February 23, 2010
By Bandit | | General Posts
COAST TO COAST BIKER NEWS
Compiled and edited by Bill Bish, Ride On Magazine
National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM)
BIKERS SUPPORT BROWN IN HISTORIC SENATE VICTORY
Scott Brown captured the national spotlight in his bid to replace the late Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, and he is a modern American success story, rising from relative obscurity to be the first Republican in decades elected to the U.S. Senate in the most liberal Democratic state in the country.
Paul Cote of the Massachusetts Motorcycle Association joined newly-elected Senator Scott Brown at his victory celebration at the Park Plaza Hotel in Boston following his shocking election upset. The MMA worked with Sen. Brown?s campaign in gratitude for his support of motorcyclists? legislation over the many years he has served in the state legislature.
?Since last September, when the Massachusetts Motorcycle Political Action Committee (MMPAC) supporters started gathering signatures to get Scott Brown on the ticket for the US Senate Special Election, we have knocked on doors, stood outside grocery stores and even ?hung out at the landfills? to get Scott elected,? said Rick Gleason of MMPAC.
Not only is Brown a biker-friendly politician, but he rides a Victory motorcycle!
S.C. SUPREME COURT HEARS MYRTLE BEACH HELMET LAWSUITSSouth Carolina’s highest court heard oral arguments Wednesday, February 3 over whether a city can require motorcycle riders to wear helmets, despite the lack of a state law requiring the practice. State law doesn’t require riders 21 and older to wear helmets, but in an effort to get rid of two bike rallies held there each year, the Myrtle Beach city council voted unanimously in 2008 to pass 15 ordinances intended to dissuade bikers from coming to town, including the controversial mandatory helmet law for motorcycle riders and passengers of all ages.
Justices peppered an attorney for the city with questions over what they seemed to view as the intent of the ordinance — not to make Myrtle Beach’s roads safer for bikers, as had been argued, but to drive the bike rallies away from the Grand Strand.
Representing his brother Bart, who leads a pro-bike rally group of business-owners and is challenging a ticket he received for not wearing a helmet, State Representative Thad Viers argued to the five justices that a state law governing traffic ordinances spells out what local governments are allowed to do regarding traffic laws. Viers filed more than 30 pages of briefs containing multiple sections supporting his various legal arguments against the city helmet ordinance.
But Virginia-based A.I.M. Attorney (Aid to Injured Motorcyclists)Tom McGrath, who argued before the court representing 49 helmet law protesters who were ticketed, filed a much shorter brief, saying, among other things, that most of the arguments don’t matter because the city’s ordinance is at odds with state law, and for that reason alone it should be tossed out.
“The gist of the city’s arguments is that it has the right to do whatever it wants to do as long as it declares something to be a public nuisance and decides to abate it,” McGrath’s brief begins. “…If the ordinances conflict with state law, the ordinances are void. If the ordinances are void, their underlying merits are irrelevant.”
Now it remains up to the State Supreme Court to decide the issues, and it may take months to render a ruling. McGrath has his hopes up; ?Based on the questions the Justices asked the attorney for the City it seems the Court likely will render a favorable opinion for freedom. Hopefully, we won?t be disappointed.?
MOTORCYCLE CLUB WILL SEND PATCH INTO SPACE
The South Houston chapter of the Los Carnales / La Familia law enforcement motorcycle organization has been given the opportunity to send items into space on the Space Shuttle Mission STS-134 on July 29th this year.
It will be the first motorcycle club represented in space. The club has developed a special patch for the occasion. It has Los Carnales / La Familia Nation with both the state of Texas and California on it.
INDUSTRY REPORTS BAD YEAR FOR CYCLE SALES
2009 was a bad year for bikes, with the Motorcycle Industry Council reporting the lowest sales in a decade. The MIC noted a 40.8% drop in sales from the 2008 season, with roughly 520,502 bikes sold in 2009 compared to 880,000 that were sold in 2008.
The MIC reports monthly sales of most major motorcycle manufacturers, including: BMW, Harley-Davidson, Buell, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Triumph, Yamaha, Suzuki, Victory, and the Piaggio Group. The MIC also creates estimates on all non-reporting manufacturers.
With non-reporting sales included, the total sales for 2008 was 1.1 million according to the MIC, and though last year?s total hasn?t been tabulated yet, it is expected that 2009 will break a six-year streak of sales above the 1 million mark.
The biggest drop in sales occurred in the scooter category. Scooters boomed in 2008 as gas prices reached record highs.
As the economy begins to stabilize again, the MIC predicts that motorcycle sales will begin to increase.
TENNESSEE ?LEMON LAW? MAY SOON INCLUDE MOTORCYCLES
Tennessee’s “Lemon Law” may soon be extended to include motorcycles, if the legislature takes action on a measure sponsored by Representative Vince Dean, of East Ridge.
Dean says motorcycle buyers should have the same rights as people buying cars and trucks that don’t perform properly. He says any mechanical and structural problems can be more dangerous for motorcycle riders.
The measure moved forward in a House Committee in early February, and a companion bill is awaiting consideration in the Senate Transportation Committee.
WASHINGTON BILL ADDRESSES BIKER PROFILING
In a monumental and historical vote, the Washington State House of Representatives passed HB2511 – a bill addressing ?Motorcycle Profiling? – by a margin of 96 to 2. This landslide vote provides an indication that legislators are actually getting the idea that profiling is real and needs legislative relief, while the lack of opposition was seen as a silent show of support from Law Enforcement.
During the legislative process, ?It was remarkable to hear the legislators mention the organized and well presented information from the motorcycle community,? reports Donnie ?Mr. Breeze? Landsman, Legislative Affairs Officer for ABATE of Washington.
“Motorcyclists aren’t looking for special rights,” Landsman said. “We want the same rights that are afforded to every other section of the population as American citizens and as citizens of Washington State. We aren’t being given that.”
The group found a champion in Rep. Steve Kirby (D-Tacoma) who introduced a bill that would force local law enforcement agencies to adopt a written policy designed to condemn and prevent the profiling of motorcyclists and to institute training to address the issue.
It?s illegal to profile minorities, it should be illegal to profile motorcycle riders, the bikers said. The Washington State Patrol uses a training brochure called ?Basic Biker 101? that starts with the statement ?Bikers are dangerous? and gives instructions on how to gather information about them during traffic stops, according to David Devereaux of the Outsiders Motorcycle Club. To further substantiate their claims of harassment, Devereaux said that when bikers showed up en masse last year their annual ?Black Thursday? lobbying day to find sponsors for the anti-profiling bill, state troopers surreptitiously took down all their license plate numbers.
Next, the bill goes over to the Senate for consideration and will be assigned to a hearing committee, most likely Judiciary.
?This has been a very good year for ABATE of Washington and the US Defenders of Washington,? said Landsman. ?We have worked together to make this happen, and are truly on the same page.?
OREGON RIDERS CONVERGE ON CAPITOL
Motorcycle club members, independent riders and even non-riders alike came together in solidarity in Portland to protect rights specific to bikers. The first ?call to action? by the US Defenders motorcycle group brought out over 70 bikes to the Oregon State Capitol recently, making a positive statement of unity between clubs and independent riders. Quiet Mike, the Information Officer for US Defenders said he was pleased with the show of bikes, ?It was an excellent turnout, the most motorcyclists we?ve had here for a long time.?
US Defenders is a movement formed from within motorcycle clubs from individual states to implement and support motorcycle rights. The grass roots organization is supported through the Confederations of Clubs across the country, and is composed of state ?citizen biker manpower? from Motorcycle Clubs and Coalition of Independent Riders (C.O.I.R) representatives.
Quiet Mike, who also serves as Vice-Chairman for the Oregon Confederation of Clubs said this was a well-planned event. ?We set up in the capitol so people could come and meet with their state representative or state senator. Several people set up appointments in advance, and they were able to express their concerns about how bikers? rights are being affected.?
Many people were there to discuss helmet laws, others for civil rights where profiling motorcycle club members is concerned, and some brought up that motorcyclist fatalities caused by car drivers should carry more serious charges than just a traffic fine.
ADULTS IN KANSAS COULD BE FINED FOR KIDS RIDING WITHOUT HELMETS
Adults could soon be fined in Kansas for allowing minors to go without wearing helmets while driving or riding a motorcycle.
It is already illegal in Kansas for anyone under 18 to operate a motorcycle without wearing a helmet, but currently it is the youngster who gets a ticket. Under provisions of the new Senate bill, it would become illegal for owners of a motorcycle or motorized bicycle to permit a person under 18 to drive or ride on their vehicle without wearing a helmet, so the adult would receive a citation too.
Use of motorcycle helmets has been on the rise nationally, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which reported that 67% of motorcyclists wore a helmet in 2009, compared to just 48% in 2005.
SAVE THE DATE – MAY 6-9, NCOM CONVENTION
The 25th annual NCOM Convention will be held Mother?s Day weekend, May 6-9, 2010 at the Orlando Airport Marriott, 7499 Augusta National Dr., Orlando, Florida. This annual gathering will draw bikers? rights activists from across the country to discuss topics of concern to all motorcyclists, so reserve your room now for the special NCOM rate of $89.00 by calling (800) 380-6751.
Meetings, seminars and group discussions will focus on safety issues, legal rights, legislative efforts and litigation techniques to benefit our right to ride and Freedom of the Road.
Registration fees for the 25th Annual NCOM Convention are $75 including the Silver Spoke Awards Banquet on Saturday night, or $40 for the Convention only. To pre-register, call the National Coalition of Motorcyclists at (800) 525-5355 or visit www.ON-A-BIKE.com.
QUOTABLE QUOTE:
“For the saddest epitaph which can be carved in memory of a vanished liberty is that it was lost because its possessors failed to stretch forth a saving hand while yet there was time.”
–U.S. Supreme Court Justice George Sutherland (1862- 1942)
February 18, 2010 Part 2
By Bandit | | General Posts
Continued From Page 1
LATEST CHIP FOOSE CREATION–Such a shame you don’t publish cars man.. Just did this one a few hours ago..
–Peter
BIKERNET CHARM SCHOOL ATTACKED–According to a news report, a certain private school in Washington was recently faced with a unique problem.
A number of 12-year-old girls were beginning to use lipstick and would put it on in the bathroom. That was fine, but after they put on their lipstick, they would press their lips to the mirror leaving dozens of little lip prints.
Every night the maintenance man would remove them, and the next day the girls would put them back.
Finally the principal decided that something had to be done. She called all the girls to the bathroom and met them there with the maintenance man. She explained that all these lip prints were causing a major problem for the custodian who had to clean the mirrors every night (you can just imagine the yawns from the little princesses).
To demonstrate how difficult it had been to clean the mirrors, she asked the maintenance man to show the girls how much effort was required. He took out a long-handled squeegee, dipped it in the toilet, and cleaned the mirror with it. Since then, there have been no lip prints on the mirror.There are teachers…. and then there are educators.
–from Chopper Dave Monsoon
The Funeral Procession– A man was leaving a convenience store with his morning coffee when he noticed a most unusual funeral procession approaching the nearby cemetery.
A long black hearse was followed by a second long black hearse about 50 feet behind the first one.
Behind the second hearse was a solitary man walking a dog on a leash.
Behind him, a short distance back, were about 200 men walking single file.
The man couldn’t stand the curiosity. He respectfully approached the man walking the dog and said, ‘I am so sorry for your loss, and this may be a bad time to disturb you, but I’ve never seen a funeral like this.
Whose funeral is it?’
‘My wife’s.
”What happened to her?’
The man replied, ‘My dog attacked and killed her’
He inquired further, ‘But who is in the second hearse?’
The man answered, ‘My mother-in-law. She was trying to help my wife when the dog turned on her.’
A poignant and thoughtful moment of silence passed between the two men.
‘Can I borrow the dog?’
The man replied, ‘Get in line.’
–Jim Waggaman
5-BALL RACING 2010 REPORTS REVIEW–Hey man, the article on the 45 is awesome! ?..that thing is gonna be SWEET!
Airtech is good stuff?.I was working on mounting one of their seats last nite?Removed that long red tank, then the seat was too short?.digging around, scrambling?..We are allowed to run a full fairing with WERA, just aint in the bank account?.but when it is, I?ll visit Airtech first! Departure is ledgendary. We will be running 4 days in a row of Vintage motorcycle racing, on 2 different courses at Virginia Intl Raceway (VIR), Aug 5,6,7,8 ??Tell those boys to come on down, should be a good time. Thumbs up Holmes?..that bike is gonna be NASTY!
I forgot to mention the event in Aug?..there will be H-D and Indian flathead 45?s, handshift class and non, racing on the road course for 3 of the 4 days. Virginia Intl Raceway, Danville Va?..near Departure?..Flat Rat will be there. Four days on 2 tracks, can’t wait?.first day (Thurs) is WERA on the big pro course, next 3 days are AHRMA on a smaller course?.flattys will run AHRMA.
–Charles Young
REPORT FROM BIKERNETMETRIC EDITOR–BikernetMetric is really growing! The site received more visitors in the past two weeks than in all of December. Another cool thing is that instead of everybody coming from the good folks at Bikernet.com (which is still our #1 referral site) and Google, we’ve recently had many hundreds of readers from ChopCult, Bobbers East, the Kneeslider, the Chopper Underground and more. These are cool websites and I’m flattered as freak to get so many clicks from their fine establishments. I want to thank everybody who is helping build a killer metric community and tell them they haven’t seen anything yet!
We’ve got upcoming interviews with Garage Company Customs, Helrich Custom Cycles, Ardcore Choppers and more. I’m meeting some great builders and custom parts makers. Every week there is another article about somebody doing something very cool with metric bobbers, choppers and cafe racers. A lot of these parts work on custom v-twins, too, so all you Harley guys ought to stop by, pop open a beer and pee in a corner.
I’m slammed with paying design work but I swear the blog re-design is coming along, just slowly. Still hope to have it done by March 1st.
Thanks for the opportunity to help make BikernetMetric the #1 source for the underground metric revolution! Now I must get back to my world domination plans. I think I left them under the Cycle Source mag…
–Trent
69th DAYTONA BEACH BIKE WEEK – ATTENTION EXHIBITORS– Apply online and get proof of coverage in minutes. The Bikernet Insurance Center LLC has set up a “Special Group Policy” For Event Exhibitors attending Daytona Beach Bike Week. Exhibitors can purchase Event Insurance liability for their booth, exhibit or special event for only $75 for a $1,000,000 limit. This is the best insurance deal in the country and has been put together especially to help our brethren during this weak economy.
So, if you will be exhibiting at the 69th Daytona Beach Bike Week held from February 26, 2010 to March 7, 2010 and you need quality coverage at an excellent price, simply click on the link above and get your insurance quick.
Note the fine print Bros.
1. This is a Group Liability Insurance Policy For Exhibitors. This means all of the exhibitors who purchase this low-cost event liability coverage will be named on this one group policy, so share limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and a $5,000,000 aggregate. If a customer wants to purchase their very own individual policy with individual limits for them specifically, they need to go to our website link www.bikernet.com/insurance and click on #1-Event Liability Insurance to get their own policy online. Cost is similarly low at around $100. You choose, we provide cheap.
2. This Group Liability Policy For Exhibitors excludes certain high-risk events involving motorsports, racing and burn-outs. Always read the provisions, exclusions, conditions and limitations of any insurance policy to make sure it is right for your business.
If you have any questions or need advice, please contact clientservice@bikernet-insurance.com to connect with one of our licensed agents.
Your Trusted Agent, Marc J. Beaulieu, CPCU, ARM Chairman & CEO
For Fastest Service: Email: >clientservice@bikernet-insurance.com
Fax: 858-693-8703
Phone: 858-566-8703
BIKERNET UNIVERSITY ENGLISH DEPARTMENT VOTED DUPLICITY THE WORD OF THE WEEK SPONSORED BY SUCKER PUNCH SALLY RALLY–duplicity doo-PLIS-i-tee, dyoo-, noun:
1. Deliberate deceptiveness in behavior or speech; also, an instance of deliberate deceptiveness; double-dealing.
2. The quality or state of being twofold or double.
Perhaps Phil was a spy, working at Gagosian but secretly in the employ of White Cube. Actually, now that the idea of duplicity had entered Jeff’s mind, it occurred to him that his gallery was having a party to which Jeff had been conspicuously uninvited.
— Geoff Dyer, Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi
Here on the beach under a good sun Hiro-matsu forced himself into a polite bow, hating his own duplicity.
— James Clavell, Shogun
It didn’t occur to him that Laura might have had an ulterior motive in seeking him out. Laura had a direct gaze, such blankly open eyes, such a pure, rounded forehead, that few ever suspected her of duplicity.
— Margaret Atwood, The Blind Assassin
Duplicity comes from Middle English duplicite, from Old French, from Late Latin duplicitās, doubleness, from Latin duplex, duplic-, twofold.
BIKERNET BOOK OF THE MONTH CLUB LOOKS AT Pieces of My Heart, By Katy O. Ishee– Talk about touching a nerve. This is a book that men and women will pass around to each other with a brief handwritten note tucked inside the cover, ?You have to read this!?
Sometimes you have to leave your life behind for awhile to see it and really live it freshly again. Sometimes heart breaking, sometimes humorous, always brutally honest and hardcore.
–Luuezz
This memoir presents a powerful and unsettling series of memories that work simultaneity on a number of levels controlled by someone we all trust, a Mother.
Katy recalls her rebellious ways and crazy times of being a renegade biker chick. From insane asylums, she tells stories of unspeakable horror, ECT (electroshock, shock treatment, shock therapy. The most common side effects of ECT are memory loss and cognitive damage.) That has long been shrouded in secrecy and until now. Her quest to refusing to give up looking for a son would linger in her memory like a treasured photograph in this gut-wrenching story. Katy braids together past, present and the events of one desperate day in a haunting true story in which the sins of the past threaten to destroy a wicked red-blooded original; Mother?s fragile equilibrium of present.
A raw series of secrets of an ?unwed? mother and/or loose teenager as Katy?s mother paints her life canvas. From the secrecy of closed adoption and maternity homes she was warned not to reveal her sur-name, during an era when shame upon the family name was unbearable.
Her portrayal of her family and the ties that bind is sensitive, full of hate and betrayal, lost hopes and burning questions, freedom and bondage and love and laughter.
Katy will take you coast to coast and back again. There are plenty of laughs and hardcore knocks along the way and within a biker?s community.
She challenges herself to sail like a hawk as she reaches for freedom from the ?Seen or Be Seen? diverse crowd to never giving in to the ?principal? of searching for her beloved son.
Will she eventually find Michael Adams S., her son? If you haven?t ordered this book yet, what are you waiting for? This is a MUST READ! It made my eyes weld up and pulled my hamstrings. I found myself rereading it a week later. I haven?t read a biker book that rocks this good in a long time!
LEE PARKS RIDING SEMINARS–We’re neck deep finishing up with the Cycle World International Motorcycle Shows and it’s been great seeing so many of you, quite a few for the first time. With the final show this weekend in Chicago I wanted to invite any local Chicagoans (my old home town!) to stop by and see us before the big drive back to SoCal.
As you know, we rarely have sales here so I’m happy to announce that while supplies last we’re blowing out our natural colored bamboo t-shirts for only $15. Buy one or a bunch but when they’re gone, they’re gone.
In Total Control news, we’ve been very busy opening up new locations for 2010. We’re proud to announce dates in:
? Tampa, FL
? Lakeland, FL
? Jacksonville FL
? Topeka, KS
? Columbia, SC
? Midwest City, OK
? Spokane, WA
? Geneva, IL
Of course, check out the schedule on the right (or on the site) for the latest dates at all our locations.Ride well,
www.leeparksdesigntotalcontrol.com
BAKER FANTASTIC DEALS OF THE WEEK–BAKER DD6 Builders Kits!
Retail Price: $2,495.00
The BAKER DD6 is the ultimate transmission for serious touring, bagger, Softail or Dyna riders. The ones who really put the miles on appreciate the silent smoothness with our helical highway gears and direct drive engineering. All steps have been taken to dampen vibration so you, your motor and the rest of the bike can go for the long haul for years to come.
– Fits 1990-2006 Big Twin FLT-FLH, ST, FXR and DYNA (except 2006 Dyna)
– The end-all, proven and perfected helical gear design for smooth and silent operation in the cruising gears.
– 99% efficient in 6th gear with a 400-500 rpm reduction depending on application.
– Fixed spindle shift drum for smooth, low inertia, drum indexing. Anti-overshift ratchet pawl prevents mis-shifts.
– Full width BAKER ground gears finished in diamond-coated tooling are strong and dependable.
– 5 year, 50,000 mile warranty
BAKER/Dakota Digital Recalibration Box!
Retail Price: $135.00
Your Price: Free! (with the purchase of a DD6 builders kit)
Starting in 1994, the factory started using electronic speedos on some of the models. Today, all models use this. If you are changing the transmission pulley, rear wheel pulley, rear tire or installing one of our transmissions, you will need a recal box. You can dial it in dead-nuts after you install it in-line with your existing wiring harness. Not required for Sportster and Buell if you re-use the existing 5th gear.
BAKER High Torque Bearing Kits!
Retail Price: $40.00
Your Price: Free! (with the purchase of a DD6 builders kit)
The 34091-85 inner bearing race has been used on Big Twins since 1985. The inner primary bearing rides on this race. By design, this race press-fits onto the transmission mainshaft. This system works fine for stock engines. 100 HP+ engines will make this bearing walk on the mainshaft. If it walks inboard, it will damage the maindrive gear seal and cause a transmission oil leak. If it walks outboard, it will cause a primary oil leak. Our high torque bearing kit eliminates this condition. Kit includes a precision honed bearing and seal.
SHOP NOW!
DIAMOND POSSE UPDATE–Vicki is riding out to San Antonio in May for the start of the Diamond Posse Ride to benefit the Center for the Intrepid, a wonderful privately funded facility that cares for and rehabilitates some of our wounded heroes coming back from Afghanistan and Iraq. They?ll ride back to Wisconsin, stopping at a number of VA hospitals to visit veterans and thank them for their service.
They?ll arrive back in Wisconsin in LaCrosse to join the LZ Lambeau event, a huge ride culminating at Lambeau Field, home of the Packers football team. The ride is a recognition and thank you to Viet Nam veterans and thousands of vets and citizen bikers are expected to attend. The Diamond Posse has been invited to ride into Lambeau Field with the lead group of Viet Nam Vets, about 500 of them, led by Gary Wetzel, Medal of Honor Recipient. That?s a special honor for the girls.
Check out www.diamondposse.us
What a week that will be. The Executive Ride ends on Thursday of that week, and Friday, I?ll be joining the County Executive as he rides back up to Green Bay to join in the festivities at LZ Lambeau. Vicki will join us there with the Posse after being on the road for two weeks. Lot?s more rides coming up after that, but what a way to kick off the riding season in Wisconsin.
–Tony Pan
NEW COMBINATION DIGITAL SPEEDOMETER/ANALOG TACHOMETER–A Plug-In Fit for Late-Model Harley-Davidson Softail, Dyna and Road King Models.
MILWAUKEE (January 26, 2010) ? The new Combination Digital Speedometer/Analog Tachometer (P/N 74717-10, $299.95) from Harley-Davidson Genuine Motor Accessories offers the rider a way to monitor engine speed without cluttering the handlebar area with a separate tachometer.
This five-inch-diameter gauge has a spun-aluminum surface and features an easy-to-read central LCD display with a digital speedometer. An analog, 8,000-rpm tach sweeps the perimeter of the face. The digital reading can be toggled between MPH and KPH to simplify cross-border touring.
The unit mounts in the stock dash opening and is a direct, plug-in installation for 2008-later Softail models with a five-inch speedometer. A similar instrument is also available to fit 2008-later Road King and 2009-later Dyna models.
For additional information on Harley-Davidson Genuine Motor Accessories, see your local Harley-Davidson dealer or visit the Harley-Davidson Web site at www.harley-davidson.com. To find a dealer near you, call toll free 1-800-443-2153 in the U.S.A. or Canada.
Texas challenges EPA’s global warming findings–
Texas on Tuesday became the first state to challenge the Environmental Protection Agency’s finding that gases blamed for global warming threaten public health.
Gov. Rick Perry and other Texas officials said the federal finding is based on flawed science and would harm the state’s economy.
The EPA issued the finding two months ago in an attempt to regulate carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases as pollutants under the Clean Air Act.
Such rules would have a profound impact on Texas, which pumps more carbon dioxide into the air than any other state because of its scores of coal-fired power plants, refineries and other industrial facilities.
?The EPA’s misguided plan paints a big target on the backs of Texas agriculture and energy producers and the hundreds of thousands of Texans they employ,? Perry said in a statement. ?This legal action is being taken to protect the Texas economy and the jobs that go with it, as well as defend Texas’ freedom to continue our successful environmental strategies free from federal overreach.?
Texas asked the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., to review the finding, with its petition coming on the heels of similar filings by business and conservative groups.
Al Armendariz, the EPA’s administrator for Region 6, which includes Texas, said he isn’t surprised by the state’s legal challenge but chided Texas leaders for not doing more to reduce emissions.
?Instead Texas officials are attempting to slow progress with unnecessary litigation,? Armendariz said. ?EPA is confident the endangerment finding … will withstand legal challenge.?
The Supreme Court gave the agency legal authority to regulate such emissions in a landmark 2007 ruling.
Bashing the panel
The state’s petition argues the EPA improperly relied on the scientific conclusions of other groups, particularly the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, to make the endangerment finding on heat-trapping gases.
The IPCC has admitted that its most recent report significantly overstated how quickly Himalayan glaciers will melt, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said, and there have been assertions of other errors as well.
What’s more, pirated e-mails show climate scientists attempting to suppress dissent, he said.
As a result, Abbott said there is a legal rationale for a court to order the agency to reopen its scientific analysis.
?There clearly is lying, falsification, cover-ups, et cetera that are going on here,? he said. ?We’re not saying the science is wrong, we’re looking at this information and saying this information is troubling.
?The course of American commerce cannot be altered when there are this many faults with the underlying analysis.?
Richard Faulk, who heads the environmental practice at the firm Gardere Wynne Sewell, endorsed the state’s stance, saying the EPA only can make an endangerment finding after determining ? independently ? that ensuing rules would improve existing conditions.
?No regulations the U.S. unilaterally adopts can possibly reverse global warming by themselves,? Faulk said. ?Their impact on the global climate will be minimal, especially when China, India and other major emitters continue to release gases without any restrictions.?
But Victor Flatt, the Taft professor of environmental law at the University of North Carolina, found the petition ?essentially baseless? since EPA referred to ? but did not totally rely on ? the findings of the IPCC.
?The scientific basis of EPA’s endangerment finding is overwhelming,? Flatt said, ?and certainly rises above the level of evidence they need to make the finding.?
The EPA moved to regulate carbon dioxide and five other heat-trapping gases in December in the absence of congressional action to cut emissions. The agency does not expect to propose an air quality standard for the gases, as it does for smog-forming ozone and other pollutants, because the emissions aren’t localized.
Instead, the Clean Air Act would require that industries use the ?best available control technology? ? which the EPA hasn’t yet defined ? to reduce those emissions.
Senator agrees
U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Perry’s main rival in the Republican primary for governor, also questions the EPA’s finding. She has joined other senators in seeking to strip the agency of the power to regulate climate-altering emissions.
?The EPA’s actions represent a sweeping mandate that will cost jobs and cannot stand,? Hutchison said.
Environmentalists said they wish Texas officials would work with the EPA to reduce emissions through new, cleaner energy sources, rather than fight the agency in court.
?Not only is it legally unsound,? said Jim Marston, director of the Environmental Defense Fund’s Texas office, ?it puts Texas on the side of the 1950s economy, against the clean energy economy of the future.?
Chronicle reporter Eric Berger contributed to this report.
— By Matthew Tresaugue, Houston Chronicle, February 17, 2010
–from Charlie Peters
BLACK OUT LEVERS FROM GMA/BDL–Belt Drives LTD, manufacturer of the elite line of GMA components, has just released these super sanitary, rugged, high performance BLACK OUT lever controls. The master cylinder has a 5/8? bore and integrates a threaded ball end plunger.
This design provides positive engagement and, precise movement of the piston and rubber cup reservoir seal for positive, smooth stopping performance. GMA controls are secured to bars with camlocks and the switch housing blends in for an exceptionally clean profile. Available hydraulic clutch master features a 9/16? bore to match common aftermarket slave cylinders.
Designed for use with 1? bars the super clean GMA/BDL levers start at just $180.00. For complete details call BDL direct at 714-685-3333. Be sure to catch them on the Web at www.beltdrives.com
QUICK THROTTLE HUNT, Who Is This Mystery Girl?– Quick Throttle Magazine takes great pride in the covers we choose for you. We can’t tell you how we pick them, we simply see something that strikes us and we know it’s the cover.
That’s exactly what happened with this picture. Our photographer extraordinaire, George Childress, was in Oatman during the Laughlin River Run ’09 when he snapped this candid shot of a cute girl on her bike. The next thing we know she has become one of the most talked about covers we’ve had in a long time. Everyone wants to know “Who is she?”. We’d love to know who she is!
If you can help us identify the mystery girl that has graced the cover of 4 regions of Quick Throttle Magazine, send us a note. Better yet, have her drop us a line!
Email us at Newsletter@QuickThrottle.com with any information.
BIKERNET DEAL OF THE WEEK, A ROCKET–The X-2 Skylimo rocket is for sale before the jump over the Colorado River – the attempt will be an even longer jump than the Evel Knievel jump at the Snake River
www.madmikehughes.com
909 254 1200
KING DEAL OF THE WEEK–Bikernet’s bitchin 2003 Road King is for sale, quick, $10,500. Low mileage, 88-inch with cams, gear drive update, D&D exhaust and highbars. This bike is sweet. Drop me a line if you’re interested: Bandit@Bikernet.com.
FANTASTIC FINISH–We are all facing uncertain times, but there’s never a dull moment around the Bikernet Headquarters. Just in the last couple of days two new bike features flew into the shop, plus Rogue’s oil cooler tech, and more fiction.
Mike Pullin, out of Charlotte, is trying his hand a featuring this ER Show contestant.
We may not have any cash, but we’re always faced with a vast plethora of bike projects. I’m selling my King and I need a long distance cruiser, so I’m building a classic Frisco style FXR with a Paughco Frame and Redneck bags. It’s the mudflap girl bike.
I’m a big fan of Evos for a couple of reasons. To me there are the epitome of the classic V-twin, the final refined stage, the last bastion of Freedom. Let’s fight to keep them alive. Think about it. Every manufacturer outside the evil factory still uses the classic Evo configuration, including Big Dog, Brass Balls and Sucker Punch.
I will start to work with Ron at Paughco next week on the frame configuration. You’ll see it come together on Bikernet.
Ride Forever,
–Bandit
February 18, 2010 Part 1
By Bandit | | General Posts
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
The prices just seem to “peel back” when you shop with K and G Cycles!–This week we have some awesome deals to save you money with savings over 45% of retail!!!!!
How about a Big Boar battery for FLT/FLHT at over 40% off? Maybe you are looking for a bobber-style rigid frame. We have ’em at great savings. We have V-factor fenders at up to 45% off. Maybe some ZZ Top-style handlebars? Or maybe a Fat Bob-style fuel tank.
We have a velocity stack from Choppers, Inc. and a Kraft/Tech custom oil tank to go with that rigid frame. We have everything you need for your vintage, late model, or custom motorcycle at K and G Cycles.
To get these great savings, just go to www.kandgcycles.com
While you are at it, stop by and become a fan of the K and G Cycles Facebook page. We will be offering special deals for our Facebook friends from time to time. Post on our wall if you like.
Peel back pricing is every week at K and G Cycles, your one stop online motorcycle parts and accessories megastore. Start saving now!!!
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
Continued On Page 2
Churchill Run 1939
By Bandit | | General Posts
Moral of the work
In War: Resolution
In Defeat: Defiance
In Victory: Magnanimity
In Peace: Good Will
–Windston Churchill
Pierre sat in a pastry shop as the rain pounded the cobblestone street outside the leaded windows. He was a stout, 5’10” young man in his mid 20s who was politically lost. It was 1939 and a good portion of the French government was negotiating with Hitler for survival and wealth. After WWI, many European countries adopted a treacherous political mantra. They experienced the devastation of a World War, and it would never happen again–or so they thought.
Some countries destroyed weaponry under false pretense. After eight months of inactivity on both sides, the British and the French, the Hitler inrush of a vast offensive, led by spear-point masses of cannon-proof or heavily armored vehicles, startled the world. They broke up all defensive opposition, and for the first time for centuries, and even perhaps since the invention of gunpowder, they made common artillery almost impotent on the battlefield.
Pierre, with his beret, dark bushy hair, and wiry mustache, sipped a small cup of espresso in the Cambria coffee shop, and tapped the mahogany table relentlessly. He was terrified and didn’t know which way to turn. His Peugeot motorcycle waited in the rain at the curb, dripping with impatience. A messenger was due to arrive, but who could he trust?
In this sector, however, the Siegfried Line, with its well-built concrete pillboxes mutually supporting one another and organized in depth with masses of wire, was in September 1939, already formidable. By the third week in September, the Polish campaign had ended. The fleeting French numerical superiority in the West was passing. Poland was lost and France wavered.
His girl resided in Paris some 100 miles to the south. He contacted her and convinced the beautiful little redhead, Michele, to meet him in a small coastal berg and make shipping arrangements. He was determined to reach England, and one man who was certainly trustworthy, Winston Churchill. He had read much, and just this man, a WWI admiral, was determined to waken the spirit of determination in the free world.
Why did the French remain passive until Poland was destroyed? In 1938, there was a good chance of victory while Czechoslovakia still existed. In 1936, there could have been no effective German opposition. In 1933, a rescript from Geneva would have procured bloodless compliance.
Pierre’s mind was cluttered with confusing thoughts. The French resistance wasn’t formerly established. He was just a lone rider with a mission, an uncertain one. A fellow concerned Frenchman, a school yard boyhood friend, contacted him the week before and told him of some information he encountered near the frontier defenses on the border of France and Belgium from a Belgium soldier who recently returned hurriedly from the front lines between Germany and Belgium. He didn’t know what to do with the military information, but in Pierre’s heart, his fate was determined.
Pierre’s dire thoughts of Michele consumed him. He read underground reports of Jews being mistreated by the Nazis in Germany. There were overt threats, and chest pounding about the destruction of Jews, and lots of negativity about the Jewish faith and heritage. Michele’s mother was part Jew, and Pierre loved her too much to allow her to stay in harm’s way. He had to convince her to take the voyage across the English Channel with him.
The rumble of another single-cylinder motorcycle broke his doldrums. Alain rode up to the quiet café and dismounted in the driving rain. He was thin as a rail, and his wirey features were soaking wet and gaunt. Pierre ordered a fresh brewed cup of steaming coffee and a croissant for his childhood friend, but they didn’t speak. His friend’s brilliant blue eyes darted around the small empty café, then came to rest on Pierre’s sea green gaze. He wrapped his wet leather gauntlet gloves around the hot cup of coffee and shivered as he lifted it to his lips.
When he was sure they were alone, he slipped Pierre a note in a small envelop from inside of his heavy leather coat. Pierre carefully opened it and read the type-written words: By September 18 Germans had mobilized at least 116 divisions of all classes, distributed as follows; Western front, 42 divisions; Central Germany, 16 divisions; Eastern Front, 58 divisions. Germany had in all from 108 to 117 divisions. Poland was attacked by 58 of the most matured.
There remained 50 to 60 divisions of varying quality. Of these along the Western Front from Aix-la-Chappelle to the Swiss frontier, there stood 42 German divisions. Hitler was sure that the French political system was rotten to the core, and that it had infected the French Army.
The words made him shake in abject fear. War was so close, eminent, and he knew only one thing. He needed to find his girl and escape to England for help.
He touched his friend’s hand and stood. With a nod of encouragement, the best he could muster, he folded the thick Manila paper, stuffed it in the small folded envelope and slipped it deep in one of his thick leather leggings. He departed the leaded glass café doors, donned his leather riding attire, his thick cream-colored cashmere scarf, and kicked his motorcycle to life. It was already freshly refueled and he knew he could reach the outskirts of Paris on the 20-horsepower engine without refueling. Then with another tank, he could almost make it to the small seaport town of Cherbourg, where he would collect Michele and secure passage on a small vessel across the English Channel to Plymouth or Bournemouth.
Hugging the motorcycle as if it was a sick dog, he rumbled along the rough cobblestone and sand roads on crude tires at just over 40 mph. His single headlamp was dim and the weather obscured visibility as he crept along slippery roads through small villages. He had no notion of the famous French underground, resistance, or Marquis forming in the years ahead; he just had a single mission to reach someone who believed in freedom.
As he spotted the lights of Paris ahead, he noticed another light sparkling off the polished stones around him, and then he heard the cadence of another flathead engine firing in counterpoint to his own. He had no rearview mirror, no gun, just a short stiletto knife tucked in his coat. He was cold to the bone, and tucked as close to the 1930 P107 248 cc motorcycle as possible. In his icy, fearful state, he was frozen to the rectangular gas and oil tanks, and vibrating handlebars of the motorcycle. It was all he could do to turn the mechanical throttle and increase his speed to the maximum, 88km/h (55 mph).
As best he could, he sped along the rough roads looking for his turnoff to head northwest toward the Colline de Normandie. With each slippery turn, he sensed the following motorcycle bearing down on him. He pressed the throttle harder and his single roared in the night. The following motorcycle could be a twin, with much more power. It seemed to track him as if pushing him to his limits.
With the lights of Paris on his left, he spotted a petrol station at a highway junction, and took the chance to slip under the flapping awning in the midnight wind. The other motorcycle sped past, and he was relieved. In the driving rain, low lights, and limited visibility, he could only make out a darkly painted frame, a tucked in rider, and flames pouring from his countryside open exhaust. It was truly a two-wheeled locomotive. It disappeared into the night.
“Je ne suis pas du coin, c’est bien la route de Cherbourg?”
The attendant responds: “Oui, continuez dans cette direction. La côte est à 250 miles à l’ouest. Soyez prudent.”
“I’m not from around here, is this the road to Cherbourg?”
The attendant responds: “Yes, you’re on track, just follow this highway 250
miles west to the coast. Be careful.”
He gassed up, kicked the single to life, pumped an extra lubricating blast of oil into the system, and straddled the quivering machine. He released the clutch and steered the frail frame in the same direction as the rider who had passed him moments ago.
Soon he was roaring along the highway toward Cherbourg in the driving rain and against the wind. He wasn’t sure his gas capacity would take him 175 miles to the coast. He tucked in as close as he could and was relieved to ride along without the ominous presence of the cyclist who had been following him.
The road through rural hillsides wound into an open valley, then wove into some soft hills where the twists and turns became more severe. He struggled to keep the flimsy motorcycle upright as it entered slippery turns paved in cobblestones stuck together with sandy grout. The stones were intensely slick, and the sand was like oil on soft rocks.
He crested a mild rise where the road straightened, and twisted the mechanical throttle; suddenly he faced a treacherous decline. His goggles fogged and he pulled them aside. He blinked his eyes to clear the moisture and sand for enhanced visibility, but didn’t dare apply his feeble mechanical drum brakes.
At the bottom of the hill, he came face to face with a hairpin curve and felt himself slipping into the oncoming lane. Unexpectedly the road narrowed and he spotted the glint of something metal in the road’s center. It was the brass sleeve around the hub of a wooden spoked wheel. A large wooden vegetable cart, with massive wooden wheels on either side rolled to the center of the street. He had no time to react, brake, or find an alternate route. He yanked his Peugeot single sideways, and down. He slid against the cobblestones sideways toward the rear of the massive wheel wrapped with cast iron strap at over 45 mph. Sparks flew.
He experienced a sense of calm as he collided with the steel strap. The cart rattled and his motorcycle spun like a pinwheel against the wet stones. He pushed away from the screaming machine as it launched itself off the road and into a deep ditch alongside the road. He dove for the low shrubbery on the other side of the ditch. He tucked and rolled in the tall grass. As soon as he stopped, he checked his limbs for breaks, then wanted to know immediately the condition of his machine.
As Pierre scrambled to his feet, he heard something moving in the grass. He spun as best he could, while still in shock, and discovered a man coming after him, then he heard a shot fired and saw the flash from the mussel. He dove back into the grass, and scrambled in no determined direction.
He heard footsteps charging, when he came across something in the grass, a motorcycle wheel. He yanked it free from it’s muddy grave, turned and tossed it in his previous path and covered, then crawled quickly a few more feet, before he ducked behind a fallen tree trunk in the thick weeds.
He listened carefully above the noise of the driving rain and whistling wind for the boot steps in the soft grass. They kept coming, then stumbled, and he heard a squeal, pulled his dagger, and jumped out from his hiding place. He had no formal close-quarters training except a self-defense class from and older gentlemen, an American, who taught him a couple of moves.
A lesson Pierre always remembered was to attack, get close, in order to gain some level of control. He charged almost blind in the dark, and ran into a dark form. They scuffled in the grass and mud. He heard the hammer of the weapon move and the cylinder rotate. It was that close. He drove his dagger into the form at waist level. The gun went off, but as he twisted the blade, he felt the other man weaken and collapse.
Pierre moved away quickly, and winced. As he scrambled to find his bike and get the hell out of harms way, a pain shot through his left thigh. He reached down and felt warm liquid. He couldn’t see in the rain, under the cloud-covered sky. He found his motorbike in the weeds, minus his mangled front wheel and pulled it towards the road’s edge. He ran his gloved hand along the girder front end and discovered a broken tube. He couldn’t ride the single. His heart sank, but the pain in his leg awaked his drive, and he backtracked until he found the road.
In the dank shadows, he spotted a nearby tree and discovered the twin 1933 Peugeot 515 behind it leaning against the tree. Peugeot developed the first 500cc double-overhead cam-driven twin. The diminutive key was still in the ignition behind the handlebars. He discovered a way to keep rolling and calmed. He returned and searched around his bike, feeling in the dark, to retrieve his leather-pocket tool kit.
He could feel the hole in his pant leg and wrapped it with his long cream-colored cashmere scarf. It was painful, but he couldn’t tell how much damage was inflicted or how deep the projectile protruded below the flesh. He thought about the attacker. The man was desperate to stop Pierre’s progress. Did someone know of his mission? He returned to the body, retrieved the Sauer 38H, a small semi-automatic pistol made in Nazi Germany from 1938 by J. P. Sauer & Sohn, then based in Suhl, Germany. He immediately noticed it was not a French pistol. The “H” in the model number denoted “hammerless”—the pistol used an internal hammer.
He searched the man for papers or identification. He discovered he was a Gestapo agent, the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police. Most “H” pistols were distributed to various German police agencies. These pistols were stamped by those agencies and Pierre discovered the small clip-on leather holster and an additional magazine. Sauer 38H pistols presented to Nazi officials often featured custom engraving, ivory grips, and often gold inlay.
Pierre discovered a tin can beside the road. He siphoned the gas from his motorcycle and topped off the twin fuel cells. He carefully primed the carburetor and prayed this motorcycle was unharmed. He kicked it twice, nothing, and then noted a small flash of light. The sparkplug wire was disconnected and arched across his cast iron cylinder. He reattached the copper wire, and kicked it again, and again. In the dark, he scoured the bike for additional mechanical maladies. His leg throbbed, but he kept searching.
Then he remembered what an old mechanic told him about flooded cylinders and to allow the chamber more air to mix with the fuel. He pulled the throttle wide open and kicked, nothing, but on the second kick, it roared to life. He couldn’t wait to get away from the scene, plus his girl was waiting. He advanced larger clutch lever, ground the foot shifter into first gear and the bike started to roll.
He was tentative at first. He didn’t know this motorcycle, but it was newer than his, and this model was capable of 118 km/h. His leg pounded with pain, and he might have killed a man. He just knew one thing. He had to share his information with someone who cared about the future of France.
He roared along, trying to carefully judge every moving part on the 6-year-old motorcycle. Transportation advanced significantly since his 1930 motorcycle was new. Each year, the motorcycle industry improved with more cylinders, transmissions with additional gears, generators, and electrical lighting. He could swear this popping exhaust note was louder. The twin felt more balanced and much faster. As his confidence grew, he sped up.
His mind whirled with thoughts of his petite redhead. Michele was short and cute as a polished marble button, with bright eyes, and a never-ceasing drive for whatever she desired. She graduated early from a Paris culinary institute, and went to work for a sue chef in a fine floating river restaurant immediately. It motored quietly beside Notre Dame de Paris (French for Our Lady of Paris), also known as Notre Dame Cathedral. It was a Gothic, Roman Catholic cathedral on the eastern half of the Île de la Cité in the fourth arrondissement of Paris, the cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Paris. The cathedral treasury housed a reliquary with the purported Crown of Thorns.
Michele was also terribly concerned about the future of her country, and determined. When she heard from Pierre, she immediately jumped at the chance to be proactive. She carefully investigated small shipping vessels, and then at a party she met a girl who dated the British ambassador to France. She spoke very highly of him, so Michele took a chance.
“Can I meet him?”
“I’ll set it up,” the woman said and took Michele’s phone number.
Careful to judge the ambassador’s political position, she approached him with caution when she was summoned to the embassy.
“How do you feel about the attack on Poland?” Michele asked.
“I’m concerned for our survival,” the ambassador said.
“If someone could help, can they come to you?” Michele asked cautiously.
“Anything,” the ambassador returned. His eyes brightened, and then he looked toward the door to his reception area.
“I need a boat to England,” Michele said, “But I can’t tell you anymore.”
“I understand,” the Ambassador said. “I suggest we go for a ride.” He motioned for her to follow him.
She was petrified, but had no choice. She previously researched all she could about the ambassador, but his staff members were not as cooperative. The receptionist seemed fearful, huddled over her vast carved oak desk. Her blue eyes barely made contact with Michele, then darted along the marble floor.
A burly assistant stood immediately outside his office door, and stared intently at Michele. He was big, muscular, blond, with hard features. They were chauffeured in his official limousine away from the government building.
“I can’t speak at ease in the headquarters,” the ambassador said. “The Vichy government has forced me to use their staff members. I don’t think we will man the British Embassy much longer. I may follow you shortly.”
He hand-wrote some instructions on a sheet of paper and slipped it to Michele. His eyes were firm but sincere.
“I would suggest you move as quickly as possible, and speak to no one, except the captain of this vessel. You will be met at the dock in England and immediately escorted to a safe place. I will see to it.”
“I can’t take you home,” he said and motioned for his driver to pull over. Michele stepped out onto a damp street.
“I’m not sure it would be wise for you to go home, at this point,” he said and shut his car door.
Pierre pushed his new motorcycle as hard as he could along another rainy, winding road. His tank would take him under 100 miles. He watched his time closely. At two hours out, he slid into a petrol station on the edge of Lisieux and refueled. It was a quiet town. He respectfully rolled out of town as quietly as possible. The unceasing rain didn’t back off, but the gray clouds seemed like heavily laden pillows filled to the brim with moisture. Pierre could not wait for daylight. He pressed on.
It was after midnight when his tires slipped in the mud, and sparked all his senses back to full alert as the mud from the rain-soaked hillside escaped to the rough road’s surface in a torrential mudslide. It grew colder as he rolled into the town of Caen, the capital of the Basse-Normandie region, just 15 km (9.3 miles) from the English Channel. He passed a small ceramic sign announcing the distance to Cherbourg at 200 km (124 miles).
Up ahead in the dim light along the road’s edge under a lone street lamp, he could see a small form standing under the rain-shrouded glow and waving. As he neared, he discovered it was Michele, tightly wrapped in an overcoat holding a tin gallon can of gas. She stuffed a Thermos of coffee, a couple of croissants and a chunk of cheese in her coat.
Pierre slid to a stop, and they embraced as if they would never have seen each other again. He stared into her sparkling hazel blue eyes, as if her gaze eliminated all the evil in the world, all the cold, and hunger. Suddenly, he was no longer soaking wet, or chilled to the bone; he was warm and dry.
“There’s shelter up ahead,” she said, hugging him.
“Why didn’t you meet me in Cherbourg,” Pierre aked?
“I was scared,” Michele said. “I didn’t want to go without you. It could be very dangerous.”
“Get on,” Pierre said and rode the Peugeot under a dark wooden bridge. She held him like a damp rat grasping a log in a swirling river.
The discovered a small hidden shelter, tucked the motorcycle behind it and shared a hot cup of warm espresso.
“How much time do we have?” Pierre asked.
“We must be on board before 3:00 a.m.”
Then she spotted his blood-soaked scarf tied around his thigh. As Pierre filled his gas tank once more, she dressed his wound. It was already 1:00 a.m. She didn’t ask, but the projectile had already worked its lead weight close to the surface. With the point from a broach pin, she removed the 7.65 mm bullet, cleaned the area and made a bandage pad from her small cotton handkerchief, holding it in place with the long scarf once more. He nearly passed out from the pain.
They climbed aboard the Peugeot twin once more and peeled toward the coast. This twin model beat the world 24-hour record on the Montlhéry circuit, with an average speed of 118.747 km/h (nearly 75 mph) in 1934. Pierre quickly calculated that he could arrive in Cherbourg in a tad over 1.5 hours, but he was packing the lithe Michele. He put her 100-pound weight out of his mind and twisted the throttle.
They sensed the nearby English Channel as the offshore salt air picked up and the rain seemed to slice sideways. Pierre pulled on the throttle, leaned the motorcycle against the wind and hard on the tanks, and Michele held on for dear life. The land flattened and the wind whistled over stone hedgerows separating fields from sheep grazing lands.
An hour passed blazing through fields, and suddenly he could see the lights of Cherbourg in the distance. The glow made him pull on the throttle even harder. The twin felt completely different from the single, hammering out its compression not like a hammer against a 16-penny nail. It was tough and determined, where as the twin was a team of pistons creating balance in the crank. The torque was smooth and strong, almost like the sound of a single piano on stage versus a quartet.
Cherbourg resided on the Contentin Peninsula, and was conquered by Vikings around 1066 and became a port. With each mile, Pierre familiarized himself with this new machine. It felt organized and strong. The levers worked seamlessly and the clutch felt secure. But as the road lifted slightly and he overlooked the town, he realized that he had no notion of the port’s location, but he kept moving along the two-lane highway, until he noticed a shipping truck looming ahead. When it turned off the highway, Pierre followed and spotted a Porto ceramic sign. He was on the right track.
The truck rumbled slowly and spewed diesel exhaust, then the single brake light illuminated in the downpour and the lumbering vehicle with the tarp cover slowed. Pierre pulled to the side and discovered a roadblock entering the port. His mind whirled with options as he scanned the concrete block guard towers, the armed guards, and the pivoting barrier. He had no papers and no documents on the motorcycle.
Michele tapped his back and thrust her slender wrist in front of his gaze. Her dripping tiny watch held to her delicate wrist was partially covered by her soaking wet thin leather glove. She pulled the gauntlet flap aside so Pierre could read the face dripping with moisture. The delicately thin nickel-plated hands indicated 2:45.
Pierre gunned the motorcycle and dropped the clutch lever as the gate arm rose for the truck. He sped around the truck and under the striped steel arm. With one hand on the throttle, and Michele hanging on for dear life, he reached in his jacket and pulled out the Gestapo identification and flashed it at the guard.
“Gestapo!” He shouted, and blazed into the port.
He had no notion as to the affect his overt announcement would have on the guards, but he had no time to consider his options. He attempted to sound official, but there was no way he could sound German. He needed to find a ship, but what ship? Just then, Michele tapped on his shoulder again and whispered in his ear.
“We need to find the Bibi,” Michele whispered. “Hurry!”
He didn’t know where to go, the layout of the port. It bustled with activity, truck traffic, carts, pallets, and longshoremen in rubber rain gear darting in front of him. The streets were lined with a spider web of train tracks. He had to sense the direction to the docks by the movements in the streets, but as he passed a warehouse, a black sedan pulled in front of him and slid to a stop. The rear suicide doors shot open and to massive gangster types stepped out of the vehicle and cocked MP35 (Maschinenpistole 35, literally “Machine Pistol 35”). It was a submachine gun (SMG) used by the Wehrmacht, Waffen-SS and German police both before and during World War II.
“Halte!” The tall trench coat wearing angelo shouted. He looked like he could be a Gestapo officer. The vehicle he sped at faced to his right, and he had no notion of which way to go. He weaved, leaned hard to the left and his rear tire slid on slick wet and oily railroad tracks. He thought the motorcycle was going down as it screamed toward the agent. It startled the man and he jumped on the floorboards of the vehicle and the automatic weapon spit rounds into the sky.
Pierre weaved around pallets, trucks, carts, and dockworkers, looking for the Bibi as the sedan turned around and sped after them, bullets whistling through the air. He was terrified for Michele holding firmly to his torso. He had to find the Bibi quick, plus he was rapidly running out of time. He passed one pier, then another, then he could see the end of the road ahead as he was forced to turn left or right, or end up in the shallow Cherbourg port water. Michele studied each pier, each vessel for a sign.
Pierre weaved on the wet tar soaked lumber, when he heard another burst from the machine gun, and a dockworker stumbled and fell beside him.
“There it is!” Michele shouted, and pointed to the right.
A bullet sliced through her arm and it went limp, and she screamed. With his left hand, he grabbed her arm and held on tight as he kicked the motorcycle down one gear and leaned the motorcycle as hard as he could to make the right turn onto the pier.
The ship’s stern line hit the water, and Pierre’s heart sank, but his determination didn’t wane. The Peugeot motorcycle handled the turn and darted behind a shipping truck, which blocked rapid-fire bullets. He could see the large BiBi letters on the stern and line handlers dropping the large hemp line eyes from the mammoth horn cleats from the pier into the briny sea. The ship’s steam horn announced its departure as Pierre sped along side the rusting cargo ship housing multiple cranes.
Then he spotted a final cargo gangplank rolling toward the pier’s abutments.
“Michele,” he hollered still holding her left hand with all his might. “Lift your right leg as high as you can!”
At that moment he kicked down on his rear brake and the bike slipped immediately into a sideways slide and Pierre kicked away from the motorcycle, which slid to the end of the pier and spit, tumbling into the bay.
Pierre reach, and grabbed the gang plank railing, but couldn’t hold onto the railing and Michele. He spun passed, grabbing at the underside of the heavy steel structure made from I-beams and wooden planks, just as the ship pulled away from the dock. The gang plank was hoisted off the creaking dock toward the main deck.
A long burst of 9×23 mm bullets pepper the side of the thick iron ship, and the crew retrieved the gangplank automatically with a manually operated ship’s hoist. Members of the crew hiding behind bulkheads peered over the side for the two folks off the motorcycle in the water, but they were nowhere to be found.
The ship sounded one final blast from its steam powered horn and motored toward open sea of the English Channel. Outside the port, the captain hurriedly stepped down his metal stairs to the main deck and approached the gangplank on its secure carriage over the steel cargo hold doors.
“Michele?” he asked tentatively.
“Captain Lamboeuf?” A slight female voice whispered in the dark.
The couple rolled out from under rusting gangplank.
“Permission to come aboard sir?” Pierre said and saluted.
“You are most welcome,” the captain said. “Mr. Churchill is extremely anxious to meet with you on Downing Street. It will take us just three hours to reach Portsmouth, and a car will be waiting.”
He then noticed Pierre’s crimson leg bandage and the wound to Michele’s upper arm, but both smiled broadly.
“May I show you to sickbay?” the captain said leading the way.
How the English-speaking peoples, through their unwisdom, carelessness, and good nature allowed the wicked to rearm–Winston Churchill
inspired by a vintage postcard from Paul Garson
February 11, 2010 Part 2
By Bandit | | General Posts
Continued From Page 1
BIKERNET WEEKLY PHOTO ART EXHIBIT–The kickers are starting to show up at the shop, Bikeweek is painfully close, now if only the Street Glide was bolted back together.
Proud of them Who Dat’s for making a dream come true,
Whiplash Biker Photog
soffordphotos@comcast.net
CANNONBALL BUILD REPORT FROM MATT OLSEN–After weeks of deliberation, I decided that i am going to make a reproduction frame–well actually make five of them. My original frame had quite a few areas where the metal was cracked and stressed. I straightened out the o.g. frame, and it moved really easily, almost too easily.
I do not want to be spending two weeks next September worrying about my frame breaking into two pieces. Plus, this makes the project that much more of a challenge!
I am also sending you a pic of my motor, I had the cylinders electroless nickle plated in Minneapolis, they turned out great, the intake manifold and pieces were plated by my good friend Pat Olbanger.
–Matt Olsen
LIFESTYLE SCREAMING DEAL! ONLY $12,995.00–This silver 2005 Road Glide features all of the stuff you need to tackle any road trip you can throw at it! This bike features a super powerful 106 cubic inch motor (only 5K miles on engine kit upgrade) with Mikuni carb, 6-speed JIMS transmission, powder coated front end … in fact just about everything on this bike that would be chrome has been powder coated in black!
Also features a fixed front faring with all gauges, stereo with cassette player, 2 into 1 Thunderheader exhaust, engine guard with highway pegs, Corbin seat with lock, docking hardware kit for quick dissconnect accessories.
The list goes on and on! Like all of LifeStyle Cycles pre-owned Harleys, this bike has been inspected, tested and approved by a certified LifeStyle Cycles technician.
There is Money in Helmets?–Considering the refusal to wear this particular piece of motorcycle gear and the outrage a mandatory helmet law causes in this country, it is hard to believe that the widely hated lid may be one of the hot money-making items in the industry over the next five years. According to a new study by Global Industry Analyst, Inc. (GIA), the global market for motorcycle helmets is projected to reach a volume of $851 million by 2015.
Especially the expensive helmets that hit the budget at up to $800 are predicted to do best, according to GIA. The target market for these premium helmets constitutes people who have relatively high disposable income and ride motorcycles for recreational or leisure activities. As such, the developed markets, Europe, North America, and Japan are the major markets for premium helmets worldwide.
Europe is the single largest market for premium motorcycle helmets, accounting for about half of the global market in terms of value as stated by the new market research report on motorcycle helmets. (Editor’s note: Almost all European countries have a mandatory helmet law.) Asia-Pacific is expected to emerge as the fast growing regional market for premium motorcycle helmets, with rising income levels and implementation of mandatory helmet laws in many countries across the region.
Motorcycle helmet use witnessed substantial growth in recent years in countries such as India, Vietnam and the US. Much of the growth in usage of motorcycle helmets in India and Vietnam is ascribed to implementation of mandatory helmet wearing laws in these countries. On the other hand, helmet usage in the US continued to rise over the years despite topsy-turvy helmet usage law environment, with different states enacting and withdrawing helmet laws.
– – C.S. Berg
TEXAS HARDTAILS SCOOTER SHOW– Rick and Joe T talk about motorcycles, midgets, BikerNet.com and life.
Get the latest Biker updates in Studio.
“Hey, I just saw my show on your site, thanks! Can you change the “About Rick Fairless’ Strokers Dallas” to read as the following?” said Rick, the King, Fairless.
Rick Fairless’ Strokers Dallas is one of the most famous motorcycledestinations in the USA. Rick’s “empire” consists of:
Strokers Dallas Motorcycle Shop
Strokers IceHouse Bar & Grill
Strokers Ink Tattoo Parlor
They sell Big Dog, Victory, Brass Balls Bobbers & Viper Motorcycles.
Please checkout Rick’s website www.strokersdallas.com
–Jeff Najar
MORE Peel Back Pricing is back again this week at K and G Cycles–This week, K and G is rolling back the prices with savings over 40% off of retail. First, there are still a few sets of the Samson Caliber 2-into-1 exhaust systems from last week so get on it. These babies are priced to blow out at over 35% off!!!
New to this week’s peel back pricing are products that everyone needs and now they are priced for everyone’s pocket book. We have everything from cams to starter relays to compression releases to horns. Even a battery charger and some bling Krommets for your ride.
To peel back prices at K and G Cycles, just go to www.kandgcycles.com, “peel back” the upper right hand corner of the screen, and start saving big time on great motorcycle parts and accessories deals.
K and G Cycles is bikers all about bikers. We are dedicated to bringing you the great selection at great prices. Stop by and see us today!
Throttle Gals Magazine Rumbles to Life Featuring Gearhead Gals– (Detroit, MI) Not another men’s magazine… Introducing a different kind of hot rod magazine, one in which the women who are featured are also the owners of the vehicles. Throttle Gals features awesome women, with bad-ass rides.
Co-founders, Doni Langdon and Trish Horstman of Baker Drivetrain, realized there was a definite hole in the publishing industry. There are women’s magazines, and there are bike, automotive and off-roading magazines. When asked about the new publication and its format, Doni replied, “Rarely do these magazines intersect, even though the number of women participating in auto sports is on the rise. A lot of women aren’t satisfied riding on the back of a bike, or in the passenger seat of her ol’ man’s hot rod. They want to be in control of the machine, not just along for the ride.” Langdon and Horstman are on a mission, fill the gap between the types of magazines by having an outlet for the women who deserve the spotlight. Throttle Gals is that magazine.
Throttle Gal features women who build, ride and work on cars, bikes, trucks… anything with an engine! Its premiere issue featured Athena Ransom, owner of Vagabond Choppers as its cover story, along with Amy Baas and her daily driver ’48 Dodge truck; Janell Bennet and her intriguing collection of cars, and many other exciting and capable women. Upcoming features will include Leslie Porterfield, who holds a land speed record on the salt flats of Bonneville and Casey Coker from Coker Tire, along with many other fantastic women. Each issue also contains tech features, ranging from entry-level topics such as tire changing and fluid changes, to more advanced tech features such as forming metal, painting, and engine/drivetrain tech. Throttle Gals honors women from the past, who have pioneered our way, as well as those who are pushing the limits of today.
You can find Throttle Gal Magazine info online at www.throttlegals.com. Both print and digital versions of this pioneering magazine, and a full preview of issues will be posted on its web site.
For more information contact-
Doni Langdon – editor and publisher, and founder
doni@throttlegals.com
www.throttlegals.com
Utah House approves resolution calling for feds to stop policies aimed at reducing emissions– SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The Utah House has passed a resolution questioning the science behind global warming and calling for federal officials to stop policies aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
The measure passed 56-17 on Tuesday and now goes to the state Senate.
The resolution says the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to regulate carbon dioxide under the Clean Air Act is based on questionable science and could hurt the economy.
Ogden Republican Rep. Kerry Gibson introduced the resolution and later agreed to delete language referring to a climate data conspiracy and tricks used to support global warming data.Information from: Deseret News, http://www.deseretnews.com
— By A.P., Los Angeles Times, February 10, 2010 | 11:34 a.m.
–from Rogue
BIKERNET FREE CONTEST WINNER–The latest winner of the Free Contest is:
JAY JOHNSON from DELL RAPIDS, SD
Suggestion: JUST WANTED TO DROP A LINE SAYING THANKS FOR PUTTING THE TEXAS HARDTAILS RADIO PROGRAM UP. TELL RICK HE NOW HAS 5 WEEKLY LISTENERS.
Wanted: IT’S EFFIN COLD UP HERE. COULD USE SOME WARMING UP.
I’m sending Jay a Bikernet Beanie, a motorcycle scarf and some t-shirts. We have a tons of books, calendars, t-shirts, posters, and every now and then parts, to give away. You have to enter to win so click on the logo above and tell us what you think.
NEW BIKERNET 2010 CALENDARS REVIEW– Got my new Bikernet Calendars. Went up in the shop as soon as I got them.
..Chris T.
Tonight the last episode of AMERICAN CHOPPER AIRS– The last time we will see the Teutels? You know it was not long ago where it seemed every night there was a show on t.v that was based on bikes. We had the bike build offs, which was my favorite of them all, we had Build or Bust with Russell Mitchell, which was cool! Yeah it does not seem that long ago? I for one miss these show and even though I was never a big fan of OCC, the show still sparked interest and drew attention to the industry. Attention like we never saw before and may never see again?
The build off’s inspired and excited people and the Build or Bust show did the same. The next day after the Build or Bust show had aired, there would always be this discussion, “COULD YOU HAVE DONE IT?” Even if most in the discussion could not have pulled it off, it still sparked interest!
Right now the industry could use a spark! So with all the jokes and all the fun pointed at OCC, and yeah I have done it also, in a lot of ways they were good for the industry. Did I like their bikes? Not really, not my style. Did I appreciate some of the fab work and creativity? I sure did! I guess for those of us still around, it was a great time for anyone who loved bikes to see these shows. I for one, miss them. Later!Stealth
CLOSING THOUGHTS–Goddamnit, this world is nuts. American Chopper is gone. I never watched it. The EPA is under attack for over-regulation. A buddy recently told me, “There’s nothing we can do, the EPA will regulate everything.” That statement broke my heart. I believe that there always needs to be a balance, and freedom needs to Be a major factor in the equation. Another mantra is, “Education before legislation.” We don’t need to regulate everything, but we need to learn, so we can make our own decisions, goddamnit.
Did you know CARB, or the California Air Resourses Board got so powerful, they wrote their own laws, circumventing the legislators. Now, they are is serious trouble. Crazy times. It’s all about too much power and control.
On the creative front, Bev has published her second Outlaw MC photo book. And I’m finally going to write Ross Suderno’s bike feature, which will be launched next week.
Click on this banner to check our updated insurance page. It’s growing weekly with new options and quote systems. We are making it a breeze to get a quick quote.
This just in from a build that’s being covered on BikernetMetric. This bike is being built by Terry at StreetWalker Exhaust or Envy Cycles in Phoenix.
We are also working on a series of articles on Wire Plus fine electronic products. In the meantime, let’s ride, or party, depending on the weather.
Ride Forever,
–Bandit
February 11, 2010 Part 1
By Bandit | | General Posts
Hey,
Never a dull moment around the extensive Bikernet Headquarters. The V-twin Trade show rocked the industry last weekend. Our new supreme Advertising Director, Ben flew out with Doc Robinson of Australia’s Heavy Duty Magazine. Doc has been chasing women around the headquarters all week long between gathering articles for Australia’s premier bike mag.
Many of the aforementioned articles will also be featured on Bikernet including a feature on our own 5-Ball Factory Racer, soon to be featured in the Cycle Source, a feature on Aeromach’s new adjustable risers, and a Bike Feature on the new U.S. Choppers vintage build. We road tested the lastest Big Bear Choppers bikes in the pouring rain, Doc is writing the Cannonball bike story from Urban Hirsch, grabbing a feature from the Hirsch III collection of antique masterpieces, and we may come up with something else before he flies out Friday night on a red-eye to meet an island deadline.
Then finally we’ll get back to normal around here. Let’s hit the news:
BIKERNET SPONSORS VINTAGE ROAD RACING–Dean has received word back from Silkolene Oils, and they have committed to sponsoring Flat Rat Racing with their products?.Thanx Silkolene!!!
Also, in a twist with some good timing, he heard from an aquaintance here in town that is a professional photographer, Jason Maris, who says ?we spoke of wanting to start a vintage bike photo essay and video, which would include environmental portraits, motorcycle beauty shots, racing shots, mechanic shots, etc?..I would really like to explore this project from the garages to the the race track, with everything in between, so plan on me picking your brain soon.? He has been out to Fullers shop, and supposedly will make his way to my shop for some background shots soon. It appears we may have some decent pics for our Bikernet reports.
On the Bikes, my racebike will be on display as stated earlier, at the Great American Motorcycle show in Atlanta Jan 23,24.
Deans bike: We have the motor out, and replaced 5th gear in the tranny with a close ratio gear, a typical upgrade for our unlimited V1 class (not legal for the stock class). I?ve pulled his carbs, torn them down, and sent them to our Friend / Sponsor /and CB350 Guru Bill Moeller at Bore-Tech http://www.bore-tech.com/index.htm for some ?massaging?. Dean continues to make progress on his new chassis after hours at the shop.
My Bike: NOT a good evening last nite. Front drum brakes are required for the classes we run?.they are vintage bikes?anyhow, I run a Suzuki Titan 500 ( T500 ) front drum, which gives about twice the braking power of the stock CB350 unit. Well, these hubs are prone to cracking. This brake has been working exceptionally well, so I was scared to take it apart and have a look?..Well, I did, I used flourescent Penetrant NDI and a blacklight on it, and sure enough it was cracked, but not real bad. So, I deceided a touchup welding was in order, and I brought it to my good friend Jim Sweggar, a 40 yr pro welder. He did what he could, just as I asked,?.but the CRACKS progressed THRU the hub face!!!!!
Dang it, I?m 2 weeks from a race?..and BRAKE-LESS!!!….then I recalled a brake my boyeeee Dean had stashed, a ?Water Buffalo? brake?..yeah, one of the most AWSOME front drum brakes ever produced. I think I may be back in business. This brake wont be ready for Talladega on Feb 6, but it will for Daytona! Just a tid-bit of Vintage knowledge, but the old 2 stroke street bikes had HUGE drums because there is no Engine braking with a 2 stroke?.kinda like a sloppy farrt. J
More to come gents!
Flat Rat Racing (www.teamflatrat.com)
Charlie Young # 798
Dean Middleton # 418
Martin Middleton
NEW KUSTOM FAB WEB SITE–In case you missed it in the Bikernet Blog one of the finest builders in Hawaii just polished their web site:http://kfabhawaii.com/
“Aloha Bandit,” said Darren Ho. “We just re-vamped the website check it out…”
BIKERNET WORD OF THE WEEK SPONSORED BY BAKER DRIVE TRAIN–ignoramus ig-nuh-RAY-mus, noun:An ignorant person; a dunce.
My “perfect” reader is not a scholar but neither is he an ignoramus; he does not read because he has to, nor as a pastime, nor to make a splash in society, but because he is curious about many things, wishes to choose among them and does not wish to delegate this choice to anyone; he knows the limits of his competence and education, and directs his choices accordingly.
— Primo Levi, “This Above All: Be Clear”, New York Times, November 20, 1988
I am quite an ignoramus, I know nothing in the world.
— Charlotte Bronte, Villette
Only the crassest ignoramus can still hold to the old-fashioned notion that seeing is believing. That which you see is the first thing to disbelieve.
— Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged
Ignoramus was the name of a character in George Ruggle’s 1615 play of the same name. The name was derived from the Latin, literally, “we are ignorant,” from ignorare, “not to know,” from ignarus, “not knowing,” from ig- (for in-), “not” + gnarus, “knowing, acquainted with, expert in.” It is related to ignorant and ignore.
THE BIKERNET BLOG READER REVIEW–Hey brother bandit, like the blog a lot as I said before. Didn’t see much difference with the Thursday news content but keep up the good work as always.
Don’t know if I can contribute to the Bonneville project as last time but I’ll send you something. Things aren’t so hot here but we’re pushing ahead and won’t go down without a fight.
As always, keep up your great work for all us road warriors and ride hard but safe!pete(fromflorida)–
–Peter Gray
THE SWAP MEET UNCLE MONKEY DOCTRINE–Long before I “became” a biker I always enjoyed going to the annual swap meets. The curious dirt covered, oil soaked boxes always had a certain allure to them. They were boxes of old parts from strange vintage machines. They always held so much promise, so much potential. I would often wonder what radical machine could be revived from the scattered boxes under the tables.
As times changed so have the local swap meets. Today they are more a place for dealers to hawk their unwanted “New Old Stock”. The occasional frame, the occasional engine case is today harder and harder to find for that next project, which next gem in the rough, the next ?Hell?s Belle.? or ?Plain Jane?. Perhaps it is the times. What useful parts that were available have long been gobbled up, built into the real running machines that they were destined to be. Perhaps it is in the fact that most people, at least locally, only ride brand new machines. As my local dealer tells me my Evo Fat Boy is an antique. Harley has effectively weaned out the interchange ability and have dove into their own lines of custom accessories. Our warranties balancing precariously in the wings.
I still go to the swap meets even though whatever old parts I had have long found new homes, perhaps roaming the open highways as they have always been meant to. The day has become more of a social event. It is a chance to talk to old family and friends that I have lost touch with in the dreary winter months. We talk about our ambitions for the year, where the market is going, where the old dealers have gone. In the end it is still a chance to swap stories, to swap ideas.-bad Uncle Monkey
MORE ON TIG WELDING FOR THE BIKERNET WELDING SCHOOL– Weldcraft the 20 series is what I use. Water cooled 20 is good for up to 200 amps. It’s not the larger size one. The larger series 18 is what I use for welding engine and trans cases.
HTP doesn’t show the large size Pyrex cups I use on their website. I know I got mine from them though. Mine is at least 1 1/4 Dia.
–Pablo
AGENT ZEBRA QUICK MOVIE REVIEW–The film entitled Trumbo is worth watching. It’s well written. By Trumbo of course.
–Agent Zebra
LA CALENDAR SHOW SPONSORED BY BIKERNET.COM–Included with admission is the Calendar Girl Music Festival with beautiful girl performers including recording artist Sara Haze and her band, the AC/DC Tribute rock band Whole Lotta Rosies, singer songwriters Katie Cole and Elizabeth Nicole, and the world renown Purrfect Angelz song and dance show.
Spectators also get complimentary admission aboard the historic Queen Mary Ghost Ship, and entry to the Saturday Night Iron & Lace Calendar Builders Party with a live band in the ship’s Observation Bar. Spectators arriving by motorcycle receive reduced $5 parking in the Queen Mary secure motorcycle lot. Free shuttle bus rides are provided for overflow automobile parking at the downtown Long Beach Parking Garages, plus there are paid Taxi Boat rides from Shoreline Marina direct to the Show.
Russ Brown & Chuck Koro Motorcycle Attorneys present the Los Angeles Calendar Motorcycle Show with Associate Sponsors; Iron Works magazine, S&S Cycle, Mikuni Carburetors, California Harley-Davidson, CycleTrader.com, Bikernet.com, Meguiars Car Care Products, California Harley-Davidson and the FastDates.com Calendars.
For additional LA Calendar Motorcycle Show & Calendar Girl Music Festival weekend details including the show schedules, hotels and parking information visit http://www.FastDates.com
BIKERNET HISTORY DEPARTMENT HISTORIC QUOTE OF THE DAY SPONSORED BY BARTELS’ HARLEY-DAVIDSON–“The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first.”
–Thomas Jefferson
SHOVEL/EVO CONVERSION NOTE From Lee at Departure Bike Works– The evo lifter block will bolt on and oil properly– past that you willhave some problems:
1. The evo lifter block tappet bore is at a different angle than the Shovel
2. The tappet roller wheel is larger than the Shovel wheels, these two elements combined change the approach angle to the cam-thus altering the valve event timingof the cam
3. You could use an Evo cam in place of the Shovel cam.
4. Keep in mind the event timing will be that of the Evo and you will loose approx 10% valve liftdue to the difference in r/arm ratio
5. The Evo top-end is taller than the Shovel, plus the base in the lifter block the pushrod tube sets in is at a different angle. This also creates a problem.
Normally the reason someone wants to move to the Evo style lifter assembly is for the automotive style lifter and to feed the oil to the top-end throughthe pushrods. This can be handled by way of the Jims or S&S conversions. We have used the JIMS kits for several years and found them to be an excellant kit.
Lee Clemens , Pres
Departure Bike Works
804 231 0244
CUSTOMS FROM JH CHOPPERS–Check out or 1997 FXSTC Chopper Build and a 2006 FXSTI (EFI) Chopper build.www.jhchoppers.com
–Joel Harrison
www.jhchoppers.com
NEW HAMPSHIRE UNDER ATTACK- – New Hampshire is one of three states at this point that allow all riders to decide what types of personal protection equipment they want wear with the exception of eyewear. So it?s troubling that this last bastion of freedom has been attacked by the same state representative for the past two years. Judith Day, a democrat representing the touristy sea coast area of New Hampshire, has introduced a mandatory helmet law and a motorcycle sound emissions law (more on that later) two years in a row.
Both bills were heard in the New Hampshire House Transportation Committee last Thursday, and MRF Vice President of Government RelationsJeff Hennie testified in opposition to both bills at the request of the New Hampshire Motorcyclists? Rights Organization (NHMRO). Attendance at the hearing was expected to be so large that they had to schedule it to take place on the actual House floor in the state capitol building. Approximately 400 motorcyclists were in attendance. There was the usual support for the helmet bill (HB 1162), the hospital associations, victim?s family, the bill sponsor and a handful of her colleagues (although she was never able to convince any of her fellow members of the NH state house to co-sponsor the bill). At one point during her floor speech, she defended her lack of support from her constituents and her colleagues by speculating, ?Because they probably feel intimidated.?
Representative Day?s second motorcycle bill, HB 1261 to reduce motorcycle noise, was also heard that day, and once again the MRF testified before committee. Day decided last year that motorcycles make too much noise in her touristy beach district, so she wants to overturn state law and drastically reduce the allowable sound from 106 decibels to 82 decibels. However, she doesn?t want to use an actual sound test at the point of inspection as is the case now. Instead she wants law enforcement to look at stopped, standing, or parked motorcycles for the manufacturer-required EPA stamp to determine that their pipes meet all federal standards. This is, of course, problematic for a number of reasons, all of which were pointed out to the committee. Visibility of the stamp and tampering with stock pipes, not to mention giving law enforcement the ability to issue $300 dollar citation for noise to bikes that aren?t even running, were just a few of the many points raised. The four hundred plus bikers were respectful of the Chairman?s requests, stuck to the allotted speaking time, and refrained from boos or hisses. Those in attendance were a classy, effective group of motorcyclists from the New England region.
Feb 2, 2010 the NH House Transportation committee voted unanimously ?Inexpedient To Legislate? or ITL on both bills. In New Hampshire, the full house votes on every bill. However, a state house committee vote of ITL essentially kills the bill, and packages it with a group of other bills also labeled ITL, once it reaches the house floor. But the bill?s sponsor still has the ability to force discussion on the bill and give it a stand alone vote. As of press time, the bill?s sponsor had not done that. The House is expected to consider the measure the week of February 8, 2010.
CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION (CPSC) –
As expected, the CPSC issued its report to Congress on Friday January 15, and unfortunately did not change its position on the exemption of youth off-road motorcycles and ATVs from the ban of sale in the USA. The stay of enforcement on the issue has just over a year remaining. This will continue to heat up as we put pressure on Congress to address this issue.
The MRF will keep you updated on these and any other issues effecting motorcyclists.
BIKERNET RECEIVES RARE TESTIMONIAL LETTER–Dear Bandit,
I just want to send you a letter to wish you and you staff at Bikernet.com the best of luck in 2010 and all the years to come. I can’t begin to express our gratitude to you for all the help you and the folks at Bikernet have given us through our association with you. I have said many times that you have repeatedly gone above and beyond the call of duty when it came to providing us the extra coverage and exposure we needed to be successful.
Being a relatively new Internet-based company, we have faced the first-year struggles we expected to face and have come out the other end as a growing company with a very loyal customer base. I firmly believe this is in no small part to our association with Bikernet. As you can imagine, we are a very data-driven company and we study our analytics and data on a daily basis. We can always monitor a significant spike in out traffic following the Thursday News on Bikernet. We are loyal believers in what you are doing and what you bring to your advertisers.
Count on K and G Cycles to be a part of Bikernet for many years to come.
Sincerely,
George M. Marakas
K and G Cycles, LLC
COPPER TOOLING COMES TO BIKERNET.COM– I thought you might like this. My girlfriend Terri is an artist that works exclusively in copper. I asked Terri if she would put my 1980 shovel in to copper. This is what she ended up with. The finished product is 22″x26″.
The entire thing is made from copper which she hand tools and when I say hand, I mean hand! The only tools being used are old empty pens and her fingers. It gives the work a 3 dimensional look as the end product is a bas relief called Repousse’.
The colors come from patinas just like the custom guys use on a lot of the Rat Bikes, paints and metal waxes. Terri took a photograph and used that to make her art.
Enclosed please find the pic, the sheet of copper before the colorization and the finished product. We are going to have booth’s in Laughlin for the “River Run”, Red Lodge in July and Sturgis in August to hopefully sell her work.
She has other finished pieces including Rat Bikes and British classic’s.
–Doc
moshe kalik
Heart Health: Worst Foods for Your HeartTip of the Day 2/10/2010–Last Wednesday’s Daily Tip discussed the best foods for your heart; today we cover some things found in foods that are not so heart-healthy. Minimize these inflammatory aggravators in your diet to help promote optimal cardiovascular functioning.
1. Saturated fats. They can contribute to high cholesterol; avoid whole-fat dairy foods such as cheese, cream and milk, as well as red meat.
2. Trans-fats. Found in most margarines, snack foods, heavily processed foods and some cooking oils, these fats (often listed on food labels as “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” oil) can reduce HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels and raise LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels.
3. Animal protein. Excessive animal protein has been shown to raise levels of homocysteine, a toxic amino acid. Instead of animal protein, try whole soy protein – aim for two servings of whole soy, such as tofu or edamame, per day.
4. Refined carbohydrates. A diet full of cookies, cakes, crackers, fluffy breads, chips and sodas can increase triglyceride levels and lower HDL.
5. Sodium. Excessive sodium has been linked to high blood pressure and heart disease. Avoid processed and canned foods, taste foods before you salt them and do not add salt while cooking, avoid foods that are visibly salted and read labels (aim for no more than 1,500 mg sodium per day).
CLASSIC AMERICAN MADE LEATHERS FROM Little Joe leathers–We have worn and covered Lil’ Joe Leathers for decades. They are still the classic design and toughest product made.
Continued On Page 2
You Might Like Lower Prices But Walmart Sucks!
By Chris Callen | | General Posts
I know that the reason you may have picked this magazine up is for fun motorcycle information, and that you may or may not want a dose of political rhetoric. However, there is an issue going down around the motorcycle world that should not only offend us as bikers, and Americans. Stick with me for a minute here and I’ll explain.
A few months ago we heard that Street Chopper, established back in the late '60s, was losing their deal with Wal-Mart. After recently centering much of its distribution around America’s largest retail chain, they were going to be put on waivers. This was probably a big part of their decision to only print two issues this year. Then, information from Cyril Huze’s blog came in that not only did this happen to Street Chopper, but other national motorcycle magazines like: Iron Horse, Iron Works, American Rider, Robb Report Motorcycling, Hot Bike Baggers and Motorcycle Cruiser. All these publications would be affected by the Wal-Mart newsstand adjustment. I put a call in to our distribution firm and found out that they were not alone. Over 1,000 titles on Wal-Mart’s racks, in and out of motorcycling, were discontinued, a decision Wal-Mart says they made because these titles were not profitable enough. Not that any of them were losers, just that the “Head Bean Counters” had come up with a number of what is ENOUGH profit for the space that these titles take up. The national distribution network already has a system in place to ensure that weak sales are adjusted, but Wal-Mart bypassed this and made their own rules.
The bulk of the business world might think that this is just a case of good business and that Wal-Mart is well within their rights to do so, but what about their responsibility to the community they support. After all, that was the original mission statement made by now deceased company founder, Sam Walton. I’m sure many will argue with me on this, but I propose this move means control of the free press. If you consider, the most popular magazines are often those that appeal to the general public or are accepted by the widest range of readers from society. To achieve this status you have to maintain and even keel, providing no passionate editorials that might get half the people in the country pissed off. It then becomes the responsibility of smaller, often independent titles to take the hard line on issues that will stir the pot.
Because Wal-Mart is the largest retail chain and the leading retailer of magazines in the country, they have a specific type of monopoly on the distribution of much of our printed media. With their latest move they have enacted a form of censorship on free press. I know that this all sounds very “Conspiracy Theory” but I’m not the only person saying things like this and it doesn’t just apply to magazines in the big box store. BusinessWeek reported similar facts about the retailer in their nationally accredited publication as well:
CULTURAL GATE KEEPER
There is no question that the company has the legal right to sell only what it chooses to sell, even in the case of First Amendment-protected material such as magazines. By most accounts, though, Wal-Mart’s cultural gate keeping has served to narrow the mainstream for entertainment offerings while imparting to it a rightward tilt. The big music companies have stopped grousing about Wal-Mart and are eagerly supplying the chain with the same sanitized versions of explicit CDs that they provide to radio stations. (Censored Versions)
“You can’t have 100% impact when you are taking an artist to a mainstream audience if you don’t have the biggest player, Wal-Mart,” says EMI Music North America Executive Vice-President Phil Quartararo.
Before we go any further, no we are not now. nor was Cycle Source ever available through Wal-Mart, so this move had zero effect on our magazine in a business sense. If anything, we stood in a good place for consideration to replace some of the ditched titles, that was until I called our distributor and told them to remove us from the list of considered titles for distribution through the Wal-Mart chain. I did this in the spirit of Jim Wier, CEO of Snapper Lawn Mowers; look it up, it’s a great story. But no, I will not support a company that does not support our community and to me, shutting the door on hard working publishers, photographers and journalists to make room for the more profitable poisonous toys of China is fundamentally wrong.
Moreover, I think that the motorcycle magazine publishers, hell, for that matter, all magazine publishers, should ban together and remove existing titles from their stores voluntarily. Of course I know that this is idealistic and I may be the only one who actually does it, the only one who stands up and tells the devil to kiss his ass, but that’s my point. There is a very real need for free press in our country; someone has to make a stand on principals!
I do need to apologize though, I have long had reservations about how Wal-Mart conducts its business and in spite of that, I let our magazine title be put on a list for consideration. The lure of selling thousands of magazines through their 5,000 plus, stores was great, and for that brief moment of weakness I am truly regretful. This is a sad day for publishers, however, this latest jab to the American population is not by any means the biggest problem with the Arkansas based chain. Below are some of the less than favorable facts that I gathered to add to this little rant. They come from credible news agencies and you can look any of them up by simply Googling terms used in their reports.
With $245 billion in revenues in 2002, Wal-Mart Stores (WMT Inc. is the world’s largest company. It is three times the size of the No. 2 retailer, France’s Carrefour.- BusinessWeek
138 million shoppers visit Wal-Mart’s 4,750 stores each week. -BusinessWeek
30% of U.S. household staples (toothpaste, shampoo, and paper towels, etc.) are sold by Wal-Mart.- BusinessWeek
82% of American households have made at least one purchase at Wal-Mart.- BusinessWeek
More than 70% of the commodities sold in U.S. Wal-Marts are made in China.- BusinessWeek
Wal-Mart buys 99% of the goods sold in its Chinese stores in China.- BusinessWeek
Wal-Mart buys 80% of all the goods sold in its Canadian stores in Canada.- BusinessWeek
Wal-Mart buys 93% of the merchandise sold in its Mexican stores from suppliers based in Mexico.- BusinessWeek
If Wal-Mart were an individual economy, it would rank as China’s eighth-biggest trading partner, ahead of Russia, Australia and Canada.- China Business Weekly
In its first study of how an American company treats its workers,”Human Rights Watch” asserted yesterday that Wal-Mart’s aggressive efforts to keep out labor unions often violated federal law (U.S.) and infringed on its workers’ rights. -New York Times
After years of fighting unionization efforts, Wal-Mart Stores, the world’s largest retailer, said on Wednesday that it would work closely with Chinese officials to establish labor unions at all its outlets in this country (China). -New York Times
These are simple facts, and I know that many people will cite the world economy and capitalism as a defense for the impact this super store is having on our country. But look outside your own town and ask yourself why Michigan is in such a bad way. Why is the entire Midwest getting its ass kicked by foreign imports? Why are the clothing and furniture manufacturers of the south going out of business like rats on a sinking ship? Why have long standing companies like Hasbro and Levi drastically cut their American work force and shipped their manufacturing overseas? Ask yourself these questions and you’ll have to come back to Wal-Mart and other big box stores like them who are trading American jobs and products for profit. These profits rarely even make life better for the people that work at those stores, their management, or in the long term, the people who shop there.
In closing, I would like to offer my sincerest sympathies to any of the magazines that have been affected by Wally World’s malicious attack on the free press of the American people. All I can hope is that reports like this start to show up in more of the magazines that aren’t sold in the big box stores, and the small mom and pop newsstands are once again known for the best selection in cool reading gear. As for me and my family, I will pay the extra 3%-14% that Wal-Mart can save me, just to buy from a small store. At least in that way, I will be joining the revolution.
Call me crazy, but Democrat or Republican, left or right wing, man or woman, I think that we can all agree that we’d like to continue to live in a world where some songs have swear words, some games and movies are violent, and some magazines are just not as middle of the road as others, but it’s still our choice. To that end, I bid you good luck.
To comment on this topic further I invite all of you to go to our forum and tell us what you think.
www.cyclesource.com
http://forum.bikernet.com
February 04, 2010 Part 3
By Bandit | | General Posts
Continued From Page 1
A NEW D&D SPORTSTER PIPE – AN ASPHALT RIPPER–The New D&D Bobcat Sportster pipes are built for 2004 – 2010 Harley-Davidson Sportsters for performance, torque and soul-satisfying tone. Available in black or chrome with polished aluminum, black, or carbon muffler.
The stepped 2-into-1 exhaust system produces as much as 10% increase in torque and horsepower (with a hi-flow air cleaner and tuner). This is the greatest performance bang for your buck.
The Bobcat Sportster exhaust system was created on the dyno to dial in the performance where you need it most… off idle and in the passing zone. The pipe delivers increase power and torque across the entire RPM range.
MEET THE ST. PAULI GIRL–Katarina Van Derham has been named the 2010 St. Pauli Girl spokesmodel, marking the first time in the history of the beer that the same woman has served as the German barmaid icon for two consecutive years.
Coming off a successful 2009 spokesmodel tour, Van Derham impressed so many with her talent and vivacious personality that she will reprise her role in 2010. St. Pauli Girl unveiled two new posters with an updated look and, starting today, fans can choose the official 2010 poster in an online vote at www.stpauligirl.com.
– – C.S. Berg
LONG WAY DOWN COLLECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS TO BE AUCTIONED FOR CHARITY– Exclusive pictures from Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman’s adventure to be sold for first time.
For immediate release. 3 February 2010 ? San Francisco ? Bonhams is proud to offer a collection of intimate portraits (32 matted and framed pictures) of Scotsman Ewan McGregor and Englishman Charley Boorman from their Long Way Down motorcycle odyssey at the firm?s May auction, held in conjunction with The Quail, A Motorcycle Gathering.
With photographs provided by the producers of Long Way Down, the exhibit was curated by renowned celebrity photographerTimothy White and was featured with Charley?s actual BMW R1200 GS expedition motorcycle, shipped over from Britain especially for the display.
After the debut at Legend of the Motorcycle, the exhibit was displayed at the 2008 Laguna Seca Moto GP race, and then thePetersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.
This exclusive and professionally created exhibit has been viewed by millions of enthusiasts from around the world and is now being offered for sale, with profits being donated to UNICEF, a charity for which Ewan and Charley are both ambassadors.
Bonhams? Auction
Bonhams? Sale of Exceptional Motorcycles & Memorabilia will take place on Saturday, May 8th at the Quail Lodge in Carmel Valley, California. Owners interested in consigning motorcycles to this auction should e-mail usacars@bonhams.com, or call the following individuals:
Mark Osborne, VP & Head of Department, San Francisco: 415-391-4000
Rupert Banner, VP Business Development, New York: 212-461-6515
Nick Smith, Motoring Department Specialist, Los Angeles: 323-436-5470
For information specific to this sale, go to http://www.Bonhams.com/QuailBikes.
BIKERNET TRUCK EDITOR CHECKS IN–How many of you AMERICAN MADE car & truck buyers think this TOYOTA shit is hilarious !!!I don’t want to see anybody get hurt but, BUY AMERICAN DAMMIT !!!!
— Ron in TX
Ken Block’s Monster Ford Fiesta Read for Race Debut at Sno*Drift
The all-new Ford Fiesta may be fun to drive for everybody, but for Monster World Rally Team driver Ken Block, fun takes on a different meaning: a mixture of horsepower, race fuel and adrenaline.
This weekend, Block and his newly formed Monster World Rally Team will debut their Ford Fiesta Rally America program at Sno*Drift in Atlanta, MI as they demonstrate their definition of fun.Block and the Monster World Rally Team will campaign seven rally events in North America in 2010 for Ford, including the Summer X Games in August. Block will pilot a 2011 Ford Fiesta based on the race-winning European Rallycross Fiesta prepared by Olsbergs Motorsports Evolution.
?I am very excited to finally be in the Fiesta,? said Block. ?The Fiesta is the car that beat me last summer at X Games. Ford has a great platform with the Fiesta, and I can?t wait to see what I can do in the Rally America championship and at the X Games later this year.?
Fiesta?s North American racing debut came at the 2009 Summer X Games where it took the Gold in rally competition. Block’s 2.0-liter turbocharged Fiesta, modified to the Open Class specification for Rally America, is capable of producing over 490 hp at 8,000 rpm, but due to a required turbo-inlet restrictor by the series, the Fiesta will be running in the range of 330 hp.
Block, who will be co-driven by Italian Alessandro Gelsomino, will tackle all six rounds of the Rally America series in this car, which will be backed by Monster Energy Drink and Ford. His North American program will culminate at X Games 16 in Los Angeles in early August.
For the complete Ken Block schedule and to see Block in his 2011 Ford Fiesta, please visit www.fordracing.com or www.monsterworldrallyteam.com.
– – C.S. Berg
BIKERNET UNIVERSITY ECONOMICS CLASS MEETS THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT FOR THE WORD OF THE DAY–pecuniary pih-KYOO-nee-air-ee, adjective:
1. Relating to money; monetary.
2. Consisting of money.
3. Requiring payment of money.
He lacked the finer element of conscience which looks upon Art as a sacred calling, she remembered, and because of “pecuniary necessities” he “scattered his forces in many different and unworthy directions.”
— James F. O’Gorman, Accomplished in All Departments of Art
The young man of the house was absorbed in his vegetable garden and the possibilities for pecuniary profit that it held.
— Samuel Chamberlain, Clementine in the Kitchen
He sees the great pecuniary rewards and how they are gained, and naturally is moved by an impulse to obtain the same for himself.
— David J. Brewer, “The Ideal Lawyer”, The Atlantic, November 1906
Over the decades, Pitt built an impressive roster of similarly well-heeled clients who stood accused by the SEC of securities fraud, misstating their finances, other pecuniary offenses.
— Jonathan Chait, “Invested Interest”, The New Republic, December 17, 2001
Pecuniary comes from Latin pecuniarius, “of money, pecuniary,” from pecunia, “property in cattle, hence money,” from pecu, “livestock, one’s flocks and herds.”
BIKERNET TECHS COMING–We are going to install the new D&D 2010 model touring exhaust system in the next couple of weeks, with a high flow Zippers air cleaner. The updated H-D EFI systems will automatically adjust to the system changes.”I have you down for a black fat cat for a 2010 FLH/FLT with the slant cut muffler to go with line of saddlebags and the concentric baffle (for stock 96 or SE 110 motor builds, also quietest baffle we have) does that sound right to you?” Jennifer from D&D confirmed our order. ” I spoke with the production manager and he stated that we should ship this out Wednesday next week the latest.”
We will also install the new Bobcat D&D Sportster system, and perhaps take a Bobcat muffler and quiet Jeremiah’s straight pipe Shovelhead. He was recently pulled over for wearing a beanie helmet and loud pipes. They are beginning to chain him down.
I need to take some shots of Aeromach’s new adjustable risers. Let’s see if I can handle that today. We are working with Zippers and S&S on a couple of performance upgrades on Twin Cams and V-Rods. Hang on.
–Wrench
BIKERNET VALENTINES DAY COUNSELING–An older, white-haired man walked into a jewelry store one Fridayevening with a beautiful young gal at his side.He told the jeweler he was looking for a special ring for his newgirlfriend. The jeweler looked through his stock and brought out a$5,000 ring.
The old man said, ‘No, I’d like to see something more special.’
At that statement, the jeweler went to his special stock and broughtanother ring over.. ‘Here’s a stunning ring at only $40,000’ thejeweler said.
The young lady’s eyes sparkled and her whole body trembled withexcitement.
The old man seeing this said, ‘We’ll take it.’
The jeweler asked how payment would be made and the old man stated,’by check. I know you need to make sure my check is good, so I’llwrite it now and you can call the bank Monday to verify the funds andI’ll pick the ring up Monday afternoon,’ he said.
Monday morning, the jeweler phoned the old man.’There’s no money in that account.’
‘I know,’ said the old man, ‘But let me tell you about my weekend!’
–from Vickie Kelly
FATBOB TAKES US BACK–Here is the bike that truly inspired me in 1976. All of the latest tech. I saw it in Choppers first, as it was in ER later with buckhorns and a round headlight. I still have the rag.
I was talking to Bird and he dug his up. I love the old stuff, but after this, I sold my Pan engine and sheet metal, to buy the wrecked 1974 Superglide.
I couldn’t afford American wheels so I built it with spokes. I always dug mustang tanks too. The old clubbers had an eye for scooters and nowadays with the FXRs and Dynas. Shit I’m bored, so back to the old shit.
There was a time when I could only afford one sled, and this style was my choice. I always hoped and dreamed about bikes and after years, shit starts to happen, but alas three women and five kids sure can drain a bros vein.
— FB
From my boyeees at Fuller HotRods. Big open house party this weekend?Fuller, Sam Memolo, other TV stars, etc?.they had to rent some porta-johns. Well, my ?friends? know I?m a Harley guy?..so when the Orange, Black, and White crappers showed up…and my last racebike was painted the same, they decided to ?customize? the crapper with my race number?.I guess so I couldn?t tell it from my racebike?..Ahhhh yes, what are friends for?….THEN posted it as my new ride on our WERA BBS?..yeah, feel the love?
Intro to Vintage Roadracing in the southern USA–AHRMA = American Historic Racing Motorcycle Assn.
The American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association Ltd. is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to restoring and competing on classic motorcycles. With about 5,000 members, AHRMA is the largest vintage racing group in North America and one of the biggest in the world. The association has grown steadily over the years, reflecting the increasing interest in classic bikes.
AHRMA offers vintage national and regional road racing, motocross, dirt track, observed trials and cross country competition. The machines active in AHRMA events span a full 50 years, from the 1920s to the mid-’70s. The national-championship schedule typical includes 15-20 rounds apiece in road racing, motocross, dirt track and trials. AHRMA nationals take place at some of the finest and most historic venues: Daytona, Road-America, Willow Springs, Miller Motorsports Park, Barber and Peoria, to name but a few.
By 1986, it was clear that a national organization would be necessary to administer this burgeoning sport. AHRMA was originally formed as a privately held business corporation. Other groups were brought together under one banner and one set of rules, and in 1989 AHRMA was reorganized into the member-owned association of today.
The 2009 Road Racing races will be held at Savanna, Georgia, Daytona, Willow Springs, California, VIR, Virginia, Road America, Wisconsin, Grattan, Michigan, Mid-Ohio, Miller Motorsports, Utah, Sandia, New Mexico and the final race is held in Barber?s Motorsports park in Alabama. The national road racing series is held at the above 10 tracks and our four cornerstone events at Daytona, Miller and Barber attract from 15,000 to 50,000 spectators on the race weekend.
In 2006 Buell Motorcycles and AHRMA offered a contingency program which included prize money for racers on the Buell motorcycles competing in some of the existing AHRMA classes.
The 2007 Season was treated to 24 hand shift Harley Davidson and Indian motorcycles of which 20 were shipped in from Australia. This was the largest field of hand shift motorcycle to road race at Daytona since these 1930?s and 1940?s classics were considered modern bikes. Charlie young reported this event from the track in Daytona 2007 for Bikernet.
–Charlie Young
BIKERNET SECURITY DEPARTMENT MEMO, Subject: Incentive to pay the “voluntary” income tax?– The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) intends to purchase sixtyRemington Model 870 Police RAMAC #24587 12 gauge pump-action shotgunsfor the Criminal Investigation Division. The Remington parkerizedshotguns, with fourteen inch barrel, modified choke, Wilson CombatGhost Ring rear sight and XS4 Contour Bead front sight, KnoxxReduced Recoil Adjustable Stock, and Speedfeed ribbed black forend,are designated as the only shotguns authorized for IRS duty basedon compatibility with IRS existing shotgun inventory, certifiedarmorer and combat training and protocol, maintenance, and parts.
–from Rogue
WINTER WEATHER REPORT–Winter really sucks.
–FB
BLOG RESPONSE FROM BIKERNET DESERT EDITOR–Bullshit, eh? Try here: http://www.fashionscarvesandshawls.com/whitesilkaviatorscarves.html
Give those guys a break for the messy store layout. Not every website can be as well organized and easy to navigate as Bikernet.
–Carsten
Texas Hardtails Scooter Show–Listen to Rick Fairless of Strokers Dallas and Joe T. talk Scooters. Strokers Dallas is Dallas’ largest reseller of factory custom and custom motorcycles.
Get more great Biker Entertainment in Bikernet Studio.
HOT FLAME MIRRORS FROM AEROMACH– Aeromach mirrors are designed to be the sharpest mirrors available today. The Aeromach Flame Mirror is built using CNC machines to carve lightweight and strong custom mirrors from billet aluminum. The mirror housing is chromed to a show-quality finish.
Get all the details from Aeromach USA.
?New? BUB California Emissions Compliant Exhaust Systems–BUB Enterprises has just received CARB Executive Order k-002 allowing for the sale in California of catalytic converter equipped exhaust for 2009 Harley Davidson motorcycles. Fitments for 2002-2008 are pending with CARB and will available very soon.
This allows replacement of OEM exhaust with BUB True Duals, BUB TDX headers and BUB catalyst equipped mufflers. Also offered are BUB Slip-on Mufflers (Catalyst Equipped) for Stock Header Fitments.
These exhaust carry up to the full Five Year Emissions Warranty when installed on new or qualifying mileage motorcycles.
This is a milestone in the aftermarket as the executive order process for motorcycle critical emission components was approved in October 2009 and BUB Enterprises is the first aftermarket motorcycle exhaust company to produce compliant exhaust for catalyst equipped on highway motorcycles.
Each system is available with BUB True Dual Headers or TDX Cross Over Headers. Customers can pick which style of muffler bodies and match it to the desired header styles. Available End Cap Designs are the BUB 7 Stealth, BUB Classic, BUB Grooved and BUB Chiseled Cut. These mufflers are also available as Slip-ons for Stock OEM headers. Mufflers are offered in Chrome or Black Ceramic. End caps are offered in Chrome or Black Teflon finishes. This gives customers an enormous amount of combinations of systems to choose from for their specific motorcycle.
As with the BUB 7 Stealth system, performance does not need to suffer with these new catalytic systems. These new systems & slip-ons have high flow catalytic converters that give not only an increase in power, but also the deep rumble that you would expect from a Milwaukee V-Twin.
Product Part Numbers and Prices will be available this spring.
Customers can order Dealer & Retail Direct at 1-800-934-9739 or www.bub.com
PLASTIC BOTTLE BOAT SAIL TRIAL– A strange looking vessel took a leisurely sail on San Francisco Bay on Wednesday – a shakedown voyage for a plastic, fantastic adventure that should finally start next month.
The boat is the 60-foot-long catamaran Plastiki, which David de Rothschild, the 31-year-old scion of the British banking family, plans to sail across the Pacific to Australia, beginning in the first days of March.
What makes the Plastiki unique is that the boat’s twin hulls are made of 12,500 plastic bottles that once held soft drinks or spring water. The bottles are filled with dry ice, which of course is a gas.
Except for the boat’s two masts, the twin hulls, a small outboard motor for emergencies, and a few odds and ends like the galley stove, the Plastiki is made of a hard, tough, self-reinforcing plastic material called PET.
“It is totally unique,” said Andy Fox, a builder of sustainable boats who lives in the western edge of England and was along for the ride Tuesday. “There is nothing like it in the world.”
To tell the truth, the Plastiki is no beauty. The boat is a translucent off-white color, rigged as a ketch with a tall mainmast and a shorter mast aft. Both are metal, gleaming in the sun. The 12,500 bottles that make up the twin hulls give the vessel an odd look, like a kid’s science project.
There is a low cabin, rounded like the back of a turtle. Inside are four bunks for eight crew members, a small galley and an area for an array of electronics the boat will carry. There will be plenty of electronics; one of the expedition sponsors is Hewlett-Packard. There is a tiny head, as the seagoing toilet is called. This will be an adventure in tight quarters.
After months of collecting empty soda bottles, sawing, cutting and hammering the twin hulls together, and fitting the masts, the Plastiki went into the water for the first time on Dec. 16. The boat was towed to Sausalito and the sails were rigged in early January, and the Plastiki has been out in the bay for occasional trial runs while the eight-member crew worked to become familiar with the boat.
There is still a lot of fitting out to do, and several more shakedown cruises. If all goes well, the Plastiki – named for Thor Heyerdahl’s famous Kon-Tiki raft – will sail out the Golden Gate in about a month.
“It depends on a window of good weather,” de Rothschild said. “The hardest thing is to get clear of the coast.”
The plan is to sail south to about the latitude of Mexico then west into the central Pacific, with landfall at one of the Line Islands, a group of atolls south of Hawaii. The biggest of these small islands is Kiritimati, which used to be called Christmas Island.
After that, de Rothschild hopes to work his way west and south, toward Australia.
From the San Francisco Chronicle
E-mail Carl Nolte at cnolte@sfchronicle.com.
INCREDIBLE–I don’t know which way to turn. We’ve got a multitude of items coming at us, bikes to build, stories to cover, videos to shoot. Life is nuts.
It’s interesting how live sorta bends like sailboat at sea. A sloop moves with the wind, the currents, and tides. Sort of like when we ride across country, trying to find that smooth road away from city traffic or a rain squall. Where one door closes, another one blows open. The key is to be prepared to accept the opportunity and respond to it.
With the help of our new web master, Joe, we hope to build the site infrastructure so we can respond to whatever heads our way in the future. We are preparing for more video content, a better mail order sales system, enhanced classifieds section, maybe a jobs department, constantly improving Bikernet Insurance service, and our rockin’ blog.
You’ll see it all happen over the next couple of months on Bikernet. Don’t hesitate to drop me a line if you see a service we can provide. Write if you don’t like something, throw beer cans, or send us a postcard. You can bet we’ll fix it.
Ride Forever,
–Bandit
February 04, 2010 Part 2
By Bandit | | General Posts
Hey,
Life is Bananas. We kicked off the blog this week, and we’re adjusting, as you will witness with this news. The blog allows me to post news items daily. So, for now the Thursday News will become the Special Reports column. I will run items with multiple images or more lengthy features, jokes and reports on Bikernet projects.
Hell, I don’t know, but let’s step off the curb and find out what’s in the street.
ERIC HERRMANN PAINTING ARRIVES AT BIKERNET HEADQUARTERS–The 5-Ball racer has been immortalized by the master Eric Herrmann, who is painting motorcycle portraits on tin for a lasting medium.
We are planning a photo shoot for the Cycle Source Magazine with lovely Lupe and some Torian Leather products. That will take place in the next couple of weeks. You’ll see the teaser shots here.
CARBON ATTACK…Lightweight: Custom Carbon parts by Fat Attack/Switzerland–
“The weight you don?t carry you don?t need to accelerate ? adding to your performance?, states Urs Erbacher, Top Fuel Dragcar pilot and head of both Erbacher Racing and Fat Attack one of the most high-profile custombike-shop in Switzerland. Based at Arlesheim near Basel and the stalelines of Germany and France he serves customers who want that special something, both in terms of custom bikes and performance.
Official dealer for Saxon, Walz Hardcore Cyles, Redneck Cycles, Rick?s Wheels, G&R Tuning and Penz frames, the shop has build numerous one-off customs at their fully equipped workshop where Top Fuel Dragcar and Top Fuel Super Twin are serviced. Now, Fat Attack is giving away their race experience in a series of new high-performance lightweight carbon parts. The bike to promote the parts is styled after the spectacular Erbacher One, but the main bodyparts ? including the tank ? which will only be build to order ? are completely baked in carbon!! The spin-off of this project can already be ordered and does include some incredibly lightweight items.
Fat Attack Carbon Injection Cover
This lightweight cover adds just a few gramms to your motorcycle and covers the area around the injection body of stock Harley-Davidson fuel injections. The cover bolts on between airfilter and injection flange, adding a distinctive high-tech look to each custombike, as well as to stock bikes. A great addition to the current Dark Custom line of Harley-Davidson. Now available at www.Fatattack.ch.
Fat Attack Carbon Airfilter Cover for Forcewinder Airfilter / K&N
Dragracing Performamce at its finest by Fat Attack. This ultra-lightweight air filter cover allows a maximum of airflow with a minimum of weight ? a factor which is often neglected by customizers as weight on the manifold and injection is always applying pressure and stress to the parts they are attached to. Less weight, less stress. The Fat Attack filter also features a build-in function that collects surplus fuel drops that may otherwise be sprayed over the engine. The Airfilter-Cover is designed to work with all Forcewinder-Airfilters, equipped with K&N Filters. Now available at www.Fatattack.ch.
Fat Attack Carbon Headlight
The most radical headlight on the market! Fat Attack?s Carbon headlight is avalable with conventional H4 light equipment or the bright Xenon-lights. Two parking lights left and right of the center beam add to the safety of this very compact design. A high-tech thriller, burning a bright beam into the night, not just for Custombikes, but a real ?eyecatcher? for Streetfighters too! Now available at www.Fatattack.ch.
Fat Attack Carbon Fender
Ths lightweight front fender fits all Upside-down forks like Marzocchi, Ceriani, ?hlins and White Power. Wheelsizes available are 18 and 16 Inch up rim widths of 4??. Consequently, these fenders can also be adapted for all similar equipped motorcycles. Ultra lightweight and very strong these fenders are pure high-tech. Since they will be adapted to the need of the particular projects, the mounting holes have to be drilled for the particular fork. Cut-outs can be custom-made as requested. Now available at www.Fatattack.ch.
Adresse:
Fat Attack Custom Bikes AG
Talstrasse 82
CH-4144 Arlesheim
Schweiz
Phone ++41 61 743 04 00
FAX ++41 61 743 04 01
E-Mail: bikes@fatattack.ch
www.Fatattack.ch
CHICAGO WEATHER REPORT–Hope all is well at the compound.These are some shots of my buddy Brendan in Chicago riding this week! YIKES!
— John Covington
THE UNCLE MONKEY DOCTRINE–Naming a child is one of the most important things new parents do. Months are spent pouring over baby name books and agonizing over the decision. As a society we place a lot of importance on names and attach certain stigmatisms to a name. Matilda can’t possible be better looking then Brittany. Going into battle you would rather follow Alexander the Great then Leonard the Leader. For some the choice is simple as Junior tacked on to the end, or naming after a favourite relative or parent. Sadly in the end there is no right choices. Little did my parents know that SNL would one day torment me, yes “Party on Garth, party on.” In the motorcycle world it would seem that none of us are very happy with our names. It is a rare occurrence when we meet someone who is still known by his or her given name. No, the biker world is full of Bubbas, Mamas, Bandits, Indian Larrys and Uncle Monkeys. As the miles tick off our names disappear and we are given a new name, a proper name that is suited just to us and us alone. We are renamed into a family that is different then that of the “normal” world. It is a world full of Snakes, Pappys, Captain Rons, and Belt Drive Bettys. It creates a brotherhood, a comradery. We often go years before we discover someone Christian name. Perhaps the reasoning lies in the motorcycles, the freedom that they give us. An opportunity to reinvent ourselves, to leave the world behind. We are no longer that guy sitting at a desk 9-5, no longer a nurse saving someone?s life. We are fun loving, we are freedom in a suppressed society. We are there to extend a helping hand to the downtrodden, barbarians conquering an over tamed world. A society of friends, family and comrades, bonded together with the road, our machines from across the world, from all lands, all motorcycles.So whether you are Poet, Loser or Buddha, embrace the name that you have been anointed with. After all a Rose by any other name is still the Rose working down at the coffee shop.-bad Uncle Monkey
QUICK BIKERNET READER BLOG REVIEW–Just read the new blog… looks good, easy layout to follow, I liked it.Keep it coming…like the girl in the Sunday post with the red and silver Evo…nice!
Ride Hard
–Mike
Brass Balls Brawler Makes Debut in Cincinnati– The Brass Balls FXR-styled Brawler will make its debut at the V-Twin show this weekend. Dar Holdsworth has been working for months to get this new motorcycle completed in time for the show.
In keeping with the Brass Balls methodology, the Brawler will have many component options for our customers to choose from as they individualize their bike to their personal style.
In next week?s Bikernet Thursday News we will show pictures of the bike from the V-Twin Expo.
OFFICIAL BIKERNET METRIC BLOG UPDATE FROM THE EDITOR– I’ve got to give steve from kwc a buzz today or tomorrow and see where they stand with id/website/patches/stickers etc. I also have to get with joe and start hammering away on the new blog design. right now i am in the middle of a killer article, similar to what i did with justin kell, with jeff from saint motorbikes (the bobbers i sent you yesterday). look for it tonight. as for the traffic the blog is getting, it’s growing at a steady pace. that graphic of the yamaha xs650 chopper that said “the underground metric revolution” that you posted in the thursday news brought in at least one hundred clicks on friday. thanks. thursday though sunday brought almost 800 viewers and over 2,000 page views. most ever in a 4-day span. in the next 30 days i expect at least 5,000 visits and over 13,000 page views. last month was 4,000 and 11,000. month before was 3,000 and 8,000. before that, zero and less than zero. in the last month, returning visitors more than doubled from november, so i guess i’m doing something that dudes dig, because they’re coming back.
Just finished a poll. ran it for 9 days and got the best response ever, considering i run most polls for two weeks
i was surprised that 40% dug my crazy friday posts, so i’ll stick with that every week. it’s fun to get blasted and post! not surprisingly, they want babes, so i’ll find nice babes that are still pg13 and get ’em up. also, i got one response for “other” but the guy never wrote or commented on what he wanted so screw him.
lastly, racing got a low 19% (bombs got 2% more?), but classic/vintage bikes got a huge 63%. considering the bikes our teams are racing on, i think i can cover a lot of the classic/vintage readers while satisfying the race fans. suddenly it’s a topic that 82% of bikernetmetric readers dig and i’m really looking forward to that back-and-forth with you at bikernet. i think you’ll find it’s going to be pretty popular on your end, too. what i’ll try to do is use the percentages as rough guides to which topics to cover and how often. thought you’d find the info interesting.
lastly, 43% of respondents wanted rides and events. so here we go. first, i’m going to sell my vtx and build a killer xs bobber. i need something that i can wrench myself when the end of the world comes and a souped-up fuel-injected monster isn’t it. i’m making a lot of contacts, locally and nationally, and i think i can do it, but probably not before the R.O.T. rally here in austin starting june 10. if i can go crazy and make it happen, i will, but i need help. THE BIKERNET “FREEDOM OR DEATH” METRIC BOBBER PROJECT? i’m a bit stressed about the timing because the ROT is a huge event and i want to document it in a big way; like filming rides, photographing the rally events and vendors, sixth street bars and whatever else comes up. i’m building a nice little crew of metric riders here and i think it will be a blast. my bar (casino el camino) isn’t geared to the biker crowd, but three doors down is the dirty dog, and my associate cracker is interested in a bikernet/bikernetmetric event at his bar. anyway, it’s february now and plans for something like this need to be mulled over so i know how to approach cracker, in addition to how i can build a bike for no more than 5k out of pocket. i know that can be done but this has to be special to carry the bikernet brand.
of course, i’ll do any graphic work that needs to be done like posters. it would be cool to have t-shirts and stickers made. regardless, if i can do it right, it’s going to appeal to 100% of bikernetmetric readers because it will cover so many of their wants (beer, babes, bobbers, cafe racers, custom parts, rides, events, and builder profiles). if i can get on a clean little 650 bobber, bikernetmetric’s credibility goes through the roof.
i believe that in june, bikernetmetric will be attracting 11,000 viewers and 30,000 pageviews. this leads me to my desire to discuss with you further the advertising capabilities of bikernetmetric (phone convo). you guys already have some sponsors who sell products that custom metric bobber builders can use. in march, can we try to get a few to advertise on bikernetmetric for a hundred a month or a grand a year? how i’m planning on setting it up is there is only one ad per page. the average view clicks three pages. in may, they will be able to make a four thousand impressions for less than three cents each time.
–Trent Reker
BikernetMetric Editor
Damn, our perfectionist BikernetMetric Editor can’t capitalize. He’s not paying me enough to straighten it out for him.–Bandit
FIRST CHANCE BOOK DUE TO ARRIVE AT THE HEADQUARTERS TODAY– I have been a fan of yours since your Easyriders days. I still read er but also go on Bikernet at least weekly, if not more. I’ve also read your books Prize Possession, Outlaw Justice and Chopper Orwell, which by the way is one of the best books I’ve read in along time, and also it’s kinda scary how real close to reality the book hits with the dems. and Obama and the direction this government is taking.
That being said first I can’t wait till your Chance Hogan book is ready, because I’ll be one of the first to order it.
The other reason I’m writing you is so if your so inclined to do. Let you readers in Ohio, Cuyahoga county know a follow life long biker is running for the new Cuyahoga county council district 8. All politics are local as they say, and I have to start some where but the things that matter most to me are riding, riders freedom of the road and conservative values, the bill of rights, particularly the first and SECOND amendments.
Ride forever FREE
— Andy Plavny
(peechsteel@aol.com) (216 214 0331)
SMART ARSE ANSWERS– The last one is a worthy winner.
6th Place
It was mealtime during a flight on a British Airways plane: ‘Would you like dinner?’ the flight attendant asked the man seated in the front row.
‘What are my choices?’ the man asked.
‘Yes or no,’ she replied.
5th Place
A flight attendant was stationed at the departure gate to check tickets. As a man approached, she extended her hand for the ticket and he opened his trench coat and flashed her.
Without blinking an eyelid she said, ‘Sir, I need to see your ticket not your stub.’
4th Place
A lady was picking through the frozen turkeys at a branch of Sainsbury’s but she couldn’t find one big enough for her family.
She asked a passing assistant, ‘Do these turkeys get any bigger?’
The assistant replied, ‘ I’m afraid not, they’re dead.’
3rd Place
The policeman got out of his car and approached the boy racer he stopped for speeding.
‘I’ve been waiting for you all day,’ the bobby said.
The kid replied, ‘Yes, well I got here as fast as I could.’
When the policeman finally stopped laughing, he sent the kid on his way without a ticket.
2nd Place
A lorry driver was driving along on a country road. A sign came up that read ‘ Low Bridge Ahead.’ Before he realised it, the bridge was directly ahead and he got stuck under it.
Cars are backed up for miles. Finally, a police car comes up.
The policeman got out of his car and walked to the lorry’s cab And said to the driver, ‘Got stuck, eh?’
The lorry driver said, ‘No, I was delivering this bridge and ran out of petrol!’
SMART ARSED ANSWER OF THE YEAR 2009
A teacher at a polytechnic college reminded her pupils of tomorrow’s final exam.
‘Now listen to me, I won’t tolerate any excuses for you not being here tomorrow. I might consider a nuclear attack or a serious personal injury, illness, or a death in your immediate family, but that’s it, no other excuses whatsoever!’
A smart-arsed guy at the back of the room raised his hand and asked, ‘What would happen if I came in tomorrow suffering from complete and utter sexual exhaustion?’
The entire class was reduced to laughter and sniggering. When silence was restored, the teachersmiled knowingly at the student, shook her head and sweetly said, ‘Well, I suppose you’d have to write with your other hand’
–from Nicole B.
SAXON MOTORCYCLES Europe starts dealership in Austria American Iron Vienna official Saxon dealer in Vienna– Saxon Motorcycles Europe announces that they have expanded their dealer network with a new official dealer. The contract is signed with American Iron in Vienna, Austria.
The owners of American Iron Vienna are enthusiastic. ?We are very pleased to work with Saxon, the expression and experience of driving the motorcycles are terrific. Besides that, the motorcycles are very comfortable and easy to ride? says Klaus Meier, owner and co-founder. ?Because of the good quality and the favourable pricing the Saxon motorcycles are excellent in addition to our current assortment, especially because they are true American motorcycles? explains partner Thomas Hoke. In January 2010 the shop had been opened, nearby the city centre of Vienna. The official opening party will be in May.
At the moment Saxon Motorcycles Europe has four models: the Warlord, Firestorm, Henchman and the Whip. At American Iron Vienna are foremost hardtail models. General information about Saxon Motorcycles Europe and their models can be found on the internet www.SaxonMotorcycles.eu or www.american-iron-vienna.at.
Saxon Motorcycles, a Rebel in your own style True American Motorcycles
American Iron Vienna
Klaus Meier / Thomas Hoke
Ortstrasse 18
A-2331 Voesendorf
T 0043-16992240
LIFESTYLE BIG DOG DEAL OF THE WEEK, AMAZING PRICE! ONLY $6,995.00–Check out this super clean, low mileage 1998 Big Dog Pro Sport! This bike features a powerful S&S 107 cubic inch motor and 5-speed transmission, Softail suspension, apehangers, extended forward controls, tons of chrome accesories, billet wheels and much, much more!
You must see this one in person before it’s gone! Like all of LifeStyle Cycles pre-owned Harleys, this bike has been inspected, tested and approved by a certified LifeStyle Cycles technician.
SS Trike adds excitement to the 3-Wheel Experience–For Immediate Release – February 4, 2010 – SS Trike has eliminated the lack of excitement that most 2 wheel riders experience when switching from a 2 wheeled vehicle to a 3 wheeler.
At first glance you can?t help but notice the bold ?Big Wheel? styling, and that is just where the difference begins. Due to its innovative low-slung chassis design, the SS Trike is more than capable of handling the power of its Ultima 113 cubic inch V-Twin engine.
?Our trike looks like a Hot Rod and handles like a dream,? said Jason Nieman, Owner of Olmax Fabrication. ?The low center of gravity offers a stable platform and exceptional maneuverability.?
The excitement of this ride is further enhanced by a smooth, race-inspired 2 speed automatic transmission. This standard package is enhanced further by a large diameter 24? front wheel wrapped in Metzler rubber, 14? American Racing rear wheels, and digital instrumentation.
Current options include air suspension, a higher and more forward positioned seat, a passenger backrest, windshield, enclosed trunk and trailer hitch. More details at SS Trikes
69th DAYTONA BEACH BIKE WEEK – ATTENTION EXHIBITORS, Apply online and get proof of coverage in minutes– The Bikernet Insurance Center LLC has set up a “Special Group Policy” For Event Exhibitors attending Daytona Beach Bike Week. Exhibitors can purchase Event Insurance liability for their booth, exhibit or special event for only $75 for a $1,000,000 limit.
This is the best insurance deal in the country and has been put together especially to help our brethren during this weak economy.
So, if you will be exhibiting at the 69th Daytona Beach Bike Week held from February 26, 2010 to March 7, 2010 and you need quality coverage at an excellent price, simply click on the link above and get your insurance quick.
Note the fine print Bros.
1. This is a Group Liability Insurance Policy For Exhibitors. This means all of the exhibitors who purchase this low-cost event liability coverage will be named on this one group policy, so share limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and a $5,000,000 aggregate.
If a customer wants to purchase their very own individual policy with individual limits for them specifically, they need to go to our website link www.bikernet.com/insurance and click on #1-Event Liability Insurance to get their own policy online. Cost is similarly low at around $100. You choose, we provide cheap.
2. This Group Liability Policy For Exhibitors excludes certain high-risk events involving motorsports, racing and burn-outs. Always read the provisions, exclusions, conditions and limitations of any insurance policy to make sure it is right for your business. If you have any questions or need advice, please contact
clientservice@bikernet-insurance.com to connect with one of our licensed agents.
Continued On Page 2
The New 2008 AMA Mantra
By Bandit | | General Posts
The mission of the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is to serve the interests of motorcyclists by pursuing, promoting and protecting the future of motorcycling. This is the primary reason I went to work for the association in 1994 as its Washington lobbyist.
Although I chose to leave the staff of the AMA in 1998, I continued to promote the interests of motorcyclists and remained a dues-paying member of the association to help ensure that motorcyclists would have a strong and effective voice in the preservation of the freedoms that so many riders take for granted.
Earlier this year, I was named chief executive officer of the AMA. Honored as I was to be entrusted with the leadership of the AMA, I quickly came to realize that I had returned to a much different organization than the one I had left just eight years previously. The AMA’s core mission had become diluted because it had taken on more than it could reasonably accomplish. Today, the AMA attempts to be a rights protector, publisher, member services provider, sanctioning body, promoter, entertainment firm, event management company and sports sponsorship and marketing outfit.
The AMA has never had the appropriate resources or infrastructure to be all of these things.I recently presented a new vision for the organization to the association’s Board of Directors. With the support of the Board, over the course of the next 24 months, the AMA will complete a thorough refinement of its business model as well as a comprehensive restructuring of its resources. The primary objectives are as follows:
Rededicate the Association to Its Core Mission – First, and foremost the AMA is a membership organization. We must provide service to our members in the pursuit, promotion and protection of the future of motorcycling.Strengthen and Improve the Menu of Member Benefits’– This effort begins with being a better partner to the motorcycle industry in general. We must be humble and work harder to develop and maintain relationships. We must be more collaborative and do more to take the needs of our partners into consideration. We must also recognize what motorcyclists want from their association and provide an enhanced menu of benefits that will attract greater numbers to the AMA.
Team Environment and Staff Accountability– Each department and staff member will be responsible for adding value and benefits to the AMA membership. Staff must work together as a team rather than individual departments competing with each other for attention and resources. I have described this to staff as OneAMA. This OneAMA concept provides a unifying theme that will drive staff development. Our members and our partners deserve a unified support team.
Improved Communications – As an advocacy organization, the AMA should have top-notch communications functions. The ability of the AMA to communicate both internally and externally will be enhanced and the organization will consolidate communications efforts so that we can present coherent and consistent messages. During our restructuring you will see major improvements in these areas.
Government Relations – The government relations activity is the marquee benefit of the AMA and must be resourced accordingly. We will be exploring a variety of options to enable the association to be even more effective in protecting the rights of motorcyclists. We hope to expand the size and scope of the Government Relations Department and plan to increase the resources we have on the ground dedicated to our lobbying efforts. This includes establishing a greater voice in Washington, as well as regional and local representation.
Racing Services – We are getting out of the racing promotions business and are already actively searching for series promoters for all race disciplines except for AMA Supercross. We recognize that this transition will not occur overnight. In the future, we will continue to sanction events and provide operational staff to assist qualified series promotions groups in the growth of the sport.
To expand on this last point, success in the AMA’s racing endeavors has proven elusive because the AMA has mingled its role as sanctioning body with its role as series promoter. This has confused and frustrated the motorcycle racing community and as a result, the AMA has regularly found itself at the center of racing controversy. This has caused the motorcycle industry not to support the AMA to the degree that it could. This lack of support has impeded the AMA’s ability to grow to its full potential and has therefore kept the organization from being as effective as it could be executing its core mission: pursuing, promoting and protecting the future of motorcycling.
The entertainment business is inherently very risky and as a nonprofit service organization we do not have resources to risk promoting series and events. Other sanctioning and series promotions organizations have hundreds of staff members to manage only a handful of series. By comparison, our racing infrastructure currently consists of 27 full time staff members who are managing 46 various types of racing activities.
It is important to point out that our plan is not a negative response to a difficult problem but is instead a comprehensive plan for positive change. The decision to get out of the series promotion business is not an abandonment of the AMA’s long racing tradition. It will transition the commercial aspects of racing to responsible groups and companies that will have the required resources and expertise to foster growth.
Over the coming months we will identify and engage partners who have the infrastructure to grow the racing disciplines that we wish to continue to govern as a sports sanctioning body. Entities who are interested in securing the promotional rights to any of our racing series are encouraged to contact us at their earliest convenience.
Now that our objectives have been clarified, we know that others may have insightful ideas that could help us improve our service levels and assist with our future growth. In order to be a better provider of services to motorcyclists, we will be reaching out to our partners in the motorcycling community to seek guidance and input. We have established a special email address for questions or comments and I encourage you to write us at oneama@ama-cycle.org.
I have a great deal of optimism about the future of the AMA. There is a clear realization among the AMA's leadership that change is essential. We are rededicating ourselves to our core mission of serving the interests and protecting the rights of motorcyclists. In doing so, the AMA will transform itself into a world-class member services organization. Challenging as it may be for our staff and stakeholders, the process has already begun. The value of the vision will be determined by its execution.
Ride safe.
–American Motorcyclist Association
