General Posts

Ace Cafe Orlando, the first North American location of the celebrated London-based motor-diner and the sixth Ace Cafe in the world, rolls its doors open today, May 19. The 35,000-square-foot dining, entertainment, and retail destination reinvigorates a key parcel in downtown Orlando now known as “Ace Corner,” where it expects to draw more than 400,000 people annually. “The City of Orlando is committed to providing residents and our 68 million visitors with a diverse array of entertainment and dining options,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “Ace Cafe is a welcomed addition to Downtown Orlando, adding to the vibrancy and quality of life in the area, and will help to generate increased visitation and economic benefits to the area with its festivals and events.” Since 1938, Ace Cafe London has been a mecca for those passionate about cars, bikes and rock ’n roll culture. The original location on London’s North Circular Road began as a roadside cafe for truckers, then evolved into a popular destination for rock ‘n roll-loving teens riding motorbikes during the ’50s and ’60s. Today, the Ace has a multi-generational appeal among motorsports enthusiasts from all over the world. “We have built a special place for everyone, from Petrolheads and enthusiasts, to the after-hours work crowd, families, music lovers and everybody in between,” said Mark McKee, CEO and Chief Gearhead of Ace Cafe North America. “For those passionate about cool motors, great music, inspired food and drinks, and good times, Ace Cafe Orlando is the place to be.” Much larger than its London namesake, Ace Cafe Orlando spans two floors and features a full-service restaurant, two kitchens, four bars, a coffee bar, a communal counter, a mezzanine that overlooks the main floor dining area and stage, and private and semi-private spaces for groups both large and small. Rounding

Hey, Here’s an official Bikernet Survey question.Some companies in our aftermarket industry are kicking ass, while others are struggling. The question is why and what can they do? In a recent interview the MD of Daimler Benz (Mercedes Benz) said their competitors are no longer other car companies but Tesla (obvious), Google, Apple, Amazon ‘et al’ are…… There have always been the 3 constants … Death, Taxes and CHANGE! It’s fascinating, and everything is changing faster than ever before. Get this. The control freaks would like you to turn in your cars to be crushed and live in a tent, without electricity, but you can’t light a fire to cook. In fact, you shouldn’t eat any animals or cook anything. WTF? Wait a minute, bikers almost have the perfect solution. Just a bedroll, one motorcycle, a bottle of whiskey and your babe. What more do we need? Everyone should read my book from 1999, Sam “Chopper” Orwell. We’re getting close. Click here to read this week’s news. We have amazing news from the Smoke Out, Love Jugs, Lucky Dave’s, Saddlemen, S&S, Le Pera, Cuba, PCH, Wayfarer, Rogue and the Girls.

REVER has released Version 3.0 of its motorcycle navigation and community app. This latest update represents a major-step forward in the user experience and feature offerings of the REVER iOS application (Android users can expect the same update within a few weeks of the iOS release). With a quickly expanding community of riders from around the world, REVER V3 also has language support for Italian and French, in addition to German, Spanish, and Portuguese. Major new functionality and features include: Ride Discovery: REVER has partnered with content providers such as Butler Maps, RoadRUNNER Magazine, Backcountry Discovery Routes, Remote Moto New Zealand, Bigtrails Brazil, and Motorcyclist Magazine to provide verified, hand-curated routes from around the world. REVER has also created a library of free route content for users to explore. Also available, is a listing of roadrace tracks, motocross tracks and OHV trail systems to help riders of all disciplines find places to ride. New Ride Feed: A newly designed ride feed makes photos the top priority, while comments and likes are also prominent. Additional content such as featured communities and challenges are also visible as part of the ride feed. Geo-location Based Riding Challenges: REVER now offers challenges that automatically give riders credit for visiting certain points of interest (POIs). Examples include; popular roads, national parks, dealerships, and more. Certain challenges also unlock swag and deals as riders visit places on the map. Friend-Tracker: Users can now see all of their REVER friends anywhere in the world as they track rides in the app. Communities: REVER users, dealerships, events, brands, and local clubs can now create a REVER community to share rides. Sharing and Connecting: Finding riders including Facebook friends who are also REVER users as well as friends from your contact list just got a lot easier.

From Dealer News Now that the U.S. Senate has confirmed Robert Lighthizer as U.S. Trade Representative, some expect a decision soon on whether the United States will place a 100 percent tariff on European motorcycles. Regardless, the AMA and the MIC are striking while the iron is hot. The Motorcycle Industry Council yesterday urged its members to call their federal representatives and voice their opposition to the tariff, which would affect European motorcycles with engine sizes of 50cc to 500cc. The USTR proposed the tariff in retaliation for a long-standing agricultural trade dispute with the European Union. “On May 11, the Senate confirmed Robert Lighthizer to serve as the new U.S. Trade Representative. Lighthizer was sworn in on May 15. There is no word on when Lighthizer and his staff will make a decision on the proposed tariff, but we expect a decision may be made soon,” MIC told its members on Monday. After Lighthizer was confirmed, AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman immediately sent him a letter demanding he remove European motorcycles from the tariff proposal. He highlighted the damage such a tariff would do to the U.S. Dealer network. “In America, the majority of motorcycles under 500cc are sold through small, independently owned shops,” Dingman wrote. “The collection of small- to medium-sized dealerships in the United States contributes to the employment of a substantial number of Americans.” “It appears that motorcyclists are simply pawns in a game of international chess,” Dingman noted in the letter. The AMA also called on its members to “inundate” Lighthizer with their objections. To voice your concerns through the AMA link, click HERE