KLR Group/Spyke’s Harley-Davidson rider Michael Barnes won his third AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 series race of the season and earned the first AMA Pro Racing class championship of his 25-year professional racing career Sunday at NOLA Motorsport Park in New Orleans, La., in a race that began with an atmosphere of highly charged anticipation and ended in controversy as the 2012 AMA Pro Road Racing season drew to a close.

Barnes and fellow championship contender Tyler O’Hara (Bartels’ Harley-Davidson/Scrubblade) jumped into the lead at the start of the nine-lap contest after polesitter Jake Holden (MOB Racing) cras

hed on the opening lap.  Following another crash on lap four by Ray Delaney that caused a red flag stoppage, the  pair picked up where they left off on the subsequent restart, setting up a five-lap sprint for the XR Showdown crown and its $25,000 first place bonus.

O’Hara shadowed Barnes until the penultimate lap, when he made a move to the front early in the lap, only to give the position back on the white flag lap in Turn 1. O’Hara attempted to regain the lead again several corners later but  went wide under braking, allowing Barnes to stay in front. Then as the pair exited the final corner onto the start/finish straight side by side, O’Hara reached over and appeared to grab Barnes’ right arm, pulling it off the throttle and causing his motorcycle to lose momentum as O’Hara drew past him and crossed the finish line in the lead. However, AMA Pro Racing officials subsequently ruled the incident as avoidable contact between riders and issued a penalty that repositioned O’Hara to last place in the finishing order, settling the championship in Barnes’ favor.

 “Tyler came up on the inside of me, but I had the outside line and I knew I had the better drive. Then he grabbed onto my arm and pulled by me,” Barnes said after the race. “I know he was desperate, but we should have just run it right to the line. You never know, he could have got it. But he grabbed onto my arm and pulled me back a couple of feet. I was just screaming as soon as he did it, ‘Man, what you doing? Why would you do that?’ There was a lot on the line. We’ve had such an awesome season. Wow, a championship. It only took me 25 years.”

Following the race, O’Hara had little to say about the incident: “Barney was coming over and I just had to let him know I was there. I grabbed him with my arm and that was it.”

A crash by eventual fourth place finisher Michael Corbino on the last lap caused a second red flag to be thrown resulting in several riders behind him being scored a lap down at the finish.

NOLA Motorsports Park Race Result:

1. Michael Barnes (KLR Group/Spyke’s H-D), 9 laps

2. Shane Narbonne (MOB Racing/Teterboro Rams LLC), +5.761 seconds

3. Benjamin Carlson (Suburban Motors H-D), +6.680 seconds

4. Michael Corbino (Rossiter’s H-D/XP Motorsports), 8 laps, crash

5. David Estok (Ruthless Racing/Deeley H-D Racing), +9.055 seconds

6. Josh Chisum (Bartels’ H-D/Scrubblade), +12.746 seconds

7. Eric Haugo (MOB Racing/Teterboro Rams LLC), +17.606 seconds

8. Brice Cooper (Woodstock H-D/Powerlet), +32.807 seconds

9. Paul James (Hoban Cycle/Woodstock H-D), +33.504 seconds

10. Chris Hamilton (Rig Tech), +37.365 seconds

11. Tyler O’Hara (Bartels’ H-D/Scrubblade), +37.366 seconds

12. Travis Wyman (Harv’s H-D), 5 laps

13. Ray Delaney (Fury Offshore Racing Team), 4 laps, crash

14. Darren James (Ruthless Racing/Deeley Racing), 1 lap

15. Jake Holden (MOB Racing/Teterboro Rams LLC), 0 laps, crash

Final XR1200 Showdown Points Standings (Championship Bonus)

1. Michael Barnes, 1,121 ($25,000)

2. Benjamin Carlson, 1,103 ($10,000)

3. Tyler O’Hara, 1,098 ($7,500)

4. Michael Corbino, 1,082 ($4,000)

5. Travis Wyman, 1,071 ($3500)

6. David Estok, 1,065 ($3,000)

7. Kyle Wyman, 1,062 ($2,500)

8. Josh Chisum, 1,057 ($2,000)

9. Gerry Signorelli, 1,018 ($1,500)

10. Darren James, 1,000 ($1,000)

Here's this week's featured bike from the Bikernet archives. This one's a Honda 750. Check it out by clicking on the photo below.

An unprecedented federal government effort to seize the Mongols Motorcycle Club’s trademark has quietly become a quarter-of-a-million-dollar headache for the Justice Department.

Four years after prosecutors grabbed attention by lassoing the Mongols’ logo – a ponytailed man riding a motorcycle – along with myriad club members in Southern California, an appellate court must sort out what the federal government might owe the club’s attorneys.

Read more here.

The Promises Foundation announced today that Bartels Harley-Davidson will host the 4th Annual Miriam's House Poker Run Sunday, October 14th from 8:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. Christopher Reed, from the FX series Sons Of Anarchy, will lead the group of motorcyclists on a 30 mile ride through West Los Angeles and Malibu. Non-riders are welcome to be a part of this year's event full of fun, food, a raffle and live auction. All profits from the event and registration will benefit the Promises foundation keeping women and children safe and sober.

"We are thrilled to bring together our friends from the motorcycle, entertainment, and business communities to support the Promises Foundation's mission to help women and children of Miriam's House", said Bryan Moeller, chairman of the board of directors of the Promises Foundation.

WHO: Miriam's House, The Promises Foundation and The Messengers of Recovery Motorcycle Club

WHAT: Motorcycle ride and fundraiser afternoon party to support women and children's charity.

WHEN: Sunday October 14, 2012 from 8:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M.

WHERE: Bartels Harley-Davidson 4141 Lincoln Blvd. Marina Del Rey, CA 90292

For Additional Information and Registration:

Paula Rice-Sherman, Director: 310.390.3700 or paula@promisesfoundation.org.

Debi Black at 310.823.1112 or debi@bartelsharley.com or visit www.promisesfoundation.org

Australia's highest court has granted the Finks MC the right to challenge the validity of controversial Queensland anti-biker/anti-association laws being used to have them declared a criminal organisation. 
The Gold Coast chapter of the Finks on Friday won the first round in their fight in the High Court of Australia in Canberra during a hearing over the constitutionality of tough state laws introduced in 2009.
The Finks' barrister, Brett Walker, SC, during a "removal application'' argued the proposed new laws, as part of the Criminal Organisation Act 2009, were unconstitutional and should be heard by the full bench of the High Court.
Barrister Peter Davis, SC, for Queensland Police Assistant Commissioner Mike Condon, said the removal application was not opposed.
However, both Mr Walker and Mr Davis said the issues to be argued before the full bench of the High Court had yet to be finalised.
The court, comprising Chief Justice Robert French and Justice Susan Crennan, granted the removal and ordered the matter be referred to a single judge, most likely Queensland's Justice Susan Kiefel, to rule on matters to be considered.
The court was told arguments were most likely to target Parts 2 and 6 of the Criminal Organisation Act 2009.
Part 2 relates to powers to declare an organisation as a criminal entity, while Part 6 relates to matters of criminal intelligence.
The QPS move to declare the bikers a criminal organisation was prompted by the shooting of two people at a busy Gold Coast shopping centre in May.
The QPS also claim the Finks had been involved in crimes including murder, extortion, robbery and drug trafficking and pose a significant risk to the wider community.
Similar moves in South Australia and NSW to have motorcycle clubs declared criminal organisations have been defeated in the courts by the Finks and Hells Angels respectively.
Mr Walker led the Finks' successful High Court challenge against similar laws in SA two years ago.

The Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show series pulls world class builders from across the United States. The 2012-2013 tour cities represent the most motorcycle-dense populations in the United States, reaching 75% of the nation's motorcycle enthusiasts. Attendees will see the latest trends in custom motorcycles and meet their local two-wheeled artists at the show.

The bike show is one of the highlighted features of the 32nd annual Progressive® International Motorcycle Shows® series, which is designed to create an engaging show experience to the widest audience of motorcycle enthusiasts across the country. 

Biker Pros is executing an integrated program that includes event management, media relations, brand building and a comprehensive social media campaign.

"Biker Pros is extremely pleased to partner with Advanstar for the 3rd year in a row to promote and administer the Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show series," said Bob Kay, Biker Pros' Partner. "We look forward to the hottest competition with the best custom bikes since the inception of this great series." 

Professional and amateur custom builders of choppers, cruisers and sport bikes are invited to enter their bikes into the competition and judge each other's work. There will be 13 individual rounds of the Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show nationwide. 



ATLANTA, GA – NOV 2-4

DALLAS, TX – NOV 9-11

SAN MATEO, CA – NOV 16-1

LONG BEACH, CA – DEC 7-9

SEATTLE, WA – DEC 14-16
 

WASHINGTON, DC – JAN 4-6
 

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JAN 11-13


NEW YORK, NY – JAN 18-20
 

CLEVELAND, OH – JAN 25-27


NOVI, MI – FEB 1-3
* CHICAGO, IL – FEB 8-10


INDIANAPOLIS, IN – FEB 15-17


CHARLOTTE, NC – FEB 22-24

The Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show will also include an individual photo shoot by a professional photographer of each bike entered into the competition. Each builder/bike owner will receive a CD of photos taken during the event of themselves and their bikes. The total purse for the twelve round series is $91,000.

Motorcycle riders and Powersports fans from coast to coast will have the opportunity to experience hundreds of new custom bikes, street bikes, dirt bikes, cruisers, scooters, ATVs, UTVs and more. 

Harley-Davidson® Screamin’ Eagle® Factory Team rider Kenny Coolbeth finished in 11th place in the AMA Pro Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship race on the Tucson International Raceway half-mile. Goodwin Racing Harley-Davidson rider Steven Bonsey led every lap to score the second Grand National victory of his career. Crosley Radio rider Bryan Smith edged South East Harley-Davidson rider Sammy Halbert in a close race for second and third place, as Harley-Davidson riders filled the podium.

The series points leader, Rogers Racing/Blue Springs Harley-Davidson rider Jared Mees, finished fourth and allowed Halbert, who lies second in points, to inch two points closer in the standings. With one race left on the season schedule, Mees holds a 12-point lead over Halbert.

Bonsey was the rider to beat all evening in Tucson. The 22-year-old Californian was the fastest qualifier and also won the four-lap Dash for Cash bonus sprint. In the 25-lap main, Bonsey took the lead on the first lap, had opened a gap of about 1.5 seconds on Smith by mid-race, and was never threatened. Smith ran alone in second place until the closing laps of the race, when Halbert suddenly appeared on his rear wheel and made an attempt to pass on the final straight. Smith beat Halbert to the finish line by 0.031 seconds. Mees finished 3.48 seconds behind Bonsey. Dodge Brothers/Perry’s Harley-Davidson rider Brad Baker was fifth. Zanotti Racing/Schaeffer`s Harley-Davison rider Jake Johnson finished sixth.

“We really struggled all night, trying to find a combination I was comfortable with,” said Coolbeth, who ran as high as sixth place in the main. “The track was really wet and rough but for my heat race we found a pretty good set-up, and I ran third and was looking forward to the main. I moved up a little early and thought the track would come to me, but late in the race I was off my pace, and we lost three positions in the last laps. It’s been an up and down season for us, but I think we can close out on a high note at Pomona, a track we are familiar with.”

Heading into the final race of the 2012 AMA Grand National season, Mees leads the series with 280 points. Halbert is second with 268 points. Johnson is third with 260 points, followed by Smith with 212 points. Coolbeth is in eighth place with 132 points.

The Grand National Twins close out the season on October 13 with the Law Tigers AMA Pro Flat Track Finals, presented locally by Harley-Davidson of  Pomona Valley and Glendale Harley-Davidson, on the Los Angeles County Fairplex half-mile in Pomona, Calif.

And that's why you seem to see them literally everywhere since 1985! Whether or not you like them, these particular sport bikes have been around since 1985. Here's a look at where they came from and where they're headed.

Motorcycle thefts in the U.S. fell at a slower pace last year as declines in Texas and Florida were partially offset by an increase in California, the National Insurance Crime Bureau said.

There were 46,667 thefts in the U.S. last year, a decrease of 6 percent from 2010, even as motorcycle sales rose, according to a report released today by the Des Plaines, Illinois-based group. Thefts dropped 13 percent in 2009 and 11 percent in 2010.

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Ron emails: “Motorcycles need to be loud — for safety. Yes, you’ve heard this before but it is true. A car vs. a motorcycle; who do you think wins? Someone in a car or SUV texting or on the phone not paying attention drifts into another lane, or a car is sitting on a side street looking for an opening to join traffic on the main street — if they don’t see or hear the motorcycle, who wins the crash?

“If a car driver hears a loud motorcycle, the driver is ‘disturbed’ or ‘annoyed;’ if the car driver doesn’t hear the motorcycle, the cyclist could be dead,” Ron adds. “Motorcyclists are some of the safest drivers around because they have to be. Of course there is such a thing as ‘too loud,’ but when it comes to motorcycles, loud is not ‘too loud.’ ”

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