Hey,
It’s been a strange week for sure. It’s still strange and perhaps getting more strange by the hour. I quit turning on the television. I just go to the internet and look up election results and check the stats.
I tried to stay very busy yesterday. I bought a deer guard bumper for my van. I figured as much as I am hauling ass to Deadwood, the more likely I am to encounter a deer or other wild life. First they don’t make a deer grille for Nissan NV vans. It took me weeks to research and actually reach out to companies to come to that conclusion.
They make a bumper guard, but not a deer grille. So, I bought the bumper guard and started to modify it. It’s junk, made with thinner wall tubing than our Harley exhaust pipes. It was most likely made in China. I added strips of 1.5 by 3-inch rectangular tubing, 24 inches long and 3/16 wall. Serious shit. And I’m about to dress it out with some Pauchco parts. This will be a trip. Hang on.
In the meantime, I put the Dicey Knuck on the lift. I need to take the super E off of it and clean it out. I bought a J&P Automatic advance distributor, just in case I decide to remove the mag.
Let’s hit the news and I’ll report back.
The Bikernet Weekly News is sponsored in part by companies who also dig Freedom including: Cycle Source Magazine, the MRF, Las Vegas Bikefest, Iron Trader News, ChopperTown, BorntoRide.com and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum. Most recently Quick Throttle Magazine came on board.
HARLEY IS BRINGING BACK THE ORIGINALS– THE CARDIGAN SWEATER
This sweater design with the large Bar & Shield logo dates to among the very first apparel items in 1914.
They have launched a very cool line-up of vintage clothing. Check it out, but watch out for the prices.–Bandit
.jpg)
DIRECT NEWS FROM THE DIME BAG EMPIRE–
More news coming from Carl Pusser and The Amethyst Triumph Chopper. Been working with Carl for years now, he is very busy as usual. I got to meet John Parham, before he passed, at the Iowa Grand Rally, so it is a pleasure to have Dime Bag leatherwork on another badass Triumph chopper built by our friend Carl Pusser on display at the National Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa, IA!
The Amethyst is officially on display at the National Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa IA. In great company with Von Dutch Triumph and Big Daddy Roth trike. Thanks to Bill Barber and Jill Parham to let me be a part of motorcycle history
–Adam Croft
Dime Bag Leather
Follow @dimebag.leather on Instagram
QUICK, OPEN THE BANDIT’S CANTINA BAD JOKE LIBRARY, MASK FREE, FORMERLY THE BIKERNET BAD JOKE LIBRARY–
A car full of Irish nuns is sitting at a traffic light in downtown Dublin, when a bunch of rowdy drunks pull up alongside of them.
*”Hey, show us yer tits, ya bloody penguins!”* shouts one of the drunks.
Quite shocked, Mother Superior turns to Sister Mary Immaculata and says, *”I don’t think they know who we are; show them your cross.”*
Sister Mary Immaculata rolls down her window and shouts, *”Piss off, ya fookin’ little wankers, before I come over there and rip yer balls off!”*
Sister Mary Immaculata then rolls up her window, looks back at Mother Superior, and asks quite innocently, *”Did that sound cross enough?”*
–from the Wayfarer
MICHAEL LICHTER PHOTOS OF THE WEEK— Eric Bennett’s 1977 custom Harley-Davidson Shovelhead that used the front water-cooled engine from the original Jammer Streamliner in the RSD Moto Beach Classic custom bike show. Huntington Beach, CA, USA. Sunday October 28, 2018.
Punk rock aficionados Sarah (lead singer of the rock band Seratonen) and her husband Dr. Aalok Shah (an ER pulmonary doctor) took a break from work and their 6-kids to attend the Surf City Blitz and RSD Moto Beach Classic. Huntington Beach, CA, USA. Sunday October 28, 2018.
Photography ©2018 Michael Lichter.
TODAY IN HISTORY–November 05
The order is given: Bomb Pearl Harbor
On November 5, 1941, the Combined Japanese Fleet receive Top-Secret Order No. 1: In just over a month’s time, Pearl Harbor is to be bombed, along with Malaya (now known as Malaysia), the Dutch East Indies and the Philippines.
Relations between the United States and Japan had been deteriorating quickly since Japan’s occupation of Indochina in 1940 and the implicit menacing of the Philippines (an American protectorate), with the occupation of the Cam Ranh naval base approximately 800 miles from Manila. American retaliation included the seizing of all Japanese assets in the States and the closing of the Panama Canal to Japanese shipping. In September 1941, President Roosevelt issued a statement, drafted by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, that threatened war between the United States and Japan should the Japanese encroach any further on territory in Southeast Asia or the South Pacific.
Why Did Japan Attack Pearl Harbor?
The Japanese military had long dominated Japanese foreign affairs; although official negotiations between the U.S. secretary of state and his Japanese counterpart to ease tensions were ongoing, Hideki Tojo, the minister of war who would soon be prime minister, had no intention of withdrawing from captured territories. He also construed the American “threat” of war as an ultimatum and prepared to deliver the first blow in a Japanese-American confrontation: the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
And so, Tokyo delivered the order to all pertinent Fleet commanders, that not only the United States—and its protectorate the Philippines—but British and Dutch colonies in the Pacific were to be attacked. War was going to be declared on the West.
SADDLEMEN SEAT OF THE WEEK–2018-2020 FXFB/FXFBS Fat Bob Kraus Pro Series Solo Seat
Brand Fitment: Harley-Davidson
Model Fitment: Fat Bob FXFB/FXFBS
Year Fitment: 2018-2020
$250.00
Saddlemen Part #: KR81828S
Availability: Built to Order
Available Options
Brand Logo
Top Stitch Color
BEANIE™ HELMET – LOW PROFILE MOTORCYCLE HELMET (DOT APPROVED)– (FREE SUNNIES)CLICK ADD TO CART TO GET THIS DEAL
FREE RETURNS ON BEANIE
NO MORE MUSHROOM HEAD – FINALLY A HELMET THAT SITS LOW AND WON’T BLOW BACK INTO THE WIND.
DURABLE – Retro style half face motorcycle helmet, upgraded ABS shell and EPS liner ensure your safety while riding harley chopper, cruiser, scooter and more, classic look always attract attentions on the road
DOT FMVSS.218 CERTIFIED – The helmet meets DOT FMVSS-218 Safety Standards, ensures the quality and safety
LIGHTWEIGHT AND COMFORTABLE – Lightweight ABS shell with a thick, high density and fully vented EPS liner, brings you a better protection as well as comfortable wearing
QUICK RELEASE CHIN STRAP – for easily getting on and off and holding the helmet securely on your head
Fits Head Circumference: 22 1/4″ to 24 3/4″ (57 to 63 cm) smallest DOT shell ever made! Weight – 600g
To measure your head for the correct size take a tape measure just above your brow around your head just at the top of your ears. If your head measures in between sizes order the size smaller. Our helmets should fit snug when new they stretch and mold to the shape of your head. Also see hat sizes below
PLEASE check size chart
S-55 -56 22 1/4″ – 22 1/2″ = hat size 7
M-57 – 58, 22 3/8″ – 22 3/4″ = hat 7-1/8 to hat 7-1/4
L-59 – 60 , 23 1/4″ – 23 5/8″ = hat 7 3/8 to hat 7 3/8
XL-61- 62, 24″ – 24 3/8″ = hat 7 1/2 to hat 7 5/8
XXL-63cm , 24 3/4″ = hat 7 3/4 to hat 7 7/8
NEWS FROM THE TWISTED ROAD–10 Steps to Winterize Your Motorcycle
I vividly remember the first time I needed to store my bike for the winter. I had only owned my Moto Guzzi for four months, when fall started shifting into winter and I knew I needed to be prepared. But what did this even entail? I didn’t know how to winterize a motorcycle. I wasn’t handy, and the closest I ever got to working on my bike was when I read the first three chapters of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.
So, I now bring you the 10 steps to winterize a motorcycle:
1. Ride Her One Last Time
Go ahead. Really appreciate the ride. You’re going to miss it. Trust me.
2. Fill Up the Tank
Make sure that the tank is completely full of fuel. This minimizes the amount of air in the tank, which in turn decreases the chances of rust forming.
3. Add Fuel Stabilizer to the Tank
This will prevent evaporation, and in doing so, it also prevents fuel from forming sticky resins. Then run the machine for a minute or two.
10. Travel and Rent
We both know that in about two weeks, you’ll be itching to hop back on two wheels. So, plan your next trip. Take a break from the cold. And rent a bike. Want to ride Los Angeles? Or Vegas? How about renting a motorcycle in Austin? We have plenty of bikes to choose from in warm climates that are ready to go!
Read all the tips and the special tip at the end tomorrow on Bikernet.–Bandit
CHINESE COVID BUSINESS HELP LOANS STILL AVAILABLE–Congress has extended the PPP Application deadline to August 8th
Roughly $130 billion of the $670 billion set aside for the PPP remains available for small businesses.
LATEST NEWS
PPP Borrowers – NEW “EZ” Forms for Loan Forgiveness
PPP Loan Bill Passed. Gives Small Businesses More Flexibility
(Members Only) Affiliation Rules for Small Business Stimulus Under the CARES Act
Powersports Employees Included Among Essential Workers
CISA Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce, Version 3.0 (April 17, 2020)
President’s Guidelines for Reopening the Country
Call for Additional Funding; MIC Joins over 150 National Trade Organizations
ONE STOP SHOP FOR SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE – UPDATED 6/5/20
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is providing small businesses with the resources they need to maintain their payroll, hire back employees who may have been laid off, and cover applicable overhead.
Program Overview
For Borrowers
For Lenders
Program Rules
For more information and updates, visit Treasury.gov/CARES and SBA.gov/PayCheckProtection.
COVID-19 STATE RESOURCE AND REOPENING GUIDELINES MAPS
COVID-19 State Response Resources
The maps are updated by 5 pm PDT daily and is intended to be a guide for informational purpose
“We are like books. Most people only see our cover, the minority read only the introduction, many people believe the critics. Few will know our content.” — Emile Zola
“When you go out into the woods, and you look at trees, you see all these different trees. And some of them are bent… you sort of understand that it didn’t get enough light, and so it turned that way. And you don’t get all emotional about it. You just allow it. The minute you get near humans, you lose all that. And you are constantly saying “You are too this, or I’m too this.” That judgment mind comes in. And so, I practice turning people into trees. Which means appreciating them just the way they are.” – Ram Dass
–Wayfarer
Senior Monk
Bikernet Two-Wheeled Temple
At the base of the Gray Mountain
TEXAS STREETS–Well I did it, paid off THE 2016 ROAD GLIDE. Man, I had originally agreed to pay on that bike for 84 months! I paid it off 30 months early and saved thousands…what a knucklehead. I don’t know how I get into these messes.
Oh, and I’ve ridden the M8 Fatbob a few times at it is a scream to say the least. I bought it for my wife. I appreciate the HIPPO I normally ride. It’s definitely a different ride. To celebrate, I bought the tour pak quick release kit and put my bike on a diet. It’s like a whole new motorcycle now.
–Johnny White
DIRECT FROM THE NMA—Eliminating Jaywalking Laws will make roads safer? A response.
By Tom Pearson, NMA Alabama Member
Editor’s Note: The issue of abolishing jaywalking regulations, particularly where high-volume, inner-city streets are concerned, is a tricky one. In last week’s NMA E-Newsletter, #615, Arthur Miller made a compelling case that road safety suffers when one set of users (pedestrians) can cross the street whenever and wherever they like, and another set (drivers) is held responsible for dealing with the uncertainty involved. Tom Pearson provides a thoughtful rebuttal in this newsletter, presenting a rationale for eliminating jaywalking rules.
Eleven years ago, NMA Newsletter #32, A Different Kind Of Distracted Driving, described how the town of Drachten, in the Netherlands, removed all traffic regulatory signs — and even street-to-sidewalk curbing — in the spirit of what Hans Monderman espoused, as noted by Tom in this newsletter. The result was fewer accidents and better overall road safety.
But there is a key difference between eliminating all regulations, like what Drachten did, where every road user knows that having no rules actually means everyone is reacting to the same set of circumstances, and what New York City is proposing by eliminating jaywalking rules. In the latter case, the pedestrian (and presumably, bicyclist) class of road user is free to cross the road with impunity, leaving the driver to guess what each pedestrian’s personal decision-making behavior outside of normal crosswalk protocols will be, while also bearing responsibility for any mishap that occurs.
Attorneys Miller and Pearson make solid cases on either side of the jaywalking issue. We present both for your consideration.
Eliminating Jaywalking Laws Will Make Roads Safer? A Response
I don’t usually comment, but I must speak up in opposition to aspects of this week’s newsletter.
Though certainly not appropriate for all roadways, I believe that the elimination of jaywalking rules is, in general, a very good thing. While rules are important, more important, is that everyone using the roadway space pays attention to what they are doing when using that space.
As the pioneering work of Hans Monderman has demonstrated, too many rules, especially those providing right-of-way to drivers or pedestrians, are associated with less attention to driving or walking in a shared space. The rule creates the psychological presumption that everyone knows and will follow the rule. The rule seeks to ensure safety and draws attention to the “rights” in the space rather than what is actually happening. Drivers and pedestrians assume that the rule has covered the safety aspects of the space and, therefore, they can relax. Relaxed, inattentive drivers and pedestrians cause accidents.
We don’t want people thinking primarily about rules when they are in shared spaces like roads. Instead, we want them to keep an eye out in an environment where not doing so often means the difference between life and death.
In this case, on the fly negotiations between users of the space using eye contact and a variety of signals is safer than implementing right-of-way rules. For accidents that occur, tort doctrines like the “last clear chance” work well in resolving liability in such cases.
Further, the author dismisses the racial component of law enforcement out of hand because the rule is neutral on its face. Well, so what? Every rule issued by a state is a potential point of bias or corruption because its enforcement relies on armed officers interacting with citizens. Because a significant number of officers don’t seem to be able to keep their personal biases out of or cannot resist abusing the power that comes with their law enforcement duties, it behooves us to keep their duties restricted to the enforcement of only rules that are absolutely necessary and effective for ensuring the liberty of the people to go about their business in a reasonably safe manner.
Absolute safety cannot and should not be the goal.
I share the author’s opposition to dirty license plates being a pretext for a police stop but wish that he could see that the same logic applies by and large to jaywalking rules.
I am also an attorney and, though I share the author’s concerns about road safety, I firmly disagree with much of what he advocates as a solution to road safety issues. As Monderman has demonstrated, making the rules in shared spaces ambiguous often results in safer use of the spaces as well as more efficient flow. In the experiments he carried out in a dozen European cities, he went so far as to remove all traffic lights and other indications of how one should navigate the space. That required users of the space to remain focused on the situation rather than using the “rules” as a psychological excuse for not devoting full attention to a risky activity.
That approach aligns the risks of everyone who uses a roadway with the necessity of paying attention and the benefits of staying alive. Reliance on rights of way, on the other hand, subsidizes inattentive behavior and makes everyone less safe.
–NMA
By Luli Ortiz
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (CBS12) —
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is trying to figure out why some battery-powered cars are catching fire while parked and unattended.
Just a few weeks ago, a Port St. Lucie family woke up to the smell of smoke.
St. Lucie County Fire District were called in and soon discovered it was coming from the garage.
Their 2019 Chevrolet Bolt Electric Vehicle was burning.
Shane Kozac with St. Lucie County Fire District says extra resources were called in once they realized the fire was likely caused by the car’s lithium-ion battery.
“It’s enough to seriously hurt or kill you,” district’s Fire Engineer Shane Kozac said. “For us, we treat it as a hazmat.”
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, those batteries can reach temperatures of up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which for perspective, is twice as hot as molten lava.
A clear threat to first responders and everyone else in the immediate area.
“They off-gas toxins and it could be hours, even days after a protect has been under that heat condition can off-gas still, so it’s always a concern when we’re working those conditions,” Kozac said. “Our investigators may come in two to three hours after a fire has been extinguished, and they’re still wearing a certain level of outer protection, a type of respirator.”
Kozac says the 750 gallons of water carried by most fire trucks are not enough to put one of these electric vehicle battery fires out.
He adds the lithium-ion cells have been known to reignite, even a day later.
“The ability to extinguish it is extremely difficult,” Kozac said. “You’re better off protecting the vehicle, or the home, or another vehicle, versus trying to extinguish that fire because the reaction is occurring.”
Chevy Bolts Electric Vehicles received a 5-star federal safety rating, but the model is now under investigation by the NHTSA after at least three cars have caught fire while parked.
In one of the complaints, the owners of Chevy Bolt EV reported last year intense headaches from fumes after their battery-powered car caught fire, filling their Massachusetts home with smoke.
The cause is still unknown.
The owner of another Chevy Bolt EV, a Virginia woman, said her bolt caught fire twenty minutes after she parked it and she felt obligated to raise the alarm, according to WJLA.
“I would see smoke just growing, and getting bigger and bigger behind the car,” Hajime Rojas told WJLA. “ If I don’t say anything, and I hear later on that this happened to somebody else, I’m going to feel horrible.”
It’s even happening overseas, a friend of a Chevy Bolt EV owner shared a video on social showing the vehicle burning in the Ukraine.
Here at home, that Port. St. Lucie family has hired a lawyer to look into the fire that destroyed their garage.
General Motors would not comment on any of these incidents, only telling CBS12 News the carmaker is “cooperating with NHTSA’s investigation” for its part.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has not ruled out issuing a recall.
For now, investigators are still working to determine how common these fires are among the 78,000 bolts manufactured and sold by General Motors in the 2017 through 2020 model years.
–CW34
–from the National Motorists Association
ALL KIDS BIKE NEWS– I come to you with some VERY EXCITING news!
Out of 2,000 submissions for the State Farm Neighborhood Assist Grant, the All Kids Bike Kindergarten PE Program for New York City Schools was selected by State Farm and voted by the public into the TOP 40!
This means the $25,000 grant will teach thousands of NYC kids how to ride a bike in school, and YOU made this possible!
THANK YOU!!!! We want to share our most sincere gratitude for all of you who helped make this happen. This is a huge deal, and we truly could not have done it without you and your votes!
Watch our social media for the big announcement so you can share and celebrate with us!
#AllKidsBike
–Breiane Williams
Campaign Marketing Specialist
Strider® Education Foundation
Rapid City, SD 57702
605-956-3877
www.AllKidsBike.org
[page break]
LIFESTYLE DEAL OF THE WEEK–2018 Harley-Davidson® FLSL – Softail Softail Slim for $15,995.00
See it here: https://www.lifestylecycles.com/default.asp?page=xPreOwnedInventoryDetail&id=9491797
This bike is a cool Softail Slim low stance low mean look
ONLY 17314.00 Miles !!!!!
2018 Industrial gray denim Harley-Davidson SOFTAIL SLIM FLSL
Some of the features/Add-on’s on this bike
* H.D. low profile seat
* MX style bars
* Chrome shotgun exhaust
* 103 C.I.
* 6 Speed trans
* Blacked out rear pegs and rider floorboards
This bike has passed Lifestyle Cycles rigorous 101- point safety and mechanical inspection. Whether your looking to commute to work, ride the coast or take that dream vacation, this bike is ready to go!!!
EZ FINANCING-SHIPPING AVAILABLE!!!
Fill out an online application and ride today!!!
**Open 7 days a week**
Just $15,995.00 at Lifestyle Cycles (714) 490-0155
WUHAN COVID REPORT: Are Indians more immune to Covid-19?
The World Health Organization says safe water, sanitation and hygienic conditions are essential for protection of health against Covid-19. A joint study by the WHO and the United Nations’ children’s agency, Unicef, found that nearly three billion people – some 40% of the global population and living almost entirely in developing nations – lack “basic hand washing facilities”. This was enough to spark concerns that the coronavirus would tear through their populations, and lead to millions of deaths in countries such as India.
“Typically access to healthcare facilities, hygiene and sanitation is poorer in these countries and is often believed to be the contributing factor of higher incidence of communicable diseases there. It was not unexpected that Covid-19 would have catastrophic consequences in the low and low-middle income countries,” says Dr Shekhar Mande, director general of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
India has a sixth of the world’s population and a sixth of the reported cases. However, it accounts for only 10% of the world’s deaths from the virus, and its case fatality rate or CFR, which measures deaths among Covid-19 patients, is less than 2%, which is among the lowest in the world.
Now, new research by Indian scientists suggests that low hygiene, lack of clean drinking water, and unsanitary conditions may have actually saved many lives from severe Chinese Covid-19.
In other words, they propose that people living in low and low middle-income countries may have been able to stave off severe forms of the infection because of exposure to various pathogens from childhood, which give them sturdier immunity to Covid-19. Both papers, yet to be peer reviewed, looked at deaths per million of population to compare fatality rates.
Praveen Kumar and Bal Chander from Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College looked at data from 122 countries, including 80 high and upper middle-income ones. They suggest that Covid-19 deaths are lower in countries which have a higher population exposed to a diverse range of microbes, particularly of what is called “gram-negative bacteria”.
These bacteria typically are responsible for severe pneumonia, blood and urinary tract and skin infections. But they also are believed to produce an antiviral cytokine – molecules which help fight pathogens – called interferon which protects cells against the coronavirus.
“So far, the existing predictive models for Covid-19 have not taken into account the immune status of populations caused by microbiome or environmental microbial exposure,” Dr Chander told me.
Scientists believe it all boils down to the “hygiene hypothesis”.
Its philosophy is that our environment has become so clean that it has left our immune system insufficiently trained, according to Matt Richtell, author of An Elegant Defense: The Extraordinary New Science of the Immune System. “The broad idea is that we are starving our immune systems of training and activity by excessive focus on cleanliness,” he says.
By itself, it’s not a new idea.
A paper on hay fever, published in 1989, found a striking association between the likelihood of a child getting hay fever allergy and the number of his or her siblings. The paper hypothesised that “allergic diseases were prevented by infection in early childhood, transmitted by unhygienic contact with older siblings or acquired prenatally from a mother infected by contact with her older children”. Another paper published by the World Allergy Organisation and quoted by Mr Richtell said migration studies showed that types of both allergy and auto-immunity “rise as people move from poorer to richer countries”.
Smita Iyer, an immunologist at the University of California, Davis, believes the “hygiene hypothesis” in Covid-19 “does fly in the face of our understanding of anti-viral immune responses”.
Soutik Biswas
India correspondent
BBC
This is typical of the media. They try anything to make the point of their story. I just googled 1/6 and found that it’s 16 percent. Suddenly the different between 10 percent and 16 percent doesn’t seem that significant. More research is needed.—Bandit
NEWS FROM THE CLIMATE DEPOT–
Aussie Scientist Dr. Jennifer Marohasy: ‘Experts can’t see anything ‘unusual about current rate or magnitude’ of climate change’
Biologist Jennifer Marohasy says natural disasters such as Australia’s recent bushfires are not caused by land getting hotter or drier it’s because “we’ve changed how we manage the landscape”.
Ms. Marohasy is the editor of ‘Climate Change: The Facts 2020’ which details the facts around climate change by dissecting the major myths propagated by climate alarmists.
The book features works from leading scientists including atmospheric physicists and chemists who discuss the technical side of climate change. She told Sky News, the scientists and experts in the book “can’t see catastrophes, they see cycles”.
“They can’t see anything unusual about the current rate or magnitude of climate change.”
–Sky News Australia
UPDATE: TELL NEW MEXICO TO ALLOW MOTORSPORTS TO RESUME–
DON’T DELAY!
Please contact New Mexico’s leaders and ask them to support the New Mexico Motorsports Coalition’s updated plan to safely resume racing with spectators.
YOU MAY USE THE FOLLOWING POINTS IN YOUR MESSAGE:
The New Mexico Motorsports Coalition (NMMC) has put forth an updated plan to safely allow racing to resume statewide with spectators.
NMMC’s proposal allows motorsports to safely operate under Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s reopening plan for the state.
NMMC’s plan allows residents to enjoy racing in their communities instead of traveling to neighboring states that have already implemented similar guidelines.
New Mexico has a rich motorsports tradition and is home to 16 racetracks and the businesses and enthusiasts that support them.
The safe resumption of racing would provide desperately needed economic stimulus to New Mexico and a morale boost to its residents.
Overview: The New Mexico Motorsports Coalition (NMMC), a group comprised of racing facilities across New Mexico, has submitted an updated, comprehensive SAN-supported plan to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham that would allow motorsports to safely resume with spectators statewide. As it stands, New Mexico residents must travel to neighboring states in order to enjoy racing.
–SEMA
D E C E P T I O N–
“Your mind is continuously creating distractions. Just watch your mind, and you will understand what Buddha is saying. It never allows you to sit silently even for a few moments. If you sit silently it says, ‘Why not listen to the radio? The newspaper must have come, the mail may have arrived. Why not go to the movie? Why not watch TV?’ If you are in the shop your mind says, ‘Go home, rest – you are tired.’ If you are at home your mind says, ‘What you are doing here, wasting your time? Go to the shop – you could have earned something!’
The mind never allows you to be where you are, it never allows you to see things as they are. It is always taking you somewhere else, either into the past or into the future; it never allows you to be in the present. Either it drags you into memories – which are nothing but footprints on the sands of time – or it drags you into the future: great projections, great expectations, desires, goals . . . And you become so much involved with them – as if they have some reality! And the reality is slipping out of your hands while you are engaged in all these trips into the past, into the future.
The mind never allows you and will never allow you to see that which is; it always takes you to that which is not. One of the names of Buddha is Tathagata – one who lives in suchness, one who has become free from all the distractions of the mind. And the miracle is that the mind consists only of distraction, so once you are free of all distractions there is no mind left. In the present there is no mind. In the present there is only consciousness, awareness, watchfulness.
Live in the world, but not through the mind. Don’t let the past or the future stand between you and reality. And if you can manage the state of no-mind even for a few moments – that’s what meditation is all about – you will be surprised: suddenly you are in rhythm with existence. You will know what Buddha calls aes dhammo sanantano – the eternal law.”
–O S H O
‘Dhammapada, Vol 5, Ch 9’
OSHO
Never Born
Never Died
Only Visited this
Planet Earth between
Dec 11 1931 – Jan 19 1990
–from the Wayfarer
Senior Bikernet Monk
Bikernet Two-Wheeled Temple
At the Base of the Gray Mountai
Washington Activist Blasts State Efforts To Block Future Car Tax Cuts–Attorney general in Washington state seeks lifetime ban political activist who has led public revolt against car taxes.
On the day Washington state motorists began submitting ballots for the 2020 election they learned the state Supreme Court had nullified a hotly contested decision they made in 2019 — and perhaps permanently.
With 55 percent of the vote last year, motorists endorsed Initiative 976 which was supposed to roll back legislative increases in car registration fees, known as car tabs. Earlier this month, high court justices accepted the argument of car tax beneficiaries that voters must have been confused by the measure’s wording.
On Tuesday, initiative sponsor Tim Eyman blasted state attorney general Bob Ferguson (D) not only for losing the high court case on purpose but also seeking to ban Eyman from introducing ballot initiatives in the future.
“By spending nearly $2 million of taxpayer money aggressively attacking me and my family, Ferguson hoped to break me,” Eyman explained in an email to supporters. “During mandatory arbitration a few months ago, the attorney general told my attorney Richard Sanders that the state would only stop if I ‘voluntarily’ agreed to the lifetime ban.”
Eyman rejected the offer as an attack on his First Amendment rights. The political activist has become a high-profile target from his introduction of dozens of statewide initiatives, many passed by voters, that reduce taxes — including three car tab fee reduction initiatives. He also led the successful ballot effort that banned red light cameras in his hometown of Mukilteo. Eyman claims his measures have saved voters $43 billion, but Ferguson has filed a lawsuit that says Eyman may have violated campaign finance rules to make that happen. Losing the suit could end Eyman’s initiative-writing career.
“That’s what it’s always been about — shutting down the most effective taxpayer protection organization in state history,” Eyman said.
The Washington Supreme Court said in its ruling earlier this month that “the average informed lay voter” did not understand that voting in 2019 to reduce car fees would also repeal a subset of taxes that had been approved previously by voters. It also argued the measure violated the rule requiring initiatives to be about only one subject. Eyman said the justices were applying a different standard to his measure after upholding far more confusing proposals introduced by special interest groups.
“When an initiative is approved by voters, judges are required to bend-over-backwards to uphold them — initiatives, and legislative laws, are assumed to be constitutional and there’s a very heavy burden to prove they’re not,” Eyman said.
Source: PDF File Garfield County Transportation Authority v. Washington (Washington Supreme Court, 10/15/2020)
MIC RESEARCH & STATISTICS
Third-Quarter Sales Success:
Bikes Up by Double Digits
The good news on sales keeps rolling.
The MIC is reporting a new-model sales increase for the third quarter of this year. Year-to-date sales of new motorcycles and scooters through September increased 10.2 percent compared to the same period last year.
More detailed information by model type is available in the MIC Retail Sales Unit Summary. All MIC members who have signed restricted use agreements may access the summary on the MIC.org website.
MIC members can also access the MIC Tire Sales Report, showing total September year-to-date motorcycle/scooter tire sales, compared to the same period last year. The quarterly report, an excellent indicator of industry tire sales trends, as well as motorcycle usage, vehicle population, and aftermarket sales trends is available on the MIC website.
–MIC
MORE BIKERNET COVID FREE BANDANAS FROM HAL ROBINSON—We, or actually Marie has been working on this art for a Hal Robinson bandana for almost a year, maybe longer.
We finally came up with the killer color combination. We are currently working with a new manufacturer. Ann Robinson, Hal’s ex is determined to keep Hal’s legacy alive through his magnificent art from the pages of Easyriders.
I’ll let you know if we are able to order a batch. In the meantime, check out our other Hal Robinson products.
–Bandit
REALITY CHECK–‘Today, we live some 100 times better than did our ancestors at the end of the 18th century’
The luxuries that we take for granted — abundant food on demand, clean running water, electricity, electronic communications and media, advanced medical care, inexpensive clothing, home and office heating, rapid transportation, universal basic education, free libraries, and dozens of other important advances — are linked to warming temperatures that have afforded enough surplus food to support educators, scientists, inventors, technicians, physicians, and the suppliers of so many of our modern conveniences.” …
“Global food production has exploded since 1970, due in part to a favorable climate. For the first time in human history, we live in an age during which it is not necessary for large numbers of human beings to go hungry.”
–Climate Depot
BIKERNET UNIVERSITY ENGLISH DEPARTMENT WORD OF THE DAY– Where Did The Word “Achoo” Come From? Every sneeze has a different ring to it, but there are only a few words in English that name the sound. Achoo is one of the most favored, but is it really a word?
Where did achoo come from?
This instance of onomatopoeia imitates the sound of sneezing. The first syllable mimics the quick intake of breath, while the second corresponds with the tone of the convulsive expulsion of air through the nose and mouth. Achoo is also considered an interjection, in the same class of words as ouch or gosh.
Other languages follow the same approach. A sneeze sound in Russian can be apchkhi; in Korean, achee.
In the medical world, ACHOO is an acronym for a sternutation disorder called Autosomal Dominant Compelling Helioophthalmic Outburst Syndrome that results in uncontrollable sneezing.
What about God bless you?
After a sneeze, there are a few common responses. God bless you (or bless you) and gesundheit are two. Gesundheit is German for “healthiness.”
As for the origin of God bless you, there are a number of ideas. There are superstitious beliefs that connect evil to sneezing, such as the idea that a sneeze releases a soul to the waiting grasp of evil spirits. Hence, a blessing is needed.
A false belief that originated during the Renaissance dictates that a sneeze causes the heart to momentarily stop. The blessing was a brief prayer that the heart would not fail completely.
There are numerous other tales that have to do with sneezing. For example, one folk saying asserts a sneeze means that someone is thinking amorously about you.
What are some alternatives to bless you?
If you’re not a fan of bless you, what should you say? In some countries, people tend to ignore sneezes (China and Japan, for example), but in most, there is some expectation of a response. To say these vary quite a bit is an understatement.
If you’re looking for an alternative to bless you, we humbly propose one of these:
health (or recover): Since Gesundheit means “healthiness,” why not use the English word as a substitute? (You’ll never struggle to spell it.) The Dutch, Armenians, Greeks, Ukrainians, and many others use a version of their own word for health to acknowledge a sneeze. You might try salud (Spanish) or noroc (Romanian) to give your blessing a bit of flair. To your health and recover also have nice rings to them.
Live long: Again, there are multiple variations of this one, some longer than others. (One Telugu phrase offered up after a sneeze translates to “May you be blessed with a life without death.”)
It’s the truth: The Czech, Slovenian, and Marathi languages use a phrase that translates to “it is true/truth,” while the Polish and Croatian languages use “truth” due to a superstition that sneezing means something the sneezer said is true.
You shall grow tall: This is the translation of the German Großwachsen. For a child, you might use May you grow up (as they do in Romania).
Go away, kitten: This one might be the most creative of the responses. Serbians use this phrase with children for the most part, as a sneeze supposedly sounds like a cat’s cough. Hmm. We can’t say we disagree. (But how many cat videos should we watch to be sure? All the videos, right?)
Are you all right? After multiple sneezes, maybe you should simply pose a polite question. In Japan, sneezes are seldom noted, but they might inquire about someone’s health after a particularly noisy sneezing fit.
A sneeze by any other name is still a sneeze, though … even if you call it a sternutation. Read more about that and other fancy words for bodily functions here.
–from Dictionary.com
BRAND NEW New Bikernet Reader Comment!–Top Ten Motorcycle Road Trip Safety Tips for Beginners
https://www.bikernet.com/pages/5_Motorcycle_Road_Trip_Safety_Tips_for_Beginners.aspx
Excellent
— Jonathan Coltman
Springs, Gauteng, South Africa
KEEP THE BANDIT’S CANTINA BAD JOKE LIBRARY WIDE OPEN—Mask Free!
A 65-year-old man walked into a crowded waiting room and approached the desk.
The Receptionist said, ‘Yes sir, what are you seeing the Doctor for today?’
‘There’s something wrong with my dick’, he replied.
The receptionist became irritated and said, ‘You shouldn’t come into a crowded waiting room and say things like that. ‘
‘Why not, you asked me what was wrong and I told you,’ he said.
The Receptionist replied; ‘Now you’ve caused some embarrassment in this room full of people. You should have said there is something wrong with your ear or something and discussed the problem further with the Doctor in private.’
The man replied, ‘You shouldn’t ask people questions in a roomful of strangers, if the answer could embarrass anyone. The man walked out, waited several minutes, and then re-entered.
The Receptionist smiled smugly and asked, ‘Yes??’
‘There’s something wrong with my ear,’ he stated.
The Receptionist nodded approvingly and smiled, knowing he had taken her advice.. ‘And what is wrong with your ear, Sir?’
‘I can’t piss out of it,’ he replied.
The waiting room erupted in laughter…
–El Waggs
Officially Certified
Librarian
Bandit’s Cantina™
Bad Joke Library
Autonomous Race Car Starts Test Lap, Immediately Slams Into Wall–And we mean immediately.
Driver assistance systems are gradually getting closer to full autonomy; however, none of them are quite there yet. Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” is not actually capable of driving on its own, and Cadillac’s Super Cruise only works on the highway. There’s also a slew of startups attempting to develop fully driverless tech that has yet to offer anything for sale to the public. However, it should be easier on racetracks, right? There are no intersections, no stoplights—just the mapped course ahead.
Well, as easy as it may sound, an autonomous vehicle in the Roborace series seems to be having a bit of trouble with it. After starting a race as the only vehicle on-track, it took a sharp right turn and accelerated, running straight into a barrier while livestreaming on Twitch. You can’t help but laugh at the immediate mishap.
To be clear, not all Roborace vehicles do this. The plan is for each race team to develop its own autonomous tech with the electric drivetrains and chassis all being identical. So, in a race, that means this car would just DNF while other AIs drove around it, hopping on the radio and screeching like an old dial-up modem…or something. That’s how robots express joy. At least, I think.
Jokes aside, this incident is one of a few embarrassing mistakes Roborace cars have made in the past. That doesn’t mean they don’t also have good laps, though. One of the vehicles successfully drove up the hill climb at the Goodwood Festival of Speed a year ago, impressing spectators when the driver monitoring the car got out midway through the run, sending the vehicle on its way.
So, while not every autonomous racecar outing ends in an accident, all of the funny ones do. It would be interesting to see what a Tesla with FSD would do around a racetrack. I wouldn’t be surprised if it ran into a barrier as well.
Got a tip? Send us a note: tips@thedrive.com
–By Peter Holderith
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS–Eyes and Ears on Moab
The scenic Southwestern city of Moab, Utah, for decades a favorite destination of powersports enthusiasts, has voted on new restrictions aimed at local noise reduction following a record number of public complaints.
The Grand County Commission and the Moab City Council met last month and decided on three joint resolutions:
A temporary moratorium on issuing new business licenses for the sale, rental, or leasing of all-terrain vehicles, as well as commercial outdoor recreational uses involving an ATV, and ATV outfitting, guiding, and touring. Plus a temporary moratorium on issuing new special events permits for all-terrain vehicle vendors, associations, and groups.
“Despite receiving comments from industry organizations and their intent to compromise on the issue, the county and city have taken this direction,” said Scott Schloegel, MIC senior vice president of government relations. “Nationwide, we’ve seen greater interest in outdoor OHV recreation and Moab has seen a recent increase in city and county business license applications for sales, rentals, and licensing of ATVs, and related guide services that serve non-residents.
The MIC Government Relations Office is monitoring developments in Utah and will continue to represent industry and enthusiast interests.”
–MIC
Voxan claims 11 records with the world’s fastest electric motorcycle–While some speed records are going through a heated patch of controversy right now, others appear to be agreed upon. French manufacturer Voxan and the global sanctioning body for motorcycle racing, the FIM, have put out joint press releases announcing no less than 11 new electric motorcycle speed records.
After COVID-19 forced it to abandon a planned record attempt on the salt flats in Bolivia earlier this year, Voxan went home to France and hired out a runway instead. Last weekend, the team went out to Châteauroux airfield, a few hours south of Paris, and got the job done in comprehensive fashion.
Despite using a scarily-short 3.5-km (2.17-mi) runway instead of an expansive, smooth salt flat, ex-MotoGP racer and the 362-horsepower (270 kW) Voxan Wattman managed to substantially raise the bar for electric land speed motorcycling.
The first big-ticket record was a two-way average of 228.05 mph (366.94 km/h) for the “partially streamlined electric motorcycle over 300 kg (661 lb)” class, measured over a full mile (1.6 km) after a flying start, beating the previous record of 204 mph (329 km/h) set by the Mobitec EV-02A. The bike peaked at 254 mph (408 km/h) for just an instant during the record run, giving the team a taste of what it might be able to achieve with a longer track.
The second was the same flying mile using a non-streamlined naked version of the bike with a tiny bikini fairing instead of a giant dustbin. This version of the bike can be seen in the hero image at the top, revealing the Wattman’s single-sided front swingarm, presumably hub-steered. This bike managed a two-way average of 217.14 mph (349.38 km/h), reaching a peak speed of 231 mph (372 km/h) that would’ve felt absolutely crazy from the saddle.
The team chalked up nine more records including:
¼ mile, flying start, partially streamlined: 394.45 km/h (245.10 mph) – no previous record
¼ mile, flying start, non-streamlined: 357.19 km/h (221.95 mph) – no previous record
1 km, flying start, partially streamlined: 386.35 km/h (240.07 mph – previous record: 329.31 km/h (204.62 mph)
¼ mile, standing start, non-streamlined: 126.20 km/h (78.42 mph) – no previous record
¼ mile, standing start, partially streamlined: 127.30 km/h (79.10 mph) – previous record: 87.16 km/h (54.16 mph)
1 km, standing start, non-streamlined: 185.56 km/h (115.30 mph) – no previous record
1 km, standing start, partially streamlined: 191.84 km/h (119.20 mph) – previous record: 122.48 km/h (76.11 mph)
1 mile, standing start, non-streamlined: 222.82 km/h (138.45 mph) – no previous record
1 mile, standing start, partially streamlined: 225.01 km/h (139.81 mph)
While the team is happy with its performance, the plan is to go faster, and Voxan now has the 400 km/h and 250 mph marks in its sights with further attempts planned up until the end of 2022.
By Loz Blain
News Atlas.com
I kept moving the Bandit’s Dayroll around on the Pandemic. I like what I did to the front end and hate to hide it, including the Paughco brass dogbone risers. I think I found a cool spot.
I’m wrapping up another Bandit’s Dayroll story with Cruz Tools. They make three versions of this super small took kit. There’s another Cruz tool kit in the Pandemic dayroll.
RFR in Texas is running a Bandit Bedroll on this classic.
Have a helluva weekend and Ride Fast and Free!
–Bandit
