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WHAT ELSE IS HARLEY DOING TO INSPIRE WOMEN RIDERS?– Harley-Davidson?s We Ride is a basic overview on what a new rider or a woman interested in riding needs to know about getting into the sport. It features information on how and where women can learn to ride with details on the Rider?s Edge New Rider Course and the best way to fit a motorcycle for a woman?s ergonomic and functional needs.
It also includes tips on getting involved and staying active with riding groups, as well as inspirational stories from real women who have answered the call of the open road. The special 48-page riding guide is available for free download at www.harley-davidson.com/womenriders Harley-Davidson dealerships across the country are hosting free women-only Garage Parties to encourage them to get involved in motorcycling. The Harley-Davidson Garage Party event provides a non-intimidating environment for women to learn more about motorcycling and to meet other women who are interested in riding. For more information about Harley-Davidson and women and riding, visit www.harley-davidson.com/womenriders 
REASON OF THE WEEK TO JOIN THE CANTINA–STRANGE VEHICLES OF PRE-WAR GERMANY & THE THIRD REICH (1928-1945). We discovered something historic and out of this world. Check it out in the Cantina along with some very strange shit. If you join Bandit’s Cantina now, the price was just dropped to an even 12 bucks for a year of enjoyment and cute girls.
Plus we’re offering deals on both K. Randall Ball books at a measly 12 bucks a piece and that covers postage and handling.
BIKERNET READER BUILDS HIS DREAM MACHINE–Hey Bandit, Love your web site. Been on there everyday since you started it up. Anyways the reason I am writing,it’s been a long time coming and kind of like a full circle story. Been riding since I was 10 years old and am now 48. I have been involved with motorcycles in one fashion or another growing up mainly on metric bike because I had to buy my own shit so they were cheap.
When I was a kid H-D were a peace of crap and anyone in their right mind wouldn’t have owned one. Things have changed, to say the least. After I finished going to MMI in Orlando, FL for Harley-Davidson I came back home and decided to build my own. I was lovin’ what Indian Larry was doing and thought I’d use his style for the build. I bought every book out there that featured Indian Larry, and did my research, always keeping my budget in mind. I am 6’3″ and I had to change some things around to make it fit right. Trust me it was a struggle to keep that look and fit a tall man, but I didn’t want to get too far off my plan.
I got started after acquiring a frame and a few things off ebay at a good price (new stuff just discounted). Swap meets and friends helped, and it all came together during the winter in Michigan of 2007. Didn’t get to put the first mile on it till about July 2008.
It’s been a great ride ever since and it went together great. I haven’t had any issues except the heat shield nuts keep coming off from vibration and funny thing is the bike doesn’t vibrate (well just a little but not bad at all).
I was wondering… It would mean a lot to me, and my family if you could feature it on your web site in Wrenches Bike Barn.
–Mike
It’s Christmas, how the hell could Bandit turn him down? Maybe? He asked Mike about the paint. Watch for the feature coming up on Bikernet.com.–Wrench
CLUB BARS NOW AVAILABLE FROM THE BUNG KING CREW– The Club bars have been a hit with all the local club guys, these bars are meant for the riders who ride hard and need extra rigidity for evasive maneuvers, but still need comfort for those long trips cross country. All the bars are made to fit, we have a few different heights and options available to help tailor the Club Bars to the specific rider.
The welded on bungs are available for the factory speedo/tach mounts and eliminate the need for a big bulky aluminum bracket for an extra clean look. Fits most all Harley conventional fork trees.
–Darrin
THE SOUTHSIDE KUSTOMS CHRISTMAS LETTER OF THE YEAR–Well, it is that time of year where I sit down and write a letter to all of South Side Kustoms friends / family and supporters.
First, I just want to say Thank You to all of you who have spent your hard earned dime with us this year and supported South Side Kustoms thru business and/or your friendship. Your hard earned dimes, as well as your friendship and support, spent with SSK means more to me than you know. SSK is a small business and when you spend your money with my business, it helps to feed my family and pay my bills. This is how I make my living.
I sat here this year staring at the screen for a moment wondering what I may say or write, especially in this bleak economic time, that we ALL are facing. What do I say, what do I write to put a smile on everyone’s face or help them to feel the Christmas spirit?
Well here it is – Happy Christmas! As some, of you may know, I – my wife and children try our hardest to give back to this community. We send t-shirts over to troops afar, we do our annual Christmas Party for Toys for Tots, we donate food, money no matter how great or small. Every year I try to help out, Pastor Eric. He runs a Christian church called the Buffalo Dream Center, this man does great things and those of you from Buffalo, New York probably have seen him on the news. Yes, this is the guy who sleeps on the street every Thanksgiving WEEK, to raise awareness about the homeless and his Boxes of Love campaign, instead of spending it with his family.
Well this year, with things tight and tuff as they are financially, all I could offer was to donate my time delivering his “Boxes of Love”. For those of you who don’t know “Boxes of Love” is Christmas campaign Pastor Eric and his church congregation do to help the needy of our city. This equals a holiday turkey and a present for each child in the house and a overflowing bag of groceries.
So I loaded all the deliveries and started out. I made deliveries and it warmed my heart to see how happy these people are to receive these Boxes of Love. This may be all they will receive for Christmas – This may be all each child gets is ONE PRESENT.
I looked around some of these delivery locations, and a lot of these “homes” had NOTHING, No furniture – NO CHRISTMAS TREE, NO MANGER. As I delivered these “Boxes of Love” to these families and homes, who barely had anything, to see how happy they were to receive these packages, how appreciative they were, was amazing. I know plenty of us get lost in the everyday problems or bleak outlook our businesses or families face. Here were these struggling folks, but they were happy. This one little girl stuck in my mind and brought tears to my eyes. I entered her apartment with the “BOXES OF LOVE” and the little girl started to jump for joy when she saw the three presents for her and her two other siblings. She was so excited over this ONE present, probably all she would receive this Christmas. She was dancing around, her beaded hair bouncing everywhere making a joyful noise in itself. As I walked out the door she kept yelling to me HAPPY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!
After my last delivery, my car broke down as I blew an outer tie-rod, and most people would have gotten upset. All I could think of was that little girl and her smiling face yelling Happy Christmas to me. It made me understand, that no matter how bleak business looks, all that matter is that ONE THING we all hold dear to us–CHRISTMAS.
–Jason McCudden
South Side Kustoms
146 Barnard St.
Buffalo, Ny 14206
716-823-6279
1-800-675-3191
email- southsidekustoms@verizon.net
website – www.south-side-kustoms.com
HI-TECH GAUGE MOUNTING HARDWARE– The unique Yankee Engineuity line from Paughco includes one of if not the most diverse collection of custom gauge mounting hardware on the market. Billet instrument brackets and cups to fit the needs of just about any application. Sizes and styles for stock, VDO, Digital Dakota, Auto Meter and other gauges range from 1.9? micro up to 3 3/8?.
Each of the brackets is designed to bolt directly to the YE billet base clamps or you can adapt your own mounting plate. While YE custom base clamps cover most H-D models the brackets can be adapted to a wide variety of Cruiser and custom machines.
Base plates retail starting at $83.50, brackets from $107.00 and cups start at $96.00. For complete details contact Paughco direct at 775-246-5738.
Be sure to catch them on the Web at www.paughco.com
MERRY XMAS FROM THE GERMAN VIKING–All the best to you and your family. Hope all of you do fine. I heard you had a couple of rainy days. Winter, eh? Melody with child and husband is coming to Germany for the Holidays, we’ll meet and celebrate a little!
All the very best, my report on the 2008 CUSTOMBIKE will be ready soon.
Cheers,
–Viking
MOTOR-Babes.com
SPECTRO OILS HIRES NEW REPRESENTATIVE JACK GABRIEL–With more than 30 years in Automotive Aftermarket, Gabriel joins Spectro Oil.
Brookfield, CT? Spectro Oils of America hires auto industry veteran Jack Gabriel. Gabriel?s many professional accomplishments include rep of the year by numerous manufacturers and organizations including SEMA, Edelbrock, Octane Boost, Lund and Taylor.
?Everyone at Spectro Oils is thrilled to welcome Jack Gabriel to the team. Spectro outperformed its goals in 2008? with the addition of Jack, 2009 is already looking terrific. Jack?s proven and exceptional auto industry knowledge will benefit our dealers substantially and assist us in our auto industry growth plans, specifically with our Golden Motor-Guard line up of products? explained Rollin Karoll, Vice President of Sales.
Based out of Syracuse, NY, Gabriel appears to have gas and oil running through his veins: his automotive connection started when he opened his own small retail speed shop in the 60?s. From that point on, Jack was hooked and his career has spanned three decades in which time he has worked for and owned many successful automotive based businesses.
For more information on Spectro Oils, please visit: www.spectro-oils.com
CALIFORNIA CUSTOMS CHRISTMAS DEAL OF THE WEE–2008 CALIFORNIA CUSTOMS BLACKBIRD EDITION, 113 S&S MOTOR, 6 SPEED TRANS, 3″ OPEN BDL PRIMARY, CUSTOM ONE OFF PIPES, ALL PM BRAKES WITH DUAL DISC FRONT, 55mm INVERTED CERIANI FORKS, PM CONTOUR HAND CONTROLS, CUSTOM BILLET FOOT CONTROLS, ALL CUSTOM MADE FENDERS, ONE OFF CUSTOM FAT KATZ GAS TANK WITH FLUSH CAP, CUSTOM SIDE MOUNT PLATE, CUSTOM LIGHTS, BILLET HEADLIGHT and FLANDERS BARS.
It also has AVON TIRES, VICE GRIPS FROM TODD’S CYCLES MOLDED SWINGARM, and 100’S OF HOURS OF CUSTOM FABRICATION WORK. BRAND NEW BIKE, JUST FINISHED DEC. 12. PRICE IS ONLY $15,000
CAN BE SEEN HERE TOO: http://www.calcustom.com/blackbird.htm
–Joe Cree
California Customs
2081-U Bering Dr.
San Jose, CA 95131
408-954-8972
www.calcustom.com
5-BALL RACING LEGEND NEEDS A SPONSOR FOR 2009– Sad note on the VTR 2009 program…My new title sponsor byebyebanker.com who was going to do a full 2009 title sponsor just pull out. They lost their biggest clients and now I have to start over!! I hate this time of the year-so stressful!
Merry Christmas to you and Nyla!! All the best for you two!
Valerie Thompson
ValerieThompsonRacing.com
MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE GOOSE–
Not a motorcycle was rumbling, except for Santa Claus’s.
The leather was hung in the closet with care
In hopes that nice weather, soon would be there.
Our bikes were all nestled snug in their covers,
With visions of blacktop and burning up rubber.
With momma in her bandana and I in my skull cap
We had just settled down for a long winter’s nap,
When out on the lawn, arose such a rumble,
I sprang from the bed as I started to grumble.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But, a pack of motorcycles, with riders and gear.
With one old driver so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be Biker Nick.
He was dressed all in Leather, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with bugs and road soot.
A bundle of chrome he had flung on his back,
Down the chimney he came, carrying a big red sack.
He spoke not a word but went straight to his work
As he filled all the riding boots, then turned with a jerk.
And laying a finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.
He sprang to his motorcycle, to his team gave a sign,
As they all cracked their throttles and got into a line.
Now Honda, Now Harley, Now Triumph and Indian, On Kawi, On Suzuki, On Yamaha and Victory
But I heard him exclaim as he roared out of sight, “Keep the rubber side down and have a good ride.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.”
–from Mothergoose
BIKER ARTIST TURNS WRITER–I’m about to post a story on my site about a MMA Toy Run I attended on Dec.10, 1978.Our group of riders met that morning at U.S. Motorcycles in Lynwood. Didn’t you work there?
The ’47 Knucklehead was a friend’s bike. Mine was the white ’71 Sportster three bikes back.
We thought his Knuckle was ancient at the time.That Sportster would now be older than that Knuck was then.Funny how time changes perspective.
Cheers!
–CGK
I did work there in 1970 while I attended Long Beach City College, just after I returned from Vietnam. Shortly thereafter I went to work for Easyriders.–Bandit
MERRY CHRISTMAS GODDAMNIT–Sure feels like winter out there, even in Southern California. Life is wonderful, no matter what the media spews all over us. We don’t need the gossip bullshit they play to pump their numbers and sell ads. Life is all about our accomplishments, not gossip. We’ve got to work hard and pull together for the greater good this coming year, then we’ll be cool once more.
Someone recently reminded me about the truly hard times in history and how we, as a country put the bullshit aside and pulled together. That’s what makes America strong and Christmas a time of pure joy, remembrance and respect.
All the best,
–Bandit
