Hey,

I’ve been looking for a catch phrase to define folks, who blame anything on Climate Change caused by your mom’s SUV. So far folks came up with pseudo-science and alarmist. I thought about history and the story of the boy who cried “Wolf.” But how about doomsday proponents, when we should be having the time of our lives.

I watched a documentary about vitamins recently. This Australian scientist tried to give us broad knowledge about the vitamin industry, the pros and cons. During this program he explained that about 2/3s of all vitamins are made from Fossil Fuels. The Doomsday screamers think we can quit the evil oil industry when 90 percent of everything is built with fossil fuels including my computer, many medical devices, tools, kitchen appliances, you name it.

To me the bottom line is freedom and dancing in the streets where we should be. Let’s hit the news:







QUICK, OPEN THE BANDIT’S CANTINA BAD JOKE LIBRARY–So I tell the wife I am going to hop up the bike to make it faster…. she said lose some weight.



5-BALL RACING ALWAYS HAS A DEAL FOR YOU—Order anything from the Crew’s shop and they will make K. Randall Ball sign one of his books.

They will also throw in one of our latest Bikernet Bandanas. Check out our line of leathers and we will include a batch of bling.

–Bandit





200 BIKERS RALLY AGAINST TEXAS PROPOSED HELMET LAW–The riders of the noisiest vehicles on the highway are trying to make their voices just as loud in the halls of the Texas Capitol.

On Monday, around 200 motorcycle enthusiasts from around the state descended on Austin for Texas Biker Legislative Day, pushing a number of priorities for the ongoing session of the Texas Legislature. The crowd of vest-wearing activists listened to a number of speakers on the Capitol steps before heading inside to lobby against a bill that would require motorcyclists to wear helmets and to call for legislation to prevent police profiling of motorcyclists.


“I ride, and I care deeply about you independence and your ability to ride,” Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, told the crowd. “So, here’s my pledge to you: You may not live in SD 14 … but I’m your senator.”

Watson was followed by Nueces County District Attorney Mark Gonzalez, who is a member of the Calaveras motorcycle club, and a number of politically inclined motorcycle riders.

“When we have somebody who shares our passions in the Senate and the House, it makes it a lot easier for us to be heard,” said Lora Dame, chairwoman of the Austin Region 1 chapter of the Confederation of Clubs and Independents. “We’re mixtures of Republicans, Democrats, we’re a mixture of everything.”

One of the main targets of the rally was House Bill 748 by Rep. Victoria Neave, D-Dallas. The bill would amend the Texas Transportation Code to make it a misdemeanor offense to ride a motorcycle without a helmet.

Neave said she sees the arguments against a law requiring helmets as similar to the arguments against seatbelt laws.

“At one point there was a lot of resistance to wearing a seatbelt,” Neave said. “We’re open to working with whoever … but our utmost priority is saving lives.”

Related: House calls for $9B funding increase in education funding

Sen. Watson said he did not support Neave’s bill and he considers helmet-wearing an “adult decision” that motorcyclists have the right to make.

The fallout from the Twin Peaks shooting in Waco, when nine motorcycle club members were killed during a shootout between rival clubs in 2015, was also considered by the attendees. Following the shooting, nearly 200 motorcycle club members were arrested in connection with the shooting, despite a smaller number actually being involved in the violence. Since the incident, motorcycle club members have been lobbying to prevent profiling of cyclists by police in Texas.

“I’m not a bad person just because I ride,” Dame said. “I’m a regular person, just like everyone else, but I just choose to wear a patch.”

Inside the Capitol, motorcyclists hoped to show legislators that they are a constituency that can’t be ignored.

“(The legislators) listen, and at least they know that there are people involved,” said Tony Mistretta, a member of the Sons of Liberty Riders and an engineer from Houston. “I think that’s the whole point. We let them know that there are people involved and that there is people that want things a certain way. We all vote, and our votes all count.”

–Houston Chronicle

–from Rogue

The priority should be freedom over saving lives. Think about it. Should you make an entire population uncomfortable to save one life? What about the accidents helmets cause? What about saving them?–Bandit



FAT BOB HEADING TO MAMA TRIED—He’s jazzed about this show. He recently had a stroke, but he’s still making the trip from Chicago to Milwaukee for the show of shows. It should be a blast and there are may compliments for the shows organization.





AUTHENTICITY MEETS UNCOMPLICATED WITH THE HARLEY-DAVIDSON GARAGE COLLECTION–The Harley-Davidson Garage Collection is designed to let personal expression shine, this stripped-down collection features easy-going yet functional pieces with retro-inspired graphics and rugged workwear styling.



The new men’s #1 Retro Slim Fit Tee (P/N 99215-19VM, $25*) and women’s Retro #1 Tee (P/N 99238-19VW, $25*) both embody just the right amount of authentic H-D style while keeping an effortless look.



Made with 100% cotton jersey and a slim fitted design, these soft tees are comfortable yet stylish with printed H-D® graphics on the front. The men’s tee features the classic #1 H-D® graphic with red and blue on a basic black tee while the women’s tee has the same #1 H-D® graphic printed on a bright white tee.

Take it back to the ‘70s with the new men’s Retro Eagle Logo Slim Fit Tee (P/N 99212-19VM, $35*) and the women’s Retro Eagle Tank (P/N 99227-19VW, $30*). These pieces were created for the Garage Collection to celebrate the history of H-D® with Paul Smith’s original artwork from the ‘70s. Designed with a slim fit and effortless detail, the bright white tee and tank were both designed with red neckline, sleeve and armhole trim along with red printed graphics to add a perfect contrast.



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



BANDIT’S CANTINA MOVING FORWARD—We are working on some changes. I hope they work. The Wayfarer, our Supreme Editor in India said it would take six month before it begins to pay off. Then he disappeared into the desert, never to be heard from again.



I still took his words and suggestions to heart. We just received a new Foreigner in Sturgis, gallery from Jack, who runs a trucking company, between hitting as many events as possible. He would rather just shoot action and girls for the Cantina but needs to feed his family.

Keep the memberships coming.

–Bandit








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BRAND New Bikernet Reader Comment!–Johnny Gil’s, La Ruca Grande



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

I absolutely loved this article. Thank you so much for allowing me to have the chance see these pictures from your point of view. My dad’s bike came out beautiful.

I personally liked the low pro drag street style from before. My dad “Pops” was so proud of Johnny and of his bike La Ruca… which my mom hated that name for the bike. Lol!

Thank you again for all your kind words. God Bless! Sincerely, Little Sister Gil

–Maribel Gil
maribelgil82@yahoo.com
San Antonio, TX






BIKERNET TRIKES WILL NEVER DIE–Jim Schombs, a retired Navy Seal from Cape Coral, has received a customized trike (motorcycle with one front wheel and two rear wheels) which enables him to do what he loves most: Riding a motorcycle!

Since a stroke 18 years ago, the former Navy Seal lost control over most of his left side of the body, including his left leg and hand. Those circumstances made it impossible for him to shift gears on a motorcycle or trike.

“After my stroke I was unfortunately not able to get back on a bike. It was pretty hard for me because riding my bike was a true passion of mine,” says the 55 year old Veteran.

When Haus of Trikes & Bikes in Fort Myers had its Grand Opening of their new store back in March 2018, Jim walked in, browsing around the inventory. Mike Tinneny, sales consultant at Haus of Trikes & Bikes, noticed Jim Schombs and got into a conversation with him. He heard Jim’s story and how he missed riding his bike.

The experienced motorcycle sales man knew that the Veteran’s disabilities were a huge obstacle, even to ride a trike. Nevertheless he told Jim that he would brainstorm with the technicians to see if they would be able to come up with a solution.

Fast forward to January 21st, 2019, Jim Schombs is the proud honor of a customized 2009 Harley-Davidson Heritage Trike. Mike Tinneny explains in details what had to be done to make this customized bike: “What makes Jim’s bike so special is that on a regular motorcycle, the clutch and shifter are on the left side of the bike, which Jim obviously can’t use.

We had to use centrifugal clutch, so he didn’t have to use his hand for shifting gears. Furthermore we added a drag racing shifter which just uses finger buttons to shift up or down without using your left foot.

The hardest thing to overcome was finding a clean looking way to get into the neutral gear, since the shifter is made to race and not fall into neutral. To make it work, we changed the barrel in the transmission which a normal tranny is set to 1st gear, neutral, second, third etc. We customized it so it starts at neutral then 1st 2nd 3rd etc.

To accommodate the wheel chair in the back, the trike is made by Motor Trike which has an air ride suspension to make up for the additional weight. We have done plenty of vets bikes in the past, but Jim’s was one of a kind since his needs were very specific,” said Manfred Glanzner, owner of Haus of Trikes & Bikes. “I am very proud of our team. We were able to think out of the box and provide a trike which I believe will make Jim very happy. Giving back to a Veteran who served our country for over 20 years, is the least we can do.”

“It means the world to me to be able to ride again and I thank the people at Haus of Trikes & Bikes who made it possible.” said Jim Schombs.

— Dimitrios Settos
dsettos@b3-marketing.com




BRAND NEW FROM S&S Cycle – 124-inch Big Bore Kits for 2018-19 Big Twins!

We love power, raw unadulterated thumping, makes your heart skip a beat kind of power and that’s the very stuff S&S Cycle does best. This obsession with HP and Torque is further proven out by their latest efforts for the Milwaukee Eight powered Harley-Davidson models.

Their bolt in 124 Cubic-Inch (that’s over 2000cc for you metric folks) Big Bore Kit is just this side of being a monster. Taking the stock 107CI engine from a respectable 92Hp to a tire melting 125+Hp (and that’s with stock heads and throttle body!), we can’t wait to roll the throttle on one of these things!



Maybe you’re a touring guy running two up and realize torque is what really matters? How about 135 ft lbs of pure twisting force (a 22% increase over stock!) that will transform your next, throttle onto the highway move into an authoritative launch.

The S&S Big Bore kit is also available for the 114CI models, pushes them to a solid 128CI and both versions come in at 11.1 Compression. For more info and detailed specs, check out https://www.sscycle.com/m8-big-bore/




Horsepower (and torque!) are our jam and we never let off the gas. Our latest big bore kits for the M8 powered HD models are now rolling out of the building en masse ready to transform your bike into the monster it was meant to be! ~DZ






QUICK, OPEN THE BIKERNET BAD JOKE LIBRARY– A police officer was patrolling late at night off the main highway. At nearly midnight, he saw a couple in a car in Lovers’ Lane, with the
interior light brightly glowing. He carefully
approached the car to get a closer look. Then he saw a young man behind the wheel, reading a
computer magazine. He immediately noticed a young woman in the rear seat, filing her fingernails.

Puzzled by this surprising situation, the officer walked to the car and gently rapped on the driver’s window. The young man lowered his
window. “Uh, yes, officer?”

The cop asked, “What are you doing?”

The young man said, “Well, officer, I’m reading a magazine.”

Pointing towards the young woman in the back seat the officer asked, “And, her, what is she doing?”

The young man shrugged, “Sir, I believe she’s
filing her fingernails.”

Now, the cop was totally confused. A young
couple, alone, in a car, at night in Lover’s Lane and nothing obscene was happening!

He asked, “What’s your age, young man?”

The young man said, “I’m 22,
sir.”

The cop asked, “And her, what’s her age?”

The young man looked at his watch and replied, “She’ll be 18 in 11 minutes.”




ABOUT DOHENY BLUES FESTIVAL–For the last 22 years, Dana Point’s Doheny Blues Festival has created a festival environment like none other! Located in the picturesque location of Sea Terrace Park, the festival features three alternating stages of blues, rock and soul music, tasty craft brews, an eclectic vendor village and 15,000 music fans throughout the weekend!

The nationally-recognized festival has welcomed a mix of blues legends and rockin’ headliners… and the 2019 lineup will surely continue this musical tradition.

Line-up to be released on Monday, February 4th! Last chance for Early Bird Weeked Passes!




DAV NEWS– CONNECTING VETERANS AND VOLUNTEERS NATIONWIDE–
Register today to identify opportunities in your community. Whether you are interested in volunteering or submitting a task for yourself or a loved one, you’ve reached the right place.

Tasks range from running errands and helping with chores and home maintenance to performing basic tasks or group projects.






START YOUR YEAR ON A CLASSIC ROYAL ENFIELD 500 SINGLE– Ride into 2019 in style with a Royal Enfield Classic 500. An old-school, post-war design built around an engine that you can count on. The machine evokes simple pleasures of motorcycling while being dependable enough to ride through any terrain. In it, the tradition of an iconic past exists in harmony with modern technology. The Classic 500 features a fuel-injected 500 cc engine with a modern classic styling that’s sure to turn heads.

The 2018 Classic 500s are better than ever. Available in Royal Enfield dealers across North America, all now come standard with ABS and rear disc brakes. With new color schemes and affordable financing options, it’s easier than ever to return to pure motorcycling.

Royal Enfield North America, 226 North Water Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202





FROM THE WHITE HOUSE--Crisis at Our Southern Border Is Real and Growing Worse Without the Wall

“The federal government has reopened, but the talking points pushed by the Democrats about the southern border remain the same. They falsely say ‘there is no crisis.’ They claim that a barrier or wall would do nothing to curb illegal immigration or drug smuggling, which is demonstrably untrue,” Buck Sexton writes in The Hill.

For example, “human smugglers for the cartels use the surrender of family units as a diversionary tactic. Once Border Patrol is engaged in one area, the smugglers will use that opportunity to run drugs onto American soil.”


“As a former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) special agent on the southern border who fought sex trafficking for over a decade, I can say with certainty that the issue of the border wall should be not about power and partisan politics. It should be about the children – the tens of thousands of them who have been and are being trafficked into the U.S. and forced into the commercial sex trade,” Timothy Ballard writes for Fox News.

In 2006, Matthew Hemsley arrived in America on a working visa to help establish a church in Charlotte, he recounts in The Washington Post. “By now, my three daughters had grown up in the United States. This was their home. I wanted to secure my wife and my children’s futures here,” Hemsley writes. “Twelve years later, on Jan. 19, I had one of the most surreal moments of my life: I was naturalized as a U.S. citizen in the Oval Office by President Trump.”

“Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced Tuesday that it arrested 118 illegal immigrants in New York in a five-day raid this month, more than 107 of whom were convicted criminals or had pending charges against them — and the agency slammed local politicians for protecting them and endangering the public,” Adam Shaw reports in Fox News. “Now that many sanctuary cities, including New York City, do not honor ICE detainers, these individuals, who often have significant criminal histories, are released onto the street, presenting a potential public safety threat,” ICE said in a statement Tuesday.

“Private payrolls grew in January at a much faster pace than expected,” Fred Imbert reports for CNBC. “Companies added 213,000 jobs this month.” Moody’s Analytics Chief Economist Mark Zandi said the “job market weathered the government shutdown well” as American businesses continued to hire strongly.





INDIAN MOTORCYCLE RACING’S 2019 CONTINGENCY PROGRAM OFFERS $18,500 PER RACE & $25,000 CHAMPIONSHIP BONUS

Indian Maintains Aggressive Contingency after 2018 Single-Season
Privateer Payout Record of Nearly $150,000

Indian Motorcycle Racing, the back-to-back reigning American Flat Track Manufacturer’s Champion, today announced its 2019 contingency program. Following a record-setting season in which Indian Motorcycle Racing paid nearly $150,000 in privateer contingency, Indian’s 2019 program will continue to offer an aggressive $18,500 per race and include a $25,000 championship bonus. In addition, Indian Motorcycle Racing will increase its first-place payout from $5,000 to $10,000 in 2019.

Since its American Flat Track debut in 2017, the championship-winning Indian Motorcycle FTR750 has been the hottest race bike in the sport. After the Indian Wrecking Crew swept the 2017 season standings, many privateers turned to the FTR750 in 2018. Of those privateers, seven placed within the top 10 of the final standings, including Henry Wiles (second), Briar Bauman (third), Jeffrey Carver Jr. (fourth), Chad Cose (sixth), Kenny Coolbeth Jr. (seventh), Jake Johnson (eighth) and Davis Fisher (ninth).



“In 2018, we paid out more in privateer contingency than any other company in the history of professional flat track racing,” said Gary Gray, Vice President – Racing, Technology & Service for Indian Motorcycle. “Many of our privateers had career years aboard the FTR750 and garnered consistent results throughout the season. That said, we’re excited to maintain an aggressive privateer contingency program and reward those who choose to ride the FTR750.”

Indian Motorcycle Racing’s 2019 contingency structure breaks down by the following:
1st – $10,000
2nd – $3,500
3rd – $1,500
4th – $1,250
5th – $1,000
6th – $500
7th – $300
8th – $200
9th – $150
10th – $100

To be eligible for contingency payouts, riders must run an Indian FTR750 at all races the team participates in for the 2019 American Flat Track Twins season. The bike must maintain the original red, white and black paint scheme and include the full “Indian Scout” logo across both sides of the tank panel. Additional logos on the bike are acceptable, but must be pre-approved by Indian Motorcycle Racing. Furthermore, riders must wear three Indian Motorcycle patches, including one on the upper chest on either the left or right side, as well as one on both shoulders.

For more information on Indian Motorcycle Racing and the Indian Wrecking Crew, visit IndianMotorcycle.com.








THE DOOMSDAY GUYS ARE BACK–
The supposed millennial penchant for “killing” industries gets thrown around a lot, but it could really be happening to one American icon: the Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

Data suggest a considerable generational divide in attitudes toward heavyweight motorcycles, the sort of bikes sold by brands such as Harley and Polaris’ Indian brand, said UBS analyst Robin Farley in a note published Friday.

It turns out that younger people do consider buying motorcycles, but for entirely different reasons than older customers, and that has potentially profound implications for companies such as Harley-Davidson, which has been struggling with declining sales and an aging demographic.

Shares of the motorcycle maker have fallen 32 percent in the last 12 months.

The survey’s most significant finding is that 21- to 34-year-olds consider buying a bike for “ease of transportation,” whereas older buyers purchase bikes “as a hobby” or because “motorcycles are cool.”

This distinction is important, since the average Harley-Davidson customer is a married man in his early 50s, with a household income at or above $90,000. These are the customers buying motorcycles out of a passion for the product or lifestyle.

Younger buyers appear to be more motivated to consider motorcycles for practical reasons, which means it is likely they will be more interested in less expensive bikes that bring in lower margins for manufacturers.

“We believe this significant divergence in incentives to buy a new bike could be what is partly behind Harley’s and broader heavyweight motorcycle industry’s challenge to tap into a new segment of younger riders to drive growth,” Farley said. “So unless there is a generational shift among younger riders to see motorcycling as a hobby vs. means of transportation, the outlook for the heavyweight industry could continue to be more dependent on an aging demographic.”

It might not be all bad, though.

“Perhaps one hopeful sign for the industry is that younger potential buyers cited the second most common reason to buy a motorcycle is that it ‘goes with their self-image,’” Farley said.

Harley-Davidson has initiated an ambitious plan to lure 2 million more riders to the brand in 10 years. Among other things, the company is setting up riding schools around the country, and it is releasing an electric motorcycle called the “Livewire.” The company also previewed two electric concept bikes earlier in January.

Officials at Polaris weren’t immediately available to comment. Harley-Davidson told CNBC the company has been aware of the demographic trend and it has been informing the company’s strategy.

“There’s nothing new here,” Harley-Davidson told CNBC in a statement. “Our advanced analytic capabilities allow us to deeply understand rider migration trends. In fact, our knowledge of riders informed our strategy to build the next generation of Harley-Davidson riders globally, which we launched in early 2017.”

The survey polled 2,100 adults in the U.S. over the age of 21 from Sept. 1, 2018, to Sept. 21, 2018.

–Robert Ferris
CNBC News

–from Rogue





SALT TORPEDO REPORT—We’ve made tremendous progress. We had to go to a local machine shop to have an axle clamp made. It’s the first thing we didn’t handle in the shop and it cost me $400. You’ll see it next week in the report. I spoke to Jeff Cochran from Speed King about the dual caliper rear brake system and Yelvington shocks is working on a set of mock-up shocks to give us something to build around.

The front portion of the frame is nearly completed and we looked for a package of Dzus fittings for the body. I hope to order them tomorrow.



I need to finish Frankie’s Custom Cycle Engineering 39 mm front end build tech and Mike Pullin sent me his final Shovelhead restoration article. Hang on. The action never slows down around here.

–Bandit







NMA ALERT, Are Cyclists Vision Zero Zealots?–
Eric Berg is an NMA director and life member since the Citizens Coalition for Rational Traffic Law days. Eric is an avid sport bicyclist as well as staunch defender of motorists’ rights. He is well positioned to provide observations from both vantage points.

One of the challenges for NMA advocacy is distinguishing allies from foes. We tend to paint others with a broad brush.

Bicyclists generally fall into two camps: Those who ride for sport and those who are leisure/commuter cyclists. The former often belong to USA Cycling, the premier organization in the United States for serious cyclists. The only social issues it addresses have to do with bullying, student-athlete protection, and sexual misconduct. The organization is silent when it comes to urban bicycle route planning and street usage. These cyclists pedal drop-handlebar speed machines. They are the fast riders you see on country roads. One barometer I use to assess the political climate of a group is the bumper stickers seen on cars at an event. A look around the parking lot at 100 mile (century) rides and criterium races usually shows only bumper stickers admonishing drivers to share the road and yield three feet of space when passing.

That’s a reasonable expectation, and a far cry from the Vision Zero manifesto of achieving zero road fatalities by restricting-if not virtually eliminating-vehicular traffic. This movement is championed among bicyclists by “sustainable transportation advocates” pushing for changes that penalize drivers. They form into political action nonprofits that favor names such as “Walk Bike Xxxx” (insert your city name). Some of the individuals happen to ride bicycles. When they sponsor organized rides, the urban routes are selected so they are as dangerous as possible in order to emphasize a point. They ride comfort and hybrid bikes and festoon their bikes with political stickers. The NMA highlighted one such faction, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, in E-Newsletter #516, Problem Solved: Ban Cars.

Another is the Washington Area Bicyclist Association which recently called for, “. . . congestion-tolling and other steps to limit the number of vehicles that enter the city, raising residential parking fees, banning right turns on red and requiring residents to take a driver’s test again when renewing licenses.”

The spectrum of bicyclists is nearly as broad as the spectrum between Ferrari (or Porsche) drivers and Subaru or Smart Car drivers. It’s important for NMA to recognize the difference between sport cyclists and urban commuting cyclists so that we don’t alienate potential allies and polarize them into becoming foes.

Editor’s Note: Eric added an interesting postscript that further illustrates that most issues (and most supporters or opponents of various issues) are not nearly as black and white as we sometimes make them out to be. Writes Eric,”There are a lot of issues that I favor that might sound like they don’t align with NMA thought, but I don’t see a conflict. For example, I’m a huge fan of rails-to-trails conversions. Rail-trails get bike traffic off of motorways without the use of “road diets,” which is a win-win for everybody.”


— From guest writer Eric Berg.

Join the NMA Today!







NEW GALLERY IN BANDIT’S CANTINA
2018 STURGIS BUFFALO CHIP–Foreigner stole the show. You think you only know a few of their hits??? Thing again.

Foreigner, the new band along with the original band, joined together and played all night long. Every song was well known. Red Sun Rising opened the show. 

Enjoy the images. 


–JACK MCINTYRE
Gallery editor of Bandit’s Cantina
BIKERNET.COM
jackmcintyrephoto.com







MORE FROM THE DOOMSDAY CROWD–
Harley-Davidson’s core customers think they’re too old to ride bikes.

Harley-Davidson shares just hit a six-year low
Harley-Davidson CEO sent out employee memo to fight ‘misinformation’ Harley-Davidson’s plan to revamp itself: electric motorcycles
Being an “Easy Rider” isn’t so easy for Harley-Davidson’s core customer anymore.

Indeed, when asked why they would not buy such a vehicle, 13 percent of the 55-plus crowd said “people my age do not ride motorcycles.”

UBS analyst Robin Farley, in a research report released Friday, predicted this sense of being too old will increase “as Harley’s average buyer age moves further into their 50s.”

This means fewer and fewer Harley customers — manufacturer of half the heavyweight bikes sold in the US — will continue to buy a hog.

For those over 55, biking as “a hobby” and biking because “motorcycles are cool” were identified as the primary drivers of bike purchases.

But for the 21-to-24 set, the top reason was “ease of transportation.”

These younger consumers are much more likely to be attracted to “a lower-priced, lighter weight and lower margin bike,” Farley said.

This “divergence of intentions,” as she called it, does not bode well for motorcycle’s heavyweight segment.

This moved Farley to ask: “Has motorcycling had its cultural moment?”

For Harley, the answer seems to be yes.

“We believe [Harley] finished 2018 with US retail sales down double-digits,” the analyst concluded.

–By Richard Morgan






SPEAKING OF DOOMSDAY, NEWS FROM THE CLIMATE DEPOT–Scientists, studies & data agree: ‘Global warming’ not fueling acceleration in sea level rise – ‘Miami Is Sinking, But That Doesn’t Mean Sea Levels Are Rising’

Analysis Debunks Absurd Sea Level Rise Claims About South Florida
– Sea level rise in the Miami area is not accelerating and it is rising at a rate of about 1 foot per century.

Climatologist’s sea-level rise study disputes climate-disaster predictions – In many cases, ‘half of the sea-level rise is really from land sinking’
– “
Miami Is Sinking, But That Doesn’t Mean Sea Levels Are Rising”

Sea level expert Geologist Dr. Nils-Axel Mörner ridiculed the claim in Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth that Florida would be half covered by rising seas. “These are models. They are doing it wrongly, and this is lobbying. Geologic facts are on one side, lobbying and models are on the other side.” Morner added, “The rapid rise in sea levels predicted by computer models simply cannot happen.” …

Geologist Dr. Don Easterbrook: “If you look at the total global sea level from about 1850 until the present time it’s been rising at a fairly constant rate, rather slow—about 7 inches a century…. It’s about 1 to 2 mm a year so if you’re 50 years old you experienced a sea level rise about 3 ½ inches and you probably didn’t even notice it,”

Former NASA Climatologist Dr. Roy Spencer: “Sea level rise, which was occurring long before humans could be blamed, has not accelerated and still amounts to only 1 inch every 10 years.” … Spencer on Miami flooding: “That flooding is mostly a combination of (1) natural sea level rise (I show there has been no acceleration of sea level rise beyond what was already happening since the 1800s), and (2) satellite-measured sinking of the reclaimed swamps that have been built upon for over 100 years in Miami Beach.”

U. Penn Geologist Dr. Robert Giegengack explains, “At the present rate of sea-level rise it’s going to take 3,500 years to get up there [to Gore’s predicted rise of 20 feet]. So if for some reason this warming process that melts ice is cutting loose and accelerating, sea level doesn’t know it. And sea level, we think, is the best indicator of global warming.”


The man-made climate-induced sea level rise scare is back in the news today as a Miami beach developer has correctly dismissed sea level rise scares as “paranoia.”

See: Billionaire Miami Beach Developer Dismisses Rising Sea Levels as ‘Paranoia’ – (Bloomberg) — A South Florida developer is questioning the well-established facts of climate change, and is putting his money where his mouth is, investing millions to build residential projects in highly exposed Miami Beach. Brazilian billionaire Jose Isaac Peres….is a real estate magnate and chief executive officer of shopping-center developer Multiplan Empreendimentos Imobiliarios SA said he isn’t factoring in the financial risk of rising sea levels… “It’s funny, that’s the last concern that I have here in Miami, that global-warming issue,” he said. “You’re leaning toward paranoia, you know?” he said, suggesting that Americans are more fixated on the study of climate change than Brazilians are. “You see a ghost, and you run after it as if it were real.”


Climate Depot Reality Check: The feared sea level rise in Miami and Florida has failed to materialize. The latest studies and data have scientists speaking out about the unscientific claims of man-made climate change induced sea level rise.


“Gore has previously said there has been a three-inch sea level rise since 1992 when Hurricane Andrew struck Florida. But tidal gauges and satellite altimeters show only a sea level rise of 1.2 mm per year. That would be about 28 mm since 1992, or 1.1 inches. He was off nearly 300 percent.

Gore also brought up the unique phenomenon in Miami that allow “fish from the ocean to swim on the streets of Miami-Dade and Delray, Ft. Lauderdale.” But that assertion has no basis in fact, wrote the Miami Herald when President Obama made the same claim.”



All of the sea level rise since 1700 is insignificant relative to the natural variability of Holocene sea levels.





ALL I DID WAS DRIVE A TRUCK IN VIETNAM– This video and short commentary sheds light on some inspirational Transportation Corps soldiers in combat in Vietnam that many of us may never have heard about. About 50 minutes long but I found it worth it.



https://www.sho.com/pr/smithsonian/sp/title/gun-trucks-of-vietnam?c=7l1c2p4u2a6u3l2i7v4o7r18290d5i2u

–from Mr. Wonderful





BIKERNET BOOK CLUB BOOK REVIEW-–Storm Rider: The emergence of Gunnar
by Chris Dutcher


A dichotomy of viewpoints, the law, the gangster, the MC, a biker, but a story told from the view of a lone wolf biker. The lone wolf parts becomes even more evident as the story progresses.

This story held me in its grip from the start. Gunnar with an “A”, trying to find his way in a world as foreign from his reality as possible but the closest in line with his desires. Gunnar is the epitome of a true lone wolf biker. He is searching for the meaning and purpose of his life, while trying to live free. To him control, constraint, and normalcy are four letter words

As Gunnar slides into a roadside bar and out of a downpour, the local MC takes interest in him. With a town loaded with gangsters and the feds, trouble soon erupts and Gunnar is in the middle of it. Through in a hot little FBI agent and passions rise.

The story gets even more interesting when some Nazi’s get in the mix trying to reap the benefits of their creation. But all along Gunnar is just looking for the meaning of life and a nice piece of ass.

To get the rest of the story pick up the book. Me, I’m waiting for thy he next chapter to see where Gunnar goes from here. Spoiler alert, he survived book one.

–David Campbell
Earl’s Garage – Motorcycle, Hotrod, and Event Photography
www.earlsgarage.co







MORE FROM THE WEST WING–Here is where American voters stand on immigration

Last week, President Donald J. Trump made an appeal for bipartisanship to solve America’s immigration crisis. The reason is simple: Ordinary Americans across the political spectrum want to see illegal immigration addressed. The people fighting hardest to preserve the horrible status quo are entrenched interests in Washington.

This time must be different. President Trump has given Congress 3 weeks to reach a deal that secures our border while protecting the most vulnerable communities. Public opinion polls back the President up:

A recent ABC/Washington Post poll shows that most Americans believe the Government is doing “too little” to stop illegal immigration—including 4 in 5 Republicans, more than a third of Democrats, and a majority of independents.

Echoing that theme, a Gallup poll last month revealed that Americans view immigration as the second-biggest problem facing the country today.

A 2018 POLITICO/Morning Consult poll confirms a majority of voters disagree with Democrats’ proposal to eliminate U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement entirely. Not even a majority of Democratic voters agree.

Gallup polls from 2018 show that a majority of Americans personally worry about illegal immigration a “great deal” or a “fair amount.” More Americans oppose than support “sanctuary cities” that skirt Federal immigration laws, as well.

If Americans of all stripes call for safe and secure borders as part of common-sense immigration reform, why not give law enforcement the tools they need to do their jobs safely and effectively? That shouldn’t be controversial. Congress needs to put the concerns of American voters before those of special and political interests.

There is some good news, however: A growing number of Democrats understand that obstructing immigration reform would put them at odds with ordinary Americans. In recent weeks, they’ve broken rank with Democratic leaders such as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and have backed border security.

“Certainly you need barriers, and we support barriers,” Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) explains. Ditto Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA): “Where folks say we need additional barrier protections, I’m all for it.”

Democrats who put sensible solutions above obstructionist politics should be applauded. Those who don’t need to listen to voters—not their donors or party bosses.

Something to share: Border security will put human traffickers out of business.

Former DHS special agent: “We Need to Build the Wall for the Children”

President Trump calls Venezuela’s interim President

President Trump last week officially recognized Juan Guaido, President of the Venezuelan National Assembly, as the country’s Interim President.

More than 3 million people have fled Venezuela since 2015. The United Nations estimates that number may swell to more than 5.3 million by the end of 2019. The United States is standing with Venezuelans as they demand democracy, human rights, and prosperity—all things denied to them by the corrupt Maduro regime and its authoritarian predecessor, Hugo Chavez.

President Trump spoke with Interim President Guaido today, congratulating him on his historic assumption of the presidency and reaffirming American support for Venezuela’s fight to regain its democracy.

“The fight for freedom has begun!,” President Trump tweets.

Vice President Pence: “Venezuela, America Stands With You”






BIKERNET UNIVERSITY ENGLISH DEPARTMENT VOCABULARY LESSON–buzzwig

[buhz-wig]
noun
1.
a person of consequence.
2.
a large, bushy wig.


A buzzwig “bigwig, big shot” is someone who wears a large, bushy wig. The first syllable, buzz, may be a shortening of busby, the very large fur hat worn by hussars on parade. Buzzwig entered English in the 19th century.




VEGAS AUCTION NEWS– Some Quick Highlights from the auction. Lots of action and bucks flying around at the Vegas auctions.


The Bg Tank Crocker a massive $704K for a bike with needs.

The Small Tank Crocker $423K again for a bike that wasnt 100%.

1912 Henderson that was stunning $302K

1923 Ace$126K

1914 H-D Twin $132K

Knuckleheads that weren’t covered in Repop parts did very well.





Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki Ready to Make Round 5 Count Before Western Regional Break–Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo and Garrett Marchbanks have one more round to showcase their speed this weekend at Petco Park before the series starts to head east.

Cianciarulo rolls into San Diego with two wins and the momentum to potentially take over the lead in the championship as he sits just three points back of the leader. Marchbanks returned to the top 10 and is hoping to make Round 5 his best race yet.


The weather isn’t looking promising for San Diego on Saturday, but that won’t stop Cianciarulo from entering with confidence following his second win last week in Oakland. Getting out front and having clear vision will be one of the keys for the race.

“It’s unfortunate to see that rain will likely force us to have our second mud race, but we got through the first one and we’ll not only be going after a good result but the win,” said Cianciarulo. “It’s strange to think this is our last race until the beginning of March when we come back for the showdown. It would be nice to stay in the title hunt going into the break.”


The rookie Marchbanks completed his best finish of the season at the opening round mud race and isn’t shying away from the bad weather. He’s set to make Round 5 a race to remember before he gets his first weekend off in the new year.

“The first several rounds flew by and I can’t believe we’re already in San Diego,” said Marchbanks. “It’s been amazing so far to learn and tackle all kinds of scenarios from the rain at the opening round to the triple crown format. I’m ready to put in another good effort.”

The Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki riders will be signing autographs on Friday, February 1 from 6 – 7 p.m. at Del Amo Southbay in Chula Vista, California.

Saturday’s race from Petco Park will be broadcast live on NBC Sports starting on Saturday, February 2 at 10 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.





JIMS TOOL OF THE WEEK–JIMS Milwaukee-Eight Cam Bearing Remover and Installer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDWwjFitlH0

The new Milwaukee Eight engine returns to the single cam design, which requires a new tool (Part No. 5806) for accurate replacement of the camshafts inner needle bearing. JIMS has created a remover that uses the “JIMS Style” collet as well as a fine threaded installation driver for correct and accurate replacement.



JIMS has incorporated a new removal hole that works as a window and allows you to see what you’re doing while using the tool. The suggested MSRP is $275, and can be purchased through any authorized JIMS® dealer. For more information please call us at (805) 482-6913, email us at sales@jimsusa.com, or visit www.jimsusa.com.


Part No. 5806 – For use on the new Milwaukee-Eight® Engine



THE BIKERNET COUNTRY WESTERN REPORT– Really glad to pass this one on. . . .all I can say I will do my best to try and follow his lead.


It starts with Toby Keith playing golf with Clint Eastwood. That sets the stage.


At one point, Eastwood said to Keith, “I turn 88 on Monday.”

“What are you going to do?” Keith asked.

“I’m going to shoot a movie,” Eastwood replied, with filming scheduled to begin the following week.

“What keeps you going?” Keith asked him.

“I get up every day and don’t let the old man in,” Eastwood said.

“I’m writing this down right now,” Keith replied.

Keith didn’t ask him if he could contribute a song, Keith just went home and wrote it, sent it to Clint and hoped that he would consider it. And, he did.

Here it is:

https://youtu.be/yc5AWImplfE

–Bob Stark






LIFESTYLE CYCLES DEAL OF THE WEEK– Only $13,995.00

2017 HERITAGE SOFTAIL CLASSIC FLSTC


If you are looking for a back-to-basics touring bike with classic styling, the 2017 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic stands at the ready. The High Output Twin Cam 103B is fully capable of taking the rider and passenger from coast-to-coast in high style and comfort. Seat height: 27 inches, Curb weight: 755 pounds. You have to come in and see this bike, it is just plain pretty and makes you want to go ride. The classic look, paint, and accents will turn heads.


ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT INCLUDE:

Mysterious Red Sunglo/Velocity Red Sunglo two tone paint is flawless. Red pin-striping and raised chrome tank emblems with a red background attract the eye. 12″ apes with black switch housings and chrome mirrors. Detachable windshield on chrome shroud and polished fork. Steel laced 40 spoke chrome rims. Anti-Lock brakes. Studded leather bags and solo seat that has a pillion and passenger backrest. Chrome rockers, push-rod tubes, tappet blocks, horn, and 2:2 exhaust pipes. Chrome cam with Twin-Cam H-D cover and chrome primary with a 103 cover. Black swing arm with chrome upper chain guard. The tires are ready for miles…Don’t miss out on this one!






HERE’S THE DEAL—Life is nuts. I spoke to a well-known bike builder today about a braking system on our Salt torpedo. He said he’s busy as hell, building bikes and parts. That’s music to my ears. Also, the news about the auction was inspiring. Goofy shit at the Bonham’s auction pulled big prices, like a scooter for $27,000.

I don’t believe Harley is going anywhere but up, and so is Indian. About the time the control freaks think they can control everything the rebels will return to ride Free Forever.


–Bandit

 

 

Today, January 31 is the deadline to provide comments on the proposed ammunition regulations submitted by the California Department of Justice (DOJ). The proposed regulations are a direct result of the enactment of both Proposition 63 and Senate Bill No. 1235 in 2016. The proposed regulations were released on December 14, 2018 and are the first in what is expected to be a series of regulatory proposals regarding the mandatory background check process when purchasing ammunition, scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2019.

We encourage our Members, Second Amendment supporters, and Sportsmen to participate in the regulatory process by submitting comments on the proposal.  Both oral and written comments can be submitted at the public hearing listed below:

January 31, 2019, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Resources Building Auditorium

1416 9th Street

Sacramento, CA 95814

 

In addition to the public hearing, members may also submit written comments no later than 5:00 PM on January 31, 2019, to the following address:

Jessie Romine

Bureau of Firearms

Division of Law Enforcement

Department of Justice

P.O. Box 160487

Sacramento, CA 95816-0487

Phone: (916) 227-4217

Email: Ammoregs@doj.ca.gov

 

 

                               

Indian Motorcycle Racing, the back-to-back reigning American Flat Track Manufacturer’s Champion, today announced its 2019 contingency program. Following a record-setting season in which Indian Motorcycle Racing paid nearly $150,000 in privateer contingency, Indian’s 2019 program will continue to offer an aggressive $18,500 per race and include a $25,000 championship bonus. In addition, Indian Motorcycle Racing will increase its first-place payout from $5,000 to $10,000 in 2019.

 

Since its American Flat Track debut in 2017, the championship-winning Indian Motorcycle FTR750 has been the hottest race bike in the sport. After the Indian Wrecking Crew swept the 2017 season standings, many privateers turned to the FTR750 in 2018. Of those privateers, seven placed within the top 10 of the final standings, including Henry Wiles (second), Briar Bauman (third), Jeffrey Carver Jr. (fourth), Chad Cose (sixth), Kenny Coolbeth Jr. (seventh), Jake Johnson (eighth) and Davis Fisher (ninth).

 

Indian Motorcycle Racing’s 2019 contingency structure breaks down by the following:

• Championship – $25,000
• 1^st – $10,000
• 2^nd – $3,500
• 3^rd – $1,500
• 4^th – $1,250
• 5^th – $1,000
• 6^th – $500
• 7^th – $300
• 8^th – $200
• 9^th – $150
• 10^th – $100

 

For more information on Indian Motorcycle Racing and the Indian Wrecking Crew, visit IndianMotorcycle.com and follow along on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

See the full story in the Bikernet Weekly News tomorrow.

 

You’d never know it from media coverage of the climate change issue, but over the past year, several “facts” about global warming have been debunked entirely or were radically altered.

 

 

The Global Warming Policy Forum, a London-based think-tank, supports “open and skeptical” science and policy research, as well as a balanced approach to the question of climate change.  This kind of hardheaded realism is badly needed to counter the outright hysteria of climate alarmists.  The GWPF came up with a list of the 12 debunked climate scares of 2018.  Here are a few:

 

PARIS (AFP) – Earth’s surface will almost certainly not warm up four or five degrees Celsius by 2100, according to a study released Wednesday (Jan 17) which, if correct, voids worst-case UN climate change predictions.

 

A revised calculation of how greenhouse gases drive up the planet’s temperature reduces the range of possible end-of-century outcomes by more than half, researchers said in the report, published in the journal Nature.

 

This is the most persistent myth advanced by climate change hysterics – that unless we do something now about global warming, we’ll all be dead by 2100.  That may have been the prediction a decade ago, but gradually, over the years, even the IPCC predictions have become less dire.

 

You may recall the above report by the BBC, which described how bad last year’s Atlantic hurricane season was, before commenting at the end: “A warmer world is bringing us a greater number of hurricanes and a greater risk of a hurricane becoming the most powerful category 5.”  I fired off a complaint, which at first they did their best to dodge.  After my refusal to accept their reply, they have now been forced to back down.

 

In fact, no major hurricane made landfall in the U.S. between 2005 and 2017.  And the prediction that storms would become more severe just hasn’t panned out.

 

NASA glaciologist Jay Zwally says his new study will show, once again, the eastern Antarctic ice sheet is gaining enough ice to offset losses in the west.

 

The question of polar ice growth or shrinkage – either the North or the South Pole – continues to bedevil scientists.  But climate hysterics have accepted as an article of faith that the ice is disappearing.  And then there are the poor, starving polar bears:

 

The narrative behind the viral photo of a polar bear starving, reportedly thanks to climate change, has been called into question by the National Geographic photographer who took it in the first place.

 

Try, try again, guys.

 

The issue of “coral bleaching” is a favorite of hysterics.  This issue also can be dropped from the alarmists’ agenda:

 

Coral bleaching has been a regular feature of the Great Barrier Reef for the past 400 years, with evidence of repeated mass events dating back to well before Euro­pean settlement and the start of the industrial revolution.

 

What runs through all these myths is the political calculation that people, scared to death, will hand politicians and bureaucrats enormous power to control our lives by controlling energy.  It’s really just a simple power grab played out on a planetwide scale.  But as long as skeptical scientists aren’t put in jail or burned at the stake for their beliefs, that power grab will be stymied.

 

–By Rick Moran

American Thinker

–from the Climate Depot

 

 

ROLL IN STYLE WITH NEW H-D® ANNIHILATOR CUSTOM WHEELS

Take any Harley-Davidson motorcycle’s style to the next level with the new Harley-Davidson® Annihilator Custom Wheels for 2018-later Softail® models. Whether you’re riding on winding country roads or city streets, these wheels demand attention for both style and performance. Designed and tested to hold true to H-D standards for fit and finishes, the Annihilator Wheel will personalize H-D® motorcycles with fit, function, style and performance accessories designed to enhance the ride. The 18” Front Annihilator Custom Wheel (P/N 43300590, $574.95*) in graphite is designed to ensure riders never settle for second place. With fierce lines on the rim, this wheel is made to take out the competition. 19” Front Annihilator Custom Wheel (P/N 43300593, $624.95*) in gloss black with highlights has the same effect and features. The added highlights on the gloss black finish create performance-inspired style.

Designed with the same goal, the 16” Rear Annihilator Custom Wheel (P/N 40900573, $574.95*) in graphite is the perfect rear wheel for going fast or cruising. The 16” Rear Annihilator Custom Wheel (P/N 40900571, $624.95*) in gloss black with contrast cut highlights makes for the perfect performance-inspired style addition. These wheels are designed with deep lines on the rim to ensure success and durability that will last for years.

These wheels require a separate purchase of model-specific Wheel Installation Kit, Sprocket Hardware and Brake Rotor-specific hardware. Download the 2019 Parts & Accessories catalog at WWW.H-D.COM/CATALOG for a complete listing of H-D Genuine wheels, tires, rotors and brakes.

 

Incredible, there’s so much going on and our vehicles are acting up. Check out the story, but we got Franky’s FXR running again. Still a few things to do.

https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/login.aspx

–Bandit

Here’s a concept to ponder. For years, I mean decades the motorcycle business community hasn’t worked with motorcycle rights groups, except the MIC. The MIC struggled with their own role and are funded by the top four motorcycle manufacturers excluding Harley-Davidson. Maybe they knew something.

Years ago I suggested that they change their membership rules and allow dealers and shops a voice. They turned me down. Only the manufacturers had a voice. Recently they have allowed dealers to join. — Read more.

 

Hey,

Here’s a concept to ponder. For years, I mean decades the motorcycle business community hasn’t worked with motorcycle rights groups, except the MIC. The MIC struggled with their own role and are funded by the top four motorcycle manufacturers excluding Harley-Davidson. Maybe they knew something.

Years ago I suggested that they change their membership rules and allow dealers and shops a voice. They turned me down. Only the manufacturers had a voice. Recently they have allowed dealers to join. Here’s the new list of eligible members:

Motorcycle Manufacturers And Distributors
Aftermarket Product Distributors
Aftermarket Product Manufacturers and Importers
Professional Services and Allied Trades
Publications
Industry Start-Up Companies
Motorcycle/ATV Dealerships

This is good news in some respects. But there is a void between Bikers and motorcycle professionals and the MIC doesn’t cover it. So the industry really should join two organizations. From a business side it’s not bad to support the MIC, although the MIC is based in California, but they didn’t fight the California Air Resources Board’s establishment of costly exhaust executive orders or the recent new exhaust sound restrictions. And they wouldn’t stand up against onslaught of bogus climate change doomsday restrictions.

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 and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum. Most recently the Smoke Out and Quick Throttle Magazine came on board.

CHOPPERTOWN PRESENTS:
Rebel on the Highway

“When you race with the Devil, make sure you’re not low on gas.”

An alternate present-day version of the Crossroads, this lighthearted motorcycle tale of good vs. evil propels small-time musician Goodtime Charlie into a twisted universe of voodoo, music and morals. Backed by a professional soundtrack featuring musicians Greg Allman, Charlie Musslewhite, Deacon Jones, Eddy Money, Guitar Mac, Charlie Brechtel and more.

ALL NEW CROSS COUNTRY CHASE–Sault Ste. Marie, MI to Key West, FL

September 6th – 15th, 2019

 On Friday, September 6, 2019, a group of approximately 100-adventerous souls on antique motorcycles will take America’s two-lanes by storm and the world is invited to cheer on the excitement.

The Cross Country Chase, America’s newest antique motorcycle touring challenge, is brought to you by the tried-n-true crew at the Motorcycle Cannonball in partnership with Legends Motorcycle Museum. This down-n-dirty endurance run will prove out the “who’s who” of antique motorcycling. Not only will the winner be crowned a “Legend” and have life-long bragging rights after successfully completing the arduous run, but as a bonus, a cash prize will also be awarded. The cross-country challenge is for riders over 18, motorcycles manufactured between 1930-1948, and will be an extreme test of endurance, speed, navigation, and knowledge.

Endurance: Riders and machines will have to travel an average of 250-350 miles per day over a 10-day period while enduring mental and physical exhaustion, extreme cold and heat, various elevation changes, and the unpredictable elements of Mother Nature. Riders will tackle The Cross Country Chase on their own; no support crews of any kind will be allowed during the event. Participants will have to anticipate what is vital for the entire duration: all tools, parts, and luggage must be packed on their motorcycles. It’s just you, your motorcycle, and some of the best 2 lane roads of North America.

Speed: Riders and machines will be challenged to complete stages in a timely fashion, which will require maintaining required speeds, making strategically planned stops while managing time throughout the day in order to check in to the final daily checkpoint at the required time.

Navigation: Riders are required to successfully navigate the 10-day, 2,500+ mile route without going off course or getting lost. The Chase will provide riders with a navigation map daily that provides turn-by-turn instructions based on mileage.

Knowledge: Riders will take a 100-question test covering aspects of American motorcycling history, which will count towards the rider’s final score.

Qualifications:

Motorcycles:
1.Manufactured between 1930-1948
2.Motorcycle will be handicapped on the following:
a.Age: The older the motorcycle, the higher the handicap
b.Engine Displacement: Motorcycles with smaller displacement engines will be handicapped higher than motorcycles with higher displacement
c.Average Speed: Part of the handicap will be based on your average cruising speed.
3.Must have ORIGINAL engine cases
4.Must have ORIGINAL transmission cases (No late model transmissions)
5.Period correct carburetors (No late model Mikunis, S&S, etc.)
6.Paint (must be period correct)
7.No modern choppers or bobbers (unless they look period correct)

Riders:
Age: 18 and older

Current motorcycle license, registration and insurance are required. If you think you and your machine are cut out for this intense adventure, submit your application at www.themotorcyclechase.com

DO SELF-DRIVING CARS ‘SEE’ MOTORCYCLES?–Lane-splitting is an accepted maneuver by motorcyclists all over the world, but in America it is only practiced by riders in the Golden State. California-based Tesla, whose cars are well represented on California highways, seems to be aware of motorcyclists’ unique filtering capabilities there and has been working to ensure their Autopilot systems detect the presence of a lane-sharing rider in traffic.

However, YouTuber Scott Kubo recently posted a video to test the functionality of motorcycle detection while lane-splitting, and apparently detecting an approaching motorcycle seems to be hit and miss in Version 9 of Tesla’s neural net Autopilot software. It’s clear from the clip that the system confuses motorcycles with cars at times, and can even miss a motorcycle entirely if the motorcycle is moving at a good clip. It’s tough to determine how useful this detection would be in its current state in real-world application.

In the YouTube clip Kubo explains that the current 360° camera system (2.0 and 2.5) can process 200 frames per second (or 200fps) spread across the eight cameras positioned around his Tesla car. So, each camera has an equivalent frame rate of 25fps — a decent digital SLR camera can have over 100fps and an iPhone can shoot at up to 240fps. It might be that the current system just doesn’t have a high enough frame speed to capture fast moving motorcycles.

Self-driving cars are still a burgeoning field of technology with some bugs to work out, and Tesla warns that Autopilot should not be used without some sort of human interaction, but would you want to be rolling up behind a robotic car knowing that an inattentive driver may not be quick enough to take over the manual controls if they “didn’t see the motorcycle”?

See the whole legislative report from Bill Bish on Bikernet.com™ now.—Bandit

https://www.bikernet.com/pages/NCOM_BIKER_NEWSBYTES_for_January_2019.aspx

NEW FROM S&S – SuperStreet Two into One Exhaust System

Making real power and looking great are often mutually exclusive in the exhaust market. Short tract, shield free systems, kill bottom end and melt your boots while others in the space have a history of questionable bracketry and construction.

This is where the folks at S&S Cycle have figured it out with their latest SuperStreet two into one system. S&S doesn’t build anything unless it makes power and the SuperStreet does exactly that with 86hp (+15%) and 110 lb./ft. Torque (+10%) out of the new generation of M8 Softail® models.

Add to that, the perfect length and angle, clearing bags, passenger pegs and forwards, plus an adjustable exhaust note via their dB reducer insert and you have the trifecta of power, looks and sound.

Available with S&S designed high flow cat (49 state legal) or as a race-only version in ceramic black or chrome and made in the USA. Click Here For More Information https://www.sscycle.com/m8-superstreet

We’re pretty stoked on this one. Big power in a 2:1 pipe for the Softail. Clears bags, rear pegs and forwards. Bonus? EPA compliant as well as race versions ready to ship.

–David Zemla
S&S Cycle

HERE’S WHAT BIKERNET DOES FOR ITS CUSTOMERS–
1. We can produce and publish articles on your products as quickly as you can supply us with parts or product information.

2. For as long as you are a sponsor, all your articles are available to the entire world of motorcycling.

3. We can correct or modify any article, at any time. It doesn’t matter if the article was posted yesterday or ten years ago.

4. No matter how many articles are posted or how many banners accompany each article, your fee is always the same.

5. We will never contact you with additional charges. You pay one low monthly fee for as long as your contract exists.

6. There is never a space limitation, cutting or restricting the effectiveness of an article.

7. We publish several areas capable of spreading the word about your products: Your department, a tech area, project bike builds, bike features, and the Bikernet weekly.

8. You will never find a competitor sharing space with one of your articles.

9. Our bottom line is to drive customers to your website and educate riders about your products or services as often as possible.

10. We don’t wear suits. We ride and build bikes every year.

–Bandit
Phone (310) 830-0630 Fax (310) 830-0530

FROM THE GEARHEAD DIARIES–If I told you guys and gals that I have a friend who this happened to, it would be a lie. I got shafted over by a cartel kidnapping scam.

The area code came out of Long Beach or Gardena, so here goes. All you hard working folks be careful of a non-local area code calls with a woman, child or who you think to be a loved one screaming on the other end of the phone. I thought it was my wife. They threatened to cut her throat unless I gave them ransom sent to Mexico.

I was out my first payment of ransom before I got the real call from the wife, who was very okay. I disassembled the cell phone and turned the report into the Police. Please be careful and keep the shotgun close by these days. In the old club days, we had resources at the club’s availability to take care of such lowlifes.

–Gearhead

NEWS FROM SPECTRO OILS–
Spectro Performance Oils is excited to announce that for the 2019 Monster Energy Supercross schedule, we have partnered with The Legends and Heroes of Motocross Tour.

“The Legends & Heroes of Motocross Tour is a professional historical display and time-line of Americas greatest motorsport.” The tour will be at each and every round of the Monster Energy Supercross series.

Visit the Legends and Heroes mobile museum to check out the legendary line up of Spectro Performance Oils products, which have been used by and trusted by many of the legends displayed.

While you are at Spectro’s display, pick up some literature, some stickers or snap a pic using #SpectroLegends for a chance to win some Spectro Swag.

If you have any questions about a Spectro product, please visit www.spectro-oils.com/products or call 800-243-8645.

BIKERNET UNIVERSITY ENGLISH DEPARTMENT VOCABULARY LESSON–
freegan

[free-guhn]
noun
1.
a person who buys as little as possible and makes use of recycled or discarded goods and materials, in an effort to reduce waste and limit environmental impact.

NMA News Letter–The Next Ten Years – Readers’ Edition

In NMA E-Newsletter #520, The Next Ten Years, Jim Walker, Gary Biller, and Steve Carrellas provided their thoughts — limited by the NMA to less than 300 words — on the significant challenges that motorists and the NMA will face over the next decade. We asked readers to chime in with their thoughts and published Part 1, Issue #522 last week. Here are some additional observations:

As a motorcycle rider you would think that we’re immune from the technology march, but we’re not, just to start the engine requires a 5 second wait for all of the 17 computers to get on line. Such things as ABS go rather unnoticed for a street rider, but when you add dirt riders, they find ABS an impediment to safe riding off road and on some bikes they can’t turn the darn ABS off. Newer bikes now include stability control, traction control, electronic suspension, and anti roll back brakes. WOW.

— Tom, Washington member

I think we are going to experience a renaissance in personal transportation in the next ten years, especially in cities. This will be driven primarily by Europe and Asia since the US is controlled by politics and that will keep the car and the internal combustion engine front-and-center over here. Here are my predictions:

· Hybrid and electric vehicles will become extremely popular in Europe where roads, high fuel taxes and culture come down hard on modes of transportation that pollute.

· Cities will become much less friendly towards cars and trucks not only in Europe but also in the US. Europe will be driven by the need to control pollution and the US will be driven by the need to control congestion. You will begin to see zones in and near cities that ban certain types of vehicles and taxes that make them prohibitive to drive into the city except for special situations. There will also be time restrictions when such vehicles cannot be driven into a city.

· Today’s electric scooter and the bicycle will give way to new modes of personal transportation that have yet to be invented or developed. The emphasis for these new modes of transportation will be personal safety, mobility, clean air and convenience.

· Self-driving vehicle development will shift from cars to personal transportation. When you need one, you will summon the personal transportation vehicle electronically and the vehicle will drive itself to you. You tell it where you want to go and it will take you there quickly and safely. When it is no longer needed, it will go find the nearest plug-in parking spot and recharge itself while waiting for the next user to summon it.

· You will not own your own vehicles. Instead, you will sign up for a “transportation service” and pay monthly according to your usage plan. This will be similar to a car payment but you will have access to a wide range of vehicles and you can select one that meets your needs at that moment.

· Increasing taxes on internal combustion engines and increasing areas where they are prohibited will slowly drive down the popularity of those vehicles. Europe will lead the way, followed by Asia and the US will lag.

· A new industry will spring up that will replace engines in older “classic” cars with electric and hybrid engines. Without the conversion, those cars will become too expensive to drive in addition to being prohibited from many public roads and highways.

· The repair and maintenance cost of electric vehicles will be far less than the cost for internal combustion engines. That will contribute greatly to pushing people away from internal combustion engines.

· The auto repair business will be totally transformed due to the new modes of transportation. There will be three main types of repair shops – mechanical, body repair, and electrical.

· The value of the vehicles we think are so ‘cool’ in 2019 will plummet. No one will want the vintage pickup trucks, mustangs, SUVs, etc. because they will be too expensive to drive and too restricted on where they can go.

· Roads in the middle of the city will be torn up and reconfigured to accommodate the new forms of transportation. There will be an emphasis on walking and using personal transportation devices (electric and much smaller than cars). There may even be underground roadways in some cities for these personal vehicles.

· Life in cities will be much more pleasant and quiet with fewer cars and trucks on the road. The air will be cleaner and people will be healthier with all of the walking they need to do.

— Jim Burton, New Hampshire member

I read your latest newsletter with great interest, and was immediately on board with the first missive on ‘the 85th percentile’, but what REALLY grabbed me was the second, which held the statement “Punishing citizens into submission sounds more like an authoritarian society than a free one”.

This harkened me back to the not-so-halcyon days of the National Maximium Speed Limit of 55 mph. I was yet a mere pup in my early 30s and drove, naturally but unwittingly, the 85th percentile. My reward for driving the 85th, and, god-forbid, enjoying it, were enough tickets to where that poor young sap with a wife and three kids to support SIMPLY COULD NOT AFFORD ANOTHER ticket.

— Carl Hockett, Nevada member

I see one of the biggest challenges being technology, since it will drive other changes.

Already, cars are becoming increasingly high tech. Displays and gadgets are a lot more advanced, and can be confusing to many of us who are more in tune with the analog dashboards of our past. Aside from the confusion as one goes down the learning curve, there is also the increasing complacency that comes with having devices that do some of the things an attentive driver should be doing-checking mirrors, watching following distance, etc. All this stuff can be helpful, and has its advantages, but the fact remains that the best safety device is a careful driver.

The big new thing now is driverless cars, though they’ve had their teething problems. There are not now enough of them in play to have a significant impact on traffic, but as they become more prevalent-and they will, though, I think, not as fast as their proponents would like, or the rest of us fear-they will eventually become an obstacle for the rest of us who are still driving our own cars. I can picture this situation: three lanes of traffic on an expressway somewhere, automatic cars in all three lanes at the same speed, blocking everybody behind them from passing. The corollary to all this automation, because they will all be part of the internet of things, is that unless there is sufficient security built into the cars and supporting infrastructure, they will be subject to hacking, which can cause all kinds of mayhem, from the cars grinding to a halt, with ensuing traffic disruption, to active hacking causing the cars to behave in unpredictable and dangerous ways.

Tech will also increasingly drive law enforcement. The travails with red light and speed cameras are well known, and I won’t rehash them here. I would expect more use of ALPR’s for a variety of law enforcement activities, some of them surreptitious, especially when the activity they support might be illegal (think tracking drivers’ movements) in combination with agencies being opaque about their use and purpose. Already, Oklahoma has started using them to scan plates and match against a state insurance database, sending uninsured registrants tickets in the mail. (Side note-if you live in Oklahoma, back into your parking spot, since you have no front plate)

— T.A. Beckett, Arkansas member

[page break]

NEW HEAT SHRINK PRODUCTS RESOURCE–As an online resource, we understand that our reputation depends on our ability to service our customers. We make every effort to accommodate our customers’ needs, and we appreciate any opportunity to take the extra step to ensure complete customer satisfaction with our products and services.

Customer Service hours are 9:00am to 5:00pm EST, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays). If you need to contact us outside of these hours, please use the contact form located below. Please be sure to include any relevant contact information in the body of your message. A Customer Care Consultant will get back to you as soon as possible.

–WIRE Care
www.wirecare.com

PHONE & FAX
Tel: 973-300-9782
Tel: 800-4-WIRE-CR
800-494-7327 (US Only)
Fax: 973-300-9048

A DREAM MACHINE FROM BILLY LANE–I’ve had the engine almost 20 years. It was in a quarter-midget race car, and it came with a spare parts engine and some other Crocker goodies. The frame is 1936 Harley-Davidson VL that was given to me by Arlin Fatland from 2Wheelers in Denver.

Girder fork is 1930s Norton, gearbox is 1937 Knucklehead 4-speed. I came across the rare, cast aluminum Crocker big tanks on a fluke, and had to have them. They were missing the tank badges, but Chopper Dave offered to cast me the set that is now on the bike.

Adam Croft did the seat for me, and Paul Cox gave me the Indian Larry clutch cover that was on one of Larry’s personal bikes. Joe Cooper hammered out the rear fender especially for this project.

I had a set of original Crocker rubber foot boards for it, but traded them to Jeff Decker for a cast aluminum set that he made. Jeff’s very original Crocker was lacking the boards, and I figured my boards belonged to his bike more than they did to my custom.

I love that many have contributed to my dream bike, that is part of what makes it so special.

–Billy Lane
Choppers Inc.

MECUM AUCTION CUTTING A DAY—Rumor has it that the Mecum Motorcycle Auction cut a day off their schedule this weekend, causing much consternation with attendees and bike owners.

Location

South Point Hotel & Casino
9777 Las Vegas Blvd S Las Vegas, NV 89183
Auction Schedule
Seller’s Check-in

Sunday and Monday, January 20-21 from 8 AM until 6 PM

Auction

Doors open daily at 8 AM
Gates close one hour after the final motorcycle of the day crosses the block.

MOTORCYCLES:
Tuesday, January 22 at 1 PM
Wednesday through Saturday, January 23-26 at 10 AM
As the number of motorcycles crossing the auction block varies each day, we are unable to publish a specific end time for any day of the auction.

ROAD ART:
Will begin daily prior to the motorcycles.

NEWS FROM THE FLY OVER STATES–The Power of Coercion

In Communism, one of the core freedoms that was destroyed, was freedom of speech. With the removal of that one key right, goes all others. Anything you said could land you in prison. Or a work camp. Or make you dead.

Today in America, there are those who would destroy this fundamental right, namely, the right to unpopular speech. I stress “unpopular”, because popular speech needs no protection anywhere ever; even in Communist dictatorships.

This suppression comes in the form of censorship via selective reporting. It comes in the form of shaming. It comes in the form of fear of losing a job or even a career for speaking one’s mind. This menace, the menace of the destruction of freedom of speech, must be destroyed everywhere, immediately and with all due ferocity.

The way to destroy it is to speak up. FOS, is but one way to make a statement, to speak your mind, to take a stand for liberty. Speak up, or fall silent forever. Wear your FOS gear, let ‘em know you’re proud and you’re talking. We are the FOS.

About FOS
FOS, or ‘flyover states’, is a veteran-owned, veteran-run, American-made freedom company headquartered in Austin, Texas. We make apparel, but our apparel is incidental. We sell a voice, an opportunity for the good people in the FOS to have their say. Our goals are to employ combat veterans, make our products in America, unify and present the irrefutable facts that make the ‘flyover states’, and America, great. https://flyover-states.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flyover_states_/

–Jim Houck
FOS Agent in Texas

BRAND New Bikernet Reader Comment!–
SALT TORPEDO CHAPTER 14–The ever fluctuating Mission

https://www.bikernet.com/pages/SALT_TORPEDO_CHAPTER_14The_ever_fluctuating_Mission.aspx

Hey, check these guys out for nice machining vices: https://www.glacern.com/vises

They are imported but I’ve got two along with many of their tool holders. Nice stuff.

–Paul Aiken
aiken@aeromach.net
Charlotte, NC

Thanks Paul, we are making headway fast and the suspension is coming together with the help of Yelvington shocks. Watch for the next report next weekend. –Bandit

HELMET-FREE SCOOTERS
Assembly Bill 2989, the e-scooter bill sponsored by California Assemblyman Heath Flora (R-Ripon), removes the requirement for riders of motorized (electric) standup scooters in the Golden State to wear a bicycle helmet, provided they are 18 or older. The new traffic law also prohibits riding a motorized e-scooter on highways with a speed limit greater than 25 mph, or roads with a speed limit greater than 35 mph, unless it is within a marked bikeway.

Meanwhile, Assembly Bill 3077, sponsored by then-Assemblywoman Anna Caballero (D-Salinas) provides law enforcement the ability to issue a “fix-it ticket” to anyone under 18 who doesn’t wear a helmet while on a bicycle, skateboard or skates. The newly enacted violation is correctable if the minor completes a bicycle safety course and gets a helmet that meets safety standards within 120 days of the ticket being issued.

–Bill Bish
NCOM
Ride-On Magazine

~ Max Nordau (1849 – 1923) Hungarian physician, author and social critic

NEWS FROM THE TOWN OF THE CHIP–
Holy Hotties! 22 Biker Babes You’d Love to Take for a Ride– Whether they’re on the back of your bike or the front of their own, sharing a ride with a female companion can double your pleasure and double your fun.

So if you’re in search of a pavement playmate, allow us to help you with an introduction. Here are 22 biker babes from the Sturgis Buffalo Chip and 22 reasons you’d love taking them for a ride!

ACTION AT ACE ORLANDO–JOIN US THIS FRIDAY,
JANUARY 25th
8pm – 12am

CELEBRITY PRO BOWL PARTY
by the World Sports Alumni (WSA)

Join us on Friday, January 25th
from 8pm to 12am to mix, mingle and network with some of the hottest professional athletes in sports, past and present!

Use Code: acecafe
and receive 10% off General Admission Pro Bowl Party Tickets!

Use Code: ACEVIP and receive 20% off ALL VIP level tickets!

THE RODDER REPORT–GNRS Live Video Coverage with Thom Taylor
The Grand National Roadster Show is getting underway, and we’ve teamed up with Meguiar’s to bring you live video coverage of all the action…starting now!

http://www.roddersjournal.com

Click here to watch today’s Facebook Live video feeds as judges begin evaluating America’s Most Beautiful Roadster entries. And tune in Friday through Sunday to check out the show, see hot rod and custom video features, and hear veteran hot rod designer and journalist Thom Taylor as he talks with owners, builders and attendees at the “Grand Daddy of Them All.”

Cheers!
Your Friends at The Rodder’s Journal

P.S. Don’t forget to visit our booth at the show in Building Four. Stop by to say hello and check out all our brand new 25th Anniversary merchandise!

–Steve
Supreme Leader
Roddersjournal
http://www.roddersjournal.com.

NEWS FROM THE MIC–RESEARCH & STATISTICS
Motorcycle Households at Record 8%
Number of Bikes Owned Reaches New High
If you’ve noticed more motorcycles tucked inside garages across the country, or parked out front, you’re not imagining things. Eight percent of U.S. households had at least one bike in 2018, the most ever recorded in decades of polling by the Motorcycle Industry Council.

Motorcycle households rose from 6.94 percent in 2014 (the last full survey) to a record 8.02 percent in 2018, an increase of more than 1.5 million homes. The United States Census Bureau’s most recent estimate put the number of U.S. households at 126,224,000. The MIC Owner Survey found that 10,124,400 of those homes had a motorcycle.

“The household penetration numbers have always been among the most important figures to us,” said MIC President and CEO Tim Buche. “We’re certainly happy to see more homes that have a motorcycle. Riders who talk about motorcycling to friends and neighbors help to inspire people who don’t yet ride.”

–MIC

J&P INDIAN AND HARLEY MOTORCYCLE GIVEAWAY–In 2018 we teamed up with The Buffalo Chip and Geico Motorcycles to giveaway an Indian Scout during the Sturgis Rally. The response was so great that we decided to do it again this year, but giveaway not just one but TWO customized motorcycles and this year we are doing it with a twist.

You the customer get to choose which one you would most like to have in your garage. We took two classic American brands and decided to take the builds in different directions. Now it’s your turn to decide which the best is and the one you’d most like to rip a canyon road with.

Buffalo Chip Moto Stampede Giveaway – Harley-Davidson Street Rod The first bike we decided on was a Harley Davidson Street Rod. The bike is a step outside the norm from what we are used to from Milwaukee. It has a performance feel and dare we say “sport” look to it. It performs on the street like you think is should at first look (you can see what we thought in our Road Tested Review here ) so we didn’t want to try to turn the bike into something it didn’t want to be. It’s clearly a performance oriented canyon carver, so we enhanced those qualities by putting it on a bit of a diet.

We started by removing unnecessary plastic pieces, and slimming down the oversized and underperforming lights with sleeker LED lighting from Kuryakyn. Then we carved the tail section into something a bit sexier and relocated the license plate. The ergonomics were improved with dirt track inspired Tracker bars from our buds at Biltwell and slipped on some of their Torker grips for white knuckling though corners. The Mickey Mouse mirrors were replaced with Joker Machine to complete the cockpit redesign.

The performance experts from S&S Cycle sent us over a Grand National muffler and mini Teardrop intake to add some punch to our street ripper. The body lines and wheels on the Street Rod are great, but needed some extra pop, so we went with a classic HD racing paint scheme. To really make it scream, we powered coated the wheels bright white to complete the “try me I dare you” attitude. When the smoke cleared all that was left was this lean and mean, very striking, American made street brawler.

Buffalo Chip Moto Stampede Giveaway – Indian Scout For the second bike we went with an American made machine and decided to take a different stylistic approach. We chose an Indian Scout, whose performance capabilities we thought were a bit muted by its “grandpa” like styling.

We saw a classic American muscle bike hiding underneath all oversized fenders and luggage. We stripped the Scout down to nothing and started with adjusting the stance. Arlen Ness basically invented swagger, so of course we looked to the folks at Ness to add attitude to our Scout.

We started by ditching the 16” wheels for a set of 18” billet 7 Valve wheels from Arlen Ness. We opted for a wider 5.5” rear wheel and covered it in some aggressive 180/55/18 Pirelli rubber. To shape the rear fender into something more deserving of a muscle bike and less like a river barge, we pulled out the grinder and shaped it more aggressively.

Klockwerks had us covered for the front fender with an Outrider fender that wrapped the front 18” wheel perfectly. The Klockwerks crew also had the perfect solution for handle bars with a short set of Kliphangers that kept the stance aggressive.

We slammed a set of Progressive shocks on to drop the ride height a ½ inch and keep the handling on point. The extra power comes from Vance and Hines Grenade exhaust paired with a Arlen Ness Torque Box intake. The beast was then tuned with a Power Commander V with the installed Auto Tune.

Kuryakyn rear lighting and foot controls matched up nicely with the Arlen Ness 10 Gauge billet line that really cleaned up the areas previously adorned with bulky factory covers. A classic muscle bike needs a classic paint job so we covered it in heavy red metal flake and slammed the vintage Indian logo on the side with gold leaf and pin striping via our boys over at Copperhead graphics.

To see the Parts used in both these bikes’ builds, Click Here

You can win one of these bad ass machines by signing up below, but you’re going to have to choose which of these moto-weapons best fits your personality.

If you want a better look, the bikes will be on tour with Geico Motorycles all winter and spring during the International Motorcycle Show series. Make sure to then catch it at the J&P Cycles Sturgis store right before being given away live on the Buffalo Chip stage during the 79th annual Sturgis rally. Sign up to win today and Good Luck!

DUTCH POLICE CALL ON PARLIAMENT TO QUICKLY BAN OUTLAW BIKER GANGS
Dutch authorities want Parliament to speed up a legislative proposal that will allow the Justice Minister to immediately ban “outlaw motorcycle gangs” emerging in the Netherlands, said police chief Pim Miltenburg, in charge of the motorcycle gang file at the police.

Currently, banning an outlaw motorcycle club is a lengthy job in the Netherlands. A court must decide whether the ‘gang’ is acting in conflict with public order. “The disadvantage of this type of procedure is that we can not arrange it in a short period of time, but it takes months or years before it is completed”, Miltenburg told NLTimes.nl.

The police say they would prefer if the Minister of Justice and Security can ban a motorcycle gang immediately, with a judge testing the ban afterwards.

So far Dutch courts banned two well-known motorcycle clubs, Satudarah and Bandidos. The Public Prosecutor also stated plans to get the Hells Angels and No Surrender banned sometime this year, adding that some two thousand people in the Netherlands now belong to an outlaw motorcycle gang.

–Bill Bish
NCOM
Ride-on Magazine

LONG ROAD BEDROLL– OK… I have great straps. I ordered 50 (25 sets) to be shipped to you. They are fantastic quality. Comparable straps are $30 a set.

I think we need a name. I would like… “Long Road Bedroll” because I could see selling some other “Long Road” gear in the future. Or… it’s kind of for Rallies… it could be the “Rally Bedroll” but I like Long Road better.

The Long Road Bedroll retails at $ 110. I paid to have some made and they will be on their way to you shortly.

Watch for the Commander’s Long Road Roll in the 5-Ball Shop. Click to check out our leathers and books.–Bandit

[page break]

CALL TO ACTION – Proposed Helmet Regulation

Representative Randal Friese introduced legislation (HB2246) to amend SECTIONS 28-964, 28-6501 AND 41-3203, ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES; RELATING TO VEHICLES. Amending this statute would require all motorcycle riders in Arizona to wear a helmet or be subjected to a fine of Five Hundred dollars which three hundred would be going towards Spinal and Head Injuries Trust Fund. We have seen Rep. Friese try this game year after year and Arizona motorcyclists have succeeded in stopping this infringement on our right to choose to wear a helmet or not.

This proposed legislation will be heard in the Transportation Committee, but no date is set yet.

There are two things you can do:
1. Call and/or email your representative and express displeasure over this proposed legislation and ask them to speak to the representatives on the Transportation committee.
2. Call and/or email the committee members themselves.

Transportation and Committee
Noel Campbell, chair; NCAMPBELL@azleg.gov; 602/926-3124
Leo Biasiucci, vice chair; LBIASIUCCI@azleg.gov; 602/926-3018
Richard Andrade; RANDRADE@azleg.gov; 602/926-3130
Rosanna Gabaldon; RGABALDON@AZLEG.GOV; 602/926-3424
Kevin Payne; KPAYNE@azleg.gov; 602/926-4854
Arlando Teller; ATELLER@azleg.gov; 602/926-3069
Bob Thorpe; BTHORPE@azleg.gov; 602/926-5219

If you email a representative, make sure to include your full name, address, phone number and reference the bill number (HB2246) in the subject line and email body.

Here are a few suggested bullet points to bring up when speaking to or writing the representatives.

– According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA); in 81% of fatal crashes involving helmeted motorcyclists, the fatal injury was to a part of the body other than the head. In the same report, NHTSA also stated that the same was true in 64% of fatal accidents involving helmetless motorcyclists.

– According to the National Center for Health Statistics; un-helmeted motorcyclists injuries account for less than 0.001% of all American health care costs.

– Accidents involving motorcyclists tend to be caused by distracted and/or impaired automobile drivers.

– We believe that motorcyclists are being singled out as a group and this is just a “tax” on our transportation choice.

– We believe the choice to wear or not wear a helmet should be left up to the adult riding the motorcycle.

-DOT approved helmets are not designed to withstand an impact from more than 6 feet.

Remember to be courteous and professional. We want the representatives on our side.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at mike@abateofaz.org

Freedom is a team sport!

–Mike Infanzon
ABATE of Arizona, Legislative Director

QUICK, New Bikernet Reader Comment!–
JUST RELEASED, THE 2018 DARWIN AWARDS

https://www.bikernet.com/pages/JUST_RELEASED_THE_2018_DARWIN_AWARDS.aspx

That’s no photo of a future dishwasher, that’s a photo of the birth of a “blow” dryer.

–Steve B
Mission Viejo, CA – California

NEWS FROM THE CLIMATE DEPOT–Geologist Dr. Ian Plimer: 97% Of Scientists Agree On Nothing – Debunking the 97% ‘zombie statistic’

It is often claimed that 97 per cent of scientists conclude that humans are causing global warming. Is that really true? No. It is a zombie statistic.

In the scientific circles I mix in, there is an overwhelming scepticism about human-induced climate change. Many of my colleagues claim that the mantra of human-induced global warming is the biggest scientific fraud of all time and future generations will pay dearly.

If 97 percent of scientists agree that there is human-induced climate change, you’d think they would be busting a gut to vanquish climate sceptics in public debates. Instead, many scientists and activists are expressing confected outrage at the possibility of public debates because the science is settled. After all, 97 percent of scientists agree that human emissions drive global warming and there is no need for further discussion.

In my 50-year scientific career, I have never seen a hypothesis where 97 per cent of scientists agree. At any scientific conference there are collections of argumentative sods who don’t agree about anything, argue about data, how data was collected and the conclusions derived from data.

Scepticism underpins all science, science is underpinned by repeatable validated evidence and scientific conclusions are not based on a show of hands, consensus, politics or feelings. Scientists, just like lawyers, bankers, unionists, politicians and those in all other fields, can make no claim to being honest or honourable, and various warring cliques of scientists have their leaders, followers, outsiders and enemies.

Scientists differ from many in the community because they are allegedly trained to be independent. Unless, of course, whacking big research grants for climate “science” are waved in front of them.

The 97 per cent figure derives from a survey sent to 10,257 people with a self-interest in human-induced global warming who published “science” supported by taxpayer-funded research grants. Replies from 3146 respondents were whittled down to 77 self-appointed climate “scientists” of whom 75 were judged to agree that human-induced warming was taking place.

The 97 per cent figure derives from a tribe with only 75 members. What were the criteria for rejecting 3069 respondents? There was no mention that 75 out of 3146 is 2.38 per cent. We did not hear that 2.38 per cent of climate scientists with a self-interest agreed that humans have played a significant role in changing climate and that they are recipients of some of the billions spent annually on climate research.

Another recent paper on the scientific consensus of human-induced climate change was a howler. Such papers can be published only in the sociology or environmental literature.

The paper claimed that published scientific papers showed there was a 97.1 per cent consensus that man had caused at least half of the 0.7C global warming since 1950. How was this 97.1 per cent figure determined? By “inspection” of 11,944 published papers.

Inspection is not rigorous scholarship. There was no critical reading and understanding derived from reading 11,944 papers. This was not possible as the study started in March 2012 and was published in mid-2013, hence only a cursory inspection was possible. What was inspected? By whom?

The methodology section of the publication gives the game away. “This letter was conceived as a ‘citizen science’ project by volunteers contributing to the Skeptical Science website (www.skepticalscience.com).

In March 2012, we searched the Institute for Scientific Information Web of Science for papers published from 1991-2011 using topic searches for ‘global warming’ or ‘global climate change’.”

This translates as: This study was a biased compilation of opinions from non-scientific, politically motivated volunteer activists who used a search engine for key words in 11,944 scientific papers, were unable to understand the scientific context of the use of “global warming” and “global climate change”, who rebadged themselves as “citizen scientists” to hide their activism and ignorance, who did not read the complete papers and were unable to evaluate critically the diversity of science published therein.

The conclusions were predictable because the methodology was not dispassionate and involved decisions by those who were not independent.

As part of a scathing critical analysis of this paper by real scientists, the original 11,944 papers were read and the readers came to a diametrically opposite conclusion. Of the 11,944 papers, only 41 explicitly stated that humans caused most of the warming since 1950 (0.3 per cent). Of the 11,944 climate “science” papers, 99.7 per cent did not say that carbon dioxide caused most of the global warming since 1950. It was less than 1 per cent and not one paper endorsed a man-made global warming catastrophe.

Political policy and environmental activism rely on this fraudulent 97 per cent consensus paid for by the taxpayer to rob the taxpayer further with subsidies for bird-and-bat-chomping wind turbines, polluting solar panels and handouts to those with sticky fingers in the international climate industry. It’s this alleged 97 per cent consensus that has changed our electricity from cheap and reliable to expensive and unreliable.

Activists with no skin in the game are setting the scene for economic suicide. Time for yellow shirts to shirt-front politicians about their uncritical acceptance of a fraud that has already cost the community hundreds of billions of dollars.

Emeritus professor Ian Plimer’s latest book, The Climate Change Delusion and the Great Electricity Ripoff, is published by Connor Court. He is a member of the GWPF’s Academic Advisory Council
The Australian, 17 January 2019

–by Benny Peiser
CLIMATE DEPOT

LIFESTYLE DEAL OF THE WEEK–2016 Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic Electra Glide FLHTCU

Still under factory warranty (as of 9/5/2017) This nearly new, all original Billet Silver Ultra Classic is every mans dream!
Starting with the reduced width primary housing, new Batwing fairing that reduces wind resistance and rider fatigue to the factory installed Daymaker headlight this bike is a touring dream! Using the latest technology to create a sophisticated touring machine with the Harley Davidson attitude.

Factory supplied features on this bike include Premium BOOM! infotainment system and GPS navigation, ABS anti-lock braking system, low profile rear suspension. The newly redesigned fairing delivers increased aerodynamics and handling while retaining the legendary Batwing design. The Blue Tooth equipped Boom! audio system delivers 50watts of audio pleasure! The powerful 1690cc Twin Cam 103″ engine, electronic fuel injection and 6-speed transmission will get you cruising down the highways with lots of power to spare!

The paint, powder-coat and chrome are in excellent condition. The bike looks and runs great!

This bike has passed Lifestyle Cycles rigorous 100 point safety and mechanical inspection. Whether your looking to commute to work, ride the coast or take that dream vacation, this bike is ready to go!!!

CHOW HALL OF THE WEEK– Haymarket Pub and Brewery in Chicago on Randolph has it ALL!

https://youtu.be/w9pD8vGApwU

The Owner Pete and all of his Staff have created a MUST stop Food and Beer destination!! Get The BIG MIC!!, Their Riff on the BIG MAC!

Also don’t miss out on their Seasonal Sausages, Pizza and THE FRIES! Get there!! Subscribe to my You Tube channel to see more awesome food destinations!

–BikerDude

BIKERNET STAFFER CUTTING AN ALBUM–Markus Cuff back on stage.

Textones new album is out, but newer members live in Texas and London, so local gigs are a problem— Carla wanted to get the original members back together for a few local shows.

Did our 2nd show the other night up near Pasadena. Fun. Have no idea where it’ll go from here. I’m on one track on the new cd. Pic included at studio.

–Markus Cuff
Officially Certified
Bikernet Feature Photographer
American Iron
Cycle Source

Plus, here’s his latest feature in American Iron.

–Bandit

VINTAGE RIDES WORKING ON NEPAL RUN–What does Nepal bring to mind for you? Mighty snow-capped mountains? Traditional villages where the modern world holds no sway? Or the heat of the jungle at the feet of the Himalayas?

For us at Vintage Rides, Nepal is all of these things. But it is also, above all, an incredible destination for motorcyclists looking to push their limits.

Have a look at our video of the new, challenging, tour of Upper Mustang.

Upper Mustang, Adventure in the Forbidden Kingdom (New Tour)
14 days, of which 11 are on the bike
Level: Very demanding

The mineral landscapes of Upper Mustang promise a motorcycling adventure far from the normal tourist routes.

Leave at home any idea of smooth tarmac: what awaits you here are rocky roads, river crossings, sand and canyons. Incredible scenery with the Annapurna range looming above you.

Small groups, which bond well.

13th to 26th April 2019
28th April to 11th May 2019
21st October to 3rd November 2019

Only a few places left

Mustang, The Legendary Expedition
14 days, of which 12 are on the bike
Level: Demanding

The countryside unfolds seamlessly, and we discover Nepalese culture in all its diversity. From the heat of the jungle of the Terai, through the magnificent temples of the Newari region and through hillsides terraced with rice paddies. Then it starts to feel like Tibet, with Annapurna and the Dhaulagiri ranges unfolding their pure snow-capped peaks. Then we are on the harsh roads of the Mustang Valley and in Buddhist land. The Royal Enfield is a bike manoeuvrable enough to take you all the way to the summit.
A trip to push your limits on a motorbike.

April and May, 2019
October and November, 2019

Only a few places left

Nepal Forever
11 days, of which 7 are on the bike
Level: Intermediate

Get on your Royal Enfield for a circuit of 800km crossing the Kathmandu Valley, the Himalayan foothills, the wild jungles of the Terai and Chitwan National Park. Feast your eyes on the eternal beauty of the Annapurna range. Take some time to explore Nepalese culture, both Hindu and Buddhist. You’ll meet many Nepali people, all of whom are smiling and welcoming. Not forgetting the mythical city of Kathmandu, swarming with life, fascinating and a unique blend of ancient tradition and modernity.
A motorcycle ride to the rhythm of Nepal.

From 1st to 11th October

Photo credits: Leo Fvy / Sophie Squillace

Vintage Rides
(by appointment only)
Grand Tour Coworking
30 rue des Trois Bornes
75011 PARIS

New TECH Bikernet Reader Comment!–
RICK ALEXANDER’S ENGRAVING SYSTEM

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

So now the handle is black it can be engraved when all done.

Oh yeah on the dremel. The dremel tool is good for relief of areas and stippling like between engraving grooves.

Also you can use a foredom tool to do the same thing.

Jeweler’s use them both. The foredom is used for setting stones in a ring.

The foredom can be setup for a hammer function to set stones etc. in rings.

–Paul Davis
bluestrk@hotmail.com
Glendale Heights, IL

More updates coming.–Bandit

UTAH BECOMES FIRST IN NATION TO LOWER DUI LIMIT TO .05 PERCENT–
The Beehive State made history on December 30th by becoming the first state to lower its blood alcohol concentration limit (BAC) for drunken driving to .05 percent, just in time for New Year’s Eve.

Utah lowered the drunken driving BAC from .08, the national limit imposed by former President Bill Clinton in 2000, to .05, making it the nation’s strictest DUI law. Utah’s new law also says anyone who “operates a motor vehicle in a negligent manner causing the death of another” will have committed criminal homicide, which is a felony.

In 1983, Utah was the first state to lower its blood alcohol limit from 0.10 to 0.08 for impaired driving. It would take nearly two decades for every state to follow suit, but as they did, the nation’s rate of alcohol-related traffic deaths dropped 10%. Now, Utah is pioneering the move to lower it once again.

Utah State Representative Norm Thurston (R-Provo) sponsored the bill at the request of the National Transportation Safety Board, which has been urging states to lower DUI limits to 0.05 since 2013.

The American Beverage Institute says the new lower limit targets social drinkers and calls the law an “attack on the restaurant and hospitality industries,” claiming nearly 70% of alcohol-related fatalities in the U.S. are caused by drivers with a much higher BAC of 0.15 and above.

–Bill Bish
NCOM
Ride-On Magazine

IS LIFE NUTS OR WHAT—We just get stuff sorta dialed in and should be dancing in the streets, when the control freaks tell us we’re killing the planet and we’re all going to die.

Here’s the funny, not so Ha-Ha part of the equation. They have a limited opportunity, sorta. Twelve years have passed since Al Gore predicted doom and gloom. We are selling more cars than ever and none of his predictions came true. Think about it. If another ten years passes and nothing changes, what will they say then? Opps.

Nuts. I look around and most folks just party and don’t pay much attention to the maniacs. Maybe I should do the same. It’s tough.

I’m going to Ride Free Forever, whether they like it or not.

–Bandit

 

A brother, Paul Davis, from back east started to send me shots of his hand engraving tool project. I thought it was his custom approach, but it was actually designed by Rick Alexander. Paul is interested in engraving, and since he’s retiring this year, from a 40-year stint in Harley dealerships as a mechanic, he wants to tinker.

Here’s Rick’s Youtube page:
https://www.youtube.com/user/ralex397

Here’s the link to Paul’s article. We’ll add to it as he rolls along.

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

–Bandit

 

Rumor has it that the Mecum Motorcycle Auction cut a day off their schedule this weekend, causing much consternation with attendees and bike owners.

 

See the entire schedule in the Bikernet Weekly News tomorrow.

 

–Bandit