Whatta Week,
I’m stressing. The sun hasn’t been out in days, and I’m beginning to get a sense of winters in Seattle. I like those warm rays. My stress level is exaggerated this week ’cause we’re filming the Sturgis Rider Live Talk Show at the Bikernet Headquarters on Saturday, and I’m the goddamn host. How the hell did I get wrapped up in this? Our guests include the Executive Editor of Hot Bike, Eric “the quiet man” Ellis, Deacon Jones, blues legend, Gard Hollinger of LA Chop Rods, and Sin Wu in the Kitchen, plus the Charlie Brechtel Biker Blues Band.
Something that eases the stress is all the good shit flying around this industry. A Hamster brother of mine, Jim Waggaman, of Air Streem Studios, and his co-worker Chris built a custom 1980 Yamaha SX for a shop helper who was down on his luck. We will feature it next week and it will be the first bike feature posted in the Bikernet Metric area due to be launched in January.
The Bikernet crew did the same for a longtime writer in this industry who had to sell his motorcycle to pay the rent. We dug up a Sportster and got him back on the road. So you’ll witness more articles on Sportsters over the coming months.
Finally Dr. Terry notified me that Time Magazine (Dec. 7) touted the custom motorcycle industry as a cool find for enhancing collections, and they spoke of Roger Bourget and Desmosedici RR as wild builders to consider. In the same month Forbes exclaimed the same virtues on our industry with Kid Rock, Russel Mitchell and Paul Cox as examples of fine two-wheeled artists. I didn’t know Kid Rock built bikes? So with that, and the fact that the bizarre liquor, Absinthe, is back after a 95-year ban, let’s hit the news:
D&D DUELIES AVAILABLE NOW ON 2008 FLT & FLH HOGS– D&D Performance Enterprises is shipping D&D Duelies for 2008 FLT and FLH Harley-Davidson motorcycles that are designed to deliver a super clean look to the rear cylinder and provide a proper dual exhaust system.
In conjunction with the D&D Duelies, enthusiasts can run D&D high-performance slip-ons, Screamin’ Eagle slip-ons or any factory compatible slip-on pipe.
The cross over pipe has been removed and that produces a super clean look that the bike was begging for. Enthusiasts choose the D&D Duelies because:
1. Show-quality chrome
2. Look good and sound great
3. Easy to install – no fabrication
4. Can use D&D, stock or Screamin’ Eagle Slipons
Checkout D&D Duelies and all of the Harley performance pipes at danddexhaust.com.
HORST DOES IT AGAIN, BONNEVILLE BOOK ON THE FASTEST MOTORCYCLES ON EARTH–It is the great white emptiness in the middle of the Utah desert, with the gleaming bright lights of historic Wendover on the horizon: The Bonneville Salt Flats. For six decades, speed freaks from all over the world have met at this place to push the limits one step, one mile one kilometer further – using cars, trucks, rockets, streamliners and: motorcycles. Renowned motorcycle and custombike journalist Horst R?sler (Roesler) attended his first SCTA Speed Trials at Bonneville in 2000 – and immediately fell for the fascination of Land Speed Record racing and the scenic landscape.
Attending the BUB-Motorcycle Speed Trials in 2004 and especially 2006, when the 16-year old Land Speed Record was broken first by Rocky Robinson, 2 days later again by Chris Carr, R?sler’s eye on the event is that of a photographer, technician and highly investigative enthusiast, making the book a primer and must-read source for every salt flat newcomer. Both images and straight-to-the-point information, based on countless interviews with the Main players and most experienced riders on the salt, offer a comprehensive and packed information for every newcomer to Land Speed Racing and in particular to the special challenges of the Bonneville Salt Flats.
Based on previewed information from this book, made available by the author during conception, Team Swiss PERFORMANCE raced and won 8 new american and 8 world-records at the 2007 BUB-Speed Trials.As the book did not include all chapters written for it, due to the amount of data, the european website for land speed enthusiasts www.salt-shakers.com will publish some of those storys. An exhibition showing some of the images from this book and other Land Speed Record work from the MOTOGRAPHER is in preparation and will be available for Motorcycle-events, fairs and shows all around the globe (contact motographer@t-online.de).
The book is available through the usual book shop channels, using the ISBN number and the Custom Chrome Europe dealer network. Check the websites: www.custom-chrome-europe.com, www.wolfpub.com
Bonneville – the fastest Motorcycles on Earth, Dipl.-Ing. Horst R?sler, Wolfgang Publishing/Motorbooks International 2007, 144 pages, colour, format 10 x 10 Inch mm, US-$ 29.95, ISBN 1929133456
Horst R?sler
Werrastr. 26
60486 Frankfurt/Main
Germany
Tel./Fax: Germany/69/77 22 87
cell(europe) +49 172 – 69 56 338
e-Mail motographer@t-online.de
www.motographer.de or www.hr-f.de
BIKERNET JIMS TOOL OF THE WEEK–Clutch Lock Plate,Use to lock clutch shell to clutch hub, for removing or installing clutchhub nut.
Use with JIMS tool No.2316.
No.2245 – Use on Big Twin 1941-84.
Suggested Retail: $69.90
–JT Lepien
www.jimsusa.com
JOHN PARHAM OF J&P CYCLES RACES A SPORTSTER STREAMLINER–
J&P Cycles? President John Parham talks about running at Bonneville and getting his S&S Sportster engine with a Zippers top end to run like a scalded cat.
His motivation to sink a ton of money into racing on the salt? The movie “The World’s Fastest Indian,” which chronicled New Zealander Burt Munro and his 1920 Indian motorcycle.
Checkout more interviews and programming in Bikernet Studio by clicking here.
AHDRA HEADQUARTERS ANNOUNCES IMPORTANT NEWS REGARDING THE 2008 SCHEDULE.PHOENIX EVENT MOVED TO SPEEDWORLD; CALIFORNIA AND VEGAS OFF THE SCHEDULE FOR 2008.–The All Harley Drag Racing Association (AHDRA) has announced immediate revisions to the 2008 Screamin’ Eagle Performance Parts Championship Series schedule that was originally released in early December.
The first announcement affects the Phoenix, AZ, event scheduled on March 29th and 30th. Although those dates will remain the same, the event location has been changed to Speedworld Dragstrip in Wittman, AZ.
Located approximately 20 miles from Phoenix, the facility has undergone notable improvements since AHDRA’s last appearance there in 2000.
AHDRA President Craig Tharpe explained that the reason for the move from the previous location (Firebird International Raceway) was a result of scheduling conflicts and concerns expressed over the track’s length that is needed for the high-powered Top Fuel bikes. “Ultimately, the track was not available on our desired dates, and fortunately for everyone involved, Speedworld was available,” he noted.
“Our efforts were to keep the event in the Phoenix area and in conjunction with the opening weekend of Arizona Bike Week activities,” Tharpe continued. “Speedworld Dragstrip actually puts us closer to a lot of the Bike Week activities”.
The most significant changes to the AHDRA 2008 schedule come at the season’s end, as AHDRA has announced that it will not hold national events in Pomona, CA, or Las Vegas, NV, in 2008.
The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS) has been hosting AHDRA’s Championship Finals for many years. Unfortunately, efforts to secure a suitable date for 2008 were unsuccessful.
According to Chris Blair, Vice President of Racing Operations at LVMS, the facility will be hosting a major special event at the Drag Strip in November of 2008. Details on that event are not yet available, but Blair said final details would be coming soon.
AHDRA President Tharpe said that it has always been a risk holding the event in mid-November with uncertain weather conditions, and moving the event any later would certainly not be an option. “It turned out that there were no availabilities in October due to AHDRA’s secured and established Rockingham date and with the NHRA event already scheduled at LVMS,” he pointed out. Tharpe went on to say that while it is a huge change and thus an adjustment for the organization, they would try to make the best of it. “We will sit it out in 2008 and see what happens in 2009,” he said.
The impact of the Las Vegas cancellation has additional implications-namely, by forcing the cancellation of the Pomona, CA event as a national points race.
With the AHDRA Championship finals consuming three full days of racing, it is not possible for the finals to be held in Pomona because of numerous noise restriction curfews and limitations imposed on the allowed number of race days at the facility.
“We were barely able to get in our standard two-day event before nightfall at the facility-which does not have permanent track lighting,” Tharpe stated. “With the large number of competitors turning out for the final race of the year, it would not be possible to secure enough track time to accommodate our event at Pomona Raceway.”
Tharpe and many key members involved with California Bike Week and the Love Ride worked together for a great length of time to implement AHDRA’s involvement in the 2007 Pomona event and Tharpe says that he is still talking with the group to explore other possibilities available to maintain the valuable relationship.
AHDRA’s Championship Finals will now be held October 10-12 at the Screamin’ Eagle Performance Parts Nationals in Rockingham, NC.
Tharpe explained that the Rockingham event is already one of the largest on the AHDRA schedule, and hosting the National Championship Finals there could bring phenomenal growth to the already successful event.
“Thankfully, we had already extended the Rockingham event to three days for 2008, which made it possible to easily move the finals there,” he commented.
“Steve Earwood and the staff at Rockingham Dragway are a fantastic group and provide an excellent track for us. Last year, at least nine national records were set at the event. With the fan popularity already established, bringing the AHDRA National Championships there could make it an all-around record-setting event”.
The season-end turn of events will also affect AHDRA’s National Championship Banquet, normally held on the Monday following the Finals in Vegas. Tharpe said that a date and location for the 2008 banquet have yet to be determined, but will be forthcoming.
AHDRA’s Screamin’ Eagle Performance Parts Championship Series will now host eleven national points events in 2008 and one non-points event in Sturgis, SD.
AHDRA contestants may choose ten races to be used in calculating National Championship points.
W8LESS ROTORS CHECKS IN–Haulin ass early Thursday, from San Jose to Los Angelers, E T A before 6:00 eve, Bikernet headquarters.
Just a quick thank you from the w8less team. THANKS …. From the president , engineers and stock holders of W8lessrotors we THANK YOU for the terrific and timely rotor installation that was published in FIRST NEWS OF THE YEAR.
Your ability to provide an instant news outlet is an invaluable tool , with TIMELY AND ACCURATE reporting .
NO SUCH THING AS STALE NEWS ON THE BIKERNET WEB SITE .
LOOK FOR ….. RAY C WHEELER IND. L.L.C. YOUR W8LESSROTOR connection . Feb. 2-4 CINCY BOOTH #867 Feb. 15-18 INDY BOOTH # 6512
Response to your tech article has been great , web site traffic has increased, as well as phone calls. Which will translate into satisfied customers, GLOBALLY .
Looking forward to listening to Charlie Brechtel Band and partying with SoCal builders and industry leaders.
Heard a rumor the Michele Smith may be there ??? WOW….. What a lady ….
Ya just never know who might show up , small world .LET’S ROCK N ROLL ….
–Ray
NC HELMET LAW FIGHT–Last summer, I spent a lot of time, as an individual citizen, presenting arguments against helmet law and enforcement. I was the only biker in Raleigh to request motion for repeal on the grounds of vagueness, in house and senate judiciary committees.
Last September, we introduced bikercourt.com and the Ticket Information Tracking System (T.I.T.S.) at
If the case goes to trial and the biker is wearing anything on their head that could be construed as a helmet, we have won cases under the old law, and stand a strong chance of winning many trials under the new statute also. You can register at bikercourt.com and help anyone log helmet tickets. There are a couple lawyers we speak with, but most of us who are providing assistance to anyone are not lawyers, so the best we can do, legally, is to inform people of many valid arguments against to support our preposition that the statute and the standard it references are vague, and the ways in which lawful enforcement is likely to have many problems.
We have been teaching people how to understand their rights during a roadside stop. It is amazing how many people don’t have a clue, answering questions they do not need to answer, and allow a search. A helmet is personal property, and roadside stops should not be reason to prompt FMVSS 218 compliance testing without consent to search, particularly since the only full testing includes destruction of the helmet.
On the Anniversary of the Boston Tea Party, we began encouraging all motorcyclists to put electrical tape over their helmets DOT label, or paint over them, or label over them, as is their right as owner of the helmet. This is not a violation of federal law, and would totally screw up all plans for enforcement if all motorcyclists did this, because LE plans to ticket all people wearing helmets with no DOT label.
On New Years Day we organized and helped organize helmet protest rides in 4 counties. You might have seen the news reports and videos. We will build on this momentum with more protest actions.
Freedom Rides in the Counties – throughout Feb and MarPaul Revere Rides, need organizers in all counties….April 18th.Patriots Day Rally, Raleigh April 19thOpening Day of the Legislature, May 13thSOB Party, May 17th South of the Border, Dillon SC2nd Annual East Coast Helmet Law Protest and Freedom Ride, Dillon SC
We are also writing to federal and state officials, and preparing press releases to show all that the helmet statute is unconstitutional and is being unlawfully enforced.
To find out more, get on the boltcarolinas mailing list at http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/boltcarolinas/ , membership in BOLT is not required to get on the list. Also, register at http://bikercourt.com/portal/ , and watch for information at the Carolinas Full Throttle Magazine.
–Janice “jan” MacKay
Director,
Co-Director,
Publisher, www.bikersmag.com
RED TAG SALE AT METRIC THUNDER ON WILLY & MAX– As functional as it is good looking – This Willie & Max Gray Thunder Studded Max-Pax Tour Pack is on Red Tag and that means you can take $50 off at Metric Thunder now. The Super Max-Pax tour pack is designed for everyday use, not just the once a year rally or road trip.
This large trunk allows you to take more than just your rain gear when going on trips, without jeopardizing your center of gravity. The Nickel-plated D-rings give you the ability to bungee additional items on top of the tour pack. Looks great and wears like iron. Only 5 Left In Stock Get your Willie & Max Gray Thunder Studded Max-Pax Tour Pack now.
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