Hey,
Life is nuts. I love the term deniers. As you will witness in the news, we need to honor deniers. Without them we might never find out the truth.
In a society protected by free speech we need to open our arms and our minds to alternative thought. You just never know when it might prove to be absolutely true, save us billions, or our lives (as you will see).
Let’s hit the news. I’m still short-staffed and so the news is on me and my skeleton crew of less than 1000 active contributors.
Fortunately the Bikernet weekly news is sponsored in part by Cycle Source Magazine and Iron Trader News.
And it you’re headed south to Daytona for Bike Week, don’t miss 2Wheelers on Main and say hello to Arlin and Donna. Tell ‘em you saw them on Bikernet. I need some more Mudflap girl pins.
LEATHER ART REACHES AND NEW PLATFORM–Happy to announce that Croft Leather’s website is now featuring all new leather work and motorcycle art. Please take a moment to view www.croftleather.com.
You will see new hand tooled leather motorcycle seat art, the new Hand FN Made “Chopper and Bobber Series” leather seats that can be customized to fit your desires, Hand FN Made leather motorcycle show plates that can feature your logo or a Croft Leather design, and the all new Hand FN Made leather wallet. The wallet is also fully customizable and a original design.
Lucky to have such great friends that support Croft Leather’s motorcycle art. So THANK YOU!!!
–Adam Croft
www.croftleather.com
309-530-4943
BATTERY CHARGER TO THE STARS–
The CTEK 12 Volt Lithium US is a fully automatic 8-step charger that delivers selectable 0.8 A or 4.3 A to 12 V Lithium-Ion Phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries from 1.2–110 Ah and is suitable for maintenance charging up to 160 Ah. The charger is splash and dust resistant, designed to protect vehicle electronics and non-sparking, reverse polarity protected and short-circuit proof. It is delivered with a 5-year warranty.
•Fully automatic charging and maintenance in 8 steps maximizes battery life and performance
•Numerous accessories simplifies using the same charger for multiple batteries
•One charger for the car, racing equipment, motorcycle, snowmobile, marine craft, and commercial vehicles.
•Water-resistant so that the solution could be taken to the problem even if it rains or snows
•Patented maintenance charge for a unique combination of maximized life and performance
•No sparks, short-circuit proof and reverse-polarity protected for untroubled usage
•Automatic detection of end-of-life batteries that eliminates surprises.
•Manual ‘reset’ button.
GUN NUT REPORTS RIGHT TO CARRY LEGISLATION–Current Status of Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Legislation in the U.S. Congress– Recently, a number of NRA-supported Right-to-Carry Reciprocity bills have been introduced in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate. NRA fully supports efforts to require states to respect an individual’s right to self-defense no matter what state they are in. Below is the status of each bill, as of this writing. NRA urges you to please contact your elected officials to support these important measures.
S. 498 – Introduced by U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas), this legislation would respect the rights of individuals who possess concealed carry permits from their home state, or who are not prohibited from carrying concealed in their home state, to exercise those rights in any other state that does not prohibit concealed carry. This bill currently has 16 cosponsors. Please contact your U.S. Senators at (202) 224-3121, and ask them to cosponsor and support S. 498.
H.R. 923 – Introduced by U.S. Representative Marlin Stutsman (R-Ind.), this legislation is the House companion bill to S. 498. The legislation would also respect the rights of individuals who possess concealed carry permits from their home state, or who are not prohibited from carrying concealed in their home state, to exercise those rights in any other state that does not prohibit concealed carry. This bill currently has four cosponsors. Please contact your U.S. Representative at (202) 224-3121 and ask him or her to cosponsor and support H.R. 923.
H.R. 986 – Introduced by U.S. Representative Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), this bill would allow any person with a valid carry permit or license issued by a state to carry a concealed firearm in any other state that does not prohibit concealed carry. This bill would also provide legal protection for law-abiding concealed carry permit holders against states that violate the intent of this bill. This bill currently has 78 cosponsors. Please contact your U.S. Representative at (202) 224-3121 and ask him or her to cosponsor and support H.R. 986.
H.R. 402 – Introduced by U.S. Representative Rich Nugent (R-Fla.), this bill would allow any person with a valid carry permit or license issued by a state to carry a concealed firearm in any other state that does not prohibit concealed carry. The bill currently has 70 cosponsors. Please contact your U.S. Representative at (202) 224-3121 and ask him or her to cosponsor and support H.R. 402.
NRA would like to thank the sponsors and cosponsors of these critically important bills. Again, we ask that you contact your lawmakers today and ask them to cosponsor and support these measures.
You can contact your U.S. Senators and U.S. Representative by phone at (202) 224-3121, or by using the “Write Your Lawmakers” tool at www.NRAILA.org.
HOW MUCH ARE VINTAGE PANHEADS WORTH–Without seeing it….for a timely sale $12k to $15K. This one is for sale.
There are a whole bunch of Panheads coming up in the EJ Cole sale in Las Vegas on March 20&21 See Mecum auctions EJ Cole sale they say 12 million dollars worth of antique american bikes in two days.
–DRW
BIKERNET HEALTH WARNING CONSUMER ALERT WARNING BUREAU—According to the Week magazine, our oceans are polluted by the 7 billion folks on earth, with 5.25 trillion chunks of plastic, weighing about 269,000 tons. You get the picture. Basically all fish is hazardous to your health, mostly because of mercury levels.
Recently the FDA warned pregnant women and children to stay away from tile fish, shark, swordfish, and king mackerel, and limit their consumption of white tuna—because of high levels of mercury.
But the Consumer Report criticized the FDA guideline as inadequate, saying that anyone who eats 24 ounces or more of fish per week, or six servings, should watch out, and warned peeps to not eat canned tuna or sushi made from tuna.
–The Week Magazine
Holy shit. A few years ago I read that canned tuna, because it’s cooked to over 400 degrees, was the only safe fish on the planet to eat. Now what?–Bandit
JASMINE CAIN ROCKS–Featured Show coming to Cudahy, Wisconsin.
SAT FEB 28 2015
The Metal Grill
Cudahy, WI | 08:00 PM
Pre-Orders will be available from now until March 15th for the new album “White Noise”! Downloads will be available on March 17th, exactly 1 week before our release date on March 24th! You’ll be the coolest kid on the block!
http://jasminecain.com/product/pre-orders-now-available-for-the-new-jasmine-cain-album-white-noise/
However, you can access Jasmine by following the link or just going to the website at http://www.jasminecain.com
Either way will get you there!
Rock on, my friends!
–Jasmine Cain
5-BALL RACING LEATHERTM NEWS–Are You Ready For Your Cut
5-Ball Racing Leathers’ cuts are in. The Long Cut and the Right Cut… We got them in and ready to ship. Comes with storage for all your valuables with gun pockets. These buffalo hide leather are boot tough and rattlesnake slick.
http://crankandstroker.com/5-ball-racing.html
SUPPORT FOOD CITY AT THE DRAGS–When you go to Bristol TN drag races support Food City and tell them why.
Food City, a Grocery Store Chain, is located in the Southeast and is headquartered in Bristol, TN.
This is a great 1-minute commercial. Not a word spoken………and none needed.
Very few commercials deserve to go viral. This one does.
www.youtube.com/embed/uoABty_zE00?rel=0
–Mary Lou Brewton
NEW, Progressive Suspension – Monotube Fork Cartridge Kit for 2014+ Baggers–True high performance front suspension is finally available for the 2014 and newer HD Touring line. Progressive Suspension has combined their road smoothing Frequency Sensing Technology (FST) damper with a progressive rate spring to create a state of the art fork cartridge kit for the late model baggers.
The asymmetrical layout places a progressive rate spring in one leg and an aluminum bodied, sealed cartridge damper on the other. The result is superior damping via the internal bypass of the FST valve, increased ride control and a new benchmark for high performance front suspension. Monotube cartridge style damping improves ride comfort, resistance to front brake dive as well as improving front end stability, cornering and bottoming control.
No mods or special tools are required for install. Available in stock or lowered version. Check it out on their website, or contact your local Progressive Suspension dealer for more information.
MSRP $499.95
Link to site: http://www.progressivesuspension.com/product/1507/monotube-cartridge-kit-for-hd-touring
–David Zemla
Director of Sales & Marketing
Progressive Suspension
dzemla@progressivesuspension.com
http://www.progressivesuspension.com
http://www.facebook.com/ProgressiveSuspension
CHINESE NEW YEAR FROM CHINA–
A couple of mall photos and Miss Chinese New Year contest. Visiting a few motorcycle shops today.
–Art Hall
Supreme Bikernet International Editor in Charge of the Global Market Place
MOTORCYCLE RIDERS FOUNDATION Washington Weekly Updates, for
February 23, 2015–It was a short week here in D.C. with a federal holiday and a citywide shutdown for a day due to snow. It seems silly that a major city would shut down for a less than spectacular amount of snowfall, but D.C. is so inept at snow removal that essentially the master plan for clearing the white stuff is springtime sunshine. That being said it gave me a rare quiet day that I used to do some heavy research into intelligent transportation systems (ITS).
There is a bill in both chambers that opens up a certain spectrum of WLAN (wireless local area networks). This affects motorcycles how, you ask? There is some concern that the spectrum could be used for unlicensed devices. There are several portions of WLAN spectrums that are dedicated to a single purpose, such as Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR), or for only indoor use, or in this case, only for ITS.
The concern is that the spectrum will be opened up to outside devices that may not play nice with the ITS infrastructure and cause radio interference, which could delay auto braking, for example. I am meeting with the bill’s sponsors next week to drill down on this. I’ll report more next week. These same bills were introduced last congress and did not get any traction at all.
Friday February 20th, I attended, by invitation, the welcome home ceremony for Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. Foxx has been on a multi-state transportation tour snaking along the coast from Florida, with stops in Georgia, both Carolinas, and Virginia. He ended the trip at D.C.’s Union Station, where he spoke to a group of attendees and press about the dire state of our infrastructure and the need for Congress to get its act together and pass the GROW AMERICA act.
GROW AMERICA is President Obama’s blueprint transportation bill. The draft is widely accepted as DOA by most in Congress.
Congress was in recess this week and is slated to return to business next week.
–Jeff Hennie
Grand Sultan Lobbyist for the MRF
WE ASKED PROGRESSIVE SUSPENSION—about other models and cartridge kits, and here’s the answer: Monotube Cartridge Kit for HD 2006+ Dynas.
True high performance front suspension is finally available for the HD Dyna line. Progressive Suspension has gone back to the drawing board and created a state of the art Fork Cartridge Kit designed to outperform everything on the market. Our new asymmetrical design places a preload adjuster over a progressive rate spring in one leg and an aluminum bodied, sealed cartridge damper on the other.
The result is superior damping and ride control combined with tunable preload and a new benchmark for high performance suspension on the Dyna platform. Can be installed in either configuration, Standard or 1″ low available for 2006 -2014 Dyna applications
At Progressive Suspension we always want to be sure that you get the perfect part for your bike. Please click the link below to select your bike so we can be sure we get you exactly what you need.
RACING BOOK OF THE WEEK–
AUSTIN, Texas – For the first time, legendary Superbike racer Paul Ritter shares his personal story, from his journey to success in the AMA Superbike series to the tragic accident that would change his life forever, and the inspiring recovery that followed.
Ritter’s upcoming autobiography Racing the Gods (May 1, 2015) takes readers back to the formative days of Superbike racing when he won the first championship race he entered, stunning fellow racers and fans. Ritter, regarded for his work ethic, good nature and competitive spirit, went on to race professionally in the late ‘70s on a Ducati 750SS and 900SS.
Nearly two decades after retiring, an accident at a vintage race in Colorado left him paralyzed from the chest down. In the years following, Ritter attacked his rehabilitation with all the gusto and intensity one might expect from a roadracing prodigy. The story of his recovery is as powerful and inspiring as his remarkable success on the racetrack, and Ritter’s passion for riding, racing and life carries through his book.
Racing the Gods provides a first-person look at the earliest days of American Superbike racing when professional racers were weekend warriors who traveled on shoestring budgets and fueled their bikes with passion and (if they were good) a few dollars of winnings. He tells of racing with legends like Wes Cooley, Mike Baldwin, and Keith Code. He also raced against and collaborated with Cook Neilson, who contributed the book’s foreword, and his legendary Ducati twin racer, Old Blue.
“Paul’s book is one of those rare pieces that offers an insightful, first person account as well as an inspirational story,” says Lee Klancher, Publisher of Octane Press. “Paul’s voice is honest and engaging, and his stories about racing and riding will resonate with anyone who loves to ride.”
Racing the Gods comes at a time when there is new hope for Superbike racing. Forty years after the launch of AMA Superbike racing, the series has found a new home at MotoAmerica. Led by Wayne Rainey—another motorcycle road racer who has triumphed over a paralyzing accident—the revitalized series is poised for success that will bring renewed interest in American Superbike racing.
Ritter’s triumphs on and off the track make it the kind of book that motorcycle enthusiasts of any stripe will enjoy. Racing the Gods releases May 1, 2015, and is available at www.octanepress.com and anywhere books are sold.
STURGIS MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME 2015 INDUCTEES ANNOUNCED–The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the 2015 inductees into the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame and the Freedom Fighters Hall of Fame. The Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame is designed to recognize individuals or groups who have made a long term positive impact on the motorcycle community.
The Freedom Fighters Hall of Fame recognizes the commitment and sacrifices individuals across the nation and world have made to protect the rights of motorcyclists. For 2015, the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame will honor one Freedom Fighter and induct seven into the Sturgis Hall of Fame.
Richard Lester – Freedom Fighters Hall of Fame – Since 1982, Richard Lester has founded five nationwide programs – Aid to Injured Motorcyclists (AIM), National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM), Confederation of Clubs (COC), Christian Unity, and National Sports Bike Association (NSBA). Each program is free and they are all focused mainly on uniting, educating and informing motorcyclists of their rights. Richard has worked alongside politicians, attorneys, club members and leaders and individuals – bringing together groups where others had failed. Richard has also provided financial support to numerous organizations that are furthering the cause of motorcycling.
Everett Brashear – One of the top AMA dirt track racers in the 1950s, Everett won the first AMA National held in Sturgis in August of 1952. That win – on the all-new at the time KR Model – established a milestone for Harley-Davidson and considerable publicity for the Sturgis Race. He beat five-time National Champion, Paul Albrecht for that win, just one year after earning his expert license. He won four nationals in 1953 before being seriously injured in 1954. He returned to racing that same year, though, and continued to race and win nationals across the country for the next few years. Another bad crash in 1960 led to Brashear’s decision to stop racing. He did race in select events for a few years. After he finished racing Brashear continued to work in the motorcycle industry until his retirement.
Chief Jim Bush – J.C. “Pappy” Hoel Lifetime Achievement Award – Jim Bush joined the Sturgis Police Reserves in 1978, was hired as a full time patrol officer in 1979, worked his way up through the ranks, and became Police Chief in 1990. Chief Bush has watched the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally grow to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors, and has consistently met the challenge of providing the community of Sturgis with appropriate law enforcement readiness both during the rally and throughout the year. While much of his work is behind the scenes, Chief Bush is recognized as an excellent ambassador for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. He works closely with the promotors of the rally and the events incorporated within the rally to find ways to accommodate the needs of organizers, participants, visitors and residents alike.
Chris McIntyre – It was 1992 when Chris McIntyre with co-founders Jeff Brown and Peter Wurmer had the idea to start a business providing motorcycle rentals to the public. At the time, it was thought by most to be a crazy idea and banks and insurance companies alike laughed at the idea. But Chris and his partners persisted in meeting with bankers, insurance companies and prospective investors and finally managed to open the doors of EagleRider Motorcycles with a fleet of four Harley-Davidsons out of a small Los Angeles garage in 1994. The company has grown to over 100 locations worldwide, employing over 400 people and delivering over 100,000 riders dreams a year. EagleRider has evolved to become the world leader in providing a full range of motorcycle experiences including, rental, tours, bike sales and service, parts, and apparel. The company also recently began opening their own dealership locations.
John Shope – For decades, John Shope has been a high-volume designer and producer of quality custom motorcycles and a parts supplier to the industry. John was one of the first to recognize the value of customizing a touring bike and developed a complete line of custom injection molded parts. John’s company, John Shope’s Dirty Bird Concepts has been featured in numerous magazines and television shows. John has been a major supporter of the Sturgis Brown High School Student Bike Build Challenge since 2012. This year, Shope and his co-stars on “Biker Battleground Phoenix” are stepping up that involvement by helping the students with a brand new Indian versus Harley-Davidson challenge. Shope will help students customize a 2014 Indian Chief while his competitor Paul Yaffe works with students on customizing a 2014 Harley-Davidson.
Sugar Bear – His love affair with choppers – particularly stretched front-end choppers – began when a girl on the back of a chopped bike threw a peace sign to him in 1969. Despite having never ridden, he went out and bought a Honda and started tearing it apart to make it his own. Sugar Bear opened his own shop in South Central LA in 1971, and has been building bikes and providing his own signature springer front ends for over 40 years. A master machinist, Sugar Bear hand builds front forks that range in length from stock to as much as 40 inches over stock. His specialized rocker design gets rave reviews because of their superior handling.
Don Tilley – If anyone in the motorcycling world deserved the title of “Renaissance Man,” it would probably be Don Tilley. A self-taught welder, mechanic, tuner and competitor, he has raced both motorcycles and cars in a number of areas. Tilley opened his first Harley-Davidson dealership in Statesville, North Carolina in 1972, opened a second store in Salisbury, North Carolina in 1999 and expanded it to a full-fledged dealership in 2008. Tilley Harley-Davidson in Statesville started the first-ever H.O.G. chapter in 1983. Don served as a resource to racers, a mentor to builders and an inspiration to new riders for over 40 years. Sadly, Don was killed last year in a motorcycle crash that left his wife Robinette severely injured.
Eddie Trotta – Since the late 1980s, Eddie Trotta has been building custom choppers and baggers from his shop in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Thunder Cycle Designs focuses on imagination, craftsmanship and attention to detail in every build. Eddie spent two seasons as a builder on V-Twin TV, and has also starred in multiple Biker Build-Off shows on the Discovery Channel in addition to being featured on numerous magazine covers over the last 10 years. He is supportive of numerous charities not the least of which is the Boys and Girls Clubs in Broward County. He has donated three motorcycles to be auctioned at the Bikers Ball in Daytona in support of that organization alone. Besides building bikes, Eddie also has spent time as a musician, raced offshore powerboats and owned thoroughbred race horses, fulfilling his need for speed.
The annual Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Breakfast is scheduled for Wednesday, August 5 at 9:00 a.m. at The Lodge at Deadwood in Deadwood, SD.
Breakfast tickets are available for a $35.00 donation, tables of eight for $300.00. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Museum at 605.347.2001 or they can be purchased online at http://www.sturgismuseum.com/shop/hall-fame-breakfast.
BRAND New Bikernet Reader Comment!–
TITTIES, TRAVEL AND TIME
http://www.bikernet.com/pages/story_detail.aspx?id=10057
Really enjoyed the story, and the it sounds like you have found peace on the road. Nothing better, just taking life slow and easy.
–Lemon
lemon@lemonstravels.com
Decatur, IL
[page break]
QUICK, TAKE A BIKERNET BAD JOKE LIBRARY BREAK– I don’t need anger management. I need people to stop pissing me off!
In a dark and hazy room, peering into a crystal ball, the Mystic delivered grave news: “There’s no easy way to tell you this, so I’ll just be blunt. Prepare yourself to be a widow. Your husband will die a violent and horrible death this year.”
Visibly shaken, Carol stared at the woman’s lined face, then at the single flickering candle, then down at her hands. She took a few deep breaths to compose herself – and to stop her mind racing. She simply had to know. She met the Fortune Teller’s gaze, steadied her voice and asked, “Will I be acquitted?”
–from Jerry and Rogue
BUSTED BY THE CENTER FOR PUBLIC INTEGRITY–HSBC’s political committee goes dark in days before Swiss Leaks scandal
Typically active PAC made no contributions in January–
By Dave Levinthal
HSBC North America’s political action committee stopped donating money to U.S. politicians in the weeks before scandal rocked its worldwide operations, a new financial filing indicates.
The lack of activity immediately preceded revelations this month by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, a project of the Center for Public Integrity, that HSBC’s operation in Switzerland apparently assisted customers in hiding their money from tax authorities, while serving other clients with demonstrated connections to arms trafficking, conflict diamonds and bribery.
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists reporters first informed HSBC about the nature of its investigation in early January.
It’s unclear whether the HSBC PAC’s lack of activity in early 2015 is related to the ICIJ report, and HSBC representatives declined to comment about the PAC’s activity.
In recent years, several high-profile, corporate PACs — JPMorganChase, BP, Goldman Sachs and News Corp. among them — froze their political giving in the midst of unflattering attention. Each time, the PACs eventually began making political contributions again.
HSBC North America’s PAC rarely goes a month without making a political contribution, and it has donated to candidates or other political committees in six of the seven Januarys following a national election — January 2013 being the exception, federal records show.
During 2014 alone, HSBC’s PAC spent more than a quarter-million dollars on politics, including nearly $100,000 worth of contributions to state- and federal-level politicians, according to federal records.
Recipients of HSBC North America PAC’s generosity last year were the campaigns or PACs of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.; House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.; Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D-N.Y.; Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J.; Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan.; Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C.; Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., Rep. Pete King, R-N.Y. and Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif.
HSBC’s PAC also contributed $1,000 in September to the re-election campaign of former New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, whom a federal grand jury on Thursday indicted on fraud and extortion charges.
The PAC reported it had more than $776,000 cash on hand at the end of January, according to its filing with the Federal Election Commission.
Beyond campaign contributions, HSBC maintains a strong lobbying presence in Washington, D.C., having spent between $2 million and $4 million each year for the past decade trying to influence lawmakers and government agencies, according to disclosures filed with the U.S. House and U.S. Senate.
During 2014, HSBC employed 11 federally registered lobbyists, including 10 who have previously worked for the federal government in some capacity, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Since the revelations this month of HSBC’s activities, government authorities in various countries have taken swift action.
Swiss prosecutors, for example, opened a criminal investigation against HSBC Private Bank and raided the bank’s Geneva offices seeking evidence of “aggravated money-laundering.”
Some U.S. lawmakers have expressed concern about HSBC’s actions, with the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee this week delaying a nomination vote on Loretta Lynch to become U.S. attorney general amid questions about how she handled a money laundering prosecution of HSBC in 2012.
Meanwhile, British political columnist Peter Oborne resigned from the Daily Telegraph after accusing the newspaper of deliberately surpressing stories about HSBC, which had been a major advertiser.
HSBC, for its part, issued a formal apology via full-page newspaper ads in the United Kingdom.
Hamish Boland-Rudder and Gerard Ryle contributed to this report.
5-BALL IN THE HOUSE OF AEROMACH—Paul Aiken, the boss of Aeromach, who makes custom products for Harleys, Victorys, and now Indians, has been a long time supporter of Bikernet and 5-Ball Racing TM.
He’s now sporting one of our new 5-Ball Racing patches
LOOK OUT! BIKER TRIPLE MANIA–# 7 is two DVD’s, Biker Triple Mania! / Rebel Rousers / The Wild Ride/ Biker Babylon and Johnny Legend Presents: Biker Mania!
Both available at Netflix. Biker Mania is basically a collection of impossible to find biker movie trailers and is truly worth the watch because really the trailer is all you will ever want to see. The bonus material includes back-story on Johnny Legend which I suggest watching first.
Biker triple mania is another Johnny Legend presentation. This double feature includes all star cast Jack Nicholson, Bruce Dern, Harry Dean Stanton, Diane Ladd and Cameron Mitchell in Rebel Rousers and The Wild Ride (1960), both flicks perpetuate stereotypes that bikers are drunken rapists and Mexicans wear ponchos. The Biker Babylon documentary on the other hand includes some amazing footage from the ‘60s and ‘70s,
– See more at: http://www.bikernettrikes.com/pages/SheWolf_Angels_Ride_Wild_to_HellNaked_.aspx#sthash.MKQqEaxY.dpuf 
5-BALL TEAM PHOTO–Another tough day at the Bikernet compound and 5-Ball is a ‘hands on’ manager for sure…
–Markus Cuff
Rockstar Returns as Official Drink of 2015 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series– Corona, CA (February, 25, 2015) – Rockstar Energy Drink is now entering its sixth year with Team Lucas as a major promotional partner of the popular Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series. Rockstar will have a major presence in all television broadcasts including CBS, CBS Sports Network and MAVTV through event entitlements, features and in-show exposure; as well as significant on-site presence at all 18 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series events beginning March 20-21 at Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park in Lake Elsinore, CA.
Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series Director Ritchie Lewis said, “Rockstar Energy is a stand-out partner and fan favorite for the exciting, short-course competition that makes Lucas Oil Off Road Racing so popular. As a series supporter and sponsor for multiple competitors, it’s great having Rockstar aboard with their promotional expertise attracting such high visibility.”
Jason May, Executive Vice President – Marketing for Rockstar, Inc., announced that in 2015 the company will also support top Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series teams and drivers Brian Deegan and Rob “Mac” MacCachren in the Pro 2 and Pro 4 class; and Ryan Beat in the Pro Light class. May said, “Rockstar Energy drink has become synonymous with exciting and emerging motorsports events, and the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series is a marquee series that Rockstar Energy is honored to partner with for the benefit of racing fans everywhere.”
Rockstar Energy Drink is designed for those who lead active lifestyles – from athletes to rockstars. Available in over 20 flavors at convenience and grocery outlets in over 30 countries, Rockstar supports the Rockstar lifestyle across the globe through action sports, motor sports, and live music.
For more information visit: www.RockstarEnergy.com and find us at:
www.Facebook.com/Rockstar ~ www.Twitter.com/RockstarEnergy ~ www.Instagram.com/RockstarEnergy ~ www.YouTube.com/Rockstar
DateTrackClass
Mar 20 – 21Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park
Lake Elsinore, CAPro: All / Kart: All
Apr 24 – 25Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park
Chandler, AZPro: All / Kart: All
May 30 – 31Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park
Lake Elsinore, CAPro: All / Kart: All
Jun 20 – 21Miller Motorsports Park
Tooele, UTPro: All / Kart: Modified Kart Only
Jul 18 – 19Glen Helen Raceway
Glen Helen, CAPro: All / Kart: All
Aug 1 – 2Baja International Short Course at Estero Beach Pro: All / Kart: Modified Kart Only
Aug 22 – 23Wild West Motorsports Park
Sparks, NevadaPro: All / Kart: Modified Kart Only
Sep 18 – 19Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas, NVPro: All / Kart: Modified Kart Only
Oct 24 – 25Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park
Lake Elsinore, CAPro: All / Kart: All
Dec 5TBA
Awards Banquet
The continually growing Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series brings door-to-door, four-wheel action to challenging, fan-friendly tracks. Team Lucas is an alliance between Lucas Oil Products and select marketing partners that enhances brand awareness, maximizes television coverage and enhances live, ‘family friendly’ event experiences for fans. Lucas Oil Products is the world leader of high-performance lubricants and problem-solving additives, and distributes hundreds of unique formulations in 40 countries, with continued growth every year. Its television production arm, Lucas Oil Production Studios, produces more than 300 hours of programming for CBS, CBS Sports and the Lucas-owned MAVTV Network.
STOP ATF’s Ammo Ban: Urge Your U.S. Representative to Sign Congressional Letter to ATF on Proposed Ammo Ban
As NRA has been reporting since the night the news broke, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) is moving to infringe upon the rights of law-abiding gun owners with a drastic reinterpretation of a nearly 30-year-old law regulating so-called “armor piercing” ammunition. So draconian is BATFE’s new “Framework” that it would prohibit the manufacturing, importation, and sale of M855 ball ammunition, one of the most popular cartridges for the most popular rifle in America, the AR-15. Not coincidentally, the AR-15 is among the firearms the Obama Administration has unsuccessfully sought to outlaw. If they can’t ban the pie, so the thinking apparently goes, they might at least get the apples.
In an effort to thwart BATFE’s attempted action, NRA has worked with U.S. Representative Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, to draft a letter to BATFE expressing the lawmakers’ opposition to the proposed Framework. To read a copy of the letter, please click this link.
According to the letter, “The idea that Congress intended [the ‘armor piercing’ ammunition law] to ban one of the preeminent rifle cartridges in use by Americans for legitimate purposes is preposterous.” It goes on to state that the law “should be construed in accordance with the American tradition of lawful firearms ownership, as protected by the Second Amendment.”
This includes due consideration of “the many legitimate uses Americans make of their firearms including target practice, hunting, organized and casual competition, training and skills development, and instructional activities.“ The letter concludes with several pointed questions for the B. Todd Jones, BATFE’s director, including why the agency bypassed the Administrative Procedures Act in proposing such a radical change to its prior interpretation and enforcement of the law.
NRA will also be submitting its own detailed comments to BATFE in opposition to the ban and is continuing to work with Members of Congress on legislation that will put a stop to this abuse.
In the meantime, gun owners and other affected members of the public must act now to help ensure BATFE does not get away with this attempt to deprive Americans of ammunition for their favorite rifle and to squeeze ammunition markets between converging bans on both lead and non-lead ammunition. BATFE is accepting comments on their proposed ban and will consider all comments received on or before March 16, 2015.
Please be sure to submit your respectful comments in opposition to the ban. For more detailed information on the proposed ban and how you can submit your comments to BATFE, please click this link.
Finally, please contact your U.S. Representative and urge him or her to sign Rep. Goodlatte’s letter and to oppose BATFE’s proposed “armor piercing” ammunition Framework. To contact them by phone, call the Congressional Switchboard at (202) 224-3121
DOES FREEDOM WORK? DAMN RIGHT IT DOES AND WE’RE GOING TO PROVE IT—I recently wrote the MRF regarding one of my dreamy notions. Here’s my letter:
I know I’m a dreamy nut, but I sense a regulatory direction from your reports. I feel like a study should be implemented, the study of the benefits of Freedom and what it means to this country and the world.
If it’s all about control, money, and safety, we are sunk to a life of justification for more and more regulation. Well, you know the drill. It will never end.
Is there a light in any tunnel?
–Bandit
I’ve been thinking about this. I just don’t know who would conduct this. It’s a great idea though. How would one measure the benefits of freedom? I guess you could look at Isreal vs. Palestine or USA vs. an extreme Islamic state. There are certainly some stark differences with quality of life, earnings, and not getting your head chopped off!
Give me a call if you want discuss further as this is some heady stuff.
–Jeff Hennie
Vice President of Government Relations and Public Affairs
Motorcycle Riders Foundation
jeff@mrf.org
Jeff and I discussed it, and he’s processing the info and will reach out to the KATO Institute for guidance. Ya never know. We talk about freedom constantly, let’s prove that it works.–Bandit
THIS JUST IN FROM THE BIKERNET MEDICAL CENTER–There was a midget down in Texas whose testicles hurt and ached almost all the time. The midget went to the doctor and told him about his problem. The doctor told him to drop his pants and he would have a look. The midget dropped his pants. The doctor stood him up onto the examining table, and started to examine him. The doc put one finger under his left testicle and told the midget to turn his head and cough, the usual method to check for a hernia.
“Aha!” mumbled the doc and, as he put his finger under the right testicle, he asked the midget to cough again.
“Aha!” said the doctor again, and reached for his surgical scissors. Snip-snip-snip-snip on the right side, then snip-snip-snip-snip on the left side. The midget was so scared he was afraid to look, but noted with amazement that the snipping did not hurt. The doctor then told the midget to walk around the examining room to see if his testicles still hurt.
The midget was absolutely delighted as he walked around and discovered his testicles were no longer aching.
The doctor said, “How does that feel now?” The midget replied, “Perfect Doc, and I didn’t even feel it. What did you do?”
The doctor replied, “I cut two inches off the top of your cowboy boots.”
–from Robert Page
https://www.dropbox.com/s/x1tt5o8y6bp5mzj/Bikernet.com.mp4?dl=0
S&S VIDEO MADE SPECIFICALLY FOR BIKERNET--Here is a new S&S video that was specifically produced for Bikernet. We will post links after you post it.
–Ken Conte
ken@riseaboveconsulting.com
BILLY LANE HEADING TO BONNEVILLE–
Loaded with work to get the board track racing bikes rolling. Won’t have time to prep my alcohol Crocker for Bonneville, so I’m going to strip and run this beauty instead.
–Billy
BIKERNET INDIA CORRESPONDENT CHECKS IN--I will get you ride photos with jacket review this weekend.
Also I bought the graphic novel Lucifer’s Sword by Phil Cross and it is pretty awesome. Heard of it only at Bikernet.com and saw the artwork and bought it immediately. Will write about that one too.
–Ujjwal Dey
~ www.IQmind.org
Bikernet India News Bureau Chief
FARO ITALIAN GRILLE– Formerly Weirs Beach Lobster Pound: New Name, New Cuisine; Same Owners and Excellence.
The Best Dining Experience at Laconia Motorcycle Week® Goes Italian in 2015.
Faro Italian Grille is the new name for the Weirs Beach Lobster Pound and with it comes a new menu. Located on the Laconia Roadhouse property, Faro Italian Grille provides patrons of the oldest motorcycle rally in the country with the best food and dining experience available during Laconia Motorcycle Week®.
Building on the reputation of excellence earned with the Lobster Pound and Laconia Roadhouse, Owner-Operators Richard and Mike Ray have created a preeminent Italian dining experience.
Faro Italian Grille features family recipes and the freshest local ingredients, a wide variety of menu items to accommodate all tastes and dietary restrictions, and large seating and bar areas that allow for the servicing of bigger parties. And a meal at Faro Italian Grille serves as the perfect warm-up to the recreation and enjoyment waiting at the Laconia Roadhouse.
The Laconia Roadhouse is a first-rate live entertainment venue that provides world-class production for some of the region’s most-popular bands, the largest beer tent at any motorcycle event in the country, top-shelf bartenders and beer girls, and contests for rally-goers throughout Laconia Motorcycle Week®. Faro Italian Grille is an integral part of this premiere entertainment experience.
Visit both enterprises online at www.laconiaroadhouse.com and www.faroitaliangrille.com and be sure to like them on Facebook.
–Ken Conte
Rise Above Consulting
INK-N-IRON NEWS–Coheed and Cambria Added to Ink-N-Iron Nashville–Nashville Main-Stage Schedule Announced.
With newly added artists Coheed and Cambria and Shooter Jennings.
NEW OLD BOOK OF THE WEEK—STATE OF FEAR, by Michael Crichton. Here’s just one exerpt:
…It was widely accepted in 1960 that there is something called ‘the balance of nature.’ If you just left nature alone it would come into a self-maintaining state of balance…However by 1990, no scientist believed in the balance of nature anymore. The ecologists have all given it up as simply wrong. Untrue. A fantasy… But they now understand that nature is never in balance. Never has been, never will be. On the contrary, nature is always out of balance…That means that mankind, which was formerly defined as the great disrupter of the natural order, is nothing of the sort. The whole environment is being constantly disrupted all the time anyway…
For fifty years, Western nations had maintained their citizens in a state of perpetual fear. Fear of the other side. Fear of nuclear war. The communist menace. The Iron Curtain… Then, suddenly, in the fall of 1989, it was all finished. Gone, vanished. Over. The fall of the Berlin Wall created a vacuum of fear… Something had to fill it…
Industrialized nations provide their citizens with unprecented safety, health, and comfort. Average life spans increased fifty percent in the last century. Yet modern people live in abject fear. They are afraid of strangers, of disease, of crime, of the environment. The are afraid of the homes they live in, the food they eat, the technology that surrounds them… And even more amazingly, they are convinced that the environment of the entire planet is being destroyed around them. Remarkable! Like the belief in witchcraft, it’s an extraordinary delusion—a global fantasy worthy of the Middle Ages…
This book is incredible. –Bandit
DAYTONA BIKE WEEK.
TRY IT BEFORE YOU BUY IT.
The Klock Werks Krew is ready to Kick off the 2015 Riding Season in Daytona for Bike Week. Visit us at the Klock Werks tent at J&P Cycles, Destination Daytona. We’ll have our “Try It Before You Buy It” Flare™ Windshield Test Rides, the perfect opportunity for you to feel the difference a Flare™ Windshield makes. Most Flare™ models will be in stock, including the new Flare™ Windshields for 2015 Road Glide!
https://www.youtube.com/watchv=vI2ju0MNCTA&list=UU0eXOdMUrIKm_ysMdZJYCWQ
UNCLE MONKEY ON THE DUI THREAT–It is one of the worst calls a business owner or manager can get – one of your employees gets a DUI over the weekend.
News travels fast in a small town, even faster when he was stopped in the rolling billboard of the shop van. He is pleading for compassion but it is hard for me to provide it. He had snuck out of work early Friday and was stopped at 5 am the next morning and tested at more than twice the legal limit.
His sanitized version of the events are in stark contrast to the police’s, stark contrast to the story of his friend who was in the passenger seat, stark contrast to what was witnessed by my friend who was there. It is a cut and dry case. He was in the driver’s seat with the engine running with his foot on the gas, hand on the steering wheel and the other on the shifter when the officer tapped on the window.
The bars had closed three hours before, so it is unlikely he spent those three hours standing around in -40 weather. At 5 am most people would be crashing out on a buddy’s sofa or waiting in a warm porch for a cab to arrive.
So, now I’m stuck with a shop van impounded for 60 days and upwards of $1000 to spring it and a tech without a driver’s license in a profession that requires a driver’s license.
With it being the slow time of the year, he is now the first to be sent home. It’s tough. I know he is going to have a lot of big bills coming up while he tries to fight the conviction, but we will now too.
Besides springing the van our insurance is going to take a huge spike for having an employee with a DUI plus a DUI while using a company vehicle for personal use. Throw in having to pay a full time employee to drive him around for the next two years and his value as an employee will take a significant drop.
Now, I know what lots of you are saying – the cops had no right. They must have had it out for him. The courts have it out for him for only having a couple beers.
The truth is that because he was stopped someone else made it home safe from working the graveyard shift. Someone else made it safe to work to start the early shift to keep this country moving. Someone has their mom or dad in their lives. Our employee made it home safe to his wife and kids.
All I can ask is if you do drink – don’t ride, don’t drive. Don’t think if you just wait it out a couple of hours you can sneak your way home. If you check most DUI lawyer sites you will find BAC (blood alcohol concentration) charts that show more than 2 drinks in an hour will get you a road side suspension, and three will put everyone over the .08 limit.
Now, think about how many drinks you had watching the game, how many drinks you had at the last poker run or after work last Friday. I know many of you will ignore my warning and all I can say is when you do get stopped man-up and accept the consequences and don’t be a little bitch.
-bad Uncle Monkey
QUICK, New Bikernet Reader Comment!–
Jenny the Gun Moll
http://www.bikernet.com/pages/story_detail.aspx?id=12118
Thanks!
–Gerry
riwolfman@gmail.com
Charlestown, RI
[page break]
DATE CHANGED--Due to possible rain this weekend, The Streetmasters Motorcycle Workshop “Precision Cornering” will be moved to March 21st 2015. This workshop will still be held at the Las Vegas Harley-Davidson dealership from 9am-5pm on Saturday March 21st with Lunch provided. We still have few spots available for those who wish to attend this workshop.
Walt Fulton, former factory sponsored racer for Harley-Davidson Motor Co. and partner Nancy Foote, are bringing the Streetmasters Precision Cornering Workshop to Las Vegas Harley-Davidson.
This one-day workshop will focus specifically on cornering skills and all the component facets needed to comfortably negotiate the tightest of turns with ease. This workshop is not intended as a beginner class, but is designed for the seasoned rider.
A maximum of four riders per instructor on the track.
Knowledgeable and well-respected training professionals.
Braking, cornering and swerving drills on the practice pad.
Instruction on your own touring, sports-touring, cruiser or sport bike.
A secure, closed-circuit track designed to simulate a real-world mountain highway.
How you’ll benefit:
Gain confidence and precision in the corners.
Learn the principles of traction management.
Refine your cornering, braking and swerving skills.
Polish your technique with personalized coaching.
Understand the whys and hows of motorcycle handling dynamics.
Ladies, want to learn from another woman? Nancy Foote has been riding for over 30 years and Colleen Kevany is a retired motor officer. Let them show you how easy it can be to become a confident rider. For more information or to register for the class visit http://www.streetmasters.info/ or call (951) 549-1717.
ANOTHER BIKERNET BAD JOKE LIBRARY BREAK–Recently, while I was working in the flower beds in the front yard, my neighbors stopped to chat as they returned home from walking their dog. During our friendly conversation, I asked their little girl Hillary what she wanted to be when she grew up. She said she wanted to be President someday. Both of her parents, Democratic Party members, were standing there so I asked her, “If you were President what would be the first thing you would do?” She replied… “I’d give food and houses to all the homeless people.” Her parents beamed with pride! “Wow…what a worthy goal!”
I said…”But you don’t have to wait until you’re President to do that!” “What do you mean?” she replied. So I told her, “You can come over to my house and mow the lawn, pull weeds, and trim my hedge, and I’ll pay you $50. Then you can go over to the grocery store where the homeless guy hangs out, and you can give him the $50 to use
toward food and a new house.”
She thought that over for a few seconds, then she looked me straight in the eye and asked, “Why doesn’t the homeless guy come over and do the work, and you can just pay
him the $50?”
I said, “Welcome to the Republican Party.” Her parents aren’t speaking to me anymore.
–from Rogue and Jerry
SCORPION HIRES INDUSTRY POWERHOUSE FRANK ESPOSITO– as VP of Sales & Marketing.
Esposito’s leadership injects over 4 decades of industry experience into Scorpion’s Executive leadership.
Scorpion Sports, best known for their EXO line of helmets and apparel, has hired Frank Esposito as their Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Esposito is an accomplished Motorcycle Industry leader whose diligence, integrity and innovations have produced a remarkable track record of integrity and results in powersports business development and management.
“We are extremely excited to have Frank join the Scorpion family,” states Jang Park, CEO of Scorpion Sports. “Frank’s extensive experiences in the motorcycle industry are second to none and will further solidify Scorpion’s operational foundation as a premium global helmet and apparel brand.”
Esposito’s notable achievements include serving as President and COO of Tucker Rocky Distributing, President and Vice Chairman of Global Motorsport Group (presiding over Custom Chrome), and most recently President of Kendon Industries. He has been recognized as an “Industry Precisionist” for his achievements in multiple managerial disciplines within the powersports industry including business leadership and development, wholesale distribution, supply chain management, portfolio management, product segmentation, brand development, marketing, and sales management.
Finally, and not to be overlooked, Esposito is a lifetime motorcycle rider and passionate enthusiast of the sport. He’s an accomplished enduro racer and is a 13-time veteran of the Colorado 500.
Check out ScorpionExo Helmets and Scorpion Sports, Inc.’s complete ScorpionExoWear line at
http://www.scorpionusa.com
Watch a selection of videos on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ScorpionNation.
NEW MEXICO LEGISLATIVE NEWS REPORT–February 24, 2015 is a day that will live in New Mexico Motorcycle History as two helmet bills died in the Senate Public Affairs Committee. Tabled in the first committee.
SB 327 Mandating motorcycle helmets on all motorcycle operators and passengers; and SB 308 would have created an annual motorcycle $697 license plate sticker that allowed the operator and passenger to refrain from wearing a helmet. Both bills were heard before the Senate Public Affairs Committee and each bill died 4/3. Senators who voted No on both bills were Senator Bill O’Neil, Senator Jacob Candelaria, Senator Ron Griggs and Senator Craig Brandt. Senator Gerald Ortiz y Pino, Senator Daniel Ivey-Soto, and Senator Mimi Stewart voted in favor of both bills. Senator Gay Kerman was not present.
Kurt Nolte and another physician along with Senator Ortiz y Pino gave testimony to the committee with obscure figures and making every attempt to convince the committee that a social burden of 40 million dollars for un-helmeted motorcyclist would be to the State of New Mexico taxpayers. Senator Craig Brandt who is also a motorcyclist informed the committee that the $697 and the fine of $300 on the first offense and $600 on the second offense were inexplicably high penalties and compared it several times to the text while driving fee of only $25.00.
Prior to vote SB 308 was amended to a lower fine of $150 for adults and no doubling for subsequent violations They agreed to keep the $300 fine for minors. Several Senators made statements that these bills were an infringement of the rights and liberties of motorcyclist. Senators also encouraged that the bill sponsors abrogate and re-introduce SB 308 without a fee, or a lower fee and increase in medical insurance coverage similar to what Florida State had adopted. Kurte Nolte refused the proposal and pushed for a vote. Senator Ortiz y Pino did admit SB 327 the mandatory helmet was his idea and his bill.
There were several health care professionals in attendance who also testified in favor of both bills. There were also approximately 15-20 motorcyclists present who were in opposition of the bill along with Retired Representative Rick Miera. Many of the motorcyclists present were allowed to testify in opposition of the bills. After some discussion a vote was taken and both bills were killed in committee. This means there are no changes to the helmet laws in New Mexico at this time. I think those motorcyclist and myself were in shock of our victory. I can tell you Senator Ortiz y Pino and Dr. Kurt Nolte appeared to be in shock and walked out defeated.
Special thank you to Retired Representative Rick Miera for his support. Thank you to all the motorcycle community who supported and stood in unity on this issue, thank you to all the NMMRO board members for all their hard work. Thank you to the US Defenders and the AMA for their call to actions. Thank you to the MRF, NCOM and the NCOM Legislative Task Force for their support, their advice and information shared to help fight these bills. Thank you to all the New Mexican motorcyclists, their families and friends and motorcyclists from all the other states who took the time to write letters and make phone calls. Thank you to El Paso Motorcyclists and the COC for their strong support to our community. The committee did say that they have never received as many emails as they did for SB327/SB308 than on any other bill or issue.
Now we put our efforts into SB 651 the Careless Driving Bill sponsored by Senator Lisa Torraco, to increase penalties for a person who commits careless driving that results in death or great bodily harm.
Together we can accomplish the possible and the impossible. Thank you and God bless you all.
–Annette Torrez Chair on behalf of the NMMRO board and its members.
NM MRF Rep 
LOS ANGELES PREVIEW STARTS FRIDAY–
THE LAUREN BACALL COLLECTION
EXHIBITION OF HIGHLIGHTS.
Auction:
Tuesday March 31
Wednesday April 1, 2015
at 10am and 2pm
New York
bonhams.com/bacall
Los Angeles Public Preview (highlights only)
February 27 – 28, 12pm – 5pm
March 1 – 6, 10am – 5pm
Bonhams Los Angeles
7601 West Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90046
Inquiries:
+1 323 850 7500
bacall@bonhams.com
BORDELLO THUNDER RUN
SATURDAY – FEBRUARY 28, 2015
Registration at Red Rock Harley-Davidson 9am-10:30am and then Ride to famous Southern Nevada Brothels.
Poker Run, Brothel Tours, Live Entertainment, Larry’s famous Ribeye Steak & Chicken BBQ, Raffles & More!
Ride pins for first 500 registered. $30 per person. Run benefits the “Adaptive Action Sports, INC – Physically Challenged Young Athletes.
DISMANTLE HOMELAND SECURITY, QUICK—The Department of Homeland Security is “a total disaster,” said Dara Lind from Vox.com. It was created by the panic after the 9/11 attacks. It now has 240,000 employees…–The Week Magazine
I don’t want to see anyone lose a job. How about we train them in landscaping and start a program to beautify all the onramps and freeway offramps around the country. Imagine the mindset change from harassing folks daily to bringing beauty and pride to the American landscape.–Ming Da Bikernet Gardener
DONNIE SMITH SHOW UPDATE–This year’s 28th annual Donnie Smith Invitational Custom Bike Show (now with added cars) is being staged at the Saint Paul River Center, St Paul, Minneapolis, on Saturday March 28th and Sunday March 29th.
Sponsored by mail order parts and accessory retailer Dennis Kirk, the show is said to have the largest attendance of any custom bike industry event in the Midwest, and will see a host of big name guests in attendance with top-class custom bikes competing for a total cash prize fund in excess of $7,500.00.
The show has grown tremendously from its beginnings, and weathered the downturn well – the organizer, Neil Ryan, says that this year it will again comprise over 200,000 square feet of expo center grade indoor show space, with competition classes set to include Custom Baggers, Choppers, retro bobbers and custom cruisers.
–from AMD
JUDGE TO APOLOGIZE OVER CURSING– TALLAHASSEE — A Miami- Dade County judge is saying she will apologize to a store owner she cursed at over a campaign sign. Judge Jacqueline Schwartz has agreed to the apology to settle misconduct allegations against her. She has also agreed to a public reprimand.
Last year Schwartz told a convenience store owner in Coconut Grove to “Go f— yourself” after he refused to take down a campaign sign of an opponent. She also told Firas Hussain she would sue him.
Schwartz was also investigated by the Judicial Qualifications Commission over allegations she removed documents from a court file.
Court filings show that during a hearing in late January, Schwartz admitted responsibility for her conduct and admitted it should not have happened.
The Florida Supreme Court must decide whether to accept the settlement.
–from Rogue
THE AMD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP REPORT–
The next World Championship almost certainly won’t be until 2016, again at INTERMOT. Robin has had a few options, one being his own event in Cologne at the same venue (INTERMOT only takes place on even-numbered years), but will skip this year. We just signed a 6-year agreement with INTERMOT so will definitely be there until 2020.
THE HUPY/ABRAHAM FILES OPENED–Illinois Did Not Turn Into a Vigilante State, Despite Concealed Carry Law.
–by Tony “Pan” Sanfelipo
It’s been a year since Illinois allowed residents to obtain concealed carry permits for guns. Since that time, 91,651 people have their permits. Despite these numbers, the fears of shootouts and vigilante gangs roaming the streets never materialized.
There were only a handful of incidents in which permit holders broke the law or acted irresponsibly.
Of course, any transgression involving a firearm is serious and could lead to disaster. Besides forgetting a gun at a store, or taking a firearm into a bar, one of the more serious offenses was a man shooting at a fleeing armed robber and almost hitting the police officer who was in pursuit.
The Illinois legislature legalized concealed carry in July 2013, reversing the state’s previous ban on carrying firearms. This change in political idealism came after a court case found the Illinois ban on firearms unconstitutional.
Residents of rural downstate counties had the highest number of permits, per capita. For instance, DeWitt County, ranked 68th in population, had 712 licenses issued–one out of every 23 people. In comparison, Cook County, where Chicago-area residents alone had 23,921, it amounts to just one out of every 219 people.
There were about 100 denials to permit applicants, for all sorts of reasons including domestic violence, burglary, theft and drug-related crimes.
Interestingly, 14 of the denials were to firearms instructors who planned on teaching the course required to obtain a permit.
The premise of concealed carry is self-protection. Carrying a gun does not automatically authorize or deputize anyone to seek out and get the bad guys. Learning how to handle your weapon proficiently, and knowing when and how you can protect yourself is your responsibility. There are only a few situations that justify the use of a firearm in self-defense.
Chicago has an alarming murder rate each year, and 2014 was no different. Despite preliminary reports that were somewhat manipulated to reflect a murder rate of 392, the actual 2014 total, as of January 1, 2015, was 456. It’s been reported that the overall murder rate in the U.S. is declining and hopefully that trend will continue.
–Tony “Pan” Sanfelipo is the senior investigator at Hupy and Abraham, S.C.
Visit http://www.hupy.com/news/current-news-for-bikers/
Perf-form Filters,
Updated custom oil filter/cooler design–Perf-form Filters has announced the introduction of its new HD-CXS2 oil filter/cooler.
It features a high efficiency disposable filter cartridge mounted in a finned aluminum housing that stays permanently mounted to the engine – meaning that there is only need to remove the easily accessed end cap to change the filter for mess-free filter changes.
The company says their deisgn and filter delivers superior oil filtration with more filter surface area than stock filters for high-flow and low differential pressures.
Delivering between 5 to 10 percent increased cooling, the filter design and material provides superior small particle retention capabilities of a kind not possible on other canister style filters.
The kit ships with three replacement filters and fits all Harley Big Twin models, including FLH, Ultra, Road Glide, Street Glide, Softail and Sportsters.
–from AMD
STRIPPER TELLS COPS DRUG ARE FOR BACK PAIN– SUGARLOAF KEY — A 23-year-old woman told a sheriff’s deputy she had drugs in her car for the back pain she suffers from being an adult dancer.
Monroe County Sheriff’s Sgt. Ken Fricke spotted partially clad Kayla Gregg passed out behind the wheel of her vehicle in Sugarloaf Key on Monday. He knocked on the window and asked to see her identification. That’s when he saw what appeared to be bags of drugs in the woman’s purse. One bag tested positive for cocaine, and she was arrested.
Deputies found other drugs in the car, including oxycodone, morphine and a smoking pipe. The woman remained in jail on Tuesday, facing multiple drug charges.
–from Rogue
LE PERA SEAT OF THE WEEK–Le Pera Stubbs Spoiler
LE PERA’S line of Stubs seats includes the Spoiler, a café racer styled seat, which is available to fit both Dyna and Sportster applications.
The Stubs Spoiler for Dyna and Dyna Wide Glide models fits bikes built between ’06 and ’14 and is 10.5in wide. It is available in black with a choice of black, grey or red stripes.
To fit Sportster ’04-’14, the Stubs Spoiler can be used on bikes with either a 4.5 or 3.3-gallon tank, on the latter there will be a 15in gap between the seat and tank. The seat is finished in black with the choice of stripes and contrast stitching in black, brown, red, or yellow.
OFFICER SLAPS HOMELESS MAN–
–By Curt Anderson
FORT LAUDERDALE — Police have opened a criminal investigation into an officer who was videotaped pushing and slapping a homeless man at a bus terminal in downtown Fort Lauderdale — a city that made national headlines for its ban on feeding homeless people in some public areas.
In the video, Officer Victor Ramirez confronts a man who had been sleeping on a bench inside the open-air terminal. Ramirez shoves the man to the ground, then slaps him hard in the face and handcuffs him. “I tell you what to do, you’re going to do it — it’s just that simple,” Ramirez tells Bruce Laclair, 58. “What do you think is going to happen? What do you think is going to happen? I didn’t want to take you to jail.”
The video, apparently taken by a man at the bus terminal and provided to a local television station, appeared on YouTube shortly after the Sunday incident. Ramirez, a nine-year veteran of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, was placed an indefinite leave with pay as soon as the video surfaced.
— Associated Press
–from Rogue
BIKERNET SPECIAL REPORT COMING--Defensive Gun Options for New Shooters
–by B. Gil Horman
Recently, one of my best friends called to ask if I would help him choose a defensive handgun. Now, we’ve been friends for years, and more than once I have brought up the topic of defensive firearms to no avail. He had no interest in owning a gun. So, needless to say, I was surprised to get this call.
Like many non-shooters, who suddenly decide to join the shooting community, he experienced what can be called a “triggering event.” Whether it’s a crime report on the news, an attempted crime against a friend or them personally, a triggering event nudges folks off of the fence and into the decision to become armed citizens. In my friend’s case, a family member in another town was protected from harm by two neighbors who were in the right place, at the right time, with their guns.
Realizing that he could have done nothing to help in a similar situation, my friend started researching defensive handguns. Since he’s Internet savvy, he had gone out and found miles of commentary and firearm specifications on the Web. However, the sheer volume of makes, models, options and contradicting opinions left him feeling completely overwhelmed. In this situation, it certainly makes sense to turn to someone familiar with firearms for advice.
–AmericanRifleman.org
We will bring you the complete report and tech on Bikernet in Special Reports in the very near future.–Bandit
LOVE RIDE SWITZERLAND– This year we booked Juli Moody to perform her Goodyear smoke performance to a Swiss audience.
–Marcel
Love Ride Switzerland Commitee
PR, Press & Communications – Marcel Sauder (Prospect)
Cell: +41 79 421 2332
eMail: marcel.sauder@loveride.ch
web: www.loveride.ch
skype: mashaode
HEALTH ALERT OF THE WEEK—For decades, health experts have issued stark warnings that foods high in fat and cholesterol cause heart disease and other illnesses. New evidence indicates this to be total bullshit.
“The obesity epidemic basically began with the first dietary guidelines,” points out Nina Teicholoz, who’s written a book on that topic.
–The Week Magazine
And they smugly laugh at the deniers.–Bandit
NORTHERN NEVADA BUSINESS NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED BY INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRY LEADER
RENO’S LOCAL HARLEY SHOP NAMED TOP DEALERSHIP IN THE COUNTRY BY HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY
Reno, NV Feb 27th 2015–This month Chester’s Reno Harley-Davidson® was awarded the prestigious Platinum Bar & Shield Circle of Distinction Award by Harley-Davidson Motor Company, an honor reserved for only the TOP SIX Harley-Davidson Dealerships out of over 620 other dealers, Nationwide. The Reno motorcycle dealership earned the award for distinction in customer service and satisfaction, motorcycle and related product sales performance and excellence in overall dealership operations.
General Manager, Ray Wright credits the achievement to Reno’s loyal customer base, the dealership’s employees and the owner. “On behalf of Chester’s Reno Harley, I’d like to thank our awesome customers for their loyalty and support and invite you all down to congratulate the most dedicated, hard-working professionals I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with, the Chester’s Reno team. I also want to thank our owner, Craig Chester, for his support and confidence and congratulate our sister dealerships in Idaho and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, both 2014 winners of the Silver Bar & Shield Award.”
Chester’s Reno Harley-Davidson® has been serving the Northern Nevada riding community for over 50 years and has been part of the Chester Group of Harley-Davidson dealerships since 2010. In the last four years Reno Harley earned the very exclusive Gold Bar & Shield Circle of Excellence Award in both 2011 and 2013, recognition only 5% of dealerships in the country receive. Now, as a Platinum level dealership, Reno’s local Harley-Davidson dealer earned the highest honor awarded by the Motor Company for being in the Top 1% of H-D® dealerships in the United States.
“One of the primary reasons the Harley-Davidson brand has such tremendous customer loyalty is because of the efforts of dealers such as Chester’s Reno Harley-Davidson,” said Mike Kennedy, Vice President and Managing Director of the Harley-Davidson North American Region. “We’re really proud to have the Chester Family of dealerships as part of the Harley-Davidson Family.”
Reno Harley is a local hot-spot as the summer riding season starts heating up in Northern Nevada because the dealership hosts several activities and events each month. GM, Ray Wright makes time to personally barbecue burgers and hotdogs the 2nd Saturday of every month when the dealership offers free lunch to customers and guests. “It’s our way and showing our customers we appreciate them and giving everyone an excuse to get outside and enjoy the beautiful riding weather. Everyone is welcome to come on down and have a free hot dog or burger with us for lunch whether they ride or not. We have a great community of riders and believe there’s no better way to spend time with friends and enjoy our beautiful area than from the back of a Harley.”
Chester’s Reno Harley-Davidson® is located at 2315 Market Street adjacent to Hwy 580 South between Mill and Vassar. Find out what other events and activities are hosted by Chester’s Reno Harley-Davidson® this summer by visiting their website at www.renohd.com or the company Facebook page at www.facebook/RenoHarleyDavdison
–Amy B. Baker
INDIAN MOTORCYCLE UPDATE–Introducing the Mark Wahlberg Collection, a limited-edition clothing line available only at Indian Motorcycle® dealerships or IndianMotorcycle.com, while supplies last.
Made in California using premium cotton materials, this 10-piece collection is available for men and women and features exclusive print designs and colors. 
VICTORY Set to Take It to “1000 Horsepower” with Godsmack–Victory Motorcycles will rock Bike Week 2015 in Daytona Beach with the newest member of its Bagger family – the Magnum X-1 – the baddest, loudest Victory Bagger yet during an exclusive party featuring multi-platinum hard rock titans Godsmack.
Join Victory Saturday night, March 7 at 9:00 p.m. at The Full Moon Saloon on Daytona’s iconic Main Street for the biggest show at Bike Week. Grammy Award-nominated Godsmack will rock the house as we unveil the Magnum X-1, the ultimate Bagger, designed for serious music fans.
The Full Moon Saloon launch party site will set the stage and establish the soundtrack for the weeklong motorcycle culture and lifestyle celebration that Victory Motorcycle owners thrive in. Don’t miss this party! Visit victorymotorcycles.com for full event details.
To learn more about the Magnum X-1 and Victory Motorcycles, visit victorymotorcycles.com or follow on Twitter at twitter.com/VictoryBikes and on Facebook at facebook.com/VictoryMotorycles.
Information about Victory motorcycles, apparel and accessories is available at www.VictoryMotorcycles.com.
–Kyle Clack
External Relations Manager – Victory Motorcycles
Kyle.Clack@VictoryMotorcycles.com
DID I TELL YOU?—Life is Nuts! But somehow we scramble to the next party. What the hell is coming up on Bikernet. Hopefully Chris Kranzler will return to the fold and give us her stellar reports on Bikernet, Bikernet Trikes, and Bikernet Bagger content. They were terrific.
I need to help Terry the Tramp finish a S&S tech on an engine he built recently. We should do it next week.
We are just about ready to launch the Speed Monkey feature and a bagger built by Randy Aron at Cycle Visions in San Diego.
I should write a report on the changes to the Bonne Belle for Bonneville, but I’m sorta hanging on a report from Kent Weeks on our Streamlined Trike effort. I wish I was rich and could send him a pile of cash to get this historic project off the dime. Maybe it’s time to sell a bike to build another one. We change out the shifting, and I’m installing a new Bare Knuckles rear fender. I need to get moving on it.
