Okay, as we all know tool kits are terrific presents for any biker. They are everywhere, in fact, the other day I was digging around and found a flashlight setting on a shelf. No big deal, right? This damn flashlight was six inches tall and the last two inches were devoted to tools like a massive Swiss Army knife with fold-out blades, screwdrivers, scissors, you name it.



As much as my first reaction was to keep it along with all the other Swiss Army knife knock-offs I have, I tossed it. It’s been setting on that shelf for a decade and I’m moving to Deadwood. Gotta get rid of shit.

Wow, my mind is spinning this morning of moving, the Sturgis Rally 2020, Pandemic, Panhead and Redheads. I’m also conflicted about a couple of things. Bikernet has always been about the fun of being a biker. We’ve been discussing writing a manifesto about what it is to be a biker (I’m open to suggestions and alternate reports). For a while we studied the Code of the West and covered it on Bikernet.

So, our bit has always been about the fun, the freedom, the party, the girls and building cool shit. It’s so interesting the varied notions, but we are staying true to the Bikernet Way, screw the corporate giants who don’t like us. We’re all about having fun, freedom and sex.

Bottom line, I hope Cruz Tools gets it. Okay, let’s get to the nuts and bolts and the curves of this story. I’ve had a thousand tool sets over the years. I just started a canvas tool roll for Dr. Hamster’s Pandemic Panhead project. We should all carry tools, but it’s not always easy or convenient on a custom motorcycle.



My 2014 Indian classic has a very small tool pouch under one of the clip-on side panels. It contains limited tools and that’s against the code, especially for long runs. For the run to Sturgis, I often carry a spare quart of oil. Indians use one oil for all applications, the engine, primary and transmission.



I usually try to carry a can of fix-a-flat, which can be a lifesaver. And the tool kit is a must. When I received this particular kit I was blown away. It’s a very distinctive set of tools, specifically designed to cover almost any work project on an Indian and of course all of these tools are metric.




This is a 2.0 Cruz Tool Kit designed specifically for new Polaris built Indians, which are amazing bikes. The tools in this kit include classics like baling wire, ty-wraps and duct tape, amazing.



It also contains two specific 27 by 22 by 14 mm axle wrenches and a special tool adapter for the front axle.



It contains a standard adjustable wrench and vice grips. It also contains an Indian mono-shock adjustment spanner wrench.



Of course, it contains a multi-head Phillips and flat blade screwdriver, a motorcycle tire gauge and a set of Torx wrenches for Indian body fasteners.



It also comes with a set of metric Allen wrenches for all the socket head fasteners on an Indian.



This puppy also contains sockets, a ratchet and an extension. It’s one of the most complete, well-thought-out, quality kits I’ve ever run across. Here’s a short bit about the company:




After more than twenty years of providing tools for powersports, musicians, and pilots we’ve split CruzTOOLS into two companies. CruzTOOLS will continue to serve the Powersports market; meanwhile musician and pilot tools have been spun off as GrooveTech Tools. Both are led by enthusiasts who are passionate about what they do. Click on Powersports for CruzTOOLS products, and either Musicians or Pilots to be redirected to GrooveTech Tools.



Okay, so I might suggest one of those right-hand screwdriver tools, for hard to reach screws (I discovered one in the stock kit). I might also try to carry a pair of needle-nose pliers with wire cutters.



I could have left the Cruz set in its handy carrying case, but we sell Bandit’s Bedrolls and Dayrolls, with the tool flap incorporated, so I shifted this set of tools into our system and it worked like a champ.

Now, I feel completely secure to ride across the country on my Indian knowing I’m equipped to meet almost any roadside mechanical need. Just as long as I can reach the Redhead’s apartment before midnight.



Ride Fast and Free, Forever!

–Bandit

 

The U.S. economy contracted by 5 percent over the course of the first quarter, the first such decline in more than a decade, and the near-certainty of an additional reduction of economic activity for the second quarter indicates the nation has entered a deep recession.

Adding the trillions of dollars of economic coronavirus stimulus/relief to the trillion dollars of debt the U.S. government was already committed to accumulate this year before the crisis hit, puts the nation in seldom-traveled territory. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget forecast on FOX News the federal budget deficit will reach $3.8 trillion this year, the same size as the overall U.S. economy. The nation has not had such a high debt-to-GDP ratio since World War II.

Economic history shows that, in general, “The worse the recession, the stronger the recovery,” budget analyst Peter Ferrara wrote in a 2016 study for The Heartland Institute. “Coming out of a recession, the economy historically has grown faster than normal for a while to catch up to its long-term economic growth trendline.”

In the eleven recessions between the Great Depression and the Great Recession, “the economy recovered all jobs lost during the recession by an average of 27 months after the prior cyclical peak (when the recession began),” Ferrara observes.

Ferrara says the unusually weak recovery after the Great Recession of 2007-2009 was caused by a rapid explosion of federal government spending (from 20.2 percent of GDP in 2008 to 24.4 percent of GDP in 2009). In general, steep recessions lead to fast and strong recoveries, provided the federal government refrains from trying to stimulate the economy through higher spending, debt, and taxes, Ferrara notes.

In a recession such as the United States is now experiencing, the proper federal government response is to cut taxes and spending and roll back regulations wherever possible, economist Robert P. Murphy explained at Fee.org in 2009. As the respective responses to the 1920-1921 depression, the stock market crash of 1929, and the various recessions since have shown, neither the Keynesian (increasing government spending and debt) nor the monetarist (increasing the monetary base to keep the overall money stock consistent) solutions have been successful, Murphy notes.

Murphy cites President Warren G. Harding’s response to the 1920-1921 recession as the right approach. Harding’s administration cut spending from $18.5 billion in 1919 to $6.4 billion in FY 2020 and $3.3 billion in 2022, Murphy notes. Instead of trying to increase liquidity by lowering interest rates as a way to “prime the pump” and keep prices stable, the Federal Reserve raised its discount rate to 7 percent and allowed prices to fall, a response it has avoided in subsequent recessions.

The result, as Murphy reports, was a smashing success. Unemployment fell from 11.7 percent in 1921 to 6.7 percent in 1922 and 2.4 percent in 1923, setting off the long economic boom of the “Roaring ’20s.”

Congress and President Donald Trump have responded to the current recession with a very different policy mix which combines elements of all three persuasions (Keynesian, monetarist, counter-cyclical): radically increasing government spending and keeping the money supply as loose as possible while spreading helicopter money to the public through stimulus checks and temporary tax decreases. In addition, the Trump administration has continued its attempts at economic deregulation, an action with which Ferrara and Murphy would agree.

Echoing Murphy’s findings, Ferrara’s analysis indicates that a full and fast, “normal” recovery will require a swift end to the various attempts at economic stimulus.

“The focus should turn instead to policies proven to maximize incentives for increased production, in particular Reagan’s successful ‘supply side’ economics, to replace the ‘demand side’ policies of the failed Keynesian pipedream,” Ferrara wrote in his 2016 study.

–by S.T. Karnick

Budget&Tax News

 

by Ian Royall from https://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/

The 2020 Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, scheduled for October 25 at Phillip Island, has been cancelled because of coronavirus restrictions.

The four-day MotoGP weekend at the island is regional Victoria’s biggest sporting event, attracting more than 85,000 spectators and generating about $50 million for the state economy.

The Australian Grand Prix Corporation and the sport’s commercial rights holder Dorna made the call to cancel the GP, the latest event to get the axe.

The British GP, due to be held on August 30 at Silverstone, has also been cancelled.

No races have been held yet this year with tentative plans to start in Spain in late July.

Aussie Ducati rider Jack Miller said he was disappointed he would not be able to race in front of home fans at the island.

“It’s my favourite weekend of the whole year and it’s the best circuit in the world so it’ll be a shame not to be there,’’ Miller told the Herald Sun.

Miller finished third in the 2019 race at the island last October.

Mick Doohan, five-time 500cc world champion and AGPC board member said it would be the first year since 1997 that Phillip Island had not hosted the Australian GP.

“The race will return in 2021 and provide an opportunity to make it one of the biggest and best-attended MotoGP events we’ve seen, plus watch Miller take the win,” Doohan said.

Full refunds would be given to all ticket holders.

AGPC chairman Paul Little said the race would be back better than ever in 2021.

Dorna chief executive Carmelo Ezpeleta said: “We’re saddened to have to announce the cancellation of this iconic event after finding no way through the logistical and operational issues resulting from the pandemic and rearranged calendar.’’

The race cancellation will also be a major blow to the island’s tourism and hospitality industries which rely heavily on income from the GP weekend.

Jack Miller was just a skinny Townsville kid of 16 with a questionable haircut when he started racing in the 125cc world championship in 2011.

He finished just four races, including a 23rd place at his home circuit of Phillip Island.

But Miller worked hard, learnt his racecraft, graduated to premier class four years later and was this week elevated into the Ducati factory team for 2021.

His race performances last year were improved and consistent, earning him the coveted red leathers.

“It’s something (a factory ride) I’ve always dreamt of,’’ Miller said.

Now 25, Miller has spent the past two months on his parents’ property near Townsville, giving him time to reflect on his career so far.

“I’ve been pulling all my old leathers out of storage and hanging them up on the walls around the shed, so it’s been pretty cool to go through that and think back where it began and what’s to come in the future,” he said.

He’s spent his enforced break keeping fit and ripping around the farm on 450cc and 250cc two-stroke dirt bikes, about 45 hours in total.

“I’ve been keeping myself busy — I have a lot of little projects on the go while we’ve been in lockdown,” he said.

Miller has signed a one-year deal with Ducati with an option for a second.

It’s still not clear who he will replace, but it’s more likely he will partner Andrea Dovizioso with talk linking Danilo Petrucci to the manufacturer’s World Superbike team.

Petrucci won his home GP at Mugello last year but his form fell away in the second half of the year.

It is clear that all manufacturers are trying to find someone to break Marc Marquez’s hold on the championship.

But for now, Miller just wants the 2020 championship to start after COVID-19.

“I can’t wait, especially the bike we had in testing in Qatar and Sepang, we believe we can do some special things,” he said.

“We’ve (Pramac) still got a lot of unfinished business — the way things ended last year and how pre-season testing went, we’re in good shape to repay Pramac.

Miller finished a career-best eighth in last year’s championship, with five podium finishes.

He hopes to head back to Europe by mid-June to start preparations.

Dorna, the sport’s commercial rights holder, has said it hopes to start racing at Jerez in Spain by late July, followed by more races in Europe.

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

Two weeks in, there are not that many bikes left to talk about in our coverage of the Harley-Davidson 2020 King of Kings competition. Only two are still to be admired, and one them is this Polish-born Iron RR.

The build-off event dedicated to Harley’s international dealers concluded in April, and it has already crowned its winner, the Mexican-made Apex Predator. But each of the builds that entered, 15 in all, had something special about them.

Most of the bikes we’ve seen so far have been all about crazy looks and only minor mechanical upgrades. In the case of the Iron RR, the ratio is somewhat inverted, as the Szczecin-based shop focused more on performance than extreme looks.

The build is based on an Iron 883, but one that got its tendons replaced and its heart pumped. The garage replaced both the front and rear suspension, added a new fork, and fitted the two-wheeler with sports brakes.

All these changes were required because the motorcycle’s 883cc engine got tweaked with the inclusion of the Harley-Davidson Stage IV tuning kit. The new hardware is backed by a new exhaust system.

The Poles did a bit of work on the bike’s appearance as well, just to make sure the build sends the right message. There’s a special paint scheme on the bike’s body, but also a new LED light system up front.

All the modifications made by the garage did not exceed €6,000 ($6,500), which was the budget limit imposed by Harley-Davidson for the participants.

The other rules of the competition stated that the base motorcycle needs to be a Harley-Davidson, at least half of the parts used for the tuning to be taken from the Harley inventory, and the finished product be road legal.

As is the case with all the other builds from King of Kings, this one too is a one-off.

 

by Gary Gastelu from https://www.foxnews.com

While many of us are stuck at home, Fox News is holding a series of virtual car shows where you can share and discuss your cool cars, trucks and motorcycles with the rest of the Fox News Autos audience.

Ride on!

No vehicle can combine freedom and solitude the way a motorcycle can, and plenty of people have been turning to them as the go-to mode of transportation today. But they’re also very much about the brother and sisterhood of the bike, and that’s why we held the Fox News Autos Virtual Motorcycle Show.

You have some fantastic rides of all kinds and we’ve posted a few of our favorites below so you can chat about them in the comments, but don’t forget to check out more of the submissions on Twitter and add your own.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS AUTOS VIRTUAL AUTO SHOWS

by Sarwant Singh from https://www.forbes.com

In 2023, BMW Motorrad will be celebrating a landmark event: its centenary as a motorcycle manufacturer. But it wasn’t really the past that interested me in my interview with BMW Motorrad CEO, Dr. Markus Schramm. It was more about understanding how this venerated German brand is engaging with the future. How is it approaching the connected, autonomous, shared and electric (CASE) revolution? What plans does this standard-bearer of all things innovative have in store to negotiate the next 100 years?

While the experiments of four wheeler manufacturers with CASE technologies have been well documented, there’s not been as much buzz about the progress made by their two wheeler counterparts. It was quite revealing, therefore, to get a perspective on how CASE is making motorcycles smarter, safer and (dare I say it?) sexier. In essence, we are talking of a whole new generation of bikes that weld performance, comfort and safety to take driving experiences to a completely different level.

To shed light on all this and much more, I turned to the consummate industry insider: Dr. Schramm, a BMW veteran of almost three decades standing whose passion for motorbikes is evident in the way he speaks (and the number of bikes he owns!). Here are some highlights from the interview:

Staying Connected

“The aim of our intelligent connected motorbikes is to make motorcycling more experience-oriented, more comfortable and also safer.”

Connected technologies have exploded among passenger and commercial four wheelers, enabling undreamed of new services, novel ways of engaging with the customer, hyper personalized experiences and lucrative monetization opportunities. But how are they playing out among two wheelers?

“Connectivity, assistance systems and the digital services are becoming increasingly important in motorcycling,” said Dr. Schramm. “Features like emergency call (e-Call) or our other connectivity offers are already an integral part of many BMW models today. The fundamental goal is to offer the intelligent e-Call function to as many customers as possible.”

And it’s clear that this objective resonates with customers. For instance, in Germany today, around 80% of BMW Motorrad’s customers opt for e-Call when purchasing a motorcycle. What is particularly interesting in this context is that such high take rates are unfolding against a backdrop where e-Call systems are legally mandated for cars in many countries but not for two wheelers. It also perhaps explains why BMW Motorrad is currently the only motorcycle manufacturer that offers an e-Call system ex-factory.

However, safety such as that offered by e-Call is only one aspect of connectivity. “As the company expands its range of intelligent connected motorcycles, the aim is to make motorcycling not only safer but also more experience-oriented and more comfortable,” added Dr. Schramm. “With the typical motorcycle customer in mind, BMW Motorrad’s connected app focuses on enhancing motorcycle-related experiences, including optimizing route planning, displaying navigation information directly in the bike’s thin-film-transistor (TFT) display, recording tours and riding performance statistics such as lean angles, acceleration and deceleration forces or altitude profiles.”

Connected helmets are another major theme in the industry and only getting bigger. Connecting the rider and the motorcycle via the helmet is already standard equipment in many of BMW’s current models. And if it’s any indication of how important connected helmets will be, BMW delivered almost 17,000 of its helmet communication systems to customers in 2019.

Being Autonomous

“We will use autonomous driving technologies not only to raise safety levels but also to take riding fun to a new level.”

BMW has been a pioneer in driving innovation in autonomous technology with concepts like self-balancing, self-park and summon features. All very well for cars. But it’s that familiar conundrum of how autonomous driving and features will work in the motorcycle industry which is defined by motor-muscle connection? “Motorcycles will never ride autonomously; it doesn’t make sense. However, in a future world of autonomously driving cars, being connected will be an urgent requirement for all motorcycle segments,” said Dr. Schramm. “This will enhance safety and ensure that motorcycling remains future-proof.”

It is this idea of operating safely and seamlessly in future connected and autonomous environments that informed BMW Motorrad becoming a founder member, along with Honda and Yamaha, of the Connected Motorbike Consortium (CMC). One of the key motivations here has been to push forward on safety agendas—whether in terms of collision avoidance or warning drivers of dangerous situations—through the use of connected technologies. But this being BMW Motorrad, it’s also about having fun… safely. “We will use autonomous driving technologies in a concrete way,” noted Dr. Schramm. “Our mission will be to raise safety levels, on the one hand and, on the other, to take riding fun to a new level.”

Advancing Shared

“The biggest challenge in the shared space is that people don’t always handle other people’s property as carefully as their own.”

Barring a recent partnership with eCooltra in Barcelona, BMW Motorrad has not specifically focused on the shared mobility space. Given that growth is expected in bike sharing and other last mile mobility options post-COVID, what plans, if any, does the company have for expanding its presence in this space?

“When it comes to sharing we, as a society, don’t always handle other people’s property as carefully we do our own. This is the biggest challenge in this area,” observed Dr. Schramm. “However, BMW Motorrad is committed to the BMW Group’s vision of becoming a customer-focused mobility company. These two disparate threads are reconciled through our short-term bike rental service—Rent A Ride—that allows people the opportunity to ride almost any BMW motorcycle in many countries.”

Going Electric

“Electro-mobility on two wheels will be very significant for the future of motorcycling… it needs to be really fun and adventurous.”

With the C evolution, BMW Motorrad stamped its credentials as a forerunner in electric mobility. It has since made steady gains. A planned concept offering for the high growth urban mobility sector is in the works while the Vision DC Roadster represents a unique take on an e-Power Roadster.

“For me it’s quite clear: electro-mobility will be very significant for the future of motorcycling. We foresee a slew of upcoming products with a focus on electric propulsion, particularly in the field of urban mobility,” noted Dr. Schramm. “And I’m not only thinking of classic scooters here, but also of alternative modern, emotional products. Electro-mobility on two wheels needs to be really fun and adventurous and BMW is committed to developing corresponding products.”

BMW Motorrad is targeting an array of new all-electric products in the near-term. From an initial focus on electric mobility solutions for urban environments, the company plans to move to other segments as well. “And here our claim is to play a leading role in the motorcycle industry not only on the topic of range but also on the subject of speeding up the battery charging time and design. Our Vision DC Roadster shows how we see emotional, inspiring and authentic e-mobility in the motorcycle sector.”

Winning Customers

“Make Life a Ride’ is not limited to a particular product but puts people and emotions squarely in focus.”

And finally, of course, it’s all about the customer. “The overall aim of our brand approach – Make Life a Ride – is to attract new customers, irrespective of age, and to generate enthusiasm for motorcycling,” emphasized Dr. Schramm. “The point is to address not only real bikers but, equally importantly, people who currently don’t ride a motorcycle but maybe will one day. ‘Make Life a Ride’ is not limited to a particular product but puts people and emotions squarely in focus.”

Post Script

I have known Markus for almost a decade now. I first met him when he headed BMW’s Mobility Services division. It was his vision that saw the company transform from being a car manufacturer to becoming a mobility services provider. All these years later, I see his future-focused imprint on BMW’s two wheeler business as well. Highly driven, he thrives on challenges and is passionate about the things he does – his extreme marathons and 100 km ultra marathon in the Antarctic are now part of company lore. The perfect choice, really, to take on the challenge of cementing BMW’s legacy in the years ahead.

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

Who said you have to choose between an electric bicycle and a motorcycle? A German startup is offering a solid and very fun compromise they like to call “the human hybrid:” eRockit.

The eRockit is part bicycle, part motorcycle and all fun. It’s an electric motorcycle that promises good performance and decent range but also uses the pedals found on the regular bicycle instead of throttle. To put in much simpler terms, this bike requires some leg work in order to move around: the more the faster you want to go.

Falling under the 125cc motorcycles classification, the eRockit has already been tested on the Autobahn by stunt rider Sebastian “Satu” Kopke, and he says the fun of having to do light exercise while overtaking cars is something he’s never experienced before. “I have never experienced such a mixture of physical activity similar to cycling and this incredibly good acceleration. It’s doubling the fun!” he says.

The makers are equally generous in showering this little thing with praise: “the most extraordinary electric motorcycle of today” is able to deliver an “indescribable, magical driving experience” and, at the same time, top German quality in terms of the materials used, performance and safety. It’s almost enough to make you want to go out and buy one right away.

Speaking strictly numbers, though, the eRockit is basically a faster commuter electric bicycle at a much higher price. It has a top speed of 90 kph (56 mph) and a range of 120 kilometers (75 miles), with the latter largely dependent on weight of the rider and weather / road conditions. Peak power is at 22 HP from a permanent magnet synchronous motor, while the 6,6 kWh Lithium-Ion battery achieves a full charge in 5 hours.

The eRockit may be all sorts of fun, but it’s also not cheap. It will retail for 11,850 euro ($13,100), with a 250 euro ($277) deposit needed to place a pre-order.

 

SPECIAL OPS JACKET

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https://shop.bikernet.com/

It’s All Good…

There is no place for doom and gloom. I believe we’ve done a helluva job at containing something that could have been devastating. And you know Americans. We can do anything, and we will figure this bastard out and move on to party once more.

The controversy continues regarding Sturgis. You’ll see an interview with Woody, the boss of the Buffalo Chip, right here in the news.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE WEEKLY NEWS ON BIKERNET

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by Sabrina Giacomini from https://www.rideapart.com

The God of Fire is getting a boost.

In 2015, Kawasaki introduced its first modern-day supercharged motorcycle, the Ninja-based H2. Four years later, the Z H2 hypernaked followed. What will happen next? After all, developing a new engine takes time, R&D, and funds, so when a new block is created, it makes sense for manufacturers to take full advantage of its potential. So, will Kawasaki simply stop there or will find other applications for its forced induction mill?

The answer to that could be the latter. Rumors from Japan suggest that Kawasaki could be about to shake things up in the power cruiser segment, supercharger style.

According to Japanese site Young Machine, there is apparently a Vulcan H2 in the works at Kawasaki. The model would, of course, use the same 998cc supercharged inline-four as its Ninja and Z siblings.

The speculations about a Vulcan H2 are connected to the rumor that Kawasaki is planning to overhaul its Vulcan lineup altogether. Considering the manufacturer would likely have to rethink the chassis to accommodate the supercharged engine, timing the new H2’s development with a lineup upgrade all makes sense.

Thai site MotoRival produced a render of what they imagine the Vulcan H2 would look like. Silhouette wise, the design seems inspired by the Vulcan S with the single-rider saddle, tear-drop tank, and elongated handlebar but the headlamp cluster is clearly borrowed from the Z H2 which creates a weird blend of modern and more classic lines.

This is only speculation as Kawasaki has neither confirmed or denied the rumor. According to Indian Autos Blog, if the manufacturer really is working on a (super)powercruiser, chances are we won’t see it for another couple of years. Whether you like powercruisers or not, the notion of a supercharged model is admittedly something we can be curious about.