We were young, dumb, and full of cum back then…

The straightest line from New Hampshire to South Dakota takes one into Canada, through Montreal, over the Great Lakes, then into Michigan. From there it would be a straight shot to South Dakota. Although Sturgis was still a month off, I’d decided to arrive early then settle into the nearby town of Rapid and work on my writing for a while. When the rally began I’d move to Sturgis, fill my pockets with vendor-work money, then decide from there. A simple plan really.

Although she ran fine, Betsy’s second engine had run into high mileage and was now drinking a quart of oil every 200 miles. I’d address that issue when opportunity arose. Meantime I’d pack extra oil. But the day was good and the ride fine as the road returned my mind to only thoughts of the present. Behind lay no house, no job, and no bills, while ahead was only the next destination.

Traveling slowly, I’d stick mostly to back roads. At night I’d make camp upon the land, or in truck stops where showers, televisions, and laundry machines are abundant. As usual, time was of little concern and the 1,800 mile trip would take no less that a week and a half. For I did not travel to make time, but rather to have a good time.

The lush north/eastern countryside turned to wide open prairie as the South Dakota state line came and went. By morning I’d arrived in Rapid City with plenty of time to seek accommodations. To the small city of Rapid I had history and the search for adequate land upon which to live led me to a familiar pine forest. The tiny and forgotten road offered broken pavement as I soon passed the long driveway of one large house set into the distant trees. I knew from other visits that this beautiful area had once been occupied by the rich who built their estates amid this private landscape. But the surrounding territory had now been reduced to only a gaping hole as the nearby cement plant expanded its strip mine operation. When that land was exhausted they’d bought, bulldozed, and reduced these fine homes to more holes in the ground until, finally, only this last house remained.

I decided to check it out. If anyone was home I’d claim to be lost. But the people were gone. I gazed at the big house. It was a single-story with separate guest house, brick-barbecue, and private tennis courts. All in perfect condition. The driveway curled around back to disappear between the house and a tall row of pine trees that surrounded and concealed this property entirely. Very private. The doors were unlocked so I went inside. Deserted. House beautifully intact, but empty. All that remained was one nightstand and two wooden caskets. Yeah. One was a homemade mock-up filled with Halloween decorations and the other, although authentic, was cheep and had obviously been purchased as a second Halloween prop. Guessing rightly that the house had been slated for destruction and probably meant little to anyone anymore, I moved in. 

 

Pushing the authentic casket into a corner by two windows, I removed the lid then set it upside down to serve as a cot for my bedding. Next I brought the nightstand to bedside. I was happy with the new place.

Rapid City offers a huge YMCA and the following day I acquired membership. This brought access to showers, weights, TV room, pool, and even a hot tub. As with many times before, I settled into this new environment. The writing work began. By morning I’d pull the nightstand to face the bed and place my laptop there. Having parked my motorcycle under the veranda outside my window, I’d pull the line that connected to its battery through the bedroom window and plug its other end into my lap top. Next I’d sit on the bed, back against the wall, drink coffee from a thermos, and work. Some days I’d write at a coffee shop in town. After work the Y would provide hot water and exercise. By afternoon I’d simply hang out to meet folks; as had been my way in so many towns over the years. Some of these new friends rode motorcycles, others didn’t. Rapid is near an Indian Reservation and I made friends among the Sioux as well. By invitation I began to take part in the sweat lodges ceremonies every week. An experience one never forgets.

It was five days before Sturgis officially began when I settled into nearby free camping in the Black Hills National Forest. My camp lay only six miles from Main Street Sturgis. Once the rally’d gotten underway I took a job as wrench for a mobile mechanic at a pay scale of $22.50 an hour, but by midweek was offered work mounting tires at the Dunlop tent. The pay there was substantially higher so I took the offer. On the final day of this employment I mounted the finest of our used, take-off, tires to my own bike and also installed a good used set of brake pads.

By week’s end my wallet held almost two grand. I was rich. I returned to the house in Rapid. 

 

Three days passed before I met a local nurse. We took a walk that afternoon then ran into each other again the following day. It was early evening of our second encounter when she asked for a ride. I threw the excess camping gear into her old van, offered my back seat, and off we went. Melanie had lived all her life here, loved the Black Hills, and would never leave. For her, all the world was this place. She pointed the way and I drove. The sun had just set as the little highway led away from city lights and into the deep forest. From the back seat she told stories of local history as I listened.

 

Eventually I pulled to a turnout and killed the motor. Before long we were making out like high school sweethearts. As the heat escalated more privacy seemed desirable so I pointed to a dirt road that led into the trees. “Oh no,” she said, “You ain’t gettin’ nothing tonight!” But it seemed her mind lacked the power to override libido and before I knew it we were naked and going at it on the tarp I’d laid beside the bike…in plain view of the highway! Fortunately traffic was light. Still, the cars did come. From our left the motorcycle blocked most of the action. But the right offered no cover and, since I’d parked on a slight curve, those cars illuminated us like a free show in the headlights. There was no way to hide so I only buried my face for those moments and prayed it wasn’t a cop.

So began the romance. 

Melanie took care of her 80-year old mother and therefore rendezvous at her place were no good. She began coming to my house and before long we’d implemented a routine. Melanie added a single mattress to her van’s otherwise empty interior. In the evenings she’d back into the hidden driveway behind my house, which left her rear doors to face toward the entrance of my bedroom. There, just inside the rear van doors that remained open to fresh air, we would talk, play, and eventually sleep. At the morning alarm clock’s early warning, I’d climb outta the van and into my own bed while Melanie shuffled off to work. At around 9:00 I’d get up, start the day, then do it all over again that night.

The summer days passed.

I began returning home to find parts of my house missing. The garage doors, the water heater, electric rang, etc. People were stripping the place. And why not? It was slated for destruction anyway.

 

Melanie had a four-day weekend ahead and, longing for a break from the routine, I invited her for a short jaunt into the Black Hills. She readily accepted. Off we roared into the twisty roads, the FL loaded for bear and Melanie planted firmly on the back seat. I drove, she navigated. These hills were Melanie’s life and she knew every town, lake, canyon and forgotten back road. Though I’d spent plenty of time in this area over the years, Melanie took us to places I’d not known existed. We traveled slowly, talked to many, and sometimes ate in fine restaurants. We made camp beside creeks, spent one night in an abandoned campground, and stayed at secluded spots deeper into the woods. Not once did we pay for lodging. Sometimes I slid us unnoticed into the shower stalls of fully functional campgrounds. There were deer, wild turkey, buffalo, and others. The days were magic and the nights unforgettable. At the end of four days time we were back in Rapid.

Again time passed.

The cell phone rang. It was an old friend. Derek is an entrepreneur who, having built other successful businesses in past, now buys and sells Harley parts. Derek had endured an extremely nasty divorce recently and the battle had left him pretty beat up. He wanted me to visit. It seemed important.

 

“I’d love to Derek but you live in Lyons Kansas. Maybe some day when…”

“How’s your bike running?” he interrupted.

“Using lots of oil.”

“Need a top end? I’ve got a wall full of brand new cylinders, pistons, and rings to fit that thing. Even got a set of heads. You can have anything you need free of charge. You can wrench in the shop, use the tools, and stay at the house. What do you say?”

“Ah…take about a week to get there. Gonna be around?”

“See you then,” and he hung up.

Two days later I left the Black Hills. As the plains opened ahead I thought back over recent events. It had been one of the best rallies yet. For a moment I let imagination wonder to what lay ahead. But the day was good and the ride fine as the road soon returned my mind to only thoughts of the present.

 

The American Motorcyclist Association supports this legislation and encourages you to contact your state senator now and urge them to vote for AB 51. Fill out the form at the bottom of this page and click the red “Submit” button.

Background: Lane splitting, also called lane filtering, is the practice of riding a motorcycle or scooter between lanes of stopped or slowly moving traffic. The fuel-saving and congestion-easing practice has been accepted in California for decades but does not have the power of law to protect it.

The CHP posted these guidelines with the intention of helping motorcyclists and other drivers understand clearly identified safe practices and to discourage unsafe lane splitting. The guidelines represent common sense traffic safety tips and were simply intended to raise public awareness.

Given the widespread popularity and general acceptance of lane splitting in California, the AMA believes this legislation will effectively formalize the practice. Riders, and the motoring public alike, benefit from lane splitting, which was documented by a University of California-Berkeley study released in 2015.

The AMA welcomes the opportunity for state agencies like the California Highway Patrol and the Office of Traffic Safety to educate and inform all road users about the benefits of lane splitting. With the passage of AB 51, this will be possible.

To contact your legislator, fill out the form at the bottom of this page [at this link] and click the red “Submit” button.

The complete AMA lane splitting position statement is available here.

The deleted CHP guidelines can still be downloaded and reviewed here.

The AMA is calling on all California riders to support this bill by entering your information in the fields below and clicking on the red “Submit” button.

Thousands of riders like you join the AMA to unite for a common goal – to protect our freedom to ride. As an AMA member, you will stand with hundreds of thousands of advocates nationwide fighting anti-motorcycling forces that threaten our right to ride and race. That’s why the AMA is where you belong. Visit AMAJoin.com or call (800) AMA-JOIN today.

Please Follow the AMA on Twitter @AMA_Rights and like us on Facebook.

The linked material below is a collection of information which provides an overview of both the mosfet and thyristor type voltage regulators. If using a thyristor type voltage regulator and it fails, upgrading to a mosfet based voltage regulator will offer longer lifespan and better charging system performance. Heat buildup in the voltage regulator kills the SCRs, whereas mosfets are more efficient and reliable. In general the mosfet design is better suited for the voltage regulator application demands.

Summary

When starting a vehicle with a low battery, it will cause the voltage regulator to push high currents for a longer period of time. This duty cycle will cause the voltage regulator to run hotter. Maintaining the Shorai LFX battery above 13.3V will help to reduce stress on the voltage regulator because the charged time to reach 14.4V will be relatively short. If the battery is at 13.1V ~50% SOC or 12.86V~20% SOC this will result in higher voltage regulator temperatures.

For the complete write-up please keep reading.

Voltage Regulators

 

Single Phase Voltage Regulators are used with single phase stators in permanent magnet flywheel charging systems. You can see the stators and rotors pages to learn more about these type of systems. The Single Phase Voltage Regulator serves two functions. First, is to act as a Rectifier (why these are often called Regulator-Rectifier’s). The rectifier section is represented by the 4 arrows in the schematic above. The arrows represent the internal Diodes, which are electronic components inside unit which form the Rectifier section. Diodes are a simple electrical component that serve a single function. Diodes can be thought of as one-way streets for electrical current. They only allow current to pass in one direction: positive polarity. The single phase rectifier has each end of the stator coil connected in between a pair of diodes. The diodes filter out the negative portion of the alternating current wave, only allowing the positive polarity current to pass. After the diode bridge, the electrical current from the stator is rectified into direct current, which is used to charge the battery.

The Regulator is separate set of components and function inside the unit. The regulator function is very simple (and reliable) in most motorcycle regulators. A regulator control circuit monitors battery voltage, and compares this measurement to an internal reference voltage (the regulation point). Motorcycle regulators are generally designed to allow a maximum battery voltage of ~14.6VDC at the battery while charging. When this voltage limit is reached, the control circuit triggers semiconductor switches, called ‘Silicon Controlled Rectifiers’ (SCR’s). When the SCR is triggered, it essentially closes a switch, making a connection between the output of the stator, and ground. This act shunts stator output to the ground, which is dissipated as heat throughout the regulators body. This is why the regulator housing design is critical. It not only serves to protect the internal components from the elements & vibration, but needs to efficiently dissipate heat as excess current is bled off. Fins are often used to allow airflow to help cool the housing.

Three Phase Voltage Regulators

Three Phase voltage regulator/rectifiers function the same way as described above in the single phase section. The differences are the rectifier bridge contains another set of diodes to rectify the third phase of output from the stator.

Field Coil Rotor Regulators

These Voltage Regulator units are of the type used on bikes that use a rotor with an internal field coil, instead of a permanent magnet flywheel. This type of system is used on many Japanese motorcycles throughout the ’70s and early ’80s, like the Honda CB series & Yamaha XS series. These units have an internal rectifier, that functions the same way as the units described above. The difference with this type of system is in the regulation. Regulation in these systems is done by varying the current flow through a field coil inside of the rotor to vary the magnetic field, rather than shunting stator output (see permanent magnet systems above). The regulator senses battery voltage, and regulates current flow to the field coil. When the battery voltage is low, the regulator allows maximum current to flow through the field coil, increasing the magnetic field in the rotor. This, in turn, increases the output from the stator windings. When the measured battery voltage reaches full charge (~14.4V), current flow through the field coil is reduced, or stopped altogether (depending on the particular model), to avoid overcharging the battery. These systems are more efficient than Permanent Magnet charging systems, as there is not as much wasted current being generated that has to be dissipated as heat. However there are more parts to wear out in these systems, such as the slip rings on the rotor, or the brushes providing current to the field coil.

Alternator Regulation
Some motorcycles, particularly street models in the 80’s, used an automotive-type alternator system. In these units an alternator is usually gear driven from the crankshaft. The alternator has an internal diode bridge to perform AC->DC rectification (see description above). The alternator has an internal field coil, which is controlled by a separate regulator unit (also internal to the alternator). The regulators can fail on these units, and are easy to replace.

General Voltage Regulator (Regulator/Rectifier) Troubleshooting Steps

Voltage Regulator units generally fail from heat. Most regulators work to protect the battery by dissipating unnecessary charging current as heat. The heat is sunk by the metal body of the regulator. On most bikes, the regulator body is finned for air-cooling, and is mounted in some location with decent airflow. If a regulator fails often on a particular model, and the regulator is mounted in a location with poor airflow (underneath the seat, under a fairing, near exhaust, etc.) it can help to move and re-mount the regulator housing somewhere on the bike with very good airflow.

Regulation Failures

1: Connect your DMM to the battery terminals, Red DMM lead to the Positive (+) terminal, Black DMM lead to the Negative (-) terminal.
2: Set the DMM to DC Voltage mode, 20V range.
3: Start the engine.
4: Note battery voltage at idle. It should be in the range of 12V – 13VDC at idle. (see comment below)
5: Rev the engine to 4000-5000RPM, and check the DMM reading.
6: The regulator should reach ~14.4 – 14.6VDC.

In reference to desired voltage at idle – less than 13.2V will discharge LFX batteries, 13.6-14.4V is desired for all RPM ranges. LFX can tolerate up to 15.2V.

The MOSFET

The MOSFET – Metal Oxide FET

As well as the Junction Field Effect Transistor (JFET), there is another type of Field Effect Transistor available whose Gate input is electrically insulated from the main current carrying channel and is therefore called an Insulated Gate Field Effect Transistor or IGFET. The most common type of insulated gate FET which is used in many different types of electronic circuits is called the Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor or MOSFET for short.

Source – http://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/transistor/tran_6.html

SCR (Thyristor)

An SCR, or Silicon Controlled Rectifier, is a semiconductor, or integrated circuit (IC), that allows the control of current using a small current. Basically, it is a simple direct current (DC) light switch.
Source – http://www.mikeholt.com/mojonewsarchive/All-HTML/HTML/SCR-what-are-they-and-how-do-they-work~20000126.php

Simple Thyristor Circuits Explained
written by: Swagatam • edited by: Lamar Stonecypher • updated: 11/14/2011
The article relates the technical specifications of SCRs and their working principles through an easy to understand, step-wise explanation. The article also offers a few interesting SCR projects that can be easily built and used for the relevant purposes.

Both act as switching devices, although SCRs comfortably handle high voltage AC, whereas transistors normally are dedicated for low voltage DC applications. The lead orientation specifies the first lead from the right to be the gate, the extreme left is the cathode, and the center pin is the anode. The gate and the anode leads always work with respect to the ground; the cathode lead is specified to be connected with the ground and serves as the common release terminal for the gate as well as the anode. The load that needs to be operated is connected across the AC input and the anode of the SCR.

How SCRs Function

Another typical property associated with SCRs is their “latching” behavior with DC operated loads, where the anode to cathode conduction through the load latches or “holds-on” even after the gate trigger is inhibited. However, with AC operated loads the above drawback, or rather benefit, is not available and the load is switched ON or OFF exactly in response to the switching of the SCR’s gate triggers.
Source – http://www.brighthubengineering.com/diy-electronics-devices/121484-simple-thyristor-circuits-explained/

Summary

55 Years Running
Doc Batsleer, AMA member since 1962, dropped in from Daytona Beach, FL to race the Pre-40 and Class C events. He’s clocked some miles on his stable of Indians including this 1934 Bonneville Sport Scout.

 

An A-Z of classic marques rallied round the 21s Corsa bike show including Ariel Square Four (center foreground).

 

Just Beezing Along

Frequent flyers driver Steve Stull and co-driver Heidi Neidhofen take #18 onto the course.

Velo fans

 

Ancestor of all Ducati 350s was highlight of Corsa bike show.

Another “first” actually took to the track in a demonstration of concentrated power, again Italian style. Earplugs were a plus if you got anywhere near the ferocious sounding 1965 MV Agusta 350 Triple, the first of its kind, and brought by Virgil Elings, mega race bike fan and collector. The MV factory purpose built the bike to beat Honda in the 350 class. Displacement of the triple was later increased from 420-470-500cc, the bikes winning more championships that any other design. At Corsa, the MV was ridden by Virgil’s son Jeff who also took two Firsts on a ’72 Yamaha in the Formula 250 race, another First in Classic Sixties aboard a1965 Matchless, yet another First in Formula 500 riding a ’68 Penton.

Earplugs were unnecessary when speaking with Peter Nicolosi (Charleston, SC) who piloted a Brammo Empulse R, the electric powered machine literally zipping along the Willow roadrace course with a whisper while in the company of fellow E Moto Team racers. Peter took the checkered flag for the Saturday class win.

Mild temperatures and gentle breezes helped make a perfect 21st running of the Corsa Motoclassica. Speaking post-event with event founder Yoshi Kosaka, he tells us the 22st event is already in the works but with the addition of opening Willow Springs’ other race venues for competition including the dirt track and mountain course, no doubt attracting even more competitors ready to enjoy some of the country’s best vintage racing.

Unmatched Matchless

 

Talk about standing the test of time.

Velo Chopper

 

Plug and play takes on new meaning with the Victory Brammo e-bike. We all might be in for a shock as the electric bikes gets faster and faster and buzzes along farther and farther distances between

One-off recreation of the near legendary 1965 Kawasaki W-1R turned heads.

 

Best Café went to a radical engineering piece called “Kaff” designed and built Larry Romestant, the 150HP beautification project based around a BMW four cylinder K bike.

“Team Orthopedics”Alabama based orthopedic surgeon Dr. Paul Canale competes in the Triumph based international Thruxtron Cup Translantic road race series that takes him around the world.

Darrin Gauvin from Camarillo, CA launches aboard his 1981 Honda in the Vintage Superbike Heavyweight event, earning a 2nd place on Sunday

Yankee iron was well represented as well including a trio of Indians brought from Florida by Ralph Wessell. Aboard his 1937 handshifter #81, Ralph took First Place in the Pre-40 GP event on Saturday, repeating the win on Sunday.

 

Maximized Manx
One of several appearing at the event, a legendary Manx takes to the track in one of 24 different races held over the weekend. Piloting the 1939 Norton is Fred Mork of Briones, CA, who took 2nd in the Pre-1940 GP by N3 Racing event and a 1st in the Class C Footshift race.

 

 

Left, Dmac and Diane Pearson

She has contacted the DOT and was turned down twice to have the “Look Twice…” slogan put on the Amber Alert signs, but years later it showed up as “Watch for Motorcycles” as it does in California. She has attended Safety Council meetings and voiced her ideas.  

As of this year, she hopes to pass the 700,000 mark for bumper stickers distributed. Last year alone, she spent over $700.00 on postage fees. When she orders bumper stickers, she gets a better price with larger quantities and tries to order 100,000 at a time, which costs $900.00 to ship, plus the $8-9K cost for the stickers. They arrive in 25-30, 55lb boxes. Gene Sr. loads and delivers them home. Her last order was for 70,000 stickers, and she has just two boxes left.

So, a bolt you tightened down completely failed and broke into two pieces. Why did it happen? Did you tighten it and use a torque wrench to insure the proper tightness?

The first things you need to determine include what size bolt, how many threads per inch and what grade of bolt. The grade of bolt is marked on the head of the bolt. The chart shown is for Grade, 2, 5 or 8.

The higher the number or grade, the stronger the bolt is. All bolt supply companies have torque value charts. Most bolts are zinc coated, some are chromed or black anodized. You need to look past the coating or finish for the grade markings. Did you know that the torque value shown is for a dry bolt? Will oil, assembly lube, Never Cease or a thread-locking compounds make a difference?

Some bolt companies now show a value for an oil lube on the threads, but what about the thread-locking compounds?

The torque value actually will allow the bolt to slightly stretch, which is a consideration in keeping any bolt in place and also tight. Bolts have a yield strength, which I like to refer to as its working strength. As long as you stay below the assigned torque number, the bolt will not deform; it will stretch slightly, but when loosened will return to its original length.

Go over the yield or torque and the bolt will stretch, retaining a longer length than it originally had. This is why it is so important to put the tightening load on the bolt for what it is designed.

For this test I am using three 3/8-16 Grade 5 bolts from the same make and same box. I first measured each bolt for original length. One bolt will be assembled together dry, the next with 30w oil on the threads and the last one with thread locking compound on the threads. I used as a spacer some 4130 tubing ¾-inch in outside diameter with a hole of .395-inch.

The bolt supply company gave me a spec of 33 foot-pounds of torque for dry bolts. They did not have a spec for oil lube on the threads. Most companies do have these torque specs, but for this article test I wanted to prove there is a difference.

After torqueing the dry bolt, the length stretched by .0012-inch. After disassembly, the bolt did go back to its original length.

Next, I assembled the oil-on-thread bolt and torqued it down to 33 foot-pounds with the torque wrench. This bolt stretched .00195 longer, and after disassembly it was still .00055-inch longer, which proves it actually went over the yield strength of the bolt, which now means it is damaged and will not be as strong as designed.

But what about the bolt with the thread locking compound? After assembly and torqueing to 33 foot-pounds, it stretched .00190 longer and after disassembly it maintained a .00050-inch longer length than it originally was. This meant this bolt suffered damage also.

Not always is this failure caused by improper assembly. Note: There are no-name cheap-shit, no mark of grade bolts out there for you to purchase—beware.

Here’s an example: On a small build of a race engine, the cam chain came with a new cam sprocket along with new cam-sprocket bolts. Their spec was 50 inch pounds of torque. First I torqued them at 30 inch pounds, then 40 inch pounds, before I was going to push the 50 inch pounds.

At 40 inch pounds one bolt just didn’t snug up and instead of continuing to tighten it, I decided to disassemble and inspect the bolt. In the picture you can clearly see the top bolt has been stretched and was close to breaking.

Instead of using any of the supplied fasteners with this kit, I decided to purchase new bolts from a reputable bolt company I used in the past. With the new bolts tightened up, I had peace of mind, while racing this engine.

Spend the extra few dollars, buy from a reputable bolt supply company and use the torques specs they recommend.

Often the owner’s manual has a spec of grade and torque, this is preferred because it is engineered for these numbers. Be sure in any assembly if it does NOT state to use lube, this means a DRY assembly.

Hopefully this will clear up why there are failures of bolts. Be sure to use a calibrated torque wrench, and the proper length and grade bolts have been used.

Here’s a source for testing your torque wrench:
http://www.wikihow.com/Calibrate-a-Torque-Wrench

Bikernet Tech Sources:

Brew Dude
http://www.brewracingframes.com/

2016 is our 42nd anniversary!

Let’s start with the English lesson: brew (broo). It’s a full fabrication and machine shop. We build quality handmade bicycle frames and frames available in road, track, ss, mtb, cx, and touring. We won numerous motorcycle shows, and we have full powder-coating facilities in house. We can build the bike of your dreams using quality products made in the USA. He does ceramic coatings, any color, and writes tech articles for The Horse, American Iron Garage, Ol Skool Rods and of course the badass Bikernet.com

Car Kulture Magazine
http://www.ckdelux.com

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)

ROCKFEST RESCINDS “NO COLORS” BAN
When Rockfest announced on their website that no motorcycle club colors would be allowed in the Kansas City music festival, members of the motorcycle club community and the Kansas Confederation of Clubs (www.kscoc.net) reacted promptly, and within 24 hours event promoters rescinded the policy.

“This ban is tantamount to profiling motorcycle club members based on how they look and prevents them from exercising their rights of free association and expression guaranteed under the First Amendment to the US Constitution,” wrote spokesperson Brian Cohoon in an open e-mail to Rockfest promoters, sponsors and every club in the Kansas COC condemning “in the strongest terms this outrageous ban on Motorcycle Clubs wearing their colors to Rockfest. News of this ban and our reaction to it is being disseminated by the most expeditious means possible to every Motorcycle Club in this region. We strongly encourage you to reconsider this ban and allow Motorcycle Club members to attend in whatever attire they deem appropriate in their individual judgment.”

In addition to many individual clubs and representatives also voicing their disapproval to the radio station promoting “North America’s largest one-day music festival,” the Chairman of the neighboring Missouri Confederation of Clubs e-mailed Rockfest promoter KQRC-FM 98.9 The Rock in protest of the policy, and the Kansas A.I.M. Attorney (Aid to Injured Motorcyclists) was tasked with sending a letter condemning the ban.

As a result of their coordinated activism, online language referring to the colors ban was immediately taken down and the show went on as usual May 14 without incident, just as it has since 1992.

CLUB COLORS BARRED FROM HEADSTONE
Before biker Richard Cody died on Sept. 5, 2013, he told his family and friends he wanted the logo of his beloved South Madison Motorcycle Club on his headstone, but nearly two years later his son Jeremy was forced to file a lawsuit against the city of Painesville, Ohio to make sure his father gets his last wish.

Representing the family and club, Aid to Injured Motorcyclists (A.I.M.) Attorney Ralph C. Buss filed a motion for preliminary and permanent injunction to prevent city officials from removing, defacing, touching or changing the headstone of the Vietnam veteran buried in Riverside Cemetery, after officials informed the Plaintiff that the club colors engraved into the back of his father’s grave marker, “is not deemed appropriate” and ordered the S.M.M.C. artwork to be removed within 60 days at their own expense.

Buss told The News-Herald in a May 10 interview with the newspaper that “the headstone’s logo is not vulgar or offensive in any way, and it complies with the requirements that were in place in 2014 when it was installed” and further charged that new regulations “conveniently” passed afterwards violate the First Amendment and “are nothing more than a license allowing city employees or agents to judge a person’s expression and deny it without any reasoning.”

All the media attention and ensuing barrage of publicity, including a 3,500-signature petition asking city council to allow the headstone to remain unaltered, and accompanying legal actions, resulted in the desired effect.

“When I first got the letter from the City of Painesville telling me that after two years I had to remove my father’s headstone due to it being “offensive”, I was outraged,” Cody recently told Ridin’ On Motorcycle Magazine (www.RidinOn.com). “My only thoughts were ‘I don’t think so!’ For two months I pleaded with the city to change their minds and they were not budging. So, I then got social media involved and contacted my attorney Ralph C. Buss, who just happens to be known for helping other motorcycle enthusiasts when in need. Within three days the City of Painesville decided it was in their best interest to let the stone be left there. It was my father’s wishes to have his club patch engraved on his headstone and I was not about to let that wish be taken from him.”

NEW IMPROVED LANE SPLITTING BILL AMENDED IN CALIFORNIA
Motorcyclists in California are allowed to travel between lanes of traffic because unlike the other 49 states there is no law against such maneuvering, creating a legal grey area, so AB 51 was introduced last year to codify the act of lane splitting and provide legal guidelines (no faster than 50mph, and no more than 15mph faster than traffic).

But if it isn’t defined, it isn’t breaking the law, so motorcyclists generally opposed regulating “lane splitting”, preferring to leave well enough alone and not create another new crime, and so AB 51 was pulled by its sponsor, Assemblyman Bill Quirk (D-Hayward), because “Lane splitting is a very complex issue and the author feels he needs more time to work out the details so that it’s more likely to be signed.” At the time, the bill had passed the state Assembly and was on its way to the California Senate floor.

Now, AB 51 was recently resurrected and amended to its purest form, simply riding between cars, with no limiting language in the current wording of the bill, retaining the spirit of lane splitting and let the rider decide what’s safe. Even under current statutes, a rider can be cited with other violations for unsafe maneuvering.

The new improved AB 51 strikes all references to miles per hour conditions, and simply defines “lane splitting” as “driving a motorcycle between rows of stopped or moving vehicles in the same lane, including both divided and undivided streets, roads, or highways.”

Quirk’s office said the current bill has the expressed support of more than a dozen key organizations, among them motorcycle organizations such as ABATE of California, as well as multiple law enforcement agencies.

AB 51 was swiftly approved by the State Assembly on May 28, 2016 by a vote of 58-14 and sent to the Senate where it passed Transportation and Housing Committee unanimously 11-0 on June 14 then re-referred to Appropriations Committee before coming up for a floor vote.

Although lane “filtering” is common throughout Europe and Asia and many other countries, California is the only state where it is not expressly illegal. A bill to legalize lane-splitting in Nevada was voted down in 2013. A similar bill in Oregon was defeated in 2015. Other bills have surfaced and died in Arizona and Texas.

Editor’s Note: We are going to publish a European study on Lane Splitting and the overall benefits. There are very positive elements for motorists, motorcyclists, and fuel usage. It’s all good, but there may be a attitude problem here and we need to study how we can overcome the obstacles and educate the public.–Bandit

SUZUKI RIDERS THE ANGRIEST, SAYS SURVEY
Suzuki riders experience the highest levels of road rage followed closely by owners of Harleys and then Triumphs, according to a recent survey in Britain. A thousand British motorcyclists were asked to assign a road rage score from 0-10 to a series of hypothetical scenarios such as drivers texting at the wheel.

Suzuki riders typically assigned higher levels of rage to the scenarios than owners of other bikes, earning an “average road rage score” of 71%. Harley riders scored 68.7% and Triumph riders 67%.

The survey, performed by dealer chain Jennings Harley-Davidson in the U.K., also found the thing that angered riders most was drivers texting, with a score of 86.5%, followed by “bike blindness” at 83.2% and “getting cut up (cut-off)” at 82.5%.

“We wanted to highlight the fears that many motorcyclists have around riding on the road, and the ignorance that often comes with motorcyclists’ safety,” said Jennings H-D director Sohail Khan. “It was important for us to show the severity of their fears amongst sharing the road with car drivers.”

Editor’s Note: Maybe Suzuki riders ride the quietest bikes and are targets more often. Could be an interesting test. Could go along way to help with noise issues.—Bandit

MOTORCYCLIST FATALITIES UP IN 2015
Following two consecutive years of decreasing motorcycle fatalities nationwide, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) reports that more than 5,000 motorcyclists were killed in the U.S. in 2015, which represents an estimated 10% increase over 2014.

The annual study attributes the increase mainly to increased travel nationwide and better weather leading to a longer riding season in many states. Low fuel prices also contributed to a 3.5% rise in motor vehicle miles traveled last year over 2014, according to federal data.

This crash data — based on an early look at current data, trends, and developing issues — reports that this is more than 450 motorcycle fatalities over 2014. GHSA says it projects the final motorcyclist fatality total for 2015 will be 5,010 — only the third year in U.S. history, and the first time since 2008, in which the fatality number topped 5,000.

The increase is consistent with preliminary numbers from the government that show traffic deaths overall rising an estimated 8% last year after trending downward for the past decade, marking the largest year-to-year percentage increase in a half-century and making 2015 the deadliest driving year since 2008.

The report takes data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and compared to 2014, motorcycle deaths by state increased in 31 states, decreased in 16, and remained the same in three others along with the District of Columbia.

While acknowledging contributing crash factors such as alcohol and drug use, increased speed limits, and a record number of vehicles on U.S. roads, the GHSA calls for restoring helmet laws in the 31 states that don’t mandate helmets, and requiring DOT standards.

TRUMP STUMPS AT ROLLING THUNDER MOTORCYCLE RUN IN D.C.
Throngs of bikers listened on Sunday, May 29, as presumptive Presidential GOP nominee Donald J. Trump delivered remarks to a crowd at the Lincoln Memorial during the 29th annual Rolling Thunder motorcycle run over Memorial Day weekend that is dedicated to accounting for military members taken as prisoners of war or listed as missing in action (POW/MIA).

For the blunt-spoken real estate mogul and television celebrity, who stresses his desire to strengthen the military and improve how veterans are treated, the gathering provided a receptive audience. “Look at all these bikers,” Trump said with admiration. “Do we love the bikers? Yes. We love the bikers.”

Wearing a red “Make America Great Again” hat and forgoing a necktie, Trump told the crowd of seeing large numbers of bikers at his campaign events. “I said, ‘What are they all doing here?’ and my people would say, ‘They’re here to protect you, Mr. Trump,’” he said. “It’s an amazing thing. And I want to tell you, some of these people are tough,” but added when he shakes their hands, “there is love, and it’s an incredible feeling, and that’s why I wanted to be with you today.”

Trump’s supporters include a group called “Bikers for Trump,” which boasts more than 61,000 “likes” on Facebook.

“I’m not a huge biker, I have to be honest with you, O.K.?” lamented Trump to the motorcycle gathering, “I always liked the limo better.”

Nancy Regg, a spokeswoman for Rolling Thunder, told the New York Times that the group had invited Mr. Trump to appear. The group did not extend an invitation to Hillary Clinton or Senator Bernie Sanders, she said.

AIM/NCOM WEBPAGE UPDATES
“To best serve the motorcycle community, it is always our aim to keep our Aid to Injured Motorcyclists / National Coalition of Motorcyclists (AIM/NCOM) webpage at www.onabike.com up-to-date, convenient, and useful,” wrote AIM/NCOM Executive Coordinator Sarge in an open letter to the motorcycle community. “To do this, we are in the process of revamping a few pages including providing some important NCOM links to and from other WebPages. We have a list of the NCOM Members at www.onabike.com/national-coalition-of-motorcyclists/members.htm available, but would like to expand it to include all of our NCOM Member Groups, Confederations of Clubs plus more clubs and associations.”

Here’s what you’re asked to do if your MRO / COC / Club / Association is on the NCOM Member Groups list:

If you have a link, verify that it is still correct. If not, please provide NCOM with the updated information.

If you do not have a link and one is available, please provide us with the appropriate link.

If your motorcycle organization is not on the NCOM Members List and would like to be added, please send information and e-mail address to Sarge at ncompms@aol.com.

“Finally, the last part of our update is to ask each MRO / COC / Club / Association to put a link to NCOM on their webpage. To this end, please add www.onabike.com. Graphics can be provided at your request, THANK YOU!”

QUOTABLE QUOTE: “The unity of freedom has never relied on uniformity of opinion.”
~ John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) Thirty-fifth President of the United States

Over the years since they started the J&P Ultimate Builder Shows inside the IMS Expos, we have had the pleasure of giving a Cycle Source Award to a number of builders who displayed their works throughout the country. One such build was the hot little Triumph you see here. We found this little gem during the Long Beach IMS and I was blown away at the craftsmanship. Little did I know at the time that the story behind it would be as impressive as the build itself.

Anthony Robinson is one of those cats who I can say is a brother from another mother and I only just met him. He has some real old world values in the way he raises his kids, conducts his business and builds his motorcycles.

In our short conversation, I was very impressed with this cat. His garage door business is his daily bread, but he doesn’t put anything before his family. Motorbikes possess the precious time he has in the middle.

In fact, the very foundation of how this bike was built was a bi-product of his daily grind. You see, in his business there is a lot of recycling; old garage doors are recycled as his company installs new material. Anthony squirreled away the recycle money from scrap garage door metal for his Triumph project. In fact, if the recycle money didn’t add up to cover the parts on his list, he would wait until he had the funds. This is a man of strict responsibility and patience.

Even his swap meet finds in Long Beach were governed by stringent criteria. If he bought a part, and it was wrong, didn’t fit or whatever, he forced himself to flip it before he would spend additional loot on the correct component. This pushed him to learn every aspect of the T-100 quickly. Valuable lessons became T-100 project Code of the West.

Anthony was born into motorcycling. His old man, Jack E. Robinson, was deep into it from a young age as a flat tracker. He raced in the real “back in the day” at Paris and all the old tracks around California. Anthony grew up surrounded by bikes and the itch crept under his skin early on. “I always wanted to build a bike,” Anthony said. “What kid doesn’t?” About the time he finished his first modified Softail, a good friend went down and lost his life. Shook-up, Anthony sold his Softail and didn’t ride for a minute.

Some time passed and the itch returned. He approached his wife tentatively and explained. He felt like getting into the building end of motorcycling. Then one night, while perusing the almighty Craigslist he came across a deal he couldn’t pass up in Arizona. It was wheels, a frame and the motor from this T-100 and he could have it all for $750.

“I called the guy and eventually we met up somewhere in Canyon County, 40 miles north of LA,” Anthony said. “He was driving this ratty old Toyota pickup full of Triumph, BSA and Norton parts. And there it was in the mess of it all, this frame, a seized motor (unknown to me at the time) and wheels. I won’t lie, it was a pile…but it was my pile and I had a vision.”

“I had no idea where to start… everything on it was rusted, crusty, dirty, and oily. I couldn’t pull it out of the truck…tires were deflated, seemed to be in gear, and the handlebars wouldn’t move. I eventually got this beauty into my truck and headed home.”

He snatched a Harbor Freight lift and scored a T-100 book on e-bay. Together with his middle son, Austin, he went to work. During the learning curve, he ran into neat sidelines like the battery box. It was actually an old ‘60s battery-charger he found in an old parts pile. He brought it back to his shop and gutted it to be used for hiding the battery and electricals. It took a couple of weeks to work out the correct latch to use, the right location, but in the end it paid off.

Anthony is well into his next project, and now has the complete support of his wife. We can’t wait to see what he comes up with next. “You got space here man, whatever it might be,” said Chris Callen.

Owner: ANTHONY ROBINSON

Bike Name: LA MOSCA

City/State: PALMDALE, CA

Builder: ANTHONY ROBINSON

City/state: PALMDALE, CA

Address: 39450 3RD STREETB EAST PALMDALE, CA 93550
Phone: 661-816-4248

Web site: WWW.GASOLINEANDCOFFEE.COM
E-mail: GASOLINEANDCOFFEE@GMAIL.COM

Fabrication: ANTHONY ROBINSON

Manufacturing: ANTHONY ROBINSON

Welding: LUCKY MOTHER GARAGE

Machining: ANTHONY ROBINSON, DAVE JACKSON

Bike Name: La Mosca (The Fly)
Owner: Anthony Robinson
City/State: Palmdale, California
Fab. By: Anthony Robinson
Year: 1961
Model: T-100
Value: Still Counting
Time: 2 Years

Year: 1961
Model: T-100
Builder: Dean Collinson
Ignition: Pazon
Displacement: 500cc
Pistons: Stock

Heads: Stock
Carb: JRC 30mm
Cam: Stock
Air Cleaner: Amal
Exhaust: Triumph Straight Pipes
Primary: Stock

Year: 1961
Make: Triumph
Shifting: Four-Speed

Year: 1961
Make: Triumph
Rake: Stock
Stretch: 4-inch

Type: 1937 Triumph T80 Girder
Builder: Triumph
Extension
Triple Trees:

Wheels, Tires, Brakes

Front Wheel: Triumph 40 Spoke.. Copper Plated Nipples
Size: 19-inch
Front Tire: Firestone Deluxe Champion 400-19
Front Brake: 7-inch Drum

Rear Wheel: Triumph 40 Spoke.. Copper Plated Nipples
Size: 18-inch
Rear Tire: Firestone Deluxe Champion 400-18
Rear Brake: 7-inch drum

Painting

Painter: Mat Egan = Extreme Designs
Color: Copper Leaf, House of Kolor Black, Kustom Burnt Umber
Type: House Of Kolor
Graphics: Recycle Symbol On Oil Tank
Powder Coating: Pacific Coast Powder Coating, Palmdale, CA

Accessories

Bars: 7/8-inch Drag Bars
Risers: Girder Dog-Bones
Hand Controls: Amal Style

Fuel Tanks: One off by Lucky Mother Garage
Front Fender: None
Rear Fender: 5-ingh Lowbrow Custom’s
Seat: One Off with Two 4-inch Seat Spring Shocks
Foot Controls: Stock with Custom Mounts
Mirrors: None
Oil Tank: Two Bottom Fire Extinguishers Welded Together
Headlight: 5 ¾-inch Bates Style
Taillight: Model A Ford
Speedo: None

Special Credits

KEVEN GARCIA OF PACIFIC POWDERCOATING
MAT EGAN OF EXTREME DESIGNS
DAVE JACKSON OF DJ LOCKETS
RJ OF LUCKY MOTHER GARAGE
MIKE SANMARCO

 

 

 

Among these retirees there’s a lot of art freaks and I began making forays with them to different exhibits, museums, and sometimes the distant and secluded homes of one artist or another. One day Antonio picked me up in his car and we went to meet the others in town. I’d no real clue where we were going. First stop was Cathy’s little house. An American of 35 years living in Mexico, I’d seen Cathy around, been to a few art shows with her, and we’d even gone to dinner once. She seemed a dingy, jovial, happy, and fun-loving old broad who was impossible not to like. Before long a handful of others showed up and, once assembled, six of us piled into an SUV and started out of town.

 

 

Cathy bought a piece of the man’s work.

 

In the parking lot the other four gringos cornered our driver about what he would do on the ride back through the bandito toll booth. Finally he conceded to use the secondary road that passed around them.

 

 

 

It was time to go.

With a promise to return at some later date, I packed the old Harley and bid my new friends adieu.

 

I approached the booth with camera held inconspicuously low in hopes of grabbing a few shots. It just didn’t seem wise to stick a camera in the face of a bandit who was shaking me down. Once again I was stopped by by these outlaws. Happily, this normally high toll only cost $0.50 today, and the masked man who took my money was extremely friendly and even tried to be helpful by offering directions. Pretty trippy.