Hey,

I was on a Shop Talk Pod Cast recently with Chris Callen, two shop owners and Kirk Willard, the president of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation. The two shop owners had never heard of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation.

We brought up issues killing our industry and last week I discussed a way to save the motorcycle industry and basically humanity. Did we experience overwhelming response? Nope?



Why is that? We’re busy. We are bombarded constantly by TV, radio, internet, social media you name it. Shop owners struggle with day to day operations, including doing the job, accounting, marketing, maintenance and customer service. Then there’s the fun aspect. So, who has time to be involved in the government, or motorcycle rights?

I believe most folks just raise their hands in despair and try to go with the flow. Plus, there’s been a major movement telling us not to question their facts or motives, just fucking bend and step aside. I have a feeling that’s coming to an end and folks are going to step up. Let’s see. Time will tell and shit will smell.

Let’s hit the news:

The Bikernet Weekly News is sponsored in part by companies who also dig Freedom including: Cycle Source Magazine, the MRF, Las Vegas Bikefest, Iron Trader News, ChopperTown, BorntoRide.com and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum.





HANG ON FOR THIS—

Federal Agency Advances Gas Stove Proposal From Commissioner Who Floated Ban

A U.S. agency has advanced a request for information on gas stove hazards after it was filed by a commissioner who has floated banning the stoves.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced on March 1 it is seeking information from the public “on chronic chemical hazards from gas ranges.”

The commission released a draft public notice on the request for information, but has not released the final notice. The final one should be published in the Federal Register next week, a commission spokesperson told The Epoch Times via email.

Members of the public are being told they’re welcome to submit comments on how many U.S. homes have gas ranges, how the commission should evaluate risks related to gas stove usage, and what information should be part of labels with warnings about hazards on stoves, among other aspects of the issue.

The commission is also requesting “proposed solutions to those hazards.”

The vote to approve publication of the notice was 3–1, a commission spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an email. Commissioners Mary Boyle, Richard Trumka Jr., and Chair Alexander Hoehn-Saric voted in favor, while Commissioner Peter Feldman voted against.

Trumka, a Biden appointee, floated a ban on gas stoves in January.

“Any option is on the table. Products that can’t be made safe can be banned,” he told Bloomberg at the time.

Trumka also wrote in an internal memorandum that “the need for gas stove regulation has reached a boiling point” and that the commission “has the responsibility to ban consumer products that emit hazardous substances, particularly, when those emissions harm children, under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act.”

“There is sufficient information available for CPSC to issue an NPR in FY 2023 proposing to ban gas stoves in homes,” Trumka also wrote. NPR stands for notice of proposed rulemaking.

The White House and Hoehn-Saric later said they weren’t in favor of banning gas stoves. Some lawmakers have introduced bills that would block the CPSC from banning gas stoves.

The approved request for information (RFI) “does not constitute or propose any regulatory action or ban,” Hoehn-Saric said in a statement this week. “The chronic hazards that can arise from toxic emissions should be studied and that is what we are doing with this RFI. I welcome the public’s input and data during the comment period.”

The RFI was initiated by Trumka during an October 2022 meeting.

–Epoch Times



“One of these days, one of these agencies is going to propose something that will blow up their entire program. Hang on!” –Bandit





CYCLE SOURCE FOUNDER RIDES #69—At Billy Lanes Sons of Speed banked race track at Bike Week.



“I did 28 second laps this year, won a couple of heats and made the mains. Figured I earned a tattoo,” Chris Callen said. He reported in from Willie’s Chopper Show jammed with customs and even a rider sporting a Deadwood shirt.



–Bandit







BIKERNET READER COMMENT—Harley Financials and growth prospects for 2023

https://www.bikernet.com/pages/Harley_Financials_and_Growth_Prospects_for_2023.aspx

A few comments on Harley financials and growth. I remember when Harley had the partnership with Buell and how that turned out. I’m curious to see if history repeats itself with the Livewire brand. How long will the company stay committed to it? And I’m not completely opposed to the idea of electric motorcycles, but issues such as range still need to be worked out.

As for the idea of Chinese Harleys, that does make sense if they want to make a larger dent in the Asian/ Indian market. Also, I have been surprised to learn about how many motorcycle manufactures in Europe have ties to China. I still would like to see a smaller displacement, less expensive Harley sold here in the states.

I had sticker shock when I visited the local dealer a couple of months ago with my son. We later went down the block to the local Triumph dealer. The pricing on the different bikes were more reasonable for new riders. My current bike is a 2016 Moto Guzzi V7 II Stone which I find is a good size for me now. It’s also quirky like the older Harley’s I rode, but with some modern refinements.

–Jim Weed
San Diego, CA





ARTIST OF THE WEEK— Adrian Cune. And his Softail.



–Sam Burns
Art Curator
Bikernet.com™





THE NET ZERO FAILURE–Carbon dioxide release reaches a record high. Increases in air travel, coal use spur warnings

NEW YORK – Communities around the world emitted more carbon dioxide in 2022 than in any other year on records dating to 1900, a result of air travel rebounding from the pandemic and more cities turning to coal as a low-cost source of power.

Emissions of the climate-warming gas that were caused by energy production grew 0.9% to reach 36.8 gigatons in 2022, the International Energy Agency reported Thursday…

–Cathy Bussewitz
ASSOCIATED PRESS



“Of course, she goes onto saying how we’re doomed and how we must ban everything tomorrow. Actually we need more CO2 in the atmosphere, naturally and through the use of fossil fuels.” –Bandit





NASH MOTORCYCLE NEWS—Leather belts are available and more.



Motorcycle Kidney Belt with Old or Regular Hardware Finishes — Regular price $155.00

Our version of the kidney belt is designed around how they were made back in the day. Now with new hardware options in Old Brass or Old Nickel to get that already worn in look.



The Nash Kidney belts are the perfect solution to supporting your lower back, abdomen, and kidneys when riding any distance. Not just for those that may need extra back support; these belts help you extend your riding time no matter how fit you are!

These belts are handmade from high quality local leather and come in black or natural leather. The straps on the belt are sewn and riveted on for extra strength.







Appellant Brief Filed in Young v. EPA

Round 2 gets started in the only lawsuit that can derail the Biden EPA’s PM2.5 railroad. Read the opening brief of appellants Stan Young and Tony Cox.

[ORAL ARGUMENT NOT YET SCHEDULED]
No. 22-5305
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CIRCUIT
S. STANLEY YOUNG, ET AL.,
Plaintiffs-Appellants,
v.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, ET AL.,
Defendants-Appellees.

1
INTRODUCTION
On his first day in office, President Biden issued an executive order directing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reconsider its 2020 rule retaining the air-quality standard for particulate matter (fine particles like dust and soot)—a process that could end up imposing billions of dollars on regulated industries.

There was just one problem:
The Clean Air Act requires EPA to consider—and explain any disagreement with—the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee’s policy recommendations in revising this standard. 42 U.S.C. § 7607(d)(3)(C).

And during the prior administration, the Committee had concluded that the science did not support strengthening the standard.

The new EPA Administrator decided that he could not risk that happening again. He therefore promptly fired all seven members of the Committee and restocked it with six academics who have received a total of more than $126 million in EPA grants and a statutorily required state official, all of whom agree that the particulate-matter standard should be strengthened. The newly reconstituted Committee then unanimously recommended that EPA make the standard more stringent, and the Agency proposed a rule that would do so.

USCA Case #22-5305 Document #1987098 Filed: 02/22/2023 Page 11 of 86

In reconstituting the Committee in this manner, EPA contravened the law twice over, with each violation requiring vacatur of the Agency’s selection of the new members.

First, the Agency defied the fair-balance requirement in the Federal Advisory Committee Act (the Act), which compels agencies to ensure that “the membership” of any advisory committee they create is “fairly balanced in terms of the points of view represented and the functions to be performed by the advisory committee.” 5 U.S.C. app. 2 § 5(b)(2), (c).

Here, the Committee is not fairly balanced in terms of viewpoint because it is packed with EPA-funded academics who agree with EPA’s policy goals but lacks a single member representing the industry’s viewpoint that stronger regulations are unnecessary. Given this lack of viewpoint diversity, those directly affected by air-quality standards have no voice on the Committee.

Second, in its haste to create a Committee that would bless the adoption of a stricter standard, EPA failed basic requirements of reasoned ddecision-making, thus violating the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) as well. In establishing the new Committee, the Agency failed to explain how it was fairly balanced. Instead, EPA relied on improper considerations—the race and sex of its new appointees—to guide its decision-making rather than the Act’s requirement of viewpoint diversity.

USCA Case #22-5305 Document #1987098 Filed: 02/22/2023 Page 12 of 86

–Steve Milloy
From JunkScience.com





DAYTONA ACTION FROM THE MASTER OF LIGHT— Happy to report that the weather here in Daytona is perfect! And the crowds are building…

Today, I am presenting David Uhl’s second Daytona Commemorative piece for this year, titled “Course is Clear”. As with his first Daytona piece for 2023 (“Pondering Ponce” below), this one will only be available at the Rally pricing through Sunday March 12th.

“Course is Clear”
David Uhl
2023 Daytona Commemorative

David’s take on this new piece – – “The vintage beach racing scene I painted my daughter Bella into was conceived with Matt Walksler at the Wheels Through Time Museum. Bella posed with Matt’s Delphine blue knucklehead in a matching pickup. To me her stoic look fits the (raffle bike) time frame of the old Daytona 200. She inspects down the finish line making sure the course is clear, at least that’s what I envisioned. Looks like a bit of a windy day, got a little crazy with my brushwork.”

We are now taking orders for the signed and numbered canvas prints, which are available at special Rally pricing through the end of the Bike Week (March 12th).

These Fine Art prints will come framed and will include a Certificate of Authenticity and a special commemorative nameplate, stamping each piece as a 2023 Daytona Bike Week commemorative. We will also include shipping within the contiguous 48 United States for orders placed by March 12th.

** Image size appx 24×18, $925 framed

** Image size appx 32×24, $1,895 framed

** Image size appx 40×30, $2,895 framed

NOTE: Please contact me about unframed orders.

As always, edition numbers will be assigned as orders are taken and matching numbers are available for those who are adding to their Daytona Series pieces.

Please let me know if you’d like to add one or both of the new Daytona Commemorative pieces to your collection.

–Greg
303-913-4840







THE SHOVELHEAD REPORT–This was my first attempt a metal flake paint job. It came out damn good. Marshall, the owner, is real happy. I rode the thing today. It handles well and that ‘93 is running fine.



–Bill May





SEMA and PRI Raising Awareness for Race Track Responsibility—

Racing operators, promoters, officials, parts manufacturers and related professionals gathered at the West Virginia State Capitol in Charleston, West Virginia, to help educate legislators about the positive impact the industry makes on the local and state economy. Representatives included professionals from the entire spectrum of motorsports—dirt tracks, road courses, paved ovals, drag racing and more—along with PRI, SEMA, Summit Point Motorsports Park and GNCC Motocross.

–SEMA





E-BIKES HAVE A PROBLEM–

• How e-bikes are exploding and killing people
• What’s causing these electric bikes to catch on fire and explode

Over the last few years, e-bikes have killed at least 11 people and injured at least 251 in New York City alone, all from fires that sparked from malfunctioning lithium-ion battery-powered devices.

Why are these fires happening?

New York City has had more of these fires than anywhere else in the country because it is so densely populated, and many delivery workers use electric bikes as an easy way to get around.

However, these bikes often need to be charged at home overnight, and many of them have, unfortunately, been designed with cheap and poorly-made batteries that end up exploding and causing these deadly fires.

The thing about lithium-ion batteries is that the fires they cause differ from normal fires, which is why they have killed so many.

The flames spread much faster and will catch any combustible item within seconds. The batteries cannot be extinguished with water or foam because it can cause a reaction and increase the fire.

Firefighters must use extinguishers explicitly designed for lithium battery fires which contain dry powder, which absorbs the heat and smothers the fire. Compounding the problem with these fires is that they release toxic gases, which pose an extra level of danger.

In New York, Councilman Robert Holden has introduced legislation that would ban electric scooters and electric bikes until further safeguards are in place. However, this is just one form of legislation.

Many politicians in New York are working on proposals that would help decrease the fires without having to completely take the bikes away from delivery workers, such as a bill that would legally make people have to charge their batteries outside their homes.

Also, the New York City fire department has banned e-mobility devices at its headquarters and trained firefighters to respond to lithium-ion battery fires. It is also educating fire departments around the country about the risk.

In late November, the FDNY required landlords in the city to distribute a safety bulletin in residential buildings warning tenants about the potential dangers of charging electric bikes.

E-bike owners should also avoid using a charger that was not designed for the battery or buying batteries from secondhand stores.

And remember to avoid charging the battery in a place where it might block a fire escape, like a front door or a window.

–Fox News





INDIAN MOTORCYCLE & JACK DANIEL’S CELEBRATE AMERICAN CRAFTSMANSHIP
WITH OLD NO. 7-INSPIRED, LIMITED-EDITION INDIAN CHIEF BOBBER DARK HORSE

Only 177 Available Globally, First Motorcycle Ever to Feature Old No. 7 Whiskey Mixed within Bike’s Super Graphite Paint

Indian Motorcycle, America’s First Motorcycle Company, and Jack Daniel’s, America’s first registered distillery, have once again partnered for a celebration of American craftsmanship with the creation of the 2023 Jack Daniel’s Limited Edition Indian Chief Bobber Dark Horse. The seventh limited-edition offering from the two iconic American brands, and developed in partnership with Klock Werkssm Kustom Cycles, the latest model draws its inspiration from Jack Daniel’s legendary Old No. 7-Tennessee Whiskey.

Hand painted and highly exclusive, Indian Motorcycle will produce only 177 units for global distribution. Building upon the Indian Chief Bobber Dark Horse’s mechanical style, where its steel-tube frame and powerful Thunderstroke 116 motor take center stage, the Jack Daniel’s Limited Edition Indian Chief Bobber Dark Horse includes several fine-touch details that make the bike truly one of a kind. The bike features Jack Daniel’s branding throughout, and, for the first time ever, real Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7® whiskey mixed directly within the bike’s Super Graphite Metallic paint.

“The Jack Daniel’s Limited Edition Indian Chief Bobber Dark Horse is yet another powerful and dynamic representation of the quality, craftsmanship and attention to detail that is core to both of our brands,” said Aaron Jax, Vice President for Indian Motorcycle. “This time, we decided to pay homage to Jack Daniel’s iconic Old No. 7 – the most iconic of Jack Daniel’s whiskeys – pairing it with the Chief Bobber Dark Horse. Both products are timeless American originals that share a combination of no-nonsense simplicity and premium quality.”



With a mean attitude and old-school muscle, the 2023 Jack Daniel’s Limited Edition Indian Chief Bobber Dark Horse features several design elements that make this bike truly exclusive. Jack Daniel’s branding will be found throughout the bike including the front and rear fenders, stamped on its solo seat, and on a Montana Silversmiths Badge with each bike’s unique serial number. For ultimate exclusivity, Jack Daniel’s® signature can be found on the rear fender and etched into the exhaust. The 2023 Jack Daniel’s® Limited Edition Indian Chief Bobber Dark Horse touts a tank with a single Indian Motorcycle Script “I” along both sides. The Thunderstroke 116 engine features non-machined highlighted cylinders and heads, Cloud Silver painted rockers and pushrod tubes – giving it a throwback style that delivers a raw metal look.

Starting at $24,499, the Jack Daniel’s Limited Edition Indian Chief Bobber Dark Horse is exclusively available through Indian Motorcycle dealerships. The order window opens March 14, 2023, at 12:00 p.m. EST, and will close once all bikes are sold. The Jack Daniel’s® Limited Edition Indian Chief Bobber Dark Horse will begin shipping to Indian Motorcycle dealers throughout the U.S. and Canada in March 2023. Riders can learn more at their local Indian Motorcycle dealership, by visiting IndianMotorcycle.com, or by following along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.




[page break]



NOTES FROM THE LIVEWIRE DIVISION—

The bad news is that LiveWire, Harley’s electric motorcycle division which it actually spun into a new company to go public by SPAC last year, is doing bad. Harley, for one, says it expects LiveWire to lose up to $125 million this year. Harley also said that LiveWire sold just 69 motorcycles in the fourth-quarter of 2022, a number that I initially thought was a typo.

It says for 2023 it hopes to produce up to 2,000 electric units, but they are spendy and may not sell.

–from Geno





HORSE POWER REVEALED—

Earliest known evidence of human horse-riding discovered near the Black Sea, in burial mounds linked to the ancient Yamnaya culture dating to 4,500 to 5,000 years ago
–1440 Daily Digest





SHOP RECOMMENDATION IN GEORGIA—

Jeff is the owner of Speed Standard. Honest shop. Tell her to use my name.

–Freddie Arnold
Hamster member





CARDO SYSTEMS’ NEW PACKTALK CUSTOM UNLOCKS THE POWER OF PERSONALIZATION WITH UPGRADEABLE PAY-PER-FEATURE PACKAGES

Cardo’s Newest Mesh Communicator Offers the Industry’s First Scalable Service Plan, Allowing Riders to Adjust their Comms Experience Whenever They Want

Cardo Systems, the global market leader in wireless communication systems for powersports, has unlocked the power of personalization with the all-new PACKTALK CUSTOM. Available at a mid-range price point of $269.95/279.95 EUR, Cardo’s industry-first mesh communicator service offers Pay-Per-Feature subscription plans – allowing riders to get everything they need and nothing they don’t.

Based on the popular PACKTALK EDGE, the PACKTALK CUSTOM is the industry’s first wireless helmet communicator to allow riders to personalize their helmet comms experience by selecting from three subscription offerings on the Cardo Connect App, including SILVER, GOLD, and PLATINUM. In its stock form, the PACKTALK CUSTOM is loaded with features right out of the box, featuring Cardo’s second-generation Dynamic Mesh Communication, Bluetooth 5.2 Technology, over-the-air updates, and a fully waterproof design – just to name a few. Upgraded features within each pay-per-feature package include music sharing, audio profiles, universal Bluetooth Intercom, voice command, and more.

“PACKTALK CUSTOM is a direct result of our team listening to our riders from around the world, as the Want’s and Need’s are extremely diverse” said Alon Lumbroso, chief executive officer, Cardo Systems. “We’re extremely proud to continue to drive the industry forward with new trailblazing innovations and industry-firsts like the PACKTALK CUSTOM.”

Available for $269, the Cardo PACKTALK CUSTOM comes standard with the following features:

• Second-generation Dynamic Mesh Communication
• Waterproof IP67
• Connect with up to 15 riders with up to a 1.6K rider-to-rider range
• 40mm HD speakers
• Over-the-air software updates eliminates the need for cables or WiFi adapters
• Bluetooth 5.2 Technology
• 13hrs talk time with fast charging (20-mins provides 2-hours of talk time)
• 2-Year Warranty

Riders can upgrade their PACKTALK CUSTOM by selecting one of three Pay-Per-Feature subscription packages, including:

• SILVER, starting at $2.99 Monthly / $19.99 Yearly
• GOLD, starting at $4.99 Monthly / $29.99 Yearly
• PLATINUM, starting at $6.99 Monthly / $39.99 Yearly

The key features of the SILVER package include everything in the base package with the addition of music sharing, audio profiles and speed dial. Riders looking for more features can opt for the GOLD package which includes the base and silver features but also expands to include universal Bluetooth intercom and a 2nd channel connection. Riders looking to ride with all the bells and whistles can upgrade to the PLATINUM which includes all the previous features from the lower tiers but is elevated with voice commands and eco mode.

The PACKTALK CUSTOM utilizes the Cardo Connect app with Apple Pay and/or Google Pay to provide riders the ability to upgrade and/or scale back on the features needed at any time. Simply connect to the app, pick your package and enjoy the desired features. When switching from a higher subscription tier to a lower tier the features from the higher tier will remain through the billing cycle and the down grade will be implemented at the start of the new billing cycle. When upgrading from a lower subscription tier to a higher tier the features will automatically be applied to the PACKTALK CUSTOM and a credit will be issued for the unused lower-tiered subscription.

The PACKTALK CUSTOM is also compatible with select PACKTALK NEO accessories such as 2nd Hemet Kit 40mm HD and the 2nd Helmet Kit JBL.

The new PACKTALK CUSTOM has an MSRP of $269.95/279.95 EUR and will be available from retailers in April or ordered directly from www.cardosystems.com on March 8th.



LIFESTYLE CYCLES BIKE DEAL OF THE WEEK—

Stock # 13658 is a 2016 Metallic red sunglo Harley-Davidson ROAD GLIDE TOURING FLTRX with only 12226.00 miles!



This bike is a super clean low mileage Road Glide and some of the features/Add-ons on this bike are

* 103c.i.Motor with a 6-Speed trans.
* Bassani Road rage two into one exhaust
* Black T-Bars
* Screaming Eagle air-intake
* Speaker lids
* LED Turn signals with smoked lens
* Upgraded shifter linkage
* Upgraded speakers
* Black wheels



This bike is only $21,995.00

Plus license, $85.00 documentation fee, and local sales tax. NO HIDDEN FEES like some dealers. And we have no reconditioning or prep fees. This bike has passed Lifestyle Cycles rigorous 92-point safety/mechanical/structural inspection.This motorcycle has not been refurbished and does not come with any warranty expressed or implied!

EXTENDED WARRANTIES are available!



Fill out an online application today. We have EZ FINANCING

Lifestyle Cycles is located at 1510 State College Blvd,Anaheim,CA,92806. Open 7 days a week.

NOT LOCAL? WE HAVE SHIPPING AVAILABLE! Call today (714) 490-0155.

–Richard Allstun
Marketing Director
Lifestyle Cycles
714.490.0155





NEW BIKERNET READER COMMENT—Sons of Speed 2022

Hi there,

Three students from Pine Ridge High in Deltona, FL, will be joining Sons of Speed racing series founder Billy Lane Friday, March 3, to work on a vintage motorcycle ahead of the main race scheduled for Saturday.

The students have been invited out to New Smyrna Speedway by Sons of Speed presenting sponsor Northern Tool + Equipment and their Tools for the Trades program, designed to help address the trades labor shortage by igniting a passion for the trades in the next generation.

The students selected are currently enrolled in classes providing the skills needed to pursue a career in the trades. Northern Tool + Equipment is also making a donation of welding tools and equipment to their school.

If you or someone from your team is attending Sons of Speed, we would love to have you stop by on Friday to speak with Billy Lane, the students and Northern Tool + Equipment’s CEO, as well as grab photos/video of the students working alongside Lane.

We can also send photos, videos and quotes after if you’d like to write something up! Just let us know!

Happy to send over additional information!

–Kelly Hinseth
Minneapolis, MN

“We are all in favor of your story.” –Bandit





PANHEAD OF THE WEEK—



–Sam Burns





THIS JUST IN FROM THE BIKERNET THOUGHT TEMPLE—

To improve your mood, exercise.
To think more clearly, meditate.
To understand the world, read.
To understand yourself, write.
To help people, help yourself.
To learn fast, have fun.

–Wayfarer
Wellness Coach Bikernet University





MRF and the Road to Zero Coalition–

The Road to Zero Coalition, managed by the National Safety Council, held their Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. on February 28th. Their goal is to achieve zero deaths related to motor vehicle crashes.

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation attended this activity to keep track of how motorcyclists may be impacted. Frankly, motorcycles don’t fit very well into their plan. Fortunately, at this year’s meeting, motorcycles were not really referenced. A lot of talk about Safe Systems. There was also discussion of motor carriers (big trucks) and “traffic violence”. Pedestrian fatalities have increased dramatically. All part of the “vulnerable road users” talk that we’re trying to stay out of.

The MRF will continue to have a presence at events such as this to ensure that the interests of motorcyclists are represented.

–MRF



“ZERO MEANS ZERO FREEDOMS.” –Bandit





FROM THE BIG BUSINESS DEPARTMENT—

Interesting how all the biggies like Rossmeyers and Black Hills are being gobbled up by Car dealers. Hmmm what’s this really all about?

Hmmm, Sonic Automotive Announces Acquisition of Black Hills Harley-Davidson, Home of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

Read in Business Wire: https://stocks.apple.com/AeMDyV7ZgQ5uScgn5f9SbOQ

–Geno

“It may be that the business model and the pricing now works for car dealer owners.” –Bandit





Metzeler Announces the Return of the #madewithmetzeler Custom Bike Builder Program

#madewithmetzeler Applications Are Open Now Through April 28, 2023

With the motorcycle show season rapidly approaching, Metzeler Tire North America is pleased to announce the return of its #madewithmetzeler builder program for 2023. This program is designed to support custom bike builders nationwide who have plans to showcase their projects at various motorcycle shows and events throughout the year. Applications for the #madewithmetzeler builder program are officially open through April 28, 2023.



The #madewithmetzeler builder program returns for 2023.

Metzeler will again be on the hunt to select four creative builders to join the #madewithmetzeler program, awarding them a free set of tires of their choice to outfit their build. This collaboration will allow Metzeler and the builder to promote these unique builds at upcoming motorcycle shows/events and throughout social media, including across the @MetzelerMotoUSA Instagram and Facebook channels.

“The return of the #madewithmetzeler builder program for 2023 is inspiring for the Metzeler brand,” said Heather Wilson, North America Marketing Director, Metzeler. “There are so many talented builders who put their trust in Metzeler, and we want to continue to ensure their hard work does not go unnoticed. Together, we want to promote Metzeler’s wide range of industry-leading products, and this is the perfect way to achieve that. Year after year, the bar continues to be raised, and we can’t wait to see what everyone has in the works for 2023!”

Builders must submit their applications by the April 28 deadline for the chance to be selected.

Interested builders must be United States residents and complete the application linked below, including a build description, build status, show/event plans, social media details, and more.

Builders will receive a response approximately two weeks after the April 28 deadline. Race tires are not eligible, and all winners must claim their tires by December 31, 2023.

Visit Metzeler website to submit your application for the 2023





SBS BRAKE NEWS— Better Brakes are the talk of the town

Remember, that you with SBS Better Brakes are getting:

REFINED COMPOUND – Sinter brake compounds are 100% copper and nickel-free and ceramic compounds are antimony-free.

IMPROVED BRAKE PERFORMANCE – A better and more stable brake performance and stopping power.

NUCAP NRS TECHNOLOGY – Always equipped with the most powerful bonding technology that binds the friction material to the backing plate and improves heat resistance.

Watch out for the SBS Better Brakes marker —
To help you identify which product has been transitioned, we’re introducing the Better Brakes marker. You can find it on the packaging just below the product reference code.





ELECTRIC VEHICLE REPORT— Future Shock

From an anonymous Wisconsin State Trooper

I’m not a fan of all electric vehicles. Too many variables affecting battery consumption. Definitely not suited for cold climates.

The following experience just cements my distaste for EV’s, especially Teslas.

I was dispatched to a motorist assist the other day, at the start of our snowstorm.
Tesla on the side of the interstate, dead battery.

I arrive on scene and the occupants have the right-front door open.

They tell me that they can’t open any other doors, because the battery is dead. Sure enough. Can’t open the doors from inside or outside.

The driver also can’t get her license out of the glove box where she put it during their trip. The glovebox opens electronically… and the battery is dead.

You actually have to use the computer in the center of the dash to open the glovebox.

They told me they had 10% battery left, should’ve been plenty to get from that location to the charging station nearby. Then all of a sudden, the whole car shut off and they coasted to the shoulder.

So now I have to find them a tow. No one wants to tow EVs. Finally found one company to do it. 8-mile trip to the charging station in Tomah. $1,000!

Normal vehicle on the flatbed would’ve been $150.

So now we’re at the Tesla superchargers. Guess what. Can’t open the f’n charging port because the battery is dead!!!

The ports open, you guessed it, electronically!!! And we also can’t open the doors now (had to close the one open door when it was loaded onto the wrecker).

The owner’s manual is in the on-board computer, but the battery is dead.

I got the occupants to a store where they’d be warm while calling the rental company to figure out how to charge this POS.

I had to leave for a crash report so I’m not sure of the outcome.

EVs may be the way, someday, but certainly not today!! I’ll stick with my dinosaur burner.

–El Waggs



EagleRider Secures Exclusive Deal to be the Only Company to Offer Rentals and Tours on the New Harley-Davidson Pan America in United States

The Wildly Popular Bike is Now Available for Three Exclusive Guided Adventures Through Yukon and Alaska

EagleRider, in partnership with Harley-Davidson, announced today that the company has been chosen as the exclusive provider of rentals and tours of the H-D Pan America in the United States.

Motorcycle enthusiasts have been praising the Pan America, which Hot Cars named “one of the most badass motorcycles Harley Davidson has ever made,” due to its high-tech features and impressive power, making it comfortable for distance riding in all types of terrain.

Adventure seeking travelers who want to be one of the first to experience how Pan America feels on the road can now sign-up to ride this coveted bike for any one of the three newly launched EagleRider tours rolling out in Alaska.

“EagleRider customers and Club Members continue to benefit from our rich partnership with Harley-Davidson,” said Shawn Fechter, SVP of Strategic Growth & Marketing for EagleRider. “It’s an incredible opportunity to be one of the first people in the world to experience riding the new H-D Pan America on an itinerary of this level that travels the last great Western Frontier.”

With Pan America Alaska tours lasting anywhere from 15 – 7 days depending on the tour, these adventures are literally built for travelers who want to be the first to checkoff “bucket list” travel experiences such as flying over the Arctic Circle with a stop in one of Alaska’s most remote villages, to enjoying some of the freshest salmon in the world at a traditional Salmon Bake, and to riding one of the most iconic destinations in Alaska, Denali National Park, and its peak that rises to an elevation of 20,300 feet.

The tour also includes a chance to ride two of the most remote stretches of paved roads in Canada, Yukon, and Alaska, the famed Alaskan Highway and the Tok Highway, which offers long stretches in between remote towns and true frontier wilderness.

To be one of the first to secure these amazing experiences, interested traveler seekers should visit:

•Alaska Gold Rush – Exclusive H-D Pan America Guided Tour
•Alaska Explorer 7 Day Exclusive Pan America Guided Tour
•Alaskan Highway South – Exclusive Pan America Guided Tour





THE PFAS PROBLEM–Maine and Environmental Group Put Spotlights on “Forever Chemicals”

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection has issued a revised draft rule and rulemaking fact sheet surrounding products containing PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The proposed rule provides additional guidance on the notification requirements and sales prohibitions for products and product components containing intentionally added PFAS. The department will hold a public hearing on April 20.

The MIC Government Relations Office continues to request that state and federal agencies provide additional time for manufacturers and distributors to test and find suitable alternatives to PFAS in their products. Dozens of proposals have been introduced to ban PFAS in textiles, children’s products, and packaging. Total bans on PFAS in any products sold have also been proposed.

Meanwhile, the New York Times published another news story about PFAS in February, this one revealing how wildlife is being affected.

“While concern about PFAS compounds, also known as ‘forever chemicals’ because they break down very slowly, has largely focused on people, the pollutants have also been detected in wildlife,” the story said. “Now, a review of research made public…by the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit advocacy organization that focuses on environmental safety, shows PFAS turning up in hundreds of wild animal species around the world. Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency found there was virtually no safe level in humans for two of the most widely used PFAS chemicals and proposed designating them as hazardous.”

“PFAS presents a major powersports industry challenge, since it’s used in so many of our products from various vehicle parts to all sorts of riding apparel,” said Scott Schloegel, MIC senior vice president at the GRO outside Washington, D.C. “Whether you’re an OE, aftermarket, or riding gear manufacturer, we remind you to learn about government PFAS proposals and look for ways to replace PFAS in products you sell.”

–MIC





[page break]



BANDIT’S CANTINA Bad Joke Library ALERT—

Required Reading at Bikernet University Adult Education Department

Education for married men–
When you are walking with your wife and a beautiful girl is walking towards you….
….and your wife asks, “Isn’t she beautiful?”
The answer “Yes” is incorrect.
The answer “No” is also incorrect.
The correct answer is “Who?”

Bad Joke Library — Married With Job (& mortgage) Thought for the Day

The older I get, the more I understand why roosters start their day off by screaming.

–Wayfarer
Certified Librarian







OLD SCHOOL BIKE FEATURE OF THE WEEK—Gooseneck classic.





–Sam Burns
Feature Biker Editor
Bikernet.com™





BRAND New Bikernet Reader Comment!—

TOO HIP, Conversation with the Babes

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

Pretty good stuff by jj. “….puke-scented fecal -splash” ? I’m stealin’ that !

— Bob Lumbye
Marshall, VA

“Raising the culture-level of bikers, one phrase at a time. A BEAUTIFUL THING!!” –J.J. Solari







SCIENTIFIC BACK-UP–Executive Summary

• This study looks at the positive environmental effects of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions, a topic which has been well established in the scientific literature but
which is far too often ignored in the current discussions about climate change
policy.

• All life is carbon based and the primary source of this carbon is the CO 2 in the
global atmosphere.

• As recently as 18,000 years ago, at the height of the most recent major glaciation,
CO 2 dipped to its lowest level in recorded history at 180 ppm, low enough to stunt
plant growth. This is only 30 ppm above a level that would result in the death of
plants due to CO 2 starvation.

• It is calculated that if the decline in CO 2 levels were to continue at the same rate as it has over the past 140 million years, life on Earth would begin to die as soon
as two million years from now and would slowly perish almost entirely as carbon continued to be lost to the deep ocean sediments.

• The combustion of fossil fuels for energy to power human civilization has reversed the downward trend in CO 2 and promises to bring it back to levels that
are likely to foster a considerable increase in the growth rate and biomass of plants, including food crops and trees.

• Human emissions of CO 2 have restored a balance to the global carbon cycle, thereby ensuring the long-term continuation of life on Earth.

• This extremely positive aspect of human CO 2 emissions must be weighed against the unproven hypothesis that human CO 2 emissions will cause a catastrophic warming of the climate in coming years.

• The one-sided political treatment of CO 2 as a pollutant that should be radically reduced must be corrected in light of the indisputable scientific evidence that it is essential to life on Earth.

–Patrick Moore







TWITTER FILES GO TO WASHINGTON TODAY—

Michael and Friend of Public Matt Taibbi will testify to Congress this morning on the abuses of power and threats to freedom of expression that the Twitter Files revealed.

Watch it all on CSPAN! It could get spicy.

–Bandit





BURMA SHAVE SLOGAN OF THE WEEK—

I’d like to see your eleventh toe /
The one that’s from a camel /
I want to see your nipples too /
to prove that you’re a mammal /

Also can I see your twattage /
I hear it churns with extra wattage /
and when at last my semen sloshes /
you’ll have to trod in high galloshes /

Burma Shave

from “Epic Love Pomes Of Biker Romance”
by J.J. Solari





NEW FROM THE FORD FACTORY—

A new Ford patent imagines a future in which self-driving cars repossess themselves.

The company says it has no plans to put ideas from the patent into action. Instead, it serves as a vision of what the future of repossession could look like with self-driving and smart cars.

Read in NPR: https://stocks.apple.com/Am5OTQ5s_TX-9mQl7W6pEgQ

Imagine it’s the near future, and you’ve bought a new car with a self-driving mode. But hard times hit and you fall behind on loan payments – then, one day you find your car has driven itself away to the repossession lot.

That’s the vision of a new Ford patent published last month that describes a variety of futuristic ways that Ford vehicle systems could be controlled by a financial institution in order to aid in the repossession of a car.

–from Geno





NEW INDIAN CUSTOM—

Indian Motorcycle is excited to share its latest custom Indian Chief, the R/T FOUR THIRTEEN.

In partnership with DicE Magazine, the built-for-the-track Indian Chief Dark Horse was designed and created by Zach Hindes, of Hindes Design. The R/T FOUR THIRTEEN is highlighted by a vintage, 70s-style racing fairing, race-inspired componentry, and fabricated parts including a custom tank and a custom exhaust with a Racefit Muffler. (A full parts list can be found below.)

“The form and function of this motorcycle was very important in this build seeing as it’s a dual purpose machine for road and track. Myself and my team at Hindes Design come from a racing background so we understood the challenge at hand and approached it with that mindset. We worked together with Dean Micetich at DicE Magazine on the styling and final design of the bike and found the perfect blend between vintage inspired track bike and a modern day sport bike. Something that was timeless yet handled to its best ability.” – Zach Hindes, Hindes Design

For paint, DicE Magazine tapped the renowned artist Ornamental Conifer.

“My work is an exploration into the concept of branding in a post-consumer society.

In a world where signage and advertising are no longer required to sell products or drive business there is a risk that our lives could feel empty, at least aesthetically.

As an artist, I thrive in an urban environment, my work relies on it for inspiration.

I love being surrounded by the visual cacophony of advertising and signage but I can’t help imagining, how might it be if the messages we are force-fed daily were messages of social connection, empathy and optimism?

How would we, as a society, evolve if this narrative had the same weight and could issue the same impact as major brand messaging carries today? …

Over the past few years I have worked on developing a visual language that is synonymous with myself, the artist. Intentionally presenting myself as a brand, offering an alternate world in which the mental health of its inhabitants, and the protection of its environment are taken at least as seriously as the amassing of wealth …

My need for the city to inspire my work is balanced equally by my need for nature to sustain, nurture and bring meaning to my wider world.”

– Nicolai Sclater / Ornamental Conifer

The R/T FOUR THIRTEEN custom Indian Chief Dark Horse will be on display throughout the 2023 Bike Week in Daytona Beach, FL at the Indian Motorcycle display on Main Street.

Credit: Scott Topher
FINAL PAINT:
Credit: Thaddeus James







BIKERNET GUN NUT NEWS—

We welcome you to join us at the 2023 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Indianapolis, IN from April 14 – 16. Usse the ticket below for FREE ENTRY into the show and enjoy a weekend of firearms, freedom, and the NRA!







THE NASH MOTORCYCLE SCORE—

New! “PUSH” Button Starter Plunger Assembly
Regular price $140.00

The newest addition to the original NMC Starter Button! The “PUSH” button starter comes in bronze or stainless steel ?? button and is available now!

The “PUSH” button threads (1/2-13) onto the 4 ¼” starter button shaft. The plunger comes with a black powder coated steel body, steel shaft and bushing.

Just give it a push to start your bike! Fits most all 1.4 kw and 1.6 kw starters.



“I used one of these on my funky Panhead project and it saved the day.” – Bandit

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

 –Bandit





BIKERNET GYM MEMO—

As I tell people, never too late to start a healthy journey. The human body responds to exercise in a one year old baby as well as an eighty year old lady. (Grandmas massage those babies for a reason).

Here is cool news on fitness for those who never have the time for exercise:

Micro Workouts for building muscle

Can a person boost muscle growth by spending less time in the gym? The training method is old and well-publicized by fitness champions such as Arnold Schwarzenegger. When you hit a plateau with muscle strength and endurance, just shock those muscles with a surprise weight or new exercise all-together.

Could Ten-Minute ‘Micro Workouts’ Be The Key To Building The Best Physique of Your Life?

Work from home? Pulse your workouts throughout the day to supersize your gains
by Andrew Tracey from Men’s Health magazine

“Micro workouts’ involve performing short, sharp bursts of resistance training, just ten minutes in length, multiple times throughout the day. Training more frequently in this way actually means you exercising less in total, clocking up just 30 minutes of total workout time per day, 4-5 days per week.

The concept of this approach is in the intensity you’re able to apply; with just 10 minutes to get through, and then hours to recover, you’re essentially hitting each exercise (or pair of exercises) fresh, enabling you to go all in and lay down some serious muscle building effort.

Train, Eat, Repeat: Get some exercise for e.g. before breakfast, before lunch, before dinner, etc. Such a schedule will also help to manage your blood sugar and appetite, as well as leaving you walking around with a pretty solid pump, 24 hours a day, all in half the time.

Target your chest, shoulders, legs and back — doing full-body muscle workout. Grab your weights and use a running clock. For each micro workout, perform the planned reps of movement one at the beginning of each minute, for five minutes, before immediately beginning five minutes of movement two.

When you are able to do these sets without much effort, its time to add weights to those dumbbells.”

Click here to read the complete article:
https://www.menshealth.com/uk/building-muscle/a42939977/micro-workouts/

Have you beaten your fitness goals? Its month of March 2023, so how many of you have stuck to your fitness resolutions in the New Year?

Write to the editor with your story and photos to inspire others. Or just ask us your doubts and resolve exercise obstacles.

Email us editor@TaiJutsu.art

Royalty Free Images from www.Pixabay.com

–Wayfarer
Gong-Fu Warrior Monk







BEST OF TIMES—

Wow, we really are living in the best of times. But control freaks don’t like that much and want to destroy everything. A brother wrote me and said it was just change and I should adapt. Good change is just that but destroying everything that’s good for control isn’t the change I will cotton to.



Hell, take a look at Daytona bike week and all the fun shit bikers get to do. I told Chris Callen I was at the front fighting for our rights to race and build cool shit, while he was enjoying the party in Daytona. That’s sorta true and false. He’s having fun and working his ass off for Cycle Source Readers. And I’m still having a blast daily working on projects, while trying to create change for the good of the motorcycle industry and everything we love.





So, my VLXAFL-5 is coming and may be shifting. I worked on the Headlight/taillight and started on the rider pegs and foot controls, via the brake linkage tool. Not happy, I discussed options with Steve Massicotte of Paughco. I’ll deliver a tech shortly.

I’m working on a two-part piece of motorcycle fiction behind the old Burt Lancaster movie called Valdez is coming. I will launch the first chapter tomorrow.





I met with Irish Rich of Shamrocks Customs and saw his new pipe system, too bitchin. Well done, with a modified Supertrapp muffler.





A Russian driver is about to deliver this ’58 Chevy to me from Austin, Texas. Unfortunately, the weather may delay his run through Wyoming until tomorrow.



I’m working with Hal Robinson’s second wife on a story about his life. He was amazing in so many ways.



The Redhead ordered this hot sauce and then warned about touching it…



We hung out with Adrian Newkirk in Deadwood. He’s mentioned in our old Easyriders Magazine story. I need to add this image. We told famous artist, Daniel James, to paint Adrian on his throne at the Rosie mansion overlooking town.



Remember our building in Wilmington. Toby rode by the other day on his Sporty and took this shot. It still shines.



The Redhead finally cooked a 12-pound turkey after a brine treatment. Some of the best bird I’ve ever had. A leftover sandwich with the News.



I mentioned a handlebar GPS speedo for the Salt Torpedo. Here’s what we came up with from the bicycle world. I wonder how fast it reads…

Okay, so stand up for what we all love and join your local motorcycle rights group. Then you’ll know what’s happening.

Ride fast and free forever!

–Bandit

The 5-Ball Racing ballistic nylon vest – get yours at 5-Ball Racing Shop, click to view

Shop owners are not aware of Motorcycle Riders Foundation. People are busy. We are bombarded constantly by TV, radio, internet, social media you name it. Shop owners struggle with day to day operations, including doing the job, accounting, marketing, maintenance and customer service. Then there’s the fun aspect. So, who has time to be involved in the government, or motorcycle rights?

I believe most folks just raise their hands in despair and try to go with the flow. Plus, there’s been a major movement telling us not to question their facts or motives, just fucking bend and step aside. I have a feeling that’s coming to an end and folks are going to step up. Let’s see. Time will tell and shit will smell.

–Bandit

CLICK HERE to read this Week’s Thursday News only on Bikernet.com

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Welcome to our new subscribers! It’s been a great show here in Daytona thus far. Happy, as always, to reconnect with so many wonderful friends!

This year, David Uhl’s daughter Isabella has joined us in the gallery here. As you may know, Bella has begun making a name for herself as a portrait pencil sketch artist.

As she follows in father David’s footsteps, she has now completed her first-ever watercolor, titled “Original Iron”. This was a commission from one of David’s collectors and Bella is now offering prints on watercolor paper in a 24-hour Flash Sale!

This print edition offers you the chance to get behind a burgeoning artist on the ground floor at very affordable prices.

It will be fun to see what she has in store for us in the future! She’s already working on her second motorcycle-related watercolor painting, and is still taking orders for the custom pencil portraits.

Details on print edition can be found below.

“Original Iron”

Isabella Uhl 2023

Print Edition

These watercolor Fine Art prints are only being offered for the next 24 hours. We will begin taking orders now and will close the edition at this time tomorrow, regardless of how many are sold.

Each print will be hand-signed by Isabella Uhl, numbered and come with a Certificate of Authenticity. Edition number preferences will be considered as orders are received.

These are being offered unframed or framed.

** Image size 14 x 11, $95 unframed / $195 framed

** Image size 22 x 15, $195 unframed / $345 framed

Shipping is additional.

While at the show here today, our cell service is spotty at best – so if you want to get in on this one, please email me and I’ll be able to respond when I get back to my hotel room this evening.

As always, thanks for your time!

Best regards,
Greg Rhodes
International Sales Director
David Uhl Fine Art
Uhl Studios
303-913-4840

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TELL ‘EM BIKERNET SENT YA !!!

Also check out Hal Robinson prints at https://5-ballgarage.com/

EXPOSED: America’s Secret Censorship-Industrial Complex

U.S. government officials, agencies, and contractors are violating the First Amendment

Friends —

Over the last three months, a small group of independent journalists, including Leighton and I, have, thanks to the Twitter Files, exposed the ways in which social media platforms have, under pressure from U.S. government agencies, censored ordinary Americans and spread disinformation.

Today, at 10 am ET, journalist Matt Taibbi and I will testify before Congress and reveal the existence of a secret censorship-industrial complex in the United States.

Our findings are shocking. A highly-organized network of U.S. government agencies and government contractors has been creating blacklists and pressuring social media companies to censor Americans, often without them knowing it.

We and others have already reported on some of the actions of this complex, including its disinformation campaigns. But the extent of its censorship was unknown to us until very recently. And, as importantly, we now understand the ways in which this complex simultaneously spreads disinformation and demands censorship.

What my 68-page testimony to Congress shows is an effort by U.S. government intelligence and security agencies to wage “information warfare” against the American people.

I do not doubt that some people will try to justify the behaviors we have documented. They will say such censorship is necessary for “fighting disinformation.”

But there is no moral or legal justification for the acts of state-sponsored censorship we document, much less for the fundamentally unAmerican censorship-industrial complex.

I believe that any reasonable person reading our report, no matter their politics, will be horrified by what is taking place and demand an end to it.

With our testimony, we are calling on Congress to defund and dismantle the censorship-industrial complex immediately.

Democracy depends on freedom of speech. Both are under attack.

Michael

PS: A written transcript of my verbal testimony, which summarizes our findings, is below. I hope you will consider reading the full 68-page document, which can be downloaded by clicking the “download” button.

DOWNLOAD FILE

SUBSCRIBE at https://shellenberger.org/

* * *

The Censorship-Industrial Complex
My verbal testimony to Congress

by Michael Shellenberger

In his 1961 farewell address, President Dwight Eisenhower warned of “the acquisition of unwarranted influence… by the military-industrial complex.” Eisenhower feared that the size and power of the “complex,” or cluster, of government contractors and the Department of Defense would “endanger our liberties or democratic processes.” How? Through “domination of the nation’s scholars by Federal employment, project allocations, and the power of money.” He feared public policy would “become the captive of a scientific-technological elite.”

Eisenhower’s fears were well-founded. Today, American taxpayers are unwittingly financing the growth and power of a censorship-industrial complex run by America’s scientific and technological elite, which endangers our liberties and democracy. I am grateful for the opportunity to offer this testimony and sound the alarm over the shocking and disturbing emergence of state-sponsored censorship in the United States of America.

The Twitter Files, state attorneys general lawsuits, and investigative reporters have revealed a large and growing network of government agencies, academic institutions, and nongovernmental organizations that are actively censoring American citizens, often without their knowledge, on a range of issues, including on the origins of COVID, COVID vaccines, emails relating to Hunter Biden’s business dealings, climate change, renewable energy, fossil fuels, and many other issues.

I offer some cautions. I do not know how much of the censorship is coordinated beyond what we have been able to document, and I will not speculate. I recognize that the law allows Facebook, Twitter, and other private companies to moderate content on their platforms. And I support the right of governments to communicate with the public, including to dispute inaccurate and misleading information.

But government officials have been caught repeatedly pushing social media platforms to censor disfavored users and content. Often, these acts of censorship threaten the legal protection social media companies need to exist, Section 230.

“If government officials are directing or facilitating such censorship,” notes George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley, “it raises serious First Amendment questions. It is axiomatic that the government cannot do indirectly what it is prohibited from doing directly.”

Moreover, we know that the U.S. government has funded organizations that pressure advertisers to boycott news media organizations and social media platforms that a) refuse to censor and/or b) spread disinformation, including alleged conspiracy theories.

The Stanford Internet Observatory, the University of Washington, the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab, and Graphika all have inadequately-disclosed ties to the Department of Defense, the C.I.A., and other intelligence agencies. They work with multiple U.S. government agencies to institutionalize censorship research and advocacy within dozens of other universities and think tanks.

It is important to understand how these groups function. They are not publicly engaging with their opponents in an open exchange of ideas. They aren’t asking for a national debate over the limits of the First Amendment. Rather, they are creating blacklists of disfavored people and then pressuring, cajoling, and demanding that social media platforms censor, deamplify, and even ban the people on these blacklists.

Who are the censors? They are a familiar type. Overly confident in their ability to discern truth from falsity, good intention from bad intention, the instinct of these hall monitor-types is to complain to the teacher — and, if the teacher doesn’t comply, to go above them, to the principal. Such an approach might work in middle school and many elite universities, but it is anathema to freedom and is an abuse of power.

These organizations and others are also running their own influence operations, often under the guise of “fact-checking.” The intellectual leaders of the censorship complex have convinced journalists and social media executives that accurate information is disinformation, that valid hypotheses are conspiracy theories, and that greater self-censorship results in more accurate reporting. In many instances, censorship, such as labeling social media posts, is part of the influence operation aimed at discrediting factual information.

The censorship industrial complex combines established methods of psychological manipulation, some developed by the U.S. military during the Global War on Terror, with highly sophisticated tools from computer science, including artificial intelligence. The complex’s leaders are driven by the fear that the Internet and social media platforms empower populist, alternative, and fringe personalities and views, which they regard as destabilizing. Federal government officials, agencies, and contractors have gone from fighting ISIS recruiters and Russian bots to censoring and deplatforming ordinary Americans and disfavored public figures.

Importantly, the bar for bringing in military-grade government monitoring and speech-countering techniques has moved from “countering terrorism” to “countering extremism” to countering simple misinformation. The government no longer needs a predicate of calling you a terrorist or extremist to deploy government resources to counter your political activity. The only predicate it needs is simply the assertion that the opinion you expressed on social media is wrong.

These efforts extend to influencing and even directing conventional news media organizations. Since 1971, when the Washington Post and New York Times elected to publish classified Pentagon papers about the war in Vietnam, journalists understood that we have a professional obligation to report on leaked documents whose contents are in the public interest, even when they had been stolen. And yet, in 2020, the Aspen Institute and Stanford’s Cyber Policy Center urged journalists to “Break the Pentagon Papers principle” and not cover leaked information to prevent the spread of “disinformation.”

Government-funded censors frequently invoke the prevention of real-world harm to justify their demands for censorship, but the censors define harm far more expansively than the Supreme Court does. The censors have defined harm so broadly, in fact, that they have justified Facebook censoring accurate information about COVID vaccines, for example, to prevent “vaccine hesitancy.” Their goal, clearly, is not protecting the truth but rather persuading the public. That is the purpose of open debate and the free exchange of ideas.

And, increasingly, the censors say their goal is to restrict information that “delegitimizes” governmental, industrial, and news media organizations. That mandate is so sweeping that it could easily censor criticism of any part of the status quo, from elected officials to institutions to laws. This extreme, reactionary attitude is, bluntly, un-American.

Congress should immediately cut off funding to the censors and investigate their activities. Second, it should mandate instant reporting of all conversations between social media executives, government employees, and contractors concerning content moderation. Third, Congress should limit the broad permission given to social media platforms to censor, deplatform, and spread propaganda.

Whatever Congress does, it is incumbent upon the American people to wake up to the threat of government censorship. “Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry,” Eisenhower noted, “can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals so that security and liberty may prosper together.”

* * * *

EDITOR’S NOTE: The views expressed here are those of the author Michael Shellenberger and is shared here only as part of diverse perspectives. This article or author does not represent Bikernet.com, its Sponsors or their products & services.

by DMAC

Bike Week 2023 rolled into Daytona Beach and the surrounds for the 82nd time.

Daytona and MotoAmerica have joined forces to host the Daytona 200 this year. Riders from all over the world participate in “America’s Most Historic Motorcycle Race” that moved from the beach/road course to Daytona International Speedway in 1961.

Click Here to Have a look at this beautiful Photo Feature Article only on Bikernet.com

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Gear up to ride to your favorite Motorcycling Events – Click Here to view the all-new 5-Ball Racing Shop

by Bandit and Mike Rungy

This is wild. It brings up memories of wild times and early issues of Easyriders Magazines.

I have a neighbor in Deadwood who works for the Deadwood Historic Society. He called the other day about an article published in Easyriders around the Deadwood Whorehouses. Just before the article was published the feds raided and put an end to prostitution in the Black Hills forever, sorta…

Click Here to read this article only on Bikernet.com

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Click to Join Bandit’s Cantina for exclusive content plus Girls of Bikernet

 

 

 Plan to be at  Daytona International Speedway For the 81^st Daytona Motorcycle Race – March 9^th to 11^th,

 

 

 For more information on tickets and the event – see the link below:

                           https://www.motoamerica.com/daytona-200/

 

The Legendary Boot Hill Saloon is celebrating 50 years, opening in 1973– and they ain’t goin’ nowhere!!! 

 

 

Cake and Photo provided by : “Fran Haasch Law Group, Twisted Tea, Beach 92.7, Camp Easy Ride, River City Wrestling Con, and Rider Now Magazine”.

 

 

Some things will never change….

 

 

And some things have changed……

 

 

To the shitter….!

 

But you’re are still better off there than across the street! 

 

 

I hosted Billboard on his road trip which started Oct 10^th 2020 and lasted a little over six months and covered 29 states. 20,464 miles became a new direction in life for the person who was so distraught over life, he was going to end his with a bullet.

 

 

We phone tagged over the weekend, as he was heading back to Florida for Bike Week. I told him to meet me Sunday at the Boot. When he got there – he mentioned wanting to try to find Grizzly who he previously met in Arizona during his Epic Quest. It was during Bike week 2021 that he introduced me to Grizzly at the Speedway. Needless to say,  Grizzly’s scoot just happened to be parked right outside the Station….. next door. Billboard has this Divine Intervention thing still going on in his life – he didn’t have any contact info for Grizzly but was hoping to find him this trip.

 

 

 

Billboard has documented his journey in a book, “The Epic Quest for Jesus”- and he included the photo of him, Grizzly and myself from the Speedway, 2021 in the book. 

He wanted to give Grizzly a copy – and was hoping to locate him this trip.

 

Mission Accomplished!

 Link for Book:

 https://www.amazon.com/Epic-Quest-Jesus-Encounters-Four-Corners/dp/B0B7RPGHGV/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2O2WCT2MHWYPZ&keywords=epic+quest+for+jesus&qid=1678164927&sprefix=epic+quest+%2Caps%2C112&sr=8-1#customerReviews

 

 

 

 

Asking for continued prayers and speedy recovery vibes for Moonshiner Josh Owens who sustained life threatening injuries during the Sons of Speed Race at the New Smyrna Speedway on Saturday, March 4^th.

 

Also, sending the same to Joe Orsini, who went down during the race at turn 2 – and is recovering from surgery.

 

Russell Carvalho walked back to the pits from his wreck during the race also… add him to the prayer chain as well….

 

Sons of Speed was an epic event with 63 racers participating! 

 

AHRMA Side Car Racing , SOS first timer Tim Joyce and returning  SOS racer Stephen “HotShot” Aretz 

 

 

And the Burn Out after Bike Week!!!!   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HARLEY-DAVIDSON FACTORY TEAM SET TO OPEN 2023 MOTOAMERICA KING OF THE BAGGERS SEASON AT DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY

Factory Team Riders, Kyle Wyman and Travis Wyman, Ready to Chase a Championship

MILWAUKEE (March 6, 2023) – The Harley-Davidson® Screamin’ Eagle® factory racing team is prepared to open the 2023 racing season March 9-11 at Daytona International Speedway, site of the first two rounds of the MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers roadracing series. Kyle Wyman and his brother Travis Wyman return to ride the team’s race-prepared Harley-Davidson® Road Glide® motorcycles powered by modified Screamin’ Eagle® Milwaukee-Eight® 131 Performance Crate Engines. The Harley-Davidson factory team will leave nothing on the track as they fight to bring the championship title back to Milwaukee.

“In our 120^th Anniversary year, we’re coming at it bigger and better than ever before, as we compete to win the championship and bring back the #1 plate to Milwaukee where it belongs,” said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO, Harley-Davidson. “Our Screamin’ Eagle factory racing team is ready for the season – and with Kyle and Travis on the track, I’m excited for what is set to be a great season of racing for our community of racers and fans alike.”

The King of the Baggers series offers exciting competition between American V-Twin touring motorcycles prepared for competition and equipped with a fairing/windscreen and saddlebags. The 2023 season will see the King of the Baggers series expanded from seven to 14 races over seven double-header weekends held in conjunction with the MotoAmerica Superbike Series.

A fan feature for the 2023 season is the Harley-Davidson® 120th Anniversary VIP Ticket Package. Offered as a three-day or one-day package, these special VIP passes include admission with fan zone and paddock access, all the MotoAmerica races including the Mission King of the Baggers practice sessions, qualifying and racing action. Each pass also includes access to premium parking reserved for Harley-Davidson motorcycles on all three days of the race weekend, and participation in Harley-Davidson parade laps around the track on Friday and Saturday.

For the 2023 season, the Harley-Davidson factory team will be sporting custom designed livery, honoring Harley-Davidson’s 120th anniversary aboard their race-modified Road Glide motorcycles, Milwaukee-Eight® 131 Performance Crate Engine. The team bikes also feature upgraded suspension components, including Screamin’ Eagle/Öhlins Remote Reservoir Rear Shocks, plus competition exhaust, race tires and lightweight bodywork.

Harley-Davidson invites you to kick off the 2023 MotoAmerica King of the Baggers season with some adrenaline pumping action. Today, Harley-Davidson is premiering ‘Push the Limit,’ a film that shares the story of defending champion Kyle Wyman, teammate Travis Wyman and the Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle race team’s 2022 championship pursuit. Check it out on Harley-Davidson’s YouTube channel.

The Wyman Brothers
Travis Wyman, the owner of Travis Wyman Racing based in Las Vegas, finished second in points during the 2022 King of the Baggers season, with one race win (Road America) and three second-place finishes. The 31-year-old racer returns for his second full season with the Harley-Davidson factory team.

“I am excited about my second season on the factory H-D team and ready for the expanded schedule this year,” said Travis. “My consistent finishes last year put me in contention for the title going into the last round. With the two-race format, if Saturday does not go well, you get another shot on Sunday rather than waiting for the next race weekend. As other teams get these bikes figured out, I expect the level of competition to be tougher this season. Our Harley team is going to need to be on its game at every race.”

Kyle Wyman, 33, won three 2022 King of the Baggers races (Atlanta, Monterey and New Jersey) and had two other podium appearances to finish third in season points. Wyman began racing professionally in flat track aboard a Harley-Davidson® XR750 and formed Kyle Wyman Racing at the age of 21 to compete at the highest level of professional road racing in the United States. Kyle Wyman is the 2019 Daytona 200 winner. He was King of the Baggers champion in 2021, riding for the Harley-Davidson factory team.

“It will be an honor to represent the Harley-Davidson brand during this 120th Anniversary season,” said Kyle Wyman. “It is incredible to be a part of the enduring history of Harley-Davidson. I’ve spent much of the off season working with the team to further develop our Road Glide race bikes, and I have a lot of confidence going into 2023. We will continue to see lap records fall this season, and everyone on the grid will be quicker.”

Available Support
In addition to competing in the series, the H-D Screamin’ Eagle team continues to work directly with MotoAmerica to promote the series by supporting all Harley-Davison competitors. Select performance products developed for the 2022 factory team bikes are available to all qualified racers. Teams should reach out directly to their local Harley-Davidson® dealership for availability and pricing.

Top squads expected to run Harley-Davidson® bikes at the front of the field include the four-rider Team Saddlemen effort with returning veteran racers Cory West and Patricia Fernandez-West along with Frankie Garcia and class newcomer Jake Lewis, all competing on race-modified Harley-Davidson® Road Glide® motorcycles, prepared with the assistance of Hoban Brothers Racing. The Vance & Hines Racing team returns to the King of the Baggers series with proven series front runners James Rispoli and Hayden Gillim, also campaigning race-prepared Road Glide motorcycles.

MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers Contingency
Harley-Davidson will offer more than $185,000 in cash contingency for qualified Harley-Davidson racers competing in the Mission King of the Baggers series, with a contingency payout from first to 10th place in all 14 races and a $35,000 series championship bonus. Terms and conditions apply; please see www.MotoAmerica.com for full details, eligibility requirements and deadlines.

About the Screamin’ Eagle® Milwaukee-Eight® 131 Performance Crate Engine:
The Screamin’ Eagle® Milwaukee-Eight 131 is a powerful street-compliant performance engine offered by Harley-Davidson. Built from the bottom up in Milwaukee, this 131-cubic-inch (2147cc) Screamin’ Eagle® crate engine delivers 131 ft-lb of torque to the rear wheel, and may be installed in 2017-later Harley-Davidson Touring models.

2023 Mission King of the Baggers Schedule
(Two full races each weekend)

• March 9-11: Daytona International Raceway – Daytona Beach, Fla.
• April 21-23: Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta – Braselton, Ga.
• June 2-4: Road America – Elkhart Lake, Wis.
• July 7-9: WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca – Monterey, Calif.
• July 28-30: Brainerd International Raceway – Brainerd, Minn.
• September 8-10: Circuit of the Americas – Austin, Texas
• September 22-24: New Jersey Motorsports Park – Millville, N.J.

Harley-Davidson stands for the timeless pursuit of adventure and freedom for the soul. Go to H-D.com to learn more about the complete line of 2023 Harley-Davidson® Grand American Touring, Sport, Adventure Touring, Cruiser and Trike motorcycles, Harley-Davidson Certified™ pre-owned motorcycles, Harley-Davidson® Genuine Motor Parts & Accessories, Harley-Davidson® MotorClothes® apparel and gear, and Harley-Davidson Financial Services.

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Officially set up at Daytona Bike Week!

Teddy’ Morse’s Daytona Harley-Davidson from now until March 12th in Ormond Beach.

Scott, Jackie and Traci are there to chat and show you Scott’s newest works including his NEW Daytona Painting!

Looking to Collect the Set?

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Scott created a painting for the 82nd Sturgis Rally AND the 82nd Daytona Bike Week. They were made in the same sizes for you to collect both if you’re a big biker fan.

Take a look!

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Editor’s Note: Presentations and panels at The Heartland Institute’s recently concluded 15th International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC-15) discussed the dangers of the pursuit of “net zero.” Net zero policies are an attempt by ruling elites in governments, bureaucracies, international agencies, and global corporations to force people to reduce their CO2 emissions to as close to zero as possible, with any remaining emissions being reabsorbed from the atmosphere. In the real world, with present technologies, pursuing net zero requires a sharp, near-immediate reduction or full cessation of the use of fossil fuels. A presentation by Heartland Institute Trustee Steve Milloy argued “Net Zero Is Unachievable and Will Kill People,” as the title of his speech put it. On another panel, three presenters discussed “Why NetZero is Impossible: The Continuing Need and Value of Fossil Fuels.”

There is no question that reaching a net zero steady state will require greatly restricting peoples’ liberties, impose huge economic costs, and probably have deadly consequences, both foreseen and unanticipated. Therefore, before embarking on such a wrenching societal transformation, we should be pretty sure the planet needs saving from climate change. If the science does not show catastrophic climate change is on the way, governments must seek other justifications for forcing people to change their lives radically to reach net zero.

So, is net zero necessary? According to a recent paper produced by the CO2 Coalition, the answer to that question is not just no but hell, no! The paper was written by two prominent, multi-award-winning physicists, William Happer, Ph.D., professor emeritus at Princeton University, and Richard Lindzen, Ph.D., professor emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with geologist Gregory Wrightstone, executive director of the CO2 Coalition, each of whom presented on science and policy at ICCC-15.

The remainder of this essay provides a lightly edited excerpt from “Challenging ‘Net Zero’ with Science,” plus quotes from its authors about the paper’s findings.

Reliable scientific knowledge is determined by the scientific method, where theoretical predictions are validated by observations or rejected for failing to conform with reality. Agreement with observations is the measure of scienti?c truth. Scienti?c progress proceeds by the interplay of theory and observation. Theory explains observations and makes predictions of what will be observed in the future. Observations anchor understanding and weed out theories that don’t work.

Net Zero—the global movement to eliminate fossil fuels and their emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases—is scientifically invalid and a threat to the lives of billions of people. Among the paper’s findings are:
Net Zero proponents regularly report that extreme weather is more severe and frequent because of climate change, while the evidence shows no increase—and, in some cases, a decrease—in such events.

Computer models supporting every government Net Zero regulation and the trillions of dollars subsidizing renewables and electric cars, trucks, home heating, appliances, and many other products do not work.

Scientific research and studies that do not support the “consensus” narrative of harmful manmade global warming are routinely censored and excluded from government reports such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the National Climate Assessment.

Conclusions of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that contradict the narrative of catastrophic global warming from fossil fuels are rewritten by government bureaucrats for public reports to support the false narrative of Net Zero.

The many benefits of modest warming and increasing carbon dioxide are routinely either eliminated or minimized in governmental reports.

Eliminating fossil fuels and implementing Net Zero policies and actions mean the elimination of fossil fuel-derived nitrogen fertilizers and pesticides, which will result in about half the world’s population not having enough food to eat. Many would starve.

The adoption of Net Zero is the rejection of overwhelming scientific evidence that there is no risk of catastrophic global warming caused by fossil fuels and CO2.
Net Zero, then, violates the tenets of the scientific method that for more than 300 years has underpinned the advancement of western civilization.

(To paraphrase Johnnie Cochran, “If the science don’t work, you must start again!” Net zero is not justified scientifically, ethically, or economically.—Editor.)