Here’s the recent challenge. A brother called the other day. He spoke to some kids recently and they had never heard of Arlen Ness. They were riders. We had an interesting discussion about the changing face of motorcycling. Of course, some kids don’t know the Beatles or Elvis Presley, so what’s new?

I’m going to have a similar discussion with Chris Callen and Ken Conte tonight on the Cycle Source Podcast or whatever they call it. Where some feel like we’re sinking in a disconnected mess, I believe the opposite.

Take for instance the SmokeOut or Born Free. They are wild events featuring young builders, building wild unruly choppers and bobbers. Remember a few years ago, when brothers said choppers are dead forever. Not so fast Kemosabe.

So, all these new enthusiasts who are building bikes in their garages with leftover anything will emerge into the industry. If they fall in love with motorcycling they could become dirt bike guys, flat track racers, Bonneville enthusiasts, drag racers, HOG members, Hells Angels, dyna club guys, touring riders, shop owners, dealership guys, Booze fighters, family group riders, you name it. Hell, they could become Sons of Speed racers on vintage bikes. So, you get the picture. Our world is splintering and every segment is growing.

So, maybe the key is to stay connected and informed. Give the young guys lots of info and see which direction they roll. I had to learn this code, to stay true to what you love. That’s the formula for Nirvana. Don’t push yourself in direction you weren’t meant to take. 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.

Harley-Davidson and the Petersen Automotive Museum Announce the Opening of “Electric Revolution”–

•Exhibit to be the World’s First Museum Exhibit exclusively featuring Electric Motorcycles
•Opens April 6, 2019 at Petersen Museum in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, CA. – The Motorcycle Arts Foundation (MAF) and the Petersen Automotive Museum announced today the opening of “Electric Revolution,” the world’s first museum exhibition exclusively featuring electric motorcycles. This exhibit, which is supported by Harley-Davidson, will open at the Richard Varner Family Gallery at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles California on April 6, 2019. Curated by MAF co-founder Paul d’Orléans, the exhibit will explore the history and current state of the electric motorcycle and e-bike industry with 21 examples of 2-wheeled electric vehicles from both custom builders and established manufacturers.

Harley-Davidson is the lead sponsor for this exhibit and has provided three recent prototypes from their electric portfolio, including the 2020 LiveWire, which will be available to the public in Fall 2019.

“We are creating history with the world’s first exhibition of any type to feature two wheeled electric vehicles exclusively.” states curator Paul d’Orléans. “The electric motorcycle industry is exploding with new players investing in an electric future, and this exhibit will showcase contemporary manufacturers as the trail blazers of the industry and pay homage to electric pioneers.”

“We are thrilled to support the Motorcycle Arts Foundation and participate in the Electric Revolution exhibition at the Petersen Museum.” states Harley-Davidson Senior Vice President of Marketing and Brand Heather Malenshek. “Harley-Davidson is at the forefront of the changing consumer landscape within motorcycles and we are excited to showcase our halo product, LiveWire, within the powerful narrative this exhibit presents to the public.”

NMA TRACKS LEGISLATION–
Today we complete the first full calendar quarter of reporting motorist-related activity that is passing through state and federal legislatures. The NMA Bill/Regulation Tracker (Bill Tracker) was introduced in the Winter 2019 issue of Driving Freedoms and went live on Motorists.org in early January when most states began new legislative sessions.

Only three months in and it has already been an interesting experience. We want to share a few takeaways. We also encourage you to provide feedback on any specific legislative activity you think should be covered in the Bill Tracker but isn’t.

Legislators are paying attention to motorist issues. That’s the good news. That’s also the bad news.

Bills Supported by the NMA that Passed

Georgia Senate Bill 25
Clarifies statutory language of when a driver is obligated to stop for a school bus

Utah House Bill 149
Traffic code amendments referring to lane splitting by motorcyclists

Bills Opposed by the NMA that Failed or were Withdrawn

Mississippi Senate Bill 2580
Authorizes sheriffs and deputies to use radar speed detection equipment

Utah Senate Bill 80
Forces drivers in the queue to turn left at traffic signals to stay out of the intersection until each turning vehicle ahead of them has made the turn

Virginia Senate Bill 1555
Allows counties to double fines for speed limit violations on non-limited access highways having four or more lanes

Bills Supported by the NMA that Failed or were Withdrawn

Maryland House Bill 32
Would prohibit the Motor Vehicle Administration from basing a suspension or revocation of the registration of a vehicle on the vehicle owner’s failure to have the vehicle inspected and tested as required under the Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program

Maryland House Bill 984
A lane courtesy bill

North Dakota House Bill 1264
Would allow 75 mph speed limits on paved, divided multi-lane highways (unless otherwise restricted) and 80 mph on access-controlled, paved, divided multi-lane highways under the same provisions

North Dakota House Bill 1442
Would prohibit police from setting up DUI roadblocks to detain and question motorists without any reason to believe they are engaged in wrongdoing

Bills Opposed by the NMA that Passed
None

Fortunately, these guys believe in freedom and are on our side mostly.—Bandit

Motorcyclist profiling has been a growing problem in America.

Stopping and questioning motorcyclists based solely on their manner of dress is reprehensible and discriminatory in nature. Two states, Washington and Maryland, have passed legislation seeking relief from this practice.

On March 4, 2019, a despicable display of acrimony took place in the Idaho State Capitol. Motorcyclists arrived to witness a floor vote in the Senate on S1109, a bill written to reduce profiling of bikers. In a cruel twist of irony, two men were denied access to the hearing room until they removed clothing signifying affiliation in a motorcycle club. One was a member of the Brother Speed MC, and the other was an associate of the Vagos MC. This blatant display of disrespect for the principle of free speech in a government building, a supposed bastion of free speech, was outrageous.

It was Capitol Security, acting on orders from the Sergeant at Arms to the Senate, to deny the two men access into the hearing room. The riders complied with the order, because they did not want to miss the vote on S1109. Unfortunately, the bill failed passage by one vote, adding insult to injury.

ABATE of Idaho drafted a letter to every legislator in Idaho after the vote, demanding that the practice of denying entrance to a hearing room, based solely on clothing, cease and desist.

ABATE wrote, “Any government agent denying an individual access to Senate Chambers because they are wearing motorcycle club colors is a clear violation of speech, association and due process rights protected by the US Constitution. Motorcycle club colors are First Amendment protected expression and wearing motorcycle club colors is considered expressive conduct, particularly when that expression is political.”

ABATE received a response from the President Pro Tem of the Senate, Senator Brent Hill. In his response, Hill apologized for the inconvenience, but never offered a clarification of procedures. ABATE wrote back stating it wasn’t an inconvenience, but rather an unjustifiable act of discrimination. ABATE also asked Hill what the policy going forward would be concerning manner of dress at the Capitol

Hill replied that Senate Rule 46 (E) prohibited lobbying in the Senate or hearing rooms without permission, but ABATE pointed out that simply wearing motorcycle attire did not constitute lobbying under the definition of the term. Finally, Hill stated on March 13 that it was not the practice of the Senate to deny access solely based on the color of certain clothing.

The clarification of the policy, along with recognition by the Senate that the motorcyclists of Idaho were not going to allow this sort of contemptible behavior to go unchecked, marked a decided victory against the practice of profiling.

For more information on this and other issues concerning discrimination and profiling, visit the Motorcycle Profiling Project webpage http://www.motorcycleprofilingproject.com/

BIKERNET WELDING CLASS–What’s the difference between Mig and Tig Welding?

The major difference between Mig and Tig welding is that one process uses a continuously feeding wire (MIG) and the other you use long welding rods and slowly feed them into the weld puddle (TIG). MIG and TIG welding both use an electric arc to make the weld.

MIG welding is a very simple and easy process to learn compared to learning how to TIG weld. The technical names for these are metal inert gas (MIG), and tungsten inert gas (TIG).

A MIG welder works by using a continuously feeding spool of welding wire that burns, melts and fuses both the base and parent metals together. You can weld a variety of materials such as mild steel, stainless steel and aluminum.

A range of material thicknesses can be welded from thin gauge sheet metal right up to heavier structural plates.

TIG welding on the other hand is more commonly used for your thinner gauge materials. Items that are made with this process are things like kitchen sinks and tool boxes. The biggest benefit is that you can get your power down really low and not blow through the metal.

Pipe welding and other heavier tasks can also be performed, you just need to have a unit that is capable of putting out the amount of power that you need.

The main difference between MIG and TIG welding is that one method uses a continuously feeding electrode and is a very fast way of putting down welds. The other way is a much more fine and delicate welding technique.

The most versatile machine is the TIG welder as you can weld many different types of metals. The downside is that it is very slow. For anybody wanting to do some welding at home your better choice of machine to buy would have to be the wire feeding MIG welder.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Apalais

Florida Toddler Hijacks Dad’s Can-Am Spyder, Miraculously Survives Heavy Crash

It appears the three-year-old didn’t suffer any injuries, but the footage is still difficult to watch.

News from January 2, 2019 – A Florida man’s Can-Am Spyder was hijacked by his three-year-old daughter who proceeded to speed across an intersection and slam into a wall at a high rate of speed. Luckily, the little girl was flung from the vehicle before the crash and the latest reports claim that she is okay and already walking around.

The Spyder, however, not so much.

Next thing they knew, the toddler had commandeered the Spyder and was leaving the premises.

News at https://www.thedrive.com/news/25744/florida-toddler-hijacks-dads-can-am-spyder-miraculously-survives-heavy-crash

MOTO MADNESS–We spent Saturday at a great local event in Tellico Plains TN called March Moto Madness. We met some awesome people from all over the US, ate some tasty food and watched riders attempt to climb the hill on their dual sport motorcycles.

It was an impressive sight to see. One guy rode an electric dirt bike up the hill and it got hung up on the same ditch everyone else had trouble getting through and the bike came out from under the rider and went airborne doing a complete 360 in the air!

Holy cow that was awesome! Thankfully no one was injured and the rider rode the bike back down the track. Check out the Southern Biker Magazine Facebook page for videos of the runs.

If you have an event you would like to see printed in our magazine, feel free to submit that to www.SouthernBikerMagazine.com and we will add it.

–Southern Biker Magazine

SALT TORPEDO UPDATE—looking for lead rods for weight.

We are building a Harley-powered streamliner for Bonneville and need weight in the front. We need lead rods about 1-inch in diameter. We will need at least four about 2-feet long. Can you help? About how much would they weigh and cost?

Today will be damn exciting. We bought Wilwood calipers from Summit racing at a considerable discount. We will check the JIMS cooling fan installation. We have all the final fasteners for the front end and a safety clamp for the steering.

We now have a thumb throttle to test and all the gear to install the parachute release system. 

BRAKING INTO THE U.S. MARKET–Accossato Group, a leader in racing components — including brake master cylinders, throttle controls, brake calipers and rotors — is now available exclusively in the U.S. and Canada through MOTO-D Racing.

“Confidence to keep going when your competition is slowing because you have the best in brake stopping power, control, and feel can be the difference between earning a podium or not in today’s competitive series” says MOTO-D President Scott Diamond. “We are extremely proud and excited to offer the best from Italy in brake master cylinders and stopping components to our customers.”

Produced in Italy, Accossato Racing products are known around the world for their leading design and strict adherence to the highest quality standards possible. Accossato radial brake master cylinders are used extensively throughout World Championship racing in addition to Moto 2, Moto 3, British Superbike, Italian CIV, and MotoAmerica where maximum brake feel and power is required.

For more information about Accossato Racing products, including detailed specs and performance figures, parts and service, click on:

www.motodracing.com/accossato-racing

–Dealernews

The 12 directors also retainer-elected Tim Buche as MIC president and CEO. Buche has served as the leader of the MIC’s staff since 1996.

In addition, Derek Brooks recently became Yamaha’s new representative, appointed to the board, replacing Mike Doughty. Jeff Brown of EagleRider and Tim Calhoun of Helmet House were recently elected new members of the board.

“I’m excited to have these dedicated dozen powersports veterans donating their knowledge, skills and time to serve our industry and consumers,” Vitrano said. “Together with the MIC staff, we are hard at work on three strategic initiatives – ridership, research and government relations – plus three functional priorities – events, membership and communications. With a changing marketplace, continuing challenges on land access, and the need to keep motorcycles in the traffic mix as autonomous vehicles emerge, we have much to do on promoting, preserving and protecting the powersports industry.”

“I am proud to serve with such a dedicated group of industry professionals at the MIC, and excited about the strong one-team spirit it embodies,” Boderman said. “I am optimistic that through board and member involvement, we will realize our strategic initiatives and successfully navigate the transformation of mobility for current and future generations of powersports enthusiasts.”

The MIC Board of Directors

Chair
Paul Vitrano
Senior Assistant General Counsel
Indian Motorcycle and Polaris Industries
Appointed – no term limit

Vice Chair
Chuck Boderman
Vice President, Motorcycle Division
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Appointed – no term limit

Secretary/Treasurer
Jim Woodruff
Chief Operating Officer
National Powersport Auctions
Elected – term expires January 2020

Eric Anderson
Founder, President
VROOM Network
Elected – term expires January 2020

Derek Brooks
Motorcycle Product Line Manager
Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.
Appointed – no term limit

Jeff Brown
Co-Founder and Chief Administrative Officer
EagleRider
Elected – term expires January 2021

Tim Calhoun
National Sales Manager
Helmet House, Inc.
Elected – term expires January 2021

Kerry Graeber
Vice President MC/ATV Sales & Marketing
Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.
Appointed – no term limit

John Hinz
President
KTM North America, Inc.
Appointed – no term limit

Bill Jenkins
Senior Vice President Sales and Operations
Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.
Appointed – no term limit

Andrew Leisner
Senior Vice President, Managing Director
Bonnier Motorcycle Media
Elected – term expires January 2021

Mike Peyton
Vice President
BMW Motorrad USA
Elected – term expires January 2020

Note: Six maximum dues MIC members, based on market share, appoint directors to the board.

TRAILBLAZERS CELEBRATE 75 Years–
Still a hot ticket after all these years, it only took eight hours to sell every one of the 800 seats for the 75th annual Trailblazers banquet set for April 6 at the Carson Event Center in Carson, California.

Trailblazers Motorcycle Club President Don Emde authored this feature story about the long history of this incredible community, which functions as a sub-committee of the MIC Aftermarket Committee with a mission of helping to preserve motorcycling’s heritage. The MIC is proud to be the home of business operations and support for the Trailblazers.

Trailblazers banquet in 1947 – Don Emde Collection
For 75 years, the Trailblazers have been a group of fun-loving motorcycling enthusiasts and racers. Our mission has been, and continues to be, to keep the spirit of motorcycling alive by gathering annually to reconnect, remember and honor fellow motorcycling friends and associates.

Starting in the late 1920s, a Los Angeles area motorcycling enthusiast named A.F. Van Order would round up a number of riders and racers and they’d have get-togethers devoted to bench racing about the first generation of motorcycling in Southern California.

Many of the new and previous Trailblazers Hall of Fame inductees who attended the 2018 Trailblazers banquet. Back row: Larry Huffman, Kel Carruthers, Bill VanTichelt (behind Carruthers), Dallas Baker, Scott Autrey (behind Baker), Bryon Farnsworth, Bill Cody, Rob Morrison, Jim Odom (in front of Morrison), Judy Whitson, Lori Conway, Debbie Evans Leavitt (in front of Conway), Tom Horton, Susie Ellsworth, Buddy Stubbs, Alan D’Alo, Chuck Miller (behind D’Alo), Steve Storz, Sonny Nutter, Dennis Mahan, CH Wheat (behind Mahan), Ralph White, Chris Carter, Thad Wolff, Don Emde, Tony Murphy. Middle row: Jim Buchanan, Chuck Palmgren, Mike Konle, Del Kuhn, Stu Peters, Sammy Tanner, Bob Bailey, Neal Fergus, John Hateley, Steve Scott, Gary Jones. Front row: Jim Connolly, Preston Petty, Dan Haaby, Ernie Aragon. Photo by Dennis Suter

By 1940, it was time to get more serious, and formal, and “Van” organized the first official Trailblazers banquet. It was a “stag” event – men only – and one requirement was that you had to be riding motorcycles for 20 years or more. Pioneer motorcyclist Paul “Dare Devil” Derkum was elected the first president of the Trailblazers at the 1940 banquet and served for more than a decade. Others continued the tradition through the years, notably Floyd Clymer, publisher and legendary racer from the early days, who served as president until his death in 1970.

After Floyd’s passing, the annual gatherings were in limbo for several years. Spearheaded by Earl and Lucile Flanders and others, the banquets were reactivated a few years later, and women were more than welcome to attend. Eventually, motorcycle editor and publisher Bill Bagnall took the helm and presided over the Trailblazers for many years, later turning over the leadership duties to others. Bagnall passed away in 2006.

A wide variety of motorcycling enthusiasts and celebrities have attended the Trailblazers banquets through the years. Early day legends such as Erwin “Cannon Ball” Baker, Jack Milne, Joe Petrali, Ed Kretz, Bud Ekins and others were regulars, as were Hollywood stars such as Lee Marvin, Steve McQueen and Keenan Wynn. Through the years, numerous motorsports superstars and celebrities became Trailblazers, including Sammy Tanner, Dick Mann, Dan Gurney, Kenny Roberts, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Bruce Brown, Malcolm Smith and many more.

The Trailblazers M.C. has for many years honored members with interesting and notable accomplishments in the sport. There are currently more than 200 members who have been inducted into the Trailblazers Hall of Fame. In 2002, the club adopted the “Dick Hammer Award,” given annually to an individual who represents the level of “Drive, Determination and Desire” of the award’s namesake, Dick Hammer.

This year’s Hall of Fame inductees include race promoter Chris Agajanian; 1970s desert racing legend A.C. Bakken; motocross champion-turned industry exec Mark Blackwell (a former MIC chair); former Yamaha design guru Ed Burke; enduro champion who created his own motorcycle brand, John Penton; factory motocross star Rex Staten and pioneer trials rider and motocrosser Jim Wilson. Additionally, two American multi-time world champions, Eddie Lawson and Wayne Rainey, will each receive the Dick Hammer Award.

For more information, check out the Trailblazers website at www.trailblazersmc.com and on Facebook (Trailblazers Motorcycle Club).

Current Trailblazers president, Don Emde, is a lifelong motorcyclist whose family has been involved in the motorcycle sport and industry for more than a century.

A former professional racer, he and his father Floyd hold the distinction of being the only father and son to have each won the prestigious Daytona 200 motorcycle race. Don Emde Inc., publisher of motorcycle books and magazines, has been an MIC member since 1990.

More at EmdeBooks.com.

[page break]

CANTINA EPISODE COMING—Number 84 in the series. Something unfolds in every episode at Bandit’s Cantina. Dead guys are floating to the surface in the LA marinas and it’s messing with Cantina and Chowder Barge business. Bandit is forced to look into the dead guys found on boats or in the drink.

Hang on!

–Bandit

FUND RAISER, MAKE SURE THE BANDIT’S CANTINA BAD JOKE LIBRARY STAYS OPEN–GALLONS

If you had purchased $1,000 of shares in Delta Airlines 5 years ago, you would have $49.00 today! If you had purchased $1,000 of shares in Lehman Brothers 5 years ago, you would have $0.00 today.

But, if you had purchased $1,000 worth of beer one year ago, drank all the beer, then turned in the aluminum cans for the recycling refund, you would have received $214.00.

Based on the above, the best current investment plan is to drink heavily & recycle. It is called the 401-Keg.

And as a bonus…A recent study found the average American walks about 900 miles a year. Another study found that on average Americans drink 22 gallons of alcohol a year. That means that the average American gets about 41 miles to the gallon!

Makes you damned proud to be an American!

–EL Waggs

JUST IN FROM THE NMA–Missouri: Red Light Camera Victim Wins Jury Verdict

Woman arrested in St. Peters, Missouri over a red light camera ticket wins $100,000 judgment, plus legal fees.

The city of St. Peters, Missouri, will have to write a check for $100,000 for arresting Bonnie A. Roeder over a red light camera ticket. After a jury in St. Charles County delivered its verdict, Circuit Court Judge Jon A. Cunningham on Friday ordered the city to also pay the considerable legal bills Roeder racked up since her ordeal began seven years ago with the photo ticket she received in the mail.

On June 7, 2012, a Redflex red light camera photographed Roeder’s car allegedly entering a St. Peters intersection shortly after the light turned red. Redflex mailed Roeder a $110 ticket, but she ignored it. Roeder believed the citation was unlawful, ultimately having one of her main arguments validated by the Missouri Supreme Court, which ruled in her favor in 2015 (view St. Peters v. Roeder, 180k PDF).

Prior to that high court victory, St. Peters municipal court administrator Greg M. White on September 11, 2012, issued a warrant for Roeder’s arrest for failing to appear in court — even though the city had no ordinance making failure to appear an arrestable offense. Roeder beat the failure to appear charge at trial, and she also beat the red-light running charge (which the city appealed, and lost, at the high court).

Roeder fought back by suing St. Peters for false arrest and malicious prosecution. Roeder’s attorney, W. Bevis Schock, pointed out that the city used a trick by charging her not with failing to appear for the red light camera allegation, but for failing to appear on a charge of failing to appear.

“The city wished to aggressively pursue revenue from its red-light camera ticket program by causing citizens to fear arrest all the while skirting any concerns about the legality of the red light camera ticket program itself,” Schock explained. “Failure to appear was no crime in the city of St. Peters at that time and therefore her arrest pursuant to the warrant violated her Fourth Amendment right to be free of unlawful arrest.”

The jury declined to hold the court administrator personally liable for signing the bogus arrest warrant, and her false arrest claim was rejected. Roeder will receive $100,000 in compensation on the malicious prosecution charge.

A copy of the judgment is available in a 200k PDF file at the source link below.

Source: PDF File Roeder v. St. Peters (St Charles, Missouri Circuit Court, 3/29/2019)

–NMA

BRAND New Bikernet Reader Comment!
IT’S THE PITS:

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

Good article, I enjoyed that.

— Gerry
gereliz1973@gmail.com
Lindell Beach, BC, Canada

BIKERNET UNIVERSITY ENGLISH DEPARTMENT VOCABULARY LESSON–metathesis

[muh-tath-uh-sis]
noun
1.
the transposition of letters, syllables, or sounds in a word, as in the pronunciation aks for ask.

QUOTES

”NOO-kyuh-luhr”-sayers, who number in the many millions, in fact, move the l in nuclear to the final syllable and thus avoid the unusual pattern. (Linguists refer to this sound-switching process as metathesis.)
— Frank Abate, “On Language: Nuclear,” New York Times Magazine, January 12, 2003

ORIGIN

In linguistics, metathesis is the transposition of two consecutive letters or sounds of a word, as in the now nonstandard pronunciation aks for ask (Old English has the verbs áscian and axian, and Middle English has asken and axen).

Every well-disciplined schoolboy knows that in Greek quantitative metathesis is the change of long vowel + short vowel, e.g., eo, to short vowel + long vowel, eo. Metathesis comes via Late Latin metathesis “transposition of the letters of a word,” from Greek metáthesis “change, change of position, transposition,” a compound formed of the common Greek preposition and prefix metá, meta- “with, in the middle of, among” (metá is related to German mit and Old English mid “with,” as in the first syllable of midwife). Thésis “placing, location, setting” is a derivative of the verb tithénai “to put, place,” from the very common Proto-Indo-European root dhe- “to place, put,” and the source of Latin facere “to do” and English do.

Metathesis entered English in the 16th century.

QUICK REOPEN THE BANDIT’S CANTINA BAD JOKE LIBRARY– The wedding ceremony came to the point where the minister asked if anyone had anything to say concerning the union of the bride and groom.*

The moment of utter silence was broken when a beautiful young woman
carrying a child stood up. She starts walking slowly towards the minister.

The congregation was aghast – you could almost hear a pin drop. 

The groom’s jaw dropped as he stared in disbelief at the approaching young
woman and child.

*Chaos ensued.*

The bride threw the bouquet into the air and burst out crying.

Then the groom’s mother fainted.

The best men started giving each other looks and wondering how to save the
situation.

The minister asked the woman, “Can you tell us, why you came forward?

What do you have to say?”

There was absolute silence in the church.

The woman replied, “We can’t hear you in the back.”

Thus illustrating what happens when people are presumed guilty until
proven innocent.

–Sam Burns

DISTRACTED DRIVING ALERT–California father creates Xbox game to teach teens about distracted driving

ALAMEDA, Calif. (KTVU) – Teenage drivers often hear that they aren’t supposed to use phones while they drive, but the challenge is making it into a habit and developing skills that help them stay safe on the road.

One father from California launched a new video game Wednesday, which he hopes will help teenagers behind the wheel.

‘The rules of the road are very different than actually having experience on the road,” said Bob Davis, CEO of Virtual Driver Interactive based in the Sacramento area.

“I want to create those situations that are so dangerous that only way you can know it and experience it is through a game. In a safety way.

So, we always say we want teens to go through dangerous situations without being in danger. Then they’ll more prepared if something does happen,” said Davis.

According to most recent report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 3,450 people died in 2016 due to distracted driving crashes.

Davis says his simulation programs have been used nationwide in school districts, companies and even the U.S. Postal Service and UPS to help train drivers. Those programs, he says can cost thousands of dollars. The Xbox Driving Essentials game, he says, is being sold for $59.99 and will allow students and parents to access a more cost-effective driving simulator through a device that millions of people already have in their homes.

Teens are presented with real-life situations, such as having to look both ways after a traffic light turns green, in case other cars go through an intersection on a red light. It also shows the consequences of distracted driving. Instead of just crashing as in other typical video games and getting a re-set, or being rewarded with points if you race and drive recklessly, the Driving Essentials game presents realistic consequences a teen might face.

“We worked with a Sacramento Superior Court judge and there’s a segment in the program that when you’re driving in the distracted drive and anything happens, you end up in a courtroom face to face with a judge,” said Davis.

Davis says he started his company after a close call along I-680 in the Bay Area. A lawn chair flew off a truck in front of him and he says he had to swerve to avoid it. He said it made him think about how his own three children might have reacted with less experience, and how to encourage teens to practice their driving skills.

Davis says the video game is meant to supplement, not replace the traditional drivers education instruction.

“It’s illegal in California especially for teenagers, they cannot drive with their cell phones while operating a car,” said Mahboob Sherzad, CEO of Academic Driving School in Alameda.

Sherzad says during his five years training teenage drivers in the East Bay, he sees the need for teens to learn about the dangers of distracted driving.

Sherzad says the California DMV requires teens to complete 30 hours of online training, plus behind the wheel training with a driving school instructor and then drive with their parents.

“Six hours behind the wheel with a driving school and 50 hours with their parents,” said Sherzad.

Some parents say the Xbox driving simulator game is an interesting idea.

“They can practice and they’re more aware, and it’s simulated. It’s not an actual situation,” said Carmella Johnson, an Alameda parent.

“I played video games my whole life growing up,” said Devin Grigg, a father in Alameda, “I don’t know if that’s something I would have taken to, but if there’s something you can get kids excited about and video games is certainly that, if it can be positive, that’s good.”

–FOX KTVU

Mike was going to be married to Patricia so his father sat him down for a little chat. He said, ‘Mike, let me tell you something.

On my wedding night in our honeymoon suite, I took off my pants, handed them to your mother, and said, ‘Here, try these on!

She did and said, ‘These are too big, I can’t wear them.’

I replied, ‘Exactly, I wear the pants in this family and I always will.’

Ever since that night we have never had any problems

”Hmmm,’ said Mike. He thought that might be good thing to try.

On his honeymoon, Mike took off his pants and said to Patricia, ‘Here try these on.’ She tried them on and said, ‘These are too large, they don’t fit me. ‘

Mike said, ‘Exactly, I wear the pants in this family, and I always will. I don’t want you to ever forget that.’

Then Patricia took off her pants, and handed them to Mike. She said, ‘Here, you try on mine.’

He did and said, ‘I can’t get into your pants.’

Patricia said, ‘Exactly And if you don’t change your smart ass attitude, you never will.’

And they lived happily ever after!

–El Waggs

ELECTRIC ALERT–Harley-Davidson Aquires StaCyc, Maker of Electric-Powered Two-Wheelers For Kids

(Vaughan, ON) March 5, 2019 – Harley-Davidson, Inc. (NYSE: HOG) announces today that it has acquired StaCyc, Inc., producer of the 12 and 16 EDRIVE, electric-powered two-wheelers specifically designed for kids.

StaCyc, which entered the market in 2016, currently designs, markets and sells their EDRIVE models for kids, with an MSRP range of $649 to $699 USD. StaCyc EDRIVES are sold in the U.S. through powersports dealerships, including 29 Harley-Davidson® dealerships, online and in specialty bicycle retailers.

The acquisition of StaCyc expands Harley-Davidson’s electric portfolio and reinforces its commitment to lead in the electrification of motorcycling. Harley-Davidson previously announced plans to launch LiveWire™, a premium, high-performance electric motorcycle in fall 2019 and future lightweight and middleweight electric motorcycles at various price points starting in 2021. The StaCyc electric two-wheelers will provide an entry point for the youngest riders to enjoy the thrill of riding.

As a subsidiary, a Harley-Davidson branded version of StaCyc’s 12-inch and 16-inch models will be sold through select Harley-Davidson dealers. The branded products will be available in the U.S. in the third quarter of 2019.

StaCyc branded EDRIVES will continue to be sold through StaCyc’s existing distribution network.

Since its inception, StaCyc has inspired more than 6,000 new riders to join the sport through its fun and upbeat brand that focuses on sharing the love of riding through its line of kids’ electric two-wheeled products. The company has served as a catalyst for engaging riders at an early age and has been first to market with an entirely new category in both the motorcycle and bicycle markets.

“After a few conversations with Harley-Davidson, we realized that the ethos of our brands and our commitment to bringing more riders to motorcycling were incredibly aligned,” said Ryan Ragland, Founder of StaCyc. “The opportunity to work with the team at Harley-Davidson and have the support to carry out our mission to create the next generation of riders is exciting. Together we’re building a plan that fast-tracks our ability to help the industry create as many riders as possible.”

The StaCyc acquisition is the latest example of how Harley-Davidson is investing in opportunities that inspire increased ridership in the near-term and deliver sustainable growth for the future as part of its More Roads to Harley-Davidson plan. The accelerated plan, which was unveiled in 2018, focuses on building the next generation of riders through new products in additional motorcycle segments, providing broader access to the brand and products and a commitment to supporting and strengthening dealers globally.

Harley-Davidson previously unveiled its plans for its full portfolio of motorcycles, starting with LiveWire, which will be available for sale later this year in the U.S. Preorders in the U.S. are now open and the company announced today at the Geneva International Motor Show that preorders for Europe will begin in April.

–Cycle Canada

This month we have a Photo Feature covering – a V8 twin-turbo engine trike, love bug wedding trike, World Sidecar Racing schedule, Can Am Ryker benefits, Paul Jr. Designs Featured on American Chopper, Boss Hoss Lamborghini Trike, with the right dose of tech and rider experience.

Compiled by Wayfarer, send him your adventures, experience, reviews and feedback at wayfarer@bikernet.com — Let us know if you are a Dealer or Custom Builder and we will give you a global platform to share your work and accomplishments.

LIFESTYLE DEAL OF THE WEEK–014 Harley-Davidson FXDF – Dyna Fat Bob
$12,995.00

There is no more menacing a look than the twin headlights of a Harley-Davidson Fat Bob coming down the road with the rider’s fists punching into the air on the drag bars. Now, the Fat Bob gets darker cosmetics which evoke an even more menacing look.

The small twin headlights have black rings around them, the black wheels have a laser-engraved Harley-Davidson logo and rim stripe and the diagonal Harley emblem across the tank looks kind of military.

It’s powered by a 103 Twin Cam V-twin and you can feel its macho vibe rumbling up through the bars. Because it’s the rubber-mounted engine and isn’t counter-balanced like the B engines in the Softails, it revs freer and feels more aggressive and robust.

Harley has modernized the rear with two LED taillights behind a sloping perspex cover which looks very Corvette and very hot rod. The LED lights should also make the bike a little safer and less prone to rear-enders.

ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT INCLUDE:

Mean and not a cookie cutter bike. Vivid Black paint with silver graphic logos is very eye pleasing. Arlen Ness grips, chrome switch housings, levers, brake reservoir, and mirrors with blinkers on the backside. Vivid black console, chrome forks with vivid black cross ties and lower leg.

Vivid black machined, aluminum slotted disc rims. ABS braking system and Vance & Hines 2:2 exhaust. 2-up seat with H-D passenger pegs. Black sleeve chrome adjustable shocks. Chrome inverted cone round air cleaner.

Black fin motor, black powder rocker covers, six speed, cam with vivid black 103 cover, and primary with polished derby.Chrome horn cover, chain guard, and vivid black swing arm and battery cover. Tires are almost new, this bike is sic… AND ONLY 16,664 MILES!!!

This bike has passed Lifestyle Cycles rigorous 100 point safety and mechanical inspection. 

–Dan Leadbetter
Director of Marketing
Lifestyle Cycles
(714) 490-0155

[page break]

AT LAST THE BANDIT’S CANTINA BAD JOKE LIBRARY REOPENED–Three Holy Men!!

A Catholic Priest, a Baptist Preacher and a Rabbi were sitting around shooting the breeze.

Someone made the comment that preaching to people isn’t really all that hard, a real challenge would be to preach to a bear.

One thing led to another, and they decided that each would find a bear and attempt to convert it to their religion.

Seven days later, they all came together to discuss their experiences.

Father Flannery, who had his arm in a sling and had various bandages on his body and limbs, spoke first.

Well, he said, ‘I went into the woods to find a bear. And when I found him, I began to read to him from the Catechism. Well, that bear came after me and began to slap me around. So, I quickly grabbed my holy water, sprinkled him and, Holy Mary Mother of God, he became as gentle as a lamb.’

Reverend Billy Bob the Baptist spoke next.

The Priest and the Reverend both looked down at the Rabbi, who was lying in a hospital bed.

He was in a body cast and traction with monitors and IV’s running in and out of him.
The Rabbi looked up and said: ‘Looking back on it, circumcision might not have been the best way to start.’

–EL Waggs

IS THE HORSE Magazine TOAST?—Rumor has it subscribers got paid for their canceled subs and received the last issue.

–Bandit

JIMS TOOL OF THE WEEK– Twin Cam Engine Main Seal Remover and Installer

This specialty tool (Part No. 775) is designed to remove and install the crankcase main seal while the engine is still in the chassis.

For $160.85 MSRP the unique design reduces the risk of damage to the crankshaft and crankcase.

Manufactured from hardened tool steel, the kit includes adapters required for use on both Twin Cam 88® and Twin Cam 96® based engines.

For more information please contact us at (805) 482-6913, email us at sales@jimsusa.com, or visit www.jimsusa.com.

–Greg Thiessen
JIMS®
555 Dawson Drive,
Camarillo, CA 93012
Ph: 805-482-6913
www.jimsusa.com

Waco Biker Prosecutions Over After Nearly Four Years– All Remaining Charges Dropped

District Attorney admits “we are not able to prosecute any of those cases and reach our burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Nearly four years ago, over 170 people were arrested after a chaotic scene outside a meeting of biker clubs at the Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco, Texas,** in which both police and some bikers fired guns and nine people were killed (at least four of them almost certainly by police) and 20 injured.

Today, after years of highly questionable prosecutorial practices, the remaining 24 indictments have been dropped. No one will actually end up convicted for any crimes committed that day in May 2015.

Current McLennan County District Attorney Barry Johnson, who inherited the whole mess from former D.A. Abel Reyna, told the Waco Tribune that he spent 75 percent of his time since taking office in January trying to deal with the aftermath, and has concluded “after looking over the 24 cases we were left with, it is my opinion as your district attorney that we are not able to prosecute any of those cases and reach our burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Despite lacking any sure knowledge of who actually harmed anyone and who was just unlucky enough to be there, 155 people were indicted on the identical charge of “engaging in organized criminal activity” and held on punitively large $1 million bonds.

Despite causing severe harm to many of the arrestees’ lives—by either the time they spent in jail or by the indictments hanging over their heads—only one of the indictments ever even went to trial in the intervening years, and that one “ended in mistrial in November 2017, with most of the jurors in his case favoring acquittal,” as the Waco Tribune noted.

Reyna himself, in charge during the initial arrests and charges, had already dismissed all but 24 of the cases, and he re-indicted those suspects on different charges. The Tribune also pointed out that some other possible charges were no longer available to the D.A. as the absurdly overlong process in the case pushed them past the three-year statue of limitations.

New D.A. Johnson jabbed at Reyna, who he beat handily in an election last year:

In my opinion, had this action been taken in a timely manner, it would have, and should have, resulted in numerous convictions and prison sentences against many of those who participated in the Twin Peaks brawl. Over the next three years the prior district attorney failed to take that action, for reasons that I do not know to this day.

Reyna’s bad actions and planning, Johnson claims, cost the county at least $1.5 million in preparation, trial, security, and overtime costs.

And the potential costs to the county aren’t over yet. As the Waco Tribune reported, “more than 130 of the bikers have civil rights lawsuits pending against Reyna, former Waco Police Chief Brent Stroman, the city of Waco, McLennan County and individual local and state officers who were involved in the arrests.”

As attorney Don Tittle, who is representing over 100 such bikers, told the Waco Tribune:

Maybe if law enforcement had stuck with the original plan to focus on individuals who might have been involved in the violence and let the rest of the motorcyclists go after being interviewed, things would have gone differently…. It’s hard to imagine that turning the operation into a dragnet wasn’t a major distraction for the investigation, not to mention a public that grew increasingly skeptical as this thing played out. All this for an ill-advised attempt to prove an imaginary conspiracy theory, which to this day there’s not a shred of evidence to support.

Reason has reported on the case from the beginning, on such elements as the police department’s own role in the mayhem it claimed to be quelling, the civil rights implications of the mass arrests on the same generic charge, police attempts to obfuscate evidence, police presence on the grand jury, the absurd punitive nature of the $1 million bonds, the damage to defendants inherent from the start in the mass arrests, and the gradual falling apart of all the indictments over time.

**Correction: The post originally misidentified the location of the incident.

–Brian Doherty

Brian Doherty is a senior editor at Reason and author of Ron Paul’s Revolution: The Man and the Movement He Inspired (Broadside Books).

–Reason.com

–from Rogue

DAVE PEREWITZ SHIFTS FROM THE BAGGER WORLD—A brother is trying to decide whether to buy a bagger or not. Dave Perewitz shifted from baggers to the new, improved Softail models. He like the lighter, easier to maneuver model and the new M-8 engine.

He likes the weight of the new Softail and the seating. He added a fairing and bags to give himself touring capabilities. So there.

Come to the SmokeOut and see what Edge, the commander of the SmokeOut, ended up buying.–Bandit

CLASSIC GUITAR FOR SALE–I may have to part with a beautiful lady for a little while to continue funding The Underground Thieves, and life.

This isn’t a good one, it’s a great one. Nashville made Historic custom shop ‘59 (made in 1999). Serious inquiries only.

Email nickperrimusic@gmail.com

–Nick

LEGISLATIVE CALL TO ACTION–
Last week, we put out a call to action asking you to send an email to your elected U.S. Representative asking them to sign on and support H. Res. 255 to put an end to motorcyclists profiling.

If you have already sent a letter, we thank you for your support. If you have not sent a letter, please take a few minutes to ask your representative to co-sponsor the profiling resolution. We have doubled our co-sponsors over the past week and hope to keep the momentum going.

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation is working with the State Motorcycle Rights Organizations (SMRO), the National Council of Clubs (NCOC), the Motorcycle Profiling Project (MPP) and the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM) to call on our elected officials to end unconstitutional profiling of motorcyclists across our country. If your member of Congress has signed on, you can still ask them to lean on their colleagues to support these resolutions.

In December 2018, the United States Senate passed the same resolution with unanimous consent. We want to encourage the U.S. House of Representatives to join their colleagues in admonishing the unfair practice of targeting motorcyclists across the country.

TAKE ACTION NOW: Tell the U.S. House of Representatives that pulling over a motorcyclist because of his clothes, cut or bike is discriminatory and needs public attention.

Ride Free,

–Tiffany Cipoletti

QUICK, New Bikernet Reader Comment!–
The David Mann Chopper

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

This bike is perfect and takes you back to a great time in biker history!

–Mike
mikethestealth@hotmail.com
charlotte, nc

FLYOVER STATES REPORT–
They call them the ‘flyover states’, all those states the elitists in the media refer to when flying from LA to NYC. In other words 90% of America. Maybe these elitists should start calling them to “flee to states”.

The great state of Texas would like to welcome these fine Americans to their new home.

FOS pride.
–Agent Zebra

CHOW HALL OF THE WEEK– BBQ Productions in Lake Zurich, IL. is making some of the best Baby Back Ribs I have ever had.

https://youtu.be/d67sI2tZS1Y

There are layers and layers of flavor on these ribs! Kris the owner is an award winning BBQ competitor and Baby Back Ribs are his specialty! Get here and get some!!

Subscribe here, youtube.com/c/ABikerDude

–Bikerdude

MARIJUANA REPEALS HELP MOTORISTS–
Traffic searches of motorists by police are fraught with danger for officer and driver alike, especially if the driver is carrying an illicit drug such as marijuana. There is, however, one simple way to dramatically reduce the number of highway searches: legalizing marijuana.

That’s according to research from the Stanford Open Policing Project, which since 2015 has been tracking police traffic stops nationwide. The project examined traffic searches by highway patrols in Colorado and Washington in the years immediately after legalization and found that traffic searches dropped by nearly half in the aftermath of legalization. Legalization also reduced racial disparities in traffic stops, but blacks and Hispanics still continued to be searched at higher rates than whites.

In Colorado, out of every 100 traffic stops of white drivers, 0.4 percent resulted in searches prior to legalization. After legalization, that figure dropped to less than 0.1 percent (and approached zero in the second quarter of 2014).

Black drivers, who were subjected to traffic searches at a rate as high 1.3 percent prior to legalization, saw a more dramatic decrease in search rates, with the rate dropping to less than 0.2 percent by 2016.

Hispanic drivers saw a similarly dramatic reduction in traffic searches, from 1.0 percent prior to legalization to just over 0.1 percent in the wake of legalization.

A similar pattern took place in Washington state, with traffic searches of white and Hispanic drivers dropping by more than half. As in Colorado, searches of black drivers dropped even more dramatically, from 0.4 percent in 2012 to 0.1 percent in 2016.

The Stanford Open Policing Project also looked at comparative data from a dozen states that had not legalized marijuana and found that traffic search rates remained high. While some states showed reductions in traffic searches over time, they also tended to conduct traffic stop searches at a significantly higher rate than Colorado and Washington.

The simple act of legalizing marijuana eliminated one of the most common reasons for police to initiative traffic searches—and it happened in a hurry. Colorado traffic searches dropped by 30 percent immediately upon legalization, then flattened out to a 50 reduction within the first year. In Washington, searches dropped by more than half within three months of legalization and stayed at that reduced rate.

In a country with significant tensions between police and citizens, especially racial minorities, reducing the rate of traffic search is one means of restoring public trust in police.

Phillip Smith is a writing fellow and the editor and chief correspondent of Drug Reporter, a project of the Independent Media Institute. He has been a drug policy journalist for the past two decades. He is the longtime author of the Drug War Chronicle, the online publication of the non-profit StopTheDrugWar.org, and has been the editor of AlterNet’s Drug Reporter since 2015. He was awarded the Drug Policy Alliance’s Edwin M. Brecher Award for Excellence in Media in 2013.

This article was produced by Drug Reporter, a project of the Independent Media Institute.

–Alternet

NEW CHOPPERTOWN RELEASE–
Choppertown presents Ride On the Movie

“Metal that takes shape, kaleidoscopic colours and dreams that come true.”

The custom-built choppers created by Frankino of Chop Works are the result of a fascination with the ‘60s & ‘70s. Each motorbike has its own soundtrack, its own personality, its own journey.

The motorcycle is the means of transport that takes us on a ride through a world of customizations, graphics, music and underground realities, not only in “Motor City Turin”, but throughout Italy and Europe.

Versatile artists, musicians and custom painters recount the story of Chop Works, the world that surrounds it, and bizarre situations that recall B-movies from the 1960s. Ride On is an independent docufilm by Luca Mazza.

–Zack and Scott

Carnegie SVRA under threat!!–
Senate Bill 767 is being heard in the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee on April 9.

This bill again attempts to deny the OHV community a long overdue opportunity for increased motorized recreational opportunities on property purchased using funds from the Off Highway Vehicle Trust Fund over 20 years ago.

This legislation ignores the fact that a majority of the opposition comes from local land owners, many of whom previously agreed to the acquisition, and disregards the legislature’s own approval of the purchase expressly for OHV recreation.

This important State Vehicle Recreation Area has been part of the California State Parks system since 1980, when the site was purchased by the California Department of Parks and Recreation. Prior to that the 1,500+ acres was privately owned and enjoyed by generations of motorized recreationists, including a period when it was operated as a private motorcycle park.

AMA members and indeed all OHV recreationists must immediately contact their elected officials and remind them of the agreement that was made when the expansion properties were acquired. It is also important to remind them that the program uses no general fund monies and is in fact based on a user-pay, user-benefit style model. Monies used to pay for the program include those taxes collected on fuel, SVRA entrance fees and vehicle registrations (green and red stickers).

The OHV community has long paid their own way and will continue to do so as long as these monies are used for their intended purpose.

Begin by clicking on the “Take Action” link and following the instructions.

Take Action

Now more than ever, it is crucial that you and your riding friends become members of the AMA to help protect our riding freedoms. More members mean more clout against the opponents of motorcycling. That support will help fight for your rights – on the road, trail and racetrack and in the halls of government.

Join the AMA at americanmotorcyclist.com.

State of the Climate 2018: Global Warming Is Not Accelerating

The World Meteorological Organization is misleading the public by suggesting that global warming and its impacts are accelerating. In fact, since 2016 global average temperature has continued to decline.

That’s according to Norwegian Professor Ole Humlum, whose annual review of the world’s climate is published today by the Global Warming Policy Foundation.

Last week, the WMO issued its own review of the climate, which insinuated that global warming was worsening. However, Professor Humlum points out that the data tells a very different story:

“Reading the WMO report, you would think that global warming was getting worse. But in fact, it is carefully worded to give a false impression. The data are far more suggestive of an improvement than a deterioration.”

And the lack of anything to be alarmed about is clear across a range of measures, says Professor Humlum:

“After the warm year of 2016, temperatures last year continued to fall back to levels of the so-called warming “pause” of 2000-2015. There is no sign of any acceleration in global temperature, hurricanes or sea-level rise. These empirical observations show no sign of acceleration whatsoever.”

Professor Humlum’s key findings:

* In 2018, the average global surface temperature continued a gradual descent towards the level characterising the years before the strong 2015–16 El Niño episode.

* Since 2004, when the Argo floats came into operation, the global oceans above 1900m depth have on average warmed somewhat. The maximum warming (between the surface and 120 m depth) mainly affects oceans near the equator, where the incoming solar radiation is at a maximum. In contrast, net cooling has been pronounced for the North Atlantic since 2004.

* Data from tide gauges all over the world suggest an average global sea-level rise of 1– 1.5 mm/year, while the satellite record suggests a rise of about 3.2 mm/year. The large difference between the two data sets still has no broadly accepted explanation.

* The Northern Hemisphere snow cover extent has undergone important local and regional variations from year to year. The overall global tendency since 1972, however, is for overall stable snow extent.

* Tropical storm and hurricane accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) values since 1970 have displayed large variations from year to year, but no overall trend towards either lower or higher activity. The same applies for the number of hurricane landfalls in the continental United States, for which the record begins in 1851.

— Global Warming Policy Foundation

TWO MOTORCYCLE MACHINE SHOPS FOR SALE—We know of two successful motorcycle parts manufacturing companies for sale. They are both successful and not major companies, so the price isn’t over the top.

Drop me a line if you’re seriously interested.

–Bandit
Bandit@Bikernet.com

WHAT COULD IT MEAN—We’re scrambling around the shop and I spaced on the Weekend Round-up. I’ll come up with something. Barry sent me some great girls.

This is Frankie’s (my grandson’s) Dyna. We recently shot it for a feature in Cycle Source. But he’s been riding the FXR more recently. He’s digging it.

Hang on for the next Salt Torpedo report. We are almost ready for fiberglass and paint.

In the meantime Ride Free Forever.

–Bandit