The NMA Holiday Travel Checklist: NMA E-Newsletter #362
Record numbers of Americans are expected to hit the road this holiday season. Couple that with the inevitable bad weather and overbearing traffic enforcement, and we thought it made sense to provide this holiday travel checklist—NMA style.
Be Prepared: Pack a roadside safety kit in case you find yourself stranded, especially in bad weather. Pick one up pre-made or put together your own with a few basic hand tools, jumper cables, flashlight, tire inflator, blankets, first aid kit, etc. Check here for a full list of recommended items.
Plan Ahead Part 1: Staying safe means anticipating road hazards. Check www.speedtrap.org and www.roadblock.org before you leave to see where to expect stepped-up enforcement along your journey. Beyond speeding, police will be working overtime (thanks to federal grants) looking for things like seat belt violations, DUI and distracted driving infractions.
Plan Ahead Part 2: Speaking of distracted driving, cell phone and texting laws vary widely. What is permissible in one state will result in an expensive ticket in another. Check here to get an idea of the laws in the states you plan to visit.
Weather the Storm: Make sure your vehicle is roadworthy and ready for the conditions. Check things like the battery, tires, fluid levels, wiper blades, etc. Here’s a full list.
Take a Deep Breath: Heavy traffic, bad weather and the stresses of the holidays bring out the worst in drivers. Be patient on the road, leave plenty of space between your vehicle and others and …
Spread Some Holiday Cheer: Practice Lane Courtesy and make everyone’s trip a little more enjoyable.
Have a Contingency Plan: Despite your planning and diligence, you still find yourself along the side of the road with a cop looking to fill his federal grant-driven holiday enforcement quota (oops … performance measure). What do you do? Look here for some great tips on how to minimize the damage and get back on your way as soon as possible.
Speak Up: Using the phrases “Am I free to leave now?” and “Am I being detained?” during a traffic stop or roadblock could extract you from further harassment. Also, by exercising your civil rights you can protect yourself should the situation turn more serious and lead to future court proceedings.
Hide the Presents: If you’ve got presents in your vehicle, keep them out of sight. You don’t want any Grinches stealing your Christmas, especially if you’re traveling to New Haven, Connecticut, where police have been stealing valuables from unlocked cars, just to teach their owners a lesson. No kidding.
Go Cashless: Civil forfeiture is always a danger, and the cops will look for any excuse to pick your pocket, even if you’re only carrying a few hundred bucks. Carry as little cash as possible.
Give Back: Consider a year-end donation to the NMA Foundation, which may be tax deductible.
Finish up your Holiday Shopping: Giving a NMA gift membership to someone on your list is easy, inexpensive and always appreciated. Call us at 1-800-882-2785.
BIKERNET TO FOLLOW KYLE PETTY CHARITY RIDE– I thought you may be interested in featuring the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America, one of, if not the only, week-long charity motorcycle rides, in an upcoming article, focusing on the more than 200 bikes and team of support technicians.
This spring, the 22nd Anniversary Ride will begin in Palm Springs, California on April 30 and end in Biloxi, Mississippi on May 6.
The Ride, founded by former NASCAR driver and NBC Analyst Kyle Petty, raises funds for Victory Junction, a camp that enriches the lives of children with chronic or life-threatening illnesses with memorable, fun and empowering camping experiences.
Victory Junction was brought to life in honor of Petty’s late son Adam. Since 1995, more than 7,750 riders have logged 11.4 million cumulative motorcycle miles and raised $16.5 million for Victory Junction and other children’s charities.
–Ginny Talley
MOTORCYCLE RIDERS FOUNDATION LOBBYIST SEARCH–
A targeted search is underway, at this time we have no one identified. After the first of the year we will be releasing a job description and an announcement of the opening on the electronic job boards that staffers and lobbyists use.
If history remains consistent when we do this we will get flooded with inquiries and very few of them will meet our requirements, case in point when we hired Jeff we only chose to interview two people, luckily Jeff was one of the two.
Since it has been 11 years since we have done this we are also taking an opportunity and investigating two other options for this position. And lastly, our highest priority has been focusing on the highway bill and watching that like a hawk, now that we have that behind us we can spend more energy on a legislative representative.
–Kirk “Hardtail” Willard
President
MRF
TWIN POWER PREMIUM ENGINE OIL FROM BIKER’S CHOICE– Specially formulated to protect American V-Twin motorcycle engines operating under extreme conditions.
• Special additive package extends engine life and boosts performance by allowing the engine to run cooler
• Protects against corrosion, sludge and varnish build-up
• See your owner’s manual for the proper SAE grade oil for your riding conditions
• Meets or exceeds all manufacturer’s warranty criteria and will not void your new vehicle warranty
‘TIS THE SEASON TO GIVE LOVE JUGS– The Best and Most Effective V-Twin Engine Cooling System in the World!
Love Jugs can now be in your dealership adding to your revenue stream with our new dealer program. Dealers everywhere can now Increase their Bottom Line Profits with Love Jugs! Motorcycle riders all over the world are thrilled with the results and the performance of Love Jugs. Its’ innovative patented design helps keep Harley riders cooler…especially in stop and go traffic since V-Twin air cooled engines can approach and exceed 500 degrees.
Temperatures this high will destroy the lubricating capabilities of your engine oil, damage your power plant and generally ruin your riding day by “shutting down”. The ONLY way to cool things down is to consistently run a powerful stream of air across the engine’s cooling fins. That’s the job the Love Jugs does best. Its patented dual fan cooling system delivers more cooling air that any other product on the market today.
New Dealer Support Program Includes:
* FREE compact Display Stand which shows off the Good Looks, the Power and the Functionality of Love Jugs
* Your Dealership in the Find-A-Dealer Locator listed on the Love Jugs website so potential customers can find you
* FREE DVD or Thumb Drive Promo Loop to play in your showroom or at events
* Dealer Information Packet will contain all relevant product info to assist your sales staff
* Personal Sales Training and/or Installation Training Upon Request
* Photos, Artwork, logos, videos, etc. available upon request
* Computer Links between Love Jugs website and your dealership
* NEW PRODUCTS COMING SOON for Indian and Victory motorcycles
* Monthly Dealer Conference Calls to exchange ideas and information, challenges and opportunities.
* Personal Attention from the company CEO and Unsurpassed Customer Service…Steve West is available 24/7 to respond to emails or speak with you directly
We look forward to a mutually profitable relationship…
–Steve West
CEO
Love Jugs
For more information, please contact Hammerhead Engineering CEO Steve West at info@love-jugs.com or visit the web site: www.love-jugs.com. Dealers and Distributors are invited to sign up now!
Visit Our Website…Click Here!
–Rick Raus
BIKERNET SPECIAL REPORT–FIGHTING TICKETS–
In football, it pays to scout the competition. The same holds true when it comes to fighting tickets.
With that in mind, we’d like to review some interesting articles we found on policeone.com/, which is a news and information site targeted toward police officers.
The site is definitely worth a look because the content reflects the officer’s viewpoint, and these articles may give you a fresh perspective on what to do during a traffic stop and in the courtroom.
The first, titled “How Traffic Cops can Defend against 3 Common Attacks on a Traffic Citation,” comes from ex-prosecutor Val Van Brocklin. In it she describes three defense strategies that can torpedo police testimony: 1) challenging the officer’s subjective conclusions; 2) challenging the officer’s observations; and 3) claiming the driver’s behavior was justified on safety grounds.
Beyond recommending officers take detailed notes of the traffic stop and draw a diagram of the scene (sound familiar?), Van Brocklin counsels officers to ask the drivers lots of questions during the traffic stop: “… ask the defendant on the scene whether any road or other physical condition contributed to the violation and report this question and the defendant’s response. The officer can then testify to this on direct examination.”
If the driver claims his actions were justified on safety grounds, like swerving suddenly to avoid a hazard, Van Brocklin advises: “You can eliminate such defenses by describing the driving behavior you observed and asking the driver if there was any reason that might explain it. Note your question and the response in your report and testify to both on direct examination.”
Finally, Van Brocklin tells officers to target potential witnesses at the scene, ask them to identify themselves and describe what they saw. If a witness refuses to comply, the officer should note that for later reference in court.
An alert officer will “work the scene” for any information/insight that will protect him and help him at trial. You need to do the same, but you shouldn’t inadvertently assist the officer by volunteering too much information or consenting to a vehicle search. The same holds true for your passengers. You can also take advantage of the officer’s diligence by requesting copies of all of his notes, logs, diagrams and dashcam video via a discovery request or public records request. (The NMA’s Fight That Ticket! e-book can help with this. It’s free for supporting members and only $9.95 for others. Also check out the NMA’s free guide to making public records requests.)
The second article, titled “A Veteran Motor Officer’s Guide to Traffic Court Testimony,” serves as a checklist to help traffic cops prepare and present court testimony. The author, veteran patrol officer Jason Hoschouer, presents seven requirements for providing effective testimony. By failing to cover any of them adequately, the officer may provide you with an opportunity for a dismissal. Use the list to look for vulnerabilities in the officer’s testimony the next time you’re in traffic court.
The third article covers a different subject entirely and provides a refreshing perspective on police-community relations. Author Tom Wetzel calls for a radical rethinking of traffic enforcement and decries Policing for Profit as counterproductive and against the public interest: “This standard has too often caused the public to perceive officers as de facto tax collectors and has put an unreasonable financial burden on the driving public. It is a big reason that more voters are tossing traffic cameras out of their cities because they see them for what they are—a revenue generator.”
Wetzel calls for four reforms to the traffic justice system:
All traffic revenue should go toward highway safety improvements.
All traffic fines should be reduced with an exception for more egregious violations.
Quota systems should be discouraged.
Police should spend more time on public education.
Thank you, officer Wetzel.
If you’re interested in getting the police perspective on the issues of the day—not just on traffic enforcement—take a spin around policeone.com/ yourself. You may learn something new.
NEW YORK SHOW RESULTS– Chaos Cycles takes the Win at the 2015 NYC edition of the J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show
It was hot in New York. And the wool Pendleton board shirts and a heavy jacket were overkill for the 60 degree December weather. It was even hotter in the Javits Convention Center because it was packed wall-to-wall with enthusiasts.
Jeff Holt from Hot Bike Magazine and Street Chopper Magazine awarded the Editor’s Choice awards to Pat Isaacson for his 1975 Harley and Nick Beaulieu of Forever Two Wheels for his bad ass chopper. Up on stage Holt gave a rousing speech about builders and the commitment it takes to show up and put your creativity on the line.
In New York we had two awards for Peoples Choice, one at the show and one for online. The in-person award went to Paul Andrecola of G Clean for his 2013 600 HP Custom Trike. He took home a Bell lid. Isaacson picked up his second award for the online People’s Choice. He received a power washer from G Clean.
The SHO DOG award went to the hardest working builder promoting his work at the show. This year The Leatherworks solo bag went to Scott Avery of North Jersey Customs.
J&P Cycles provided a goodie bag with a t-shirt and G Clean threw in a full package of green-cleaning supplies.
After the builder’s came up on stage for their pictures, it was time to get down to business and award some cash.
MOD CUSTOM
Keino of Keino Cycles brought in two bikes and came out the winner with his 2014 XJR 1300 Yamaha. The custom featured a springer frontend, custom pipes, tank, tail section and saddle. This bike could take you on a wild ride. He took home a check for $750.
Keino Sasaki, Keino Cycles – 2014 XJR 1300 named Rhapsody in Blue
Chris Zahner – 2014 Royal Enfield Continental GT
MOD RETRO
If you were paying attention to the International Motorcycle Show social media posts then you were seeing the build of Evan Favaro’s custom a piece at a time. With this Speakeasy Motors bike, the whole is much better than the parts. It features prototype billet/lexan valve covers, hartailed frame, custom neck, Leaf spring front end by kiwi Indian, Bevel gear throttle, hand fabricated split tanks and fenders. Handmade stainless exhaust stainless seat with hand-tooled pad, 21” front wheel, custom intake and custom rear brake. He took home a check for $750.
Evan Favaro, Speakeasy Motors – 2015 Custom named Ethel
Justin Reid, Longwood Customs – 1972 Bonny named Amalgamation
MOD HARLEY
Dell Battle’s custom Sportster has only been in two shows and it took a 1st at the Harley-Davidson Museum Show and second at the CIA OC Bikefest Custom Bike Show.
This bike features a stock but highly-modified frame with air ride front and rear with a radical custom paint job. He took home a check for $1,000.
Dell Battle, Dangerous Designs – Custom Sportster
Scott Avery, North Jersey Customs – 1991 H-D Softail Springer
FREESTYLE
George Stinsman of Chaos Cycle took the win over Nick Beaulieu by a single point. That is how tight the competition was in NYC. The paint, style and fit and finish was on Nick’s column but Stinsman’s motor won the day. It’s called a Shovester and features a Shovelhead top and Sportster bottom. Stinsman’s bike is an interpretation of the 70’s era drag bike. He clipped the tranny and installed a Baker 6. A slick for the rear tire and a custom Chaos Cycle front wheel gives it a down and dirty look. He took home a check for $2,000.
George Stinsman, Chaos Cycle – 2016 Custom named Thugnificent
Nick Beaulieu, Forever Two Wheels -2015 FTW Pan Chopper named Darkest Day
Throughout the 10 show series approximately 400,000 enthusiasts will see the custom bikes. The total cash and prize package for the series is $100,000. The Chicago round will host the US Championship and will provide $50,000 in cash and awards. Sponsors include J&P Cycles, Harley-Davidson, Progressive Insurance, Bell Helmets, Speakeasy Original, The Leatherworks and 5 Ball Leathers.
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While others were fighting the mobs at malls and big box stores, some of the Bikers on the West Coast of Florida were doing some shopping the easy way.
The Boat Club in Tarpon Springs held their annual Swap Meet. No I do not know why it is called the Boat Club when obviously it is a Biker Bar and a very popular one at that.
Mike Dawson the owner said he did not know where the 16 foot boat came from other than a storm in 1993 or how it ended up 10 feet in a tree. He also said in a newspaper article that the bar had the name before the boat ended up in the tree
It is one of those cool places people hear about and look forward to going to someday if they can find it. It is off the very busy US 19 in Tarpon Springs and locals will say it is between the eyes and the animals. What they are reffering to is the road you need to turn right off of US 19 if you are traveling north is between St Luke’s Eye Center and Tarpon Animal Hospital. I do not know the name and most people I know do not either.
Well if you can find that road you go a short distance on it and then make a sharp left turn on to the dirt road and you see why anyone would like to go there.
On the day of the annual swap meet the parking lot was filled with bikers which is normal but included a good amount of vendors as well.
Dee and I started off by going into the bar and getting a cold beer and saying Hi to some of the people we knew then it was outside to see what kind of goodies were on sale. There was a good selection.
While this was going on my friend Mike from Born To Ride magazine rode in with the motorcycle riding parrot Spike. Spike is also a friend and took a turn sitting on my shoulder before going off to visit some of his other friends.
It was then time to have to have some of the free barbeque and another beer. Now this is the way shopping should be.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY AND SAFE NEW YEAR!
The almost too well endowed,
Co-Editor of Bikernet Baggers,
–Rogue
BONNEVILLE SALT FLATS WILL SURVIVE– Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, the Bonneville Salt Flats is an awe-inspiring geologic phenomenon. For motorsports enthusiasts world-wide, it is much more. It is hallowed ground.
From the first speed record attempts in 1914 through present day, thousands of records have been set and reset in many automobile, truck and motorcycle classes.
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages Bonneville, and the salt flats are currently threatened with destruction. Despite designating Bonneville as an area of Critical Environmental Concern in 1985, for the past six decades, the BLM has permitted millions of tons of salt to be transferred away from the historic racetracks to an adjacent mining operation.
The once 13-mile International Track now measures only eight miles and is no longer safe for the fastest jet cars that riveted global attention during World Record attempts.
In 2015, all scheduled races, as well as the world-renown Speed Week, were canceled due to the poor conditions and wet weather.
The Save the Salt Coalition and Utah Alliance is positioned to help. The Coalition and Alliance are comprised of a number of organizations, companies and individuals that work with the land speed racing community with the mission of restoring the Bonneville Salt Flats.
The current mining company, Intrepid Potash, has already pumped millions of tons of salt brine onto the salt flats in recent years, but that has not replaced the estimated 50-75 million tons lost before 1997.
As a result of the cancelled racing season, Bonneville is now in the spotlight. Representatives from the BLM, Intrepid, land speed racers, elected officials, geologists and engineers have identified ways to restore Bonneville and protect it from future harm.
The plans will be finalized into a Land Speed Racing Position Statement that will be announced in the next few weeks. They will include protecting the racing area from mud run-off from neighboring mountains, increasing salt brine pumping and implementing a program to increase the success of the pumping operation.
“Although concerns about deterioration at Bonneville have existed for decades, this is the first time officials representing government, industry and racers are sitting at the same table to discuss solutions,” said Doug Evans, Chairman of the Save the Salt Coalition. “We are finally at the starting line in the race to save Bonneville.”
How You Can Help
The Coalition is working with the Save the Salt Foundation on fundraising to pay for restoration efforts, which will include costs for equipment and labor. To make a contribution, please visit the donation page on www.savethesalt.org.
Save the Salt Foundation is recognized by the IRS as a Section 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization qualified to receive tax-deductible contributions. Visit the www.savethesalt.org website for ongoing information about these efforts.
The Utah Alliance www.savethesalt.org is the “tactical” unit working at the local level to effect positive remediation to the famed speedway. The website offers a look at the situation with video, photo and historical documentation.
Go there to find a sample letter you can send to the BLM.
— Louise Ann Noeth
louise@savethesalt.org www.savethesalt.org
This Holiday Season, Give the ZIPPER’S Gift of Performance!–
Give them performance this holiday season! Red Shift Hi-Torque series cams will keep them smiling through the years! The perfect gift for any H-D rider looking to add some horsepower to the sled.
Don’t know what to get that special someone in your life? A perfect gift for any motorcycle enthusiast, prepackaged in a box that will fit wonderfully under your tree, just add the wrapping paper and a bow and you are all set!
Zipper’s Chain Conversion Kits
Love the nostalgic look? A chain kit from Zipper’s will give the vintage feel to your cycle with the added benefit of no more broken belts!
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WIN A CUSTOM BIKE TO CURE THE KIDS– Twenty-eight thousand people in the US are living with the diagnosis of a pediatric brain tumor. The Ride for Kids program, a national series of motorcycle rides that supports the work of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, made it their mission to eliminate the challenges of childhood brain tumors by funding medical research and family support programs.
Brian Klock of Klock Werks said he felt humbled to be able to help kids and families, and also honored to be paired with “two of the most iconic names in the industry, American Honda and Cycle World.”
“When I was told 13 kids are diagnosed every day, I thought, what can we do to help?” Brian Klock, President and Visionary of Klock Werks said. “Kids are the future of our industry, and of our world, so when you get a chance to help out, you should.”
And that’s exactly what Klock set out to do with the benchmark standard for touring bikes. The new Ride for Kids/Cycle World project bike raffle features a Honda F6B donated by American Honda and customized by Klock Werks. It was on display at the New York International Motorcyle Show December 11th-13th.
“The F6B is a new platform for Honda, designed to bring in a different crowd. It has everything that riders love about a Gold Wing, but is a sportier version of the touring standard.” Klock said. “If you would have told me we could design a windshield to help a Gold Wing handle even better than it already does, I would have doubted it, but when we tested our Flare Windshield on it, it did just that!
We are really excited to add Honda fitments to the available line of our original Flare Windshields, and are proud to be able to showcase our Flare along with other custom touches on this project.”
Klock donated his team’s design and labor time for the F6B project, as well as the original Klock Werks Flare Windshield. Other donated parts and accessories include front 180/55-18 and rear tires from Avon Tyres, raked 180 tree kit from Hannigan Motorsports, drink holder, saddlebag trim, floorboards and rear reflector from Kuryakyn, Cerrakote flat black exhaust by Liquid Designz, Mustang seat and backrest pad, Eclipse series “Temper” front wheel from RC Components, SoCal Moto Gear’s HID headlights and smoked mirror turn signals, Monster Oval exhaust system from Vance and Hines, and custom badges and license plate frame, courtesy of XYZ Machine.
“It was great to get our hands on this bike,” Klock said. “We gave the F6B an even thicker look and more attitude with a 180 front tire, along with the rest of these subtle, but custom, touches.”
The winner of this decked-out Honda F6B will be drawn in May 2016. Tickets are available one for $5 or five for $20 at the AIMExpo, the International Motorcycle Shows, the Honda tent in Daytona, the MotoGP in Austin, and The Quail Gathering. They can also be purchased at www.curethekids.org/projectbike .
BIKERNET BAD JOKE LIBRARY OPEN THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS —
Lyle was hunting geese up in the Northern Minnesota woods. He leaned the old 16 gauge against the corner of the blind to take a leak.
As luck would have it, his foolish dog Ginger knocked the gun over, it went off and Lyle took most of an ounce of #4 shot in the groin.
Several hours later, lying in a Duluth hospital bed, he came to and there was his doctor, Sven.
” Vell Lyle, I got some good noos and some bad noos. Da good noos is dat you’re going to be OK. Da damage vas local to your groin, dere was very little internal damage, and I vas able to remove all of da buckshot.”
“What’s the bad news?”, asks Lyle.
“The bad noos is dat dere vas some pretty extensive buckshot damage done to your pecker. I’m going to have to refer you to my sister, Lena .”
“Well, I guess that isn’t too bad,” says Lyle. “Is your sister a plastic surgeon?”
“Not exactly,” Sven says.
“She’s a flute player in da Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra and she’s going to teach you where to put your fingers so you don’t piss in your eye.”
GOVERNMENT SPENT $780,000 TO FIND THAT PIZZA IS ADDICTIVE–
A recent study finding that pizza is as addictive as cocaine was funded with $780,000 in federal money, according to a newly-released congressional report.
In late October, a study conducted at the University of Michigan was released which found that pizza and other processed foods (such as french fries and ice cream) are addictive in a manner similar to drugs like cocaine.
Now, the “Wastebook”, an anti-government waste report released Tuesday by Sen. Jeff Flake’s office, reveals this astonishing conclusion cost $780,000 in taxpayer money. The cash was supplied by the National Institute of Drug Abuse, which sponsored the study of 100 Michigan undergraduates. The students were given a list of 35 foods and were asked which ones they associated with addictive-like eating behaviors (such as needing to binge in order to receive a ‘high’ from it). Pizza actually wasn’t even the most addictive food, finishing fourth behind chocolate, ice cream, and fries.
So does that mean pizza is as bad as crack? Hardly. The study didn’t find any foods to be “extremely problematic” in addictiveness. Instead, it more or less just proved that people really like them, and Flake argues the government hardly needed $780,000 to prove that.
“The study’s results come as a surprise to absolutely no one,” the Wastebook says. “After all, college students eat pizza for breakfast, lunch, and dinner or in between meals or as a late night snack. And they are not alone … One in 8 Americans eats pizza on any given day, according to government statistics.”
But researchers aren’t done. As the Wastebook notes, they hope to follow up with new research where they will actively watch people consume pizza and other foods to see if they show signs of withdrawal, tolerance, and other addictive behaviors.
The spending to research pizza addiction was just one of a hundred different examples of questionable government spending included in the Wastebook. A large number of the examples involve academics paid by the government to conduct research of questionable utility. Researchers at Duke University, for instance, received over $700,000 to research the fighting habits of mantis shrimp.
-Libertarian Republic
–Rogue
