THE AIM/NCOM MOTORCYCLE E-NEWS SERVICE is brought to you by Aid to Injured Motorcyclists (A.I.M.) and the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM), and is sponsored by the Law Offices of Richard M. Lester. If you’ve been involved in any kind of accident, call us at 1-(800) ON-A-BIKE or visit www.ON-A-BIKE.com.



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



AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES SHOULD STOP HITTING MOTORCYCLES
The safety of autonomous cars remains in question, as a self-driving Chrysler Pacifica hit a motorcyclist on October 19 in Mountain View, California, when the test driver took control of the car to avoid a vehicle that had suddenly moved into its lane. The manufacturer claims its technology, which can “see 360 degrees in every direction,” could have avoided the incident if the car’s software had remained in control, but reports from around the country indicate that self-driving cars are struggling to handle some driving tasks.

Autonomous cars are hitting the road whether we like it or not, but the presumption that they will be safer than human drivers when it comes to avoiding accidents has so far proven less than promising. There have been at least three reported cases of an autonomous car crashing into a motorcycle. On July 27, 2016, a motorcyclist in Norway was seriously injured when she was rear-ended by a Tesla Model S with its Autopilot self-driving system engaged. Additionally, on December 7, 2017, a California motorcyclist was hurt in a collision with a self-driving Chevy Bolt that had aborted a signaled lane change and was returning to its original lane while the rider was lane splitting past it, a maneuver that is legal in California.

Another disturbing incident occurred when an autonomous Uber car struck and killed a woman who was walking her bicycle across the road at night. One would think that the car’s radar and infrared scanners would detect such an object far better than the human eye could. Indeed, the car’s onboard computer detected the obstruction in the road six seconds before impact. Unfortunately, it failed to identify what type of object she was until just 1.3 seconds before impact, at which point it was too late to avoid hitting her. Other factors, such as an inattentive human driver who was supposed to be monitoring the car’s surroundings, also contributed to the fatal crash, but a computer that fails to identify a target for nearly five seconds should be quite disturbing to motorcyclists who may suffer from this fate as well.

Adaptive Cruise Control is a radar guidance system that enables a car to change its speed relative to the vehicle in front of it based on traffic conditions. A study by RDW has determined that existing adaptive cruise control systems often do not do an adequate job of locking onto a motorcycle rather than a car. These systems seem to have difficulty detecting a motorcycle not riding in the center of its lane, which is a problem since riders tend to occupy either the left or right tire grooves of a lane.

Another study by Dynamic Research shows similar results when it comes to forward collision warnings detecting motorcycles. Throughout the tests, forward collision warning systems failed to detect the motorcycle adequately in 40% of trials. Similarly, 37% of simulated crashes in this test occurred because the car’s onboard detection systems didn’t see the motorcycle, which is also the number one cause of motorcycle accidents with human drivers.

If autonomous driving systems are designed properly, developed with motorcyclists in mind rather than an afterthought, they could potentially deliver on their promise of making the roads safer for everyone. “They could be on the lookout for motorcycles and other road hazards in all directions at all times, something even the most attentive human driver can never do,” according to RideApart.com. “The trick is to design such systems to work in this way as a core functionality. Autonomous vehicles must be able to search, evaluate, and execute the same way the Motorcycle Safety Foundation teaches all riders to.”



U.S. SENATE SEEKS FULL FUNDING FOR RECREATIONAL TRAILS
The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) has aided trail construction and maintenance projects and programs nationwide since 1991. Created through landmark surface transportation legislation, RTP reflected Congressional belief that federal gas taxes paid on motor fuel used in motorized non-highway recreational activities should be used to benefit those paying the tax as well as other users of recreational trails. Tens of millions of hikers and bikers, equestrians and ATVers, snowmobilers and skiers, canoeists and others now enjoy better outdoor experiences because of this action. RTP’s accomplishments unite the efforts in every state of federal agencies, state and local governments, volunteers and recreation businesses.

Now, a bipartisan effort promises to dramatically increase the benefits of RTP’s proven formula with the recent introduction of S.3604, the RTP Full Funding Act of 2018 to require a study to estimate the total amount of taxes collected on non-highway recreational fuel, improve reporting on expenditures from the RTP, and streamline RTP funding distribution to the states by reducing unnecessary paperwork.

“Minnesota snowmobilers, hikers, ATV users, cyclists, and countless others who enjoy the outdoors rely on the Recreational Trails Program to explore our state’s natural wonders and support our local businesses,” said U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), one of the bill’s sponsors. “This bipartisan legislation will help ensure states receive all of the resources they deserve to protect and improve these trails for generations to come.”

According to the Coalition for Recreational Trails, over the last 27 years the RTP has funded more than 23,000 projects and has attracted hundreds of millions of dollars of matching support from other private and public sources for trails and facilitated healthy outdoor recreation, as well as badly needed economic activity in countless communities.

However, conservative estimates suggest that the RTP currently receives only about one third of the total taxes paid annually by non-highway “recreationists.” A study to determine the best available estimate of the total amount of non-highway recreational fuel taxes collected will help ensure that these federal taxes are appropriately returned to the states for RTP while helping provide the Congress with the information it needs as it considers future infrastructure legislation.



OHIO ENACTS DISTRACTED DRIVING LAW
Since the early days of motorcycling, riders have rightfully complained that car drivers don’t see them. Frustrated and infuriated by the lack of respect on the road, Motorcycle Rights Organizations across the country began lobbying for and passing laws that added fines and penalties for inattentive drivers who cause accidents resulting in injury or death. So-called “R-O-W” laws to punish careless or distracted drivers who carelessly violate our Right-of-Way have cropped up in numerous states nationwide, with Oregon being the most recent state to enact such a law last June, spearheaded by the Oregon Confederation of Clubs.

When “distracted driving” entered the national consciousness more than a decade ago, the problem was mainly people who made calls or sent texts from their cell phones. Innovations since then, such as car Wi-Fi and a host of new apps, have led to a boom in internet usage in vehicles that safety experts now say is contributing to a surge in highway deaths. After steady declines over the last four decades, highway fatalities have increased to the highest levels in years, and distracted driving has been cited as the main culprit. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) claims that distracted driving has led to the biggest spike in traffic deaths in 50 years!

Now, distracted driving is about to become a costlier offense on Ohio roads, as effective October 29, 2018, new regulations and penalties went into effect pertaining to what constitutes “distracted driving.” House Bill 95 broadens the description of driving distracted beyond using telecommunications or other hand-held electronic devices while driving. Officers now can cite drivers observed to be engaged in any “activity that is not necessary for the vehicle’s operation and that impairs, or reasonably would be expected to impair, the driver’s ability to drive safely,” according to the legislation.

The bill defines “distracted” as:
– Using a handheld electronic wireless communications device – including phones, tablets and computers – except when it is on speakerphone or otherwise hands-free.
– Any activity “that is not necessary to the operation of a vehicle” and could or does impair the driver.

Governor John Kasich signed the legislation July 30 to make distracted driving a secondary offense in the state. So, if you’re pulled over for speeding or another moving violation, and found to be driving while distracted, the new law enhances the fine by an additional $100 or completion of a distracted-driving safety course. A person can only be cited for “distracted driving” if the law enforcement officer witnesses the offense while the moving violation is occurring, according to the bill.

Texting while driving has already been a secondary offense in Ohio since 2012, but HB95, which passed the legislature with bipartisan support, applies to distracted driving in all its forms, from putting on makeup to changing the radio station. Similar laws are already on the books in Connecticut, Maine, Washington state, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.



NCOM CONVENTION IN ORLANDO – SAVE THE DATE!
The 34th annual NCOM Convention will be held Mother’s Day weekend, May 10-12, 2019 at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Orlando, Florida. The largest gathering of motorcycle rights activists in the world, the NCOM Convention attracts hundreds of concerned motorcyclists from across America to address topics of concern to all riders.

All motorcyclists are welcomed and encouraged to participate in the many meetings, seminars and group discussions that focus on legislative efforts and litigation techniques to protect our riders’ rights and preserve Freedom of the Road. Special seminars will be held on Restoration of Rights, Leadership 101 and “Share the Road” Motorcycle Safety.

Additional agenda items will cover legal and legislative issues, with Special Meetings for Veterans Affairs, Women in Motorcycling, Clean & Sober Roundtable and World of Sport Bikes, as well as the Christian Unity Conference and Confederation of Clubs Patch Holders Meeting.

To pre-register for the 2019 NCOM Convention, contact the National Coalition of Motorcyclists at (800) ON-A-BIKE or visit www.ON-A-BIKE.com.



DENMARK MOVES TO MAKE HELMETS OBLIGATORY
Concerned that the current law is open to exploitation, Denmark could soon see a helmet law overhaul. In the Scandinavian country, riders are allowed to go helmetless if they obtain a doctor’s note or have a legitimate non-medical reason such as wearing a turban. However, government ministers believe that “biker gang types” often threaten doctors in order to obtain the note.

According to a report by The Local, transport and health ministers have presented a proposal that would eliminate all exceptions. Transport Minister Ole Birk Olesen said, “You can see on the streets that many are riding without a helmet,” adding that if there really is a medical reason to not wear a helmet, those people shouldn’t ride motorcycles in the first place.

While the ministers conceded they had no idea if false or coerced doctors’ notes are a major issue in Denmark, they claimed it was an assumption based on “a clear hunch”.

Olesen also noted that the proposed change is for riders’ own good.

If the government’s proposal is passed the new rules will take effect on January 1st, while those with an existing doctor’s note will be allowed to continue riding helmetless until July 1st.



POLICE ARREST STRIKING MOTORCYCLE FACTORY WORKERS DURING PROTEST
A protest march in India has resulted in police detaining nearly 1,500 motorcycle factory workers on strike. Police stopped the protest in Tamil Nadu, claiming that the strikers had not obtained the proper permits to hold a march.

Factory workers from Royal Enfield, Yamaha, and Myoung Shin India (a supplier of Hyundai India) have been on strike against management since September 24. Management has shunned their efforts to form unions and demand salary increases, as well as the reinstatement of workers allegedly fired for wanting to start a union.

As a result, Yamaha’s factory is operating at just 40% capacity, while Royal Enfield’s production has ceased completely, delaying the introduction of new models.

This setback will not deter the striking workers, however, telling News18 they intend to intensify their efforts as the companies they are striking against continue refusing to work with them. Salespeople will soon join factory workers in the strike, and employees from 50 other companies in the area also plan to join in, indicating the situation will continue to get worse before it gets better as a result of these strikes.



QUOTABLE QUOTE: “Why is it we think of history as something that is in the past and forget that we are making it?”
~ Winston Churchill (1874-1965) British Prime Minister



ABOUT AIM / NCOM: The National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM) is a nationwide motorcyclists rights organization serving over 2,000 NCOM Member Groups throughout the United States, with all services fully-funded through Aid to Injured Motorcyclist (AIM) Attorneys in every state who donate a portion of their legal fees from motorcycle accidents back into the NCOM Network of Biker Services (www.ON-A-BIKE.com / 800-ON-A-BIKE).

By: Bob Bitchin
Publisher: FTW Publishing Inc.

You know it’s going to be a fun ride when the janitor at Bikernet.com has a cameo appearance in the book. Yes Keith Ball showed up on page 73. Now this is a completely fictitious book so any resemblance to actual people or events may or may not have happened.

Bitchin Bob takes us on wild ride via his drug addled memory of a 1970’s summer trip to one of the early Sturgis Rallies. Now I’ve been to the modern day Sturgis and yes if you look you can still find a resemblance to the freedom and debauchery of the original 1% rallies. This story even though it is completely “fiction” is a peak into history, our history. You will get an idea what the original rallies were like.

Put a couple of wild eyed magazine guys in a $900 1959 32 passenger school bus with drugs, guns, and booze. Then put them on the road to Sturgis, shit is going to happen. Scaring civilians at the grand canyon. Trying to stand in four states at one time at four corners. Picking up hot chicks from bars, these guys made a time of it.

Not gonna give away too much, so you need to pick up this book and give it a read.

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

The Mooneyes Speed Equipment shop and the cars and bikes date back to the beginning of hot rodding. I attend this small tight event every year I’m in California and not overseas chasing girls in Thailand, Hong Kong or Singapore.

The car above was made in Japan and called Rodriquez. I talked to the guy 13 years ago just after he bought it, for $40,000. I have seen him at many car shows over the years. He is slowing down and wants to sell. Listed it with a broker for ………………….$1mil. !!!

The California Air Resources Board and the Governor, Jerry Brown would eliminate all these cars from the planet in about seven years, unless we step up and fight back.

Even SEMA and organization that relies on the performance industry is afraid to fight back.

If you look at Climate Depot.com or read this book, you’ll know the facts regarding Global Warming or Climate Change, since the planet is no longer warming.

Sorry, this is a sensitive issue, and we should just party until they come for our wheels, but for some reason I can’t let the government destroy us without a major fight.

I look around my neighborhood at the traffic, the trucks, the junk yards, repair shops, dealers. Governor Brown want’s Zero emissions. It won’t happen, but what will?

I went to a meeting at the Air Resources Board offices. There were three car in the parking long plugged into chargers. Can you imagine if there were 60 cars waiting to use the chargers.

I watched Al Gore’s film almost 20 years ago, but since then none of his predictions have came true. Makes you wonder? And many of his assumptions were false, but why would an ex-VP lie to us? Makes you wonder what the hell is going on.

I don’t consider my thoughts radical. I just want to see balance and brothers riding free into the future. When something better comes along, let it happen naturally.

–Art Hall, edited severely by Keith Ball

Date: September 9 (Sunday) 2018
9:00am ~ 15:00pm Rain or Shine
Location: Odaiba, Tokyo Aomi Parking
Content: Swap Meet
Admission Fee: 1,000Yen (Under 12years old is FREE)

When it comes to Summer of Odaiba, it is Motorcycle Swap Meet!
Swap meet type Event that Motorcycle shop and individuals exhibit and sale Motorcycle parts.

There will be many Special Price rare items at this swap meet with many booths! You may find the Motorcycle parts you were looking for!! At the end of summer, on your way of touring, visit to Good Location Odaiba.

Moreover, continued from last year, at the same location there will be HOT ROD & CUSTOM Car Only Morning Cruise ” HOT SUMMER CRUISE”! If you are Owner of that valid car let’s participate!

Chopper & Bobber, HOT ROD & Custom will be gathered in Odaiba, at end of this year’s summer!!

THE AIM/NCOM MOTORCYCLE E-NEWS SERVICE is brought to you by Aid to Injured Motorcyclists (A.I.M.) and the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM), and is sponsored by the Law Offices of Richard M. Lester. If you’ve been involved in any kind of accident, call us at 1-(800) ON-A-BIKE or visit www.ON-A-BIKE.com.

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

Some places allow lane splitting, riding between lanes of slow moving traffic, and others allow lane filtering where riders can filter through traffic at stop lights and proceed ahead of other vehicles when it turns green, but as an alternative Hawaii will now allow motorcycles to ride on the shoulder of the roadway.

Authorities have been debating allowing riders to practice lane filtering, as opposed to lane splitting, but after much deliberation Hawaiian riders will get neither, and instead will be the first state to get shoulder surfing: House Bill 2589 will allow two-wheel motorcycles to travel on the shoulder in designated areas of state roads, when there is congestion.

In Hawaii, the lanes are narrow, which makes lane splitting and filtering a greater concern. The motion was approved, however, Governor David Ige (D) was initially against the idea, stating that the shoulder lane was reserved for stopped vehicles and emergency services. He considered that allowing motorcyclists to surf the shoulder would equate to higher risks of accidents.

Despite the Governor’s initial intention to veto the motion, on July 12th, 2018, it was passed by default, without the Governor’s signature. In Hawaii, any bill left unsigned and un-vetoed automatically becomes a law. Effective January 1, 2019 riders will be allowed on the shoulder on roads of at least two lanes in each direction and with a shoulder lane wide enough for a vehicle to circulate safely.

Although practiced by motorcyclists around the globe, lane splitting is legal in only one American state; California, though theoretically the practice could be permissible in 12 other states and Washington, D.C., reports RideApart.com; “California is the only state where lane splitting has any sort of official legal status, but that has only been the case since 1 January 2017. Before then, the commonly practiced riding technique was something of a gray area — not specifically legal, but equally not specifically illegal. According to attorney Michael Padway, lane splitting exists in the same legal gray space in the following states: Arkansas, Delaware, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and West Virginia.”

Michigan recently became the latest state to modify or repeal their antiquated handlebar height law, which many states enacted decades ago to give police a reason to pull over bikers. Currently, Michigan law prohibits anything with a handlebar height over 15 inches (measured from the lowest point on the saddle to the highest point on the handlebars), but Senate Bill 568, signed into law by Governor Rick Snyder (R) increases the maximum allowable height of handlebars on motorcycles and mopeds from 15 inches to 30 inches.

“Motorcycles have changed drastically over the years and customization is very popular among riders,” said Senator Rick Jones (R-Grand Ledge) who sponsored the legislation. “One area where they are often doing so is with the height of the handlebars to offer a more enjoyable ride…by allowing for additional rider customization that does not expose a safety hazard.”

Additionally, many motorcycles on the road today may not even be compliant with current state law.

In recent years, states like Wisconsin and Ohio have eased their restrictions; “I look forward to the governor putting Michigan on par with some of our neighbors concerning handlebar restrictions,” commented Sen. Jones, adding that some states have no height restriction at all.

Jones said the bill was brought to him by the group American Bikers Aiming Toward Education (ABATE) after a member of the riding community proposed the idea.

A new U.S. Department of the Interior summer video posted on YouTube and other social media sites features exciting scenes of off-road motorcycling on public lands, and the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) is calling on all riders to applaud the efforts of the department and the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR).

The Interior Dept. video, “Recreation’s New Look,” is the latest result of combined Interior and industry efforts to give outdoor recreation a new look for the 21st century, and one that clearly includes powersports.

“Along with Interior and the ORR, the Motorcycle Industry Council, Specialty Vehicle Institute of America (SVIA) and the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association (ROHVA) have worked hard to make powersports an even more recognized outdoor activity on public lands and this new video really showcases that effort,” said Tim Buche, MIC president and CEO.

The ORR works to promote policy and legislative reforms needed to enhance the outdoor recreation economy, which accounts for $673 billion in annual economic output. Since early 2017, the MIC, SVIA, ROHVA and other outdoor industries have been meeting with Secretary Ryan Zinke and officials from Interior and the U.S. Forest Service to discuss ways to improve visitor experiences on America’s public lands and waters, including providing more and better access to trails.

A few weeks ago, Harley-Davidson announced that it was moving some production offshore claiming it was due to President Trump’s trade war tariffs, stating in prepared remarks; “Increasing international production to alleviate the EU tariff burden is not the company’s preference, but represents the only sustainable option to make its motorcycles accessible to customers in the EU and maintain a viable business in Europe. Europe is a critical market for Harley-Davidson.”

To briefly recap: Trump enacted tariffs on imported steel and aluminum earlier this year, prompting the European Union to place tariffs on a broad range of American imports, including motorcycles. That, in turn, prompted Harley, already facing headwinds, to move some of its jobs overseas, announcing plans to open a motorcycle assembly plant in Thailand this year.

In response, according to a report by Business Insider, the President is now looking to foster foreign manufacturers in the US, tweeting; “Now that Harley-Davidson is moving part of its operation out of the U.S., my Administration is working with other Motor Cycle companies who want to move into the U.S. Harley customers are not happy with their move – sales are down 7% in 2017. The U.S. is where the Action is!”

It’s not often that a motorcycle-related legal case ends up in the U.S. Supreme Court, but as the result of a dispute over a stolen bike in Virginia, the case of Collins v. Virginia, 16-1027 focused on the Fourth Amendment, and whether or not police violated the defendant’s Constitutional right against unreasonable searches and seizures during a 2014 investigation.

Now, several years after the initial incident, the highest court in the land has concluded that the defendant’s fourth amendment rights were indeed violated when a Albemarle County, Virginia, police officer strolled onto the defendant’s (or rather his girlfriend’s) property, lifting a cover to reveal a stolen motorcycle.

In this particular case, the Supreme Court Justices voted 8-1 in favor of Collins, with Justice Sonia Sotomayor asserting the search was an “invasion of the sanctity” of Collins’ curtilage (basically the land/area surrounding one’s house).

Regarding the “automobile exception” which allows certain types of searches to be conducted on vehicles without a warrant since, unlike a house, cars can be moved at a moment’s notice, Sotomayor contended it “does not justify an intrusion on a person’s separate and substantial Fourth Amendment interest in his home and curtilage”.

So in the end, Collins’ “receiving stolen property” conviction previously handed down by the Virginia Supreme Court was overturned, though the U.S. Supreme Court has yet to close the book on the potential for Collin’s convictions to be upheld on different grounds.

Of particular importance to the motorcycling community, irrespective of guilt or innocence, ownership of a motorcycle does not invite an unwarranted search.

What could be more exciting than a theme park dedicated to motorcycle-riding, including a high-speed head-to-head roller coaster race?

To be identified as “Ducati World”, Ducati laid the first stone to the world’s first theme park dedicated to all the motorcyclists, young or old, that will include a showroom, children’s attractions, virtual reality and many more indulging experiences fully showcasing the Ducati brand in a larger than life format.

Located at Mirabilandia, the “Ducati World” will be the world’s first entertainment arena themed after a motorcycle brand. It will become a part of the Mirabilandia leisure park which is in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, the birthplace of Ducati.

It will be spread across 35,000 square-meters and feature a unique new-gen roller coaster that will “turn each visitor into a Ducati rider” as a major attraction. It will also be home to motorcycle simulators allowing visitors to have the feel of the road on superbikes and track machines going at full throttle.

The highlight of the amusement park would be a racing-inspired interactive roller coaster, which simulates a ride on a Panigale V4 with the power to control the acceleration and braking; “An authentic head-to-head between bikes roaring along parallel rails.”

A museum will showcase the rich history of the iconic brand, and of course you’ll have fine multi-cuisine Ducati and Ducati Scrambler-themed restaurants and Michelin-starred kitchens cooking delicious meals. The Ducati shop will give the visitors the opportunity to buy all sorts of official Ducati and Ducati Scrambler apparel and merchandise.

Gates to the “most engaging and innovative experience for motorcycling fans” will open to the public in 2019.

We blame a lot on television shows and on movies…violence, sexuality, food – but we can apparently now add fictional dramas to the long list of things that are bad for us on TV, as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) recently released a statement that blamed the FX series “Sons of Anarchy” for the rise in “outlaw biker gangs’ numbers” in the province of Nova Scotia. The show ended four years ago, but it apparently keeps inspiring edgy riders to jump in the saddle and seek out their peers.

According to RCMP Constable Scott Morrison, the spirit of camaraderie is the big selling point. “They think the camaraderie is there based on the television show and they’re joining up,” he told CBC News.

In The Hague on June 18, Dutch judges banned a national motorcycle club and seized all its assets, ruling members had spread a culture of violence and criminal activities in the Netherlands: “The court in The Hague has decided today that the motorcycle club Satudarah is banned with immediate effect,” the judges said in their ruling.

The judges also ordered that the club should lose all its assets including access to its clubhouse.

The case had been brought by the Dutch prosecution service, as part of an ongoing clampdown on gang violence. Last year prosecutors successfully shut down the Bandidos MC when a court in Utrecht ordered all the club’s chapters to close, saying it posed a public threat. Dutch justices have also tried in vain several times to outlaw the Hells Angels as a criminal organization, but a new case against the club is due to be heard soon.

~ U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Parker (1892–1969), American jurist

There is so much to do and keep you moving for the weekend you need to go home to rest. From the short or long poker run, wet t-shirt contest, bike show, Miss Freedom Rally, concerts ot karaoki and the striper pole down at the Green Dragon. The highpoint of the weekend is the memorial service and presenting of the flags. Remember, the reason we are here. They are always able to find one member from each branch of the armed services to present the flags. It’s an honor to share in this moment.

We can accomplish this by making new laws, and negatively influencing the passage of laws detrimental to us as riders. Although there may be differences in how each state’s governments are managed, the process for passage of laws is still similar. This guide will help direct you through the complicated maze of this legislative process.

Research
– Contact lobbyists from other states who have run similar legislation. Request copies of their language. Identify issues they’ve encountered in their endeavors..
– Research topic online. Identify pros and cons.
– Talk with anyone that might have pertinent information.
– Document reliable information from affected motorcyclists.

Build Your Case
– Decide on your message.
– It is crucial that you speak with a single voice, not a single person’s voice, a collaborative voice.
– Organize items in a logical sequence.
– Specify reason for running the legislation.
– Stress the importance of its passage to the motorcycle community.

*** Never state something you cannot prove *** 

Get to know your legislators
– Determine if they, or any of their friends or family, have ever been affected in a negative way by the purpose of your bill.
– Find out if they are riders and what their occupations are.
– Get to know their staff. This is key to your access to them.

Open a Folder (draft of potential bill)
– If you are comfortable preparing a draft of the potential language, present it to a legislator. If not, the legislator’s office will assist in that effort.
– Approach a legislator who will support your bill and follow it through.
– Assure that you are designated to obtain a copy of the folder.

Hold Stakeholder Meetings
– Purpose: Meet and confirm with all affected parties. Try to neutralize any opposition prior to committee hearings.

*** Agree ahead of time on the ‘rules of engagement’ for stakeholder meetings. How will you approach the subject? What do you need to obtain from them to successfully move forward? What will you say, or most importantly, not say or reveal ***

Possible Stakeholder Meeting Scenarios
– You and the stakeholder agree on the potential bill and its purpose. The stakeholder will be neutral or possibly speak in favor of the bill in committee.
– The stakeholder has some legitimate concerns and you agree to continue to meet and work out the issues, prior to running the bill.
– The stakeholder is against your bill, but you’ve built a substantial case for the issue and you decide to “see them in committee” to argue your point.
– If stakeholder is against your bill, you have identified their concerns and can better formulate your arguments in preparation for committee.

Obtain Intro-set
– Your legislator will have the final draft of the language drawn up after all parties agree. This is known as an “intro-set”.
– The intro-set will have a cover page listing all legislators from both chambers.
– This page is used to obtain additional sponsors/co-sponsors, before bill is introduced.

Obtaining a Bill #
– Intro-set will be dropped/introduced by the legislator and a Bill # assigned to the bill.
– Important to be aware of drop deadline. Dates may be different for each chamber.
– A chamber may have a limited number of bills that members can drop. In most cases, bills dropped prior to their deadline, do not count towards the limit.

Track Bill On Your Legislative Website
– Determine committees to which bill is assigned.
– Determine which order the bill will be heard.
– Determine committee meeting days/times.
– Check committee agenda weekly/daily for your bill’s schedule.

Set Meetings – Lobby, Lobby, Lobby
– Learn proper protocols for meetings and talking to legislators.
– Know your state legislators’ titles. Use their title prior to their name.
– Be respectful at all times.
– Meet with any key committee staff members to review your bill.
– Meet with legislators with whom you have rapport.
– Prior to bill being heard, meet with all legislators on assigned committees.
– Meet with additional legislators to obtain further support for the Floor vote.
– Document results of meetings and key points for further reference.

Going From Chamber to Chamber
– Find out how your chambers are identified. House, Senate, Assembly, etc.
– Learn the processes in all chambers.
– Keep contact with key players and offices.

Reminder:-These are just guidelines and may be adjusted as deemed necessary.

Public Testimony – Be Prepared
– Learn proper protocol when addressing Committee.
– Keep your case short and to the point.
– Provide visual folders if necessary.
– Know your bill’s language. Be ready to answer questions.
– Have the power to approve suggested amendments.
– Have a support group present.
– GOOD LUCK!

… Helpful Hints
– Attend Caucuses and Floor sessions to hear any comments legislators may have on your bill and to familiarize them with your faces.
– Be totally aware of your surroundings when discussing anything. Discretion is important.
– Research bills submitted by your legislators, in case you can support them individually, or more importantly as an organization.

This “Biker’s Guide to Making Law” informational brochure was produced by the NCOM Legislative Task Force (NCOM-LTF) to provide basic guiding principles of shepherding an idea through the legislative process to become a law, and these guidelines are merely suggestions stemming from decades of personal lobbying experiences by our NCOM-LTF Members.
~Frank Ernst, NCOM-LTF Chairman

First let me say Smoke-Out 19 was very different for me, instead of just being a spectator and a Bikernet Correspondent, I was a bike show judge. This comes with a great deal of responsibility. I could not believe when I got the call and was asked if I would like to be a judge in the show! I jumped at the chance and took my job very seriously.

Editor’s Note: Mike worked at several dealerships in the Charlotte area and at one time owned his own shop. He owns several custom Harleys, and doesn’t buy a bike without a customizing plan in mind.

I reported for duty at 1:00 pm and met with Jeff Najar, the Prince of bike shows all over the world. He was in charge of the bike show. We went over the details of the show, and I began to do my job, while wild SmokeOut action surrounded me. There were 60 bikes entered in the show. All were top shelf custom bikes.

At 3:00 pm I was still going over the bikes. I had narrowed my choice down to three. Backing up to when I started inspecting the bikes, a 1941 candy apple red Knucklehead jumped out at me. I told myself not to rush. I was going to check out all 60 bikes and take my time and I did just that.

At 3:30 pm I made my choice, yes sir the 1941 candy red knuckle was my choice. This classic beauty is owned by Randall Shaffer and the bike has a great father-and-son story behind it. After all it was Fathers day weekend.

Randall is a very quiet guy, very unassuming and laid back. I almost had to threaten him to get him to talk to me about his Knuck! Just kidding, Randall is a cool cat!
The story behind the Knuck goes like this: Randall’s dad owned the bike until 1984 when it was sold. In 2016 Randall and his dad tracked the owner down and bought the old girl back home, not assembled, but all the parts were accounted for. Before Randall’s dad passed away in 2016, he handled all the reconstruction welding and helped with the final assembly! As you can see they both did a GREAT job!

That ‘41 Knucklehead engine cradled in the Paughco frame was built by none other than Pete Hill. Yes, the famous Knucklehead drag racing Pete Hill! That engine is 98 inches strong! Everything on this bike says “CLASS!” From the Paughco springer front end to the hand built z-bars by Drew Cox to the S&S B carb! That gas tank is one bitchin’ piece on this bike!

One more classy touch on this bike is the gold bell riding between the down tubes on the frame. That bell is an urn with his dad’s ashes inside.
Check out the rear brake set up. That is an early, original Performance Machine set up! Check out the spec sheet for the rest of the goods!

Until next time, Ride!
–Stealth

Engine: 1941 Knucklehead
Displacement: 98 inches
Builder: Pete Hill
Cam: Leinweber

Carb: S&S B
Exhaust: Paughco

Tranny: H-D kick start 4-speed
Primary: 1 ½-inch BDL belt
Ignition: Points by Cycle Electrics
Frame: Rigid Paughco
Front end: Paughco Springer
Front Wheel : 21-inch
Rear wheel : 16-inch
Rear Fender : LowBrow
Front brake: None

Rear brake: PM
Seat: Biltwell
Oil tank: Drag Specialties
Headight : Drag Specialties
Tailight: LowBrow
Painter : John Snyder
Color: Candy Apple Red over gold base

Sources:

Well before WWII a talented engineer and designer unleashed a truly new motorcycle on the two-wheeled world. With only two cylinders and 26 horsepower, it might seem pretty damn tame by today’s standards. In 1937, however, a light and nimble motorcycle with as much or more power as many V-Twins was a big deal.

When Edward Turner came to work at Triumph, his task was to modernized the line, which consisted of single-cylinder machines that might best be characterized by two words – durable, but boring. Additional chrome and bright paint made the old models look, if not new, at least fresh. Luckily, Turner didn’t stop there.

Before coming to Triumph, Turner worked for Arial, where he developed the Square Four. Though the big Arial was never a top seller, it contained the seeds of a truly modern motorcycle, one that would ensure Triumph’s success for over forty years and share its DNA throughout the motorcycle world right into the next century.

The 500cc Speed Twin was in essence, half of a Square Four. With a 360-degree crankshaft, both pistons moved up and down in unison, but on opposite strokes. One was exhausting while the other was compressing. The cases were made of aluminum, though the cylinders were cast as one piece of cast iron. Ed must have been looking ahead when he specified the dimensions for the cylinders, because he left plenty of extra meat – just in case a 500cc motor wasn’t quite big enough. Like the cylinders, the heads were cast in iron as one piece. Located right behind the vertical twin was the transmission, a four-speed gearset housed in an Aluminum housing.

Triumph was able to bring the new model to market in a relatively short time for a number of reasons. One, Turner was able to borrow from what he learned at Ariel in developing the new engine.

Second, rather than develop a new frame along with all the necessary hardware and sheet metal, Ed Turner simply adapted the new twin to a frame meant for one of Triumph’s big singles. Presto, one very sexy vertical twin.

Triumph’s new engine wasn’t the first vertical twin. But, like Henry Ford’s V-8, it was the first successful vertical twin produced in big numbers. It was also the one that laid the foundation for a long list of vertical twins produced by a long list of motorcycle manufacturers.

In 1939 Triumph introduced the first offspring of the Speed Twin. With more compression and a ported head, the Tiger 100 would pull an easy 100 miles per hour – thus the name. A silver paint job with tasteful pinstripes helped Triumph separate their new hot rod from the more mundane Speed Twin with the Amaranth Red paint.

When war broke out in Europe it didn’t just slow down development at Triumph – it stopped all activity completely when a German bomb landed directly on the Coventry plant in November of 1940. Fortunately no one at Triumph was killed, and by 1942 they were able to begin production of a 350cc single meant for use by the army, in a new manufacturing plant.

By the time the war came to a close England was nearly bankrupt. The order from on top to English industry was simple – export. It just so happened that there were thousands of young American men freshly returned from serving in Europe, who were familiar with English vehicles and motorcycles in particular.

The US did indeed prove to be a fertile market for the sale of Triumphs and there was only one problem. Being Yanks, the young men buying the bikes believed in the old all-American adage: “there’s no substitute for cubic inches.” The Thunderbird, introduced in 1950, was the answer to their plea, and Triumph’s first 650cc production bike. Enlarging the bore from the stock 63 to 71mm wasn’t quite enough. By stroking the crank an additional 2mm, however, Triumph as able to create the new 650cc powerhouse.

The T-Bird came to market with a single, though larger, Amal carb, modest compression and a mild state of tune. It may not have been the true hot rod that American youngsters were looking for, but it was definitely faster than the 500, and it had the extra torque that comes with more cubes.

The T100 was the first offspring of the Speed Twin, and the T-Bird was the second. That pattern never stopped until Triumph did. Next came the T110, the highway hauler of the day. With more compression, ported heads, more aggressive cams, and another boost in the size of the single carb, the T110 came to market with 42 horses – and rear suspension to boot

Anyone familiar with vintage Triumphs knows that Turner and crew turned out off-road bikes as well as the better-known highway rides. The best known was the TR6, a 650 scrambler introduced in 1956. Not surprisingly, the TR6 morphed out of the TR5, a popular and fast 500cc off road Triumph. Once again, the Americans who bought the TR5 had only one suggestion – more cubic inches. Another birth was in the works. This time the boys across the pond slipped the 650cc engine from the T110 into a TR5 frame.

At this point in time, twin carbs were only found on the Daytona, Triumph’s hot rod 500cc machine. There was also a factory twin carb kit offered for the 650 bikes, but none of the 650s on the showroom floor came with two mixers.

Though it didn’t come with two carbs, the new TR6 turned out to be a very popular go-anywhere motorcycle. Some people saw the TR6 as a hot rod street bike, one without the full fenders and headlight nacelle seen on Thunderbirds and T110s. Off-road racers found the TR6 to be an excellent competition machine, whether raced in the desert or on the TT track.

The 1950s were good years for Triumph, and it seemed they won wherever they raced – including Bonneville. In 1956 Johnny Allen broke the land speed record when he ran 214 miles per hour in the Texas Cee-gar, a streamliner built by privateers and powered by one, naturally aspirated, Triumph 650cc engine.

Thus, when it came to picking a name for a new model, Triumph’s success on the salt flats proved the catalyst. Thus, as we all know, the new bike was named the Bonneville and it did indeed come to market with two carburetors.

The first-year Bonnie came to town with what you might call a suit and tie, the valanced fenders and headlight nacelle used throughout the ‘50s on the T Bird and T110. Though the first-year Bonneville is now a very collectible bike, in 1959 a lot of young men bought a TR6 instead of the Bonneville, and installed the twin-carb kit available from Triumph.

The sales of the Bonneville were so poor that the Triumph team was forced to re-think the bike. Luckily for us, instead of simply cancelling the Bonneville they kept the drivetrain and switched the sheet metal. From 1960 on the Bonneville looked like a proper American hot rod on two wheels. The headlight stood alone and proud, minus the nacelle. Gone were the fat English fenders. In essence, they took the Bonneville’s new look from the TR6.

From 1960 to 1970 the Bonneville evolved, with more power and better paint year by year. Throughout the decade the Bonneville’s reason for existence never really changed – a street brawler it remained. At that time there were two bikes to have on the street. One was the Harley-Davidson Sportster, and the other was the Triumph Bonneville – a bike made possible by an innovative design introduced 40 years before the first Bonneville arrived on this side of the Atlantic.

When the last of Ed Turner’s vertical twins rolled out of the plant is a matter of debate. In 1971 the big twins came in for a complete redesign, including a new oil-bearing frame. That decade saw the 650cc bikes grow to 750, the four-speed transmission move to five, and the front drum brake disappear, replaced by a disc. In spite of the apparent improvements, Triumph was slowly falling apart due to massive mistakes by management and nearly endless worker strikes. The end came in 1983 when the last bike rolled out the door.

The good news: As I write this story, the new Triumph Company (re-born by a new owner) is turning out thousands of Bonnevilles, Thruxtons and Bobbers, all powered by vertical twins. The new twins are intentionally designed to resemble the 650s of that special era. Thus it’s fair to say that these new counter-balanced and fuel injected twins do indeed owe their existence to Ed Turner and that very simple and clever design of 1937.

Price: $19.95

Product Code: WP2019

SHIPPING TO CANADA/MEXICO AND U.S. ONLY. The combination of photos by Timothy Remus, captions by Lindsay Brooke and art-quality paper measuring 16 inches across, makes this one calendar any motorcycle enthusiast can look forward to all year long.

https://www.cartechbooks.com/classic-triumph-calendar-2019.html

But I received a call from the Supreme showman, Prince Najar. He was responsible for all the custom aspects at the IMS motorcycle show series for a decade and now he’s involved in the AMD show series. His partner, Bob Kay took over the IMS Show and I smell a conspiracy. Jeff organized custom elements for Sturgis shows, SmokeOuts and recently Harley Museum Ride In Shows custom portion.

He’s also involved with the magnificent Marilyn Stemp of the Buffalo Chip for the Flying Piston Charity Builders’ Breakfast. So, when the Supreme Prince called me a month before the rally and said, “Make a totally unique sculpture for our charity auction or die trying.”

I was so relieved he didn’t ask me to build a bike I said, “Yes, oh supreme one.”

He had already hung up and didn’t write it down. I started thinking, pondering, and collecting scrap. I don’t throw anything away, especially metal things. Something always works for a bracket or an art project. I had a notion for a winged thing and years ago I made a wing using old deck nails as welding rod. I grabbed the can, thinking I had it made. Low and behold the can was almost empty.

I avoid trips to Home Depot. They burn too much daylight, but I was forced to make a move. I discovered some rod and bought a couple of massive boxes of cheap 16-penny nails, which I never used. I need to return them.

I went to work creating the Guardian of the Wheel. I started on the wings first. Making a flat two-dimensional piece is a breeze compared to a three-dimensional art project. I had to make two wings identical. I pulled illustrations of dragons and art deco pieces.

I also had a couple of cans of corner segments from a local welding shop. I’ve had these hanging around for over a decade, but they came in super handy from time to time. With the wings roughed out, I started on the base by welding segments together and trying to bend them. That didn’t work too well. They wouldn’t bend without popping spot-welds.

When I’m up to something crazy like this, I stay flexible. I don’t know where’s it’s going or where it might end up, including in the dumpster out back. My feeble mind is working all the time, looking for options, opportunities and scheduling. I knew brass would be used, but you can’t mix brass with steel in some respects. If you weld and braze and then try to bend it, it will break. It becomes brittle; even though brass is softer than steel, it’s more porous.

I had to finish welding before I started to apply the brass. I also had a stringent deadline to ship it to Sturgis to arrive before the rally and be on hand for the Flying Piston Charity Builders’ Breakfast. Once I thought I had a plan and got started, I devoted time everyday to welding.

I blasted away for hours and something seemed to form under the mess of segments and MIG welding beads. I started to notice porous spots in some of the welds, and I looked hard for solutions. My metal segments were consistently clean mild steel, no paint or major rust. I cleaned the areas to be welded with a wire brush. I still ran into issues once in a while and didn’t like it. I cleaned the brass hood over the tip and moved the wire closer to the metal. Didn’t seem to work.

I needed to check the gas pressure and keep it at 30 psi. I also needed to drop the shop door when the wind kicked up. And I discovered from a local welding shop clerk that the current in the building could contain less power during specific hours of the day, depending on the local drag on the system. My beads improved.

I stuck with my daily welding routine until on a weekend close to the deadline, my MIG wire ran out and the gas tank crept close to empty. I couldn’t believe I ran out of wire. I had a massive 10-pound spool. I dug around and found another spool of wire. It was flux-coated wire and didn’t need the Argon gas mix–beautiful. I hooked it up and started to blow sparks. What a mess. It was like working with old stick rods, not nearly as clean. Crap flew everywhere.

I ran into a couple of other drawbacks. I set my Samsung phone a couple of feet away on a chunk of wood. I didn’t notice until too late. I peppered the tempered glass face with molten slag. The touch aspect to the face of the phone went to hell, modern technology. Also, my stainless steel watch face and frame caught enough flying slag to roughen the surface.

I shifted to working on the wheel and in this case followed Dr. Hamster’s 40-spoke J&P wheel pattern. I shifted to acetylene and oxygen brazing. I calculated the wheel circumference, figured spoke spacing and went to work. This was an educational process and will apply it to my belt buckles in the future.

On Monday, I pulled up to the local welding shop bright and early. I needed more brass 1/8-inch flux-coated and plain rod. I needed more steel rod for gas welding, but forgot to buy some. I researched the MIG spool wire and discovered I was using the right shit. I bought another spool and had my tank refilled. I quizzed the shop-welding expert about some of my encounters. He helped with fruitful suggestions.

I asked the welding shop guys about removing flux from brass rod and they suggested head and a wire brush. I experimented and discovered WD-40 does the trick if you let it soak. Then hit it with a wire brush.

I went back to work. Originally I started with an Art Deco approach, keeping the dragon aspect in the back of my mind as an option. As it turned out the dragon aspect took over, but I would still like to create a smooth faced art deco-winged girl, but it would take a totally different approach. It might also take much longer.

I liked making the dragon dipping slightly to the side as if making a move to protect the wheel. Attitude is everything and I would have liked to incorporate more attitude into this puppy, but I was burnin’ daylight and needed to keep moving. Sure, he’s an angry bastard, but I could do better.

The brass screws came from the hull of a wooden sailboat and I cut a batch and started to braze them around the jaw line, after I coated the area in brass as if his gums.

I reached out to Marilyn, the Queen of the Flying Piston, to inquire about the charity I was supporting.

“Join cutting edge U.S. custom builders and industry celebs for the Flying Piston Builders Breakfast, to benefit veterans suffering from PTSD and provide Technical Education,” she said. “It’s Motorcycle Missions run by Krystal Hess.”

http://www.motorcycle-missions.org/
It’s a 501 ©3.

Motorcycle Missions, a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation, helps veterans and first responders who deal with PTS(D) and suicidal ideation find hope and healing through motorcycles.

When dealing with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the need for purpose, camaraderie, and adrenaline is of the utmost importance. So MM strives to instill a passion for riding and building motorcycles, that will help PTSD sufferers enjoy a happy, healthy, and balanced lifestyle after trauma.

www.MotorcycleMission.com

“The event, organized by The Flying Piston, takes place Sunday, August 5th on the upper deck of the Big Engine Bar in the free-access CrossRoads at the Buffalo Chip. It’s open to the public.

Builders include Rick Fairless, Paul Yaffe, Jody Perewitz, Pat Patterson, Kirk Taylor, Bryan Fuller and Donnie Smith. David Roy of Voodoo Vintage and the Motorcycle Missions crew also chopped a tiny Strider, and Loaded Gun’s Kevin Dunworth and his twin six-year-old daughters customized their Strider to be donated, too.

Builder Breakfast tickets are on sale now for $20 each at http://www.theflyingpiston.com/ or goo.gl/gzILrl Proceeds benefit Motorcycle Missions, a non-profit that encourages U.S. military veterans suffering from PTSD to pursue motorcycling as a career.

Day after day, I carved out time to weld. I immediately started to burn my arms and had to shift to black long sleeve t-shirts in the blistering California July heat. Welding is very Zen. You’re trapped in a cocoon of sparks and red-hot metal. Your focus is centered on the bead and only the bead.

But there’s something about an entrancing bead. It calls to you to succeed while forming chunks of blistering hot metals together in just the right sequence. My father taught me to weld. He said it was all about the bead, and it was all stick welding at the time. Finishing a successful bead was way more important than your personal safety or comfort. I caught fire at 21 in the oil fields while welding. My dad said, “Stick with the bead or die trying.”

I finally needed to make a decision about the wheel, where to place it. I also wanted to even the texture of the beast with some kind of media blasting. I went to Harbor Freight and bought a soda blaster and a bag of medium grade soda, which cost about half of what the blaster cost. I made a mess with this bastard, but was able to even out the texture and blow most of the flux off the brass.

Everyone in the Bikernet™ shop was quizzed about the wheel placement. Most didn’t want the wheel hidden between the wings. I looked at several options, including smaller wheels on the side of the dragon’s head. “Save the wheel for something else,” Jeremiah said. But ultimately I liked how the wheel fit at the back of the guardian’s neck, and so it was.

Finally, after some more blasting, I shot the Guardian with compressed air and Satin clear Rustoleum. It weighed 41 pounds when I packed it for shipment to the town of Buffalo Chip, just east of Sturgis. May the guardian help veterans far and wide (I’m a three-tour Vietnam veteran) and support the order of the Flying Pistons forever.

–Bandit