It’s 5/14/16 a Saturday morning and I can’t get started to the Quail Lodge Motorcycle Event with a broken headlamp. I get lucky and find that Gilroy Motorcycle has one in stock. Sooo off I go to Gilroy for a short detour…Oh, and they’re next to a great coffee shop.

Thank you Steve and Hilary Schaub owners of Gilroy Motorcycle Center for helping me install the Yamaha Raider’s headlamp. You probably saved me a ticket as where the Quail Motorcycle Event took place in Carmel Valley had more than its share of Sheriff and Highway Patrol.

“Where’s Waldo”…Oops, I mean where’s my ol’ Raider parked? Hint…it’s the one with the one of a kind ‘yellow’ backpack. There’s not as many people as the LoveRide but enough parked bikes to go around the corner at the far end of this picture and on for another half mile.

Everything’s going to carbon fiber. Minimalist Russell Mitchell owner/builder of EXILE CYCLES was one of the first to build a carbon fiber custom for the GREAT BIKER BUILD-OFF television series. This bike may have been inspired by it?

Rey Sotelo of Hollister PowerSports designed one of Indian Motorcycles’ new custom models. Voted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, you couldn’t find a better person to represent America’s oldest motorcycle manufacture. Rey’s the good lookin’ guy in the foreground with the sunglasses.

Raise your hand if you think Geronimo and Mark Twain author of TOM SAWYER were alive when this Indian motorcycle was made.

SEMA works to prevent proposed EPA prohibition of road-to-racecar conversions
Tuesday, 09 February 2016

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a regulation to prohibit conversion of vehicles originally designed for on-road use into racecars. The regulation would also make the sale of certain products for use on such vehicles illegal. The proposed regulation was contained within a non-related proposed regulation entitled “Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles – Phase 2.”

The regulation would impact all vehicle types, including the sportscars, sedans and hatchbacks commonly converted strictly for use at the track. While the Clean Air Act prohibits certain modifications to motor vehicles, it is clear that vehicles built or modified for racing, and not used on the streets, are not the “motor vehicles” that Congress intended to regulate.

“This proposed regulation represents overreaching by the agency, runs contrary to the law and defies decades of racing activity where EPA has acknowledged and allowed conversion of vehicles,” said SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting. “Congress did not intend the original Clean Air Act to extend to vehicles modified for racing and has re-enforced that intent on more than one occasion.”

SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) submitted comments in opposition to the regulation and met with the EPA to confirm the agency’s intentions. The EPA indicated that the regulation would prohibit conversion of vehicles into racecars and make the sale of certain emissions-related parts for use on converted vehicles illegal. Working with other affected organizations, including those representing legions of professional and hobbyist racers and fans, SEMA will continue to oppose the regulation through the administrative process and will seek congressional support and judicial intervention as necessary.

The EPA has indicated it expects to publish final regulations by July 2016.

–Racer.com and SEMA

EPA: Race cars have always required factory emissions equipment; SEMA: shenanigans
Daniel Strohl on Feb 11th, 2016 at 8am
Hemmings Daily

Conclusion from Mike Colburn

Proposed regulation is entitled: Greenhouse Gas and Emission Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles — Part 2.

Read that again. Greenhouse Gas and Emission Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles — Part 2.

What does this have to do with the conversion of vehicles designed for on-road use to race cars, or the sale and distribution of aftermarket performance parts?

EPA spokeswoman Laura Allen says: “People may use EPA-certified motor vehicles for competition, but to protect the public’s health from air pollution, the Clean Air Act has — since its inception — specifically prohibited tampering with or defeating the emission control systems on those vehicles. The proposed regulation… does not change this long-standing law or approach.”

She also argued that this proposed regulation clarifies the distinction between “non-road vehicles” like dirt bikes, snowmobiles that the Clean Air Act does not prohibit modifications to, and “certified motor vehicles” like cars, trucks and on-road motorcycles that fall under the Clear Air Act.

If true:

EPA says it was done this way “we were concerned that readers might mistakenly believe that the Clean Air Act’s explicit exclusion of vehicles ‘used solely for competition’ from EPA’s non-road regulations also applies for certified motor vehicles. It does not. This is true for all motor vehicles and motor vehicle engines, including both light-duty and heavy-duty.” Yet this amendment was buried within a 629-page proposal aimed at medium- and heavy-duty trucks.

Why did Ms. Allen’s statement about protecting the public from air pollution subtly and deftly equate the small subset of race cars and modified vehicles with the broader set of all vehicles? By conflating these two ideas, the suggestion is made that race cars and vehicles modified by their owners are a major source of pollution. They are not.

If the EPA is concerned that the average citizen is using aftermarket parts to defeat the emission control devices mandated, where is the proof that this is a significant problem? The agency gives no proof, yet — again according to Allen — “EPA uses its limited federal resources on cases that have a large impact on protecting public health.”

Read that statement again. “EPA uses its limited federal resources on cases that have a large impact on protecting public health.” In one sentence the spokeswoman is saying the EPA’s funds are limited — in 2013 the budget was $8.44 billion — suggesting it could use more money, and this is followed by an unsubstantiated claim that race cars and modified vehicles are a major source of pollution — without providing any proof!

Why is this happening:

The aftermarket parts business is a multi-billion/year business.

The potential fines are $37,500 for anyone illegally tampering with emission control devices, including those who manufacture and sell the parts.

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

RIDING “OFF THE GRID” — HOW TO ESCAPE GPS TRACKING ON YOUR MOTORCYCLE
Freedom of the Road isn’t that free these days. “We often talk about what you can do to protect your privacy, but more often than not we accept the technology given to us by large corporations with government influence,” writes Gil Mellen, ABATE of California’s rep to the Southern California Confederation of Clubs (SCCOC), “And with that ease our phones store more than just our private information, they are a collection source for who we are, what we do and where we go 24/7.”

Turning your phone off or on airplane mode doesn’t cut it either, he explains. In order to truly be undetectable to ANYONE you must use a first line of defense on your phone, such as Silent Pocket. By employing a Silent Pocket “Faraday cage” (conductive material surrounding a piece of equipment to exclude electrostatic and electromagnetic influences) you can block all wireless signals to and from your mobile device.

Once placed inside the stylish leather case, your device is completely sealed — No GPS tracking, NO cellular, NO wifi, NO Bluetooth, and NO RFID scanning or NFC in all frequencies. Additionally, Silent Pocket cases protect your financial information from credit card skimming and scanning.

So if you’re heading to a large biker event and want no one to know your whereabouts, simply put your phone inside the case and wherever you go is OFF THE GRID. Once you remove your phone, any missed voicemails, data, or messages are downloaded. Your location is also known at that point.

“Silent Pocket is in the privacy accessory market for the long haul.” stated Aaron Zar, Silent Pocket Co-Founder. “As the methods hackers use to compromise security continue to evolve, so will our products.”

BIKER ATTIRE ALLOWED IN NEW MEXICO COURTROOMS
Declaring “A great victory for our community,” Annette Torrez, chair of the New Mexico Motorcycle Rights Organization (NMMRO) and National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM) board of directors, announced that; We received the following message from Chief Justice Judge Nash concerning motorcycle vests in District Courthouse, “Please be informed that the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department will NOT be requiring members of your organization to turn their vests inside out upon entry into the Second Judicial District Courthouse and its’ Courtrooms in the future.”

The NMMRO and the NNMCOC (Northern New Mexico Confederation of Clubs) sent Judge Nash a letter regarding an issue in which Bernalillo Sheriff Officers were asking the Guardians of the Children to remove their vests and turn them inside out so none of the patches were visible. “These vests and patches are what identify them to the abused children who they are there to support in court under difficult circumstance as these children have to face their perpetrators or have to sometimes testify,” explained Torrez. “While we can all benefit from this victory, it is the abused children from our community who will benefit most, as now members of motorcycle community can continue to support and accompany them in court. Your voices were heard as we united in support.”

 

MANIFESTO ON THE MOTORCYCLE INDUSTRY AND FREEDOM OF THE ROAD
“I read your recent (NCOM Biker Newsbytes) report and the piece about the NCOM board requesting input on motorcycle issues to discuss at the upcoming NCOM Convention,” writes Keith “Bandit” Ball of Bikernet.com and former editor of Easyriders magazine. “I have a major bitch and a project that could save the custom motorcycle aftermarket and place freedom at the forefront of our nation once more.”

WHEN YOU CAN’T GIVE UP, WRITE — A Brief Manifesto; “Sounds ominous but it’s not, then again it is a tough alteration to current government thinking. And I believe our industry could be at the forefront.

Why can’t we prove that Freedom always needs to be a consideration? Why can’t we prove that all the custom motorcycles in the country will never have any significant impact on the environment and agencies need to leave us alone?

If we were successful, this could place Freedom at the forefront in many applications from hot rods, to go carts, to speed boats.”

As evidence of governmental regulation usurping personal rights, Ball (Bandit@Bikernet.com) submitted the following news release on behalf of SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) entitled “EPA Seeks to Prohibit Conversion of Vehicles into Racecars”:

“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a regulation to prohibit conversion of vehicles originally designed for on-road use into racecars and make the sale of certain products for use on such vehicles illegal. The proposed regulation was contained within a non-related proposed regulation entitled ‘Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles – Phase 2’.

The regulation would impact all vehicle types, including the sports cars, sedans and hatch-backs commonly converted strictly for use at the track. While the Clean Air Act prohibits certain modifications to motor vehicles, it is clear that vehicles built or modified for racing, and not used on the streets, are not the ‘motor vehicles’ that Congress intended to regulate.

‘This proposed regulation represents overreaching by the agency, runs contrary to the law and defies decades of racing activity where EPA has acknowledged and allowed conversion of vehicles,’ said SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting.

  

Washington State might give motorcyclists preferential treatment on some highways during traffic jams under a bill that has the support of the state Senate. The measure would give motorcyclists permission to drive on the far left shoulders of divided highways when traffic is moving under 25 miles an hour.

“It really is about relieving congestion,” said State Senator Tim Sheldon (D-Mason County), the bill’s sponsor. He tried passing a bill last year that would have allowed what’s known as “lane splitting,” allowing bikers to ride between cars stopped in traffic, but that bill failed.

KANSAS HOUSE SPEAKER GIVES HORSEPOWER TO 3-WHEELER REFORM BILL
A House committee in Kansas kicked the tires of a bill creating a special driving examination and license for people who ride increasingly popular three-wheeled motorcycles. Under current Kansas law, individuals are required to take a test on a two-wheeled motorcycle even if they own and plan to ride a machine with three wheels. House Bill 2436 would establish a special class of motorcycle licensing that aligns the examination with the type of vehicle to be driven.

Three-wheel licenses issued under the proposed law would forbid the person from legally riding a two-wheeled motorcycle, but anyone passing the two-wheel test could ride both motorcycle variations.

House Speaker Ray Merrick (R-Stilwell) urged the House’s Vision 2020 Committee to endorse the “friendly, common-sense update to Kansas statutes.”

“Considering the vast differences in the physical requirements between two- and three-wheeled motorcycles,” Merrick said, “it is reasonable that a person who can only ride a three-wheeled motorcycle should be allowed to take their license training and test on the type of motorcycle they will be using.”

NEW MOTORCYCLE HAZARD – TEENS WALKING WHILE DISTRACTED
Motorcycle riders have a lot to watch for when cruising through an urban environment such as a city or town. While the first focus may be other vehicles, a new study shows bikers should watch for teens crossing the road while distracted by their smartphone.

According to research released by Safe Kids Worldwide, with support from FedEx, distraction plays a role as 50% of teens admit they cross streets while using a mobile device, and an alarming 40% admit to actually being hit or nearly hit by a car, bike or motorcycle while walking.

Of the teens who have been hit or nearly hit report crossing the street while: 47% listening to music, 20% talking on the phone, and 18% were texting.

TEENAGER CAUTIONED AFTER SERIOUSLY INJURING MOTORCYCLIST
A 14-year-old boy was recently “cautioned” by police after causing “life-changing injuries” to a motorcyclist by tying a rope between two trees on a woodland path. The 17-year-old rider was rushed to the hospital with serious neck and wind-pipe injuries after hitting the rope while riding in woods near St Neots, Cambridgeshire, UK, and he spent seven weeks in the hospital including two-and-a-half in an induced coma.

The boy, who admitted responsibility under questioning by police, was issued a youth caution for causing grievous bodily harm without intent. He must also attend sessions with the Youth Offending Service.

MOTORCYCLE SPEEDER WINS $180,000 IN CASE AGAINST COP WHO BEAT HIM UP
On Aug. 3, 2012, Justin Wilkens was speeding on his Aprilia motorcycle and unwittingly passed Oregon State Police Officer Rob Edwards in an unmarked cop Camaro. After a few minutes of chase, Edwards rammed Wilkens off the bike, pulled a gun on him and kicked him in the chest.

If you think that sounds egregious, a jury agrees with you.

Dash cam footage shows Wilkens’ motorcycle speeding past cars and crossing double-yellow (no passing zones) lines near Veneta, OR when the officer pulls up behind him at an intersection, hits the bike and knocks the biker to the ground. Edwards maintained this was unintentional; a result of “brake fade” from the Camaro’s discs being overworked. At this point in the footage, Edwards enters the frame and lands a kick to Wilkens’ chest while drawing down on him with his pistol before cuffing him.

In an interesting plot twist, Edwards stated he did not know the police car’s dashcam was running. Wilkens suffered a broken left clavicle, a fractured rib and other injuries in the incident.

 

I bought the donor 2003 H-D 883 Sportster on December 31, 2010. On the next day, January 1st 2011, I began tearing it apart and started the reverse engineering process. I measured the parts I would keep and design around, like the engine, frame and a few others. The unneeded parts were donated to a moto club co-op in San Francisco, CA.

Six months later I had a rolling prototype, the SC3 Adventure, which consisted of the Sportster motor and the frame with some minor mods, a custom designed billet Aluminum swingarm, a KTM 525 front end, a small tracker gas tank, 18” rear wheel and 21” front wheel both with knobby tires, and a hand modified seat that looked pretty bad. The bike worked well, proving the concept and geometry.

I spent the first few months on the CAD system laying out the 2-D architecture side-view before designing and machining any parts. I nailed down the critical geometry: wheel base, rake, trail, rider position, foot controls and handlebar position, and instantaneous force center related to swingarm length and angle. All are key to the bike performing well on road and off.

Once the architecture was set, I began design engineering the components in 3D CAD solid modeling. I quickly had a complete solid model assembly of the entire bike along with fully documented detail drawings of every part and a complete Bill of Materials (BOM) down to the last nut, bolt, and washer.

The bike evolved over the next three years, consisting of refining and adding features like improved suspension, a larger gas tank for longer range, a better seat, a lighter and higher performance exhaust, better brakes, repositioned foot controls, a wind screen, hand guards, and a few other more minor details.

My goal was to build the best performing adventure dual sport around the H-D Sportster motor, and fully document it to be reproducible to spec. I accomplished my goal and have proven the reproducibility by building a second SC3 Adventure thru a controlled build. I bought another donor Sportster, ordered all the parts from our drawings and BOM, and then assembled the bike to spec. The entire process took only four months start to finish.

Now that both bikes are done, I’m riding them as much as I can, both on the road and in the dirt. On the asphalt, the SC3 Adventure handles the twisties well. It’s a neutral steering bike turning effortlessly and at high speeds is inherently stable. Off road in the dirt, the SC3 Adventure is confidence inspiring and loves the open desert and sand washes where high speeds are not a problem and the bike is very stable. Watch for our MotoGEO video to come out soon where Jamie Robinson pushes the SC3 Adventure’s limits in the Mojave Desert.

All my riding experiences to date have been positive and I’m having a blasting through many miles and showing it at motorcycle shows or during rides. The SC3 Adventure grabs a lot of attention everywhere I ride. The only negatives have been not being able to ride it as much as I want. A short-term voltage regulator grounding problem drained the battery and stranded me a few times until I solved the problem.

Now both bikes are finished, I have more time to go riding, so life is good, and my wife rides one of them

One of the most asked questions I get is, “Why did I design and build it?” I have a background in engineering disruptive technologies. I’ve been riding Harleys and adventure dual sports for as long as I can remember, and I wanted to combine the two.

I would ask myself and my friends and anyone else who would listen, “Why isn’t there a good American adventure dual sport?” And, “Will H-D make one?”

With my background and experience I knew I could build a good one based on the solid-mount Sportster chassis model years 1993 to 2003. Since the words “H-D” and “Dual Sport” are rarely spoken in the same sentence, once again I was engineering a disruptive product. I knew it would be a controversial build as it has proven to be. Some love it, some hate it, buyt it always draws plenty of extreme comments.

What’s next? A few things: Now that the SC3 Adventure design is complete and fully documented and patented, it is turn-key ready to be produced in volume. We are looking for a manufacturer to license the design and produce the SC3 Adventure parts, kits, and/or complete bikes, and make them available to purchase.

Following that, we will stick to our core competency of design engineering and prototyping of custom adventure dual sport motorcycles. We are moving on to the next adventure dual sport design … stay tuned for details!

The background story on why I designed and built the SC3 Adventure:

When I was 10 years old, my father’s friend gave me my first ride on a motorcycle – a Honda CB750. I sat in front of him on the gas tank, no helmet, and held on to the center of the handlebars for dear life. We rode on the freeway at a pretty high speed – at least it felt fast to me – and I was hooked from then on.

The next year my mom bought me my first bike, a new 1974 Honda XR75. I’ll never forget it. I immediately took that bike apart all the way down to the frame just to see how it was made, then rebuilt it. That bike unfortunately was stolen in a house break-in and eventually the thief was caught – which led to my second bike.

The thief’s parents paid for the replacement cost of the bike since the bike was trashed. We put that money towards a new 1975 Yamaha DT100 – my first street legal dual sport. I didn’t have a driver’s license at the time, but I would ride it thru our neighborhood streets to get to local dirt areas to ride. Soon I ripped all the dual sport lights off the bike, added a plastic gas tank, and made it more off-road capable. That is when I started customizing motorcycles.

My third bike was a new 1977 Yamaha YZ125, which I started racing motocross at our local PAL (Police Athletic League) track. I raced it for a few years and made mods to the suspension and motor myself by making parts in my parent’s garage and buying motor parts with my allowance.

Back in the day, we didn’t have the internet, so I found parts from magazines and then bought them from our local motorcycle shops or thru the mail. The racing ended when I turned 15-1/2 years old and bought a 1978 Yamaha RD400 street bike. The serious customizations started when I transformed that into a café racer by doing mods and bolting on custom parts.

From that time on, I’ve had many bikes over the years and I’ve always liked Harleys for as long as I can remember. I’ve had a number of them, including a Buell X1. I’ve also been dual sport riding since I was a kid. As long as I can remember, I’ve wanted a Harley that was dual sport capable. Years ago, Harley made a dirt bike and also a 2-stroke dual sport, but I wanted to see their real Harley, maybe a Sportster turned into a dual sport. As a California kid, I remember watching the TV series, “Then Came Bronson,” where actor Michael Parks rode a Sportster around California. Parks was always riding it off-road when he could. I think that’s where the obsession of wanting to make my own Harley Sportster dual sport began, and also my desire to do rides like he did: Adventure Dual Sport riding.

Owner: Jim Carducci

Bike Name: Carducci Dual Sport SC3 Adventure

City/State: Sunnyvale, CA

Builder: Jim Carducci

City/state: Sunnyvale, CA

Company Info: Carducci Dual Sport LLC (CDS)
Address: 141 S Taaffe, #70312
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
Phone:

Web site: www.carduccidualsport.com
E-mail: jim@carduccidualsport.com

Design: Jim Carducci

Fabrication: CDS, Evan Wilcox, Curt Winter of BTRmoto, Corbin seat.

Manufacturing: CDS

Machining: LUX Manufacturing for all CNC parts

Year: 2003, Donor H-D 883 Sportster

Make: H-D

Model: 883 Sportster

Displacement:1250cc with NRHS kit

Builder or Rebuilder: Jim Carducci

Cases: OEM

Case finish: OEM

Barrels: NRHS 1250cc

Bore: NRHS 1250cc

Pistons: NRHS 1250cc

Barrel finish: Black exterior

Lower end: OEM

Stroke: OEM

Rods: OEM

Heads: OEM 883 Sportster

Head finish: OEM

Valves and springs: OEM

Pushrods: OEM

Cams: Andrews N4

Lifters: OEM

Carburetion: OEM CV carb rejetted

Air cleaner: K&N with ASB carbon fiber cover

Exhaust: BTRmoto 2 into 1 custom header

Mufflers: Leo Vince muffler with spark arrestor

Transmission

Year: 2003 H-D 883 Sportster

Make: H-D

Gear configuration: OEM 5-speed

Primary: OEM chain

Clutch: OEM with Mueller lever arm for light clutch pull

Final drive: RK Racing 530 o-ring chain conversion, 25/56 teeth front/rear sprockets

Frame

Year: 2003

Builder: H-D frame modified by Jim Carducci

Style or Model: OEM Sportster

Stretch: 62.5”wheel base. Swingarm extended 4”

Rake: 27 degrees

Modifications: Minor mods – some brackets removed. Added support gussets at swingarm pivots, steering damper post bracket, and gas tank mount

Front End

Make: Ohlins

Model: Offroad MX

Year: 2014

Length: Length reduced 2.5” inches for 9” travel. Stiffer springs

Risers: CDS custom designed – CNC machined billet Aluminum includes elastomer vibration dampers, height adjustment, and front/rear adjustment to accommodate rider preference.

Sheet metal

Tanks: Evan Wilcox hand formed Aluminum 6.3 gallon. I did the design, then CNC machined it out of Styrofoam for a test fit and plug for Evan to measure and make his patterns from.

Fenders: Rear – Aluminum fender subframe & utility rack including support for two 1/2 gallon gas containers. Front – plastic KTM fender.

Panels: Removed. Minimal design for weight reduction.

Oil tank: OEM

Other: Aluminum skid plate, fly screen, voltage regulator guard.

Paint: Old School Customs (OSC) Ron McRae.

Paint

Molding: 5.0 gallon IMS XLPE plastic gas tank offroad option is rotational molded; co-developed with IMS Products, Riverside, CA.

Base coat: Powder coated frame

Graphics: Designed by Brandon Rike, painted by Ron McRae of OSC

Frame Base coat: Powdercoated

Graphics or art: Rear fender and swingarm logos designed by Brandon Rike

Pinstriping: OSC Ron McRae on gas tank

Wheels

Front: Woodys Wheel Works

Make: Custom build – Excel rim, Rad hub, heavy gauge SST spokes

Size: 21” x 1.85” wide

Brake calipers: Beringer 6-piston radial caliper modified for bigger custom CDS rotor, CDS radial-to-axial adapter bracket

Brake rotor(s): 1x 380mm diameter floating custom designed and fabricated by CDS

Tire: Continental TKC80 90/90-21

Rear: Woodys Wheel Works

Make: Custom build – Excel rim, Billet Boys hub, heavy gauge SST spokes

Size: 18” x 3.5” wide

Brake calipers: Beringer 4-piston caliper & mounting bracket

Brake rotor: Beringer 291mm diameter floating

Pulley: N/A – 56 tooth chain sprocket

Tire: Continental TKC80 140/80-18

Controls

Foot controls: CDS custom design billet Aluminum shifter, brake, foot pegs, supports.

Finish: Anodized

Master cylinder: Beringer

Brake lines: Melvin custom SST braided per CDS specs

Handlebar controls: OEM H-D throttle and electronics, Beringer front brake and clutch levers.

Finish: Anodized

Clutch Cable: OEM

Brake Lines: Melvin custom SST braided per CDS specs

Shifting: CDS billet Aluminum machined linkage and shift lever.

Kickstand: CDS designed and fabricated chrome moly tubing with Aluminum adapter bracket to OEM H-D Sportster frame mount.

Electrical

Ignition: OEM

Ignition switch: OEM

Coils: OEM, relocated to side of motor for better access and cooling

Regulator: OEM

Charging: OEM

Starter: OEM

Wiring: OEM with minor mods for LED blinkers / tail light.

Harness: OEM

Headlight: Trail Tech 55watt halogen Baja flood light

Taillight: Acerbis LED

Accessory lights: None

Electrical accessories: Badlands electronic turn signal module for LED lights

Switches: OEM

Battery: Shorai Lithium-Ion. 10 lbs weight reduction

What’s Left

Seat: Custom Corbin hand formed to frame and gas tank

Mirror(s): DRC 161 off-road mirrors, adjustable height

Gas caps: No-Toil billet Aluminum, internal vented.

Handlebars: Biltwell 1” chrome moly tracker bars

Grips: Biltwell Thruster grips 1” diameter

Pegs: Pivot Pegz

Oil filter: Pure Power SST screen pass thru oil filter

Oil cooler: None

Oil lines: OEM

Fuel filter: OEM

Fuel Lines: OEM

Throttle: OEM

Throttle cables: OEM

Fasteners: All SST and nylock nuts

Specialty items:
Swingarm: Billet Aluminum CNC machined truss structure for light weight and stiffness, extended 4”
Rear Shocks: Ohlins twin shocks, 8”+ travel at rear axel.
Foot Controls: Billet Aluminum CNC machined mounting brackets and levers.
Triple Clamps: Billet Aluminum CNC machined top & bottom, bar risers with vibration isolation, height and front/rear adjustment.
Steering Damper: Integrated Scotts damper with post mount welded to frame.

Credits:
Evan Wilcox – hand formed Aluminum gas tank
IMS – XLPE plastic gas tank
Curt Winter, BTRmoto – Hand welded exhaust header
LUX manufacturing – CNC machining
Corbin – Handmade seat
Graphics – Brandon Rike
Paint – Ron McRae, Old School Customs

UC Davis pilot and scientist Stephen Conley measured the plume and estimates nearly 80,000 tons of methane have been released, or about 1,000 tons per day.

“To put this into perspective, the leak effectively doubles the emission rate for the entire Los Angeles Basin,” says Conley.

The methane has traveled and affected nearby Los Angeles suburb Porter Ranch, displacing thousands of residents.

Yesterday, California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency over the leak and its impact on the Porter Ranch community.

Update: 31 December 2015, 1:45 p.m.

Utility officials in Southern California say they have determined the underground location of a pipe leak that has spewed natural gas into the air since late October, but it could be months before they’re able to fix the rupture that has driven up the state’s methane emissions and chased thousands of families from their homes.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has called the leak an “environmental disaster,” and the Los Angeles Unified School District shuttered two area schools for the rest of the year.

Meanwhile, the leak at Southern California Gas Company’s Aliso Canyon storage facility is pouring methane into the air at a rate equal to putting an additional 7 million cars on the road daily. The Environmental Defense Fund created this real-time counter showing how many metric tons of methane are estimated to have escaped from the Aliso Canyon facility since Oct. 23:

Aliso Canyon leak: Estimated impact
96,000 metric tons of methane, a powerful climate pollutant, are estimated to have leaked between Oct. 23 and Feb. 11.

That’s the same as:

CO2: 8,000,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide released

Gasoline: 900,000,000 gallons of gasoline burned

Dollars: $15,000,000 dollars worth of natural gas wasted

Original Story:

World leaders left Paris over the weekend with an aggressive agreement to cut methane emissions and other so-called short-lived climate pollutants. Methane doesn’t last as long in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, but it’s much more potent. That’s one reason the city of Los Angeles is suing over the methane leak from a natural gas well north of L.A., and it’s why state leaders are concerned about a long-hidden source of methane emissions: leaking natural gas pipelines.

For decades, utilities in California have logged, but not repaired, thousands of pinprick leaks in pipelines criss-crossing the state. These leaks are considered non-hazardous because they don’t pose a health or safety risk. But they do pose an environmental risk. Tim O’Connor, an attorney with the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), says not many people, from utilities to state leaders, have been thinking about it.

“It is this hidden environmental issue which is quite significant,” O’Connor says.

 Utility Workers Union of America

If you add up the greenhouse gas emissions coming from all pipeline leaks statewide, he says, it’s as if we’re putting 700,000 more cars on the roads.

Methane is a Potent Greenhouse Gas

Most Californians who care about climate change understand that carbon dioxide emissions are a key part of the problem, but methane – which can seep from landfills, oil and gas infrastructure, wastewater ponds or agricultural facilities – is an important piece of the puzzle when it comes to combating climate change.

“It has a stronger global warming potential,” explains Riley Duren, a climate scientist who has been tracking atmospheric methane with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “On a 20-year timeline, methane is about 80 times more efficient at trapping heat than an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide.”

Right now, the biggest single source of methane emissions in the state is in a hilly territory north of Los Angeles, where a massive natural gas leak from Southern California Gas Company’s underground Aliso Canyon storage field has permeated the nearby community of Porter Ranch with a foul smell, sickening some residents and prompting hundreds to relocate.

But when the leak started Oct. 23, he said the fumes grew to an extreme level – and started to affect residents’ health. “It was hard to breathe,” he said. “It’s the kind of thing where you call the emergency number. It’s that strong all over the neighborhood.”

Three weeks after the rupture began, the Los Angeles Department of Public Health issued a fact sheet noting that exposure to the methane gas wasn’t expected to cause long-term health impacts, but an additive called mercaptans is known to cause dizziness, respiratory issues, headaches and other short-term health issues. SoCalGas made several unsuccessful attempts to plug the leak, and it’s now drilling a relief well to contain it—a process that could take up to four months.

SoCalGas now faces a class-action lawsuit from residents of Porter Ranch, charging the company showed a “willful disregard for public health,” and a lawsuit from the city of Los Angeles charging that the utility failed to notify residents of the health hazard in a timely manner and didn’t have a sufficient plan in place to repair the breach. The company has also drawn heat from environmentalists.

“At a calculated rate per hour of about 50,000 kilograms of methane emissions, this single leak is likely responsible for over 25 percent of the state’s daily total methane emissions from all sources, including landfills and agriculture,” O’Connor wrote in a recent blog post. “Depending on when it is fixed, this one leak is also likely to single-handedly double the methane emissions associated with natural gas use in California this year.”

While the Aliso Canyon leak has released a staggering amount of heat-trapping gases, leaking natural gas pipelines are a more insidious problem that has persisted for years.

Hidden Source of Climate Change

Non-hazardous pipeline leaks are graded differently from ruptures that cause gas explosions – under state law, utilities must respond immediately if a detected leak is deemed hazardous. But leaks that vent outdoors, or emit only a small amount of gas, are classified as Grade 3 and have historically ranked as utilities’ lowest priority for repair. Usually the amount of gas they leak is so minuscule you can’t smell it, and if they’re venting outdoors, there’s no danger of a gas build-up that could lead to explosion.

“If there are really high levels that could be dangerous, flammable, [utilities] come out immediately,” explains Francesca Hopkins, who works with Duren on the NASA carbon monitoring team. “What we’re talking about is worrying about methane leaks because of their impact on climate, not finding leaks because they’re a public safety hazard. We care because it’s those smaller, long-term leaks that affect global warming.”

The California Air Resources Board estimates gas pipeline leaks will account for 12 percent of the state’s methane emissions by 2030—a problem that will translate to higher utility bills in the long run, since customers pay for that wasted fuel. Policymakers have only recently started taking action to require utilities to fix them.

“Certain situations — not all, I want to be very clear on this — you’d find some leaks that would go unrepaired for literally years,” said Eric Hofmann, business agent with the SoCalGas utility workers’ union. He said leaks from plastic pipes were more likely to be repaired, but leaks from steel pipes could persist for years.

Partly because the deadly 2010 explosion in San Bruno drew attention to leaky pipelines, and partly because of the new state law, utilities are paying more attention to these small, non-hazardous leaks.

Across the industry, Hofmann said, “there’s definitely been a sense of a more aggressive approach.”

Utilities are currently working with state regulators to formulate long-term plans for complying with the new legislation. In the meantime, Hofmann and others say the gas companies have started adopting new practices, with the recognition that addressing environmentally hazardous leaks is now mandated under state law.

Around the time of this paradigm shift, PG&E adopted new air-monitoring technology that’s 1,000 times more sensitive than the devices it used to rely on. Now they’re finding leaks they couldn’t detect before. In 2014, PG&E reported to regulators that crews found more than 18,800 new, non-hazardous pipeline leaks.

Methane has drawn a lot of attention from policymakers lately. Speaking at a press conference in Paris, Democratic Senator Ricardo Lara of Los Angeles County issued a proposal to slash methane emissions in California to 40 percent below current rates by 2030.

“The scientific evidence is really quite clear,” O’Connor said. “Methane, actual methane into the air, is responsible for 20 to 30 percent of the temperature increases we’re feeling today.”

Once outside New York, the Tesla representative in the passenger seat had me turn on the autopilot.

Suddenly, I was doing nothing. The car drove itself.

Actually, I didn’t do nothing . I hyperventilated. It’s not natural to sit passively while “driving” at 65 mph.

Then came my accident! In a narrow tunnel, the car drifted left, and a tire banged against the side of the tunnel. If I hadn’t quickly grabbed the steering wheel, we would have crashed.

Was the computer-guided car unable to handle a narrow tunnel? No, it turned out the mistake, as usual, was human error — my error. I had nervously touched the steering wheel when we entered the tunnel, and that disengaged the autopilot. The Tesla guy didn’t warn me. Or maybe he did, but I forgot.

Once I learned how the car works, I found the driverless car sorta wonderful, although weird. It’s counterintuitive to trust a computer to handle a car’s sharp turns or stop-and-go traffic.

But it does work. That’s the big point — driverless cars are safer than we drivers are. Ninety-four percent of people killed in car crashes are killed because of human error.

The car’s sensors see when I’m approaching another car. They see better than we do. They are our future, says economist James Miller.

I asked him why drivers should trust the computer. After all, computers crash!

“People know that machines are better than people at a lot of tasks,” was his smart answer. “Our brains are basically machines — but not machines optimized for going 65 miles an hour.” As for “crashing,” he points out that computer buyers aren’t willing to spend extra money for a backup system, but drivers definitely will.

Robot cars may soon save 30,000 lives a year, if bureaucrats let them.

It will be a battle. The technology is way ahead of our laws.

Soon after my car was driving itself, I got bored. So I picked up a newspaper.

“Not a good idea, John!” scolded my Tesla copilot. He reminded me that state laws say a human driver must always be “in control.”

It would also be against the law if I had gone to sleep. But someday, that will be an option. Commuting will be much less stressful.

Because robot cars are safer, insurance rates will drop. Some people will still want to drive themselves, and those people will pay a little more. That’s fine, but then our authoritarian government will probably switch gears and ban “dangerous human driving.”

Maybe that will be the libertarian controversy in 2021.

Freedom doesn’t mean doing anything you want. It means, in part, deciding when to give up control and when to retain it. It also means doing nothing that directly harms others. Giving up some control to machines has been a benefit for centuries.

Robot cars will take away jobs from some taxi drivers, truck drivers, delivery men, etc. Unions, The New York Times and maybe Donald Trump will demand laws to “protect” those jobs. But that’s a mistake.

“Experts” always say automation will create unemployment. In 1930, a New York Times headline said: “Economists predict number of men employed will decline.” But the opposite has happened. Forty-six million Americans had jobs when that headline ran; now 150 million do.

Technology did destroy some jobs. Ninety percent of Americans once worked on farms. Now just 2 percent do. Somehow, today those 2 percent grow more food for less money. A hundred million Americans found other jobs.

This is a great thing.

Farm work was grueling, dangerous and time-consuming. Better agricultural technology frees people up to do safer, more interesting jobs. It also allows people more leisure. Think how many things we’re free to do now that we grow food with the help of tractors.

John Stossel is host of “Stossel” on Fox News and author of “No, They Can’t! Why Government Fails — But Individuals Succeed.” For other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit www.creators.com.

–from Rogue

Victory Motorcycles plans to roar into the 75^th Anniversary of Daytona Bike Week, March 5-12, led by the new Victory Octane, with demo rides, performance demonstrations, custom bike displays, organized rides and much more including the presenting sponsorship of the historic Daytona 200 roadrace featuring the Victory Octane as the official pace bike for 2016.

“Bike Week kicks off the riding season and serves as the perfect place to showcase our modern American muscle with the all-new Victory Octane – the lightest, most powerful and quickest Victory Motorcycle ever produced,” said Steve Menneto, President of Motorcycles for Polaris Industries. “Victory’s goal this year is to highlight the outstanding performance of all of our models, and Victory’s activities and displays in Daytona are the perfect place to see how we’re pushing the performance envelope.”

Victory Motorcycles’ Daytona Bike Week schedule:

Octane –Launch Party (316 Main Street)

7 p.m. – Midnight, March 5

Victory Motorcycles made Daytona Main Street history last year by throwing the biggest party on the strip, and this year promises to take it to the next level! Red Bull action sports athlete Aaron Colton will join Velocity TV’s Bryan Fuller in hosting the launch party for the all-new Victory Octane – the lightest, most powerful and quickest motorcycle Victory has ever produced. Live music from Raw Adrenaline, tons of giveaways and the reveal of a brand new motorcycle World Record insure this will be the party not to miss at Bike Week! Visit the company display at the speedway for more information.

Victory on Display (International Speedway Blvd., in front of the track)

9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Daily

See the entire line of 2016 Victory motorcycles, including the all-new Victory Octane, check out the Victory Gunner NHRA drag racer and Project 156 Pike’s Peak Hill Climb bike, inspect the Urs Erbacher ‘Ignition’ and Zach Ness ‘Combustion’ concept models, witness hourly shows by the Victory Stunt Team and Victory Police Motorcycles operators, and sign up for the chance to win a new Victory Octane. The latest Victory apparel will be available for purchase, and Victory owners can pick up their 2016 Daytona Bike Week commemorative pin from any staff member at the display by showing proof of Victory ownership.

Victory Demo Rides (International Speedway Blvd., adjacent to the Victory Motorcycles display)

9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Daily; Last Ride Leaves at 4:30 p.m.

Bike Week attendees will have a chance to experience true modern American muscle by riding the entire line of 2016 Victory Motorcycles, including the new Victory Octane cruiser, Victory Magnum bagger, Victory Cross Country Tour and electric Empulse TT. All riders must present a valid motorcycle endorsement. Riders and passengers must be 18 or older and wear proper riding attire that includes a DOT approved helmet, closed-toe shoes, long pants and eye protection.

Victory at Main Street Station (316 Main Street)

6 p.m. – 10 p.m., Daily

Victory Motorcycles will be at the Main Street Station historic garage bar music venue all week. Be sure to stop by for giveaways, live music and other activities.

Daily Activities At Two Local Dealers

9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Daily

Stop in at IMC Daytona Beach (290 North Beach Street, Daytona Beach) and Volusia Motorsports (1701 State Rd. 44, New Smyrna Beach) for motorcycles, accessories, apparel, and a host of unique special events. Visit www.Volusia-Motorsports.com and www.IndianMotorcycleDaytonaBeach.com for full details.

Grizzly Launches Around the World Record Attempt on a Cross Country Tour (Daytona International Speedway Victory Display)

1 p.m., March 11

Swiss endurance rider Urs “Grizzly” Pedraita will ride away from Daytona International Speedway at 1 p.m. in a quest to set a new world record by circumnavigating six continents in less than 100 days aboard his Victory Cross Country Tour. Owners of Victory motorcycles are invited to join Grizzly for one lap of the Daytona 200 road course prior to the start of his world record-breaking attempt.

Victory Owners Ride (Daytona International Speedway)

March 11

Always a major Bike Week event, the Victory Owners Ride this year will incorporate Grizzly’s world record attempt. Get together at Daytona International Speedway, ride one lap of the Daytona 200 road course, then escort Grizzly out of town during this first part of his journey. Volusia Motorsports will be hosting a gathering at 9 a.m., prior to the Owners Ride. Visit the company display for more information.

75^th Running of the Daytona 200 (Daytona International Speedway)

March 12

Victory Motorcycles is proud to be the Presenting Sponsor of the 75^th Running of the Daytona 200. Come and check out this historic race and witness the all-new Octane thunder down the track as the Official Pace Bike for the race. Log on to http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/ for more information.

Visit VictoryMotorcycles.com/en-us/event for an up-to-date schedule of events. Learn more about Victory Motorcycles at VictoryMotorcycles.com or follow on Twitter and Facebook.

The RSD SuperHooligan Indian Scout Sixty race bikes most recently appeared at races held in conjunction with The One Show in Salem, Ore., and Mama Tried in Milwaukee, Wis.

At The One Show, RSD fielded four Indian Scout Sixty SuperHooligan bikes in a line-up of 15 racers. Drake McElroy, Travis Newbold, Cameron Brewer and local female racer Tori George held four of the top five spots for the majority of the race, with Newbold throttling to a 2^nd place finish.

At Mama Tried, the Hooligan Scout Sixty race team for the weekend included Roland Sands, Cameron Brewer, Aaron Frank, and professional GNC racers Jesse Janisch and Kevin Walters. Indian Scout SuperHooligan racers dominated qualifying with a win in every heat race, and Sands led his heat race from flag to flag. Four of the 12 riders in the eight-lap main event were aboard Indians. An aggressive start from Sands gave him the holeshot, but the soda syrup and concrete track conditions had changed going into the main event surprising many of the riders in the field. Following loads of two-wheeled hijinks inherent to hooligan racing, Brewer ripped into a 4^th place finish, Janisch slid into 7^th, Frank managed a 9^th and Sands rounded out the field in 12^th after crashing out while on the hunt for a podium spot.

“Engaging in elbow-to-elbow combat with a dozen other ultra-aggressive hooligan racers on a track that’s barely bigger than an NBA basketball court was more than a little intimidating,” says Aaron Frank, former editor of Motorcyclist magazine. “I’ve done hundreds of races in my life but this was far and away the best. The unique indoor venue, the huge crowd, the camaraderie of riders, the bar-banging racing action and the roar of a pack of Scout V-twins – SuperHooligan racing is pretty much the most fun I’ve ever had on two wheels.”

Hooligans next will be out to play 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. Tuesday, March 8, at the Ocean Complex West Parking Lot in downtown Daytona Beach. Enjoy live music, food & refreshments as Roland Sands and fellow Team RSD racers battle handlebar-to-handlebar in pursuit of the checkered flag on their RSD SuperHooligan Indian Scout Sixty customs. Winners of the Project Scout contest will be announced at this event, and you’re welcome to join a celebratory after-party at the Boot Hill Saloon. Racers interested in participating in the Daytona event can sign up at RolandSands.com.

If you can’t make it to Bike Week, the SuperHooligans will be at IV Flat Track Del Mar in Del Mar, Calif., on March 19, and at the Hand Built Show in Austin, TX, on April 8.