Continued From Page 3
CHROME COWGIRL GOES TO MYRTLE BEACH–Well here’s the chrome cowgirl having fun bartendingat the Broken Spoke! See ya in Myrtle Beach!
BIKERNET FAMILY COUNSELING MOMENT–A man was sitting on the edge of the bed, observing his wife turning back and forth, looking at herself in the mirror. Since her birthday was not far off he asked what she’d like to have for her Birthday.
“I’d like to be six again,” she replied, still looking in the mirror.
So, on the morning of her Birthday, he arose early, made her a nice big bowl of Lucky Charms, and then took her to Six Flags theme park.
What a day! He put her on every ride in the park; the Death Slide, the Wall of Fear, the Screaming Monster Roller Coaster, everything there was.
Five hours later they staggered out of the theme park. Her head was reeling and her stomach felt upside down.
He then took her to a McDonald’s where he ordered her a Happy Meal with SuperSize fries and a chocolate shake.
Then it was off to a movie, popcorn, a soda pop, and her favorite candy, Jujubes.
What a fabulous adventure! Finally she wobbled home with her husband and collapsed into bed, exhausted.
He leaned over his wife with a big smile and lovingly asked, ‘Well Dear, what was it like being six again?’
Her eyes slowly opened and her expression suddenly changed.
“I meant my dress size, you dumb ass!”
The moral of the story: Even when a man is listening, he is gonna get it wrong.
–from Art Friedman
WOMEN RIDER NOW TEAMS WITH S&S FOR JACKET GIVEAWAY– Winners determined by submitting an outstanding motorcycling storyWomen Riders Now, a marketing and consulting company, announces S&S Cycle, Inc., a leader in performance products for American V-twins, is sponsoring a jacket giveaway contest on Beginning April 1, 2006, visitors to WomenRidersNow.com will have the chance to win one of six women?s shop style jackets being given away from April until September 2006. The contest, called “Everybody Has a Story,” is centered on the “Readers Stories” section of WomenRidersNow.com. To be eligible to win a jacket, visitors must submit a story according to guidelines set forth on the “Readers Stories” link. One winner will be picked each month, the winning story being judged by the editor of WomenRidersNow.com and the communications staff of S&S Cycle. The winning story will be posted on WomenRidersNow.com each month. S&S Cycle’s sponsorship involvement with WomenRidersNow.com is being celebrated with a fascinating story on S&S Cycle cofounder, Marjorie Smith, posted on the “Pioneer Profiles” link on WomenRidersNow.com. “Marjorie was one of the first women in history to be involved with a company manufacturing motorcycle engines. We think she definitely qualifies as a pioneering woman in motorcycling,” said Schmitt. Visit WomenRidersNow.com for more information on the S&S Cycle jacket giveaway. Click on “Readers Stories” for details. CENTRAL COAST BUILD OFF BIKE RELEASED–Just got the ok from Hugh to release some pics of our Discovery bike. Got more coming. Let me know what you think. It looks insane in the proper light. –Skip Howland and Scott Long HOT MATCH SLANTS ON SALE–“Hot Match” SLANTS on sale. Custom designed SLANTS exhaust pipes by Matt Hotch by Hard Krome are on sale now for a limited time only You SAVE $120 off of Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price. Sale ends April 21st or while supply last! SLANTS feature a 2.5″ outer pipe with a 1.75″ inner pipe. These pipes neverdiscolor because of the True Doublewall Technology that prevents bluing on theouter pipe. Each Matt Hotch pipe is sold with a 1-year warranty to back it up. Bafflesare included to deliver a satisfying Harley rumble. The front of these custom SLANTS wraps under the cam cover with an extralarge radius bend. Next it angles back to the oil bag and matches up to therear cylinder pipe. Then both pipes ‘slant’ back and down to follow thenatural lines of your swingarm. Save $120 on SLANTS and another $50 on a Dynojet Power Commander to manage the fuel delivery. INDIANA BIKE SHOW GANG FIGHT–The show that was supposed to go from 10:00 this morning to early evening was brutally interrupted.It was suppose to be a time for family fun, instead, the Motorcycle Parts Expo and Bike Show set off what police are calling one the biggest biker brawls.”It was horrible, they were using bats, forks, hammers on each other and no regard to anyone around them including children,” said Dan Hardman who witnessed the brawl. “You never have two groups together that don’t get along,” said Deb Frens, vendor. “We received numerous calls, 9-1-1 calls that there was a fight taking place inside the exhibit hall between rival motorcycle gangs,” explained Sgt. Matt Blank, St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department. “Most of the vendors were just waiting,” said Frens who continued to say that a fight was expected “with angels and outlaws there.” “It was a blessing that South Bend Police and local sheriff came, but unbelievable,” added Hardman.It was an all hands on deck kind of situation for law enforcement. The biker gang brawl brought out police from St. Joseph County, Mishawaka, South Bend, the Rail Road Authority and Roseland. “It’s about as big as it’s gonna get, you had just about every officer in the area responding to it and I think that says it all,” said Blank. South Bend Police took several people into custody.As for security at Saturday’s show, there were no uniformed officers on patrol, only event staff looking over things. Police told NewsCenter 16 that there’s no law saying security has to be present at any event. Also, police say a fight broke out at another bike show in the Midwest in the last week and the same gang involved in that fight came here looking to start something. –from Rogue HEALTH REPORT ON INDUSTRY ICON–Several years ago, Les Fitch was diagnosed with an infection in his throat. This infection is commonly known as warts. However, when they form inside the body they become dangerous. Their name is the Human Papilloma Virus or HPV. Millions of Americans are born with this condition. It is not contagious and there is no cure to date. Three years later (2004) he felt as if they were growing back only now not just in his throat but in his sinus cavity. A misdiagnosis from his primary doctor put him way behind the curve in terms of removal. By the time Les was able to see his specialist at Loma Linda Hospital, they had wrapped themselves around a main artery near his brain as well as deep into his sinus cavity on the right side of his face. After seeing not only his specialist but also a Neurosurgeon, the date was set for his operation. We had been told it would be dangerous and long at least 6-8 hours. The possibility of permanent damage was almost certain. Well, in true Les Fitch form, he survived the grueling 12-hour brain, right & left facial sinus cavity, and extensive mouth surgery. He was in ICU for 7 days. We had been told he most likely would not be able to speak well, swallow normally and might not be able to work for a very long time. He would be in intense pain as well, possible for many years. Les proved the doctors wrong. Five months after the operation he was not only driving but also getting his business back on track.We all believed the worst was well behind us. December of 2005, Les caught the flu and was rushed to the hospital in his hometown of Fallbrook, CA. He was severely dehydrated from the complications of this simple little flu. He spent over 3 weeks in the hospital being transferred back to ICU at Loma Linda Hospital. January 4th he was finally ready to come home and we believed he was going to recover. Five days later on his follow up visit with his specialist, we discovered the mass had begun to grow again this time more fiercely than before. It had now attached itself around his brain stem and was impairing his vision on the right side of his face. He was admitted back into the hospital and placed on a feeding tube to strengthen him for surgery. This was the beginning of the end. He had complications from the minor surgery to place the feeding tube and was given large doses of pain medication which plummeted him further down the road to nowhere. He has been in 3 (three) different hospital Emergency rooms & ICUs in the past 2 months and 3 (three) Rehabilitation Care facilities. He finally did undergo another extensive 7-hour brain surgery to remove the mass on his brain stem. This time he was not so lucky. He had to have a tracheotomy put in so he could breath. After 2 weeks, he was released to Reche Canyon Rehabilitation & Health Care facility 2 miles from Loma Linda. During the next 4 days, he was rushed back to the ER twice for complications. Finally, it was discovered that he had Septic shock, pneumonia, and then, as if things could not get any worse, he contracted an antibiotic resistant bacteria. We were told to prepare for the worse as most people in Les’ condition never recover from this kind of infection. Les was given large doses of a very strong antibiotic, Vancomycin which as they told us was the only medicine that could work. Well, work it did. Les survived and was sent back to Reche Canyon Rehabilitation &Care Center facility where he is today. We do not know how or if he will recover at all. He still cannot breath on his own, cannot talk or swallow at this time because of the trach. Les is a very strong-minded man who has never let anything beat him. If there is the smallest chance that anyone can fully recover from this, he is the one. His medical expenses are pilling up and at this time, he has had to abandon any hope of working again. Reche Canyon Rehabilitation & Health Care Facility is located at 1350 Reche Canyon Road, Colton, California. Due to the severity of his condition, only immediate family members are allowed visitation. No flowers, balloons or any outside articles are allowed due possible contamination. In lieu of flowers the family is requesting donations be sent to: Bank: WASHINGTON MUTUAL This will help with the astronomical medical bills Les is continuously incurring while he is hospitalized. –DENISE FITCH NEW DIGITAL DIPSTICK FROM HARLEY-DAVIDSON–Displays Oil Level and Oil Temperature on LCD Display.The new Oil Level and Temperature Dipstick with Lighted LCD Readout (P/N 62946-05, $134.95) from Harley-Davidson Genuine Motor Accessories makes it possible to check oil level and oil temperature with the push of a button. No more grabbing a rag to pull a hot dipstick. No more oil drips on pipes or the garage floor. Simply push the button and this chrome dipstick lights up with brilliant blue backlight. Oil level is indicated with a four-segment readout, and the temperature display can be toggled between Fahrenheit and Celsius. The waterproof LCD display operates on a long-lasting, replaceable Lithium coin-type battery, and features a low-battery indicator. Fits all 1999-2006 Harley-Davidson Touring models except those equipped with a sidecar. For additional information on Harley-Davidson Genuine Motor Accessories, see your local Harley-Davidson dealer or visit the Harley-Davidson Web site at www.harley-davidson.com. To find a dealer near you, call toll free 1-800-443-2153 in the U.S.A. or Canada. CHOP N GRIND BONNEVILLE EFFORT REPORT– Chop N Grind is so poor we are sleeping on the side of the road. Watch for the new Bikernet Bonneville 2006 Effort page on Bikernet in the next week. You’ll see it all come together or fall on its face. –Bob T STOP GODDAMNIT!–That’s enough news for one week. A Japanese gentleman, the distributor of a new English Bike Mag, DICE stopped by while I was thrashing through the news and eating a bowl of cereal at almost noon. It’s a cool mag, the size of TVGuide and the old Roth mag from the ’60s. I was just trying to think of a term to adequately describe it, like old school, bobber, whatever. It’s got a definite style in their choice of bikes, almost Frisco style. All the bikes are small, tight, rough, short front ends, old Peanut tanks, etc. The poor bastard graciously asked me to finish by breakfast, but he had no notion of how glued to the computer I am on Thursdays. We hit the monitors as soon as coffee is brewed, often working through breakfast, while we sip our cold second cup and don’t stop for lunch until late afternoon. We’re like test rats in Hamster wheels, spinning our news as fast as our little rattling claws will take us. He patiently watched me take a bite of breakfast, chew and type. I shouldn’t give you this sordid glimpse of behind the scenes at Bikernet. It may burst our ivory tower bubble of lavish offices, limos and slinky broads bringing me shots of whiskey and naked smooches every hour. It’s actually, not exactly that way. I’ve worked all winter in the Bikernet shop on an open platform with a small electric heater blowing warm air under my ass, while I pound away at the keys. That’s enough Bikernet blues for one day. Here’s Gene’s 11.50 bracket Sportster he built for Oliver at Glendale Harley-Davidson. We shot a feature on Tuesday at the H-D fleet center while it poured outside. We were scheduled to road test a Softail Standard in the afternoon, but the weather got the better of us and we ditched the project. Maybe next week. There’s more, but what the hell, it’s almost happy hour. I’m waiting on a Le Pera seat to move on with the 120-inch Panhead Sport bike. It’s going to be a lightening fast trip. The 45 is hanging fire for a couple of parts and half of the building is torn up while we work on Layla’s kitchen. Have a helluva weekend. Ride Forever, –Bandit
Central Coast Cycles
Address: 1091 S. MISSION ROAD
FALLBROOK, CA 9202
ACCOUNT #: 3063356387
NAME ON ACCOUNT: JOHN LESLIE FITCH
BANK PH#: 800.788.7000 
