Hey gang, Bandit has flown the coop for a while, leaving the rest of us overworked, underpaid and underappreciated minions completely in charge. Big mistake there, stretch!
While the King of the Biker Nation is living it up in the Caribbean, sailing the emerald waters of Martinique, getting hammered on rum and sampling other fine examples of the local agriculture, we will proceed to raid his notoriously well-stocked liquor cabinet. In fact as you read this, most of the mayhem has already occurred. Me and Ray got to the bottom of the aged bourbon and can’t figure out why it’s supposed to cost that much. I guess we’ll need to ponder the question some more as we move on to the single malts and continue our ethylic adventures, exploring the best of Scotland’s glens and highlands.
Late last night, halfway down the bottle of Wild Turkey, Gary suggested we raised money for the unofficial Bikernet Employees Charity by having a sidewalk sale. There’s certainly enough stuff in the Bikernet headquarters that’s not bolted down too tight and could fetch enough money to see us through the rest of the year—provided we pace ourselves of course.
I better get to the news before I run out of cognac. —Canyon Carver
Bikie shooting: Man and woman shot at Gold Coast shopping centre
April 28, 2012 11:30pm
Queensland, Australia. A brazen gunman was still on the loose last night after a terrifying double shooting at the Gold Coast’s busiest shopping centre, as a bikie war on the Glitter Strip escalated to potentially deadly levels.
A woman, 53, was shot in the crossfire as a heavily tattooed bikie opened fire on a rival gang member at the packed Robina Town Centre.
Police confirmed the male victim was aged 43 and it is alleged he is Bandidos member Jacques Teamo (pictured) who was shot in the arm. The woman was shot in in the buttocks. Both were in a stable condition last night.
Hundreds of shoppers ran for their lives while shopkeepers closed stores and cowered behind counters with customers as shots rang out near the centre’s busy food court and cinema complex.
“I heard a massive bang and turned around and saw the gunman with his hand out and he went ‘bang, bang’,” said one young male witness, too frightened to be named. “I ducked down and grabbed my girlfriend and ran. We saw the guy who got shot – another big bikie guy had been shot straight through his arm.”
The witness said the bleeding bikie started walking away with a young child who appeared to be his son. “The guy who shot him just casually walked out and went down the escalator, just like nothing happened,” he said.
Witnesses said both bikies were covered in tattoos. Hayley Crowe, who works in a shop metres from the shooting, said she heard the gunshots and saw shoppers screaming and running. “There were people running into our shop,” she said. “Pretty much everyone locked themselves in our back room and closed the door. “We were pretty scared. It’s not something that happens on your average Saturday afternoon at Robina.”
English tourist Jason Chambers was heading to the food court with his girlfriend. “I don’t want to say it was like something out of a gangster movie but that’s exactly what it was like,” he said. “I didn’t think this kind of thing happened in Australia.”
Tweed Heads woman Aimee Tilton said she scooped up her two children, aged 5 and 2, and ran into a card shop to hide. “My first thought was obviously my kids so I just grabbed them and ran into Kenny’s Cardiology and jumped behind the counter,” she said.
Dozens of police swarmed on the centre and cordoned off a blood-spattered first-floor thoroughfare, which only minutes earlier had been crowded. Shoppers said they were shocked and angry the bikies were now waging war in public places where innocent people could get hurt. “It’s completely ridiculous,” one man said. “Why don’t they just take their feuding and violence somewhere else where nobody can be killed?”
May is Motorcycle Awareness Month
May has also been declared Motorcycle Awareness Month by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA). The designation is an outreach effort aimed at reminding all road users to look around, check their mirrors and consciously watch for motorcycles when out on the road. The month was scheduled for May because this is the time of year many motorcycles start to get back on the roads after the winter and early spring months.
“Motorcyclists take to the highways in large numbers every spring, and it’s the responsibility of all road users to acknowledge us safely and attentively,” said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman.
The AMA advises car drivers to avoid accidents by respecting motorcyclists’ space on the road, not following them too closely, and taking extra care to watch for motorcycles, especially at intersections. For motorcyclists, the AMA strongly encourages the use of personal protective equipment, including gloves, sturdy footwear and a properly fitted motorcycle helmet. The AMA has long encouraged local and state governments to maintain or increase funding for motorcycle rider education and motorist awareness programs—two highly effective strategies for reducing the likelihood of motorcycle crashes.
For more information about Motorcycle Awareness Month, visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com.
ARIZONA BIKE WEEK PHOTOGRAPHY NOT ALLOWED IN BIKERNET BAGGERS–According to the esteemed Bikernet Trikes and Bikernet Baggers editorial board, slinky chicks aren’t allowed.
So, I snuck all of Josh Placa’s hot shots into the Cantina for your viewing pleasure.
—Bandit
New series teaser: Unity 7- Coming soon to the Cantina!
A new cartoon series written by Kozmo Marz illustrated by Don Edwards, unity 7 is a tale of seven sexy sisters with special powers that ride hard and kick ass. No road is to rough, no tale too tall because there is always more than one truth.
Seven sisters part of a secret government cloning project are separated at birth. Only to find that each has special talents and together become Unity 7. One bunch of bad ass biker babes ready to take on the world. Duck and cover boys and girls because here comes Unity 7!
CHOPPER CLASS IN SESSION AT ST. FRANCIS HIGH SCHOOL— Article by: MARIA ELENA BACA , Star Tribune
The bike they built is being sold on eBay. The teacher and students at St. Francis High School hope to raise money for another project and for tech scholarships.
John Koller, Jesse Hagford and Mitchell Carlson worked to find the source of an oil leak on the custom chopper that has been their machining class project over the past four years. Carlson is a junior, but graduates Koller and Hagford return to the class to see the project through.
A tricked-out chopper that’s been the class pride and joy for the past four years was to go up for auction Tuesday. Starting with a stock frame and a Harley-Davidson motor, about 30 kids have worked on the project, welding sheet metal, machining brackets, grips and controls, and meticulously painting the gas tank and trim with maroon paint and orange flames.
Of course. Technology education teacher Brent Stavig said the hope is that the sale of the bike on eBay will raise enough money to fund the program’s next project, and to offer scholarships for students going on to tech programs in college.
They’ll get more than money out of the project: Several students have earned college credits in machining and metalwork in the class, and a few already have prospects for machining jobs after that.
The project has taught them bodywork, machining, metalwork and welding. Using the shop’s state-of-the-art computer numerical control (CNC) machines involves complex computations to make sure precision cuts are precisely where they should be. Employers and tech school representatives are frequent visitors to the class.
One thing Stavig has figured out: Students learn better when lessons are hands-on and interesting enough to be motivating in themselves.
One morning last week a group of boys huddled around the bike as it roared on its platform. They made adjustments to the timing and peered into the engine, searching for the source of an oil leak. Small problems, Stavig said.
On the other end of the shop, Bryce Brethorst, a senior, had programmed the CNC to bore a hole in the center of a plate he had machined to cover the primary belt.
The classes have been transformative for Brethorst. When he first walked through the shop’s doors in 10th grade, he said, he thought the old machine shop mills were drill presses. Now he’s getting ready to take a handful of credits — and lessons learned from a full-time summer internship at G&K Machining in East Bethel — to Alexandria Technical College next fall. He’s planning to pursue an associate’s degree in machining.
The class “gave me experience to know what the career’s all about,” he said. “I’ve liked it ever since.”
His boss, G&K co-owner Doug Gorsegner, said he’d be happy to keep Brethorst on during breaks and maybe after he graduates. He has a similar relationship with an older student. Gorsegner echoed national concerns about the dearth of skilled machinists who are able to keep up with the rapid pace of technological change in manufacturing.
“There’s a lot of skill that’s involved in that, and for these students to get exposed to it in the program, that’s a great chance to test it out,” he said. “Bryce is very good. He’s focused on what he wants to do and be in life, and he’s like a sponge: He’ll absorb stuff and loves information.”
Brethorst isn’t the only student who’s been inspired by the chopper project.
John Koller and Jesse Hagford graduated in March, but they’ve kept coming back to school weekday mornings so they can keep working on the chopper.
Koller also is going to Alexandria Tech, where he is studying diesel mechanics. Hagford is going in a completely different direction, heading to Vermillion Community College to train to be a conservation officer.
But both are proud of the work the class has done. They point out the diamond-cut jugs on the cylinders, which catch the light just so, and the cone-shaped vents, the gleaming exhaust pipes they pulled off a junked pickup truck. They talked about learning, too, from missteps along the way — the times when the bike should have worked but then didn’t. “You think you’ve got it, but then you don’t,” Hagford said. “Then you have to rip the whole thing apart.”Koller nodded. “Don’t you hate that?”
Photo: Maria Elena Baca, Star Tribune
CHOPPER TO FIND THE AUCTION ONLINE, GO TO WWW.EBAY.COM AND SEARCH FOR SFHS CHOPPERS.
TAKE YOUR JAVA ON THE ROAD–Bandit enjoys a good cup of java… wherever he roams. Checkout how to take a premium cup of coffee on the road. http://www.mysmartcup.com.
The 7th Annual Grape Crushers Ride and the Victory Track Lap!
LeoVince USA is pleased to announce our 7th annual Grape Crusher Charity Ride. This year’s ride will take place on Thursday May 3, 2012. We will meet at the front gate of Sonoma Raceway and then ride through some of the most incredible back roads of Sonoma and Napa Valleys.
This year’s charity of choice is the Lima Family Recovery Fund. 100% of the proceeds will go towards helping the needs of Paul Lima, a fellow motorcycle enthusiast, rider and LeoVince Customer as well as owner of GP Motorcycles in San Diego, California. Paul was involved in a motocross accident on April fourth and fractured bones in his lower back which has left both of his legs paralyzed.
This fund was set up to help his family manage the tremendous expenses that they now face. Give back to our riding community and start your Great Clips West Coast Moto Jam weekend off the right way by joining our ride to raise funds for Paul and his family.
Come join LeoVince USA for a relaxing and fun ride through the Sonoma Wine Country. We’re takin’ it retro this year and going back to one of the original routes used in past years on this ride. For more information visit www.LeoVinceUSA.com/GrapeCrusher.php. Email questions to grapecrusher2012@leovinceusa.com or call 510-232-4040 and secure your spot on this great ride.
CHECK OUT CHOPPER BUILDERS & MFGs
Chopper Builders and Manufacturers are heading to the Smoke Out Rally to meet with enthusiasts, backstreet builders and chopper jockeys. If guys and gals want something special for their sled and want to eyeball it, then they need to attend the 13th edition of the Smoke Out Rally on June 22-23, 2012 in Rockingham, NC. Details here.
Pistachios: Good for the Gut?
We know that pistachios contain heart-healthy fat, and overall, have a very good nutritional profile – one ounce (about 47 nuts) provides more fiber than a half cup of spinach. They’re also good sources of vitamin B-6, thiamin, copper, phosphorus, and magnesium. Now, new findings suggest that pistachios have prebiotic characteristics as well, and can help support higher levels of potentially beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center in Maryland recruited 16 healthy volunteers to consume a calorie-controlled diet that included daily servings of 1.5 ounces of pistachios or almonds, three ounces of the nuts or no nuts. The researchers collected and analyzed stool samples during the study, and after 19 days found that the volunteers who ate up to 3 ounces of pistachios had indications of increased activity of beneficial bacteria in the gut. While the results are considered preliminary, they suggest that eating pistachios regularly may help develop and maintain normal, healthy levels of flora in the digestive tract.
What Makes the Anti-Inflammatory Diet Healthy?
From the best grains and oils to which fish to enjoy (and which to avoid), eating for your health can seem challenging – but it doesn’t have to be! Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging has simple yet informative lists for shopping, preparing and cooking. We cover the anti-inflammatory diet from A-Z! Start your free trial today.—Dr Weil www.drweil.com
The Western Motorcycle Drag Racing Association (WMDRA) is thrilled to announce that AMSOIL has signed on as Title Sponsor for the 2012 Sturgis Nationals
AMSOIL INC. of Superior, Wis., has signed an agreement to become title sponsor for the Western Motorcycle Drag Racing Association (WMDRA) Sturgis Nationals.
“This is a very exciting day for the Western Motorcycle Drag Racing Association,” says WMDRA Operations Director Sandra Alberti. “We are thrilled to welcome AMSOIL as our title sponsor for the Sturgis Nationals, and excited to continue the drag racing tradition at the 2012 Sturgis Rally.”
AMSOIL is the Official Oil of Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Daytona Bike Week, Laconia and the Lone Star Motorcycle Rally in Galveston. AMSOIL manufacturers advanced synthetic motorcycle oils for Harley and V-Twin engines as well as the whole range of metric bikes on the market. AMSOIL Synthetic Motorcycle Oil helps bikes achieve optimal performance for hot-running engines, transmissions and primary chaincases.
“Drag racing has been a tradition at the Sturgis Rally,” said AMSOIL director of dealer sales Rob Stenberg, “and we’re glad to be able to support this type of event for this year. The AMSOIL Sturgis Nationals provides rally attendees with a great event.” Racing is currently slated for August 7 and 8 at Sturgis Dragway, 20523 Hwy 79 Sturgis SD 57785. An event schedule will be posted on the WMDRA and Sturgis Dragway websites prior to the event.
THE SUNDAY DEAL FROM THE BIKERNET CLASSIFIEDS! A 2000 Fat Boy! Carburetor model, Harley-Davidson Headlight nacelle kit, Chrome front end, Detachable sissy bar with pad, Vance & Hines BIG Shots exhaust. Only 2800 miles on the clock! It will be fast going for $9500! Hit the photo to view this bike’s listing now.
