Trikes from all over the country gather at the Chip for a unique three-wheeled show. Read more.

Hey,

About the time I think I might back off on politics and the major attack against our lifestyle, it comes back.

For some reason the notion of Climate Change is strong right now. And we have a lot of news on the subject. Hang on, this news will be rocking. Plus, by tomorrow we will have Kirk Willard’s speech from the Sturgis Hall of Fame Breakfast where he outlines the government attack on motorcyclists.

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

CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD ATTACKS ELECTRICAL CLEANER–
https://www.arb.ca.gov/enf/casesett/crc_industries_inc.htm

Interesting CARB has been trying to export their programs to other states for years with few takers due to the cost to implement. Md. and Delaware have recently adopted the CARB VOC program

https://mde.maryland.gov/programs/workwithmde/Documents/CP-AQCAC-06-06-2016.pdf

The author of this doc lied stating no economic cost is impacted by adopting this.

The new products are pretty bad, only difference we don’t yet have the ARB enforcement program.

Interesting years ago I was on break during a CARB workshop and caught up with the mobile source chief. I could not help myself to ask what was the # 1 source of emissions in California. She said without any hesitation with no close 2nd, “the fires!”

Today

· Ca has 33 million acres of forests that are too dense
· Too many trees leads to many dead trees
· Clear Cutting banned
· Intense fire suppression because of environmental concerns

https://calmatters.org/articles/california-fights-wildfires-aggressively-but-prevention-takes-a-back-seat/

This will be a titanic battle, likely in Trumps next term.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/greggardner/2018/07/23/trumps-epa-is-poised-to-void-californias-greenhouse-gas-emission-standards/#634e972330bf

We need new leaders!

–Dan
Zipper’s

BIKERNET HISTORY LESSON–
Knowing The Right Person For The Job
I am not aware about how much you know about an issue from back in the time we were at Easyriders.

When I moved to Florida and opened Space Coast Custom Motorcycle Shop (Jammer Sponsored) I received a phone call from Gary Winn who was with the AMA at the time. He asked if I was planning on going to the races at Talladega. I informed him I had not planned on it and asked why he was interested.

He told me the prior year that Gloria Carter Spann (sister of President Jimmy Carter) had gone to the races and members of a motorcycle club had thrown her Honda motorcycle into the water making statements about women riding motorcycles. They also told her they would continue to do it should she come back with another motorcycle.

Gloria and her husband were planning on going again that year and she was now riding a Harley and had concerns of the same thing happening. I had met Gloria and Walter at a helmet law protest prior to this and we started being friends so I told Gary I would see what I could do.

Shortly after that I received a phone call from Lou Kimzey, the boss of Easyriders Magazine, asking me if I would go to Talladega to cover the races.

Well I went the club guys showed up and I had a come to Jesus meeting with them. An interesting story for another time, But they decided to see things my way and there was no incident.

I later went on to provide private security for Gloria and Walter. With that came a concealed Federal Carry License, but more important a direct phone line to Jack Watson at the White House. Jack was very helpful in solving some motorcycle issues. I also did a eulogy at Gloria’s funeral and did an article on it for Easyriders’ BIKER publication.

Okay the point of all of this we had a friend in the Whitehouse and things that benefited us got done.

We have not had that in a long time and now we have Donald Trump and Bikers For Trump.

Chris Cox is running that and both Dmac and myself are moderators for the organization web site in Florida. We see Chris on a regular basis and have his e-mail and personal cell phone number.

He meets with President Trump and his staff on a regular basis and we are working to make some changes in State and Federal Laws that affect motorcycles.

While we are working on that it is important to get the right people elected that will work with us.

One of the ways we do that is to let people know who is working with us and who we support.

In Florida one of the people is Ron DeSantis. Bikers For Trump will have a booth at Tropical Tattoo again this year during Biketoberfest supporting him, so that motorcycle people in Florida can get information and hopefully he becomes Governor.

I am working on EPA and some other issues with Chris Cox and other people in the organization.

Getting the right people elected is going to make a Big Difference in getting good results for the issues that motorcyclist are facing.

–Rogue
Supreme Leader Editor
Bikernet™ Baggers

ANTIQUE MOTORCYCLE CLUB ACTION–
Chapter events are only better when two chapters get together. Then throw in a mix of AMCA members from coast to coast and you have Pandemonium. Look for full coverage in a future newsletter and in The Antique Motorcycle.

This month’s Chapter coverage is from Americade.

AMCA Again Hosts Vintage Garage at Americade, 2018
By Peter MacMurray #13336

To many motorcyclists early June represents the annual return of Americade. Begun in 1983 as a meet for touring riders, and held in Lake George, New York, this week-long event has grown to one of the largest and most widely known motorcycling gatherings of the year and attracts 60,000-80,000 attendees annually. From its modest inception in 2016 the featured Americade Vintage Garage has seen steady growth from the 18 antique bikes displayed that year to the 30+ machines featured in this year’s exhibit.

These motorcycles were brought to Lake George by 14 AMCA member volunteers from across the Northeast region. Additionally, as circumstances had it, we were joined by AMCA member and artist Makoto Eno whose tent was directly across from the Vintage Garage. In short order, we had arranged for Edo to paint in a corner of the Vintage Garage tent and we had filled the modest courtyard lawn between our sites with a rotation of antique bikes to draw in the passersby.

Furthermore, we were treated to a series of extraordinarily fine days after some dampness on Tuesday, June 5th, the opening day of the Rally. Over the course of the week we easily hosted over 10,000 visitors to the Garage and passed out in excess of 3000 flyers for the Yankee Chapter National Meet in August in Terryville, CT.

Make sure to check out all the Local Chapter Events below and enjoy the summer.

I just received my new membership card.–Bandit

QUICK, New BANDIT’S CANTINA Reader Comment!– IT’S A WRAP SUNDAY POST for August 12th, 2018

https://www.bikernet.com/pages/ITS_A_WRAP_SUNDAY_POST_for_August_12th_2018.aspx

Hey AJ in Deland, re: your comment about Polaris being Canadian. That is a popular misconception. I think it’s because they make and sell snowmobiles. It is a USA company and has been since 1954. Victory riders used to get that jab all the time.

— Paul
aiken@aeromach.net
Charlotte, NC

NEW FROM S&S – Quickee Pushrod Tube Kits in Black

S&S Cycle’s Quickee pushrod tube kits are a fundamental part of any v-twin cam install and have saved thousands of hours of service time since they launched years ago. Cut the stock pushrods, install the Quickee pushrods and adjust to length, no need to pull off the top end of the motor.

Their latest version includes gloss black powder coated tubes designed to complete the blacked out look of a well appointed motor while still adding subtle contrast against the matte finish of the cylinders. Available for the 1999-2017 big twins as well as 2017-2018 M8 applications as complete kits with Quickee pushrods or just blacked out covers.

Check out the details at www.sscycle.com/black-pushrods/

WE SCORED SOME WELDING SUPPLIES–
I’m retired soldier with over 20 years in the Army. I have a vision to make fabrication an affordable option for the DIY builder buy solving problems for the customer. I appreciate your business and understand your passion. I am located in Magnolia, Texas.

Monkey Fab is my own little business I do on the side, but I take great care to get orders out quickly and accurately. You can always reach me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/monkeyfab or my Cell 910-584-1918.

I appreciate Txt messages as i’m probably working and will get back to you as soon as I can.

https://monkeyfabgarage.com/collections/welding-supplies

Trump: Harley-Davidson boycott would be ‘great’–By Mark Moore

President Trump said a planned boycott of iconic American motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson for wanting to move some of its operations outside the United States would be “great.”

“Many @harleydavidson owners plan to boycott the company if manufacturing moves overseas.

Great!,” Trump wrote on Twitter Sunday. “Most other companies are coming in our direction, including Harley competitors. A really bad move! U.S. will soon have a level playing field, or better.”

Trump sent the tweet from his golf resort in Bedminster, N.J., where he hosted members of “Bikers for Trump” on Saturday afternoon.

Harley-Davidson executives said in June that they were planning to shift production of motorcycles being sold in European markets to overseas factories.

They said it was in response to retaliatory tariffs the European Union slapped on imported hogs after Trump imposed levies on steel and aluminum imports from Europe.

Harley-Davidson said the EU’s tariffs would increase the cost of one of its bikes by $2,200.

Some owners told the New York Times that the decision would end their decades-old relationship with the Wisconsin-based company. The plan to move started way before the President suggested tariffs.

“I’m riding my last Harley,” Gary Rathbun, a 67-year-old retired truck driver attending the legendary Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in North Dakota, told the newspaper. “It was American made, and that’s why we stood behind them.”

–NYPost

AEROMACH BOSS ATTENDS STURGIS MUSEUM HALL OF FAME BREAKFAST--Valerie invited me to be at her table for the HOF induction. Quite an honor.

There were a shitload of Hamsters there for their induction.

I test rode the Triumph Bobber. It is only the second bike I’ve tested I wouldn’t buy. The first was the new Yamaha touring bike rolled out last year.

The number of Indians on the road is impressive. If only Victory made that much impact in such a short time. I was hoping to see the new FTR street bike but nothing. Same with H-D, no peeks of the new bikes they’ve teased.

Do you really want to be there full time? It is beautiful now but in the winter, screw that! Maybe a tiny house like Marilyn got at the Chip? Tiny house with a giant garage!

–Paul Aiken
Owner
Aeromach USA, LLC
10015 Metromont Ind. Blvd, Ste F
Charlotte, NC 28269
800-990-9392 orders
704-599-1333 office
www.aeromach.net
www.highwayhawk.us
www.linkedin.com/in/paulaiken

Highway Hawk is a product of Motolux

BIKERNET UNIVERSITY ENGLISH DEPARTMENT VOCABULARY LESSON–
anodyne

[an-uh-dahyn]
noun
1.
anything that relieves distress or pain: The music was an anodyne to his grief.
2.

… he realized that then, and now, work had been an anodyne of sorts. It had occupied his mind.

Anodyne has a surprising etymology. Its Greek original, an?dynos “painless,” breaks down to the elements an-, ?d-, -yn-, -os-. The first element, an- “not,” is from the same Proto-Indo-European source as Latin in- and Germanic (English) un-. The second to last element -yn- is from the noun suffix -ýne; the last element, -os, is an adjective ending. The main element odýne “pain” (édyna in the Aeolic dialect) consists of ?d-, a derivative of the Greek root ed-, od- from the Proto-Indo-European root ed-, od- “to eat” (source of Latin edere, Germanic (Old English) etan, Hittite et-, Homeric Greek édmenai, all meaning “eat, to eat.”) In Greek odýne is something that eats you (cf. colloquial English, “What’s eating you?”).

The Germanic languages also have the compound verb fra-etan “to eat up, devour,” which becomes in German fressen “devour, gorge, corrode,” and in Old English fretan “to devour,” English fret, which nowadays usually has only its extended sense “feel worry or pain.” Anodyne entered English in the 16th century.

MPP ALERT–New Mexico Motorcyclists Confront Sheriff Over Motorcycle Profiling

According to data collected by the New Mexico Motorcyclists Rights Organization (NMMRO), motorcyclists in New Mexico have been increasingly experiencing profiling stops at the hands of the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department. But instead of merely collecting data, the NMMRO recently confronted Sheriff Manuel Gonzales requesting that all department policies and procedures be reviewed, and that all deputies be properly trained and educated so that they understand that profiling and selective enforcement of the law are simply unacceptable.

Motorcycle profiling deprives individuals of basic constitutional guarantees and should therefore be a concern to all Americans. The 1st Amendment irrefutably protects the rights of association and expression and judicial precedent has specifically applied these rights in the context of motorcycle clubs, including clubs that law enforcement labels a gang. Being in a motorcycle club is not justification for a traffic stop. And even when a traffic pretext is provided in an attempt to justify the stop, the 14th Amendment prohibits selective enforcement of the law.

The Motorcycle Profiling Project (MPP) commends the NMMRO’s proactive grassroots efforts. The MPP joins the NMMRO in the request to the Bernalillo Sheriff’s Department to properly educate and train deputies to cease the common practice of motorcycle profiling. Furthermore, the MPP believes that the Bernalillo Sheriff’s department should confirm a commitment in a public statement condemning the practice.

Finally, please take the time to fill out the National Motorcycle Profiling Survey 2018 (http:// www.motorcycleprofilingproject.com/national-motorcycle-profling-survey/) and assist the MPP and motorcycle rights organizations nationwide in the effort to end motorcycle profiling and discrimination.

NMMRO’s Official Request To Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department

About the Author–David “Double D” Devereaux is the Spokesperson for the Washington State Council of Clubs, Founder of the Motorcycle Profiling Project, and works with motorcyclists at the national level.

GUN NUT REVIEW OF THE WEEK-– Wilson Combat Tactical Supergrade .45 ACP Pistol

I remember as a high school kid standing in front of the magazine stand and seeing a couple of firearm magazines on the shelf. Back then I had no interest in guns, so I didn’t flip through them. I didn’t know what a 1911 was and have never heard of the name GLOCK.

One particular magazine had a pistol on it, and I thought its grips with the starburst pattern was really unique looking, the only other thing I remember from that magazine cover were the words “Wilson Combat.” It wasn’t for another decade until I wanted to get into firearms, and I started off with the new age polymer wonder guns in 9mm just like pretty much everybody else.

When a buddy suggested I should get a 1911, my exact words were, “Nobody in their right mind would spend over a thousand dollars on a pistol.” Boy, how things has changed.

Gun Review: Wilson Combat Tactical Supergrade .45 ACP Pistol

The Wilson Combat Tactical Supergrade in .45 ACP is the second Wilson I own, which retails for $5,045. People who aren’t short on money or patience can still pay even more and wait for months to get one exactly the way they want it. This model is available in .45 ACP, 9mm, .40S&W, 10mm, and .38 Super.

The standard offering has many practical features along with bulletproof parts throughout, which are machined from bar stock instead of casted metal. Some of the features include a flush-cut and reverse-crowned match grade barrel, 30 LPI top serrations, 30 LPI front strap checking, 40 LPI checking on the rear of the slide, tritium front sight with U-notch Battle sight on the rear, and 3.5lb to 4.5lb trigger pull from the factory.

The beavertail grip safety, ambi thumb safety, the one-piece mag well/mainspring housing, and mag release are all bulletproof parts. The gun comes with six 8-round magazines, 19 lb recoil spring installed, and a spare 12 lb recoil spring.

The Tactical Supergrade I’m reviewing is a base model with the only exception being it doesn’t have front cocking serrations. Instead, mine has carry cuts without the ball end mill cut, which is my favorite look on a 1911.

In addition, this is not a T&E gun that I only got to put a couple hundred rounds through. It’s not a safe queen. It’s not part of a rotation that I take to the range from time to time, and it’s not my carry gun. This is a single-purpose gun that I use to compete in USPSA Single Stack, that I have put over 10,000 rounds through.

By the look of the mag well, you can see that I have practiced with it once or twice. At the time of this writing, I have trained with this gun every day for the past 245 days; live fire, dry fire, and some days both.

With it being a competition gun, I swapped out the night sight with a fiber optic front with 0.04? rod, and also running a 15lb recoil spring with 18lb hammer spring, which lowered the smoothed out trigger pull weight down to around 2.75lb.

Speaking of which, everyone who has ever tried the trigger is amazed at how good a 1911 trigger can be, and raised their expectation of what a 1911 trigger should be. There is a “proper” amount of pre travel, then it’s stopped at a very noticeable wall. It breaks crisp and clean once you apply about 60% of the pressure you assumed it would take for the hammer to fall. Wide eyes and wider smile usually follows for anyone who pulled the trigger for the first time.

The fit and craftsmanship is also equally impressive. The slide to frame fit is not loose, as nothing rattles if you shake the gun. It’s also not overly tight where you’d need considerable strength to rack the slide. The only way I can describe the slide to frame fit would be “precise,” where the rails are mated perfectly and glides back and forth on a complete straight path.

Running a finger on the back of the slide, you can see where the slide and frame meets, you just can’t feel it. It’s so perfectly blended to the point where two separate pieces of metal feels like one. The back of the extractor is blended the same way with the back of the slide, and so is the mag well with the frame of the gun. You can see the seam, but can’t feel the gap.

When the grip safety is engaged, the part that meets the web of the hand is completely flush with the frame, it’s smooth with no gaps and no edges. The ambi safety clicks on and off with just the right amount of pressure, and it’s extremely positive with no play at all. The left one also has a notch on the inside by the frame, which makes taking the gun apart quicker.

Since most matches are outdoors, I do detailed cleaning every time it gets rained on. Ambi safeties tend to work themselves loose over time, and this one is no exception. But given how much I have trained with this gun, it was definitely expected. After drawing from a Kydex holster thousands of times, the Armor Tuff finish is wearing off on the contact points as well. But I wouldn’t have competed with this gun had I worried about damaging the finish.

The barrel lock up is rock-solid. There is absolutely zero movement when pushing down on the barrel. The barrel and bushing fit is done to the same level of precision as the slide and frame, not overly tight, but exactly how it should be.

Therefore it’s no surprise how accurate this gun is, as demonstrated by the test target. I usually start my range session by putting up five half to 3/4? diameter target pasters at 5 to 7 yards, and it’s a great feeling to see the pasters fly off with my first five shots.

In the sport of USPSA where you are wasting time with anything more than “acceptable” sight picture, the gun has proven to be very accurate. I’m still trying to get better at calling my shots, and whether it’s a hit or miss, the bullet always ends up exactly where the front sight was on the target right before lift off from the recoil. When I’m at a match, I always joke that I’m doing the best I can to not make the gun look bad.

Wilson Combat test fires their 1911s with various types of ammo before it leaves the shop. But even though the test target was shot with 200 grain lead semi wadcutters at 1.250? overall length, I had trouble getting that to run reliably in this gun. For every eight-round mag, one or two rounds would fail to chamber.

I had tried loading it to 1.20?, 1.250?, and everything in between with no luck. Not all 200 grain LSWCs have the exact same shape, and I have yet to find the right length for it to feed reliably. The gun had zero issues with round nose bullets and hollow points.

My competition load is 230 grain coated round nose bullet going about 740 FPS, and it runs without any issue. Even though the SWCs make a more clean cut on paper targets, I still prefer the recoil of a heavier, slower bullet rather than the snappier feel of a lighter bullet at a higher speed.

While many guns at half this price are adequate for competition from the accuracy, fit, and reliability standpoint, I have just never seen anyone ask to handle someone’s Springfield. Thinking back to all those years ago when I knew nothing about guns, to now owning not one, but two Wilson Combat 1911s, my perspective has certainly changed. I have come to appreciate the people who don’t just assemble parts at a factory, but actually take the time and go the extra mile to build the best guns they can build.

I highly doubt that anyone would go out and buy a Supergrade after reading this review, and if people were to only put up a target and shoot for groups, un-timed at five yards, then of course any other gun is just as good. Someone once said 1911s are always a crapshoot, but if you hit the jackpot, the payout is priceless.

I have spent hours researching and reading the forums on whether the Supergrade really is better than Wilson’s standard models, and whether or not it’s worth the extra money. After handling both extensively, I can honestly say the Supergarde makes the standard model look like it’s nothing special. There’s no comparison. And as far as if it’s worth the extra money, when I first picked up this gun, I racked the slide once, and never looked back.

Specifications: Wilson Combat Tactical Supergrade

Caliber: .45acp
Magazine Capacity: 8 rounds
Barrel Length: 5? Match Grade
Overall Length: 8.7
Sight Radius: 6.6
Height: 5.6
Width: 1.3
Weight Empty: 36.6 oz.
Weight Loaded: 45 oz.
Grips: G10 Black starburst
Sights: Battlesight with tritium front
MSRP: $5,045

Ratings (out of five stars):

Appearance and Style * * * *
The standard offering is Armor Tuff black slide with gray frame, but other colors and finishes are also available, stainless, blued, and color case hardened.

Reliability * * * *
Runs great with just about everything except certain profile of SWCs.

Accuracy * * * * *
The test target shows a 5/8? group at 15 yards. It’s one of the most accurate 1911s I own.

Overall * * * * *
A superbly fitted pistol where you can see and feel the quality and expertise of the gunsmiths who built it. There are not a lot of 1911s left that are worth getting once you own a Wilson Combat Supergrade.

–By Ang Li:
TTAG CONTRIBUTOR

[page break]

CLIMATE DEPOT VIDEO GOES VIRAL WITH 7.4 MILLION VIEWS —warmists-try-to-ban-all-climate-deniers-attack-zuckerberg/

Morano’s skeptical Facebook video goes viral with 7.5 million views – Prompts warmists try to ban ‘climate deniers’ & attack Zuckerberg
Morano’s Facebook video debunking climate change claims for the Heritage Foundation’s Daily Signal has gone viral on Facebook, garnering more than 7.5 million views and over 128,000 shares.

Watch Facebook video here:

https://www.facebook.com/LetFreedomSpeak/videos/854579488082979/?mc_cid=f1524ed1a3&mc_eid=fb88532d8a

It’s easy and direct. –Bandit

MILWAUKEE ATTACKS MOTORCYCLIST JUST PRIOR TO THE 115TH–Here’s a photo of the actual streetcar tracks in Milwaukee that have caused at least two motorcycle crashes and one near-crash.

On the public comments section of a newspaper article, some weirdos actually suggested that bikers should walk their motorcycles over the tracks like any sensible bicyclist would do, and one guy suggested banning two-wheeled traffic on roads with the tracks.

Nice advice from the motorcycle friendly city of Milwaukee. And of course, no comment from Harley-Davidson and the city suggested motorcycles follow the same safety techniques as cars since they’re more like cars than bicycles. Not sure what in the hell that’s supposed to all mean.

–Tony Sanfelipo
Motorcycle Marketing Specialist
TSanfelipo@hupy.com

PS. You’re supposed to cross tracks at 90 degree angle or close to it, but these tracks run parallel to direction of travel, and these guys were moving over one lane to turn at the corner and the tire caught the track. There are some wide-sweeping curves in the tracks too, which are hard to cross at a proper angle when cars are creeping into your lane. Don’t forget, these tracks are in an already congested tw- lane traffic pattern, so not much room to maneuver or swerve to cross the tracks at an angle.

–Tony Sanfelipo

Read the full report on Bikernet: https://www.bikernet.com/pages/SPECIAL_MILWAUKEE_SAFETY_ALERT.aspx

AMD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIER
at the Kustom Kulture Artisan Show
September 7 – 9, 2018

The Kustom Kulture Artisan Show presents the Cherokee AMD Showdown is the show to qualify for the AMD Championship in Germany.

The 3-day event is scheduled for September 7th – 9th in the North Carolina mountains and promises Great Riding, Great Music and 18,000+ in prizes. Details – custombikeshows.com.
We’ve Been Supporting Championship
?_Builders for over 8 Years

Over 18,000+ in awards – The Kustom Kulture Artisan Show presents the Cherokee AMD Showdown is hosted at the Cherokee Fairgrounds Display Hall where competitors are competing in 3 classes.

Let’s Go to Germany to the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – The FreeStyle winner receives a full ride to Germany for the AMD World Championship.

To enter the Artisan Show, or for more info on being part of Grease & Gears, builders need to log on to www.custombikeshows.com.

QUESTIONS? CALL BOB KAY AT 817-312-0380

CHOW HALL OF THE WEEK–
My favorite Sandwich and Cannoli have been found at J.P. Graziano Grocery! They are located on Randolph Street. Order the Mr. G Sandwich, it will blow your mind!

Every bite is an explosion of flavor! The crunch of the bread, meat and cheese ratio perfection,marinated artichokes and the truffle-mustard vinaigrette take this sandwich to the #1 spot! Oh their Cannoli! I have been thinking about it every day since my last bite!

Your taste buds won’t even know what to do! Also order their Muffuletta sandwich, it is awesome! Get there now!

–BIKERDUDE

LOWBROW FEATURE OF THE WEEK– LOWBROW SPOTLIGHT: GARRETT DITTMER’S 1967 HARLEY-DAVIDSON SHOVELHEAD

Garrett rode his Shovelhead to the Lowbrow Getdown back in July. Mikey met up with him later on to get the skinny on his bike, which used to be his dad’s, and get some more photos. Enjoy the article here!

TAKE A VINTAGE RIDE–Today we propose to explore a little-known region with few western tourists: Uttarakhand.

Vintage Rides takes you on a ride across the mountains with a hypnotizing backdrop in the northern horizon, the Great Himalayan peaks.

 The mesmerizing roads of Uttarkhand wind through a sumptuous setting: Picturesque little villages, Hindu temples, pine forests, terraced crops, and unbeatable views of the mountains. On the road, we visit the holy cities of Haridwar and Rishikesh, where encounters take on a special atmosphere
and a sense of spirituality is present everywhere.

Are you ready to discover the most beautiful routes in the Himalayan foothills?
Let yourself be carried away along twisting roads on cliff faces and amid pine forests.

EXPLORE

Photo credits: Johann Rousselot / Danny Kretz / Géraldine Shandilya / Vintage Rides

–Vintage Rides
At Tendance Roadster
(by appointment only)
98 rue Baudin
92300 LEVALLOIS-PERRET
contact@vintagerides.com
+339 70 44 01 30?

BRAND New Bikernet Reader Comment!–
SPECIAL MILWAUKEE SAFETY ALERT

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

Good for Milwaukee. More city’s and towns should be returning too trolly cars, not self driving anything. If you choose too ride on less than 4 wheels you know the risks.

My problem is there are too damn many layers. He fell off his bicycle. Get over it, and yes I have been injured and badly a few times on my Harley. Never felt the need too sue anyone for my choice to ride.

–AJ
Deland, FL

BIKERNET BOOK OF THE WEEK CLUB–The Daily Rituals Of Famous Writers

Mornings: you groggily emerge from your bleary-eyed state, fumbling for the snooze button while steering well clear of that drool patch on the pillow. Then after downing your first coffee of the day, you proceed to type the final chapter to one of the best-selling novels ever written.

Okay, so perhaps you play Angry Birds instead. But whatever your reason for not penning a masterpiece, you can be sure that your own daily habits don’t stray too far from those used by famous authors – past and present – to trigger their creative spark.

For new book Rituals: How Great Minds Make Time, Find Inspiration, And Get To Work, New York-based author Mason Curry has listed 161 famous names and the 161 very different ways they approached their work. You might even be surprised by a few.

So take a look at the 10 literary examples we’ve exclusively taken from the new book, below, and marvel at how some of your finest books were forged…

Jane Austen

Austen rose early, before the other women were up, and played the piano. At 9:00 she organised the family breakfast, her one major piece of household work. Then she settled down to write in the sitting room, often with her mother and sister sewing quietly nearby. If visitors showed up, she would hide her papers and join in the sewing. Dinner, the main meal of the day, was served between 3:00 and 4:00. Afterward there was conversation, card games, and tea. The evening was spent reading aloud from novels, and during this time Austen would read her work-in-progress to her family.

Victor Hugo

Hugo wrote each morning, standing at a small desk in front of a mirror.

He rose at dawn, awakened by the daily gunshot from a nearby fort, and received a pot of freshly brewed coffee and his morning letter from Juliette Drouet, his mistress, who he had installed on Guernsey just nine doors down. After reading the passionate words of “Juju” to her “beloved Christ,” Hugo swallowed two raw eggs, enclosed himself in his lookout, and then wrote until 11:00 A.M.

Mark Twain

His routine was simple: he would go to the study in the morning after a hearty breakfast and stat there until dinner at about 5:00. Since he skipped lunch, and since his family would not venture near the study – they would blow a horn if they needed him – he could usually work uninterruptedly for several hours. “On hot days” he wrote to a friend, “I spread the study wide open, anchor my papers down with brickbats, and write in the midst of the hurricane, clothed in the same linen we make shirts of.”

Stephen King

King writes every day of the year, including his birthday and holidays, and he almost never lets himself quit before he reaches his daily quota of two thousand words. He works in the mornings, starting around 8:00 or 8:30. Some days he finishes up as early as 11.30, but more often it takes him until about 1:30 to meet his goal. Then he has the afternoons and evenings free for naps, letters, reading, family, and Red Sox games on TV.

Franz Kafka

In 1908, Kafka landed a position at the Worker’s Accident Insurance Institute in Prague, where he was fortunate to be on the coveted “single shift” system.

[He] was living with his family in a cramped apartment, where he could muster the concentration to write only late at night, when everyone else was asleep. As Kafka wrote to Felice Bauer in 1912, “time is short, my strength is limited, the office is a horror, the apartment is noisy, and if a pleasant, straight forward life is not possible then one must try to wriggle through by subtle maneuvers. In the same letter he goes on to describe his timetable: “…at 10.30 (but often not till 11.30) I sit down to write, and I go on, depending on my strength, inclination, and luck, until 1, 2 or 3 o’clock, once even till 6 in the morning.”

Leo Tolstoy

“I must write each day without fail, not so much for the success of the work, as in order not to get out of my routine.” This is Tolstoy in one of the relatively few diary entries he made during the mid-1860s, when he was deep into the writing of War and Peace.

According to Sergei [his son], Tolstoy worked in isolation – no one was allowed to enter his study, and the doors to the adjoining rooms were locked to ensure that he would not be interrupted.

Charles Dickens

First, he needed absolute quiet; at one of his houses, an extra door had to be installed to his study to block out noise.

And his study had to be precisely arranged, with his writing desk placed in front of a window and, on the desk itself, his writing materials – goose-quill pens and blue ink – laid out alongside several ornaments: a small vase of fresh flowers, a large paper knife, a gilt leaf with a rabbit perched upon it, and two bronze statuettes (one depicting a pair of fat toads duelling, the other a gentleman swarmed with puppies).

George Orwell

The post at Booklovers’ Corner [a London second-hand bookshop where he was a part-time assistant] proved an ideal fit for the thirty-one-year-old bachelor. Waking at 7:00, Orwell went to open the shop at 8.45 and stayed there for an hour. Then he had free time until 2:00, when he would return to the shop and work until 6.30. This left him almost four and a half hours of writing time in the morning and early afternoon, which conveniently, were the times that he was most mentally alert.

Haruki Murakami

When he is writing a novel, Murakami wakes at 4:00 A.M. and works for five to six hours straight. In the afternoons he runs or swims (or does both), runs errands, reads, and listens to music; bedtime is 9:00. “I keep to this routine every day without variation,” he told The Paris Review in 2004. “The repetition itself becomes the most important thing; it’s a form of mesmerism. I mesmerize myself to reach a deeper state of mind.”

The one drawback to this self-made schedule, Murakami admitted in a 2008 essay, is that it doesn’t allow for much of a social life.

Simone De Beauvoir

Although Beauvoir’s work came first, her daily schedule also revolved around her relationship with Jean-Paul Sartre, which lasted from 1929 until his death in 1980. (Theirs was an intellectual sponsored_longform with a somewhat creepy sexual component; according to a pact proposed by Sartre at the outset of their relationship, both partners could take lovers, but they were required to tell each other everything.) Generally, Beauvoir worked by herself in the morning, then joined Sartre for lunch. In the afternoon they worked together in silence at Sartre’s apartment. In the evening, they went to whatever political or social event was on Sartre’s schedule, or else went to the movies or drank Scotch and listened to the radio at Beauvoir’s apartment.

Daily Rituals is published by Picador US $ 9 for paperback at Amazon.com

https://www.shortlist.com/entertainment/books/the-daily-rituals-of-famous-writers/96234

NEW AUSTRALIAN RESEARCH FOUNDATION–
http://theconversation.com/rare-and-deadly-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease-remains-a-bit-of-a-medical-mystery-44408

The demise of this rare and deadly disease by my brother Chris has given way to a suggested foundation in his name to raise funds for further research.

This picture depicts him wearing his two decorated bravery medals whilst serving the Queensland police force for 50 years.

–Ray Russell

NMA ALERT OF THE WEEK–The Not-So-Hidden Cost of Vision Zero

The implementation of Vision Zero programs, with the goal of eliminating all traffic fatalities through various means including reducing vehicle speed and movement, is spreading to many U.S. cities seemingly without concern for cost.

If Vision Zero had a goal of minimizing road deaths rather than the unrealistic plan to eliminate them all (as if we can make life totally risk-free at whatever the cost), if it recognized that all road users – drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians – have a personal responsibility for their own safety as well as those around them, and if it didn’t automatically demonize drivers and motorized traffic, we could offer our support.

But as Vision Zero initiatives make clear, there is no middle ground. So we will keep on pointing out the fallacies of the singular focus against motorists (while others ignore the contributory errors made by pedestrians and bicyclists) and continue to fight road diets, speed cameras, and all other artificial devices designed to get cars and trucks – primary engines of our economy – off of the road.

The taxpayer cost of instituting Vision Zero is staggering. A few examples of current program annual budgets:

San Diego $18.0 million
Boston $18.9 million
Los Angeles $37.0 million

Of course, the king of all-in is New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio where Vision Zero expenditures of $1.6 billion are scheduled through 2021.

But are even these significant budget amounts a realistic estimate of the total cost of Vision Zero? NMA members participating in a recent discussion thread on the topic think not. Excerpts from their exchange:

VZ is a lovely policy idea but in implementation will justify just about any measure, no matter how extreme. Add the local block that wants cars off their street, or a speed hump, or a cam, and it’s bad for actual engineering but good for cash and politics.

The anti-car forces forget that cars aren’t the only traffic on the streets. When you slow down traffic, you make a direct subtraction from the economic productivity of all kinds of businesses. Say a repairman now makes four calls a day, charging $100 each. If you slow down the trip between calls enough so that he can only make three, the cost to unclog your drain or fix your washing machine just rose by 33 per cent.

They completely ignore economic realities AND they ignore the negative results of diversion of some frustrated drivers onto smaller less-safe parallel streets when the collectors and arterials get too clogged up with improper changes that engineers should never make.

There were a few articles in our local (NYC) papers about how, on a few VZ re-striped streets, trucks unloading were now causing backups. Pre VZ, they went from two travel lanes with a truck unloading on each side, to one travel lane with trucks, and if there’s a truck on each side plus any sort of misalignment or other vehicle issue (with hard bike lanes now) that one lane is European tight.

The result is not to blame the VZ nonsense, but to restrict times of delivery for the trucks. This made the local merchants quite unhappy, and the bonus in NYC is that no store keeps a lot of stock due to limited inventory space so frequent visits are needed. The cost of out-of-hours delivery is more, of course, and this hidden cost will get passed along to the Manhattan consumer. The VZ lobby views this road design as a success.

Add to that the removal of parking spaces, short-time parking meters that force cars to keep moving around and enforcement that raises a lot of money for the City and you have a perfect VZ storm. They have no idea how much that bike ride costs everyone else….they complain about the auto subsidy but it serves everyone!!!! And what about the bike subsidy? They pay nothing as bikers and have all of that pavement to use, FOR FREE!!!

City planners occasionally rediscover “goods movement” or “urban freight.” They have to be reminded that trucks exist and serve a purpose. I never thought about the “bike subsidy” as such, but the ratio of investment and the distribution of congestion costs on a bike-laned street amounts to an extreme subsidy.

As many of our truly great metropolitan areas rush headlong to adopt Vision Zero and all that it entails, we have yet to see a clear-eyed analysis of the true cost of implementation including the impact of longer commute times on worker productivity. Almost as certain as death and taxes, the law of unintended consequences can rarely be avoided.

BIKERNET BAD JOKE LIBRARY IS WIDE OPEN –-A Wish to Live Forever

I met a magical fairy yesterday who said she would grant me one wish

“I wish to live forever,” I said.

“Sorry,” said the fairy, “I’m not
allowed to grant that particular wish.”

“Fine,” I said, “then I want
to die the day after Congress is filled with honest, hard-working,
bipartisan men and women who act only in the people’s best interests!”

“You crafty bastard,” replied the fairy.

–from Sidehack Jerry

New Bikernet BMC Reader Comment!–
Mid 2007 BMC Report

https://www.bikernet.com/pages/Mid_2007_BMC_Report.aspx

“I” had a 2003 BMC bobber 88. Best bike “I” ever owned..was bought at Iron Horse Dallas TX and shipped to Hanford, CA, where “I” got it From My Nephew with only 3.336 miles on it.

But the story on the Bike,was a good one. The ride from CA to Duncan, OK.,toured AZ on the BMC was the best times of my life. I put over 30.000 miles in 3 months time, when “I” got back to Duncan ..but the point of it all..sad thing..what happen to that Great motorcycle. I got back to work at Ace Hardware for John Gallaway…I’m a Plumber/ Truck Driver /Home-renovator / was painting a House for a friend.,just finished Nov.27th 2016.

Only back on the job almost 3 months back from CA…when it happened, after painting the House for Kenny. I was going to my RV, south part of town. I stoped at a quick-mart to fill up tank and get a pack of smokes. The last red light going to RV, “I” caught the red light. I was waiting for the light to change, and then it happened. A SUV rear-ended Me at the light.

“I” remember waking up on the right side of motorcycle. She was on the cell phone. She didn’t even see the red light much less me /with the –LED lights on. The Bike was done t frame bent, it landed on the right side..messed it up. Motor was the only thing worth keeping.

But the bike /wow, what a piece of Art work..miss it bad. After 22months of trying to get health back. I ended up with messed up Neck and spine, left shoulder, arm, legs knees, right wrist.

But that bike was the best thing ever happen to Me..thanks to My–Nephew Brian..who is a Fire Fighter in BIG CREEK CA.

And thanks for to BMC for building a great Motorcycle. Wished “I” had that ONE Back. Thank you for making a great ride.

your friend always,

—- Darel Lee Kilcrease/ Lee
dlkdlklees.com@gmail.com
Duncan, OK

P.S. Have a good Life..you guy’s made mine good…wow what a ride.

BEST NEWS FROM LAS VEGAS BIKERFEST, CHICKEN RANCH RUN–October 11-14, 2018
We have announcements coming your way!
Stay tuned for our weekly updates.
Saturday Poker Run*

Enjoy a ride to Pahrump while you draw the best poker hand you can! Visit stops like the Famous Chicken Ranch and Sanders Family Winery.

Best Hand: $3,000
2nd: $1,000
3rd: $250
4th: $250
Worst Hand: $500

*Must be registered with an Ultimate or VIP Pass

BIKERNET INDIA CORRESPONDENT INJURY REPORT–
Doing much better. All systems functioning normally and reliably since Wednesday (ER procedure was on Tuesday). Nothing found in any blood tests or other tests. Just “lucky” me.

Spirits are also much better. Shit happens. At least I never ever had to visit a Doctor due to riding motorcycles since 2003 till present on roads which can be used by NASA for test driving their Rover Mars vehicle for free.

I haven’t been hospitalized much in life since childhood birth. One humerus bone right arm fracture in office wheeled chair in 2007 working long hours / late hours. One clinical depression related hospitalization in 2010.

The old school advice is best medicine – “man up” or “keep your chin up” or as Johnny Walker Scotch says “Keep Walking”. (Scotch spells “Whisky” and rest of world spells it “Whiskey”).

“Confront your enemies, avoid them when you can – A gentleman will walk but never run”
– from a song by Sting named Englishman in New York.

–Ujjwal Dey
News Bureau Chief
Bikernet India News Department

[page break]

BIKERNET GUN NUT REPORT–Trump Era July NICS Continues Trend of 2018 as Second Highest Gun Sales Year on Record

The National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) continued to record near-record numbers in July. During the 2016 election cycle, the fear of a Clinton presidency pushed gun sales and, correspondingly, NICS background checks to an all-time record high.

Many people thought sales and NICS checks would crater once President Trump was elected. But both sales and NICS numbers only fell back a small amount. 2017 was the second-highest year on record for NICS checks.

Over half way through 2018, the 2018 NICS checks are trending higher than 2017. July, 2018 NICS checks totaled 1,835,318. In 2017, year-to-date NICS checks through July were 14,343,658. For the same period in 2018 NICS checks totaled 15,128,636. In the all-time record year of 2016, NICS checks through July were 16,026,660.

The 2018 total is 94% of the 2016 total.

These near-record NICS checks numbers don’t necessarily reflect near record gun sales. More and more NICS checks are being used for carry permits and permit renewals.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has been able to subtract out checks done for carry permits and carry permit re-checks. Using that information, checks done for firearm sales are down 9.5% from the 2017 figures.

The NSSF adjusted chart shows adjusted NICS checks for July close to 2012 – 2014 levels.

The NICS checks have historically indicated about one NICS check for about .6 firearms added to the private stock in the United States. NICS checks are also done for sales of used firearms. And, one NICS check can be done for multiple firearms purchased at the same time. In addition, in half the states, once a person receives a carry permit, the permit can serve in lieu of another NICS check.

The number of carry permit holders in the United States is currently over 16 million people. This can be seen in the rising number of permit checks and permit re-checks done in the NICS system. Again, many of those permit holders don’t have to undergo a NICS check for gun purchases.

If the .6 number holds, the number of guns added to the private stock in July would have been about 1.1 million. That would bring the total private stock in the US to about 427 million firearms. If the trend continues, there will be about 432 million firearms in private hands by the end of the year.

–BY DEAN WEINGARTEN
Truth About Guns

New BIKERNET BAGGERS Reader Comment!–USING THE RIGHT JIMS TOOL FOR THE JOB

http://baggers.bikernet.com/pages/story_detail.aspx?id=13078

Well said. I have been doing all my own work and have a couple of these items. After reading your article I will stop being cheap and spring for the rest of the tools mentioned.

–Doug Yeast
doug.yeast@gmail.com
Summerland , BC, Canada

TEA PARTY GETS REVENGE– against IRS as judge approves $3.5 million payout

A judge late Wednesday signed off on the settlement between the IRS and hundreds of tea party groups, closing out the last major legal battle over what all sides now agree was unwarranted and illegal targeting for political purposes.

The IRS agreed to pay $3.5 million to groups that were wronged by the intrusive inspections, and insists it’s made changes so that political targeting can’t occur in the future.

A few issues are still being fought over in the courts — including whether former IRS senior executive Lois G. Lerner will be allowed to forever shield her deposition explaining her behavior from public view, and whether the IRS should pay attorney fees — but this week’s decision closes out five years of litigation over the targeting itself.

“It shows that when a government agency desires to target citizens based on their viewpoints, a price will be paid,” said Edward Greim, the lawyer who led the class action case in federal court in Cincinnati.

The $3.5 million closely approximates the fines the IRS would have had to pay in damages for each intrusive scrutiny of tea party groups, had the agency been found in violation of the law. The money will be split with half going to the lawyers who argued the case and the other half to more than 100 tea party groups, which will get a cut of about $17,000 each.

By Stephen Dinan – The Washington Times –

   

REPORT FROM THE BORDER–
TRUMP is destroying the local Arizona economies. Illegal immigrants are boycotting Arizona by the thousands.

They are showing their outrage with Donald Trump’s pardon of sheriff Joe Arpaio and his rescinding of Obama’s unconstitutional executive order known as DACA.

In the small town of Guadalupe, AZ, south of Phoenix, Manuel Renaldo is one of those who are vowing to punish Arizona by leaving. As he loaded his stolen car with his taxpayer-furnished belongings and family of ten, Renaldo told this reporter through an interpreter: “It’s a matter of principle; I refuse to be supported by a state that treats me like a criminal!”

The effects of the exodus are already being felt by some Arizona retailers, who are reporting dwindling thefts & sales of beer, tequila, spray paint, and ammunition. Also hit hard are the state hospitals, which have reported a dramatic decline in births and emergency room visits of non-revenue patients!

State welfare agencies are preparing to lay off staffs that distribute food stamps and unemployment benefits. Tattoo parlors are in an absolute state of panic!

Renaldo told a reporter, through an interpreter, that he and his family are moving to the sanctuary state of California, with a Liberal government under Democrats and Governor Jerry Brown, new higher taxes and hardworking people who will better able to support him and his growing family with dignity!

Kinda brings a tear to your eye, doesn’t it?

–Sidehack Jerry

New BANDIT’S CANTINA Reader Comment!–IT’S A WRAP SUNDAY POST for August 12th, 2018

https://www.bikernet.com/pages/ITS_A_WRAP_SUNDAY_POST_for_August_12th_2018.aspx

Polaris is a U.S. company. Maybe AJ is thinking of Bombardier.

–Sam
rotorkat@yahoo.com
TX

INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT WANDERS THE STREETS OF PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA WHILE I WATCH JACOB’S LADDER—He’s headed home tomorrow.

Lots of construction. Mostly Chinese condos.

The Chinese are taking over the country. Locals not happy.

Local curry dish. Very good.

One party like North Korea. Opposition party dissolved. Opponents jailed for treason and leader assasinated Then United Nations recognizes new govt. !!

New construction everywhere. Mostly Chinese. Lotsa American franchise joints. Ruins the culture.

Ho Sen has been in power for thirty years or more. Quashes any opposition. Public not happy.

–Art Hall
Esteemed International Correspondent
Bikernet.com™

NEW SPORTBIKE MAGAZINE AVAILABLE--Read the entire issue for FREE online at www.sportbikesincmag.com.

There is no need to log in… Just click the cover on the home page and enjoy SBI in its entirety.

#SBINATION… Ride with us. You know we got it!

Now that the date is set, April 6, 2019, and our honoree’s selected, it is time to get to work on the program. It may seem like we have a lot of time, but it goes so fast. Tickets won’t go on sale until after January 1. Watch the newsletter for exact date.

If you need information or pay dues, contact Judy at (909) 226 6038 cell, (951) 780 1978 home or mctrailblazers01@gmail.com.

Trailblazers Web Site

Bios for all the Inductees will be added to the website in the next couple of months. www.trailblazersmc.com.

You can see past Hall of Fame videos at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXufYWyZ0AU&index=9&list=PLyZTL2E7LJnE1W9No7njdMnojKPAgylE&t=0s

KINGS OF SPEED – ASCOT RACEWAY 1957-1990

August 27 – October 13

Reception: Saturday, September 8, 2-8pm

Curator’s Talk: Monday, September 10, 10am

The California State University, Northridge Art Galleries presents this fine exhibition of Ascot Park Raceway. Ascot was located in Gardena, California and was ranked behind only the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Daytona International Speedway as the best-known racing facility in the country. For 33 years, Ascot was the busiest racing venue in the world. Gallery open noon to 4pm, Monday through Saturday and noon to 8pm on Thursdays. CSUN Art Galleries, 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge, CA 91330-8299 www.csun.edu/artgalleries

JANE FERGUS R.I.P.

Jane was born on February 27, 1936 and died in the arms of her husband, Neil, on August 6th, 2018. She was a graduate of USC Dental School and was a dental hygienist for 40 years. She was a Master Gardener, dietician, Master Chef, expert swimmer, expert skier (on snow and water ) a certified SCUBA diver. Jane and Neil, married 42 years, rode thousands of miles on antique motorcycles. Jane loved her family and was a loyal friend to all who knew her.

Celebration of Life on October 13th, 2018 at Parkside Church 1- 3pm. 3885 Richardson Drive, Auburn, CA 95602

HURLEY WILVERT R.I.P

Hurley Wilvert died in a road accident on Monday. He was a top road racer in the early 1970’s. He started his career as a mechanic but was soon riding instead of wrenching. In 1974 he had a podium finish at Daytona with Giacomo Agostini and Kenny Roberts Sr. Condolences to his wife, Brenda, and family. God speed Hurley.

CODY KURTZ R.I.P.

Cody Kurtz, 17, a talented off-road and motocross racer, lost his life at Glen Helen. He started his racing career young & competed in motocross, becoming a Pee Wee champion. Then he and his sister, Caitlyn turned their skills into off-road racing. They competed in the AMA National Hare & Hound, AMA West Hare Scramble, USDR and AMA Big 6 GP Series. In 2015 Kurtz was presented with the Rich and Kurt Caselli Sportsman award. He leaves his father, Kyle, mother, Jessica and sister, Caitlyn. He is mourned by all whose lives he touched. He lived a full life, but much too short. God Bless you, your family, and friends.

CELEBRATION OF LIFE FOR JOE RAMOS

Joe, 73, owned motorcycle shops in the Bay Area, before joining Yamaha, and then Kawasaki. He owned a Karting company before retiring. He leaves behind his wife, Kerry, daughter Shay and son, Joe Jr. Joe was Charismatic, Creative, Loved people and a Party. May the party never end Big Joe.

Services will be on Friday, September 7 at 1pm at the Riverside National Cemetery.

22495 Van Buren Blvd. Riverside, CA

It will be followed by a Celebration of Life at the Ayers Hotel and Spa. There will be a bar……

12631 Memorial Way, Moreno Valley, CA

CLASS OF 2018 AMA MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME

The AMA will induct six into the Class of 2018 on December 7th at the Hilton Columbus/Polaris in Columbus, Ohio. Congratulations to all.

Terry Cunningham Four time National Enduro Champion

Gary Davis Stunt Rider]

Skip Eaken Flat Track and Road Racing Tuner

Nicky Hayden MotoGP World Champion

Clifford “Corky” Keener Flat Track Racer

Mary McGee pioneering motorcyclist.

MARY MCGEE WROTE 2ND STORY FOR WORDPRESS

Mary has a lot of wonderful stories to tell and she is doing it on WordPress. What a life! What a career!

https://marymcgeeracing.wordpress.com/ https://marymcgeeracing.wordpress.com/photos

WWW.TODAY’S CYCLE COVERAGE.COM

Find the results, stories and photos of many races online. Recent additions are from the Speedway races in Auburn “Fast Fridays”, A.J. Herrera Memorial Event, Speedway from New York. SCFTA at Perris, Speedway Racing at Industry and the AMA National Speedway Championships.

IS INFLATING TIRES WITH NITROGEN WORTH IT?

Continental Tires will give you some answers in Issue # 30 of Cycle News. They give the advantages and disadvantages. Cycle News is free online. www.cyclenews.com

MEMORIAL FOR PAT AND HOWARD BARNES

A memorial will be held for Pat and Howard on August 25, 2018 at 2pm. It will be at the Legion in Carbondale, Colorado. 97n. 3rd St. Howard passed away several years ago and Pat died in April. They were a staple at Ascot, supplying Barnes Wheels and Sprockets, and traveling the Flat Track Circuit often.

BIKES AND BOMBERS VII

Saturday, August 18th at the Lyon Air Museum from 9 -1. Bike show judging 10 – 11. Bike show winner takes flight in a WWII T6 Texan. 19300 Ike Jones Road, Santa Ana, CA 92707 www.lyonairmuseum.org (714) 210 4585

TCM MEMORIAL WEEKEND COASTAL RIDE

Sunday, September 2 “Remember and Honor Ride”. Meet at Triumph Classic Motorcycles, 1281 Logan Ave. Suite F, Costa Mesa, CA 92629 Contact them for time and route. (714) 556 0170 www.triclassic.com

If you would like try a British bike, they will rent you one.

A YOUNG TRAVIS, BUBBA AND RICKY

Sent by Ernie Aragon

https://youtu.be/U8OU81oEKUk

SUPPORT BRAD BAKER

Brad was seriously injured in practice at the XGames. He has had surgery on his spine, but has a long way to go. He is working hard towards recovery. You can check in on his progress on Facebook. The Class of 79 and Friends, with your help, have provided funds that will be used to cover expenses above and beyond medical insurance and support provided by Indian Motorcycle, his sponsors and existing additional support. Memorabilia is being donated to raise funds and Jared Mees has paid for the production of special-edition Brad Baker number plates that will be available online or at upcoming AFT races. Also coming are specially designed t-shirts. For more information: http://www.amaft79.com/brad-the-bullet-baker-fund.htm/ https://www.facebook.com/amaft79

MOTOCROSS OF NATIONS TO BE AT REDBUD IN MICHIGAN

The AMA has chosen the team that will represent the U.S on October 6-7. Aaron Plessinger will race the MX2 Class, Justin Barcia will race the Open Class and Eli Tomac will race the MXGP Class. Roger DeCoster will manage the team. The U.S. team has won the Motocross of Nations 22 times, all-time leader in FIM MX of Nations. All the victories under the direction of Roger DeCoster. Our team hasn’t won since 2011. We were 9th in 2017. All are excited to be racing in the USA in front of friends and fans.

PASTRANA, SIPES AND MAC WILL REPRESENT PUERTO RICO

Travis Pastrana is coming out of retirement to represent Puerto Rico, the birth place of his grandfather, in the MotoCross of Nations. The all veteran (over 30) team will consist of Travis, Ronnie Mac, Ryan Sipes and team coach, Ricky Johnson. Pastrana will race the Open Class, Sipes in the MX2 Class and Mac in the MXGP Class. Pastrana agreed to ride if the team would raise funds to give back to Puerto Rico during their time of need.

50 YEARS AGO IN CYCLE NEWS

Skip Van Leeuwen won wire-to-wire at the Ascot 50 lap National. Freddie Nix won 10 Mile National at Santa Rosa. Pacific Coasters Motorcycle Club’s 3rd Annual Mickey Mouse Tour. Don McCarley won the expert Sunday MX races at Miramar, Ca. Cal Rayborn on cover after winning the AMA National Road Race at Indianapolis. John DeSoto, Tom Rapp and Lars Larson were some that were at Carlsbad Raceway. Dusty Coppage broke Skip’s winning streak at the TT at Ascot. Muskegon Natl. Hillclimb on cover. 10,000 fans and a couple hundred competitors. Mike Patrick won the Nevada State Championship Hare Scrambles. Evel Knievel received an honorary lifetime membership in the Salt Lake Motorcycle Club.

40 YEARS AGO

AT DuQuoin, Hank Scott won his 2nd Mile within 9 days. Marty Tripes won the 250cc USGP at Unadilla. Jimmy Ellis and Bob Hannah were the moto winners. Bernie Schreiber won the World Trials round in Italy. Bruce Ogilvie won the 250cc Expert class at Cal City. Steve Eklund won the Santa Fe Short Track. Chuck Joyner won the Peoria TT. Warren Reid and Rick Burgett won the National MX round in Rhode Island. Barry Sheene won the Swedish Grand Prix. Mike Baldwin on cover after winning at Pocono., round 20 of the AMA GNC/ Camel Pro Series. Brock Glover won final round and the 125cc title at St. Joseph, Missouri. Rex Staten won his first-ever national win in the 500cc class. Rick Burgett had already won the 500cc title. Interview motocrosser Mark Barnett.

30 YEARS AGO

Rick Johnson on cover and podium at the 250cc USGP at Unadilla. Bob Hannah 2nd and Micky Dymond 3rd. Bubba Shobert set new one lap record (34.344 seconds) in mile racing at DuQuoin. Jeff Ward and Ron Lechein on cover at Troy, Ohio. Lechien won. AMA Amateur/Youth Grand Nationals in Washington State. Winners were Larry Pegram, Georgie Price, Johnny Murphree, Kenny Coolbeth, Kevin Varnes and Jake Zemke. Kevin Atherton won the AMA 600cc Parkersburg Half Mile. Bubba Shobert won the AMA Camel Pro/Superbike Series in Mid-Ohio. Billie Liles won the 500cc MXGP in San Marino. Kevin McGee and Wayne Rainey won Suzuki 8 Hour. Kenny Roberts was the team manager.

ENDUROCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON STARTS

Saturday, August 25th in Prescott Valley Arizona the 1st of six events this season. It will be held at the Prescott Valley Event Center. Stick around for Sunday’s special attraction, the eMTB Challenge Series. These are pedal-assist electric mountain bikes. They will be competing with the motorcycles and also be available on Saturday and Sunday for test rides. Check out the ebikes at Prescott Valley, Reno in September, Denver in October and Nampa Idaho in November. www.endurocross.com

THE WRITINGS OF LARRY LAWRENCE IN CYCLE NEWS

In Issue #30 go down memory lane with MotoCross 1978.

In Issue #31, “Criville’s Place in MotoGP History”. Criville was the 1999 250cc GP Champion. At the time, Mick Doohan, Valentino Rossi and Kenny Roberts were dominating so he was overlooked.

In Issue #32, “Seeing Indians’s History” Larry visited the Indian MotoCycle Museum (with no R), on the site of the Old Indian factory in Springfield, Massachusetts. The Esta Manthos Indian Motocycle Museum has the largest collection of Indian cycles and memorabilia in the world. www.cyclenews.com

SCFTA RACES AT PERRIS WERE RESCHEDULED

Round 6 was canceled because of smoke from the Holy Jim fire. It has been rescheduled for August 18th .

Round 7 will be on Saturday, September 8. Gates 12:00, Practice 3:30. Racing to follow.

MAV TV 2018 LUCUS OIL PRO MOTOCROSS SERIES

Round 11 will be on Saturday, August 18th 1pm ET. Watch it “Live” from Budds Creek Motorcycle Park in Mechanicsville, MD. MavTV will air “Opening” 450cc & 250cc Class motos starting on Saturday August 18 with re air at 4pm ET. www.mavtv.com

The final race of the season will be the Ironman National in Crawfordsville, In. on August 25th

FUJI PARK SHORT TRACK CARSON CITY, NEVADA

Practice on August 18 & 24th from 4-8pm. Racing August 25th. Spectator gate opens at 6pm and racing starts at 7:30pm. $5000.00 purse. Ontrac702@gmail.com

SPEEDWAY RACING

Costa Mesa Saturday, August 18 Harley Night #2/Speedway and Sidecars

Saturday, Sept. 8 Speedway/ Sidecars/ Juniors

Gates open 6pm, Racing 7:30p Orange County Fairgrounds cmspeedway@sbcglobal.net

Industry Racing Wednesday, August 22 JR Kurtz Memorial Cup Speedway/Sidecars

Saturday, August 25 43rd Annual AMA California State Championship

16200 Temple Ave. City of Industry Race 7:30 www.industryracing.com

Fast Fridays/Auburn Friday, August 17 Speedway plus Hooligans (race your own VTwin)

No races on August 24 or 31

Friday, September 1 Speedway Final points + Sidecars Grand Final

1273 High St. Auburn, CA (530) 878 7223 fastfridays@aol.com

KINGS SPEEDWAY HANFORD ¼ MILE

Friday, September 7th. This promises to be the wildest event of the year. Combine Super Hooligans and the World Surfing League. What? The WSL is bringing a round of their international surf competition to Surf Ranch at Lemoore. Roland Sands Design is bringing the Super Hooligans. And WFT brings its series show and makes it all happen. It should be a helluva hullabaloo. 801 S. 10th, Hanford . Please confirm before you make the drive (415) 320 7889 info@westernflattrack.com After party at the County Courthouse lawn.

GOODWOOD REVIVAL

Hurry and reserve you airline ticket if you want to see one of the greatest motorcycle shows and vintage races on the planet. September 7-9. It all takes place on the Duke of Richmond’s elegant country estate in southern England. A must. www.goodwood.com

MOTOBAY CLASSIC

Saturday, August 18th there is going to be Super Hooligan Flat Track Racing at Pier 32 in San Francisco. There will be Police finals, Stunt Show, Bike & art Show, Moto Vendors, Cops vs Hooligans Gymkhana, Food, Beer and lots of Music. August 1 – 18 is the Rever City Moto Scrounge (I have no idea what this is, but it is free. August 16i-18 is the International Police Motor Skills Competition. A lot going on. www.motobayclassic.com

BSA CALENDAR

Sunday, August 19 is the BSAOCSC Malibu mountain street ride. Start at Freedom Park parking lot, 275 E. Pleasant Valley Road in Camarillo. >From Hwy 101 on Las Posas Road. Right on Pleasant Valley Rd, then straight thru 2 signal intersections, then right turn of Eubanks. (818) 384 4074

Sunday, August 26 is the Long Beach Motorcycle Swap-meet. www.socalcycleswapmeet.com

Sunday, Sept 9 is the BSAOCSC Big Bear Dual Sport Ride. Meet at Big Bear Airport Parking Lot. 501 W. Valley Rd. Big Bear City. For vintage British motorcycles only, with street registration and spark arrestors. (310) 292 8997 or (760) 365 9191.

September 20-23 is the California BSA Clubs “North/South” Rally at Morro Bay.

ONLY 3 REMAINING AFT RACES.

Saturday, August 18 Round 14 TT Peoria, Ill

Sunday, September 2 Round 15 Mile Springfield, Ill

Saturday, September 8 Round 16 ½ Mechanicsburg, PA

VENTURA RACEWAY

Saturday, September 22 is Flat Track/ Speedway and Quads. Gates open at 3pm, Racing at 5:30pm. www.Venturaraceway.com (805) 648 7223 track (805) 985 5433

GLEN HELEN

Saturday, August 18 MX Practice

Sunday, August 19th TWMX (2 Tracks) / Scrambles

Saturday, August 25th REM MX / MX Practice

Sunday, August 26th SRA GP

On-Line info: www.glenhelen.com (909) 880 3090

HOOLIGAN RACING

August 17-19 Battle on the Bay (Pier 32) San Francisco

September 7 Hurley Surf & Turf – Lemoore, Ca

September 22 Costa Mesa Speedway

October 13 -14 Moto Beach Classic – Bolsa Chica

www.indianmotorcycle.com/en-us/indian-hooligan (562) 493 5297

NORTON CLUB RIDE

September 7 – 9 High Sierras. We will gather in Mariposa on Friday afternoon, leave on Saturday morning for Bridgeport, and back into Mariposa by Sunday afternoon. The Miner’s Inn in Mariposa is the club headquarters for Friday night and the Walker River Lodge in Bridgeport for Saturday night, however, feel free to stay anywhere you like in the area. We will meet on Saturday morning at the Miner’s Inn parking lot, located at 5181 Hwy 49 in Mariposa. Ride departs at 9am sharp. Ride maps will be posted here soon. www.socalnorton.com

WATCH FOR THESE EVENTS IN OCTOBER

El Camino Vintage Motorcycle Show and Swap Meet Saturday, October 13 at the Camino College in Torrance www.elcaminoshow.com

Las Vegas BikeFest October 11- 14 www.lasvegasbikefest.com

MINI MADNESS at the Perris Raceway Mini MotoCross Saturday, October 13th https://www.facebook.com/Mini-Madness-MX-135920579780511

47th Annual Bingham Side Car Rally Sunday, October 28th is tentative. Check Facebook

Round up at the Ranch Sunday, October 7 Calendar Bike Building Championship http://www.fastdates.com/bikeshow.htm jgdesign@fastdates.com www.exilecycles.com

Motoclimb Super Series October 6-7 in Tracy, California. Last round of the Motoclimb Series, the IRC Carnegie Classic. Hill Climb’s only coast-to-coast series.

[page break]

MRF President Kirk Willard inducted into Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame

https://youtu.be/2cawhWL8W_U

On August 8, 2018, MRF President Kirk “Hardtail” Willard received the coveted Freedom Fighter award during his induction into the Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame during the 78th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

I AM BEGINNING TO QUESTION ANYTHING A POLITICIAN SAYS—Recently three times I’ve heard Congressfolks say, “Mobil sources bring about the most CO2.”

I immediately started to look around. Here are some facts from the documentary Cowspiracy:

Animal agriculture is responsible for 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, more than the combined exhaust from all transportation. [i]

“Livestock’s Long Shadow: environmental issues and options”. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Rome 2006

Transportation exhaust is responsible for 13% of all greenhouse gas emissions. [.i]

Greenhouse gas emissions from this sector primarily involve fossil fuels burned for road, rail, air, and marine transportation.

“Livestock’s Long Shadow: environmental issues and options”. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Rome 2006

Environmental Protection Agency. “Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data”.

Livestock and their byproducts account for at least 32,000 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year, or 51% of all worldwide greenhouse gas emissions.

Goodland, R Anhang, J. “Livestock and Climate Change: What if the key actors in climate change were pigs, chickens and cows?”

Goodland, Robert & Anhang, Jeff. “Livestock and Climate Change: What if the key actors in climate change are…cows, pigs and chickens?”. WorldWatch. November/December 2009

Hickman, Martin. “Study claims meat creates half of all greenhouse gases”. Independent. November 2009

Hyner, Christopher. “A Leading Cause of Everything: One Industry That Is Destroying Our Planet and Our Ability to Thrive on It”. Georgetown Environmental Law Review. October 23, 2015. (New)

Methane is 25-100 times more destructive than CO2 on a 20-year time frame.

Shindell, Drew T, et al. “Improved Attribution of Climate Forcing to Emissions”. Science. 326, 716 (2009)

Vaidyanathan, Sayathri. “How Bad of a Greenhouse Gas is Methane? The global warming potential of the gaseous fossil fuel may be consistently underestimated”. Scientific American. December 22, 2015.

Methane has a global warming potential 86 times that of CO2 on a 20 year time frame.

Shindell, Drew T, et al. “Improved Attribution of Climate Forcing to Emissions”. Science. 326, 716 (2009)

“IPCC Fourth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2007. 2.10.2. Direct Global Warming Potentials”. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (new)

Livestock is responsible for 65% of all human-related emissions of nitrous oxide – a greenhouse gas with 296 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide, and which stays in the atmosphere for 150 years.

“Livestock’ Long Shadow: environmental issues and options”. FAO. Rome. 2006

“Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States”. U.S. Energy Information Administration. March 31, 2011

Emissions for agriculture projected to increase 80% by 2050.

Tilman, David & Clark, Michael. “Global diets link environmental sustainability and human health”. Nature. Vol. 515. 27 November 2014

Energy related emissions expected to increase 20% by 2040.

“Carbon Dioxide Emissions to 2040”. Energy Global. 06 January 2015

“World Energy Outlook 2014 Factsheet”. International Energy Agency.

“International Energy Outlook 2016”. U.S. Energy Information. May 11, 2016

Here’s what an Ivy League4 geologist Robert giegangack, former chair of the Department of Earth and Environmental Science at the University of Pennsylvania said about “natural interplay” between temperature. “For most of the Earth’s history, the globe has been warmer than it has been for the last 200 years. It has rarely been cooler.”

“I’m impressed by the fact that the present climate, from the perspective of a geologist, is very close to the coldest it’s ever been.” He also said, “The concentration Co2 in the atmosphere today is close to the lowest it has ever been.”

Greenpeace co-founder and ecologist Patrick Moore testified in front of the Senate, “we had both higher temps and an ice age at a time when CO2 emmissions were 10 times higher than they are today. There is no scientific proof that human emissions of carbon dioxide are the dominant cause of the minor warming of the Earth’s atmosphere over the past 100 years…The fact that we had both higher temperatures and an ice age at a time when CO2 emissions were 10 times higher than they are today fundamentally contradicts the certainty that human-caused CO2 emissions are the main cause of global warming…

These quotes came from Marc Morano’s recent book, “Climate Change, the Politically Incorrect Guide to…

I’m still digging. –Bandit

KEEP THE BIKERNET BAD JOKE LIBRARY WIDE OPEN—Speaking of Climate and the Weather: Thinking back a few years, living in Florida, I remember Hurricane Matthew. I was ready for it but my wife was not.

When the wind reached a screaming pitch with the trees snapping and threshing, the horizontal streaming rain, flying roofing iron and destroyed fences as well as the unnerving sound-levels, my wife was rooted to the spot.

She stared and stared through the glass of the window. Immovable, with her nose pressed to the windowpane, the stark fear in her eyes will stay with me forever.

Fortunately, as the eye of the storm arrived and the winds temporarily lessened, I was able to open the door and let her in.

–from “SIDEHACK” Jerry

BUYING AND SELLING BIKES–RumbleOn Revs Up Ease and Efficiency For Online Powersport Buying and Selling
Disruptive e-commerce platform launches new mobile application and website, ensuring clarity trust and transparency throughout the customer journey

RumbleOn (NASDAQ: RMBL), the only 100 percent online powersports marketplace, today announced a new mobile application for both iOS and Android, alongside a revitalized website experience. RumbleOn is transforming the way pre-owned powersports vehicles are bought and sold by providing users with the most efficient, timely, transparent and trustworthy acquisition and distribution experience.

The new RumbleOn website and mobile app include significant enhancements to user experience, as well as the delivery of cash offers and inventory pricing. Additionally, the platform will include an all-new lifestyle and educational content experience. The simplified, mobile-first platform allows users to easily switch between social-focused tasks like finding nearby biker bars and hangouts, to a consumer-centric list of recommended motorcycles to buy. With these new platform developments, consumers will have a faster, safer and easier buying and selling experience, along with access to easily-digestible and shareable content.

RumbleOn provides consumers and dealers instant cash offers for vehicles and guarantees fast payment and free pick up. If the seller owes on the vehicle, RumbleOn will cover the cost for the seller within the same day. Equally as convenient for buyers, every certified motorcycle in the huge RumbleOn inventory includes free shipping to 48 states, no dealer fees, a 90-day guarantee and more.

“What consumers really want is an experience that removes risk, emphasizes efficiency, and fosters trust for buyers and sellers. With RumbleOn, we offer a no dealership, no salespeople, but offer value pricing and a friction-free process delivered on the latest digital technology,” said Marshall Chesrown, CEO of RumbleOn. “With a digital platform, RumbleOn customers have all of the control. No one is coerced into taking a deal that is unsatisfactory, and the ease with which customers can get paid, trade, or buy the powersport vehicle of their dreams faster and safer than ever.”

Recent research from eMarketer forecasts that mobile-commerce sales, “will account for 39.6% of total e-commerce in 2018, growing at a rate of 33% annually, and will represent the majority of e-commerce spending by 2021.” With an all-new, easily accessible and robust digital platform, RumbleOn aims to address consumer buying preferences head-on.

For more information visit www.rumbleon.com or download the mobile application for iOS and Android.

NEW FROM MOTION PRO--Standard 4 Stroke Leak Down Tester

– Designed to check the amount of combustion chamber leakage in a 4-stroke engine

– Speeds up troubleshooting & helps to isolate bad components

– Gauge accurately displays the total percentage of leakage past the rings, head gasket,
intake and exhaust valves

– Tests at 80 psi cylinder pressure; minimum air source of 90 psi required

– Includes 1/4 inch male industrial quick connector

– Meets FAA leak down test specifications for cylinders below 5.00 in. (127 mm)
bore diameter

– Hose and adapter fits 10, 12, and 14 mm spark plug threads

– Includes high-quality regulator and gauge

– Includes convenient molded tray

– Instructions included

COO: China
Part# 08-0678
MSRP $99.99

WAIT, THERE’S MORE—Actually, I hope that’s enough.

Okay, let’s see if we can make the Climate Debate simple:

Alarmist: Watch out for Global Warming!
Oops, sorry it’s not warm but actually cooling slightly.

Alarmist: CO2 is destroying the planet!
Oops, it’s not. CO2 levels are the lowest they’ve been in centuries. Every plant on the planet needs CO2

Alarmist: Most of the CO2 comes from mobil sources like cars and trucks!
Oops, sorry, maybe less than 10 percent. Cows produce more than 50 percent.

Alarmist: The seas are rising!
Oops, sorry, centuries ago they rose 10 inches a century. Now they are rising only 7 inches every 100 years.

Does that make it easy?

I’m working on a two-part Cantina Episode about Sin Wu’s Vegas problems. Check it out.

I’m working Russell Mitchell of Exile on a story about his survival in this industry and his future growth, which includes the event above.

Looking for Rhonda’s trike story from the Chip in the new town of Buffalo Chip.

These belong to Urban and are place at his Spearfish digs in the Badlands, sorta. Jim Waggaman painted them. Not bad, custom yard art.

Okay, so have a helluva weekend and of course:

Ride Free Forever,

–Bandit

Hupy and Abraham, S.C., a well-known law firm located in Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa, is representing the first motorcycle victim of a new streetcar system being constructed in Milwaukee.

With all the technological advances in road design, there has been a downward trend in crashes and fatalities. We would hope more improvements with safety in mind are being developed. Yet Milwaukee, home of Harley-Davidson, has taken a step back in roadway safety with the construction of a new streetcar system in the downtown area.

It’s been over 50 years since the city tore up the streetcar tracks and tore down the ugly overhead wires that powered the cumbersome beasts through downtown and west past where the original Harley plant is located.

As in much new roadway design, it appears two-wheeled vehicles were not seriously considered when planners developed the rail system in Milwaukee for the new HOP MKE streetcar system. Work started in 2016 with an in-service date scheduled for November 2018.

The tracks have caused several bicycle crashes already, and July 26, Attorney Michael Hupy filed a claim against the city on behalf of his client, Aaron Henning. While riding downtown, Henning attempted to make a lane change when his tire got into a dispute with the track system and he crashed, seriously injuring his arm among other injuries.

An outspoken critic of the streetcar line since it was announced in 2016, Attorney Hupy predicted there would be problems for motorcyclists, especially worrisome with the Harley-Davidson 115th Anniversary expected to bring thousands of riders to the city at the end of August.

As bikers, we know tracks should be crossed at a 90-degree angle if possible, but these tracks run parallel with the road and changing lanes in a crowded downtown street is especially hazardous. There are plans to extend the existing line to connect more neighborhoods to the downtown area and east to the lakefront sometime in 2019. Should the mayor and common council known the tracks pose a threat to two-wheeled traffic? If they did any research, they would have found that a 2016 study by Ryerson University found that one-third of cycling injuries requiring hospitalization in Toronto were due to streetcar track mishaps.

Seattle experienced a similar problem. Yet there is no conclusive data suggesting the danger, probably because reporting agencies list these crashes as “pedal cyclist struck object in road.” That category includes potholes, debris, tar snakes and any number of situations, so track involved crashes are lost in the haze of reporting.

As recent as July 2018, a bicyclist in Milwaukee, Steven Allen, slipped on the newly laid tracks at Ogden and Franklin streets in Milwaukee, suffering a serious ankle injury. The mayor answered questions from reporters by reminding cyclists to exercise caution around the tracks and cross tracks at a 90-degree angle.

A rather lame response and of course, not relevant to the Henning crash since the tracks there ran parallel to his direction of travel. The streetcars aren’t in service yet, but the plans are they will be operational sometime in November. They are Liberty models and are 67 feet long and capable of carrying 120-150 passengers. The cars weigh 83,000 pounds. It remains to be seen how much of a traffic jam these will cause in the already congested downtown area, especially on rainy or snowy days. The cost of this leap back in time is expected to be $123.9 million for the 2.5-mile line which connects the intermodal train station on 4th Street to downtown, the lower eastside and the historic Third Ward district.

If you plan on visiting Milwaukee for the Harley 115th Anniversary, or just to come and enjoy the old-world charm, the breweries, zoo, lakefront or many other attractions, please be extremely cautious if traveling on two wheels. Vehicles with small wheel diameters or narrow contact patches are especially at risk, including motorcycles, mopeds, scooters, bicycles and special-needs mobility devices. Besides the track grooves, tracks are treacherous when wet after a rain or snow. We want everyone to enjoy a safe visit to our city.

After Henning crashed, he knew exactly who to call for help. “Everybody I talked to recommended Hupy and Abraham because they’ve represented thousands of bikers for personal injuries,” Henning said. Our firm has represented over 4,000 injured motorcyclists and this is the first case involving the new streetcar tracks. We fervently hope no other cyclists are injured due to the design of these tracks. Hopefully, the city will erect numerous signs warning cyclists to exercise caution when riding near the tracks. Then, the only problems you will have to guard against will be the many potholes, tar snakes, distracted drivers and bicycle couriers darting in and out of downtown traffic. Enjoy.

If you know of motorcyclists or bicyclists crashing due to streetcar tracks, comment to this article so we can share information about dangerous locations.

Today, the Race of Gentlemen’s infamous ‘Hollywood’ talks about slingin’ sand and fun. Enjoy!

Hey,

Incredible. We’re right in the middle of the heartland rally and I’m on the coast in the blistering heat, but as we will find out, it’s really not that hot. Actually, it was a lot hotter in the 1940s, but I digress.

From all accounts the rally numbers are up and everyone is having a good time. It has been a true opportunity to engage a large chunk of the industry in some of the factors facing the industry right now.

Let’s hope there’s progress. As you will see in the news there’s action from the MRF to bring some elements to the surface. As I’m sure you know, life isn’t about right and wrong or about inspiration. It’s about politics and power. But that’s why we like the Code of the West. It’s not about power and politics but about riding free and being left alone. It’s about being true to the code and standing tall no matter what.

This Rally is making a true effort, especially Chris Callen and the Cycle Source crew and Indian motorcycles to market the fun-loving and creative industry to a wider audience. Chris should be recognized for his efforts.

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

GUARDIAN OF THE WHEEL–
Here it is, a scan of a 35mm picture, it is old and new again.

Thanks for stirring up the memory sediments in this old brain.

–Mike Roland

New MRF Marketing Campaign Launched in Conjunction with Sturgis Freedom Fighter Award

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum will officially induct Kirk “Hardtail” Willard into the Hall of Fame. Willard, Chairman and President of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation, will receive the coveted “Freedom Fighter” award and designation; a special category designated to honor those who have made an impact on motorcycle rights.

The ceremony will take place at The Lodge at Deadwood in South Dakota as a part of the 78th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally where dozens of Willard’s cohorts will be in attendance; including staff and fellow Board Members for the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF).

In conjunction with the ceremony, the MRF will launch a new “for a limited time only” promotion and marketing campaign for new and prospective members attending Sturgis. “Through market research and member feedback, we learned that we had a great opportunity at Sturgis to communicate the importance of what this organization stands for,” said Megan Ekstrom, Vice-President of Government Affairs & Public Relations for the MRF. “Under Hardtail’s leadership we have doubled down on our efforts to improve the value of what we deliver to our membership, and we want to use this significant occasion to highlight that.”

Ekstrom also hinted at future membership benefits like roadside assistance; including 24-hour emergency tire changes, emergency fuel delivery and accident and collision towing. “In today’s world with more and more fuel stations carrying higher blends of ethanol, motorists texting while driving and not paying attention to riders, this is a necessary service for our members.”

Social media advertising, dozens of volunteers, a promotional video and a one-time discount for new members will complement an updated marketing brochure aggressively stating, “YOUR RIGHTS, YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR MOTORCYCLE: UNDER SIEGE.” The modernized and updated brochure will include a letter from Willard, highlight past accomplishments, and offer a plain and simple look and what the MRF does and why. “Our lifestyle as riders is threatened in a way it never has been,” said Willard. “Little by little, riders like you and I are slowly being relegated to history.”

Willard and the MRF refuse to let that happen under their watch, using the induction ceremony as the official launch for this aggressive “go forward” strategy. The bold move is signature to Willard’s style; where he is known as “Hardtail” in the motorcycle rights world. From the aftermarket industry and original equipment manufacturers to the motorcycle clubs and state motorcycle rights’ organizations, he is known as a force to be reckoned with. Logging thousands upon thousands of miles on his motorcycles, his objectives have always stayed pure; to promote and preserve motorcycle riders’ freedoms and lifestyles.

Tickets to the induction ceremony are sold out; however, Willard is scheduled to attend and speak at ABATE of South Dakota’s Annual Whitewood Social Hour on Thursday, August 9th at the Whitewood City Park near the Sturgis Rally. The event is free for MRF members and others involved in motorcycle rights.

BIKERNET™ UNIVERSITY CLIMATE WORD OF THE DAY–
calescent

[kuh-les-uhnt]
adjective
1.
growing warm; increasing in heat.

QUOTES

I’ve tested the misting fan’s potency in several clammy places, from subway stations to the congested, calescent queues at Disney World (where, on a stinking-hot day, I’d unwisely worn a boiler suit).
— Laura Bannister, “The Misting Fan That Kept Me Cool at Disney World,” New York, June 12, 2017

ORIGIN

The English adjective calescent comes directly from Latin calescent-, the inflectional stem of calescens, the present participle of the verb calescere “to become warm or hot,” a verb derivative of calere “to be warm or hot.” In Latin the element -sc- in the present tense has inceptive force (i.e., “I am beginning to x”); thus the present tense of noscere (also gnoscere) means “I get to know, I find out” and is the source of English recognize, cognition, and other words. Calescent entered English in the early 19th century.

Please Plan YOUR Rides or EVENTS accordingly–August 18, 2018, Military Vets Annual, Post 117

September 8, 2018, Ride to the Warbird Museum, Post 163

September 8, 2018, Veterans Suicide Prevention, Post 359

September 22, 2018 12th District Meeting, Cocoa, Post 22

September 29,2018 12th District Picnic, Wickham Park

October 7, 2018, Ride for the Girls, Bikers for Breasts, Space Coast Harley

October 14, 2018, Autism Run, Post 81

October 18- 21, 2018 Biketoberfest
November 1st- 4th Legion Fall Conference, Sea World Orlando

November 10, 2018 Veterans Day Parade, Melbourne, Presented by Post 163

November 11, 2018 Kids Without Christmas Poker Run, Post 81

November 12, 2018 Veterans Day Observed

November 18th, 2018 Treasurer Coast Abate Toy Run

November 25th, 2018 Shriners Toy Run, Byrd Plaza, 801 Dixon Blvd., Cocoa, Fl
December 2nd, 2018 Brevard Toy Run, Merritt Square Mall

–Joyce Cirigliano
Director, Central
12th District
Florida

QUICK, OPEN THE BIKERNET BAD JOKE LIBRARY–I picked up a hitch-hiker. Seemed like a nice guy. After a few miles he asked me if I wasn’t afraid that he might be a serial killer? Told him that the odds of two serial killers being in the same car was extremely unlikely.

–Sidehack Jerry

CHOW HALL OF THE WEEK–Award winning STEAMBOAT BBQ in Wheaton, IL. was recently named one of the Ten Best BBQ restaurants in the state of IL.

John has been smoking meat for over 35 years. All of the food is outstanding. Some of the standouts are: The Ribs, The Sandwiches, The Beans and of course The Smoked and Candied Bacon.

Make sure and call ahead as they tend to sell out of items on a daily basis! See you there! Make sure and subscribe to my channel ” A Biker Dude”!

–The BikerDude

NEW On WorldRider–Adventure & Discovery Around The World

Podcast #31: The Truth About Greek Wine, Food, & Destinations
Posted by allan on Aug 06, 2018 07:58 pm

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

Podcast #31: The Truth About Greek Wine, Food, & Destinations
Meet Panos the owner of Vintage Wine Bar & Bistro, a legendary destination in the heart of Athens. Allan & Panos taste Greek wine while discussing the misconceptions about travel, food, and of course, Greek wine.

Recorded while Allan traveled through Southeastern and Eastern Europe during his 2018 tour in Athens Greece while his motorcycle was getting the final maintenance for his travels.

PSYCHOLOGY 101 – HUMAN BEHAVIOR EXPERIMENT
If you start with a cage containing four monkeys, and inside the cage hang a banana on a string from the top, and then you place a set of stairs under the banana, before long a monkey will go to the stairs and climb toward the banana.

As soon as he touches the stairs, you spray ALL the monkeys with cold water.
After while another monkey makes an attempt with same result — ALL the monkeys
are sprayed with cold water. Pretty soon when another monkey tries to climb the stairs,
the other monkeys will try to prevent it.

Now, put the cold water away. Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new monkey. The new monkey sees the banana and attempts to climb the stairs. To his shock, ALL of the other monkeys beat the crap out of him. After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs he will be assaulted.

Next, remove another of the original four monkeys, replacing it with a new monkey.
The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer takes part in the
punishment – with enthusiasm — because he is now part of the “team.”

Then, replace a third original monkey with a new monkey, followed by the fourth. Every time the newest monkey takes to the stairs, he is attacked.

Now, the monkeys that are beating him up have no idea why they were not permitted to
climb the stairs. Neither do they know why they are participating in the beating of the
newest monkey. Finally, having replaced all of the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys will have ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, not one of the monkeys will try to climb the stairway for the banana.

Why, you ask? Because in their minds, that is the way it has always been!
This, my friends, is how today’s House and Senate operates; and this is why, from time to time:
ALL of the monkeys need to be REPLACED AT THE SAME TIME!

DISCLAIMER: This is meant as no disrespect to monkeys.

–Sam Burns

NEW FROM THE BUCKLEGUY–Buckleguy.com is now stocking black matte rivets and snap fasteners!
Hi Keith,

The long awaited arrival of the black matte rivets and snaps has finally come! Black matte rivets are available in all sizes, and the snap fasteners are available in four sizes. We are excited to finally put them live!

We hope you like them!

The Buckleguy Team

BRAND New Bikernet Reader Comment!–INDIAN MOTORCYCLE UNVEILS FINAL BUILDS

https://www.bikernet.com/pages/story_detail.aspx?id=13733

It played out for the Indian scout just the way I seen it. A girder and a lot of custom parts custom made, makes the difference. I would have used candy apple red myself, but that is me.

Great custom!

–Gearhead
Torrance, Cali.

EPA finally admits ethanol mandate is causing environmental damage–

The federal requirement to blend ethanol into gasoline on the theory that it will reduce the hypothetical global warming that hasn’t appeared yet has been a joke from the start.

By adding a huge amount of demand for corn, it did push up prices for that commodity, and made vast swaths of the rural Midwest prosperous, though it has injured poor Mexicans and others who depend on corn for a substantial portion of their nutrition and driven up the rice of feed used for animals, raising meat prices.

The net energy balance of ethanol production – subtracting the amount of energy necessary to grow the corn, transport it to refineries, and then transport the ethanol to gasoline producers has been controversial. But owing to improvements in cultivation techniques (which have caused increased agricultural runoff – see below), the US Department of Agriculture estimated in 2015 that the balance is positive:

Ethanol made the transition from an energy sink, to a moderate net energy gain in the 1990s, and to a substantial net energy gain by 2008.

Unlike oil, which is produced in large amounts at the wellhead, corn production is widely dispersed, so pipelines can’t be used to transport it. Corn is trucked to the ethanol refinery, and then the ethanol is normally shipped in tank cars to oil refineries, where it is blended into gasoline. All of this transportation uses energy and imposes a cost from accidents, including derailments. Pipelines are more efficient and safer.

Now, the EPA has finally issued a new report, one that it is requited to issue every 3 years, but which has been delayed by 4 years, and admits that the ethanol mandate comes at a considerable environmental cost.

Federal law requires the EPA to assess the environmental impact of the fuel standard every three years, but the new report, issued in July, was four years overdue. According to David DeGennaro with the National Wildlife Federation, the report documents millions of acres of wildlife habitat lost to ethanol crop production, increased nutrient pollution in waterways and air emissions and side effects worse than the gasoline the ethanol is replacing.

“In finding that the Renewable Fuel Standard is having negative consequences to a whole suite of environmental indicators,” DeGennaro said, “the report is a red flag warning us that we need to reconsider the mandate’s scope and its focus on first-generation fuels made from food crops.”

Some of the negative effects aren’t specific to ethanol, such as the loss of wildlife habitat from expanded corn production. That would happen no matter what you were growing or building in formerly forested areas. But the increased runoff of nutrients and chemicals used in this type of farming are impacting water supplies far beyond anything caused by the occasional oil spill from a tanker car or pipeline.

The bigger surprise is the fact that ethanol production and combustion significantly increases the production of nitrous oxides (Nox). This combines with oxygen in the atmosphere when exposed to sunlight, producing ozone.

Now, when we have ozone far up in the atmosphere it helps shield the planet from the sun’s natural radiation, which is a good thing. But ground-level ozone produces no such benefit and actually contributes to the formation of smog and leads to respiratory ailments for many people.

Those vehicles that feature cuddly images like a new leaf and righteously proclaim themselves to be “flex fuel vehicles” are actually aggravating some people’s respiratory problems, far more than gasoline powered vehicles.

None of this speaks to the excessive costs that ethanol forces on drivers and auto manufacturers.

Alas, the mandate is so popular with corn farmers in Iowa, home of the first round of presidential nominations, that President Trump (and other politicians) that they not only maintain the mandate, President Trump just last week “told an audience in Iowa that he was “very close” to having EPA issue a waiver to the Clean Air Act to allow year-round sale of E-15.”

The madness continues.

By Thomas Lifson
American Thinker.com

–from Rogue

DigMyRide.com Is Now Live–DigMyRide.com is celebrating its official launch, offering visitors a platform that explodes all the common myths about car ownership and covering everything vehicle owners need to know.

The new site offers detailed insight into everything car-related, from the best wheel locks on the market to indispensable advice on maintaining every aspect of a visitor’s automobile.

DigMyRide.com aims to provide a one-stop-shop for detailed, expert advice for all facets of car ownership. The site offers visitors a plethora of articles covering everything they need to know about taking care of cars, the best kit on the market and the most prominent car care myths to avoid.

The site also offer a range of handy, segmented guides across all the areas casual and expert car owners might need to know about, with everything from accessories and car care to electronics, performance and tires given the DigMyRide treatment. Each area dives into the best options available on the market, stacking up what’s on offer and delivering an ultimate verdict. It’s the ideal resource for anyone who wants quick, accurate information on specific areas of car maintenance and technology – without the need to search the web and trawl dozens of websites for accurate, useful insight.

DigMyCar.com has made it their mission to provide a detailed, up-to-date resource that covers all the latest peripherals, essentials and technology US car owners will want to know. Moreover, the new site offers practical help for visitors on how to do things like cleaning and degreasing engines and the best synthetic motor oil for specific car manufacturers.

“We give people the low down on what they need to know – no myths, no marketing – just information and analysis on how different products perform. We hope to make it easier for our visitors to find what they need, and all they have to do is read our concise, informed articles to see what the best option is for them. We’re excited about the launch of the site, and we can’t wait to start rolling out more content and guides to help readers make an informed decision based on solid facts.”

To find out more, visit https://digmyride.com/

TRUMP’S EPA formally launches rollback of fuel economy standards–

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration Thursday pushed ahead with plans to unravel the federal government’s most effective action to fight climate change — aggressive fuel economy standards aimed at getting the nation’s cars and trucks to average more than 50 miles per gallon by 2025.

After months of discussion and drafts, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration formally unveiled their plan to rewrite those rules and replace them with ones so lax even automakers are wary.

The administration’s proposal would freeze miles-per-gallon targets in 2020. It would also move to end California’s current power to set its own, higher standards.

The administration’s proposal asserts that “attempting to solve climate change, even in part” is “fundamentally different” from the Clean Air Act’s “original purpose of addressing smog-related air quality problems.”

The administration’s proposal could set off a high-stakes legal battle with California and the 13 other states that follow its more stringent rules. Those states argue the Clean Air Act empowers them to keep the Obama-era fuel economy standards in place in their markets.

The states following California’s lead account for more than a third of the vehicles sold nationwide.

The Trump administration proposal could also invalidate California’s mandate that automakers sell a certain number of electric vehicles.

The release of the administration’s proposal was repeatedly delayed in recent weeks as officials debated how aggressively to push. In the end, the White House approved taking a hard line, despite fears of some administration officials that their plan is based on weak evidence that will not hold up under court challenge.

The administration argues its proposal will reduce traffic fatalities by keeping the cost of vehicles down compared with the current emissions standards, which it claims are a safety hazard that “restrict the American people from being able to afford newer vehicles with more advanced safety features, better fuel economy, and associated environmental benefits.”

“More realistic standards can save lives while continuing to improve the environment,” said EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler.

But the Trump administration is arguing its plan, which it dubbed Safer and Affordable Fuel Efficient Vehicles Rule, or SAFE, would save lives, replacing current standards that officials claim drive up the cost of vehicles too much and create a safety hazard for motorists.

The argument may prove a tough sell in court, where attorneys for states and environmental groups will come armed with a wealth of data undermining it.

— Evan Halper, Tony Barboza and David Lauter
Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA GUN NUT ACTION–California: Legislature Reconvenes After Summer Recess

On Monday, August 6, the California Legislature returns from Summer recess with hearings on firearm- and hunting-related bills in both the Senate and Assembly Appropriations Committees. Use the take action button below to contact the respective committee members.

The Senate Appropriations Committee is scheduled to meet at 10am on Monday, August 6. Use the take action button above to contact members of the committee and urge their support of AB 986 and opposition to AB 2382.

Assembly Bill 986, sponsored by Assembly Member James Gallagher (R-3), would reduce hunting license fees for veterans.

Assembly Bill 2382, sponsored by Assembly Member Mike Gipson (D-64), would require precursor firearms parts to be sold/transferred through a licensed precursor parts dealer in a similar process to the new laws regarding ammunition purchases. It would further create a new crime for transfer of precursor parts without the involvement of a licensed precursor parts dealer to anyone under 21 years of age or prohibited from owning firearms. Precursor parts include items such as barrels, ammunition feedings devices and upper receivers.

The Assembly Appropriations Committee is scheduled to meet Wednesday, August 8, at 9 a.m. Use the take action button above to encourage members of the committee to support SB 1311 and oppose SB 221, SB 1100, SB 1177 and SB 1487.

Senate Bill 1311, sponsored by Senator Tom Berryhill (R-8), would create an annual combined hunting and fishing license. SB 1311 would help generate participation and encourage the next generation of sportsman and women by providing a convenient and economical way to secure the necessary licensing for hunting and fishing activities in the Golden State.

Senate Bill 221, sponsored by Senator Scott Wiener (D-11), would prohibit the sale of firearms and ammunition at the Cow Palace located in District 1-A on and after January 1, 2020.

Senate Bill 1100, sponsored by Senator Anthony Portantino (D-25), would raise the minimum age to purchase a long gun from 18 years old to 21 years old.

Senate Bill 1177, sponsored by Senator Anthony Portantino (D-25), would prohibit a person from making more than one application to purchase and the dealer delivery of any type of firearm within any 30-day period.

Senate Bill 1487, sponsored by Senator Henry Stern (D-27), would prohibit the possession of certain African species of wildlife. The true goal of the bill is to ensure that a lawful U.S. hunter is not allowed to bring home a hunting trophy—even though the animal was legally taken and the hunter has the approval of the U.S. Federal Government.

Continue to check your inbox and the California Stand and Fight web page for updates on issues impacting your Second Amendment rights and hunting heritage in California.

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NEWPORT NEWS, VA, UNITED STATES–

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (Aug. 3, 2018) Aviation Ordnanceman 2nd Class Andres Alcaraz, from Gardena, California, assigned to USS Gerald R. Ford’s (CVN 78) weapons department, receives his Good Conduct Medal certificate from Cmdr. Arcangelo Dell’anno (left) and Master Chief Logistics Specialist Jeany Nemenzo during an awards at quarters ceremony in the weapons handling area onboard Ford.

Photo by Seaman Ryan Carter 
USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) 

(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ryan Carter)(This image has been altered by blurring out space markers for security purposes)

REAL NEWS PRESIDENT TRUMP DOESN’T WANT YOU TO MISS
155,965,000 Employed in June: 11th Record-Setter Under Trump
-CNS News

“Following last month’s strong employment report, the numbers released on Friday were even better in some respects,” Susan Jones reports. “The Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics says a record 155,965,000 people were employed in July, the 11th record-breaker since President Trump took office 19 months ago.”

The US Manufacturing Job Market Hasn’t Been This Strong in Over 20 Years
-Business Insider

Bob Bryan writes that this week’s jobs report gives President Trump some data to back up his promise to “restore manufacturing in the United States.” Carolyn Lee, executive director of the National Association of Manufacturers’ Manufacturing Institute, says “this report shows tax reform and regulatory relief are continuing to deliver.”

Pence Hails ‘Tangible Progress’ with North Korea as Remains of Presumed Korean War Dead Arrive in Hawaii
-Fox News

“Today, they are known but to God. But soon we will know their names and we will tell their stories of courage,” Vice President Mike Pence said earlier this week in Hawaii, commemorating the return of 55 U.S. soldiers presumed dead from the Korean War.

Tax Cuts Bust ‘Secular Stagnation’
-The Wall Street Journal

Recent explosive growth “should finally discredit three popular claims made by opponents of the president’s policies: that tax cuts would blow a hole in the deficit, that corporate tax cuts would serve only rich investors, and that secular stagnation was a valid excuse for the slow growth of the Obama era,” Mike Solon writes.

President Trump Signs Bipartisan Technical-Education Bill into Law

“President Trump signed legislation Tuesday that renews a federal workforce development program, sending $1.2 billion a year to states,” Laura Meckler reports. The Perkins Career and Technical Education Act “will benefit millions of students + workers nationwide & equip them with the skills they need to thrive,” Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump tweeted.

I’m a Liberal Feminist Lawyer. Here’s Why Democrats Should Support Judge Kavanaugh.
-Politico Magazine

“I am a liberal Democrat and feminist,” Lisa Blatt writes. “Sometimes a superstar is just a superstar. That is the case with Judge Brett Kavanaugh, who had long been considered the most qualified nominee for the Supreme Court if Republicans secured the White House. The Senate should confirm him.”

Thanks to Trump, American Workers are Getting Big Raises

“U.S. workers have finally received a pay hike — the best in nearly a decade. Forgive us for saying: We told you so,” Liz Peek writes. “Donald Trump ran for the presidency promising we could do better and arguing that U.S. workers deserved a raise. Skepticism from the left was cutting.”

Top US Officials Warn of ‘Pervasive’ Russian Meddling in Midterm Elections, 2020 Cycle

“A group of senior intelligence and national security officials warned Thursday that Russia is waging a ‘pervasive campaign’ to undermine upcoming U.S. elections and influence voters, and said the Trump administration is taking several steps to prevent such meddling,” Gabby Morrongiello reports.

Make Cars Great Again

Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler explain the Trump Administration’s plan to correct fuel-economy standards. “The effect of the last administration’s standards was to subsidize these expensive electric vehicles at the expense of affordable traditional cars and trucks,” they write. “Already, the standards have helped drive up the cost of new automobiles to an average of $35,000.”

Trump’s Trade Triumph

“The media and other Trump haters can’t seem to let themselves admit it, but Donald Trump scored a big victory for the American economy on trade last week,” Stephen Moore writes. President Trump and the European Union “agreed to shoot for zero tariffs on both sides of the Atlantic. Sounds like freer and fairer trade to me.”

GUN NUT REPORT FROM TRUTH ABOUT GUNS–Ninth Circuit Panel Rules CA Microstamping Requirement Not Covered by Second Amendment

A three-judge panel in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled the restrictions of the California Unsafe Handgun Act (UHA) do not violate the Second Amendment. That’s the law that requires new models of firearms sold in the Golden State to have microstamping capability.

In circular reasoning, the opinion in Pena v. Lindley posits that the UHA restrictions do not restrict behavior protected by the Second Amendment. They then apply the least restrictive Constitutional test to determine whether the behavior is protected. Unsurprisingly, they found that it is not.

The key to the decision is the Ninth Circuit’s hostility to a broad reading of the Second Amendment. The Circuit, in it’s en banc rulings, such as Peruta, Teixeira v. County of Alameda, and in a three-judge ruling, Silvester v. Harris, has consistently worked to restrict Second Amendment rights to the narrowest possible interpretation.

An analogous reading of the First Amendment would be that the State can restrict certain publications on the grounds that they might impact public safety. For example, that violent video games could be banned. The Supreme Court has rejected that argument for the First Amendment.

Here is the summation of the opinion of the court, From Pena v. Lindley:

California requires that new models of handguns meet certain criteria, and be listed on a handgun roster, before they may be offered for sale in the state. Two provisions require that a handgun have a chamber load indicator and a magazine detachment mechanism, both of which are designed to limit accidental firearm discharges. The third provision, adopted to aid law enforcement, requires new handguns to stamp microscopically the handgun’s make, model, and serial number onto each fired shell casing. Plaintiffs asserted that these three provisions have narrowed their ability to buy firearms in California, in violation of the Second Amendment, and that the handgun roster scheme imposes irrational exceptions, in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

The panel held that it did not need to reach the question of whether the challenged provisions fell within the scope of the Second Amendment’s right to bear arms because, even assuming coverage, the provisions passed constitutional muster. Applying intermediate scrutiny, the panel held that the Act only regulates commercial sales, not possession, and does so in a way that does not impose a substantial burden on purchasers. The panel held that the requirements for a chamber load indicator and a magazine detachment mechanism reasonably fit with California’s interest in public safety. The panel further held that California had met its burden of showing that the microstamping requirement was reasonably tailored to address the substantial problem of untraceable bullets at crime scenes and the value of a reasonable means of identification. The panel rejected plaintiffs’ claim that they have a constitutional right to purchase a particular handgun and their claim that the provisions violate the Equal Protection Clause.

The Court’s use of the words “intermediate scrutiny” belies the fact that, in the case of the Second Amendment, “intermediate scrutiny” has collapsed to mere rational basis scrutiny. Rational basis is so close to no scrutiny that there is effectively no difference.

Under “intermediate scrutiny” in a Second Amendment case at the Ninth Circuit, to pass Constitutional muster, the state only has to claim some vague governmental interest. “Public safety” is a favorite. It can be made to fit nearly every possible circumstance. The State does not have to show the law actually accomplishes any increase in public safety; nor does the state have to show the law performs better than other, less restrictive, remedies.

In effect, in the Ninth Circuit and in other circuits hostile to a broad interpretation of Second Amendment rights, intermediate scrutiny is used as a sophistry to restrict the Second Amendment to narrower and narrower meanings.

The problem cannot be solved at the current Ninth Circuit. There are too many judges on the Circuit actively hostile to Second Amendment rights.

Given the political situation in California, it is unlikely the California legislature will correct the situation. Citizens in California who resent every greater restrictions on exercise of their Second Amendment rights have one judicial remedy left: appeal to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court may or may not accept the case. The Supreme Court has been unwilling to accept appeals from the Ninth Circuit on Second Amendment grounds. I cannot recall a single case the Supreme Court has accepted from the Ninth Circuit on a Second Amendment challenge.

When and if President Trump’s nominee, Judge Kavanaugh, becomes Justice Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court, the makeup of the Supreme Court may be changed enough so the Court will accept Second Amendment appeals from the Ninth Circuit.

That remains to be seen.

An alternate, and plausible solution, would be for the Congress of the United States to pass legislation to enforce Second Amendment rights against the states. A national reciprocity act, as has broad support in the Congress, would go a long way to restore Second Amendment rights to Californians.

Congress could remove the current prohibition on interstate handgun sales, if it so wished.

©2018 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

–BY DEAN WEINGARTEN
Truth about Guns

THE BAD COP FILES–Former Tennessee Sheriff Kills MC Member and Still Not Charged?

On July 7th, 2018 a former county sheriff driving an SUV hit and killed a 21-year-old motorcyclist wearing club colors in McMinnville, Tennessee. This former sheriff was cited for failure to yield, however, no criminal charges have been filed.

Although the investigation continues with assistance from the Tennessee Highway Patrol and District Attorney’s office, information that is often released to the public during accident investigations is being withheld, such as whether drugs or alcohol are thought to be involved. The National Council of Clubs (NCOC) and the Motorcycle Profiling Project (MPP), organizations representing the legal and political interests of motorcycle clubs nationwide, are concerned that the former sheriff is being protected legally and politically by the thin blue line.

The public has a right to know whether drugs or alcohol are thought to be involved because that would inarguably constitute vehicular homicide under Tennessee law, as opposed to a devastating accident. And the public has a right to know about the short life of Jay Alan Webster, extinguished by a former sheriff currently being shielded by the laws protecting investigatory information.

The Details

As reported by NBC News Nashville on July 7th, a former Warren County Sheriff named Kenneth Taylor was cited for failure to yield at a downtown McMinnville, Tennessee intersection, killing 21-year-old motorcyclist Jay Alan Webster. Police say it’s too early in the investigation to determine whether or not charges will be filed against the former sheriff. What was not reported was that Jay Alan Webster was a probate member of the Silent Creed Motorcycle Club.

Unusually, no information is being released on whether drugs or alcohol were thought to be involved. A simple Google News search reveals that law enforcement in Tennessee often release to the public whether drugs or alcohol are thought to be involved very early on in an accident investigation. For example, a FOX 17 News Nashville Story from 2016, “Two Fatal Motorcycle Accidents Saturday in middle Tennessee” reported:

“Metro Police identify 27-year-old Joshua Cannon of South Nashville as the motorcyclist killed in an accident after 9:30 p.m. on Saturday night…They say he was driving at a high rate of speed before hitting the back of a car at a light, then slid and hit another car. Drugs or alcohol are not thought to be involved.” 2

Whether drugs or alcohol are a factor in an accident is information law enforcement often releases. So NCOC participant Rodney Mancini, in an attempt to obtain details of the accident, submitted a public records request and very quickly received a response.

Utilizing an investigation exemption to a public records request is common in many states, but in this case the McMinnville Police Department charged Taylor with failure to yield. Any accident reports written by officers present reflect the investigation that led to charging Taylor with failure to yield, which is now complete.

It is now August 7th, 2018, and the public still does not know the details. An accident is distinct from vehicular homicide, and the public still does not know whether vehicular homicide was committed by a former sheriff under the influence of drugs or alcohol in their community. The public has a right to know because criminal activity that results in death, in this case possibly committed by former law enforcement official, is irrefutably an on-going public news concern.

In addition to the public’s right to know, every motorcyclist in Tennessee has a right to know. Maybe most importantly, Jay Alan Webster’s family, brothers, and friends have a right to know whether their loved one was the victim of an accident or the victim of a crime. And we all have a right to know about the life that was prematurely taken from us all.

Who was Jay Alan Webster?

Though it would be impossible to do Jay Alan Webster’s life justice with just words alone, it is important to know who was taken.

Based on information provided to the NCOC by the Silent Creed MC, Jay was only 21-years-old when he was killed doing one of the things he loved- riding a motorcycle. Jay’s love of motorcycling eventually brought him to the Silent Creed MC, and at the time of his death he was a probate for the club.

Jay was also an accomplished welder, a skill he developed after he attempted to join the Marines at 18-years-old but was told a foot deformity would physically preclude him from serving. Welding was Jay’s full time employment until he recently returned to his Grandmother’s home to provide her full-time care. Jay’s charitable and empathetic nature was obvious through his actions. In addition to taking care of his grandmother, Jay participated in many charities including food drives for the homeless.

Remember, Jay was only 21. His life had barely begun, yet he was dedicated to the service of other people by choice. The NCOC believes that everyone has a right to know whether Jay Alan Webster was killed as the result of a former Sheriff driving his SUV under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Once these facts are revealed, then the discussion about proper justice can begin.

Is Vehicular Homicide Proper Justice?

If former Sheriff Kenneth Taylor was under the influence of drugs or alcohol then he could be charged with Vehicular Homicide. Tennessee law is unambiguous. TN Code § 39-13-213 (2015) subdivision (a)(2) says “vehicular homicide is the reckless killing of another by the operation of an automobile, airplane, motorboat or other motor vehicle, as the proximate result of the driver’s alcohol or drug intoxication.”

Unfortunately, even if convicted the sentence ranges are very light and dependent on prior alcohol or drug related offenses. TN Code says, “Vehicular homicide under subdivision (a)(2) is a Class B felony.” “Any sentence imposed for a first violation of subdivision (a)(2) shall include a mandatory minimum sentence of forty-eight (48) consecutive hours of incarceration.” And with three or more prior alcohol-related convictions “any sentence imposed by the judge shall include a mandatory minimum sentence of one hundred fifty (150) consecutive days of incarceration.”

However, the former sheriff would be off the road for three to ten years and not killing any more motorcyclists, at least not with a legal license. Tennessee law requires the court to “prohibit a defendant convicted of vehicular homicide from driving a vehicle in this state for a period of time not less than three (3) years nor more than ten (10) years.”

A Demand for Information and Justice

The life of Jay Alan Webster was important and meaningful. Demanding justice for a human being of this quality is an honor and a responsibility.

The NCOC and the MPP publicly urge that the McMinnville Police Department:

release information confirming whether or not alcohol or drugs are thought to be involved in the death of Jay Alan

explain why a routine traffic accident investigation has taken a month and also articulate a likely timeframe for the investigation to be completed.

The NCOC, with participation nationwide, is dedicated to demanding public information and justice for motorcycle club members across America, including Jay Alan Webster and all motorcycle club members throughout Tennessee.

–Double D

Sources

1 WSMV TV, Nashville, Former Warren County Sheriff cited in fatal crash with motorcyclist, July 11, 2018, http://www.wsmv.com/story/38624716/former-warren-county-sheriff-cited-in-fatal- crash-with-motorcyclist

2 Anthony Glover, FOX 17 News Nashville, Two Fatal Motorcycle Accidents Saturday in middle Tennessee, March 6, 2016

VINTAGE RIDES–This brand new 10-day Royal Enfield trip, with a focus on off-road and intense rhythm, takes you on tracks where no motorcycle has ever been. After leaving from Chiang Mai we gradually go deeper into the jungle. Riding almost only on jungle paths, trails and small tracks, our itinerary passes through the heart of a lush nature in the northern part of the country.

Traversed by elephants during the Silk Route era, this circuit takes us back in time from village to village, as we meet tribes of the mountains.

Are you a seasoned biker thirsty for adventure?

This tour, limited to 8 participants, is for riders who have an all-terrain motorcycle experience of the type enduro or motocross. It is reserved for riders in good physical condition, who are able to push and lift the motorcycle. Another special feature of this tour: the assistance vehicle carrying the baggages will meet the group only at the end of the day, the tracks being too narrow.

Ready to take on the challenge?

January 26th to February 4th 2019
January 4th to 13th 2020
February 1st to 10th 2020
February 15th to 24th 2020

Photo credits: Elisabeth Fieujean / Tibostudio / Vintage Rides

Vintage Rides
At Tendance Roadster
(by appointment only)
98 rue Baudin
92300 LEVALLOIS-PERRET
contact@vintagerides.com
+339 70 44 01 30?

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ZERO MOTORCYCLES AWARDS HOLLYWOOD ELECTRICS AS “#1 DEALER GLOBALLY 2018” FOR 9TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR

The All-Electric Los Angeles Dealer is Zero Motorcycles’ Highest Producer in the World

Zero Motorcycles, the global electric motorcycle sales and innovation leader, announced the award for “#1 Dealer Globally 2018.” The recognition went to Southern California-based Hollywood Electrics for the ninth consecutive year.

Harlan Flagg, owner of Hollywood Electrics, credits his dealership’s success to his staff’s expert knowledge and passion. Founded in 2009, the dealership has generated a loyal customer base and one of the world’s largest Zero Motorcycles riding communities. Flagg is an avid believer in the viability of electric vehicles and offers exclusively electric products.

“We’re knowledgeable about Zeros because we’re passionate about these motorcycles and ride them daily,” said Flagg upon receiving his dealership’s reward. “It’s all about the pure joy of the electric ride, the convenience of commuting, parking, and charging in the congested urban LA environment, and the Zero’s performance capabilities both on the streets and on the racetrack. Above all, we couldn’t have gotten here without the support of our enthusiastic customers, so the credit goes to them and their contagious love for these incredible bikes.”

The team at Hollywood Electrics is fully invested in electric motorcycles as both the ideal zero emissions transportation and a thrilling recreation staple. On the performance side, this has been proven by the Hollywood Electrics Racing Team’s multiple successes in such formidable challenges as the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association’s eMotoRacing eSuperSport races.

“We’re thankful to Hollywood Electrics for their experience and expertise that routinely gets more riders onto Zero motorcycles than anyone else in the world,” said Mike Cunningham, director of North American sales at Zero Motorcycles. “Harlan and his team are true believers in the EV cause and you can plainly see that through their massive investment in their community.”

Hollywood Electrics provides a variety of opportunities to experience the latest in electric motorcycle technology. The dealership offers test rides during regular business hours and regularly hosts Zero Motorcycles demo events. In addition, on the third Tuesday of each month the dealership hosts a community event that includes a group ride, raffles and contests.

To learn more about Zero Motorcycles or to schedule a test ride visit:
http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/

To learn more about Hollywood Electrics visit:
https://hollywoodelectrics.com/

KEEP THE BIKERNET BAD JOKE LIBRARY OPEN FOR LUNCH—

Yesterday my daughter e-mailed me AGAIN, asking why I didn’t do something useful with my time. “Like sitting around the pool and drinking wine is not a good thing?” I asked.

Talking about my “doing-something-useful” seems to be her favorite topic of conversation.

She was “only thinking of me,” she said, and suggested that I go down to the Senior Center and hang out with some of the other old fellows.

So I did this and when I got home last night, I decided to play a prank on her. I e-mailed her and told her that I had joined a Parachute Club.

She replied, “Are you nuts? You are over 72 and now you’re going to start jumping out of airplanes?”

I told her that I even got a Membership Card and e-mailed a copy to her.

She immediately tele Parachute Clubphoned me and yelled, “Good grief, Dad, where are your glasses?! This is a Membership to a Prostitute Club, not a.”

“Oh man, I’m in trouble again,” I said. “I really don’t know what to do. I signed up for five jumps a week!!”

The line went dead.

Life as a Senior Citizen is not getting any easier, but sometimes it can be fun.

–Sidehack Jerry

New BANDIT’S CANTINA Reader Comment!–
LONG GONE SUNDAY POST for August 5, 2018

https://www.bikernet.com/pages/story_detail.aspx?id=13732

Easily, one of the best Redhead snaps yet. I salute you!

–Pauly D.
pdispensa@plrb.org
Chicago, IL

Thanks to the Redhead department chief, Barry Green.–Bandit

THE AWARDS ARE IN:
Nominee No. 1: [ San Jose Mercury News]:

An unidentified man, using a shotgun like a club to break a former girlfriend’s windshield, accidentally shot himself to death when the gun discharged, blowing a hole in his gut.

Nominee No. 2:[ Kalamazoo Gazette]:
James Burns, 34, (a mechanic) of Alamo MI, was killed in March as he was trying to repair what police describe as a “farm-type truck.” Burns got a friend to drive the truck on a highway while Burns hung underneath so that he could ascertain the source of a troubling noise. Burns’ clothes caught on something, however, and the other man found Burns “wrapped in the drive shaft.”

Nominee No. 3:[ Hickory Daily Record]:
Ken Charles Barger, 47, accidentally shot himself to death in December in Newton NC . Awakening to the sound of a ringing telephone beside his bed, he reached for the phone but grabbed instead a Smith & Wesson 38 Special, which discharged when he drew it to his ear.

Nominee No. 4:[UPI, Toronto ]:
Police said a lawyer demonstrating the safety of windows in a downtown Toronto skyscraper crashed through a pane with his shoulder and plunged 24 floors to his death. A police spokesman said Garry Hoy, 39, fell into the courtyard of the Toronto Dominion Bank Tower early Friday evening as he was explaining the strength of the buildings windows to visiting law students. Hoy previously has conducted demonstrations of window strength according to police reports.

Peter Lawson, managing partner of the firm Holden Day Wilson, told the Toronto Sun newspaper that Hoy was “one of the best and brightest” members of the 200-man association. A person has to wonder what the dimmer members of this law firm are like.

Nominee No. 5:[The News of the Weird]:
Michael Anderson Godwin made News of the Weird posthumously. He had spent several years awaiting South Carolina ‘s electric chair on a murder conviction before having his sentence reduced to life in prison. While sitting on a metal toilet in his cell attempting to fix his small TV set, he bit into a wire and was electrocuted.

Nominee No. 6:[The Indianapolis Star]:
A cigarette lighter may have triggered a fatal explosion in Dunkirk IN. A Jay County man, using a cigarette lighter to check the barrel of a muzzleloader, was killed Monday night when the weapon discharged in his face, sheriff’s investigators said. Greg ory David Pryor, 19, died in his parents’ rural Dunkirk home at about 11:30 PM. Investigators said Pryor was cleaning a 54-caliber muzzle-loader that had not been firing properly. He was using the lighter to look into the barrel when the gunpowder ignited.

Nominee No. 7:[Reuters, Mississauga , Ontario ]:
A man cleaning a bird feeder on the balcony of his condominium apartment in this Toronto suburb slipped and fell 23 stories to his death. “Stefan Macko, 55, was standing on a wheelchair when the accident occurred,” said Inspector Darcy Honer of the Peel Regional Police. “It appears that the chair moved, and he went over the balcony,” Honer said.

Finally, THE WINNER!!!:[ Arkansas Democrat Gazette]:
Two local men were injured when their pickup truck left the road and struck a tree near Cotton Patch on State Highway 38 early Monday. Woodruff County deputy Dovey Snyder reported the accident shortly after midnight Monday. Thurston Poole, 33, of Des Arc, and Billy Ray Wallis, 38, of Little Rock , were returning to Des Arc after a frog-catching trip. On an overcast Sunday night, Poole ‘s pickup truck headlights malfunctioned.
The two men concluded that the headlight fuse on the older-model truck had burned out. As a replacement fuse was not available, Wallis noticed that the .22 caliber bullets from his pistol fit perfectly into the fuse box next to the steering-wheel column. Upon inserting the bullet the headlights again began to operate properly, and the two men proceeded on eastbound toward the White River Bridge.

After traveling approximately 20 miles, and just before crossing the river, the bullet apparently overheated, discharged and struck Poole in the testicles. The vehicle swerved sharply right, exited the pavement, and struck a tree. Poole suffered only minor cuts and abrasions from the accident but will require extensive surgery to repair the damage to his testicles, which will never operate as intended.

Wallis sustained a broken clavicle and was treated and released. “Thank God we weren’t on that bridge when Thurston shot his balls off, or we might be dead,” stated Wallis
“I’ve been a trooper for 10 years in this part of the world, but this is a first for me. I can’t believe that those two would admit how this accident happened,” said Snyder.

Upon being notified of the wreck, Lavinia ( Poole ‘s wife) asked how many frogs the boys had caught and did anyone get them from the truck? Though Poole and Wallis did not die as a result of their misadventure as normally required by Darwin Award Official Rules, it can be argued that Poole did in fact effectively remove himself from the gene pool.

–from Joe Smith

COUNT’S CUSTOMS AT STURGIS–Meet Shannon, Ryan & Horny Mike
Stars of “Counting Cars” at the CrossRoads

For the past seven years fans have been watching Shannon Aikau, Ryan Evans and Horny Mike restore and create beautiful vehicles on HISTORY’s top-rated show, “Counting Cars.” Now, courtesy of HAULBIKES, Sturgis riders can meet these three personalities and see some of their handcrafted choppers close up.

All three are based at the Buffalo Chip CrossRoads during Rally week. If you missed Saturday’s School’s Out Chopper Show, you can find them at the Haul Bikes tent or Horny Mike’s Merch Trailer along with a group of their glam choppers. These include the Sailor Jerry bike so expect the Sailor Jerry Girls to be nearby, as well.

Meet the Stars
Born on Oahu, Hawaii, Shannon has been working on motorcycles since he was 6 years old and has worked with Danny “The Count” Koker for 20 years. He’s built over 300 bikes including Danny’s first bike, “Tattoo.” Ryan Evans, head painter and graphic artist, has been painting with Count’s Kustoms for 20 years and is a regular on the hit TV show. “Horny Mike” is a talented airbrush artist who loves to put 3-D horns on everything. Danny relies on Mike to bring “out-there” ideas to life and provide advice when an extraordinary project comes through the shop doors.

–Marilyn Stemp
Buffalo Chip
Iron Trader

PURPLE HEART DAY–I joined the Army because I wanted to serve my country. My tour of Iraq was like something out of a movie, we were shot at every day and the heat was unbearable. Just a few months in and only weeks after my son was born — I was wounded in a gunfight.

But I was proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with my comrades and fight for what we believed in. If sustaining my injuries protected one of my own, then my service was a success. As a fellow veteran, I’m sure you can relate and have similar stories.

In honor of those who served their patriotic duty with dedication and many times, sacrificed, today marks the day of the Purple Heart — an award bestowed upon those who have sustained injuries in combat. Will you fly a flag today in honor of our comrades?

As a veteran who sustained injuries while on a tour of duty, I was able to get my life back on track because of DAV. They changed my life. And I want to make sure they can continue changing other veterans’ lives. Will you fly a flag today to ensure that all of us who have earned a Purple Heart get the help we need by making a gift to DAV? If you’re unable to give, please consider asking friends and family to fly a flag.

Fly a Flag

–Robert Delgado
Army veteran and DAV supporter

We will.–Bandit

QUOTES OF THE WEEK–Character is doing the right thing when no one is looking — J.C. Watts

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined — Thoreau

Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass…it’s about learning how to dance in the rain–

How a Former Stuntman Became the Force Behind a Hit TV Show Building Unique Toys–Celebrity David Ankin shares how ingenuity can help fuel your business

People often find themselves in jobs where they know they don’t want to be for years to come. Yet many of those people are unsure what to do about it in order to move forward in the direction of a career of their dreams. For one former stuntman, he didn’t sit idly by and wish for a position he would be passionate about. Combining his passion for car shows that stemmed from his childhood with his ingenuity, he was able to take steps to create a career path that led to him having a hit television show building unique one-of-a-kind custom hot rods and cars for adults.

“I had to realize that being a stuntman wasn’t a long-term career. It was too hard on my body,” says David Ankin, inventor and star of the hit show ToyMakerz. “I decided to turn my passion into a career that I could grow in and others could also enjoy. Creativity is something that helped me get started in this field and remains a constant. Now the challenge is constantly coming up with something new and unique.”

Ingenuity, which is having the ability to be clever, original, or inventive, is what has propelled Ankin to the top of his field. But it’s not something that came to him overnight. In fact, he has been on the path since he was a child. Growing up without a lot of money, he wasn’t able to go out and buy the latest toy or car. But he also didn’t want his vehicles to look just like everyone else’s. That motivated him to learn to build his own. With his father as his inspiration, he hung out at his shop and watched in awe at the things that his dad could do.

As a child, Ankin also spent a lot of time being dedicated to bike and car shows. In fact, his idea of a vacation was working late into the night for six weeks to get ready for a bike or car show, then traveling halfway across the country and meeting up with other fabricators. When he wasn’t doing that, he was struggling to get his car or bike ready to win a race. At the end of the day, the factors that really influenced him on his journey are the industry itself and all the people and fabricators who no one will ever meet.

Today, his ingenuity has led to his company, ToyMakerz, where the toys are made, and has also been turned into a hit television show, where people can tune in and see him work his magic. Here are 5 ways that ingenuity can help fuel your business:

Gets you noticed. With your business being set apart by being original, it will help get you noticed. People have become immune to everything being the same and they crave things that are different or stand out from the crowd. Whether it’s a restaurant, clothing line, or something else, being different will open the doors to a whole new audience.
Helps with longevity. Those business leaders who are unique will be in a better position to roll with the punches. They don’t mind adapting and changing as the market demands. Rather than close up, they will be able to keep re-inventing themselves in order to keep thriving.
Fuels decision making. Being able to come up with creative solutions to problems will help take a business to the next level. Those with ingenuity are not afraid to put their ideas out there, no matter how out of the box they may seem.

Ultimately, that’s exactly what is needed to help grow their business.

Helps carve out opportunity. Whether fueled by your childhood passions or noticing what is missing in your city and wanting to make improvements, those with new ideas will create their own opportunity. They find a way to make things happen in the business world.

“The journey hasn’t been short or easy,” added Ankin. “It started as a childhood dream and has evolved over time. I happened to come across the right location to set up shop in Reidsville, NC, where the town and the people have been so supportive. Then, using ingenuity, I started assembling my team to help me grow my vision of ToyMakerz, and it’s still evolving today.”

ToyMakerz partnered with Source Digital to develop an app, which is helping fans connect with the show. Enhancing the viewer experience with new digital brand integrations, the ToyMakerz app lets fans connect with the cast, score exclusive deals on anything they see on the screen while they are watching the show live, and sharepictures of their own rides!

The ToyMakerz TV show, which is just weeks away from a major announcement, is currently re-airing episodes from season 2 On Demand on Velocity. ToyMakerz is produced by Los Angeles based production company, Lucky13Cinematic. For more information about ToyMakerz, visit the site at: www.toymakerz.com.

— Cher Murphy
cher@chermurphypr.com

NEW FROM S&S–Grand National 2:2 for 2018+ Fat Bob

Inspired by their total domination in American Flat Track, S&S Cycle has taken performance exhaust to the next level.

Combining a two into two format with a hidden crossover, the new Grand National system is designed for pure, relentless performance.

Clean bends, stainless header tubing and full shielding create an exhaust that makes real power without the punishment of melted boots and uneven torque delivery of most other short tract systems.

S&S also includes wide band O2 sensor ports as well as removable secondary baffles that allow for sound and backpressure tuning.

Available in chrome or black ceramic, the Grand National 2:2 looks to be a game changer for latest from the Motor Company.

Click Here For More Information https://www.sscycle.com/grand-national-2-2-m8-softail/

MotoDoffo Flash Sale–Celebrate Andrea Dovizioso’s Czech GP victory and Jorge Lorenzo’s 2nd place finish this past weekend with a limited time sale on our 2015 MotoDoffo Super Tinto.

Order online now through Tuesday, August 7th at 11:59pm and get 15% off, while supplies last.

Use promo code: MOTOG

WIN a Honda CB750 50th Anniversary Tribute Bike Restoration–
This year to honor the 50th Anniversary of the Honda CB750, we’re giving away a 1971 CB 750 K1 tribute bike, dressed up in iconic 69’ Candy Ruby Red paint and parts.

This ground-up restoration, orchestrated by VVMC member Shannon Sweeney of SS Classics, includes a complete motor rebuild, new powder coat from Safeway Sandblasters, period correct 1969 Candy Ruby Red paint, new rims and stainless spokes, polished hubs and engine cases, new K0 seat, and lots of new and restored bits, making this bike ready for one lucky winner to ride her home!

It all happens Saturday, September 22nd, at the 11th Annual Venice Vintage Motorcycle Rally in Venice, CA! One lucky winner will ride away on this beautiful bike! Tickets are ON SALE NOW! Keep an eye out for more events happening later this month!

Contact Us:
E-mail: info@venicevintage.com
Web: http://www.venicevintage.com

KEEP THE BIKERNET BAD JOKE LIBRARY WIDE OPEN–Joke for the day!

Sex And Good Grammar….

On his 70th birthday, a man was given a gift certificate from his wife.

The certificate was for consultation with an Indian medicine man living on a
nearby reservation who was rumored to have a simple cure for erectile dysfunction!

The husband went to the reservation and saw the medicine man.

The old Indian gave him a potion and with a grip on his shoulder warned,’This is a powerful medicine. You take only a teaspoonful, and then say

‘1-2-3.’

When you do, you will become more manly than you have ever been in your life, and you can perform for as long as you want.”

The man thanked the old Indian and as he walked away, he turned and asked,

“How do I stop the medicine from working?”

“Your partner must say ‘1-2-3-4,’ he responded,”but when she does, the medicine will not work again until the next full moon.”

He was very eager to see if it worked so he went home, showered, shaved, took a spoonful of the medicine, and then invited his wife to join him in the bedroom. When she came in, he took off his clothes and said, “1-2-3!”

Immediately, he was the manliest of men. His wife was excited and began throwing off her clothes, and then she asked,

“What was the 1-2-3 for?”

And that, boys and girls, is why we should never end our sentences with a preposition, because we could end up with a dangling participle.

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

[page break]

Hamsters USA raise $282,00 for special kids at LifeScape Children’s Care in Rapid City, South Dakota– Hamsters USA, the international motorcycle group with big hearts, rolled into western South Dakota to make an impact for kids with disabilities… AGAIN!

These great guys came together throughout the year to raise funds for LifeScape Children’s Care of Rapid City culminating near $282,000, all staying local to support children with disabilities in Western SD!

Hamsters USA has raised and donated funds at their annual meeting for the last 13 years, with a deep desire to give back to the greater Black Hills community, which many Hamsters consider their second home.

This year’s event brings their cumulative total for 13 years to over $3 million in total dollars raised for LifeScape Children’s Care in Rapid City. Their gifts help provide services to children in their Black Hills area homes and communities, delivered by LifeScape Children’s Care personnel who drive over 10,000 miles a month to provide services.

Their kind works and big hearts are exactly why LifeScape nominated this amazing group of gentlemen to the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, to which they will be inducted this week, Wednesday, August 8.

Additionally, in recognition of this group’s incredible spirit, longstanding commitment to the motorcycle community, and especially for their dedication to the care of children in need, the entire group of Hamsters USA was presented with the 2018 Chrome Heart Award. (See attached photo of Jessica Wells, President of the LifeScape Foundation, and the Slaughter Family – Dwain, Gayla, and Michelet – presenting the Chrome Heart Award to Grady Pfeiffer and the Hamster founders who were present – Donnie Smith, Barry Clooney, Ed Kerr, Dave Perewitz, and Arlin Fatland.

Michelet Slaughter, a nine-year-old from Rapid City, SD, and his family, spoke at this year’s event. Michelet, a young man whose smile lights up a room, born in Haiti with hydrocephalus, causing his head to be so heavy, he couldn’t lift it or roll over.

His mother died when he was just a few months old, and his grandfather was unable to care for him, though he loved him very much. When Gayla Slaughter met him in his orphanage, she knew instantly she wanted to help, even adopt him, if that was an option. It took four years, and with the help of LifeScape, she was able to bring him back to Rapid City.

His first surgery happened immediately upon arrival, and since that time, he’s had three more. Gayla credits LifeScape for his amazing progress – when he first came to his new home, he had never even stood, but can now walk with a gait trainer he received through LifeScape!

He’s currently working on learning to walk with crutches, which will open up a whole new accessible world. Gayla and Dwain are so proud to be his parents, and they have given him the miracle he needed.

The Slaughters are proud to be ambassadors for LifeScape at the Hamsters’ event this year, thanking them for their fundraising efforts that directly impact their family.

LifeScape’s mission is to empower children with disabilities to lead fulfilling lives. Michelet and his family feel that LifeScape has truly done that for them, and they are so grateful to LifeScape and to the donors, like the Hamsters, who make the strides and miracles they’ve experienced possible.

LEGEND RIDE IN DEADWOOD–Palin talks politics, respect and bikes before Legends Ride

Former vice presidential candidate and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, in her trademark black-framed glasses, teased up black hair and star-spangled cowboy boots, posed for photographs in the back of a Deadwood casino when a passerby questioned, “Who is that?”

“That’s Sarah Palin, man!” said bearded Christopher Blanchard, who’d traveled from Garnet, North Carolina, for the Sturgis rally. He wore a “Keep America Great” T-shirt.

“If I knew she was that good looking, I would’ve voted for her,” Blanchard’s friend said.

“Heck, she was my favorite one on the ticket that year,” Blanchard replied.

Monday was celebrity day at the rally, as the special guest riders — including race car driver Rusty Wallace, actor Tom Berenger, and race truck driver Walker Evans — congregated in the Silverado-Franklin Hotel in downtown Deadwood before the afternoon’s annual charity-benefiting Legends Ride, a 50-mile excursion culminating at the Buffalo Chip.

Event organizers last week touted Palin as someone who has a “love for this country and respect for the Second Amendment,” but she (and other guests) mostly sidestepped partisan politics Monday.

“Thank God!” Palin exclaimed in her folksy air when told the press conference wouldn’t delve into political issues.

“It’s all about common sense,” said Palin, who would drive a Polaris Slingshot, seated next to Evans’ wife. “It’s just like the bumper sticker on my dad’s truck: ‘I’m not a Republican. I’m not a Democrat. I’m an American, and I was pissed off, so I made a difference.'”

One member of a renewable energy group sponsoring the event tried pegging Palin and Wallace on whether they support ethanol.

“In the Indianapolis 500, they’re 100 percent ethanol and running 245 miles per hour,” said Wallace, who used to be a spokesman for the ethanol industry. “Ethanol is just an incredible fuel.”

When the question turned to Palin, the former governor of a big petroleum state, she diplomatically veered, adding, “Decision-makers, whatever they’re doing, whether they’re legalizing it, illegalizing it, whatever they’re doing (about) making laws in regards to ethanol and our standards need to listen to guys like Rusty (Wallace).”

It was actor Berenger who made a minor faux pas, confusing the states.

“I think it (ethanol) is pretty good for the farmers,” he said, “But I don’t know if North Dakota grows it (corn).”

https://rapidcityjournal.com

–from Rogue

Traffic Up From Last Year At Sturgis Motorcycle Rally–

STURGIS, S.D. (AP) – Traffic is up at this year’s Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

The annual event in South Dakota’s Black Hills draws hundreds of thousands of people from around the world. This year’s rally began its 10-day run Friday.

The state Transportation Department says that during the first three days of the rally, traffic was up 3 percent from last year. The traffic count on Saturday was up 11 percent.

https://www.keloland.com/news

–from Rogue

BREW-DUDE HEADED TO THE SALT—According to Dennis Manning the salt is in record condition. The Brew is headed out, “We’re SO EXCITED! Found some extra power with some new port changes and bike will be done in a couple of days.”

The attempt for a FIM World Record is on!!!
And finally, 2 HUGE new banners will be here today.

Thanks again for all the support, let me know of anything I can do.

–Brew

THE BIKERNET MIDDLE EAST BUREAU–This morning’s announcement on Iran

In May, President Donald J. Trump withdrew America from the disastrous Iran nuclear deal. “Our policy is based on a clear-eyed assessment of the Iranian dictatorship, its sponsorship of terrorism, and its continuing aggression in the Middle East and all around the world,” the President said.

In making that announcement, President Trump laid out two “wind-down periods” of 90 days and 180 days for business activities in or involving Iran. Today marks the final day of that initial wind-down period. August 7, sanctions will be reimposed on the purchase of U.S. bank notes by the Government of Iran, Iran’s trade in gold and other precious metals, and a range of other financial and industrial transactions.

Remaining sanctions will be reimposed on November 5.

The Iranian regime has exploited the global financial system to fund its malign activities, including supporting terrorism, promoting ruthless regimes, and abusing the human rights of its own people. Since the President announced his decision to withdraw from the deal, the Administration has sanctioned 38 Iran-related targets.

KEEP THE BIKERNET BAD JOKE LIBRARY WIDE OPEN– The coach had put together the perfect team for the Chicago Bears The only thing that was missing was a good quarterback. He had scouted all the colleges and even the Canadian and European Leagues, but he couldn’t find a ringer who could ensure a Super Bowl win.

Then one night while watching CNN he saw a war-zone scene in the West Bank . In one corner of the background, he spotted a young Israeli soldier with a truly incredible arm. He threw a hand-grenade straight into a 15th story window 100 yards away.

KABOOM!

He threw another hand-grenade 75 yards away, right into a chimney.

KA-BLOOEY!

Then he threw another at a passing car going 90 mph.

BULLS-EYE!

“I’ve got to get this guy!” Coach said to himself. “He has the perfect arm!”

So, he brings him to the States and teaches him the great game of football. And the Bears go on to win the Super Bowl.

The young man is hailed as the great hero of football, and when the coach asks him what he wants, all the young man wants is to call his mother.

“Mom,” he says into the phone, “I just won the Super Bowl!”

“I don’t want to talk to you, the old woman says. “You are no longer my son!”

“I don’t think you understand, Mother,” the young man pleads. “I’ve won the greatest sporting event in the world. I’m here among thousands of my adoring fans.”

“No! Let me tell you!” his mother retorts. “At this very moment, there are gunshots all around us. The neighborhood is a pile of rubble. Your two brothers were beaten within an inch of their lives last week, and I have to keep your sister in the house so she doesn’t get raped!” The old lady pauses, and then tearfully says,

“I will never forgive you for making us move to Chicago!”

–Mr. Wonderful

LATEST REPORT FROM THE CLIMATE DEPOT–
‘Less fire today than centuries ago’ – Scientists, studies counter claim that wildfires due to ‘climate change’ – Book Excerpt

“There is increasing evidence that there is overall less fire in the landscape today than there has been centuries ago, although the magnitude of this reduction still needs to be examined in more detail.”…

“The ‘wildfire problem’ is essentially more a social than a natural one.” Researchers from the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid found that “climate change” is not to blame for increased forest fires in the Mediterranean basin.”…
?

“In the United States, wildfires are also due in part to a failure to thin forests or remove dead and diseased trees. In 2014, forestry professor David B. South of Auburn University testified to the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee that, “data suggest that extremely large megafires were four-times more common before 1940,” adding that “we cannot reasonably say that anthropogenic global warming causes extremely large wildfires.” As he explained, “To attribute this human-caused increase in fire risk to carbon dioxide emissions is simply unscientific.”

–By: Marc Morano – Climate Depot

Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt from author Marc Morano’s new 2018 best-selling book, The Politically Incorrect Guide to Climate Change.

The mainstream media seems to be very sure that wildfires are getting worse because of man-made global warming. ABC World News Tonight warned in 2014 that “here in America, more wildfires, intense burns” have arrived courtesy of climate change. CBS This Morning featured climate fear promoter Michio Kaku, predicting “hundred-year droughts, hundred-year
forest fires” and claiming that “something is very dangerously happening with the weather.”

Al Gore also thinks he knows all about wildfires. “All over the West we’re seeing these fires get much, much worse,” Gore said in 2017, adding, “the underlying cause is the heat.”

But the science tells a very different story. A 2016 study published by the Royal Society reported, “There is less fire in the global landscape today than centuries ago” and the “global area burned” has seen a “slight decline over past decades.”

The study, by Stefan Doerr and Cristina Santín of Swansea University in Wales, noted that “many consider wildfire as an accelerating problem, with widely held perceptions both in the media and scientific papers of increasing fire occurrence, severity and resulting losses. However, important exceptions aside, the quantitative evidence available does not support these perceived overall trends.”

The study also found that the data for the western U.S. indicates “little change overall, and also that area burned at high severity has overall declined compared to pre-European settlement. Direct fatalities from fire and economic losses also show no clear trends over the past three decades.”

The researchers concluded, “The data available to date do not support a general increase in area burned or in fire severity for many regions of the world. Indeed there is increasing evidence that there is overall less fire in the landscape today than there has been centuries ago, although the magnitude of this reduction still needs to be examined in more detail.”

According to the study, “fire is a fundamental natural ecological agent in many of our ecosystems and only a ‘problem’ where we choose to inhabit these fire-prone regions or we humans introduce it to non-fire-adapted ecosystems.

The ‘wildfire problem’ is essentially more a social than a natural one.” Researchers from the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid found that “climate change” is not to blame for increased forest fires in the Mediterranean basin. “The change in the occurrence of fires that are recorded in the historical research cannot be explained by the gradual change in climate.” The fires instead “correspond to changes in the availability of fuel, the use of sources of energy, and the continuity of the landscape.”

Dominick DellaSala, chief scientist at the Geos Institute in Ashland, Oregon, has conducted research on fires in the western United States and found them declining. “If we use the historical baseline as a point in time for comparison, then we have not seen a measurable increase in the size or the severity of fires,” DellaSala said. “In fact, what we have seen is actually a deficit in forest fires compared to what early settlers were dealing with when they came through this area.”

A 2014 study found that Colorado wildfires have not become more severe since the 1900s. “The severity of recent fires is not unprecedented when we look at fire records going back before the 1900s,” said research scientist Tania Schoennagel. The study, “one of the largest of its kind ever undertaken in the western United States,” was published in the journal PLOS ONE and funded by the National Science Foundation.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/jpt6Bvr2L-s?rel=0&controls=0&showinf

VIDEO OF THE WEEK–
WWII Burial at sea, (plane and all)!

This is a VERY touching video, actually a piece of film that has been
made into a video, this is one that is NOT photo shopped, it’s the real scene!

Notice in the opening shot you’ll see the gunner’s position is all
shot up while the pilot’s cockpit ahead of it is undamaged. Later on notice the corpsman taking a fingerprint of the deceased gunner before the film continues, then showing the chaplain saying the final prayers, followed by taps. Soon after sailors push the
aircraft with the airman over the side and watch it sink into the sea.

THIS WAS REAL!

This is what 18-21 year old “kids” were doing 1941 to 1945.

What actually made this country great is ordinary guys and gals like this… daily doing extraordinary things….here and in Korea, Viet Nam, Iraq, Afghanistan and wherever sent in the future. All gave some, some gave all. They have earned our respect!.

–from Andy

BIKERNET INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT LEAVES THE COUNTRY AGAIN–In Manilla for a 15-hr layover.

Got hotel and went out to the entertainment zone.

Two movies on plane were real life stories. Maybe on Youtube. First was a movie about a movie that went to cult status.

Second was about US hiding Vietnam involvement/lies through three decades and four presidents terms.

Miss PI to compete in miss universe pageant in Bkk. Good stopover and fortunately did not get shot.

–Art Hall

MAKE IT PERSONAL WITH NEW HARLEY-DAVIDSON CUSTOM PAINT–

Three brand new 2019 Harley-Davidson Limited Custom Paint Sets allow riders to express their personality and stand out from the crowd with their bikes. Be the first to let your local authorized Harley-Davidson dealer know you want to be the first on the street with these early 2019 offerings.

The La Jolla Limited Custom Paint Set was created for the rider who rides to get noticed. Featuring a vibrant chrome-yellow base with a gold pearl sheen and a bright orange undertone, it’ll catch everyone’s eye. Vivid Black slash graphics add a more subtle touch. The La Jolla Limited Custom Paint set fits 2018 and later Breakout® models.

Visually representing Harley-Davidson performance, the Grandstand Limited Custom Paint Set fits 2014 and later Road King®, 2015 and later Road Glide® and 2014 and later Street Glide® models. The black denim and fierce orange base is split by brushed aluminum and then highlighted with warm red pinstripes. Only 150 sets will be offered worldwide for all three touring models.

The Tagged Limited Custom Paint Set represents what Harley-Davidson has strived to do since 1903: inspire people to find their own freedom. This set is about stepping outside of the comfort zone and living free-er. A gunmetal base with a satin finish and hand-ground metal grind markings add an edgy touch. Tag lines that feature graphic messaging of freedom add unique detailing to this set that fits 2018 and later Fat Bob® and Street Bob® models. Only 150 sets will be offered worldwide. Check out this behind the scenes video on its creation.

The authenticity embodied in all three of these paint sets is proven with a hand-written certificate for each owner.

Harley-Davidson Genuine Motor Parts and Accessories are available at more than 750 authorized retail locations in the United States and online. Download or request a free printed catalog at www.H-D.com/catalogs.

MORE INTERNATIONAL NEWS FROM INDIA–Russian Government finally reveals truth about their hostility and military ambitions.

–wayfarer
BIKERNET™ News chief
Bikernet New Bureau India

LAS VEGAS BIKEFEST ACTION–October 11-14, 2018

We have announcements coming your way! Stay tuned for our weekly updates.
Thursday Night Headliner

Our final Call for Bands has been answered! Be sure to catch
Carol-lyn’s Herstory of Rock at Rally Central on Thursday, October 11 at 8pm!

It’ll be a show you don’t want to miss.
All headline performances are included with ALL passes.

Bikini Contest
Friday, October 12
7pm -8pm

Prize Categories
1st Place: $300
2nd Place: $200
3rd Place: $100

Want to be a Contestant?
Sign up at the Rally 30 minutes prior to the contest.

Must be registered with a Party, Ultimate, or VIP Pass to enter.

Miss Las Vegas BikeFest
Saturday, October 13
7pm – 8pm

ªCompetition Categories
Bikini Wear*
Bedroom Attire*
Best Bike Pose

Prize Categories
1st Place: $1,000
2nd Place: $500
3rd Place: $250

Want to be a Contestant?
Sign up at the Rally 30 minutes prior to the contest.
ª
*Contestants must provide own Biker Wear and Bedroom Attire.
Must be registered with a Party, Ultimate, or VIP Pass to enter.

Grab your passes at the today!
Prices increase on-site.

Use promo code: LVB505 for $5 off a
Party, Ultimate, or VIP Pass.

Don’t want to haul your bike to Las Vegas?
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LOWBROW HEADED TO THE SALT– We are on the road to Bonneville Speed Week, which starts this Friday! This year, Kyle rebuilt the Triumph he blew up on racing the salt back in 2013. Check out part 2 of his rebuild article including photos of the finished, race-ready bike!

If you are out at Speed Week this year be sure to look for the Lowbrow tents in the pit area and say hey! Also, we have a little hangout planned this Saturday night. It is at Carmen’s Black & White bar in town, all the details are on the flyer below. Hope to see you there!

COMING HOME—Many brothers are starting home already. Some are continuing their vacations into Yosemite, Yellowstone and Zion. Some will ride to Disneyland or fight their way back to Orlando.

I got my Linkert back from Larry Settle of Settle’s Custom Cycles in Harbor City. He said the carb was fine. So, my question is. If I rev an auto-advance distributor and it doesn’t retard the spark, when I try to return to an idle, will it continue to rev?

What else could it be? I’m still digging.

We hope to bring you a report next week on the Exile gang.

Rhonda was our agent at the Buffalo Chip Trike Show. Can’t wait for her report.

It’s hot as hell here, so I’m going to bail.

Ride Free Forever, goddammit.

–Bandit

PLAN FOR TOMORROW

DID YOU GET YOUR FAN VIP UPGRADE?

See the Full Event Schedule at
BuffaloChip.com/Schedule

STURGIS, SD (August 6, 2018) –Indian Motorcycle unveiled its final three custom builds from The Wrench: Scout Bobber Build Off at the legendary Buffalo Chip during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The national custom motorcycle competition, which was designed to spotlight non-professional builders who wrench for the passion and not the pay, awarded three finalists with a 2018 Indian Scout Bobber and a $10,000 build budget. Each builder had three months to turn their stock motorcycle in to one-off works of custom motorcycle art.

A judging panel of professional builders and experts, including Roland Sands, Satya Kraus, Jason Paul Michaels and Hot Bike Editor-in-Chief Jordan Mastagni selected 12 semi-finalists from more than 100 submissions. Each semi-finalist was showcased online for a fan vote to determine the three finalists. After viewing sketches and renderings, the fan-favorites that arose included a NASA engineer from Las Cruces, NM, an OSHA safety inspector from Avon, OH, and a mechanical engineer from Buffalo, NY.

“These builders blew us away with their commitment to the program, their build and overall finished product,” said Reid Wilson, Senior Director for Indian Motorcycle. “Each one of them made significant sacrifices and adjustments to their daily lives. They put in countless hours, long nights and a ton of work to meet the deadline. We cannot thank them enough for their time, energy and investment into the program.”

The three finished Scout Bobber custom motorcycles are currently showcased on IndianMotorcycle.com. Fans have until August 16th to vote for their favorite and help select the grand prize winner, who will be announced via social media on August 21st.

The following provides further detail on each builder, their inspiration and statement, as well as a comprehensive list of specs and modifications for their build.

CUSTOMIZER: PJ Grakauskas – Age 39 | Avon, OH

PJ is a family man from Ohio working as a safety inspector for OSHA, but it’s inside the shed in his backyard where his real passions are fed. With several polished and refined café racers under his belt, the Scout Bobber was a totally unique platform for him.

INSPIRATION:
Growing up on two wheels and hanging around racetracks and garages most of his childhood, PJ wanted to pay homage to his past and the riders he looked up to. Highlighted by its handmade full fairing, his build is inspired by vintage racing with a modern performance sensibility.

MODIFICATIONS:

•Custom knee indented Scout tank- Raw Iron Choppers (Jesse Srpan)
•Custom handmade fiberglass molded full fairing with belly pan
•Custom quick release brackets for full fairing
•2007 GSXR front end
•Cognito Moto offset triple trees (50mm)
•Cognito Moto front fender
•Front 18” Sun Rim with stainless spokes wheel with Cognito Moto hub for GSXR setup
•Rear 18” Sun Rim with stainless spokes laced to Indian Motorcycle accessory available hub
•Chain conversion (530 Gold)
•Joker Machine front drive sprocket cover
•Woodcraft clip-ons with Avon grips
•Relocated and modified stock foot controls to rear
•Custom low-profile café style seat with upholstery (New Church Moto)
•12” rear Ohlins suspension
•Custom 2-1 exhaust with SuperTrapp aluminum race muffler
•Beringer complete brake system front and rear, including Aerotech calipers and master cylinders in gold
•Pirelli Sport Demon tires
•Zipper’s intake
•DynoJet Power Commander
•Analog Motorcycles rear light and mini LED signals
•Powder coated bits (6th City Customs in Cleveland)
•Custom paint and body work (Kacey Elkins of Krossover Kustoms in Lancaster, KY)

BUILDER STATEMENT:
“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be building a custom motorcycle for such a great company with a storied history. It’s an honor and a privilege to represent us little guys working in their small garages and sheds. I am truly humbled by the whole experience. So many thanks need to go out to so many friends and family, but most importantly my supportive wife, Lauren! Looking forward to putting a ton of miles on this fun machine.”

CUSTOMIZER: Alfredo Juarez – Age 34 | Las Cruces, NM

Alfredo, aka Fred, is a NASA engineer based in Las Cruces, N.M. He started wrenching at the age of 12, but his fabrication journey began in college, building bikes and hot rods for his friends, and making all of the tools and tables he needed to do the job right. He spends his work days building things like flammability testing chambers, which makes the complex designs and ideas he drew up for this build seem simple.

INSPIRATION:
Fred has been inspired by a number of different mechanical works of art, both in and out of the motorcycle industry. Among the things that drew his inspiration were the Indian Scout FTR1200 Custom, RSD Indian Scout Customs and David Beckham’s garage company, Knuckle.

MODIFICATIONS:
•Built 4130 Chromoly 1” OD x 0.095 wall (two piece utilizing stressed member engine design)
•Troy Fabrication chain tensioner
•Built 1020 DOM 7/8” OD x 0.120 wall girder front end (built all components)
•All Balls upper and lower steering bearings
•Built 1.75” 304 SS exhaust system (open headers) Summit Racing J-bends
•Modified tank to cover frame tunnel
•Scout Sixty “Indian” script badges
•4.5” Hogworkz Blackout Halo passing light
•Built copper headlight fairing with mounted speedo
•Built left and right copper body panels
•Built 0.125” seat pan
•Victory CRF450R aluminum hubs (21” front spokes rethreaded and cut to fit 19 rim)
•Excel 19×2.15” 36H front rim
•Excel 19×2.15” 32H rear rim
•Tusk front and rear rotors
•5” over rear brake line Earl’s brakes
•Tires – Dunlop K70 3.50-19 front and rear
•JTR 816-52 final drive 530 sprocket
•D.I.D. 530 gold o-ring chain
•6061 aluminum spacer/hub adapter
•Zippers primary 530 sprocket
•Zippers intake manifold with open element K&N filter
•Radiator express CRF450R radiators
•2x Spal 4” radiator fans
•Reversed and inverted handlebars modified to accept stock controls
•V-Twin – Shorty 1-1/2″ handlebar risers

BUILDER STATEMENT:
“This experience has been amazing inside and out. It’s been a huge blessing for myself and my family. I’m proud of the final product, not only for all the work I’ve put into it, but for all the work my family has put in and the sacrifices they have made to allow me to focus on this over the last three months. My dad’s time and support on this project has allowed my daughter to spend quality time with her grandpa. My wife painted the tank, which she’s never done before, but we had all the confidence considering her creative talents. My family and I are so very thankful for this opportunity and we’d like to thank all those involved on making this dream a reality.”

CUSTOMIZER: Christian Newman – Age 36 | Buffalo, NY

Christian, a mechanical engineer of mining equipment from upstate New York, is an incredibly creative amateur builder who shook up the chopper scene with his recent build of a 1940 V-twin fabricated almost entirely out of stainless steel. He uses many old-world techniques which are more painstaking than most modern methods but require a more intensive attention to detail and higher level of craftsmanship.

INSPIRATION:
Christian’s build is inspired by old school choppers from the 1960s and 1980s. For this project, Christian utilized some of the signature elements of his design style, including “throwback” features, like his handmade Crazy Frank rear fender and polished aluminum finishes throughout.

MODIFICATIONS:
•Fender (one-off, custom)
•Triple trees (one-off, custom)
•Fork lowers (one-off, custom)
•Front and rear hubs (one-off, custom)
•Swingarm (one-off, custom)
•Sissy bar (one-off, custom)
•Handlebars (one-off, custom)
•Cable conversion (one-off, custom)
•Rear axle and spacers (one-off, custom)
•Stainless exhaust (one-off, custom)
•Skidplate/radiator shroud (one-off, custom)
•Frame inserts (one-off, custom)
•Grips (one-off, custom)
•Footpegs and shifter pegs (one-off, custom)
•Brake distribution T (one-off, custom)
•Headlight support bracket (one-off, custom)
•Sprocket guard (one-off, custom)
•Form stem with fluid pass through (one-off, custom)
•Mid controls (one-off, custom)
•Front break lever (one-off, custom)
•Narrowed tank (one-off, custom)
•Kustom tech clutch lever
•RSD front master cylinder
•Exile internal throttle
•Weld Racing rear wheel 15 x 3.5
•Buchanan spokes
•V-twin drum brake
•Zippers performance intake
•Power Commander V
•Hoosier rear slick 26 x 4.5
•Mefo front slick 23 x 2.5
•GMA calipers
•V-twin rear master cylinder
•EBC rotors
•Stainless brake lines
•Lowbrow custom axles and fork blanks
•Regatta Garage risers
•23 x 1.6 Excell Rim
•Tomfork nacelle & headlight with adjure turn signal mount
•Hard Drive -2” 29mm fork uppers
•Lowbrow customs fork tube caps
•Progressive suspension 11” 413 shocks with covers and caps
•Chrome 503 o-ring chain
•ARP hardware

BUILDER STATEMENT:
“This experience is sort of surreal because it put me outside of my comfort zone and allowed me to work with less of a budgetary constraint, as I always build bikes with my own cash. It’s flattering that I was chosen and I am very thankful. I was a little apprehensive about my build when it first began. I’m not used to using a largely unmodified frame or motor, so I was worried that the bike wouldn’t feel like I’d done anything significant, but I’ve wound up replacing almost every piece on it besides those two major components, so it really feels like mine.”

To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.

 Indian Motorcycle Racing continued its dominating season, as the Scout FTR750 placed first and second at the Buffalo Chip TT. Jake Johnson (Estenson Racing) secured his first win on his privateer Indian Scout FTR750. Wrecking Crew rider and Reigning Champion Jared Mees finished the night in second place. Johnson’s win on the Indian race bike preserves the perfect season for the Scout FTR750, as the championship-winning race bike has topped the podium in every race this 2018 season.

The Main event, which may have been the most exciting of the season, saw several passes and lead changes. After the early 1-2 riders went down, Mees pulled out in front. Johnson tailed him closely for several laps, patiently waiting for his opportunity. Eventually, he slipped under Mees for the pass and continued to the checkered flag for his first-ever win on the Indian Scout FTR750.

“For the second straight year, the Buffalo Chip TT didn’t disappoint. It’s a challenging track set up and makes for incredibly entertaining bar-to-bar action,” said Gary Gray, Vice President – Racing, Technology & Service for Indian Motorcycle. “Jake raced his tail off today, and we couldn’t be happier for him and the entire Estenson Racing team.”

Placing fourth and fifth were first-time Indian Scout FTR750 riders Hayden Gillim (Indian, Cycle World, S&S Cycle, Bell Helmets) and Bronson Bauman (Howerton Motorsports/Allstate Insurance/WPS). As Cycle World’s “Man in a Van with a Plan,” the Buffalo Chip TT marked Gillim’s first career Twins race – a race he won in 2017 riding the Singles class. Bronson Bauman finished the night in fifth aboard Bryan Smith’s factory Scout FTR750.

Through 12 races this season, Mees continues to control the leaderboard with 265 points, while Henry Wiles (Bandit Industries/Wilco Racing/Willy Built) sits in second with 180 points. Wrecking Crew rider Brad Baker still has the third-most points with 147 points. Baker continues to rehabilitate from an injury sustained during the X Games. Rather than having his motorcycles sit, Baker requested Bronson Bauman rides his factory Indian Scout FTR750s for the rest of the season.

The Indian Wrecking Crew and stable of privateers aboard the Scout FTR750 will continue its season with a quick turnaround at the Black Hills Half-Mile on Tuesday, August 7. For more information on Indian Motorcycle Racing, backed by Allstate Insurance, the Indian Wrecking Crew and Scout FTR750, visit IndianMotorcycle.com and follow along on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram. For information on purchasing a Scout FTR750, please contact Racing@IndianMotorcycle.com.

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