Although we no long host Bikernet Trikes we still support trike efforts. Plus, we are working hard to build the first Streamlined Trike in the headquarters. In fact, more fabrication and welding will take place today in the shop. Hang on for more reports. Check out the Salt Torpedo techs on Bikernet in Bandit’s Cantina.–Bandit

From EIN Motorcycle News:

Triumph Motorcycles has revealed the specifications of its upcoming 2019 Rocket 3 TFC.

Touted as the world’s most powerful motorcycle, it packs a 2,500cc engine and comes with a bunch of modern features including an integrated ‘GoPro’ control, Tire Pressure Management System (TPMS) and keyless ignition

Notably, the motorcycle will be produced by the company’s custom production department in limited numbers.

Here’s more.

Triumph Rocket 3 TFC: At a glance
Design

The 2019 Triumph Rocket 3 TFC comes with a cruiser design, rounded dual headlamps, alloy wheels, and features a muscular profile thanks to its bulky fuel tank and wide tires.

It sports a digital-analog instrument console and uses an all LED setup for lighting.

Moreover, the company has revealed that the bike weighs 323kg which is 44kg less than its previous model.

All the important stuff
Engine

The 2019 Triumph Rocket 3 TFC is powered by a 2,500cc inline three-cylinder engine which is capable of producing 182hp of power and an unprecedented 225Nm of peak torque.

Also, the bike comes with a bunch of new-age electronic features including a TFT display, ‘GoPro’ control feature, Tire Pressure Management System (TPMS), Bluetooth, and keyless ignition among others.

Triumph Rocket 3 TFC: On the road
Safety

The 2019 Triumph Rocket 3 TFC comes equipped with top-of-the-line Brembo Stylema disc brakes on both the front and rear wheels along with cornering ABS and Traction control.

The bike houses Showa’s fully adjustable 47mm upside-down suspension on the front and a monoshock unit on the rear to handle the suspension duties.

Moreover, it offers four riding modes: Rider, Rain, Road, and Sport.

Pricing and availability
Pricing

The 2019 Triumph Rocket 3 TFC is an upgraded model of second-generation Rocket 3 which was launched last year.

The company had manufactured only 750 units of its previous model with an on-road price of £25,000 (approximately Rs. 22.7 lakh).

Hence, looking at upgrades, we expect the new model to cost somewhere around £30,000 (approximately Rs. 25 lakh).

June 22, 2019 | Florida National | Jacksonville, Fla.

Foothill Ranch, Calif. (June 23, 2019) – After a 22-year hiatus of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship in Florida, Round 5 returned to the “Sunshine State” at WW Ranch Motocross Park with Kawasaki landing on the podium in both classes as Monster Energy® Kawasaki rider Eli Tomac earned a hard-fought second place overall (7-1) and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Adam Cianciarulo captured third overall (5-3), in their respective classes.

As the 450MX class lined up for Moto 1, Tomac and teammate Joey Savatgy prepared to brave the blistering temperatures that combined with the humidity made it feel well over 100 degrees. As the gate dropped, Tomac was buried in the back but wasted no time making his way up through the field from 18th position. By Lap 3, Tomac was able to break into the top-10 and continued to push forward before time expired, ultimately reaching the finish line in seventh. Savatgy got off to a good start in seventh but as the race went on, he dropped a few positions due to increasing pain in his hands and the heat affecting his pace. He was able to power through the pain and finish 11th.

Moto 2 saw Tomac grab his first holeshot of the season, jumpstarting a perfect moto and a 4.1-second margin of victory as he grabbed the checkers for his fifth moto win of the season. Savatgy got off to another respectable start out the gate in sixth, but continued to have the same struggles as the first moto and had a hard time holding on, finishing 18th and going 11-18 for 13th overall.

Tomac leaves Florida with a six-point lead in the 450MX championship points standings as the series reaches its halfway point next weekend in Southwick, Massachusetts on Saturday, June 29th.

#3 Eli Tomac
2nd (7-1)
#17 Joey Savatgy
13th (11-18)

“I got totally buried off the start in Moto 1 and I was struggling with my pace; those are the two major factors that played a role in a seventh place finish but we were able to turn it around for Moto 2. I can’t remember the last time I holeshotted like that! I felt good and found my rhythm early on so I was able to put it all together and ride my own race. My entire Monster Energy Kawasaki team worked their tails off in this gnarly heat this weekend. I can’t thank them enough for all their efforts. We’re all excited to head to the Wick with the red plate.”

– Eli Tomac

“Today was a tough day, but we did what we could and got it done. I continue to get better and feel more comfortable on the bike. I’m still making adjustments and trying to play catch up from the time off from my injury. We’re headed in a good direction, I just need to be on the bike a little more and keep getting after it. I’m glad to get this one over with and looking forward to Southwick.”

– Joey Savatgy

Let’s go! Mikey here at Lowbrow rode out with his wife and a group of friends, headed out with their wives and girlfriends to Babes Ride Out in New York. It is a women-only event, so the guys then left to go on their own road trip, hence the ‘DPO’ nickname… Dude’s Pull Out. Now where to go? Centralia, Pennsylvania has had a coal mine fire burning under it since 1962 and is now virtually abandoned. Seems like the perfect place to check out, no? Click here to see how it went…

GeekWire posted last month that Portland, Oregon quietly launched a controversial mobile location data project with partner Sidewalk Labs (a subsidiary of Alphabet–which is the parent company of Google). In this year-long pilot program, the city has authorized that people, who have smartphones, will be tracked without their consent or knowledge.

Portland is using software called Replica that cost nearly $500,000 and expects to determine how people actually move in the metro and surrounding counties. The city claims the software will use de-identified mobile location data, but in a NY Times article late last year reporters were able to debunk the premise of anonymity with this kind of location tagging.

Pam Dixon, executive director of the Oregon-based World Privacy Forum, said:

“If a city is going to use a system, it has a responsibility to have full transparency about where all of the data is coming from, how it is being deidentified and to what level, and if that data is reused again or stored by Replica or Sidewalk or passed to its parent company. There’s too much that we don’t know.”

Other cities on deck for Sidewalk Labs’ Replica testing include Chicago and Kansas City. Sidewalk Labs has already been working with the city of Toronto on a smart cities project which has not been without controversy.

Researchers at the International Data Corporation or IDC released a report last month titled Surveillance Avenue—Urban Mobility and Addressing the Erosion of Privacy which concluded that it is becoming more difficult for people to use public transportation systems without giving up some personal data. They showed how easy it is now using various surveillance technologies such as facial recognition cameras, license plate readers, and mobile phone data in combination with other datasets to paint a detailed picture of the movements of individuals.

Mark Zannoni, IDC’s Worldwide Urban Mobility Program researcher wrote:

“As increasing amounts of data are collected, we are faced with the issue that one must exchange personal privacy for the use of publicly funded transportation networks or assets. Whether initially personally identifiable or anonymous, individual data from urban mobility can be deanonymized, which is not only invasive but also enables potentially dangerous situations.”

The IDC report urged the federal government to put in place measures to protect people’s privacy, particularly specific movement-related data of individuals. This would provide a framework for local governments to build privacy protections into their own regulations.

Personal data held by companies and governments are often at risk to cyberattacks. Even worse, some sell that information outright without the consent of those whose privacy is being invaded.

Another example of privacy intrusion is the use of facial recognition technology. The FBI has access to over 641 million photos in their database that have been culled from driver’s licenses, passports, and mugshots. The US House Committee on Oversight and Reform recently discussed the issue of regulating facial recognition. Chairman Elijah Cummings said in an opening statement on June 4th: “There are real concerns about the risks this technology poses to our civil rights and liberties and our right to privacy.”

Earlier in June, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) led 60 other privacy, civil liberties, civil rights and other groups in urging Congress to put a moratorium on facial recognition for law and immigration enforcement. The coalition issued a letter asking that the use of this technology be stopped until Congress debates and determines how this technology (that we do not give consent for) can be used.

Privacy rights issues have also been taken up by local governments. The San Francisco, California Board of Supervisors adopted in May 2019, a ban on facial recognition by police and local government agencies. This has brought more awareness to the privacy issue, but many are skeptical that either this will not be enough or it is a mistake to take these kind of devices out of commission. Nearby Oakland passed in 2018, a Surveillance and Community Safety ordinance which the Electronic Frontier Foundation or EFF has declared the gold standard.

Civic engagement on the local level is important in bringing transparency to this situation. This 2018 The Nation post entitled: Mass Surveillance begins at the Local Level. So does the Resistance explains what groups are doing to fight back against this exploding surveillance landscape.

The NMA encourages members to become involved in supporting privacy laws on a local, state, and national level. We will keep you informed of further developments.

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.

Rules, Rules, Rules… Just past midnight on Wednesday night, in a committee room inside the U.S. Capitol the issue of motorcycle profiling received a brief debate and roll call vote before the Rules Committee. How did that happen? Well Congressman Mike Burgess (R-TX) and Congressman Tim Walberg (R-MI) used the appropriations amendment process to force Congress to vote on the issue of motorcycle profiling. The gridlock that grips Congress means that few stand-alone bills pass both the Senate and the House. However, appropriations bills, which fund the government have to pass, if they don’t a government shutdown ensues. These must pass appropriations bills become a key tool for lawmakers to press legislative priorities. If they can attach an amendment to a bill that has to pass, the legislative priority becomes law. However, the amendment offered must be related to the appropriations bill in some way. Congressman Walberg and Congressman Burgess drafted the following amendment to the appropriations bill that funds the Department of Transportation: AMENDMENT TO DIVISION E OF RULES COMMITTEE PRINT 116–18 OFFERED BY MR. WALBERG OF MICHIGAN SEC. ll. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used by the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration for activities intended to encourage states to adopt legislation, regulations, policies, directives or guidance to profile motorcycle riders, nor shall such funds be used by States to implement any activity with the primary intent of profiling motorcycle riders. Before the full House of Representatives votes on the appropriations bill and the amendments the Rules Committee holds a hearing to decide what will go to the floor for a full vote. Unfortunately, the Rules Committee is the most partisan committee in the House and because our two main champions are Republicans the chances of the Rules Committee allowing this amendment to proceed were slim. On a strict party line vote the amendment was defeated 8 to 4. While it’s disappointing that the full House of Representatives was not allowed to vote on this amendment it was a solid step forward in the debate about motorcycle profiling. Additionally, this does not stop our campaign to have H. Res 255 passed by the House of Representatives. In truth this should further energize us. The full House of Representatives should be allowed to vote on H. Res 255 and the issue of motorcycle profiling should not be blocked by the vote of just 8 lawmakers. Click here and skip to the 7 hour 4 minute 15 second mark to watch the debate and vote. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-6S3om9Tig Ride to Work Day Monday, June 17th was the 28th annual “Ride to Work Day.” While we at the MRF don’t need a special day to ride our motorcycles it was nice to get an email from Congressman Troy Balderson (R-OH) with the following message, “I am a lifelong motorcycle rider and a big advocate for motorcycle awareness and safety. This national ride to work, let’s celebrate our biker community and keep the roads safe.” Congressman Balderson sent us this picture of him on his bike Monday headed to his congressional district office in Worthington, Ohio. Thanks to Congressman Balderson for being a true champion of the motorcycle community. Your Team in D.C. Rocky & Tiffany The Motorcycle Riders Foundation

NCOM BIKER NEWSBYTES
Compiled & Edited by Bill Bish,
National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM)

LOUISIANA ENACTS LAW AGAINST MOTORCYCLIST PROFILING
Louisiana has become the third state to pass legislation to curtail the profiling of motorcyclists by law enforcement, by unanimously approving House Bill 141 in the state legislature (38-0 in the Senate 6/2/19 and 103-0 in the House 6/3/19), and the biker anti-discrimination measure was signed into law on June 11, 2019 by democrat Governor John Bel Edwards.

Effective August 1, 2019, HB 141, “Provides relative to motorcyclist profiling training for peace officers,” by establishing the creation of a “motorcyclist profiling awareness training program” to include classroom or internet instruction “in the current bias-recognition policing curriculum.”

Sponsored by Rep. Frankie Howard (R) at the request of ABATE of Louisiana, with support from the Louisiana Confederation of Clubs & Independents as well as the National Council of Clubs and the Motorcycle Profiling Project, the new LA law defines “motorcyclist profiling” as “the arbitrary use of the fact that an individual rides a motorcycle or wears motorcycle related clothing or paraphernalia as a factor in deciding to stop, question, take enforcement action, arrest, or search an individual or his motorcycle or motor vehicle.”

The Bayou State follows the states of Washington (2011) and Maryland (2016) in passing similar legislation, all by unanimous votes, and a bipartisan federal anti-profiling bill currently awaits further action in the U.S. House of Representatives (House Resolution 255) after passing by unanimous consent in the United States Senate (Senate Resolution 154) late last year.

MISSOURI HELMET LAW A SIGNATURE AWAY FROM REPEAL
The Show-Me State may soon grant adult motorcycle riders the freedom to choose whether or not to wear helmets, as legislation to repeal their mandatory motorcycle helmet law for those 18 and older who carry qualifying medical insurance is currently sitting on the desk of Governor Mike Parson (R) awaiting his signature.  Parson previously supported repeal as a member of the state legislature.

Senate Bill 147 passed the Senate 21-12 on Thursday, May 16 and the House voted 94-46 the following day to advance the omnibus transportation package to the governor.

Missouri is currently in the minority among states, as only 19 states and the District of Columbia mandate the wearing of motorcycle helmets by all riders.  Repeal efforts have been debated in the General Assembly for decades, and twice before lawmakers had passed helmet law repeal bills, in both 1999 and 2009, but couldn’t overcome gubernatorial vetoes.

But now, with Republicans holding hyper-majorities in both chambers and the governorship, riders’ rights groups like ABATE for Missouri and Freedom of Road Riders of Missouri took advantage of the “perfect storm” to navigate their bill through the Conservative-controlled legislative agenda.

Gov. Parson has voted in favor of this issue in the past, and according to the St. Joseph Post newspaper, “nearly all stakeholders expect him to sign it.”

NEBRASKA POLICE TARGET MOTORCYCLISTS
In a battle between bikers and cops, Nebraska State Troopers are working with local law enforcement this summer to put the brakes on speeding motorcycles.

For the second year in a row, troopers will conduct special enforcement operations to stop speeding bikers, utilizing an $18,000 grant from the Nebraska Department of Transportation Highway Safety Office that will allow for aviation support as well as more law enforcement on the ground.

“Motorcycles have a unique ability to evade law enforcement…(so) we’ll use resources like helicopters to help out,” Nebraska State Patrol Capt. Jason Scott told KMTV 3 NewsNow in Omaha, adding that numerous citations have been made so far and arrests have been made for reckless driving and for flight to avoid arrest.

“We’ve been working with the county attorney’s offices to make sure there’s a message that’s sent here,” Capt. Scott said. “We’re not going to tolerate the aggressive driving.”

RED LIGHT CAMERAS BANNED IN TEXAS
Drivers in Texas are about to be seeing less red, as Governor Greg Abbott (R) has announced that he has signed legislation that bans red light cameras across the Lone Star State.  House Bill 1361, authored by Representative Jonathan Stickland (R-Fort Worth), would prohibit the use of “photographic traffic signal enforcement systems.”

Stickland told FOX7 the bill was motivated by “a lot of reason,” including privacy concerns and the right to due process.

The new law included a grandfather clause for cities involved in red light camera contracts that have yet to end, except if the contract includes a provision allowing for state law to break it.

WASHINGTON GOVERNOR SIGNS MOTORCYCLE LIABILITY BILL
Washington Governor Jay Inslee (D) has signed House Bill 1014, which is a motorcycle liability insurance bill.

Previously, motorcycle operators across the state were not required to be insured under a motor vehicle liability policy, but HB 1014 sponsored by Rep. Bill Jenkin (R-Prosser) changes this by requiring all motorcycle operators to be insured under a motor vehicle liability policy or the allowed equivalent according to the terms required by current law.

“People are surprised to learn that motorcycle operators are not required to have liability insurance. My bill simply requires those operating a motorcycle to meet the insurance requirements, or equivalent for registered motor vehicles under current law,” Rep. Jenkin told KEPRTV Action News.  “When someone gets property damage, or in an accident, with an uninsured motorcyclist, they are stuck filing a claim and potentially paying a higher premium.  Having motorcycles insured, just like other vehicles, makes sense.”

Jenkin’s bill goes into effect 90-days after the adjournment of the 2019 session.

GRASS CLIPPINGS AND MOTORCYCLES A DEADLY MIX
A number of states and localities have come to the realization that grass clippings on the roadway are a danger to motorcyclists, and some are taking steps to outlaw the roughage.

In Pennsylvania, Senator Camera Bartolotta (R-Washington County) has proposed legislation to protect motorcyclists by making it illegal to throw grass clippings on the roadway during mowing season, making the violation a fineable offense much like littering. She says grass clippings not only cause the surface of the roadway to become extremely slippery, creating a hazard to motorcycle riders and other drivers, as well as presenting an environmental concern by clogging storm drains and can make their way into streams and cause pollution.

When riders complain to law enforcement, their complaints are often dismissed as the current law is not enforceable, but the senator’s proposal to add two words “grass clippings” to the law that makes throwing litter and other items on the roadway an offense would fix that.

Her bill proposes fines of up to $300 for the first offense and up to a $1,000 for subsequent offenses, and would require the landowner to remove the clippings from the roadway.

In Ohio, the city of Fremont says it will begin ticketing people for blowing grass clippings into the street, saying they pose a danger to motorcyclists.  City officials say dumping grass clippings in the road is illegal under a city ordinance regarding “placing injurious material or obstruction in street,” and the city says its code enforcer and police department will be paying special attention to the issue throughout the warmer months.

“Please make every effort to keep grass out of our streets and keep Fremont safe for our friends on two wheels!” the city says.

Meanwhile, an Illinois rider is dead after a crash involving grass clippings on the road and losing control of her motorcycle.  Her husband, who also lost control of his motorcycle, told the local newspaper; “I would like something to be done better than a $50 fine on grass clippings; it kills people!”  He has contacted his state representative about increasing the penalty for making an unnecessarily dangerous mess in the road from trimming your lawn.

While some slippery hazards like wet leaves in fall can’t be avoided, not spraying grass clippings onto the road is as easy as pushing or driving your lawn mower in the opposite direction to spray back into your yard rather than out onto the roadway.

TARIFFS COULD DEVASTATE MOTORCYCLE INDUSTRY, CLAIMS TRADE GROUP
Industry leaders are encouraging activism ahead of new import taxes, and the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) is asking riders to help stop a new round of tariffs on Chinese products.  The sanctions will directly affect equipment and apparel that riders depend on, as well as motorcycle parts and accessories and bikes built in China. “The proposed additional 25% duty on Chinese goods lumps gear like boots and gloves in with common replacement parts, like lithium-ion batteries, and curiosities, like live manatees and blue-veined cheeses,” says the industry trade group. Perhaps more devastating to a business already working with tight margins is a catchall — number 8714.10.00 on the list — that includes all “Pts. & access. for motorcycles (including mopeds).”

The MIC makes the case that, in today’s motorcycling economy, even the most ardent purchasers of American apparel and machines are going to feel a pinch to the wallet.

“The proposed China List 4 includes essentially everything that is not currently subject to an additional 25% tariff on Lists 1-3,” MIC Senior Vice President Scott Schloegel says. “Tariffs are taxes paid by companies and consumers in America and it is critical that you make your voice heard now.”

ROLLING THUNDER FINAL RIDE, OR NOT?
For over three decades, hundreds of thousands of motorcyclists have roared into our nation’s capital over Memorial Day weekend for Rolling Thunder, an annual demonstration in support of veterans, prisoners of war and service members who went missing in action, but due to financial and logistical constraints, this year’s rally was their last hurrah.  Rally organizer and co-founder, Artie Muller, has announced that the massive rally, held every year in Washington, D.C. since 1988, has grown too costly and unwieldy and will come to an end.

However, efforts to keep the rally going include President Donald Trump who pledged his support and tweeted out during the “Ride for Freedom” on Sunday, May 26 that Rolling Thunder was not going to end after all:  “The Great Patriots of Rolling Thunder WILL be coming back to Washington, D.C. next year, & hopefully for many years to come,” he wrote. “It is where they want to be, & where they should be.”

In addition, “Wreaths Across America” has since announced a donation of $200,000 to Rolling Thunder to help cover costs and keep the ride going, with executive director Karen Worcester telling  Muller on that Monday’s “Fox & Friends” that “Remembering is too important to forget.”

Muller said during the Fox News show that he looks forward to meeting with the president about continuing the ride, but he also said that instead of holding one giant demonstration the group is planning to take the event nationwide next year and hold rides regionally throughout the country with its 90 local chapters.

EASY RIDER ENCORE
July 14, 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of Easy Rider — and to celebrate, a newly-restored 4K version will be shown again in 400 theaters nationwide for just two nights; July 14th and 17th.

Directed by the late, great Dennis Hopper, the film starred Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Jack Nicholson in a role that scored him an Oscar nomination.

In 1998, the film was officially added to the National Film Registry, and the American Film Institute lists it on its 100 Greatest American Movies of All Time.

QUOTABLE QUOTE:  “Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted, the indifference of those who should have known better, the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most, that has made it possible for evil to triumph.”
~ Haile Selassie, regent of Ethiopia (1892-1975)

Harley-Davidson (NYSE:HOG) said Friday it will recall approximately 46,000 motorcycles in the U.S., citing a potential oil leak that has been linked to two crashes.

The recall includes certain 2017 Electra Glide, Road Glide, Road King and Street Glide bikes. The affected motorcycles were built between July 2, 2016 and May 9, 2017.

The bike maker said an oil line may come loose, causing oil to leak onto the rear tire’s path. There have been nine reports of displaced oil lines. Harley is aware of two crashes and one minor injury due to the issue.

Dealers will repair a clamp on the engine oil cooler line at no extra cost to owners.

It’s an awesome new video promoting our Stylin N Sturgis contest.

To enter go to www.lawtigers.com/win And win a complete Sturgis Motorcycle Rally vacation package worth over $21,000! Free airfare, cabin & Harley-Davidson motorcycle rental plus exclusive prizes and products like a AR-15 from Sturgis Guns and $1500 to spend at NightRiders Jewelry!

Contest ends July 15th, 2019

Check the website to enter: www.lawtigers.com/win

–The Law Tigers Team