Bikernet has supported and sponsored Las Vegas Bikefest for about a decade. Each year the boss or someone from the staff flew out to the desert to check it out and write about the action.

Once we sent two thugs on Dynas and they scored a young prostitute the first night on the strip. Between the drugs, the girl and the booze, they didn’t see the light of day until the event was nearly over.

The boss jammed out one year with a full load of 5-Ball leathers, books and bling. The brothers rode out through Pahrump and hit a famous whorehouse in the desert berg. We won’t report on who took park in the action, but it turned into a stir.

Bandit set up on the Bikefest lot adjacent to Freemont in downtown and manned the booth. The brothers were so moved by the girls in Pahrump they couldn’t sit still and chased broads and parties all weekend. They weren’t much help, and if you asked them to report they just looked at one-another, muttered, “Awesome!” and sought another cold beer.



The stories continued from year to year. And this year was no different. James “The Tileman” pulled the long straw and grabbed the Las Vegas Bikefest 2019 assignment. Out of long-standing respect for his lovely Japanese wife, he asked her to attend half-heartedly.



He kept up feeble attempts at getting her to ride out with him, although he itched to ride out by himself and slam into the Vegas Bikefest action unencumbered by his feisty, fight-prone wife. Thursday at 4:30 in the morning, he couldn’t sleep anymore. He slipped out of his bed like a cat burglar, donned his riding duds and quietly move his hot rod Dyna out of the garage. He fired it to life and peeled down the street, before she could call his cell or scream profanities out the window.

He was on his way to adult paradise, neon nirvana and metal flake mayhem in the desert. The weather was clear and traffic minimal as he jammed to the edge of the ever-spreading Los Angeles county border.

His ’07 FXD enjoyed 90 mph with its new cams and TT turner system tuned by Gene Thomason. He loved his new Barnett Clutch, Screamin’ Eagle pressure plate and performance exhaust system. He stopped for Breakfast just outside Barstow, and at State Line for gas. Even state line contained a rush of adrenaline. He jonesed for that magnificent 48-mile stretch of straight open highway into the city of glitter and action.



He checked into the Golden Nugget before the sun began to blaze pure desert heat. Riders started to roll in from all over the western states. That’s when his report started to get hazy. Maybe that first tropical refreshing drink had something to do with it.





We couldn’t reach him, but the girls of Las Vegas Bikefest augmented our communications as the Tileman sought his own nirvana at the fun fest in the desert.





“Thousands of Bikers Cruise into Sin City for the 19th Annual Vegas BikeFest, October 3-6, 2019,” said Mindi Cherry.





“Thousands of riders and motorcycle enthusiasts from the United States and 17 countries around the world cruised into Las Vegas for the nineteenth annual Vegas BikeFest at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center. The action packed, four-day rally delivered an abundance of activities and attractions.”








The hardworking event manager continued, “This year, through our partnership with John Oakes and Freeze Management, the rally was about bringing more experiences to our attendees and attracting new attendees. With the addition of the Hooligan Dirt Dash Flat Track Racing taking place at the Plaza Hotel and Casino’s Core Arena, the Bell Brawl at Red Rock Harley-Davidson, and the return of the Artistry In Iron custom bike show display, a new type of energy was felt throughout the entire rally.”







We didn’t catch up with the Tileman until the next day. He mentioned that Law Tigers was giving away a bike and Kuryakyn installed accessories at their booth. We had never heard him so happy before. He seemed to be floating on some kind of mystic pleasure cloud.





Vegas BikeFest 2019 offered attendees a variety of entertainment at the rally including Moonshine Bandits on Friday night and the always entertaining metal band Steel Panther on Saturday night. Carol Lyn’s Herstory of Rock kicked off the weekend on Thursday night. “Steel Panther was great,” The Tile man added in a slurred voice, “and the chicks on stage were amazing.”






Riders explored over 100 vendor booths filled with motorcycles, parts, accessories, apparel and more. Vegas BikeFest partnered with V-Twin Visionary and Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys to give away another custom Harley-Davidson Street Glide on Saturday night. Valerie W. from Fontana, CA, was the lucky recipient of the bike that included custom parts from Leading Edge, Saddlemen Seats, Bassani Xhaust, Klock Werks, and ThunderMax.








Vegas BikeFest gave away over $100,000 in prizes and cash, including $5,000 in BikeFest Bucks Shopping Sprees that was spent with vendors at the rally. The always popular Miss Vegas BikeFest did not disappoint along with other crowd favorites Best Facial Hair Contest, Bikini Contest, Tattoo Contest and Biker Bingo. Poker Walks, Poker Run, and Lady Luck Fun Run were big hits and mulligan sales raised $2,500 to benefit the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation.








We lost track of the Tileman late Friday Night and didn’t hear anything until Saturday morning. Something about the Golden Nugget room service and a Ribeye steak. Everything about the weekend seemed to delight James to no end.









Vegas BikeFest featured four different bike shows kicking it off on Thursday with Full Throttle Magazine’s Ride-In Bike Show featuring over 10 different categories. Best in Show went to Anthony Robinson with his 1966 Triumph T-100. On Friday, V-Twin Visionary Performance Bike Show debuted with Best of Show going to Ramjet Racing with the completely custom ’03 Dyna.







Saturday was the Vegas BikeFest Custom Bike Show sponsored by Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys; with over 15 categories. Brian Hendricks with his 2011 Harley-Davidson Road Glide won People’s Choice while Anthony Robinson’s 1966 Triumph T-100 took home Best in Show.








On Sunday, the Sick Chicks, No Dipsticks (All Female Bike Show) debuted at the rally, adding to the festivities with a great showing of all female owned bikes.








James had more fun than was humanely possible and of course he didn’t fill in all the blanks, just the G-rated ones, but we knew something was afoot or a thigh…










Hooligan Dirt Dash brought two nights of flat track racing to Vegas BikeFest with Mikey Virus taking first place on both nights of racing.









Sunday morning came way too soon. James the “Tileman,” was forced to suit up for the seriously hungover, 95-degree ride back into the city and back to his tortured reality in Los Angeles. He moseyed onto the freeway like a foot soldier force back to the front after a long weekend in Hong Kong.


James knew what he had to do, but a shining star or a few sparkled in his memory of the weekend: the action, the food, the fun, the girls and solid sparkling motorcycles, new products and resources for the open road. He chilled with the excitement of the weekend and the knowledge of the next rally and Bikefest next year.



Plans are already underway for the 2020 Las Vegas BikeFest in downtown Las Vegas, with dates set for October 1-4, 2020.



We will draw straws again next year when Bikefest rolls around once more.

–Wrench
I never get to go…
Associate Editor
Bikernet.com™



Facebook: www.facebook.com/lasvegasbikefest
Twitter: @VegasBikeFest
Instagram: #VegasBikeFest
info@lasvegasbikefest.com

National and Regional News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Transportation Safety Board called on federal regulators Nov. 19 to create a review process before allowing automated test vehicles to operate on public roads, based upon the agency’s investigation of a fatal collision between an Uber automated test vehicle and a pedestrian on March 18, 2018, in Tempe, Ariz. The NTSB said the Uber Technologies Inc. division’s “inadequate safety culture” contributed to the fatal crash. the 2017 Volvo XC90 was equipped with a proprietary developmental automated driving system. The vehicle’s factory-installed forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking systems were deactivated during the operation of the automated system. The NTSB said the operator of the Volvo was “visually distracted throughout the trip by a personal cell phone.” The AMA believes that thorough testing of automated vehicles should be performed before they are permitted on public roadways, where they can endanger the lives of motorcyclists, pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and U.S. Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) introduced companion bills to reform the Renewable Fuel Standard by reducing the harmful environmental effects of the corn ethanol mandate and advancing biofuels that they say reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The GREENER Fuels Act (Growing Renewable Energy through Existing and New Environmentally Responsible Fuels Act) would phase out the corn ethanol mandate and immediately reduce the amount of ethanol in fuel by as much as 1 billion gallons by capping the amount of ethanol that can be blended into conventional gasoline at 9.7 percent. The AMA, the National Wildlife Federation and the Sierra Club support the bill. The AMA objects to increased amounts of ethanol in the nation’s fuel supply, because none of the estimated 22 million motorcycles and ATVs in use in America is certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to operate on fuel containing more than 10 percent ethanol.

State News

PASADENA, Calif. – The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the Friends of Oceano Dunes, directing the lower court to allow a lawsuit to proceed against the California Coastal Commission and California State Parks. The lawsuit, filed in 2017, claims that the agencies are violating the federal Endangered Species Act by issuing permits and approvals for new dust control measures at the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area. “Dust control” is used to restrict use of the area for responsible motorized recreation. A U.S. District Court judge in Los Angeles stopped the lawsuit in 2017, but the appeals court held that the district judge did not follow the law in the ruling. The lawsuit is against Coastal Commission Executive Director Jack Ainsworth and State Parks’ Director Lisa Mangat.

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – The Air Pollution Control District decided Nov. 18 to close 48 acres of the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area to campers and off-road enthusiasts. The four-dune area is scheduled to close in January. District officials said the decision was made in an effort to reduce air pollution. California State Parks has pledged to reduce air pollution in the area by 50 percent by 2023. Fencing eventually will be used to restrict access to the area. But signs will be used until approval for the fence is obtained from the California Coastal Commission. The closing means 50 percent less beach side camping.

DENVER – The application deadline is Dec. 2 for the Colorado Parks and Wildlife 2020 Off-Highway Vehicle grants, which combines OHV registration and permit fees with federal Recreation Trails Program funds. Organizations or agencies with management responsibilities over public lands may apply for Good Management Trail Crew Grants or Programmatic Project Grants. Federal, state, local government agencies and nonprofit OHV project sponsors are eligible to apply for grants of up to 100 percent of the project cost. For more information, to download an application or to review the full OHV grant application process, visit www.cpw.state.co.us.

LANSING, Mich. – The AMA, working with ABATE of Michigan, supports S.B. 528 as a fix to the current discriminatory situation Michigan’s motorcyclists find themselves in when it comes to insurance claims. S.B. 1 was signed into law this year, making wide-ranging changes to Michigan’s No-Fault insurance system. Under S.B. 1, a motorcyclist is only able to claim medical expenses up to the cap chosen by the other driver on their insurance policy. These caps can be as low as $50,000 and could potentially fall far short of the expenses incurred by a motorcyclist involved in a crash with another driver. However, the same is not true for drivers and pedestrians who are able to claim medical expenses under their own insurance policies and can therefore chose the cap they feel is appropriate for them. S.B. 528 is a simple legislative fix that allows motorcyclists the same rights as other drivers and pedestrians by allowing them to file a claim under their own insurance policy and no longer be restricted in claiming medical expenses by the choice of a cap made by the other driver.

ALBANY, N.Y. – A bill passed both chambers of the New York State legislature and is waiting for Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s signature that would provide more incentive for the state to repair hazardous road conditions. A. 1235, sponsored by Assemblyman Thomas J. Abinanti (D- Westchester County), and S. 5422, sponsored by state Sen. Timothy M. Kennedy (D-Buffalo), expand the state’s liability for damages suffered by road users due to defects in state highways, if the state Department of Transportation was notified of the defect and failed to repair it. Currently, the state is liable for these damages for part of the year. This bill expands that liability year-round. While bad potholes can be a frustration for drivers, they can be a deadly threat to riders. The AMA supports this bill because it provides a strong incentive for more prompt repairs of road defects and could save motorcyclists’ lives. The AMA urges New York residents to contact Gov. Cuomo, a fellow motorcyclist, and request he sign this bill into law. Click here to contact the governor.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The state Department of Natural Resources’ Forestry Division bought 1,405 acres to add to the Pike State Forest and double the size of the forest’s All-Purpose Vehicle area. APVs include dirt bikes and ATVs. The state is using State Recreational Vehicle funds to buy 1,005 acres now and the 400 acres next year. The funds come from APV registration fees. After construction, riders will have an additional 40 miles of trails. A shelter house, APV camping area and 4 miles of trails opened at the forest in August.

International News

WARRENDALE, Pa. – Honda has joined the Automated Vehicle Safety Consortium, an international group of car makers and technology companies collaborating on the development of best safety practices for automated vehicles. Honda is the only member of the consortium that also manufactures motorcycles. Other consortium members include SAE International, Ford, General Motors, Toyota, Uber ATG, Daimler and Lyft. The AMA believes that automated vehicles may eventually help make the roadways safer for motorcyclists, but only if the vehicles can adequately detect and properly adjust to motorcycles in their immediate vicinity.

BUCHAREST, Romania – Motorcyclists have been successfully battling plans to enact an environmental tax on all cars and motorcycles. MotoADN, the Romanian member of the Federation of European Motorcyclist Associations, got motorcycles and scooters excluded from the tax, according to a FEMA report. The tax was intended to reduce air pollution in the city. MotoADN argued that air pollution is less affected by motorcycles and scooters than by cars and trucks.

Industry News

IRVINE, Calif. – Erik Pritchard assumed the role of chief executive officer and president of the Motorcycle Industry Council, Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, Motorcycle Safety Foundation and Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association of America. Pritchard joined the associations as general counsel in March 2014 following more than a decade supporting the associations as outside counsel on a variety of litigation and non-litigation matters. He was named president of SVIA and ROHVA in 2017. One initiative Pritchard will oversee is the long-term, industry-wide effort led by the MIC to boost motorcycle ridership-more riders, riding more. Details about the plan were announced Nov. 21 at the annual MIC Communications Symposium in Long Beach, Calif.

ROME – Mahindra’s European two-wheel subsidiary is taking over the entire Peugeot scooter division from PSA and plans to introduce seven new scooters during the next two years. Mahindra already held a 51 percent stake in the company. The buyout ends Mahindra’s partnership with the PSA Group, which sells Peugeot, Citroen, DS, Opel and Vauxhall cars.

TOKYO – Kawasaki Heavy Industries has acquired 49.9 percent of Italian motorcycle manufacturer Bimota, through the Kawasaki subsidiary Italian Motorcycle Investment. The remainder of the stock will be retained by B and Motion S.A., formerly known as Bimota S.A. Bimota will continue to be an Italian company, based in Rimini and employing Italian designers and craftsmen. Going forward, all Bimota motorcycles will be powered by Kawasaki engines. In the past, Bimota licensed engines from different manufacturers.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Motorcycle Riders Foundation has named Tiffany Cipoletti its director of government relations. In her new role, she will focus on carrying out the MRF’s legislative strategy and provide support for the group’s national motorcyclists’ lobby day, Bikers Inside the Beltway. She will retain her role as editor of American Bikers Journal. As part of the change, the MRF also contracted with JPK Services for membership services, day-to-day accounting, phone services and event support for Bikers Inside the Beltway and Meeting of the Minds.

AMA News

PICKERINGTON, Ohio – The 2019 AMA Legends & Champions Weekend is Dec. 6-7 at the Hilton Columbus Downtown in Columbus, Ohio. The 2019 KTM AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Dec. 6 will welcome the Hall of Fame Class of 2019: rights advocate Mark Buckner, off-road racing champion Kurt Caselli, motocross champion Ron Lechien, trials pioneer Wiltz Wagner and museum founder Dale Walksler. On Dec. 7, the 2019 KTM AMA Championship Banquet will honor the national champions in all disciplines sanctioned by the AMA. In addition, the AMA will host its annual AMA Congress on Dec. 6-7, where AMA Commission members will discuss rules governing AMA-sanctioned events. Tickets for AMA Legends & Champions Weekend are available now at http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=vw9ldxbab&oeidk=a07egk6666t3e98bda6. Tickets also can be purchased over the phone at (800) 262-5646. Reservations can be made at the Hilton Columbus Downtown at https://book.passkey.com/event/49921089/owner/9521521/home.

PICKERINGTON, Ohio – Three U.S. ISDE teams took top honors in their respective classes at the 94th FIM International Six Days Enduro, winning the World Trophy, Women’s World Trophy and Club team divisions. The U.S. Junior World Trophy team finished second place in its class. The United States won its first World Trophy crown in 2016, and all three of its Trophy teams finished as runners-up in 2018. The full story is available at www.americanmotorcyclist.com/american-teams-win-three-titles-at-2019-isde and in the January issue of American Motorcyclist magazine.

PICKERINGTON, Ohio – Get your tickets and make your plans to be at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, July 10-12 for 2020 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days. AMA members can purchase discounted tickets now at www.amavintagemotorcycledays.com/tickets. AMA members save an additional $5 off the already discounted early bird pricing. AMA members can also call (614) 856-1900 to order their tickets. A fundraiser for the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days showcases classic motorcycles of all makes and styles, and honors the riders who made them famous. Activities at the event include the AMA Vintage Grand Championship, which features road racing, motocross, hare scrambles, trials and flat-track racing. In addition, North America’s largest motorcycle swap meet is packed with parts, bikes and memorabilia from all eras. Bike shows feature some of history’s most beloved motorcycles. Attendees will be entertained by stunt shows, demo rides of current production bikes and live music, while seminars on numerous topics by noted motorcycling experts keep them informed. Non-AMA members and those reserving RV spaces must purchase tickets through Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. These tickets will be available in December online at midohio.com or by calling (419) 884-4000. AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days is a family-friendly event. Admission is free for children under 12 accompanied by a ticketed adult. Free parking is also available on site.

Over 60 new cars and motorcycles are presented at the Thailand International Motor Expo 2019, which opened on Friday. The event is traditionally held at Impact Exhibition Center in Bangkok and will last until December 10, TASS reported.

It is expected that for over 12 days the exhibition will be visited by 1.6 million people who will spend about 56 billion baht ($ 1.85 billion) on booking 50 thousand cars and nine thousand motorcycles. Thirty four automobile manufacturers and 26 motorcycle manufacturers from nine countries of the world brought their new products.

This year, the exhibition presents new models of the Porsche Cayenne Coupe and Volvo V60, some of these cars were previously exhibited in other countries. The show marked the beginning of upcoming sales in Thailand of Bentley Bentayga, BMW X3 M and Mazda 2. Also this year, new and updated BMW X4 M, Ford Everest Sport, Ford Ranger FX4, Honda City, Honda Civic Hatchback, Hyundai Veloster , Mazda CX-8, MINI Clubman John Cooper Works, Mitsubishi Attrage, Mitsubishi Mirage, Mitsubishi Triton Athlete, Nissan Almera and Toyota Yaris ATIV. Special attention was paid to the new version of the Nissan GT-R to released on the occasion of the 50th anniversary.

As for other vehicles, Aprilia RSV4 1100, Benelli Imperiale 400 and six BMW models were launched at the exhibition.

A thematic exhibition of children’s drawings was organized in neighboring pavilions. Specialists teach them the basics of driving, as well as talk about behavior on city roads. A show is also organized from a vintage car club in Thailand.

There is a special training ground next door, where potential buyers of cars with a built-in driver assistance function can familiarize themselves with their capabilities. Many of the vehicles presented at the exhibition can be taken for a test drive. A trade-in center has been opened at the event, where anyone who comes to the auto show can exchange their old car with a surcharge for a new one.

Commute to work for just a £1 a week: Car firm SEAT unveils zero-emission electric motorcycle that it claims will save the average biker hundreds of pounds a year in running costs

• Motorcycle has range of 71 miles for each charge and cost 60-70p per charge
• Power is from a 11kW motor, which is equivalent to a 125cc petrol engine
• It is not known if the e-scooter by Spanish company Seat will go on sale in UK 

by Milly Vincent from https://www.dailymail.co.uk/

An electric motorcycle that can do a 100-mile weekly commute for approximately £1 has been unveiled by Spanish car firm Seat.

The e-Scooter concept is a response to a growing demand from urban commuters for zero emission mobility solutions.

With the equivalent to a 125cc petrol engine, its 11kW motor gives it a 0-31mph time of 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 62mph.

Incredibly the motorcycle has a range of 71 miles between charges and will typically cost just 60-70p to fully charge.

The average fossil-fulled motorcycle can go around double that on a tank of petrol, which would likely cost around £20, meaning the electric bike offers quite a saving.

And with the average British motorcyclist riding approximately 5,000 miles per year, the e-Scooter would cost them around £1 per week in electricity if the production model is eventually sold in the UK.

SEAT’s new motorcycle is the Spanish firm’s latest response to urban motoring and follows this month’s launch of the Mii Electric, its first ever zero emission car.

The e-Scooter was unveiled in Barcelona in a partnership with Silence, and will enter full production next year.

The firm is yet to confirm if the electric bike will be sold in the UK, which is one of Europe’s largest market for motorcycles, with more than 1.1 million bikes registered.

Lucas Casasnovas, head of urban mobility at SEAT, said: ‘We aim to become an ally for cities and the SEAT e-Scooter concept is the answer to public demand for a more agile mobility.

‘Our collaboration with Silence is an example of how cooperation between partners enables us to be more efficient.’

The e-Scooter concept has been developed for all motorcyclists but is geared more towards ‘motosharing’.

It is fitted with two USB input sockets and a place to hold a mobile phone.

A phone app can monitor where the bike is located and track its battery usage and the battery is easily removed from the bike and charged inside.

Joan Melenchon, a designer at SEAT, said: ‘We mostly wanted it to be a vehicle that is straightforward, iconic and practical.

‘We steered away from making a visually minimalist package, concentrating instead on its pared down utility.’

SEAT is spearheading the Volkswagen Group’s ‘micromobility’ strategy and has also built a 100 per cent electric quadricycle called Minimo.

 

by Al Beeber from https://lethbridgeherald.com/

For enthusiasts across southern Alberta, the Calgary Motorcycle Show in January is a yearly pilgrimage to see the latest two-wheeled, three-wheeled and four-wheeled machines manufacturers are rolling into showrooms.

For my crew, hitting the show has been a ritual for a good decade or so — I’ve lost count of the morning breakfast stops at Roy’s Place in Claresholm where we fill our own tanks in preparation for a long day of sitting on and walking among the numerous bikes, scooters and all-terrain vehicles on display.
As usual, the 2020 show will be staged at the BMO Centre on the Calgary Stampede grounds and for the second year, The Lethbridge Herald has a reader giveaway.

Thanks to show publicist Jackie Jackson and western regional show manager Laurie Paetz, I have five pairs of tickets to give away to motorcycle fans.

Last year, the tickets offered by the show organizers were snapped up quickly so this year I’m going to be holding a draw. If you’re interested in a pair, send an email with your name, email address obviously and daytime phone number. After I repeat the contest details in next week’s column, I will put all the names into a bucket and five winners will be drawn with the names to be announced on Wednesday, Dec. 11 which is essentially a month before the show opens. My email address here at The Herald is abeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

The Calgary Motorcycle Show runs for three days starting Friday, Jan. 10.
On the 10th, doors are open from noon until 9 p.m. On Saturday the 11th, the show runs from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. and on the final day, Jan. 12, it runs from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

It’s important to note the tickets are for admission to the show only — winners will have to pay for Stampede grounds parking like the rest of us.

As of this writing, an exhibitors’ list hasn’t yet been created but as fans know, this show always has something new and different to offer. Whether your interest is scooters for urban commuting or heavy touring bikes, the show will surely have something on the floor that is begging you to spend your money.
Along with displays from area dealers, manufacturers will have their own floor space promoting everything from Ducatis to Vespas.

It was the Vespa booth that caught the attention of our group last year, thanks to a 300cc model that seemed like it could be a bonafide highway machine. I’ve long been a fan of “scoots” and bigger displacements can be a bonafide alternative to a mid-sized motorcycle. My personal favourites are built by Italian company Piaggio (which is also part of the Vespa empire) — they’re stylish, roomy and have highway potential. The venerable Suzuki Burgman is probably the big-scooter standard bearer but last year I don’t recall seeing the 600cc model. The 400 Burgman is sized nicely but as the old saying goes, there’s no replacement for displacement.

And that’s why I’m a big fan of the Harley-Davidson touring bikes. With modern electronics including touchscreens, Harley is creating an experience touring riders would never have imagined decades ago. Are they heavy? They certainly can be but H-D engineers somehow have created a chassis balance that makes a rider quickly forget about weight. That was made clear last year when I was admiring the Street Glide, probably the most popular Harley touring rig. A sales rep urged me to try the legendary shark-fairinged Road Glide which I thought would be too heavy for me. But I was totally wrong. The bike lifted easily off the side stand and felt like something hundreds of pounds lighter. So if I win the lottery between now and Jan. 10, you’ll know what I’ll be riding next spring.

The show is so much more than motorcycles, though.

There are always a wide range of businesses selling apparel and accessories, there are various shows that will appeal to the young and young at heart, and fans of vintage motorcycles can always expect to see an impressive collection of older bikes.

The annual bike giveaway this year is a Kawasaki Z400 ABS, an urban streetfighter that not only is loaded with style but also seems to have comfortable ergonomics.

As regular visitors know, the motorcycle industry has changed rapidly in recent years. Cruisers, which once dominated the market, are becoming a minority which is sad because companies like Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha used to produce some really beautiful ones.

Now adventure bikes — with wire rims and high ground clearance — have become the rage and every manufacturer seems to have them. Kawasaki, a couple of years ago, brilliantly introduced a 300cc version of its Versys, which previously was only available in 600 and 1000cc iterations. Light and fairly low, the 300 Versys is a bike that will appeal to beginners while also being fun for more experienced riders.

To me, it may be the ideal city commuter bike since Kawasaki also offers accessory locking hard cases.
As you can tell, I’m already getting excited about the show because there is nothing like the wind-in-your-face feeling of being on a motorcycle to stir one’s soul.

And even if the weather is more conducive to hibernating, the thought of spring and two-wheeled adventures can warm up anyone.

So get those entries in — I look forward on Dec. 11 contacting those five lucky winners.
Thanks again, Jackie and Laurie, for thinking about Herald readers. Until next time, keep your fingers in the air and your feet on the pegs — oh wait, maybe that’s just me. How does that actually go?

Q:What are the main differences between riding a trike and riding a two-wheel motorcycle? Are trike training classes available?

A: The common types of trikes are those with two wheels in the back (such as Harley-Davidson’s Tri Glide and Freewheeler), and those with two wheels in the front (such as Can-Am’s Spyder and Ryker).

Trikes have traditional motorcycle controls, engines and seating positions, but they do not handle like traditional motorcycles.

Unlike two-wheelers, three-wheelers do not lean into turns and counter-steering is not used.

Instead, like an ATV, you steer a trike in the direction you want to go. Initiating a turn may require more effort and different body positioning compared to a two-wheeled motorcycle.

Always set a good entry speed, look through the entire turn, and keep your eyes moving.

Evaluate the turn for its geometry, surface conditions, and traffic. It helps to turn your head in the direction you want to go.

Just like riding a two-wheeled motorcycle, you need to be aware of traffic and environmental conditions, compensate for inattentive car drivers, and minimize risk by using the MSF SEE system—Search, Evaluate, Execute.

Since a three-wheeler is wider than a two-wheeler, stay fairly centered in the lane.

When riding in a group, do not use a staggered riding position. Instead, set a minimum gap of two seconds both in front of and behind the trike.

If the rest of the group wants to use a staggered formation, the three-wheeler should be the first or last in the group, so the full two seconds can easily be maintained.

Trike training classes are available. The MSF has two distinct training courses for novice and experienced riders of three-wheeled motorcycles.

In addition to formal training, like any vehicle new to you, it helps to practice routine and emergency maneuvers periodically, away from traffic.

Jeremiah is a nut about products on his motorcycle. He’s very analytical. He decided he needed front turn signals, so he checked the Dyna page for model year 2009, 49mm front end products and discovered a set of black-anodized Joker Machine, LED, billet machined, one-piece turn signals.

READ THE TECH ARTICLE – CLICK HERE – Join the Cantina

Jeremiah is a nut about products on his motorcycle. He’s very analytical. He decided he needed front turn signals, so he checked the Dyna page for model year 2009, 49mm front end products and discovered a set of black-anodized Joker Machine, LED, billet machined, one-piece turn signals.

He was impressed with the angle of the lights designed to match the rake of his glide fork tubes. He was also impressed with the price. The product was unused, in the original package, yet he got ‘em for used part prices. These slick units are good for ’06 to the last Dynas manufactured by the factory.

He had one obstacle to his installation, he didn’t have the original wire leads from the stock loom to the turn-signals. He couldn’t find the leads online, so off to California Harley for some help. They don’t sell the leads constructed. He had to buy the male plugs and the pins. Then he faced buying the wires and insulating tubing and making his own.

Fortunately, he knew one of the techs in service. He took the connectors to him and he made up the leads with the wires in the stock positions, so when the plugs snapped into place, the black wire was connected to the black wire in the loom and the purple wire was happily connected to the purple wire in the loom.

Hang on, we’ll get back to the wiring once the Joker turn-signals are installed. First Jeremiah, James and the lovely Honor helped him jack the bike up with a hydraulic jack. Keep in mind the treachery of trying to jack up Dynas. They can be quirky and dangerous.

Take your time with the jack and maybe use a chunk of 2-by-4 to get around the frame bracket in the back under the transmission designed to protect the oil bag and watch out for the kickstand in the front. Make sure the bike is comfortable and supported. It’s not a bad idea to have a brother nearby to act as jack security.

First, he removed the front wheel, the front brake caliper and the front fender. This is the precarious time slot. He loosened the Torx pinch bolts for one tube, slide it out of the trees, installed the Joker turn-signal and replaced it.

Note: When it comes to removing fork legs from triple trees, it’s not a bad notion to clean the legs and the trees first and spray them down with WD-40 or a light lubricant. This is especially important if your tubes are chromed, anodized or color coated. You don’t want to scratch the bastards.

Joker turn-signals come with Right and Left indicators machined in the bottom, so he knew which one to slip on which tube. Jeremiah had a plan for getting the tubes back into place perfectly. He uses a nickel to indicate the space the tube will extend past the top triple tree. He snugged up the tree pinch Torx bolts and moved onto the next fork leg.

He did the same with the other fork leg and installed the new Joker Machine turn-signal and snugged down the pinch bolts using his nickel formula. Now he installed the front wheel for a safety precaution. If, during assembly the jack slipped or collapsed, the wheel would be in place to catch the bike.

At this point Jeremiah, who is a nut about torque specs, referred to the manual and tightened the tree Torx pinch bolts.

Jeremiah used the seam in the lower tree to align with his turn-signal seam for perfect positioning before tightening his Joker
Allen pinch bolt.

At this point he messed with the wiring. If he had the stock leads he would have just shortened the lead to the desired length and connected the black to the black and the red to purple from the Joker unit. The other wire wasn’t used.

The first thing he did was to connect and test the wire leads to make sure the system was connected to the correct turn-signal. He cut his leads, taking into consideration the swing of the front end. He cut shrink tubing and slipped it over each wire and soldered the connections. Then he slipped the shrink tubing over the connections and used a heat gun to shrink the tubing over the connection.

Then he installed the front brake caliper and tightened it to specs, and finally he installed his front fender. Bada Bing, on the road again, except it started to rain…

Old History, New Troubles in Paradise

Marko and Bandit met in his apartment as nightfall fell over the Port of Los Angeles. Bandit made a point not to lose his cool under any number of challenges or hardships, but this Chinese broad was beginning to get to him.

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