Jace Owen and Pirelli SCORPION™ MX Tires Clinch Arenacross Championships in Salt Lake City Jace Owen clinched both Pro Class Championships in Kicker Arenacross. | Photo – Phoenix Racing Phoenix Racing Honda to Debut at Eastern Regional Monster Energy Supercross ROME, Ga. (February 26, 2019) – The penultimate round of the 2019 Kicker Arenacross Championship in Salt Lake City, Utah was dominated by the Phoenix Racing Honda team, capturing both the 250 Pro and Open Pro Championshipswith Jace Owen. Owen showcased the performance of Pirelli’s SCORPION™ MX32™ tires by sweeping the 250 Pro and Open Pro classes on both Friday and Saturday nights racing alongside teammates Freddie Noren and Isaac Teasdale. “Everyone at Pirelli would like to congratulate the Phoenix Racing Honda team on an incredible season in the Kicker Arenacross Championship,” said Josh Whitmire, Director of Sales, Pirelli. “Jace Owen proved that he is competing at a high level, week after week, and that the SCORPION™ MX32™ tires were ready to match the same intensity he brought to the racetrack. We’re excited to see the team of Owen, Noren, and Teasdale continue their efforts with a debut in the Monster Energy Supercross Championship this weekend at Pirelli’s home race in Atlanta.” On Friday night, Owen was relentless as he stormed to the 250 Pro Class win, followed by Teasdale and Noren in second and third, respectively. The Open Pro Class once again saw Owen take the checkered flag, while teammates Noren and Teasdale swapped results to complete the podium. The double victory by Owen was enough for him to be crowned champion in both classes. As the gate dropped on Saturday night’s action, it was Owen who put in another impressive ride to emerge victorious in the 250 Pro Class, just ahead of Teasdaleand Noren. The tables turned for the Open Pro Class as Noren raced to his first victory of the season, ending Owen’s perfect run in 2019. Teasdale rode strong to finish second and Owen helped the team sweep the podium with a hard-fought third. Jace Owen (#115), Isaac Teasdale (#119) and Freddie Noren (#101) put their SCORPION MX tires up front. | Photo – Phoenix Racing “What an incredible feeling to end the Arenacross season with both championships,” said Owen. “There have been a lot of ups and downs the last few years, but this makes every struggle and all of the hard work worth it. My Pirelli tires consistently got me off the gate to good starts and hooked up all season long. I can’t wait to keep this momentum rolling as we head to Atlanta!” With both Kicker Arenacross Championships wrapped up, the Phoenix Racing Honda team makes their Monster Energy Supercross Championship debut this week in Atlanta. All three team riders will look to carry their momentum into the Eastern Regional 250SX Class for the first of two 250SX East/West showdowns. To learn more about the complete line of Pirelli motorcycle tires, please visit www.pirelli.com Results Kicker Arenacross Championship Maverik Center – Salt Lake City, Utah Friday, February 22, 250 Pro

1. Jace Owen
2. Isaac Teasdale
3. Fredrik Noren

Open Pro

1. Jace Owen
2. Freddie Noren
3. Isaac Teasdale

Saturday, February 23 250 Pro

1. Jace Owen
2. Isaac Teasdale
3. Fredrik Noren

Open Pro

1. Freddie Noren
2. Isaac Teasdale
3. Jace Owen

 

Utah Appropriations Committee urgently needs push to support Bonneville Salt Flats restoration

Your email support is critically important

As part of its work with SEMA, the Save the Salt Coalition and the Utah Alliance, the AMA recently asked Utah residents to contact their state legislators to ask for their support for a program to restore the Bonneville Salt Flats.

The race track at Bonneville-once 13 miles long-is now less than 8 miles, due to salt erosion. The Utah legislature is considering a 10-year program to dramatically increase the amount of salt pumped onto Bonneville.

As a result of input like yours, the Utah Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee has ranked our “Restore Bonneville” budget request No. 4 of 28 budget requests. If it keeps this ranking, Utah’s Restore Bonneville program should be funded in the state budget that will be up for approval in mid-March. The program will dramatically increase the volume of salt being pumped onto Bonneville Salt Flats each year.

We are not finished. Using a Bonneville analogy, we’ve just entered the timing lights for a land speed record. Now the hardest part: the budget requests must still be approved by a second group, the Utah legislature’s Executive Appropriations Committee, which could change the rankings.

Your very important task now is to contact the Utah Executive Appropriation Committee members right away. Please send a personalized email to all the members of the committee now. Their decision will determine if the restoration program gets funded.

Follow this link Take Action to enter your information, and edit our prewritten message to express your personal stance and reasons for supporting this funding.

The prewritten email can stand on its own as written, but it will be MUCH more effective if you edit both the subject line and the content to stress your involvement with the Bonneville Salt Flats. If you are a land speed racer and/or Utah resident, please put that in your subject line and first line of your email. Whether you are a racer, on-site spectator or fan, please add a few sentences describing the importance of Bonneville Salt Flats to you, your family or your business.

Thank you in advance for providing comments. Please forward this alert to any of your Bonneville Salt Flats racer or fan friends and ask them to do so, as well. If you do send a letter, please forward a copy to us at grassroots@amacycle.org.

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

If you are an AMA member, encourage your friends to join by telling them about the many AMA benefits you appreciate and the role the AMA plays in promoting the motorcycle lifestyle and protecting the future of motorcycling.

Hey,

Here’s the deal. I fight for freedom and I side with the Freedom Fighters, which are Republicans. Okay, I’m going to scramble through a few points. I grew up a workingman’s son. He was a Democrat, so I remained a Democrat until I became involved in Bikers Rights.

I discovered that the folks who wanted restrictive safety laws, punishment regulations and less freedoms were Democrats. I was forced to shift. Sorta like our President. At one time he was a Democrat, but in business he was forced to shift.

I don’t like the current political climate. It’s become a world of us against them and visa versa. It doesn’t need to be that way at all. We could be living in the best of times, dancing in the streets if everyone understood the code of Freedom, which our country once stood for.

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.

FIRST GUN NUT REPORT–West Virginia Campus Carry Law – Fear and Loathing at the State’s Universities

“To say that this legislation goes against everything we want in our academic institution is an understatement. We chose to seek higher education because we want to solve the world’s problems with our words and our ideas, not with guns and violence.”

Those are the words of a group of 150 students and faculty members of West Virginia University in Morgantown. They’re in a tizzy over the West Virginia legislature’s consideration of house bill that would legalize campus carry, allowing students of the state’s universities who have concealed carry permits to fully exercise their Second Amendment rights.

–BY DAN ZIMMERMAN |

Klock Werks UTV Flare™ Windshield for
Textron Wildcat XX Named Powersports
Business Nifty 50 Award Winner—

Klock Werks UTV Flare Windshield for
Textron Wildcat XX recently named by Powersports Business magazines as
one of the “Nifty 50” award recipiente.

Powersports Business, for the 20th consecutive year, has selected 50 aftermarket products and services that the editors believe will best boost dealership profitability through innovation in
2019 – the Powersports Business Nifty 50. The monthly publication, which provides marketspecific data to powersports dealers and those in the industry, selected the Klock Werks UTV Flare™ Windshield for Textron Wildcat XX as one of those 50, even with more entries submitted than ever before.

“For 20 years, Powersports Business magazine has started the year by encouraging aftermarket
parts and accessories companies to submit their top products for consideration on the Nifty 50 list,” editor in chief Dave McMahon said. “Klock Werks made the list by extending its proven motorcycle windshield designs to the side-by-side segment, the fastest growing sector in powersports. An innovative product that adds to dealer profitability? That’s nifty to us.

The UTV Flare™ Windshield for Textron Wildcat XX from Klock Werks uses their patented air management
technology that was originally
born on the Bonneville Salt Flats. The Flare™
Windshield is designed to push air up and
over the cab and around the edges of the UTV eliminating dust and debris from entering and swirling within the cab. The half-shield is made of polycarbonate and uses a patented thumb screw clamping system to attach to the cage of the UTV.

Winners of the award were announced in the February issue of Powersports Business that
arrived at dealerships earlier this month. This is the third time Klock Werks has received this prestigious award. Other Klock Werks parts that have received this honor were the Flare™ Windshields for Honda Gold Wing and F6B, in 2014, and the NavBag, in 2013.

“We are honored to receive this award for the third time since we started entering our products,” said Brian Klock, President of Klock Werks. “While we don’t win every year, I feel it’s a service Powersports Business provides to continue to push us all forward. Innovation drives our industry
and we are thankful to be selected this year for our Textron Wildcat XX design!”

NEWS FROM THE MOTORCYCLE INDUSTRY COUNCIL–It’s Infectious! Exposing More

Motorcycles.org staff is gearing up to put more New York City journalists and influencers on two wheels, many for their first time, in April and May. The industry’s media outreach program will be hosting FirstRides, three-hour experiences that give guests their first taste of motorcycling, and the MSF Basic RiderCourse, which puts students on the path toward earning their motorcycle license.

“FirstRide is a fun, low-pressure way to introduce non-riders to the excitement of being on two wheels,” said Andria Yu, MIC director of communications. “This will be our second time hosting FirstRides in New York City. Our first was really popular because everyone learned at their own pace. No one gets counseled out. Even if they don’t put their feet on the pegs, they were so happy to feel a motorcycle roll forward as they power-walked it. Everyone goes away with such a positive experience that they want to come back for more. It’s infectious!”

–MIC

NEWS FROM THE DOOMSDAY CROWD–Democrat House Oversight Subcommittee Schedules Hearing on Climate Change, Democrats Don’t Show Up…

You can’t make this stuff up if you tried. All we ever needed to know about the purely political use of ‘climate change’ as a manufactured tool for electoral votes is visible in this one moment. Democrats, led by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the Green New Deal, have been claiming the world will end in twelve years if Climate Change is not addressed.

To highlight their commitment to the urgent need, Speaker Nancy Pelosi created a House subcommittee dedicated to selling the need for the Green New Deal. To reinforce the urgency, the new House Oversight Subcommittee scheduled a hearing with the intent to target climate change deniers called: “The Denial Playbook”. The hearing was today.

A panel was set to deliver testimonials and statements to advance the priorities of the Democrat congressional team selling the Green New Deal; except, well, the majority Democrats ran into a problem…. they didn’t show up for the hearing.

According to the position of Democrats and the GND supporters, the world is ending in less than twelve years. Yet, no-one shows up for their Climate Change hearing?

With only two democrats showing up for the hearing; and highlighting the fraud that surrounds the entire premise of the effort; and with four sub-committee republicans who did show up, outnumbering the Democrat majority; ranking minority member Louie Gohmert made a motion to adjourn.

The adjournment motion passed 4 votes to 2 and the hearing was adjourned.

NEW FXRG MODULAR HELMET AND MESH RIDING JACKETS ENHANCE HARLEY-DAVIDSON SPRING RIDING GEAR–Enhance any ride with gear from Harley-Davidson’s FXRG® Collection through customized comfort, innovation and convenience. Created for the ultimate riding experience and road-tested for proven performance the FXRG Collection lets riders ride with confidence.

New this spring is the FXRG® Sun Shield H29 Modular Helmet (P/N 98359-19VX, $500*), the perfect helmet offering reliable comfort for both men and women. Made with a fiberglass shell reinforced with carbon and carbon-glass, this lightweight and aerodynamic helmet features a 3D engineered interior to help reduce road and wind noise.

Two large intake vents and one large exhaust vent with flow-through channeling help riders stay cool while riding in warm temperatures. RapidFire™ sun shield features 99 percent UV protection and is anti-fog pin prepared to make for an enjoyable ride.

Pair this helmet with the men’s FXRG® Mesh Slim Fit Riding Jacket (P/N 98389-19VM, $525*) or women’s FXRG® Mesh Riding Jacket (P/N 98333-19VW, $495*). Designed to help circulate cooling air, these jackets are made with a Coolcore lining to wick moisture and regulate temperature whether riding in warm or cool climates. Strategically placed Cordura® stretch panels enhance functionality by ensuring mobility. Flexible, lightweight removable Dianese Pro-Armor at elbows and shoulders with several pockets and zippers help enhance any ride on the open road. A black finish with H-D® graphics across the chest make for a fashionable, yet functional piece.

The new FXRG Collection is available in most Harley-Davidson dealerships and also available online at H-D.COM/FXRG.

*Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price, excluding taxes and shipping. Prices at local dealerships may vary.

AMA LEGISLATIVE ALERT–Contact your representative today to support H.R. 1024!

U.S. Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.) and U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Fla.) have reintroduced the “Consumer Protection and Fuel Transparency Act of 2019” in the U.S. House (H.R. 1024). The American Motorcyclist Association supports this bill.

The AMA has repeatedly warned of the dangers of E15 (15 percent ethanol by volume) for motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles, because none of the estimated 22 million motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles in use in the United States is certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to operate on fuel containing more than 10 percent ethanol. Use of E15 in vehicles not designed for its use can damage fuel system and engine components and void manufacturer’s warranties.

This bipartisan legislation would require the EPA to revise the labeling requirements for pumps that dispense E15 and conduct a consumer education campaign to inform the public about the risks of improper use of E15 and the vehicles and equipment that are prohibited from using E15.

Unlike current the current E15 label (below), which doesn’t mention motorcycles specifically, the new label would call out motorcycles, ATVs, boats, lawnmowers, chainsaws and snowmobiles with pictograms of these vehicles and equipment specifically prohibited from using E15. This would be a huge improvement over the current label, which can leave consumers guessing whether or not E15 is acceptable for their vehicle.

Also included in this legislation are provisions specific to blender pumps that would require warnings about residual high-ethanol-content blends left in the fueling hose from the previous customer. This bill would finally warn consumers about this hidden risk.

The public education campaign about the risks of E15 that is included in this legislation will take place on the fuel pumps themselves. The bill would direct the EPA to develop an electronic message to be displayed at the pump prior to dispensing E15. The message would warn consumers about which vehicles and equipment are prohibited from using E15 and the risks of improper E15 use.

Tell your representative to support H.R. 1024: Take Action

IS THIS FROM THE BAD COP FILE OR NOT–Police ‘Code of Silence’ Is on Trial After Murder by Chicago Officer

Three Chicago police officers — from left, David March, Thomas Gaffney and Joseph Walsh — are accused of covering up what had really happened when a white police officer shot Laquan McDonald, a black teenager.

Credit
Pool photo by Zbigniew Bzdak

By Monica Davey

CHICAGO — Inside a cramped and worn courtroom, three white police officers are on trial in connection with the fatal shooting of a black teenager, Laquan McDonald. But these officers never fired their guns. Their crime, prosecutors say, was concocting a story to cover up for a colleague who did.

As prosecutors tell it, Chicago police officers shooed away eyewitnesses after the shooting on Oct. 20, 2014, and then made up a narrative to justify the shooting. They said in official reports that the teenager had tried to stab three officers, and that he had tried to get up from the ground as 16 shots were being fired into him.

The only hitch? Dashcam video footage of the encounter contradicted their account.

Patricia Brown Holmes, a special prosecutor trying the three officers on charges of conspiracy, official misconduct and obstruction of justice, told a judge last week: “Instead of serving and protecting all citizens of Chicago, the defendants tried to protect only one — Jason Van Dyke,” the police officer who was convicted this fall of second-degree murder in the shooting.

On trial along with the officers is the “code of silence” that police officers across the country have been accused of operating under. In Chicago, the issue has been around for decades, bubbling up in recent years in cases involving a drunk-driving officer, an off-duty officer’s beating of a bartender and a lawsuit by two police officers who said they faced retaliation after breaking the code.

 NEW SHIPMENT OF 5-BALL LEATHERS ARRIVED—With a couple of new units.

We ordered just a couple of black Speedway shirts in a light lllllll leather without Sleeves. I like mine in brown. It’s become my go-to vest for around town, not so much for riding. When I need a vest to carry my phone, notes, sunglasses, and stuff, it hits the spot. I can wear it over a flannel for additional warmth or over a T-shirt to make up for missing pockets.

They are not in the shop yet, so if you’re interested drop me a line and we’ll make it happen. Or check out the Speedway full shirts in the shop.

–Bandit

AUSTRALIAN CLUB NEWS–
Tasmania’s antibiker laws being enforced.
Saturday, 16 February 2019

Eight convicted criminals have been served with “official warning notices” as part of new controversial anti-consorting laws to stop organised crime groups, such as outlaw motorcycle clubs, from gaining a foothold in Tasmania, Australia’s island state.

The anti-biker laws were given the tick of approval in September after legislation restricting members of outlaw motorcycle clubs from wearing club colours in public passed at the end of August.

Tasmania Police Assistant Commissioner Richard Cowling told local media the rollout of the first official warning notices occurred during January and were initially confined to a small number of convicted criminals based in the North-West of the state.

The tool, which prevents known criminals from associating, will be used by cops statewide over the coming months, with the prohibited insignia legislation also expected to be in force by August.

“Eight convicted criminals were each personally served notices not to associate with one another, with 56 notices being served in total,” Assistant Commissioner Cowling said.

“The notices remain in force for five years and during that time, if the served convicted offenders are found consorting with any of the other served convicted offenders in the absence of a legitimate defence on two or more occasions, they face arrest and prosecution.”

The five motorcycle clubs known to be on Tasmania Police’s radar are the Bandidos, Rebels, Outlaws, Devils Henchmen and Black Uhlans.

Police Minister Michael Ferguson said the State Government would continue to take a “tough-on-crime” approach in a move to deter serious offenders from establishing, maintaining and expanding their networks.

“Our prohibited insignia legislation will give police the tools they need to crack down on criminal bikie gangs, as well as send a clear message that organised crime gangs are not welcome in Tasmania,” Mr Ferguson said.

“The regulations that will prescribe the identified organisations that the law applies to will be in force within the next six months as we follow due process set out in the Act.

“This comes on top of our consorting laws, which Tasmania Police has already started using to prevent crime by keeping known criminals from associating.”

Under the amended Police Offences Act ,a “prohibited item” is any piece of clothing, jewellery or accessory that displays the name, club patch or logo of an identified group.

It also bans any image, symbol, abbreviation, acronym or other form of writing that indicates membership of, or an association with, an outlaw motorcycle club, including the 1 per cent symbol.

REAL NEWS PRESIDENT TRUMP DOESN’T WANT YOU TO MISS
Trump Vows ‘New Day’ for Venezuela
-NBC News

“The people of Venezuela are standing for freedom and democracy, and the United States of America is standing right by their side,” President Donald J. Trump said on Monday at Florida International University in Miami. The President also addressed the American far left. “To those who want to try to impose socialism on the United States, we again deliver a very simple message: America will never be a socialist country.”

Border Apprehensions Jump 84 Percent, 606,000 Expected This Year
-Washington Examiner

“January saw a surprising surge of 22,000 more apprehensions of illegal immigrants at southwest border crossings over January 2018, prompting a key predictor to suggest that border officers will make over 600,000 apprehensions this year,” Paul Bedard reports. “The year-over-year increase was 84 percent, from 25,975 in January 2018 to 47,893 last January, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.”

An Illegal Immigrant Killed My Daughter. Trump’s Right—We Must Complete the Border Wall.
-USA Today

Retired educator Dan Ferguson writes that his beloved daughter Mandy, a 28-year-old sixth-grade teacher, was killed last year by a criminal who should never have been in the United States. “In his declaration of a national emergency on our southern border, President Trump recognized the Americans who experienced the consequences of that emergency firsthand: angel moms and dads. I never expected I would be one of them.”

Trump Officially Directs Pentagon to Create Space Force Legislation for Congress
-CNBC

“President Donald Trump signed a directive on Tuesday that ordered the Department of Defense create a Space Force as a sixth military branch,” Michael Sheetz and Amanda Macias report. “The directive orders the Pentagon draft legislation for Congress that would create the Space Force as a part of the U.S. Air Force.” This move sets in motion the creation of America’s first new military branch in more than 70 years.

Ivanka Trump Examines UPS Training at Facility in Gwinnett

-The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump toured a UPS driver training facility in Duluth, Georgia, with Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) on Wednesday, detailing the Trump Administration’s focus on workforce development. Last year, UPS “signed a pledge in support of President Trump’s workforce development initiative, committing to offer opportunities for career advancement to more than 50,000 employees.”

Opinion: Trump Stays Tough on Socialism
-The Detroit News

“President Trump’s speech Monday afternoon in Miami wasn’t just directed at Nicolas Maduro and the socialists of Venezuela — it was also a stark reminder to left-leaning Americans that socialism’s days are ‘numbered,’” Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer writes. “As Democrats rally around radical proposals such as ‘Medicare-for-all,’ free college tuition, enormous minimum wage increases, and even guaranteed basic income, it was President Trump’s responsibility to remind us that socialism’s sweeping promises are always empty.”

Lower Tax Refunds Show How the Republican Tax Cut is Keeping Money in Your Hands All Year
-USA Today

NEWS FROM THE NMA--E-ZPass is Anything But EASY

Abuses by tolling authorities continue to mount. The lawsuit filed last year in U.S. District Court by Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association and the NMA against the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission for collecting inflated tolls to pay for projects unrelated to the operation and maintenance of the Turnpike continues under the purview of a federal judge. She is considering constitutional arguments involving the U.S. Commerce Clause. In another class action suit filed in 2018, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority is accused of overcharging E-ZPass administrative fees.

But it may take more stories like the one below from a couple in Delaware to illustrate just how predatory the tolling system can be. The couple’s wife sent us the letter that follows. It is similar to one she forwarded to several Delaware state officials detailing her family’s untenable predicament at the hands of the Delaware E-ZPass system.

Dear Delaware,

For the first time in my life, we have contemplated moving. I have never been so brokenhearted at the way I have been treated from the state that I love.

I have had an E-Zpass account since 2003. As I write this, there is a positive balance of $27.12 in the account. My husband’s truck was due for renewal on January 23, 2019. When I went to do the online renewal a few weeks before that, on January 3rd, the attempt failed. My husband called DMV and was told because of E-ZPass violations there were registration blocks on both of our vehicles.

As we started to peel away the layers, it turned out that the blocks were due to over $10,000 in E-ZPass violations. No typo-$10,000 owed on an account that continues to show a surplus when we check the balance. How is that possible?

We were shocked to appear to be blatant toll violators. You would think there would be flags, steps of progression to alert us to mounting penalties long before blocks were placed on our vehicle registrations. Closing our account, blocking our transponders, a notice from the state that there was a serious issue. But none of that occurred.

We were directed to speak to the collection agency that E-ZPass couldn’t help at that point until we cleared up the penalty debt. In turn, the agency said they were just following E-ZPass directions. To dispute the debt, we must do so in writing to the agency, a process they said would take six to nine weeks to investigate.

That’s an awful cycle. My husband and I work full time and have 3 children. Now neither of us has a vehicle to drive to work.

I spoke to an administrator at the Delaware DMV. He advised not to waste my time trying to resolve the matter with the collection agency. He arranged for a supervisor from TransCore, which operates E-ZPass, to call me. The message she left was unyielding: The account was past due and all unpaid tolls and penalties would have to be resolved. The payment plan she laid out would require an initial payment of over $2,500 and then nine monthly installments of more than $900 each.

Even loan sharks would be in awe of an enterprise that can turn a past-due balance of $200 into a crippling $10,000 debt. If she hasn’t already, the Delaware attorney general as top consumer protection official in the state should launch an investigation into this case, and other state attorneys general in the E-ZPass network should pay close attention.

BRAND New Bikernet Reader Comment!–
Weekend Round-Up Always Late

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

Wheredya git that nice Orange/Black fairing for the Dyna??? Different, cool!

–Paul Dispensa
pdispensa@plrb.org
Chicago, IL

Hey Paul, I believe that’s a Harley fairing custom painted by Chris Morrison. I still need the rubber donut for the inside to support the headlight. My grandson lost it. One of his tats above.–Bandit

[page break]

BREAKING CLUB NEWS– More Twin Peaks cases dismissed by special prosecutors involving Bandidos and Cossack motorcycle clubs

One of four Houston attorneys assigned to handle four Twin Peaks biker cases as special prosecutors dismissed the remaining three cases Monday and called the way the McLennan County District Attorney’s Office handled the 2015 deadly shootout a “harebrained scheme” that was “patently offensive” to him.

Special prosecutors Brian Roberts, Brian Benken, Feroz Merchant and Mandy Miller filed motions Monday to dismiss the first-degree felony engaging in organized criminal activity charges against bikers William Chance Aikin, Billy McCree and Ray Nelson. The motions to dismiss said, “Upon reviewing all the facts, circumstances and evidence, it is the state’s position that no probable cause exists to believe the defendant committed the offense.”

“I think, unfortunately, — and this is probably a poor choice of words — but it was simply a shoot-first-ask-questions-later mentality,” Roberts said. “I can’t imagine what (former McLennan County DA) Abel Reyna was thinking other than this was a big case and it was somehow going to be beneficial for him or his office.”

Roberts, a former prosecutor who served in the special crimes bureau of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, said he had no problem with the first part of the process, which was to round up more than 200 bikers, identify and photograph them. He said the process was necessary to try to see who was involved and who were merely witnesses.

“I do have a very serious problem as a lawyer with the wholesale charging of people without an investigation,” he said. “They had plenty of time to conduct an investigation. They had plenty of time to do what they needed to do to find out who the parties needed to be in this harebrained scheme. It is just patently offensive to me. Justice is the sword and the shield. You had a number of folks who never should have been charged and whose lives have been turned upside down unnecessarily, and that is something you can’t change. You can’t take back what has happened over the last four years.

In the months after his defeat in the March 2018 Republican primary, Reyna dismissed the vast majority of the 154 pending indictments his office sought in the Twin Peaks shootout, which left nine dead and 20 injured. Reyna’s office re-indicted 25 Twin Peaks defendants on different charges in May, with most being charged with riot and three being charged with murder and riot. District Attorney Barry Johnson, who took office in January, has said he and his staff are reviewing those cases to determine how to proceed.

“What Brian said is long overdue. The defense bar has been saying the same thing for nearly four years. This gives a lot of credibility to what we have been saying, and I am very appreciative of them to go through all of the evidence thoroughly and to have the courage of their convictions when it came time to announce it. These people deserve vindication. It is long overdue. They have been treated horribly.”

Roberts, who made it clear that he was speaking only about the four cases he and the others were appointed to handle, said that prosecutors bear a greater responsibility to ensure that justice is done.

“Whatever justice means. Whether that means pursuing a prosecution, whether that means reducing a case, whether than means getting rid of a case, whether than means never charging a case,” Robert said. “A prosecutor’s job is not to put people in prison. It is to do justice. I don’t think anybody can say that was done here back in 2015.”

–By TOMMY WITHERSPOON
Source:Waco Tribune

THE JOHN PAUL SUCCESS CODE–It’s not often that a homeless person living out of his car can dramatically alter his circumstances and become a billionaire. But John Paul DeJoria — co-founder of hair-care company John Paul Mitchell Systems and high-end Patrón Spirits — did just that. The 73-year-old now has a net worth of $3.1 billion, according to Forbes. His climb out of poverty reads like a tale from a Charles Dickens’ novel.

The onetime door-to-door shampoo and encyclopedia salesman partnered with Paul Mitchell in 1980, and the two turned $700 into one of the most profitable hair-care companies in the world. Not too long after their company took off, Mitchell died of cancer and DeJoria took over. Today the company generates $1 billion in annual revenues. His tequila company is also a megahit. Patrón tequila is made in Mexico in a sustainable distilling facility that uses recycled bottles and leftover distilled water to fertilize the land. Now more than 2 million cases are sold each year.

But DeJoria doesn’t measure his success in terms of dollars and cents. For the iconic entrepreneur it’s not about money and power. As he sums it up: “I have been so down and out in my life. It makes me feel really good to be financially blessed and give back. I get great joy and a great high out of it. It’s my way of paying rent on this planet to share with others less fortunate.”

The billionaire remembers giving a dime to the Salvation Army when he was six years old and living in Los Angeles. His mom told him, ‘You may be poor, but there are so many people less fortunate than you, and every little bit helps.’

“Those words have always stuck with me,” DeJoria recalls.

That philanthropic passion led DeJoria to sign Bill Gates and Warren Buffett’s “The Giving Pledge” in 2011 to give half of his earnings to better the world. In addition, he established JP’s Peace Love & Happiness Foundation as a hub for his charitable donations to causes that reflect the core values of his companies: saving the environment, helping the poor and protecting animal rights.

“If a business wants to stay in business, it cannot just think of today’s bottom line.”

-Paul DeJoria , co-founder of Paul Mitchell and Patron Spirits

Through his foundation, he has raised millions of dollars to support more than 160 charities around the world. They include Grow Appalachia, a program that provides seed and tools to help poor families in six states throughout central Appalachia grow their own food to combat malnutrition; and Sea Shepherd, a marine wildlife conservation society that confronts illegal poaching and destruction of wildlife in the world’s oceans.

This Thanksgiving he visited Mobile Loaves & Fishes’ Community First Village in Austin, Texas, where they are building an innovative housing model that helps the homeless learn skills, earn income and get affordable housing.

So how did DeJoria maintain motivation and build such an expansive empire? He says there were three rules he followed on his path to success.

Rule No. 1: Always be prepared for rejection.
Throughout your career you are going to run across rejection, DeJoria points out. “You will knock on doors, and many will close on you. There will be people who don’t like your product, your company — or you.” It’s important you realize this from the day you launch your business. “To be successful, you must remain as confident and enthusiastic on door No. 59 as you were on door No. 1.” If you realize this is going to happen, the rejection won’t hit you so hard. It will help you be resilient, he explains.

DeJoria is adamant: “Always remember you don’t want to be in the product business. You want to be in the reorder business.” As he explains, Work hard to develop a world-class product consumers want. That kind of thinking gives you a better shot at being a success.

Rule No. 3: Doing good is good for you — and your business.

“If a business wants to stay in business, it cannot just think of today’s bottom line,” says DeJoria. It must make a company commitment to help others immediately. “By helping others, you are creating future customers and inspiring employee loyalty,” he explains. “Customers like to be involved with people and businesses that donate their time to help others, save the planet and make a difference.”

Demonstrating that point, DeJoria notes that since he started Paul Mitchell in 1980, His total employee turnover has been less than 100, and two of those workers retired.

LIFESTYLE DEAL OF THE WEEK–2006 Harley Davidson Heritage Softail Springer FLSTSI

The Harley-Davidson Softail Springer is an ultra-retro Harley based on the FXST Softail. Minimal but charming cruiser which harks back to the post war years when Harley-Davidson motorcycles were popular, and their identity was really cemented. ‘Springer’ front Forks are based on the 1948 model but the rest of the Harley-Davidson Softail Springer is relatively modern.

It has an 88 ci and ESPFI injection which is rare on this year. 85.0 ft.lbs @ 3000 RPM, 5-speed transmission, 694.0 pounds in running order. This bit of H-D history does have some minor scuffs and scratches.

ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT…

Gloss Black paint looks good and tank has nostalgic emblems and chrome console. Low profile on this bike with beach bars, H-D chrome grips, Willie G chrome mirrors, and chrome cap on the brake reservoir. Bullet style chrome blinkers with smoked lenses.

Classic H-D front mounted Loud Horn and a nostalgic fender ornament. All chrome laced rims with almost new whitewall tires front and back. Vance & Hines exhaust. Chrome stock horn, primary, derby cover, rocker covers, push-rod tubes, tappet blocks, trans, coil, cam with ‘twin cam’ cover. Chrome oval ‘Springer’ EFI air cover. Oil tank is gloss black with H-D patent badge. Solo seat with H-D badge and matching pillion. Passenger floorboards, backrest, and luggage rack. Leather bags, smoked lense blinkers, and tombstone tail light.

**ONLY 15,416 MILES**

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

BIKERNET UNIVERSITY ENGLISH DEPARTMENT VOCABULARY LESSON–
divertissement

noun
1.
a diversion or entertainment.
2.
Music. divertimento.

QUOTES

Featuring an uncomplicated plot and easily relatable personalities, this is a divertissement compared with the thematic heft of “Like Father, Like Son.”
— Maggie Lee, “Cannes Film Review: ‘After the Storm’,” Variety, May 20, 2016

ORIGIN

The English noun divertissement comes directly from the French divertissement “amusement, entertainment, diversion.” Divertisse- is the long stem of the verb divertir “to amuse, entertain”; it comes from Latin divertere or devertere “to turn away, divert, make a detour, digress”; the French suffix -ment, from the similar Latin noun suffix -mentum, denotes action or resulting state. Divertissement entered English in the 18th century.

NCOM CONVENTION IN ORLANDO WELCOMES RIDERS NATIONWIDE
The 34th annual NCOM Convention is right around the corner, so plan now to be a part of one of the largest gatherings of motorcycle rights activists in the world. This year’s NCOM Convention will be held Mother’s Day weekend, May 10-12, 2019 at the DoubleTree by Hilton – Universal Orlando, located at 5780 Major Blvd., in Orlando, Florida.

Topics such as Motorcycle Profiling and “Save the Patch” will be among the many issues concerning our nation’s motorcycle community that will be discussed, as hundreds of bikers’ rights activists from the ranks of motorcycle rights organizations (MROs) and Confederations of Clubs (COCs), as well as independents and other allied riders will gather in “The City Beautiful” to address matters of interest to all riders.

Agenda items will cover various legal and legislative issues, with Special Meetings for Veterans Affairs, Women in Motorcycling, Clean & Sober Roundtable and World of Sport Bikes, as well as the Christian Unity Conference and Confederation of Clubs Patch Holders Meeting. Additional seminars will be conducted regarding RICO And Its Effect on Your Organization, Restoring Your Rights, Leadership 101 and “Share the Road” Motorcycle Safety.

All motorcyclists are welcomed and encouraged to participate in the many meetings, seminars and group discussions that focus on legislative efforts and litigation techniques to protect our riders’ rights and preserve Freedom of the Road.

Be sure to reserve your hotel room now for the special NCOM rate of $114 by calling (800) 222-8733.

Registration fees for the NCOM Convention are $85 including the Silver Spoke Awards Banquet on Saturday night, or $50 for the Convention only. For more information, or to pre-register, call the National Coalition of Motorcyclists at (800) ON-A-BIKE (662-2453) or visit www.ON-A-BIKE.com.

SOUTHERN BIKER MAGAZINE LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL STAFF— HELP WANTED! Southern Biker Magazine is growing and looking for additional sales staff. Do you have what it takes to sell advertising? Do you love the motorcycle environment?

Want to earn some extra income? If so, please contact Kristin Gracy at Kristin@southernbiker.us to submit your info.

SUPPORT THE RED CROSS–Time is running out – make a gift to the 2019 Annual Fund before it’s too late

It’s the final day of our Annual Fund Drive, and I’m reaching out because we still need your help. People across the country are counting on us.

Your support today will have a real impact on the life of someone in need, no matter the season. Our goal is to find 1000 supporters before tonight’s midnight deadline. Your kindness and past generosity did so much for so many. Please help us meet our goal and renew your support with a donation to the Annual Fund Drive before it’s too late.

Last fiscal year we responded to 63,387 disasters, including intense wildfires, violent hurricanes, extreme floods and home fires. Thanks to the generosity of supporters like you, we were able to meet the critical needs of those affected and also provide aid to 461,922 service members and veterans, collect 4.7 million blood and 900,000 platelet donations, and reconnect 9,089 families separated by war, disaster or migration around the world.

MAKE IT MONTHLY

The Red Cross can deliver hope and care to communities around the country, every single day, all year long. A gift at any level could make a difference today:

$30 can cover the installation of two smoke alarms and provide lifesaving fire safety training in at-risk communities across the country.

$50 can provide someone who has lost everything with a full day of warm meals, blankets and a safe place to sleep in a Red Cross shelter.

$145 can provide 20 heroes and veterans with hospital kits full of toiletries and other essentials.

$500 can vaccinate the children of an entire village, protecting them from life-threatening disease.

$1,000 can provide shelter, blankets, and warm meals for a family who has nowhere else to go for five days. Make a donation >>
It will take just a moment, Keith, and yet in a short time, you can do so much. Our Annual Fund Drive deadline is midnight tonight and we need your support. This is your chance to make a difference and help us reach our goal of 1000 supporters! Your tax-deductible gift will make sure we can serve everyone in need, all year long.

With sincere gratitude for your support,

–Lauri Rhinehart
VP, Humanitarian Services
American Red Cross

NY Looks at Drivers for Money to Fix City Subways–

MANHATTAN (CN) – Coming together on an issue that has long divided the two politicos, Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday that congestion pricing and a weed tax will be the key to solving New York City’s subway crisis.

“Working New Yorkers struggle every day to get around our city,” de Blasio said in a statement Tuesday. “We cannot let another year pass without action that makes people’s lives easier. This crisis runs deeper than ever before, and it’s now clear there is no way to address it without congestion pricing and other dedicated revenue streams. The time to act is now.”

Though congestion pricing has long been advocated by the governor, its adoption today marks policy shift for the mayor, who previously has backed a Millionaires Tax to fund Metropolitan Transportation Authority reforms.

De Blasio said today a Millionaires Tax may still be the best way to raise funds for the MTA, but that “time to act is running out,” and congestion pricing is the alternative with most promise.

Tuesday’s joint announcement of the 10-point plan follows a state Senate hearing exactly a week ago in which MTA executives described, in part, how congestion pricing would take shape.

It would require an extra fee from drivers entering Manhattan’s central business district, defined as below 61st Street. London and two cities in Sweden already have congestion-pricing programs in place, as part of an effort to raise money while reducing traffic and carbon emissions.

At last week’s hearing, MTA President Patrick Foye said he “fervently” hoped the Legislature would approve a congestion-pricing plan “this session,” though he and his colleagues could offer few details, including how much drivers could expect to pay.

Tuesday’s proposal includes certain variables for congestion pricing, for example discounts during non-peak hours and exemptions for emergency vehicles, as well as exemptions or discounts for vehicles “operated by or transporting people with disabilities and individuals who have an identifiable hardship or limited ability to access medical facilities in the CBD [Central Business District].”

Cuomo and de Blasio are also calling for an independent audit of the MTA. At last week’s Senate hearing, MTA executives warned the state senators that if they did not act on congestion pricing, commuters could see fares rise up to 30 percent by 2024.

Tuesday’s announcement says the agency should be able to get by on just 2 percent annual fare increases for inflation. The new plan also includes a new commitment to enforcing fare-evasion rules, as well as a “restructuring” of the MTA, by June of this year, through consolidation and streamlining.

The plan calls as well for the MTA to “immediately expedite the completion of the Subway Action Plan,” which includes signal repair, water management, rail welding, station enhancements and other features.

Another source of revenue mentioned in the 10-point plant is an internet sales tax. As for the weed tax, marijuana is not yet legal in New York, but Cuomo and de Blasio have both said they are on board to legalize the drug “once and for all,” as Cuomo said in December.

Their MTA plan calls as well for members of the MTA Board to leave office at the same time as the political officials who appointed them.
–NMA

SPORTSCAR DEAL OF THE WEEK—2017 AMG Mercedes GTS. It’s work between $100K and $150, but Don will take $95. What a deal.

If you’re interested drop me a line and I’ll hook you up.

–Bandit
Bandit@Bikernet.com

NEWS FROM THE CLIMATE DEPOT–SF to declare ‘climate emergency,’ bolster plans to reduce carbon emissions

Supervisor Rafael Mandelman speaks at a news conference alongside supervisors Gordon Mar and Sandra Lee Fewer and environmental groups where he announced he will introduce a resolution declaring a climate emergency in The City at North Light Court in City Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)

San Francisco is expected to officially declare a “climate emergency,” following the lead of other Bay Area cities like Berkeley, Hayward, Richmond and Oakland as it strives to reduce carbon emissions by turning to more aggressive tactics.

Supervisor Rafael Mandelman on Tuesday introduced a resolution to officially declare the environmental emergency and call upon city departments to deliver “immediate and accelerated action to address the climate crisis.”

The proposal has already picked up the more than six votes needed to pass.

The resolution directs the Department of the Environment to issue within 100 days a report detailing the steps San Francisco could take to reduce carbon emissions, followed by a Board of Supervisors hearing on the report. The hearing would “consider high priority actions that The City can take to achieve deep emission reductions at emergency speed.”

“We are declaring emergency because simply put there is no time to waste,” Mandelman said when announcing the proposal before the Board of Supervisors meeting. “San Francisco like the rest of California is already suffering impacts of climate change in the form of droughts, air pollution, extreme heat and low land flooding.”

The resolution, which is backed by a number of environmental groups like Citizens’ Climate Lobby, Greeenaction and Bay Area 350, comes as the Department of the Environment has already engaged in the work to update The City’s Climate Action Strategy for 2020 and after Mayor London Breed committed The City to new climate goals last year.

San Francisco’s Climate Action Strategy was last updated in 2013. “The updated 2020 Climate Action Strategy will define a pathway to deliver net zero emissions by 2050 and articulate the wider social, environmental, and economic benefits thereof,” said The City’s ten-year draft capital plan that will be introduced to the board for approval on March 5. The City also plans to issue this year a “Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and Consequences Assessment.”

Breed committed The City to new climate goals like requiring all buildings constructed starting in 2030 to be net-zero carbon emitters and for The City to become carbon neutral by 2050.

To get there, The City will need to get more people out of their cars and drive electric vehicles, eliminate the use of natural gas in new construction and fuel switch existing buildings to electric, achieve energy efficiencies and have all electricity come from renewable energy sources.

The resolution also calls for funding in the upcoming budget to “address the climate emergency.” Breed must submit a budget proposal to the board for review on June 1.

“We need a response proportional to the crisis we face,” said Supervisor Gordon Mar, who co-sponsored the resolution along with board president Norman Yee and Supervisors Sandra Lee Fewer, Aaron Peskin, Vallie Brown and Matt Haney.

Debbie Raphael, director of the San Francisco Department of the Environment, who supports the resolution, told the San Francisco Examiner that “we have a wonderful track record and we are going to need to accelerate. If we just stay where we are, we are not going to meet our 2050 goals.”

–By Joshua Sabatini

BRP BUYS ALTA MOTORS–
But Don’t Expect To See EMX Bikes Any Time Soon…

Shocking news as BRP has purchased Alta Motors assets as part of its ongoing exploration of alternative energies. On heels of the BRP Club Ski-Doo dealer meeting in Dallas, the Canadian firm announced the purchase of select assets of Faster Faster, Inc. (Alta Motors) as part of BRP’s longstanding interest in new technologies and alternate energy sources for the powersports industry.

This purchase includes certain intellectual property, patents and some limited physical assets from the former all-electric motorcycle design and manufacturing company. It is an opportunity for BRP to complement its ongoing research and development into this burgeoning area of expertise.

However BRP has no zero interest in restarting operations of Alta Motors and assumes no liabilities. Sorry fans of the Alta brand.

“Known for pushing innovation to improve the rider experience, BRP is constantly on the lookout for the next generation of powersports solutions,” is how the official statement reads. “BRP has already commercialized electric side-by-side vehicles for a number of years, has created electric and hybrid prototypes of Can-Am Spyder vehicles and is currently involved in electric karting with Rotax.”

SUNSHINE SPEED SHOW READY TO ROCK–Dirt Track Racing, Vintage Bike Show, Dave Aldana & More!

The Sunshine Speed Show is set to combine AHRMA dirt track racing, vintage cars, classic motorcycles with craft beers, food and more than 20 musical acts on three stages. “It’s about passion for speed in all its different forms,” said Mark McKee, show producer of the Sunshine Speed Show. “We’ll bring it all together in one place so that people can fully immerse themselves in the culture surrounding speed.” The three-day event takes place at the Sun ‘n Fun Expo Campus at the Lakeland Airport, April 26-28, 2019.

AMA Hall of Famer, winner of four AMA Grand Nationals and the1981 Suzuka eight-hour endurance race, Dave Aldana will be headlining a stellar line-up of celebrities from the speed universe. The guest list includes MotoAmerica/MotoGP/World Superbike pit reporter and on air host Christy Lee, The Godfather of drag racing “Big Daddy” Don Garlitts and pinstriping legend Skratch.

American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) will be hosting a points-paying round in its national racing series on Saturday, April 27. All tolled, the hree-day fest is scheduled to include:

– Nine unique shows

– Dirt track motorcycle racing

– The Sunshine Vintage Motorcycle Concours

– The Sunshine Custom Bike Builder Championship

– Air shows and a fly-in

– The Parlor featuring craft beer, wine, and whiskey tastings

– Inspired chef creations on The Fork & Torque Row

– Ride & Destroy Stunt Team sponsored by Bell Helmets

– Vendors and exhibitors

– Weekend camping available in more than 1,000 spaces in wooded grounds with hook ups, restrooms and shower facilities

– “Got Your Back Vet Ride-In” on Sunday to benefit the Semper Fi Fund, which provides urgently needed resources and lifetime support for combat wounded, critically ill and catastrophically injured members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families

“You’re going to see things you’ve never seen before,” said McKee. “This is a first-of-its-kind festival designed for people with a passion for motors and music!” Visit www.sunshinespeedshow.com

[page break]

NEW FROM LOWBROW–Milwaukee in February, what’s not to love?
Some of us from Lowbrow went out to attend Flat Out Friday and the Mama Tried Show recently.

There were also other activities that weekend, such as parties, bars and ice racing, which took place right downtown. We also attended those events…

Hey, someone has to do it. We hope you enjoy the photos and write-ups on our blog. If you were there, reply to this email and let us know your favorite part of the weekend!

CHOW HALL OF THE WEEK-– CHICAGO! Piece Brewery and Pizza!

See amazing Pizza, meet The Owner Billy Jacobs and learn what Beer to order, click here to see the video:

https://youtu.be/csAHLEMWoXk

Owner Billy Jacobs blew me away with his ” New Haven ” style Pizza!! The Flavor of the crust alone is off the charts and there is also the perfect balance between crunch with a little chew.

Order The New Haven Traditional Pizza as soon as you walk in! It is made with their red sauce, no mozzarella. Topped with garlic, Parmesan and finished with olive oil. It is awesome!

Oh and the Beer! The Head Brewer Jonathan Cutler has won so many Beer medals I lost count! Order The Weight, It is one of the best beers I have ever had!

They are located at 1927 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60622 Get there now!

–BikerDude

QUICK, New Bikernet Reader Comment!–
Weekend Round-Up Always Late

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

This past weekend is being reported. Next weekend isn’t here yet. You are right on time and together with your son and grandson did a fine job. Look forward to the next one.

–Sam
TX

MOTORCYCLE EVENT MANAGER ROCKS–As the only woman manager in a sport dominated by men, Atlanta’s Christina Denney will be perched in a tower above the finish line at the Supercross event at the Mercedes Benz Stadium this Saturday – calling the shots for the Cycle Trader/Rock River Yamaha team that she oversees.

It’s a heart-stopping job, with riders on high-performance off-road motorcycles executing steep jumps and obstacles on a track constructed from millions of pounds of dirt hauled in by the truckload to stadiums in cities around the country.

This weekend’s event is one of 17 stops on the AMA Supercross schedule, which runs from January to May, and one of 34 supercross and motocross events throughout the year.

I can arrange interviews with Christina this week – in advance of the race – to discuss how she landed the job, how the riders she manages have performed, why she was named MX Sports’ Motocross Team Manager of the Year in 2011, and her experiences as a woman in a man’s game.

–Silvia Miyares
www.jillschmidtpr.com

HARSH LAW OF THE WEEK–Ohio Court Declares Stopping Slightly Over The Line Illegal

Stopping a few inches over the line is now a traffic violation under Ohio Court of Appeals ruling.

Ohio law is so strict that courts consider a momentary “bobble” over a lane line to be a traffic offense that can result in being pulled over and cited. A three-judge Court of Appeals panel extended this precedent last month to declare that stopping at a red light with the front tires just over the stop bar is a violation.

On March 2, 2018 Evan M. Levine was driving in the city of Marietta. He made a right turn from Second Street directly into the outside lane of Putnam Street, rather than into the lane nearest the curb. Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper Jordan Hutton saw this and decided to follow as he came up to Third Street.

“I noticed the vehicle did stop at the white stop bar but his front tire stopped beyond that,” Trooper Hutton testified. “His front tires stopped beyond the clearly marked white stop line, right prior to the crosswalk at the flashing red light.”

During the stop, the trooper gathered sufficient evidence that Levine was drunk and arrested him. At trial, the Marietta Municipal Court threw out the case against Levine after watching the dashcam video and finding that the traffic stop was illegal. Prosecutors did not like this outcome, so they brought the case to the Court of Appeals.

For the stop to be valid, the police officer must articulate facts that would allow “a person of reasonable caution to believe that the driver has committed, or is committing, a crime.” The three-judge appellate panel found the driving conduct that the trooper observed did constitute violations of the law. In so doing, the judges cited another appellate court’s opinion in finding that the statute was ambiguous and needs to be reinterpreted so that the word “at” really means “before.”

“To comply with the statute, a motorist must stop his or her vehicle before any portion of his or her vehicle crosses the edge of the stop line that is furthest from the front-most portion of his or her approaching vehicle,” Judge Peter B. Abele wrote for the appellate panel. “We hold that the statutory requirement to stop ‘at a clearly marked stop line’ requires a driver to come to a complete stop before the vehicle comes into contact with the stop line.”

As a result of the ruling, Levine will stand trial for driving under the influence. A copy of the ruling is available in a 70k PDF file at the source link below.

Source: PDF File Ohio v. Levine (Court of Appeals, State of Ohio

–NMA

VA NEWS FROM THE DAV–New options for appeals

VA appeals modernization law set to take effect in February

Handling VA appeals has long been a complex, nonlinear process that many veterans and their family members have called difficult to understand and even harder to navigate. Fortunately, a new law, set to take effect in February, will transform the process by providing veterans more choices, better control, greater transparency and faster decisions regarding their claims and appeals.

The Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017, signed into law last August and supported by DAV, requires improved notification of VA decisions, provides safeguards to ensure veterans receive the earliest effective date possible for their claim, and gives veterans dissatisfied with the VA decision on their claims three options to seek review.

“Before reform, veterans experienced a complicated appeals system that was buried in several layers of law,” VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said in a department news release. “The Appeals Modernization Act has since allowed VA, with the help of our partners, to design a new process that offers greater choice to veterans and faster decisions from VA.”

In the new system, the three differentiated lanes claimants will be able to choose from to seek review of a full or partial denial by the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) are higher-level review, supplemental claim, or direct appeal to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA) in Washington, D.C.

Previously, a veteran’s appeal had to be reviewed by the local VA regional office before it could be decided by the BVA. A local review of the evidence ultimately added more processing time to the appeal. Under the new law, veterans can avoid the local review process if they choose to do so and elect to have their appeal sent directly to the BVA. With the implementation of this new option, the BVA is aiming to reduce the wait time for a decision from seven years (on average) to within one year.

“The amount of time it takes some veterans to receive decisions on their appeals is unacceptable,” said National Service Director Jim Marszalek. “Our members and team have done a tremendous job in pushing for this new law, and we hope it helps the VA achieve the results it’s aiming for.”

If a claim needs new evidence, the VA recommends the supplemental claim process. The department will help gather the evidence and will aim for a new decision within 125 days of submission.

If a claimant doesn’t feel new evidence is needed and thinks a mistake was made, the higher-level review is the optimal route. In utilizing this process, a higher-trained VA employee will review the claim and will also aim to make a new decision within 125 days.

“There’s no wrong choice to make with these options, because now the effective date of your claim is protected so long as you take action within a year,” said Marszalek. “That’s another great benefit of the new legislation.”

These new processes are some of the final pieces to be put in place as the VA works to fully implement the law.

In November 2017, the department began the Rapid Appeals Modernization Program (RAMP), which allows veterans with an eligible, active appeal to choose between two of the three new lanes. Implementation of BVA’s appeals lane for veterans who have appealed their RAMP decision began in October 2018.

In federal fiscal year 2018, more than 56,000 veterans chose RAMP, with more than $101 million paid out in retroactive benefits, while BVA issued more than 85,000 decisions.

“The VA’s appeals modernization efforts are commendable,” said Marszalek, “but we’re still a long way from this being an easy-to-navigate process for anyone who’s not familiar with it. That’s why consulting with a DAV service officer is one of the best things a veteran can do to ensure they receive a favorable decision on their claim.”

— BY M. TODD HUNTER

BONNEVILLE INTERNATIONAL MOTORCYCLE SPEED TRIALS COMING IN AUGUST–Restore Bonneville UTAH Update

Cheers, kudos and thanks to the racing community for responding to the request to
send emails to members of the Utah Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee.
Your voices are being heard by Utah lawmakers, and it is making a difference!
The Subcommittee ranked our “Restore Bonneville” budget request number 4 out of 28 budget requests.

If it keeps this ranking, the State of Utah’s Restore Bonneville program should be funded within the state budget to be approved in mid-March. The program will dramatically increase the volume of salt being pumped onto Bonneville Salt Flats each year.

We are not finished

Using a Bonneville analogy, we’ve made it through the 2-mile run-up and are entering
the measured mile heading for the timing lights after a land speed restoration record.

What it means

The legislative throttle starts getting pushed down Monday, February 25th.
ALL the budget requests must still be approved by the Executive Appropriations
Committee, which could change the rankings.
We will be asking you to contact the Executive Appropriation Committee members, most likely during the week and will provide the emails of all those we need you to reach out to with another letter.

It can be the same letter that was sent to the Subcommittee members, or you may add something new. For those who have yet to send a letter, we will also provide a draft that you can adapt and personalize.

The most important thing to know for this next “ask” is that when the request comes, we
will need you to respond the same day if at all possible. The Utah Legislature works at
supersonic speed in comparison to Washington DC and we have to show them we are just as fast as our sport implies. . . . .

Stayed tuned for an updated message and instructions

For more information, or questions contact: Louise Ann Noeth
louise@savethesalt.org

HAL ROBINSON CLASSIC PRINTS—I just gave a set of these classic limited edition prints to my son for his birthday. They come signed with certificates. Too cool.

–Bandit

AMERICAN PRIME NEWS–Replacement Clutch Packs

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*Rivera, Primo & Pro Clutch are legal trademarks of Rivera Primo Inc.
American Prime Mfg. Inc. is not not affiliated with Rivera Primo Inc. in any way.

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LETTER TO MY STATE ASSEMBLY PERSON--Dear Barragan staff,

Thank you for this invitation to attend your town hall. I would like to attend, but still at 70 I must work to pay the taxes to pay for homelessness, for people who can’t afford to pay their doctor bills or for illegals who take advantage of our social services. My father came to this country legally after WWI.

Oh, and you want me to pay for your doomsday antics blaming man for Climate Change. Al Gore released his doomsday film in 13 years. It’s amazing, we’re still here.

We are living in the best of times. We should be dancing in the streets. We should be enjoying our rights and instead of punishing working stiffs, we should be building our infrastructure for a growing population. And regarding Wilmington. More containers come into the Port of LA than ever before, where do the profits go. They don’t go into the streets of Wilmington.

You are brilliant, but I would hope you devote your service to the people and the cities you represent and not to party politics. Think about it.

All the best,

Keith R. Ball
Bikernet.com
5-Ball Inc.

THE LIVEWIRE FROM HARLEY-DAVIDSON–The LiveWire has been in development for years and dragged to show after show in the US and abroad for consumer and press “feedback.”

When the H-D finally announced it will go on sale this year at a whopping $30k and a range of around 100 miles, I could feel the collective groan from enthusiasts and journalists everywhere.

While the bike may have nice performance there is nothing justifying it costing nearly twice the price of its closest competitors. I don’t think any sense of brand loyalty will save it.

Traditionalists won’t be interested, millennials can’t afford it. A few samples might be bought by Jay Leno and George Clooney, and maybe a few rich urbanites who think it’s a novelty, but I see this as a huge and perhaps company killing flop for Harley.

J. Joshua Placa
818-927-4168
joshuaplaca@gmail.com

THE BAD POLITICIAN FILES–Ocasio-Cortez: People Shouldn’t Reproduce Due To Climate Doomsday – ‘Is it okay to still have children?’

“Our planet is going to hit disaster if we don’t turn this ship around and so it’s basically like, there’s a scientific consensus that the lives of children are going to be very difficult,” Ocasio-Cortez said while chopping up food in her kitchen during an Instagram live video. “And it does lead, I think, young people to have a legitimate question, you know, ‘Is it okay to still have children?'”

Democratic socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) suggested on Sunday night that people should consider not having children due to climate change because there is a “scientific consensus” that life will be hard for kids.

“Our planet is going to hit disaster if we don’t turn this ship around and so it’s basically like, there’s a scientific consensus that the lives of children are going to be very difficult,” Ocasio-Cortez said while chopping up food in her kitchen during an Instagram live video. “And it does lead, I think, young people to have a legitimate question, you know, ‘Is it okay to still have children?’”

Ocasio-Cortez then took a shot at Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) over an incident that happened in Feinstein’s office on Friday when a far-left fringe group tried to pressure Feinstein into supporting the Green New Deal.

“You know what’s interesting about this group?” Feinstein told the group on Friday, in response to the group storming into her office. “I’ve been doing this for 30 years. I know what I’m doing.”

“You come in here, and you say it has to be my way or the highway. I don’t respond to that,” Feinstein continued. “I’ve gotten elected, I just ran. I was elected by almost a million-vote plurality. And I know what I’m doing. So you know, maybe people should listen a little bit.”

Ocasio-Cortez said Feinstein’s response was “like not good enough” because the legislation that the Democrats support is “frankly going to kill us.”

“This idea that ‘I’ve been working on this for x-amount of years,’ um, it’s like not good enough,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “Like, we need a universal sense of urgency, and people are like trying to introduce watered-down proposals that are frankly going to kill us. A lack of urgency is going to kill us.”

VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE TOURS NEWS–Imagine cruising down a coastline on your Royal Enfield, exploring wildlife packed forests and visiting volcanos. Indonesia is everything you could dream of: embark
on a discovery of its traditions and natural marvels.

First you explore Bali, its rice terraces, its dense and lush jungles, its Hindu temples, before putting your Royal Enfield on a ferry to discover another island: Java. There, expect coffee plantations, wild, untouched beaches and mythical volcanoes like the Mount Bromo and Kawah Ijen! As you coast from one to the other on a tour of 850 miles, you’ll experience an exhilarating change of scenery and relish every bit of the riding
on a legendary motorcycle.

Selamat Jalan!*
*Safe trip!

From Bali to Java on the Volcanoes Trail
12 days incl. 9 days riding
Level: intermediate

From 16 to 27 June 2019
>From 30 June to 11 July 2019
>From 14 to 25 July 2019

Discover or re-discover the video of Vintage Rides in Indonesia
“Breaking Away” by Jorge Abian & Undercreatives

Photo credits: Sophie Squillace / François Combes / Jorge Abian / The Undercreatives

Vintage Rides
(By appointment only)
Grand Tour Coworking
30 rue des Trois Bornes
75011 PARIS
contact@vintagerides.com
09 70 44 01 30

GUN NUT NEWS BREAKING: Oklahoma Senate Passes Constitutional Carry, Governor to Sign Into Law This Afternoon

The Oklahoma legislature has wasted no time in pushing a constitutional carry bill through now that former Governor Mary Fallin has been replaced by Governor Kevin Stitt. The new Governor has promised to sign the bill into law.

The House passed HB 2597 last month. And the Senate passed the permitless carry bill just a few minutes ago. As in the House, it wasn’t even close.

As the Tulsa World reports,

The measure passed the Senate on Wednesday by a vote of 40-6.

The Governor isn’t letting any grass grow under his feet.

Stitt has set a ceremony for 4:30 p.m. in the Blue Room at the state Capitol to sign HB 2597, his office announced. It is the first bill to arrive on his desk.

And with that, Oklahoma will become the 15th constitutional carry state in the nation. All eyes now turn to Kentucky.

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki Bring Both Red Plates To Atlanta for East/West Showdown–

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Austin Forkner, Adam Cianciarulo, Garrett Marchbanks and Martin Davalos head into a heated battle of the coasts with the first of two East/West Showdown races happening this weekend inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Forkner and Cianciarulo come in as the statistical riders to beat with both Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki riders sporting the red plate as leaders of their respective region.

Between the two riders, the team has collected six wins and is on a five-race win streak. Marchbanks comes off his first career podium finish a month ago, while Davalos has enjoyed two consecutive top-five finishes.

Forkner undoubtedly comes in with the most momentum, having just completed a sweep of the Triple Crown last weekend in Detroit to continue his undefeated streak. He’s led 80 of 81 laps this season and has also collected two heat race wins. Last year, Forkner earned the overall win in Atlanta’s triple crown race and is ready to keep his Atlanta and season win-streak alive.

“I’m looking forward to Atlanta and seeing the whole team together,” said Forkner. “It’s so awesome for our team to have both red plates. It would be great to get a win and keep the streak alive.”

Cianciarulo will be one of Forkner’s greatest competitors when the gate drops on Saturday night. Like Forkner, Cianciarulo has also collected three wins this season, leading 49 of 94 laps in the first five rounds of the Western Regional championship. After a month off, the Floridian is eager to get back behind the gate to prove he’s got many more wins under his belt.

“Having time off is good and bad,” said Cianciarulo. “You feel rested and more eager to get back out there, but the other riders have gained some momentum, so we’ll see how it shakes out. In the end, I want to win and maintain the red plate for the team.”

The young rookie Marchbanks is ready to get back on his KX250 and make another push for a podium. Having already started gaining ample knowledge of how to approach a supercross event, Marchbanks has only run outside the top 10 once in the first five races.

“Coming off the podium was huge for me,” said Marchbanks. “I like that I’ve been able to be consistent, but once you get on the podium, you don’t want anything else. It would be nice to get out front and see what we can do.”

Davalos has put in a strong showing so far during the first three rounds of the Eastern Regional series, collecting two top-five finishes. He’s run up front and narrowly missed out on a few holeshots. Coming to his home state race will give him an additional confidence boost and hopefully help land Davalos his first podium of the season.

“I always love coming to Atlanta and racing in front of friends and family,” said Davalos. “Last year it was a Triple Crown and now it’s a showdown. There is always something exciting going on in Atlanta and I’m ready to go after my first podium of the season.”

The Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki riders will be signing autographs on Friday, March 1 from 6 – 7 p.m. at Mountain Motorsports in Marietta, Georgia.

Saturday’s race broadcast from Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be LIVE on NBC Sports starting on Saturday, March 2 at 7 p.m. ET.

To find out more about Pro Circuit products, visit www.procircuit.com. Don’t forget to follow the Pro Circuit race team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @pcraceteam.

MIC GOVERNMENT RELATIONS--Come Tell Congress Members About Your Priorities

Registration is open for the 2019 MIC Capitol Hill Fly-In on April 9-11 in Washington, D.C. The Fly-In is your opportunity to meet with members of Congress or their staff to discuss issues affecting your business and the powersports industry. Registration is free for MIC members (transportation and lodging is not included), and non-members can attend for $300, which can be applied toward the first year’s MIC membership fee.

“Lawmakers need to hear from their constituents and the MIC Government Relations Office will set up meetings for attendees to speak directly with their senators, representatives and staff,” said Scott Schloegel, MIC senior vice president of government relations. “Our industry is a key contributor to many state economies, so your voice is important.” Read More

MIC members meet with Rep. Suzanne Bonamici of Oregon [right] during last year’s Fly-In event.

INCREDIBLE—I need to write another Salt Torpedo update. By next week we should have all the controls in place and this puppy on wheels.

With the help of Bob Strouds, of Strouds Safety, we worked out our parachute program.

Tomorrow, I need to complete my Cycle Source Deadline then hit it back on the Torpedo. The Team will be breathing down my neck. We just received some copies of the new Cycle Source issue and Micah graced the cover with his award winning David Mann inspired Panhead chopper. Looks good.

Ride Free Forever,

–Bandit

The 34th annual NCOM Convention is right around the corner, so plan now to be a part of one of the largest gatherings of motorcycle rights activists in the world. This year’s NCOM Convention will be held Mother’s Day weekend, May 10-12, 2019 at the DoubleTree by Hilton – Universal Orlando, located at 5780 Major Blvd., in Orlando, Florida.

Topics such as Motorcycle Profiling and “Save the Patch” will be among the many issues concerning our nation’s motorcycle community that will be discussed, as hundreds of bikers’ rights activists from the ranks of motorcycle rights organizations (MROs) and Confederations of Clubs (COCs), as well as independents and other allied riders will gather in “The City Beautiful” to address matters of interest to all riders.

Agenda items will cover various legal and legislative issues, with Special Meetings for Veterans Affairs, Women in Motorcycling, Clean & Sober Roundtable and World of Sport Bikes, as well as the Christian Unity Conference and Confederation of Clubs Patch Holders Meeting. Additional seminars will be conducted regarding RICO And Its Effect on Your Organization, Restoring Your Rights, Leadership 101 and “Share the Road” Motorcycle Safety.

All motorcyclists are welcomed and encouraged to participate in the many meetings, seminars and group discussions that focus on legislative efforts and litigation techniques to protect our riders’ rights and preserve Freedom of the Road.

Be sure to reserve your hotel room now for the special NCOM rate of $114 by calling (800) 222-8733.

Registration fees for the NCOM Convention are $85 including the Silver Spoke Awards Banquet on Saturday night, or $50 for the Convention only. For more information, or to pre-register, call the National Coalition of Motorcyclists at (800) ON-A-BIKE (662-2453) or visit www.ON-A-BIKE.com.

Today, Indian Motorcycle announces its 2019 Roadmaster Elite. The limited-edition bike pairs modern touring amenities with iconic Indian Motorcycle styling and a number of exclusive premium features for 2019.

The 2019 Roadmaster Elite includes everything you would expect from a Roadmaster and more, including a hand painted custom-inspired design along with top of the line premium amenities. Among the highlights is an upgraded 600-watt PowerBand Audio Plus system, leather passenger armrests, spacious billet aluminum rider and passenger floorboards, a premium touring console, billet aluminum pinnacle mirrors, and chrome bumpers. The bike also includes the latest ride-enhancing technologies from Indian including selectable ride modes, rear cylinder deactivation and Ride Command.

BELOW is the official release and press kit (with detailed spec sheet) for reference.

INDIAN MOTORCYCLE INTRODUCES LIMITED-EDITION 2019 ROADMASTER ELITE

With Only 200 Being Produced, This Ultra-Premium Touring Machine Offers The Ultimate Riding Experience

Minneapolis (February 26, 2019) – Indian Motorcycle, America’s first motorcycle company founded in 1901, today announced its latest ultra-premium touring motorcycle, the 2019 Roadmaster Elite. With only 200 available, the limited-edition Roadmaster Elite pairs modern touring amenities with iconic Indian Motorcycle styling. The 2019 model also boasts many exclusive premium features including a hand painted custom-inspired design along with top of the line premium amenities.

Every Roadmaster Elite is an artistic masterpiece that features Wildfire Red Candy over Black Crystal paint with real 24-karat gold leaf badging. Each bike undergoes a meticulous paint process that takes nearly 30 hours to complete and is finished by hand.

New for 2019, the Roadmaster Elite receives an upgraded 600-watt PowerBand™ Audio Plus system. The high-powered system delivers exceptional sound and clarity from high-output fairing, trunk, and saddlebag speakers that are 50 percent louder than the stock audio system offered on the 2019 Roadmaster. The PowerBand Audio Plus system features an enhanced nine-band dynamic equalizer that auto-adjusts specific frequencies to the optimal level at different vehicle speeds to compensate for road, wind, and engine noise to deliver crystal clear sound quality in every riding condition.

Additional premium amenities unique to the Roadmaster Elite include leather passenger armrests, spacious billet aluminum rider and passenger floorboards, a premium touring console, billet aluminum pinnacle mirrors, and chrome bumpers.

“The Roadmaster Elite offers the most refined, premium touring experience for riders that demand the best of the best,” said Reid Wilson, Senior Director for Indian Motorcycle. “We’ve truly left no stone unturned, packing this bike with style and comfort features that take the touring experience to a new level.”

Along with the powerful Thunder Stroke® 111 engine, which produces 119 ft-lbs of torque for exceptional power at low RPM, the Roadmaster Elite features the latest ride-enhancing technologies available from Indian Motorcycle, including:

Selectable Ride Modes
Three selectable ride modes, including Tour, Standard and Sport, allow the rider to adjust the bike’s throttle response to fit their riding preferences. The throttle map for each Ride Mode was designed with a specific application in mind, resulting in one motorcycle with three distinct personalities.

Rear Cylinder Deactivation
When the Thunder Stroke 111 reaches operating temperature and the ambient temperature exceeds 59⁰ F, the rear cylinder will automatically deactivate when the bike is at a standstill, resulting in less engine heat for improved rider comfort in slow-moving or stopped traffic. The rear cylinder instantly reactivates when throttle is applied for a seamless transition to full power. The bike also features redesigned lowers that provide optimal airflow for improved comfort.

Ride Command:
The Indian Motorcycle Ride Command® system is the largest, fastest, most customizable infotainment system on two wheels. The seven-inch, glove-compatible touchscreen features turn-by-turn navigation, customizable rider information screens, Bluetooth® compatibility, and pairs with the Indian Motorcycle Ride Command mobile app for remote accessibility to key vehicle information. Riders can also plan a ride route with up to 100 points on the Ride Command website and wirelessly transfer it to the bike via Bluetooth.

The 2019 Roadmaster Elite also comes standard with all the premium touring amenities riders expect from an Indian Roadmaster, including full LED lighting, a genuine leather two-up touring seat individually heated for rider and passenger, ABS, heated handgrips, keyless ignition, a push button power windshield, weatherproof, remote-locking saddlebags, a spacious trunk that fits two full face helmets, and over 37 gallons of storage space.

Among the performance upgrades available for the 2019 Roadmaster Elite are a new Stage 1 Exhaust, a Thunder Stroke® Stage 1 Performance Air Intake, Thunder Stroke® Stage 2 Performance Cams, and the 116ci Stage 3 Big Bore Kit for riders looking for the ultimate in performance. The bike also has many comfort and style accessories available including a mid-rise handlebar, a new color-matched open fender and 19-inch front wheel for riders who prefer a more aggressive look.

With only 200 available, pricing for the ultra-premium Roadmaster Elite starts at $36,999 in the U.S. and $44,499 in Canada. Available at Indian Motorcycle dealers today.

Learn more about Indian Motorcycle and the 2019 Roadmaster Elite by visiting IndianMotorcycle.com and following along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE®
Indian Motorcycle Company is America’s First Motorcycle Company®. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com .

You can use an auto transporter to ship your motorcycle across the country
By Tom Rains

Compare motorcycle shipping companies

Using an auto transporter to move your bike will help ensure it arrives safely and quickly to its destination. While there are many similarities between shipping a car and shipping a motorcycle, it’s best to work with companies that have specific experience shipping motorcycles.

Our picks for best motorcycle shippers

READ THE EXCLUSIVE ARTICLE ON BIKERNET CANTINA – CLICK HERE

Bikernet Forever!

VANDERHALL MOTOR WORKS CHOOSES SYNCHRONY FOR CONSUMER FINANCING OPTIONS
Fast-Growing Vehicle Manufacturer Looks To Leverage Synchrony’s Financial Tools

Vanderhall Motor Works today announced it has secured an agreement for Synchrony (NYSE: SYF) to provide consumer financing in the U.S. As the preferred financing partner for Vanderhall, Synchrony will provide the company’s fast-growing U.S. dealer network with financing options for the Vanderhall lineup, including the brand-new Carmel Roadster and all-electric Edison². Dealers will have access to a variety of Synchrony’s financial tools, including the Installment Loan Estimator — which can help consumers with financing decisions.

“Synchrony will provide our dealer network with promotional financing options to our retail consumers,” said Jeff Whaley, vice president of Sales and Operations for Vanderhall. “Our new partnership will play a huge roll in our immediate growth in the autocycle arena. We are going to roll out some very aggressive financing offers to our retail consumers, and Synchrony provides all the tools that our dealers need to be successful.”

For more information or to locate your closest dealer, please visit Vanderhall Motor Works Inc. at vanderhallusa.com

About Synchrony
Synchrony (NYSE: SYF) is a premier consumer financial services company delivering customized financing programs across key industries including retail, health, auto, travel and home, along with award-winning consumer banking products. With more than $140 billion in sales financed and 80.3 million active accounts, Synchrony brings deep industry expertise, actionable data insights, innovative solutions and differentiated digital experiences to improve the success of every business we serve and the quality of each life we touch. More information can be found at www.synchrony.com and through Twitter: @Synchrony.

About Vanderhall
Vanderhall Motor Works delivers the feel of yesteryear with modern performance in a unique package. The aim of our products is to remain timeless while appealing to the Sunday cruiser and aggressive canyon carving driver alike. Our roadsters accomplish this with style and presence that leaves driver and passenger alike yearning for their next outing. Manufactured in Provo, Utah with passion and a nod to the past. We invite you to fall in love with the road again: Vanderhallusa.com #theroadiscalling.

 

After installing Woods 777 cams in my 2014 Street Glide, my compensator was making a knocking noise due to the lope at idle from the cams. I ditched the compensator and went with the Twin Power 32t Compensator Eliminator.

Read about the results at Bikernet.com

I’m a little scrambled today. A lot on my mind. I follow Lillian’s Feng Shui guide to my monthly approach. Okay, so it’s a bullshit confession, but hear me out. You could follow an astrological chart also, sorta same-same. It heightens my awareness. If for this month it says to watch out for bad deals, I try to stay alert. Generally, I hope for glorious months full of wild opportunities, more love and vast wealth. As you know, it doesn’t usually work out exactly, but what the hell, dare to dream.

This month it called for being alert, and watchful. Lillian told me not to get involved in new deals. I’ve tried.

Last Sunday I rode to my Son’s new tattoo gig. He’s now working for a Jon Deanda, who owns four or five saloons. He’s a big guy and heavily tattooed, but mellow and insightful. He’s been at it for a decade building on his line of tattoo parlors slowly.

Frank is the manager of this shop on Beach Blvd. in Huntington Beach, True at Heart Tattoos, a couple of blocks from the coast. I rode my Indian down for the grand opening. Fade back to the beginning of this and Lillian’s prospects for the month. It was a chilly day, gray and overcast from the previous rains. A cold wind blew sand across Pacific Coast Highway as I rolled south through Long Beach, into Seal Beach, Sunset Beach, across the Bolsa park and into Huntington Beach.

Even in a gray February, Huntington was crowded with kids, tourists and the bling shops were open. I mistakenly made a left on Main and looked for a new Tattoo shop. About three blocks in, the compact in front of me pulled to the right as if to park then abruptly made a U-Turn directly into my path. I caught his movements and didn’t slam into the side of his car.

I found my way and visited. My granddaughter was there, Erika, my son’s beautiful wife and lots of young, heavily tattooed customers and custom cars. Frank’s Road Glide was parked directly in front of the shop and it bustled with activity, food and music.

I stayed just a short while and noticed the afternoon moon growing in the sky. It was time to roll as the sun dipped in the west, homebound afternoon traffic increased and it got colder.

It was a murky ride home, almost dark as the sand whipped across the highway and I split lanes heading into Long Beach. My 2014 Indian is grand and handles anything I throw at it, but I needed to think about the week and more work on Salt Torpedo.

Read More at Bikernet.com

Using an auto transporter to move your bike will help ensure it arrives safely and quickly to its destination. While there are many similarities between shipping a car and shipping a motorcycle, it’s best to work with companies that have specific experience shipping motorcycles.

To find the best motorcycle shipping company for your needs, make sure to do the following:

Verify that the carrier is registered with the Department of Transportation and has a seven-digit USDOT number. In addition, there are other licensing requirements that are state-specific. Carriers must have the licensing required for their state in order to operate legally.

Motorcycle shipping costs depend on several factors, including distance of travel and shipping method. The average cost to ship a motorcycle in the U.S. a distance of 1,000 miles is $400–$600. The average cost to ship a motorcycle internationally can range from $650–$2,000.

It helps to know all the variables that will affect shipping cost so you can get an accurate motorcycle shipping estimate. The cost of shipping a motorcycle is based on several factors, including:

Exact costs will be determined by carrier and method. Enclosed bike shipping costs, which will protect your motorcycle from the elements, are higher than open shipping costs. You can expect enclosed shipping to be about 50 percent more expensive than open shipping.

The weight of your motorcycle

The weight of the bike can affect the shipping cost. Heavier bikes on average are more expensive to ship than lighter bikes.

The time of year

The season you’re shipping impacts rates. Summer and early fall are more popular times of year for vehicle transport than winter and spring. The rates in winter and spring are therefore lower.

Your delivery location

The specific location where your bike will be shipped matters too. Urban shipments are less expensive than remote or rural deliveries. Door-to-door residential shipment costs more than terminal-to-terminal shipping.
The total distance of transport

How far you are shipping your bike will impact cost. Typical motorcycle shipping rates in the U.S. are around $.50 per mile.

Motorcycle transporters are required to carry liability and cargo insurance to cover theft or damage, so the cost of insurance is included in the initial quote. A typical insurance cost is $.50 per pound, but this could be higher on heavier or specialty motorcycles. Minimum insurance amounts are established by the FMCSA; according to federal guidelines, carriers must maintain coverage of $750,000 or more. However, this amount applies to all the motorcycles or vehicles the carrier is transporting, not just your bike.

Ask for proof of insurance prior to making arrangements with the company, and inquire about what specifically that insurance will cover. If you have a very valuable or vintage bike, this is an especially important step. You may also want to check with your own personal insurance provider to see if they will provide any additional coverage when you transport your motorcycle.

Cheapest motorcycle shipping

Most motorcycle transport companies will offer relatively similar quotes. However, with a little bit of thinking ahead, you can save some money when shipping your motorcycle:

Try open shipping

If you are not overly concerned with the risk of light damage to your bike, then consider open shipping. It is much cheaper than enclosed shipping, which will ensure your bike arrives in pristine condition.

Ship in the winter

If timing is not as big of an issue to you, ship your bike in the winter. This is the offseason for motorcycle and car shipping, and your quote will be lower.

Plan ahead

The more lenient you are with the shipment’s arrival time, the lower it will cost to transport your bike. Waiting until the last second, especially if you have to opt for expedited shipping, will cost much more.
Although it’s great to save money, you shouldn’t necessarily just go with the lowest quote offered you. A quote that is significantly lower than others often may be hiding additional fees, so be careful.

How to transport a motorcycle

Understand the different motorcycle shipping services

Door-to-door shipping

This means the motorcycle carrier will pick up your bike at your home and carry it directly to its new location. Door-to-door shipping is typically more expensive than terminal-to-terminal shipping.

Terminal-to-terminal shipping

This means you will take your motorcycle to a terminal, and the carrier will take it to the terminal nearest to your motorcycle’s new destination. Then, you will have to arrange for alternate transport home.

Transport experts recommend using enclosed shipping for longer distances (such as more than 500 miles), to protect your bike from the elements. Open transport is suitable for shorter distances.

If you’re shipping a motorcycle during a time of year or through a location that may experience inclement weather, consider enclosed shipping over open shipping.
How soon you need your bike delivered
If you are on a strict deadline or need the bike to a certain location at a specific date, open shipping may be the better option.

If you have a luxury, vintage or otherwise fragile or very valuable bike, it’s best to use enclosed shipping.

If you are in a rush, expedited shipping for your bike is always an option. Expect to pay more, just like with any other type of expedited shipping. Your bike will likely be picked up in just 1 to 3 days. If possible, though, try to plan ahead so you can be flexible with your pickup and dropoff dates. That will result in the lowest cost for you.

Prepare your motorcycle for shipping

Clean your motorcycle
Wash your bike thoroughly prior to shipment and make sure there is no dirt or debris deposits on the bike or tires.
Drain fluids

In most circumstances, carriers will require you to drain all fluids for safety during shipping.

For enclosed shipment by crate, you may need to disconnect and remove the battery.
Remove accessories and alarms
Remove any accessories and disable any alarm system for the smoothest ride possible.

Fold the mirrors against the motorcycle to prevent cracking or other damage.

Make sure the tires are adequately inflated. This will act as another protection against damage during transit.

Take note of and photograph any existing damage of the bike. Some carriers also document existing damage, but it’s best to have your own record as well. Ask to see the pre-trip inspection report to make sure it aligns with your documentation.

Bottom line

It’s important to fully prepare your bike for transport to ensure it arrives undamaged at its final destination. Save money by planning ahead and shipping in the offseason. If you want to make sure your bike arrives in pristine condition, choose enclosed shipping to protect it from damage. Last of all, make sure to ask for proof of insurance. Every reliable motorcycle shipper will provide it.