We are packing to roll to the Bonneville Salt Flats. It’s all nuts, but the bike is together and complete—we hope. What a photo finish.
I received a call from Frank at Kendon Trailers, my trailer will be ready around noon, and I need to fly south to pick it up. This whole frantic ordeal is going to make a helluva story, if I can ever calm down to write it.
It’s all a part of the Bikernet Adventure. Shit, I need to complete a trophy for the Milwaukee Rally before I head out… Hang on.
AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Announces Results of Supplemental Vote for Derek ‘Nobby’ Clark Induction – by James Holter
PICKERINGTON, Ohio — Famed Grand Prix motorcycle tuner Derek “Nobby” Clark has been elected to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in a supplemental vote, the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation reports.
“Derek ‘Nobby’ Clark stands shoulder-to-shoulder with roadracing’s most enduring legends, and played a key role in successes that will go down in history among the greatest of the sport,” said Jeffrey V. Heininger, chairman of the AMHF. “It’s time for Mr. Clark to take his rightful place among the many legends who embody the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.”
For 25 years, Clark was one of the world’s leading motorcycle race mechanics. In addition to being a part of 17 FIM Grand Prix world championships, earned in classes ranging from 50cc to 500cc, his teams won three Daytona 200s, one Daytona 100, four Imola 200s and eight Italian championships. Clark not only excelled at the highest level, but also worked with some of the greatest motorcycle racers in history, including Hall of Famers Mike Hailwood, Giacomo Agostini and Kenny Roberts.
“It certainly was a surprise,” Clark said. “I’m very excited, and I’m looking forward to being in Las Vegas for the induction ceremony and seeing my old friends. I haven’t seen quite a few of them for quite awhile, so it’s going to be like a family reunion.”
Clark also expressed his appreciation for the support he received during the supplemental vote process.
“I’d like to thank everybody who supported me,” Clark said. “I admire them, and I respect them, and I hope they all come back to the Hall of Fame. In my opinion, all of them are legends, and I respect them not just for what they’ve done in racing, but for what they’ve done for motorcycling in general. Motorcycling is a big family, and that is something we are privileged to have.”
Clark joins the late Rod Bush, KTM North America president and industry visionary; pioneering female motocrosser Sue Fish; 1975 AMA Supercross Champion Jimmy Ellis; world-class bike restorer Brian Slark; the late Al Wilcox, iconic race starter; and off-road racing legend Ty Davis as a member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of 2012.
The supplemental vote for Mr. Clark was implemented by the AMHF, which overseas the Hall of Fame, in response to procedural errors that invalidated Mr. Clark’s inclusion on the original ballot. The supplemental vote did not affect the other 2012 Hall of Fame inductees.
“The members of the AMHF Board of Directors extend our sincerest apologies to Mr. Clark for the mistakes that invalidated his original ballot,” Heininger said. “By way of this supplemental vote, we’ve ensured that Mr. Clark’s induction took place with the utmost sincerity and that no one can question his inclusion in the Motorcycle Hall of Fame.”
The supplemental vote was tallied by the independent voting service Votenet. The accounting firm Plante Moran independently audited the results.
The class of 2012 will officially be inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame on Nov. 16 as part of the AMA Legends Weekend. The weekend also includes the 2012 AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Dave Mungenast Memorial Concours d’Elegance on Saturday, Nov. 17, featuring many of the country’s most impressive original and restored classic motorcycles.
In addition to the current class, the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame induction ceremony shines the spotlight on two previously inducted members of the Hall of Fame, reminding the motorcycling community of the amazing careers of these Motorcycle Hall of Fame Legends. For 2012, the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Legends will be 1998 inductees Malcolm Smith, a pioneer in off-road motorcycling and a star in the motorcycle documentary “On Any Sunday,” and Mert Lawwill, the 1969 AMA Grand National Champion whose title defense was the central theme of the timeless film.
Tickets for the AMA Legends Weekend are now available through this online registration form, or by calling (800) 342-5464.
The AMA Legends Weekend will be held at the Las Vegas Red Rock Resort, a world-class spa, hotel and casino, featuring a range of entertainment, dining and family-friendly attractions. The facility’s expansive ballrooms provide a stunning backdrop for the AMA Legends Weekend. Room reservations are available now at a special group rate by calling (866) 767-7773 and referencing group code RCIAME or AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST. Online room reservations are available at www.redrocklasvegas.com.
More information about the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame can be found at www.motorcyclemuseum.org.
–From Rogue
Preacher and his contributing writers go beyond “walking the talk and talking the walk!” They get active in relevant and prominent issues. Of course, they inspire with their leadership brilliance. Their enthusiasm is contagious, optimism refreshing and charisma colorful.
Preacher is especially non-judgmental and humble. His constructive feedback is often through parables and self-disclosure examples. Always his motives are honorable and pure, with the Biker Lifestyle being his primary focus.
Preacher and I have done a tremendous amount of riding together. We both were November cold on the way to and from Washington D.C./Rolling Thunder. But I had heated gloves, grips, suit and seat. He did not even whine in the sleet and snow which would have made me feel better.
He broke down in Houston at an NCOM Convention and I promised others to be back in Eau Claire for Mother’s Day. He said “Take off.” With a major heart atrial fibrillation, I made it back after changing a flat tire near Dallas, TX. But I spend 5 days in the hospital in Eau Claire for the heart. Lesson learned. “There is also the B lack Hills, supporting Tommy Thompson for President in Iowa. Lots more.
–Dave Zien
Kaizen: What happened to all the nice people?
During the 1960s, Honda planted its brand in America with the slogan, “You meet the nicest people on a Honda.” It was an advertising campaign like no other ever seen in the motorcycle industry, and it flew in the face of the negative opinion that most Americans had about people who ride motorcycles.
Honda’s products were also unlike anything previously seen in American motorcycle dealerships. They, and other Japanese brands, brought new standards of quality and ease of operation that made many Americans take a fresh look at owning a motorcycle.
By following a new path, the Japanese brands brought in new customers, and by 1974 had driven sales to an all-time high of more than 1,500,000 units a year. They created a flood of enthusiasm for motorcycling that benefited all brands, provided they were willing to learn the lessons of product improvement and quality control. It was a phenomenon described by the Japanese word “Kaizen,” meaning “beneficial change.”
But what happened to all those nice people?
They’re still here, and many are still riding Japanese motorcycles in addition to Harleys, Ducatis, BMW, Triumphs, and on and on. The Japanese not only created a bigger market; they set higher quality standards that have kept men and women aboard motorcycles as they aged, matured, and adopted higher expectations for safety and comfort.
Join us at the Motorcyclepedia Museum to see Kaizen, the first exhibit anywhere dedicated exclusively to classic Japanese motorcycles. Kaizen opens September 7, 2012. For times, directions, and more information, go to www.motorcyclepediamuseum.org/.
–Buckshot
The Many Splendors of Boobs- By Lee Woodruff, Huffington Post
By the time a woman reaches the age of 50 in America, she has heard just about every loveable, awful, demeaning, eye-rolling, cute and hysterical term for those two globs of fat that sit on her chest.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so it’s a good time to take stock of how to take care of our breasts, ourselves and our sisters who are battling this insidious disease.
In honor of those brave Warriors in Pink whom I know and those I have never met, this is for you. Laughter is the best medicine and hope cannot be prescribed in CCs and IVs. No one ever has the right to take your ability to hope away. So, what’s in a name? Well, I’ll tell you…
BOSOMS – There is nothing sexy about this term. It’s Aunt Fanny in a cotton calico dress. These are the giant pillows that little children lay their heads on at naptime. Their two-car garage, boulder holder is most likely a Double D white cotton Woolworth’s bra or more complicated girdle-like pre-Spanx contraption. Bosoms are way more than a handful, no longer springy and probably covered with baby powder or enough perfume to air freshen a room.
CLEAVAGE – OK, you’re right, cleavage isn’t typically a term for breast, but it’s a preview, a prelude to a kiss. It’s the trailer to the movie. Cleavage shows a little leg, it teases and offers a suggestion and the promise of more. But I had to include it. Cleavage is often preceded by the term “ample” and one customarily “sports” it.
HOOTERS – If breasts made noises, men must imagine they would hoot like a horn with joy. Perhaps that’s how this mystifying nickname came into vogue. But alas, like the giraffe on the Serengeti, breasts are silent creatures. The fact that an entire adult restaurant franchise is named Hooters (and their logo is an owl whose eyes are two boobs with nipples) lets you know just how fun AND wise-like-an-owl this slang word is. Hooters connote the sexy librarian who takes off her glasses, lets her bun down and unbuttons her shirt. You go in for chicken wings and beer and end up with a face full of hooters! This is party city baby. If you’re hootin’ and hollerin’ around, this is the term for you. No AA cups need apply.
BREASTS – An anatomically correct term for those globs of fat that sit on our chests. It’s more delicate, like a wide champagne glass. “Breast” says classy, manageable. You can say breast in public. Hell you can ORDER chicken breast in a restaurant. It’s acceptable without being clinical or denigrating. Breasts are the Limoges demitasse cups of the coffee world.
TITS – This is farm animal territory. It’s two steps away from teats, a word that makes me shudder. I picture a cow’s udders hooked up to hoses. Tit is a rough and service oriented term. It might also apply to that stage of motherhood where nursing Moms under extreme sleep deprivation believe they may actually now BE Bessie the Cow. And for the men who are too lazy to make their women feel loved and respected, this is the term for you. Good luck getting a home-cooked meal.
BOOBS – This word says sorority girl collegial and locker room cheerful. Boob just sounds fun, bouncy, no strings attached. Boobs don’t have brains; they are ninnies, all harmless window dressing. It’s a word you can write and say backwards or forwards. And fun, fun — yes, even men can have boobs too! (Increasingly known as “moobs” which is short for man-boobs) The ambiguously ambidextrous quality of the word makes it a very safe and PC term in public.
RACK – This is flat out a dude’s term, most often associated with hunting or butcher’s cuts of meat. I think of “rack” as in lamb, the small defenseless baby animal that gets slaughtered at springtime. This is a gun-slingers term but Rack also goes with “rack and pinion steering,” making it a mechanical term too. This nickname says “I’m gonna pull out some tools and tinker under the hood to get this baby running.” Be afraid. And make sure he washes his hands.
TATAs – Kind of a nice way to messa ’round. This is a breezy, rapper, sing-songy word. It should have a dance step named after it. Even a toddler can say it and no one gets hurt. Tata is white bread and white rice soothing, no roughage or fiber to digest. Moreover, the use of simple syllabic names means you can give wide berth to the more clinical and scary anatomical terms that are just plain yucky (cross reference anatomy of the male sex organ). Among men this term is often preceded by the word “bodacious” for some inexplicable reason.
KNOCKERS – Ouch. This one is physical, the kissing cousin to another painful term “Speed Bags.” Not good either, think Hulk Hogan. This calls to mind those perplexing old naked granny cartoons in Playboy or Hustler with torpedo shaped mammaries. I also think nostalgically of National Geographic magazine tribeswomen (pre-internet era porn for adolescent boys.) Knockers say, “gravity has taken its toll.” It’s kind of a caveman term for men at work–not play. Be warned, this is not Olivia Newton John’s cheeky “Let’s Get Physical.” Nothing warm and fuzzy lives in the land of knockers.
THE GIRLS – This term is female retaliation, a smack down at men who, quite perplexingly name their male organs. You know what I’m talking about here, it’s the sheer absurdity of pet names like “Big Pete” “Little Winky,” “Carlos” and “Darth Vader.” This disturbing custom validates the playful “buddy” relationship many men share with their body parts. The Girls is a non-threatening term that connotes comfort with ones own body. Think of the chick flick Bridesmaids and that take-back-the-night lingo that makes us feel all Helen-Reddy-I-Am-Woman-Hear-Me-Roar. This is also BFF speak, all cup sizes are welcome here and there’s no hint of creepiness or sexism. “I’m taking the girls out tonight,” means “I’m going to sport some contour.” This is what happens when the old college sweatshirt comes off.
In the interest of brevity, I’ve left out other classics and potentially denigrating favorites such as jugs, melons, hogans, cans, headlights, fun bags, yabbos and gazongas. And I encourage you to chime in with some suggestions of your own. There’s no question that the names for our mammaries are as varied, descriptive and nuanced as the women who own them.
So for every friend- sister- mother- daughter- wife- lover- partner- woman who has removed a lump, gotten a scare, lost a breast, had a mastectomy, taken care of and nurtured someone who has brushed up against the evil of “The Big C” – I salute you. Stay in the race, and keep fighting.
–from Bob Clark
TIKI HIGHWAY FUNDRAISING– Danny Gray is pleased to announce its participation as a key sponsor of the 2nd Annual Tiki Highway fundraising event. The event proceeds will be donated to the National Veterans Foundation whom work to create a “Lifeline” for America’s veterans when they need us. Tiki Highway will have a variety of custom motorcycles, cars, and bicycles on display as well as vendors offering an assortment of products and services focused around the “Tiki” lifestyle. In addition there will be music, food, and plenty of entertainment throughout the day.
We invite you all to come join us in the festivities and look forward to seeing you there. If interested in participating in or learning more about the event please visit www.tikihighway.com or email info@tikihighway.com.
HELLS ANGELS SUE THE TSA–
The Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporation of Westlake Village, California has filed an important lawsuit against Janet Napolitano, The Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Alejandro Mayorkas who is the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
If it is allowed to proceed, this case may shed light on the accelerating symbiosis between the Global War on Terror and domestic policing in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and other countries. In all of these countries the “war on terror” has focused at least as much on social outsiders and discontents as on actual terrorists. HAMC v Napolitano et al. disputes the official United States foreign policy that declares “the Hells Angels, the Outlaws, Bandidos, and the Mongols” to be organized crime groups. This policy also asserts “that these groups operated as permanent organized criminal societies. Active membership in these groups could reasonably be considered to involve a permanent association with criminal activities….”
These and other allegations can be found in U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual Volume 9. The pertinent law is section 212(a)(3)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). From The Suit The suit complains that the Department of State and Homeland Security far exceeded the original intent of the Immigration and Nationality Act passed by Congress. The complaint filed Thursday afternoon states: “Congress specifically excludes aliens who are members of terrorist organizations and specifically defines a “terrorist organization” in INA §212(a)(3)(B). Congress then specifically authorizes the Secretary to designate an organization a “terrorist organization” in accordance with INA §219 which sets forth specific requirements and procedures the Secretary must follow which include making certain findings of fact, providing notice of the proposed designation, publication of the designation in the Federal Register, and creating an administrative record.
“Congress also specifically provides a process to review and revoke the designation. INA §219. The process allows the designated organization to file a petition for revocation or, if within a five year period no review has taken place at the request of the organization, the Secretary shall review the designation to determine whether the designation should be revoked. “If Congress had intended for all members of criminal organizations to be inadmissible, as the State Department has interpreted §212(a)(3)(A)(ii), it would have codified the same detailed procedures for designating a group a “criminal organization” and provided a mechanism for the group to challenge its designation. “The plain language of §212(a)(3)(A) calls for a consular officer or the Attorney General to review each applicant on a case by case basis and draw a reasoned conclusion as to whether or not the individual seeks to enter the United States to engage in unlawful activity.
“The State Department’s regulation, with the approval of the Department of Homeland Security, contravenes the intent and plain language of Congressional legislation. “Defendants’ exclusion of Plaintiff’s foreign members infringes on Plaintiff’s constitutional right to associate for the advancement of beliefs and ideas. “Defendant’s exclusion of Plaintiff’s foreign members inhibits Plaintiff’s freedom of speech. “By designating Plaintiff as a “criminal organization” without providing any avenue to challenge said designation, Defendants have deprived Plaintiff’s members of their liberty without due process.
–from Bikerbits
–from Rogue
Motorcycle Hall Of Fame Member 2005
Guilt by association – Barrister Wayne Baffsky had long suspected that consorting laws aimed at outlaw bikies in NSW would be unleashed on anybody the police did not like. The Hells Angels barrister never dreamed it would happen so soon.
The first person jailed for consorting – defined as contact with at least two people convicted of indictable crimes – was Charlie Foster, 21. He was neither a gangster nor a bikie. In fact, most people in his hometown of Inverell in northern NSW regard him as nothing more than a nuisance. Born with an intellectual disability, Foster, who reportedly cannot read or write, has never been accused or convicted of any kind of conspiracy, let alone any organised crime offences.
He was sentenced to nine months’ jail in July after receiving two consorting bookings with three other men in a two-month period. Far from meeting to plan crime, Foster and his mates were going shopping when booked on one occasion.
There is no Bill of Rights underpinning the Australian constitution, so freedom of association has always been notional. A new era is dawning where police will once again have the power to tell citizens with whom they can or cannot associate, says Baffsky. NSW police are understood to have issued more than 130 first warnings to suspects, many of them bikies, and more charges are expected soon.
The draconian legislation, aimed primarily at bikie gangs, potentially criminalises contact with people convicted of indictable crime – even minor offences – whether in person, over the telephone or in cyberspace. Police do not have to prove the contact has anything to do with crime, merely that a suspect “habitually” consorts with a crook. The offence is defined as at least two contacts with at least two people who have been convicted of offences. Unlike most criminal statutes, NSW’s revived consorting laws feature a reverse onus: the defendant must prove he doesn’t habitually consort or he has a lawful purpose.
Two Sydney members of the Nomads outlaw motorcycle club will face NSW Local Court tomorrow charged with consorting. Lawyers such as Baffsky say the jails will soon be overflowing with men and women doing time.
Australian police have been enamoured of consorting laws since they were introduced in the 1920s. In 1928, South Australia was the first state to give police the power to prevent the mingling of habitual criminals, drunkards, thieves, prostitutes, fortune tellers and vagrants. NSW followed in 1929 (in response to a war between “razor” gangs in Sydney) then Queensland and Victoria in 1931, Tasmania (1935) and Western Australia (1955). Most of these laws were either repealed or fell out of use by the mid-80s, but summary offences legislation in some states has retained consorting provisions.
O’Farrell’s new version has raised the maximum penalty from six months’ jail to three years and reduced the number of bookings from seven to just two within a six-month period. In other words, you get one warning. And police are entitled to disclose the criminal record of the person with whom you are consorting.
Not only does this raise questions of privacy, it is also at odds with the notion that a person who has served their time or paid their penalty should not continue to be punished.
Former Victorian consorting squad officer Brian Murphy welcomed the return of these measures, saying they had been a highly effective “lever” to break up rings of criminals involved in safe-blowing and armed robbery in the 70s. Murphy says he would often book “cleanskins” who associated with criminals because they would “open up like ripe watermelons falling off a truck” when faced with jail for consorting. “Either they would help us with inquiries or they would be locked up for consorting. It was a great way to get villains off the street, if we chose, or just to learn who was running with who in the criminal world.”
However, consorting laws have been largely ineffective in breaking up motorcycle clubs. South Australian bikies, in particular, say the laws were the making of the state’s outlaw scene. In June 1974, a moral panic over bikies began after a wild beach brawl at Port Gawler, an hour north of Adelaide. It started as a disagreement between two local clubs, the Iroquois and the Undertakers, but soon affiliated clubs and friends lined up behind the two clubs. After dark, two mobs of more than 100 bikies, brandishing hockey sticks, cricket bats and motorcycle chains, gathered on the deserted beach. One was armed with a shotgun and in the melee four shots were fired. A bikie was wounded in the chest and a few others less seriously. Police made 85 arrests and, as The Advertiser newspaper later noted, South Australia had “a new breed of bad guys”.
Amid public outrage, the state government directed the police to drive the bikies out of South Australia using consorting laws, and a new squad was formed for the purpose. The leader of “the Bikie Squad”, Rodney Piers (Sam) Bass, was an unusual policeman by today’s standards. Some bikies say if Bass hadn’t been a cop he would have made a fearsome outlaw. Bass’s eight-man squad were tough guys normally found in pubs and they roared around town on 750cc Suzukis and Yamahas. From 1976-1981, Bass’s war on the bikers escalated and the consorting power was a potent weapon.
In 1976-77, Bass targeted the Descendants Motorcycle Club, founded by brothers Tom and Perry Mackie, after one of the Bikie Squad’s motorcycles turned up at the bottom of a dam. Tom Mackie was hardly an accomplished criminal – his record comprised some minor assaults and a few fines for summary offences, including theft and forgery – but he says Bass had set out to crush him. Mackie and other club members, friends and associates racked up more than 30 consorting bookings in the space of a few months in 1977. For some members, the consorting booking was their first charge. “We could always be found in a three-mile radius between the clubhouse, a motorcycle shop, and a local pizza joint, so the police could just sit off and watch us and count off the bookings,” says Mackie.
By September 1977, many of the club had been sentenced to jail terms of up to three months for consorting. Some sentences were suspended on condition the members did not continue to associate. But of course they did, whether in or out of jail. “Bass couldn’t whip, flog or hang us so, having put us in jail, he could not punish us anymore,” says Mackie.
It eventually dawned on police that locking up bikies was doing no good whatsoever. While in jail for consorting, the Descendants had also learnt to be real criminals. Club leaders turned the focus of recruiting from their social scene to the criminal milieu they had met in jail. Some of the members began using or dealing in hard drugs. One night early in July 1979, the climax of this conflict was reached when Bass and his squad shot dead a Descendant nominee in a sting operation at a downtown hotel. Bass and another colleague claimed they had fired in self-defence and were not prosecuted.
Three decades on, the Descendants are one of the most well-established clubs in Adelaide. The criminal element that became entrenched during the consorting era, says Mackie, had washed out of the club as members refocused on the motorcycle as the centre of club life. In the early 80s, the Bikie Squad was disbanded.
In 1981, the South Australian government held an inquiry into media allegations of police corruption arising from the Bikie Squad era, which largely cleared the force, despite lingering concerns. Meanwhile, consorting laws fell out of favour around the country amid concerns they gave police too much power. Many jurists say they have no place in a democratic society, being nothing more than “broad discretionary police powers dressed up as substantive offences”, according to Alex Steel, a senior law lecturer at the University of NSW.
The revival of consorting laws followed the failure of anti-association legislation in NSW and South Australia – modelled on the Howard government’s anti-terror laws – which were deemed unconstitutional in the High Court. Defence lawyers say the NSW consorting law may be a better option for police than re-drafted anti-association laws, which are still not guaranteed to pass muster at the High Court.
Broadly speaking, the anti-association laws rely on police seeking a declaration from a judge that a group is, in effect, a criminal gang. Police will then seek control orders against members preventing them from associating with other members. Baffsky says the new laws will be difficult to defend because the test is so simple. Being in the company of a person convicted of a serious indictable offence will be enough to fall foul, even if the offence was decades prior. Those charged will have to prove they have a lawful excuse to consort with such persons.
Lawyers will have to run theoretical arguments that the legislation has an implied exemption for political association. Australia’s compliance with the UN’s International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which mandates freedom of association, may provide some foundation for a defence, but it’s far from certain, says Baffsky. Counsel may also argue that applying a reverse onus on a criminal offence clashes with the right of habeas corpus, the presumption of innocence.
However, the success of such legislation will depend on the ability of bikies to fund High Court battles. Bikies, under the banner of united motorcycle councils, raised more than $500 000 to fight the anti-association legislation in NSW and South Australia. Led by the Hells Angels in NSW and the Finks in South Australia, they won both cases and were awarded costs, but almost two years later they are yet to see a cent as arguments continue between their lawyers and the crown over what level of costs is reasonable.
They may find themselves fighting fresh legal battles before being paid for the previous victories, says Baffsky. “Justice is what you get when you run out of money,” says one bikie.
Recent arrests in Victoria have identified club members working with outsiders in the manufacture of drugs that may ultimately be sold through the clubs or to club members. Investigators are also probing the activities of individual members they suspect are involved in transnational crime with Southeast Asian groups. “Victoria has a lot of legislation that hasn’t traditionally been used on the bikies. Our focus will always be serious crime and organised crime, but we’re now looking at other opportunities, such as compliance with the Liquor Act,” says Echo Taskforce chief, Detective Superintendent Doug Fryer.
In the past two weeks, police have raided Comanchero and Hells Angels clubhouses in Melbourne, seizing alcohol and cash. Sheriff warrants were also executed at both club houses, resulting in one office bearer from the Hells Angels being remanded in custody. The engagement and policing methods with the Victorian bikies seem to be working with crimes of violence, such as shootings, being kept to a minimum, unlike those historically seen in other states.
While Victorian police have not yet received extra powers, outlaw clubs are learning to expect a massive show of force from Taskforce Echo if they step out of line. It sends a message to club leaders, but senior officers would rather use their resources to pinch bikies for drugs or guns than for simply hanging out together. In contrast to NSW, the Victorian approach recognises that every “righteous” outlaw bikie will do time for his club. Only a few who benefit directly from criminal activity will defend a drug dealer who brings heat on the entire group.
The new August 2012 Issue of the Clubhouse magazine is out and online. Larry Moore has done it again with a really great build that just won the PRO CUSTOM BEST OF SHOW AWARD at H-D ride in show Sturgis 2012 and we have the bike as our cover. Woodlands H-D had its 10th Anniversary party and we have all the coverage for you. The new Ducati Monster Diesel is out and looking hot. Not only are do we have a great article on it we also have some great videos as well. Jason Olson has another informative Shop Talk article for you on how to fix an electrical short. Suds has the latest in Motorcycle news for you and Kanga has an entertaining story as always for you in her In the Wind column.
12th Annual Sturgis Hall of Fame Breakfast–The Sturgis Hall of Fame Induction Breakfast was held at The Lodge in Deadwood, Deadwood SD on August 8th 2012
The Emcee this year was Kaptain Robbie Knievel
The Freedom Fighter inductee was Rodney Roberts from Arkansas he was one of the people who started ABATE there in 1984. He has been active since then on many levels and continues to be.
Dave Barr has a military background beginning with his joining the Marines in 1969 and served until 1972 but continued as a professional soldier. In 1981 he lost both legs in a landmine explosion.
When he returned home he refitted his 1972 Superglide so he could ride it and in 1988 made a 9000 transcontinental ride to raise funds to assist disabled people. He has done numerous other rides and continues to inspire others.
Buzz Kanter Started riding a 50cc Honda in 1970 and has had numerous ones since then. 25 years later he started his first publication – Old Bike Journal- and in 1991 he purchased American Iron Magazine he also owns other motorcycle publications.
In 2010 he rode in and completed the Motorcycle Cannonball cross-country endurance ride on a 1915 Harley twin he calls Selma.
This September he will be doing the second Cannonball on a 1929 Harley. He was not able to attend the induction because of an injury but did have Chris Maida accept the award for him.
Brian and Laura Klock who own Klock Werks in Mitchell South Dakota, there is just so much good things to say about these two people where do I start!
Okay Brian was born in South Dakota his first bike was a Honda Trail 50 and 22 years later he built his first custom FXR. The bike won many awards and led to Klock Werks opening in 1996.
Laura grew up in Wisconsin riding a Suzuki 175. She customized her Harley sportster and then a custom 1996 Softtail. After becoming the mother of two girls she got a sidecar rig with flames on it.
By 2001 they were in Hot Bike and other publications, that continued with offers from Discovery Channel which they finally accepted in 2006. They were the first to build a bagger and they also won the build off.
After the build off they went to the Bonneville Salt Flats where Laura set a record on the bike and earned the title World’s Fastest Bagger.
From the racing came their Flare Windshield one of which I have on my 2004 FLHT and love it.
The company has grown to 17 employees and has over 370 of their own product line.
Both are active in community and helping others by continuing to spread the power of motorcycles through sharing their stories and personal testimonies at schools, churches and private organizations around the world in an effort to inspire others to live out their dreams and accomplish their goals.
Ed Kretz Jr. Starting riding at the age of 10 and when he was 16 started racing on the 1948 Indian “45” Scout that his father had raced on to win the Daytona 200 in 1937.
He went on to TT racing which differs from flat track because it has both right and left hand turns as well as jumps. He liked this type of racing better that flat track and won numerous races.
Steve Piehl received the J.C. “Pappy” Hoel Outstanding Achievement Award.
He started riding when he was 18 and went to work for Harley Davidson when he graduated college and has been there for 33 years. He started by organizing demo rides and then moved on to starting a club for Harley riders in 1983 call HOG short for Harley Owners Group.
Over the years he has held numerous positions which include event marketing and currently leads H-D’s Consumer Experience activities.
Ron Stratman First rode a motorcycle when he was 15. He raced for over 20 years as an amateur. In 1958 he sponsored his first race in St. Charles, MO on his cousin’s property. For 11 years he co-sponsored the AMA Grand National race in Sedalia, Illinois.
He made a business of selling t-shirts and other items at events around the country and in 1983 he became the first Harley Davidson official licensees.
You have most likely seen him riding his “Buffalo Bike” in Sturgis and all through the Black Hills.
There is so much more to say about all the inductees and that information is available at the museum.
There are good things in the future for the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Christine Page Diers explained about the property next to the museum being purchased and allowing for expansion.
Dave Davis made the closing remarks and added what some of the plans are. Both have said they would appreciate suggestions as to what you would like to see from the museum. For more information visit the museum website at
–from Rogue
BIKERNET 5-Ball RACING WHEELER REPORT
THE ADRENALINE CLOCK IS TICKING
Speed Week in Bonneville, It’s in the Books…
BUB Speed Trials Bonneville, 3 days and a get-up
On the couch at Beach Racing in Morgan Hill for the last 30 days and start up is in sight for Friday in Napa…quite an adventure these last two months on the road. Let me catch my breath and the story will unfold on Bikernet. This week we’re looking for a happy start up, with the starting line in sight.
Our to do list (Thursday)…rear chain, push rods, throttle body (Barnett custom cables), mount turbo, mount wiring loom (add a circuit for the secondary injectors), fuel lines, air lines, oil lines, brake lines, add oil and fuel……..
http://www.airtech-streamlining.com
Friday, start up.
Plans are to stop in Hollister at Mike Corbin’s and mount the body work. Held on by dzus fasteners only takes a few minutes to mount.
Stopped to smell the roses this week, smelled like salt. We will do our best to see ya in Bonneville this weekend.
Heart felt thanks to so many…….time to pass out and give it hell in the morning.
Haul Ass!
Ride for your fukin Life!
Ray c wheeler
Ray worked his ass off for months, but can’t finish it in time to make it to Bub’s Bonneville. Next stop, the Mojave Mile later this month. Bandit
Gentlemen, My apologies…..Not able to complete the build for Bonneville.
Planning on start up and tune the first week of September then head to Mike Corbins to install the fantastic body work.
So….Sites are set on the Mojave Mile for the first pass, Sept. 29-30 with a happy, safe hot rod……the last 60 days have been brutal.
See Ya in Bonneville Saturday evening for dinner.
Thanks, Ray
MotoGP™ racers help raise over $14,000 for Riders for Health at Indianapolis GP– The stars of MotoGP™ were out last Friday evening to raise funds for Riders for Health at the Riders’ Chat and Charity Auction. The annual event was held on the main stage of Indianapolis Motor Speedway after the conclusion of Friday’s race practice sessions. A large crowd gathered to support Riders for Health and to hear the racers discuss their lives on and off the racetrack.
After a brief Q&A session, each racer held up a unique item of MotoGP™ memorabilia to be auctioned off. Highlights of the auction included a beautiful Valentino Rossi giclée, donated by photographer Andrew Wheeler, a pair of premium paddock passes with a tour of the Tech 3 Yamaha garage, donated by lubricants manufacturer Motul, and a full set of racing leathers, donated by Colombian racer Yonny Hernandez. Altogether, the twenty-two MotoGP™ racers helped to raise $14,400 for Riders for Health and it’s vital health-care transportation initiatives in Africa.
Riders for Health would like to thank DORNA, MotoGP™, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Motul, photographers Ara Ashjan, Andrew Gosling, Dan Lo, and Andrew Wheeler, and all the volunteers who made the event a success.
Riders for Health is the official charity of MotoGP, the world’s premier motorcycle racing championship, and organizes fundraising events around the world to coincide with races. The Riders for Health Chat and Charity Auction has taken place at Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 2008. All auction proceeds benefit Riders for Health, an international non-profit organization that mobilizes health workers in Africa with reliable motorcycles and the necessary training in riding and maintenance so that they are able to reach rural communities with essential health care services. You can learn more about Riders for Health at www.riders.org
BIKER BELLES RIDE STURGIS 2012–
The ride then went to the Crossroads at the Buffalo Chip where an auction was held, a biker fashion show and concert by Eric Church.
100% of rider contributions go to the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Helping with Horsepower, a foundation dedicated to helping at-risk girls.
Rogue
Campagna Motors Update August 2012 (V13R)– News for Campagna Motors enthusiasts! THE V13R AT JAY LENO’S GARAGE
The infamous car enthusiast finally had the chance to give it a spin, here are some of his feedback:
– This is more of a cruiser, you can actually drive it somewhere
– It’s so wide, you get much more of a sense of security
– Who needs four wheels?
– It’s amazing they build this vehicle in Canada because it is perfect for California
– I love this V-Rod motor
– It’s amazing how comfortable it is
– As you can see, it’s a lot of fun to ride!
AMERICAN TRIKE ARTICLE:
CAMPAGNA’S RADICAL V13R ROADSTER
The folks at American Trike test drove the V13R in California. Their comments ‘it defies conventional wisdom’ :
AUTOBLOG ARTICLE:
PART HARLEY, PART HOT ROD, ALL CRAZY
Last September Autoblog came to our factory to test drive the V13R. Read all about it
The Marketing Team
Campagna Motors
450.641.2112 ext 234
Aussie bikers to face jail time from new laws–The police in Australia’s most populous state, NSW, say they are poised to jail scores of bikers after issuing more than 130 warnings under revamped consorting laws aimed at breaking up outlaw motorcycle clubs suspected of involvement in organised crime.
Under the laws championed by Premier Barry O’Farrell as a solution to so called biker violence, people who habitually consort with criminals will face up to three years jail.
NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione has described the new law as crucial in the fight against biker-related crime say.
Two senior members of the Nomads motorcycle club, who police claim have been in conflict with the Hells Angels club, face the NSW Local Court this week in what is shaping as a test of the consorting laws.
Hells Angels barrister Wayne Baffsky said the cases would be difficult to defend because under “a reverse onus of proof” offenders must prove they are consorting for a lawful purpose.
It is understood that defence lawyers may argue the reverse onus element of the law clashes with the presumption of innocence under the UN’s International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Australia is a signatory.
Other state police forces are closely watching the progress of NSW consorting laws after the failure of anti-association laws at the High Court that would have effectively outlawed membership of clubs declared as criminal organisations.
Former Victorian consorting squad detective Brian Murphy said consorting laws would be effective in putting pressure on associates to co-operate with police.
Murphy said he would often book “cleanskins” who associated with criminals because they would “open up like ripe watermelons falling off a truck” when faced with jail for consorting.
“It was a great way to get villains off the street, if we chose, or just to learn who was running with who in the criminal world.’
Meanwhile, Victoria’s Taskforce Echo is enforcing breaches of liquor licensing laws and unpaid sheriff warrants to keep bikers in check.
In the past two weeks, police raided Comanchero and Hells Angels clubhouses in Melbourne, seizing alcohol and cash. Sheriff warrants were also executed at both clubhouses, resulting in one office bearer from the Hells Angels being remanded in custody.
Police have traditionally ignored illegal sales of alcohol in outlaw clubhouses but Taskforce Echo has taken a new tough approach in enforcing lesser laws.
Taskforce Echo chief Detective Superintendent Doug Fryer said that while he would welcome new laws, there were many existing laws that could be used effectively to deal with lawlessness among bikers.
Ironically, many years ago, police in all states used to encourage bikers to establish clubhouses – thus keeping the bikers out of local pubs and trouble and allowing police to keep an eye on activities.
Another has enlisted my help in the “MRF is not just the helmet people” campaign he has going on to get his friends to join.
A challenge to an email list (old style like a bar, any topic goes) I put out yesterday yielded two new MRF members.
I am gathering interesting photos for further postcards. We have a few more points to make.
–Cindy
CALIFORNIA: Feds grant local law enforcement $550K for checkpoints, traffic safety
By EDWARD SIFUENTES, NC TIMES esifuentes@nctimes.com North County law enforcement agencies were awarded more than $550,000 in combined grants to conduct sobriety checkpoints and other traffic-safety operations in fiscal year 2012-13, according to the California Office of Traffic Safety. The federal funds will allow agencies to deter impaired driving, encourage use of seat belts and child safety seats, officials said. Law enforcement agencies statewide will receive a total of $77 million, divided into 252 traffic-safety grants. Additionally, some agencies will get grants to pay for sobriety and driver’s license checkpoints, officials said.
“We all came a long way in California in recent years, with thousands of lives saved,” said Christopher Murphy, director of the Office of Traffic Safety. “But with thousands still dying and tens of thousands being injured, there is an ongoing need for the multifaceted approach provided by these grants.” In North County, the Escondido Police Department will get the most funding, according to the state. The department will get a $70,000 grant for traffic-safety operations, such as saturation patrols. It will also get a $188,000 grant to pay for sobriety and driver’s license checkpoints, said Chris Chocran, a spokesman for the Office of Traffic Safety.
Last year, Escondido received a total of about $335,000 in traffic safety and checkpoint grants, said Escondido police Lt. Tom Albergo. Albergo said the department would conduct roughly the same number of operations but more emphasis would be given next year to enforcement efforts that focus on reducing distracted driving, such as using cellphones while driving. The Oceanside Police Department will receive an $81,763 grant for traffic safety enforcement operations and a $103,600 grant for sobriety checkpoints, according to the state. Other agencies that will also receive grants for sobriety checkpoints are: Del Mar, Encinitas and Solana Beach sheriff’s stations; $42,000; San Marcos Sheriff’s Station; $37,500; Vista Sheriff’s Station; $30,400. All funds for the grants come from the National Highway Safety Administration to the state, which distributes the money to local law enforcement agencies.
The traffic safety grants come from the state’s Selective Traffic Enforcement Program, which allows agencies to conduct various enforcement efforts aimed at everything from pedestrian safety to motorcycle and bicycle safety operations, Cochran said. The checkpoint grants come to the agencies through the Safe Transportation Research and Education Center at UC Berkeley.
Have a great weekend!
~Nyla
