This project uses a BDL open drive system to drive the tranny, so the motor plate was put into place and bolted down while the engine bolts and transmission bolts were still loose. Make sure to use Loctite 242 and to torque the bolts to spec per the instruction sheet provided with the BDL system.

Something to note: This plate comes with its own bearing for the main shaft on the transmission, so the color had to be previously removed from the transmission. A tool from JIMS USA is available for this and can be found here in their section on Bikernet.

 

The offset needs to be pinned into the front pulley as shown below.

 

Both pulleys had to be slid onto the engine and transmission shaft simultaneously.

 

On to Part 4, Page 6….

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Now here’s the test. If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll notice that I DIDN’T put on the secondary belt before we put on the motor plate! Just remember to do this and save yourself the removal of the assembly to fix this mistake.

With everything in place, I put the friction plate back on the secondary pulley and turned the clutch adjusting screw into the plate until it hit the main shaft. I’ll walk through how to adjust this later in the project.

 

Next, the Spike starter from Custom Chrome into place.

 

Attached the starter gear…

 

And bolted the cover on the plate. At this point, I also placed the center cover bolts to hold the cover that will be put on later.

 

When I was all finished, I torqued the engine and transmission bolts into place. I started by tightening the engine lightly, then the transmission. I then torque the engine to spec, then the transmission. When it was all done, I turned the motor a few more times to make sure the belt still tracked.

Next time, I’ll be installing the front end. – Digital

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Once the tape was removed, a small Dremel tool was used to strip the area down to the bare metal.

 

The area was cleaned and the engine was placed back in the frame over the bare metal spots.

 

 

On to Part 4, Page 4….

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Although you haven’t seen it in a fully assembled state, the rigid has actually been mocked up to completion. However, anyone who’s built their own sled knows that an assembled bike without paint and powder just isn’t quite the same as the finished product. Although a primered mock-up will show you the lines and shape of a bike, the machine doesn’t truly come to life until it’s been dawned with color. For that reason, we saved a lot of the assembly detail for you until the paint and powder was complete.

The mocked-up rigid was torn down to the frame, which was sent out for powder coat. It came in only a few days ago and blew my socks off. Although the photos shown here make it look screaming red, it’s actually a deep sunset orange.

The powder coat was done by Hytek Finishes in Kent, Washington. Hytek was the ONLY house I could find in the area that had worked with anything other than a flat powder. This one is a candy orange, color matched to a House of Kolor Kandy paint I’d selected as the base coat for the sheet metal.

Candy paints are valued mostly for their depth. They are made of a base metallic coat covered by a transparent paint. House of Kolor offers a color book for about $42 that you can order from their Web site. Many custom painters around the country use and are familiar with these paints, so they make for a good standard to work with. Candy colors will vary slightly based on the thickness of the transparent color that is used to coat the base.

Candy powder is a little different. The base principle is the same, but you are limited on thickness that can be sprayed because the metal has to be charged to get powder to stick. If the base coat is too thick, you will lose the charge and be unable to get the top coat to stick. Whenever you pick a powder house to do your candy color, make sure they’ve used such paints before because they are tricky to use. This one had a couple of thin spots underneath because the powder coater didn’t want to lay it on too thick. Fortunately, the areas are under the bike that nobody will ever see.

The way I had this matched was to send the House of Kolor sample to Hytek Finishes. They sent the sample to their ‘Prismatic Powder’ supplier, who custom mixed the powder for the job. Not many places do this, so you may have to do some searching. The results are well worth the effort.

 

With the frame back in the garage, it was time to get started. The first order of business was to get the power train in place. I started by prepping the area where the engine would sit in the frame. To do this, one must take the time to pad the area so as not to scrape the shit out of the newly finished frame. I used a combination of plastic tape, pipe insulators, towels and bubble wrap to do this.

 

It is important to use a heavy tape where the engine will mount.

 

On to Part 4, Page 2….

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The above photo details the back end of the Atlas Precision ‘Roadrunner’ frame. Attached is a 9″ wide stubby fender, also supplied by Atlas. Both the fender and the frame are designed to handle 200 mm meat. We’ll be using a 180 for the project. Since wide tire aftermarket frames require special fenders, you have to be careful to select the proper width fender and fender struts because stock fenders don’t often fit, even if you run a stock tire. The Atlas Seat pictured above is by Danny Gray, built specially for Atlas to fit their frames. It’s pretty bare bones, but fits the ‘Roadrunner’ like a glove. This seat also came with an optional pillon pad. I got it so the wife could tag along. I have a feeling, it’ll get used only once. A note about the seat maker. Danny uses all European leather to make his seats. He does this for a good reason. Since European cattle ranchers don’t use barbed wire, the cattle don’t get any scars. This means, you get a seat without any irregularities in the leather. See the open BDL drive in the box? Stop drooling – it’s mine! We’ll be putting one together in detail for you. In addition, we’ve got a LOT of Joker components for the project including the hand controls, wheels, pulley’s brake rotors, etc. We’ll detail ALL of the goodies when we pull them outta the box and mount them to the bike. Stay tuned boys and girls. When Oz gets me the engine, we’ll really start to rock and roll!

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INDIAN LIQUIDATED– The sale or liquidation of a motorcycle company that was once a rival of Harley-Davidson could come by mid-January, according to a letter mailed this week to Indian Motorcycle Co. dealerships.

If a “bulk sale” of Indian is not settled soon, the company will be sold “piecemeal” in a Jan. 21 auction, according to the letter from a firm hired to find a buyer for Indian.

In September, Indian closed the Gilroy, Calif., factory where it made Chief, Scout and Spirit motorcycles. It hired CMA Business Credit Services, of San Leandro, Calif., to find a buyer for the company.

Selling Indian has been “more difficult and time-consuming than we had anticipated,” CMA said in a Dec. 23 letter to motorcycle dealers.

CMA said it continues “to work with several interested parties” for an acquisition.

Should the efforts fail, a Jan. 21 auction has been scheduled in Gilroy to sell Indian’s assets in pieces.

Indian dealers in Wisconsin are hopeful that a buyer will be announced before an auction deadline. They say there’s too much at stake to allow the company to be liquidated.

“The unknown is what’s affecting us now,” he added. “The quicker that we hear some news, the better off we will be.”

–from Rogue

BAD COP INVESTIGATION–North Carolina – The 2002 Chadbourn Police Officer of the Year is behind bars and facing charges of child rape.

Columbus County sheriff’s deputies arrested Christopher Olson on Friday. They charged him with raping a seven-year-old girl.Olson went before a judge Monday to face formal charges. If convicted of raping the child, he could face life in prison without parole.

The Chadbourn police chief said the child’s family registered a complaint on Friday. Authorities arrested and fired Olson the same day after a brief investigation uncovered a CD, which held incriminating evidence.

Olson is being held on a $500,000 bond. He is being transported to Central Prison in Raleigh for safety reasons. Authorities want to keep him away from Columbus County inmates whom he is arrested.

BLONDE FOR 2004–Returning home from work, a blonde was shocked to find her house ransacked and burglarized. She telephoned the police at once and reported the crime. The police dispatcher broadcast the call on the radio, and a K-9 unit, patrolling nearby was the first to respond.

As the K-9 officer approached the house with his dog on a leash. The blonde ran out on the porch, shuddered at the sight of the cop and his dog, then sat down on the steps. Putting her face in her hands, she moaned, “I come home to find all my possessions stolen. I call the police for help, and what do they do? They send me a BLIND policeman.”

–from Bob T.

BAD COP INVESTIGATION CONTINUES– Feds find some drug money stolen by cops New York – Federal and local authorities investigating a veteran detective and his retired partner charged with taking $169,000 from a drug money courier have recovered some of the cash, as well as money from other crimes the men committed, according to several law enforcement officials.

The veteran detective, Julio C. Vasquez, and a third man, a retired lieutenant who has also been implicated, have been talking to Brooklyn federal prosecutors and Internal Affairs investigators, although neither man has signed a formal cooperation agreement, a person familiar with the conversations said.

The retired detective, Thomas Rachko, who was arrested after the theft on Nov. 26 along with Detective Vasquez, began cooperating with prosecutors and Internal Affairs investigators within days, officials have said. Mr. Vasquez resigned from the force soon after his arrest.

Mr. Rachko implicated the retired lieutenant, John Maguire, a Columbia University graduate and former high school teacher, and two other active-duty detectives, the officials have said. One official said of Mr. Maguire: “He’s been talking. He’s admitted to engaging in a number of thefts and attempted thefts with Rachko and Vasquez.”

Mr. Rachko also told investigators that he and Mr. Vasquez stole narcotics from drug dealers and sold them through an associate, officials said.A lawyer for Mr. Vasquez declined to comment yesterday, and Mr. Rachko’s lawyer could not be reached by phone. A telephone message left at Mr. Maguire’s home was not answered.

A portion of the $169,000 was recovered at a garbage dump in the Bronx after Mr. Rachko told investigators he threw the cash in a Dumpster, and they traced its contents there, one official said. It could not be learned yesterday how much of the money was recovered or how much additional money was found.

Bad Cop… No Doughnut!

–from Rogue

MORE BAD COPS– Cop who sold seized property and stashed money charged Florida – The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is stumped about why a detective allegedly stuffed nearly $560,000 in two Sheriff’s office file cabinets since 1998.

Detective Brian Murphy, who is a 23-year police veteran who sold property seized in crimes, reportedly stashed the money seized instead of depositing it with the tax collector.But investigators don’t know why.

Murphy’s scheduled to challenge charges against him at a disciplinary hearing Monday.

They discovered plastic bags filled with about $530,000 in cash and $30,000 in checks and money orders earlier this month, while reorganizing the office.

Authorities suspect it’s going to take an expensive, months-long investigation to account for the money and determine whether laws were broken.

The money was turned over to the tax collector.

–from Bikernet lead investigator, Rogue

QUOTE OF THE DAY– The government is merely a servant — merely a temporary servant; it cannot be its prerogative to determine what is right and what is wrong, and decide who is a patriot and who isn’t. Its function is to obey orders, not originate them. ? Mark Twain

CARIBBEAN 2004 ANNOUNCEMENT–PUERTO RICO BIKE WEEK COMING–Wishing everyone the best New Year ever !May 2004 bring you health, good fortune and peace.2003 was a great year for many of us, 2004 shall be even better.On the same line the PR Bike week end web site is partially working, here’s the link.http://www.prbikeweekend.com

Hope to see you all soon

–Jose

WRITING TECH TIP–I’ve got a few dozen writing books. The Writer’s Digest series is quick andalmost-if-not-quite painless; “Writing Down the Bones” is a good one, and”If You Can Talk, You Can Write” has its inspirational value.

A main reason for learning rules is to learn how and when to break them: forinstance, sometimes a writer actually wants to slow the action down, as in aportrait-type scene, where he wants the reader to observe somethingstatic–therefore passive voice is called for. I have a couple of reallygreat screenplay books, but, like you, when it comes to fiction, the how-tobooks are hard to apply.

In my previous career on occasion I was called upon to write taped phoneconversations, verbatim, with all the uh’s and interruptions of assumedpre-understanding; that, in itself, was a writing lesson, for I learned thatdialogue, while needing to seem realistic, cannot be presented like actualyhuman dialogue.

–Odhinn

Odhinn wrote a recent piece of Bikernet Fiction. I told him I picked up the Steven King book on writing. It contains his history and his rules on writing.–Bandit

Great Site…….21 days to Bagdad……….Great Photos– http://www.time.com/time/2003/21days/

–from Bbblehead

NOT AGAIN–ANOTHER BAD COP– Officer arrested after threatening to kill wife, Arkansas – A Rogers police officer faces charges after his wife says he threatened to kill her.

Cory Burke, age 23, turned himself in to Bentonville police Friday on terroristic threatening charges.

Burke allegedly threatened to kill his wife on Christmas Eve.

Burke’s wife claims he’s been both physically and verbally abusive in the past.Burke is on suspension with pay until an internal investigation into the matter has been wrapped up.

–from Rogue

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE BIKERNET CREW–It’s been a blast working with all the Bikernet readers to created this site through 2003. We’ve enjoyed the techs, building bikes, chasing women and relaxing with some Whiskey in the evening. It was a blast to fly to Hawaii for the first Choppers Only Show. We may be flying back for the first Discovery build-off conclusion, between Arlen and Cory Ness, on Oahu.

We enjoyed promoting the LA Calendar show in Long Beach, The Beach Ride, Jose’s first PR Bike Week in the Caribbean, The Run For Breath and Edge’s Smoke Out in North Carolina. It was a helluva year and we look forward to next year and riding to Sturgis. I’ve missed two years, that’s enough.

Let’s support Motorcycle-Right-Of-Way legistion. We’ll bring you additional reports on the efforts. Legalize prostitution and have a blast. May the God of Chrome be at your side throughout 2004.

Ride Forever,

–Bandit

It’s New Years Day 2004 and I’m glad. I’m looking forward to this year more-so than many. It’s a new/harsher era. Yet we’ve notched up our plight in many respects. I’m rambling, but this will certainly be a year that people respect more thoroughly. It’s that way when you witness people being bombed all over the world and threats to your own homeland. Suddenly, if you’re fortunate enough not to see major violence on the streets of your hometown, you give thanks, take better care of the people around you and your possessions. Maybe we’ll work harder, with more integrity and add constant vigilance to our lives.

I live on the edge of a major harbor, a terrorist target. I now watch out for cats I don’t believe should mill around our harbor. I’m actually looking for the appropriate number to call if I run across suspicious behavior. I don’t think 911 is the answer.

Anyway, in my positive vibe gut, I believe that this year will see terrorism throughout the world squashed and significantly more peace will abound. We’ll see corporate America straighten up its act. Finally we’ll see a new outlook on life, less overtly confident, more caring and knowing, that if we don’t watch out, anything can happen. Let’s hit the news:

LUCKY DEVIL UPDATE–Another one down. We just got done cleaning up this one and a dozen small jobs. Now it’s hard after Rick’s Trump chopper. Hope all is well and try not to have too much fun tonight.

HAPPY NEW YEAR ~!!!
–Lucky & the Devil

SENTENCING OPTIONS–Giving up a seat in Congress is just one of many changes that could await Bill Janklow after his sentencing next month on a second-degree manslaughter conviction.

The sentence handed down by Judge Rodney Steele could include prison time, and according to state law, that incarceration would trigger other penalties.

Under South Dakota law, a state penitentiary sentence of any duration suspends a prisoner’s right to vote, to run for or hold public office, and to serve on a jury.

Once released from prison, however, the person is able to vote again, said attorney general spokeswoman Sara Raybern.

Janklow also would be prohibited from owning a gun for at least 15 years after his release from prison or from probation, according to Minnehaha County State’s Attorney Dave Nelson.

His felony conviction means he also could lose his law license.

Before Steele hands down a sentence on Jan. 20, a court services officer will complete a presentence investigation. Such reports usually take a month to six weeks.

“The general purpose of the presentence investigation is to gather all the information that is pertinent to the judge’s decision,” Nelson said.

According to state law, the presentence report contains any prior criminal record of the defendant and information about him that may be helpful to the judge, such as his financial condition and circumstances affecting his behavior.

Judges look at a variety of factors in deciding a sentence, University of South Dakota law professor Chris Hutton said.

“The judge seeks a complete picture of the person which includes both favorable and unfavorable information,” Hutton said. “Since it (the statute) mentions prior criminal history, I’m sure his (Janklow’s) driving record will be part of it.”

A good presentence report also will include statements from the victim’s family about the effects of the crime personally, emotionally and financially, Nelson said.

Letters written on behalf of the defendant also can be used, he said.

Janklow faces a maximum sentence of 11 years in prison for second degree manslaughter and reckless driving convictions.

But the former governor might not spend any time in jail. If he receives a suspended imposition of sentence – an option available only for a first felony conviction – and abides by the judge’s stipulations for a two-year period, his record could be wiped clean.

Steele also could impose a prison term and then suspend all or part.

The difference between a suspended imposition of sentence and a suspended sentence is the effect on a defendant’s record. A suspended sentence does not remove the felony conviction from the person’s record, Hutton said.

Punishment also may include restitution and a fine. Janklow’s manslaughter conviction carries a maximum $10,000 fine; reckless driving, a maximum $1,000 fine; and speeding and failure to stop, a $200 maximum fine each.

Frequently, a presentence investigation will include a recommendation from the court services officer on possible sentences.

But the final decision on a sentence is the judge’s, Nelson said. There is no typical sentence for second-degree manslaughter in South Dakota, he said.

“There is no mandatory minimum sentence,” Nelson said.

Nelson said he did not know whether Janklow would serve any time in jail or prison.

“I can tell you that I have not been involved in or been aware of a manslaughter case in our county where either jail time or penitentiary time has not been part of the sentence,” he said.

–by John-John Williams IV

–from Rogue

MAKE VOICES HEARD ABOUT JANKLOW– Contact Governor Mike Rounds and Attorney General Larry Long and let them know how you feel about Janklow being convicted of Killing Randy Scott.

Please ask them to intercede to see that Janklow gets the Maximum Penalty prescribed by law and that he also not be sent to some Country Club Prison.

The Eyes of The World are now on South Dakota and watching to see what kind of message they are going to send. This message will Not Be In Words but In ACTION of how Janklow Is Sentenced.

You can contact them at the address below.Please forward to your contacts and ask them to write also.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH

–ROGUE

Gov. Mike Rounds
State CapitolPierre, SD 57501
605-773-3212
mailto:Governor@state.sd.us

Attorney General Larry Long
Web Site: http://capwiz.com/amacycle/webreturn/?url=http://www.state.sd.us/attorney/index.htm
E-mail: http://capwiz.com/amacycle/mail/?id=131692&type=GV&state=SD>atghelp@state.sd.us

500 East Capitol Ave
Pierre, SD 57501-5070
Phone: (605) 773-3215
Fax: (605) 773-4106

CHURCH GIVES AWAY A CAR AND MOTORCYCLE ENCOURAGING ATTENDANCE–GALVESTON — A Galveston County church is dangling a couple of motorized carrots to increase its congregation.Abundant Life Christian Center in La Marque will give away a new Chrysler PT Cruiser to a woman and a Harley Davidson Sportster to a man at its New Year’s Eve service.

Parishioners and visitors have been eligible to enter for the free drawings each time they attended a service in recent weeks, and members who brought visitors could enter twice.

The church purchased the vehicles. The winners must be at Wednesday’s service to drive them away.

“This is an opportunity to give something to someone that will encourage people to come to the house of the Lord,” Pastor Walter Hallam told the Galveston County Daily News in Sunday’s editions. “We want to do something to have a positive effect on people’s lives.”

–from Rev CarlR

THE KEYS TO STORING MOTORCYCLES–Living up here in Northern California we have VERY wet, cold winters. These winters are probably worse than snowy, frozen ones, when it comes to machinery, because they hover at temps and humidities that love to eat metal. A few winterizing suggestions are:

In addition to Stabil (then fill the tank as full as possible to prevent condensation) is to wash your bike thoroughly with S100 to get all the dirt off(road dirt has a lot of chemicals that will eat the hell out of your chrome and paint if you let it sit long enough). Dry carefully. Spray the entire bike down with furniture polish, and wipe off the excess. Put the thing up on a block so the weight is off the wheels. Unless the bike is sitting outside. DO NOT put a waterproof cover on it…put a cover that has vents to allow the cover to breath…this will minimize condensation caused by temp changes in your storage area. Of course, disconnect the battery, remove it, and set it on a board or something…a battery sitting on a concrete floor will discharge very quickly…

When you get back, wash the bike thoroughly again with S100 to get the furniture polish off (it’ll turn your pipes a nice shade of brown when they heat up if you don’t). Change the oil (don’t forget fork oil and brake fluid), and if possible, change the gasoline, too. Gas and oil DO have shelf-lifes, and will break down just sitting in your bike. Stabil will slow, but not stop the breakdown process. Don’t forget to lube your cables and lever pivots.

On second thought, have you asked your local H-D dealer if they’d store the bike for you, for free, since you’re doing your duty to your country? I’m betting they just might do that, AND give you a discount on a tuneup when you get your porky butt back stateside…

Be Safe!

–Highwayman

Continued On Page 2

Continued From Page 1

BIKERNET CARIBBEAN XMAS WISH–
Just a short note wishing everyone Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays !

As always, hoping that all is well.

Best Regards to all

Jose

BIKERNET CHRISTMAS CONTEST WINNERS–
SEAN SAUDERSPARTA FROM NEW JERSEY

Suggestion: I’D LIKE TO SEE A TECH ARTICLE ON PROPER WINTERIZATION OF YOUR SCOOTER FOR SOME OF US WHO LIVE IN THE NORTHEAST AND HAVE TO PUT OUR BIKES DOWN FOR THE WINTER.YA KNOW A BASIC ARTICLE ABOUT CHANGIN ALL THE FLUIDS, PLUGS, ETC AND THE PROPER WAY TO DO IT.

Wanted: HOW ABOUT A SUBSCRIPTION TO THE HORSE OR A BIKERNET TSHIRT.(LARGE)

Here’s another present from Bikernet Santa:

Rodney (BIG HOSS) Drum from Maiden, NC

>Wanted: books, t shirts (4x at least)anything i can hang on the wall or collect dusy on the book shelf.

Ride safe BIG HOSS

Presents are on their way. Don’t forget ot enter the free contests on Bikernet.–Santa.

DAVE ZIEN FEATURED IN AMERICAN RIDER–Next issue I’ll cover Senator Dave Zien efforts as a Senator in the state of Wisconsin. He’s ridden over 1.7 million miles on a motorcycle, usually flying a 3 by 4-foot American flag.

He’s an incredible politician, motorcycle rights supporter, gun owner and veteran. Don’t miss his story.

HARLEY RIDERS SWAP MEET AND CHOPPER SHOW–JANUARY 4TH–Ho Ho Ho – Happy Holidays Harley Riders – – – BUT DON’T FORGET – SUNDAY NEW YEAR’S WEEKEND – JANUARY 4th

It’s Texas Scooter Times SWAP MEET DALLAS & CHOPPER SHOW !!

At The Gigantic Historic Longhorn Ballroom – Near Downtown Dallas

Nothin’ But LONG FRONT END CHOPPERS in This Show!!! Factory Built Choppers, Shop Built Choppers & Owner Built Choppers classes

And WALL TO WALL – SWAP MEET VENDORS – SELLIN’ BARGAINS onLeather Goods, Used Parts, Jewelry, T-Shirts, Manufacturers Overruns – New Parts – From Traveling Discounters, Patch Sewin? – Knife Sharpenin? – LIVE BAND – DOOR PRIZES

(See and Vote for the Current Contestants From The Last Swap Meet – On our Website !
Move In 7am-9am – SHOW HOURS 9am – 5pm Admission $8

FOR INFO: ABOUT WHAT VENDORS ARE COMING ! HOW TO ENTER THE CHOPPER SHOW ! & to Check Out the “Bargain Of the Swap Meet” Contest”

WWW.TEXASSCOOTER.COM – – – – – – Vendor Reservations & Anything Else 254-687-9066

DOWNTOWN HARLEY-DAVIDSON BUILDS CHOPPED BLAST–It’s slow here at Downtown Harley-Davidson before Christmas and I thought you might use a chuckle. My fellow technician Jeff Hart and I (pictured) threw this lil’ bar Blast-er together for the heck of it.

It’s really fun to zip around on and make everyone laugh, but the one thing neither of us counted on is that the motorclothes girls would want rides on it! Also there might be a buyer interested in it now… Hell, ya never know.

–DJA

KNIFE HANDLE KICKER TECH RESPONSE–AWESOME! Very cool, both pages! I can’t believe you destroyed a real MK1 and a Stone knuckle!! Your a wild man.

Merry Christmas to you and family!!

All the best,
Frank

Outstanding Bob!!! BUT…..”has a goddamn box full of of them.”!!! I know you know they make these repros for about $15. Wouldn’t a handle from one of those be better that junking an old collectable blade or wouldn’t that work, for some reason (cheap brass)? Or is it just the idea of havin’ a piece of history on the bike?

I still haven’t gotten around to collecting one of these blades and you’re junking em’.

A Reader

Merry Christmas From The Big Bear Crew–from Bob T.

BLONDE IN A BLIZZARD– It was snowing heavily and blowing to the point thatvisibility was almost zero when the little blonde got off work. Shemade her way to her car and wondered how she was going to makeit home.

She sat in her car while it warmed up and thought about hersituation.

She finally remembered her dad’s advice that if she got caught in a blizzard, she would wait for a snow plow to come by and follow it. That way she would not get stuck in a snow drift. This made herfeel much better and sure enough in a little while, a snow plow went by, and she started to follow it.

As she followed the snow plow, she was feeling very smug as they continued, and she was not having any problem with the blizzard conditions.

After quite sometime had passed, she was somewhat surprisedwhen the snow plow stopped and the driver got out and came back toher car and signaled her to roll down her window.

The snow plow driver wanted to know if she was all right, as she had been following him for a long time. She said that she wasfine and told him of her dad’s advice to follow a snow plow when caughtin a blizzard.

The driver replied that it was OK with him, and she could continue ifshe wanted…but he was done with the Walmart parking lot and wasgoing over to Kmart next.

–Rev CarlR

DON’T MISS IRISH RICH–We recently launched an article on VL Frame mods by Irish Rich of Shamrock Fabrication. If you need work on a classic Harley Frame, he could be your man.

Shot from Chris T.

FELIZ NAVIDAD, GODDAMNIT–Hope you received your dream gifts (I did) and next year will be the best damn year of your life. Let’s us know if we can make your year any better.

Ride Forever,Bandit

Christmas card from Jon Towle.

It’s a miracle of Christmas. The news is out. Say hallelujah, praise the Lord and pass the presents. This has been a tough year in some respects, yet as a country we’ve stood tall and faced terrorists, war in Iraq, illegal cooperate manuevers and a stock downturn.

Bikernet stood tall through the internet slump and we’re still growing and fighting the print media for recognition. As the year closed we stumbled into more and more manufacturers, including Victory who are now using the internet to share their products and services to the world successfully. Other companies are trashing their print catalogs for flexible and timely internet product listings.

Victory studied the market and discovered that less than one percent of the population are cruising rider customers. Digging deeper they discovered that 50 percent of their prospective buyers enjoy highspeed internet capabilities. Now get this, according to FOX news, 63 percent, or 126 million Americans are now on line. What a country, what a sport. And we thank all our dedicated contributors and sponsors for every joke, tech, bike feature and babe that makes this site complete. Thanks, and Merry Christmas.

I better get to the news, before I get all choked up:

BRAND NEW CUSTOM CHROME CATALOG RELEASED–

Custom Chrome’s new offering for 2004. The California based distributor brings you the most comprehensive product offering in the Harley-Davidson aftermarket! At over 1,200 pages and over 22,000 part numbers, their 2004 Catalog features the new RevTech 110 Motor, Hard Core II, Ares bikekits and noumious frames and forks–everything from nuts & bolts to performance products. It’s the Custom Bike Bible for the year.

ONLY $9.95 + 6.95 Shipping**

Merry Christmas from Bob T.

NUMB NUTS OF THE YEAR AWARD–Whacked Mexican decides to give kids a treat by being a “human pinata” for them to hit with a stick while he hangs from a beam on the ceiling with a rope tied around his neck:

MEXICO CITY – A 24-year-old man died in southern Yucatan state after reportedly allowing himself to be used as a human pinata, the decorated clay jar that children in Mexico traditionally break open with sticks to get the sweets hidden inside.

To indulge his two younger siblings, Sebastian Cahum Pech allowed them to tie his hands and feet, balance him on a beam and swing at him with sticks, the newspaper Reforma reported.

Cahum Pech, who was tied loosely to the beam by the neck, jumped to avoid the blows, which were delivered by his sister, 13, and brother, 8, with the traditional pinata sing-song rhyme, “Hit it, Hit it, Really Hard.”

While he twisted to avoid one blow, Cahum pech fell from the beam, tightening the rope round his neck and leading him to die of asphyxiation. The accident occurred Tuesday and was reported by state police Wednesday in the rural township of Chemax, about 80 miles (130 kms) inland from the Caribbean resort of Cancun.

–from Dan the Knife

BAD COP SHOOTS MAN IN PARK–A police captain who issued a roll-call memorandum about the transfer of an officer who shot and paralyzed a man in the Metcalfe Park area has been relieved of his command, Police Chief Nan Hegerty announced Saturday.Milwaukee

Reacting quickly to the first controversy during her administration, Hegerty said that Capt. Glenn Frankovis hurt efforts to strengthen police-community relations when he urged officers under him to turn up the heat on “thugs” who had threatened the officer, prompting his transfer.

“The tone of Captain Frankovis’ memorandum has undermined our efforts to improve police-community relations and to treat all citizens with dignity, courtesy and respect,” Hegerty told reporters at a Saturday press conference. “The captain’s comments were inappropriate and intolerable.”

Hegerty said Frankovis, a 28-year veteran, has been assigned to administrative duties because she had “lost confidence in his ability to command.”

“We are a professional police department, and we all have to behave in a professional manner,” Hegerty said.

Hegerty’s announcement came one day after some aldermen criticized the memorandum and five days after Frankovis issued it.

“She is the chief, and I respect her decision,” Ald. Willie L. Hines said after learning of Hegerty’s reassignment of Frankovis. “I believe her actions will go a long way in mending relations with the Metcalfe Park community.

Frankovis’ memorandum Monday was a response to the transfer of Officer Michael Lutz from the 3rd District patrol area where he shot and paralyzed Timothy Nabors in August.

Several people who said they witnessed the shooting initially reported that Nabors, 26, was unarmed when Lutz shot him in the 2500 block of N. 27th St. Nabors later admitted that he was picking up a gun tossed to his feet when Lutz started firing.

Nabors eventually pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct and was sentenced to one year of probation, a six-month stayed jail term and 25 hours of community service.

–By DAVID DOEGE
journalsentinel.com

AVON ROCKS WITH THE FIRST 300 TIRE–Watch as John Covington shows us the hot point of the news Avon 300 and his new Muscle Bike frame to suit the rubber. It’s comin’ shortly.

MIKE HUPY REPRESENTS OUTLAWS MC– Mike Hupy is representing some Outlaws on a First Amendment suit dealing with them getting kicked out of Summerfest this past summer. This kind of thing is going on all over, with Hells Angels dealing with the same shit in California and elsewhere. In fact, George Christi talked to Mike last week on the phone about his case out there.

Mike is also trying to retrieve a member’s job, after being fired because the Milwaukee police demanded it, and even went so far as to threaten to harass the bar and patrons if they even let the guy frequent the place.

He wrote a letter to the Mayor and police chief, but before they could deny the allegations, a memo came out which dealt with another case, but which clearly indicated the pattern and policy of the Milwaukee cops.

We believe, and I think you’ll agree, that the event promoters aren’t behind keeping the club members out, since they never caused problems before. It’s a concentrated effort by law enforcement, around the country, to pressure venues into succumbing to their will. More needs to be done to bring this treatment of bikers to the public’s attention.

I would like to see the biker’s rights organizations come to bat for the club members also. There has been a deafening silence from these groups when it comes to fighting for club members. Like them or not, club members are bikers, and if you claim to fight for biker’s rights, you can’t exclude or ignore those you don’t associate with.

Pisses me off. Following is the letter Mike wrote to the Chief of Police.

–Tony Sanfelipo

December 15, 2003

The Honorable John O. Norquist
The Mayor of Milwaukee
200 East Wells Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202

Re:Illegal Activities on the Part of Members of The Milwaukee Police Department

Dear Mayor Norquist:

The purpose of this letter is to bring to your attention some of the illegal activities on the part of the Milwaukee Police Department of which I have recently been made aware.

I have heard from several sources that members of the Police Department, including Troy Jankowski and Chris Mason, have engaged in systematically harassing and violating the rights of customers at taverns on Water Street including McGillycuddy?s, The Lodge and Mel?s. The customers being harassed are members of The Outlaws Milwaukee Motorcycle Club, and it appears that the harassment is part of a systematic effort by employees of the City of Milwaukee, acting within the scope of their employment, to illegally interfere with basic civil rights. I am also advised that police officers have followed people leaving the clubhouse and demanded that they be allowed to take pictures of them after stopping their cars for no legitimate purpose.

In one instance, an employee of the City of Milwaukee demanded that the owner of McGillycuddy?s tavern on Water Street fire an employee merely because he was associated with The Outlaws Milwaukee Motorcycle Club. That person is now unemployed because of actions on the part of the City of Milwaukee. I understand that, as recently as Friday, December 12, 2003, Mr. Mason went back to McGillycuddy?s and stated to employees that the person who had been fired should not be allowed on the premises.

It is well known in the City of Milwaukee that my law firm has filed a lawsuit against Summerfest for demanding that members of The Outlaws Milwaukee Motorcycle Club leave the Summerfest grounds for doing nothing other than wearing club insignias. It is also well known that the club assured me that there would not be any problems caused by club members wearing ?colors? during the Harley 100th Anniversary celebration. Based on these assurances, I advised the office of the Police Chief that I did not feel that there would be one incident involving The Outlaws Milwaukee Motorcycle Club during the Harley 100th Anniversary, and there was none.

You may be aware of the fact that three (3) murders were committed in Milwaukee during the weekend of the Harley 100th Anniversary, and none was committed by any of the 300,000 bikers in Milwaukee that weekend.

Perhaps the Police Department could spend more time preventing and solving murders than harassing innocent citizens who have done nothing.

We would ask your office to assure us that this type of conduct will cease and desist immediately.

Yours truly,
MICHAEL F. HUPY & ASSOCIATES, S.C.

Michael F. Hupy

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