Hey,
Exciting times at Bikernet. Daytona Bike Week is just around the corner. It’s the 40th Anniversary of the Hamsters, now with about 300 members worldwide, some 60 critters are headed to Daytona where it all started.
We started an Instagram campaign this week with my Son Frank, and Grandson Frankie and went from 100 viewers to about 1,500 in a few days. Of course my son wants to turn it over to me on Monday, like I need another project. “They want to hear from you, Dad.”
Our Bikernet numbers climbed 14 percent in the short month of February. Not bad. Just goes to show. If you do anything, even if it’s wrong your numbers may respond.
The Bikernet Weekly News is sponsored in part by companies who also dig Freedom including: Cycle Source Magazine, the MRF, Las Vegas Bikefest, Iron Trader News, ChopperTown and BorntoRide.com, Sturgis Museum. And the Smoke Out.
SONS OF SPEED IN DAYTONA–Sons of Speed is a motorcycle race inspired by early 20th-century board-track racing. Featuring stripped-down bikes with pre-1925 American V-Twin engines and a steeply banked racetrack, Sons of Speed hearkens back to a wide-open, full-throttle, thrilling style of motorcycle racing.
Founded by veteran motorcycle builder Billy Lane of Discovery Channel’s Biker Build-Off and Monster Garage, the Sons of Speed race will feature some of the sport’s most accomplished riders, builders, and enthusiasts. The Sons of Speed race will take place during Daytona Bike Week at New Smyrna Speedway’s half-mile, paved, banked racetrack, with nine riders in several different heats. Winners of the heats will advance to a championship round. Each racer will sit astride identical hand-built racing chassis holding pre-1925 1000cc American V-Twin engines, and most racers will customize their machines by fabricating handlebars, exhaust, fenders, foot pegs and fuel/oil tanks.
This year, general admission tickets to the Sons of Speed race at New Smyrna Speedway on Saturday, March 17, will be AVAILABLE ONLY AT THE DOOR. Gates open at 11 am and races are at 1 pm. Tickets are $20; there’s a $5 military discount with a military ID (limit one per military ID).
This year, we have two advance-purchase-only ticket types:
HOT PASS: $200
* breakfast with Billy at Choppers Inc on Thursday, March 15, at 9 am (location to be revealed to ticket buyers)
* one-of-a-kind signed lanyard that grants admission and pit access to the races on Saturday
* Billy Lane’s books Chop Fiction and How to Build a Chopper
NOTE: There are only 50 HOT PASS tickets available.
VIP: $50
* one-of-a-kind signed lanyard that grants admission and pit access to the races on Saturday
NOTE: There are 200 VIP tickets available.
I bought three VIP tickets. See you there.
–Bandit
BIKERNET BOOK OF THE MONTH CLUB–The Book has arrived! Morano’s ‘The Politically Incorrect Guide to Climate Change’ now available!
By: Marc Morano – Climate Depot
Climate Depot’s Marc Morano’s book, The Politically Incorrect Guide to Climate Change by Regnery Books is already climbing to Number 1 in a key category on the Amazon rankings! It has reached #1 Best Seller in Environmental Science books as of February 28, 2018.
The Politically Incorrect Guide to Climate Change, By Marc Morano
The book has been endorsed by Nobel Prize Winning scientist Dr. Ivar Giaever. (see below) The new book also comes out just in time to greet the upcoming UN IPCC climate report already making the media rounds: See: Leaked UN IPCC Draft Report calls for ‘a radical transformation of society’ – Predicts 1.5°C Warming By 2043
This book is the ultimate reference guide to climate change and no parent should be without a copy as their kids under climate education at school from elementary through college!
(The new book is also available at: Amazon UK ; EBAY;
BUY NOW: https://www.amazon.com/Deplorables-Guide-Global-Warming-Guides/dp/1621576760
Limbaugh praised Climate Depot’s Morano in 2009: “Morano’s probably single-handedly, in a civilian sense, the guy (other than me, of course) doing a better job of ringing the bells alarming people of what’s going on here.” – November 20, 2009
Limbaugh on Morano in February 2018:
Rush Limbaugh Touts Climate Depot: Run by Morano who ‘used to be — when I had the TV show — Our Man in Washington – Warmist ‘arguments blown to smithereens’ on Climate Depot
Read the book’s forward by Weather Channel Founder John Coleman & read critical praise of Morano’s new book here: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/02/25/a-must-read-the-politically-incorrect-guide-to-climate-change/
A sampling of praise and reviews for Marc Morano’s new book:
“With his book “Politically Incorrect Guide to Climate Change”, Marc Morano vies to be the Thomas Paine of the movement to save the world from the tyranny of climate catastrophists. He exposes the seemingly infinite number of absurd claims, and the almost unbounded hypocrisy and venality of the proponents of this clearly inhuman and scientifically implausible attempt to control mankind by controlling and, more importantly, restricting access to energy. This book is an unrelenting polemic of the best kind.”
— Emeritus MIT climate scientist Dr. Richard Lindzen
***
“I have never met Marc Morano, the author of this very interesting book, but I know him well from his excellent blog Climate Depot, which I read regularly. In the book he exposes the climate myths that even scientific organizations like the Physical Society and American Association for the Advancement of Science push. The Earth has existed for maybe 4.5 billion years, and now the alarmists will have us believe that because of the small rise in temperature for roughly 150 years (which, by the way, I believe you cannot really measure) we are doomed unless we stop using fossil fuels.
We are now forced to use corn-based ethanol in our gas, subsidized windmills, and solar cells for energy; meanwhile, maybe a billion people worldwide starve and have no access to electricity. You and I breathe out at least thirty tons of CO2 in a normal life span, but nevertheless the Environmental Protection Agency decided to classify rising carbon-dioxide emissions as a hazard to human health.
—Dr. IVAR GIAEVER, Nobel Laureate in physics
Strange and wonderful things are coming to the Petersen Automotive Museum.
The Miracle Mile facility, devoted to the art and science of four-wheeled vehicles, will host its first-ever exhibit dedicated to the art of custom motorcycles.
The “Custom Revolution” show will begin a one-year run on April 14. It will include about 25 motorcycles, from 25 different bike builders, representing the best of what’s known as alt custom design.
The show will be guest-curated by motorcycle historian Paul D’Orleans, founder of the Vintagent website and respected author of multiple books on motorcycle design and culture.
The exhibit will feature motorcycles that have never been seen together. Many have never been exhibited in a museum space.
The collection will include such iconic machines as Ian Barry’s Black Falcon, Mark Atkinson and Mehmet Doruk’s BMW Alpha, El Solitario’s Petardro, Kingston Custom’s White Phantom, Revival Cycle’s J63 Ducati, Shinya Kimura’s Needle, Roland Sands’ 2 Stroke Attack and Medaza Cycles’ Rondine.
D’Orleans, who is also a columnist for Cycle World magazine, said he hoped the show would demonstrate the degree to which “outsider” motorcycle design is actually leading the motorcycle industry.
“Every motorcycle history ever written has been driven by factory histories, but in fact it has been the creativity of custom designers and racers that has always been the leading edge,” D’Orleans said. “Factories follow, not the other way around.”
The Petersen has included some motorcycles in its permanent exhibit since the late 2015 remodel and reopening. Many key Petersen board members, in fact, are keen motorcyclists — including Bruce Meyer and Richard Varner.
Petersen personnel hope attendees drawn by the motorcycle exhibit will be exposed to automotive arts, and that car fans might have their consciousness raised about motorcycles.
“People may forget that the first motorized vehicles were actually motorcycles,” said Varner, who is also the Petersen treasurer and chief operating officer of MotoAmerica. “Everything that you love about the automobile probably started as technology on a motorcycle.”
Bryan Stevens, the museum’s creative and exhibitions director, said that while motorcycles may seem a departure for the Petersen, this exhibit is in keeping with its overall credo.
“In all our exhibits we try to look for cultural crossover, and this is a phenomenon that melds motorcycles and art and even fine art, as well as engineering and fabrication,” Stevens said. “Many of these motorcycles are meant not to be driven but to be contemplated, like an art piece.”
Stevens said the seeds of the exhibit were planted in the early 2000s, when he was living in downtown Los Angeles not far from the garage where Ian Barry was building his now-famous Falcon motorcycles.
Stevens’ interest in alt custom bikes was further fueled by the website Bikeexif.com, the online bible of motorcycle art, and by a series of books called “The Ride,” to which D’Orleans has contributed.
Besides, Stevens said, the art of the alt custom motorcycle is also a homegrown Los Angeles product.
“It’s a global phenomenon now, but it has a definite L.A. component,” he said. “Some of the most significant bike builders are from here.”
D’Orleans, who as author of the book “The Chopper: The Real Story” is considered an authority on that kind of custom motorcycle, said there will be no bikes of that sort at the Petersen show.
“That’s not part of the vision for this exhibit,” D’Orleans said. “So there won’t be anything from Arlen Ness or Jesse James.”
Entrance to the exhibit is included with a general admission ticket — $16 for adults, $13 for seniors and students, $8 for children — which can be purchased online or at the museum.
–Charles Fleming, LA Times
Google News
QUICK, OPEN THE BIKERNET BAD JOKE LIBRARY–While riding my Harley, I swerved to avoid hitting a deer, lost control and landed in a ditch, severely banging my head. Dazed and confused I crawled out of the ditch to the edge of the road when a shinny new convertible pulled up with a very beautiful women who asked, “Are you okay?”
As I looked up, I noticed she was wearing a low cut blouse with cleavage to die for…”I’m okay I think,” I replied as I pulled myself up to the side of the car to get a closer look.
She said, “Get in and I’ll take you home so I can clean and bandage that nasty scrape on your head.”
“That’s nice of you,” I answered, but I don’t think my wife will like me doing that!”
“Oh, come now, I’m a nurse,” she insisted. “I need to see if you have any more scrapes and then treat them properly.”
Well, she was really pretty and very persuasive. Being sort of shaken and weak, I agreed, but repeated, “I’m sure my wife won’t like this.”
We arrived at her place which was just few miles away and, after a couple of cold beers and the bandaging, I thanked her and said, “I feel a lot better but I know my wife is going to be really upset so I’d better go now.”
“Don’t be silly!” she said with a smile, while unbuttoning her blouse exposing the most beautiful set of boobs I’ve ever seen. “Stay for a while. She won’t know anything. By the way, where is she?”
“Still in the ditch with my Harley, I guess.”
–from Sidehack Jerry and Rogue
HARLEY-DAVIDSON INVESTS IN ALTA MOTORS; COMPANIES WILL COLLABORATE ON FUTURE ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT–
Collaboration Will Advance Application of EV Motorcycle Technology and Expand Electric Motorcycle Marketplace Combining Instant Torque and Quick Acceleration with Intuitive and Dynamic Motorcycle Design
– Harley-Davidson, Inc. (NYSE: HOG) announced today that it has made an equity investment in Alta Motors, a leader and innovator in lightweight electric vehicles, and that the two companies will collaborate on electric motorcycle technology and new product development.
“Earlier this year, as part of our 10-year strategy, we reiterated our commitment to build the next generation of Harley-Davidson riders, in part, by aggressively investing in electric vehicle (EV) technology,” said Harley-Davidson President and CEO Matt Levatich. “Alta has demonstrated innovation and expertise in EV and their objectives align closely with ours. We each have strengths and capabilities that will be mutually beneficial as we work together to develop cutting-edge electric motorcycles.”
Harley-Davidson has already announced the planned launch of its first electric motorcycle, informed by Project LiveWire. That motorcycle is on track for release in 2019.
Since its inception, Alta Motors has designed and commercialized the world’s most advanced electric motorcycles, enabling everyone from pro riders to new riders to experience “the future of fast.”
EDITORIAL FROM THE EAST–I keep reading where younger people are not interested in riding motorcycles, especially Harley-Davidson. I can tell you this is nothing but bullshit! Go talk to some of them, I do.
They will tell me they love Harleys and want to own one but they can not afford one, and why is that? Well, let me enlighten all you about these young kids, JOBS PAY NOTHING! Wages are in my opinion 35 -40 years behind the cost of living.
Jobs here in the Charlotte, NC pay these kids and grown ups to about $9–$10 an hour? Now lets look at what that buys them, if they are real lucky lets say they land that BIG 40/hr job, that is $400/week.
How many apartments do you think they can rent? Here apartments start at about $1000–$1200 month for a one bedroom, include the utilities you pay, their food and transportation fee and there is nothing left, if they even meet those obligations?
The Harley dealers here are just as much at fault, they hire these kids for $9/hr, stick them behind the parts counter where they know nothing about Harleys or parts, not their fault they are trying. A dealer could not care less these about what knowledge their staff has or in this case does not have!
Same for the techs they hire, these guys have paid to go to school to learn their craft, walk in dealer and offer them maybe $10/hr? Sure these guys have went to school but they are still learning and have a long ways to go, again not their fault just part of the process.
Do you want a guy who is making just $10/hr working on your bike? He has your life in his hands and he is and your life is only worth $10/hr? It is a sad statement when the men and women who work at these dealers can not afford the product they sell?
It is not only the Harley dealers here it is every business here, greed has taken over. I was fortunate enough to work in the Harley segment of the industry when you could make a decent living.
I left a year ago and the last 6–7 years there was no money to be made, but you watched the owners pull up in their corvettes and any other luxury vehicle they chose but when you ask about making more money the answer was always the same.
As for me I work a job nowadays just for insurance which is a sad statement in itself. I will be retiring in less than 2 years so I will stick it out until then if I am blessed with those days? AS for these young kids it is going to be tough to get those Harleys with the current job and wage situation. I guess I was lucky to have grown up when I did. Ask me if I am going to miss having to go to work—HELL NO! I have had enough and seen enough!
–Stealth!
QUOTE OF THE DAY–The only time I ever enjoyed ironing was the day I accidentally got gin in the steam iron.–Phyllis Diller
–from Sidehack Jerry and Rogue
BANDIT TO ATTEND MOVIE PRODUCTION MEETING—Rumors abound about the future of Easyriders Magazine. I’m attending a movie production meeting with Mike Wolf from American Pickers, Beatnik from Easyriders, Cary Brobeck of Wrench magazine and Kim Peterson of In the Wind Fame. Hang on for more reports.
–Bandit
GOTH GIRL GONE– Sad to hear that we have lost our friend Goth Girl ~ aka Karen Jessica Evans ~ 1955-2018. She made “Motorcycle Women” and the Magnificent Six an adventure of a lifetime that we all remember fondly and feel honored to have been a part of.
She was unique beyond belief, and always heard her own music and lived life on her own terms, in her own way. She was a beautiful piano player, a fearless motorcycle rider, and a funny, funny girl. She will be thought of and missed.
–Geno
CLUB TREASURER WEARS 5-BALL CUT– Fuckin Saweet! Thanks bro!
–Ryan Suda
Hawaii
He’s wearing the light 5-Ball Pit Crew Vest. It’s made with ballistic nylon, so it breathes for hot or humid climates. Plus, it had two gun pockets, perfect for cell phones or glasses. –Bandit
JIMS MACHINE TECH COMING—How to fix a busted, late-model big twin transmission, using a JIMS 6-speed tranny fix kit.
Try this
On another note. I drilled and tapped my stripped out clutch hum puller to 5/8-20 (the same thread as the screw jacks on my other pullers) and welded on a grade 8 bolt just to bolster it.
Propane wasn’t getting the job done so I used mapp gas and got it. I’d like to beat the shit out of who ever installed this clutch because he didn’t just use a little red Loctite, he coated the whole splined part of the shaft; it was a bitch cleaning that shit off the shaft and the splines inside the hub.
I thought I was out of the woods until it came to removing the main shaft bearing sleeve. Never had to remove one before so I didn’t know it took another “special’ tool.
I was going to make one but by the time I got a length of hardened threaded rod and cut and shaped the rest of the parts for a puller it seemed more expedient to buy one.
Just out of curiosity I googled trouble with Harley 6-speed transmissions and was surprised to read so many posts about the failures like the one I experienced. Seems just like the early twin cam camshaft bearing failures because of cheap bearings (and the failures of the spring loaded cam chain tensioners). Harley used cheap bearings in the transmissions. The consensus seems to be failure at between 20,000 to 30,000 miles; I’m at 26,000 miles.
–Steve Bauman
The whole tamale tech is coming soon on Bikernet.
–Bandit
BIKERS FOR TRUMP REPORT–Thought you might be interested in this.
Photo of my friend Chris Cox with President Trump.
Motorcycle people now have a VP who rides and also other friends in Washington.
As you know I have been working with him and others about motorcycle and veterans issues.
Would like to get Chris Cox, Motorcycle Riders Foundation and Motorcycle Media (Bikernet) working closer together and I am working on that.
Bikers For Trump will have a booth at Tropical Tattoo Bike Show March 15, 2018
Here is a link to a You tube video you may like as well.
–Rogue
Supreme Commander Editor
Bikernet Baggers
THE TEXAS SHOP REPORT–That’s where she should be sitting, not on the air table. Wish I could have gone to Mama Tried, getting time off is weird this year.
–RFR
The new owner of Easyriders Magazine attended Mama Tried, that is, if the deal goes through. He was impressed.–Bandit
ICE ROAD RACING —direct from Sweden
–Sheriff
MORE NEWS FROM DAYTONA– The 29th Annual Boardwalk Classic Bike Show will be held on Friday
March 16, not March 18 as stated. Please call 727-935-4875 for more info.
The 29th Annual Boardwalk Classic Bike Show will be held on
Friday, March 18 on the Daytona Beach Boardwalk, just south of
the Main Street Pier. This event is FREE to the public.
Fifty-seven trophies in twenty classes will be awarded at 4 pm,
as well as $500.00 cash to the Best of Show winner. Registration
costs $25.00 and begins at 8 am and ends at 11 am.
This family-friendly event is sponsored by Full Throttle Magazine, the Fran Haasch law group, and the Daytona Beach Boardwalk
Merchants. For more information, please call 727-935-4875.
New SPECTRO OILS Bikernet Reader Comment!–MAINTAINING BRAKE FLUIDS
http://www.bikernet.com/pages/story_detail.aspx?id=13582
I do use their brake fluid and many of their other products and have always very pleased.
I suggest others try them as I like to share information on what I consider good products.
–Rogue
Senior Supreme Editor
Bikernet Baggers
rogue@bikernet.com
Palm Bay, FL
VIETNAM VETERAN LAPEL PIN
“A Lasting Memento of the Nation’s Thanks!”
The Commemoration is providing Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pins to Commemorative Partners for dignified public presentations to living U.S. military veterans who served during the Vietnam War period as a lasting memento of the nation’s thanks.
Living United States veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces at any time during the period of November 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975, regardless of location, are eligible to receive one lapel pin.
In order to receive a lapel pin, please follow the steps below:
Locate upcoming commemorative events by visiting http://www.vietnamwar50th.com/events/. Enter your zip code to locate the nearest events.
The blue pins represent future events. Click on a pin for event details, including contact information. If there are no blue pins in your area, check back frequently, as new events are added every week!
Another option to receive a lapel pin is visiting the Commemorative Partner Map at http://www.vietnamwar50th.com/partners/partner_map/. Please contact a partner in your area to find out when the next event will be or if they have lapel pins on hand to present to you.
Veterans who still need help finding a commemorative event can email whs.vnwar50th_CPP_EVENTS@mail.mil. Please include the city and state of where you are located.
–Andy
THE BIKERNET BAD JOKE LIBRARY IS STILL OPEN–Jane and Arlene are outside their nursing home, having a drink and a smoke, when it starts to rain. Jane pulls out a condom, cuts off the end, puts it over her cigarette, and continues smoking.
Arlene: What in the hell is that?
Jane: A condom. This way my cigarette doesn’t get wet.
Arlene: Where did you get it?
Jane: You can get them at any pharmacy.
The next day, Arlene hobbles herself into the local pharmacy and announces to the pharmacist that she wants a box of condoms.
The pharmacist, obviously embarrassed, looks at her kind of strangely (she is, after all, over 80 years of age), but very delicately asks what size, texture, brand of condom she prefers.
‘Doesn’t matter Sonny, as long as it fits on a Camel.’
The pharmacist fainted.
–from Sam Burns
THE LATEST FROM NASH–
I have a lot of people ask me why we sale Kidney Belts? Why do you need one for riding a motorcycle?
Truth is kidney belts have been around for a long time! Even gladiators and soldiers wore them back in Roman times. Everyone back in the day used them with the old bikes but they do the same trick even if you’re on a bagger.
If you’ve never used one give it a try. You will be more comfortable riding and have less fatigue on the other end.
Unless your a bad ass like @kevinteachbaas you really can’t talk down on them. Designed after the ones they used in the ‘40s-‘70s. We make all our belts in house!
–Mr. Nash
TRAILBLAZERS CORRECTION– PATRICK “TUMBLEWEED” WALTON
The Celebration of Life for Patrick will be on Wednesday, March 3 at 10am. It will be at:
The Crosslight Family Ministries
9720 Wilson Ave.
Alta Loma, CA 91737
A reception will follow at:
Goldy S. Lewis Community Center
11200 Baseline Road
Rancho Cucamongo
The family requests that you dress casually and comfortably. Even shorts and flip flops in true Patrick fashion.
JOHN PENNER
The service for John Penner will be held on Saturday, March 10th at 10am.
High Desert Church
14545 Hook Blvd.
Victorville
(760) 662 6617
The Spirit of ’59
Triumph Motorcycles and D*Face
A unique creative custom bike collaboration celebrating the
spirit of individuality and freedom that was born in 1959.
•A unique partnership between Triumph Motorcycles and renowned British
artist Dean Stockton, AKA D*Face.
•A collaboration that taps into the timeless spirit of individuality born in 1959.
•D*Face has customized three bikes from Triumph’s Modern Classics range in his
own unique and distinctive style.
•Anyone who books a test ride via http://www.triumphmotorcycles.com/spirit-of-59/testride
on a Triumph Modern Classic between 7th February 2018 and 30th April 2018 will be entered into a prize draw to win one of these bikes.
1959 marked the beginning of a cultural explosion and the birth of a new attitude to live life to the full – an attitude that inspired a revolution in music, art and culture – from rock ’n’ roll to Andy Warhol. This hard-won freedom of expression created the world we live in today and still shapes the culture that surrounds us.
The original iconic ’59 Triumph Bonneville encapsulated this spirit and passion for life, inspiring legions of riders from movie stars to teenage café racers and a whole motorcycle movement.
This spirit lives on today in every Triumph Modern Classic, each loaded with original character, iconic style and modern capability.
To celebrate this, Triumph has joined forces with the British contemporary artist D*Face to create three art-inspired custom Modern Classics, under the banner of ‘The Spirit of ’59’.
A long-standing Triumph fan and owner, D*Face fuses Street Art, Pop Art and Punk in a guerilla creative style, selling his art the world over. Working closely with the Triumph team at their factory headquarters in Hinckley, he has customized three unique bikes inspired by the Spirit of ’59, each one a model from Triumph’s Modern Classics range.
Anyone who takes a Triumph Modern Classic for a test ride between the 7th February 2018 and 30th April 2018 will have the chance to win one of these unique bikes. Full terms and conditions are available on http://www.triumphmotorcycles.com/spirit-of-59
Long live the Spirit of ’59
From the moment pop culture exploded in the late 1950s, a wave of creative individualism saw the motorcycle become synonymous with personal freedom and Triumph Motorcycles quickly cemented their place as the bike of choice on both sides of the Atlantic. For the music and movie stars of the 60’s, from Steve McQueen to Bob Dylan, the Triumph Bonneville helped define their style and represented their shared attitude to life. Today, for a new generation of famous motorcycle fans from Tom Cruise to David Beckham and Tom Hardy, Triumph’s Modern Classics continue to encapsulate all of the spirit of individuality and freedom born in ’59.
The Bonneville T120
The original iconic Bonneville T120 was famously named to celebrate Triumph’s 1956 land speed record on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, USA. First launched in 1958, the Bonneville T120 is commonly regarded as a game changer in terms of performance, style and attitude.
A race winner straight out of the crate, it went on to define the benchmark for design, engineering and handling, and heralded a new era of accessible performance in motorcycling. Chosen both by famous bikers and a new generation of teenage café racers for its thrilling British twin engine, legendary handling, style and character, it encapsulated all the passion and attitude of the era to live life to the full.
Nowadays, it’s these elements married to class that are leading modern rider-focused technology, making the new Bonneville family the authentic Modern Classic choice.
Three unique works of art
D*Face has personally customised three unique Modern Classic bikes as part of this unique art collaboration: a Bonneville Thruxton, a Bonneville Bobber Black and a Bonneville T120 – painting the fuel tanks by hand and configuring each bike individually using custom Triumph accessories. The hand-painted designs are unique and celebrate the Spirit of ’59 through D*Face’s distinctive and original style. The result of collaboration between two British icons, each bike can be considered an instant collector’s item and a true work of art – three unique motorcycles in the world.
A true individual
As one of the UK’s most prolific street artists, D*Face has been at the forefront of his practice since his initial breakthrough in 2005. With countless murals and exhibitions across the globe, from Japan to the USA, his vibrant pop style and punk aesthetic have become synonymous with British Street Art. His work sells regularly to international buyers at auction houses including Sotheby’s, Christie’s and Bonhams. As both a partner in Rebels Alliance Motorcycle Company in East London and a Triumph rider for many years, the Spirit of ‘59 represents the sense of individuality that drives his work and combines his two greatest loves: art and bikes.
D*Face said: “Riding a custom bike is about standing for what you believe in. It’s about expressing that part of yourself that separates you from the rest of the crowd. Triumph has undoubtedly been a fundamental part of that culture for 59 years and I am delighted to be able to play a part in their story and British motorcycle history.”
Paul Stroud, Chief Commercial Officer at Triumph Motorcycles, adds: “Triumph Motorcycles have always been linked with the era of freedom that exploded in ’59 with the iconic Bonneville T120 and what it represented. First launched in ’58, the original Bonnie changed the face of motorcycling across the world and created a legend. The collaboration with D*Face, a genuine creative trailblazer, celebrates the attitude of individuality we feel lives on today in the culture that surrounds us and of course in every Triumph.”
[page break]
BIKERNET UNIVERSITY ENGLISH DEPARTMENT WORD OF THE DAY–
ufology
[yoo-fol-uh-jee]
noun
1.
the study of unidentified flying objects.
The First International Congress on the U.F.O. Phenomenon, which ended here yesterday, brought the two groups uncomfortably together, and, after a week of heated debate, a single theory of ufology seemed further away tha[n] ever.
— Alan Riding, “Scientists and Laymen in Conflict At World Conference on U.F.O.’s,” New York Times, April 25, 1977
ORIGIN
Ufology was first recorded in 1955-60.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON ANNOUNCES 115TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION PLANS–
Ride into Milwaukee on Labor Day Weekend for the Motorcycle Party of the Year
Milwaukee will be the center of the motorcycle universe over Labor Day weekend when Harley-Davidson riders and fans gather for the culmination of a year-long celebration of 115 years of riding freedom and the city’s most-iconic brand.
Plans for the Harley-Davidson 115th Anniversary Milwaukee Celebration, set for August 29 – September 2, include new venues, first-ever motorcycle racing and an unmatched taste of moto-culture.
“Harley-Davidson is gearing up to celebrate 115 years of the world’s best motorcycles here in Milwaukee,” said Bill Davidson, Vice President, Harley-Davidson Museum. “We’re welcoming everyone, motorcycle riders and non-riders alike from around the world, to the birthplace of Harley-Davidson to join in the celebration.”
New for the 115th anniversary in Milwaukee will be motorcycle events throughout the city. Harley-Davidson will host – for the first time ever – beach motorcycle racing on Bradford Beach on the shores of Lake Michigan, as well as sponsoring “Run What You Brung” drag racing, Flat Out Friday flat-track racing and more.
With acres of free outdoor activities all weekend long, the Harley-Davidson Museum will be the epicenter of 115th Anniversary activities in Milwaukee. The Museum will host motorcycle field games, a custom bike show, tattoo artists, live music, local food and more.
“This is an anniversary like no other we have thrown before,” said Heather Malenshek, Vice President, Marketing, Harley-Davidson. “It’s one you can’t miss, so don’t wait. Come this year and experience the excitement and thrill of motorcycle culture up close in all of its roaring, revved-up glory.”
The Milwaukee 115th anniversary celebration will start thousands of miles away on Tuesday, August 21 with Harley-Davidson Rides Home. Led by Motor Company executives, the Harley-Davidson Rides Home will convoy to Milwaukee, stopping at dealerships and adding more riders along the way.
“The rumble of our Milwaukee 115th Anniversary Celebration will truly be heard across the United States as Harley-Davidson Rides Home launch from the four corners of the country with rides rolling into Milwaukee from Seattle, San Diego, Ft. Lauderdale and Portland, Maine,” added Malenshek.
Fans can begin celebrating the 115th Anniversary today on social media using #HD115. Harley-Davidson is launching a global movement to celebrate freedom by collecting stories from fans around the world. The authors of the best 115 stories will receive a commemorative stainless-steel rivet displayed in a place of honor on the grounds of the Harley-Davidson Museum.
Additionally, one Monday in every month leading up to the anniversary in Milwaukee, Harley-Davidson will hand over the reins of its social media channels to a H-D fan. They’ll share their stories and lead the conversation at #MotorcycleMonday to help extend weekends for all freedom-loving individuals who are part of our community today and for those yet to join. Visit Harley-Davidson on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to tap into motorcycle culture, read stories from riders and share your own.
A complete list of 115th Anniversary events and activities – including rides home details, Rally-Pack specifics and their exclusive benefits, motorcycle rentals, organized local rides, tour routes, street parties, as well as lodging and camping – is available at H-D.com/115.
Harley-Davidson 115th Anniversary Celebration in Milwaukee highlights include:
Harley-Davidson Museum: Central Rally Point 400 W Canal St., Milwaukee
8/29-9/1, 9 a.m.-11 p.m.; 9/2, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Harley-Davidson history and culture come to life at the Museum site, with free outdoor activities scheduled for the entire weekend including entertainment on two stages plus food and beverage vendors, photo opportunities and a display of the latest Harley-Davidson motorcycle models.
· H-D Museum Archives and Tours: (Admission required) Motorcycles and artifacts tell the story of the Motor Company’s rich history. All H.O.G. members enjoy complimentary admission with a valid H.O.G. membership card and Photo ID. General Admission Museum tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. CDT March 9 at H-D Museum.
· Custom Culture Artisans: See artists working in leather and steel, painting and drawing, and creating designer apparel.
· MotoPhotoShow: Experience the moto-centric photography gallery featuring top artists and photographers.
· Pinstriping: Customize your ride with pinstriping applied by professional artists.
· Live Tattoos: Get the ultimate 115th Anniversary souvenir by professional tattoo artists.
· Stunt Shows: Be amazed at the skills of top motorcycle stunt performers.
· Museum H.O.G. Pin: H.O.G. Members can pick up a 2018 Museum H.O.G. Pin.
· Sailor Jerry Cocktail Bar & Flash Art
Gallery: Learn the story of Norman Collins (aka Sailor Jerry) as you share a cocktail and witness the emerging American counterculture who chose to live outside the lines.
· 115th Anniversary Living the Legend™ Rivets: Celebrate your H-D journey or honor the legacy of a loved one with a customized Living the Legend Rivet permanently displayed on the Harley-Davidson Museum grounds. Order by June 15, 2018 for installation by the 115th Anniversary Celebration. H-D Museum
· Motorcycle Field Games (Saturday 9/1) Help support the BUILD program and take part in vintage motorcycle games including Slow Races, Plank Ride, T-ball, Barrel Roll, Ball on Cone and Weenie Bite and. On-line registration will be live on the H-D Museum website in June.
· 10th Annual Harley-Davidson Museum Custom Bike Show (Sunday, 9/2) On-line registration for 12 show classes will be live on the H-D Museum website in June.
Harley-Davidson 115th and HOG 35th Anniversary Moto-Carnival
Veterans Park, 1010 N Lincoln Memorial Dr. Milwaukee
8/29, noon-11 p.m.; 8/30-9/1, 10 a.m.-11 p.m.; 9/2, noon-6 p.m.
This free party – to celebrate the 115th and 35 years of the Harley Owners Group – kicks off Wednesday as riders roll into Veterans Park. All weekend long the Full Throttle Saloon will serve up high-wire motorcycle thrill shows, Wall of Death and more. Come meet up with friends, grab a refreshing beverage, listen to some music and visit with locals at this carnival filled with riding and revelry.
Motorcycle Racing Action
· Flat Out Friday Powered by Harley-Davidson
Panther Arena, 400 W Kilbourn Ave., Milwaukee; 8/31 7 p.m.-10 p.m.
See the best of indoor, flat track motorcycle racing as riders from both traditional and special classes compete on a soft-drink-syrup-covered track, creating the best of tight, bar-to-bar racing action. Tickets go on-sale later this summer.
· Run What You Brung Powered by Harley-Davidson
Great Lakes Dragaway, 18411 1st St., Union Grove, Wis. 8/31, Noon-10:30 p.m.
Drag race side-by-side and keep getting back in line to show them what you got. Three performances by the Twin Stunts All-Harley Show. Tickets on sale at noon CDT March 9, 2018. Visit www.greatlakesdragaway.com for more information on practice sessions and to purchase racing and admission tickets.
· Harley-Davidson Beach Racing at Bradford Beach 2400 N. Lincoln Memorial Dr., Milwaukee, 8/31 Times TBD, 9/1 3-8 p.m.
In a Harley-Davidson anniversary first, bikes will tear through the sand on the shoreline of Lake Michigan. Free and open to the public, this beach-focused event will provide gritty fun for all ages. On Friday, racers will be wrenching and kicking up sand as they practice for the competition. Racers on vintage and new bikes will meet up Saturday and battle it out on an oval track created in the sand right on Bradford Beach.
Juneau Avenue Global Headquarters
3700 W. Juneau Ave., Milwaukee
8/29-9/1 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Visit the historic site of the first Harley-Davidson factory with free photo opportunities. Experience a 2019 Harley-Davidson motorcycle on the indoor Harley-Davidson JUMPSTART™ Rider Experience.
Factory Tour: Harley-Davidson Powertrain Operations
8/29-8/31 Times vary
W156N9000 Pilgrim Rd, Menomonee Falls, Wis.
Get up close and personal with the Milwaukee-Eight and Sportster powertrain assembly line.
HOG 35th Civilian Skills Competition & Police Skills Competition
Preliminary rounds at Miller Park 8/30 – 8/31 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Finals at Veterans Park, 9/1 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
This is serious competition, with trained motor officers and civilian HOG members showcasing their riding skills through challenging patterns.
Motorcycle Parade
9/2 at 1 p.m.
Riders from around the world will wave their hometown flags as fans line the route to see the beauty and the brawn of customized motorcycles and unique show bikes. The parade kicks off at 45th Street and Wisconsin Avenue, continues east through downtown Milwaukee and lands at the Harley-Davidson 115th Anniversary and HOG 35th Moto-Carnival at Veterans Park.
Visit Local Harley-Davidson Dealerships
8/29-9/2
Visit seven local Harley-Davidson dealerships to check out new 2019 motorcycles. Take demo rides, get on-site service and accessory installations, talk with financing and gear specialists and shop for exclusive 115th merchandise and accessories. Go to h-d.com/115 for local dealer locations and information.
For more information, visit www.h-d.com.
GET READY TO RIDE, AND GET $500
IN ROYAL ENFIELD GEAR ON US
Riding season is here. Right now, Royal Enfield will toss in $500 in RE gear and accessories with the purchase of any 2017 Royal Enfield motorcycle.
Return to Pure Motorcycling and get all geared up on us. Included in each package is the following gear:
2017 Continental GT: Two-up seat, motorcycle cover, textile jacket, coffee mug and hat
2017 Bullet and Classic: Saddlebags, motorcycle cover, textile jacket, coffee mug and hat
WHERE’VE YOU BEEN?
WHERE’RE YOU GOING?
Share your Royal adventures on the Royal Enfield Digital Magazine. Who knows, maybe make some new friends for the next trip. Send your stories to kvance@royalenfield.com.
KEEP THE BIKERNET BAD JOKE LIBRARY FOR LUNCH--He had it all…….one man’s short, life changing story. Into every life a little rain must fall. I talked to a homeless man this morning and asked him how he ended up this way.
He said, “Up until last month, I still had it all. I had plenty to eat, my clothes were washed and pressed, I had a roof over my head, I had TV and Internet, and I went to the gym, the pool, and the library. I was working on my MBA on-line. I had no bills and no debt. I even had full medical coverage.”
I felt sorry for him, so I asked, “What happened? Drugs? Alcohol? Divorce?”
“Oh no, nothing like that,” he said,…… “I was paroled.”
–from Sidehack Jerry and Rogue
LE PERA SEAT OF THE WEEK—For Sportsters, the Bare Bones, Red Metal Flake, Pleated seat.
If you are considering a new Sportster, don’t forget a Le Pera seat. Nothing enhances the lines of a Sportster than a low slung Le Pera seat.
Overview
One of the lowest production seats available, the pure and aggressive styling is tapered to the extreme to get your feet on the ground.
Perfect for optional graphics.
10″ wide.
Specs
Driver Seating:
10″ Wide
Passenger Seating:
N/A
MSRP:
$334.00
Options:
Biker Gel: MSRP + $ 87.00
Part Number:
LK-006REDMFPT [’10-’18] 3.3 Gal Tank
LK-006REDMFPT [’10-’18] 4.5 Gal Tank
MOTORCYCLE RIDERS FOUNDATION NEWS–Bikers Inside the Beltway is Coming…Will You Join Us?
Tired of just sitting around listening to others complain about Congress? Bikers inside the Beltway isn’t about complaining – it’s DOING by directly lobbying your elected officials and telling them what is important to you as a rider. Don’t be a say-er, be a do-er and register today for the TENTH annual Bikers Inside the Beltway!
Read below to get more information or register directly by visiting us at http://mrf.org/events/
Hotel/Accommodations
The previously advertised block of rooms at the Governor’s House Inn has been filled, however rooms are still available at the host hotel at the non-negotiated room price of $110. We are offering an additional room block at the hotel across the street, The Best Western. Contact Info below:
BEST WESTERN (703) 532-9000
Governor’s House Inn (703) 532-8900
Schedule of Events
Plan to arrive to the hotel by late afternoon on Monday, May 14. The MRF will host a prep session that evening to go over expectations and provide a deep dive of the issues. Kickstands up early Tuesday morning for the ride into Washington, DC followed by a full day of meetings with legislators and staff. This year we will also be hosting a debrief meeting and reception at the American Legion on Capitol Hill from 4pm-6pm. We’ll have some special guests so don’t miss it!
Attendance
You must register to attend this event! Contact mrfoffice@mrf.org or register directly at http://mrf.org/events/ or call 202-546-0983. Though there is not a cost to attend, you will be expected to make appointments with your lawmakers, attend the prep session and report back on your meetings. Please register by May 1 to ensure space for you or your group.
IMPORTANT: Please MAKE SCHEDULED APPOINTMENTS with your elected officials. The MRF can supply you with their office contact information to facilitate this. You can start requesting appointments 4 weeks out from the event. NO DROP BYs this year! It’s not an effective use of your time!
More questions? You know how to reach me….
Megan J. Ekstrom
Vice-President, Government Affairs & Public Relations
Motorcycle Riders Foundation
QUOTE OF THE WEEK–
The reason women don’t play football is because 11 of them would never wear the same outfit in public.–Phyllis Diller
THE NASHVILLE REPORT– Kiefer Sutherland, whose “unexpected, unvarnished authenticity as a singer/songwriter” (Associated Press) and “edgy vocals blended with passion” (Rolling Stone), is joining The Fitzgerald Hartley Co. roster, in association with longtime manager and producer Jude Cole, for music management, and Adkins Publicity for music PR/Publicity representation. APA’s Steve Martin will continue overseeing North America and international live music booking.
Sutherland’s career as a touring and recording artist has catapulted him globally as a bonafide guitarist and vocalist. After the release of his “refreshingly honest country-rock album Down In A Hole, with the same lyrical well of lovelorn desperation as Waylon and Willie’s most soulful Outlaws moments” (Guitar Aficionado), Sutherland embarked on a SOLD-OUT North American and European tour. He played more than 120 shows, including performances on the Grand Ole Opry, Stagecoach and Glastonbury Festival.
Reviewers across the globe continue to be impressed:
“He’s grizzled and passionate; a low rumble, as gravelly as it was authentic.”
-James Hall, The Telegraph
“The action star’s whiskey-sodden country music set is genuinely poignant. He puts other Hollywood hobby acts to shame.”
-Mark Beaumont, The Guardian
“All of the originals conveyed conviction and character. There wasn’t a single dud or awkward lyric in the bunch. He didn’t appear to be acting when he said he had been waiting a lifetime to play for a crowd like this one. Maybe being a country singer is the role Sutherland was born to play after all.”
-Piet Levy, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
As a singer/songwriter, Sutherland has performed on “The Talk,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and “The View” and graced the covers of Guitar Aficionado, Goldmine Magazine and Collectible Guitar issues. Sutherland’s cinematic “Shirley Jean” video, which tells the story of a man’s last night on death row, taking the form of a goodbye letter to a woman he once loved, continues to captivate fans on music channels CMT and GAC.
Keep up with Sutherland on the road by visiting kiefersutherlandmusic.com or connect with Sutherland by following him on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
NEW FEATURE COMING TO BIKERNET—Here’s another hot rod Twin Cam Dyna with a Nick Trask turbo charger and upgraded suspension. We will feature this in the very near future.
It was built by Larry Settle of Settle’s Custom Motorcycles in Harbor City, California. He’s old school to the bone and a very sharp guy.
Hang on.
–Bandit
UNCLE MONKEY ON THE BIG PICTURE– One of the biggest mistakes people and companies make not looking at the bigger picture. For them they can’t really see beyond an arm’s reach.
Jim, Bob and Wanda were some of their first customers, there from the beginning growing every step of the way. The problem is they base their business model on that early success and never really grow beyond that point.
Eventually they are shocked to find that they and their company are no longer relevant, no longer the big dog in the park. People grow older, their goals, wants and needs change.
Sure when you were 25 you, Jim, Bob and Wanda were more than happy to pin a tarp to the handle bars and pass out under the stars. Now thirty or forty years later you have a tricked out RV but are still expected Jim, Bob, and Wanda to be sleeping under a tarp. Jim, Bob, and Wanda will stop coming.
Customers age out and stop or simply can longer do the same thing. Too often companies center their strategies around these old customers and just assume that younger generations will just follow along.
They over look who the customer is suppose to be, who they are suppose to be targeting. The successful ones see the opportunities to grow their companies by adapting to the changing needs of existing customers, retaining them, and expanding and offering what the younger generations want.
It is question of risking losing two or three of the old customers to add twenty or thirty new customers. For bike rallies that means realizing your target audience is 21-35 year old. So while you and your buddies love the Doobie Brothers, your target audience idea of classic rock is Blink 182, Limp Bizkit. Those are the oldest bands they want to see.
The successful organizers slot the Doobie Brothers early because they know that by 10 pm most of that crowd just wants to head back to the campsite and put their feet up, recover from the day, rest for tomorrow. The hot new bands close out the night because the 21-35 year olds drive the party, buying the beer, buying deep fried gizzards at midnight.
Harley-Davidson is finding themselves where they have aged themselves out. Banking on those that they started with instead of keeping a focus on who the target audience is has seen the company profits and market share slide while other companies are growing, gobbling up Harley’s losses. The time for change was over ten years ago, exactly when they doubled down on the baby boomer generation. Now they are hoping they can play catch up in the next ten years.
-bad Uncle Monkey
OUTLAW BOOK OF THE WEEK–It Will Get Tough
by Ralph “Teach” Elrod
Viewed through the eyes of one of those affected “It Will Get Tough” takes an inside look at the daily grind encountered by select groups within the biker community, the 1% population.
In some areas they face baseless traffic stops and fraudulent citations to physical harassment and even assertions of rape and intimidation that take place on a daily basis.
These and many more forms of harassment reportedly happen on a daily basis. And through it all these riders maintain their close-knit often-rebellious lifestyle.
This book takes you on an historic wild ride. You will learn, be entertained and gain respect for patch holders everywhere.
Available on Amazon for $21.95
[page break]
NEWS FROM THE PAUGHCO FACTORY– SOLID BRASS DRAG PIPE TIPS
Check out these EZ to fit, solid brass exhaust tips. Manufactured by Paughco for as precision fit into 1 ¾” and 2” straight cut drag pipes, the tips are easily installed in minutes. Simply slip the tip into your pipe, drill a hole for the retaining screw and secure in place. That’s it!
With two styles to choose from, the tips give a classy Old School look to any drag pipe equipped scooter. Models for 1 ¾” pipes are P/N 640 Short Curve, 640A Long Curve and 640B Tapered.
For 2” pipes you have P/N 641 Short Curve, 641A Long Curve and 641B Tapered. All of the tips are sold in pairs and retail for just $89.95.
Contact Paughco direct at 775-246-5738 or catch them on the Web at www.paughco.com
INDIAN MOTORCYCLE INTRODUCES 2018 LIMITED-EDITION
CHIEFTAIN ELITE WITH ONE-OF-A-KIND BLACK HILLS SILVER PAINT
Ultra-Premium Bagger Pairs Stunning Paint Completed Entirely by Hand
with Top-of-the-Line Amenities
Indian Motorcycle, America’s first motorcycle company founded in 1901, today announced its new ultra-premium bagger, the 2018 Chieftain Elite. This limited-edition bagger pairs custom-inspired paint that’s completed by hand with top-of-the-line amenities for the rider who demands the best of the best.
Indian Motorcycle meticulously thought through the design to ensure every line, texture and material complemented the contours of this aggressive platform. The focal point of this bagger is the stunning, specialty paint featuring high-flake Black Hills Silver. As the name suggests, this paint was inspired by the silver mines in the Black Hills of South Dakota, which is near Indian Motorcycle’s custom paint facility in Spearfish, SD.
A team of Indian Motorcycle experts mask the bodywork, lay the graphics, and hand-spray each Chieftain Elite. Each bike takes nearly 25 hours due to the time-intensive, painstaking processes that are completed by hand. Incredibly, no two bikes will look the same due to the level of human touch involved. There’s no question that this bold, one-of-a-kind bike will stand out in any crowd.
“Whether cruising around the city or touring the country backroads, the 2018 Chieftain Elite delivers on its promise of being the best bagger that money can buy,” said Reid Wilson, Senior Director – Marketing and Product Planning for Indian Motorcycle. “This bike was born to turn heads and provide an unmatched riding experience with all of the premium amenities included.”
The 2018 Chieftain Elite has a commanding stance that’s punctuated by its 19-inch, 10-spoke, contrast-cut front wheel and marbled graphics package. It’s equipped with premium features, including a 200-Watt premium audio system, Pathfinder LED headlight and driving lights, a push-button power flare windshield, billet aluminum Select Driver and Passenger Floorboards, and genuine leather seats. New for this year’s Chieftain Elite are pinnacle mirrors and updated, smaller hand controls for improved ergonomics.
A host of other features come standard, including Ride Command® – the largest, fastest, most customizable infotainment system on two wheels. The seven-inch, glove-compatible touchscreen features turn-by-turn navigation, customizable rider information screens and Bluetooth® compatibility. The Chieftain Elite also features ABS, cruise control, tire pressure monitoring, remote-locking saddlebags and keyless ignition.
At the soul of this bike is the Thunderstroke 111 engine, an award-winning American V-Twin that delivers a monstrous 119 ft-lbs of torque and power to spare in every gear.
A large number of accessories are also available for riders looking to add power or further customize the Chieftain Elite. The Thunder Stroke® 116 ci Stage 3 Big Bore Kit adds 20 percent more horsepower and 15 percent more torque for those looking to take performance to the next level. Color-matched accessories are also available for riders who want extra protection, style and storage, including a Quick Release Trunk, Hard Lower Fairings and a Valanced Front Fender.
The Chieftain Elite is a strong addition to Indian Motorcycle’s iconic lineup. Only a limited number of these motorcycles will be built. Pricing starts at $31,499 in the U.S. and $37,999 in Canada. Available at Indian Motorcycle dealers starting March 1.
Learn more about Indian Motorcycle and the 2018 Chieftain Elite by visiting IndianMotorcycle.com and following along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
FLORIDA’S voter restoration process unconstitutional–
In a landmark ruling with far-reaching implications, U.S. District Judge Mark Walker has found Florida’s scheme for restoring the voting rights of felons unconstitutional.
Walker, in a 43-page order issued today, found that Florida “automatically disenfranchises” any individual who has been convicted of a felony and wishes to vote.
“Florida strips the right to vote from every man and woman who commits a felony,” Walker wrote. “To vote again, disenfranchised citizens must kowtow before a panel of high-level government officials over which Florida’s governor has absolute veto authority. No standards guide the panel. Its members alone must be satisfied that these citizens deserve restoration.”
Florida and Felon Voting Rights:
Felons’ rights proposal goes on November ballot
Florida strips felons of their right to vote at a higher rate than any other state
Opinion: Thousands of military veterans barred from voting. You can help
Cotterell: Restoration of rights faces long political odds
The ruling came as part of a lawsuit brought by James Michael Hand and eight other felons who completed their sentences, including probation, but were not deemed eligible to vote.
“In Florida, elected, partisan officials have extraordinary authority to grant or withhold the right to vote from hundreds of thousands of people without any constraints, guidelines or standards,” Walker continued. “The question now is whether such a system passes constitutional muster. It does not.”
Walker, who sits on the bench in the Northern District of Florida in Tallahassee, took aim at Gov. Rick Scott, whom the nine plaintiffs sued along with Florida’s Executive Clemency Board. The board consists of the governor, the attorney general, the chief financial officer and the agriculture commissioner.
“ ‘We can do whatever we want,’ the governor said at one clemency hearing,” Walker wrote. “One need not search long to find alarming illustrations of this scheme in action.”
Walker highlighted a 2010 case, in which Steven Warner, a white man, cast an illegal ballot. Three years later, he sought the restoration of his voting rights before the state’s Clemency Board. Gov. Scott asked him at the time about his illegal voting. When the man said he voted for Scott, the governor laughed. A few seconds later, Scott granted the man his voting rights.
“The question is whether the Clemency Board’s limitless power over plaintiffs’ vote restoration violates their First Amendment rights to free association and free expression. It does,” Walker wrote. “This should not be a close question.”
The Governor’s Office responded to the order by noting that the Clemency Board has been in place for decades and overseen by multiple governors.
“The process is outlined in Florida’s Constitution, and today’s ruling departs from precedent set by the United States Supreme Court,” said John Tupps, a spokesman for Scott. “The Governor believes that convicted felons should show that they can lead a life free of crime and be accountable to their victims and our communities. While we are reviewing today’s ruling, we will continue to defend this process in the court.”
The Fair Elections Legal Network and Cohen, Milstein, Sellers & Toll, which has offices in Florida, filed the lawsuit in March on behalf of a proposed class of nearly 1.5 million felons, according to a news release from the voting rights group and the law firm.
“Today a federal court said what so many Floridians have known for so long — that the state’s arbitrary restoration process, which forces former felons to beg for their right to vote, violates the oldest and most basic principles of our democracy,” said Jon Sherman, senior counsel for the Fair Elections Legal Network.
Tallahassee attorney Reggie Garcia, who represents felons who seek restoration of their rights, said any federal court ruling that interprets Florida’s constitution and the application of clemency power and rules will increase awareness of the state’s felons.
“This is very timely with last week’s decision by the Division of Elections to put Amendment 4, granting automatic voting rights to most felons, on the November 2018 ballot,” he said.
Walker noted several instances “of former felons who professed political views amenable to the board’s members, who then received voting rights, while those who expressed contrary political views to the board were denied those same rights.”
He went on to say that “viewpoint discrimination is deeply antithetical to the Constitution and our nation’s longstanding values.”
Hand, a resident of Cutler Bay in South Florida, was convicted of a felony in state court and released from prison in 1986, according to court records. He completed his sentence in 2002 and later applied to get his voting rights back.
During a Clemency Board hearing in 2011, his application was denied. Gov. Scott cited his record of traffic tickets and said, “Congratulations on turning your life around. Congratulations on your business. In light of the significant issue — you know, traffic violations — and your inability to comply with the law in that manner, I’m going to deny you restoration of civil rights at this time,” court records stated.
Walker also found the lack of time limits in processing and deciding vote restoration unconstitutional. He noted the Clemency Board “may defer restoration of rights for years or forever.”
“Indefinite can-kicking is not some Floridian fairy tale like a line-less Space Mountain,” he wrote. “The board regularly invokes some unknown future date as the appropriate time to revisit a restoration denial.”
He cited one case in which Gov. Scott told a 54-year-old man he would have to wait 50 years before he could reapply for his voting rights to be restored. The judge also detailed the case of Virginia Kay Atkins. Ten years after her release from prison, Scott informed her he did not feel “comfortable” restoring her rights.
Walker’s order notes that 154,000 citizens had their voting rights restored during the last four years of former Gov. Charlie Crist’s administration. He said that number plummeted to fewer than 3,000 people since Scott took office in 2011.
“The context of these numbers is not lost on the court,” Walker wrote. “More than one-tenth of Florida’s voting population — nearly 1.7 million as of 2016 — cannot vote because they have been decimated from the body politic. More than one in five of Florida’s African American voting-age population cannot vote.”
Walker did not offer a remedy but set a Feb. 12 deadline for both sides to provide additional briefs on how to fix the unconstitutional “voter-restoration scheme.”
Check back with Tallahassee.com for more on this story.
–Jeff Burlew, Democrat senior writer
(Photo: Democrat files)
–from Rogue
BIKERS FOR TRUMP MEET WITH THE PRESIDENT—It’s not everyday a brother walks into the oval office.
I hope this is working for all bikers. Rogue would like to see Bikers for Trump founder and the MRF meet with the President.
–Dmac
BIKERNET BAD JOKE LIBRARY IS OPEN AFTER HOURS– After a delicious dinner and a few drinks the wife leads husband into the bedroom. With a very seductive voice the woman asked her husband, “Have you ever seen Twenty Dollars all crumpled up?”
“No,” said her husband.
She gave him a sexy little smile, unbuttoned the top 3 or 4 buttons of her blouse and slowly reached down into the cleavage created by a soft, silky push-up bra and pulled out a crumpled Twenty Dollar bill.
He took the crumpled Twenty Dollar bill from her and smiled approvingly. She then asked him, “Have you ever seen Fifty Dollars all crumpled up?”
“Uh… no, I haven’t,” he said, with an anxious tone in his voice. She gave him another sexy little smile, pulled up her skirt, and seductively reached into her tight, sheer panties… and pulled out a crumpled Fifty Dollar bill.
He took the crumpled Fifty Dollar bill and started breathing a little quicker with anticipation “Now,” she said, “have you ever seen $50,000 Dollars all crumpled up?”
“No way!” he said, while obviously becoming even more aroused and excited, to which she replied, “Go look in the garage.”
–from Sidehack Jerry and Rogue
ULTIMATE BUILDER DC WINNERS LISTS–
Professional and amateur builders from Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and North Carolina competed at their local Washington, DC Ultimate Builder Show for cash, prizes and recognition. This year builders that won and placed in all four competition classes from the DC show receive an automatic bid to the National Championship in 2019 to compete for cash and prizes in excess of $70,000.
The J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder is the world’s largest motorcycle builder competition, featuring more than 350 motorcycles and $100,000 in cash and prizes across the IMS Tour. The final Ultimate Builder competition was held in Washington, DC.
FreeStyle – 2018 DC Ultimate Builder Results
Some bikes you can stop and stare and the more time that you take, the more that gets revealed to you. And that is the way with the Iron Customs‘ bike named Rookie.
The Harley-Davidson engine is used as a stress member of the custom frame. The bike features oil in the frame, radial calipers, front and rear radial calipers, scratch built exhaust and hand built bars. Paint by Iron Customs and Karns Kustoms.
1st – #100 Rob Bochanski and Troy Layron, Iron Customs – Named Rookie, 1991 Sportster
2nd -#175 – Hank Thibodeau, Widowmaker Custom Design and Re pair – named Lowlife Lucy
MOD Harley – 2018 DC Ultimate Builder Results
Harley-Davidson of Washington DC entered two bikes and came out on top with their custom 2016 XL883L board track-inspired Harley-Davidson racer. The bike features a bobbed rear frame rails with custom 26” fenders, drop seat, custom swing arm, and lammed 10”shocks. All electrics are located in the gas tank. Paint by Richard Samuals Motorports.
1st – #1475 – Alan Day – Harley-Davidson of Washington DC – 2016 H-D XL883
2nd – #1825 – Mike Hill, Legacy Baggers – 2006 Softail Deluxe
MOD Retro – 2018 DC Ultimate Builder Results
Jason Wharton is an artist utilizing the classic technique of pinstriping. In an world where most everything is machine made, he offers the unique service of delicately hand painted signs and designs on every thing from your Classic car to your toilet seat.
Jason is the go-to-guy for Adam Karns of Karns Kustoms and since he had been working with Karns for a number of years, he decided to put a bike in the show. His 1st custom bike and his 1st custom bike win.
The 1974 CB550 Four was in pieces just a week before the show. It’s features a Gulf road racing blue inspired paint job, extended swing arm and a molded and detailed frame.
1st – 375 – Jason Wharton – 1974 CB550 Four
2nd – 1100 – Clint McFee, Hillbilly Mafia Motorcycle Services – 1981 H-D FLH Shovelhead
Custom Street – 2018 DC Ultimate Builder Results
Coleman Powersports rolled in a fan favorite, a 2016 Ducati Scrambler Nicky Hayden tribute bike. Andrew Swenson Designs provided the crowd-stopping paint scheme. The bike featured Termignoni exhaust and tine, Ducati LED signals and performance upgrades.
1st – #125 – Coleman Powersports – named Nicky Hayden: Flat Track Pro, 2016 Ducati Scrambler
2nd – #1225 – Rhino + Justin Emmons, Whirled of Color Customs – 2006 Honda CBR 600RR
Additional Awards
People’s Choice: 1825 – Mike Hill, Legacy Baggers – 2006 Softail Deluxe
Best Bagger – #250 – Maurice Benson, Red Money Garage – 2007 Harley-Davidson Road King
Best Chopper- Matt Reel, MTW Customs – named Brother Love – 2015MTW Custom
Best FXR – #650 Roy Chamberlin, C&C Cycle – named 89 FXRSP – 1989 H-D FXRSSP
Cycle Source Editor’s Choice – #1900 – Kevin Wiseman – 1962 Custom Chopper
HOT BIKE Editor’s Choice – #550 Adam Karns, Karns Kustoms – named Misfit, 1974 H-D XLCH
Jeff Holt’s Tortilla Awards
Best Paint – #1050 – Jim Fowler, Sick Sleds – 2016 HD Fat Boy
Most Innovative – #1475 – Alan Day – Harley-Davidson of Washington DC – 2016 H-D XL883
Kooky – #725 – Ben Davis, Legion Cycle Works
“The J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show is one of the most competitive events in the custom motorcycle building industry, and at each show we are amazed at the craftsmanship, time and hard work that goes into the customs,” explained Jeff Najar, producer, J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show.
K&N Performer Award
K&N provides the Performer Award as well as awarding the winners in the MOD Retro and MOD Harley classes. The J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder competition brings out some of the most innovative custom builds in the motorcycle industry with builders seeking the bragging rights for the K&N prize.
K&N Performer Award – #1925 Bill Dixon, Savage Cycles – named Resident Evil, 2010 Resident Evil Chopper
About Progressive International Motorcycle Shows (www.motorcycleshows.com)
GUN NUT REPORT–Dick’s Raises Age for Gun Buyers, Will Stop Selling Assault Weapons
Dick’s Sporting Goods said it would no longer sell guns to those under 21 years of age and would advocate for more stringent gun laws, in the latest corporate response after a gunman killed 17 people at a Parkland, Fla., high school two weeks ago.
The Pittsburgh-based company, which operates about 800 stores, also said it would stop selling assault-style rifles at all its stores.
–WSJ
IF GUNS KILL PEOPLE, THEN CARS MAKE PEOPLE DRIVE DRUNK, PENCILS MAKE PEOPLE SPELL WORDS WRONG, SPOONS MAKE PEOPLE FAT, MATCHES MAKE PEOPLE PYROS. ????????
–Sidehack Jerry
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THE TERRY LOVERING FILE OPENED–You probably wondered “what ever happened to Terry Lovering and his project?”
It was a long drawn out one…..
Not to mention, everything I had custom work handled on the CNC machine. It took two years for one part.
My painter took a few.
Ego Tripp Wheels ran me wheels with Spinners on both sides, but had to wait over a year.
D&M ran me off a spun air cleaner cover opposite then normal, took a year.
I have great ideas but I’ve got to wait it out for people to change there routine to run a one off.
If I wanted my buddy to run a one off for me, I had to wait for a free machine.
And I did a lot on CNC Custom parts.
Waiting for my Copyrights for the game took 6 years of pay, pay and pay!
Then (his wife) had some medical problems. We had to look after and that set me back a few years.
But all is well and Heather is fine.
I finished this Goddam bike and it is being unveiled at the Portland Roadster Show on March 16,17 & 18 then Back to Vancouver for an unveil at the Vancouver International Auto Show March.
If you got time to look at the Promo I did of our display for the Shows.
To look at the bike it just looks like another chopper but I had it Appraised by ChromeDreams and he said he never seen so much custom detail in any bike he has Appraised over the years.
Ron Szocczei from ChromeDreams also asked me how much personal time I put in the bike, and I said, don’t even go there, I don’t want to know.
I did find something out though, I am a great designer but I am not a bike builder per say…. I build a bike, there is a huge difference.
Of course I put my finished product together but Jellybean Autocrafters did all my wiring all the tweaking, etc, so I am putting them as a sponsor at the Shows.
Here is a picture of my Hero Wall in my garage/gym and a signed painting I bought off Dave when he was staying at the Easyriders Ranch.
–Terry & Heather
We will feature Terry’s new creation soon. He proved wild chopper are not dead!–Bandit
PRISON MOVIE BY DANNY TREJO–Danny Trejo on Gun Control and Our ‘Broken’ U.S. Prison System
‘Automatic weapons are for killing people. That’s all they’re for,’ says the actor and producer of ‘Survivor’s Guide to Prison,’ a film about the injustices of the prison system.
“Welcome to the United States of America,” says Danny Trejo at the beginning of the documentary Survivor’s Guide to Prison. “We call this the land of the free, but this country is home to the largest prison population in the world.” The documentary, which hits select theaters this weekend, addresses the failures of the American prison system in part through focusing on two specific cases. Bruce Lisker and Reggie Cole were both accused of and imprisoned for crimes they didn’t commit. Lisker served 26 years, and Cole served 16.
For Trejo, the decision to get involved with the documentary was personal. He’s been to prison, even faced the death penalty, and has continued to stay involved with efforts to bring awareness to the criminal justice system and to reach out to those mired in the system. Of course, he’s also one of the most prolific movie stars of all time, having been in more than a hundred movies after a chance encounter on the set of Runaway Train (1985) got him his first job as an extra.
The Daily Beast spoke to Trejo by phone about the film, as well as his own experiences. Over the last three decades, the actor has built a reputation for playing tough guys (just look at Machete), but in conversation, he’s unfailingly open and sincere, particularly when it comes to discussing the justice system, as well as immigration and gun control.
You’ve spoken very openly with your experience with the prison system and it’s obviously very important to you; would you mind speaking a little bit about that?
“Prison was a lot different when I was there. Right now, we have close to 5,000 jails in the United States. That’s more jails than we have colleges or universities. So, in a ‘free country,’ that’s kind of backwards. You’re more apt to go to prison in the United States of America than in any other country in the world. That’s including China.
When you hear that, you go, ‘What are you talking about?’ But that’s the truth. That’s a fact. If you look at our prison system, it’s predominantly people of color. Then, predominantly poor. And it’s not just of color, it’s poor everybody, because poor’s got no color. Our system is broken, and people don’t wanna admit it. Our system is broken, our system is run by money.”
“Don’t worry, if those are the cops, you’ve been with me all day.”
–Karen Han
ANTIQUE MOTORCYCLE CLUB NEW ISSUE–If you’re a New Member or a member who’s membership expired before February 1st, your first (next) printed issue will be the following issue but please enjoy this digital issue this month.
For those in the U.S. you will receive your copy within days. Members in Canada and Mexico in a week or so and overseas in several weeks. That’s the main reason for this email. Regardless of your postal worker’s speed, everyone gets this version at the same time.
The digital edition is an invaluable tool for members who want to find a story from an old magazine. As new magazines are posted, we are building up an archive of past issues you can refer to anytime, without fumbling through that stack of printed magazines in the corner of your shop.
All you’ll need to take advantage of this new benefit is your AMCA number and your last name. Just fill in that information on the login page and start reading.
In the March/April 2018 issue of the Antique Motorcycle, you’ll get:
A behind-the-scenes look at the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee.
A glimpse of the roots of the AMCA and the American motorcycle industry at the annual Yankee Chapter National Meet.
The story of the AMCA’s first meet Down Under in Australia.
And much more!
So go ahead, click here (or on the magazine cover above), and experience The Antique Motorcycle Digital Companion Edition.
Want more information about the AMCA? Visit our website for more Chapter information or check out the Forum to see the latest discussions on topics that are pinpointed to your interest.
NAACP sues Myrtle Beach for ‘racially discriminatory practices during Black Bike Week’–The NAACP has filed suit against Myrtle Beach and Myrtle Beach police citing discrimination against African American tourists during Black Bike Week.
The complaint was filed by the National NAACP, the Myrtle Beach Branch of the NAACP and three individuals in U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, according to a news release.
The organization has also filed a motion for preliminary injunction to stop the city from enforcing its plans for the 2018 event this coming May.
According to a news release, the complaint says there are “stark differences in the treatment of African-American bikers during Black Bike Week compared to the treatment of majority-White bikers during Harley Week.”
“White bikers do not have to go through that, so why should we?” said individual plaintiff Simuel Jones, a Black Bike Week attendee and former U.S. Marine.
Officials with the NAACP have said in the past that the city’s plans for the motorcycle rally over Memorial Day weekend, including a 23-mile traffic loop, are discriminatory against the black attendees coming for the event also known as Bikefest.
NAACP leaders cite the traffic loop as part of their complaint.
“The City of Myrtle Beach and its police department impose no formal traffic plan during Harley Week. However, during Black Bike Week they restrict the main two-way thoroughfare, Ocean Boulevard, to a single lane of southbound traffic. All vehicles entering Ocean Boulevard at night are forced to travel through a 23-mile loop with just one exit. On Saturday night of Black Bike Week, it could take over six hours to complete the loop,” according to the news release.
The complaint also cites the City of Myrtle Beach deploying more officers during Black Bike Week than Harley Week. They also cite that “police officers utilize overly aggressive policing tactics against African Americans.”
With those two complaints, the NAACP says “the City seeks to make Black Bike Week sufficiently unpleasant for the mostly African-American motorcyclists, hoping that they stop attending the event and that it ceases to exist.”
Anson Asaka, the NAACP National Office Associate General Counsel, was in Myrtle Beach on Tuesday for the organization’s news conference announcing the suit. He said the goal is to have Black Bike Week treated “like every other event in the city.”
“After assessing the situation on the ground…after gathering the evidence we decided to file the suit now,” says NAACP National Office Associate General Counsel Anson Asaka.
An injunction has been filed to stop the city from implementing the plan this year.
–by WPDE
–from Rogue
IT’S NEVER DULL AROUND HERE—I received a crazy Burma Shave story from a brother. We will slip it into the Cantina tomorrow.
I received a call from the Paughco headquarters in Carson City, Nevada. They are working on our steering system this month, then I will pick up the Salt Torpedo and we will prepare for Bonneville. The front end is dragster type so we could turn like a go cart, but that might not work at 200 mph. The other option is a steering box like most cars. We are waiting for Ron’s dragster expert to give us some guidance.
I need to call Sugar Bear about his Sturgis Chopper Museum. We are going to ship the Discovery Build-Off Chopper to his museum, when he is ready. Not my new/old Panhead above.
Hang on for more reports. And Ride Free Forever, goddammit.
