A dark and dreary start for the Chase did nothing to dampen spirits as 68 riders set off for their 267-mile day. By the time the first antique bikes started crossing southbound on the wet and foggy Mackinac Bridge, a group of 1,500 antique tractors had already begun their trek north. It’s an annual parade that just happened to coincide with the Cross Country Chase ride and seemed quite appropriate as the antiques met midway. Drizzle kept riders occupied through out the day, but the rain stopped long enough for the group to enjoy a nice lunch hosted by Hagerty Insurance in Traverse City, Michigan, which was followed closely by a short stop to take the daily quiz. Brainy bikers stood with clipboards and quickly answered 10 multiple-choice questions before hopping on their bikes and booking on to the final stop in Ludington. From there they will board the Badger Ferry for Stage 2 tomorrow morning. The top three positions are still held by the same Class I riders from yesterday’s Prologue, and last place is still Shane Masters, who we hope will rejoin the group for Stage 2. As it is, the sweep trailer was loaded to the max with broken bikes for Stage 1. Let’s wish them all an overnight recovery.

The Highland Green 1968 Mustang fastback that starred alongside Steve McQueen in Bullitt is, quite possibly, the most-recognized Ford Mustang on the planet, despite spending decades in the shadows. After returning to the spotlight in 2018, the car has made appearances at auto shows, museums, concours d’elegance events, and even on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The Bullitt Mustang has been in the Kiernan family since 1974, but next January may well become the most expensive Mustang ever sold at auction when it crosses the stage during Mecum’s Kissimmee, Florida, sale.

In January 1968, Warner Brothers purchased a pair of S-code Highland Green Mustang fastbacks, with sequential vehicle identification numbers, for use in the filming of the movie. Chassis 8R02S125558 was modified for use as the stunt car, while its twin, chassis 8R02S125559, was selected as the hero car, used primarily for close-ups. Both received chassis reinforcements, heavy-duty front springs, Koni shocks and a thicker anti-roll bar, and their already-potent 390 V-8s gained machined heads, larger four-barrel carburetors and a hotter ignition for added performance.

From there, the paths of the two cars diverged. Chassis 558 received a roll bar that doubled as a camera mount, and a small generator (needed to power cameras and lights) was installed in its trunk. Once production of the movie wrapped, only one of the cars – chassis 559 – remained in salable condition, while the badly damaged stunt car, chassis 558, was sold for scrap. Long considered lost to history, chassis 558 surfaced early last year, rescued from a Mexican junkyard in 2016.

Chassis 559 was purchased by Warner Brothers employee Robert Ross, who kept the car for nearly two years before advertising it for sale in Hemmings Motor News in 1970. Its next owner, fittingly, was New Jersey police detective Frank Marranca, who reportedly paid Ross $6,000 for the screen-used Mustang. Marranca kept the car until 1974, when it sold to Robert Kiernan for the same $6,000 the detective had paid for it in 1970.

In 1977, Steve McQueen contacted the Kiernans looking to reacquire the Bullitt Mustang, which was then in use as a daily driver. An equivalent Mustang was offered in exchange (plus, presumably, some unspecified amount of cash), but the New Jersey couple opted to keep the Bullitt Mustang instead. In 1979, Robert’s wife Robbie purchased “Bulitt” vanity plates for the couple’s anniversary, and nearly 40 years later, these remain on the car.

In 1989, the Kiernans – now with nine-year-old son Sean – relocated to Kentucky, and then six years later, to Tennessee. Numerous Mustang collectors (and print publications) contacted the family over the years, inquiring about the Bullitt Mustang, but the answer was always the same; the car wasn’t for sale, and they weren’t interested in having the car featured in a magazine. Circa 2001, Robert and Sean began a restoration of the car, but the project didn’t progress at the originally intended speed and was soon set aside.

Robert Kiernan died in 2014, passing the Mustang along to Sean. A year later, Sean let slip to his boss, Casey Wallace, that he was the owner of the car, prompting Wallace to enlist the help of friend and filmmaker Ken Horstmann to document the car’s history. One minor detail delayed the start of the video’s production: In 2015, the Bullitt Mustang was in pieces, the restoration begun in 2001 never completed.

Instead of hastily restoring the irreplaceable Mustang, Sean instead opted to reassemble the car, which remains largely original throughout (its rebuilt and repainted 390 V-8 a notable exception). This task was completed in 2016, and on July 4, Sean fired the 390 V-8 for the first time in 15-plus years. In 2017, the Mustang was reunited with a member of the McQueen family – Molly McQueen, Steve’s granddaughter – who met with Sean at a Ford design studio in Dearborn, Michigan.

Its reemergence came in January 2018, at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan. Three months later, thanks to its place on the National Historic Vehicle Register, it was displayed on the National Mall, part of an Historic Vehicle Association exhibit that included the first Chrysler minivan (a 1984 Plymouth Voyager LE) and the Ferrari-replica Modena Spyder that appeared in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. In July 2018, the Bullitt Mustang appeared at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where it was driven up the hill in pursuit of a black ’68 Dodge Charger said to be used in the filming of the movie.

The decision to sell a car that’s been a part of his family for 45 years could not have been an easy one for Sean, but it’s worth remembering that the Bullitt Mustang is no ordinary collector car. The demands of ownership include constant appearance requests, the liabilities of shipping (in some cases, internationally), and, ironically, the inability to simply enjoy the car for the occasional drive without interruption or serious financial risk. Though some will view this as cashing in on the car’s history, it’s almost surely about returning to a normal life, albeit one with a comfortable reserve in the bank.

Dana Mecum announced the Bullitt Mustang’s upcoming sale, alongside Sean Kiernan, at the firm’s Monterey auction. No pre-auction estimate has been announced, though it’s a safe bet that the sale will set a record for a Ford Mustang sold at auction.

Mecum’s Kissimmee Auction takes place January 2-12, 2020, at the Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida. For further details, visit Mecum.com.

News from https://www.hemmings.com

Ocean City, MD, September 6, 2019: Stark & Stark will be hosting six presentations by the descendants of a Harley-Davidson founder at OC BikeFest motorcycle rally on Sept. 12 -15, 2019. These hour-long events will take place at the Seacrets Jamaica USA parking lot (117 49th St., Ocean City, MD), on Thursday, Sept. 12^th from 12:00 pm-1:00 pm and 2:00 pm-3:00 pm, on Friday, Sept. 13^th from 2:00 pm-3:00 pm and 7:00 pm-8:00 pm, and on Saturday, Sept. 14^th from 1:00 pm-2:00 pm and 4:00 pm-5:00 pm.

 

Stark & Stark, a full service New Jersey law firm, will also be presenting fun giveaways and addressing various legal topics for attendees. One of Stark & Stark’s 30 practices, known informally as “the Riders’ Lawyers,” focuses solely on representing individuals injured as a result of motorcycle accidents.

Jean Davidson and Jon Davidson Oeflein will be speaking about growing up with the legendary founders of Harley-Davidson. Jean’s grandfather, Walter Davidson, was one of the four founders and first president of Harley-Davidson, while her father was VP of manufacturing.

Jean began riding a Harley at the age of 12 and became the owner of the largest Harley-Davidson dealership in Wisconsin. She rubbed shoulders with Harley and Davidson family members, famous racers and even Evel Knievel. She has shared her experiences through two books and is known as a talented storyteller who has captivated thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts through her speaking engagements.

“Presenting these wonderful speakers underscores our commitment to the bikers’ community,” said Joel R. Rosenberg, a partner with Stark & Stark and member of the firm’s Personal Injury Group.

 

“We want to celebrate the exciting history of motorcycles, but also help today’s riders be safer and well aware of their rights,” he explained. In addition to introducing the speakers and serving as MC, Mr. Rosenberg will be on hand to discuss motorcycle safety and legal issues, including how to communicate with insurance companies and juries if an accident occurs.

 

For more information, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/520311285406258/

 

Your Weekly Biker Bulletin from Inside the Beltway Your Motorcycle Riders Foundation team in Washington, D.C. is pleased to provide our members with the latest information and updates on issues that impact the freedom and safety of American street motorcyclists. Count on your MRF to keep you informed about a range of matters that are critical to the advancement of motorcycling and its associated lifestyle. Published weekly when the U.S. Congress is in session.

Motorcycle Only Check Points: For years the motorcycle community tried to pass legislation to address motorcycle-only checkpoints. Numerous stand-alone bills were introduced in both the Senate and House to address this issue. Unfortunately, none of these bills became law. However, our champions and allies in Congress used a new tactic in 2015 to address the issue. In late 2015 Congress passed the Highway Bill known formally as Fixing American Surface Transportation Act or the FAST ACT. Included in the FAST Act was Section 4007: STOP MOTORCYCLE CHECKPOINT FUNDING. It read as follows: Notwithstanding section 153 of title 23, United States Code, the Secretary may not provide a grant or any funds to a State, county, town, township, Indian tribe, municipality, or other local government that may be used for any program— (1) to check helmet usage; or (2) to create checkpoints that specifically target motorcycle operators or motorcycle passengers. In short, states and local governments can’t use federal dollars to create motorcycle-only checkpoints. While getting this language included in the FAST Act was a victory it did have one catch, the Fast Act is only valid until the end of 2020.  Sometime in the next 16 months, Congress must pass a new highway bill to replace the FAST Act. That means that we, as the motorcycle community, need to ensure that the ban on federal funding for motorcycle-only check points is included in new legislation. We at the MRF have started that process by meeting with lawmakers on the relevant committees in the House and Senate to make our case. As we begin this process, we may reach out to specific state chapters for help with their elected officials. Keep your eyes open for calls to action on this topic. We must educate lawmakers that motorcyclists will not accept being targeted strictly because we ride. Back to Work: After a six week recess, the House and Senate return to D.C. on Monday the 9th. One of the main focuses of September will be a passage of appropriations bills that fund the federal government. The government’s fiscal year ends on September 30th and if the funding bills aren’t passed, we will have another government shutdown. The six-week break for lawmakers doesn’t mean that their staffs have not been busy during the August recess. Your D.C. team logged a total of 59 Hill meetings during recess. In some cases, doing staff meetings during August can be more effective. With their bosses gone staffers have more time to chat about issues and focus on our asks. Ideally, some of the seeds we planted during the August recess will bear fruit as we head into the Fall. Standing Update: We are currently at 76 cosponsors from 33 states and one territory for H. Res 255, the motorcycle profiling resolution. This is an increase of 12 new cosponsors during the August recess. We also added our first lawmakers from Arkansas, Georgia, New Jersey, South Carolina, Utah, and West Virginia. The map below shows which states have at least one lawmaker signed on as a cosponsor. We also have a handful of lawmakers who made commitments to us regarding cosponsoring and we hope to see them officially added soon. Click HERE to see if your member has signed on to H. Res 255. Rocky & Tiffany The Motorcycle Riders Foundation

About Motorcycle Riders Foundation The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) provides leadership at the federal level for states’ motorcyclists’ rights organizations as well as motorcycle clubs and individual riders. The MRF is chiefly concerned with issues at the national and international levels that impact the freedom and safety of American street motorcyclists. The MRF is committed to being a national advocate for the advancement of motorcycling and its associated lifestyle and works in conjunction with its partners to help educate elected officials and policymakers in Washington and beyond.

Hello,

This is Chris Bienkiewicz from Game Over Cycles (GOC) – a custom bike manufacturer from Poland.

I would like to kindly inform you that our company has put up for sale GOC’s most famous custom machine – The Recidivist, which world’s first tattooed motorcycle.

The price of the motorcycle is 1,000,000 USD. The sale offer can be found on ebay under the following link:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/401870076694

GSM: +48 882 061 648

e-mail: gocpress@gameovercycles.com

Stanisław Myszkowski Game Over Cycles

Ludwika Chmury 4

35-213 Rzeszów

NIP: 793-144-48-72

REGON: 180689157

website: www.gameovercycles.com

http://www.goc-harley-davidson.pl

fanpage: www.facebook.com/GameOverCycles

The latest video presenting bike’s history, concept and all features is available here:

 

GPR Stainless Steel 2-1 High Mount Exhaust System (OFF ROAD ONLY) Fits 2016 and up Gear Up, Patrol, cT

https://live.uralcatalog.com/accessory/detail/12474/3731/

• Designed specifically for off road use only
• Increased ground clearance
• Lightweight stainless steel (nearly 10lbs. lighter than stock Ural exhaust system)
• Internal mesh-type spark arrestor
• Serviceable GPR muffler designed exclusively for Ural Motorcycles
• Fits all 2016-2019 fuel injected models except Retro
•  ….and of course, unmatched Italian design

Contact your local dealer, supply is limited.
MSRP* 1,399.00
*MSRP does not include shipping, installation, dealer prices may vary

The first official day of the inaugural Cross Country Chase consisted of a scant 13-miles as a shakedown ride called the Prologue. Riders gathered on the shores of the Saint Mary’s River across the banks of the Canada border to sit for a group photo taken by none other than the world-famous photographer, Michael Lichter. Aune Osborne Park in Sault Saint Marie, Michigan was the staging area as well as the Official Green Flag start.

Rider #51, Shane Masters, was the only rider unable to start and trucked his 1948 Indian Chief some 5 hours away to have his bike worked on with the hopes of meeting the group at the Ludington stop tomorrow evening. He received a DNS (Did Not Start) for the day.

Rider # 62, Scott Funk, is one of only two Class I riders on 250cc machines and, despite his missing 2 of the required miles, his handicap favored him and his 1946 BSA-C11 afforded him a finishing score of 22.0 points.

Rider #5 in Class II, James Maloney, managed only 1 mile and finished with 11 points, leaving him in 68th place. Number 99, Todd Cameron on his 1930 BSA Sloper with a 493cc engine, finished the day in first place with 30 points. Stay tuned folks, it’s sure to be an exciting race as 69 riders on every imaginable motorcycle marque works their way across America. Riders are preparing for the wet forecast tomorrow as they head toward Ludington, Michigan after an arduous 267-mile ride.

Two U.S. agencies are preparing to submit for final White House regulatory review a plan to revoke California’s authority to set its own vehicle greenhouse gas standards and declare that states are pre-empted from setting their own vehicle rules, two people briefed on the matter said on Thursday.

WASHINGTON: Two U.S. agencies are preparing to submit for final White House regulatory review a plan to revoke California’s authority to set its own vehicle greenhouse gas standards and declare that states are pre-empted from setting their own vehicle rules, two people briefed on the matter said on Thursday.

The Environmental Protection Agency in August 2018 proposed revoking a waiver granted to California in 2013 under the Clean Air Act as part of the Trump administration’s plan to roll back Obama-era fuel economy standards through 2025.

The EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are expected to seek approval to finalize the first portion of the rule dealing with California and other states before completing action on setting yearly fuel efficiency requirements. The plan would not revoke California’s ability to set low-emission vehicle standards that has been in place since 1990, the sources said.

The move comes as President Donald Trump has expressed anger with automakers over the issue. In July, four major automakers, including Ford Motor Co and Volkswagen AG, said they had reached a voluntary agreement with California on fuel efficiency rules.

California and other states had vowed to enforce stricter Obama-era emissions standards, after Trump proposed rolling back the federal rules. Automakers had worried that court battles between state and federal governments could create years of uncertainty for manufacturers.

The plan, also backed by BMW AG and Honda Motor Co Ltd, is more stringent than Trump’s proposal but looser than the Obama-era rule. California, the most populous U.S. state, accounts for about 12% of American vehicle sales, and if the administration recognizes the deal, it would allow automakers to operate under one set of rules.

An administration official said it was close to submitting a rule internally dubbed the “One National Program rule” aimed at ensuring a single national level for fuel economy standards.

But other automakers, including General Motors Co and Toyota Motor Corp, have declined to back the deal. Mary Nichols, who chairs the California Air Resources Board, told Reuters in July that the four automakers had agreed not to legally challenge California’s vehicle regulatory authority.

Under Trump, federal regulators backed freezing emissions requirements for new cars and trucks at 2020 levels through 2026. Administration officials say its final regulation will include a modest boost in annual efficiency requirements but far less than what the Obama administration had set in 2012.

News Source: Reuters

5-Ball LEATHERS ARE HERE TO STAY—We are having a blast with this line and it keeps expanding. The pit crew is so popular for hot days on the road with the breathable Ballistic Nylon, we are making a women’s version.

All leather orders get a free real 5-Ball Bandana with each purchase and one of K. Randall Ball’s crummy books. It’s even signed.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE STORE.

The End Bikernet Weekly News for September 5, 2019
It’s Twisted and Fun

Just don’t forget: Everything will be all right in the end, and if it’s not all right, it’s not the end. Let’s hit the news.

The Bikernet Weekly News is sponsored in part by companies who also dig Freedom including: Cycle Source Magazine, the MRF, Las Vegas Bikefest, Iron Trader News, ChopperTown, BorntoRide.com and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum. Most recently the Smoke Out and Quick Throttle Magazine came on board.

READ THE WEEKLY NEWS IN THE CANTINA – CLICK HERE – Subscribe Today