Hey,

Memorial day has always been the summer kick-off party. But in a sense, it’s the ultimate freedom weekend. We are truly honoring the folks who died for freedom. The notion of freedom is being challenged right now in this country and other countries around the world.

As a country we’ve made mistakes, but freedom has always stepped up and help guide us. Fortunately we have freedom at our backs.

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who have died while serving in the United States armed forces. It is observed on the last Monday of May. It was formerly observed on May 30 from 1868 to 1970. –Wikipedia

Enjoy the weekend.

Let’s hit the news:

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.

Additional Media Appearances Include Varney & Company, Fox News Radio, and more!

NEW YORK, N.Y. – Grammy award-winning artist, Lee Greenwood, best known for his signature song “God Bless the U.S.A.” will appear on Fox & Friends on Friday, May 27 to kick off Memorial Day weekend and launch the network’s summer concert series. Greenwood will also make appearances on Varney & Company, Fox News Radio, and more.

Additionally, on Sunday, May 29, Greenwood will make his way to Concord, NC, where he will perform the national anthem for the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, which will also air on the Fox network.

Greenwood’s documentary, ‘Proud to Be an American: The Lee Greenwood Story,’ released in 2021, is still available for streaming on Fox Nation.

“For most people, Memorial Day is a day off of work and a chance to get together with family and friends and enjoy the last few days of spring, but it is also a solemn day of recognizing and paying tribute to those who paid the ultimate price in support of our country,” stated Greenwood. “It’s important to not lose sight of this, so I hope my presence there will help honor them.”

Greenwood is considered one of the most avid and longstanding supporters of America’s troops and veterans. He recently partnered with global firework manufacturer Black Cat ® to introduce a 42-shot “Proud to Be an American” firework available in select locations across the country.

He also recently partnered with veteran-owned Patriarch Distiller’s Soldier Valley Spirits to produce a signature line of whiskey, bourbon, and vodka, with a portion of proceeds going to support veterans’ charity groups. Elite Source Pro teamed with Greenwood to produce the “God Bless the USA Bible,”, which contains the King James Version of the Bible and includes the founding USA documents: Pledge of Allegiance, Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and Bill of Rights, as well as a copy of the handwritten chorus to “God Bless the USA.”

FEDS AT IT AGAIN— Seek Comments on Motorcycle Study

The federal government plans on studying aspects of motorcycle safety and it is asking for your comments. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will begin collecting data from motorists in the states of Florida and Pennsylvania regarding “Driver Awareness of Motorcycles.”

Specifically, the survey data will be used to assist NHTSA in its ongoing responsibilities for: (a) Planning and designing research and program activities to improve motorcycle safety; (b) providing support to groups involved in developing and implementing motorcycle safety outreach programs and driver safety campaigns; and (c) identifying areas in driver awareness and knowledge that need attention.

NHTSA will use the information to produce a technical report that presents the results of the study. The technical report will provide aggregate (summary) statistics and tables as well as the results of statistical analysis of the information, but it will not include any personally identifiable information (PII). The project data will serve as a resource for NHTSA and stakeholders to identify gaps in knowledge among the driving public. The technical report will be shared with State highway offices, local governments, and those who develop traffic safety communications that aim to improve motorcycle safety.

This collection supports NHTSA’s efforts to increase motorcyclist safety by examining factors related to the interactions between motorcycles and other motorists and their vehicles. The information from this collection will assist NHTSA in (a) assessing the extent and limitations of motorist knowledge of safe behaviors toward motorcycles, and (b) identifying the issues to emphasize in traffic safety campaigns and driver education.

The collected information will help identify the beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions underlying driving behaviors towards motorcycles and inform the development of countermeasures to improve the safety of interactions between motor vehicles, specifically, motorcycles, and other vehicle types (primarily passenger cars and Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs)).

Click here to read the notice in the Federal Register and learn more about what the federal government plans to study.

Comments to NHTSA are due by June 6th.

NEWS FROM SIERRA MADRE MOTORCYCLE COMPANY–Well, another elegant 100-year-old lady found Joan and I again. Looks like I need to make a trip to the left coast sometime soon to pick her up. She has a fresh Mark Hill motor with 1,000 test miles and is a Steve Huntzinger restoration of the highest standard.

It was Steve’s personal machine, an all-real factory-built Henderson that was missing an ammeter, kick lever and some other trinkets that took Steve 25 years to find. She has her original wheels restored and another set of modern wheels and tires built to compete with.

She is sleek, stunning, has a strong smooth heartbeat, and will be ready to do a cross country coast to coast endurance race likely in 2023, if and when I can get my 63-year-old body in proper physical condition. I need a windscreen and a set of saddlebags made. Any help with exact specs for the bags and other necessary preparation for endurance racing would be appreciated.

My vintage Moto friends around the world know I don’t just display my rides. These wonderful machines have a soul and were designed and engineered to be ridden. And I ride them all.

Steve Huntzinger has had this machine personally for 30 years. He told me it is an all real, all born at the factory machine when he found it. The ammeter, engine kick lever and some smaller bits were missing and it took him 25 years to find those few parts.

He had the entire chassis restored and decided to have Mark Hill, assist with the engine to incorporate some modern internal upgrades to allow it to be super dependable. More oiling passages, better bearings instead of babbits, and head and valve
work etc…

Then Steve finished the engine and installed it. Huntzinger also crafted a modern set of rims and tires to utilize on the Coast-to-Coast Cannonball. Clincher rims & tires are just risky on these high-speed Henderson’s.

Steve has a more modern Henderson and after 1,200 miles on this 1922 he decided it could have a new home. Sierra Madre Motorcycle Company was very proud to receive the opportunity to acquire and care for this Elegant Henderson Four.

–Steve Klein

On May 23, 1934, notorious criminals Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow are shot to death by Texas and Louisiana state police while driving a stolen car near Sailes, Louisiana. Bonnie Parker met the charismatic Clyde Barrow in Texas when she was 19 years old and her husband (she married when she was 16)

–History Channel

CONTROL FREAKS AT IT AGAIN–Automobile ‘kill switch’ law to spy on and control Americans

President Joe Biden recently signed a law mandating (persondating?) that all new vehicles sold after 2026 must be equipped with electronic “kill switches.” These switches could conceivably be used by government officials—or hackers—to seize control of one’s car without permission or oversight.

Oddly enough, the law was essentially hidden inside of the administration’s LGBTQ-friendly $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill that was passed late last year.

The “kill switch law” would potentially allow law enforcement to shut one’s car off remotely, and also to track the car’s metrics, location, and possibly even passenger load. The mandate was included under the pretext of helping to cut down on drunk driving while also preventing high-speed chases from occurring.

Such backdoor kill switches work through cars being continuously connected to wireless networks. Many, if not most, new cars (and virtually all electric cars) already come standard with wireless capability. Indeed, General Motors pioneered in-car (internet) connectivity more than a decade ago.

It is possible that the law could be challenged or repealed by a future federal government, as privacy issues with the mandate are glaring and obvious.

Former U.S. Rep. Bob Barr wrote an opinion piece, published in the Daily Caller last November, in which he stated that “kill switches” are a “privacy disaster in the making,” and noted that the law is “disturbingly short on details.”

–American Thinker

Q: How do we get the RPM act passed?

Q: How do we increase our congressional support in Washington?
A: The SEMA PAC

And only YOU can make that happen! 100% of SEMA PAC funds go to support our congressional champions on Capitol Hill. Members of Congress call SEMA daily to ask for donations to their campaigns. It is crucial that we have the necessary PAC funds to back them in their elections so they can continue to fight for our legislative priorities, like the RPM act, on Capitol Hill. Let’s show them that they have our support!

Even a commitment of just $25-$100 a month can make a huge difference in our efforts. Click here to contribute now or call SEMA’s PAC Manager, Samantha Large, at 202-796-2252.

Our TIM STRUCK Limited Edition Signature Series Wearable Art Shirts!

SIGNATURE SERIES BUTTON-DOWNS & T-SHIRTS
We have searched out some of the industry’s leading artists to form a collaboration that we call our “Signature Series”. Our goal is to get their talent transformed from canvas to fabric, we call this Wearable Art. Keep a lookout as this Collection continues to grow while we work with world-wide talented artists that can now get their masterpieces on the backs of passionate enthusiasts like you!

Tim Struck Signature Series Button-Downs

Men’s Signature Series Tim Struck
Breaking Out Lightweight Shirt (Black)

FULL BUTTON-DOWN LIGHTWEIGHT PERFORMANCE FABRIC
Our specialized Performance Fabric is made with a moisture wicking 95/5 Polyester/Elastane mixture. Designed in a RELAXED FIT, that provides you with comfort and stretch.

RIDER FRIENDLY FEATURES
(Some features may be Patent Pending)
Designed with our innovative button?placement,?hidden collar snaps, and?anti-flap snap?closure?on front?placat and back of collar.?Enjoy?your ride?more?by keeping your shirt where it belongs.

HIGH QUALITY INDUSTRIAL DIGITAL PRINTING
We use the latest technology with the highest quality digital printers for the brightest, fullest colors that you will see but not feel on the fabric. There is a small branded woven label on the edge of your garment.

–American Biker

QUOTE of the day for Thursday News—

https://blog.bikernet.com/bmw-m-1000-rr-50th-anniversary-celebrated-with-insane-list-of-extras/

–Wayfarer,
Editor – Bikernet Blog
https://blog.bikernet.com/

This is the 2022-2023 (18th edition) of the Comprehensive Vintage Motorcycle Price Guide. Recently released, it has over 480 pages and over 100 different motorcycle marques (Japanese, British, European, American, etc…) with prices for motorcycles from 1901-2003.

There are over 150,000 prices in 6 different conditions. The book shows you how to properly grade a motorcycle and gives market analysis on “what is hot” when investing in vintage bikes. Prices are current and based on over 1 million ACTUAL SALES PRICES gathered each year by 450+ CVMPG experts worldwide.

It is pocket-sized for easy transport to shows, auctions, swap meets, and other events. The USA version is only $19.95 and available at www.jmhobbysupply.com. Click on “Redeem your coupon” and enter CVMPG DEAL to get $3 off your total for the book and shipping, plus a free bonus back issue! There is also a button for overseas orders, but there is no shipping to Australia right now due to Covid restrictions.

However, those in living in Great Britain can order the U.K version from Morton’s Media Group for only 25 Pounds Sterling at www.mortonsbooks.co.uk/product/view/productCode/15589/ and get free shipping, and they will also send the book to anywhere in Europe for only 9.95 Pounds Sterling.

— John DeBeck
jmotorcycleandmodelrrmuseum@hotmail.com

WACO REMEMBERED—Don’t ever forget.

https://www.facebook.com/wacoinjustice/videos/859097451111479

–from Rogue
Senior Editor
Bikernet.com™

The 14th edition of the Long Road will continue to be a two night/stop ride. The feedback from the two-night format last year was all great. We picked great places to visit and do a short ride or two before we pack our gear and move on. This also gives breakdowns a chance to play catch-up. Of course, we’ll continue the “ Gypsy” style ride where we ride with as many or few others as we see fit

The registration this year is $48. which includes a t-shirt, two nights use of the Planet Chopper roadhouse in Woodlawn, Virginia, beverages at The Rebel Spirit custom motorcycle shop in Thomasville, NC on Saturday, July 23rd and a catered meal when we return to Planet Chopper that evening.

Note: there is trailer parking available at Planet Chopper, call John Devonshire at 276-233-6974 to make arrangements.

For this years’ Long Road, there is a “Pre-Party” where those who are available and want to hang out for a couple of extra days. We will meet Friday July 15th at Soo Locks Campground located at 1001 E Portage Ave, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. To make camping site reservations their number is 906-632-3191. They are charging $35per night, but they allow up to 3 tents and 6 people on one site. Phone to make reservations. We will stay both Friday and Saturday night, departing Sunday the 17th for the “official” start. We will traverse the Mackinaw suspension bridge and run along the west side of Lake Huron in our journey.

The “official” start of Long Road 14 will be the only one night stay this year, Sunday July 17 at Point Au Gres Marina and Campground, 2325 S. Green Dr., Au Gres, Michigan 48703.

Mention “Long Road” when you get to the campground and expect to pay $10. at the office. Our spots are already reserved in the group camping area.

Monday July 18 we ride south to spend July 18-19 at Crystal Rock Campground, 710 Crystal Rock Ave. Sandusky, Ohio 44870,
419-684-7177

Up to six people per tent site at $32./night. Cabins are available. Talk to Heidi and mention “Long Road” for 10% discount.

Wednesday, July 20, it’s a full day ride south on the scenic roads of Ohio, then a little east towards Fayetteville, West Virginia, near the New River Gorge bridge, staying two nights at Rifrafters Campground 448 Laurel Creek Rd. Fayetteville, WV 25840
304-574-1065 $15./ night tent space and cabins are also available. Call for availability. We will stay for two nights (Wed the 20th and Thurs July 21st to soak in the scenery and enjoy the activities in the local area.

On Friday we ride to Planet Chopper roadhouse at 1203 Woodlawn Rd., Woodlawn, Virginia 24381 276-233-6974 for Friday and Saturday night (July 22-23). On Saturday we’re meeting up at The Rebel Spirit custom motorcycle shop for some beverages at the red bar/table that used to be the centerpiece of the Long Road Lounge at Smokeout.

Long Road medallions will awarded to new riders with Lincoln Infield from Full Throttle Magazine Carolinas covering the event.

We then return to Planet Chopper for an awesome catered meal and more cheer before we head back home Sunday.

To guarantee you a t-shirt, please register by June 25th. It also helps us to know what numbers of people we can expect for the planning part of the ride.

Checks or money orders for $48.(USD) can be mailed to:
Mike Allen PO Box 1442, Canon City, CO 81215
Or can be sent to PayPal.me/TerreHeroux
Include your shirt size.

Please shoot me a quick e-mail (reply) to let me know if you plan on coming. Let’s me know you got this e-mail too!

Hope to see y’all in July!

–Uncle Ben

BIKE FEATURE OF THE WEEK— A classic Panhead chop by Tsugumi.

They are both conservative chops built to ride.

–Sam Burns
Extreme Feature Editor
Bikernet.com™

See how nasty the heads are, I sure don’t want to take it apart much more. I would like to just paint the heads black! I may try some chemical gasket remover. Got the lifter blocks over in paint. Last time, as I locked the last pushrod tube in place I realized I forgot to paint them!

I skipped the cam & trans seals last time as it had only been down for about 4 years, I half- stepped it. Then got the ‘15 Roadglide. The I got rid of the 15 Roadglide and the Shovelhead was my only ride so I couldn’t tear it down.

It’s hot in Texas.

–RFR

In a rare example of common sense finally busting through on climate, Stuart Kirk, the head of responsible investing at HSBC Asset Management, decided he’d had enough of it all and gave a public talk “Why investors need not worry about climate risk” to a Financial Times Moral Money conference (whatever that is) including such priceless lines as “there’s always some nut job telling me about the end of the world.”

Having approved his talk the cowardly bigwigs at HSBC have now suspended him. But the cat is out of the bag. Even at the BBC, which a few weeks earlier admitted their climate editor was a wacky zealot who makes things up. As Britain’s Daily Mail put it, the introduction to a Justin Rowlatt-edited propaganda piece “Wild Weather” aired to whip up support for the UN’s COP26 last November claimed “the death toll is rising around the world and the forecast is that worse is to come.”

But the BBC’s Editorial Complaints Unit, a horrible name but a useful entity if done right, “said this risked giving the impression the rate of deaths from extreme weather-related events was increasing.” Which even the Beeb admits just ain’t so. Can sanity be intruding on the climate debate at long last?

–Climate Discussion Nexus

The secret of success is to be in harmony with existence, to be always calm to let each wave of life wash us a little farther up the shore.

–Cyril Connolly

Today my day is filled with harmony. Everywhere I go I see the harmony unfolding in ways I have never imagined. I let go of all confusion and discord. My thoughts are clear, and my mind is open to living Life in perfect order. Perfect expression of Health, Love, Peace, Energy, Abundance, Prosperity, and Success fill my day. My creative self-expression raises and manifests at a higher level for I am Divinely inspired. I know what to do and how to do it.

I am so grateful for this clarity. As I express Life at this new and higher level of self, I encourage others to do the same.

Today I let go of all limitations, fears and doubts and express My Truth like never before. My Life unfolds in Perfect Harmony and I Love My Life.

And So It Is
Namaste’

One must marry one’s feelings to one’s beliefs and ideas. That is probably the only way to achieve a measure of harmony in one’s life.

–Yale Gelfant
Choppers Cycle

Memorial Day Weekend – May 27th – 28th

FREE concert for Veterans, Active Military, Military Spouses! Thank you Toby Keith, Justin Moore and Craig Morgan for giving back! Take a Veteran for a great weekend!

–Born to Ride

COMING FROM CHOPPERS MAGAZINE— Over the last few years, I cannot even begin to count the number of people who have told me to check out the Georgia Grundle Run.

They always go on and on about how the Grundle Run is a real old school chopper event that looks like something straight out of a 1970s issue of Easyriders.

Grab a copy of the latest issue featuring
– Frank Kaisler
– Josh Brolin
– Brian Bowan Smith
– Born Free 12
and so much more!

LOWDOWN 2022 ACTION— There are 30 days between right now and an epic party in the woods…

No organized bike show. No vendors. No BS. This is a campout party in the woods. Be there.

[page break]

KAYLEIGH BUYCK FIRES FIRST AT ROYAL ENFIELD BTR OPENER—

BUILD. TRAIN. RACE Road Race opening round heats up the already scorching MotoAmerica action at Virginia International Raceway

Milwaukee, WI (Monday, May 23, 2022) – Nerves and emotions were high as the women of Royal Enfield’s groundbreaking Build. Train. Race. (BTR) Road Racing program took to the track at Virginia International Raceway, Sunday, May 22, for the first round of the 2022 season.

For the first time, the full grid, each aboard a Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 of their own unique build, took the green lights at the MotoAmerica North American Road Race Championship. Through the intense Virginia heat and humidity, and the most competitive grid BTR has ever seen, it was 30-year-old Kayleigh Buyck of Sodus, New York who emerged victorious.

Buyck not only won the final race, but topped the charts in both practice and qualifying sessions. On paper it was a flawless performance, but was anything but a runaway victory for Buyck, who also had her share of drama when she crashed in Q2.

Cora Tennyson passed Buyck for the lead in the early laps of Sunday’s main race, only to end her efforts with a spectacular high-side. From there, Buyck resumed the lead, with Crystal Martinez relentless in her pursuit. Martinez finished less than a second behind at the checkered flag. Not far off was Chloe Peterson, who rounded out the overall podium.

“I still haven’t found the words to describe the thousands of feelings from our first BTR race,” said Buyck. “Being able to hold pole position all weekend even after a bad crash, and then to pull a win is a feeling I cannot describe. Being on this team, racing with 14 other amazing women who empower each other is a dream come true. We are all each other’s biggest fans and having Breeann Poland, Melissa Paris and Anne Roberts there to make this all a possibility is something I will forever be grateful for!”

Even Tennyson, who didn’t get to run the full distance, and also incurred a jump-start penalty, had some good takeaways from the weekend. “Despite how it ended, I am very proud of what I was able to accomplish before my crash,” said Tennyson. “After a jump start and falling from second to seventh, I was able to battle back to the front. All of the ladies showed tremendous effort and resilience and I’m proud to ride with them.”

Alyssa Bridges was the top finisher among the returning BTR Road Racing women, and reflected on the change from the 2021 season to the far more competitive 2022 class of racers. “This year having more people to battle with is fun,” said Bridges. “I’ve improved a lot after being brand new to this sport last season and I’m happy I get to battle a few returning teammates, as well. The rivalries, race battles and crowded grid add even more fun, and it’s a pleasure to be around even more talented personalities to learn from.”

“This weekend went about as good as we could ask for,” said Breeann Poland, Marketing and Communications Lead – Royal Enfield Americas. “The racing was incredible. These ladies went at it and really put on a great show. Every single rider improved throughout the weekend. Spirits were high throughout with great teamwork, and all the participants helped each other both on and off the track. We’re pretty thrilled with how the opening round went.”

“We unfortunately had one low point this weekend; racer Patty Paul crashed in practice and suffered a broken collarbone. We wish her a speedy recovery and look forward to having her rejoin the paddock this season.

“Thank you again to all the Build. Train. Race. sponsors. We couldn’t do it without their support. And the reception from fans and the MotoAmerica paddock was more than we could ask for. We’re in for an outstanding season and we’re already looking forward to Road America in two weeks.”

THE RIDERS
Find bios on all 15 BTR Road Race women at the Build. Train. Race. website.

2022 BTR Road Racing Roster
#52 – Kayla Theisler, 26, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
#27 – Michaela Trumbull, 29, Sheridan, Wyoming
#30 – Alyssa Bridges, 31, Orange County, California
#44 – Trisha Dahl, 31, Minneapolis, Minnesota
#21 – Bridgette LeBer, 29, Port Angeles, Washington
#31 – Ash Truxal, 31, Oakland, California
#55 – Chloe Peterson, 31, Steger, Illinois
#95 – Cora Tennyson, 36, Brandenburg, Kentucky
#25 – Crystal Martinez, 34, Thousand Oaks, California
#62 – Hannah Stockton, 23, Kansas City, Missouri
#19 – Jenny Chancellor, 46, Tumwater, Washington
#23 – Jessica Martin, 38, Savannah, Georgia
#16 – Kayleigh Buyck, 30, Sodus, New York
#11 – Nicole Pareso, 34, Carrolton, Ohio
#79 – Patty Paul, 57, Berrien Springs, Michigan

THE NEXT RACE

2022 Royal Enfield BTR Road Racing Schedule
Jun 3-5 (Rnd 2) Road America, Elkhart Lake, WI

More information 2022 MotoAmerica

Motorcycle Helmet Laws in the United States.

Did you realize that many states have different laws when it comes to whether or not you’re required to wear a helmet while on your bike? Whether you’re planning on a cross-country trip or moving to a new state, you’ll want to make sure you understand the motorcycle helmet laws in each state you’re riding through.

States with Motorcycle Helmet Laws

Most states have some laws that require a rider and their passenger to wear helmets. Some states, such as Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Indiana, New Mexico, Utah, and Maine, require riders and passengers ages 18 and under to wear a helmet.

Other states have motorcycle helmet laws for riders of all ages. For example, riders and passengers in states such as California, Maryland, Nevada, New York, Oregon, and Washington must wear a safety helmet at all times regardless of how old they are.

There are just a few states that don’t have any requirements when it comes to helmet laws, regardless of the age of the rider. These rare states include Illinois, Iowa, and New Hampshire.

We’ve highlighted the most important information to know for each state below so it’s easy for you to plan your next ride.

–Law Tigers

BIKERNET ARCHIVES OF THE WEEK—Indians have popped up everywhere this week. We took Adrian’s 2015 in for service. It’s a beautiful machine and he was about to ride it to Nebraska from Sturgis.

It needed fork seals. The tech said every 15,000 miles it’s a must to replace them.

Buck Lovell, who is shooting my Pandemic for Cycle Source Magazine, recently bought a new 2022 model with a dying battery. “They said it was cool,” Buck said. But the first day he able to ride it, the battery was toast. Of course, the dealer said they wouldn’t take care of him… We’ll see.

https://www.bikernet.com/pages/web_page.aspx?id=170

And so, here’s a link to all the articles we wrote about building my 2014 Indian, one of the first Polaris years. Rumor has it, Polaris only built 10,000 that year, but each one was a stellar throwback to ‘50s classic Chiefs. I still dig the shit out of this bike.

–Bandit

It took us a long time to discover where Buffalo Bill Cody’s best friend, Jonathan “Buffalo Chips” White, was buried. I expected him to have been buried at the Fort Meade Cemetery with many of the horse cavalry troops who gave it all while helping to piece this Republic together. It was quite a surprise to find his grave and an Official US Scout Memorial right at the battlefield where he lost his life to a bullet believed to have been sent his way by Chief American Horse.

American Horse was leading his people in a fight for freedom. Buffalo Chips was riding ahead of the 5th Cavalry and headed to Deadwood. The paths of these mortal enemies met just a few weeks after Greasy Grass (Custer’s Last Stand) about 88 miles north of the Buffalo Chip. As fate would have it, it was the end of the trail for both men, killed by what turned out to be the last battle of the American Indian Wars.

It’s a beautiful ride up to the Slim Buttes battlefield. Pass a couple of ghost towns, a bunch of pronghorn antelope, a few dinosaurs, a stage stop or two and we’ll arrive at an historical marker that tells the tale. The graves and Memorials, almost hidden on the hillside, are set just above the draw, site of the deadly violence. It was not a cowboy & Indian movie.

Some might call it a colorful bit of our history, a clash of two cultures. It was not that long ago. Memorial Day seems a call for reflection, a day of peace and freedom. It’s a great day for a ride. I’ll be saddling up at 0900 on Memorial Day, May 30th at the Big Engine here at the Chip. I invite you to join me. We’ll stop at a couple of pretty cool places along the way. Bring your own beverage, hardtack and jerky.

You can just show up for the ride and please bring along a friend or two. I’d be excited, though, to get a text that you’ll be joining us, rain or shine. 605.641.8490. Please meet me at 8:30 a.m. in front of my office. I will be parked out front with my white H-D. We’ll have coffee & snacks and then, rain or shine, it’ll be kickstands up at 0900 hours. I’m looking forward to riding with you.

–Woody

The NEW SMOKEOUT RALLY–Teams Up with Dennis Kirk!

The Original Chopper Party Is Set To Do Big Things With A New Title Sponsor In 2022.

With two decades under its belt The SmokeOut Rally has become synonymous with garage builders and the custom motorcycle culture. At the same time, national parts distributor, Dennis Kirk, has gone far and above to provide support to the very same culture through their GarageBuild.com, Garage Build Bike Shows and community based efforts.

It makes perfect sense that these two entities would come together for the SmokeOut Rally’s triumphant return to Salisbury, NC, September, 8, 9, and 10th, 2022. This new partnership will give the SmokeOut the horsepower it needs to continue the great standard of music and entertainment that event goers have come to expect.

As evident in their slogan, “We Ship Today”, Dennis Kirk understands the importance of all ends of our culture. They truly know that we want to ride more and wait less. This is part of the reason why they support their customers from the warehouse shelves through the small home garages all across the country and finally to the country’s original Chopper Party, The SmokeOut.

To get what you need to get your ride ready to roll to the SmokeOut or just to give them a thumbs up for their support stop by www.DennisKirk.com or GarageBuild.com.

You can get your tickets to the SmokeOut Rally and stay up to date with what’s hitting the line-up by visiting www.SmokeOutRally.com

Ride Safe,

–Heather Callen
Vice President
Source Media Group
Cycle Source Magazine, Torque Performance
ShopTalk, Torque Performance TV
Office – 724-226-2867
www.cyclesource.com

TRIKES OF THE WEEK—

–Sam Burns
Trike Editor

LACONIA RALLY NEWS–Full Lineup of Events at NH Motor Speedway during 99th Progressive Laconia Motorcycle Week

June 11th-19th, 2022 – New Hampshire – home to America’s Original Riding Rally

NH Motor Speedway has, historically, been a large part Laconia Motorcycle Week®. Best known for hosting NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series races, it is the largest sports and entertainment facility in New England. Since the early days of the rally it has earned the distinction of becoming one of Motorcycle Week’s top attractions, located only 20 minutes from Laconia, and offering more than 8 days of motorcycle-related events for riders and spectators.

Known as “America’s Original Extreme Sport,” short track racing returns to NHMS for its second year. The event features AFT Twin and AFT Single motorcycles racing around a .25-mile dirt flat track in heat races, semis and main events.

Hosted by USCRA, the oldest vintage motorcycle racing organization in the U.S., this event features vintage bikes ranging from 1950s tank shifters to modern small bike twins, racing on the main track at speeds topping 130 miles per hour.

Katancha & Harley-Davidson will host the largest demo ride course in the area along with a vendor mall & food court from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. The nearly nine-mile route will take riders through an on- & off-property experience to test out the latest and greatest that the top motorcycle manufacturers in the world, such as Harley-Davidson, have to offer. Vendors will be on site with gear, accessories, sound systems & more for bikers.

The 99th annual Loudon Classic Middleweight Grand Prix hits the 1.6-mile full road course on Saturday, June 18. Known as the longest-running motorcycle race in America, the Classic has been held on site since long before the speedway was built, when it was simply a road course known as Bryar Motorsports Park. The weekend will feature Northeast Motorcycle Road Racing competing in round three of Championship Cup Series racing (June 19-20). Divisions include classes such as Formula 1, Formula 2, Formula 3, Formula 4, Formula 40, Formula 50, Formula 60, Grand Prix, GT 500, GTL, GTO, GTU, Motard, Moto 3, Sportsman, Superbike, Super Singles, Supersport, Super Twins, Thunderbike and Unlimited.

June 18 Musket Dirt Shootout

This inaugural event will feature four-wheelers from the Dirt Midget Association & Sprint Cars of New England racing on the flat track in 500cc and 600cc classes.

The Speedway also offers several camping options for rally attendees looking to stay close to the track. Options range from 20’ x 50’ sites for tents to trackside terrace facilities for RV’s.

For tickets and information on all NH Motor Speedway events visit nhms.com

A request: please order the book this week if you haven’t already. Preorders and first-week sales of a book are crucial to getting on bestseller lists, which are crucial to spreading the message of this book as soon as possible.

Fossil Future has a great chance of becoming a New York Times national bestseller (the most important list). My publisher has already tripled their first printing, and we’ve sold well over 10,000 copies already. If we sell at least 10,000 more copies this week, we will definitely earn our way onto the list (it’s possible the Times will deliberately remove Fossil Future from the list, in which case I will call them out very publicly).

To further incentivize you to buy Fossil Future during launch week, I am giving away a pretty incredible set of bonus resources to anyone who buys the book and sends a receipt to fossilfuture@alexepstein.com.

My 90-minute discussion with legendary investor and entrepreneur Peter Thiel on the future of energy, security, and freedom. (Plus a bonus 10-minute follow-up discussion with Palmer Luckey, founder of Oculus VR and of Anduril—a revolutionary new national defense technology company.)

Access to my exclusive live event “How to Talk to Anyone About Climate Change”

A 6-month premium subscription to my Energy Talking Points Substack ($50 value)

All you need to do is…

Step 1: Buy Fossil Future from Amazon or any other retailer

Step 2: Send the receipt to fossilfuture@alexepstein.com

That’s it!

To life, liberty, and the pursuit of energy. See recommendations below.

–Alex

Chix on 66 Presented by Harley-Davidson Receives Sponsorship from Stilettos on Steel Female Riders Group—

May 23, 2022 – Riveter Chapter of the AMCA is happy to announce that Stilettos on Steel® Female Riders Group is providing sponsorship support for the Chix on 66 ride June 10–25, 2022. Stilettos on Steel® is a female-owned business providing membership and networking services to female motorcycle riders all across the United States. Their driving desire is to help women who dream of riding to take the next step in becoming a motorcycle rider.

More experienced members enjoy working with new riders to help them hone the skills learned in their riding class and prepare them for adventures on the open road.

Stilettos on Steel President/CEO Anne Zube says, “I’m honored to be contributing to this momentous ride. It’s a beautiful thing when a dream is spoken by one and women come together to see it come to fruition. Stilettos on Steel connects members so that they can cultivate relationships with other female riders, and in turn be educated, enlightened and empowered by new experiences.

We look forward to following the Chix on 66 journey.”
Many of our Chix riders are members of local Stilettos chapters, and we are proud to receive such a strong endorsement from the national organization.

Chix on 66 is a cross-country ride comprising 40 women that will follow the entirety of Route 66 from Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California, adhering to the original alignment to the extent possible.

For every day of the two-week, 2,500-mile journey, the group will begin and end together, but each woman can make the journey into what she wants it to be. The route will cover anywhere from 100 to 300 miles per day, with most days around 200 miles, allowing for an easy pace and ample time to stop for photos of the iconic points of interest along the Mother Road.

Riveter Chapter President Karan Andrea says, “I joined the Stilettos on Steel® WNY Chapter a few years ago, and in that chapter, I have met women who have become my closest friends. Several of these women have joined Riveter in support of my passion for antique bikes—two of whom are doing the Chix ride with me. Being able to bring Stilettos and Riveter together this way is exactly what I was hoping to see happen with this event.”

Stilettos on Steel® was founded in 2010 in Madison, Wisconsin, and has since expanded across the country with official chapters in Wisconsin, Michigan, Florida, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Missouri, Iowa, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Arizona, California, Illinois, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, Utah, Alabama, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Texas and Indiana.

If only the EV and automated could do as you say: “You can clearly mention you are not against Banning anything – the American tradition of market deciding preferred product is best.”

Unfortunately, we are being forced through Climate Doom. I don’t want to Ban anything. I want them all to have their day in the market and they will ultimately prove their worth or not. Right now, the playing field is not level.

As I have said many times. I just want scientific transparency. If we are not doomed, then whatever works will shine. And ultimately new technology will shine and survive or die.

Maybe electric vehicles will ultimately do the trick. Maybe we need to burn fossil fuels to help feed the planet.

It’s all interesting. I just want freedom to work and the truth to shine. I don’t like being dictated to, no biker does.

All the best,

–Bandit

5-Ball Leathers will be featured center-stage. Watch for 5-Ball logos, flags and pop-up.

BIKERNET GUN NUT REPORT–This is a great day for gun rights in America.

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled against a California law barring people under the age of 21 from purchasing semiautomatic rifles. This law was blatantly unconstitutional, and now it’s no more. This is a truly HISTORIC victory for gun rights in America, and our team was only able to argue in court because of YOUR support.

Our team is ecstatic that we’ve achieved such a huge win. The truth is, though, this case was just the first of many egregious legal assaults on the Second Amendment we’re expecting this summer. We need to make sure our SECOND AMENDMENT LEGAL DEFENSE FUND is locked and loaded going forward if we want to keep winning.

–Second Amendment Foundation

[page break]

MAY MOTORCYCLE SAFETY MONTH–Congratulations to all the states that obtained their safety awarenss proclamations for May 2022.

In New Mexico we were able to obtain signed proclamations from all 33 counties in our stste and a signed proclamation from the governor.. This is the third year we have obtained a proclamation from all 33 counties 2018, 2021, and 2022.

Motorcyclists from each county attended the city council meetings and were presented with the proclamation and took pictures with the city officials.

We credit this accomplishment to a member of our community Richard Sturgeon who has taken the time to advocate the proclamation in all 33 counties to promote May as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. Richard is the Chair of the Los Alamos National Laboratory Motorcycle Safety Committee and was honored as NMMRO 2022 Motorcyclist of the year.

We were also honored that so many riders in our state took part in this. Richard said he has new ideas for future proclamations. We are hoping by involving the enter state in promoting safety we can save lives and reduce the number of crashes in our state.

–Annette Torrez
New Mexico MRF Rep

Most fans will recognize Nita Strauss as Alice Cooper’s touring guitarist of the past 5 years, but she has also played with R&B star Jermaine Jackson, early MTV darlings Femme Fatale, video game supergroup Critical Hit and popular tribute band The Iron Maidens.

She’s a headliner at the magnificent Iron Horse Saloon on Lazelle during the rally. Hang on for more reports.

HOLLISTER CANCELED– HOLLISTER RALLY LIVES ON… VIRTUALLY

NEW PRODUCT OF THE WEEK–Ken’s Factory Perch Helmet Lock

Ken’s Factory saw a need in the industry for an elegant and functional way to secure your helmet to your bike and they designed the seamlessly custom Helmet Lock & Perch which is exclusively available through your HardDrive dealer.

Its low profile will keep the lock discrete and out of your way and replaces the stock perch halves on `84-Up Big Twins and `04-UP Sportsters.

The black clamp half set replaces the stock brake master perch w/lock and clutch perch and the tamper proof hardware with lock and key will keep your expensive helmet on your bike, where it belongs.

Once you have it on your bike you will see Ken’s Moto really shine through: Attention to Detail Creates Style. Exclusively through HardDrive. For more information, go here or visit your local HardDrive dealer

–BY MARK MASKER
V-Twin Visionary
A two-wheeled media circus.

–Thomas Jefferson

NEW FROM THE NASH MOTORCYCLE COMPANY–Leather Kidney Belts – Long and Tall

100% USA made!

Not just for those that may need extra back support; these belts help you extend your riding time no matter how fit you are!

Our belts are handmade from high quality local leather and come in several leather colors and hardware to choose from.

We size from XS- 3XL. Got questions on fit, give us a text or call! Ride hard and show up feeling fresh and ready!

ESG or “Environmental, social, and corporate governance” is, to put the matter bluntly, a device for bullying companies into putting other peoples’ money into left-wing causes. In another sign of hope, they seem to be getting tired of the racket. The always colourful Elon Musk called ESG “a scam” after S&P Global’s ESG index dropped his Tesla electric vehicle giant from its list while including ExxonMobil.

Prompting NBC to stammer that “Some climate advocates – who see Musk as having made real gains in reducing the nation’s dependency on fossil fuels – wonder why Musk, of all the world’s billionaires, has touched such a nerve on the left.”

Must have something to do with reality. As the Manhattan Contrarian says out loud, “I think that he has recognized that the net zero utopia necessary for Tesla to have continuing exponential growth is impossible and not going to happen.” And not only has the world’s richest man soured on ESG, so has the world’s largest asset manager.

Yeah. This is not complicated. You’ve got that cunt Pelosi over there shaking the faggot’s little peepee, giving him billions of dollars because the Ukraine is just so fucking valuable to our well-being. It’s fucking Europe and that’s what they do there since the ancient Greeks. W

We went over there twice in ww1 and ww2 to save Europe so that the Muslims could take it over without firing a shot, the fake fucking flu probably CAME from the Ukraine and not china, and who the fuck cares?

Every country in Europe is interchangeable. it’s fucking Europe. we LEFT Europe to get AWAY from those assholes. And the fucking Ukraine is the most USELESS of all the European countries. No wonder Biden likes the place. He likes anything that stupider and more corrupt than he is.

So, yeah, they should give it to Putin, because who the fuck cares. It’s Europe. THAT’S WHAT THEY DO THERE!!!!

Thank you. basically.

–J.J. Solari

However, bringing all the necessary supplies on your trip is essential to having the best experience. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of all of the most critical items you’ll need for your trip. Read on to learn our ultimate motorcycle road trip packing list.

Read the whole story on Bikernet: https://www.bikernet.com/pages/Ultimate_Motorcycle_Road_Trip_Packing_List.aspx

However, if you find yourself a motorcycle accident victim, you can call our Law Tigers team at 1-888-863-7216 for assistance.

–Law Tigers

THIS JUST IN FROM THE NMA–Speed Trap Karma Part 1

Reason.com recently published a list of eleven U.S. towns where their police forces were either disbanded or their autonomy as a governmental entity was dissolved because of an addiction to, and dependence on, ticket revenue. We thought it would be informative to present excerpts from Reason’s article for those cities along with select driver-sourced comments about those same locations to the NMA’s National Speed Trap Exchange at https://www.speedtrap.org.

Revenue hunting under the guise of traffic law enforcement is a crime against the public. While these cities eventually got caught, they showed that crime can pay.

Castleberry, Alabama
This town is 90 miles northeast of Mobile.

Reason:
“In 2017, the News reported that Castleberry, Alabama, with a population of about 500, was generating revenue through what amounted to highway robbery. More than a dozen lawsuits claimed that Castleberry officers illegally arrested and searched motorists, seizing their cash and cars without filing charges or even paperwork. In the ensuing scandal, Castleberry trimmed its police force down to just two part-time police officers.”

Speedtrap.org report (pre-scandal):

“There are four uniformed policemen and two auxiliary police, one of which carries a weapon for a population of around 600 residents. One cannot drive through the town without seeing a traffic stop in progress. There is always someone on patrol, even during the nighttime hours. Tickets are given for five miles over the limit of 40 miles per hour.”

Wilmer, Alabama
Wilmer, 30 miles northwest of Mobile, became unincorporated in 1993 after its infamy as a speed trap town spread.

Reason:
“In the early 1990s, Wilmer controlled eight miles of U.S. 98, a popular route for drivers coming from Mississippi’s dry counties to stock up on booze. In the short stretch of U.S. 98 that Wilmer policed, the speed limit changed six times.

“Wilmer gained such an obnoxious reputation that one local business, Snuffy Smith’s antique store—which also sold liquor, pigs’ feet, ammunition, and bait—put up a 12-foot sign that read, ‘MOTORISTS BEWARE. SPEED TRAP NEXT 6 MILES.’

“The local district attorney investigated Wilmer in 1992 and concluded that the town had been running a speed trap for the past decade to keep itself afloat. Several former Wilmer police officers said the mayor and town council gave them ticket quotas to meet. The district attorney warned Wilmer to knock it off, or he would seek a court order against the town.”

Speedtrap.org report:
“Small town along old Route 98. I believe the new Route 98 solved that one. Was notorious, well-known.”

Fruithurst, Alabama
Fruithurst is less than an hour’s drive from the outskirts of Atlanta. It has 235 residents according to the 2020 census.

Reason:
“In 1975, Alabama Attorney General Bill Baxley declared that the small hamlet of Fruithurst, near the Georgia border, was ‘the worst speed trap in the nation’ and ‘a terrible blot on the good name of Alabama.’

“Under scrutiny, Fruithurst abolished its police force. Baxley filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction and took the unusual step of setting up a public defender’s office in a trailer next to Fruithurst’s town hall, promising representation for anyone ensnared by the speed trap. Fruithurst settled the lawsuit by agreeing not to patrol the highway anymore.”

Speedtrap.org:
No reports. Fruithurst ceased traffic enforcement before the NMA database was created.

Next week, Part 2 will give insight into the last five speed traps plus some dishonorable mentions just in time for Memorial Day Weekend. Drive safe out there and anytime you encounter a speed trap, enter it into the driver-curated http://www.speedtrap.org website.

DIRECT FROM THE BIKERNET MEDICAL CENTER— Guide to Letting Go of Stress

How to Let Go of the Stress
Let’s say you’re experiencing a moment of stress right now.

Something isn’t going the way you’d like, things are chaotic or overwhelming, someone isn’t acting the way you’d like, you’re worried about something coming up.

The first practice is to drop into your body and notice how the stress feels, physically. Be present with the feeling — it’s not a problem to have stress in your body, it’s just a physical feeling. You can observe the physical sensation, just be with it. This can be your whole practice, and it only has to take a few moments.

The second practice is to notice the ideal, or your narrative, about the situation. What’s causing this stress in your body? You have some ideal about how the world should be, how the other person should be, how you should be. And the world, the person, or you are not meeting that ideal. Notice that right now. Notice what you’re saying to yourself about it: “They shouldn’t act like that, I don’t like this, I’m such a screwup and not worthy of love.”

What do you say to yourself? Is this a familiar narrative? Notice that the ideal and the narrative are causing the effect of the stress, anxiety, fear, feeling of overwhelm. They aren’t serving you very well.

Also notice that they are completely fabricated by your mind. You created this ideal and the narrative. They are harming you, and you made up this dream. That’s nothing to beat yourself up about, but just to recognize. The good news: If you created it, you can let it go as well.

The third practice is to let go and just be. What would it be like to be in this moment without the ideal and the narrative? You’d be at peace. You’d be present in this moment. You’d be free. Perhaps more loving (to yourself or others).

Ask yourself what it would be like to not have the ideal and narrative. See if you can feel what it would be like, just for a moment. In that moment, you are free. You can relax, open your mind beyond your self-concern, and just be.

This is a state of openness that you can drop into at any moment. Just notice the sensations of this moment — the sensations of your body, of your surroundings. Notice the other people in your life and their beautiful hearts. Notice how amazing it is to be alive right now, what a gift it is to have sight, hearing, taste, a body. What a privilege, what a joy!

You don’t have to be grateful and joyous in every moment, but this freedom of dropping ideal and narrative, and being at peace … it’s always available. Even in moments of chaos, you can be free, and even appreciate the beauty of the chaos.

This story was originally published on the ZenHabits.net site.

–BY LEO BABAUTA
–Epoch Times

THE ELECTRIC BIKERNET WEEKLY NEWS for May 5th, 2022

https://www.bikernet.com/pages/THE_ELECTRIC_BIKERNET_WEEKLY_NEWS_for_May_5th_2022.aspx

I was a lot happier there than when I came home, had a fewcverey fuckedup years.

–A.J.
Deland, FL

Friday, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu signed HB 1000, a bill titled “Prohibiting Motorcycle Profiling.” This bipartisan bill was sponsored by 10 different members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives and passed both chambers of the legislature by voice vote before ending up on the governor’s desk for his signature. New Hampshire now becomes the 5th state with a law regarding the profiling of bikers.

The new law states:

“No state, county, or municipal law enforcement agency shall engage in motorcycle profiling. Motorcycle profiling shall mean use of the fact that a person rides a motorcycle or wears motorcycle-related paraphernalia as a basis for deciding to stop and question, take enforcement action, arrest, or search a person or vehicle under the United States Constitution or the New Hampshire constitution.”

The New Hampshire Motorcyclists’ Rights Organization (NHMRO), working in partnership with other individuals and groups, including the New Hampshire Motorcycle Task Force, fought for passage of this piece of legislation. Earlier in the year bikers testified before lawmakers about the need to address profiling and shared personal stories about how profiling had impacted them.

Congratulations to all those who worked so hard on this bill. Special thanks to Speaker of the New Hampshire House Sherm Packard, NHMRO President Traci Beaurivage and John from the Granite State Brotherhood MC for their dedication and hard work.

New Hampshire is living up to its famous state motto, “Live Free or Die!”

DEAL OF THE WEEK FROM LIFESTYLE CYCLES–2009 Harley-Davidson Road Glide CVO Screamin’ Eagle for $18,995.00

https://www.lifestylecycles.com/default.asp?page=xPreOwnedInventoryDetail&id=11798585

ABOUT THIS BIKE…..

STOCK # 13191N

2009 Silver Harley-Davidson CVO ROAD GLIDE FLTRSE3 CVO SCREAMING EAGLE

ONLY 13678.00 Miles !!!!!

This bike Has tons of add-ons super clean

Some of the features/Add-ons on this bike

* 117-inch Screaming Eagle Motor! SUPER FAST!!!!!!!!
* 6-Speed trans.
* Vance & Hince X-Pipe header with Vance & Hince Slip-ons
* Custom big wheels front and rear
* Pull back Chrome apes with chromed out controls
* Digital gauges

Just $18,995.00

Plus license, and a $85.00 documentation fee and your local sales tax. NO HIDDEN FEE’S like dealers, We have no reconditioning or prep fees.

This bike has passed Lifestyle Cycles rigorous 92-point safety and mechanical/structural inspection.

You can fill out an online application with EZ FINANCING and EXTENDED WARRANTIES available to purchase!!! and you can ride today!

Lifestyle Cycles located at 1510 State College Blvd,Anaheim,CA,92806

NOT LOCAL WE HAVE ******SHIPPING AVAILABLE!!!******

Call today (714) 490-0155. **Open 7 days a week**

To view our current inventory, please visit www.LifestyleCycles.com or www.facebook.com/LifestyleCyclesUsedHarleys

Song: Ramblin’ Man

Album: Brothers and Sisters (1973)

Lord, I was born a ramblin’ man
Tryin’ to make a livin’ and doin’ the best I can
And when it’s time for leavin’
I hope you’ll understand,
That I was born a ramblin’ man

Well my father was a gambler down in Georgia,
He wound up on the wrong end of a gun.
And I was born in the back seat of a Greyhound bus
Rollin’ down highway 41

Lord, I was born a ramblin’ man
Tryin’ to make a livin’ and doin’ the best I can
And when it’s time for leavin’
I hope you’ll understand,
That I was born a ramblin’ man

I’m on my way to New Orleans this mornin’
Leaving out of Nashville, Tennessee
They’re always having a good time down on the bayou
Lord, them Delta women think the world of me

Lord, I was born a ramblin’ man
Tryin’ to make a livin’ and doin’ the best I can
And when it’s time for leavin’
I hope you’ll understand
That I was born a ramblin’ man

Lord, I was born a ramblin’ man
Lord, I was born a ramblin’ man
Lord, I was born a ramblin’ man
Lord, I was born a ramblin’ man

COULD IT BE?—My shop is nearly done. It’s painted and Jason is about to pour the last of the concrete. I’m sorta anxious.

In the next couple of days, we are going to test new clutch plates in the Pandemic. We will bring you a report on Energy One clutch plates and springs.

Hang on for that report and a teaser shot from the Buck Lovell photo shoot for Cycle Source. Buck scored a belt testing gauge, but fuck-it, we didn’t use it. Hang on for the tech.

I need to reach out to Irish Rich. I’m about to write the first VL-XA-Knucklehead bike build tech about making the bearings work and bending the front end for the Paughco crown.

I promise, I’ll whip out the tech on this Nash Push Starter button. It’s one of those world’s shortest techs, but it’s a very cool product and completely necessary when you have space and heat issues.

The weather is a kick around here. It’s glistening with mid-70s today, but last week we faced freezing temps and a blizzard.

I built a new bracket to mount my wings over the new shop roll-up door. Of course I made four tabs and then didn’t use them.

This isn’t a great shot and I covered the 5-Ball to protect it from the sun until we mount this puppy.

Here’s Paul Davis scowling at my workmanship, while wearing a Bikernet Bandana.

Here’s the Hamster Chain Gang Road Cleaning Crew from last weekend. Most of them are back in their cells.

Part of the Pandemic story involves this Indian. I owned this ’46 Chief for at least 25 years. It didn’t make the move to the Black Hills with me. It’s now in 13 Palms, California hanging with the bros.

Yep, I’m a Navy Veteran with three Viet Nam tours under my belt and 84,000 rounds…

Let’s ride free forever or die trying.

–Bandit

The XDA’s 36th Annual MTC Engineering Summer Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park was hot on and off the track this past weekend, with temperatures in the high 90s.

XDA racers got the Trifecta in track prep at VMP’s world-renowned facility, with Tyler Crossnoe, Jimmy Bradshaw, and Jason Miller all on hand for this event. The track prep was on point and done right to keep the surface in optimal shape as the warm temperatures wreaked havoc on the racing surface.

Orient Express Racing Pro Street
Orient Express Racing Pro Street was incredible as the performance numbers were shocking for this unseasonably warm event where tack temperatures exceeded 140 degrees. Rodney Williford and Justin Shakir lead qualifying with big numbers. Williford ran a 6.415 at 232.03 mph to qualify number one, followed by Shakir with a 6.484 at 230.57 mph.

In qualifying Gaige Herrera on the only nitrous motorcycle reset his record to 6.588, and then went on to lower that ET to a 6.535 in eliminations. Herrera holds the title as the quickest Nitrous Hayabusa in the World.

Rudy Sanzoterra also lowered his personal best in qualifying to a 6.653 to move himself up the GOAT List.

Greg Wallace ran a 6.486 and 6.468 in eliminations, but surprisingly the 6.468 did not turn on a win light as Rodney Williford ran a 6.420 in the semi-final round to end his weekend.

Jason Dunigan and Gaige Herrera both ran a 6.56 and 6.55 in round two of eliminations and looked to put on a good show in the semi-final. However, Dunigan turned on a -.002 light to send Herrera to the final against Williford.

Herrera and Williford faced off last season and Herrera was looking for redemption as he took the starting line advantage with a .036 reaction to Williford’s .057. However, Herrera wasn’t out in front for long as Williford barreled around him and stayed out in front of him to put an astonishing 6.396 at 232.03 on the board that Herrera’s 6.572 could not compete with.

The Pro Street action continues in just one month at the 5th annual FuelTech Superbike Showdown on June 17-19, 2022 at Maryland International Raceway.

DME Racing Real Street
The DME Racing Real Street class was again led by champion David Stewart in qualifying with a 7.615, followed by Rickey Gadson with a 7.625.

David Stewart made it to the semi-final, where fellow class champion Mark Hylton took him out on a holeshot win with a .004 reaction time, running a 7.618 to Stewarts’ quicker 7.564.

Ben Knight, who won the season opener, made it to another final round after taking wins against Caleb Holt and David Fondon.

Hylton and Knight on their all motor Hayabusa’s, seemed unaffected by the heat of the weekend as they kept their performance numbers up round after round. Knight cut an uncharacteristic .108 light in the final, giving Hylton’s .059 light the starting line advantage. With Hylton getting off the starting line first, Knight struggled to catch him, and Hylton took the win with a 7.15 to Knight’s 7.667.

MaxxECU Pro Xtreme
Ronnie Procopio entered his first MaxxECU Pro Xtreme race this past weekend and dominated like a veteran. Procopio qualified #1 with a 3.970, putting the only three-second pass on the boards during qualifying.

Procopio had an earned bye in round one. In round two, he won over Chris Cutsinger to place himself in the final to John Collins, who qualified number two with a 4.032. Collins took wins against Travis Davis and Chris Theodoridis before the final.

Despite the heat, these two machines had the potential to put three-second passes on the boards in the final round. It was looking to be a good round of competition, but Collins turned on the dreaded red light with a -.004. The red light did not slow either competitor down as Procopio, with the secured win, ran a 3.961, and Collins came close with a 4.002 pass.

MaxxECU Pro Xtreme is presented by Billy Vose Racing, Fast by Gast, Dunigan Racing, DME Racing, Grothus Dragbikes, Harley Haul, Rob Bush Motorsports, Robinson Industries, Schnitz Racing, Timblin Chassis, and Worldwide Bearings.

HTP Performance Super Stock
For the second straight event, HTP Performance Super Stock had us feeling like it was Déjà vu. Again, Curtis McDougald took the #1 qualifying spot with an 8.867 to lead the eighteen-bike field of clutch hand racers.

Mike Davis and Darion Payne fought their way back to another final round appearance. Payne took the win at the first event, and Davis was eager for his turn in the winner’s circle, a little too eager as he left before the bulbs dropped to hand Darion Payne his second straight win of the season.

Vance & Hines 4.60
The Vance & Hines 4.60 class didn’t disappoint at the MTC Summer Nationals with five rounds of tough competition. Six racers ran a 4.60 in qualifying, but Jeff Jones got the #1 qualifying spot with his high mph of 150mph as the tie breaker.

Mac McAdams won against Troy Hausmann, Spencer Allen, Michael Stewart, and Jimmy Shifflett to make it to the final round. On the other side of the ladder Joe Rodney took wins over Durwood Rawlings, Brayden Davis, Wes Hawkins, and Kenny Cornell.

With two big names in the final round, it all came down to who was hungrier. McAdams cut a .004 to Rodney’s .022, but Rodney caught McAdams quick, and they were side-by-side approaching the eight-mile finish line. Rodney may have been too hungry as he broke out, crossing the finish line first with a 4.592 to McAdams’s 4.615. The margin of victory on this run was .005 seconds.

HTP Performance Grudge
The rain came in on Saturday night and put a swift end to Saturday night grudge racing. The Tommie’s Motorsports DMV Bulls class decided to split the purse as some racers couldn’t run on Sunday. The APE Nitrous Bulls class and the 3 Sixty 5 Transport Monster Bulls classes voted to finish their shootouts on Sunday.

Boosted Bulls
Malcom Phillips was the only rider that came to win at Virginia and was uncontested. That didn’t stop ‘Billy Mays’ from laying down some lightning-fast laps that left everyone in disbelief while he gained valuable points towards his championship.

APE Nitrous Bulls
In round one of APE Nitrous Bulls, Busa Benjamin on ‘Mister Jay’ got the jump on Lavar Delee on ‘High Roller’, but by the eighth mile, Delee was hard-charging around him for the win light. Malcolm Phillips on ‘Black Jesus’ got an easy win over DeSean Jones on ‘Jimmy Hendrix’ when he broke on the starting line. And Desmond Spalding on ‘Sho Nuff’ had an earned bye in round one.

Spalding was fighting wheelies in round two from start to finish as Phillips controlled pass turned on the win light to send him to the final to face off with Delee who had a bye this round.

‘Black Jesus’ said a prayer in the final while ‘High Roller’ threw the dice. Phillips got off the line first and stayed in front of Delee until the finish line for the win, proving prayers over gambling is always the way to go.

3 Sixty 5 Monster Bulls
3 Sixty 5 Monster Bulls was a ‘Flawless Victory’ delivered by Antonio Williams. Williams put the voodoo on his opponents who struggled in the rounds they faced him. In round one ‘Tik Tok’ struggled to get off the line; in round two, ‘Pickin Pockets’ suffered the same fate. And then, in the final when Williams faced Jamael Jones on ‘Stimulus Check’, Jones left before the bulbs came down to give Williams his first XDA win with a leisurely cruise down the track.

Tommie’s Motorsports All Motor Shootout
Tommie’s Motorsports put together an All-Motor Shootout on Friday night that Edward Thomas on ‘Da Setup’ won over Henry Wise on ‘Henry’.

1 Stop Speed 5.60
The 1 Stop Speed 5.60 class was on fire at the MTC Engineering Summer Nationals as the lanes were packed for a chance at the eight-mile title. Steve Holden qualified on top with a 5.604, leading the thirty-three bike field.

When Sunday eliminations started, nothing stopped sixteen-year-old racer Brayden Davis from making his mark at his first XDA event. Davis took out big names on his way to the final with wins against Mike Sweeney, Dave Cornell, Stephen Moye, and Jimmie Miller. In the final, he would face class champion, Dustin Lee. Lee put a .006 light on the tree for the starting line advantage to Davis’s .040, but when it came to covering those six hundred and sixty feet, Davis would clear it first, running a 5.606 to Lee’s 5.656. It was an exciting final as Brayden Davis’ margin of victory was a mere twelve inches over Lee.

Mickey Thompson Tires Top Sportsman
Mickey Thompson Tires Top Sportsman features the quickest ET racers on the property. Bill Maturo Jr took the number one qualifying position with a 7.741. Maturo, however, would not survive round one as he broke out against Orlando Johnson with a 7.701 on his 7.73 dial.

George Shriver and Jim Shifflett survived four rounds of competition to face each other in the final. The final was set to be a close race with Shriver dialing an 8.04 and Shifflett an 8.17. However, Shifflett gave the win to Shriver at the starting line when he turned on a -.009 red light to end his chance for a winner circle finish.

MPS Racing Pro ET
In MPS Racing Pro ET, the competition saw red in the Virginia heat. The first round saw a whooping twenty-one red lights as racers pushed the tree for that starting line advantage. James Farmer and Nick Hamlett won their seven rounds from their side of the ladder to meet in the final round of competition for a bar vs. no bar final.

Hamlett dialed an 8.77 and Farmer an 8.16. Farmer got the starting line advantage with a .020 light to Hamlett’s .060. Farmer left second but quickly caught Hamlett for a side-by-side race to the finish. As the two took the stripe, Hamlett broke out, running an 8.757 giving the win to Farmer, who ran an 8.172.

VooDoo Components Bracket Bash
Over a hundred racers braved the heat and entered the Saturday VooDoo Components Bracket Bash class. Four rounds of competition were completed until the rain came in and shut down the race Saturday night. Ten racers split the prize money and started their Saturday night celebrations early.

Brock’s Performance Street ET
In Brock’s Performance Street ET, the competition was at its best despite the high temperatures of the event. Class champion Derrick Milbourne started the weekend off with a win on Friday night and carried that right into Sunday’s competition. After winning six rounds, he faced Shayne Proctor in the finals. Proctor dialed a 9.14 and cut the better light with .033; Milbourne left the tree second with his 8.81 dial and chased Proctor down to get to the stripe first, winning with an 8.834 to Proctor’s 9.178.

Hard Times Parts & Service Gambler’s Race
The Friday night Hard Times Parts and Service Gamblers race kicked off the weekend, putting cash in sportsman’s pockets. Derrick Milbourne and Rico Brown won five rounds to make it to the final to face each other. Both riders were cutting lights and running well on their dials to make this a tremendous final-round matchup. Dialed an 8.86, Milbourne, a veteran racer, cut a.004 light for the starting line advantage. Brown dialed an 8.76, and chased Milbourne to the stipe but broke out running an 8.758 giving the win to Milbourne, who ran an 8.887.

For full qualifying and round-by-round results of the event, visit www.xdaracing.com.

The XDA will head back to Maryland International Raceway for the 5th annual FuelTech Superbike Showdown on June 17-19, 2022.

There will be over 700 Professional, Sportsman, and Grudge motorcycle racers in competition, battling it out for over $80,000 in cash purse. Make plans now to watch the best drag racers in the country put on the quickest and fastest show on two wheels the East Coast has to offer.

About XDA Racing: The Xtreme Dragbike Association (XDA) is an east coast motorcycle drag racing series with 700+ motorcycle racers competing at each event. Every XDA event hosts professional classes, sportsman classes, grudge racing and a vendor midway. Lifestyle activities such as bike shows, bikini contests, DJ and live bands are also held at select events. For more information on the XDA, please visit xdaracing.com or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube @xdaracing

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National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM) News provides updates on motorcycle industry, market, legislation, rights of bikers, motorcyclists in USA, and motorcycle news from around the world.

THIS MONTH –

• US President Recognizes Motorcycle Awareness Month
• Traffic Deaths Top 16 Year High
• Teenagers More Likely To Die in Car Crash Than by COVID
• European Motorcyclists Fight to Protect Rider Data
• New Hampshire Outlaws Motorcycle Profiling
• Seeking Support for Federal Anti-Profiling Measure
• California may Establish Pilot Noise Camera Program
• NCOM Nashville – Be There If you Care

CLICK HERE To Read the May-2022 NCOM Biker Newsbytes

ABOUT AIM / NCOM: The National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM) is a nationwide motorcyclists rights organization serving over 2,000 NCOM Member Groups throughout the United States, with all services fully-funded through Aid to Injured Motorcyclist (AIM) Attorneys available in each state who donate a portion of their legal fees from motorcycle accidents back into the NCOM Network of Biker Services (www.ON-A-BIKE.com / 800-ON-A-BIKE).

The 37th annual NCOM Convention in Nashville, Tennessee will draw hundreds of bikers’ rights activists from across America to “Music City, USA” from June 17-19 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Nashville Airport, 10 Century Blvd. (615-871-0033 for room reservations), to discuss and develop legal and legislative strategies regarding issues of concern to all riders.

For more information, or to pre-register (by June 10), call the National Coalition of Motorcyclists at (800) 525-5355 or visit www.ON-A-BIKE.com. ALL motorcyclists are welcome and encouraged to attend!

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by Peter Williams from https://www.leducrep.com/

Blackjacks Roadhouse put on its fourth Ride For Mom fundraiser May 14 to raise awareness and funds for victims of domestic violence.

Funds were raised for the Leduc and District Victim Services, a charity working with Leduc, Beaumont, Devon, Thorsby, Breton and the Edmonton International Airport RCMP detachments to provide everyday assistance (the exact total was not known at press time).

The event has been held annually since 2017, but was cancelled the last two years due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Following a rainout last weekend, clouds loomed over the sky once again on May 14 before the sun broke through before the 10:30 “kickstands up” start time. More than 100 motorcyclists hit the road for four-hour, 238.9km loop that sees stops in Acheson, Morinville, and Onoway.

Event organizer and Blackjacks Manager Krysta Shields said not much convincing is needed to get the riding community out to support a great cause.

“Each rider knows they’re going to be part of something amazing, and riding with a group of people who all feel the same way,” Shields said.

“I hope that people take away that they’ve done an amazing job for victim services. Ride For Mom is just an anchor of what we can help with. You can feel it when people come back from the ride.”

Shields admits organizing the stops and ensuring the safety of the riders can be stressful leading up to the day of the event, but seeing the camaraderie of riders coming together makes it all worth it.

“My favourite thing is when I’m standing at the front of the parking lot and waving all the guys and girls through that are all here to support the cause you’re passionate about. You see them all wave and they’re smiling. It’s amazing. They’re all here to support victim services and support a cause. That’s the riding community.”

Blackjacks Roadhouse will host a Ride For Dad on Saturday, June 11 to raise funds for prostrate cancer.

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by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com/

This year, the letter M takes the center stage in the automotive world.

German carmaker BMW is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its high-performance division, a half a century of history that started with the 3.0 CSL homologation special.

In the time that has passed since, BMW M’s reach has grown powerful enough to leave its mark on motorcycles as well. Just a couple of years ago, for instance, BMW’s Motorrad division got touched by the M hand, and the mighty M 1000 RR was born as the first-ever BMW M-developed superbike.

Already present in several competitions on various tracks around the world, the motorcycle also became this week the center of M celebrations, with the launch of the special M 1000 RR 50 Years. Not significantly modified from a mechanical standpoint from the regular models, this anniversary one makes use of the full complement of extras BMW M has on the table for motorcycles.

Wrapped in Sao Paulo Yellow, the model is fitted with the M Competition Package as standard, which comes with things like an M carbon package and M milled parts package. It also gets a lighter swingarm, now in silver anodised aluminum, the unlock code for the M GPS laptrigger, the M Endurance chain, and pillion package.

Otherwise, the 50 Years is your regular 1000 RR, if such a word can be used to describe it. It has a water-cooled four-cylinder in-line engine in its frame, developing 212 hp and 113 Nm of torque, M brakes under M carbon wheels, and five riding modes.

The model has been envisioned as a limited edition one and will be available for order only between Saturday, May 21, and November 30. Pricing details were not announced, and we’re also not informed if there’s a production cap on this.

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PRESS RELEASE FROM BMW: 20 MAY 2022

To mark the 50th anniversary of BMW M GmbH, founded in 1972 as BMW Motorsport GmbH, BMW Motorrad presents the M 1000 RR 50 Years M anniversary model in Sao Paulo Yellow finish and with the historic 50 Years BMW M emblem.

With its striking M colours, this anniversary model lives up to the M philosophy and the racing spirit from almost 100 years of motorcycle construction by BMW Motorrad and 50 years of BMW M vehicles. The M RR 50 Years M is therefore fitted with the M Competition Package as standard. In addition to the extensive M milled parts package and the exclusive M carbon package, both a lighter swingarm in silver anodised aluminium, the unlock code for the M GPS laptrigger as well as the M Endurance chain, pillion package and pillion seat cover are part of the standard equipment.

M – the most powerful letter in the world.

At the end of 2018, BMW Motorrad already introduced the successful BMW M automobile range strategy for motorcycles and has since been offering M special equipment and M Performance

Parts. The BMW M 1000 RR – known as the M RR for short – finally celebrated its world premiere in September 2020 as the first M model from BMW Motorrad based on the S 1000 RR.

Today, as in the past, BMW Motorrad follows the philosophy of the most powerful letter in the world: M is synonymous worldwide with racing success as well as the fascination of high-performance BMW models and is aimed at customers with particularly high demands for performance, exclusivity and individuality. Last but not least, the BMW M RR has also been the base bike for the BMW Motorrad World SBK Team since 2021, as well as many other racing teams around the world.

BMW Motorsport GmbH and BMW M GmbH (since 1993).

The BMW Motorsport GmbH was founded in 1972 with the idea of uniting all BMW motorsport activities under one roof and building up high-performance racing vehicles and racing engines for motorracing. The BMW 3.0 CSL (CSL = Coupe Sport Light Construction) made its debut as the first racing car of BMW Motorsport GmbH in 1973 and on the occasion of the foundation of BMW Motorsport GmbH, Robert A. Lutz, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG for Sales in 1972, stated at the time: “A company is like a human being. If it does sports, it stays fit, enthusiastic, more effective and powerful.”

The BMW 3.0 CSL made its debut in the European Touring Car Championship in the 1973 season, and with it a racing team’s uniform appearance in the three BMW Motorsport colours of blue, violet and red on a snow-white background that is still defining to this day. This colour scheme in the updated version Blue – Dark Blue – Red determines the appearance of the BMW M logo and the BMW M vehicles until today.

The legendary colour scheme can already be found on the first BMW M vehicles developed for the road in the second half of the 1970s and also characterises the racing vehicles to come and their motorsport successes. For example, in 1978 the M1 super sports car and from 1980 onwards the Formula 1 racing cars with which Nelson Piquet won the Formula 1 World Championship in 1983.

From the Isle of Man to Dakar – BMW Motorrad and motorsport.

But it is not only since 1972, and not only in BMW automobiles, that the BMW brand has been driven to win. Outstanding racing successes and innovations also stem from motorsport. Even in the first decades of the company’s history, BMW and motorsport were linked with unforgotten names such as Ernst Jakob Henne and Georg “Schorsch” Meier. The legendary victory of “Schorsch” Meier with his supercharged BMW in the 1939 Senior Tourist Trophy on the Isle of Man is unforgotten.

And in 1976, exactly 37 years later, Helmut Dähne and Hans Otto Butenuth celebrate fifth place in the Production TT. In this class up to 1000 cc they set the fastest time with their BMW R 90 S, but due to a handicap rule that applies there, they were listed in fifth place in the classification behind two 250cc and two 500cc machines. Nevertheless, given the fastest time, this fifth place was celebrated like a victory.

75 years after “Schorsch” Meier’s success in the Senior TT, Michael Dunlop succeeds again in 2014 on the BMW S 1000 RR. And in the years that followed, the RR left its unmistakable mark on the Tourist Trophy with further victories.

But the BMW M colours are also represented on BMW motorcycles off the beaten track. For example, on the BMW GS factory bikes with which Hubert Auriol and Gaston Rahier dominated the Paris-Dakar Rally in the early 1980s.

Like no other BMW motorcycle to date, the M RR 50 Years M model carries this historic motorsport DNA within it. This exceptional motorcycle can only be ordered between 21 May and 30 November 2022.

by Laura Browne from https://abc11.com/

Family tracks down late Person County deputy’s motorcycle, surprises his son with it

ROXBORO, N.C. (WTVD) — Many motorcycles make long trips, but one motorcycle’s journey home took more than a decade.

This special bike belonged to late Person County deputy Mike Currier, who died from an illness in December 2021.

Currier used to take his son Austin on rides on his Harley-Davidson Fat Boy before he was forced to sell it during the difficult financial times of 2008.

During the years that passed, the motorcycle came into the possession of several different owners until it was purchased by Currier’s good friend John Walker.

During Currier’s hospitalization, Walker worked to track down the bike’s whereabouts with plans to surprise his friend upon his discharge from the hospital.

Though Currier died, his motorcycle would not stay lost to his family.

Currier’s family pitched in together to buy the long-lost bike back from Walker to surprise Currier’s son Austin, who just bought a new home.

Tears of joy fell as the Harley-Davidson, an unforgettable housewarming gift, pulled into Austin’s driveway, finally making its way home.

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The Midwest’s largest motorcycle drag racing series—NHDRO—kicked off their 2022 season with the Midwest Race Trilogy—three full races over three days at West Salem, Ohio’s beautiful, sunny Dragway 42.

NHDRO motorcycle drag racing series race coverage report
event: NHDRO’s Midwest Race Trilogy
when: May 13-15, 2022
where: Dragway 42, West Salem, Ohio, USA

Friday Shootouts

“I love the three races in one weekend,” said defending two-class champion Jeremy Teasley. “Because you normally mess up, so you got two more shots. But I ended up winning the first day over my buddy Dave Page. We left together, then his bike had problems.”

Teasley actually had a small .018 advantage over Page at the tree in Friday night’s Schnitz Racing Top Gas 8.20 all-no-bar Shootout final, and was able to cruise across the stripe when Page’s Suzuki Hayabusa went off song at 1000 feet.

“It was a good weekend at the track seeing everyone,” continued Teasley. “The weather was perfect and (NHDRO owners) Brian and Niki Welch did a great job.”

The event also served as a celebration of life for Page’s wife Rhonda, who passed away May 5thafter a courageous battle with cancer. Rhonda, you are missed.

Friday’s Big Show Shootouts were 100% payback races, and in addition to Schnitz Racing Top Gas also included NHDRO Road Course, Delay Box and No-Box Shootouts.

Tom Klemme and Jeremy England ran an awesome wheelie bar (Klemme) vs. no-bar Box Shootout final. In his new root beer and orange leathers, Klemme took the tree by a scant .004 on his matching KZ900 and ran .004 over his 8.84 dial-in for the win.

The No-Box Shootout also came down to a wheelie bar vs. no-bar final, and was also won by a Klemme—Tom’s bother Joe. He faced Teddy Thompson, usually known for riding a slow streetbike to considerable bracket racing success. On this occasion, however, Thompson was riding a piece with a 9.52 second dial-in. He took the tree with an .011 against Klemme’s .058, but broke out while Klemme won dead-on with a .007.

“The win Friday night was great, especially since as a team my brother Tom and I won two of the three shootouts that we entered,” said Joe Klemme.

“The rest of the weekend wasn’t quite as successful (for us). There is some very tough competition out there. That is a good thing and that’s what keeps us coming back.

“As far as the three races in one weekend, I think that is a no-brainer. All the other expenses remain the same. The second and third races are expense free besides entry fees and race vehicle maintenance.

“As always I would like to thank our team KPM: Tom Klemme, John Mealy, and Tim Genung, for everything they do.”

The NHDRO Road Course (instant green, no-time class with road course requirement) final was close for a moment, as a mere .003 separated Carlo Testa and Justin Hodge at the tree. But after that it was all Testa, who took the win by a wide margin.

“It was such a great weekend,” said Testa. “I’ve invested a lot of time and effort, not to mention all the money, into my craft, and the education I’ve received has come by way of all the lumps I’ve taken along the way. I’ve been going to a Dragway 42 since I was in diapers, so it was extra special this past weekend when I got my first win at that race track.

“I knew going in I had as good a chance as anyone of winning the Road Course Shootout. The bike has been so incredibly reliable and consistent for the past four years that I felt I could lean on it a little bit harder and give heads-up racing a shot. It made my job much easier knowing all I have to do is line up straight and cut a light, and the bike will make a clean A to B pass damn near every time.

“I was very lucky to have the help of a great group of teammates: Nino Zana, Joey Brandgard, and Jerome Gordon. Without them I might even forget to put fuel in the bike.

“I want to thank Brian and Niki Welch and family for their hard work and commitment to us racers. Their events are ALWAYS first class. Without folks like the Welch’s, Man Cup’s Jay Regan, and SDBA’s Sonny Vick, motorcycle drag racing wouldn’t be where it is today. Thank you also to Ron and Mary Anne Matcham, and their entire staff for such a great race track. They really make me feel like family every time I’m there. I’m hoping this is the first of many wins to come at my home track, Dragway 42.”

Saturday and Sunday

Testa and his no-bar ‘Busa went on to runner-up in Saturday’s Top Gas final against Bradley Shellhaas and his wheelie bar Kawasaki. Shellhaas took the tree .022 to .047 and went unchallenged from there.

“I was fortunate enough to have several family members travel there to watch this weekend, so those wins always feel more special,” said Bradley. “It also was my son’s ninth birthday, so he provided me with the luck when I needed it. No winlight was possible without my dad (Brad) building the most reliable and consistent antique that a rider could ever ask for. That bike makes my job easier and myself more confident than I ever should be on the track.”

No-Bar Shootout runner-up England nailed a .007 Bond Bulb on O’Dell Williams in Sunday’s Top Gas final, offsetting Williams’ 8.209 ET for the win.

“This weekend was a great start to the season for me,” said England. “I showed up Friday with my new bike and I hadn’t had a chance to use the nitrous much this season. So Friday morning, me and David Ligouri worked diligently to make the bike happy using nitrous, and within a couple runs it was working great. So I took a swing at 8.20 and went 8.177 at 179 mph.

“I left that tune alone and used it all weekend. It ran 8.16-8.18 all weekend long. This is my first no-bar Top Gas bike and I couldn’t be happier with it, showing up and winning the first weekend out. With a runner-up Friday in the Box shootout, 9.30 semifinal on Saturday, Pro ET semi and the Top Gas win on Sunday, I feel pretty good about my performance.

“I have the FuelTech plug ‘n play harness from David Ligouri and Ryan Schnitz, and man has that turned out to be a phenomenal system them guys created. I owe a huge thanks to David for his efforts with my motorcycle, Dave Page for building me a top flight engine every time, Marcus McBain for a killer shock combo, Dustin Lee for unbelievable clutch support, and Tim Hailey for being here with excellent coverage of the event.

“The next NHDRO is in my backyard at Edgewater Motorsports Park and I cannot wait to be there.”

Jeremy’s brother, Andrew “The Big Island” England, gave up .028 at the tree but still pulled out Saturday’s MPS Pro ET win against Perry Sowers in the final.

“Was a blast like always,” Andrew said about his weekend. “My first big win in the NHDRO and I was super pumped about it. Could not have done it with out the help of my dad Butch, my mom Anita, and my bother Jeremy. Had a hard road to get there, a lot of .00 stripes. Just lucky it fell my way.”

Not that he needs much luck, but Greg Mallett received heaps of it on Sunday. Kyle “Dolemite” Dolamore redlit by -.003 in the MPS Pro ET final, and David Beshara made it even easier for Mallett in the MTC Super Comp final when his bike pulled through the beams on the 2-step. That made for two wins for former Top Gas champ Mallett.

“Being the first race of the year for me, I really struggled Friday and Saturday,” said Mallett. “My lights weren’t consistent and I wasn’t riding well. I knew I needed to improve on Sunday or I’d be going home early. I worked a little harder, had a few lucky rounds, and things fell into place.

“It’s always helpful to have Dustin Lee, David Liguori, and Dan Rudd help me with my program. Those guys are the best at what they do!

“Dragway 42 is a great facility. I always enjoy racing there. Brian, Niki, and their crew do a top notch job at every event!”

Defending two-class champion Marty White also scored two wins at Dragway 42, both of them in M2.Shocks 8.70 Quick Street

Saturday’s Quick Street final was a true battle of titans—White vs. veteran rider Big Joe Holt. The champ’s .015 advantage at the tree was pretty much all he needed, as both bikes ran 8.73s to give White the win.

Sunday’s QST final was like a replay for White, but with a different bike and rider in the other lane. Eric Yost gave up .024 at the tree, ensuring another White win when both bikes ran 8.77s.

Young Chanston Moll was able to take the tree and the stripe against Sunday’s Super Comp runner-up Beshera in Saturday’s MTC Super Comp final.

“It was awesome to just get out there and have fun with family and friends!” said 20 year-old Moll. “The bike was super consistent every pass. I knew as long as I kept cutting a good light then I would be able to make it rounds. I also couldn’t have done it without all the help from Crow and Jeremy Teasley. They’re awesome, always there to help out when I need it!”

Jim Swanger grabbed an .044 advantage at the tree against Justin Blackford to give himself some easing room at the stripe for Saturday’s Advanced Sleeve Dirty 30 win.

Sunday’s Dirty 30 race was closer, with Jeff Hall taking the tree by .016 against Drew Nearhoof, who ran a click closer to the number with a 9.35. Still, Hall’s 9.36 took the stripe in the 9.30 index class.

“I’ve been following NHDRO since 2010, have been in many finals and semifinals, and have been number one qualifiers in several events, and this is my first win,” said Hall. “Been a long time coming. My goal was to win one of these races with a THC (True Hand Clutch) bike, and I finally did it.

“I would like to that Dave Page for building my motors throughout the years. If it wasn’t for him this wouldn’t be possible. He takes care of us at all costs. Would like to thank my son Jaden Hall for all the hard work and countless hours helping me work on these machines. And would like to thank Brian and Niki Welch for providing us with the series and continuing to put on the events for us to race in the Midwest. And of course, would like to thank the man Tim Hailey for the amazing photos and awesome coverage!”

Kevin Adams didn’t find the Friday success he was looking for but came through on Saturday for the Kevin Dennis Insurance Street ET win. Kevin’s 9.32 dial-in had to wait over three seconds on Jim Messing’s 12.55, but Adams did his job well with a .126 advantage at the tree that virtually secured the win.

Cincinnati’s Jay Hunter had an easy Street ET final round on Sunday when opponent Josh Costa redlit by -.012. “The track was great, the crew was real good, can’t wait till the next one,” said Hunter, a man of few words.

Riding his dad Ryan’s turbo ‘Busa, Trevor Schnitz was able to win Pro Street on what is essentially a well-tuned Top Gas bike. Schnitz took the tree with a sharp .013 and breezed to a 7.74 at 183 mph win while final round opponent Rob Aston spun in the other lane on his proper PST turbo ‘Busa.

“It was surreal,” said Trevor. “It was not only great to race in the class, but to win the class felt like a dream. I had a lot of help from many amazing people, the most important being my dad and grandfather (Dave). They have helped me grow and become a great racer. Trust me, this is just the beginning.”

VooDoo Grudge was seriously curtailed when heavy showers shut the track down for the night just before dark on Saturday night.

Pro Ultra 4.60 fell short of the number needed to run the class, but champion Dan McCarten won a run-off against Heath McQuinn.

Niki and Brian Welch are excited about the #NHDROohiosummer and are looking forward to seeing every member of the NHDRO family at the APE Raceparts Summer Reunion at Edgewater Sports Park just outside of Cincinnati on July 15-17.

NHDRO thanks M2.Shocks , Kevin Dennis Insurance , MPS Racing , Liguori Drag Racing , Schnitz Racing , Voodoo Custom Motorcycle Components , Vanson Leathers , BB Racing , Hard Times Parts and Service , MTC Engineering , Grothus Dragbikes , Klemme Performance Motorcycles , Green Bay Anodizing , Advanced Sleeve , Rock Auto and APE .

This report was prepared by Tim Hailey. Enjoy everything there is to read, see and watch about motorcycle drag racing and more at https://www.eatmyink.com

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