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SOUTH AFRICAN SEAT PANS– I know you are a busy guy. I’m the “A”hole from South Africa that is over eager and always seems to put his foot in his mouth only to change feet. I have two topics I’d like to comment on. The first one concerns seat pans. I really felt for you guys when you built the pan for the Assalt Weapan. You stuck with what was a really shitty job and of all the things to tackle, as a first timer, the seat pan was the Daddy of them all. That took balls.
As I have said before I work with composites. I’ve sent a few pics of the seat pan I designed. It can be cut, covered or not and reshaped. Construction is carbon and glass fiber. Tough as nails and ratio is 70/30 with carbon being the majority. Weight is about 750grams including fittings. I have two other designs in the pipeline. Attached some pictures.
The reason for my contact is that I’m all alone in this industry and respect your views and knowledge. There are so called custom bike builders here but they are all just businessmen and if custom toilets were the next big thing, they would be long gone. They import kits already painted and assemble the front ends and wheels.
I read somewhere on your site where it said “embrace the culture?.Etc. This has something to do with my second point. The Paulies form OCC were invited to judge the winner of the South African “Bike Buildoff”. I can’t reach them to apologize for the CRAP they were asked to judge. I was embarrassed for their part that they had to fly thousands of miles to witness four of the worst pieces of junk I have ever seen.
The sad thing is that there are a few very good builders out here but the first anyone heard about the show was when tickets were being advertised. This farce was set up by a group of people not representative of our industry and all for builders came from a ten-mile area in Pretoria. Now the new deal is that one has to pay a couple of grand to be legible to be chosen for next year, MAYBE.
If you do run into Paul Sr. in the future please extend my apologies. That’s about it. Thanks for all the great articles.
–Mike Peter.
pro1thunda@telkomsa.net
TONY DEFEO WINS BRASS BALLS BOBBERS’ TATTOO SLED AT EBAY AUCTION– November 16, 2007 – Brass Balls Bobbers’ company tattoo motorcycle went under the eBay auction gavel with a portion of the proceeds going to the Wounded Warrior Project, www.WoundedWarriorProject.org. Tony Defeo, a Hot Rod enthusiast and custom motorcycle purveyor, won the auction. He determined that he needed the old skool Brass Balls Chopper along with the tattoo sled, so he purchased both.
“We are excited to support the Wounded Warrior Project with this project,” said Dar Holdsworth, Brass Balls Bobbers President. “As a Gulf War vet, I am impressed with their ability to raise public awareness and provide assistance to severely injured servicemen and women coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan.”
After Tony Defeo takes delivery of the motorcycle he will receive a copy of Speed Channel’s V-Twin TV coverage of the bike build, high resolutions photos of the bike by world famous photographer Michael Lichter, and will be named in the Easyriders Magazine expose in January.
The motorcycle is a show stopper no matter where it goes. It took 5th place (production class) at the 2007 AMD World Championship of Bike Building in Sturgis in competition with motorcycles that cost three times as much.
The factory is located at 13613 Eskridge Drive in Oklahoma City. Visit the company online at www.darwinmotorcycles.com.
GOVERNMENT IS OUT OF LINE AGAIN– The Motorcycle Riders Foundation is holding a press conference in the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill, Washington DC. The purpose of this press event is to make the public aware of the recent activities by the National Transportation Safety Board concerning Motorcycle Safety.
The NTSB recently made recommendations for motorcycles based on a two day meeting held in Washington DC. The NTSB has investigated just 6 actual motorcycle accidents in their 40 year history. A wide divide from the 134,000 other accidents they have investigated over the same period of time.
Because of the high standards the NTSB has held itself to over its lengthy history; most of the recommendations made are perceived as the best foot forward. This is in part because of the intense investigation, rigorous study and a perfectionists’ mind set maintained by the NTSB. The motorcyclists of America deserve that same attention.
Of the seven recommendations made by the NTSB, three call for the states that do not have mandatory helmet laws for all motorcyclists to enact them. The MRF finds this troubling considering that according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) two of the three states with the biggest increases in motorcycle fatalities had mandatory helmet laws and top three states with the largest decrease in motorcycle fatalities did not have mandatory helmet laws. (source: NHTSA traffic safety facts August 2007)
The MRF, incorporated in 1987, is the only Washington voice devoted exclusively to the rights and safety concerns of highway motorcyclists. We are the advocate in the nation’s capitol for the on-road motorcyclists’ rights in America.
The Motorcycle Riders Foundation is working with Congress to ask the NTSB to reconsider the recommendations based on lack of investigation and study.
SINGING 5-BALL BLUES AT HOLLISTER WITH RICK BAKER CO WRITER OF THE SONG–I was honored to sing with Rick on stage in Hollister and drink Jack with Charlie’s wife and Mike Lichter. Watch for the report on Charlie’s Erotic Expo on stage extravaganza event to be featured right here on Bikernet in the next couple of days.
SUNDAY BIKERNET JIMS TOOL OF THE WEEKEND, Big Twin Pinion Gear Locker Tool– Use to lock pinion gear, necessary to torque the pinion nut. Tool is simple to use, just align underneath gear and screw into case.
Use JIMS tool No.94555-55A to tighten pinion nut. Instruction sheet No.2237-IS.
No.2237 – Use on Big Twin 1954-present single cam only. (Note: Includes aftermarket motors.)
Suggested Retail Price: $107.40
–JT Lepien
www.jimsusa.com
SEVEN DWARFS MINE CAVES IN– The seven dwarfs always left to go work in the mine early each morning.
As always, Snow White stayed home doing her domestic chores.
When lunchtime approached, she would prepare their lunch and carry it to the mine.
One day as she arrived at the mine with the lunch, she saw that there had been a terrible cave-in.
Tearfully, and fearing the worst, Snow White began calling out, hoping against hope that the dwarfs had somehow survived.
“Hello, hello!” she shouted. “Can anyone hear me? Hello!” For a long while, there was no answer. Losing hope, Snow White again shouted, “Hello! Is anyone down there?”
Just as she was about to give up all hope, there came a faint voice from deep within the mine.
“Vote for Hillary, Vote for Hillary.”
Snow White fell to her knees, crossed herself, and prayed, “Oh, thank you God! At least Dopey is still alive.”
BIKERNET CHRISTMAS GRAB BAG GIVE-AWAY–We’re going to the shipping store to buy 50 boxes. Then we’ll fill them with stocking stuffers from stickers, to books, T-shirts and posters. Each one will be packed with surprises for Bikernet Readers at Christmas. So go into our FREE contest area and give us any excuse to send you a package.
–Bandit
2WHEELERS ROLLERS AVAILABLE– A Generator Shovel Roller by 2wheelers, 4-speed transmission. Asking $10,000.00 as is you finish with your own custom style. Have original title. Email for more information.
BIKERNET AND REV CARLR FUELING TIPS– Myline of work is in petroleum for about 31 years now, so here are some tricks to get more of your money’s worth for every gallon.
Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline where I work in San Jose , CA we deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period thru the pipeline. One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and gasoline, regular and premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons.
Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening….your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role. A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.
When you’re filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a last mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3) stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you’re getting less worth for your money.
One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY. The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount.
Another reminder. If there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up–most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the new gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom.
THE BIKERNET AMISH FARM REPORT– An Amish farmer walking through his field, notices a man drinking from his pond.
The Amish farmer shouts: “Trink das wasser nicht. Die kuhen haben dahin gesheissen.”
Which means: “Don’t drink the water, the cows have shit in it.”
The man shouts back: “I’m a Muslim, I don’t understand. Please speak in English.”
The Amish farmer says: “Use two hands. You’ll get more.”
–Dean Sevigny
Naval Science Instructor
TRANSCRIPT OF THE 6 NOV 2007 MEETING OF THE DELRAY BEACH CITY COMMISSION RE PROPOSED MOTORCYCLE NOISE ORDINANCE 45-07– Thanks to biker Tammy Jenkins, we have a transcript of the portion of the 6 November 2007 Meeting of the City Commission of Delray Beach, Florida pertaining to the proposed motorcycle noise ordinance 45-07 available for download here…
http://www.ldrlongdistancerider.com/DelrayBeach/DRBCM071106.pdf
…or here:
http://tinyurl.com/3cqb6v
“The battle for bikers’ rights is not about patches, parties or poker runs. We fight to protect the freedom and promote the interests of American motorcyclists … to defend our right to choose our own modes of transportation, attire and lifestyle … to deter and defy discrimination against us … and to vanquish those who violate our rights or right-of-way.”
–Bruce Arnold
http://ldrlongdistancerider.com/bikers_rights.php
Please post your comments and replies here:
http://ldrlongdistancerider.com/forum.php
BEST TO USE TOOLS AND NOT A SHOTGUN– SOUTHWORTH, Wash. Nov 12, 2007 (AP) A man trying to loosen a stubborn lug nut blasted the wheel with a 12-gauge shotgun, injuring himself badly in both legs, sheriff’s deputies said.
The 66-year-old man had been repairing a Lincoln Continental for two weeks at his home northwest of Southworth, about 10 miles southwest of Seattle, and had gotten all but one of the lug nuts off the right rear wheel by Saturday afternoon. Kitsap County Deputy Scott Wilson said. “He’s bound and determined to get that lug nut off,” Wilson said.
From about arm’s length, the man fired the shotgun at the wheel and was “peppered” in both legs with buckshot and debris, with some injuries as high as his chin, according to a sheriff’s office report.
“Nobody else was there and he wasn’t intoxicated,” Wilson said. The man was taken to Tacoma General Hospital with injuries Wilson described as severe but not life-threatening.
–from Buckshot
BIKERNET ESTATE PLANNING SEMINAR OPEN TO THE PUBLIC– When Dan found out he was going to inherit a fortune when his Sickly father neared died, he decided he needed a woman to enjoy it with. One evening he went to a singles bar where he spotted the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her natural beauty took his breath away.
“I may look like just an ordinary man,” he said as he walked up to her, “but in just a few years, my father will die, and I’ll inherit 20 million dollars. Impressed, the woman went home with him that evening, and three days later, she became his stepmother.
Women are so much better at estate planning than men.
–from Buckshot
T-SHIRTS FOR SERVICEMEN DURING THE HOLIDAYS– it’s Jeremy from Rollin sixes. I just posted a quick preliminary post on my myspace to get things rollin with the shirts for troops thing and within 10 minutes already had some responses from people to donate shirts. Thought I would share.
Anyone can send T-Shirts and or donations to Rollix Sixes Choppers or Bikernet and we will send them to servicemen in Iraq.
–Jeremy
Rollin Sixes
BIKERNET ALASKAN ADVENTURE SIGN-UP TAKEN– We cannot get the exact dates and cost of the ferry until January but we are going to bypass Canada for the sake all of Bandit’s felonious friends. YOU WILL STILL NEED A PASSPORT!!!!!!!! Due to the heavy ferry traffic during this season there needs to be a deadline for registration as the ferry master (damn that sounds weird) has to know. Here is the preliminary plan without dates, miles and details. Ferry ride; Bellingham, Washington to Juneau, Alaska. Juneau, Alaska to Whittier, Alaska. Unload bikes at Whittier. Phase 1; Kenai Peninsula which includes Whittier, Soldotna, Kenai, Homer, and Seward. This is postcard stuff here with many small stops and sightseeing.
Phase 2; Anchorage to Fairbanks. In between is Talkeetna, Denali (Mt. McKinley), Healy, and Nenana. Lots to see on this route and we should take at least three days to get to Fairbanks.
Phase 3; Fairbanks. Ok, I haven’t figured this one out completely but I know some people would like to get to the Arctic Circle and it is up the haul (dirt) road.The other northern route is to Circle Hot Springs. Both are worth seeing so we have some planning to do here. Either way we end up back in Fairbanks.
Phase 4; Fairbanks to Tok and on to Chicken (dirt road).
Phase 5; Tok to Valdez.
Phase 6; Valdez to Anchorage and back to Whittier and the ferry.
Keep in mind this is only preliminary stuff so stops of interest, sightseeing and the such will continue to be added and the plan will be built off of those suggestions and new information. There is a LOT to see and do so we are not going to be in a hurry.
This is a vacation and a motorcycle trip of a lifetime for some of us so we must do it right or Bandit will have me by the short hairs. Any and all suggestions would be appreciated. Keep in mind that there are opportunities to fish, ride trains, hike, shoot guns, visit Denali, river raft, museums (damn good ones), dog sled rides (yes, even in the summer), go to the drag races, party with some of the most fun people in the world, etc…
The dirt roads are in pretty good shape but rain can be a factor here. You do not have to ride the dirt roads as they are options only. Please note that no matter what anyone says the haul road belongs to the truckers, make no mistake. Fortunately many of the truckers are bikers also.
We will have 24 hours of daylight during this period. We are also compiling a must have list. Ok, send in your suggestions but all complaints must be accompanied by a cashiers check in the amount of $50.00. Much more to come.
–Berry
Drop us a note if you would like to be apart of this ride. We will start a list. Don’t feel obligated at this point. When we get around to booking rooms and reservations, then we’ll need commitments.–Bandit
SPEAKING OF ALASKA, NEW HEATED HAND GRIP KIT FOR BUELL XB AND 1125R MODELS– MILWAUKEE (August 31, 2007) – The new Heated Hand Grip Kit (P/N N1050.1AK, $187.00) from Buell Accessories adds comfort and convenience on cool riding days, stretching the season in the spring and fall. The kit includes the same original equipment heated grip components used on all 2008 XB12X Ulysses.
The grips have two temperature settings, rated at 18 watts per side on High and 11 watts per side on Low. The Heated Hand Grip kit fits 2006-2007 XB12X Ulysses models, and all 2008 XB and 1125R models.
Includes all necessary installation hardware, including a metal fixture and drill bit for securing the left heated grip to the handlebar.
For additional information on Buell Accessories, see your local Buell dealer or visit the Buell website at www.buell.com. To find a dealer near you, call toll free 1-800-443-2153 in the U.S.A. or Canada.
HISTORIC WHISKEY COULD GO DOWN DRAIN–
By JOE EDWARDS,
Posted: 2007-11-16 13:37:06
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Nov. 16) – Here’s a sobering thought: Hundreds of bottles of Jack Daniel’s whiskey, some of it almost 100 years old, may be unceremoniously poured down a drain because authorities suspect it was being sold by someone without a license.
Mark Humphrey, AP
A 3-liter bottle of Jack Daniel’s, a size that can’t be sold in the U.S., is among 2,400 bottles of the whiskey that may be destroyed because the owner is under suspicion of illegal sales.
Officials seized 2,400 bottles late last month during warehouse raids in Nashville and Lynchburg, the southern Tennessee town where the whiskey is distilled.
“Punish the person, not the whiskey,” said an outraged Kyle MacDonald, 28, a Jack Daniel’s drinker from British Columbia who promotes the whiskey on his blog. “Jack never did anything wrong, and the whiskey itself is innocent.”
Investigators are also looking into whether some of the bottles had been stolen from the distillery. No one has been arrested.
Authorities are still determining how much of the liquor will be disposed of, and how much can be sold at auction.
Tennessee law requires officials to destroy whiskey that cannot be sold legally in the state, such as bottles designed for sale overseas and those with broken seals.
“We’d pour it out,” said Danielle Elks, executive director of the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission.
The estimated value of the liquor is $1 million, possibly driven up by the value of the antique bottles, which range from 3-liter bottles to half-pints.
One seized bottle dates to 1914, with its seal unbroken. Elks said it is worth $10,000 on the collectors market. Investigators are looking into whether the liquor was being sold for the value of the bottles rather than the whiskey.
“Someone was making a great deal of profit,” she said.
Tennessee whiskeys age in charred white oak barrels, but the maturing process that gives them character mostly stops when it is bottled. A bottled whiskey can deteriorate over a long period of time, especially if it is opened or exposed to sunlight and heat.
Christopher Carlsson, a spirits connoisseur and collector in Rochester, N.Y., said old vintages of whiskey in their original containers are highly prized.
“A lot of these bottles are priceless,” he said. “It’s like having a rare painting. It’s heavily collected.”
The raids, prompted by a tip, were conducted at two warehouses and a home in Lynchburg, about 65 miles southeast of Nashville. Another raid was at a Nashville hotel room where drinks were being served and bottles were being sold.
For now, the whiskey is being stored in a Nashville vault.
Elks acknowledged that pouring out the whiskey would not be a happy hour for her. “It’d kill me,” she said.
IT’S BLOODY MARY TIME AT THE CANTINA–We’re going to clean up and play ping pong. I’m getting damn close to finishing several articles including the intro to the Bonneville Wolfgang book, Crazy Horse Paint Forward, the Hawaiian Pro Street article and Hiway just sent me a wild feature on Charlie Brechtal’s Erotic event. So next week will be hopping with new material, features and events.
I also just read a short heartfelt story from Wildman Chet. The guy’s is fulla stories and this one will make all of us ponder our surroundings in a fresh sincere light. Hang on for it as a Thanksgiving tribute. Try to slow down next week and give thanks, recognize what we have in this country, say, “Hey,” to a soldier and stay outta accidents.
Ride Forever,
–Bandit
