Our new fully adjustable footrests will fit FLH Models 2014-present.

• Front bars are made from 1 1/4″ high-strength steel for long-lasting durability.
• Replaceable Bonded Rubber Footrests provide traction and added comfort and traction in all climates.
• Available in triple-chrome-plated or gloss black powder-coat finish.

C. A. Bridges is a Digital Producer for the USA TODAY Network.
Additional information from bikeweek.com

DAYTONA BEACH — Bike Week, now marking its 81st year, may not be your grandfather’s — or even your great-grandfather’s — bike rally. A gathering for motorcycle race fans, a drunken party, a biker brawl or a family vacation destination, Bike Week has been a lot of things over the years.

It’s our Mardi Gras, our Fantasy Fest, our Carnival. It’s a portable, 10-day street party of motorcycles of all kinds, eye-popping costumes, bikini-clad women, sidewalk vendors, parades, Clydesdales, beards, tattoos and alcohol. Bikers and locals alike go to nonstop concerts and bike shows, go on long rides or just stay on Main Street for days watching it all go by.

It all began in 1937 when almost a hundred daredevils on motorcycles raced each other on the road and packed sand of Daytona Beach in the first Daytona 200, launched by a group that included not-yet-NASCAR-president Bill France. About 15,000 fans watched Ed “Iron Man” Kretz ride his No. 38 Indian Motorcycle to the win before heading to Main Street to celebrate.

In the next four years crowds and entries doubled and things at the “Handlebar Derby” got a bit wilder. In 1939 a News-Journal article reported that “the party got so rough that city firemen had to be called to dampen the crowd’s spirits with a little cold water” and the National Guard had to be summoned.

City leaders attempted in 1941 “to limit, if not eliminate the rowdyism” by organizing activities for fans, including field events, a 100-mile race for novices, a parade of motorcycle clubs, and “the presentation of trophies to the best-dressed woman motorcyclist.”

In 1942 the race was put on hold for five years while the country fought in and recovered from World War II, which is why we’re celebrating the 81st anniversary this year instead of the 85th. But some locals and visitors continued to show up for the party every year anyway, race or no race, for an unofficial event that became known as Bike Week.

France kicked things off again in 1947 and Daytona Beach was “jammed to the rafters,” according to a Feb. 21 story that reported every available hotel room and apartment was rented. Most places were “only charging moderate rents,” an average of $4 or $5 for a double room without a private bath.

But things reportedly got so out of control that a Chamber of Commerce committee was formed to come up with a plan in 1948, endorsed by the American Motorcycle Association, for “preventing unbridled rowdyism.” The plan included checking mufflers at all approaches to the city and handing out lists of rules for behavior to all visitors to help limit the influx of what the AMA referred to as “one-percenters,” as compared to the “99% of the motorcycling public” who are “law-abiding.”

Did it work? Not right away. A tear gas grenade was used to quiet the crowd in 1949 when some motorcyclists insisted on racing on Main Street, which had been blocked off for a street dance.

“We have plenty more grenades if we need them,” the sheriff was quoted as saying.

 

Bike Weeks in the ’50s were, comparatively, sedate. The 1950 event was described as quiet, orderly and “the most successful racing weekend in Daytona Beach history.” And by 1951, the “Wild West” atmosphere was deemed a thing of the past.

This was likely helped along by the officers from 70 out-of-town police forces brought in by city leaders to help control the crowd and lay down the law that year. But wholesome fun was still encouraged: An “entertainment program for the diversion of motorcycle enthusiasts” was slated that included a “contest for the best uniformed police squad.”

It also didn’t hurt that Marlon Brando and James Dean were on the big screen a few years later making bikes, white T-shirts and leather jackets look cool.

By 1961, France moved the motorcycle races to his newly-built Daytona International Speedway but the party stayed largely on the beach. Gradually, the “Wild West” returned.

Bike Week expands to more cities
It also started spreading. Over in Samsula in 1967 Olga “Aunt Ollie” Weber, daughter of the town’s co-founder Joe Sopotnick, took over the neighborhood gas station and general store he’d built in the mid-’20s and gradually turned it into a bar and, twice a year for Bike Week and Biketoberfest, a biker haven where visitors could hang out, bet on illegal drag racing and camp in the old cabbage field next door.

Years later, in the late ’80s, it became even more of a must-see destination when Ron Luznar, Weber’s nephew and the bar’s new owner, noticed that “wrestling” events involving bikinis and gooey ingredients were becoming popular. Rather than having women grapple in mud or whipped cream, Luznar stayed on-brand and coleslaw wrestling quickly became a notorious, world-famous attraction at Sopotnick’s Cabbage Patch.

Meanwhile, a smaller Bike Week was forming. Tommy Asberry, a Black biker from Atlanta, was ticketed in 1971 for parking his Harley-Davidson on Main Street and found a more hospitable welcome, along with many other shunned Black motorcyclists, in Daytona’s Second Avenue area (since renamed Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard) to enjoy Black Bike Week, a major event in the local Black community to this day.

Over in New Smyrna Beach in 1981, Gilly Aguiar, owner of Gilly’s Pub 44, took a stand against the trade deficit of the day by inviting everyone to bash a Japanese bike for charity, and that immediately became a popular annual event.

Depending on what you thought Bike Week should be, the 1970s and ’80s were either the event’s Golden Age or a decidedly unfriendly, uncontrollable invasion. A popular motorcycle magazine suggested there shouldn’t even be a 1981 event.

Newspapers reported disorderly conduct and women exposing their breasts. Trouble with rival motorcycle gangs began to get the attention of the law enforcement community. Daytona Beach police were on overtime to assure crowd control. A former Orlando motorcycle gang leader was sent to prison for murdering a Daytona Beach biker.

Even the Boot Hill Saloon — long since a world-renowned biker bar icon — famously stayed closed during its first Bike Week in 1974 because new owner Dennis Maguire “didn’t want any problems with bikers,” as he told the Sun-Sentinel years later.

On Main Street, no colors allowed
Locals feared that tourists were starting to stay away and law enforcement and city officials were unhappy. The Bike Week Festival Task Force was formed in 1988 to bring some formal organization to the event. Alan Robertson, the original owner of Main Street’s Beach Photo & Video, served as chairman and relentless Bike Week supporter.

Karl Smith, a.k.a. Big Daddy Rat, long one of the forces of nature of Bike Week, was one of the first to see the commercial potential. Big and burly (but with a degree in fine arts), he sold airbrushed shirts from The Rat’s Hole and his other shops, organized motorcycle shows in Daytona and around the world, and helped spread the message that Bike Week didn’t have to be a slugfest.

Not everyone was happy with a softer Bike Week. In the late 80s the Iron Horse Saloon, a rough and tumble Main Street staple, moved to U.S. 1 on the north end of Ormond Beach to avoid Daytona’s planned decorative renovations.

Throughout the ’90s and into the 21st century, police and bikers got friendlier and local tourism agencies began marketing family activities to draw in vacationers.

Bike Week attractions continued to spread out from the beach. A welcome center with vendors across the Halifax River on Beach Street drew off some of the Main Street crowds. Auto dealer Bruce Rossmeyer, who opened a successful Harley-Davidson dealership on Main Street in 1994 that kicked off his chain of Harley locations, moved it 20 years later to the new 150-acre Destination Daytona complex he built along Interstate 95 near Ormond Beach to give bikers more restaurants, bars, shops, a hotel and condos to go to.

Revving up during COVID-19
Even during the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 when major sporting events and public gatherings of all times were being canceled, the motorcycles rolled on in Daytona Beach despite growing concern from health officials and warnings from city officials and the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“We can’t cancel it. The people are already here. You can’t put gates around the city,” said Nancy Keefer, the chamber’s CEO. “We help with the permitting, master-planning and marketing of the event, but we don’t control the businesses (that put on the events).”

There was a brief outcry when initial media reports stated that a New York resident who traveled to Daytona Beach for Bike Week was among three new presumptive coronavirus cases, back when three new cases were a big deal.

It was later learned that the 63-year-old man never made it to Daytona Beach. However, a 59-year-old man from St Lucie County who attended Bike Week became the first COVID-related death on the Treasure Coast a few weeks later.

While hand sanitizer was visible at most bars and venues, few masks were in evidence on Main Street. At the last minute city and county officials announced they were revoking permits for any gatherings of 100 people or more, which meant that vendors would have to pack up.

But while white-topped tents over T-shirts, food and other wares were missing and outside bars were shut down, the crowds still came. An estimated 500,000 people attended the 2020 event.

Riding into the future: only motorcycles allowed
After weathering heightened health concerns during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s Bike Week marks a return to normal, albeit with general health guidelines that have remained in place at many businesses, said Janet Kersey, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce.

There will be activities, concerts and attractions all over the area for visiting bikers. Biker-friendly bars are scattered up and down U.S. 1. The bucolic city of DeLand holds a bike parade every year. Bikers looking for a quieter (if still raucous) place to go head to Flagler Beach. Destination Daytona will have vendors, motorcycle demonstrations and music on outdoor stages. Many visitors come down just to ride the Loop in Ormond Beach, a scenic, 34-mile ride through twisting, tree-lined roads in largely undeveloped Florida.

Black Bike Week, traditionally held the second weekend of the larger 10-day event, brings thousands of people of all ethnicities to enjoy the street-party festivities at Joe Harris Park in Daytona Beach.

And, of course, at the Speedway across the street from the Official Bike Week Welcome Center at OneDaytona there’s the Daytona Supercross, and the Daytona 200 that started it all.

By Renegade

FeedSpot.com regularly checks for the best Motorcycle Blogs from innumerable motorcycle related blogs on the internet.

They investigate the Blogs for regular new content, hits from search engines, people subscribing to the blogs, variety or specialization in the motorcycle market and industry, daily traffic, social media followers, domain authority, presentation and much more algorithms for ranking the blogs.

Bikernet Blog is consistently rated in the Top 100 Motorcycle Blogs on the internet.

Considering Feedspot media database has over 100,000 curated list of Influential Bloggers in 1500 niche categories – this is quite a success story for Bikernet Blog.

See Latest Rankings at:
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Last year Bikernet.com hit the 25-year marker in the business, which was a major milestone after starting in 1996, when the web was super-young.

What sets the Bikernet Blog aside from other blogs is their ability to deliver comprehensive coverage on all aspects of motorcycling – including customers, custom builders, legislative, dealerships, aftermarket parts, corporate news, industry, outlaws, market news, motorsports, freedom fights, off-road, tech & tips, infrastructure updates, women achievers in motorcycling, events, reviews, accessories, changes in laws, travel tips and most importantly the fun & joy of bikerdom.

CLICK HERE To Read more on this milestone of the Bikernet Blog.

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It’s a Twisted Web We Are Trying to Navigate Through

MAMA TRIED happened last week and the motorcycle world fled to Daytona Beach for bike week as the world remains in turmoil.

The brothers know how to party. Watch for reports on Bikernet.

We can’t ever give up. Let’s hit the news.

Ride Free Forever!

–Bandit

CLICK HERE To Read the Weekly News on Bikernet.com

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CLICK HERE To Subscribe to the Cantina

Hey,

MAMA TRIED happened last week and the motorcycle world fled to Daytona Beach for bike week as the Ukraine is under fire. The world is in turmoil, our country is lost but the brothers know how to party. Watch for reports on Bikernet.

In the meantime, the Bikernet War Room is a buzz of activity, concerns and knife sharpening classes and wild reports from J.J. Solari. I apologize for the massive amount of political coverage, but it just keeps coming. Plus, we need to keep a hard and fast focus on freedom in this country which is sorely under attack.

We can’t ever give up. Let’s hit the news.

The Bikernet Weekly News is sponsored in part by companies who also dig Freedom including: Cycle Source Magazine, the MRF, Las Vegas Bikefest, Iron Trader News, ChopperTown, BorntoRide.com and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum.

On September 23, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order banning the sale of most internal combustion engines (ICE) by 2035. The California ICE ban will impact 16 other states who previously signed on to adopt California’s regulations under Section 177 of the Clean Air Act. Today non-profit organizations from 15 of those states launched a new coalition to oppose these California style regulations and ICE bans in their states. The coalition authored an open letter which may be found by clicking here. The letter is being shared in the various states with elected officials, the media, activists, members, small businesses, and civic minded people. In Massachusetts, the letter is being mailed to the Governor, Lt. Governor and all the members of the Massachusetts legislature.

The new coalition of non-profit organizations represent citizens and businesses in all states that will be impacted by California Governor Gavin Newsom’s executive order to phase out and eventually ban the sale of new internal combustion engine vehicles by 2035. Under the order, only Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEV) may be sold by 2035. California is the only state in the country that may promulgate their own vehicle emission regulations, but 16 other states have adopted the California Air Resources Board (CARB) program. The 16 states are New York (implementation 1993), Massachusetts (1995), Vermont (2000), Maine (2001), Pennsylvania (2001), Connecticut (2008), Rhode Island (2008) Washington (2009), Oregon (2009), New Jersey (2009), Maryland (2011), Delaware (2014), Colorado (2022), Minnesota (2025), Nevada (2025) and Virginia (2025).

All impacted states should be troubled by the nature of Governor Newsom’s executive order. Lawmakers from these 16 states would be stripped of the right and responsibility to represent their constituents. Consumers would be deprived of options. Significant discrepancies exist between extreme emission reduction plans and the realities they would produce in the other states. Many of the states that originally joined California, did so with the understanding that they would be following best practices for efficiencies, not blanket bans of vital products.

“These extreme California regulations would ban the sale of these products in all of the New England states, except New Hampshire. New Hampshire would become the beneficiary of this ill-considered proposal, as residents and businesses would flock to their state for its lower costs and larger array of options. Unlike the major population centers of California, the vast majority of the states that this ban would affect deal with harsh winter months that produce heavy snow falls. California Governor Newsom’s order will eliminate the option of reliable vehicles that perform well in our weather conditions. If this sneaks through, it would be a cruel trick to play on the residents of Massachusetts,” stated Chip Ford, executive director for Citizens for Limited Taxation.

“Now is the worst possible time for State House leaders to shrug their shoulders and allow the Governor of California to ban the sale of some popular vehicles in Massachusetts. If the current events have taught us anything, it’s that more options for consumers are necessary. ZEV batteries rely on components that are controlled by foreign countries, that should concern everyone right now. What Massachusetts needs is more options, not less. Even if the mood at the State House is to ban popular vehicles, that is a policy decision that should be debated and voted on by our lawmakers and the Governor,” concluded Paul Diego Craney, spokesperson for Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance.

Text “FISCAL” to 50457 and follow instructions to receive important text messages on time sensitive issues from the MassFiscal team.
Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance
18 Tremont St, Suite 527, Boston, MA 02108, United States

FRESH FROM THE BIKERNET UNIVERSITY ENGLISH DEPARTMENT—Number 46 In dictionary changes: Assault weapon……Any firearm that frightens a journalist or a bureaucrat when he sees one or sees even a picture of one. Journalists and bureaucrats see all firearms as “assault” devices. Never as “defense” devices. Journalists and bureaucrats only UNDERSTAND assaults. Because that’s all they do.

The concept of a defensive weapon does not compute in their heads. People are not supposed to defend. They are supposed to COMPLY. Defense is selfish. Compliance is cooperation and responsible and virtuous and keeps everyone safe.

— J.J. Solari
Official University Political Dictionary Editor
Bikernet University

FXR FILES ARE NOW OPEN--I think I mentioned to you I was buying this bike. It had some carb issues but now it’s running like a top. It’s a 1985 with only 11,000 miles on it. My third new Harley, ha ha.

Also is a picture of the Huck Cycles Electric ride that I am working with now. They are fast and fun on the verge of being a motorcycle/moped.

–Paul Aiken

THIS WEEKS BUCK LOVELL PHOTOS—Buck Lovell, the former editor of Hot Bike Magazine, moved to the Black Hills of South Dakota way back. Tracy and Buck live near Sturgis and work with Scott Jacobs in Deadwood.

Buck, always an accomplished photographer, continues his work in the motorcycle nirvana of the Black Hills where he also looks after his horses. We will try to bring you samples of his photo talents as the spring opens in the region.

Buck Lovell
Lovell Photography & Design
B.L.A.B.B. (Buck Lovell’s American Biker Blog)
bucklovell@gmail.com / bucklovellsblog@gmail.com
20824 Eddy Place
Sturgis, SD 57785
(605) 490 2991

NEW IN THE NATIONAL MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM–The Dream 50R was designed and built to commemorate Honda’s early road racing history, some of which was in the 50cc class. The 50R followed the 1997 release of the street legal red-framed Dream 50, aka AC15.

Honda began making motorcycle engines in 1947, soon after World War II ended. Production machines of the 1960’s were very technically sophisticated compared to British and American offerings of the time. Soichiro Honda believed that racing improved his company’s engineering, and by 1959 Honda was making factory racers and beginning to win Grand Prix championships.

Though the race winning RC factory race bikes could not be bought by privateers, the CR, “customer racer” line-up was available and was much lighter and higher tech than the also race-able 125cc CB92s or 250cc Hawks of the time. The 50cc CR110, 125cc CR93 and 250cc CR72 were prized in their time and highly collectible today. The Dream 50R commemorates the CR110.

Though not as exotic as the early 1960’s CR110 with an 8-speed transmission it emulates, this 2005 Dream 50R is styled in the same vein, pays homage to the days of sleek, long alloy fuel tanks, alloy fenders, solo “bump pad” seats and air-cooled DOHC four-stroke engines.

The Dream 50R, and it’s legal-in-some-countries Dream 50 cousin, have a strong “tuner” following in Japan, and a wide range of cosmetic and performance parts are available. Honda HRC, responsible for the 50R and decades of Honda factory race bikes, also offers parts for these machines which were made for about a year in a small batch.

CLIMATE DEPOT ALERT— The Pause Lengthens Again: No Global Warming Since 2014 – 7 Years 5 Months

No warming since October 2014:

Monckton: UAH satellite monthly global mean lower-troposphere dataset: “The entire UAH record since December 1978 shows warming at 0.134 K decade–1, near-identical to the 0.138 K decade–1 since 1990, indicating very little of the acceleration that would occur if the ever-increasing global CO2 concentration and consequent anthropogenic forcing were exercising more than a small, harmless and net-beneficial effect.” …

Note that all these charts are anomaly charts. They make the warming look much greater and more drastic than it is in reality. The 0.58 K warming trend since late 1978 represents an increase of just 0.2% in absolute global mean surface temperature – hardly a crisis, still less an emergency.

–Marc Morano
Climate Depot

HARLEY SANCTIONS RUSSIA— On March 1, Harley-Davidson announced it had suspended its business and shipments of its bikes to Russia following the invasion of Ukraine last week.

Harley did not respond to a request for additional details on the suspension or the size of its operations in Russia, according to Reuters. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has been photographed riding Harleys, and even joined a gathering of bikers in Ukraine back in 2010.

NEW FROM LOWBROW–NEW TECHNOLOGY
Every time a new technology comes out there tends to be a lot of questions around that technology. For example, LED headlights are a great innovation for motorcycles. Adding an LED headlight to your bike really can improve your ability to see at night. The light is brighter, it uses less power, the bulbs are durable, vibration resistant, and they don’t get hot. They are simply, a great improvement. Believe it or not, when the first LED bulbs came out, there were a lot of people that thought they were inferior to incandescent bulbs.

The Lowdown on Lithium Batteries-2One of Todd’s Classic Triumph builds utilizing an Antigravity 4 cell lithium battery that is super small and compact, giving a sleek and stylish look.

LITHIUM BATTERY ADVANTAGES
WEIGHT

Another product that has been great for motorcycles in recent years, is the innovation in lithium batteries. Lithium batteries have a ton of advantages over typical conventional and AGM batteries. The first benefit is weight. Lead acid batteries are heavy. Anytime you can remove weight from your motorcycle, you gain power. If you take a bike to a dragstrip and you have a rider that weighs 200 lbs and a rider that weighs 150 lbs. If they ride the bike exactly the same, the 150 lb rider is going to have a faster time. This is typically referred to as a power-to-weight ratio. Lithium batteries are typically 70% lighter than AGM batteries. On a motorcycle, this is a big advantage.

The Lowdown on Lithium Batteries-8Some lithium batteries such as this 4 cell Antigravity are so small you can use a Bates Batboy battery box to hide it and still have room for tools and other carry on goods. Photo compliments of W&W

CYCLE LIFE

Another advantage is cycle life. Lithium batteries have a much better cycle life than an AGM battery does. Now there are a lot of caveats that affect your cycle life. How often you use the battery, how much strain is on the battery during use, temperature, etc. The point is a lithium battery can do around 3000 cycles compared to an AGM producing about 500 cycles. Lithium batteries are definitely more expensive than most AGM batteries, but they perform much better typically, and have a longer life span.

The Lowdown on Lithium Batteries-14Lithium batteries can be mounted pretty much anywhere. Tyler mounted this Antigravity 16 cell on the tail section of his new dual engine Triumph land speed race bike, that is hidden by the tail section.

MOUNTING POSITION AND VIBRATION RESISTANCE

Lithium Batteries can be mounted vertically, horizontally, or upside down. This is a big benefit for custom builders because it gives them more options for mounting the battery. Lithium batteries also can handle more vibration that an AGM battery. AGM batteries have an assortment of plates in them. These plates are soldiered to connectors that lead to the main post on the battery. A lot of vibration can cause these connections to break.

Lithium batteries do not have any liquid in them, and the lithium packs inside are very durable compared to the construction of a Conventional or AGM battery. It’s not common to see a decent lithium battery fail due to vibration. Just ask anyone riding a modern motocross bike. These bikes are often flipped, jumped, and crashed, and they all have lithium batteries in them.

The Lowdown on Lithium Batteries-size comparison 2You can see in this photo the sheer size difference in an Antigravity 12 cell battery to a stock OEM Harley-Davidson Sportster Battery is staggering. Being able to use a smaller battery such as this 12 cell can definitely help when designing a clean and tight custom chopper.

The Lowdown on Lithium Batteries-17 This Gasbox built Ironhead Harley-Davidson Sportster has an Antigravity 12 cell powering it up and works extremely well for this electric start motorcycle.

POWER

Lithium batteries offer really good CCA (cold cranking amps) when compared to the same AGM battery. The one down side is Lithium batteries do not do well in sub-freezing temperatures, or if they are left un-used for extended lengths of time. If you live in a cold climate, take your lithium battery out of your bike in the off-season and store it in your house. This will ensure its longevity.

The Lowdown on Lithium Batteries-31 Using a “Smart battery charger” or something like this Noco Genius 2 set up you can select on hook up what kind of battery you are charging to ensure you are not damaging the battery. A smart investment if you are going to be running these lithium style batteries.

The Lowdown on Lithium Batteries-32
You can see this charger is in Lithium 12 volt mode and charging the battery correctly right on the device.

If you look at some of the reviews on lithium batteries you will often see a lot of questions concerning charging these batteries. Lithium batteries require a different type of charger that delivers the power in a different manner than your typical battery charger designed for AGM or conventional batteries. In simple terms, battery chargers rely on a discharge profile that tells the battery charger what to do.

Lead acid batteries have a very different discharge profile than a lithium battery. This means your AGM charger will make a mistake when charging a lithium battery, which can damage that battery. You can also overcharge or undercharge a lithium battery with a regular charger, and this can also damage your lithium battery. You need to have a lithium battery charger that has an automatic shut-off when it hits the 12.8v mark.

The Lowdown on Lithium Batteries-24

Antigravity 12 cell in one of the Haifley Bros builds, tucked tightly inside an oil bag.

Another common scenario is when people accidentally completely drain their lithium battery. When they hook up their lithium battery charger, the charger does not see a profile, so it does not charge the battery. These chargers are made to see a threshold. If the charger does not see that threshold charge, it thinks the battery is defective and will not charge it.

JUMP THE CHARGING PROCESS

Your lithium battery charger will not charge your battery? If the battery is not truly defective, all you need to do is get the battery up to a charge threshold for a moment so the lithium battery charger begins the charging process. To do this, simply use a set of jumper cables from a good lithium battery and hook them up to the battery you are trying to charge. Make sure you connect positive to positive and negative to negative. Now connect your lithium battery charger to your old battery and turn it on. Once you see the charging light come on, disconnect the good battery you are not trying to charge. Your lithium battery charger will now charge your lithium battery. It’s really that simple.

The Lowdown on Lithium Batteries-33Note: Only do this jump start from a charged lithium battery to a not charged lithium battery. Trying this process with any other type of battery could damage both.

If you are looking to replace your battery, consider buying a lithium battery. If you don’t live in Antarctica, it is a good choice. More power, longer life, less weight, and better durability. Lithium batteries are here to stay, so best to get in tune with the technology.

FEATURE BIKES OF THE WEEK—

–Sam Burns
Feature Bike Editor
Bikernet.com™

NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL MOTORIST ASSOCIATION–Another Speed Trap Town Gets Caught:

Have you ever gone on a road trip and been caught in a speed trap in some little town in the middle of nowhere? That’s what happened to many motorists who drove through Brookside, Alabama in the last few years. The state’s Appleseed Center of Law and Justice has dubbed this town of 1,200 the poster child of policing for profit because its police department generated a 640 percent increase in fines/forfeitures in just two years. As Reuters explained, Brookside has become “symbolic of a nationwide problem: predatory law enforcement.”

Policing for Profit

In 2020, $487 in fines and forfeitures were collected for every town resident. Most drivers fined were passing through a 1.5 mile portion of Interstate 22. Brookside officers, dressed in nondescript uniforms and using unmarked vehicles with heavily tinted windows, did not just hand out speeding tickets like candy; they also cited people without reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing and sometimes with non-existent laws.

Often, Brookside police officers strayed out of their jurisdiction to hand out tickets. Police in neighboring towns and the Jefferson County sheriff’s office received numerous complaints about the predatory nature of the Brookside department. The Jefferson County District Attorney claimed they were running a money-making racket, violating people’s constitutional rights rather than protecting public safety.

By the end of 2021, it was believed that Brookside had nine officers (the town did not want to confirm) or one for every 144 residents. According to Governing Magazine, the average force size for smaller towns is one officer for every 588 residents. From 2011 to 2018, only 55 major crimes were reported in Brookside, and none involving murder or rape. So, why so many officers?

All about the Money

Brookside, 20 minutes north of Birmingham, is a former mining town with a median income of $40,000 per year. The population is 70 percent white, 21 percent Black and a small but growing Hispanic population. The town’s only store is a Dollar General. There are no stop lights and few two-lane streets, but Interstate 22 runs near the town and became one of the biggest ticket generators. The Brookside Police Department made the criminalization of residents and those passing through the town’s leading industry.

In 2018, traffic fines collected totaled $82,467, about 14 percent of the town’s total income, already a relatively high proportion. By 2020, that figure grew to $610,000, about half the town’s income. Brookside doubled its revenue and began spending more money funding the police department than it did for all other municipal operations combined.

The monthly traffic court sessions were always packed, and no one ever beat their ticket. The towing of vehicles also went up from 50 cars in 2018 to 789 in 2020. That’s a 1,478 percent increase or 1.7 tows per year for every household in the small town. Residents reported that they had to pay thousands to get their vehicles back. Others lost homes and property because of debt caused by manufactured violations.

On January 20, 2022, the Birmingham News and Alabama.com broke the story and released an investigative report on the town’s predatory practices. Originally, reporter John Archibald was working on a story about poverty in the area, and everyone he talked with pointed to the predatory practices of the Brookside police department as one of the biggest reasons for the increase in poverty. Archibald wrote that drivers were sucked into a legal ‘black hole’ that was difficult for nearly all to overcome.

How it Started

In 2018, the town hired a new police chief, who ostensibly was the only full-time officer. Mike Jones quickly began building a police empire, lobbying for an over 500 percent increase in police spending. With the blessing of Brookside Mayor Mike Bryan, Jones hired more and more officers to patrol the six miles of town roads and the mile-and-a-half adjacent jurisdiction on Interstate 22. By 2020, officers underwent SWAT training and often dressed in riot gear. The department even parked a riot-control vehicle outside of the municipal complex/community center for effect.

In the Birmingham News first report, Jones called the town’s policing “a positive story.” He added that he would like to see a 600 percent increase in tickets. He explained, “If you had more officers and more productivity you’d have more. I think it could be more.” Both Jones and Mayor Bryan declared that the goal of the department was only to help people.

The investigation uncovered that Brookside had no budgeting system or even a policy of adopting one. Bryan and Jones claimed to have no knowledge of how the cash was spent from all those tickets.

Aftermath

Within a week after the Birmingham News investigation broke, Brookside, Alabama was featured across the world as one of the most predatory ticketing agencies anywhere. Police Chief Mike Jones resigned. The town now faces at least five federal lawsuits from people who claim that not only did the police fabricate charges but retaliated against those who filed complaints. Alabama’s Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth is now seeking investigations by the Department of Justice, the Alabama Attorney General, and is calling for audits by other state entities.

State politicians say they plan to work together to try and stop this kind of small-town policing. Alabama already has a law on the books that cities or towns with populations of less than 19,000 are not allowed to stop speeders on the interstates. Brookside police got around that rule on Interstate 22 by pulling over motorists for other types of violations such as following too closely or driving in the left lane if not passing. State lawmakers are thinking about banning small-town police from ticketing highway drivers, and keeping ticket revenue from the police and city/town general funds.

The town’s residents and others touched by the experience are still left wondering how this could have happened. Policing for profit has a lasting effect on people’s lives, not to mention their trust in law enforcement.

If you haven’t already become a member of the National Motorists Association, we encourage you to do so today and help us fight predatory speed trap operations like that of Brookside. If you have observed questionable enforcement activity on the road, report your experience on the NMA’s driver-sourced Speedtrap.org website.

LIFESTYLE CYCLES DEAL OF THE WEEK–2022 Harley-Davidson® FLHXS – Street Glide® Special for $29,995.00

see it here: https://www.lifestylecycles.com/default.asp?page=xPreOwnedInventoryDetail&id=11794769

A factory-custom bagger with highway-shredding power, in a blacked-out or chrome finish.

Features may include:

THIS IS THE RIGHT BIKE FOR
Milwaukee-Eight® 114 V-Twin engine and Prodigy™ wheels
Never before offered two-tone paint schemes
MILWAUKEE-EIGHT® 114 ENGINE
The most displacement in standard H-D® Touring models. You get 114 cubic inches of passing and horizon-chasing power.

REFLEX™ LINKED BREMBO® BRAKES WITH STANDARD ABS
Designed to help prevent the wheels from locking under braking to assist the rider in maintaining control when braking in a straight-line. ABS operates independently on front and rear brakes to keep the wheels rolling and help prevent uncontrolled wheel lock in urgent situations.

BOOM!™ BOX GTS INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM
An evolved interface experience that offers a contemporary look, feel and function, with exceptional durability and features designed specifically for motorcycling. Every element is optimized to enhance the rider’s interaction with the bike and connectivity with the world.

STRETCHED SADDLEBAGS
Designed to accentuate the long and low profile for an iconic, custom look.

BLACKED-OUT EVERYTHING
Blacked-out front forks, handlebars, tank console and exhaust for an aggressive, modern look.

RESPONSIVE SUSPENSION
High-performing front and rear suspension with easily adjustable rear shocks put you in control of a plush ride.

Bright white Daymaker LED headlamp

THOUGHTFUL QUOTES FROM THE BIKERNET TEMPLE AT PILLAR PEAK—
“Resolve that you will love the world as your own nation, and that you will love your nation as you love your family. Through this understanding you will help to establish a world family on the indestructible foundation of wisdom.” – Paramahansa Yogananda

If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies.

“The only man I know who behaves sensibly is my tailor; he takes my measurements anew each time he sees me. The rest go on with their old measurements and expect me to fit them.” – George Bernard Shaw (Man and Superman, 1903)

“May the sun bring you new energies by day, may the moon softly restore you by night, may the rain wash any worries you may have, may gentle breezes refresh your soul and all the days of your life, may you walk gently through the world & know its beauty.”

“If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite.” – William Blake

“Adversity is like a strong wind. It tears away from us all but the things that cannot be torn, so that we see ourselves as we really are”

“That only which we have within, can we see without. If we meet no gods, it is because we harbour none.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

–Wayfarer

NEWS FROM THE S&S HEADQUARTERS–We’ve been working on this one for a while now. Shorty two into one in raw stainless or black coated stainless steel. Available in 50 state or race only versions. We just shipped a ton of these to Drag Specialties. Big power and big sound! ~ DZ

NEW – Diamondback 2-1 Performance Exhaust System for Touring Models

S&S was building Performance Baggers long before they were called that and their focus has always been on making big power! Inspired by King of the Baggers, the Diamondback 2-1 Exhaust System is a perfect example of their commitment to true performance.

Beginning with a stepped header for maximum flow and a merged collector specifically engineered to prevent exhaust gas reversion, this system wraps up with a 4″ full stainless muffler that ends before the rear axle.

The Diamondback is not for your daddy’s bagger, but purpose-built to make big power and sound, have excellent cornering clearance, and just the right look. It also provides clearance for taller shocks and is available in a brushed Stainless or Guardian Black finish.

Check out the new Diamondback Exhaust as well as the entire line of exhausts from S&S at: https://www.sscycle.com/feature/exhaust/s-s-cycle-diamondback-2-into-1-exhaust-systems

–David Zemla
VP – Marketing
S&S® Cycle, Inc.

MEANWHILE BACK AT THE BIKERNET UNIVERSITY DICTIONARY DEPARTMENT—Number 72: Gavin Newsom…..The “governor” of California and the poster boy for everything stupid that bureaucrats and journalists praise as essential for happiness.

For instance, Gavin Newsom is convinced that the air within the borders of California walls itself in a bent-rectangular column that is the exact shape of California, from ground level to the limits of the upper atmosphere.

In other words the air above the California terrestrial boundary lines….stays in place. It never moves beyond California. And that via Newsom’s personal direction and commands and edicts……its temperature (California’s) can be lowered, thus cooling the surface ground layer to where it can be safely lived upon.

To journalists and bureaucrats Gavin Newsom is a saint and the only entity in California who actually cares about people other than himself and therefore anyone who doesn’t revere him as a Savior is a selfish, antisocial hater.

J.J. Solari
Official University Political Dictionary Editor
Bikernet University

FLATHEAD TANK UPDATE–Got it into primer. I use a guide coat for sanding primer. It’s shaping up nicely! Taping lines next! I’ll keep you updated.

–Greg Robley
Spearfish, SD

THE BIKERNET OLD SHIT DEPARTMENT–One of the most popular manufacturers of crash helmets was a company called Buco.

Buco helmets date back to the year 1933 when the company was founded in Detroit, Michigan, and the company sported the slogan of “Look better, feel better, are better”. Buco helmets were very popular helmets in the 1950s and 1960s and were sold by all Harley Davidson and Indian Motorcycle dealers during those time periods.

Buco was the trade name for the Joseph Buegeleisen Company and was synonymous with the motorcycling industry and recognized as the largest cycling accessory and safety helmet manufacturer of the time period. The company also produced motorcycle jackets and accessories for Harley Davidson, as well as for police departments and divisions of the military.

In the year 1966, the company was acquired by the American Safety Equipment Corporation of New York. The company continued to operate and progress on a larger scale, now operating under the name of Buco Products, A Division of American Safety Equipment Corporation.

The Buco division of ASEC failed to exist after the year 1970 due to the oil crisis that put a crunch on the automotive industry of which the ASEC was a part.

–From Sam Burns

NEW/OLD FROM AMERICAN PRIME–1104-0001 Advance Assembly

Our 1104-0001 Advance assembly has a 304-stainless steel base, center post and pivot pins and the weights are coated with a specially formulated polymer that protects from heat saturation, reduces friction – and in most cases, strengthens the component to make it more efficient.

The special CNC coiled springs hold precision tolerances controlling spring rates to within 5% of specification to provide the max advance and retard applicable to your motorcycle. They are manufactured with precision drawn wire then zinc plated for corrosion protection with post baking for relieving of potential hydrogen embrittlement.

The APM Advance kit (1104-0001) includes the center bolt. The Advance Unit is proudly Made in the U.S.A. and assembled at our factory in Santa Fe Springs, California.

When we do the final assembly of 3000 advance units, we have to assemble 6000 weights and 3000 base assemblies then package them all. Lotsa work but worth every second!

[page break]

ALEX EPSTEIN ON The greenhouse effect—

Perhaps the biggest controversy over fossil fuels is their impact on climate and climate safety. Fossil fuel use does impact climate, but in smaller and different ways than is often portrayed. Let’s start with CO2.

When fossil fuels are burned in order to release the energy that powers the world one of the byproducts is CO2, carbon dioxide. There are two main impacts of CO2 on our environment: the greenhouse effect and the fertilizer effect.

To make a full context assessment of fossil fuels on climate we need to know precisely how these effects work and how significant they are. In this email we’ll look at greenhouse effect.

The greenhouse effect is the warming effect that occurs when CO2 is released into the atmosphere.

What we know about the greenhouse effect of CO2 is that it is a diminishing effect. Technically it’s called a logarithmic effect, which you can see on this chart.

The x-axis shows the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere and the y-axis shows the effect this makes in temperature.

What you can see is that one new molecule added to the atmosphere has quite a big effect, but as you go on each additional molecule has less and less of an effect. What this would imply is that by continuing to put more CO2 into the atmosphere we wouldn’t expect it to make that big a difference as compared to putting more in at the beginning.

So why are we told that putting more CO2 into the atmosphere will lead to catastrophic warming? We’ll look at that next time.

–Alex Epstein
Center for Industrial Progress

BRAND New Bikernet Reader Comment!–Illusion Custom Motorcycles

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

I think I have ended up with ‘96 Illusions 106 chopper according to title search except for last know owner liking for help find last know owner

–Charles Richard Shook
crshook11508@gmail.com
Houston, TX

I believe he has an early Illusion chopper. They were the first mass-manufactured choppers to come along. Later the brand was sold to Rusty Coones, who still has the custom shop and builds some fantastic bikes.

Illusion Cycles
14911 Crenshaw Boulevard Alondra Park, Ca. 90249. Illusionoc@gmail.com
213-342-1830. By appointment only. Service. Fabrication. Parts.

THE LATEST FROM THE DIME BAG LEATHER COMPANY— Excited to share the making of the seat for Billy Lane’s new motorcycle brand Cool Hand Speedco.

Each leather seat is handmade and numbered 00-50 to each motorcycle.

Billy debuted Cool Hand Speedco at the Daytona Speedway this week.

–Adam Croft
President
Adam Croft Leather Empire

NEW YORK TIMES REPORT—
“Keep The Facts Top of Mind” and “Journalism Like No Other” are the New York Times’ current two advertising mottos on the internet. These employees of the Times are allegedly the top layer of writing and intellectual talent on the globe. “Keep The Facts Top of Mind” and “Journalism Like No Other.”

Greta Thunberg in her most hyperhysterical fit of red-faced vulcanism actually blurts more sensibly arranged words and ideas than the New York Times trying to construct two 6 and 4-word slogans to entice you to…I GUESS….send them money.

What they SHOULD do is what the ASPCA does: have some journalists in cages on the snowy ground, shaking from the cold and with mange, pitifully looking at the camera for help.

Have the sad-voiced huckster woman in the narration say with tears in her syllables “These journalists from the New York Times are being pitifully ignored. They have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars at Berkeley University and at the Columbia School of Journalism only to end up at the New York Times, the planet’s most-failing news publication.

The hacks at the Huffington who barely made it through grammar school make more money and have more readers than these poor remnants of the tribe of Juda. Won’t you help? 19 cents a day will keep these miserable losers in Jim Beam and Johnny Walker and SO many other brands of cheap, 50% cane sugar whiskeys to where they can face another meaningless day at their keyboards writing fiction. Which is all that failed novelists really want to do: write fiction. Can you help?”

–J.J. Solari

Wreaths Across America Radio Kicks Off Its Popular Roundtable Discussions on Veteran Healing for 2022

This RoundTable discussion will focus on Military Caregivers with a special emphasis on Vietnam-era Veterans as we approach National Vietnam War Veterans Day

COLUMBIA FALLS, ME. — March 8, 2022 — Wreaths Across America Radio is proud to announce the first in a series of five roundtable discussions for 2022. These discussions are focused on Veteran Healing through shared stories of resilience, purpose, and success. This first discussion will air on Thursday, March 24, 2022, at 7 PM EST and can be heard exclusively on Wreaths Across America Radio.

The March RoundTable will focus on Military Caregivers with a special emphasis on Vietnam-era Veterans as we approach National Vietnam War Veterans Day on March 29. Guest panelists – listed below – will be interviewed by Wreaths Across America’s Executive Director Karen Worcester and Director of Military & Veteran Outreach, former United States Army Captain Joe Regan.

“As we approach Vietnam War Veterans Day it is important for us to understand that nearly half of our Veterans are over the age of 65. These men and women are more likely to be managing two or more chronic conditions when compared to their non-veteran peers and they account for over half of Veteran suicide deaths,” said Reagan. “Their care often is the responsibility of their loved ones – spouses and children. All of us share a responsibility to fulfill President Lincoln’s promise to “care for those who borne the battle” and because of that Wreaths Across America is proud to bring together a team of people enabling those caregivers to help create a better understanding of the Veteran’s, and caregiver’s experience.”

Guest panelists include:

Melissa Comeau, Director of the American Red Cross Military and Veteran Caregiver Network – Melissa is a Marine Corps spouse, director of the American Red Cross’ Military and Veteran Caregiver Network, and a writer. She is known for her book “Sleeping with the War,” published in 2015 by the War Writers’ Campaign. The book offers a family and caregiver perspective on life after combat.

Molly Brooks, CEO, and Founder of Hero’s Bridge – Molly is a registered nurse with over 23 years of experience with specialty certifications in gerontology and hospice and palliative care. Throughout her professional and personal life, she has dedicated herself to caring for others, especially aging veterans.

The goal of the roundtable series is to help reduce barriers for veterans by:
Supporting generational bonds between service veterans through stories of service and success;

Destigmatizing issues faced by veterans and asking for help;

Combating inaccurate perceptions of veterans by discussing the diverse experiences, challenges, and success of service members, veterans, and their families; and

Connecting veterans with valuable resources.

If members of the public have questions they would like to have the panel address during this discussion, Wreaths Across America Radio is soliciting questions in advance of this discussion via its Facebook page and directly at waaradio@wreathsacrossamerica.org.

You can listen live at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/radio and via the iHeart Radio app, or download it at the App Store or on Google!

QUICK, New Bikernet Reader Comment!–Transform Your Shovelhead Into An Evo

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

Do I need to use Evo tappet blocks when making the conversion form shovelhead tappets to evo tappets?

–George Dickinson
georgescycleshop81401@gmail.com
Montrose, CO

Travel limiter in the Evo lifters are the way to go no high rpm power drop, as any bud lifter will collapse. Just hang around a dyno and watch power drop on wide open throttle pulls. Just don’t do that to your bike almost any prof dunk man can tell you what your kids will accomplish without putting a year’s wear on your baby a 6-pack and respect and will do you proud.

According to the article Evo lifter blocks and hydraulic lifters will slip right into place.–Bandit

VINTAGE RIDE AND THE GIRLS–More and more women are joining us on our motorcycle adventures every year. Just some who’ve travelled with us are Agnès, Nicole, Véronique, Dominique and Eugénie. This 8 March, we wanted to shine the spotlight on them to commemorate International Women’s Day, which raises awareness for women’s rights, equality and justice. Beyond the day’s political message, these riders are proof that travelling by motorbike as a woman in 2022 is perfectly normal. Just in case some people still hadn’t got the memo…

Photographer Agnès Cassière has already ticked off most of our destinations: India, Mongolia, Nepal, and she’ll be heading to Argentina soon. “On tour, you experience beautiful encounters exchanging glances and smiles for the lack of words, which are magical moments of connection that lend themselves to wonderful photos.” Her two passions come together creating exceptional results.

Nicole needed to broaden her experience before she could fulfil her dream of riding through Mustang Valley. After seeing us on TV, she promised herself that she would get her license so she could explore the world by motorbike and she has gained so much confidence since then. Now she’s already been to Ladakh, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Rwanda and Morocco and up next is Nepal in September! She’ll be reunited with 52-year-old Véro, who first travelled solo in January 2019 when she went to Sri Lanka on her first motorcycle tour. Since then, we’ve welcomed her on tours in Peru and Morocco, but Sri Lanka is the country that really stole her heart and she has been back there several times.

Then we have Ghislaine and Catherine, who are excellent pillions and never afraid to try anything when they accompany their husbands in faraway lands, like India or Nepal, or more recently in Sardinia. And we mustn’t forget Eugénie one of our youngest adventurers! At 15, she rode pillion with her dad, “It was my first time on a motorbike and it was an amazing experience. I loved it!”

Domie, our coolest rider from Charentes Maritimes, met us in 2012 at a bikers’ fair. On her first motorcycle tour of Rajasthan, India, she fell for the Royal Enfield’s charm, the country and the people. Since that tour, she has supported the charity Inde et Nous France and even started sponsoring a little girl: Sakina.

Travelling is life-changing and changes lives. It isn’t just an inspirational phrase to make you want to set off. We could tell you dozens of stories like these. But we’d prefer you to come and write your own.

Who knows what lies ahead?

2022 : Girls Ride in Indonesia

From Bali to Java, on the volcanoes trail
12 days : 3150 € / pilot

2023 : Girls Ride in Morocco

The gateway to the desert

7 days : 1980 € / pilot

du march 27th to april 2nd 2023

from july 10th to july 21st 2022

We would also like to give special mention to all those “roses” who we support every year through our commitment to fighting breast cancer alongside the charity RARE. (event in October).

Vintage Rides
53 Rue Président Krüger, 69008 Lyon
teamvr@vintagerides.com
+442070316050

NEWS FROM THE MOTORCYCLE RIDERS FOUNDATION–Strength In Numbers

The street riders in this country are facing many challenges and the Motorcycle Riders Foundation is working hard to fight for your rights. We need your help. There is strength in numbers and that is where YOU can help fight the fight.

The MRF is focused on doubling our membership and we need your help. We are challenging ALL our members to sign up one new member so we can pack a bigger punch when we walk the halls of congress and fight for the rights of the street riders in this great country.

Our members are our strength, and we have all made the commitment to take our battle for freedom of the road to the Nation’s Capital and now we are asking you to please consider making the commitment to double our membership and double our strength. Sign up one new member today! mrf.org/join

Total Vigilance,

–Todd Riba
MRF Member Representative

INTERMOT 2022 is the first motorcycle trade fair to livestream new model launches and other industry news–New concept very well received in the industry – a number of renowned vehicle manufacturers have already confirmed their participation

INTERMOT has set itself ambitious goals for its upcoming edition from 4 to 9 October 2022 in Cologne. Koelnmesse as the event’s organizer and the German Motorcycle Industry Association (IVM e.V.) as its conceptual sponsor will further reinforce INTERMOT’s importance as a leading international business and event trade fair for the motorized two-wheeler world with the event’s future-oriented concept, which combines the tried and tested with newly developed exhibition segments and innovative activities.

The focus will not only be on vehicle manufacturers’ new model launches, which the motorbike community will be able to experience in the flesh for the first time at INTERMOT following their online presentation, but also on innovations across other segments in the two-wheeler industry.

“This year’s INTERMOT 2022 will be the first major motorbike show where motorcycle enthusiasts can experience the new model launches presented digitally over the summer in person and in all their glory,” says Alexander Wolff, Director of INTERMOT. “And we have also gone full throttle with the trade fair’s new concept – in addition to fascinating bikes, visitors can experience innovative technical developments and visionary concepts for the mobility of the future.

“The new concept for INTERMOT centres around three core themes: innovation, community and lifestyle,” explains Wolff.

https://www.intermot-cologne.com/trade-fair/intermot-2022/industry-trade-fairs/?_ga=2.122922446.454795473.1646641169-554239331.1646389828

The next events:
polisMOBILITY – Moving Cities, Cologne 18.05. – 21.05.2022
THE TIRE COLOGNE – The international trade fair for the tire industry, Cologne 24.05. – 26.05.2022
INTERMOT Cologne – International Motorcycle, Scooter and E-Bike-Fair (04.10. trade visitor and media day), Cologne 04.10. – 09.10.2022

–Volker De Cloedt

TRUCK PROTEST REPORT FROM THE FRONT LINES–Between me and you… I’m still not sure if they are there or not. There was 1500 lunches.. dozens of people.. but no trucks… at the Iowa stop. There was a story given about they went thru early or something.

There is no clear leader, no clear staging points, no clear reason for going since covid is suddenly over. The photos and videos i keep seeing are close ups of the same 3-4 trucks in a parking lot… or a bunch of ‘em going down the highway that may or may not be the convoy.

It’s impossible to know if they are REALLY doing what they are saying or if this is something like that Chris Cox ‘Bikers for Trump’ bullshit scam. Cox had the entire country believing thousands of bikers were headed to the RNC in Cleveland in 2016… I went there. There was NO BIKERS THERE. Not thousands, not hundreds, not even ten.

And several people, up to and including Dave Nichols and Rogue, and even Trump himself.. believed the crap he said and helped him keep up that myth and scam thousands of dollars out of people. And so that’s where I am with this trucker convoy this morning.

I still HOPE its real… but it has some of the signs of things that were not, in the past. I’m still watching them and hoping for you a story but right now… is seems too iffy for me to put my name on it either way.

These are the pics i took… there was no convoy came thru… by my pics, it looks like they did… which is easy to do in a flying J parking lot.

–The Wicked Bitch

QUICK, OPEN THE BANDIT’S CANTINA BAD JOKE LIBRARY–A friend of mine has started a business in Afghanistan making landmines that look like prayer mats.

He said prophets are going through the roof

–Sam Burns
Certified Librarian
Bandit’s Cantina Bad Joke Library™

QUICK RULING FROM THE CLIMATE DEPOT— ‘No ban on Russian oil & gas until the U.S. lifts sanctions against U.S. domestic energy’ – Morano: “How about this?: No ban on Russian oil & gas until the U.S. lifts sanctions against U.S. domestic energy. Any Congressional bill to ban Russian energy should include lifting of all climate-related sanctions on U.S. homegrown energy!

It’s time to stop the sanctions — against American domestic energy!”

–Marc Morano
Climate Depot

NEWS FROM THE TUCKER EMPIRE–Tucker’s BikeMaster Brand Introduces New Line of Mirrors for Metric and V-twin Motorcycles

Fort Worth TX- March 8, 2022 – BikeMaster today announced a new line of motorcycle mirrors that hit the mark on quality, price and style. A mirror change is a simple upgrade for owners who want to improve their bike’s look or provide more visibility and a better experience on the road.

The new lineup includes four styles, each can be a perfect match for a custom or classic look on a metric and V-Twin motorcycle. The mirrors come in both round and oval shapes and most are available in both chrome and matte black finish. They fit most bikes on the road today. All of the mirrors feature metal construction and all of the styles come with a swivel arm, which allows them to be used on the right or left side.

These products ship to BikeMaster dealerships this month.

ROUND MIRRORS

Nothing says classic look like a round mirror on a motorcycle. The new lineup from BikeMaster includes both a three-inch diameter and a four-inch diameter version. Both feature high-quality adjustable arms and are available in chrome and matte black. Retail price is $22.95 for the three-inch version and $24.95 for the four-inch model.

OVAL MIRRORS

BikeMaster’s oval mirrors allow greater mirrored surface, which makes these two products perfect for many riders. The BikeMaster Oval and BikeMaster Classic Oval have a XX-inch width for a great look at the rider’s you’ve left behind. Both include all-metal construction and a precision, swivel ball joint adjustment. The BikeMaster Oval is available in Polished Chrome and Matte Black for $24.95. The Classic Oval features a custom CNC-machined stem, a polished chrome finish and is sold as a pair for $59.95.

ADDITIONAL PRODUCT INFORMATION

Four-inch Round Mirror

Dimension 4” W x 1” D; stem length is 5 ¼” which is adjustable with an Allen wrench. Includes two 10mm, one Yamaha 10mm reverse thread. Sold individually. Available in Chrome p/nr 600800 or Matte Black p/n 600801; retail $24.95

Three-inch Round Mirror

Dimension 3” W x 1” D. stem length is 5 ¼” which is adjustable with an Allen wrench. Includes two 10mm, one Yamaha 10mm reverse thread. Sold individually. Available in Chrome p/n 600802 or Matte Black p/n 600803; retail $22.95

BikeMaster Oval Mirror

Dimension: 5 1/8” L x 2 5/8” W x1 ¾” D. Stem length 5 ¼” which is adjustable with an Allen wrench and 10mm thread only will not fit the Yamaha reverse thread. Sold individually. Sold individually. Available in Polished Chrome, P/N 600804 retail $24.95 and in Matte Black, P/N 600805 retail $24.95

BikeMaster Classic Oval MNirror

Dimension: 8 1/2” L x 2 1/2” d. Stem length is 6 1/8” includes 2- 10mm and 1 Yamaha 10mm reverse thread. Sold in a pair. Available in Polished Chrome, P/N 600806 retail $59.95

by Steve Piehl,

HUCK CYCLES RECEIVES INVESTMENT TO EXPAND OPERATIONS, BOOST BUYING POWER–CORNELIUS, NC – Since 2019, Huck Cycles has been designing and building electric mopeds in North Carolina.

They have built and delivered more than 700 mopeds in the U.S. and six other countries. Huck Cycles received an investment in late 2021 to help it procure more components, add to working capital and expand the team. In addition, Clairvoyant Ventures, the investor group, will bring strategic counsel and guidance from experienced business leaders. This strategic investment enables Huck to continue its growth trajectory, with three electric moped models available in 2022, the Rebel, the Stinger and the Overland.

“We have been working to grow Huck Cycles during the past few years and have gained solid traction with our riders who love our bespoke approach to building motorbikes. At the same time, we discovered what many companies have learned, that supply chain challenges impact the ability to deliver your product to customers,” said Brett McCoy, CEO and founder of Huck Cycles. “I realized that for us to expand production and to tackle the supply chain issues through increased buying power, that we needed outside investment.”

Huck Cycles designs, fabricates and builds electric mopeds in the U.S. Started as a passion project in 2019, Huck posted early prototypes and builds on Instagram, which in return created orders for Brett to build, which he did on nights and weekends until he started hiring additional team members. Huck has been refining its design language, adding talent and building bikes, while prototyping new models, including the Overland, which is redesigned for 2022 and the Stinger which will feature an all-new frame design in 2022.

Huck uses as many local and national suppliers as possible. And, for those who want to get to know their bike better before delivery, Huck has a Build Your Bike program, which happens every other Saturday. People can schedule a time to be onsite to put the finishing touches on the bike, go for a ride and grab a beverage, before leaving with their new motorbike.

“Brett and the entire Huck team have really built a brand around hand-built custom motorbikes that are retro inspired, fun to ride and a true transportation option,” said Steve Amedio, Chairman and CEO of Clairvoyant Ventures. “The craftsmanship, from seats to tanks to the ride itself, are what sets Huck apart. As investors, we were interested in how this attention to detail can be preserved and delivered at scale. We are working with the entire Huck team to codify processes to simplify and increase efficiency.”

Clairvoyant Ventures, which invested fresh capital in Q4 2021, was the first outside investment in Huck Cycles. Some of the investors will serve on the board of directors and/or will serve as strategic advisors to the company and its board.

information, visit us at huckcycles.com or @huckcycles on Instagram.

BIKERNET UNIVERSITY REWRITING OFFICIAL DICTIONARY–#27: Human-Caused Global Warming…….a fabricated imaginary meteorological scapegoat created by bureaucrats who are unable, or more likely unwilling, to provide the utilities and roadways and water supplies – the most important aspects of modern life – their respective citizenries have for some imbecilic reason entrusted them with providing…… and enthusiastically endorsed as fact by journalists because it amuses them to see ruination and sexually excites them to write about it.

This sort of thing, that humans control the weather, USED to be called “rain dancing.” At least when the Apaches were controlling the weather. Academically it was referred to as “paganism,” where at primitive superstitious people such as lived in Ancient Persia and Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome attributed self-awareness and infallibly-wise willful motivation to plants and animals and terrain, and to anything else that doesn’t actually have these things.

Today these notions are mandatory whether you ascribe to them or not.”

by J.J. Solari
Official University Political Dictionary Editor
Bikernet University

INTEGRITY Sold to the highest bidder—
In an extraordinary and extraordinarily blithe announcement, the Associated Press admits it will take money from the Rockefeller Foundation and others in order to peddle climate alarmism as news.

In a press release issued by (not to) a “news” organization and flagged by Marc Morano at Climate Depot, “The Associated Press said Tuesday that it is assigning more than two dozen journalists across the world to cover climate issues, in the news organization’s largest single expansion paid for through philanthropic grants.”

Which won’t actually change the content much, to be frank, so to some extent it’s an overdue exercise in labeling of ingredients. But there was a time when they would have thought it needed to be hidden. Now it’s a boast: AP Deputy Managing Editor Sarah Nordgren chortled: “This initiative, with the help of the Rockefeller Foundation and others, will enable us to closely examine efforts to cope with climate change, both the problems it poses and its potential solutions.”

Journalistic standards? Avoiding the appearance of bias? Hoo hah. Senior AP official Brian Carovillano said “he’s noticed a difference in morale in his organization because of the growth achieved through new funding. ‘I think it has changed the mindset of the newsroom a little bit,’ he said. ‘After years of basically feeling a little beleaguered, people are proud that they’re part of an organization that is dreaming really big and actually has the ability to do it.’” In short, your journalists have no compunction about taking money to do pro-climate-alarmist journalism. Perhaps because they already were.

Indeed, we are struck by Carovillano’s job title: AP head of “investigations, enterprise, grants and partnerships.” So the guy in charge of investigative journalism is also in charge of finding money and donor partnerships. Well, that explains it.
–Climate nexus

JUST A PHILOSOPHICAL BREAK—
Ren (Chinese: , meaning “co-humanity” or “humaneness”) is the Confucian virtue denoting the good quality of a virtuous human when being altruistic. Ren is exemplified by a normal adult’s protective feelings for children. It is considered the outward expression of Confucian ideals.

Yan Hui, one of the Four Sages, once asked his master to describe the rules of ren. Confucius replied, “One should see nothing improper, hear nothing improper, say nothing improper, do nothing improper.”[1] Confucius also defined ren in the following way: “wishing to be established himself, seeks also to establish others; wishing to be enlarged himself, he seeks also to enlarge others.”[2] Confucius also said, “Ren is not far off; he who seeks it has already found it.” Ren is close to man and never leaves him.[3]

Gang Xu more specifically defined ren as “empathy”,[4] as elaborated by Confucius that “So, a man of Ren helps others become established if he desires to establish himself, and helps others reach their goals if he desires to reach his. Being able to make analogies between his own situations and those of others around him could be called the approach to Ren.”

–Wikipedia

[page break]

Yamaha Donates 2022 YZF-R7 to Rookies of ’79 Charity–Raffle to Raise Money for Injured Flat Track Riders

MARIETTA, Ga. – March 9, 2022 – Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA, is pleased to partner with the Rookies of ’79 and Friend’s charity for the 2022 season in an effort to help raise funds to support injured flat track riders and their families. Yamaha has elected to donate a brand new 2022 YZF-R7 accessorized in World GP 60th Anniversary livery and gold wheels to be raffled off in a season-long fundraiser in conjunction with the 2022 American Flat Track (AFT) race series.

Tickets to the raffle will be sold at each AFT round, and a winner will be drawn at the final round of the championship at Volusia Speedway in Florida on October 15, 2022. Additionally, Yamaha is also donating one free year of Yamaha Extended Service (Y.E.S.) warranty coverage on the R7.

“I’m proud and pleased that we were able to donate this Yamaha YZF-R7 to The Rookies of ’79 charity, allowing them to raise money to achieve their mission of helping riders and families in need,” said Yamaha Motorcycle Product Line Manager Derek Brooks. “They are a fantastic organization that does incredible work for the racing community. And as an ex-flat tracker myself, it’s a cause very near and dear to my heart.”

Founded by a group of friends and former professional dirt track racers who made up the legendary rookie class of 1979 from the Golden Era of American flat track racing, the Rookies of ’79 and Friends charity was launched with the mission to provide financial assistance to injured flat track motorcycle riders and their families in their times of greatest need.

A fan-based charity, Rookies of ’79 raises funds mostly through sales and raffles of donated memorabilia, as well as donations from fans, fellow riders and corporate sponsors. Money raised helps provide an immediate safety net for amateur and professional riders who often find themselves left with staggering costs and inadequate insurance coverage following injuries suffered while pursuing their passion of racing.

“The Rookies of ’79, the official charity of American Flat Track, is blessed and honored to be partnered with Yamaha Motor Corp. for the 2022 season,” said Rookies of ’79 Executive Director Charlie Roberts. “Yamaha has provided the charity with a new Yamaha 2022 YZF-R7 for use as our featured raffle bike for the season. The bike will be customized in the iconic white and red World GP 60th Anniversary likeness and will be available for viewing at all American Flat Track events.

Yamaha’s generosity with this donation in support of the charity’s mission, supporting injured racers and their families, as well as their support of Estenson Racing, is a true testament to their commitment to American flat track racing. Rookies of ’79 is proud to be part of the Yamaha family!”

For fans or supporters wanting to buy a raffle ticket for the 2022 Yamaha YZF-R7, Rookies of ’79 merchandise, memorabilia or to simply make a donation, please visit the Rookies of ’79 website at www.rookies79.com or visit the Rookies of ’79 tent at American Flat Track national events and a variety of regional flat track events throughout the 2022 racing season.

For more information related to all Yamaha products, visit www.yamahamotorsports.com.

NEWS FROM THE MASTER OF LIGHT–Artist David Uhl – Daytona 2022

We are having a great time here in Daytona. David’s stars of the show are his Daytona piece, “Self Serve” and the new Bounty Hunter piece “Dead Man Walking”, which he’s been working on while here. His lovely model Vilma joined us yesterday and posed for several photos with fans and collectors.

As a reminder, we still have a few of the first Bounty Hunter pieces available and are now taking orders for the second in the 3-part series, “Dead Man Walking”. If you need more information on these pieces, please let me know.

For “Self Serve”, we will be closing the edition this Sunday the 13th. If you want to take advantage of the Rally pricing on this one, please let me know before then. Two sizes: 20×26.5 at $925 framed and 30×40 at $1,895.

Last but certainly not least….

I will be announcing details of David’s new coffee table book in the near future. This beautiful compilation has been several years in the making. Please stay tuned. We will be offering the book and a couple of VERY limited premium options as well.

–Greg Rhodes
International Sales Director
David Uhl Fine Art
Uhl Studios

THE US DROPS RUSSIAN OIL—
The US banned Russian oil imports yesterday, one of the most significant economic steps taken since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine nearly two weeks ago. The move comes as gas prices, already rising before the crisis in Ukraine, jumped to a national average of $4.17.

Russia accounts for 3% of annual US crude oil imports, or 8% when including refined products (see data). In Europe, where countries are more dependent on Russian energy supplies, the UK said it would phase out Russian oil by the end of the year. European Union officials said they would cut Russian gas imports by two-thirds this year and become fully independent from Russian energy supplies by the end of the decade.

Meanwhile, more than 2 million of Ukraine’s 44 million residents have fled the country in what has become Europe’s worst refugee crisis since World War II. NATO officials have accused Russian forces of potentially targeting evacuating civilians.

–1440 Daily Digest

TRIKES OF THE WEEK—

–Sam Burns
Official Trike Editor
Bikernet.com™

MIKE PULLIN R.I.P.--Pablo’s thoughts on Mike Pullin’s passing.

Just finished watching a Saturday afternoon episode of Have Gun Will Travel. Made me think back and remember how my ole friend Mike Pullin and me use to reminisce about Paladin on the Have Gun Will Travel show.

Mike got a kick out me singing the theme song from the show all the time. He would be always begging me to sing it then he would join in!! We would laugh like crazy!!

We use to yuk it up at the old H-D of C
Dealership all the time. We’d talk about Choppers, motorcycles and such.

He loved his “Jock E Shift” Chopper he built. A tribute built to his son Justin.

His sudden passing just floored me.
Totally unexpected. Man, you just never know when the man upstairs says it’s your time.

We worked together at H-D of C
for about 4 yrs. Lots of characters who worked there during those years. Lots of good memories.

Mike knew I that I stayed in touch with him all the time. He asked if he thought he might want to come out to Charlotte for his son’s memorial run.

So, Bandit made it out and that started a lifelong friendship with Mike.

Mike Pullin had many friends and we will miss that ole Virginian smile of his. Mike was special!

Rest In Peace Brother!

–Pablo, the Florida Cracker

ANOTHER New Bikernet Reader Comment!–THIS IS GOING TO BE GOOD BIKERNET WEEKLY NEWS for March 3, 2022

https://www.bikernet.com/pages/THIS_IS_GOING_TO_BE_GOOD_BIKERNET_WEEKLY_NEWS_for_March_3_2022.aspx

Good to see the shop come together, porthole is cool!

— Rik Savenko
BISMARCK, ND

Thanks Rik, just finished talking to my contractor regarding pouring the floor soon I hope.

WINDVEST WINDSHIELDS ON THE ROAD— Come see us at the Good Guy’s Car Show.

WindVest Windshield
(for touring bikes, i.e. Road Glide, Street Glide, Electra Glide, Ultra Classic,
?Victory Cross Country, Indian Challenger, Chieftain)

The Good Guy’s Car Show
March 26 & 27, 2022
Alameda County Fairgrounds
4501 Pleasanton Ave., Pleasanton, CA 94566

Saturday, March 26 – 8:00am to 5:00pm
Sunday, March 27 – 8:00am to 4:00pm
Purchase Tickets through GoodGuys

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS–Promoting Powersports in the West Virginia Statehouse

MIC staff showcased the economic benefits of powersports to West Virginia with a presentation and informational display for state Senate and House officials, the governor’s chief of staff, the commerce assistant secretary, tourism director, and the local coordinator for the Recreational Trails Program.

“We thank State Senator Mark Maynard for inviting us to highlight how the powersports business delivers more than $520 million in economic value for West Virginia while employing hundreds of citizens at scores of retailers,” said the MIC’s Scott Schloegel, senior vice president at the Government Relations Office. “I enjoyed great conversations with some of the state’s motorcyclists, ROVers, and overlanders during the two-day event designed to build on important relationships with key legislators and staff. They got to see firsthand how powersports benefits the economy and recreational opportunities in various communities across West Virginia.”

–MIC

MOVIE REVIEW OF THE WEEK—History of Motorcycle Drag Racing by John Stein.

John Stein wrote a book about the history of motorcycle drag racing and did a stellar job. Unfortunately, they are currently sold out. I recently encouraged him to print more.

Since John had a history of producing television commercials, he went after producing a DVD of historic motorcycle drag racing and was able to find film footage dating back to the beginning of the sport. He was also able to find old racers who are still around to interview and tell the story.

This DVD is a trip, easy to watch and check out the old racers and their rides. We are going to send one to the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum so they can share racing history to the folks who roll through the museum annually.
Check it out.

–Bandit

NEWS FROM THE UKRAINIAN FRONT–Cheap Chinese tires blamed for Russian convoy unable to reach Kyiv

Cheap Chinese tires have been blamed for a Russian convoy of armored vehicles being unable to reach Kyiv.

Yesterday, the Ministry of Defense issued an update revealing that a convoy of Russian tanks advancing on the capital of Ukraine remained 30km from the center of the city having made little progress over the previous three days because of “Ukrainian resistance, mechanical breakdown and congestion.”

Karl Muth, an academic based at the University of Chicago and a self-described tire expert, took to Twitter to set out a theory blaming cheap Chinese tires for the slow advance of Russian vehicles.

— By: Lily Russell-Jones
City A.M.
www.cityam.com

QUICK, A GUN NUT REPORT–On March 8th, a number of bills affecting Second Amendment rights and hunting will receive hearings in policy committees.

Please contact each of the committees below to protect your Second Amendment rights and hunting heritage. In addition, you may click on each of the committees below to view their agenda and find information on participating in the hearings.

Assembly Public Safety Committee at 9:00AM on March 8th

Assembly Bill 1688 repeals the requirement that any new handgun models added to California’s roster include microstamping technology and also repeals the requirement that three non-microstamping handguns be removed from the roster for every new compliant model added.

Assembly Bill 1769 prohibits officials of the 31st District Agricultural Association from entering into any agreement to allow for the sale of any firearm, firearm parts, or ammunition on property or buildings that comprise the Ventura County Fair and Event Center or properties in Ventura County and the City of Ventura that are owned, leased, operated, or occupied by the District. This imposes a one-size-fits-all restriction to prevent officials from deciding how to use venues.

Please click this button to ask the Assembly Public Safety Committee to SUPPORT AB 1688 and OPPOSE AB 1769.

Click HERE to Take Action!
Senate Public Safety Committee at 1:30PM on March 8th

Senate Bill 915, introduced by Senator Dave Min (D-37), bans state officials from entering into any agreement to allow for the sale of any firearm, firearm precursor parts, or ammunition on property that is owned, leased, occupied or operated by the state. This imposes a one-size-fits-all restriction upon all state-owned venues, to prevent their operators from deciding how to use them. In addition, this prevents tax-paying businesses from renting taxpayer-funded venues for lawful activities.

Please click this button to ask the Senate Public Safety Committee to OPPOSE SB 915.

Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee at 9:00AM on March 8th

Senate Bill 865 increases the maximum eligible age for a reduced-fee junior hunting license from 16, to 18 years of age. This will positively impact hunter recruitment and outreach by making it less expensive for 16-17 year-olds to try out hunting. Many of these teenagers will either become lifelong hunters or gain a new understanding of hunting and its importance, both of which will be valuable to maintain our hunting heritage into the future.

Please click this button to ask the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee to SUPPORT SB 865.

Click HERE to Take Action!
Thank you for taking action!

Yours in Freedom,

Ken Lan
Communications Coordinator
NRA-ILA

http://www.nrailafrontlines.com/

NEW FROM BDL–Sprocket Shaft 10 to 24 Offset Inserts

BDL specialty offset inserts for the older 10 spline sprocket shafts from 1955 to 2006, allow the use of an older kit with the newer 24 spline sprocket shaft that HD uses today. BDL offset inserts retail for $90.50. Part numbers for these special inserts start with IN- for Insert then in decimal the size of offset like ½” = IN-500-CTC which the CTC stands for Convert to Twin Cam. The inserts start at Zero, BDL’s standard insert Part # IN-STD-CTC, then it goes to ¼” so IN-250-CTC then we have one at 3/8” which is IN-375-CTC then it goes to ½” so IN-500-CTC. After that it is every ¼” up to 2”

Zero = Offset = IN-STD-CTC
¼”= Offset = IN-250-CTC
3/8”= Offset = IN-375-CTC
½” Offset = IN-500-CTC
¾” Offset = IN-750-CTC
1” Offset = IN-1000-CTC
1-1/4” Offset = IN-1250-CTC
1-1/2” Offset =IN-1500-CTC
1-3/4” Offset = IN-1750-CTC
2” Offset = IN-2000-CTC

–Bob Clark
The Extreme One

ALWAYS KEEPING THE BANDIT’S CANTINA BAD JOKE LIBRARY WIDE OPEN–I always wondered what the job application is like at Hooters. Do they just give you a bra and say, “Here, fill this out?”

–Sam Burns
Official Certified Librarian
Bandit’s Cantina

Hydrogen Power Cannot Catch Up to Battery Powered EVs— Study
The report paints a gloomy picture for the future of hydrogen fuel cell-based propulsion.

A new study by the journal called Nature has confirmed what many have suspected for years about hydrogen fuel cell-based vehicles. The study has revealed that many fuel cell electric cars are also less efficient while having gargantuan infrastructural needs.

Battery powered EVs also have infrastructural issues, but these vehicles also have the great advantage of the existing electrical grid and since most EVs get charged at home, overtime with better fast charging infrastructure, more efficient batteries, any range anxiety issues will be allayed. The same cannot be said about fuel cell based vehicles.

“Technical and economic developments in battery and fast-charging technologies could soon make fuel cell electric vehicles, which run on hydrogen, superfluous in road transport,” states the study.

It even debunks the notion that hydrogen fuel cells could be useful for long haul and trucking purposes.

“The current challenge for battery-electric vehicles is long-haul logistic operation (with an average of 100,000 km per year) and transport of very heavy goods (which implies high energy consumption per kilometre).

This is the use case often discussed for hydrogen trucks. Several truck manufacturers, as well as fuel cell and infrastructure providers, have joined forces and announced a target of 100,000 fuel-cell trucks on European roads by 2030. But this seems very unlikely when contrasted with announcements from the companies about the earliest start date for the production of commercial series fuel cell electric trucks being in 2027. By that time, the second-generation battery-electric vehicles will already be commercially available and in operation,” it adds.

Some trucking companies like the embattled Nikola Motors is also saying that it will have fuel cell based trucks only by 2024, but it also has shifted focus towards electric vehicles based on battery power. Famously, Toyota and GM have been bullish about hydrogen powertrains, but these major automakers are rapidly pivoting towards EVs.

By Sahil Gupta car and bike.com

BANDIT’S DAY ROLL REVIEW—

Love the Bandit’s Dayroll. Just need dimensions and availability.

–Lynda Race

U.S. Corn Ethanol Worse for the Climate than Gasoline–A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences finds adding ethanol to or substituting corn-based ethanol for gasoline causes more greenhouse gas emissions than using gasoline without ethanol.

The study found the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which specifies the amount of biofuels that must be be added to transportation fuel in the United States, resulted in 24 percent higher greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector than would have occurred without the mandated substitution of ethanol for gasoline required by the federal government in the 2005 Energy Policy Act as expanded under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.

The study also reported a variety of other negative effects of the government’s ethanol mandate. For instance, the ethanol mandate caused corn prices by to rise by 30 percent and the prices of other crops by 20 percent. Higher prices resulted in corn cultivation increasing by 8.7 percent in the years after enactment of the mandate. The study also reported the rapid expansion of corn grown for ethanol resulted in an annual growth of fertilizer use nationwide of 3 percent to 8 percent. The RFS also measurably decreased water quality, wildlife habitat, and the storage of carbon dioxide in the soil.

The study by researchers in a variety of scientific disciplines—agroecologists, environmental modelers, and economists from University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of California-Davis, Kansas State University, and the University of Kentucky—was funded in part by the National Wildlife Federation and U.S. Department of Energy.

“It basically reaffirms what many suspected, that corn ethanol is not a climate-friendly fuel and we need to accelerate the shift toward better renewable fuels, as well as make improvements in efficiency and electrification,” Tyler Lark, Ph.D., lead author of the study and a scientist in the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center and the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told Technology Networks.

SOURCE: Reuters; Technology Works

QUOTES Suitable for Describing the Life & Work of Modern News Media Industry:

The brain is the world’s greatest amusement device – the problem is when people get tired of their own toys and insist on playing with yours. – Anonymous

Some people are like slinkies. Not really good for anything but they still make you smile when you push them down the stairs.

“Life swings like a pendulum backward and forward between pain and boredom.” Arthur Schopenhauer

Last night I stayed up late playing poker with Tarot cards. I got a full house and four people died. – Steven Wright

–Wayfarer

TECHNOLOGY OF THE WEEK–A startup is sucking CO2 from the sky and making diamonds. No more mining?

But now, Aether Diamonds, a startup that was founded in 2018 by Ryan Shearman and Daniel Wojno along with Robert Hagemann, became the first manufacturer to use atmospheric carbon to create sustainable diamonds.

“Good” diamonds?
According to Aether, each carat sold equals 20 metric tons of CO2 taken from the atmosphere, using a mix of direct air capture and other carbon removal methods that involve long-term carbon sequestration, which could offset the average American’s carbon footprint by 1.25 years.

This way of manufacturing could help in the fight against climate change by removing carbon from the air and also help the industry itself by preventing the violation of human rights in diamond mining.

Direct air capture has been part of Aether’s mission from the beginning. Shearman and Wojno founded the company after reading about direct air capture in 2018 and searched to find a way to forge diamonds using the carbon pulled from the air. Their aim has always been to sell enough diamonds to support the direct air capture market.

The company produced “hundreds of carats” of diamonds last year and started shipping its first diamonds to customers in mid-2021. Now, Aether plans to produce thousands of carats in 2022.

—InterestingEngineering.com

THIS JUST IN FROM THE CENTER FOR INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS–Climate models that can’t predict climate

Last week we learned that the greenhouse effect is a diminishing effect. Why, then, do we hear all these catastrophic predictions?

Climate models

These claims of CO2 leading to runaway warming and catastrophic climate change are based on speculative climate models that include additional drivers of warming besides the greenhouse effect.

It’s important to keep in mind that these models often contradict each other, both in their assumptions about key elements of climate like cloud formation and the role of aerosols, and in their predictions.

Even more important, though, is that the models that include these speculative drivers of warming have a terrible track record when it comes to predicting actual climate trends.

These charts show models that are trying to predict the future. We can see that in the past these have invariably dramatically over-predicted the amount of warming that would occur as more CO2 entered the atmosphere.

Why is this? Because these aren’t just based on the greenhouse effect. They’re based on other effects that additional CO2 might have on climate, but these are unproven and the predictions based on this understanding of climate have not come true. Predictions based on the idea that CO2 has a much bigger effect in the atmosphere than it does in the laboratory have been systematically wrong.

The temperature record

What’s actually happening? The amount of warming we have experienced is mild by historical standards and it’s manageable.

Here’s another graph of the amount of warming since 1850.

What we see is what is at least in part a natural warming trend with no dramatic temperature increase. It’s tiny compared to what we deal with on a day-to-day, location-to-location, season-to-season basis. The warming isn’t significant and it doesn’t correlate very strongly with CO2.

We can also see that the temperature today is very cold on average in terms of the history of the earth. We’re not at all in unprecedented territory temperature-wise or CO2-wise. The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere since the beginning of the industrial revolution has risen from .03% of the atmosphere to .04%. Historically it was 20 times that and these were very fertile periods of the earth.

That’s going to bring us to the fertilizer effect, which we’ll discuss next week.

–Alex Epstein
Center for Industrial Progress

THE LATEST FROM RMJ— The 3V Syndicate is being graced with a model from the past, we’ve brought the Jungle Combat out of retirement!

The 3V Syndicate Jungle Combat is a modern rendition of the Vietnam style Bowie knife, measuring 12″ in overall length. The drop point fixed blade is made from .195″ thick CPM-3V and features a 7” blade. Different from the past Jungle Combats, you will notice a new more aggressive fuller design.

There are two very distinct offerings, a Black and Gray Urban Camo version, and a Jungle Camo version with Multicam Light Green and Multicam Dark Green, both have Black G10 handle scales. The Urban camo model includes a black leather sheath with gray stitch, the Jungle Camo version includes a brown leather sheath with green stitching.

The price is: $595.00

Specifications
Overall Length: 12 in
Blade Length: 7 in
Cutting Edge Length: 6.625 in
Blade Thickness: .195 in
Weight: 13.5 ounces (without sheath)
Blade Material: CPM-3V (HRC 58-59)
Sheath: Leather

3V Syndicate products include a presentation solid cherry wooden box, 3V Syndicate coin, patch, and membership.

BIKERNET.COM FLASHBACK FEATURE OF THE WEEK–Badlands Run 2007

By Doc with photos by Doc and Chris Callen

“Sometimes on a trip like this you can begin to feel as if you have no other life but this; that you’ve always been riding and always will be.

Family, friends, home, pets all seem to fade into a mist of another time and another place. Here and now is the only reality. This place. This road. And during those times when it feels like one is riding through a pizza oven, skin cracked and dry despite sun block regularly applied, tired, thirsty and with a bad case of monkey-butt it helps to remind oneself of the old saying that, “even the worst day on the road, still beats the best day at work.”

– Badlands Run 2007 By Doc

Read the entire Flashback Feature Article at:
https://www.bikernet.com/pages/Badlands_Run_2007.aspx

–Wayfarer
Editor
Bikernet Blog™

DO THE BROS A FAVOR—Sign up for our weekly email blast. It’s FREE, guaranteed! We won’t hit you with survey and pop-up ads. Hell, the blast only come once a week.

And no, we won’t ask for donations every day. Life is nuts, but we will only send you industry news, Bikernet Content reminders, and maybe a joke or two.

–Bandit

So, hang on. It’s going to be another wild week. In the freezing cold I worked with a local welding supply to buy cold rolled solid steel bars and make weights with used plates. I looked at a site yesterday and a 25-pound plate costs $79. Screw that.

We are working on a new shop and we will still offer a Hal Robinson Bandana anytime you buy a combo pack with a Hal Robinson T-shirt. His wife is trying to keep the masters name alive.

Next week the Pandemic is being delivered to Sturgis. I’m waiting for news from Haul Bikes.

Hang on for more reports, and in the meantime, Ride Free Forever!

–Bandit

Deadwood, South Dakota, March 8, 2022—Bikernet Blog Hits the Top 25 of motorcycle websites ranking. FeedSpot.com investigates the best Motorcycle blogs from thousands of blogs on the web ranked by traffic, social media followers, domain authority and freshness.

Bikernet is consistently rated in the Top 100 Motorcycle Blogs on the internet, but in the February 2022 ranking it hit the Top 25. Feedspot media database has over 100,000 Influential Bloggers in 1500 niche categories.

SEE LATEST RANKING at:
https://blog.feedspot.com/motorcycle_blogs/

Last year Bikernet.com hit the 25-year marker in the business, which was a major milestone after starting in 1996, when the web was super-young. The staff survived the economic downturn of 2008 and 2009, when motorcycling and the custom market was hard hit. “Choppers are dead,” many media sources reported. “But we kept going,” said Keith Ball, the Grand Emperor of the 5-Ball Inc. Empire. “We even expanded with Bikernet Baggers, Bikernet Trikes, the Bikernet Blog and 5-Ball Racing Leathers. Some made it during tough times, some didn’t.”

FeedSpot has over a million users and searches Blogs on the world wide web for motorcycle enthusiasts as well as professionals. What sets the Bikernet Blog aside from other blogs is their ability and balls to deliver comprehensive coverage on all aspects of motorcycling – including customers, custom builders, legislative, dealerships, aftermarket parts, corporate news, industry, outlaws and market news, motorsports, freedom fights, off-road, tech & tips, infrastructure threats, sex, events, reviews, accessories, changes in laws, travel tips and most importantly the fun & joy of bikerdom.

“What sets us aside is our desire to keep the industry alive, thriving and free,” said Ball. “Being a biker is not about getting rich or towing any line. Bikers have always been outlaws. We fight helmet laws, and anything that might restrict building choppers. We also fight the lack of transparency behind climate doom. Science will never be settled, and it may be that CO2 is saving life on earth. We need to keep our minds absolutely open and receptive to new data.”

Bikernet solicits content from all over the world with contributors in the UK, South Africa, Australia, Sweden, India, New Zealand, Europe and all over the USA. Wayfarer is our Main Blog Editor, a biker who rides his motorcycle daily, in all weather conditions. “Without the input, editorial advice and desire of Wayfarer, we wouldn’t be as diverse with our coverage as we are,” said Ball. “The Wayfarer also handles much of our Social Media, while my son, Frank Ball Sr. oversees our Instagram page and my grandson, Frank Ball Jr. is helping us move 5-Ball Garage mail order to a Shopify platform. It’s an ever-changing portfolio of infrastructure projects.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to us regarding advertising which supports our platforms and contributors. Advertising is a simple $167.00 a month for reach on Bikernet.com, the Bikernet Blog and Bikernet email blasts.

Drop a line to KRB@Bikernet.com or call 310-528 9258 for more information.

Chapter 2 of Bonneville Run by K. Randall Ball

Chance rolled out of the Marina area relieved. A haunting pain had been lifted. It felt good to watch the Sunset over the Palos Verdes peninsula, while glistening off the calm harbor waters.

There was one biker who glared around the club’s floating galley, never smiled and only nodded to folks he knew.

It didn’t take Chance long to determine this biker’s self-induced destiny. He wanted to drink himself to death as fast as possible. He drank hard liquor like Rudy smoked Canadian cigarettes.

Read the new chapter Now by Clicking Here

Hang on as this book comes together before your very eyes, chapter by chapter.

CLICK HERE To Read all the Books written by Bandit – anytime, anywhere

Join the Cantina – Subscribe Today

We Have The Belts!

American Prime Mfg – All the horse power in the world will do ya no go without good primary & secondary power transmission. That means reliable, durable belts and a good clutch (That’s another email).

APM has Primary Drive Belts in 8, 11, and 14mm, Kevlar or Fiberglass cord, with many of the impossible-to-get belts that no one else seems to have. APM has Final Drive Belts in 24mm (used on current manufacture Harleys), 1.125″, & 1.50″ wide with Carbon Fiber Cord which is stronger than kevlar and in a myriad of different tooth counts.

Look no further Ladies & Gentlemen! APM has the Belts, and not just any belts, but the original manufacturer of the OE belt, Gates Rubber. And don’t forget our great pricing, and you just can’t go wrong with APM!

Visit our web site for all the sizes available… www.americanprimemfginc.com

Or What To Do With Your Beloved Bikes When You’re Not Around To Do It

By John Stein with images from Sam Burns

As motorcycle fanatics, we’ve all laid awake nights wondering how we could add to our collections when at this point in our lives, doing exactly the opposite probably makes more sense.

The reason, of course, is advancing age and the misguided belief that just because we love this stuff, our children will as well.

CLICK HERE To Read this valuable article about your priceless collection.

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Kuryakyn, Twin Power and ePower products to be featured in display at J&P Cycles during Daytona Bike Week

Fort Worth TX – March 4, 2022 – Tucker Powersports, the nation’s premier powersports products distributor, keeps the post-AIMExpo momentum rolling, as it heads to Daytona Bike Week for the first time in years.

“Our brands have terrific appeal to riders of all types of motorcycles,” said Andrea Weeke, Tucker’s Senior Director of Marketing and Owned Brands. “Bike Week gives us a chance to share the great new accessories from Kuryakyn and Twin Power and show off some of our new ePower products.”

The company’s revamped rally program will feature one of its new display units as a centerpiece for its booth at J&P Cycles in Ormond Beach. It will feature products from Kuryakyn and Twin Power, two brands with products for all types of riders, especially those on the big V-Twins that gather at Bike Week.

Kuryakyn, a brand recently acquired by Tucker Powersports, will show its recently announced Wanderbar audio system, the Road Thunder Soundbar, its Torke line of waterproof ADV bags and a range of Momentum bags for road riders.

Twin Power has been delivering great products to riders since 1982. At Bike Week, the brand will be showing its new line of floating brake rotors, Shocker Gel batteries and its tremendously popular spray cleaners, lubricants and Ethanot!, a fuel treatment that appeals to anyone using today’s blended fuel.

The display will also include products from Tucker’s expanding portfolio of ePower products, which includes e-bikes, e-scooters and electric skateboards.

The Tucker display will be open at J&P Cycles from Friday March 4 through Saturday March 12 from 9am to 6pm.

Visit the Website at: https://www.tucker.com/

About Tucker Powersports:
Featuring the most powerful portfolio of parts, accessories and apparel brands in the powersports industry, Tucker distributes top brands and offers its own brands, including Answer, Biker’s Choice, BikeMaster, Bully Locks, CoverMax, DragonFire Racing, FirstGear, Kuryakyn, ProTaper/ProTaper Sport, QuadBoss, Speed and Strength, and TwinPower.