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CUSTOM CHROME PRESIDENT HOLGER MOHR TO RESUME EUROPEAN ROLE–THE Global Motorsport Group has announced that Custom Chrome President Holger Mohr will resume his role as Managing Director Of Custom Chrome in Europe at the beginning of October.
The move follows a year-and-a-half of “successful initiatives aimed at improving the market position of the company’s U.S. operations”, according to the Morgan Hill, California based distributor.
“It has been a privilege to work with the U.S. team for the past year and a half,” said Mohr. “When our partner Cerberus Financial was looking for an industry insider to re-position the business for a return to long-term growth and profits, I saw it as an important challenge and a great opportunity to make a difference in the company and industry I care deeply about.”
“We began immediately with a series of restructuring steps that were designed to improve our operations and cost base,” Mohr said. In addition to establishing a new management and sales team, Mohr notes that his successes include a completely refreshed product portfolio, initiatives that have improved customer fill rates, a redesigned catalog launch and a successful reintroduction of the company to the industry at the 2007 Cincinnati V-Twin Expo.
“As conditions in the U.S. market have caused many to look to Europe for growth, we felt it important that Holger again focuses on maintaining the market dominance of CCE in the European market,” added Dan Cook, Chief Executive Officer, Global Motorsport Group, Inc.
“Holger has done a great job strengthening the operation and putting in place a team that can take us to the next level, and uniquely among distributors he is an ‘ace up our sleeve’ in terms of being able to drive sales and profits in growing European markets,” said Cook.
“I have truly enjoyed my assignment in the U.S.,” Mohr added. “The growing strength of the company gives me the opportunity to return home confident that I’m turning over domestic operations to a solid management team.”
www.customchrome.com
BARRY COONEY HUNTS KNUCKLES–Barry Cooney, owned a shop in Oregon back in the ’70s and has built stellar bikes for at least 30 years. Here’s his latest creation. He deals in antique cars and builds one or two bikes a year for clients.
After building plenty of Evos, suddenly, because of a tattoo he wants to build a Knucklehead. He’s looking for one. If you know of a Knuckle for sale, drop him a line.
Hamsterbc@aol.com
ANOTHER HAMSTER CHECKS IN FROM THE SALT FLATS–The family of Bonneville continues to make us smile. Its a great place to share stories, parts, and the love of motorcycles!
I was fortunate enough to have time to read through the last Sunday and Thursday ramblings. I love your Bonneville update as it tugs at the camaraderie, trials and triumphs of the mysteries of the Salt!
Thanks for including our wedding, I wanted to personally thank Berry and Gypsy, Valerie and Rex, and your entire team for attending our service on the salt. It goes without saying that it will forever be etched in the motorcycle memory bank. We are fortunate to start our family there, just as our family of friends has grown there. To look out and see all of our industry friends, family and Hamster comrades assemble in the middle of 30,000 acres of whiteness was breathtaking. The lord shown on us as the ominous skys broke, the light and the spirit amongst the crowd was perfect. A haulmark moment, as Chris Callen spoke of it, with the rainbow and all.
It was amazing to watch the transformation in our 16 year old daughter Erika as she received her motorcycle license this year, ran for the first time ever at Bonneville, learned about altitude, gearing, teamwork and secured an AMA record! The response from everyone to her efforts with the Buell Blast and its 495cc single were awesome. At one point, Larry from Chop and Grind gave up his spot in line so she could bump that number over 100.
On Thursday, Laura said it was like someone just lost the big game when the sigh of “OH!” went acoss the crowd watching the mile on Erika’s final tuck of the week as she came in at 110 mph, only to be foiled by a sparkplug porcelain that broke 150 yards in and it sputtered out the end, for a disappointed young lady.
We were thrilled as a team to watch all the ups and downs and for it to happen for someone so young. We were even more shocked as she was awarded the Womens Spirit award by Erin Hunter of Potter Lumber. The fact that she gave the second half of the monetary award to the Klock Werks team spoke volumes for the family atmosphere that is created and inspired in Bonneville. They in turn told her to put it towards going faster, and the sickness continues! Our 14-year-old daughter, Karlee is already plotting to take over the Blast next year!
Hats off to the 5-Ball Racing team for receiving the Best Engineered award that evening also! Your crew of creative souls built a bike that intrigued people and tugged at the spirit of Bonneville, very deserving. You all earned it, so from our team to yours, Congrats!!
So as it goes and we all share photos, memories, and laughs, we look forward to seeing the guys from Chop and Grind, 5-Ball, Goldammer, Buell Bros., Krugger, and more as our family of friends grows and so do our motorcycle experiences! See you next year at the Family reunion of Gearheads on the Salt! Our thanks to everyone for making our week a blessing!
–Brian Klock
HERE’S THE LAND SPEED RECORD PIPE DREAM–If you’ve kept up on the Bonneville salt reports, you start to understand all the difficulties of racing on the salt. There’s blistering weather, salt conditions, elevation, lack of air density and the surface to contend with constantly. Consequently, it would be magnificent to find a strip of flat asphalt, at least 5 miles long, at sea level, in an area without severe wind and beautiful weather year round. Am I asking too much? Fuck it. I’m asking, and I reached out to Joe Zanelli of Primm Properties in Vegas, for an answer. The Terrible Herbst family recently purchased all the Primm Casinos, so they could race quads and desert 4-wheelers. They may have the spirit to make it happen.
The bottom line: The search is on for a benefactor who loves racing in perhaps Nevada to build a Land Speed Record track.
Just when you think I started something, read the following. Just goes to show there are others out there already trying to find a location.
Search continues for aviation adventurer Steve Fossett
(CNN) — Although there were no signs of missing aviation adventurer Steve Fossett Tuesday evening, an official leading the rescue said she remained optimistic.
Maj. Cynthia S. Ryan of the Civil Air Patrol said Fossett, who has been missing for a day, once walked 30 miles to get help after making a forced landing.
But Ryan noted the challenge rescuers are facing as they comb the high desert region, which is covered with sagebrush and hides deep ravines.
Rescuers are focusing on 600 square miles. “It’s a very large haystack,” she said. “And an airplane is a very small needle. No doubt about that.”
The Civil Air Patrol has 10 aircraft that will be searching until dusk for Fossett, who has been missing since Monday afternoon, she said. The search will resume Wednesday at 7 a.m. (10 a.m. ET).Fossett, 63, was in a single-engine plane when he took off at 9 a.m. (noon ET) in good flying conditions from hotel magnate Barron Hilton’s Flying M Ranch, Ryan said.
He had planned to return to the ranch, which is about 30 miles south of Yerington, Nevada, at noon (3 p.m. ET). The search for him began about six hours later, Ryan said.
Fossett did not file a flight plan, which is not required on flights using visual navigation.
Fossett is the first person to solo around the world in a balloon, and has broken numerous other flight records.
When he left, he had four to five hours of fuel for flight, said Ryan.”Steve took off toward the south and was going to fly southbound, looking around for some dry lake beds for some plans he had for the future,” Ryan said.
Ryan said authorities are analyzing information from radar intelligence to try to track Fossett.
Helicopters and planes from Naval Air Station Fallon, in Fallon, Nevada, the Nevada Air National Guard and the California Highway Patrol are helping in the search.
ON ANOTHER MOTORCYCLE RACING FRONT COWBOY STAN MAKES FOUR FINALS IN 2007–AHDRA racer “Cowboy” Stan Sheppard started off the 2007 season with four final round appearances and one win. In the first three races he has earned a won-loss record of 21-8. He races one Pro class and two sportsman classes in the Western Division of the All Harley Drag Racing Association. He made two finals in Phoenix, one in Dallas and one in Woodburn. His only win was at the Phoenix race in the SEP class.
His current Western Division rankings are #1 in Rush Progas, #2 in the Screaming Eagle Performance 11.50 index class and #4 in the SYN3 Elapsed Time Class. In addition, at the rained out Seattle race he qualified #1 in Progas and #2 in the Screaming Eagle Performance class. In the seven years he has raced with the AHDRA, Seattle was the first time he qualified in the #1 Position. He also has two Western Division AHDRA Championships, ET in 2000 and Prosock in 2005.
The last two AHDRA races in are in early November at Pomona and Las Vegas. Stan is hoping to finish up the year as strong as he started.
In the Progas class he runs a former NHRA Prostock bike with a 160 Cubic Inch S&S Prostock motor producing 270 HP which is mated to a Zippers Racecase semi-auto 5-speed transmission, a D&G Chassis and carbon fiber body. At a little over 635 lbs with a 190 lb rider it runs in the high 7 second range. At Woodburn, between qualifying and racing all 6 of his passes were in the 7 second zone including a personal best of 7.85 @165 MPH.
In the Sportsman classes Stan runs a 1994 Lowrider he started racing in 1994. The bike has over 1000 _ mile passes on it and is still running strong. The motor has been rebuilt three times and has 96 cubic inches putting out 110 HP with a belt drive from Karata and an air-shifted Harley 5 speed transmission. It consistently runs in the 11.50’s and is a real workhorse.
Stan is assisted at the races by Mark Archibald, a longtime friend. His sponsors include C.H. Bull Company and Hannan’s Machine Shop plus JLK Precision Motorcycles, Cycle Shack Pipes, Redline Oil, MT Tires, Vanson Leathers, D&G Chassis, S&S and Outlaw racing fuel.
By Steve LeTempt
BRITISH CHARITY DEMANDS DOWNSIZING OF MOTORCYCLES– A row has erupted in England after an influential road safety charity, RoadPeace, called on the government to limit the weight, speed and power of high-speed motorcycles in an effort to slow the pace of rising rider fatalities. Make bikes slower to save lives, claims the charity in correspondence with the Transport Select Committee demanding that ministers issue new regulations “downsizing” motorcycles.
The move has sparked a furious reaction from the British Motorcycle Foundation, notes the Evening Standard newspaper, and the BMF has quit RoadPeace claiming it has been betrayed by the organization it has been an active member of since 2002.
The federation also questioned the charity’s figures, pointing out that the majority of motorcycle accidents involved riders of bikes with engines under 125cc. It suggested that pedestrians and cyclists were responsible for many collisions with motorcycles. In a statement, the BMF said: “The vast majority of motorcycle accidents are caused by other road users, road defects or by poor road design.”
Sheila Rainger of the RAC Foundation, a motor vehicle safety charity, said: “RoadPeace is authoritative and is listened to but, unfortunately, in this case its demands are based on emotion, not facts.”
BIKERNET WEEKLY PHOTO ART EXHIBIT–Inspired by a recent 4 day road trip that slowly faded out of my head.
Live it up,
–Whiplash Biker Photog
whiplash@photo.net
BIKERNET STAFF POET FALLS ON HARD TIMES–I’ve fallen on some hard times and sure could use the cash. This is a snap shot of what I got right now. I’m open to offers at this point. I don’t want to lose my scoot. I need to come up with some quick cash
Much Respect
–Pan
Joshua Griffith
panheadjosh74@hotmail.com
DREW GATEWOOD BONNEVILLE OFFICIAL REQUESTS SUGGESTIONS FROM BIKERNET STAFF–This is Drew Gatewood calling.I was the F.I.M. Technical Steward again this year.You and your crew sure have nice equipment, and seem to have a great time.I myself have a blast each time I go.Hopefully I will be hired again next year, and if so, I plan on going out early and helping with preparation.
I am writing a few of the people who raced and asking their opinion on what was good and what couldstand improvement. Please be honest about things, as I want to help this program grow and becomesmoother flowing.
It took me until my 50s to get to Bonneville, but man am I hooked now.
See Ya
–Drew Gatewood
Official 5-Ball Racing Team Response: Good to see you on the salt. Here’s our initial comments:
Better Salt Conditions
Reduced Elevation, sea level preferably
Improved Air Density
One track dedicated to 5-Ball Racing
That’s all, Drew. The officials did a helluva job. I know you can take care of the above considerations. Oh, I forgot. Fix the weather, will ya?
–5-Ball Racing Official
MOTORCYCLE SALES SLOW– The runaway freight train of motorcycle sales may finally be slowing down. For more than a decade, motorcycles recorded record sales figures, often showing double-digit annual increases, defying nationwide economic slowdowns and stock market dips. But for the first half of 2007 the Motorcycle Industry Council reports that U.S. motorcycle sales are down for the first time since the mid-90s, and were off by 7% compared to the first six months of last year.
Theories abound, with some suggesting the rise in gas prices and bleak economic picture are making consumers cautious. Others say sub-prime concerns in the housing and auto sectors are making loans less available. Others blame a summer of freaky weather. Others say the slight decline in sales nationwide is a blip that won’t last, and point out that 2007 will still be the third-largest year for motorcycle sales.
Dealers noted that with supply catching up to demand nationwide, consumers are getting better deals, with financing incentives, stable pricing, and great values with added features such as anti-lock brakes, fuel injection and other technical improvements for very little additional cost to consumers.
Dealerships have reported seeing an increase in sales of touring bikes and sport-touring models, as graying riders – and their wives in the passenger seat – seek bigger more comfortable rides. Another trend, again driven by the aging biker population, is the move to trikes. New bike buyers are also demanding such add-ons as satellite navigational systems, even though they are relatively expensive.
Motorcycle sales nationally have always been somewhat independent of practical economics, Wade Rice of Rice Honda-Suzuki-Victory told the Rapid City Journal. “They say 3 percent of the population rides motorcycles. That’s the bad news,” Rice said, but from the dealers’ perspective, “The good news is that 28 percent want them.”
SPEEDING TICKET GET 3 YEARS–WEIRD NEWS: 2 Wheels + 160 mph + School Zone = 3 Years of Lockup According to NBC, a 20 year-old Mesa, Arizona motorcyclist was recently sentenced to three years in prison for riding his 2006 Honda CBR 600 through a school zone and crosswalk at speeds over 160 mph.
Law enforcement officials first spotted the ex-racer traveling at roughly 140 mph through morning rush hour traffic, and a 30 minute pursuit ended with a foot chase that resulted in the man’s arrest. Apparently, his history of reckless driving and riding under a suspended license didn’t help his argument in court.
–Bill Bish
MC ADVANTAGES SELECTS FREAKSHOW CHOPPERS AS PARTNER PICK AT AMD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS–
As one of the sponsoring partners for the 2007 AMD World Championship ofCustom Bike Building, MC Advantages was invited to award their choice forbest bike in the show. The MC Advantages team selected Freakshow Choppers’Fantasma del Lago as their Partner Pick. This distinction, awarded by MCAdvantages General Manager Kent Reed, recognized the bike that bestrepresented the MC Advantages product line and customer base.
“Jay Burnham and the Freakshow Choppers team had a great bike with anabsolutely wicked look and paint job,” said Reed. “It features a number ofparts that customers can purchase from their MC Advantages dealer like anAmerican Suspension Front End, Spyke? Stealth Starter, 360 Brake, CustomCycle Control System Bars and Chesapeake Performance Belt Drive Cover,” hesaid.
The World Championship of Custom Bike Building is hosted annually byAmerican Motorcycle Dealer Magazine at the Sturgis Rally and Races inSturgis, S.D. MC Advantages is an official partner of the premier custommotorcycle event which hosted 175 entries from 10 different countries.
MC Advantages
1-800-726-9620
www.MCAdvantages.com
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