Hey, Life is full of options. Hell, try to buy a couch, a computer or a refrigerator. The options will kick your ass. Options can be daunting — Especially if you have a list of dire projects looming over you like a gray sky. Ah, but the other option is to reframe your list into something very positive, full of love and accomplishments. Keep up the fight for Scientific Integrity and the freedom to ride and build what you want, goddammit. The Bikernet Weekly News is sponsored in part by companies who also dig Freedom including: Cycle Source Magazine, the MRF, Las Vegas Bikefest, Iron Trader News, ChopperTown, BorntoRide.com and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum.

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ARE YOU READY FOR AN EVENTFUL 2023?

2023 is already gearing up for Royal Enfield and motorcycle enthusiasts! Expect another year packed full of motorcycle events, demo rides, and racing. You’ll find us all across North America; we hope to see you on the road!

Check out the start of our events this year and be sure to keep an eye out as more and more is added to the 2023 calendar.

MAMA TRIED
February 18 – 19 | Milwaukee, WI
Kick the winter blues at this Milwaukee staple. Featuring over 100 motorcycles from top builders! See more about the show & get your tickets!

FLAT OUT FRIDAY
Women’s Open Presented by Royal Enfield
February 17 | Milwaukee, WI
The Dr. Pepper syrup track is almost ready for the indoor flat track race, are you? Get tickets now!

TORONTO MOTORCYCLE SHOW
February 17 – 19 | Toronto, ON
Canada, the Toronto Motorcycle Show is back! Join us at the Enercare Centre at Exhibition Place, booth 433. Buy tickets now!

FLAT TRACK RACING?
Johnny Lewis and the Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield team are back for the 2023 Progressive American Flat Track season. They’ve been busy in the off-season & are ready to show you how hungry they are this year. Which race will we see you at?

THE 2023 BTR SEASON IS HERE!
The first all-woman initiative that teaches women to build & race their own motorcycles is back & accepting applications for the 2023 season. Do you want to take part in the new season of the ladies crushing the flat track or conquering road racing? Now’s the time to apply!

NEW OWNERS STARTER KIT
Whether you’re a new owner or just looking for new gear, the New Owners Starter Kit from Royal Enfield puts safety first while providing a look that will stand out. Kit includes Streetwind V2 Jacket & Urban Hustler Gloves

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Gear up & ride to your next Wild Biker Party in style – Click to checkout the all-new 5-Ball Racing Shop.

 

Author Chris Dutcher presents a Symphony of Destruction
review by Wayfarer

While the rider is not exactly on a joyride, it is joy to read this fiction novel dealing with a motorcycling misfit. I am sure many bikers can relate to the sentiment of not fitting into any category in modern society.

Click here to read this book review on Bikernet.com

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Editor’s note: If you want to see how this whole mess started click here: https://www.bikernet.com/pages/Cabana_Dans_1314_Builds.aspx

We gained access to the hidden enclave of Cabana Dan’s motorcycle shop and collection. Last week was a nickel-plated hive of activity with the Mecum auction and a buyer whisking away with two of Dan’s vintage drag bikes. Hell, a local Deadwood City official is in the process of buying a 45-flathead basket from Dan.

Back at the auction, Dan scored two early H-D Twin engines and a ’13 Single in the quiet rooms behind the auction stage, while some 2000 bikes, one at a time, rolled onto the auction platform for bidding.

This week we will focus on his 1914 Twin project. He recently received his first batch of nickel-plate linkages, pedals and misc. components. Also, too-perfect handmade, re-pop handlebars with internal controls were delivered.

These bars are accurate and sweat-brazed perfectly, unlike back in the day when factory bars were bent by hand in crude fixtures. These precise bars are pricey from Faber Cycle and Dan will send them out for nickel plating and then run the cables for internal throttle and spark advance.

Many mechanical parts are available from Competition Distributing and he ordered and then machined the crank. “Some of the old stuff like axles has been messed with over the years,” Dan said and showed me an axle. It had multiple thread patterns and some wore very thin. He could either machine a new axle or buy one from C.D.

Dan was in the process of fitting the fender struts to the rails and brazing them. He showed me the Cleco Fastener tools. They guide the drilling process and hold the fender valences in place while they are drilled and the rivets installed.

Other re-pop parts are available from Sweden. Since these bikes are going for large bags of gold, this industry is expanding, which makes for delicate issues. A purchaser needs to know what he’s buying and what level of re-pop he is willing to accept.

Soon Dan will remove the engine and tear it down. The cases will be sandblasted and perhaps polished some. The cylinders will be removed, fins replaced on the heads, then blasted and tumbled to completely clean. Then Dan will finish the cylinders in a dull electroless finish.

All the other exterior steel linkage pieces and caps will be nickel plated. The goal is to have the bike look brand new when finished. The collector’s issue will include the number of re-pop parts used, which detract from the value, but could be required to finish a bike of this vintage.

It will be a running piece of Harley-Davidson history with a touch, better than original, when he it is completed. We will bring you another report soon on engine progress and paint.

As we start to tinker with these early engines, I will be looking for spare parts to make my 1914 single more complete for my 1913 Hot Rod racer project.

And the next report might include info on Dan’s 1913 Excelsior-Henderson or the other ’13 Harley twin project. I get sorta confused, but the reports will keep coming, and will ultimately make historic sense…

–Bandit

by Rogue with photos by Nick Sherman

My 2022 Harley Ultra came with a reasonable sound system, but my problem is hearing loss from when I was in the military. That prompted me to order an amplifier and new speakers. Life got in the way and I got behind schedule and needed some help getting it installed.

The system I chose was Harleys Rockford-Fosgate 400W – 4 Channel

I decided to get some help on this install for a couple of reasons.

The factory suggests installation is done by a technician at a Haley dealership.

Even if you do the install yourself the newly installed audio system and speakers will not play audio unless it is configured using the Harley-Davidson audio app or by an authorized Harley dealership, sneaky.

I have handled numerous upgrades over the years, and this one can be done if you have the time, knowledge and tools. I did not have the time.

Click here to read this photo feature Tech article only on Bikernet.com

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“I love you because the entire universe conspired to help me find you.” — Paul Coelho, The Alchemist

“Say ‘I love you’ out loud and often.” — Mary Davis

“Immature love says: ‘I love you because I need you.’ Mature love says: ‘I need you because I love you.’” — Erich Fromm

“I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you.” – Elizabeth Barrett Browning

“Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” — Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights

“A purpose of human life, no matter who is controlling it, is to love whoever is around to be loved.” — Kurt Vonnegut

“Nobody has ever measured, not even poets, how much the heart can hold.” — Zelda Fitzgerald

“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” — Lao Tzu

 

Snow Outlaws snowmobile drag racing series — race cancellation announcement
CANCELLED event: STM Powersports Snow Outlaws The Pioneer / Long Lake Shootout
originally scheduled: February 17-18, 2023
where: N1690 County Highway M, Sarona, Wisconsin, USA

It seems that the phrase “hottest show” in snowmobile drag racing is being taken too literally. Following “hot” on the heals of a brutally cold Friday night session on Rice Lake, an unseasonably warm Wisconsin has forced the STM Powersports Snow Outlaws series to cancel their second round of 2023.

Originally scheduled for February 17-18 on Sarona’s Long Lake, bad ice there had Snow Outlaws planning a return engagement at Rice Lake. But even that is off the table as warm, sunny days are thinning Rice Lake’s ice and producing no new snow.

So the world’s quickest nitro, alcohol, supercharged and turbocharged sleds and the teams that race them will have to wait until March 3-4 and the Weenie Roast World Finals at Lakewoods Resort in Cable, Wisconsin.

Pro Outlaw, Pro Xtreme 55, and Pro Mods will all converge for the legendary Weenie Roast festival for high speed thrills and late night swills. Team owners and riders such as Chris Connelly, Jeff Ratzlaff, Mike Allen, Dominick Ernst, Brian and Corey Sullivan, Alec Gibas, Lance Flathers, Ethan Erhardt, Jeremey Hannen, Kyle Shilts, Samson Exhaust’s Mike Baverstock, Matt Musselman, Samantha Martin, Tom Brennan, Ryan Rowe, Andy Gosch, Casey Down, Anthony Tondryk, Blake Saltzman, Tyler Stelton and more will race the Lakewoods 500 foot track.

Chad and Jenny Nyhus regret that even the Snow Outlaws track-building magicians can’t conjure up a race track without snow and ice, but look forward to welcoming their drag racing family back to action at the Weenie Roast in March.

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HARLEY-DAVIDSON LAUNCHES H-D COLLECTIONS, A GROUPING OF LIFESTYLE APPAREL LINES DEFINED BY HERITAGE AND CRAFTSMANSHIP

Building on 120 years of moto culture, H-D Collections honors the past, while driving Harley-Davidson apparel into the future

MILWAUKEE (Feb. 13, 2023) – Harley-Davidson is excited to announce H-D® Collections, a grouping of unique and distinct lifestyle apparel lines, defined by the heritage and authenticity of Harley-Davidson, the most desirable motorcycle brand in the world, will launch on hdcollections.com on March 9, 2023.

With over 120 years of craftsmanship and heritage under its belt, Harley-Davidson has shaped motorcycle culture while driving its relevance far beyond the world of two wheels. As part of H-D’s continued growth strategy, H-D Collections aims to connect authentically with consumers who identify with the adventurous spirit of Harley-Davidson. Through curated products, experiences and collaborations, H-D Collections seeks to honor the past, while driving the motorcycle brand into the next 120 years and beyond.

“With H-D Collections we’re excited to celebrate two elements of our heritage: design and craftsmanship,” said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO, Harley-Davidson. “H-D Collections brings together the many facets of moto-culture lifestyle, paying tribute to our heritage with both Harley-Davidson Originals and Authorized Vintage, while pushing the limits of design, form and function with Bar & Shield.”

H-D Collections is launching with three unique product lines: Bar & Shield by Harley-Davidson, Harley- Davidson® Originals, and Harley-Davidson® Authorized Vintage, in addition to planned collaborations.

· Bar & Shield by Harley-Davidson is a new, elevated lifestyle product line. Mirroring the study and craftsmanship associated with Harley-Davidson heritage, Bar & Shield is inspired by the unique combination of engineering, functionality and motorcycle culture. The line, which takes its name from the phrase historically used to describe the classic Harley-Davidson logo, is designed by Creative Director of Apparel Design Louise Goldin and her team to bring a new spirit into the evolution of Harley-Davidson apparel.

· Harley-Davidson® Originals looks to the brand’s rich heritage for inspiration, coming to life as a modern interpretation of the classics. The items in this product line embody the history of Harley- Davidson worn by fearless racers, notable personalities, artists, everyday riders and enthusiasts for generations.

· Harley-Davidson® Authorized Vintage is genuine, archival, and collectible. Painstakingly sourced and thoroughly vetted, the product line is a collection of rare H-D® apparel throughout history, certified by H-D’s historians with certificates of authenticity. H-D Authorized Vintage is rich with stories of adventure, rebellion and the American spirit, positioning these items among the most desirable in the vintage apparel market. Consumers can look forward to an ever-changing array of vintage t-shirts, sweatshirts, accessories, vests, jackets and leathers, as well as monthly drops with rich Harley-Davidson stories.

· Harley-Davidson® Collaborations will see Harley-Davidson partnering with creatives and brands in celebration of moto-culture lifestyle – coming soon in 2023.

H-D® Collections will come to life through apparel, unique retail experiences, and partnerships rooted in the spirit of Harley-Davidson moto-culture, reaching new and existing fans of the brand. As H-D Collections evolves, additional lines and collaborations will be introduced and designed by Louise and her team, based out of the H-D Design Studio in New York City.

Beginning March 9, 2023, H-D Collections will be available for purchase at www.hdcollections.com and will pop-up at select cultural events & festivals, starting with Austin, TX March 10-14.

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This example may be the earliest one still in existence in 2023.
World’s Oldest Production Motorcycle Sells For $212,000 At Auction

by Janaki Jitchotvisut from https://www.rideapart.com

The early days of motorcycling were a wild time. From strapping engines to the frames of unsuspecting bicycles, to steam-powered velocipedes, people were eager to find new and improved ways to get around. New technological frontiers are typically a time of great experimentation, and this era in motorcycling was certainly no different.

In February, 2023, an extremely interesting piece of that early history went up for auction at Bonhams Paris The machine in question is an extremely rare 1894 Hildebrand & Wolfmüller, which bears the reputation of “the first powered two-wheeler to enter series production,” as well as the first vehicle to be called by the name “motorcycle” (or “motorrad,” in German). It ultimately sold for €195,500, or roughly $212,000 Yankee dollars including the premium.

Brothers Heinrich and Wilhelm Hildebrand set to work crafting their first powered two-wheeler designs during the crucial transition between steam-powered and gasoline-powered vehicles. As the story goes, they started with steam, but eventually turned to a two-stroke design in cooperation with two other individuals: Alois Wolfmüller and his mechanic Hans Geisenhof.

Development is often an iterative process, and what the team eventually came up with to make this production vehicle was a water-cooled, four-stroke, parallel twin engine with what must have been a breathtaking displacement at the time: 1,489cc. This reportedly made about 2.5 brake horsepower at 240 RPM, and resulted in a machine that could top out around 30 miles per hour. That might seem terribly slow in 2023, but was likely more impressive in a time when motor vehicles (let alone faster ones) weren’t so commonplace.

If this machine seems like an alien contraption to your modern eyes, that’s because it’s quite different from any motorcycle we know today. Here’s how the Bonhams listing describes some key features of this bike:

“Steam locomotive practice was further recalled by the long connecting rods directly linking the pistons to the rear wheel, which opened and closed the mechanical exhaust valves via pushrods actuated by a cam on the hub. The latter contained an epicyclic reduction gear and there was no crankshaft flywheel, the solid disc rear wheel serving that purpose. Rubber bands assisted the pistons on the return stroke. Fuel was fed from the tank to a surface carburetor and thence via atmospheric inlet valves to the cylinders where it was ignited by platinum hot tube, as developed by Daimler. The box-like rear mudguard acted as a reservoir for the engine’s cooling water, while one of the frame tubes served as the oil tank. The tires, manufactured under license from Dunlop by Veith in Germany, were the first of the pneumatic variety ever fitted to a motorcycle,” it reads.

Also, this bike didn’t have a clutch. Instead, the starting procedure involved pushing it until the engine fired up, then jumping into the saddle and riding it wherever you needed to go. (Perhaps it wasn’t only the world’s first production motorcycle, but also the world’s first production exercise bike?)

The design for this bike was patented in 1894, and the machines were produced both in Munich, by parent company Motofahrrad-Fabrik Hildebrand & Wolfmüller , and also under license in France as La Petrolette. People of the time were reportedly optimistic about the new bikes, but their optimism was soon tinged with regret and demands for their money back due to starting difficulties and unsatisfactory running performance. By 1897, after French licensee Duncan, Superbie et Cie lost a court case with a customer about these issues, both the German and French concerns went bust. It’s unclear how many of these machines were ever made, but it’s believed to be somewhere between 800 and 2,000 in total.

This specific example is believed to be the earliest numbered example still existing today, with frame number 619 and engine number 69. It was last sold in 1990, and documentation that accompanies this sale includes papers from that time, as well as period marque literature (mostly, if not all, in German). The tires and bands have been replaced (and one of the bands needs replacing yet again), but this bike is otherwise in mostly untouched condition—which makes it even more remarkable, given the fact that it’s almost 130 years old.

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