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CHOPPERS ONLY HAWAIIAN CALENDAR–Here’s a hot calendar commemorating the Choppers Only Bike Show in Hawaii, July 4th, on Oahu. Wanna vacation and hit a hot Bike Show, check it out. Click on their logo for more Calendar ordering info.
NO EXCUSES, but, “Hey Man, …….. I just wanna Ride.”–That’s the excuse we hear from many riders who don’t want to get involved inbikers’ rights. Another statement we hear is … ” I am not political anddon’t care about politics.”
Being a biker and not wanting to support bikers’ rights is like being aparent and not wanting to get involved in what your kids are doing. If wecare about something, then we should get involved and learn about what weneed to do to make it better. We nurture our children because we love themand want them to be safe and grow. If we love riding our motorcycle, then weshould care about bikers rights and nurture our riding lifestyle. We shouldget involved in making sure that the future of motorcycling is brighter,more secure, and ultimately safer.By being a rider and not caring about bikers’ rights, you are making astatement. The statement you are making is that you are choosing ignorance.You are choosing to ignore the issues that effect your favorite endeavor.Next to spending time with my family, motorcycling is my favorite endeavor.I love it and I know if I ever have to give it up, I will be very sad. Iknow other riders love riding as much as I do. Yet they ignore bikers’rights issues. I cannot understand why they ignore something that they loveso much?
I live in a state that has a mandatory helmet law. In my state, many riderssay “I don’t care about repealing the mandatory helmet law, so I don’t careabout bikers’ rights.”
Bikers’ rights are not only about repealing mandatory helmet laws. Today inNorth Carolina, there are three bills that have been introduced by bikerconstituents. The helmet law is a small part of bikers’ rights. Riders whoscratch the surface will see that. They will see that there are many otherissues that effect bikers. They will see that we are all at risk. Ignorancetowards public affairs and legislation breeds an uniformed, ignorant ridingcommunity. I do not want to be ignorant concerning the issues that effect myfavorite endeavor.
Get involved now, or suffer the consequences of ignorance. Being involved inbikers’ rights doesn’t cost a lot of money. It doesn’t take a lot of time.It only takes a few minutes every week or so to read about what is going on,and communicate with your legislators on how you feel about motorcyclingissues. You can start by joining a local MRO chapter and learning about howYOUR government works.
Vinny Neuman
CBA/ABATE of North Carolina: http://www.cba-abatenc.orgNorth Carolina BikerPAC: http://www.ncrider.com/BikePAC-Page.htm
Sons of Liberty Riders: http://solriders.com/
Motorcycle Riders Foundation: http://www.mrf.org
NC Rider web site: http://www.NCRider.com
PUNS FOR INTELLECTUALS– 1. Two vultures boarded a plane, each carrying two dead raccoons. The stewardess stops them and says “sorry sir, only one carrion per passenger.”
2. NASA recently sent a number of Holsteins into orbit for experimental purposes. They called it the herd shot round the world.
3. Two boll weevils grew up in S Carolina. One took off to Hollywood and became a rich star. The other stayed in Carolina and never amounted to much– and naturally became known as the lesser of two weevils.
4. Two Eskimos in a kayak were chilly, so they started a fire, whichsank the craft, proving the old adage you can’t have your kayak and heat it too.
5. A three-legged dog walks into an old west saloon, slides up to thebar and announces “I’m looking for the man who shot my paw.”
Have you had enough?
6. Did you hear about the Buddhist who went to the dentist, and refusedto take Novocaine? He wanted to transcend dental medication.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON LISTED AS “POWER BRAND” BY FORBES MAGAZINE–In the April 19th issue of Forbes Magazine, Harley-Davidson was ranked the 25th most powerful corporate brand among U.S. companies.
Predictiv, the valuation research firm that conducted the study, investigated how reputation, innovation, management and human capital were all factors in creating a company’s brand value. Each company was ranked according to these four “intangible assets” and then given an overall rank based on brand value, sales and their market value minus tangible book.
Harley-Davidson’s overall brand value was ranked 25th; however, the company ranked considerably higher in individual intangible asset categories. Among the 25 featured companies, Harley-Davidson was ranked fourth in “Human Capital,” behind IBM, Intel and Aflac. In the “Innovation” category, Harley-Davidson was ranked 16th. Forbes cited the Harley Owners Group as a factor in maintaining Harley-Davidson’s strong brand.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON SPONSORS “BIKER GIRLS: BORN TO BE WILD” PREMIERE ON TLC–“Biker Girls: Born to Be Wild” premiered on The Learning Channel May 13, 2004. This hour-long special explores the exploits of Daytona Bike Week through the eyes of two experienced female riders. Harley rider Sasha Mullins and professional motorcycle racer Vicki Gray serve as tour guides as they take in the sights and sounds of one of motorcycling’s most exhilarating events. The show is aimed at reaching women as well as people who are interested in motorcycling.
SPECIAL ENTHUSIAST INSERT FOR WOMEN WHO WANT TO RIDE–The Spring 2004 issue of Enthusiast features a special insert for women who are interested in riding motorcycles. Readers are encouraged to pass the special insert along to women who want to get into the sport.
The insert, “Your Road Starts Here,” addresses common questions and concerns women have about riding motorcycles. It includes inspirational letters from nine women who own and ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. The insert also identifies tips for choosing the right bike and suitable riding gear. In addition, it talks about the importance of learning to ride safely, and recommends enrolling in the Rider’s Edge New Rider Course available at participating Harley-Davidson and Buell dealers, or a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course.
Enthusiast was first published by Harley-Davidson in 1916 and is the longest continuously published motorcycle magazine in the world.
To view the Spring 2004 issue of Enthusiast, please visit: http://www.hdmedia.com/imageprocess.asp?path=pdfh-denthusiastspring2004.pdf
THE BIKERNET PERIOD–An eighteen-year-old girl tells her Mom that she has missed her periodfor two months. Very worried, the mother goes to the drugstore and buys a pregnancy kit. The test result shows that the girl is pregnant.
Shouting, cursing, crying, the mother says, “Who was the pig that didthis to you? I want to know!”
The girl picks up the phone and makes a call. Half an hour later aFerrari stops in front of their house; a mature and distinguished man with gray hair, impeccably dressed in a very expensive suit, steps out of the carand enters the house.
He sits in the living room with the father, the mother and the girl, and tells them, “Good morning, your daughter has informed me of the problem. However, I can’t marry her because of my personal family situation, butI’ll take charge. If a girl is born, I will bequeath her two retail stores, a townhouse, a beach villa and a $1,000,000 bank account. If a boy is born, my legacy will be a couple of factories and a $2,000,000 bank account. Ifit is twins, a factory and $1,000,000 each. However, if there is amiscarriage, what do you suggest I do?”
At this point, the father, who had remained silent, places a hand firmly on the man’s shoulder and tells him, “Then you try again.”
–from Bob T.
IT’S A HOLIDAY WRAP–Our DSL lines are now up and running. Thanks to the above crew. It’s time to hit the bricks for a Memorial Day Run. There won’t be any DUI busts for me. I’m whiskeyed out for a week or two.
Ah, but my springer just arrived for my next project bike, and there’s new babes hangin’ around the Cantina. So hopefully there’s action in the air.
These girls came from Bob S. a new Bikernet photographic intern. Watch for some of his artistic black and whites with upcoming fiction. Regarding future Bikernet articles. We took a break this week to deal with plumbers, electricians, accounting and all around bullshit. Hold on for our new Sportster department, 4-speed tranny tech from Frank Kaisler, the Goliath bike finish and the final Swamp chapter and more hard-hitting fiction from Dan.
In the meantime, grab a beer, hit the starter and ride. But for god’s sake don’t over-do-it, don’t get busted, or worse.Chase girls who are close to home.
Ride Forever,
–Bandit