Hey,
It’s Easyriders Pomona Show Sunday, next week Sacramento and the following in Charlotte. We’ll bring you reports and winners features every week. A Discovery Build-Off is wrapping up today at the show. Don’t miss it. Hell, I’ve got to get my ass back out there to pick up our bikes.
I have a request to support all Cantina Members. A couple of readers sent me massive e-mail pack with shots of girls. One was the history of Playboy. I sent them to our esteemed web master who lives in the back woods of Washington where power outages are common and animals eat computers. He lost the images. We were going to pump up our girl of the day section. I’ve you can send them again-terrific. The brother need a new girl everyday, right? I know I do.
I’ve got some very hot news regarding Valerie Thompson, the 5-Ball Racing team rider, and Bonneville, but you’ll have to wait to the conclusion of the news. We need to rock:
MONTANA FREEDOM ALERT–Fellow Freedom Fighters Across America: The great state of MONTANA has long been a FREE state, and with your assistance, ABATE OF MONTANA intends to KEEP IT THAT WAY!
Montana State Representative Betsy Hands …
Betsy Hands (D)
Montana House of Representatives
P. O. Box 200400
Helena, MT 59620-0400
406-721-3881 (home tel)
406-444-4800 (message phone in Helena)
BETSYHANDS@GMAIL.COM (email)
… is sponsoring legislation to introduce a MANDATORY HELMET LAW IN MONTANA… http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2007/lchtml/LC1683.htm
… that would eliminate FREEDOM OF CHOICE when you ride through our state. We ask that you contact her NOW, and let her know that LIMITING YOUR RIGHTS RIDING *THROUGH* MONTANA … LESSENS THE LIKELIHOOD YOU WILL RIDE *TO* MONTANA.
(Please….be respectful in your correspondence)
And don’t just tell her… Please copy (cc:) your email protests to the leaders of the 2007-2008 Montana Legislature, who truly appreciate the importance of not only freedom for ALL Americans, but also free enterprise for our state’s tourism:
COONEYEMAIL@AOL.COM
DANWHARRINGTON@IN-TCH.COM
CWILLIAMS@MONTANADSL.NET
LLSD22@YAHOO.COM
LYNDAMOSS@IMT.NET
COREYSTAPLETON@BRESNAN.NET
GBARKUS@DADCO.COM
SCOTTSALESHD68@EARTHLINK.NET
grt3177@smtel.com
MLANGE6@HOTMAIL.COM
tmcgillvray@bresnan.net
GARYMACLAREN@YAHOO.COM
PARKMONT@HOTMAIL.COM
BERGREN@BOBBERGREN.COM
MCAMPBELLHD31@YAHOO.COM
MCDAVE94@HOTMAIL.COM
DANVILLAFORMONTANA@HOTMAIL.COM
Source: http://leg.mt.gov/css/sessions/60th/leaders.asp
AND IF YOU ARE NOT SURE WHAT TO SAY … HERE IS A LETTER FROM AMA CHAIRMAN, DAL SMILIE, TO GIVE YOU INSPIRATION:
Representative Betsy Hands
Montana House of Representatives
P. O. Box 200400
Helena, MT 59620-0400
Re: LC 1683
Honorable Representative Hands:
I see that you have requested that a mandatory motorcycle helmet law be drafted. I’d sure hope that you not introduce or support such a bill.
I am the national Chairman of the American Motorcyclist Association and Chairman of the Montana Motorcycle Safety Advisory Committee. Both entities support the voluntary use of motorcycle helmets by adults. Neither is for mandatory equipment or lifestyle related restrictive law.
Montana has 40,000 or more motorcyclists counting both on and off-road riders. Family members, occasional riders and ATV riders may make that a larger number. Many of those riders wear helmets but most are very opposed to mandatory restrictions on lifestyle choices for adults.
Many of us believe that safety training for auto drivers and motorcycle riders is much better than making restrictive legislation. Montana has a fine program run by MSUN, the Montana Motorcycle Rider Safety Program. It has now trained a number of riders equal to about one-third or more of the riders in the state.
That program is eligible to receive federal highway safety money from the Office of Highway Safety at MDOT. Motorcycle safety is one of the top five priorities set by the federal government. MDOT refuses to grant any of those dollars to the Montana Motorcycle Safety Program even though non-priority programs are funded.
A very positive, pro motorcycle rider, legislative effort would be to require that MDOT utilize federal 402 A funds to assist the Montana Motorcycle Rider Safety Program unless that program affirms that it does not have an unmet need. Such legislation was proposed some years ago but the, then, director of MDOT promised to make these funds available (he did not keep that promise).
Motorcyclists really do not want restrictive lifestyle legislation. Many are Democrats and it would be a shame if one of the things that Democrats accomplished with the new majority is to limit the personal freedom of Montana motorcyclists. Motorcyclists have been legislatively very active in the past when faced with restrictive legislation and I know they are becoming concerned about this bill as they learn about it.
It is my belief that adults should be able to make their own choices. If others don’t approve of those choices for safety or other reasons it ought to be up to the adult to choose how they want to live. Some motorcyclists don’t want to wear helmets just as some horsemen don’t want to wear helmets, it ought to be their choice. The choice to not wear a helmet does not cause injury to any other person.
The failure to wear a helmet does not cause an accident. Activities like cell phone use by auto drivers actually causes accidents, often it causes injury to pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists. Added attention to limiting those sorts of activity could save the most lives.
Auto driver’s inattentiveness causes most motorcycle accidents. Often drivers causing these accidents receive very little penalty. Many states are enacting legislation creating greater penalties for these right-of-way infractions. That type of legislation would gain the support of Montana’s motorcyclists and would likely save more lives.
In closing, please do not introduce a bill that limits Montanan’s liberty. Such a bill will cause so much dissention and bad will. We would love to work with you on positive bills that can really help Montana’s motorcycle riders and gain our support.
Sincerely,
Dal Smilie, Chairman
American Motorcyclist Association
410 Hayes Ave
Helena, MT 59601
BIKERNET INFO ABOUT CLOTHES DRYERS– I had a wonderful morning, until the heating unit went out on my dryer!
The guy that fixes things went in to the dryer pulled out the lint filter. It was clean. We always clean the lint from the filter after every load of clothes.
He told us that he wanted to show us something. He took the filter over to the sink, ran hot water over it.
Now, the lint filter is made of a mesh material – I’m sure you know what your dryer’s lint filter looks like.
WELL……the hot water just sat on top of the mesh!!! It didn’t go through it at all!!!
He told us that dryer sheets cause a film over that mesh that’s what burns out the heating unit. You can’t SEE the film, but it’s there.
This is also what causes dryer units to catch fire – – – potentially burn your house down with it!
He said the best way to keep your dryer working for a very long time (& to keep your electric bill lower) is to take that filter out & wash it with hot soapy water using an old toothbrush ( or other brush) at least every six months.
He said that makes the life of the dryer at least twice as long! How about that! Learn something new everyday!
I certainly didn’t know dryer sheets would do that. So, I thought I’d share!
MOTORCYCLE SAFETY FOUNDATION VS. OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY– On December 15, 2006 the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) announced that they had filed a lawsuit against Oregon State University (OSU) and Steve Garets, Director of the Team Oregon Motorcycle Safety Program (TOMS) of OSU. The MSF is claiming copyright infringement and violation of their rights under the Lanham Act.
This action was not completely unexpected as the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) has paid close attention to this issue for several years. The very afternoon of the announcement MRF Director of Motorcycle Safety, Jay Jackson, spoke with Steve Garets of Team Oregon as well as MSF President Tim Buche. Communication from the MRF was quickly established not only with Team Oregon and the MSF, but BikePAC Oregon, the National Association of State Motorcycle Safety Administrators (SMSA), several state program coordinators and numerous motorcycle safety instructors as well.
Most of the motorcycling community, especially those close to rider education, recognize that this situation carries potentially severe ramifications. At the least, it is a distraction that draws resources and focus from the primary function of rider education professionals, which is to provide life-saving training. At the worst, it is a divisive issue that may compromise the credibility, consistency, integrity and ultimately the future of rider education.
Ron Shepard, Coordinator of the Idaho STAR program, suspects the MSF’s intent is not necessarily to win the lawsuit, but rather to seek an injunction that would halt all current activity. In doing so, states that are required to offer training may be forced to use an MSF product if their current program is suspended.
Ken Kiphart, SMSA Chairman, surmises that this may be more of a case for the courts and feels it is likely that the SMSA will not be actively involved at this time. In as much as the SMSA’s purpose is to support state programs, it remains possible that this position may change.
Steve Garets stands by the TOMS curriculum and encourages other programs to continue to evaluate the effectiveness of their rider training efforts at treating skills and strategies necessary for safe street riding.
A number of different opinions have been shared with the MRF from instructors, state program coordinators and others. It appears that the MRF has friends, and constituents, on both sides of the argument.
The MRF exists to support the state motorcyclists’ rights organizations (SMRO). As with any issue of interest to motorcyclists, the MRF will continue to monitor and evaluate this situation and will attempt to provide all resources appropriate when, and if, specifically requested by an SMRO in need of assistance.
mrfnews@mrf.org
DISCOVERY BUILD-OFF REPORT FROM TBEAR– Greg Westbury of Westbury Hot Rods in Concord, CA. faced off against Brain Fuller of Fuller Hot Rods of Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday in Hartford Conn. on Saturday.
Although the competition was stiff, Westbury walked away with the trophy and congratulations from the crowd for his cool low slung creation.
Duane Ballard, the bikes seat maker, was there to see the action and reported to us. Duane has had a hand in many Discovery Build Off bikes and was blown away by the attention the bike drew from the throngs of fans in attendence. Here are a few pix of the winning bike in its mock up stage that we have been holding on to.
We were sworn to secrecy about them until the judging was complete and the winner officially announced. We’ll have more photos and info for you shortly.
Congratulations to Greg and Duane for a job well done.
–TBear
Continued On Page 2
