General Posts

  Hey, Sticker Shock is a new Antique Road Show for Cars and Motorcycle starts tonight on Discovery at 7 PST. This one could be fun. Hit this link to watch the premiere episode online now.

This may be a good spring to own a collectible motorcycle. U.K. insurance buying site GoCompare.com has released an eye-opening list of the most valuable motorcycles, and a prestigious auction in England just set records. Bike profiles and a list of the most valuable motorcycles There’s good news for lovers of music and motorcycles: The 1951 Vincent Black Lightning tops the list, not just of great Richard Thompson songs, but of motorcycle values, at 657,652 pounds sterling, a tidy appreciation of 1,312 times its original list price of £501. In U.S. dollars, the Vincent’s current value is $929,000, according to Ben Walker, international director of the motorcycle department for Bonhams auction house. Read more at the Detroit Free Press.

Ford recently filed for a patent that features a motorcycle integrated into what looks to be a Focus or Escort wagon. The company is calling it a “multimodal transportation apparatus,” sort of like what Honda did back in the ’80s with the integrated Motocompo foldable two-wheeler. Unlike the Motocompo, Ford’s bike emerges from the front of the car, a la the Batmobile, to ride to whatever location comes next. Of course, just because Ford filed for a patent doesn’t mean this is happening. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office publishes all applications 18 months after submission. The patent notes that the motorcycle is “equipped with, and can be autonomously driven, by an electric motor.” And it will be fixed securely to the passenger car, and the connection “can be established and released by a user in a reversible manner.” The bike and passenger car can also be used independently of each other. The battery of the bike will be wired into the main vehicle, which in this example is also a battery- or hybrid-electric, and will be charged by the same system that charges the car. The infotainment system is part of the bike, which will rest between the driver and passenger seat, and will be available to the motorcycle rider after the two have been detached. There’s a lot more minutiae in the fine print, attached below, so check that out when you have time. And speaking of time, we’re imagining parking the car in the enormous college parking lot, then taking the bike right to the class door. Or, now that we think about it, find a free spot on the street, and then putz the rest of the way. Source: Autoweek

Indian Motorcycle Racing Wrecking Crew Rider Bryan Smith suffered a broken left fibula during a multi-rider crash in Semi 1 at the Texas Half Mile on Saturday, April 28. The 2016 Grand National Champion will miss the Calistoga Half-Mile and the Arizona Mile. Following those races, Smith will reevaluate his health and determine his ability race at the Sacramento Mile on May 19. Smith placed ninth during the season opener at the Daytona TT and seventh at the Atlanta Short Track. He was unable to finish at the Texas Half-Mile and currently ranks 13th with 22 total points.

If you have to use a helmet when riding, you might as well ride in style while enjoying the latest comfort and performance features these newHarley-Davidson lids have to offer for both men and women. As always, these are available from your Harley-Davidson dealer. The Mason’s Yard Sun Shield S05 3/4 Helmet (P/N 98177-18VX, $300*) offers a combination of coverage and freedom. Giving this 3/4 helmet a sporty look, a matte colorblock design is the featured style. Designed to fit Harley-Davidson helmet headsets, it also includes a retractable, anti-scratch sun shield to help block the sun’s rays. The inner liner and cheek pads are removable, washable and antimicrobial to keep the feel as fresh as the look. The Cherohala B01 3/4 Helmet (P/N 98184-18VX, $199*) features a classic retro silhouette to hit the road. Each helmet displays all new custom distressed graphics that are unique to each and every helmet. The finishing touches are a distressed cowhide leather trim, snaps for shields and visors and a back goggle strap. The Vintage Stripe B06 Full-Face Helmet (P/N 98145-18VX, $395*) offers full protection with a low profile design and vintage look. The classic race-inspired stripes in bold team colors draw the eye for added visibility. The helmet is filled with features like magnetic, UV-protected, anti-scratch shield closure and contoured cheek pads with built-in speaker pockets for a comfortable fit. Five metal mesh intake vents and one rear vent are integrated for a streamlined look and maximum air-flow delivery. All helmets are DOT-approved, feature a fiberglass shell with a double D-ring chin strap and come with a helmet bag.

Indian Motorcycle Racing and reigning 2017 American Flat Track (AFT) Champion Jared Mees secured the top leaderboard position with a win at the Texas Half-Mile. Indian Motorcycle of Oklahoma City Privateer Chad Cose secured his first career AFT Twins podium with a strong third-place finish after setting the top qualifying time. Meanwhile, fellow Scout FTR750 privateers Henry Wiles and Johnny Lewis placed inside the top 10 with a fifth and eighth place finish, respectively. Mees and Cose each won their semi-final race and earned the top-two starting positions in the Main. After trailing initially, Mees was able to pass several riders and capture the lead. Cose ran the majority of the race from the third position and was able to hold off the fourth-place finisher, who was challenging for that final podium spot for the majority of the race. “We’re entering an important stretch of the season right now, as Texas kicks off six straight weeks of racing,” said Mees. “To start this run off with a victory is huge. I want to thank Indian Motorcycle, my team and all the fans for their continued support. With Texas in the books, we’re on to Calistoga.” Cose’s third-place finish marked the third time a privateer has podiumed with the championship-winning Scout FTR750. In 2017, on his first race aboard the Scout FTR750, Johnny Lewis reached the podium with a third-place finish at the Texas Half-Mile. “To see Chad reach the podium for the first time in his career was amazing,” said Gary Gray, Vice President – Racing, Technology & Service for Indian Motorcycle. “He’s feeling comfortable and riding well on the Scout FTR750, and we couldn’t be more excited to see him compete in these upcoming races.” In a highly competitive night, a number of riders crashed and were unable to

We still need help in encouraging the Governor to sign HB2522 (traffic violations; penalties) into law. Click to send an email to Governor Ducey. engage@az.gov This is what your email will say: Dear Governor, As a registered voter and an avid motorcyclist in Arizona, I am writing you to request that you sign HB2522 (traffic violations; penalties) into law. This legislation is something that our legislative team has been working on for years. I believe this will help in the process of making our roads safer for not only motorcyclists, but for all of those who travel on our roads in Arizona. ABATE of Arizona lobbyist with the support of the motorcycle community set a plan at the beginning of this session to work towards a goal of zero motorcycle fatalities in our state by 2025. This bill will help facilitate working towards that goal. I would encourage you to help Target Zero with allowing this bill to move forward. Thank you for supporting this bill and motorcyclists across Arizona.

So my ol FLHPI, Fringe, did her first 3000 miles on the Tampa Police force. I purchased her in 2004 when she was retired to the floor of then Gulfcoast Harley-Davidson, where my GBNF brother, Cake, had taken up residence selling bikes after his service in the Marines. She sat side-by-side with a twin, but something drew me to her. We’ve weathered many a storm together, and she has been running the same OEM Halogen 7-inch Headlamp all these years later. She got me thru hail storms in South Dakota, hurricanes in Florida, and the tunnels in the Northeast U.S. Since she has served me well thru the first 100k, I’ve decided to give her a face-lift of sorts, so she can find the way thru the next 100k. Her Halogen Headlamp got foggy with age, and the headlamp output wasn’t as vibrant as her younger years. Read more.

On Sunday, May 6, four women hailing from four different countries will embark on an epic journey to rewrite the record books. The 2018 Women’s World Record Race, organized by Urs “Grisu Grizzly” Pedraita and the Grizzly Race Team, will decide which rider claims the Guinness World Record for the fastest woman to circumnavigate the globe by motorcycle. Representing the United States is Kuryakyn dealer-direct representative and longtime powersports industry veteran, Faith Ahlers. Read more here.

In a continued effort to provide plug-n-play solutions for its customers, NAMZ have decided to offer 2008-Up Heated Grip Extensions in a 100% plug-n-play format. As of June 1st, 2018, we will no longer be producing part number NHGX-1802. It will be superseded by part number NHGX-HD18, which will fit all HD OEM heated grips designed for all 2008-Up models. This extension kit comes complete with installed heat shrink tubing, male and female connectors and color matching wire. Simple to install and will allow the use of up to 20” tall handlebars. www.namzcustomcycleproducts.com