Hey,
We’re in the middle of a holiday weekend, and I’ve got three bikes in the shop being build. They tug me away from this goddamn screen like a naked redhead blowing in my ear. I can’t stand it.
You’ll run across a report about V-Twin and Ted’s Cycle below. This site had the balls to bring this issue to the forefront. You’ll notice that I don’t do business with V-Twin, because of their history of stealing parts. We also don’t do business with DNA because they steal parts and have them manufactured in Korea. I generally avoid doing business with companies that screw customers or other companies in the industry. I’m always willing to give a company another chance, if they straighten out, or do the right thing.
V-TWIN CYCLE STEALS–It was brought to our attention that several of our members, all highly respected and well-known individuals, both on this site and in the industry as a whole, have been seriously mistreated by V-TWIN MANUFACTURING (also known as Taiwan Ted). They have gotten away with it for too long, and it’s time we stood up as the community that we are, and take action!
The Problem
V-TWIN MANUFACTURING buys one of the items, and sends it to Asia for cheap reproduction. Possible quality issues aside, this means that the original creators of the parts are being seriously undercut, and are losing business because of it. Rather than buying directly from the rightful manufacturer of the part, at a wholesale price, they are being outsourced to maximize revenue, as these items don’t even sell for much less than the originals. In a time like this, when thousands of Americans are losing their income due to their jobs being exported to booming economies in Asia, how can any business get away with this and not face any consequences?
–Chopper Web
BIKERNET COPY EDITOR GIVES UP RIDE IMAGES–How was your trip? Here’s a link to a few photos I shot during my ride,. Feel free to use some of them if you want.
–Bruce
GUN NUT REPORT–“I would rather have India resort to arms in order to defend her honor than that she should in a cowardly manner become or remain a helpless witness to her own dishonor.” Gandhi
The right of citizens to bear arms is just one guarantee against arbitrary government.” Hubert H. Humphrey, VP
“Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic purpose of their daily life.” John F. Kennedy
“Ordinary citizens don’t need guns, as their having guns doesn’t serve the state.” Heinrich Himmler, Head of Nazi SS
“Rifles, muskets, long-bows and hand-grenades are inherently democratic weapons. That rifle on the wall of the labourer’s cottage or working class flat is the symbol of democracy.” George Orwell
“The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in their government.” Jefferson
–from Irving Marsh
BIKERNET APPROVED MIGRAINE THERAPY–You can also hear the ocean.
You are absolutely right; in desperation I tried that.
I was instantly cured of the Migraine.
My initial impression was of the visuals of the bike. I like the flat paint, the fat front tire, small front fender and the mini ape bars. I would change the headlight and the fat monster cans on the exhaust. I had a Victory Kingpin with the same headlight. The KP looks good with that light but the High Ball needs a round headlight.
Riding the bike was more comfortable than I thought it would be. You can adjust the bars down to a lower position by loosening a few bolts on the risers but we left them up. The upper position puts you in a more aggressive riding position that felt pretty good. Turning requires a little more work due to the fat tire and the bar position but it was an easy ride and I actually enjoyed it.
The engine and transmission felt well refined and sounds were not at all harsh. I know that the 2012 trans has been re-worked and the shift was positive in both feel and sound. It shifts a lot like my 2001 Victory Cruiser. The 106 c.i. engine has plenty of power and feels great in all ranges. I would gladly add this bike to my stable!
I recently picked up a 2010 Victory Vision 8-Ball and swapped with Bandit between my Vision and the High Ball. There were many differences between these bikes and some similarities as well. Both bikes have the 106/6 combination but I think that they may be tweaked for the different riding styles that Victory assumes the bikes will be utilized for.
My Vision is my fifth Victory and it is the best one yet. They just keep getting better. The “Coupe De Vision” is extremely comfortable with a low sculpted seat that is the most comfortable stock seat I’ve ever had. It has great back support and with the large floorboards you can really stretch out for a comfortable highway cruise or pull your feet back to a mid-control position to carve the corners on a twisty road like the Blue Ridge Parkway or the Dragon. The Vision has love-it-or-hate-it styling but the 8-Ball version, with its blacked out features and lack of trunk help make this a more eye appealing ride. You can’t stop and buy gas or park it at bike night without spending 30 minutes answering questions about it.
Victory uses one wiring harness for the Vision regardless of features so it is easy to add features like the electric windshield motor (I did), heated seat, heated grips etc. if you choose. There is no radio on the 8-Ball but that is just fine with me. I never listen to tunes when I ride. There is an amplifier option that is available aftermarket installed on my bike but I rarely use it.
I enjoyed the ride on the High Ball and would love to have it for around town. Lots of well thought out features and good looks. The Vision will continue to be my main ride and I’m looking forward to the open road on the way to Sturgis this year for the Vision’s first trip out.
–Paul Aiken
Nominations are Due for the Young Activist Scholarship–The MRF Awareness and Education, Inc. is reminding everyone that the Young Activist Scholarship nominations are due by July 15, 2011. The YAS scholarship was started in 2004 to help usher in the next generation of freedom fighters in the motorcycle rights movement by bringing candidates to the Meeting of Minds Conference, that may not otherwise be able to do so.
If you know someone whom you wish to nominate, please remember that candidates must between the ages of 18 to 30 years old, be an active member of an SMRO and have a valid motorcycle endorsement on their driver’s license to be considered. In addition to these basic qualifications, all applicants must submit a 300 word essay explaining why motorcycles rights are important to them along with their application. All nominations must be submitted on YAS Scholarship form which can be downloaded on the MRF A&E website at www.mrfae.org.
All YAS winners will receive an expenses paid trip to the 2011 Meeting of the Minds Conference in Romulus, MI from September 22-25th, along with a one year membership to the Motorcycle Riders Foundation. While in Michigan, scholarship winners will be invited to participate in a round table discussion during one of the general sessions to open a dialogue with current members about connecting with the next generation of freedom fighters.
A blonde goes into work one morning crying her eyes out. Her boss asked sympathetically, ‘What’s the matter?’ The blonde replies, ‘Early this morning I got a phone call saying that My mother had passed away.’ The boss, feeling sorry for her, says, ‘Why don’t you go home for the day? Take the day off to relax and rest.’ ‘Thanks, but I’d be better off here. I need to keep my mind off it and I have the best chance of doing that here.’ The boss agrees and allows the blonde to work as usual. A couple of hours pass and the boss decides to check on the blonde. He looks out from his office and sees the blonde crying hysterically… ‘What’s so bad now? Are you gonna be okay?’ he asks. ‘No!’ exclaims the blonde. ‘I just received a horrible call from my sister. Her mother died, too!’
–from Buckshot
RIVERA PRIMO SAYS, “Check us out in Sturgis, SD! “–Once again, its that time for the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Like every year, Sturgis brings out the best in Bikes, Women and of course maufacturers..like us. We’ll be inside the J & P Cycles store once again showing off all the new & current products that have made Rivera Primo a name synonymis with quality and dependability over the almost 40 years that we’ve been in business! Come visit us, ask any questions about V twins that you have been saving up all year for and then Lets RIDE!!!
When & Where?
For the 71st Sturges Rally, Rivera Primo Inc. will be displaying inside the J & P Cycles store on Lazelle in Sturgis, South Dakota from Aug. 4th – 14th, 2011. See you there..
AMD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Rivera Primo Inc. is a proud and long time sponser of the AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building which can be seen in Sturgis, SD at 3rd & Lazelle.
J&P Cycles Welcomes 25,000 to 32nd Annual Open House —ANAMOSA, Iowa – Canada, California, Florida, Washington-state – these are just some of the places this year’s 32nd Annual Open House had visitors come from. More than 25,000 people converged on Anamosa, IA and J&P Cycles
The crowd was wowed this year by the extreme skills of Extreme Obstacle Rider Geoff Aaron. A 10-time AMA Trials Champion, Aaron has more than 73 career National wins and gave the crowd something to cheer about! In addition, the ILL Conduct Stunt Show was a favorite, as was the Daytona Harley-Davidson® Drill Team.
More than 80 motorcycle-related vendors were onsite displaying the latest wares – motorcycles, motorcycle parts
About 60 registrants took part in two days worth of bike shows. Saturday’s show, sponsored by American Iron, American Iron Motorcycle Bagger and RoadBike magazines featured all makes and models while Sunday’s focused on vintage bikes and retro bobbers, sponsored by IronWorks magazine.
A silent auction held on both Saturday and Sunday raised a record $7,000 for the National Motorcycle Museum. Thank you to the generous vendors and manufacturers who donated the fantastic silent auction items. Additionally, more than $5,000 in products were donated and given away to those in attendance in the way of door prizes.
Eastern Iowa non-profit Camp Courageous of Iowa raised a tremendous amount of money thanks to the generosity of J&P Cycles® customers. Water and soda stations were set up throughout the grounds, manned by Camp Courageous volunteers. Donations were accepted on behalf of the organization and when the event was complete, $9,300 was raised.
All-in-all it was truly a spectacular time!! Next year’s event is scheduled for June 23 and 24, 2012, so it’s not too early to make plans to attend! Thank you again to all who attended!
–Angela Kearney
J&P Cycles, Inc
Marketing Coordinator
13225 Circle Drive, PO Box 138
Anamosa, Iowa 52205
D 319-462-4819, ext. 8229
WWW.JPCYCLES.COM
Keeping the world on two wheels!
BIKERNET FAMILY ALERT–A Muslim kid can’t find his mother in the supermarket.
The store attendant says “What does your mother look like?”
The kid says “How the fuck should I know?”
–from Bob Clark
www.snopes.com/autos/law/ticket.asp
In fact anytime some oddball thing comes along I recommend you run it past snopes.com.
Yours in truthful reporting, smilin’ Doc Robinson.
Tech editor
Heavy Duty Magazine
photos from Derrel Whitemeyer
HOLLISTER RALLY REPORT–Quite the turnout at Corbin’s Saturday the 2nd.
Gypsy from Mississippi, travels on an FXR that’s detailed from fin to fin, by hand…..
Gypsy hauled ass out of Long Beach at noon Friday arriving at my Bungalow early evening…just in time for a Mexican dinner at the corner taco stand, followed by an ice cold bottle Bud.
Gypsy eye balled the Bobber hot rod that my neighbor Jimmy “the Mortician” rides nearly every day and after accessing the situation we set up an air compressor, air hose and Gypsy’s magical air tools and trusty carbide bits appeared. Gypsy plugged his ear plugs and an I Pod in and the chips started flying. Finally, in the wee hours the air compressor slowed down and people passed out.
Sunday morning early we were up at the crack of dawn, lowered the curtain and snoozed until after 8:00…We loaded a small air compressor that we didn’t need. Thanks to Mike Corbin, Mike let us use the factory air. Gypsy and the Mortician arrived after noon and the chips were flyin non stop until after 5:00.
Police say Hells Angels 50th was a successful bust–Police say they successfully disrupted the Hells Angels 50th anniversary celebrations last night in an attempt to avoid offending and harm to the community.
The party was held in the Auckland suburb of Mount Eden, but the guests of honour never made it.
It was supposed to be a party to commemorate 50 years of the notorious motorcycle gang being in New Zealand.
Authorities had claimed a road block was a routine traffic stop; but today they finally admitted it was part of a wider effort to crash the party and stop any offending.
Police say eleven gang members travelling to New Zealand for the party in Mount Eden last night never made it thanks to their work alongside immigration and customs.
Two gang members were denied visas offshore, seven were offloaded in their country of origin and two landed in New Zealand but were refused entry.
The organised financial crime agency launched the operation after finding an email during a search of the gang’s Auckland headquarters in December.
It was addressed to Hells Angels gang members worldwide and suggested how they could avoid border protection officers on their way to the party.
In March police raided 31 properties including the nelson headquarters of the red devils, who were attempting to become the first south island affiliates of the hells angels.
Detective Inspector Grant Wormald, of the New Zealand Organised and Financial Crime Agency, says authorities will continue to keep a vigilant eye on all gang activity.
–By Dan Parker
3 News
BIKERNET UNIVERSITY AMAZING 4TH OF JULY WORD–
pullulate PUHL-yuh-leyt, verb:
1. To exist abundantly; swarm; teem.
2. To send forth sprouts, buds, etc.
3. To increase rapidly; multiply.
Swept along by events, we have not had time to sketch in the comic race of courtiers who pullulate at the court of Parma and passed droll comments on the events we have been recounting.
— Stendhal, John Sturrock, The charterhouse of Parma
I do not want to describe it; a chaos of heterogeneous words, the body of a tiger or a bull in which teeth, organs and heads monstrously pullulate in mutual conjunction and hatred can (perhaps) be approximate images.
— Jorge Luis Borges, Donald A. Yates, James East Irby, Labyrinths: selected stories & other writings
I don’t remember what I chose.
2. Your birth certificate is an apology letter from the condom factory.
3. A wife is a sex object. Every time you ask for sex, she objects.
4. Impotence: nature’s way of saying, “No hard feelings…”
5. There are only two four letter words that are offensive to men – ‘don’t’ and ‘stop’, unless they are used together.
6. Panties: not the best thing on earth, but next to the best thing on earth.
7. There are three stages in a man’s life: Tri-Weekly, Try Weekly and Try Weakly.
8. Virginity can be cured.
9. Virginity is not dignity, it’s lack of opportunity.
10. Having sex is like playing bridge – if you don’t have a good partner, you better have a good hand.
11. I tried phone sex once, but the holes in the dial were too small.
12. Marriage is the only war where you get to sleep with the enemy.
13. Question: What’s an Australian kiss? Answer: The same thing as a French kiss, only down under.
14. A couple just married were happy with the whole thing. He was happy with the Hole and she was happy with the Thing.
15. Question: What are the three biggest tragedies in a man’s life? Answer: Life sucks, job sucks and the wife doesn’t.
16. Question: Why do men find it difficult to make eye contact? Answer: Breasts don’t have eyes.
17. Despite the old saying, ‘Don’t take your troubles to bed’, many men still sleep with their wives!
HOW LONG CAN YOU SURVIVE ON BEER ALONE?– Can You Survive on Beer Alone? Long enough to develop scurvy.
Slate.com
–from Robin Hartfiel
Non-profit organization seeks to lift morale of U.S. troops deployed overseas by sending care packages of snacks, entertainment items and personal letters of appreciation. For more information, go to: www.OperationGratitude.com
To make half a kilo of honey, bees must collect nectar from over 2 million individual flowers
Heroin is the brand name of morphine once marketed by ‘Bayer’.
Tourists visiting Iceland should know that tipping at a restaurant is considered an insult!
People in nudist colonies play volleyball more than any other sport.
Albert Einstein was offered the presidency of Israel in 1952, but he declined.
Astronauts can’t belch – there is no gravity to separate liquid from gas in their stomachs.
Ancient Roman, Chinese and German societies often used urine as mouthwash.
The Mona Lisa has no eyebrows. In the Renaissance era, it was fashion to shave them off!
–from Ted Terebenetz
See more fantastically interesting facts in the news this coming Thursday.
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THE MAGNIFICENT QUICK THROTTLE MOTO-JOURNALISTS HITS BEVERLY HILLS AUTO BIKE SHOW– Only one Harley in the bunch.
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Barely noticeable (I hope I sent it 😉
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Below is more evidence of China moving on – My guess is anybody under 40 years old better learn to speak Mandarin. Just as building the interstate highway system a half-century ago made modern, national commerce more feasible in the United States, China’s ambitious rail rollout is helping integrate the economy of this sprawling, populous nation — though on a much faster construction timetable and at significantly higher travel speeds than anything envisioned by the Eisenhower administration. Work crews of as many as 100,000 people per line have built about half of the 10,000-mile network in just six years, in many cases ahead of schedule — including the Beijing-to-Shanghai line that was not originally expected to open until next year.
The entire system is on course to be completed by 2020.
For the United States and Europe, the implications go beyond marveling at the pace of Communist-style civil engineering. China’s manufacturing might and global export machine are likely to grow more powerful as 200-mile-an-hour trains link cities and provinces that were previously as much as 24 hours by road or rail from the entrepreneurial seacoast
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ANOTHER MANUFACTURER OF COLD WEATHER RIDING GEAR–
My name is Andy Calogero from Crank & Stroker Supply Company.
I originally contacted your company about 5-6 years ago about possibly adding a link to your site,,,I did not speak with you but I spoke with a lady that worked there(can’t remember her name, SIN WU). Then life took a turn and I had to sideline the project.
Fast forward to today. Never give up! I am an apparel manufacturer for the motor-sport enthusiast lifestyle.
What we make?: We make Light weight thermals that are worn as a base layer for rider, racer, etc. We like to call them Road Skins.
Here is a link to our site: www.crankandstroker.com
A MAN AND HIS DOG–A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. He remembered dying, and that the dog had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them.
After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight. When he was standing before it, he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother of pearl and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold.
He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a beautifully carved desk off to one side. When he was close enough, he called out, “Excuse me, where are we?”
“This is Heaven, ” the man answered.
The old man was really tired and very thirsty so he asked for a drink of water. “Of course. Come right in,” the gatekeeper smiled, “and I’ll have some ice water brought right up.” The man gestured, and the gate began to open.
The old dog looked up at his master’s face, tail wagging. “Oh, and may I have a bowl of water for my friend here,” the old man said gesturing toward his dog, “he and I have come a long way together.”
“I’m sorry, sir,” was the quick reply, “but we don’t accept pets here. You’ll have to leave him outside.”
The old man was really tired of walking and very thirsty but he could not think of leaving his pet behind. Head down, he turned sorrowfully back toward the road. After awhile he came to a narrow dirt road, which led him through an old wooden gate, and into a farmyard. The fence was mostly on the ground and the gate looked like it had never been closed as grass and wild flowers grew all around it. As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book.
The traveler and his dog walked through the gate and approached the man. “Could I trouble you for a drink of water,” he asked.
“Sure can,” replied the man. “There’s a pump over there in the yard. Come on in and help yourself.”
“How about my friend here?” the traveler motioned to the dog.
“Sure, he’s welcome too. There’s a pan by the pump if he’s thirsty,” the reader said.
The tired old man and his aged dog walked through the gate and sure enough there was an old-fashioned hand pump fastened to a wooden slab. A long handled tin dipper hung on a piece of baling wire beside it. On the top of the pump, was a big, metal pan that would hold all the water his dog might want.
The traveler filled the bowl for his dog and then took a long drink of the cool water. He had never tasted anything so good he thought and suddenly all his aches and pains vanished. He felt like a young man.
As he reached down to pet the graying muzzle of his dog, he saw to his amazement the grey was gone from his dog’s hair and broke into a laugh as his dog sprang up to the top of the well and licked his master’s face.
Filled with wonder, the man who was no longer old, strode back to the tree where his host sat reading. “What place is this?” He asked.
“Why, this is Heaven,” came the answer.
Confused, the traveler scratched his head, “I never thought Heaven looked like this. I came to another place back down the road that I thought was surely Heaven. The gatekeeper invited me inside but he wouldn’t let my dog come in, so I just kept walking.”
“Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That’s the front door to Hell.”
“Doesn’t it make you mad for them to use your name like that?” the traveler asked in disbelief.
Corruption CLIMBING In Florida– TALLAHASSEE — The FBI wants to see former Florida House Speaker Ray Sansom’s office records, including travel documents.
Subpoenas last week were served on the offices of the speaker in Tallahassee and Sansom’s House successor, Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz, in Shalimar.
A former Sansom staffer, now working, for Gaetz, also has been called to testify before a federal grand jury on June 21 in Pensacola.
The FBI has been interested in Sansom, a Destin Republican, for an investigation into lavish spending of Republican Party of Florida funds by GOP leaders.
Sansom resigned as speaker and then from the House following allegations he disguised a $6 million appropriation to build an airplane hangar for a political supporter. Criminal charges were dropped after Sansom and two others each agreed to pay $100,000 in restitution.
— from Rogue
BIKERNET INSURANCE SUNDAY MEMO–Roadside Assistance Plans – Don’t ride off without one.
You know what we’re talking about if your bike has ever broken down and you ended up stranded on the side of a lonely road in the middle of nowhere. Or, you were involved in an motorcycle accident far away from home and needed help transporting your motorcycle to the nearest shop for repairs. Roadside assistant plans have become popular as bikers realize the benefits of having access to roadside help when they need it.
All kinds of companies seem to offer roadside assistance these days as a “perk service” of being a member of their offering, be it credit card, cell phone, association or insurance company. Here’s the lowdown on roadside assistance service plans as we see it. You decide.
1. Does the plan serve bikers or cagers?
It’s important to choose a roadside assistance provider that meets your motorcycle riding and travel requirements. Look for a flexible plan that offers benefits tailored to your biker needs and won’t leave you with major out-of-pocket expenses after a breakdown. Be careful to rely on supposedly “free” plans offered by credit cards and cell phone companies. Some are nothing more than glorified dispatch services that leave you paying for big tow truck services.
2. Response times matter
24/7 protection on the road is a must. Don’t purchase a plan that does not guarantee comprehensive roadside coverage no matter the day or time. Then, ask plan providers about the turnaround time for a service call. Wait times that are too long can kill your adventure. Help needs to arrive when you need it and not 5 hours later. Beware of wait times that are described as being more than one hour.
3. What services and benefits are you really getting?
The key question here is “What percentage of service calls will require reimbursement and what percentage will be completely covered by the membership?” A good rule of thumb is to look for specific descriptions in the roadside service handbooks about how to request a reimbursement. The more detail and the more specific, the better chance you will have of avoiding costly “not reimbursed” surprises. Also, pay attention to what you are actually buying. A program that offers to pay for labor, towing and/or hauling costs, but caps out at $50.00, won’t be of much help if, while on your ride to Sturgis, you have to fork out $250.00 to transport your bike to a far-away repair shop.
4. Extra benefits provided? Really?
Remember, you want excellent roadside assistance service, for you and your motorcycle when stranded, not discounts on travel information, credit card purchases, theme parks or grocery items. Avoid the fancy plans that promise all kinds of discounts. Keep it simple by asking the following questions: What is the cost of the basic membership? Who is covered in the basic membership? How many tows are you allowed each year? Is there any reimbursement for hotel rooms? How about out-of-pocket expenses? Can I just sign the service receipt and be back on my way or do I need to pay up and fight for reimbursement at a later date?
The Bottom Line
Roadside assistance plans vary depending on the company that provides them. There are over 35,000 roadside service providers across the nation but not all understand how to deal with stranded motorcycle riders. The plans offered by most insurance companies with specialties in motorcycle insurance are quite reliable and reasonably priced. Hopefully you’ll never need this service, but when you do, you’ll have the comfort of knowing that your roadside assistance program won’t leave you stranded.
Ride safe out there. We care about you.
The Crew at Bikernet Insurance
Toll Free: 888-467-8703
Email for fastest response: mailto:clientservice@bikernet-insurance.com
HAPPY 4TH GODDAMNIT–I”m still trying to catch up with e-mails after the Smoke Out Run. I’ll get there, and the Mudflap girl FXRs are calling from the shop. Ray C. Wheeler is moving in later today, and we are starting work on the exterior of the building and a motorcycle themed coffee shop out front, Bandit’s Barista. You’ll see it all come together right here on Bikernet.
I’m working on my Victory ride article for Bikernet, the Long Road article for the HORSE and the next Mudflap Girl FXR tech, plus the next chapter of the XS build with Mr. Lucky and Danny.
Never a dull moment, and we’re planning a Bikernet Hearse run to Sturgis packing a couple of choppers. I know, trailer queens, WTF. Plus we have a Tom Foster bike feature I need to write, and a story about the Baker Whistle Stop tour. It’s all coming to you live from Bikernet.com.
Ride Forever,
–Bandit
