I haven’t been to Wildwood since I was 7 or 8 years old. My memories include lots of jellyfish in the water, and having to walk “forever” just to get to the water – not quite like our usual beaches in Seaside or Ship Bottom. Since I’m sidelined for a few months with “medically induced motorcycle emptiness”, I decided to head back to NJ for a quick turn and burn. Stopped in to see Nick and Veronica at Nick’s Custom Cycles in Williamstown trying to track down brackets for the hack. Their place is like a motorcycle museum and Nick, “the curator “–knows every inch and every part in that place.” Definitely worth a drop in: 

https://nickscustomcycles.com

 

After tracking down a lead with Colony for parts, we headed south for a night of the Troglodytes and a day at the races. All things T.R.O.G.

 

Being raised in south Jersey – racing was always around – I spent many hours at Atco, on Front Street, and headed up to Englishtown for the more “formal”drags. Don’t remember beach racing in the old days – just a lot of summers spent partyin’ on the beach. That’s what we did “down the shore”.  Fast forward to 2012. A few friends, a love of all things old -two, three, and four wheels, add in some car clubs and you now have “The Race of Gentlemen”. 

According to the official T.R.O.G. website: the race revives a tradition of an old beach race that was held in Cape May in 1905. The initial T.R.O.G. (The Race of Gentlemen) was held in Asbury Park in 2012. It was moved to Wildwood because of the “flatter,wider beaches”-all the better for racing! Don’t forget the boardwalk with its games, rides and attractions to complete the scene! Oh yeah, and now there are some racing ladies as well!

Motorcycles entered must be pre-1947, and cars must be pre-1936. Vintage rules. 

The setting for the thousands that attended the two days of racing during this early October event was 1/8^th of a mile side-by-side drag “sand” strip set up on the beach with the Atlantic Ocean as a backdrop.

 

Car clubs, MCs, locals and tourists-some even from across the Pond-spent hours watching the life breathed back into the aged iron. 

The event started Wednesday October 2, 2019 with a Beach Party from 6pm–12pm at PigDog, a local boardwalk bar.  Thursday, October 3^rd brought a T.R.O.G swap meet, T.R.O.G car show and a party on the Bay.

On Friday, October 4^th, the swap meet and car show continued. But at the Binns Motel after sundown, the Night of the Troglodytes began. 

Best thing about this show was so many of the younger generation that were there taking part. Looks like the tradition is going to be carried on! 

 

The Nott Chopper Show was encased in 6-foot chain link fencing along with Warsteiner Beers, bikes and great music throughout the night!  

Saturday, day 1 of Race Day, began at 8am on the beach behind Morey’s Pier – off Schellenger Avenue. 

Tickets could be purchased previously online – or day of the event. Both lines were extremely long on Saturday; even with weather in the 50s, the turnout was massive.  

(HINT: if you go next year – get your wristbands Friday and you won’t have to wait in a long line).  

The pathway to enter the race on the beach was lined by the Customs by the Sea Car Show and The Nott Chopper Show. More vintage on wheels. The night was capped off by a bonfire on the beach!

Sunday, race day 2, was bracket racing starting at 8am with beautiful weather in the 70s all day – nothing like the freezing weather the day before (spoken with Florida blood in my veins). 

 

The day wound up around 2:30pm with a presentation of the winner’s banners, beer sprays, and post celebration party at the Starlux later that night. 

 Winners:

Rail Class: Harry Carlson (Crazy Uncle Harry) #7

4 Banger: Patrick  Cronin   #1

V8: Jeremy Baye

Big Twin Bike: Nick Hunter

45 Bike: Trevor Stegall

Racers:

Robert Angell              #235

Philippe Aube              #5

Mike Barillaro             #555

Jim Barillaro                #788

Brian Bass                   #199

Chris Beckwith            #88

Richard Bourbonnais   #312

Steve Brown                #458

Greg Campetella         #75

Harry Carlson              #7

Dave Carter                 #223

Jerry Chinn                  #69

Paul Clarkson              #41

Joe Conforth                #88a

Mark Conforth            #88c

Ron Cooper                 #10

Patrick Cronin             #1

Maggie Cryan             #128

Ken Dennison III          #49

Trevor DeWitt             #101

Alma Dhuyvetter         #88b

Brooke Dolan              #12

Daniel Dolan               #86

Jon Duggan                 #78

Sean Durgin                #333

Bryan Edmiston           #118

Robby Egbert              #469

Alejandro Elicerio       #21

Monceaux Fabrice      #254

Ron Fisher                   #22

Peter Fontana             #170

Tom Freund                 #72

Andrew Garban          #575

Jesse Giuliano             #831

Michael Goni               #38

Ted Haarke                 #188

Jason Haas                  #241

Garrett Jedicki             #66

Doug Kenny                 #531

Paul Kisarewich           #15X

Phil Knudsen                #9

Paul Kramer                #318

Howard Kramer          #510

Michael Kuczynski       #29

Jerry Laboranti            #124

Benny Leach                #46

Taylor Leitzell              #142

Richard Leonard          #138

Steven Lux                   #141

Lisa Marchione           #28

Shawn Mazur              #27

James McGinnis          #4

Jim Mundell                #578

Robert Nieves             #111

Ryan O’dell                 #2B

Caroline O’neil            #23

Frank Pellegrini           #422

Ranieri Rezzonico        #8

Butch Rosales              #617

Andrew Rosen             #3

Gene Schwandtner      #87

Mike Scaplo                 #56D

Chris Schwandtner      #87

Scott Sheehan             #21X

Albert Springer           #T99

Red Stauffer                #2

Jame Stormes              #13

Charlee Swanson         #104

Tony Tierney Rendon #666

Jeffrey Walker             #54

Shawn Whalen            #74

Steve White                 #91

Matt Wiertel               #27A

Josh Wilczynski           #16

William Wright           #97

John Young                  #31

Ryan Zinck                   #73

Cliff Zubrycki               #59

 

 

Link to the T.R.O.G.

https://www.theraceofgentlemen.com

 

Guess there is still something good left in Jersey after all!!!

 

T.R.O.G. 2020

Oct 14 (Reuters) – Harley-Davidson Inc said on Monday it has stopped production of its first electric motorcycle after discovering a glitch in the final quality checks.

The motorcycle maker said it does not have a timeline as to when the production will resume.

Harley-Davidson’s stock turns down after WSJ report halting production of electric motorcycle

Shares of Harley-Davidson Inc. HOG, +0.31% swung to a loss Monday, after The Wall Street Journal reported that the company had to halt production and delivery of its first electric motorcycle after finding a problem related to charging equipment. The stock was down 1.1% in afternoon trading, after being up as much as 0.7% earlier in the session.

The electric motorcycle, the LiveWire, was part of the company’s plan to inspire the next generation of riders. The company is scheduled to report third-quarter results on Oct. 22 before the opening bell. Harley’s stock has lost 5.2% over the past three months, while the S&P 500 SPX, -0.14% has slipped 1.6%.

Coming Next Weekend – Saturday October 19, 2019 – Marathon, Florida Keys

Advance Tix Only $14

Supporting U.S. Veterans and Local Charities

Presented by the American Legion Riders Post 154

GET TICKETS – Click Here

POSTED BY: WALTER E. WILLIAMS VIA TOWNHALL

The Competitive Enterprise Institute has published a new paper, “Wrong Again: 50 Years of Failed Eco-pocalyptic Predictions.” Keep in mind that many of the grossly wrong environmentalist predictions were made by respected scientists and government officials. My question for you is: If you were around at the time, how many government restrictions and taxes would you have urged to avoid the predicted calamity?

As reported in The New York Times (Aug. 1969) Stanford University biologist Dr. Paul Erhlich warned: “The trouble with almost all environmental problems is that by the time we have enough evidence to convince people, you’re dead. We must realize that unless we’re extremely lucky, everybody will disappear in a cloud of blue steam in 20 years.”

In 2000, Dr. David Viner, a senior research scientist at University of East Anglia’s climate research unit, predicted that in a few years winter snowfall would become “a very rare and exciting event. Children just aren’t going to know what snow is.” In 2004, the U.S. Pentagon warned President George W. Bush that major European cities would be beneath rising seas. Britain will be plunged into a Siberian climate by 2020. In 2008, Al Gore predicted that the polar ice cap would be gone in a mere 10 years. A U.S. Department of Energy study led by the U.S. Navy predicted the Arctic Ocean would experience an ice-free summer by 2016.

In May 2014, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius declared during a joint appearance with Secretary of State John Kerry that “we have 500 days to avoid climate chaos.”

Peter Gunter, professor at North Texas State University, predicted in the spring 1970 issue of The Living Wilderness: “Demographers agree almost unanimously on the following grim timetable: by 1975 widespread famines will begin in India; these will spread by 1990 to include all of India, Pakistan, China and the Near East, Africa. By the year 2000, or conceivably sooner, South and Central America will exist under famine conditions. … By the year 2000, thirty years from now, the entire world, with the exception of Western Europe, North America, and Australia, will be in famine.”

Ecologist Kenneth Watt’s 1970 prediction was, “If present trends continue, the world will be about four degrees colder for the global mean temperature in 1990, but eleven degrees colder in the year 2000.” He added, “This is about twice what it would take to put us into an ice age.”

Mark J. Perry, scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and professor of economics and finance at the University of Michigan’s Flint campus, cites 18 spectacularly wrong predictions made around the time of first Earth Day in 1970. This time it’s not about weather. Harrison Brown, a scientist at the National Academy of Sciences, published a chart in Scientific American that looked at metal reserves and estimated that humanity would run out of copper shortly after 2000. Lead, zinc, tin, gold and silver would be gone before 1990. Kenneth Watt said, “By the year 2000, if present trends continue, we will be using up crude oil at such a rate … that there won’t be any more crude oil.”

–from TechnocracyNews.com

The Man of Many of Many Celebrities and Harleys

I’ve known and worked with Gene Thomason at Bartels’ H-D in Marina Del Rey, California for about 35 years. He was always known for his Harley-Davidson and Marlboro Man bikes, but he worked with way more celebrities during his long history with Bartels.

READ THE FEATURE IN THE CANTINA – Join Today

 

 

AMA State Chapter of Florida Alert

 

DAYTONA BEACH – Be alert in Daytona Beach. Police promise 1,000 citations. In response to a $55K grant from FDOT, Daytona Police will step up patrols and enforcement in key areas. The grant will allow for police overtime in this effort. On the grant application, police indicated 1,000 citations would be written as part of the effort.

 

This needs to go viral!

 

–Rogue

Helping The Disabled Ride

In September of 2018 my son Dale traded in his 2008 Harley Ultra Classic and got a 2019 Harley Street Glide, while putting on break-in miles, a car made an illegal left turn and hit him. The motorcycle was totaled and Dale lost his left foot.

Seven Operations and a year later he got a prosthetic foot. He is currently adjusting to using it.

With the money from the motorcycle insurance company he went to Space Coast Harley-Davidson in Palm Bay, Florida, who had a leftover 2019 Street Glide and gave him a deal he could not refuse.

Two issues that needed to be addressed before he was ready to ride. The shifter and operation of the kickstand needed modifications. I got to ride it to my house and put it on the lift.

READ THE TECH REPORT IN THE CATINA – Join Today

event: NHDRO Kenneth R. Schwartz attorney at law Motorcycle Madness Nationals and World Finals

when: October 19-20, 2019

where: World Wide Technology at Gateway in Madison, Illinois, USA

NHDRO World Finals Coming to Gateway

NHDRO reaches its championship crescendo as the Midwest’s largest all-motorcycle drag racing series rolls into World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway in Madison, Illinois—just across the river from downtown St. Louis.

Originally scheduled for June but postponed by rain, the Kenneth R. Schwartz attorney at law Motorcycle Madness Nationals will now also be NHDRO’s World Finals.

Pro Ultra 4.60 will see a big field putting their big tires to Gateway’s racing surface, including defending class champion Jeff Lindeman, former champ Les Stimac, Dan McCarten, Johnny Bond, Bob Foster, Jimmy Muntain, Sammy Gibbs, Jeff Dalton, Deshaun Wheeler, and Smokin’ Joe Rodney.

They’ll all be sending nitrous and turbo bikes hellbent to the eighth mile and—most importantly—chasing points leader Broderick Jackson for the championship. He leads Rodney by 20 and Muntain by 23.

The badass, turbocharged, Suzuki Hayabusa, Quicktime Racing stable of Rudy Sanzottera, Chris Klassen, Brad Christian, Jake Henderson, and Brett Ware should all be hitting the 1320 to contest Pro Street against Gabe Frederick, Dave Roisen, Josh Franklin, Jamie Hendricks and more.

Ron “Ju-Jitsu” Arnold has the Penske Racing Shocks Street Fighter field pinned with a 174 point lead over second place Kevin Adams.

Kentuckian John “Spooky” Markham and Buckeye David Beshara are tied for the M2.Shocks Crazy Comp points lead, with Tennessee’s Dustin Lee 30 points back.

Markham’s son Dalton Markham has a stout 120 point lead over Joe Klemme in MPS Pro ET, with spooky another 20 back.

Lee leads Hardcore Cycles Top Gas points by 40 over Dan Jewell, who has 27 on Mike Hall.

Lee also leads Kevin Dennis Insurance Street ET by 60 points over Dalton, who has 80 on Michael Schmalle.

Sportsman racers such as Ohio’s Jeremy England, Tylan Beckelheimer, Jeremy Teasley, and Greg Mallett, Iowa racer Bruce Damewood, Wisconsin’s Shawn Books, Indiana’s Mitch Pennington, Illinois’ Eric Cooper and Chard Isley, Mike Krueger, and many, many should all be there testing their skills against local hitters Mike and Heather Wagner, Bobby Brown, and race sponsor Kenny Schwartz.

They’ll all be fighting for NHDRO Big Checks on ‘Busas, Kawasaki ZX14s, dragbikes, no-bar bikes—whatever tool it takes to get the win.

QO Bikes Real Street racers will all be working their no-bar magic.

And when darkness descends on Gateway, the St. Louis Chaos of NHDRO’s VooDoo Grudge takes over the quarter mile. Midwestern grudge racing has come into it’s own, full grown, bad-to-the-bone self and Gateway will be thumpin’!

Brian and Niki Welch look forward to welcoming the NHDRO family to the Kenneth R. Schwartz attorney at law Motorcycle Madness Nationals and World Finals.

Find out more about NHDRO at http://www.nhdroracing.com/

 

By Eric Dodds

The old adage goes that teenagers think about sex constantly, but there are at least a few out there who have expressed a very keen interest in the particulars of safe sex.

Three British teens—two 14-year-olds and one 13-year-old—have proposed an idea for a new type of condom that could detect sexually transmitted diseases amongst intimate partners. The Washington Post explains:

There would be antibodies on the condom that would interact with the antigens of STDs, causing the condom to change colors depending on the disease…For instance, if the condom were exposed to chlamydia, it might glow green — or yellow for herpes, purple for human papilloma virus and blue for syphilis.

The proposal won the trio the top prize in the U.K.’s TeenTech Awards, and they have already reportedly been approached by condom companies.

The idea, however, is not without its imperfections. It seems unclear whether the STIs would be detected in just the user’s partner or also the user as well. In addition, there’s the awkward question of what would happen if the condom came into contact with two or more STDs—not to mention the logistical difficulties of figuring out a way to determine the color with sufficient opportunity to make use of those findings.

Nevertheless, if teens are going to think about sex, it’s tough to quibble with them spending more time thinking about ways to make is safer.

 In September of 2018 my son Dale traded in his 2008 Harley Ultra Classic and got a 2019 Harley Street Glide, while putting on break-in miles, a car made an illegal left turn and hit him. The motorcycle was totaled and Dale lost his left foot.

Seven Operations and a year later he got a prosthetic foot. He is currently adjusting to using it.

 With the money from the motorcycle insurance company he went to Space Coast Harley-Davidson in Palm Bay, Florida, who had a leftover 2019 Street Glide and gave him a deal he could not refuse.

Two issues that needed to be addressed before he was ready to ride. The shifter and operation of the kickstand needed modifications. I got to ride it to my house and put it on the lift.

It did not take me long to decide that the Electric Speed Shifter made by PINGEL Enterprises was the way to go. I have been using their products since the late ’60s and have always been happy with them.

It is named speed-shifter, and all the people I talked to spoke very highly of it. We weren’t interested in the performance aspect, but just shifting. Hey, the bike is new and needs break-in miles, before speed comes into play.

I should note, that when ordering, pay attention to if the motorcycle has heated grips or not as the handlebar control is a different size for each.

When the kit arrived, I was pleased with the quality of everything.

Next, I did what I consider is a very important part of the job and that was to read the instructions and I suggest you do too.

Part of the instructions say all the components have been tested prior to shipping but it is suggested that the installer (that would be me) bench test the unit. I followed the instructions and did so. Now if there was an issue after I installed it, I would know I did something wrong and it was not a defective part.

Installing The Dual Button Handlebar Controller

I removed the main fuse, the negative battery connection and the fairing because I was also installing other things that required that. On this motorcycle to just install the dual button handlebar control the fairing would normally not be removed.

The controller mounts to the handlebar grip as close to the switch housing as possible. There are very detailed instructions on how to install this, and I recommend following instructions. I did opt to vary them slightly.

There is a part of the grip that holds it in the housing so it will not rotate and part of it needed to be removed for the wire to go through.

I did cut the grip so that the wire would fit But I also bolted the handlebar switch housings together and at the bottom used a file to relieve them to accept the wire, I ran the wires through the switch and the housing making sure I could slide it when everything was tightened. I finished reinstalling the switch and clutch bracket, ran the wire down the handlebar with the one already there and out the bottom of the fairing.

I had already removed the fuel tank so that I had access to the wire tray, again because of doing other work so I opened it and ran the wires inside it. The wires can be run under the tank without doing this if you are careful and use the supplied wire ties. Excess wires can be coiled and hid under the seat.

 INSTALLATION OF SHIFT LINKAGE

Remove stock shift rod from the stock shift arm lever. Remove the stock ball joint from the end of the shift rod and replace it with the supplied 5/16 rod end and jam nut.

Since this was a new motorcycle there was no wear in any of the shifting parts. If installing on a motorcycle with miles on it follow the instructions pertaining to end play and tightness.

Attach the Pingel shift arm lever on to the shift arm by using the 5/16-24-1 ½ button head cap screw through the 5/16 rod end you just installed on the intermediate shift rod, through the hole of the Pingel shift arm lever and through the stock shift lever. Use the washer and nut and tighten just enough to hold in place. Tighten the #10-32×3/16 set screw with 7-32 Allen wrench. Now tighten the 5/16 nut

 

INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC SHIFT CYLINDER

 

Install the electric shift cylinder onto the shift cylinder support bracket using the Pingel® clamp and (2) ¼-20 x ¾” socket head cap screws. Mount the cylinder in the clamp. Just snug the bolts for now, as adjustment will be needed later. Remove the two top center bolts on the primary cover. While making sure the rod end on the shift cylinder is pointing forward, install the electric shift cylinder support bracket to the primary cover by inserting the ¼-20 x 2” stainless socket head cap screws (apply thread locker) through the stainless washers, through the bracket and into the holes. To adjust the shift cylinder shaft and rod end for no side bind you must retract the rod end and shaft all the way into the shift cylinder and hold in place. Now move the shift peg so the Pingel shift lever bracket rod end hole lines up with the hole in the rod end. Making sure the flat of the rod end is parallel with the flat on the Pingel shift lever bracket without putting left or right pressure (as viewed from above) on the rod end, gauge the gap between the two to determine the correct amount of washer(s) and/or spacer provided. Once this is established apply thread locker to the ¼-20 x 1 bhscs and install it through the rod end of the shift cylinder, the ¼” washer(s) and/or spacer and into the Pingel shift lever bracket on the shift lever. This step is important because if there is any bind in the linkage system the shifter will not work correctly. Before adjusting the shift cylinder front to back make sure the motorcycle transmission is in neutral. While holding onto the electric shift cylinder housing, loosen the two screws on the clamp.

Now find the groove in the center of the length of the travel of the cylinder shaft. Adjust the cylinder housing front or back so the mark on the shaft is right at the plastic bushing located on the end of the cylinder housing.

 With the shift cylinder in the correct position, tighten the two bolts of the Pingel® clamp. Route the electric cable from the electric shift cylinder back to the control module. I installed a clamp that I could route the wire through before continuing to the battery area.

Pay Attention To The Instructions On Connecting Wires To Modules And Then To Wires On The Motorcycle.

There are two modules and they are mounted under the seat using supplied Velcro pads. The Control Module is used for the shifting and the Electronic Engine Kill Module interrupts the ignition when shifting which allows the rider to shift clutchless

Testing The Kill Module

Make sure the electric shift cylinder wire is disconnected from the module. Take note of the positions of the dipswitches on the electronic kill module. Turn all of them to the off position. Pull in the clutch and hold it in until the end of the test. Make sure motorcycle is in neutral and start the engine. Arm the system by depressing one of the buttons for 5 seconds, this will arm the system. Rev the engine to 1500-2000 rpm and hold it there. Press either button and watch for a 150-200 drop in rpm.

The system performed letting me know that all the wires were connected correctly. The engine was shut off and the shift cylinder wire was installed to the module. The dipswitches on the kill module were then returned to the position they were in before the test.

Using a motorcycle frame lifting jack the motorcycle rear wheel was raised so it no longer was on the lift table. The motorcycle was started, the system charged and went through the gears using the buttons. Everything worked.

The motorcycle was removed from the lift and I rode it on the street for a final test.

Then it was Dale’s turn. He had not ridden in over a year. Down the road he went and when he returned, he had a smile on his face. Thank You Pingel for helping get my son back on the road and I am sure many other people who are having issues shifting their motorcycle.

The motorcycle was put back on the lift and let it cool off and blue thread lock was put on the cylinder clamp bolts, they were removed one at a time to make sure we did not lose our cylinder adjustment.

We waited a day and then went on an 80-mile ride together. Getting use to the shifting, stopping and going Dale did well and I am confident he will continue to do so.

Some options I liked is that you can still use the clutch to shift if you like and not hurt anything.

In the interest of safety this is the recommended starting procedure: To arm the electric shifter, make sure the motorcycle is in neutral and pull in the clutch lever, then start the engine. With the clutch lever pulled in push either button on the handlebar control and hold it for five seconds; now release the clutch lever slowly (in case the motorcycle is accidentally in gear). The system is now turned on and will shift when either button is pressed. When the key is turned off, the power to the control module is disengaged so this procedure must be performed every time the motorcycle is turned back on. Pull in clutch and check shifter movement by pushing either button on the handlebar control. It will only be necessary to use the clutch when starting, stopping and finding neutral. Upshifting and downshifting will not require the use of the clutch. The operator can use the clutch manually without harm to any components, especially during downshifting to avoid “chirping” the rear tire.

You can find out more about this and other great products by Pingel by going to www.pingelonline.com