Continued From Page 1
WIN A CUSTOM $649.95 THUNDER SADDLE OF YOUR TATTOO–This is what you have been waiting for. For the next 6 months Metric Thunder will be giving away a custom Thunder Saddle each month. These saddles are the most exclusive saddles and most comfortable saddles every made. They are very cool because each saddle represents your tattoo.
The Tattoo Contest
BANDIT of Bikernet will pick the best looking tattoo of the month and we will make a custom Thunder Saddle with the Tattoo embossed on the saddle. Each saddle comes equipped with Saddlemen’s Saddle Gel. Saddle Gel makes an incredibly comfortable seat and allows you to stay on your motorcycle for longer periods of enjoyable riding.
How to Enter the Thunder Saddle Contest
Entering is easy. Just send an email to: tat@horsepowermarketing.com with your:
? Name
? Telephone number
? Picture of you and your tattoo
? Year and model of motorcycle
It’s just that easy. Send a picture of yourself sporting your favorite tattoo and you could be riding around with it on your motorcycle. It is your exclusive seat that is a show stopper and conversation piece wherever you stop.
For more details and rules click here. See the latest tattoo entries by clicking here.
LEO DI ORIO CUSTOM CYCLES GIRDER FRONT END ROCKS BONNEVILLE WITH ROGER GOLDHAMMER AND THE ASSALT WEAPAN THIS YEAR–The services I offer aside from my own product line, are my products tailored to other peoples application.Like my girder on Goldhammers bike or my pulley brake made to match up with David Perewitz wheels for TV.Or the girder for your bike, I also will do design work for other companies in the motorsports fields.
I am now working on parts that have more production applications. What this will mean is the dealer will be able to buy and sell parts that have the same workmanship and detail that they see on many high profile bikes today.
I know what it takes. I make those parts I make a lot of them.
–Leo
leodtwinspeed@msn.com
THIS WEEK AT CHOPPER HIGH-TANK WORKS– Team Chopper from St. Francis High School in Minnesota are building two tanks for their chopper. They are stretching a donated tank in case the one they fabricate isn’t done on time or something happens where they can’t use it.
The bike debut will be at the annual Donnie Smith Bike Show in St. Paul. Last years’ chopper won the peoples choice award in the 2006 Donnie Smith High School Chopper Class Challenge.
The start of the week found the crew making sheet metal pieces to weld to the frame to give the tank the flowing look as if it is a part of the frame. This year we want it to have to look of the one piece flowing design with the durability of rubber mounts.
The tank is going to have spikes down the center and they will face out horizontally. They have been machined to about three inches long with a tapered from one inch to zero. Next order of business? Make a fixture that will hold them so they can be drilled and tapped. It’s all hands on deck with the majority of the crew working on the spikes, the tank, getting parts or building the spike fixture.
“I have to hand it to Brent Stavig and the administration of St. Francis High School,” said Bob Osias, Metric Thunder Owner. “They found the switch to turn the students on and create a real world environment where the students can perform, compete and succeed.”
Team Chopper is still looking for a front end and wheels, not having much luck. Motorcycle enthusiasts can check out Chopper High by clicking here. Some of the companies and individuals that have assisted in the project include Bob Osias of Metric Thunder, Donnie Smith, Brian Klock, Billy Lane, Jaz from R-MAX USA by Roadmax, Kokesh Motorcycles, S&S, Denvers Chopper, Crane Cams, BAD Creations, Hardtails, Isanti Performance Cycle, Mutha Country Choppers, Olson Radiator, House of Color, Precision Line Motorsports, Extreme Paint, Stacks Creative Customs, Wreck Bros Auto Body & Paint, Zylstra Harley Davidson AND BIKERNET.COM.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON DISAPPOINTED WITH UNION VOTE– York, Pa., February 1, 2007 — Harley-Davidson Motor Company expressed disappointment at the union vote yesterday that rejected a proposed new collective bargaining agreement for employees and authorized a strike at its final assembly operations in York, Pa. A strike at the facility is expected to occur as early as 12:01 a.m. February 2, when the current contract expires.
As a result of the pending strike, production of Touring and Softail motorcycles at Harley-Davidson’s operations in York has been suspended.
“We are obviously disappointed by the union’s decision,” said Fred Gates, General Manager of Harley-Davidson’s operations in York. “The proposed contract was structured to help manage future costs that could be detrimental to our business over the long term,” Gates said. “While Harley-Davidson is a strong company today, we don’t want to find ourselves in ten years in the same position that the Detroit auto industry is in now.”
The proposed contract provided for a four percent wage increase in each of the three contract years. Two percent of the increase was dependent on the union accepting the Company’s salaried health care plan or another plan that would save the Company an equal amount of money. The Company’s union employees in York currently pay no premium for health insurance coverage and minimal out of pocket costs.
The proposal would have doubled the Company’s 401(k) contribution match and would have provided a special monthly retirement supplement for certain employees who retire during the contract period. The proposal also would have instituted a second-tier wage and benefit plan for new employees hired after February 2, 2007.
For example, under the two-tier structure, new assembly worker hires would have earned $18.25 per hour in the first year of the contract, compared to $20.78 per hour for current assembly workers in the first year of the contract.
Harley-Davidson production employees in York are represented by International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Local 175.
KEVIN RETURNS TO THE RACE TRACK DURING DAYTONA BIKE WEEK–After three years hooked up to a dialysis machine and finally a kidney transplant, from my son, last September I’m able to go back to the crazy world of crashing motorcycles. For what I think is about the eighteenth Bike Week we’re going to be at New Smyrna Speedway Friday, March 9th playing to a packed house once again.
Since I got sick no one has seen the show in three years. It should be big. The reason I’m writing is that I always put on the discount flyers (125,000 of them) See Us On Bikernet.com. With your permission I’d like to continue that tradition and I’ll fax you one of the coupons so you can see what it looks like.
You know if you show up there I always save a bike for you to ride in the Demo.
“The World Famous” Kevin J. Ruic
440-376-3919
Of course it’s cool with us. We’ll support your efforts and feature the show after bike week.–Bandit
MORE ART ON BIKERNET–Watch out for that woman in the lane next to you…. she is putting on her makeup, talking on the phone and drinking coffee …she doesn’t see you.
Ride Hard,
Whiplash Biker Photog
soffordphotos@comcast.net
AMERICAN PERFORMANCE CYCLE/APC INTRODUCES 2007 MODELS —Las Vegas, NV – American Performance Cycle, a market leading world class custom production bike manufacturer located in Las Vegas, NV introduces their ’07 product line. All of their models are now offered with right side drive, S&S engines, Baker 6-speeds, billet closed primaries, forged one-piece Forge-Tec or 80 spoke wheels and way too much chrome and billet to list. APC has also decided to go “bigger” with their rear tires and most models will be available with either 240, 280, 300 or 330 rear tires.
Mike Sample Jr., Vice President of APC stated, “We currently have 4 distinct models with various versions of each one (chopper, drop seat, FLH style and pro-street) that are all reasonably priced, but can be custom built with a variety of options to suit the most discriminating buyer.” Sample added, “Three out of our 4 models are available in 3 different packages, ranging from a 96″ S&S motor all the way to a show quality polished 124″ S&S engine.” “We have been engineering our latest model and are introducing a full-blown custom bagger at the Cincinnati Expo in February,” exclaimed Mike Sample Sr., CEO of APC. “Our bagger will be rubber mounted, have either a 280 or 300 mounted on it, will be low, long, mean and very sexy” Sample concluded.
’07 Double Down:
Their ’07 line up starts with the Double Down, a pro-street style bike packed with features found on bikes costing thousands of dollars more. This bike starts at $23,995 which includes a wild custom paint job. Perfect for the beginning rider or the 30 year veteran. This 3″ stretch softail pro-street style bike features 34 degrees in the neck and 3 degrees in the trees for a total rake of 37 degrees. It has a 93″ wheelbase and superb rake and trail make this pro-street style bike easy to maneuver and a blast to ride. This bike as well as most of the other models offers an S&S124″engine as an option.
BOY FIGHTS PITBULL–An 8 year old boy was riding his bicycle in Starkville, Mississippi, when hesaw his friend being attacked by a large pit bulldog. The boy jumped off hisbike, ran and jumped on the dog’s back.
After prying the vicious animal’steeth from his young friend’s body, he put the dog in a choke hold and heldon until the dog was dead.
The local newspaper editor happened to witness this feat and aftercalling for the ambulance on his cell phone, ran over to the young heroand said, “Son, that was one of the bravest things I have ever seen.You’re going to make tomorrow’s headlines. It will read: MississippiState Fan is Hero; Risks His Life; Saves Young Friend From Vicious PitBull Attack”
The youngster said, “That’s nice, but I’m not a MississippiState Fan”.
The editor said, “OK, then it will read: Ole Miss Fan Saves YoungFriend’s Life in Pit-Bull Attack
The young man said, “But I’m not an Ole Miss fan.”
The editor said, “OK, then it will read: Southern Mississippi Fan SavesFriend’s Life
Once again the young man interrupted, saying, “I’m not a SouthernMississippi fan, either.”
The editor, becoming somewhat irritated, asked, “Then, who is yourFavorite team?”
The kid replied with a big smile, “LSU”
The next morning, the local newspaper headlines read:BELOVED FAMILY PET MURDERED BY LITTLE COONASS BASTARD
–from Bob T.
HELLS-A-COP-IN’–New York Post, NY – January 30, 2007 — Cops yesterday raided the Hells Angels clubhouse in Manhattan and took at least one person into custody as they investigated the vicious beating of a woman there.
“Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Help me! Help me!” the woman wailed as she lay on the sidewalk near the biker club’s hangout at 77 E. Third St. on Sunday night, witnesses said.
“She was holding her head. It was bleeding all over. She was out of it. She was inebriated,” said witness David Hernandez, who described her as a “5-foot-4, brunette biker chick.”
Responding cops soon after tried to enter the East Village clubhouse – where a number of people live in upstairs apartments. But people inside rebuffed them, telling police to “get a warrant,” cops said.
A search warrant was obtained late yesterday afternoon, after dozens of officers swarmed East Third Street between First and Second avenues and brought in an Emergency Service Unit truck, a hostage-negotiation truck, patrol cars and a helicopter as they prepared for the raid.
The assault on the woman occurred at about 11:40 p.m. Sunday, police said.The victim – whose identity was unknown to cops – had been drinking at a bar, sources said. After leaving that bar, the woman, said to be in her 40s, walked to the Hells Angels clubhouse and knocked on the front door.
Cops suspect someone at the clubhouse let her inside, the sources said. But then she was brought back to the front door, where someone threw her into the street, a witness told cops.
“A woman was screaming bloody murder,” said Lori Lee, an area resident. “There was a big commotion and a lot of yelling.”
Cops said the victim, whose face and head had been badly beaten, was unconscious when they found her in front of 81 E. Third St.She was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where doctors put her into a medically induced coma. Her condition was upgraded to serious.
Ron Kuby, a lawyer for Hells Angels members, sniped about the police’s heavy-handed response, saying, “This display has been a splendid opportunity for the NYPD to show off their expensive hardware . . . they’ve turned Third Street into Fallujah.”
In 1998, cops raided the same clubhouse to investigate another alleged assault.A year later, the city paid $450,000 to seven Hells Angels and two girlfriends to settle a lawsuit that claimed cops exceeded the scope of their warrant by going upstairs and into the apartments to search and arrest people.
HARLEY OWNERS GROUP RIDIN’ THE ROCKIES TOUR CLIMBS NEW HEIGHTS–MILWAUKEE (January 31, 2007) – H.O.G. members will ride into thin air during Ridin’ the Rockies, a 2007 H.O.G. Touring Rally, June 25-28, 2007. This high-altitude adventure will take riders from Fort Collins, Colo., to Breckenridge, Colo., on mile after mile of scenic roads that wind through the clouds.
After departing Fort Collins, enthusiasts will wind their way through the forests and valleys of Rocky Mountain National Park before twisting through the 71 peaks topping out at over 12,000 feet. The road continues to Trail Ridge Road, the highest continually paved road in North America, where riders will climb 4,000 feet in a matter of minutes before descending into Breckenridge.
With Breckenridge as home base, the tour continues on the Cripple Creek Loop, which snakes through Pike National Forest, toward Cripple Creek. Once in Cripple Creek, an old gold-mining town, participants will have the opportunity to dismount and explore the town. Whether touring a gold mine, exploring the fantastic roads surrounding the town or taking a ride on the scenic railroad, it’s sure to be a priceless experience. After the stop in Cripple Creek, riders can take a quick trip to the Royal Gorge, the highest suspension bridge in the world. For 1/4 of a mile they might feel like they are riding on air.
The last day of the tour, the Aspen Loop, meanders through White River National Forest, a two-million-acre forest and the oldest in the Rocky Mountains. As the ride continues into Aspen, enthusiasts will have the opportunity to explore the town and experience some of the finest shops and restaurants around. The final leg of the loop is the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, where riding among the granite peaks and through mountain passes creates the perfect opportunity to view the beauty of aspen groves, jagged peaks and meadows.
Thunder Mountain Harley-Davidson in Loveland, Colo., will host a dealer party on Monday, June 25, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and the public is invited to attend. Time and date is subject to change. Visit thundermountainharley.com for the most updated information.
Registration is open to all H.O.G. members beginning Jan. 31. Event capacity is limited to 1,000 people. Cost is $175 plus $7 shipping and handling per person. To register for the H.O.G. Ridin’ the Rockies, enthusiasts can visit www.members.hog.com or call 1-800-CLUBHOG.
STEALTH BIKE WORKS INVESTIGATE CHAROLETTE ER BIKE SHOW–Last weekend we were at the Easyriders Bike Show here in Charlotte. It was a good break from winter.For me, I have to be honest and this is just my opinion but most of the bikes in the show are over done. By that I mean over chromed, over painted, over the top for me, but that’s okay, to each his own. I really liked a few of the old school bikes, a couple of very cool Panheads, and a couple of sharp Knuckleheads.
Thing around STEALTH BIKE WORKS have slowed the past couple of weeks but talking to other shops they report the same thing. So I guess we are all looking forward to spring. One of the highlights of the show for me was geting to talk to my friend Lee Clemens from Departure Bike Works in Richmond, Va. Lee and Andrew displayed their Build-Off bike. You can see the outcome on the Learning Channel, March 15th at 10 p.m.
We got the paint back this week from Rusty for our FXR. He did a GREAT job on the sheet metal. I thought the gas tank was beyond repair. After Rusty finished with it, it is brand new again. The old tank previously had a fight with a baseball bat and lost. The FXR is an ’86 model that is getting a lot of TLC at SBW. It belongs to a guy who has been down on his luck and recently re-gained his freedom. He is a stand up guy who keeps his word. That’s what I like about Tony, if he tells you he is going to do something it is done. The way it should be.
So even though things are slow right now and the weather has turned cold, we have a lot planned for the upcoming months. Let’s see, The Horse Smoke-Out, The Run For Breath, All the local Poker Runs, Bike Nights and the list goes on. Man winter is flying by just thinking about all of this!
Until next week, RIDE!
–STEALTHMAN
Continued On Page 3
