Hey,
I’m pissed off about our politicians, all of them. Knock off the finger-pointing and get to work, goddamnit. The issues are not about the past, we’ve all made mistakes. It’s about being innovative, proactive, and moving forward.
Enough of that bullshit, we’ve got motorcycles to build, records to break, girls to chase and mountains to climb. Someone wrote me recently regarding my fiction book, Sam “Chopper” Orwell.
“I didn’t know it would happen so fast,” the reader said. Neither did I, strange times. Let’s hit the news:
LIL’ JOES LEATHER TO BE IN DAYTONA–I’ll post just as soon as I find out the answer to the mystery. Where will they be?
Find ’em, they make American made classic leathers for riders.
“Mike here from Lil Joes. Were getting ready to go to Daytona Bike Week and was hopingyou could to an Article about it next week for the Bikernet News.”
Lil Joes Legendary Leathers
1-800-643-3321
“Made in The USA” and “Guaranteed 4 Life”
The Mystery continues.
This just in:We Will Be Attending Daytona Bike Week February 26 Thru March 7 2010.Our Vending Spot is at Main Street And Beach Street in the River Front Park North.We will have a Booth in the Area across from Indian motorcycles and Big Dog motorcycles.There’s free bike parking and free live bands It’s our first event in seven years. Come out and say hi.
–Mike and Lori
ARTIST DICK ALLEN RETURNS FROM HIDING–The drawing below is the only artwork I’ve done since my new career as acaregiver and it’s probably pretty useless to you. I had intended to do aseries in my sketchbook on current men’s gangsta fashions in the states butsoon realized that they all look alike!
–DA
Bikernet Nurse in Training
BIKERNET PORNO SHOP DEAL OF THE WEEK SPONSORED BY NASH BARS–A guy goes in an adult store and asks for an inflatable doll.
Guy behind the counter says , ‘Male or female?’
Customer says , ‘Female.’
Counter guy asks , ‘Black or white?
Customer says , ‘White.’
Counter guy asks , ‘Christian or Muslim?’
Customer says , ‘What the heck does religion have to do with it?’
Counter guy says , ‘The Muslim one blows itself up.’
–Bruce Snyder
BIKERNET WELDING/MANUFACTURING FACILITY– We have a welding shop next door. They need work. If you speak anyone in the industry, who might need a fab shop to do minor jobs, let me know. They currently build protective cages for sprinkler system valves at parks and golf courses.
–Bandit
E-Mail Bandit
UNCLE MONKEY ARCHIVES ADDRESSES TECH MAG HISTORY–I’ve been reading motorcycle and car magazines, well since before I could read. I think I was the only kindergarten student talking about solid lifters, the dominance of the big block Chevy over everything else and how the flood of cheap Japanese bikes were going to be the down fall of us all. It started innocent enough when my cousin discarded a Car Craft magazine into my waiting hands. ?Here learn something important.? It was a love affair that has continued to this day. Every trip to the store is a reason to stand in front of the racks of magazines and lose myself in the fanciful covers. Muscle machines and long drawn out choppers, and always the prerequisite scantily clad girl draped over them telling me that if I own such a bad ass vehicle, I too could land a girl like that.
Magazines have always been held low from a literary place. There are however full of articles of how to and what for. Through the years I have managed to hang on to my collection of magazines. The same cannot be said of my baseball card collection (could have been a millionaire), my comic collection (could have been a millionaire), my…well you get the idea. Perhaps it is because I still take refuge within the glossy pages. Little has changed over the years. First generation Cameros, shoe box Chevys, the latest from builders such as Arlen Ness, Dave Perewitz, and with the odd article about some new comer to the scene like Jesse James from long beach. The article said he held promise and hoped to build bikes full time one day.
Technology has brought magazines to the digital age such as BikerNet and the Busted Knuckle Chronicles. Today we don’t have to wait impatiently for the mailman to finally bring us our copy; dog-eared and tattered, with broken spin; they simple materialize on our desktop awaiting our inquisitive eyes to complete the circle of life. So while newspapers, and journals and novels may fall to the side, our magazines continue to live on. Even if it is only a glossy picture pinned to our wall.
-bad Uncle Monkey
FLAT RAT RACING FACES THE HARSH WINTER–It’s been cold as a mofo here in Northern Virginia for the past couple of weeks and we’ve gotten about 36 inches of snow during that time too. I think your SoCal rain storms are turning into our east coast snow storms. I’m waiting for the snow to melt so I can get back out on the bike.
–Chuck
D&D DEALER DIRECT PROGRAM CONTINUES TO EXPAND–
1) X It Cycles 220 West Main League City, TX 77573 281-554-7333
2) LeJeune Motor Company 315 B Western Blvd Jacksonville. NC 28546 910-577-1788
3) Frontier H-D 205 NW 40th ST Lincoln, NE 68528 402-466-9100
4) Cycle Gear # 39 10998 N Freeway # D Houston, TX 77037 281-448-3700
5) A & G Shops Inc 14940 NW 22nd Ave Opalocka, FL 33054 305-681-9395
6) Detroit Motor City Baggers LLC 5269 Harvard ST Detroit, MI 48224 313-790-1850
7) Bay 6 Motorcycle Workshop 1784 West Ave Bay 6 Miami Beach, FL 33139 305-397-8730
8) Yamaha of Stillwater 4650 W 6th Ave Stillwater, OK 74074 405-377-4941
9) Manor Cycle 1665 South Myrtle Ave Clearwater, FL 33756 727-588-0786
10) Jamestown H-D 18275 Hwy 108 Jamestown, CA 95327 209-984-4888
11) Empire Cycle 7807 E Sprague Ave Spokane, WA 99212 509-892-6368
12) Alexandria Bike Works 7018 Masonic Dr Alexandria, LA 71301 318-787-2791
13) The Shop H-D 2240 Long Lake RD Sudbury, Ontario Canada P3E5H4 705-682-4463
14) Route 43 H-D 3736 S Taylor Dr Sheboygan, WI 53081 920-458-0777
15) Rotes Fab 3001 Colonial Ln North Platte, NE 69101 308-520-1709
16) Extreme Toys USA 1241 Stirling RD #112 Dania Beach, FL 33004 954-989-2020
2/1-2/5/10 new dealers
1) Blue Streak Racing 134 Elgin St Embro, Ontario Canada N0J1J0 519-878-9866
2) 2 Wheel Cycle Repair Inc 2700 N Alameda St Compton, CA 90222 310-604-1801
3) Buddy Stubbs Anthem H-D 41715 North 41st Dr Anthem, AZ 85086 623-465-1122
4) Alleman Cycle Plex 6817 Greenwood Rd Shreveport, LA 71119 318-636-4386
5) Parts Whore Customs 5640 Shull St # X Bell Gardens, CA 90201 323-778-6666
6) Street Cycles 405 US Route 1 Falmouth, ME 04105 207-781-4763
2/8-2/12
1) Walkers H-D 57408 190th ST Pacific Junction, IA 51561 712-622-4000
2) Ronnie’s Cycle Sales of Bennington 2601 West Rd Bennington, VT 05201 802-447-8606
3) Four Rivers H-D 3005 Old Husbands Rd Paducah, KY 42003 270-443-5636
4) Mike’s Famous H-D 1416 Gold Star Hwy Groton, CT 06340 860-445-9745
5) Stoney Straps 27943 Seco Canyon Rd # 140 Santa Clarita, CA 91350 661-505-7266
–Jennifer Millican
D & D Performance Ent
And as always RIDE SAFE & LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES
817-834-8961
Fx: 817-831-4260″
WINTER BLONDE ARCHIVES– As a trucker stops for a red light, a blonde catches up. She jumps out of her car, runs up to his truck, and knocks on the door.
The trucker lowers the window, and she says “Hi, my name is Heather and you are losing some of your load.”
The trucker ignores her and proceeds down the street.
When the truck stops for another red light, the girl catches up again. She jumps out of her car, runs up and knocks on the door.
Again, the trucker lowers the window. As if they’ve never spoken, the blonde says brightly, “Hi my name is Heather, and you are losing some of your load!”
Shaking his head, the trucker ignores her again and continues down the street.
At the third red light, the same thing happens again.
All out of breath, the blonde gets out of her car, runs up, knocks on the truck door. The trucker rolls down the window. Again she says “Hi, my name is Heather, and you are losing some of your load!”
When the light turns green the trucker revs up and races to the next light.
When he stops this time, he hurriedly gets out of the truck, and runs back to the blonde.
He knocks on her window, and after she lowers it, he says…
“Hi, my name is Mark, it’s winter in PENNSYLVANIA and I’m driving the SALT TRUCK!”
–from Fatbob
SHOVELHEADS WILL NEVER DIE–Great article on Ross’ chop…nice history lesson, nice life lesson AND nice Blonde! More of her anytime! I’m diggin’ the Blog!!!
Ride hard.
–Mike.
SHOVELHEAD OWNER SPEAKS UP–Hey Brother, I just checked the site before crash time, and man am I stoked. You did a beautiful job. I am honored to be a part of Bikernet and honored to be your friend. Thank You just doesn’t seem to cut it. I really appreciate the time and effort you put into telling my story and featuring my scoot on the best Biker Website in the world!
Again, Thank You, you are a man of CLASS!
–ROSS
BIKERNET DISCOVERS ANOTHER LEATHER ARTIST–Hey Bandit, Really enjoyed reading that article about Kristine Mueller . I am also a struggling leather artist, actually a starving and broke leather artist. So, it was good to see that I am not the only one in that place.
I guess I’ve got to try a lot harder. I am a male so being an actress is out of the question. But I am a great actor, at least that’s what my wife says. I do custom leather carving. I do a lot of tank panels for Harleys and whatever someone wants in leather.
Again, thank you for the article it really does help those such as myself in the same area.
— Wallie Lawless
Anamosa Iowa
319-462-3523
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Motorcyclists ask Legislature for fair treatmentlegislature: Riders say law enforcement harasses them; bill addressesissue– Donnie Landsman has grown accustomed to those fleeting looks ofdisapproval and trepidation.
When drivers pull up alongside his motorcycle on the highway, they griptheir steering wheels a little tighter and tell their kids to look away.Landsman said he’s been denied service at restaurants for wearing abandanna and a leather vest.
But Landsman, better known in the riding community as “Mr. Breeze,”isn’t in a gang. The husband and father of three has been ridingmotorcycles for about 40 years, and said he has yet to encounter anyonewho belongs to one. As the man who heads up legislative efforts for theWashington chapter of ABATE (American Bikers for Awareness, Training,and Education), a motorcyclist advocacy group, Landsman works to fightnegative assumptions about riders.
Such stereotypes are particularly grating when they come from lawenforcement officers, who Landsman and others say target bikers forselective enforcement and even harassment. In a word: profiling.
“Motorcyclists aren’t looking for special rights,” Landsman said. “Wewant the same rights that are afforded to every other section of thepopulation as American citizens and as citizens of Washington state. Wearen’t being given that.”
The group found a champion in Rep. Steve Kirby, D-Tacoma, who introduceda bill that would force local law enforcement agencies to adopt awritten policy designed to condemn and prevent the profiling ofmotorcyclists and to institute training to address the issue.
But police officials say such a measure would be unnecessary.Capt. Jason Berry of the Washington State Patrol says that there arealready policies in place that prohibit profiling of any kind. Andanyone who wants to can call in or go online to report any misconduct.
“We do not profile any group according to what they ride or drive,”Berry said. “We stop for violations of the law and take the appropriateenforcement actions as a result.”
MONITORED BY POLICE
Biker advocates point to an incident last year as evidence that they arebeing singled out.
Last January, dozens of motorcyclists traveled to Olympia for an eventcalled Black Thursday, an annual motorcycle rights lobbying day. Theyparked their motorcycles near the governor’s mansion, as directed byparking personnel.
In the meantime, the Washington State Patrol released a statement to themedia announcing the motorcyclists’ arrival. Part of that statementread: “Approximately 25 Bandito organized motorcycle gang members havearrived on campus for the ABATE ‘Black Thursday’ event. They are showingtheir gang colors; however, we do not expect any trouble. WSP trooperswill be closely monitoring this group.”
While the riders were inside the Capitol attempting to find sponsorshipfor a bill that would stop motorcycle profiling, the Washington StatePatrol arrived and began taking down license plate numbers.
None of the motorcyclists would have ever known about the incident wereit not for some video footage that was captured as the officers wereworking. Some officers are even shown ducking through bushes to recordthe information.
“That’s gang activity, to go see our legislators?” Landsman said. “Iguess the idea is that if bikers come in, we’re shutting the door andbeating them (legislators) up.”
ABATE leaders cite several other recent episodes of what they see asprofiling. And they say they have evidence to show that law enforcementofficials are not only aware of motorcycle profiling, but that they hadas recently as eight years ago been circulating a training pamphlet thatencouraged it.
In December 2002, a permanent injunction was issued by Thurston CountySuperior Court against the state and the Washington State Patrol fromusing a document called “Biker’s Basic – 101” as an outline for trainingtroopers and other officers.
‘BIKERS ARE DANGEROUS’A copy provided by ABATE’s attorney outlines the three main motorcycleequipment violations in Washington state (helmet, noise and handlebarheight); includes protocol for how to pull bikers over; directs troopersto legally impound the motorcycle and “book” the biker if possible; andtells them to talk to riders about their patches, to take pictures oftheir badges and bikes, and to be professional.
The first line reads: “Bikers are dangerous.”
“Now if that isn’t a statement of profiling, I don’t know what is,”Landsman said.
ABATE claims these protocols are still being followed and that thestate’s helmet, handlebar and noise laws are being used as a falsejustification for pulling over motorcyclists.
AUTHORITIES’ RESPONSE
Kirby, a South Tacoma Democrat, says he’s been intrigued by the topicfor a while. He sponsored similar bills in 2003 and 2005, but theygarnered little attention.
Lately, he’s been wondering whether his long hair and beard would makehim a target if he ever got on a bike.
“I would be profiled too if I had a fancy enough machine,” Kirby said,also stressing that his measure has little to do with picking a fightwith law enforcement.
“I think what you have is a limited number of people in agencies thathave some sort of predisposition about bikers,” said Kirby.
Much of the language used in Kirby’s House Bill 2511 is borrowed from ameasure passed in 2002 that required law e nforcement agencies toinitiate policies to reduce racial profiling. That law seemed to “workovernight,” he said.
Law enforcement officials, meanwhile, deny that motorcyclists are beingtargeted.
“What motorcycle profiling?” asked Don Pierce, executive director forthe Washington Association of Sheriffs & Police Chiefs. “In trafficsituations, here’s who we profile: people who violate the law.”
–MAKS GOLDENSHTEYN; Staff writer
–from Rogue
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