Well, as you know the second impeachment effort failed.
And the Faux-Trump that has been filling-in for the real
Donald Trump here on Bikernet, assuming there actually is a real Donald Trump, is in full revved-engine mode to BE Donald Trump until such time as the Social Media
Emperors allow the real Donald Trump back onto their
sacred and holy venues. So, sit back, relax, and fall asleep while Fake Donald Trump takes a victory lap, courtesy of J.J. Solari.

“Hey ‘America Was Great Again For 4 Years At Least Until the Fake Election That Put Biden Into Office,’ – how ya doin’??

How about that second impeachment failure, uh?
You know what THAT means, right?….. a whole new flu
‘pandemic.’ That’s right, the Second Impeachment-Failure=flu.

Think they would actually do that flu shit twice though?
Yeah, I think they would. They gut a pretty limited
playbook. But you can never overestimate Biden’s
commitment to destruction. He could order a nuclear strike on Akron Ohio to keep me from running for office again.

Because you KNOW I’m gonna run for office again. In
FACT, I might not even have to run for office again to be
President for a second term. In FACT, I basically AM
President for a second term. This second impeachment
failure kind of proves it. I mean they had a lock on this
tighter than the lock that’s on Britney Spears’ hard earned cash.

You think it’s easy to sing a song with a python
coiled around your neck? You should be entitled to the
money you earned from doing that.

Speakin’ o’ people who play with long bendy circular
things, how about that Kamala-toe Harris, uh? You notice
she’s kinda stayin’ in the backround, no? Yep, she’s just
sittin’ quietly, crossin’ and uncrossin her legs for the
cameras and lookin’ at her watch and countin’ the minutes. And then….President Harris.

What’s that, buddy?….you say she’s kneeling quietly, not
sitting quietly? I like how you think, where you from?

None of my fuckin’ business? HAHAHA now I REALLY like you. Giving me shit to my face. Well, you’re no White House Staffer, I can see that! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA I love this crowd.

You know pretty much that the job of President is a makebelieve, no-such-thing job if Kamala “Don’t lecture me,” Harris has it. Well, she doesn’t have it yet. But she knows Joe ‘I’LL HAVE ANOTHER, BARKEEP!!!’ Biden is starin’ more and more into the empty future and noticing that he’s not in it.

I’m typin’ this on Valentine’s Day, speaking o’ Joe Biden:
He’s likely out on the lawn with a passel o’ 8 year old girls, standing behind them one at a time and gently caressing their locks…..putting his face against the back of their skulls and closing his eyes in happy delirium.

Wait till Easter Sunday. Kids lookin’ for eggs in Joe Biden’s yard. Wait till Halloween: kids comin’ to Joe Biden’s door. Wait till Christmas: kids sittin’ on Joe Biden’s lap. Yeah, if you’re Joe Biden you gotta be lovin’ the Presidency right now.

Have you noticed you’ll look a goddamn fucking long time, before you come across a photo or even a ‘report from an expert’ about me bein’ within a thousand yards of a fucking kid. I mean, I try and stay away from my OWN kids. ‘Cept for, ya know, the one with the honkers.

Meanwhile every other political hack in American history since the invention of the camera is holding other peoples’ babies, sitting in a classroom with first graders telling them what a warrior he is for road-construction and equal housing. Me?….

I’m at a beauty contest somewhere. That I own. With hot adult females. Meanwhile everyone else in office – at least the men – are holding small stray humans in their arms……..speakin’ o which, what the FUCK is it with ‘The Royal Family.’ Those heirs to the throne are ALWAYS in some photo bending down and smiling at some rickets-boned or diseaseinfected fly-covered herd of kids they would never have over to the house without steam-cleaning them for an hour with kerosene. They’re bending down and shaking hands with or smiling enthusiastically at some bewildered cave-dwelling
shithole-doomed youngster who’s never seen
ANYTHING white, forget about white PEOPLE before.

You ever see me doing that fucking shit? Jesus soap
on a rope Christ. I don’t think so. You think Biden’s ever gonna be involved in a scandal with a porn star? At least an ADULT porn star? No. You’ll wait for Kamala Harris to have abrasion-free knees before that day arrives.

I will say though, in fairness to Old ‘then you ain’t Black’
Joe, he will go creep-on-one with adults as readily as with
kids when it comes to hair-sniffin’. What do you suppose
he’s hoping to pick-up-the-scent-of when he does that?
Soap? Is he addicted to the smell of shampoo and hair
conditioner? I mean….it’s NOT as though he tries to do
this on the sneak. No, not at all. He could be on stage at
the Superbowl singing about life at The Village and he’d
stop and leave the platform and go out into the socially
distanced stands and slowly bend and close his eyes and
touch his rosacea-ed nose against the tresses of some 40-or-younger audience member with a vagina and not care who knows it.

How long a wait do you think you will have before a
‘reporter’ asks ‘Hey, Joe, what’s with the sniffing kids hair?’

That reporter will be called a lot more than a dog faced
pony soldier. Can you imagine if I sniffed little girls’ hair?
Chuck Schumer wouldn’t just be throwing the word
‘infamy’ around. He’d be throwin’ the word deviate prepubescent sexual predator around.

Speakin’ o’ Droopy-Dog Schumer, did you hear that
fucker? His Impeachment 2 fucking TANKED….and he’s
calling it as akin to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
He used the word ‘infamy.’ You use the word infamy and
you’re in office….. you’re trying to be FDR-level pompous
and majestic and gassy. The word infamy in politics is
basically an off-limits word unless you’re a total piece of
worthless shit – like, say, Schumer – and you have no
shame or class or sense….or you’re referencing Pearl
Harbor.

But let’s leave World War Two even out of it, ok?……he’s
calling losing a vote……infamy? He lost a vote! That’s
infamy? Hey, but, hey, he calls breaking and entering
treason, insurrection, and a coup. And so does the press.
They gut their own dictionary. So, I guess it makes sense
that you would call not being able to impeach someone
who isn’t in office ‘infamy.’

He’s actually as stupid as he is ugly. And I do mean ugly. He is NOT a good-lookin’ guy. Oh. You’re saying that’s mean, me calling him ugly. Oh. Ok: I’ll call him a rakishly debonaire Burt Lancaster whopper of a good-lookin’ rockstar of a hunk. How’s that?

Speakin’ o’ vocabulary, can you imagine me ever saying
the word infamy? Under any circumstances? I mean it was stupid even when Roosevelt said it: he’s responding to a sneak attack on America with name calling. I guess he was trying to hurt the Japs’ feelings. Still, it’s more than Bush said when the Muslims attacked the mainland with our own planes!!! Even the Japs didn’t think o’ that one.

He didn’t call it a day of infamy. He didn’t call it anything.
Oh, wait: he called it terror. Terror attacked us. And he
declared war on it. He declared war upon an emotion. At
least FDR declared war on Japan. Not on ‘infamy.’ ‘We will attack infamy and drive it from our shores!!’

He didn’t say that. Meanwhile Goober declares war on
terror. But hey, Nixon declared a war on drugs. One of
those other blowhard Presidents declared war on poverty.

War on hunger. War on inequity. No one fights human
enemies anymore. We fight against vocabulary words.
Remember when the hippies said everything is
everything? You’re maybe-elected bureaucrat
representative was apparently listening!
HAHAHAHAHAHA



Speakin’ o’ crowds, you see that Crowd of Seven alleged
Republicans who voted for my impeachment in this Get-
Trump Circus Number 2? Mitt-rhymes-with-shit was right
in there with ’em. Boy, he’s a piece o’ work, ain’t ‘e? I bet
even Satan inches back outa the way when Romney
enters the room. And not outa fear. Outa nausea.
Whew. He could foul a nest of diseased ferrets.
Then six other bilious Nothings traipsed-along after him:
Ben Sasse rhymes-with-ass. Lookit that Nebraskan fuck.
All ‘let’s go to work, boys!’ in his fucking rolled up sleeves
like he could actually lift anything without his little tiny balls shooting out his ears like bb’s. And his fucking khakis. ‘It’s nose to the grindstone with me, America! Let’s get busy.’



So he gets busy trying to get rid of someone who actually
DOES work. And who wears a suit doing it. Then let’s
see, there’s Pat Toomey from Pennsylvania in his best
David Miscavige pose but with a lot crappier suit. Fucker’s ears are damn near parallel with his teeth. Fucker’s forehead goes all the way back to his shoulder blades.



Then Mitt Romney from Utah. Jesus. Mr ‘Am I just the
darndest most innocent thing or what!!!’ Fucking little
gutless pukepile. Ya know, Mormons have a very
undeserved bad reputation. Except in his case. Let’s see,
who else we gut, oh, yes, holy shit, Miss Butt Ugly herself, Susan Collins from Maine. See?…that’s what cold weather does to ya. It turns women into Alec Guinness.



If I had just given her the shocker just once like she likely dreams of she’da come-around. What’s the shocker? Ask your teenage daughter. She’ll tell ya. Maybe. Who else we gut, oh yeah, Aaron’s kinfolk, Richard Burr, Noath Cah-lie-nah. Lookit that fucker. He LOOKS like he’d fry-up newborns in a skillet and feed them to his dogs as a reward for barking all night and pissing off the neighborhood. Beady-eyed lipless little prick. He looks Sith-ready for the next Star Wars movie when they need a villain. Bill Cassidy, Louisiana. Jesus Kee-riste. That is one doofus-looking dull witted looking mug right there.



I guess Americans figure if you elect someone ugly and stupid-looking enough to office they won’t be smart enough to fuck with ya. Um…..America?…..you don’t need to be smart or good looking to fuck with people. Look at Michelle Obama.



Haha ok, I’m just kidding, you don’t really have to look at
‘er. And last but least, from Alaska, Lisa pisa-shit
Murkowski. Emphasis on the murk. And maybe on the
cow. If she got on the bus you’d get off, right? And by that I mean you’d exit the bus, right? Cause you KNOW she’s gonna start yelling at invisible people at some point.



This is the Magnificent Seven of the Republican Party that voted to have me declared an Enemy of the People
and a Foreign Invader leading hippies in Revenant
costuming on an overthrow of the government. What that
mob did USED to be called breaking and entering before
political-science majors became hack journalists with no
writing or even vocabulary skills. Oh: and we all did learn
one thing from that little fracas: we learned why Congress sends YOU to fight wars rather than do it themselves. Because they’re headin’ the other way, baby! Whew!

Feets don’t fails me now!! That was the fastest any of those assholes moved since taking office.
Anyway, good luck to Biden being the guy that loses family members but somehow wins elections.
Hey, you’ve been great, and let’s admit it, so have I.
Together we can make America great four years from now.



Maybe sooner, the way things are goin’
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
See you at Impeachment 3!!!. The Biden Impeachment, when the evidence surfaces. It’s a no-brainer.

I have had my 2019 Harley-Davidson Street Glide for a little while now and the one thing I wanted to change was the sound of the audio. Since I bought the bike, I had my eye on upgrading the fairing and saddlebag lids with Harley’s flagship Stage II Boom Audio speakers and amps.

  I upgraded the fairing to Stage II recently and just want more. You you can see that article at:

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

 Needed? Questionable, but definitely wanted more Boom! A decision that needs to be made is whether you want to go Stage I or Stage II, the system cannot be mixed. Also, if you are planning on doing this yourself, beware Radio EQ MUST be updated by a Harley-Davidson dealer BEFORE operating the audio system. Operating the audio system prior to radio EQ update will IMMEDIATELY damage the speakers. This can be done in advance although I waited until the job was complete. This involves some finesse with cutting tools as both saddlebags need to be modified.

 The speakers in this kit are for use ONLY on specific 2014 and later Harley-Davidson audio systems. See the P&A retail catalog or the Parts and Accessories section of www.harley-davidson.com (English only).

Note: Using these speakers on 2005 or earlier Harley-Davidson audio systems WILL cause permanent damage to those systems.

 First thing to do is remove main fuse.

 Remove seat.

Remove the ECM caddy from the top of the battery.

Disconnect both battery cables, negative battery cable first.

Remove battery.

Remove right side cover.

Remove left side cover.

 

 

Drain and remove gas tank.

 

 

 Remove the windshield by taking the three bolts at top of outer fairing.

 

 

 The remove outer fairing by taking two bolts on the inside of inner fairing on both sides.

 Remove the two bolts securing the electrical caddy under the left side cover.

 

RIGHT SADDLEBAG DRILLING AND CONNECTOR INSTALLATION

Remove all items from the right saddlebag and remove saddlebag.

 

 Remove bolt that retains the handle in the lid.

 Then remove 2 screws in the cloth stop and remove 3 bolts and nut for cable to disconnect lid from lower bag.

Remove the 4 torx bolts in the lid to separate frame from upper lid.

To minimize damage to paint during cutting and drilling. Cover both sides of the area being drilled or cut with masking tape.

Place the saddlebag on a protected surface with mounting (inboard) side facing up.       

Place the template on the saddlebag. Align the grommet and latch fastener openings. Drill the hole at locations and , beneath the remark “S’BAG SPEAKER ONLY”. 

 

 Drill four holes .177 diameter holes for the lower connector flange mounting locations.

 Drill a hole .886 diameter hole for the connector location.

 Verify pilot hole placement with the four-way flanged connector [C36A] (3) on the harness.       

Test-fit the connector. Shape the hole as seen on the template if necessary.   

Four-Way Harness Connector Installation

Remove the metal plate from the four-way bulkhead connector on the saddlebag harness. Insert the connector through the saddlebag hole from the inside.   

Slide the metal plate back onto the connector outside the saddlebag. Secure the connector with four socket head screws from inside the saddlebag. Tighten and torque to 35–40 in-lbs.

 Now for the Left Saddle Bag, remove any items and remove the saddle bag.

Remove left side lid using same procedure as with the right

 Carefully cut the cutout (4) in the template for connector [288A] on the dashed line.

  Drill two pilot holes (5) for the connector flange mounting locations.

 Remove template. Verify size of cutout (4) with the 18-way flanged connector [288A] on the saddlebag harness (see Figure 12 , Item 4) from the kit.        

Cut the cutout for connector [288A] into the saddlebag wall.  

Drill two holes at the connector flange mounting pilot hole locations.

Length/Dimension/Distance: 7.25 mm (½ in)

 

Insert the pin side 18-way bulkhead connector (3) from the saddlebag harness through the connector cutout (6) from the inside. Secure the connector from outside the saddlebag with two socket head screws (4) and washers (5). Tighten.

Torque: 4–4.5 N·m (35–40 in-lbs) M5 hex socket head screw.

 

 Snap the harness cover over the 18-way connector. Secure with a cable strap. The harness routes inside the saddlebag after the amplifier is mounted.

Amplifier Bracket Installation

Clean the inside rear and bottom surfaces of the saddlebag with a 50-50 mixture of isopropyl alcohol and distilled water.

Verify that all four tape strips are contacting the saddlebag.

Remove the four pieces of protective backing from the amplifier bracket tape strips. Position the bracket as shown.  

 [photo 104247] 

 Install the amplifier pin studs in the amplifier. Tighten.

Torque: 9.4–12.2 N·m (7–9 ft-lbs)

 

 Install the grommets  

Amplifier Installation

Position the amplifier with the grommets in the holes in the bottom of the amplifier bracket. Slide the top into the bracket. Install the hex socket button head screws. Tighten and torque to 7–9 ft-lbs.

 

Plug in connector of the saddlebag harness to the top of the amplifier. Route the saddlebag side harness inside the left saddlebag. Clean the inside bottom and side surfaces of the saddlebag along the harness path with a 50-50 mixture of isopropyl alcohol and distilled water. Secure with cable straps and bases as shown. 

 

 Route the vehicle-side amplifier harness in the saddlebag mounting area, beginning the vehicle. Route the harness around the rear wheel sprocket, following the saddlebag support rail.

Route the harness behind and underneath the frame, into the under seat battery area.

Use cable straps to tie the harness loosely to the saddlebag support. Use the large hole near the saddlebag rear attachment point or one of the cable strap slots along the bottom of the support.

Temporarily install the left saddlebag into the support assembly. When sufficient clearance is confirmed, tighten the cable straps. Remove the saddlebag.

Confirm that the vehicle-side harness connectors reach the saddlebag connectors.

Confirm that the amplifier harness connectors and harness routing are clear of all moving parts.

Confirm that no contact is made at full extension and compression of the shock absorber.

Continue routing the harness forward on the vehicle.

 

 Locate the black, four-way Molex connector [296A] near the back of the under-seat area. FLHX/FLTRX models: On a jumper harness coming from the fairing. FLHTCU/FLHTK models: On an adapter harness with two 16-way ([162C] and [162D]) and two four-way ([296A] and (297B]) connectors. With ONLY ONE Stage II amplifier installed in the rear: Remove the plug in the [296A] connector. Connect the amplifier harness. With TWO or more Stage II amplifiers installed in the rear: Plug the audio input harness (15) from this kit into connector halves [296A] and (297B] on the adapter harness. Plug amplifier harness connector [296A] into the audio input harness.

Locate the 2-way Delphi CAN connector [319B] (1) under the right side cover.

The cap is a terminating resistor pack secured to the electrical caddy. Remove connector [319B] from the resistor pack.

Connect [319A] (See Figure 18 item 9) from the harness to [319B] of the vehicle.

If this is the only (rear) amplifier connection in this installation, connect the [319B] side of the harness back into the terminating resistor pack from step “B” above. If multiple rear amplifiers are used, daisy chain [319B] from this harness to [319A] of the next amplifier harness. Always verify that the remaining connector [319B] is connected to the terminating resistor of the vehicle.

Locate connector 299 on the vehicle under the inner faring. This connector may already be connected to a faring amplifier.

  

 Install 69200921 “Y” to vehicle side 299, with one end to the faring amplifier harness.

Install the 69201545 jumper (If a 69201545 jumper has already been installed on vehicle skip ahead to “e”. Do not install more than one 69201545 jumper.)

Route the 69201545 jumper though the inner faring and into the wire trough following the Faring harness routing.

Locate the end of the 69201545 jumper under the RH side cover near the [319] connectors. If a 69201545 is present from a prior install use a 6920921 “Y” under the RH side cover to connect [299].

Route the battery terminal branch to the battery terminals, but DO NOT connect the battery cables now.

 

Route the longer harness branch (with six-way socket connector [36B]) to the right side of the vehicle. Use cable straps to tie the harness loosely to the saddlebag support. Use the large hole near the saddlebag rear attachment point or one of the cable strap slots along the bottom of the support.

 Temporarily install the right saddlebag into the support assembly. When sufficient clearance is confirmed, tighten the cable straps. Remove the saddlebag.

Confirm that the vehicle-side harness connector [36B] reaches saddlebag connector [36A], installed earlier.

Confirm that the amplifier harness connector and harness routing are clear of all moving parts.

Confirm that no contact is made at full extension and compression of the shock absorber.

 Installing speakers in the lids.

  

 Position the smaller tweeter speaker is toward the rear of the saddlebag as shown.

 Secure the speaker with the four long screws. Alternately tighten screws. Tighten and torque to 12–15 in-lbs.

Place rubber washers into the grille mount well.

Place the speaker grille into position over the speaker face.

Secure with the four short screws (3). Alternately tighten the screws. Tighten and torque to 12–15 in-lbs.

Repeat steps for the opposite-side saddlebag cover.

 Install the grommet from the original cover in the lever hole.

 

 Install the lever bolt into the latch assembly.

 Position the latch assembly and verify the hex head bolt stayed in position. Lift the latch assembly and position the speaker end under the locating tab.

 To install the latch assembly, pull the latch assembly towards the center of the cover to clear the cover locating tabs.

 Install three of the original four latch assembly screws. Tighten and torque to 19–29 in-lbs.

 Hold faceplate in place and install three screws. Tighten and torque to 45–55 in-lbs.

 

 Please note: Ambient temperature should be at least 61 °F for proper adhesion of the gasket to the saddlebag cover.

 This step is essential to prevent water intrusion.

 Clean the area with a mixture of 50-70 percent isopropyl alcohol and 30-50 percent distilled water. Remove the protective seal from foam gasket and install the foam gasket in orientation shown by applying pressure to the adhesive tape.

 Install the handle. Tighten and torque to 45–55 in-lbs.

Repeat for the other saddle bag lid.

 

Connect both two-way audio connectors from the amplifier harness to the mid-range/tweeter connection and the woofer connection on the underside of the speaker. The connectors are unique and only fit one way.

Add cable straps and wire retainers from the Amplifier Installation Kit to retain the harness inside the saddlebag as needed.

 To prevent possible damage to the sound system, verify that the ignition switch is OFF before attaching the battery cables.

 Connect the battery terminal branch to the battery terminals (red positive cable first).

 Apply a light coat of petroleum jelly or corrosion retardant material to battery terminals.  

 Install the ECM caddy per the service manual. 

 Install gas tank.

If upgrade to radio is already done install seat and fairing and windshield. In my case I did not, so off the dealer to get upgrade to radio. DO NOT POWER ON RADIO or immediate damage will occur to speakers.

 Install main fuse.     

 I loaded the bike up and took it to Space Coast Harley Davidson, my local dealer. The tech was super knowledgeable with all my questions as usual and had the bike upgraded in about 30 minutes.

I am impressed with Harley’s flagship speaker and amp system. The bike has been wet, been almost frozen, baked in the sun and played hard every time I am out which is quite a bit. The system could have a little more bass, but the audio is outstanding in clarity.

 Boom! Audio Stage II Saddlebag Speaker Kit – 76000954 | Harley-Davidson USA (harley-davidson.com)

 

Boom! Audio Stage II Amplifier – 76000277B | Harley-Davidson USA (harley-davidson.com)

 

Boom! Audio Stage II Saddlebag Speaker Installation Kit – 76000745 | Harley-Davidson USA (harley-davidson.com)

 

Color-Matched Saddlebag Speaker Lid – 90200827DH | Harley-Davidson USA (harley-davidson.com)

 

Color-Matched Saddlebag Speaker Lid – 90200826DH | Harley-Davidson USA (harley-davidson.com)

 –-Misled

Although smaller than normal, due to the COVID-19 threat, the rescheduled NCOM Convention held Oct. 16-18 in Indianapolis succeeded in “being here for those dedicated Freedom Fighters who were determined enough to brave a deadly health crisis to be here for each other,” explained a masked NCOM Chairman James “Doc” Reichenbach.

Legal and legislative seminars and roundtables were socially distanced but fairly well attended, considering the dire circumstances, and seats at the dinner tables were mostly filled for the Silver Spoke Awards Banquet to honor bikers’ rights activists such as author and filmmaker John E. (Black Dragon) Bunch II (ENTERTAINMENT); Jad Breiner – Sons of Silence MC, editor of Brothers Behind Bars (BBB) Newsletter (MEDIA); Pete Leehey – AIM Attorney, Iowa (LEGAL); with SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARDS going to Nancy Nemecek and Fred “Sarge” Matthews, and NCOM’s RON ROLOFF LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD presented to John Bilotta Jr., Operations Director for ABATE of Virginia.

CALIFORNIA BECOMES FIRST STATE TO BAN GAS-POWERED VEHICLES

Governor Gavin Newsom (D) announced that he will “aggressively move California further away from its reliance on climate change-causing fossil fuels” by issuing an executive order on September 23rd mandating that all new passenger vehicles be zero-emission by 2035.

His historic action will require all passenger vehicle manufacturers to shun internal combustion engines and fully electrify their line-up, meaning that manufacturers that wish to continue to sell in the Golden State will only be allowed to sell new electric cars and trucks after the deadline.

Motorcycles are not included in the definition of “passenger vehicles,” but the order does contain a clause to achieve “100 percent zero-emission from off-road vehicles and equipment operations in the State by 2035,” which would presumably include all new ATVs and dirt bikes.

The executive order only applies to the sale of new vehicles and will not prevent Californians from owning gas-burning automobiles or selling them on the used car market.

 

ATVs GET APPROVAL FOR USE ON CITY’S STREETS

Off-road tourism got a boost with news that a city has opened its streets to side-by-side and ATV traffic.  In central Wisconsin, the Tomah Police Department reports on its Facebook that “ATV/UTV routes within the City of Tomah are now legally opened for operation and use.  Now that all City of Tomah signage is erected, streets within the City of Tomah are now legally opened for ATV/UTV traffic.”

Some key points related to ATV/UTV operation within the City of Tomah, WI:

– Unless otherwise posted, the routes within the City of Tomah include all roads with a speed limit of 35mph or less;

– ATVs and UTVs may only be operated on approved routes from 6am – 10pm;

– Operators must be 16 or older and possess a valid license and proof of insurance;

– All other state statutes related to the use and operation of an ATV/UTV are applicable.

The Texas biker may have deserved a speeding ticket, but he didn’t think the traffic stop warranted the questioning, roadside investigation, pat-down search, or enduring an hour of detainment along the roadway waiting for a drug-sniffing dog to arrive on the scene; resulting in inconvenience and embarrassment because a law enforcement officer had guessed wrong.

Statistically, police are terrible at determining which motorists are worthy of being detained and searched, often relying on signs of a driver’s deception such as twitching, fidgeting or lack of eye-contact, all of which research long has debunked as signals of lying.

“There are no nonverbal and verbal cues uniquely related to deceit,” a 2011 review of deception research concluded, while a 2005 study of Texas police found officers performed barely above random chance in being able to discern a person telling the truth from a liar.

Texas police performed just under a million searches during traffic stops last year, according to figures reported to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, and though “hit rates” vary by department, only about 1 in 5 resulted in contraband being found.  Yet Texas law enforcement agencies seized about $50 million in forfeited funds in each of the past five years; with proceeds split between police and prosecutors and used to fund more searches.

Police once needed probable cause that a crime was occurring to investigate motorists during a stop.  But in 1968, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed brief stops based on a lower standard of “reasonable suspicion” of wrongdoing.  A later decision clarified that if the officer can’t specify why he suspects a crime is afoot, a traffic stop may last only long enough to check the driver’s paperwork and write a ticket or warning.

Most recent national analyses of traffic stops have focused on the disproportionate rate of police searches of Black and Hispanic motorists, though a federal measure currently under consideration in Congress could add motorcycle riders to that profiling study group.

And so this biker was relieved to finally be allowed on his way with just a ticket, but knew it wasn’t right and figured his motorcycle club vest must have raised the officer’s suspicions.

Innocent people rarely protest meritless searches, so finding an attorney to take his case was difficult.  The overwhelming number of legal challenges occur in suppression hearings, when an officer’s suspicions were correct; contraband was discovered and the defendant seeks to have the evidence tossed on procedural grounds.

With the help of an Austin attorney who represents motorcyclists, the angry biker filed a lawsuit against the Texas trooper in early 2019.  Soon after reviewing the dashcam video, lawyers for the Texas attorney general’s office said they were ready to settle.

BLACK MOTORCYCLE CLUB SUES COUNTY OVER EVENT CANCELLATION

The East Bay Dragons, founded in the 1950s as the first all-Black motorcycle club to exist in California’s Bay Area, has filed a federal lawsuit against Solano County alleging they concocted a reason to cancel a planned club event at the fairgrounds after hearing that one of the club’s members had an association with the Black Panthers.

Still in its early stages, the suit claims that the Dragons planned a 60th anniversary event at the Solano County Fairgrounds in Vallejo, but the event was canceled at the last minute, after the Dragons had spent thousands in fees and planning.

According to the lawsuit, the trouble for the planned August 2019 event started when a county employee learned that a member of the Dragons owned a bakery in Oakland, proudly located at the site of the Black Panthers’ first headquarters

The suit claims all of this was a problem for the county employee, who allegedly remarked that the Black Panthers were “the greatest threat to the internal security of the country,” and started working to cancel the Dragons’ event.  As a result of this, the suit alleges, fairgrounds staff invented the ruse that there was a credible threat to the safety of the event, “but there was no credible threat at all.”

“This insidious belief of EBD’s threat traveled all the way to Oakland and with the help of the Oakland Police Department, at the conclusion of the 60th anniversary celebration on September 2, 2019, the EBD were surrounded by Oakland Police Department officers due to racist motives,” the civil complaint says.

In East Oakland, the biker club is beloved, says Councilman Larry Reid, who said their clubhouse in his district has distributed food on Thanksgivings and toy drives during Christmas.

A mechanic at a Harley-Davidson dealership in England has received over £60k ($77,665 USD) settlement after being left unable to work due to “motorcycle phobia” sustained in a work-related accident with an at-fault car whose driver admitted liability.

The mechanic was road testing a customer’s bike at the time of the crash, resulting in physical and psychiatric injuries, including a newfound fear of riding the motorcycles he had to work on, rendering him unable to continue doing the job he loved.

 

MOTORCYCLISTS ‘A DANGER TO THEMSELVES’ SAYS TRANSPORTATION REPORT

A transport consultation released by the Oxford County Council has branded motorcyclists as pollution emitting liabilities to safety.  The paper outlines transport and connectivity plans, which are clearly biased against motorcycle riding, and goes to great lengths to champion bicycles, walking and public transportation.

Rather than just side with pedal power and walking, the public document goes on to set a worrisome precedent by labeling motorcycles and their riders as dangerous polluters; Just two of the anti-motorcycle statements read: “Statistical evidence suggests motorcyclists are a danger to themselves” and “Motorbikes are mostly still using fossil fuels to run, meaning they are environmentally unsound, not sustainable, and contribute to air pollution.”

BRITISH MOTORCYCLE RACER RECOGNIZED BY THE QUEEN

TT champion Ryan Farquhar, one of the world’s most esteemed and successful motorcycle road racers, was awarded a BEM (British Empire Medal) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

The Northern Irishman received the award for his “Services to Motorcycling” over a career that has seen him secure three Isle of Man TT wins, five North West 200 victories and nine Ulster Grand Prix triumphs, clinching an incredible total of 357 road race victories.

Farquhar says he was completely taken aback by the news of his award, saying it is “very special” to have his achievements recognized in such a high-profile manner outside of the sport itself.  “I never ever dreamed I would receive an accolade like this.  Motorcycle racing in general, and particularly road racing, doesn’t generally get the recognition of other sports.”

Following a meeting of the MIC (Motorcycle Industry Council) Board of Directors, the difficult decision was made to postpone the 2021 AIMExpo, the industry’s annual trade show, to 2022 due to COVID-19 directives “limiting gathering size, travel restrictions, and a myriad of other obstacles created by the pandemic, there are too many unknown factors limiting our ability to create a safe environment that will also deliver the experience and ROI our exhibitors and attendees expect.”

QUOTABLE QUOTE: “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”

 

  

A result of severe lock-down meant no vendors at the speedway, boardwalk, main street etc. Events did not happen or were moved.

 But wait! Destination Daytona was open and had a good turn out Friday, the day I rode over.

 I did take time to check out the entry by Steve Cole, of the Raycycle, originally made by Miami Motors of Middletown, Ohio.

 A single cylinder, belt drive motorbike I believe made in the pre-teens.

 Steve did an excellent job restoring it, and it did win a trophy. You can see why if you look at the photos.

I liked a trike with a late model engine and transmission.

There were also a lot of baggers. Okay, I needed some whiskey to be in the correct mood. But between the city restrictions and water, I wasn’t in the best of moods. I’m sure Shelly’s Destination Daytona web site can help. 

 

Even with the Chinese Covid thing the Show Must Go On and Willie and his crew at Tropical Tattoo did it again. Thanks!

Yes, the crowd was a tad smaller than last year, but I did not hear anyone complaining. It just made it easier to get around and in some cases get better shots of the bikes and people.

Myself and many others do not miss attending this event if at all possible. I even got to bring some new people to this one.

While I do have a good time at these events, I still work grabbing photos for articles and talking to people. Luckily my son Dale was with me and helped out on the photos.

 

 

Ok, this is a Big Bike Show with over 20 classes. We brought you all the winners. Too bad about the tent…

I am sure that everyone is aware this is 2020, and it has been a very strange year. Well, weird also made it to the Old School Chopper Show. Yep someone picked this Evo as the Best Panhead.

Besides having a good time this event also raises money for the veterans and the proceeds go to www.veteranssupportfund.com

 

To find out more about Tropical Tattoo go to http://www.tropicaltattoo.com/

 

Sam picks for the Week October 27, 2020

This effort has forced me to think about all the bullshit in my past, the good and the bad. It makes me think about how and why I survived. I’m sure Sonny had to face the same demons when he started to write about his life. I have a close friend who was a member of the Outlaws for 20 or so years. He spent seven years in prison in the east.

He constantly tells me about shit he did or was involved in. Some are terrific stories, which I might share with you. I was only around the Hells Angels for 2.5 years. I recently wrote about the fights I was in during the time I was a member. It’s posted in the Life and Times of Bandit. I needed to set the record straight after George Christie’s book. I don’t talk much about anything else I was involved with.

It’s interesting to talk to my Outlaw buddy and members of other clubs. Some were actually clubs. Some were brotherhoods and families. Others were just drug driven gangsters. Most ended up in jail or dead. It was one trick bag after another, very little brotherhood at all. But different charters had different personalities.

Okay, so I escaped club life and returned to my fulltime gig with Easyriders magazine. We were having our own drug-related issues. It was mostly a constant party.

Lou Kimzey, who was my boss bought a tennis ranch in the Malibu Hills and my office was a motel room over-looking pine trees. We used the motel rooms as offices and some of them surrounded the pool. It was sort of a worn old tennis resort, but it was cool as could be for our purposes.

We started In The Wind magazine and then Iron Horse magazine, which contained metric bikes. There was a large building facing the parking lot and it became the art department. We were at the corner of Malibu Canyon and Kanan Road right next to Calamigos Ranch where the Love Ride ended for several years.

I remember four Hells Angels coming into my office one day, pissed off about something in the magazine. I don’t remember what the issue was, but I dealt with it. David Ortega was one of the Ventura members. He spread a rumor that I owed him money. He made me an iron bed frame earlier. It was an opportunity to ask him if I owed him any money, which he admitted that I didn’t. Nothing more was said and they left.

I didn’t hang out with anyone in particular. I was constantly riding with bike builders and members of the staff or helping them with bikes. This is one of those lessons I try to share with younger riders. If you hang out at the same bar constantly, you’ll end up in trouble. That trouble will escalate if you keep going back. Some folks don’t learn and pay the price.

The same applies to the story above. I didn’t go to Ventura to look for David, I waited until he was on my turf to confront him. The same applies to cops. Stay away from them and they’ll stay away from you.

I remember riding to the Kern River run one summer. I’ll never forget riding through some fields South of Bakersfield. I was riding my first cone-motor Shovelhead. We slipped off Highway 99 at Wheeler Ridge. The fields were flat, spinach green and vast. I ran an open primary and when we came to an intersection, my bike didn’t shift well. It wouldn’t come out of gear.

When I looked down, some of the clutch splines were creeping into the open. I had to keep rolling. Hot as hell, we didn’t stop until we reached a town just before we were scheduled to slip into the hills. It could have been Weedpatch or Edison. I found a gas station owner who had a repair shop out back and a set of torches.

Even though it was a sizzling hell, I tore the bike down and discovered clutch splines pulling through the hub. I had a terrible time getting enough heat to the hub to allow me to gas weld the splines back to the thick steel hub. I couldn’t mess with the bearing surface of the hub. The splines were smashed on the backside like rivets. Ultimately I shifted to building the weld up on the splines.

Miraculously, I was able to tack the splines enough to allow me to ride to the camp site up the winding two-lane highway 178 passed Bodfish and Miracle Hot Springs alongside Lake Isabella.

The deeper we rolled into the canyon the more motorcycles we heard. We rolled along the winding road past Kernville into the camping area along the stream. That’s when the party started. It was beautiful, and the heat was at bay with the strong cooling stream whipping down the hillside around massive granite boulders and pine trees shading the camping area.

It was in the afternoon while we were drinking tequila and chewing the fat, when a member of the crew approached in a panic. “A guy pulled a knife on one of our riders,” he said and pointed to a rock formation separating our campsite from another.

I approached a surfer looking guy wearing a Hawaiian shirt and shorts, wielding a long ivory-handled Bowie knife. He had long hair as I approached him and told him to put the knife away.

“No knives,” I said. “If you want to fight go for it, but no weapons.”

As soon as I turned my back to leave this jackass pulled that long blade again and slashed out to strike one of our riders, a young kid who was just having fun.

I spun and hit this bastard with my half-full bottle of Cuervo Gold, which immediately knocked him off his feet and he fell to the rocky surface below. I jumped on him, took the knife and said, “Go for what you know mother-fucker.”

Later that night my buddy Toby approached me a couple of times. The guy from the other camp wanted his knife back. “You know the code,” I told him. “Use it or lose it.” By the way, I didn’t break the fifth of tequila. It lasted until I finished it. Then shit got strange.

The next morning, I rolled out of the hills along winding paths and my clutch held. The Shovelhead motored easily to the 5 Interstate and onto a two-lanner leading into the west side of Ventura county. I held onto that knife for a couple of decades before it disappeared.

The violent side of life subsided and I became aware of the chopper mission. Sex, chrome and creativity. We were living is strange untamed times. The moral fabric of our society became unleashed with rock and roll, hot rods and choppers. We were free like never before and girls were also free to explore and exploit their beauty like never before.

Easyriders represented freedom, the freedom to build, create and sexual freedom. In a sense it was pure, but there’s an on-going struggle in life when it comes to sex. It’s fun, pleasurable, alluring but it was designed for just one purpose to have children and further the race.

The brother who truly understood the code was a family guy, who had a wife and a couple of kids but he also enjoyed the creative aspect of building bikes. He understood the connection between the shape of a woman’s body, her glistening eyes and carefully applied make-up and the shape of his chopper, the flowing lines, the chrome and the pinstriped make-up.

When the rest of us hungry dogs finished working on our bikes, we smoked a joint and went looking for love, and the family guy returned home to his crew. The lure was hot and heavy every day, and some family guys broke down and were sucked into the scene by some slippery broad with erect nipples and perhaps the desire to use her sexual prowess to destroy a man or his family.

Don’t look at me. I’m guilty of every sin. Even today, I’m reading about the moral man and how women’s desires are different. They aren’t as deceived by shape and beauty, but they can be manipulated by the power and strength of a man. It seems they are wired from the beginning of time to find a man who will give them stout offspring and financial security.

I’ve thought recently about the Chopper code, and the outlaw life. I’ve thought about kids today and how the new Easyriders Magazine could be successful. Many young folks grew up today around parents struggling with new freedoms, running from relationship to relationship, broken homes and disappearing folks.

They are more settled and have no desire to follow the same path. I see it in my grandson’s eyes. He’s a tattoo artist who wants to build bikes, drive a cool sleek ’62 Impala, but when it comes to women he is constantly tested, but he seeks only stability and integrity when it comes to the opposite sex.

I think about my evil ways. I ponder the violence, the sex, the girls in every town and state, the passion, and the desire for custom everything. Maybe it’s something embedded in my eyes that seeks only sleek lines and rounded curves. Choppers give us all those things purely, without strings and attachments. They almost contain the touch with chrome and pure pearlescent lines, but not the warmth of a woman’s smile or the softness of her touch.

The book the Moral Animal, by Robert Wright proports to tell us: Why we are the way we are, through the new science of evolutionary psychology.

I’m still digging through it and questioning how three kids from the same family and upbringing can follow three distinctly different paths. What makes one brother stick with one profession and one wife throughout his entire adult life and the other sticks with only choppers and sex, gets married five times, lives with a half-dozen other women, leaves jobs, starts businesses, write books, set records, travel around the world and is constantly searching for something new with choppers always at his back?

The conundrum of life never ends for the adventurer and the blue-collar outlaw. Hang on for my next report. I discovered an old dusty plastic bag stuffed with a multitude of small envelopes from the ‘60s. My mother save every letter I wrote home from three tours off the coast of Vietnam. Hang on!

recent event: AHDRA’s MTC Engineering Sunshine Nationals

when: October 17-18, 2020

where: Orlando Speed World, Bithlo, Florida, USA

next event: AHDRA’s MTC Engineering World Finals

when: November 6-8, 2020

where: Gainesville Raceway, Florida, USA

All-American motorcycle drag racing series AHDRA is keeping it hot with some serious action in the Sunshine State. October 17-18 saw AHDRA’s MTC Engineering Sunshine Nationals at Florida’s Orlando Speed World, which will be followed up by the MTC Engineering World Finals at legendary Gainesville Raceway on November 6-8.

The Orlando race apparently generated enough heat to set off Sunday showers that rained out all of eliminations other than Saturday, when some serious qualifying and eliminator action threw down under partly cloudy skies.

Add in racers expected to come to Gainesville—studs like Tyler Wilson, Michael Ray, Chaz Kennedy—and plan on big action in the small displacement class.

There’s nothing small about Top Fuel, which outdrew NHRA’s seven-bike Dallas field by one. Numidia winner and NHRA Top Fuel Harley record holder Bob “Opie” Malloy qualified number one in Orlando with a blistering 6.29 at 214 mph on his iconic, high-gear only, nitro Buell.

Atlanta number one qualifier Tracy “Bad Apple” Kile was number two in Orlando with a 6.51 run early in the day before slapping the wall on his pipe side in the third round. Kile—whose bike made a hard move due to a bad tire soon out of the gate—was uninjured and the bike repaired in time to race on Sunday.

Kile wasn’t the only TF rider to contact Orlando’s concrete, as Floridian Don Becker scraped the opposite wall as Tracy and much further down the track. Becker qualified seventh, and he and Kile were slated to meet in the round one that never happened.

Cordova winner Rich Vreeland qualified third with a 6.77 and was laddered to meet Jim McMillan, who qualified sixth and represented himself well in his first-ever nitro outing.

Expect an even bigger, more competitive filed when fire hits the hole in Gainesville.

Eliminator ran eliminations on Saturday and local hero Mike “Big Train” Terry took the win, expertly piloting his show-stopping chopper in the final round against Vance Houdyshell, who redlit by -.033. The Train chugged down the track to consistent laps in the 12.25 range.

Diesel locomotives trains actually drive their wheels with electricity, and so does the Harley-Davidson Livewire. Donnie Huffman is the best marketing vehicle The Motor Company has for their electric bike, which draws a constant, curious crowd around it in the staging lanes and as it silently moves around the facility. And then it goes out on track for the Trophy class and knocks down steady 11.55s (give or take) for the win. His Orlando runner-up was Tennessee’s Loren Potter.

Atlanta Zippers Performance Modified winner Gary Douglass followed that success up with T-Man Performance Pro Mod number one qualifier in Orlando with an 8.75 at 135.

Modified number one honors went to Jeff Workman with a 9.33 at 141.

Horsepower Inc. Hot Street number one qualifier went to Rockingham winner Scott Schenkel with a 9.93 at 131, just a smidge ahead of Numidia and Atlanta winner Charley Douglass’ 9.94 at 132.

Numidia Mad Monkey Motorsports Draggin’ Bagger winner Branon White qualified number one in Atlanta, then did it again at Orlando. This time around, White set the class record with a 9.615 at 140.24 mph.

“We made a gear change the week before Orlando,” reported White. “Round one of qualifying I made a mistake and held the clutch too long. To our surprise that was a new record! The clutch was welded together, I could not even grab the ticket—there was no way to stop!”

Bagger racer Greg Quinn stopped considerably more quickly than he intended in Q3 when his ProCharged, former Tii Tharpe bike flipped to 12 O’clock and over backwards on launch. Quinn was OK and his bike will buff out.

“We do have the 2020 Draggin Bagger Championship sealed,” continued White. “My teammate Travis Groff is second in the points race but is not safe, so our concentration will be on him.

“Gainesville will be epic! It’s been a great season, and going into Gainesville we have two bikes with a championship sealed. The Wild Child Ryland Mason, as a rookie, has won the Pro Street championship. This guy had never rode a dragbike before this year!”

Crosby Blair has ridden a dragbike or two, and runner-upped in multiple classes in Atlanta, but was numero uno qualifier in Vreeland’s Harley-Davidson 9.70 Super Gas at Orlando with a 9.719.

The Atlanta Pro Eliminator 10.90 winner Stoney Westbrook qualified number one in Orlando with a 10.913.

Keith Carper netted Crete’s Performance Street Eliminator 11.50 number one qualifier with an 11.508.

As the Mad Monkey said, Gainesville will indeed be epic as the finest facility in all of drag racing welcomes the hardest working, All-American motorcycle drag racing organization in the business.

And the best tracks aren’t the only thing AHDRA has to offer, there’s Big Money as well. AHDRA will have a $5000 ET shootout on Saturday after qualifying, so get in there and get that cash!

AHDRA’s Bill Rowe and his family, crew, and sponsors—especially MTC’s Eric Hochstetler—look forward to welcoming all the racers and fans to one last race in Florida sunshine before everyone settles their bikes in for the winter.

Championships will be awarded in all categories at the AHDRA Banquet at host hotel Best Western Gateway Grand, located right behind Gainesville Harley-Davidson. Ask for the raceAHDRA room rate.

Don’t miss the chance to stage your bike and race down the hallowed Gainesville Raceway 1320 on November 6-8. This is what the racing life is all about, so trailer up and live the dream!

The AHDRA website is at http://raceahdra.com/

The AHDRA Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/ahdraracing/

The AHDRA Facebook group can be found at https://www.facebook.com/groups/AHDRA/

AHDRA is owned by Pulse Marketing, the Hellertown, Pennsylvania-based motorsports promotion company run by veteran drag racer Rowe and his family.

Is there a market for big bikes in India? All the big names have dealerships here in India – Triumph, Indian, BMW, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Honda and now some Italian brands too. India is the world’s largest market for two-wheelers overtaking China. Motorcycles and scooters can be seen everywhere in every city, suburbs and villages. It is the most popular choice of transport for the common man. Why would one of the world’s most popular brands decide to shut shop in India after spending a decade building dealerships and relationships?

Harley-Davidson came to India before Indian and Triumph set foot here. In a way their sales figures induced other motorcycle brands to sell their larger models in India. Before Harley-Davidson the Japanese giants Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki did not consider bringing their superbikes to Indian dealerships. They were content with their small commuter bikes and scooters selling in large numbers. So how does the trailblazer brand decide they don’t like what they have accomplished?

The answers are complex and the answers may be closer to home in US of A than in India.

DOMESTIC VS INTERNATIONAL
Harley-Davidson has the biggest market share in USA, but it has been in steady decline for over a decade. They are losing market share to brands such as Indian, Triumph and the sport bikes from Japan. Harley-Davidson was the first choice for Americans when they thought of buying a motorcycle, but not anymore. They are getting expensive and not as stress-free as say a Honda GoldWing.

When the international sales of Harley-Davidson increased due to the brand’s iconic association with America and Freedom – the company knew they could boost sales globally. Europe, Middle-East, Asia and Australia were good export markets for Harley-Davidson which sold their bikes based on the cult following the brand developed with extra thanks to Hollywood’s iconic movies that showcased the macho image of a biker on a big V-twin.

This boosted exports for Harley-Davidson even though the sales in USA were slowing down. Then the tariff war with Europe and Asia appeared and Harley-Davidson realised they would have to cut jobs locally and setup factories overseas. The tariff war was essential to boost manufacturing sector in USA, which would be crucial for the economy in the long-term. But in the short-term it impacted Harley-Davidson financially. Their bikes were suddenly more expensive in key market of Europe.

Other motorcycle brands have no problem setting up factories all over the world. Japanese brands build locally and enjoy increased sales at low prices for customers and export to neighboring nations. But the whole point of buying a Harley-Davidson was that it was Made in USA. I have two Zippo lighters and the only reason I bought them was that they are only made in USA, till today. So, while people all over the world want a piece of Americana – Harley-Davidson found it difficult to deliver. What’s the point of owning a Harley-Davidson made in Thailand? Where is the heritage and the history?

In a global economy, brands such as Harley-Davidson face a unique obstacle. They want to hold on to their brand value while competitors entice customers with lower prices, fuel-efficiency with similar range of models to choose from.

BRAND POSITIONING
Harley-Davidson used to be the bike that the common folk rode. They went to work by this bike and went to festivals and weekend getaways on this bike. The custom motorcycle market was obsessed with Harley-Davidsons. The custom builder community helped enhance the core market of the brand and made it uniquely all-American.

Yet, advertising by Harley-Davidson did not feature this core fan-base. They instead gifted Harley-Davidson motorcycles to celebrities to entice the young people who had not considered buying motorcycles. The biker lifestyle does not live in Hollywood. But the marketing team focusses only on celebrities instead of developing the vast core fan-base who appreciate the brand and its history.

Making an expensive electric Harley-Davidson LiveWire that can’t tour does not help boost sales. The Wall Street banker is not the core market. The market resides in practical hardworking man who tinkers in his garage to ride cross-country for experience of true freedom.

To capture the minds of the new generation, Harley-Davidson needs to think about the daily needs of the biker and not the guy who drives a Porsche to work everyday. Harley-Davidson shouldn’t focus on being a luxury product like an Italian car. Their success was always about being accessible to the common man.

COMPETITORS
Indian and Triumph have steadily grown in India, while competing against sports bikes from BMW, Yamaha and Kawasaki. They all have far fewer dealerships than Harley-Davidson in India. The market for touring bikes is captured by the British icon Royal Enfield which is now an India based company.

Royal Enfield set its sights on exporting to Europe and USA and has steadily increased dealerships globally to cater to a new audience. Enfield motorcycles range from 350cc to its new twin engine 650cc. They recently discontinued their 500cc which was also popular for many decades. These are smaller manoeuvrable bikes that are comfortable riding in busy city streets as well as open highways. They recently launched Build-Train-Race program for women riders in USA.

Indian motorcycles by Polaris consistently delivered on performance and quality. They keep sweeping the podium in flat-track racing. For many Americans to buy American often now means riding an Indian rather than a Harley-Davidson.

MotoGP is popular in India where the sports channels show Grand Prix but not the American Flat-Track Racing. People know the names of European riders and champions but don’t hear of American racing legends. This was an easy boost to the Japanese superbikes to sell their big bikes to speed-obsessed fans.

Bike events and custom-culture are not common in India. Most people ride stock bikes and don’t intend to spend on custom parts when they already spent a lot of money to buy the original bike. Biker clubs that exist are exclusively for Enfields. A Harley-Davidson Sportster costs ten-times more than a Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 in India. Can you imagine a bunch of rich guys going cross-country on a Harley-Davidson when they could fly there first-class and stay in a five-star hotel instead of camping by the road. The price was a major deterrent for true bikers to graduate to a Harley-Davidson. Meanwhile Royal Enfield upped its game to bring new models with retro styling that appealed to the growing biker lifestyle community.

Harley-Davidson never launched its Street 500 in India. It could have cut into the Enfield market share and riders would have transitioned to the bigger engines eventually. Street 750 was selling well and introducing Street 500 would have seen the sales figures for India market shoot up easily.

MARKET IN INDIA
While India remains the world’s largest market for two-wheelers the bulk of the sales is for small capacity commuter bikes. These are 100c to 150cc engine bikes that consume very less fuel and have low maintenance costs. People use them everyday to go to offices or college or to get groceries.

It was a bold decision by Harley-Davidson to develop the market to sell 1200cc engine motorcycles in India while the vast number of compact cars on city roads have 1000cc engines. Harley-Davidson sales figures grew very well. From selling a bike a day to over a dozen bikes a day may not seem big to the American fan. But it was big sales considering that you can buy a Honda sedan or a Toyota SUV for the same price as a Harley-Davidson Sportster or a Fat Boy respectively.

In the past ten years, with tie-ups with banks, Harley-Davidsons were affordable to more and more people. Royal Enfields were a common sight. To be seen on a Harley-Davidson would be more enticing to the biker. With Completely Knocked Down Units (CKD) assembled in their plant in Haryana, India, Harley-Davidson brought down the prices for buyers successfully. India is the only country after Brazil where Harley-Davidson has a CKD unit for assembling kits supplied from the US.

Clearly, Harley-Davidson had long-term plans for India and the market was developing nicely. The year 2020 brought good news with the Government of India announcing that Indian military canteens could sell Harley-Davidson motorcycles to military personnel. Military Canteens in India sell imported and local goods without the burden of custom duty and heavy taxes that the common customer in India has to pay. The military in India is well-known for its use of Enfield motorcycles and this new offer to military personnel would see a new avenue of sales for Harley-Davidson motorcycles. The armed forces employ a large population second only to China.

Harley-Davidson management kept comparing apples to oranges. They couldn’t understand why people would buy the commuter bikes instead of a Street 750 or the Iron 883. The management should realise that there is no comparison between a buyer of a Harley-Davidson or a Triumph and the buyer of a Hero Splendor or Bajaj Pulsar. Hero – if you didn’t know is an India based company which is the largest two-wheeler manufacturer in the world and also market leader in India, where it has a market share of about 46% in the two-wheeler category. They export their affordable bikes to African, Asian and South East Asian markets.

After Harley-Davidson announced its withdrawal from India in September they announced a partnership with Hero. It is not surprising because Hero has not just dealerships in every city as well as rural areas but also a vast servicing network to provide after-sales service to its customers. Their market penetration is unmatched in motorcycles and the only other brand in India to have such a penetration is the Maruti-Suzuki cars which was originally launched in partnership with Government of India. So, Hero as a private company capturing the market is a success story unheard of.

Harley-Davidson may want to learn the ropes from Hero, but its again apples paired with oranges. Hero does not sell big bikes and has no intention to. They have no experience in the market for big bikes. The customers of Hero simply want to go from point A to point B at the lowest consumption of fuel. The best-selling Hero Splendor costs INR 60,000 compared to a Street 750 which costs INR 600,000. So, to depend on a local company that has a market vision the opposite of a big twin manufacturer is going to be a long weary road.

One Harley-Davidson dealership salesman told me they sold more accessories than bikes in India. It was easy money. Most people who walk into the dealership may not buy the big twin but they sure do buy a tee-shirt. The mugs, helmets, jackets, shoes were popular with the visitors. This was enough to make Royal Enfield launch a whole new website with a premium range of accessories. After-all people wearing a brand name on the street is free advertising.

INFRASTRUCTURE
India has one of the world’s largest road networks. The paved roads are increasingly connecting rural and urban India at a rapid pace. The Government used the COVID19 shutdown to rapidly complete infrastructure projects. India has the world’s second largest road network, spanning a total of 5.89 million kilometres (kms) after the United States which has 6,645,709 kilometres. This road network of India transports 64.5% of all goods in the country and 90% of India’s total passenger traffic uses road network to commute.

Yet, there are limited options for a motorcycle tourer. The Expressways in India have banned motorcycles. For example, the financial hub of Mumbai is connected with the neighboring industrial city of Pune with an expressway where two-wheelers are not allowed. This is done so that cars and buses can use maximum speed and avoid accidents with bikers who are known to cut lanes and not follow safe riding techniques. The long JJ flyover in Mumbai has banned two-wheelers since youngsters used to race and crash and die there regularly. The image of the motorcyclist is that of a badly-behaved infant on cocaine.

So, if expressways and even flyovers won’t allow motorcycles and scooters then how does a big twin owner enjoy the open road with the power of a 1600cc engine between his legs? The Government cannot or will not make exceptions for higher capacity bikes on these roads.

Most Harley-Davidson motorcycles would need refuelling often and on national highways and state highways distant from major cities have petrol pumps farther apart. Adulteration of petrol is common in India, especially outside the metro cities. Imagine your INR 2,000,000 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy engine consuming adulterated petrol and causing permanent damage to your prized vehicle.

Worse still is the breakdown on a trip. India does not have national nor state helplines for breakdowns. If your Harley-Davidson stalls on the highway the local mechanic has no knowledge how to fix it. Even a tyre puncture would be difficult to deal with. Meanwhile all the other two-wheelers on the highway such as Hero, Bajaj, TVS, Enfield, etc would be easily repaired. The small capacity commuter bikes from Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda have no problems with breakdowns and get easy servicing on highways.

Pushing a 260 kg Harley-Davidson to nearest petrol pump or tow-truck service is not an option. Meanwhile it is a common sight to see a miser 100cc bike owner push his commuter bike in the city because he didn’t fill up petrol when the meter reading showed he was in reserve fuel use.

BIKER COMMUNITY
There are biker clubs in all major cities of India. Majority of the successful ones ride only Enfields. The biker lifestyle is associated with being outdoors on a simple machine enjoying the simple pleasures of life. Older Enfields used to be simple. The newer ones are not so easy to self-service.

Harley-Davidson did have a HOG biker group in India. They used to arrange trips for its customers. I used to see them riding an American flag. They wanted to live the American Dream. The American culture is the biggest and best export from USA. It spells freedom for many all over the world. But their “luxury” HOG lifestyle just disassociated them from the vast majority of bikers in India.

To make a motorcycle accessible to all while staying true to its legacy is the road ahead for Harley-Davidson in USA as well as India and everywhere else where freedom matters.

HOG India had success with Harley Rock Riders which combined music fest and motorcycle trip as well as Harley-Davidson Legend on Tour where the HOG groups went on guided tours from city to city.

Developing a community should be more important to Harley-Davidson than comparing sales figures with commuter bikes. The big twin engine appeals to a unique set of individuals and investing time to enhance their experience of a Harley-Davidson will ensure that more people join the tribe and spread the goodwill of two-wheeled passion. It’s a lifestyle change that Harley-Davidson used to bring to its new owners. In India though it’s just a showpiece trophy bike for the rich urban who rides a German luxury car to his desk job everyday and vacations overseas on pristine beaches with no intention of ever going on a cross country ride on his big twin.

Price is clearly not the only deciding factor for sales of Harley-Davidson in India. Developing the biker lifestyle we know in USA is not going to be easy overseas. The good news for now is that Harley-Davidson still wants to remain associated in India through Hero. How the new CEO plans to boost sales with this partnership is yet to be seen.

Hero started as Hero-Honda which was a successful partnership with Honda until the latter decided to compete in India alone. Triumph has partnered with Bajaj of India to launch mid-size bikes to cut into Enfield market share. BMW partnered with TVS of India to manufacture their G310R in India. The H-D brand should not lose focus of developing the big twin market. They are currently seduced by large sales figures of small capacity bikes. Instead of trying to carve a piece of that pie, they could be owning the whole big bike pie.

CONCLUSION
Harley-Davidson may be cutting costs to impress stockholders in USA with better profit margins. They won’t be entirely absent in India. If they manage to improve their image and sales in USA, it will easily translate to increased demand overseas.

The global market feeds on American trends and American culture. By nurturing their core market at home, Harley-Davidson can take on the foreign brands and capture new markets in Europe and Asia. Wall Street does not reflect the success of a brand. Royal Enfield learned this lesson last year when its stock prices changed even though the company was growing and sales and exports were increasing. Tesla cars by genius Elon Musk faced short-selling crises from Wall Street last year. The Tesla short-sellers are down $25 billion this year. Believe in your quality product and reliable service – not on the stock market prices.

2020 and the damned Chinese virus has affected every human and organization on the planet. This too shall pass. My advice to Harley-Davidson is to quote Shakespeare’s timeless wisdom –

“This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Farewell, my blessing season this in thee!”

TRUMPTOBERFEST ABOUNDS ALL OVER THE U.S.A LEADING UP TO THE ELECTION NOVEMBER 3^RD, 2020.

NEVER IN MY LIFETIME HAVE I SEEN A “GREATER LOVE” DEMONSTRATED BY US CITIZENS, OR “DEPLORABLES” AS WE ARE KNOWN, FOR AN EVEN  GREATER PRESIDENT.

 “THEE PRESIDENT”, YOU KNOW, THE ONE THAT HAS DELIVERED ON PROMISES MADE DURING HIS CAMPAIGN, IS BEING HAILED THROUGHOUT THE BIKER COMMUNITY LIKE NO PRESIDENT EVER HAS BEFORE – NATIONALLY AND LOCALLY.

HIS SLOGAN FOR 2016 “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN” RESTORED THE LACKLUSTER FINISH OF THE PATRIOTISM THAT WE HAD IN OUR YOUTH. IN 2020, HIS NEW SLOGAN, “KEEP AMERICA GREAT AGAIN”, CONTINUES THAT DRIVING FORCE THAT WE NEED TO KEEP HIM IN THE WHITE HOUSE FOR FOUR MORE YEARS.

THIS IS A MAN WHO BELIEVES IN AMERICA, AND THE BILL OF RIGHTS. HIS PERSONALITY MAY NOT BE LIKED BY SOME, BUT YOU HAVE TO LOOK DIRECTLY AT OUR COUNTRY AND HOW IT WILL BE AFFECTED IF THE FAR LEFT, OR “DEMONRATS” ARE ALLOWED TO TAKE THE PRESIDENTIAL VOTE.  

YOU HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION A MAN WHO HAS LITERALLY PUT HIS LIFE ON HOLD FOR A COUNTRY HE SO STRONGLY BELIEVES IN. 

 

HE HAS TURNED OVER HIS SALARY AS PRESIDENT, BACK TO THE NATION THAT IS UTILIZING IT IN AREAS HE STRONGLY SUPPORTS. WHAT OTHER PRESIDENT HAS DONE THAT?

 THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY TRUMP RALLIES AND EVENTS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, THAT IT IS PRETTY MUCH IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP TRACK OF THEM ALL. WE’VE HAD BOAT PARADES, FLAG WAVERS ON CORNERS, THOUSANDS OF SUPPORTERS LINING THE ROUTE WHEN PRESIDENT OR VICE PRESIDENT WAS IN TOWN, AIRPORT RALLIES, AND MANY IMPROMPTU EVENTS SHOWING OUR PATRIOTISM FOR A PRESIDENT SO LOVED.

BIKETOBERFEST 2020 WILL GO DOWN IN THE BOOKS AS ONE THAT WAS REALLY LOW ON ATTENDANCE DUE TO COVID 19 AND LIMITED RALLY ACTIVITY IN AND AROUND DAYTONA BEACH. THANK YOU ORMOND BEACH FOR STEPPING UP!

HOWEVER, THE PRESENCE OF PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS STRONG AND SHOWED THROUGH EVERYWHERE YOU WENT. 

WHILE DAYTONA BEACH CHOSE TO REFUSE VENDORS THIS YEAR, SEVERAL OF THE LOCAL SHOPS WERE OPENED AND HAD AN AMPLE SUPPLY OF TRUMP MERCHANDISE AVAILABLE FOR THE TRUMP SUPPORTER.

 

AND THE BAND PLAYED ON:   A USUAL STAPLE TO THE STATION ON MAIN STREET:   THE BEAREDED BROTHERS BAND:

https://www.thebeardedbrothers.com

 

 

 

 

BIKERS FOR TRUMP HAD A BOOTH AT WILLIE’S TROPICAL TATTOO DURING THE CHOPPERTIME SHOW ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15^TH, AS A LAST TIME REMINDER TO “GET OUT AND VOTE”!!!

SEVERAL PEOPLE STOPPED BY TO PICK UP THEIR TRUMP 2020 STICKERS THAT WERE HANDED OUT BY BFT.  

WITH A MUCH SMALLER CROWD THIS YEAR, WE STILL MANAGED TO DISTRIBUTE OVER 300 BFT/TRUMP BUMPERSTICKERS TO THE LOYAL FOLLOWERS OF CHOPPERTIME!!! 

A REMINDER THAT BFT IS A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION AND CAN BE LOCATED:

https://www.facebook.com/bikersfortrump 

AND TO LOCATE YOUR STATE BFT PAGE ON FACEBOOK, LOOK FOR:

 BIKERS FOR TRUMP OFFICIAL (YOUR STATE’S NAME)

BFT POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE:

https://www.bikersfortrumppac2020.com/?fbclid=IwAR1sA3O8kLfVyQcmPEIvHnvhv5SWohgMcSZufJD3Nzv3ROXeYWzSp1gxTp8 

 

AS RIDERS POURED IN, THE FINAL MEET UP SPOT – CRYSTAL RIVER MALL’S PARKING LOT BEGAN TO LOOK LIKE A SEA OF RED, WHITE, BLUE, BLACK AND CHROME! THIS WAS THE START UP FOR THE LONG LINE OF TRUMP SUPPORT THAT TRAILED NORTH ON US 19 TRAVELLING TO TO SCOOTER HAVEN FOR THE REST OF THE FESTIVITIES. 

WITH ARTDENT TRUMP SUPPORTERS ROLLING IN FROM MULTIPLE STATES AND MULTIPLE SITES, THERE WAS A COUNT OF 2380 SCOOTS THAT WERE PRESENT AND ACCOUNTED FOR THROUGH THE GATES OF SCOOTER HAVEN. 

“BO AND SHELLY BODETTE” 

 EVER THE MARINE, GUEST SPEAKER, 1^ST SGT. (RET.) WILLIAM BODETTE’S SPEECH INCLUDED PATRIOTS, MOTORCYCLES, AND TRUE AMERICAN PEOPLE. DEFINITELY MADE YOUR HEART BEAT PROUD!!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!

 https://www.veteransplus.org/director/william-bodette/

 AS THE DAYS OF TRUMPTOBER COME TO A CLOSE, ALL WE CAN DO NOW IS MAINTAIN OUR PATRIORTISM AND “ GET OUT AND VOTE”. 

VOTE FOR THE MAN WHO HAS TRULY PUT HIS MONEY WHERE HIS MOUTH IS. A MAN WHO LOVES AMERICA AND HAS PUT HIS LIFE ON HOLD TO HELP RESCUE A COUNTRY THAT WAS SPIRALING DOWNWARD AND OUT OF CONTROL.  

A MAN WHO HAS COME THROUGH EVERY OBSTACLE THE DEMONRATS HAVE THROWN AT HIM INCLUDING IMPEACHMENT. 

THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA, AS HE CALLS IT, DOESN’T REPORT ON THINGS THAT THE LEFT DOES AND ARE EVIDENCED TO BE TRUE.   THE FACIST EFFECTS RESULT IN US BEING CENSORED ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND THE LIKE (SPOKEN AS A FACEBOOK PAROLEE MULTIPLE TIMES FOR 30 DAYS IN THE HOLE!  

STAND UP FOR YOUR COUNTRY AND LETS KEEP IT GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION!

 

VOTE RED ALL THE WAY!

VOTE AND USE YOUR AMERICAN PRIVILEGE!

KEEP IT “YES” TO THE BILL OF RIGHTS AND THE CONSTITUTION THE WAY IT IS NOW, AND SHOULD REMAIN!

AND TRUMP 2020 – GODSPEED DEAR PRESIDENT, YOU DEFINITLEY NEED IT!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

F

 

 

I vividly remember the first time I needed to store my bike for the winter. I had only owned my Moto Guzzi for four months, when fall started shifting into winter and I knew I needed to be prepared. But what did this even entail? I didn’t know how to winterize a motorcycle. I wasn’t handy, and the closest I ever got to working on my bike was when I read the first three chapters of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

I learned what needed to be done, and I’ve perfected this art of moto-hibernation annually over the past five years. So, I now bring you the 10 steps to winterize a motorcycle:

Go ahead. Really appreciate the ride. You’re going to miss it. Trust me.

Make sure that the tank is completely full of fuel. This minimizes the amount of air in the tank, which in turn decreases the chances of rust forming.

This will prevent evaporation, and in doing so, it also prevents fuel from forming sticky resins. Then run the machine for a minute or two.

Look — your beast is going to be sitting for a few months. The least you could do is drain the oil, replace the filter, and refill it with fresh Texas tea, right?

5. Wash and Wax

Give your bike one last wash. Get into all the tight spots and make sure it’s really clean. This will prevent rust from starting in moisture collecting dirt. Then apply a layer of wax to the bike and leave it there. The wax will protect the bike from moisture and other damaging elements.

Batteries tend to slowly self-discharge over time, and when you get back on your two-wheeled beauty in the spring, you want her to start the first time you turn the key. So, get a trickle charger (Battery Tender has the best reputation), connect the pigtail to the battery terminals, and then plug her in. The trickle charger will provide a slow steady charge to your battery so it doesn’t die.

Editor’s note: Battery tenders are cool, but they have drawbacks. I don’t advise leaving a battery tender plugged in all the time. It could cause a bad battery to fail and start a fire. Also, battery tenders keep a failing battery charged. So the battery looks good in the morning, but not at the first gas stop.

I would suggest charging the battery for a few hours once a month. When the time comes charge the battery before your first ride. –Bandit

Where do chipmunks, mice and other rodents like to take winter naps? That’s right. In tight, warm spaces. So, get some plastic bags, wrap them around your exhausts, and use a rubber band to keep them in place. Stop the rodents from getting too comfortable.

Make sure that the tires are at the correct air pressure (I know, this should be the case all of the time but make sure now), and then find a way to get them off the floor.

There are two reasons for this. First, tires that sit for a long time can get misshapen, and second, the cold garage floor can be damaging. To elevate the tires, invest in two motorcycle stands (under $100 for the pair). If this is too pricey right now, just make sure that the tires are sitting on a piece of plywood, which will get it off the garage floor. Then, every few weeks, go to the garage and move the bike about 6-12 inches. This will rotate the tires enough to minimize the issues.

Buy a motorcycle cover that’s sized for your ride, put it on the bike, then close and lock the garage door.

We both know that in about two weeks, you’ll be itching to hop back on two wheels. So, plan your next trip. Take a break from the cold. And rent a bike. Want to ride Los Angeles? Or Vegas? How about renting a motorcycle in Austin? We have plenty of bikes to choose from in warm climates that are ready to go!

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