Hey it’s the first of September in another wild summer and all I can think of is the south and the devastation. The weather is sure fuckin’ with us. We need to reach out and help in anyway possible. Make a donation to the Red Cross today. Do something.
It was the south hit hard this week, but it could be you or me next. I think about this goddamn building a mere 10 feet above sea level and a block from the harbor. We’ll see what this winter brings.
I’d like to welcome Road Max, Bob Kay and Hard Bikes onto Bikernet as full sponsors. I’m honored to have Nick the Dick back on Bikernet from the master Jon Towle. And don’t forget to check the new model/road test department. Since there are so many new American made bikes busting onto the scene, we’ll do our best to deliver the news and our views of bikes we can straddle.
Don’t forget that all the departments are listed at the bottom of each page. They’re free and packed fulla info, so check ’em out from time to time. Let’s hit the news:
CALIFORNIA MID STATE RALLY THIS WEEKEND–Street Chopper Magazine is inviting 15 of the top bike builders to compete for $15,000 in prize money at the 5th Annual California Mid State Rally in Paso Robles, CA September 2nd, 3rd & 4th. From the best known to the unknown these magicians of metal and twisters of steel will bring their best work to the Mid State Street Chopper Invitational. It will also be an opportunity for us the chopper fans to get up close and personal with these great craftsmen.
The builder invitees are Mitch Bergeron, Johnny Chop, Tom Foster, LA County Chop Rods, Scott Long of Central Coast Cycles, Lucky 7 Choppers, Harold Pontirelli, Roland Sands of Performance Machine, Top Shelf Customs, Aaron Greene of Paramount Custom Cycles, Big Mike of BMC Choppers, Mondo of Denver’s Choppers, Kirk Taylor of Custom Design Studios, Cole Foster of Salinas Boys. Along with the cash prizes each contestant will also get an entry package that will include a pair of Sha Sha shoes and Feeling Lucky work shirt.
The Street Chopper Builders Invitational will be the main event at the Mid State Rally but will be surrounded with hundreds of vendors, live music, ride in bike show, bikini contest, tattoo show, Flat track and Motocross racing, free camping, stunt shows, and some of the best riding area California has to offer.
Click on to http://www.horsepowerpromotions.com or call (805) 686-2007 for more info on the Street Chopper build off and other Street Chopper shows.
BAD AS HELL AND YOU GOTTA HAVE THEM– Introducing the “Bad as Hell fork cap” made for (FC1) 2000-up models and(FC2) 1986-1999 models Replace that weak lower cap with true aerospace quality 7075 CNC billet SAFER = STRONGER. All hidden grade 8 hardware included makes both sides match. Looks like a custom set of fork legs. “Trick’ available in chrome, painted , black or raw for the custom bike builder. Limited lifetime warranty included. Contact Chrome Services.com 951 N. Parker Orange, Ca 92867 or 714-913-5300 or 714-420-7431. Fax orders to 714-538-4445 -retail is $119 but mention this ad and we will cut the cost and give free shipping for $99 or buy 3 get one free for a limited time.
T-SHIRTS AND APEARAL AVAILABLE ALSO..
DEPARTURE BIKE DEAL OF THE WEEK– THIS IS A 2002 AMERICAN IRONHORSE “TEJAS”. We sold the Softail. I got a new special for you.I forgot to mention that the Tejas has 113″ S&S engine it. I left out the best part.
Low Miles
Rigid frame chopper style
Sick paintjob
$18,500.00
–Justin
mailto:justin@departure.com
–Lee
mailto:lee@departure.com
Tel: 804-231-0244
SUICIDE-FREE SHIFTING NOW A POSSIBILITY– Thanks to MC Advantages’ new Suicide-Free Shift Kit by Grandeur Cycles,dangerous suicide shifting at low speeds has become a thing of the past.This advanced clutch design used in tandem with Grandeur Forward Controlswith Hydraulic Brake and Clutch and the Grandeur Jockey Shift allow therider to slow to a stop and then take off again without engaging the clutch.
This amazing kit fits Harley-Davidson, BDL and BDL Top Fuel Belt Drives.Fitment for Primo Belt drives coming soon. Grandeur Auto Clutch, ForwardControls and Jockey Shift are available as a kit or separately.
Contact MCAdvantages for complete details at 800-726-9620 or check them out online atwww.mcadvantages.com
MC Advantages is a distributor of high-performance V-Twin parts based inGrimes, Iowa, serving dealers in the U.S. and abroad. MC Advantagesdistributes many brands including: S&S Cycle, Martin Bros., Spyke, Stampede,Prowler, Bulletpr?f, D&M Custom Cycle, Progressive Suspension, K&N, TFI,Rivera Engineering/Primo, Edelbrock, Russell, Platinum Air Suspension, MetalMotorsports, Nitrous Express and many more.
MC Advantages
1-800-726-9620
http://www.MCAdvantages.com
TORNADO RIPS THROUGH S&S–VIOLA, WI (August 18, 2005) A tornado ripped through the small community of Viola, Wisconsin late afternoon on Thursday August 18, 2005, causing widespread damage in the village. The S&S Cycle facility, including manufacturing, product development, IS, marketing, and finance & accounting departments received minimal damage and no injuries to S&S staff were reported. Phone and data connectivity between Viola and the S&S facilities in La Crosse , Wisconsin was restored within hours, allowing business to continue as usual by Friday morning.
This small town of about 600 people sustained major damage, including downed trees and destroyed houses and buildings from the tornado. It was reported that 137 houses confirmed damaged, 19 of them severe. Traffic through the town was kept to a minimum for a couple of days to reduce the number of non-residents curious about the damage. Fortunately, only one minor injury was reported as a result of the tornado. Wisconsin Governor, Jim Doyle, surveyed the damage and took time to meet local volunteers during the cleanup on Friday and declared a state of emergency for the county.
“I stood on my deck and watched the storm develop, form over Viola, and move east down highway 56,” commented Mike Alexander, VP of Manufacturing for S&S Cycle. “I had no idea that I was watching Viola being ripped apart until pieces of trees, plywood, and tin started landing near my house. After viewing the destruction in Viola, I am amazed and very thankful there were no injuries.”
“S&S was definitely watched over to survive such a storm with only damage to our flag pole and some of the trees on the property,” said S&S CFO Steve Iggens. “Furthermore, I must commend our local utility company Richland Electric Cooperative, our telecommunications provider Vernon Telephone Cooperative, and our internal IS staff for getting all of our systems up and operational for first shift on Friday morning. This was a monumental effort and they all pulled together so that we could serve our customers like nothing happened,” concluded Iggens.
“I believe it is a blessing from God that not only protected our business, but more importantly protected our employees, their families, and the residents of the Viola area,” said S&S president, Brett Smith. “I am very thankful that nobody was hurt and that state and local agencies responded so quickly.”
S&S Cycle moved from Blue Island , Illinois to Viola, Wisconsin in 1969 and recently expanded its operations to La Crosse , Wisconsin in August of 2004.
NEW MOVIE RELEASED–Greetings from New Zealand. In case you and the readers on Bikernet weren’t aware, the new movie “The Worlds Fastest Indian” is being released in Nth America in October.
This is the true story of the late New Zealander Burt Munro who set a (still unbroken) land speed record on the Salt Flats in Utah on his modified 1920 Indian Scout in 1967. 190mph.
The film stars Sir Anthony Hopkins as Munro. It was filmed in Utah and in his home town of Invercargill, New Zealand this past year.
There are 2 bike wrenchers from New Zealand that make us home building guys proud here. John Britten for his infamous Daytona bike and Burt Munro with his Indian. Both a couple of self taught guys building bikes at home in their sheds.
I think a lot of your readers will get a kick out of his story in this film.
–Andy
http://www.ezrider.co.nz
BIKERNET RUMOR CONTROL–Maybe you can help answer a question for us, we heard this rumor that you can put Twin Cam wheels into Evo cases with minimal machining. Is this true, and if so does it also include the beta model as well? Please help us uncover the truth on this question as it has been the topic of several debates (more like arguments with a lot of head scratching) not to mention I’ve got five bucks riding on it…
Thanks for any answer you can provide.
–Lone Rider
I spoke to Giggie from Rivera and he told me that the wheels and rods are cool, but the Pinion shaft won’t work. And I believe that the Pinion shaft and the right flywheel is one piece.–Bandit
RUSHMORE NUMBERS BREAK RALLY RECORDS–Rapid City Journal, SD – Although attendance to Sturgis proper dipped about 4 percent during the 2005 motorcycle rally, other locales reported a rally week surge over 2004.The 2005 traffic count of motorcycles at Mount Rushmore National Memorial broke all official records kept since 1990,
Mike Pflaum, chief ranger at Mount Rushmore National Memorial, said.”It was the most motorcycles of rally period,” Pflaum said.Pflaum said the Mount Rushmore park attendants counted motorcycles at the national memorial from Aug. 5 to Aug. 15. In 2004, 79,447 motorcycles visited Mount Rushmore during rally week. This year, motorcycle traffic increased 3.8 percent, to 82,466.”We set a record,” he said.
The national memorial has tracked rally week attendance for 15 years.Deb Casey with the Hill City Area Chamber of Commerce agreed.
“We were up,” Casey said of motorcycles visiting Hill City.Hill City closed its main street to four-wheel-vehicle traffic from Aug. 6 to 13 because of the increased motorcycle traffic, and bikers took advantage of it, Casey said.”We had a lot of motorcyclists,” she said.
Not only did motorcyclists arrive in droves, but they also came earlier, she said.”We generally get heavy motorcycle traffic three days before rally, but we were packed a week ahead of rally time,” she said.
The Wyoming Highway Department officials won’t have complete traffic counts until next week, but officials said they will have to move traffic counting devices during the Hulett Ham N Jam in 2006.
On Wednesday of this year’s rally week (officially Aug. 8 through 14), motorcycles sat two abreast more than a mile outside the Hulett city limits in northwestern Wyoming, waiting to get into the event, officials said.
Earlier this month, the South Dakota Department of Transportation reported that traffic counts during the 2005 Sturgis motorcycle rally had reached 524,656 for rally week, falling 4 percent compared to 2004 rally’s 547,370 traffic count. The average daily traffic count for the week was 74,951.
–from Rogue
CALIFORNIA MID STATE RALLY LETTER–Welcome to the 5th Annual Hot Bike California Mid State Rally, Those of you that have been here before will notice some changes this year as well as the continued growth of this event.
Horse Power Promotions took over the promotions and productions this year and we have tried to create a more comfortable layout, easier shopping in the motorcycle marketplace and of course a more enjoyable rally over all.
You have probably seen one of the Horse Power staff at the other shows across the nation passing the word about the California Mid State Rally. Well it worked and as you can see we have attracted more vendors then ever before which lead to the larger vendor field.
The Street Chopper 15,000-dollar build off also attracted more builders than any other show in the western United States. Not just any builders, the best in the business. These builders have been working hard to finish their best bikes for the title and coverage in Street Chopper magazine.
A couple of other changes this year is the FREE motorcycle racing in the main grandstand, giant main stage with bands all weekend, the Fess Parker Wine Garden with one of my favorites the Blue Baron band playing all weekend and $10.00 Hot Bike tour T-shirts. Enjoy the area, grab a Coors, order a bike from Santa Maria Harley-Davidson and shop and chop ’til ya drop!
Ride hard ’til the next H.P. show
–Horse Power Promotions
WOMAN ARRAIGNED ON ASSAULT CHARGE– VANCOUVER, Wash. – A Camas woman was arraigned on an assault charge on Monday in connection with a case of ‘road rage.’Twila Lamb and her husband, John Lamb, were arrested Saturday after they got in a scuffle with several motorcyclists on State Route 14 near Interstate-205.
Police say Twila Lamb intentionally rammed one of the motorcycle riders with her car.According to witnesses, the motorcycle driver, 23-year-old Brandon T. Brooks of Gresham, was ejected over the handlebars and came to rest at the bottom of a hill.Police say following the crash, Twila Lamb got out of her car, ran down the hill and assaulted Brooks. Witnesses say her husband came down the hill as well and tackled Brooks to the ground.
Brooks and another motorcyclist involved in the incident ended up with minor injuries.Twila Lamb faces a charge of First Degree Assault and her husband, John Lamb, faces a charge of Fourth Degree Assault.
–from Rogue
http://www.bikerrogue.com
FIRST LOOK AT SWIFT ’06 RANGE– AT THE LA Calendar Show in Long Beach, California, Swift Motorcycles gave a sneak preview of their 2006 range. The Swift booth featured the ‘Bobber’, a new model that will be part of the line-up coming out of the company’s Phoenix, Arizona plant later this year. Swift’s Chris Moyes said the model is only a small part of the new look for Swift Motorcycles.
He explained: “Look for some real innovations in the new ’06 model range. We have made so many major changes they are going to blow you away and set the tone for Swift going forward.”
Chris said he will show the rest of the Swift line-up in the near future.
SWIFT MOTORCYCLE CO.
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Tel: 602 248 2836
Fax: 602 248 9392
E-mail janet@swiftmotorcycle.com
http://www.swiftmotorcycle.com
100 FREE POSTERS ON BIKERNET–Don’t forget to sneak over to the Free Contest area and register on Bikernet. No cost and the first 100 riders to sign in get a free Rucker Cycles Poster. Don’t Miss it.
http://www.bikernet.com/contest/
MOTORCYCLE SEIZURE COULD BENEFIT WHITEWOOD– Black Hills Pioneer, SD – WHITEWOOD – A methamphetamine arrest during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally yielded a motorcycle that could become profitable for the city of Whitewood, Police Chief Jerry Davidson said.
Davidson said the motorcycle is worth approximately $20,000. Under state law, the owner is given the option to purchase the bike back after the seizure. In this case, he said, a man arrested for possession of 1.5 grams of methamphetamine declined to buy his 2004 Harley-Davidson Softtail back. The bike was completely paid for and was being offered back for $9,000.
But since he did not buy the bike back, Davidson said the motorcycle will now go into a statewide auction, with part of the proceeds likely to go back to the city of Whitewood to purchase a new patrol vehicle.
“I’m pretty excited because if this works out the way it should we should get some of that drug money back,” Davidson said. “I know other agencies have gotten seizure money. These two motorcycles are fully paid for, so this is a big deal for us.”
–from Rogue
http://www.bikerrogue.com>
Continued On Page 2
