Hey,
It’s another amazing day in paradise, as you will see in the news. Life is incredible and we are under assault by the control-freaks. They need to go plant some trees and relax, maybe meditate.
There’s something inside of me that just wants to celebrate all that man has accomplished and help him or her have a good time. Why not? We don’t need more regulations. Let’s Party.
The Bikernet Weekly News is sponsored in part by companies who also dig Freedom including: Cycle Source Magazine, the MRF, Las Vegas Bikefest, Iron Trader News, ChopperTown, BorntoRide.com and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum. Most recently the Smoke Out and Quick Throttle Magazine came on board.
MOTORCYCLES ARE THE ANSWER!
It sounds so obvious, but when it comes to urban mobility, FEMA believes motorcycles and other powered two-wheelers should be actively promoted as a great alternative for cars. Especially during the annual European Mobility Week.
The week from 16 to 22 September 2018 is European Mobility Week. Many events will be organized and cities all over Europe compete to present their mobility solutions as smartest and greenest. As usual the focus will be on public transport, cycling and walking as the mobility solutions and alternatives for cars. FEMA thinks that powered two-wheelers (motorcycles, scooters and mopeds), are just as well part of the solution for present and future mobility challenges.
The benefits of motorcycles to cars are obvious:
Motorcycles are narrow. They can filter through traffic and keep moving where cars stand still in traffic jams. This makes motorcycles faster than any other way of transport in urban traffic. This was shown again in the mobility test we performed earlier this year in 14 cities all over Europe. With one exception the motorcycle was the quickest way to commute. On average the motorcyclist needed 53% less time than the user of public transport. Motorcycling also turned out much cheaper than car driving.
Research that was done in Belgium by Transport&Mobility showed, that a transition from 10% of the car drivers to motorcycling reduced the total traveling time of all road users and the length of the traffic jams with 40% and emissions would be reduced with 6%. In many South-European cities traffic would come to a complete standstill without the massive use of scooters and motorcycles.
Motorcycles are also small and light: not only they can filter through the traffic and reduce the total traffic time for all road users, they also use less space to park. In many European cities it is allowed to park a motorcycle on the sidewalk, as long as pedestrians are not obstructed. Often the motorcyclist can use a spot that is too small for a car to park. In many cities special parking places are or can be created.
The smaller size and less weight of motorcycles also means less wear of the road surface, less use of fuel and less emissions. We have compared the fuel consumption of cars and motorcycles in real daily use with the use of information that was provided by car- and motorcycle users in the German website Spritmonitor.de. It turned out that on average, motorcycles use 1 litre per 100 kilometres less than diesel cars and 3 litres per 100 kilometres less than petrol cars. Motorcycles also have less emission of toxic gasses, especially when compared to cars with diesel engines.
A growing use of electric scooters and motorcycles would even further reduce emissions. The most common problem with the transition from carbon fuels to electric is the rage, for electric two-wheelers in an urban environment this shouldn’t be a problem because they do not travel long distances.
Motorcycling, especially with smaller motorcycles or scooters, is much cheaper than driving a car: you use less fuel, you pay less taxes and normally you don’t need to pay for parking. In most countries you pay a reduced fee on toll roads or bridges. In the United Kingdom toll bridges are even free for motorcycles.
Unlike walking and cycling, motorcycles can be used for all distances, from short to long. And unlike public transport, motorcycles bring you from where you are to where you want to be 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.
Because of their advantages for congestion and environment, motorcycles are often allowed in low-emission zones (e.g. all low emissions zones in Germany) or are exempted from emission zone tolls, like we recently have seen in Birmingham.
FEMA General Secretary Dolf Willigers says: “Policy makers and city developers should have a better look at powered two-wheelers and the benefits they provide for urban traffic and for commuting. From my own experience I know that motorcycling is often the most convenient and quickest way of travelling, both for long and short distance, in todays jammed traffic. Motorcycles are also getting cleaner, safer and more silent, so there is no real reason to ignore them any longer”.
–FEMA news by Wim Taal 
SOMETHING NEW AT THE MEETING OF THE MINDS—Let us first thank you for your dedicated efforts on behalf of the MRF and all motorcyclists. As you read the release below, this should make more sense.
It is our high honor to welcome you to the inaugural class of Legacy Inductees into the Motorcycle Riders Foundation Hall of Fame.
Framed certificates with your photo and a brief biography will be on display at the Meeting of the Minds in Denver this weekend. Should you be in attendance at Saturday evening’s banquet, we will pleased to present this to you and recognize you in the presence of your peers. If not, we will attempt to make arrangements to have it shipped to you.
A similar article (photo and bio) will be featured in a permanent display at the ABATE of Indiana State Office in Bargersville, Indiana.
Once again, thank you for all that you’ve done for the MRF and all riders.
Motorcycling remains as one of the last true bastions of Freedom. The independence and exhilaration of being “in the wind” can only be understood and appreciated by those who experience it.
We all know that “freedom is not free”, and for six decades many people have worked tirelessly to insure the rights of motorcyclists. The patriots of the motorcyclists’ rights movement aren’t in the fight for fame or fortune, which is good, because neither tend to find them.
There are awards and even halls of fame for motorcycling, but those that work to preserve and protect our chosen lifestyle have often been overlooked in favor of racers and celebrities. We do not question that those folks are deserving of accolades, we are simply stating that the true Freedom Fighters have not received the recognition that they have earned.
To address this, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) is proud to announce the creation of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation Freedom Fighters Hall of Fame (MRF HOF). The permanent display will be housed with other MRF artifacts at the ABATE of Indiana State Office in Bargersville, Indiana.
Through the years, a number of people from the bikers’ rights community have been a part of various halls of fame and the MRF wishes to include them as well. The MRF HOF will announce a number of Legacy Inductees each year until those deserving recognition in the MRF HOF are featured here, in addition to their previous distinction.
The MRF wishes to thank our State Motorcyclists’ Rights Organization (SMRO) partners and all of the people that work vigilantly to preserve, protect and promote motorcycling so that future generations can enjoy the freedom of the road.
For information contact the Motorcycle Riders Foundation at
202-546-0983 or mrfoffice@mrf.org
KURYAKYN’S SADDLEBAG POUCHES FOR H-D TOURING–Convenient storage. Clean styling.
Kuryakyn’s new external Saddlebag Pouches for Harley-Davidson Touring models keep small items within easy reach and your ride looking good.
These handy pouches designed with UV-tested rigid vinyl construction retain their shape whether fully loaded or empty, and will not succumb to fading or sagging after miles of abuse.
Styled to match Kuryakyn’s top-selling Fairing Lower Door Pockets (P/N 5208), the pouch’s main storage compartment measures 6” wide x 9” tall x 3” deep to offer convenient storage for cell phones, firearms, tools or other small items. Additional features include an internal mesh pocket and heavy-duty magnetic closures for the main compartment, as well as a smaller external expandable pocket with high-strength hook-&-loop closure.
Sold in pairs for right- and left-side storage, the pouches install via secure snap attachment points that fit all ’97-later H-D Touring models equipped with single-rail saddlebag guards.
• P/N 5289 – H-D Touring Saddlebag Pouches
MSRP: $99.99
BIKERNET UNIVERSITY ENGLISH DEPARTMENT VOCABULARY LESSON–
dandle
[dan-dl]
verb
1.
to move (a baby, child, etc.) lightly up and down, as on one’s knee or in one’s arms.
2.
to pet; pamper.
QUOTES
The English verb dandle has no clear etymology. It looks akin to the Italian noun dandola, dondola “a (child’s) doll” and the verb dandolare “to rock, swing, dangle, dandle,” but there is no recorded evidence associating the Italian dandolare with English dandle. Dandle entered English in the 16th century.
NEW FROM NASH–Introducing Our Torch Hanger
The alternative solution to jamming oversize flashlights into your pants
Ever been on a long ride and realized you brought all the tools you need except your flashlight?
Here at Nash, we came up with the perfect solution. Introducing the Torch Hanger! Made from high quality leather from right here in the USA . The Torch Hanger can be mounted anywhere you need using the 3/4″ strap system.
Product Specification:
Made in The USA
Custom Made In High Quality Local Leather
Pictured with a 3-Cell D Maglite. Any D Maglite will work with this Torch Hanger, or any flashlight with the same dimensions.
AUSTRALIAN SUN GLASSES COME TO THE STATES–We are a small family company based on the Gold Coast of Australia who have previously won awards for our innovative eyewear / sunglasses.
Over the last year we have been developing a “World First” High Definition Photochromic sunglass with bi focal readers lenses for those who require glasses to read their instrumentation, a map, mobile phone, watch, menu or to work on their bike.
The sunglass has a unique combination of features which include:
* They fit comfortably under full or open face helmets.
* They weigh in at under an ounce (26grams).
* The lens passes the US Z87 standard for impact resistance.
* 8 base wrap reduces wind and debris into the eyes.
* The nose bridge is fully adjustable so will fit all face shapes. (60% of Australian males have had a broken nose so this is a must to achieve optimum fit.)
* High Definition Photochromic – the lens is (Cat1) copper (around 15% darkness pre dawn or in very low light) it then darkens as the sun and UV intensifies to (Cat3) brown (about 75% darkness which is a normal sunglass). The photochromic will adjust when used while wearing an open face helmet. While being worn under a full face helmet the lens will stay light (as the visor is UV treated) but once the visor is raised the the glasses will darken. We have had riders testing the glasses while riding in the night and they were ok on freeways but we will look at adding clear photochromic lenses to the rage in future.
* Polarized – polarization cuts down reflected glare so is perfect for riding both in full sun and in rain – it cuts down the silver shimmer that is normally experienced – making riding safer.
* Bi focal / reader – moulded into the base of the rear of the lens – it enables those who are long sited (40% of the population) to be able to read what they need to instantly rather than having to stop and change glasses. The readers are available in +1.50, +2.00 or +2.50 powers.
The reader combined with the photochromic means that they do not have to be taken off while indoors – so if your in the local hardware or bike shop checking pricing or small parts they are perfect.
As nobody has produced such a lens previously the cost of the initial set up is extremely high and to offset this we have decided to crowd fund 30% of the initial costs on crowdfunding web site indiegogo.com. We also figure that by going the crowdfunding route it will also give the glasses great exposure. We have decided to offer around 40% off the retail price to anyone who supports us on Indiegogo.
Please check out the project – https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/2406662/fblkref=gogo__fblk__19202166
On the crowd funding site we are offering the frame fitted with three lens options:
– Polarised High Definition with Blue Mirror – for those not requiring the reader. This lens in a permanent (Cat3)
– Polarised High Definition Photochromic – again for those not requiring the reader but would like the convenience of the lens adjusting from (Cat1) to the darker (Cat3).
– Polarised High Definition Photochromic with readers – our totally unique glasses. Perfect for guys or girls who wear glasses to read and have been neglected by sunglass manufacturers.
–Kevin Barr
www.barzoptics.com
New CULTURED Bikernet Reader Comment!–HAL ROBINSON ART COMES TO BIKERNET
https://www.bikernet.com/pages/HAL_ROBINSON_ART_COMES_TO_BIKERNET.aspx
Frickin’ A yeah, super article on a bit o’ history of my favorite & IMO one of the best pen & ink illustrator/cartoonist ever!!!
I got my first issue of Easyriders in the mid ‘70s at ICE (Impact Cycle Engineering) IIRC a chopper shop in Granada Hills CA. One issue and I became a fan for life of Easyriders and Hal Robinson’s pen & ink art.
It was a very miserable time in my life when I read about Hal’s passing as I felt nobody could equal the drawings of bikers lifestyle humor such as Hal. Things like the shit and such overflowing the toilet, or condoms, clothes, bones, half eaten food, etc. littering the floors and everything else in a room.
My heartfelt thanks to Easyriders, Bikernet.com, & 5-Ball Racing for still including Hal Robinson’s fantastic art over the years.
Thank you Bandit, Marie, and especially to Ann M. Robinson for this wonderful article and the opportunity to still obtain Hal’s art work.
— Scooter Wilson
scooter_12putt@hotmail.com
Rosamond, CA
It has been my pleasure to work with Ann, Marie and Andrew to make this happen.–Bandit
THE SIDEHACK QUOTE OF THE DAY–
“May we not succumb to thoughts of violence and revenge today, but rather to thoughts of mercy and compassion. We are to love our enemies that they might be returned to their
right minds.”
–Sidehack Jerry
WORLD’S MOST HIGH-TECH DENIM–Boulder Denim 2.0 – but they forgot a cell phone pocket.
The most advanced stretch denim just got even better but they forgot a cell phone pocket.
$280,346 USD raised
1336% funded on September 5, 2018
OVERVIEW
FASHION & WEARABLES
The world’s most HIGH-TECH denim?! The most advanced stretch denim just got even better. Originally made for climbers, these stylish jeans are perfect for any activity! We bring style and function together to make the one-all-do-all pant. Perfect for travel, hiking, climbing, work, dinner out, etc.
Since our last successful Kickstarter, people all around the world can’t take our jeans off! We’ve been touring North America demoing our jeans at events across the country all while innovating our proprietary technical performance denim making them better than ever! Unfortunately they forgot a cell phone pocket.
What started as a stylish climbing pant has quickly evolved into a pant that is perfect for virtually any activity. Introducing Boulder Denim 2.0: stretchier, softer, more water repellent, more durable, and now more affordable than ever!
PROJECT OWNER
Bradley Spence
Vancouver, Canada
2 Campaigns
If you watch their video these look hot on the girls and have some advantages, plus their pockets are deep enough for cell phones. Unfortunately, everyone knows the dangers of slipping your phone in a front or back pocket and sitting down. A separate cell phone pocket is mandatory on the thigh where it avoids damage and is easy to reach. WTF–Bandit
QUICK, OPEN THE BIKERNET BAD JOKE LIBRARY– A husband and wife are on the 9th green when suddenly she collapses from a heart attack.
”Help me dear,” she groans to her husband.
The husband calls 911 on his cell phone, talks for a few minutes, picks up his putter, and lines up his putt.
His wife raises her head off the green and stares at him. “I’m dying here and you’re putting.”
“Don’t worry dear,” says the husband calmly, “they found a doctor on the second hole and he’s coming to help you.”
“Well, how long will it take for him to get here ??” she asks feebly.
“No time at all,” says her husband. “Everybody’s already agreed to let him play through.”
–from Sidehack Jerry
Greetings from Southern Biker Magazine!–
Happy Fall Y’all! I know it doesn’t feel like Fall yet but I’m watching the weather forecast looking for any drop in temperature to cool things off. Looking forward to some cooler weather to do more outside stuff in a comfortable temperature. Fall is one of my favorite seasons with lots of fun activities!
We are working on the October issue and welcome your ad / article / event / idea! Please let us know how we can help you promote your business to our loyal motorcycle readers.
This will be a packed issue with major events highlighting the end of the season with Biketoberfest in Daytona Beach and Thunder Beach in Panama City Beach. Don’t miss out on an opportunity to let our readers know about your sales, events and other special promotions. Be sure to contact us about advertising. We have special discounts for new advertisers.
New customers can receive up to 25% off published rates starting with the October issue. Call now for more information – 865.405.6989.
We are looking to add more magazine graphic designers to our staff. Please submit your resume to Kristin@southernbiker.us for consideration.
Make sure to get your motorcycle events listed and seen by thousands of readers! Call us at 865-405-6989, email Kristin@southernbiker.us to find out how!
We truly appreciate your business. We are glad to serve you!
–Kristin Gracy
NEW BOOK FOR THE BIKERNET BOOK OF THE WEEK CLUB–Discovering engineering that changed the world
By Julian Edgar
About the Author
In this unique book, author Julian Edgar takes you around the world to see an astonishing series of engineering marvels. Through over 170 original photos, accompanied by a thoroughly researched text, you’ll experience the first rocket range, the fastest cars, and the awesome technology of the Cold War.
Synopsis
• From deep underground in an Arizona missile silo, to being in the pilot’s seat of one of the biggest hovercraft that has ever flown.
• See the world’s fastest helicopter, aircraft and steam train.
• Deep inside the mighty Hoover Dam – one of the most incredible structures ever built – to walking the ground where the Wright Brothers first flew.
• From marvelling at the jet road cars built by Rover and Chrysler, to seeing Land Speed Record cars like Bluebird and Thrust SSC.
• Fascinating sights – the suspension bridge that carried all the materials for the first atomic bomb.
• The world’s first turbo production car engine.
• The luxury lounge of the Hindenburg airship.
• The first streamlined, stainless-steel diesel train.
Passionate and insightful, this is an incredible adventure through the best things the world has to offer for anyone who likes speed, technology and excitement. This book is the result of Julian Edgar’s own journey around the world, seeking out the most exciting engineering and technological sights. It is packed with original photos, well-researched text and technical information, and serves as both a travel guide for the engineering enthusiast and a celebration of the engineering feats that have influenced modern life.
Paperback • 25×20.7cm • 144 pages • 169 pictures
ISBN: 978-1-787113-55-8
£ 19.99 + P&P (eBook prices vary, and delivery is free
Features
• A fascinating coverage of incredible engineering marvels from around the world
• Visiting a Cold War missile silo, deep underground in the Arizona desert
• Inside the Hoover Dam – and its stylish hydro-electric power station
• Seeing in the metal the fastest cars that have ever run – from Bluebird to Thrust SSC
• Extraordinary engineering in the airships and giant hovercraft of Germany and Britain
• The gas turbine road cars of Rover and Chrysler – a sign of the future… or was it?
• The birthplace of modern rocketry at Peenemünde in Germany
• Walking the North Carolina sand dunes where two geniuses invented flight
• Sweden’s underground aircraft bunker – big enough for a squadron
• Perfect for the engineering enthusiast – or for someone who wants to plan their own fascinating journey
RIDE WITH THE STUNTMEN’S ASSOCIATION TO 56TH ANNUAL TROY MELTON MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT TOMORROW, SEPTEMBER 21-23, 2018, ANGEL PARK GOLF CLUB, LAS VEGAS, NV! — The public is invited to join a host of stuntmen and women, celebrities & avid golfers for ride and the 56th Annual Troy Melton Memorial Golf Tournament.
Organizers have announced a motorcycle Poker Run to the 56th Annual Troy Melton Memorial Golf Tournament tomorrow, September 21-23, 2018 at Angel Park Golf Club, Las Vegas, NV. The Stuntmen’s Association invites the public and avid golfers to join them. The 56th Annual Troy Melton Memorial Golf Tournament benefits the Taurus Foundation.
The Taurus World Stunt Awards Foundation was established by an endowment from Red Bull Energy Drink CEO, Dietrich Mateschitz. The Foundation provides support for the international stunt community and financial assistance to members of the Taurus World Stunt Awards Academy, who experience a debilitating stunt-related injury. Financial grants are considered on merit in the event of a stunt related temporary, partial, or permanent disability.
The Golf Tournament’s namesake, Stuntman, actor and avid golfer, Troy Melton was a founding member of the Stuntmen’s Association of Motion Pictures. Following World War II, Melton found work as an actor before his career as a stuntman took off in the late 1940’s. Melton’s career as an actor and stuntman spanned a little over forty years.
Poker Run to the Troy Melton: September 21st
Los Angeles to Las Vegas
$40 per person
Tournament:
Early bird special: $275/player, After August 17th: $299/player.
No refunds issued after Sept.19th.
Hotel: JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort & Spa.
Standard Guest Room: $159 per Night, One Bedroom Suite: $259 per Night
Resort Fee: $17.99/day. Includes high speed internet, access to fitness and wellness experience at spa, 6 drink coupons, 1 complimentary gift from spa boutique, $20 in free casino offers, complimentary shuttle to the Vegas Strip, food outlet discounts and specials, and at the time of check in, guest will receive a resort booklet with total value of $185.
Reservations Local Phone: 800-582-2996
Stuntmen’s Association Golf Event
Early registration for our 56th Annual Troy Melton Golf Tournament is open!
Price increases August 17th!
Stuntmen’s Association office: 818.766.4334, stuntmen@sbcglobal.net
Facebook: Stuntmen’s Association of Motion Pictures
https://www.stuntmen.com/event/56th-annual-troy-melton-memorial-golf-tournament/
–Cherry Hepburn
[page break]
NEW YORK BIKERS SINGLED OUT—NEW YORK CITY MOTORCYCLISTS FIND THEMSELVES IN A STRUGGLE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT and city officials, who are issuing citations for minor infractions, impounding motorcycles, employing motorcycle-only checkpoints and misapplying laws.
The riders feel they are under siege and wonder whether the heavy-handed tactics are an attempt to purge motorcycles from city streets or a way to extract money from a group of residents, who fellow citizens care little about.
–AMA
Watch for more on this topic in the very near future. –Bandit
SPECIAL REPORT–Suspending the Constitution: In America Today, the Government Does Whatever It Wants
We can pretend that the Constitution, which was written to hold the government accountable, is still our governing document.
The reality we must come to terms with, however, is that in the America we live in today, the government does whatever it wants, freedom be damned.
“That was when they suspended the Constitution. They said it would be temporary. There wasn’t even any rioting in the streets. People stayed home at night, watching television, looking for some direction. There wasn’t even an enemy you could put your finger on.”
—Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid’s Tale https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?source=bk&t=freedomoutpos-20&bm-id=default&l=ktl&linkId=957e941d01f371a12388201439a389bb&_cb=1537278671632
We can pretend that the Constitution, which was written to hold the government accountable, is still our governing document.
The reality we must come to terms with, however, is that in the America we live in today, the government does whatever it wants, freedom be damned.
“We the people” have been terrorized, traumatized, and tricked into a semi-permanent state of compliance by a government that cares nothing for our lives or our liberties.
–from Rogue
Supreme Extreme Editor
Bikernet™ Baggers
This is not a tough issue, although it needs to be addressed immediately. We are healthier and safer than ever before. The planet is just fine and fossil fuels are not a problem. Bottom line, we need to stop the control freaks and get back to being happy and free. If you want to read this entire report, it will be published in Bikernet™ Special Reports in the next couple of days.–Bandit
MOVIES ARE FOR ENTERTAINMENT CLUB–Hey, if you guys liked watching all the strange movies Nicolas Cage has starred in then here is a latest one. You may remember Cage playing the motorcycle riding Ghost Rider with a deal with the Devil.
NOW WATCH HIM in a movie where he is an ordinary lumberjack forced to fight a horde of motorcycle riding demons with nothing except a chainsaw and his love for his kidnapped lady.
MANDY (2018)
Taking place in 1983, Red is a lumberjack who lives in a secluded cabin in the woods. His artist girlfriend Mandy spends her days reading fantasy paperbacks. Then one day, she catches the eye of a crazed cult leader, who conjures a group of motorcycle-riding demons to kidnap her. Red, armed with a chainsaw and other weapons, stops at nothing to get her back, leaving a bloody, brutal pile of bodies in his wake.
Mandy is an American action horror film directed by Panos Cosmatos and co-written by Cosmatos and Aaron Stewart-Ahn, which premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival on January 19, 2018. It is one of the last films scored by Icelandic composer Jóhann Jóhannsson.
The brilliant cinematography and direction comes alive as Pacific Northwest with its pine-scented haven turns into a living hell as we witness a phantasmagoric journey filled with bloody vengeance. Man battles evil but it sees only what the evil represents itself in man’s mortal eyes.
What the Media says about this Movie?
The Playlist states – “Nicolas Cage gives the performance of a lifetime”
Slash Film states – “A totally uncompromising vision”
The Village Voice states – “Insanely Violent and Ethereally Beautiful”
Fandom states – “An unforgettable journey into the heart of darkness”
Somewhere in the primal wilderness near the Shadow Mountains in the year 1983, Red Miller (Nicolas Cage) has fallen deeply for the deceptively charming Mandy Bloom (Andrea Riseborough). However, the life he has made for himself comes crashing down suddenly and horrifyingly, when a vile band of ravaging cultists and supernatural creatures desecrate his idyllic home with vicious fury. A broken man, Red now lives for one thing only—to hunt down these maniacal villains and exact swift vengeance.
Trialer on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hRKVxT4-1wM
Is there a Love beyond Good and Evil? Well, I sure can predict after watching this savage tale of blood, spilling guts and gore. Join me in the cinema hall for a hallucinatory descent into torturous loss and righteous vengeance.
For all the 80s and 90s action heroes in Hollywood milking dead franchise cows, please watch Nicolas Cage to learn how to age gracefully and still be respected as an actor and entertainer.
In an interview Nicolas Cage mentions that he was originally offered the role of the villain cult leader but only wanted to play the character of Red – “The reason I was attracted to Red was similar to the reason Panos made the movie, which was that I was contending with loss. The loss of love. My father had died — I’m still not completely over that, and it’s been several years — and [Panos] had gone through loss. And also, I was on my way to a third divorce. So I was dealing with a lot, and I wanted to express that in a positive way rather than a negative way. Red was the outlet for me to do that. I thought I had the life experience to play the part authentically. “
On Motorcycles and playing Marvel’s Ghost Rider Nicolas Cage stated – “As a young man going to bed at night, I would hear these motorcycles running around my house. I always imagined some guy with a leather jacket and a flaming skull on his head running circles around my house on the motorcycle, and it scared the hell out of me. So I really wanted to play that part, as it being organic to my childhood. And it was like a tattoo come to life. It was that kind of art.”
“Had Ghost Rider been made in R-rated format, the way they had the guts to do with Deadpool, and they did it again today, I’m fairly certain it would be enormously successful. Having said that, I still think the Ghost Rider movies were a hit.” says Cage.
“When you look at what Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor did [on 2012’s Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance] for $50 million, and they got a $250 million return, you begin to see the genius of the sequel.” concludes Cage.
–Ujjwal Dey
Bikernet™ Movie Critic
wayfarer@bikernet.com
SIX Australian bikers branded undesirable by Thailand--Six alleged Australian Hells Angels bikers are being reported as ‘on the run’ in Thailand after being branded ‘undesirables’ and having their visas revoked, with police claims they were involved in transnational drugs trafficking, standover tactics, weapons possession and money laundering.
The formal cancellation of their visas, backed by police raids, is the latest move by the Royal Thai Police to disrupt foreign bikers, notably from Australia, from setting-up offshore businesses and chapters.
It’s claimed that tougher laws in Australia have prompted ‘criminal elements’ largely from within the Hells Angels, Rebels, Bandidos and Commanchero motorcycle clubs to set-up operations in South East Asia including Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.
The six, believed to be originally from Australian Hells Angels chapters, were being sought by Thai authorities for questioning about their activities and also face deportation for allegedly posing “a threat to society” through illicit drugs and extortion.
Raids on their properties in Pattaya have found some weapons and ammunition. The men are believed to be in hiding in Bangkok, although one is suspected to have slipped back to Australia.
Another three Australian club members were ordered to be deported in December last year after raids on their properties, while another Hells Angels member from Britain was arrested in February this year.
The Australian Federal Police declined to comment on the specifics of the latest case.
“We understand that six suspected Australian Outlaw Motor Cycle Gang (OMCG) members have had their immigration visas revoked by Thai authorities and they are currently awaiting the resolution of legal processes in Thailand,” a spokesman said.
“A significant number of Australian OMCG members have attempted or will continue to attempt to move their operations offshore to escape Australian law enforcement efforts and globalise their criminal activities. However, the AFP continues to share intelligence and expertise with its overseas partner agencies to identify, disrupt and dismantle criminal syndicates impacting on Australia, wherever they are based.”
–Bikernet.com™ anonymous Australian Investigator
WIN A SLINGSHOT!–
Slingshot has teamed up with Rockstar Energy Drink and Destiny Forsaken 2 in a sweepstakes for the opportunity to win a custom Polaris Slingshot.
Each can, of eight collectable Forsaken themed cans, of Rockstar Energy Drink contains a unique tab code which can be redeemed for a Rockstar-inspired Destiny 2 emblem, as well as a shot at a sweepstakes which includes daily and weekly prizes including PlayStation 4 Pros, and a grand prize Destiny 2: Forsaken themed Slingshot Roadster!
Sweepstakes video:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1gwRTBSm-fH1-F6eajGkPrB53YZstrZMu
Official Site:
https://destiny2.rockstarenergy.com/us
Destiny 2: Forsaken launched worldwide on September 4, taking players to all-new destinations in order to hunt down the killers of beloved Vanguard hero Cayde-6. To fuel the hunt, Bungie and Activision have teamed up again with Rockstar Energy Drink to deliver eight collectible, Forsaken themed cans featuring the heroes of the Vanguard and the most notorious enemies in the solar system.
Each can of Rockstar Energy Drink contains a unique tab code which can be redeemed for a Rockstar-inspired Destiny 2 emblem, as well as a shot at a sweepstakes which includes daily and weekly prizes including PlayStation 4 Pros, and a grand prize Destiny 2: Forsaken themed Slingshot Roadster that is street legal to drive on public roads. Flavors in the U.S. and Canada include Original, Punched, Sugar Free, Zero Carb and Burner. Collector’s edition Rockstar products are also available in Germany, UK and Mexico.
The hunt heats up beginning October 7 when the Forsaken inspired Rockstar Riots competition kicks off in-game! Spanning eight total weeks of various challenges, players who sign-up on online will have the chance to compete in weekly challenges in the Crucible, Strikes, and Forsaken’s all-new game mode Gambit. Top players will score weekly prizes like Destiny-themed iBuyPower custom PC rigs, Vertagear gaming chairs, Scuf controllers, Astro headsets and more.
Collect Rockstar Energy can codes to unlock access to the Legendary round and the top 600 players from weeks four, five and six combined will battle in a qualifier round where ultimately the final four players will win a fully paid fly-away trip to Bungie’s studios in Bellevue, Washington where they will compete in a Bungie live-streamed Gambit showdown!
Whether you’re seeking revenge against Cayde-6’s killers or searching for fortune and glory in the Crucible and the new hybrid game mode Gambit, Rockstar Energy Drink is the perfect complement to your hunt!
Restrictions apply. Visit Destiny2.Rockstarenergy.com for Official Rules and to learn more about the Rockstar Energy Riots competition.
–Danielle Grado
CHOW HALL OF THE WEEK– THE BURGER, THE BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH and THE BEER!!
DryHop Brewers is making amazing food and brewing awesome beer!! This burger made the list for the top 16 burgers in all of Chicago from THRILLIST!
Perfect patty to bun ratio.
The fried chicken sandwich rivals the burger. Had the Shark Meets Hipster on draft and it was one of the best beers I have ever had! Get here now and get some!
Subscribe to my You Tube channel here:youtube.com/c/ABikerDude
–Bikerdude
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=9&v=WN3fFwJtPb4
SALT FLAT NEWS–A New Wheel-Driven Speed Record Has Been Set At The Bonneville Salt Flats
I was out at the Bonneville Salt Flats this past week to drive some old and slow cars fast-ish on the salt, but while I was there puttering around, something much more important happened: Team Vesco’s Turbinator II set a new world record for a wheel-driven car, an insane 483 mph.
I actually saw the run happen, way out on the horizon, and it sounded like a jet plane taking off.
The Turbinator II is powered by a turbine engine from a Chinook helicopter, but unlike other jet-powered speed record cars, that turbine isn’t providing thrust to push the car along, it’s actually driving the wheels directly, which is what makes this record so significant.
Back in August, the team set a 470 mph record at Bonneville Speed Week. Here’s a video of that run:
This past week was the World of Speed, a slightly smaller gathering of sodium-loving drivers and cars, and it’s notable in that everyone I spoke with there mentioned that the quality of the salt surface was the best they’d seen in decades. Hard, smooth, minimal ridges or dips, pretty much ideal. And that may be why they were able to get that absurdly fast run.
They’re also using all-new spun aluminum wheels that are lighter, which helps, too. The next goal is to hit 500 mph, a goal which Rhonda Vesco explained the challenges of to the Orange County Register:
“Traction is the key to getting the power to the ground through the wheels without excessive tire spin. State-of-the-art traction control and electric fuel control systems have been upgraded and modified based on data from last month’s Speed Week runs.
“Our car has plenty of horsepower; it’s getting the power to move the car forward through the drivetrain that is the trick. Jet and rocket cars don’t have this issue as they are just blasted forward. Turbinator II is a four-wheel-drive car and will have four all-new, spun-aluminum wheels which will be lighter in weight. Last but not least are the track conditions. The salt surface must be hard.”
Watching that thing, even from the long distance away in the pits, shoot across the horizon was incredible; it covered two football fields every second. Hopefully they’ll hit the even more insane 500 mph record soon!
–Jason Torchinsky
TRUMP COULD SAVE THE CUSTOM MOTORCYCLE INDUSTRY BY ENDING CARB (California Air Resources Board)–
The Trump Administration has announced plans to revoke a special waiver that currently allows California to regulate vehicle tailpipe emissions differently than what the federal government mandates, which would eliminate California’s more stringent greenhouse gas standards imposed under CARB (California Air Resources Board).
CARB’s stricter smog standards have been adopted in thirteen states and the District of Columbia, representing nearly 40% of the nation’s new vehicle sales.
See the whole tamale NCOM legislative news for September 2018 right now on Bikernet.com™. Bill Bish did it all, the supreme master Editor of Ride On magazine.–Bandit
https://www.bikernet.com/pages/NCOM_BIKER_NEWSBYTES_for_September_2018.aspx
NEWS FROM THE BOSS OF CLIMATE DEPOT– Morano on Fox & Friends: Dem Senators & Gore seek vast new expansion of SEC ‘climate’ rules – ‘Medieval witchcraft’ makes a comeback
Morano: “President Donald Trump does not get credit for our economic growth but the media is perfectly willing to blame him for a hurricane. How does that work? It makes no sense whatsoever.” (Also see: Blaming bad weather/hurricanes on Trump and/or ‘global warming’ is a throwback to medieval witchcraft – Book Excerpt) …
Morano: “Not everyone, however, is a fan of Warren’s legislation… “This is virtue signaling of the highest order for her Democratic base, Marc Morano, the editor of ClimateDepot.com, said on “Fox & Friends” Wednesday. He argued that Warren’s bill would give the U.S. government and the Securities and Exchange Commission extensive power to go after companies and “shake them down.”
Morano: “My book details the absurdity of all of this, pay up or face bad weather. The government has to protect us from bad weather.”
Climate Depot’s Marc Morano appeared on Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends” to discuss Democratic senators attempt to vastly expand federal “climate” rules for U.S. businesses and discuss the new 2018 book, “The Politically Incorrect Guide to Climate Change.”
Morano: “We have CNN and The Washington Post now literally practicing medieval witchcraft. In the Middle Ages they used to say, “That witch caused this bad weather, she caused the crop failure. We wouldn’t have had this had those witches not been there,” and they had trials on this. And now they’re blaming the president of the United States. Donald Trump does not get credit for our economic growth but the media is perfectly willing to blame him for a hurricane. How does that work? It makes no sense whatsoever.” (Also see: Blaming bad weather/hurricanes on Trump and/or ‘global warming’ is a throwback to medieval witchcraft – Book Excerpt)
Watch: Fox & Friends – Broadcast September 19, 2018 – Fox News Channel – Interviewed by Steve Doocy
‘Virtue Signaling of the Highest Order’: Elizabeth Warren Criticized By Marc Morano for Climate Change Bill
Excerpt: Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is leading a push to compel companies to disclose more information about how their businesses impact and could be impacted by climate change. On Friday, Warren introduced the Climate Risk Disclosure Act of 2018, which would mandate that publicly traded companies provide extensive climate-related information, such as greenhouse gas emissions, fossil fuel investments, and risk management strategies for things like rising sea levels and increased temperatures.
Not everyone, however, is a fan of Warren’s legislation… “This is virtue signaling of the highest order for her Democratic base, Marc Morano, the editor of ClimateDepot.com, said on “Fox & Friends” Wednesday. He argued that Warren’s bill would give the U.S. government and the Securities and Exchange Commission extensive power to go after companies and “shake them down.”
“They’re going to use these disclosures now — and they’re going to [be] the size of the phone book in the end — and they’re going to go after them and sue them for money for causing bad weather,” Morano said.
He drew a parallel to how the Washington Post editorial board wrote a column that said President Trump is “complicit” in extreme weather like Hurricane Florence, due to his skepticism of human-induced climate change and his administration’s efforts to “dismantle” environmental regulations.
“Donald Trump does not get credit for our economic growth, but the media is perfectly willing to blame him for a hurricane,” Morano said. “How does that work? It makes no sense whatsoever.”
Princeton Professor Emeritus of Physics William Happer in 2017 drew parallels to today’s man-made climate change claims. “I don’t see a whole lot of difference between the consensus on climate change and the consensus on witches. At the witch trials in Salem the judges were educated at Harvard. This was supposedly 100 percent science. The one or two people who said there were no witches were immediately hung. Not much has changed,” Happer quipped.
–CLIMATE DEPOT
If you have the slightest interest in what going one with our government and the man-made climate issue, order this book quick. It’s easy to read and covers everything, and basically the control freaks are wrong and lying to us.–Bandit
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WORDS FROM THE BASE OF THE MOUNTAIN–You can’t find your way to riches unless you step onto the path…
–Ming Ball
NEW FEATURE COMING TO BIKERNET—By AKI SAKAMOTO/HOG KILLERS, in Hawaiian Gardens, California with his girl are coming to Bikernet next month.
–Peter Linney
Certified Feature Photographer
Master Video Truck Director
Bikernet.com™
BRAND New Bikernet Reader Comment!–
Illusion Custom Motorcycles
https://www.bikernet.com/pages/Illusion_Custom_Motorcycles.aspx
Working on an illusion chop for a brother and replacing the drive belt. Having hell getting the swingarm pivot allen bolt to break free. Are they two sided allen nuts or a one sided with one end to keep from spinning? Which side would it be? Thanks and hope for a response.
— Duke Ludwig
dukewilliam.ludwig700@gmail.com
Las Cruces, NM
If it’s an Illusion with the swingarm, it sounds like it’s got to be one that was built in the mid ‘90s. That was before I owned the company, which I bought in 1999. I think Atlas made the Swingarm frames for Illusion at that time. They might be able to help.
I’m getting ready to re-open Illusion in Gardena in the next few months. I don’t have an opening date yet. If I could see a picture of the swingarm it would help a little bit because I know they used an FXR style swingarm, but they also had that weird Softail style rubber mount frame that they use for a year or two, which was kind of hokey. –Rusty, Illusions Cycles
MAG UK: ‘No Charges For Motorcycles In Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone’–FEMA member MAG UK has won a landmark campaign to gain exemption for motorcycles of all ages from Birmingham City Council’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ).
At a special meeting of the Cabinet, Birmingham City Council has approved its CAZ business case submission. Once approved by Government, the proposal can be implemented with the launch of the zone scheduled for January 2020. Birmingham is the first authority outside London to propose the ‘class D’ clean air zone model that allows for charging of all vehicles including private transport.
The Motorcycle Action Group UK (MAG UK) has consistently argued that motorcycles act within the transport system as net reducers of congestion and pollution, pointing to studies that demonstrate that a simple 10% modal shift from single-occupancy cars to motorcycles and scooters will yield a 40% reduction in congestion for all road users and result in a 7.5% reduction in CO2, a 5.5% reduction in NO2 and a 20% reduction in particulate matter.
MAG UK’s Director of Campaigns & Political Engagement, Colin Brown, said: “We are delighted that our campaign has resulted in the proposal to exempt all motorcycles from charges in the zone. This is a decision that will impact riders not just in Birmingham, but throughout the country. Birmingham City Council has recognized and accepted our position that motorcycles are net reducers of harmful emissions and thus should be exempt from charges. I have found Birmingham City Council to be informed, serious about their emissions policy development and capable of understanding the science, and credit to them for taking such a mature view.”
Colin Brown continues: “This decision sets the precedent for all future CAZ proposals in other parts of the country, demonstrating a clear endorsement of the fact that motorcycles contribute to improving air quality. The exemption from charges is a vital first step towards a policy to positively promote modal shift to motorcycles. There is pioneering work on this policy being done already in Northamptonshire, and we look forward to discussing with Birmingham City Council and Transport for West Midlands how application of this policy in the region will accelerate the journey towards compliance of legal targets for NO2 emissions. Achieving this goal will remove the threat of fines for non-compliance and benefit the entire community.”
‘The exemption from charges is a vital first step towards a policy to positively promote modal shift to motorcycles’
MAG UK’s Director of Communications & Public Affairs, Lembit Opik, said: “This excellent result in the West Midlands now has significant implications for the legitimacy of the poor decisions being made in London. We will be continuing our efforts to persuade mayor Sadiq Khan to reverse the illogical and counterproductive charging of pre-Euro 3 motorcycles in his Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in London, due to come into effect in April 2019.”
Chairman of MAG UK, Selina Lavender, said: “We are thrilled with this outcome, the result of much hard work by MAG’s political unit and the support of MAG members and supporters. We thank the efforts of all those who supported our campaign, signed the petition and responded as individuals to the consultation. Working together we can see great results, not just for riders, but for the whole community.”
FEATURE ARTIST OF THE WEEK LYNDELL DEAN WOLFF—from Car Kulture DeLuxe
Shortly after the first public showing of my work at Chopper Fest 13 and before the second exhibition (Laluzapalooza 31) at La Luz de Jesus Gallery in 2017, I was contacted by Anna Marco, Sr. Feature Editor at Koolhouse Publishing-Ol Skool Rodz & Car Kulture Deluxe Magazines.
She expressed a desire to cover my motorcycle art in their magazine and wanted to know if I had 12 images for print publication. I responded that no, I only had 6 and one more just about to be completed, “I did have some older paintings, wood carvings and sculpture work if she was interested.”
I was sent a series of interview questions and general informational forms that I diligently answered and sent-off, along with images of my older artwork. Unfortunately the preponderance of nudity, motorcycle club affiliation and an absence of a direct connection with hot-rods or motorcycles in my remaining work put me under the 12 piece criteria for publication. I was thanked for my efforts and asked to summit some more appropriate work when it became available. Just about a year later as I was preparing for a postponed Chopper Fest 14, I realized I had amassed an additional 12 motorcycle paintings since my last contact.
What is presented here and now available at local and international newsstands is the results of a persistent and delightful Anna Marco and a very greatful artist.
BOOKS REPORT FROM NEW ZEALAND–
I have not long finished reading all three of your books. That one about Chopper was a real eye opener as such a thing could only happen in America with enough crazy greedy people at the top. All were well written and I could associate with most of the places. Your imagination must work a lot better than mine when it comes to writing .
–Graeme
Long Distance Rider
Moto-journalist
Bikernet New Zealand News Desk
QUICK, New Bikernet Reader Comment!–
CLIMATE DEBATE MADE EASY
https://www.bikernet.com/pages/CLIMATE_DEBATE_MADE_EASY.aspx
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the world’s volcanoes, both on land and undersea, generate about 200 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) annually, while our automotive and industrial activities cause some 24 billion tons of CO2 emissions every year worldwide.
Quote from ScientificAmerican.com
CONTACTS: U.S. Geological Survey, www.usgs.gov; Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center, cdiac.esd.ornl.gov; British Antarctic Survey, www.antarctica.ac.uk.
I do not know this for a fact but would think that since our land masses most likely occurred from volcanic activity that CO2 levels would have declined by a huge degree since uh, back in the day. Time to plant.
— Sam
Somewhere, TX
Thanks Sam.–Bandit
FROM THE WHITE HOUSE–President Trump’s Latest China Tariffs Are the Right Thing to Do
”The fundamental problem facing the global trading system today is that since the turn of the century China has behaved like an outlaw at the center of world commerce,” Gordon Chang writes. “China has, through theft and forced taking, grabbed U.S. intellectual property worth hundreds of billions of dollars each year. This has, with justification, been called the biggest theft in history.”
The bottom line? “President Trump can’t arrest Chinese officials for theft, but he can impose tariffs to deter further crime,” Chang says.
President Trump recognized the contributions of “Latino entrepreneurs to the United States during a White House event for the Hispanic Heritage Month celebration,” The Associated Press reports. “America is winning again and Hispanic-owned businesses are leading the way,” the President said yesterday during the event.
“A record-low 12% of Americans currently cite some aspect of the economy as the most important problem facing the U.S., down from 17% last month and one percentage point below the previous low of 13% recorded in May 1999,” Frank Newport writes for Gallup.
In The Huffington Post, Roque Planas writes that The Washington Post unethically distorted key facts when they alleged that the Trump Administration is systematically denying passports to Latinos along the border. Planas explains that “the Post’s report remains misleading. It relies on anecdotal evidence to make an explosive claim that’s contradicted by official data ? and doesn’t make that fact clear. It implies that years-old practices are new. And the paper consistently refused to correct the record unless it was called out by other reporters.”
“The Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill on Monday that would prohibit a controversial practice through which insurers and drug middlemen prevent consumers from paying less at the pharmacy counter on prescription drugs,” Robert King reports in the Washington Examiner.
“Americans deserve to know the lowest drug price at their pharmacy, but ‘gag clauses’ prevent your pharmacist from telling you! I support legislation that will remove gag clauses and urge the Senate to act,” President Trump tweeted yesterday.
THE TOWN OF BUFFALO CHIP IS ALREADY IN THE NEWS–Keith Urban the First Set to Fire Up the 2019 Buffalo Chip Motorcycle and Music Festival
On the heels of one of the most successful festivals yet, The Best Party Anywhere® is off and running with the first announcement for 2019, one of the hottest, country chart-topping musicians of all time!
The 2018 Sturgis Rally is still fresh on the world’s mind, but the “Largest Music Festival in Motorcycling” has already made big plans for 2019. Multiple Grammy Award-winning American Country music icon Keith Urban is bringing his stunning arsenal of no. 1 mega-hits to the Sturgis Buffalo Chip on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2019, smashing open the gates as never before on an inaugural weekend.
This is the first of many block-busting artists the Chip will announce for its world-famous Wolfman Jack Stage lineup August 2-10, 2019. See the announcement video here: BuffaloChip.com/BANDS
“We wanted to thank everyone who showed up and had the time of their lives at the Buffalo Chip in 2018 and thought there’d be no better way than to drop this huge announcement for 2019 right away,” said Rod Woodruff, Sturgis Buffalo Chip President. “Fans are going to go crazy for Keith Urban, and now they’ll have nearly a year to look forward to the show and make their vacation plans.”
Chart-Topping Hits
Urban has generated an impressive catalog of solid hits. “Somebody Like You,” the first single from his second album, “Golden Road,” was named biggest country hit of the 2000s decade by by Billboard. 2004’s album “Be Here” produced three more number one singles and became his highest-selling album, earning a 4× Platinum certification. “Blue Ain’t Your Color” became Urban’s longest-reigning no. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart, spending twelve weeks in the position. His tenth and most recent album, “Graffiti U,” was released in 2018 and includes the Top 20 hit “Female” and #1 hit,” Coming Home.”
Of his 47 singles, 22 have scored a no. 1 placement on Billboard’s charts in the U.S.:
“But for the Grace of God”
“Somebody Like You”
“Who Wouldn’t Wanna Be Me”
“You’ll Think of Me”
“Days Go By”
“Making Memories of Us”
“Better Life”
“You Look Good in My Shirt”
“Start a Band”
“Sweet Thing”
“Only You Can Love Me This Way”
“Without You”
“Long Hot Summer”
“You Gonna Fly”
“Little Bit of Everything”
“We Were Us”
“Somewhere in My Car”
“Raise ‘Em Up”
“Break on Me”
“Wasted Time”
“Blue Ain’t Your Color”
“Coming Home”
Urban is also known for his role as a judge on FOX Television’s hit show, “American Idol.” Replacing Steven Tyler, Urban appeared with fellow judges and icons Mariah Carey, Randy Jackson, Nicki Minaj, Harry Connick Jr. and Jennifer Lopez. His reputation as a songwriter, vocalist, musician and virtuoso guitarist has afforded him the opportunity to collaborate with the likes of the Rolling Stones, John Mayer, Steven Tyler, Miranda Lambert, John Mellencamp, Alicia Keys, Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift, Vince Gill and Eric Church.
2WHEEL PARTNERS with Affirm to offer 0% financing on entire purchases of motorcycle helmets, apparel, tires and parts
2Wheel.com, an online retailer of powersports helmets, apparel, parts and tires, just announced a partnership with Affirm to offer fixed payment financing with rates as low as 0% over 12-months based on creditworthiness.
“With payment financing, riders don’t have to wait to get what they need,” says 2Wheel.com Chief Executive Officer, Gavin Trippe. “Whether they’re a new rider in need of all new gear, an avid rider needing a fresh pair of tires, or anything in between, the ability for customers to buy today and make payments later means they don’t have to jeopardize their safety due to lack of cash flow.”
Affirm Inc., a financial technology company, provides transparent alternatives to traditional credit. Customers can select the Affirm payment option at checkout and quickly and easily receive real-time approval of their loan amount. The payment terms are clearly stated with no hidden fees or compounding interest.
“Affirm’s transparent financing provides customers peace of mind,” explains Chief Technology Officer Jonathan Peters. “Our companies share the goal of using modern technology to transform and improve the lives of everyday consumers.”
For more information on 2Wheel’s partnership with Affirm, visit:
https://www.2wheel.com/support/affirm-financing/
VINTAGE RIDES IS Ready– for an epic all-women motorcycle event in South Thailand.
Our Girls Ride 2019 takes you to Phuket for a classic motorcycle adventure: discover an itinerary full of surprises, crossing awide range of landscapes on every leg. Not only will you discover the fascinating region of South Thailand, you’ll put yourself to the test and learn more about yourself in a new environment!
You’ll need to be strategic, resourceful and inventive to pass the challenges throughout the tour. Supported by sponsors of your choice, your team of two pilots will wear their preferred charity’s colours. Mission, test, quiz: every challenge is the perfect opportunity for raising money for your chosen cause.
Girls Ride 2019:
From 22nd to 31st March
With the participation of:
Lydia Truglio-Beaumont
as Race Director
A seasoned rider, editor-in-chief of French motorbike magazine, MagMotardes, and a qualified motorcycle instructor, Lydia Truglio-Beaumont epitomises all of the Girls Ride values: she has a keen sense of adventure, is a strong team player and incredibly modest to boot.
She was meant to lead the 2018 Girls Ride but unfortunately, an accident at the Africa Eco Race meant that Lydia couldn’t join us last year. After a recovery period she was back on her motorbike, and we knew we wanted Lydia to lead the 2019 Girls Ride. Who else would be a better inspiration than this kind-hearted champion?
A tour created by:
Manon Falquerho
Motorcycle tour expert
At the age of 20, during a first trip in West Africa, Manon discovers the pleasure of the road. Between Dakar and Cotonou, on a bus, a motorbike or on the back of a donkey, every kilometer becomes an adventure. Her passion for unknown regions and
her role at Vintage Rides allows her to create itineraries rich in human and cultural experiences, where the road trip becomes a real experience.
GET IN TOUCH WITH MANON
Vintage Rides
At Grand Tour Coworking
(by appointment only)
30 rue des Trois Bornes
75011 PARIS
contact@vintagerides.com
+339 70 44 01 30
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IMPROVING INFRASTRUCTURE SAFETY– For Powered Two-Wheelers
The European Union Road Federation (ERF) and the Federation of European Motorcyclists’ Associations (FEMA) have published a joint position paper, called ‘Improving infrastructure safety for powered two-wheelers’.
Only in 2017 power two-wheelers fatalities (motorcycles and mopeds) counted for 17% of the total road victims, while accounting only for 1,8% of the total traffic flow. Both ERF and FEMA strongly believe that road safety for motorcyclists can be improved by looking at the design of road infrastructure.
Basic and low-cost preventive measures such as the installation of motorcycle protection systems on guardrails, maintaining the skid resistance of pavement markings and ensuring that roads surfaces are properly maintained, can make an important contribution to the safety of riders and help achieve better progress towards reaching the EU’s goal of reducing fatalities by 50 percent by 2020 in line with the objective set out in the Road Safety Action Program 2011-2020.
ERF and FEMA encourage the European Commission to include specific measures focussed on infrastructure motorcycle protection for the coming road safety framework 2020-2030. Both organisations are open to cooperate by sharing expertise and technical knowledge with policymakers which can be transformed in positive measures to develop a safer mobility in Europe.
ERF: Established in 1998, the European Union Road Federation (ERF) is non-profit association which defends the role of roads as a sine que non for Europe’s socio-economic prosperity. With more than 60 members, it acts as a true platform for dialogue and research on issues related to safe mobility. www.erf.be
FEMA: The Federation of European Motorcyclists´ Associations (FEMA) represents European motorcyclists and aims to promote, protect and preserve motorcycling. Its mission is to promote riders’ interests and defend riders’ rights throughout Europe and globally
— by Wim Taal
FEMA
YAMAHA Motor’s First Grand Gold Prize at IDEA, Global Top Three Design Award
— MOTOROiD’s Second Honor After Red Dot Award —
Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. announced today that its MOTOROiD has received the ultimate “Gold” honor at the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) competition in the U.S., one of the most prestigious global design awards.
The MOTOROiD concept model attracted much attention when exhibited at the likes of the 45th Tokyo Motor Show 2017 and CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2018. This selection represents Yamaha Motor’s first-ever IDEA Gold award.
The 2018 IDEA awards, the 38th running of the competition, attracted a record number of more than 1,870 entries from around the world. A total of 145 winners were honored across the Gold, Silver, and Bronze levels. This achievement marks the second design award received by the MOTOROiD, following on from the “Red Dot Award: Design Concept 2018″competition “Best of the Best”honor.
The MOTOROiD concept model aims to demonstrate personal mobility in which the rider resonates harmoniously with the machine.
Equipped with high-precision balance control via artificial intelligence and autonomous technology, the MOTOROiD can sense its own state and adjust its center of gravity accordingly to stand up off its kickstand and remain upright unassisted.
It can also recognize its owner and move forward to meet him/her, as well as react based on its rider’s actions thanks to its human-machine interface (HMI). These, among several other functions, allow MOTOROiD to behave like a true partner for its owner. MOTOROiD inspires a vision of future mobility that takes vehicles beyond simple “tools for movement.”
However, the exterior is deliberately far from flashy. The frame retains clear traces of the cuts made to create it, the body is marked with unvarnished scars here and there, and the tires are worn to the point that even the tread grooves are nearly gone.
The designers and engineers wanted to show the public what their repeated creative clashes gave birth to in unaltered form. The MOTOROiD was created from scratch in order to embody the possibilities of technology and function.
Hosted by the Industrial Designers Society of America, the IDEA Awards are one of the most prestigious global design competitions. Judging is conducted from various perspectives, such as innovativeness, user experience, and aesthetics, with designs of outstanding quality selected in a range of categories, such as Automotive & Transportation, Furniture & Lighting, Medical & Health, and Commercial & Industrial. The iF Design Award, the Red Dot Award, and the IDEA Awards are considered to be the global top three design competitions.
Yamaha Motor Design Award Website
https://global.yamaha-motor.com/about/design/awards/
HANG ON! Coca-Cola ‘in talks’ over cannabis-infused drinks– Coca-Cola is best known for its eponymous caffeine-based drink, but the firm now appears to be experimenting with a different drug: cannabis.
BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-45545233
According to Canada’s BNN Bloomberg, the drinks giant is in talks with local producer Aurora Cannabis about developing marijuana-infused beverages.
These would not aim to intoxicate consumers but to relieve pain.
The firm declined to comment but said it was watching the cannabis drinks market closely.
“Along with many others in the beverage industry, we are closely watching the growth of non-psychoactive cannabidiol as an ingredient in functional wellness beverages around the world,” Coca-Cola said in a statement.
Corona beer firm pours $4bn into weed
Cannabis debate: What you need to know
Cannabidiol, a constituent of cannabis, can help ease inflammation, pain and cramping, but has no psychoactive effect.
It comes as Canada prepares to follow certain US states in legalising cannabis for recreational use, after years of permitting it for medicinal purposes.
It has given rise to a large pot growing industry and some high-profile partnerships.
Earlier this year, beer giant Molson Coors Brewing said it would make cannabis-infused drinks with Hydropothecary, while Corona-beer maker Constellation Brands invested $4bn more into pot firm Canopy Growth.
A partnership between Coke and Aurora would mark the first entry of a major manufacturer of non-alcoholic drinks into the market.
‘Recovery drink’
Quoting unnamed sources, BNN Bloomberg said Coca-Cola was in “serious talks” with Aurora but no deal had been finalised.
“They’re pretty advanced down the path” of doing a deal, one source was quoted as saying.
“It’s going to be more of the ‘recovery drink’ category,” the source added.
Aurora, in a separate statement, said it would not discuss business development initiatives until they were finalised, but added: “Aurora has expressed specific interest in the infused beverage space, and we intend to enter that market.”
Coca-Cola’s shares rose marginally in early trade on Monday.
Recommended for those in love with Redheads also. For your Blonde wife, buy in bulk and feed her on time with a straw in the can.
Already niche players are legally selling Cannabis Energy drinks on retail shops and even on Amazon.com
https://www.amazon.com/Cannabis-Energy-Drink/dp/B00CNXCRLC
While a poor choice of branding this Austrian drink is $5 per can and serves what it says on the branding label – Cannabis Energy Drink.
Cannabis Energy Drink is imported from Austria to the United States. It is 100% Legal. Contains all natural ingredients, essential vitamins and nutrients, and gives a clean burst of energy. Contains no THC and causes psycho-active effects.
Features
100% Legal
Contains Hemp Seed Extract adds flavor and gives a smooth clean taste.
All natural Ingredients, essential vitamins, and nutrients.
SCAM OF THE WEEK REVEALED–
Regarding the fitness and health supplement industry you should really check out the Documentary “Bigger, Stronger, Faster” which details the scam.
We all just want to make a buck but no one wants to pay the price – namely – Honor, Dignity, Humanity.
How about a non-fiction Biker book on the Code of the West? I would buy that. Let people know how humans lived in the ancient ages when we didn’t rob Tim to give a loan to Tom.
The documentary maker has an elder brother who died aged 37 years – his brother wanted to play football then went into bodybuilding, deadlift competitions, tried to become a Pro-Wrestler and moved to LA to get Action movie roles. He died young leaving behind a loving wife and 2-year-old child and grieving parents too old to understand what went wrong.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigger,_Stronger,_Faster*
The film had its world premiere on January 19, 2008 at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. The film was shown at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2008, and opened in limited release in the United States on May 30, 2008.
Stephen Holden of The New York Times released a positive review shortly before the film’s release, noting that it takes a look at steroid use from numerous perspectives and that “[a]lthough the movie doesn’t defend steroid use, neither does it go on the attack.”
Holden said that the film “left [him] convinced that the steroid scandals will abate as the drugs are reluctantly accepted as inevitable products of a continuing revolution in biotechnology. Replaceable body parts, plastic surgery, anti-depressants, Viagra and steroids are just a few of the technological advancements in a never-ending drive to make the species superhuman.”
Like an old Jamaican song “Legalise it”. Instead we create a culture of frauds and an economy of drug-dealers.
Steroids have been used in medicine since 1930s till today for actual physical illnesses. As sports recreation in non-Olympic sports where World Championship refers to 4 private companies paying wrestlers who never trained in actual “wrestling” taught in schools or Olympics training – or for an actor who needs to play Batman or Captain Avenger – what exactly is the criminal charges here?
–Ujjwal Dey
Investigator
Bikernet News Desk India
Wayfarer@bikernet.com
BETTER KEEP THE BIKERNET BAD JOKE LIBRARY WIDE OPEN–While riding my Harley, I swerved to avoid hitting a deer, lost control and landed in a ditch, severely banging my head. Dazed and confused I crawled out of the ditch to the edge of the road when a shiny new convertible pulled up with a very beautiful woman who asked, “Are you okay?”
As I looked up, I noticed she was wearing a low cut blouse with cleavage to die for… “I’m okay I think,” I replied as I pulled myself up to the side of the car to get a closer look.
She said, “Get in and I’ll take you home so I can clean and bandage that nasty scrape on your head.”
“That’s nice of you,” I answered, “but I don’t think my wife will like me doing that!”
“Oh, come now, I’m a nurse,” she insisted. “I need to see if you have any more scrapes and then treat them properly.”
Well, she was really pretty and very persuasive. Being sort of shaken and weak, I agreed, but repeated, “I’m sure my wife won’t like this.”
We arrived at her place which was just a few miles away and, after a couple of cold beers and the bandaging, I thanked her and said, “I feel a lot better, but I know my wife is going to be really upset so I’d better go now.”
“Don’t be silly!” she said with a smile, while unbuttoning her blouse exposing the most beautiful set of boobs I’ve ever seen. “Stay for a while. She won’t know anything. By the way, where is she?”
“Still in the ditch with my Harley, I guess.”
–from Bob Clark
VINTAGE VENICE RALLY AND RAFFLE–This Saturday! – VVMR11
Join us THIS Saturday September 22nd, 2018 for the eleventh installment of this historic vintage motorcycle event hosted by the Venice Vintage Motorcycle Club.
VVMR is a hand-curated event, a perfectly unique spotlight for vintage motorcycle builders, enthusiasts and moto-centric brands to display their works & passion right here in Venice, California. We welcome all to join us in this local community-driven event that links past and present motorcycle culture.
8am – VVMR11 Kickoff Group Ride – Abbot Kinney & Venice Blvd (In front of Stronghold)
9am – VVMR11 Kickoff Ride Departs Headed NORTH to Pepperdine for group photo
11am – Gates Open @ 2150 Dell Ave.
11am – DJ Set and Welcome
12pm – Federal Dog
12:30 – Last Call for Vintage Bike Contest Registration
1pm – Petty Troup
2pm – Vintage Bike Contest Winners Announced
3pm – Detoure
4pm – National Anthem
5pm – Cougar Getting Jr.
6pm – VVMR11 Bike Raffle Drawing
We’re giving away a Honda CB750! It could be yours for $10!
This is your last chance to get tickets to WIN this Honda CB750! We’ll be giving this beautiful bike away THIS SATURDAY, September 22nd, at the 11th Annual Venice Vintage Motorcycle Rally!
Cheers,
-VVMC
Upcoming Events
Saturday Sept. 22nd
8:00am
VVMR11 Kickoff Ride
Abbot Kinney &Venice Blvd.
Saturday Sept 22nd
11am – 7pm
11th Annual Venice Vintage Motorcycle Rally
E-mail: info@venicevintage.com
Web: http://www.venicevintage.com
New TECH Bikernet Reader Comment!–
Side Kicks For Motorcycles
https://www.bikernet.com/pages/Side_Kicks_For_Motorcycles.aspx
2012 BMW K1600GTL. Side Kicks available for this bike? Price?
— Robert T Blair
rbbla1@gmail.com
May, TX
Sorry, this company is no longer in business. It wasn’t a safe notion. Keep checking. –Bandit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDqEbCo7p2Y
VIDEO OF THE WEEK.—Cordless Bungie Jumping in France. Amazing.
–from Jim Waggaman
COMPULSORY ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL COMING FOR AMERICAN BIKES–US Transportation Safety Board votes for safety tech to be mandatory on new machines
IT MIGHT be the land of the free in terms of centrefire semi-automatic rifles and handguns. But it looks like our freedom-loving colonial cousins* are about to take a nanny-state headshot in terms of what bikes they can buy. Federal safety agency the National Transportation Safety Board has voted to recommend that bikes come with ABS and traction control systems fitted in future.
The rules are part of ten recommendations**, aimed at cutting the still-massive numbers of riders killed and seriusly injured on the roads in the US. Like most other countries, advances in car technology has reduced the number of deaths in car crashes. But while bike deaths have come down a little, they’re still much higher than with cars. Per mile traveled, motorcyclist fatalities occurred nearly 28 times more frequently than passenger vehicle occupant fatalities in traffic crashes. Which is a pretty bad stat.
It’s not all on the bike manufacturers though. The NTSB also recognises that future tech has a part to play, but there is currently no requirement for car-based accident-avoidance technology to include bikes in their systems. So it’s also recommended that smart cars and highways are compelled to include bikes in their systems – so that cars must be able to communicate with and avoid bikes as part of their accident avoidance systems. That means that future self-driving vehicles, and other driver aids like it, should integrate bikes into their warning systems.
BMW safety technology
So – future bikes in America will all be tooled up with ABS and stability control/traction control setups. But they’ll also be integrated into smart highway and smart car crash avoidance and communication systems. All of which should improve safety on two wheels…
* We’re only kidding about being colonials. We love you all really.
** The full report is worth a look, find it here (linked at the bottom).
–by Allan Dowds
–from Mike Greenwald and VisorDown.com
THERE IS A WAY—And I’m sure the discussions will take place at the Meeting of the Minds in Denver this weekend. Maybe I will see you there.
I’ll look forward to getting back here and sharing what I find with my son and grandson over Taco Tuesday at the local Mexican food joint.
I know we can find a balance between freedom and safety freaks, but we better do it quick. We’re burnin’ daylight.
Ride Free Forever,
–Bandit
