More than 100 outdoor businesses, from Fortune 500 companies to mom and pop shops, including specialty retailers, gear and vehicle manufacturers, outfitters, campground and marina operators, and more sent a letter to Senate leadership urging swift passage of the Great American Outdoors Act to stimulate the outdoor recreation industry and provide safe and sustainable recreation access and infrastructure for generations to come. The GAOA would provide a critical boost to what was, before the pandemic, a $778 billion a year industry supporting 5.2 million jobs and accounting for 2.2 percent of U.S. gross domestic product. According to the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable’s most recent member survey and dashboard of the sector, 94 percent of outdoor industry businesses have experienced a decrease in sales and 88 percent have laid off or furloughed a portion of their workforce. As these cross-sector companies show, investments in conservation and recreation are needed to provide business certainty so the outdoor recreation industry can get back to what it does best — grow jobs, support healthy communities, and provide more opportunities for everyone to benefit from time spent outside. “Maintenance backlogs have led to deteriorated trails and facilities, preventing Americans, including our large community of motorized off-road vehicle users, from participating in healthful outdoor activities at a time when we need it most,” said Erik Pritchard, president and CEO of the Motorcycle Industry Council, Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association, and the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America. “The GAOA would ensure that access and infrastructure on public lands and waters are restored so that families and recreationists can enjoy the outdoors safely and close to home. This would also provide a much needed boost to local businesses that support these activities.” “Our entire industry is behind this, from skiers to snowmobilers, hunters to hikers, campers to RVers, and climbers to motorcyclists,” said Jessica (Wahl) Turner, executive director of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. “Businesses have been making calls, running sign-on campaigns, and sending letters. This unity shows the amazing work that has been done to get us to where we are on this once-in-a-generation legislation. In the next week, Congress has the opportunity to do something that truly outlasts their time in office and that will benefit the nation for decades to come.”   –MIC

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

As one of the largest Harley-Davidson garages on the European continent, Thunderbike has a long list of custom parts at the ready for any build that is required of them. And with 20 years of customizing Harleys behind them, the Germans are not playing around.

Usually Thunderbike builds come to the world as per customer request, but from time to time they do make a project or two just as a means to showcase that wealth of parts. The bike in the gallery above, called Black Rebel (alternatively spelled Blackrebell), has been made to fulfill the wishes of a customer.

Based on a Softail FXDR, the build has been designed as the “full Thunderbike drone.” It comes with a long list of custom parts, ranging from the license plate frame to the exhaust system that swerves toward the rear.

“The Blackrebell got the complete series of the new Thunderbike FXDR parts,” says the tuner, the most prominent of which being the front and rear fenders that cover the massive wheels.

As most other Thunderbike builds, this one rides on an air suspension system also, which depending on the swing arm can vary the bike’s ride by 100 mm with the push of a button.

The exhaust system is also of Thunderbike make, designed specifically to run with Milwaukee-Eight engines, and comes as a complete kit with header and muffler.

The host of modifications made to the FXDR make it stand out quite a lot from the usual production version of the motorcycle. We are not being told how much the final product ended up costing, but if you’re curious about an estimate you can head on to the Germans’ official website and sum up all those custom parts – there are 21 in all, each painted in such a way as to match the black motif of the two-wheeler.

by Sean Szymkowski from https://www.cnet.com/

US plant operations still remain offline in Ohio.

As Honda continues to ramp up production following an extended shutdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus, the Japanese automaker faced a new setback on Monday.

Bloomberg first reported the automaker was the target of a cyberattack of some sort, which led Honda to halt production at various plants around the world. A Honda spokesperson confirmed the cyberattack with Roadshow and said the attack “has affected production operations at some US plants.” The spokesperson added, “There is no current evidence of loss of personally identifiable information.” Production has restarted at all plants save for its Ohio facilities.

According to the spokesperson, Honda is still working to restart production at its car and engine plants in the state. Honda notably builds the Civic sedan, Accord sedan and CR-V at its Ohio facilities. The Acura NSX is also made in Ohio.

As for what the attack took down, Honda didn’t offer detailed information. TechCrunch reported it was a ransomware attack, meaning it would encrypt Honda’s data and ask for payment before unencrypting it. Bloomberg reported the issue affected a car inspection system. The system checks for defects before cars ship out to dealers and the factories weren’t able to register vehicle information.

Honda hit by cyber attack, some production disrupted

from https://www.channelnewsasia.com

Honda Motor Co suspended some of its auto and motorcycle production globally as the Japanese car giant grappled with a suspected cyber attack, a spokesman said on Tuesday.

TOKYO: Honda Motor Co suspended some of its auto and motorcycle production globally as the Japanese car giant grappled with a suspected cyber attack, a spokesman said on Tuesday.

The suspected attack affected Honda’s production globally on Monday, forcing some plants to stop operations as the company needed to ensure that its quality control systems were not compromised.

Honda suspects the ransomware hit the company’s internal servers, the spokesman said.

Production resumed at most of the plants by Tuesday, but its main plant in Ohio, as well as those in Turkey, India and Brazil remain suspended as the ransomware disputed the company’s production systems, he said.

Ben tells the history of the Harley Big Twin Clutch
By Ben Kudon from American Prime

It all started in 1903 or there abouts…
The motor company went through a number of changes over the years with the way they transferred the power from the motor/transmission to the rear wheel.

Now, this clutch may have been the bad ass doohickey in the day, (and while there are still bikers out there that swear this clutch is the best), it just ain’t!

That old style stud and coil spring clutch had three major disadvantages that a diaphragm spring clutch doesn’t have.
The more you compress the coil springs to engage better, the harder it is to pull in the clutch lever in.

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS FEATURE ARTICLE ON BIKERNET

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

Because of the way in which motorcycles are made, the fuel tank is one of the main elements that can be customized to relay the most important message of a build: uniqueness. And in the case of this bike, that message is definitely heard.

The motorcycle in the gallery above was once a BMW R100 R. This motorcycle family was the Germans’ last breed of air-cooled two-wheelers, and they date back as far as 1976. That makes them very old, and in the case of this one here, born in 1991, not particularly appealing in stock form.

Not the same can be said about it customized like this. The bike is called The Whale, or 07, and is the work of an Austrian custom garage that goes by the name of Vagabund.

The group is behind some of the craziest motorcycle designs on the market, and that’s not necessarily because of the final shape of the projects, but also thanks to the manufacturing processes it uses, like 3D printing.

In the case of The Whale, the focus went into making the fuel tank unique. Vagabund calls it a handmade aluminum monocoque that extends all the way to the back to support the seat. It also includes a mini speedometer and warning lights.

Visually, the build is miles away from its former, original self. The wheels are the original ones, only knocked down, the exhaust likewise but are now fitted with a pre-silencer, and the front fork has been shortened by 70 mm.

Not many modifications were made to the engine, which is pretty much the same one fitted by the Bavarians decades ago, only serviced and painted black.

The Vagabund 07 The Whale is listed on the garage’s website as sold, and this is not a series production motorcycle so don’t expect to see more than one on the roads.

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

Try as you might, there are slim chances you’ll find something in the long list of Harley motorcycle models that’s not customizable. No matter the class, model or variant of the bike, a shop somewhere more than likely has a thing or two in mind that could change the stock look into something more exciting.

Take the FXDR for instance, one of the many versions available in the bike maker’s Softail lineup. The close- to-$19K motorcycle is not an unpleasant look on the roads in stock form, but that’s mostly because of the customizing potential the motorcycle has. A potential some custom garages like Germany-based Thunderbike have no problem in seeing.

The Europeans are a force to be reckoned with on the global custom Harley front, and they are even awarded official recognition from Milwaukee from time to time. Their chopperized 1995 Sportster called Emperor, for instance, was one of the main builds of the bike maker’s King of Kings competition this year.

The FXDR-based build here serves another purpose: to advertise the garage’s own custom parts, and how much they can change the appearance of a stock two-wheeler.

As it happened countless times with their builds, this one too is a moving display of imagination. A long list of custom hardware (from elements as tiny as the turn signals to more prominent ones like the huge wheels) transformed the bike into a lower, meaner and more eye-pleasing machine.

As usual, Thunderbike toyed with the stance of the ride by fitting an Air Ride suspension over two large wheels, sized 21 inches at the front and 18 inches at the rear. The custom paint, mostly gray, has been generously spread on the custom fenders and tank, and together with the silvery-look of the Kesstech exhaust is supposed to give the build a “rocket-like spaceship look.“

The Silverforce, as the Germans call their creation, is not a series production bike, but almost every single one of the parts on it can be specified for whatever Harley models their customers ride.

 

It’s terrible, first the Covid and lock-down, then the rioting surrounded the 5-Ball Inc. corporate headquarters and the Bikernet Intergalactic Nerve Center across the street from the Port of Los Angeles. They hit downtown LA and Long Beach hard.

While some members hid under their beds, the Redhead and I snuck out of the war zone to the Chinese-owned Home Depot for window boarding supplies. I flew back to the port ghetto to board up our windows. We were ready for our Alamo effort on the coast of California between Long Beach and San Pedro.

I hung out in the shop working toward the run to Sturgis and Dr. Hamster’s Pandemic Panhead project. More reports coming to Bikernet shortly. But that’s not all, Friday before last, my bank called to tell me our 5-Ball Racing shop credit-card system was under attack. The next day my bookkeeper fled to Mexico with large canvas bags of cash. I had to go into high alert. It wasn’t Laura, she’s cool, but she was out of Dodge, and I had to handle it. Of course, I didn’t know shit about all these systems.

It took me a week, but all the systems are up and running now. If you were trying to buy a book or leathers and couldn’t get the job done or join the Cantina, you’re good to go now. It’s never dull around here.

I wish all a safe road ahead.

–Bandit

www.shop.bikernet.com

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It all started in 1903 or there abouts…
The motor company went through a number of changes over the years with the way they transferred the power from the motor/transmission to the rear wheel. The one most commonly known looks like this:

Now, this clutch may have been the bad ass doohickey in the day, (and while there are still bikers out there that swear this clutch is the best), it just ain’t!

That old style stud and coil spring clutch had three major disadvantages that a diaphragm spring clutch doesn’t have.
The more you compress the coil springs to engage better, the harder it is to pull in the clutch lever in.

The friction plates ride up and down on the studs about approx. 1/8″ and wear grooves in the studs allowing the frictions plates to hang up on these grooves.

The needle bearings are trapped in a stamped steel retainer that is so sloppy it lets the clutch hub wiggle and wobble. The friction liner on the rear of the hub then tends to contact the rear of the clutch basket and that’s when the clutch pulls you through a stop sign with the clutch lever pulled all the way in!

Diaphragm Spring technology is the heart of our Comp Master™ clutch for Knuckles, Pans and Shovels (plus a few more). It just works better because; It’s easier on the wrist, it holds way more power and it is infinitely easier to adjust. PLUS….We replace all those itsy bitsy needle bearing with a double row automotive type sealed bearing housed inside a billet aluminum bearing retainer. Totally stabile with no more wiggle of wobble!!

1056-0002
Diaphragm spring makes it easy to pull in the lever and completely engages and disengages the clutch so its easier to get into neutral and easier to get into gear. This one’s for you!

FITS ALL PRE-EVO BIG TWINS (1936-84) WITH EARLY DRY STYLE CLUTCH.

Description

This is the one, the clutch that changed everything for owners and riders of Knuck’s, Pan’s and Shovels. Chucking the old skool coil springs and studs, this clutch utilizes state-of-the-art diaphragm spring technology to drastically improve clutch engagement and virtually eradicate clutch wrist fatigue. Gone are the days of clutch slippage, creeping and hard to get into neutral frustration!

COMP MASTER™ CLUTCH FITS ALL PRE-EVO BIG TWIN (1936-84) WITH EARLY DRY STYLE CLUTCH.
COMING SOON!!

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

Harley-Davidson describes its Breakout model as a “muscular modern chopper with pure stop you in your tracks attitude” and by all accounts they are right. But as is the case with most Harleys, the Breakout too can be much more than what stock has to offer.

Usually coming to the road as a long ride with round lines, the Breakout was turned into something else, lower and sharper, by a German custom shop by the name of Thunderbike.

The group has been in the business of selling both stock Harleys and customized parts for them for the past 20 years, and it is one of the most active such garages in the industry.

Their Breakout conversion is named Razorback mostly due to the fact that the soft, flowing fuel tank and rear fender have been replaced with custom hardware, both designed with edges sharp enough to give the motorcycle a whole new shape.

Aside from the tank and fender, the Breakout has been fitted with the usual Thunderbike styling kit, which includes anything from the headlight to the license plate mounting.

New matte bicolor wheels, sized 18 inches rear and 21 inches front are of a special Thunderbike design, and to make sure anyone can admire the wheels in their full glory, a left side pulley brake system was fitted. Also, the shock at the rear was swapped for an Air Ride suspension that can bring the bike much closer to the ground than what Harley originally intended.

Also at the rear, a new Jekyll and Hyde exhaust system has been included to make sure the motorcycle has enough decibels on its side.

We are not being told what happened to the bike once the build was completed, but as with all other Thunderbike designs, this too is not a series machine, but more of a display panel for all the custom Harley parts the Germans are making,

 

The last few days have been rough — on top of the already difficult times we’re all still dealing with due to the coronavirus crisis.

I’m sure you were just as saddened, frustrated and angry about the mayhem, destruction and violence that broke out in Minneapolis — but it’s time to shake off the shock and do what Americans do — get together, roll up our sleeves, and start doing what we can to set things right.

While the underlying political issues are a matter for another time, Bikers For Trump are taking action now to help our fellow citizens who have been effected by all the chaos clean up and get their lives going again.

That’s why we’re converging on Minneapolis this weekend — Saturday and Sunday June 6th and 7th — to help out in any way we can with the cleanup process right at the heart of the recent riots, and we want you to join us!

This is a non-political event — we’re coming just to lend a hand — and if you’re in the region and able to make it out.

 

–Bikers for Trump

–from Rogue

Senior Editor

Bikernet.com