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Read More June 14, 2007 Part 3
By Bandit |
Continued From Page 2
INDUSTRY’S HIGHEST TECH CARBURETOR IS NOW AN MC ADVANTAGES’ EXCLUSIVE–MC Advantages is proud to announce their agreement to be the exclusivedistributor of PSI Big Air Carburetors. “MC Advantages has chosen PSI carbsfor their ease of use and their demonstrated ability to generate up to 15more horsepower versus stock carbs,” said MC Advantages’ General ManagerKent Reed. “We’re really excited about this as our latest product lineaddition.
To have a hot new high-tech carb when there hasn’t been anysignificant carb advancements in years, a guy’s gotta be pumped,” he noted.
The Big Air Carburetor features a simplified tuning design with only threefuel adjustments that can easily be made with the bike running and withoutdismantling the entire carb and air cleaner setup.
The pilot, needle andmain adjustment knobs all have easy access and can be adjusted with thefingertips. In addition, the revolutionary ribbed venturi intake helpsatomize and homogenize the fuel and air mixture for tremendous throttleresponse and a more complete, cleaner burn.
Big Air Carburetors come in Polished, Chrome or Black and are available for74″-‘100″, 103″-117″ and 124″-155″ engines with an S&S® Super G intakemanifold. The MSRP is set at $1,099.99-$1,199.99.
MC Advantages
1-800-726-9620
www.MCAdvantages.com
WEEKEND RIDE FOR KIDS EVENTSRAISE $138,000 TO FIGHT CHILDHOOD BRAIN TUMORS–Motorcyclists delivered saddlebags full of hope to childhood brain tumor survivors on June 10, raising $138,670 at three
The Cycle World International Motorcycle Shows is a proud supporter of the PBTF Ride For Kids program and offers show discounts to Ride For Kids participants. Be sure to pick up your discount coupon at the Ride nearest you!
BIKERNET’S SOUTH OF THE BORDER CULTURAL LESSON OF THE DAY–Alice and Frank are Bungee-jumping one day. Alice saysto Frank,”You know, we could make a lot of money running ourown Bungee-jumpingservice in Mexico.”
Frank thinks this is a great idea. So they pool theirmoney and buyeverything they’ll need: a tower, an elastic cord,insurance, etc.
They travel to Mexico and begin to set up on a squarein a small town.
As they are constructing the tower, a crowd begins toassemble. Slowly,more and more people gather to watch them at work.
When they had finished, there was such a crowd theythought it would bea good idea to give a demonstration.
So, Alice jumps. She bounces at the end of the cord,but when she comesback up, Frank notices that she has a few cuts andscratches.
Unfortunately, Frank isn’t able to catch her and shefalls again,bounces and comes back up again. This time, she isbruised and bleeding.
Again, Frank misses her. Alice falls again and bouncesback up. Thistime she comes back pretty messed up — she’s got acouple of brokenbones and is almost unconscious.
Luckily, Frank finally catches her this time and says,”What happened?Was the cord too long?”
Barely able to speak, Alice gasps, “No, the Bungeecord was fine…Itwas the crowd. What the hell is a pinata?
–from Chris T.
BIKERNET NEW ORLEANS PROGRESS REPORT–This happened on a flight getting ready to depart for New Orleans.
Jack was sitting on the plane when a guy took the seat beside him.The guy was an emotional wreck, pale, hands shaking, moaning in fear. ,”What’s the matter?” Jack asked.
“I’ve been transferred to New Orleans, there’s crazy people there.They’ve got lots of shootings, gangs, race riots, drugs, poor public schools, and the highest crime rate.”
Jack replied, “I’ve lived in New Orleans all my life. It’s not as bad as the media says. Find a nice home, go to work, mind your own business, enroll your kids in a nice private school.It’s as safe a place as anywhere in the world.”
The guy relaxed and stopped shaking and said, “Oh, thank you. I’ve been worried to death. But if you live there and say it’s OK, I’ll take your word for it. What do you do for a living?”
“Me?” said Jack. “I’m a tail gunner on a Budweiser truck.”
–from Rogue
BIKERNET WEEKLY PHOTO ART EXHIBIT–Two of man’s passions
Ride Hard,
–Whiplash Biker Photog
whiplash@photo.net
FUNKENSTEIN LIVES!!!!– Master seat maker, Duane Ballard, has created a cool vintage-look 1970’s Chopper for his personal rider. Duane is also building the seat for the Bikernet Bonneville Assalt Weapan.
“FUNKENSTEIN”, painted by Robert Pradke, is a 750cc Honda monster guaranteed to bring life back to the dead. We’ll have a full creature-feature on this thriller soon.
–TBear
GUILTY CUSTOMS’ NEW “SPHERE OIL BAG” A NEW SPIN ON AN OLD PART–Every motorcycle needs an oil bag, so why not make it worth looking at as well as extremely functional? Guilty Customs announces their newest product for builders (professionals and otherwise) that will get your build the attention it deserves and is American-made, unique and functional.
Guilty announces the availability of the “Sphere Oil Bag” which is an 8 inch spun aluminum sphere made from Aerospace Quality Aluminum (.125_ T-6/6061 to be specific) with oil capacity of 3.5 quarts.
The “Sphere Oil Bag” is within tolerances of +/-.015 and is ultrasonically tested. The sphere can be polished, powder-coated, engraved, anodized or left raw and will ultimately be available in Copper, Brass or Stainless Steel (304L, 316L & 321). Retail cost for Aluminum Sphere Oil Bag (with filler neck installed) is $475.00.
Recently Guilty Customs announced their single and dual powder coated shocks, which retail from $75.00 to 140.00 respectively. Show quality dual shock systems in Stainless Steel, Chrome and Brushed Copper are available for $190.00. Additional products such as “Leather Do-it-yourself builders kits”, seat pans and bolt-on seat brackets are available. The newest addition to the family is the “Air Shox” which retails for $130.00.
Available at www.guiltycustoms.com or call 407.453.0844.
Dealer inquiries welcome.
Guilty Customs, LLC
Orlando, FL 32835
BCCOM ON THE MOVE–THANK YOU’S!Special thanks to the wonderful volunteers who came and helped us move mostof our office to higher ground to avoid this flood they have been warningabout. Ernie Dau, Mike Baynes, Mark Zambrycki, Reila Hamnes & Jarred werean enormous help to us and we appreciate it so much!
We would also like to thank Trev Deeley Motorcycles and their wonderfulstaff for staying open late on June 6th to accommodate our BCCOM Meeting andMovie Night. A great time was had by all!
LOOKING FOR SOMETHING FUN TO DO THIS WEEKEND?–Trev Deeley Motorcycles is having a show n’ shine on Saturday, June 16th attheir new location at 1875 Boundary Road in Vancouver.Sign up is from 9:30am-12:00pm.There will be a live band from Noon- 4pmTrophy presentation at 3:30pmThe special guest at this event will be Jean Davidson, Granddaugher offounder Walter Davidson and author of “Growing up Harley-Davidson.” You canmeet Jean during and after her free audio-visual presentation at 1:00pm intheir conference centre.For more information please check them out on-line athttp://trevdeeley.com/custom/Showandshine07.html or contact Sherri Werstiukat (604) 909-6227 or swerstiuk@trevdeeley.com
MCC-WOMEN RIDERS COUNCIL LAUNCHES SECOND SURVEY — More than 800 responded tofirst surveyToronto, Ontario, Canada June 6, 2007 – The Women Riders Council of MCC haslaunched its second online survey, inviting female riders to express theirthoughts and opinions regarding training resources and website resources.
In the first survey (the results of which can be seen on the MCC website),women identified certain training and education needs, beyond basic ridertraining, such as maintenance.
The survey will look at what kind of training would be the most desired, andwhat website resources would be helpful.The survey can be accessed at www.motorc ycling.ca/women and will remainopen indefinitely. Results will be analyzed on an ongoing basis withprograms and actions developed by the WRC. All responses will remainconfidential and no contact information will be shared.
About the Motorcyclists Confederation of Canada
MCC is Canada’s largest association representing motorcyclist’s interests.It is a not-for-profit national advocacy organization that championsmotorcycling interests throughout Canada. Its membership comprises more than200 clubs and represents over 70,000 riders from across Canada.
Website: http://www.motorcycling.ca
About the Women Riders CouncilThe Women Riders Council (WRC) of MCC is led by a steering committee ofactive female riders. The WRC’s purpose is to Promote and Celebrate WomenMotorcycle Riders (of Canada).
Website: http://www.motorcycling.ca/women/index.html
PAUGHCO’S REVOLUTIONARYTAPERED LEG SPRINGERS– The world’s oldest, largest and most popular line of custom and OEM style Springer front ends just doubled in size! Paughco has completely reengineered their original designs in developing a new line fit with OVAL TAPERED REAR LEGS! Stronger and more closely resembling original OEM springers, the new Paughco front ends are available in a mind boggling collection of styles and sizes.
Tapered leg models can be ordered in traditional “Wide” springer styles fit with or without the factory style shock. Or, you can order Paughco’s popular Narrow Springer, once again with the new tapered rear legs.
All models are offered in lengths ranging from stock up to 21″ over in increments of 3″. Finished in Paughco’s legendary in-house chrome, the new TAPERED LEG SPRINGERS can be found at
DID BUTTS PLAY A ROLL IN TOILET PAPER THEFT? WOMAN CHARGED IN IOWA COURTHOUSE TISSUE HEIST–MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa – Police blame a woman named Butts for stealing toilet paper from a central Iowa courthouse, and while they’re chuckling, the theft charge could put her in prison.
“She’s facing potentially three years of incarceration for three rolls of toilet paper,” Chief Lon Walker said, stifling a laugh as he talked to KCCI-TV about Suzanne Marie Butts.
“See, I can’t say it with a straight face.”Workers had noticed the rolls disappearing from the Marshall County Courthouse much faster than usual, Walker said.
Butts, 38, was caught last week after an employee saw her taking three rolls of two-ply tissue from a storage closet, Walker said.
Butts insisted it was the first time she’d pilfered toilet paper, but she declined to answer further questions on her attorney’s advice.
The fifth-degree theft charge, a misdemeanor, normally carries a sentence of less than a year in jail. But Butts could face more time if convicted under the state’s habitual offender law because she has prior theft convictions.Walker did not know why Butts was at the courthouse, but said that she did not work there.
–from Rogue
Maybe she deserves amnesty?
CINDY AND PEACEFUL ART JEWELRY FEATURED IN EASYRIDERS MAGAZINE– Jeweler/Design/Artist Cindy Thorrington Haggerty and her Peaceful Art Jewelry/Design is being featured in a very interesting editorial in the Men’s Famous Motorcycle Magazine “EASYRDERS”. This is a 50-year-old magazine and publication that is the Grand Daddy of Publications to Motorcycle People all over the world. Cindy is in this magazine in an editorial by a staff writer for Easyriders Magazine.
This story features Cindy’s Jewelry, Art, Design and Life. The magazine is already creating a stir for Cindy with calls, emails, web site contacts and orders. The JULY issue #409 is on sale NOW at participating news stand stores in Logansport, South Bend and other cities, states and countries…
So get your copy and preserve a part of Logansport/South Bend History in the making. Cindy is a Native born in Logansport and studied in St. Petersburg Florida, Martinsville, IN, Gem City College Quincy, IL and thru Vocational Rehabilitation Services in South Bend, IN.
EGO TRIP CUSTOM BIKE SHOW IN HOLLISTER JULY 8TH–Hollister 60th Anniversary – Sunday July 8th
Bike Show Move in 8am to 10 am
Bike Show Displays on the Lawn at Corbin’s Corner (San Benito & 4th St)
Awards @ 3:00 Sunday at the Main Stage.
CLASS DESCRIPTION
Radical Custom, Rubber Mount Geometrically altered frame, Dyna Glide, FXR
Radical Custom,Solid Mount: Geometrically altered frame Softail style
Radical Custom, Chopper Geometrically altered frame with an extendedFront-end .All Hardtails
Street Custom After Market Frame – All Bolt-On Accessories
Sport Touring Road Kings, Ultra’s, All Baggers
Sportster: XL’s, 883 & 1200’s
Antiques,Trikes & Sidecars: 1903 – 1974 & All 3-Wheel BikesAmerican Mfg(non-Harley) BMC, Titan, Big Dog, American Eagle, etc.
Radical Custom
Old School Bobbers and Choppers
Metric Stock –
Metric Mild Custom
Metric Full Custom –
Buell –
V-Rod Mild Custom –
V-Rod Full Custom –
– Special Interest To be judged in the above categories, there must be twoor more bikes in the class or you will be judged in special interest.
For those with bike trailers, a parking lot on 4th street between Monterey &San Benito will be available. This is accross the street from the bike show.Spaces are on a first come basis.
–Spike
Continued On Page 4
Australian Shop Profile
By Bandit |
Gold Coast Choppers latest creation “Alien” has landed an array of trophies at Gold Coast Bike Week. Alien’s first public viewing was on Saturday. However lucky riders on the S&S Chopper Shop Ride got a sneak preview on Friday as Twin Tech Motorcycles was the first Bike Shop on the list for the ride to visit. Last year Geoff did a great job of unveiling “Flame”. Continuing in this tradition this year he had the job of unveiling Alien an astonishing piece of machinery that Rick and the guys had built over the last 10 months. The old saying a picture tells a thousand words does not cut it with this chopper. There is a host of details a picture can not tell with this bike until you start looking very carefully at the actual bike.
With no sub-frame that is visible, it has an amazing visual effect of the engine and transmission sitting by themselves midway in the beautifully hand made frame of the Chopper. The whole package from the flowing front end, the long sweeping fuel tanks, the mid mounted down draft carby, the in shop made swing arm, gives the bike an overall aggressive stance. Plus the most detailed paint work that you could imagine moulds into the best Chopper arguably ever seen. This was proven by Alien winning the People’s Choice trophy on Saturday. Along with Best Engineered, Best Pro-Built and Coolest Pipes. Sunday saw 3 more trophies for Alien with Bike of Show, Radical Custom and Best Paint.
Over all it was a good result for Twin Tech Motorcycles and Gold Coast Choppers.
The latest Ozbike Magazine (issue 301) has Rick with the ALIEN chopper as its main feature. There are some great pics of the bike along with the rundown of the build of Alien written by Rick (Rick has the article in the Gold Coast Choppers website as well). There is also a centre page lift out of ALIEN, which is a bonus.
Rick and Twin Tech Motorcycles aren’t strangers to articles in bike mags. The numerous custom Harleys the boys have built have shown up in different custom bike mags over many years. Since Rick has developed Gold Coast Choppers and has showcased Alien, Flame and Chopr at different shows over the last couple of years he is getting the exposure he deserves. The local industry is standing up and taking notice of these world class choppers that Rick continues to build.
Personally, I can’t wait to see the next machine Rick creates. “How do you build something better than Alien?” I asked myself. But then I asked the same question about Flame??
Alien and Flame took out the 2 major trophies at the Australian Motorcycle Expo at Brisbane. Alien won Best Chopper of the Show and Flame won Best Engineered.
I was speaking to a number of people in the industry after the event and they say and I must agree that Alien is rightly placed as Australia’s Number 1 chopper after winning first prize at the show.
While Rick is happy with the recent results he was very disappointed in the decision of the major sponsor and promoter of the Chopper Show (Live to Ride Magazine) to pull out when they did. You would have thought it would have been good advertising and promotion for their magazine and the industry in general. “They handled the whole thing very badly right from the start,” said Rick. “With minimal promotion for the event advertised and deadlines for entries that didn't apply or were abandoned, perhaps due to a lack of entries. Incorrect dates on their entry and conditions forms gave a general impression that no one knew what was going on. I believe they did attend the Melbourne or Sydney show but obviously Brisbane isn't considered as important as the southern capitals.”
Otherwise the show was a huge event, massive crowds and displays by most of the major manufactures of bikes and products. Except for Harley Davidson!? What's going on there?
A big well done to the boys again at Gold Coast Choppers / Twin Tech Motorcycles for another outstanding result.
We’re a small, hands-on kind of custom bike shop. There’s me doing any and everything, Geoff handling the day-to-day running of the place as well as parts and accessories. There’s Ross on the spanners and the key force behind our drag race team, apart from being a top mechanic and experienced racer, he holds the NZ Top Fuel Nitro Harley record of 180 mph at 7.6 seconds. That’s damn quick! And then there’s Jim, my can’t-do-without kind of guy who does everything around the place as well as being our No 1 fabricator and a good mate.
I got my first Harley in 1981, a FXFB, and being a farm boy who was used to pulling things apart and fixing them, I just couldn’t help myself from tearing it down and changing it around. I’ve got a very questioning mind, the type that says, “Yeah, it’s broken, but how did it happen, how can I fix it and how can I prevent it from happening again?”
I started TwinTech in 1989 basically part-time doing stuff for my mates but it soon got out-of-control and I went full-time in early 1991. In 1995 we bought the two units next door and we’ve been growing ever since.
Weve always taken pride in our workmanship and experience is something you can’t beat. We place a great degree of importance on the day-to-day stuff through the workshop. I’m not happy unless it’s done right; fix it right the first time so there’s no come-backs.
We do quite a bit of performance work which we try to match to the customer’s requirements. We know what works and what doesn’t. Putting it together is one thing; getting it to stay together takes knowledge and experience. And importantly, performance doesn’t stop with the engine. The whole package has to include the brakes and suspension.
TwinTech Motorcycles is also involved in drag racing. We’ve got a XB12R Buell that Ross has started to run. It’s doing 11.8’s at the moment in fairly standard form. We’ve got plans to turn it into a full-on drag bike including a special frame we’re building ourselves.
Billy also rides for us on his 1991 FXST. It runs an S&S 124 ci engine that we’ve worked over and is pushing our 150 hp at the rear wheel. Not bad for a registered street bike. Billy’s running around 10.5 and gaining more consistently so this year is going to be fun.
We’ve always done a lot of custom work. We were sticking 180 tyres (as large as you could get at the time) into stock bikes back in early 1990. We used to make it all ourselves because it was before you could get the wide rear end kits. Generally, what we find with our customers is a guy who’ll come in with some ideas or maybe just a picture. We’ll work it through their wants, needs, applications, and deliver something far in excess of what they imagined–give them something that blows them away. Obviously we’ve got to work within a budget which can be difficult as the customer’s views often change as the project develops.
We don’t aim to be a volume builder–low quantity, high quality. That’s us.
TwinTech Motorcycles is in Southport, on the Gold Coast, Queensland. The Flame Chopper is for sale; if you’d like to know more, give me a call on 07-5532-3033.
–Rick
Smoke Out Run 2007
By Bikernet Contributor TBear |
Amidst threats of the event being shut down by Bible Thumping members of the local town board, plus beer being outlawed, not to mention the ominous heavy presence of John Law and his minions, The Smoke Out 8, Sponsored by Bikernet.com, went off without a hitch. For months before, legal battles raged with the “Good Christian” politicos regarding the event being closed down because, “Jesus doesn't like nipples and wild biker trash.”
Well, for what it's worth, I was always thought that Jesus loves sinners and the love was evident as thousands of the faithful on their “Devilish Machines” flocked to the Holy Land at the Rowan County Fairgrounds to bid a fond farewell to the Smoke Out, at least as far as Salisbury is concerned. No mention of next year's venue, but rest assured that it WILL happen.
Riders from as far away as California and Western Canada to Nueva York and the rock bound coast of Maine handled the pilgrimage to see what their compadres were building and riding. The mood seemed lighter as the weekend rolled on and the flock realized that the good shepherd, John Law, was indeed there to look out for their safety and not lead them to slaughter.
Beer was indeed served like Holy Water and ladies rode nekkid on the mechanical golden calf, voraciously offering up their virtue to the assembled multitudes. Burning tires served as ceremonial incense and High Mass was celebrated with the purification rite of burning a trailer in effigy.
The choir consisted of Devil Doll and the Super-Soakers who led the faithful in song during evening vespers. St. Columbanus, patron saint of Bikers, surely would have bestowed his blessings on the services.
High Priests of Chopper Building, Hank Young, Jay Hart, Paul Cox and Keino of Indian Larry Legacy were on hand to display their icons to the novitiates.
Over 250 bikes were entered into the bike show with awards given out to the top ten winners. Steve “Deuce” Broyles II, of Stevenson’s Cycles, in Michigan, walked away with the trophy for his entry in the Horse Builders Chop Off.
The evening partying at local Holiday Inns parking lot looked like anything but a service at the Crystal Cathedral, America's foremost drive-in place of worship. Despite heavy police presence, tires burned, music blared and nubile young hard-bellies gyrated until dawn, on both Friday and Saturday nights. In the spirit of Christian Charity, the local hotels raised their usual $69 per night to $200 with a 3-night minimum and attempted to charge a tide of $5.00 per head to enter the golden gates of their parking lots. That’s just one aspect of Salisbury that we won't be missing at the new venue.
We don't yet know where or when, but we assure you that next years Gathering of the Faithful will be the most righteous jamboree yet to be seen.
Can I get you to testify???
Amen!
–TBear
That’s not all. A ride to the Smoke Out Report is due to hit the site next week from Art Parry. Check back.–Wrench
2007 Saxon Run To Sedona
By Bandit |
This is a stimulating year for many reasons. Some profess the industry’s down; others are rolling out new models as fast as they can dream ‘em up. What’s it mean? Where will life lead us on our wild journey to utopia? I’ll tell you what. Put all the bullshit aside. We live in motorcycle heaven. We have access to the most outrageous, bitchin’ bikes on the planet and they lead us to the most beautiful women in the world. What could be better?
Unfortunately there are decisions to be pondered, such as blonde, brunette or your motorcycle choice. Choosing a motorcycle is just as delicate as picking the girl to ride on it. Regrettably, the motorcycle decision takes fewer tools to coordinate, and perhaps a smaller wallet. Okay, let’s get to it. Pickin’ a motorcycle demands an understanding of your budget and needs. You obviously can stumble into a H-D dealer and roll out with a number of bikes, then go to work on them. There’s Victory, and I rode them this year—great bikes. Then there’s the production custom market and several choices from Big Dog, to Saxon and Hardbikes.
Saxon seems to fit in the pocket book around $25,000 and they’re making every effort to deliver a reliable, well balance and strong handling custom bike for that number. The new 2007 Saxon Motorcycle base models start at just $23,995 and go to $28,595 MSRP. “We have tried to keep the base price of all our 2007 models reasonable and give the customer the ability to customize their bike with the numerous options packages we have available, ranging from a full custom paint job to wheel and chrome packages,” said David Schwam, their marketing V.P. It would be tough for any garage mechanic to build a decent custom for that number, if you work in minimum wage for time and effort. So you sit back and ponder which way to turn.
Here’s the Saxon code:
Mission Statement
“To design and assemble a line of distinctive heavyweight cruisers that will appeal to a broad demographic profile of consumers looking for a highly reliable, unique and affordable product supported by effective processes and systems and an appealing brand image.”
I like Saxon for several reasons. First, they’re wholly owned by a handful of businessmen who believe in the Saxon name and don’t need to take loans on everything they do. They own the building, the tooling, equipment and parts. They won’t stumble and fall out of business soon. They’re based south of Phoenix, in Casa Grande, Arizona behind the Francisco Grande Hotel, which was summer camp to the San Francisco Giants for years. Plus the entire management team is involved in every aspect right down to the slightest warranty claims.
I went out last year for their second year model launch and this year for the third. I witnessed strong, reliable improvements across all their models, production and components. Their bikes handle well, are more balanced than before and the fit and finish has improved.
Like Victory has the father-son, Ness team, helping with design and accessory line, Gard Hollinger of LA Chop Rods designed the Black Crown last year, improvements to the Crown this year, and he’s developing on a new bobber model. Plus gard is working on an accessory package for the future. They’re right on track.
So I flew out to Phoenix recently to witness their improvements first hand and ride every 2007 model on a run, with several other journalists, to Sedona, Arizona. It’s one of the most beautiful, mentally inspiring places in the world, a virtual vortex of creative spirits and hot chicks. I couldn’t wait to roll through the precipice of Jerome, Arizona, through the canyons, past Cottonwood the home of the HORSE Smoke-Out West and Dead Horse Ranch, into Sedona.
But first we took a tour of the Casa Grande facility, which is clean, well organized and cranking out bikes. They’ve developed an Extranet system to give their entire dealer network immediate access to ordered bikes, special construction bikes and all other dealer inventories. If a customer orders a bike on line it usually takes 6 to 8 weeks for the bike to be built and delivered to the nearest Saxon dealer. If bikes are shipped to New York they wait to ship at least three bikes together to avoid costly tolls. Saxon currently has 34 dealers and more are coming on line.
The two-bike-a-day assembly line is organized, well kept, yet comfortable. There are several highly organized stations, yet there’s a true of teamwork throughout the facility. There are five stages and five detail check lists, to afford a self inspection, prior to the bike moving onto the next stage. When the bike is completed there is a thorough pre-test inspection, then a 30-mile road test and a torquing test to insure that all fasteners were tightened to 80 percent of their specified ratings.
All Saxon frames and chassis components are powder coated. They are currently building their own powder coating facility and custom paint shop. Saxon doesn’t build any rigid framed customs only the Softail configuration in several styles. In the near future I’ll bring you an in-depth report on their build procedures and check lists. We’ll take one bike from frame to road test. It will blow your mind.
Just as a tease, regarding the various stages, there’s a pre-assembly area where engines, drivelines and handlebars are assembled. Stage one, handles the driveline front end and swingarm. Stage two installs wiring, oil bag, and battery. Stage three involves installing the wheels, brakes, horn, hydraulic lines, oil lines, rear belt and primary chain and clutch. The technician adds fluids to the appropriate components. Stage 4 involves sheet metal installation and making this puppy run. Brandon takes each finished Saxon model through stage 4 inspection, starts each model and runs through a series of cosmetic checks, then he adjusts anything necessary. Then Rob takes it for a test ride. That means Rob rode 450 Saxon Choppers in 2006 and will ride 600 in 2007. He breaks in the new Brembo brakes with floating rotors. Rob rides initially at 35 mph, then 45, 75 and 80 for a half hour to 45 minutes. Then he returns the bike to Brandon for final adjustments.
Here’s the price points for the various Saxon models in the U.S. They hope to build distribution centers in Europe, S. Africa and Australia in 2007. They believe their demographic is 35-55 years of age, due to their abilities to deliver hot reliable customs with these price points.
Warlord $25,195
Firestorm $24,695
Griffin $26,595
Sceptre $23,995
Villian $25,995
Crown $28,595
Hotrod Sceptre $26,995
One of their major improvements this year involves Thunderheart diagnostic electronics and wiring looms. They’ve dialed the harness down from 15 connectors to seven and raised the location of the home base circuit to the oil bag from the splashguard to remove water damage possibilities.
It was time to smell the desert and hit it into the hills. When I looked at the new line-up my eyes went immediately to the 2007 Scepter Hot Rod with wide, blacked out highbars. It's a tough looking old school chopper. All the Saxon models come with 96-inch S&S, black and chrome engines unless you order a model with the 111-inch S&S upgrade. I felt immediately comfortable aboard the Hot Rod. It ran smooth; there was noticeably less vibration. The new easy-clutch pulled light as a feather. With a 4.5 gallon gas tank, I could roll nearly 200 miles. The bikes was stable and handled slow speeds in a balanced agile manner, with 36 degrees in the neck, 3 degrees in the trees and 25-inch seat height. All Saxons are now equipped with Progressive suspension rear shocks. The rear tire was a 260/18 coupled with a 21, 90/90 on the front.
Although the 2006 models weren’t bad, this bike smacked of careful design improvements upgrades and refinements. All 2007 Saxons are built with 6-speed, right hand drive, R-Max transmissions; so all models were balanced for freeway stability. There’s nothing worse than a big beautiful chopper that won’t pass a semi at 130 mph at 1:00 in the morning on a desert freeway without freaking the rider. It should feel as solid as a night train, and limber enough to toss it in the emergency lane, kicking up old beer cans and hubcaps, to pass anything, if the left lane is blocked by a lumbering RV or a girl in a Mustang who thinks she can get away.
Speaking of emergency lanes, Ernie Lopez pulled along side me on highway 17 running due north out of Phoenix at over 80 mph on a gorgeous stretched and flamed Griffin that match his old school metal flake helmet. He was styling when the machine popped, wheezed and died. I dropped back and made a safe path through barreling afternoon traffic to the emergency lane. David Schwam, the Saxon Marketing VP, hurriedly dismounted his 111-inch Sceptre to check on the downed moto-journalist. I stole the 111-Sceptre and hit the highway. I knew Ernie, from Hot Bike, was just outta gas.
The silver Scepter with only a 2-inch stretch in the backbone for a 72-inch wheelbase peeled out, into the fast moving traffic as if I was darting through a parking lot. As soon as I had an open lane, with the new 2-into-1 pipes, I hit 120 mph and climbing. It was a quick 140 mph motorcycle if there ever was one, but I was going to straddle ‘em all. I was whipping along the freeway when I was signaled to headed off on 260 toward Cottonwood and food.
After barbecue I jumped aboard a Warlord sparkling in the sun like an escape route to heaven or some girl waiting for me in the hills. It had a flat spot, fixable with carburetor adjustment, but it was the best fit for me with 6-inches in the down tubes and two in the backbone. The Warlord, to me was the epitome of the big guy chopper with it’s chromed, 11 inch over, 41mm wide glide front end and 40 degrees of rake coupled to 5 degrees in the trees for an 83-inch wheelbase. Goddamn that bike sat at a light rumbling in perfect balance as if it didn’t need a kickstand. It handled parking lots as easily as it handled 110 on the freeway. Even the seats on all the models were much improved and molded me into place as if I was meant to be there until I reached the French Quarter in New Orleans. The paint job would keep me rolling for another 2000 miles just to see the lights of Vegas reflected in the flames.
I discovered I wasn’t suited for every Saxon as we rolled into Sedona. I was aboard the new Villain with the 300 tire holding up the rear end. It felt awkward as a Beach Ball (as Johnny Humble describes big tire bikes), spinning at the rear. It seemed to make low speed handling awkward. The Saxon crew launched the Pro-Street Softail, 300 mm tire Villain for 2007.
The Base price is $25,995 with a single down tube frame, a 6-speed right side drive transmission, 45 degrees of overall rake (5-degrees in the trees) and pro-street geometry. Pro-street represents an aggressive riding position with drag styled handlebars, narrow frame, stretched custom tanks, sculpted custom seat and a black and chrome S&S 96-inch proven engine, nine color choices and four levels of graphics including an entirely custom option. I wasn’t comfortable, but I’ll bet they’ll have it dialed in by 2008. Or maybe it just doesn’t fit me.
The next day I stole a Griffin, single-loop stretched Saxon with inverted glide and we slipped into the adjacent canyons for photography by Mike Farabaugh. The Griffin also sported the awkward 300 tire, a 4-gallon gas tank, the 96-inch S&S with Super E carburetor and six inches in the down tubes with 2 inches in the backbone and for some odd reason it hauled 20-50 more pounds than the usual 655 or 625-pound models. I started looking hard at the inverted 56mm, 11-inch over front-end. Would it actually weight 25 more pounds than a standard wide glide?
The Griffin was black and tough looking from every angle, but it rode differently than the other models. I felt like I was on a rigid, slamming potholes and ridges in the pavement. All the 2007 Saxon models sport the same Progressive Suspension rear shocks. I had to believe that between the additional weight and the inverted front end the suspension didn’t like the combination. It needed some stage 4 adjustments. Shock manufactures can adjust their shock characteristics for weight and travel. Even with the harsh Griffin ride I slapped the shit outta this motorcycle, barreling toward Phoenix as if I owned the freeway. I pushed her through the rambling mountain curves like a man hell bent for whiskey and action it town. We peeled all those new Saxons down the mountain like we were all racing to the same redhead’s bed.
Upon further investigation I discovered that the harsh ride was due to my weight, 240 pounds and the additional 50 pounds, due to the inverted front end and the massive rear wheel. Progressive suspension is altering their rear shocks for that model.
We stopped for sandwiches in a truck stop fulla cops, and I jumped aboard my last model ride, besides the new Crown, which I will road test in a separate article. None were available for this run into the Arizona Badlands. The Crown, designed by Gard Hollinger of LA County Choprods, has 2 new paint and graphics options that mix flat and metallic finishes, a new more comfortable hand tooled leather seat, better suspension, and a redesigned fender that accents the “old school-modernistic” styling.
The Firestorm was the initial Saxon Pro Street offering, prior to the Villain. It sports the narrow 260 tire but a long 4-inch backbone stretch for that long and low look.
I discovered last year the difference between styling and fit. Always considering long stretched bikes to be the fit for my 6’5” frame. I discovered that with the proper seat, peg position and handlebars a much lower stretched motorcycle could fit me a well as the tall, long front-end sister. Saxon addressed the issue with components allowing the rider to fit his motorcycle to his physical frame. The components were built to make any rider fit any bike.
So there you have it for Saxon 2007. A growing company, on the move, locally owned, not by some corporate giant, with a staff concerned about every component, every characteristic of their product from the handling to the pin-stripping. Watch Saxon grow over the next five years to become a major player in the industry.
14th Hardcore Day 2007
By Marcus Walz |
Marcus, who was btw the first European Biker-Build-Off Champion in history of Discovery-Channels Cult-TV Show, presented his brand new Bikes and a lot of new stuff. Kimi Räikkönens “Iceman”-Bike was also on display like the BBO winner bike “Mille Miglia”.
Marcus shipped the BBO bike especially for the Hardcore Day from his shop in Miami/Florida to the headquarter in Hockenheim/Germany.
Next year, when Marcus and WHC celebrates its 15th anniverssary the Hardcore Day 2008 will become a more bigger event.
Marcus plan a big bike show for everybody, a stunt show, a Moto Cross Freestyle Show and a lot more. Probably, especially for the 15th anniverssary the event will take place the first time in history in one of the summer months, July or August.
To keep yourself updated check out
Bonneville Effort 2007: Chapter 16
By Bandit |
Unbelievable! We were forced to drive our motor home, loaded with the Assalt Weapan, dirt bikes, electric-powered scooter ice chests, 5-ball racing uniforms, stickers, tools, lifts, and granola bars, to downtown Long Beach to make a sponsor deposit before we could cut a dusty trail. We didn't want to eat casino toothpicks all week long. I need to thank Dave “The Jester” Florence, a Bikernet Reader and platinum sponsor, Bob Parsons of GoDaddy.com, all our Bikernet Reader Sponsors and Custom Chrome for helping us build this bike. We couldn't have accomplished the build or supplied grub on the salt for the hardworking team without that support, but we weren't out of town yet.
We sat in this rental fun mover in downtown Long Beach and counted the minutes. We were burnin' daylight, watching the Friday afternoon workers scramble for a myriad of freeways heading to Vegas on a Labor Day weekend.
We were fucked. Nyla and her daughter, Karley, were inside the bank, built in the late 1800s, negotiating, while Jeremiah and I parked illegally outside the plate glass windows and pulled ski masks over our sweaty faces. Nyla attempted to have funds released into our account, but the bank staff wasn't budging. I tapped the steering wheel and Jeremiah told nervous jokes and whistled. Banks.
We finally cut a dusty trail for the outskirts of LA. I call it no-man's land for Bikers. The city grows on a daily basis and progressively gets tougher to escape. We hit the 710 freeway north to the 105 east, to the 605 north, and then caught the 60 east to the 15.
It was almost 6:00 p.m. and the traffic wasn't awful by Los Angeles standards. The 15 is the notorious bastard that rolls from sprawling town to town heading toward Vegas. We hit Pomona, then San Bernardino, up the hill to Apple Valley, Victorville, Barstow, Baker and then cross the border into Primm Nevada where we were scheduled to stay, about 50 miles from Vegas.
One guy owned Primm, Nevada, who least land to casino brokers in Vegas and recently sold it to the Terrible Herbst family. They bought three casinos, Whiskey Pete's, Primm Valley Resort and Buffalo Bills, plus an outlet mall but not the land. Can you imagine the price tag? The Terrible Herbst oil company is seriously involved in racing, and recently someone fucked with their Nevada racing game, so they bought Primm to control their own race courses, unobstructed.
I've put the word out to a Primm executive. We could use a Bandit's Cantina Casino and a five-mile World Land Speed Record track. Whatta ya tink? Will they go for it? I like Primm. It's real small and easy to reach and escape from.
We snatched a much needed good night's rest and hit the Bonneville road in the morning. Highway I-15 rolls through Vegas to Mesquite Nevada at the border, slices off a corner of Arizona and into Salt Lake City, Utah, but there was a comfortable 100-mile short cut. We figured it's 750 miles from LA to Salt Lake, half-way to Sturgis from LA. From Salt Lake to Bonneville Salt Flats it's another 65 miles.
Our trip from LA to Bonneville, off the 15 and up the 93, taking the 316 direct route around Cathedral Gorge and the Snake Range, into Ely and then catching 93A into Wendover, covered about 650-675 total miles. Great roads, and we rolled into the grimy town of Wendover on the edge of Bonneville, the Great Salt Lake and the home of the Anola Gay airfield in the late afternoon. We arrived Saturday afternoon, to the hoots of the Chop N Grind Racing team from 16 Palms, California. They arrived a day early and set up. By the time we arrived, afternoon winds kicked up and we couldn't risk a trip to the salt.
Sunday morning, we rolled to the salt, checked in, then rumbled for five miles out to the pit area on uncomfortable salty surfaces, including a stretch of nasty potholes the size and depth of sauce pans. Was it a brackish sign?
Berry Wardlaw made a point, on bad Delta flights, to haul back a saline chunk the size of a shoebox. He snatched the salty souvenir in 1989 when he came to watch the Easyriders Team run Bob George's Streamliner for a record. The next year we broke the Motorcycle Streamliner World Land Speed Record. I was on the Easyriders' Team supported by our readers, and Bob George taught me engine building in the early '70s before I worked for Easyriders. Keith Ruxton was the engine builder and the crew chief during '89 and '90 attempts. Our final speed was 321 mph for a world record that endured for 16-years.
Sunday we unloaded the Assalt Weapan from the fun mover, checked her over and rolled her to tech. It was terrific to see other builders, but the controversy began when Jay Allen was asked to cut his Wink Eller fairing to pass tech. There's a set of obscure rules that vary from one sanctioning body to another. Racing rules are governed by three entities, AMA, SCTA and FIM. The Bub's meet recognizes the AMA rules, Speed Week and El Mirage are controlled by the SCTA (Southern California Timing Association) and FIM is the European Sanctioning body.
They're all reasonable groups with rules that don't always fit, so the tech teams got together and decided we had to cut our rear panels some, to adhere. We were scrutinized harder this time and nerves frayed as we wondered what the judges were whispering about.
As we stood around biting our nails Valerie Thompson, our Pilot, and #3 in her division of Destroyer Drag racing arrived and was introduced to the Assalt Weapan for the first time. We built the bike to her specifications, but could never get her to come to LA for a fit, due to her harried schedule. We had the tech guys breathing down our necks and Valerie didn't fit. She couldn't reach the rear pegs comfortably, the grips were too large and the bars out of reach.
Team members yanked on the bars to pull them back to suit Valerie, and we broke off the only hydraulic brake line on the bike from the handlebars to the rear PM caliper. The team, consisting up of Nyla, Jeremiah, Berry Wardlaw, his girlfriend Gypsy (a biker build-off winner), Berry's partner Duffy and his wife Kim, Dr. Hamster – Christian Reichardt, Gene Koch, Hiwayman from Bikernet, and his riding partner Marc, along with yours truly, started clamoring for ideas.
Anxiety was high and we sensed a looming pressure to please Val, the judges and get out and make a pass. I had the bike tech'd twice before completion by a much respected SCTA official, who rode to Wilmington and inspected the Assalt Weapan. Tom Evans felt it met the SCTA rules, because 180 degrees of rear wheel showed. But the name, Tom Evans, didn't mean anything to this tech crew. I shut my mouth and waited.
Hiwayman and Marc rode 540 miles the previous day to arrive on time, and we were going to race, hell or high water. Eric Bennett, from Bennett's performance offered a replacement brake line, but it was too short, by an inch. We scrambled to the timing tower and a call went out. In short order, we had a line and Duffy's tool-carrying motor home packed a brake-bleeding syringe. Dennis Manning, of Bubs, the man who currently owns the Motorcycle World Land speed record, at 342 mph, supplied us with fittings.
“You better walk away,” Berry told me as they hack sawed corners our of our carefully designed rear panels. It was a heart breaker, but we came to run, no matter what. Larry Petrie, from the notorious Chop N Grind crew told me wise words regarding Valerie and the bike. “I haven't ridden my race bike in a year and it feels awkward,” he said. “She needs to get use to it.”
I passed the supportive words onto Valerie, and she kept trying the position. Berry, Jeremiah and Duffy buffeted the stock pegs with padding for a 1.5-inch closer reach. That didn't work. Val would work with what she had. Then the FIM official approached and complained about the peg placement. If I had to hear another word about the pegs, I was going to explode, but I remained calm on the exterior.
He was kind, but went off to confer with other officials and the rulebook. I checked that aspect several times; especially after the Chop N Grind team came to the Bikernet Headquarters and threatened to snitch me off, if I didn't move the pegs. I checked the rulebook once more. For Special Construction bikes the rule calls for pegs to be within 6 inches of the rear axle. I was cool–I thought.
Nick Roberts, of Nick's Performance and Amsoil, a 5-Ball racing sponsor, cut the AW panels with a hacksaw, and sliced peg notions continued to fly around our pit area. I maintained my cool, but after a solid year of building and research, I hurt inside. I pressed for making a pass in her current state.
We readied to make an practice run, the scrutinizing team came into our tent checked the panels, blessed the Assalt Weapan and looked for Val. This year her drag racing boots didn't cut it. She scoured the pits for another set of boots and Laura klock had an extra pair.
We heard Chris Carr, the fastest man on a motorcycle, just won the Illinois Spring Mile and was pumped to break his record on the salt. A buzz of salt fever filled the sun-baked air as we scrambled to disassemble our pit in the early evening wind and ready ourselves for the World's Fastest Wedding on the salt.
The reverend was our own official 5-Ball Racing Photographer, Scooter. Brian and Laura Klock were married on the salt in front of a Hamster gang gathering and Salt racers. The day was complete and we were ready for a pass with a very tentative pilot, but we didn't move the goddamn pegs.
Monday:
Monday morning ushered in a beautiful stellar day on the salt. Bonneville is like traveling to the moon, 65 square miles of flat brine. At dusk you could lose your way and never be found. During the day it's a vast photo studio with a crystalline white base and pure blue skies. In the afternoon threatening clouds approach like tropical thunderstorms over a small Pacific island. They color the sky in the distance and become gray and ominous as they approach, then wind kicks up, until all racing shuts down, tents flap and we clamor into an emergency teardown mode.
This bright blue morning kicked off with the Ack Attack, dual Hyabusa streamliner, making a sunrise run on the 11-mile course, for a 350 mph pass. At the two-mile marker their braking chutes deployed inadvertently and yanked the streamliner off course.
Shortly thereafter a run- whatcha-brung contestant crashed on the short course and an ambulance was called. Reports from the field indicated treachery on the salt, “It's like running on ice,” a racer testified.
We unwrapped the Assalt Weapan at 8:00 a.m. and prepared for a trial run on the run-whatcha-brung 3-mile track. Jeremiah was late again. The crap tables and roulette wheels got the best of him. Rex Harrison, Valerie's boyfriend and professional drag racing crewmember began to calibrate our AIM sports “Spanish Inquisition” system. It was European made and set to run on metric programs. Everything I purchased, I purchased twice. We needed it to read speed, rpms, exhaust temps and oil pressure.
Berry hauled along a barometer and air density meter, plus a calculator that told us the actual altitude based on these factors. He figured the air density equated to 6568 feet when the actual altitude was 4660. Not good for high-speed runs, but he jetted the bike accordingly. According to Rex's GPS we were dancing at 4224 feet and breathing hard.
Duffy brought his motor home containing more tools than I stuffed into a borrowed tool chest, and began checking the pushrods. Berry double-checked the ignition timing. Jeremiah chased an oil supply. We were sponsored by Nick's Performance who supplied us with three cases of Amsoil, which I left in the shop. We were told there was an Amsoil dealer on site, but we never found one. We borrowed one quart from the Chop N Grind maniacs next door.
For the first pass we installed 4164 Autolite plugs, called the 200 mph duct tape crew to order and put them to work. The padded pegs didn't work for Val. The generator exhaust from the motor home was killing crewmembers under the tent and we moved Duffy's motor home to create wind protection. It had its benefits and drawbacks, but at 12:45 we fired the Assalt Weapan to life, switched Big Boar batteries, put the other one on the charger and checked the oil pressure, which started at 24 and dropped to 18 pounds, when the engine warmed. We checked the oil tank cap and it was loose. Jeremiah fixed it.
Berry timed the bike at 35 degrees before TDC at 2000 rpms. Jeremiah found the original timing mark on the belt pulley. Rex set one idiot light on the dash to come on if the oil pressure dropped below 10 pounds and set a shift light to come on at 6,200 rpms, to warn Val to shift. We checked the tire pressure. The Nate shaved tires were full of nitrogen and read 36 in the front and 38 in the rear.
Val straddled the Assalt Weapan for her first run at 1:45. We fixed the uncomfortable throttle angle, but the pegs were still a problem. She wanted a test ride, but at the riders' meetings in the morning, officials warned against riding anywhere except on the tracks. It was as if it snowed the night before and there was 6 inches of soft treacherous salt anywhere off the tracks.
Jeremiah became a master of peg pushing the Assalt Weapan. He peg-pushed Valerie a couple of times in the pits, then up to the run-whatcha-brung staging area for the first trial pass at 2:50 p.m. We noticed an oil leak, but made our pass at 4:15 at 143.5 mph. Val seemed to blend with the bike and begin to understand the design characteristics, but the salt conditions robbed her confidence with the track.
The data acquisition system began to work as Rex pulled much needed info off the dash with a cable lead to Berry's computer. Val never exceeded 5400 rpms. We figured at 4800 rpms she hit her top mark of 143 mph and Berry figured we were at 7275 altitude based on air density. “The best air is at sunrise,” Berry explained. “The air density robs oxygen.”
“It's all 8th grade biology,” said the Whizzer man from the pit crew across from us. “Air is created by greenery and there's nothing green here in this pocket of nothingness.”
Tuesday
The next morning we hit the salt at 8:00 again and the line for the short International Course was long and foreboding, but our crew was anxious to unwrap the Weapan and get in line.
SIDEBAR: BONNEVILLE TEAM MEMBER ESCAPES THE FLATS AFTER MISHAP– We were on the salt and ready to rock. We had lots of new faces, all anxious to help us make the next pass. The bike, positioned on the lowered Kendon Lift, was covered with towels and tarps lashed down with bungie cords, but there were also a couple of straps holding the bike to the lift. A new member snapped a secure strap and over the bike went. It happens to all of us who work on bikes, sooner or later and more than once. Generally, any bike can take it, and so did the Assalt Weapan.
Here's Ian's story:
Well, I'm back home again, as are you by now, I would imagine. I wanted to drop you a line, and tell you, Nyla, how much I appreciated your phone calls to me after I left the flats. They really did help me when I was down. It is hard to describe what happened out there, but suffice to say, I was sick to my stomach when the Assalt weapon hit the ground. I mean, it's not like layin' your buddy's Fat boy down, this was a bike I had watched come together all year on the Internet with great interest, and even sent a few measly bucks in to help out with the project.
I watched eagerly every week waiting to see what Bandit had done since the last report, and was never disappointed. I had planned all year on trying to make it down there, and when it looked as though it was actually going to happen, I was like a kid in a candy store.
I packed up the E glide, and hit the road. Had a few episodes on the 1000-mile trip down there, but had a hoot the whole way, then got to meet a bunch of celebrities that I have seen on the tube many times, and actually going out to dinner with the team was too much. Then I was invited to the pits, and to help out? No way. Too much, so after I was there for about 3 minutes, and proceeded to dump the reason for the whole deal on the deck, whilst hearing the screaming voices of all within earshot, my stomach was inside out. No matter how many times Berry W. told me it was no big deal, it was a big fuckin' deal to me….
I have no idea what the hell was going through my head as I was undoing that tie-down strap, as I have done it a thousand times, but it is done, and that's that.
I went for a walk on the salt, and tried to collect myself, but to no avail. I decided then and there, there was no way I was going to be able to hang out at the 5-Ball pit area and have a good time, so there was no reason for me to hang around at all. I thumbed a ride back to the nugget, from a friend of Chris Carr, Bub's pilot. Good guy.
I packed up my glide, and hit the road. As you know, nothing clears the head like a long ride in no particular direction. A couple of hundred miles later, I checked my messages, and there you were, Nyla, and Hiway, telling me everything was cool and to come back. I called my wife and told her what happened, and she said, “Get your ass back there.” She and you were both right, but by then the weather had really taken a shitty turn, and riding back in to the eye of the storm, to face you guys, just didn't sound appealing.
I do wish I could have worked up the nerve to just come back to say sorry man, but I was long gone, both mentally, and physically. Anyway, I am sorry for any grief over the whole thing.
I hope your trip home went well and congrats on the award at the salt. Hopefully, your friend.
The Assalt Weapan was fine, built to withstand anything we shot at it. We waited for hours to make a pass. Jay Allen, of the Broken Spoke Fame ran 184 mph on his rigid FXR with a Wink Eller Fairing. He was shooting for over 200 mph with his stock 124-inch S&S engine. Laura Klock made her first pass with engine problems unsuccessfully, but her daughter made a Buell pass shooting for 100 mph, and she came close to setting a record.
Roger Goldammer fought EFI problems with tuning and slippery salt. He wasn't pleased. A weather front raced at us, and Dennis Manning broke his streamliner at the second mile marker, while 35 racers waited in line for the short course. He regrouped and headed back to the liner starting gate for another pass, but the inclement weather loomed large.
We finally made our first pass at 1:05 after tightening everything in the morning. Val never kicked that bastard out of 4th gear, but we still ran 152 mph. “I never felt 5th gear,” Val said but she shot a rooster tail of salt throughout the timed mile.
The rear tire was slipping badly, maybe 20 percent.
We were second to the last bike to run. Behind us the stealth silver flathead itched for a chance, but the weather denied it. We dashed back to the impound yard, checked in and had the engine sealed before returning to our pit area. We discovered a possible intake leak, light detonation on the rear plugs and one cracked weld on the chain guard.
Barry discovered a broken plastic feed line to a nitrous connection. These plastic lines are bullshit and we will run more substantial lines in the future. Berry reset the timing and Nyla made us sandwiches, then the rain and wind came. We lowered the pop-up tent and huddled under it. The wind whistled and the rain drove at us, but we kept working under the tent, hoping it would dry up and we could make another pass.
The rain and wind flurries tore the Chop N Grind tents down. We sheltered the Troll family, who rode out to Bonneville to get caught in this goddamn downpour. Teams tore down and escaped, but we stayed on, hoping for a weather break that never came. During a precipitation lull we loaded the Assalt Weapan in the back of the Fun Mover and hid from the driving rain and wind inside, until we could make a dash for the hotel. Another day down and only two remaining.
June 7, 2007 Part 5
By Bandit |
Continued From Page 4
JAMMER RETRO DRILLED BRASS TAILLIGHT–Here’s a brand new version of the retro “Drilled” taillight that features a brass housing instead of the original billet housing. Goes great with the other brass items that Jammer offers, and really sets off a retro ride.
The taillight is 12-volt, dual filament with license plate illumination and an integral mounting/license plate bracket. It measures 2-3/4″ wide x 1-1/4″ deep. Created by the Easyriders crew in Tokyo, Japan! Arigato Mina-san? Edo!
Jammer #632590 Retro “Drilled” Brass 12-Volt Taillight _ $195.95 Retail
ROT REPORT FROM TEXAS–What a difference a year makes that is a Shovel welded to the back, too bad.It was a really clean bike.
–RFR
BUELL MOTORCYCLES LAUNCHED IN URUGUAY–In 1993, Erik Buell, a former engineer at Harley-Davidson, designed the Buell motorcycle with sport bike enthusiasts in mind. Today, Buell Motorcycle Company, owned by Harley-Davidson, continues to grow and expand into new markets. On May 3, 2007, in Montevideo, Uruguay, Harley-Davidson and future Buell dealership, Oversil S.A., held a launch event where Buell motorcycles were unveiled to potential customers and press.
Buell decided to enter Uruguay because the dealership’s General Manager, Andres Soler, saw a great potential for the motorcycle brand in his market.
DEAL OF THE WEEK–I got a buddy who has a 4 speed kick tranny that iskinda worked, wants $300 for it… Someone on Bikernethas to have a used 5-speed or something for JohnnyWhite right? Can you put the word out in the news sowe can can get him set up?
–Ken
(970)227-3588
DEAL OF THE WEEK 2–Here’s the EBAY link, lost my job and need to sell what I can to stay afloat. Reserve is set low: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150130492607
–Pan
TOP HATTERS THREATEN TO KICK THE PROMOTERS ASS IN HOLLISTER THIS YEAR–Seth Doulton convinces two of the original Top Hatters to break out their original colors for this years 60th anniversary Hollister Motorcycle Rally. Harry Lee Prater on the left and Johnny Lomanto on the right visited with Seth this week and shared stories of riding and racing in the ’30s and ’40s .
Harry 84 and Johnny 80 still remember that 4th of July in 1947 like it was yesterday. Both agreed that the original Top Hatters were a classy bunch of racers and by the look of their sweaters they were. Johnny got a ticket on that first day for a hand full of BS, like taillight mounting and plate wrong, etc. Things have not changed much. Bail on the ticket was 35 dollars. The hourly wage was 15 cents then. If you spot these two young guys make it a point to get their stories! You won’t be sorry.
See you in Hollister ! Long live the legends !
Horse Power Promotions
ph 805.686.2007
fax 805.686.0890
H-D DEMO EVENT OF THE YEAR AT ALL NEW SUBURBAN HARLEY-DAVIDSON–Want a chance to test ride every Harley-Davidson in the fleet, this weekend? We’ll you’re in luck. The Official Harley-Davidson Demo-Truck will be at The All New Suburban Harley-Davidson on Saturday, June 9th and Sunday, June 10th. This is a once in a lifetime chance to ride any Harley you want. See for yourself what everyone’s talking about.
Feel the power of the new 96″ engineExperience the 6-speed transmissionTry out every model
The entire weekend will be something to talk about. We’ll also have:
Awesome sales
Free food & drinks
Free raffles
Unbeatable bike deals
Like $0 Money Down & 2.9% Interest
Instant, on-site financing available
& tons of other great stuff going on at Suburban Harley-Davidson
Everyone’s Invited, So Grab Your Friends & Come Out this Weekend!
& This Friday Night, June 8th at 6pm…Ride with your friends & support a great cause.The 1st Annual VietNow Sandwich RunJune 8th at 6pmat The All New Suburban H-D.
$20 per person
Awesome 1-of-a-kind night ride!
Some great stops along the route!
Huge party party at Lamplighter’s in downtown Palatine to wrap up the evening!
Proceeds benefit the VietNow Homeless Sandwich
Run – An organization dedicated to feeding
Chicagoland’s homeless veterans.
We’ll Beat Any Bike Deal in Chicagoland!
MO’ WILD EXHAUST FROM STREETWALKER–That’s the Ruleteras on top and the W-Bends under. Terry and the Envy Cycle Crew really know how to build a killer set of pipes. Plus they keep ’em stock, so you don’t have to wait around. See the story about Terry’s latest bike on the home page.
RICK FROM U.S. CHOPPERS CHECKS, BOARDTRACK FRAMES ON LINE–Just hung up the phone with Ron Paugh, the big chief at Paughco. Word has it the shop at Paughco is pumped up on taking our boardtrack frame into full production. I was sent a secret photo with our first production frame, in jig, ready to be welded. Wow! It looks sweet- they did a knockout job. I can send some photos later, but I simply can’t put Ron Paugh’s production secrets at jeopardy. This guy has the business wired.
I remember not long ago, I took a trip…… a 23 hour turn around run, I recall…….. with a 6’5″ guy who was making dents with his knee caps into my glove box on the way to Paughco’s headquarters in Carson City, Nevada. I think his name was Bandit. Anyway, this guy carried such a presence that I think he influenced Ron’s decision to run production on our frames. Our frames are definitely not your typical frame and most manufacturers shrink away from the task. The cost involved to go into tooling, jigs, etc weighs heavy on a large manufacturers decision scale.
As we endeavored to look for a new manufacturer who could meet our demands and also our price constraints, we found most American manufacturers to be very shy about attempting a new design. Paughco embraced the idea with enthusiasm. You see, behind the helm of Paughco lies a man who is a true enthusiast. His enthusiasm for producing great American made products comes across during our business discussions.
We knew we had a fit. I had more than enough confidence in Paughco and crew. Heck, just walking through their production facility was enough to wind a marathon man. It was impressive to see the size and scale of the facilities- no small potatoes to be found here. No wonder Ron said ” Anything you want, I can do. ……no problem…..”
Now just weeks later we are about to receive our first frame. Much respect goes out to Ron Paugh; it’s seldom that a man says what he will do, and then delivers on the money – no extra words.
With a name like “U.S. Choppers” you can’t exactly produce your items overseas- it would be a slap in the face to everyone who fought so hard to build this country. However, manufacturing has become difficult to compete with lesser developed countries giving away labor and the American consumer giving in to cheap items and lower cost. We have to strive to find a balance between quality and cost. I believe joining with Paughco can help us to achieve this delicate balance, but as always our main premise is “quality first.”
For you folks who have been patiently awaiting our new frames, rest assured, they will start coming into the door next week. Give us a call and get your deposits in early as our first batch is almost all pre-sold. We have tanks, fenders, seats and performance wheels in stock to meet any of your needs.
–Rick Krost
U.S. Choppers
2039 S. Lyon St
Santa Ana, CA 92705
714-546-4699
Appointments Only Please
http://www.uschopper.com/
SUCKER PUNCH-BIKERNET.COM AND HOT BIKE BUILDING A BIKE FOR A VET–Bike building?.Jeez what a task it is turning out to be. In a perfect world, everything would fit together easily and without any modification. The bikes however, seem to have a mind of their own. As many know, I am building a Sucker Punch Sally bad-as-hell scooter for my Iraq Veteran brother, Joey.
With the patience of many, the build is coming together well, but I am still under the gun. Sturgis is less than two months away, and I am feeling the days crashing down on me. I am confident the build will be a success and I will be able to unveil it at the rally as planned?but we will have to wait and see. Everytime I get into trouble, I call the big guy and cry like a bitch. He usually listens for a few minutes before slapping me around and whipping my sorry ass into shape.
?Remember the Code?the build will prevail. No sniveling!? he reminded me before downing a fifth of Jack.
So here she is?coming together slowly but steadily. I think it?s looking bitchin! Be sure to check out Hot Bike in the coming months for the detailed build. Once published in Hot Bike, hang onto your ass, because you will get the most in-depth build this site has ever seen?I guarantee it. Until next time?
–Humble Johnny
Houston, Texas
THERE IT IS, DA THURSDAY NEWS–Let’s see what we have in store for Bikernet readers, listeners and viewers. We’re working with Paul Platts at JIMS Machine on a series of Tool Techs and we may sell some JIMS tools on Bikernet in the near future. Next week we’re upgrading an electric-start 4-speed Shovel with a Rivera/Primo 6-speed and belt primary, new clutch and late model starter system-killer upgrade for all Shovels. The following week we’re installing a gear driven cam set into my 2003 King, with a new S&S cam.
This Chica bike will be featured shortly from Peter Linney. We have a serious line-up features and Johnny White is flying to Kansas to road test Big Dogs and bring you the skinny inside the shop. Rogue is going to road test on of the new Rucker/Rossmeyer Enforcer Road Kings featured on the home page. And tomorrow I will get started on another Bonneville bike Assalt Weapan Update. Hang on.
Two Girls of Bikernet are headed to the Cantina, more book chapters and Chris Kallas just sent me a strange Digital Discovery. You’ll have to tell us what the hell it is. Plus, if you’re lucky I’ll have a report on the 29 Palms Veteran Event with the Sucker Punch Sally crew tonight. Hang on, I’ve still got a Margarita coming.
Ride Forever,
–Bandit
June 7, 2007 Part 4
By Bandit |
Continued From Page 3
HARLEY-DAVIDSON ROAD TOUR AT THE LACONIA MOTORCYCLE RALLY–Free. It’s the best word to describe all the activities available to enthusiasts during the Harley-Davidson Road Tour at the Laconia Motorcycle Rally, June 13-17 in Laconia, N.H. Free events include:
New Product Display featuring Harley-Davidson motorcycles, MotorClothes and Genuine Parts and Accessories.
The Harley-Davidson Traveling Museum.
Harley-Davidson and Buell motorcycles demo rides.
Live music and entertainment.
H-D Beef Jerky samples.
Commemorate pin pick-up at the Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.) pin stop. For H.O.G. members only.
RED NECK LOVE POEM
SUSIE LEE DONE FELL IN LOVE;
SHE PLANNED TO MARRY JOE
SHE WAS SO HAPPY ‘BOUT IT ALL
SHE TOLD HER PAPPY SO.
PAPPY TOLD HER, SUSIE GAL,
YOU’LL HAVE TO FIND ANOTHER.
I’D JUST AS SOON YO’ MA DON’T KNOW,
BUT JOE IS YO’ HALF BROTHER.
SO SUSIE PUT ASIDE HER JOE
AND PLANNED TO MARRY WILL,
BUT AFTER TELLING PAPPY THIS,
HE SAID, “THERE’S TROUBLE STILL.
YOU CAN’T MARRY WILL, MY GAL,
AND PLEASE DON’T TELL YOU’ MOTHER,
BUT WILL AND JOE, AND SEVERAL MO’
I KNOW IS YO’ HALF BROTHER.
BUT MAMA KNEW AND SAID, MY CHILD,
JUST DO WHAT MAKES YO’ HAPPY.
MARRY WILL OR MARRY JOE.
YOU AIN’T NO KIN TO PAPPY
–from Rik Savenko
BIKENET CORRESPONDENT TRAVELS TO SWEDEN TO COVER SHOW–Just got home from another killer show in Sweden.Got loads of pix from the show as well as feature shoots on five bikes.
I got a custom Weslake racer built by Mats Olofsson, the swedish Mike Lichter. A traditional Swedish long bike from Finland, the first place winner is a reproduction of a vintage board thrac racer with some really inovative modern touches, the Second place bike was the only Harley to place in the top three and has great attention to detail including a remote control opening right side gas tank that housed the blower and battery box it was made by a shop just outside of Amsterdam.
I also got a cool restoration of a 1952 Triumph Thunderbird
I’m gonna take a few days to recover from the party then I’ll start banging out features.Here are some shots of the top two winners and a few of the other bikes I shot for features.
One of the Twin Club guys is planning a trip to Cali in either November or December and asked me to find out for him what, if any, events are going on at that time so he can plan his vacation around them. Would you please let me know what’s cooking out there around that time so I can pass along the info to him?
I’ll get some features to you as soon as I sort through the photos and get to writing them up.
–TBear
EAST SIDE MOTO MALL GRAND OPENING”Friday, Saturday, and Sunday June 8th, 9th and 10th.Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, Grand Opening, and Super Sunday.Motorcycle Complex Open House and Outdoor Motorcycle Flea Market.Food, Drink, and Music at East Side Bar & Grill (across the street).
In Concert at the East Side Bar and Grill ?Friday, June 8th – 5pm till close – T.C.- (Acoustic Classic Rock).Saturday, June 9th ? 12 noon till 5pm – T.C. – (Acoustic Classic Rock).6pm till 9pm ? X-Caliber Band ? (Classic Rock).10pm till close – Sundown Band (Classic Southern Rock)Super Sunday, June 10th – 12noon till 4pm ? The Red Eye Band- (Blues Band).1pm till 3pm ? WPDH 101.5 Live Broadcast.5pm till 9pm – Sundown Band (Classic Southern Rock).
The East Side Moto Mall Facility was built with One Vision in Mind Customer Service. Besides Service and Repairs, anyone can come in and sit down with one of our Trained Custom Designers and create a one of a kind Custom Motorcycle.
The possibilities are endless with the Mall having a full service Machine Shop, Welding, Metal Polishing, Powder Coating, Sandblasting, Custom Graphics, Custom Paint, and Upholstery.
The East Side Moto Mall and The East Side Bar and Grill are Family Owned and Operated; located on State Route 52 across from each other between Rock Cut Road in Newburgh, N.Y. and St. Andrews Road in Walden, N.Y.
When you come in, besides being taken by it?s Modern Artistic Architecture, you will feel a Comfortable – (NO PRESSURE) Relaxed Friendly Atmosphere ready to answer any of your technical questions.
2WHEELERS DEAL OF THE WEEK–Spoiled Rotten little girls shirt , made in USA. $ 14.95 Sizes 2/4 =6/8. Don’t miss it.
BIKERNET ITALIAN CULTURAL SEMINAR–Maria had just gotten married, and being a traditional Italian she was still a virgin. On her wedding night, staying at her mother’s house, she was very nervous.
Her mother reassured her. “Don’t worry, Maria, Tony’s a good man. Go upstairs and he’ll take care of you. Meanwhile, I’ll be making pasta.”
So, up Maria went. When she got upstairs, Tony took off his shirt and exposed his hairy chest.
Maria ran downstairs to her mother and says, “Mama, Mama, Tony’s got a big hairy chest.”
“Don’t worry, Maria,” said her mother, “All good men have hairy chests. Go upstairs. He’ll take good care of you.”
So, up she went again. When she got up in the bedroom, Tony took off his pants exposing his hairy legs.
Again, Maria ran downstairs to her mother. “Mama, Mama, Tony took off his pants and he’s got hairy legs!”
“Don’t worry! All good men have hairy legs. Tony’s a good man. Go upstairs and he’ll take good care of you.”
So, up she went again. When she got there, Tony took off his socks and on his left foot he was missing three toes.
When Maria saw this, she ran downstairs. “Mama, Mama, Tony’s got a foot and a half!”
“Here,” Mama said, “Stay here and stir the pasta.”
–from Art F.
SHOTGUN AIR RIDE SYSTEMSOFTAIL INSTALL SPECIAL!You’ve wanted an air ride on your Softail bike for a long time, but you’ve been putting it off. Well, your wait is over! Come into LifeStyle Cycles today and get the ride of a lifetime! The Shotgun Air Ride system is in stock and ready to be installed on your motorcycle.
Through the month of June, you can get this system installed on your 1989 through 1999 Harley Davidson Softail motorcycle for only $1,799.95 (not including tax).
Don’t delay, this offer is only good through the month of June, 2007.
CALL LIFESTYLE CYCLES SERVICE DEPT.
(714) 490-0155
JAMMER UNIVERSAL EXHAUST BUILDER’S KIT–A selection of pre-fabbed 1-3/4″ tubing, header flanges and exhaust tips that puts the art of custom exhaust building in your hands! Each kit includes: two 16-inch-long (350mm) straight sections, two 3.5-inch radius (90mm) U-bends with Panhead flanges (flanges not shown in picture), two 5-inch radius (134mm) U-bends with STD 3-hole flanges (flanges not shown in picture), two Evolution cylinder flanges, two Shovelhead cylinder flanges, two Ironhead cylinder flanges and two pinched tips.
Everything needed to build a set of pipes for one bike, with enough scraps left over to start on another! Simply cut/weld as required, using the flanges that fit your engine. Finish them off with the exhaust wrap also featured in the Exhaust section for a bad-ass look!
Kit does not include mounting brackets, clamps, snap rings and exhaust flange collars for Evo’s, which are offered separately. Raw steel. From our buddies Magoo & Chris at Biltwell, Inc.
Jammer #632735 Universal Exhaust Builders Kit _ $169.95 Retail
SCREAMIN’ EAGLE RACERS SET TO HELP LAUNCH SUMMER MEALS PROGRAM FOR MILWAUKEE AREA KIDS–MILWAUKEE (June 4, 2007) – As soon as the NHRA event at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill., is finished, the Screamin’ Eagle racing team will be quick to pack up and make the quick drive to Milwaukee.
Their AMA Flat Track teammates will be waiting and they all have work to do when Monday rolls around.
There will be plenty of lunch to be served on Monday (June 11) and the Screamin’ Eagle racers will be the ones serving it.
Harley-Davidson Motor Company and its factory-supported riders are going to be at Milwaukee’s Bethune Academy (1535 N 35th St, Milwaukee) to help kick off the Fueling Young Minds Summer Meal program. Fueling Young Minds provides free meals for Milwaukee area children throughout the summer.
Spurred by a $125,000 grant from the Harley-Davidson Foundation, the award-winning Fueling Young Minds summer meals program will feed meals to low-income children at more than 200 Milwaukee locations this summer, as well as provide dinner at 25 area schools. Harley-Davidson partners with the Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Public Schools and other non-profits in the public-private collaborative.
“Providing access to nutritious summer meals remains a high priority, and Harley-Davidson is committed to helping ensure that Milwaukee’s children receive healthy meals in safe, supervised locations,” said Harley-Davidson Foundation Manager Mary Anne Martiny. “We all have a responsibility to these children and to the community. The Harley-Davidson Foundation takes this responsibility very seriously.”
Andrew Hines, three-time NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Motorcycle champion, is anxious to help launch another great year of Fueling Young Minds. He and teammate Eddie Krawiec will race at Route 66 Raceway this weekend (June 7-10) before heading off to Milwaukee.
Defending AMA GNC Twins champion, Screamin’ Eagle factory rider Kenny Coolbeth, will be joined by his Wrecking Crew teammates Jared Mees, Bryan Smith and Joe Kopp.
“I think it’s great that I can do anything to help the next generation of children,” Hines said. “It’s so important that we give back to the community and it’s even more important that kids have good, healthy food to eat. I’m proud that my sponsor in racing is so involved with helping kids.”
Fueling Young Minds started in 2004 but Harley-Davidson Racing Manager Anne Paluso said that while this is the first time the race teams have been involved, it won’t be the last time the riders get involved with such a valuable cause.
More than 2 million meals have been served to Milwaukee children since the program’s inception in 2004. Parents, caregivers and neighbors can find out more about the nearest free meal site by calling the Milwaukee area IMPACT community service line by dialing 211.
The Screamin’ Eagle NHRA and AMA race teams will be at Bethune Academy on June 11 starting at 11 a.m.
NEW SPORTSTER COMING TO THE REPORTS PAGE–Can I submit directly to The Sportster Reports page?If “yes,” I can follow up with copy and additional pics about my build.Check out the 40 mm shell casings that I used for “megaphones.” Lots of other hand-fab, one-off stuff on this bike.
–John
Monterey, CA
You need to send it to me for editing and coding before it’s launched into the vast Bikernet Sportster Archives. I’ve got a question. I see the shell casings for the mufflers, but what about the pink chain? That’s against the code of the west.–Bandit
That chain is red, red, red! I guess I better shoot some better images.
–John
METRIC THUNDER FINDS NEW LOCATION–After 4 years in our current location, Metric Thunder is relocating its showroom, warehouse and office facilities as of June 18, 2007. The new space is a bit larger and will offer street traffic exposure along with signage. We will become more local customer friendly with a larger showroom, more parking spaces and easier to find.
Our new warehouse is also designed to accommodate significant growth and process streamlining improvements. Please note the following change of address, effective June 18, 2007:
Metric Thunder
307 Taft Ave #A
Orange CA, 92865
Our phone/fax numbers, email addresses and online store URL will remain unchanged.
–Bob Osias
Metric Thunder
Motorcycle Parts & Accessories
1411 N. Batavia #107
Orange, CA 92867
(714) 744-8900
BIKERS AND BOATERS COME TOGETHER–Bikers and boaters share a common attraction to horsepower and the feeling of the wind in their faces, as they enjoy the freedom of the road and water.
On June 9, bikers and boaters at Lake Winnipesaukee will share another bond-the interest in raising money for the Laconia Fire Dept. Life Saving Fund, in the memory of two fondly remembered locals, Peter Makris and Mark Miller. Makris was well-known as the amicable and loved Patriarch of the NASWA Resort, while Miller was known as a dedicated fire fighter, father and husband. While mourning their loss, we hope this fund raising event will keep their spirits alive and help others in the community.
Spread the word about this exciting Bike and Boat, Ride and Run Around the Lake on Saturday, June 9, starting and ending at the NASWA Resort.
Best always, Marilyn DeMartini for Extreme Boats Magazine and The Peter Makris Memorial Fund
–Marilyn DeMartini, Inc.
954-564-7234, 954-564-7928 fax
954–649-4904 cell
dmartiniup@comcast.net
www.marilyndemartini.com
Continued On Page 5
June 7, 2007 Part 3
By Bandit |
Continued From Page 2
JANUARY-MARCH MOTORCYCLE MAGAZINE REPORT–Here is some newsstand dealer, draw and sale information showing how American Iron Magazine compares to other Harley-oriented magazines.
Please note these are for US newsstand only, and are comparing Jan-March 2006 to the same issues in 2007.
# Stores— 2006— 2007— Difference
American Iron— 40,186 — 35,510— -11.6%
V-Twin — 29,200— 27,180— -6.9%
Hot Bike— 25,902— 18,357 — -23.4%
Ironworks— 12,929— 10,194— -21.2%
Even with a 12% decline in stores, American Iron continues to dominate the number of stores displaying copies. Hot Bike and IronWorks are low and getting lower in the number of stores carrying copies for sale
Copies Distributed-2006-2007–Difference
American Iron–773,169– 569,951– -22.3%
V-Twin– 480,310– 333,344 — -30.6%
Hot Bike– 418,059– 327,888– -38.0%
Ironworks–137,750– 88,069– -36.1%
American Iron reduced copies shipped by 22%, significantly less then the other magazines in both units and percentages of total. Total Copies Sold, three months– 2006-2007– Difference
American Iron–180,745– 173,521– -4.0%
V-Twin–136,355– 92,565– -32.1%
Hot Bike–150,360– 87,172– -30.4%
Ironworks–34,577– 25,566– -26.1%
American Iron Magazine is relatively flat with a small loss of only 4%, while V-Twin, Hot Bike and IronWorks are all down at least 25% or more in sales.
–Buzz Kantor
We asked about Easyriders?–Bandit
All numbers are dropping on newsstand magazines – all categories, not just motorcycles. Our distributor is collecting sales trends on more titles, which I hope to have in a week or two. These numbers they collect on a regular basis.
I understand Easyriders is really hurting on newsstand sales, but we’ll have to wait to find out.
–Buzz
I received these numbers yesterday from Buzz Kantor the publisher of American Iron. He’s done a helluva job with his book. Day before yesterday I received the numbers for Bikernet in May. We received 335,000 folks who came to our site, our highest numbers ever. Our readers visited Bikernet.com 650,000 times, for 1 million page views and 10 million hits. Our numbers are up over 300 percent over the last four years.
From January to March 2006 we had 768,000 unique users and during the same time period in 2007 we’ve had 861,000 readers for an 11 percent increase.
Thanks to our readers and contributors, babes and Jack Daniels we continue to grow.-Bandit
KIDS AND CHROME BANQUET SELLING OUT FAST–Let your people know that we are selling tickets FAST and can only seat 425 people. We have approximately 150 left at this time.
Pepper
Executive Director, Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame
605.347.2001
999 Main Street, Sturgis, SD 57785
fax 605.720.0632
GARY N. SELLERS FREEDOM FIGHTER OF THE YEAR–It gives me GREAT pleasure to announce to all of you that Gary N. Sellers has been OFFICIALLY inducted into the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame for 2007! Gary will be the SOLE recipient of the Freedom Fighter Award for 2007! While the selection committee had the option of inducting up to three people from the U.S. and one Internationally, they have decided that Gary will be the ONLY inductee for 2007. What an honor to bestow on Gary for a job well done.
Take the time soon to give Gary a call ( 937-663-4954 )or drop him an E-Mail ( Thank you to those who helped honor Gary with letters of support. I hope to see all of you there this August.Honor & Respect, –Ken “Barron” Seelig MYRTLE BEACH ACTION LIVE ON BLINGMASTER.COM–We have just created a WebPage that has Pictures and Video from the 2007 Bike Week and Black Bike Week in Myrtle Beach.Go to –George Jurak” HINES AND KRAWIEC ANXIOUS FOR A CHANCE TO WIN THIS WEEKEND’S ROUTE 66 RACEWAY EVENT–MILWAUKEE (June 6, 2007) – Andrew Hines is not normally one to be patient between NHRA POWERade events. The defending three-time NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle champion is happiest when he’s at the race track, preparing to ride his Screamin’ Eagle/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson V-Rod down the quarter-mile surface. Hines, 24, also works on the V-Rods, so he can appreciate the time it takes in the shop just to make the bikes race ready and competitive. But he does have his limits. Hines and the rest of the Pro Stock Motorcycle category will rejoin the NHRA series this weekend after a month-long break. Professional qualifying for the Torco Racing Fuels Route 66 NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill., starts on Friday. “Route 66 Raceway is one of my favorite tracks on the circuit,” Hines said. “I get such a good feeling from the place when we roll in. It looks really cool, it’s the only stadium on the tour and the entire facility is just great. So I’m happy we’re finally going to race again, but just as excited about where we are racing.” Eddie Krawiec joined the Screamin’ Eagle team just before the season started. He will be making his first career appearance at Route 66 Raceway. “It’s about time we get back to the track,” Krawiec said. “I’m excited to get back on the bike and do some racing. I have heard so many great things about Route 66 Raceway that I can’t wait to check it out. A month is a long time to wait between races. I feel like when you’re just sitting at home, you get out of your race day rhythm. So I’m excited to get back on the bike and make some quick passes down the track.” Hines was the runner-up at Route 66 Raceway in 2004 and two of his 19 career No. 1 qualifying awards have been earned in Joliet (2004, ’05). He said the Screamin’ Eagle team has worked nonstop in hopes of making another final round appearance and turning that into a winner’s circle celebration. “I’ve had some success there in the past and have come close to winning but just haven’t gotten there yet,” Hines said. “Hopefully that will change soon. We’ve done lots of testing at our local track in Indy (O’Reilly Raceway Park) so we can try and figure out how to get these V-Rods off the starting line quicker. We’re trying to take baby steps toward picking up some more horsepower. “The time off has been good for us because we’ve been productive. Hopefully it will show during that first pass. We’ve accumulated some great data that we can use throughout the season but I’m anxious to get back out to a race.” Once the NHRA race is over, the Screamin’ Eagle team will travel to Milwaukee to visit Harley-Davidson headquarters. Hines and Krawiec will first be joined by their Screamin’ Eagle AMA Flat Track teammates, Kenny Coolbeth, Jared Mees, Bryan Smith and Joe Kopp to help launch a summer meals program for kids. Fueling Young Minds provides meals for kids during the summer months when school is not in session. The Screamin’ Eagle racers will be at one local school – Bethune Academy – to help kick off the program. Shortly after that the racers will be at Milwaukee Children’s hospital to pass out gift bags for the admitted child patients. On Tuesday the team will be at Harley-Davidson headquarters, greeting employees, answering questions and racing employees on the V-Rod dyno bikes that are part of the interactive Acceleration Nation display that travels to all 23 NHRA POWERade events. Qualifying for the NHRA event will start Friday with two sessions at 3:30 and 7 p.m., continuing Saturday at noon and 3 p.m. Final eliminations will begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday. All the action of the Torco Racing Fuels Route 66 NHRA Nationals can be seen on ESPN2 starting on Saturday with qualifying coverage at 5 p.m. (ET), continuing with three hours of final eliminations coverage on Sunday at 4 p.m. (ET). NHRA Race Day – a live magazine show filmed at the track – can be seen on Sunday at 11 a.m. (ET), also on ESPN2. BIKERNET PHOTO ART EXHIBIT OF THE WEEK–Sometimes you just gotta cross the line. Ride Hard NEW CHROME CENTER STAND FROM HARLEY-DAVIDSON–MILWAUKEE (April 30, 2007) – The new Chrome Center Stand (P/N 91573-06, $329.95) from Harley-Davidson Genuine Motor Accessories makes it possible to lift 1999-later Touring models upright and off the side stand for more-convenient cleaning and servicing, and also reduces the space required for parking the motorcycle. The feet are adjustable and can be set to lift the rear tire clear of the pavement, or to keep the rear tire on the ground for reduced lifting effort. The stand attaches directly to the frame, works with all original-equipment suspension and Profile lowering suspension kits, and does not reduce the bike’s lean angle on the road. The lifting lever is inconspicuously tucked away below the passenger footboard, and fits with all Harley-Davidson footboard and exhaust configurations. For additional information on Harley-Davidson Genuine Motor Accessories, see your local Harley-Davidson dealer or visit the Harley-Davidson Web site at www.harley-davidson.com. To find a dealer near you, call toll free 1-800-443-2153 in the U.S.A. or Canada. NEW GIRL OF BIKERNET COMING TO THE CANTINA–Ok Fellows here she is, ENJOY! Talked with Courtney last night he said it was cool if we used the bike because it’s already on the newsstands. This month’s issue of BIke Works. I have photos, but hell who wants to look at the bike, go buy the magazine, I would rather check out Megan!! We had the last two models flake on us… and G-spot said if the model showed and she was ugly he wasn’t going to let me use his bike. She was shy at first because there were a bunch of dudes around working on bikes, walking by every few minutes… She was cool and wants to do another shoot. SEMPER FI LAMA MEMBERS RIDE TO MILWAUKEE TO CELEBRATE 3OTH ANNIVERSARY–Approximately 100 International Latin American Motorcycle Association (LAMA) Members will ride from Chicago to Harley-Davidson’s Powertrain Operations on Capital Drive on June 18, 2007, as part of their 30th Anniversary celebration. Along the way, they will stop at Uke’s Harley-Davidson in Kenosha, Wis., where Harley-Davidson Motor Company employees will join the celebration by creating an ultimate Harley experience. LAMA Members will enjoy a reception with H-D executives such as Bill Davidson, director of motorcycle product development, as well as have chances to win prizes. Following the reception, members will ride with Harley-Davidson executives to the Harley-Davidson Powertrain Operations on Capital Drive where they will participate in a factory tour. LAMA is the largest known international Hispanic motorcycle club with chapters in the US, Mexico, Puerto Rico, South America, Cuba, Australia and Spain. LAMA is a serious community of riders whose main interest is first and foremost to promote the love of riding, camaraderie and community among its members, in addition to maintaining deep associations within the Hispanic communities in which chapters have been established. BIKERNET PARENTAL COUNSELING MOMENT–One day mom was cleaning junior’s room, and in the closet she found a bondage S & M magazine. This was highly upsetting for her. She hid the magazine until his father got home and showed it to him. He looked at it and handed it back to her with out a word. She finally asked him, ” Well , what should we do about this?” Dad looked at her and said, “Well I don’t think you should spank him.” –from Carl R DROP IT WITH LICKS “SUPER SHORTIES”–Check it out. Lick’s Cycles has just released an updated version of their immensely popular SHORT SHOCKS. Measuring just 10″ eye to eye, the latest SHORTIES are designed to lower a stock Sportster seat height to just 24″! Low, comfortable and cool, SHORTIES fit 1979 through 2007 Sportsters. A direct bolt-on replacement for factory shocks they are available with chrome or black powder coated springs and end caps and fit with standard or heavy duty coils. Lick’s SHORTIES are also available for FLT, FLH, FXR and V-Rods. For detailed application information contact LICKS CYCLES at 413-663-9050 or visit them on the Web at WHO WILL IT BE THIS YEAR?–As the 4th Annual AMD Official World Championship of Custom Bike Building draws nearer, who will walk away with the coveted World Champion’s ring this year? Will there be an American winner for the first time? Will it be a Chopper? A Low-rider? A Retro/Racer? A Bobber? With some eight weeks to go before the doors of Champions Hall, at 3rd/Lazelle in downtown Sturgis, open to receive thisyears competitors, some 106 builders have presently confirmed140 bikes for a competition that, the advanced speculationsuggests, will be the toughest yet. The event is open to the public from 11:00 am Sunday, August 5th through Wednesday, August 8th. Throughout the event visitors will be able to meet many of the builders, with the awards ceremony slated for 4:00 pm on the afternoon of Tuesday 7th. MAN SUES OVER LONG-LASTING ERECTION–Jun 5, 11:44 PM (ET)NEW YORK (AP) – A man has sued the maker of the health drink Boost Plus, claiming the vitamin-enriched beverage gave him an erection that would not subside and caused him to be hospitalized. The lawsuit filed by Christopher Woods of New York said he bought the nutrition beverage made by the pharmaceutical company Novartis AG ( The lawsuit, filed late Monday, says Woods later had problems that required a hospital visit and penile artery embolization, a way of closing blood vessels. Closing off some blood flow prevents engorgement and lessens the likelihood of an erection. Woods’ lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, names Novartis Consumer Health Inc. as a defendant. A spokeswoman for the company, Brandi Robinson, said Tuesday the company was aware of the lawsuit but does not comment on pending litigation.Woods’ lawyer did not return telephone calls for comment Tuesday. Novartis’ Boost Plus Web site describes the drink as “a great tasting, high calorie, nutritionally complete oral supplement for people who require extra energy and protein in a limited volume,” in vanilla, chocolate and strawberry –from Rogue Continued On Page 4
937-964-8166Gary,
gjurak@tampabay.rr.com
Whiplash Biker Photog 
–Curt Lout
www.STUDIO9000.com
303.921.4590
Sturgis Freedom Fighters
Motorcycle Hall Of Fame Member 2005
www.bikerrogue.com
June 7, 2007 Part 2
By Bandit |
Continued From Page 1
JOHN REED AND CUSTOM CHROME PART WAYSMorgan Hill, CA (June 1, 2007)–In May of 1986 I signed an exclusive contract to design and prototype proprietary parts for Custom Chrome. These components would be put into production and sold to their dealers and help build their stand alone parts line.
I set up a shop at my house with enough equipment to do Custom Chrome projects, and set lofty ambitions of doing some of my own projects. For the last 20 odd years I have had the opportunity to make all sorts of interesting stuff for CCI, but lofty goals or not, there were a lot of personal projects that saw me gather a lot of parts and do nothing with them.
On May 23 2007 perverse luck smiled on me and helped me out of this predicament. Custom Chrome, due to lack of available work, asked me about ending our contract. I thought about it for 10 seconds and decided it was time to leave the motorcycle industry and retire. After many years making parts for other people, I would now be able to spend all of my time working on my own stuff.
My plan is to make some of the things I thought would be neat, but never could decide if they would work. This will be my time to finish some of the experiments I started and make the stuff necessary to take my own bikes to their next phase. Then I can test my work by riding as fast as I can–hopefully until I am too old to get my leg over the saddle. It may be the time to write a book filled with my observations, (I only said that to freak out a few people) or maybe I will just do nothing for an hour or two.
I have to figure out how to complete a very complicated race bike that beat me a few years back-currently that bike is smarter than me-and with time I think I can outsmart it. I want to finish rebuilding my 1926 Royal Enfield sidecar that made the journey here from England with me, it deserves to be complete. I think I have enough work to keep me happy until they dragged my wrinkly, old ass out of my shop in an ambulance-however, if it is interesting, I may still want to do a project for someone else.
The only regret I have about my new lifestyle is that most of my friends are motorcycle people; which means that I only see them at the rallies and shows during the year. I will miss them, and the time we spent together, dearly. Those of you who are friends, you know how to contact me.
I have been blessed with an interesting career that has given me the opportunity to meet a lot of honorable people-as well as many with no honor. There were people who would give you their life, and others who thought nothing of destroying lives for another dollar. I have met people who have become true friends and others that use friendship for their own gain. Truth be told, I met a lot of really strange people, but then again, think of the person I am. Upon reflection I don’t think I would have changed a lot.
–John Reed
DAIQUIRI WHACKER GAS POWERED BLENDER–Gas powered blender, you ask? Yup – it’s true. The Daiquiri Whacker Gas Powered Blender ($260) features a 25cc Homelite engine, an unbreakable jar, and Zip Start technology. The most manly feature, however, is the handlebar grip speed control which lets you rev it up like a motorcycle. Whacker indeed.www.uncrate.com/men/gear/outdoor/daiquiri-whacker-gas-powered-blender/
HARLEY-DAVIDSON MAKES ITS INAUGURAL SHOWING AT ATLANTIC BEACH BIKE FEST–Atlantic Beach BikeFest, also known as Black Bike Week, took place May 25-27, 2007, and was the first time Harley-Davidson attended the event. The annual Memorial Day event has an estimated 350,000 bikers visiting Myrtle Beach, S.C., for motorcycling fun, food and festivities.
In partnership with the local dealership, Myrtle Beach Harley-Davidson, the H-D experience at Colonial Mall included demo rides on all Harley-Davidson and Buell motorcycles, bike wash detail center for all motorcycles using Harley-Davidson products, admission into the Harley-Davidson Traveling Museum, New Product Display showcasing 2007 motorcycles, MotorClothes and Parts and Accessories, Buell Team Xtreem stunt show performances, three-point basketball shoot outs, pool and a video gaming center. On Atlantic Beach, Harley-Davidson also showcased the latest MotorClothes fashions and accessories in the Ruff Ryders “Show Me What ‘Cha Working With” fashion show on the main stage.
Special guests participated in various events such as Atlanta rap sensation, Yung Jock (‘It’s Goin’ Down’), hip hop legend, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels (of the famed group, “Run DMC”) and notable character actor, Clifton Powell (‘Friday After Next’). Myrtle Beach’s own DJ Dynamite, one of the South’s premiere deejays, was spinning records in the Harley-Davidson Experience area for the entire three-day event. All Harley-Davidson events and activities were free and open to the public.
MEES DOESN’T WASTE TIME MATCHING WIN TOTAL FROM 2006; EARNS VICTORY AT VOLUNTEER SPEEDWAY–BULLS GAP, Tenn. (June 3, 2007) – Jared Mees wasn’t kidding when he said he thought his childhood would give him an advantage when the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track GNC Twins series rolled into town.
After all, Saturday was the first time the AMA Twins racers had ever been on the ultra-banked, half-mile Volunteer Speedway. Mees grew up on banked tracks in his home state of Michigan and he put those memories to good use in Tennessee over the weekend.
The 21-year-old earned the race win, his first of the season and fourth of his career. Mees and his Screamin’ Eagle/Blue Springs Harley-Davidson team have finished in the top three at both GNC Twins races this season.
Mees said his mechanic, Johnny Goad, gave him another big advantage before the race even started.
“Johnny had this Blue Springs Harley ready to go, right out of the box,” Mees said. “He had a great setup for a banked track on the bike before the first practice. We pulled the bike out and we didn’t have to change anything except for a few adjustments in the gearing. From the very first practice lap, the bike was fast and I felt really comfortable.
“When you come out strong from the very beginning and don’t have to worry about making a ton of changes, you’re able to relax a little and focus on riding more than anything else. Everything just came together for us. It was as close to a perfect night as you could ask for.”
Screamin’ Eagle factory rider Kenny Coolbeth wasn’t able to follow up last week’s Springfield (Ill.) Mile win with another trophy and finished in fourth place. The rest of the Screamin’ Eagle Wrecking Crew – Bryan Smith (Pat Moroney’s Harley-Davidson) and Joe Kopp (Team Latus Harley-Davidson) – finished in 11th and 14th place, respectively.
“We’re proud that all four Wrecking Crew riders qualified for the show,” Harley-Davidson Racing Manager Anne Paluso said. “It’s always tough going to a track that we haven’t raced on before and we’re happy that Jared and his Blue Springs group took the win. I think the entire Wrecking Crew is doing a great job being prepared and competitive every weekend.”
Mees, 21, qualified in the No. 1 position and said the 32 degree banked track made the race – sponsored by the East Tennessee Harley-Davidson dealers – even more fun.
“I had a lot of fun at this track,” Mees said. “The track is banked so much that you could fly into the corners and the banking kept you from just sailing off the surface. The crowd was great, the race was quick and the bottom line is that it was a lot of fun.
“The speedway was small, even for a half-mile. It even made me a little dizzy on that first practice lap. I had to get used to going around so fast. We had 15-second lap times and our main event was so fast you could have held your breath for the entire thing. It was a great race.”
Mees opened the 2006 AMA season with an eighth and 12th place finish at the first two events of the season. Mees went on to earn second place in the final standings with one win (Saluda, Va.), but he likes the third place at Springfield and first place at Bulls Gap much better.
“In years past I’ve struggled with the beginning of the season because of bad luck or just being off my game,” Mees said. “This year is completely different. We have our guns loaded and we’re ready to battle.
“It feels great to already have a win. Every time you win an AMA Grand National event it feels like it’s your first win. There isn’t anything better than winning.”
That includes being the points leader, too. Mees took over the lead in the AMA GNC Twins point standings for the first time in his career, but isn’t putting too much energy into the two-week old list. There are, after all, 11 races left on the schedule.
“There is a long road ahead of us before the point standings really matter,” Mees said. “When you’re racing against guys like Coolbeth and Chris Carr, you have to take it one race at a time. We have to do our best every week and hope we’re near the top of the standings when it matters most.
“Coolbeth and Carr each finished outside the top three this weekend, but that’s rare. It’s nice we took advantage of it this time, but those guys are always right there, so we just have to keep doing our job and preparing for each race the best way possible.”
Bulls Gap, TN Screamin’ Eagle Wrecking Crew Race SummaryMain Event Finish Heat Finish Qualifying
Jared Mees 1st 1st 1st
Kenny Coolbeth 4th 2nd 7th
Bryan Smith 11th 3rd 11th
Joe Kopp 14th 1st 3rd
AMA Twins Top 10 Point Standings(Following two of 13 events)
1. JARED MEES, Screamin’ Eagle/Blue Springs Harley-Davidson 39
2. KENNY COOLBETH, Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson 38
3. Chris Carr, Quality Checked Certified Ford Harley-Davidson 31
4. Jake Johnson, National Cycle Harley-Davidson 29
5. Shaun Russell, Rogers Lake Rac Harley-Davidson 26
6. BRYAN SMITH, Screamin’ Eagle/Pat Moroney’s Harley-Davidson 23
T7. JOE KOPP, Screamin’ Eagle/Team Latus Harley-Davidson 19
T7. Johnny Murphree, National Cycle Harley-Davidson 19
9. Glen Schnabel, American Suzuki 17
10. Jethro Halbert, Zanotti Racing Harley-Davidson 15
TRUE-TRACK BACK ON TRACK–Funny you ask, just spoke to Ronnie about it this morning!He’s got a new guy working at the shop, all debt paid of, caught up withback orders and actually making and stocking inventory!
True Track isback on track.
NEW MODELS FROM BMC CHOPPERS– Love the review. Thankx the BMC testimonial is the best. That’s what it’s all about……..
Check this bike BMC built for Leupold scope company. Their 100 year bike.
The company turned 100 and they had us build a BMC tribute bike for them. Way cool, it’s the biggest scope company in the world.
–Mike & Windy Rouse
mwrouse@bendcable.com
COLORADO NOISE FIGHT– Council members Charlie Brown and Jeanne Faatz voted against the measure.The ordinance will require all motorcycle pipes to have a stamp to show they are in compliance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency noise standards.
Councilman Rick Garcia voted for the ordinance. “Hopefully they will stay out of Denver,” Garcia said about the motorcyclists with loud exhaust pipes.
Two years ago, CBS4 reported on how many motorcycles were violating Denver’s 80 decibel limit. Police from several agencies conducted a brief crackdown, but using a noise meter to catch a moving motorcycle was not an easy task.
City Council members were given a demonstration of both motorcycles in compliance with noise laws, and those that are not.
“There are a lot of one way streets in my district and late at night they’re wide open,” Councilwoman Jeannie Robb said. “These things take off and if they’re not EPA certified, you heard the difference.”
But from those who make a living installing the loud pipes there is another side to the story.
“Loud pipes will save lives because I see people not even paying attention until they hear the pipes and then they look over and see you,” a motorcycle mechanic said.
First time violators of the ordinance would get a $500 fine. For repeat offenders, it could go up to $999.
–Source: CBS4Denver.com
DENVER NOISE LAW DUE TO GO INTO EFFECT JULY 1– The nation’s largest motorcyclist group complained today that Denver’s new noise law is biased against bikers, and said it hopes to persuade city officials to modify the ordinance.
“We do understand the motivation behind legislation like this,” said Bill Wood, spokesman for the 280,000-member American Motorcyclist Association. But by working with the city, “we can come up with something better,” he said.
The law approved by City Council on Monday allows police to issue tickets for motorcycles made after 1982 if they lack factory-issued Environmental Protection Agency sound-test stamps.
But noisy cars and trucks are subject only to a sound-meter test, which motorcyclists say is more fair because it’s more objective, Wood said.
“They have created a double standard there,” he said. “The (EPA-approved) equipment standard only applies to motorcycles, and everybody else gets a (sound-metered) performance standard, which is just exactly what we?ve asked for.”
But Denver police say metering is labor-intensive and costly.
Meters cost at least $1,000 each, said Capt. Eric Rubin, head of the Traffic Operations Bureau. “We could not afford to outfit every officer with one or to keep them maintained or to provide that kind of training,” he said.
Motorcyclists also complain that the new law punishes all bikers for the few who rev up their hogs outside bars at closing time and rumble home through neighborhoods at full throttle.In 2002, the AMA and other motorcycle groups convinced Albuquerque to drop a law similar to Denver?s new ordinance.
The city switched to the sound-meter testing.
As motorcycles soar in popularity, the Ohio-based AMA finds itself battling noise bans in cities across the country.
“Noise has been an issue for decades,” Wood said, noting that the 83-year-old association launched a pre-World War II biker sound-awareness campaign with a character dubbed “Muffler Mike.”
“We’ve seen it across the country on an increasing basis in recent years,” he said, as cities seek to combat an increasingly noisy world.
Mr. Rick Garcia of the Denver City Counsel– It is obvious that the new noise ordnance is discrimination towards motorcyclist. To single out only motorcycles the way you have shows your true intentions. Yes there are motorcyclist that don’t seem to have common sense about their pipes, they are the ones you need to target, not all motorcyclist. All we can do is try our best to get the word out about you and your agenda and work very hard to vote you out of office. You will be getting national attention on this issue. The freedoms of American citizens are at risk now more than ever before in the history of the United States.
You will get your wish about keeping motorcyclist out of Denver, but the ones that will suffer are origination’s like the Children’s Hospital who benefit greatly from Biker charity functions.
The law as written gives the DPD the right to harass any and all motorcyclist regardless of the amount of noise under the guise of checking for the EPA sticker. My new 2007 motorcycle doesn’t have a EPA certified sticker on the exhaust pipes, so I am now a criminal.
–William Gilstrap
THE HARLEY-DAVIDSON NIGHTSTER LAUNCH SERIES ROLLS THROUGH MANHATTAN AND AUSTIN–The bare knuckled Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200N Nightster is at it again, only this time, the motorcycle invaded the streets of New York City. On May 3, a cross-section of young adults packed into the Emerica Product Showroom in SoHo for the second of six Nightster Launch events. The showroom was shoulder-to-shoulder by 7:30 p.m. Within the first two hours, people were literally spinning on their heads as freestyle break dancing broke out downstairs.
The Launch Party featured H-D designer Rich Christoph’s original Nightster sketches, his vision of what the blacked-out, raw Sportster model would look like when created, and two Nightster motorcycles for admirers to sit on. Also on display were a series of Ed Templeton photographs taken on the 2006 Wild Ride – the Emerica cross country skateboarding tour on Harley-Davidson motorcycles. The Motor Company, in cooperation with Harley-Davidson of New York City, treated attendees to a wide array of prizes.
From Manhattan, the series made a turn toward the lone star state as it rolled into Austin, Texas, on May 18, at the Scoot Inn. Over 500 people attended to see the bikes, the artwork and talk to representatives from Central Texas Harley-Davidson and Cowboy Harley-Davidson. The tone hit a fever as Austin’s own The Riverboat Gamblers rocked the crowd.
Future Launch Parties are planned for Minneapolis, Atlanta and Los Angeles. Dates and locations are TBD.
OPEN ROAD BIKER.COM REVIEWS BIKERNET–Just thought I would let you know that I have done a review of your site. I know your site needs no publicity; I am just trying to provide my readers with quality content and helpful information. If you do happen to read it then if you have the time drop me a line and tell me what you think. I am a new guy to this website stuff and I am still learning it all as well as doing everything that is involved with the site my self.
–James “36 Special” Terrell
http://www.openroadbiker.net/
http://www.openroadbiker.net/index.php?/archives/67-Bikernet.html> http://www.openroadbiker.net/index.php?/archives/67-Bikernet.html
In my efforts to make my sites better I scour the web looking for web sites and try to determine what they are doing right or wrong. Early on I ran upon Bikernet.com. This site has been around for quite some time and seems to be very popular. Founded by Keith “Bandit” Ball, a name you may have seen in copies of your EasyRiders magazine, who has went on to create a website that is a storehouse of Biker fact, fiction, and rescources that are beyond comprehension. I have explored the website and found some of the best Biker lore stories that I have ever read and trip tales (both fact and fiction) that are in depth and drive a person to feel a desire to ride continually.
Only one part of the website remains that I have yet to visit and that is the subscription only portion dubbed The Cantina. I am not a fan of website subscriptions, mainly because I am poor but also because a lot of web sites abuse it. I think Bikernet may be the exception though. The subscription is fair and the content provided in the free section is high quality so I can only imagine what I would find in The Cantina.
One example of a fine article is this noise study about motorcycle noise levels.
Only a few things stick out in my mind that they could improve on over at Bikernet;
1. The site navigation is a little sketchy. There are so many articles and stories that it would help if they were categorized a little more other than the long list of stories that they have.
2. Over in the forums it seems no one is minding the shop. I registered over a month ago and I still have not received my account activation.
I know those are a couple of petty points but even awesome sites like Bikernet could use some improvement. As far as Bandit goes, well you will probably read some fairly strange stuff about him and I am sure most of it has to be true. Tune in to some of the stories and you will find out what I am taking about.
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