by Janaki Jitchotvisut from https://autos.yahoo.com/ Well, that didn’t take long. Just a week ago, Dustin was telling you about the impending Harley-Davidson 2020 Softail Standard revival. Today, the Motor Company made its official announcement, and it turns out Dustin’s speculation was right on the money when he suggested that it could be a base model waiting to be customized. Let’s take a look. The 2020 Softail Standard is intended to bring a stripped-down, minimalist cruiser experience to the Harley-Davidson Big-Twin lineup. If you’re all about that Milwaukee-Eight 107 V-Twin engine, and a smooth, uncomplicated, black-and-chrome aesthetic, then the new Softail Standard might just be for you. Right out of the box, you’re looking at a straightforward, visually well-balanced bobber. The solo saddle curves up nicely to draw your attention back to that blacked-out, chopped rear fender, while your eye has no choice but to rest on the Milwaukee-Eight that beats at the heart of the whole thing. The two-into-two offset shotgun exhaust harks back to the slightly unbalanced look of the original, but gives it a more symmetrical, finished look. I’d personally go for a slightly bigger headlight, but keep the same shape and finish—and hey, that’s what customization is for, right? You get a 19-inch front wheel and a 16-inch rear, both laced. The rear mono-shock has a preload adjuster you can access by simply lifting up the saddle. Front and rear disc brakes are standard, and ABS is an available option. The fuel tank has a 3.5-gallon capacity. This newest member of the Big Twin family can be yours for an MSRP of $13,599. It wouldn’t be Harley without accessories, so you have a choice of four packages to start with. Three of them feature passenger seating and footpegs, and the fourth is all Screamin’ Eagle, all the time. The Day Tripper, Coastal, and Touring Custom packages range in price from $1,049.95 to $1,699.95, and offer different styles and configurations to get out of town with your favorite passenger riding behind you. Meanwhile, the Performance Custom package runs $1,299.95, and includes Screamin’ Eagle Stage II Torque Kit, Pro Street Tuner, Heavy Breather Performance Air Cleaner, and Street Cannon mufflers.

by Eduard Pana from https://www.autoevolution.com/

While most of the designs of modern electric bikes have futuristic looks and maybe not-so-practical angles, the Switch bike keeps the classy retro scrambler look, which is greatly appreciated by the old-school bike enthusiasts.

Matthew Waddick has made a collaboration with Michel Riis in order to achieve a simple, yet functional and sporty electric bike. The base concept started from the eTRACKER concept, getting beefed up with a more powerful motor and a larger battery.

The main performance points the bike should tick are: reaching a top speed of 150 kph (93 mph), a 0-100 kph (0-62 mph) acceleration time of 3.2 seconds and a realistic range of around 150 km (93 miles). And it looks like the prototype checks them all.

In my opinion, this e-bike looks even more retro than some real cafe racers. Just the fact that Riis and Waddick designed a “fuel tank” to hide all the cables and magic circuits that manage the motor, and also to keep the non-electric look, is really sleek.

Even the frame has the classic dual pipes going under the battery (in this case), just like most classic bikes. The motor was placed onto the swingarm, keeping a clean look of the rear wheel, and also making tire changing a much easier job, than if the motor had been placed into the wheel itself.

The bike also has built-in GPS tracking, three power delivery modes, cruise control (who would need that on a scrambler?) and of course, an ABS system. Supposedly, this is the system that has postponedthe launch date for so long, because it needs a lot of testing and fiddling in order to make it work as intended.

Switch claims that a road-legal eSCRAMBLER will be available in 2022, so if you want to “switch” from your current scrambler, start piling up the cash. That said, no pricing is available at this moment.

by Colleen Lewis from http://ntv.ca/

Eight people have been charged with trafficking cocaine as a result of an RCMP investigation into outlaw motorcycle gangs called Project Barbarian.

Six of those charged are members of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gang, also known as the Outlaws MC, or members of its support club the Fallen Few. Project Barbarian was a joint initiative between RCMP NL’s Federal Serious and Organized Crime Unit and the Grand-Falls Windsor RCMP. The RCMP Emergency Response Team assisted in the arrests and containment of the Outlaws MC clubhouse* located in Grand Falls-Windsor.

“Project Barbarian reflects our priority to disrupt inter-provincial criminal networks responsible for the distribution of illegal drugs in our communities,” said Staff Sergeant Stefan Thoms. “Much of the drugs on our streets are due to organized crime, which includes 1% Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs. These gangs often try to fool the public into believing that they are just motorcycle enthusiasts who give back to the community. That is simply not true. They are known for criminal activities, as we see here with many of those arrested being members and associates of the Outlaws MC. We will continue our work to target drug trafficking networks and lay charges wherever appropriate.

Charges laid:

• Timothy Andrews, age 28 of Grand Falls Windsor, member of the Fallen Few: One count Trafficking cocaine, s. 5(1) CDSA

• Ryan Ballard, age 28 of Grand Falls-Windsor, probate* (probationary) member of the Outlaws MC: One count Trafficking cocaine, s. 5(1) CDSA

• Alonzo Brown, 62 years old of Peterview: One count Trafficking cocaine, s. 5(1) CDSA

• Anthony Chow, age 33 of Grand Falls-Windsor, member of the Outlaws MC: One count Trafficking cocaine, s. 5(1) Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA)

• Michael Hayes, age 22 of Grand Falls-Windsor, member of the Fallen Few: Two counts Trafficking cocaine, s. 5(1) CDSA

• Tyson Higgins, age 27 of Botwood: Two counts Trafficking cocaine, s. 5(1) CDSA

• Dean Langdon, age 25 of Grand Falls Windsor, member of the Fallen Few: One count Trafficking cocaine, s. 5(1) CDSA

• Jimmy Lee Newman, age 36 of Grand Falls-Windsor, member of the Fallen Few: One count Trafficking cocaine, s. 5(1) CDSA

The investigation included a search of the Outlaws MC clubhouse in Grand Falls-Windsor. Multiple items were seized:

• Cocaine
• Several telecommunication devices
• Drug paraphernalia indicative of drug trafficking
• One full patch Outlaws MC Vest
• Two probationary Outlaws MC Vests
• Clothing and support gear related to the Outlaws MC and the Fallen Few
• Items related to the structure and organization of the Outlaws MC and the Fallen Few

BACKGROUNDER

Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Terms

1%er: An outlaw motorcycle gang member who wears a diamond shaped patch, pin or tattoo with 1% in the center, signifying that the wearer is an outlaw biker and someone who refuses to conform to the norms and laws of society.

Clubhouse: The regular meeting space for the Outlaw Motorcycle Gang, also known as a bunker.

Colours: The official uniform of all Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs, consisting of a sleeveless leather or denim jacket with the club logo on the back and various other patches and pins attached to the front.

Full Patch: This refers to a three-piece patch on the back of the biker vest, including a top rocker, the club symbol in the centre and a bottom rocker. The top rocker will include the name of the club, and the bottom rocker will be the area/region/or city to which the club is associated.

MC: Motorcycle Club

Probate or Probationary: The applicant or probationary period to join the Outlaw Motorcycle Gang.

Rocker: A gang patch of a Outlaw Motorcycle Gang member`s vest, denoting club status or affiliations.

Support Club: A subordinate gang that receives orders and acts under the direction of a dominant gang. A support club is often a labour pool for the stronger gang.

Support Gear: Clothing, jackets, jewellery and other items that display the colours and logo of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gang and are typically sold by the club.

Check out how easy it is to replace the O-rings in our Click-Slick fuel petcocks.

Lifetime Warranty

Our fuel valves have a lifetime warranty. Unlike other valves on the market, we do not sell a “rebuild kit”, all you need to maintain this valve for life is to replace a couple of O-rings, which we provide free of charge, to anywhere in the United States. If you can’t wait, they can be picked up at any hardware store. One 3/8″ O-ring and one 5/8″ O-ring is all you need.

The video above shows just how easy it to replace the O-rings and keep your machine on the road.

Adjustable Reserve

This petcock can be altered to adjust the amount of reserve gas available by shortening or removing (twist off) the reserve pickup tube for racing or shallow tanks (see pic).

Watch a video of how to replace the O-rings in our Click-Slick fuel petcocks!

https://youtu.be/Pgh0ZzUor7w

 

The report by the US India Business Council (USIBC) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) said the 0% rate could apply to all motorcycle imports being sold in India over Rs 5 lakh.

NEW DELHI: India should consider bringing down the import duty on high-end motorcycles (that include Harley Davidson motorcycles) to 0% for both complete built up (CBU) units and for completely knocked down (CKD) units, a joint report by two industry lobby groups suggested on Tuesday as part of an overall strategy to boost India-US trade to $500 billion.

The report by the US India Business Council (USIBC) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) said the 0% rate could apply to all motorcycle imports being sold in India over Rs 5 lakh.

The report has listed out interventions in 13 specific areas, which if resolved, will provide a thrust to trade between the two countries. Interventions range from reinstating Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) benefits by US for India, arriving at a consensus on a pricing mechanism for medical devices, modifications in India’s e-commerce policy, removing high tariffs on steel and aluminium imports by US, fostering greater cooperation in strengthening partnership in defence and aerospace.

“In 2017-18, Harley Davidson sold 3,413 units in India – a decline of 7% from the previous year. For CBU units, India had already slashed duties from 75% to 50% in 2018, but given that the duties apply to a minuscule percentage of the overall trade and for a very niche product, eliminating it altogether would provide a symbolic win for the US,” the report said.

It said issue of price controls for medical devices has invited vigorous discussions and was one of the original reasons why US Office of the Trade Representative (USTR) decided to review India’s eligibility for GSP programme

The report said India’s e-commerce policy, however, has engendered a whole host of issues that impact both domestic and foreign players, including definition of private versus community data, prohibition on cross-border data sharing, mandate to establish data centres holding sensitive data of Indians within the boundaries of India, informed consent, following due legal process in data sharing with Indian or foreign authorities, domestic versus Indian – product definitions; requirement for e-commerce app/websites to set up legal entities in India.

“India must also bear in mind that such a policy could prompt reciprocal action by US and other countries which may demand that the data for their citizens stay within the confines of their geographical boundaries. This could have an enormous deleterious impact on Indian IT and business process outsourcing (BPO) companies that have grown over the past several decades essentially by processing, analysing and storing sensitive health, financial, insurance etc. information for customers from other countries within India – the US is a major market for such firms and helps generate thousands of jobs in India.”

Harley has to pay huge duty in India, Trump revives import duty debate

“India is probably the highest tariff nation in the world. The United States has to be treated fairly and I think India understands it. We have a large deficit of $24 billion with India and that it is very high”. Trump Said

NEW DELHI: U.S President Donald Trump calls out India-US tariff a problem mentioning the American motorcycle manufacturer Harley Davidson has to pay high import tariff in India.

While addressing a media conference in Delhi, he said, “India is probably the highest tariff nation in the world. The United States has to be treated fairly and I think India understands it. We have a large deficit of $24 billion with India and that it is very high”.

However, he indicated that a trade deal with India could happen at the end of the year. “Working it out with India on tariffs,” President Trump said.

India reduced the customs duty on complete built-up units (CBUs) from 100 percent to 50 percent in 2019. Even then Trump criticized the import duty and called out “too high” and “not acceptable”.

On the other hand, India increased tariffs on completely knocked down (CKDs) units from 10 per cent to 15 percent. Harley Davidson’s majority of sales come from the CKDs which are assembled in India.

In FY2019, Harley Davidson sold 2676 motorcycles. It sells 17 Models in India which ranges from ₹5.33 lakh to ₹50.3 lakh.

Before Trump India Visit, India proposed a new tariff classification for motorcycles with a cylinder capacity exceeding 1,600 ccs, imports of which will be taxed in single digits.

by Eduard Pana from https://www.autoevolution.com

In a world where internal combustion motorcycles reign over electric vehicles, there are some guys who love electricity combined with exotic designs.

Joseph Robinson is one of the guys who love the minimalist and futuristic design that can only be managed with electric vehicles.

Because of the many limitations traditional engines provide, electric motorcycles are convenient for futuristic designs because the only major concerns are: where do you locate the motor (which can be placed into the wheel or into the frame), having a square’ish space for the battery, and fitting 2 wheels at the ends of the bike.

Robinson managed to design a concept bike with a Z shape frame that starts in the front headlight and extends to the rear lower swing arm. It seems the front suspension has struts hidden under the plastic covers of the fork while the rear suspension isn’t hidden from the eye of the beholders, having a pretty hefty shock as presented in the photos.

The rider’s position on the bike resembles the position on a super sport bike, with the rider leaning forward for more aero points. However, the bike does not provide any kind of wind protection for high speed cruising on the freeway, so that means this bike is specially designed for city driving and very light touring rides (the battery is limiting the distance you can cover with an electric vehicle anyway).

As a bonus point, it seems like the handle bars and pegs are foldable so you can get more aero when going on a straight line… I’m joking, of course, they should be folded when the bike is parked, in order to save some space in tiny areas (I always get my T-shirt caught on my bike handle bars when I’m moving around it, so i approve this idea).

So? What do you think? Does it look too futuristic? Is this practical or not?

by Stephanie Thurrott from https://www.nbcnews.com/

After a motorcycle accident left Jeremy Bromwell sidelined and inactive, he learned to eat more mindfully and is now healthier than ever.

Name: Jeremy Bromwell

Age: 38

Residence: Full-time RVer based in Florida for the winter

Job: Founder, Your Marketing Explorer

Family status: Single

Peak weight: 243 pounds

Current weight: 174 pounds

Height: 5’11”

Jeremy Bromwell always made it a point to stay active and maintain a healthy weight — he lifted weights at his gym and ran 5ks, 10ks and a half marathon. “[Exercise] was something I did pretty regularly to help keep my weight in check, so I wouldn’t be giving up the experience when I sat down to a meal at a restaurant,” he says.

That all changed in October 2014, when Bromwell was riding his motorcycle home from work in San Francisco and was hit by an SUV. The accident shattered both of the bones in his lower leg. He was expected to recover in about six months, but his bone became infected.

“Talk about adding some mental and emotional barriers on top of the physical. At the six-month mark I was supposed to be back to normal. That got blown up — it became ‘wait and see, we don’t know’. My brain was not able to wrap around it,” he says. Bromwell needed 10 surgeries before that bone healed properly, and the last one was performed in December 2016, more than two years after his accident.

“The motorcycle accident was the first time I had physical limitations imposed that I couldn’t work out on my own,” he says. “I lost control of the activities I could and couldn’t do. That was where I really started to struggle.”

He splurged as he healed

As Bromwell recovered, he concedes that he overdid it. “For a long time, I couldn’t do the things I enjoyed. As I started to get more mobility back and I was able to drive myself, I over-indexed for all the things I hadn’t been able to do, whether that was a glass of wine or a restaurant or both,” he says.

Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD, a nutrition and weight-loss expert with a virtual nutrition counseling practice based in New York City, understands the desire to turn to food after an event like Bromwell’s. “He went through a very tragic and challenging experience, and food can be such a source of pleasure and comfort. It’s the quickest route to feeling better,” she says.

Bromwell says his ramped-up social life contributed to his weight gain. “Once I could start to meet friends and colleagues out of the house it was nice to do that. That, combined with not being able to do things like weights a couple of days and cardio three to five days, was the catalyst for the weight gain.”

Cassetty points out that while exercise isn’t as useful for weight loss, it’s very helpful for weight maintenance. “So, the decline in activity levels can definitely promote weight gain,” she says.

Bromwell gained 30 pounds, and during a four-month long road trip with his partner in summer 2017, trying restaurants in different U.S. cities, he added another 30 pounds.

Back in California in November 2017, Bromwell and his partner split up. “I was single for the first time in four years and I was really heavy. It’s amazing — when you see yourself every day you don’t see yourself changing. You look back and think, ‘What the hell happened to me?’”

He changed his life and focused on his health

Inspired by the summer road trip, Bromwell decided to try living and working on the road full-time. He also decided he needed to get serious about losing weight.

“I had a lot of leg pain from carrying around the extra weight. I wanted to move forward in a happier, healthier way and get back to my pre-accident weight, even though it seemed like an infinity away,” he says.

Cassetty recognizes that a lot of people, like Bromwell, want to get back to a previous weight. But focusing on the scale can be a challenge. “The number on the scale is often beyond your control — stress, sleep, age, medications, can all play a role,” she says.

She recommends goals you can control, like exercising twice a week, cooking two dinners at home, or meal prepping for an hour over the weekend. “When you focus on a goal that you can accomplish, it can lead to behavior change and that will typically result in achieving a more comfortable weight,” she says.

With a background in digital marketing and analytics, Bromwell loves tracking and understanding data. He also knew he wanted a healthy lifestyle, not a diet where he felt forced to give things up. “I learned enough about my body through all those surgeries that I knew I needed to listen to my body,” he says. “I wanted to make healthy choices in a mindful way.”

He started using the Lose It! app to log his food, bring together data about his activity and sleep, and track his progress toward his goal of losing a pound a week.

Cassetty says this type of tracking can be a good tool. “For those who appreciate the data and feedback, studies show that this form of self-monitoring can be very effective for weight loss, and research shows that many people don’t have any problems with it,” she says. It’s a personal choice, though. “Some people find it tedious and it can lead to an unhealthy obsession about food,” she says.

He logged everything he consumed

Focusing on portion size made a big difference for Bromwell. “I had to get back in the habit of cooking for one,” he says. “I had to figure out on the road how to make better choices. I had to balance the experiences of meeting people, seeing new places, and traveling solo with affordable and easier-to-eat healthy cooking.”

He explored farmers’ markets to find fresh, healthy ingredients. He also started weighing his food. “I’m not a person who wants to give something up. I’m more deliberate and more conscious. Instead of a high-calorie, high-carb meal I’ll have something steamed, fresher and leaner,” he says.

On holidays and vacations he still tracked what he ate, but he gave himself the flexibility to go over budget.

He became more mindful about his alcohol consumption

“If I wanted to have a glass of wine with dinner, I needed to have the calories available for that through more activity or by giving something else up. These things are all interconnected,” he says. “I do enjoy a glass of wine, but I’ve given up a lot of that now, too. It doesn’t actually give me as much satisfaction as the cost on the calorie side of things. It’s empty carbs so it’s much less frequent.”

Cassetty applauds how mindful Bromwell has been along his journey. “Throughout this process and by using the app, he’s learning how to eat foods that fill him up and make him feel better, and he has also learned what trade-offs he’s willing to make. It’s not about restriction, but about figuring out what’s important to him and what’s not,” she says.

He weighed himself just once a week

“I was not going to step on the scale every day. I had to do what I needed to do consistently, and get on the scale one time a week max. I was looking for bigger trends over time,” he says.

Cassetty says weighing yourself is another form of self-monitoring that has pros and cons. “It can be very effective if it doesn’t trigger any emotional distress. Some people find it helpful to weigh themselves more frequently. For those who feel any sort of negativity when hopping on the scale, there are other tools to consider,” she says. Routine lab monitoring is one option.

After 13 months, Bromwell was within a pound of his goal weight. “I did not feel like I was giving anything up. I was more conscious and more deliberate about my weight and my body and what I was putting into it,” he says.

Cassetty is thrilled to see Bromwell reaching his goal. She notes, though, that everyone’s weight-loss journey is different. “I don’t want people to compare their personal weight loss journey to Jeremy’s. Jeremy reached a point where he was eating more purposefully and healthfully, and he didn’t feel restricted or as though he couldn’t participate in a full life that included social activities and travel. Those are the feelings you’re going for — that you’re able to enjoy life fully and that you’re also able take care of yourself and nourish your body well. This point is different for everyone, so you need to find that magic spot for yourself,” she says.

Now Bromwell is on year three of full-time travel and work, and he continues to track what he eats. He celebrated his 37th birthday by climbing Crosier Mountain in Rocky Mountain National Park. And last year he traveled to India to be trained as a yoga teacher. “Yoga is something that helped me get back a lot of my range of motion and flexibility. I see a connection to yoga and body mechanics and how joints work. It helped me get back to a functional place in my life.”

Jeremy’s typical meals

After his trip to India, Bromwell gave up meat and eggs. He’s focused on the right balance of protein, carbs and fat. He starts his day with yoga and doesn’t eat breakfast until around 11 a.m., so he’s close to following an intermittent fasting schedule. “It’s a good idea to eat within an hour of a workout,” Cassetty says.

Breakfast: Greek yogurt with granola and fruit, or a smoothie.

Lunch: Salad, roasted vegetables, or leftovers from dinner morphed into something different.

Dinner: Tofu or bean protein, curry in the Instant Pot, or grilled veggies and a black bean burger. He still goes out to eat two or three times a week.

Cassetty says Bromwell has a nice start to his day and a solid emphasis on veggies with these meals. If he wants to further amp up his nutrients, he could add some nut or seed butter or chopped nuts to breakfast, and some protein at lunch.

“Tofu, lentils and chickpeas are great plant-based options. Hemp seeds, with 10 grams of protein per three tablespoon serving, are another way to boost protein content in meals. Jeremy can sprinkle some on top of his roasted veggies,” she says.

Please give this your widest distribution possible as I think we all need to be aware of this information.

This information is so very useful and understandable in layman’s terms.

by Danielle Avitable from https://www.nbc4i.com

COLUMBUS (WCMH) — A local Vietnam veteran had one last wish while in hospice care, and that was to ride a motorcycle one more time.

On Sunday, a group of riders made his dream possible.

Vietnam veteran Roger L. Smith was wheeled out of the house, surrounded by loved ones and riders.

“I said I want to get on a bike at least one time before I die,” said Smith.

And that’s what he got.

“He requested a last ride and, for us, it’s veterans helping veterans,” said Steve Murray of Combat Veterans Motorcycle Club.

In addition to Combat Veteran, other groups taking part in the ride included Ohio Patriot Bikers and Punishers Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club.

Smith’s health has been declining over the last three weeks.

“He started having issues with Agent Orange affecting his lungs. His lungs are crystalizing. He can’t breathe that well,” said one friend.

Prior to his health issues, friends said he used to solely drive a motorcycle to work, but before Sunday, he hasn’t been on a bike in two years.

“I feel like I lost a part of myself,” Smith said. “I haven’t been on a bike in a couple years because of my lungs. I’m dying from inside out. I had to do this for me.”

Before the group took off, everyone gathered around Smith for a prayer. “We give you thanks for these veterans as they make his wish come true.”

More than two dozen rider then hopped on their bikes, and engines started roaring before they took off for one last ride.

“I kept pulling up beside him and he kept putting his thumbs up,” said Murray. “He was so happy. He was so happy it made my day.”

Murray added a ride like Smith’s is a demonstration of unity not only among veterans, but also motorcycle clubs.

“I think everyone was here for the same purpose and he was the purpose,” said one rider. “That’s pretty much what we do. We stick together and support each other.”

As the group pulled back into the driveway, Smith had a big smile on his face and gave everyone a thumbs up. However, the other riders were also thanking him for this ride.

“It’s truly an honor to do this and we do a lot of rides for charities and events, but when you can do this for a veteran who requested one final ride, it’s a great feeling,” Murray said.