMVs. Privacy safeguards are not apparent.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) recently filed a lawsuit against Clearview AI, a facial recognition company. Clearview allegedly collects and stores data without the owners’ knowledge and sold access to the data to other private companies and law enforcement. More privacy lawsuits like this will likely be filed against opportunistic companies in the future.

Facial recognition will become more important in the sharing economy, especially as a way to identify paying customers for rideshare and mobility services (that is if either come back to life after the pandemic).

Phone and Contact Tracing

Private companies are already tracing your movements by utilizing various apps that use location tracking. Do you use a weather radar app? The app needs to know where you are to give you the information about the local weather. That is a trace. Compound that with all the other phone apps that ask for your location—you get the picture.

As part of the surveillance response to the COVID-19 crisis, Apple, Google, and many other tech companies around the world are working on contact tracing apps. These phone-based programs will be used to show if you have the COVID-19 virus and will attempt to track all the people you came in contact with so that they can be tagged too. Coupled with thermal imaging cameras and other types of surveillance, you are likely to be tracked everywhere you go. Contact tracing apps have already been used to follow recent protesters.

Drone and Plane Surveillance

Police and other government agencies are using drones for various reasons: accident reconstruction, active shooter incidents, and other active incidents to gather intelligence. This includes using drones during recent protests.

Overhead surveillance by aircraft is being used in cities like Baltimore. The ACLU recently launched an ad campaign to advocate against the practice. Highway speed surveillance by plane will likely continue wherever allowed.

Of course, the future is not fixed. Many events can happen in a short time, such as what has happened in the past month in the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis. The subsequent worldwide protests and civil unrest are prime examples.

Next week in Part 2 of What’s Next for Motorists’ Rights, we will delve into police reform, infrastructure, and other possibilities that motorists’ rights advocates will welcome.

THE BANDIT’S CANTINA BAD JOKE LIBRARY IS WIDE OPEN, NO MASKS REQUIRED--A young monk arrives at the monastery. He is assigned to helping the other monks in copying the old canons and laws of the Church, by hand.

He notices, however, that all of the monks are copying from copies, not from the original manuscript. So, the new monk goes to the Old Abbot to question this, pointing out that if someone made even a small error in the first copy, it would never be picked up! In fact, that error would be continued in all of the subsequent copies.

The head monk, says, “We have been copying from the copies for centuries, but you make a good point, my son.”

He goes down into the dark caves underneath the monastery where the original manuscripts are held as archives, in a locked vault that hasn’t been opened for hundreds of years. Hours go by, and nobody sees the Old Abbot.

So, the young monk gets worried and goes down to look for him. He sees him banging his head against the wall and wailing.

His forehead is all bloody and bruised, and he is crying uncontrollably. “We missed the R. We missed the R! We missed the R!

The young monk asks the old Abbot, “What’s wrong, Father?”

With a choking voice, the old Abbot replies, “The word was …. CELEBRATE!”

–from Sam Burns

 RUDY TRAVELS THE WORLD ALONE ON A MOTORCYCLE–Rudy is the host and executive producer of 95 television episodes on the world’s great destinations that air on public television stations nationwide.

His television episodes also air in 121 countries in 22 different languages on Travel Channel International. He is well known as public radio’s “Savvy Traveler” and an award-winning contributing editor with National Geographic Traveler magazine.

He is a contributing editor to Delta’s SKY magazine and Artful Living, the Twin Cities’ lifestyle magazine. The voice of National Geographic Traveler’s “Walks of a Lifetime” podcasts, he also hosts America’s most widely syndicated travel radio show, “RM World Travel with Rudy Maxa and Robert & Mary Carey,” which airs weekly on 330+ mostly news/talk stations in North America.

The webcast is free and is Livestreamed on Monday, June 22nd, 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!

So please join me. Smile and laugh with us on this Monday! Please register for the JOURNEYS WEBCAST f with Panos Kyriazis by clicking this link now.
REGISTER NOW, IT’S FREE: http://register.journeyswebcast.com

The first ten episodes of JOURNEYS brought guests from South Africa, Ecuador, Uruguay, Turkey, Mexico, Croatia, Romania, LA, 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 South Africa: https://youtu.be/wiRg8qYmEMM
#2 Uruguay: https://youtu.be/D5FbjF05f8w
#3 Ecuador: https://youtu.be/TKadJzIfAEk
#4 Turkey: https://youtu.be/KVwl3PBoyJc
#5 Mexico: https://youtu.be/qfRvg3Vv8ME
#6 Croatia: https://youtu.be/nAy2w3sADzo
#7 Romania: https://youtu.be/71botZJGgtg
#8 Los Angeles (Kindness Diaries): https://youtu.be/6zbJpD1BX-w
#9 Athens: https://youtu.be/k0t7lpzvIEk
#10 Georgia: https://youtu.be/KHDKklCkVAc

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

FATHERS DAY TRIBUTE FROM LOWBROW–If you are a dad, know a dad or have a dad, you should celebrate!

Being a Dad can be tough… as all parents know, kids can be loud and annoying.
However, my daughters bring me pure joy on a daily basis. Nothing could replace the positive impact they make in my life.

Watching them discover the world is endlessly entertaining and sweet.
I’ve got two great Dads, and I see parts of them in myself. Thanks to both of them!
Much respect to all the Dads out there. We all need you!

–Tyler

INDIAN MOTORCYCLE’S NEW HEATED & COOLED SEAT FEATURES
INDUSTRY-FIRST TECHNOLOGY FOR SUPERIOR COOLING

All-New ClimaCommand Classic Seat Provides Heated Comfort, While Also Addressing the Age-Old Challenges of Warm-Weather Riding with Unprecedented Cooling Technology

Indian Motorcycle, America’s First Motorcycle Company, today announced a revolutionary new technology geared to improved rider comfort through a patent-pending system that delivers superior cooling for a more pleasant riding experience in warm weather.

The all-new ClimaCommand Classic Seat delivers both heating and cooling to riders and passengers and raises the bar for cooling thanks to three key elements:

•A proprietary thermoelectric module that pumps heat away from the rider

•A patent-pending ducting system for cooling the thermoelectric module

•Graphene, a highly conductive and flexible material that optimizes the distribution of heating or cooling while maintaining superior comfort

Indian Motorcycle’s thermoelectric technology is much more effective than the automotive market standard of HVAC convection systems. A critical performance benefit of the ClimaCommand technology is that it actually produces a surface that’s cold to the touch, rather than merely pushing cool air through perforations in the surface in the manner that HVAC system offerings operate.

“Despite advancements in heating and cooling for seats, we had yet to see a cooling technology that truly eliminated the discomfort of hot-weather, and with ClimaCommand, our engineering team has finally solved this problem,” said Ross Clifford, Vice President of Parts, Garments, and Accessories at Indian Motorcycle. “Our thermoelectric technology paired with graphene material is truly a game-changer, and another example of Indian Motorcycle bringing difference-making innovation to the market.”

To accomplish conduction heating and cooling, a thermoelectric module located within the seat directly regulates the temperature. Electricity is applied to a thermoelectric module, causing one side of the module to absorb heat and the opposing side to dissipate heat. By reversing electrical flow, the hot and cold temperatures alternate sides. A graphene material, which is a nanomaterial created from 100% carbon atoms, is then used to ensure the heating and cooling is dispersed throughout the entire seat.

The well-cushioned ClimaCommand Classic Seat delivers unprecedented comfort with Thunderstroke models. Independent rider and passenger controls (low, medium, high) allow the rider and passenger to remain in command of their heating and cooling levels. With no perforations, the seat’s vinyl cover is highly-durable and water and UV-resistant. Passengers can add more comfort with Armrest Pads and a Trunk Backrest Pad, both designed and developed to seamlessly pair with the new ClimaCommand Classic Seat.

It’s important to note that the ClimaCommand Classic Seat is not Ride Command-integrated. However, Ride Command-integrated versions of the ClimaCommand Seat will be available for the 2020 Chieftain and Roadmaster later this year.

The ClimaCommand Classic Seat is now shipping to dealers and available at IndianMotorcycle.com.

In addition to the all-new ClimaCommand Classic Seat, Indian Motorcycle is introducing an array of new parts and accessories for Scout and FTR 1200 models. New Semi-Rigid Scout Saddlebags allow Scout riders to pack for the long haul, while FTR 1200 riders can select from high or low mount carbon-fiber Akrapovic exhaust options, several new airbox tank cover options, new billet aluminum Rizoma mirrors, and a carbon fiber nacelle to enhance the high-performance design of the FTR 1200.

Riders can learn more at IndianMotorcycle.com or on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

MRF NEWS: What’s this “Meeting of the Minds” & Why?

Thirty-six years ago, in a two-star hotel in St. Louis, Missouri, a handful of bikers gathered to “just talk.” Many of the freedoms motorcyclists enjoy today can be attributed to that first “Meeting of the Minds.” Without fail, the MRF has taken the commitment to protect those freedoms beyond “just talk.”

Now’s the time to use this link and register at Meeting of the Minds 2020. Hotel info is on the same site.

What’s this “Meeting of the Minds” & why?

It wasn’t until the third Meeting of the Minds that the original steering committee insisted on providing attendees with “How to” workshops with the nuts and bolts content that is now standard fare at all Meeting of the Minds conferences.

What’s this “Meeting of the Minds” & why?

How about 12 workshops? How about giving attendees more tools to deal with the pressing issues affecting freedom and motorcyclists’ rights? Profiling of motorcyclists because of association? Ethanol 15? Driverless Cars? How to use the media and public relations for our purposes?

What’s this “Meeting of the Minds” & why?

When every group in Washington, D.C., has a PAC, how about a workshop titled POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE?? WHY THE HELL DOES A BIKER NEED ONE? And in less than two hours, you’ll see why every biker organization advocating motorcyclists’ rights needs a PAC and you’ll go home with the tools to help your SMRO form one!

What’s this “Meeting of the Minds” & why?

Freedom! It’s blasted at you from your TV and screamed at you from the morning paper. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation, with the Meeting of the Minds Conference, takes freedom seriously and beyond the headline grabbers with a workshop “With Freedom comes Responsibility”.

What’s this “Meeting of the Minds” & why?

It’s motorcyclists’ rights advocates coming together to meet old friends, make new friends, hone skills that may have gone soft during the lockdowns. It’s brothers and sisters knowing about freedom and wanting more information on how to protect their rights, their motorcycles, and their lifestyles. Now’s the time to use this link and register at Meeting of the Minds 2020.

That’s what this Meeting of the Minds is all about. We endured the lockdown.?We social distanced. And the MRF never forgot why we were founded – to advocate and protect the rights of all motorcyclists. The 2020 Meeting of the Minds provides you with the tools to protect the freedoms you enjoy and get beyond the lockdown; see you in Indianapolis!!!  

HOLY MOLY—I dig South Dakota for the history, for the rally, for freedom and motorcycles.

I just got the WiFi hooked up and I’m scrambling to find my way. The lists are daunting, and the skies are blue and clear. There are contractors working on homes all around me, since the weather is clear.

We have six motorcycles headed this direction, two Indians, two Panheads, an Evo FLH and a 1926 Peashooter for the living room. I’ve had a motorcycle in my living room in my last four homes. Can’t break the tradition.

We are working on the second printing of Prize Possession. It’s a trip, but it’s coming together.

The action isn’t stopping because I’m hanging in Deadwood. When the Panheads arrive, I’ll be all over them. I’m taking the Redhead out to see the sights. And I can start working on the third Chance book based around Bonneville and the grungy LA marinas. But I can’t wait to write a book around Deadwood. The research begins…

In the meantime, ride fast and free forever.

–Bandit

by Elena Gorgan from https://www.autoevolution.com

It’s a sad day for electric two-wheelers: the iconic and often-derided personal transporter Segway, a true pioneer in urban mobility, has come to the end of life. The factory producing the PT will shut down permanently on July 15, 2020.

When it was teased back in 2001, Segway was said to come to replace the car. It would be, they said, what the car was for the horse and buggy, an invention more revolutionizing than the computer itself. The Segway, a two-wheeled personal transporter (they called it human transporter, HT, back then), was more than just a product; it was, in very simple terms, the future.

In many ways, Segway, with its self-balancing technology and versatile functionality, was a trailblazer. It never got to be as popular and commercially successful as inventor Dean Kamen thought (hoped?) it would be, but it was a revolutionary product.

It’s now time to pour one out for the Segway PT, because it’s curtain call. The Bedford, New Hampshire factory that produces it will shut down permanently on July 15, 2020, Fast Company reports. Production on the PT comes to an end, and there are no immediate plans to ever revive the product in another form.

That said, the decision is hardly surprising. For all the new ground the PT broke in terms of urban mobility, it could never attain wide appeal with the public for a very simple reason: it was – and is – too expensive. A PT still costs as much as a used motorcycle, and it only gets a top speed of 12.5 mph (20 kph) and a range of 31 miles (68 km). Considering it boasted a 10 mph (16 kph) top speed back in 2001, it’s hardly made any progress in this regard.

Judy Cai, president of Segway, believes quality also played a part in the low spread of the PT: it was too good to make a profit off, so it’s probably the opposite of what you were thinking. “We tried analyzing, how come sales cannot go up quickly? One reason, I hate to say, is the quality of it, how durable it is,” Cai explains to Fast Company.

“I talk to customers riding [an old] unit. It doesn’t look good because it’s been on the road 12 years. It has 100,000 miles on it. But the machine itself runs very well. And so when you try to sell new units [to those customers].,. unfortunately, it does hurt us,” Cai adds.

This means that, while Segway planned on selling 100,000 units of the self-balancing PT in the first year, it was only able to sell about 140,000 in total, in all these years since launch. Segway found a niche as a fleet vehicle with armed guards, police officers, airport staff and tour guides. As an actual personal vehicle for urban mobility, which is what it aimed to be from the start, it never really caught on.

The PT that could, and a legacy that lives on

Segway had big dreams for its PT in the early ‘00s. When it was rolled out at the end of 2001, with help from inventor Kamen, it was unlike anything else that the world had seen. A two-wheeler that you could control by simply leaning on it, that would be as intuitive as walking is, that would ride upright without toppling over and that could get you cruising down the street several times faster than you could walk – it was all unheard of. The self-balancing tech used for it paved the way for many other products we see today more often than we see a Segway, like hoverboards.

As the years passed and the adoption rate still failed to go up, Kamen sold the company. In 2015, Segway was bought by Chinese giant Ninebot and, today, they command a large portion of the micromobility market, with their electric kickscooters, self-balancing scooters and electric bikes.

While the Segway PT as we’ve known it for almost two decades will no longer be, the Segway name and the brand live on. So does the legacy of Segway, because the technology developed for the PT continues to be used in a variety of products, including in the S-Pod concept revealed earlier this year (basically, still the PT but with a new, chair-type form factor).

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

For the past month or so, as part of our Two-Wheeler Month coverage, we talked at length about some of the craziest builds on two wheels out there. A good portion of our attention was focused on a German group called Thunderbike.

In the business of customizing Harleys but also create their own frames for about 20 years, Thunderbike is one of the most active shops not only in Europe, but in the world. The number of bikes they modified over the years is simply huge, and there seems to be no stopping them.

Their latest stunt is called Solid Dude, and is a Fat Boy turned into the “absolute power cruiser.” Previewed this week by Thunderbike, the motorcycle is the usual display of custom parts extravaganza.

As they usually do when modifying existing motorcycles. Thunderbike seems to have spared no expense with this one either. Around 30 new parts have been made to work together and look like a solid piece of engineering on the body of the Fat Boy.

A quick look at the modifications made shows that, aside for the engine itself, there was little that wasn’t touched by the Thunderbike magic. Larger elements like the front and rear fenders are custom, but so are smaller ones like the handlebar or the turn signals.

A highlight of the build are of course the wheels. Sized equally in diameter at 21 inches, they’re of Thunderbike spoked design and painted in such a way as to match the bike’s apparent Nardo Grey paint wrapping. Complementing the whole thing are the pipes of the Dr. Jekill & Mr. Hyde exhaust system.

We are not being told who commissioned the motorcycle and not even how much it cost to make, but if you have the time, you can head over to the Thunderbike website for a closer look at each part (and pricing).

 

by Margaret Naczek from https://www.bizjournals.com

While retailers across the country experience tremendous hits to their businesses, Harley-Davidson dealerships in southeastern Wisconsin are seeing the pleasant surprise of busy service departments and continued sales during the Covid-19 pandemic.

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

Generally speaking, custom bikes are not cheap. For one, there’s the wealth of parts that go into making one, then the hours of labor spent, and God what else. All that add up and reflects in the asking price for such a build.

Of course, most shops make custom bikes on demand, but even if they make one out of the blue, there’s still that only one. No series production means no standardized parts or assembly processes, and that means more money too.

Wichita, Kansas-based Big Dog Motorcycles is one of those few businesses that make series-production custom bikes. That means their products, although they have the look and feel of something unique, are priced to be more affordable than a one-off because there are more of them.

There are 4 bike models in Big Dog’s portfolio, and as part of our Two-Wheeler Month coverage we’ll talk a bit about each one of them over the next few days. And we’ll kick off with the K9, a “chopper-style cruiser with a strong silhouette, bold, cutting-edge style, and a killer sound.”

Built on a custom frame, it packs a 124ci (2.0-liter) S&S Super Sidewinder V-Twin engine tied to a 6-speed transmission. The frame rides on a swing-arm suspension and hidden adjustable rear shocks, and makes the connection to the ground via Avon tires.

Starting from $34,995 (the K9 is in the upper half of the Big Dog lineup price-wise), the engine is offered either carbureted or with fuel injection (add an extra grand for that), a price that is rather affordable, considering this is after all a custom motorcycle. Don’t expect that to be the final price, though.

There are 12 body colors to choose from, three types of wheels, two finishes for the engine (polished or black), and several graphics. Each, of course, could add more dollars to the final price.

Big Dog plans to make 50 of these, but we are not told how many of them have been sold.

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

Generally, custom bike builds are meant to convey a message of hardcore two-wheeled motoring. To get that message through, custom builders usually have to create monsters that stand out through sharpness, coldness, or perhaps meanness.

The bike in the gallery above has none of those attributes. If anything, it looks soft to the touch, possibly smooth as silk, but somehow manages to retain an air of coolness specific to custom Harleys.

What you see in front of your eyes was once a 2017 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy. It lost most of its industrial look at the hands of a German custom garage by the name of Thunderbike, and was gifted with a more eye-soothing appearance.

There are, of course, a lot of custom parts that have made it onto this build – over 30, in fact – but it’s not them that make the biggest difference. It’s the paint job that does. Partially the work of Thunderbike’s favorite partner in this area, Ingo Kruse, it blends matte black with gold on the wheel rims, fenders and fuel tank to create an almost tactile visual experience.

Related in the garage’s books with the Night Train we talked about over the weekend, the Seventy – that’s the name chosen for the motorcycle post-build – comes with new fenders and fuel tank, custom wheels (sized 21 and 23 inches), new toppers and grips.

The mechanical improvements include the addition of a swingarm kit, a hydraulic clutch cylinder, and a modified air suspension – you can find the entire list of modifications made by accessing this link.

As pretty much all Thunderbike builds, this one too is not for sale. It has been built to order, but it also acts as a sort of mobile billboard for all the special custom parts the Germans have in their offer for Harley motorcycles.

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

At the beginning of last week, bike maker Harley-Davidson announced it is holding a special online event dedicated to all those bike builders who were robbed by the health crisis of the chance of showing their creations in live motorcycle shows.

Called The No Show, the Harley event brought together on Youtube and Instagram around 60 bike builders across the U.S., each showing and advertising their bikes the best they could. Of the 60, Harley chose three to be named winners in various categories – Media Choice Award, H-D Styling & Design Award, and Harley-Davidson Museum Award.

As far as Styling & Design, the bike was selected and the crown was handed by Brad Richards, the man in charge of design at Harley, to a build called 2-Cam Banjo Board Track Racer.

The bike is the work of a man from Wisconsin named Michael Lange. Describing himself as a bike builder for 50 years and a self-employed man for the past 30, Lange decided to bring to The No Show a motorcycle he built way back in 1996, one he was supposed to show at this year’s Mama Tried.

The man’s confidence in the bike paid off, given his build won one of the three awards, but perhaps for him that’s just a small achievement.

Running on massive wheels and packing a host of custom-made parts, from the engine itself to the fuel tank and the frame, the Banjo is of course an odd sight on the roads today, but it is a common one at various racing events still paying tribute to the racing bikes of old.

Lange says he originally built the bike to race it as a privateer, and race it he did for the past 24 years without many major issues. You can watch he has to say about the motorcycle in the short video attached below this text.