BIKERNET CHRISTMAS NEWS HEADLINES–MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE BIKERNET FAMILY

Ho, ho, ho,

It’s a Christmas Day Bikernet News, amazing. It’s also amazing how fast we blew through another year, but that’s another subject for next week. We’re going to have some fun with this news column and make it as festive as possible.

We’ll let the girls and Santa make this a Christmas like no other. So let’s get to it, break out the egg nog, the brandy and tear open those presents. That reminds me. My folks survived the depression era. Growing up we were taught to open presents carefully to prevent tearing the paper, so that it could be reused. It turned into a tradition of respect for the slightest thing and for the heartfelt present in the package. It added to the suspense and to the honor we bestowed on every gift no matter the significance. In addition it allowed us moments to honor the effort bestowed on wrapping the present.Respect each present, respect yourself and respect others. Merry Christmas. Now, let’s hit it:

AMERICAN IRON MAGAZINE CHRISTMAS WISH–To all ? As AIM?s Associate Editor (and only editorial person in the office today) I wish to convey my sincerest thanks for your stellar efforts and contributions this past year. You collectively make my job relatively easy, and I am immensely proud and appreciative to work with all of you in an editorial capacity. I hope the new year brings you much success and happiness in every aspect of life. Happy Holidays!

Cheers,

–Adam

CHRISTMAS COWBOY POETRY–

Jake, the rancher, went one day
To fix a distant fence.
The wind was cold and gusty
And the clouds rolled gray and dense.

As he pounded the last staples in
And gathered tools to go,
The temperature had fallen,
The wind and snow began to blow.

When he finally reached his pickup,
He felt a heavy heart.
From the sound of that ignition
He knew it wouldn’t start.

So Jake did what most of us
Would do if we had been there.
He humbly bowed his balding head
And sent aloft a prayer.

As he turned the key for the last time,
He softly cursed his luck.
They found him three days later,
Frozen stiff in that old truck.

Now Jake had been around in life
And done his share of roaming.
But when he saw Heaven, he was shocked —
It looked just like Wyoming!

Of all the saints in Heaven,
His favorite was St. Peter.
(Now, this line ain’t needed
But it helps with rhyme and meter)

So they sat and talked a minute or two,
Or maybe it was three.
Nobody was keeping’ score —
In Heaven time is free.

‘I’ve always heard,’ Jake said to Pete,
‘that God will answer prayer,
But one time I asked for help,
Well, he just plain wasn’t there.’

‘Does God answer prayers of some,
And ignore the prayers of others?
That don’t seem exactly square —
I know all men are brothers.’

‘Or does he randomly reply,
Without good rhyme or reason?
Maybe, it’s the time of day,
The weather or the season.’

‘Now I ain’t trying to act smart,
It’s just the way I feel.
And I was wondering’, could you tell me —
What the heck’s the deal?!’

Peter listened very patiently
And when Jake was done,
There were smiles of recognition,
And he said, ‘So, you’re the one!!’

That day your truck, it wouldn’t start,
And you sent your prayer a flying,
You gave us all a real bad time,
With hundreds of us trying.’

‘A thousand angels rushed,
To check the status of your file,
But you know, Jake, we hadn’t heard
From you in quite a long while.’

‘And though all prayers are answered,
And God ain’t got no quota,
He didn’t recognize your voice,
And started a truck in Minnesota.’

BETTER KEEP IN TOUCH!

–from Dean Shawler
Editor
Biker Magazine

This is not a Sopwith motorcycle, but a vintage shot from the Bob T. Collection. Sopwith motorcycles were built with rotary airplane engines. I believe we have shot of a rotary engine custom in the Cantina built by Jesse James.

BIKERNET HAS A LEAD ON AUTHENTIC SOPWITH ROTARY ENGINE MOTORCYCLE– It may take me a few weeks as I am in France and the motorcycle is in the UK. It belongs to an old guy that collects horizontally opposed twins. I haven’t spoken to him for five years, I hope he is still alive!

I did speak to a friend of mine a couple of months ago as he lusts after the Sopwith as it is so beautiful. He was gonna see if the old guy wanted to sell it.

It was raced at the famous UK banked oval track Brooklins.

I will keep you posted.

–Stephen Hyde

INDIAN CHIEF WILL BE AVAILABLE IN 2009–Indian confirms availability of 2009 ChiefIndian Motorcycle’s General Manager Chris Bernauer has announced that the Kings Mountain, North Carolina based manufacturer has now launched its 2009 Indian Chief model.In eighteen months the company has gone from an empty warehouse and no prototype to construction and fitting-out of its factory, the start of a dealership development program, and, now, design and successful testing of a four model Chief line-up.

Chris Bernauer, GM of Indian.

Commenting on the progress that has been made, Bernauer says that “our goal for the future is to build a small and distinguished business delivering world class products and customer service.

“We currently have dealers in Charlotte, Phoenix, Detroit, Wichita, Paducah (KY), Pittsburgh and Omaha. Many more locations will be opening in the Spring and Summer of 2009.

If customers do not yet have a dealer near them, they are welcome to visit the Charlotte, NC, area and we’ll provide a tour of the factory and a visit to the beautiful Charlotte dealership.

www.indianmotorcycle.com.

JAPANESE RIDER AND PHOTOGRAPHER–Give Janta of Tokyo some cred for this photo and his website, good friend from Nippon

–CHRIS
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7345297@N02/sets/

SHERIFF MEDIA GROUP
S-36030 LAMMHULT
SWEDEN
http://picasaweb.google.com/SHERIFFMEDIAGROUP

RIVERA PRIMO “THURSDAY NEWS” . . . 12-25-08, MERRY CHRISTMAS WITHSU CARBURETORS, COMPONENTS & ACCESSORIES–When it comes to SU CARBURETORS* look no further . . . we are the original sourcefor all your SU needs. Having a tremendous inventory of all SU-related goods,Rivera Primo has built a huge fan-base for these constant velocity-type carburetors.

Check out most any bike mag, old or new, and you’re sure to see a feature bike sporting the familiar SU domed carb. They’re unmistakable & they work !!

SU’s are famous for delivering smooth, even power & torque throughout the entirepower band. They have excellent cold-start characteristics, deliver great fuel mileageand are so easy to tune. They rank very high on the all-time favorite list of great products !

Choose from complete kits featuring carb, manifold, air cleaner, necessary gaskets, mounting hardware & tuning instructions for the latest Twin Cams & Evo’s & the early Pans,Shovels & Sportsters as well. Want to build your own set-up? Then purchase a carb only,couple it to a manifold, add a velocity stack and you’re on your way.

Need some smallreplacement parts, no problem . . . we’ve got them all, internal carburetor stuff too !

SU CARBURETORS*, a true living legend !!
* Not legal for sale or use in California or on any pollution controlled motor vehicles

For further info on these & other fine products contact:
Rivera Primo Inc.
12450 Whittier Blvd.Whittier, CA 90602
Tel: 800-872-1515
? 562-907-2600
? Fax: 562-907-2606
Web: www.riveraprimoinc.com

URBANA, MARYLAND WOMAN TURNS CAR INTO QUILT OF NAIL POLISH– What would you do with approximately 250 bottles of nail polish? Why, painstakingly paint a giant colorful quilt on your car, of course.

According to The Gazette, that’s just what Urbana, Maryland resident Jill Bell did. After finding a dent in her car’s hood, she cleverly painted a Band-Aid over the unsightly bump. Chuckle. She liked the idea so much, she decided to paint her entire car with nail polish! Click here to check out the photos. I’m guessing (and hoping) she didn’t use one of those $30-a-pop lacquers from Chanel’s Moscow Collection.

Nope. What she did use? The help of others. “Lots of ladies in my church donated nail polish, and lots of ladies at Weight Watchers, too,” she told the newspaper. Bell estimates that 100-250 bottles of nail polish were used to accomplish this feat ? a feat that took 13 months to finish.

Whoa.

SEASON’S GREETINGS from BCCOM IN CANADA–On behalf of BCCOM we would like to wish you all the best over the holidays and in the new year. We appreciate your continued support and couldn’t do it without you!

VANCOUVER MOTORCYCLE SHOW – JANUARY 22-25

Please stop by and check us out at the Vancouver Motorcycle Show on January 22-25 at the Tradex Centre in Abbotsford (www.sportsmensshows.com/VanCycle/index.html). This year we will be in booth 716 right in Custom Alley so please stop by and say hi.

VANCOUVER MOTORCYCLE SHOW TICKETS

Motorcycle Show are sure to bring a smile to any motorcycle enthusiast’s face!Tickets are on sale now at Trev Deeley Motorcycles for $11 for adults and $7 for kids (6-15).

For every bike show ticket sold, Trev Deeley Motorcycles will donate $1.00 to BCCOM!!Deeley’s is located at 1875 Boundary Road in Vancouver. Phone: (604) 291-2453 or check them out on-line here: www.trevdeeley.com

2009 MEMBERSHIPS NOW AVAILABLE

It’s that time of year again! 2009 memberships are now available on-line or by phone with MasterCard or Visa. You can follow this link: http://www.bccom-bc.com/bccom_store/bccom_store.html to join on-line or you can print off a form to mail in with a cheque.

B.C. Coalition of Motorcyclists
Email: office@bccom-bc.com
Website: www.bccom-bc.com
Phone: (604) 580-0111 or 1-877-580-0111

Continued On Page 2

Editor's Note: I received this letter recently from a brother. I thought it was interesting and direct. Then I saw the author covered on national television, so I gave it another read, and decided to share it with our readers:

A letter from a woman in Arizona. She writes an open letter to our nation's leadership:

I'm a home grown American citizen, 53, registered Democrat all my life. Before the last presidential election I registered as a Republican because I no longer felt the Democratic Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. Now I no longer feel the Republican Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. The fact is I no longer feel any political party or representative in Washington represents my views or works to pursue the issues important to me. There must be someone. Please tell me who you are. Please stand up and tell me that you are there and that you're willing to fight for our Constitution as it was written. Please stand up now.

These are briefly my views and issues for which I seek representation:

One, illegal immigration. I want you to stop coddling illegal immigrants and secure our borders. Close the underground tunnels. Stop the violence and the trafficking in drugs and people. No amnesty, not again. Been there, done that, no resolution. P.S., I'm not a racist. This isn't to be confused with legal immigration.

Two, the TARP bill, I want it repealed and I want no further funding supplied to it. We told you no, but you did it anyway. I want the remaining unfunded 95% repealed. Freeze, repeal.

Three: Czars, I want the circumvention of our checks and balances stopped immediately. Fire the czars. No more czars. Government officials answer to the process, not to the president. Stop trampling on our Constitution and honor it.

Four, cap and trade. The debate on global warming is not over. There is more to say.

Five, universal healthcare. I will not be rushed into another expensive decision. Don't you dare try to pass this in the middle of the night and then go on break. Slow down!

Six, growing government control. I want states rights and sovereignty fully restored. I want less government in my life, not more. Shrink it down. Mind your own business. You have enough to take care of with your real obligations. Why don't you start there.

Seven, ACORN. I do not want ACORN and its affiliates in charge of our 2010 census. I want them investigated. I also do not want mandatory escrow fees contributed to them every time on every real estate deal that closes. Stop the funding to ACORN and its affiliates pending impartial audits and investigations. I do not trust them with taking the census over with our taxpayer money. I don't trust them with our taxpayer money. Face up to the allegations against them and get it resolved before taxpayers get any more involved with them. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, hello. Stop protecting your political buddies. You work for us, the people. Investigate.

Eight, redistribution of wealth. No, no, no. I work for my money. It is mine. I have always worked for people with more money than I have because they gave me jobs. That is the only redistribution of wealth that I will support. I never got a job from a poor person. Why do you want me to hate my employers? Why — what do you have against shareholders making a profit?

Nine, charitable contributions. Although I never got a job from a poor person, I have helped many in need. Charity belongs in our local communities, where we know our needs best and can use our local talent and our local resources. Butt out, please. We want to do it ourselves.

Ten, corporate bailouts.. Knock it off. Sink or swim like the rest of us. If there are hard times ahead, we'll be better off just getting into it and letting the strong survive. Quick and painful. Have you ever ripped off a Band-Aid? We will pull together. Great things happen in America under great hardship. Give us the chance to innovate. We cannot disappoint you more than you have disappointed us.

Eleven, transparency and accountability. How about it? No, really, how about it? Let's have it. Let's say we give the buzzwords a rest and have some straight honest talk. Please try — please stop manipulating and trying to appease me with clever wording. I am not the idiot you obviously take me for. Stop sneaking around and meeting in back rooms making deals with your friends. It will only be a prelude to your criminal investigation. Stop hiding things from me.

Twelve, unprecedented quick spending. Stop it now.

Take a breath. Listen to the people. Let's just slow down and get some input from some nonpoliticians on the subject. Stop making everything an emergency. Stop speed reading our bills into law. I am not an activist. I am not a community organizer. Nor am I a terrorist, a militant or a violent person. I am a parent and a grandparent. I work. I'm busy. I'm busy. I am busy, and I am tired. I thought we elected competent people to take care of the business of government so that we could work, raise our families, pay our bills, have a little recreation, complain about taxes, endure our hardships, pursue our personal goals, cut our lawn, wash our cars on the weekends and be responsible contributing members of society and teach our children to be the same all while living in the home of the free and land of the brave.

I entrusted you with upholding the Constitution. I believed in the checks and balances to keep from getting far off course. What happened? You are very far off course. Do you really think I find humor in the hiring of a speed reader to unintelligently ramble all through a bill that you signed into law without knowing what it contained? I do not. It is a mockery of the responsibility I have entrusted to you. It is a slap in the face. I am not laughing at your arrogance. Why is it that I feel as if you would not trust me to make a single decision about my own life and how I would live it but you should expect that I should trust you with the debt that you have laid on all of us and our children. We did not want the TARP bill. We said no. We would repeal it if we could. I am sure that we still cannot. There is such urgency and recklessness in all of the recent spending.

From my perspective, it seems that all of you have gone insane. I also know that I am far from alone in these feelings. Do you honestly feel that your current pursuits have merit to patriotic Americans? We want it to stop. We want to put the brakes on everything that is being rushed by us and forced upon us. We want our voice back. You have forced us to put our lives on hold to straighten out the mess that you are making. We will have to give up our vacations, our time spent with our children, any relaxation time we may have had and money we cannot afford to spend on you to bring our concerns to Washington. Our president often knows all the right buzzword is unsustainable. Well, no kidding. How many tens of thousands of dollars did the focus group cost to come up with that word? We don't want your overpriced words. Stop treating us like we're morons.

We want all of you to stop focusing on your reelection and do the job we want done, not the job you want done or the job your party wants done. You work for us and at this rate I guarantee you not for long because we are coming. We will be heard and we will be represented. You think we're so busy with our lives that we will never come for you? We are the formerly silent majority, all of us who quietly work , pay taxes, obey the law, vote, save money, keep our noses to the grindstone and we are now looking up at you. You have awakened us, the patriotic spirit so strong and so powerful that it had been sleeping too long. You have pushed us too far. Our numbers are great. They may surprise you. For every one of us who will be there, there will be hundreds more that could not come. Unlike you, we have their trust. We will represent them honestly, rest assured. They will be at the polls on voting day to usher you out of office. We have cancelled vacations. We will use our last few dollars saved. We will find the representation among us and a grassroots campaign will flourish. We didn't ask for this fight. But the gloves are coming off. We do not come in violence, but we are angry. You will represent us or you will be replaced with someone who will. There are candidates among us when he will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes that you have made of our constitution.

Democrat, Republican, independent, libertarian. Understand this. We don't care. Political parties are meaningless to us. Patriotic Americans are willing to do right by us and our Constitution and that is all that matters to us now. We are going to fire all of you who abuse power and seek more. It is not your power. It is ours and we want it back. We entrusted you with it and you abused it. You are dishonorable. You are dishonest.

As Americans we are ashamed of you. You have brought shame to us. If you are not representing the wants and needs of your constituency loudly and consistently, in spite of the objections of your party, you will be fired. Did you hear? We no longer care about your political parties. You need to be loyal to us, not to them. Because we will get you fired and they will not save you. If you do or can represent me, my issues, my views, please stand up. Make your identity known. You need to make some noise about it. Speak up. I need to know who you are. If you do not speak up, you will be herded out with the rest of the sheep and we will replace the whole damn congress if need be one by one. We are coming. Are we coming for you? Who do you represent? What do you represent? Listen. Because we are coming. We the people are coming.

BIKERNET PRE-XMAS NEWS FINALE – CYCLE SOURCE YEAR IN REVIEW, OPERATION GRATITUDE YARD SALE, NEW ROTARY ENGINE MOTORCYCLE COMING, J.D. POWERS MOTORCYCLE SURVEY FOR 2008, NEW YORK COUNCIL PULLS MOTORCYCLE NOISE BILL AND MORE

Continued From Page 3

Click here to Check out BikernetMetric.com.

BIKERNET METRIC ATTENDS IMS SHOW IN SAN MATEO– Well the holidays are here and I am trying to remain eggnog soaked??it is going well. I hope all of you have seen the piece on Ransom Motorsports. I encourage everyone to look him up at his stoppin? grounds in Daytona. Great guy and awesome aluminum work!

I will be attending the San Mateo IMS Show (see the daily blog for a sneak peak) this weekend. I will be putting together many stories and shorts on what is announced for consumers. Speaking of Shortts, I am almost ready to post on Rocky Mountain Customs? Chuck Shortt. You will remember that he was the winner of the Bikernet Brouhaha?s best paint award. I got some great stuff on him from bikes to business.

I am also going to be doing a personal interview with Cruiser Customizing?s head man, Uwe Druckenmueller. Uwe gave up the Hi Tech lifestyle for his love of the two-wheeled lifestyle and gambled with the Metric accessory market when it was new. His gambling has paid off and he is on top of the accessory game!

So there is tons of content to come. As my good friend at AFT Customs says, ?do you have the stones to ride Metric?? Let?s see if you do?..send me your pics and have a great, gin-soaked Holiday. And remember, quoting Donkey from Shrek, ?it ain?t Christmas until someone?s cryin??

–Wack Job

BIKER?S CHOICE WINTER GEAR– More leather wear from Biker?s Choice, this time, in a women?s jacket. Our Savannah Jacket combines premium weight leather, adjustable, side waist tabs with snap closures, zippered sleeve cuffs with snap closures and two exterior zippered front chest pockets with good looks and classic fitting.

If your looking for no frills, good looking and functional biker wear, look no further than this jacket. For more information, visit our website www.bikerschoice.com or contact your local Biker?s Choice Dealer.

Happy and safe riding!!

–Carmen
Biker?s Choice

HELP US PUT A SMILE ON A KID’S FACE AT CHRISTMAS– This year, more than ever before, we are asking your help! For the last 5 years we have collected toys for different organizations each Holiday Season.

We give free T-Shirts for toy donations at our store, we supply a new motorcycle for the Fort Worth Children’s Charities Auction each year generating thousands of donation dollars, and have sponsored dozens of Child Charity events and have enjoyed every minute and every smile we helped create!

This year, donations are dramatically down for everyone.No one blames underprivileged children for our economic problems, political corruption or future uncertainties, even though they seem to be one of the first to feel the cut-backs.

In times like these, all charities see dramatic reductions in donations, especially ones considered to be -discretionary-, like Christmas toys. But when it comes to underprivileged children, I think we all have similar sympathies. No one really wants to imagine a child without a smile on Christmas day.

I encourage everyone that can to give a little more this year because many will not be able to.We are still offering a FREE Biker T-Shirt to anyone that drops off a toy at our store this week. And now through Christmas, we want to add to that incentive.

Get a 2 for 1 from your donation!

Between now and December 22nd, anyone who brings a new toy to our store for the Toy Drive, we will match it with a toy donation of our own.

The smile you normally create with your donation can create two!

On December 23rd, we will be going on a giant shopping spree and buying matching toys of similar value for all the donated toys we receive, up to 1000 toys!

All toys and donations go to local Children’s Charities.

Congratulations to the high bidder,Gerald Alford at this years Margarita Ball Bike Auction! Your purchase generated the largest single donation at the Ball!!!

This Saturday and every Saturday through December we will be serving free burgers and holiday drinks from 11am – 5pm!

Check out our December Specials At Renegade Motorcycles!
Oil, lube Filter change $89.95!
Pick up Delivery for all service work, $39.95!
Battery Tender quick connect harness, $69.95!
Same Day Detail $89.95!
Dyno Tune-Up HP Read-Out, $299!
20% Off all installed parts!
20% off all leather apparel.
20% off; Helmets, eyewear, boots gloves.
$5 $10 Biker T-Shirts.
GIANT Bike Clearance!

— Visit RenegadeCycles.com

Regulatory Update – MRF Advocates for Motorcyclists–Recently the Federal government requested comment from the general publicon two important motorcycle related issues. The Motorcycle RidersFoundation submitted comment to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)and to the United States Trade Representative (USTR).

The EPA comments were requested to address the Supreme Court rulingMassachusetts v. EPA. In that case, the Supreme Court ruled that theClean Air Act (CAA) authorizes the regulation of greenhouse gases (GHGs)because they meet the definition of an air pollutant under the CAA. TheEPA notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) is a lengthy document thatattempts to address every segment of the polluting population affected bythe Court’s decision including ships, aircraft and off-road vehicles suchas farm and construction equipment, stationary sources and motorcycles.

The NPRM does address the fact that motorcycles occupy a very smallsegment of the polluting population. However it then goes on to state thatit is the EPA’s belief that most motorcycle engines are tuned forperformance and not efficiency. Therefore, it is the opinion of the EPA,motorcycle engines can be adjusted to pollute less. The MRF commentssuggest that is categorically not true.

Options laid out in the NPRM are to lead manufacturers to increase the useof electronic fuel injection (replacing carburetors); reducing permeationfrom fuel lines and fuel tanks; and eliminating the use of two-strokeengines in the small scooter category.

The NPRM goes on to encourage manufacturers to incorporate more precisefeedback fuel controls; controlling enrichment on cold starts and underload by electronically controlling choke operation. Also allowing loweridle speeds when the opportunity exists; optimizing spark for fuel andoperating conditions through use of a knock sensor; and, like light-dutyvehicles, reducing the engine size and incorporating a turbo-charger.

The MRF believes that the employment of any of these options, especiallyturbos, will result in added expense and therefore discourage Americansfrom choosing motorcycles as transportation and therefore reducingmotorcycles fuel-saving benefit to the country. The MRF asked thatmotorcycles be removed from the EPA plan to limit GHGs.

Read the MRF comments and the NPRM at www.regualtions.gov Docket IDEPA-HQ-OAR-2008-0318.

The MRF will keep you updated on the final results.

NEW YORK COUNCIL PULLS MOTORCYCLE NOISE BILL–That was the headline reported by the MRF?s Jeff Hennie this morning, and biker?s in New York, at least for some time, can breathe a collective sigh of relief. It?s not a time to celebrate yet, because the council could come back very soon and consider this bill again.

Basically, anyone parking a bike on the street in New York City would be subject to a $1,000 fine if there was no EPA sticker on the exhaust pipe. This stems from the Clean Air Act of 1979, a little known and unenforced, until now, rule from the federal government. The growing problem of excessively loud pipes has been popping up all over the country. One of the more watched and reported upon cases last year was the city of Del Ray Beach, Florida. There, the city wanted to exclude motorcycle access to a beach front area because of complaints of loud pipes. The bikers, motorcycle clubs and several rights? organizations were able to change the council?s mind because of preemption and federal law that prohibits the denial of use of public roads that were wholly or partly funded by federal monies.

In Kenosha, Wisconsin, the sheriff indicated that his deputies would be out in force ticketing loud bikes during the Harley-Davidson 105th celebration. Hupy and Abraham, S.C. participated in meetings with the sheriff, along with local ABATE representatives, and the issue was resolved and we don?t know of any citations for loud pipes during the anniversary.

New York?s situation is unique in that the council there isn?t relying on a noise level, such as the required 80 decibel limit. Rather, the city is insisting that an EPS sticker must be affixed to the exhaust system and in plain view. That means a motorcycle doesn?t even have to be running to be cited for a violation. Besides the stiff penalty, confiscation of the bike is also part of the new rule for consideration.

Motorcycle groups, such as the AMA and MRF, find this both excessive and discriminatory in nature. We hope Speaker Christine Quinn will consider the many problems this bill will create and prevent it from moving forward. Meanwhile, the motorcycle community will search for ways to convince bikers to manage their throttles better, or we will see more restrictive laws coming in 2009. The impact of such legislation is unknown at this time, but it will certainly adversely affect the riders who own vintage motorcycles and the large cottage industry of after market exhaust systems.

BIG BEAR CHOPPER SNOWED IN–Member of the Big Bear staff can’t get home for Christmas, so they’re still building Choppers. That’s the Code of the West, right? If you can ride, build.

–andy meadors
B I G B E A R C H O P P E R S
909.878.4340 x120 phone
909.878.4341 fax
PO BOX 1741
41922 Fox Farm Road
Big Bear Lake, Calif 92315
http://www.bigbearchoppers.com
andy@bigbearchoppers.com
love, peace and BBC grease

SPECTRO OIL BREAK IN RECOMMENDATIONS–For break in on a Twin Cam I would recommend a straight petroleum like SpectroHD20/50 for the first 500 to 750 miles, then switch to Spectro platinum20/50 full synthetic. The straight petroleum will help the rings seatfaster, and our high zinc formula will reduce piston scuffing during thecritical break in period.

–Rollin Karoll
Vice President of Sales
Spectro Oils
993 Federal Rd
Brookfield, CT 06804
800-243-8645

J.D. POWERS MOTORCYCLE SURVEY FOR 2008–People may be paying more for their motorcycles, but they like their motorcycles more. The moto ownership experience has improved for straight years to a record level, according to J.D. Power & Associates. The firm’s latest on the business–the “2008 Motorcycle Competitive Information Study,” which measures owner satisfaction on a 1,000 point scale–says satisfaction with owning a bike has improved by 5 points this year versus last.

Satisfaction with the cost of owning has improved by 11 points versus last year, with 18% of owners saying the cost of owning their motorcycles is “outstanding,” versus 10% in 2005.

Thirty percent of motorcycle owners termed the value for the price paid for their bike “outstanding” compared with 21% in 2005. The study measures owner satisfaction with new motorcycles based on the product performance and quality, cost of ownership, sales, and service.

Owners also feel that the quality of their bikes is strong because of fewer problems, with 42% of owners saying they had no problems with their bike–an improvement of 3% versus last year.

“Despite the fact that owners report paying 14% more for their motorcycles this year, they are also more satisfied with the value received for the money spent,” said Tim Fox, research manager of the powersports practice at J.D. Power & Associates.

The 11th annual study is based on survey responses from 7,334 owners who purchased motorcycles between September 2007 and May 2008. Owners were surveyed in September and October 2008.

Other improvements: among motorcycle owners who visit a dealer for repair work, 79% said that the work was performed right the first time–a 4% improvement from 2007.

The firm says that over the past seven years, satisfaction with engines and transmission has increased more than any other product-related elements.

If there’s a problem, it’s that buyers are getting older because the industry is not getting enough younger consumers into riding. J.D. Power says that since 2001, the average age of motorcycle owners has increased from 40 to 47 years.

“This indicates that the current population of motorcycle buyers is aging, and a large proportion of these owners are likely to soon exit the market,” says Fox. The firm says first-time buyers constitute about 22% of all new-motorcycle purchases, and that number has not changed since 2001.

“It is critical for manufacturers to focus on attracting first-time and younger buyers–primarily those in the Gen X and Y demographics–in order to ensure continued growth in this market.”
–from Rogue
Sturgis Freedom Fighters
Motorcycle Hall Of Fame Member 2005
www.bikerrogue.com

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BIKERNET ANNUAL ROLE MODEL STUDY–Here is an amazing calculation you can do to determine who is your most likely Role Model. Do this without looking at the answers

1) Pick your Favorite Number from 1-9.
2) Then multiply that number by 3.
3) Then add 3.
4) Then multiply by 3 again.
5) You should get a 2 or 3 digit number.6) Add the digits together.

Scroll down …………..

Now, with the number you got above, check the list below to see who your Role Model is:

1. Albert Einstein
2. Nelson Mandela
3. Alfred E. Neuman
4. Tom Cruise
5. Bill Gates
6. Gandhi
7. Brad Pitt
8. Adolph Hitler
9. Buckshot
10. Barack Obama

I know…. I just have that effect on people…. One day you, too, can be just like me!

PS: Stop picking different numbers. You know I will always be your favorite Role Model.

NEW ROTARY ENGINE MOTORCYCLE COMING–We are on the tail end of heat and stress FEA on the Cyclops Rotary Engine.We shall begin the unveiling by releasing a see-thru 3D fly-thru videowith enough detail so that anyone looking at the presentationwill be completely able to understand the construction and process.

It will show all the parts and mechanical movements in actionIt will also show the fuel-air mixture flowing, combusting and expellingThere are 8 combustions per revolution,thus it is fluid cooled via a radiator jacket around the engine.It is by far the smoothest and simplest engine ever designed.The engine has only 8 very easy to make geometric partsmade up of only of circles, ovals and arcs,so anyone with basic machining skills can make one.

It promises to be extremely inexpensive to makeand has the best power-to-weight ratio of any piston or rotary alternative.The engine is also destined as an option in the motorcycle we just released.http://www.erikbrinkman.com/rbike

OPERATION GRATITUDE YARD SALE–Saturday December 20th, 2008,6am to 4pm.All proceeds to benefit Operation Gratitude.1000’s of Items for $1.00; Great Holiday Gifts17330 Victory Boulevard; Corner of LouiseLot adjacent to California National Guard ArmoryDonations of Items Welcome on Friday December 19th from 9-4(Operation Gratitude will set all sale prices)

I am still hunting for a builder who wants to donate a scooter for OPGrat’s 500,000th CARE package for our troops which will be sent before Christmas in 2009. The Military Channel agreed to cover it when the 500,000th package is opened by the lucky soldier. If you would be interested or know of a builder(s) who would like to do this, please let me know. I would also like the bike to have an OPGrat paint job.

As soon as it is ready (hopefully in the next few months), it would immediately go on tour to major motorcycle events (including the Shasta Salute to America Motorcycle Rally) to promote OPGrat. I can handle the PR & the related publicity for the builder / painter would be off the hook!

–Jeff

STURGIS 2009 COMING–Hey, Hope all is well this Christmas season with you and yours. I need Sturgis info, I looked in your site and googled Sturgis but could not find the info I was looking for. I’m looking specifically for areas that the crowds don’t frequent, where an outlaw can go and not be hassled by the law dogs.

I need info on back roads to avoid the crowds and good watering holes for a thirsty biker. Would you recommend staying at a campsite, hotel or cabin or renting someone’s home out for the week.

I’ll be riding my Sportster the whole way with a chase vehicle. I’m rolling out of West Virginia and it will be my first time to Sturgis. My lady will be with me and maybe a bro or two, though right now no one has committed.

For me, it’s a done deal. I’m saving my money and plan on having a blast, I just don’t want to have a blast in jail. Any info would be much obliged.

Don’t be too pissed at me for not renewing my Cantina subscription but all my funds are being saved for the Badlands.

Thanx, and Merry Christmas….oh yeah the site is tops, I will order a raisin pie for you….and if our paths cross in Sturgis I’ll buy the first round and you can buy the second!

–IVAN M.

CYCLE SOURCE YEAR IN REVIEW ABOUT TO HIT THE STANDS–The new issue of Cycle Source Magazine “The Year In Review” is on newsstands today and we wanted to thank everyone who voted in our “Best Of” awards. Over 5,000 votes were counted to name the best of this year from the motorcycle industry and the top ten feature bikes from our pages this year. Also in this issue is a look back at one hell of a year. 2008 may go down as the year “IT” happened in many regards and we did our best to cover the good, the bad and the ugly.

PLUS: Great tech from Brew Dude and Big PaulKiller features from Builders at Steel City Choppers, Slim’s sick trike, two stoke three cylinder, vintage racing, the regular columns from known associates and all the news that fits, well, all the news we can print anyway.

We are stoked that the third year of this annual issue has shown so much support. After working to hard to pound out the details to make this a regular gig it’s great to see so many people participate in it.

–Thanks again, see ya’ on the road.
–Chris Callen

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation attends Fifth Federal HighwayAdministration Motorcycle Advisory Council Meeting–Last week the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) held the fifth meetingof the Motorcycle Advisory Council. The Council convenes twice a year todiscuss infrastructure issues of concern to motorcyclists. The MotorcycleRiders Foundation Vice President of Government Relations, Jeff Hennie, isone of the nine seated council members.

“This council meeting was significant because it was the first meetingsince the charter was extended past its initial two year trial run” saidJeff Hennie. He added, “The likelihood of keeping this council intact wellpast the congressionally mandated 2 years is very good and gets betterwith each accomplishments of the council”.

This meeting began with a review of the results of the online motorcyclistroad conditions survey that was opened for comment this summer. The surveywas designed to get a national snap shot of what motorcyclists think aboutthe state of the roads they ride. Some areas that the 10,000 respondentsoverwhelmingly agreed needs improvement are construction zones, slipperypavement markings, stuck at red lights and harsh road edge drop-offs. Theareas that received positive marks were ample signage and plenty oflighting of the road. A follow-up survey is in the works for spring 2009.The MRF will let you know when that is available.

The next agenda item was a presentation by the leading expert ofintersection design at Federal Highway Association (FHWA). Intersectionsare notoriously the most dangerous part of any traffic pattern. Thestandard four way cross intersection may very well be a thing of the past,not in any hurry though. Traffic control experts are working feverishly atmaking intersections safer. Some designs have been shown to significantlyreduce crashes. For instance, adopting traffic circles or roundabouts hasbeen shown to effectively reduce crash occurrences. It doesn’t stop therethough; the experts are designing and implementing even more involvedintersections that essentially eliminate a left hand turn through theintersection. It’s a complicated system of lanes and stoplights that intheory will be safer. Few exist today, but Pennsylvania, North Carolina,Louisiana, Michigan, Virginia, New York and Missouri are experimentingwith some of the European concepts. Bigger, more complicated intersectionsmay be safer but they will also need more and more slippery striping thatremains a concern to motorcyclists.

The council then had a lengthy discussion on Public Private Partnerships(PPPs). Essentially a PPP is any venture that involves the leasing oftraditionally public services to a private entity to run, build ormaintain. Historically PPPs have been found in services such as wastewater treatment, garbage removal and disposal, even law enforcement. Nowwe are seeing an influx of PPP’s in the transportation world.Municipalities are leasing off sections of toll road to private, sometimesforeign, companies. This poses a lot of questions. Take the Chicago Skywayfor example, this heavily traveled elevated toll road provides a way inand out of the windy city for millions each day. The 7.8 mile highway wasrecently leased to a Spanish company for 99 years to the tune of 1.8billion.

The Spaniards are responsible for maintenance of the road but getto keep any and all tolls. Can the new owners invoke a helmet law fortheir road despite the fact that Illinois doesn’t require a helmet? Canthey raise tolls as high as they want? The answers to those questions varyagreement to agreement, but it’s also difficult to overlook the issuesinvolved with putting a foreign company in charge of our infrastructure. Notonly does it send profits overseas – it reeks of an anti-American ethos.

The 1.8 billion that Mayor Daley got his hands on was spent on back debtthe City of Chicago was carrying. It also constitutes another 1.8 billionremoved from the transportation world. What happens to the next generationof Americans when they need to get out of debt and there is nothing leftto lease? PPPs are here to stay but they need to be carefully regulatedand observed.

The Council drifted off its charter of focusing on infrastructure for abit when the topic of Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) came up. For years theMRF has been asking for a better VMT and recently the feds startedlistening. They admit the motorcycle VMT numbers are highly suspect atbest.

They held a three day meeting in DC last year on the very issue ofimproving motorcycle VMT accuracy. They had a test day for vendors oftraffic counting devices at a Department of Transportation (DOT) researchfacility this past spring. They know the numbers are extremely inaccurateyet they continue to use them to exacerbate the number of fatal motorcyclecrashes. After a slightly heated exchange the Federal government refusedto give a timeline for a better VMT number, they did agree that at thevery least, a strong footnote indicating the frailty and grossinaccuracies of the number should be present when using the motorcycle VMTnumber. While that’s not good enough, it’s a good start.

The meeting concluded with a brief presentation on what the State of Texasis doing to reduce pavement slab spreading which leaves a gap betweenlanes in the pavement large enough to capture a motorcycle’s front tire.The presenter informed the council on how the State of Texas can identifya potential road hazard like this and have it repaired that day or with inthe next few days. A lesson that many municipalities should note.

This meeting was the last for the Council’s Designated Federal Official,Mike Halladay of FHWA. Halladay is fully retiring from Federal service.Mike has done a great job keeping the sometimes cantankerous group on timeand topic over the past two and half years. We here at the MRF wish himthe best and encourage Mr. Halladay to go buy a bike and ride out hisretirement.

For those of you who aren’t aware this council was created by themotorcyclists of this country who lobbied Congress along with the MRF toinclude the authorizing language in the last highway bill, SAFETEA-LUwhich was passed in 2005. Congress is expected to begin the draftingprocess for the new highway bill in 2009 and the MRF will need the help ofthe motorcyclists of America once again to engage their federal electedofficials on the importance of motorcycle safety. You’ve been warned.

For more info on the Council visit http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/mac/

MERRY MERRY, I GUESS–I get a vibe from the news weekly, like you do from a lengthly conversation. At times it’s all positive, but for a Holiday spirit week, I felt this News was laden with serious shit. Usually I attempt to keep it light, but it is what it is, goddamnit.

I told you it was snowing. This is a shot outside Bob T’s house. He lives in the desert where it never snows. The Chop N Grind Racing Crew will did him out.

I’ll try like hell to end this on a up note, but wait. Did you know that the Albuquerque Police are running classified ads for snitches. Yep, they’re offering 50 bucks for a drug-crime and up to $700 to snitch on a murder. In Florida a 12-year-old got busted for farting, and a kid in South Carolina was suspended from school for possession of a broken pencil-sharpener. The kid was sharpening his pencil, but the school has a “Zero Tolerance” weapons rule, and he was busted. In Brooklyn, New York two bike paths were removed from a Hasidic Jewish neighborhood, because of the outfits the female cyclists wear. We’re turning into a rule-laden society. Quick, pass a law against it.

How about some shots from the Moon Eyes Show in Japan.

Tomorrow we’ll launch the first of three wild road test articles by the famous artist Jon Towle. We recently discovered his hidden talents. He not only illustrates, but he loves to ride, write and take shots. He’s having a blast, but I’m after him to draw illustrations of each bike he investigates. I would like him to characterize each machine through his illustrations. We’re getting there. Tomorrow we will publish his 2008 Fatboy run.

We will also bring you a fine piece on this historic Merkel, but right now I need a margarita.

Ride Forever,

–Bandit

BIKERNET PRE-XMAS SPECIAL REPORTS–NEW XMAS PARTS FROM H-D, THE TEACH SPONSORED BY SPECTRO OILS AND MRF REPORTS

Continued From Page 2

WITH D&D EXHAUST THE 2009 TOURING MODELS DELIVER MORE GET UP & GO… UP TO 10 HP–D&D is delivering up to 10HP on 2009 Harley FLH motorbikes with the 2009 BOSS kit that includes high-flow slip-on exhausts and a Zipper?s HiFlow Air Cleaner. It is by far the biggest bang for your performance buck available today.

The BOSS kit is spec?d for the 2009 Twin Cam 96 V-Twin engine and new chassis on the Harley-Davidson Touring motorcycle. Through extensive dyno testing, we were able to increase the power across the RPM range. We also paid close attention to the fitment of these pipes. As most touring riders know it is also about looks and the stock pipes are not aligned correctly with the rear of the bike.

The engineers at D&D re-positioned the pipes and aligned them with the back of the bike for an improved aesthetic appearance.

In developing the kit the team worked with

D&D slip-ons come in show-quality chrome or powder coated midnight black. The dyno chart and dyno video with audio clip for both the BOSS Slip-on exhaust pipe is located on the website in the catalog section at http://www.danddexhaust.com”>www.danddexhaust.com >. D&D is available at your local dealer or directly from headquarters at 817-834-8961.

AMERICAN CYCLE SUPPLY HAS WHAT YOU NEED–American Cycle Supply has everything that you need to make your sled go, stop and your lifestyle hum. As a matter of fact, if you are thinking of upgrading your brakes we have over 1,000 options. So rev up your mouse at American Cycle Supply.

We also have Bikernet Swag, Air Cleaners Apparel, DVDs, Exhaust Pipes, Fenders, Forward Controls, Helmets, Clothing, Kickstands, Lights, Blinkers, Mirrors and more!

NEW GLOSS BLACK SADDLEBAG GUARD AND ENGINE GUARD KITS–Dark Custom Components for Harley-Davidson Touring Models.

MILWAUKEE (December 28, 2008) ? Take a Harley-Davidson Touring model down the Dark Custom path with the new Gloss Black Engine Guard Kit (P/N 49050-09, $209.95) and the Gloss Black Rear Saddlebag Guard Kit (P/N 49283-09, $179.95) from Harley-Davidson Genuine Motor Accessories. Designed to fit most 2009 Harley-Davidson Touring models, these guards are manufactured from the original equipment components for superior fit and finish.

The durable gloss-black powdercoat finish offers a dose of ?anti-chrome? styling for a contemporary custom look. Both components are also available for earlier Touring models. Installation may require separate purchase of additional parts. See dealer for details.

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.

Ray left and John the owner of this Indian.

W8LESS ROTOR CREW TO RIDE VINTAGE INDIANS TO STURGIS WITH BIKERNET STAFF–Do we have a schedule and route planned for the trek to Sturgis 2009?John Arbeeny plans on riding his Indian, possibly both Indians will make the trip with his son riding the second one that is stashed in the stable biting at the bit . John indicated the willingness to meet in route for the ride.

Life is good with a bright future on the horizon, our board meeting in Tacoma last Saturday was very positive .

–Raycwheeler
831 594-7783

SPECTRO OILS HEADS BACK TO SCHOOL–Spectro Oils is now a proud sponsor of the Kennedy High School Chopper Project

Brookfield, CT? Spectro Oils of America has teamed up with the ?Kennedy High School Chopper Project? led by Kevin Baas. Located just outside of Minneapolis in Bloomington, Minnesota the Kennedy High School students work as a team with the goal of completing the custom bike within the school year.

?My students look forward to the start of the school year so they can begin the ?Chopper Project? design and planning of their bike. Each student participates in a hands-on approach that teaches them everything from planning, procurement and build to final show presentation. It is a real-world experience for them? explained Kennedy High School teacher Kevin Baas.

The Kennedy High School bikes have not only garnered respect and praise from some of the biggest names in the V-Twin industry; the bikes themselves have been featured in major national motorcycle magazines and at several, well attended national shows.

?Spectro Oils is excited to sponsor such a unique and fulfilling project. It?s amazing what Kevin Baas and his students have created and everyone at Spectro agrees that these great bikes deserve the best lubrication products available,? said Spectro Oils President, David Miller. The kids of the ?Kennedy High School Chopper Project? not only build award winning bikes, but use a wide variety of tools to create custom parts and even make metal repairs! Keep a look out for their latest creation, sponsored by Spectro.

Spectro brands are manufactured and marketed by Intercontinental Lubricants Corp. of Brookfield, CT, ILC, one of the world?s foremost manufacturers and packagers of quality lubricants.

For more information on Spectro Oils, please visit: www.spectro-oils.com.

STRIP CLUB CHOPPERSAnnounces the Canadian Roadhouse Tour for 2009–STRIP CLUB CHOPPERS announced today the addition of STRIP CLUB CHOPPERS OF CANADA. Longtime motorcycle dealer Bob Bauer, owner of Chippawa Creek Choppers, based in Niagara Falls, Ontario has become the exclusive Canadian licensee for all original SCC products. SCC of CANADA will be on the road attending motorcycle shows and related events north of the border, bringing the Roadhouse Tour to life with music, dancers, a VIP lounge and all of the other amenities the company has become synonymous with. Bob Bauer commented ?We are anxious to introduce our own version of STRIP CLUB CHOPPERS to the Canadian audience and excited to be part of this iconic company.?

Additionally, Roadhouse Tour personalities Jay Barbieri of American Thunder fame, Playboy model Debbi Davids, and STRIP CLUB CHOPPERS founder Johnny Lange will be available for appearances.

For more information, please view our website WWW.STRIPCLUBCHOPPERS.COM

And should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to email info@STRIPCLUBCHOPPERS.COM or call/fax 772-287-8748.

CENTURY MOTORCYCLES COVERED ON MCARTBLOG–Just an update. I posted a short story on the Century Motorcycles Party last Sunday. Today I posted some rambling thoughts in reaction to what I’ve heard and seen about the Chopper Fest. It may not go over well with everyone but, what the hell, it’s my blog.

I hope to bring Bikernet readers a feature on this Vincent shortly.

Here’s some shots from the event. I didn’t see you sneak in… Is that you sitting at the end of the table?

–CGK

SOLDIER IN IRAQ MAKES PLANS TO CUSTOMIZE HIS SPORTSTER– You may not remember me, but you may remember me on my bike! I’m the really big guy who rode the souped up 2005 1200 custom with the big down draft carb and big cam. Well, maybe you don’t remember..lol

Anyway…without going into too much detail about why I ride that Sportster I’ll leave it with when I got a bike stolen in North Carolina a few years back, that Sportie was all I could afford. And honestly, I’ve become quiet attached to it. I love to ride guard and that’s the perfect bike. My financial situation has gotten a lot better over the past few years due mostly to a couple trips to Iraq, and instead of selling that sportie, I’ve been looking at front ends and rear tire kits and I was wondering if you had any suggestions?

I have a Buddy James who is also looking around and when I find the right kits he will make sure the stuff gets together before I get back from Iraq.

–Chad B.
KHMC

Send me a shot of the bike. I had a Sporty in ’69 that I left with a guy to fix up while I was in Vietnam. He did a fantastic job. I would suggest going with a Paughco narrow taper-legged springer. Check with Paughco for Sportster rigid frames, or frame kits. They make all the classic stuff.–Bandit

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CUSTOM BIKES AS ART OBJECTS– Former World Champion, Japanese master builder Chicara Nagata, was recently honored with an exhibition of his builds in a New York art gallery. The world renowned Ippodo Gallery brought together a collection of Chicara’s bikes, including his 2006 World Championship winning and 2007 World Championship second placed bike for the gallery’s display called ‘Chicara Liquid Chrome’.

Nagata, who was in attendance for the opening of the show, said, “I am thrilled that Ippodo Gallery has introduced my work to a new audience. It was a treat to speak with many different kinds of people at the exhibition’s opening, many of whom had never thought a motorcycle could be a piece of art.”

The combination of custom motorcycles and New York gallery space provided a unique attraction, drawing not only motorcycle enthusiasts but national mainstream media including TV, fashion and general interest consumer magazines as well as art aficionados. “I am very pleased with the incredible and diverse response to Chicara’s exhibition. His work reinforces Ippodo Gallery’s mission to bring the best of Japanese craftsmanship, in all of its many forms, to American audiences,” said Shoko Aono, Director of Ippodo Gallery.

Pictures by Rena Ohashi, courtesy of Ippodo Gallery
www.ippodogallery.com/Chicara_e.html

Karen Davidson with the film Grand Prize winner.

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR HARLEY-DAVIDSON?S 2ND ANNUAL DAYTONA WOMEN?S RIDE– Hundreds of Women Riders to Share Passion and Raise Funds for MDA.

MILWAUKEE (Dec. 18, 2008) ? Last year in Daytona, hundreds of women riders joined together on the Harley-Davidson Daytona Women?s Day Ride and raised $67,000 for MDA. Registration for the 2009 ride on Tuesday, March 3, is now open with a limited number of spots available for women riders.

The Women?s Day Ride, designed to celebrate women riders, as well as generate funds for the MDA, is open to the first 500 eligible female Harley-Davidson or Buell riders who register at www.harley-davidson.com/womenriders before Friday, Feb. 13, 2009.

Aside from riding together through the streets of Daytona, participating women riders are also encouraged to secure pledges and donations from their families and friends, which will be used to support the MDA?s Summer Camp programs across the country. For nearly 30 years, the Harley-Davidson family of dealers, employees, riders and suppliers has helped raise more than $65 million for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA).

?Last year the Women?s Day Ride was a huge success,? said Leslie Prevish, Women?s Outreach Manager, Harley-Davidson Motor Company. ?Riding down the road with hundreds of women riders was truly inspirational, and more importantly, we raised $67,000 for MDA. Hopefully this year, with the support of our generous female riders, as well as their friends and family, we?ll easily eclipse that mark.?

All participating riders will receive a 2009 MDA pin, as well as an MDA/Harley-Davidson bike flag. The top three fundraisers among the group will receive a Harley-Davidson jacket, and every rider who raises at least $600 will receive a special 2009 MDA Women?s Day Ride sterling silver charm.

PINK PARTZ GETS DIRTY IN CINCINNATI–Professional AMA Grand National Flat Track Racer Nichole Cheza Scheduled to meet attendees of 9th Annual V-Twin Expo February 7th from 11A to 1P.

Minneapolis, MN? Female AMA Grand National racer Nichole Cheza will be on hand at to meet with attendees of the 9th Annual V-Twin Expo this February 7th from 11A to 1P at the Duke Energy Center downtown Cincinnati. Nichole will be at the Pink Partz booth on the main show floor in booth #621. Michigan based racer, Cheza has been riding since she was just three years old and racing since she was a just four years old. After receiving the Female Athlete of the Year award in 2003, Nichole Cheza turned pro.

As a female rider and racer, Cheza embodies what Pink Partz are all about? ride inspired apparel and accessories. Cheza recently offered to help Pink Partz to help spread the word about the freshly launched line. Pink Partz feature well-designed, unique products that feel right in a world of horsepower and torque.

Pink Partz slogan states: ?Don?t be afraid to get your Pink Partz dirty?, clearly Cheza takes that statement to a whole new level out on the track. ?Pink Partz gets it. They know what the ride means. The few products made available to women so far, don?t stand out, they don?t ?mean? anything. Pink Partz immediately resonated with me. It meant something. I get a kick out of wearing something that makes a statement. My female friends love this line, especially the ones that don?t ride. They think it?s a gas? explained racer Cheza.

Moving forward watch for additional products set to release just in time for the upcoming spring riding season. Pink Partz? offers a fresh new approach by providing distinctive and exclusive ride inspired designs.

Pink Partz products are in stock now and available to ship at J&P Cycles online or in store at their Anamosa and Daytona Beach locations. Check the full line out at: www.pinkpartz.com .

Pink Partz offers a variety of ride inspired distinctive clothing and accessories for soulful motor sport enthusiasts. No matter what your interest?motorcycles, ATV?s, dirt bikes, snowmobiles, hot rods, if you like horsepower, Pink Partz are for you. Clothing and accessories for those that are not afraid to get their Pink Partz dirty. Pink Partz is a registered trademark. To see all the spankin? new products and more about Pink Partz, visit: www.pinkpartz.com

To learn more about Nichole Cheza, visit: www.nicholecheza.com

For wholesale or general inquiries please email: admin@pinkpartz.com

BIKERNET OFFICIAL SEASON ETIQUETTE LESSON–1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they’re serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It’s rare.. You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It’s not as if you’re going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It’s a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It’s later than you think. It’s Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That’s the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they’re made with skim milk or whole milk. If it’s skim, pass. Why bother? It’s like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people’s food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year’s. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you’ll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don’t budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They’re like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you’re never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don’t like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it’s loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, come on, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don’t feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven’t been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner. Remember thismotto to live by:

“Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming “WOO HOO what a ride!”

Have a great holiday season.

–from Lizette

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BIKERNET NEWS FLASH – WEEKLY PRODUCT RELEASE FROM RIVERA PRIMO, SCOTT JACOBS SELLS ORIGINALS, SPORTSTER SPECIAL COMING FROM CYCLE SOURCE, ANTIQUE MOTORCYCLE CLUB OF AMERICA RESTORATION CONTEST STILL ON AND WINTER BLACK BIKE WHEEL OFFER

Continued From Page 1

WINTER BLACK BIKE WHEEL OFFER–The onset of fall brings some of the best riding weather of the year, gliding through the cool air and the colors of the season. What better time to attend to the appearance and performance of your favorite bike. Black Bike Wheels offers the finest of upgrades the market has to offer. With the most complete offering of styles, colors, and variety, Black Bike Wheels is the place to find what you are looking for.

Whatever you have in mind, from performance to ultimate style, Black Bike Wheels caters to your needs. Not just a product line, but a custom Wheelhouse, designed to cater to the needs of the individual. Give a call for more details, or check out our website to see the almost endless possibilities.

Web: blackbikewheels.com
Phone: (818) 341-2550
Fax: (818) 350-0197

BRASS BALLS BOBBERS RAFFLE BIKE–December 17, 2008, Oklahoma City, OK – Brass Balls Bobbers is raffling off their award-winning Military Build-off Bobber to raise funds to build a hospital for traumatic brain injuries for the brave men and women in the United States Armed Forces.

The hospital is being created through The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. The announcement was made today by Dar Holdsworth, President of Darwin Motorcycles, the manufacturer of the Brass Balls Bobbers and Choppers line of motorbikes. The goal of ?Win the Military Bobber for the Troops? raffle is to raise the necessary funds for the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE), an advanced research facility in Bethseda, MD dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of military personnel and veterans suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI) and psychological health issues.

?As a Desert Storm veteran I understand the maximum commitment that our men and women make for us everyday,? said Holdsworth. ?The team at Brass Balls Bobbers and our sponsors are raising national awareness and will hopefully provide a significant amount of funds to address traumatic brain injury.?

Howard Kestenberg, President of SBS Maritime Consultants, underwrote the purchase the Military Bobber. This generous contribution allowed us to kick off ?Win the Military Bobber for the Troops? raffle and start the campaign today.

The raffle starts in Dallas Texas on December 31, 2008 at Rick Fearless Strokers Dallas and Strokers Ice House at their annual New Years Eve Party. New Years Eve details at www.strokersdallas.com.

U.S. CHOPPER ORIGINAL BOARDTRACK RACER WINS DAVID MANN CHOPPERFEST BIKE COMPETITION–This gentleman bought our “No 1 ” bike and just sent this e-mail to us this morning. I really thought this was great to see a happy new owner winning shows while riding the bike in and out of the show.

The way it used to be, the way it should be, and for some the way it will always be…..

The biker spirit lives on!

Man, I miss that bike- but I’m glad she went on to good hands! Robert (the new owner) is a class act and a great guy.

–Rick
U.S. Choppers
8941 Atlanta Ave #266
Huntington Beach, CA 92646
714-546-4699
http://www.uschopper.com/

Rick,

Congrats! This past weekend, the Indian Boardtracker took Best in Show at David Mann?s 5th Annual Chopperfestival. She beat out over 75 other machines for the honors with the judges assigning the categories.

I listed her as a pro-custom build under your name as the builder and mine as the owner. There were some great looking machines out there but yours simply stood out from the rest. It was also one of the few pro-builds that was ridden in instead of trailered in.

I fielded a lot of questions about your frame and directed them to your site and you.

–Robert

Victoria Sampson, grand champion

Harley-Davidson Announces National Film Contest WinnerMotor Company Hosted Hollywood Premiere Party to Showcase Winning Film–MILWAUKEE (Dec. 15, 2008) ?Harley-Davidson swapped out the red carpet and hosted an orange carpet premiere party for the winner of Bikes, Camera, Action!, a special contest challenging U.S. female film makers to capture the passion, independence and empowerment that embodies the spirit of female riders last Thursday in Los Angeles. More than 65 party guests, including the contest winner, her film crew, members of the media, local Harley enthusiasts and film school professors, were among the first to view the winning film.

Because Harley-Davidson knows that women have the power to motivate and encourage other women; they created the Bikes, Camera, Action! contest to challenge female film makers from around the country to inspire other women to get behind the handlebars of their very own motorcycles. Dozens of female film makers answered the call, creating original two-minute short films that capture the freedom and control that riding offers women.

Victoria Sampson of Shadow Hills, Calif. was selected as the Grand Prize Winner and honored at the premiere party for her film, Her Need for Speed. Her film stood out for the quality and creativity of the content as well as the success she had in capturing on film, the empowerment inherent to women riders. Aside from unveiling her film at the premiere party, Sampson received $5,000, a new High Definition video camera and a Harley-Davidson leather jacket. Already a rider, Sampson will also have the opportunity to fine tune her riding skills through with a gift certificate for a 5-day bike rental through Harley-Davidson?s Authorized Rentals.

?We know there are thousands of women dreaming of hitting the open road,? said the emcee of the evening, Karen Davidson, great-granddaughter of one of the Harley-Davidson founders. ?The Bikes, Camera, Action! films captured the powerful visual of women embracing their independence and we hope they will inspire those still dreaming to take life by the handlebars.?

With entries from prestigious film school students and graduates, such as the American Film Institute and Columbia University, the judge?s panel of Harley-Davidson representatives, including Karen Davidson, had a tough time choosing the winner.

Melissa Kosar.

Melissa Kosar of Orange, Calif. and Marta Masferrer of New York City were selected as First Prize Winners, receiving $1,500 to use toward their next project, a Harley-Davidson leather jacket and the opportunity to learn to ride through Rider?s Edge, Harley-Davidson?s rider training program. Kosar?s film, entitled Girls Night Out and Masferrer?s film, Here Comes the Bride can be viewed, along with the Grand Prize winning film at www.facebook.com/harley-davidson .

TECH QUESTION OF THE WEEK–Do brake rotors need to be on the same side of the bike front and rear?

Send your answers to Bandit@bikernet.com.

ANTIQUE MOTORCYCLE CLUB OF AMERICA RESTORATION CONTEST STILL ON–Here are some photos of the handlebars,gas caps and spark plugs that my friend Tom Faber (www.fabercycle.com ) donated. He retubes all of our handlebars for our restorations.

Hope all is well in CA today. The High temp over here in South Dakota was -9 degrees. I wouldn’t get any work done if I lived over by you, I would just ride motorcycles year round.

–Matt Olsen

SPORTSTER SPECIAL COMING FROM CYCLE SOURCE– As you may or may not know, our Feb. magazine will be an all Sportster issue. Therefore we are asking if any of you or others in your company have had any Sportster memories, whether it be some customizing one, racing one, one of your first bikes etc. that we can include in this issue.

We would like to have you write 25-30 words on your experience with this model. Please also include an image of yourself, with or with out the bike.

Any questions, please let me know!

–Jean Munier
Managing Editor
Cycle Source Magazine
118 Dellenbaugh Rd. Tarentum, PA.15084
P-724-226-2867
F-724-226-8393
Email- cyclesourcemain@comcast.net

SCOTT JACOBS SELLS ORIGINALS–The last small original painting the studio released sold in a matter of hours (1923 Harley-Davidson). Here are two more wonderful originals by Scott Jacobs that will sell on a first come basis (verified by the time on email response) with the winning responders notified immediately. The paintings will ship after the first of the year and as always no charge until they are on the way. Read the descriptions and then a nice twist at the end?

WINDING DOWN: a sequel to the ever popular ?At Journey?s End? only this time you have the added bonus of a Harley-Davidson label on the bottle of wine as well as the HD bar-ware glass. This master image has been approved by The Motor Co. for a limited edition and part of their fine art program. Dimensions are 20? x 30? canvas only with the frame on order. Overall dimension framed approximately 28 x 38. Two photos of this work are attached here; second photo is up close of HD wine label. This piece is eye candy!!! Your cost: $9500 (value: $13,000-$16,000)

?63 SPLIT WINDOW CORVETTE: some of you will recall that Scott was also the official artist for Chevy Corvette when the C-5 came out in ?98. This nice little piece is the first Corvette image he has done in many years. He liked its simplicity and it was a fun piece to do. Rare and unique describes the work and a lucky Corvette fan will soon own it. Dimensions are 18? x 14? canvas only with the frame on order. Overall dimension framed approx. 21 x 25. Your cost: $5500 compared to $7500 – $10,000 at auction or a gallery.

THE TWIST??? Your name (and/or spouse) will be included in Scott?s new coffee table book, coming out this spring, as the new owners of these particular original paintings. In other words, the inscription under the painting in the book would read something like: Collection of John Smith or Collection of John and Mary Smith. These two works will most likely be the last originals to be included in this book which covers Scott?s entire career and will contain every painting he has done. Quite and honor and we?ll keep you posted on a release date.

–Ron Copple
Scott Jacobs Studio
303-431-4453 www.scottjacobsstudio.com

BEST XMAS PRESENT OF THE YEAR–Found a bone stock 1959 FLH frame for my Panhead under the tree! I must have been good this year!!………Gags.This guy was very good to me this year!

–Catherine “Katmandu” Palmer

BIKERNET WEEKLY PRODUCT RELEASE FROM RIVERA PRIMO / 12-18-08– HeadLed’s Custom Headlights. Rivera Primo’s new aluminum headlights come with a beautiful chrome finish for that show-winning appearance

* They’re bullet-style featuring integral visors & measure 5-3/4″ in diameter
* Each headlight features our exclusive LED turn signal ring which can serve as left & right turn signals or as cruising lights
* All HeadLed’s have a clear tri-bar lens with a 60/55W halogen bulb & are delivered with wiring harness & chromed mounting pedestal
* Currently available in two styles, the “Mighty Magnum” and “Mini-Magnum”

1116-0001 “Mighty Magnum” HeadLed’s? Custom Headlight $ 177.78

1116-0010 “Mini Magnum” HeadLed’s? Custom Headlight $ 177.78

For these & other fine products contact:
Rivera Primo
12450 Whittier Blvd. Whittier, CA 90602
Tel: 800-872-1515
Tel: 562-907-2600 Fax: 562-907-2606
www.riveraprimoinc.com

Continued On Page 3

BIKERNET PRE-XMAS NEWS UPDATES – CONTRAST CUT FORGED ALUMINUM PULLEYS, TITAN CZAR EXECUTED, AMA SAYS NYC COUNCIL UNFAIRLY TARGETS MOTORCYCLE SOUND, BIKER GONE SAILOR PUBLISHES WET MAGAZINE, ACCOLADES FOR ROLLIN SIXES AND MORE.

Merry Merry,

Holy shit, we’re running hard at the news today. Southern California is covered in rain and snow, a very rare occurrence and it’s keeping my fingers chilled in the shop as I hammer out the news.

We shipped out Xmas cards in the rain yesterday and book shipping is taking place this morning. Yesterday elves stuffed Christmas presents and the dogs slept in the gym.

I had a meeting with the boss of the Motorcycle Industry Council this week regarding our efforts to create a Motorcycle Action group under the SEMA (Hot Rod Aftermarket Association) umbrella. I was surprised at the competive spirit in an era of severe restrictions and bad economy. You would think that any effort to help our guys would be supported.

We are planning another meeting with the MIC and SEMA representatives at the Cincy V-Twin trade show in February. Try to make it so you can make up your own mind whether SEMA can help our industry or the MIC can handle it. More of this effort will be touched on in the news, but the bottom line is that we must step up to make anything happen. Let’s hit it:

ACCOLADES FOR ROLLIN’ SIXES/BIKERNET/BIKERS CHOICE XMAS T-SHIRT DRIVE FOR THE TROOPS– Bandit, just wanted to drop a line to say happy holidays to Bikernet staff, plus I can’t tell you how blown away I am with the t-shirt drive Rollin’ sixes and you have put together.All those people coming to help wrap is just great man. That is true Christmas spirit. Things like this make me a proud American! My nephew did two tours in Iraq.

Presents help boost morale for the soldiers. Thanks again to Rollin’ Sixes, Bikers Choice and Bikernet for supporting our troops!

–Eric F. ironworkers
local 424,CT.

Wire Plus Introduces their New Old School Seat Post Mounted System for ?09–Winfield, KS- Wire Plus Powersports Electronics is proud to introduce their new ?Old School? seat post mounted system. This new state-of-the-art system features a CNC machined old school ball-milled look on its tear drop shaped chromed billet housing that mounts the power control module and ignition switch.

This assembly plugs into a pre-assembled harness that will be selected by the style of handlebar switches and turn signals used in your application. Exclusive to Wire Plus is a unique feature found on this seat posted mounted module that shuts off just the front lighting when starting and leaves the taillights on for safety during nighttime starting. This puts less of a strain on the battery while starting and still provides the rider with ?rear light? protection.

Anyone stuck on the side of the road at night will be seen by other drivers while trying to start their bike due to this new safety feature. This power control module has 4-15 amp breakers, isolated compression release circuit, replaceable start relay and diagnostic LED?s which can be viewed through holes in the face of the housing.

The housing mounts to the seat post coil bracket on Big Twins from 1941 thru 1984 and custom frames using the same style coil mount. Available for stock style handlebar controls and includes integrated load sensing, auto-canceling, lighting control module to run rear turn signals as running lights, brake lights and turn signals.

Also available as chopper style with automotive start switch and pre-assembled harness for minimal system switches. (Can be used with or without turn signals).

Available in black anodized or luxurious chrome finishes?Suggested Retail: $499.00 for chopper style wiring system and 599.00 for lighting control integrated wiring system. Reliability?Ease of Installation?and Quality all in One?Wire Plus!

For those interested in obtaining more information on Wire Plus, you can reach them at (620) 221-2417 or check them out online at www.wire-plus.com or email them at sales@wire-plus.com.

THE BIKER’S BIKE FROM THE CHOPPERFEST–Here’s the wildest bike I shot at the David Mann Chopperfest in Ventura, California last Sunday. More

–from Peter Linney

Watch for more features on Bikernet from Peter Linney.

Click on the Cadillac for more info about the photo master, Peter Linney.

MEETING OF THE MINDS DELIVERS– One of the original principles the Meeting of the Minds was founded upon was the concept of bringing motorcyclists from across the country together to share experiences, legislative successes, initiatives underway, problematic issues being faced, and ideas related to all of this, the very definition of the Meeting of the Minds.

The Thursday night Meet the States Opening session has become a real highlight of the Meeting of the Minds. This is where various representatives from the State Motorcycle Rights Organizations (SMRO?s) present what is going on in their states and this year certainly delivered on the original concept of a meeting of the minds. I counted 36 states in all that presented and below is a list of the nearly 50 subjects that were covered.

It would be hard to find something going on in motorcycling that wasn?t discussed this year and it is somewhat amazing to stop for a moment and consider all the subjects being covered and dealt with by bikers? rights activists throughout our nation. This is a genuine value of having SMRO?s attend the Meeting of the Minds, after hearing the presentations the attendees are highly encouraged to get together and discuss similar issues being faced or worked on back in their own states, one could certainly find common ground in this room.

This session also proves extremely valuable to the MRF as it is our intent to come out of the Meeting of the Minds with our Legislative and Strategic Agenda for the coming year. If something here interests you and you weren?t able to make it to Denver this year please contact your MRF SSMRO Reps., MRF State Program Reps., or your MRF Member Reps., one of these departments representatives can hook you up with a contact with the various information and we look forward to seeing you in Bloomington Minnesota for next years 25th Anniversary of the Meeting of the Minds.

?SMRO Conferences, State meetings, Officers trainings
?PAC activity
?On-Line memberships and program registrations
?Share the Road programs
?Rider Education
?Motorcycle Safety and Awareness programs (both for motorcycles and other motor vehicles
?The impact of International issues
?Muffler bills, sound testing and related equipment
?Vulnerable user bills
?Helmet bills, City helmet bills, freedom of choice bill updates
?Local ordinance issues, private property use issues
?ATV bills
?Public Service announcements (PSA?s)
?Veterans license plate, license plate size bills
?501C3/501C4 issues, grants
?Red light bills
?Use of statistics, impacts of statistics
?Battles with the press
?Skill rated maps for challenging roads
?Bike week bans, overzealous law enforcement initiatives
?Comparative fault bills
?Motorcycle confiscation bills
?Mandatory rider education
?Civil disobedience experiences
?Suing a Governor for misappropriating motorcycle safety fund monies
?Right of Way (ROW) bills
?Participating in Motorcycle Safety Advisory councils
?Auxiliary lighting bills
?Motorcycle registration funds, attached fees, specific fees
?Lobby day, lobby day training
?Dial a ride programs for motorcycles, event specific bike trailers made available
?Impaired riding/ride straight campaigns
?Motorcycle CDL?s, lower BAC for motorcyclists efforts
?Mopeds/scooters-regulations, licensing, training or lack thereof
?Impact of moped and scooter crashes when considered motorcycles on reports
?Political relationships
?Discrimination issues, ?no colors? issues
?Sound based bans
?Partnerships with military bases for motorcycle training (both use and program delivery)
?Custom bike registration and titling issues
?Rider education councils
?Roadway conditions, 1-800 hazard report phone numbers
?2010 fund uses, issues
?Membership programs
?Motivation
?Youth and sport bike rider involvement
?Newsletters
?Successful events
?Accident scene management, first aid care at crash scenes

This is a most recent Leaders report, example of the type of dialogue used 50-60 times per year to reach the 250,000 SMRO members that belong to the MRF through Sustaining Memberships.

–KRW
MRF E-MAIL NEWS Motorcycle Riders Foundation
236 Massachusetts Ave. NE
Suite 510
Washington, DC 20002-4980
202-546-0983 (voice)
202-546-0986 (fax)
http://www.mrf.org (website)

TORKSTER PLUS 883-1250 EFI ENGINE KIT —The Torkster Plus is similar to our original Torkster 883-1200 kit, but with a twist ? an additional 50cc with the inclusion of our exclusive 3-9/16? bore cylinders! These extremely rigid aluminum cylinders are cast around ductile iron liners and fit right into the case opening without any machining. The Torkster Plus includes our highly refined cylinder, head and engine management package that promotes big gains in power and torque.

Also included is the blueprinting of your cylinder heads. After cleaning, new Step-Lock guides are hand-fit to new, high-flow stainless steel valves. Next, the bowl in the port is aligned to the center of the valve using a special form tool that promotes high velocity for optimum air to fuel atomization ratios. The result is increased fuel efficiency, and in layman?s terms, a big, fat, long torque curve!

The heads are delivered assembled with Viton? seals and a performance valve spring set; Zipper?s aluminum cylinders are precisely fitted with lightweight, reverse-dome forged pistons. To provide proper fuel and ignition curves, the factory ECM is replaced with the versatile ThunderMax ECM with AutoTune, supplied with maps that ensure quick and accurate automatic AFR tuning. A Zipper?s high flow air cleaner kit and complete top end gasket set is supplied.

Get that extra edge with the Torkster Plus 1250 kit ? excellent power right where you need it!

Zip Tip: 2004-up 883 Sportsters? have different primary and secondary gearing than the factory 1200?s do (final 4.07 [883] vs. 3.52 [1200]. We recommend lowering the gearing when converting an 883 to 1200 with our kits.

These kits are available from any Zipper?s Performance Products dealer, or you can send your carefully packed parts directly to Zipper?s. The Torkster Plus kit requires modification to your cylinder heads. Your original 883 heads are modified and returned to you with new cylinders and the rest of the kit, ready for installation. In-shop time is generally 1-2 weeks. Please pack your parts carefully!

Torkster Plus 883-1250 kit, 2007-up 883
# 517-203
$ 2289.00

BIKER GONE SAILOR PUBLISHES WET MAGAZINE–Are You Ready? January’s Lats & Atts Seafaring Issue Is Now On-Line! No cost, no registering.

Just click and read the full print issue!To enlarge any page, just place your cursor at the inside upper corner of the page! Click again to reduce it again!

The World’s Favorite Boating Lifestyle Magazine Is Waiting For You! Just Click below! Like Us it’s Free and Easy!

–Bob Bitchin’

STREET WALKER CONTEST STILL ON– Is there still time to enter the Streetwalker Pipes Contest? I wrecked my ’07 Street Glide cuz an asshole ran a stop sign on Sept 1. Traded in my wrecked bike. This time I sent pictures of my girlfriend on my new ’09 Street Glide.

I am recovering and my girlfriend has been giving me warm physical therapy massages. Enjoy the pictures. She even dressed in a Christmas outfit for this. I took it off her after the pictures.

Sorry for the background but I ain’t a professional, but I did clean up the garage a little before the shots.

–GOOTIE

OFFICIAL BIKERNET CAB DRIVER–A man walks out to the street and catches a taxi just going by. He getsinto the taxi, and the cabbie says, “Perfect timing. You’re just likeFrank.”

Passenger: “Who?”

Cabbie: “Frank Feldman. He’s a guy who did everything right all thetime. Like my coming along when you needed a cab, things happened likethat to Frank Feldman every single time.”

Passenger: “There are always a few clouds over everybody.”

Cabbie: “Not Frank Feldman. He was a terrific athlete. He could havewon the Grand-Slam at tennis. He could golf with the pros. He sanglike an opera baritone and danced like a Broadway star and you shouldhave heard him play the piano. He was an amazing guy.”

Passenger: “Sounds like he was something really special.”

Cabbie: “There’s more… He had a memory like a computer. He rememberedeverybody’s birthday. He knew all about wine, which foods to order andwhich fork to eat them with. He could fix anything. Not like me. Ichange a fuse and the whole street blacks out. But Frank Feldman, hecould do everything right.”

Passenger: “Wow, some guy then.”

Cabbie: “He always knew the quickest way to go in traffic and avoidtraffic jams. Not like me, I always seem to get stuck in them. ButFrank, he never made a mistake and he really knew how to treat a womanand make her feel good. He would never answer her back even if she wasin the wrong; and his clothing was always immaculate, shoes highlypolished too. He was the perfect man! He never made a mistake. No onecould ever measure up to Frank Feldman.”

Passenger: “An amazing fellow. How did you meet him?”

Cabbie: “Well, I never actually met Frank. He died. I’m married to hisf**ckin’ widow.”

–from Nick Roberts

RELAUNCHING BIKER BEAUTIES MAGAZINE IN 2009–Biker Beautes Magazine has been doing a makeover and will be re-launching its magazine in February 2009 as a nationwide publication and is seeking motorcycle shops and dealerships who would like to sell the magazine in their stores.

Stores will keep 50% of all monies from Biker Beauties Magazine sales. Biker Beauties Magazine will be a quarterly publication printing in February, May, August, and November. If interested in learning more about carrying this magazine please contact Sam@BikerBeauties.com

Anyone interested in advertising opportunities in the magazine should contact Livia@BikerBeauties.com

On the cover of the February 2009 Issue is popular magazine model and actress Coco (http://cocosworld.com). I went to New York this past weekend to shoot with Coco and her husband Ice-T from the television series Law and Order:SVU. See the photos in the upcoming issue of Biker Beauties Magazine and you can meet Ice-T and Coco at the Timonium Motorcycle Show on Feb 6th as they will be signing posters and magazines at the show for one day only. Show information: http://cycleshow.net

AMA SAYS NYC COUNCIL UNFAIRLY TARGETS MOTORCYCLE SOUND– THE American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) says New York City Council is about to give final approval to a bill that discriminates against motorcyclists and imposes severe, out-of-line penalties.

The AMA also complained that the measure languished in the Council for two years and then, in a surprise move, was revived just a week before the scheduled final vote, allowing little opportunity for public comment.

“This is outrageous. This is no way to operate in a democracy,” said Imre Szauter, AMA government affairs manager. “The Committee on Public Safety considered the bill on Dec. 14, 2006, and then suddenly approves it and sends it to the full Council on Dec. 10, 2008?”

The measure, up for full City Council approval on Thursday, Dec. 18, would make it illegal for any motorcycle to be on city streets unless it has an exhaust system with a stamp that states it is approved by the federal Environmental Protection Agency. Essentially that means the bike must have a stock exhaust system.

Motorcyclists caught without an EPA-stamped exhaust system would face fines of up to $1,000 for a first offense and temporary forfeiture of the motorcycle until the fine is paid. A second offense would result in a fine of up to $2,500 and permanent forfeiture of the motorcycle.

City officials apparently believe that requiring motorcyclists to have EPA-approved exhaust systems is easier to enforce than trying to prove a motorcycle exceeds the city’s vaguely defined 80-decibel sound limit.

Szauter stressed that the AMA has long opposed excessive motorcycle sound and has funded information and public relations campaigns in support of quiet motorcycle use.

“The issue is that the New York City Council is unfairly singling out motorcyclists because motorcycles are the only vehicles covered under the bill,” he said. “If New York City officials believe they have a sound problem, then the problem should be handled through the existing noise ordinance and not through piecemeal legislation targeting specific modes of transportation.”

Szauter added that requiring motorcycles–and no other motor vehicles–to have a stock exhaust system is particularly discriminatory. When the muffler wears out or breaks on a car, the car owner can go to a local muffler shop and get an aftermarket system that costs much less than an original equipment system. The proposed New York City law wouldn’t allow a motorcyclist to do that, forcing the motorcyclist to potentially spend hundreds of dollars more for an original equipment system, assuming that system is even still available.

“If a motorcyclist can’t find a stock system, then the rider faces stiff fines and forfeiture of the machine, Szauter said. “These penalties are too severe and out of line when compared with other city laws.”

Szauter urged all New York City motorcyclists to contact their City Council members immediately and ask that they reject this discriminatory measure.

Concerned motorcyclists living outside the area, especially those who work in or frequently visit the city, should contact the Speaker of the City Council, Christine Quinn, at: council.nyc.govwww.ama-cycle.org

Read on, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation report states that the NY ordinance has been pulled.

TITAN CZAR EXECUTED–My local Phoenix source confirms that Don Proudfoot was executed last night. They did not harm Proudfoot?s girlfriend Hope, or steal anything in the house, but he was shot in the head.

The Maricopa County Sheriff?s Homicide Unit is still investigating the shooting in the 300 block of West Irvine Road. The Sheriff?s Office said it was not clear if the incident was a home invasion. At this point, Hope Smith is not a suspect and nobody has been taken into custody.

–John Nasi

CONTRAST CUT FORGED ALUMINUM PULLEYS– Just like the Roland Sands Design aluminum wheels, these forged aluminum pulleys feature RSD’s exclusive Contrast Cut finish. The polished pulley has been black-anodized, then CNC-machined to a contrast cut. The precision-shaped tooth profile is designed to fit the belt perfectly, and teeth are now hard anodized for longer wear. Both the Domino and Judge pulleys are a perfect match to Roland Sands’ Vintage Softail conversion parts. Diesel also comes in a chrome version.

All pulleys (except ’00-’06 Softail pulleys) are interchangeable for all years and come with a special adapter, which allows the pulley to fit 1.95″, 2.22″ and 2.50″ o.d. hub flanges. All applications require mounting bolts to be purchased separately. Proudly made in the U.S.A. by Performance Machine.

Continued On Page 2

Bassani Exhaust and Bikernet are making 2009 the year of Freedom. We want to point out freedom issues and support freedom fights. If you are in a motorcycle rights group send us a banner (500 by 100 wide). We want to support freedom fighters on Bikernet. If you're not a member of your local rights group, step up. Now is the time!

http://www-esv.nhtsa.dot.gov/IndexImages/Index.htm

21st International Technical Conference
On the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles
15 – 18 June 2009
Stuttgart, Germany
Sponsored by: U.S. DOT -National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration

Conference Theme: “Reinventing Safety: Putting AdvancedTechnology to Work”

Abstract Booklet: PDF 233 pages
http://www-esv.nhtsa.dot.gov/pages/Abstract%20Booklet%20v8.pdf

Motorcycle related ONLY:

Paper Number 09-0283-O

Integrated Safety Approach: From Prevention To SeverityReduction, Protection and Post-Crash SafetyThe 21sth ESV Conference Abstract Booklet 33
Jens, König
DEKRA Automobil GmbH, Germany
Elena, Bianco
Centro Ricerche Fiat, Italy
Jesús Vázquez de Prada Martinez
CIDAUT, Spain

Abstract:First outcomes of activities carried out in Safety In Motion EU projectare hereafter described.SIM Project is aimed at identifying a suitable and comprehensive safetystrategy for powered two wheel (PTW) vehicles, in order to avoid roadaccidents and/or mitigate their consequences.Starting from the outcomes of previous accidentology activities anin-depth analysis was conducted focusing on the scenarios identified asthe most frequent and dangerous for PTWs accidents. Significant accidentparameters were identified and related values were analyzed.Also a technology evaluation based on state-of-the-art analysis as wellas partners expertise was conducted and the effectiveness of potentialbenefits of safety systems was evaluated in reconstructed accidentscenarios.

On such a basis a PTW safety strategy has been identified in all safetyareas.The active safety improvement is reached by actively controlling PTWstability and improving riding comfort (advanced braking and suspensionsystems).

In preventive safety area an HMI Information Management concept formotorbike was identified as the most effective solution for enhancingthe PTW rider’s awareness. Focusing on passive safety aspects, a frontalairbag fitted on motorcycle (aiming at protecting rider against theprimary impact) and an inflatable wearable device (mainly for secondaryimpact) have been chosen to be tested either separately or jointly.The following safety devices have been finally selected in order to beimplemented and tested on vehicle prototypes:
-Active Brake System -Stability management by traction control
-Semi-Active Suspension System -Frontal airbag -Inflatable wearabledevice -HMI Information management concept for motorBikes (IMB)
-Enhanced HMI (ergonomic handlebar controls, wireless communication,Head-UpDisplay)

An integral approach to PTW safety enhancement was adopted, since allthe safety devices will be implemented and tested on the same vehicleplatform, the innovative PTW tilting threewheelersPiaggio MP3.
————————————-

Paper Number 09-0244-O

Development Of A Motorcycle Rider Model With Focus On Head And NeckBiofidelity, Recurring To Line Element Muscle Models And FeedbackControl
Filipe Fraga, Lex van Rooij
TNO Automotive – Integrated Safety
Riender Happee
BioMechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, DelftUniversity of Technology
Jac Wismans
SafeTeq, The Netherlands
Ioannis Symeonidis, Steffen Peldschus
Biomechanics continued: Injury Criteria and Virtual TestProcedures/Tools Development
The 21sth ESV Conference Abstract Booklet 64
Institute of Legal Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich
Germany

Abstract:Despite continuing improvements in vehicle safety, motorcyclistcasualties are estimated between 13% and 17% of road fatalities. Lookingat the last two ESV conferences for a tentative measure of the researcheffort that is geared towards motorcycle safety, oral/written papersreferring to two-wheelers averaged 6%/3% of each group. This tendency isalso identifiable in the clearly lagging development of experimentaltechniques and computational models for the study of crash scenariosinvolving PTWs. This status quo prompts further developments ofPTW-specific design tools to stem from existing occupant (andpedestrian) tools, rather than already available motorcycle-specificsolutions.

This paper aims at filling some of that gap by proposing developments incomputational models for motorcyclists alongside real-world trials. Thepaper concludes that a MADYMO human body model, equipped withPID-controlled neck muscles, reasonably maintains its biofidelic erectposture in sample scenarios, under the assumption that riders attempt tomaintain their head upright. Preliminary results yield activation levelsof up to 50 and 55% during severe (± 1,7G and 0,8G) longitudinal andlateral loading scenarios, respectively.

Preliminary volunteer trials (N=8) were conducted to provide initialvalidation in the event of braking. Although not yet complete, theanalysis suggests that the resulting head kinematics for an averageaware volunteer is compatible with the simulated response.This development focuses R&D efforts on preventing injuries to thehead-neck-complex, the body’s most vulnerable region, by providingbiofidelic postures and reactions to developers of personal protectiveequipment and advanced occupant/rider restraint systems.

It also allowsthe evaluation of a motorcycle active safety system’s impact on humanresponse, which directly influences the consequences of the potentialsubsequent pre-crash or crash event. Finally, itrepresents a first step towards fully active human models, which willprovide life-like pre-crash behaviour to e.g. OEMs, equipment andbarrier manufacturers, and policy makers.
—————————————

Paper Number 09-0406-O

Study Of Face Design, Lighting System Design For Enhanced Detection RateOfMotorcycles

Kazuyuki Maruyama, Yojiro, Tsutsumi
Motorcycle R&D Center/Honda R&D Co., Ltd. Japan Yutaka, Murata
Future Transportation Systems Research Lab./Honda R&D Co., Ltd., Japan

Abstract:The FACE (Facial Attention for Conspicuity Enhancement) design, alighting system design that enhances motorcycle conspicuity with regardto the detection rate from the view of a driver at night, is describedin this paper. Past research has shown that there is part of the humanbrain that reacts to the image of a face [1]and we thought of a method to enhance the detection rate of a motorcycleby incorporating the element of a face in the front design of themotorcycle.

The effect of a simple FACE design, a reverse triangular arrangement oflamps, is evaluated and its effectiveness is shown. Moreover, we developa simulation method that could be used to evaluate the enhanceddetection rate of a FACE design motorcycle under conditions that areclose to some real traffic environments. The method is evaluated bycomparing it with the results of a full-scale test and demonstrates themethod could be used to evaluate the detection rate of a motorcycle
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Paper Number 09-0072-O

Anti Lock Braking And Vehicle Stability Control For Motorcycles – Why OrWhyNot?

Jost Gail
Federal Highway Research Institute, Germany
Joachim Funke
Fludicon GmbH
Germany
Patrick Seiniger
Technische Universität Darmstadt, Fachgebiet
Fahrzeugtechnik, Germany
Ulrich Westerkamp
Institute for Transport Economics at the University of Cologne, Germany

Abstract:In the last years there has been a decline in accident figures inGermany especially for four wheeled vehicles. At the same time, accidentfigures for motorcycles remained nearly constant.About 17 % of road traffic fatalities in the year 2006 weremotorcyclists. 33 % of these riders were killed in single vehiclecrashes. This leads to the conclusion that improving driving dynamicsand driving stability of powered two wheelers would yield considerablesafety gains.However, the well-known measures for cars and trucks with their proveneffectiveness cannot be transferred easily to motorcycles. Thereforestudies were carried out to examine the safety potential of Anti LockBraking Systems (ABS) and Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) formotorcycles by means of accident analysis, driving tests and economicalas well as technical assessment of the systems.

With regard to ABS, testpersons were assigned braking tasks (straight and in-curve) with fivedifferent brake systems with and without ABS. Stopping distances as wellas stress and strain on the riders were measured for 9 test riders whocompleted 105 braking manoeuvres each. Knowing the ability of ABS toavoid falls during braking in advance of a crash and taking into accountthe system costs, a cost benefit analysisfor ABS for motorcycles was carried out for different market penetrationof ABS, i.e. equipment rates, and different time horizons.

The potentialof VSC for motorcycles was estimated in two steps. First the kinds ofaccidents that could be prevented by such a system at all have beenanalysed. For these accident configurations, simulations and drivingtests were then performed to determine if a VSC was able to detect thecritical driving situation and if it was technically possible toimplement an actuator which would help to stabilise the criticalsituation.
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Paper Number 09-0385-O

Study On Visibility And Discomfort Glare Of Adaptive Front LightingSystem(AFS) For Motorcycles

Masanori Motoki, Hiroshi Hashimoto, Tamotsu Hirao
Japan Automobile Research Institute, Japan

Abstract:When a motorcycle is driven on a curved road, the motorcycle headlampinclines horizontally as the motorcycle body banks, and the areailluminated by the headlamp becomes limited.Therefore, minimizing the horizontal inclination of the headlamp wouldimprove the visibility.

This study was conducted to clarify the effects of a system to adjustthe horizontal inclination of the motorcycle headlamp (hereafter,“motorcycle AFS”) on visibility for the rider, and to examine theside-effects of the motorcycle AFS (e.g., discomfort glare for oncomingdrivers). The study included the following two parts:

(1) A simulation survey and an actual driving survey to test thevisibility demonstratedthat a motorcycle AFS enhances visibility for the rider while themotorcycle is being driven on curved road. When the horizontalinclination of the headlamp is adjusted by the same or greater amountthan the bank angle of the motorcycle body, the visibility evaluationscores are equal to or above the just acceptable level. However, whenthe adjustment amount is less than the bank angle, the visibilityevaluation scores are below the just acceptable level.

(2) A simulation survey and an actual driving survey to evaluate thediscomfort glareshowed that when the horizontal inclination of the headlamp is adjustedby the same or smaller amount than the bank angle, the glare evaluationscores are equal to or above the just acceptable level. However, whenthe adjustment amount is more than the bank angle, the glare evaluationscores are below the just acceptable level.

Based on the results obtained in this study, the following technicalrequirement is proposed for the motorcycle AFS: “A horizontalinclination adjustment system (HIAS) may be installed.However, the adjustment amount of horizontal inclination shall notexceed the vehicle's bank angle.”
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Paper Number 09-0254-O

Effectiveness Evaluation Of Antilock Brake Systems (ABS) For MotorcyclesInReal-World Accident Scenarios

Dr. Georg Roll, Oliver Hoffmann
Systems and Technology, Continental AG, Chassis & Safety, Germany
Jens König
DEKRA Automobil GmbH, Germany

Abstract:Although motorcycle ABS is meanwhile well established on the publicmarket, detailed investigations about the relationship between crashscenarios and the effectiveness of motorcycle-ABS are rare. Within theEC-funded SIM Project (Safety In Motion) a detailed analysis ofdifferent accident scenarios with PTWs (Powered Two Wheelers) has beenperformed, using the DEKRA PTW-database.

The basis of this data pool isthe accumulation of written expert opinions containing the accidentanalyses that are drawn up by skilled forensic experts throughoutGermany. From this database containing 350 real-world accidents, 51cases have been selected by imposing a reaction demand and a followingbraking of the motorcycle rider in order to evaluate the benefit ofadvanced brake control systems. The following parameters have beenextracted for the evaluation:
-Collision speed and initial speed
-Distance of falling location to collisionpoint
-Braking distance
-Median braking deceleration
-Starting point of breaking
-Reaction point/demand
-Kind of reaction
-Road surface
-Weather

With this information several real accident scenarios without ABS wereanalysed under the condition that an ABS system would have beeninstalled on the motorbike. With such an approach the difference in theaccident consequences with and without ABS can be observed.In addition a variation in the ABS control has been accomplished byconsidering different brake control systems developed by CONTI, likepartial and full integral brake systems as well as systems with advanceddriver-assistance functions (ADAS).

As a result, a tremendous reduction in the accident consequences can beshown, for example up to 50% of the selected accidents could have beenavoided by a simple 2 channel ABS.
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Paper Number 09-0213-W

Influence Of Alcohol Concentration And Braking Procedure On MotorcylistBrakeReaction Time Using A Motorcycle Riding Simulator

Chun-Chia Hsu, Chih-Yung Lin
Lunghwa University of Science and Technology
Chin-Ping Fung
Oriental Institute of Technology

Ming-Chang JengNational Central University, Taiwan

Abstract:The statistical data published by National Police Agency, Taiwan,indicated that the motorcycle induced the highest accident rate, anddrunk driving ranked first among the traffic fatality causes in 2007.The high traffic accident rate was attributed to the alcohol decayingdriver reaction and the increase of frequency of using motorcycle indaily life as the car parking space and driving cost were considered.

Amotorcycle riding simulator, integrating a stationary real motorcycleand virtual reality system, was developed to measure motorcyclist brakereaction time under different drunken levels and braking procedures. Themotorcyclist encountered an emergence that a pedestrian went across theroad abruptly in a simulated driving scene. The time between anemergence and the activation of brake lever was recorded as the brakereaction time.

Ten young participants, ranging from 20 to 25 years ofage, were recruited in this study. Drunken levels for motorcyclist weredesigned to breath alcohol concentrations (BrAC) of none, 0.15 mg/l and0.25 mg/l. In addition, two different braking procedures, subjectpositioned his fingers on brake level or had his fingers wrapped aroundthe handlebar, were tested. The experimental results showed that alonger brake reaction time was induced by the motorcyclist under higherBrAC.

Additionally, the brake reaction time is also significantlyinfluenced by braking procedure.The results in this study gave really useful information for drivingeducation and skill in the field of motorcyclist driving safety. As themotorcycle riding simulator in this study did not involve a motionplatform, participants cannot experience emergency motions induced fromabrupt acceleration and braking. However, by using state-of-the-artcomputer graphic technologies the simulator gave a real like scene ofemergency traffic event.
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Paper Number 09-0450-W

Initial Site Inspection Of Motorcycle Collisions With Roadside ObjectsIn NewJersey

Allison Daniello, Ben Powell, Nicholas Schaeffer, Aaliyah McClinton,Yusuf Mehta
Rowan University, United States
Kimberly Swanseen, Hampton C. Gabler
Virginia Tech, United States

Abstract:This paper details the methods used to investigate motorcycle collisionswith roadside objects and the initial findings of the study. One factorassociated with the frequency and severity of motorcycle collisions withroadside objects may be the design and maintenance of the road.

Two methods of analysis were used to investigate the influence of theroad geometry and design of roadside environment on motorcyclecollisions. Satellite imagery was used to develop an overview ofdifferent collision sites. Individual site visits for 34motorcycle-roadside object crashes were conducted to record detailsabout each site, including types of guardrails and distance of theobject struck from the road.
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Paper Number 09-0543-W

Characteristics Of Powered Two Wheelers Accidents Susceptible To BeAvoidedAnd Minimized Through Adas And IVIS Implementations

Aquilino Molinero, Oscar Martín, José Miguel Perandones, David Pedrero
CIDAUT, Spain
Dimitris Margaritis
CERTH, Greece
Christhard Gelau
BASt, Germany

Abstract:Powered Two Wheelers (PTWs) accidents constitute one of the road safetyproblems in Europe.PTWs fatalities represent 22% at EU level in 2006 [1], having increasedduring last years, representing an opposite trend compared to other roadusers’ figures.

In order to reduce these figures it is necessary to investigate theaccident caUnited Statestion mechanisms from different points of view(e.g.: human factor, vehicle characteristics, influence of theenvironment, type of accident). SAFERIDER project [2] (‘Advancedtelematics for enhancing the SAFEty and comfort of motorcycle RIDERs’,under the European Commission‘7th Framework Program’) has investigated PTW accident mechanismsthrough literature review and statistical analyses of National andIn-depth accident databases; detecting and describing all the possiblePTW´s accident configurations where the implementation of ADAS (AdvancedDriver Assistance Systems) and IVIS (In-Vehicle Information Systems)could contribute to avoid an accident or mitigate its severity.

DIANA, the Spanish in-depth database developed by CIDAUT, has beenanalyzed for that purpose. DIANA comprises of accident investigationteams, in close cooperation with police forces, medical services,forensic surgeons, garages and scrap yards. An important innovation isthe fact that before injured people arrive to hospitals, photographs andexplanations about the possible accident injury mechanisms are sent tothe respective hospitals (via 3G GPRS technology). By this, additionalinformation to medical staff can be provided in order to predict inadvance possible internal injuries and select the best medicaltreatment. This methodology is presented in this paper.On the other hand, the main results (corresponding to road, rider andPTW characteristics; preand post-accident manoeuvres; road layout; riderbehaviour; impact points; accident caUnited Statestions;…) from theanalyses of the PTW accidents used for SAFERIDER are shown. Onlyaccident types relevant to ADAS and IVIS devices have been considered
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Paper No: 09-0061-W

An Analysis Of Hospitalized Motorcyclists In The State Of Maryland BasedOnHelmet Use And Outcome

Timothy Kerns
University of Maryland, National Study Center for Trauma & EMS, UnitedStates
Catherine A. McCullough
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, United States Departmentof Transportation
United States

Abstract:In recent years, there has been a significant increase in mortalityamong motorcyclists. Despite high rates of morbidity and mortalityassociated with crashes among older riders, there have been relativelyfew studies on injured motorcyclists admitted to hospitals. In anongoing study, data is being collected from motorcyclists involved incrashes in Maryland who were either killed or transported to the R AdamsCowley Shock Trauma Center (STC) in Baltimore, Maryland.

Data on injured motorcyclists is captured from the trauma registry,hospital discharge records, autopsy reports, and through a linkage withpolice crash reports. Injured parties are assessed six-months andone-year post crash with the Short Form 36 (SF36) questionnaire. TheSF-36 is an evaluation tool used to determine long-term outcome.

Autopsyreports are obtained from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ofMaryland (OCME).Previous studies looking at head injuries resulting from motorcyclecrashes have not been able to discriminate between operators usinghelmets that are and are not compliant with standards set forth by theUnited States Department of Transportation (DOT). Helmets will becategorized as DOT-certified, full-face, half-shell or uncertifiednovelty helmets. Fatal versus non-fatal crashes with resulting injuriesare compared and matched by operator demographics, helmet use and type,and crash characteristics. It is anticipated that persons involved in acrash while wearing an uncertified novelty helmet have a higher risk ofhead injury than those who crashed while wearing a DOT-certified helmet.

From January 2007 through May 2008 there were 517 motorcycle operatorsadmitted to the STC. The mean age of this group was 37 years and25 percent sustained a head injury with an Abbreviated Injury Score (AIS)between 1 and 6. Twenty-one percent of these helmets were identified asDOT non-certified.

A comparison of head injury and helmet type revealedthat 50 percent (13/26) of those wearing a uncertified novelty helmetreceived a head injury (AIS 1-6)as compared to 23 percent (22/96) of those wearing a DOT certifiedhelmet.(p<.05).
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Paper Number 09-0500-W

Design Of The Decision Logic For A PTW Integrated Safety System
Giovanni Savino, Avinash P. Penumaka, Marco Pierini, Niccolò Baldanzini
Università degli Studi di Firenze, Italy
Bernd Roessler
IBEO Automobile Sensor GmbH, Germany

Abstract:The Powered Two Wheeler Integrated Safety (PISa) project is developingan integrated safety system for a range of powered two wheelers (PTWs).

This system includes state of the art sensors, innovative warningdevices and rider assistance systems. This paper reports on the designof the decision logic for deploying autonomous braking (AB) and enhancedbraking (EB) safety functions in the PISa system, for a PTW travellingtowards leading obstacle, using onboard inertial measurement unit (IMU)and Laserscanner.

The decision logic deploys the ABand EB systems based on a theoretical kinematic parameter: the requireddeceleration to avoid a collision. The criterion for deployment is totrigger the AB and EB systems when the collision is physicallyunavoidable. The decision logic is tested off-line for datasets acquiredusing thePTW integrated with the IMU and the Laserscanner.

If you live in the UK or Europe, FEMA is the Motorcycle support organization for you. Click on their logo and get involved.

A NOTE FROM A BIKERNET READER:FUCK! Reading all that gave me a headache and a raging desire to go out and kill people …

None of the pencil-necked dorks submitting these ideas have any concept of FREEDOM – or just don’t care about it- have no idea of just how free it feels to ride a motorcycle in just jeans, t-shirt and boots. Free as a bird, free as the wind blows. Free to take risks. Life itself is inherently risky and tackling it head on while astride a roaring motorcycle at the limits of tire adhesion and lean angle is a taste of living that the safety Nazis can never know, cocooned in their ivory towers. Frontal air bags/wearable inflatable vests/front ends that look like faces – fuck-double-fuck, what a nightmare for real bikers but obviously a way for laboratory nerds to get their jollies…

What they all miss is that when people say, “Sorry officer, I didn’t see the motorcycle” they are lying through their fucking teeth. The truth is usually that they did see the motorcycle, but – as a relatively small object that didn’t look like much of a personal threat to them in their steel cages – they chose to pull out in front of it anyway. We’ve all done it in our own cages, more often than not to people on pedal cycles.

Thought process: “Mmnnn, there’s a bike coming but I can get across in front of him …” and then the angry shout reminds us how we’ve just done to a cyclist what other cagers do to us on our motorcycles. Sadly, “O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave” is fast morphing into, “O’er the land of the over-regulated and the home of the timid,” as endlessly multiplying bureaucrats dream up more and more schemes to protect us from ourselves, most often against our wishes, and we – apart from way too few dedicated activists – bend over and say “Yeah, do it to me again, that wasn’t so bad.”

–Jerry
Rollin' Sixes Choppers